Recap ~ "DAD! REMUS, SIRIUS!" Harry screamed. James jumped up wand out, Sirius and Remus did as well and looked around for Harry. The thing was Harry was not there. Harry was not in the room and the room was now a glowing Orange.
Sirius yelped as the fire, touched his arm. There was another yell from somewhere in the small Shack
"HARRY" James yelled trying to make the fire go down enough to jump over it. He had to get to his son! Just then there was a laugh, a cold, evil laugh that made the blood leave James lips, made Remus wand hand shake terrible and made Sirius howl out in rage.
He had found them.
Harry woke up early in the morning because of a pain shooting in his scar. He looked over and saw his dad sleeping with a very weird but funny smile upon his face. He saw Remus and Sirius both sleeping as well, Harry watched them for a while. They looked so peaceful. Harry could only guess it was because neither of them had lost there best friend. With all the work Harry was doing he hoped they wouldn't ever. Harry sat there watching them the pain of his scar gone then he heard a noise, a noise that sounded very familiar. Harry shot up and ran out of the room with out waking up his father, godfather or his almost uncle. That was his first mistake.
He followed the sound down the hall where he spotted a hooded figure. Harry did not let the presence of the man before him make himself weak. The man stared at him, with the familiar evil smirk that Harry hated so much
"Hello Mr. Potter" The man said instantly, laughter behind his voice. Harry stepped forward, under estimating the man before him. That was his second mistake.
"Hello Professor Flames, lovely seeing you here?" Harry said with every word stepping forward. Flames let out a cold laugh and sent a spell into the room Harry just came out of. A spell that Harry was all too familiar with, it was the same spell Crabbe had used in the Room Of Requirements during the final battle of Hogwarts. A spell that made Fire, fire that could not be put out. Harry panicked
"DAD! REMUS, SIRIUS!" Harry screamed. Harry heard movement in the room that contained his family. He then heard Sirius yelp, he heard his father call for him. His mind was elsewhere, he could not focus, he had to get to them, a cold evil laugh brought him back to his senses. Harry turned to face Flames again
"So what is so interesting about you Mr. Potter? Why are you so strong? I think you would be a great addition to the Dark Lord, he could make great use for you" Harry's blood boiled "Join me or watch your friends burn to ash, your choice" Flames said with a smirk. Harry sent a curse at him but the man moved, Harry sent more spells at him but his mind was still back with his father. There was a loud thud then, Harry was no longer alone.
Padfoot was there his fur, burnt and singed but never the less there. Padfoot turned back into Sirius and helped Harry try to take down Flames
"You're an animangus!" Flames yelled. Sirius, even in their situation couldn't help but smirk
"You Mr. Black, would be a trophy to have, the dark lord would be pleased as will your family, join me as well, together we go to the dark lord" Flames asked seriously. That wiped the smirk right off of Sirius' face. With one fierce wave of his wand Sirius blasted Flames off his feet. There was the sound of hooves and then a beautiful stag stood next to Harry, the stag transformed back into James
"Harry are you okay?" James asked quickly. Harry nodded and then together they looked down at Flames who was on the ground shaking and looking at all of them.
"James, would you like to do the honor?" Sirius asked grabbing Flames wand and snapping it in half. James smiled, oh revenge was sweet, he thought. James raised his wand and was about to curse Flames for all the pain the man had inflicted on him over the years when a scream of agony stopped him.
Remus.
Remus was still in the room! James stopped, his eyes widening. Harry, James, and Sirius turned to face the room that was slowly burning their friend alive. That was Harry's third mistake. Harry realizing what they did wrong turned back to Flames but to late. Flames was gone, gone away with one poof. Harry paled as he thought of where Flames was going; he could not go back to Hogwarts. Harry knew he wasn't that stupid, the only place Flames could go was back to his master. Back to Voldemort.
Another scream broke Harry out of his trance, he would worry about that later, now he had to save his uncle of everything but blood
"REMUS" Sirius screamed and turned back into Padfoot jumping back into the burning room. The fire stayed in that room, didn't leave, only burned inside the small room containing the werewolf.
