A.N: Update! Completion of chapter! Yay!
Thanks for the feedback so far. And, let's see...
Someone suggested I put in more information about Ally and Cel, their backgrounds, etc. You get that in this chapter, and more in the next one, but their whole story is told in my fic "Remembrance". Or at least, it will be if I a) ever finish it and b) finish the touch-ups and rewrites it is currently in need of.
Oh, and apparently, I am "some kinda retard for thinking I have obtained spoilers to the sixth book". Thank you for playing, but no. When I said in the summary not to read this if you don't want "the book" spoiled, I assumed people would know, through the use of a thing called common sense, that I was talking about the FIFTH book. Silly me.
But anyway...the first half of this chapter is the same, and after the little asterik-break-thingy, there's the newly added second half.
Chapter Two
He had no conception of how long he'd been in the forest. He couldn't even be sure he was heading in the same direction anymore-thick, silvery mists had enveloped his path more than once, and with the effect this place was having on his mind, he might easily have gotten turned around without realizing it.
Finally he let himself slump to the ground, burying his face in his hands like a lost, frightened child. There was no denying the facts of his situation-he had no idea where he was, had never been sure of where he was going, and he was slowly but surely losing his memory. He'd been testing himself periodically, and quickly realized he was fighting a losing battle. The names of casual acquaintances, a few dates of varying importance, and some memories of his days at Hogwarts were lost to him now. Damn it, if he had to forget, there were memories he would gladly have offered up. By what cruel irony were his years in Azkaban still vivid in his mind, while he couldn't remember the music they had played at James's wedding?
How long would it be before he forgot his loved ones entirely? How long before he completely forgot Remus, or Harry, or even Alexandra? And once he no longer remembered them, once he lost his desperation to get back to them, would he be content to stay in this place forever?
He'd never been one to accept defeat, even when defeat seemed inevitable. He'd escaped from Azkaban, hadn't he? Was some stupid ruddy forest going to defeat Sirius Black, even if it was a stupid ruddy forest in the Land of the Goddamned Dead?
But this was different...in Azkaban, horrible as it had been, he'd known where he was and who he was. He'd been tormented with memories he desperately wanted to forget, but at least he'd had his memories. And when he'd escaped, he'd known where he was going and how he was going to get there. Now, he was just so...lost. Huddled on the forest floor, shaking with suppressed sobs, he tried to gather the strength to rise and keep walking.
"Padfoot?"
It sounded like an echo from another room, so softly it took a moment before Sirius was sure he'd heard it. Not daring to let hope rise within him just yet, he stood and turned.
The figure standing behind him was as colorless and hazy as everything in this dream-world, but it was undeniably James. From the short, messy black hair to the scuffed sneakers he'd always worn unless he absolutely had to wear nice shoes for some reason, looking exactly as he had on the night of October 30, 1981, when Sirius left Godric's Hollow never dreaming he would never see his best friend alive again-it was James.
Sirius was running towards him before the thought that they might not be able to touch had time to occur to him. Such a worry would have proved unnecessary as his arms closed around James, who returned the hug with equal force. Sirius lost control of his tears then, crying unashamedly into James's shoulder as the two tried to make up for fourteen years of separation with a single embrace.
Finally Sirius pulled back, letting his hand's rest on the other's shoulders. "God, Prongs, it's good to see you again."
A smile that was faintly tinged with sadness crossed James's face. "I would've preferred not to have this reunion for a good long time yet, but as long as you're here, mate, it's good to see you too."
"Where's Lily?"
"Right here." She glided out of the shadows behind her husband, where she'd waited to let him meet Sirius first. He'd been half hoping she would somehow still have her red hair and brilliant green eyes, Sirius reflected briefly as they embraced, but she too looked like a black-and-white film version of herself, softened around the edges with time.
"Leave it to you to show up alive in the Land of the Dead." she said as she stepped back from him, keeping hold of one of his hands and slipping her other hand into James's. "How's your memory coming along?"
"You know about that?" Sirius asked, faintly surprised.
