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SIYE Time:18:55 on 28th March 2024
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Paintball Wizard
By cackling stump

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Category: Alternate Universe
Characters:All
Genres: Action/Adventure, Angst, Drama, Romance, Tragedy
Warnings: Death
Story is Complete
Rating: PG-13
Reviews: 319
Summary: The life of a typical American teenager (okay, maybe not so typical) is shaken by tragedy. Then he discovers a new world awaiting him, filled with new people, new struggles, and, perhaps, new love.
Hitcount: Story Total: 256027; Chapter Total: 4416
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
I'm sorry this chapter is late, especially with a cliffhanger at the end of the last chapter, but I really struggled with this one. I knew what I wanted as the final tone, but not sure how to get there. I want to thank my beta Arnel for her encouragement that I was on the right track.




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Restoration

When Harry opened his eyes, he noticed that everything looked fuzzy. He shook his head to clear it, but that didn’t help his vision and it made his head hurt more. He reached up to his forehead and rubbed his scar. He heard a moan beside him, and turned toward it, seeing Ginny was rubbing her head as well. He squeezed her hand, which he was still holding.

Are you alright? he asked as he sat up.

Other than this headache, I think I’m fine. How about you? Ginny pulled on Harry’s hand, bringing herself up next to him.

The same. He looked around and thought, Wonder where we are.

I have no idea. Ginny looked around as well. All I see around us is white. It’s like we’re caught in a fog.

Harry stood up and then offered his hand to Ginny to help her up. I wish this fog would clear so we could see something, thought Harry.

Over the next few seconds the fog seemed to react to his request. As they scanned their surroundings, they found that they were in a corridor with white walls, floor, and ceiling and no doors. How did that happen? asked Ginny.

I don’t know. Perhaps we’re still in the Room of Requirement and it is responding to our wishes. They looked each way, but there was no end in sight in either direction. Which way should we go? asked Harry.

Maybe we should ask the Room. Ginny said aloud, “Show us the way out of here.” Unfortunately, nothing happened. Ginny shrugged. “At least it was worth a try.”

Ginny suddenly turned her head to the right. Do you hear that? asked Ginny, pointing in the direction of the sound.

Harry strained his hearing and responded, Yeah. It sounds like a small animal whimpering.

Let’s go toward the noise; maybe we’ll find something, suggested Ginny.

They pulled out their wands, not knowing what they were going to encounter, and walked down the seemingly endless white corridor. As they walked, noises tended to become slightly louder, but still sounded muffled, as if they were still a distance away. However, at times the sounds decreased so that the couple had to strain to hear them.

After several minutes, Harry pointed. Look! The hallway ends up ahead. And there’s a door!

Ginny started walking toward the door, leading Harry who followed behind. When they came to it, Ginny reached to grab the doorknob, but Harry stopped her. Are you sure we should? We don’t know what’s on the other side.

What choice do we have? We need to figure out where we are.

Okay. But let’s be ready in case there is something dangerous on the other side. Harry readied his wand and nodded for Ginny to do the same. With a breath, she turned the knob slowly, pushed the door so it was barely ajar, and peered into the next room. What she saw caused her to gasp.

What is it? asked Harry.

It looks like the garage at your house in Ohio!

What?!! he asked as he looked over the top of her head through the cracked door. You’re right!

Together they pushed the door open more and walked into the garage cautiously. On the walls were hung all of his dad’s tools, each in their proper place, just like they had been left almost two years earlier. On one wall, three bikes were leaned against each other next to the lawn mower and leaf blower. Closer to the door, two rakes and a snow shovel were attached to the wall, ready for use. It was as if they had been transported over three thousand miles and were back home.

There was one thing that was out of place, however. In the middle of the garage was a car, a butter yellow two-door with a black convertible top. Harry knew it looked familiar, but couldn’t remember why. Its trunk lid was up, a work light hanging from it. When the couple recovered from their shock, they noticed voices coming from the other side of the car.

They crept around the back of the car, wands at the ready. As they approached it, Harry was surprised to see that, instead of an empty trunk, it was filled with an engine. As they rounded the rear fender, they saw a man, whose back was to them, kneeling next to another man who was working underneath the car. On the ground between them were arrayed a number of different tools.

“Hand me the sparkplug socket wrench,” said the man under the car. Harry suppressed a gasp as he recognized the voice of the mechanic under the car.

The other man picked up a crescent wrench, reaching it under the car, and asked, “Is that this spanner?”

“No, it looks a cylinder on a pivot attached to a handle.”

The first man looked at the tools, obviously not sure what he was looking for.

Harry, his heart filling with hope, slowly knelt down and picked up the asked-for tool and said, “This is what he wants,” he said quietly.

The first man turned his head and gasped. Harry looked into a face that was almost a mirror image of his, including the same messy black hair and glasses, and tried to control his emotions as he saw his birth father for the first time that he could remember.

Before either one of them could react, the man underneath the car wheeled himself out and sat up suddenly. “Brook!”

