A/N: Sorry it's been so long since the last update. I've had a hell of a month and also haven't been much up for writing. Or reading for that matter (I'm about 20 updates behind; my inbox looks like a publisher's). Most likely a lot of you are going to be upset with the short update and the lack of action. However, I didn't want to end what wound up being the next chapter right in the middle so... deal.
R, r & enjoy! Arigatou Gozaimasu!
~~*~~
A week. A blissful, fantastic week... Hermione had woken early the Saturday following exams. She had been pleased with her student's attempts, though only one person was able to accurately and completely create the assigned Amortentia. Nobody had been able to make Veritaserum, though one student managed to make a diluted purple concoction that vaguely resembled grape juice. She shook the thoughts from her head and continued watching the form sleeping next to her, the purplish light from the window casting it in dappled relief against the black sheets. Maybe breakfast in bed for a treat...
She rose as slowly as she could so as not to disturb Harry's slumber. She pulled on a short, silk robe that was hanging off the column at the end of the bed and made her way down to the kitchen. Dobby had already prepared morning tea and paid the owl that dropped off the Daily Prophet. She made a cursory glance at the headline before turning to grab a cup of tea.
"Morning Dobby" she chimed as the elf padded almost silently out of the large pantry.
"Morning Miss -" Hermione gave him an almost dangerous look "Hermione." He gave her the appropriate sheepish look and she smiled. "What would you be liking for breakfast this morning?"
"Hmm... I think some potatoes, eggs, bacon and biscuits should be fine Dobby. Thank you for the -" but she never finished the thought. It had taken a moment, being this early in the morning on a Saturday, but it had finally caught up to her: the sub-line on the Prophet. She picked up the paper and nearly fainted.
"Ghostly sightings: fifteen people so far have seen what they say is the ghost of Sirius Black, notorious mass murderer who disappeared some ten years ago in the battle against You-Know-Who in the Ministry of Magic. See page eight for more."
Hermione dropped her cup, shattering it to pieces on the floor and splashing her feet with hot liquid. "Ow. Dammit!" She grabbed a towel from the rack near the sink and wiped her foot off before starting to mop up the mess, but Dobby kept her from doing so.
"I'll clean it Mistress. But why was you dropping it?"
"This article in the Prophet. Did you see it?" She held out the paper and indicated the sub-line in question. Dobby dropped a couple of the pieces of cup he had picked up. His face was as white as his dull brown skin would let it be and he was trembling.
"N... no, miss... I hadn't been seeing it, don't read Master's paper..." Hermione let the slip pass, being otherwise occupied. She grabbed another cup and filled it with tea, then sat down at the table to read the article further.
"'Had to've been him I saw. Couldn't've been anyone else, no mistaking him!' This was the comment from John Peteredge, resident of Camden, down for shopping in Diagon Alley earlier this week. 'Couldn't mistake him, not after all those posters was up ev'rywhere. Saw him down by the fountain in the park while I was out for a stroll.'
Peteredge is one of fifteen people, that we are aware of, that have seen what they say is a 'grey, misty sort of apparition, like a ghost but not as much form.' This was the quote from Brightscale, guard for Gringotts. 'Saw him walking towards Fortescue's Monday morning, just before the sun came up. Now out of here 'fore I have you carted off for obstructing goblin business!' Their lack of courtesy aside goblins are known for their acute vision as well as their love for treasures.
The question we have to ask ourselves now is whether or not Sirius Black is among us again. Very little is known of his his supposed disappearance, though most ghosts appear within days or weeks of their death, not years. Rita Skeeter, Gossip Columnist"
God, I knew we should have killed the lying bitch. But if this many people saw it... She couldn't just put the thought aside. It would bother her until she had an answer. "Dobby, how much longer on breakfast?"
Dobby caught the look in her eye. "How longs will it take miss in the library?" He gave her a wry smile, slightly misplaced on his elfin face.
"About 20 minutes you little smartass." She smiled back at him and padded off to the library, tea in tow.
