Disclaimer: all characters belong to J K Rowling and Warner brothers.
a/n I have some good news. I had a backup CD!! Well, it wasn't really a backup CD, it was just some CD which I burned a copy of my hard drive and it had old files of cheating death on it. Unfortunately, it's the old, old draft and missing a couple of chapters towards the end (I have up till 28, still 5 chapters short. Unfortunately, those were the chapters I wanted to keep, grr…), but what the hell, I'm not complaining.
Plug! Go read Moppet Poppet's dedication story, I posted up to chapter 3 so far. It's titled Of Western Stars, after a poem by Tennyson. Basic summary: Sirius hears about his godson in Azkaban when Harry is six and a half, and resolves to escape. So far, it seems like it's not going to be a short story.
Cheating Death
By neutral
Chapter nineteen - cheating a friendly dispute
It was strange how just a simple embrace could dissipate all his worries. All the fears of losing his godson faded into the back of his mind with the small bundle in his arms. He could only feel a calming peace with Harry's rhythmic heartbeat close to his ear and the soft rise and fall of his chest. It was a relief from all those days of holding a cold body. Sirius threw an arm around his godson, leaning against a thin shoulder; it was probably just as much of a comfort to him as to his godson.
"Dad?" Harry's voice came close to his ear, body shifting as he looked over Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius turned quickly, glancing at his friend at the door with a strange sort of apprehension.
James smiled, but it was with a strained expression that he couldn't remember seeing since the time Sirius kissed Lily on the cheek, result of a rather bad dare. Lily was the one of the few girls who still cold shouldered the Marauders, and a joke on such a pretty red head was just too hard to resist. Everyone laughed about it afterwards, everyone but Lily of course. It was before the two lovebirds began dating, but it was obvious that James had already been pinning for the green eyed beauty. He tried hard to hide some jealousy behind his teasing.
With a sinking heart, Sirius realized what Harry's action must have met to him. James was his father, and yet his son had more trust in his godfather. After stealing away James and Lily's life, he stole away his son as well.
Harry must have noticed the awkward silence; he held his next words and watched the two adults apprehensively.
"Did you find an owl?" Sirius asked quickly, trying to relieve the tense atmosphere.
James joined Sirius beside the bed, sighing "No, those things are hard to find. Cedric offered to search for me so I can join you guys," he looked at his son, a fleeting expression of regret and concern darkening his eyes, before he smiled. "Feeling better, Harry?"
Despite the briefness of the expression, Harry noticed it immediately. "Sirius told you how I died, didn't he?"
"What?" James looked stunned.
Sirius grunted, "I told you Harry was perceptive."
But when Harry turned to James with searching eyes, Sirius couldn't help but feel guilty. He realized why Harry had kept it from his father, but he couldn't decide whether he should be flattered, or upset by that decision.
"Dad, it's not Sirius' fault; the choice was completely mine," Harry's voice was almost pleading. Sirius turned away, afraid of seeing the emotions running through James' face. "Don't blame him, he didn't do anything wrong…"
"I know. I understand," James said quietly. He pushed some locks of hair from his son's face sadly. "Sirius told me about what happened during your years at Hogwarts."
"He did?" Harry asked timidly.
James leaned against the bed, placing a cautious hand on Harry's shoulder. He watched his son quietly for a pensive moment. "Why didn't you tell me?" he finally asked.
Harry stiffened at the contact, and picked at the edge of the pillow distractedly. He seemed to be doing that a lot of the late. "I'm not sure. I guess I didn't want it to bother you…"
James sighed. "I'm your father! I should know. Why would you be afraid of bothering me?"
"I don't know!" Harry clinched his fists, trying to vent some desperation. He twisted the fabric cruelly between his fingers. "I didn't want you to feel guilty for not being there. I didn't want you to feel obligated to make it up to me."
Sirius couldn't suppress a bitter smile at Harry's words. Despite his lack of a father for the majority of his life, Harry seemed to understand James' character with only hours of acquaintance. Even James was stunned; he openly stared at Harry in shock, his hand tightening on his son's shoulder.
"Harry knows us too well," Sirius muttered.
James sighed again. "And you're just fourteen?" He leaned down to stare at Harry searchingly, and when Harry didn't answer, drew him into a loose hug. "I guess I should say that I'm proud of you, but I really wish things were different. You're too young to be here."
Harry shook his head firmly. "No, I'm glad I'm here," he whispered, voice muffled against James' shirt.
