"Brumous"
"Chapter Sixty: Through the Cracks"
For the past week, Sirius found himself in Marlene's bed nightly. He had even started letting himself inside her living quarters and waiting for her after dinner. They did precisely two things every single night, though the order varied. They'd talk for hours and then have sex. They'd have sex and then talk for hours. They'd talk, have sex, and then talk some more. It was as though they were trying to make up for fifteen lost years as quickly as they possibly could in terms of sex and conversation.
It was odd to hear about Marlene's time as Bella Riddle. The way she talked in such a detached monotone voice, as though reciting some news report from the wireless instead of talking about her life. The loneliness, the constant anxiety and panic, and the sadness. Sirius could relate to those experiences. He too had his life ripped away from him in a blink of an eye. He had just been tormented in a different way than Marlene had.
While Marlene could talk about her years of solitude, Sirius could not. He had no interest in telling her about the countless nights he spent in Azkaban, sobbing at ghosts for forgiveness and trying to hold onto a small speck of happiness to try to maintain his sanity. He didn't want to talk about how he had slowly started to forget. He could remember a panicked couple of days when he had forgotten Harry's name and then spent weeks as a dog to remember it, barely moving and eating and just wanting to bloody well die. There wasn't anything to say that was even remotely interesting anyway. Azkaban was Azkaban. It wasn't like he had lived while locked away in there. He had just been attempting to survive.
Anytime the conversation seemed to steer in the direction of his twelve years in hell, Sirius made some joke and began touching her in a way he knew sent shockwaves across her skin. Even after all these years, he knew Marlene's body like he knew his own. He knew how to make her forget what she was even talking about in a matter of seconds, leaving her moaning and craving more.
One night, after the throngs of an orgasm, Sirius laid in bed next to Marlene. He ran his fingers through his sweaty locks to pull the hair off his forehead. There was something about having sex inside of Hogwarts that caused him to feel years younger. He kept half expecting to be caught. But the notion was ridiculous given they were adults in a professor's living quarters. Sirius lulled his head to the side to see Marlene's naked breasts heaving.
"Merlin, Sirius," Marlene sighed, turning to lock eyes with him. "How much sex did you have in Azkaban? I swear you weren't that good at twenty," she teased, her lips quirking.
Sirius let out a huff of air, his eyebrows raising. "Yeah, well, we can't all have magic dragon cocks like your last baby boyfriend in our twenties," he said in a slight bitter tone, his chest burning faintly.
Marlene's eyes went wide, her lips parting. Sirius forced a smile on his lips. He had zero idea why he had brought it up. Maybe he just wanted to know what exactly happened or maybe he wanted some sick reassurance that she wasn't still fucking Charlie on the side.
"You think I didn't hear?" Sirius asked, rolling onto his side and propping his head up on his hand. "You can't sneak off at the Burrow and not expect to be overheard."
"Stop it," Marlene said in a flat voice.
Maybe he shouldn't have brought it up. Marlene did not seem amused at all.
Sirius reached out and pinched her nipple playfully. "Merlin, I hope I wasn't embarrassing like that when I was younger," he decided on a lighter tone.
Marlene swatted his hand away, pulling the blanket to cover her chest. She also crossed her arms for good measure.
"I had needs that you weren't fulfilling," Marlene insisted, shooting him a glance.
Sirius pursed his lips together, nodding. "Well, your last boyfriend–"
"A drunken fling!" Marlene interrupted.
"–may have had a magic dragon cock, but I have a very ancient and noble snake cock apparently," he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Marlene burst out laughing.
"What? I thought your knickers got wet when blokes named their cocks in a ridiculously juvenile fashion," Sirius insisted with a shit-eating grin. "Am I wrong?"
"Shut it, Sirius," Marlene huffed, though the corners of her lips twitched.
"I can call him Slithers Black for you," Sirius said, not listening to her insistence to stop because he had at least fifty good jokes he could tell.
Marlene squeezed his cheeks together with her hand. "I'd rather you just shut up and kiss me."
"Get it? Slithers Black. Because he slithers on it," Sirius elaborated, trying to keep a straight face. "He can slither on in any hole you like, Marly."
"Merlin! Stop!" Marlene laughed, pressing her palm against Sirius' mouth. "We are no longer talking about this. You will not poke fun at me for having a drunken fling who calls his cock a dragon unless you want to talk about losing your virginity to Isla Clarke in sixth year. I believe you two were drunk too then, weren't you? What did she say about it? It was far more lackluster than she anticipated from someone so fit?"
Sirius grabbed Marlene's wrist and tugged it away from his mouth. "I was sixteen, drunk, and a virgin. What the fuck did she expect? Of course, we weren't going to have a marathon fucking session!"
"Well, you did last longer than twenty seconds when we first had sex," Marlene said with a grin. "If that makes you feel better."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It was longer than twenty seconds with Isla. She was just being a fucking bitch."
Marlene bit her lip. "What did she call you? Stabby Black?"
Sirius flopped back on the mattress, a loud groan escaping his lips. "You know what, McKinnon? Why don't you go back to your dragon cock lover boy?"
"Hmm, because I don't want him," Marlene reasoned, her hand reaching out to play with his hair. "I want you. You really shine now underneath the sheets."
Sirius glanced over at her. "Oh, yeah?"
"Hmm," Marlene hummed. "I think Isla Clarke was a fucking bitch. She has no idea what she's missed out on."
Marlene scooted closer to him, her lips pressing against his jaw just below his ear. Her fingers lightly caressed his chest. Sirius slid his eyes closed, enjoying the way she trailed her lips down his neck. Her body shifted as she glided on top of him. Sirius ran his hands up her bare thighs. He didn't think it would take long for him to be ready for round two. Marlene was doing an excellent job already.
"Sirius," a male familiar voice called.
Sirius snapped his eyes open, his hands stilling on Marlene's thighs. She must not have heard it because she was still kissing him just above his clavicle. Slowly, his head turned and Sirius jumped at the sight of his messy haired godson.
"Fuck!" Sirius shouted.
Marlene pulled away, her wide eyes staring at him. "What?"
He hadn't even heard the kid come in. Had Marlene let him know her unlocking pattern for the door?
"What are you doing here?" Sirius asked, trying to pull the blanket up to cover Marlene's naked body.
Marlene turned to look at Harry as well. "Who are you talking to?" she asked, her palms pressing against his chest.
Sirius squinted at the figure, his eyes flickering up to the kid's forehead. There was no scar. Sirius held his breath. Now the ghost of his dead best mate was visiting him when he was having sex? Could his life not get any more fucked up?
