Family Ties

Sketch The Stars

Joyful screams issued through the halls of Hogwarts as the students raced through the corridors. Lara leaned against a wall, talking amiably with Conrad, even as Luke raced past, wand outstretched playfully toward Marina. "So, where do you normally live?" Conrad asked, shifting his weight to his other foot, sidling away from Lara.

A smile spread over Lara's face as she thought of her quiet room at the top of the manor in Ireland. "Well, Uncle Remus has this estate in Ireland, family estate, of course. That's usually where Dad likes to go." Conrad smiled at her, as she continued, "There's this room up top, like a tower. I sit up there at night and sketch." A dreamy look came over Lara's eyes as she drifted backward. "Uncle Sirius says that Grandmother Lily loved the stars, and she studied them. Did you know that Grandfather James took her up to the north tower to watch the meteor shower?" Lara looked up at Conrad sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm babbling," she finished.

The smile grew larger on Conrad's face, as he turned to look at her. "Are you kidding me? Your life is so much more interesting then mine." Lara moved to protest, but he cut her off. "Your father is Harry Potter! Your mum is Kalli Damia! They defeated Voldemort together, saving us all. That's incredible!" Lara shifted uncomfortably.

Frowning up at him, she said, "If that's what you think, then maybe I shouldn't be hanging out with you," she said softly, turning on her heel. Conrad watched her flounce away in bewilderment.

Running after her, Conrad ducked in front of her. "What'd I say?" he asked, grabbing her hand. "Come on, Lar!" He pulled her to a stop. "Tell me what I did, Lara!"

Stopping abruptly, Lara glared at him. "Because of Voldemort, my father is an orphan. Because of Voldemort, my mum killed her own parents to save herself and the world. Because of Voldemort, I've never met my grandparents. Because of Voldemort, my life has been turned upside down countless times, and I've never even met the bastard." Conrad stared at her in shock. "Don't tell me about how interesting my life is. I'd kill for a dull existence," Lara finished, stomping her foot.

"Okay," Conrad replied, stepping back. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt your feelings," he continued. "Do you forgive me?" Lara nodded sullenly. "I'm so sorry, Lar-"

He found himself cut off, as he reached to grab her, keeping her from walking into a wall. Before he could stop her, she walked straight through the wall, and screamed in surprise. Instantly, Conrad jabbed his hand through, and yanked her out. Her face was ash white, and her breath caught in her throat as she stammered to talk. "Wh-wh-wh!" Her eyes lit up, and she exclaimed, "Wait until Luke hears about that!"

* * *

Standing in the deserted hallways, long past midnight, Luke placed his hand on the wall, and it passed right through. Behind him, Conrad, Marina, Malcolm and Lara waited for him to step through. "Are we sure we want to do this?" Luke asked the children behind him. "'Cause if Dad has to bail us out, we're dead," he finished, turning to look at him.

"If we stand here like a bunch of idiots, we're gonna get caught, and be in trouble anyway," Lara replied, eyeing her brother cautiously. "Are you chickening out?" She asked, taking a step toward him. In answer, Luke stepped through the wall, disappearing from sight. Malcolm followed instantly, then Conrad, Lara, and Marina.

Within the room, Lara felt like a hook flew into her belly-button, and yanked her forward. A Portkey! She thought in dismay. She emerged from the light and her knees buckled, causing her to tumble head over feet. Landing on something warm and not so fluffy, Lara opened her eyes to find Conrad looking up at her, shock on his face. "Where are we?" Lara demanded instantly.

Standing up, she looked around the small home, sparse in furnishings, heavy with dust, it couldn't have been lived in within at least thirty years. Marina landed on a chair on the far side of the room, with a scream. "What was that?" she cried, fear mingling with disbelief.

"A Portkey," Malcolm replied, dusting himself off. "Takes you from one place to another, instantly. Does anyone know where we are?"

Lara pulled herself off Conrad, and began toward the kitchen of the house. "Maybe we can find a clue or something," she was saying. "I wonder-" she screamed with terror.

All three boys ran in, followed closely by a startled Marina. In front of Lara they saw a large kitchen, with a baby cradle in the corner. The name "Harry" stretched across a pillow that laid within. "What the bloody hell?" Luke questioned, stepping forward. "You don't think..." his voice trailed off in bewilderment, not wanting to believe it.

