Harry Potter and the Students of the School of the Sphinx

Harry Potter and the Students of the School of the Sphinx

By Angelina Johnson

Chapter 2

Dumbledore's Mistake

    Harry could hardly believe his eyes. He had to be wrong. It was impossible. There was no way. He was seeing things, it was all a figment of his imagination. He was seeing this because it was what he wanted to see, even though he knew that it could not possibly be real. Yet the man sitting at the table looked so real.

    "Hello, Harry," Sirius said.

    "But... But you're dead," Harry said bluntly.

    "That's what we thought, too," Lupin said, looking down at Harry with a small smile.

    "We told you things had changed, Harry," Tonks said.

    "But I saw you die! I saw you get hit with Bellatrix's spell and fall into that veil! I saw it! They all told me that you were dead," Harry protested.

    "They told you wrong, and you didn't see what you thought you saw," Sirius said.

    "But that's impossible! I watched you vanish! You must be a figment of my imagination, because you can't possibly be alive," Harry said, but his hopes were soaring. Sirius, alive? Did he dare believe it? It made no sense to him, no sense at all.

    "You watched me vanish, but I didn't vanish in the way that you thought I did." Sirius seemed oddly calm.

    "But how could you have not gone through the veil? There was no other way for you to go-we would have seen you! And besides, wouldn't you have come back before now? And wouldn't someone have known that you were alive? Wouldn't someone-Dumbledore, for instance-tell me?"

    "Not if he didn't know. Not if he couldn't be contacted," Sirius said.

    "But why couldn't he have been contacted? And you're still not explaining how you could have just disappeared without us seeing," Harry said.

    "I'm afraid that's my doing," said the woman at the table.

    "But there still is no logical explanation!" he fumed at the stranger.

    "Yes, there is, if you'll only listen," Sirius said.

    "But how? How can you still be alive?" Harry asked.

    "Well, it all starts with Melissa," Sirius began, but Harry interrupted.

    "With who?" he asked.

    "Me," said the woman, "it all starts with me."

    "All right, then. Start," Harry said.

    "Well, I work at the Department of Mysteries, and I'm an Auror," she said.

    "How can you do both?" Harry interrupted again.

    "It can be arranged, if you wish to do both badly enough. That's not really important, though. Now, where was I? Oh yes. I work for the Department of Mysteries and I work as an Auror, but my connections as an Auror have allowed me to keep up to date in the whereabouts of Voldemort. You see, I was talking to Kingsley, and he let it slip to me that Albus had reinstated that Order of Phoenix. At first I was angry that Dumbledore hadn't spoken to me about it, after all, I was in the Order the first time around, but then Kingsley reminded me that the Ministry had been keeping a very close watch on me ever since Sirius broke out of Azkaban. He reminded me that I have been followed for the last three years, because the Ministry is convinced that I had some idea of where Sirius was the whole time. Well, anyways, once I had given up hope of being helpful at all to the Order, Arthur Weasley told me that perhaps there was something I could do. He told me that there was a prophecy inside of the Department of Mysteries that Voldemort was desperate to get his hands on, and he said that Dumbledore had a feeling that Voldemort was going to try and lure you there. He told me all about how you could see what Voldemort was doing, and how you had seen the attack on him. Arthur explained to me that Snape had discontinued your Occlumency lessons with him, and that he feared that Voldemort was going to be able to penetrate into your mind and send you a false image that would lure you there. I knew, of course, what had happened to members of the Order that worked in the Department of Mysteries, and Arthur warned me not to try and get near the prophecy, just to keep watch without being noticed. He wanted me around to be a sort of security blanket. So you see, I was there the night that you came. I was there when the Death Eaters were attacking you, when the prophecy was destroyed. I was there in the Chamber of Death when Sirius, Remus, Tonks and the others arrived. I was waiting. I knew that they were all perfectly capable of protecting themselves and you from most spells, but I had a very bad feeling about the battle being in the Chamber of Death. The whole time I was in there, under an invisibility cloak, guarding the veil. You see, I may not be a Seer, but I have the ability to know some things, and I knew that someone was going to fall into the veil. When Sirius was hit with Bellatrix's spell, I caught him," Melissa explained.

