A/N: A lot of thanks to Pandora for beta reading. Not much happen here, just a kind of interlude.

Chapter 5

"Crucio!"

"No! No, please stop!"

"Harry. Harry, wake up!"

"No! Please!"

"Harry, WAKE UP!"

Harry awakens with a start. He blinks several times and realizes that he is in Remus' arms while his former teacher rubs his back soothingly while murmuring some comforting words. Harry feels the wetness in his eyes; he has been crying. How embarrassing!

"Harry," Remus calls him gently. He looks at Harry in the eye while the boy tries to escape his penetrating gaze. "Harry," he calls again. "Look at me, please."

With great effort, Harry meets Remus eyes. Seeing the sympathy and compassion in Remus' eyes makes him want to cry again. Harry bites his lower lip down, but doesn't feel from his lip. So, he guessed that there was no physical pain whatsoever in heaven.  

"Harry, listen to me. People who are much older and supposedly stronger than you would have been broken much sooner. Hell, I might have been broken much sooner than you. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Um…I…I…," Harry stutters, doesn't really know how to respond. In theory, he knows that no one will laugh at him for crying, still he despises showing his weaknesses, and he is angry to himself for broken down because of Voldemort. The bastard never leaves him in peace, even in Harry's death! 

Remus hugs the boy close. "Everything will be all right," he says.

"Why?" Harry whispers, burrowing his face into Remus' chest.

"Why what?"

"Why can't he leave me in peace? Even in my death I still remember him."

Remus tightens his hold to the boy. "You have not dealt with your pain properly, Harry. That is why it still haunts you

"Does that mean I'll keep having nightmares?"

"Dreams, including nightmares, are our mind's way to deal with problems we don't face when we are awake. I can ask for Dreamless Sleep Potion from the Guardian, but it's only a temporary solution. You'll have to deal with the pain in order to be healed. And I am here to help you with it."

"I… I am not ready. It still hurts so much."

"It's okay." Remus continues rubbing Harry's back. It feels so good. Harry leans into the touch, wondering if being hugged by Severus will feel as nice as this. He blushes a little at the thought. Oh well, maybe he'll get a chance. After all, this is heaven. He is with his family again: his mum and dad, Sirius, Remus, and Severus. Maybe death isn't so bad after all.

**********

"Harry? Remus?"

"Come in, Siri," Remus says.

Sirius enters the room with a tray. "Lilly made you something, Harry. Though we don't have to eat here, you won't wanna miss your mum's cooking." He places the tray at the nightstand.

There are a bowl of chicken soup, some assorted sandwiches, and a mug of pumpkin juice. Harry's mouth starts to water.

Sirius smiles. "Just tuck in, kid."

Harry needs no further encouragement. He tucks in. Seeing Harry's enthusiasm, Remus and Sirius exchanges an amused look. "Lilly must be delighted if she sees you eat like this," Sirius says, grabbing a chicken sandwich for himself.

"Where is mum?" asks Harry, half mumbling. He has finished the soup and now is munching the tasty sandwiches. Harry has never thought that someone could cook better than Hogwarts' house elves. Apparently, he is wrong.

"She is baking a cake. For you, of course. I don't know where James and Snape are. James is probably showing Snape around."

"Mmm…" Even the pumpkin juice is tastier than the usual.

"Hey, how about playing Quidditch after you eat?" Sirius asks excitedly.  

"Quidditch?" Harry asks.

"Of course! It won't be a heaven if we can't play Quidditch!"

"Sure!" Harry's face lightens up. "But where can I get a broom?"

Sirius flicks his fingers. "Piece of cake. We can transfigure a branch. Of course, it won't be as good as your Firebolt, but it's not bad."

 "And we don't need wand to transfigure anything?"

"Nope."

 "Cool!"

"Yep."

Harry hastily finishes his food, wanting to play his favorite game as soon as possible. Perhaps he can play with his dad too! The thought banishes all previous bad memories. Having swallowed the last bit, Harry exclaims, "I'm finished."

Seeing Harry's joy, Sirius and Remus smile. Harry looks so carefree and childlike when he is excited. Silently, they promise themselves to make up for all the sufferings that Harry had endured.

"Do you wanna join us, Remus?" asks Sirius.

"Nah, I think I better help Lilly with dinner. You guys go and enjoy yourselves."

