Hey everyone,
This is another new story and I am very happy with it. It is also a bit of a spin-off from a preview you will be receiving next month in Venquine's Mind. Speaking of that, come next month I would like for all of you to reread this story – or better said long one-shot – and then tell me which of the two you preferred the most.
This because I am sincerely hoping to have either the preview merged with a further part of this story, yet if you think the preview is a better start to the story, then I will simply go from there, which might mean that this story will just remain a story with a similar story plan, yet with a different way of running.
Anyway, enjoy,

Venquine1990

Lunar Search

2nd of June 1999
Hogwarts Great Hall
Harry Potter's POV

I cannot believe it has been a year since this amazing school had been the scene of a horrifying final fight, one that actually ended a war in which hundreds of lives had been lost, in which families were torn apart by betrayal and fear and in which people couldn't even count on the government unless they were on the Dark Side.
Sure a lot has happened and there are definitely still loose ends that need to be tied together, yet I have no doubt that today things will make a good step in the right direction. There had been quite a bit of complaints and protests against this idea, yet I had fought against all of them, determined to see this event through.

And because it had been me who had fought for the sake of this event had it gotten way more people into the school than I had invited, yet if there is one thing I have grown since the end of the war it's an uncaring nature to my fame and a backbone to those who think they can use my fame against me to get their way.
I had called a friend of mine to the front of the event, the doors to the Great Hall and had him charge the doors with runes that would divide those who had come here to mourn and honor their lost loved ones from those who just wanted to say they were at an event hosted by my person and this had caused a lot of trouble.
Several witches and wizards – and especially young innocent girls – had been banished from the room and while the adults had shouted at me and the younger girls and girls my age had used either their tears or their bodies to convince me otherwise, had I kept a façade of calm carelessness before I had told them sternly:

"You have your days to mourn those that were lost to you, I have mine. You witches and wizards took me Halloween, because you'd rather celebrate my survival than mourn my parents' murder and have ignored said murder for a full year in my fifth, I will not let you take me this chance as well. Wait outside and keep your peace."

And while some of the younger girls had been shocked at hearing what I had to say and then questioned their parents, had I turned my back on the whole group, focusing on all those who had lost someone in this fight and told them: "I may not know all of you, but we share one place of loss, honor and union. Let's keep it that way."
And all those around me had nodded at this before starting to mingle, at first a little hesitant, yet slowly but surely the ice seemed to melt around everyone and after a few tales of who had died how, had the conversations turned to more easier topics, such as memories of loved ones from before they had died for our freedom.
This had actually caused a few chuckles as more and more parents and family members shared a few – for the lost loved ones – humiliating stories with each other and finally, after about ten of these have been shared, do I feel as if the welcoming sense of the Great Hall has really enveloped everyone within its perimeter.

I look around, having walked between the groups of witches and wizards all around, getting a few praises from some of those who had come here fully willingly and getting apologies from those who had come here with a bit of trepidation and then get an affirmative nod from my Head of House to which I nod back.
I then move over to the raised platform on which the Head Table had stood only yesterday, but on which is now only the Owl Stand and it only takes me a few taps of my wand on the stand before I have everyone's attention, causing for a silence that is very rare to occur to fall over the people within and outside of it.

I smile at them all and say: "Thank you all for coming. Today it is exactly one year ago that Lord Voldemort was defeated. With his end came also the end of Fenrir Greyback, Bellatrix Lestrange and several other Death Eaters. However, none of us are here today to just celebrate the fact that we are rid of these people.
For their end came with the loss of fifty incredible people, of which I myself knew six. I am not saying that these six were better than the other 44, I am just saying this to prove that my victory did not come without pain and neither did yours. Today, we grieve that loss, we honor their sacrifice and we prove that their deaths were not in vain.
I know this is quite uncommon for some of you as you would prefer to just push pain like this to the side, yet that is not healthy and we shouldn't let such actions weaken what our loved ones fought and died for. And neither do their sacrifices deserve to be forgotten. So please, all of you, join me – in a minute of silence."

And while many look awkward and some of those that look awkward also have a sense of guilt around them, do Hermione and I show the whole group what we want as we clasp our hands in front of us, tilt our heads down and close our eyes. Yet even while I do this, do I not hear anything else happen, which makes me smile.
There are no sounds of shuffling feet, of soft mutters or whispers or even people coughing. And whole there is a strong chance that no one actually has their head bowed like my friend and me am I still very grateful for them following my lead and honoring my request. Then the minute passes and I look back up into the masses.
And the masses happily surprise me as many of them also look up, not all of them having their hands clasped, yet a whole lot of them having either their eyes closed or their heads bowed or even both and I give the entire mass a happy and grateful smile as well as a soft muttered thank you before getting ready to join them again.

Only when I want to, do I get halted as suddenly I see Luna turning to the crowds that are mingling about outside of the hall and the girl happily squeals: "Oh daddy, you made it." And when I look up, do I see Xenopolius Lovegood, a man that sold my friends and me out to rescue his daughter and has been apologizing ever since.
I never denied that I had felt hurt at the betrayal, mostly because it was betrayal that had led to my parents' murder, yet while I am quite sure that I will never be able to fully trust the eccentric man, do I not feel like losing a friend and so my loyalty and care for Luna has never suffered under the decisions I made in regards to her dad.
The man himself, thanks to the wards, is unable to enter the Great Hall, yet Luna doesn't show her displeasure with this as she happily skips over to the man and takes the file that he shows her, smiling widely in obvious gratitude for him bringing it to her before she turns to me and asks: "Can I take the stage now, Harry?"

And while I wonder what this little eccentric little blonde has planned, has she yet to prove me wrong in trusting her and there is also the fact that it is quite obvious that she wanted the file in her hand to get here on this specific day and so I shrug at her and give her a welcoming smile before descending the stage myself.
The sweet lithe blonde skips back through the hall and when she stands before us, she smiles and says: "Thank you all for coming. Your loyalty to all those who made this day possible, whether they fought alongside those who lived or fought alongside those who died, is very much evident as well as appreciated by all those around."
This already makes a whole lot of people smile at the girl, even though the confusion is almost palpable around the Great Hall and then Luna goes on and says: "My daddy and I are known to be eccentric. This is mostly because we don't believe in nothing; we believe in everything. We just never stop believing.
Yes, during the war we got many signs that just believing in something was dangerous, but that didn't stop us and it didn't stop any of those who have been and are here. Because of this do we research and investigate whatever piques our interest, whether it is something other people feel relevant or is something they'd rather ignore.

One of the things that piqued my interest after the war ended was the fact that – even during the war – there were barely any squibs around and I decided, with my daddy, to investigate upon this matter. Turns out, in the last war of the Seventies, 88% of our Squib population moved to the Muggle World and took jobs there.
And trust me, ladies and gents, these jobs made these squibs heroes of the Stature of Secrecy." This amazes and intrigues me as well as many of the others and while I lean against the back of one of the chairs placed around the hall, do I look on as Luna happily waits until muttering has died down before she continues and says:
"These Squibs, a good 456 of them, moved themselves and taught themselves to work at Muggle Mental Facilities, which are the Muggle equivalent to the Closed Ward of St. Mungos, but then building size instead of just a single, enlarged room. And, as it turns out, getting those jobs was a seriously good thing.

