Unnatural hyper tendencies quickly coming back, Harry was soon leading the small company, exuberantly, to the castle's front door. Instead of leading the expectant group out-of-doors, Harry turned to stare at a nearly always forgotten picture, an oddly stationary picture. It stood in a place of honor on the wall directly in between the starting points of the twin staircases that led to the upper floors. The man standing within the borders of the picture frame had very light, almost white blonde hair, and Dumbledore quality vibrant, sparkling blue eyes. He stood in a room decorated in elaborate mahogany wood and draped in red and gold fabrics. A fire was burning merrily in the background, as the man stood next to an end table, hand laid on a statue of a roaring lion.
Harry smiled as a whisper passed his lips, "Godric Gryffindor…." The heads of the two following wizards snapped to Harry's form, unsure if what they heard was indeed what they had heard. Serverus and Albus followed Harry's line of sight to the painting. Godric Gryffindor had supposedly never left behind anything with his image, most likely not wanting the hype that would surround it. So when Harry said that the previously unidentified man in the painting was indeed Gryffindor the two wizards stared in wonder at one of the four people in all of wizarding history that made it possible for their lives, as they know them, to exist.
Harry watched their expressions of wonder with a smile, then, deeming that time was passing with them just standing in the hallway, Harry squeezed Serverus' hand, which he was surprised to find still in his own, to gain the man's attention once more.
With a loud cough aimed at gaining the other's attention, Harry let go of Serverus' hand and stepped towards the painting and started to tap the stone wall below the portrait in an intricate and wholly un-followable (A.N. ooh…new word!) pattern, all the while mumbling something under his breath. Finishing abruptly, Harry stepped back and returned his gaze to the painting. With a blink of previously stationary eyes, and a whole-body shudder, Godric started to move around within his painting. Looking down at the assembled group at his feet as he tried to massage feeling back into his forearms, Godric gave them all a smile full of sun and warmth. Squatting down, so that he was more at an eye level with his guests, Godric stared at them, waiting for something. It came in the form of a voice dripping in sarcasm.
"I know Godric. How could I have left my 'grandchild,' even in painting form, in immobile stillness? Well, you know the reason, and I refuse to apologize!"
The generals, Serverus, and Albus turn around to find Harry, arms crossed across his chest, and glaring at the large painting with a playful fire burning in his eyes.
"Well, gramps." The group turns back to the talking painting to find Godric smirking, "You're right I do know the reason, but I still don't have to like it!"
"Well, Child! I wasn't the one that decided that having a picture of myself as a guardian to my chamber was a good idea!"
"Yah, yah, yah! I know! Come on in!"
With that said the stones beneath the painting opened, forming an arch much like the one found in the wall behind the Leaky Caldron. Walking to the threshold, Harry turned back to find the shocked visages of his teachers and the generals, smiling Harry gave the group a deep and sweeping bow, "Welcome to Gryffindor family's personal chambers."
With that said Harry turned and disappeared into the light that was streaming out of the archway. Looking at each other in surprise, the group moved forward and passed over the threshold.
When their eyes adjusted to the overabundance of light, they were surprised to find themselves in the room that had been portrayed in the painting. Everything was the same, except that there was an open door on the opposite wall. Not seeing Harry, the group moved passed the understated opulence that the room contained to gain the open door. Looking through the door into the room behind, the group was once again shocked, for what they found had never been seen before.
The door led to a room with spelled walls and ceiling that depicted a scene of a beautiful forest glen. The floor was covered in waving grass, and a magical wind blew through the branches of stately trees. The room seemed to stretch on forever, creating the feel that if a person were to walk; they could walk on for however long they wanted without hitting a boundary. Walking into the room, the generals, Serverus, and Albus continued on in silent wonder as they passed by plants and animals that had supposedly gone extinct a thousand years ago. Walking through a line of trees they suddenly became aware of beautiful singing being carried to them on the breeze. Following the sound they came upon a wide-open meadow, surrounded by flowering trees and bathed in sunlight. Walking on they almost tripped over Harry's relaxed form as he lay among the waving grasses, eyes closed, face uplifted to get the full brunt of the glorious sunlight as he sang. Sitting down they arranged themselves into comfortable positions so that they could listen to the hauntingly beautiful song coming from the lips of the young wizard. Looking around them they were disturbed to see that the air around them was shimmering and rippling, pulsing to the music.
When the last note of the song faded on the wind, the odd phenomenon stopped, leaving in its wake four clear crystal spikes that held four human bodies within their depths. Getting up the generals walked forward hesitantly, unsure if their wishes had indeed come true. Reaching the crystals they did indeed find their bodies, eyes closed and hands by their sides, as if in sleep. Reaching out a tentative hand they gently brushed their fingertips against the crystals encasing their bodies. In a flash of light their spirit forms had disappeared and the crystals had shattered. Harry sat up and joined Albus and Serverus in watching as the wind surrounded the suspended bodies. With a cumulative gasp for breath the four bodies drew breath into their lungs. Soon after their eyes shot open, and the wind settled them gently on the ground. Getting up Harry approached and waited calmly for the generals to take stock of their situation and to get used to being in their bodies again. Harry watched as smiles slowly stretched across their faces as the reality of the situation sunk in. Finding themselves able to get up, they gained their feet and started stretching out the soreness in their muscles.
Albus and Serverus moved up to stand at Harry's side as they watched the generals run through a few exercise drills.
As they watched, Harry drew Serverus' arm around his waist as he laid his head against the man's chest. Serverus squeezed the waist lightly, drawing the boy closer into his side, and let out a contented sigh, all without taking his eyes off the antics of the generals.