Second chance

Author’s Notes: I have decided to split this chapter in two because it was becoming bulky at the seams and the two parts really would be better off each on their own in my opinion. So this chapter will deal with the ceremony at the Department of Mysteries and the next with the journey into the Spirit Realm.

This chapter was waiting to be finished for a long time. I could try to excuse myself with varying excuses but in the end the main reason was that I had a really tough time writing one of the side characters in it. More on that at the end notes.

Also the previous chapters were slightly edited to correct mistakes and polish some rough spots though nothing major was changed.


Disclaimer: I don\'t own any original HP characters, they all belong to J.K! Though there\'s no harm playing, is there?
Please review (don\'t fear to criticize, I don\'t mind).
Enjoy




Chapter IV – Meetings and a Ceremony

Harry glanced nervously to his side at Remus. The big moment was almost at hand. In just twenty more minutes they will \'boldly go where no man has gone before\'. Harry scowled at Remus for pestering him into reading that silly Star-Trek book from Sirius\' old stash-library when they were at Grimauld\'s place. Remus claimed it would help him know Sirius better and how important that would be when they would try to find him in the Spirit-Realm. Did the man think he didn\'t know his own godfather? It didn\'t matter if Sirius read that stupid book when he was still at school. Harry knew all that was important about him in his heart. Besides, he couldn\'t believe Sirius will want to read a silly book about a bunch of pretend wizards fighting a pack of trolls, both riding in flying trucks at night. Apparently the trolls stole a giant invisibility cloak that they used to hide their truck under.

It was just too ridiculous and silly to consider that Sirius would want to read something like that. If this was real life the trolls would have probably started fighting amongst themselves as soon as they saw each other and hit a mountain without even noticing it in the first five minutes of the fight. Besides, if the wizards had any brains at all they wouldn’t ride in a stupid truck, they would take in the very least good old Nimbus 2000 broomsticks for the lot of them so that everybody could use their wands without hitting each other and could chase all the trolls once they got out of their truck and dispersed into the surrounding forest. He and Ron could tackle a troll when they were eleven for crying out loud. Maybe the wizards just wanted to give the trolls a sporting chance.

Looking back at the musty platform Harry tried to stifle a yawn as Trelawney yammered on about the terrible fates that awaited them on their dangerous journey. He couldn\'t believe anyone would want to hire her after her sack from Hogwarts at his fifth year but apparently the Department of Mysteries was really as silly as he thought it was.

Finally Trelawney finished her jabbering and the audience started whispering excitedly in anticipation. They were mostly department employees, but at one corner were also Hagrid - who wanted to see his newest beasts at work, professor McGonagall - who heard all about it from Hagrid and managed to weasel out of Snape his little mementos at the last minute, and professor Snape himself - who came to sneer down at the lot of them while stroking his wand absentmindedly every time he glanced back at the gateway.

Harry stood up to go and say hello to Hagrid but Luna came to greet them before he could take more than a step or two, smiling her loopy smile in dreamy excitement. Harry tried to smile back at her but his eyes kept being drawn to the chirping dog-sized white Thestral perched on her shoulder. “Hi there Harry, professor Lupin. Are you ready? This is so exciting, don\'t you think? I hope you\'ll find your godfather in there; I’m crossing my fingers for you. They\'re bringing his body now you know. They worked really hard on him and I think he looks as good as new. Lucky somebody thought to preserve a, ahem, piece of his flesh all these years. It made our job so much easier.\" she winked at him.

“Did you see my new familiar yet? He\'s so adorable. Hagrid and I are really proud of him. He is the first of his species and I named him Paddy for Padfoot. Doesn’t he look a little like a three-toed Glurshknook? I think I will put an article on them in the next Quibbler issue. They’re really faci… oh, here he comes. You should go say farewell to Hagrid. I promised him you\'ll talk to him before you go in there.” Luna told them in a rush as Sirius body floated into the room escorted by a wizened Mediwizard to lie at last on an altar next to the arch.

Harry smiled back and muttered \"Later.\" Before he hurried with Remus toward his former teachers and got a bone-crunching hug from Hagrid and a smile and a nod from their head of house. Snape of course wrinkled his nose and wandered off to chat with some elderly witch from the crowd, throwing dirty looks on them as he no doubt gave her his usual sermon on the evils of Potters\' and Werewolves\' continued existence in the wizarding world.

