Chapter 10
Two names removed…two names added
Harry stood alone at the memorial that had once been Ron and Hermione's. He didn't notice that rain was pouring from the sky, drenching his robes so they clung to his skin.
He didn't care.
They had won…but once again he had lost.
The first grave held a Muggle. Ben. The first to fight back…one of the last to die.
Standing there Harry's mind went back to the day it had ended. In the darkness he had cradled Ginny, his wife, as she bled from Voldemort's attack. As soon as the Dark Wizard had fallen Harry's forces had been able to advance.
The medics had run straight to Ginny, one of Ben's men had pulled Harry away as they removed her body from his shaking arms. Under her shirt they found that the bullet had passed straight through her lower abdomen. It had missed all her vital organs and hit no major blood vessels, within minutes they had managed to stop the blood flowing from her and the wound had been patched.
Within minutes a friend had died.
Lying beside Sirius, Lupin had felt the blood leaking from his body where Voldemort's bullets had passed through him. He knew he was dying, but still he had sent the medics onto Ginny.
Remus had sacrificed himself for Harry, once again he had saved Harry's life. The first time Harry had returned the favour, dragging Remus away from the school while Voldemort's forces had destroyed Hogwarts. Not even magic could save him the second time.
Tears rolled down Harry's face, mingling with the rain that fell over him.
A soft touch on his arm made him flinch, then he turned to see his wife. Reaching up with a quiet smile she wiped the tears from his face, Harry returned the gesture, gently caressing the skin on Ginny's face. Slowly she walked away from the memorial, waited for Harry by the gate, rain rolling off her umbrella to trickle silently to the ground.
'Thank you,' Harry whispered, barely audible against the falling rain, 'thank you for giving me my life back.' Raising his palm Harry let it rest against the memorial, concentrating he let the warmth flow from his skin until his hand was cool against the smooth stone.
With a sorrowful smile on his face he turned from the memorial and walked to join Ginny at the gate, looping an arm around her he shut the gate, looking to the memorial one last time. Kissing her on the forehead they walked into the rainy mist that fell, on their way to be united as a family once more, walking together they gradually faded into the mist.
A tiny rivulet of rain cut a weaving path down the memorial, tracing a path through the inscription that Sirius had placed there.
Echoes of the Past…Visions of the Future