    "But if you caught him then why didn't you just come out once all of the Death Eaters were gone?" Harry asked.

    "Oh, that would have been brilliant. Come out right in front of Fudge? The idiot would have killed me on the spot, Harry," Sirius said.

    "But Dumbledore! You could have told Dumbledore before Fudge was gone," he argued.

    "I wish things had been that simple. First of all, Dumbledore left too soon-he left before Fudge did. And anyways, Sirius wasn't exactly in the best shape. Part of him did go through the veil-not enough of him for him to die, but enough of him for him to be in a very bad condition. Once Fudge had cleared out, I took Sirius back to my house and nursed him back to health. It's been very hard to hide him from all of the Ministry workers that have either been at my house or watching me," Melissa said.

    "But if he was alive and well at your house all of this time, why couldn't you have contacted Dumbledore?" Harry asked.

    "Haven't we told you that Melissa has been watched very closely by the Ministry since Sirius's escape? They've been intercepting all of her owls, watching her house, following her... There was no possible way for her to contact anyone," Lupin said.

    "But couldn't you have Apparated somewhere to meet Dumbledore, or someone? They can't follow you when you Apparate, can they?" Harry said.

    "No, they can't follow you by Apparition, but first off I can't Apparate into Hogwarts, and second I couldn't leave Sirius. He was in bad health, and with all of the Ministry officials around... It would have been far too great of a risk. I know it's been hard for you, thinking that he was dead, but there was really no other way," Melissa said.

    "But then how did you get here?" Harry asked. He was starting to believe that Sirius truly was alive, and that this was not a trick at all.

    "Well, as soon as I was in good enough health, we both Apparated here and contacted Remus and Dumbledore," Melissa explained.

    "This all seems so farfetched, though," Harry said.

    "I'm here, aren't I?" Sirius said. Harry stared at him. It was all too much. Just a couple hours ago he had been having nightmares about Sirius's death, and now here he was, face to face with Sirius, who wasn't dead after all. Harry didn't even think-he was so full of joy right now. He had never been happier. Without a second thought, Harry flung his arms around his godfather.

    "It's good to see you too, Harry," Sirius said with a laugh. He embraced Harry for a few moments, and then released him.

    "I can't believe this! Do Ron and Hermione know? Do all of the Weasley's know, and McGonagall and Snape and Hagrid and everyone else?" Harry asked, suddenly feeling very talkative.

    "Slow down there, Harry! McGonagall knows-I dunno how much Dumbledore has told Snape and Hagrid, though. Arthur Weasley knows, and the whole lot of them should be here sometime in the morning. They'll find out then," Sirius replied.

    "And what of Hermione?" Harry asked.

    "She'll be arriving with the Weasley's. Imagine, Harry, you'll actually be having a proper birthday this year!" Sirius said, beaming. It wasn't until Sirius had mentioned it that Harry realized that tomorrow (or rather today, as it was past 2 o'clock in the morning) was his birthday.

    "Yeah, I s'pose so," Harry said, "but I also expect you'll have to explain again how in the world you managed to survive." Melissa and Sirius both laughed.

    "Better that he's alive with a lot of explaining to do as opposed to being dead and needing no explanation," Melissa said. Harry looked at her more closely now than he had earlier. When he had first arrived he had been to preoccupied with the realization that Sirius was alive to pay much attention to Melissa. She really was very pretty. She had a pleasant face and she looked as though she was very athletic. Her eyes were stubborn, and she had a mischievous grin similar to Sirius's. She looked to be about the same age as Sirius and Lupin, and there was something about her that was oddly familiar. At the same time as he was studying her, she appeared to be doing the same to him.

    "He really does have Lily's eyes, doesn't he? I mean, they were that green when he was a baby, but I always supposed they'd fade a little, not be quite so bright," she murmured to Sirius. Sirius nodded.

