The young man hurried along the narrow, dimly lit alleyway in the wee hours of the morning. He stopped and huddled near the entrance, his hands in his pockets, watch his visible breath in the unusually cold night air. He patiently waited, watching the busy street with keen eyes.
It was not long before his target approached. The ragged old man snuck into the alley, his eyes darting from side as he attempted to avoid attention. The young man smiled as he withdrew into the shadows between a full dumpster, waiting for the old man to pass.
The old man, despite his paranoia had noticed nothing, his senses dulled by the frigid night air and smell of the overly full bin. The young man raised his wand just as the old man cleared the dumpster.
"Petrificus totalus!" he said with authority in a low tone.
The young man smirked as he approached the old man, pulling up his left sleeve to reveal an ugly, faded tattoo which covered most of his wrinkled, dirty forearm.
"Finally!" he spat with derision, as he secured the man with magical bonds. "You have breathed your last breath as a free man, Rosier."
The immobile Rosier looked at the young man with venom, his eyes full of hatred as he tried to speak, but was incapable. With practiced, clean actions, the young man levitated the prisoner, taking hold of him with one hand. He turned and with a loud crack, they were gone.
- PAGE BREAK -
It was late Friday night, or late Saturday morning and like most other nights since it had ended, Kingsley was still at work. He sat alone in his office in the otherwise deserted Ministry. Dressed in dishevelled, but brilliantly purple robes, the acting Minister rubbed his tired eyes and aching head, looking at his desk covered with piles of parchment and his floor littered with books and paper work.
He had achieved so much since the War had ended barely six months ago, but his work was never done; rebuilding a shattered society and government was a tough job. His days were full of talking, never ending talking and political manipulation; the only time left for paperwork was at the end. Kingsley felt himself lucky that he had no family left to make him feel guilty.
He was lost in his musing in the unusually silent Ministry until the peace was disturbed by a sudden CRACK, followed by footsteps echoing on the stone floor. He sat up straight, instinctively casting a Disillusionment charm, and silencing charms on his feet and robes. Fearing the worst he crept towards the door with wand raised and slowly pushed it open.
He wended his way through the deserted maze of desks that made up the Minister's office, cursing Fudge who had made it as difficult as possible for any undesirables to interrupt his so called busy schedule. Seeing nothing, Kingsley quietly walked through the dimly lit hallways towards the Auror's office, wondering yet again why the alarm was not in his office.
He breathed a sigh of relief as he saw the source of his worries and groaned as the intruder looked at him with a grin on his faced. His gaze hardened upon seeing the bound man.
"I did it! It is the last Death Eater! I am free!" the young man said with excitement gleaming in his emerald green eyes.
Kingsley helped the young man process the prisoner, filling out paperwork and putting him in a magically enforced cell. He gingerly patted the man's clothes down after attempting to summon any weapons, recoiling at the man's stench. The young man stood with wand raised, ready for action as Kingsley confiscated potions and a hidden knife.
The final spells were cast and the prisoner was left in the cell, ready for the Dayshift to finish processing him in the morning. Kingsley and the young man left the cell area, warning the tired security guard about the potential for escape, and the consequences.
They returned to Kingsley's messy office and slumped into their chairs with a sigh of relief. It was over. Kingsley removed a bottle of amber liquid from under his desk as his companion easily conjured two shot glasses which were quickly filled. They drank quickly and filled their glasses again and sat in comfortable silence.
"Your mission is finally completed," Kingsley said. "What now?"
The young man furrowed his brow and thought carefully before answering with false cheer in his voice, "I am Harry Potter I can do what I want!"
Kingsley raised one thick eyebrow and motioned for Harry to continue.
Harry sighed and said sadly, "My whole life has been about catching Voldemort, and then the Death Eaters. The last known one is gone."
"I can see how that can be a problem," Kingsley chuckled. "The world is your oyster, our young and dashing hero!"
"And that is the problem! Everywhere I go; they do not leave me alone! They won't stop congratulating me and I cannot go anywhere with Ginny without being interrupted," Harry replied, slamming another shot of Firewhiskey down his throat.
The two men finished the bottle, drowning their problems.
- PAGE BREAK -
Ginny yawned as she came to consciousness in her four poster bed in the seventh year dorm in the Gryffindor tower. It was too early, and she had never been a morning person and felt so safe and comfortable that she could not bear to move. Ginny snuggled into the warm body beside her and relished the safeness and peace.
