Disclaimer: "Harry Potter" and every one of its characters belong to JK Rowling! I own only this plot, and all the characters you don't recognize. The poem used in the story is mine too.

Summary: In the future, Voldemort is no longer the terrible threat that begins to loom over the horizon. How can the survivors of the war believe the truth they have been told - a truth that condemns someone they loved and honored? A story of love, faith, loyalty and the legacy somebody left behind ...

Note: Set in the future. The trio are all 21 years old, and I think some of this story might be A/U.

**

*

Stained Legacy

Chapter Nine: New Year's Eve

*

**

"Hey, Moony, how've you been? How is she?" Sirius asked as he Apparated into the penthouse, and looked at Remus, who was sitting on the couch, his hands steepled and resting under his chin. The werewolf's expression was grave, and worried, like it had been so often in recent days.

It was New Year's Eve.

The 31st of December.

Remus looked up at Sirius. "That's a loaded question." He said quietly. Sirius had been trying to track down Donny Tyler with a vengeance for sixteen days - ever since Sean had been taken. "She's locked herself into Sean's room. She doesn't sleep, only eats because Harry and Ron wrestle the food into her mouth, and talks to anyone only if they ask her something about a spell or potion - nothing personal at all."

"Merlin's beard." Sirius cursed. "And there's nothing anyone can do?"

"Nothing at all. Sometimes, she's talked to me, but once or twice she crumpled and sobbed into my shoulder, and it broke my heart, I'll tell you that, Sirius. I've also knocked on the door and opened it a little, and she'll be in there, trying chin-ups on the curtain bars, and practicing spells and curses. Sometimes, she trains for battle ... and since we have a little over twelve hours left to stop Tyler, you have to admit it's a smart idea."

Sirius exhaled heavily. "I can't handle seeing her like this, Remus," He said miserably, "She understands that we're all grieving for Sean too, but she's just so - so broken. I've never seen a mother who's lost a child before, and it hurts to watch. It hurts just knowing he's gone too."

"It's like you all over again." Remus said softly.

Sirius looked at him, not having heard properly. "What was that?"

"I said it's like you all over again, Sirius. When you - when she thought you were dead, she was worse. She didn't eat at all, and it was only because she - had to in the end that we managed to force her into eating. But it was worse. And I don't want to see her sink into that again."

"Don't lay any more guilt on me, Remus."

"I never meant to." Remus squeezed Sirius's shoulder. "Any news about Tyler?"

"Nothing so far. Thirteen damned hours left ..."

"Why don't you go see her?"

"She doesn't want to see me, Remus."

Remus smiled. "Just go to the door, Sirius, that's all. If she needs you, at least you'll be there."

"All right." Sirius swallowed, giving in to the temptation and walked slowly to the door of Sean's bedroom. He stopped at the door, which was open only a crack, staring at the baby blue-colored doorframe, enchanted by Ron, and through the crack, he could see the toy broomstick, the teddy bear - his teddy bear, the nursery, blue-and-white decorated walls with the Winnie-Pooh (or something like that, Harry had told him) carpet.

His throat clogged with unshed tears. Sean had had a way with people, where even if you'd known him for two minutes, you loved the little kid. Sirius had certainly fallen prey to the infectious laughter, mischief and devotion of Hermione's son, and to think that he had been taken and killed -

Blinking sharply, his jaw clenching, he pushed open the door slightly, and stopped, looking inside. Hermione was standing in the middle of the room, holding a framed photograph in her hands. Her hair, normally bouncy, was pulled back into a ponytail that only emphasized the fragility of the delicate bones in her pale face, her eyes haloed by dark circles and thick puffy redness.

He instinctively knew what photograph she was looking at. It was a Muggle picture, one that Sean had always had on his bedside table, of him in his mother's arms as a little two-year-old, grinning at the camera while his mother laughed at something the holder of the camera was saying. Probably Sean's father, Sirius thought bitterly.