Sirius' stomach plummeted. James' smile dropped like lead from his face.
"What?" James asked, voice dangerously calm.
"I want to stay," Harry continued, peaceful as he leaned against James' shoulder. "I want to spend some time with you and Mum at least for a few days before I decide."
James turned to Sirius with a mixture of confusion and anxiety. "Padfoot, you said you're going to bring Harry home."
"Harry asked to stay for a few more days. James, let Harry decide what'll be best for him. It was his choice to begin with. I can't force Harry to go home if he really doesn't want to," Sirius said, forcing himself to meet his friend's gaze unflinchingly. But he almost faltered under the look of utter betrayal in James' demeanor.
"Harry can't stay in this place! It's a prison! He should at least have a chance," James said angrily.
"And be on the top of Voldermort's hit list when he comes back?! James, that place is hardly any better…" Sirius grumbled, equally irritated. It was only fair. James barely even knew Harry, he didn't have the right to make those decisions for him!
"He's too young!"
"He's seen much more than you or I will ever see! Harry has the right!"
Sirius could feel the ringing silence of the room, James' words and his own echoing in his ears. The anger that he faced James was fueled by the fear of losing his godson to James; faced with the subject again, the frustration suddenly burst free. He couldn't help but scream at his best friend. Harry had gone still at their angry shouts, all color drained from his face and his green eyes wide. He seemed desperate to speak, but afraid of disturbing the two adults.
"Could we wait until Mum comes?" Harry's voice was soft, even a bit afraid.
That shattered James' resolution. He nodded, smoothing out Harry's hair ruefully. "Of course."
"Thirsty?"
Harry jumped in surprise, turning towards the figure by the door with eyes wider than he even thought humanly possible.
"Cedric?" he choked out.
Cedric smiled warmly, lifting the tray that carried two steaming mugs for Harry to see. "I thought you'd be thirsty so I brought some tea. Would you like some?"
He held out the tray to the younger boy, but Harry was pale and silent. His eyes were turned to Cedric's face searchingly and took the proffered cup with unsteady hands.
"Thank you," Harry said finally. But didn't lift it to his lips, only he grasping the mug so tightly that his knuckles were bloodless; the drink splashed around in a trembling grip.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Black are resting; they looked like they haven't slept for days," Cedric explained by way of greeting, taking a small sip from his cup. "I hope you don't mind my company."
Harry shook his head stiffly, turning his eyes downcast.
Cedric watched him with mounting concern, but their friendship in the past was never intimate. He never knew Harry with complete understanding; he wasn't sure if it was his place to reassure him. But the change from the confident, however quiet, person he knew only months ago to the timid and sickly boy was startling.
"I'm sorry," Harry suddenly whispered, bowing his head to hide his face. "I'm so sorry. You must hate me so much."
"Harry, what are you talking about?" Cedric asked, alarmed.
"The cup, the portkey, the Third Task! If I hadn't asked you to take it with me, then you'd still be alive!"
Cedric was astonished, all words logged in his throat. Harry was visibly shaking, his entire body slumped limply against the pillow, clutching at the mug so tightly that he looked like it would surely crack. This was what haunted him, Cedric realized.
"Harry…," Cedric began, sitting slowly in a chair. Harry stiffened, as if bracing himself for a verbal assault. "I was going to thank you."
Harry jerked around to face him, eyes wide. "What? Why?"
Cedric grinned, placing the empty tray on the side of the bed. "For helping me with Krum and that spider. If you didn't, I probably would have died."
"But you did die," Harry whispered, looking away again. "It shouldn't have been you at all."
Cedric frowned, "Are you saying you should have died?"
"You had a family, Cedric! You had people who would mourn for you! I made so many people miserable…," Harry choked out, bringing an unsteady hand to cover his face.
Cedric inwardly winced when Harry's oversized sleeve pulled away, revealing a thin, wan arm coated with angry bruises. It was so strange, watching a fourteen year old boy just recovering from a mass of broken bones tear himself apart about how he made others unhappy. But Cedric couldn't help a flicker of rage at those words.
"My family blamed you?"
Harry jumped slightly at the anger that leaked in his tone, shaking his head quickly. "No, they didn't. But they should have."
"Harry…"
"They should have! You died because you were there. You never asked for any of it! It was completely unfair!" Harry burst out.
Cedric frowned again. Those words would have described Harry perfectly as well, if the boy hadn't been so selfless and stubborn. He sighed, searching his mind for a different route.
