Chapter Four
Harry did not know what to make of what had just happened. He wondered if they should attempt to move them, but held his thought in check as he saw Sirius once again rise. But this time they were greeted with a groan. Lupin and Dumbledore remained ready for anything, but Harry already knew who it was. Lhuin was right, his heart did know. It was Sirius. He was back.
"I swore I would never feel this way after we got plastered at James and Lily's wedding reception," Sirius groused.
Harry was not sure who was more surprised by that comment, him or Lupin. But when Harry heard Lupin start laughing, he knew Lupin was convinced. Harry ran over to his godfather and was at a loss for words, so instead he gave him a big, bear hug.
"Oh, hey. It's good to see you again too, but easy there, Harry."
"Sorry." But it didn't really seem like it, because he was positively beaming.
"Hey, Moony, be a pal and give me something to drink, will you?"
"Here's some water."
"Water? Is that all you have?"
"Yup, that's Sirius," Lupin smirked as Sirius took the cup from his hand. Sirius gulped the water like a man just liberated from the Sahara Desert. The room was in a delighted ruckus as Lupin, Dumbledore, and Harry welcomed Sirius back and kept handing him pitchers of water. It was only then, that Harry realized that they had completely forgotten about Lhuin. Turning to where Lhuin should have been lying, Harry saw nothing but empty space.
"Where's Lhuin?" All turned to see where Lhuin should have laid.
"She has retired to her own room," a strong deep voice replied. They all turned to see a handsome man in his early forties standing in the doorway. He had black hair with streaks of silver that matched his gray eyes. He wore a black tunic with black pants paired with a pair of thick- soled, military-style, black boots. Harry noticed that he too had a long sword on his leather belt and a bandolier of bells across his chest. "Pardon my intrusion, my name is Rayus. Lhuin has asked me to show you all to your rooms. It is best that you all stay until the morning."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rayus. I am Albus Dumbledore and this is Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and this young man, is Harry Potter."
"Yes, I have heard you, Mr. Dumbledore. Even among us, you are well respected." Rayus gave a curt but polite nod of respect. "If you please." Rayus motioned them to step out of the room.
As they followed this mysterious new stranger, Harry could not help wondering why Sirius did not even ask to see his daughter. When at last Rayus showed Harry his room, Harry could not help but ask him what was on his mind.
"Do the ones that come back from death lose some of their memory?" asked Harry. The sudden question had Rayus unprepared.
"No, they should not. Why do you ask?"
"Wouldn't Sirius know his own daughter's name?" Then it suddenly dawned on Rayus. It was true that Sirius made no mention whatsoever about Lhuin.
"All will be answered in the morning, Mr. Potter. Please get some rest."
"One last question, please?"
"Yes?"
"I thought all necromancers were bad," Harry said slowly, hoping he did not offend him. Rayus gave him a small smile.
"They are," Rayus said matter-of-factly. "But Harry," Rayus leaned in and gave him a sly wink. "We are not necromancers. We are Abhorsens."
Harry was lulled from his dreamless sleep when the delicious aroma of eggs and sausage entered his room. Realizing he was half-starved, Harry jumped out of bed and grabbed his glasses and whipped through his morning rituals faster than humanly possible it seems. Practically running down the stairs, Harry was a little surprised to see that he was in fact the first one down. It was then that Harry remembered his very brief conversation with Rayus. Perhaps Lhuin would be a little bit nicer to him now that everything was ok. Obviously, an Abhorsen had the same knowledge of death as a necromancer, but where did the difference lie and how could anyone be sure if the person was a necromancer or an Abhorsen?
Harry found Lhuin standing in front of the stove frying the eggs and sausage while a gooey waffle iron was attempting to cook the waffle batter. Lhuin had changed into normal muggle clothes and he must note she had a better sense of muggle fashion than many wizards and witches combined. Well, at least so that she would not be noticeable in public. Lhuin had changed into a black tank top with a pair of blue jeans and black and white sneakers. Then Harry's eyes fell on the three angry red slashes that ran from her left shoulder and down across past her shoulder blades. They were already closed and healing but they still looked raw and painful.
