Title: Witness

Author: dayglo

Feedback: Yes, please! This is by far the longest and most complicated story I've ever written.

Disclaimer: Yeah, nothing's mine.

Spoilers: Whole series is game, but especially Deathly Hallows.

Author's Note: This is a new series I've written. In a review for my last HP story, winterlude left a very nice review suggesting I write a story about the characters' feelings after the battle. The same idea had been kicking around in my head for awhile, so I finally started hashing it out. Somehow, it grew into this monster. There are sixty chapters, each one is about a different character that appeared in Deathly Hallows. Some characters were alive at the end, some weren't, some featured prominently in the series as a whole but weren't mentioned much in this book, others were first introduced to us in the last book, but they were all in the story at some point. Each chapter discusses how the featured character is dealing with the aftermath of the battle and Voldemort's defeat in the hours, days, or weeks following. The chapters will be published alphabetically by first name. So, without further ado, here's Aberforth. Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 1: Alone

Aberforth was used to being alone.

Truth be told, he had been alone since his father was sent to Azkaban. Albus had retreated to Hogwarts and his studies and the accolades that awaited him there. His mother retreated into her life of caring for her mentally unstable daughter. And Ariana had retreated into whatever world it was that existed in her head.

Even once he'd started Hogwarts, he was still alone. It became apparent quite quickly to everyone there that he was not a copy of his brother. "He's no Albus, is he?" was something he'd heard more than one teacher whisper to another. Fellow students who were expecting another brilliant, sociable Dumbledore were sorely disappointed.

After his mother died, he was more alone than ever. Alone at school, all he thought about was Ariana. But at home, when he was alone with her, it was like she wasn't even there. Which she wasn't really, most of the time.

After Ariana died, he really was alone. He didn't talk to Albus for years, wandering around, eventually finding work at the Hog's Head. Once he'd worked himself into owning it outright, he got rid of all help. He was more comfortable alone.

Sure, he occasionally ventured into the world. He was a member of the original Order of the Phoenix, and he was peripherally involved in the fight against Voldemort, but mostly Albus knew to leave him alone. He'd managed to stay mostly uninvolved in the second war, hiding in his pub. If sometimes he was lonely, if sometimes he talked to Ariana's portrait, even though it never talked back, just so he had someone to listen to him, if sometimes he wished he had people in his life, well, that was just too bad. He was used to it. He'd been alone for almost a hundred years now.

When Albus died, he'd left the familiar confines of Hogsmeade and attended his brother's funeral. He tried to feel grief, but all he felt was a vague sense of regret. What it was he regretted, he wasn't entirely sure. He'd retreated back into his comfortable world and once again left the war alone.

Or so he thought. For some reason, with Albus dead, people felt like now they should go to him. Percy Weasley was in and out all year, wanting information, wanting to know what was going on with the Order, with his family. Aberforth always told him what he wanted to hear, and then sent him on his way. Then, a couple of months ago, Neville Longbottom had started coming out of Ariana's portrait. He came at least once a day, but he was bright enough to just take the food Aberforth gave him, and then leave. Aberforth had also reluctantly taken on the job of watching over Harry. Despite his determination to leave well enough alone, he felt compelled to look into the mirror every day, and when the boy asked for help, he had to give it. But, for the most part, he was still able to be alone.

Then, those three kids had popped in and disrupted everything. What they'd been thinking, apparating into Hogsmeade, he didn't know. But he'd saved them, then told them what they'd wanted to know. And, against his better judgment, despite his resolve to stay away from his brother's cockamamie plans, he'd helped them get into Hogwarts. And he'd honestly thought that that was the end of that. The foolish boy would get himself killed for Albus' cause, Voldemort would take complete control, and everything would go straight to hell.

But then, people had started appearing in his pub. Not people, kids. Lots and lots of terrified, sobbing, screaming kids. From what he could gather from their frightened babbling, the battle had started. Eventually, he realized that the mass of students was nowhere near everyone that attended Hogwarts. Then, as Order and DA members started apparating directly into the Hog's Head, he realized why. Students had stayed to fight. After he got the fighters into Hogwarts, and the students out of Hogsmeade, he was finally left alone. He'd stood there for several minutes, staring at Ariana's portrait, as she smiled blankly back at him. Finally, he'd sighed and entered the portrait. He had to fight. He was still sure they were going to lose, but he couldn't let these kids be willing to die for him, without trying to save them, too. He blamed it on the Gryffindor in him.

So now, here he was, two weeks later, still helping rebuild the castle.

Aberforth sighed as he assisted Professors Sprout and Flitwick with raising a section of wall on the right side of the castle. Once finished, he sighed, rubbing his wand arm. He'd done more magic in the past two weeks than he had in probably the last two decades combined. Aberforth could feel his 113 years in every one of his bones, it seemed like.

Turning around, he noticed that the two professors had already gone off to assist some students with another portion of wall. Grudgingly, he trudged along, reluctantly heading in their direction. He could only hope that the rebuilding would be done by the end of June.

He just wanted to return to his pub and be alone with his goats.

Next: Constant Vigilance