James paled, as the flames got larger, both his best friends were in there. Harry stood there thinking, what could he do? What could he do? James was pacing back in forth very fast, his hands shaking.
"Dad," Harry began a smile forming on his chapped lips
"What? Do you have a plan?" James asked hopefully, every second both his best friends were getting burnt worse, the thought made James even more sick. Harry nodded. Just that nodded gave James so much hope he gave his son a quick hug then let go
"What do we do?" James asked hurriedly
"Go in the room as Prong's you and Padfoot make sure Remus is in between the both of you, then I will go in as Plex in my phoenix form, I will fly over ya'll and you grab my tail feathers and I will get us out" Harry told his father quickly. James looked like he wanted to know more but knew there was no time. With one nod he turned into Prong's and disappeared into the flames of the small, very hot room.
Harry watched his father go, he hoped that his plan would work just like it did for Dumbledore, when he was force to flee because he took the blame for Harry and the DA and had to escape Fudge and from being under arrest. Harry still remembered his words
"What you don't think I would come quietly do you?" Dumbledore had told them, then with one quick move Fawks came then there was a loud boom and then Dumbledore was gone.
Harry snapped back into focus, his father, his godfather, his uncle needed him. Harry turned into Plex the Phoenix and dived into the fire. The room was very hot; the air was hard to breath in. It was full of smoke, Harry could barley make out anything in the room, he circled the room twice but did not see anything. Harry hoped he was not to late, and then he heard barking. Padfoot was barking from the far right corner of the room, in between him was an unconscious Remus and a Stag to the left of Remus holding him up. Harry dived and hovered over them. There was now a flaw in the plan Harry had not thought of, how was James going to grab his tail feathers if he was a stag? Harry mentally slapped himself. Almost as if reading his mind, both Padfoot and Prongs turned back into Sirius and James. Before the flames could engulf them and burn them to death, they each grabbed one of Remus' limp hands into their own and tugged on Harry's tail feathers. Harry screamed in his head, Need to escape, need to escape! There was that familiar tug and then they were gone. Out of the burning room, out of the shrieking shack and out of the Hogwarts ground.
The cold air hit them like a bullet. James, Sirius and Harry breathed in as much air as they could, each panting very hard. The only one not doing such actions was Remus. Remus layed there still as stone, his skin burnet in places. Harry paled as he crawled over to Remus. Sirius beat him to it
"Remus?" Sirius asked grabbing his friend's hand. There was a pulse. He was alive!
"Sirius?" Remus said faintly. James smiled, his friend was okay. Harry let out a sigh in relief
"I cant get up Padfoot" Remus said after a moments pause. Sirius paled
"What! Why?" Sirius practically screamed
"Because your on my legs you idiot" Remus snapped at him. Sirius let out a bark like laugh and got off his best mates legs. James smirked and helped Remus up. All four of them were now standing, with one look at each other, they hugged. It was a nice hug with a lot of unsaid things in it. They were all just happy they were alive. After a moment of reassuring each other that they were okay, they looked around.
They were at a house that looked as if it was abandon. There was a small wooded area by the house.
"Where are we?" James asked as he looked around the place.
"Home" Harry said with a smile "You were living in Godric's Hallow before you died. I guess this is how it was before you fixed it up." James smiled slightly; this was the house Lily and him were to have when they got married, where they would raise their son to the age of one!
"We should get inside, don't want unwanted company" Remus said quickly still shaken up a bit from being almost burnt alive.
They walked into the house and found it to look a lot cozier then the outside. It was dusty and old yet still had that homey vibe to it. There was an old beaten up couch in the living room when they walked in. As soon as he saw it Sirius clasped in it. Remus shook his head and pushed him off. Remus layed himself on the couch as Sirius landed on the floor with a thud
"Hey!" Sirius yelled, "I got there first" Remus glared at him in a way that made Sirius cower. Sirius grumbled to himself then turned into Padfoot and curled up into a ball on the beaten up, ripped and dusty rug. James and Harry stayed awake while their friends slept. The sun was already rising, and neither of them waited to sleep anymore.
