Harry Potter

The Aftermath

Chapter 3

Home Again

November 14, 2017

The middle of October came and the pair sent to try and talk the American Congress to act against Voldemort have returned. They had apperated to Hogsmead so they could get up to Hogwarts to report into Dumbledore as soon as possible. The school year had started now, the students had returned and were now roaming around the castle grounds per their usual. Sirius and Marie kept their hoods up as they walked up the drive making kids steer clear of them, which wasn't a bad idea cause they were widely known as Order of the Phoenix and Ministry Auror's to the Death Eaters. No use getting these kids drawn into a war.

"Good evening you two. Dumbledore is expecting you." McGonagall said as she met them by the front door and ushered them into the castle and up the stairs to the headmasters office.

"Good evening Professor McGonagall." Marie said with a quick smile as the door closed behind them and they started up the stairs pulling down their hoods.

"I don't appreciate you and Dumbledore making this school a target for Voldemort." McGonagall said shrewdly as she glanced back Sirius and Marie slightly aggravated.

"Yeah well everywhere is a target now isn't it. Voldemort fears Dumbledore. As long as Dumbledore is here Hogwarts is safe, Hogwarts can't be touched." Sirius said with a shrug as he looked away from McGonagall just as aggravated.

"You could at least use common decency to come under the cover of night." McGonagall said as she turned away from them and stepped out onto the landing heading for Dumbledore's office.

"Take it up with Dumbledore. He wanted this news as soon as we returned." Marie said as she raised an eyebrow at McGonagall. Out of all the teachers here at the school she was one Marie was sure that would have supported Dumbledore during his fight against Voldemort.

"I have." McGonagall said plainly then stopped at the gargoyle guarding Dumbledore's office. "Mint taffy." she said and the gargoyle sprang out of the way revealing the staircase upwards.

"Anyway thanks." Marie said with another smile over to McGonagall before going up with Sirius to report in to Dumbledore.

"Ah yes Minister you seem to have very good timing my emissaries to the MACUSA have returned." they heard Dumbledore through the door.

"Great..." Sirius mumbled with an eye roll before opening the door.

"Minister Bagnold, Professor Dumbledore." Marie said pleasantly as she and Sirius walked into the office.

Milicent Bagnold was a medium build Witch with a soft blue set of robes on with bronze stitches and inlays. Her light brown hair starting to be peppered with gray prematurely due to the stress of war with Voldemort. Her piercing blue eyes bore into the two new comers willing them to give her good news from the American front. "Good evening." she said dipping her head slightly in acknowledgment of them being in the room with them before returning her attention back to Dumbledore.

"I believe you have a report to make." Dumbledore said as he motioned them over to his desk.

"Excuse me am I to understand that you used two of my Aurors during this time of war to do your errand?" Minister of Magic asked slightly irritating, but truth be told she was glad they had went she had been trying to find a way to convince the American's to stop turning a blind eye to their troubles.

"They may be your Auror's Minister but they are also my Order Members. They were doing what was necessary to our cause I assure you." Dumbledore said as he looked down at the Minister over his half moon glasses.

"Of course, of course. Get on with it then." Minister Bagnold said waiving dismissively over to Marie and Sirius. The latter trying to suppress an eye-roll he felt coming on, he knew the Minister had approved this mission and she was putting on superior airs.

"Unfortunately Professor, Minister the news is not good. The MACUSA refuse to get involved in what they consider and matter of internal security, or civil war. Once Voldemort defeats us and goes after another country then they will step in. they offer us their apologies and any assistance we require other than boots on the ground as they say." Marie said with a frown she had put Dumbledore first during all this to show her displeasure at the way Minister Bagnold had behaved over the last few minutes.

"Unfortunate indeed. What do they believe we require other than boots on the ground?" Dumbledore asked as he sat down behind his desk and stared up at them curiously.

"They are willing to take refugee's, or to provide any type of supplies we request with in reason." Sirius replied as he looked at Dumbledore curiously wondering what his response would be. He remembered his own response once they had left the MACUSA. 'How can they be so bloody blind and useless?' he had raged irritated beyond belief at the American's.

"Well Minister Bagnold the ball is in your court as they put it. What would you like from the American's and what about sending refugee's out of the war zone?" Dumbledore asked as he turned from his two messengers back to the Minister of Magic.

"I must discuss this with my advisers. Is there anymore to report?" Minister Bagnold asked curiously looking first at Marie and Sirius then back to Dumbledore.

"I have no more new information." Dumbledore said then looked over to Marie and Sirius.

