This is rewritten version of Chapter five.

Review and tell me if you think it is better or not. Also, if you didn't read the last version, just tell me what you think.

The End Or The Beginning?

The one where the flames are.

For a moment the only sound in the office was coming from an old fireplace and a few puffing instruments on the headmaster's desk. Then Lilly's muffled sob, broke the spell. Her hands were shaking terribly, eyes wide and watery. She was starring at Harry, her hopes and fears confirmed.

"How dare you!" She flinched when James roared at Harry.

His state of confused shock quickly changed to anger. He leaped to his feet, ready to hex this man, when a hand grabbed his shoulder. With a pleading eyes Lily throw herself at her husband.

"James no, don't… don't do anything, James please." She sobbed into his chest.

He was still glaring at that imposter with a silent threat, but started comforting his wife, quickly joined by his daughter.

Rose was more confused than anything else. Yet the instincts took over and she went to her distressed mother.

The Longbottoms were dumbfounded as well, Alice had spent many hours with Lily, consoling her over the years. If that was some kind of a sick joke, she would strangle the person responsible. But that man's eyes, Lily's eyes. She had never saw anyone else with the eyes like this, ever.

Frank was shocked as well, but his perspective was more of an outsider. He thought of himself as a man of reason, if reason could guide one around magic, and in his eyes this man had earned some credit. Frank was no fool, he saw him duel, or battle was the better term, and he recognized that the man restrained himself from hurting them. He knew Albus saw that too. What he said was so unbelievable that it only could be true. But the consequences...

Remus sat in his chair, his mouth slightly ajar. He was looking between Lily, Rose and James and this man, this Harry Potter. He had the feeling that he should back up James in his reaction, but he could smell similar traits in their scent. Under the smell of blood, dust and dirt there was a scent very much like Rose's, if less pronounced. He had smelled it before but passed it as a distant relative, maybe Potter's scent, but he realized it was too similar.

What was more, he had read about the Veil of the Whispers and many theories concerning it. Could it be possible this man was no imposter? He tried to look at Sirius and signal him to feel the scent by touching his nose lightly, but Sirius sat there with his mouth hanging wide open and a look of total shock on his face.

"I guess no one had fallen from the veil before, eh?" It didn't came as lightly as he hoped. Harry said it, still looking intensely at Sirius. He sighed after a moment and looked at Dumbledore but then settled on Flamel.

"I don't remember that happening." Nicholas Flamel answered him quietly. "I never thought it possible. This particular theory never applied to me."

There was a silent pause between the three man.

"Indeed, we always believed it to be the passage to the realm of death." Added Dumbledore mussed.

"As unthinkable as it seems," he continued. "You have managed to cross the barrier between worlds, Mr. Potter." Dumbledore's choosing to call Harry by his family name caught the attention of others.

Lily had calmed, by that time and when she heard Albus calling Harry – Mr. Potter – she untangled herself from her husband's embrace and took a hesitant step towards Harry.

James was looking between his wife and Dumbledore, flood of emotions crossing his face. Long time ago, he had buried his guilt and grief over what had happened to his son. And now this man, he was supposed to be his son. Is it what Harry would look like? This meant, this could... His son.

Lily was moving closer to Harry, at first unsure, but as he got up when he saw her nearing, last two steps she rushed to him and embracing him with all her might. She started whispering all the words she wanted to tell, but never before had the chance.

For his part Harry was standing stiffly, not knowing what to do. He was no good in dealing with crying women, he looked up hoping to find some help, but found only the looks of confusion, wonder and shock. After a moment he put his arms around her. By then he wasn't really listening to her words but rather to the voice that usually was associated with the worst memories he had.

No, not Harry, take me, take me instead… – Oh, Harry, my Harry, it is really you…

Harry didn't know much at that moment, but he was sure that this particular scene from his past wouldn't be played in his head during his next encounter with the Dementors. Was it true, could it be?

James looked at his wife and prayed silently that this was true, he didn't know what would happened if it was a lie. He slumped heavily on a chair, Rose sat on the chair where Lily was sitting earlier. James smiled at his daughter and took her hand. He looked at Remus who nodded to him. That was very much needed approval. Remus gestured at Sirius, and James looked to his right to find his best friend still looking shocked. Sirius looked slowly at his friend, his mouth working silently but no words coming out of it, then back at Lily and Harry still holding each other.

After a minute he smiled broadly and said.

"Does it mean that I'm going to be a godfather again? Damn, James, Lily he is awfully thin, why weren't you feeding him properly?"

