A/N: Thanks for reviews. I'm glad many of you were not offended by the wolfstar pairing, though there were a few that didn't know what 'no flames' mean. Oh well, can't please everyone, I guess.

Answers to some questions: No, Sky will not be gay in this story. The only slash pairing will be Wolfstar and I don't think there will be much of that either apart from few scenes I have already decided.

As for Remus' werewolf transformations - I'm not sure I mentioned it somewhere, but they are easier to him after being heled from the scars and having his pack with him. During the years he has lived with Sirius, Sky and Marcus, he has learned to accept the wolf, which makes them less painful, though not completely, and having his pack with him in their animagus forms helps him too when he transforms.

This is the last chapter of PART ONE. I hope you like it.

Note Aug/17: This chapter has been partly rewritten

'Thoughts'

"Talking"

Marcus was making his daily rounds around the Department like he had been doing when he got back to work seven months ago. He wanted to get to know all his agents and trainees and see how they progressed in their missions and training. He had started to do the same thing in the research part of the DoM, which was more known to the people in Ministry. In fact, no-one apart from the agents that worked there, the Head and the Head Auror even knew that there was another part in the DoM, which was why they succeeded in their missions so well.

Marcus' goal was to be as approachable as possible and not just the mysterious Department Head whom no one ever saw. The people who didn't know him from the past learned to trust him, and that they could come to him if they were having any problems. There were no bullies in the Department anymore, partly because of Marcus' presence, but mostly because they were all afraid of Sky. Sky's display of Magic after the few months they had been there had frightened all the possible bullies, not just Serpent, who had been quiet and only concentrated on his job after that.

Marcus of course had felt Sky's burst of magic – he doubted that no-one in the Ministry had missed it – and heard rumors about the events, before Sky later on had told him about it. Marcus had had to lecture him about it, if only for appearances sake, but in truth he had been proud of Sky for lasting as long as he did, and told him as much. Marcus understood why Sky had snapped and couldn't really blame him for that. After all, he himself had fought with Serpent when he was younger and even hexed him in more than one occasion.

Marcus changed a few words with the trainees and trainers in their training area before going to the advanced agents' area, where he saw Sky go through his usual training. He sat down in the stands watching Sky move fast against thirty training dummies that had been programmed to fight on the highest level possible. He was fighting them with wandless magic as usual, but this time he was only using Dark arts.

Marcus had taught him the Dark arts during his training, but only after Sky had understood the difference between Light and Dark. He had taught him that being 'Dark' or using Dark arts didn't mean the same as evil and that not all 'Light' was good. After all, one could use a 'Light' spell to kill someone too. Sky had learned quickly that only the intent mattered and it seemed to Marcus that Sky had adapted it even before they had talked about it.

Marcus was brought out of his musings by Blade, Panther, Wolf and Z, who sat down beside him watching Sky, who had finished his training with the dummies and started with a mock mission, which he had asked one of his fellow agents to create for him.

The training rooms in the DoM were like the Room of Requirement in Hogwarts and by using them they could easily create mock missions for training. Sky often asked one of his colleagues to create one for him and the other agents had taken it upon themselves to try to make up a mission that Sky wouldn't be able to pass. So far no-one had succeeded.

"Seven months and I still can't understand how he can be that good." Blade said shaking his head as Sky advanced through the mission. It was a night mission where Sky's task was to retrieve an object from a heavily guarded fortress.

"And how can he be so mature and professional?" Panther joined in smiling fondly, but sadly. "He's only eight."

"Shade… He hasn't had a very happy childhood, and it has forced him to mature early." Marcus said, not really knowing how to answer. He knew he could trust the team Five with everything, but he didn't want to give away too much and reveal Sky's identity. It was just too risky, even with all the oaths that Unspeakables had to swear.

"What happened?" Wolf asked.

"It's up to him to tell you that." Marcus said.

"Where did he go?" Blade asked suddenly. Marcus scanned the field, but could saw no sign of Sky, which was odd, since all the spectators should be able to see what happened on the mission.

"I don't know." Marcus said. "He can't be under any disillusionment charm, we would see that.

Suddenly Sky reappeared and 'killed' the last enemies with his katana and retrieved the wanted object.