"Nothing more to add." Marie said formally then began to leave believing their usefulness was at an end.

"Hold a moment Marie, Sirius I have more to discuss with you. Minister I shall walk you out." Dumbledore said as he stood up and walked around his desk and escorted the Minister out of his office then out of his school.

Marie and Sirius were talking quietly to one another off to the side of Dumbledore's office. It was a habit they had picked up over the last several years. Never keep your back to a door or window, keep the room in view at all times.

"Ah now that the stuffiness is gone." Dumbledore said with a smile as he made his way back over to his desk. "Now might I ask you do take on one more mission for tonight?" he asked after looking at a few papers on his desk and looking up to see Marie and Sirius making their way over to him curiously.

"We would like to rest but if you need it take care of tonight we are here." Sirius said after he looked over at Marie curiously and caught her giving him a nod of approval.

"Very well I would like for you to convey another message. A more personal message I believe for all of us." Dumbledore said then stood straight up pausing for effect. "I need you to make your way to James and Lily to inform them that Voldemort as marked them for death and I believe their only way to survive is to choose a Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Charm which I am more than willing to fill that position." he said seriously looking between the two to make sure they understood the gravity of the situation.

"James and Lily... They've been out of the war for over a year now because of Harry. Why the sudden interest in them?" Marie said after she recovered from the shock.

"I believe it has something to do with a prophecy." Dumbledore said as he sat down behind his desk again. "This decision must be made quickly." he said urgently hoping to stall any more questions until the Potters were warned.

"Right lets go Marie." Sirius said then turned and hurried to the door not willing to waist anymore time here and risk his best friends death.

"Of course." Marie said and followed after Sirius quickly. "Thank you Professor." she said with a quick smile from the door before closing it and following Sirius down the stairs. They made it out onto the grounds in a a matter of minutes then dashed across to the entrance gate and through. Spinning on the spot they were gone.

"James, Lily!" Sirius yelled as he ran into the house through the back door almost hysterically.

"Sirius what's going on?" James said as he stood up and held his hands our bracing Sirius, keeping him from being a bull in a china shop and waking Harry.

"Dumbledore wanted us to inform you that Voldemort as marked the two of you for death and he believe your only way to survive is to choose a Secret Keeper for the Fidelius Charm which he is more than willing to be for you." Marie said as she made it into the house beside Sirius having shorter legs had it's drawbacks he was quite a bit faster than her with his longer strides.

"Fidelius Charm... wait why us we've been out of the war for nearly two years now..." James said confused as he looked at his two friends then over at his wife with a worried look on his face.

"Dumbledore said something about a prophecy..." Sirius said with a shrug, saying who cares lets get you protected.

"Dumbledore is to preoccupied with the war. Sirius you be our Secret Keeper." James said as he looked back over to Sirius hoping he would agree. Sirius was his most trusted friend.

"Of course I will. But won't I be the obvious choice?" Sirius said with out hesitation then was worried for a moment he was the most obvious choice among their friends he was the strongest and had always been at James' side during battle or during mischief at school.

"Think about it overnight James. We'll have Dumbledore preform the charm tomorrow for you, we'll stand guard tonight." Marie said as she looked over at her friend Lily then back to James who nodded. It was a good idea what Sirius had asked was a valid point.

"What about Remus and Peter. Their both back from their missions. They could help stand guard tonight." Lily offered as she hugged Harry to her terrified.

"I don't know about Peter but Remus would definitely be a help." Marie said then looked up at Sirius curiously. "You stay I'll go get Remus then he can get Peter while I return here." she said then turned and left.

"James we know there is a leak in the Order Remus spends a lot of time with the werewolves. I'm not saying he's the leak but to be safe lets not use him as your keeper. I'm the most obvious choice which puts me in the position to be a decoy. As Marie just said Peter's not much help he's the last they would suspect you to choose." Sirius said seriously as he walked over to Harry and looked at him then turned back to James and locked eyes with him.

"I don't want to use you as a decoy Sirius. And Remus would never betray us. But you have an interesting idea using Peter. He's no where near as skilled as the rest of us and surly no one would suspect us using him as a secret keeper." James said as he sat back down in his chair thinking hard on what Sirius had just said.

"Exactly James. I'm thrilled you want me to be your keeper and I'll do it if that's what you want. But this double bluff is probably your safest bet. They'll come for me first I know that, then Remus or Marie then vice versa then Peter last if they hadn't moved you already and changed keepers." Sirius said as he kneeled down in front of his friend hoping beyond hope that James would agree to this double bluff.