"Thank you for saving us Harry" James said quietly, his head down
"No need to thank me dad, what's wrong?" Harry asked his father as he saw him look depressed
"I am your father yet your always the one saving me, the one always protecting me, shouldn't I be doing that?" James asked. Harry starred at him
"Dad, you're the bravest person I know, you died to save your wife and me, you are protecting me everyday from everything," Harry told his father. James still looked sad so Harry knew he had to tell him how he felt; the thing was he had never told his father this. The words got stuck in his throat
"Dad?" James looked up
"I love you" Harry told him. Different emotions crossed James face, it was the first time his son had actually told him he loved him. James smiled at this
"I love you too Harry" Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding in. They talked for a while as the sun began to raise more. Harry smiled the whole time, this was his first ever-real father, son talk he had ever had.
The sun was half way up in the sky when Sirius and Remus woke back up. Sirius jumped up, as he smelled bacon coming from the other room
"FOOD!" Sirius screamed as he sat down on the broken table with only three legs. "Where did you get food?" Sirius asked as he swallowed down his bacon. Sirius made a face when he tasted his eggs
"Eww what is this?" Sirius said. Harry laughed as James hit him in the back of the head
"Harry made the bacon and he tried to teach me how to make the eggs," James told Sirius. Sirius looked at James and Harry then said
"Maybe Harry should be the only one cooking from now on" Then he ran. James chased Sirius all around the house till he caught him and punched him playfully in the stomach. When they returned Remus was already sitting at the table eating his own pair of eggs and bacon both made by Harry. Sirius grumbled
"Harry oh sweet godson of mine make me food too?" Sirius asked, Sirius' stomach rumbled as if agreeing with him. Harry laughed but made his godfather some eggs. Once everyone had a plate of food they sat and ate.
"So what are the remaining horcrux's?" Remus asked in a business like tone
"We got the crown only so we still need the locket, the diary, the snake, the ring, and then Voldemort himself." Harry stated counting off his fingers.
"Okay so where are we going next?" James asked
"We are going to get the locket." Harry said firmly. The time has come to tell them something he was dreading. Sensing his hesitation Sirius asked before James or Remus could
"What's the matter?" Sirius asked
"Are you guys going to want to go with me to the cave to get the locket?" Harry asked dreading the answer
"Of course" They all said as one still looking at Harry
"Then you have to promise me you will do as I say, if I say run, you run, if I say hid you hid, If I say leave me there and save your self you leave" Harry told them repeating the exact words Dumbledore had told him the night he died.
"But-"They said as one. Harry shook his head
"Promise me" Harry told them. After a few moments they agreed to do as Harry said. They stayed in the house for a few more hours then they apperated to the cave.
They landed outside the cave, the air smelling like salt from the sea beside it. The sea, in which now was at peace, not a care in the world, no wave in sight. Just the peaceful sea, beside a cave that was so different. James, and Remus landed on the edge of the cliff and they swaggered a little bit as the edge threaten to throw them off. Below the cliff were harsh rocks, with pointed tips as if at some point it had broken off the small cliff they were now standing on. Just like I remembered it Harry thought.
"What do you think? Voldemort brought the kids from the orphanage here" Harry told them. James stared at him, as did the others. When they were all ready they turned to the cave, the task ahead and walked in.
Immediately once in the cave, they could all feel the new magic. The evil magic that tickled the back of their necks making the little hairs stand up. Remus being the most sensitive because of his 'furry little problem' shivered slightly.
"This is only the entrance hall," Harry told them using the metaphor Dumbledore had once told him all the years ago " We must go further"
James, Sirius, and Remus followed Harry silently through the cave as Harry ran his hands on the wall just like Dumbledore had. Harry felt through his fingers a kind of magic that made his hand go numb. Harry pulled his hand away from the wall and stared at it the same way Dumbledore had stared at it for 2minutes. Harry back then could not see what was on the wall but this time he could.
