AN: While the ghosts of James and Hollingsworth Potter are haunting the unsuspecting Dursleys, their portion of the story shall be in Italicized print.

Chapter 6: Haunting

"Dad, this is the house Lily and I bought so her parents could give Petunia a home live in," said James, passing through the front window of Number Four Privet Drive with his father.

"It appears they are viewing something on this box we're passing through," remarked Hollingsworth. "What was it that Lily calls these things?"

"Lils calls these things televisions," said James. "They are Muggle entertainment devices, and Lils said some Muggles' whole lives revolve around these things. She even said some of them spend most of their waking hours parked in front of them."

"It's no wonder this fat tub of lard and his equally tubby son are as big as they are," commented Hollingsworth.

"Daddy, what's wrong with the telly?" whined Dudley Dursley, seeing the Dursleys' television reception interrupted when the Potters passed through it.

"I don't know, son," said Vernon, lifting his massive girth from the settee in an attempt to adjust the Dursleys newly purchased television.

"Dad, I think our passing through the bloody thing is what's causing it to malfunction," said James. "Keep it up while I have some fun with the whinning brat."

"My pleasure, son," said Hollingsworth repeatedly running his hands through the television. "I'm going to have some fun with tubby, just watch."

"Dad, you're driving the plonker barmy," said James, watching his father pass his hands through the television, stopping for a bit, and then passing back them through it about five seconds after each time Vernon had sat back down.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with this stupid piece of rubbish," spat Vernon after getting up for the fourth time to adjust the television.

"Maybe it the weather, dear," suggested Petunia.

"Mummy, I'm cold, can you get me a blanket?" whined Dudley, experiencing the after effects of James sitting on the sofa right through the rotund delinquent.

"Diddy, it's twenty-seven (27C or about 81F) outside, are you feeling alright?" asked Petunia, placing her hand on her son's forehead. "Vernon, Dudley's got a fever, I think we need to take him to the Casualty."

"No, I'm not sick, I don't want to go to the Casualty," whined Dudley.

"He feels alright to me," said Vernon, touching his son's forehead, after James had extracted himself from the whinning boy's body.

"I'm feeling better now," said Dudley, as his mother felt his forehead again.

"Okay, but I still don't like it," said the worried Petunia. "I'll check on you before I go to bed, and if you feel cold and then warm again I'm giving you some cold medicine and taking you to see a doctor."

"James, see what happens when you pass through those lights on the tables," said Hollingsworth, as the Dursleys' two-day-old television shut off completely due to the magical interference.

"Wow, Dad, that's great, we just made their telly and their lights shut off," said James.

"What the hell is going on here, tonight?" bellowed Vernon, as the Dursleys' sitting room suddenly went dark. "I wonder if any of the freak's kind are around here tonight. If the freak was still here I'd use what's going on here to give him a right thrashing."

"Vernon, be careful of what you say," warned Petunia. "Those freaks have a way of finding things out."

"Rubbish," snarled Vernon. "Before the bastard learned he was a freak, I used to smack him around whenever I jolly well felt like it and no one ever found out about it. I think I scared the freak too much to tell anybody about it, to boot. Even if he did tell somebody about it, I don't think those freaks can do a thing to us, anyway."

"So, you used to smack my son around whenever you bloody well felt like it," said James, punching Vernon repeatedly in the face with his ghostly fists.

"What the hell is going on, here?" Vernon bellowed, as his head suddenly was overcome with extreme cold.

"Your worst nightmare, Dursley," said Hollingsworth, adding his own ghostly blows to those of his son's. "If it's the last thing we ever do, we'll make sure you pay for abusing your better."

"Vernon, Daddy," screamed Petunia and Dudley, seeing the obese man fall faint to the floor.

"Look at the pathetic lump lying on the floor," said James. "No matter what Harry and Hermione do to this pathetic waste, I'm going to kick his arse every night until I pass on."

"I'll be right here with you, my son," said Hollingsworth.

"Dad, if it wasn't for wanting to visit with the rat and Remus, I'd say let's have some more fun," said James.

"We can always continue when return tomorrow," said Hollingsworth, laughing at the disheveled Dursleys.

"Then, until tomorrow it is," said James, leaving Number Four Privet Drive, as, suddenly, all electricity and electrical devices in the Dursleys' sitting room returned to normal.