The though came to her all of a sudden… Warm body in her bed; what?
She open her eyes and sat up with panic, turning to see her grinning boyfriend beside her.
She cast a Silencing charm and hit him gently, admonishing him, "Harry! How dare you!"
Harry did not respond; he just looked at her with a rakish grin and longing on his handsome face. He raised one hand and gently stroked her cheek.
Ginny sighed; she could never remain mad with him, not after all they had been through. She smiled, and settled down into his embrace.
"How?" she asked sleepily.
Harry turned his head on the pillow and his grin grew even wider as he responded cockily, "Ha! I am the Heir to Gryffindor AND Slytherin; who could possibly keep me out of my birthright."
Ginny rolled her eyes and waited with a withering look.
Harry shook his head in mock disapproval but continued with seriousness, "It is over. I am free. The last DE has finally been captured."
Ginny shrieked, grateful that she had had the foresight to silence her bed. Her dorm was full with seventh and eighth year girls, and the perceptive Hermione still woke at the drop of the hat.
She said with joy, "Yes! You can do what you want now; whatever that is."
She had been so worried about Harry; he had worked non stop to free the world of the threat of Death Eaters and had no time for anything else. He had been starved of love for so long.
Harry looked at her tenderly, and Ginny blushed. Her eyes were locked with his as her body began to fill with desire. They embraced lovingly, their hands wandering.
They were grateful for the silencing charms, and lock on the curtains, as they became lost within each other.
- PAGE BREAK -
The Christmas holidays had arrived and Harry waited at the train station with a large bunch of unseasonal flowers. The Express arrived at the station amidst a cloud of smoked. Ginny exited the train onto the cold, smoky platform and looked around with excitement. She saw Harry and ran into his arms. He dropped the flowers as he picked her up and turned, her red hair bright in the dismal weather.
"Hmm," coughed Hermione, interrupting the happy couple.
Ginny blushed and withdrew from Harry's hug. He sheepishly picked up the flowers, with a red face and handed them to Ginny, handing a single rose that had fallen from the bunch to Hermione.
"Greetings fair ladies!" he said galliantly. "Your carriage awakes and your betrothed will be at the Burrow shortly."
Hermione could not help but worry. Harry had changed since the War. He had gone through stages of depression and guilt, and determination, but after the capture of the last Death Eater had developed a side of his personality that had been stifled until now; his romantic, silly side. His actions had captivated the remaining population of Hogwarts as he had sent multiple gifts to Ginny and appeared regularly on the weekends.
Harry was not working; he was taking a well-deserved break, but Hermione still worried. She worried that he would never reach his full potential, but pushed this aside as Harry took her and Ginny's hands and turned to Apparate. Only he had enough power to side along Apparate two others the long distance to the newly re built Burrow.
- PAGE BREAK -
The trio appeared with a crack in front of the new Burrow. Harry sighed, his mood worsening as he saw the lovely looking manor house.
It was only a few weeks ago that the Burrow had been finished. It had been destroyed by Death Eaters searching for Harry and he still felt guilty. He gave a metaphorical blank cheque to the Weasley's to repair or rebuild the old home, and they had surprisingly settled. It was all his fault that it had been destroyed in the first place.
Ginny sighed sadly as she saw Harry begin to fall into his melancholy. He was upbeat and romantic most of the time, but still had fits. She supposed that she was lucky that he did not suffer from PTSD as many other students had.
She opened the still creaking front gate and the trio walked along the snow lined pathway. The sky was darkened, the sunlit hours severely affected by the Winter season. The front door was thrown open and a smiling Molly Weasley, clad in her favourite patch work apron bustled out the door and hugged each of them.
"At last! You are the last ones here! Come out of the cold," she said, leading them through the hallways towards the large, brightly lit kitchen.
They were greeted by a bunch of red heads, who sat around the kitchen table, eating and laughing. The one exception was a depressed George Weasley. He seemed to be no longer suicidal but very much missed his dearly departed twin. He had only recently come out of himself, and started working again, joined surprisingly by Percy at the joke shop.
Harry manfully exchanged handshakes with the Weasley clan and laughed, still holding Ginny's hand. Once this would have resulted in much teasing; they had now been through too much to not appreciate the joys of a new relationship.