Turning on her heel, Lara rushed from the kitchen, then back to the bedroom. It couldn't be, it just couldn't. All those years listening to Harry say that he never had anything of his parents. In the bedroom, she found a dressing table, scattered with perfumes and makeup. In the corner of the table, Lara found a picture, covered with dust. Luke appeared behind her, his face reflecting in the mirror, fear echoing in green eyes.

Taking the picture in her hand, she brushed away some of the layers of dust, and found herself staring into then face of her father, only with dark eyes. "Grandfather James," Luke breathed, looking over Lara's shoulder. "We're really here," he added, awe in his voice.

"This isn't good," Conrad replied, arching eyebrows in the mirror. "The Potter estate is unable to be found, ever since Voldemort came here." Lara met his gaze in the mirror before them. "We don't even know where we are."

A light flickered deep within Lara's emerald depths, and she grinned. "But we can find out," she said nonchalantly, moving across the room. "Grandmother Lily kept star records for fifteen years, surely she kept them on their way over from Hogwarts."

"Lar," Luke said, beginning to search the room, "You are a genius!" Instantly, everyone was searching the room.

As her hands ran across the dresser top, Lara found another picture frame. Holding it up to her wandlight, she recognized Lily, James, and a small baby sitting in his mother's arms. "Luke," she whispered, not wanting to attract everyone else. He walked over, quickly. "Should I bring this to Dad?" Luke stared at the picture for a long time before he nodded.

"I found them!" Marina called from another room. Luke and Lara turned to find they were the only ones left in the bedroom. "Lara! I found the star charts!" She had them spread out on the dusty table, all three wands illuminating them.

Moving over to look at them, Lara shuffled through them quickly, searching for her wedding day. Upon finding it, Lara searched the paper for familiar constellations. "Found it," she said calmly. "See this, it's the constellation right above Hogwarts. This should be in the far side of the sky. We're no more then a six hour walk from the school." She turned around to look at her fellow Marauders. "What? Uncle Sirius says that I'm romantic!"

* * *

Darkness grew as they started down the street, the Marauders, moving down a street that hadn't been trod on since that night long ago. "Voldemort walked down this street," Luke whispered to his sister. "He walked down this street to kill Dad."

The stars glittered above them as they moved toward the constellation. She shivered, and pulled her robes around her, trying to block the cold. "Just keep walking," she whispered in return. "Don't think about it."

"Do you ever think of Dad as the man that defeated Voldemort?" Luke asked, slipping his arm around her shoulders for warmth. Lara nodded, sullenly. "It's so hard to believe. Dad and Mum are these saviors, and we never knew it," he looked at Lara out of the corner of his eye.

She watched the stars above her head with distant longing. "When Dad told us about the deaths of Voldemort, I never gave it a second thought. I just supposed that it was some other sorcerer, not him and Mum." Luke nodded. "How do you live up to that?" He shrugged, pulling her tighter as she shivered more.

Marina startled them as she touched Lara's shoulder. "Did you hear that?" she asked, fear in her blue eyes. Only then did they notice that Conrad and Malcolm stopped behind them, staring at the woods to one side. A sound issued from the woods, a loud, barking sound, followed by a soft squeak.

"It can't be," Lara whispered. "Phantom noises." Luke nodded. It was the sound of Padfoot chasing Wormtail that night that he betrayed the Potters. Conrad moved forward, as if to say something to the twins, but he was cut off as something dark lunged from the trees to the path. Marina and Lara screamed in terror as it flew straight through them. An icy breeze chilled them to the bone as they tumbled backward.

Something had happened in that split second, something terrible had flown from the trees, directly at them. Conrad lifted Lara to her feet as Malcolm helped Marina, Luke had begun toward the trees. Without thinking, Lara grabbed her brother's arm and yanked him backward. "No," she said, "You can't. You're no match for that..." She stared evenly at her brother. "You can't go in there." Conrad looked at him, the boy, built just like his father. Small, with glasses, and bright green eyes.

"I'll go," Conrad said softly. Luke turned to eye the boy, burly, muscular, and determined, then Luke shook his head. "Luke, no offense, man, but I could take you in a New York minute," Conrad finished, moving toward the dense forest.

A hand fluttered to his arm, and he turned to find himself staring into emerald depths. "Be careful," Lara said softly, her eyes pleading with him, she fought demons within as she let go. Something was in there, something evil.

