Lily Potter came awake with a small moan. Squinting her eyes against the bright light, she took a moment to let them adjust. Looking around she realized she didn't recognize the bed she woke up in. Fighting down the panic she took a deep breath and looked around the room again.

This time she noticed that she seemed to be in one of those magical tents. James had shown her one once. James. Where was he? And Harry? She'd heard the low murmuring of conversation outside her door but that seemed to have stopped a moment, ago after she had awoken. Glancing around for her non-existent wand, she began to get out of the bed only to freeze when there was a knock on her door. It was opened a moment later by a man who looked to be in his mid-forties.

He froze upon meeting her gaze and looked to be at a loss for words. "Lily?" He asked hesitantly. It was then, with a start, that she finally recognized him.

"Sirius! What happened to you?" She cried, feeling more at ease that she was around a familiar face, though aged one at that. "Were you messing around with an aging potion again? Aren't you really too old to be pulling pranks," she continued feeling exacerbated.

"Err not exactly," he responded looking uncomfortable. "What exactly is the last thing you remember?"

"I don't know," she scrunched up her face in concentration. "Hmm, let me see. I think… it was… Halloween. Ya, Halloween right?" At his nod, she continued, "and James and I were playing with Harry in the living room. I know I was upset because I couldn't dress him up and take him out trick-or-treating. His first Halloween he was still too young, so I wanted to take him out this year even if he probably wouldn't remember it but I agreed with James that it was too dangerous."

"Ok. Do you remember anything else?" He asked tentatively.

"Umm… I think there was something else. It's all a blur," She stared off in to the distance for a moment trying to kick-start her brain into gear. Suddenly it all started coming back causing her to stiffen and she felt that her lower lip had started to tremble. "Oh my god. J-J-James. H-he found us and he killed James." Tears were making themselves known running down her face. "What about Harry? Is he safe?"

"Well things are a bit complicated," he answered not really answering.

"What's complicated? Is my son-," she swallowed past the lump in her throat. "Is my son alive?"

"Yes he is…"

"Well… what's so complicated about that?" She asked cutting him off.

"Ok. Like I said it's complicated. You have to keep calm and let me explain."

Lily felt the panic that was slowly abating ever since hearing the declaration that Harry was alive surge back up anew at Sirius' obvious reluctance to tell her something. "Just tell me what's wrong!" She growled.

"Ok. Ok." He said waving his hands placating. "I really don't know how to say this…" at her glare he hurried on. "Well… you see… it's 1995. Practically 1996 with New Year's tomorrow." Sirius was babbling at this point but Lily was no longer listening as she tried to make sense of what she'd just heard.

"What do you mean its 1995? It's 1981 and it was Halloween last night, it's not December. This better not be your idea of a joke!"

"No no no! Lily, calm down. I know this must be difficult but it's true. It's been just under 14 years since James… died."

Lily tried to slow her breathing down but this was all too much for her to take in. It felt like she had just seen James hours ago. 14 years! "Have I been in a coma or something? I thought Voldemort was about to hit me with the killing curse."

"Err no not exactly. You were dead, well, sort of. You weren't completely dead… I don't know! I don't really understand it. All I know is that Harry brought you back to life."

"He… what? How did he… He's only… Oh merlin! What is he? Like 15 now? My baby is all grown up! I was just holding him my arms yesterday!" She broke down once again. "But you said he's ok? How did he get away from Voldemort?"

"He didn't really get away… no one really knows what really happened," at the dark look she was giving him he hurried on, "well I guess he got away, like I said he's alive, right? It's just the first time he got hit with the killing curse so I can't really say unscathed." Sirius suddenly paled when he realized what he had just blurted out.

"The first time?" She questioned and attempted to figure that out for a moment, before giving up. "You know what? I don't care. All of this is too surreal. He's really ok though? He… he had a good childhood?" She asked the last part weakly.

She noticed immediately that Sirius looked uneasy for some reason but decided to drop it for now. "He's a good kid but I think it would be best for him to tell you about himself. He's been waiting for you to wake up."

"Wait he's here?" She asked suddenly feeling very nervous. She couldn't help but start wondering if he would like her or even need her anymore. Changing her baby's diapers and trying to get him to sleep through the night no longer seemed that difficult because at least then she knew he needed her.

"Of course! I told you Harry was the one to bring you back. He and Ginny really want to meet you."

