Warning: This chapter contains mature themes, and sexual situations. Thus, the reason for the M rating. If you don't want to read something or find it offensive, please just skip over the area of the chapter that I have marked…
Chapter 7: The Mentor & Fred's Funeral
The week started rather slowly in Harry's opinion. He spent most of his time avoiding people that were blatantly calling out to him in the hope of speaking with "The Famous Harry Potter." Harry had used every skill that he remembered to avoid detection yet the onslaught of well-wishers just couldn't understand that he wanted to be left alone.
Harry knew that this was going to be a busy weekend. He was heading to the Burrow tomorrow to prepare for Fred's funeral on Thursday, then he was off on Friday to attend Colin Creevey's funeral, Saturday was dedicated solely to Remus and Tonks, and the final funeral that he would be attending was Severus Snape's.
He was still doing his best to avoid being alone with Ginny but it wasn't really that hard for him because it seemed like Ginny had the same agenda where he was concerned. Harry hoped that one day she would be able to forgive him and move on, be happy and the strong woman that he knew she could become, just like Molly.
Tuesday night found Harry wandering the passageways of Hogwarts attempting to remember every single memory that he had made within these walls. Harry loved Hogwarts, it was his first home and it held a special place in his heart. He also loved Hermione and Ron but he knew that things had changed, that they all had changed. They were no longer a cohesive unit, "The Golden Trio" as some called them, they were separated Harry and Ron/Hermione.
Harry was happy for his friends, they were able to help each other through the hard times that the Trio had endured and in a way, he was envious. Envious of finding the person that would always be there for you and could help you when you didn't even know that you needed it. Harry climbed to the top of the Astronomy Tower and sat on the balcony, overlooking the grounds and admiring the beauty of the life surrounding the castle.
A deep breath escaped from his lips as he sat there contemplating his life and everything he had dealt with. Being hunted by Voldemort for so long had become entrenched into his being and without it, Harry had no idea who he was anymore. This burden made him long for a sense of purpose and in reality, he honestly had no idea what to do or how to even approach the topic of figuring it out.
"I thought that I would find you up here," Headmistress McGonagall said. Harry was startled out of his reverie and turned to pay attention to her, respect and admiration apparent on his face as he smiled at her.
"You're probably the only person who cares where I have been off too lately. Well-wishers don't really care, they just want to say that they have met "The Great Harry Potter" and the Weasley's are all consumed by grief over Fred. Ron and Hermione have become attached at the hip and I… I just need to figure out who I am and what will become of me I guess…" Harry's voice trailed off into a stony silence.
"Harry, I once made a promise that I would help you become an Auror if that is what you wished to do. Now, I know that there is far more important things going on in your head and there are things that only time will heal. If you ever need anything, please let me know. I will always be here to help you Harry. I keep my promises."
"Professor McGonagall, will you please tell me about my family? All that people tell me is that I look like my father and that I have my mother's eyes… What were they like? And Sirius and Remus… and Dumbledore?" Harry's eyes pleaded to his Headmistress.
"First off Harry, call me Minerva. You have already surpassed the age of calling me your Headmistress or your Professor, now if you will allow it I would be thrilled to be considered your mentor… That is, if you are interested."
Harry quickly jumped off of the balcony that he sat on and eagerly walked up to Minerva, consuming her in a lovingly yet tight hug. "I would love that… Minerva."
She smiled and walked over to the balcony where Harry had been sitting mere moments before and preceded to sit and beckoned for Harry to come and join her. Minerva started off by telling Harry of when his parents were in school and a couple of the adventures of the Marauders, keeping them both up on the Astronomy Tower late into the night.
Harry and Minerva walked back to the Gryffindor tower both filled with mirth. Although it was extremely late, they were both overjoyed at the stories that Minerva had been telling Harry about his parents and their friends. The wrinkle lines on Minerva's face were very distinct to someone who would have been paying attention but they didn't run into anybody in the halls.
"I look forward to hearing more," said Harry. "Thank you so much for everything Minerva, it means so much to me and I hope that it helps you as much as it does me. We will definitely have to do this again sometime!"
Minerva smiled as she watched Harry climb through the portrait hole into Gryffindor Tower. She shook her head, turned to walk down to her office and realized that it was definitely helpful to talk about the people that she missed so much, maybe even a little therapeutic.
********************* If you want to skip the sexual content, do not read this section, skip until you see where I tell you to continue***********************
"Wake up, Harry" Ron said as he shook Harry awake before handing him his glasses. "We are heading to the Burrow in the next hour and mom sent me up here to make sure that you were ready. It's a good thing too, she would have been outraged if we were not all ready to go."
