Thanks to everyone who watched and reviewed book 3, it was greatly appreciated. and now for the exciting conclosion to Mists of Lies!

Epilogue

Looking Forward…

"Harry!"

Hermione was tugging at his sleeve, staring at her watch. "We've got exactly ten minutes to get back down to the hospital wing without anybody seeing us, before Dumbledore locks the door…"

"Okay," said Harry, wrenching his gaze from the sky, "let's go..." They slipped through the doorway behind them and down a tightly spiraling stone staircase. As they reached the bottom of it, they heard voices. They flattened themselves against the wall and listened. It sounded like Fudge and Snape. They were walking quickly along the corridor at the foot of the staircase.

"...only hope Dumbledore's not going to make difficulties," Snape was saying. "The Kiss will be performed immediately?"

"As soon as Macnair returns with the dementors. This whole Black affair has been highly embarrassing. I can't tell you how much I'm looking forward to informing the Daily Prophet that we've got him at last... I daresay they'll want to interview you, Snape... and once young Harry's back in his right mind, I expect he'll want to tell the Prophet exactly how you saved him..."

Harry clenched his teeth. He caught a glimpse of Snape's smirk as he and Fudge passed Harry and Hermione's hiding place. Their footsteps died away. Harry and Hermione waited a few moments to make sure they'd really gone, then started to run in the opposite direction, down one staircase, then another, along a new corridor.

"Hermione… what'll happen… if we don't get back inside before Dumbledore locks the door?" Harry panted.

"I don't want to think about it!" Hermione moaned, checking her watch again. "One minute!"

They had reached the end of the corridor with the hospital wing entrance. "Okay… I can hear Dumbledore," said Hermione tensely. "Come on, Harry!"

They crept along the corridor. The door opened. Dumbledore's back appeared.

"I am going to lock you in," they heard him saying. "It is five minutes to midnight. Miss Granger, three turns should do it. Good luck."

Dumbledore backed out of the room, closed the door, and took out his wand to magically lock it. Panicking, Harry and Hermione ran forward.

Dumbledore looked up, and a wide smile appeared under the long silver mustache. "Well?" he said quietly.

"We did it!" said Harry breathlessly. "Sirius has gone, on Buckbeak..." Dumbledore beamed at them.

"Well done. I think…" He listened intently for any sound within the hospital wing. "Yes, I think you've gone too, get inside… I'll lock you in."

Harry and Hermione slipped back inside the dormitory. It was empty except for Faykan and Ron, who were still lying motionless in their beds. As the lock clicked behind them, Harry and Hermione crept back to their own beds, Hermione tucking the Time-Turner back under her robes. A moment later, Madam Pomfrey came striding back out of her office.

"Did I hear the headmaster leaving? Am I allowed to look after my patients now?"

She was in a very bad mood. Harry and Hermione thought it best to accept their chocolate quietly. Madam Pomfrey stood over them, making sure they ate it.

~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~

Albus sighed as he settled himself into his chair the next day. The night Sirius 'escaped' was one he wouldn't forget soon. After Harry and Hermione returned and he locked them inside the Hospital wing, Severus had stormed down from Sirius' makeshift cell and demanded that Harry had had something to do with Black's escape. Albus chuckled softly, as in hindsight, Severus was perfectly correct in his suspicion. But thankfully, the usage of the Time-Turner was never revealed, and poor Severus was made out to look like a fool in front of the Minister, costing him his Order of Merlin. A small sacrifice, but Albus thought it was worth Sirius' freedom for the moment.

As Albus put a Lemon Drop into his mouth and began to enjoy the sour flavoring of the Muggle sweet, there was a knock at his door. "Enter," he said. Professor Trelawney opened the door, her shawls flowing around her as she strode up to the Headmaster's desk, "Good morning Sybill." Albus said smiling.

"Hello Professor," Sybill responded, "I am sorry to disturb you this early, but the fates have forewarned me of the terrible accident that has landed my most prized student in the hospital wing, and I felt it prudent to ask as to his welfare, since Madam Pomfrey wouldn't allow me to see the poor boy for myself." Albus raised one eyebrow; it was not often that Sybill favored any students, even those that fawned after her. If she was concerned, then the boy in question must actually have talent in divination, if not the actual gift.