Hermione's shoulders sagged slightly, and Sirius watched as the photograph slipped from her grasp and fell to the carpet with a thunk. Slowly, she sank to her knees and doubled over. Sirius felt like everything inside him was being torn apart by vicious fangs as he watched her cry, her tears and sobs those of a broken heart.

He couldn't take it anymore.

With one movement, he went into the room and dropped down beside her, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly as she wept bitterly into his chest. He felt her tears soak the front of his shirt, and as he felt her grief, his eyes blurred over with his own bitterness and sorrow and anger, and he wondered if she could feel his own heart breaking - all over again.

"Shhh," He mumbled thickly, kissing her head, "It's okay ..."

A stupid thing to say, he thought angrily. It wasn't okay. How would it ever be okay? How did a mother - or even a father - get over the loss of their child? Even all Sean's various 'aunts' and 'uncles' were in a state of utter devastation - he could see it in Harry's bursts of anger, Ron's listlessness, Fred and George's lack of joking, Tonks' irritability, McGonagall's sudden sharpness, Dumbledore's dull blue eyes, Remus's occasional silent tears ... they were all devastated for Sean, and for Hermione.

Hermione lifted her head slightly and turned wet eyelashes and stricken brown eyes to meet his. "He's gone, Sirius," she whispered brokenly, "He - they - killed him. Sean ... they killed him, and I didn't even get a chance to help him, to say goodbye ... they killed him!"

"You don't know that," He mumbled.

Her eyes flashed. "Sean was a danger to Tyler, and had to be gotten out of the way! What else would Donny Tyler have done with Sean - adopted him? You know as well as I do that he killed him - that Sean - that Sean - is - is - dead ..."

Sirius swallowed the painful lump in his throat, and Hermione felt the movement against the side of her head. She looked up at him again, forgetting her own pain for a moment. He was hurting too ... they all were. She slowly sank against the end of Sean's bed, looking at Sirius as he stared back at her.

"I need to change," He said abruptly, and she saw that muscle throb in his jaw, a sure sign of suppressed emotion. "I showered at the Burrow, but I was out all this time, and lost some of my clothes in a bloody duel. This shirt is filthy."

She nodded to the white tee shirt with amusing black lettering, which was draped over the windowseat. "There's a shirt there," She pointed out quietly, wiping the remnants of salt and tears off her cheeks. Sirius glanced over, stood up, and went to the tee shirt. He pulled off his own, the muscles in his shoulder blades and back rippling strongly, and slipped the white shirt over his head.

"That's a nice-looking shirt," He commented as he looked at the rather oversized black tee shirt Hermione was wearing, at a loss for what else to say.

Hermione glanced down at the shirt she was wearing, and then looked up at him as he returned to the carpet and stood a few feet away, over her. "Well, it's yours." She said, as if that explained it all. And it did, she reasoned. She saw something flicker in his eyes at the knowledge that she was wearing his shirt.

He smirked slightly at that, and crouched down on knee beside the photograph Hermione had dropped. He swallowed again, that dreadful lump still there. "He was a good-looking kid," He added huskily, with perfect sincerity and honesty.

"Of course." A wry smile cracked Hermione's face. "He was yours too."



Sirius froze, unsure of whether or not he'd heard right.

He looked at Hermione in disbelief, and saw that she was watching him, as if seraching for a reaction. He stared at her, still unable to believe what he'd just heard. Surely he'd misunderstood ... his eyes fell on the photograph again, on the silky black hair, the warm black eyes, the rakish grin - Dear God in heaven ...

"Sean - Sean was mine?" He croaked. "My son?"

She nodded simply.

Sirius couldn't quite grasp this. He had a son! The little boy he'd grown to love, the kid over whom he'd punched walls in sheer jealousy because she'd been with someone else, the Sean he'd lost ... was his son. He could have slapped himself ... if he did the math, of course Sean was his son! A boy of almost three!

