Chapter One
The Day After
Harry was sound asleep in his four-poster bed with Ron lying asleep in the bed beside him. There was a plate of sandwiches sitting on the table and Kreacher who had been waiting on his master happily was just taking the plate down to wash it in the kitchen.
Harry had dreams of Dumbledore, his parents and the place he went to in his head where they were all waiting for him.
"You did it Harry, you finally beaten him," said Sirius with the most proud of laughs you could image.
"Well done son," said James who was full of pride for his son the one who finished off Lord Voldemort.
"It was nice that Sev looked after you all these years, my darling," said Lily who was not ashamed of her friendship with Severus Snape.
"Severus was a good man and now you know why," said Professor Dumbledore in his wise and know it all voice.
"You will look after my son Harry, I know you will, make sure that he remembers the best of his mother and me," said Lupin.
"Can I please come out?" said a pathetic voice from a box Harry had just recognised from behind Lupin, James and Sirius. "I didn't kill Harry that should mean something?"
"You can stay in there a little while longer Wormtail, for your betrayal of your friends," said Sirius.
"He did not kill me, you will let him out, won't you?" said Harry.
"When he learns his lesson, he will be let out," said James with a smile on his face still broad as it was when he walked into the forest with Harry.
"You will have to stop wanting to see us Harry, this is your last chance you will have, you will soon forget all about us when you want to start your own family," said Lily with a smile.
"You would like Ginny, she is a little like you mum," said Harry with a smile.
"If you love her so do we," said Lily and she gave Harry a large hug.
"Kreacher will want to look after you a bit now that he is going to be loyal to you," said Sirius.
"Do you wish things would have been different?" asked Harry.
"I wish that we were all alive, but at least we are all together," said Sirius.
"It is time for you to wake up now Harry, you are needed in the Magical world, wake up my darling," said Lily passionately.
Harry slowly opened his eyes. It was morning the first free morning in an age. Ron was still fast asleep but Harry did not want to wake him, not after the fact he helped him save the world.
Harry stood up from his bed, made his way to the door quietly, and followed his feet down the stairs into the Gryffindor Common room where the last of the Students were gathering their things and making their way home for the last day of the term.
Harry watched as their parents hugged and cried with their children. They gathered their things because Minister Shacklebolt had setup Portkeys to take them all home. Harry made his way out of the Gryffindor Common Room and down the stairs to the Seventh Floor where he wanted to have a final look around the school before he left it forever.
The Castle was near demolished and it would take awhile for the Ministry to fix it, however Harry hoped that it would be their first priority after changing the anti-Muggle laws, and anti-muggle-born leans set in place by the old Ministry.
Rounding up the escaping Death Eaters should be a close second after changing the laws. Harry was sure there was a lot to do and now that Kingsley was in charge the priorities would be put right again.
There was something different about Harry, there was something that was lifted from his soul so now that he understood that it was Lord Voldemort connected to him for so long, he was now free from him, able to live a long and normal life without the possibility of anything hindering him.
Harry's feet took him on the long walk down to the Great Hall where now that people were starting to head off home Black curtains were hanging down in mourning of the lost of the people that were killed. Harry did not know all those who died for him but each of them was special to him.
The Ministry had taken the injured and the dead to St Mungo's for their parents to claim them when they were better or attended. There was a fresh Daily Prophet sitting on the Ravenclaw table and Harry absently walked over and picked it up to have a look what news had come today.
The Dark Lord Finished
Source close to the new Minister for Magic has reported that He who must not be named is finally killed, so now we are able to say his name. LORD VOLDEMORT!
Harry Potter the Chosen One who was unable to be reached for questioning was rumoured to have been the one to have truly defeated Lord Voldemort. Our readers would like to know that we at the Daily Prophet have partitioned to have Lord Voldemort's body placed on displace at the Ministry of Magic for all those Dark Wizards in waiting to know what will happen to them when they are at the height of their powers.
Everyone at the Daily Prophet would like to send a warm thank you out to Harry Potter and would like to thank him for letting us be able to report the news again.
Harry gave a small smile at this, threw the paper away back onto the table, and made his way down to take a seat at the Head Master's chair.
"That chair becomes you, Harry me boy," said Slughorn's voice from behind Harry.
"Hello Professor Slughorn," said Harry.
"Call me Horace, Harry," said Professor Slughorn.
"Okay, Horace," said Harry with a smile.
"Albus always said that Lord Voldemort would meet his end at the hands of a superior wizard," said Professor Slughorn.
"But I am not a superior Wizard," said Harry.
"Maybe not in ability, but surely in intentions," said Professor Slughorn.
"We are now all free from the grasps of Lord Voldemort, I am able to get back to my retirement," said Professor Slughorn as he starts to walk out of the Great Hall.
Harry sat there in the headmaster's chair thinking about whom else had sat in the chair before him. Severus and Albus, who now are dead, died for those who they had loved.
Another person who Harry did not think of came walking into the Great Hall who was searching for him. "Harry, I wanted to have a word with you," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Yes, Ministry Shacklebolt," said Harry.