"They're nothing, Harry. Please have a seat and eat something." Lhuin did not turn around but her tone made Harry sense that her initial coldness was due to the stressful events of last night. Taking a seat, Harry felt his mouth water uncontrollably as Lhuin turned around with a plate of eggs, sausage, two waffles, and buttered toast. After setting it in front of him, Harry practically wolfed down half of it when she returned with two glasses of pumpkin juice and milk.
"Thank you," Harry managed to say in between bites.
"What were they doing to you? Starving you?" Harry assumed that Lhuin must have meant his uncle and aunt.
"Well, as close to starving as you can get considering you still got something to eat." Lhuin looked a little shocked. Her golden eyes seemed to burn with anger.
"What horrible people."
"Unfortunate necessity, I am afraid." Both Lhuin and Harry turned to see Dumbledore coming down the stairs with Remus following right behind him.
"Necessity?"
"Simply put, for Harry's safety from Voldemort," replied Dumbledore as he took a chair. Lhuin only nodded and served up two more plates of food. "This looks wonderful."
"I would advise you to try it before you pass judgment," Lhuin said.
"I think it is very good," Harry said. Lhuin looked at him and smiled. Harry marveled how much her eyes could convey her feelings. Her eyes now seemed like the color of honey and were filled with warmth.
"Thank you. I not the cooking type. But I couldn't let you starve either."
"What do you mean? You do it to me all the time," Rayus said affectionately as he entered from the back kitchen door. Lhuin gave him an unflattering look.
"I'm not your keeper. I am an Abhorsen," Lhuin said in what appeared to be in all seriousness, but Harry could hear the teasing in her tone.
"Uh, by the way, what exactly is an Abhorsen?" asked Harry, still not entirely sure if he said it right.
"We banish the dead," replied Rayus. "The necromancer brings back the dead into life. We send them back."
"Then how can we tell if you are an Abhorsen or a necromancer?"
"You're just going to have to trust your instincts, Harry," Lhuin simply stated.
Harry did not know what to make of what had just happened. He wondered if they should attempt to move them, but held his thought in check as he saw Sirius once again rise. But this time they were greeted with a groan. Lupin and Dumbledore remained ready for anything, but Harry already knew who it was. Lhuin was right, his heart did know. It was Sirius. He was back.
"I swore I would never feel this way after we got plastered at James and Lily's wedding reception," Sirius groused.
Harry was not sure who was more surprised by that comment, him or Lupin. But when Harry heard Lupin start laughing, he knew Lupin was convinced. Harry ran over to his godfather and was at a loss for words, so instead he gave him a big, bear hug.
"Oh, hey. It's good to see you again too, but easy there, Harry."
"Sorry." But it didn't really seem like it, because he was positively beaming.
"Hey, Moony, be a pal and give me something to drink, will you?"
"Here's some water."
"Water? Is that all you have?"
"Yup, that's Sirius," Lupin smirked as Sirius took the cup from his hand. Sirius gulped the water like a man just liberated from the Sahara Desert. The room was in a delighted ruckus as Lupin, Dumbledore, and Harry welcomed Sirius back and kept handing him pitchers of water. It was only then, that Harry realized that they had completely forgotten about Lhuin. Turning to where Lhuin should have been lying, Harry saw nothing but empty space.
"Where's Lhuin?" All turned to see where Lhuin should have laid.
"She has retired to her own room," a strong deep voice replied. They all turned to see a handsome man in his early forties standing in the doorway. He had black hair with streaks of silver that matched his gray eyes. He wore a black tunic with black pants paired with a pair of thick- soled, military-style, black boots. Harry noticed that he too had a long sword on his leather belt and a bandolier of bells across his chest. "Pardon my intrusion, my name is Rayus. Lhuin has asked me to show you all to your rooms. It is best that you all stay until the morning."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Rayus. I am Albus Dumbledore and this is Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and this young man, is Harry Potter."
"Yes, I have heard you, Mr. Dumbledore. Even among us, you are well respected." Rayus gave a curt but polite nod of respect. "If you please." Rayus motioned them to step out of the room.
