Author's Note: I decided to continue with the theme of my earlier chapter. This was just something I had been tossing around for a while, and thanks for a lovely review, I decided to continue and actually post this! Slightly emotional, and I will definetly continue with more chapters (probably only a few). This isn't really AU, more of just a 'what if'. It starts out with Harry talking to all his 'ghosts'- right after using the Resurrection Stone.

He had resisted the urge to reveal himself to Ginny—Ron and Hermione would tell her, explain to her why, how he never wanted to leave her but he had no choice, really.

He had made it to the forest, remembered the Snitch that Dumbledore left him, known that all these people who died for him had now come to take him home.

"You'll stay with me? And no one will be able to see you?"

"Only if you want them to see us," Sirius answered.

Harry paused. "What do you mean?" he asked hesitantly, his numbness fading slightly.

"We're a part of you," his father answered seriously. "We are everywhere, and nowhere. The stone simply allows us to manifest ourselves to the holder. With the holder's magic, we are able to manifest ourselves to anyone else as well."

"Why do you ask, honey?" Lily asked, still smiling softly at her son. Harry looked back into his mother's green eyes, his mother that had been torn from his life so quickly, so cruelly. He had never been able to say goodbye, not to any of them, and to him that seemed the cruelest fate of all.

"I don't want to leave them like this, with no way to say goodbye," Harry said softly. "They deserve the chance to say goodbye." Somehow, saying goodbye to Ron and Hermione had aroused a hunger in him—he knew he couldn't go back, he knew he had to die, but he at least wanted them to know why, that it was all for them, that the Boy Who So Many Had Died For had finally stopped allowing others to sacrifice themselves to him.

"They won't think less of you for any of this, Harry," Remus said gently. "None of us blame you."

But still, Harry stood there, uncertainly gazing at the darkened forest. His surrounding family watched him silently, waiting for his decision. "I don't want to go alone," he managed to say hoarsely. "But I want you to tell them why, tell them I've died before they hear it from Voldemort. I want…" his voice trailed off as the numbness came back and he realized he would never want again after this…

"Remus and I will go," James said with a soft smile. "I always did want to see Hogwarts one last time."

"But Dad," Harry began, momentarily surprised that his father would be the one to go.

"I know you will do what is right," James pushed in, tears glistening on his ghostly pale face. "And I know Sirius is more of your father than I ever was, no matter how often I watched you, tried to guide you. And I know you love me Harry, but you deserve some time with your mother and Sirius, to make peace with yourself and them. "

Harry nodded, accepting his father's words for what they were. It was quite unfair, really, that he had never known his father. But it was just another cruelty courtesy of Voldemort.

James' semi-transparent hand brushed across Harry's cheek, and Remus joined his long lost friend in looking at Harry with a ghost of a smile.

"See you soon," Remus said, an echo of mischief in his eyes. Harry managed to summon a smile. "Goodbye Dad, Remus. I love you,"

As Harry walked away, his mother and godfather on either side of him, he reflected that it was the first time he had ever told anyone he loved them, though he loved everyone with a fierce ache in his chest that throbbed every step he took.

Please Review! I should finish the next 'chapter' soon, so I'll post as soon as possible!