"Dear God." He mumbled. Hermione looked at him. He was clearly in shock, but she'd seen his eyes light up, and she felt a spark of warmth at that, glad that at least, he would have been happy about being a dad ... although he wouldn't get a chance to now ... Suddenly, Sirius's expression darkened. "Are you telling me," He suddenly glowered at her, "That during the battle - when you were nearly killed by Voldemort in September - you were carrying a baby?"

Hermione failed to see the significance of this. "Well, yes - " She began.

"What the hell - ?" Sirius growled. "Hermione, are you crazy? Being pregnant made you extra vulnerable - you could have been killed more easily - you were more at risk - you and Sean could have been killed! Merlin's beard, you crazy woman!"

"I beg your pardon," Hermione said with dignity, "But I was perfectly capable of doing battle. In fact, carrying a child as magical as Sean was - " Her voice cracked, " - Gave me extra protection. And we were both alive after the battle, weren't we?"

"So that was what Remus meant - by the fact that you only ate last time because you had to," Sirius muttered, more to himself than to her, "And that explains the looks I kept getting whenever Sean's name was mentioned, and when I carried him ... and it all fits, of course - the son of a pureblood and Muggle-born, the child of two magical parents ... I suppose everyone else knew?"

Hermione nodded. "Yeah."

"No wonder Dumbledore enjoyed that conversation about Sean's parents and the fact that they were both Gryffindors," Sirius sighed. He looked at Hermione, his eyes reflected some hurt. "Why - why didn't you tell me who his father was?"

She twisted her hands together. "I was scared," She said, "I was alone for so long, because we all thought you were dead, and when you came back - I thought you'd hate it to hear that you were a father. Besides, I was angry ... angry with you for what you did."

"Ah." Sirius said bitterly. "That certainly accounts for most of it. I left you behind, alone with a baby. No wonder you can't forgive me - what I did was - was unforgivable. But - but I've told you - I'm still telling you - you don't know how sorry I am for what I've done." His voice broke. "I made my mistakes, and I lied, but I came back and you had six weeks to tell me that I had a son. I wasn't the only one who played with deception, 'Mione."

She nodded. "No, I suppose you weren't." She said quietly. "But like you said, we both made our mistakes. I just never hurt you with mine."

"You think so?" Sirius asked softly. He shook his head and stood up again. "I have something to do. You probably want to be alone. I'll see you later - if we find out where Tyler is."

"Later." She murmured, looking down at her tucked knees as Sirius turned around and walked out of the room, closing the door softly behind him, although she knew perfectly well that he'd been itching to slam it. He was hurt and angry, but so was she. It was hopeless, she knew, fresh pain clawing at her soul. She clambered to her feet, placing the framed photograph on the bed, and went over to the window, looking out at the busy London street sadly. She stuffed her hands into her jeans pockets.

That was when she realized there was something in her pocket. It crinkled as her fingers closed over it, and she drew out a piece of parchment with some writing on it. She recognized Sirius's handwriting at once, and remembered where the parchment had come from. It had fallen out of his shirt pocket that last afternoon they'd spent together on December 15th, and she'd picked it up, meaning to give it back to him, but had forgotten all about it in the light of following events. It had clearly resided in this pair of jeans since.

Now, she unfolded the parchment and realized Sirius had written something on it - a poem?

Since when did Sirius write, and what had he written?

She read through the words, and felt the all too familiar tearing of a heart inside her. When had he writted this? Why had he suddenly been overcome with the emotion that needed to be put down? The words were simple, but conveyed the deep emotion beneath the simplicity. There was guilt, great guilt in there, and regret and longing. And there was sadness ... terrible sadness ...

Unforgiven
Nestled deep beneath the smiles and eyes,
Forged in a lifetime of pain and lies,
Oh - there exists a pool of blood;
Ripping harshly as I drag through mud,
Guilt running deeper and deeper with each sin,
I will never forget; I'm drowning in
Vaults of loss and misery
Able to break me apart, and so you'll see;
Bind me tighter into bloodstained claws,
Lock into a prison of tears, for I am
Eternally unforgivable.

