A/N: James or Sirius - who takes the trophy of coolness?
Chapter XXXVI: The Wandmakers' Secret
"Luna, you're up," Harry told the blonde in question, "Now's the time to do it."
She returned his instruction with a silent look of determination, and set about her task. The attention was hopelessly divided - excitement over the return of James and Lily and making sure Luna performed the spell without harmful consequences to her person.
Harry tasked Ron and Madam Pomfrey with the responsibility. He stood a bit further back, his eyes flicking between his parents and Luna, who was starting to carry out the spell.
"Enoevarb odaedeth morfesir, Sirius Black!"
Harry sincerely hoped this would be the last time he would have to witness this spell in action. It was too dangerous, too unpredictable for the caster, to be performed safely.
Curiously, there was no storm to conceal the sun and pour its fury out on the Order. Harry wondered internally why that was, but could not come up with a satisfactory explanation. Everything he had read about this spell included a storm...
Then he realized something. There was no body. When Sirius fell through the veil, he left no physical remnant behind. Nowhere had he read, or heard about the resurrection spell being used under these circumstances. He glanced towards Hermione, and judging from the awed expression on her face, she had not considered this either...
He watched on with fascination. Luna's effort looked much less strenuous compared to the last time she did it. The only natural sign that something was happening was a steady breeze, and that amazed Harry even more...
It was a ball of light that caught everyone's attention, hovering at the tip of Luna's wand. As Luna described the motions through the air, the ball of light followed the tip effortlessly. The only difference was that it grew more intense with each passing second.
Luna began to experience the increased effort involved with this new variation of the resurrection spell, and it showed on her face. Her eyes were closed, her breathing became quicker, and the words muttered under her lips came out more rapidly. The ball of light took on a blinding quality, until -
With a loud crack, it spread into a tear through thin air, and a dark silhouette flew out backwards with surprising speed. It landed roughly on its back, an audible grunt followed, and in the next moment, the blinding light disappeared, as if nothing had happened.
Anticipation gave away to shock and awe, as there laid Sirius, sprawled out, wand in hand, and dressed just as Harry had remembered moments before he fell back behind the veil. Only...
Only he was younger. Much younger.
"Where is she?" he jumped up immediately, and looked wildly around, spinning in all directions. "Where did she go!"
Then his eyes found on the bespectacled wizard. "Harry! Move!"
"Sirius!" Harry shouted out his name for the first time since...since he was fifteen years old nearly ten years ago.
For him, this was overbearing. His beloved uncle, and his parents, back to be with him for good...
Harry flung his arms around Sirius, disbelieving and relieved at the same time. "Welcome back," he managed to choke out.
For a moment, Sirius remained disoriented, but soon enough, seemed to register where he was. It wasn't the Ministry battle with the Death Eaters...it was the backyard of the Potter home at Godric's Hollow...
Sirius embraced Harry in return. He did not understand, being here...was it heaven? He should be dead...
Squinting against the sunshine, he saw two figures approach, linked by the hands. With Harry still holding onto him for what seemed dear life, the shapes came closer. They looked so familiar...long lost memories kicked up in his mind, becoming as vivid as if they had happened yesterday...
He had to be dead. Else it was not possible...but the smell of the grass, the wind in his hair and holding Harry in his arms...his senses were playing tricks on him...
"Long time no see, mate," James' voice drifted over.
Elation? Relief? Disbelief? Alive or dead?
Sirius could not decide from the confusion. There he was, looking down at him, James Potter - in flesh and blood.
"Sirius," the angelic voice he remembered came to his ears next. Lily!
Harry released Sirius at last. He most definitely could not believe his eyes, nor find a place from happiness. He stood up, and helped his uncle to his feet.
Turning around, he came to see what he had longed for his entire life - his parents. James and Lily. Hearing so much about them, but never being able to meet them in life. Not caring for the old clothes they wore, Harry embraced them both. It would be indeed a while before he was able to speak again from the emotion he was feeling.
Still stunned, Sirius could not utter a word. For this reason it was Harry who reacted first to the appearance of his parents.
"Mom! Dad!"
For the first time in twenty-three years, Harry embraced his parents, and they returned his enthusiasm for the encounter.
"We missed you, Harry," Lily whispered in his ear.
"Welcome back, son," came James' words from the other side.
Harry finally found his voice. "I love you both."
They stayed in that embrace - time had stopped still and everything but the present was irrelevant.
How much time passed, nobody could be certain, but those around them were just as captivated...
Finally, Harry's brain kicked into action. "Would you like to see Sirius?"
"Very much!" James declared enthusiastically. "Where's Snuffles?"
Harry stepped aside to allow for the reunion to take place. Sirius seemed to finally decide that this was not a dream, and as a result, a huge grin stretched his mouth from ear to ear. Observing him, Harry knew this was the Sirius of days long gone by - handsome, carefree and confident.
