Chapter 1: Tortured but never forgotten
It's been a month since Harry and Ron were captured in their sleep from the burrow. It was only those two in the house while the rest of the family was away on vacation to Romania. Both Harry and Ron were greatful that the rest of the family wasn't there. Harry didn't know what he'd do if the whole family was in the dungeons getting tortured the way him and Ron were. It was bad enough that Ron was there, Harry hated seeing his best friend getting tortured by Voldemort or other death eaters. He was surely happy though that Voldemort didn't let Greyback get to him. Greyback was left for Harry and Harry only.
Harry didn't know how he kept living through all the torment that they put him through, but he made himself stay conscious at all times to keep Ron living and having faith.
Ron wasn't as beat up as Harry was and he surely wished every second that they wouldn't be so rough with him. But nothing changed because Harry was the-boy-who-lived, Voldemort's favorite play thing and it angered Ron that he had no way in helping out his friend from the hands of him. He never lost hope of being saved by the order or theirs friends and family.
"Ron." Harry coughed out as he lay on the dungeon floor of Malfoy Manor.
He looked over to Harry thinking if he should go and comfort Harry or if he doesn't want to be touched. "Yes, mate?"
Harry opened his eyes too look at Ron moving his eyes up and down Ron's figure checking for new injuries. "How are you feeling? They didn't hurt you any worse did they?"
"Don't worry about me Harry, I'm fine. They didn't do anything but the usual. The Cruciatus curse a couple times trying to get me to tell where the order headquarters are. But I didn't tell them." Ron moved closer to Harry helping him sit up.
Harry covered his face with his hands and his body shook with sobs. "I'm so sorry Ron, you should have never been in this with me."
Ron raised his eyebrows up in shock and patted Harry's back. "There's nothing to be sorry for, mate. I'm with you in this one hundred percent you know that. Don't be blaming yourself."
The two sat in quietness as Harry got himself together taking heavy breathes. "There's a lot to be sorry about Ron. You have a good family who loves you and you have your mum and dad. I don't have my parents anymore and I certainly don't have any siblings that will miss me if I'm gone. This fight is between Voldemort and myself; not you, not your family, and not our friends. It should have been only me in this cell and not you here. I should have protected you better but I didn't."
"You have a family also Harry. My family is your family. You also have Sirius and Remus; both your godfather's and most of all your family. I'm sure they are going crazy at trying to find you. Don't for a second think that you don't have family because you do and we all love you Harry. And I'm glad I'm here with you so I can help you get through all of this and help you destroy Voldemort at some point." Ron took Harry into a hug trying to comfort him.
They both moved back so their backs were leaning against the icy cold stone wall of the dungeon. Harry had his eyes closed and Ron looked at him with concern.
"Thank you Ron, you are a great friend to have and I'm glad we met on the train our first year. That day on the train made my life brighter." Harry chuckled at the memory moving his head slightly wincing at the pain.
Ron sat there smiling remembering that day perfectly. Harry sat in an empty compartment alone looking out the window as Ron came around the corner of the door. He remembered being shocked as ever that he sat across from the famous Harry Potter and they talked for hours eating candy to no end. Both of them being sorted into Gryffindor and sharing a room together. All five years replayed in his head smiling at all the good memories. Then another image that wasn't a memory came into his mind of their next year to come.
They'd be in their sixth year and Ron sat at the Gryffindor Table across from Hermione and Ginny. They were eating with small conversations off and on. The seat next to Ron was empty and as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice he looked over at the empty seat next to him where Harry should be. Setting his glass down he felt emotions well up in his stomach and a tear ran down his face. Both Hermione and Ginny were also looking at the empty seat next to Ron, all three of them quietly wishing Harry was in their presence.
Ron shook his head erasing the thought out as real tears ran down his face. He didn't notice Harry looking at him with a worried expression printed on his face until he opened his eyes again.
"What were you thinking, Ron?" Harry wasn't stupid and he knew that Ron was thinking something entirely upsetting by the tears running down his face.
"It's nothing, just try to rest you look exhausted." Ron looked at the wall across from him not letting himself from glancing at Harry.
Harry moved to a more comfortable position against the wall. "Please just tell me Ron, nothing will make me upset."
Ron really hoped Harry would have just shrugged it off but he knew Harry well enough that he wouldn't give in that easily. He also knew that there was no hiding anything from him. Ron sighed. "I was just thinking of next year our sixth year going into Hogwarts.." He closed his eyes remembering his torturing thought. "And we were sitting at the Gryffindor table but you were…"
Harry caught on taking his hand in Ron's. "But I wasn't there?"
