Chapter 5
(Ah, and here I said I wasn't going to interrupt the story line, well, I lied. I'd like to publicly state that despite everything the professors at Hogwarts did their damnedest to teach us everything we needed to know. But how to train ten young people to respond to every possibility? You can't, or, as Hermione said once in a blazing argument with Ron 'How are we supposed to plan for things that are unexpected and unknown, better we learn how to balance Harry on a needle.' – Ginny)
The dance would was lovely; the decorations in the great hall were fabulous. The students who helped plan the decorations had been particularly diabolical with the creative process. An oozing black and shimmering green ichors flowed down the walls into pools on the floor. Pumpkins were floating with candles burning softly in them, over the entire great hall was perfect, with one minor exception.
Harry walked into the room flanked by the Companions; the great hall was simply abuzz with the talking of the students gathered. Slowly the sound faded as eyes turned to the young adults in the doorway. Recent events and a tougher than normal schedule had kept the Companions out of the eye of the general populace, even some of the professors did a double take at the students. They made their way somewhat self-consciously to a table near where they normally sat, and struck up conversations with themselves.
"What the bloody hell are you staring at!" Ron finally asked of a group of students gawking.
"Language Ron!" Hermione gently slapped his hand. "Mind your manners."
"My manners? My manners? I'm not ogling at anyone." He sat back his arms crossed over his chest. Mumbling to himself.
"Sit up, and don't mumble, it's not polite." Hermione was looking over her menu.
Ron sat upright, and decided to glare darkly at the students around him. Hermione's hand molded into his, and he became content to ignore everyone around him, and focus on his date.
The evening passed without mayhem or mishap, the friends chatted lightly, by general consensus they discussed nothing but trivial items all night. At midnight they found themselves the last on the dance floor, ready to enjoy the final song played by the band, and Professor Dumbledore called them to his table.
"I'd like to ask you up for a nightcap, I trust you can all find my office?" He smiled at them, and then stood to leave. "Please enjoy the rest of the night, and come see me at one."
He left then, and the Companions danced the final dance and headed to their dorm to freshen up, they arrived at the gargoyle at a few minutes before one, Harry recited the password, and they walked up the staircase to the office.
"…you are toying with forces you cannot comprehend." They heard Dumbledore's voice just as Harry raised his hand to knock.
"Don't you lecture me Albus. You have overstepped your bounds this time! The Ministry of Magic will not take kindly to this!" Harry's mind reeled as he attempted to place the voice. Then it struck him.
"Minister Fudge, if you don't calm down, I'll have to ask you to leave." Came the voice of Sirius, calm, but with an underlying tension.
"And you a convicted felon! On the loose! Teaching in our schools!"
"Fudge, those charges are not only false, but I never even got a trial." Sirius's tone had turned just short of violent.
Harry allowed his knuckles to rap on the wooden door. They heard some muffled shifting of furniture, and Harry opened the door on Dumbledore's muffled "Enter."
The room remained cozy as always, Dumbledore and Sirius were seated in armchairs near the fireplace, Fudge and Percy Weasley were standing in front of them looking important.
Harry sized up the situation rapidly. "Minister Fudge, Percy, so good to see you both." He stuck out his hand to a very shocked Fudge.
"James Potter?" he managed. Percy's eyes were round looking at them all. "But, but how?"
It was Harry's turn to be taken aback. "No sir, I'm Harry."
"Dumbledore – what have you done…" Fudge said his voice barely a whisper. "Good lord man, how could you?"
"What was done, Minister, is the same as was done in our time. What was needed to be done. What happened should be obvious to you." Dumbledore was offering Fudge a drink. "Please, Cornelius sit, and talk to us without resorting to being rude."
He gestured to the other comfortable chairs, for the Companions, who took their seats, and braced themselves for what would no doubt be a confrontation.
"Be careful of the drink," Sirius warned them "you all have training tomorrow."
They took the glasses offered to them, and took a sip. Most of them held back their grimace as the whiskey burned its way down their throats. Lisa fought back a cough, and dabbed at her watering eyes.
"Now then," Dumbledore pointed to the two remaining chairs. "Sit. We have much to discuss, and our time, I fear grows short."
It was easily three in the morning before they made their way back to the Telisin dorms. Harry was feeling a nagging something wrong. "I'd like to talk to everyone a moment before we turn in."
