So, a couple of weeks ago, once again, I started to make my way through the fantastic Harry Potter series and for some reason (probably due to stumbling across this website!) I felt compelled to give Harry and his friends a story after the battle of Hogwarts.

I understand and appreciate why JK left it as it was, but couldn't quite help myself taking on the challenge of giving them a life after the battle, which I have to say, won't quite include the bliss 19 years of peace as depicted by JK in the epilogue...that just wouldn't make for great reading right?

So, here is my take on what could have happened after Harry defeated Voldemort that night at Hogwarts, hopefully it comes out as well in writing as it has sounded in my head!

Also, I must of course mention that I do not, unfortunately, own anything to with the Harry Potter brand and that this is merely my take on the work of JK Rowling.

Enjoy!

Chapter 1

'Harry?'

The voice sounded familiar, but was distant, mixed amongst other noises, terrible noises ... they were also familiar.

'Harry, are you ok?'

Closer now, but still, the unbearable screams of pain and anguish drowned out the person reaching out to him. He could make out his surroundings now, high turrets and huge double entrance doors gave way to a grand lobby, which branched off into several stone walled corridors, he knew which one to take, and hurried onwards, torches lining the walls providing an eerie light, casting huge shadows of a group gathered round the large stone wall at the end of the corridor. They seemed to be looking at something in particular, and there too, was the person he was looking for, though he didn't know how, he knew this person would be able to make sense of this all and answer his many unanswered questions, he was sure he'd been expected here by this person, the one standing above the rest of the group with a look of triumph upon his face. He knew that face, but from where though? - had he been here before? None of it could make sense without getting to the end of the corridor - he was close now, his heart beating fast and hard, he could hear the group at the end of the corridor ... there were many excited voices.

Suddenly, without prior warning, a forceful tug on his shoulder and ... the voices, the screams, flashes of brilliant light and ground shaking crashes ceased at once. He was no longer making his way through the torch lined corridor, but found himself staring up into the blurry outline of a face.

'Sorry to wake you mate, sounded like things were getting a bit too much there - here, these might help.'

He felt his glasses being placed into his hands and put them on. Gradually, the figure of Ron Weasley, sat at the edge of his Four-Poster bed in the Gryffindor dormitory came into focus. He looked terrible - pale and frail, and by the looks of things hadn't had much sleep at all recently.

'At least I know it's not just me,' said Ron quietly 'I've been reliving yesterday's events all through the night, it doesn't seem real yet though and I'm sure the nightmares will only be the start of it'.

Harry manoeuvred himself upright onto his pillows, which took tremendous effort given that every muscle in him had screamed in protest at the movement, and adjusted himself to face his best friend.

'How long have I been out for?' Was all Harry could come up with at that very moment and time. He knew he should be strong and supportive for his friend, especially as he had suffered loss as much as Harry had over the last day or so, but first he had to gather himself so he could establish what was going on. Now was not the time either to read into the strange turn his dream seemed to have taken, nor to burden his loved ones with anything more than they were already having to deal with.

'Going on 15 hours' Ron said with a tired smile, 'Mum's had me up here every 10 minutes for the last few hours to see if you're awake yet, I've been in the Great Hall - just couldn't sleep anymore. If you hurry we might still be able to salvage some breakfast'.

'Your Mum and all the family are still here?' Harry asked, quite surprised at the news, 'Didn't they want to get home and rest after everything that's gone on?'

Ron smiled again. 'Dad's already had to leave for the Ministry with Percy, they've got all sorts to deal with just now. - Mum was dead set on getting all of us, you and Hermoine included back home, so she could fuss over us all, but McGonagall announced she is calling an assembly today in the Great Hall to let everyone know what's going to happen from here, Shacklebolt will be there too, he'll be giving a short speech... - after hearing this, Ginny refused to go anywhere and told Mum you wouldn't want to miss what was happening with the school and the memori-', his words faltered at the thought of the inevitable memorial services for the victims of the battle, his older brother included. It took him a few moments to regain his composure, 'Er, well you know what I mean.' He said finally. 'Anyway, Mum agreed to stay the night and has been helping the teachers and some other parents with some of the clean up.' 'Whilst still managing to fuss over everyone in sight' he added with an affectionate grin.

