Draco's PoV

I stood in numb disbelife at Harry's last words. How could Dumbledore be dying. Just yesterday I had seen him address the students before they left for break. Ron seemed to be in the same shock I was, and so did Hermione. I walked over and put my arm around my wife.
"That- that can't be true," Ron said.
"I assure you that it is, Ron," Harry said, "I would not lie to you about something like this. Alacia is up there with him now."
"Well, he was old," Chelsea said. Everyone, including Ron and Brian, were looking at her with looks of deep loathing.
"Chelsea, if you ever say something like that again, you will be very sorry," Ron said, "Professor Dumbledore is one of the greatest wizards in the world. And if I ever catch you saying something like that again, I will personally make sure certain privliges are taken from you, like you schooling."
"Yes father," she said, starring at the floor.
"We should go upstairs," Hermione said. We began up the stairs. When we reached the third floor Hermione broke off from the group. "I'm going to go check on Damon. If he's alright, I'll bring him up. He and Harmony should be there too. They know him as well as we do." She hurried off in the direction of the hospital wing, and I could hear here begining to cry as she hurried off. Finally we reached the gargoyal that lead up to Dumbledores office. Harry gave the password, and we went upstairs. When we entered the office the first thing we saw was that Dumbledore was not sitting in the chair behind his desk as usual, but that a bed had been erected in the office, and Dumbledore was lying in it. All of us walked over to the bedside. Melody was crying as she approched Dumbledore.
"It's not true is it," she sobbed, staring first at her mother, the at Dumbledore.
"I am sorry to inform you, Melody, that it is," Dumbledore said, "I once told your father this, and now I will tell you. Death is but the next great adventure, and I am not afraid of it. There is no need to be." Melody cried harder than ever and David went over and hugged his sister. I knew he was trying very hard not to cry too. At that moment Hermione walked in, followed closely by Harmony and Damon. Both of them took one look at the scene around them and both started to cry too, although Harmony cried much harder than Damon.
"Professor, if you don't mind me asking, why did you need me here. I don't work here, and I haven't spoken to anyone here in over 15 years," Ron said.
"Because, Ron, I wanted to talk to you. I know that you and Harry and Hermione are friends, and I want you to lay aside you fight, and remember how things were before you argued over something stupid. Remember friendship." Harry and Ron moved forward and shook hands. And then Ron moved over to Hermione, and hugged her, while getting a murderous look from Draco." Despite the atmosphere, David and Damon laughed. Ron let Hermione go, and he was now as red as his hair. Now even Brian and Chelsea were laughing.
"Harmony, come here," Dumbledore said, "You are the oldest of the group, watch out for everyone, for me, because if you are anything like you're parents, you will have a nack for atracting trouble." Harmony nodded, "Now, now no more tears," he said, wipeing the fresh tears from her face. Harmony nodded again. She walked off and stood next to her mother.
"David, Damon," the two boys walked over to stand next to Dumbledore, "Just keep everyone laughing, thats what you're best at." The two boys grinned at Dumbledore despite the frowns on everyone elses faces.
"Melody, Chelsea," Melody walked forward followed by Chelsea, who did not know Dumbledore nearly as well, "Do not restart what you're fathers just ended," both girls nodded, then shook hands. Finally they both broke down in tears and cried, hugging each other. Ron smiled at his daughter.
"Brian," Dumbledore said, "Continue the courage you showed in standing up to your father by befriending Harmony, Melody, David, and Damon, you will become one of the best Gryfindors Hogwarts has seen in a good many years." Brian looked back at Dumbledore, the same twinkle in his eyes that Ron had when he was 11, "You look so much like you father," Dumbledore said. Brian walked back to stand next to his father, and that was when I realised how much they did look alike. Both were tall and gangling, with the same red hair, the same brown eyes, and the same freckles. I was so surprised that I hadn't seen it before.
"Alacia, I only knew you for three years as a student, but the years you have taught here have been some of the best Hogwarts has ever seen. And I'm sure the student's feel the same way." Alacia nooded
"I have really enjoyed teaching here, Dumbledore."
"Hermione, you were one of my best students, but you were always willing to risk everything for you friends, one of the many quilities that distinguishes Gryfindor house."
"Thank you."
"Draco, come here. You were placed in Slytherin, not because those were the quilities you posesed, but because you afraid of your father. But in the fifth year, when you stood up to him, you showed the quilities of your true house. You would have made a fine Gryfindor." I didn't know what to say to this. I nooded, and went to stand next to my wife, kids, and friends. Then, finally...
"Harry," Harry walked forward, toward Dumbledore, "Harry, I want you to carry on in my place. I would like you to be the next Headmaster."
"I could never be as good as you," he said, and I could tell he was fighting hard not to cry.
"No you won't be, you will be better," with that Dumbledore lay down on the bed. And closed his eyes. His breathing became slower and slower.
"You've been like a father to me, don't go," Harry said, and he was crying now.
"Harry, it is my time, nothing more," Dumbledore closed his eyes again, and this time they did not open again.

*~*

Harry's PoV

The student's were back. Some had been back to the castle once already, for the funeral of the late Headmaster. I couldn't think of facing all the students at the feast. As the rest of the students filed into the hall, there was a sence of quiet in the air, one that I had not seen at Hogwarts since Cedric had died. The Gryfindor table was the most subduded. I rose from the center seat to adress the students. It felt so strange to be siting in the Headmaster's seat. Draco was on my right side, as he was the new head of Gryfindor house. Ron was on my left, he was now teaching Transfiguration.
"As you all know, the late Headmater, Professer Dumbledore, passed away just before Christmas. I do not wish to replace Dumbledore, I only wish to fill the void he left in every one of us, whether you knew him or not. Dumbledore was one of the best Headmasters Hogwarts has ever seen. We will all miss him greatly.
"On a happier note, I would like to welcome our new transfiguration teacher. Professer Weasly," Ron stood up, and the applause that ran though the hall, which was tumultuous at the Gryfindor table, seemed to lift some of sadness from the hall.
"As I said before, I do not wish to replace Dumbledore, I simply wish that I will be able to fill the shoes of the late Headmaster. Hogwarts has seen many changes, and will see many changes in the future. I hope that this will be one of the changes that will be easy to ajust to, not one that will change the school and the students forever.
"In the words of Dumbledore `Death is but the next great adventure.' We can only imagine where Dumbledore's adventure will take him, but we all know that where ever he is, he is happy there, and will always be with us."

Damon's PoV

As I listened to the new Headmaster's speach, I knew that indeed things had changed, but that they had changed for the better. Chelsea now sat next to her brother, and she and Melody were now the best of friends. Ron Weasly, or Professor Weasly now, had appologized to me. Of course I couldn't really remember the incident too well, so I'm not sure my acceptance was really sincere. I had also appologized to Chelsea, who had also accepted friendship.
At the last line of the speach I realised just how much Dumbledore really was with us. He was with us in the new friendship between us and Chelsea. He was still living in the knowledge that he had passed to us. And he lives in all of us. He lives in everyone who ever knew him, everyone he ever taught. And that will live forever.