\"Harry, good ter see yeh. It’s bin so long. How\'re yeh doin\'? I know yeh got a witch keepin’ yeh at home but remember yeh’re always welcome for tea at me cabin. I, I thin’ Fang really miss yeh’re little visits, you and Ron and Hermione. I’m really sorry Ron an\' Hermione couldn\' be here today. Know how much they wou\' \'ave wanted to be \'ere for ye. I \'aven\'t seen the three of you together since yeh left Hogwarts.\" Hagrid wiped his tears with a dirty tablecloth of a handkerchief from one of his pocket and smiled mischievously at Harry through his tears. \"Do ye like the thespirts? I used a pint of Acromantula blood from ol\' Aragog to give \'em a little spirit. After all, Acromantulas are very loyal and domestic creatures, good a’ tracking down lost treasures and they always return to their nest once they get one.”

Harry felt his stomach lurch. He almost patted that thespirt on Luna’s shoulder just now. Were they poisonous? He wasn’t terrified of spiders like Ron, but still. It was just like Hagrid to do this and than wave it all away with a mischievous smile like it was a surprise Christmas gift. The man did not understand the meaning of the word Monster.

He steeled himself and smiling went to the birdcage to look at the little monsters he had to ride in a few minutes. You could clearly see the pigeon in them. Fat, white and self assured they were sitting in the cage with no signs of spider webs or compound eyes anywhere about but than he caught a flash of gleaming pointy teeth when one of them started scratching its scraggly wing. At least it wasn\'t dragon-blood this time.

Suddenly Hagrid was hovering at his shoulder looking through the bars with misty eyes full with trepidation and hope. \"Look at \'em, the little ones. Yeh\'ll look out for \'em won\'t yeh? Keep \'em outa trouble. It\'s their very first time, Harry, and they wouldn\' know what ter do in that place. Them wizards at the creature-control deprtmen’ would \'ave \'em all killed if they got their wands on \'em. They don\' want anything new, anything unpure ter taint their world. Do yeh know what it meant for me tha\' Miss. Lovegod trusted me with \'em?\" Hagrid was hugging himself, trembling and openly crying now. \"Ifit weren\' for professor Dumbledore they woulda taken me, got rid o\' me sommow, jus\' like they would with these poor fellas. Yeh saw how they trea\' professor Lupin. It was professor Dumbledore let\'im come ter Hogwarts. Great wizard he was, great wizard! The thespirts, yeh\'ll tell \'em what good creatures they are won\' yeh Harry? They\'ll believe it if it\'s yeh tha\' tells \'em. Help ‘em in there when \'ey lose their way or get into scrapes. They wouldn\' \'ave a word ter say agains\' \'em than, will \'ey? They\'ll not reckon with yeh by their side.\"

Harry leaped up to Hagird’s massive neck, hugging him as hard as he could, murmuring to him fiercely \"I promise, Hagrid. I won\'t let you down. I won\'t let the thespirts out of my sight. Don\'t worry; they\'ll be as safe with us in there as they would be in your chicken coop back at Hogwarts.\" He wouldn’t let Hagrid down like he almost did with Buckbeak back in school. He’ll be there for him this time all the way.

Professor McGonagall was tapping his shoulder. \"Hurry up now. They\'re about to begin the ceremony any moment now. You mustn’t be late.\"

Harry let go of Hagrid, sliding back to the floor and saw the half giant beaming broadly at him through his streaming eyes with a look of pure joy, pride and utter confidence in him. \"C\'mon Harry, you and professor Lupin oughtn\' be late for yer own ceremony. I\'ll wish yeh good luck but I know yeh don\' needit. Yeh always come through no matter what. I\'ll be waitin\' for yeh right here Harry. Yeh can count on me.\" And with that, Hagrid hugged him one last bone crunching hug that left Harry wheezing breathless before letting him go.

Harry hurriedly followed Remus to the stage, nodding his thanks to the good luck wishes thrown his way by professor McGonagall and various Ministry people he didn\'t know and stopped with Remus beside Sirius\' body. He was lying atop a wide stone altar looking as though he had just gone to sleep though his chest did not rise or fall. He looked thinner than he remembered him. All his ribs were clearly showing through the white robe that covered him and his eyes were circled by black shadows. Harry felt his throat hitching at the sight. Eleven years. He had not laid eyes on Sirius, his godfather, for eleven years. The chance to say farewell to him, to give him piece and bury him in the welcoming earth, the chance to gaze and kiss in parting that beloved visage was stolen from him all those years ago, snatched like morning mists into that god damned Arch. He never had a chance to truly have him. He only had the bits and pieces, an hour here, a moment there. It wasn\'t right. Nothing was ever right in his miserable life.

Remus squeezed his shoulder reassuringly from behind murmuring softly \"We\'ll bring him back Harry. Don\'t you worry.\"

Harry breathed deeply as he composed himself with an effort, telling himself he mustn\'t disappoint Sirius here and break down in front of the staring crowd. He nodded to Remus resolutely and looked around.