"Oh right. This is such a strange situation," she muttered before picking up on something else. "Ginny? Who's Ginny?" Her first thought was that Sirius had finally settled down and had a child of his own but she noticed that he wasn't wearing a wedding band. Mulling this over for a moment it, the realization finally struck her. Her son was 15! "It's his girlfriend isn't?" Surprisingly it came out in a calm voice, but inside was pure turmoil. She wasn't sure how deal with this new revelation but figured it was just one more thing she would have to get used to about her new situation.

"Err… actually… she's his wife."

Silence reigned throughout the room. Lily's was stuck trying to process that last statement, her brain trying to convince her that she'd misheard him. Lily Potter then lost her temper for the first time in fourteen years. "SIRIUS ORION BLACK! ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT YOU LET MY SON GET MARRIED AT THE AGE OF FIFTEEN!?" She lunged towards him.

Harry Potter paced back in forth in the kitchen area of the tent feeling restless. The past twenty-four hours had been extremely strange. First he had broken into one of the most secure departments of the Ministry of Magic. Second he had gotten proof of a prophecy stating that he was the only one who could defeat Voldemort, who people widely accepted as one of the most powerful wizards in the world. Third he had been hit by the killing curse for the second time in his life and survived. This had allowed him to communicate with his dead father, giving him the answers surrounding Voldemort's supposed immortality and the fact that his mother wasn't quite dead yet. Then after successfully holding off Voldemort for several moments he succeeded in using an ancient magical artifact to bring her back fully. This coincided with the time that the aurors arrived, proving to the incompetent Minister of Magic that said Dark Lord had in fact returned. Now his mother had finally woken up and he was forced to wait out here. He just wanted to go see her.

Finally he sat down with a sigh. The bedroom door had been closed for a while and he knew Sirius would come out to get him as soon as she was ready to see him. Truthfully he was feeling pretty nervous about the meeting but tried to clamp down on those feelings by thinking about all the times, locked in his cupboard, that he'd dreamed of this. He felt Ginny squeeze his shoulder gently, silently passing him comfort. He followed up with small squeeze of his own on her knee. Dumbledore sat across from them, an amused smile on his face. He'd been fascinated when Harry, with the help of Ginny and Sirius, explained the night's events, especially about the information he'd received from his father about the Horcruxes and the idea for the ritual.

He'd heard some low voices coming from the room and few minutes earlier, he had been sure that he had heard crying. It took everything he had to remain where he was, he realized that if she didn't have any memories since that night, she probably was just realizing that his father was dead. Again the traitorous thoughts started to worm themselves into his brain. What if she'd have rather died and joined his father? Maybe she wished he had never resurrected her? Somewhere deep down he knew he was being paranoid but he couldn't help but wonder if his Aunt and Uncle had been right? Maybe he was just a freak? He probably hadn't turned out the way she would have wanted. He'd heard from Remus and Sirius that she was incredibly smart. He only had average grades, letting the Dursley's rules from primary school somehow seep into his life at Hogwarts. Harry suddenly wished he hadn't scoffed at Hermione's revision schedules, not that he was even sure if he could return to Hogwarts yet.

Suddenly he heard loud shouting coming from the other room. He was up and already moving, not paying attention to the words that were being shouted, when he heard the resounding smack and the silence that followed. Reaching the door, and ignoring Ginny calling his name from behind, he wrenched it open. He made to step into the room before freezing in sight of a pair of identical emerald green eyes. The first time he had seen said eyes outside of the Mirror of Erised. Harry felt shocked. He wasn't quite sure why he felt shocked. It's not like he hadn't known who resided on the other side of the door. It all still felt so surreal like one of his childhood fantasies come to life. He'd had an easier time accepting that he was meeting his father in limbo than this. As much as he wanted a father to talk Quidditch with, get advice about girls, and go flying with, that void had been partially filled. Once he'd successfully cast his patronus for the first time he'd felt close to James Potter. He even had his cloak and his map. Sirius had even been doing the best he could to fill in that role but he'd never had anything from Lily Potter. Before this latest incident with Ginny, Mrs. Weasley had tried hard but it wasn't the same, and Aunt Petunia had smothered any early childhood attempts to get some maternal affection. So now, presented with his mother, who had sacrificed her life for him, now alive and whole, he didn't know what to do.

Sensing Ginny's approaching presence snapped him out of his stupor. He glanced over at Sirius who was slowly rubbing cheek that sported a bright red hand print. "What happened in here?" He asked, only briefly glancing back at his mother who was now staring at him with an intensity that was almost frightening.

"It wasn't my fault," Sirius whined. "She just attacked me." He then continued to mutter to himself, "Forgot she had such a temper. Bloody frightening woman."

