Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and this wonderful world of imagination. It truly belongs to J.K. Rowling and I'm just having some fun with her characters.
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One Last Chance
Chapter Three: Acceptance
Sirius was watching his godson approaching them with the love of his life. Whether Harry knew it or not, he wasn't sure. He was a proud godfather. Sirius knew how much his death had affected Harry. How couldn't it? Being the only father-like figure he--Harry had ever had until then. He did feel very guilty for that. He should not have left Harry alone. It had made Sirius cry on Lily's shoulder when he saw Harry run after Bellatrix; to kill her; to avenge his death. He had watched in horror as Harry was possessed by Voldemort. It was the thought of wanting to die to meet Sirius again that had helped him free himself from Voldemort's clutches. He had been truly touched by the attachment his godson had for him.
Severus Snape eyed Harry Potter as he walked toward them with Ginny Weasley leading him; a small reassuring smile graced her face meant only for Harry. He had always seen James Potter in him. Harry Potter did have Lily's eyes, but Snape had been convinced that Harry Potter was just like his father. Snape was not sure why, but it might have been because he, Harry, was the result of the fact that James Potter had taken away the love of his life--Lily. To quench the thirst of his wounded heart, he bullied Harry in his classes, and although he did protect him, he never showed any affection for the boy. No, it was not true that he loathed Harry, but he never could bring himself to show affection or even care for him. He had done all that for Lily. It was his way of grieving.
Seeing Harry Potter during his school days, sitting there, with huge eyes, trying to take in a much as he could all those years back, had been quite a shock to him. Snape had known that he had Lily's eyes, but he had not been prepared to see the exact resemblance between his late enemy and his son. He had been able to ignore the green eyes up until his death.
A near death experience changes the outlook of a person, but death totally alters a person. Death is a place where carefree attitude existed. No hate, no love, no anger, no recent, no remorse, no guilt. It is a place that is void of emotions. Hence, most people associated it to a very calming atmosphere. As soon as you grasp the fact that you are dead, the emotions totally vanish from you. It would feel like it never existed. You become more perceptive of the past and what happened in your lifetime and how your actions affected others knowingly or not.
Until such a time you accept it the emotions slowly ebb away from you, leaving you into something similar to dementor.
Remus saw Harry approaching them. He couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if Harry had not sent him back to Tonks to help her raise his child. What a coward he had been. It was one of the reasons that Remus had chosen Harry to be the godfather of his son. He wondered how his life would have been had Dumbledore not tempted him with the offer of the DADA professorship and the Wolf's Bane Potion. He would have lost that chance to meet his one brother who had been falsely accused of having betrayed another brother. The wolf in him had grieved for the loss of all three on the same day for years.
He was grateful to Harry, for giving him that chance, to go back to his wife and help her raise their child.
Tonks also watched as Harry neared them. When she had first met him he had only been the godson of her cousin. Later as she gotten to know him, she realized he was just a normal teenager with a little bit…okay scratch that…the whole weight of the world on his shoulders, and yet Harry always had the air of authority and leadership to him. Tonks' mother Andromeda was Sirius' 'cousin', there fore he was her 'second cousin' not her uncle.
She had been, and would always be, very grateful to him, when he had sent back her husband Remus to her. She could not have given birth to Teddy without her husband by her side. She had neglected the contraceptive because she knew that she would not be able to convince him otherwise. When Remus had explained what Harry had told him and sent him back, she felt the she owed a life-debt to him. When Remus had suggested that Harry be their son's godfather, she had readily agreed to it.
Everyone who saw the reunion of this broken family had a small smile. Anyone who knew Harry would know that he had always missed his parents. Ever cold, yet a total softy deep within his heart, Severus Snape could feel the emotions rising as he saw Lily hug her little baby boy. The son in question was holding onto her as though his life depended onto it. James Potter had his arms around both of them. He was just hugging them protectively. James vowed to himself he would find other means to protect them. Dying was easy, but seeing his son suffer without parents had been very difficult.
James Potter was so thankful to everyone who had helped Harry, and the first name on his list was Snape. He wasn't sure how to thank a man, whose guts he had hated, from the first day they'd met. How does one man thank another who was in love with HIS wife? Although Lily had made it perfectly clear to James that she did indeed love only him. It wasn't because Severus had called her a mudblood, (and to infuriate him by being his enemy's girl), but she loved him, James Potter for who he was. She always had.
She had looked deep down into Severus' very soul. She had also seen that behind his mask of arrogance as a boy, he had a soft side. He knew she would never tell anyone, not even Sirius that he had been moved while reading a tragic, love novel; because he enjoyed things that would make her smile. Severus had done those small little things for her, to make her forget, for at least a moment that the most dangerous Dark Lord was after her child.
