Morning came to Hogwarts, but without sunlight. At first, Harry awoke, thinking the shades were drawn, but upon glancing in their direction, he realized that the curtains were parted, and there was nothing outside but eternal darkness. He grabbed his glasses off the bedside table and placed them on his nose. His watch read 9:15 a.m., and Kalli's side of the bed was empty. Harry groaned and sat up.
She was standing across the room by the fireplace, watching the embers glow softly. Her arms were laced across her chest, and it gave the illusion that she was hugging herself. Long ebony curls cascaded down the lavender silk nightdress, accentuating her small waistline and flared hips. Harry watched her for a long moment, simply standing there. She wasn't moving; it didn't even seem like she was breathing. If he had been standing in front of her he was certain that her eyes would be closed as well. She wasn't in this time and place, she was lost in the nothingness. She was searching it for anything that could help them.
Harry climbed from the massive king sized bed and slipped on his house shoes. He reached up and tried to flatten his hair as he made his way across the room. She was standing a safe distance from the fire, so he ignited the coals and watched as they bathed the furniture in firelight.
The glow got trapped in Kalli's skin, lighting it aflame with gold. The lavender of her nightgown glittered like jewels, and she still didn't move, her face was relaxed, angelic. Harry stood for a long moment, drinking in the sight of her like a fine wine to be savored. After that, he turned away and moved to the bathroom off the bedroom to shower.
Kalli remained by the fireplace until after Harry started the shower water, then she slowly stirred from her meditation. Ice blue eyes blinked open, and she smiled. She had sensed someone out there. Whether it was Sirius, or one of the survivors from Diagon Alley, she couldn't know, but someone was out there. She turned from the blazing fireplace just as Harry opened the door to the bathroom. He was wrapped in a towel, his sinewy arms holding the towel close. He was still rail thin, with well sculpted muscles in his arms and torso. His dark framed glasses were riding low on his nose. She smiled. He had utterly refused to buy new glasses, they were his trademark, he claimed. Most recognized the scar, of course, but he didn't. He saw the glasses every time he looked in the mirror.
His dark hair stuck up in multiple directions, even though it was obvious that he had tried to tame it with a comb. Kalli started toward him, moving like the cat that was her Animagus. Harry watched her for a long moment, watched her as she watched him. "Did you find anything?" Harry asked her.
She smiled, but did not answer. "We should find Ron and Hermione," Kalli said softly. Harry nodded and reached for the khaki's that hung on the chair in the corner. Underneath them were his boxers, which he donned without dropping the towel. Kalli started to giggle. Harry flushed a light pink, and smiled at her. "You're so self-conscious," Kalli whispered. "With all the times you've been watched, stared at and spied on, you still keep your towel on to get dressed in front of me." Harry shrugged. "I love you," Kalli whispered.
Harry pulled his khakis on and walked toward her, his shirt in his closed fist. She accepted his arms around her waist, and leaned into him. He could never say the words out loud, could never say them above a whisper. It would probably be like that for the rest of his life. They were always soft and hidden. "I love you, Kalli," he whispered in her ear. She smiled, wrapping her arms around his neck, and burying her face in his collarbone.
She inhaled the scent of him, and then stepped back. "Get dressed, darling, we should get going. I want to get home today." Harry nodded and stepped back as well. He tossed the shirt over his head, and pulled out down. The green cotton of the polo shirt matched his eyes perfectly, and he shrugged his shoulders to adjust the sleeves. While he was turned away Kalli was donning blue jeans and a teal tank top. She grabbed a black zip up hoodie, and slipped on her sneakers.
A knock sounded at the door, and Harry crossed to room to pull open the mahogany monstrosity. Outside stood Ron and Hermione, both dressed similar to the two in the room. Hermione wore a sweater and white oxford, Ron in jeans and pullover polo. "Ready, Kalli?" Hermione asked. "We should see what you can get in the tower."