Harry turned his head, his mouth gaping at the man who had raised him. “It’s really you,” he muttered.

Before he could react, a door opened and in walked two women, one carrying a tray. “Boys, here’s the snack I …” Her sentence stopped as she noticed Brook kneeling next to the car and the tray dropped. “Brook,” she said breathlessly.

Fortunately, the other woman, a redhead with green eyes, was quick with her wand, saying, “ Arresto Momentum,” catching the tray before it crashed to the ground and levitated it, setting it on the work bench.

Harry found himself engulfed in a three-way hug between the parents who had raised him. Tears flowed freely down all three of their cheeks. “I thought I would never see you again,” he uttered under his breath.

After a few moments, he noticed the other couple was standing together, their arms around each other, and their smiling faces wet from tears as well.

Harry pulled back from his parents and approached them. “You’re James and Lily, right? My other parents?”

The Potters nodded and Lily opened her arms, welcoming him into a hug. He willingly went to her, revelling in the love he received from her. It was James’ turn next, and Harry received a hug and several slaps on the back from his father.

When he was done hugging James, his eyes found Ginny who was also smiling at him, obviously joyful to witness the reunions. He beckoned to her and she slipped under his arm. As he squeezed her to his side, he said, “Moms, Dads, I want you to meet my wife, Ginny.”

Ginny was pulled into hugs as she met her in-laws. While Ginny was hugging the Potters, Angela smiled at Brook and whispered in his ear, “I told you that you would marry your little red-haired girl,” causing Brook to blush. After a few moments, Lily said, “Let’s go into the kitchen where we can sit and talk. We have a lot to discuss.”

The three couples left the garage and Angela busied herself in the kitchen while the rest of them sat down around the kitchen table that Brook had eaten many meals at growing up. “Where exactly are we?” asked Brook. “It looks just like our house. Is this heaven? Are we dead? Did we do the spell wrong?”

“Those are complicated questions,” said Lily. “We have been asked to have you wait; I promise you that eventually you will receive all the answers you need, but now is not the time.”

“At least tell us if we’re dead,” said Brook, anxious that all their plans might be ruined, his eyes darting between his parents, begging for an explanation.

James reached out and put a comforting hand on his shoulder. “Harry, you need to be calm down. Take a deep breath.” When Brook had complied and the colour returned to his face, James said, “Good. Now, while we can’t tell you everything yet, we can tell you that you aren’t dead.”

“How can we be with you if we’re not dead? Or are you four not dead either?” asked Ginny.

“That’s a little hard to explain,” said Lily. “We are dead. This could be called an ‘in-between’ spot. We’ve been granted special permission to spend this time with you; there is a reason for us to be here, but we will talk about that later. First, we want to catch up and to get to know our daughter-in-law,” she said, trying to reassure them.

Ginny and Brook looked at each other. It looks like we don’t have a choice, Harry; we’ll have to be patient. Let’s just enjoy this time with your parents, thought Ginny.

I don’t think that will be difficult, thought Brook, his face breaking out in a huge smile.

At that moment, Angela came to the table with a tray, laden with a plate piled high with cookies, several glasses of milk, and one mug of butterbeer. “Ginny, what would you like to drink?”

“Um, pumpkin juice, if you have it,” she replied.

“We have anything you like,” said Angela as she turned back to the refrigerator and pulled out a pitcher filled with the orange beverage. After pouring a glass for Ginny, she returned to the table and sat down.

Everyone helped themselves to the snacks. “Mmm, these are wonderful, Mom,” said Brook, holding up one of the chocolate chocolate chip cookies. “I’ve really missed these.”

Angela smiled at her son. “I’m glad I made them this morning, then. They’re a favourite of James’, too. Though how he can drink that sickly sweet butterbeer with them, I’ll never know.”

James shrugged. “I guess I’ve got a sweet tooth,” he said, triggering a chuckle from the other three parents.

There was a short period of awkward silence as none of the people at the table knew just where to start. Lily broke the quiet by saying, “Harry, I can’t tell you how proud we are of the man you have become. We’ve been able to watch you periodically through the years and have been especially gratified at the manner in which you’ve adjusted to everything the last year and a half. Much of that credit should go to Mark and Angela,” she said, smiling at Brook’s parents. “We couldn’t have done a better job at raising you than they have. Although, until Dumbledore discovered that we were related, I’ll have to admit that I was very confused as to why my spell sent you to the States. I had no clue that I had a cousin there. That certainly wasn’t my intention when I cast it.”

“So, was Remus right that you meant to send me to your sister Petunia?” asked Brook.

“Yes, that was what I expected to happen. You would be safe with her until Sirius could retrieve you. I knew that Voldemort would never guess that I would send you to the Muggle world. James had left Sirius a letter, enchanted like the Marauder’s Map so that only he could read it, explaining where you were. However, he never read the letter, since he was imprisoned so quickly after we were killed.” Lily’s eyes darkened as she continued, “But I had no idea that she’d been murdered by that bastard husband of hers. I never liked him and knew he wasn’t nice, but I had no clue that he was abusing her.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, and when she opened her eyes again, her face was calm again. “It all worked out for the best though. The spell sent you to Mark and Angela. It still gives me chills thinking about what your life would have been like had you been raised by my sister and her husband.”

