The Unbroken Circle of Love-Chapter 15
Harry and Hermione returned to the Burrow as fast as they could once they realized what Harry had in his hand. He was so excited that he nearly burst into a cry of triumphant glee when he arrived. "Hiya, Harry," said Arthur. "I'm glad to see you but extremely surprised at the same time."
"Oh, you children come inside and have dinner with us," said Mrs. Weasley without thinking.
The smile on Harry's face must have given something away because Ron was quick to pick up on it. "Okay, Harry, what gives? "
"Mr. Weasley have you ever seen one of these?" Harry asked.
He held his hand out with the Runic Memory Charm in his palm. "I found it at the place where my parents are buried," he explained. "It was the most unbelievable moment of my life. Everything else seemed to pale in comparison when I found it." He smiled at Hermione.
Hermione knew what he meant. "Harry and I felt his mother's presence there, Mr. Weasley. I mean it was unreal."
The looks on the faces of the Weasleys seemed to break into wide grins of happiness for Harry. Ron just shook his head and smiled. "I'm glad for you mate. You deserve a little happiness where your parents are concerned."
"Thanks, Ron," said Harry. "Have you, Mr. Weasley? Hermione thinks she might be able to transcribe the runes herself."
"Yes, Harry. I've seen one of these. My mother left each of her children one. It was very special Harry. This one seems to be very complex though. When I read the inscription on the top it opened for me immediately. It seems that there are two sets of runes here," said Arthur kindly. "That may mean it may take a while. My rune proficiency is a little weak."
"Ahem," said Hermione with a smile.
"Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry my dear. I forgot that you're as proficient as anyone," said Arthur with a sheepish smile caused by forgetting she was there.
"Mr. Weasley, why do you think it is different than most?" asked Hermione.
"Well, at first glance I can usually make out the order of the runes with some accuracy, but it seems that they may be arranged to prevent someone from tampering," he said. "Like I said, it's rare that there are two sets. Do you read them both together or separately? That's another question," he continued. "I'm not even talking about the third set of runes if you count the part that's clearly addressing it to Harry."
Now that Hermione looked at the runes more closely, she realized that they were more complicated than she'd ever seen. They were ordered very differently. "Harry, Mr. Weasley is right. There seems to be some differences to the way normal rune markings would be read. I'm sure I could do it, but it might take a long time to get it right."
"Okay, now, this is kind of bothering me. I mean, what needs to be done?" he asked.
"Well, first, I think you should eat," said Mrs. Weasley who had held back interrupting them with talk of dinner until now.
"Harry, I think that Remus will know more. I wouldn't be surprised if he knew something about the memory charm's existence in the first place," said Arthur looking around the table. "It's not impossible Harry. It's just not as easy as maybe you and Hermione first thought."
"I can go get Remus for you, Dad," said Ron. "I know where he and Tonks went."
Arthur looked at Molly and smiled. "Okay, Ron, but be discrete. You know what I mean don't you. They don't go off together too often."
"Oh, yeah, right," said Ron with a faint grin. "Any suggestions?"
"No, I think you're mature enough to figure it out, son. You'll know whether or not it's proper to explain, simply ask them to come to the Burrow when they have a chance or leave," said Mr. Weasley.
"Maybe we should just send an owl," said Ron hesitantly. "I don't think that I would want to have someone just drop by casually if I were them."
Harry looked at Ron and realized that he was right. By sending an owl, they would minimize the intrusion as well as tell him to come to the Burrow without putting Ron or anyone in the unwanted position of being an unwelcome guest.
"I agree," said Harry in as upbeat a tone as he could muster-which wasn't much. "He and Tonks don't deserve to have their evening disrupted for something that has waited this long in the first place. I mean, it's waited nearly sixteen years. It can wait another few hours or a day." He hoped the disappointment in his voice didn't show through.
"Alright then, it's settled. Send Errol with a message. What do we say, Harry? Do we tell them what it's about specifically?" asked Mr. Weasley. "It's your call. You know that as soon as he finds out what it is, he will come right away."
Harry paused for a moment to think. "Okay, just send this." Harry asked Mr. Weasley for the piece of
parchment lying on the table and hastily scribbled a note which read: "Hi Professor. Forgive the intrusion, but
I'd really like to talk to you as soon as you have a chance. Please don't rush and spoil your time with Tonks.
It's not that important."
Harry.
Harry realized that it was always best to just say what you mean and let things fall where they may. He hoped that Remus and Tonks would believe him that it wasn't that important, but it would have been wrong not to put some urgency in the note. Otherwise, it would have seemed pointless to even send one.
"Good idea," said Hermione. "I'm proud of you Harry. I think that says it and it's honest."
