Disclaimer: Characters/Setting/My entire life property of JK Rowling, Picture property of whoever owns that cemetary.

Ashes, Dust, and Snow

Harry Potter watched as his wife, who went first, and three children, stepped into the fireplace and disappeared in green flames. He grabbed hold of a handful of floo powder, stepped into the fireplace and repeated the action.

He stepped out at the Ministry of Magic, looked to make sure his family was waiting, and grabbed hold of his daughter's hand.

They made their way down the hall, with James, feeling mature as he was nearing the age thirteen, leading the way, (at his mother's side). Harry smiled and said hello to his co-workers as they passed, wishing them Happy Christmas. James, of course, basked in the attention, addressing everyone he saw and knew in a posh accent, including Kingsley Shacklebolt, his practical Uncle, but who also happened to be the Minister of Magic himself, who had seen Ginny and come to say hi.

Kingsley was still laughing when he reached Harry at the back of the pack.

"Hey, Harry. How was Christmas?" Kingsley had spent Christmas with his wife's family this year, and he and Hestia had not joined the Weasleys in their yearly celebration.

Harry grinned, "Great, thanks. Off to London today, actually."

Kingsley nodded. "That's nice. Anything particular in mind, or just a day with Muggles?" And then, he bent down to eye level of the little girl he so very much adored, even when she was now nearing Hogwarts at age nine, and gave her his most charming smile. "Hullo, Lily."

Lily beamed, and caught the man who was practically family in a fierce hug. Her voice was muffled in his chest. "Kingsley! I missed you!"

The Minister smiled, rubbing the young girl's back. "I know, I'm sorry. But Hestia wanted to see her parents this year. You know I missed you," he said charmingly, and Lily giggled. "Did you like your presents?"

At this, she pulled away so she could look at him, bouncing up and down in happiness, still in his embrace. Harry noticed Ginny herding Al and James back to them. "Yes!" She said excitedly. "I just loved your present, Kingsley," Kingsley grinned from ear to ear, "and Uncle Nev and Aunt Hannah got me books, and Uncle George and Aunt Angie got me a Pygmy Puff, and Mummy and Daddy got me a new broom! My first big broom, of my very own! And-"

Harry laughed, coming forward and putting a hand on Lily's shoulder. "All right, Lil, that's enough now. We'll come back later, but we have to get to the cemetary before it gets dark."

Lily frowned, but turned back to Kingsley to quietly explain. "We're going to see Great-Gran and Grandad today," she said solemnly. Kingsley looked up at Harry and Ginny, and they nodded in confirmation.

"I've never gone before," she continued. "Neither have James or Al, but it was because I wasn't old enough." She pouted a little.

"That will be nice, won't it? Going to wish them a Happy Christmas?" She smiled and nodded. "Better get going then!"

"...I suppose so," Lily said finally, and gave Kingsley one last squeeze before going back to her father. "See you."

"Bye, Lily, Harry, Ginny, boys. have a nice afternoon." He beamed at Lily, and waved goodbye to his friends.

Harry wasn't exactly sure how he felt about today. He had gone before, of course, immediately after he had tracked down their graves. Ginny had joined him shortly after. He goes with Ginny every Christmas, but this was the first time they had taken the kids. Even with the Dursleys, only his Uncle, Aunt, and Dudley had been allowed to visit.

Harry knew why; it had been his fault. He knew it wasn't now, but that had been what it felt like, after he found out.

Dudley no longer cared, had apologized long ago, and had even offered to come today with his own family, but he wanted it to be just his family today. Teddy, of course, was included in this, but he had gone to visit with his godfather many times, so he chose to spend the day with Victoire, who his time with was so limited.

Arthur had been the one to tell him that his mother's parents had died one night when he was on watch. James and Lily had been out on a mission, and Harry had been under the watchful eye of his Muggle grandparents, along with an Order guard. Death Eaters had raided the house; he had escaped, but his grandparents had died.

With all his might, he had tried to summon happy memories of a pair of doting grandparents, but he had only been one. He loved them, with all his heart, he know that; he just wished it wasn't so hard to remember.

As they reached the exit into Muggle London, Harry wrapped his coat around him, shielding against a particularly chilling gust. As they walked to the graveyard, snow was falling peacefully and quietly, and it really was a beautiful day. Not too cold, only the occasional wind.

Harry lead his family through the aisles, until coming to two headstones side by side. The first read William Alexander Evans, loving husband and father, and the second Catherine Emily Dayes Evans, loving wife and mother, with birthdates, and both had died June 15, 1981.

Al had gone quiet, he noticed, and rambunctious James had taken, maturely, a moment of silence. Lily was looking at the headstones with admiration and awe, and she kneeled down in the snow to go closer. Ginny smiled at Harry and conjured two wreaths.

