Chapter 4

After what felt like hours, Harry started becoming aware of his surroundings as he sat splay legged on the ground in front of Dumbledores monument. His eyes were burning from the crying, as if they were angry for their betrayal by succumbing to his grief. He glanced around again noting that the twilight had just passed. The lights in the Castle flickering through the now repaired windows and various fairy lights around the foot paths.

Thinking back on his mentor.

"There is a room in the Department of Mysteries that is kept locked at all times. It contains a force that is at once more wonderful and more terrible than death, than human intelligence, than the forces of nature. It is also, perhaps, the most mysterious of the many subjects for study that reside there. It is the power held within that room that you possess in such quantities and which Voldemort has not at all." Dumbledore had told him.

Love was the greatest magic of all. But it was also the most powerful.

My mothers love for me is what kept me alive as a baby. Protected me. My love for my friends that brought me back now. Love is what caused all these people to fight against the evil of the world.

But love is what caused these people to die.

To give up their lives.

Love can bring people together like no other magic…. But it can tear families apart. Loving hurts too much.

During these thoughts Harry was so torn up by grief for those people lost, he didn't hear the footsteps of someone coming up behind him. It showed at how focused he was in his musings that he didn't react at all when he felt the hand land on his shoulder.

"You alright Harry?" Arthur Weasley asked as he rested his hand on Harrys shoulder and sank down next him awkwardly.

Harry glanced up into the face of his best mates father. Noting the drawn haggard expression on his face and the sorrow in his eyes

"I'm fine" Harry muttered looking back down at his feet

Arthur chuckled humorously, "Hermione said you'd say that"

"Do you want to talk about what happened in the Great Hall with Ginny?"

"Where are Ron and Hermione?" Harry asked instead trying to hold back the pain that was roaring through his chest again where his heart was, while looking everywhere but at Arthur.

"They wanted to come after you but I asked them to give you some time. You, Harry, have lost more than anyone because of this war. You need time to heal now. The war is over."

Harry could hear the sincerity in Arthurs voice. He could imagine what it would be like if it was his own father who could have been sitting with him comforting him after the war.

"Ginny wouldn't even talk to. Wouldn't let me explain. I missed her so much." Harry lowered his head as he admitted to Ginnys father. Arthur gently laid his hand back on Harrys shouldered and gave it a squeeze.

"She has been through a lot, Harry. The last year was hard on her. Molly and I don't even know all of what happened in this Castle last year but if half of what we heard is true, then things were too terrible. You forget she is my daughter Harry. It's my job to keep her safe. I can't change that now. We can only work towards what's in front of us. Give Ginny some time. She has been through a lot. We all have. I know she still likes you Harry. She will come around."

Harry heard the words, but didn't feel all that much better. He just felt tired.

"What do I do now?" Harry asked trying to sort through his thoughts. Harry walked into the forest never expecting to ever walk back out. Now that it was all over, he had a future. He had never planned for a future.

"Well Harry. First, we need to go have some dinner so that Molly can see you're ok. She sees you like her son, Harry. She worries about you. Then tomorrow we will go back to the Burrow. Minister Shacklbolt has sent over some Aurors to check on the wards, and all seems well. You will come stay with us. We will have our time of mourning together, as a family - Yes Harry, you are our family in all but blood," Arthur said overriding the objections before they were out of Harrys mouth.

"We will have funerals, and then we will be strong for each other. We will live. That is what we were fighting for. That is what Fred was fighting for. So that we could all be free…" Arthurs voice was cracking and a single tear slid down his cheek as he mentioned his sons name.

That was the first time Harry had ever seen the patriarch show any sign of grief or weakness.

Harry could feel the love this man, was showing him. The sorrow and compassion. He couldn't help but feel slightly better.

"Come on Harry. Let's go eat before dinner is over."

"Ok, Mr. Weasley" They both stood up and Arthur gave him a one armed hug.

"The pain will go away Harry. You need to be patient with yourself."

"Mr. Weasley? Before we go, can you help me with something?" Harry asked quietly while looking back at the crack in the monument before him.

"Anything, Harry." Arthur said looking curiously at the young man in front of him.

"I want to put Dumbledores wand back. Can you help me? I don't anyone to be able to get to it again." Harry asked as he removed the Elder wand from his moleskin pouch.

"That's the Elder wand Harry? Are you sure you don't want to keep it?" Arthur asked, looking nervously at the legendary wand in Harrys fingers.

"It's too powerful for any one person to have, Mr. Weasley. I'm happy with my old wand."

"Well then, let's see what we can do then shall we. You put it back and we can seal it together."

Harry looked into the crack in the monument. Saw the place where Dumbledores hands were, and slid the wand into his mentor's fingers. Taking a step back Harry took out his own Holly wand, feeling the comforting power flowing through his fingers, just like it did when he first bought it all those years ago.

"Right Harry, the spell is, Insinium pheonoria, got it? Ok together..."

They both lifted their wands to the white tomb. Made the incantation together and saw golden flames envelope the White tomb, there was a loud crack and the tomb sealed itself again. No mark to show where it had been previously damaged. Once the flames had died down, there was a soft blue light depicting a number of runes all around the base of the tomb, before they too faded out.

After a few minutes of silence they both turned and made their way to the Great Hall.