A/N: I don't recall ever writing about Harry's experiences in death firsthand...
Chapter XXIX: Patience
The next morning, Harry was again up and around before anyone else, or so he thought, before he wandered in the kitchen for the customary cup of coffee with which to open the day. Demetris Snape was sitting on one of the stools, propped on the table with his elbows, and his face in his hands...he was either very worried, or deep in thought.
"Longhorn," Harry tried to attract his attention. "Are you alright?"
The former looked up at the young wizard, and smiled sadly. "Call me Demetris, Harry."
Understanding the hint that he possibly wanted to talk about something, Harry charmed his mug full of the compulsory dark warm liquid, and sat across from Snape.
"What's on your mind?" he asked.
"Memories, Harry, memories," the other sighed. "A long life means many memories, questions, and a far better understanding of what is good, bad, right and wrong."
"Anything particular you're talking about?" Harry tried to probe deeper towards the issue.
"Do you remember your parents, Harry?" Snape returned the question with one of his own.
"Not personally," he admitted, shaking his head, "but I have seen memories, met their friends...I have my dad's invisibility cloak."
"Fine people, they were, let me tell you," - a distant smile - "you have your mother's eyes."
"So I've been told," Harry nodded.
"I taught them both at Hogwarts...brilliant mind Lily had, very sharp girl," he reminisced, "friendly with everyone, always willing to help...had a good heart! After she graduated, she joined the Order of the Phoenix, along with your father...soon enough, that Evans fellow came asking after them to join Merlin's order..."
He seemed to be talking to himself now. His eyes had definitely become more unfocused, as he dwelt deeper and deeper in the details of James and Lily's lives.
"And your father," he looked up suddenly, "unruly troublemaker he was, very undisciplined, but also brilliant...he wasn't very concerned academically, even failed a few classes, but exceptionally capable at Occlumency...would have surpassed me with years of training, I am sure of it to this day. Spent years pining after Lily, and when they finally became a couple..."
Was it Harry's imagination, or did a tear glint in his eye?
"Demetris, I am definitely trying to live to the legacy of my parents," he commented, and somewhat unwillingly, delved in his more personal memories. "I did meet them..."
"You did?" Snape asked incredulously.
"I was dead for a while, I'm sure you know...I spent two years with them," he explained, a pang of remorse stabbing his stomach. "Ginny brought me back to this world."
"Oh, well, then it's only worthwhile we bring them back too!" Demetris suddenly became excited. "They would be a definite asset to Merlin's Order, and - "
"No," Harry cut him off curtly. "It was not their choice to return, and I will respect that. Even if we have the means to make it happen."
Demetris paused for a moment, and then his expression softened. "I can understand that, Harry."
Harry was about to respond, but at that moment, the two men were interrupted with the entry of Ron into the kitchen.
"Morning all," he greeted the other two vigorously, which was atypical, considering he was not at all a morning person. "Time to retrieve our werewolf friend."
"Sounds good," Harry stood up. "The sooner we do it, the better."
"Hold your horses one moment," Demetris called behind them. "Give an old man a chance to say a word."
Harry and Ron stopped and turned to him.
"Keep in mind, boys, I'm not as strong as I once was. I can extend the protection against Lestrange and Dolohov over young Ginny Weasley only for so long..."
"Which means we have to make quick work of convincing Remus to return," Harry finished for him. "At the end of three hours, start the resurrection spell."
"That'll be the plan. Let's go," the gravity in Ron's voice betrayed his uneasiness, despite his earlier effort to play it off.
The backyard of the Black home was chosen as the setting for the ritual. The Fidelius charm was active over it as well, so privacy was secured. Ginny had taken up a central position, and was flanked by her family, with the exception of Draco, who stood on her immediate right. Luna was standing with the kids a little ways away, since she knew part of the process involved Harry taking the Killing Curse, and she had no intent to traumatize her children with the prospect of witnessing the spell.
Harry and Ron stepped out, followed by the old man, and proceeded towards Ginny.
"Are you ready, Harry?" Ginny asked him quietly.
"As ready as I'll ever be," he replied, smiling slightly.
Ginny did not return his smile. "Draco, you'll administer Avada Kedavra," she instructed, "but first, Demetris has to extend his protection."
Without a word, Snape stepped forward, and closed his eyes. Muttering something under his breath, he seemed to fall in a state of trance. Eyes still closed, he sat down on the ground, and whispered, "Ready".
"Ironically, Potter, I've always wanted to fire one of these at you," Draco smirked the only way he could and twirled the wand between his fingers.
