A/N: I make my return after reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Spoilers abound here, as should have been made deathly clear in the summary. But anyway, I thought I should warn you.
This is a little piece about Harry as he willingly goes to die to protect everyone from Voldemort. After that scene in the book, my honor and respect for him rose through the roof and I now love him as a character, heroic tendencies and all. My hat's off to you Harry, you're one brave soul.
I bawled at this scene, but I thought that Harry would have more people there than just James, Lily, Remus and Sirius. This is as canon as I could make it, though I manipulated a few things. I'm sure you'll recognize them.
Disclaimer: ALL OF YOU GENUFLECT TO J.K. ROWLING. NOW. Oh, and I did use a few lines from chapter 34, The Forest Again. I suspect you'll recognize the lines.
It Was Raining
It was raining, I dimly noted as I turned the Resurrection stone over in my hands. One, two, three times. It looked quite harmless, sitting there in my palm. But of course, I knew better.
Strange, how all this death and destruction would stem from three things, one that was thrown over me and the other sitting in my hand. Strange how such simple objects could overthrow the wizarding world as I knew it.
Strange how it was from mere objects I had to derive my destiny.
But I was resigned to it now. I knew what I had to do. I heard light footsteps behind me and turned, knowing who they would be but I remained tense until I saw their faces.
It was a shock, seeing them in the end, even though I suspected they would appear. My gaze flitted from my mum to my dad to Sirius then finally to Lupin.
Oh Merlin, Lupin. He was smiling at me so kindly, his eyes filled with nothing but peace and serene understanding. How could he look at me with anything but disgust, because if it weren't for me he would still be alive. Still alive to be the father I never had.
He died for me. They all did. And the thought of this only increased my guilt as I was just about to put all their efforts to waste. Offer myself to Voldemort with the knowledge that with my death a little bit of him would die with me.
"You've been so brave."
"We're so proud of you."
I heard my parents' words and they offered a semblance of comfort to me. But one thought prevailed above all as I pondered what I had to do. The words tumbled out of me, and I could not stop them as I looked up at the people I loved with tears gathering in my eyes.
"Does it hurt?" I hated how childish I sounded. The tremble that was in my voice, the shiver that ran through me that made tears spill onto my cheeks.
"Absolutely painless. You won't feel a thing." I turned around and there was Fred, standing just off to the side. He smiled sheepishly before stepping closer. "Sorry I had to leave the party so soon, but that's the way it goes I guess."
"Fred?"
"You foolish idiot, charging ahead of me like that. Did you stop even to consider I couldn't keep up? Or what might be out there?"
Another figure appeared from behind Fred, his gait familiar and his rough voice oddly soothing.
"Moody?" I rubbed at my eyes.
"Yeah, it's me." Moody leaned on his stick as he regarded me. "Thank you, Harry, for getting my eye off Umbridge's door. I really appreciate it."
"Heya Harry." Tonks had pink hair, even in death. She came up to stand beside Lupin, taking his hand in hers.
"Tonks? You d…" I couldn't finish my sentence as realization hit me. "Oh Merlin-"
Her eyes watered with kind understanding as she held up one hand to stop me. "I chose to fight, Harry, and I knew precisely what I was doing."
"But what about Ted?"
Lupin spoke. "He'll know his parents died for a great cause. He'll live in a free world, and that's the greatest gift we could have ever given him."
Tonks clutched tighter to her husband. "I don't regret what I did Harry. Don't regret what you are about to do."
"Dobby agrees. Dobby thinks Mister Potter is doing good things."
"Dobby?"
The elf's smile was huge as he jumped up and down on the spot, positively delighted that I had recognized him. "Yes Mister Potter! It's me, Dobby!"
Sirius interjected. "Dobby isn't the only one who's proud of what you're doing."
"We all are." Lupin smiled down at me.
"Don't be ashamed to feel fear, sweetheart." Lily's voice was gentle and sweet. "You're stronger and braver than anyone of us."