Alone in the woods, Conrad glanced around, his eyes taking in as much as they could. Fog lay on the ground like a blanket of purity. Swirls cascaded over his feet as he approached a fallen tree, marked with some kind of magic. It glowed harsh blue against the black of the night, it's branches twisted and gnarled. As he approached, he discovered that it wasn't just magic, it was a magician's mark. Stepping closer, he touched it gingerly. Warmth spread over his hand, and traveled up his arm. His heartbeat raced in his wrists as his breath caught in his throat.

"James," he croaked, his eyes closing in realization. The mark had been left for Sirius, that he knew, a secret long kept, something only Sirius could unlock. "I'll get him here," Conrad whispered to the mark, and felt the warmth grow stronger.

A noise behind him made him turn, peering into the darkness, Conrad searched for the intruder. Before he had a chance, Conrad found himself knocked flat against the ground, his arms locked onto the mossy surface. A rough breath in his face made him close his eyes, it reeked of death. No, Death Eaters. Trapped on the floor of the woods, alone with a Death Eater. But as he fought against the force that held him, he realized that it was the same as the noises, and the shape that flew from the woods, it was a Phantom.

"Liberatous!" Lara screamed, wand outstretched. The Phantom flew from Conrad with a terrible scream of agony. "Get up," Lara called, advancing on the Phantom, the light from her wand blinding in the dark.

Conrad found himself at her side before he could respond. "What the hell are you doing here?" he demanded, grabbing her arm. She frowned at him, ignoring his warning stare. "Where are the others?"

Without removing her eyes from the Phantom, she replied, "On their way."

Almost instantly, the Phantom ducked above the beam of brilliance, and zoomed toward them. With a scream, Lara dove toward the ground, Conrad following closely. Another scream echoed in Lara's ears, slowing time to a halt. Frozen with fear, Lara stared as the Phantom passed through Marina, knocking her to the ground. Luke rushed to her, cradling her head in his arms.

Flying to her cousin, Lara felt tears streaming down her cheeks. Marina's eyes were closed, her face ash white, Luke held her close. "It's bad," he whispered, gazing up at the trio above him. "We have to get her back to Hogwarts." Conrad touched Lara's shoulder, trying to comfort her.

Tears streamed down pale cheeks hot with rage, as Lara yanked herself away from Conrad's grasp, and walked a few feet before seeing the magician's mark. "It's for Sirius," Conrad whispered as Luke and Malcolm managed to levitate Marina between them. "I'm going to tell him as soon as we get back." Lara turned back to see her brother, and Malcolm supporting Marina with beams from their wands. "Come on," He finished, touching Lara's arm.

The constellation burned in Lara's eyes as she led the way down the path, her face moist with tears. Next came Luke and Malcolm with Marina, and then Conrad taking up the rear. The path had grown narrow, and the trees loomed on either side, close enough to touch.

* * *

Back at Hogwarts, Kalli awoke, sitting bolt upright in bed. An owl sat on the windowsill, staring at her with wide eyes. She moved to retrieve the letter, and realized that she didn't recognize the handwriting.

Mrs. Potter,

You don't know me, but my name is Melissa Dursley. Marina is my daughter, and she has arrived at your school this year. I know of Harry's lack of relationship with his family, and I would like to be the one that stops this embarrassing hatred that our husbands have for one another. But now is not the time to patch this fraying quilt. As a mother, I am sure that you will understand this letter, which is why I hope that you receive this owl, instead of your husband. I awoke, just a few moments ago with a sense of dread, a fear for my daughter. Over the distance between our home on Privet Drive, I feel her pain, her fear, her dread. I ask that you find her, for she is not on the Hogwarts grounds. And I suggest that you check your own children as well.

Sincerely in hopes of seeing you,

Melissa Dursley

Now that Kalli had fully awoken, she knew that something wasn't right. Lara and Luke must have done something, and now it was up to her to find out what. Without waking Harry, she dressed calmly, and left the room. Up the stairs of Hogwarts, passed the gargoyles at the entrance, up the main stairs to the Gryffindor tower. The moment she passed within the common room, she knew they weren't there.

The boy's dorm was quiet and dark, but Kalli didn't care. Flicking on her wandlight, she began counting boys. Cole Thomas rolled over and groaned at her. "Professor Potter?" He asked. "Are you checking on Luke?"

"Yes, Cole," Kalli replied, "Do you know where he and Conrad are?" Cole looked doubtful, like he shouldn't tell her. "Please, Cole. I need to know, if they're in trouble, then I need to help them."

