Christmas was almost here. Tomorrow students would be leaving to go home for the holidays and for the first time Harry would be with them. That's why today he was trying to find the Mirror of Erised. He waited until classes were over, before disillusioning himself to check out empty classrooms. It took almost an hour, but he finally found it. He reappeared and looked into the mirror. He wondered what his heart's desire would be this time. He saw...nothing. He smiled and then thought of the stone to return it to its' owner. He felt a weight in his pocket, became invisible again, and went back to his room to put the stone in his trunk. He thought about it for a moment and decided to try something else.
" Fawkes?", he called, making sure no one was in the room with him. Fawkes appeared instantly. " Hello Master. What can I do for you?", he trilled. " First and foremost call me Harry. Second I would like you to take Nicolas Flamel's stone back with a note if that's alright?", Harry said. Fawkes nodded. Harry wrote a quick note explaining that the stone was never in any danger and that Dumbledore had just wanted to lure Voldemort, who was dead, to the school. He wrapped the stone in a spare piece of parchment and tied the note to it.
" Why did you call me Master? I thought you were bonded to Dumbledore?", he asked as he gave the phoenix the package. " Once the true owners of Hogwarts came, I became bonded to them instead. Do not worry. I am glad of this. Dumbledore is becoming more and more manipulative. He thinks things should be done his way for the greater good and for himself. He has turned selfish. Now I should go, before he gets back from the ministry and notice's my absence.", Fawkes said. Harry petted him briefly before Fawkes flamed out.
The rest of the evening he hung out with his friends, after making sure everything was in his trunk. As Neville and Draco talked, he couldn't help but notice how much they had changed. Neville had lost his baby fat and now had more endurance when they trained in the mornings. He was starting to teach them how to fight muggle style and they both took to it like a fish to water. Draco was becoming quite quick while Neville had more force. He was thinking about asking Severus if they could join him on the evenings they practiced sword fighting.
The trio were now in a compartment to themselves on the train ride home. " Harry, Neville? Do you think you can come over at all during the holidays? Harry I think you and Severus will come over for Christmas dinner, as he does every year, but what do you think Neville?", Draco asked. " Well maybe after Christmas. I'll owl you after I ask my Grandmother.", Neville said. It was when they got to the platform, that Harry was pleasantly surprised to Sirius Black standing there, looking whole and healthy. Though his trial had supposed to have been in October, it had been delayed until the end of November. Harry hadn't been able to attend due to a certain meddlesome old goat, but Sirius was now free and had been treated at St. Mungo's for his condition.
" Padfoot? Is that really you?", Harry said beaming with joy. He threw himself at the man, nearly knocking him to the ground. " Yes pup. It's really me. Come now. Let me look at you. You are a perfect mixture of your parents. Imagine my surprise when Severus told me everything that had happened so far. Actually Harry, there is someone I want you to meet. Now don't judge, as I know some bad things have been heard about her, but she had been under a number of spells and compulsions. Something happened though back towards the end of July. The enchantments broke bringing back the woman I knew and secretly loved. Her trial was the same time as mine. Harry meet Bellatrix Isis Black.", Sirius said as a tall lovely looking woman with shiny black curls down to her shoulders stepped up beside him.
Harry's jaw dropped. This explained so many things. Like why Bella was so crazy in the last time line. Just then Neville and Draco joined them.
" Is that Bellatrix LeStrange?", Neville whispered. Harry turned to his friend. " She use to be. Apparently when Uncle Severus dissolved their marriage, so that she became a Black once more, enchantments that had been on her for years dissolved. My guess would be that her husband was at fault for those bindings and things in the first place.", Harry looked over his shoulder to see Bella nod sadly. " He was also the one who tortured your parents, Heir Longbottom, but it wasn't with the Crutacious curse. The curse he used is reversible. Here. I wrote a letter to Madam Longbottom explaining everything. It has the counter curse written on it. I am truly sorry for what my former husband put you through.", Bella said. Neville took the letter and left to find his Gran.
" You must be Draco. My you have gotten so big.", Bella said when her gray gaze found Draco. Draco just nodded, not sure how he felt about his Aunt. He was saved however, when Bella squealed in delight and rushed passed him into his mother's embrace. Lucius sidled closer to Draco.
" Hello there Mr. Potter, Sirius. It is a pleasure to finally meet you.", Lucius said. Harry looked at him hard as a memory surfaced. It was one where there was a party and his parents had brought him with them. It must have been before his parents went into hiding. Lucius had been at the party and had talked with James who had held him at the time. He had seen Lucius and had thought how pretty his hair looked. He even remembered his father introducing them. Then Lucius had held Harry while James went to do something. Harry had reached up and played with Lucius' hair. Harry came back to himself. He reached up, much to the shock of Lucius and Draco, and gently played with Lucius' hair.
" You always did have pretty hair.", Harry said softly before letting go. Before he could though Lucius bent down and gave him a hug. " I can't believe you remembered.", he said. " Now Lucius what will people think? Openly showing such emotions is very Gryffindor of you old friend.", Severus said. Harry immediately let go of Lucius to go to his Uncle. Lucius straightened and composed himself. " Well true that may be, but sometimes the situation calls for openly showing your emotions.", Lucius said dryly. Severus shook his head. " Well now that we are all reunited, let us begone. We shall go to Prince Manor and have dinner. Then afterwards everyone can floo home. I have a portkey right here.", Severus said holding a long ribbon. Sirius, Bella, Lucius, Narcissa, Draco, and Harry all grabbed just in time for it to activate.
AN: Yay! Chapter 10. Please R/R