Knowing the books as well as anyone could she grabbed the first book that came to her mind that dealt with death. Spectres, Ghosts and Ghoulies: A Guide to the Misty Undead. She set it down on the table and began flitting through pages, briefly scanning the text within until she reached a particular passage.
"Ghosts of the recently departed appear within two to three months after their passing as a general rule. Though rare it has been known to take up to six months for a soul to appear as a ghost after deciding not to pass on. The longest recorded appearance was one Nicholas de Mimsy Porpington, who appeared on the shores of the Thames eight months after his gruesome execution..."
Well, that answers that question she thought to herself. But that doesn't account for Sirius' sudden appearance in random places about London...
She didn't have to time to think on it more as Dobby called, letting her know that breakfast was ready. She spied the clock, 7:30. I think we'll go for a walk this morning. "Dobby, could you bring that upstairs in a few minutes? Thanks" she said as he bobbed his head, making his ears flap about on his head.
She padded upstairs as quietly as she could, only to find Harry already getting out of bed. "Oh poo, I wanted so bad to wake you" she pouted at him, sticking her bottom lip out.
He started to stand only to have her jump on his lap, the robe discarded. "Nope. Breakfast in bed this morning dear." She slid off his lap to the other side of the bed to pull the covers about her as Dobby appeared in the doorway with a tray. "Thank you Dobby."
"To what do I owe this sudden surprise?"
"Oh, just a whim..."
They ate quickly, devouring the food in front of them. "Let's go for a stroll this morning hon. How's that sound?"
"Like too early for a Saturday, but I'll deal" he said as Dobby cleared the tray for them. "Have time for a shower first?"
"Mmm, shower with Harry... sounds like fun!"
"I was thinking more alone, but some company wouldn't be turned down" he said with a grin on his face. He pulled her to her feet and they made their way to a very steamy shower.
Half an hour later they had started down the lane towards the town proper, taking things at a leisurely pace. They were halfway to the town before Hermione not so casually broached the subject.
"There've been some sightings of what might be Sirius' ghost, Harry."
He stopped dead in his tracks. She caught some fleeting images of Sirius across their link. It still felt weird to them both to have things like this happen, but it was usually when one or both of them were feeling something very strongly. "How? That can't be, he passed behind the veil! Even Dumbledore said it wasn't possible -"
"And even Albus has been known to be wrong about things, Harry. He's said it himself. Right now it's just rumors, though a goblin guard at Gringotts said he'd seen it as well. Fifteen people that have been reported thus far."
His mind was reeling. "What do you think? Do you think it's possible?"
"According to everything I know of... no." She felt a pang of regret as she said this, seeing the downcast look on his face. "But even I've been wrong before."
They continued their walk but turned back early, just at the edge of town. Harry hadn't said another word, simply listening to Hermione thinking aloud. It can't be. There's just no way. Even Dumbledore said it: once someone passes through the veil, there's nothing else. No chance. But what could any of this mean? I wonder if anyone who knows him has seen anything like this... He made up his mind to talk to Dumbledore about this for the thousandth time. Death, and what happens afterwards.
~
"Hello Professor Potter. To what do we owe this weekend visit?" Headmistress McGonagall was sitting behind her desk, working on a stack of papers he knew to be NEWTs and OWLs results for the recent exams.
"Actually, I wanted to ask you both about Sirius." He cast a meaningful glance at the portrait directly behind her.
"And, I imagine, his recent appearances around the country. Yes, most disturbing things..." Dumbledore had posed this last bit in an introspective manner, as though he had been considering this exact thing for some time.
"Albus and I saw him on Monday morning. And yes," she started at Harry's questioning, anticipatory look "we are sure it was him. Though what it was is as good a guess as any. Not a ghost, but definitely there. Albus, tell the boy exactly what you saw please." She had definitely taken to her headmistress duties seriously.
"Well headmistress... I had just finished a conversation with Phineas about Patroni and their uses and kipped off for a bit. I thought I heard someone enter the room, though there was a bit of airy sound to the door. When I opened my eyes I distinctly saw a vaporous someone walking around the office. I asked who was there and it stood up, from the other side of the desk, and looked directly at me, though he seemed not to see me... directly, as it were. Then you stepped in to the room Minerva, most likely having heard my call. Then he disappeared. But there was no mistaking: it was, indeed, Sirius Black."