To enter my cave, that you have found, you must give me a sample of the gold that runs through your veins.
Harry laughed at the poem Voldemort himself had written on the cave wall that shaped itself into a door. James, Sirius, and Remus looked at Harry oddly so Harry repeated the poem to them
"So, we need to make a payment?" Remus asked
"To the door?" Sirius asked in disbelief. Harry stared at them, then pulled out a silver knife he had brought with him, similar to the one Dumbledore had brought
"Yes, we must give a payment of blood" Harry said as he made a deep cut on his left palm then dropped it onto the face of the rock. Remus made a face at Harry's bloody palm but said nothing. James and Sirius looked like they were about to protest on Harry's actions but Harry merely waved his wand on the cut and healed it
"It's suppose to make the person that is about to enter weaker." Harry explained. Just then the out line of the door on the rock wall shined a bright blue, then it opened. Harry smiled at his accomplishment and motioned for them to go forward.
"Lumos" Harry muttered as the arched way turned a pitch black. The others behind him did the same. They walked on further before the sight hit them. They were now standing before a black lake, so large one could not see where it finished. The ceiling as well was enchanted larger by magic and could not see the top of the cave as well.
"Lets go" Harry whispered already walking along the side of the lake; down the familiar path Dumbledore had once walked with him.
"So where is the horcrux?" Sirius asked finally.
"In the lake" Harry told them, the others turned a greenish pale
"We have to go in the lake?" James asked in a disbeifed tone
"No, we will ride a boat, to the middle of the lake, but we can not go in the lake or what's in it will get you" Harry warned them.
"What's in the lake?" Remus asked, peering over the lake to get a better view. James and Sirius did as well. Harry waited as a pale hand came to view on the surface before sinking back under the lake
"Inferi!" Sirius and James yelled their voice echoing in the cave. Harry gave a quick nod and continued forward.
"So we go on a boat, avoid Inferi, to get the horcrux?" Sirius asked. Harry nodded again. The Marauders stayed quiet as they watched Harry run his hands through the air, just like he had for the wall. Harry looked for something as he moved his had back and forth in the air. Then he felt it. It felt like a long invisible rope that was very thick.
James, Sirius, and Remus watched as Harry pulled on something they could not see, and then a boat was out of the water. Harry didn't bother to make the chain visible, they had to work fast.
"How did you know that was there?" James asked in amazement
"Magic," Harry paused for dramatic affect "Always leaves traces" Harry then faced the boat again. Dumbledore had said that the boat weighed itself depending on how much magical power if you are of age, which Harry was.
"How old are you guys?" Harry asked quickly
"17" James and Sirius said together
"16" Remus said, when James and Sirius smirked at him, Remus punched them in the arm "Hey! I will be 17 next month," Harry thought over what he should do then it hit him
"Okay we will all get in the boat" Harry told them. They all had a look of disbelief, the boat was very small.
"It will tip over!" Sirius said his voice sounding higher then usual.
"It does not weigh us on weight but on magical power, Remus is under age so he does not count" Harry explained to them
"Yes, but we do that still makes three" James told his son. James really did not want to go swimming with a bunch of dead bodies.
"Sirius can be Padfoot, I don't think the boat can weigh in any magical power from him in his dog form." Harry explained his theory. He only hoped he was correct. The others still looked unconvinced, yet followed Harry onto the boat, he was of course the boss. Sirius turned into Padfoot and sat himself in-between James and Remus, Harry in the front of the boat. They sailed in silent as they crossed the lake; near the middle a bright blue light engulfed them. When the light died down the boat hit something. It was not a body in the lake but a small rock island containing a basin in the middle. Harry smiled again at his accomplishment as he got out of the boat
"Careful not to touch the water" Harry told them as he saw Padfoot leap out of the boat and then turn back into Sirius. Together they made there way to the basin, the familiar liquid with in it. Harry paled as he remembered what he was to do. Harry turned away from the poison and looked at the others that came with him
"You remember what I made you promise don't you?" Harry asked them. He knew they would not take this well
"Yes" They said as one
"Alright, then listen to me" Harry said, The Marauders nodded in a way saying they were listening
"I have to drink the poison"
"What" They all yelled.