Ron looked at Harry blearily. "Come on Harry, I'm beat, and Sirius is going to dog us tomorrow with no mercy."
"Technically Ron, it is tomorrow." Hermione said, suppressing a yawn. "Besides, Harry, Ron's right. I'm exhausted, and Sirius will be knocking on our doors in less then three hours."
"Something is wrong with Fudge." Harry said. "I – I can't put my finger on it. But he's not acting right."
Seamus dropped his hand heavily on Harry's shoulder. "Tomorrow mate, we'll talk about it tomorrow at lunch."
Harry kissed Ginny good night, and headed into his and Ron's room. "Yeah, we'll figure it out tomorrow." Ron mumbled something unintelligible into his pillow, and Harry found his eyes closing heavily.
Three hours later he woke to Sirius pounding on the doors "Let's go! Wakey Wakey! Time to rise and shine!"
"I hate him." Ron's voice drifted from the direction of his bed. "I used to like him, but now, I hate him."
"Lair, you only hate him because it's six am, and you don't want to be awake."
"Sounds like a reasonable reason to hate someone." Sirius's face slipped back around the door.
"Bloody git needs a woman…" Ron muttered darkly pulling on his sweat pants over running shorts.
He was heading for the door his running shoes in one hand and tee shirt in the other. "You coming Prince Charming? Or shall I send in your Princess to rouse you?"
Harry grinned evilly at Ron. "Oi, stop it, that's my sister you are having those thoughts about, and personally, I think it's revolting." He pulled a face and headed into the corridor. Harry heard his voice come through the open doorway. "Your Prince Charming refuses to get his lazy arse out of bed this morning Gin."
Ginny entered the room already dressed for running, and found Harry barely conscious sitting on the edge of his bed with his face in his hands. "Harry, are you ok?"
He looked up at her, and she gasped, her eyes opening wide. "Harry?"
The man sitting before her blinked a few times groggily, and fell back into his pillow. "Not now Lil, tell Padfoot he can go stuff himself." He fell back onto the bed asleep.
Ginny backpedaled into Sirius. "Sirius, that – that's not Harry…"Sirius smiled and walked over to Harry's bed, he raised his wand and muttered a spell, and water gushed over the sleeping form on the bed. "Padfoot you bloody git what in the bloody hell is wrong with you?"
Sirius dropped his wand. "James?"
Harry's Morning:
Harry drifted into consciousness aware of warmth next to him; his mind was trying to put something together. Sirius, yes he'd be here soon, and Ginny is so warm, and cuddly… BLOODY HELL! His eyes snapped open. "Gin, you have to get out of here before Sirius shows up!" He prodded and pushed on the redhead beside him. "Come on Ginny!"
A feminine voice Harry recognized but could not place said coldly "Who in the bloody hell is 'Ginny'." The red head turned to face him and Harry found himself staring into his own eyes.
"Who – you aren't – where?" the words stumbled over each other, tumbling out one after another in rapid succession.
For her part the woman immediately recognized certain differences. The man before her could easily be her husband, but those eyes, and that scar, there was no way that was James. "James Potter get your arse in here!" She shouted pulling the blankets up to her chin.
Harry having backpedaled out of bed was rising groggily rubbing the back of his head where it had intersected with the wall when he fell out. However, with the pain came clarity. James?
"Mum?" Harry uttered, stunned by the realization. A soft cry came from the hallway.
Lilly Potter fled to the next room, Harry behind her. There in a crib lay a small child, about five months old. He sank to the floor and muttered "Good lord, now I've done it."
The baby was snuggled into her arms, "It's ok Harry, we'll get this all sorted out, and then you can nap."
"No, not this time, I doubt even Dumbledore could help fix this." Harry replied.
Lilly Looked at the young man on the floor and realization struck her what he had said.
Harry became aware of a presence in the doorway. "Everything ok Lilly?" Harry heard the voice of Sirius behind him.
"Yes, I think it will be in a minute. Give us a bit of time Padfoot?" She smiled at the man behind her.
"Only if you let me have my Godson, he needs exercise to grow big and strong like me. Unlike Prongs there who has fallen back asleep." A booted foot toed Harry in the ribs playfully.
"Oh leave him be Padfoot. James, come here for a bit." She extended her hand to Harry. "I have to discuss something with you."
Harry muttered something and stood, he heard Sirius heading downstairs and other movement in the house. "My husband's friends are downstairs, and I am giving you five minutes to explain where he is, and who you are. If I don't like what I hear or believe you, I am bringing them all up here to get the truth out of you."
