Reaching across time

Chapter 103: Barely Breathing

Albus Dumbledore stood at the window of his circular office. Tonight the war would have to end. Tonight hope and happiness would return to the wizarding world.

The Blacks would be mourned, yes. Their loss, their sacrifice was one that would remain with the world for a long time to come.

Tonight, he would end the war. It was a simple promise he made to himself.

But before that, he had another place to be.

He let a single tear fall and his gaze shifted to the letter from Hermione one more time.

Yes, he had another place to be, another promise to keep.

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Hermione felt cool metal brush against her fingertips. She felt the odds starting to shift and her heart quickened its pace. Urgently she called for Sirius to wait, even as she fumbled with the small object in her hand.

She felt his fingers tighten in hers and suddenly all the other sounds ceased to matter. The falling rock, the whispered incantation, their pounding hearts...she tuned all of it out and focused on the small click of the deluminator.

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Minerva McGonagall had collapsed into her chair.

It had been a longtime since she had had any real family. The castle was her home, its inhabitants her family. That was how it had always been until Hermione Granger came along.

The young brunette witch's entry in her life had changed a lot more than anyone but Minerva knew and suddenly the head of the Gryffindor house found she had a family. She found that while she loved Hermione as her own daughter, Sirius and Rigel had also carved out their own spots in her heart.

And Minerva was proud of them, incredibly so.

And why wouldn't she be? They were young, they were powerful, they had their hearts in the right place and such beauty, such radiance it could only shine from within.

But all that didn't matter, not when they were gone.

She looked down again on the note in her hand.

Dear Minerva,

Thank you, thank you for everything you have done for us. And we are truly sorry that it had to come to this, but we shall not let you take the fall for our decision.

This note is signed with our magic and will testify that we made the choice to hand ourselves in. Thank you again.

~ Love

Hermione Black (nee Granger)

Sirius Orion Black

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Family – it was a word that mattered a lot to Dorea Potter. It was what she depended upon; it was her strength and her weakness. It was the meaning of her very existence.

A little over a decade ago her family had been quite small; just her husband and son. They were the pride and joy of her life.

Then Sirius had appeared out of nowhere and seamlessly added himself to the list and Dorea had been quite delighted.

Her two sons were everything to her and Charlus and never did they think they could love anyone else as much. But their family had grown.

Lily had come next. James had been obsessed with her for years and Dorea had always known that soon she would love her too; soon Lily would also become a part of them. She had known it. She had expected it for years.