"How the hell did he do that?" Blade asked as they walked down to the field as the room changed back to normal. Marcus said nothing as he walked towards Sky, lost in his thoughts. He thought about all the times Sky had done something similar like in Sirius trial or in the monastery, and remembered his resolve to find out how he did it, which he had completely forgotten until now.

"Marcus, Blade, Panther, Wolf, Z." Sky nodded to them all while wiping his sweaty face to the towel. "What's up?"

"We were watching your training and were curious of how you managed to disappear like that, before you ended the mission." Wolf said.

"I don't know. I just kinda blended to the shadows. I've done it a few times before… It's like an instinct; I don't even realize all the times I'm doing it…" Sky shrugged.

"You blend with the shadows?" Wolf asked incredulously.

"Yea."

"How'd you do that?"

"He's a Shadow Walker."

They all turned around to look at Z, who hadn't spoken since Sky first came to the Department.

"A what?"

"A Shadow Walker. A person, who can hide, and travel through the shadows, some say that they could even call up, create and wield them, but there is no evidence of that. The Shadow Walkers are a myth, a legend that has been told from generation to generation for hundreds of years."

"And you think that I'm a Shadow Walker?" Sky asked cocking an eyebrow.

"It is possible. There hasn't been a Shadow Walker in centuries." Z said.

"Why?" Wolf asked.

"People started to realize the importance of their children and care for them more. Also the Ministry passed laws to forbid child abuse."

"How does child abuse have anything to do with Shadow Walkers?" Panther asked.

Marcus closed his eyes. He already knew. He had heard rumors about the Shadow Walkers before, but never thought they were really real. He opened his eyes and regarded Sky who had stiffened at the mention of child abuse, but not enough for the others – except for Z, who watched him intently – to notice.

"To become a Shadow Walker, one must be kept in a small, dark place as a child younger than a five-year-old at least for a year." Z continued while watching the blank, closed expression on Sky's face that he always had when his past was mentioned. There was a brief silence as Blade, Panther and Wolf tried to comprehend what Z had just said. One by one they turned to look at Sky with different kinds of expressions of disbelief, horror, anger, pity, sympathy and understanding.

"So, how do I control it?" Sky asked calmly, like nothing had happened. Sky could possibly fool the others, but Marcus knew him too well to not notice that he was using Occlumency to keep his emotions in check, and he was sure that Z noticed too.

Z regarded Sky for a moment before answering:

"You must concentrate on your magic, meditate and find your magical core and access the power. Then you only have to train and use it."

"Thanks Z." Sky said flashing a bright smile for him, though it didn't entirely reach his eyes. "I'm gonna hit the showers. I have a training session with Silver in fifteen minutes." He said and nodded to Marcus and the others before walking out of the room.

They stood in silence for a moment before Panther turned to look at Marcus with a demanding look on her face.

"How long?"

"What do you mean?" Marcus asked and started walking back towards his office.

"How long was he kept in the dark?" Panther asked irritated as she hurried after him with the others.

"I don't know what you're talking about." Marcus said. He knew exactly what she was talking about, but didn't want to betray Sky's trust in him.

"Marcus Ryan Lee, you tell me right now or I'll…" She started, using the same tone that she always used when she really wanted to know something. Marcus knew that tone from the time they were in Hogwarts together and knew that if he let her continue, she would eventually get what she wanted.

"You will what, Panther?" He asked as they stepped into his office. "You forget that I am your boss here Panther, and I'm sworn to secrecy about the backgrounds of all my agents."

"We are not discussing here just one of your agents, Marcus. We are talking about Shade, as a child he still is no matter how mature he is, and as your son, whom we all care and love. – And don't you dare deny him as your son Marcus Lee, I know you love him as much as you did your wife and your daughter." Panther said sternly and Marcus knew that he couldn't get out of this one.

"It took me two years to get him to trust me completely, Marie." Marcus sighed using Panther's real name. "Don't ask me to betray his trust by asking me to tell you things about his past he doesn't want to be known."

Panther pondered this for a while before coming to decision. "Just tell me how long he was kept in the dark and I'll drop it for now."

Marcus knew that this was the best deal he would get and decided to take it.

"Four years."