"I don't like the idea of whittling down my best friends to keep us safe." James said as he looked over at his wife and child begging her to just make the decision torn inside from what he knew needed to be done.

"What ever you decide James." Lily said comfortingly as she laid a hand on his arm.

James locked eyes with Lily reading her like a book. She didn't like this plan either but they had to protect Harry. "Alright Sirius, we'll do it your way. Bloody hell why now..." He said as he looked back over at Sirius and sighed.

"I'll let Dumbledore know that you have made your decision to be me so that no one but the three of us and Peter knows who the real keeper is. You all go get some rest it seems Harry is all tuckered out." Sirius said as he stood back up then walked over to the front windows watching the street curiously.

"Sirius, Remus has... woa... it's just me..." Marie said as she came into the house through the back door then dodge into the kitchen when Sirius spun on her quickly with his wand out.

"It's just Marie." James said and laughed lightly as he looked around the living room wall into the kitchen before he followed Lily up to bed.

"Bloody hell someone's keyed up..." Marie said with a sigh as she stuck her head around the corner of the kitchen looking over at Sirius to make sure he had dropped his wand. "Don't shoot Remus or Peter when they get here." she said as she slunk out into the hall way.

"I wasn't going to shoot you." Sirius said as he turned back around to watching the street after turning off the lights in the living room.

"Right..." Marie said as she looked at him like he was crazy. "Did they make a decision?" she asked curiously when she left James had asked Sirius to do it.

"Yes." Sirius said simply hoping his plan would work.

"You're really worried. They'll be alright. I'll protect you, you protect them." Marie said with a smile as she looked out the front windows too, mistaken his worry as he was worried that even he would break against Voldemort.

"I know." Sirius said softly as he looked down at her lovingly. She was the best woman he could have in his life. The back door opened again, he turned and pulled his wand again and watched as Marie slunk into a corner with her wand out as well pointing at the back door.

The house was dark all the lights were off. "Sirius, Marie, James..." they heard Remus whisper as he lit his wand to show the way. He stopped and Peter ran into him, he could just barely make out a person standing by the window pointing a wand at him.

"Moony." Sirius said not relaxing his stance at all.

"Padfoot." Remus replied as he looked at Sirius curiously this was one hell of a welcome after asking them to come.

"What's going on Remus why'd you stop." the squeaky voice of Peter came in a whine as he slipped out from behind Remus to look up at him curiously then look over to where Remus was looking then squeaked out as he scampered back behind Remus seeing Sirius pointing a wand at them.

"Where's Prongs? And Wings for that matter?" Remus asked calmly as he stood stock still under Sirius's gaze.

"Come on in you two." Sirius said lowering his wand to let them in the rest of the way into the living room. "James is upstairs, Marie is over there." he said pointing over to Marie coming out of the shadows.

"I guess I had the better deal coming in earlier. The lights were still on." Marie said and laughed as she returned to Sirius' side.

"Marie told me what's going on. You going to be the keeper?" Remus asked curiously as he made his way over to them.

"Yes. We are going to stand guard until Dumbledore can preform the charm tomorrow. I doubt James will sleep knowing all of this but it's our job to keep them safe tonight." Sirius said as he watched their two friends.

"Very well where do you want us?" Remus asked curiously.

"Me and Peter up front here you and Marie watching the back." Sirius said as he glanced up the stairs to see James standing leaning against the railing on the second floor.

"And I'm up here." James chimed in braced against the banister with both hands with his wand in one hand.

"As I assumed." Sirius said with a small smile and a nod.

"Naturally we could never keep him out of trouble." Marie said with a small joking solute to James then turned to Remus. "Lets go." she said softly then turned and walked away silently wondering why he had chosen to stay with Peter instead of her then shook it off as wanting to keep eyes on the little rat. Her opinion of Peter hadn't improved any after graduating Hogwarts. She had always found him to be a sniveling coward and useless as all get out. She couldn't understand how he had been assigned to Gryffindor in the first place.

The night had gone by without incident then Dumbledore came the next day to preform the Fidelius Charm in which even he believed that Sirius was the Secret Keeper. The charm is an immensely complex spell involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is impossible to find out unless the Secret Keeper chooses to divulge it, no way to coerce the disclosure of the information by means of Veritaserum, Legilimency, Cruciatus curse, or the Imperius curse. That is why this is the preferred way to hid the Potters. Not even Voldemort himself could find this house with out the Secret Keeper giving the information up willingly.