"Yes, I have to drink the poison and-" Harry did not finish as James interrupted him
"No! You cant" James practically yelled. Harry rolled his eyes at his over protective father
"I have to now listen up" Harry told them in a strict tone
"I have to drink the poison, I will cry, I will beg, I will yell for you to put me out of my misery, for you to kill me, but you must keep giving me the potion no matter what, understood?" Remus looked pale to the core, Sirius was shaking his head and James looked about ready to pass out. Harry knew they did not want to do it
"You promised" Harry reminded them. Reluctantly they all agreed to keep giving Harry the poison. Harry smiled warmly at them, then turned back to the basin and picked up the small cup like stone
"Oh by the way Inferi do not like fire, remember that," Harry told them then with one gulf he swallowed the poison the small cup held.
James watched as he saw his son drink the small cup, he saw as Harry nearly fell off his feet.
Harry steadied himself and shook his head, as soon as the poison had touched his lips his whole body felt weak. Harry drank two more full cups before he collapsed. The pain was like something he never felt because the pain was not hurting him from the outside but from the inside. He heard voices that became clearer as he drank more of the potion.
"You killed us Harry" Older Remus said. All of those who had died in the final battle or in the first war were there in Harry's head yelling at him, cursing at him then he heard Ginny
"You killed my brother! You're the reason he's dead!" Fred came into his mind yelling at him for being a twit, for being selfish
"NO" Harry screamed, "NO! Please KILL ME not them" Harry yelled out as he saw Voldemort go towards Ginny. The poison was now acting on Harry's greatest fear.
James, Sirius and Remus were forcing the poison down Harry's throat has he yelled and shook. Harry was crying, was yelling. James had tears in his own eyes as he saw his son in pain
"Please" Harry begged, "Please, stop" Harry begged for them to stop, for them to just kill him and make him stop suffering. He hated it. Hated that everyone had died because of him, or for him.
"It will stop, its okay Harry, it will stop just drink this last cup" Harry heard Remus whisper to him. Harry drank the last cup with all the power he had as darkness ran through his eyes. Then he was falling, falling into the pitch black of his mind
"Harry!?" James screamed as he saw his son's eyes snap close. Sirius shook Harry but his godson did not move, he just stayed limp in his arms. The Marauders paled even worse, all fearing the same thing.
There was a splash, and Sirius, James, and Remus turned to the edge of the water to see Inferi's, a lot of them coming out of the water. Dead bodies with one leg or no arms, or eyes came towards them. The Marauders stood up wands raised as they watched the horrific sight of the walking dead come at them. Men, Woman, and Children were coming out of the water, there eyes sunken in. Everywhere they looked they saw white heads and hands pop out of the water.
Sirius screamed as he placed Harry's body gently behind him then felt a cold hand on his ankle. Sirius threw a hex at it and it let go then came back. Nothing the Marauders did made the Inferi back off
"FIRE! JAMES HARRY SAID THAT INFERI'S HATE FIRE!" Remus yelled suddenly remembering what Harry had told them. The Marauders stopped throwing hexes and as one made fire erupt from their wands. They were circled by red and orange a bright glow growing as the Inferi fell back into the black lake. The fire circled them around and around, never stopping as it snapped at the dead bodies forcing them back.
Harry fell into the darkness, his mind blank. He did not remember why he was there or how he had gotten there only that he was there. Where? He did not know. His mind was black and black, the pain he had felt moments ago was gone. He layed there in the peace waiting for something he did not know what. Then he heard someone call his name. They sounded heart broken, Harry wanted to get to them, to tell them it was okay, but nothing he did made his body move. He was stuck in his own mind.