He sat up, eyeing Robert Wood's bed, as if afraid that he would wake up to hear him rat them out. "Luke said something about a secret room on the ground floor. A walk through wall or something," he whispered, looking up at Kalli. "Don't tell them I ratted, okay? I'm just worried."

A smile spread across Kalli's face as she nodded, "Don't worry about it, I ratted out the Marauders a few times myself." Cole looked surprised, "Harry and I didn't always see eye to eye." Cole nodded, then yawned. "Go back to sleep. I'll find them."

* * *

"What's that?" Came Luke's voice, and Lara stopped cold. In the path before them stood a shape, tall and looming. "Lar?" Luke asked, "Does that look like what I think it does?" His sister didn't move, frozen to the spot, watching the shape glide across the ever-widening path.

Whispers seemed to come from the woods as Lara looked past the creature and at the constellation that was leading them. For the first time, Lara felt true fear, as she stared hard at the Phantom between them and home. Hogwarts couldn't be more then twenty minutes from where they stood, but the path was obstructed. "A Dementor," Lara whispered. "A Phantom Dementor."

From the back, Conrad whispered with hushed anxiety, "We can't just walk through it." Lara nodded in agreement, and pulled her wand. "Lara, you're to weak."

Without paying him heed, Lara took a step forward, and announced, "Patronus!" A lioness ripped through the air, pounding toward the Phantom, leaving a streak of silver from her wand. The Dementor fell and shriveled at the same time, leaving the lioness to leap back into Lara's wand. The girl crumbled to the ground, her breath ragged in her chest.

Sitting on her knees, hands in her lap, she sighed with exhaustion. She remotely felt arms encircle her, lift her from the ground, and begin toward the constellation. Then the world drifted to black, and she fell asleep on a comfortable shoulder.

* * *

Bending down, Kalli picked up a blank piece of parchment, and a shimmery piece of fabric. The fabric slid from the wall, allowing Kalli to reach within. Shaking her head, she raised her wand and said, "I solemnly swear I am up to no good." The Marauders Map appeared on the page, and Kalli frowned. Now, where there was no room, it read "Portkey to Hidden Woods." Despair came over her, as she lifted the map to her pocket. They would never find them there. No one had had been to the Hidden Woods since James and Lily were murdered, Phantoms haunted the trees.

"Where are they?" Harry voice asked from behind her. Turning, she wasn't surprised to find him standing there. Handing him the parchment, she frowned. "Why?" he asked, forlornly.

Shrugging, Kalli stepped into his embrace. "They didn't know," she responded. "When Lily and James were put there Uncle Remus removed it from the map." Harry shook at the mention of his parent's names, he couldn't get over the loss, and the memory of what Voldemort had said to him that last time... Kalli shook the words from her head, feeling his agony. "We can't go there, Harry," Kalli whispered, with dismay. "I can't enter into those woods, my parents Phantoms may be there, and you are forbidden to go, by Fudge."

"Sirius," Harry said, pulling away from his wife. "We'll send Sirius."

Wanting to disagree, Kalli moved to protest. Sirius couldn't enter back into those woods, not after Lily and James. So much had happened that night, most if which was still a secret, so much was misunderstood. Sirius had seen the unholy that night, he'd seen the Dark Lord destroy his best friend, and his wife. And now, Harry was about to ask him to go back into the void of his heart and find the children.

"Harry, wait," Kalli said. "I'll go. Don't send him back in." Harry's eyes filled with trepidation. "He doesn't need to relive those memories, not again," Kalli finished, looking up at her husband. Slowly, she saw the tears start to form behind emerald depths, and he nodded. "I'll be careful," she promised, kissing his cheek, and turning to walk away. But he pulled her back, and kissed her long and deep, a kiss that seared for centuries, brilliant against the darkness she would soon face.

* * *

Halting, suddenly, Luke, Malcolm, and Conrad stared ahead into the impending dawn. To most, this would be a sign of victory. They had survived the night deep within the Hidden Forest. But to them, it signaled defeat, for on the horizon they saw a maelstrom of darkness, the epitome of darkness and cruelty, the Phantom itself had risen to form a wall of Death Eaters, Dementors, and evil. "God," Conrad muttered, under his breath, staring at the wall that blocked them from the school. "The gates must be right through that wall," he said, glancing at Luke from the corner of his eye.

