A Visit From Above
Harry stared outside of the window, thinking. He missed his parents, and regretted the fact that he had never met them before. He almost saw his parents dancing in the old classroom as seventh years again, having the time of their life. But when he blinked again, they vanished like wisps of smoke. He sighed. It was too good to be true. He had defeated Voldemort, but his parents could still not come back to him. They couldn't come back to life, and he'd still never see them again. The thought made him even more depressed.
"Harry?" Harry turned around, and saw Ron and Hermione come in with worried looks. "Are you all right?"
"No," answered Harry flatly, before turning to face the window again.
Hermione sat down in a chair opposite from him. "Look, Harry, we know you're upset that you couldn't bring your parents back to life again. But it doesn't matter. They are alive-in you."
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, really. Nothing matters now."
"Harry." Ron spoke up, concerned for his best friend. "Hermione's right. Your parents are alive in you. They're not dead; they're just not physically alive. But their spirits still survive in you. You see them everywhere, as ghostly shadows. Even if they can't come back, they still watch over you."
Harry sighed again, and turned to face his two best friends. "I know. But I wish I could have known them, you know? Sirius is a great godfather and guardian, but he's just not the same as having real parents. And Remus-he looks after me too, but. I wish my mum and dad were here."
A sudden gust of wind blew into the classroom, sending shivers into their bodies. "What was that?" asked Hermione, startled.
"Harry." A voice suddenly whispered.
Harry's eyes widened. "Someone. someone just said my name!"
"Harry." the voice said again.
There was a sudden flash of golden light, and two people stumbled through the doorway of the room. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all backed away against the wall, now positively terrified. Was it Voldemort's ghost?
The two people that entered the room now straightened themselves up. One was a man with untidy black hair that stuck up in all directions. The other was a woman with long red hair and brilliant green eyes. They walked to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were huddled, and whispered, "Harry. we have come."
"Mum?" said Harry in disbelief. "Dad? You're. alive?"
"We've always been alive, Harry," said his father quietly. "You've always had us inside of you. We're very proud of you, son, your mother and I. You've shown us bravery, loyalty, and pride. More than we've ever expected from you."
"Harry," said his mother, now placing a hand on his shoulder. "We want you to know that we love you, no matter what. We can't come back to life now, but we want you to know that we'll always love you, no matter what. We can't take care of you, but I know Sirius and Remus will look after you throughout your life. They're good people."
"Can't you stay with me forever?" murmured Harry, tears welling into his eyes.
"We can't," said his father. "But you know that you have more of a family than you think. There are the Weasleys, who treat you like a part of the family. Especially Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who treat you like a son. And Sirius-my old best friend. He treats you like a father, and he loves you, Harry. Oh, and tell him to stop blaming himself for your mother and my deaths. It's not his fault, but I think that he still thinks he killed us himself. Dumbledore also treats you well, Harry, like a grandson. See Harry, more people love you than you do think. Even if we can't be with you, we still love you, but there are so many people who love you. You should be happy."
Harry's mother suddenly smiled, and pointed to where Ron and Hermione stood. "There, James. There they are."
James Potter turned to face Harry's friends, and grinned. "So you two are Ron and Hermione? My son's best friends?"
They were too stunned to speak, and merely nodded.
"I'd like to thank you, then, for showing Harry the true meaning of friendship. When he first started Hogwarts, we were afraid that he wouldn't have any friends. You two stuck with him for so long. We, Lily and I, thank you."
"You-you're welcome, Mr. P-Potter," stuttered Hermione.
James touched his son's shoulder. "Lighten up, kid," he said in an affectionate tone. "You still have classes to go to for the next month. Oh, and I'd like to visit a few old friends-maybe frighten Snape." He grinned devilishly.
"James!" scolded Lily. "Don't! To think what Professor Dumbledore would say." She shook her head, laughing. "Though I would like to see Snape fainting."
Harry nodded, giving a small smile. "I still can't get that Aging Potion, though."
"Don't worry about that," reassured James. "Do your best, and then Lily can cause a distraction, while throwing you out of the classroom, and I can take your place. Then Snape will actually think you made the potion!"
Ron laughed, after being tongue-tied for ten minutes. "Oh, Snape would love that!" he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Ron!" reprimanded Hermione. "To think of the points Snape will take off! He already hates us, ever since we knocked him out in our third year."