"I just wanted you to know that you have a place in the Ministry as an Auror when you want to come and work for us, you will have to go through the training of course but that shouldn't be too hard for you, not after you have beaten Lord Voldemort," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Thanks, but I won't be joining the Ministry at the moment, but I'll think about it once you have changed some of the laws that are in place," said Harry.
"Something we are going to be doing at the Moment, Muggle-borns will be free to use magic again as long as I am in charge of the Ministry," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"That is good to hear," said Harry.
Kingsley Shacklebolt made his way from the Great Hall to help others with their love ones. Harry was about to stand up, out of the Headmaster's Chair to go and see if Ron and Hermione were awake yet when they came running into the Great Hall to find him.
"We thought something happened to you Harry," said Hermione panting a little as she tried to catch her breathe again.
"What could happen to me in Hogwarts," said Harry before he realised what he had said.
"We thought some Death Eaters might have got a hold of you," said Ron.
"They haven't, they are too busy on the run trying to leave the Country before the Ministry gets a hold of them all," said Harry.
"Well still you did give us a shock," said Hermione.
"So when are we going home?" asked Ron.
"Home, that is a thought, where is my home, Grimmauld Place?" asked Harry.
"We could go back to the Burrow, mum would like that," said Ron.
"Yeah, I don't think I want to be on my own any more," said Harry feeling that his desires to be without human company left with Lord Voldemort.
"What about you and Ginny?" asked Ron.
"We haven't talked about anything properly since before we left to Destroy Horcruxes," said Harry.
"Will you and her be getting back together?" asked Ron.
"I don't feel that we ever were apart, not truly," said Harry.
"So when are we leaving?" asked Harry to change the subject as Ron was starting to feel sentimental.
"Not sure, we will have to Find Mrs Weasley to know when we can go back to the Burrow," said Hermione.
"Not to go back to the Burrow, to find your parents," said Harry.
"Oh, I have totally forgotten about them," said Hermione who was starting to feel Horror-struck.
"Well with everything we have been through in the last 24 hours I think it is acceptable to forget about them for a moment," said Harry with a smile.
"We will have to get a Portkey from the Ministry to go to Australia to find them," said Hermione.
"Well there shouldn't be too many Wilkins in Australia," said Ron.
"I just hope I didn't do the Memory Charm too well we won't be able to find them," said Hermione.
"Well we can leave after Fred's Funeral, he would have wanted us all there remembering and thinking about him," said Harry.
"We can stay at the Burrow until we find out where your parents are Hermione and then we can get a Portkey to their location," said Ron.
"We should find your mum Ron, so we know when we are going home," said Harry.
"We have until September anyway to find them," said Hermione. "Then we can come back and finish our last year at Hogwarts."
"After this year, Hermione I think we know enough Magic to be going on with," said Harry.
"We really should finish our last year at Hogwarts," said Hermione.
"I'll be too busy working to be an Auror," said Harry.
"You think you will get in?" asked Ron.
"Kingsley already asked me to join," said Harry.
"Wonder if I can join?" asked Ron.
"You can ask him," said Harry. "He might say yes."
Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way out of the Great Hall and out of Hogwarts as falling bits of stone fall around them as they walked.
They made a slow journey down the road that lead into Hogsmeade where Ron knew his parents would have been waiting for them. They made their way into Hogsmeade and walked over to the Three Brooms where Mrs. Weasley was waiting outside for the last of her family to come down from their rooms.
"Did you three have a nice sleep up at the Castle?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Yeah it was a nice sleep," said Ron happily. "It was nice to be on a bed for a change."
"Well that is good," said Mrs. Weasley. "So you are coming home with us Harry?"
"Yes, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry with a smile.
"That is good to hear, Arthur is at St Mungo's attending to Fred," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Sorry that Fred was killed Mrs. Weasley," said Harry.
"It is sad Fred is dead, but it could have been a lot worst, all my children could have been killed, you even Harry," said Mrs. Weasley.
Harry was momentarily taken to Ginny who was nearly killed by Bellatrix's curse. "Yeah, well with Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes destroyed he won't be coming back," said Harry.
"Lord Voldemort's what?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Lord Voldemort's Horcruxes," said Harry. "That was the Mission Dumbledore set us out to complete, Lord Voldemort had seven Horcruxes," said Harry.
"Seven, what do you mean seven?" asked Hermione.
"Diary, ring, locket, Tea cup, tiara and snake," said Ron counting them off on his fingers.
"I was the Seventh Horcrux, the eighth bit of soul that had to die before Lord Voldemort could be killed," said Harry.
"But you are alive, so does that mean?" asked Hermione looking a little fearful.
"Oh no, Lord Voldemort was my Horcrux, my blood in his veins that is why I didn't die when he killed me," said Harry.
"So Lord Voldemort is really dead then," said Ron feeling that he was sick in the stomach.
"So is that why you went off into the Forest alone, to let Lord Voldemort kill you," said Hermione.
"I had to do it, or Lord Voldemort wouldn't have been killed, that is what Dumbledore told Snape in the Pensive," said Harry.
"Is that where you received the other information about Professor Snape from?" asked Hermione.