"Harry, do you blame Mr. Black?" Cedric asked slowly.
Harry looked surprised at the sudden change of subject, but he shook his head firmly. "It wasn't Sirius' fault."
"Exactly," at Harry's inquiring gaze, Cedric sighed, shaking his head. "The living takes dying a lot more seriously than the dead. I don't blame you, you don't blame Mr. Black. Yet he blames himself just the way you do. Do you mind dying?"
"Not really," Harry admitted slowly. It was easier to speak of his worries with someone other than his father and godfather.
"But you don't want Mr. Black to die."
"Of course not! Sirius has a lot to live for. And Professor Lupin needs a friend," Harry shot back desperately.
Cedric nodded. "That's exactly how your father feels about you, and how you feel about me. But I don't mind dying all that much either. Let's just forget about what happened, alright? Let's be friends without all the pressure of competition for the tournament lying between us." He offered his hand to the younger boy with a bright smile.
Harry's expression was impossible to discern. He looked worried at the thought of his godfather still weighed by guilt, and confused at the same time. But at Cedric's hand still waiting for his answer, Harry couldn't dwell on those thoughts for long. Slowly, he raised his hand and shook it, smiling weakly.
Cedric smiled, taking a small sip from his cup. It was a relief to see Harry finally free of some guilt that plagued him. He couldn't imagine what those nights were like after the Third Task, especially from what he heard from Sirius. He couldn't help but admire the bravery of such a young boy, but as he listened to Harry's words, it occurred to him that Harry never wanted any of it at all. He was just a fourteen year-old without a family, driven to extremes just to try and stay alive. To learn that Harry had chosen death at such a young age made him wonder what thoughts lurked behind those clear green eyes.
"There was a Death Eater who came around the time as you did and started gathering all the men to attack you. I got wind of it from Thomas and tired to see if I could find you before they did," Cedric explained.
Harry blanched at the mention of the name, but Cedric didn't seem to notice.
"It must be really frustrating to have people trying to kill you both dead and alive. Ever since your first year in Hogwarts," Cedric muttered sympathetically. But when Harry's expression sobered even more, he quickly raked his brain for a distraction. "What really happened to Professor Lockhart? I remember Dumbledore saying how he was in an accident in the Chamber of Secrets and they had to ship him off to St. Mungos."
"Oh, that," Harry said, looking sheepish. But nevertheless, there was an amused smile on his face. "He didn't really go down in the chamber at his own will. Ron and I forced him by wand point, and when he tried to escape, the wand backfired." At Cedric's even more confused look, Harry quickly added, "It's a long story."
*
This was one of the chapters I really really wanted to rewrite. But since I found the CD, i didn't. *sigh* It would have been better if I didn't find it at all. I mean, this entire thing is like... a regurgitation of all the past stuff thrown in. It's reaaaaaaally bad! URG!
An odd place to end a chapter? I thought it was okay, since whatever conversation they have afterwards could be your imagination. Cedric was hard to characterize, and he sounds a little too book worn in here. But I really didn't know how I should present him! Urg! I know it's not his personality to blame Harry, considering his individuality in book 4 (he acts like Harry in his idealism and fairness sort of thing) but it's still very hard!
Style change in the middle of the chapter, is it noticeable? Which one did you like better?
Ack, I can't reply to the reviews this time. Have to go back to researching something about bronze lions... *wails* so sorry!! I love all those reviews! They're great, thank you so much! I wasn't even planning to update since I have so much to do for my stupid report, but since I found the backup CD, I just decided to post this chapter. Felt so guilty about making everyone wait... It's very, very, very, very poorly written, isn't it? I'll reply next time, especially since spring break is coming up. But I'll do a generic reply.
This story is slow, isn't it? Umm… well… that's because I sort of want to establish Harry, James, and Sirius' interaction and relationship before I go on to the rest of the story. Lily's not going to be as in depth, and I'm afraid Harry's not going to get hurt again until chapter… uhh… around 22 I think. Ack… bad way to mark plot development, huh.
You know, I just realized for the past 18 chapters, I've been spelling Azkaban wrong. ACK! Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner! I'm so embarrassed! *hides* Yes… I admit it… I'm a terrible speller, can I help it? *wails and runs off*
As for Lily and James not being able to come back, humm… you see, only Harry has that ability. Sirius isn't actually bringing him back, he's guiding him back. Sirius is there as a sort of support, but it's Harry who has that ability. He is after all, an impartial spirit who's strong enough to rely on his own will.
a/n I have some good news. I had a backup CD!! Well, it wasn't really a backup CD, it was just some CD which I burned a copy of my hard drive and it had old files of cheating death on it. Unfortunately, it's the old, old draft and missing a couple of chapters towards the end (I have up till 28, still 5 chapters short. Unfortunately, those were the chapters I wanted to keep, grr…), but what the hell, I'm not complaining.