"I wouldn't need to smack you, if you hadn't been so irresponsible and done your duty as godfather," she broke off her stare, turning to look at Sirius who cringed under her gaze.

"Don't blame him!" Harry babbled worriedly. "It's not his fault he got locked in Azkaban for all those years. It was Pettigrew!"

"Thanks Harry! I'm sure that was the best idea to tell her that now when she's already angry with me," Sirius interjected sarcastically. "Throw me under the bus why don't you?"

"What does he mean about you getting yourself locked up in Azkaban?" She asked slowly.

"Oh oops. I just assumed that's what she was talking about… which other thing is she mad at?"

"Harry, you know I love you, but you are really not helping my case right now," He said inching away from the enraged redhead.

"What other things is he talking about Sirius?"

"Oy! Would you all shut it!" Ginny pushed her way into the room. "You can interrogate Sirius later. Harry just resurrected his mother from the merlin-be-damned grave and the first thing you three do is argue about how much Sirius has screwed up or not. I know there's lots to discuss when you're talking about him and responsibility in the same sentence…"

"Hey! I Take offense to that!" Ginny just arched her eyebrow. He quickly shut up.

"But you guys need to sort out your priorities first." Harry snorted. Ginny leveled her gaze at him. "Something funny?"

"Just reminded me about something Ron once…" he trailed off and then muttered, "never mind."

"Now why don't we all head out into the other room where it's more comfortable and have a nice long chat." She didn't wait for answer.

Mother and son were looking at each other again, neither making a move for a moment before Lily exited to follow Ginny. Harry's eyes remained fixed on the wall behind where she had been standing, trying to figure out what to do next. The silence was broken by groan from Sirius, "We're doomed Harry! Doomed! There's two of them."

Harry sat down on the couch beside Ginny and opposite his mother. Sirius sat down a minute later, scooting into the far corner as if still afraid if he got too close to Lily, he might lose a limb. An awkward silence hung in the air for half a minute before Ginny let out an exasperated sigh. "You're all impossible!" When still no one said anything, she rolled her eyes and then stuck out her hand. "Hi Mrs. Potter. I'm Ginny Wea… err Potter. I'm Harry's girlfri… wif… or I guess your daughter-in-law." She smiled sheepishly.

"It's nice to meet you Ginny. You can call me Lily though. This is all so strange though… it feels like a dream."

"Thanks Lily." Ginny smiled brightly. "I know what you mean! Nothings ever normal when your with Harry." Lily's eyes again turned to her son. Ginny poked him in the ribs.

"Ow! Err… hi… mum." He wasn't sure what to say next.

Lily kneeled down in front of him so they were eye level. "Harry…. You- you've grown so much. You look so much like James." Her eyes were shining now. "So much has changed… I… I'm sorry, "choking back sob she continued, "I'm so sorry I haven't been here for you. You probably hate me for leaving you all alone so I'll understand if-"

"Mum," Harry interrupted putting a hand on her shoulder. "It's ok, I-"

Before he knew what was happening he was engulfed in a hug. The first hug from his mother. He felt that warm and safe feeling wash over him again. Unlike the many hugs he'd received from Mrs. Weasley he found himself returning it without hesitation. This just felt right. Pulling back she kissed him on the forehead and froze. Noticing that she was staring at something behind him he whipped around pulling his wand to face the sight of Albus Dumbledore rummaging through the kitchen cupboards in a conjured bathrobe.

Harry really couldn't help but be impressed with his skill. He had conjured a bathrobe wandlessly! Conjuring anything let alone an article of clothing was supposed to be incredibly difficult. The fact that he had done it without a wand just goes to prove that he wasn't called the most powerful wizard of their time for no reason.

"Albus?" His mother's mouth was hanging open. The old man turned around.

"Oh Lily! How delightful to see you. I must offer you a warm welcome back to the world of the living. It's such a wondrous feat of magic that your son has performed."

Shaking her head she sat back down in her chair. "So is someone going to tell me why Sirius was sent to Azkaban now?"

"Well it's probably best for you to tell it yourself Sirius."

"Ok fine but I'm holding you responsible pup for any damage done to my babe-catching body." Harry groaned at his godfathers antis.

"Just get on with it Sirius."