Harry was a jumble of emotions. How can this be? The other two seemed to have sensed this question and the headmistress answered.
"We're not sure Potter, but we both have some theories. It's possible that it's a crossover from the other plane, wherever that is. The veil that he passed behind is a direct passage to the other side. The corporeal simply isn't anymore and the soul is released into the void, never to find it's way back. However, if some strong piece of magic occurs on this plane that involves a loved one of the deceased, we think -"
"Harry, it's possible that what happened between you and Hermione may have drawn an echo of him here." Harry looked aghast. "Mr. Ollivander came to see me on Tuesday to discuss what had happened, to gather my thoughts about your wands." Minerva looked between the both of them, apparently confused. "And I have not shared our conversation with anyone" he added meaningfully at her.
"So, you think that whatever happened may have drawn an 'echo' here?"
"Yes Harry. An echo of his soul, traipsing the world between ours and the void. If you think of the planes as mirror images of each other, which they may be, it's possible that he felt you and went to the places you may have been, or remembered his life and went to places he frequented. In addition to the two people in the Prophet there were some ten others that have reported seeing him. Among them was Madam Rosemerta. She told me herself that she saw him not long before we did, by the hour of her mention."
Harry was mulling this all over. So Madam Rosemerta's, two people in Diagon and Hogwarts. What other places would he have gone? "Headmistress, sir, where else can you think of that he would have gone?"
"There are a number of places, but you might try those where you yourself have frequented, Harry. I believe, though I have been wrong before, that he will be going to those few places you have in common. Beyond that I cannot think of anything. Lupin has said nothing to me of this, though I imagine I will hear from him soon after this morning's article. Minerva shall let you know if we hear anything" Dumbledore finished.
"Oh, remembered I was hear did you?" she chided the portrait. She was muttering something close to 'every time he's in the office' under her breath. "Yes Potter" she said tersely, "We shall let you know. Now if you don't mind, I'd like to finish my tea in quiet."
Harry let himself out of the office and made directly for the Hollow, wanting to relay the information to Hermione.
~
"Harry, if what Albus said is right then there's very few places left to cover. Here is the only other place I can think of. I think that, aside from the house, maybe... maybe your parent's grave."
Harry thought about this. He had become less distraught when he went up there after moving in to the Hollow and having it fixed, though it was still a little difficult to think about.
"Ok, but how would we know if he went there?"
"Well, we wouldn't, but I'd still like to go up there. To tell them about us, if that's ok..."
Harry's eyes teared a little and a small smile crossed his features. "Yeah, let's do that."
They made their way across the back lawn and through the tall garden gate in the rear. The first of the roses along the fencing were showing their first signs of color, small buds looking fit to burst. They walked up an invisible path that he knew by heart, winding his way up a hill towards a tall oak, under which was a large piece of white marble. There was a hanging bench, suspended by chain under the thickest bough of the tree, next to the headstone. They sat in it, rocking back and forth just a bit.
"Hi Mom, Dad. You remember Hermione, right? Well, she and I are kinda, well, not really going out but..."
"James, Lily, Harry and I have bonded." Harry just looked at her. He'd brought her up to see their grave before but she had never said anything. She was always there more just to be there with him.
"I'm not sure what that means, exactly, but I know it means we're going to spend the rest of our lives together." He looked in to her eyes, which had begun to tear. She leaned her head against his shoulder, shedding tears on to his shirt. "But there's something else. According to Albus and a few other people Sirius' ghost, or echo, has been seen around the country recently. It shouldn't be possible but -" his thought was never finished. Barely, just barely, he had seen a dark image standing center in front of the headstone. It was only there for a couple seconds, but it was enough for him to be sure. Hermione had missed it. She'd looked up only long enough to see the look on Harry's face and see what he was staring at.
But she did see something he didn't: two dark, small patches on the footstone at the head of the grave with a silvery, almost glowing third spot nearby. "Harry, look." She was still crying but sitting on her haunches, her hand over her mouth.