Hermione gulped noisily, as fresh tears formed in her eyes. She'd never believed Sirius was capable of such guilt and regret at what he'd done, capable of such pain and longing ... but he had. He felt it, and he knew that she hadn't been able to forgive him. But could she forgive him now? Had she already forgiven him, without even knowing it? Her mind reeled, a mess of emotion and thoughts and pain.

She had made her mistakes. And so had Sirius. Now, they just had to live with what they had both done, and not done. Once again, she reflected over how hopeless it all was, and the tears surged forth onto stained cheeks. Sean was gone now, and so was Sirius. They'd gone wrong ... and the deep truth was: she didn't know how to make it right again.


***

Ron burst into the room at seven o' clock that evening.

"Hermione!" He bellowed urgently, making her start violently as she stood still at the window, reminiscing, "'Mione, there you are! Come on, hurry!"

She allowed him to grab her wrist and tug her out of the room. "What's going on?"

"We found Tyler."

"What?" At once, her eyes snapped to life. "You found him? Where? How?"

Ron took her to the living room, where Harry was sprawled exhausted on the couch, Remus was conjuring Butterbeers, and Sirius was pacing restlessly with Tonks and Professor McGonagall looking on with a grimness that was all too familiar to Hermione, who'd been at the final battle with Voldemort.

"Hello, Hermione dear," Her voice gentled at once, "I suppose Ron told you the news?"

Hermione looked around. "What happened?"

"Professor Dumbledore, on an impulse, went to the centaurs of the Forbidden Forest to have a word with them about the forthcoming evils," McGonagall sniffed, as if this idea had been completely ridiculous to her, "Nonetheless, it seemed that the centaurs had something very interesting to tell him ... a magical shield had been cast around the Forbidden Plain, which is on the other side of the forest, a shield that was meant to draw energy."

Harry's jaw dropped. "You're joking!" He stared. "Tyler chose the plains near Hogwarts to access his power? Is he crazy?"

"Arrogance," Remus said dryly, "He assumed none of us would ever think of looking a little closer to home, and he was right, wasn't he? If Dumbledore hadn't tried the centaurs - anyway. Besides, what better place to draw the maximum amount of power and magic than from a near a place that is permanently brimming with enchantment. It was fairly ingenious."

"So what's the plan?" Sirius asked aggressively.

Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look. "The plan is for us all to sit tight, as youngsters these days like to say." (There were a few indignant groans all around) "Albus doesn't want anyone trying to exact revenge here, which will only cloud your judgment. The plan follows thus: Dumbledore will contact the Minister of Magic - Mr. Biggs - at ten o' clock tonight, giving him a vague clue about the proceedings and giving him ample opportunity to get to the plains with his Aurors and crew, which will include you, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Tonks, and apprehend Donald Tyler and Scarlett Fetcherly - although the Minister won't know it until he gets there. Apparently, they don't have much of an army. There's just the two of them."

"How boring!" Tonks sighed.

"Yes, well ..." Professor McGonagall pursed her mouth, "That's how things stand. Until then, we are all to remain here. Professor Dumbledore has warned me not to allow any of you out of my sight until he says it is all right to do so."

No one liked this, and there was considerable annoyance and indignation around, but Professor McGonagall was a powerful, formidable witch and the kind no one liked to cross. But Hermione was bubbling with new anger, at Tyler, at Scarlett, at everyone involved in that mess. Her son was dead - and she was supposed to sit tight? Over her dead body.

"You're quite right, of course, Professor," she said in her perfected goody-two-shoes voice, "It wouldn't be wise for any of us to go off after them. Best to leave it to Professor Dumbledore."

"That's wonderful to hear, Hermione," Professor McGonagall nodded approvingly, but there was a twinkle in her eye that Hermione nearly missed. "I hope you've all heard that, and understand the situation. Now, for a game of wizard chess, I think."

