Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or any of the other characters in the series
Summary: He'd always wanted a glimpse into his future. When his wish is unexpectedly granted, a young Marauder finds regret, pain, death and something more.
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~ Finding Myself ~
Chapter Eight: Saviours
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For a long moment, complete silence descended over the yard and the three sole occupants stood still, unable to move, unable to believe, unable to accept that they weren't dreaming.
"In the name of Merlin." Remus finally choked out. "You did it - Padfoot, you did it!" and his emotion finally getting the better of him, he hugged Sirius hard, tears filling his eyes at the sight of his best friend again - the best friend he'd thought was long dead . . .
"I wouldn't say I did it, Moony," Sirius said quietly as they broke apart and he looked at Hermione again, who found that she still couldn't move. "If a certain someone hadn't let it - uh - slip that Kreacher (the lowlife!) was the cause of the tragedy that set off a chain reaction, I would never have reminded you - do you remember, by the way? - that Kreacher had to be thrown out before number 12 became Headquarters."
Hermione gasped. "You remember?" she asked incredulously.
"For a long time, I've thought it was all a strange dream, until I found myself here - quite inexplicably - and realized my last memory was that of my spiffing cousin shooting green light into me. Then, quite suddenly, it was as if that memory wasn't even a memory anymore - I had new memories."
Hermione stared at him, and then glanced at Remus, and they both realized the same thing at the same time: they had new memories too. Of wands and spells and curses . . . of Neville dodging the blast from a Death Eater's wand . . . of Sirius throwing himself at George and Hermione and knocking them out of the way of a deadly curse . . . of Hermione killing Bellatrix like she had and Harry killingVoldemort . . .
The course of time had changed.
But instead of messing everything up, like they had always believed it would, it had somehow saved them all.
"Moody, Tonks, George, Sturgis and Neville are alive." Remus said to Sirius, grinning broadly. "Thanks to the fact that you are too. It's a pity you couldn't save James and Lily too."
"That would have screwed time up." Hermione murmured regretfully. "Somehow, what we've just done hasn't."
Remus faked a groan. "So I suppose I have to thank you, do I, Padfoot?" he smirked, his eyes dancing in a way they hadn't for a very long time.
"You're giving me too much credit, Moony." Sirius huffed with a chuckle. His expression changed as he looked at Hermione and she gulped; if he remembered, that meant he also remembered . . . "I did tell you I would never be able to forget." He reminded her softly.
"I - " she stammered, fighting for control, as Remus's lips twitched knowingly.
"Oh, come on, 'Mione, don't I at least get a hug because you're a little happy to see me again?"
So much for control.
She flung her arms around his neck and hugged him as tightly as he could. He wrapped his arms around her and held her close; she could feel his racing heartbeat and safe body heat, hard and strong and unchanged, and everything inside her sobbed with relief and ecstasy that she thought was lost to her forever.
She didn't ever want to let go, but she changed her mind in a way when he pulled away slightly, but only so that he could tilt her chin up like he had before and kiss her with even more longing than he had.
Dear Heaven, age hasn't changed a thing!
"Ahem." This time, the clearing throat was gentle and apologetic. "I hate to interrupt this, I honestly do, but the others will be waiting for us."
Hermione remembered that Remus was standing there, and cast one quick look at his twinkling eyes before burying her blushing face in the warm flesh at the base of Sirius's collar, highly embarrassed. Sirius laughed, and she felt his slightly stubbled jaw (very sexy jaw, at that) brush her hair as he looked up at Remus.
"I'm looking forward to seeing Harry again."
"They're all going to be ecstatic to see you again, Sirius, Harry in particular." Remus smiled. "Add to that the fact that you were brave enough to make the terrible choice of leaving us behind and returning, and then saving us all."
Sirius shook his head and Hermione lifted hers to finally look up at him. "That was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I don't know if I'd be able to do it again." He said, his voice husky. She swallowed and hugged him.
"So, maybe we should get on the brooms - I hope you have one, Sirius - no doubt there's going to be a celebration, despite Moody's objections - a special Order of the Phoenix feast - no, it won't be at Grimmauld Place, Sirius, so don't look at me like that."
Hermione laughed. "Do you think the others - the ones who weren't involved at all - will remember that some of us have died?" she asked, suddenly wondering.
They looked thoughtful. "I doubt it." Remus said, "Although you'll have to ask Dumbledore to know for sure. That man is truly omnipotent - is that the word? Never mind, I don't really care at this point. It's just good to have you back, Padfoot."
"I'll second that." Hermione grinned.
Sirius smirked and tingles shot through her body as his jaw brushed her ear as he murmured: "I do love you, you know. I have for a long time, past and present."
"I'm thrilled for both of you, I am, but not now!" Remus begged.
"Aww, are you feeling left out, Moony?" Sirius teased.
Hermione laughed. "Yeah, Remus, we love you too!"
The werewolf pretended to scowl. "I knew I was going to regret saying that." he grumbled.
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The 'feast' in the Hogwarts Room of Requirement lasted all day, and went right into the night. Food and Butterbeer seemed to stream in a constant flow from an inexplicable source, Weasely Wheezes Fireworks exploded at regular intervals, and despite Moody's regular protests and grumbling (that everyone could see were only half-hearted), it was impossible for anyone to be in anything but a good mood.
Harry could barely be pried off Sirius, and Hermione couldn't help but grin at his obvious delight; it was about time they were all given something to be happy about again. Across the room, Andromeda Tonks was beside herself with joy, laughing and sobbing over her disgusted yet grinning daughter, and she would occasionally join Harry and give her deserving cousin a hug.