"Did you want to say something, boys? Lily?" Ginny asked them.

James was the first to think of something to say, not surprisingly. "Umm...thank you, I suppose. I've never exactly met you, but I'm sure you were very nice," he said thoughtfully, and blushed a faint pink. Sentimental wasn't exactly James' forte, but Harry appreciated the sentiment all the same. He walked forward and hugged his son, and James smiled up at him.

Albus was observing the headstones, and Harry, as usual, couldn't read his expression. Ginny was smiling at him, obviously knowing what he was thinking, and Harry wished he posessed the same gift of reading Albus so well. "Happy Christmas," he told his great-grandparents finally. "I love you." Albus looked at his parents, anxious for approval, and Ginny nodded at him, smiling. Harry gave his son a reassuring smile, which Al returned.

Lily Luna was still silent, staring at the headstones with glistening eyes. Harry hadn't realized she was crying, and he rushed forward to kneel beside her. "Are you all right, Lily?"

"Do you love them, Dad?" was her only response.

"Of course, sweetheart. Why wouldn't I?"

"But..." Lily sniffled, "but you never knew them."

Harry smiled, remembering words from Sirius long ago. He held up a finger, and brought it to her heart. "I will always know them," he told his daughter, "and so will you. They'll always be with me, with us, watching down on us."

She looked startled for a moment, than clasped his hand in both of hers and leant on his arm. She said something under her breath.

"What was that?"

Lily sighed and looked up at him, frustration clear. "I don't want you in my heart, Dad. I want you and Mum to stay, and Uncle Ron and Aunt Hermione and Kingsley. I don't want..." she rubbed her eyes angrily, "I don't want you to die!"

And then, Harry understood. "Oh, Lily. We all have to go someday. Ashes to ashes, dust to dust."

"What?" she asked, confused.

Harry smiled at her. "We all start here, in the ground, with the Earth, in the sky." He let snow fall on his finger tips, and tapped Lily lightly on the nose, getting a real smile as her cheeks flushed in the cold. "You don't want to live forever, Lily. We're all just a part of Earth, and we have to go eventually. Return to where we belong, in the nature, go home. Our souls go to the sky, to live with the others; but everything has to come to an end, Lily. It's a cycle, all of our lives. We live, and we laugh, and we love; but then we go back to the beginning." He smiled at her, as she crinkled her brow, thinking all of that over.

"Did you come up with that all yourself?" she asked finally, and Ginny laughed, as Harry pretended to be offended

"Hermione might've explained it to me a bit, the very first time I heard it. I was a bit confused," he admitted. "But I understood it!" he defended himself, laughing.

"That was really pretty, Dad," she said, and Harry beamed at her.

"Are we all good then, Lily?"

"Yeah. I love you, Dad." Lily turned to the graves. "I love you, Great Gran, Great Grandad. Happy Christmas." She smiled. And then suddenly, her eyes widened, and she ran to her Mum.

"Mum! I'm sorry, I forgot! I love you, too! And James, and Al," she added hastily, hugging Ginny tightly.

Her brothers grinned, and Ginny laughed. "That's alright, Lily, I love you, too. And so do your brothers. That was perfect, sweetheart."

Lily beamed.

Wandering out through the rows of headstones, so still and unmoving, a chill ran through him, and he looked up and thanked his lucky stars, not for the first time. He looked over to his beautiful wife, who he loved more than anything, and his kids, who were his entire world. He thought of his friends, and his whole family, and he was struck by the fact, once again, that he was home. Harry was happy, and when he joined his parents in heaven, he would do so after a long life of love.

Harry promptly walked over to his sons and hugged them tightly, ignoring their startled looks. He left Lily with them, and she smiled up at him as he released her hand. Then, he walked over to Ginny and wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling her closer, and she rested her head on his shoulder. She looked up and smiled, and he grinned down at her.

"What are you thinking about?" she whispered.

"I love you," he whispered back, and kissed her soundly on the dazzling sunlit snow.

A/N: So literally this nearly entire idea goes to my sister, Irene, and my friend, Tabitha. I was so lost when I got these prompts, and I thank them immensely!

Also, this DOES take place outside my 19 years period, as I placed it in the christmas immediately following September 1, 2017. I don't really know WHERE it takes place, but there's got to be a graveyard in london, right? I didn't think it was important to include. It's entirely plausible that Lily's parents were buried here, because where she and snape grew up is a fictional town, and I could place it anywhere in the UK :)

Submitted for:
Pick A List- hetcanonpairing: Harry/Ginny; word: ash; realplace: London
Jury of Your Peers- family

Honestly, I really hope you enjoyed that. It's one of the most emotional things I've ever written, and I put a lot of hard work into it.
PLEASE let me know if you liked it in a review, and I'm so open to constructive criticism. And if you really liked it, check out my other work?

Thanks!

Lara,