Hello! This is my first HP fanfiction, and of course it's about death. Please enjoy, and review! I own nothing.
"Bereavement" means being sad due to loss of a friend or family member.
Harry Potter was dead.
It was barely a year after the final battle, as well as Voldemort's demise. Hogwarts was being rebuilt, and the ministry was being fixed under the direction of Hermione. Everything was going well. Harry Potter was supposed to come to Hogwarts at the beginning of the year and give a speech on sacrifice and whatever else he wanted to say.
But September 1st came and went. Soon it was September 5th, and a worried McGonagall sent Hermione and Ron to find him. Ron was training to be an auror, and Hermione was just helping out the government until she could leave and trust them to uphold her new equality laws.
They went to his flat first, in London. It was empty. A book or two sat on the kitchen table, and there were a few plates and cups in the sink. Harry Potter was nowhere to be found.
They send a quick letter informing McGonagall of their discovery, and went to Grimmauld Place. After entering, they immediately noticed it was rather clean. "Harry's been cleaning it up nicely," Hermione remarked. "His bedroom is on the second level, isn't it?"
"Yeah," Ron replied, and they began to walk up the staircase, soon coming to a mahogany door with the name 'Harry Potter' spelled onto it. Hermione locked eyes with Ron hesitantly. "Harry? Are you in there? It's Ron and I. We're worried. Harry?"
Hearing no answer, Ron pushed the door open to reveal a moderately sized bedroom in cherry wood and red accents. The bed was four poster, and it in was a sleeping Harry Potter.
"Harry?" Hermione called again, stepping up beside him.
His eyes were closed and a smile rested upon his face. He was slightly curled up, with a blanket up to his chest, clutched with one hand. His chest wasn't moving.
Hermione immediately felt for a pulse, only to feel a cold, stiff hand. Her eyes began to burn. "He's dead."
Ron approached quickly. "He can't be," he said. "He looks fine."
"He's not breathing, Ron. He's gone. We don't even know how long he's been dead." Her voice cracked on the last word, tears now falling. She stood stiffly. "I'm going to send a letter and tell McGonagall to get here quickly. The savior has fallen."
Leaving the room rapidly, Ron was left to stare at his friend.
He looks perfectly normal, he thought. Not a mark on him. What could have killed him? How is he dead? Ron placed his hand over his eyes. God, why him?
Hermione entered again. "She'll be here soon."
It was completely silent as the two mourning friends stared at the dead boy, wondering if they should leave him, and how it could happen. Harry was dating Ginny, surely he would be proposing soon. Surely he didn't kill himself, with something to look forward to. This had to be revenge of some sort.
McGonagall swiftly arrived. "And he is dead?" She asked, voice quivering.
"Yes," Hermione answered. "He isn't breathing. I don't know how long he's been dead."
"Well," She gave a great sigh and straightened up. "I will get some medics here to see what they can determine along with some aurors. I'll be back swiftly."
Hermione collapsed into a crimson chair, covering her face as she sobbed. Ron fell to his knees beside her. Both lay against each other, grieving their friend. Not just the savior of the wizarding world. He wasn't some celebrity. He was just Harry. Brave, extraordinary Harry.
It seemed like hours until the first medic came in. A young woman with lilac hair, she muttered a spell and a paper appeared in front of her. "It seems he died in his sleep. No potions in his system or injuries. He just passed on." She whispered gravely, leaving again to tell the aurors.
That day, they carried Harry's body and had him buried next to his parents. It was a small group, Hermione, Ron, the Weasleys, Luna, and Neville. They invited Hagrid, but he replied that he couldn't bear seeing his body again. It was short and nothing fancy. Harry would have liked it.
The next day, newspapers around the world all had the same headlines: Harry Potter Is Dead. Hermione and Ron were interviewed, and most of the wizards in the world wore black or emerald green to mourn their savior.
Someone had to inform Petunia, and Hermione was selected, being muggleborn and knowing how to appear normal until into the house. She took calming droughts with her, one for her and one for Petunia.
She was wearing a simple black lacy dress with heels and a sensible jacket as the door opened. She noticed Petunia's eyes sweep over her, and instantly knew what she was thinking. Looks nice, but too dreary.
