FIC - 'The End is Heaven' - Part 05
The End is Heaven
Part 05 - 'rare and unique'
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Pairings: Sirius/Remus, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny
Spoilers: Books 1-7
Genre: AU, drama, romance, angst
Summary: Remus Lupin survives the Second War and is left to raise Teddy alone.
---
Hermione wasn't at all surprised when it took her less than a month to find what she was looking for. She read the spell again for the hundredth time since she'd found it, mulling it in her mind, calculating. She couldn't help but think that something was missing from it. The book she had found it in didn't explain anything about possible side effects or negative repercussions from the spell. She couldn’t imagine a spell like this not having any risk. It was as if someone had removed or omitted that information from the book on purpose and that made her very nervous.
Hermione sighed and closed the book. She knew she didn't have much of a choice. She really couldn't keep the discovery of the spell from Ron or Harry after she'd promised to tell them. Her conscience was evil like that. She just wished she was more sure of it, but no matter how much she searched other books the spell was not mentioned anywhere else.
She sighed again. It wasn't fair to waste more time.
---
“You're so amazing, Hermione,” Ron said after Hermione told them about the spell. She blushed red at his words, working to keep her face straight as she tried to explain. The fire of the Gryffindor common room crackled behind her. It was late, well pass midnight to guarantee them some privacy. Hermione sat with Ron on one of the couches while Harry and Ginny sat across from them.
“So how does it work?” Harry asked without hesitation, leaning forward so he could listen better.
Hermione looked at her notes for a second, biting her lip, stalling on purpose. It was that rational part of her brain again, glaring at her, saying: “you know you're not suppose to do this. You know you can't do this.” But then she met Harry's eyes, expectant and hopeful. He wanted so much to help. They all wanted to help. In the end, her good heart won over her common sense. “Well, it's not as specific or simple as bringing someone back from the dead,” she began. “Spells like that just don't exist. Period. But this one is about lost happiness, lost love, and how to bring it back. Since the spell is not specific, I believe it can bring a person back if that's what Remus really needs.”
Harry frowned a bit. “I don't quite understand.”
“Think about it this way.” Hermione began as she pushed her hair behind one ear. “Imagine Ron wants some ice-cream - imagine -” she emphasized when Ron opened his mouth to protest. “Imagine he wants ice-cream more than anything else at that moment, loves it, that he needs it. If we cast the spell at that very moment, then Ron will get his ice-cream.”
“So if Remus wants Tonks to be back more than anything, then she will come back?” Harry asked thoughtfully.
“Theoretically,” Hermione said with a bit of a shrug.
“Brilliant,” Ron murmured a little lost in thought. Hermione could almost see what he was thinking, the possibilities he was imagining, and she had to stifle a chuckle.
“But isn't it illegal to bring people back from the dead, or try to?” Ginny asked.
Hermione looked at her carefully as she answered the question. “I wouldn't say illegal, just impossible. Well, or at least no one has ever done it before as far as we know.”
Harry thought of the resurrection stone then, remembered the story of what had happened to Cadmus Peverell when he had used it. How he had been driven to suicide because of it. But this wasn't like that. Cadmus had been alone, Remus had them. “I don't care,” Harry said firmly. “I don't care if it's illegal. Just think of all the illegal things we've done over the years, some even for our own selfishness. This is completely different. We are trying to help someone.”
Everyone looked at him without saying a word. Hermione was the only one that looked like she wanted to say something, but instead kept her mouth closed. There was nothing they could say. He was right after all.
---
They set about making preparations for the spell, collecting the things they would need. Hermione was able to acquire most of the necessary items herself, but sometimes she had to enlist Harry and Ron to help. There was a sense of urgency in completing the preparations. Harry had said he wanted to try and do the spell as soon as possible; ideally, within a months’ time. Teddy’s first birthday was in a month and it was Harry’s wish for Tonks to be there for it.
Most of the items weren't that rare, or at least not hard to find. Hogwarts was like an endless supply of magical items, and they somehow seemed easier to acquire now that the war was over. No matter how rare or unique the item, the teachers were more than happy to hand them over without asking too many questions. The hardest item to get had been a blade made from an unicorn's horn, which Hagrid had in his possession. He was the one that hesitated the most before finally handling it over. The sharp, rare blade completed the list. With it, Hermione had everything she needed to perform the spell, except one thing.
The most important thing.
“So when can we do it?” Ron asked after Hermione had told them they had all the items.
“Anytime,” Hermione half lied.
“Tonight then,” Harry said, his eyes determined.
Hermione frowned a bit. It was now or never. “Well, we do have all the items for the spell, but there's something else we need,” she said softly.
Harry blinked at her in confusion, “What?” he asked.
For the first time since coming up with this plan, Hermione felt fearful for what they were about to try. Did they really dare to try and bring someone back from the dead? What if they succeeded? Would Tonks still be the same? And what if her return wasn’t the result the spell yielded, what if Remus's happiness laid somewhere else? Hermione couldn't even begin think of all the possibilities. For all she knew, what Remus wanted most now was Teddy. It occurred to her that they might be about to, in a sense, kidnap Teddy. It was really insane to try this.
“What else do we need, Hermione?” Harry asked again, more urgently.
Hermione took a deep breath. “Remus.”