"You knocked him out?" cried James gleefully. "Oh, that must've been something to see. Wish I could have seen it, but I was probably asleep."
"And to see his face when he read what you guys wrote on the Marauder's Map!" added Harry, his mood lightening.
"He saw that? Excellent! I still remember what I wrote, 'Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would also like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git'. Oh, was he mad?"
"Furious," said Harry. "Though it wasn't so funny at that time. Remus had to cover up for me."
"Good old Moony," commented James. "Always covering up for us when we were in trouble, since the teachers liked him."
"Sirius!" exclaimed Harry suddenly. "He-he misses you terribly, Dad. He broods around every day, muttering to himself. Won't eat or sleep, just lies in bed and stares outside the window. I'm really worried about him. What should I do?"
"Let me speak to him," said James quietly. "I need to tell him to stop mooning around day after day. Did you say he isn't eating? My God, he must be falling terribly ill. Sirius Black not eating!"
"Shall I get him?" asked a rather shaky Hermione. "He's in Dumbledore's office right now."
"Is he? Well, please do, I really do need to see old Padfoot again."
Hermione disappeared, coming back with Sirius five minutes later. Sirius took one look at Lily and James and fainted dead away. Behind Hermione, Remus was peering over her shoulder, and his face drained of color when he saw the Potters.
"L-Lily?" he gasped. "James? Is that you?"
"Moony," said James, "we've not come here to live. We just came here to see Harry, and I also need to tell Sirius not to go brooding around all day like a man who has been given the Dementor's Kiss."
Remus nodded. "It would be good for Sirius."
James pointed his wand at Sirius and muttered, "iEnnervate/i." Sirius stirred and opened his eyes.
"James?" he mumbled. "Is this all a dream?"
"No, Padfoot," said James. "But Lily and I are not truly alive, either. We came down here as humans for the day to see Harry and to let all of you live your lives. For goodness sake, Sirius, you're acting like a man who has no life! Not eating, not sleeping, this is not how we wanted a free man like you to live. Lily and I know that you were put in Azkaban for twelve years because of Peter. and us. When I still see you here, not being sore at us for getting you in wizard prison, we were astonished. Never have I ever seen a man so loyal, so true. Maybe this is why you're an Animagus dog." He grinned. "Padfoot, we don't blame you for our deaths. It's not your fault at all. I also thank you for taking care of Harry so well. I don't think he could have lived these seventeen years with the care of the Dursleys."
Sirius nodded. "I guess I did forget how to live after a while. I just couldn't bring myself to live, James, after you died. What was the point? My partner in crime, my reason for living. he was dead, so what was the point of going on with life? But I now know that I must live on, because you'll always be living in me, Jamie-boy."
James groaned. "Not that name."
Lily stared at the two men and went over to hug Sirius and Remus. "I missed you both," she said warmly. "Arabella, Violet, Jennifer, and the Marauders. I missed you all. Where is Bells, by the way?"
"She's celebrating the downfall of Voldemort with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix," said Remus. "I don't think she was more joyful when our work for the past twenty years or so is finally complete. Violet and Jennifer, well, they have their own families now to care of, but they're celebrating with Bella, too."
"I'm glad," said Lily, wiping her eyes. She turned to Harry again and hugged him, for the first time. Then she straightened up and examined her son.
"You look exactly like James, the split replica of him forty years ago when we were at Hogwarts. Except for the eyes. you have mine." She sniffed and blew her nose, while James put his arm around her.
Ron stammered, "Mr. P-Potter, my mum and dad would probably like to meet you again."
"Do they? We can arrange all that, then. Oh, and Harry"-he turned to his son for one last time-"remember that your mother and I will always love you, no matter what happens. Don't worry, you'll be with us-someday, along with the rest of your friends. Until then, never think that we're dead, because I know that we're both alive in you."
They both hugged him one last time, and hugged everyone else in the room. With that, they both vanished. Hermione started to cry, and Ron put a comforting arm around her. Sirius and Remus both put their hands on Harry's shoulders.
"They love you, Harry," said Remus softly. "And they're alive too-in all of our hearts."
From above, two people smile at the people below them. Their job was done. Sirius was happy, living again, while Harry was no longer wishing they were alive with him. He had his friends, he had their friends, and he had many other people who loved him very much. And that was enough.
