A/N Credit given where credit's due, the basic idea of this chapter came from a story I read when I first started reading here at Fanfic. I have no idea who the author is, and haven't come across the story since, though I did attempt to hunt for it before I posted. If you did come up with a similar idea, about a year ago and you are reading my fic, then thanks! And I hope you don't mind me borrowing the work of a genius ;)

Chapter 52: To honour a hero.

"So, are you going to the celebrations tomorrow, Harry?" Ron asked.

The dark haired wizard shrugged and pulled himself back onto the bed until he was leant against the pillows. He had agreed to let the wizarding world know that he was still alive, and the small gathering that Dumbledore had initially proposed had turned into a large celebration to officially announce that the darkest wizard of the age was now dead, and that Harry had survived the battle.

"Might pay a visit." He said. "I'll probably wait until it gets busy, then go down and blend in with the crowd. Chances are that I won't be there very long before I have to pop back here for a nap, anyhow."

Ginny smiled in sympathy. "But you are getting better all the time." She pointed out. "You've actually stayed a wake a good number of hours today." Harry flashed her a quick smile.

"Just feels a bit strange." He said. "I kinda got used to the feel of all that power, you know? I feel so weak and helpless at the moment. And I'm so bored of sleeping."

"It won't last long." Sheridan said wryly. "In a blink of an eye you'll be running those gruelling training sessions again. It's a shame really, I've become really used to the break."

Hermione frowned slightly. "But if you are still unable to perform magic for any length of time, how are you going to disguise yourself tomorrow? People will recognise you."

Harry shrugged again. "The whole point of the celebrations is to let people know that Voldemort is gone and that I'm still alive." He said. "People will see me eventually as I refuse to go into hiding. I'm a free man now, and once they find out that the real thing is nothing without a prophecy hanging over my head, they'll soon divert their interests elsewhere."

Hermione and Ginny glanced at each other, both doubtful as to the truth in Harry's words. They were pretty sure that the media would find some sort of interest in everything Harry did; it was the way they worked.

"Besides," Harry continued. "I'll have to return to Marcello at some point. And you lot hardly look like you've just lost your best pal. People will soon get suspicious."

"Would never notice you'd gone." Todd said with a grin, and Harry narrowed his eyes at him in a mock glare, before stifling a yawn with the back of his hand.

"Uh-oh." George said with a smile. "Sleeping beauty is drifting again."

"I'm okay for a few more minutes." Harry assured them and the group fell into a companionable silence.

"So, no big entrance this time then?" Horus asked, and Harry shook his head, catching the meaningful look that passed between the twins from the corner of his eye.

"And whatever you two are planning, you can just unplan it." Harry told them. "I don't want any big surprises, and I don't want to see any fireworks flashing my name, or anything of the sort for that matter. I just want to be part of the crowd tomorrow, okay?"

Fred and George gave him identical innocent looks. "As if we would do something like that to you." Fred exclaimed.

"You're practically family!" George added.

"Though the firework idea sounds pretty cool…" Sheridan pointed out with a mischievous glint in his eye.

"Not that he'll need any such introductions with the size of the statue they've got out there." Ron said, then his eyes opened wide with shock when he realised what he had just said.

"Statue?" Harry asked warily, and George hit his brother over the head.

"Smart-mouth" he muttered.

"Statue?" Harry repeated. "What statue?"

Ginny sighed. "Fudge thought it would be a great idea to build a statue in memory of the "boy-who-lived-and-saved-the-world"." She said.

"Its his way of pretending he was behind you from the start." Hermione added.

"And where is this statue?" Harry asked.

"Outside the front entrance, over looking the lake." Brandon said.

"They're going to unveil it at the celebrations tomorrow." Brogan added.

"Dad thinks Fudge is trying to show off to the whole of the wizarding world that you came from humble old Hogwarts." George added.

Harry nodded slightly, chewing on his bottom lip as he contemplated what he had just heard. After a few moments of silence he pushed himself off the bed, pulled his cloak over his head and headed for the door.

"Where are you going, Pi?" Horus called.

"To grab a look before everyone else gets here." He said. "I think I have a right to see how stupid he has made me look before everyone else gets to."

"But Pomfrey will have a fit." Hermione said, following the others as they rushed after him. "You were practically asleep just then."

"Being tired doesn't really seem that important anymore." Harry said over his shoulder, leading the others down a corridor.

"But it's dark." Hermione tried again. "You'd see it a lot better in the morning."

"But it might be too late to do something if it is as awful as I suspect." Harry said and Hermione rolled her eyes and gave a little cry of frustration as they headed down the stairs to the next floor.

Within a few minutes they were standing on the front steps of the school, staring in disbelief at the back of the covered statue.

"Wow." Ginny said. "It's bigger than I imagined."

"It must be nearly twenty foot high!" Sheridan exclaimed.

Hermione glanced at Harry in time to see an emotionless expression on his face before he headed down the steps and strode towards it.