6

"Dad, I once heard the Ministry of Magic had barriers in place to keep ghosts from haunting the place," said James as the two Potters passed through the walls of the Ministry of Magic. "I wonder why we could pass through them like they weren't even there."

"I'd be willing to bet young Harry's and Hermione's magical shock waves are the cause of this phenomenon," remarked Hollingsworth. "That's the only reason I can come up with our being able to leave Potter Place, as well."

"Dad, look, they've got Kingsley and old Mad-Eye guarding the rat," said James, as they entered the Ministry of Magic's Department of Magical Law Enforcement holding cell area.

"Stop right there; who the bloody hell are you?" snapped Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody, pointing his wand at the Potters.

"I'm glad to see you've never changed, Alastor," Hollingsworth chuckled, before shouting, "CONTANT VIGALENCE!"

"Nice shot, Alastor and Kingsley," said James, seeing Moody's and Kingsley Shacklebolt's stunning curses pass through their ghostly bodies and into Peter Pettigrew who was lying on a cot in the holding cell. "Now, would you please revive the rat so Dad and I can exact a bit of revenge on the traitor."

"Who are you?" asked Kingsley.

"I am Hollingsworth Potter, and this is my son James," answered Hollingsworth. "We are now ghosts, and it is our wish to haunt the coward that betrayed our family to Voldemort."

"If you really are Hollingsworth and James Potter, then answer a couple of questions only you two would know the answer to," said Moody. Seeing the ghosts nod their heads, he asked, "Hollingsworth, when we were cadets together at the Auror Academy, what did you and I do the night before our graduation?"

"We were having a few drinks in the Leaky Cauldron when we overheard some of Grindelwald's lot plotting the assassinations of the Muggle king and Prime Minister," said Hollingsworth. "We were already working with Albus, so while you stayed behind to keep an eye on the bloody lot I went to get Albus to help us. After we captured the whole lot of them, Albus was able to get Grindelwald's secret location from their minds before he placed a memory modification charm on them to make them think their plot was a rousing success."

"James, what was the occasion of our first meeting?" asked Moody.

"Dad and Mum had taken me to Diagon Alley to get my school supplies between my first and second years at Hogwarts when I met up with Sirius and you caught us trying to sneak some dungbombs into Snape's potion ingredients," said James. "Years later when we learned the Snape was a Death Eater you told us you wished you'd let us prank the greasy git."

"Okay, I believe it's really you, but I never thought a Potter would end up as a ghost," commented Moody.

"All Potter heirs in our line that pass on due to unnatural causes are cursed to walk the earth until the eldest of our great grandchildren takes his or her place as the Potter Head of House," said James. "Now, if you will please revive the bloody rat, Dad and I wish to haunt him. You might want to grab a quill and some parchment, because I well intend to make the coward confess to more of his misdeeds."

"As you wish, my friends," said Moody, reviving Pettigrew.

"Good evening, Wormtail," said James.

"James is that you?" asked the rat-faced wizard.

"No, you worthless pile of dragon dung, we're you worst nightmare," snarled James, as he and his father began to pummel the cowering wizard with their ghostly fists.

"No, make them stop, male them stop," said Pettigrew, feeling the extreme cold pass through his head.

"Tell us why you betrayed us to Voldemort," spat James.

"I didn't, it was Sirius," cried Pettigrew.

"Wrong answer," said Hollingsworth, as he began to kick the traitor in the buttocks while James contused to punch him in the face.

"I can't take it any more, please make them stop," said Pettigrew before he passed out.

"Mad-eye, revive him, again, please," said Hollingsworth.

"My pleasure," replied Moody.

"Peter, one more time," spat James. "Why did you betray us?"

"My master told us he would reward us with whatever we wanted if we could find a way to lead him to Harry," sobbed Pettigrew.

"What was the reward you wished for?" snapped James.

"Lily…" answered Pettigrew.

"You bastard!" roared James, as he and his father once again pummeled the coward until he passed out. Seeing his family's betrayer fall to the floor, he said, "Revive him again, and I'll find out who else he betrayed."

"Alright, but if you keep it up, we may not be able to revive him, again," said Moody.

"If he confesses to everything, we'll stop, but if not, then he can expect more of the same each night until he passes on," said James, as Pettigrew was revived again.

"Please, no more, no more, I'll tell you everything," sobbed Pettigrew. "I'm the one who told the Dark Lord about everyone I knew who was in the Order f the Phoenix."

