Until Nineteen Years Later
By Sammy92
Author's note: This is my first fanfic, though I have read many, so please be gentle! If comments are encouraging, hopefully it will be the first of many. Warning to start: the first chapter will be relatively short and there will be a lack of action, since I am trying to stick to cannon as much as possible, and be realistic about what would happen. But the second chapter should be up soon so hopefully it will take up from there. Enjoy :)
Disclamer: No Copyright Infringement Intended. The genius JK owns everything - I own nothing.
Prologue
"That wand's more trouble than it's worth," said Harry. "And quite honestly," he turned away from the painted portaits, thinking now only of his four-poster bed lying waiting for him in Gryffindor Tower, and wandering whether Kreacher might bring him a sandwich there, "I've had enough trouble for a lifetime."
As the trio headed down the revolving staircase, Ron and Hermione laughed gently, still completely bemused by what had happened in the last few hours. But as they passed the gargoyle, they were reminded of the devastation they had left behind. The damage and the deaths hit Harry like a tidal wave and he looked around sadly at his two best friends. They returned understanding looks and Harry was content to walk up to Gryffindor tower, for the first time in almost a year, with his two best friends either side of him.
Travelling slowly due to the face that they were aching all over and the need for one of two detours, the trio walked in silence. Harry had never experienced anything so emotionally draining. And he slowly came to realise how tired he was: he had not slept since before he got up at six o'clock the previous morning, and he had slept very badly that night. It was crazy that it was only a little over twenty-four hours ago that he had been at Shell Cottage, waiting for six o'clock to come and for the plan to break into Gringotts. Harry thought, but his mind was working slowly. A small part of him felt jubilous and relieved, but most of all he felt a terrible sense of loss. Never had so many deaths hit him at the same time. Most importantly, he had lost Fred - who was no longer going to around to make people laugh - and Lupin and Tonks - who had just become parents. Was the fact that Teddy Lupin had become an orphan is fault? And then there was Snape: Harry's feelings about this man were very confused, but nevertheless he now recognised him as someone very brave.
When they climbed higher still, Harry saw and smelt the dust that was swirling around, particularly obvious in the morning sunlight that was streaming in through the windows. It was with relief that they reached the portrait of the fat lady, who was deep in conversation with her friend, Violet.
"Do I need a password?" Harry asked quietly, looking up helplessly at the Fat Lady.
"Given the cirucumstances, I think I'll let you off Mr Potter," she replied with a smile.
Like the headmaster's office, Gryffindor Common Room showed minimal signs of the devastation, though the air was perhaps a little more musty than usual. After a few moments, Harry used the gentlest voice he had ever used before when calling for his house-elf:
"Kreacher!"
As a prominent crack filled the room, Hermione gave Harry a slightly affronted look, but she relaxed quickly as Ron took her hand and led her towards a sofa near the empty fireplace.
Kreacher looked up at Harry with his bulging eyes, Regulus's locket still around his neck.
"What can Kreacher do for Master Potter?" Kreacher croaked.
"Look Kreacher," Harry said a little nervously, aware that Hermione was probably studying him, "I want you to be able to celebrate with everyone else, but I'm really hungry, and wouldn't mind a sandwich or something."
"Kreacher will single-handedly prepare Master Potter a feast," the elf said enthusiastically. "Kreacher will prepare soup and steak and kidney pie and treacle tart and..."
"No, no, no!" Harry interupted, hoping that calling Kreacher had been the right decision, "I'm very tired and just want a sandwich or something before I go to bed - and bring something for Ron and Hermione too, please."
The elf nodded, and disappeared with another crack.
Slowly, Harry went and sat down in his favourite armchair opposite Ron and Hermione, which, he had to admit, he had missed. It was Hermione who broke the silence.
"Well, I guess that you really have done it Harry. It's all over.
"We did it," Harry corrected her, noting that it was one of the few occasions where Harry was able to correct her.
"I know," Ron added, "I mean, what are we going to do with our time now?"
As they all stifled a laugh, another crack was heard, and Kreacher appeared laden with a plate of sandwiches and a jug of pumpkin juice.
"Thank-you Kreacher," Harry said quickly, jumping up to help the house-elf and put the food and drink on the table. "Now go and enjoy yourself with everybody else."
"You are very welcome, Master Potter." Kreacher replied, before making a cracking sound for the final time that day.
They ate in silence. It was weird in a way, that the three were saying nothing, since there was so much to say. Even though all they way through the adventure Harry had told his friends anything, there now seemed to be so much to say. There were other things to say, and although Harry had briefly given the story, there was more to discuss. Also, all three needed to express their emotions: the grief and the joy, and the bewilderment that everything was over. After a few sandwiches and a glass of pumpkin juice, Harry stood up slowly. Wandering what state his four-poster bed was in, Harry turned to his two best friends:
"There's so much more I need to say to you... and even more to others, but right now I just think I need to sleep." The other two nodded, and murmured something about also wanting some sleep. So he smiled, and turned to the boy's staircase, which he slowly heaved himself up. The boy's dormitory was surprisingly similar to how he had remembered it, though with the absence of many belongings. As he fell on to the bed (he had no clothes to change into) Harry wandered why they was so much to do when so much had been achieved in the last few hours. There were just a few people he really needed. Thinking about what was most important, Harry decided that his priority - whenever he woke up - would be to find Ginny. However, he was only awake for a few more moments before he fell to sleep.
A/N: Well, thanks for having the patience to read this far – I promise that the next chapter will be more eventful. Some reviews would be lovely. Thanks, Sammy.