Chapter 55

"I thought that was obvious Padfoot. It's a shame that you already have forgotten your best friend"

"You're...you're... you're not James! James is dead" Sirius spat.

"And this is where everybody is mistaken!" James stated. "I have never been dead; we were forced to go into hiding"

Sirius looked totally aghast at his friend. Then he slowly walked up to James and poked his index finger in the chest of the man he believed to be dead.

"I'm not a ghost, you see?"

"Oh my god, James..." was all Sirius could say before he was enveloped in a rip-cracking embrace.

They spend several hours just sitting on the sofa together with Albus, talking about old times and what had happened while James and Lily were forced into hiding.

James had giving Lily a sleeping potion to make sure she wasn't exhausting herself. He had to slip it in her tea, because all she was talking about was Harry. She wouldn't here all the good reasons why she had to rest. All she wanted was to see her son, but James was afraid that this emotional shock would harm her.

Tomorrow was Christmas day and James was planning the greatest surprise for Harry to make up for the 14 years they missed.

"I have to have a serious word with old Snivellus about Harry." James growled. "No matter that he didn't like it, but I'm not going to let him treat my son badly for thing I've done"

"I know how terrible it is when you know about it but you can't do anything" Sirius agreed.

"Tell me the truth, Sirius. How do you think is Harry going to take the news?"

"What the fact that his parents are not dead or the fact that they were there and he still had to stay with his relatives?" Sirius replied.

James flinched slightly "Both"

Sirius said "James, believe me; Harry will be upset at first, but he will understand. He will be too happy to have you back and think about all the chances he will have to do things with his parents that he will not dwell on the chances he missed."

James looked slightly relieved, but not totally convinced. "I think if he's mad...ok... I surely deserve it" he sighed.

After another hour, Albus and Sirius said good bye to James. Lily and James would be expected at headquarters at 7 in the morning so that it would be a real Christmas surprise for Harry.

The boy with scar was still soundly asleep when his father apparated into the room and dropped a little envelope on the bed.

An hour later, Harry woke up by the sound of ripping paper.

"Morning Harry" Ron said. "Merry Christmas"

Harry smiled at his friend and wished him a merry Christmas.

Ron was already halfway through his pile of presents, which was, as always, a bit larger than Harry's.

Harry recognized two letters on top of a present that surely contained his Weasley jumper.

The first one had his name on it in his aunt's stiffly handwriting. When he opened it he could do nothing but laugh.

He never received a real present from the Dursleys, but this time they had excelled themselves.

The envelope contained a picture of stupidly grinning Dudley in front of an enormous pile of Christmas presents.

Ron had moved over to Harry's bed and picked up the picture.

"I'm sure Colin wouldn't mind to make you a copy of this the wizarding style. Wouldn't you like to see your cousin unwrapping his presents?" he said sarcastically.

Harry snorted disgustedly and reached for the other letter.

Dear Harry,

I have a big surprise for you so please take the pendant that you will find in the envelope and we will see each other there.

Sirius

Harry was thoroughly confused as he turned the envelope upside down. A little pendant in the form of a Gryffindor lion fell on the bed and as soon as he touched it, he felt the familiar jerk around his navel.

When he opened his eyes again, he was standing in front of ruins. It looked like the house had been destroyed for ages.

"Sirius?" he called.

Then he recognized his godfather's scrawny form coming out of the ruins.

"What surprise do you have for me?" Harry asked.

Sirius grinned from one ear to the other when he touched Harry's arm and beckoned him to follow.

"Do you know where you are?"

Harry shook his head and looked at his godfather expectantly.

"This, dear Harry, is Godric's Hollow. The house where your parents lived and where you were born"

The young wizard gasped in shock and for a second his knees went weak.

He walked past Sirius and through what was left from the entrance door. There he entered what once must have been the kitchen. He still could see the remains of the stove in the corner.

Sirius was now standing behind him.

"I wish I ever had had the chance to get to know them" Harry whispered.

Lily was standing behind a little tree, which had grown in the middle of her old sitting room and watched her son.

He looked so grown up and it tore her heart apart when she thought about all the things she missed.

James was holding her hand while she cried silently.

Sirius placed his arms around Harry's shoulder and asked.

"If you had the chance to ask them something, what would it be?"

The young wizard was silent for a little while, and then he said quietly "I would want to know if they loved me"

Lily's sobs became louder now and she was trying to free her arm from James' grip.