"Ok ok. Well the night that it… happened, I was going to check on Peter in his safe house like I always did every few days to make sure he was ok. When I got there though, I found it empty. I'd made him promise not to leave unless the house was being attacked, yet inside I could find no signs of struggle. I was certain then and there that he'd betrayed us. I hurried off to warn you and James… b-but I was too late." Sirius' eyes were beginning to tear up. "The house was a wreck. I could see the front door was missing and it looked like the whole second floor had been blown out. I hurried inside to try and see what happened and that's when I came across James… at the bottom of the stairs. I don't how long I was standing there but all I could think about how my best friend was gone… my brother was gone… and that he wouldn't be there to see Harry grow up. It was at that point I thought I hears something upstairs. It almost sounded like someone apparated, but now I'm sure it was just the roof creaking and snapping from the damage. So continued on my way up. I could tell this is where most of the damage was… two of the walls were just gone. Next, I saw you Lily. You were just laying there in front of the crib. Even in death, or whatever it was, I could see that final look of determination on your face. Behind you was Harry. He was alive! I was so happy in that moment until I realized what he was doing. He was standing up in his crib, arm reaching through the bars trying to touch you. I almost lost it at that point but I finally noticed Harry wasn't as unhurt as I thought, he had that big cut on his forehead. I grabbed him after that, and headed out into the front garden."

Lily was squeezing his shoulder, an understanding expression on her face. "That's… good then. You got Harry out… that's the main point."

Sirius darkened momentarily. "And that's when I made the worst mistake of my life. Just before I was about to leave with him, Hagrid showed up."

"Hagrid? What was he doing there? He wasn't supposed to visit that night."

"He told me that Dumbledore had sent him to collect Harry. That he was supposed to be brought to him for a checkup." Lily looked irritated but remained silent. "At first I told him no because I was his godfather but he kept insisting. Then I realized that someone had to look at that cut on Harry's head soon and thought Hogwarts would probably be the best place for him until everything got figured out. I gave him my motorcycle so he could travel faster and they left. I sat there at first just trying to come to terms with what happened but I couldn't stop thinking about how this was all Wormtails fault. It was his fault that my best friends were dead and their son, my godson, was an orphan. I snapped and decided I need to hunt him down."

"Oh Sirius, don't you know how foolish that was? You should have gone to the Aurors!"

"I know… trust me I know. The first place I looked was his old flat. You know the one he abandoned to go to the safe house we set up for him. I knew he still had a lot of his stuff there and there was a good chance he would show up to get some of it. It was when I was staking out the back alley besides his building that I started to realize it was all my fault. It was my idea to switch Secret Keepers to Peter. If we'd just stuck with the original plan, you both would have still been alive."

"It wasn't your fault!" Was what Sirius heard in stereo from both Harry and his mother. Lily continued on, "It's Peter's fault and Voldemort. Not yours!"

Sirius nodded tearfully, "Anyway, he showed up, just like I thought. I stepped out into the alley blocking his access to the building. It just so happened that a show had just gotten out up the street and lots of muggles were cutting through the ally to reach other street. As soon as Wormtail saw me I saw him looking all over for an escape. I thought I had him trapped but then he did something I didn't expect. He started shouting for the whole street to hear how I had betrayed you and James. How it was my fault they were both dead and he knew that I'd come to finish him off next. It was so bizarre. I couldn't believe he was saying that to me of all people, so I just started laughing. In one night my whole world had been turned upside down and I just couldn't take it. I was going to kill him for everything he'd done. I went to pull my wand but he already had his out. He cut off his own finger! That made me freeze. I didn't know what he was doing but it was that moment of hesitation that cost me. He cast a blasting curse behind him, blowing up the sewer main. They say it killed thirteen muggles instantly and several others got severer burns but as this was happening I watched as he turned into a rat and scurried down the whole he'd created. I blacked out after that, next time I woke up I was in a cell in Azkaban. They tell me I supposedly confessed to my crimes, of betraying you to Voldemort, killing Peter and all those muggles, meaning they could skip a trial."

"I'm assuming you got released soon then because you're here now? What about Harry? Did Remus take him? Or the Longbottoms?"

"No on all counts. It turns out Hagrid wasn't taking Harry to Hogwarts because that's not where Dumbledore was. Him and Minerva left him on Petunia's doorstep." Sirius winced waiting for the coming explosion.

"WHAT? THAT BASTARD! HE LEFT MY SON WITH MY SISTER AND HER FAT OAF OF A HUSBAND?" Her face was steadily hitting a deeper shade of red. "ALBUS PERCIVAL WULFIRC BRIAN DUMBLEDORE! GET YOUR BONEY OLD ARSE OUT HERE NOW!"

"NO! Mum wait! It's not his-"

"If you were about to say that it was not his fault than you've got a lot to learn!"

"Ah Lily! You called?" Dumbledore asked entering the room with a serene smile.

