Disclaimer: all characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers.
a/n see bottom.
Cheating Death
By neutral
Chapter eleven - cheating a dream
"I really cannot eat anymore," Sirius mumbled irritably, pushing the half-full dish away.
Remus raised his brow doubtfully, "Padfoot, that was the last sentence I could imagine ever coming out of your mouth."
"Well, I can't! Where is Dumbledore? He's late," Sirius stood up, shifting the bag of supplies nervously.
"Just sit still for a moment, will you?" Remus urged, looking at his friend with a mixture of amusement and concern. "Have some more. You don't know what it is like there."
"Exactly. I don't want to have to find some bushes to relieve myself later," Sirius grumbled.
He stood up and began pacing the room restlessly, a bit stiff after being confined to his room for three days straight. Sirius finally found some semblance of hope again and he wasn't going to let it go easily. He rubbed his hands together, trying to rid himself of some access energy.
"Sirius, just sit down! You're giving me a headache and you're burning a hole in my floor," Remus said good naturedly.
He sighed when Sirius just glared at him and walked faster. He was about to find another teasing remark, when the fireplace burst with a green flame. Sirius perked up in excitement, running to the fireplace waiting for the exact moment Dumbledore would tumble out. But instead of greeting the white bearded wizard with twinkling blue eyes, he came face to face with an eagle faced man with greasy hair.
"Snape!" Sirius hissed, backing away in shock. He hadn't seen his old childhood rival since the Riddle House; after the past events, he couldn't help but feel a sort of mixed anger and relief. He quickly covered his confusion by scowling. "What are you doing here?"
Snape sneered but didn't hold the glare. He moved out of the way just as the fire flared green again, and a blue robed figure stepped out. Sirius wondered how his old headmaster managed to look dignified even with this form of travel; the old wizard's robes were sootless and unwrinkled, and not a hair on his beard was out of place.
"I'm sorry about not coming earlier. The potion took some time to prepare," Dumbledore said smoothing down his robes out of habit. "How are you doing Sirius, Remus?"
"I think we better get right to the spell. Sirius isn't going to stay calm for much longer," Remus looked at Sirius pointedly.
Dumbledore nodded, smiling knowingly. "Sirius, I know you're impatient, but there are parts of this spell that you must understand or else you'll never be able to come back. I'm sure Harry wouldn't be too happy with that."
Sirius nodded impatiently, pocketing a shrunken bag of supplies and adjusting the collar of his new robe. "I know, but can we make this quick?"
Snape grunted and Remus smiled knowingly, but Dumbledore only grinned wider.
The headmaster shook his head and sat down, watching Sirius' face grow even more impatient. "I'll try. Sirius, are you sure you can manage the dispelling charm? It requires some concentration. Will you sit down for a moment?"
Reluctantly, Sirius stilled in his pacing, and sat down. But even so, he twitched in his seat uncomfortably.
Remus frowned. "How is that suppose to work in Harry's case?"
"I was just getting there. In 1786, a woman who recently lost her husband to a rather unfortunate mishap transported her spirit with this charm. Her body was frozen, much like the victims of the killing curse, for three days before she returned. Supposedly, she visited her husband, although it was never quite clear. She came back, settled all her dues and sold her house. A week later, she performed the charm again and never returned," Dumbledore looked somber at the thought, eyes darkening worriedly. "I'm not sure whether she intended to do that or not, but evidence shows that she probably wasn't planning to return. It transports you spiritually to the place of someone close to you. Unfortunately, is it still a rather risky spell, but the only one that even has a chance of working. Have you decided, Sirius?"
"Of course," Sirius said, looking angry that Dumbledore would even suggest that he back out. He stood up and began pacing again. "I need to get to him as soon as possible. Who knows what Harry's going through right now."
"Relax, Black. Potter isn't a little boy," Snape snapped, looking just as irritated.
"Well, all you ever did was make life miserable for him in school!" Sirius growled. The frustration of the situation was making him agitated, and his anger flared at the slightest touch. "Do you even--"
"Sirius, let Albus finish," Remus interrupted hastily.
