"Sirius fell through the Veil? Met a Dumbledore from a parallel world? And then that Dumbledore sent him back?"
In the tent's living area, Harry and Hermione sat on the sofa, staring in stunned silence first at Sirius, then at Dumbledore, who was circling them with a thoughtful air.
"So… Professor Dumbledore, can you help us?" Harry asked urgently. "We still haven't dealt with…"
"Harry, don't rush. Time is on our side," Dumbledore said, waving a hand. A gentle force pressed against Harry's shoulders, easing him back onto the sofa as he tried to stand. "First, we need to ensure we're in top form. Only then can we tackle the Horcruxes and Tom. But before that…" He turned to Hermione with a twinkle in his eye. "Miss Granger, would you mind taking a walk with me? Let's give Sirius and Harry a moment alone."
He winked at Harry, then lifted the tent flap and stepped outside.
Hermione hurried to follow, and as soon as they were out, whatever Dumbledore did silenced the sounds from within.
"Harry, I can see you and Hermione have been through a lot," Sirius said, settling beside Harry. He carefully avoided the boy's healing wounds and broken bones, pulling his godson into a warm embrace. "Don't worry. I'm back now, and I'm with you."
Feeling the familiar comfort of Sirius's arms, Harry's eyes welled with tears.
"Sirius, I missed you so much…"
"I know, I know," Sirius murmured, patting Harry's back gently.
After a long moment, Harry reluctantly let go of his godfather. They sat side by side, gazing quietly at the jars of blue flames Hermione had conjured for warmth.
"So, Harry, Albus… I mean, this world's Dumbledore… he was really killed by Snape?" Sirius's face was half-hidden in the shadows.
Harry nodded somberly. "I saw it with my own eyes."
"And then Dumbledore left you two kids with a mission that's practically a death sentence?" Sirius's voice began to rise, tinged with anger.
"No, Sirius, I took it on myself," Harry said, his tone heavy. "And… he probably meant for the three of us to do it together."
"Three?" Sirius glanced around, then realization hit. "The Weasley boy, right? Where is he?"
Harry's voice dropped even lower. "Yeah…"
"Where is he? Don't tell me he's been nabbed by Death Eaters or You-Know-Who."
"It's not that bad…" Harry curled into himself, as if trying to shrink away. "He just… left."
"Left?" Sirius's face darkened with concern. "Harry, if he was killed, I'm so sorry…"
"No, Sirius, he… Ron… he just stopped running with us," Harry said, staring at his feet. "Over six months ago, he got hurt. He was missing his family, and then, with the Horcrux… he was in a bad place. We had a huge fight, and… he left."
As Harry recounted the story in halting fragments, Sirius's fists clenched, though he fought to keep his temper in check. "So he just abandoned you and Hermione? Walked away?"
"No… he actually wanted Hermione to go with him," Harry said, sniffing. "You see, he and Hermione… they like each other. And I couldn't expect his girlfriend to keep risking her life out here with me."
"Coward… traitor…" Sirius's anger finally broke free, and he slammed a fist into the floor. "What did he think this was? A game? This is war, damn it! Abandoning your friends when they need you most…"
"Sirius, it's not Ron's fault. He was worried about his family… the Horcrux affected him…" Harry tried to calm his godfather, but Sirius shot to his feet, roaring.
"To hell with that! That idiot had all your plans in his head, Harry! Have you thought about what happens if the Death Eaters catch him? You'd be dead! Hermione would be dead! Everything we've sacrificed to destroy the Horcruxes—wasted! And you're defending that scum? Don't give me that Horcrux excuse! A Horcrux only amplifies what's already there—it doesn't turn right into wrong! And you three were sharing it, weren't you? Why didn't you or Hermione crack? Why's he so special that he gets to run off? A pathetic excuse for a man who abandons his love, his friends!"
Harry's hand froze mid-air, caught off guard by Sirius's tirade.
Yet, despite Sirius's fury at Ron, a faint warmth bloomed in Harry's chest. He knew it was wrong to feel this way, but he couldn't help it. Sirius was back. He had family who cared about him again. Even if Hermione and Ron grew distant after starting their own family, Harry wouldn't be alone anymore.
After several minutes of cursing, Sirius, panting, sank back beside Harry.
"Forget that traitor. Tell me about you and Hermione."
At the mention of Hermione, Harry buried his face in his arms. "There's… there's nothing to say. We're just… friends."
"When I walked in, the way you two looked at each other didn't seem like 'just friends,'" Sirius said, eyeing his godson. "Don't try to fool me. I've seen more than you have. Be honest—what is Hermione to you? It looked like you two were ready to face death together."