"Now's your chance, Malfoy," Harry did not fall behind on the dark humour, "I'll make your life hell."
"As you say," Draco raised his wand. "Avada Kedavra!"
The ease with which he cast the curse caused an audible gasp from the surrounding audience. They watched, horrified, as the sickly green light shot across and impacted Harry. Hermione's hands shot up to cover her mouth, and Luna had turned away, her hands covering James and Madelyn's eyes. Harry's expression was one of determination, and it did not change, as the curse hit him, and he fell back from the impact, landing sprawled on the ground.
As if the heavens were watching what was happening below, the already cloudy sky darkened further and heavy rain began to fall, with thunder echoing in the distance.
Hermione, even if she knew that Harry would eventually return, could not restrain herself, and collapsed beside his body in the mud, hugging him tightly to her chest, as the tears became indistinguishable from the raindrops...
"Hermione, come with me," she heard Luna's voice behind her. "Come inside."
She was unwilling to leave Harry. Luna did not pressure her, but soon enough, Ron came, and with his help, she managed to convince Hermione to return to the living room.
Once safely beside the fireplace, Ron left the two women to themselves with the kids, and returned outside to Ginny and Demetris. Fred and George had also remained - not many knew it, but aside from running a successful pyrotechnics business, they also had considerable knowledge in Occlumency, which meant they could assist Longhorn at any point, as he might request...
No magic was used to cover them against the rain, as it would interfere with the occlumency cover for Ginny. As a result, the Weasleys set up makeshift shelters around Ginny, Snape, and dragged Harry's body to rest next to Ginny. Draco proceeded to station himself next to Ginny, and sat down on the wet ground.
"It will be fine," he said; Ginny sat down next to him, and he took her in his embrace.
**
Harry found himself in a familiar environment. Soon enough, the faces he knew and loved came into view. As last time, a higher power led him to where he wanted to go - he only drifted in that direction.
There were his parents - they were smiling at him. Sirius stood on his father's right side, and Remus, much younger and far more handsome than Harry remembered him, completed the Marauder trio.
"Harry!" Lily exclaimed, and dashed forward to meet her son. "Oh, Harry!"
"Mum," Harry croaked, overcome with emotion. He certainly missed her.
"You'll suffocate him to death, Lily," James called from further back and laughed heartily. "Let me see him."
Lily squeezed Harry one last time and released him.
"Hey, son," James stepped forward and extended a hand. Harry took it for a handshake, but a second later, James had dragged him into a fatherly hug. "Good to see you, Harry!"
"Hi, dad," Harry said; the emotions within him prevented him from being more enthusiastic.
"Step aside, Potter, let me see my nephew!" another familiar voice declared, and Sirius shoved his way in to free Harry from James.
"Harry, m'boy!" he declared heartily with a wide smile. "Been wondering when you'd come for a visit again! Come here." Yet another tight hug followed, and Harry returned it in full.
"Sirius, I've missed you," Harry said honestly.
"I've missed you too, Harry, believe me," the prison escapee rejoined emotionally. "Now go say hi to our little furry problem over there."
Remus, characteristically the most patient of the Marauders, only smiled at the crack. "Up yours, Black."
"Do me?" Sirius went on with the joke.
"Dream on, Sirius, dream on," Lupin told him.
"Remus," Harry said simply. "Hey."
"How are you doing, Harry?" the werewolf asked him solemnly.
"Not good," the raven-haired wizard shook his head. "I'm here to take you back."
"Take me back?" Remus seemed confused for a moment. "Why?"
"We need you in the Order, Remus. We can't do it by ourselves," Harry told him uneasily.
"I honestly would be hard pressed to go back, Harry," Lupin explained. "Lestrange killed me the only way she knew how to do it covertly. There are no guarantees she won't do it again if she finds out I'm alive."
"I know the risks are great," Harry argued, "but you're a Marauder...when have you not faced danger?"
"I have never been this vulnerable, Harry," Remus shook his head. "My occlumency and legilimancy abilities were never as strong as Bella's."
"But we have a means to protect you!" Harry was growing increasingly frustrated, as time ticked by. "An old member of the Order - Demetris Snape, an old uncle of Snivellius."
Harry had unwillingly called his old professor by the unfortunate nickname, but he did not care. Remus, however, cracked a smile.
"Old Demetris? I hope he's alright," Lupin reminisced for a moment, "but he is old, Harry...I don't know how much he can protect me."
James, Lily and Sirius listened to the exchange with interest.