"Yeah, mate. If it were me, I'd be a nutter by now," laughed Ron. "Okay, so you guys think I am anyway."
The chorus of laughter was heart-felt. It seemed as if they'd gone back to normal after the trials of the summer. Harry was glad and he knew exactly what Ron was trying to say. "You can say that again, Ron. I doubt that Tonks will hold him up anyway if it's about me."
"Exactly, Harry, that's why I think the owl is best because it allows them to have their privacy even though we know where they are," said Arthur.
Harry and Hermione sat at the kitchen table looking at the runes. Harry didn't have any runes classes so it was really foreign to him. Hermione explained some of the more basic ones that, but quickly pointed out that many have different meanings when put with others. "Some of these make sense to me and some don't. I don't like to guess when it comes to stuff like this."
"Don't worry, Hermione. I forgive you for raising my hopes and then dashing them," said Harry playfully.
"Harry, that's not funny. You know I take things that have to do with you and your parents very seriously. One thing I noticed is that it seems to be a familiar tone to it as if it were designed so that only a select group of people could transcribe them I think it was made so that your parents' friends would be the only ones who would be able to correctly decipher them."
"You think that Remus will be able to do it then I take it," said Harry.
"Yes and I think that even may take him a little time to figure out. It seems that your parents were the cautious type and this would make sense, especially if Professor Dumbledore was involved," said Hermione. "Professor Dumbledore would not let them take unnecessary chances."
The elder Weasley's went about their normal routine. Mr. Weasley disappeared to somewhere in the house and Mrs. Weasley finished the getting things put away from dinner.
Harry felt very much at home for the first time in a long while. Something seemed different as the four of them sat talking about trivial things. It was only a few days until Ginny's birthday and talking of the plans for her party was good fun. But as the topics left for conversation got fewer, Harry noticed Ginny and Ron glancing at him more and more.
"Guys, please. I'm just fine. I know you want to keep me entertained, but the constant glances to see if I'm okay are killing me," he said finally. A second or two later, he laughed. "Really, guys I appreciate it, but you're making me self-conscious."
That seemed to break the ice a bit. Ron and he turned their attention to professional Quidditch and the news coming out of Ireland. Hermione and Ginny talked about odds and ends from the summer. The Quidditch conversation was a little boring because Ron had read all the same stuff Harry had. He didn't mean to tune out Ron, but the giggling from the girls made it seem like there was more fun in listening to them. He heard Ron's name mentioned and immediately looked at his friend to see if he had too.
"Yeah, mate, Ginny gets a kick out of the fact that Luna and I are getting on pretty well," said Ron.
"What? Mate, you mean you are sweet on Luna?" asked Harry trying to give Ron a little bit of a hard time.
"Yeah, so what of it?" asked Ron recognizing that Harry was playing. "You know you like her too and that you're jealous. I figure if I like her enough you'll try to steal her too." Ron smiled fiendishly. "Just kidding, mate, really."
Harry had to shake that one off. He never expected Ron to mention the events of the summer like that. "Well, that was kind of unexpected."
"Yeah, I thought that would shut you up. I expected you to give me hell when you found out. I just wish Ginny wouldn't tell everyone everything she knows about us," said Ron glancing at his sister.
"Yeah, it seems she gets a kick out of it," said Harry hoping Ginny overheard him.
"Wait now," said Ginny. "Are you saying I'm a gossip?" she asked with a good-natured smile. "I work hard to find out the dirt on everyone and you should appreciate that I told Ron what I would say about him already." She laughed.
"Yeah, I have to give her that. She doesn't blindside me like she would a stranger, but I hope she never finds out too much about us because she might change her mind. So Ginny, tell them the story you told me about Fred and George," said Ron.
Ginny smiled at Ron. "Maybe I shouldn't tell them that. Ah, I suppose there's no harm. Fred met a girl, guys."
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Yeah, incredible, isn't it? The strangest part is how Fred got George jealous by meeting an honest to goodness nice girl. Fred spied her while he and George were at a restaurant in King's Cross," said Ginny.
"You're kidding me," said Harry. "Really? Good for him."
"I don't know what to make of seeing my brothers bicker about whether a girl is right for one of them or not. Imagine what it's like for George to have Fred get the jump on a real relationship with someone."
"Ginny, how did you find out?" asked Harry.
"That part is kind of funny really. I told Ron about it because Fred came to me for advice. After all the times that Fred and George gave Ron a hard time about being an oaf with Hermione, it turns out it's not so easy for Fred either. I don't think he could find his bum with both hands and a wand when it comes to her," said Ginny. "Well, that's only partially true. He wanted to know the best way to set the mood to kiss her without being a clod. I have to hand it to him though. He's smitten and he knows it. He's willing to do something about it too."