"Actually, we need to talk, Hermione," Kalli said, stepping up beside Harry. "I did some scrying today and found some resistance. There's someone out there." Ron looked amazed. "Harry heard Sirius yesterday, in the Great Hall. We think he might be trying to get back to reality, but instead he's just pulling things to him."
Hermione nodded, remaining silent for a long moment. "I suspected as much from him," she said finally. "At first I thought we might be pulled by You-Know-Who, but that would be strange for him. He's trying to conquer, not vanish. The more there is to control, the better for him. I was entertaining the thought of it being an outside influence, but Sirius? Isn't he dead?" She froze as she watched Harry's face fall. "Oh, Harry…"
"Research it, Hermione. Make sure it's not Sirius. If you research it and comes back negative, I'll never speak of it again. But it sounded like him," Harry said. Kalli looped her arm through Harry's, and smiled at Hermione. She was staring at him, not saying a word. There wasn't a doubt in Kalli's mind that everyone who heard Harry believed that he had heard his god-father's voice.
The library was completely empty, no librarian or anything as Hermione and Kalli poured over the dusty volumes. Harry and Ron had gone to look through Dumbledore's personal library, although Harry claimed there was no point, since Dumbledore didn't have any idea what was happening. But Ron argued that even Dumbledore couldn't have read all of the ancient volumes in the Headmaster's extensive library.
Kalli frowned as Hermione sneezed once more. The blonde witch clapped the book shut and sneezed again. "Really, Kalli, this is pointless. If it is Sirius, then he's going to be the only one who knows how to reverse it, and if it's not, then we're looking in the wrong books."
The raven witch turned the pages of the grimy book, scanning words for anything that might be helpful. Hermione had read through most of the books piled on the table, while Kalli had doodled on the paper sitting at her right side. Finally, Hermione was leaning back, taking a break while Kalli poured over foot thick novels and dust-laden pages of miniscule writing.
The doors to the library burst open and Harry and Ron came running in. Kalli slammed the book shut as they skid to a stop, sending a cloud of dust into their faces. She grimaced as both men sneezed loudly. "Thanks, honey," Harry said, wiping his eyes.
"Sorry," Kalli replied sheepishly, her lips curved down into a frown.
Ron didn't miss a beat, "We found something." He slammed the book down on the table, sending up another cloud of dust. Harry glared at him through grimy glasses. "Sorry, chap," Ron added, then flipped the book open. "Here, on the bottom of the page. Looks like a female's handwriting. Harry and I couldn't get it, but it says something about vanishing and nothingness. Hermione, can you make it out?"
Hermione leaned in, squinting at the writing in the margin of the corner. "Tried to use spell to bring property back from nothingness, since it vanished we haven't been able to contact anyone in the building. The spell is too powerful, and cannot master the wandwork," Hermione read slowly, her voice low. "Sounds like something vanished, and the Headmistress tried a spell, but it didn't work. But where's the spell?"
"Can I see the book, Hermione?" Kalli asked, reaching for it. Hermione handed it over, watching Kalli's face. Kalli studied it for a long moment, her deft fingers searching the words on the page for meaning. She pulled out her wand and tapped the book. Several words had capital letters randomly laced through them. She touched each letter, and it shot up and began to hover lazily.
Justifio locato.
Hermione frowned. "Justifio locato?"
"Justify location?" Ron asked, his face skeptical. "That's it? Justify location?"
Harry rolled his eyes. "It wasn't the wandwork that killed the spell, it was the spell. Who thought of that rubbish?"
"I don't know," Hermione countered, "Lumos gives us light."
"Lumos means light," Kalli whispered. "Justify location means to justify your location. I don't want to justify this location, I want to get home."
"I concur," Harry said kindly, smiling at Kalli. "We need to get out of here, and get home. You guys are getting married, and we kind of need to be in the real world for that. Family and friends and all that."
All of them fell silent for a long moment, Hermione and Ron staring at each other. Kalli reached for Harry's hand, and they all remained quiet.
Almost as if it was brought by the wind, a voice drifted through the stacks of the library. Harry, I have faith in you. Only you can find me.
