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Chapter 167: Harry's Two Days
Chapter 167: Harry's Two Days
With Dumbledore's permission, Harry Potter didn't have to return to school until Sunday afternoon.
During these two days, Harry and Lupin accompanied Sirius, witnessing his godfather's transformation from a disheveled, dirty, and ragged prisoner to a neat and presentable man, albeit still thin and frail.
They also visited St. Mungo's, where healers examined Sirius and provided a plethora of suggestions along with prescribing three types of potions. In essence, Sirius needed a long recuperation and careful nursing to regain his health.
Lupin took the opportunity to suggest that Sirius stay with him.
"I'm sure you don't want to go back to the old Black mansion... and Harry often comes back on weekends, so you two can spend more time together."
Sirius, having forgotten his initial intention of wanting Harry to live with him, happily agreed.
Lupin's house was not big; it would be crowded with two people, let alone three.
But that was not a problem for them. Both Lupin and Sirius were adept at the Space-Expansion Charm. It didn't take them long to add extra space for another bedroom.
That night, when Harry went to bed, he saw the two adults still sitting by the fireplace, drinking and talking.
And when he woke up in the morning, they were still in almost the exact same position.
They had talked through the entire night, as if they had endless things to catch up on.
On Sunday morning, Sirius and Lupin took Harry with them to Godric's Hollow via Disapparating.
For the first time, Harry learned that his home had been in this village and that his parents had died here.
He felt both surprised and ashamed as he wondered why he had never thought of visiting before. He hadn't even once paid his respects to his parents.
But then he thought that even if he had wanted to, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon wouldn't have brought him.
Lupin led them to the center of the square, and Harry was surprised to find a statue of the Potter family, as if the villagers were commemorating and thanking them in this way.
Then they went to pay their respects to James and Lily at the graveyard behind the church. However, Harry first saw the gravestones of Dumbledore's mother and sister. He realized for the first time that he and the headmaster came from the same place.
"Why didn't Dumbledore tell me?" Harry couldn't help but wonder.
But then he thought that perhaps many witches and wizards from this village attended Hogwarts, and Harry Potter was just one of them. There was no particular reason for Dumbledore to specifically mention it to him.
"Harry, over here!"
Lupin led the two to the grave of James and Lily Potter. The white marble tombstone bore the names of James and Lily, their dates of birth and death, and a short epitaph:
"The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death."
Harry looked at the two familiar yet strange names and thought of his parents lying cold beneath the ground, never to respond to him again. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Sirius sobbed uncontrollably, mumbling:
"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... I should've died... I'm sorry..."
Lupin turned away, took a deep breath, and avoided looking at them.
After a long while, Lupin helped Sirius, who was so grief-stricken that he was almost fainting, to his feet. He supported Harry, whose eyes were swollen from crying, and forcibly led the two away from the graveyard.
"We'll come back to visit them... Harry, even though James and Lily are gone, they will always live in our hearts, and their love will always be with you... Remember that."
"Sirius, James wouldn't want to see you like this... He would want you to pick yourself up and keep moving forward."
They arrived at what used to be James and Lily's home.
It was now in ruins; the right side of the top floor had been completely blown away, the iron gate was rusted, the yard was overgrown with weeds, and several windowpanes were shattered.
Standing at the doorway, Harry hesitated to go in for a moment.
He had often fantasized about what his life would have been like if his parents hadn't died... Would he have been like Dudley, rude, stupid, and impolite, yet still the most precious treasure in his parents' eyes?
However, now that he was so close to the place his parents had once lived, his legs felt heavy and he couldn't bring himself to move forward.
He was afraid. Afraid to see the happy life he could have had and even more afraid to witness how that happiness had been cruelly shattered and broken into pieces.
Lupin understood Harry's feelings and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. "Next time, Harry. When you're ready, we'll come back."
Harry forced a smile and said, "No, I can..."
"Don't forget you still have school tomorrow. If we stay here too long, will you be able to get up early tomorrow? Have you finished your homework and studied for your classes?"
Lupin's rapid-fire questions brought Harry back to the harsh reality. He remembered that he had only written two lines of his Potions essay, and his heart suddenly felt heavy in a different way.
"Let's go, I'll take you back to school," Lupin said. "We'll come back together during the Christmas holidays. There's a lot to sort out in the old house, and I'm sure you want to see the traces of your childhood too."
Harry hesitated for a moment, then allowed Lupin to lead him away. He turned back and saw Sirius still standing at the door, his body stiff as if it had been petrified.
Harry couldn't see his godfather's expression, but just looking at his back made it hard for him to breathe.
"Remus, Sirius..."
"He probably needs some time alone." Lupin said, "Don't worry, I'll check on him after I take you back."
Harry stole a glance at Lupin's expression from below.
'Is Remus really as calm as he appears? Or is he just hiding his emotions?'
As if reading his mind, Lupin suddenly said, "I'm not like Sirius."
"After that night, Sirius was sent straight to Azkaban. He didn't get to attend their funeral, nor did he have a chance to come back and visit them... There's a lot he wants to say to James..."
"Have you come to pay your respects to my parents, Remus?" Harry asked as calmly as he could, not wanting to appear like a whiny child.
"Yes, every year," Lupin replied gently.
...
"So, you visited your parents?"
In the common room, Hermione asked in a soft voice. She looked at Harry as if he were a fragile piece of china.
"Are you okay?... I mean... if you need it, you can lean on my shoulder..."
Hermione stammered.
"Oh, no, it's okay." Harry didn't feel like meeting her eyes and looked down as he spoke. "I... well... I'm used to not having parents, so..."
He couldn't continue, and Hermione looked like she was about to cry.
"Hey, Harry, you're here!" Ron suddenly popped in from the doorway, and seeing Harry, he exclaimed happily, "Come with me, they've set up a big project by the lake!"
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. He was eager to escape the awkward atmosphere and immediately stood up. "What is it?"
"Come and see!" Ron hurried back out through the doorway, calling out, "Hermione, what are you waiting for?"
"But Harry, you haven't finished your Potions essay!" Hermione followed, calling out worriedly.
"Forget that! This is way more interesting than a stupid essay!" Ron said.
The Fat Lady at the entrance of the common room shouted angrily at him, "I just let you in!"
Ron didn't have time to pay her any mind.
The three of them rushed out of the castle, and Harry was astonished to find almost the entire student body gathered by the lake. They were lined up in front of seven doors, and Ron immediately pulled them to the end of the shortest queue.
"Damn, we're late!" Ron lamented. "I thought they wouldn't open until tomorrow at the earliest!"
Harry, breathless, asked, "So... what is this all about?"
(End of Chapter)
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