Author's Note: I am sorry this chapter took so long, I have been extremely busy with work and school. I hope you will enjoy it even though there isn't any H&Hr. I promise they are coming in the next chapter which will be out later tonight or hopefully tomorrow. Enjoy!
Chapter 6: Great Loss, Great Love...
"27.....29......31 Shamrock Road, this is it!" Harry exclaimed proudly as he made his way through the gate and up the cobble stone path to the front door.
The home of Athena Helios was small, but very beautiful. It was surrounded by a picket fence, and a garden of exquisite blossoming flowers. It looked like a small cottage straight from a fairy tale, and if Harry had has way, a cottage wouldn't be the only thing that Athena and Remus had in common with fairy tales.
"Well, I know you didn't come all the way to Ireland to stop and smell the roses, did ya Harry? I haven't been there in awhile, but I am almost certain there are some around Godric's Hollow. Not as pretty as ours, but a rose is a rose, is it not?" A petite, elderly woman said with a bright smile as she opened the front door and stepped outside.
Harry was startled by her presence, and more shocked by the fact that she had known his name and where he was from.
"How did you know?" He asked curiously.
"Desmond Helios....world renowned Soothsayer." She teased as she walked closer to where he was standing. "I don't know if you know this, Potter, but I think the only person who was is in the Daily Prophet more than you was that stupid git Gilderoy Lockhart before his little accident. The whole wizarding world knows what the Boy Who Lived looks like."
"Of course," Harry nodded, "I'm not one for the glory that comes along that title."
"Well, you should be. Not enough legendary wizards in your generation if you ask me. You're a great example to us all. You're hope for a future free of dark magic and destruction."
"Thank you." He smiled shyly.
"No need to thank me, boy." She replied as she made her way back toward the house. "Well, I know you didn't come here for a flower show, so I guess you'll be wanting to see Athena then? She's not home just yet, but I am expecting her shortly.."
"How did you-"
"World renowned Soothsayer, but shhh, it's a secret." She repeated with a wink as she opened the front door and motioned for him to come inside.
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"You've got your Mother's eyes." Desmond smiled as she poured Harry and herself a cup of hot tea. "Green as the sea and just as deep. Very honest and compassionate. The rest of you is all James."
Harry grinned. He loved hearing about his parents, and he loved it even more when people told him that he was like them, whether it his traits or appearance. It wasn't easy being without them since he was a year old, but to have them live on in the memories of old friends and acquaintances was always nice.
"Did you know them well?" He asked as he looked down to find a friendly Calico Cat purring at his feet.
"Yes, they spent many summer days and nights here with Remus and Athena." She nodded, as she watched her precious cat hop onto Harry's lap and rub her face against his hand. "Ashling was very found of James, too. Remus got him for Athena at the beginning of seventh year. She was around for many of their antics."
"So they were mischievous away from Hogwarts as well?" Harry said with a laugh, knowing that he and his Father had shared the same passion for adventure and rule breaking.
"Are you kidding? I can't tell you how many cranky ol' witches and wizards almost burst down my door because those kids had gotten into some sort of trouble. They used to make me so angry, but not for long. Once I saw the guilty looks on their faces, I had to forgive them. I was a softee. All of them had good hearts, just like you do."
"Are you really a soothsayer?" Harry questioned, in awe of her certainity of his character.
"I was a Divination Professor many years ago, just like Professor Trelawney." She said rolling her eyes at the mention of Trelawney's name. "The only difference between me and that incompetent git is that she's been right only twice and I've been wrong....only twice."
Harry felt a chill run through his body. Divination was not his favorite subject, on the contrary, it was most definitely his least favorite. Professor Trelawney had spent most of the time telling him he was doomed and the rest of the time predicting things that Filch the Squib could have foreseen. He'd always believed her to be a fraud, except for the one time when another being seemed to momentarily posess her long enough to accurately predict the resurrection of Lord Voldemort. He had heard from Dumbledore that she'd been right on another occasion, but never knew what that prediction was. Desmond Helios seemed much different than Cybil Trelawney. She didn't seem as eager to make such horrific traditions, but rather had a unique ability to see a person through what they truly were. Harry remembered reading once that the eyes were the window to the soul. He got the distinct feeling that Desmond's divination capabilities were very similar to that quote.
"You don't see things the way she does...do you?" Harry asked nervously as he swallowed a large lump in his throat and proceeded to take a sip of his tea.