Harry crouched next to her and saw the same thing. The tear stains couldn't have been Hermione's: she hadn't come close enough. And they weren't the right color, either. The silvery one was dry and shouldn't have been visible on the white marble. And the other two were slightly blue with a very slight mist about them, as though they were cold, more frozen to the stone than wetting it.
"I know why he was here, Mione. I think he was just wishing us well, saying congratulations."
They sat back on the bench holding each other, content to simply enjoy the soft afternoon thinking about what had happened. When evening came they walked slowly back to the house where Dobby had made a light dinner, though light in his terms still meant a great deal of food.
"I need to make a floo call, Mione. I'll be back in a minute."
He approached the fireplace and grabbed a pinch of floo powder. "Minerva McGonagall." The now passworded floo asked who he was. "Professor Harry Potter" he said and he was looking in to the headmistress' office.
"Professor, is something wrong?" she asked.
"No. Not anymore. It was Sirius, I saw him just this afternoon for just a moment." She looked surprised, Dumbledore clearly pleased. "We're both sure that he was just congratulating Mione and I. I'll come in on Monday and we can talk about everything."
"Very well. Should I notify anyone else?"
"No. But, if it's ok, I'd like to ask Remus to come with. I think he'll want to hear."
"We'll see you on Monday then. And Harry, congratulations."
"Thanks." He gave one last meaningful glance at Dumbledore, who returned is look with a short head shake that Harry took to mean he didn't say much.
He pulled his head out of the fireplace and dusted himself off a little, the residue of the floo powder just dusting his hair and shoulders.
"We're going to go to Minerva's office on Monday and take Remus with us to talk about things. Oh, yeah, she knows about us."
"Albus tell her?"
"Yeah, but not everything I don't think. Just enough to let her know we were together. She kinda needs to know, doesn't she? Being both our boss?"
"Think you're right hon."
They spent the rest of the weekend lazing about, Harry taking a couple minutes to ask Remus and Dora along. She wouldn't be able to go, auror duty keeping her busy throughout the week and their son at night, but he'd meet them there at about lunch time.
~
"Are we late or something?" Harry asked as they entered the headmistress' office. Minerva, Remus and Dora were already there.
"No Harry" Remus drawled. "I had to speak with Minerva about... another matter. So, why am I here?"
"I thought you weren't coming?" Hermione asked the brunette Tonks.
"Well, I had some vacation time coming. Besides, who wouldn't want to spend more time with the sexiest of the Marauders?"
"Hmm... I think you're the only person in this room that finds a werewolf attractive" Hermione grinned in response.
"Who said anything about Wolfie? I was talking about Harry!" The girls giggled off to the side of the group. It had been nice for both of them to find a girlfriend to talk to and they had become quite close after the war.
"Well, if we are all finished catching up..." Dumbledore, even though just a portrait now, still had the ability to silence a room with just a few words. "I believe that Harry has something to discuss with everyone. Harry?"
"Right sir. I take it that you and Tonks are aware of the recent, purported Sirius sightings?" Remus nodded his head at the question. "Well, they're real. At least were." The werewolf's eyes were big as saucers.
"What do you mean, were real?"
"Well, I can't speak for the rest of the people that saw him, but Dumbledore and the headmistress saw him as well. Hermione and I think that he was here to... congratulate us."
Dora's eyes immediately lit up and she grabbed Hermione in a crushing hug. Dumbledore and Minerva simply looked pleased while Lupin grabbed Harry in a quick Marauder hug, each clasping the others' forearm.
"So when you say you saw him, what does that mean?" Remus asked.
"I think Albus would be better at answering that particular question" Hermione chimed in, sitting back on Harry's lap.
Dumbledore took the time to explain the same things that he had done for Harry and Hermione's benefit. After some more catching up and talking about how they came together, without all the sordid details, they decided to adjourn to Rosemerta's in Hogsmeade for some late lunch, which Minerva declined for work reasons. Talk about Sirius and Remus' days with the other Marauders, along with what may or may not happen between the new couple.