"Look at the time," James demanded.
"What?" Sirius gasped out. "The time?"
"Sirius, who are you talking to?" Marlene demanded.
"Look at the time, Pads, please," James insisted.
Heart hammering in his chest, Sirius' gaze flickered over to the clock on the bedside table. It was a quarter past nine. It was past curfew. Sirius realized that Harry hadn't activated the watch yet. Sirius would have felt it. He looked back at James to see he was gone.
"It's past curfew," Sirius whispered.
"So?" Marlene asked. "Sirius, what is going on?"
Sirius swallowed, his hand tapping Marlene's thigh. "Can you get off me? Harry never activated the watch for the evening. I'm going to bloody well kill him. He knows he can't forget."
Except, Sirius didn't think Harry forgot. Harry was a responsible kid. He always did what Sirius asked of him, even if he complained about it needlessly. Harry understood how important it was for his own safety.
Marlene eased off Sirius, sitting next to him. Sirius moved until his upper body dangled off the edge of the bed so he could reach his trousers on the floor. Tugging the mirror out of the pocket, Sirius sat up in bed.
"Harry Potter!" Sirius shouted at the mirror, his fingers running through his hair to make it look less like sex hair. "Harry Potter!"
Marlene's hand touched his knee as the seconds dragged on. Sirius felt sick.
"Harry Potter! Merlin fucking damn it!" Sirius hissed. "Harry, pick the fuck up!"
James wouldn't have come to him unless something was wrong. Harry not picking up the mirror right away was evidence to that. Sirius tossed the mirror onto Marlene's lap before he leaned over the bed once more. Good thing he brought the copy of the map with him. He pulled that and his wand out of his pocket before sitting back up.
He pressed the tip of his wand to the parchment and lines started to appear to form the map. At thirty-seven, Sirius didn't want to mess around with silly passwords. He tied the activation and deactivation directly to his wand so all he would need to do was tap it. Sirius shifted the parchment until he could see Gryffindor Tower. He tapped his wand in the middle of the tower and dragged it down to magnify the space so he could read all the names.
His eyes roamed across the parchment trying to find his godson's name. He saw the Weasley kids by the fireplace with three other girls. If Harry wasn't with Ginny or Ron, then who the fuck would he be with? He looked in the sixth-year boys' dormitory for good measure. He only saw two boys in there that Sirius didn't recognize. Then, it struck Sirius. He didn't see Cepheus' name either.
"He's not in Gryffindor Tower," Sirius said out loud as he began to fold the map to search different parts of the castle.
Marlene jumped out of bed. She grabbed her clothes off the floor and began to get dressed as Sirius searched the map frantically. Just as she finished getting dressed, that's when he saw the names Harry Potter and Cepheus Black on the first floor in the History of Magic classroom. Sirius tossed the map onto the bed so he could get dressed as well. He needed to see why they were out of bounds after curfew. Neither one took History of Magic. There was no need for either of them to be there.
"History of Magic?" Marlene said, holding the map in her hands. "Why would they be there?"
Sirius shoved his boots on, not bothering to tie them. He snagged his wand from the bed, flickering his wrist so the laces tied themselves as he walked towards the door. Marlene trailed behind him, not keeping up with his long and fast strides. Eventually, she jogged to catch up to him, attempting to keep pace with him with the map clutched between her fingers.
Sirius' mind went wild. He didn't know whether or not to be happy the two of them were alone. Had they been trapped there? Were they injured? Would the map show a dead person? Sirius gulped, attempting to put the latter thought out of his mind. That was the last thing he wanted to even think about.
When they arrived at the History of Magic classroom, Sirius found the door locked. Sirius was ready to blast the door in when Marlene stopped him, performing a simple unlocking charm. There was a click. Apparently, whoever sealed the door was stupid enough not to add an unlocking pattern. Pushing the door open, Sirius froze in the doorway at the sight in front of him.
Harry laid on the floor with his glasses askew, his body not moving. A tightening occurred in his chest, flashbacks of James lying dead on the floor flashed before his eyes. It was all too eerily similar. Not that far away from Harry, tied to a chair in only a pair of boxers, was Cepheus. His mouth was moving put no words escaped his lips.
Sirius' body jerked into action. He fell to his knees next to Harry's still body. His fingers frantically pushed into Harry's neck to find a pulse as his vision blurred with unshed tears. His hand trembled as he felt for the carotid artery. Finally, Sirius found a pulse. It was slow yet steady.
"I didn't know," Cepheus' voice gasped. "Is he all right? Tell me he's all right!"
Sirius' hand slid from Harry's throat to cup his face, his thumb brushing along his icy cheek. "He's alive," he croaked, his chin tilting up to see Marlene untying Cepheus from the chair. "What the fuck happened?"
"I was grabbed from behind!" Cepheus explained, tears pouring down his cheeks. "I don't know who attacked me! But I woke up tied to the chair and I couldn't talk! Then, then I saw, I saw myself drag Harry into the room! They had Polyjuice, Uncle Sirius! I swear I didn't hurt Harry! I would never hurt Harry!"
Cepheus shoulders shook violently, his arms wrapping around himself as he sobbed violently.
"Hey, hey, it's all right," Marlene soothed, pulling him into her arms. "We know that. We know you wouldn't hurt Harry."
Sirius swallowed the lump in his throat, to no avail, as he tugged his wand from his pocket. He placed the tip against Harry's temple and croaked, "Rennervate!" Harry didn't even twitch. His heart dropped, his eyes roaming across Harry's body. He repeated the spell again, but still nothing happened. Sirius couldn't help but jab his fingers back into Harry's neck. Had he falsely felt a pulse?
"Sirius…" Marlene trailed off. "We should get him to Madam Pomfrey."
There was definitely a pulse. Sirius could fucking feel it.
Sirius slid one arm around Harry's shoulders and the other under his knees. He rose to his full height with a grunt. The kid was heavy and bloody well tall. He certainly wasn't the little fifteen-month-old toddler he remembered carrying around in his arms for hours on end. Marlene rushed over to them, tapping his shoulder to make him feather-light and then adjusting the kid's head to rest comfortably against Sirius' shoulder.
"Cepheus, come on, let's get you checked out too," Sirius said in a gruff voice before he turned to walk out of the room.