"What took me by surprise was when I went to visit them and the subject of Fred's girl came up and George started telling me how she wasn't right for him," giggled Ginny. "I had to laugh because I don't think that George really knows her. He just didn't like spending last Friday and Saturday night alone at the shop while Fred entertained at their flat."
"Oh my god, I'll bet that was awkward," said Hermione. "I mean was that before or after you talked with Fred about kissing her?"
"After, of course. I feel badly that she had no chance if Fred did what I told him to do," said Ginny casually. "You know what I mean don't you Hermione?"
"You mean the part where guys out think themselves and miss the clues that we want to be kissed?" asked Hermione.
"Exactly," said Ginny. "Fred looked at me like I had two heads when I told him that a girl who stands close to you on her own or touches your arm is often inviting you into her space and making herself available."
"How do guys get to be twenty years old and not know stuff like that?" asked Hermione.
"Ron asked me the same thing when I told him. I think it's because there are so many girls who don't hint at things anymore. Or, maybe they hint at them, but eventually they just give up the hinting and make it obvious. Shy guys wait until a girl does that. Sometimes it costs them by losing a really nice girl who thinks they're a wimp," giggled Ginny. "It made a difference between you and Luna didn't it Ron?"
"Yeah, I made Luna blush a little at first, but she kissed me back and then things were cool," said Ron without any further explanation.
"So, you don't think Fred and she spent the night together in their flat do you?" asked Hermione.
"No, George went home later that night and they were gone," said Ginny. "So, I'm sure it will take George only a few days of licking his wounds to figure out that if he doesn't want to be alone on the weekends from now on he has to find a girlfriend too."
"Oh, and she'll be prettier and richer than Fred's, you can bet on that," laughed Ron. "They are like that you know."
They all laughed and nodded as each of them had their own picture of some pretty girl with George trying to upstage Fred.
"So what other dirt do you have?" asked Hermione softly.
Ginny giggled. "Well, I heard that Parvati and Seamus…."
Hermione tried to contain her laughter as she and Ginny talked about everyone that had been there during the summer. Ron didn't particularly like hearing his name, but ignored them and started talking to Harry.
"So, mate, what was the place like?" asked Ron.
Harry had been distracted a bit watching the girls giggle at each little bit of gossip. "Oh, sorry Ron. I never thought I'd see the day those two would sit and talk like they used to do. What did you just ask me?"
"I just asked what the place was like, Godric's Hollow," said Ron glancing over at the girls with bated breath as Ginny told Hermione about a conversation with Luna that Ron wasn't that bad of a kisser.
Harry kept a straight face while he was smiling on the inside. "It's alright, mate, I know it's annoying but it's nice to see them getting on so well," he repeated. "Anyway, the place was kind of cool, but kind of creepy too. We met this couple in the town just before Godric's Hollow…" Harry told him the story of Gordie and Millie. He described the whole trip except for the dream. He felt good talking to Ron again.
"So, you actually heard your Mom say that?" asked Ron.
Harry realized that it was kind of crazy to say he actually heard her, so he explained that it was more like a waking dream. Ron nodded and seemed to understand that a little better. "Yeah, her presence was definitely in the air there though," said Harry as he finished. "That's when we Apparated here."
Harry and Hermione had arrived at the Burrow shortly after six and it was ten now. He realized how odd it was that the Weasley's had eaten their dinner so early today.
The conversation sort of melded together again as all four of them got tired of talking and began to slow things down at nearly the same time. "So, can you believe it? We've been sitting her jabbering away for over three hours," giggled Hermione. "What's even funnier is that we talked about stuff that only a few weeks ago would have been off limits for sure."
"Yeah, how in the world did we get to talking about this stuff without pissing each other off?" asked Ginny. "I mean seriously."
"I don't know, but it's kind of cool, if you ask me," said Hermione. "I never knew you were jealous of me before you ever started dating Harry."
"Hermione, if you learned one thing this summer, you should know that you two were so blindly in love that you spent nearly three years not noticing how people wanted to be you. It wasn't always about dating Harry. It was sometimes about how famous he is and that they wanted to be part of that and you took it for granted. I don't mean took Harry for granted, but the situation. Some of it was crushes girls had on Harry, but not that often I don't think."
"You're kidding me," said Hermione.
"I don't remember, but I think it was some of Cho's friends when Harry and Cho were kind of seeing each other," said Ginny. "That wasn't the only time that happened. It's just one I remember."
"Why was I always the last to know?" said Harry.
"It's probably good for you, Harry. You might have ended up with someone like Pansy Parkinson," said Ron.
"Take that back, you git. That's not funny," said Harry with a cringe.