Ginny watched the emotions playing on Harry's face. She could read him like a book. He would rub his scar if he was worried or lost deep in thought. He would rub the back of his neck if he was embarrassed or nervous. The smile he would wear, if he were happy or excited would be so infectious that she felt the whole area around him light up, as though the sun had suddenly realised it was not shining bright enough.
Now, seeing Harry crying on his mother's shoulder, unable to believe that she was alive and standing in front of him, she saw something inside him she had only ever seen once for a brief moment before. Harry was the happiest man alive. He had his family with him; the one thing he had seen in the Mirror of Erised. She had seen him happy during that short relationship they had shared during her fifth year, but she had never seen him so happy and radiant. This made her smile in relief. All his efforts and sacrifice had definitely paid off. He deserved to be happy.
A fierce sense of protectiveness rose in her. She wanted to make sure Harry's parents would never be snatched away from him in such a cruel manner. She had fanaticized about how it would be after Voldemort had been defeated and they all held the same picture in the end, she and Harry would be married happily and have a couple of children, who loved him and gave him the true sense of home.
Ginny always believed in the fact that it is better to be late than never. She would help him create a childhood for himself with his parents although he no longer was a child. He was not even a teen.
Once Harry's sobs subsided, he looked around and was embarrassed to see everyone was staring at him. His eyes were bloodshot and his nose was leaking. His gave his parents a watery smile. Lily pulled his head down and kissed his forehead in such a loving and tender manner that bought fresh tears to his eyes.
"Harry sweetheart, why don't you go and talk to the others? It was a long process for us to come back among the living. We were instructed that none of us will do anything or talk to anyone, without talking and confronting you first. I can see Andromeda bursting in joy, at seeing her daughter back. They'll want to meet the family," Lily told him.
"Go on son," James told his son giving him a slight push. "I promise we'll talk later, and I know for sure that this lovely redhead will be right by your side." He was smiling at Ginny.
"Okay. I think I'll talk to Professor Snape first," Harry said.
If the truth be told he was scared at meeting his mother's unrequited lover who he had despised until after he had died. Harry didn't want that confrontation to take place, but he knew it was inevitable.
He turned to Professor Snape and didn't know what to tell him. What do you say to a man whom you hated and considered a murderer up until the time after his death? How do you tell a man thank you for loving his mother, when his father was standing right there? What could Harry tell Snape?
He opened his mouth several times and shut it not knowing what to say. Finally he managed to small, guilty smile.
"Professor, I'm sorry for acting the way I did after…at the end of the last year. I…" He glanced at his parents. Lily had a smile on her face while James was eying Snape carefully. "I am thankful to you for giving me the truth. You have always looked for my back and I have always thought you were working for the other side." He looked down and sighed. Unconsciously he rubbed his neck. How can he have not seen this? He looked up again into the man's eyes and said, "All I'm trying to say is I'm sorry and I'm thankful to you. I don't think this would have been possible had it not been for you."
"I did it for Lily. I had my guilt to confront me," Snape said, keeping his emotions under tight check. "So you're welcome and I accept your apology. Now, if you'll excuse me I need to talk to Minerva."
He then turned to Lily and said "I'll talk to you later," and walked of toward McGonagall.
Harry watched the man leave. He dreaded it because that would mean he had to face his godfather who had been standing right next to him. He had made his peace with those deaths finally when he had seen them in the Forbidden Forest. He shut his eyes for a second. He could clearly see how Sirius fell into the veil. This was also going to be very difficult for him. It had taken him a long time to accept the fact that Sirius was dead, but now he was alive again. All the pain was in vain. He opened his eyes and saw his godfather waiting for him patiently.
"Sirius, I…I don't know what to say. Oh hell! This is difficult." He looked down, his hand racking through his head, messing his long, unruly hair. When he looked up into Sirius face; he only had a split-second warning before Sirius threw his arms around him and pulled him into a hug. Not knowing what to do, he breathed a sigh of relief.
After he broke the embrace, Sirius looked at him and said "You are going to tell me everything later, even if Ginny is dancing naked in front of you!" With a wink he ran to meet his cousin, Andromeda.
Harry felt like he wanted to hex Sirius and also felt embarrassed that this was said in front of Ginny. He didn't dare look up into Ginny's eyes, sure they had talked about it, but they had not properly become a couple again. He wasn't sure if he was allowed to think about her…at least not about how Ginny looked naked! True he had given it a lot of thought, but to admit it that he had right in front of her, he didn't think he had ever been more embarrassed. His parents were standing right there for Merlin's sake!