It was the best he could do given the state of Harry. Sirius didn't have it in him to comfort his nephew, not when Harry was unconscious and magic wasn't even working to wake him up. The only thing Sirius could think of that that could block magic like that was a potion. Harry had been given something. Sirius just hadn't the foggiest idea as to what. Unless they knew, it would be damn near impossible to wake him up. If Harry couldn't wake up, then that meant his mind was vulnerable to attack. If Harry was being attacked…
A strangled sob sounded in the back of Sirius' throat as he picked up his pace. It would be a race against the clock to wake Harry up before something disastrous happened. That much Sirius was sure of.
Marlene stared at Harry's still body in the infirmary bed. Sirius sat at his bedside, both of his hands encasing one of Harry's. His forehead rested on his arm. Marlene hadn't seen him move since both Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore failed to wake Harry up and ran some diagnostic spells. All Marlene could do was stand at the foot of her godson's bed, her arms crossing over her chest and shoulders hunching close to her ears.
Harry looked younger laying in the bed. His glasses were off and folded on the bedside table. His face was relaxed, albeit pale. It was his stillness that unnerved Marlene the most. She had never seen him so still before. Her eyes flickered up to his scar on his forehead. It was redder than she had ever seen it. Sirius had commented it was hot to the touch earlier.
Glancing over to her right, she saw Dumbledore speaking with a trembling Cepheus on the next bed. He had been given a spare pair of robes and checked for injuries. Marlene was certain that Cepheus had nothing to do with what happened to Harry. The uncontrollable sobbing and the way he violently shook were dead giveaways. She had tried to comfort him as much as she could, but she was not who he wanted. His teary gray eyes kept flickering over to Sirius and Harry.
Marlene rounded the bed to stand next to Sirius. She ran her fingers through his hair. He lifted his head from his arm and tilted his chin to look up at her. His face was red and tearstained. It wasn't often Sirius cried. Marlene could count on one hand the number of times she had seen him shed a tear.
"We should contact the family," Marlene whispered. "Do you have your mirror? I can call Andy and Remus."
Sirius shook his head. "I left it on the bed," he croaked.
Marlene nodded, her gaze flickering over to Cepheus. "You should go check on Cepheus. I'll sit with Harry."
Sirius' face pulled into a thin line. "I can't leave Harry."
Marlene crouched down by his side. "Sirius, Harry isn't going anywhere. He's unconscious and I won't leave him alone. But you have a very awake and upset nephew over there who needs you."
Sirius only stared at her. "Go get the mirror and contact Andy. She's better suited for the job anyway."
Marlene sighed, her head shaking. "Don't be a wanker."
Sirius sneered. "Call me what you like. I don't give a fuck. I'm not leaving my godson's side."
"Sirius–"
"Just stop, Marly," Sirius snapped, his eyes flashing. "I am a wanker, all right? I know it. I don't give a shit about anyone except for Harry right now. There. Is that what you wanted to hear?" he hissed in a low tone, his gray eyes searching her face.
Marlene frowned as she stood up. She cast a quick glance at Harry before she made her way over to where Cepheus sat on the edge of the bed. Dumbledore looked at her briefly before he turned his attention back to Cepheus.
"I detect no dark magic," Dumbledore explained, his hands folding in front of him. "Madam Pomfrey has detected no potions in his system. I believe he was merely stunned from behind."
"How's Harry?" Cepheus asked, looking up at Marlene.
Marlene smiled at him. "He's unconscious but seems unharmed from what we can determine," she explained in a gentle tone before she glanced at Dumbledore. "Could you contact Andy and Ted for Sirius? I think he needs the support."
Dumbledore nodded. "I will send a message with Fawkes before I go to speak with Severus."
"Thank you," Marlene replied.
Dumbledore bid them a good night before he walked away from them. He stopped briefly at Sirius' side, bending down to speak with him in low tones. Sirius only nodded at whatever was being said before he turned his attention back to Harry.
Marlene took a seat on the bed next to Cepheus. She reached out, gathering his hand in hers and holding it tightly. He didn't say anything, only bowing his head and looking at his lap. His long hair flopped in front of his face, obscuring it from view.
"Nobody blames you," Marlene assured him, giving his hand a squeeze.
Cepheus sniffed. "Uncle Sirius does," he said in a miserable tone. "He told me to stick with someone at all times. And I was. I swear I was. I was in the greenhouses with Neville. I like Neville. He's kind, you know? And I thought we could walk back together. But then Hannah Abbott stopped by and, well, they sort of left together. I was alone, because I wasn't going to be a third wheel with them. I figured it would be one time. I didn't think one time would be a big deal."
"Hey, hey," Marlene soothed. "You didn't know. Whoever attacked you was probably waiting for you to slip up for a while. They were probably watching all of you."
Cepheus nodded. "How angry is Uncle Sirius with me?"
Marlene offered him a tight smile. "Sirius isn't upset with you. He's just scared for Harry."
Cepheus shrugged. Marlene glanced down at her watch to see it was nearly eleven in the evening. She didn't want to leave Sirius alone to his own devices, but she needed to get Cepheus back to Gryffindor tower for the night.
"Come on, I'll get you to your dorm," Marlene insisted, sliding off the bed. "It'll be all right. Let's go say goodnight to Sirius."
Marlene was fairly certain that Sirius didn't blame Cepheus for what happened. It could have happened to anyone if their entire friendship was being targeted. Marlene knew, no matter how upset Sirius was, he wouldn't take his anger out on a child. He had a soft spot when it came to children. Always had.
"Sirius, I'm going to take Cepheus back to Gryffindor tower," she announced, stopping at the foot of Harry's bed.
Cepheus shifted next to Marlene as Sirius looked up at them. He squinted at his nephew, his face drawing into a thin line. Sirius merely nodded.
"Are you all right?" Sirius asked in a gruff voice.
Cepheus nodded.
Sirius cleared his throat. "If you need me, I'll be here."
"Okay," Cepheus replied. "Night, Uncle Sirius."
"Goodnight," Sirius replied before turning his full attention back to Harry.
"I'll be back after I drop Cepheus off," Marlene announced.
"Can you grab my mirror on your way back?" Sirius asked, not looking at her.
Marlene agreed to before steering Cepheus out of the infirmary. The walk to Gryffindor tower was long and silent. Cepheus wasn't her responsibility. She was nothing to the kid besides his professor. But she felt for him. She couldn't help but feel as responsible for him as she did for Harry. In another life, she would have been the kid's aunt. Even in this life, if she and Sirius were going to one day move forward with their relationship, then she wanted to have a good relationship with Cepheus as well.
When they reached Gryffindor tower, Marlene gave the password and walked Cepheus into the common room. She immediately saw the Weasley kids sitting together on the sofa with their friends surrounding them. Ginny jumped up when she saw them, her back rigid and eyes wide. Marlene made her way over towards them, keeping a steady hand on the back of Cepheus' back.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny demanded, her arms crossing over her chest.