    "He looks much more like James, though, don't you agree? If it weren't for the eyes, he could almost be James's twin," Sirius replied.

    "Too true," Melissa responded. The adults were talking about Harry almost as if he weren't there. He decided to remind them that he was there. He never had liked it when people talked about him like this, and Sirius was the last person he would have expected this sort of behavior from.

    "You knew my parents, then, Miss... er..." Harry realized that he didn't know what Melissa's last name was, and he felt uncomfortable calling someone older than him that he had just met by their first name.

    "Knew them? Melissa was your Mum's best friend at Hogwarts, and after as well," Sirius said.

    "Really? I knew you looked familiar, I think you're in some of the pictures that I have of my Mum," Harry said.

    "I'd like to see those sometime," Melissa said, a sad smile on her face at the mention of Lily.

    "That's enough chatting, Gumtree. The boy needs his rest," Mad-Eye interrupted.

    "Oh, Alastor, don't be such a spoilsport! I don't see why he needs to sleep, or even how he possibly could! He's just discovered that his father's best friend, his godfather, is alive after all, and he's just met his mother's best friend, his godmother, for the first time. I'd say that this is a special occasion," Lupin said.

    "Godmother?" Harry asked, looking at Melissa.

    "Er, yes. Sirius and I were to be your guardians if something happened to your parents, but then when Sirius went to Azkaban everything changed," she said.

    "But then I went to the Dursleys for no reason? You mean to tell me that I could have lived with you the whole time?" Harry asked.

    "Well, I suppose, but it was never meant to be just one of us, and Dumbledore insisted that it would be best for you to go and live with your aunt and uncle," Melissa replied.

    "What do you mean, it was never meant to be just one of you? Is there something that I'm missing?" Harry asked. Melissa and Sirius both grinned at each other, but neither one of them seemed to want to answer Harry's question.

    "Never you mind, now. That's really not important. Perhaps Moody's right-there's going to be an awful lot of activity in the morning, with all of the new arrivals. Maybe you should just go up to bed," Sirius said. He had turned a red color. This was very unusual behavior on his part, and now Harry was very curious about what was going on. He argued with Sirius, insisting that he was not tired at all and that there had been too much excitement in the last hour for him to be able to sleep. Sirius might have believed him if he hadn't yawned just as Sirius was about to give in.

    "Bed! Now!" Sirius insisted. Harry gave in and trudged up to the room where he had slept last year during his stays at Grimmauld Place.

    However, instead of going to bed, Harry pulled out an Extendable Ear that had been given to him by the Weasley twins. He stuck in next to the floor, and suddenly he could hear a conversation going on below him in the kitchen.

    "It seems so strange, finally meeting my godson," Melissa was saying.

    "Yeah, that's how I felt, too," Sirius said.

    "He seems to get more and more like James all the time," Lupin added.

    "Yes, sometimes that can be a bit painful, I suppose. I still can't believe that he's really gone, even after fifteen years. Lily too," Melissa said. She sounded sad.

    "One of these days, we'll make Pettigrew pay for what he's done," Lupin said.

    "Yes, that'd be nice, wouldn't it? First, though, wouldn't it be better to catch Pettigrew?" Melissa asked.

    "Catch him? Why would we want to do that? I just want to kill him," Sirius said.

    "Yes, well, that's what he'd deserve, but don't you think we ought to use him to clear your name before we destroy all the evidence of your innocence?" Melissa asked.

    "Oh, what are the odds of that happening? We'll never catch the damn rat, and I'll be confined for life," Sirius said bitterly.

    "Couldn't you try to be just a little bit more optimistic? At least you're here, with the people who love you. You have Harry, and Melissa, and me. You're not dead, Sirius. I should think you would be grateful," Lupin said.

    "Oh, I'm grateful, I just hate being confined," Sirius said.

    "Perhaps you won't be confined much longer," said a new voice.