"Four…years?" Wolf asked. Marcus could see the horror and outrage in their eyes and expressions, even on Z's, who had closed his eyes to keep himself calm.

"Yes, four years in a cupboard." He said. "Now, get back to work, I have things to do. And don't bother Shade about this; he doesn't want to talk about his past." Marcus continued and ushered them out of his office, before they could argue against it.

He sighed as he closed the door. He knew he would have to speak to Sky about his new found ability and probably the Dursleys too. And he didn't want Sky to go through that pain of remembering his abuse in their hands again.

"Hi." Marcus said as he sat down next to Sky in the living room, where he was reading some thick book of potions.

"Hi."

"You okay? With what happened this afternoon?"

"Sure, I've another rare ability. What's the big deal?" Sky said without removing his eyes of the book."

"You know that's not what I meant." Marcus said quietly.

"Fine" Sky sighed and closed his book with a snap, turning to look at Marcus. "I'm pissed off."

"Pissed off?" Marcus asked confused.

"Yea"

"Why?"

"You saw how they looked at me – with pity. I hate it when someone looks at me like that. They see me as an abused kid and not what I really am. Sure I'm an abused kid, but that doesn't mean that I need to be pitied or treated like glass, and it sure doesn't define what or who I am. I have faced my demons in the past and got over it. Of course when someone mentions child abuse or whatever, it'll bring back memories, but I just don't like to be reminded of it every time one of them looks at me." Sky ranted.

"I know Sky." Marcus said. "But I'm sure they'll get over it and see you as you. You know how Marie is. She likes to mother children no matter who's they are."

"How much did you have to tell them? I know she wouldn't have just let it pass." Sky asked.

"I only told them how long you were kept in the cupboard and made them swear not to bother you." Marcus said.

"Like Panther would let it go" Sky snorted. "She will bring it up again when the opportunity rises."

"Yea, she's like that. She was like that when we were young too; no secrets could get by her."

"Why does she try to mother everyone like that?"

"During the First War she and Blade were expecting a child. They were very happy and Panther had always wanted to have children. One day, when she was about six months pregnant, their home was attacked by a bunch of Death Eaters. She was tortured by a Cruciatus and lost the child. The healers told her that she wouldn't be able to have children anymore." Marcus said sadly. "Since then she's been fiercely protective of children. The Dursleys better hope that they won't ever meet her."

"Yeah."

"Did you try to access your new found power?" Marcus asked changing the subject.

"Not yet, I thought I research Shadow walkers first and then try. The Black library's bound to have something, if the Potter library doesn't." Sky said.

"Yea, it's probably better to know what you're dealing with first. I can help you to search, if you like."

"Sure, let's go to Grimmauld place first. I have a feeling that we won't find anything here." Sky said and jumped up.

They apparated straight to the library and started to search for any references to Shadow Walkers. It took them over two hours before Marcus found a small book called The Shadow Walkers through the time. They opened the book and started to read.

The Shadow Walkers, also known as Shade shifters have been around since the time of Merlin. The rumor has it, that Merlin himself had been the first ever Shadow Walker and passed the knowledge to his students. The Shadow Walkers are said to be able to travel through the shadows and create them from nothing wherever they are. It is also possible to call upon the shadows and wield them as a weapon.

To become a Shadow Walker one must be unwillingly kept in a small, dark room for a long time as a child. It is calculated that only children younger than five years old are able to receive this gift, and the child must be magically powerful one. The minimum time one must be kept in the Dark to get the power is 367 days. However, the longer the child is kept there, the better control one has over the shadows -.

"It says basically the same thing as Z did, though there are a few chapters of how to use them. I think it's better, if I don't take this book too seriously and just experiment all that I can do and go from there. The book is mostly speculation, so nothing in it is really confirmed." Sky said. "I'll read it through and then try to access my powers."

"Good, but don't try anything alone in case something happens." Marcus said and left Sky to read the book.

Sky walked down the corridors of Saint Mungo's along with five trainees – which included Padfoot and Silver – and Panther. They were the most advanced of the trainees that Sky had been training and it was time for them to start their education in advanced healing, which was required to become a full-fledged agent. Sky himself had been taught by Marcus and a Chinese monk, who had been specialized in healing, while they were in China during their first year of time travel.