Hermione murmured something tiredly about going back to Sean's room, and walked back dejectedly, rubbing her eyes. She snuck a look at Remus and Sirius, and saw them both watching her, and was certain that they were on to her. She couldn't bring herself to worry about that, and merely went back to Sean's room, closed the door softly behind her, picked up her wand, and Disapparated without a moment's hesitation.

For her, with the rage bubbling inside her, there was nothing to hesitate about ...

Sirius came to the door a few minutes later, his nerves on edge. He was itching to beat Tyler up to a pulp, to curse Scarlett into oblivion, to do anything to make his guilt ease about what he'd done, what he hadn't been able to do, for what had happened to his son ... but his worst fears were confirmed the instant he pushed open the door and took in the empty room.

"Damn it." He swore under his breath.


***

Hermione found herself at the far edge of the Forbidden Forest, with the plains stretching out in front of her. It was chilly, and goosebumps sprung up on her skin, but she barely noticed it. As she stood there, her wand gripped tightly in white knuckles, a drizzle began to fall. The moon was almost full, but not quite, glowing silver down upon the lands stretched before it.

In the hazy atmosphere, the rain sparkled like diamonds falling from the sky. The ground smoked silver and cast glistening shadows all around, pearly white like ghosts and drifting like ethereal beings that seemed somehow to be alive.

And there, far beyond the Forest, Hermione saw a tall oak tree, standing alone in the middle of the rolling plains, and she knew at once that that was where the Sphere would be mounted, in order to catch the full power of the star's alignment. She began to slip silently and eerily through the thick night, feeling the icy drops of metallic rain upon her skin and clothes, hearing the howls of lone jackals in the far distance ... knowing this was going to be the night that would decide her fate.

This time, she was angrier. Voldemort had taken many people she'd loved, but Tyler and Scarlett had tried to take one man away from her, and had stolen her child away. This time, it was her battle.

As she approached the tree, she dropped to her stomach and began to crawl low on the ground towards the two moving shapes by the oak tree. There was a ridge between one plain and the higher slope, and she crawled closer in the ridge, reaching a point where she was soaked and shivering in the rainfall. She didn't think to use a spell to make herself impervious to the water - her mind was elsewhere. She could hear low voices talking, and her blood began to heat up in fresh anger and grief.

"How long do we have to stand out here in the cold?" A woman's voice asked.

A man growled impatiently, "Until it's time. I'm not leaving this spot tonight, Scarlett, there's no way I'm going to risk being detained somewhere else by anyone."

"And what about him?"

"He's untouchable - for now. I won't make the same mistake He did. Unlike the great one, I don't have the convenient timings he did. Just as long as that one's safely tied up where he is right now, we're safe. Don't worry about him."

"What if they find us before midnight, Donny?"

"They won't!" The man growled viciously. "Now keep your blasted voice down!"

Her blood pounding in her ears, her hand suddenly very steady as the wand came up, Hermione stood up slowly and walked up the slope onto the plain where Scarlett Fetcherly and Donny Tyler were standing. Both turned in horror as she approached, her walk slow but deliberate. They knew instantly who she was, and she was suddenly a very terrifying sight.

Her slender frame was silhouetted by the rainfall and moonlight, her damp hair shining and blowing wildly in the wind, her brown eyes burning with what was unmistakably rage. The phrase Harry had used, ironically, flashed through Tyler's mind ... Hell hath no fury like a woman scorn'd ... Taking her son from her, was that scorning a woman? It looked like it -

Scarlett's eyes dilated in horror, much to Hermione's satisfaction. "Merlin, Donny!" She screamed. "You said they wouldn't find us!"

"And they haven't, Scarlett," Tyler snarled, pulling out his wand, "Our distraught mother has foolishly let her emotions cloud her common sense and has come alone, it seems ... Well, Hermione? Do you really think I'm going to fall to my knees and beg for mercy?"