He looked down at their combined hands and tried to think of the right thing to say. "No, you weren't the seat next to me was empty. And Hermione, Ginny and I all had tears in our eyes…but you could have been anywhere in the castle."
"I was in the castle Ron, I was sitting right next to you and I will be no matter what happens."
"In my thought's you weren't though Harry and I don't know if I can handle if that comes true. You're my best mate." He squeezed Harry's hand.
Harry smiled sadly. "I was there though, and whatever happens here Ron if that does come true, I will be right next to you. I will always be with you even if you can't see me. If that does come true Ron, don't look at things in me not being there." Harry brought Ron into a hug trying to comfort him.
Harry wanted to cry and let all of his emotions out but he was too weak and didn't want to upset Ron any more than he already was so he kept silent. The evening drew on slowly and Harry could feel himself drifting off into unconsciousness and hopefully a dreamless sleep. But as he was starting to get closer to sleep both him and Ron jumped out of sleep as the door to the dungeons opening. Bellatrix Lestrange walked in looking over at Harry with a grin on her face.
"Ah, I came on time as you were falling asleep." She stalked over to Harry pulling his hair so he'd look up into her eyes. "Drink this, Potter." She uncorked a vial and shoved the horrid tasting blue liquid down his throat. Stepping back she laughed a heated laugh.
Harry coughed "What was..that?" He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness.
"Just something to help you sleep. It's a hallucination potion, it should help your nightmares become more vivid and trust me it brings out your deepest fears in your sleep. Some say it makes it hard for them to wake up. Sleep well Potter." And she left the dungeon laughing the whole way up the stairs.
Harry could feel his body go limp and could tell he was slipping into a deep sleep. The only thing he heard before was Ron screaming 'filthy bitch' at Bellatrix and Ron trying to sooth Harry while Harry fell asleep.
The night was long for both Ron and Harry. Ron held Harry all night feeling his shaking body and listening to his screams. He ran his fingers softly through Harry's hair trying to comfort him, trying to do anything for him. He even tried waking Harry up but he knew it was pointless. At one point during the night Ron fell asleep with Harry sleeping in his arms. But it was shortly after he fell asleep that he woke up to a trembling Harry. He was sweating and his skin was pale white and ice cold. Ron whispered soothing words into Harry's ear trying to calm him down. Finally as Harry started to calm down Ron swore at Bellatrix under his breathe even though he knew she couldn't hear him. Every once in a while he'd fall asleep but be woken up to more of Harry's screaming and trembling.
Morning finally came slowly and Harry woke up to a sleeping Ron. His mind was racing from his past nightmares and his body felt weaker than it had the day before. He slipped out from Ron's embrace and let him sleep longer. The memories from his nightmares will surely haunt him until the day he died.
Watching Sirius, Remus and Ron's entire family die by Voldemort's hand and not being able to stop any of it made his stomach turn. He shook his head; no he wouldn't let that happen even if his life depended on it. He cared too much about them and he tried to think carefully at how to get Ron out of the dungeons away from the torturing.
Ron rubbed his eyes waking up to seeing Harry sitting against the wall. "How are you feeling Harry?"
He knew he didn't mean in general but from the nightmares he had last night. "I'm ok, the nightmares…they were…brutal."
"Wanna talk about it?"
Harry shook his head; he couldn't go through the memories again. "Not really, you should already have a good idea at what they were."
They both looked up as the door to the dungeons opened and in walked Greyback. Harry gulped.
"Looks like you made it through the night, Potter." He snarled down at Harry with a menacing smile.
He didn't respond he just sat there quietly waiting for something to happen.
Greyback grabbed Harry by the shirt and dragged him to the door. "You're my play toy today, Potter. Aren't you excited? I know I am; I'm going to love hearing you scream." He pushed Harry closer to the door.
Ron stood up shouting at him. "Leave him alone! He's had enough of you."
Greyback just chuckled at this still holding on to Harry's shirt. "I'll make sure he bleeds extra before I bring him down just for you Weasley." And with that Greyback dragged Harry up the stairs locking the door behind him.
Ron slid to the floor covering his face with his hands. Greyback looked hungry for pain and the last time he looked like that Harry came back down in a blood bath practically. It took days for his wounds to close and he barely made it through the few nights. This next time wouldn't be any better, it'd probably be worse and Ron couldn't take it anymore.
