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Yule, Christmas, the holiday season. It was supposed to be a time of happiness, glee, and all of the above. For most people it was, Harry Potter was not one of those people. He was alone this holiday season, something he had been used to, but this year he thought it was going to be different. It was not to be, though. Hermione had gone back home to her parents and other relatives, and Ron had also absconded. He had been told that he was going to stay, first Christmas at Hogwarts and all, but Mr. Weasley had gotten a surprise bonus for the season, and thus took his family off to Romania to see their eldest son.
So, Harry was alone in his dormitories. He was surprised that he was the only Gryffindor in the tower, everyone had gone somewhere for the holidays. He took to wandering the halls at night, sad, alone and sometimes afraid. He had been found a few times, sometimes by ghosts who helped him back to his tower, and once or twice by a professor. The first time he had been found was by his head of house, and she was not pleased. She told him as much, and after docking some points took him back to the tower. She didn’t fully understand, so he didn’t really feel bad about not keeping his promise to her to stay in the tower.
The other professor who caught him had been the charms master, Prof. Flitwick. That exchange had gone a little differently. Instead of scolding him, he smiled softly and escorted him to his office. Once there he had been regaled with stories about his parents, both James and Lily. Prof. Flitwick did not have favorites, at least not while in the halls of Hogwarts, but he had plenty of tales to tell the last Potter. Still, yet again, Harry was wandering the halls on later nights. Though, sometimes he went to the small professor's office to talk, or simply listen as the diminutive man spoke to himself or about his subject of teaching.
Gifts had been given to Harry that Christmas, and he was not suspicious, but clearly confused. Why would anyone give him, a worthless freak anything? He had a small pile of gifts, and the childhood innocence that had not been completely stamped out by his relatives, went at them like he should have. He got a small book from Hermione and that brought a smile to his face, as did the next gift. Though he had never met the woman, it seems Ron has spoken about him, and Mrs. Weasley had knitted him a rather comfy sweater. It had an emerald green ‘P’ in the middle of it, and he almost immediately put it on. It was definitely laced with magic, a warm, comforting kind. He sighed and the next present was from Hagrid, and it made him cry. An earnest, honest to god cry. He didn’t sob, or wail, it was silent. Pictures of his parents, dancing, happy, lovingly looking at him. Even small pictures of him, being held by his parents, the love in their eyes clear.
He hugged it to him, and vowed to thank Hagrid when he got back. Even the half-giant had gone out for the holiday, which surprised even Dumbledore. The next present he got came with a note that read:
Your father left this in my possession before he died. It is time it was returned to you.
Use it well.
A Very Merry Christmas to you.
He frowned softly and then picked up the cloak that had been packaged, it felt warm and smooth. He put it on and then looked down, gasping in surprise as he was… gone. He then put the hood on and went to a mirror, seeing that he was indeed gone from sight. He smiled softly, yes, this was good. It would make his night escapades much more productive. He went back to the note and frowned, putting the cloak to the side after folding it, and reading it again. He then went to his trunk, digging around until he found what he was looking for. Yeah, he figured. Dumbledore had given this to him, the writing was the same as the signature at the bottom of his invitation to Hogwarts.
He looked at the cloak and then bit his lower lip, before he put it away. He had to get to breakfast, anyway, he would use it later.
~TWM~
He had been right. The cloak really did help with his evening walks, and he had always been silent so he was basically a specter in the halls. Not like anyone would really notice if another was in the halls of education. His favorite spot, however, had been a room he had discovered some time ago. The room itself was unremarkable, but the object inside was. It was a tall mirror, perfectly silver, with a forest green wood as a frame, with elegant drawings of plants and the like. Some animals here and there as well, and overall it gave off a warm, thrumming magic.
Why did he like this mirror so much? It was very simple: He saw his parents in it. Even if they just stared out, into the room, he got to see them life sized. He always had his cloak on, so he doubted the magic of the mirror allowed them to ‘see’ him. He sat down and just took in their forms for hours, though he always knew that they were not real, and so he would go off to the tower to sleep. He only came at night, however, knowing better than the possibility of being caught in the daytime.