Dumbledore sighed, looking at his two former pupils with an unreadable expression. "Sirius, you've practiced the charm before, only this time, we're going to add the potion designed to separate the spirit from the body. It should transport you directly to Harry. Remember, no matter what happens, the charm will end in ten days, so make sure Harry is back within that time. Take this with you," Dumbledore explained as he handed Sirius a small, cloth bag.
Curious, Sirius dug through it, pulling out a smooth, thin wand that he recognized as Harry's, and another long dogwood branch that had several chips along the sides.
"My wand!" Sirius looked at it with fond surprise. "They gave it back."
Dumbledore smiled weakly, expression clouded by concern for his students. "Yes, you'll need it there." He drew a long breath, and pulled a small glass vile from the folds of his robes. The liquid was clear, and from the light, it looked as if it was filled with nothing but air. He handed it to Sirius almost reluctantly. "Sirius, if you're ready, we'll begin the charm now."
Remus looked at his friend worriedly, "Sirius, be careful, alright? Bring Harry back safely."
"And make sure you bring him back in one piece," Snape added.
Remus glanced at his old rival in surprise, but Snape stubbornly avoided his gaze. Sirius barely noticed their exchange, eyes focused on the small, plain vile in his hand. He examined it thoughtfully, running his fingers across the smooth surface, then without warning, downed the contents in one gulp. Instantly, he shivered; the liquid was like ice, freezing his throat as it went down. It let an strange numbness as it faded that stretched like arms to every inch on his skin. Wrenching free of the mist that dulled his mind, Sirius forced himself to picture Harry: that first quittich game he saw that night in the rain, that night at the fireplace just before the First Task when Harry blurted out all his worries and doubts, that day in Dumbledore's office when he bore an empty haunted look like the world just crashed around him…
Distantly, he felt his body growing limp. An odd, floating sensation overtook his senses, like all the troubles lifted and he was freed. He was leaving.
He was going to bring Harry home.
Harry stared at the man who could have been a carbon copy of himself, if it wasn't for his chocolate brown eyes and smooth forehead. His hair was as wild as ever, tousled by the strong winds and standing in every angle imaginable. His eyes were wide behind round-rimmed glasses, eyes fixed on Harry unblinkingly.
"Harry," he said again. He lifted a trembling hand to his face, almost as if he was afraid he would vanish in a moment's neglect.
Harry stared back at him numbly, still a bit dazed. Never in the past few days did he ever dare to dream of seeing his parents here. He never wondered.
"I don't believe it," James whispered. "Sirius always joked that you'd look just like me when you grew up, but we never took it seriously." he broke into a wide smile, looking at Harry as if he wanted to memorize every detail on his son's face. "You look exactly like me, a bit shorter and skinner though."
Harry wasn't listening. He could only stare at his father's face, thoughts whirling through his head. His father was here. He was here. After all those years of wishing, he was finally here! Harry could feel his eyes watering again when he threw his arms around the taller man's neck, the fire in his still sore arm forgotten as he buried his face in the thick folds of the cloak.
"Dad," he choked out. "I missed you."
James returned the embrace tightly, the awkward tension between them shattered. He looked at his son sadly, patting him reassuringly on the back.
"I… I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was you," he said, touching Harry's shoulder hesitantly. "Why didn't you just tell me who you are?"
Harry shook his head, "I didn't know!"
James sighed, tucking Harry's head under his chin and running his fingers through the unruly locks, a gesture so reminiscent of Sirius that it made Harry shudder.
"I didn't believe it ," James whispered, mostly to himself than anyone in particular. "None of us believed him at first. Lily was so angry. She was almost crying, telling him that it wasn't true. But the trees said the same thing, and we've been looking for you ever since. How? How could you die?"
Harry drew a sharp breath, face still hidden in his father's robes. "I'm sorry. I threw it all away," he whispered, his voice amazingly steady despite his tears.
James looked concerned, "What are you talking about?"
"What you did for me. What Mum did for me," Harry pulled away, wiping his eyes and looking at the ground.