Harry stared outside of the window, thinking. He missed his parents, and regretted the fact that he had never met them before. He almost saw his parents dancing in the old classroom as seventh years again, having the time of their life. But when he blinked again, they vanished like wisps of smoke. He sighed. It was too good to be true. He had defeated Voldemort, but his parents could still not come back to him. They couldn't come back to life, and he'd still never see them again. The thought made him even more depressed.
"Harry?" Harry turned around, and saw Ron and Hermione come in with worried looks. "Are you all right?"
"No," answered Harry flatly, before turning to face the window again.
Hermione sat down in a chair opposite from him. "Look, Harry, we know you're upset that you couldn't bring your parents back to life again. But it doesn't matter. They are alive-in you."
He shook his head. "It doesn't matter, really. Nothing matters now."
"Harry." Ron spoke up, concerned for his best friend. "Hermione's right. Your parents are alive in you. They're not dead; they're just not physically alive. But their spirits still survive in you. You see them everywhere, as ghostly shadows. Even if they can't come back, they still watch over you."
Harry sighed again, and turned to face his two best friends. "I know. But I wish I could have known them, you know? Sirius is a great godfather and guardian, but he's just not the same as having real parents. And Remus-he looks after me too, but. I wish my mum and dad were here."
A sudden gust of wind blew into the classroom, sending shivers into their bodies. "What was that?" asked Hermione, startled.
"Harry." A voice suddenly whispered.
Harry's eyes widened. "Someone. someone just said my name!"
"Harry." the voice said again.
There was a sudden flash of golden light, and two people stumbled through the doorway of the room. Harry, Ron, and Hermione all backed away against the wall, now positively terrified. Was it Voldemort's ghost?
The two people that entered the room now straightened themselves up. One was a man with untidy black hair that stuck up in all directions. The other was a woman with long red hair and brilliant green eyes. They walked to where Harry, Ron, and Hermione were huddled, and whispered, "Harry. we have come."
"Mum?" said Harry in disbelief. "Dad? You're. alive?"
"We've always been alive, Harry," said his father quietly. "You've always had us inside of you. We're very proud of you, son, your mother and I. You've shown us bravery, loyalty, and pride. More than we've ever expected from you."
"Harry," said his mother, now placing a hand on his shoulder. "We want you to know that we love you, no matter what. We can't come back to life now, but we want you to know that we'll always love you, no matter what. We can't take care of you, but I know Sirius and Remus will look after you throughout your life. They're good people."
"Can't you stay with me forever?" murmured Harry, tears welling into his eyes.
"We can't," said his father. "But you know that you have more of a family than you think. There are the Weasleys, who treat you like a part of the family. Especially Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, who treat you like a son. And Sirius-my old best friend. He treats you like a father, and he loves you, Harry. Oh, and tell him to stop blaming himself for your mother and my deaths. It's not his fault, but I think that he still thinks he killed us himself. Dumbledore also treats you well, Harry, like a grandson. See Harry, more people love you than you do think. Even if we can't be with you, we still love you, but there are so many people who love you. You should be happy."
Harry's mother suddenly smiled, and pointed to where Ron and Hermione stood. "There, James. There they are."
James Potter turned to face Harry's friends, and grinned. "So you two are Ron and Hermione? My son's best friends?"
They were too stunned to speak, and merely nodded.
"I'd like to thank you, then, for showing Harry the true meaning of friendship. When he first started Hogwarts, we were afraid that he wouldn't have any friends. You two stuck with him for so long. We, Lily and I, thank you."
"You-you're welcome, Mr. P-Potter," stuttered Hermione.
James touched his son's shoulder. "Lighten up, kid," he said in an affectionate tone. "You still have classes to go to for the next month. Oh, and I'd like to visit a few old friends-maybe frighten Snape." He grinned devilishly.
"James!" scolded Lily. "Don't! To think what Professor Dumbledore would say." She shook her head, laughing. "Though I would like to see Snape fainting."
Harry nodded, giving a small smile. "I still can't get that Aging Potion, though."
"Don't worry about that," reassured James. "Do your best, and then Lily can cause a distraction, while throwing you out of the classroom, and I can take your place. Then Snape will actually think you made the potion!"
Ron laughed, after being tongue-tied for ten minutes. "Oh, Snape would love that!" he cried, tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Ron!" reprimanded Hermione. "To think of the points Snape will take off! He already hates us, ever since we knocked him out in our third year."
