Chapter 12:

"Sirius!!" Harry screamed as the large black dog suddenly transformed into a man in his mid-thirties.

"Harry!" Sirius said as he walked over and hugged him. Harry noticed that he had cut his dark hair much shorter and that he had gained some much needed weight. He looked very healthy. "You look great! Look how tall you've gotten." Harry smiled. He loved to see Sirius. One for the fact that he was like a surrogate father to him, and two because it meant he wasn't back in Azkaban.

"Good to see you too," Harry said. Sirius smiled and then looked up at Hermione and Ron who were also smiling.

"Hermione! Ron!" Sirius said. "Come over here!" They walked over and Sirius hugged them as well, commenting on how much they've grown. "I can't believe how much you all have changed."

"Not that much," Ron said grinning. "You look different though."

"Yeah," Hermione added. "Much healthier."

"Well thanks," Sirius said smiling as he looked up at Dumbledore.

"I thought you weren't coming until this weekend?" Harry said as Dumbledore magically made several chairs appear.

"I wasn't," Sirius said sitting down, "But Dumbledore wrote me like you did. Saying that there was something at Hogwarts that I ought to see. I figured that this must be something worth making the trip for."

And Remus?" Harry asked.

Sirius checked his watch. "Any time now he should be…" The was a sudden pop and as Harry opened his eyes he suddenly saw Remus Lupin standing there dusting off his clothes. Lupin looked identical to the way Harry had last seen him. A little less pale perhaps, but identically the same.

"You really know how to make an entrance there don't you Remus?" Sirius said rolling his eyes.

"Apparation.." Remus said sighing. "Highly overrated." (**A/N: I know, I know…can't apparate into Hogwart's…but hey my story I can shake things up a little bit! Screw it just blame it Voldemort or something!!**)

"Professor!" Hermione said out of habit.

"Remus," he said smiling. "Call me, Remus." He looked from each of them until landing his gaze on Harry. "All right there, Harry?"

"Definitely," Harry said grinning. He had most all of his favorite people in the same room with him for the first time in a very long time. He couldn't have been any happier.

"Well Sirius," Remus said turning to his old friend. "What's the good word?"

"I couldn't tell you," Sirius said grinning. "I know as much as you do."

"You'd like to think that wouldn't you?" Remus said smiling.

"Remus has discovered the subtle art of sarcasm," Sirius said rolling his eyes. "This is what I've been putting up with for the past few months."

"You know you enjoy it," Remus said sitting down. "So? Shall we catch up? You all look fantastic! How is everyone? How's our good friend Snape?"

"Just as slimy as ever." Ron said fiercely. Dumbledore coughed.

"Oh," Ron said. "Sorry Professor, no disrespect intended…"

"What?" Dumbledore said playing innocent. "I didn't hear a thing…" Harry smiled.

"Go figure," Sirius said stretching his arms. "Wouldn't expect him to clean up his act…"

"How long can you stay?" Hermione said excitedly.

"Not long," Remus said casting a glance at Sirius. "There are things going on that we need to get back to…"

"About Voldemort?" Harry said sitting up straight. Ron cringed.

"Let's not talk about that right now," Sirius said uneasily. "We're here for now though. Let's enjoy that."

"Yes," Dumbledore said injecting. "Now gentlemen, I have to have a few words with you before we can show you the reason we brought you here."

"What is it Professor?" Sirius said looking into Dumbledore's aging eyes. Harry noticed that both Sirius and Remus looked at Dumbledore with looks of utmost respect. They wouldn't dare cross him.

"Gentlemen," Dumbledore said quickly glancing at Harry, Hermione, and Ron. "We've had a visitor to Hogwarts recently that…well…we've have to keep a lot of information from."

"Why's that?" Remus asked inquisitively. "Do you think that they're trouble?"

"No," Dumbledore said smiling. "Nothing along the lines that you two are thinking about. Of course men in your position would naturally jump to that conclusion since you spend all day everyday looking for such people…this person just comes from somewhere where everything here is unfamiliar."

Sirius looked at Harry and winked at him. Harry just grinned, he really didn't know how Sirius was going to handle the upcoming news.

"Well Professor," Remus said. "Whatever you want us to do, I'm sure we'll both be more than willing to oblige."

"Of course," Sirius said nodding.

"Well," Dumbledore said. "I do not want to ruin your surprise, but once you see it yourself, you will know exactly what I have meant by this conversation. You will know exactly what you mustn't say…"

Sirius and Remus both exchanged confused glances. "All right," Sirius said skeptically.

"If you two gentlemen would just come with me," Professor McGonagall said. She eyed Sirius a little warily, still getting over the realization of what really happened in his life. They both stood up and walked into the adjoining office and disappeared.