Healing others was one thing that had never come easy for Sky. His magic had spent years pushing through the blocks on his magic in an attempt to keep him alive, healing him as far as it could. When Sky tried to heal someone else than himself it was like his magic was fighting him and not letting his spells be completely successful as if the magic was afraid to leave his body just in case it needed to heal him instead. Sky didn't understand at all how his magic could behave like that, like it had a will of its own. It should obey him; it was his magic after all!

Marcus thought it was a psychological problem. He said Sky's unconscious – the very deepest part of his mind - wasn't yet convinced that he was safe, away from his abusive relatives and thus Sky didn't want to "donate" his magic away to heal others. Marcus said there was nothing they could do about it as it would take time to convince the last part of Sky's mind that they were safe. Sky thought it was stupid, but there was nothing he could do about it.

It seemed the only way he could heal others was when he was able to channel his raw magic to do it for him. The problem was that he had no control over when these outbursts happened and if there even was something to channel it to. Sky grimaced as he thought of his last outburst just a few months ago. He had been in the training rooms working on another mock mission when it had happened. He had had no outlet for it that time and he had ended up blowing up half the room. Sufficient to say Marcus had not been happy. Sky was definitely not looking forward to his next outburst.

Sky and the trainees approached the Head Healer who introduced herself as Healer Johnson. Sky remember seeing her once in the DoM, visiting Marcus to arrange the healing training as only the Head Healer was allowed to do so. It was difficult business to arrange as it had to be done in the Saint Mungo's, but without anyone but the Head Healer knowing that they were Unspeakables. All the trainees were in a disguise so that no one would see their real identity, as they couldn't wear their robes to maintain secrecy.

Healer Johnson started their training with a tour around the hospital while explaining about the different wards in each floor. Sky mostly tuned out the healer's lecture and looked around the hospital, as he was only there with Panther to keep an eye on the trainees. Sky had never been in Saint Mungo's before and was very curious about the different healing magicks used in different wards.

As they reached the fourth floor, where spell damage was treated and the long-term patients kept, Sky felt a weird tingling feeling under his skin. It was like something was pulling him towards the long-term residence ward, where the patients all had some kinds of mental problems. Sky told Panther to stay with the trainees and started following the pull.

He entered a ward where six mentally damaged patients were residing and walked to the last room in the back. The pull led him towards a woman and a man that lay in two separate beds, staring to the ceiling with glassed eyes. Sky recognized the couple right away as Alice – who was his godmother – and Frank Longbottom, who were tortured by Bellatrix Lestrange to insanity a day after Voldemort's downfall, before she was captured and sent to Azkaban. They had left behind their son Neville, who was, according to Sky's knowledge, living with Frank's mother Augusta Longbottom.

The tingling feeling grew stronger the moment Sky had entered the room and Sky could feel the raw magic crawling through him, wanting to get out. Following his instincts, like he had at Christmas in 1987, he approached them and laid his hands on their foreheads. He closed his eyes and concentrated letting his magic run freely. He could feel his magic gathering and running through his body, before it emerged from his fingertips to Alice and Frank. Soon the whole room was flowing with magic and shining with bright light. He didn't know how long he had been standing there, when he felt his magic retire back into his body and the darkness surrounded him.

Sirius was dead bored listening to the Head Healer lecturing about the different wards in the hospital. He had gone through that once already during his Auror training after his graduation at Hogwarts, and had spent a lot of time there with James when they were young as James' mom had worked there as a healer – there were no places in Saint Mungo's that Sirius didn't know about.

Sirius let his thoughts wander to the memories he had shared with James in the hospital, before he started missing Remus. It had been a full moon last night and Remus hadn't been able to come; he always felt very weak afterwards. Sirius wished he could be at home with him and take care of him, but Remus had insisted that he went to work saying that if he needed help he would ask the elves.

He was brought out of his musings by Panther, who was nudging him to the side.

"What?"

"Can you go look for Shade?" Panther whispered. "He went off to somewhere in fourth floor, where the long-term patients are residing. I would go myself, but I can't leave the trainees."