"Holy Godric," Kalli whispered, whipping her head around. Harry grimaced and turned away. "Harry, if that's not Sirius then we have a problem."
"It is," Harry said, more certainty in his voice then ever before. Kalli squeezed Harry's hand affectionately.
Ron nodded. "Ok, Potter, how do we reach him?" Harry shrugged, his face falling.
"I'll call for him," Kalli inserted, rising to her feet. "Up in the Astronomy Tower, it is the highest part of the castle." Hermione nodded. "Just Harry and me, though. He's obviously the primary."
Ron's brown eyes held doubt. He said, "Is that safe?"
"We're not going to be channeling anyone, just trying to have contact to find out who it is."
"It's Sirius," Harry said.
Above them, the sky swirled in and out, the colors bleeding in and out. Kalli sat on the edge of the tower, Harry beside her. They had been silent since they sat down, neither one could find words. Kalli had her eyes closed, and Harry was taking in everything he could see. This meant he was looking into the depths of nothing. "I don't feel him, Harry," Kalli whispered finally.
"Come on Sirius," Harry said to the darkness. "Give us something."
What do you want, Harry?
Kalli started, clutching her heart. Harry grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him. His arm came around her waist, and pulled her tight. "Did you hear that?" He asked. Kalli nodded. "What should I do?" Harry whispered.
"Tell him what you want, Potter," Kalli whispered in return, smiling. She shoved him slightly. He grinned at her.
"I want you to come back," Harry said aloud.
Show me how, Harry.
Harry glanced to Kalli, who shrugged. He sat there for a long time, staring at the starbursts in the midst of nowhere. Kalli tilted her head against Harry's shoulder and sighed. She pulled out her wand and began to draw lighted shapes in the sky before her. He smiled and glanced down at her. In the darkness he could barely see her, but he knew what she looked like. Her image was burned into his head. He saw her in his dreams. He memorized her features, the colors of her skin.
"The Lost and Found Incantation?" Harry asked.
Kalli perked up, lifting her head. "That will work, Harry. Why didn't I think of it?"
"I'm the Boy-Who-Lived," Harry retorted. "Wouldn't you agree, Sirius?"
I would have to say I expected Kalli to reach that conclusion…
"Smart ass," Harry muttered.
Watch your language, young man.
Kalli rose to her feet, slipping her wand into her pocket. She turned to what she assumed would be north, since it was before they vanished, and raised her arms. Her voice called out, loud and husky, "Winds of the North I call to thee, I seek to find what is now lost, in my mind it's picture I see, make it found what I need the most."
If Harry's research on the chanting was accurate then wind should be howling and lightning should be striking. But in nothingness there was literally nothing. Kalli stood there for a long moment, almost as if she was waiting for something. There was no sound, no whistling, no cosmic booms. It was almost as if everything they had ever known about magic, the bangs, the booms, the flashing lights had all been parlor tricks.
"Hmmm, almost makes the other stuff seem too extravagant," a voice said from behind them. Kalli spun to look at Harry, who, in turn spun to look at the wall. Perched on the wall was a skinny man with black hair pulled back in a ponytail. He was wearing jeans and a black t-shirt. Both were torn and filthy. His dark eyes were sunk deep in his sallow skin, and he looked near death, but he was smiling.
"Sirius!" Kalli exclaimed, voicing what Harry was mouthing. Sirius vaulted off the wall and embraced Harry, then reached out and grabbed Kalli, pulling her into the hug. "Oh, thank Godric, I never expected to see you again!"
Sirius started to laugh, holding them both in his arms. Soon, Harry joined in, his laughter ringing like bells. Kalli started to laugh as well, happy to finally hear Harry's real laughter coming out. She leaned over and grabbed him, kissing him soundly. He kissed her back, wrapping his arms around her waist. Sirius stopped laughing, but kept smiling.
"Let's go find Ron and Hermione," Kalli said, breaking away. "This is amazing," she continued, still holding Harry and Sirius in her embrace. Both her and Harry started toward the door to the stairs.
Sirius' words stopped them in their tracks, "We still have to find a way home."