Leading up to Christmas the Weasley's, including Harry, spent their time wrapping presents and playing Quidditch. Despite their lack of teasing, Ginny's many brothers would not give them time alone and on Christmas Eve, she almost broke.
"Not. Anymore… I am not a little girl!" Ginny said angrily, during a stolen moment as they hid in the snow-covered yard.
Harry stroked her head tenderly with one hand as he held her hand with his other one. He hummed gently, stopping only when she glared at him.
He pulled her onto his lap, and said gently, "Only a few more days until Hogwarts. Only a few more months until you graduate and we are together forever."
Ginny began to calm down and relaxed into him. It was true. The pain would be worth it.
- PAGE BREAK -
Christmas Day began as normal. The house hold woke early and charged down stairs to open their presents. They sat around the Christmas tree and waited as the youngest Weasley, Ginny, handed out presents one by one. She was left with one without a recipient. A tear rolled down her face as she read the label; Fred.
The normally rambunctious group was quiet. They were trying, but the first Christmas member without a loved one was difficult. They still suffered from the loss of Fred, and carried around reminders of the war constantly. Molly literally carried around her special clock; checking the hands constantly for signed of danger and Arthur still bore injuries. All of them had scars and bad dreams, but dealt with it in different ways.
Harry was sad as he looked at the sad group. His wounds were not visible most of the time; his new Killing Curse scar was hidden under his clothes, and his emotions hidden under the guise of a hopeless romantic. However, he still carried most of his belongings everywhere, including the majority of the contents of his Gringott's bank. He, Ron and Hermione had been offered a pardon for their heinous crimes, but the goblins were exceedingly unpleasant and going into Gringotts was not a pleasant experience.
Christmas Day continued, with unsuccessful attempts at normalcy. Harry and Ginny, tired of the dismal atmosphere, left for a walk mid afternoon hand in hand.
"We will be happier later?" Ginny asked, as they made their way through the snow covered village.
"Hmm," Harry sighed. "We can only hope so."
They walked silently, only stopping when Ginny felt ill, probably caused by stress and unhappiness. Harry felt the hairs on his neck rise and stopped, holding Ginny back. He shushed her, holding his finger on her lips, as he listened and watched. He felt movement and SUDDENLY pushed her back into the snow.
A dark figure approached, and too quickly raised a wand; "AVADA KEDAVRA."
Ginny cried as Harry was hit with the green light and as the dark figure escaped while she was too much in shock to move. She rushed to his body and shook it.
"Harry?" she cried. "HARRY."
Ginny knelt next to his body and pulled it to her. She rocked his body, crying. No one heard the cries of the anguished girl. No one saw her distress. Evening approached. Ginny did not notice the darkening sky and falling snow. All she saw was the body. Her Harry. Dead. Voldemort failed where an unknown assailant succeeded.
Hours passed before someone live joined her on that lonely, isolated road. Hours passed before a kind passer by saw her anguish, wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and lead her to a waiting car. Ginny watched the Muggle police arrive with their sirens blaring.
"Miss? Can you tell us what happened?" the kindly older man asked.
"My. Harry. Collapsed. Gone," she said robotically.
The kind police officer patted Ginny on the shoulder, trying to comfort her as they watched the ambulance take Harry's cold body to the morgue.
"GINNNNNNY," yelled Molly as she ran up the road.
Molly, followed by the rest of the Weasley clan, struggled through the snow and stopped. They saw a covered body being loaded into a Muggle car and Ginny sitting, shocked.
She brushed aside the police officer and took Ginny in her arms, rocking her back and forth, whispering comforting words. Arthur, as calm as he could, went to talk to the officer.
"Are you her father, Sir?" the police officer asked, waiting for a nod before continuing. "I am so sorry; but your daughter's friend is deceased."
The other Weasley's; George, Percy, Bill, Charlie, Bill and Fleur, and Ron watched from a distance as Arthur spoke to the Muggles. They saw his face drop and the anguish on Ginny's face. Something was seriously wrong.
Arthur finished talking to the police officer and walked through the falling snow to the waiting crowd. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. He could only shake his head.
"Dad?" Ron said. "Where is Harry? Where is he? Are he and Ginny okay?"
Bill stood next to his father and place a comforting hand on his back. Arthur took a deep breath and drew up the courage to speak.
"I am so sorry. Harry… has gone. The Muggles could not see anything wrong with him; they say it was probably a brain hemtidge… It was a Killing Curse."