-
Part 06
Part 05 - 'rare and unique'
Rating: PG-13 (for now)
Pairings: Sirius/Remus, Ron/Hermione, Harry/Ginny
Spoilers: Books 1-7
Genre: AU, drama, romance, angst
Summary: Remus Lupin survives the Second War and is left to raise Teddy alone.
---
Hermione wasn't at all surprised when it took her less than a month to find what she was looking for. She read the spell again for the hundredth time since she'd found it, mulling it in her mind, calculating. She couldn't help but think that something was missing from it. The book she had found it in didn't explain anything about possible side effects or negative repercussions from the spell. She couldn’t imagine a spell like this not having any risk. It was as if someone had removed or omitted that information from the book on purpose and that made her very nervous.
Hermione sighed and closed the book. She knew she didn't have much of a choice. She really couldn't keep the discovery of the spell from Ron or Harry after she'd promised to tell them. Her conscience was evil like that. She just wished she was more sure of it, but no matter how much she searched other books the spell was not mentioned anywhere else.
She sighed again. It wasn't fair to waste more time.
---
“You're so amazing, Hermione,” Ron said after Hermione told them about the spell. She blushed red at his words, working to keep her face straight as she tried to explain. The fire of the Gryffindor common room crackled behind her. It was late, well pass midnight to guarantee them some privacy. Hermione sat with Ron on one of the couches while Harry and Ginny sat across from them.
“So how does it work?” Harry asked without hesitation, leaning forward so he could listen better.
Hermione looked at her notes for a second, biting her lip, stalling on purpose. It was that rational part of her brain again, glaring at her, saying: “you know you're not suppose to do this. You know you can't do this.” But then she met Harry's eyes, expectant and hopeful. He wanted so much to help. They all wanted to help. In the end, her good heart won over her common sense. “Well, it's not as specific or simple as bringing someone back from the dead,” she began. “Spells like that just don't exist. Period. But this one is about lost happiness, lost love, and how to bring it back. Since the spell is not specific, I believe it can bring a person back if that's what Remus really needs.”
Harry frowned a bit. “I don't quite understand.”
“Think about it this way.” Hermione began as she pushed her hair behind one ear. “Imagine Ron wants some ice-cream - imagine -” she emphasized when Ron opened his mouth to protest. “Imagine he wants ice-cream more than anything else at that moment, loves it, that he needs it. If we cast the spell at that very moment, then Ron will get his ice-cream.”
“So if Remus wants Tonks to be back more than anything, then she will come back?” Harry asked thoughtfully.
“Theoretically,” Hermione said with a bit of a shrug.
“Brilliant,” Ron murmured a little lost in thought. Hermione could almost see what he was thinking, the possibilities he was imagining, and she had to stifle a chuckle.
“But isn't it illegal to bring people back from the dead, or try to?” Ginny asked.
Hermione looked at her carefully as she answered the question. “I wouldn't say illegal, just impossible. Well, or at least no one has ever done it before as far as we know.”
Harry thought of the resurrection stone then, remembered the story of what had happened to Cadmus Peverell when he had used it. How he had been driven to suicide because of it. But this wasn't like that. Cadmus had been alone, Remus had them. “I don't care,” Harry said firmly. “I don't care if it's illegal. Just think of all the illegal things we've done over the years, some even for our own selfishness. This is completely different. We are trying to help someone.”
Everyone looked at him without saying a word. Hermione was the only one that looked like she wanted to say something, but instead kept her mouth closed. There was nothing they could say. He was right after all.
---
They set about making preparations for the spell, collecting the things they would need. Hermione was able to acquire most of the necessary items herself, but sometimes she had to enlist Harry and Ron to help. There was a sense of urgency in completing the preparations. Harry had said he wanted to try and do the spell as soon as possible; ideally, within a months’ time. Teddy’s first birthday was in a month and it was Harry’s wish for Tonks to be there for it.
Most of the items weren't that rare, or at least not hard to find. Hogwarts was like an endless supply of magical items, and they somehow seemed easier to acquire now that the war was over. No matter how rare or unique the item, the teachers were more than happy to hand them over without asking too many questions. The hardest item to get had been a blade made from an unicorn's horn, which Hagrid had in his possession. He was the one that hesitated the most before finally handling it over. The sharp, rare blade completed the list. With it, Hermione had everything she needed to perform the spell, except one thing.
The most important thing.
“So when can we do it?” Ron asked after Hermione had told them they had all the items.
“Anytime,” Hermione half lied.
“Tonight then,” Harry said, his eyes determined.
Hermione frowned a bit. It was now or never. “Well, we do have all the items for the spell, but there's something else we need,” she said softly.
Harry blinked at her in confusion, “What?” he asked.
For the first time since coming up with this plan, Hermione felt fearful for what they were about to try. Did they really dare to try and bring someone back from the dead? What if they succeeded? Would Tonks still be the same? And what if her return wasn’t the result the spell yielded, what if Remus's happiness laid somewhere else? Hermione couldn't even begin think of all the possibilities. For all she knew, what Remus wanted most now was Teddy. It occurred to her that they might be about to, in a sense, kidnap Teddy. It was really insane to try this.
“What else do we need, Hermione?” Harry asked again, more urgently.
Hermione took a deep breath. “Remus.”
-
Part 06