A.N. Sorry for the delay, but this story has become much longer and more elaborate than I ever planned. As a result - it takes me much longer to get the inspiration for any additional chapters.. All said - I still hope you like it.

April 2007

Ch31: Rituals

It was a day after Daphne and Sirius got married that a ministry official came to visit the Potters. He was immediately recognized ad Mr. Albert Newton – the unspeakable who interrogated them all after Sirius's return. This time he only wanted to talk to Harry and the elder girls.

"We've done some serious research since your ritual brought Mr. Black – now Mr. Greengrass – back among the living. From his testimony and our research we believe to have identified most of those who are still in Limbo – as we believe is the correct name of the place he stayed at during his absence. Two of the people he mentioned have been missing for almost eighty years, which means that all their friends and the relatives who knew them are quite old by now. We feel it is our duty to try and bring them back first," Mr. Newton said.

"Why are you here then? Wouldn't it be better to assemble those friends and relatives?" Lillian asked, not caring that it sounded quite rude. Dianna actually winced at hearing her. It didn't go well with the way she'd been brought up.

Mr. Newton didn't seem to mind, though. "I've already visited them. One of the families is almost squibs. They could probably help direct the magic and add their love and care into it, but they are worthless at creating that magic even with intensifying runes. The other is just too old. I'm not even sure that the old lady could withstand such a ritual without being fatally affected. This is why I thought you three could help us. I wouldn't want to involve any younger children, but you three with the help of some of our most powerful stuff and some runes should be able to generate enough power to make these two return. Will you help us?"

Harry looked thoughtful and none of the girls wanted to answer in his stead. "Who are these two people you want us to help revive?"

"The elder of the two used to serve at the Wizengamot. He was the one who had to attend the execution by veil of a verified murderer who killed several young witches before being caught. That murderer tricked him and made them both fall into the veil. The incident had been witnessed by several other members of the Wizengamot at the time. He was actually Lord Potter at the time, and his early demise made the title go to his much younger brother – your grandfather. His widow still lives, but none of his family is still alive, as you know, and none of his friends that we could trace."

"We shall certainly help with this one," Harry said. "Who is the other?"

"We are not as sure about him, as there were no witnesses at the time. We believe it is a young man who had just started working as a janitor that day. He came from an old family who had lost both their magic and their money. He was last seen going into our department and was never seen again. It stayed a mystery until Mr. Black informed us there was a janitor there with him. The man's parents are still alive, although very old and his sister is barely above squib. None of them could generate any significant amount of magic."

"I believe we should try and help this one as well," Harry said, "Yet we would not be able to do both the same time. We shall need a day, at least, to recuperate from the ritual."

Mr. Newton seemed to be satisfied by the answer. "I believe that with the help of some runes, which we believe would intensify your magic ten folds, and using your wands as well, to direct that magic, it will be much less of a burden than your original ritual, yet we may set the two events two or even three days apart, if you like."

Once they set the dates, the unspeakable left.

"Mom, do you know what kind of runes may be used for this purpose," Lilly asked that evening, after they told Hermione all about the visit.

Hermione had to think a bit. "They don't teach such runes at Hogwarts, but I've heard of them at St. Mungos. I don't have any first-hand experience with them and I'm not sure how effective they are, although there may be many variations with different effectiveness. I really don't know."

One could see how difficult it was for her not to know something.

"Actually, I have some experience with such runes," Narcissa said. "Many old pure-blood families are quite weak magically. They use to carry a stone carved with such runes, usually in their pockets, for men, or in their handbags – for women. Some even tattoo them on their wand arm, although it is not as effective as some stones. Lucius would have been no more than a squib without such a stone." The last sentence held a lot of contempt.

"So, do yo think it could really work for the ritual?" Dianna asked.

"Yes, I believe it could. I trust the unspeakables to use the most efficient rune there is, and I hope you won't be so exhausted afterwards," Narcissa smiled at her daughter.

Once they reached the ministry, they were directed to a room adjacent to the veil room, where an old woman was already sitting. She shakily rose to her feet as she saw Harry. "Lord Potter, it's a great honour to have met you," she said.

"Please sit down, and you may just call me Harry. Who are you, if I may ask?"

"I'm Mrs. Evelyn Potter nee Longbottom. You've probably met my youngest nephew, Frank and his son Neville."

"I've had, but none of them mentioned you."

"Well, Frank was just a baby when I lost my husband and I don't think Neville ever heard of me. His grandma has never seen eye to eye with me, although she is a very good person mostly."

"It's an honour to meet you, milady. May I present my daughters Lillian and Dianna," Harry spoke with reverence. Both girls courtesied, although some of the effect was lost due to them wearing jeans and not dresses.

