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The End Or The Beginning?

The one in which they meet.

They were walking slowly through the corridor leading to the infirmary. Lily, Rose and James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Frank and Alice Longbottom, Albus Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel. They had just left the Headmaster's office where they had watched the memories of those present in the Department of Mysteries.

After seeing exactly what had happened they had more questions than answers, though, they determined two things and hoped that they guessed few more.

One, this man was definitely not James Potter or any of his known relatives despite his evident resemblance. They estimated that he was slightly taller than James and his hairs were a little longer therefore heavier framing his face and keeping it partly hidden. He was build very similar to the Potter patriarch even if visibly thinner. The Potters, however, admitted that he could be a distant relative as of a long forgotten part of the family, from outside the British Isles.

And two, he could definitely possess a threat to his enemies. He commanded wandless magic like every other wizard, magic with use of focus, even a great deal better from what they had witnessed. He was wearing a battle robes of old style, and dragonhide boots. The stranger moved with trained grace and confidence, always in control of the situation. Rose Potter pointed out that he preferred using transfiguration in battle which was the field of expertise of her dad as well as one of Rose's best subject, other common trait of the Potters. The others did notice that he had used the simplest but most effective means in the fight. They guessed that he could be a hit wizard. The fact that he appeared in the midst of the Department of Mysteries suggested that he could be one of the Unspeakables as well, for no one could know for sure who was one of them. But that lead wasn't confirmed yet.

One thing, however, was promising, despite the previous statements of the witnesses, the stranger didn't attack first. His first battle spell was a shield and a wave of pure magic sent around the room. It didn't harm anyone. Albus didn't know the spell but thankfully Nicholas remembered seeing it performed once before. In short it was used only as another sense to 'see' the surrounding area.

There was more. They could clearly see that while trying to leave the chamber, the stranger had been directing his stones in a way to prevent them from killing anyone. And they saw that he was stopped only because he was disturbed by the presence of Albus and Nicholas.

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Aurors stood on guard in the entrance to the infirmary.

Alastor probably had more than enough inside, mussed Albus. On the other hand he was wondering if Poppy or Katie had chased him and his men away or if he had managed to convince one of the nurses to allow them to stay inside.

"Welcome gentlemen. Did our visitor wake up?" Dumbledore asked pleasantly.

"He is ready to wake up, professor, but Mr. Moody didn't give the permission to wake him." One of them replied.

"Well then, lets see him, shall we?" Albus asked and motioned for the group to fallow him inside.

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The room was warmly lit. On both sides, lined under the walls were two rows of beds with white, clean sheets. Moody's Aurors were scattered around the room. Moody himself was talking to a tall, thin woman in a white apron. They were in a middle of animated discussion when the group interrupted them.

"Headmaster!" Poppy Pomfrey almost shouted in relief. "Tell this man to take his Aurors from my ward immediately. They don't let us work with the patient." To her if someone was injured, that someone was her charge.

"Hello Poppy." Dumbledore said. "We will wake him in a minute."

She huffed at Alastor Moody exchanged greetings with the rest and went back to her patient.

"Alastor did you..."

Lily Potter didn't listen to their conversation, her eyes followed the nurse. On the bed in the far corner laid the person they came to see. She gasped when she saw him. She didn't hear the gasps of the other females that looked in the same direction as she.

The pensives always too strongly reminded her of a muggle movie therefore, even when she saw him there, some part of her somehow didn't believe what she saw. But there he was laying on the bed, still in the battle uniform, almost exact copy of her husband.

Unaware that others followed her she moved closer to the stranger. He was different from her husband but strangely reminded her somewhat of Rose. Now they could see that he definitely was younger than James, he looked like he was in his mid twenties maybe twenty six, seven. He was very handsome, but her James was as well so she wouldn't imagine it differently. And she felt drawn to him, not in a sexual way, but drawn like to someone who represent safety or… or home. She felt similar only with her closest friends.

Yet even unconscious his expression was guarded, his muscles tensed. He looked ready to strike.

"No he is not under the Polyjuice Potion." Katie Weasley said. Her voice brought Lily back to the present.

"As far as we know he doesn't have any glamour on him as well."

Lily knew her through Molly Weasley, the young witch was married to Fred, one of the famous Weasley twins. She was an apprentice under Poppy for two or three years by then. Lily knew her to be a very bright and strong willed, she must had also very good sense of humor to keep up with the twins.

"Why haven't you took his robes off?" Rose asked curious.