"Well yeah, he stole the other half of the photo and the second part of the letter we couldn't find at Grimmauld Place," said Harry.
"How did Professor Snape get into Grimmauld Place," said Hermione looking a little fearful.
"He must have gone in there the night he left Hogwarts with Draco, of course he didn't take Draco there," said Harry.
"So Professor Snape was good then, he killed Dumbledore, but why?" asked Hermione.
"Professor Dumbledore put on Gaunt's ring and absorbed a strong curse into himself from the ring, he only had a year left to live," said Harry.
"So Dumbledore wanted Professor Snape to put him out of his misery," said Hermione.
"We can talk about this all later," said Ron who then wrapped his arm around Hermione.
"It is alright Harry, you are coming home with us to the Burrow, you're not going to be going off anywhere again?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Yeah, if you will have me of course, we were going to go and find Hermione's parents," said Harry.
"Then you will be going back to Hogwarts to finish off your last year of school," said Mrs. Weasley.
"No, I don't think I will, Kingsley Shacklebolt has given me a job as an Auror," said Harry.
"So you won't be going to finish your last year then," said Mrs. Weasley.
"No, don't get me wrong I think I have learned enough from Hogwarts," said Harry.
"Ron you will be going back won't you?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"No, I might get Harry to find out if I can be an Auror as well," said Ron.
"I'll be going back, Mrs. Weasley," said Hermione.
"At least one of you has the right priorities," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Who has the right Priorities," said George as he made him self visible by walking through the door of the Three Broomsticks.
"How are you feeling George?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Better," said George. "So who has the right Priorities?"
"Hermione, she is going back to finish her last year at Hogwarts," said Mrs. Weasley.
"That is good for her, but you don't need it unless you want to get the Nasties," said George.
"We're thinking about just joining up with the Ministry," said Ron.
"After everything they have done to you?" asked George.
"We are thinking about joining up at the Ministry," said Harry.
"Well at least with Kingsley Shacklebolt as Minister they will do some serious changes in the officer," said George.
"So when are we going to go back to the Burrow," said George.
"Are you coming with us then George," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Better then spending the day in the apartment above the store, alone," said George.
"Is Charlie coming as well?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"He has already gone back to Romania," said George. "He said he will be back for the Funeral, however he has some Dragons he is in the middle of Studying and had to get back," said George.
"As long as he is back for the Funeral," said Mrs. Weasley.
"He died with a smile on his face, though, he would have wanted that," said George feeling a little bit better.
"He did indeed," said Mrs. Weasley wrapping her arm around George.
"I won't have to split the money any more," said George with a big grin on his face.
"Oh, George," said Mrs. Weasley but she gave him a warm smile knowing that he was only trying to make light of the fact his brother is dead.
"Will you need help working the store?" asked Mrs. Weasley.
"Maybe, I'll have the store closed until after the Funeral, but I'll need help sending out the mail orders we have at the moment at Aunty Muriel's house," said George.
"We can all help you George," said Mrs. Weasley with a warm smile.
Ginny came walking down with Luna Lovegood to meet Mrs. Weasley and the others.
"Has Bill and Fleur left for Shell Cottage?" asked Ginny.
"Yeah they left this morning with your father," said Mrs. Weasley.
"So when are we going to be going back home to the Burrow?" asked Ginny.
"As soon as Kingsley has given us a Portkey," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Hello Mrs. Weasley," said Luna.
"Hello Luna, will you be coming with us," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Oh yes, daddy said that he is waiting at home for me to come back, but he said that the Crumple Horn Snorlack's horn hasn't remade itself yet," said Luna dreamily.
"That is okay dear, Kingsley said he would have a Portkey for us soon and then we can wait for your father to come and get you from the Burrow," said Mrs. Weasley.
Kingsley came hurrying over to where Mrs. Weasley was standing and said, "Sorry about that Molly, had to get hysterical families home," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"No problems, I think we are all here, where is Percy," said Mrs. Weasley.
"I have young Percy looking after the Delegation that is driving away the Dementors from Azkaban," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"Oh dear, so they are on the loose then," said Mrs. Weasley.
"They are one of Lord Voldemort's biggest supporters, they would a line themselves up with the Death Eaters and try and take over the Wizarding World even if their master has been defeated," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"How are we going to stop the Wizards in Prison getting away," said Mrs. Weasley.
"Albus had some thoughts on that, Nurmengard has spells placed upon it to stop it's captive escaping, we are going to be doing that here as well," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"That is a good idea," said Mrs. Weasley.
"But all that means is the Dementors will be allowed to roam free," said Kingsley Shacklebolt.
"You could setup a Dementor task force to stop the threat of Dementors, starve them out," said Harry.
"That would mean Patronus training for the task force," said Kingsley Shacklebolt. "But it would be worth it."
"Here is your Portkey," said Kingsley Shacklebolt who was holding a hand size bit of the Hogwarts Castle.
Kingsley pointed at the rock and said, "Portus!"
The rock glowed blue and everyone placed their hands on the rock. Kingsley counted down from three and the whole group vanished, spinning into nothingness.