“Imagine our surprise when we learned the truth about you,” added Angela. “We were so confused about what was going on with you. While we can observe loved ones in the living world, time flows differently here, and, if we take a break to eat a meal or go to sleep, sometimes a few minutes pass in your world, while other times, weeks can go by. We were so thankful when James and Lily found us and explained the Wizarding world to us. Since then we’ve been spending lots of time together. They even moved their house next door,” she said pointing out the window. Brook and Ginny turned and gasped as they saw a cottage. They both recognized it as the cottage that Harry had lived in as a baby from pictures that Remus had shown them.

At their questioning looks, James said, “The limitations that we dealt with while we were alive don’t apply here. The things that we can do here dwarf even what can be done with magic.”

Mark leaned forward. “Tell us more about what’s happened to you since we died, Brook. As Lily said, we have been able to observe you, but our viewing of you has been, shall we say, choppy, at best.”

Angela said, “Yes, tell us how you reacted when you met Ginny here. That’s something we missed.”

Brook turned red and Ginny giggled. “He was gobsmacked,” she said. “I thought someone had Petrified him. But after a few moments, he regained his senses, and shortly afterwards, he saved my life.”

Ginny then told the story of the events on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, with occasional embellishments from Brook. Brook and Ginny continued to fill in other holes that the parents had not seen during their observations of their lives. Both the Potters and Peltons then revealed stories about Brook as he grew up, embarrassing him multiple times, especially when they teased him about his ‘dream girl,’ but Ginny loved learning these accounts from Brook’s childhood. By the time they were done, many tears had been shed, both happy and sad, and all of their abdominal muscles were sore from laughing.

Angela stood up, pulling Brook up with her and pushing him toward the door to the garage. “Why don’t you men go work on the car a little while we work on dinner? I know your dad has been hoping for a chance to work on this new car with you,” she said with a smirk on her face.

As the men left, Angela looked over at Ginny. “What? Why are you smiling?”

“The smirk on your face as you drove the guys out of the room, it reminded me of Harry’s smile,” explained Ginny. “If I didn’t know better, that smile would make me think you are his birth mother, not Lily.”

Angela blushed. “Thanks. That means a lot to me.”

Ginny stood up and said, “Let me help you with dinner. What can I do?”

Angela said, “No, sit down. That dinner comment was just a ploy to let the three of us have some bonding time, woman to woman to woman. One of the benefits to being here is that dinner whips itself up in no time.”

The three women sat back down, and Angela looked intensely at Ginny. “The main reason I wanted the men out of here was to tell you something.” She leaned in and placed her hand over Ginny’s. “I want to thank you for all that you have done for Brook. I can’t imagine how he could have coped with everything that has been thrown at him if you hadn’t been there for him. When we were able to watch the two of you, your love for each other was obvious, but, now seeing it first-hand, it’s almost overwhelming seeing how happy you make my son.” She wiped at a tear that was threatening to escape her eye. “I can’t imagine a better match for Brook.”

“I feel the same way,” said Lily from the other side of the table.

Angela leaned over closer and gave Ginny a bone-crushing hug.

“You’re welcome, Angela. He makes me happy, too.”

“I can see that. And please, I know that Brook calls your parents ‘Mum’ and ‘Dad.’ Would you be willing to call me ‘Mom’?”

Ginny pulled her into another hug. “I’d be honoured to.”

A knock at the backdoor caused the two women to separate. “Come in,” said Angela. “It’s open.”

Ginny gasped at the Pelton’s visitor. She jumped out of her chair, running over to the door. “Fleur!!” Ginny and Fleur grabbed each other into a hug. “What are you doing here?”

“Harry shouldn’t be the only one who gets to meet lost family members while you are here,” she said with a smile. “I couldn’t miss the opportunity to see you and thank you for all you and Harry are doing for Bill and Cat.”

“We’ve been happy to do it. Thanks for choosing us to be her godparents. Harry especially is enjoying his time with Cat.”

“I can tell. Have you ever had a chance to watch them together, when he doesn’t know you’re watching?” When Ginny shook her head, she continued. “You should. Borrow his cloak sometime. He is going to be a wonderful father someday. You are one lucky witch.”

Ginny noticed that Lily was talking to another woman who must have come in with Fleur. “Who is this?” she asked Fleur quietly. “Another relative of Lily’s?” she asked, noticing the red hair.

Fleur said, “She’s the other reason I wanted to see you.” She turned and called across the room, “Izzy, come here.” The woman walked toward Ginny and Fleur, and Ginny was struck by a feeling of familiarity. She looked about twenty-five, her hair styled in a cute bob, her face with just a smattering of freckles. But it was the eyes that really registered with her. They remind me of Charlie’s eyes, she thought.

Fleur said, “Ginevra, I would like to introduce you to Isolde Weasley, your sister.”

