Harry was walking through a hallway, a hallway that he had been through so many times before. As he got to the end he saw it, the Entrance Hall of Hogwarts castle. There were people crying over the dead and paying their last respects around him. Then out of nowhere, he heard a loud cackling laugh and a whip crack, and suddenly he was blinded by a flash of green light –

Harry awoke with a start in his four-poster bed in Gryffindor tower, reaching over to the bed side table to find his wand. After he located it he quickly sat up and scanned the half-lit dormitory to find any sign of danger. When he realised that his worry was needless, he put his wand back on the table next to the remaining part of the sandwich that Kreacher had brought up to him the previous night. He lay down on his bed trying to get the sleep he needed. He had only had a fretful sleep before, one littered with flashes of the fight, and of all the people who had fallen earlier that day. In what seemed like only moments ago he had defeated Lord Voldemort and his Death Eaters in a bloody and crazy battle.

"What's wrong, 'Arry?" said Ron in a groggy and dazed voice, sitting up on his bed and looking at Harry. Ron had apparently heard him searching for his wand

"It's nothing, Ron, go back to sleep," replied Harry with his thoughts once again trailing off to all the people who died in what had seemed like an un-winnable battle.

His thoughts went to Tonks and Lupin, newly weds who died fighting side by side, and Colin Creevey, who had come back to fight, but he just…just couldn't. He also thought of Fred Weasley who died with a smile on his face, laughing with Percy, sharing that final glorious moment together. Then his thoughts drifted to Ginny, the only person Harry could think of who would be able to comfort him. It had pained Harry to see her fight for hours for her life, against the Death Eaters, but she was strong and Harry longed to see her and to hold her in his arms one more time.

"Are you sure you're all right, Harry?" said Ron, looking at Harry, who had been staring into nothingness.

"Yeah, I'm fine… I'm going to go downstairs and walk around for a bit," said Harry, hoping to catch Ginny somewhere along the way.

Harry stood up and quickly walked over to the stairwell that led to the Gryffindor common room. He was so preoccupied that he almost walked into the big hole in the stairwell which looked like it might have been caused by a giant. When he got to the common room, it looked nothing like what he had been used to; the portraits were all burnt and the people inside them gone, and instead of windows there were huge holes where the wind gusted in, making the room uncommonly cold. The amazing thing about it all was that it seemed the castle was repairing itself; bricks were appearing out of nowhere and there was a floating spade that was putting concrete on the bricks, which then floated into place.

"Harry?" came a quiet voice from the stairs which lead to the girls' dormitory.

"Oh, hi Hermione," Harry replied, try to hide the disappointment in his voice. He had hoped that it would be Ginny.

"I thought you were in bed getting some well-earned sleep, Harry. God knows you need it the most," she said softly, wiping her eyes every so often. It was obvious that she had been crying. "McGonagall would skin you alive if she found out you weren't sleeping, after all you did last night."

"I can't sleep anymore," said Harry honestly.

"Oh," replied Hermione, sighing and looking at the floor. "Neither can I, not after…" she trailed off, her eyes shining with newly-formed tears. "Oh and Harry … do you know where Ron is?" asked Hermione, not lifting her eyes.

"Yeah," answered Harry. "He's in the boys' dormitory, still sleeping I think."

"Oh," she replied hastily in a sad voice. It seemed that Harry wasn't the only person at Hogwarts who wanted to have someone else's company.

"Look, if you need me I'll be in the um…Great Hall helping out a bit," said Harry, just wanting to get out of the common room.

As Harry walked down to the Great Hall he walked past an area through which it looked like a hurricane had blown through. Death Eaters still littered the castle, lying down like they were asleep, but Harry knew otherwise. While he was walking, he recognised some of the faces of the Death Eaters. One of them was Bellatrix Lestrange, the reason that Teddy Lupin would never know his parents.

He looked at all the Death Eaters and wondered what had made them kill all those people and leave their families with grief. A part of Harry wanted to burn all the Death Eaters' bodies, but Harry knew that was wrong.

