Disclaimer: See chapter 1. Reviews are welcomed, flames aren't.

Chapter 28: Reflections

Sirius and Harry nodded. "Could you just see Dumbledore trying to control a very hyper Harry? Hogwarts wouldn't be left standing. The old man has already placed several blocks on Harry but thankfully, his parents removed them. They're pretty upset with the Headmaster as it is."

Harry rolled his eyes. "That's an understatement, if ever I heard one! Hey Uncle Snuffles, are we taking the professor with us? We need to get going. You know how Father can be and he's very adamant that the time line must be maintained," Harry said cryptically.

0o0o0o0

'So this was where Harry grew up.' Remus was in awe of the quaint New England cottage just behind the theatre. It reminded him of something out of a fairy tale. 'Well,' he shrugged. 'Anything is better than the Dursleys.' He remembered Petunia from his school days and she was a harridan back then. He shuddered to think what she is now, married to that piggish husband of hers.

'It's no wonder Harry couldn't be found,' he mused as he walked up the stone path. 'The wards and spells here are extremely powerful. I don't recognize any of the magic used to create them.'

Pausing at the door, he heard a woman inside humming to herself. 'And as for his adoptive parents. . .' He shuddered, remembering the childhood tales his mother used to tell. He could hear her saying, "The Goblin King will get you if you don't behave!" He shuddered again. Shaking his head as if to clear it, he reached up to open the door.

The summer hols had been very interesting, to say the least. Remus would have never imagined Sirius on stage, but seeing was believing James always did say that Sirius was a ham. 'How in Merlin's name he and Harry had been able to keep from being spotted by anyone, I will never know,' he mused. Magic, in his opinion could only do so much.

0o0o0o0

Sunlight filtered across his face pulling Remus from sleep. He cursed as he pulled a pillow over his face. "Now I know why Padfoot so graciously offered me the larger, east-facing guest room," he growled to himself. He hugged his pillow closer, knowing that he would never get back to sleep now that he was fully awake. "Mangy mutt!"

"Hey, Moony" called Sirius, bounding in, landing on the bed. "You'll never guess what!"

"What?" Remus snarled through the pillow. Speak of the devil, he's right on cue.

"Dumbledore is interviewing bands for a Yule Ball," Sirius said, bouncing as he pulled at the pillow. "He sent a notice to the Hooligans. Can you believe that?"

Remus groaned, clutching the pillow tighter. "That's just what we need. Harry and those brothers of his at Hogwarts. They would give the whole thing away."

"Nyahh!" Sirius scoffed, finally pulling the pillow away. "They'll never know what hit 'em."

"Mangy Mutt! Give that back!" Remus howled grabbing for the pillow. "I was using that!"

"But it's time to get up! Much to do and too little time to do it in."

"Don't care! Gimmee! And go away!"

"Gee I forgot, Moony. You're no fun without your first cup of coffee in the morning." Sirius bounced off the bed, heading for the door, pillow in hand.

Remus threw his other pillow at the retreating back. "Close the door on your way out!" he snarled.

0o0o0o0

Harry sat on one of the upside down steps in the Escher Room, strumming his guitar. Summer was almost over and he had to return to Hogwarts. He didn't want to go. His dreams had so far updated him on his past life outside this time line. Those memories hadn't been very pleasant. Sure, he had some great times but they had been few and far between. He was suppose to go to the World Cup and be best friends with Ron Weasley this summer. Somehow, this time around, he was glad they were just casual friends. Comparing the two set of memories, he could see that Ron wasn't really much of a friend in either time-line.

Hermione wasn't much of a friend either, as she tended to put too much stock in books and authority figures. Nor did she much care for his antics. She played the 'little mother to the orphan boy card' too frequently for his taste. He chuckled softly, suddenly remembering that when he could get her to loosen up, she was great fun.

"Garion, my son."

Garion looked up or was it down as he was after all upside down. His father was standing in the center of the room in his white owl cape. Uh oh. This can't be good. Father's being official.

"Come here."

"Yes sir." Garion hopped down, doing a flip, righting himself.

Motioning Garion to join him sitting on a step, Jareth started to speak, "You know what you must to this year."

"I've had flashes of it in my dreams, Father. Must I really go through with it?"

"You must, my son. You know what is at stake."

"Dumbledore is an ass, isn't he?"

Jareth smirked as he tapped his son on the back of his head. "Language, my son. Do not insult such a noble animal."

Garion ducked slightly. "Yes Father," he snickered.

"Nevertheless, my son. The old wizard will do his best to drag you into whatever he has planned. Make no mistake, he knows what goes on in his castle."

"Except the castle likes me and likes that I'm cleaning out the stagnant magic."

"True my son. For that, the headmaster has no clue what you are or what you've been taught. You must be careful this year and not show your true talents openly," Jareth counseled.

"You'll be there for me, won't you Father?" Garion asked, suddenly sounding very young and vulnerable. "I mean. . ."

Jareth stopped him, placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "I have always been with you, Garion and that will not change."

Garion leaned against his father, sighing in relief. With everything he's faced in his life, his adoptive parents and Sirius have been the only constants. Given his alternate life of having no adult he could turn to, he wouldn't trade this one for anything.

"What are your thoughts, my son?"

Garion sighed again as he moved to look at his father. "Thoughts on what, Father?"

"Are you ready for this year? It will be your hardest to date. We have prepared you and trained you to face anything that comes your way."

"I know, Father. He will make a bid to come back, won't he?"

"Yes."

"I have't. It is engendered. Hell and night must bring this monstrous birth to the world's light," Garion quoted softly as he took comfort by moving closer to his father.

Jareth closed his eyes, resting his chin on the top of his son's head. "No truer words have you spoken, my Garion. We of the Fae will stand with you in your fight against this great evil. You are not alone, this time."

0o0o0o

A/N: The quote is from "Othello," act 1, scene iii. Although the quote is correct, for those that are a bit confused by the contraction, it translate to "have it" (at least that's what Frau's commentary says).

Thanks everyone for the reviews. You guys rock. If you have questions, comments, etc you can post them on my yahoo group. Frau and I are gearing up for NoNaWriMo. We'll be posting an original work during the month on my yahoo group, if you are interested.

Until next time. --GF and The Frau