Ginny stood there for a moment, her mouth gaping open, before sitting down heavily in one of the kitchen chairs. “My sister? How?”

Izzy smiled and sat down next to Ginny, taking her hand. “Haven’t you ever noticed that your brothers were born two years apart, other than the gap between Charlie and Percy, which is four years? Mum and Dad actually planned to have a child every two years, at least until you came along.” She smirked, looking just like the twins when she did it. “Did you know you were the only one that wasn’t born as planned? Don’t get me wrong, they wanted another child, but you were supposed to come along a year later than you did. Anyway, I was meant to be born in 1974, between Charlie and Percy. But Mum had a miscarriage.” Izzy’s head dropped and her voice quieted. “It took her quite a while to recover from the loss. Mum and Dad even considered not having any other children. It was probably good that Percy was such an easy boy to raise; if she had the twins next, I’m sure they would have been the last,” she said as the twins’ smirk returned to her face.

“I’ve been watching the family all of these years, and I was so glad to see you come along. I’ve met our Uncles Gideon and Fabian here, and they say that, while Mum recovered emotionally from losing me, it was obvious to them that Mum hadn’t totally healed. She really wanted a girl. While she loves your brothers with all of her heart, they could tell that she was disappointed each time she learned she was having another boy. Your birth finally restored her from the loss and she finally was her real self.” Izzy leaned over and hugged Ginny, whispering, “Thanks for bringing her back.”

**********

In the garage, Mark slid under the car and Brook assumed a position that allowed him easy reach the tools on the ground and then pass them to his dad. James sat in a chair off to the side, keeping out of the Peltons’ way. “Finally, we’re away from the women so I can bring up the topic I was dying to talk about in there: Quidditch.” The smile on his face almost stretched from ear to ear. “Lily never ‘got’ Quidditch, and never lets me observe the Hogwarts matches. Mark here just keeps going on about how great football and baseball are,” James said, rolling his eyes. “So, Harry, Ginny said you were on the Gryffindor team. Did you help bring the House Cup back to the Lions?”

“Yeah,” Harry responded. “We won the Cup this year.”

“What position did you play?”

“I was the Seeker for the first two games and then played Beater the last game because of a last minute injury.”

“That’s alright. Chaser’s the best position, but it’s not for everyone.”

“I saw that you were Chaser when you were in school in the trophy room. Ginny’s a Chaser, and a pretty good one.”

“Were you any good? I imagine that coming in a seventh-year and never flying before must have been hard. Did you catch the Snitch?”

Harry’s face warmed. “I picked it up pretty quickly. The flying I did in airplanes helped a lot. I caught the Snitch both times I played Seeker.”

“Do you follow a team? I’m a Portree man myself.”

“I haven’t really had much of a chance to follow professional Quidditch. I suppose I have to pull for Ballycastle.”

“The Bats? Why do you ‘have’ to pull for them?”

Harry smirked. “Well, they are offering me a lot of Galleons to play for them.”

James’ eyes widened. “You’re going to play professional Quidditch?!!”

“Yep, both Ginny and I hope to, at least if we can take care of this Voldemort problem. Ron’s already playing for the Bats. We’re going to make it a family affair.”

James sat back in his chair, looking up in the air. “Wow, my son, playing professional Quidditch. I never would have imagined it. Now, Lily will have to let me watch Quidditch!”

Brook chuckled to himself at James’ enthusiasm. It reminds me of the way Dad would get when I played baseball. The thought warmed his heart, knowing that pride in their son was something that both of his dads shared. He turned his attention back to his dad that was under the car.

“So, Dad, why this car? It seems familiar to me, but I can’t place it.”

“This is a 1964 Corvair. It’s just like the one your granddad had. He loved that car; he always said that it handled like a sports car, but had a back seat. Unfortunately, your grandma made him sell it for a station wagon when I got older. I never had a chance to drive it, but I always wanted to. Now, I have that chance.”

“That’s why it’s familiar. I’ve seen pictures of you with it when you were a kid,” said Brook.

After a few minutes, James commented, “You two are really a good team. It seems like Harry hands you a tool before you even ask for it, Mark.”

“We do work well together,” replied Mark from under the car. “It’s as if no time at all has passed since we last overhauled a car. If you could stay, Brook, we’d have this car ready in no time. You are a huge improvement over the help I currently have,” the teasing tone obvious in his voice.

“Hey, what am I, chopped liver?” asked James, indignant at the implied slight at his assistance. “It’s not my fault that you Yanks have different names for all of these tools!”

Mark could be heard chuckling from underneath the car. “You’ve been a big help, James. It’s just that Brook and I have a lot more experience with each other. And I’m really looking forward to your contributions once we do get this car tuned up.”

Brook, confused at emphasis on ‘your’, looked over to James, who had a mischievous grin on his face. “What do you two have planned?” he asked, his eyes narrowing.

James lowered his voice. “Don’t tell your mums, but I’m going to add a flying charm to it once it’s done.”