"Professor," Harry said. "Do you think either of them will say anything?"

"I don't know," Professor Dumbledore said. "I should hope not. The emotion may be too strong however."

"Professor," Hermione said slowly. "I've been thinking…why couldn't a memory charm just be used. Like before you send Lily back to her own time, couldn't you just charm her mind and make her forget everything she's learned here?"

"I've thought about that," Dumbledore said sighing. "However, the amount of information she's learned all ready. In the first five minutes she was here is all ready too great."

"How's that?" Ron asked.

"A memory charm takes a lot out of the mind," Dumbledore continued. "A great deal of information other than the intended thought is lost during the process. The amount it would take to clean your mother's mind, could take away even the simplest thoughts for her. She may go back to her own time and not know who she is…"

'That would be horrible," Hermione said.

"Exactly," Dumbledore said. "Of course one will be performed. One that is strong enough to rid her of the memory of us. Of you three and anyone else she's met her."

"So she won't remember me?" Harry said very slowly.

"That's the intention," Dumbledore said as his smile faded away. "She may remember things you have said to her however, but she won't remember exactly who said them. It's a rather complicated situation. That is why I have asked you not to expose her to too much of her future. For the simple fact that I cannot clean that much out of her. For her own good."

"How did you know I wrote to Sirius?" Harry asked.

"I knew you would," Dumbledore said. "In fact it was the first thing I thought of when I learned of this whole situation. I agree with you however. I feel that Sirius should have this opportunity. As well as Remus…"

Harry nodded slowly as Dumbledore walked over to his desk. "Professor?" he said. Professor McGonagall reappeared. "You may bring them back out." She nodded and disappeared, only to reappear with Sirius and Remus.

"Are we done sharing secrets?" Remus asked grinning.

"Yes," Harry said standing up. He was almost as tall as both Sirius and Remus.

"Harry," Professor Dumbledore said. "If you would like to go and get…

"All right," Harry said nodding. "I'll be right back."

"If you come back with someone like Snape," Sirius said jokingly, "I'm not going to be very amused!" Harry laughed as he disappeared out of the office. He ran for the Gryffindor common room as fast as he could, barely stopping to let the portrait hole fully open. He ran inside and saw Lily curled up in a corner reading a book of some sort.

"Hey!" Harry said out of breath.

Lily looked up and smiled. "Hi Harry. What's the matter?"

"Nothing," he said breathing heavy. "I'm…great…"

"All right," she said and she shut her book. "Is there something you needed?"

"Yes," he said. "You need to come with me…right now."

"Now?" she said. The fire was illuminating her face, and made features such as her hair stand out even more than usual.

"Yes," Harry said nodding. "Now…"

"Ok," she said standing up. "Where are we going?"

"To see Dumbledore," he said as he started walking back in the direction of where he came. He didn't feel Lily's presence with him however. He stopped and turned around. She was standing where he had left her.

"Dumbledore?" she said slowly. "Does this mean what I think it means?"

"What do you think it means?" Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I'm going back?" she asked. Harry could hear the hope in her voice.

"Oh," Harry said realizing how he had made things seem. "No it's not that…" He watched as Lily's face dropped. "It's good though!"

"Oh," she said slowly as she took a few steps forward. "All right." Harry smiled meekly at her as she got nearer to him. The two of them walked the all too familiar route to Dumbledore's office.

"Bertie Bott's," Lily and Harry both said in unison. They both smiled at each other as they walked in and began to ascend the staircase. Harry could hear laughing coming from the top. This was it. This was the moment of truth. Harry could feel the butterflies in his stomach flying at rapid pace. "They must be riding Firebolt360's," Harry thought to himself.

"Something the matter, Harry?" Lily asked. He hadn't noticed her staring at him.

"Nope," Harry said smiling. "Never better…just a little excited I guess."

"Excited," she said. "For what?"

"You'll see," he said as he stopped right before opening the door. "Could you wait here for a second?"

"Sure," she said shrugging. He stared at her and for a spilt second he saw her as a sixteen year old girl. Just any other girl. Not the woman who would eventually spend nine months carrying him inside her. Not the woman who would care for him, and love him. Not the woman who would give her life to save his. Not the mother that he never got to know. Just any other girl. He took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He almost thought he felt tears welling up.

He opened the door and peaked his head inside. All the heads in the room immediately looked at him. Ron and Hermione had looks of utmost anticipation on their faces, where as Sirius and Remus just looked to be patiently waiting for whatever was to come. Dumbledore just smiled and nodded at Harry. Harry smiled back and turned around, "All right," he said slowly. "Come on in…"