Harry looked at himself in the mirror. He recoiled in horror and fear, but his eyes stayed staring at his reflection.

Then he reached up with his hand and slowly touched his face. On one side, his left, his flesh was black from the side of his eye, near his temple, down his face to his chin where it faded, as if it had been smudged. He traced the outline of it with his finger. It was rough and scab like. Disgusting.

He had lived his life with a scar, but not like this. He looked at it again. If he tilted his face to the side slightly, he couldn't even see it. He laughed without humour. What good was that?

He hit his head in frustration and fear. He wanted to scream and cry, but the feeling stayed inside, tormenting him further.

Trembling, Harry leant his forehead against the mirror and closed his eyes. He tried to breathe deeply. He reminded himself it was over, that Voldemort was dead.

He turned on the tap and let it run out cold, then he filled his hands with water and splashed his face.

The black scar hissed. It felt alive somehow, and a feeling of dread coiled around his body, like a snake. Harry thought of Nagini and shuddered. She was dead too.

There was a gentle knock at the door.

"Harry?" It was Ginny. He didn't want to see Ginny. "Harry, please. Come out."

"Go away Ginny," he said coldly.

He heard another voice, then Ginny's again: "He won't come out."

"Harry, mate, mum and dad are worried. We're all worried."

"No need," Harry said. "I just want some privacy. I just want…" He gritted his teeth suddenly consumed with a burning rage. What he thought; what he wanted to say, was, 'just leave me alone, all of you, go away and leave me alone'. He cleared his throat. "I just need some time," he said instead. "Please, Ron."

Ron mumbled something and then there was silence.

Another knock.

"Harry. If you think we're going to let you go through this alone, you've got another thing coming. So, take your time, but we'll all be waiting here for you when you decide to come out."

Harry could have just opened the door then, grabbed hold of Ginny and kissed her and begged her to stay with him forever. Instead, he said nothing and let her go.


"What do you think Minerva?"

"I think we need you Aberforth." He grunted and tugged at his long beard. "This is your time, so any help you can give us…"

"Us?"

Minerva McGonagall looked out of the broken window to the ruins of Hogwarts. She sighed.

"Most will need to leave. Nearly all the students, and many teachers, but when Potter is ready, we need to offer him sanctuary and…"

"And what?"

Minerva looked back at Aberforth. She looked into the bright blue of his eyes, and not for the first time, was struck by how alike his brother he was.

"You have lived in your brother's shadow for too long Aberforth," she said. She took a deep breath in and held his gaze, and then allowed a smile to flicker across her features. "I can only offer Potter hope," she said. She leant forward. "When the time comes, he will need you."


It was dark when Harry finally left the bathroom. He was cold. Chilled through to the bone. And he was hungry. He was surprised to feel hungry, as if it was a luxury he didn't deserve.

He didn't hear anything at first. He hoped he might be alone, that they had all gone to bed, but as he crept down the stairs, he saw the light and then, from the kitchen, he heard voices. He stopped and took a deep breath. He knew he couldn't hide forever.

He pushed open the door.

Mrs Weasley let up from her seat and embraced Harry like her own son. He felt her body shaking as she wept.

"You never, ever, have to be alone, Harry," she whispered into his ear.

Harry felt himself weakening in her arms. He felt her love, but then he saw Fred's face in his mind.

"I don't deserve this," he said, pushing her away. He looked around. "Mr Weasley," he said weakly. "I'm sorry about Fred…" He looked at George. "I'm so sorry…"

George stood up. "You have nothing to be sorry about Harry." He embraced him too.

Then Mr Weasley stood. He held out his hand. "You are like a son to us now Harry," he said. "We would be honoured to welcome you into our family."

Harry took his hand, but his insides knotted further still. There was something other than dread he felt, and he realised it was shame. It rampaged through his body and made him feel sick.

"I can't…" he said. He looked back at Mrs Weasley who was dabbing her eyes and nodding emphatically at her husband. Then he looked at Ron and Hermione.

"I can't…," he said again.

Hermione stood up.

"Look," she said. "No one said it was going to be easy, but you have to share this burden Harry." Her eyes were wet with tears, but she smiled at him. "You have always tried to do this alone. You have always tried to protect us." He watched a tear as it rolled down her cheek. "You have sacrificed yourself Harry, endured more than any of us could ever understand, and now those that love you, want to pay you back." She stepped closer to him and took his hands, then she reached up and kissed his cheek. "There's never any need to be alone anymore, okay?"

Harry let his own tears fall unashamedly. He saw Ron sniff and wipe his nose and even Mr Weasley was blinking furiously.

"And if that doesn't convince you, maybe this will." Ginny walked into the kitchen from behind Harry and placed her hands on either side of Harry's face. Then she reached up and gently kissed him on the lips. "You're not going anywhere Harry," she said as she pulled away.

"Steady on," said George. "I mean, I like you Harry and you've defeated 'Whatshisname', but she is my sister."

Harry laughed, despite himself. Ginny laughed too, but Harry saw the pain on her face.

"Whatshisname?" Hermione looked at George.

"Well, we don't have to be afraid to say his name anymore," George said. "But does he deserve to even have a name? I thought Whatshisname was perfect."