Harry was trying to take in everything his friend was saying, but was having a little trouble getting past one particular point that had shone brightly through the darkness that was threatening to engulf him as he was forced to think, once again, about the events of the last couple of days ... Ginny had cared enough to speak up for him when he wasn't there - his heart done what felt like a couple of backflips inside his chest, but as quickly as the feeling of elation had come upon him, he forced it back again. Now was not the time to be thinking about patching up his own problems, there was time, much time, in the not so distant future for that, right now, he had friends and family who needed him to help them grieve and he would make sure that he put everyone else's issues before his. It was the least he could do.

'Er ... Harry?' Ron had a tentative edge to his voice.

Harry managed to snap out of his thoughts, instantly feeling guilty about letting his mind wander to Ginny. 'Yeah, sorry - let me just get cleaned up and I'll meet you in the common room in about fifteen minutes.'

Ron groaned, 'Fifteen minutes?, Mum wouldn't let me start breakfast until you got down and I'm starving!'

Harry couldn't help himself, and despite feeling like he might never laugh again a minute or so ago, he felt it leave him before he could do anything about it. It sounded hoarse, it had been a while since he'd had good reason to laugh. 'I'm glad your minds not been affected by all of this,' he told Ron with a grin, 'or at least not your appetite!'

'Yeah, well if you had to sit and watch everyone else at the table tuck in while you had to run up and down the castle every ten minutes to check on your mate, who'd decided to sleep for nearly a whole day, you'd be starving too!' Ron's delivery perfectly depicted his annoyance, but his face was a complete giveaway - lined with amusement, he too was clearly enjoying the small moment of humour shared between them, also he seemed delighted to see his best friend with a genuine smile on his face.

'Alright, you win,' sighed Harry, pretending to concede defeat, 'I'll be ready in ten minutes instead.'

Making his way to the dormitory bathrooms, Harry flung the shower on hot, preparing to try and wash away the memories of the battle the night before, and cleanse himself of the guilt and sorrow he felt for those lost.

As he let the near boiling water pour over him, he still couldn't block out everything, memories he couldn't deal with at the moment came rising to the surface, such as Remus, Tonks, Fred and little Colin Creevey - all gone, never to return, and his Godson, Teddy, who would grow up without parents, just as he himself had...

'He won't be alone like I was!' Harry had shouted it before he could stop himself, momenterally startled by his own outburst, he leaned against the shower rail before straightening himself up again and quickly finishing his shower.

After donning a new pair of robes, he went to meet Ron in the common room, and they started toward the portrait of the Fat Lady, and eventually stepped out into the corridor beyond.

The damage, Harry noticed on the way down to the Great Hall, was immense. The once sturdy castle walls were split and cracked in places, and completely blown away in others. Suits of armour were strewn across corridors, whilst portraits were shredded, hanging limply on the wall. The one blessing, Harry thought anyway, was that they never encountered anyone on their way down. He really didn't think he could face anyone except the ones closest to him yet.

As they arrived at the top of the staircase leading down the the Entrance Hall from the first floor, Ron suddenly put his arm across Harry's chest to stop him, and turned to face him.

'Listen, Harry, I think it's best you know this now before we go in ... try not to freak out or anything, but pretty much the whole school, along with pretty much every set of parents and all the teachers are in the Great Hall just now and your name has been mentioned more than a few times,' He sighed and continued as Harry had started to give him a hard look, and looked quite likely to turn around and make his way back up to the Common Room. 'Look mate, you have to get this over with and I know it's the last thing you want to do, but you can't hide away forever and there doesn't seem to be a better time to show face than this ... at least you've got all of us here with you.'

'Fine,' agreed Harry, reluctantly, 'I do get the feeling that there was a reason for you not revealing this little bit of information until we were a stones throw away from the Great Hall though, if you'd told me six floors up, I might have been a bit more prepared for this.'

'Well, you know me,' said Ron with a slight chuckle, 'timings never exactly been my strongest point!'

Knowing, deep down nonetheless, that Ron was actually quite right about Harry showing face now whilst he had his loved ones with him, to support him, didn't make that descent to the Great Hall any easier. Infact, his only saving grace, was that the doors to the Hall were wide open, which would save every head at Hogwarts turning to see who the new arrival was when they creaked open. Harry said a silent thank you to whoever was responsible for leaving the doors open as he approached them.

'Our table is just about four rows in from the door mate, to the left as you go in, said Ron quietly, 'remember, don't worry about anyone else, they're all going to be really happy to see you anyway, remember, as much as it doesn't feel like it just now for us, this is a pretty special day for most people, and it's mostly down to you.'

And with that they walked through the arched entrance and stepped into the Great Hall, together, as they had done so many times before.