Hermione's mouth curved into a smile, "I was so hoping you wouldn't," She said dangerously.

"Furnunculus!" Tyler yelled.

Hermione nearly laughed at the immaturity of that hex, but spat out, "Densaugeo!", automatically. The rays of light hit each other in mid-air, as she remembered they did with Harry and Malfoy in their fourth year, and ricocheted off in different directions. Scarlett dived out of the way in time to avoid one spell - a pity, in Hermione's opinion.

"Avada - " Scarlett began screaming, but Hermione yelled "Protego!" before she could finish, at the same time that Tyler deflected her curse. He turned to her angrily, and said with venom, "Not yet, sweetheart, I'm going to cause our little friend here some more pain before we get rid of her."

This struck Hermione as funny, and she began to laugh, a kind of wild, hysterical laugh. "Hurt me? Cause me some more pain? I don't think you can do that!"

"No?" Tyler sneered.

Hermione pointed her wand at him, and began to put the full Body-Bind upon him when Scarlett screeched, "Expelliarmus!" and to her horror, the wand flew out of her hands and into the gloating witch's. Tyler began to laugh, and shaking his head, he circled around Hermione, like a vulture hunting down it's dead prey. With an evil grin, he said, "Try to imagine me doing this to your son ... Crucio!"

She fell to the ground as terrible waves of agony struck her, twisting her body, ripping her limps and muscles apart - it felt like - sending thumbscrews of pain and sharp stabs of clawing hurt through every rippling, screaming pore of her body. She wanted to scream, to sob, to beg for it to stop - but she didn't. She only lay there, writhing and shaking under the pain he was inflicting, her mind torturing her with images of Sean trying to fight this agony off ...

And abruptly ... it stopped.

Her body trembling like jelly, Hermione jerked herself up and off the ground, only to see Tyler flat on his back on the ground, yelling in anguish and agony as he was kicked, punched and beaten by a shadowed man who had hurled himself at him in a blind rage.

"Sirius." Scarlett spat out the name like a bitter oath, frozen in horror as she saw him.

Hermione's jaw dropped.

Tyler and Sirius broke apart, each leaping back with their wands dangerously pointed at the other. Tyler's nose and mouth were bleeding and he was hobbling slightly, clearly off worse from the scuffle. Sirius had a cut on his jaw, but his eyes were blazing and he didn't seem to realize anyone else was there right then.

"You tried to drag my name through mud, Tyler," He growled, "But I could forget that. But then you took my son away from his mother - away from me. And now, now you'd gone too far when you tried to hurt her. What makes you think I won't rip the life away from your writhing throat with my bare hands?"

Scarlett lunged at Sirius with a cry of rage, but Hermione was too quick for her. She threw herself between Sirius and Scarlett, pointed her wand at the older woman in a deadly fashion, making the other witch freeze in place, eyeing the wand with wary hatred.

"After all I went through to destroy him - " She spat in frustrated anguish.

Hermione snorted. "Yeah, that was your first mistake," She said coolly. Behind her, Sirius and Tyler were duelling furiously, each dodging blasts of green, red and purple light, each uttering the most dangerous and filthy curses ever known to wizardkind, and she was struck by a sudden horrifying mental image of Sirius laughing - and being struck squarely in the chest by a beam of red light ...

No! It won't happen to him again!

But her distraction as she looked over her shoulder at Sirius nearly cost her her life. Seizing the opportunity, Scarlett flung a curse that embodied a stab of pain at Hermione, and as the sharp prick like a knife hit her in the back and nearly made her fall over, she let out an involuntary cry and Sirius turned around sharply.

