Fate's Manipulation

Chapter 8

"That was wicked," Ron breathed as he, Hermione and Ginny crossed the campus slowly. None of them seemed to be in any hurry to return to their dorms. This revelation and their bond to Harry led to an innate protectiveness. They knew that this news had to remain their secret, lest they bring danger to their friend and his newly returned mother, but the knowledge of a secret this amazing led them to want to discuss it at length.

Hermione nodded pensively. "We should do something special for them. We obviously can't celebrate in an outrageous manner, but we should let Harry know how happy we are for him."

Ginny looked long and hard at her brother and Hermione. "I haven't much money, but perhaps we could get them something in Hogsmeade. Something small, but meaningful at the same time. We could go now and give it to them tomorrow."

"Hogsmeade?" Hermione's eyes widened. "We might get in heaps of trouble if we're caught!"

Ron rolled his eyes and clapped a hand around Hermione's shoulder. "Who's here to catch us? Hagrid is away and they're all busy there." He waved his hand toward the cottage. "If we're caught, all we have to say is that Dumbledore sent for us. It's bloody brilliant."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "Am I to believe then that you, Ronald Weasley, are only interested in helping to get Harry a gift? Could it be the lure of the forbidden?"

Ron shook his head and tried to look innocent. "I just want to make it better for Harry." He shot a warning glance at Ginny, which then transformed into one of encouragement.

Ginny echoed Ron's encouraging look. "It would be a wonderful thing to do for Harry. Do you have much money, Hermione?"

Hermione nodded. "I have three sickles that I can contribute, but I just don't think that we should go to Hogsmeade." She looked at Ginny and Ron. "Have you any money that you can contribute?" She asked this question in a gentle tone.

Ron flashed her a smile. "As a matter of fact, I do." He rummaged in his pocket and pulled out two gold coins surrounded by a few silver ones. He shrugged and gave the girls a sheepish smile. "I won a bet with the twins."

Hermione looked at the coins and nodded in satisfaction. "This gives us a great place to start."

"I have this." Ginny spoke up timidly and slipped a gold coin into Hermione's hand as well. "Mum wanted me to get some more hair ribbons, but Harry and his mum are much more important."

Hermione met Ginny's eyes, aware of the younger girl's proud bearing and the tilt of her chin. She struggled to find the right words for a few moments. "Thank you, Ginny." She sighed. "Why are we risking this right now? It isn't as if Harry and his mum will see us tonight. They're busy."

Ron merely rolled his eyes. "Yes, but Harry might be back tonight and it would be nice to do something for our best friend." He shrugged, clearly out of words.

Ginny's face furrowed for a few minutes. "I think Ron just wants Harry to know that we're here for him. That he doesn't have to go through all of this alone. We won't get caught, Hermione. We'll be there and back very quickly." She paused for a few moments. "This is such an important thing for Harry. Our support would be a great help."

Hermione let a hugely dramatic sigh escape. "If we're going to do this, and I have no doubt that you both will not be swayed, shall we get started? It will soon be dark and I don't want to be on the streets of Hogsmeade then. It wouldn't be safe."

Ron arched an auburn brow and gave Ginny a smile of satisfaction. That had been much easier than anticipated. "After you, girls," he said grandly, then hurried after their trotting forms. "Hey! Wait for me!"

~*~

Sirius motioned Remus away from Harry and Lily. Mother and son were holding each other tight and Sirius couldn't shake the feeling that they were all intruding. As Remus broke away and hefted the orb, the others soon followed. Snape hovered near Lily and Harry, while the others gathered in a loose circle. Dumbledore and McGonagall looked pensive while Remus and Sirius were obviously much more agitated.

Sirius extended his hand, motioning to the orb that Remus held firmly. "May I?" His voice was hoarse and his eyes glinted with barely restrained tears. Remus nodded. Sirius had suffered as much as Harry had in his own way. Remus offered the orb carefully, afraid that it might shatter if dropped.

As Sirius' hand clasped around the orb, he felt a distinct shock rocket through his body. "Remus?" He nearly let go of the orb, but forced himself to hang on even though the shock intensified. The hands of both men tightened around the orb, but even as their knuckles whitened, they did not dream of letting go.

"I know." Remus' voice tightened in pain. He blinked rapidly, aware of Sirius' discomfort as well. His vision swam for a few moments but then...

"What's this?" His voice took on an excited edge as blue-tinged mist began streaming out of the orb in a small column. The mist rose to eye level before slowly coalescing into a form. The form stayed complete for only a moment before dissipating and spreading throughout the room.

Sirius and Remus stayed focused on the mist even as the form melted away. "Sirius? Could you see him?" Even though Remus knew that the mist had no solid form, he could not resist touching the wisps as they floated in the air.

Sirius gulped and nodded. He shot a wary glance at Harry and Lily. "I saw him," he confirmed in a low voice.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. "What exactly did you see?" He looked from Remus to Sirius and back again.