Collectively, the Weasleys cried out; their words different, but echoing the same sentiment.
Ron, with tears running down his face struggled to speak, "He. No. Why?"
George could not speak; he could see his sister and knew what she must be feeling. Losing a twin was not the same as losing a partner… but it was close enough. He joined his mother in hugging Ginny.
The whole clan watched the car depart, struggling to get down the snowy lane. They watched it without words; the only sound coming from the radios of the police and muffled sobs.
The police man approached them hesitantly and not wanting to interrupt their grief, said nervously, "He will be taken to the morgue and you can arrange for the burial later."
Arthur nodded and offered his thanks, and forced the group to go back home. They trudged through the snow back to the Burrow. With a heavy heart, Arthur picked up the pot from the mantel piece and through some green powder in the fire.
He waited for the fire to turn green before kneeling in front of it and yelling, "Kingsley Shacklebolt."
- PAGE BREAK -
Kingsley had finished his lonely Christmas dinner, sitting alone in his dingy apartment and was sitting with a drink when Arthur Weasley's voice interrupted his solitude.
"Oh, Arthur! Merry Christmas," he merrily said.
Arthur, his expression barely visible through the flames, said gravely "Kingsley. It is Harry. He was hit by the Killing curse and is in a Muggle morgue."
Kingsley dropped his glass. The sound of shattering filled the air, the amber liquid staining the white carpet. Arthur's head disappeared, and Kingsley took a moment to come out of his shock. He stared into the flames, confused before springing into action.
- PAGE BREAK -
Molly had just put Ginny to bed after giving her a vial of the Dreamless Sleep Potion and started shaking. She could not believe it. Her surrogate son. The son who had been through so much and survived, was gone. She had lost a second son.
She finally broke down; the pressure of being strong for Ginny was too much. She and Arthur, along with their surviving children sat, remembering Harry.
"Crap!" Ron shouted. "Hermione needs to know; she is in London with her parents."
He ran out the house and disappeared with a crack. Moments later he appeared in front of Hermione's hotel room. He knocked loudly, and was greeted by a frowning Dan Granger. Dan started to admonish him, but his face softened upon seeing Ron's grim face. A nervous Hermione joined him at the door.
"I am sorry for disturbing you… It is Harry. He has gone," he said with a lone tear falling down his face.
Hermione turned white. She gaped at Ron, and looked back and forth from him to her parents. They pushed her out the door.
"Honey… We understand. GO!" they urged.
Hermione and Ron apparated back to the Burrow at the same time as a nervous looking Kingsley. He beckoned them towards the door. He took off his hat, and holding it awkwardly addressed the waiting Weasleys.
He bit his lip and nervously spoke, "I am so sorry for your loss. The aurors went to the morgue to get his body. It was gone. The Muggles have no clue what happened. It just disappeared."
"You bastard. You absolute bastard."
Kingsley turned to see Ginny, wearing a red Gryffindor Quidditch jumper with Potter emblazoned on the back standing in the door way, staring angrily.
She stormed to him and started hitting him gently, crying out "He was mine! We were in love and you lost the body."
Kingsley stood and took it. They were in shock. Ginny eventually calmed and was hugged by Hermione, who led her to bed.
"What now?" asked Bill.
"We alert the papers. The Ministry will organise the memorial service; it will be held at Hogwarts." Kingsley said gently.
The Weasley's and Hermione nodded and watched him leave. They went to bed. No one slept well that night.
- PAGE BREAK -
The Wizarding world woke to shocking headlines on Boxing Day. Owls delivered the Prophet to customers with very similar reactions for most of the population. The small remainder of those at Hogwarts sat eating breakfast just like normal when the flock of owls delivered the mail at the normal time. It was all normal until the papers were opened.
THE BOY WHO LIVED, LIVES NO MORE
On this sad day, we are sorry to announce that Harry Potter has died, felled by an unexpected Killing Curse….
We at the Daily Prophet would like to add our condolences…
Professor McGonagall stared with horror, her spoon dropping into her porridge. She did not hear herself scream no. She, like the students was in shock. The professors pulled themselves together enough to comfort the students.
The Wizarding world stopped. After James and Lily had died, they had stopped to celebrate. Their world was full of fireworks and fun. After Harry died, and stayed dead, it was nothing. People were in shock. They waited for news of the funeral; it was kept quiet that the body had disappeared.