Harry cut her off before she could get started, "It wasn't his… it was a different Dumbledore… err not him."

"What are you talking about? There is only one Albus Dumbledore unless you're trying to tell me that Aberforth is somehow involved in this?"

"Fortunately Abe was not involved here. I believe at that time he would have still have been on probation for casting inappropriate charms on goats. I do have to catch up with him and see how my dear brother's been doing all these years."

"I think he is still the bartender at the Hog's Head. I saw him when I was rooting through the trash cans looking for food last year in Hogsmeade." Sirius added.

"Wait wait! What the hell are you all on about?"

"Well mum…. We… err… found out recently that Grindelwald has been impersonating Albus since the year I was born. We rescued Albus here from Nurmengard last week." Lily's mouth was hanging open, watching them all as if waiting for the punch line of their joke.

"B-but Grindelwald's dead!" She stuttered and then pointing at Albus, "You killed him!"

"Unfortunately not. It was my greatest shame that I did not have the strength to do what had to be done all those years ago. Now we have to Dark Lords to contend with."

"You-know-who is still around? Even after fourteen years?"

"He's definitely back now." Sirius commented, rubbing his chest where Voldemort's curse had hit him. It, having enough power to send Sirius flying through the air, had left some bruising, that luckily Dumbledore had been able to instruct them how to heal.

"Back?"

"Remember earlier when I mentioned earlier how Harry survived the killing curse? Well whatever magic you evoked that night when you sacrificed yourself for him, it worked. When Voldemort tried to kill Harry, his curse rebounded hitting himself. Harry became famous that night. They even call him-"

"Sirius don't!" Harry whined.

"I know you don't like it but she's going to hear it eventually! They go around calling him the Boy-Who-Lived." He explained and then causing Harry to blush added. "I heard rumours he even has his own fan club."

"Colin Creevey started that in my first year!" Ginny piped up. Harry just raised his eyebrow questioningly causing her to huff. "I was never a part of it! My brothers just loved to torment me and were always telling you that I was. I even told Colin that he better stop taking pictures of you without asking at the beginning of second year!"

"Sorry Gin," Harry looked down ashamed. "I should have learned not to trust anything the twins say by now anyway. Thanks for talking to Colin. He's a good kid but the pictures were starting to get a little annoying."

"Kid?" She asked sounding offended. "He's in the same year as me? Am I a kid as well?"

"O-o-of course not Gin. That's not what I meant! I-it was just a figure of speech." He stumbled but then seeing the small smirk on her lips and hearing Sirius' chuckle he knew she was leading him on. "Shut it you old mutt! If I remember correctly a little while ago you were cowering under my mums glare alone."

Lily had a small smile on her face and seemed happy to be observing the interplay between them all but she sat forward again as they came to a natural lull in the conversation. "So he was hit by his own killing curse? Shouldn't he be dead than? You said he was back?"

"Yes… well… he didn't really die that night," Harry cut in. He knew he need to tell her about the Horcruxes, as it was something his Dad had specifically instructed him to do, but he knew it could wait another day, there was a lot more to cover first. "Everyone thought he did except for a select few but he was really reduced to some kind of wraith. He got his body back last June. The Ministry refused to believe he was back until the Minister walked in on our duel yesterday."

"And what, may I ask, were you doing dueling the most feared Dark Lord of modern history yesterday and how are you still alive?"

"See Lily! I told you that he survived the killing curse more than once!"

"Oh merlin! You were hit with the killing curse again yesterday?" She hurried over and was suddenly checking Harry over to make sure he was alright causing him to redden in embarrassment.

"I'm fun mum."

"I think I'll be the judge of that. So again, I'll ask what caused you to do something so foolish?"

"You know about the prophecy right? Grindelwald told you before you went into hiding?"

Lily paused for moment, obviously still wrapping her head around the whole Grindelwald thing. "Yes he did tell us," she allowed. "But you're still only fifteen! You shouldn't have to deal with this yet."

"It's not like I had a choice!" Harry snapped feeling pressured. Almost immediately he started to feel guilty so he softened his voice. "Sorry. It's just I should probably tell you from the beginning. So you understand."

"Ok, go ahead."

Immediately he decided to skip over his life pre-Hogwarts, "Well, first Hagrid came and delivered my Hogwarts letter. He actually broke down the door, it pretty funny."

"Wait wait wait! What? Why was Hagrid delivering your letter? It should have arrived by owl and then since, I guess, you were technically muggle-raised," she had a distasteful look on her face as she said it, "Professor McGonagall should have taken you and my sister to Diagon Alley."