"Let me go James! Have you just heard that?" she hissed. "Let me go" she said once again, and then James released her hand.

Lily slowly walked past the tree and through the remains of her old dining room.

Harry couldn't see her for he was facing Sirius. His godfather then smiled at him and said "Harry, there's someone who wants to meet you"

The dark-haired boy turned around and looked in the direction where Sirius was pointing.

Then he saw her. A beautiful woman with auburn hair and sparkling green eyes, which matched his own, was walking up to him with outstretched arms.

"MOM" he whispered almost inaudibly.

Just seconds later Harry was burying his face into his mother's auburn hair while he rested his head on her shoulder.

Sirius watched the scene in front of him and it truly touched his heart. Lily held Harry close, speaking motherly words to him about how much she loved him and how much she missed him. Harry couldn't say a word. He breathed in his mother's scent that somewhere inside him reminded him of a wonderful time in the past before Voldemort destroyed his childhood.

Hot tears trickled down Lily's cheeks as he smoothed her son's unruly hair over and over again.

Then finally Harry whispered "Oh mom... I've missed you so much"

Lily stepped backwards and looked at her son from head to toe.

Harry looked at her anxiously.

What if this is all a cruel game? What if she is just an impostor and all the dreams about having a real family would burst like a soap-bubble.

Then he shook his head. The feeling he had when his mother held him was something ancient. He immediately recognized his mother, like, as he believed, every child would. This was his mother, although he had no idea where she came from. Harry couldn't think straight. This all was too much for him right now, so he didn't try to explain anything but just enjoy the sensation to be with his mother. He had no idea how long it would last after all.

But what if she is disappointed? I'm not a brilliant student and my appearance is not exactly ...

He couldn't finish his thought, before his mother spoke again.

"Oh Harry... I can't believe how grown up you look already. When I saw you the last time, and mind you, for me this was just two days ago, you were still a baby. Now you are a handsome young man. And I am very proud of you...even more after everything I heard from Albus"

Seeing the confused look on Harry's face she laughed heartily and added "We will explain everything to you, don't worry"

"Mom" Harry smiled happily when he called his mother. "Do you think dad would be proud of me too?"

"What silly question is that son? Why wouldn't I be proud of you? You are everything a father could probably ask for"

Harry grabbed his mother's arm and Lily felt his fingernails digging into her skin. His hand was shaking when he heard his father's voice.

The only time he had ever heard his parents was during a dementor attack and then their voices were distorted in fear.

Now he heard the full deep voice of his father coming from the same direction his mother had come from just moments ago.

Lily gave his son a slight push and Harry almost but ran to his father. Trying not to trip over the remains of furniture and household goods, he passed the small distance in seconds.

James embraced his son and ruffled his hair.

Although the reunion of father and son was not so affectionate than the one of Harry and his mother, Sirius could see how much both of them had longed for this moment.

Sirius, who had kept a distance while Harry met his parents, now, joined them in the middle of the old living room.

Harry wrapped his arms around Sirius and called "Thank you Sirius...thank you. I don't know how you did it, but this was the best present I ever got. Not even my firebolt could top that"

The three adults broke into fits of laughter about that comment.

"Harry, you do not need to thank me" Sirius said finally. "There are a lot of people who did everything to get your parents back together with you"

Then James explained everything from the day Voldemort attacked to the day when Kelsey came to visit for the first time.

Harry's eyes were brimming with tears when he thought about what his father went through all those years, not knowing if his mother would be still alive the next morning.

"So Kelsey and Kayla did all that?" Harry questioned.

"Yes they made the suggestion, but Hermione, Zara and Ginny helped them too"

Harry's eyes grew wide when the last piece of the puzzle snapped in its place.

"So the potions ingredients were for you mom and not to get Malfoy?"

Sirius nodded mutely.

Harry threw his hands in the air in exasperation.

"I can't believe they kept that a secret from me for so long" he called.

His father put a hand on his shoulder and explained.

"I'm sorry Harry, but they couldn't tell you what was going on. We had no proof that the potion would work or if we would be able to collect all the ingredients at all. So they all had to swear they wouldn't tell you anything"

Harry looked at his father and nodded. "I understand. I don't think I would have had survived if it wouldn't have worked and I got all my hopes up in vain"

The black-haired boy sat down on a broken armchair and sighed.

"Sweetie, I know this is a lot you have to digest right now, but we have plenty of time for it." Lily said.

"Mom, now that we are a real family again.... I don't have to go back to the Dursleys, do I?" Harry said carefully.