"What does it matter?" Harry mumbled, clutching his head. "She's important."
He didn't want to examine their relationship. He just wanted it to stay as it always had, the same bond they'd shared for seven years. But… that kiss…
"It matters," Sirius said calmly, "because if someone means that much to you, you need to figure out why."
Silence stretched between them.
"I love her like a sister," Harry said, his voice barely audible.
"Harry, how do you feel about the Weasley kids?" Sirius asked, sighing as he stared into the flames.
"We bicker, tease each other, mess around… but when it really counts, we've got each other's backs."
"And Hermione?"
"I don't know… but there's no pettiness, no teasing…"
"And you still think you love her like a sister?"
Harry didn't answer, curling tighter into himself.
After a long pause, he whispered, "Sirius, I don't know… I never knew what it's like to have a family. Before you and Remus, the Weasleys were the only ones who made me feel loved, who made me feel like I could love someone back. I thought my feelings for Hermione were like my feelings for Ginny—sisterly. But then, in sixth year, I realized I was jealous when Ginny got close to other guys. I wanted to be the one with her, not them. And she did become my girlfriend… That's when I realized my love for Ginny, who I thought of as a sister, wasn't pure sisterly love. But by fifth year, Ron had already made it clear he liked Hermione. Ron was my first friend, my best friend. I didn't want to lose him over another best friend. I was terrified of losing them… especially after I lost you."
Sirius sighed again, looking older than ever. He stood and moved closer until they sat shoulder to shoulder, staring into the fire. They watched the flames flicker and dance in silence.
"Harry, you've sacrificed enough for this world. You don't owe them anything. You don't have to step aside for anyone, and you don't need their pity. What little you have, you can't give away."
Sirius put an arm around Harry's shoulders. "Do you want Hermione to be happy?"
"She's my best friend. Of course I do."
"Then why not build that happiness for her yourself? Why leave her future in someone else's hands?"
Sirius gripped Harry's shoulders, his eyes boring into his godson's. "You're the boy James and Lily died to protect. You're the last of the Black and Potter lines. You're the savior who's already saved the wizarding world once and is about to do it again. Tell me, Harry—if someone like you doesn't deserve to chase his own happiness, to give the person he loves—and who loves him—a beautiful future, then who in this world does?"
Inside the tent, Harry and Sirius continued their conversation. Outside, Dumbledore studied this parallel world's Hermione with keen interest.
"Miss Granger, I must say, while you may not have the same raw spellcasting talent as the Hermione I knew, your essence is remarkably similar. Not only are you just as brilliant and resilient, but your taste in future partners is strikingly alike."
"Professor Dumbledore, please, just call me Miss Granger. I'm more comfortable with that," Hermione said, her face flushing as she fidgeted with her hands. "And… there's really nothing between me and Harry. We're just… friends."
"Friends who kiss before facing death?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow, a smile tugging at his lips.
Hermione froze.
"Professor… you… saw that?"
"For an old man like me, sometimes you don't need eyes to see," Dumbledore said with a chuckle, waving his wand to restore the protective charms he'd briefly lifted. "Besides, Miss Granger, the magical resonance between you and Harry was far too obvious."
"Magical resonance? Professor, what's that?" Hermione's curiosity sparked, her eyes lighting up at the mention of an unfamiliar concept.
"A thousand years ago, when Hogwarts was newly founded, spells as we know them were rare. Wizards used raw magical energy, channeling it directly onto objects. Naturally, many sought ways to strengthen their magic," Dumbledore began, sidestepping her question to delve into history. "One obscure wizard discovered that some individuals could merge their magic unconsciously with another's, forming a stronger, combined magical entity. This process, which enhances both parties' magical limits, requires absolute trust and viewing each other as the most important person in their lives—a state called magical resonance. Historically, this bond typically occurs between spouses or close same-sex friends. While it's theoretically possible between opposite-sex friends, the emotional connection required is so profound—often surpassing ordinary love—that no such case has ever been recorded."
"Professor, is it possible… that Harry and I are the first to have a purely platonic resonance?" Hermione stood rigid, Dumbledore's words exposing a truth she'd buried deep. After a moment's silence, she looked at him with a pleading tone.
"That depends on you both," Dumbledore said, peering over his half-moon glasses at the girl, who seemed far more mature than the Hermione he remembered. "But I must warn you, Miss Granger: a resonance born of love is extraordinarily rare and precious. It's powerful enough to withstand the darkest magic, yet fragile—one flaw can shatter it. Before you make any choices, be certain you're ready."
Hermione lowered her head, hesitating, saying nothing.
The old man and the young woman walked quietly through the snow until Sirius's voice broke the silence, lifting the tent flap and pulling them back inside.
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