"Well, maybe we'll get married, have some sprogs, I don't know. I'm content to just be with her for right now thanks." This earned Harry a generous kiss from Hermione and Remus a slap on the arm.
"Why can't you say anything romantic like that?" Dora prodded.
"Cause a werewolf's good in the sack?" he replied in a mock innocent tone. This earned him another slap on the arm from a slightly pink Dora and a laugh from Harry, which in turn earned him a slap on the arm.
"Hey, what was that for?" Harry asked of his... well, what she was right then he couldn't determine.
"For laughing at that lewd comment you prat!"
"Hey Remus, isn't it generally accepted fact that all Marauders are good in bed?" he asked.
Remus ruminated on this for a moment. "Yes, I believe that's the generally accepted fact."
Both of them received glares from their respective others, followed by much more laughter.
"I think that if their talent in bed was half as big as their ego's we wouldn't be able to walk for a week!" Dora exclaimed. This had all of them nearly rolling on the floor.
"So, have either of you talked to Ron about any of this?" Remus asked seriously after a while.
"No. He and I aren't exactly on speaking terms right now and I don't imagine that news like this would go over well with him just yet" Harry responded.
"I don't think we'll be invited over for Sunday dinner anymore, as far as that goes. Ginny's pretty pissed as well. She threw me out when I went to talk to her." Hermione sighed to herself. "I just don't get that family sometimes."
"Well, Ron can be a bit thick sometimes. And I don't think Ginny really ever got over you, Harry" Remus offered.
"Maybe you should talk to someone else in the family? What about Gred and Forge? They're always ready to celebrate something" Dora put in.
"And they have always been able to talk sense in to their younger siblings..." Harry had more asked this of Hermione, rather than stating it to the group. "Thanks you guys. Don't know what I'd do without you, Moony."
"Probably nothing, just sit there being a great lump. That reminds me, you done with that book yet?"
Harry looked a little guarded at this question. "No, still using it. Doing a little more research."
"Come now, Harry. You already knew about every -"
"Spell?!" Harry interrupted. "Yeah most of them..." Hermione looked at him sceptically.
"Ok you two, what am I missing here?" Dora gave Remus a look to make him feel abashed, though it didn't work with his obvious innocence.
"Just a book that I loaned to Harry a while back. Well, I think it's time we were off, don't you?" He was looking at the quickly darkening sky. "Some of us" he pointed in to Dora's shoulder "have work early in the morning."
They walked out of the bar and made their way up the high street. Remus held Harry back while the girls were talking loudly, making slights against the ego vs. performance potential of Marauders.
"Harry, what are you looking for in that book?" Harry regarded Remus carefully. "Come on Harry, is there really something that you can't talk about?"
Harry sighed heavily. "I guess not, Moony, so long as you accept that I can't tell you everything." Remus nodded his head. "Have you ever heard of a Nightmare?"
"Yes. Frightful things, though I don't think one's been spotted for a great, long time. Why?"
"Well, I'm trying to identify an animal that has some distinct commonalities with a Nightmare. Imagine a Gryphon that was silver, like a Hippogriff, but with flame-tufted wings and hooves and a horn like a Unicorn's. That's what I'm trying to identify."
Remus thought long on this, so long that they were at the gates of Hogwarts before he answered. "Harry, I don't think you'll find anything in that book that I gave you. Gryphons, Hippogriffs and Unicorns are all good creatures. Nightmares, on the other hand, aren't really dark, more not good. And we both know that being 'not good' doesn't make you evil, just not good. Have you talked to anyone else about this yet?"
"Yes and no. We have someone doing research from another angle but I'm the only one looking closely in to this. Not even Hermione knows that I'm looking for it. So please, if you run across anything let me know directly but don't say anything to Hermione, ok?"
"Sure Harry. But, a piece of advice?" Harry nodded. "Don't keep secrets. Never does well for a relationship, even one so strong as your's and Hermione's."
"Thanks Moony, Dora" Harry said as they rejoined the girls just outside the castle's wards. "Ready to go honey?"