"You knocked him out?" cried James gleefully. "Oh, that must've been something to see. Wish I could have seen it, but I was probably asleep."
"And to see his face when he read what you guys wrote on the Marauder's Map!" added Harry, his mood lightening.
"He saw that? Excellent! I still remember what I wrote, 'Mr. Prongs agrees with Mr. Moony and would also like to add that Professor Snape is an ugly git'. Oh, was he mad?"
"Furious," said Harry. "Though it wasn't so funny at that time. Remus had to cover up for me."
"Good old Moony," commented James. "Always covering up for us when we were in trouble, since the teachers liked him."
"Sirius!" exclaimed Harry suddenly. "He-he misses you terribly, Dad. He broods around every day, muttering to himself. Won't eat or sleep, just lies in bed and stares outside the window. I'm really worried about him. What should I do?"
"Let me speak to him," said James quietly. "I need to tell him to stop mooning around day after day. Did you say he isn't eating? My God, he must be falling terribly ill. Sirius Black not eating!"
"Shall I get him?" asked a rather shaky Hermione. "He's in Dumbledore's office right now."
"Is he? Well, please do, I really do need to see old Padfoot again."
Hermione disappeared, coming back with Sirius five minutes later. Sirius took one look at Lily and James and fainted dead away. Behind Hermione, Remus was peering over her shoulder, and his face drained of color when he saw the Potters.
"L-Lily?" he gasped. "James? Is that you?"
"Moony," said James, "we've not come here to live. We just came here to see Harry, and I also need to tell Sirius not to go brooding around all day like a man who has been given the Dementor's Kiss."
Remus nodded. "It would be good for Sirius."
James pointed his wand at Sirius and muttered, "iEnnervate/i." Sirius stirred and opened his eyes.
"James?" he mumbled. "Is this all a dream?"
"No, Padfoot," said James. "But Lily and I are not truly alive, either. We came down here as humans for the day to see Harry and to let all of you live your lives. For goodness sake, Sirius, you're acting like a man who has no life! Not eating, not sleeping, this is not how we wanted a free man like you to live. Lily and I know that you were put in Azkaban for twelve years because of Peter. and us. When I still see you here, not being sore at us for getting you in wizard prison, we were astonished. Never have I ever seen a man so loyal, so true. Maybe this is why you're an Animagus dog." He grinned. "Padfoot, we don't blame you for our deaths. It's not your fault at all. I also thank you for taking care of Harry so well. I don't think he could have lived these seventeen years with the care of the Dursleys."
Sirius nodded. "I guess I did forget how to live after a while. I just couldn't bring myself to live, James, after you died. What was the point? My partner in crime, my reason for living. he was dead, so what was the point of going on with life? But I now know that I must live on, because you'll always be living in me, Jamie-boy."
James groaned. "Not that name."
Lily stared at the two men and went over to hug Sirius and Remus. "I missed you both," she said warmly. "Arabella, Violet, Jennifer, and the Marauders. I missed you all. Where is Bells, by the way?"
"She's celebrating the downfall of Voldemort with the rest of the Order of the Phoenix," said Remus. "I don't think she was more joyful when our work for the past twenty years or so is finally complete. Violet and Jennifer, well, they have their own families now to care of, but they're celebrating with Bella, too."
"I'm glad," said Lily, wiping her eyes. She turned to Harry again and hugged him, for the first time. Then she straightened up and examined her son.
"You look exactly like James, the split replica of him forty years ago when we were at Hogwarts. Except for the eyes. you have mine." She sniffed and blew her nose, while James put his arm around her.
Ron stammered, "Mr. P-Potter, my mum and dad would probably like to meet you again."
"Do they? We can arrange all that, then. Oh, and Harry"-he turned to his son for one last time-"remember that your mother and I will always love you, no matter what happens. Don't worry, you'll be with us-someday, along with the rest of your friends. Until then, never think that we're dead, because I know that we're both alive in you."
They both hugged him one last time, and hugged everyone else in the room. With that, they both vanished. Hermione started to cry, and Ron put a comforting arm around her. Sirius and Remus both put their hands on Harry's shoulders.
"They love you, Harry," said Remus softly. "And they're alive too-in all of our hearts."
From above, two people smile at the people below them. Their job was done. Sirius was happy, living again, while Harry was no longer wishing they were alive with him. He had his friends, he had their friends, and he had many other people who loved him very much. And that was enough.