Plug! Go read Moppet Poppet's dedication story, I posted up to chapter 3 so far. It's titled Of Western Stars, after a poem by Tennyson. Basic summary: Sirius hears about his godson in Azkaban when Harry is six and a half, and resolves to escape. So far, it seems like it's not going to be a short story.
Cheating Death
By neutral
Chapter nineteen - cheating a friendly dispute
It was strange how just a simple embrace could dissipate all his worries. All the fears of losing his godson faded into the back of his mind with the small bundle in his arms. He could only feel a calming peace with Harry's rhythmic heartbeat close to his ear and the soft rise and fall of his chest. It was a relief from all those days of holding a cold body. Sirius threw an arm around his godson, leaning against a thin shoulder; it was probably just as much of a comfort to him as to his godson.
"Dad?" Harry's voice came close to his ear, body shifting as he looked over Sirius' shoulder.
Sirius turned quickly, glancing at his friend at the door with a strange sort of apprehension.
James smiled, but it was with a strained expression that he couldn't remember seeing since the time Sirius kissed Lily on the cheek, result of a rather bad dare. Lily was the one of the few girls who still cold shouldered the Marauders, and a joke on such a pretty red head was just too hard to resist. Everyone laughed about it afterwards, everyone but Lily of course. It was before the two lovebirds began dating, but it was obvious that James had already been pinning for the green eyed beauty. He tried hard to hide some jealousy behind his teasing.
With a sinking heart, Sirius realized what Harry's action must have met to him. James was his father, and yet his son had more trust in his godfather. After stealing away James and Lily's life, he stole away his son as well.
Harry must have noticed the awkward silence; he held his next words and watched the two adults apprehensively.
"Did you find an owl?" Sirius asked quickly, trying to relieve the tense atmosphere.
James joined Sirius beside the bed, sighing "No, those things are hard to find. Cedric offered to search for me so I can join you guys," he looked at his son, a fleeting expression of regret and concern darkening his eyes, before he smiled. "Feeling better, Harry?"
Despite the briefness of the expression, Harry noticed it immediately. "Sirius told you how I died, didn't he?"
"What?" James looked stunned.
Sirius grunted, "I told you Harry was perceptive."
But when Harry turned to James with searching eyes, Sirius couldn't help but feel guilty. He realized why Harry had kept it from his father, but he couldn't decide whether he should be flattered, or upset by that decision.
"Dad, it's not Sirius' fault; the choice was completely mine," Harry's voice was almost pleading. Sirius turned away, afraid of seeing the emotions running through James' face. "Don't blame him, he didn't do anything wrong…"
"I know. I understand," James said quietly. He pushed some locks of hair from his son's face sadly. "Sirius told me about what happened during your years at Hogwarts."
"He did?" Harry asked timidly.
James leaned against the bed, placing a cautious hand on Harry's shoulder. He watched his son quietly for a pensive moment. "Why didn't you tell me?" he finally asked.
Harry stiffened at the contact, and picked at the edge of the pillow distractedly. He seemed to be doing that a lot of the late. "I'm not sure. I guess I didn't want it to bother you…"
James sighed. "I'm your father! I should know. Why would you be afraid of bothering me?"
"I don't know!" Harry clinched his fists, trying to vent some desperation. He twisted the fabric cruelly between his fingers. "I didn't want you to feel guilty for not being there. I didn't want you to feel obligated to make it up to me."
Sirius couldn't suppress a bitter smile at Harry's words. Despite his lack of a father for the majority of his life, Harry seemed to understand James' character with only hours of acquaintance. Even James was stunned; he openly stared at Harry in shock, his hand tightening on his son's shoulder.
"Harry knows us too well," Sirius muttered.
James sighed again. "And you're just fourteen?" He leaned down to stare at Harry searchingly, and when Harry didn't answer, drew him into a loose hug. "I guess I should say that I'm proud of you, but I really wish things were different. You're too young to be here."
Harry shook his head firmly. "No, I'm glad I'm here," he whispered, voice muffled against James' shirt.
Sirius' stomach plummeted. James' smile dropped like lead from his face.