My fellow witches and wizards, I am quite sure that many of you remember how some people, especially Muggleborns and Halfbloods and Magical Beings, ended up disappearing from their homes by the hands of Death Eaters never to be seen again, thus causing a strong aura of unease, fear and terror amongst our nation."
A lot of the adults in the room as well as those outside the room, nod at this and Luna says: "Well, apparently, after dealing with them – to put it in Death Eater language – these poor souls were dumped on the front door of several of these Muggle Mental Facilities and the Squibs took them in, keeping them from insane Muggles.
By doing this, the Squibs didn't just save the now homeless witches and wizards, they also protected them from the uncertainty that some of the other inhabitants of the facilities posed and made sure that, in their own fragile mental state, the kidnapped souls didn't accidentally reveal that magic is actually real to Muggles."

This causes a lot of amazed and impressed muttering to ring around the Great Hall, which is silenced as Luna giggles and says: "Now, I'm sure you wonder: Luna, what does that have to do with you wanting a specific file on this specific day? Well, at first, nothing, but after daddy and I researched a few facilities, it meant everything."
This has me both intrigued and strangely concerned, yet not in the ways I have been concerned for matters over the last few years. And while Luna now has everyone's attention, even of those outside of the Hall, does she remain her bubbly little self – even if I can tell that her dreamy state is slightly less there right now.
The girl then continues and says: "We visited several of the facilities during our months of research and while this ended just before last Christmas, did we continue looking into the deepest secrets and hidden parts of the mystery we found within said facilities and now – we have everything figured out and written in here."

This definitely has my interest and makes many eyes looking at the file that Luna raises above her head before she lies it down before her on the Owl Stand and then says: "Allow me to officially start this story. After some small research, did Daddy and I decide to visit the facility of the Squib who was the first of them all to leave.
This Squib was named Amanda Marogery and she started working for Demunitive Institute in 1968, not because she saw signs of Voldemort that she feared, but because it was her family's tradition for Squibs to work in exactly that profession and while her family approved of it, did she still sever all ties after taking the job.
The woman herself definitely understood my curiosity and she was ever so kind to all of my questions, yet it was when she allowed us to take a look at the attendant's list of names and date of arrivals that my daddy and I got the shock of a lifetime. And to then hear that similar attendants were at other facilities was even more so."

By now I feel a strange, pleasant warm feeling that grows from deep within me as I listen to the girl and hear her trying to gently bring what everyone by now can tell is some very unbelievable news and then I decide to make the transition into telling this news a little easier for one of my best friends as I speak up and say:
"Luna, you have always been known for your strangeness and statements that sounded odd and even impossible to be true. Hermione here can vouch for this in regards to the creatures you always believed in. Yet you never stopped believing in that and whenever it came down to it, you were always truthful in your words.
We can all tell by now that this news that you wish to share with us is more impossible and unbelievable than the beings that you believe in, yet we know you, Luna, and we all know that you wouldn't try and sell this to us – especially not today – if you yourself weren't 100% sure of this news being true."

And while many people around me all voice words of agreement and honest belief, does Luna still sigh in relief before giving me an unbelievably cute and grateful smile, one that would have made me want her as a girlfriend were it not for the very satisfying bond that I have developed with Ginny over the last year.
The girl then locks eyes with myself as well as the 4 others she has grown close to since we all met on the train going to Hogwarts for my fifth year and Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville all send her confident smiles back before she stuns us as she says: "My fellow witches and wizards, Death has been cheated several dozen times."
This alone makes Hermione, Ron and me share a shocked look as it had been the Deathly Hallows – and more specifically the Elder Wand – that had actually led to the demise of Voldemort and yet I can only wonder of how the Deathly Hallows could be connected to a mystery concerning Squibs working at Muggle Mind facilities.

Luna then draws everyone's attention back to herself and looks down at the file as she says: "In 1981 Lily and James Potter sacrificed themselves with a special ancient ritual that allowed for their son, our favorite little Seeker, to survive what others did not. However, four days later Albus Dumbledore visited two Facilities.
In one, he placed a young red haired woman with emerald green eyes and in the other, he placed a messy black-haired man, both of who were almost mute due to suffering a special case of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder; the special case being that the post-event regarded them losing their son to horrifying murder.
In 1994 Albus Dumbledore visited yet another Muggle Mental Facility, this time with a woman who had curly brown hair and brown eyes that looked around quite vaguely and with little understanding of what was happening around her. She too was left here with the diagnosis that she had suffered from a severe case of Domestic abuse.
Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this event happened again and again and again after 1995, the first of them being a Hufflepuff we all know and love – and who's coffin the Diggory's found surprisingly empty several months ago – the second of them being just after Christmas in 1995 and the one time after that being – June the 20th in 1996."

And as she says this last bit about my godfather, does she turn her searching eccentric blue eyes on me, her gaze begging me to believe her even though she knows for how long I have been despairing for the chance of this actually being possible, not to mention how hard I tried undoing it in the week after it actually happened.
Because of this do I feel my throat clogging up with unshed tears, yet the look in my friend's eyes proves that, unlike what happened 3 years ago, this time I can actually get my long lost guardian back before my best friend makes me wish I could risk the chance of raising my hopes even higher as he asks: "Even last year?"
And Luna silently nods at him before Hermione asks: "Are – are they – are they here?" And with that, instead of answering, does Luna motion for where her father is still standing and when we all look at the man, does he motion for where a small staircase leads into the Hogwarts Grand Staircase and instantly we hear something.

A large humming of footsteps prove the girl's words true and more evidence is given as a lot of those who have been cast out by the magic of Bill's runes turn to gaze at where the sound is coming from, only to gasp in shock, awe and surprise and instantly I am fully on my feet and dashing through the crowds to the entrance.
And as I reach the large double wooden open doors, does my path get blocked, yet it gets blocked by a man with long black hair that is slightly curly and that has a fringe that falls just barely enough down the man's sharp grey-blue eyes not to obscure his vision and who has a large and loving smile showing on his aristocratic face.
The sight of my godfather, a man I thought I had lost little under three years ago and who's death I still didn't dare speak off with my Mind Healer due to my need to suppress the guilt I feel whenever I think back on that event is one I can barely believe as after all these years I just can't stand the idea of all this being a fake.

Yet then something happens and the man asks: "Willing to finally promise me that you will start using these from now on, kiddo?" And when I look to the man's left, do I see that he has an old mirror with wooden frame in his hand, making it beyond clear that this is really the man I want to believe him to be and breaking me.
My throat clogs up, my eyes turn foggy with tears and my whole body starts to shake, yet before I can move, does Sirius give the mirror to the person behind him before he just gently moves over and wraps his arms around me and just the way that I can feel those arms trembling with suppressed emotions makes me break.
My tears leak out, my mouth starts blabbering a combination of apologies, blessings to whatever deities actually exist and exclamations of how happy I am that the man is alive, how I have missed him and other things that have to do with the man and my time since I believed he had left me by falling through the veil.
All the while, while the man himself also cries, as I can hear by the hiccups coming from his trembling body, does he otherwise keep quiet, reminding me silently yet again why it was this man that I always felt so close to and why it had been this man that had – for the first time since many others – proved me he was an adult I could trust.