He stood up yelling Harry's name, trying to get attention from someone. He stopped yelling when he heard a faint scream coming from Harry above him. He pulled at the bars in front of him and he kicked them hoping that some strength would come through him magically and knock the bars down. His heart was pounding and he didn't stop pulling at the bars. A half hour later he was slumped on the floor crying for them to stop. All he could hear were Harry's screams. His scream got quieter and quieter knowing he was running out of steam to scream. Ron's heart broke and he broke down into harder sobs. He couldn't control his shaking body and his pounding heart. The thing that scared him the most was them carrying Harry's body down and there would be nothing left of him. He didn't want that to happen.
An hour later Bellatrix came strolling down smirking at Ron lying on the floor lifeless. She grabbed Ron by the arm and yanked him up so he was standing.
"What are you going to do to me?" He scowled at her.
"We thought you might want to see your precious savior." She pulled him up the stairs throwing him to the floor.
When Ron looked up his heart stopped. Harry was laying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. His chest had many claw marks that were oozing blood and his face had bruises and a claw mark on his cheek. His arm was bent in a way that shouldn't be humanly possible and the bone was showing from his elbow. He looked like he was dead but you could tell he was still holding on to life by a thread as his chest moved up and down. Harry was unconscious probably from the attack.
Not realizing he was holding his breathe he let it out crawling over to Harry. "Oh god…no, no, no…Harry." Tears splashed onto Harry's face and Ron wrapped him up in his arms.
A chuckled came from across the room. It rattled throughout Ron's whole body. "Silly boy, caring for a worthless life like that one. He had nothing going for him, you both should have known that this day would come. That I would win, after all I'm Lord Voldemort. No one can defeat me, especially a pathetic boy like Harry Potter."
Ron set Harry down softly turning toward Voldemort. "You're a coward and you have been from the start. Harry is a better wizard than you have ever been."
"A coward?" Voldemort stepped closer to the two boys and laughed. "He was a horrible wizard less powerful than myself. He will be dead, I'd say, in less than an few minutes. Your precious savior of the wizarding world is now a disgrace."
Ron stood up in pure anger. "He will never be a disgrace; you will always be the disgrace. Having Greyback do your dirty work instead of doing it yourself. You are a coward who couldn't even kill Harry yourself instead you made one of your minions do I for you while you sit back like a coward watching from a distance. Harry will always be the brave one and you will always be the coward."
Voldemort growled pointing his wand to Ron's face. "You think that I'm a coward? If I'm the coward then why is it your friend is dead? Why is it he didn't even fight back all the times that we tortured him?"
"You never gave him a fair fight. Maybe if you let him have his wand you could see who truly deserved who lived. Harry would have beaten you by skill but you never gave him the chance to see making you the coward. You were too scared to let him have his wand, afraid he would have beaten you with one little swish of his wand. You fight unfairly like a the little coward you are. Stop being afraid Riddle and start stepping up to what truly is."
"You dare.."
"Yes I dare, because everyone in the wizarding world knows the truth. And it's time you learn the truth." Ron breathed heavily and held back his tears.
Voldemort breathed glaring at Ron with hatred eyes. "Bella take these two down stairs. Leave Harry's body on the floor. I'll take care of you, Weasley later. But right now I have business I need to attend to."
Bellatrix waved her wand and Harry was levitated off the floor. The three of them made it down the stairs. Bellatrix dropped Harry on the floor without a care and pushed Ron inside. "Don't cry too much." She snickered as she walked out of sight.
Ron crawled over to Harry holding him in his arms once again. "Oh Harry…I'm so sorry."
Ron wasn't expecting a reply since he thought Harry had already passed away. Harry coughed up blood. "It's not…your fault…Ron."
"Harry?" Ron moved some hair from Harry's forehead.
He opened his eyes slowly looking into Ron's eyes. "You really shouldn't…have said all…that…to him. He will…make you pay…for that…later." Harry coughed again his body shaking and cold.
Tears streamed down Ron's face. "I meant every word of it Harry. I love you mate. You're going to be fine I promise. Just hold on." Ron's heart was pounding in his chest once again and he could feel Harry's heart slow down every second.
"Ron..I need you…to…do something…for me." Harry's voice was hoarse and it made Ron shake.
"Anything for you, Harry."