For one frozen moment, Hermione and Sirius both stood frozen, facing each other, staring into each other's stricken eyes ... for one moment, they realized just what they had done for each other, and then Hermione saw a flash of movement over Sirius's shoulder and through the roaring blood in her ears, saw Tyler mouth the beginnings of "Avada Ke - "

She threw herself at Sirius, knocking him down so that they were both flat on the ground. By the time the end of the curse - (" - Davra!") - Sliced through the air, the curse was pointing at Scarlett, who had been standing right behind Hermione. Hermione felt the air ripple just inches over her head as she lay sprawled over Sirius.

Sirius and Hermione watched as Scarlett's eyes widened in frozen horror, and she crumpled to the ground, motionless.

"No!" Tyler yelled, his face paling terribly. "Scarlett! In the name of Merlin - SCARLETT!"

But of course, she didn't get up. Sirius climbed to his feet, helping Hermione up, the darkness in his eyes lifting slightly as he looked at Scarlett with something almost like pity, and Hermione knew he was thinking the same as she was: that after all her crimes, and all her cruelty, Scarlett Fetcherly had met her end in the way she deserved - at the hands of her lover.

Tyler's expression became murderous. "You!" He spat at them. "You'll suffer for this!"

He reached into his robes and pulled out a medium-sized globe of glowing, blinding light. Colors of neon gold, orange and pink beamed from the Sphere of Pagnon as he held it up to the sky menacingly.

"It will be mine ..." He declared hoarsely, his glowing face alight with a mad hunger and wildness that terrified Hermione and made her shrink back slightly. "You cannot touch me while I hold this weapon, even if the power has not been accessed yet ... it will kill you if you touch it for I am the ritual holder ... The power will be mine and I will make you suffer ... Mine ..."

And then, the most amazing thing happened.

A voice cut the thick, tense silence -

"Mommy!"

Hermione thought she was hearing things, but Sirius too, had gone very white and his head, as had Tyler's, had snapped in the direction of the oak tree, where something was stirring in the shadows.

"S-Sean?" Hermione choked out.

Tyler twisted around, uttered "Impedimenta!", so that Sirius was thrust down to his knees, from where he tried, painfully, against the magic to get up. In the same movement, Tyler lunged towards the tree, screaming in rage, but Hermione had already moved. She raced towards the base of the tree, where her sharp eyes saw a little boy's form lying twisting on the ground, magical ropes binding him tightly, and before Tyler could scream Avada Kedavra yet again, she had flung herself in front of the little boy and was staring defiantly into the face of the New Lord.

"Go on, Tyler," she whispered in a shaking, deadly voice, "If you want him, go through me."

Sirius, who had been kneeling, unable to move, a few yards away, heard her voice as if through a terrible haze, and his mind began to whirl with pain, with horror, with screams that this had happened before - God, no ... He prayed, It's you again, James! It's happening again, I've become you ... Sean - Sean is Harry, will he live, James, will he survive this like your son did? 'Mione ... can I live if she dies now? Is she going to end up like Lily? Is that how our story will end, James? Oh God, Prongs, save them ...

"Lower the wand, Donald."

The cold, vibrating voice had the effect of instant reaction. Tyler uttered a yelp and a curse, and leaped back from Hermione and Sean, Hermione's head snapped up and her brown eyes widened in sudden hope, and Sirius slowly twisted around as best he could to stare in amazement.

James was dead, but he'd sent Dumbledore to them instead.

Dumbledore looked pale and angrier than ever before - even angrier than when Sirius had been 'killed', than when Voldemort had begun the final battle, than when the Death Eaters escaped Azkaban again ... his wand arm was shaking with suppressed power, and the sight of him, fearsome and radiating with awesome energy was crippling to Tyler.

"Damn you, Dumbledore!" He moaned, his wand shaking violently as he pointed it at the great wizard.

Dumbledore's voice gentled. "Lower the wand." He repeated. "Do it, if you know what's best for you." With a small smile, he released Sirius from the Impediment Jinx and Hermione gathered herself enough to remove the bonds from her son and he flung himself into her arms, clinging to his mother as if he would never let go.

"You'll kill me," Tyler whispered croakily.

Sirius growled, "You deserve to die."