He never mentioned the mirror to Prof. Flitwick on the days he visited him, he figured the man already knew about it. He wondered what the small professor would have seen in it, but he was sure that would have been rude to ask. It was one night, a few nights before everyone returned, when something baffling happened. However, he knew Magic was both a terrible, and wondrous thing so anything was possible. Harry had been sitting down, enjoying the mirror, when he felt it was time to leave. He got up and then, with slight hesitation, took the cloak off. His parents in the mirror immediately latched their gazes onto him, and he smiled.
“Hi mom, Dad.” Harry said, timidly almost, with a gentle wave. “I know you can’t hear me, and that you’re not… real, but I wish I knew you. I wish I could... that you could hug me and say you loved me.” Harry said, sniffing softly, before smiling. “I’m doing well in my classes! Even potions!” He chuckled softly, before sighing. “I’ll be back tomorrow night… love you.” He whispered, and smiled at the smile he got in return from them. James, his father, in the mirror put his hand on his shoulder. It was then that both the older man in the mirror, and the younger one outside jumped. Harry had felt that! He looked at his shoulder, but there was nothing there. He looked up at his father in the mirror, and then gasped when he felt his cheek cupped by his mother.
“You’re... touching me?” Harry spoke, softly, reaching out to touch the mirror. As he did so, so did Lily, and he felt the warmth of her hand on the normally cool glass. He tugged his hand back and then watched as Lily kneeled, saying something he couldn’t hear, as James ran out of his view. He came back with parchment, writing on it before putting it on the glass.
“ Find Filius, tell him about this .” The words on the parchment said, and Harry tilted his head before speaking. He was rapidly being overwhelmed, but he managed words.
“Can you hear me?” He asked, getting a frown from his father and a furrowed brow. The parchment was taken by his mother, and she wrote something on the other side.
“ Filius is Prof. Flitwick, my son. ” The note said, and Harry shuddered softly. Not in fear, or the cold, but seeing those last two words. He nodded softly and was about to bolt when he snatched the cloak up, no need to be caught before he got there.
“I’ll be back! As fast as I can!” He said, that childhood hope burning in his heart, his veins. His need for sleep all but gone as he ran as fast as the cloak would allow, he needed to see the charms professor!
~TWM~
Filius Ferdinand Flitwick was sitting in his favorite chair in his office, wondering when he should retire for the evening. He was half-goblin, so his need for sleep was not as extensive as his human colleagues. He sipped his goblin ale and wondered how Harry was doing, he had not been back in the last few days, though that wasn’t always a bad thing. He smiled at the thought when he was startled his door being almost furiously pounded on, which was far from normal. He got up and made his way to the door, opening it to see… nothing.
“Hello?” The small man asked, frowning gently and then getting agitated. “Peeves? Is that you? Are you being a nuisance again?” He asked again, and then yelped softly when the boy he had been thinking about appeared out of thin air.
“Sorry professor! I forgot about the cloak. I need you to come with me! It’s very, very important!” Harry said, all of it coming out in a jumble, but the keen ears of the retired master Dueler caught them.
“Calm down, Harry, calm down. Now, why don't you come in and tell me what's so important, hmm?” Filius said, smiling softly and then blinking at the vehement shaking of the young boys head.
“NO, no! You… please, come with me. It’s really, very important.” He said again, starting to walk away, gesturing for the man to follow. Filius sighed but decided to indulge the young child, better to have him with a professor then alone.
~TWM~
Harry led Prof. Flitwick to the proper room, so excited, yet at the same time wary. Would the small man see what he saw? Would he be brought to the medi-witch to be checked on? Was the mirror even there anymore? He shook his head as the entered the room, that last question answered as it was indeed still there, and he sighed in relief.
Filius raised an eyebrow as he saw the mirror, and frowned. What was the mirror doing here? It was… dangerous. No... Had Harry succumbed to it’s magic? He sighed softly and approached it, not noticing the reflection yet, as he looked at the description on the mirror on the top arch.