The aged Mediwizard was standing nearby casting his spells on Sirius with a benign smile and Luna was approaching them carrying a potion tray in one hand and floating the thespirt cage with the other. Stopping to place her burdens beside them she stood up peremptorily and sweeping her eyes over the waiting crowd began explaining the ceremony to them in a loud and carrying tone.

\"At the strike of midnight you will enter the mystical domains of the Spirit Realm. These thespirtralls will guide you back to us when you are bewildered and lost in that endlessly mystifying Realm, for do not doubt, your eyes shall be distracted and your spirits untied in that unearthly place. I therefore urge you, never to lose sight of them; they are your only lifeline to this time and place. These beasts carry a noble heritage of loyalty and steadfastness in their blood and bones having come from the willing joining of the unswerving earthly Homing Pigeon and the honorable wraithlike Thestrall with the blood of the loyal guardian Acromantula to complete them and give them strength. Place your trust in them and they will not fail you.

\"To tie you firmly to them and pay the tribute for their impending service to you, each of you shall bestow on your thespirtrall a drop from your blood.\" Here she presented them with golden pins and took out of the cage three of the chirping beasts. Harry and Remus stabbed their fingers and let drops of blood drop into the waiting open beaks while the wizened Mediwizard at their side performed this task on the limp body of Sirius.

Luna smiled at them approvingly and continued. \"Now lie down on the waiting altar and form an unbreakable triangle with your missing companion so that you will venture forth as one on this noble quest and nevermore be separated in your lifetimes from each other.\" Here she guided Harry to lie on Sirius\' right side and Remus on his left and placed each of his hands in one of their own, further joining them by tying gauzy scarves around their wrists. She than joined their remaining hands with another scarf so that indeed they formed a triangle with their hands, and stepped back to stand beside the potion tray.

\"To free your spirits from your earthly bodies the two of you must drink a dose of this Drought of Living Death. It will protect your bodies by an undisturbed deep slumber from any harm that might befall them while your spirits roam away and assure you a safe return. I will spell you on your way once you have drunk your potions, and in their slumber your bodies shall await you hale and whole under our careful care.\" Here she poured a measure of the waiting potion into two polished lead cups on her tray, while the three thespirts alighted on their chests and the wizened Mediwizard gave the two of them a reassuring smile. \"Do not fear this first step in your journey. Your spirits shall be watched and guided by none other than Sibyll Trelawney, who ably taught the children of our land for many years at Hogwarts the arts of Divination and is the sole remaining direct descendant of the great and revered Cassandra Trelawney, the founder of our noble Order.\"

Harry looked worriedly at Trelawney who was proudly clambering onto the stage looking like a vain bespectacled peacock fluffing her feathers for the watching crowd. Her heavy perfumes gagged his breath even from here.

Before he could protest Luna\'s choice of guide she was standing at their side intoning in a deep warning tone \"Now drink your draughts, seekers, for the witching hour is at hand and Chronus waits on no one. Hold on to your task and do not be distracted by the sights you glimpse and feel along the way or your quest shall end in vain, a trophy for the dour Grim. Remember that.\" And she was pouring a cup down Remus\' throat. There was no time. Harry squeezed Sirius\' arm and let Luna pour her second cup into his open mouth. She was whispering to him \"Good luck Harry.\" and showing him her crossed fingers as he swallowed his drink in one convulsive gulp. Her shout: \"Extrico Animus! Extrico Animus!\" was the last thing he ever heard from her.

His eyes were growing heavy and his sight distorting. The room was alternately shrinking and expanding. He could see Trelawney hovering above him looking like a giant praying mantis ready for the kill but the room was becoming increasingly hazy and her face obscured as colored mists and lights seemed to fill the room, flowing around him to and through, seeping into every corner, nauseating him with their inscrutable hellish dancing. He could hear a heavy rhythmic throb, the beating of his heart he knew, but it was almost drowned by the deafening din of whispered breaths, the noise a mighty crowd of giants might make in the ears of one lowly gnat, stranded terrified in their midst. And above it all, beneath, behind, ahead, around, there was a muted howling sound, a constant thing amid the flowing, throbbing, pulsing nightmare that was tugging him into the inescapable depths of madness. It was a comforting thing to have he thought, and reminded him of the sound a winter storm might make heard through the heavy window of your cozy room. He felt as though it really was a wind, tugging at him softly but inexorably toward the nameless tracts of the great beyond. He wasn\'t frightened at the prospect; he realized at that moment that he welcomed it. A release from this awful nightmare he had fallen into was all he craved for at this moment.