Everyone looks at the two of us in shock, awe, admiration, care and happiness, all of them quiet yet the emotions they feel – especially the happiness they feel for us being able to reunite – is strong enough in the air to almost be as palpable as other emotions had been earlier and for their silence I am very, very grateful.
I cry and cry and cry some more, even if I have stopped making my exclamations and just mutter a repeat of them from under my breath whenever I can as the exclamations had taken a lot of my breath away and my clogged-up throat certainly isn't helping yet while getting over the loss, do I also feel as if I am helping Sirius as well.

"I would love to keep holding you, Harry, but because of her nervousness of this news not coming over as believed, she missed out on explaining a whole lot more of the things that the others and I helped her father and her find out." Sirius then suddenly mutters softly and while holding him, do I still nod in understanding.
The man then wants to take a step in, yet gets blocked by Bill's Runes, making me send the elder redhead a desperate glance and the Curse Breaker himself smiles guiltily as he moves over to where he placed his runes and says: "Sorry Sirius, but Harry wanted the party in here to remain between those that had actually lost someone here."
The man nods with a gentle smile, yet instead of the ward falling, does it become a sheen of magic that – even for my untrained eye – looks different and Bill says: "There. Now all those supposedly dead and their loved ones can get through the wards. Sorry people, but your reasons for coming here just aren't honorable."
And while some of those who now stand in the Entrance Courtyard look insulted, do most of them look understanding, yet what amuses me is that it is mostly the kids who look as if they agree with the eldest Weasley kids and some of these kids even send the angry adults condescending glares, changing the anger into guilt.

Sirius then moves me to be besides him with one of his arms holding me in a one-armed hug and while I would normally feel a bit embarrassed, do I now just feel overwhelmed with my need to keep the man close, most assuredly out of an irrepressible fear that the man will vanish if I let go of him or let him out of my sight.
The man then moves us both over to the Owl Stand and asks both Luna and the group that followed after him as well as the girl he looks at: "Is it okay if I go on where you left off, Luna-girl?" The girl herself has a larger smile on her face than I ever saw, which is obvious proof of how happy she is for us and then nods.

Sirius takes her place and while I quickly summon a chair to take a seat in next to the man, does he take a deep breath and say: "I'm quite sure I know what most of you are thinking. If Dumbledore was the one to save all of these people – all of our loved ones – from having died, then why did he lock them away afterwards?"
This actually makes a few of those around us share shocked and confused looks before Sirius sighs and says: "I am sad to say that it is because – of the reason I was murdered almost a full 3 years ago now. A prophesy made by Sybill Trelawney in the first half of 1980 and which had been spoken in front of Dumbledore himself.
The problem is, if it had been made in front of anyone else, then all that Luna and her father found out would have come to light years before and both the end of the first war as well as everything about the last war would have been very different. Yes, ladies and gents, the prophesy spoke of a Dark Lord, but not Voldemort."

This shocks practically everyone around, yet mostly Ron, Hermione and myself and then Sirius goes on as he says: "I know a lot of you are probably thinking me to be absolutely crazy to even insinuate that Dumbledore was the actual Dark Lord spoken off in the prophesy, yet if you will allow me to explain everything, you will agree."
The man then takes a deep breath and pulls a single purple and auburn red striped choker from his pocket, yet while at first I feel like it's just an average choker, do I then tilt my head as I feel some strange kind of magic coming from it and the way that a gold little pendant hangs from it makes it look more like a collar.
"This – is a Silent Obedient Collar. It is a form of the darkest form of magic, one that is only a few stages under the Unforgivables, yet it also has the same sentence attached to whoever uses it on another person. This Collar has been on my neck – since I was 12 years old when my brother Regulus became a Snake."

This shocks everyone in the room and Sirius nods before he says: "To make matters worse, my first order from the man was to bully both my brother and Severus Snape into becoming Death Eaters. The problem is that Silent Obedience Collars affect their wearer in such a way they believe the commands to be their own thoughts.
Because of this am I willing to take – at least – some of the responsibility that comes with all I have done and the effects that were caused by my actions. However, I was not the first to be collared like this and ordered around in ways that ruined not only my own life, but those of those I – or others – cared about.
I was three of three. The second – was my best friend, Remus, who was actually collared at age nine, on the same day Dumbledore convinced him that he was still eligible to go to Hogwarts when he turned eleven. However, the first order Dumbledore gave Remus will surely convince all of you that Dumbledore is indeed evil. Remus?"

And while I am flabbergasted at all I heard, especially Sirius' admission that he was willing to take partial responsibility for something he was manipulated into doing as well as beyond relieved that Teddy can still get the chance to be raised by his actual parents as the father of the little boy steps up and takes his friend's place.
Instantly a single look on the man's face says it all and proves that he does indeed have the evidence that will prove Dumbledore to be a Dark Wizard, which worries me as I have been having this lingering bit of doubt about Dumbledore ever since the end of my first year after talking with my friends in the Hospital Wing.
The man then starts to speak and say: "As most of, if not everyone, of you would probably know, I have been loyal to Dumbledore for years out of the gratitude that I have always felt for the man allowing me to attend Hogwarts as a student regardless of my condition as well as keeping my secret the entire time.
However after finding out what Luna, her father, the others and I found out about the old man, I can honestly tell you, my loyalty to him went down the drain faster than Nox can take out a light. The first order Dumbledore gave me after collaring me – was directed at my inner werewolf and made my mother end up as she is."

This makes many look at the group of those who came in here just now and my heart almost sinks down to the Chamber of Secrets as the woman is seated in a wheelchair with what looks like a permanent cast around her arm, with one of her hands actually missing and with her left leg ending above her knee.
The woman also has three scars running down from the left side of her forehead down to her eye, which is patched close. All in all, it's beyond clear what happened to the woman and then Mrs. Weasley gasps: "Remus no. Don't – don't tell us that – that Albus – that he ordered you to – to do – that?" And Remus nods silently.
Shock goes through the entire room and Remus says: "Please understand that Albus followed this order with another that made it so that, after I woke the morning after that full moon, I didn't even remember what happened that night and that, after my collar was taken off, I remembered it all with crystal clarity.
Also understand that, if it weren't for my mum and my friends, I wouldn't be here today telling you this. I was devastated by what I had done and how it had been someone else who could control the wolf within me better than I could and it made me feel as I hadn't deserved to have been saved and kidnapped by Dumbledore's spell."

This makes me stand up to hug the man and while the man wraps a grateful arm around my form, do I whisper four words I am sure will convince the man never to think like that again: "Your son needs you." And while the man stiffens at hearing this, does the way he then relaxes his hold on me make me feel confident in my success.
The man then sighs and lets go off me before he turns to the crowd yet again and says: "However, like Sirius said earlier, I was only the second of the three people that Dumbledore used this collar on and we discovered who was the first he used this on – from the portrait of Armando Dippett in the headmaster's office."

Instantly everyone looks shocked and curious and Remus sighs as well as takes a deep breath to steady himself before he says: "First of, understand that, as if this moment, Dumbledore's own portrait is under spells to keep him from hearing and seeing what we do as well as speaking out as we don't trust him not to try and stop us.
Also, understand that us asking Dippett about this was a hunch that Luna really didn't want to see become a reality and that our research took a real blow as we needed time to get past this before we could continue. Now, the first time one of these collars was seen – was on Tom Marvolo Riddle 2 days before the first Chamber attack."