"Well, we tried" she looked at Mrs. Pomfrey "but they must have been charmed to be taken off only with his concur." She gestured at Moody "At least it's what he said."

Moody grunted in confirmation. "Great battle robes, they don't do ones like that anymore."

They were standing around the bed.

"Did you manage to find a wand on him?" Remus asked.

"We couldn't even bloody check his pockets, not mentioning lifting his sleeves to look for a holster."

"What are these bracelets?" Rose Potter pointed at two golden bracelets, engraved with some little animals, around the man's wrists.

"That, Miss Potter, would prevent this man from using magic." Albus Dumbledore answered his student.

No one noticed thoughtful expression on Nicholas Flamel's face.

"I think it is time to wake our visitor up. Lets back up a little and create some space. We don't want to startle him."

They moved backwards leaving only Poppy Pomfrey and Katie Weasley near the bed. Alastor Moody complained that it was an unnecessary risk but ordered his Aurors to do the same.

"Poppy would you?" Albus asked pleasantly, however, his hand stayed on his wand.

"Enervate."

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Harry grudgingly opened his eyes. His head ached in the same way when he had overdosed with firewhisky during Ron's bachelor party. He sighed inwardly, they were married only for two months, both died in an ambush, Bill and Fleur as well.

Oh no, hospital wing, again. What did I do this time?

Poppy Pomfrey was leaning over him looking him in the eyes. Her expression disturbed him somehow, she was frowning at him but without the normal warmness behind her eyes.

"What is it Poppy? What happened?" He croaked.

Her frown deepened, this time clearly in confusion. She glanced up over him, then answered hesitantly.

"You were stunned with rather strong stunners, Mr. …?"

What stunners? What does she mean 'Mr.'?

He followed her confused expression and noticed that they weren't alone in the room.

Everything came back to him. He was looking at ghosts from his past. Some of them he didn't know and wondered briefly if they were people who died by his hand.

Most were holding wands in their hands. Instincts took over, with uncanny agility and speed Harry rolled off, landing behind the bed, backed few steps and crouched in the position to erect a shield and cast a wave of magic.

Nothing happened.

He could definitely feel his magic stir, but why the spell didn't work. Then he noticed some bracelets attached to his wrists.

"Not again." He groaned quietly.

Before anyone could react Harry grabbed one of the women in the nurse apron, pulled her to him, his arm around her throat.

Unfortunately she didn't have a wand.

"She dies if I see any magical flows other than Hogwarts." He threaten dangerously.

"Who the hell are you?" He said at the person looking like Dumbledore. His voice was low and demanding.

"I am Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts. We don't want to cause you any harm?"

"Then why the Hell Am I wearing 'Zenobia's cuffs'?" He hissed.

Dumbledore blanched a little, a voice from his right answered Harry.

"We didn't want you to attack us." Said a similarly tall person next to 'Dumbledore'.

"And you are?" Harry asked.

I am mental, I'm talking to dead people.

"I am Nicholas Flamel, I teach History of Magic here at Hogwarts. How should we call you?"

"Harry." Harry said absently. Momentarily lost in thought he didn't hear the gasp of Lily Potter and white faces of her and her husband.

"Harry." Said the Flamel person, "could you release Mrs. Weasley? I think she is scared enough, don't you. I promise that we will not attack."

Harry looked behind himself confused. He didn't see Molly here. There were nobody behind, he looked at Mr. Flamel. The wizard was looking at the medi-witch Harry was holding.

"Mrs. Weas…" Her frightened eyes looked at him. "Katie?" Harry whispered and let her go, totally confused and probably scared more than they were. For all he knew he should be dead.

Katie scurried to Poppy Pomfrey and they backed behind the wizards.

"Thank you Harry. Will you agree to talk before we take the cuffs off?" Mr. Flamel asked.

"No need." Harry smirked. He had been dealing with those cuffs earlier.

"I will take them off." He smiled dangerously and the cuffs suddenly fell to the floor with a loud clunk in the silent room.

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AN:

And the next one is done.

Thank you very, very much for your REVIEWs. It is great to know that you like it. Please keep reviewing.

I have to tell you, though, I have no idea what will happen next in this story. Even if I have a plan before I start writing, it just comes differently when I finish.

Does anyone of you know why not always the chapters are listed in the new stories. I mean with the first chapter it was listed almost at the top of the page but the second one is hard to find.

I would post individual responses but I have read somewhere that it is not allowed. Is it true?