Ron rose from the sofa to stand next to Ginny, his arm wrapping around her shoulders. "Nobody has seen him in hours."
"Harry and Cepheus were attacked earlier," Marlene explained, deciding that Cepheus could explain to them in detail what happened to him if he chose to. "Harry is unconscious in the infirmary. We have tried and failed to wake him. No dark magic has been detected. We believe he ingested a potion based on initial diagnostic spells and Madam Pomfrey is running some magic to break down the ingredients of the potion. It wasn't readily identifiable with a simple charm."
"I want to see him!" Ginny demanded.
"You can stop by tomorrow morning before class," Marlene assured her.
"No, I want to see him now!" Ginny retorted, her face reddening. "You can't tell us that and expect us not to want to see him!"
Marlene raised her hand up in the air. "I know this is scary and you want to ensure he's all right with your own two eyes. But I can guarantee you, Harry is in no immediate danger," she paused, though she wasn't quite sure of that given how vulnerable Harry's mind was. "Sirius is with him and he's not leaving him anytime soon."
"I don't care that Sirius is with him," Ginny challenged, his jaw tightening. "I want to be with him!"
"It's past curfew–"
"I don't bloody well care!" Ginny hollered.
Marlene huffed out a breath of air. "Listen to me! You will stay in Gryffindor tower where you belong until curfew is lifted! The last thing anyone needs is you or anyone else being attacked as well! We don't know what the purpose of the attack was or what the end game plan is! Any one of you could be a target and I will personally see to it that an Auror is stationed outside of this common room until tomorrow morning. So, you will stay where you are supposed to be for the evening. Do I make myself clear?"
Ginny scoffed.
"We have the map and the cloak in our possession, so there is no way you will get around the Auror," Marlene reasoned. "Stay put. Both of you."
"Fuck you!" Ginny shouted.
Audible gasps sounded around the common room. Marlene tilted her chin up.
"Due to the current circumstances, I will let that slid and forgo detention," Marlene explained. "But if you ever talk to a professor like that–"
"Don't do me any bloody favors," Ginny snapped.
With that, Ginny wheeled on her heels and stormed away from Marlene. Whispers erupted around the common room. Marlene did her best to ignore them, her chest heaving.
"Just tell me the truth," Ron whispered. "Is he all right?"
Marlene swallowed. "For now."
With that, Marlene turned to leave the common room. She'd need to find an Auror fast to stand guard. Luckily, she bumped into Minerva right outside of the common room in her dressing gown looking concerned.
"Stand guard and don't let anyone leave," Marlene instructed, pointing to the portrait that just closed behind her.
"What is going on?" Minerva demanded.
"Harry was attacked and he's in the infirmary," Marlene explained as Minerva's eyes grew wide. "Ginny Weasley is trying to leave. Just… keep them all in there for the evening. We don't know exactly what happened yet because Harry's unconscious and we can't wake up him and…" she trailed off, sob escaping her lips.
Marlene let out a shaky huff of air, her hand pressing against her mouth. She cleared her throat, pushing back the tears burning her eyes.
"We think it was a student or students," Marlene concluded. "We have no reason to believe anyone has infiltrated the castle, but we need to take every precaution."
"Marlene," Minerva said, reaching out a hand to touch Marlene's arm.
"I'm fine," Marlene choked out, stepping away. "I'll grab someone to relieve you on my way back to the infirmary."
Marlene walked away before she could break down completely in front of Minerva. She rounded a corner as fast as she could, her back pressing against the stone wall. Her hands pressed against her mouth once more as her body shook with a violent sob. She slid down the wall, trying to calm her nerves and the wild thoughts that filled her head. All she could think was: what if they couldn't wake Harry?
Remus made his way through Hogwarts' front gate with Nymphadora by his side, thanking Kingsley for allowing them inside after answering a quick security question. Andromeda had called Nymphadora on the mirror in tears, stating that Harry had been attacked at school and was unresponsive in the infirmary. Sirius and Marlene were already by his bedside. Remus and Nymphadora only took ten minutes to get ready, leave her flat, and make their way to the nearest Apparition point.
They honestly had no idea what to even expect. When they entered the infirmary, Remus caught sight of Harry first. He was still and pale with a large blanket that Remus recognized from Andromeda's parlor draped across him. Harry didn't even look like he was breathing. Next to him sat Sirius who just stared at Harry. He looked like a statue, unmoving in such an unnerving manner. Marlene sat next to him, looking exhausted with her head in her hands. On the other side of the bed were Andromeda and Ted, who sat side-by-side holding hands.
"What happened?" Nymphadora asked as they made their way over to the bed.
Sirius didn't move or acknowledge them like everyone else had. Remus could only stare at Sirius, his head decking down to try to catch his friend's eye but failed.
"We don't know exactly," Marlene started, explaining how she and Sirius had found Harry and Cepheus in the History of Magic classroom.
Remus only shook his head, listening carefully to what had been tried to wake Harry up so far. He looked down at Harry, feeling useless and out of his depth. The only remarkable thing that stood out to Remus was the way that Harry's scar looked beet red on his ashen face. Had it always been that noticeable?
"Do you know who attacked them?" Nymphadora asked, her arms crossing over her chest.
"Students will be pulled in for interviews with their heads of houses tomorrow to account for their whereabouts and if they saw anything," Ted supplied. "But I'm not sure we should hold our breath."
"Well, we have a list of students who have already taken the Mark and students we think but don't know for sure who have," Nymphadora pointed out. "There should be Aurors in the room when those kids are questioned."
"That's something you can bring up with the headmaster tomorrow, Dora," Ted replied, his fingers rubbing against his chin.
"What does Severus say?" Remus asked, his eyes flickering over to Ted since he seemed to be the designator informant.
Ted shrugged. "Far as I've heard, Dumbledore spoke with him but he hasn't been by and we don't know what was said."
"Like he would help anyway," Marlene bit out. "Can't blow his precious fucking cover."
Nymphadora sighed, her gaze settling on Sirius. "What do you think, Sirius? You're awfully quiet."
Sirius' jaw tightened but he didn't say anything. Remus wrapped his fingers around Nymphadora's arm to try to warn her not to push. Sirius could be downright volatile when he was upset. She was playing with fire. But Nymphadora didn't care. Or maybe she just wanted to poke the Hippogriff. She seemed to enjoy nettling Sirius.
