Truth and Reconciliation (Chapter 1)

Chapter 1: Going Back1

I couldn't believe it. I couldn't believe that it had been sixteen years since the day I parted ways with my life as I knew it, and now I was going back.12

Things had turned out okay for me even though I abandoned all of my closest friends. In those short sixteen years I had become a powerful Auror. I hung around Alastor Moody and Nymphadora Tonks most of the time. They were the only two people that I could really get along with.23

I did have a really cool new ability, besides being an animagus. You see two years after I graduated from Hogwarts I got tired of things turning out so badly for me, so I made a potion that was kind of like the animagus potion. When I drank it I would be able to go instantly back in time for the rest of my life.34

For example, if I was late for work I could just go back to the night before and go to bed earlier, or make my alarm clock louder. Pretty cool right? I think so too, but I can't tell anyone about it, because I don't know if it would be legal, because no one has ever made something like this before.45

My thoughts were broken when my teapot started to whistle. I walked over to it and poured some steaming hot water into a small mug. I looked around the counter for my teabag, but found a note instead. I looked at it questioningly, shrugged and then opened it.56

It read:67

Good luck reuniting with your beaus!78

See you when you get back.89

Signed;910

Tonks and Moody1011

I couldn't help but laugh as I set the note on the counter. Dora was always writing things and putting Alastor's name on them. He probably didn't even know that she wrote it.1112

I picked up my pomegranate teabag and put it into he water and let it sit. I picked up the mug and set it on the oak coffee table and started to read the paper.1213

My house wasn't incredibly big, in fact it wasn't big at all. It was a small cottage in the countryside of London, and it was surrounded by trees and open fields. There were 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom, a kitchen, living room, and a study. It wasn't much, but it was comfortable and easy to keep clean.1314

"Are you decent?" Dora's voice suddenly came from my fireplace.1415

I laughed, "I'm always decent when I'm sitting by the fireplace."1516

Nymphadora walked out of the fireplace and sat on the armchair across from me. "Did you get our note?"1617

"Yes I got your note. Tonks, you and I both know that Alistor had nothing to do with it."1718

"I know, I just like to include him," she sighed as she crossed her legs and leaned back. "So when do you leave?"1819

I looked at the clock and it was noon, "In an hour."1920

Dora's eyes widened and she started to panic, "You're going to be late! Have you packed? Did you pick out what to wear?"2021

"Dora it's all taken care of."2122

She leaned forward on her knees, "Seriously, what are you going to wear? You know, Sirius might be there, because he'd go to Remus for help."2223

I stared at her and realized that she was right. Since Sirius escaped from Azkaban he would actually go to get Remus' help and possibly hide out in the shrieking shack.2324

"I don't know. I’ll just wear what I usually wear to work.” I shrugged as I sipped my tea.2425

"Oh, but that's so boring! You are probably going to see your ex-fiancé; don't you want to look sexy?"2526

I looked pointedly at her, "No."2627

She sighed in defeat and stood up. "Fine, fine. Whatever you say." She turned towards me expectantly. I rolled my eyes and stood up and gave her a hug.2728

"Seeya," was all she said as she slid back up the fireplace. I looked at the clock again and it was 12:15, so I went and dumped my tea out and put the mug into the dishwasher and started a load.2829

I walked into my room and looked at the outfit I had laid out. It was a black wife beater, a pair of black slacks, my green overcoat, and black fingerless gloves. It looked a lot like what Dora wore, but we had taken to dressing alike when we first met. 'This'll be fine' I thought as I changed.2930

I picked up my suitcase and wand, and then headed out the door. I hailed a cab to the train station, and walked up to platform 9 3/4. It had been years since I had even been near this platform. I walked through it and before I boarded the train I heard someone say that it was going to be delayed for 4 hours. Great, I would have gotten there at 7 and now I was going to arrive at 11.3031

~4 hours later~3132

Sitting at the train station for 4 hours wasn't as bad as I thought. Mainly because I slept the whole time.3233

Now I was sitting in a compartment on the Hogwarts Express alone; it felt like first year all over again, only this time I knew that Severus Snape wasn't going to come through the door looking for somewhere to sit.3334

The trip took roughly 6 hours and the whole time I was staring out the window thinking about what I would say to Remus, Severus, and possibly Sirius.3435

I got off the train at about quarter to eleven, and walked up the path to Hogwarts. I was delighted that the air was actually warm; making my trek up to the school that much more pleasant.3536

I could see Hogwarts now, and I was headed up to the front when I heard people's voices coming from over by the Whomping Willow.3637

When I looked over I saw Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, Peter Pettigrew, and Sirius Black. They were also with three other kids, one of them I knew was Harry Potter, the red head had to be one of Molly Weasley's kids, and I didn't recognize the third.3738

I walked down toward the group, and couldn't help but notice that all three of them had grown stronger, taller, and more handsome.3839

I was extremely close to the group now, but none of them seemed to see me. They looked like they were caught up in some heated conversation, no doubt about Sirius and Peter. Mentions of the Dark Lord were thrown around once or twice.3940

"My, my. This is like a reunion."4041