Remus left Tonks' side and proceeded to join the other two. He walked as if he was in a dream, his legs carrying him of their own accord towards James and Sirius.
"Good to see you, mate," Sirius finally managed to say. Without another word, they embraced tightly.
It had been many years. The pain and the relief they felt to see one another again were unfortunately beyond this author's ability to describe.
Remus finally came up to them, and cleared his throat. The other two parted, turned around, and -
"Moony!!" both of them shouted, and enveloped the final member of the Marauders into the embrace.
"What was the last time I saw you two alive?" Remus asked after the emotions had subsided enough to let them being able to talk to one another.
"Not a clue, mate," Sirius replied. "Over twenty years, I reckon. And I saw you just a few years ago, don't you remember!"
"Almost a decade, Sirius," Remus told him.
"There he goes again, being serious," James said with a smile.
That was his catchphrase to signify the werewolf's worrisome nature from their school days. Remus threatened to break down when he heard it...the last time was...he did not even remember.
"Shut it, Prongs," he rejoined with no sign of being offended in the least.
"Now, let me see her," Sirius said, glancing at Lily.
"Forgot about me, did you?" Lily told him jokingly. "Come here, Snuffles!"
"You know I love it, when you call me that," he grinned.
"You seem to miss I already have a man in my life," the smile did not disappear from her face as she held up her hand.
"Life? You just returned..."
"Oh, be quiet and give me a hug," she told the black dog, and took him in her arms.
"Missed you, Lily. Seriously." Sirius admitted. "I don't know how much time I spent telling Harry about you."
He certainly had, and Harry was very appreciative of the fact, as he hung around, watching the closest people in his life reacquaint themselves with one another.
"Lily," Remus interrupted. "Can I have her now, Snuffles?"
"Wait your turn, there, Moony," Sirius told him. "One at a time."
At that moment, James' voice made its presence known. "This is my wife you're talking about there, Sirius."
"I know, mate, I know," Sirius answered him with a devilish grin.
"Oh, sod off," James said with a hint of annoyance, but the smile didn't leave his face.
"Let me see Moony, will you?" Lily requested of Sirius. "He's sitting there, deprived, all by himself."
"Oh, alright," Sirius said with a grandiose display of loss. "If you must."
Lily disengaged herself from her pretend admirer and moved towards Remus. The one aspect that really stunned her was his eyes. Even if he had lived on after her and James had died, and regained his youthful demeanour after what she thought must have been a resurrection of his own, the pain, wisdom and experience could not be erased from his gaze.
"Remus," she only said before throwing her arms around him.
"Hey, Lily," he greeted her on his own turn. "I thought I'd never see you again."
"The same thought crossed my mind," she smiled. "I'm glad I was wrong."
"I think so too," he rejoined. "Good to see you again after so many years."
"You too," she tightened her embrace.
A silence had always been comfortable between them. Even when Remus had lived with James and Lily in the year before they died, they had gone to every extent to accommodate him as part of their family. The werewolf curse on him prevented him from doing more with his life at that point, but in the end, it had turned out as both a blessing, necessity and a curse, all combined in the convoluted war against Voldemort...
"Hopefully you'll stay this time around, Lily."
"I have no plans to leave," she reassured him. "Finally live a normal life with my friends...and my son." Her voice broke slightly on the last three words.
"I know," Remus said. "You have no idea how happy I feel about it all."
"Believe me, I do," she countered him. "I really do."
**
"We need to see the Mistress," the two Death Eaters informed the burly guards standing in front of the massive doors to her chambers.
"About what?" one said gruffly, making all too clear his intent to pummel the two meek individuals in front of him to dust.
"The Order of the Phoenix," one said quickly. "Bad tidings!"
"Hold on," he said, and turning around, knocked heavily on the reinforced wood.
The doors flung open of their one accord. "Bring them in," came the cold voice of Bellatrix Lestrange.
Standing aside to let the informers proceed, the guards also bowed in respect to their leader. The two Death Eaters walked in, each shaking from top to bottom.
The moment they were inside, the doors closed with a loud crash. One of them yelped involuntarily.
That was the last conscious act he would do. In a second, a green flash of light met with his chest, and he fell back without a sound.
"Now," Lestrange walked forward to meet her remaining servant. "What news?"
Fearful, but resolute, the Death Eater brought forward his report. "The Order of the Phoenix," he said shakily, "Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Ginny Weasley, James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black...they are all...alive."
A look of pure indignation passed over Lestrange's expression. The glint in her eyes was maniacal, and one could say, insane.
All her efforts had amounted to nothing.
Nothing.
In her rage, she flicked her wand towards the Death Eater, and a moment later, he met the same faith as his companion.
She had to win this war. No matter what.
A/N: Difficult chapter...emotional encounters are not my thing. Hope you like it, and please tell me what you think...:)
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