    "Dumbledore! I didn't notice that you'd arrived already," Melissa said.

    "Ah, yes, well, there were some things that I thought were best discussed before all of the children arrive," he said.

    "Harry's already here," Sirius said.

    "Ah, yes, upstairs asleep, isn't he? Well, I'm not bringing bad news, I just don't want to get Harry's hopes up. You see, there is a chance that you could be cleared, Sirius," Dumbledore said.

    "But how? You haven't caught Pettigrew," Lupin said.

    "Yes, but we have caught other Death Eaters. In fact, Lucius Malfoy has offered some very interesting information in order to stay out of Azkaban. Seems that not only will he turn in some of his fellow Death Eaters, but he is willing to give information about a certain man that was in Azkaban for no reason," Dumbledore said.

    "But why would Lucius tell them that I'm innocent? And would they believe him?" Sirius asked.

    "Certainly they'd believe him. He is a well respected man, even if he is a Death Eater. After all, money can buy many things," Dumbledore said.

    "But you still haven't explained why Lucius would clear Sirius," Melissa pointed out.

    "Ah, well, Lucius believes that he saw Sirius die, doesn't he? He believes that he would be taunting you and Remus by clearing his name and setting him free once it won't do any good," Dumbledore replied. Harry couldn't see into the room, but he had a feeling that Dumbledore was probably smiling.

    "You mean they don't know that I'm alive?" Sirius asked.

    "None of them. Not even all of the Order knows that you survived, and all of the Death Eaters believe that you died," Dumbledore said.

    "But when is Lucius's hearing?" Lupin asked.

    "Tomorrow morning. I'll be there, and if Fudge believes that you are innocent, Sirius, I will tell him that you are alive after all and I would think that he should be getting in touch with you. I expect he may have a full apology and everything...Although he might want to talk to you with Veritaserum first," Dumbledore said.

    "But Veritaserum takes a long time to make, and only the best potion brewers can make it," Sirius said.

    "I realize that, Sirius. I've already had Snape make some- I expected that there would be some use for it in the near future," Dumbledore said.

    "Well, then, that sounds like our odds are good," Melissa said.

    "Perhaps. Don't get your hopes up too soon, though, Melissa," he said.

    "Of course," she said.

    "Well, then, I'd best be off. I have to be at the Ministry in a few hours-I'll return after Lucius's hearing," he said.

    "All right, then. I'd best be off to bed, as well," Lupin said.

    "Well, Melissa, just the two of us at last," Sirius said.

    "Yes... It's been such a long time, hasn't it? I mean, even when you were at my house, you were in no condition to talk," she murmured.

    "What could you have possibly thought of me the night of James and Lily's..." Sirius began.

    "Oh, don't talk about it, please. I still hate thinking about it. I knew all along that it wasn't you, but it still hurts to think that Wormtail would do that to them," she said.

    "Yes. But we'll catch him, I know it," Sirius said.

    "Yes, of course." There was a silence between them for a moment.

    "Melissa?" Sirius said finally.

    "Yes?" she replied.

    "I was just thinking," he said.

    "And..." Melissa said.

    "Well, if I am cleared... My offer still stands, you know. It may have been fifteen years but my feelings for you haven't changed at all."

    "Well, it's good to hear that, because I feel the exact same way. I still love you, Sirius. And as for your offer... You don't even have to ask. You should know my answer already," she said.

    "Yes, well, I suppose we'd best get some sleep as well. I'm going to check on Harry before I go to sleep," Sirius said.

    "I'll come with you," Melissa replied, and Harry hurriedly put away the Extendable Ear. He did not want his godparents to realize that he had been eavesdropping. He shoved the ear into his trunk, closed it, and hopped into his bed. He had just pulled the covers over him when his door opened. Sirius stood in the door frame, his arm around Melissa. He looked at Harry, who quickly pretended to be asleep, and then they closed the door and left.

    'What offer?' Harry thought to himself as he closed his eyes. 'He couldn't have meant marriage, could he?' Harry thought as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep.