Chapter eleven

Harry, Hermione, Ron and Ginny made their way back to Harry's place. The moment they stepped inside, Harry poured himself a large drink, downing the whole thing, then rubbed his head again.

'You didn't need to come, I…I was fine.'

'Yeah, fine, we saw how fine you were Harry. Why did you do that?' Ron asked.

'I've told everyone enough, no one is going to die because of me, not anymore. This time, that spell was going straight at Oscar while he was concentrating on the others. They planned it, made sure he was too busy to see it coming.'

'I figured that after it happened, but you still shouldn't have done it Harry,' Oscar said walking over to him, grabbed his arm and yanked him around, 'How do you think that makes me feel, knowing you were going to die for me? I've come to care about you and think of you as a friend. You shouldn't have done it. But I figured something out, you've got a death wish, haven't you? I've seen it before.'

Harry glared then yanked his arm back, before pouring another drink, but kept his back to everyone.

'That answered my question, which is what Kingsley and I thought, so two of us are on you from now on.'

'Forget it, I've had it, I really have. I can't go through watching someone else I care about die. So I got you a going away present,' Harry waved his hand and one of the brooms landed in it, then he threw it to Oscar, 'Have fun,' Harry stepped outside and sat down staring down at the garden.

Oscar growling in frustration, 'I don't know what to do with him, I really don't.'

'Let me talk to him,' Ginny got up and walked outside and sat on Harry's lap, 'Are you trying to die Harry?'

Harry never moved for a few seconds then looked up, 'I don't know, all I know is I'm making sure others don't die because of me. Are you sure you want to stick with me? By the time there through I'll look like Mad-Eye.'

'You'll always look gorgeous to me Potter, it's your mind that's driving me crazy. So I've been doing some thinking. If you have a death wish, that means you aren't trying to see if we can work. So I'm throwing out everything you asked me, I'm going to let it be known you're my boyfriend, whether you admit it or not because if I lose you, I've got nothing left to live for.'

'That's no funny Ginny. But I know you, you wouldn't do that to your parents,' Harry made Ginny move and walked back inside, 'So stop talking like that, it won't work,' he poured himself another drink before he faced Ginny, 'I'm not deliberately going out there to die you know, but I won't let anyone else die…die for me. They want me, so sooner or later I either get caught or I'm dead. I don't know why I bother fighting sometimes, my life has been so fucked up since the night he destroyed that room upstairs,' Harry slowly walked up the stairs, unsealed the room and stepped inside staring around, 'It all changed when this happened,' Harry said when he heard the others behind him, 'First, the Dursley's and their abuse, then Voldemort and his death eaters, Sirius, god I wish he was here. Why didn't I work out we were connected before that night,' Harry knelt down in the middle of the room, laying his hands on the spot his mother died, 'He never should have died and it was my fault.'

'Don't start that again Harry, you didn't know about it, if anyone is to blame, Dumbledore should be for not telling you sooner,' Ron said as he watched Harry.

'What did you mean when you said the Dursley's and their abuse?' Hermione asked but noticed Harry stiffen.

'Nothing,' Harry stood up and stepped over to the cot, 'You…you can see all the blood from when my head got cut. Now look at me though, got so many scars all over me I look like a street map. How can anyone live this life, always in danger, always getting hurt, it's a fucked up life.'

'You really need to get over all this Harry, Voldemort is dead, you killed him,' Ron said.

'Get over this. Tell me how to do that Ron? Go on, part some wisdom onto me.'

'Fine I will, but first though, are you trying to die or are you just trying to stop everyone else dying?'

'I said before, I'm not deliberately going out there to die. Blimey Ron, I wish I could have a nice, normal and danger free life. That's never going to happen, but I'm not going to let anyone, including Oscar and his friends risk themselves for me. I…I think if that happened, if anyone died because they were trying to help me, I'll end up in the mind damaged ward at St Mungo's because I would have finally cracked. I already feel like I'm going that way.'

'If you're serious, than I have an idea how you can have that normal life plus give Oscar and the rest of the aurors a chance to catch the death eaters.'

Harry listened to Ron's idea, he saw Oscar, Hermione and Ginny all smile and he had to admit it himself, it just might work. He wasn't sure if he could take the chance, but he decided to listen to their plans without saying anything then thought he might as well try, see if this would work and he could have a normal life one day.

A couple of days later, Harry sat in his living room, staring at the pictures of his parents and himself up on the mantel.

'Oscar, I want to head out for a while. I've been thinking of setting up a potions room, so I need some ingredients and another cauldron.'

'Alright, just be prepared, every time we go out, we get attacked. But I'm warning you now Harry, do not try to save my life again or I might never forgive you.'

'I said I won't let anyone die for me, so you just keep an eye out for an ambush,' Harry nodded, then the two of them left.