Within seconds he had pulled the sheet from the statue and was looking up at the carved figure before him with a painful expression on his face.

The others came to join him, and Ginny couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter. Within moments Fred and George followed her example, and soon all of them were laughing loudly. Even Harry had a grin on his face and was chuckling.

"I'm sorry, Harry." Brogan said, wiping his eyes. "But that is awful."

"Hey, I didn't make it." Harry said, staring at disbelief at the representation of himself standing on the stone plinth. The sculptor had taken all his most prominent features and had exaggerated them, creating the tall portrayal of a boy in a Hogwarts uniform, wand in hand and with ridiculously crazy hair, thick black-rimmed glasses and a scar that stretched across the whole of his forehead.

"They must've had used that photo of you from the tri-wizard tournament." Ron said breathlessly. "No offence mate, but we can't leave you looking like that."

"Well, I don't see what we can do." Brandon said. "It's not like we can transfigure something that size into something better."

"Maybe we could dress it up a bit?" George suggested.

"A hat, and a Gryffindor scarf?" Fred continued, nodding slightly.

"Maybe a real cloak…? What do you think Harry?" George looked to his friend who had a thoughtful expression on his face.

As they watched, a smile began to play at his lips, and he turned to Horus. "I have an idea." He said, glancing up at the comical face staring down at him. "And it's going to involve some drastic changes."

Hermione shook her head. "I don't think I like the sound of that, Harry." She said. "You should be resting. What if something happens?"

Harry smiled, balancing his weight equally on both feet. "It won't," he said. "I might get a bit tired, but nothing that a good night's sleep wouldn't fix."

"Bearing in mind that you have been sleeping pretty solidly for two weeks already." Ginny said.

"Ten days." Harry correctly absently as he looked up at the effigy and tried to picture what it would be like. "Well, here goes nothing." He said, and transformed into his phoenix form.

Hermione rushed forward, but was held back by Conway and Brogan as the phoenix flew into the air, hovering at a point in front of the statue and starting to sing.

The song became louder, and though it sent warmth through those that were below, they were still forced to cover their ears with their hands. Before long, another phoenix voice joined Harry's, and Fawkes swooped down to take a place opposite the already hovering phoenix. Their voices combined in strange harmonies, and the others felt strong waves of power vibrate through their bodies as the statue began to morph into another shape.

When the phoenix song eventually faded away, the fire-birds fluttered slowly to the ground, landing next to each other and both looking pretty tired. Harry once more transformed, sitting with his legs stretched out in front of him, and resting his weight on his hands. He looked up at his work of art and nodded. "Now, it is a memorial." He said with a smile, before letting himself fall back onto the green grass with his eyes closed.

"Harry!" Ginny and Hermione ran forward, but Horus pushed them aside and gently pressed his fingers to Harry's pulse, before quickly examining the felled phoenix.

"They're okay." He assured them. "My guess is that they are both just sleeping. We can levitate him back to the medic wing, if you guys make sure that this thing gets covered again."

"Sure," George said, then pointed at the front of the statue. "But just look at it!"

Horus joined the others where they were standing stunned at the transformed statue, and had to admit that Harry's work had been impressive.

Before them, on top of a stone plinth that raised the base of the statue to be level with their eyes, stood the four symbols of the Hogwart's houses. A powerful lion stood with his head lowered, a look of determination in its eyes and its right front paw raised as if it were taking a step forward. Below the upraised paw, a badger stood confidently, a soft look on its face. Standing upon the Lion's back stood a magnificent eagle, its wings outstretched as if it were in the process of taking off. And on the left, balancing tall on its tail, stood a cobra, its magnificent hood stretched wide and its mouth open to reveal its fangs, but Harry had made it's eyes give the impression of knowing and solidarity, rather than the crazed evil that had been so prominent in Voldemort's snake-like eyes.

Ron pointed at the solid base, where some words had been subscribed:

It does not to dwell on dreams and forget to live, but it is equally foolish to ignore the past – never forget.

The group nodded in agreement.

"Captures the essence of Hogwarts perfectly." Hermione said in a low voice.

"It is amazing" Sheridan agreed. "I never realised he had an artistic side."

"But it still isn't right." Brogan said softly, not wanting to admit it aloud.

"Were there any records made of all those that have died during Voldemort's reign?" Todd asked after another short silence. "If this is going to be a memorial, and Harry wants us never to forget, then I think we should have everyone's names inscribed on the side."

Hermione began to smile. "I'm sure there are some records in the library." She said.

"And there was a large list in the Daily Prophet the other week." Ginny added.

Brandon nodded. "I think Harry would appreciate it if we did that for him." He said with a smile.

"Sounds perfect." Conway agreed.

"You guys get started." Horus said, walking over to Harry. He placed his hand on the boy's chest and gently levitated him up into the air. "I'll take sleeping beauty here back to bed, and come down to give you a hand."