What would they say? He did like Ginny a lot, but he did not know if his parent's would like her or not? Would they consider this as him not treating her properly? Was he right in thinking of treating? Was it weather or not they like her, or something like approval? Oh Merlin!! Please help me. I never had parents before. How do I treat them? Like I treat Mr. and Mrs. Weasley or like the Dursleys or just like my friends? The only thing I know about my parents is the day Voldemort came to kill them. Oh this is going to be pleasant! I don't know anything about what my mum and dad expect me to be or do.
Seeing his discomfort, his father decided that his son need not feel so confused about Sirius' comments. "Hey, Harry, just ignore Padfoot. He tends to be like that. It's in his nature," James said in what he hoped would be a way that would soothe his son and cool him a bit.
Harry turned to his father and looked into his eyes.
"I'll try," he said, and added after a moment's hesitation, "Dad."
His father's eyes widened and there was a huge smile on his face. Anyone who would have seen his father would have thought that his son had said "Daddy" for the first time since he learned to talk.
He then turned to Remus and Tonks. He smiled at them. "Sorry I kept you waiting to meet your son." He did feel bad about it, after all his mother had told him about the instructions they had received to confront him first, before they saw anyone. "Just go see your mum and son, Tonks."
She didn't need to be told twice, she took off towards her son, Remus hot on her heels.
"So Harry, um…what's Ginny like?" his mother asked, she looked just as confused as he was.
"She's great," he told her, not knowing what else to say.
"We know that Harry, but what is it that you feel about her?" Lily asked, patiently.
"Oh, well I'm not really sure, Mum. I do know that she was my last thought as I was hit by the killing curse in the forbidden forest. I need to talk to her first Mum," he replied, watching Ginny bring both Ron and Hermione over to where they were standing.
Their eyes met and he knew he would always need her in his life. She was the woman behind his success, in a very different manner. She wasn't on the front line like Hermione had been, but she had been his driving force. The Marauder's Map had been of great help until Easter, where he watched over her as she sat in the Common Room or the dormitory.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Potter, I am Hermione Granger--Harry's friend," Hermione took the opportunity to introduce herself and her friends, once she came up to Harry's Parents. "This is Ron Weasley, another friend of Harry's. We met in our first year here.
"I am your son's girlfriend, Ginevra Wesley, Mrs. Potter," Ginny said, noticing Hermione's hesitation to introduce her. Then she turned back to Harry with a hard blazing look he had seen before. It meant she would not take him calling her anything other than his girlfriend. You kissed me in the Common Room the other day, and you sealed your fate Harry. You have no idea just how much I love you and have looked out for you. This talk, you keep referring to won't be just yours, I have so much to tell you too.
Amazingly, he nodded his head with a faint smile, as though he understood her. Lily frowned at this, but it went unnoticed by anyone around them.
"We know who you are; you see we were able to look down on what was happening to the living. We also got updates from Sirius and Professor Dumbledore. We actually saw you kiss Ginny in the Gryffindor Tower Harry. You lost me ten Galleons," James said.
"I told you not to bet on such things. For heaven's sake he's your son, or did you forget that?" demanded Lily, glaring at her husband.
"Aww…come on Lils, it was fun, and I though Harry wouldn't come to his senses until the end of his sixth year. I didn't know he was brave enough to do anything in front of the most protective brother. You saw him pinning over her from the beginning, he just didn't realize," James wined.
"What are you talking about?" Ginny demanded.
"Well Ginny, Harry never really saw any other girl. Since he saved you from the Chamber, he's loved you--he just didn't know about it. He's kept his feelings to himself. When Hermione mentioned about that Corner bloke you went out with, he did feel jealous about it; but he was too stuck up on Cho-Bloody-Chang," James told Ginny, as her eyes widened with each word he spoke. "What the hell did you see in that human hosepipe, Harry?" James demanded of his son, ignoring Ginny's look of surprise and shock.
"JAMES!!" Lily shrieked, "You cannot call anyone a human hosepipe. What will you teach your son??"
Lily's concern however fell on deaf ears as everyone there was laughing, including Harry.
"I'm a bit too old to be thought such things Mum. I am after all seventeen!!" Harry told his mother in what appeared to be a joking manner, but deep within his voice there was some sadness and bitterness hidden. Only his mother and Ginny could see through it. His mother's eyes lost their anger, and turned to him.