"Who did you betray besides the Potters?" asked Moody.

"Bones, Dearborn, Fenwick, McKinnon, Meadows, the Prewetts," answered Pettigrew.

"Kingsley, did you get all that?" asked Moody.

"Yes, I did, Alastor," said Kingsley.

"Hollingsworth and James, you've been a great help to us," said Moody.

"You're most welcome," sad James. "We'll be back tomorrow before Peter's trial to ensure he confesses to everything before the Wizengamot, as well."

6

"Ah, good there's a light on," said James, as he and Hollingsworth approached the shack in the middle of dense mostly uninhabited forest in southern England. "This is the place Albus said he thought Remus lived in. Sirius's Uncle Alphard left him this forest and some gold when he passed on, and Remus, Sirius, the rat, and I stumbled across this shack the summer after we graduated from Hogwarts."

"Perhaps it would be best if you were to go in alone at first," Hollingsworth suggested.

"Thanks, Dad," said James, passing through the walls of the shack. Seeing his old friend reading in a chair next to a window, James quietly said, "Hello, Moony, it's great to see you again."

"James," said Remus, looking up before rubbing his eyes. Shaking his head in disbelief, he added, "I must really be tired. Now, I'm seeing images of Padfoot."

"I don't know how tired you are, but I can assure you, that you are indeed seeing your old pal, Padfoot," said the chucking James.

"If you really are Padfoot, then tell me the name of the book we found the charms to make the Marauders' Map with, who wrote it, and where we found it," said Remus.

"The name of the book is "Charming Things You Wish to Keep Secret," it was written by my four times great grandfather, Jennings Hereweald Potter, and we found it while perusing my family library in Potter Place," said James

"How did you get out of Potter Place?" asked Remus. "I thought because of your family curse you couldn't leave the house."

"It's hard to explain, but, now, Dad and I can both leave the house," said Remus, as Hollingsworth entered the shack as well. "Did you be chance feel any of the magical shock waves that have occurred the past several days?"

"I felt something when I was at my current job in a Muggle bookstore in London earlier this week," said Remus.

"Well, it was because of two of the magical shock waves that I believe James and I can now leave our home," said Hollingsworth.

"Can you tell me what happened?" asked Remus.

"We really do not understand it, but it seems that every time my son's soul-bond mate expresses her most potent love for him, this creates a very powerful magical shock wave," said James. "The first time it happened, the instrument the Ministry of Magic uses to measure the underage use of magic, as well as, quite a few in Albus Dumbledore's office simply exploded."

"You mean Harry created something that powerful," said the astonished Remus.

"Yes, he and his soul-bond mate did indeed create something that powerful," said Hollingsworth.

"He really has a soul-bond mate," said Remus. "I mean he's only, what, twelve years old now?"

"We can explain it further to you in Potter Place," said James. "As Harry is now the Potter Head of House he has given you permission to enter our home, and if you think about it, you should be able to remember how to get there again."

"You're right, I can," said Remus with a warm smile. "So, what are Harry and his soul-bond mate like, and what caused them to soul-bond at such a young age?"

"Come to Potter Place, and you can find out for yourself," said James.

"I'll stop by tomorrow afternoon after I'm done at my job," said Remus. "It's too bad Peter can't be there with us."

"Remus, Peter was the traitor, he's still alive, and he's to stand trial in the morning," said Hollingsworth.

"But, I thought Sirius was the one that betrayed you and then murdered Peter and those Muggles," said Remus.

"Remus, you were our binder for the Unbreakable Oath when we made Sirius Harry's godfather," said James. "Sirius would have died if he were the one to betray us."

"What a horrible friend I've been," said Remus, hanging his head in shame. "I should have gone strait to Dumbledore and told him about it."

"Sirius is a free man once again is living with Harry in Potter Place," said James. "You can speak with him, tomorrow."

"How can I face him after I let him down," said Remus.

"Moony, Padfoot holds no ill feelings toward anyone but the rat and the rest of the Death Eater scum," said Hollingsworth. "He said he wanted to see you again, as well."

"Dad's right, Moony," said James. "Sirius blames himself for suggesting we make the rat our secret keeper and for Harry having to spend eleven years with Vernon and Petunia. He said that if he would have taken care of Harry like he was supposed instead of running off after Peter like he did, then he wouldn't have gotten himself sent off to Azkaban."