She nodded. "I know Morpheus. He periodically forgets everything he's ever known. Fortunately, when he remembers, he's in the habit of telling his story over and over to anyone who'll listen, so when he forgets we just tell it back to him."
A spark of hope flared in Sirius's mind. "Then do you know where the other Arch is?"
"No...I'm sorry. Morpheus forgot that, along with his real name, before he ever told anyone. That's why he's still here."
"We may still have a chance of finding it, though." James interjected.
"How?"
"Well, supposedly, when you finally get through this forest, there's this mountain, and supposedly there's this observatory at the top of the mountain that you can see the entire Land of the Dead from."
"You can't see the entire Land of the Dead." Lily objected. "It's too vast. But you can see a lot. Even if we can't find the Arch from there, the one who built the observatory may be able to help us."
Sirius smiles for the first time since he'd fallen through the Veil. "Let's go then. And...do you guys mind filling me in on some memories while we walk?"
"Oh, sure!" James said enthusiastically as they set out. "See, to start with, your name is Sirius Black, and I'm James Potter, and we're both wizards, and you've always been pretty good looking but not nearly as devastatingly handsome as me-"
"Don't think I won't smack you just because you're already dead, Prongs..."
*****
"You're sure you want to do this?" Remus asked one more time.
"I'm sure." She replied with a resolute nod. "I should have done this a long time ago. Nothing's going to stop me from doing it now."
He, Alexandra, and Celina stood outside the front door of Number Four, Privet Drive, looking more like they were going into battle than calling on old acquaintances. The Merlins had known Petunia briefly and only met Vernon Dursley once or twice, but that was more than enough. As for Remus, he remembered their brief meeting at King's Cross, not even two weeks ago. Ally's meeting with Harry would probably be difficult enough, but before they even got to that point, they were going to have to run the gauntlet of the Muggles.
Remus had suggested they all wear Muggle clothes, which might at least decrease the chances that Vernon would slam the door in their faces, but, glancing at Celina and himself, it occurred to Remus that he might just do that anyway. Cel wore Muggle clothes most of the time anyway, but a midriff- baring Rocky Horror Picture Show t-shirt, tight black jeans, and her customary thick-heeled boots weren't likely to make a favorable impression on Harry's conservative relatives. His own attire was more orthodox-a linen shirt, trousers, and oxford shoes-but being worn, scuffed, and patched in places, it probably wouldn't meet with approval either. Ally, in a loose peasant blouse and linen skirt, was their best bet for a spokesperson, so he gestured to her to step forward and ring the doorbell.
When the door opened, Vernon greeted her with an abrupt "Yes?", obviously wondering what business this strange woman had with him. Not surprising that he didn't recognize her. Before Ally could answer, his eyes had first widened as he saw Celina, then narrowed as he saw Remus, definitely recognizing him. Before he could do something like slam the door on them, Ally took a deep breath and stepped into the open doorway.
"We'd like to speak to Harry, if you don't mind. Is he home?" "Are you-the two of you-*his kind* as well?" Vernon's tone clearly indicated he *did* mind.
Ally paused for a moment, fighting down a surge of anger. Harry should never have had to live with these people, and she knew she was to blame, at least in part, for the fact that he had.
"If you mean wizards, yes, we are. Now if you'll just-"
Vernon literally winced at hearing the word "wizard". He stepped forward, looming over her. You silly fool, she thought briefly. You really think you can intimidate me?
"I'll have you know, madam, that I do not appreciate mention of that boy's- abnormality-in my house, and-"
"Fine, then." Ally couldn't keep herself from snapping at him, just a bit. "If you'll simply be good enough to call Harry, we'll be more than happy to take our conversation with him elsewhere." It was she who stepped forward now, her hand slipping into the pocket where her wand was held. "We would hate to intrude on your *hospitality*."
He seemed to take the hint, stepping back slightly, then turned to bellow up the stairs, only to realize that Harry was already standing at the top of them.