"Sure." They each hugged the other before stepping back. The Lupin's apparated, presumably home. Harry and Hermione made their way back up to the castle, Hermione to check on a potion and Harry to his own study.
He began again looking for a book that would lead him to the answer he was searching for. He had been buried so deep in his work that he barely noticed Hermione looking over his shoulder, and by then it was too late to hide his intentions. He had left several books out regarding the four creatures in question.
"Harry, what are you looking for?"
Harry sighed deeply. I seem to be doing that a lot lately... "I'm looking for a specific creature."
"The one from the Priori? Harry, don't you think that Ollivander will have that answer for us?"
"He's not an expert on creatures though, is he? If it's a cross between a Phoenix and a Unicorn why is it's neck so short? Why are it's hooves flaming and not just it's talons? Those are questions that can't be answered by a wand maker."
"Harry... there's..." she couldn't come up with anything. His argument seemed like an impenetrable wall.
"Yeah, that's what I came up with too. There's only one creature in the entirety of history that I've ever heard of with those characteristics: a Nightmare."
"Yes, but haven't they been gone for centuries?"
"Yeah, but that's part of what bothers me so much. Why would those traits come out?"
Hermione thought about this for a while. Then she grabbed a book that was opened to Unicorns and began reading, but she obviously didn't find what she was looking for. "I'm not sure, Harry, but I don't want to worry about it right now. Let's deal with that until after we talk to Ollivander, ok? I just don't think it's something that we have to be that worried about yet."
"Ok" he said resignedly. "Let's go home. I'm kinda hungry and I could really go for a scotch about now."
~
Two weeks later they still hadn't heard from Ollivander. The rumor was that he'd left the country for a while, a fact substantiated by his shop being run by his nephew who was only slightly less eccentric, and a great deal less apt to sell wands. But he had no idea more about when his uncle would return than "before the next Hogwarts term starts."
With this news in hand Harry and Hermione had decided to talk to Fred and George. They flooed ahead and agreed to meet for lunch at a less-than-reputable establishment, the Hog's Head in Hogsmeade.
"We've got to check in daily at the other store. Lee's just not got the best of minds for running a business, Merlin bless his miscreant soul." George had tapped their friend shortly after he graduated from Hogwarts, choosing to finish rather than go out with a bang as the twins had. "So, why'd ya want lunch? Wanting to test our latest stuff?" he raised his eyebrows suggestively.
"No you git. We've actually got something serious to talk to you two about" Hermione quipped.
"Is it business or pleasure related?" Fred asked. Hermione blushed only slightly.
"Pleasure, I guess. Though it's not so pleasurable most likely. Have either of you talked to Ron or Ginny in the last few weeks?" Harry asked.
"Nope" they replied in unison. "Ginny hasn't been that talkative and Ron left just a couple weeks ago" George continued. "Why?"
"Well..." Harry looked at Hermione, who was still slightly pinkish. "Hermione and I are together now."
"That's great!" they exclaimed in unison. "How'd it happen?" "When'd it happen?" "Who else knows?" They were firing questions alternately and quickly.
"Whoa, slow down you two!" Harry had almost gone cross-eyed looking between them. "Um, three weeks ago, none of your business" he gave them a meaningful look "and just a few people, namely Minerva and the Lupins. But Ron and Ginny probably figured it out. I kinda got in a row with Ron and he hit me -"
"and I got in to it with Ginny. She threw me out of the Burrow."
"Hmm, sticky situation. You want us to bring Ron back so you can get revenge? Or do you just want to send a WWW care package?" Fred had a sinister smile on his face.
"None of the above, just talk to them both. You've always been able to make Ron see a bit of reason and I doubt he'll try to hit you. And Ginny won't reason with anyone, so maybe being family will make it easier. Think you can help us out by doing that?"
"Sure" they chimed together "but I still think you should send our git of a brother a care package," George continued "just to be safe" Fred finished.
"No!" Harry and Hermione said together, emphasizing the point.
They finished lunch talking about the new developments taking place at Weasley Wizard Labs, their research half. But aside from some Instant Darkness Powder that didn't affect the person who threw it there was nothing that interested them.
~~*~~
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