"You can never be too old to learn something from your father and me, and I want you to know that. Don't ever forget it." She looked into his wonderful green eyes, although they were hers as well, she had always felt that his eyes were better than hers.
Harry had not expected his mother to read between the lines. He also felt a soft hand reach out and grab his. He knew without looking that it belonged to Ginny. He swallowed thickly and tried to ignore the sting of his eyes. When did I get so emotional?
"I hope so," he said softly, his eyes bright. He immediately turned away only to look directly into Ginny's eyes. His widened, and then he looked down. He didn't want anyone to know that at the age of seventeen he wanted his mother and father to tuck him into his bed.
Ginny pulled him towards her. He came silently. "It is okay to want to be tucked into your bed, Harry," Ginny said softly into his ear. Her breath on his ear tingled and yet again he found himself claming and a sense of relief spreading through his body, as he clung onto Ginny. The flowery scent, so uniquely Ginny hit him after such a long time that he lost himself into it.
He was in the arms of the woman he loved, and now he knew what his exact feelings towards her were.
James and Lily Potter watched their sharing a private moment with the young woman who held him close to her heart. They knew without a doubt that she would become their daughter-in-law someday, even if their son didn't. Lily had rested her head on James' shoulder and he had his hand around her waist. Both of them were watching their son silently thanking which ever gods were listening for having spared her from being killed by Bellatrix.
She did suit him the best. Ginny wasn't a Ron or a Hermione for his son. She was someone beyond that. The girl knew him pretty well and had figured him out.
Both Lily and James knew that the relationship between Ginny and Harry was a mature one, and they understood each other perfectly, seeing this with her acceptance to his breakup after Dumbledore's funeral. Although Lily though it was stupid and too noble on her son's part.
They were also extremely comfortable with each other, and able to keep each other smiling, or at least somewhat happy, having seen all the joking banter back and forth in his sixth year. Ginny was also able to shut Harry up and make him understand whenever Ron and Hermione are unable to do so. From their point of view, Ginny had Harry wrapped around her fingers.
"Thank you, Ginny," Harry whispered into her ear, "for being who you are."
She leaned back in his arms so she could cook into his eyes. "No need to thank me, I'll always be there for you."
He kissed her tenderly on her forehead, and then gave her another hug. Ginny had a huge smile on her face. The past years suffering had not been in vane and she knew without a doubt that this was a perfect way for the war to end.
"So, Ginny, tell us how do you feel about Harry," Lily asked her, as James, Ginny and she sat down at the Gryffindor table. Harry was with his godson and Ron and Hermione had disappeared shortly after they had introduced themselves to Harry's parents.
"He is an amazing person Mrs. Potter," Ginny replied.
"Please do call me Lily, and my husband James," Lily requested. "We still feel we're twenty-one years old, not thirty-eight."
"Mum," Harry suddenly appeared by their side, "tell me how you came back to life."
"That's a story for the next Order meeting," James answered his son, and then turned back to Ginny. "What do you like about him?"
"Who?" Harry asked sharply, looking at his father. He still didn't know if his parents liked her or not. He also knew that it was some other guy Ginny liked or anything like that. He trusted her completely and that is what scared him the most about their relationship.
"I'm asking her. You need not know who it is." James waved his hand, trying to shoo his son.
"Don't frighten the girl by asking such questions, James!" Lily was beside herself. Not only was her husband trying to scare Ginny, he was also pushing his son away and she knew it was hurting Harry. "She's meeting us for the first time. I remember how you were when you met my parents." That shut James up immediately.
"Your sister was the one I was terrified of, not your parent's," James countered to Lily after feeling his ego had been hit.
"Yeah right," Lily said rolling her eyes. She then turned to Harry and said, "I know that my sister is in hiding Harry, and I would like to go to her and personally bring her back."
This cold voice of his mother's chilled his heart. All he did was nod in return to it. "I might need some help, but it can wait. For now I need to talk to Sev, so please excuse me. We'll catch up with you; after all we have a lifetime to do so!"
"Can I join you, Lily?" James asked. His eyes had a mad anger in them.
"Sure you can. I need the other two Marauders and Sev also, but to see him, now you can come along. He has to move on in life," Lily said.
"You should know that if someone loves you, it's not possible to move on and accept it. I know it because I have and am having the same experience, although you're not with someone I hate. Be it Snape or Peter, I'll pity him." Saying that, and without glancing back at his wife, he turned around and made his way toward Snape, who was talking to the Malfoys.
Lily watched her husband walk over to her best friend. "That's why I chose you over Sev. You're too noble for your own good." She spoke her thoughts out loud.
"So…you didn't hate dad?" Harry asked hesitantly.
