Disclaimer: I don't own HP or associated
Harry Potter and the Ghosts of Past
Chapter One: Afterthought
A beefy man with a mustache walked down the streets of London to his work. He had just been to lunch with his wife and son at the local sandwich shop. The man had walked because it was just a couple of blocks away. Now it was about one o'clock on the twenty-third of June 1998, a day unlike any other. The summer sun beat down, but its heat was gentle, the breeze swept by, but made no sound stirring the dried leaves.
The man walked down the street like he hadn't a care in the world. He knew better, but then again he hoped it was over, once and for all. As he walked he saw something that he had seen some seventeen years earlier. People gathered like the poor around barrels of fire, but these weren't the poor and this man knew it. They wore long robes, most of black, emerald green, ruby red and sapphire blue, the people talked excitedly as though the Greek titan, Atlas, had been freed of the weight of the world. And the world was celebrating, as though they had been waiting for his freedom, which had also been their freedom.
He looked up to see hundreds of owls flocking across the sunny sky, "ruddy owls," he said. He had said that phrase so many times during the past six summer it had become second nature. He knew damn well he won't have to say it anymore and he was glad. Not glad that his nephew was dead, not that these 'freaks' were celebrating; he was glad for the same reason they were celebrating and that the biggest threat to mankind was gone.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
She stood in her kitchen; he had been like a son to her, an extra person to worry about even though he had told her not to. One of her sons was dead, the rest were injured and her daughter was heart broke. The Light had won but was well wounded. The Dark had fallen or at least their leader. Aurors had spent most of the last three weeks rounding up Death Eaters.
There was something that was bothering all those she had talked to; they had found the body of the enemy, Voldemort, but no body of the hero. It wasn't as though most the world cared. Most say it as a boy, no a man, who had after so many years and many deaths, lived out the prophecy. They thought the world would hold no use for him.
She and those she had talked to knew better. He was still needed if not to kill the Dark, then, to live out his life. The two oldest sons came down stairs and kissed their mother good-bye. They had both surpassed their mother in height like all the boys had but they were broader in the shoulders and weren't as lanky as the rest. Each had a job to go back to and reports that needed filing and they Disapparated. Next came the twins, being the jokesters they couldn't find anything to lighten the mood of the house. They sat quietly at breakfast, long faces that didn't suit them well, but still deep in their eyes was a mysterious twinkle meaning sooner or later they would pull mischief. The boy who saved they Light wouldn't want all this gloom, weather he was dead or alive.
Next came her youngest son. His heart carried many heavy burdens, each wrenching his heart. His mind drifted from his dead best friend, to the one still left at home with her parents. The only justification he could find in his best mate's death was that he was with his parents, godfather, and the others who had died to save or help him. But there were so many more reasons to be in the land of the living. His twin brothers Disapparated, after a brief comment to his mother. The boy lifted his head just enough to be able to see his mother wiping tears from her eyes, then sitting down with a heavy heart. They sat in silence for a long time before he went back up to his room. Stopping only to glance at the door of the youngest sibling and only girl.
Inside the girl had her homework spread across her bed and desk, but she sat at the window with a tear streaming defiantly down her face. 'Where are you?' she thought desperately. As her father had told her "don't trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brains." She had to learn that the hard way. She now also believed "don't say anyone is dead unless you've cremated the body and buried it" this was something the wizarding world as a whole had to learn the hard way and in the end most paid for it. Including the Minister and his assistant, and though he was a git to the family up until he died, he was still her third oldest brother. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
A Muggle born witch sat on her parent's sofa pouring over every magical and theological book she could find. It didn't make any sense at all nobody just disappears, it just doesn't happen as the Dark leader had proved so many years ago when he went into hiding and then resurfaced eleven years later. And though she knew her best friend probably wasn't hiding, she guaranteed he wasn't dead. The girl was frustrated to no end and was highly doubtful that she would find anything in the endless pile of books that sat around her.