.eb dluohs efil tahw tub ,ecaf ruoy ton wohs I
He frowned again, stroking his chin lightly. This was the wrong mirror. Dumbledore had gotten the wrong mirror. He wracked his brain, knowing there were several mirrors of power in the world. He then gasped and looked up. This was the mirror of Life! He gazed up to see Harry sighing, as Lily Potter was cupping his cheek, and it seemed he felt it.
“My goodness… it cannot be.” Filius muttered to himself, coming up the mirror and lightly tapping against it. James smiled down at him, that cheeky smile, before he pressed some paper onto the mirror on his side, after hastily writing.
“
Hello Short stuff
.” The note said, and Flitwick laughed, that was James alright. He then seemed contemplative for a moment, before he turned to the side and cleared his throat.
“Leila, dear, I need your assistance please.” He said into the empty air, and a soft ~pop~ shortly after produced a house elf roughly his size.
“What can Leila do for you, Professor?” The elf said, in clear English. He smiled at her question and rubbed his hands together before speaking.
“I need my family Grimoire, please. It is of the utmost importance.” He said, and he got a nod in return before the elf vanished. She returned with a book almost as large as she was, making a pedestal for it and placing it on said pedestal. “Thank you, Leila.” He said, and she nodded, bowing and leaving with that soft ~pop~. Filius then started thumbing through the book, humming lightly as he did so. He was not going to get Harry’s hopes up, but he was sure he had something to help.
Harry, on the other hand, was too occupied with the warmth of his mother hand on his cheek to really pay attention to anything else. His eyes were closed, so he missed the glow of the spell that Flitwick used. His eyes flew open in surprise, however, when he was picked up and hugged. His first hug that he could remember, it was… oh it was so warm. He looked to see the mirror cracked, and his mother holding him so tightly, but not painfully so. She kneeled and sobbed into his hair, holding him and rocking back and forth slowly. He was then treated to the warmth of another hug, encompassing both him and his mother were his father's arms.
Filius smiled as he saw this. It was a joyous reunion, and he noticed that both Lily and James were aged as if they had not been absent for ten years. Harry wept, in joy and sadness. Joy for having his family, sadness for not having grown with them. He would, however, never be alone again. He wept until he exhausted himself, Lily sniffed softly as her boy was cradled in his father’s arms. They turned to the silent professor and he smiled.
“I think a trip to Poppy is in order, don’t you?” Filius said, while waving his wand and slowly, and carefully shrinking the now useless mirror. It would help with proving that these two were exactly who said they were, the Unspeakables would help with that as well. The elder Potters nodded and walked while on the way to the Hospital wing they spoke with the small professor, still shocked so they were surprisingly calm.
~TWM~
Poppy Pomfrey was just about to go to bed, having nothing to do really this holiday season, most children gone for the holiday. It was why she was surprised when she was alerted to her doors opening, and that caused her to gently sigh. No, nothing bad she reassured herself. It was probably a student who had a head cold, or perhaps a wound that a simple Episkey couldn't handle. She blinked softly when she exited her office, the sight in front of her was… both troubling and miraculous.
“Yes, Poppy… it is indeed Lily and James. Perhaps a closed section for the recently reunited family?” Filius said, smiling softly, with a bit of fatigue as well. That spell had not been easy on the man, but he would do it again if he had to.
“Yes… yes of course. Shall I inform Albus?” Poppy asked, getting a negative shake of the head from the diminutive man.
“Tomorrow, Poppy, along with a few other… key people.” He said with a wink, and she nodded softly. Still in a daze, but then again it was the holiday season, and magic was capable of so many things.
~TWM~
Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, sighed as she got up from her desk. She just received a missive from Hogwarts, apparently there was a very important matter that required her attention. She shook her head and then informed her niece, Susan, that she would return in a few hours. Susan understood, her aunt was a very important person after all. A walk to the fireplace, followed by a handful of floo powder and an exclamation of ‘Hogwarts, Deputy’s office’, had her swirling from her home.
She arrived with a practiced grace, wand out in an instant to remove the soot from her robes and the floor around her. She looked around with a raised eyebrow, especially at the occupants of the magically expanded room.