In that exact moment flames in headmaster's fireplace turned green and a head of this world's Alastor Moody appeared.

"Albus, they have attacked again. They are at Mockridge's place now, as far as we know, forty of them. Riddle is there as well." He said.

"We will be at the Ministry in a minute. Ready the men." Albus Dumbledore answered.

"We have to go." He said to the group. Then he looked at Lily, still standing with Harry.

"Mr. Potter I would appreciate if you wait here for us."

"Tom Riddle, you mean Voldemort?" Harry's head snapped in the direction of the Headmaster, his voice cold as ice.

"Yes, I believe he tried to call himself that, once." Dumbledore said securitizing younger man.

"Do you know about him?" Nicholas Flamel asked.

Harry looked at the ancient man and nodded slowly, wondering for the first time if his Voldemort died or if he managed to come with him.

"Not now," Frank Longbottom said, "we have to go."

James looked at his wife "Maybe you should stay…?"

"James." She said in a warning.

"Always the same." Sirius shook his head and moved to the fireplace. He stopped in front of Harry, looking him in the eyes. "Sirius Black, the Godfather." He puffed proudly sticking his hand.

Harry's lips twitched a little. "Harry Potter."

Sirius nodded with his own smile. "You, Me, Firewhisky. Tomorrow." He clapped Harry on the back and flooed away.

"Rose do you want to go home? It's getting late." Lily asked her daughter.

"I think I would like to stay and wait here mum."

Lily smiled but then glanced at her husband and back at Rose. "Sure, dear."

"Do you want me to go with you?" Harry decided that he should at least offer his help.

"Thank you Mr. Potter. We will deal with the situation." Albus smiled kindly at him. "When we are back, we will discuss the arrangements for your stay."

One by one they disappeared in the green flames. Leaving him and Rose in the office.

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The room was warmly lit. Headmaster's office was always very inviting, not that she had been there often. Just a few times, with her parents or delivering some notes from the teachers. But to Rose that huge, beautiful desk with all those instruments making little wisps of smoke, many portraits of old headmasters and headmistress on the walls, old books in the shelves, it was a perfect place where one could work comfortably or relax sitting by the fireplace, reading a book. From what her mum had always said, when she first came to Hogwarts, into her impression of a wizard, as from a point of view of a muggleborn, Dumbledore fitted ideally. When Rose was young, Mum had read to her many muggle stories and wizards there were always tall, old men, with long white beards and eyes full of wisdom, just like Albus Dumbledore. And his office completed the image.

After some time Rose was still sitting on one of the chairs, hesitant what to do next. She had asked to stay because of him of course, but when he had stood up without a word and went to the window, she didn't know how to react. Her mum was grateful, she was sure of that. She would probably stay herself but for some unknown, to Rose, reason, if there was an attack, she had always wanted to go with her dad.

Rose had so many questions. She wanted to know where did he come from? Or what was that Veil thing? Or if he was going to stay? And was he really her brother? But the silence stretched itself longer and longer. She didn't knew if he really remembered that she was there. He was standing by the window, looking at the forbidden forest. She knew that he was lost in his own thoughts. How strange could it bee for him? Rose didn't know if she should interrupt but she was itching to have some answers. Just when she was gathering her courage to break the silence he turned to her.

"Are you hungry?"

"Huh?" That was not what she had expected.

"We could go to the kitchen and grab something to eat."

"What?"

"Well, I didn't eat since… err, lets just say since yesterday and I am sure that you missed dinner." He had a nice, familiar voice, not dad's, but very familiar.

"I…," she didn't eat anything since lunch and maybe it will be easier to talk with a full stomach. "What if they come back and we are not here?"

"We could just leave and let them think that I kidnapped you or You could leave a note to your parents, explaining that we got hungry." He smiled. He has mum's smile. She had noticed surprised. It looked so strange on her dad's face.

"Okay." Why not? She had scribed a quick note to her parents and left it on the desk. Harry walked to it and waved his hand over a note.

"What did you do?" She asked curious at wandless' display of magic.

"Oh, I just charmed it so they will notice the note as soon as they come back."

They left the office and walked, side by side, through the corridors. Again, she had noticed that he seemed to know the castle pretty well.

"Have you been here before?"

He looked at her blankly for a moment.

"What do you…, ohh…," he smiled a little "well, I have been in Hogwarts, my Hogwarts anyway."

"Does it look the same?"

"Pretty much." He nodded.

They were nearing the second floor staircase by then.

"Did you see some differences?"

"I saw that the portrait of Fat Lady is hanging in the corridor leading to the Hospital Wing."