"James." Both men replied in unison and met each other's eyes in shock. "You saw him too?" They each spared the briefest of smiles for the other, before turning back to the others.

When Dumbledore quirked a silver eyebrow and McGonagall clasped her hand over her mouth to stifle her gasp, Remus moved back a few steps and relinquished his hold on the orb. Sirius cradled it to his chest protectively and nodded in encouragement as Remus began to speak.

"I saw James in profile." His tone was hushed. "It was an older James, what I would expect him to look like today. He was in the shadow of a big man, but I couldn't ascertain any of the other man's features. I got the sense that there were others around." He looked at Sirius for clarification. "Did you see something I might have missed?"

Sirius nodded slowly. His gaze never moved from the orb. "He looked troubled and anxious. There was some sort of danger shadowing him. We have to find him. What if someone else finds him first?" His gaze sharpened on the orb and stress forced his voice to rise in volume as well as tone. "Tell us where the bloody hell he is! Let me bloody well right the wrongs that my mistakes created!"

Remus quickly wrapped an arm around Sirius and absently toyed with the other man's hair. "Stay calm, my friend." As Sirius began breathing more deeply, Remus rubbed his shoulders. "We will find him, my friend. He's out there and we'll bring him back to Lily and Harry, to all of us."

"May you rot in hell if we are unsuccessful," Sirius bit out to the orb. The anger and fight went right out of him with that declaration and he allowed Remus to comfort him. As Sirius turned to Remus, he muffled an apology against the other man's shoulder.

Lily's head snapped up as Sirius' angrily spoken phrase reached her ears. She started to move then thought the better of it and kept her arms securely around Harry. As her eyes moved across the room, she met the level gaze of Snape.

"What does it all mean?" she asked as she searched his black eyes.

Severus shook his head briefly. "I don't know what to tell you, Lily." He took a deep breath and glanced down to the young man entwined with Lily. His eyes became sad as he moved closer to caress her hand gently. His expression turned positively lost when he brushed a fingertip over her wet cheek. With infinite tenderness, he brought a single tear to his mouth and kissed the tip of his finger reverently. Lily's gasp was no surprise to him. Maybe she had never known the depth of his feelings for her.

"Just be happy, Lily. I brought you back here so that you could attain the happiness that he had stolen from you. I cannot stay any longer, but you can find me if you wish to do so. You are always welcome." With that, he turned around and left the dwelling.

~*~

Hogsmeade

When the man didn't answer her question, Claire tried again. "Where did you come from and who are you?" She couldn't keep the tremor out of her voice. This place was full of strange and inexplicable things. The strange shop names, the strangely floating lights, men falling out of the skies, and the fact that her husband and children were missing conspired to have Claire in a highly emotional state. The fact that this man wasn't talking served only to add to her panic.

"Talk to me!" She winced at the stutter that her panic had infused into her voice. She stepped back a few paces and wrapped her arms around herself. Icy panic coursed through her, but she wanted answers before she retreated to somewhere safer. If such a place could be found in this strange village.

Peter looked up at the woman and gulped. When he had first spied her, she had looked of magic, but at a closer look her clothes, her bearing were entirely Muggle. So, what was a Muggle doing here so close to the magic? She obviously wasn't magic, so why did she have this magic aura around her, Peter wondered. It clung to her like a second skin. Something seemed very bizarre about all of this.

He cringed a little as her voice rose. Deep inside him, he assessed her panic and confusion. "I- I came from a long way away. My master," he winced at the use of that particular word, "err...my boss sent me here to investigate something strange."

Claire met the meek man's eyes. "Investigate? Are you a constable?"

He flushed. "Something like that."

Claire latched on to the familiarity of the man's professional position. "Oh thank goodness!" She clutched at his arm. "The lights! The lights float. The shops have all manner of items. It is all so bizarre and so foreign to me!"

Peter bit his lip and wondered how to answer. After a few moments of silence, he felt the tension in the woman increasing again and knew that he had to speak. "Yes, this is a strange place," he agreed. "Where are you from? Can I help you find your way home?" If the dark lord sensed her, she would likely be a Death Eater play-toy and he felt strangely protective over this vulnerable Muggle stranger.

Claire let out a brittle laugh. "If I knew my way home, I would go there." She blinked back tears. "I tried to ring my husband, but someone else answered his mobile. They said that he didn't own the number. I checked the number and it was correct!" She choked off some tears. "My husband and children are missing and I've gone from London to this place." She waved her hand in an expansive gesture. "This place is abandoned."

Peter shook his head. "It isn't. Everyone must be in the shops. It isn't safe to be out in the evening. We need to find you some place to stay."

Claire gave him a long look. "I would like to go home. I don't want to stay here. You haven't explained any of this to me. Where am I and why are these things so different? It's as if this village is out of a bloody book!"

She stopped still, her mouth gaping. As she looked around and took in the man in front of her, everything crystallized. She clutched at Peter's arm. "Do you know a little boy named Harry?"