James sighed, sadness traceable in his features. He placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder and bending down to face him. "You never asked for any of this. It was never in your control. We are just upset that you had to die," he frowned, taking in the bloodstains on Harry's worn, oversized clothes. He touched the still purple fingerprints on Harry neck hesitantly. "Who did that to you?" he asked, anger brimming in his voice.
Harry paled, standing up quickly and trying to cover the streaks with a hand. How could he explain it? He wasn't sure James' would understand if he explained Sirius had tried to kill him under Voldermort's control. Sirius was already guilt ridden with his best friend's death; he didn't need James blaming him for this as well.
"It wasn't his fault," Harry finally blurted out. "It was the imperious curse."
James looked doubtful, but his son's reaction worried him. He was like a frightened child, clamping up and withdrawing into his shell at the slightest disturbance.
"Harry, it's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to tell me right now. Lets find someplace warm."
Harry nodded, giving James a sad smile that twisted his stomach. There was a lingering gloom in his features no matter what his son did. What happened to him?
*
I'm sorry, if you're the reader who loves long complex plots, then this story must really suck. I have trouble writing anything longer than ten chapters, and this story has been a miracle for me so far. (it's 23 chapters total, I'm done!! Now for the epilogue…) I love reading long complex stories, but I can't write them. This story so far has very little characters, and very few lose strings to tie. I have a lot of trouble with new characters, and a lot of trouble with lose strings, so I tried to keep it as compact as possible.
Of course, you can still have a choice. Do you want a lose plot that runs everywhere or a compact plot that only touches the essentials? I already finished the story, and it is very, very compact. And I do mean VERY compact, otherwise, I'm guessing the story will be around 30 chapters. I don't know if that's good or not… I don't want to disappoint anyone. But I'm in a hurry to get to the sequel, and considering this entire time frame is only 10 days, I don't think I have that liberty. But still, it's up to you! What would you want? Adding a couple of scenes here and there won't be hard.
I'm really not suppose to post today. I have 150 pages to read for English and I haven't even started. Crappo. URG!! Oh well…
Thanks for all those great reviews! The most I've had so far! Wow… looks like everyone was just waiting for Harry's life sentence.
a/n see bottom.
Cheating Death
By neutral
Chapter eleven - cheating a dream
"I really cannot eat anymore," Sirius mumbled irritably, pushing the half-full dish away.
Remus raised his brow doubtfully, "Padfoot, that was the last sentence I could imagine ever coming out of your mouth."
"Well, I can't! Where is Dumbledore? He's late," Sirius stood up, shifting the bag of supplies nervously.
"Just sit still for a moment, will you?" Remus urged, looking at his friend with a mixture of amusement and concern. "Have some more. You don't know what it is like there."
"Exactly. I don't want to have to find some bushes to relieve myself later," Sirius grumbled.
He stood up and began pacing the room restlessly, a bit stiff after being confined to his room for three days straight. Sirius finally found some semblance of hope again and he wasn't going to let it go easily. He rubbed his hands together, trying to rid himself of some access energy.
"Sirius, just sit down! You're giving me a headache and you're burning a hole in my floor," Remus said good naturedly.
He sighed when Sirius just glared at him and walked faster. He was about to find another teasing remark, when the fireplace burst with a green flame. Sirius perked up in excitement, running to the fireplace waiting for the exact moment Dumbledore would tumble out. But instead of greeting the white bearded wizard with twinkling blue eyes, he came face to face with an eagle faced man with greasy hair.
"Snape!" Sirius hissed, backing away in shock. He hadn't seen his old childhood rival since the Riddle House; after the past events, he couldn't help but feel a sort of mixed anger and relief. He quickly covered his confusion by scowling. "What are you doing here?"
Snape sneered but didn't hold the glare. He moved out of the way just as the fire flared green again, and a blue robed figure stepped out. Sirius wondered how his old headmaster managed to look dignified even with this form of travel; the old wizard's robes were sootless and unwrinkled, and not a hair on his beard was out of place.
"I'm sorry about not coming earlier. The potion took some time to prepare," Dumbledore said smoothing down his robes out of habit. "How are you doing Sirius, Remus?"
"I think we better get right to the spell. Sirius isn't going to stay calm for much longer," Remus looked at Sirius pointedly.