Sirius just nodded glad to be able to escape the boring lecture and left back to the fourth floor. He looked for Sky a long time from different rooms and even asked a few healers, but no one had seen him. He was just about to give up and go back to Panther and see if he had returned there, when a bright light caught his eye from a room he hadn't yet been. He opened the door to the ward and walked cautiously to the last room in the back of it, just in time to see the light vanish and Sky slump into the floor.

"Sky!" He cried and ran to him. Sirius cast a few diagnostic spells and saw, to his great relieve, that he was only unconscious. Just as he was about to wake him up, a vaguely familiar voice called his name:

"Sirius?"

Sirius looked around and took in his surroundings seeing a woman with a golden hair watching at him. Sirius felt his jaw drop open as recognition dawned up on him.

"A-Alice?"

He was looking at his old school friend, who had been tortured to insanity seven years ago, and now she was calling his name perfectly sane. A movement to his right caught his eye and he saw the man next to Alice, looking at him recognition in his eyes too.

"Frank?" Sirius breathed. "What – How?" He started before he realized what had happened; Sky. He must have had another outburst of raw magic, just as he did with Remus. Sirius noticed Sky stirring on his lap holding his head.

"Sky? You okay?"

"Padfoot?" Sky mumbled. "'M fine just got an awful headache. What happened?"

"You overloaded your magic and…" Sirius started but cut off when he heard voices outside the room. "We need to go before any healers come in. It's better if they don't know it was you who healed them." Sirius said quickly. "Alice, Frank, I'm glad you're okay. Ask the healers what happened to you, I don't have time to explain. I'll come back later and explain everything, but now we have to go. Please don't tell about our presence here to anyone." He continued before casting a disillusionment charm on Sky and himself. The door opened and the healers entered letting them slip out of the room. Sirius and Sky walked to a deserted corridor where they could safely drop the disillusionment charm. Sirius handed Sky a headache potion before starting with his interrogation.

"What were you thinking, going off alone like that? You could've lost control of your magic and died or destroyed half the hospital!" He demanded. He had felt so scared seeing Sky slump lifelessly to the floor and was only now really comprehending what had happened.

"I know and I'm sorry I went off alone, but I couldn't really help it. It was just like with Moony at Christmas; I felt a pull towards them and then my magic just started floating from me. I just knew I could heal them and I did."

"Fine, but next time you take someone with you."

LONGBOTTOMS RELEASED FROM THE SAINT MUNGO'S!

Miraculously healed Alice and Frank Longbottom were released today from the Saint Mungo's hospital for magical maladies and injuries in complete health. Last week the couple, who was tortured to insanity right after You-know-who's downfall by the notorious Death Eater Bellatrix Lestrange, was found miraculously healed in their room at the ward for the long-term patients. The healers had previously stated that there was no hope for them to recover from their state, but nonetheless they were found with no sign of their previous mental injuries. Even after a week's investigations there has been found no logical explanation for their unexpected recovery. The Longbottoms were eager to get out from the hospital for their son, Neville, who - -.

Remus stopped reading the article to take a sip from his tea. He skimmed through the rest of it before folding the paper and leaving it to the table. He had been shocked and glad to hear that Sky had been able to cure Frank and Alice, though he too had scolded him for going alone. Sirius had later that evening visited them like he had promised and explained what had happened in the years they had been in a catatonic state and warned them not to trust Dumbledore, though he didn't yet tell them about Harry. Alice and Frank were coming that night to the Lux Manerium and they had planned to reveal Sky's identity to them, if they agreed to swear oaths not to reveal anything they heard to anyone. Remus, Marcus, Sirius and Sky himself had all agreed that they wouldn't risk Sky's identity's revealing to Dumbledore for anything and they knew that they couldn't trust anyone blindly, no matter how good friends they were in the past.

Remus walked to the living room and picked up a book to read while he waited for their guests to arrive. They weren't supposed to be there for an hour yet, so he had plenty of time to read. Sirius was sleeping on the loveseat and Marcus was still in the DoM doing paperwork. He had let Remus, Sky and Sirius to leave early in case the Longbottoms arrived earlier, but had had to stay himself. Sky had gotten tired of waiting around and had retired to the training room to go through his usual workout. He had said that if the Longbottoms arrived before he was done, Sirius and Remus could proceed with their plan and he would join them later. Remus thought that he didn't want once again to tell someone his life story or be reminded of it, and Remus couldn't really blame him for that.

