Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any elements associated with it. They belong to JK Rowling. I do frequently use lines from movies and books in my writing. If you recognize it, its probably not mine. Have no fear, I am making no money from this ;)
Author's Note: This is my first time actually posting this story online so any and all feedback is appreciated. This is just my way of practicing my writing. Thank You!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Excerpt from Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Maybe a man in a million could unite the Hallows, Harry. I was fit only to possess the meanest of them, the least extraordinary. I was fit to own the Elder Wand, and not boast of it, and not to kill with it. I was permitted to tame and use it, because I took it, not for gain, but to save others from it.
"But the Cloak, I took out of vain curiosity, and so it could never have worked for me as it works for you, its true owners. The stone I would have used in an attempt to drag back those who are at peace, rather than enable my self-sacrifice, as you did. You are the worthy possessor of the Hallows." Dumbledore patted Harry's hand, and Harry looked up at the old man and smiled; he could not help himself. How could he remain angry with Dumbledore now?
"Why did you have to make it so difficult?" Dumbledore's smile was tremulous. "I am afraid I counted on Miss Granger to slow you up, Harry. I was afraid that your hot head might dominate your good heart. I was scared that, if presented outright with the facts about those tempting objects, you might seize the Hallows as I did, at the wrong time, for the wrong reasons. If you laid hands on them, I wanted you to possess them safely. You are the true master of death, because the true master does not seek to run away from Death. He accepts that he must die, and understands that there are far, far worse things in the living world than dying."
"And Voldemort never knew about the Hallows?"
"I do not think so, because he did not recognize the Resurrection Stone he turned into a Horcrux. But even if he had known about them, Harry. I doubt that he would have been interested in any except the first. He would not think that he needed the Cloak, and as for the stone, whom would he want to bring back from the dead? He fears the dead. He does not love."
"But you expected him to go after the wand?"
"I have been sure that he would try, ever since your wand beat Voldemort's in the graveyard of Little Hangleton. At first, he was afraid that you had conquered him by superior skill. Once he had kidnapped Ollivander, however, he discovered the existence of the twin cores. He thought that explained everything. Yet the borrowed wand did no better against yours! So Voldemort, instead of asking himself what quality it was in you that had made your wand so strong, what gift you possessed that he did not, naturally set out to find the one wand that, they said, would beat any other. For him, the Elder Wand has become an obsession to rival his obsession with you. He believes that the Elder Wand removes his last weakness and makes him truly invincible. Poor Severus . . ."
"If you planned your death with Snape, you meant him to end up with the Elder Wand, didn't you?"
"I admit that was my intention," said Dumbledore, "but it did not work as I intended, did it?"
"No," said Harry. "That bit didn't work out."
~~End Excerpt~~
They were silent for a moment, "Do you think I should use it? The Elder Wand."
Dumbledore smiled grimly, "There was a time when I would have said no. The Elder Wand has a long and devastating history." He suddenly looked proud, "I have no doubt that you could handle anything that came with using it. I know that you would not use it for your own gains but for other's benefit. However, I can't help but wonder if using it would be more trouble than it is worth."
Harry nodded in agreement, "Well, maybe I should just put it away. Keep it safe until I do need it. I won't use it unless I feel like it's necessary."
"I think that is a very wise decision."
The creature behind them jerked and moaned, and Harry and Dumbledore sat without talking for the longest time yet. The realization of what would happen next settled gradually over Harry in the long minutes, like softly falling snow. "I've got to go back now, haven't I?"
"That is up to you."
"I've got a choice?"
"Oh yes," Dumbledore smiled at him. "We are in King's Cross you say? I think that if you decided not to go back, you would be able to . . . let's say . . . board a train."
"And where would it take me?"
"On," said Dumbledore simply. Silence again.
"But, Voldemort's got the Elder Wand."
"True. Voldemort has the Elder Wand, however, you and I both know that it means nothing against you now."
Harry nodded in agreement, "Do you think I should go back?"
"I think," said Dumbledore, "that if you choose to return, there is a chance that he may be finished for good. I cannot promise it. But I know this, Harry that you have less to fear from returning here than he does."
Harry glanced again at the raw looking thing that trembled and choked in the shadow beneath the distant chair.
"Do not pity the dead, Harry. Pity the living, and above all, those who live without love. By returning, you may ensure that fewer souls are maimed, fewer families are torn apart. If that seems to you a worthy goal, they we say good-bye for the present."
Harry nodded and sighed. Leaving this place would not be nearly as hard as walking into the forest had been, but it was warm and light and peaceful here, and he knew that he was heading back to pain and the fear of more loss.
