Chapter 3:
"What do you mean Lily was taken by the Veil?" James Sirius stood up abruptly. His little sister was missing. The rest of the family sat around in silent shock but he needed to speak. To air his thoughts. "What was she even doing near the Veil?" He looked at his Aunt Hermione willing her to explain.
Harry placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Calm down, James. Hermione doesn't know why or how she was taken by the Veil but we're going to bring her back. Trust us" He looked at both of his sons. They were so grown up but they still needed his reassurance. It had been hard on all of them especially Hermione who blamed herself for giving Lily the job.
"Harry" Ginny buried herself in his shoulder. "How are you going to bring her back? How?" She felt the tears flowing freely as her sons joined the hug. "Why did she touch the Veil?" She could not believe that her fiery little Lily was gone. Harry had told her. Told them all that Lily had fallen into the Veil. She felt James clutch her hand and she tried to compose herself. Her sons needed her. And, Harry. He had been dealing with this alone.
"It doesn't matter how, Gin. All it matters is that we are going to bring her back" Harry pulled his wife closer and rubbed her back reassuringly. He could feel her soft red hair tickle his chin as she buried herself in his shoulder. He was unused to her tears because they were so rare. But, when she did cry it stung him more than he could put into words. He could feel the lump in his throat grow larger as his wife sniffled.
Sirius drank in the sight of all the people he knew as children. Harry was older now with greying hair and he had been happy. He had found his happiness in Ginny. Sirius had always suspected he would knowing what he did of the supposed Potter myth. He snuck a glance at them. And, even after all these years he would recognise the love between them. She looked at him as if he was the only one in the world and Harry held Ginny like she was the only one that mattered.
And, their children. James Sirius Potter, named after him and James. Harry had mentioned it briefly. It had come as such a surprise. One of the greatest he had ever had matched only when James had named him Harry's godfather. And, Merlin, James Sirius was excellently like his James. Sirius looked wistfully at him. The same messy black hair and hazel eyes. He had missed so much.
Albus Severus. He had Lily's eyes. The same green that Harry had. The only of Harry's children to inherit those green eyes. The ones that stared worriedly at him when he was disowned from the Black House and sparkled with mischief when she told him that she was pregnant. He missed them both so much. James and Lily. And, now Moony and Dora were added to the tally. And, they had a son, Teddy. With Dora's abilities and Moony's bookishness. He could not believe how far the world had turned.
He could not forget Lily Luna. He had only seen a picture but she was so beautiful. She had the same hazel eyes as James but her hair was a shade of red he had never seen. Not the Weasley Ginger of Ginny nor the bright red of Lily. It was so unique. And, she was missing. She had fallen into the Veil just like he had. He wondered where it took her. Not that it mattered, he would help Harry find her no matter the cost. She was his family. They were all a family.
He noticed how Hermione was curled into Ron. He hadn't seen that one coming. Hermione was intelligent, strong willed and at times arrogant whereas Ron had a sense of humour that could make anyone laugh and a bravery beyond his years. But, they did share a fiery temper. And, they were so obviously in love. It wasn't the same open affection as Harry and Ginny but it was there nonetheless in the way that Ron held Hermione's hand and the way that she unconsciously curled her body closer to him. And, they had two children too. Rose and Hugo Weasley. He could not believe how much he had missed in all these years. He had missed every birthday, every wedding, every anniversary since he fell into the Veil and he was a stranger to James Sirius and Albus Severus. He didn't know anything about them. But, they had heard about him. It was an odd feeling to say the least.
"Luna?" Alice nudged her new friend gently. They had been talking about their N.E.W.T subjects when she froze and looked rather skittish. "What happened?" She put down her croissant and took a sip of juice.
A flash of the last time she chose her N.E.W.T subjects shot through her mind. She had chosen all the subjects needed to become an Auror at her mum's insistence that she needed to have a backup career in case she didn't make it into Quidditch. She didn't particularly want to be an Auror but it was one of the hardest career paths and it would qualify her to work in other fields as well. Like being an Unspeakable. "I was just wondering how hard it would be to be an Auror" She offered up with a convincing smile. She knew how hard it would but she had to pretend that she knew nothing and it was hard.
"It's the hardest job in the Wizarding World" Alice surveyed Luna. She would never have guessed the tiny girl sat in front of her wanted to be an Auror. But, then, why wouldn't she? Alice remembered that Luna's aunt had been killed recently and her parents had been killed when she was a child. No wonder she wanted to become an Auror. "And, it's so tough to become one. Are you thinking about it?"
Lily Luna glanced down at her timetable. "I'm taking all the subjects necessary" She reasoned it would be better if she proved herself to be qualified because she had no idea how long she would be stuck here. And, she didn't want to end up in some dead end job even though she hoped she wouldn't be stuck here for two years. Plus, she enjoyed those subjects. Potions had always been her favourite subject though Defence Against the Dark Arts came a close second.
