Chapter thirty four

Re-united

The wind tore at Harry's skin as he kept running through the forest. His feet were completely numb; his teeth were chattering so badly his jaw was throbbing painfully from constant movement. He didn't look back once, though he could hear the sounds of war bellowing behind him. He was sure Remus was in there somewhere, looking for him; Tonks and the Weasleys too but he couldn't seem to stop his legs from moving. He needed to get as far away as he could from that place and leave everything that happened in that place behind with Elion's body.
And yet there was still something else he had to do.

Sirius still had to be taken care of.

'Dumbledore always said it would be you.'

Snape's words echoed through his head. A flash of memory caused Harry to stumble as he watched Snape falling gracefully to his death once more. He shook his head furiously, trying to shake the memory out with it. He didn't want to think about that, he didn't want to think of that place anymore. He didn't even want to think about Sirius…but there would be no escaping this. Voldemort had to be returned behind the veil. Magic or no magic, he was still a threat to this world.

Harry finally slowed down as these thoughts came toppling on him, crushing him until he almost couldn't breathe. He staggered over to a tree and clasped hold of it, trying to anchor himself to something.

Fighting Voldemort before had been his choice but there was also a chance he would come back. He had a chance to fight him off and return unscathed. Harry didn't see a way of coming back this time. If he sacrificed himself to take Voldemort back, that would be it. He'd be dead and there was nothing that would be able to save him.

He fell to his knees, gagging and retching furiously. Bright red blood dribbled down his chin and he wiped it away quickly, gasping for breath.
After all this, after everything he'd been through, he was still destined to die. He and Voldemort still tethered each other to life. He had never been free and now he'd never have that chance. He lashed out and punched the tree furiously with his already broken knuckles. He cried out, relishing the pain and threw a second punch.

'IT'S NOT FAIR!' he bellowed, bowing his head into the leaves surrounding him. He choked in another breath, struggling to come to terms with his fate. The leaves behind him crunched and Harry wheeled around prepared to fight for his life once more.
'Oh god, what are you doing here?' Harry said sinking back against the tree as relief flooded through him.

'How're you doing mate? I've seen you looking better if I'm honest.'

Harry raised his eyebrows. 'You try being tortured for three weeks on end, I'm sure you wouldn't look much better…' Harry sighed heavily, his chest heaving as he fought against the exhaustion creeping up on him. 'What are you doing here?'

'You know why I'm here.'

'Last time I saw you was because I was dying,' Harry said. 'You made me go back and fight and look where that's gotten me. I'm in exactly the same mess – I'm about to die again and you're here. What are you going to say this time? Nobody needs me now, the Death Eaters are being taken care of, I expect nearly everyone is dead and I've got to go and kill Voldemort again, so why exactly are you here, Ron?'

'Moral support?' Ron said, shrugging. 'I don't know mate, I don't pick and chose when to come and see you. It's not my fault I happen to be around at your greatest times of need … or maybe it has got something to do with us being best mates? You'd do well to remember that sometime.'

Harry thumped his head hard against the tree trunk, pulling his hands through his hair roughly. 'I'm sorry,' he said quietly. He looked up into Ron's face. He looked the same as he had before he died. Fresh faced, freckled with bright orange hair. Harry couldn't help but smile.

'I'm frightened, Ron,' he said. 'And I'm pissed off.'

Ron gave a quick laugh. 'I can imagine,' he said.

'I've worked so hard this year…so hard to make myself better after what happened in the summer. Yet, here I am again. I've had Death Eaters chasing me, and then I find out my dead godfather's body is being possessed by Voldemort and then me and Snape are holed up in there for the past three weeks… It's not fair! All I ever wanted was to just live my life without any interference. I just wanted to be normal. I wanted a chance a life without all of this…and now I'm not going to get that.'

'You don't have to do this,' Ron told him. 'There are other people who would do what needs to be done.'

Harry shook his head quickly. 'I may have stopped running head first into things I don't know much about,' he said. 'But I will always put the people I care about first before myself, nothing will ever change that. There is no way I let anybody do this for me. It has always been my battle.'

'It shouldn't have been,' Ron said, looking down sadly.

Harry laughed. 'Boy, you're telling me. Life hasn't been very kind to either of us has it?'

'I guess not,' Ron said smiling. 'I'm not going to change your mind on this either am I?'