To one side there was a lightly clouded portion, with a portion of the large table hidden as well within it. On the other side there was Minister Fudge and his… toady, Senior Undersecretary Umbridge. Amelia saw that Umbridge was not pleased, a look of not so well hidden disgust on her face as not five feet from her sat three goblins. Two heavily armored guards, and an account manager it seemed. The last occupant of the room surprised her, however, yet she was then put on edge. What was Holly Banks, head of the Department of Magical Child Welfare, doing here?
“Ah! Amelia, you made it. We were waiting for you, it seems.” Minister Fudge said, looking relieved that the last member was here.
“Yes, I had to change. I woke up not an hour ago, I was having a bit of a lie you, you understand, it is my vacation after all.” She said, huffing softly before sitting next to Holly, giving her a nod of greeting. Out of the shrouded area stepped Prof. Flitwick, giving a nod and smile to everyone, before he spoke.
“I must apologize for bringing you from your homes, but this is a matter of utmost importance, and can lead to many a thing falling on its head.” He said, getting up onto his chair on the goblin side and gesturing to them. “Before we continue, I will defer to Account manager Direfang. If you will, honored clan-member?” Filius said, respect in his tome. The goblin nodded and cleared his throat.
“For reference, I am Senior Account Manager Direfang, manager of the Potter accounts and estate.” The older goblin said, his voice rich but deep. The Potter name had everyone perking up, with Holly’s and Amelia’s eyes narrowing slightly. “I have with me a heritage parchment, already filled out. Madame Bones, if you would perform the necessary charms to ensure it’s authenticity?” The goblin asked, sliding it to the slightly surprised older woman. Amelia nodded, and with some muttered incantations, and a few flicks of her wand, saw the parchment glow a pleasant blue.
“It is untainted, and completely authentic, account manager Direfang.” Amelia said, getting a nod from the goblin who took the parchment back, the minister looking confused, but interested.
“There is nothing that can lie to this parchment, these enchantments are powered by powerful blood rituals.” Direfang said, getting a hiss from Umbridge. “We have the complete authority for these rituals, Madam Umbridge, your ministry gave them to us. Now, as I was saying.” He cut himself off, to throw a rather dangerous glare at the pink toady. Said woman huffed and crossed her arms, gesturing to him as if to say ‘get on with it.’
“Duel master Flitwick, if you please.” Direfang said, as he continued speaking, Filius’ wand in his hand as he worked on a spell of his own. “I have done, and said what I have, to ensure you that those whom you are about to see are indeed who they appear to be.” He said, just as the shroud came down. Surprised gasps ran through those not in the know, as the three in the large seat were uncovered.
Harry Potter, son of long respected war heroes Lily and James Potter, was sitting between said war heroes. Amelia immediately stood, waved her wand over the parchment again, and then looked at the smiling Potters.
“Ugh, you got so old, Amy! I mean… we did too, but I think we look better.” James said, teasing his once Auror partner gently. He got up, Harry leaning into his mother, before he approached her. “Permission to hug my old partner?” He asked, before he grunted softly, getting a rather enthusiastic hug. “Okay, ouch! I’ve only been back for two days, and I am a taken man.” He said, returning the hug.
“I saw your body, James… I was there when you were buried.” Amelia said, stepping back and looking at him, then at Lily. “How is this possible?” She asked, wiping a few stray tears as she looked at Lily, and a very, very happy Harry.
“Magic.” James answered, before he yelped and got a stinging hex from his wife. “Alright, alright… yeesh. I am not entirely sure, but we have someone here who knows.” As he said that, a new figure appeared from behind the goblins. Amelia immediately knew who it was, and she frowned.
“Master Unspeakable Croaker.” She said, and he nodded, taking off his hood and sitting down. The goblins gathering their things, leaving the parchment there, and then after some bows and farewells, they were gone.
“Amelia, Cornelius.” The man, Croaker, said to the two of the three highest officials in their government. “The magic that brought them back is ancient, and after their arrival, no more.” He leaned back softly, after flicking his wand to make his chair more comfortable.