6

"Dad and Grandpa, did you see Remus last night?" asked Harry, seeing his father and grandfather while walking hand in hand with Hermione to breakfast the following morning.

"We saw him, and he's going to stop by here after he gets off work this afternoon," said James.

"Did I just hear Moony's coming by this afternoon?" said Sirius, exiting his room.

"Yes, you did, Padfoot," said James. "When we saw him last night he was really put out with himself for not telling Dumbledore about you taking the Unbreakable Oath when we named you Harry's godfather."

"I don't blame him for me getting sent off to Azkaban," said Sirius. "It was mostly my own fault for running off half-cocked after the rat instead of staying behind to take care of Harry like I should have."

"At least we found out who the real culprit was and get the chance to see him receive his just reward," said Hollingsworth. "James, the rat's trial begins in about an hour, what say we go pay him another visit to make sure he confesses to everything in front of the Wizengamot."

"Lead the way, Dad," said James, following his father.

"James, Dad Potter, what happened?" asked Sirius, seeing the Potter ghosts reenter Potter Place about ten minutes later.

"The buffoons the Ministry of Magic had guarding the rat after Mad-Eye and Kingsley ended their shift let the coward escape," said Hollingsworth. "Apparently they didn't see the need for the anti-Animagus charm Moody and Kingsley cast on the rat, and the moment the bloody fools removed it, Pettigrew transfigured into his rat form and scurried down a near-by drain."

"Then, to top it all off, those idiots Fudge and Umbridge accused Sirius of aiding and abetting the rat's escape," said James. "It was only because of Dumbledore vouching for him that a warrant for Sirius' arrest wasn't issued. Blimey, they hadn't eve issued an order for Pettigrew's arrest until Dumbledore used his authority as Chief Warlock to issue one, either."

"Lucius Malfoy is the one behind the bloody mess, because James and I saw him slip Fudge and Umbridge some gold after Dumbledore left the Ministry," added Hollingsworth. "We heard Malfoy say he was going to hide Pettigrew in a cabin he has hidden away in a forest on the Isle of Wight, so James and I are going to pay him a visit."

"Couldn't Malfoy see you?" asked Hermione.

"Odd, for some reason Malfoy, Fudge, and the lot couldn't see us, but other wizards and witches can," said Hollingsworth. "I wonder why that is."

"Maybe it has something to do with Hermione's and Harry's magical shock waves," said James.

"So, Daddy, we missed you when you and Mum got home last night; what did she find out at the Gynecologist yesterday afternoon?" said Hermione, hugging her father, as he exited his and his wife's room.

"You're mother will be out shortly, and I'll let her tell you what the Gynecologist told her," answered Fordyce.

"It's nothing serious, is it?" questioned the concerned Hermione.

"No, dear, it's not serious," said Jean, winking at her husband.

"That's right, I'm the one that's Sirius, not your mum," Sirius quipped.

"Padfoot, that joke was lame, even for you," said James.

"Hey, I resemble that remark," Sirius chuckled.

"Jean, please tell us what the Gynecologist told you, before my soul-bond mate gets all hacked off and hexes my godfather," said Harry.

"Well, Hermione, in about nine months or so you will no longer be an only child…" said Jean.

"You mean, you're going to have a baby!" squealed Hermione, hugging her mother. "Oh, but at your age, is having a baby safe. Ooh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that like it came out."

"Relax, sweetheart, the Gynecologist said I should be fine," said Jean. "After all, I haven't turned forty yet. By the way, your reaction was almost exactly like that of your father's."

"Ooh, I'm so happy for you," said Hermione. Biting her lower lip, she pondered aloud, "Ooh, I wonder if the baby's going to be magical like I am."

"That, my dear, you can bet the house on," said Bellatrix.

"How do you know that?" Harry and Hermione asked almost in perfect rhythm.

"It's quite simple, all Muggles or Muggle-born mothers-to-be of magical children experience morning sickness within the first three days of their pregnancies," said Bellatrix.

"Yes, but to be one hundred percent sure, I would suggest an examination by a healer," said Lily.

"Mum, I bet we could get Madam Pomfrey to come by to examine you," Hermione suggested. "So, do you know if it's to be a boy or a girl, yet?"

"No, dear, we won't know that until I'm at least 18-22 weeks pregnant," said Jean.

