Okay, now that most of the sad stuff is over, let's continue! Please Review.

Chapter 11 Moving On

When Ginny awoke the next morning, she almost forgot what had happened the day before as she felt the soft sheets and warm blanket. Her mind suddenly snapped and she bolted straight up in the bed, breathing panickly. Ginny remembered. Harry was gone now and they were alone. What was going to happen now?

Ron was still asleep, but Hermione, she noticed, was lying on her side facing the window gazing miserably. Did she know what they did with Harry?

"Did he tell you?" she asked quietly. "I want to know where they put him."

"You don't want to know." Was the deadened reply.

A flicker of anger streaked across Ginny's chest. "And why not? I loved him, why don't I have a right to?"

Hermione didn't answer at first, but rolled over and looked weakly at her. After a moment she said softly, "He's gone, that's what happened."

Rage consumed her at this point. "Don't you dare think that you will forget him now! He isn't just gone, you hear me? What did they do?"

Hermione smiled. "You never shut up, do you?" Ginny pursed her lips in fury. "But if you really want to find out, I'll tell you simply that Harry is gone because Lupin and Ron burned him. Now he is ash."

Horror caused Ginny's jaw to drop. She watched as Hermione giggled slightly at her reaction and couldn't believe it. Ron helped put Harry on fire?

"Stop laughing!" she cried in agony. "What's wrong with you?"

"I don't know why. I just can't believe all this actually happened. Just think that we were innocent and naïve kids only some years ago and now look at us. Look at Harry. He was alive and he's turned to nothing."

"SHUT UP!"

"Gin, what are you yelling about?" Ron asked sleepily.

She turned her anger to him. "How could you have done that Ron! What will Mum say? Oh, how could you? You're so sick!"

Ron didn't reply. He noticed that Lupin was missing and decided to find him at once. He couldn't bear to be with them any longer. Quietly he said, "I'm finding Lupin. I'll see you two later."

Hermione watched him leave sadly but couldn't find the words to comfort him. None of them knew what to do now. No one expected Harry to die at all.

Ron didn't even know where to look. He heard the sounds of the remaining students file into the Great Hall and remembered the mornings when he and Harry would do the same. Hungry and irritable from sleep, both would wait impatiently for Dumbledore to stop talking so they could eat. The memory only made Ron more depressed.

He decided to check McGonagall's office although he did not know the password. She was probably at the hall with everyone else, but he wasn't sure if Lupin would be with her. He didn't need to think any further.

"Weasley, where are you going? Why did you leave the others in the Hospital Wing?"

He turned and saw the Headmistress briskly heading in his direction from behind him. "I don't want to talk to them. They blame me for what happened to Harry."

Her silence made his stomach queasy but he ignored it as she replied. "Well, I suppose I understand what you mean. If you wish you may eat at the Teacher's table, or with your House."

"Excuse me, but I'd rather eat with Lupin. Have you seen him at all?"

McGonagall seemed to deflate in front of him. "He has just left to break the news to your mother and the Order. I do not believe he would be in the mood to eat when he returns, so I advise you to eat now."

Ron felt a hard lump bulge in his throat in response. "My Mum? Why would he want to tell her? She'll be devastated. Losing Harry is like losing one of her own children."

Tears lined the outside of McGonagall's eyes and she quickly tried to regain her composure. "Nothing can be done. Not any of us can elude from the truth of what has happened. If you wish, I can send you to Grimmauld after breakfast."

"Yes. I need to be there for her. She'll be in pieces for days." Ron suppressed another throb of his throat and tried to keep silent. He suddenly realized that he had never really grieved for losing Harry. He had been upset telling Hermione what he had done, but it was his own guilt. Not about Harry's death. He went on, "And I need to find time to grieve as well. I haven't had the time, to be honest."

McGonagall nodded. "Where do you wish to eat now? Do you wish to be alone?"

Ron agreed. "Can I?"

"I'll let you eat in my office. Dumbledore may try to talk to you, but just tell him to stuff a cork in it."