Dumbledore nodded, smiling knowingly. "Sirius, I know you're impatient, but there are parts of this spell that you must understand or else you'll never be able to come back. I'm sure Harry wouldn't be too happy with that."
Sirius nodded impatiently, pocketing a shrunken bag of supplies and adjusting the collar of his new robe. "I know, but can we make this quick?"
Snape grunted and Remus smiled knowingly, but Dumbledore only grinned wider.
The headmaster shook his head and sat down, watching Sirius' face grow even more impatient. "I'll try. Sirius, are you sure you can manage the dispelling charm? It requires some concentration. Will you sit down for a moment?"
Reluctantly, Sirius stilled in his pacing, and sat down. But even so, he twitched in his seat uncomfortably.
Remus frowned. "How is that suppose to work in Harry's case?"
"I was just getting there. In 1786, a woman who recently lost her husband to a rather unfortunate mishap transported her spirit with this charm. Her body was frozen, much like the victims of the killing curse, for three days before she returned. Supposedly, she visited her husband, although it was never quite clear. She came back, settled all her dues and sold her house. A week later, she performed the charm again and never returned," Dumbledore looked somber at the thought, eyes darkening worriedly. "I'm not sure whether she intended to do that or not, but evidence shows that she probably wasn't planning to return. It transports you spiritually to the place of someone close to you. Unfortunately, is it still a rather risky spell, but the only one that even has a chance of working. Have you decided, Sirius?"
"Of course," Sirius said, looking angry that Dumbledore would even suggest that he back out. He stood up and began pacing again. "I need to get to him as soon as possible. Who knows what Harry's going through right now."
"Relax, Black. Potter isn't a little boy," Snape snapped, looking just as irritated.
"Well, all you ever did was make life miserable for him in school!" Sirius growled. The frustration of the situation was making him agitated, and his anger flared at the slightest touch. "Do you even--"
"Sirius, let Albus finish," Remus interrupted hastily.
Dumbledore sighed, looking at his two former pupils with an unreadable expression. "Sirius, you've practiced the charm before, only this time, we're going to add the potion designed to separate the spirit from the body. It should transport you directly to Harry. Remember, no matter what happens, the charm will end in ten days, so make sure Harry is back within that time. Take this with you," Dumbledore explained as he handed Sirius a small, cloth bag.
Curious, Sirius dug through it, pulling out a smooth, thin wand that he recognized as Harry's, and another long dogwood branch that had several chips along the sides.
"My wand!" Sirius looked at it with fond surprise. "They gave it back."
Dumbledore smiled weakly, expression clouded by concern for his students. "Yes, you'll need it there." He drew a long breath, and pulled a small glass vile from the folds of his robes. The liquid was clear, and from the light, it looked as if it was filled with nothing but air. He handed it to Sirius almost reluctantly. "Sirius, if you're ready, we'll begin the charm now."
Remus looked at his friend worriedly, "Sirius, be careful, alright? Bring Harry back safely."
"And make sure you bring him back in one piece," Snape added.
Remus glanced at his old rival in surprise, but Snape stubbornly avoided his gaze. Sirius barely noticed their exchange, eyes focused on the small, plain vile in his hand. He examined it thoughtfully, running his fingers across the smooth surface, then without warning, downed the contents in one gulp. Instantly, he shivered; the liquid was like ice, freezing his throat as it went down. It let an strange numbness as it faded that stretched like arms to every inch on his skin. Wrenching free of the mist that dulled his mind, Sirius forced himself to picture Harry: that first quittich game he saw that night in the rain, that night at the fireplace just before the First Task when Harry blurted out all his worries and doubts, that day in Dumbledore's office when he bore an empty haunted look like the world just crashed around him…
Distantly, he felt his body growing limp. An odd, floating sensation overtook his senses, like all the troubles lifted and he was freed. He was leaving.
He was going to bring Harry home.
Harry stared at the man who could have been a carbon copy of himself, if it wasn't for his chocolate brown eyes and smooth forehead. His hair was as wild as ever, tousled by the strong winds and standing in every angle imaginable. His eyes were wide behind round-rimmed glasses, eyes fixed on Harry unblinkingly.