"Oh, yuck," said Hermione. "That is disgusting." She put her finger in her mouth as if to gag herself and then laughed.
"Oh, come on now, Pansy is gorgeous," said Ginny. "Not!"
They roared with laughter. They were laughing so hard that no one including Harry noticed that Remus had entered the living room. "Ahem, if you guys are finished?"
Harry's head snapped toward Remus in surprise. "How long have you been here?" he asked quickly.
"Oh, I'd say about fifteen minutes," said Remus. "I Apparated into the garden and came in through the door like everyone else, but you guys were acting like your old selves, so I thought it better to let you go for a while." He smiled. "And, the four of you make quite a little comedy troupe if you ask me."
Harry was about to ask Remus if he'd seen the Runic Memory Charm when Arthur came in holding it in his hand. "So what did you think of it, Remus?"
Remus had come alone. He sat down with his hands folded and his elbows on his knees leaning forward as if he were thinking. "Please, Arthur would you set it there on the table." He pointed to an area in the center of the table.
"I know when it was made. I was there that day," said Remus. "It brings back mixed emotions as you might imagine. I wish…"
Hermione was so eager to tell Remus her idea that she inadvertently interrupted him mid-sentence. "Yes, Hermione?" he said rather abruptly.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I have an idea that may seem crazy on the surface. I think it could be useful as an approach to breaking the code though," she said quickly and quietly.
"Well, go ahead. You're way too bright to ignore," said Remus with a mixture of irritation and understanding. He paused and continued. "I'm sorry, I was just deep in thought the last few minutes while you guys were chatting and I started thinking out loud. Anyway, please tell me your idea, Hermione."
"Oh, Professor, I'm truly sorry," she said apologetically. "I just thought even though it's a code, it probably had something to do with you, Sirius, and Wormtail."
"Yes, that's true," said Remus. "I am familiar with the runes used on this charm, but I can't remember how or why."
"So, you have seen this pattern before?" asked Hermione.
"No, not really, Hermione. I am familiar with the symbolism and how it may have been developed. I think that they are placed there in a specific way for a purpose and we may have been told about it at the time it was made," said Remus. "As you know, Professor Dumbledore was capable of many things that ordinary wizards are not able to do. One of them was to hide bits of information in seemingly harmless conversations and then present them with the means to remember them magically."
Harry listened to the last bit carefully. "Do you mean that Professor Dumbledore might tell you something that is important, but it doesn't seem so until something else happens?" asked Harry for clarification.
"That's the gist of it, Harry. He was very old by muggle standards, yet just getting to the prime of his power as a wizard," said Remus. "I know that sounds silly when you think of him as old as he was. Wizards get more powerful as they get older, Harry, but their stamina to use it begins to give out."
Harry nodded. "So you were saying, Professor?"
"He confided in me that there would come a day when he would have to make some very difficult personal choices. I think he was talking about Professor Snape and the way things happened with him. I also think that he knew that certain events would have to come to pass in order for Lord Voldemort to be defeated," said Remus.
"You still believe that Snape did what he was supposed to do when he killed Albus?" asked Arthur.
"Yes, I do," said Remus with no explanation. "I also think that even in those early days, he gave us all clues that would help us should we be the one to be called on to help you with this charm. I think it is just a matter of study and recollection, Harry. I know that doesn't make it any easier for you as you anticipate hearing your parents, but I think the best way to do this is to take it into a quiet room where I can meditate on that day and the ones surrounding it. I have the feeling that it is the key to unlocking this message for you, Harry."
Remus stood up with the charm and spoke with Arthur about a place he could take it to think. Arthur showed him up the stairs and into the twins' unused bedroom as Harry yawned and watched sleepily after them.
"Harry, mate, you look like you could use a place to relax," said Ron. "You want to crash out in my room for a while?"
"Yeah, Ron, I do need to get a little rest. It's too much to just sit here and wait," said Harry. This latest development had increased his anxiety. He hoped that Hermione might be able to sneak in and cuddle for a bit, but he knew that might not be a good idea right under the noses of the Weasleys.
Almost as if Ron had read his mind, Ron winked at Hermione and him. Ginny saw the exchange and smiled. "Mum, can we make some coffee cakes and stuff? It looks like we might need some tea or coffee. It's going to be a long night."
Harry smiled at Hermione. He knew he needed to take a nap and relax. Somehow, Ron and Ginny knew that Harry needed to just get away and rest. The elder Weasley's wouldn't approve of them being in the same bed in their house, but the distraction seemed to be working.
"Sure, Ginny," said Mrs. Weasley as Harry heard the pots and pans clunking around. "I think we have everything we need."
