Harry Potter and the Return of the Parents

Chapter 5 - Old faces, New faces

"Filth. . . half-breeds. . . blood traitors!" came the familiar impassioned cries. "Filthy mudbloods besmirching the house of black!" With a cry of rage, Sirius threw himself from the room and down the hall to the large portrait.

"Shut up!" he yelled, pointing his wand at the curtains and blasting them shut with a noise like a cannon boom. He turned, panting, to see Remus lowering his wand, having also struck the portrait, and clapped his friend on the shoulder. He honestly didn't know how he would cope in this house without Remus. The man was his oldest remaining friend and the only link he still had to the best years of his life. If being in this house brought back all his worst memories, then Remus was the closest thing he had to remembering all the good ones. The man knew what he needed, too: when to give him space, when to cheer him up – and more importantly, how. It helped that Remus was the only one who could fully understand how he felt, outlawed from society himself by his 'furry little problem', so his gaze never held the same pity that some of their peers' did. If there was one thing Sirius hated as much as Snape it was pity.

His only ray of sunshine – and quite a large one, at that – was that, in a few days, the final plans for Harry's removal from Privet Drive would come through and he would once again be with his godson. The thought alone made him feel a million times lighter; if Remus was the brother Sirius had always wanted, then Harry was the son he had never had.

The two returned to the main room, called by the first scents of what smelt like a promising dinner already wafting beneath the door. The Weasley patriarch and his elder sons had seated themselves around the table and were deep in discussion about the issues raised in the meeting. Sirius took a seat at the other end and leaned back on his chair legs, barely taking in their conversation, tapping his wand absent-mindedly against his knee. Beside him, Remus retrieved an issue of the Daily Prophet and disappeared behind it.

Suddenly, the door opened and everyone was surprised to see Albus Dumbledore step through. Arthur jumped up instantly, moving around the table to the old professor.

"Albus!" he said, taken aback. "We thought you couldn't make it tonight. I'm afraid the meeting's already finished, but Severus said he'd reported to you. . ?" he finished enquiringly, and Dumbledore nodded.

"Yes of course, thank you Arthur. I'm actually not here for the meeting; something else has come to light, and I was rather hoping I could speak to Sirius and Remus." He directed the last at the two friends, who nodded in surprise and stood up.

"Will you be staying for supper, Albus?" came Molly Weasley's voice, as the motherly woman poked her head out from behind the door to the kitchen. Dumbledore smiled ingratiatingly.

"Alas, my dear woman, I fear I cannot." He smiled again and gestured for Sirius and Remus to follow him out the room. "Shall we?" he said, and they all traipsed out.

***

James and Lily stood in the empty room in which Dumbledore had left them, waiting in trembling suspense for the professor to return. They had agreed that Remus and Sirius should be the first they met, and it was true that James could scarcely stand another minute without seeing his friends. But he was undeniably worried about their reactions after such a long time, and almost found himself wishing they had begun with someone easier. Someone with whom emotions weren't quite so taught, hearts quite so fragile. Did his friends resent him? Did they even still think of him? Had they perhaps managed to move on, and his return would only serve to reopen wounds better left closed?

He felt the pressure of Lily's arm around his waist as she gave him a small, comforting smile. The set of her mouth and slight restlessness of her leg said she was also nervous. They were her friends too – particularly Remus – and he imagined she was as conflicted and worried as he was.