“As many know, at least those high in the echelons of the ministry, there are two mirrors of ancient power. The Mirror of Erised, and The Mirror of Efil. The headmaster, in his growing bouts of stupidity, thought to have the first of those mirrors in this school. He wanted to hide an equally great item of power: the Philosopher’s stone.” He said, scoffing softly at the thought of it.
“To have a mirror such as Erised in a school, filled with children? Is he mad?” Cornelius said, growling softly. Sure, he often asked the venerable old wizard for advice, but that was just ludicrous.
“You will have to ask him some other time, Minister, I am not privy to the thoughts of the Headmaster. Now, as I was saying.” Croaker said, continuing from where he had been sidetracked. “The mirror of Efil is no more, its power used up to bring back the elder Potters.” He said, glancing at James and Lily who were sitting down once more, holding their peacefully slumbering son against them.
“I have a question for you, Amy.” James said, moving his eyes from his son.
“If I can answer it and it is not confidential information, of course.” Amelia said, smiling at her old partner, but she was still in Auror mode.
“Where is Siri? I would have expected him to be right on your tail, he did love cha- OW!” Exclaimed James at the end there, rubbing his ear softly from where it was flicked by his wife.
“Despite the fact that he is asleep, James, our son is in the room!” Lily said, before rubbing his ear and giving him a kiss.
“Hem-hem.” Croaked Umbridge, causing the rest of those in the room to look at her. “You will be most pleased to learn, Mr. Potter, that the traitor is where he belongs: In Azkaban. He did, after all, betray your whereabouts to you-know-who.” She simpered, eyes batting gently. It would be good to be on his side, he was a Lord of one of the most influential houses on the Wizengamot. What she did not expect, however, was his eyes clouding in anger and looking to Amelia.
“Please tell me, Madam Bones, why the godfather of my child is in prison for betrayal.” James said, his tone cold now, all hints of joviality gone.
“As Madam Umbridge said, Lord Potter, Sirius Black was placed in Azkaban for betraying you. He was known to be the secret keeper, after all.” This came from the minister, and then he shrunk back into his chair as those cold eyes moved to him.
“I tried to get him a trial, James… but no one wanted to listen to a barely graduated Auror.” Amelia said, frowning and looking at her hands. Sirius was like a brother to her, and he even said that all his flirting and joking was just that, he knew her more as a sister than anything else.
“He was thrown into that hell on earth, without a trial?” James hissed out, looking at the Minister. His next words were filled with such utter contempt, that the Minister damned near wet himself. “ Fix it! ” He snarled out. “Fix it, Cornelius Oswald Fudge, or I swear to the founders themselves, you will regret ever laying eyes on me.” He finished, his Hazel eyes sparking in pure fury. The minister, with a soft whimper, nodded and picked up his hat.
“Yes, of course, Lord Potter. It will be taken care of, do not worry.” He said, chuckling nervously before he shuffled off, his toady on his tail, barely able to keep up with the man as he left. James huffed and leaned back, rubbing the bridge of his nose softly before he took his son from his wife, needing the comfort of his only child.
“And why am I here, Mr. and Mrs. Potter?” Holly asked, having been just a spectator until now, where silence allowed her to speak.
“We have need of your services, Mrs. Banks.” Lily Potter said, getting up and going to sit next to the woman. “Though it’s obvious we are his parents, and can care for him, we need it done legally. We need it both in Gringotts and the Ministry.” Lily said, smiling softly, and getting a firm nod from the woman.
“Ah, of course. You do not want anyone contesting this, you want your son to be yours in all ways.” She said, already digging into her bag and taking out the required forms. She was surprised when Lily cut her finger with her wand, dropping the required blood on the parchment. In a mere seconds it started to fill out, her name, weight eye color, everything. James got up and did the same, holding his son still, but to a second parchment.
“Now all we need is young Harry’s blood on… this one.” Holly said, taking out a sheet of parchment that would be attached to theirs. They were quick to make the needed blood drop, and then heal their son before he could wake from discomfort. The parchments flashed lightly in acceptance, and then flashed away in a burst of magic. A copy resting there, for the Potters to hold.