Mr. Newton entered the room as well. "I'm glad you've already met," he told the group. "We have already positioned ten of our most magically powerful employees in the veil room, as well as the stones with the carved runes which will serve as seats. I'll join you as well. Now, have you told the lady about the ritual?"

Harry shook his head. Mr. Newton started speaking with the old lady. Lilly silently cast a calming spell on her, along with a spell for making her heart stronger. Lilly suspected the old lady may need both.

A few minutes later they all went into the veil room. It didn't change much from the last time they saw it, yet there were several round stones on the floor, looking more like cushions, actually. There also seemed to be a strong shield cast around the veil to keep everybody at a safe distance from the deadly artifact.

Several people were already sitting on the stones, creating a shallow arc facing the veil. The five middle places were still empty. Mr. Newton led the lady to the central seat and asked her to hold her wand and point it at the veil when they start the ritual. He then let Harry and Lilly sit at the lady's sides, followed by Dianna besides Lilly while he sat near Harry.

Lilly took the lead now, talking with the lady. "Please think about your missing husband and about the love you have for him and call him back to you. We shall pump as much magic as we can into your call and hopefully, that will bring him back."

The lady looked at Lilly with a bit of shock. "If it works, he'll be a young man, younger than your father, while I..."

"Once he's back, you'll become just as young as him, I promise."

The old woman looked as Lilly with some new hope. "If you can do that, then you are the greatest witch ever!"

"I'm just a girl who's lucky to have some very good family and friends," Lillian replied.

It only took another minute or two for everybody to concentrate. The Potters could feel the magic flow to and through them as they all held hands and were soon engulfed in that bluish haze. It went much faster this time, and before they even started to exert themselves they saw somebody flying out of the veil, through the shield, and falling on the magically cushioned floor.

They heard the old lady say "James?" before she fainted.

The man straightened himself and looked around, seeming quite bewildered. Harry thought he looked a bit like the old photos of his father, only his hair was lighter – just dark brown and not jet black – and stayed nicely combed. He was not wearing glasses either.

Harry and the girls were the first to rise from their seats and rush to the fainted lady, followed by the man who returned from the veil. The others seemed much too exhausted to be able to move. Harry took command. "Lilly, take the lady to the infirmary. She must be seen by a healer as soon as possible. Dianna, help me revive these men. You," he pointed at the new arrival, "go with Lilly. You may not be hurt but you still need to see a healer."

The man seemed too stunned by everything to even argue. Lilly checked the old lady first. She then asked the man's help to stretch the lady on the floor. Once done, she put a body bind on her, to make sure she would not stir while being levitated to the infirmary. She had not used her wand and didn't utter a sound while doing it, making the man puzzled some more.

An hour later, a very bewildered James Potter, Harry's great uncle, was escorted by a slightly younger looking Mrs. Evelyn Potter. Lilly had cast a spell to make her younger as soon as the healer confirmed she was physically fine, only shocked a bit by the events. The spell was designed to reduce a year from her age every two hours, until she reached the same age she had been when her husband went into the veil. Lilly didn't dare do it any faster for fear of the effect this might have on the lady's mental health.

Harry promised his newly found relatives to come and see them as soon as he deposited the girls at home.

The other participants in the ritual were not as lucky. While none would suffer permanent damage, they were all magically exhausted and needed some invigorating potions and a lot of rest to regain their strength.

The other ritual was postponed a few days, to let the staff recuperate fully.

Harry didn't mind it. Having his great-uncle back among the living was already putting him on the clouds. He visited that same afternoon, noticing that the lady was actually looking younger than that morning. The next day she looked much younger already, and James seemed to fall in love with her again.

It was a rainy morning when they went once again into the veil room. Another old lady was at the center this time. She looked much younger and not too sure of herself. Once again it was Lilly who conducted the ritual.

It didn't go as fast as the previous time. The ministry employees seemed reluctant to put all their power into it, but neither Lilly nor Dianna would accept it. They silently urged the others to put more effort and soon the group was covered in the blue haze. It still took a bit longer before another man came flying through the veil, landing on the cushioned floor in front of the elderly lady.

He stood up almost immediately and looked at the woman in front of him. "Mom?" he asked, seeming quite confused.

Harry didn't have to say anything this time. Lilly grabbed the man's hand and levitated his sister, who fainted as soon as she saw him, taking them both to the healers. She didn't cast any rejuvenation spell on anybody this time. As it would have only created chaos. She knew that a loving family was more than enough to cushion the young man against the seventy years gap in his life.

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