And instantly my mind feels blown and my heart feels like it just saw the reflection of a Basilisk stare as I feel heavier with shocked and horrid emotions than I have ever felt, even when we had our one hour break during the final battle and I saw all those who had supposedly died for the sake of defending Hogwarts.
My eyes tear up yet again and then Ginny asks: "So – so – so everything Riddle did to – to become Voldemort – was whispered to him by that Collar?" Remus nods and says: "Luna actually managed to gather memories from several people who knew Riddle and we were able to cast Legilimency on Riddle while viewing the memories.
In each of them we found thoughts that were covered by magic that we constantly managed to trace back to the collar around his neck. So yes, Ginny, everything Riddle did in his path to becoming Voldemort – was done by Dumbledore's manipulations. And I know what you're all thinking, but it's about to get worse."

"How could it possibly get worse? Dumbledore caused the first war, he caused hundreds of deaths, he caused a decade of fear and uncertainty, he caused thousands of bonds to have been broken by betrayal and distrust. And the entire time he was considered the man who was fighting his hardest to undo all of that. So how?"

One of the people who had come to weep for his loved one dying last year states, a lot of those around him voicing their agreement and then Sirius again retakes the spot on the Owl Stand as he says: "As most of you probably know, Voldemort had these things called Horcruxes in which he hid parts of his souls away."
The man who spoke nods and Sirius says: "Because he made as many as he did, the magic of the collar actually vanished into his skin and, after making more than four, the collar got a secondary role, that of keeping as much of his original soul together and within his battle as possible. This means that, when his body got destroyed –."
And instantly I get how this could get worse and I mutter: "The collar was still part of his existing soul and thus became part of his new body." Sirius nods and then Remus says: "Yes, and apparently he send a whole stash of orders to the collar on the 29th of June 1997, a day before his death when he was sure Voldemort was asleep.

So yes, Ladies and gentlemen, all of Voldemort's actions, both after his first defeat and after his return, were all manipulated into him by Dumbledore. However, we researched the collars as well and found one vital particle of the magic itself. If the wearer does not have an instinctual desire to believe the orders, they won't follow them.
This, while it makes me feel absolutely horrid over what I did that one full-moon night, is also the reason why Sirius is willing to partially take responsibility of his actions against his brother as well as the former Headmaster and why we should never grow to believe that Voldemort is just another victim of Dumbledore's work.
He may have been manipulated into taking the actions, yet he himself never regretted taking the actions and I wouldn't even be surprised if he even further thought out the ideas and orders given to him by the collar. Dumbledore is dark and a manipulator, but that should never take away the darkness that is Lord Voldemort."
Here a lot of those around us nod and mutter their agreement with this sentiment, yet I can just tell that the man is just trying to give us a bit of levity before revealing more bad news and while I am grateful for the man's caring nature and his desire to do this, do I feel needy to hear all of the bad news and so I cough and say:

"Sirius, Lupin, I'm sorry, but even with how horrid everything is that we just heard, I – I just don't believe that all of this took Luna a full year of researching and preparing for this event. What else is there?" The man sighs, while some of those around me look at each other, shocked at the idea of there being more and then says:
"You're right, Harry, there is more. The reason Dumbledore ordered Sirius to bully Severus and Regulus to join the Death Eaters – was because he had sensed his collar merging with a more sentient part of Voldemort's person. He knew Voldemort had Horcruxes and knew this for 24 years before he actually revealed it."
This shocks me and then another man asks: "Wait, you mean to tell us that Dumbledore knew that Voldemort was still alive, yet didn't actively fought us into believing otherwise after Halloween? That he tricked us into believing ourselves safe and free from war for 13 years? That he basically lied to us about our enemy?"
And I decide to be the one to bring some levity this time as I say: "That he pulled a Fudge." And while the man looks shocked at hearing this, does it take only a second before he says: "Exactly." Yet while the man rallies others to get angry over this, do I feel my eyes straying to someone very close to me who is directly involved in this.

Ginny's complexion is whiter than snow, making her freckles stand out like blood on her face while she is trying her hardest to show a solid front, are her clasped hands trembling with terrified shock in front of her, making me hate the fact that Dumbledore never destroyed the diary that utterly ruined her first year here.

"And now a few last things we were able to uncover that we feel need to be told. Yes, it is true that we found more, yet this event has been postponed by our news for long enough and I personally believe these bits of news will affect those who organized this event the worst and I don't want to emotionally hurt them too much."
Lupin then says, making my three friends and me look at the man and he sighs before he asks: "Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny, could the four of you please get over here and then stand with your backs to me. I will explain why once we are done." The four of us share a worried glance, yet still nod and move over.
I stand on the far right with Ginny besides me, her hand trembling with suppressed emotions in mine while Ron holds onto her other hand and gives it a reassuring squeeze and Hermione stands beside him while we all stare at the masses with slightly worried expressions, even though Ginny tries hard to hide her own emotional pain.

Then suddenly, after I sense the presences of Sirius behind me and Ginny and realize that Lupin must have taken place behind Ron and Hermione, do I suddenly yelp as I feel something being pulled out of the back of my scalp with severe force and my yelp is joined by yelps and shouts of pain coming from my three friends.
All four of us turn to look at the two adult men and my eyes widen as I see Sirius holding a few hairs in both hands, a bit of red hair in the hand he must have used to pull at my scalp and messy black hair in the hand that pulled hair out of Ginny's scalp and Remus has the same, brown hair in Ron's hand and red in Hermione's.
"Yet another act of magic that is as illegal as an Unforgivable and yet, at the same time, another act of magic cast by Dumbledore. Ron, Ginny, Hermione and Harry, am I right to believe that all of your crushes for each other started in the same year Dumbledore got cursed and later died in?" And to my shock, do all four of us nod.

The man nods back and says: "This hair that we pulled out of your scalps is a form of magic that starts by being ingested like a potion, yet overtime it grows a bit of hair at the very center back of your head, where the follicle is most closely connected to your nerve system and where it can influence your belief and feelings for the other.
Dumbledore didn't just collar Remus, Voldemort and me, just to order us around as he desired, he also drugged you four to fall for each other." And then Remus makes things even worse as he says: "And not just that. Ron, your imbedded hair is covered in a smudge of Dominatrix Potion that flows up and down your hair endlessly.
It would flow down one end, flow back up the other, enter your follicle and leave a small bit behind in your nerve system to send to your brain before restarting the process, the journey up and down allowing it to refill itself to full. And trust me, Mr. Weasley, a Dominatrix potion is part of the Top 10 worst Draughts Worldwide."

"What does it do?" Ron asks and Remus sighs as he says: "It usually differs slightly with each recipient, yet the results are usually the same. Either the recipient manages to make his wife completely submit to him as a slave or the wife resists the recipient, usually resulting in the recipient killing the wife due to the draught.
And your batch, Ron, I can tell it was supposed to make you dominate Hermione in such a way – and I mean no offence with this – it would have turned her into a House-wife with the desire to fulfil your needs every night and to birth you an heir at least once a year, though it doesn't seem as if Albus set a specific number of heirs desired."
This shocks us all and then Mrs. Weasley asks: "So, if – if that potion had – had continued its work, then – Hermione would have lost all of her reason to continue her reputation as smartest witch of her age, would have given up on any possible dreams she had and could have, if it had succeeded, died in child's birth due to exhaustion?"