'No, you're not,' Harry said, shaking his head.

'I'm sorry I can't be more help to you, Harry.'

'You can be,' Harry said, patting the ground next to him. 'Could you just sit with me for a while? I don't feel like I'm going to run for the hills when you're around.'

Ron settled himself amongst the leaves beside Harry. They sat in silence for a long time, listening to the distant sounds of the battle raging inside the Death Eater headquarters.

'Do you think everyone is okay?' Harry asked as a particularly big explosion rocked through the forest.

'They're strong, like you,' Ron said. 'They know what they're doing.'

'But they'll be looking for me and Snape,' Harry said.

'Well then you'd better let them know where you are.'

'I don't have a wand,' Harry said, shaking his head.

'I'll go,' Ron said. 'I can lead Remus here if you like?'

Harry sat up urgently. 'You can't – you'll get hurt!'

'Harry, I'm dead, remember? I don't think anything will happen to me.' Ron laughed loudly. 'Remus might get a bit of a shock though…' He stood up to leave but Harry grabbed hold of his arm.

'Wait...'

'What is it?'

'I don't know if I want to see him…' Harry said, swallowing back tears. 'If I see him, I'll have to say goodbye…'

Ron bent down and took Harry gently by the shoulders. 'You owe him a goodbye, Harry,' he said. 'After everything you two have been through together, you owe him that at least.'

'Will you be with me…when it's time?'

Ron released his shoulders and stood up. 'I'll be there,' he said. 'You might not be able to see me, but I'll be there.'

Several hundred metres away, through the forest, two lone figures were wandering through the undergrowth. Both were battered and bruised and one was sporting a painful limp, clutching onto the other for support. They both turned sharply when a loud explosion shook the trees around them.

'I have to sit down,' Charlie Weasley said, breathing heavily. Remus lowered him gently to the ground, taking the opportunity to pause for breath and look at their surroundings.

'Any idea where we are?' Charlie asked.

Remus shook his head. 'No,' he said, frustrated. 'We've been walking in circles for ages!'

'We'll find him, Remus,' Charlie reassured him. 'Tonks said she saw him running out of there – we'll find him. He has to be around here somewhere.'

'What if he's injured?' Remus said. 'He hasn't got a wand with him – he would have sent his Patronus otherwise…'

'There's nothing we can do apart from keep looking,' Charlie said. 'He's strong, Remus. You know he is.'

Remus gave a non committal grunt of agreement. Charlie was right but there was still a fear building inside him that something dreadful had happened. 'How's the leg?' he asked.

Charlie gave the bloody would on his shin a prod for good measure. 'Can't feel it anymore,' he said. 'Is that a good thing or a bad thing?'

'Good, at the moment,' Remus said. 'Otherwise I'd have to listen to you whinging.'

'Hey,' Charlie said, grinning. 'I saw your face when that Death Eater cut me. You were looking a bit green yourself.'

'There was a lot of blood, Charlie,' Remus said. 'I thought your entire leg had been blown off – '

'Remus – '

Remus turned around sharply at his name. Charlie had cut him off and was pointing towards something within the trees. He stepped forwards, trying to focus his tired eyes on the shape slipping through the forest.

'Isn't that…?'

'I've gone mad,' Charlie said, shaking his head. 'Must have taken a blow to the head or something.'

'…Ron?' Remus stared dumbfounded at the young man who was making his way towards them. As Ron approached, he smiled at the mention of his name.

'Hello, Remus,' he said. 'It's been a while.'

Charlie was still shaking his head in complete shock. 'This is mental,' he said. 'Totally mental.'

'I'm sorry to do this, Charlie.' Ron said. 'It must be difficult…but this is important.'

Remus eyed him curiously. Ron looked healthy; he looked exactly as he had done before his death and yet there was something different about him. Something that showed he wasn't part of this world any longer.

'I can't believe it,' Remus said, walking over to meet him. Charlie struggled to his feet.

'Can I touch you?' Charlie said, reaching a hand out towards him.

Ron shook his head sadly. 'I don't think so,' he said. 'I'm here for Harry. It's because of him that you're able to see me at all.'

'Is he alright?' Remus demanded anxiously.

'He's alive,' Ron said. 'He needs you, Remus.'

Remus let out a deep breath of relief, bowing his head. Charlie placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.