“Cool,” said Brook. “Ginny’s dad did that on his Ford Anglia. Is it complicated?”

“No, it’s pretty straightforward. I’ve never done it on a car before, but I did cast it on a motorcycle before I was married.”

“You had a motorcycle? A flying motorcycle?” asked Brook. “I love driving my motorcycle. I think it’s the other reason I picked up flying on a broomstick so easily.”

“Yeah, Sirius and I fixed it up after we finished Hogwarts. I don’t know what happened to it. You’ll have to ask Sirius about it. I was going to suggest restoring a Triumph just like it as our next project, once we’re finished with the car.”

Lily opened the door and called out, “Dinner’s just about ready; go get cleaned up.”

After washing up, Brook had barely entered the kitchen when he was engulfed in a hug. His vision was obscured by a mane of silvery blonde hair, so he quickly determined the identity of the hugger. “Hi, Fleur,” he whispered. “I’m glad you’re here.”

Fleur kissed Harry on both cheeks before hugging him again. She then pulled back and Harry could see the tears in her eyes. “ ’arry, I can’t thank you enough for all you have done for my Bill and my Cat. I don’t know what Bill would do without you.”

“Oh, he’d be fine. I’m not doing that much,” replied Harry.

“That is not true. I’ve seen you with Bill; you’re letting him talk when he needs to and giving him his space when he needs that. I’m certain that this mystery you’ve been letting him help on is taking his mind off of his loss. And how you’re raising Cat. I know it’s only been a few weeks, but how much she has changed. It’s obvious she really loves you.”

Harry felt his face warm at the pretty Veela’s praises. “I love her, too. I know I’ll never replace her Maman, but I’m doing my best.”

“Your best is all I could ask of you. Come, let us sit and enjoy the meal your mums have prepared.” She led him over to the table, where Ginny was already sitting, her face showing the enjoyment that she was having on this day. He sat in the empty chair next to her and squeezed her hand under the table.

“Harry, I want you to meet my sister, Izzy,” said Ginny, pointing to the woman sitting on her other side. “She would have been born between Charlie and Percy, but Mum miscarried.”

After recovering from the surprise, Brook reached across Ginny and shook Izzy’s hand. “Pleased to meet you. I didn’t know Molly had lost a child.”

“No one does,” said Izzy. “Mum and Dad kept it a secret.”

Brook’s attention was brought to the table when Angela said, “Brook, I hope your tastes haven’t changed too much in the last two years.” He then took in the spread and was amazed by the meal that was laid across the table. It was a combination of his favourite dishes from both the Muggle and magical worlds. His mouth was watering at the sights and smells of the wonderful meal. “No, you don’t have to worry about that,” he said as he reached for the macaroni and cheese that was in front of him.

The meal was very similar to many Brook had eaten at the Burrow, filled with great food, interesting conversation, lots of laughing, and, most importantly, love. At one point, Ginny patted him on his thigh, smiled at him, and thought, I’m so glad you are getting to experience this with your family.

After yet another embarrassing story about Brook as a child, this one telling the time he couldn’t wait for dinner and had attempted to eat a frozen fish stick before it had been placed in the oven, Brook asked his sister-in-law, “Izzy, do you know any stories about Ginny as a little girl? I don’t want to be the only one being embarrassed tonight.”

“As a matter of fact, I do know a few,” she said with a wink. “Most of them involve some sort of prank. One time, when she was seven, she ‘borrowed’ Fred’s brand new wand, snuck up on Ron, and turned his hair purple. Mum was livid, since it was a few days before they were due to take a family picture and no one could reverse it. All of the boys were lined up on the sofa, being questioned by Mum and Dad. Mum said, ‘None of you will be allowed to play until the guilty party admits what they did.’ Of course, all of them denied responsibility, since they hadn’t done it. As they were being questioned, little Ginny walked by the room on her way to go outside when Ron pointed at her and said, ‘What about her? Why does she get to play?’ Dad called her over and asked if she knew anything about Ron’s hair. She looked up at him with these big brown eyes and said innocently, ‘Daddy, I’m too wittle to do magic.’ She hadn’t had difficulty saying her ‘L’s for several years. If I didn’t know any better, I would have sworn she was part Veela at that moment. You could almost see our Dad’s heart melt. He patted her on the head and said, ‘Of course, you are, princess. Go on outside and play.’ The boys were stuck inside the whole afternoon, being grilled by our parents. Mum finally used Prior Incantato on all of their wands and determined that it was Fred who was the culprit. He was grounded for a fortnight because of it.”

“So, she played the ‘baby of the family’ card a few times?” asked James.

“All of the time,” answered Izzy. “I am sure that Mum and Dad to this day have no idea how many of those pranks that they blamed on the twins were actually done by her.”

Ginny’s embarrassment was interrupted by a knock at the door. Angela arose and greeted their latest visitor.

“Professor Dumbledore!” said Brook as the old wizard entered the room.

“Please join us, Professor,” said Lily.