"Look, I'm sorry I didn't say it earlier, but I don't care that your Voldemort's son," Nymphadora blurted out. "I thought that was just a given since we're family and all."
"Nymphadora!" Andromeda hissed.
"What?" Nymphadora asked, gesturing towards Sirius. "He's not speaking with me! I just wanted him to know I'm fully team Sirius and not team Doge. Oh, Merlin, Sirius, you should have heard ole Doge and Moody talking about you when you didn't show up to the last meeting."
"Would you shut the fuck up?" Sirius snapped, his head jerking to look at her. "Do you ever fucking stop?"
"Sirius," Remus said in a warning tone.
"I don't want to joke around with you or talk about bloody Moody or discuss my fucking sperm donor," Sirius continued in a dangerously low voice. "But you have the inability to read the ruddy room, which is ironic given your job."
"Sirius, don't take your frustrations out on Dora," Andromeda ordered, her body sitting up rigid in her chair.
Sirius tongue ran along his top teeth. He looked as though he were about to snap again but thought better than it. Instead, he turned his attention back to Harry. Remus sucked in a breath, knowing he had to speak to Sirius alone. He was well-acquainted with Sirius' hostility.
"Can Sirius and I have a moment?" Remus asked.
Sirius rolled his eyes, his jaw jutting to the side. The three Tonkses all slowly made their way out of the room. Marlene stayed rooted in her chair. She looked up at him, her eyebrows raising as though she dared him to force her to leave. Remus knew it would be fruitless to even suggest Marlene leave them be. She was as stubborn as Sirius to the point where Remus wasn't exactly sure how they meshed so well together.
His fingers wrapped around the footboard of Harry's bed. "We all care about Harry," Remus started, his eyes staring at his friend. "We are all concerned about you."
Sirius let out a bitter laugh. "Don't fucking patronize me, Remus."
"I'm not patronizing you," Remus insisted in a harsh tone, because he was rather sick of Sirius' crap. "You seem to always be under the impression that nobody cares about Harry as much as you do and you also seem to think nobody gives a shit about you."
"Just fuck off," Sirius snapped. "I don't need your poor imitation of a James talk right now."
Remus tried to force down his rising frustration and anger. Sometimes, he wondered why he even tried. He wasn't James. He always seemed to fail in reeling Sirius in when he spiraled. Remus glanced at Marlene for some assistance but she only shook her head in the negative. She must have thought Sirius had reached the point of no return.
"Why is his scar so red?" Remus asked, deciding to switch gears.
Marlene shifted in her chair, her hands folding tightly in her lap. "Sirius says he's noticed it's always redder and hot to the touch while Harry's being possessed or he's in Voldemort's mind."
Remus jerked his head back. "So… Voldemort's attacking his mind right now?"
"It appears so," Marlene whispered.
The pieces suddenly fell into place. Voldemort made sure Harry wasn't able to wake up so he couldn't actively push him out. Did Harry even know he was asleep? Was he even dreaming? Voldemort could very well manipulate Harry's mind to see whatever he wanted him to see. That was a scary thought due to all of the possibilities.
"Nothing will wake him?" Remus pressed.
"Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore have already exhausted their knowledge," Marlene explained, her lips pursing. "We need a specialist or someone."
"What kind of specialist?" Remus asked.
"We think he ingested a potion," Marlene explained with a frown. "Madam Pomfrey found odd anomalies on her initial diagnostic spell. She's running some tests to figure out exactly what it is in his system. We're assuming it's some sort of sleeping potion, but we've already given him the normal antidotes for that and he didn't wake."
Sirius leaned forward, his elbows propping up on the bed. Harry's scar seemed to fade in color just a tad. Sirius brushed his fingers along the scar, a frown deepening in every crevice of his face.
"Do you think it's possible to enter his mind?" Sirius asked out loud, his eyes flickering across Harry's face.
"What? Like Legilimency?" Remus asked, his brows drawing together.
"No, more like dream walking," Sirius elaborated. "What if he doesn't know he's dreaming and that's why he can't wake up? What if that's a component of the potion? What if all I had to do was tell him he was dreaming? Or, or help him control the dream?"
"Like lucid dreaming?" Marlene asked.
"Maybe," Sirius whispered. "Something like that. If I can't wake him up, the least I could do would be to stop the attacks on his mind, right?"
"You think he's stuck in a dream?" Remus asked, his eyes roaming across Harry's peaceful face. "And Voldemort is attacking him in his dream?"
Sirius gathered Harry's hand up in both of his, bringing the kid's hand to his cheek. "He's cold like ice," he observed. "His entire body is cold except for his scar."
"Does that have some sort of significance?" Remus pressed, trying to follow Sirius' scattered train of thought. "I've never heard of something like that."
"His scar is hot because Voldemort is invading his mind," Sirius explained, his eyes squinting at Harry. "I can't figure out why the rest of him would be cold."
Remus chewed on his bottom lip. He hadn't the foggiest idea of where to even begin researching the topic. Most people who overdosed on a Sleeping Potion could be woken up fairly easy from his knowledge, just extremely groggy and out of it for a while. But Harry wasn't even moving a muscle. His eyes weren't even moving so obviously he hadn't slipped into REM sleep.
"Would there be a book at Grimmauld that I can grab?" Remus asked. "I can go over there tonight and we can start researching."
"I don't know," Sirius whispered, resting Harry's arm back down on the bed but he didn't let go.
Remus crossed his arms over his chest. "Dora and I will stop by and check," he announced, his jaw tightening. "Look, Sirius, Dora means well and you can't snap at her like that. She's not your punching bag when you're angry."
Sirius let out a long sigh. "I'll apologize to her."
Remus nodded, even though Sirius wasn't looking at him. "We care about Harry too. I know you always accuse me of not caring, but I do care."
"Okay," Sirius said in a monotone voice.
Marlene looked up at Remus. "Thank you for coming. It means a lot."
Remus reached down, pressing a hand to Marlene's shoulder and giving it a squeeze. With that, he left the infirmary. He spotted the Tonks family huddled together in the corridor.
"I wasn't trying to peck at him," Nymphadora protested. "I was legitimately trying to convey that I don't care about his fucked-up parentage. I haven't talked to him in a while because he's decided to be a hermit the past couple of weeks."
Remus stepped up next to Nymphadora, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her arm as he leaned in to press a kiss to her temple.
"You're fine," Remus murmured. "Sirius is like that with everyone who dares speak with him when he's in a mood."
"I'll speak with him," Andromeda insisted.
Remus shook his head. "I already did. He said he'd apologize. He's just stressed."