"Uncle Vernon was, sort of… well, burning my letters. They just kept on sending more and more and-"

"Those fools! What did my sister think was going to happen? That they would be able to stop you from going? You're a wizard! All you would have had to do was owl someone and to tell them what was happening and they would have helped you get there."

"I didn't really know how to owl anyone though… I didn't even know I was a wizard until Hagrid told me."

"See! This is why I would never have wanted you to go to Petunia. I doesn't shock me they'd pull something like this! What about us? Did they just tell you we were murdured by some random guy? Lovely thing to say to a child!" She ranted.

"Aunt Petunia told me the first time I asked that you died in a car crash and then forbade me to ask any more questions."

Lily actually looked slightly relieved at this. "That's not too bad. Probably less traumatizing than any other alternatives, not that I'm saying they should have lied!"

"But Uncle Vernon, used to always go on and on, telling me that you were both no good, unemployed drunks. His sister, Aunt Marge, "he said this part with disgust, "used to always rub that in my face. I never used to know what to say when I was younger, but after learning the truth, it became harder to listen to." Chuckling he continued, "Two years ago I accidently blew up Aunt Marge when she wouldn't shut up about you two." Seeing her horrified look he quickly added, "Blew up like a balloon, not as in an explosion! She was floating all over the ceiling and everything!" Sirius snorted in the corner at this.

"I'll be the first to admit that my sister could be a vindictive bitch but Vernon always brought out the worst in her," she said sadly shaking her head.

"Anyway, like I said, Hagrid delivered my Hogwarts letter. He took me to Diagon Alley afterwards to pick up my stuff and then dropped me back off at the Dursleys. Luckily they agreed to drive me to Kings Cross in time for the train. On the Hogwarts Express I met my best mate! Ron, Ginny's brother." Harry smiled as he thought about that fateful meeting, but he slowly slipped into a frown as he thought about the last time he'd seen him, two weeks ago. Marrying his sister than portkeying away. Shaking himself out of these thoughts for now he continued on, "I got sorted into Gryffindor!" He was happy to see his Mothers obvious pride at this. "It was a good year except for the fact that Grindelwald was hiding the philosophers stone in the school."

Lily gasped, "How did he get that and why was it at Hogwarts?"

"Well we don't know what he said or did to get Nicholas Flamel to give it to him, but the reason he said it was at the school was to keep it safe. We know now it was to draw Voldemort's attention and bring him into conflict with me. He possessed our Defense Against the Dark Arts professor to try and steal it. He even tried to kill me at a Quidditch game and Snape of all people saved me!"

Harry noticed a strange expression cross his mother's face. "Severus is at Hogwarts?"

"Yes. He's the potions profess- Wait! You know Snape? I guess he would have been in your year but you just called him Severus," Harry asked with narrowed eyes.

"Yes," she answered simply. "Severus was my best friend for years until we had a… falling out in our fifth year." She narrowed her eyes in return. "I hope you're not picking up on your father's bad habits. Those two were always at each other for no reason."

"I had no problem with Snape until he made my life a living hell for the past four and a half years!"

Lily expression of mild rapprochement disappeared instantly. "What has he done?"

"On my first potions class he made sure to single me out while calling roll to show me that my being a 'celebrity' wouldn't help me in his class by asking three, what I found out later to be, upper year questions." Harry emphasised the word celebrity with air quotes, "Then when I didn't know them docked me points. He's always liked to point out through the years how I'm an arrogant, spoiled, attention seeker just like my father. I still can't believe he called me spoiled! I'd like to see him say that after meeting Aunt Petunia or Uncle Vernon in person or after having been locked in the cupboard for several days at a time for causing something 'freakish' to happen!" Harry snarled the last bit. He got so lost in his memories of his unfair treatment at both his relatives and Snape's hands, that he didn't notice the other occupants of room pale considerably.

"What did you just say Harry?" His mum asked in a half whisper, staring him in the eye intently.

"Which bit? About Snape?" Harry asked confused.

"A-a-about the cupboard?" Harry froze, finally realizing he must have let something slip.

"Nothing." He answered quickly. Too quickly. He had promised himself never to tell anyone about that. It was too embarrassing and it had been years ago anyway.

"Harry," Sirius began calmly, "What the bloody hell did those bastards do to you? You said they locked you in a cupboard? How often did they do that."

"A few times."

"Why didn't they just send you to your room like any other normal family?" Harry mumbled something unintelligible in response. "What?"

Harry sighed. "I said because that was my bedroom."