And while I hurriedly summon a chair to stand behind my friend, who herself looks ready to faint and does indeed sag down into the chair, does Remus look absolutely devastated as he nods, causing for the entire hall to minimize the amount of oxygen still left in the Great Hall as they all gasp in shock, disgust and silent fury.
"Isn't there anything we can do? I mean, yes, Dumbledore is dead and he's just a portrait now, but – but surely we can't just leave him hanging there as if he never did anything wrong?" Yet Sirius sighs and says: "I'm sorry, Ron, but even my ancestor, while being the most hated Headmaster ever, still hangs up there."
My best friend looks furious at this, but then suddenly a sound, while distant, sounds through the entire castle, making all of us look at the side of the Entrance Courtyard before George asks: "Was it me or did that sound like a wooden item falling onto a stone floor?" And instantly I am rushing for the Great Hall doors.

Ginny, Sirius and Remus as well as a few others rush after me and I dash for where the gargoyle leading to the Headmaster's office and to my shock does the huge statue actually move the minute we reach it, the spiraling staircase actually already in place and allowing us to rush up it and dash into the office it guards.
We look around and then Sirius motions for something just off of the desk that McGonagall brought in after she took charge as Headmistress and to all of our shock do we look at a steaming white bearded, ancient looking man, who would have probably been glaring at us if it weren't for the black blindfold covering his eyes.
"You were correct, little Heir of mine, were it not for the fact that my actions in regards to one generation of students never ruined the past, present and futures of a following generation, let alone several dozen of them. Dumbledore over there is guilty of that in more ways than one and as such, Hogwarts has spoken.
That man will nevermore be known as Headmaster anything, let alone as any kind of leader. From now on, whenever someone speak of him within these sacred halls, they will speak of his known crimes and only when four generations after your little godson have passed away will his positive accomplishments be mentioned again."
Phineas Nigellus then tells us, yet I can just tell by a single look at the man in the portrait that he isn't willing on letting something like that happen and I think: "The only way to stop him from being able to do anything is to destroy his portrait. But, well, seeing all he has done, we can't just simply cast a fire spell at his portrait."

Yet this thought makes me suddenly remember something and I turn to smirk evilly before I turn to Ron and ask: "Hey mate, how much would you bet that our little problem on the seventh floor is still going?" And while my voice draws the attention of the blindfolded bastard, does it take Ron only a second to get my hint.
A similar grin grows on his face as he says: "You know, if it weren't for the fact that that problem is made out of what it is or I would have been sure that I would have won that bet. However, what say you that we get my brother for safe security, have him contain our little problem and then send that bastard to an early death?"

At this I want to smirk with ingenious mirth when I hear an angry thrill of personal insult and when I look beyond the portrait, do I see Fawkes sitting back at his old perch, shocking me and making me ask: "Fawkes, what – what are you doing here?" And the portrait of Armando Dippett answers: "Fawkes is Hogwarts' phoenix.
He vanished when Dumbledore died and because of the man being manipulated by Dumbledore did Fawkes not recognize Snape as a true Headmaster, yet he returned when Minerva took charge. And, if I have to go by how he looks, do I believe that Fawkes feels insulted that you'd rather use another source of fire over him."
This makes me smile at the Phoenix as my mind supplements me with a method of getting everyone's wishes fulfilled as I say: "Don't worry, Fawkes. We'd love to use you to burn the old bastard. It's just that that wouldn't be a form of poetic justice. However, I do know of a portrait of a very dark witch you can burn if you want."
And while my godfather looks at me with eyes wide with amazement does the Phoenix let out a happy thrill making me smile as I purr: "Yeah, you know who I mean. Go ahead and have some fun, old friend. We'll manage things here." And with that does the Phoenix let itself be engulfed by fire before vanishing from his perch.

I smile at the sight of the Phoenix leaving for London and then cross my arms as I say: "And now for you." Which is followed minutes later by Bill, Ron, Sirius, Remus and me arriving at the Seventh Floor corridor, Hermione having stayed in the Great Hall to help comfort Ginny while we levitate the portrait behind us.
Ron and I share a bit of an anxious glance as we stand in front of the door of what we believe is now a raging inferno, yet I take a deep breath and say: "Listen Bill, I won't deny that this won't be dangerous, yet seeing the situation and all the facts, this is just the most poetic way to get rid of what is left of this old man.
So please, prepare for the worst and keep us safe while we dispose of him." The eldest of the Weasley kids looks highly concerned, knowing I won't call something dangerous unless it was really serious, yet being the professional that he is, does he nod at me and keep his wand at the ready as I start pacing the wall.

"I need the Room of Hidden Things in its current state. I need the Room of Hidden Things in its current state. I need the Room of Hidden Things in its current state." Goes through my mind as I pace the wall and just by the time I pace it the third time, do I already feel a dangerously searing heat coming from the door.
This makes Ron take a step back and while I move back myself with fearful determination, do I then focus on again levitating Dumbledore's portrait, the man within it silenced and charmed to aim all of his gazes away from us, making it so that his hard blue eyes are no longer twinkling as they try to send disappointed gazes our way.

I ignore the man trying to make me feel as if I did something wrong and then decide to have a little fun. I motion with my wand for Ron to take over the levitation spell and after my confused friend has done so, do I give a wave with my own wand, causing for a mirror to actually appear next to the man in the frame.
The man's eyes widen and while Sirius opens the doors, the three adults gasping as they see the inferno that is the FIendfyre cast by Crabbe last year – the same in which he himself perished – before Bill takes action and starts casting spells to keep the fire within the room, do I then take over the levitation again and say:
"Eyes are the window of the soul. Let us only hope that that last disappointed gaze has taught you something – for when all of you ends up in the afterlife, that is. Have fun being consumed by that which you tried to control the hardest, old man. And don't worry, Hogwarts is in perfectly fine hands – even without you."
And with that do I throw my arm over my shoulder, my wand following the motion and causing for the portrait of the ancient man to end up in the room, the man's scream silenced yet still very much showing on his face the flames turn their sentient attention to his wooden frame and Sirius locks the door behind him.

For a moment does a wave of intense heat filled with all kinds of emotions that make me repress a shiver come from where the room had been earlier before the door disappears all together and after we all take a deep breath of relief, does Sirius sigh before he says: "You know, it is kind of sad we lost that room to that spell."
Yet Ron and I share another look and then I move over, Sirius and Remus looking worried, yet I start pacing with a peaceful smile aimed at them as I think: "I need the room without the fire. I need the room without the fire. I need the room without the fire." And with that does the door reappear, but then without it feeling hot.
This makes me smile, yet while I keep my wand at the ready, does my smile widen when I open the door and see the incredible, church-like room in perfect state with all of the clutter yet again filling the room to the very tip of the ceiling in several unruly piles, yet just seeing it makes me realize something and I turn around and ask:

"Wait, did you find Crabbe in one of those institutes?" And the two adults nod before Remus says: "We did, but we decided to leave him there. He apparently managed to get himself a position of exercise instructor to several divisions of the facility we found him in and he seemed so happy with his job, we just left him there.
We did warn the Squibs who work there of his past endeavors and they did make a comment about him having shown signs of such behavior at first, yet apparently he just loves tiring others to the point of fainting and still getting good results so much, he has actually outgrown the desire that came with his kind of upraising."

