Disclaimer- I tried to be original. I tried to be funny. I tried to be unique. But I came up with nothing. So all that remains to be said is that JK Rowling wrote the Harry Potter books upon which this fic is based. And the fact that I failed to come up with an entertaining disclaimer does not bode well for me as a writer…sniff…

A/N- …or as the case may be do not expect updates to be within days of each other as my computer 'remembers Biblical times' as someone so kindly said!- totally crashed…but all is now well…for now! OK…this is IT! This is the 'explanation chapter'. Now I've read and reread it quite a few times and it seems to make sense to me…but I wrote it…! When I began this fic I had an outline of what happened in my mind and this is the product of it. I just hope that it seems as rational as it can be…*nervous laugh*…so, er…huh hmmm…ENJOY!

Chapter 5- 'The Reverse Spell Effect'

An uncomfortable silence had descended upon Dumbledore's office and it's occupants.

'…So,' James raised his head and looked up at Dumbledore, '…we're dead…then.'

Dumbledore observed him for a moment and then slowly nodded. His eyes deceived his exterior, which appeared calm, but he was clearly troubled.

Bertha made to shriek again or protest but there seemed to be no point.

Dumbledore, assisted by Sirius and Remus had run through a brief history of what had happened ever since the night of Halloween 1981. When they had got to Bertha, Dumbledore had tried to calmly tell her things that she did not even know had happened, like being captured by Peter Pettigrew- being interrogated- her- interrogated by You-Know-Who and finally being murdered by him! It was ridiculous! James and Lily Potter- yes…but she…how could she be dead? Her- Bertha Jorkins…what was so special about her? …'Information' Dumbledore had told her…'The Triwizard Tournament'- but how many thousands of witches and wizards knew about that at the Ministry? Sure…she remembered meeting Peter…but he was dead…'No, he's alive…' they had told her…but…Sirius Bla…what were the chances?

She looked around her exasperatedly. Lily and James had returned their gazes to the floor; they were holding hands. Frank did not appear to be hearing anymore- perhaps he had convinced himself that this was a nightmare. His expression was strangely mingled with horror and intrigue. Cedric was silent, his expression closed as he gazed into the abyss.

'Kill the spare,' he thought 'Kill the spare…'

He returned his gaze to Dumbledore who looked straight at him which was very intimidating, he almost faltered.

'…a-and I died…' everyone else looked at him '…a few hours ago?'

Again Dumbledore solemnly nodded.

'Then why are we here?' Lily quietly asked. She was seated between James and Bertha before Dumbledore's desk. Dumbledore was behind it as were Remus and Sirius who stood on either side of his chair. To James' left sat Cedric and Frank.

'Priori Incantatem.' Dumbledore simply said.

'The reverse spell effect.' James clarified.

Dumbledore nodded. 'We have told you what happened tonight…what Harry saw.'

Lily and James both squirmed at the memory of what they had been told. Their boy…their one year old son that they had last seen mere hours ago was now fourteen…everything- the ordeal that he had been through tonight, everything that he had been through. What Sirius had been through- and was still going through. Remus…alone. And Peter. It was overwhelming…unbelievable!

Dumbledore slowly continued '…when a wand meets its brother a rare effect will take place…as what happened tonight, when the five of you enabled Harry to escape.' They had already established that they had no memory of this. 'It would appear that whilst Priori Incantatem is rare enough an even more extraordinary effect occurred tonight as a result of the Priori Incantatem.' He waited a few moments for his words to sink in before continuing. 'Remus here, knows more about the topic than I do…' Dumbledore looked up at Remus who reluctantly returned his gaze.

It was true that he had researched the topic thoroughly, even to the point where his knowledge excelled that of Albus Dumbledore. But the conclusions…they were based on guess work.

'Well…' he looked around him. His heart was breaking. For a brief instant, before he had been told anything he had believed that James and Lily had come back to them, by some freak chance. Sirius he could tell had hoped rather than believed as he had that this was the case. He could tell that the truth of it was making Sirius feel exactly as he did. They were losing them again. Except this time they had to agonisingly wait for them to leave, if his theories were correct. '…It would appear…' all eyes were on him '…that as Harry has told Albus he saw the 'echoes' of you…of you when you were alive.' He drew his breath sharply. 'Well, the longer that the echoes are released from the wand that held them the more form they will take…' confused glances '…the more physical they will become…as you all are now.' His eyes fell on Lily and James, they looked so alive.

'But why are we here?' Lily adamantly repeated.

'It would appear…' Remus continued 'that due to Harry being the victor in the duel a connection was established between his wand and your echoes, canceling out the one that existed between you and Voldemort's wand.' Cedric and Bertha openly shuddered. 'And given the fact that you were willingly helping Harry that connection was made all the more stronger.