"I do believe you refer to Mr. Undol, if I am correct Sybill?" Albus asked. She nodded. "Well, he did have a small run in with the dementors last night, something related to the escape of Sirius Black no doubt, but Professor Snape had just perfected a potion that will have him up and about in a day or two at the latest."

Personally, Albus wasn't too happy about the boy being so quickly revived, he had hoped have more time to influence Harry before Faykan came back into the picture. They boy was indeed becoming a nuisance to Albus' plans.

Sybill had stopped speaking, but Albus didn't notice until her voice deepened, "The sleeper with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord has stirred… awaiting freedom bought with sacrifice from those whom he loves… at his side is the Slayer of Darkness who shall love and serve him, and together they shall wield power that time has forgotten, power the Dark Lord will envy above all else… and he shall lead men with the battle cry of phoenix song… for need shall drive him, and the earth shall quake at the power of his command. He shall walk the land till the cry of the gulls he shall hear; for the sea shall call him… the sleeper has begun to awaken…" Albus' jaw dropped, a new prophecy concerning Harry, clearly, and Voldemort, the Dark Lord, and… someone else, this 'Slayer of Darkness'…

As Sybill muttered something about falling asleep and departed, Albus pondered the possible meaning of what he had heard. If it meant what he thought, he was going to have to step in and help Harry more directly than he had been. And then there was the fact that to do this, Faykan would have to be out of the picture permanently. 'Well,' Albus thought, 'the Triwizard Tournament is planned to be played at Hogwarts next year…' and with that notion, Albus Dumbledore began to plan and plot.

~~Sina tea kirma : This is a line break~~

The last day of term was very important for Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco. Not only were their exam results returned, they had passed everything, but a note was sent down to them at breakfast saying that Faykan had woken up at last. Together the four third years dashed up to the Hospital wing to see the black haired boy sitting up, eating what looked like a pound of chocolate, supervised closely by Madam Pomfrey. When he saw them all, Faykan broke into a wide grin.

They all dashed to his side, crushing him with their hugs, causing Madam Pomfrey to tut about disturbing patents that needed rest, but they ignored her, and she left them in peace. Harry had been worried that Faykan might not wake up this time, he was out much longer than the last time he encountered dementors. When they finally released him, Harry saw that his best friend had tears in his eyes. "I'm sorry," he said quietly, and Harry slugged him in the arm.

"You git," he said, "you did what you knew was the right thing to do. How could I be angry at you for that?" Harry hugged him again, hoping that he could squeeze the stupidity out of him while he was at it. He held on for longer than was probably considered appropriate, but he didn't care, he was too happy right now. When he finally released Faykan, the boy was flushed slightly, and everyone else was staring. "What?" Harry said, causing both Ron and Draco to burst out laughing.

They began to fill Faykan in on what he had missed over the last few days, namely that Professor Lupin had resigned, due to someone leaking the information that he was a werewolf, and that he had returned Harry's cloak and the marauder's map, saying that since he was no longer their teacher, he had no hesitation in returning the items to their rightful owner. They also had to inform Draco on what he has missed out on when they finally had encountered Sirius, and Draco practically had a fit right in the Hospital Wing, so great was his shock.

"Pity," Faykan commented when they had finished, "Lupin was the best Professor we ever had…" they all smiled weakly, because it was the truth.

"Harry," Faykan said abruptly, "Something's different, let me see," he stared into Harry's eyes for a moment, then smiled again, "the block on your magic has a new, bigger crack in it; magic is seeping out faster now. You should be able to do more than before now that the fracture is larger." This was good news indeed.

As the Hogwarts Express pulled out of the station the next morning, Hermione gave Harry, Faykan, Draco, and Ron some surprising news.

"I went to see Professor McGonagall this morning, just before breakfast. I've decided to drop Muggle Studies."

"But you passed your exam with three hundred and twenty percent!" said Ron.

"I know," sighed Hermione, "but I can't stand another year like this one. That Time-Turner, it was driving me mad. I've handed it in. Without Muggle Studies and Divination, I'll be able to have a normal schedule again."

"I still can't believe you didn't tell us about it," said Draco grumpily. "We're supposed to be your friends."