The next day; the day after Boxing Day, the news was announced.
FUNERAL OF THE BOY WHO LIVED, THE WIZARDING SAVIOUR
The funeral of Harry James Potter will be held at Hogwarts tomorrow...
Upon reading this, multitudes of witches and wizards made their plans to get to the school. The remaining students watched as Ministry officials erected a temporary cover over the Quidditch pitch and cried. Harry, who lived. Died.
- PAGE BREAK -
Ginny woke up on the day of the funeral feeling nauseous. She was saying goodbye to her best friend… the one who she should have married. His body was gone. The emotion started to overwhelm her, and she vomited in her bed. She stared at the bile; it had been days since she had eaten properly.
"Ginny?" Molly called. "It is time to get up."
Ginny shook her head sadly, and still feeling nauseous shook her head and vanquished the vomit. She slowly got up, pulling on an old black dress and a black hat.
The other Weasley's were unusually quiet that morning. They offered sympathy to Ginny, but no one spoke. They took hold of the old muggle hoop (so many were coming to the funeral that the Ministry offered the use of portkeys for transport), and felt hooks grab them by the belly button. With a whirl they landed in a heap at the Hogwarts gates and walked to the Quidditch pitch.
Hundreds, perhaps thousands, of witches and wizards were gathered. It was as if there were more here than for Dumbledore's funeral. These witches and wizards, knowing the familial relationship between Harry and the Weasley's parted like the Red Sea, allowing them passage through.
They were given a position of honour, at the front in the covered stadium. The Weasley's were joined by McGonagall, Andromeda and Teddy Tonks and Hermione, with the DA sitting behind them. They sat silently while the crowd filed in, fighting the tears that were sure to come.
Under the grey clouds of the gloomy sky, Kingsley approached the podium and raised his hands. No one moved; the only sound was that of the wind. Even small children were quiet.
He swallowed and quietly said, "It is my extreme displeasure to start this ceremony today. Harry was a quiet, modest boy who would have hated this attention."
Kingsley paused as despite their grief, the crowds chuckled. The wizarding saviour had never been one for attention and had always hated his fame.
"He has done so much for us and our society. This poor boy never had a childhood; every year he was at school he fought Voldemort. His life was never his own… He gave everything for us."
Kingsley stepped aside, and said quietly "We will now hear testimonies."
An orderly line was formed of witches, wizards and other creatures wanting to tell what Harry had meant.
Tear began to fall as Ron and Hermione, as Harry's best friends began to speak.
"Harry… he was my first friend. He was so brave and smart; from the troll to the Basilisk and beyond. I would not be here without him," cried Hermione.
Ron, holding Hermione's hand continued, "He was my best friend. He was not perfect; he had quite the temper, but he was always better than me. Harry was my brother."
Molly struggled to speak, "He was my son. He was always my son and I hope he knew that."
She broke down into tears and was helped off the stage. McGonagall, being relatively close to Harry spoke next.
"He, like his father got into trouble a lot. Unlike his father, he never looked for it; it always seemed to find him. He was one of my favourites"
The long line of witches and wizards slowly became smaller as many offered their thoughts. Some merely wanted to express their thanks and gratitude towards the Wizarding Saviour while others had more personal anecdotes.
"He saved my life; if he had not taught us in the DA; the Death Eaters would have got all of us."
"He and his friends saved us from the Ministry that day," said a nervous Mary Cattermole.
Hours passed before the line was nothing. The Weasley's and Hermione, being Harry's closest family were the first to exit the stadium and followed the empty coffin towards the burial site. It was placed next to Dumbledore's tomb and was identical in natural.
The witches and wizards attending the funeral filed past the tomb one by one. Ginny stood and watched all of them, crying as she accepted their condolences.
The last one left. It had become too much. Arthur only just caught her in time as she fell, rushing her to the hospital wing.
- PAGE BREAK -
Ginny woke up on an unfamiliar bed and momentarily forgot. She looked around the room, confused. Her face fell as she saw the looks on her family's faces. She remembered. Harry was gone.
They shared yet another silent moment. The silence fell as Madame Pomfrey bustled into the room with an apprehensive look on her face.
Ginny said with worry in her voice, "Madame? What's wrong? You can say it in front of them!"
With a strangled voice, Madame Pomfrey said, "My dear… you are pregnant!"