'Didn't I tell you he'd be okay?' he said, cheerfully. 'What are you waiting for? Go and find him!'

Remus faltered for a few seconds, fussing over the state of Charlie's leg.

'Leave off, Remus,' Charlie said. 'I'm fine. I've got Ron for company…for a while anyway.'

Grinning broadly, Remus took off in the direction which Ron was pointing him in.

When he turned back, Charlie was smiling down at him. 'You look great,' he said, still unable to believe his brother was standing in front of him.

'Mum is going to kill you when she sees that,' Ron said, gesturing to the state of Charlie's shin.

'She'll be happy to know you're okay,' Charlie said. 'Even if you aren't with us physically anymore…it's good to know you're around for those who need it.'

'It's really good to see you, Charlie.'

Charlie paused for a moment, looking over his brother sadly. 'You're not staying, are you?'

Ron shook his head. 'There's somewhere I need to be.'

'For Harry?'

'He needs my help. He can't do this alone.'

'And what about me?' Charlie said, pointing to his injured leg. 'I could do with some help.'

Ron laughed loudly. 'Stop being a wimp,' he said.

Charlie laughed too, taking immense pleasure in showing Ron what damage the Death Eater's cutting hex had done. They sat and spoke for a while, discussing their youth and the years that had passed. Charlie told Ron what had happened in the Weasley household after he'd died, and Ron told Charlie of the afterlife and what he'd experienced with Harry back in the forbidden forest during the summer.

'Everything is going to be okay now, isn't it?' Charlie said, more of a statement than a question. 'The Aurors are rounding up the Death Eaters as we speak. There were loads of people volunteering to fight for Harry – everyone had seen or heard his interview with Fudge a few months ago. There's a huge following here…everyone wants him to be okay.'

'He will be okay,' Ron said. 'I promise you that.'

'How can you be so sure?'

'Because I'll be there to meet him when it's all over.'

Charlie looked at Ron in shock, his eyes wide. 'After all this…he's still not going to make it?'

'He'll be okay,' Ron said again. 'This has to happen – Harry knows that. It's his destiny.'

'HARRY!'

Harry was ripped firmly from exhaustion by the sudden call of his name. He tried to blink the disorientation out of his eyes and began to pull himself sluggishly from the pile of leaves he'd fallen asleep in.

'HARRY!'

The voice was distant. He recognised it, though he hadn't heard it in several weeks. A relieved sob burst free from his chest and he forced himself onto his knees to look around. His eyes scanned the dense forest desperately.

'Remus!' he tried to shout back. 'REMUS!'

He pushed himself onto his feet, pain firing through the backs of his legs and into his toes. He cried out and collapsed back onto his knees once more.

'Get up, Harry,' he told himself, imagining he was back in the dungeons and it was Snape yelling at him once more. 'Get up on your feet!'

His legs burned in agony, his arms throbbed and his lungs felt clouded and heavy. There was a pounding in his head like he'd never experienced before – so strong it would render him totally blind for several seconds at a time. He growled in frustration at his useless and fatigued body.

'HARRY!'
Remus called out again. Desperate to see his face, Harry fought with everything he had to pull himself onto his feet. He choked back cries of agony as he took one step forward towards the voice and then suddenly, through the trees, the figure of a man emerged.

Harry closed his eyes in relief. 'Thank you,' he whispered. 'Thank you, Ron.'

He dragged in several deep breaths and began to make his way towards the figure who was still looking desperately around him.

'Remus!' Harry yelled hoarsely. 'REMUS!'

This time, Remus turned directly towards him and Harry saw his face collapse in absolute relief. He saw him mutter something under his breath and then begin to sprint full force towards him. He reached Harry just as his legs gave way beneath him and caught him firmly around the waist.

'Oh thank Merlin,' Remus said, pulling Harry tightly into his chest. 'I thought you were dead – I hoped for weeks…'

The feeling of relief began to overwhelm Harry. The intense pressure that had been building in his chest for weeks suddenly exploded free like water from a dam. His head felt light and distant, his legs barely beneath him anymore.

He felt his body begin shaking in Remus' arms as he realised he wasn't just crying, he was sobbing.

'It's alright,' Remus was muttering. 'You're safe. I promise.'

Harry wanted to believe him. But there was so much he was unaware of – so much he'd have to tell him. The Death Eaters may have been found… but there was still one more issue to deal with.