But while Dumbledore persuaded with his intensity, and Sirius stood with a murderous wand ready, Hermione was holding Sean close in her arms and murmuring words into his ear. Before anyone could do anything more, Sean turned around, and his black eyes were burning with something so like his father's that it was impossible to believe anyone else could have created him.

"This is my job." He said in an oddly grown-up voice, to his mother's astonishment, and suddenly, with a rippling wave that shook the ground and sent an invisible ripple through the air, a burst of great white light flew from Sean's hands, straight at the Sphere of Pagnon. The wind picked up till it was almost a hurricane, and Dumbledore and Sean stood rooted magically, while Sirius leaped at Hermione and held her to the ground, and Tyler began to swirl, screaming, in a whirlpool of light emerging from the Sphere itself.

And then, the Sphere shattered, and with it, Tyler let out one last anguished shriek, before they saw his body blast apart into fragments.

The light faded into the misty night, and the wind dropped abruptly. There was a long silence, during which no one moved, and no one said anything, and then there was the sound of running footsteps, alerting them to the arrivals of Tonks, Harry and Ron.

"Professor!" Harry yelled, approaching fast, "The other Aurors, and Biggs, are on their way. Have you got - ?" He stopped abruptly, glaring at Hermione and Sirius, "You two - you could have been killer - 'Mione, what were you thinking, taking off like - " He broke off again, his jaw falling open.

Ron and Tonks stared. "Sean?" They gasped.

"Why don't you three go and tell the Ministry that I have everything under control, and they had best return to the Ministry of Magic headquarters and await me there," Dumbledore said gently. "I have a feeling there's one last problem that hasn't been solved."

With brief hesitations, the three took off across the wet grass again, and Dumbledore turned to the three by the tree, his hair shining silver in the dew of the rain. "You do realize," He said gently, "That because Tyler's body is irreparable, and Scarlett's only looks suspicious, the Ministry will only suspect Sirius more than ever - especially now that they know he's alive. And no matter what story we may tell them, he'll be their killer. They won't believe us, not without proof."

"It's all right, Dumbledore." Sirius said quietly, "We can deal with that later."

Dumbledore's face suddenly broke into a smile, and he looked down at Sean, "I hope you know, young man," He said indulgently, "That you'll soon be the Boy Who Won. I will see all of you back at the penthouse, with further news." With that, and a wink at Sirius and Hermione, he Disapparated.

Hermione sank down onto the grass, against the tree, leaning into it for support. Her muscles were stinging and sore, her heart was bursting with different kinds of emotions, and her head was reeling from far too much in far too little time. Sean looked at her, and smiled, "We won, Mommy! Isn't it over? Isn't it?"

"Over ..." Hermione murmured, as if this was a concept she'd long forgotten.

Sirius knelt down on one knee near Sean, and looked at him. "We thought you were dead, kid." He said hoarsely, his eyes glistening ever so slightly. Sean turned around, cocked his head at him, and to their enormous surprise, began to laugh.

"He tried, but he couldn't kill me! It just bounced off!" He said with obvious pride. Then his voice softened, and he suddenly flung his arms around Sirius's neck and clung to him with almost as much attachment and need as he had his mother. His face half-buried in Sirius's neck, he said audibly, "I'm so glad you've finally come home, Daddy."

Hermione stiffened, and stared, tears filling her eyes. His own eyes darkening suddenly with the stunned emotion, Sirius's arms tightened around his son, and his deep, dark eyes met Hermione's over Sean's head. For a very long time, they both stared silently at each other while their son slowly drifted into a tired sleep, for the first time held safely in his father's arms.


**

TBC.

*

A/N: A very long chapter, I think ... but it was worth it! Thank you so much for all the support and feedback! I'm really grateful for all the time my readers have taken to review, and I hope the story is coming out fast enough and meeting your expectations!!! It isn't over yet, but I'm sorry to say it's getting there :-(!!

** -->