"Listen, Harry," Sirius put a hand around him, "if fuzzy buns here won't help you out, I will."
"Who said I wouldn't help him!" Remus grew excited all of the sudden. "And who are you calling fuzzy buns, fleabrain?"
"Gentlemen, relax," James intervened. "Now, Harry, what exactly do you need help with?"
He wondered where to begin...
"In essence," Harry began, "Bellatrix Lestrange took over for Voldemort and does what he did, only with the intent to bring him back. For that she needs a set of spells that the Order of Merlin protects, and which I am heading right now, since the old leader was murdered a while back on a train..."
"I see," James rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
"And I need Remus back, because he was our link with a few Death Eaters who worked in our favour, and his experience in general is invaluable to the cause. More importantly, he's greatly missed, and not just by me."
There was an odd expression on James' face, as he considered what Harry had said.
"Do you guys remember Bella?" he questioned the other three in the company.
"Oh, I do!" Lily said with disgust. "A vile person. She was in every one of my Potions classes with Slughorn. Incredibly smart overall, but also rude...he did not see eye to her, and she even tried to curse him several times."
"And I pity you for that, Lily," Sirius observed, this time without humour. "I know she and Regulus had a huge fight about something, I don't remember what, but according to her, he told her something horrible - I don't think she ever forgave him for that action of his and he never talked about it. Maybe why she ratted on him to Voldemort when he wanted to quit from being a Death Eater."
Remus took longer to consider his answer to the question. "Heaven to Moody, heaven to Moody," James called over humorously to him.
"I'm thinking," Lupin told him, and added with a smile, "Something I can actually do in contrast to you two."
"No rush, mate, we have all eternity," Sirius commented.
"And I have two hours," Harry pointed out.
"Two hours till what?" James asked him.
"Before I have to head back to the living world," Harry explained. "I'm on a mission to bring Remus back, you see..."
Sirius and James exchanged a quick glance that Harry did not quite catch. Moody on the other hand, was still silent.
"Hm," he said at last, "I know a lot about Bellatrix Lestrange, but aside from the fact that she was Sirius' cousin, most curiously it was her obsession with Voldemort in sixth and seventh year...when he was still a semblance of being human, and still possessed that handsomeness he was famous for at the time, along with the entirety of his evil doings. She was fixated on contacting him, reaching him, being as close as possible even. For those two years, the only topic she was predominantly concerned with was Voldemort, his ideas...she joined the Death Eaters as soon as she graduated from Hogwarts with us. And the rest is history. I still don't know what triggered that morbid fascination of hers."
"I always said she was insane," Lily shrugged. "Only now she's taken it to an extreme level."
Inside, Harry agreed. There was always an insane glint in her eye when he saw her, and their double agent duo always confirmed it.
**
"Mistress, there is word that the ritual for bringing back Remus Lupin back to earth has started," a nameless Death Eater in the grand organization that it was, reported to Bellatrix Lestrange.
"Did word arrive by Nott or Avery?" she inquired snappishly.
"Avery, Mistress," the terrified servant replied.
"Excellent," she said calmly. "You may go."
Bowing once more, the Death Eater scurried from her chamber as quickly as he could.
"Antonin!"
As soon as she said those words, her second in command appeared from thin air. "Mistress," he bowed respectfully.
"Did you hear that?" she asked.
"Fully so," Dolohov answered with a nod, still keeping his bow.
"I want Ginny Weasley dead within the next hour. You and I are the most capable Legilimens left ever since our Dark Lord passed. Fail me, and you will pay with your life."
"Yes, Mistress."
**
How do you think Harry is doing up there?" Luna asked Hermione, as they sat by the fire. Exhausted, James and Madelyn were sleeping on the opposite end of the couch.
"I hope he convinces Remus," Hermione said quietly, staring into the flames. "Else we're done for."
"Do you think we can wage the fight against Lestrange without Lupin?" Luna sounded more worried.
"We don't have enough resources, or manpower," Hermione's logical side replied. "If we are to defeat her, we have to do it with the help of the ministry agencies, and that's where you, Draco and Ginny come in...but the ultimate job is to kill Bellatrix, and it is up to the Order to do that."
"Maybe if Remus kills her, he will avenge Sirius Black," Luna proposed.
"Hah, that would definitely be an incentive," Hermione laughed mirthlessly.
In the foyer, Ron kept pacing around nervously, checking his watch every few minutes. The atmosphere was thick with nervousness and anticipation.
Hopefully Harry had not failed to convince their old friend...
A/N: Leave a review, and next chapter is coming up...
-->