"I really didn't mean to trigger him," Nymphadora insisted, her eyes flickering up to look at Remus.
"Don't worry about it," Remus said, a small smile crossing his lips. "Would you come with me to Grimmauld to look for some books that could potentially help Harry?"
"Of course," Nymphadora replied without hesitation. "I'd like to be back in the morning so I can sit in on some interviews with the students."
"Dora, you can't pull an all-nighter and then work the next day," Ted argued.
Nymphadora waved him off. "Please, I went at least two straight days with zero sleep and only caffeine to keep me going while studying for my Auror exams. This is nothing."
Remus chuckled, pulling Nymphadora close to his side. Even if that wasn't true, Remus knew that Nymphadora would do anything to help someone. She'd push through the exhaustion to help Harry. That was one of the many things that Remus loved about her. She put others before herself, because her heart was just so ginormous.
Honestly, Remus had no idea how he had gotten so lucky to have Nymphadora by his side.
Harry's eyes snapped open and all he saw was an oddly discolored navy sky. The clouds were like strange shadows in the sky, looking menacing and not at all fluffy. Harry's hands brushed along the ground beneath him. It didn't feel like grass. It felt stiff and almost plastic. Pushing himself up into a seated position, Harry glanced around at his surroundings. The trees were a stony and sickly gray color. The bushes a muted green with black berries.
Standing up, Harry took a step forward. His heart hammered in his chest as a heaviness settled in his gut. The last thing he remembered was being held by Crabbe and Goyle as Nott poured some terribly foul-tasting potion into his mouth. Where could they have even taken him that looked so… unnatural?
"Hello?" Harry called, his eyes darting around.
He reached for his wand in his pocket but couldn't find it. That's when he remembered he had been disarmed. His eyes screwed shut as he tried to control his breathing. He could do this. He just had to find out where he was and then find a way out. Perhaps he could find a spare wand. Surely, if he had a wand, he could figure out a way to send a message.
Message!
Harry reached behind him to pull his mirror out of his back pocket to call Sirius. Surely, given Sirius' paranoia, he had secretly stowed some sort of tracking charm on Harry or perhaps on the watch. Harry was convinced. He had never appreciated his godfather's broomstick parent tendencies until this point.
Whipping the mirror in front of him, Harry's breath hitched in his throat. The glass was a murky black. He couldn't even see his own reflection.
"Sirius Black?" Harry whispered, his voice cracking.
Nothing happened. The glass remained shadowy. Harry didn't understand what was happening. Everything seemed so wrong. Strange even.
"Hello, Harry," a cold voice behind him called.
It was a voice that Harry would recognize anywhere. A voice that had haunted his dreams since he had watched Cedric die right in front of him.
A shiver ran down Harry's spine as he shoved the mirror back into his pocket. He turned around slowly and came face-to-face with Lord Voldemort – or at least a version of him. He looked normal, like an older Tom Riddle, with his dark salt and pepper hair perfectly coifed on his head. His eyes were dark and not his normal red ones. Voldemort straightened, squaring his shoulders to stand tall in the same exact way that Sirius did when he was trying to be intimidating. He looked frighteningly like Sirius. Harry had never noticed the resemblance before. But the stoic look of cold indifference was definitely an expression Harry had seen Sirius shoot in Snape's direction before.
Harry took a step back when he saw the bone-white wand at Voldemort's side. He was doomed. He stood zero chance at defending himself without a wand against a man who couldn't die. All he could think about in that moment was Ginny. He had been foolish to think he could ever have a future with her. Life never worked out for him in the way he wanted it to. It was like the universe had decided Harry was doomed to suffer. He had finally gotten everything he had ever wanted: a family with Sirius and Marlene, a girlfriend who understood him better than he understood himself, and the best mate he could ever ask for.
"I brought you here to chat, Harry," Voldemort said in an eerily calm voice.
Harry swallowed, trying to stand tall to match Voldemort's height but not even coming close. He seemed taller than Sirius. Or maybe that was just because Sirius had never stood all imposing and menacing when talking to Harry.
"Where are we?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice as even as possible.
"I will be asking the questions," Voldemort snapped, his cold eyes boring into Harry. "Tell me, what was Sirius doing that allowed you to possess me?"
Harry wanted to vomit. "I don't know."
Voldemort took a step closer. "Do you think me a fool, Harry?"
Harry took a step back. "No," he replied, trying to keep the quiver out of his voice. "I just can't answer what I don't know."
"I seriously doubt that you are unable to answer my question," Voldemort replied, his lips coiling. "My son thinks himself clever. Yet, his cleverness is one of his biggest weaknesses. His grandiose ideas never seem to work out quite like he imagines them to."
Harry's nose wrinkled. "Sirius isn't your son."
Voldemort arched an eyebrow. "Sirius is more like me than he cares to admit. Once he embraces his birthright, he will come crawling to me."
Harry scoffed, his head shaking. "You're delusional if you think that Sirius will ever join you."
"Oh, Harry, I don't care about Sirius joining me any longer," Voldemort replied, taking a step closer to Harry. "I only care about breaking him. No one, not even him, will disobey me. I understand now that Sirius is useless to me. He is pathetic and riddled with weakness. His greatest weakness of all seems to be you. He allows himself to be ruled by something as inconsequential as love. I wanted him to witness your death, so I could watch him break in person. But this opportunity came to fruition. I couldn't deny its brilliance."
Harry stumbled back a few steps. His entire body shook as his breaths burst in and out of his mouth. His eyes darted around, trying to find anything he could use as a weapon or to see if there was an escape route.
"Stand tall, Harry," Voldemort instructed. "Face me like your father did. He too didn't have a wand the last time we met."
Voldemort raised his arm, the wand pointing directly at Harry's chest. He froze, his wide eyes staring at the tip of the wand. There were no ghostly apparitions of his parents to save him this time. There was no Portkey to escape. There was just certain death. Harry realized that he didn't want to die. He never even had the opportunity to say goodbye to everyone he loved.
Then, someone rushed past him. Harry saw the back of a tall man with salt and pepper hair raising a wand. A flash of red light escaped the tip of his wand. Harry flinched back, watching as the duel intensified in an instant. Colors whipped through the air. Shields were drawn. Whoever had decided to fight Voldemort was an experienced duelist. Harry could tell by not only the strength of his shield but also the way he layered spells effortlessly.
A shoulder brushed against Harry's. His head snapped to see another man rush past Harry to join the fight. Harry took a step back, his eyes glued to the unruly black hair of the second man. His heart thumped painfully in his chest. His hair stood up in the back just like Harry's.