He stood up, and Dumbledore did the same, and they looked for a long moment into each other's faces.
"Tell me one last thing," said Harry, "When this is all over, that is, if I survive" He paused, unsure of how to phrase his question, "Do you think I will actually be able to live? Will I be able to move on?"
Dumbledore's smile faded a bit and his eyes tightened. "I must confess that I did not think that far ahead. The wizarding world is in a delicate place right now, as you and I both know. I admit that I fear how they will treat you should you defeat Voldemort. The life of a hero can be rewarding, but it can also be taxing and demanding. I suspect that even when it's all over, they will still look to you to lead them."
Harry frowned having expected that answer but he was still displeased about it.
Suddenly, Dumbledore beamed at him, and his voice sounded loud and strong in Harry's ears even though the bright mist was descending again, obscuring his figure. "Of course, once all of this is over, the prophecy will be fulfilled and you have no obligations to anyone. You are not bound to anything. You will be free only if you choose to walk out the open door."
~~~~~~~~~time hop~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The sun rose steadily over Hogwarts, and the Great Hall blazed with life and light. Harry was an indispensable part of the mingled outpourings of jubilation and mourning, of grief and celebration. They wanted him there with them, their leader and symbol, their savior and their guide. He must speak to the bereaved, clasp their hands, witness their tears, receive their thanks, hear the news now creeping in from every quarter as the morning drew on; that the Imperiused up and down the country had come back to themselves, that Death Eaters were fleeing or else being captured, that the innocent of Azkaban were being released at that very moment, and that Kingsley Shacklebolt had been named temporary Minister of Magic.
It occurred to no one, that it had been many days since Harry had last slept. The fact that he too had lost loved ones and was still injured himself was not on anyone's minds. They wanted him to lead them, reassure them, and be their light. After so many years of doing what others expected, he did exactly that.
After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna, trying not to let the weariness show on his face.
"I'd want some peace and quiet, if it were me," she said, seeming to read his thoughts.
"I'd love some," he replied "but –"
At that moment he was cut off but another ministry wizard who wanted to offer their thanks and congratulations and ask his advice on this issue or that. They left almost as quickly as they arrived and he and Luna were once again alone on the bench.
"I'll distract them all," she said. "Use your cloak." And before he could say a word, she had cried, "Oooh, look, a Blibbering Humdinger!" and pointed out the window.
Everyone who heard looked around, and Harry slid the Cloak up over himself, and got to his feet.
"Thanks Luna." He whispered quietly before slipping off out of the Great Hall.
As he finally moved through the hall without interference, he let his thoughts wander. It was over. It was finally over and in that moment, Harry felt more lost then he had ever been. What was he to do now?
He spotted Ginny sitting just two tables away, her head leaning against her mother's shoulder, looking just as lost as he felt. He found himself surprised when the butterflies in his stomach were suspiciously absent when he looked at her. The thought had come to his mind before as to whether or not he and Ginny would work out when the war was over. There was a part of him that could see it working. They would get married and have kids and everything would be perfect. They had talked about it when they were dating. They had talked about Harry working in the ministry and becoming an Auror. Ginny wanted to play quidditch for a few years before settling down to be a mother. At the time it had seemed perfect.
Now, Harry didn't even want to think about starting a family. Suddenly he saw himself married to Ginny and having children, while that in and of itself was not a bad picture, it was the fact it was shadowed with the fame of being the Boy-Who-Lived or the "Savior of the wizarding world". Still being looked to when a problem arose. There was even a part of him that wondered if Ginny had ever really seen him as anything but the Boy-Who-Lived. It was not the warm happy picture that it used to be.
He shook his head trying to clear those thoughts. He didn't want to think about it now. The war was over. There would be time to talk to Ginny about everything later.
He saw Neville, the sword of Gryffindor lying beside his plate as he ate, surrounded by a knot of fervent admirers. Along the aisle between the tables he walked, and he spotted the three Malfoys, huddled together as though unsure whether or not they were supposed to be there, but nobody was paying them any attention. He made a mental note to talk to Draco and Narcissa in the next couple of days. Narcissa had saved his life, lying about him being dead in the forest. As for Draco, he had a feeling that Dumbledore had been right about him all along. He wanted to clear the air between them.
Everywhere he looked, he saw families reunited, and finally, he saw the two whose company he craved most.
"It's me," he muttered, crouching down between them. "Will you come with me?"
They stood up at once, and together he, Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall. Harry led them to the Headmasters office. Painstakingly he recounted what he had seem in the Pensieve and what had happened in the forest, and they had not even begun to express all their shock and amazement, when at last they arrived at the place to which they had been walking.
