Harry held the stone tightly in his hand, he needed to see them. Just once. Just once. He needed to know that they loved him, that the Dursleys were wrong, that they were... proud of him. He was going to sacrifice himself, and he needed to see them just once.
Three spectres appeared around him. Two he had seen in that dreaded mirror in first year. One he had met in his third year. All of them familiar, all of them his family.
Harry felt tears threaten his eyes and he steadfastly pushed them away. He would not cry. Not after years and years of tearless sobs. Never. Never again.
The beautiful face of his mother called to him,
"I love you Harry. I will always love you."
His father smiled and ruffled his hair with an imaginary hand, moving nothing. They were like... ghosts.
"I'm proud of you son, you're doing the right thing."
Harry sniffed to himself, gazing over at Sirius. His godfather's eyes were filled with the same love and pride, that Harry never thought he would see again. He simply nodded, as if lost for words. It was magical. They were all there, saying kind words and compliments and prideful things. Harry had a hard time keeping himself together. He wanted to break down. Desperately. He was just about to when-
"FUCKING ALBUS DUMBLEDORE I WILL SKIN HIM ALIVE AND EAT HIM FOR BREAKFAST!"
Harry turned to see his mother... shrieking like a banshee.
"What?"
Lily turned to him, tears in her eyes, tried to pull him into a hug only to run through him. She started to sob, falling down on the ground below him and wept. Harry lifted an eyebrow, confused as hell, seeing his other family still standing there, still saying kind things, not noticing Lily's distress.
As his mother began to weep more and more, Harry dropped down onto the group beside her, trying to hold her. She looked up at him with shiny green eyes, a desperate sort of love in her. Harry said,
"Mum? What's going on?"
Lily sniffed, wiping away ghostly tears and said,
"I love you Harry. I love you so much. You mean everything to me and I'm so so sorry for everything that you have been put through. FUCKING DUMBLEDORE THE MANIPULATIVE BASTARD HAS HAD HIS BRAINS OBVIOUSLY MELTED BY LEMON DROPS! He. He... He... HE! I can't even say it! I am so sorry for my sister. And everything they did to you. And her... her brute of a husband. Harry Harry Harry I was there every minute I was there looking out for you. I never left you. Your father eventually couldn't watch any more, the fucking pussy, but I was there. I tried to protect you but I but I but I... I was dead. And I'm so so sorry."
Harry tried to grasp his mother's shoulders, but couldn't, and said in quiet desperation,
"What are you talking about?"
Lily closed her eyes, took deep breaths, as her body continued to shake slightly,
"Oh Harry, I... Oh... How could they have done that to you?"
Harry gulped,
"Done what?"
Lily sniffled again to herself,
"Never mind. You shouldn't know that. I can't even... Too terrible... And I'm s... so so... sorry. I..."
Harry tried to hug her again, getting more and more stressed as he found he couldn't. Was his mother having a mental breakdown? Where was the soft Lily from before which gave him kind reassuring words? Where was the mother who said she was proud and supported him?
"Mum?"
Harry's voice felt too childish for his liking, but everything was being ripped out from under him. She said, her tone sinister,
"Harry... And at Hogwarts as well... All those times you could have died... And now he... He... He convinced you to commit suicide! My little boy, cutest thing in the world, hurt beyond repair that his mind is... And now he... And to think..."
Harry was starting to panic,
"Mum? What do you mean? What happened?"
Lily looked up at him, true pain in her eyes,
"It was him who made your whole life hell. Magical blocks, Obliviates, imaginary blood wards, loyalty spells, love potions, embezzlement, fake friends, imprisoned godfathers, tampered Resurrection Stones! Don't die Harry! Don't kill yourself for him!"
Harry whispered, even though he already thought he knew the answer,
"Who?"
Lily's voice was grave,
"Dumbledore. Don't die from him my son. I love you, but don't die for him."
Harry tried to pull her close but she just slipped through his fingers, and started to cry again.
"I'm so... sorry..."
Harry started to cry as well.
It was all lies.