Ally's eyes followed Vernon's upward, and Remus heard her breath catch slightly in her throat, saw Cel's eyebrows lift slightly, as they both took in the always-touching combination of James's looks and Lily's eyes. Neither of them had seen Harry since he was a baby. As for Remus, it was still a bit of a shock how much *older* Harry looked now in comparison to Remus's year teaching at Hogwarts. He was taller now, yes, but more than that it was something in his eyes-something that had first settled there with Cedric Diggory's death, and been further ground into him with every tragedy since, leading up to the awful blow of losing Sirius.
His eyes are too old. Remus remembered thinking the same thing about an eleven-year-old Celina, and about his own adolescent reflection whenever he had looked in a mirror. Too damn old. I'm so tired of seeing children with the eyes of adults.
Harry had heard Uncle Vernon speaking brusquely to someone and come to the top of the stairs out of curiosity, watching as this strange woman had faced his flustered uncle down. He'd studied her, with her wavy brown hair, dark blue eyes, and features that would have been so much prettier if not for the faint lines on her forehead, the dark circles under her eyes. There seemed something oddly familiar about her, but he didn't think they'd ever met. Then there was the woman behind her, looking alike enough to be her sister, but with stick-straight black hair, emerald eyes, and cheekbones that looked like you could cut yourself on them. Something about her made him feel vaguely uneasy, but at the same time she seemed even more familiar than the other. And beside the second woman was Remus Lupin, who Harry hadn't expected to see again so soon.
He came down the stairs, still glancing at them curiously, then looking to Lupin as if for an explanation. His former teacher stepped forward to shake his hand.
"Hello, Harry. Sorry to just drop in on you like this."
"It's fine, I just-wasn't expecting to see anyone so soon." Harry's brow furrowed as a thought occurred to him. "Has something happened?"
Knowing he meant something involving Voldemort, Lupin shook his head. "No- in fact, things have been unnervingly quiet." Turning slightly, he gestured to the two women. "Harry, this is Alexandra and Celina Merlin."
"Merlin?"
Alexandra nodded and spoke to him for the first time, her voice lower and softer than it had been during her exchange with Uncle Vernon. "I think you know our niece Isadora from school-"
"Kids?" Celina cut in, her voice as smooth and sharp as her appearance. "Maybe we should take this outside?" She punctuated the suggestion with a pointed glance over Harry's shoulder, to where his uncle still stood.
Vernon had been silent since Harry came down the stairs, his face dark with anger at both the nerve of these-*people* to just walk into his house and the nerve of Harry to just start a conversation with them as if this were perfectly *normal*. His eyes settled on his nephew and narrowed.
"*You*." He muttered furiously. "How many times do we have to tell you-"
"You don't want any connection with wizards or magic, and of *course*, if the neighbors see me talking to these three people in the house or out on the doorstep, they'll instantly make the connection that all of us are wizards. Right." Harry wasn't in any mood to deal with his uncle, or inflict him on others. "So, if you don't mind, we'll just be going. Bye!"
Before Vernon could say or do anything else, Harry, Lupin, and the Merlin sisters were out the door and down the front walk. As the door slammed behind them, Celina Merlin caught Harry's eye and grinned.
"Nicely done. Bloody hell, that man gives all Mugglekind a bad name."
Alexandra looked a bit concerned. "You won't get in trouble over this, will you?"
Harry shook his head. "They'll probably just ignore my existence as much as they can for a few days. They haven't done much more than that this summer- they don't even yell at me as much as they used to." He glanced gratefully toward Lupin, who was partially responsible for the Dursley's changed behavior.
Lupin acknowledged the grateful look with a nod and a slight smile, then looked around at the normal, peaceful looking atmosphere of Privet Drive. "Is there anywhere nearby we can go to sit and talk?"
They walked to the park, finding two benches facing across from each other to sit on. Glancing at the two women while they walked, Harry could see their resemblance to Isadora Merlin. That might explain why they seemed familiar, but then, Celina still seemed more familiar to him than Alexandra, while Alexandra's resemblance to their niece was stronger.