"That's not an answer" Alice quirked her eyebrow up and tried to keep a straight face. She had never been good at being serious and judging from the way Luna was twitching she was doing a pretty bad job. "I want to be a Healer. I've always loved tending to the plants in Herbology"
Lily Luna was just about to answer when she caught sight of a woman with striking red hair and green eyes bickering with the boy she had met in passing. Her grandparents. James and Lily Potter. A pang of sadness attacked her. She had never known them and always wanted to meet them but not like this. She felt even sadder that her dad would never get to meet his parents whilst she would. She had never wanted this and she missed her family. It had only been a day but seeing James Potter reminded her of her own big brother and her dad. And, there was Sirius. He was so handsome. She could admit that he was a looker with his elegant posture and carefully chiselled features offset by that carefully styled messy black hair. There was Remus too and that traitor Peter who was the whole reason why her dad grew up without his parents. The reason why Teddy too grew up with Remus and Tonks. She felt a wave of anger rise up and quickly shoved it back down. He looked so innocent, so young and he hadn't committed a crime yet. She had to remind herself that he had yet to become the traitor. That James Potter wasn't the hero he would grow to be and that Peter Pettigrew was just an ordinary boy.
"Hello, love" Sirius Black took the seat next to Lily Luna Potter. He was curious about the girl who had quite literally appeared from nowhere. Sitting next to her allowed him to get a good luck at the girl with the dark red hair who had passed out in his arms with no apparent injuries. She was even more beautiful close up with green flecked hazel eyes and freckles dotting her pale skin. "I'm Sirius Black"
Lily Luna inwardly reminded herself that she was not supposed to know who he was despite the very fact that she had heard stories about him all her life. She met his slate grey eyes which were currently bright with mischief. "Luna Granger" She stated as a matter of fact as she took in his appearance. His devil-may-care smile was at odds with the elegant posture and nicely tailored clothes but it was endearing. He was really quite attractive.
"So, you remember nothing?" Hermione queried desperately as her hands twitched. This was her fault. Lily was lost because she got her the job. And, now apparently, Sirius remembered nothing about the entire time he was gone. "Are you sure?"
Sirius looked thoughtful. He had no concrete memories as such and he wondered what had happened to him whilst he was in the Veil. He had not aged since he had fallen into it and if anything he looked younger but he didn't know if there was even an importance to those factors. "Nothing, Hermione. Just an overriding feeling of dread" He could feel it prickle at his skin even now. The Veil made him want to run away. It did not in any way feel pleasant. "It felt like the worst moments of my life. The day I was disowned. The day I learnt Peter was the traitor. The time I spent in Azkaban. The years I was cooped up in Grimmauld Place. Bellatrix killing me. It was as if all of those moments came together"
"What do you think that means for Lily?" Ginny interrupted. Her eyes were red with grief and she felt like tears were about to break free at any moment once more. "Will she have to relive the worst moments of her life?" She could not bear the thought of her daughter being tormented until they could rescue her.
Harry pulled his wife closer and laid a kiss on her forehead. "I don't think so. I'm not sure but she has none of the trauma that Sirius has experienced. That makes a difference" Harry knew very little about the Veil but he needed to remain optimistic. It was the only way he didn't feel like he was drowning.
"I agree with Harry" Hermione stood up abruptly. "Sirius, what did you feel when you were near the Veil before you fell?" A thought ran through her mind. Padma said that Lily was almost entranced and willingly went through it which could make a difference. She wasn't certain but it was something.
Sirius would remember that day forever. His godson had been in danger and he would have done anything to protect him. He died for Harry and he would do so again. He remembered Bellatrix's mocking voice, the way she smirked at him and how his last thought was regret that he didn't get to kill her. "Like I was being repelled" He had not wanted to be anywhere near that Veil. "All I could feel was dread"
"I think that could make a difference. In fact, I'm certain that makes a difference. Padma said that Lily was captivated by the Veil and willingly went into it which meant she didn't have the same experience going in as Sirius did. So, it's unlikely she is currently reliving her worst memories especially as she was attracted to the Veil" Hermione reasoned as her brain quickly threw out possibility after possibility.
Albus edged closer and felt himself flanked by James. He had remained mostly silent since the revelation because he had nothing to say. His little sister had voluntarily gone into the Veil. Sirius Black had returned. It was a lot to take in. "But, where is she then?" He posed the question to the adults in the room. He and Lily had never been particularly close until they grew older given that Lily tended to side with James which left Albus on the receiving end of one too many pranks but she was his sister. His family. That was important to him because despite their differences she had been the first to cheer his Sorting into Slytherin and his subsequent relationship with Scorpius Malfoy. She had been there for him. And, he would do anything for her return.
A/N Thanks for reading and reviewing!