"Madam Pomfrey could tell you the sex of the baby when she examines you," said Lily. "I was only one week pregnant when we discovered I was carrying a boy."

"Well, whatever the baby's sex is, he or she is going to have the best big sister in the world," said Harry.

"Look-out, here comes another magical shock wave," commented James, seeing Hermione moving to kiss Harry.

"Whoa," said Sirius, falling faint, as the magical shock wave hit him.

"Padfoot, are you alright?" asked James, as Fordyce moved to help Sirius off the floor.

"I am now," said Sirius, sitting on a nearby chair. Shaking his head, he added, "That shock wave sure packs a wallop. I think it just removed an Imperious Curse and a most strong memory block from my mind. It happened the night you and Lily were murdered, and I remember I had just gotten to Godric's Hollow to take custody of Harry. From what I remember, my plans were to take Harry to stay with Alice Longbottom while I enlisted the aid of Frank and Remus to help me hunt down the rat. Then, the next thing I remember is the Muggle street being blown up and me being arrested."

"Who would have done something like that?" asked Jean.

"I wonder if it could have been Pettigrew?" asked Harry.

"Peter was our secret keeper, but the only one that we know that he told our location to was Voldemort, so it may well have been someone else to put the Imperious on Sirius and modify his memories," said Lily.

"Well, somebody took me from the house, and I'd say it must have been Professor Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told me he took me to the Dursleys for Professor Dumbledore on the back of Sirius's motorcycle."

"I remember riding my motorcycle to your house, but I have no memory of letting Hagrid borrow it," said Sirius.

"Professor Dumbledore has the power and ability to cast the Imperious Curse and modify somebody's memory, but he wouldn't have done something like that, would he?" questioned Lily.

"Dumbledore has a philosophy of 'for the greater good,' and if he thought having Sirius out of the way would better suit his plans, then he might well have done something like that," said Joseph

"Then, why did he use his authority to get Sirius a trial?" asked Harry. "If he really wanted Sirius out of the way, he wouldn't have worked to get him freed."

"Like Mrs. Potter said, we don't know if Pettigrew told anyone else where you lived, either," said Hermione. "The only witness we know about is Harry, and he was way too young to remember anything like that."

"James, I suggest we find the rat again and interrogate him a bit more," said Hollingsworth. "Lucius Malfoy has gone to the trouble of hiding the rat away, and I, for one, would like t find out why."

"I'd like Remus's input on this, as well" said James. "Remember, he told us last night he was really put out with himself for not telling Dumbledore about Sirius taking the Unbreakable Oath when we named him as Harry's godfather , and I wonder if he was under the Imperious and had his mind altered, as well."

"What time does Remus get off work?" asked Harry.

"He said he gets off about a half hour after the book shop he works in closes at 5:00 pm," said James. "In the mean time, there is something just as important that Dad and I wish to discuss with Harry, and I'd like everyone here to here what we have to say."

"Sure, Dad, what do you want?" asked Harry.

"Son, Harry, have you ever told anyone that Dursley used to beat you whenever he jolly well felt like it?" asked James.

"Harry, oh, Harry, did that foul man really beat you?" asked Hermione, embracing her soul-bond mate as tightly as she could. He did not answer, but when she felt his tears mixing with those of her own, she cried, "Oh, Harry."

"Dursley beat him," snarled Sirius, transfiguring into Padfoot.

"No, Sirius, don't, he's not worth it," cried Harry, lunging for and embracing his godfather tight enough to keep him from charging off after Vernon. "I just got you back in my life, and I don't want to lose you, again."

"Sirius, Harry's right, please don't run off and get yourself in a mess," said Hermione, embracing the large black dog, as well. "Besides, we've already made plans to put those horrid people in their place, and you can help us if you'd like. Mind you, after what Mr. Potter said he and Gramps learned they'd done to Harry I just might up and hex the lot myself."

"Alright, we'll do it your way, but I want a piece of Dursley, as well, and I know just what I'm going to do," said Sirius after transfiguring back to his human form. "I think it's high time the vermin met up with the dog that made him soil his pants at James' and Lily's wedding."

"Remus was right, you were the dog that cornered Dursley at our wedding," said James.

"In the loo I overheard the bastard going on about what a tart Lily was for marrying the likes of you, even though he thought she was loads better looking than Petunia," said Sirius.

"Dad and I already started in on the plonkers last night, and we plan to haunt them for a long, long time to come," said James.

