It had rained without stopping since he died. It was like the world had been turned upside down, Ginny thought bitterly. Ever since the world's deadliest fear and its greatest hero had been cursed into oblivion by a single spell the rain had washed all the tears from her face, as neither would stop. She wondered if she remembered what a blue sky looked like, or if she would ever enjoy the sun again.
Ginny looked out the carriage window at Hogwarts castle looming across the grounds. She remembered the first time she saw it's many towers, sailing across the lake as a nervous first year. The castle windows had been blazing with light, emanating warmth and power. Now the castle was dark and lonely. It had been closed for the last year, after Dumbledore died and Harry had gone off to find Voldemort. Hogwarts would be opened again in September, now that peace had been restored. Ginny wondered if any of her classmates would return to finish their final year. She carefully placed a hand on her stomach. She wouldn't be going, certainly.
The carriage squelched to a stop in the muddy drive. Arthur Weasley slowly climbed out, helping his wife and daughter out as well. Ginny turned and saw her four brothers emerge from the carriage behind them. Her stomach knotted as they slowly shouldered a coffin onto their shoulders, adjusting the black cloth that protected it from the rain. All seven of the Weasleys slowly made their way towards the open castle doors, where a crowd of people was gathered. The funeral couldn't be outdoors, due to the persistently terrible weather. Ginny remembered Dumbledore's funeral, 13 months previously, with the lake shining under a faultless blue sky. Now it was turbid and disturbed, the sky an angry mass of black clouds. Instead, the procession moved through the doors and onwards into the Great Hall. The coffin was set on a platform in the center of the room, and the sea of black-clad people circled around it.
Fred nudged her and Ginny realized that it was time. Straightening her shoulders, she climbed the platform steps to stand next to the coffin. Slowly, she pulled the black shroud off the coffin, revealing the words:
Harry James Potter
The Chosen One
1980 – 1997
She traced a finger over the engraving, lingering on Potter. A name she could have carried, had he survived. Taking a deep, shuddering breath she turned to face the crowd.
"We are gathered here today to remember the life of Harry Potter. Though his life was short, it is more memorable that that of many wizards who have lived for a century. He lived for 10 years in the muggle world, not realizing his fame and significance. I was witness to the last 6 years of his life, the younger sister of his best friend Ron Weasley. From the first day I saw him at Kings Cross Station I developed a massive crush." she chuckled softly, and continued. "As he became closer to my family through my brother, I began to learn more about the person Harry was, rather than the famous Potter. He was an ordinary, athletic teenage boy, but with a past and future that separated him from all others.
No matter how frustrated or uncomfortable he became with his celebrity status, Harry never walked away what he thought was right. As he discovered more about his connection with Voldemort, he became more determined to avenge his parents' deaths. He also caught a glimpse of the harsh, cruel world that we lived in long before most of us. When he was 14, he was tortured by the Cruciatus Curse and saw Cedric Diggory die. He lost a beloved godfather at 15, and discovered the prophecy that made Voldemort mark him as an enemy. He was accused of cheating in the Triwizard Tournament and branded a liar by the Ministry of Magic. But he made it through, with the support of Ron and Hermione, and of course, Albus Dumbledore. When we began dating in his 6th year, I realized that his life was never going to be complete until he defeated Voldemort. He broke up with me because he didn't want to see another loved one die because of him. Defeating Voldemort was the mission accidentally chosen for him at birth, and one that he chose to follow through. And that was how he died, completing the mission that he devoted his short life to.
Harry James Potter had many names. The Boy Who Lived, The Chosen One, the Potter boy and occasionally, James's son, a name he wore with pride. He will be remembered for surviving the Avada Kedavra Curse, defeating the Heir of Slytherin, becoming Gryffindor's youngest seeker, winning the Triwizard Cup as an underage competitor, dueling in the Department of Mysteries, and killing the Dark Lord. But I will also remember him playing Quidditch in the back yard, dueling with a joke wand, and desperately trying to make his hair stay flat. Harry never had a chance to feel normal; he wouldn't want to be remembered for his star status. It was Harry's heart that made his life so special and he will be greatly missed by all of us." Ginny finally let the tears course down her cheeks and she pressed a kiss to the coffin lid. She stumbled off the platform and into her mother's arms, where she sobbed through the rest of the ceremony. Her hands found her stomach where she hid the last of the Potter line.