Dumbledore wouldn't do that, Harry thought, Dumbledore would've wanted him to forgive them.

By the time Harry arrived at his destination, he was in utter amazement at all the damage done to it. Banners and drapes were ripped up and still burning, the staff table was broken in two, some of the glass windows were shattered and the roof was no longer bewitched to look like the night sky. As he looked around he saw people still doing the most gruelling and depressing task of all – collecting the dead bodies that littered the castle and carrying them into the Great Hall. Harry also realised that they weren't using magic; the fallen deserved respect, the kind you couldn't show with effortless wand-waving.

"Harry!" called a loud voice from within the hall.

Harry turned around to see Ginny making her way towards him.

"Ginny!" Harry replied in a barely audible whisper.

Then Ginny ran to Harry, arms outstretched. Harry hugged Ginny with all the energy he had left. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be resting, Ginny?" said Harry in a parent-like voice.

"You sound like Mum… well actually you don't sound like her right now. She's more crying than talking."

When Harry looked down into Ginny's face, he saw that it wasn't as bright as usual. Then he remembered that her losses were as great as anyone else's. He felt really stupid for forgetting that.

"How are you feeling?" asked Harry softly as he stared into her brown eyes.

"You really want to know?" she asked. Harry nodded.

"I – I feel horrible," she gasped. She paused, apparently trying to recompose herself. Suddenly, she took a deep breath. "I always thought that it would be nice to have fewer brothers around –"

Harry was disturbed by the shakiness of her voice.

"– but now – oh gosh, I've been so stupid – how could I ever think – "

Her words were coming out in sobs now, and before long, her whole body was wracking with unspoken grief. Harry pulled her close and stroked her hair, trying to sooth her.

"Shh… It's OK; it'll all be OK…"

But he knew it wouldn't. After all, he hadn't forgot what it was like to lose someone, had he?

Ginny lifted her head to look at him. Her bloodshot eyes darted to what appeared to be his shoulder.

"Potter? What are you doing down here?"

Professor McGonagall was walking briskly down the stairs towards them. Her hair was once more in a tight bun, albeit one that looked like it had been arranged hastily. She looked tired, but apart from the singed robes, she seemed otherwise unscathed.

"Professor," he said, "I wanted to help with – well, with repairing the castle. Is there anything I can do?"

Professor McGonagall's usually stern and hard gaze softened as she looked at him. "Harry," she said, and Harry at once noted the use of his first name, "that is very noble of you, but you do need your rest. I think you've done quiteenough."

Harry tried not to argue. It was maddening how everyone seemed to not want him to help. He was sick of being treated the hero. Dumbledore would've understood; he would have realised that Harry wanted to help and might've let him.

Then it struck him; Dumbledore, the reason why Harry was here today and the reason the final battle was at Hogwarts. Harry wanted to see the portrait of Dumbledore, after only having a quick conversation at 'King's Cross' earlier that night. He felt there was more to talk about, and Dumbledore was the only person who would be able to explain things to him.

"I think I want to talk to Dumbledore's portrait," said Harry suddenly, looking out a window into the semi-darkness.

Professor McGonagall sighed. "OK, if you wish to. You'll find that the gargoyle which stands at the Headmaster'soffice has been greatly damaged, so you may enter without a password."

"Thanks," replied Harry. He turned to Ginny and squeezed her hand gently.

"I'll be back."

He set off on a brisk walk to the office where he would finally have a chance to talk to the great wizard one-on-one. Without Ron and Hermione, and hopefully, without the rest of the portraits listening.

When Harry got to the gargoyle outside the office he once again found it lopsided and looking a bit drunk. Harry didn't even bother asking if he could enter. He stepped around the gargoyle, climbed the stairs and entered the office. It was submergedin total darkness, so he flicked his wand at a nearby candle stand, from which a sudden orange flame was lit. As the fire illuminated the room he saw that all the past Headmasters and Headmistresses looked as though they were asleep once again. Only one had opened his eyes to see the newcomer. As Harry looked at the portrait of the awoken occupant, he saw a smile.

"Ah, Harry."