Harry's eyes snapped between the two men, trying to fathom what was happening. Surely, they couldn't be who Harry thought they were. If they were, that could only mean one awful thing…
Fingers wrapped around Harry's elbow and he whipped around. A clean-shaven man with intense gray eyes stared at him. He was tall with slicked back salt and pepper hair. He looked like Sirius, only older. From afar, Harry probably would have mistaken the man for his godfather.
"We have to go," the man said, tugging on his arm. "Now."
Harry's heart beat harsh in his chest. "Who are you?"
"A friend," the man replied. "We don't have time. They can only hold him off for so long."
Harry wasn't stupid. He knew the man was a Black. He looked too much like Sirius not to be. He had heard Sirius and Andromeda joke enough about the Black inbreeding to know they all looked eerily similar. Even Malfoy, despite his platinum blond hair, had the Black height and facial features. Harry also knew he couldn't trust a majority of the Black family, especially one that Sirius had never introduced him too. Sirius, Andromeda, and Cepheus were the only Blacks he knew he could trust.
Harry jerked his arm away, his body stiff. "Yeah, and I'm Albus Dumbledore."
The man did not look amused. He looked shockingly like an annoyed Sirius.
"Alphard!" a woman shrieked.
Alphard?
Harry took a step back, his head snapping to the right to see a beautiful redheaded woman running towards them. Her hair was a dark auburn, nothing like Ginny's flaming ginger locks. Her brilliant green eyes shined with unshed tears, her ashen face staring at him. Harry felt bile rise in his throat. The man named Alphard grabbed Harry once more, dragging him down to the ground as a purple spell flew over their heads.
"Now, Harry!" Alphard shouted, pulling Harry up and dragging him towards the woman.
Harry let the two of them drag him off, which was probably stupid but he couldn't stop thinking about the man who looked like Sirius being called Alphard and the woman who looked like the photos he had of his mother. While he hadn't seen the other two men's faces who had put themselves between Harry and Voldemort, he did note their untidy hair that seemed to stick up in the back exactly like Harry's.
There was only one explanation that Harry could come up with. He had died. Nott had poisoned him to death. That's why everything looked off around him. That's why he could see dead people. That's why Voldemort didn't look like a shell of the man he had been.
They approached a cabin that appeared out of nowhere and seemed out of place. Alphard shoved him through the door. Harry stumbled into an unfamiliar kitchen. His eyes landed on a tall female with faded red hair standing near the stove, a female that looked like all of the photos he had seen of his dead grandmother Euphemia.
Yeah, he had definitely died. He would never become an Auror. He would never marry Ginny. He would never have his own family. Harry swallowed at the lump in his throat. Sirius would kill himself. There was no doubt about that. His foolishness had not only killed himself but would also kill his godfather. Sirius had extremely poor coping skills.
"Sit," Alphard instructed, pulling a wooden chair out from the table and gesturing towards it.
Harry numbly listened. His heart pounded in his ears as his insides twisted into a knot. He was dead. There was no other explanation. This was his afterlife, running and fighting Voldemort at every turn with dead people he had never met trying to protect him. Could they die again? Was that even possible?
"Harry," the woman looking like his mother breathed, crouching down in front of him. Her hands jutted out like she was going to touch him but thought better of it. "Harry, darling, do you know what's happening?"
Harry's throat narrowed. "I'm dead," he replied in a monotone.
"No, darling, you're not dead," she replied in a kind voice.
The words didn't make him feel any better. He definitely felt dead. Or insane. Maybe something had gone wrong with his scar surgery and he had finally cracked. Or maybe he had never actually woken up from surgery. Maybe his consciousness was finally catching up to his fate.
"You were poisoned," Alphard said in a flat tone. "You're in a deep enchanted sleep that you are unable to wake up from on your own. Outside intervention is failing."
Harry stared at the Sirius look-alike.
"Lord Voldemort wanted your mind vulnerable," Alphard continued. "He wanted to know why and how you possessed him. It's become increasingly difficult for him to slip into your mind due to everything Sirius has done. Now, with the mind blocks, he is frustrated and is desperate for answers."
Harry swallowed. "Who are you?" he repeated himself. "If I'm not dead then you all can't be who I think you are."
"My name is Alphard Black," Alphard introduced himself. "Your godfather is my favorite nephew. I have seen how fiercely Sirius has loved and protected you. I couldn't in good conscience not help you knowing how much Sirius cares for you."
Harry struggled to breathe.
"I'm your mum, Lily," Lily introduced herself, the tears finally splashing down her face. "I've wanted to talk to you for so long. I've been with you nearly every single moment of your life. It's been torture not to reach out to you," she said, a sob escaping her lips. "I'm so sorry that Tuney was so awful to you. I can't believe she would hurt her nephew to get back at me."
Harry's vision grew blurry as his limbs trembled.
"I'm Euphemia, your grandmother," the older woman said as she took a step closer to Harry. "We are so proud of you, Harry."
"I don't understand," Harry choked out, his eyes snapping from person to person.
"Voldemort is a descendant of Slytherin," Alphard explained, his hands resting on his hips. "Slytherin and his descendants have been known to possess traits and characteristics of snakes."
Harry swallowed. "Like Parseltongue. Yeah, I know."
Alphard nodded, his face not showing any emotion. "Snakes are also known to be able to slip through the cracks between the living and the dead. Those of Slytherin descent can sometimes see through the veil of the living and the dead when they are under extreme stress or in desperate need of guidance. Emotions play a major role in being able to slip through. Though some have mastered the skill in the past."
The conversation in his bedroom in Seifton floated to the forefront of his mind when Sirius admitted to potentially seeing dead people. He had believed Sirius back then. He definitely believed him now.
"So… so, you're saying Voldemort… slipped me through a crack?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing.
Alphard and Lily exchanged a look.
"We believe so, yes," Alphard replied, turning his attention back to Harry. "We need to figure out how to get you out, to wake up in the land of the living."
Harry didn't know what to say to that. His eyes screwed shut as he tried to remember what had happened. Malfoy had Polyjuiced himself as Cepheus to get him alone. Crabbe and Goyle held him as Nott forced a tar-like substance down his throat. Then, there was just darkness. He couldn't think of anything that could actually help him.
The door to the kitchen opened. Harry stiffened, his head snapping towards it. His heart skipped a beat at the sight of the two men who entered. Harry felt like he was looking in a mirror. James Potter looked painfully like him, which Harry knew. He had seen enough memories and photographs to know. But there was something about seeing him in the flesh, solid, and staring at him that made it all the more real.