"I promised I wouldn't tell anyone," said Hermione severely. She looked around at Faykan, who was watching Hogwarts disappear from view behind a mountain.

Harry wondered sadly where Sirius had run off to, "Oh, cheer up, Harry!" said Draco.

"I'm okay," said Harry quickly. "Just thinking about the holidays."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about them too," said Ron. "Harry, you and Faykan have got to come and stay with us. I'll fix it up with Mum and Dad, and we'll come get you or something, it's the Quidditch World Cup this summer! How about it? Come and stay, and we'll go and see it! Dad can usually get tickets from work."

This proposal had the effect of cheering Harry up a great deal.

Feeling considerably more cheerful, Harry joined his friends in several games of Exploding Snap, and when the witch with the tea cart arrived, he bought himself a very large lunch, though nothing with chocolate in it.

But it was late in the afternoon before the thing that made him truly happy turned up...

"Harry," said Hermione suddenly, peering over his shoulder. "What's that thing outside your window?"

Harry turned to look outside. Something very small and gray was bobbing in and out of sight beyond the glass. He stood up for a better look and saw that it was a tiny owl, carrying a letter that was much too big for it. The owl was so small, in fact, that it kept tumbling over in the air, buffeted this way and that in the train's slipstream. Harry quickly pulled down the window, stretched out his arm, and caught it. It felt like a very fluffy Snitch. He brought it carefully inside. The owl dropped its letter onto Harry's seat and began zooming around their compartment, apparently very pleased with itself for accomplishing its task.

Hedwig clicked her beak with a sort of dignified disapproval. Crookshanks sat up in his seat, following the owl with his great yellow eyes. Ron, noticing this, snatched the owl safely out of harm's way.

Harry picked up the letter. It was addressed to him. He ripped open the letter, and shouted, "It's from Sirius!"

"What?" said Ron, Draco and Hermione excitedly. "Read it aloud!"

'Dear Harry,

I hope this finds you before you reach your aunt and uncle. I don't know whether they're used to owl post. Buckbeak and I are in hiding. I won't tell you where, in case this owl falls into the wrong hands. I have some doubt about his reliability, but he is the best I could find, and he did seem eager for the job.

I believe the dementors are still searching for me, but they haven't a hope of finding me here. I am planning to allow some Muggles to glimpse me soon, a long way from Hogwarts, so that the security on the castle will be lifted. I would also like to apologize for the fright I think I gave you that night last year when you left your uncle's house. I had only hoped to get a glimpse of you before starting my journey north, but I think the sight of me alarmed you.

I am enclosing something else for you, which I think will make your next year at Hogwarts more enjoyable. Trust your friends Harry, they'll lead you right.

If ever you need me, send word. Your owl will find me. I'll write again soon.

Sirius'

Harry looked eagerly inside the envelope. There was another piece of parchment in there. He read it through quickly and felt suddenly as warm and contented as though he'd swallowed a bottle of hot butterbeer in one gulp.

'I, Sirius Black, Harry Potter's godfather, hereby give him permission to visit Hogsmeade on weekends.'

"That'll be good enough for Dumbledore!" said Harry happily. He looked back at Sirius's letter. "Hang on, there's a PS..."

'I thought your friend Ron might like to keep this owl, as it's my fault he no longer has a rat.'

Ron's eyes widened. The minute owl was still hooting excitedly. "Keep him?" he said uncertainly. He looked closely at the owl for a moment; then, to Harry's and Hermione's great surprise, he held him out for Crookshanks to sniff.

"What do you reckon?" Ron asked the cat. "Definitely an owl?" Crookshanks purred.

"That's good enough for me," said Ron happily. "He's mine."

Harry read and reread the letter from Sirius all the way back into King's Cross station. It was still clutched tightly in his hand as he, Faykan, Ron, and Hermione stepped back through the barrier of platform nine and three-quarters. Draco had to wait for his parents on the platform, and he bid them farewell from there. "Harry," Faykan said, "If you don't care, I wish to stay with you this summer, this year had tired me out." he rubbed absently at the scar on his chest.

"Of course you can stay!" Harry exclaimed in delight! With that, Faykan grabbed Harry's arm, leading him into a shadowed alleyway, and apparated them back to Privet Drive.

To Be Continued…