'I am a full witch, top of the class, Head Girl and I can't find a simple answer,' She slammed the book closed, and giggled remembering both her friends telling her the not all answers were found in books. She thought about the wizarding family that was grieving. Then thought of the boy all of this could've fallen to, had it not been for the Dark leader's choice of a half-blood just like him instead of a full blood.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The boy with dark hair sat listening to his Grandmother talk to her friends. It had been rough, the war was over but he had lost so much. Although getting revenge on some of the Death Eaters had been a good self reward. Watching the people around him crumble after they found the Dark leader but not the hero of the Light had been a bittersweet moment. The thing they had feared was gone but they had lost their friend.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
The muggle born jumped up despite the objection of her ribs. "I found it!" she yelled, skidding to a halt at the fireplace. Where to go who to tell, but she knew the answer, picking up a pinch of Floo Powder she said clearly "the Burrow" and walked into the fire, grasping her book tightly. She arrived with a dull 'thud' at the base of the Weasley fireplace. Shaking the soot off as she ran into the kitchen.
"Hermione!" the woman in the kitchen looked at her son's best friend.
"I found the answer Mrs. Weasley," she took a moment to breathe, "I think I have if nothing was false about the report that was taken to the Daily Prophet." She smiled brightly.
Mrs. Weasley trembled slightly at the look of confidence in the girl's eyes. "Ron! Ginny!" she called heading for the fireplace and immediately Flooing people moment's later people came flying out of the fireplace. Tonks, Shaklebolt, McGongall, Snape, the twins and Mr. Weasley came to sit in the kitchen. Ginny and Ron sat in the kitchen looking at all the people around, wondering why they were in the house.
Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and Ron was miffed by Hermione's facial expression. She had been trying to hide her smile but couldn't help the witching at the corners of her mouth. Neville Longbottom stumbled into the Weasley kitchen with Mrs. Weasley who immediately started making tea. "What's this about Molly?" Shaklebolt, the Minister of Magic, asked. Everyone got their answer when Hermione stood up.
"Harry is not dead," Hermione said putting down the book, "he is just honoring them..."
^^^^^^^^ R/R Please, constructive critisism
Harry Potter and the Ghosts of Past
Chapter One: Afterthought
A beefy man with a mustache walked down the streets of London to his work. He had just been to lunch with his wife and son at the local sandwich shop. The man had walked because it was just a couple of blocks away. Now it was about one o'clock on the twenty-third of June 1998, a day unlike any other. The summer sun beat down, but its heat was gentle, the breeze swept by, but made no sound stirring the dried leaves.
The man walked down the street like he hadn't a care in the world. He knew better, but then again he hoped it was over, once and for all. As he walked he saw something that he had seen some seventeen years earlier. People gathered like the poor around barrels of fire, but these weren't the poor and this man knew it. They wore long robes, most of black, emerald green, ruby red and sapphire blue, the people talked excitedly as though the Greek titan, Atlas, had been freed of the weight of the world. And the world was celebrating, as though they had been waiting for his freedom, which had also been their freedom.
He looked up to see hundreds of owls flocking across the sunny sky, "ruddy owls," he said. He had said that phrase so many times during the past six summer it had become second nature. He knew damn well he won't have to say it anymore and he was glad. Not glad that his nephew was dead, not that these 'freaks' were celebrating; he was glad for the same reason they were celebrating and that the biggest threat to mankind was gone.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
She stood in her kitchen; he had been like a son to her, an extra person to worry about even though he had told her not to. One of her sons was dead, the rest were injured and her daughter was heart broke. The Light had won but was well wounded. The Dark had fallen or at least their leader. Aurors had spent most of the last three weeks rounding up Death Eaters.
There was something that was bothering all those she had talked to; they had found the body of the enemy, Voldemort, but no body of the hero. It wasn't as though most the world cared. Most say it as a boy, no a man, who had after so many years and many deaths, lived out the prophecy. They thought the world would hold no use for him.