"He's looking for Harry," a new voice said in a gruff tone.
Harry tore his gaze off his father to look at the man behind James. Fleamont Potter somehow seemed far more intimidating in person than he had in the letters Harry had read.
"We need to get through to Sirius," Fleamont continued. "I need to speak with him. If I could just work with him to brew a counter-potion, then Harry should wake up easily enough. But I need to speak with him."
Alphard sighed. "I'll try."
"No," Fleamont replied. "He's having a hard time coping with this already. He's talked to you in the stars for years. He won't believe you're real."
Harry blinked, trying to follow the conversation.
"It should be James," Lily spoke in a soft voice.
James' jaw tightened as he ran a hand through his unruly locks. "He told me to stay away. I've already gone to him tonight and he thought I was Harry."
Wait, what? Why would Sirius tell James to stay away?
"James, you're the only one who even has a shot at having him listen," Lily argued.
"He doesn't believe this is real…" Harry interrupted, trailing off as all eyes turned to him. "He told me he about this. About talking to dead people. He doesn't believe it's real."
"He thinks he's gone mad," James insisted, his head shaking as he turned his attention to Harry. "He believes it's all in his head no matter how many times I try to talk to him. I kept telling him to get up while he was in Azkaban, telling him not to not let the Dementors win. I tried to stop him from drinking on Halloween, but I think I only made him drink more. He doesn't believe it, Harry. I haven't figured out how to get him to believe me. It's imperative that he believes us. It's imperative that he listens so we can save your life."
Harry rubbed his palms against his trousers. Sirius was stubborn. That much Harry knew. He hadn't the foggiest idea of how to make Sirius believe that he was communicating with the dead and that he could actually slip through the cracks. If only Harry could talk to him, then he was sure he could convince his godfather.
James cleared his throat, crouching down next to Lily. "Is there anything that he doesn't know that he can fact check to prove we're real and with you?"
Harry's eyes met his dad's. It was odd, being so close to James Potter. The closest they had ever been had been in the graveyard, but his parents hadn't been solid. They were just mists. Harry wondered if he could reach out and touch him, something he knew he couldn't do in a Pensieve.
As though reading Harry's mind, James placed a hand on top of his. He was cold, icy even. But Harry could feel the touch. A sob rose up Harry's throat at the contact. He pushed it down so he wouldn't embarrass himself. Harry soaked in all the features of his father from his hazel eyes to his thick rectangular glasses to his thin lips. It was easy to see why everyone said he looked like his father. Harry felt like he was looking into a mirror that had just distorted a few of his features.
"Harry," James whispered in a soft tone, his cool hand cupping Harry's face just like Sirius would. Just like a parent would. "I don't know if Voldemort can actually hurt you here. If he can't kill you, then he's going to want to break your mind. The sooner we can contact the living world, the sooner we can try to get you out of here. Is there something that Sirius doesn't know but he can fact check?"
Harry's breaths came out in harsh huffs. He couldn't help the stray tear that fell from his eye as he stared at his father. James only pressed his other palm against Harry's cheek, his thumb brushing away the tear. Harry reached up his trembling hands, wrapping his fingers around his father's wrists.
Harry swallowed. There was only one thing Harry could think of that only he knew. Too embarrassed to admit it to anyone. Not Sirius, not Ron, not Ginny. Petunia and Vernon didn't even know as far as he knew. Not to mention, Sirius would lose his mind if he ever found out. Harry tightened his grip on his father's wrists. If it bothered James, he didn't acknowledge it.
"My aunt used to lock me in the cupboard under the stairs," Harry whispered in a hoarse voice, his hands slipping from around his father's wrists to fall into his lap. "I carved my initials on a step one time when I was locked in there. I think it was the fourth one up."
"Can I tell him this?" James asked in a pained voice.
Harry screwed his eyes shut. "He'll go berserk."
James' hands dropped from his face to grip his shoulders, giving him a tight squeeze. "I'll tell him to take Ted and Andy with him to check it out. They'll be able to reason with him. He always listened to Andy."
A hand touched the side of Harry's neck. He opened his eyes to look at James once more. It was his father's hand. Steady. Calming. His father's touch had the same effect on him as his godfather's touch.
"I'll stay too," James assured him. "When he sees it, he'll know. I'll remind him you're in danger. He needs to know what Voldemort is doing."
Harry chewed on his bottom lip. "Can you bring him here?" he asked. "Can he slip through the cracks too and, and be here?"
The ask seemed childish in Harry's mind. Sirius needed to work to wake him up. He shouldn't be slipping through the cracks to comfort Harry.
"I don't know, Harry," James admitted. "I'm sure if he can figure out a way, he will. It might not be a bad idea if he does. He can talk to Dad and figure out how to help you. He's already tried to wake you up with magic but failed."
Harry swallowed. "How do you know?"
"We can see everything, Harry," James explained. "Just because you can't see us doesn't mean we can't see you. One of us has been by your and Sirius' side for the past fifteen years."
Harry looked around the room at his family. "But who's with Sirius now?"
James frowned, his face pulling. "Regulus."
Harry's heart skipped a beat. "Regulus?"
"He's… decent now, I suppose," James replied with a shrug. "Cepheus is with Sirius so Regulus is there as well. We thought making sure you were out of danger was imperative, so we all came to your aid."
Fleamont cleared his throat. "Merrick and Geraldine are there as well since Marlene is with him."
James blew out a breath. "Well, that's comforting at least," he said as he smiled at Harry. "Will you be all right if I leave to talk to Sirius?"
Harry nodded, his brows pinching together. "Yeah, of course."
"Your mum will stay with you," James insisted. "I'll be back as soon as I can."
With that, James rose to his full height and made his way over towards Fleamont and Alphard. The three of them talked in hushed tones that Harry couldn't hear. When James and Alphard left together, Harry could only assume they were discussing who would stay on Harry minding duty.
"It'll be all right, darling," Lily said, drawing his attention to her. "We won't let anything happen to you."
Harry believed her. His parents had already died for him once. They had done everything in their power to ensure that Harry survived even if they couldn't. They had helped him escape the graveyard. Harry knew they wouldn't go down without a fight. That brought Harry a small flicker of hope that maybe he'd make it out of this alive.
I hoped you enjoyed the newest chapter! And a day early! I take thanks in the form of reviews! Reviews inspire me to keep writing and motivate me to keep on my posting schedule!
How many of you guessed what was happening with Harry?
Special thanks to prewettpotter for helping me out with this one!