2. Cry for help

Molly Weasley was sitting around her kitchen table with her husband, their friend Remus Lupin, her son Ron and his girlfriend Hermione Granger, her daughter Ginny and her boyfriend Harry Potter and her son Bill and his fiancé Fleur Delacour. They were all discussing the upcoming marriage of Bill and Fleur, which was to take place at the end of the following month. Things were far from joyous, however, with the recent murder of their dear friend and mentor Albus Dumbledore, but they were doing their best to make the most of the brief period of peace they had before the war began in earnest. Harry was determined not to rest until he avenged Dumbledore's death by catching his killer, Severus Snape, and also putting an end to the reign of the Dark Lord, Voldemort. Molly was beside herself with frustration at the fact that Ron and Hermione had decided to follow Harry on his journey, but nothing she had said so far had succeeded in changing their minds.

Currently, Fleur, Ginny and Hermione were discussing Fleur's dress, while her husband Arthur and the rest of the men in the house were discussing Bill's bachelor party. While Molly was glad to see them all together, she couldn't help but think about the fact that they may never have this opportunity again. Remus was now married, and his wife was currently staying with her parents preparing for the baby that would be arriving in the spring. Everyone seemed to be building new lives, and she hoped that the war wouldn't destroy them all.

She'd just stepped over to the sink to make a pot of tea when she heard the sound of someone Apparating outside. Instantly, the room grew silent and everyone drew their wands. Remus crept to the door just as the person outside knocked softly. The whole room gathered around behind him, wands pointed at the door, and as Remus opened it, everyone's eyes widened in shock.

"Remus, is that you?" Lily asked in awe. The look on his face told her that he definitely thought he was looking at a ghost. "It's me, Remus. I promise. It's Lily."

Everyone stared in awe at the woman standing in the doorway. No one knew what to do or what to say.

"Mum?" Remus took a step back and let Harry get a full glimpse of the doorway.

Lily stepped cautiously across the threshold, eyeing each wand tip pointed in her direction. When her eyes landed on Harry, she cocked her head in disbelief.

"James? Is that you?"

"No Mum, it's me," Harry smiled.

"Harry?" Lily couldn't believe her eyes. This teenage boy claimed to be her son, but he was the spitting image of her husband. Then she saw his eyes. "How old are you?"

"I'll be seventeen next week." Harry responded, unsure of what to make of his mother's sudden appearance.

"Seventeen?" Lily breathed. "It's been sixteen years? How is that possible?"

"Why don't you tell us?" Molly asked from the back of the room. "Lily Potter died in her home in Godric's Hollow sixteen years ago, just as you said. What kind of a cruel trick is this?"

"I assure you, Molly, I am definitely not dead. The last thing I remember is Voldemort coming through the house after me. I ran up the stairs to protect Harry, and Apparated just as a flash of green light exploded from behind me. When I opened my eyes, I was standing in Godric's Hollow in front of what used to be my house, with no idea how I got there."

"That's the most preposterous thing I've ever heard. Voldemort must really be getting desperate to send his Death Eaters here disguised as a woman who's been dead for sixteen years." Molly replied angrily.

"If you ask me, the only way we're going to resolve this is to talk to the one man we all know who specializes in the preposterous. Let's send an owl to Dumbledore and ask him for his input." Lily conjectured.

Everyone swallowed hard.

"You'd better come in and sit down Lily," Remus said softly, "we've got a lot to get you caught up on."

Lily walked over to the kitchen table and took a seat. "It really has been sixteen years then?" she asked, looking at Harry.

Harry nodded and sat down beside her slowly, taking her hands in his. "Yes it has."

Lily swallowed hard. "All right, Remus, why don't you tell me what I've missed?"

Instead of Remus, Harry began to speak. "They found me in the house not long after Voldemort killed Dad…"

He told her of how he had been sent to live with the Dursleys instead of Sirius, and how Sirius had ended up in Azkaban. He didn't tell her about his childhood just yet; he decided to save that for later. He went on to tell her about how Voldemort had been destroyed trying to kill him because she'd saved his life, but that a small part of him had managed to survive and become corporeal again. He finally told her how Severus Snape, acting on orders from Voldemort, had betrayed and murdered Albus Dumbledore.

Lily was in shock. "It's hard to believe I once considered him a friend. He is so different from the boy who first told me about magic."

"Hello?"

Everyone turned their heads toward the living room.

"Is anyone there?"

Everyone stood and walked into the Weasleys's living room where, perched in a painted portrait usually occupied by Mrs. Weasley's father, sat Albus Dumbledore himself.

"Headmaster?" Harry wondered aloud.

"Well good evening everyone. I actually came to discuss a few things with Harry here, but I see I'm interrupting something important."

"Not at all Professor," Lily called as she made her way through the crowd, "you're actually just the person we needed to talk to."

When Dumbledore's eyes came to rest on Lily's face, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and nodded a few times. "So my theory was correct," he said softly. "It is truly wonderful to see you again Lily. After all these years, I'm glad you were able to find your way back to us."

Lily smiled at him sadly, wishing she could hug him.

"I guess you are all wondering whether or not I can tell you how this charming woman came to be sitting here today," Dumbledore addressed the crowd, "well indeed I can."