Eyeing the constellation that seemed almost above their heads, Luke nodded. Just through the wall, just past death. "Malcolm, can you carry Marina in your arms and run?" Malcolm thought a moment, and nodded. The boys released their wands, and Marina plopped into Malcolm's arms. "Release the Patronus, and run directly behind it. We will fight our way through this." Conrad and Malcolm nodded, and outstretched their wands.

"Patronus!" all three cried in unison. Three different shapes leapt from their wands. From Luke's leapt the ever familiar stag, from Malcolm's came the hawk, and from Conrad's the lion. The boys rushed toward the wall, wands outstretched, animals before them.

The clash of light was blinding as the animals reached the wall, bursting through the first layer. Screams of agony wrenched their hearts, and fingers grasped their robes. In Conrad's arms, Lara groaned, and opened her eyes slightly. Suddenly awake with fear, she fumbled for her wand. "Patronus," she muttered, and a dim glow started from her wand tip. The lioness leapt from her wand and raced out in front of the waning creatures. It broke through the darkness, allowing warmth to spill over them. As they tumbled from the wall, Luke gasped for air, clearly exhausted. Conrad fell to his knees, clutching Lara close to him.

They heard footsteps, flying toward them, but none of them could keep their eyes open. Falling to sleep, giving up the battle, all three of them passed out of exhaustion.

* * *

"Amazing..."

"I don't know how they did it..."

"An entire wall, you say?"

"I saw it, Ron, I did!"

"They ran right through it?"

"Yes! All of them!"

"And Marina?"

"She's fine, Hermione, really..."

Lara's eyes fluttered open, and she recognized her mother, standing at the foot of her bed. Luke lay to the left, fast asleep. Conrad lay to her right, struggling to sit up. On the far side of Conrad lay Malcolm, pale against the deep purple of the sheets, but clearly alive. The furthest one was Marina, her hair glossy against the shine of the room, her lips tight, and pale. "Mum?" Lara whispered, struggling to sit up.

"There she is," Kalli said softly, moving to sit beside her. "Luke's already joined us a few times. He said you used your Patronus twice..." Lara nodded as she managed to push herself up. "You should be tired then."

Out of the corner of her eye, Lara glimpsed Conrad, talking to a man and woman she didn't recognize. "No, Mum, I'm fine," he was saying, rather annoyed. Lara smiled at him. He flashed a broad grin at her as his mother wrapped her arms around him tightly.

"Go back to sleep," Harry said, touching Lara with his wand. Instantly, drowsiness swept over her, and Kalli laid her back down. "Sweet dreams."

* * *

Standing in Harry's office, the children didn't budge. They were in trouble, they knew they would be, but at the time, it'd been fun. "What you did was irresponsible, and foolhardy, you could've been killed, or worse," Harry was saying as he paced in front of them. "You endangered yourselves, and far worse, you stumbled into a forest that has been condemned for thirty years. Who knows what could've attacked you in there!" Kalli sat on his desk, watching her children as they watched Harry pace like a caged animal.

"We're fine," Lara said.

"I know!" Harry exclaimed, stopping in front of her. "But you may not have been!" he said, ducking down to her level. "I may never have seen you again! I may have lost you! In those woods!" Instantly, Luke and Lara understood. Those woods, where his parents had died, where his world had stopped.

Looking into his green eyes, Lara felt her own fill with tears. On the verge of crying, she whispered, "We didn't know, Dad, I swear." Harry stared at her, then swept her into a hug, holding her close. "We didn't know," she finished, holding him tight.

Luke stepped forward, put a hand on his father's shoulder. "We found this, Dad," he said. "When we landed in the house." He handed his father the dusty frame, and watched the eyes widen. "We found the house, Dad, that's where the Portkey takes you." Amazement in his eyes, Harry turned to regard his wife, who nodded.

"Go on, go to dinner," Harry said, with a dismissive wave. The children filed out of the room, and out into the corridor. Sirius stood, leaned against a wall, his dark eyes searching each face as they filed out.

Upon seeing him, Conrad slowed to stand beside him, and talk to him. The rest of them walked into the Great Hall, and sat down. Shortly, Conrad joined them, sitting beside Lara, and reaching for a goblet. "We almost didn't make it," Luke whispered, staring into his drink.

"We wouldn't have," Conrad replied, looking toward him, then at Malcolm, Marina, and finally Lara. "Thank God you sketch the stars," he finished, picking up a fork.