Harry smiled at that. "Tell everyone…that I love them…Tell Sirius and…Remus…that they have…been the…best godfathers…and that I love…them with…all my heart. And Ron…take care…of Sirius…for me…"
Ron couldn't control his sobbing anymore, he let all his tears fall and his body was shaking from the sobbing. "Harry don't say your goodbye's. You are going to be just fine. Please mate, you have to make it through this."
Harry's breathing was slowing. "Ron…you're amazing…don't dwell over…me too long…okay?"
Ron shook his head not at Harry's statement but at the hurt he was feeling. "Harry please…"
"You'll…make it…out of this…alive…stay strong…for me…go back to..Hogwarts with…Hermione and Ginny…and live happy lives…" He looked Ron in the eyes. "Don't look…back at this…moment…remember what…I said earlier…I'll always…be with…you…"
Ron shook his head. "Don't leave me Harry please, you're going to be alright. Any minute now the order is going to be storming through those doors and save us. Please…Harry.."
The breath from Harry was slowing down rapidly and his body was starting to convulse. Blood dripped from the corner of Harry's mouth and his eyes closed for the final time. He took his last breathe as his body became limp in Ron's trembling arms as the-boy-who-lived, savior of the wizarding world, and the golden boy died in his best friends arms.
Ron closed his eyes rocking Harry's limp body back and forth. His own body shook from the sobbing coming from Ron's mouth. Tears ran down his face in a stream and his heart broke at the sight of his dead friend in his arms. "Oh Harry…I'm so sorry…I should have been able to do something to help you." His voice cracked and everything was blurry from his tears.
It felt like hours holding onto his friend's limp body. Exhaustion over took him and he leaned back against the wall falling into a deep sleep with Harry still in his arms.
An hour later…
Ron didn't open his eyes remembering everything that went on that day. Impossible! It's only a horrible dream. Harry can't be dead. Any minute now Harry will stir awake in my arms and everything will be okay. Right? Ron was afraid to open his eyes but he did slowly opening them to a limp bloody Harry dead in his arms. Ron once again fell into a pool of his own tears. He went back to rocking his friend back and forth in his arms. He didn't know what else to do.
Ron stroked Harry's hair slowly not stopping his rocking motions. He closed his eyes going back to the memories of when he first met Harry and all of the good times he had with him. He scolded himself for him getting so angry with Harry fourth year. He smiled on the inside at all the fun times they had together but still crying on the outside.
His thoughts were interrupted by a loud crack and he quickly opened his eyes to see Dobby standing in front of him.
"Dobby?!"
"Dobby has come to rescue mister Harry Potter and mister Ronald Weasley." Dobby looked down at Harry's body. "M-m-mister H-harry P-potter?"
Ron wiped his nose. "Dobby, you can apparate us out of here?"
Dobby slowly nodded without saying a word. The house elf looked horrified at the site of Harry.
Ron stood up picking Harry up bridal style holding him close to his chest. He wished Harry was alive standing next to him and Dobby. His knees were weak but he made himself stand up tall and strong for his best friend.
"Apparate us to the burrow Dobby please?" Ron's voice was shaky but he tried to hold it together. He knew once they reached the burrow that he would break down again at everyone's faces. He was ready to get out of the dungeons but he wasn't ready for everyone else's reactions.
Dobby slowly grabbed Ron's arms and with another loud crack they were outside of the burrow. Looking at the sun and then back at the house then at Harry he didn't know if he'd make it inside without breaking down.
His assumptions were correct; he walked a few paces and fell to the ground in sobs. Rocking Harry back and forth once again. His breathe was heavy and his voice cracked. "Dobby go inside and get everyone."
Slowly setting Harry's legs on the ground not letting go of his upper body and hugged his dear friend close to him. He watched as Dobby made it inside and watched as his whole family rushed outside.
He heard Fred, George and his mum scream. The worst scream that he heard was Sirius's. One second he was watching his family run to both of them and the next he was in the arms of his father.
Arthur Weasley held his crying son in his arms. "Ron, it's okay you're home now. Both you and Harry are."
Sirius dropped to his knees at Harry's side. "Oh god…Oh god…Harry please don't be dead.." He took the body of his godson into his arms and held him closely. Tears ran down his face as he held Harry closely. Remus knelt down beside him stroking his hand through Harry's hair with his shaking hands.
"Ron what happened to him?" Remus looked to Ron with fright.