"What?" James asked, voice dangerously calm.
"I want to stay," Harry continued, peaceful as he leaned against James' shoulder. "I want to spend some time with you and Mum at least for a few days before I decide."
James turned to Sirius with a mixture of confusion and anxiety. "Padfoot, you said you're going to bring Harry home."
"Harry asked to stay for a few more days. James, let Harry decide what'll be best for him. It was his choice to begin with. I can't force Harry to go home if he really doesn't want to," Sirius said, forcing himself to meet his friend's gaze unflinchingly. But he almost faltered under the look of utter betrayal in James' demeanor.
"Harry can't stay in this place! It's a prison! He should at least have a chance," James said angrily.
"And be on the top of Voldermort's hit list when he comes back?! James, that place is hardly any better…" Sirius grumbled, equally irritated. It was only fair. James barely even knew Harry, he didn't have the right to make those decisions for him!
"He's too young!"
"He's seen much more than you or I will ever see! Harry has the right!"
Sirius could feel the ringing silence of the room, James' words and his own echoing in his ears. The anger that he faced James was fueled by the fear of losing his godson to James; faced with the subject again, the frustration suddenly burst free. He couldn't help but scream at his best friend. Harry had gone still at their angry shouts, all color drained from his face and his green eyes wide. He seemed desperate to speak, but afraid of disturbing the two adults.
"Could we wait until Mum comes?" Harry's voice was soft, even a bit afraid.
That shattered James' resolution. He nodded, smoothing out Harry's hair ruefully. "Of course."
"Thirsty?"
Harry jumped in surprise, turning towards the figure by the door with eyes wider than he even thought humanly possible.
"Cedric?" he choked out.
Cedric smiled warmly, lifting the tray that carried two steaming mugs for Harry to see. "I thought you'd be thirsty so I brought some tea. Would you like some?"
He held out the tray to the younger boy, but Harry was pale and silent. His eyes were turned to Cedric's face searchingly and took the proffered cup with unsteady hands.
"Thank you," Harry said finally. But didn't lift it to his lips, only he grasping the mug so tightly that his knuckles were bloodless; the drink splashed around in a trembling grip.
"Mr. Potter and Mr. Black are resting; they looked like they haven't slept for days," Cedric explained by way of greeting, taking a small sip from his cup. "I hope you don't mind my company."
Harry shook his head stiffly, turning his eyes downcast.
Cedric watched him with mounting concern, but their friendship in the past was never intimate. He never knew Harry with complete understanding; he wasn't sure if it was his place to reassure him. But the change from the confident, however quiet, person he knew only months ago to the timid and sickly boy was startling.
"I'm sorry," Harry suddenly whispered, bowing his head to hide his face. "I'm so sorry. You must hate me so much."
"Harry, what are you talking about?" Cedric asked, alarmed.
"The cup, the portkey, the Third Task! If I hadn't asked you to take it with me, then you'd still be alive!"
Cedric was astonished, all words logged in his throat. Harry was visibly shaking, his entire body slumped limply against the pillow, clutching at the mug so tightly that he looked like it would surely crack. This was what haunted him, Cedric realized.
"Harry…," Cedric began, sitting slowly in a chair. Harry stiffened, as if bracing himself for a verbal assault. "I was going to thank you."
Harry jerked around to face him, eyes wide. "What? Why?"
Cedric grinned, placing the empty tray on the side of the bed. "For helping me with Krum and that spider. If you didn't, I probably would have died."
"But you did die," Harry whispered, looking away again. "It shouldn't have been you at all."
Cedric frowned, "Are you saying you should have died?"
"You had a family, Cedric! You had people who would mourn for you! I made so many people miserable…," Harry choked out, bringing an unsteady hand to cover his face.
Cedric inwardly winced when Harry's oversized sleeve pulled away, revealing a thin, wan arm coated with angry bruises. It was so strange, watching a fourteen year old boy just recovering from a mass of broken bones tear himself apart about how he made others unhappy. But Cedric couldn't help a flicker of rage at those words.
"My family blamed you?"
Harry jumped slightly at the anger that leaked in his tone, shaking his head quickly. "No, they didn't. But they should have."
"Harry…"
"They should have! You died because you were there. You never asked for any of it! It was completely unfair!" Harry burst out.
Cedric frowned again. Those words would have described Harry perfectly as well, if the boy hadn't been so selfless and stubborn. He sighed, searching his mind for a different route.
"Harry, do you blame Mr. Black?" Cedric asked slowly.