Lily embraced her son tightly and assured him "No you will never have to live with them ever again"

James joined his wife on Harry's other side and said "I think we will need a place to live. Would you all like to help me to clean up in here a bit?"

Harry watched his parents and Sirius walking through the house, pointing at broken furniture, broken windows and destroyed walls.

How are they going to fix all this, he thought.

Soon the house was looking just like new. Lily was standing in the garden and finished the archway in front of the house. She flicked her wand and wonderful roses where wreathing around it.

Then they gave Harry a tour through the house.

The kitchen was furnitured with light wooden furniture. Lily had already set a tea kettle on the stove and Harry knew that he would love the first true home he ever had..

The dining room was also held in light colors. A big table was standing in front of the window, from where you had a wonderful view of the garden.

This was obviously the work of his mother. When they advanced to the living room, he saw a manlier touch.

Gryffindor colors were present in the curtains, an open fireplace gave a warm atmosphere, but the pictures on walls made it truly look like home. A dark-brown leather couch and a rug in red and gold made it simply perfect.

The house also contained a library and Harry had to think of Hermione. How much would she enjoy getting her hands on all those books!

"You need to meet my friends mom! Ron won't know what hit him when he sees you. And Hermione..." Harry called as they walked up the stairs.

"We will all meet them shortly, when we return to headquarters" Sirius explained.

They looked into Lily and James' bedroom and the bathroom, before they entered the last room.

Harry gasped when he recognized what it was.

His old nursery.

Silent tears were running down Lily's cheek, when she ran her hands over the little phoenix-mobile on the crib.

Then she said down in the rocking chair and pulled Harry in her lap.

"Mom! I'm too old for that!" Harry protested, but his mother replied "Shhhh, my dear. I have to say good bye to my baby Harry"

Harry submitted to his mothers' request and so they sat for a few minutes without talking.

Then Lily sighed and nudged her son to get up.

"I think it's time for some redecoration" she stated. "This is something your dad and your godfather might want to help you with"

With these words, she left the room and went downstairs to take care of the tea.

He is almost a man... I have to accept it that he's not my baby anymore.

A little sob escaped her lips, but she regained her composure quickly when she heard the others coming downstairs.

She handed cups of hot tea to Sirius, Harry and James as they settled down next to her at the dining room table.

After they had finished their tea, they all returned to headquarters.

Lily had transported them to Sirius old room.

"Oh my god Sirius... this place is quite a mess" Lily exclaimed.

Sirius face turned crimson and he muttered "Yes I know. This house has been empty for many years. The only one living here was my mother's old house- elf."

The others found a place to sit down, while Sirius excused himself.

Harry told his parents that he wanted to make sure that Ron was alright.

"I just disappeared in front of his eyes and I bet he is out of his mind right now"

So Harry left his parents alone and went to search for his friend.

Sirius entered the bathroom to perform a cleaning spell, but then he decided, he would be better of with a quick bath.

He was sure that Lily, Harry and James wouldn't mind, so he turned on the water.

While the tub filled, Sirius took off his shabby clothes and looked into the mirror.

Fortunately he had put on some weight and some muscles since he had escaped from Azkaban, but he knew that he would never be the handsome man he was before his imprisonment.

He recognized a painting at the wall he had never seen before.

Wonder where this one comes from, he thought.

"Hey mate!" he heard James voice from behind the door.

Sirius wrapped a towel around his waist and opened.

"Take your time, Padfoot" James smiled. "And here's a little something from Lily and me"

Sirius took the parcel from James and his friend closed the door again.

How did they get a present for me that fast, he mused.

Then he put the towel aside and his slender body slid into the foamy water.

Just when he closed his eyes he heard a soft laughter.

His eyes were open again instantly.

"Who is that?" he inquired, but the person didn't say a word.

He rose half way out of the tub to be able to see in every corner when he heard a soft female voice.

"Nice backside!"

Sirius hastily jumped back into the tub so that the water was splashing everywhere.

"Who are you" he yelled now.

He looked around again, but couldn't see anybody as his eyes fell on the painting again.

A young woman with raven-black hair, which was put up in a fancy bun, and dark eyes smiled at him. She was wearing a white dress, which seemed almost transparent. Her slightly tanned skin was shimmering through the fabric and Sirius was in raptures about what he was able to see.

What a shame that she is just a painting, he thought.

"Who are you?" he asked again.

The woman on the painting broke into a fit of laughter that sounded like the chiming of tiny bells.