'Now, remember that I said that the longer that you were released from Voldemort's wand, the more physical you would become…' James, Lily, Cedric and Bertha all nodded. Frank was staring to the side at nothing in particular. '…Well, the connection between you and Harry's wand now still exists. So when Harry used the Portkey to escape the graveyard his wand went with him, as did you.' Remus paused, as Dumbledore had previously to give a chance for his words to sink in.

'But…we're, we're…still…dead?' Cedric gulped.

Remus did not want to answer this; he turned to Dumbledore who was already facing the people sitting before him. Remus chanced a look at Sirius who returned it, looking at his friend sympathetically. They then turned their attention to Lily and James who were intent upon Dumbledore's answer.

'Yes.' Dumbledore finally answered heavily.

Everyone had been holding their breath, although no one released it at this statement the disappointment and fear in the room was evident to all.

'No spell can reawaken the dead.' Dumbledore clarified for the second time that night. He paused for a moment, wondering how to continue. 'Although you now sit before me physically as Bertha Jorkins, Lily Potter, James Potter, Cedric Diggory and Frank Bryce.' He turned to each of them as he said their name. When Dumbledore said Frank's name he sharply turned his head to meet Dumbledore's gaze. 'The part of you that left your body as you were killed exists elsewhere. Although now you sit before me with your form, character and personalities intact you exist elsewhere…'

'…Where?' Bertha gasped.

Dumbledore turned to her and smiled both warmly and sadly. 'That I cannot tell you, as I do not know.'

'Then what 'appens to us now?' Frank suddenly asked. Everyone except for Dumbledore had jumped. Dumbledore looked at Remus.

Remus nodded and reluctantly continued. 'The echo is a reflection of you…it is a part of you. It has your character, it has your personality and it has your memories. So it…so you will ultimately find your way back to the source of your being…that was driven from your bodies…that exists elsewhere, as Albus has said…

Silence.

'Why is it that we can't remember dying then…if we have our memories?' Cedric warily asked.

This time Dumbledore spoke much to Remus' relief

'Your last memories are those of Voldemort or of Peter Pettigrew,' he looked at Cedric. Sirius very obviously flinched at the latter name. 'Standing before you with a wand raised.' Nobody nodded; this was another point that they had gone over several times. 'So whilst the echoes of you that Harry saw knew that they had died, the more physical that you have become the more alive you seem…physically and mentally. So any concept to you of having died was lost on you as you considered yourselves to be alive.'

Lily and James looked at each other. Dumbledore slowly smiled and affectionately added 'Except you two…' they looked at him.

'Dying…it's been on our minds a lot lately.' James hurriedly admitted.

Sirius shifted his feet and it was Remus' turn to sympathetically glance at him.

The room was silent. People were obviously trying to process what they had been told, either that or trying to figure it out.

'But…Moony…' Sirius startled everyone.

'They will go back Padfoot…even if we had a choice, they have to be whole…wherever they are.' Remus breathed in deeply and looked at James and Lily who returned his gaze 'It will happen anyway…without any interference from us.' His eyes were overly bright.

'How will we go back?' Again it was Frank who spoke and startled everybody, except for Dumbledore who smiled at the man. Remus knew that it would be him again who spoke. It was so awful knowing the answers…or in this case not knowing and having to tell the people so.

'I don't know…perhaps you will go back into Harry's wand or…' a few grimaces flew across faces '…or…I really don't know…guesswork…' he mumbled as he looked at his feet.

There was another silence except this one was a lot denser than the others had been. It seemed as though James, Lily, Cedric, Bertha and Frank were contemplating either the fact that they were dead, not only that but that this was not them, not in their entirety anyway. Even Frank could not rationalise what was happening. The only other alternative to him was that this was a nightmare, but it was so real and his memory was not one to play tricks on him.

Cedric- he…he was only sixteen. But even Dumbledore had told him. And he remembered…the cup…the graveyard…that man… 'Kill the Spare'…and then nothing.

And Bertha. Dumbledore had told her that You-Know-Who had broken through a Memory Charm that Mr Crouch had put on her…she did remember some things…Mr Crouch's son…yes…he was supposed to be in Azkaban! And then Dumbledore had told her that You-Know-Who had…destroyed her…and that he had killed her. It didn't make any sense. But some things just seemed to fit.

James and Lily. They held each other's hands beneath the arms of their chairs. They could constantly feel the gaze of Remus and Sirius, and sometimes Dumbledore washing over them…frequently stopping on them. It was very uncomfortable…but they hadn't seen them in thirteen years…Harry had never known them. These were their biggest griefs…not that they were dead.

It especially pained James to know that Sirius blamed himself, not just after all these years but in the first place. It was not and had never been his fault. When Sirius had had to relive the events for them he had not been able to hold it back and had broken down apologising. James and Lily had assured him that it was not his fault, that they did not blame him…that no one had known about Peter and that they were glad that Harry finally knew him and that Remus now knew the truth and that they were so sorry about Azkaban. This obviously hurt him more…that they were sorry for him. When this passed through James' mind he looked up and found that Sirius was already looking at him. This made both of them smile.