Isadora-known to most of Hogwarts as Izzie-was a year above him and a Chaser on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Harry had known her through Quidditch, her friendship with Fred and George Weasley, and the fact that her lineage made her almost as well-known as his scar made him. She and Harry had never spoken much, being in different years and different houses, but when they did, they'd always gotten along well. He knew that she, like him, was an orphan, and that she had been raised by her two aunts. Well, that was all well and good, but why were those two aunts here, wanting to speak to him? And how did they know Lupin?
As Alexandra seated herself on the bench across from him, she took a deep breath, staring down at her clasped hands for a moment. "I'm sure you're wondering why we're here." She said in her soft voice.
Harry nodded. She sighed slightly and looked up at him.
"You and I should have had this conversation a long, long time ago, Harry. I really have no excuse for going so long without meeting you, and I'll understand if you feel betrayed by the fact that I did so, but-" She broke off, looking down again. Lupin, who was sitting next to Harry, leaned across the gap between them and touched her hand.
"Ally, I know this is hard for you-"
"I'm alright, Remus." She clasped his hand, reassuringly, then looked back to Harry. "Like I said, you should have known what I'm about to tell you long ago. And Sirius-now that Sirius is...gone, I've realized I can't put it off any further."
The mention of Sirius struck Harry, as did her seeming inability to refer to him as dead. What had his godfather been to this woman? What had she been to him? Her next words answered both those questions.
"I was Sirius's fiancé, Harry. We...we were engaged before your parents died, and we were going to marry, finally, once his name was cleared." As Harry's head jerked up in shock, her dark blue eyes locked onto his. "I'm also your godmother."
A.N: The elusive Izzie, who's been mentioned several times in Remembrance, will finally be making an appearance soon, but I'm not sure how big a role she'll play...a lot of my ideas involving the Merlins and they're interactions with other characters went out the window with OotP. *shrugs*
Anyway, the next chapter will be forthcoming as soon as I do not fail my Philosophy midterm.
Thanks for the feedback so far. And, let's see...
Someone suggested I put in more information about Ally and Cel, their backgrounds, etc. You get that in this chapter, and more in the next one, but their whole story is told in my fic "Remembrance". Or at least, it will be if I a) ever finish it and b) finish the touch-ups and rewrites it is currently in need of.
Oh, and apparently, I am "some kinda retard for thinking I have obtained spoilers to the sixth book". Thank you for playing, but no. When I said in the summary not to read this if you don't want "the book" spoiled, I assumed people would know, through the use of a thing called common sense, that I was talking about the FIFTH book. Silly me.
But anyway...the first half of this chapter is the same, and after the little asterik-break-thingy, there's the newly added second half.
Chapter Two
He had no conception of how long he'd been in the forest. He couldn't even be sure he was heading in the same direction anymore-thick, silvery mists had enveloped his path more than once, and with the effect this place was having on his mind, he might easily have gotten turned around without realizing it.
Finally he let himself slump to the ground, burying his face in his hands like a lost, frightened child. There was no denying the facts of his situation-he had no idea where he was, had never been sure of where he was going, and he was slowly but surely losing his memory. He'd been testing himself periodically, and quickly realized he was fighting a losing battle. The names of casual acquaintances, a few dates of varying importance, and some memories of his days at Hogwarts were lost to him now. Damn it, if he had to forget, there were memories he would gladly have offered up. By what cruel irony were his years in Azkaban still vivid in his mind, while he couldn't remember the music they had played at James's wedding?
How long would it be before he forgot his loved ones entirely? How long before he completely forgot Remus, or Harry, or even Alexandra? And once he no longer remembered them, once he lost his desperation to get back to them, would he be content to stay in this place forever?
He'd never been one to accept defeat, even when defeat seemed inevitable. He'd escaped from Azkaban, hadn't he? Was some stupid ruddy forest going to defeat Sirius Black, even if it was a stupid ruddy forest in the Land of the Goddamned Dead?