"Harry," he said again. He lifted a trembling hand to his face, almost as if he was afraid he would vanish in a moment's neglect.
Harry stared back at him numbly, still a bit dazed. Never in the past few days did he ever dare to dream of seeing his parents here. He never wondered.
"I don't believe it," James whispered. "Sirius always joked that you'd look just like me when you grew up, but we never took it seriously." he broke into a wide smile, looking at Harry as if he wanted to memorize every detail on his son's face. "You look exactly like me, a bit shorter and skinner though."
Harry wasn't listening. He could only stare at his father's face, thoughts whirling through his head. His father was here. He was here. After all those years of wishing, he was finally here! Harry could feel his eyes watering again when he threw his arms around the taller man's neck, the fire in his still sore arm forgotten as he buried his face in the thick folds of the cloak.
"Dad," he choked out. "I missed you."
James returned the embrace tightly, the awkward tension between them shattered. He looked at his son sadly, patting him reassuringly on the back.
"I… I'm so sorry. I had no idea it was you," he said, touching Harry's shoulder hesitantly. "Why didn't you just tell me who you are?"
Harry shook his head, "I didn't know!"
James sighed, tucking Harry's head under his chin and running his fingers through the unruly locks, a gesture so reminiscent of Sirius that it made Harry shudder.
"I didn't believe it ," James whispered, mostly to himself than anyone in particular. "None of us believed him at first. Lily was so angry. She was almost crying, telling him that it wasn't true. But the trees said the same thing, and we've been looking for you ever since. How? How could you die?"
Harry drew a sharp breath, face still hidden in his father's robes. "I'm sorry. I threw it all away," he whispered, his voice amazingly steady despite his tears.
James looked concerned, "What are you talking about?"
"What you did for me. What Mum did for me," Harry pulled away, wiping his eyes and looking at the ground.
James sighed, sadness traceable in his features. He placed a reassuring hand on Harry's shoulder and bending down to face him. "You never asked for any of this. It was never in your control. We are just upset that you had to die," he frowned, taking in the bloodstains on Harry's worn, oversized clothes. He touched the still purple fingerprints on Harry neck hesitantly. "Who did that to you?" he asked, anger brimming in his voice.
Harry paled, standing up quickly and trying to cover the streaks with a hand. How could he explain it? He wasn't sure James' would understand if he explained Sirius had tried to kill him under Voldermort's control. Sirius was already guilt ridden with his best friend's death; he didn't need James blaming him for this as well.
"It wasn't his fault," Harry finally blurted out. "It was the imperious curse."
James looked doubtful, but his son's reaction worried him. He was like a frightened child, clamping up and withdrawing into his shell at the slightest disturbance.
"Harry, it's okay," he said gently. "You don't have to tell me right now. Lets find someplace warm."
Harry nodded, giving James a sad smile that twisted his stomach. There was a lingering gloom in his features no matter what his son did. What happened to him?
*
I'm sorry, if you're the reader who loves long complex plots, then this story must really suck. I have trouble writing anything longer than ten chapters, and this story has been a miracle for me so far. (it's 23 chapters total, I'm done!! Now for the epilogue…) I love reading long complex stories, but I can't write them. This story so far has very little characters, and very few lose strings to tie. I have a lot of trouble with new characters, and a lot of trouble with lose strings, so I tried to keep it as compact as possible.
Of course, you can still have a choice. Do you want a lose plot that runs everywhere or a compact plot that only touches the essentials? I already finished the story, and it is very, very compact. And I do mean VERY compact, otherwise, I'm guessing the story will be around 30 chapters. I don't know if that's good or not… I don't want to disappoint anyone. But I'm in a hurry to get to the sequel, and considering this entire time frame is only 10 days, I don't think I have that liberty. But still, it's up to you! What would you want? Adding a couple of scenes here and there won't be hard.
I'm really not suppose to post today. I have 150 pages to read for English and I haven't even started. Crappo. URG!! Oh well…
Thanks for all those great reviews! The most I've had so far! Wow… looks like everyone was just waiting for Harry's life sentence.