"I'll be down in a couple of minutes, I just need to jump in the shower. I'll see you downstairs," Harry said as he grabbed some clothes out of his dresser and turned around beginning to make his way to the bathroom.
Harry walked into the bathroom and stood staring at his reflection. He smiled to himself, remembering the stories that Minerva had told him the night before and looking forward to hearing more tales of his parents and their friends. Harry sighed, worried about the tension that would be at the Burrow but accepted that it would only be for two days or so.
He strode over to the shower and turned it on using his hand to gauge the temperature of the water before stripping down and bounding into the warm water. Harry started by washing his unruly and unkempt hair then worked his way down his lean torso. He washed his legs, his groin and his backside, then just stood enjoying the feeling of the water caressing his naked body.
Harry was very stressed about everything that was happening in his life and he needed release. He had discovered a few years before the enjoyment that he could create for himself by masturbating and although he enjoyed it immensely, he was a little too busy fearing for his life to be concerned with sexual tension and release. But now, it appeared to be the only way to release the tension that was building in his body and he craved it.
He had slowly started stroking himself, feeling his shaft harden in his hand as he grew excited, thinking about what it would feel like to be with a woman. Harry had never had sex before and had really only kissed two girls, he had felt the curves of Ginny's body but that was as far as he had ever gotten.
Harry thought about what it would feel like to thrust into a woman, what it would feel like to caress a woman's body with his fingertips, and what her skin would taste like on the tip of his tongue. As his thoughts went deeper and deeper into what he wished he could be doing to a woman, he felt his body stiffening and ultimately he felt release.
********************* If you skipped the sexual content, continue reading here***********************
Harry walked down the staircase and was greeted by the Weasley family, well almost all of the Weasley's. He saw that Ginny still refused to look at him and it really hurt him but he knew that he had made the right decision and he was going to stand by it.
"Are we all ready to go?" said Arthur.
The group collaboratively said, "Yes" and they all departed Gryffindor Tower and made their way out of the castle and down the grounds to the castle gate before disapperating and standing in front of the Burrow.
The Burrow had definitely seen better days. It appeared that the Death Eater's had visited the Burrow in an attempt to find Harry, Ron and Hermione's whereabouts the previous year and had wreaked havoc on the structure before them. Bill, Charlie, Percy and Arthur had returned daily over the previous week to get the Burrow ward's back into place and to help fix the Burrow back to its former glory.
The group slowly walked into the sitting room of the Burrow, taking in the damage that was still able to be seen and wondering what exactly had happened. There was a quiet contemplative air permeating the room and the only thing that could be heard were the sobs of Molly and Ginny doing her best to comfort her mother.
The silence became increasingly more awkward as the group began to slowly disband. Bill, Charlie and Percy slowly walked outside and Harry could see them beginning to clean the yard of the Burrow. Arthur grasped Molly's hand and led her upstairs to rest. Harry turned his head and saw Ron and Hermione starting to climb the steps up to Ron's old room. The only people that were left in the room were Ginny, George and Harry now.
"I think I will go see if Bill, Charlie and Percy need any help out in the yard," Harry said to no one in particular. George definitely wasn't paying attention to what anyone else was doing, he had a very far off look upon his face and Harry really hoped that one day he would be okay, back to his entertaining self. Ginny just fixed him with a very angry glare and watched him walk out of the front door.
"Hey guys, need any help?" Harry offered.
The three brothers stopped to look up at Harry just long enough for him to realize that they had been having a rather deep conversation and it appeared by the way that they were looking at him that it was in all probability about him. Bill nodded as Harry approached and the others simply kept stone cold facial expressions. "Did I do something to upset you guys? I can tell something is up… What's going on?
"You hurt our little sister!" Charlie and Percy said in unison. Charlie continued, "Just because you saved the Wizarding World doesn't give you the right to treat people like they don't matter… I can't believe that you broke up with her again!"
Bill cleared his throat before he said, "If you two would have let me FINISH what I was telling you, I was just about to finish the rest of my story… But apparently, it's perfectly acceptable to be outrageous and spiteful when you don't have the full story. I guess you don't want me to finish, do you?"
Charlie and Percy looked at Bill uneasily. Neither wished to stand up to Bill, they both had been on the receiving end of Bill's spells and neither wished for a repeat experience. Once was definitely enough. Percy coughed out an answer, attempting to contain his outrage at the way his brother was speaking to them, "Fine! Finish your story and then we'll decide what to do with HIM," he spat.
"Harry told Ginny that neither of them was ready for a serious relationship, they both needed time to heal after everything that they have both been through. Harry didn't even expect to live. Could you honestly say that if you were in his position you would jump into a relationship after you've just lost your entire reason for living? His life was spent defending the world from Voldemort and now that he has, he needs a break. He needs to figure out how to live. Can you tell me that you both wish terrible things for the person that just saved all of us?"
