Sacred is the Windswept Time

Sixteen: Planning Preventive Measures

At dinner that night the rumors that were circulating around Hogwarts about a double wedding were confirmed when Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Xavier Malfoy, and Mr. and Mrs. James Potter were presented. Harry, Lucius, and Severus sat at the Gryffindor table, and Severus and Remus made their relationship public with held hands and a small kiss, and Harry and Sirius sat side by side, fighting for most of dinner until finally Sirius grabbed Harry out of nowhere and gave him the snogging of a life time.

Many girls were surprised and fainted at the sight of Sirius, renowned womanizer being taken off the market by a boy, and there were quite a few guys shocked by the display as well, but dinner went on, though with more rumors rising in the midst than usual, especially about the earlier goings on of the day when Harry Granger and the auror Mad Eye Moody saw to the very public exit and more than likely expulsion of seventh year Gryffindor Peter Pettigrew, one of the marauders, and James, Remus, and Sirius didn't so much as protest in Peter's favor, and the fact that Gryffindors were consorting, befriending, publicly dating, and even marrying Slytherins was big news to the school.

After dinner of course a meeting was called for those members of the staff who were also members of the Order of the Phoenix, and were joined by Harry, Severus, Remus, Moody, and the four newly weds. Once the meeting was called to order in the Headmaster's office, a very irate Minerva McGonagall stood up and made her views very vocally known.

"Albus! I demand to know what is going on right now! Three of my students are married and one of them is married to a Slytherin! How could you allow such young children to marry while they are in your care? What will their parents say? And I hope you intend to discipline Mr. Black and Mr. Granger for that very public display during dinner!" she snapped.

"Now, now, Min, in times of war the rules change. Believe me when I say that when I performed the marriage ceremonies for the Malfoys and Potters that I knew they were destined to be. As for what has been going on, I think I will leave Harry Potter to explain," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling and further serving to annoy Minerva McGonagall.

Minerva looked at the headmaster in confusion for a moment, not sure that she'd heard him correctly and then rolled her eyes. "Harry Potter?"

Harry stood up and then looked around the room, seeing most of the professors of Hogwarts present and cleared his throat. "I am Harry James Potter, son of James and Lily Potter, Heir of Gryffindor, and Heir of Slytherin."

"But that is absurd. James and Lily Potter have only been married for a few hours, how could they have a seventeen year old son who has been in attendance at Hogwarts for the past few months, and how can he be the Heir of Gryffindor when he's a Slytherin, and if this is about that time travel nonsense..." Minerva cut in huffily.

"Twenty years from now there was an accident in Harry's Potions class, I believe we've already been through this, but if I must repeat myself then so be it. His Potions partner mistakenly added thyme to their Sleeping Draught of Prophetic Dreams, and Harry was unwittingly doused with it, and was sent back to this time, which is rather convenient in that he can fulfill the prophecy which Sybil Trelawney had a month before his birth," Dumbledore said.

Minerva looked skeptically from Dumbledore to Harry and shook her head, but Harry sighed and then said, "And either must die at the hand of the other for neither can live while the other survives... That is the last part of the prophecy, and if I kill him now, then I may get to live my life as I was meant to live it beginning three years from now."

"And what if you die?" Severus cut into the silence that followed Harry's words, though it was the question circulating in everyone's mind.

"Well," Harry replied, "We'll get another chance in four years won't we? Now I think we should be getting down to business. Once Pettigrew delivers the message to Voldemort we won't have much time. Riddle's going to make his move soon. He's already getting impatient. Moody, I want all the aurors you can trust brought in on this. We'll need an army. Also bring in Arthur Weasley, I know he's young in the ministry, but he's a good man, and some of the projects he's been working on could be beneficial, for distraction if nothing else. Now what I want everyone to remember is that the main battle is between Riddle and me. No one is to come between me and him, is that understood? No one will be sacrificed for me. Not this time. What happens just happens. As for my parents, I want them put in a safe location, my friends too. I mean it when I say that I want them hidden. If I go into battle and worry about whether I have to save them or not... Well, that is a distraction that I won't need. So does anyone have any objections?"