Harry went into Ron's room and lay down. He heard Hermione excuse herself from Mrs. Weasley and Ginny. A moment later he felt her arms around his waist as she slid in behind him in the bed as he lay on his side looking out the window.
"You know Arthur and Molly know exactly what's going on, don't you?" said Hermione rhetorically.
"Yeah, funny, isn't it?" said Harry. "Ginny and Ron don't seem to know that."
"Oh, I think they do," said Hermione. "They are just helping us get away with a little grace and subtlety. They know we're intimate. I'm sure of it. But I'm also sure they know we wouldn't be rude and offend them in their house."
Harry lay silently with Hermione's arms around his waist. She didn't break into his silent daydream at all. She simply held him.
Some four hours later, Ron came into the room and awoke them. Harry had needed more than a nap. He'd slept deeply for the entire time and Hermione had as well. He was shocked that he felt so rested.
Harry and Hermione emerged from Ron's room without comment as Arthur, Molly, Ron, Ginny and Remus looked on. The mood seemed odd at first. "Is everything okay?" asked Harry.
"Absolutely, Harry," said Remus. "I think I may have it. I ran that day over and over in my head. Thanks to coffee cakes and caffeine. It's funny how those muggle concoctions help to keep one focused long enough."
"So, what was it?" asked Hermione.
"Harry, I have a bit of a story to tell you that I never thought to be relevant until just a little while ago," said Remus handing Harry the memory charm. "I promise to try not to get too long-winded, but I might so bear with me please."
"First, I want you to know that your parents loved you with all their hearts. I want you to savor this moment with your friends and remember the way you talked amongst yourselves when I came in tonight. We forget about things like that when life gets in our way. I would never have remembered that day so vividly, if I hadn't taken the time to think in that room alone," said Remus.
He stood and walked toward the fireplace. He stopped for a moment and looked at his shoes in almost a gesture of humility. "Harry, it is quite ironic how your friendship with Hermione turned out." He paused and looked at each face for a moment. "I was in love with Lily too, just as Ron and you were in love with Hermione. James and I both loved Lily, your mother. The irony was that she and I were the ones that had the fabulous friendship and your father was the one who brooded over her. No disrespect intended, Ron."
Harry was dumbfounded. He looked at Hermione, Ginny and Ron. "Professor?"
"Let me finish," he said. "Many things will come clear soon."
Harry sat up straight for a second and then assumed a position very much like the one Professor Lupin had been in looking at the charm on the table earlier in the evening. He slumped with his elbows on his knees and hands folded looking at the small candle burning on the table.
"Harry, we all loved Lily. She loved both of us. It turned out the way it was supposed to turn out, Harry. She and I were friends because she needed to know how to get through to your father. I was less intimidating in her mind. Your Dad was bordered on being a Death Eater, Harry. He fell in love with your mother because she was unapologetic for being a muggle. She stood as firmly against him as anyone could have. What the attraction between them was, I don't know. I think it was purely sexual, to be perfectly honest. She was the girl everyone wanted and he was the richest and coolest boy at Hogwarts," said Remus. "The irony of it all was that your father never knew how much I loved your mother until the day they made this."
Harry sat shaking his head as he looked up at Remus. "You can't tell me that you didn't know all this without sitting in that room tonight," said Harry. "How could you pretend with me? I mean how could you pretend with all of us?"
"Pretend?" asked Remus. "I never pretended that your mother was anything but a wonderful person. I never pretended that I was in love with her either. I simply related to you always what a special woman she was. I was respectful. I also seem to remember telling you that your father was somewhat of a rogue. Didn't I?"
"It sounds different now somehow," retorted Harry.
"Well, sure it does. You're seventeen and you've had love in your life now for quite some time. You've broken away from the naïve little boy who regarded life as unfair because your parents died. Or at least I hope you have," said Lupin harshly. "I won't talk to you anymore like a young boy, Harry. Your father tortured Severus Snape and many others who where not full-blooded wizards. Your mother was off limits because he knew he would lose the only true friends he had if he started picking on her. I won't tell you that whole story now. It's too complicated."
"Your father was no where near the type of man he would eventually become until he got to know Lily," described Lupin. "I remember how that happened too. It was the night that Sirius saved Snape from certain death as he was coming to where they had me holed up. Sirius came back from getting Snape out of there and punched your Dad square in the mouth."
"Sirius was the only person in the world who could have gotten away with that without being destroyed. Your father was immensely powerful in a number of ways. Sirius, however, was the one who understood that the only way to deal with James was to face power with power and arrogance," said Remus. "It was the only time that any of us raised a hand against the other until the night we found Wormtail three years ago."
"Lily happened to be walking by the classroom where your father was nursing a black-eye and swollen lip," he recalled. "I, of course, got this part of the story from Lily later. I was still raging in that Shrieking Shack."