Harry took a deep breath and looked squarely into his mother's face. "First, I think you know who I am already." He held out his hand. "I'm Harry Potter. Your son."
She drew her breath in, a hand rose to cover her mouth. "I have no idea how I got here, but I have a good idea where my father is, and Sirius is in for a big surprise." He chuckled at the thought.
Her hand rose to the scar on his forehead. His hand intercepted hers. "Please don't. I – I can't explain too much, but I'd like a chance to talk, just talk to you."
She nodded. "I understand the risks of time travel Harry." She sat drinking in the man standing before her, grown, and strong. "So I'll ask you one more time. Who's Ginny?"
Harry blushed. "She ah – well""I see, and you are in the habit sleeping with your girlfriend?" Lily's eyebrow shot up towards her hairline.
"Well, it's not like – well, it is but it isn't – we, well…" Harry was getting more flustered.
"My son is dating a scarlet woman?"
"NO!" Harry shouted jumping to his feet. "I love Ginny with every fiber of my being! I'm going to marry her." I am? Where in the bloody hell did that come from?
"James," came a voice behind Harry, cold, and even sounding, "I don't know who 'Ginny' is, but I get dibs on what's left of you when Lily is through with you, you low-life bastard." Harry had never heard Remus angry. He turned to the three men in the doorway, and felt the surge of power from the quickening. Panic was rising fast, and with it came a burst of magic he had never felt before.
Remus's face made a rapid transformation "Who in the hell are you?"
"Don't drop Harry, Peter." Lily said.
"Peter?" Harry's voice had become cold, and hard. "Peter Pettigrew?"
"Do – do I know you?" the small man spoke.
"Get your filthy, scummy hands off me." His emerald eyes glittered with unsuppressed hatred and rage. "Don't you EVER touch anyone in this house again." His augmented voice echoed eerily in the room, as Peter handed the child to Remus. Both Remus and Sirius were visibly shaken by the sheer power now emanating from Harry. A soft glow surrounded him.
A soft hand rested on his shoulder. "Harry, please calm down."
"Harry?" Sirius looked at Harry, his eyes wide, and then flickered to the black-haired infant in Remus's arms.
Harry's eyes never flinched. "Accio wand" he held his hand out, but nothing happened. His hand remained empty. Suddenly, with a sharp crack and a flash for blue light a wand slid into Harry's hand.
"Pettigrew, I saved your miserable, worthless hide once, and if I ever see it again, consequences be damned I'll make you pay. Get out of my sight." Harry watched Peter slink away down the stairs. That's right, go tell your master I'm here you piece of shite.
"Oh god, what have I done?" Harry's face paled. "Damn him!" He collapsed on the ground sobbing. "I'm the one. I caused all this mess." He repeated over and over to himself.
Lily held the young man just a couple years younger then her, and comforted him as best she could. After a few minutes Harry regained his composure, and let the others lead him downstairs.
Remus and Sirius looked just as Harry had memorized from the pictures. They were somewhat subdued, and three pair of eyes kept flickering to the scar in his forehead. The unasked question lingered there all through breakfast.
"How did you get a curse scar Harry?" Sirius finally said.
"I can't say." He mumbled into his tea.
"Why not?" Remus asked "Why in the hell can't you tell us Harry? And why did you go off on Peter like that? I mean sure he's a bit, well odd, but there's no need to be so harsh. I mean it's not like he killed anyone."
Harry flinched. Sirius saw it, "Who does he kill Harry? This is Peter, he couldn't kill a fly." He guffawed at his own joke. I mean it's not like he could possibly do anything to harm Lily or James."
Harry closed his eyes he heard the voices again…
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"
"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now...."
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead --"
A tear rolled down his cheek. His voice was a barely audible whisper, horse with suppressed emotion. "You don't understand what you are asking Sirius. I – I can't tell you." His eyes flickered open, and he saw his mother holding him in her arms. Rocking him gently back and forth, "you love me so much. No one…"
Lily looked at her son appraisingly. "No one Harry? No one what."
"I – I can't say." He held his face in his hands as his mind raced. Why can't I just say it? To hell with them all. I want my family.
Lily watched him, "You know Harry, I never took much stock in parents knowing when their children lie, but suddenly I find myself knowing that you know the answers to all of these questions, don't you?"