Peter gasped at her words, torn between wanting to protect her and wanting to grasp this morsel of information. His survival instinct won out. As he nervously fondled a small purse, he gave her a small smile.

"Why, yes I do. Harry Potter he is. Do you know him?" Newfound confidence infused his voice.

Claire gasped for air and clutched her throat. The still night air seemed to roar around her and darkness fell as she began to sag to the ground. "No, it can't be."

With a sudden burst of energy, Peter lunged for the woman. "All right. Easy there." His decision was made for him. "'Ere then. Let's get you a drink or something."

Claire nodded mutely and allowed herself to be led to a pub.

This is my chance, Peter thought as he tried to hide a grateful smile. The idea that he might get a warm meal had him almost giddy. He held the woman's elbow securely and led her to the Three Broomsticks. The atmosphere of the pub would be much preferable to The Hog's Head. With his other hand, he clutched a small enchanted purse given to him by Voldemort. He did not dare use this purse unless absolutely necessary. The dark lord's other minions would see that he would pay for any lapses in judgement.

But this, this was a gift that had tumbled into his lap and he was not going to ignore it. He needed to get information from her, information that he could use to further his place at the dark lord's side. Peter tamped down a rush of guilt that assailed him. It was all about survival, and after the sacrifices he had made, he was entitled. He glanced at his hand and tried not to focus on the hated spot where his finger used to be.

"Come with me." Peter opened the door to the pub and escorted her in. He hadn't the extra energy to conceal himself, so he just pulled his cloak tight over his head. The woman gave him an uncertain look, but whatever questions she may have asked were lost as she surveyed the room.

What was this place? Claire glanced around and tried not to panic even further. The people here were quite unique. They wore all sorts of brightly colored garments. "Robes," she breathed. Her stunned mind struggled to make sense of all the strange happenings in the village. Where was she? Every possible solution was too fanciful, too outrageous to consider.

Claire tried to steady her trembling body as she settled into a chair across from the now cloaked man. Harry Potter. James...Potter? Claire choked on a gasp as she pictured her husband. Glasses, oft-mussed dark hair. Thin but muscular and rangy form. Claire shook her head firmly. It was a coincidence, It HAD to be a coincidence. How many Potters were there in London alone? She could not, absolutely could NOT have somehow traveled to the setting of a book. It was fiction after all! That settled, she let out a small laugh at her fanciful notions. There had to be a logical explanation for this and she would discover it.

"Are you still feeling poorly?" Peter studied the muggle carefully. A myriad of emotions played over her face and he found himself wondering what she was thinking.

Claire set her expression and shrugged, just as a woman came over to them.

"What would you like?" The woman wore russet robes. She spared Claire a small look and studied the cloak-clad figure more closely.

Peter gulped before ordering for them both. "A gillywater for the lady. I'd like a butterbeer. We would also like two serves of your nightly special. What is that?"

The serving woman consulted a parchment. "We've got lamb stew."

"Great." Peter knew that the relief in his voice was easily heard, but he didn't care. The thought of dining well was intoxicating to him. First, he would eat, then he would interrogate the Muggle. Only after he had his answers would he dispose of her. He tried to ignore the rush of guilt at the thought of hurting her.

~*~

James, Hagrid and the now-sleeping children had worked their way back downstairs. Hagrid had disappeared to have a whispered conversation with the barman. All James could comprehend was the urgency in Hagrid's voice. The conversation had lasted just long enough for James to begin worrying what Hagrid might be telling the barman. His beloved giant of a friend was not typically known for keeping a secret well. Perhaps things have changed, James thought. He was started when a heavy hand clamped onto his shoulder and shifted Amanda, whom Hagrid had hurriedly deposited in his free arm.

"Hagrid? Is everything in order? You haven't told him who I am, have you?" James hated to ask the question, but had to ease his mind.

"Never you worry." The hand on James's shoulder squeezed almost gently. "I only told him we needed ta use the Floo."

James nodded and breathed out deeply. Hagrid gathered Amanda back in his arms and brushed her hair back gently. "I been thinking, James, and I think we ought to use the Floo connected to the post office. The Hog's Head has a Floo but it's a rough place, and there might be questions if we flooed to the Three Broomsticks. The post office will be closed now. The only one there will be Joclyn and he's deeply in his cups."

James nodded, focusing only on the small pot that Hagrid held. Now that the time was near, he was panicked. Could he do this? Would the magic come back to him or would he forever be caught between the two very different worlds that had been his life?

Again, he felt Hagrid's hand on his shoulder. "It'll come back to ye, James. Have faith. Ye've still got it in yer blood. You was always one of the best."

James offered a tumultuous smile to the older man. "Always a faithful friend, Hagrid." He took a deep breath and held Adam even more tightly with one arm, while slowly reaching for a pinch of Floo powder with the other. "All right, then. I'm ready."