when i met you

57

"And now," he said, "it is time for two of our number to recognize each other for what they are. Sirius... if you could resume your usual form."

The great black dog looked up at Dumbledore, then, in an instant, turned back into a man.

Mrs. Weasley screamed and leapt back from the bed, "Sirius Black!" she shrieked, pointing at him.

"Mum, shut up!" Ron yelled. "It's okay!"

Snape had not yelled or jumped backward, but the look on his face was one of mingled fury and horror.

"Him!" he snarled, staring at Sirius, whose face showed equal dislike. "What is he doing here?"

"He is here at my invitation," said Dumbledore, looking between them, "as are you, Severus. I trust you both. It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

Dumbledore was asking for a near miracle. Sirius and Snape were eyeing each other with the utmost loathing.

"I will settle, in the short term," said Dumbledore, with a bite of impatience in his voice, "for a lack of open hostility. You will shake hands. You are on the same side now. Time is short, and unless the few of us who know the truth do not stand united, there is no hope for any us."

Very slowly—but still glaring at each other as though each wished the other nothing but ill—Sirius and Snape moved toward each other and shook hands. They let go extremely quickly.

"That will do to be going on with," said Dumbledore, stepping between them once more. "Now I have work for each of you. Fudge's attitude, though not unexpected, changes everything. Sirius, I need you to set off at once. You are to alert Remus Lupin, Arabella Figg, Mundungus Fletcher—the old crowd. Lie low at Lupin's for a while; I will contact you there."

"But —" said Harry.

Sirius was quick to hug his godson, "You'll see me very soon. Harry, I promise you. But I must do what I can, you understand, don't you?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah... of course I do."

The man then turned to Lexi and she pulled her arms over his shoulders to give him a hug before he transformed again into the black dog, and ran the length of the room to the door, whose handle he turned with a paw. Then he was gone.

"Severus," said Dumbledore, turning to Snape, "you know what I must ask you to do. If you are ready... if you are prepared..."

"I am," said Snape.

He looked slightly paler than usual, and his cold, black eyes glittered strangely.

"Then good luck," said Dumbledore, and he watched, with a trace of apprehension on his face, as Snape swept wordlessly after Sirius.

It was several minutes before Dumbledore spoke again.

"I must go," he said finally. "Harry—take the rest of your potion. Cedric, Madam Pomfrey will be back to give you yours soon. I will see all of you later."

Dumbledore left and Lexi moved to sit with Cedric on his bed as everyone silently stared at each other.

"You've got to take the rest of your potion. Harry," Mrs. Weasley said at last. Her hand nudged the sack of gold on his bedside cabinet as she reached for the bottle and the goblet. "You have a good long sleep. Try and think about something else for a while... think about what you're going to buy with your winnings!"

"I don't want that gold," said Harry in an expressionless voice. "You have it. Anyone can have it."

Lexi saw the tears Harry was trying to fight back.

"What happened wasn't your fault, Harry." Cedric said sincerely.

Harry looked to him, "I told you to take the cup with me— you died!"

Cedric was looking at him with the care Harry'd only ever seen in his sister's eyes, "I took the cup with you on my own accord, it was my decision to accept your offer. And... I'm quite clearly not dead."

Everyone but Lexi's brows furrowed and Hermione pointed between the two, "Yeah, how did that happen?"

Lexi looked from Ron, to Cedric, to Harry and sighed, "I'll tell you, but then you must take your potion, Harry."

Harry nodded eagerly.

"Uhm, well, as Dumbledore explained it—the night mum died to protect us —" she nodded at Harry "—she made a sacrifice of love and by doing so, a protective charm was put upon you and me. This charm is what saved you from Voldemort."

Everyone's eyes doubled, Harry's tripled.

Lexi smiled, "Because Voldemort hadn't cast the spell on me, the charm was kept inside me until an hour or so ago, when my love mixed with mum's brought Ced back from a place between life and death... that's what Dumbledore said."

No one spoke for a minute, then Ron smirked, "So, you're the second Boy Who Lived then?"

Everyone laughed loudly while Mrs Weasley smacked her son's shoulder.

Cedric looked from Harry to the boy's sister and took her hand, "She saved me."

There was a loud slamming noise, and everyone turned to Hermione standing by the window. She was holding something tight in her hand.

"Sorry," she whispered.

"Your potion, Harry," said Mrs. Weasley quickly, reminding him—and everyone else.

Harry drank it in one gulp. The effect was instantaneous. 

I SAW DR STRANGE OMG!!! (there's a really sweet thought at the end that makes the character so much better :) Found out my friend has FRONT FLOOR tickets for HSLOT and I am unbelievably jealous.

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