"I never got an objective account of the full story, but your father mellowed significantly after that. Lily was aware of my plight unbeknownst to all of them. She had been working on getting me the potion that Severus used to make for me while I taught here," said Lupin. "I think that revelation was the one that made him notice what a strong and beautiful person she was. Your mother was the object of desire for many boys at Hogwarts during her time there, Harry. She had somewhat of a reputation, but it wasn't true, I assure you."
"Remus, no one wants to hear their mother described in that manner," exclaimed Molly. "Have some decency."
"I'm sorry but do you want to hear about your parents, Harry? Do you want to know what really happened among us? If you do then, I'll tell you. I'm tired of pretending that your father was always the wonderful Quidditch Captain and Head Boy. He became that person, because of his friends and Lily. I loved your father too, Harry. He was nearly lost though. I loved him so much that I never said how much I loved Lily to her or to him. I knew that I would never be as good for her as he was." The tears slowly leaked out of his eyes as he told them of the transformation of James from the rambunctious leader of their little band of Anamagi to the loving husband and father he became.
He felt Hermione's hand on his shoulder as he listened intently to every word Remus had to say. No story Harry had ever heard was more touching than the love amongst those friends. And then, Harry turned and looked at the three people sitting there with him and realized the connection…the correlation between the two groups.
It took a few minutes for Professor Lupin to compose himself after telling the story. "I have never told Tonks why I have such a hard time with being close to her. I think you understand how her love has brought this closer to the surface than I was prepared to let it get."
"Okay, on to the task at hand. You will understand how I figured this out once you read the words, but I doubt you will have time to revel in it because your parents will seem like they are here in real life when you're done reading," said Remus.
Harry took the piece of parchment and read it to himself with a smile and nodded to Remus. "Padfoot, Prongs, Moony, Wormtail, and Lily wish to welcome baby Harry into their extended family."
Iridescent light filled the room as the Runic Memory Charm radiated warmth. At first the presence of the young couple holding a baby seemed to overwhelm the room, but Harry slowly became accustomed to the scene as tears filled his eyes. He looked at Hermione who already held a tissue to her eyes.
Slowly, what had been a magnificent lightshow turned into a serene living room setting with pictures on the wall and a clock. It was as if Harry were watching a video.
"Hi Harry, it is very strange to be holding you here as a baby and talking to you as if you were only a few years younger than we are now. The awful events taking place in our world now have caused many people to do things that we would have once considered absurd," said James. "Of course, we had learned of these Runic Memory Charms in class. Until Professor Dumbledore spoke of making one for you, we hadn't considered it. Harry, I will let your mother speak to you in just a moment, but I must talk to you about what is happening now and why your mother and I will go into hiding after today."
"Harry, I have done things that I wish I could undo. One thing was that I made enemies of people who now wish to harm both you and your mother. To make matters worse, we have just learned of the prophecy that makes you a target for Lord Voldemort. I hope you learn about us from people who knew us well. The prospects of surviving are bleak when Lord Voldemort wishes to destroy you. We are blessed to have such a strong friend in Professor Dumbledore who is preparing us with strong enchantments that will hopefully make this charm unnecessary, but we cannot take the chance that you will not know how much we love you," said James again as his voice became thicker for the first time as emotion swept over him.
"I would be lying if I didn't say that I fear for our lives," he said. "My life has changed so much since your mother showed me what life is all about. It is about love, Harry. It is that simple. That is why Lord Voldemort is so dangerous. He is pure hate. I know what hate can do. I lived that way in subtle ways for most of my life. You will hear both good and bad stories about me, I am sure. My accomplishments were many at Hogwarts, but my greatest achievements in life were marrying your mother and having you as a son."
As James spoke he looked often to Lily holding her hand. He would look into baby Harry's face occasionally as he said Harry's name. "Harry, Professor Dumbledore says that there is a good chance that we will survive. Yet he has also told us that to save you if things do go badly, it may require an act of selfless love and devotion. As with any man who has seen his baby born and loves his wife, I pledge that I will do anything to make sure that you have a wonderful life. Harry, I hope that you have the capacity for love and the serenity of spirit that comes from your mother. It will give you hope and understanding that others will never be able to feel. Spiritually, your mother is my rock.
"From me Harry, I hope you get the fierceness of will and determination not to fail. I am a devoted friend to my mates and that has been made stronger with the addition of your mother," said James as he paused and looked at Lily once more. "As always, your mother is being patient, but I can see that she has much to tell you as well. Listen carefully, son. Before we are finished we will hopefully teach you things that will strengthen your spirit."