Harry, with Oscar beside him, walked up Diagon Alley until they came to the apothecary. He bought a few new potion books, a new cauldron and a lot of ingredients. He sent everything back to the house and every time Harry used that spell, he had to thank Dumbledore for showing him how to do it.

Oscar and Harry stepped back out into Diagon Alley and walked slowly down the lane. The place was packed with people going about their business now it was safe. A lot of the people all smiled at Harry or said thank you as he passed them. Harry gave everyone a smile, but he still hated being thanked. When they got down near the ice-cream parlour, Oscar got a shiver and just as he was looking around, a spell hit Harry in the back, dropping him to the ground. Oscar quickly stunned and disarmed the attacker, then bound him before sending his patronus off. He knelt next to Harry as people all ran over and stood staring down at Harry Potter.

'Harry, come on mate,' Oscar tapped Harry's face, 'Don't do this, not now, not after everything,' Oscar kept tapping his face as people all around started to voice what had happened, Harry Potter was dead.

Kingsley and the aurors ran up, 'What happened this time Oscar?'

'He got hit in the back before I knew what was happening,' Oscar kept tapping Harry's face, 'Harry, please, you can't do this, not now.'

'Simon, take Oscar home, Marcus, you and David deal with the death eater.' Kingsley knelt down next to Harry's body, then took his cloak off and covered him up, 'Goodbye Harry, I'm so sorry, we tried everything to save you. You're going to get a hero's send off my friend.' Kingsley sniffed and wiped a tear from his face. He levitated Harry, put his hand around Harry's arm and moved off down though the crowd until they got to the Leaky Cauldron, then he apparated away.

Word spread quickly about what had taken place at Diagon Alley. Papers and magazines were all running extra copies to tell the story about Harry Potter. Anyone that knew Harry personally all turned up at the Ministry of Magic demanding to see the Minister. The aurors kept all Harry Potter's friends in the atrium, but sent word to the Minister for Magic who came down a few minutes later.

'Kingsley, please, tell me it's not true,' Ginny said as Ron kept a tight hold on her.

'I'm sorry Ginny, just know he did love you very much. He told me yesterday when I spoke to him that he had finally found the woman who he would spend the rest of his life with.' Ginny collapsed in loud sobs as Ron and Neville knelt beside her, 'Oscar Brimbly went to Harry's home and found his will. He asked that I take care of his funeral as he didn't want that put on his friends or the Weasley family who Harry considered his family.'

'Can we see him Kingsley?' Hermione asked as tears were falling down her face.

'I can't let everyone, so this is what I'll do, Ginny, you chose ten of Harry's closest friends and you can come in and see him.'

Ginny was helped up by Ron and Neville, 'Well, me as I was Harry's girlfriend, Ron and Hermione of course, Neville, Luna, Seamus, Dean, Cho, Katie and Angelina. I know there's a lot more, but that's ten.'

'Marcus, escort those ten to the room please,' Kingsley said then waited till they left the atrium, 'Harry Potter's funeral will be the day after tomorrow.'

'He is being buried near his parents, isn't he Minister?' a young woman at the back called.

'Yes, it's the place I know Harry would want to be buried. Now I should get back to the preparations. Harry Potter was a hero, he will be missed by everyone that knew him, but today is a dark day in our history,' Kingsley turned and walked away, heading back to his office to work out the funeral of the wizarding worlds saviour.

The ten that were taken to the room where Harry Potter's body was lying on a table under a cloak, all stood there staring. But it was Ginny that moved closer and pulled the cloak off Harry's face, then broke down in tears as she fell over his body. Neville stepped up beside her and put his hand on Ginny's shoulder, but stared down into Harry's lifeless face. Then he just couldn't resist, so he put his hand under Harry's nose, trying to feel air, hoping he was alive like last time, but he felt nothing.

'Oh god, he really is dead,' Neville said as he wiped tears from his face.

'I was watching you do that Neville, hoping you felt something. I admit, I was too scared to do it,' Ron said in a hoarse voice as he stared at his friend.

'I couldn't help hoping, but Harry is finally at peace and with his angels. But I know him, he will be watching over us, all of us like he has done for years.'

Ginny stood up and hugged Neville, 'Yes, he will Neville, because that's Harry Potter. He always wanted to help and protect everyone, not just his friends. So we have to make sure we give him a good send off. I'm going to have mum organise for everyone to head to the Burrow after his funeral. I know Harry wouldn't want us to be crying and upset. He made our world safer, so let's honour him with funny or embarrassing stories about Harry, anything we can think of. Let's give Harry, not the chosen one, not the saviour, but our friend a send-off he would like from the people closest to him,' the other nine people in the room all nodded. One by one, the girls kissed Harry's cheek, then even the boys did, before Ginny leaned over and kissed Harry's lips.

'Goodbye my sweet Harry, I will always love you,' Ginny kissed him again, then Neville put his arm around her as she began to cry again. The ten people left the room and left their friend and all hoped he was at peace now.