He opened his mouth, searching for the right words. "Peter is responsible for this." His fingers brushed away the fringe of hair to reveal the scar.
Lily gasped. "No, not Peter. He's not capable of that."
A twinge of pain lanced through it. "Voldemort is up to something."
The others looked at him oddly. Harry looked back thoughtfully and considered his words. "In six months time, you will be attacked by Voldemort. He will kill my father and you. He will then turn his wand on me and use the same curse in an attempt to kill me." He said looking at Lily. He turned to Sirius "you will be framed for giving information to Voldemort about my parents' where-abouts, as the secret keeper. You will be sent to Azkaban until my third year at Hogwarts where you'll see a picture of my best friend's family, and recognize that bastard in his animagus form of a rat."
Sirius paled. "Azkaban?"
"For the death of Peter Pettigrew and a dozen muggles. At the last minute, Peter will manage to convince you to change to him as the secret keeper, because you all fear that Remus is the traitor.
"Poor unassuming Peter will confront you the day after my parents are dead and I have this scar. Peter will cause an explosion, and you laugh. You told me it was because finally Peter has pulled a joke worthy of being a Marauder.
"To this day I can hear the events of that night." His eyes slid shut, and his mouth formed the words:
"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off --"
The sounds of someone stumbling from a room -- a door bursting open – a cackle of high- pitched laughter --
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"
"Stand aside, you silly girl... stand aside, now...."
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead --"
"Not Harry! Please... have mercy... have mercy....
"It haunts my dreams. For eleven years I'd been lied to by the Dursley's, tormented by their son, and my life made hell. Hagrid came for me on my birthday, and took me to get my school supplies for Hogwarts.
"I met my friends there," a smile plastered on his face. "I met Ron Weasley, and his brothers, Hermione Granger, and Ginny…"
He sat there then for a moment, quiet basking in the memories of Ginny. "We love each other so much. The Weasleys took me in, cared for me, and made me feel like I had a home finally. Arthur and Molly are wonderful to me. She is the reason I continue to fight Voldemort."
His eyes focused, and the softness faded. "Voldemort is killing people right now. The scar is from the Avada Cadavra curse. After he killed my parents and tried to kill me, the protection used against me reflected back on him, and hurt him badly. He fled the country, not quite dead, not quite alive."
Once he decided to tell there was no turning back, his mother moved behind him, and held him as he relived fifteen years of agony, loneliness, and eventually friendship and love, for them.
He stood after telling them everything, wiped his eyes, and excused himself to the loo. He sat there for several long minutes contemplating what he had just done. He wrestled internally and stood then his mind made up.
He entered the kitchen and hugged his mother close. "I love you, more than I could have imagined. I wish I could say that I'll be seeing you, because I can feel the pull now, but we all know what's going to happen." He pulled out his wand. "Obliviate! Obliviate! Obliviate!"
He turned to the child that would grow to become him, and smiled ruefully. "It's ok, someone will come for you, and they will shower you with wonders. Ginny will love you for you, not because of this stupid scar. Ron and Hermione are the greatest mates a man can have, don't let them down Harry. But most of all lad be true to yourself." He grinned ruefully "it's the decisions that you make in your life that make you who you are. Remember that, Professor Dumbledore will remind you when you need to know it the most.
"You will have your family, and love. I know I've been through it all." The pull happened again, harder and his eyes unfocused.
He awoke in his room, dressed and sitting at a desk, a quill still in his hand. He looked up and saw the faces of the Companions, and Sirius. "Harry?"
"Yes Sirius, it's me." He looked down at the parchment:
Dearest Harry,
Sirius explained some of what has happened, and even though he didn't say everything, some things don't need saying. I know your mother and I are not alive. I can tell, because while I was here I felt empty. A feeling I've never felt while your mother is around.
I looked at your pictures, and found the box of effects, and I can only come to one conclusion. I am assuming something happened and your mother and I were killed. Sirius won't say, and Dumbledore was highly guarded. Since there are no pictures of us and you after a certain time, I am sure I know when it happens.
Ginny is a wonderful young lady, I'm proud of you, and I know your mother will be too. I'll carry the image of you as a seeker, and Tri-Wizard Champion with me forever.
As for Ron and Hermione? I could not have made better friends for you, and the Weasleys are just the sort of down-to-earth people I had hoped you would be friends with, and your mother and I would be proud to have known.