'I'll take him aside later…' James thought '…knock some sense into him.'

His smile became a grin. He then turned to Remus who smiled back, and then to Lily.

They were not afraid. They were after all already dead. They just wanted everything to be all right…everything was such a terrible mess. They squeezed each other's hands reassuringly. James then turned back to Dumbledore; his eyes flickered up to Remus…not sure whom to ask.

Despite the resolve in his mind his voice was shaking. 'How much time do we have?' He asked.

Remus answered; in contrast it was now his voice that was steady. 'Not long…I expect that you will…be gone before sun rise.' He again looked at Sirius; he looked as though he was about to collapse either to the ground or in tears. Before he could Lily had left her chair and was hugging him with all of the strength that she could muster.

James and Remus smiled at the scene.

It was not like Sirius Black to break down in tears, and usually despite how much they enjoyed the scene privately, if not James it would always have been Lily who would mockingly ridicule him about showing emotion of that sort…especially towards his godson. Remus would then, in turn mockingly act as mediator.

'What's this Padfoot? Going soft in your old age?' James asked in a falsely shocked voice.

Remus immediately caught on 'Now, now Prongs. A real man is always in touch with his feminine side…isn't that right Lily?' he replied in a very patronising tone.

Sirius and Lily broke apart smiling as were James and Remus. Lily kept a reassuring arm around Sirius' waist as he held on to her shoulder before they were once more enveloped with their own thoughts.

Dumbledore continued to sit in his chair. His elbows were settled on his desk as his hands were before his face. He tapped his long fingers together thoughtfully as he stared at nothing in particular.

Bertha seemed overcome with horror, her face was very pale and her mouth slightly open. She did not seem to appreciate anything that was going on around her. She looked as though she was about to cry but no tears came.

Cedric had watched James and Lily intently with awe. He wondered whether or not they were as scared as he was. He decided that they probably were, as their smiles seemed more fixed when a moment ago they had been so natural. He wasn't going to show how scared he was if they weren't so he sat somewhat rigidly in his chair and was now staring at the floor.

Frank was staring at a table on his left away from the others' in the room. There were several silver instruments on it silently whirling around, instruments that he had never laid eyes upon before. The shape of some of them seemed so ridiculous that he was sure that they did not exist. But they did. They were here as was he. That meant that he was dead. This could not be a dream, a nightmare…it was too real. That meant that he was dead.

When the realisation of this hit him he looked up at Dumbledore again who broke out of his thoughts to return his gaze. Frank smiled somewhat crookedly at him and Dumbledore warmly returned it. He then inhaled very shakily before asking-

'So…' everybody turned to look at him. 'What should we do now?'

Silence…

Um…you still there? Did that make any sense at all? I hope that it was plausible enough…but I'm not all that sure!…criticism, flames…whatever!…I'd like to know…! *there goes that nervous laugh again*…!

I thought that it might be nice to finish with Frank being the most sober of the group. Nice piece of irony that he is the one that is way, way out of his depth and yet it is the fact that he is there that pushes him to come to terms with his fate and to move on.

Right…the story is not over…

Next Chapter

Lily, James and Cedric have some very difficult decisions to make with regards to the people that they will be leaving behind.

Several heart-to-hearts…(sniff)…as people come to terms with what will happen to them and decide how best to spend their precious time.

Thanks for the reviews people! Love them!

*Any questions as to what in the hell I am going on about in this chapter just ask…it may help me to understand it more too…huh hmmm…I DO know my own fic…what are you suggesting?*

As schools and colleges are starting up again *scowls at the screen* if anybody would like me to email them with updates I'd be more than happy to…just ask as you review…

Stinky Stan- hehehe!…No…we'd best NOT get started!…they have support groups for that kind of thing…I hear…Thank you!

Crystal, Lily, James and Sirius

tv-fan-06- remember…you be updating too!

Lisa Meunier- Thank you very much!

Headmaster Cromwell

azntgr01

Katrina Littlebird- Thanks for the review! I had never planned on bringing James, Lily, Cedric, Bertha and Frank back to life…as much as I had wanted to…(sniff)…as I just could not pull it off and it wouldn't be right. I was very happy after reading your review…and relieved that you think I will be doing the right thing! Thanks!

kaiyana- Next chapter sees Harry in it…but a difficult decision is before Lily and James…and Cedric…so who knows what's going to happen (not me yet!)…*that nervous laugh again*…

Aconite- Harry…James and Lily will see him in the next chapter. Thanks for the reviews!

Mystic Catface- Thank you! I'm glad that Dumbledore came across OK…I was really anxious about getting that right. Nice time looking at bugs in ponds…? Hmmm?

The Elfin Child- Thank you…and thank you! I'm glad that you like it!

starborn- I'm glad that no feeling sorry…ness was felt…evil, stupid rat!