1. The Funeral at Shell Cottage

After the Battle of Hogwarts the Weasleys, Fleur, Harry, Hermione, Hagrid, Andromeda Tonks, Neville, and Luna returned to the Shell Cottage. As they journeyed by broomstick (except for Hagrid who traveled by flying motorcycle) to the home of Fleur and Bill, four six-foot long boxes followed along with them; the bodies of Remus Lupin, Nymphidora Tonks, Fred Weasley, and Severus Snape contained inside of the make-shift caskets. Ron shared a broomstick with Hermione, who sat backwards on the Nimbus 2000 muttering incantations under her breath to keep the caskets levitated.

"Remember it's LeviOsa, not LeviosA." Ron whispered with a laugh to Hermione as tears silently flowed down both of their faces.

The dozen broomsticks and motorcycle soared across the sky in synchrony until one broke away. A Firebolt took a sharp turn and headed back towards the Hogwarts grounds.

Dumbledore, Harry thought to himself as he leaned forwards to accelerate the speed of his broom.

Harry turned as he reached Hagrid's hut and headed for the he saw it: the pearl-white tomb with regal curves at the top. But a crack had been positioned right down the middle of the tomb leaving Dumbledore's torso exposed; his hands ripped apart, one laying over his face, the other laying on his stomach. Pulling out the Elder Wand, Harry began to restore the tomb to its original state.

"Reparo" he said and the tomb resealed itself. Harry opened the lid and placed the wand on Dumbledore's breastbone. He then repositioned his hands and replaced the man's half-moon glasses upon his nose and Harry smiled at the old man.

"'We all must face the choice between what is right and what is easy.' You told that to me once. You knew this whole time what it would come to with me and Voldemort. You've been preparing me this whole time for that battle." Harry paused, "'It's our choices that show what we truly are; far more than our abilities.' You saved me Dumbledore. You've always been there for me, you've always made the right choice. And you taught me to be the same." He paused again as he felt a lump form in his throat, "Goodbye, Dumbledore."

And with that, Harry climbed upon his broomstick and began to ascend towards the starry sky. After seeing Dumbledore when Voldemort had killed his own Horcrux that was stored inside of Harry, Harry no longer felt like Dumbledore was dead and so far away. Now he knew he would see him again. It was just a question of when. Harry soared through the night sky as the sun rose, flying as he had flown years previously during Quidditch matches- with pure joy. So many people have been lost, but the Dark Lord was gone for good. Harry now knew that there were far worse things than death, and he couldn't help but feel like that he had not allowed for their lives to end in vain. He, Harry, had made their deaths mean something.

"There is no honor more than being the one to save your friends and family." Luna spoke in her airy, kind voice, "Friends are the most important thing in this world to me, and I cannot believe someone died for… for me. When I was in the school, a Death Eater shot at me from behind. But then Fred raised his wand. He stunned the Death Eater that killed him. It was like some dark twist of fate. Both spells soared through the air 'Stupefy' and 'Avada Kadavra.' Fred was forced to suffer what the latter had in store. I only barely knew him, but I have heard about him. It was the way he would have wished to go if he was forced. He saved someone else, was a part of defeating Voldemort, bravely risked his life, and he also stunned the creature who killed him. Just in the short encounter I had with Fred, I could tell that he possessed all of the traits of a Gryffindor. Fred will always be know as the brave man who saved me, Loony Lovegood."

"I bet he rolling over in his grave right now. Being known a brave- he'd be mad his eulogy didn't contain a couple jokes here and there." With the glances he got from his mother, George said "It's what he would've wanted. He told me so before the battle. We even wrote two eulogies together, months ago, mine made jokes about my ear- well the absence of it- and Fred's, well you'll read it in the paper soon enough."

"George Gideon Weasley! Tell me you haven't sent anything in to the Prophet."

"I haven't Mum. I sent it to the Quibbler- It's a much more reliable paper these days."

George was saved from Mrs. Weasley's scolding (her face was growing redder by the second) by Andromeda Tonks taking Luna's place.

"My daughter, Dora, was killed along with her husband, Remus Lupin. My husband was also killed. All of you knew them. They asked Harry to be little Teddy's godfather and I could not be happier. I was so afraid that the child would grow up without a mother and a father but I think that Harry, you, along with me and everyone else who is here, will be able to give him the life he deserves.

"They had such a life to live together. Finally my daughter found love. It is a small, but immense comfort for me to know that my little Dora has someone to grow old with in her next life. You all know them, know their legacy, I just hope we can pass it on to little Teddy so he knows who his parents really were— are." Tears forming in her eyes, Andromeda sat down. This time, Harry rose.

"I hated Snape. I hated him for six and a half years. I though him to be this cruel Death Eater who would one day kill me. I was so, so wrong. He was a Death Eater- one who was in love with my mother. When he heard that the Voldemort was going to kill me, he knew my parents would be killed, too. He went to Dumbledore and begged him to save them- to save me. It wasn't possible. When they were killed, Snape came crying to Dumbledore begging for his help. So, Dumbledore told him to do everything in his power to keep Lily Evan's son safe. Snape did. Dumbledore ordered Snape to sit by Voldemort's side. Dumbledore told him certain information to pass on to Voldemort because it would make the Dark Lord truly believe Snape was on his side. Dumbledore had a year to live when he ordered Snape to kill him. He told Snape to kill him because it would save the innocent life of Draco Malfoy. Snape was, and is, the bravest man I have ever met. His bravery was not on display, his bravery made him seem like a coward- but this just made him all the more gallivant. It took me six and a half years to despise Severus Snape, but it only took one trip into a pensive to make me wish that he was still here. Here to help me fight battles that are bound to come, here to come to my wedding, to be godfather to my children. It's a lesson that Dumbledore would've wanted us to learn: It takes longer to hate than to love."

With those last few words, he sat back down in his seat. Hermione sat on one side of him and Ginny on the other. Everyone sat and cried for an hour. Gazing upon the newly dug graves positioned next to Dobby's. Each grave marked with a different rock and a different message:

HERE LIES DOBBY, A FREE ELF

SEVERUS SNAPE, A BRAVE SLYTHERINE

FRED WEASLEY, THE TWIN WITH TWO EARS

NYMPHIDORA TONKS, SHE SAVED HIM FROM THE DARKNESS INSIDE

REMUS LUPIN, HE SAVED HER BY LETTING HER IN

Harry had never seen anything that was so beautiful, but so grim at the same time. He couldn't help but think that this was where he wanted his final resting place to be. In this beautiful place next to the people he loves.

Slowly, everyone began to make their way into the cottage. Soon Harry, Ron, and Hermione were left gazing out onto the horizon. Looking at each other, they all stood up hand in hand and began to walk back to the house. Hermione's hand broke free of the other two as the exited the graveyard. Turning to see what she was doing, Harry saw her transform a nearby shell into a beautiful sign. She then began to carve "Dumbledore's Army" into the stone sign.

"It's perfect," Harry said and the three turned and walked the remainder of the way to the house.