Charlie's face calmed back to a relatively normal shade, that is for a Weasley and he quietly walked up to Harry. He gave Harry a curious look and offered him his hand. Harry shook it. "I am sorry Harry, it's just hard with everything the family is going through right now… Fred… and Ginny's reaction to everything especially about you… It's just terrible timing and I reacted awfully. I hope that you'll be able to forgive me."
"Don't worry about it Charlie. I understand all of the Weasley's brother's reaction to finding out that someone hurt their sister, I kind of came to expect some sort of backlash I guess. I really am sorry for hurting her but I believe that we need some time to adjust before throwing ourselves into something that can have such an astounding impact on both of our futures." Harry finished.
Percy however was not swayed by Bill's story and continued to appear as pompous as usual. There was absolutely no sign of him approaching Harry or even attempting to say anything. He just continued to give Harry a glance of indifference before Bill and Charlie both turned to him.
"Earth to Percy!" Bill and Charlie said together.
"Percy… I am only going to say this once and you better listen," Bill said seriously, "Harry saved all of us. He saved every chance that each and every one of us has at attempting to have a happy and normal life. You just came back to the family and we're already having a hard time trying to forgive you but Harry never left. He never said the terrible things that you have about our family and if you have any sense, any at all you are going to do your utmost to apologize to him. Otherwise, attempting to work your way back into this family's good graces is going to be rather difficult!"
A variety of emotions fluttered across Percy's face before he made his decision. "Fine," he said to Bill. He slowly approached Harry and stuck out his hand, "I am sorry for my earlier behavior, I don't know what to say to you. After all that I've done and all that I've said about you… Will you ever be able to forgive me?"
Harry thought long and hard before he answered Percy. "Percy, I know that I have never been one of your favorite people and I have been constantly insulted by you and those you were so ardently standing next to when Voldemort returned. I don't know if I will ever be able to forgive you but in all honestly for the good of the family, I will try." Harry hung his head as he slowly walked away from the three brothers, maybe a little solitude would help him pull himself back together.
Wednesday went by extremely slowly for Harry. He did his best to avoid the Weasley's as they prepared for Fred's funeral. He saw different members of the family throughout the day but everybody was lost in their own reverie and there was really nothing that he could do to make the air of depression that flowed freely throughout the Burrow dissipate.
Harry went to be early Wednesday and hoped that he could hold himself together for Fred's funeral tomorrow.
He descended the stairs and upon reaching the kitchen table looked up with a very solemn face into Molly Weasley's face. It was obvious that she hadn't slept very much, if at all over the night and there was a look on her face that Harry couldn't describe even if he would have tried too.
Harry just walked around the table and gave Molly the biggest hug that he could muster. "I am so sorry about Fred, Mrs. Weasley. Is there anything that I can do to help today?"
"Could you please go help the boys set up the seats outside? There are supposed to be about 50 people showing up in the next two to three hours. Thank you, Harry." Molly said as she turned her attention to the window.
Harry walked outside and along the path that had been set up the day before to the orchard overlooking the Burrow. All of the male Weasley's were setting up chairs and Harry joined them making sure to still be near the crowd but far enough away to maintain an acceptable distance.
Finally the time was upon them, people started showing up, walking up the hill and taking places in the newly set up chairs. Hermione walked up to Harry and slipped her hand into his, "The family is all sitting in the front row, come on, you can sit next to me. That way, it won't be as tense."
After taking his seat next to Hermione, Harry focused on everything that he could remember about Fred. He didn't know if he was supposed to say anything or if he was just supposed to sit here and commemorate the ideals that Fred had fought so valiantly for. As the minister presiding over the burial took his place, Harry got lost in his own thoughts.
It seemed like an eternity before the people started standing up and abandoning the chairs. Harry followed the crowd down to a row of tents that had been set up, similarly to Bill and Fleur's wedding, and took a seat at the furthermost right table before attempting to go unnoticed.
Harry heard person after person get up to tell stories about how Fred had made an impact on their life. He was on the verge of tears and didn't know how much longer he could handle everything. It seemed like the walls were closing in on him and he was fighting to catch his breath, he was overwhelmed and had no idea how he could handle it. He glanced around the room and saw the couples laughing and sitting together hand in hand.
Harry was surrounded by people that were happy and had figured out a way to attempt to move on past all of the terrible things that had happened in the last 8 years or so. He didn't understand how they could be happy but then again, they had never and will hopefully never have to go through the things that he did. With a sad last glance back to his best friends, Harry walked out of the tent and disappeared.