The Weaselys were there too - except for Percy who wasn't a member of the Order and was therefore not under the Disillusionment Charm (which Dumbledore confessed to Hermione was what he'd used to ensure that they remembered the true events). Molly and Arthur were fawning over George who was trying valiantly to escape, and Ron, Fred, Charlie and Ginny were having an Enchanted Pillow fight (the Room was truly miraculous!).
Near the table, Neville's grandmother, Professors McGonagall and Dumbledore were patiently listening to Moody's complaints and warnings and tales of woe, while Hagrid, Bill Weasely and Neville were howling with laughter at something Mundungus Fletcher (all the members of the Order had turned up) was telling them.
Even Professor Snape, Hermione could see, was controlling his inner bitterness and sharp tongue and allowing a moment of enjoyment as he exchanged anecdotes about a topic she was unaware of with Sturgis Podmore and Remus, who had just joined them after playing a game of Exploding Snap with Harry and Sirius.
And she, Hermione Elena Granger, stood by the Butterbeer tureen, leaning against the wall, watching them all - Sirius in particular - with a feeling of unfamiliar content. She'd spent the afternoon with her parents (who were, of course, under no influence of remembering their deaths, and were therefore rather astonished to receive a visit from their daughter, who'd only left for school a few weeks before). Now, she was back at the castle, in the Room, with these people who were her family and her friends and her future.
"Excuse me!" Arthur Weasely's voice suddenly cut the banter. "Excuse me, can I have everyone's attention please?"
"It better be good, Arthur, 'cause Dung was jus' tellin' us 'bout some new platinum-plated cauldrons that he - " Hagrid hastily broke off at the expression on Moody's face. "Jus' a joke, Moody, jus' a joke, Dung ain't done nothin' - "
"As I was saying," Mr Weasely continued, beaming around. "Molly and I were just looking at the photograph of the original Order of the Phoenix, and being back here, I thought it would be a good idea if we took another picture - of the new Order of the Phoenix. And the picture might as well have Ginny, Neville and Andromeda in it as well, because they're mascots anyway."
"Oh gee, thanks, Arthur. A mascot, am I, while my daughter's official?"
"It's a great idea, Dad!"
"But where will we get a camera from right now?" Someone asked. "We can't exactly conjure Muggle-based devices, remember?"
Hermione grinned as Arthur coughed self-deprecatingly. "I - well - I actually - ?"
"Arthur, you didn't!" Molly groaned.
Apparently, he had, because the next moment, a camera from produced from the folds of Mr Weasely's cloak and there was a storm of cheering, through which Molly and Moody stirred, torn between disapproval and indulgence.
"All right, I think I must take the liberty of taking this picture - there are far too many of me around anyway," Dumbledore winked at Hermione, who chuckled. "Arthur, the camera." It was handed over and the members of the Order began to troop towards the back wall of the room. "Minerva, Arthur, Sturgis, Dorcas - yes, you tall ones, perhaps you could form the back row. Hagrid, you too, and Moody, if you'd be so kind as you have Fawkes on your shoulder . . . yes, beautiful. Well, Andromeda, you and Mrs Longbottom behind Ginny and Nymphadora, Bill between Severus and Fred - , Remus, Sirius, next row - Harry, in front, next to Neville - Hermione, you and Ron beside Harry, please, in front of Sirius and Remus - that's right - Molly, you too, in front - "
Eventually, some form of order and neatness was achieved amongst the mess of witches and wizards of various sizes and Dumbledore took the picture. Then, Arthur extracted himself from the back and replaced himself with Dumbledore, taking another picture.
Everyone wanted copies.
Then, Dumbledore said, smiling gently at them all: "I think, as we're all in the spirit of loyalty and nostalgia, it would only be right, I think, to remember the members of the Order and other brave fighters and innocents who can't be here tonight because they were lost - in a manner of speaking - years ago. We're all heroes here tonight, but I think it's time to also remember the saviours who made our battles possible and allow their spirits to lie with us in our celebration tonight."
There was unanimous agreement, and everyone fell silent again, this time a slightly solemn silent that was not depressed, but more in the spirit of remembrance.
Dumbledore didn't need a roll of parchment to remember the names of the people who had been true to their cause and their war, so he spoke the list quietly but with real emotion:
Elphias Dodge,
Gideon and Fabian Prewett,
Frank and Alice Longbottom,
James and Lily Potter,
Cedric Diggory . . .
Once it was done, they continued with the 'party' with renewed vigour, each doing it not only for themselves and for their companions, but for their lost 'comrades', their predecessors and the friends they had lost.
Hermione couldn't help but feel something nagging at her, and when she saw Sirius talking to Dumbledore, she felt curiosity get the better of her and went over to them.
"Professor Dumbledore? Can I ask you something?"
"Certainly, Hermione." His bright blue eyes twinkled.
"Well - you know, how you ask me how I was doing and I mentioned that I had told Sirius - younger Sirius - that Kreacher had caused a real tragedy for us - well, you seemed slightly pleased that I had. I guess I can see why, but I don't understand why you didn't cast a complete Memory Charm on him."
Sirius nodded. "She's got a good point, Dumbledore. Magical Law states that we cannot mess with the balance of time or alter anything because we could destroy the present and the future. Why'd you risk that?"
Dumbledore smiled. "I know what Magical Law states, and I know that altering the time balance can destroy time itself. But I saw something in this situation and I realized something new, and so I did it. I had to send you back with some knowledge, Sirius, because it was the only hope we had. The past had to be changed to save the future."
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~THE END~
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A/N: And another story comes to an end. This fic is kind of A/U, I suppose (as of now), but I had to have a happy ending and some attempt at closure after what happened in OOTP. Anyway, I hope you guys liked this story and I'm thinking about a sequel . . . no promises. Thanks for all the reviews!
Luv,
ViXeN
P.S - Padfoot lives forever!