But this was different...in Azkaban, horrible as it had been, he'd known where he was and who he was. He'd been tormented with memories he desperately wanted to forget, but at least he'd had his memories. And when he'd escaped, he'd known where he was going and how he was going to get there. Now, he was just so...lost. Huddled on the forest floor, shaking with suppressed sobs, he tried to gather the strength to rise and keep walking.
"Padfoot?"
It sounded like an echo from another room, so softly it took a moment before Sirius was sure he'd heard it. Not daring to let hope rise within him just yet, he stood and turned.
The figure standing behind him was as colorless and hazy as everything in this dream-world, but it was undeniably James. From the short, messy black hair to the scuffed sneakers he'd always worn unless he absolutely had to wear nice shoes for some reason, looking exactly as he had on the night of October 30, 1981, when Sirius left Godric's Hollow never dreaming he would never see his best friend alive again-it was James.
Sirius was running towards him before the thought that they might not be able to touch had time to occur to him. Such a worry would have proved unnecessary as his arms closed around James, who returned the hug with equal force. Sirius lost control of his tears then, crying unashamedly into James's shoulder as the two tried to make up for fourteen years of separation with a single embrace.
Finally Sirius pulled back, letting his hand's rest on the other's shoulders. "God, Prongs, it's good to see you again."
A smile that was faintly tinged with sadness crossed James's face. "I would've preferred not to have this reunion for a good long time yet, but as long as you're here, mate, it's good to see you too."
"Where's Lily?"
"Right here." She glided out of the shadows behind her husband, where she'd waited to let him meet Sirius first. He'd been half hoping she would somehow still have her red hair and brilliant green eyes, Sirius reflected briefly as they embraced, but she too looked like a black-and-white film version of herself, softened around the edges with time.
"Leave it to you to show up alive in the Land of the Dead." she said as she stepped back from him, keeping hold of one of his hands and slipping her other hand into James's. "How's your memory coming along?"
"You know about that?" Sirius asked, faintly surprised.
She nodded. "I know Morpheus. He periodically forgets everything he's ever known. Fortunately, when he remembers, he's in the habit of telling his story over and over to anyone who'll listen, so when he forgets we just tell it back to him."
A spark of hope flared in Sirius's mind. "Then do you know where the other Arch is?"
"No...I'm sorry. Morpheus forgot that, along with his real name, before he ever told anyone. That's why he's still here."
"We may still have a chance of finding it, though." James interjected.
"How?"
"Well, supposedly, when you finally get through this forest, there's this mountain, and supposedly there's this observatory at the top of the mountain that you can see the entire Land of the Dead from."
"You can't see the entire Land of the Dead." Lily objected. "It's too vast. But you can see a lot. Even if we can't find the Arch from there, the one who built the observatory may be able to help us."
Sirius smiles for the first time since he'd fallen through the Veil. "Let's go then. And...do you guys mind filling me in on some memories while we walk?"
"Oh, sure!" James said enthusiastically as they set out. "See, to start with, your name is Sirius Black, and I'm James Potter, and we're both wizards, and you've always been pretty good looking but not nearly as devastatingly handsome as me-"
"Don't think I won't smack you just because you're already dead, Prongs..."
*****
"You're sure you want to do this?" Remus asked one more time.
"I'm sure." She replied with a resolute nod. "I should have done this a long time ago. Nothing's going to stop me from doing it now."
He, Alexandra, and Celina stood outside the front door of Number Four, Privet Drive, looking more like they were going into battle than calling on old acquaintances. The Merlins had known Petunia briefly and only met Vernon Dursley once or twice, but that was more than enough. As for Remus, he remembered their brief meeting at King's Cross, not even two weeks ago. Ally's meeting with Harry would probably be difficult enough, but before they even got to that point, they were going to have to run the gauntlet of the Muggles.