“There we are, Mr. and Mrs. Potter. He is now your son in the legal sense, not like many would have contested that anyway.” Holly said, smiling and then taking a deep breath, speaking again before she lost her nerve. “Thank you, for cleansing our world of that… cancer. I, along with my children, owe you so much.” She said, smiling softly at their own smiles of acceptance. She then excused herself, leaving with a smile on her face, she had done another child good, she was happy about that.
“Now.” James said, breaking the silence, not as enraged as he had been, but still agitated. “I know it’s not your job, Amy, but I need you to follow the Minster, stop him from speaking to the press like some gossip monger. Can you do that for us, for old times sake?” James said, a smile on his face.
“Of course it’s not my job, James, but what kind of sister would I be otherwise?” She said, and after another hug, from both Potters this time, she got up to do just that. Croaker had left when James had spoken to the Minister, and Filius was sipping tea as he had watched the whole thing. He smiled at them when they looked at him, and then offered them some tea. He then started talking to them, making sure to speak about more lighthearted subjects, to relax them and further welcome them back into the world.
~TWM~
Albus Dumbledore hummed softly as he walked towards his office, and then a thought struck him. He had gifted his wea- er, the Potter boy, the cloak that had belonged to his father. He wondered if the boy had been to see the mirror, he didn’t doubt it. However, a conference in Geneva for the I.C.W. had called him away, so he couldn’t monitor the boy. That would change, though, he was back now. There was no doubt the compulsions layered in the cloak would help with that, oh yes. Not only that, the mirror itself made some of the strongest willed people want to keep coming back.
He decided to check the room where it was kept, and when he got there he panicked. He panicked like a first year in Severus’ class. The mirror was gone . Not only that, the room was filled with supplies to be fixed by the elves. He checked once, twice, three times. This was the same room. Where had the mirror gone!?
“Pipsy!” He said, trying to calm himself. A small ~pop~ later and a well dressed house elf appeared, all four crests of Hogwarts on the breast of her robes.
“Yes headmaster, what can Pipsy do for you?” The elf said, her voice not as squeaky as most elves, but still high pitched.
“The mirror, the mirror that was in this room. Large, ornate, taller than I am. Where it is?” He asked, desperation in his tone.
“The mirror with magic?” She asked, and he nodded, before she continued. “Master Flitwick has it. He says he needed it for something extra important.” She said, and he sighed in relief. Ah, that was good… Filius had it. Probably took it to another room, more than likely one of his ravens stumbled upon it. He nodded and then dismissed the elf, before he made his way to the smaller man’s office and quarters, he had to get that mirror back. The stone needed to be placed within it, Tom could not get it.
It didn’t take him long to get to his colleague's office, he knew many of the shortcuts in the school, and the staircases moved as he wished. He knocked on the door and it opened, Filius having opened it with a flick of his wand, as he was currently going over some essays for his N.E.W.T. level students. He glanced up after marking one with a large ‘O’, before he spoke.
“Ah, Albus, you’ve returned. I trust the conference went well?” The smaller man said, flicking his wand again to put his work away, before leaning back in his comfy chair.
“Yes, Filius, it went well. Many a thing were taken care of.” Albus said, flicking his own wand and transfiguring one of the chairs into a much more comfortable one. “I was surprised to learn, however, Filius, that you moved the mirror.” He looked at the other man over his half-moon spectacles.
“The mirror?” Filius asked, then perked up. “Ah! Yes, I moved it. I have it here actually.” He said, taking the miniaturized mirror from his desk. Albus was quick to groan and rub his face. The only way those mirrors could be shrunk were if they were completely depleted of magic.
“What happened, Filius?” Albus asked, weary, and thinking the worst but still he had hope.
“Well first of all, Albus, why don’t you read the inscription?” Flitwick said, restoring it and gesturing to the top. Dumbledore nodded, wondering why, before doing so. He saw the inscription, and then blinked, eyes wide.
“My goodness… I got the wrong mirror.” Dumbledore said, and Filius nodded. Dumbledore then froze, no, it wasn’t possible.