This shocks me, yet also makes me feel relieved and I let my mind go over all of the people I saw be part of the arrived group of resurrected loved ones and then I realize I missed one and ask: "What about Moody?" And Remus shrugs as he says: "Same story. He felt safe and content and we felt he deserved the peace."
This makes me nod at him and then Ron snickers and says: "I guess that means we need to take a quick trip back to the Forest of Dean." And while I agree with my best friend, do we then leave the rest of the room to Bill and Remus to content with and with Sirius by our side do my friend and I make our return to the Great Hall.

Yet when we arrive there, do we get a shock as we see a portrait hanging right above where the Head Table would have been had it not been for this event and the portrait itself is talking with my mum, making me feel stupid for not thinking about the fact that I finally have her and dad back as well, but then the portrait asks:
"Are you actually serious?" This confuses me, but then Sirius moves over and asks: "Told him the truth?" And mum nods before she asks: "Did you?" But Sirius shakes his head and says: "Didn't get the chance, controlling Dumbledore kept us busy until we took care of him and we came back here right after that."
The woman nods and then Ron asks: "What are you talking about?" And Sirius sighs with his eyes closed as he says: "Something I myself didn't find out until after Luna and her dad got me out of the facility and undid my collar. Something I know, had it not been for Azkaban, I would not have been ready for."

This confuses and worries me and then mum smiles at me as she says: "You sure were happy to see this old dog again." Yet before I can open my mouth to apologize, do I see her gentle, well-meaning smile on her face, making me wonder why she doesn't feel hurt or betrayed and the ginger-haired woman goes on as she says:
"I really don't blame you, Hadrian. Sirius is the one you would instinctually turn to regardless of what happens and the reason behind that is what I just told Severus and what I'm sure Sirius will tell you soon enough." This worries, but also makes me feel a little better and I smile gratefully at the woman before Sirius asks:
"Harry, kiddo, care to come here for a minute?" And when I look up, do I see that Sirius is over at the door to the antechamber. Here I share a look with my friends, but then mum says: "Go to him, Hadrian." And while I wonder why she calls me that, does her gentle smile convince me into moving over to the man.

Sirius himself has a warm smile on his face as he holds the door open for me and after he closes it behind himself, do I ask: "Is this about what was just hinted at?" The man nods and I can't help but ask: "What was that about anyway?" The man sighs, proving me that whatever it is, it's something really big and he says:
"Harry – Hadrian – let – let me put it this way. If this info had gotten out at any point after I escaped Azkaban, it would have held much more ground if you had vouched for me, plus Molly wouldn't have dared half of the things she tried – I think of Dumbledore's orders – to overthrow me and take my role as your guardian like she did."
This reminds me of the argument that happened between Mrs. Weasley and Sirius on the first day of my stay at the Order of the Phoenix Headquarters and while I still feel a slight sting of anger at the reminder, do I ask: "So, whatever this news is, it would have given you a stronger right to raising me than just you being my godfather?"

Sirius nods and I curiously ask: "What is it?" To which the man cringes and asks: "Harry, do you trust me? I'm not asking this out of concern, I'm asking it because I remember our last conversation, what it was about and how it ended and I – I just need to know that things like that – that they won't change things between us – like this news will."
This really makes me feel worried, even if I too remember our last conversation before the man died being about him and my dad having been real bullies when they were around the age I had been back then and while frowning at first as I feel troubled about the memory of that conversation through the fire, do I then say:

"Sirius, I – I really had to do a lot of growing up in the years that followed that conversation and – and after seeing you die, that conversation and the way I felt about it, it – it just felt so stupid and irrelevant. However, the war – and especially how various groups behaved during it – really helped me learn something important.
As you probably remember, during that argument you had with Mrs. Weasley, I asked why it was wrong for you to speak of me like I am my father. Yet, I am not my father and – and when we had our conversation, I was mostly angry, because – because I had been working for so long to be something my dad would be proud of.
However, I – I now realize that, at that time, I wasn't trying to be something my dad could be proud of, I was trying to be my dad and the idea that I was supposed to be a bully to be like him. I – I couldn't stand that thought. But, like I said, I'm not him and – and the war has really helped me accept that people like him; they exist.
I – I'm not sure if I'll ever have peace with who my dad had been in his youth, I had been raised with too many bullies surrounding my youth and life for that, I think, but I am old enough to know that, in the end, it really doesn't matter who my dad had been back then. It's not who he is now and I'm sure he can make me proud."

"I sure hope I can." Sirius then suddenly mutters, yet I still hear him regardless of how hard he obviously tries to speak it near soundlessly and I turn to the man in shock as I ask: "Wait – what?" Yet while the man doesn't reply, does he still smile at me, his face filled with love, awkwardness and a strong need to be accepted.
Instantly I get everything. Why mum called me Hadrian. Why mum would feel the need to tell Snape this before anyone. What she meant with me instinctually being drawn to Sirius above all others, regardless of the situation. Yet before one thing that I suddenly realize can be uttered, does Sirius speak up and say:

"I can never thank her for the decision she made for taking you in – or your actual birth mum for not telling me she was pregnant with you and that she had decided to give you to Lily after hearing that Lily would give birth to a stillborn child while she herself had gotten pregnant with you two months before Lily did."

This shocks me and I ask: "Wait, - eugh, why did I even still think she was my mum? No way would you betray your friendship with James by sleeping with his wife behind his back." The man smiles and then asks me one question I'm not sure I'm ready to answer, but that also makes me very excited: "Ready to meet your mum?"
This makes me become rooted to the spot and Sirius instantly notices this as he smiles at me before he asks: "You want me to go and fetch her instead?" And while feeling like a bit of a coward, do I still nod and Sirius nods in caring understanding before reopening the door and yet again closing it behind him as he leaves.
Seeing the door close behind the man that is my actual father makes me calm my tense form and I sigh before I look down and think: "Sirius – is my dad. Sirius is my dad. Sirius is my dad." Yet even though I think the thought over and over again, do I still have trouble believing the statement, which makes me teary eyed and think:
"Why? Why can't I accept this? Why is it so hard for me to accept that the one man who has always been there for me as my actual father? Why do I feel stuck in the belief that he is my godfather instead of the man that helped create me? Why can't I accept the transfer of birthing rights from James Potter to Sirius Black?"

Yet while I think these troubling thoughts, do I not notice how they have an effect on my body until a soft female voice from which I can actually recognize certain timbres that I sometimes have in my own voice when calm sounds from the doorway and asks: "Hadrian? What's wrong? Are you alright, little one?"
And this makes me look up, only then realizing that my eyes are filled with the wetness of tears, yet the woman I see standing with Sirius make it very easy for me to see what I would have looked like had it not been for whatever magic that was cast on me to make me – more or less – look like James Potter's clone.
The woman herself has a slightly slimmer form than mine, but I do have her shoulders and she actually has the same thin legs as I do, yet with a stronger looking pair of knees. The woman has a very distinct shape of face, has aquamarine blue eyes and has softly puckered lips that are the same color as my own.
These similarities between me and the woman before me shock me as they prove that only a minimum amount of magic had been used to change my looks – which was probably to make sure the magic itself wouldn't be picked up by Dumbledore – yet it's not enough to make me forget about the pain my earlier thoughts brought me.

