Three

The Past and The Present

"Oh, Harry," Anne said, beginning to weep, "I'm sorry, but I didn't think you would understand unless you saw it!" She pulled Harry into a hug as he started to calm down. "I was your mum's best friend at school. We would always have fun, Lily and I, doing magic together. Our favorite pastime was to watch James and his friends cause trouble. When your mum and dad married, I was a bridesmaid at the wedding. Oh, Harry," she said, sobbing. "I wish I could go back there! To spend one day with Lily and James. and Sirius."
Harry looked up, tears glistening in his deep, brown eyes. "S- Sirius?" he stammered. Anything to get the subject off his parent's death.
Anne got a far-away look in her eyes. "Sirius Black, your godfather. He was-"
"I have a godfather?! Then, why am I living here, with these fowl, disgusting, stupid." Harry began to pulse with anger. His aunt and uncle had lied. They had lied to him about his parents. They had lied to him about himself. He was a wizard and. "THEY LIED TO ME!" Harry exploded with anger. "I HATE THEM! I HATE THEM! I'M GONNA KILL THEM! I SWEAR-"
"Harry! They're going to hear you!" Anne exclaimed. "Be quiet for a second. here-" she pulled out a wand and waved it. It was like an invisible curtain was drawing itself around the room. "Soundproofed! Handy little trick I learned from Sirius. He used it to sneak around school without being caught. Harry?" Anne said uncertainly, catching sight of him. He had quieted a bit and was now rubbing his scar with a confused expression.
"That man. killed my parents." Harry started, "But he didn't." His voice trailed off.
"Kill you," Anne finished. "Yes, Lord Voldemort was very powerful, but no one knows why he did not succeed in taking your life. If you had played by the rules of the book, you would've died. But you didn't, and you lived, Harry. You lived."
"Why," Harry whispered. "Why did I live and they didn't?"
"Ah," Anne said sadly, "But I'm afraid I don't know. I'm sorry."
"Okay." There was a long silence, then: "My godfather. who is he? Why can't I live with him? Why?"
Anne hesitated. "Sirius Black is in Azkaban, Harry."
"What's-"
"Azkaban is the wizard prison. It holds the worst of criminals. It's the worst place you can be sent." Tears were now rolling down her cheeks. "He says he didn't do it, and I believe him. But nobody else did."
"What did they say he did?"
"Blew up a whole street of people and killed thirteen of them- including one of his best friends. But he didn't do it!"
"Then who did?"
Anne broke down totally. "Oh, Harry, I don't know! I don't know!" Her head in her hands, she wailed, "I loved him! I loved him! And now he's gone! Forever!" Then, Anne submersed into sobs.
Harry did not know what to say to this, so he took Anne's hand and quietly said, "I would have loved him, too, Anne. Tell me about him. I want to hear."
Anne took a deep breath, poised herself, and began to speak. "Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettegrew, and your father, James Potter called themselves the marauders; the mischief makers. At school, they were always causing trouble in the halls- if you saw somebody unexpectedly start turning somersaults in the air it was usually their fault. "For my first four years at Hogwarts- that's the wizard school that I attended- I hated them. especially Sirius; they were always distracting me during classes and playing jokes on Lily and I. When I was a second year, Lily told me that she fancied Sirius. My immediate reaction was to stand back in horror and let out a loud 'WHAT!? HOW COULD YOU!?' but after she forced me to stand near him for the five years, I realized that I sort of liked him too. Of course, I didn't tell your mother, until, at the beginning of seventh year, he asked me out. At this, Lily said she wouldn't speak to me for the rest of her life! "The very next day, though, Lily said that she had asked your father out. I deemed this quite peculiar because Lily hated James almost as much as I had hated Sirius. For a while, I thought they had only gotten together because Sirius and I had, but they continued dating after they graduated from Hogwarts. Three years later, Sirius and I married, and two after that, your parents married. James was best man at our wedding, and Lily was a bridesmaid, as we were at theirs. Shortly after our marriage, we had a daughter, Emily Anne Black. She's now in her first year at Hogwarts." Anne took another deep breath and looked at Harry. "Here's where you come in. A year after you were born, your parents went into hiding because they were being pursued by Lord Voldemort. But, they were found and killed anyway. Supposedly, though I do not believe it, this was Sirius's fault. He was the 'secret keeper' for your parents, which means that only if he told Voldemort where they were, your mum and dad would be found. and they were." "The very next day, he allegedly was talking to Peter Pettegrew on the street, whipped out his wand, and murdered thirteen people, including Peter. He was put in Azkaban right then and there; he wasn't even tried. I haven't seen him since." There was a deathly silence as Anne finished her story. Both her and Harry had silent tears spilling over their faces. Anne had Harry's hand in hers. "Harry, if it were my choice, I would have you come and live with me. but it's not. Dumbledore- the Hogwarts headmaster- says that you must remain here, with your aunt and uncle. But I want you to go to school, Harry. It was the first time Harry spoke in a long while. "S-school?" "Yes, Harry, school. There is a wizard basics school in session right now. I want you to go. Do you want to?" "Oh, yes! But. Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon-" "Don't worry. Every night, I will sneak you out through the window, and put a charm on your bed so it looks like you're asleep. Then you will go to school with other young witches and wizards." Anne looked at the alarm clock. "It's morning, Harry. Your aunt will be coming soon. I must go, but I'll see you tonight." And with that, Anne gave a wave and floated out the window. And with only the thought of school to sustain him, Harry climbed into bed and prepared to face the day.