"Okay. See you then, love." Sirius bends down and kisses his lover gently, causing Harry's breath to hitch. Their love is so palpable in such a simple kiss, it lightens the room. Harry thinks that he can *feel* the air radiates with their love. He has known that Remus and his godfather are lovers, and has seen their kisses and hugs, but he has never realized how deep their love is. At least until now. Harry wonders if he has a chance to feel such love.

***********

The Quidditch pitch is a very large clearing in the forest with 3 Quidditch pitches at the west and east sides of the clearing. Sirius transfigures two sticks into two broomsticks and rides one. Harry takes the other one and flies.

Bliss. Harry closes his eyes and feels the winds as he soars. He feels free and full of joy. This is what he is born for, to soar, to fly, to be free. He grins widely at Sirius who has flown beside him.

"Like it?" asks his godfather.

"Very!" says Harry, still grinning.

Sirius picks a Snitch from his pocket. "We will chase it at the count of three." He releases it and counts, "One…, two…, three…."

**********

"So what do you think about this place?" James asks Snape. James has shown Snape around, starting from the mansion. Right now, they are heading toward the Quidditch pitch.

"It is very beautiful and peaceful." Snape inhales the fresh and pleasant grassy smell.

 "It is," James smiles. "Anyway, how does Harry manage to fall for you?"

Snape eyes James warily, afraid that the senior Potter will be angry. But there is no hatred there, no anger, just curiosity. Snape exhales. "I sincerely don't understand that either," he says. "Perhaps because I save him a lot of times."

"You save him?"

"Yes, because of my life debt to you, I saved him several times."

"Oh."

"And… and because I also care for him."

James raises an eyebrow. "You return his feeling?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

Snape shrugs. "I don't know."

James picks a blade of grass and chews it absentmindedly. "Love is a strange thing, isn't it?" he chuckles. "I hardly knew why I fell in love with Lilly. I didn't even like her back then."

Snape snorts. "Of course not. You were practically at each other's throat."

"And you are the most patient, kind teacher to Harry, Sev?"

"As patient and kind as that Filch toward the students, James. And don't call me Sev."

James laughs. "Fine."

They walk without saying anything for a while. Finally James turns to Snape and says," Thank you for taking care of Harry, Severus."

"You're welcome," Snape says in his usual sour tone, which is caused more by a habit rather than his true mood.

"And I give you my blessing for the two of you."

Snape doesn't respond to that.

**********

They have reached the Quidditch pitch. Two figures are flying gracefully in the air. Sirius and Harry. Snape and James are standing silently, watching the game with mixed thought. The two Quidditch players seem oblivious to their watchers. They are completely focused on catching the Snitch.

"Severus?" James finally breaks the silence.

"What?"

"Do you know what might happen to Harry? The Guardian only told Remus, and he must keep it secret until Harry permits him to talk."

"I…I… have some guesses."

"Tell me." James throws away the grass and sits on the grass, beckoning Snape to do the same.

"You won't want to know."  Snape sits a few inches away from James.

"Please." James is looking at Harry, so that Snape can't see his expression, but he grips the grass beside him so hard the knuckles whiten.

"Very well. I think he must have suffered some Cruciatus before they … ah…. resorted to more Muggle ways."

 "What do you mean, Muggle ways?" James frowned.

Snape doesn't answer.

"Severus."

"You only hurt yourself, James. What happens to Harry is *not* your fault. It not *anyone's* fault but Voldemort."

"I am not blaming myself. I am just…"

Their conversation is cut short because Harry has caught the Snitch and now lands with a huge grin on his face. "I win!" he shouts at Sirius who is still hovering in the air. He approaches his father who is looking proudly at his son.

Sirius lands besides Harry, not at all looked disappointed for losing. Instead he wears the same happy grin on his face and ruffles Harry's hair. "Potter to the core," he says. "You are just like your dad, Harry. I can't beat him on Snitch, but watch out for my Bludger."

"Is it true, Dad?" Harry asks.

"Of course, son. You even fly better than me," James says with a smug expression on his face. His face shows no sign that he has just had a less than cheerful conversation about Harry with Snape.

Harry beams happily again. James ruffles his son's hair. "Let's go back. I want to show you around our house and after that we will have dinner with your mum."  He smiles fondly at his son, pushing away the bad thoughts for a moment. Harry doesn't need people to pity him, James thinks.  

"Okay," Harry says. And so they head back toward the house with a lighter mood than before.   

**************

Next chapter: Harry and Severus' talk about their feeling. YAY!!