I look between the woman and Sirius and then lock eyes with Sirius and while hating how I am about to break his heart, do I say: "I – I can't do it. I – I can't stop thinking of you by your first name. My – my mind just won't adjust to the fact that you're my dad and not my godfather." Yet the man's response really shocks me.
Sirius smiles at me and moves over to wrap me into a one-armed hug before he looks close into my eyes and says: "Of course your mind won't accept a change like that so easily. Harry, you have been on your own practically since Halloween when you're one and even news like this won't change such a fact, you know.
Harry, I know you rely on me to a certain extent and I know I mean a whole lot to you and I feel really honored for that, but we both know that, even as godfather, I just didn't get enough chances to help you see past that instinctual belief. So don't expect this news to do so either. Such things take time and now – we have that time."

And while I had felt horrible for saying what I did, do I now have tears of gratitude running down my face and I wipe them off before showing how much better I feel for Sirius saying this before the man changes my gratitude to excitement as he snickers and asks: "Now, are you ready to finally meet your mum, kiddo?"
And I nod before we both turn to the door, Sirius smiling as he motions the sweet looking woman over, the woman herself having a huge loving as well as proud smile on her face as she moves over and then speaks with the same loving, calm timber in her voice as she says: "Hello Harry, I'm Anastacia Revusio."
And just the fact that the woman doesn't follow that up with naming herself as my mum makes me know that she shares Sirius' beliefs in regards to how it will take time for me to accept her in such a role and just the fact that my own birth mother is okay with this makes me move over to hug her with a happy smile on my face.

Three months later
1st of September 1999
Hogwarts' Express, England

It had come as a real shock to Sirius, Anastacia and me to actually see Fawkes use his Flaming skill to bring Professor Snape back to life, yet we all agreed that it was a good way for the Phoenix to make up for a huge fault in his previous owner's plans and Lily and Severus had had a lot of fun afterwards by reuniting with each other.
A little while after that I had shown Sirius what had happened to Kreacher and Grimmauld Place in his absence and while the man had been shocked, had he also been severely touched by the idea that I had decided to move into this place after the war, if only to honor the one man I had always cared about the most of them all.
He, Anastacia and I had agreed that, while he and Anastacia would share a room, I could have uncle Regulus' room if I wanted to and while I had felt a little bad for the fact that I could easily accept someone as an uncle, yet not my own father for his title, had Sirius again proven how well he knew me and how little he cared.

"You only ever knew an uncle as a guardian, so giving that title to someone you respect is like second nature – even if your old uncle was a right jerk." Sirius had told me and while this had reminded me of the few chances I had managed to reunite with the Dursleys, had it also opened the door to several memory conversations.
Sirius and Anastacia had been almost better Mind Healers than the one I have been seeing for over a year and the saying of Anastacia that it was because she had grown to be a professional and that it was easy with Sirius because I already cared so much for him had really made me grow a little closer to the both of them.

Yet on my birthday, I had made a decision that I am very happy with and that both of them – as well as all of the friends I had invited to the party – had fully supported. It's also the reason that I am now, once again, sitting on the Hogwarts express, waiting for the gigantic red train to arrive at Hogsmeade station for a new year.
I had, over summer, taken off the spells that made me look like James Potter, yet it had still been a shock to me to know that my scar, after getting cleansed of Dark Magic, had actually become part of the glamour magic and that it had vanished after the spells had been taken off. However, I had definitely not complained.
And I am not complaining now either as my simple complexion, aristocratic facial structure, azure blue eyes with grey circles in them and puckered lips with a slightly darker complexion than my skin color makes me look almost nothing like Harry Potter, which makes me be ignored by everyone that passes my compartment.

Sure, I miss sharing the compartment with my friends, but I was the one to make this decision and I know I will see them again, especially since Sirius provided all of my friends with similar Two-Way mirrors with the instruction not to use them on me when they knew I would be busy with the new life that is about to start.
Then the train finally stops and I happily join several of those around me, loving the sight of Hogwarts as I approach and having to hold back some snickers as I realize that McGonagall is saying the exact same words as she did 8 years ago. Yet while all this happens, do I get the strange sense that I'm being watched by someone familiar.
I look around, but only see 30 new faces and none of which I recognize, all of them looking either fearful or with great lack of self-assurance and while I really feel for them and know I can relate with them, do I gently tell them: "Hey, don't fret it. This is going to be easy, surprising and a lot of fun. Trust me, I know."

Yet before any of them can ask me how I could know, does Professor McGonagall come back to collect us and while part of me feels amazed at how this is already different from the last time I went through this, do I still feel the teenage wonder of the room overwhelm me as I take my first look at it in over three months.
We approach the Sorting Hat, who sings a song that is actually dedicated to Luna and her discovery, but also amuses and intrigues me as it talks about more than just one familiar face returning home, making me wonder if the song can relate to the sense of being watched I had felt before, yet I decide to just wait and see.
And the waiting doesn't even take all that long as with a large smile professor McGonagall calls: "Hadrian Black." And with a grin like Fred and George's non-inflammable fireworks, do I approach the woman at the Head Table, her height now much larger than mine as I had taken a De-Aging potion, making me 11 once again.

The woman has a huge smile of pride on her face as she looks at me and I happily smile back at her before taking my seat under the Sorting hat, not even half as nervous as I had been years ago, but instead feeling the same level of confidence I had felt when I had decided on this course of action and discussed it with those important.
"Ah, Mr. Black. Yes. Yes, I already resorted a few of your friends, but you – oh-ho-ho, you will be a delight to resort. Let's have a look. You are still as brave as before, yet I wonder if you won't re-experience all that fair-weather stuff if I put you there. You're still incredibly loyal, yet you have definitely become selective in that.
You've definitely grown in levels of intelligence even with that spell you cast upon yourself to help make this whole experience feel like the first time, yet I'm afraid I will be guilty of being party to murder by boredom if I put you in a House known for books and analytical intelligence instead of hands-on experience intelligence.
Well, it would seem I finally get my wish. You may be the son of a Gryffindor but – ah, I see I have Lord Black's full backing in this, do I? Good, then I only desire one more thing before speaking my verdict." And already knowing what that is, do I tell the hat happily: "Go ahead." To which it loudly shouts: "SLYTHERIN!"

And while this causes shock amongst the teachers at the Head Table, do I only then realize that the table itself is quite empty – even more so than when Hagrid had been missing in fifth or when Moody had taken his time entering the castle in fourth. Wondering if this is what the Sorting Hat meant, do I move over to the right table.
There I seat myself with the older girl named Astoria Greengrass, who Draco – after we got to a sort-of truce over summer – recommended I keep close with if I were to be Sorted into Slytherin and who I also met after she got appointed Head Girl, the girl herself promising she would keep an eye out for me were this to happen.
I smile at the older girl, who smiles back, but then realize something else I had actually overlooked when listening to the Sorting Hat and I ask: "Wait, resorting – my friends?" To which the girl asks: "You didn't notice?" And when I turn back to look into the hall, do my eyes widen as I see a whole lot of familiar faces.

Fred, George, Angelina, Lee, Katie and Alicia are all seated at Gryffindor table, looking 13 and 12 respectively, while Hannah and Susan are waving at me from Hufflepuff table, the latter of the two sitting down as she does and finally are Ron, Hermione, Neville and Draco all standing in the row of First years left to sort.
All of them have huge smiles as they see me look and the twins even seem to have trouble holding back their need to laugh and then Astoria says: "They said they would love to see you make new friends, but they were in dire need to agree with you on your need to have some normal relaxing years at Hogwarts.
So they all took the De-Aging potion two days ago and have been adjusting to their old looks for the last 48 hours. Care to explain how you didn't notice?" And only then do I realize that when I turned around to see who was watching me, I thought I had seen someone dive to hide behind a few other first years.