"Hi Sweetheart, my little baby Harry is all grown up if you're seeing this. I can feel your heart beating as I hold you here," said Lily. "It is a strong heart. It is the heart of a lion like your father's. Your father is not prone to passionate speeches, but he has become the man he is today because he opened his heart and let love in. It is not me, but the will to be a good man that has transformed your father." Tears streamed down Lily's face as her voice remained calm.
"Harry, it is almost certain you will see this only if your father and I are dead," she said with a slight crack in her voice. "So many people who have openly opposed Lord Voldemort have died. Yet, it is not our opposition to him that has drawn his wrath. It is a prophecy that tells him that you have power to destroy him. I am sure you know it by heart now, Harry. I believe that power is not in the magical prowess that you possess. It is hard to think of many full grown adult wizards that would come close to that standard. I believe it is wholesomeness of your heart and your capacity to love. It will give you unparalleled strength to find the chink in Lord Voldemort's armor."
Lily turned to James and spoke as if she were speaking to him. "This man, Harry, is a symbol of how love can transform a wandering and lonely spirit. I knew his friends before I knew him. They said that he was kind to them and treated them with such kindness and respect. I could not understand why he flaunted his power and prestige on the weaker and less fortunate of our classmates. He is too proud to tell you of the pain his loneliness had caused him. It is truly a miracle that he gathered such good young men around him. None of them are perfect, and honestly, they are quite far from it."
She paused again and put her hand to the side of James face as he smiled at her lovingly. "He was rich, handsome and powerful. He was the most popular boy at Hogwarts for many reasons. One of them was because no one dared oppose him. He was a fierce enemy to have. I am sure you know some of what I will tell you, but please listen carefully. Something in my heart knows that there is strength in the story of how all of us came to be friends that will guide you in your life."
"Remus Lupin is the first of them that I met. He was such a kind boy and intelligent. He looked lonely even though he was friends with the most powerful student in school. I befriended him to try to cheer him up. We became so close that he divulged his secret of his transformations to me and told me of the other friends' great feat of becoming Anamagi to be with him and protect him. I knew of a potion to help lessen the effects of those transformations, so I began making it," said Lily. "I knew of one other student that was as gifted as I at potion-making. His name is Severus Snape. We were not friends, but he was proud of his ability and helped me to learn the nuances of making it successfully. He too was a lonely young man and had he not been one of those your father despised, he might have become well-known for his abilities.'
"Your father and I had not met formally yet. It was one day that I remember clearly when I was talking to Remus that changed things forever, Harry. Your father teased Remus about talking to a muggle-born in public. I was embarrassed at first, but Remus stood his ground for a moment until James began to make fun of me. He said, `Oh, I see how it is Remus. The little muggle girl is known to be easy, so you thought you would get in on the act, huh? She's been with almost every boy with nerve enough to ask her.'"
"Harry, I don't know why I ever saw anything in your father at all after that. Remus looked at James and frowned. I stood up to James. `Well, James Potter, you are wrong. First, I wouldn't have anything to do with you and I'm sure that you have the nerve to ask me or maybe you don't because I'd tell you to piss off. Maybe you think that just being the great James Potter is enough. Remus is a much bigger man than you and even that creepy Severus Snape is more of a man than you.' Remus pleaded with me not to make him mad. But I didn't care. I really got him good at that point. He became enraged." She looked at James and smiled.
James described how she made him feel. "I couldn't believe it. Here was this pretty, fragile girl standing against me in front of one of my friends basically challenging me as a man. What hurt most was that she was right. I had relied on being the Quidditch Captain and Head Boy. I had worked hard in my opinion to achieve my status and she was unimpressed. I could do nothing at that point. She had put me in my place and even as mean as I was to muggle-born students then, I couldn't harm a girl. I could humiliate them, but she wouldn't be humiliated and I knew it."
"James, that was so funny. I think after that was when Remus introduced me to Sirius and Peter. I don't know why but it seemed as if Remus was very proud of me as his friend," she said with a smile and a wink.
"Oh, you have no idea how much more I hated Snape at that moment. Your comment about Remus didn't bother me because I was only taking the Mickey out of him for talking to you because I thought you were beautiful and I was jealous. I did everything I could after that to impress you. I would show off around you as often as I could to try to get you to notice that I wasn't so bad after all."
"Harry, it took a longtime by teenage standards for me to stop thinking of your Dad as a jerk. He had been right about me and the boys at school. I was popular just like him. Only a popular girl was sometimes thought of as easy because she would be seen with so many different boys. I was not easy though as your father found out," smiled Lily. "He had obviously found many pretty girls who had been easy for him so he thought I was the same way."