“Thank you, but I’ve already eaten.” His eyes then noticed something on the counter, and he added, “However, I could probably be convinced to have a serving of Lily’s wonderful treacle tart. I remember that being the highlight of many Order meetings during the first war.”

He sat down, dessert was served, and the conversation continued. After everyone had finished, Professor Dumbledore said, “It is time for explanations. Mr and Mrs Potter, the younger ones, would you accompany me into the next room so we can discuss why you are here.”

Brook had a sensation of déjà vu as both he and Dumbledore settled into the same seats as they had sat in many months ago when he had first learned about the Wizarding world. “I hope you have enjoyed your time visiting with your loved ones,” said the former Headmaster. “It was necessary for you to be here for some time so that your spell could take effect, and I thought this would be more pleasurable than, for example, sitting in a deserted train station for several hours.”

At their obvious confusion, he resumed. “I have been deeply interested in your Bond since you learnt of it and how you were going to use it to defeat Tom. Since my death, I have continued to observe you and your friends as closely as I can. After Miss Granger discovered the Aufero Malum spell, I did my own research on it. One of the advantages of the afterlife is that one doesn’t have to read books for research, but one can access the substantial experiences of those who have passed on before. So, I discussed the spell with Nicolas Flamel, a former colleague of mine. He was able to give me some information that he himself learned from a friend that is not in any book. According to him, the information that Miss Granger has found in The Bright Arts, unfortunately, is incomplete.

“When the spell is cast, the dark essence is indeed removed from the object or being upon which it is cast. However, that essence or spirit continues to exist for a period of time, and the couple who casts Aufero Malum can see it. To truly eradicate this spirit, a second spell must be cast. The incantation for it is Obcidione Caedo. In the case of an inanimate object, if this second spell is not cast, the dark essence can re-enter its host.

“For living beings, the process is more complicated. It is very traumatic for a part of one’s soul to be removed, even if it is a small part. When the dark essence is removed, it destabilizes the remaining portion of the being’s soul. If Obcidione Caedo is cast shortly after Aufero Malum, it will result in death, like it did to Koschei and this is what you will have to do when you face Tom.” Ginny and Brook nodded in understanding.

“However, if one wants the being to survive, then time must be given for the two soul fragments to coalesce and stabilize before casting Obcidione Caedo on the dark portion. Once the two portions are stable, then it is safe to cast the spell. If it is cast too soon, then both parts of the soul will be destroyed and the being will die. That is why the two of you are here, in this ‘in-between’ existence, to allow your spirits to stabilize so that you can cast Obcidione Caedo on the fragment of Voldemort that was in each of you.”

“Where are these fragments of Voldemort’s soul?” asked Brook.

Dumbledore waved his hand and a door appeared in the wall. The trio stood up and walked to the door. Brook reached toward the door knob, but hesitated and sent a questioning look to the former Headmaster. At his nod, Brook gripped the knob and opened the door.

On the other side of the door was a small cupboard. As soon as the door opened, Brook and Ginny recognized the whimpering noise that they had heard earlier, but now it was much louder. Lying on the floor of the cupboard were two small creatures that were the source of the whimpers. They were pink, furless, and were writhing as if in pain.

They remind me of those animals we saw at the zoo we visited, thought Ginny. You know the ones, they were in the dark room and had tunnels between the different viewing areas. What were they called?

Naked mole rats. You’re right, that’s what they do look like. They look like they’re suffering.

“Are those the soul fragments that we received from Voldemort?” asked Ginny.

“Yes, they are. They have stabilized enough that they now appear solid, which indicates that it is safe for you to cast Obcidione Caedo. The wand movement is a simple pointing of your wand at the target. It is time.”

The couple nodded to each other and simultaneously said, “ Obcidione Caedo! ” while pointing at the closest soul fragment. A bright purple light struck each small creature and instantly the whimpering and writhing ceased.

“Excellent,” said Dumbledore. “You have now removed the tarnish on your souls and they should be ‘pure’ once again. I am sure you will have no problems casting Aufero Malum now.” He turned and sat back down, indicating that they should join him with a wave of his hand. Brook closed the door to the cupboard, and it disappeared as soon as it closed. After they sat down, Dumbledore asked, “Do you have any more questions before you return back to your world?”

“What if we didn’t learn about Obcidione Caedo?” asked Ginny. “What would have happened if we had cast Aufero Malum on Voldemort but not Obcidione Caedo?”

“Then the soul and soul fragments would stay forever in the ‘in-between’ place, at least until the earthly body died a natural death. It would be similar to what occurs when someone receives a Dementor’s Kiss,” explained the former Headmaster.

“You explained that you learned this from a colleague, Nicolas Flamel I think you said was his name. Who did he learn it from?” asked Brook.

“I believe Miss Granger told you that there were six Soul Bound couples on record. Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel were one of those six. They learned the spell directly from Ivan and Marya Morevna, the Soul Bound couple that defeated Koschei.”

“Wait,” said Brook, his brow furrowed. “You said that Flamel was a colleague of yours. Koschei and the Morevnas lived in the sixteenth century. They didn’t live at the same time. How could the Flamels learn the spell from the Morevnas?”

