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Chapter 8: Forgiven
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Isabelle's jaw dropped slightly. Lily was still staring in shock, and Isabelle watched the older version of her twin brother grin and say,
"Hey Lils."
"What the hell are you doing here?" Blake said,
"Is that the best way to greet your brother?" Lily laughed sarcastically and said,
"You left, we haven't heard anything from you in months, and you just expect me to be happy about seeing you and give you a welcoming hug?"
"No, but you could've said something other than what the hell are you doing here?"
"Which you haven't answered yet."
"I came home for Christmas."
"Why?"
"My father-in-law informed me that my wife and kids are staying with you for Christmas, and I came to join them." Lily raised an eyebrow.
"Where's your son?"
"Ron and Lavenders," His voice dropped in volume when he said, "He didn't want to come."
"Why?"
"I don't know. I tried to get him to come."
"Well, I see you're still in contact with your in-laws. Though not with your parents, hmm, why's that, dear brother?"
"I don't want to see them, and I really don't think they'd want to see me." Blake walked past his sister, and her younger self without acknowledging Isabelle. Lily closed the door and said,
"Well, they're here, Blake. Christmas isn't Christmas without Mum and Dad. And if it bothers you, by all means, please leave."
"Whatever happened to the kind, sweet sister I used to have?"
"Do I really need to answer that question?"
"So, how's life treating you lately, Lils?"
"I'm fine," Lily answered shortly.
"Is your husband still screwing that woman half his age?"
"How the hell did you find out about that?"
"Let's just say he's pretty proud that he got away with it."
"He told you?"
"Yeah." Lily took a deep breath and balled her hands into fists. Blake put a hand up and shook his head.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't taunt you about your marriage. I have no right to preach to anyone about marriage, mine's worse than yours."
"Yeah, I heard you sent the papers back again."
"I'm not signing those things."
"Why won't you?"
"Because I didn't mean to leave for good. I had fully intended on coming back."
"Oh, is that what you're doing here?"
"You might say that."
"You do know this isn't going to be a happy reunion with your wife, don't you?"
"I know that. It won't be a happy reunion with anybody here." After a short silence, Lily said,
"Well, welcome back, Blake." She smiled weakly, and Blake returned it. He glanced over Lily's shoulder and saw Isabelle still standing there. Blake said to Lily,
"Who's that?" Lily turned and said,
"That's Isabelle Peterson. She, her brother and their best friend are visiting over the holidays. They're Bree and Beth's friends." Blake nodded in understanding and held a hand out to the younger version of his sister.
"Hi Isabelle. I'm Blake, I'm Lily's brother."
"Hi." Lily and Blake were talking again, and Isabelle thought, 'the shit's gonna hit the fan tomorrow morning.'
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The next morning Isabelle woke up and went downstairs. The only two people up were Lily and Blake. They all exchanged 'good morning's and Lily sat down next to her older self. Blake looked at her and said,
"Isabelle, have we ever met?"
"Um…I don't think so, why?"
"Nothing, it's just…you look familiar."
"Really?"
"Yeah, I feel like I've known you for years."
"That's odd." Blake shrugged it off, and Lily and Isabelle shared a worried glance. Lily was about to say something when she looked up and saw her mother standing in the doorway of the kitchen, mouth slightly open in surprise. Blake noticed his sister looking over his shoulder and turned to see who it was. He smiled weakly and said,
"Hi Mum." Hermione didn't reply right away but after a little while she said,
"What are you doing here?"
"I came for Christmas. If I'm welcome." Hermione smiled and went over to give her son a hug.
"Of course you're welcome. Well, as far as I'm concerned you are. I don't know about everyone else."
"Seriously? You're wanting me to stay?"
"No matter what you've done, Blake, you're still my son."
"Thanks, Mum."
"Who else knows you're here?"
"Just you three." Hermione looked at who he was referring to and said good morning to her daughter and Isabelle.
"Did James come with you?"
"No, he didn't want to come."
"Why not?"
"I don't know. He's at Ron and Lavender's." Hermione nodded slowly.
"I didn't know that Ron was in contact with you, he never told me." Lily said,
"Um, Mum, do you think that maybe one of us should tell Dad that Blake is down here first? Cuz'…" A voice came from the doorway,
"You don't need to tell me anything." Everyone turned to see Harry standing in the doorway. The tension was so thick it could be cut with a knife. Harry walked over to the table and sat down next to Isabelle, and Hermione sat on his other side, between him and Blake. It was an awkward silence until Harry said quietly,
"What are you doing here?"
"I came for Christmas."
"Why?"
"Because I want to be with my family."
"Oh you want to be with your family? Why now and not before?" Blake sighed.
"Dad, I didn't come all this way to fight with you." They dropped the topic and Harry brought up a new one.
"So, what are you doing nowadays for work?"
"I'm teaching."
"Where at?"
"Durmstrang." Everyone's mouth but Blake's and Harry's formed a small 'O' at the same time.
"Why in God's name would you teach there?"
"It's work."
"What do you teach?"
"Defense Against the Dark Arts, which is totally pointless, because half the students don't care about it in the first place. It's another reason why I came back. I have to tell you all something that I've been hearing. Something that the Aurors need to know about."
"Why?"
"Because I'm looking for the safety of my family."
"Oh really? Now you care about the safety of your family, but you didn't when you left the Auror business, or when you said you hoped the Death Eaters would find us all and kill us, or was that just me?" Hermione sighed and said to her husband,
"Harry, shut up. Stop trying to provoke a fight. Blake already said he didn't come all this way to start a fight, so stop it." Knowing that her mother was one of the few who could stop Harry doing something, Lily said,
"So what have you been hearing?" Blake was about to answer, but he glanced at Isabelle and said,
"Um…could she…?" He motioned at her, but Lily said,
"She's fine. Trust me. She's going to have to learn about this sooner or later."
"You're sure?"
"Yes, just go on."
"There've been some meetings on Saturday evenings lately down at the local village between some of the older students, mostly seventh years, the headmaster, and a few teachers. They asked me to join them one evening so I went down there to see what it was all about. It's basically a dark wizard training program. They will eventually join the few Death Eaters that are left and set out to terrorize the wizarding world. And once they are strong, they're first stop…the Potter family."
"Why did they let you come down there if they were going to kill your family."
"Well, they don't know who my parents are. I thought it best that when I went to Durmstrang to teach that I leave the Potter name back in England, and every piece of information I carry in my mind, my home, in my entire life can't be traced by them. It's sort of like a Fidelius Charm. They can't trace our family through me, and they have no idea that I'm the son of Harry Potter and grandson of James Potter. As far as they know my name is Blake Walker." Lily raised her eyebrows in interest.
"Wow Blake, I'm impressed by the work that you did to cover your identity, that's very impressive." Blake turned to his father and said,
"Dad, I'm sorry for everything that I've said and done. I've felt guilty about it for years. Can…you forgive me?" Harry didn't answer right away, but his wife elbowed him in the side telling him to answer. Harry slowly nodded and said,
"Yes, I can forgive you. And I'm sorry too." Through the ceiling sounds of people waking up could be heard and Julia's voice traveled down the stairs, as she was talking to her children. Lily nodded up at the ceiling and said to her brother,
"Well, now that we've all forgiven each other, and everything's all right with all of us, now comes the hard part."
A/n: Hey hey! Here's the next chapter to Fate's Never Ending Cycle! Please review!