Ron was still shaking. "Greyback" And that's all Ron needed to say. Everyone knew how vicious Greyback could be and with the claw marks all over Harry is spelt it out to them.
"Let's get you inside." Arthur took Ron slowly inside while Sirius carried Harry's body inside placing him on his lap as he sat on the couch.
A half hour later Ron explained to everyone what happened. Sirius held Harry to his chest and Remus had Harry's legs across his own. Everyone was silent not knowing what to say.
Laughter came from outside as the door swung open with a smiling Hermione and Ginny. But both of them stopped dead in their tracks as they saw they scene in front of them.
Hermione was the first to break the silence. "Ron, Harry you're back!" She ran to Ron immediately pulling him into a hug.
Ginny saw the look on everyone's faces then glanced over to Harry. She made her way to Ron hugging him. "I'm so happy you made it back just fine. Is Harry sleeping?"
"Ron, what's going on?" Hermione looked over at Harry covering her mouth with her hand.
"He's…de-dead Hermione."
"NO! He can't be dead." Ginny ran over to Harry dropping to her knees. She took his face into her hands and started to cry.
Ron wrapped Hermione into a hug as she cried also.
Fred and George looked at each other both having red eyes. "Well at least now Harry is with his parents." Fred spoke up.
"Finally able to be a family once again." George looked at the floor.
Everyone looked up at the twins. Sirius looked up for the first time away from Harry. "I am sure all three of them are looking down at us with smiles on their faces. They will never be forgotten." Remus put his hand on Sirius's shoulder.
"I think it's time Sirius." Remus looked sadly at his friend and down at his friends son.
Sirius looked confused but then understood. He ran his fingers through Harry's hair and picked his godson up bridal style.
"Time for what?" Ron sniffed. Hermione looked at Harry tears still running down her face.
"It's time for a proper burial." Remus was the first the walk out the door. Sirius following and the rest of the Weasley family including Hermione walked out of the house. They all apparated to Harry's parents grave.
Sirius hugged his godson for the last and final time knelling down to put him in the tomb that they summoned. Before Remus closed the tomb Sirius waved his wand and all the blood was gone from Harry's body, the wounds were closed up like they have been made years ago, and new clothes appeared on his body. Everyone took one last look at Harry before the tomb lid closed.
The words:
Harry James Potter
31st, July 1980 – 28th, August 1996
Beloved son, friend, and Godson
You will be missed but not forgotten
Were written on the tomb stone that was set right next to Lily and James Potter.
Ginny was in her mother's arms, Hermione in Ron's, Arthur, Fred and George were standing their silent tears escaping everyone's eyes once again. Sirius dropped to his knees next to Harry's tomb and Remus put his hand on Sirius's shoulder.
Ron was the one to break the silence. "Harry wanted me to tell everyone of you that he loves you with all his heart. Sirius and Remus, Harry said you both were the best godfathers he could have ever asked for. He told me to not dwell on this for a long time and he said for us to go off to Hogwarts and live our lives happily. And to not look back on this day as a bad memory." Ron's voice cracked and fresh tears escaped his eyes as his father took him into his arms.
Both Sirius and Remus nodded looking back at Harry's tomb. "You were an amazing Godson Harry Potter, and you did not deserve this in any way." Sirius's heart sank.
Fred raised his wand and flowers covered the top of Harry's tomb. "You were certainly a dear friend Harry James Potter."
George waved his wand right after his brother's and a red and yellow Gryffindor blanket covered the tomb underneath the flowers. "A brave soul that will never leave our hearts. A true Gryffindor."
The nine of them stood there staring at the tomb Harry's body lay in for the rest of the evening. When they got back to the burrow no one said anything. Everyone went to their rooms to go to bed. Sirius and Remus slept in the guest room and Hermione slept in Ginny's room with her. No one slept well that night. A few more tears were shed before the house grew quiet. In the next week they will be headed off to Hogwarts without Harry in tow. Both Ron and Hermione knew it was going to be a difficult year.
A/N: I stopped it right there because the next chapter will be Fred, George, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny going off to Hogwarts. And how everyone handles Harry's death in different ways. I thought about making this only a two chapter story but if this story gets good reviews and people like it I might make a third chapter. The third would be Voldemort trying to take over the castle but as the four weasley siblings and Hermione fighting plus the whole castle Harry would appear as a ghost figure through Voldemort's wand like His parents did in the fourth book. Please let me know if that's something you'd like me to write and for you to read! And please excuse bad grammar and misspelled words.