"I'll say there are a few objections!" James snapped. "I am not going to let you go into this alone! I will be by your side. My son is not going to be sacrificed like this!"

"Dad, this is something that I have to do. I've known this for a long time, and I know what I'm getting into. Wars aren't won with good intentions; they're won with blood and sacrifice. I know the price and it's one I'm willing to pay for you and mum and Sirius and Remus, and for Lucius, his future family, and for Severus. I won't let you go out there with me, and if you try to stop me I'll hex you. I'm sorry but I will, you and anyone else that stands in my way," Harry said, he voice edged with the promise to carry out his threat.

"Albus! This is madness. Yes war is imminent, but we can't have children fighting these battles!" Minerva said.

Albus sadly shook his head and looked at everyone present in his office, students, colleagues, friends, and finally at Harry, knowing that there was no other way. "The boy is right. He has to face this alone. There is no other way. If there were then I would step in and stop him, but this is how it's supposed to be."

"No it's not!" Sirius snarled and took a step towards Harry, glaring at the boy that had so easily stolen his heart. "Harry, you will not face him alone. I'm going to be by your side."

"And what happened to living for today? We've had a good day. Don't ruin it Sirius! I'm not going to have you going and getting killed! Not this time! Never!"

"So I lied, and besides it's not your decision to make! I'm going with you, and that's final!" Sirius snapped.

Harry sighed. "I'm sorry," he whispered, and then lifting his wand said, "Petrificus Totalis."

Harry's parents and friends stared at him as he moved to catch Sirius to keep him from falling directly to the floor and eased him down gently, and the adults were wondering what exactly was going on.

Harry turned to Sorcebaine and said, "I want you to petrify him until the battle is done. The charm I used will only last for forty-eight hours at the most. Wake him up after its over and done with. The mandrake has already been harvested. I trust you to take care of him."

Sorcebaine felt a newfound respect for the boy as he looked at him and nodded. "Consider it done Granger."

Harry then looked up at his friends and parents and said, "So who's next, or have I made my point?"

When they all swallowed thickly or tore away from his gaze he looked to the adults present. "Now that we've got that out of the way I think we should get on with this. We aren't planning a ball, people. This is war, this is what I've lived with for the past sixteen years, and it ends now."

"All right, boy, tell us the plan," Moody said.

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Gazing into the mirror Harry saw himself, almost like it was the first time. Staring back at him was a young man with a hopeless mess of black hair, a handsomely angled face, an infamous scar on his forehead, and bright green eyes that burned with the fires of determination. He was a force to be reckoned with, and as his thoughts turned to Sirius, who would be furious once he woke up after the dust had settled and the final battle was over, he sighed and then felt his resolve strengthen. He was doing this so that his parents, Remus, Severus, Lucius, Narcissa, and Sirius had a chance to live full lives, lives without worrying about servitude or death. Freedom was worth it, even if the cost was ultimately too high.

Harry turned on the sink and splashed cold water on his face and using a towel to dry off, he looked once again into the mirror and said, "I'm willing to pay that price, Riddle, are you? I'm coming, you better be ready."

----------

"How could you stand there and say nothing?" she asked as she looked at her husband, and he sighed.

"Narcissa, he's prepared for this practically his whole life. This is his battle, and no one is going to be able to fight it for him, least of all me, Black, his father, or any of us. This is something he will have to face on his own. He knew this going in and that is why he petrified Black," he replied.

"But, Lucius, he's your friend. There must be something that we can do for him; after all he's done for us, and all he's willing to do. He could die, and it would be for us."

He turned to face his wife, his grey eyes swirling mercury as unfamiliar emotions overwhelmed him, and weakened him, and he wrapped his arms around the woman he'd married and drew her close, needing her comfort, her warmth. "Don't you think I know this? I hate it. He's barely our age and may not live past saving our lives. Whether you believe this or not, I want to be by his side, I want to be there if he falls and needs me, but he won't allow it."

"You care for him, don't you?" she whispered, and rubbed her hand up and down his spine to sooth him.