A yell of pain made him remember how he got there. The poison he had to drink had weakened him mentally and physically. Harry tried to get to his father, his godfather but couldn't. His body felt cold, it felt empty. Empty of emotion, and empty of power. Harry heard more yells but could not make out what they were. Then he heard Remus yell something, something Harry could not make out; the only part he did make out was his own name. Moments passed and Harry felt more like an empty shell, then his body felt warmth. Warm from toe to finger tips, a red and orange light pressing against Harry's closed eyelids.
Harry's eyes snapped open.
James, Remus and Sirius had their backs to him, wands still pointing at the black lake that now looked tame. Harry got up, his body aching in protest. Remus heard the struggle Harry was making to get up and turned.
The Marauder's turned to see Harry trying to steady himself. Sirius and James ran forward and gave Harry a hug. Remus rolled his eyes as he saw that James and Sirius were oblivious to the fact that Harry was in pain and they were making it worse
"Stop! You're hurting him," Remus yelled at them. Immedetly they let go and helped Harry stand.
"Get the locket" Harry ordered his voice dry. Sirius went to the basin and picked up a gold locket. Remus and Sirius both having good hearing could hear a small beat coming from the locket, almost like a heart beat
"We h-have to go" Harry told them; he was feeling weaker by the second. Harry knew they could not cross the lake on the boat again so with all the power he had left he turned into Plex in his phoenix form and wiggled his tail.
The Marauders grabbed the feathers and they were off, into the air and away from the lake. As soon as they were out and the cold salty air hit them, Plex turned back into Harry in mid air. The Marauders and Harry fell from the air and landed just on the edge of the cliff.
James, Sirius and Remus pulled themselves up to there feet, but Harry just layed there to weak to even move. Dumbledore had been strong, Harry thought, to be able to even walk after that. The Marauders grabbed Harry and apperated away from the cave, away from the cliff and the sea.
They landed outside the gates of Hogwarts. They ran to the front oak doors, ran inside and to the hospital wing. It was late in the evening around 7 but they didn't care they needed Harry to get help. Sirius put the locket around his neck so that he wouldn't lose it, and tucked it in under his shirt.
"What on earth happened" Madam Pomfrey yelled as soon as she spotted them and the state Harry was in. He was ghostly pale, he eyes misty. James and Sirius were about to come up with a lie but had none. How could they explain this? Luck however was with them, as Dumbledore walked into the hospital wing
"Mr. Potter, Mr. Black, and Mr. Lupin please come with me" Dumbledore asked them. With no comments no complaints The Marauders followed the headmaster to his office. Once inside Dumbledore motioned for them to take a seat, he himself seated himself behind his desk
"Is the reason Mr. Potter is in the condition that he is in because of a horcrux?" Dumbledore asked them plainly. The Marauders nodded
"How did it happen?" Dumbledore asked. The Marauder's spent 10 minutes telling Dumbledore about the cave and about the potion in the basin.
"I see, if I am not mistaking the potion that Harry drank was a poison?" Remus nodded, as did the other two
"The poison, if I am correct, makes one see something they most regret, most fear, and most hate. Harry is okay and alive but very weak. He will need to be in bed, for a week" Dumbledore told them. It was understandable; Dumbledore thought to himself the boy was strong and brave to have drunken that potion knowing what it did.
"Where is the horcrux? Which one was it?" Dumbledore asked.
"It was the Locket and Sirius has it" Remus told the headmaster. Sirius' head snapped into focus, as he was lost in his own thoughts
"What? Oh yea the locket I have it here" Sirius said as he pulled the locket out from under his shirt for them to see. When he tried to pull it over his head however he could not
"What the? Hey! I can't get this thing off!" Sirius yelled. James stood up quickly and tried to help his best friend. Remus got up as well and together he and James tried to pull the locket off of Sirius. Dumbledore sat there watching them, knowing now that the locket would not come off
The locket was stuck on Sirius.
So? What did you think? Did you like? Did you hate? Flames is a death eater in case you were confused, What did you think about the cave? How did i do? Should Lily find out now? Should she find out next chapter? Who should teacher DADA? Should Harry teach DADA? What did you think about the locket being stuck on Sirius?
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