"Hello, Petunia," she intoned softly. "I'm from the wizarding world. May I come in? It's important."
Petunia sputtered before opening the door wider, since Vernon and Dudley weren't home. "Make it quick. I don't need your kind here."
As soon as the door shut, Hermione locked eyes with her and said, "Harry Potter is dead."
Petunia's eyes widened, a hand going over her mouth. "W-What?"
"We found him yesterday. He died in his sleep. Natural causes." She quickly took out the droughts. "This is a calming drought. Would you like one?"
"How do I know it's not poison?" Petunia said weakly.
"I'm about to drink one too, so it can't be poison." She downed it quickly, instantly relaxing and not crying as much. "Sure you wouldn't like one?"
Petunia reached out a shaky hand and drunk it slowly.
"I'll be leaving now. We already had a small funeral yesterday, the next will be for show. I wouldn't attend. I doubt you'll mourn much anyway, the way he spoke of you." She closed her bag and walked herself out, legs steady and hands shaking.
Petunia fell against the wall as the door closed. Sure, she hated the brat, but that her sister's child. The last link to her sister, and he was dead. Natural causes. And Lily would hate her for treating him as she did. She began to heave great sobs. She had lost her last link to Lily, and Lily wouldn't have wanted her after the way she raised Harry. She was finally cut off from the wizarding world, and for once, she wished she wasn't.
Vernon shrugged, but held his wife as she finished crying. Dudley gave no reaction, since Harry left he had to do small chores, and it didn't really affect that, so it wasn't of importance.
The wizarding world mourned for weeks. Hogwarts had remembrance days with Ron and Hermione making speeches on taking care of what you have, both admitting they wished now that they had visited him more often. Maybe something was wrong and they didn't catch it.
Hagrid was a wreck, throwing himself into his work and not much else. He recovered slowly over time, often looking over letters Harry sent him.
McGonagall didn't let anyone know how much it hurt. He was her student, her Gryffindor, and he was gone. He had saved the whole world and then left, like his job was done. She consoled herself in knowing he smiled in death, and that was somewhat healing to her.
Luna and Neville were both greatly saddened, but Luna had an idea about death as with everything else. "Oh, he's watching us now," she'd say. "He's a star now in the sky, looking down on us." With Luna's serenity, Neville recovered quicker than he would have otherwise.
Hermione and Ron broke off their relationship, unable to handle it in the aftermath of death. They remained good friends, both helping the wizarding world, but mourned deeply. Soon Hermione met a reformed Draco Malfoy, and decided to give him a chance, with Ron focused heavily on missions, often only coming home for a day before leaving again.
The Weasleys were horrified and upset. Molly grieved; he was almost her son. She had sent him birthday gifts and candies and now he was gone. He was her boy; he was an honorary Weasley. Arthur mourned similarly, but knew Harry was happy wherever he was, and hoped it was better than the life he went through on Earth. Ginny was inconsolable. They were planning to get married in a few years, and they had discussed baby names and all. The only thing that kept her going was her son, as she discovered she was a few weeks pregnant. She named him Sirius James, knowing Harry would want to honor his two greatest father figures.
Life was halted, and then it resumed, barely at all, and then gradually it was like before.
Harry himself watched from above, sighing as he watched his friend's heartbreak. Sirius padded up behind him in dog form, gently nosing his shoulder before transforming. "It's alright. They'll heal." He said, placing his arm around Harry.
"I know. I just wish I didn't put them through this." Harry responded. "I didn't realize how upset they'd be."
Lily sat down beside him. She gently ran her fingers through his hair. "Honey, not only did you save them all, you were their best friend. But they'll be okay, I promise."
Hearing a shout, they all turned around. James stood there, grinning wide. "Are you ready to move on?"
"To where?" Harry asked, slowly picking himself up.
"Who knows? We waited for you here," Lily answered. "It's the next great adventure."
With Harry in between them, James put an arm around Lily. Sirius transformed and bounded in front of them, barking happily. As a family, a tall, dark haired man escorted his beautiful, fiery wife and their son towards glory, with a large black dog gleefully leading the way.