Remus had suggested they all wear Muggle clothes, which might at least decrease the chances that Vernon would slam the door in their faces, but, glancing at Celina and himself, it occurred to Remus that he might just do that anyway. Cel wore Muggle clothes most of the time anyway, but a midriff- baring Rocky Horror Picture Show t-shirt, tight black jeans, and her customary thick-heeled boots weren't likely to make a favorable impression on Harry's conservative relatives. His own attire was more orthodox-a linen shirt, trousers, and oxford shoes-but being worn, scuffed, and patched in places, it probably wouldn't meet with approval either. Ally, in a loose peasant blouse and linen skirt, was their best bet for a spokesperson, so he gestured to her to step forward and ring the doorbell.
When the door opened, Vernon greeted her with an abrupt "Yes?", obviously wondering what business this strange woman had with him. Not surprising that he didn't recognize her. Before Ally could answer, his eyes had first widened as he saw Celina, then narrowed as he saw Remus, definitely recognizing him. Before he could do something like slam the door on them, Ally took a deep breath and stepped into the open doorway.
"We'd like to speak to Harry, if you don't mind. Is he home?" "Are you-the two of you-*his kind* as well?" Vernon's tone clearly indicated he *did* mind.
Ally paused for a moment, fighting down a surge of anger. Harry should never have had to live with these people, and she knew she was to blame, at least in part, for the fact that he had.
"If you mean wizards, yes, we are. Now if you'll just-"
Vernon literally winced at hearing the word "wizard". He stepped forward, looming over her. You silly fool, she thought briefly. You really think you can intimidate me?
"I'll have you know, madam, that I do not appreciate mention of that boy's- abnormality-in my house, and-"
"Fine, then." Ally couldn't keep herself from snapping at him, just a bit. "If you'll simply be good enough to call Harry, we'll be more than happy to take our conversation with him elsewhere." It was she who stepped forward now, her hand slipping into the pocket where her wand was held. "We would hate to intrude on your *hospitality*."
He seemed to take the hint, stepping back slightly, then turned to bellow up the stairs, only to realize that Harry was already standing at the top of them.
Ally's eyes followed Vernon's upward, and Remus heard her breath catch slightly in her throat, saw Cel's eyebrows lift slightly, as they both took in the always-touching combination of James's looks and Lily's eyes. Neither of them had seen Harry since he was a baby. As for Remus, it was still a bit of a shock how much *older* Harry looked now in comparison to Remus's year teaching at Hogwarts. He was taller now, yes, but more than that it was something in his eyes-something that had first settled there with Cedric Diggory's death, and been further ground into him with every tragedy since, leading up to the awful blow of losing Sirius.
His eyes are too old. Remus remembered thinking the same thing about an eleven-year-old Celina, and about his own adolescent reflection whenever he had looked in a mirror. Too damn old. I'm so tired of seeing children with the eyes of adults.
Harry had heard Uncle Vernon speaking brusquely to someone and come to the top of the stairs out of curiosity, watching as this strange woman had faced his flustered uncle down. He'd studied her, with her wavy brown hair, dark blue eyes, and features that would have been so much prettier if not for the faint lines on her forehead, the dark circles under her eyes. There seemed something oddly familiar about her, but he didn't think they'd ever met. Then there was the woman behind her, looking alike enough to be her sister, but with stick-straight black hair, emerald eyes, and cheekbones that looked like you could cut yourself on them. Something about her made him feel vaguely uneasy, but at the same time she seemed even more familiar than the other. And beside the second woman was Remus Lupin, who Harry hadn't expected to see again so soon.
He came down the stairs, still glancing at them curiously, then looking to Lupin as if for an explanation. His former teacher stepped forward to shake his hand.
"Hello, Harry. Sorry to just drop in on you like this."
"It's fine, I just-wasn't expecting to see anyone so soon." Harry's brow furrowed as a thought occurred to him. "Has something happened?"
Knowing he meant something involving Voldemort, Lupin shook his head. "No- in fact, things have been unnervingly quiet." Turning slightly, he gestured to the two women. "Harry, this is Alexandra and Celina Merlin."
"Merlin?"