They entered the office to the sounds of applause as the portraits on the wall expressed their gratitude. But Harry had eyes only for the man who stood in the largest portrait directly behind the headmaster's chair. Tears were sliding down from behind the half-moon spectacles into the long silver beard, and the pride and the gratitude emanating from him filled Harry with the same balm as phoenix song.
At last, Harry held up his hands, and the portraits fell respectfully silent, beaming and mopping their eyes and waiting eagerly for him to speak. He directed his words at Dumbledore, however, and chose them with enormous care
"The thing that was hidden in the Snitch, I am going to keep it. Not for my own purpose," He held up a hand again as Dumbledore opened his mouth to interrupt. "I am going to keeps so that no one else will be tempted by it. I am well aware of its danger."
Dumbledore, beamed with pride, "Well, then I do agree, if that is your reasoning."
"I'm going to keep Ignotus's present, as well," said Harry, and Dumbledore's smile.
"But of course, Harry, it is yours forever, until you pass it on!"
"And then there's this." Harry held up the Elder Wand, and Ron and Hermione looked at it with a reverence that, even in his befuddled and sleep-deprived state, Harry did not like to see.
"I am not going to use It." said Harry.
"What?" said Ron loudly, "Are you mental?"
"I know it's powerful," said Harry wearily. "But I was happier with mine. So . . ."
He rummaged in the pouch hung around his neck, and pulled out the two halves of holly still just connected by the finest threat of phoenix feather. Hermione had said that they could not be repaired, that the damage was too severe. All he knew was that if this did not work, nothing would.
He laid the broken wand upon the headmaster's desk, touched it with the very tip of the Elder Wand, and said, "Reparo."
As his wand resealed, red sparks flew out of its end. Harry knew that he had succeeded. He picked up the holly and phoenix wand and felt a sudden warmth in his fingers, as though wand and hand were rejoicing at their reunion.
"I'm putting the Elder Wand," he told Dumbledore, who was watching him with enormous affection and admiration, "in the safest place in the wizarding world besides Hogwarts. It will stay there unless I feel that it is needed, which I am hoping it will not. If I die a natural death like Ignotus, That'll be the end of it. You will not know this, but that is what I discussed with you."
Dumbledore's eyes widened slightly and he nodded, showing that he understood. They smiled at each other.
"Are you sure?" said Ron. There was the faintest trace of longing in his voice as he looked at the Elder Wand.
"I think Harry's right," said Hermione quietly. "Something that powerful should only be used if it's absolutely needed."
"That wand's more trouble than its worth." said Harry. "And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portraits, thinking now only of the four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wondering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."
Ron and Hermione chuckled and the three of them moved out of office. They had just barely made it down the corridor when a shout of "Mr. Potter! Can I ask you a couple of question!" came from further down.
Ron and Hermione looked at Harry apologetically as the wizards began spouting off questions and comments that Harry did his best to answer. To Harry horror, other witches and wizards had apparently been looking for him and were now descending on him like a pack of wolves, all of them asking question and offering thanks and congratulations. Finally Harry had enough. He decided put to use a little trick that he had learned and perfected over the years. It had always worked with other students but he had never tried it on an adult.
He gathered a bit of the magic from his core and directed it to his vocal cords. Once this was done he spoke.
"I think that's quite enough" His voice wasn't loud, nor was it angry. However the magic had done its work and making his voice sound powerful and dangerous. He put just enough warning in his statement to show that he was serious.
To his shock it worked. Almost immediately, every witch or wizard fell silent and stared at him in awe. He took one step and watched with hidden amazement as the group that he had stepped towards stepped to the side. Taking another step, it happened again. He continue to walk away from the group until there was no one else in front of him.
As he was walking away he felt more then heard the slight thunder of multiple pair of feet following behind him. He immediately stopped and turned around to see that they were indeed trying to follow him. When they saw him looking they stopped once again. He was amazed that at the slightest show of power, these people would do anything he told them to.
It was disgusting.
With that thought he turned the corner an immediately put his invisibility cloak on. He was glad to see Ron and Hermione weren't contributing to the sea of awed faces. In fact they both just looked slightly amused and apologetic at the same time.
No wonder Voldemort had taken over so easily.
End Chapter One. As you may have noticed, Harry in this story is just a bit more powerful than cannon Harry. You will see this more and more in later chapters. Also I know that in the book, Harry dropped the resurrection stone but in this story lets just say for arguments sake, he put it in his pocket instead. I have a reason for him keeping and you will see later on.
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it. See you next time.