"What did you two do to them?" asked Lily.

"When we got to the house we let them live in rent free, we discovered that our passing through their telly interfered with the bloody thing, so Dad had a little fun with the plonkers," said James. "I especially like the part where Dad would pass his hands through the thing, so Dursley would get off his arse to adjust it, and then would wait until the fat slob was sitting comfortably on his settee before passing his hands through the thing again. Dad had the gormless lager lout up and down at least four times before the telly shut itself off completely."

"I like what you did to the whining brat, too," said Hollingsworth. "You even had that brainless Petunia thinking her tubby son was ill and needed to go to the Casualty. However, the best part was when we learned Dursley could feel it when we punched the brute for beating Harry like he did. Our blows even made him fall faint, and we plan to return to haunt them as much as we can. We did the same thing to Pettigrew, as well, and got him to confess he was the traitor who'd betrayed the Order of the Phoenix to Voldemort."

"Maybe we could use your haunting of the Dursleys as a bargaining chip to coerce Dursley into signing over Harry's custody to us," remarked Fordyce. "If we can pull this off, Harry can evict the squatters from their home and sack Dursley from his position at Grunnings. Dursley's already in trouble with his superiors for failing to obtain a dental drill with contract our dental association."

"Do the Dursleys know their home is really owned by the Potters?" asked Hermione.

"No, my parents gave my sister the keys to Number Four, Privett Drive on her wedding day," said Lily. "My sister even flaunted the fact that Dad and Mum bought her a house to James and me on our own wedding day."

"It was only because Dad and I owned Grunnings that Dursley was hired there at all," said James.

"The Dursleys don't have a clue who really owns their home or the company Vernon directs, do they?" asked Hermione.

"No, dear, they do not," answered Lily.

"Why?" asked Hermione.

"Because Petunia is still my sister, and I wanted to make sure she was taken care of," said Lily. "When she announced she was engaged to Vernon, we knew the only way she had a chance at a comfortable life was for us to help her. We helped her in secret, because she had by that time estranged herself from James and me and would not have knowingly accepted any help from us. Our original plans were for the Dursleys to never learn of this, but after what they did to Harry, that has now changed."

"Prongs and Firestorm, I promise you that we shall do all that we can to see that the Dursleys receive the just rewards," Sirius vowed.

6

"Welcome back to Potter Place, Master Remus," said Saunders, opening the door for Remus Lupin later that evening.

"It's nice to see you again, Saunders," said Remus, shaking hands with the House-elf.

"Moony, aren't you a sight for sore yes," said Sirius, walking up and embracing his old friend.

"Padfoot, I'm so sorry," said Remus, returning the embrace. "I was the bonder when you took the Unbreakable Vow the day James and Lily made you Harry's godfather, and I should have informed Dumbledore."

"Moony, it's not your fault," said Sirius. "Just this morning I discovered someone cast an Imperious curse on me and modified my memory to make me go after that rat instead of taking care of Harry like I should have, and I think much the same may have been done to you."

"How did you find that out?" asked Remus.

"It was because of Harry and his soul-bond mate, Hermione," said Sirius, smiling toward the young couple walking hand-in-hand up to them.

"Harry and Hermione did that?" questioned Remus.

"Yes, Moony, they did," said James.

"Please have a seat in the sitting room, and let's see f they can do the same for you," James said.

"What are you talking about?" said Remus, sitting on a nearby settee.

"Just watch them," said James. "Alright, son, do whatever it is to make Hermione express her emotions to you."

"It will be my pleasure, Dad," said Harry. Looking down into Hermione hypnotizing chocolate brown eyes, he said, "Hermione Jean Granger-Potter, I love you and I want to spend at least the next two hundred years telling and showing you how much I love you."

"Oh, Harry, I love you, too," she replied, kissing him with all the gusto she could.

"He's gone, he's gone!" shouted Remus, jumping up and starting to dance a jig around the room. "The wolf is gone!"

"The wolf is gone, are you sure?" asked a most intrigued Sirius.

"I won't know for sure until the next full moon, but yes, I think the wolf is gone," said Remus.

"Pardon me, sir, but what do you mean by the wolf is gone?" asked Jean.