“How was the power of the mirror used, Filius?” Dumbledore asked, a grave tone in his voice. The tone, and look of panic in his face was washed away, to be replaced with a look of confusion as the smaller male smiled.
“It was used in the benefit of one of our students. You see, one of our little ones had taken to wandering the halls at night, and he stumbled upon this mirror. It was even simpler for him, I assume, once he received the cloak of his, at least at that time, deceased father.” Filius said, saying everything he needed to say without coming right out and saying it. It took Dumbledore a few moments before he stood up straighter.
“They live then?” He asked, an oddly neutral tone in his voice. Flitwick nodded and leaned back in his chair once more, hands resting on his chairs armrests.
“They do indeed, and they are currently getting reacquainted with not only their son, but his godfather and adoptive godfather.” Filius said, smiling brightly at this. It was magnificent, really. Years without a loving family, and then as a marvelous Yule gift, he was given a rather large one.
“Yes, that is wonderful news, Filius. Indeed.” Dumbledore said, standing up and righting the chair he had shifted. “They are in the school then?” He asked, looking at Filius, still with a neutral tone.
“Oh, heavens no. They are at one of the Potter properties. I am not privy to the information of which one, but Mr. Potter will return before classes start, I assure you.” Filius said, waving it off as if it was nothing big, and in reality, it wasn’t.
“Yes… of course. Thank you, Filius. Have a good evening.” Dumbledore said, before leaving. His mind a whirlwind of anger, and confusion. How was he supposed to guide his weapon now? He had his parents, and through that love needed to help guide his actions away from the Greater Good. It was infuriating. He could have sworn he got the right mirror, and because of his mistaken it cost him, and quite possibly the rest of the wizarding world, so much more. He’d talk with the Potters, yes, they would listen to reason.
~TWM~
“Absolutely not, Albus!” Lily Potter nearly screamed, staring at the old man as if he had walked into the great hall naked.
“Lily, my dear, please lis-” Dumbledore didn’t get to continue, stopping himself as he had a wand pressed just under his chin, well… two wands that is. One from his left, and the other from his right.
“I’m sorry, Dumbledore, but did I hear that correctly?” Came the voice of James Potter from his left.
“Yes, I do believe you did, James.” Came the voice of Remus Lupin from his right. “He wants to send your Bambi, my cub , back to his abusive relatives.” He snarled at the end of that, digging the wand in deeper, causing Dumbledore to wince softly.
“Truly, I understand the Dursley’s were not ideal guardians, but Abusive?” Dumbledore said, trying to placate the angry adults in the room. Sirius was in another room with Harry, both of them resting, one of them recovering from his horrendous stay in Azkaban.
“Wands away, boys.” Lily said, making the two males stare at her in disbelief, until they had glares centered on them. They complied and Dumbledore smiled at her.
“Thank you, my dea- Oof!” Dumbledore had started, before he doubled over with a shot to his gut, causing him to huff and take in a deep breath.
“Now you listen to me, Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, and you listen well. My son is staying with his family, and will never go back to my sister’s residence.” Said Lily, using the current height advantage to tug his head back by his hair, his glasses askew. “He was a stone underweight, his vision was terrible, and he still has nightmares from the threats he got in that house.” She said, letting go with another glare. “Get him out of here, boys. I do not want Sirius or Harry walking in with him still here.” She finished and left the room, leaving James and Remus alone with him.
“Albus Dumbledore, of the minor house of Dumbledore, you are no longer welcome within the walls of Potter Manor. The wards are not peaceful to you, the grounds no longer a boon to your feet. Be gone from these halls, so I speak it, so mote it be.” James said, and with a bit of swirling magic, Dumbledore vanished with a soft ~crack~.
“Well, that was fun, wasn’t it, Moony?” James said, after a bit of silence, getting a scoff and smile from the old looking marauder.
“Yeah, reminded me not to make Lily pissed at me.” He said, pausing for a moment before looking at James again. “Shall we go check on her?” He asked, getting a nod from the man before they both left the room. Everyone in that household would be damned if their little one was taken from them, again. Dumbledore didn’t realize it at the time, but he had made some rather powerful enemies that day.