"There's no doubt about that one, Harry." Fred waved a hand about the small group. "We might be dead, but Harry… Harry, you… I, um-" I watched as he swiped a hand across his eyes angrily. "Oh sweet Merlin, look at me. Crying like a baby."
Moody took over for Fred, handing him a handkerchief. "We know that we didn't die in vain."
James cleared his throat and I turned towards him. "Before I forget, there's someone who'd like to see you." He raised his arm.
The all-too-familiar hoot echoed in the woods as an elegant snowy owl swooped out of the night sky before landing on James' arm. I could have laughed.
"Hedwig? Is that really Hedwig?"
The snowy owl cooed and hooted in response. "She says that it's been a pleasure serving you after all these years," James translated. He turned to me as Hedwig took flight, preferring to be on the wing than on the arm. "She's a beautiful bird, Harry."
"I know." I could feel a smile starting as I watched Hedwig, beautiful and free, soaring around in the night sky. However the euphoria that had filled me at the sight of them was beginning to fade and ruefully I turned to face them.
"I didn't want any of you to die." The words spilled out of my mouth with the tears that spilled from my eyes. "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for any of you to die."
"We know, Harry. And I for one don't blame you." Fred straightened up. "Not a whit."
"None of us do," Moody grizzled.
I bit my lip. I knew what I had to do but I desperately wanted someone to confirm it. That I was doing the right thing by offering myself to Voldemort. When no one spoke, I realized I would have to make the decision myself.
How easy would it be to run back to Hogwarts? To run back and put this all off? To not have to offer myself to Voldemort? To not die?
But then everyone around me would have died in vain, I realized. To not go through with this, with what I knew I would have to do to ensure the freedom of the world from Voldemort would be murder on my part. If I didn't let myself die at Voldemort's hands countless more would fall from his regime of terror and fear.
No more blood should be spilled I thought. If one more person must die to end all this, than it must be me. If anything my blood will cleanse the world of his life, of his being. My fall would let others rise and continue to live. Kind of like rain, I guess. Rain cleanses the world, helping other things to grow and quenching life-taking fires. Funny how it should be raining, at this time. At my end there will be new beginnings. And in the end, that was enough.
I straightened with my new resolve, my eyes traveling over all those who died to protect me. Love and gratitude filled me and I smiled at them, albeit a little timidly. They all met my gaze and returned my smile.
"Will you stay with me?" My last request, I realized.
"Until the end," James responded. Everyone else nodded.
My eyes drew to my mother. The one who died to save me, her sacrifice had protected me until I was seventeen. "Stay close to me," I said quietly.
Somewhere above us there was the hoot of a snowy owl. As I set off into the forest, they walked around me, their footsteps silent.
"Until the end," I whispered to myself, and I smiled.
o0o
I stood there, my Invisibility cloak off and all eyes on me. I saw that the Death Eaters had gathered around in a circle, enclosing Voldemort and myself. Inside the circle were the people that had died for me, people that would be there at the end. My end.
But there was one more than there should have been. One more figure that stood before the Death Eaters. I looked closer and I realized it was Snape. A much younger, less troubled Snape, but it was him nonetheless. His black eyes bored into mine. "You can do it, Harry. I believe in you."
Resigned to my death as I was, I could feel nothing but gratitude towards my old Potions professor. "Thank you, professor," I whispered, so softly I was afraid he wouldn't hear but when he broke out into a smile, I knew my message had gotten across.
I lifted my face to the heavens and closed my eyes as the green spell shot towards me. For the first time in a long time I felt peace.
And I laughed.
o0o
I was sitting on the four poster bed, close to the headboard with Ron and Hermione around me, also sitting on the bed. They had just asked me what had happened in the forest. I looked at them, cocked my head and smiled as I replied.
"It was raining."
A/N: Forgive my mistakes as I didn't check this over. Reviews are lovely, but the knowledge that you chose to read this instead of someone else's story makes me warm and fuzzy inside. I've made cookies for my readers!