Dumbledore smiled and said, “I think your wife knows the answer to that question,” as he turned toward Ginny. “I assume that your brother told you about his adventures with Miss Granger and Mr Longbottom from their first year.”

Ginny thought for a moment before her eyes widened when she figured it out. “The Philosopher’s Stone. It can create the Elixir of Life, which indefinitely extends one’s life. Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher’s Stone. How old was he when he died in 1992?”

“Six hundred and sixty five, I believe,” answered Dumbledore.

Harry’s jaw dropped. “That would mean he was born in the thirteen hundreds! So, he would have been alive in the time of Koschei and Morevnas!”

“Yes, he and his wife were actually good friends with Ivan and Marya. I have learned much about Soul Bonds in the past few months from these two couples.”

“Like what?” asked Ginny.

Dumbledore smiled. “The Flamels and Morevnas have suggested that you learn these secrets yourself; it will be more fun that way.” His face turned more serious as he said, “Alas, it is time for you to return to your earthly bodies. Please say your goodbyes and then come back here.”

Brook and Ginny arose from the couch, sad that their visit was coming to a close. As they entered the kitchen, it was obvious from the faces of their family that they also knew that it was time to say farewell. Hugs, kisses, and good-bye messages were shared among the eight gathered there.

“Harry, kick Voldemort’s arse quickly so you can get on with your Quidditch career,” offered James. “And tell Sirius to get off his paws and propose to Aubrey.”

“You are so good for my Brook,” said Angela to Ginny. “Next time you visit our home, make sure you find my cookie recipes; it’s really the best way to get him to open up, sharing cookies and milk late at night.”

“Treat Ginny right, and give me some grandchildren to watch, but not for a few years,” said Lily.

“Thanks for being a wonderful godmother to Cat,” said Fleur to Ginny. “Give Bill a kiss for me.” To Harry, she said, “I can’t say how much it means to me how you are caring for my baby and my Bill. Thank you again.”

“Once you’re done with all this, Brook, maybe you should find another car to rebuild. An MGB could be fun,” suggested Mark.

“Tell Mum that I’m happy and her brothers are still as irrepressible as ever,” said Izzy. “I wish I could have been raised by her, but this has worked out well. Give her as big a hug as you can from me as soon as you see her.”

“Don’t forget to reserve time for just the two of you, no matter how busy you get,” advised Angela to Brook. “There will be times when you’ll both be so tired of life, between jobs and raising kids. When that happens, send the kids to Ginny’s parents and get away for a few days. It’s amazing how refreshing some couple time can be.”

Eventually, Brook and Ginny, their faces wet with tears, returned to the living room, where Dumbledore waited patiently. Brook grabbed Ginny’s hand before saying, “We think we’re ready. So, how do we get back? Click our heels three times and recite ‘There’s no place like home’?” They heard giggles interspersed with sniffles from Mark and Angela behind them, but Dumbledore just looked at Brook quizzically. “Sorry, Muggle humour. Really, how do we get back?”

“It’s quite simple,” said Dumbledore. He waved his wand and the couch transfigured into a small bed. “Lay down, hold hands, and I’ll cast a sleeping charm over you. When you wake, you will be back where you belong.”

Brook and Ginny did as requested and their last tear-filled view was their families waving goodbye to them before they could no longer keep their eyes open any longer.

When they opened their eyes again, the only thing they could see was white. Oh, no! thought Harry. We’re back where we started!

But they both looked around some more and realized they were in a room that resembled the hospital wing, but much smaller, as it only contained the one bed that they were sharing. They both stretched and yawned, causing Hermione, who was asleep in a chair next to the bed to jump up. “You’re both awake! How do you feel? What did you two do? Everyone has been so worried about you. Oh, I better get Madam Pomfrey. She’ll want to check you.” With that, Hermione practically ran out of a door they hadn’t noticed before.

I hope she didn’t want answers to those questions, thought Ginny, snickering. She never gave us a chance to respond.

A few moments later, Hermione dragged Madam Pomfrey into the room. The matron immediately began casting every spell Harry and Ginny had ever seen her cast upon a patient while Hermione stood to one side impatiently, her arms folded and tapping her foot. Every time Hermione tried to ask them a question, Madam Pomfrey hushed her and told her to wait.

When they had been given a clean bill of health, Madam Pomfrey said, “You two gave us quite a scare again. Some diagnostic charms read as if had had your soul sucked out, but others said you were perfectly fine. I’ve never seen anything like it. The only thing I could think of to do was to put you together and hope that your magic would take care of healing you.” She eyes narrowed and she wagged a finger at them, saying, “I don’t know what you two did, but, whatever it was, don’t do it again. Now, out of bed and back to the Room of Requirement with you,” she said as she left via the door she came through.

When they arose, another door appeared in the opposite wall. Hermione led them through it, and they were back in a room similar to the Gryffindor common room, but with only a few seats. They all sat down and Hermione asked, “What happened? I was so panicked when I found you lying on the floor, totally unresponsive.”

