Hymn Of Home

Finally I stand on the steps in front of the main doors, heavy, solid, skilfully carved oak, but I linger there, hesitant to face my loved ones. Harry is definitely here, as it is mid October and he is in school. Remus cannot be far, as a member of the Order.

I sigh, pull my wits together and open the door to slip in. The entrance hall has not changed in the last three years, I can see. In fact, it has not changed since I came to school the very first time. I guess it is early afternoon, maybe the last period for today, as the corridors are empty. I climb the stairs to Albus' office and even before I can recite all sweets I know, the gargoyle moves aside. The door to Albus office is open and when I walk in he is already standing next to the door and embraces me tightly. I did not know he had that much strength in his old arms, but then, he always manages to surprise you.

"Sirius, my dear, dear boy! My heart rejoices at the news you joined the living again! Merlin must have a soft spot for you!" he chuckles and his eyes sparkle vividly. Despite his high age, he has so much energy in him. From his mood I guess things are going rather well considering the whole situation.

~*~*~

Albus gestures me to take a seat and I slump back into one of these soft, fluffy armchairs he has in his office. It is amazing how much these little things mean to you. I caress the cushion beside me absentmindedly. When I look up to him, he smiles gently and I feel save.

"How are things going?", I ask. I really do not want to, but I know I must.

"Oh, rather well, actually.", he sighs, "Severus has accepted Harry into his Advanced potions class without my meddling and the boy seems quite studious this year, though I fear that is because he tries to forget what happened to you. We also started to train him."

"He did not take my death well, did he?", I ask very seriously and Albus shakes his head sadly.

"No, he has quite a hard time. Not only died his only loving family he had, no. His relatives kicked him out this summer and he came to Hogwarts mid- holiday telling me he could not go back. Of course, I cannot force the Muggles to take care of him on their own risk. Minerva seems to have a soft spot for him, though, and took him in for the meantime."

I sigh. I wish I could have spared that to Harry.

"And the war?"

"Fudge retreated, but you know that already. Amelia Bones is winning the current elections, as it seems, and the Ministry forces are finally taking action against Voldemort and his Death Eaters. Lucius Malfoy is rotting in Askaban, Narcissa is divorced and Draco stayed with her, so I hope for him. They stopped by earlier that week."

I nod and ask myself, what else I need to know.

"How's Remus?", I ask eventually.

"He came back to teach for this year. Obviously the parents thought, it would be better to have somebody trusted in the school, than a stranger, even if that somebody has lycanthropy."

"Good to hear. But how did he take... things?", I ask timidly.

"Nit well, either. But he is hiding his pain better than Harry. Sirius, he was not himself after you passed. He even tried to kill himself once, but Harry found him and convinced him to stay alive. After that, things improved slightly. Teaching keeps him from musing too much."

"Poor Remy. I wish things had been different."

I sigh and sit back, my heart aching for my loved ones.

"There is only one question I have to ask you, Sirius.", Albus says firmly and I meet his eyes.

"Yes?"

"How did you come back? I don't know any case, that this ever happened."

"Hard to tell. I was there, nowhere, and then this light appeared and I was back. It's all a bit blurry, I can't really remember. Sorry. But it's me, I swear."

He smiled kindly at me: "I know, nobody else I know is stubborn enough to overcome death, except for Severus, maybe."

I snort and he grins wickedly. I always knew there is more behind the grandfather image!

~*~*~

Albus suggests for me to stop by in the DADA classroom, when the bell rings. I wait outside, knowing that both Harry and Remus are in there. I can hear their voices: Remus' light tenor and Harry, whose voice I recognized instantly as James'.

The boy has grown up, I think.

The bell rings and the door opens. Student pour out and I catch a glimpse on Harry, who helps Remus to clean up the board from today's assignments. Suddenly a girl bumps into me and screeches, as she recognizes me. It's Hermione and Ron is just behind her, asking what is wrong. She points at me and he pales.

"Hi!", I say, "Please don't faint, I need to talk to Harry and Remy."

They nod and Hermione walks away rather stiffly. Ron gives me a last curios look and tags along. Good lads, I think and peer into the classroom. Everybody, aside from Harry and Remus have left and I enter, closing the doors behind me.

They are silently taking to each other, but then Remus turns around at the noise of the door and sees me. He stands there, all paralysed and his eyes go wide with shock. His lips move frantically, but no words come out of his throat. He swallows.

Harry has his back turned to us and is cleaning the board. He has grown since our last time together. It was not a happy last meeting. Harry sighs and puts the sponge away.

"I miss him, Remus.", he says and turns around.

Suddenly his eyes widen and he catches his breath.

"I don't think you have to any longer.", Remus whispers hoarsely. I smile sadly at them and open my arms. Harry does not hesitate one second. He must be pretty down, if he is so careless, but then Remus implied it was actually me, and Remus can smell it.

He is sobbing in my arms, his wet cheeks pressing into my neck. Yes, he has definitely grown some inches. I'm standing at 6.2, so he supposedly at about 6 feet. That must be at least 12 inches more in only two years. But then, he's sixteen now and James did the same jump at this age. I curl one hand around his neck and the other around his waist and hold him close, afraid someone could take him away from me.

Then there is Remus, leaning against his desk and breathing heavily. Carefully I entangle myself from my godson, who keeps on clutching my left hand, while I walk over to Remus. When I trace his jaw line with my finger, he flinches and begins to cry. I pull him against my chest and he clings to me as if his life depended on it. Maybe it does.

We three stand there, clutched together and unwilling to let go. Harry has once again buried his face in my shoulder and cries, while Remy hugs him with one arm and me with the other.

Are we not a lovely family?

Where did that thought come from, I ask myself, but then, I consider them family, and that is all that counts!