As they followed this mysterious new stranger, Harry could not help wondering why Sirius did not even ask to see his daughter. When at last Rayus showed Harry his room, Harry could not help but ask him what was on his mind.
"Do the ones that come back from death lose some of their memory?" asked Harry. The sudden question had Rayus unprepared.
"No, they should not. Why do you ask?"
"Wouldn't Sirius know his own daughter's name?" Then it suddenly dawned on Rayus. It was true that Sirius made no mention whatsoever about Lhuin.
"All will be answered in the morning, Mr. Potter. Please get some rest."
"One last question, please?"
"Yes?"
"I thought all necromancers were bad," Harry said slowly, hoping he did not offend him. Rayus gave him a small smile.
"They are," Rayus said matter-of-factly. "But Harry," Rayus leaned in and gave him a sly wink. "We are not necromancers. We are Abhorsens."
Harry was lulled from his dreamless sleep when the delicious aroma of eggs and sausage entered his room. Realizing he was half-starved, Harry jumped out of bed and grabbed his glasses and whipped through his morning rituals faster than humanly possible it seems. Practically running down the stairs, Harry was a little surprised to see that he was in fact the first one down. It was then that Harry remembered his very brief conversation with Rayus. Perhaps Lhuin would be a little bit nicer to him now that everything was ok. Obviously, an Abhorsen had the same knowledge of death as a necromancer, but where did the difference lie and how could anyone be sure if the person was a necromancer or an Abhorsen?
Harry found Lhuin standing in front of the stove frying the eggs and sausage while a gooey waffle iron was attempting to cook the waffle batter. Lhuin had changed into normal muggle clothes and he must note she had a better sense of muggle fashion than many wizards and witches combined. Well, at least so that she would not be noticeable in public. Lhuin had changed into a black tank top with a pair of blue jeans and black and white sneakers. Then Harry's eyes fell on the three angry red slashes that ran from her left shoulder and down across past her shoulder blades. They were already closed and healing but they still looked raw and painful.
"They're nothing, Harry. Please have a seat and eat something." Lhuin did not turn around but her tone made Harry sense that her initial coldness was due to the stressful events of last night. Taking a seat, Harry felt his mouth water uncontrollably as Lhuin turned around with a plate of eggs, sausage, two waffles, and buttered toast. After setting it in front of him, Harry practically wolfed down half of it when she returned with two glasses of pumpkin juice and milk.
"Thank you," Harry managed to say in between bites.
"What were they doing to you? Starving you?" Harry assumed that Lhuin must have meant his uncle and aunt.
"Well, as close to starving as you can get considering you still got something to eat." Lhuin looked a little shocked. Her golden eyes seemed to burn with anger.
"What horrible people."
"Unfortunate necessity, I am afraid." Both Lhuin and Harry turned to see Dumbledore coming down the stairs with Remus following right behind him.
"Necessity?"
"Simply put, for Harry's safety from Voldemort," replied Dumbledore as he took a chair. Lhuin only nodded and served up two more plates of food. "This looks wonderful."
"I would advise you to try it before you pass judgment," Lhuin said.
"I think it is very good," Harry said. Lhuin looked at him and smiled. Harry marveled how much her eyes could convey her feelings. Her eyes now seemed like the color of honey and were filled with warmth.
"Thank you. I not the cooking type. But I couldn't let you starve either."
"What do you mean? You do it to me all the time," Rayus said affectionately as he entered from the back kitchen door. Lhuin gave him an unflattering look.
"I'm not your keeper. I am an Abhorsen," Lhuin said in what appeared to be in all seriousness, but Harry could hear the teasing in her tone.
"Uh, by the way, what exactly is an Abhorsen?" asked Harry, still not entirely sure if he said it right.
"We banish the dead," replied Rayus. "The necromancer brings back the dead into life. We send them back."
"Then how can we tell if you are an Abhorsen or a necromancer?"
"You're just going to have to trust your instincts, Harry," Lhuin simply stated.