Completely lost in his book, Remus was startled by the wards letting them know that two people had just apparated to the Manor. Sirius, who had woken up a while back, went to escort the Longbottoms inside. Remus shut his book and stood up to greet his old friends.

"Frank, Alice, it's good to see you again." Remus said smiling as they entered the living room.

"Remus!" Alice exclaimed hugging him tightly. "It's good to see you too! How have you been?"

"I've been good…as of late."

"Oh, I don't even want to imagine how hard it must have been for you all those years. But you are looking good now." Alice said gently.

"I am. I have a family now, and Sky healed me from my scars that came with my illness." Remus said exchanging a look with Sirius. The gesture didn't go unnoticed by Alice.

"You're together then?" She asked eagerly.

"Yes, we are." Sirius said taking Remus' hand. "How did you know?"

"Oh, I've known since James and Lily's wedding. You kept stealing glances at each other whenever the other wasn't looking and Lily thought that you were secretly dating."

"Actually we weren't." Remus said. "We got together only a few months ago."

"Really? That's too bad."

"Sirius, you promised to tell us about Harry. And we of course want to meet Sky and thank him for all he's done to us." Frank said.

"Yea, I did. You better sit down." Sirius said. "Sky will join us later."

"Would you like something to drink?" Remus asked and sent a house-elf to get some tea.

"Now, before we tell you anything, we need you to swear oaths to not to reveal anything we tell you about Harry." Sirius said.

"What do you mean you need oaths?" Frank asked frowning.

"A version of an Unbreakable wows."

"Unbreakable wows?" Why would you need that?"

"We take no risks when it comes to Harry's safety. Nothing we say can reach the ears of our enemies, especially Dumbledore. If you can't accept our terms there's nothing we can tell you." Remus said smiling apologetically, but firmly.

"Fine, we'll do it. I want to know what happened to my godson." Alice said and offered his hand to Sirius.

"This is a varied version of the spell and it can be erased by the caster and the caster only." Remus said as he performed the charm first with Alice and then Frank.

"Where did you find it?" Frank asked.

"We didn't. Sky invented it." Sirius said.

"He seems to be a remarkable young man." Frank said.

"You have no idea."

"Now, like I already told you, Harry was brought to Dumbledore by Hagrid after he took him from Godric's Hollow. Dumbledore bound his magic and left him on the doorstep of Lily's muggle sister, Petunia Dursley." Sirius began.

"Why did he block his magic? And how could he leave him with Petunia? Everyone knew how much she hated both Lily and magic!" Alice said.

"Dumbledore wanted Harry to grow up without knowing about magic or who he really is. We think that he planned to make Harry his weapon against Voldemort, when he rises again. It would have been easy to make Harry trust him without a question like more than half of the population of magical Britain does; just keeping up the grandfatherly image while introducing him to a whole new world would've done the trick – especially as he wouldn't be treated that well with the Dursleys."

"So what happened? Why didn't it work?" Alice asked.

"Dumbledore underestimated the Dursleys' hatred towards magic. They abused Harry both physically and mentally. He was kept in a cupboard nearly the whole four years he spent with them, only taking him out for the beatings. He practically lived with dry bread and water. Harry didn't know even his own name before he met Marcus." Sirius said grimly.

"When Harry was five, the Dursleys went too far and beat him to half dead. They dumped him to the streets of London, from where he was found by a few street kids. Harry lived with them for a year before there was a fire caused by a fiendfyre in the shack they lived. Harry lost his second true family he ever had that night and was once again the only survivor. Marcus found him and brought him with him." Remus continued.

"It took a lot of work and patience from Marcus to get Harry to trust him. He had to teach Harry everything from basic reading and writing to magical world. He removed all the blocks from him and it turned out that Harry was a lord-level wizard and had a photographic memory, which let him remember everything from the time he was born to this day in detail. It was not really a good thing since he had very few happy memories with him. Marcus had to help him through all that, and teach him Occlumency so that he could handle all the memories, emotions and thoughts without going insane, and teach him to control his lord-level power, so that he wouldn't hurt anyone. It was a long process but they both got through it and Harry has left his past behind him. He went even as far as to abandon his name as Harry Potter for good, and is now known as Sky." Sirius finished.