Lucius pulled back from her for a moment until their eyes locked. "He's the brother I never had and always wanted. He's family like you and Severus, the only real family I've ever known. I don't ever want to lose what I have, what I could have. I would fight for him, with him, if he'd let me. I wanted to say something, but it wouldn't have made a difference."

"I know," she whispered and kissed him lightly on the mouth, until desperately he responded and his intentions grew more fevered as she continued to whisper words of comfort to him.

----------

"Dammit! Why is that boy so headstrong?!" James snapped as he threw himself on his bed and put his arm over his eyes.

He jolted as he felt someone sit down beside him on the bed, the mattress dipping beneath the weight of his bride. He lifted his arm and looked at his wife.

"I think he gets it from you, James," Lily replied, and drew her hand across his forehead, down his temple and cheek, and finally traced her fingers across his lips.

"How can I let him do this alone?" James asked.

Lily took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "What other choice do we have? He's his own man now, and while we may not have been around to see him become the man that he is, we can be proud of him. I wish we could be there with him, but it's not up to us. This is something he has to do on his own."

"I am proud. I'm glad to know the man that my son will become, but he can't face this alone! He can't."

"James, you saw what he did to Sirius. I will do it to you if I have to. He can and he will. This is one time we have to stay out of it. Besides if you go with him and die in battle then how can he ever be born? He's doing this for your...our own good."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it, Lils."

"I don't like it any better than you do," she replied, and laid down next to him, wrapping her arms around him, and then he was holding her and together they laid in bed, falling asleep in each other's arms, worrying over the son that was three years in coming.

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"How Harry ever ended up in Gryffindor is a mystery to me. He's as ruthless as any Slytherin," Severus said.

"But he's brave and honest," Remus replied as they walked up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower together.

"And headstrong and foolish. Which he gets from his father, no doubt. The brains he had to have gotten from Lily."

"Now Severus, James isn't that bad," Remus replied.

"He's still Potter," Severus spat, and then sighed, "And he's the father of one of my best friends. James Potter's son saved my life, and put Black in his place good and proper on more than one occasion. Have to admit I'm glad to know the bloke."

"See, not all Potters are completely horrid," Remus said and then made a face at the statement he'd just made.

Severus smirked. "Already have you admitting that Potter isn't a saint? You've been around me for far too long."

"I agree there," Remus replied and then sighed as his thoughts turned to Sirius and he winced. Severus caught the expression and sighed.

"What is it, Remmy?"

Again Remus flinched. "I can only imagine Sirius once he's revived. He'll be absolutely furious."

"If you ask me the prat practically asked for it. Harry's only doing it for his own good, and having Black in the midst of battle would be rather distracting with as foolish as he is."

"You're right, Harry already has enough to worry about. Sirius would only get in the way. It's for the best, but he won't be any easier to live with once this is all over."

Severus raised an eyebrow. "And why would you be worried about living with the prat. Last time I checked you were mine, and Sirius was into his godson."

Remus' mouth fell open at the crudeness of Severus' comment, but before he could answer the Slytherin was thoroughly keeping his mouth very occupied in a kiss that defied most decency.

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As Sorcebaine worked on the brew that would petrify Sirius Black, Minerva McGonagall was in the headmaster's office, letting him have it.

"Albus! I simply don't condone any of this madness! You would let a boy, supposedly from the future, lead us into a battle that is not meant to occur at least for another three years, and expect me to go along with it? This is going too far! If he is from the future then what he is doing goes beyond all logic. He is altering time and in a dangerous capacity! He is changing the future of our world!"

"Perhaps change is good. He has known horror and pain all of his life. Our world will always be one of fear as long as Tom Riddle is in it. Harry only wants to make us feel safe in our own world; he wants to protect his friends and family. How is that wrong Minerva?" Albus asked.

Flabbergasted, the Transfiguration professor and Head of Gryffindor House could not come up with a plausible answer that could counter the point that Albus Dumbledore had just made. After all, anyone with a shred of sane humanity in them would fight with all they had to protect their family and friends. How could she argue against it?