For the Last Time

Teddy Lupin was crying, like so many members of his own family, his children and wife, and all his aunts, uncles, and cousins. They hunched over in their chairs and wrapped their arms around each other. It was unnatural to see so many tears conjugating in one place. He sighed, silent tears falling. He was fairly old now, and he wasn't quite as young, as he used to be. He stood up shakily, but held his ground. His wife, Victoire, brushed his arm, and gave him a watery smile. She was holding up better that most in the family, including him, and this was her own Uncle hear who lay before them his gray hair smoothed back, and his limbs crossed gracefully. Teddy stood before his family and friends, and strangers, and he paused to look at the faces of those gathered there. He spotted his favorite aunt crying her eyes, out, her face red, with stress and grief. It was foreign seeing his tough aunt, cry like this. He cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"Harry James Potter. He was a hero. Of course to the vast majority of the Wizarding World, he saved the world twice. Once as a baby, the other, he was barely an adult. Many times he did what had previously achieved what was the impossible, and set a new standard for `reaching toward the sky'."

There were a few chuckles from the people who knew Harry best. They knew he'd be blushing, right now, that sheepish smile across his face.

"We're all grateful for this sacrifice of mind and body, but to me, he's none of those things. To me, he's the man who helped raise me. He's the guy who taught me how to ride a broomstick. He's the one, who told me to be strong when my late grandmother passed, and he'll always be those things to me. He taught me bravery, modesty, and above all else, he taught me the power of love."

Teddy noticed, some of his family who were previously dying of tears, looking up, nodding and smiling at him.

"Maybe some of you here thought of him as this invincible power on the side of good, but, I can assure you, there have been times, when he was far from it. My own Aunt Ginny, shortest person in the family, could best him, with some guts, and a good 'ole Bat Bogey Hex."

Ginny gave a small burst of laughter at this, and others giggled.

"He was even bested by his daughter, Lily in the back there," Teddy said, tilting his head toward her. Lily looked up from her husband's arms, and nodded slowly, smiling the teensiest bit.

"Anyway, Harry was, an uncle(all of his cousins nodded and smiled), he was a dad(Albus, Lily, and James glanced at each other and Teddy), he was a friend(everyone who knew him well nodded at this and chuckled a bit, remembering their favorite memory of him), and he was a husband.(Ginny sitting up straighter now, her eyes clearer) The point I'm trying to make, was that Harry was a jack of all trades, kind of bloke. Blimey I miss him. I know you all miss him as well, for different reasons, and I know that it hurts now. I feel it too. But I know that with the proper time, and perhaps some laughter, and tears here and there, it won't hurt so much. We'll be able to live with that pain, and we'll be stronger for it." He said, nodding and stepping down from the podium. There were claps, and he took them. He shook and with people, and watched as a bright light wrapped around his uncle's body, leaving a pearly white tomb behind. He approached his Aunt Ginny and gave her a supporting hug.

"H-he w-would've ap-preciated it, T-teddy." she said, hugging him tightly and crying, into his shirt; though her tears were much more controlled, and he was sure he detected a smile there.

"Thanks, Ginny. I know he would. You want me to Apparate you back home, when you finish saying goodbye?"

"Yes. I don't wanna finish up here and end up in Scotland, because I can't concentrate." she murmured. She drifted away, and joined hands with Hermione, who was also a widow. Both held hands and murmured to the tomb. Teddy sighed as his youngest daughter came over. She looked up at him, and grabbed her father into a hug. He waited for her to speak as he knew she would.

"Daddy, it's not okay yet, but it will be." she said looking at him. She was still young, only sixteen so he laughed lowly, and challenged her.

"Are you so sure about that?"

"Yes, because the current that takes one by surprise, and before you know it, you have been swept out to sea." she murmured. He chuckled

"That doesn't fit right, with this situation."

"It does if you think about it a little more." And so, it did.