Silence reigned once again before Sirius jumped to his feet. He began pacing back and forth muttering and interjecting the odd curse."

Looking besides him he noticed Ginny's eyes shining with tears. When she saw him looking she wiped them and gave him a watery smile. Looking over at his mother is what made him pause. She hadn't moved at all. She was sitting ramrod straight staring over his shoulder.

Bending over slightly he tried to think of something to say. "Mum. I… I'm sorry that I-"

"Never. Ever. Ever. Apologize to me for this." She had his hand in a firm grip now and her green eyes, locked on his, were blazing. "This is not your fault. This is on my sister. All of it. I should be the one apologizing to you. You should not have had to grow up like this."

"No! Mum it's not your fault either! You were… dead."

"Exactly! I left you alone! I wasn't there t-t-to protect you…" She broke down and pulled him in to another hug rivalling the one he'd received earlier. He wasn't sure what to do so he just rubbed her back as she sobbed while trying to keep his own tears in check. He'd learned not to at an early age. Lesson number two from the Dursleys, right alongside lesson one: don't ask questions.

"I'm going to bloody kill them!" Sirius finally interrupted them. Harry had almost forgotten he was there.

"Sirius no!"
"Why the hell not! You just said that they made you sleep in a cupboard for ten years. Their monsters!"

"I know they are, but they're still family! Plus you're innocent of killing Pettigrew and those muggles. One day you'll be cleared and I don't need you getting charged with something else." Sirius hesitated for a moment before plopping back down on the couch, still sporting a scowl.

"Anyway, we should get back to the story. So Snape saved my life… yay! Still a cranky bastard though. Moving along… not much else happened. Ron, Hermione, my other best friend, and I discovered that the philosopher's stone was being hidden in the castle. At the time we were convinced Snape was after it to give it to Voldemort. So of course, on the night where Grindelwald, who we still thought was Dumbledore, was mysteriously called away from Hogwarts, we knew something was going to happen. We went and told Professor McGonagall but she brushed us off so we decide to go after it ourselves."

"Three first years were going to get through the enchantments designed to protect a invaluable magical artifact from Voldemort?" Lily arched her eyebrow.

"I know. I know. It sounds crazy now but the fact that we were able to get through them at all leads us to believe that it was a part of Grindelwald's plans all along. As we got through the protections, eventually Ron and Hermione got stuck behind, leaving me to enter the last chamber alone. To my surprise it wasn't Snape but Professor Quirrell."

"The Defense Professor?"

"Yes. He used to wear this big purple turban all the time. A lot of kids used to joke that he stuffed it with garlic to ward of vampires. Anyway, he ended up taking it off and I was greeted to the beautiful view of Voldemort sticking out of his head." Lily wrinkled his nose in disgust. "I know it was pretty gross. He talked to me for a while, trying to get me to join him. He said he could bring you and Dad back to life, not that I believed him. When all that failed he started to get impatient. You see, Grindelwald had placed the stone inside the Mirror of Erised and he couldn't figure out how to get it out."

"The Mirror of Erised! You saw it?" At his nod, she continued, "That amazing! It's such a famous artifact! I wonder how Grindelwald got his hands on it as well."

"Ya well, I ran into it in an unused classroom over Christmas break. I kept coming back to look at it every night until Grindelwald finally moved it. I bet he only put it there to attract my attention than discover what I saw in it."

"What did you see?" Asked Lily tentatively as if unsure if this was something she could ask her son.

"You and dad with me." He answered shyly ducking his head, missing his mother's sad smile.

"Anyway, Grindelwald enchanted the mirror so that anyone who wanted the stone to use it, would only see their desire in the mirror like normal, but anyone who wanted the stone and yet had no intentions of using it, would see their reflection become a reality. This is what happened to me with the stone being slipped into my pocket. Quirrell tried to take it from me, but when he touched me he turned to ash. It was because of the protection you gave me, Voldemort and in this instance, Qurrell, couldn't touch me. I passed out after that and once I woke, Grindelwald told me that Voldemort had fled and that he had destroyed the stone."

"You're kidding me! He destroyed the stone? Are you sure he didn't keep it for himself?" Sirius asked.

"Err… actually I don't know. Add it to the list of things to investigate. It's not a huge priority though, it will stop him from aging, but doesn't make him unbeatable. I guess I can move onto the craziness that was second year." He felt Ginny tense beside him so he turned towards her while mentally berating himself for being so thoughtless. "Are you ok? Is it ok if I tell them about that year?"

She looked troubled for a moment before squaring her shoulders and sitting up straight, "Let me. I know what happened through the year better. You can tell the end."