They explained about their interpretation of the new translation and how they had cast Aufero Malum on each other to purify their souls. “You didn’t! How could you do something so reckless without anyone around?”

Harry shrugged and said sheepishly, “We wanted to surprise you.”

Hermione glared at them. “What happened next?”

Ginny and Harry described their reunion with their families sadly, because they missed them already. Hermione eyes filled up with tears as they told about their experiences, but she was mostly interested in what they had learned from Professor Dumbledore.

“So, Aufero Malum isn’t enough? It just frees the soul from the object or person and you have to cast this second spell, Obcidione Caedo to destroy the soul fragment.” She thought for a moment, reviewing everything she had heard. “Had you waited for me,” she said as she glared at them, “I certainly would have done everything to convince you to not to do something as foolhardy as this, but I guess we never would have learned this if you hadn’t done it. In the end, it was a good decision,” she acquiesced.

“What happened when you found us?” asked Ginny.

“When I came in the room, you can imagine how I reacted. I don’t deal with surprises very well. I panicked for a few moments, but then gathered myself enough to ask the Room to provide a Hospital Wing Annex that would be a bridge between here and Madam Pomfrey. She already told you what she did, and I just sat at your bedside until you awoke.”

“How long were we out?” asked Harry.

Hermione looked at her watch. “It’s about seven in the morning now, so I guess about twenty hours. That reminds me, it’s late enough that you can start explaining to everyone what you did. And I mean ‘you.’ You can tell your family how foolish you are.”

After several Floo calls during which Harry and Ginny gave an abridged version of what they did and were scolded for their actions, they stood up and Harry said, “Hermione, do you have the music box and Serpent Staff with you?” When she nodded, he suggested, “Let’s try what we’ve learned.”

Hermione’s eyes brightened. “Great idea! Are you sure you’re up to it, though? You did just awake from something resembling a coma an hour ago.”

“We feel fine,” said Ginny. “The sooner we get this done, the sooner we can start working on how we’re going to find Voldemort to give him the same treatment.”

Hermione retrieved the cursed music box from her beaded bag and placed it on a small table. Harry and Ginny cast Aufero Malum like Bill had suggested and, like before, the two bright white lights merged and hit the cursed object. However, this time, a mist erupted from it and it floated in the air, slowly taking the form of a glazed-over face. Ginny aimed her wand and said, “Obcidione Caedo” and the purple light hit the shape, causing it to burst apart into thousands of pieces, each of which gradually faded into nothingness.

Hermione jumped and clapped. “You did it!” she exclaimed before pulling the couple into a hug. When she had calmed herself, she asked, “Do you feel up to trying it on the Staff?”

“Sure,” said Harry, grinning.

Ginny removed the music box from the table while Hermione levitated the Serpent Staff out of her bag and set it down in the vacated space. They repeated the spell on the Staff, but this time, a ghostly form of Tom Riddle came out of the wood. It smiled and laughed, before saying, “You silly girl. Do you really think you can defeat me again?”

Ginny gasped and hid her face in Harry’s chest. Harry, feeling Ginny’s fear, barely controlled his anger as he growled, “Obcidione Caedo!” As the spell raced toward the wraithlike form of Voldemort, his face changed from a sneer to one of fear. When it impacted the spirit, Riddle was instantly vaporized. Harry caressed Ginny’s back and whispered, “It’s okay; he’s gone.”

Ginny looked up at Harry, her face relaxing. “Thanks,” she muttered before kissing him passionately.

After a few moments, Hermione cleared her throat, causing Harry and Ginny to separate. “Sorry, Hermione,” said Ginny. “I got a little carried away there.”

“That’s alright,” Hermione said with a smile. “I totally understand.”

“I have an idea,” said Harry. “You know, we do have some messages to deliver. Why don’t we get Ron’s arse out of bed and throw a party at his place this afternoon? We should celebrate this accomplishment before we start planning for the next step. We could invite the rest of the family, Professor McGonagall, Sirius, Aubrey, and Lydia, if Professor McGonagall will let her come.”

“That’s a great idea,” said Hermione. “Let me wake him up,” she said, a sly grin on her face.

Ginny grinned and asked, “Exactly how do you plan on waking my brother? Or don’t I want to know?”

“I think we’ll keep that a secret. Why don’t you two eat some breakfast and take a shower and meet me there around eleven. That should give us enough time to prepare his place for the party.”

“It’s going to take you three hours to wake Ron up?” teased Harry.

Hermione shrugged and smiled innocently over her shoulder before leaving via the Floo that the Room had provided her.

A/N: Sorry about the confusion with switching back and forth between "Harry" and "Brook," but hopefully it wasn't too bad.

The Corvair I had Mark working on was my dad's favourite car. He absolutely loved it; unfortunately a neighbor teen who was watching our house while we were away on vacation decided to "borrow" it. He ended up totaling it.

By the way, I chose Mustangs because they are my wife's favourite car. One day I would love to buy her one.

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