"That's exactly what happened, son. I never regretted anything I ever said to your mother again like I regretted that day," said James. "I suppose this is as good a point as any to tell you what we learned today."
James seemed to take a deep breath as though he were gathering courage. "Harry, guard your friendships with your life. Sirius and Remus taught me many things. Sirius was my best friend and now I know why. Harry, I hope that you will one day meet Remus Lupin. He loved me and your mother more than I can tell you. Today I learned that he too was in love with her, but he was a bigger man than I. He understood his limitations and did what was best for his friends. He will be able to teach you much. Sirius is your Godfather and I trust him too, but he is too much like me and his influence would be different. You need what Remus could give you."
Lily stood slightly and kissed James cheek. "Don't believe that anyone is a better man than your father Harry. I didn't marry him because Remus backed away. I am glad he did because I would have had to break his heart. When I finally learned the story about all of these boys, I realized how strong and wonderful your father was. They were all lonely and isolated. Each of them needed your father's blustery self-confidence to become the men they are today. It may have been your father's stature that brought them together, but it was love that kept them that way."
There was a pause as Lily undid the blanket and turned Harry as if he were facing the camera. "This is you, darling. You are the reason that your father and I don't openly fight against Lord Voldemort. Over the past few years with your father, we have learned many things about one another. It seems that there are many magical traits that are handed down from generation to generation. You need to know what some of those are Sweetie."
"Harry, your father is a Parseltongue. He has never told anyone of this because it is not thought of as a good thing, especially for a Gryffindor. I am not a seer, but I have many instances of precognition. I use that word because it happens at odd times and is never very far into the future. It is more like a sense of déjà vu. I have dreams that come true in almost every aspect, but they are not more than a few days or hours into the future. It is unnerving. It is I who sent Sirius in to get Snape out of the tunnel to the Shrieking Shack that day. I knew where to find your father later," divulged Lily.
"Harry, you never know how something you regret can all of a sudden be one of the greatest blessings of your life. I made a horrible mistake sending Snape into certain death. I was angry when I heard that he was sweet on your mother. I could not stand the idea of someone as slimy and weird as Severus Snape being with your mother. You have to remember that at that time, she and I were not even on speaking terms," said James.
"Harry, we have told you so much about how we all met and left out the most precious moments we want to share," said Lily as emotion swept over her and James too her and the baby in his arms. She sobbed. "I hope it's not true, but I may be."
"Harry, forgive us this moment. It is difficult," said James in a very somber tone. "Lily, Darling, if it's true then we must tell Harry what we are feeling and how much we love him."
Harry felt his eyes burning as he knew this most fantastic moment of his life was coming to a tragic end. He knew what they must be getting ready to tell him. He clutched Hermione close as he heard her muffled sobs.
"Harry, Lord Voldemort will find us soon. We are so disappointed that our choice for secret-keeper must be changed. We will not tell anyone who it is, but one day you will learn of it. We hope that our knowledge of the future will keep us alive to hug you and meet your family. I have had a dream that Lord Voldemort comes to our home and kills us all, Harry. If you are seeing this, then our sacrifice averted the most tragic result. It was worth the torture of these moments to tell you about it," said Lily as the emotion began to sweep over her. "I will not tell you the details, because I don't want you to think of that. I want you to know that everything we have to do now is in an effort to save you. Harry, I will give up my life for you willingly and your father will try to protect us all. I want you to know that the last thought in my life will be how much I love you. I will run that thought through my head over and over even as I fight. It…" Lily couldn't speak as the sobs wracked her body as James held her and as Baby Harry cried.
"Son, you are blessed to have this woman for your mother. I am blessed to know her. I know in my heart that you will survive to see this. You will be a fighter Harry. You will find love among friends as I have. I don't know if there is a more wonderful woman in the world than Lily, but if there is, I hope you find her. She will be your strength. Persevere, Harry. Rely on the power of love that you see here today. Outside these doors, there are three friends that I would die for. If our fears come to pass, one will betray us. But I believe that he too will redeem himself one day. Friendship and love are more powerful than any other power in nature. Remember, Harry. Remember that we love you with all of our heart and soul. No one can take that away from you ever. Our love is in you," said James finally.
"Be strong like your father, Harry. Do as he says. He loves you more than he can say, even as much as he tries. I love you, Harry. Listen to your heart and be aware of your dreams. Not all will come true exactly as you see them, but many will. Harry, we can delay no longer. We must say good-bye. I hope the sadness of the last few moments will not linger. We will not dwell on our fate. We will play with you, hug you and kiss you like always. We do not know what will happen for sure, so we will live each day to the fullest. You must do the same," said Lily as she composed herself and rocked Harry to calm him. "I love you, Harry."
"I love you, my son," said James as the images faded to black.
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