"You mean do I see a large Hungarian Horntail making a pot roast out of you next week?" She said with a wink. "No, my visions aren't as grave and disconserting as hers, but I do see things that aren't pleasant, I won't deny that."
Harry watched as her expression faded from bright and smiling to cold and somber. There was something about her that wasn't there with Trelawney. There was more of a genuine quality, which is why he was certain that whatever it was that wasn't pleasant in his future would surely come true.
"Wha- What do you see?" He asked in a slightly trembling voice.
"I see good, and I see bad..." She sighed, as she reached over and took his tea cup, surveying the leaves carefully as she continued to speak. "You've experienced many great losses at such a young age, Harry. I am sad to say that you will have one more to endure."
Harry was stunned as he felt his heart jump up into his throat and his mind began to race a mile a minute. No, this can't be true. Not again, not someone he loved. Who? Who else could he losed? Hadn't he suffered enough? Would it be Sirius? Hagrid? Ron? Or heaven forbid, his beloved Hermione? The room was spinning as a feeling of nausea ran through his body. He couldn't believe the words he was hearing, but a small part of him knew it was inevitable.
"Harry..." Desmond's soothing and concerned voice called out, causing Harry to come back from his worrisome thoughts. "Harry, I am so sorry, I didn't want to upset you, but I believe it is best to know the truth, and that isn't all that I see for you. May I continue? I think you will like the second part much more..."
"Please do." He smiled slightly, eager to hear something a little more encouraging.
"Great loss will be followed by an even greater love....the kind that will last forever." She grinned widely, putting down the tea cup and calling for Ashling to come to her.
"Great love?" He repeated in a puzzled tone, his thoughts instantly on Hermione. "Do you know who with?"
"I'm sorry, no." She said shaking her head. "I only see parts of the events, not everything. I wish I could see more. I might have been able to prevent a lot of tragedies in my time..."
"I'm sure your predictions have done a lot of good." He replied with a bright smile.
"Quite the charmer, too." Desmond grinned, "You do more than look like your father, Harry."
"Mum, are you home?"
A voice called from the hall, followed by the slamming of the door. Harry watched as a slender and petite woman entered the room. Athena Helios and her Mother looked almost nothing alike. Desmond had wavy red hair pulled back in a tight bun, and her skin was as white as milk. Athena on the other hand, had straight and sleek raven locks that fell to the middle of her back, and an olive complection. The only two things that the women had in common were their pale blue eyes and that they were both extremely pretty, but in very different ways.
"Oh, I didn't know we had company." Athena smiled warmly, extending her hand to Harry.
"'Lo." He replied with a grin as he shook her hand.
"Athena!" Desmond exclaimed, "Don't you recognize this young man?"
"Should I?" She asked curiously, eyeing Harry carefully as he watched the shocked look overcome her face when she made the realization of who he was. "Oh my goodness, you're Lily and James' son! You're Harry Potter!"
"Yes." He nodded as he felt her fling his arms around his neck and begin to sob in his embrace.
"You look just like him. I don't know how I didn't see it immediately!" She wept, pulling back from his embrace and wiping the stray tears from his eyes. "I'm sorry, I just I didn't expect this! What are you doing here?"
"I'm on a mission." He said with a wide grin. "You see a long time ago two celestial beings lost each other. You can think of me as the star sent to guide them back to where they belong."
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"What on earth are we doing here?" Remus protested as Sirius lead him up a long dirt trail to the top of a hill overlooking the sunset upon Godric's Hollow. "You know I can't bear to come here, it makes me think of..."
But he couldn't finish. Standing a few feet in front of him stood Harry, a smile of satisfaction painted across his face, and a little further on was Athena, joyful tears pouring down her cheeks as she looked at him with her bright blue eyes that were filled with hope for the first time in years.
"Is this a dream?" Remus asked in disbelief as he felt his heart start to pound inside his chest. "This can't be real."
"If you're dreaming, then so am I." Her quivering voice called as she walked closer to him and reached her hand to touch his face. "And if we're both dreaming, I don't ever want to wake up."
Remus laughed as he ran his trembling fingers through her hair, and looked her over thoroughly, still unable to believe that she was actually back in his arms.
"I missed you, Sunshin-"
But he couldn't finish. She silenced his words with a passionate kiss that was more than twenty years overdue.
"That would be our cue to leave." Sirius whispered and Harry nodded his head in agreement.
And with a pop, they were gone, and all that remained was the Remus, Athena, and the dusk. The perfect time of day to symbolize the reunion of sun and moon.