"Ok… if you're sure?" At her firm nod he let out a breath and attempted to relax into the couch.

"This was my first year at Hogwarts, the last one in my family to go. Lucius Malfoy slipped a… cursed… diary into my cauldron. I was foolish and wrote in it all year and it slowly began to possess me, making me open the chamber of secrets. Muggleborns were being attacked left right and centre. It was only through sheer luck that they were all petrified instead of killed. I was having blackouts and couldn't remember anything that was happening while I was possessed yet I eventually began to figure it out. I tried to get rid of the diary, I flushed it down the toilet but it wasn't done yet. It made its way back and… and… Harry found it. I saw him with it and I panicked. I didn't want him to be possessed like I was or even worse for him to find out what I had been forced to do, even if I couldn't remember it at that time, so I broke into his dorm and stole it back. Eventually it possessed me again and made me write a message on the wall, saying that I had been kidnapped and taken to the chamber. I was forced to lock myself down there." Her grip and Harry's hand had tightened considerably as she relayed the story.

"That's when Ron and I found the message and discovered it was Ginny who was taken. We had also just figured out, with some help from Hermione, that the monster in the chamber was a Basilisk. We knew we had to sa-"

"Harry James Potter! Don't tell me you went off to fight a Basilisk in your second year without getting a teacher!"

"No no no! We got a teacher! We got Professor Lockhart. We caught him trying to run a way but we forced him to come with us. He actually tried to obliviate us once but it rebounded on him and he completely forgot who he was! Ron got trapped behind a rockfall so I continued on. When I got to the chamber I found Ginny and learned how she was being possessed by the shade of a sixteen year old Voldemort. He was absorbing her life force trying to bring himself back to life. He set the Basilisk on me but Fawkes showed up and gouged out his eyes. He'd also dropped off the sorting hat. I wasn't sure what to do so I put it on and the Sword of Godric Gryffindor fell out. I actually had a big bump on my head for a while after that."

"Wait! Harry, are you telling me that when you were twelve, you located the Slytherin's LOST Chamber of Secret's and then less than an hour later you accidentally summed Gryffindor's LOST sword?"

"Err… yes?" She just shook her head in exasperation. "Then I stabbed the basilisk through the roof of my mouth and it died… but I got bitten though…"

"YOU GOT BITTEN?"

"Well ya, but Fawkes cried in the wound and I survived," he said with a shrug. "Then I stabbed the diary as well, destroying Voldemort's shade, and Ginny woke up."

"My hero." Ginny batted her eyes overdramatically up at Harry, obviously trying to lighten the mood, but he could tell she was still somewhat uncomfortable with this topic.

"Is there any year where you weren't in mortal danger?" At his guilty expression she huffed. "Well fine. Just get on with it. I'm not sure how much more I can listen to this."

Harry remained silent obviously trying to think of a way to tone down the dangers of his life so Sirius interrupted. "I guess I can tell you rest. Well, I broke out of Azkaban and eventually hid out in the Forbidden Forest. I know Harry learned the Patronus Charm from Remus." Lily turned and looked at her son impressed causing him to blush once again. "He saved my life from over a hundred Dementors with it!"

"You've already met De… you know what, I don't want to know. Continue Sirius."

"Then him and his friend Hermione saved me from getting the kiss by breaking me out. I was on the run all summer after that but decided to head back to Britain in the fall when Harry's name got entered into the Tri-Wizard Tournament by a Death Eater." Lily didn't interrupt but Harry saw her eye twitch and her start rubbing her forehead as if she were getting a headache. "He had to face a-" Harry shot him a glare. He wasn't sure his mother could make it through hearing about all the tasks.

"During the third task, the Tri-Wizard cup had been turned into a portkey so when I reached it with my fellow Champion Cedric, it whipped us away. I took us to a graveyard in Little Hangleton. Wormtail was already there. He killed Cedric and disarmed me. They used my blood in a ritual to resurrect Voldemort. He forced me to duel him. I had no chance. The only reason I didn't die right there is because he was toying with me. I know he was trying to make an example of me in front of his Death Eaters. It was only from pure luck that I was able to summon the cup to me and take the Portkey back to Hogwarts." Harry hung his head, he really hated thinking about that night. Suddenly he was enveloped once again in his mother's arms. If there was one thing Harry had learned that day, it was he would never get enough of his mother's hugs.

A/N: There we go. A really long chapter of you guys. Hope you enjoy. I'll try to update a couple times in the next week and a bit. Please leave me a review and let me know what you think.