She and those she had talked to knew better. He was still needed if not to kill the Dark, then, to live out his life. The two oldest sons came down stairs and kissed their mother good-bye. They had both surpassed their mother in height like all the boys had but they were broader in the shoulders and weren't as lanky as the rest. Each had a job to go back to and reports that needed filing and they Disapparated. Next came the twins, being the jokesters they couldn't find anything to lighten the mood of the house. They sat quietly at breakfast, long faces that didn't suit them well, but still deep in their eyes was a mysterious twinkle meaning sooner or later they would pull mischief. The boy who saved they Light wouldn't want all this gloom, weather he was dead or alive.
Next came her youngest son. His heart carried many heavy burdens, each wrenching his heart. His mind drifted from his dead best friend, to the one still left at home with her parents. The only justification he could find in his best mate's death was that he was with his parents, godfather, and the others who had died to save or help him. But there were so many more reasons to be in the land of the living. His twin brothers Disapparated, after a brief comment to his mother. The boy lifted his head just enough to be able to see his mother wiping tears from her eyes, then sitting down with a heavy heart. They sat in silence for a long time before he went back up to his room. Stopping only to glance at the door of the youngest sibling and only girl.
Inside the girl had her homework spread across her bed and desk, but she sat at the window with a tear streaming defiantly down her face. 'Where are you?' she thought desperately. As her father had told her "don't trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brains." She had to learn that the hard way. She now also believed "don't say anyone is dead unless you've cremated the body and buried it" this was something the wizarding world as a whole had to learn the hard way and in the end most paid for it. Including the Minister and his assistant, and though he was a git to the family up until he died, he was still her third oldest brother. *^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
A Muggle born witch sat on her parent's sofa pouring over every magical and theological book she could find. It didn't make any sense at all nobody just disappears, it just doesn't happen as the Dark leader had proved so many years ago when he went into hiding and then resurfaced eleven years later. And though she knew her best friend probably wasn't hiding, she guaranteed he wasn't dead. The girl was frustrated to no end and was highly doubtful that she would find anything in the endless pile of books that sat around her.
'I am a full witch, top of the class, Head Girl and I can't find a simple answer,' She slammed the book closed, and giggled remembering both her friends telling her the not all answers were found in books. She thought about the wizarding family that was grieving. Then thought of the boy all of this could've fallen to, had it not been for the Dark leader's choice of a half-blood just like him instead of a full blood.
^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^
The boy with dark hair sat listening to his Grandmother talk to her friends. It had been rough, the war was over but he had lost so much. Although getting revenge on some of the Death Eaters had been a good self reward. Watching the people around him crumble after they found the Dark leader but not the hero of the Light had been a bittersweet moment. The thing they had feared was gone but they had lost their friend.
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
The muggle born jumped up despite the objection of her ribs. "I found it!" she yelled, skidding to a halt at the fireplace. Where to go who to tell, but she knew the answer, picking up a pinch of Floo Powder she said clearly "the Burrow" and walked into the fire, grasping her book tightly. She arrived with a dull 'thud' at the base of the Weasley fireplace. Shaking the soot off as she ran into the kitchen.
"Hermione!" the woman in the kitchen looked at her son's best friend.
"I found the answer Mrs. Weasley," she took a moment to breathe, "I think I have if nothing was false about the report that was taken to the Daily Prophet." She smiled brightly.
Mrs. Weasley trembled slightly at the look of confidence in the girl's eyes. "Ron! Ginny!" she called heading for the fireplace and immediately Flooing people moment's later people came flying out of the fireplace. Tonks, Shaklebolt, McGongall, Snape, the twins and Mr. Weasley came to sit in the kitchen. Ginny and Ron sat in the kitchen looking at all the people around, wondering why they were in the house.
Ron and Hermione exchanged looks and Ron was miffed by Hermione's facial expression. She had been trying to hide her smile but couldn't help the witching at the corners of her mouth. Neville Longbottom stumbled into the Weasley kitchen with Mrs. Weasley who immediately started making tea. "What's this about Molly?" Shaklebolt, the Minister of Magic, asked. Everyone got their answer when Hermione stood up.
"Harry is not dead," Hermione said putting down the book, "he is just honoring them..."
^^^^^^^^ R/R Please, constructive critisism