Before he could be swept away and lost however, those giant eyes surrounded by their gargantuan spectacles returned to pin him down, overpowering him with the heavy scents of incense that seemed to smother him completely beneath their cloying weight. A mouth appeared beneath those giant eyes, gaping open hugely to become a wrinkled wheel, its shadowy center filled with awful rows of half seen gleaming waiting teeth that he knew would end him in one snap. As he waited miserably for his inevitable pathetic end it puffed its breath at him in a whistling, ear-shattering high note that sent him flying, tumbling over and over again until at last he landed on a soft and fluffy white mattress that seemed to mute to some degree the sights and smells and noises that had assaulted him till now, into something he could bear.

He saw now that it was his thespirt he was lying atop. Her fair unchanging figure that once had filled him with revulsion now made his heart ache with warmth and thankfulness. She was his haven now in her mundane everyday appearance. An appearance that was no stranger than a hippogriff’s, and was now a bastion of normality against the unendurable strangeness beyond. He sat upright behind her wings, leaning forward to hug her neck smiling at the pleasant feel of her soft downy feathers.

Daring to look around now that he got his bearings again he saw through the surrounding hazy mist that Remus sat astride a thespirt of his own nearby and waving at him insistently to take off and fly already. Waving his acknowledgement to him he took hold of his thespirt and pressing his heels to its sides urged her to take off. As he flew up toward the ceiling the joy and excitement of it all took hold of him as he wheeled and whizzed high up around the ceiling, making him giddy with delight. He had always loved flying, even when it wasn’t on a broomstick. The wind in his hair, the dazzling speed, the panoramic view, they always made his troubles seem lighter. Even the exotic sights and sounds of his new spiritual existence now seemed like nothing more than one of the Weasley twins’ famous fireworks. Laughing loudly at his earlier fright he alighted down next to the smiling Remus and stared ahead into the waiting gate. Gone were the filmy curtains at its sides and the murky atmosphere surrounding it. Within its borders was now contained a light so bright a thousand suns could not have matched it. Like the glare of a lighthouse beam aimed straight at your eyes on a dark and cloudy night it blinded them to anything else in its surrounding. Its light seemed enticing now, promising to give the answers to all the questions they could ever imagine and more, much more. It was the wind he heard before, the one that called and pulled him the moment before Trelawney pulled him away.

Sirius never escaped its clutches. It was too strong for him. Looking back to the spot where he knew Sirius’ body was waiting he girded up his courage and called to Remus to follow him. He was a Gryffindor and would not shy at danger. His godfather was depending on him and he would not let him down. Shouting Sirius’ name into the night he flew straight into the blinding light.



Author\'s Notes:

Writing this chapter I was really stumped trying to write an authentic Rubeus Hagrid. This is the final result though I’m still quite ambivalent on how well it turned out. Please tell me what you think of his speech, and accent and behavior. I’d really appreciate it.

In my story Sirius read some Muggle trash novels behind his parents’ back as an act of rebellion against their isolationist pure-blood beliefs. The reason Harry thinks the story is about trolls and wizards is that Harry is really quite the ignoramus in Muggle culture having spent his childhood locked in the Dursleys’ closet. He may know how to cook and light matches the Muggle way, and what a video game or television looks like but as he tells Mr. Weasley one time he really doesn’t know much about Mugglehood. In addition, I believe Sirius performed some recreative transfigurations on his books to make them more readable to the average wizard and disguise them from prying eyes. He thought they were funnier that way and that it was a great joke.

The department Hagrid refers to in his speech is of course the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures which I believe is too long a title for Hagrid to say.

The spell \"Extrico Animus!\" which Luna Lovegod uses on Harry and Remus to send them on their way translates as \"Free the Spirit!\" I never learned Lain in my life so if there is any mistake with that spell it lie solely on my shoulders. The spell was made using the online English Latin dictionary found at http://www.arts.cuhk.edu.hk/Lexis/Latin/
Extrico: disentangle, free, extricate, clear up, unravel.
Animus: soul, spirit, intellect.


The Drought of Living Death on the other hand is a very strong sleeping potion mentioned by Snape in Canon. It is the kind you take to fake your death (like in Romeo and Juliet for example).

Many thanks for the reviews on the story from Ligerzero, serenitygryffindorlpb, Wolflady and sbkar.

Ligerzero – Thanks. I\'ll try to update it from now on a regular basis. I had some troubles at the time with this chapter and thought of leaving it altogether. If not for the boost your review gave my will and confidence this chapter would have never seen the light of day in all probability but after reading your review I promised myself to continue with this story and not give up.

Serenitygryffindorlpb – Well, romance will have to wait till the next chapters but I promise you that all three will find their other halves once they\'re in the past.

Wolflady – The answer to that is still considered a state secret but I gave a couple of hints in the four chapters I posted so far so you are free to take a guess. Nice nicknames for the founders.

Sbkar – Thanks for telling me about my mistake. I went over the posted chapters and corrected the mistake. I suppose I wrote her name in the way I always imagined it would sound: like flour.