Chronicles of Camelot

Crossroads of Destiny

As if to answer his question, Harry watched as Artemis' eyes appeared to cloud over, a large group of dark mists surrounding the Lady of Darkness, before her voice spoke as if she were one possessed,

The swords of destiny shall be as one when the time of the Three shall be changed with the coming of the Fourth; where the Four shall meet to become the One, there shall the Snake be reborn; only through his heart and soul shall Number Four hold the strength to make the Snake into the warrior he once was; the time of the Three shall begin when Lucifer rides again.

Chapter 28: The Crossroads of Destiny

Once their divided businesses were taken care of, Harry bade farewell to Amelia and watched with a half-hearted smile as his Mother replaced her hood, before the Minister said her goodbyes, as well as asking Harry to send for her should anything, and she meant anything, go wrong at Hogwarts. While she didn't openly tell him of any events that were happening, Harry had the distinct impression that, like Artemis, Amelia was trying to warn him about something. Reuniting with Tyler, Harry accessed a Floo Gate and travelled back to Albion House, his Mother, his godfather and his closest friend close behind him; however, when they emerged from the gateway, Harry was surprised to find Hermione waiting for them, a look of worry in her eyes, a sense of fear and dread moving through the bond.

"What's wrong love?" asked Harry, taking his girlfriend into his arms and placing a soft kiss on her forehead.

"We have a visitor," Hermione explained, before she looked past him and spoke to the Holy Knight of Light, "He…he knows you're alive Aunt Lily."

"I don't recall Harry saying he gave Dumbledore permission to be here," Sirius remarked, before a look of shock and bewilderment was shared by the two Potters, before Harry was the one to say it.

"No," he looked to Hermione and gave her another soft kiss on her forehead as he admitted, "But I did give permission to Severus."

"He's here?" asked Remus, "That's just perfect: Lily," looking to his old friend, the werewolf gave her a smile as he then saw a look of hidden, unexpressed rage that he had only ever seen in Harry. "Perhaps it would be easier to give these two a few minutes."

"Warn your parents," Harry laughed, watching as Hermione went to the living room, emerging moments later with Dan, Emma and the other Order members; with a sly smile, Harry explained, "Stay out here for a few moments; there are some old friends who need to say hello."

Even as he said the words, Harry watched as Lily strode past them, through the door into the living room, a soft click coming from a make-shift lock on the door as Harry held up a hand, signalling the others to be quiet.

"Wait for it," he said, a Marauder-worthy smile on his face as he listened to the sounds from beyond the doorway; moments later, Sirius, Remus and Sebastian all winced, Dan giving Harry a look that said he was thankful he was in Harry's good books as a loud, very painful-sounding smack echoed through the living room, followed by the lock being undone, the door now open.

"Come in Harry," Lily said from the next room, "Laugh and you're grounded."

Trying, and failing, to keep a straight face, Harry opened the door and walked into the main lounge of Albion House, each of the males that weren't Harry or Severus wincing when they saw the Potions Master in front of them. He was covering a rather well-imprinted red mark on his cheek, a set of lighter marks indicating that Lily had scratched him with the tips of her nails.

"Remind me never to get that woman really mad at me," Sirius gulped, watching as Harry walked over to Severus, before he shook his head and, turning to his Mother, seemed almost disappointed.