Disclaimer: I own nothing but my ideas.
Some dialogue is directly from the chapter of the book of the same as my title. I hope I didn't totally mutilate it because it's one of my favorites. Oh well, enjoy.
Warning: Contains heavy HP7 spoilers. You've been warned.
He felt as though he was floating. There was no noise. No pain. Nothing remotely from the battle reached his ears. He opened his eyes and looked up to see nothing but light and clouds when suddenly a shadow stood over him.
A hand reached his line of vision and he grabbed it so he could stand on his own two feet.
"I thought it was you," the owner of the hand said. "Welcome home Moony."
Remus Lupin, former wizard and werewolf found himself looking into the eyes of his former friend in life. "Thanks Prongs."
Behind him stood two other people he knew before he moved on. One was just as beautiful as the day he'd last seen her; the other seemed to have gotten younger and healthier.
"Padfoot, Lily," he said nodding to each of them who in turn nodded back.
All was silent for but a moment.
"Come here you," Sirius Black said wrapping Remus in a big hug.
Remus couldn't help it as he felt tears in his eyes. "Remus?" a voice softly whispered.
No; she couldn't be here. She was supposed to still be on earth with their infant son. "Dora," he whispered running to her and giving her a hug. The tears silently slipped down their cheeks until they broke apart.
"Lily, James, this is Nymphadora: my wife and mother of my son. I believe you already know Sirius."
Lily was the first to step forward and carefully extended a hand to the girl. "It's a pleasure to meet you. At least I'm not the only one to tame a Marauder."
"It wasn't easy," Tonks said with a light laugh as she grasped the other woman's hand and shook it.
"Dog pile on Nymphie," Sirius suddenly shouted.
Both he and James jumped on the poor girl and Remus and Lily could only watch.
"It's good to see you too. Now will you please get off of me," Tonks said, her voice lightly muffled.
The two men got to their feet and helped her to hers as well. Remus lightly coughed and looked to Lily with overbright eyes. "So this is it then. This is where you end up when..."
"Yes Remus, this is it," she said putting a comforting hand on his shoulder.
Tonks couldn't help it; the tears just came of their own accord. "We'll never get to see him grow up."
"No," she said "it'll hurt for awhile but you'll see him. Someday."
"He'll know we died to protect him Dora. To give him a brighter future," Remus said wrapping his arms around her from behind.
She slowly turned and seemed to look him in the eye for the first time. "You look so much different here. Happier even."
"The sufferings of my life are gone. I'm a whole person for the first time in ages."
"And I still love you," she said back before they began to kiss. It seemed to go on for eternity and a second.
"Oi, get a room."
Remus and Tonks smirked before Remus felt something odd from within him. He looked up to find the same look on Sirius', James' and Lily's faces.
"What's happening?" Tonks asked.
"We're being called for," James said before the four of them disappeared.
The final word Tonks heard was a certain name.
"It's Harry," she heard as though it was said in the wind.
The four found themselves in the forest. Lily was the first to spot him. She nodded to the rest and they made their way over to the boy, no man, who seemed to be waiting for them with a small black stone in the palm of his hand.
Harry seemed to see James first before his eyes roved over the rest of them and stopping at his mother. They all smiled fondly at him.
"You've been so brave," Lily said her eyes overbright.
"You are nearly there," said James. "Very close. We are...so proud of you."
Harry seemed unsure for a moment before finally speaking again. "Does it hurt?"
They weren't quite sure how to describe the feeling of death.
"Dying? Not at all," said Sirius nonchalantly. "Quicker and easier than falling asleep."
"And he will want it to be quick. He wants it over," said Remus.
"I didn't want you to die," Harry said looking to each of them but his eyes remained on Remus the longest. "Any of you. I'm sorry right after you'd had your son...Remus, I'm sorry -"
"I am sorry too," Remus said. "Sorry I will never know him... but he will know why I died and I hope he will understand. I was trying to make a world in which he could live a happier life."
"You'll stay with me?" Harry asked just to make it more clear to himself just what he was stepping into.
"Until the very end," said James.
"They won't be able to see you?"
"We are part of you," said Sirius. "Invisible to anyone else."
Harry's eyes looked to his mother and she nodded. "Stay close to me," he said quietly, almost whispering as he put his cloak on.
And so they five of them walked through the chilly forest. None of them spoke though Sirius was humming a tune to try and lighten the mood.
Suddenly Harry stopped moving and those behind him remained in place as well as they heard something thud.
"Someone's there," a person said in a rough whisper. "He's got an Invisibility Cloak. Could it be -?"
Two men came from behind a tree their wands aloft. The two Death Eaters, which Remus recognized to be Yaxley and Dolohov, were looking and trying to find whomever was there. It seemed however that they could see no one before them. The two spoke to each other for a few moments before walking deeper into the forest.
Harry followed and the spirits came behind him. He glanced sideways to his parts and they both encouraged him to move further knowing the Death Eaters will lead them straight to HIM.
They finally came to a stop near a light. A fire was burning in the middle of a clearing and the group of Death Eaters was completely silent.
Two giants were sitting off to the side either relaxing or keeping guard, they knew not.
And Fenir Greyback, whom Remus still lightly glared at, while other Death Eaters seemed to be fixing themselves up after the battle.
Everyone's eyes were on one man however; the one with the most powerful wand to ever be in existence.
Suddenly both Dolohov and Yaxley returned and Voldemort looked up at them. "No sign of him, my Lord," Dolohov said with a heavy sigh.
Voldemort said nothing as he slowly drew the Elder Wand between his fingers and looked at the object of his desire.
"My Lord -," Bellatrix had said. Now Sirius had a set frown upon his face. The one who killed him. The bitch that separated him from being free.
Voldemort raised a hand to silence her but all around him looked to him as though every word that came from his mouth was law.
Sirius couldn't help but snort at them to which Remus nudged his side so he would shut up.
"I thought he would come," he finally said. "I expected him to come."
Nobody said a word. Everyone seemed to be so frightened to face their Lord's wrath if they even moved the tiniest bit.
Harry remained hidden however for but a few more moments before he removed the cloak and tucked it behind him.
"I was, it seems...mistaken," said Voldemort with the shadow of a smirk upon his pale face.
Harry took the tiniest of breaths before answering in the correct manner. "You weren't," he said as loudly as he could and trying, rather successfully, to keep the fear out of his voice.
Unfortunately and without meaning to do so he dropped the Resurrection Stone. Knowing they only had precious moments before returning to the beyond the Marauders each gave Harry a thumb up as his mother nodded solemnly. "Good luck my son."
The four of them seemed to reappear in the exact same spots as where they'd disappeared from. Tonks was still standing there. "What happened? What about Harry?" she quickly asked running into Remus' arms.
Remus quickly explained the situation to her and she nodded. "If anyone can do the impossible, Harry can."
"And now all we can do is hope and pray that everything will turn out alright for the better," James said.
"For the greater good," Sirius said looking a bit nervously to the ground below him.
The five of them just stood there lost in their thoughts.
"Harry will do the right thing. I know it," Lily said.
"Of course he will," James said not only reassuring her but the group as a whole.
Besides, where they were, they were of no help to anyone if they were worried about the world of the living.
Like it? Hate it? I just, you know, wanted to put my own spin on it. Anyway I hope you all enjoyed the original as a whole because I know I did. Later everyone.