I am sorry we are not there for you in body, but know that we are in spirit.
With more love than I thought possible,
Your Father, James Potter
Harry sighed heavily. It had been too much; he had failed to do anything but make the issue worse. "I caused all this." He laid his face in his hands. "I was the deciding factor to make Peter switch sides, I am sure of it.
"No Harry, Peter had been feeding information to Voldemort for over a year before that night. Your visit, short though it was, was six months before that. We should have heeded your warning."
"Wait, what do you mean?" Harry grew cold.
"You think an Obliviate is all it takes to wipe a Marauder's memory? You silly boy." Sirius laughed.
"We talked that day, discussed all the information you had passed to us, and I thought about it. Your mother and father willingly followed the path history had set aside for them. You should know this Harry; it took them four agonizing months to come to that decision."
Harry sat back and contemplated this. Had his parents lived, would he have been the same person? How long would they have lived? How much more damage would Riddle have done? His mind reeled with possibilities.
"They did the right thing Harry. While the loss to you was staggering and nothing can ever repay this you have to know that it would have been so much worse for everyone. But armed with the information you gave them, James and Lily did what everyone else can only claim they would do. They gave their lives so that their son could live. This is the only gift they could give you in the end Harry."
He let this sink in and stood then, "I – I need a moment or two Sirius." He walked out the door and into the halls. The students that had been his classmates gave him wide passage, as he made his way to the doors.
He found himself on the edge of the lake, he absently muttered a warming charm against the chill in the air, he wasn't sure when Ginny joined him, but she made her presence known by wrapping his cloak about his shoulders and took his hand.
They stood there side by side unspeaking. "She was wonderful." He said at last. "I was confused and hurt, and she held me."
He said it as if this had been the rarest gift ever. Suddenly Ginny felt an embarrassment of riches. Her mother and father had always been there to hold her during nightmares and falls and emotional trouble, and Harry – well we all knew about Harry.
"It was wonderful Gin, she held me, and – and suddenly I understood so much. With that simple act she gave me something I can never repay."
"Harry, you can't repay a parents love. They give it because they love their child unconditionally."
He continued to stare into nothingness. "When this mess is all over Gin, I promise to you something. We'll start a new life, you and I." He turned to her, and locked his eyes on hers. "I never want to be apart from you, no matter how long we live. One year or one thousand years. I want you always with me."
She wrapped her arms around him and held him then. It was several minutes before they returned to the castle. "We can discuss forever later Harry, when you are not recovering from seeing your mother." Inwardly there was a glow, a seed had been planted. And hope springs eternal. She thought to herself.
They reached the common room to see everyone grumbling about waiting to go to breakfast.
"Oh stop it." Ginny said "It's not like they will be serving for another hour."
Sirius laughed and herded them out to take a couple laps around the lake "to raise a proper appetite."
He had much to think about as he watched Harry and Ginny jog off. Many things indeed. He turned and headed to Dumbledore's office. James had imparted him with some information that was new, something James had been keeping a secret and he wasn't sure if Harry was ready for more shocks.
After their run, the student's wandered into the common room, Harry and Hermione played a quick rock-paper-scissors for first shot at the showers. Harry lost, so the boys were sitting in the common room awaiting their turn at the showers.
Sirius and Dumbledore came into the common room at the same point as Hermione stuck her head around the corner letting them know the showers were open. Dumbledore bid them to shower; he was having breakfast sent down to the students so they should take their time.
Harry and the others showered quickly got dressed and walked into the common room, the table there had been extended a bit and had two chairs had been added, Sirius and Dumbledore were seated there and helping themselves to breakfast.
They sat and Harry got the distinct impression that there was more going on than he was told.
"So what did you and my dad talk about Sirius?" Harry asked pointedly as he sat.
Sirius almost dropped his glass, but managed to spill some on his robes. "Bloody hell." He got up heading to the loo muttering darkly.
Harry turned on Dumbledore. The elder wizard returned his gaze coolly. "As I was not a participant in the talk between your father and Professor Black, I do not know the details about what they discussed; I believe that Sirius would be a better candidate for this discussion Harry."
"You are hiding things from me Professor." Harry said levelly. He began placing food on his plate.
"Your perception of things grows drastically with your power Harry. Yes I do know what they talked about, but I also know that this is something you and Sirius need to discuss."
Harry looked at the only wizard he was sure was more powerful then he was himself. "Of course Professor."