Harry received special permission from Dumbledore to return to school on Sunday afternoon.
For two days, Harry and Lupin stayed with Sirius, watching his godfather transform from a dirty, unkempt, ragged prisoner into a neat, respectable man, though still gaunt.
They also went to St. Mungo's, where a Healer gave them a lot of advice and prescribed three potions. In short, Sirius needed a long rest and careful care to recover his health.
Lupin took the opportunity to suggest that Sirius stay with him. "I'm sure you don't want to go back to the old Black house... and Harry often comes home on weekends, so you can see him more often."
Sirius, who had forgotten his initial intention of having Harry live with him, happily agreed. Lupin's house was small, too cramped for even two people, let alone three. But that didn't stop them; both Lupin and Sirius knew the Undetectable Extension Charm. It didn't take them long to expand a bedroom.
That night, when Harry went to bed, he saw the two adults still chatting by the fireplace, drinking. When he woke up in the morning, they were in almost the exact same position. They had talked all night, as if they had an endless amount to say.
On Sunday morning, Sirius and Lupin took Harry to Godric's Hollow via Apparition. For the first time, Harry realized that his home was in this village and that his parents had died here. He thought, with a mixture of shock and shame, why had he never thought to come here before? He had never even paid his respects to his parents. But then he remembered that even if he had had the idea, Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon would never have brought him.
Lupin led them to the center of the square, where Harry was surprised to see a statue of the Potter family, as if people were commemorating and thanking them in this way. Then they went to the cemetery behind the church to visit the Potters' graves. Harry first saw the tombstones of Dumbledore's mother and sister. For the first time, he realized that he and the headmaster were from the same place.
Why didn't Dumbledore tell me? Harry couldn't help but wonder. But then he thought that perhaps many wizards from this village had gone to Hogwarts, and Harry Potter was just one of them. There was no need for Dumbledore to have told him.
"Harry, over here!"
Lupin said, leading the two to the Potters' tombstone. The names of James and Lily and their birth and death years were engraved on the white marble tombstone, along with a short epitaph:
[The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.]
Harry looked at the two familiar yet unfamiliar names, thinking of his parents lying in the cold ground, unable to respond to him. Tears welled up in his eyes.
Sirius, meanwhile, sobbed without restraint, mumbling, "I'm sorry... I'm so sorry... I deserve to die... I'm sorry..."
Lupin turned his head, taking a deep breath, and dared not look at the two of them.
After a long time, Lupin finally pulled Sirius, who was so grief-stricken he was almost fainting, off the ground. He put his arm around the red-eyed Harry and forcibly led them out of the cemetery.
"We'll come back to see them... Harry, even though James and Lily are gone, they will always live in our hearts, and their love will always be with you... Remember that."
"Sirius, James wouldn't want to see you like this... He would rather see you pull yourself together and move forward."
They arrived at what was once James and Lily's home. It had long since become a ruin. The right side of the top floor was completely blown apart, the iron gate was rusted, the yard was overgrown with weeds, and a few windows were broken.
Standing at the entrance, Harry was hesitant to go in. Since childhood, he had fantasized about what his life would have been like if his parents hadn't died... Would he have been like Dudley, seen as the most adorable treasure in the world by his parents, even if he was rude, stupid, and disrespectful?
Now, however, he was so close to where his parents once lived, yet his legs felt too heavy to lift. He was afraid. He was afraid to see the happy life he once had, and even more afraid to see the current state of that happiness being brutally shattered and torn apart.
Lupin understood Harry's feelings. He put his hand on the boy's shoulder and said, "Next time, Harry, when you're ready."
Harry struggled to say, "No, I can..."
"Don't forget you have school tomorrow. If we stay here too long, will you be able to wake up on time tomorrow morning? Have you finished all your homework? Have you done your readings?"
Lupin's three consecutive questions brought Harry back to the cruel reality. He remembered that he had only written two lines of his Potions essay, and his mood immediately became heavy in a different way.
"Let's go. I'll take you back to school," Lupin said. "We'll come back during the Christmas holidays. There are a lot of things to sort out in the old house, and I'm sure you'd want to see some traces of your childhood."
Harry hesitated and was led away by Lupin. He looked back and saw Sirius still standing at the entrance, his body as stiff as if he had been petrified. He couldn't see his godfather's expression, but just looking at his back, Harry felt as if he couldn't breathe.
"Remus, Sirius..."
"He probably needs to be alone for a bit," Lupin said. "Don't worry, I'll come and watch him after I take you back."
Harry secretly looked at Lupin's expression from below.
Is Remus really as calm as he seems? Or is he just hiding all his emotions?
Lupin seemed to read his mind and suddenly said, "I'm not like Sirius."
"After that night, Sirius was locked in Azkaban. He couldn't attend their funerals, nor did he have a chance to visit them again... He must have a lot he wants to say to James now..."
"Have you ever paid your respects to my mom and dad, Remus?" Harry asked as calmly as possible, not wanting to sound like a crying child.
"Yes, every year," Lupin said softly.
"Did you go to visit your parents' graves?"
In the common room, Hermione asked in a whisper. She looked at Harry as if he were a fragile piece of porcelain.
"Are you okay?... I mean... if you need it, you can lean on my shoulder..."
Hermione stammered.
"Oh, no, it's fine." Harry didn't want to look into her eyes. He lowered his head and said, "Actually, I... well... I'm used to not having parents, so..."
He couldn't continue. Hermione looked like she was about to cry.
"Hey, Harry, there you are!" Ron suddenly burst in through the portrait hole. He saw Harry and said happily, "Come with me, they've built a huge thing by the Great Lake!"
Harry immediately felt a sense of relief. He was eager to escape this awkward atmosphere, so he immediately stood up and said, "What is it?"
"Just come with me, and you'll see." Ron rushed back out through the portrait hole and shouted, "Hermione, what are you waiting for?"
"But Harry, you haven't finished your Potions essay yet!" Hermione said worriedly as she followed him.
"Forget about that! This is way more interesting than some blasted essay!" Ron said.
The Fat Lady at the entrance of the common room shouted angrily at him, "I just opened the door for you!"
Ron completely ignored her.
The trio hurried out of the castle. Harry was surprised to find that almost the entire school had come. They were lined up in long queues in front of seven doors. Ron immediately grabbed them and made them stand at the back of the shortest queue.
"Damn, we're late!" Ron said in frustration. "I thought they wouldn't open it until tomorrow at least!"
Harry said breathlessly, "So... what... is this?"