His mother's eyes snapped back to him. "No. I didn't want to admit to myself that I liked him, so I chose to convince myself that he was arrogant," she told him smiling and her eyes flickered over to Ron and Hermione who had just reentered the Great Hall, holding hands. Lily then turned around and walked over to join her husband and Severus.
Lily was sure that James and Severus would be fighting and she'd have to pull them apart. Once she got there she was surprised. James was being quite mature about it. He was asking Severus to join them when they set about trying to get the Dursleys back to their house.
"I'm not so sure about it Potter," Snape replied. "I don't like being escorts to Muggles as foul as Lily's sister and family."
Lily cleared her throat loudly to announce her presence. Both of them turned to acknowledge her presence.
"You know Sev, I really haven't thanked you for what you did for my son. Thank you." She then put her pulled him into a tight embrace.
After she stepped away from him he asked "You really love your husband, don't you?"
She nodded her head, looking up at her husband. Yes, I love this man.
"Some Gryffindor I made," she said, voicing her thoughts.
"What do you mean Lily?" asked James, who was now standing behind her with his arms round her waist.
"I let my friend down, when he needed me the most," she told him as she started recollecting the events that had taken place so many years before.
"I didn't even get to know him fully." She looked up at Severus with sad eyes. It just pained her that she failed as a friend and that didn't change his mind about how much he loved her.
"It's okay Lily. You're back and you've forgiven me; although that guilt will remain all my life." Severus spoke softly. His voice cracked. He shut his eyes trying in vain to hold back the tears. "I've paid for what I've done." His voice was thick with emotions. "And you are a true Gryffindor because you forgave me and stood up to the Dark Lord for your son's sake. He truly is your son and I don't know why I've never seen him as such. I only saw him as a Potter."
"Well you saw only me in him," James said as he chuckled, "and I can honestly say that you would not have been pleased to see the face of the man who stole your love through their sonand still be nice to him."
Severus snorted as Lily rolled her eyes at her husband's knack of turning emotional moments into something humorous. He just stated the fact, but the way he said it, was like he was telling a close friend a problem he never realised.
Severus was shaking his head in defeat. "So what did you want to talk about?" he asked Lily, regaining his composure with a small smile on his face. "Your husband told me you wanted to talk to me."
"Yes I did," Lily said. "I need you to get over me and move on with your life. I know you're a much better Potions teacher than you portray yourself to be with your students, and I want you to get back to that. Live your life--date a few witches; have some fun, loosen up a bit and then you can truly move on."
"No, I'm not going to teach if I can help it, and even if I do I won't take Potions. I'll take up Defense against the Dark Arts if I can again. I would prefer that," Severus said as though he was daring Lily to tell him otherwise.
"Way to go! You'll do great Snape!" James complimented before Lily could say anything else.
"You take up Potions Lily. We could finish our book and also you're much better than I will ever be," Severus told her, completely ignoring James' comment.
"Oh I was thinking of the same, but I need my teacher to teach me because I've forgotten everything, having been dead for almost seventeen years," Lily said in the most enticing voice she could manage. Her voice lost it flirtatiousness though when she felt James hand slip under her top and trace circles on her lower back, slowly moving upwards.
"I need a brush-up Sev," she told him. Her breathing had become heavy. She had been dead for seventeen years! What would you expect?
"You know Potter, I can see that," Severus said in a disgusted voice and he looked away. "And I'll help you, Lily, with whatever I can."
James immediately drew his hand away and guilt filled him. "I'll leave you to talk," he told them and left before either of them could protest. He had not realised that Snape could see him. He heard his wife's voice and it had been seventeen years since he had been able to hear her like that. He had been unable to resist.
"I'm sorry, Lily," Severus apologized, feeling horrible and guilty, when he saw the hurt and sadness in Lily's eyes as she watched James walk off. "It's just that I couldn't watch such intimate moments of your life with Potter."
"It's okay now, but you need to get used to it. I'm his wife and it has been seventeen years." Lily said in a very pleasant voice.
Severus grimaced and then frowned. "I'll try." He then pulled Lily into a hug.
"I know you will," Lily said, and then in a more cheerful tone she added, "Come on. We'll see if Professor McGonagall will let us teach here, and whether Kingsley has any problems with the dead coming back to life. Also we need to plan something to torment my sister for what she did to my son all his life."
She linked her arm with his and pulled Snape over to Professor McGonagall, chatting nonstop, like old times. Snape shook his head, remembering how much she could talk once she got started.
A/N: It' edited…Hope you enjoy! Please do leave a review.