"You mean… Sky is our Harry?" Alice said wiping the tears from her eyes that had formed during the story.

"Yes, he is."

"Can we meet him?"

"You can. He's upstairs in the training room. But I need to warn you that he won't be what you imagine him to be. He's not going to be that little boy you may remember him to be. He's far more mature than you can ever imagine. And try not to mother him too much Alice, it makes him uncomfortable." Sirius said as they started walking up the stairs. "We may need to wait for him to finish his training before we can enter, but it shouldn't take long when he feels us waiting for him."

They walked through the corridor to the last room and Sirius opened the door. They saw Sky practicing with his katana against thirty dummies while being blindfolded. He was morphed into one of his favorite looks; black messy hair with long fringe that covered his right eye, emerald green eyes and a seventeen-year-olds body. The look was almost his natural appearance, only with older body and without the scar. He looked a lot like his father, but didn't have glasses.

Sky flashed his sword quickly like a lightning killing his enemies one by one until they were all dead. It was really amazing how he could use other senses to defeat his enemies, when he could not see them. Sky banished the dummies from the floor and dropped the safety wards around the room allowing them to enter. He morphed back to his eight-year old body while wiping his sweaty face to the towel. Sirius conjured him a bottle of water and threw it to him.

"Thanks, Padfoot." Sky said.

"Sky, this is Alice and Frank Longbottom." Remus said trying to lighten the awkward tension in the room.

"Nice to meet you." Sky said.

"We wanted to thank you for healing us, Har… err Sky." Frank said.

"You're welcome. You accepted the oaths then?"

"Yes, we did. We wanted to know what happened to our friends' son and my godson." Alice said.

Sky just nodded.

"Why don't we get back to downstairs and you can get to know each other better." Remus said.

"Works for me" Sky said. "I'll just take a quick shower first. Are you going to stay for dinner?"

"We would be glad to."

Sky gathered his things and made his way towards the door.

"Oh, Remus, can you feed Dexter a few grapes? He's been whining the whole day and I promised to let him have a few if he lets me train in peace." He said.

"Of course, give him to me and I'll feed him. Why's he so antsy today?"

"You know what he's like when it's that time of the year." Sky said as he untangled a furiously hissing Dexter from around his left wrist where he had been residing, and handing him to Sirius before walking out of the room.

"He's a lord-level wizard, Metamorphmagus, has healing powers and on top of that is a Parselmouth?" Frank asked incredulously.

"Frank, mate, you don't know the half of it." Sirius grinned putting an arm around his shoulder and leading him out of the door.

"He's not serious, is he?"

"'M afraid so." Remus said. "But don't worry, you'll get used to it in time."

Sky took a quick shower and changed his clothes to clean ones, before joining the others downstairs. He hoped they would get past the awkwardness and that Alice and Frank wouldn't see him just as an abused child, but as the confident young man he was. He walked to the dining room, where the others were waiting for him. Sky could see Dexter curled on the table looking very pleased. 'Remus must've fed him the grapes.'

"Where's Marcus? He's not still at work is he?" Sky asked as he sat down next to Sirius.

"He is; he said he had to do some paperwork." Remus said.

"He works too much." Sky muttered. "Shadow!" He called and the black phoenix flashed onto his arm. "Go get Marcus; he can do more paperwork tomorrow. If he refuses you may annoy him until he agrees."

Shadow chirped in agreement and flashed away.

"Was that a shadow phoenix?" Frank asked in wonder.

"Yea, her name's Shadow."

"They're really rare aren't they?"

"Yea, I think there are only five of them left. I met her at the House of Phoenix, in Phoenix, where Marcus brought me to recover after he found me. Shadow has helped me through many trials." Sky said fondly.

"It's very uncommon to have a phoenix as a familiar, let alone a shadow phoenix. I've never heard anyone having one. The only one I know to have a phoenix is Dumbledore."

"Phoenixes choose their humans themselves." Sky shrugged. "Shadow decided to stay with me. And poor Fawkes is stuck with old Dumbles." Sky couldn't really keep the anger out of his voice as he spoke about Dumbledore – he would have to work on that, as it would draw attention to him if it happened in public.