Ron stifled a laugh and smiled at the Professor, who winked at him. And for a moment, Ron had a feeling that everything would be fine.

Several hours later, Ron felt the dead silence of the house as he entered Grimmauld Place that afternoon alone. If anything, it was certainly colder. He walked slowly down the hallway to the kitchen where he heard plates clattering weakly. Ron opened the door and saw his mother with her back to him miserably washing the dishes, and he realized she was doing it by hand. She had made them do the same in order to forget that Harry was missing months ago.

"Mum?" he croaked. She spun around and looked him in the eye in fear. He noticed they were bloodshot and her face was flushed.

"Oh, Ronald dear! I wasn't expecting you here, I'm sorry. I must look completely dreadful!" She fretted with her hair and attempted to clean her face.

Ron shrugged. "You look fine to me. I just wanted to make sure you were okay, that's all."

Sadness made her stop and her eyes began to water again. His mother held out her arms and he fell into him as he had when he was five.

"I miss him so much, Mum. He was with us and then he left. We didn't expect it and—"

"Shh," she said softly. "I know you do, dear. Harry was a special friend of this family. He's done so much for us. It feels as if I have lost a son."

Ron felt the agony begin to pour out of him as he continued, "It's not fair! He didn't deserve to die when he was fighting for something good. I remember sitting there watching him sleep after he got sick and wondered if there was something I could have done. I didn't want to think that he was dying. I think all of us did that. We just said he was getting better and waited for it to happen. Why didn't we see it? Maybe he would be alive now if I had said something."

"Nonsense, Ron!" his mother cried painfully. "His sickness was unavoidable in this weather, and nothing but a Healer could help that. It is all right to fear death, Ronald. It isn't something people speak of lightly. Harry is with those he needed to be with his entire life. He is with his loving parents. Remember that."

They broke apart and sat near the table. His mother smoothed his hair and planted a kiss on his forehead. Ron could feel conflicting emotions inside him. He was relieved knowing what his mother had said was true, but also felt abandoned. Now he understood how Harry had felt after Sirius had died. Ron realized that it wasn't his fault, but he was involved. That was why he felt responsible for Harry's death. There was no excuse for his part in the burning, however, but he tried to convince himself there was no other way. Like Harry, Ron could not help but feel abandoned by him. Harry was the person who he admired and was the reason he fought against Voldemort. Harry had given him strength and encouragement, but now he was gone.

"What has Dad said? Anything?"

"I have not seen him since Remus came. I think he is in the bedroom."

"And the others?"

"Mad-Eye said nothing as he left. Tonks sat here awhile to comfort us and she too disappeared. It has been an awful day."

Ron grew angry and said, "I bet Kreacher is celebrating at the news. No doubt he ditched us for the Malfoys."

"Oh, him?" She asked. "I've seen him around, tidying up. To be honest I think he's upset and doesn't know what to do with himself. Harry supposedly left the house to us. He actually listened to me when I told him to make sure your rooms were clean. Not a speck of dirt."

"Why would Kreacher be sad about Harry?"

Ron's mother looked at him in surprise. "You didn't know?"

"Know what?"

"Harry struck a deal with him. Told Kreacher that if he knew anything about the Horcruxes or about the Black family he would let Kreacher have the attic and anything Harry didn't think was useful. Has the whole place to himself. No one has ever given him that sort of gift."

Ron was impressed. "Wow, I had no idea."

She gave him a sorrowful look. "Ron, I know this is hard for you, but you need to move on. No matter how much it hurts, it needs to be done."

"I know," he said quietly. "I'm going on with Lupin."

"He told me." Ron realized that she was smiling. "I'm proud of you, Ron. I really am. You've been strong, and I believe you can help kill him."

Ron couldn't believe it. "Thanks, Mum."

She smiled. "Now give me a hand with the dishes. The Order makes such messes of this place!."

More is coming so please read on! Thanks for staying this long and hope you enjoyed it so far.