Harry looked surprised at the sudden change of subject, but he shook his head firmly. "It wasn't Sirius' fault."
"Exactly," at Harry's inquiring gaze, Cedric sighed, shaking his head. "The living takes dying a lot more seriously than the dead. I don't blame you, you don't blame Mr. Black. Yet he blames himself just the way you do. Do you mind dying?"
"Not really," Harry admitted slowly. It was easier to speak of his worries with someone other than his father and godfather.
"But you don't want Mr. Black to die."
"Of course not! Sirius has a lot to live for. And Professor Lupin needs a friend," Harry shot back desperately.
Cedric nodded. "That's exactly how your father feels about you, and how you feel about me. But I don't mind dying all that much either. Let's just forget about what happened, alright? Let's be friends without all the pressure of competition for the tournament lying between us." He offered his hand to the younger boy with a bright smile.
Harry's expression was impossible to discern. He looked worried at the thought of his godfather still weighed by guilt, and confused at the same time. But at Cedric's hand still waiting for his answer, Harry couldn't dwell on those thoughts for long. Slowly, he raised his hand and shook it, smiling weakly.
Cedric smiled, taking a small sip from his cup. It was a relief to see Harry finally free of some guilt that plagued him. He couldn't imagine what those nights were like after the Third Task, especially from what he heard from Sirius. He couldn't help but admire the bravery of such a young boy, but as he listened to Harry's words, it occurred to him that Harry never wanted any of it at all. He was just a fourteen year-old without a family, driven to extremes just to try and stay alive. To learn that Harry had chosen death at such a young age made him wonder what thoughts lurked behind those clear green eyes.
"There was a Death Eater who came around the time as you did and started gathering all the men to attack you. I got wind of it from Thomas and tired to see if I could find you before they did," Cedric explained.
Harry blanched at the mention of the name, but Cedric didn't seem to notice.
"It must be really frustrating to have people trying to kill you both dead and alive. Ever since your first year in Hogwarts," Cedric muttered sympathetically. But when Harry's expression sobered even more, he quickly raked his brain for a distraction. "What really happened to Professor Lockhart? I remember Dumbledore saying how he was in an accident in the Chamber of Secrets and they had to ship him off to St. Mungos."
"Oh, that," Harry said, looking sheepish. But nevertheless, there was an amused smile on his face. "He didn't really go down in the chamber at his own will. Ron and I forced him by wand point, and when he tried to escape, the wand backfired." At Cedric's even more confused look, Harry quickly added, "It's a long story."
*
This was one of the chapters I really really wanted to rewrite. But since I found the CD, i didn't. *sigh* It would have been better if I didn't find it at all. I mean, this entire thing is like... a regurgitation of all the past stuff thrown in. It's reaaaaaaally bad! URG!
An odd place to end a chapter? I thought it was okay, since whatever conversation they have afterwards could be your imagination. Cedric was hard to characterize, and he sounds a little too book worn in here. But I really didn't know how I should present him! Urg! I know it's not his personality to blame Harry, considering his individuality in book 4 (he acts like Harry in his idealism and fairness sort of thing) but it's still very hard!
Style change in the middle of the chapter, is it noticeable? Which one did you like better?
Ack, I can't reply to the reviews this time. Have to go back to researching something about bronze lions... *wails* so sorry!! I love all those reviews! They're great, thank you so much! I wasn't even planning to update since I have so much to do for my stupid report, but since I found the backup CD, I just decided to post this chapter. Felt so guilty about making everyone wait... It's very, very, very, very poorly written, isn't it? I'll reply next time, especially since spring break is coming up. But I'll do a generic reply.
This story is slow, isn't it? Umm… well… that's because I sort of want to establish Harry, James, and Sirius' interaction and relationship before I go on to the rest of the story. Lily's not going to be as in depth, and I'm afraid Harry's not going to get hurt again until chapter… uhh… around 22 I think. Ack… bad way to mark plot development, huh.
You know, I just realized for the past 18 chapters, I've been spelling Azkaban wrong. ACK! Why didn't anyone tell me this sooner! I'm so embarrassed! *hides* Yes… I admit it… I'm a terrible speller, can I help it? *wails and runs off*
As for Lily and James not being able to come back, humm… you see, only Harry has that ability. Sirius isn't actually bringing him back, he's guiding him back. Sirius is there as a sort of support, but it's Harry who has that ability. He is after all, an impartial spirit who's strong enough to rely on his own will.