"For those who just met me, I am a werewolf," said Remus. "Until the next full moon I won't know for sure, but their magical shock wave overwhelmed me, and the presence of the wolf I always felt was gone. I truly hope and pray he is gone for good, because to be completely free of the monster I become one night each month has been my most sincere desire. Additionally, when I heard Sirius had been sent off to Azkaban I remember telling someone I was going to tell Dumbledore about Sirius taking the Unbreakable vow, and the next thing I remember was waking up in that old shack James and Hollingsworth found me in last night."

"Moony, that's great news, bout your furry little problem," said James. Frowning, he added, "You, the rat, Sirius, and I were the only one that knew about that old shack, so the rat must have been the one to cast the Imperious and memory charms on you and Sirius."

"The rat didn't have the power or know how to do that," spat Sirius.

"Maybe the rat had more than we gave him credit for," said James.

"Dad, Gramps, what happened to you?" asked Harry.

"I'm not sure, but all of a sudden I can feel the floor under my feet," answered James. Raising a hand to his face, he added, "Odd, I can feel my face now, to boot."

"It's the same way for me, as well," said Hollingsworth.

"Harry and Hermione, please come here," said James. "I want to see if I can feel you, as well."

"Dad, does this mean you and Gramps are alive?" asked Harry, touching his father.

"I really do think so, but I can feel both of you, so what do you say about letting dear old Dad give the two of you a big hug," said James. After embracing them, he added, "I can't tell you how good that feels."

"Hey, you two, don't forget about Gramps," said Hollingsworth. Embracing the teary-eyed soul-bond mates, he added, "You are right, son, that does feel very good, indeed. So, tell us, you two, how do our hugs feel to you?"

"They feel very nice to me, as well, but they are most different than the ones I'm used to," answered Hermione. "When I hug Harry or my parents, their hugs all feel very nice and warm, but your hugs both felt very nice, but cool."

"Yeah, and I didn't feel your breath like I can when Hermione hugs me," said Harry.

"I guess this means we're still dead," said Hollingsworth.

"At least we can now touch and hug Harry and Hermione," said James. "I wonder if we can still pass through walls and travel about like we did last night."

"There's only one way to find out," said Hollingsworth. "After all, we must entertain the Dursleys, again. In the meantime, let's go up the Hall of Portraits to break the news about our conditions to our wives, mothers, and grandmothers."

"James and Dad, what happened to you?" asked Lily, seeing her husband and father-in-law.

"Harry and Hermione produced another of their magical shock waves, and although we are both still most dead we can now touch and hug the living," answered James. "Moony thinks their shock wave may well have rid him of his furry little problem, to boot."

"That's wonderful news, all of it," said Gwendolyn. With tears in her eyes, she added, "I am most happy for all three of you, but I must admit I am most jealous, as well. Oh, how I wish Lily and I could hug each and every one of you."

"I am most sorry, my dear," said Hollingsworth, looking into his wife's eyes. "For the first time I wish our family curse had included our spouses, as well."

"Gramps, how did our family curse come about in the first place?" asked Harry.

"The best person to answer that quest would be, Horatio Johann Potter," answered Hollingsworth. "His portrait and that of his dear wife, Jenna, is seventh in our line of portraits."

"Excuse me, sir, but may we ask you how the Potter curse started?" asked Harry, approaching the portrait in question.

"Young Harry James Potter, if you promise never to call me sir, again, I shall endeavor to answer your question," answered the smiling wizard in the portrait. "You may call me Gramps, Grandfather, or Horatio, but never, sir. That goes for the beautiful young Hermione and the others, as well."

"We promise, Grandfather," answered the blushing Hermione.

"Excellent," replied Horatio. "To answer your question, our family was cursed by Draconius Malfoy when I refused to sign a marriage contract between his son Callousous and my youngest daughter Mavis. However, Draconius, while being a most powerful wizard, possessed little if any intellect, and his curse did not result in his desired results. His intentions were to cause our family to never again bare any male heirs, but all his curse did was to make ghosts of the Potter Head of House until the eldest grandchild became Head of House."

"Grandfather, can you tell us why the first seven generations in this hall all had different surnames, while the next twenty-one leading up to Harry all have the surname, Potter?" asked Hermione.

"Ah, it's good to see another Potter has given his heart to a young lady of strong intellect," commented Horatio. Smiling at the blushing Hermione, he added, "To answer your question, Godric Gryffindor and Rowena Ravenclaw, the couple in the first portrait reserve the right to answer the question young Hermione just posed."