"Fat Lady?" She didn't know anything about some Fat Lady.

"Where I come from she was guarding the entrance to the Gryffindor Tower."

"Are you a Gryffindor?" She asked excitedly.

"Of course I am" He replied proudly, taking turn to another staircase.

"Me too. Mum and Dad were in a Gryffindor house as well." She said happily.

"I know, my pa…, well…, I know."

They fell silent again. When they were nearing the corridor where the painting guarding the entrance to the kitchen was, he asked.

"Does these attacks happen often?"

Rose didn't want to talk about that. Her Dad, as an Auror, always was in the middle of those battles and mum usually went with the Order members as well, and uncle Remus and uncle Sirius, they were always there. She hoped, that this time also, they would come back unharmed.

He must have notice the change in her mood because he said with a sigh.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, it's nothing. I'm just… you know, worried."

He nodded "Yeah…"

"Well, I think they happen once, maybe twice a month. As far as I know, it has always been like that."

"I'm sorry." He didn't ask about that again.

They were drinking Butterbeer, sitting side by side, on a long bench in front of the burning fireplace. Their backs against the exact replica of the Great Hall's table. The meal was delicious, the elves did their best, no surprise there, and they had a pleasant conversation so far.

"I never knew that you could ask the elves for Butterbeer."

He laughed at her wonder.

"I never knew since after Hogwarts. I was once sitting with Filius, complaining that I didn't want to go to Hogsmade but wanted a Butterbeer non the less. He had just laughed at me and called for an elf." He looked at her with an raised eyebrow. "House elves are bonded to Hogwarts. They have to do what the occupants of the castle tell them to do. But it is good to be on a good terms with them. They are more helpful then you can think. You should remember that." He finished and took another sip of his Butterbeer.

She nodded. Rose had noticed that he was very polite with the elves. She had never given any thought about them. They didn't have a house elf at home and she had never had any occasion to talk to one of those little creatures for more then to ask for something. She only knew that they always provided food if someone stumbled into the kitchen.

"So, you're sixteen? Did you have your OWL's this year?"

"Yeah. I've got eleven." Rose smiled proudly.

"Congratulations, I had a friend who got eleven OWL's, brilliant student." He mussed, sadly looking at the cracking fireplace. "Very good friend."

They had talked about Quidditch, about her friends, all the mundane topics. He rarely said anything about his world and Rose was dying to ask her questions. She decided that perhaps she could do it now.

"Err…, can you tell me about that veil thing you were talking with professors? I understand that it is some kind of a passageway between worlds. And that professor Dumbledore and professor Fleamel didn't know that that was possible. And that you have crossed it somehow."

She saw that he tensed a bit, not that he had looked not ready to any attack earlier. In the way he was holding himself he reminded her of professor Dumbledore, with that aura of knowing something no one else did, but more of Mr. Shacklebolt, with this casual alertness, totally relaxed but always ready to attack. She was sure that in case of any attack he would be battling before she had a time to put the butterbeer down.

He was silent for a long moment and she was starting to wonder if he would answer her.

"The veil, well…, no one is exactly sure what it is. At least from where I come from. It was believed to be a doorway to the underworld." He paused.

"It is also said, that the veil is standing were it is, longer than the Ministry itself. I have heard that it determined where the Department of Mysteries had been built."

"It had been once used to carry the death sentence." He finished quietly.

"So, why did you…?" She blanched, realizing what he just said. What if, despite the fact that she was starting to like him, he was some kind of a criminal?

"You think that I…?" He said with a raised eyebrow. "Oh well, why wouldn't you, after what I've just said." He muttered to himself.

Then he looked her deeply in the eyes, with his unnaturally old ones, and said. "No Rose, No one sent me through the veil. I did it at my free will."

He sighed and with a wave of his hand added a log to the fireplace.

"Sometimes," she had to strain herself to hear what he was saying.

He swallowed hard, watching as fire claimed the log, consuming it with its flames. After a while, in a stronger voice continued, "sometimes… there is no other way. And when the right time comes, you have to make a sacrifice." Harry's voice was resigned, sad, but very determined at the same time. He looked at her with his misty eyes, pleading with her to understand.

What kind of sacrifice? "But you survived!" She said with conviction, somehow ready to accept him as a brother.

"Yeah." He said quietly. "I survived." There was a gratitude in his voice and ghost of a smile on his lips. However his eyes were sadder than, she thought, possible.

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AN:

Thanks for Reviews.

The first version got 24 of them! Thanks for your opinions, they did help. I am sorry if I've removed something you liked.

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