I tell the girl this and she rolls her eyes as she says: "You sure weren't showing your usual observational skills there." Yet I shrug at this as that had never been my intention going into this experience and the girl seems to read this off my face as she smiles deviously at me and then says: "Good point."
Making me smile at her before I focus on the Sorting. And what a sorting it is: Hermione goes to Ravenclaw, Neville joins me in Slytherin, yet Draco joins Ron at Gryffindor. The middle two had definitely shocked the whole Great Hall silly, yet both boys had made exclamations that had made perfect sense:
"Hey, Ginny, Luna and I hid the PA from Snape and the Carrows for a full year, remember.""Hey, I want to see what my cousin loved about Gryffindor so much for seven years, can I?" The two of them had shouted and a lot of students had muttered words of agreement, remembrance and understanding as they had taken their seats.

Then all the Sortings have been done and as much as it pains me, I really can't blame this group of First years for barely being Sorted into the noble house of snakes, mostly because of Voldemort and his reign still being so fresh on everyone's mind, yet one of the other snakes then makes me feel a little self-aware as he says:
"Heh, would have actually expected a few more of them to want to be in the same House as their local hero." To which I sigh and say: "Did you forget all those interviews my Pa has been helping me with? I've been stating in all of them that Ron, Hermione and Neville are as much heroes as I am and they're in the other three Houses.
I don't think it matters to these kids which House of their Heroes they're in, as long as they have one of their Heroes in their House." The elder Snake seems to understand that, yet then the Head Table gets activity and when I look, do I feel like smiling as Professor McGonagall has taken her seat at the middle of the table.

"May I have your attention, please. On orders of the Board of Governors and the Department of Proper Education have I been forced to step down as Headmistress and resume my positions as Head of Gryffindor House and Professor of Transfigurations." This alone shocks the smile right off my face and the woman says:
"However, I am perfectly accepting of this as the Board has come up with a more than suitable replacement. Therefore, would I hereby like to introduce to you all, the woman who was willing to die for a son she knew wasn't even her own, but for who she still took stand against a true killer. Headmistress Lily Potter."
And while everyone else makes the Hall tremble with echoes of loud cheers and applause, do I feel my mouth dropping down as I see the actual woman move out of the Antechamber, move over to the seat at the midst of the table, bow to all those cheering for her and then motioning them all to be silent after a few more minutes.

The students calm down instantly, making the smile on my former mother's face grow with glee before she says: "Thank you all. I can't wait to start this new year here at Hogwarts, especially as Fawkes the phoenix decided to reward me with something very special by undoing the curse that made me unable to properly give birth.
However, as brilliant as that is, it is neither here nor –." Yet at hearing this does another wave of excited and joyful cheering sound through the Great Hall and my adopted mother giggles before she again motions the Hall to quiet down, the last congratulations Lady Potter sounding quite loudly in the renewed silence as she says:
"Thank you, but that is neither here nor there. What is here and important is for me to introduce to you a few new teachers who will be either helping the current teachers with some parts of their subject or will be taking over where teachers of either last year or the year before left off. And trust me, we have a lot of new blood."

Here I again remember the words of the Sorting Hat about more than one familiar face returning here and I can't help but whisper: "No, they wouldn't." Yet my doubts are proven wrong as the Headmistress says: "Please welcome – or welcome back, whatever the case – for Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin."
And instantly I am on my feet, cheering almost louder than half the Hall as the Enchanted Ceiling actually trembles in its magical foundations upon the sound coming from all of the students as the werewolf, while heavily blushing, moves into the Great Hall, bows to our overwhelming cheers and takes his seat.

"Hihi, obviously a highly welcomed return, Professor. Those few students I met over summer sure weren't lying when they said you were their favorite." Headmistress Potter then says before she goes on: "Now, to help those in fourth year and above with a possible Animagus training, here are Professors Black and Potter."
And while this makes me wonder how much the Hall can actually take when it comes to sound resolution and restraint, do I also hear the twins shout: "Oh, come on!" As my dad and former father actually dash into the Hall from the Entrance Hall's side, both of them transformed and dashing in Grim and Stag form.
The two split at the Head Table and dash around it from either side before jumping and landing in their own seats, looking human, having slightly tousled – or in Professor Potter's case heavily tousled – hair and having large grins on their faces as they clasp their hands in front of them while listening to the applause.

The Headmistress shakes her head as she looks at the two, but then refocuses on us and says: "And finally, to give Professor Binns his long-awaited rest and to give themselves an extra purpose in this castle, please welcome the new teachers for History of Magic Hogwarts ghosts." Yet this shocks and startles me silent.
This mostly because I had been, slightly, expecting my mum to be the next to be announced, yet I can't fault the decision of either my old teacher or the ghosts and think: "Hmm, History of Magic might finally be what I hoped it would be when I first read the book." Yet then the Headmistress redraws my attention as she says:
"There is one last thing I will need to announce to all of you and I am sure that all students – bar those not taking this class for their O.W.L.s or N.E.W.T.s – have already gotten a bit of a hint based on your book's list. Yes, students of Hogwarts, as of this year, both Muggle and Magical Traditions and Culture are mandatory classes.
Magical for those who are either Muggleborn or Half-blood and Muggle Raised and Muggle for the other half. For the 1st group, we will be getting the help of one Andromeda Tonks and one Narcissa Malfoy. For the 2nd, we will be getting the help of yours truly and – you guessed it, Mr. Black – Professor Anastacia Revusio."

And while I see the woman that saved me by lying to Voldemort come in alongside her reconciled sister, is it the sight of my own ma that makes me feel as if the smile I have is about to split my face in half and that also makes me know that, regardless of dangerous events or not, this year is going to be very, very interesting.
A little while later, after a feast of a meal, some talk with Neville and a few other Snakes, a bit of me showing my House quality by proving the rumors of me still being a Parslemouth – amazingly enough – am I lying on my bed in a room that I actually share with no one else and as I look at the canopy of my bed, do I think:
"I had to search for my own place, safety and those I could trust for almost 2 decades. I'm glad I've been done searching for that for over a year. Now, I think it's time I start searching how far my own talents can make me reach for the stars. I am the son of some really great constellations, after all." And with that I happily fall asleep.

And that is that!
HOLY MERLIN, THAT'S 19 PAGES! I knew this one shot would take long, but I might just turn it into a two shot – looking at how long the Three months later part is. Eh wait, that part is only four pages out of nineteen, better not. Still, I am SO GLAD that this story is finished. Hopefully now it will leave me alone.
Now, I'm sure that people will point out several inconsistencies, but I have one single argument to that: This. Is. Fanfiction. I have an artistic license and I have definitely seen crazier plot bunnies than this one. I still think that the story was well developed and even though it may not have had a lot of backstory, it still worked out.
With backstory, I mean history of what could have happened in the year between the end of the war and the anniversary – oh, by the way, the title was almost named after the anniversary, yet I didn't feel as if that did honor to what the whole story was about. Luna's search for shocking truths and the aftereffects of that search.
Hope you enjoyed,

Venquine1990
PS. If you find any grammar or spelling errors, please let me know.
PPS. Yes, this story will also be joining the others on my poll. If you liked it and you haven't voted yet, please do so.