The Locked Room - 9

"He's got friends and family right here!" Sirius said hotly.

"Would you choose to keep him here, then, Sirius?" Dumbledore asked, tilting his head to the side.

"What? No. I want him to live…I just want some time with him. I was robbed of that time twice already," Sirius said, clearing his throat.

"What if I want to stay?" Harry asked, leaning into Sirius. He'd only just got him back; he didn't want to think about having to leave. He didn't know if his heart could stand it again.

"Your future is in the present, not the past," Dumbledore insisted, the twinkle in his eyes dimming.

Sirius shook him roughly, looking as if he wanted to hit something. "He's right, Harry. Merlin, it's good to see you, but everything I did – I did it for you – because I wanted you to live. I may be childish, but I won't take that chance from you now that you finally have it."

Harry swelled, ready to argue his point. He was no longer a child and could make his own decisions. He was beginning to resent both Sirius and Dumbledore trying to tell him what was best for him.

Sirius diffused his anger when he laid a gentle hand on the side of Harry's face. "Don't worry about me. I'm good. I see your father and Remus every day, and when your mother lets us, we relive our glory days."

"Perhaps there are others you'd like to see before your time here is through," Dumbledore said gently.

Keeping a firm hand on Sirius, unwilling to let him go lest he disappear, Harry again shut his eyes and this time, thought of Remus. He still didn't feel quite ready to see his parents. He remembered how Remus had taught him to conjure his first Patronus, and the determined, unwavering looks he and Tonks had shared before they had died.

Harry opened his eyes in time to see a classroom taking shape not far from the common room. It was one of the Defense rooms, and held a wide variety of Dark creatures. Before Harry could call to the two figures he saw seated in the classroom, Sirius did it for him.

"Remus, you old dog! Harry's here," Sirius said, shaking Remus's hand and pointing at Harry. "Hiya, Tonks."

"Harry," Remus said, inhaling deeply. He looked much as Harry remembered him, perhaps a little less gray. Tonks's hair was its traditional bubblegum pink, and she wore a red Weird Sisters t-shirt that clashed horribly with the color.

Harry shut his eyes, breathing through his nose as images of Remus's sacrifice filled his mind. "What did you have to go and do that for?" Harry asked, his voice choked. He shook Remus's hand before pulling him firmly into an embrace. He then turned and also hugged Tonks.

"Hiya, kid," Tonks said brightly. "How are you feeling?"

"A little shell-shocked," Harry admitted, shrugging.

"I bet," Tonks replied, grinning as she leaned over to ruffle his hair. "You did it."

"We saw what happened earlier with Voldemort, Harry," Remus said gently. "You were magnificent."

"I couldn't have done it without your help," Harry said, again staring at his feet. "Professor Dumbledore told me it was you and some of Voldemort's other victims that distracted him, and Dumbledore and Hermione came up with the idea to create my own Horcrux."

Remus didn't reply until Harry was finally forced to raise his eyes to meet Remus's steady gaze. "I don't care whose idea it was – you were magnificent," he said. "Not only did you get Voldemort, but Severus is now on his way to Azkaban."