"Excuse me Sirius, but I just couldn't control myself."

"Why are you in my bathroom?"

"Albus asked me where he should hang my picture up and I wanted to be in the bathroom. I have to admit that I have a liking for bathrooms"

Sirius looked at her in a very confused manner. "You like bathrooms?"

Then he shook his head slightly and insisted "I now finally want to know who you are"

"Oh, my name is Lady Tanya. I'm an ancestor of Albus and James"

"And why is your painting in my house then?" Sirius wondered.

"Albus wanted me to watch over all of you after the attack that happened at his home recently" she exclaimed.

Sirius was feeling a bit uncomfortable. He was not wearing any clothes and he had no clue if this painting had been here the night before already. What else had she seen?

"I would prefer if you wouldn't be in my bathroom" he muttered.

"Can I stay in your bedroom instead?" Lady Tanya asked hopefully.

This is just my luck, Sirius thought desperately. The two women who show interest in me are a nasty old wench and A PAINTING

"For all I care... we will find a nice spot for you on my bedroom wall" Sirius said. "Now would you please close your eyes or turn around or whatever a painting does... so hat I can get dressed?"

Lady Tanya sighed disappointedly. If Sirius wouldn't have been so caught up in his own thoughts, he would have recognized that the sigh was a little exaggerated.

Lady Tanya turned around in her painting and silently thanked the goddess for the dim light so Sirius couldn't see the background of her painting.

Lady Tanya was standing in front of a huge mirror. .

While she secretly watched him rubbing his shapely body with the towel, she thought "Dang! I was sooooo born in the wrong century"

She admired the way his muscles interacted as he moved and thoughts about activities overwhelmed her again for the first time in centuries. When his arms moved the towel up his legs she could clearly see how much man he really was. She was very grateful that Sirius couldn't see the huge grin on her face now.

Then a very interesting idea came to her mind and she stifled a giggle.

Sirius picked up the parcel and opened it.

He smiled widely when his fingers touched the dark, velvety fabric.

This has to be Lily's work; he thought when he pulled the dress robes over his head.

She must have gotten her hands on one of my old ones. These here look exactly like the ones I wore to their wedding.

"You can turn around now" he said and Lady Tanya tried hard not to laugh when she looked in his face.

"Do you think I look presentable enough for a Christmas party?" he asked her.

"You look simply outstanding" she assured him and Sirius blushed slightly.

Then he blew her a kiss and left the bathroom to join his friends.

Harry ran downstairs and called "Ron! Where are you, mate?"

He regretted that instantly. Just when he jumped down the last steps and landed in the entrance hall, he heard a deafening scream.

"FILTH! SCUM! BLOOD TRAITORS! FREE ME FROM THEIR PRESENCE! THEY ARE BESMIRCHING THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS!"

Then he remembered what Mrs Weasley had told him yesterday about the painting of Sirius mother.

He turned around and looked at the picture of an old woman with a black cap. Her eyes were rolling and she was drooling.

Harry distorted his face in disgust when the woman's face stretched taut as she screamed even louder.

"STAINS OF DISHONOR, CHILDREN OF FILTH, BLOOOOOOOD TRAAAAAITORS"

Then Mrs Weasley and a young woman with short, purple hair rushed out of the kitchen.

"You don't need to help me Tonks, seriously" Mrs Weasley said with a strained voice. "Go inside Harry; breakfast is ready"

"No Molly, I also want to wish Mrs Black a merry Christmas" the woman, called Tonks, shouted to drown out the ear-splitting screams.

Harry watched them covering the painting with old, moth-eaten curtains before he entered the kitchen.

"Merry Christmas" he said happily as he spotted Ron and Hermione at the table.

Before Ron could say a word, the twins apparated into the kitchen singing 'God rest ye merry hippogriffs' on the top of their lungs.

At this moment the kitchen door opened and Mrs Weasley came back.

Then the horrible screams started again.

"Fred! George!" she growled at her sons before she went back to restrain the painting once more.

"Merry Christmas to you too, mom" the twins laughed as they sat down at the table.

"Where the heck did you disappear to earlier, Harry" Ron asked sternly.

Hermione looked at Harry expectantly and added "Did you see them?"

With a big grin on his face that looked like it was cemented there, Harry nodded.

"Would anyone care to fill us in why Harry is grinning like a lunatic?" George asked.

"I think we can help you out there George", Sirius stated as he entered the kitchen together with James and Lily.