Alice shot an angry look at Frank for mentioning Dumbledore and Sky had to conceal a groan. Did she really think that he couldn't bear to hear Dumbledore's name?

"Are you going to go to school here or abroad or getting homeschooled…?" Alice asked carefully.

"Huh?"

"I mean, with Dumbledore being the headmaster at Hogwarts, so…"

"You didn't tell them?" Sky asked raising an eyebrow at Sirius and Remus.

"We didn't get there yet…" Remus said.

"Tell us what?" Alice asked.

"I'm already done with school. I passed my OWLs and NEWTs a year or so ago. Straight O's in every possible subject." Sky explained casually.

"What's this Sky? Bragging here about your school certificate to our guests? Haven't I raised you better than that?" Marcus asked flashing to the room with Shadow. "And tell Shadow to stop bothering me, I'm home already."

"I was just telling them how good teacher you were. And it's not my fault she's bothering you, you brought it upon yourself by working too much." Sky countered.

"It's good to see you Frank, Alice." Marcus greeted them, though received no response as they were both staring at Sky incredulously, their mouths hanging open.

"I think you broke them, Prongslet." Sirius said waving a hand in front of their faces.

"Oh, you mean like Marcus broke you at the monastery in Japan, when he told you about Dexter." Sky smirked.

"That was just plain mean." Sirius shuddered. "He knew I was scared of snakes."

The group laughed and by this time Frank and Alice had gotten over their shock. They chatted for a while of things that had happened while they were gone and Neville's adapting to having his parent's back, but by dessert the conversation once again took a more serious turn.

"Can't we tell Neville that Sky is really Harry? They are god-brothers after all." Alice asked.

"No, unfortunately you can't." Sky said. "It's too easy for a Legilimens like Dumbledore to get it from his head and it's too dangerous for him to swear an oath."

"Why?" Frank asked confused.

"Wizard's magic settles down when they turn eleven, which is why one can't own a wand before or start their magical education. A wizard's like Neville's magic is very unpredictable at the moment and may react badly to an oath. It might make him lose his magic or even kill him if we try. Nonetheless he already knows me as Sky." Sky explained.

"What do you mean he knows you already?" Frank asked.

"I met him a year or so ago in Diagon alley. His grandmother was shopping at Madam Malkin's and he had to wait for her. He was really bored and looked like he could use someone to talk to so I did. He told me how your mother was always comparing him to you and how he hadn't done any accidental magic yet and people were saying he was a squib." Sky said.

"It stuck odd to me as I could feel his magic, so I looked closer and saw that his core was stained by dark strings that kept his magic from acting normal. I told him about them and asked if he could meet me the next day so that I could help him. The next day I went to your manor and erased the strings of him. It appears that he too was held under the Cruciatus, but his magic protected his sanity and changed its effects to the strings." Sky finished.

Alice lunged at him sobbing and whispering 'thank you' over and over again, before Frank saved Sky from her and thanked him too. After that the Longbottoms left the manor with promises to visit again and take Neville with them the next time.

Sky slumped to the couch relieved that the first visit was over and glad to get rid of Alice's pitying and motherly glances at him.

"Really, are all women like that?" He asked from the other occupants in the room.

"Like what?" Remus asked.

"I don't know… motherly and… emotional… It's making me uncomfortable." Sky said.

"You could say that, but I think it's more like mothers." Sirius said smirking from next to Remus. "At least Lily was and your grandma."

"Well, at least there's one woman you can count on that will never be motherly towards you." Marcus stated coming from the kitchen.

"Who?"

"Tricia." He smirked.

"That's true." Sky said shivering lightly. "Just imagine your mother being a coldhearted assassin."

"She gives me the creeps." Sirius said.

"Yeah. I dare you to go and hug her tomorrow." Sky smirked at Sirius.

"No way, she'd kill me if I did."

"Nah, only beat you to a pulp."

A/N: I'm sorry if this chapter came out a bit rushed or confusing, but I was running out of ideas and the Part One was only supposed to concentrate on some background info of the characters and Sky's childhood. The next chapter will start the Part Two where won't be any time jumps like the First one had and one could say that we get to the point.

Please review and tell me what you thought of the chapter and the Part One. Thanks.

- Dalnim