Alexandra nodded and spoke to him for the first time, her voice lower and softer than it had been during her exchange with Uncle Vernon. "I think you know our niece Isadora from school-"
"Kids?" Celina cut in, her voice as smooth and sharp as her appearance. "Maybe we should take this outside?" She punctuated the suggestion with a pointed glance over Harry's shoulder, to where his uncle still stood.
Vernon had been silent since Harry came down the stairs, his face dark with anger at both the nerve of these-*people* to just walk into his house and the nerve of Harry to just start a conversation with them as if this were perfectly *normal*. His eyes settled on his nephew and narrowed.
"*You*." He muttered furiously. "How many times do we have to tell you-"
"You don't want any connection with wizards or magic, and of *course*, if the neighbors see me talking to these three people in the house or out on the doorstep, they'll instantly make the connection that all of us are wizards. Right." Harry wasn't in any mood to deal with his uncle, or inflict him on others. "So, if you don't mind, we'll just be going. Bye!"
Before Vernon could say or do anything else, Harry, Lupin, and the Merlin sisters were out the door and down the front walk. As the door slammed behind them, Celina Merlin caught Harry's eye and grinned.
"Nicely done. Bloody hell, that man gives all Mugglekind a bad name."
Alexandra looked a bit concerned. "You won't get in trouble over this, will you?"
Harry shook his head. "They'll probably just ignore my existence as much as they can for a few days. They haven't done much more than that this summer- they don't even yell at me as much as they used to." He glanced gratefully toward Lupin, who was partially responsible for the Dursley's changed behavior.
Lupin acknowledged the grateful look with a nod and a slight smile, then looked around at the normal, peaceful looking atmosphere of Privet Drive. "Is there anywhere nearby we can go to sit and talk?"
They walked to the park, finding two benches facing across from each other to sit on. Glancing at the two women while they walked, Harry could see their resemblance to Isadora Merlin. That might explain why they seemed familiar, but then, Celina still seemed more familiar to him than Alexandra, while Alexandra's resemblance to their niece was stronger.
Isadora-known to most of Hogwarts as Izzie-was a year above him and a Chaser on the Ravenclaw Quidditch team. Harry had known her through Quidditch, her friendship with Fred and George Weasley, and the fact that her lineage made her almost as well-known as his scar made him. She and Harry had never spoken much, being in different years and different houses, but when they did, they'd always gotten along well. He knew that she, like him, was an orphan, and that she had been raised by her two aunts. Well, that was all well and good, but why were those two aunts here, wanting to speak to him? And how did they know Lupin?
As Alexandra seated herself on the bench across from him, she took a deep breath, staring down at her clasped hands for a moment. "I'm sure you're wondering why we're here." She said in her soft voice.
Harry nodded. She sighed slightly and looked up at him.
"You and I should have had this conversation a long, long time ago, Harry. I really have no excuse for going so long without meeting you, and I'll understand if you feel betrayed by the fact that I did so, but-" She broke off, looking down again. Lupin, who was sitting next to Harry, leaned across the gap between them and touched her hand.
"Ally, I know this is hard for you-"
"I'm alright, Remus." She clasped his hand, reassuringly, then looked back to Harry. "Like I said, you should have known what I'm about to tell you long ago. And Sirius-now that Sirius is...gone, I've realized I can't put it off any further."
The mention of Sirius struck Harry, as did her seeming inability to refer to him as dead. What had his godfather been to this woman? What had she been to him? Her next words answered both those questions.
"I was Sirius's fiancé, Harry. We...we were engaged before your parents died, and we were going to marry, finally, once his name was cleared." As Harry's head jerked up in shock, her dark blue eyes locked onto his. "I'm also your godmother."
A.N: The elusive Izzie, who's been mentioned several times in Remembrance, will finally be making an appearance soon, but I'm not sure how big a role she'll play...a lot of my ideas involving the Merlins and they're interactions with other characters went out the window with OotP. *shrugs*
Anyway, the next chapter will be forthcoming as soon as I do not fail my Philosophy midterm.