Dark clouds had overshadowed what would have been a perfect March day. The thought made the girl chuckle. "When was the last time you had a perfect March day?" she asked herself. She was walking down an empty street, on a dim morning. The windows on the buildings that she passed still had their curtains drawn and their lights off. This didn't surprise her, after all, it was only a few hours after the sunrise. But then again, even if it was the middle of the day, she wouldn't have been surprised if the street was practically empty. No body seemed to like walking around here.
She walked at a steady pace, a little faster than a walk, but not yet a run. "Why are you going so fast?" she asked herself. "It's not like they're going anywhere." She answered herself, "You know why you're moving so quickly. You haven't seen them in almost a year. There's a lot of catching up to do." As she said this, the wind gusted. She pulled her scarf closer around her neck and buttoned her black overcoat up a little further. She blew a puff of warm air into her bare hands and then put them into her pockets.
As she rounded the next corner and crossed the street, a few drops of rain softly fell onto the pavement. She quickened her pace and the rain seemed to follow. It began to fall with more force, so she opened her black umbrella and swung it over her head. Almost unconsciously, she crossed the street again and rounded another corner. She had been down this path many times in the past, and she knew her way almost like the back of her hand. When she reached the tall, wrought iron gates that framed her destination, she paused for a moment. "You're going to have to do this someday," she told herself. "You'd might as well get it over with now." She pushed the iron gates open and put her foot onto the cobblestone path.
She made her way down the winding cobblestone path to the back of the property and tried to recount all the things she had to say to her friends. She reached the back of the property and started scaling a tall hill. Her friends would be waiting for her at the top of it. They always had. As she climbed the hill, the rain picked up again and turned itself into a full-fledged storm. She cursed it. "You used to love the rain," she told herself. "Why do you hate it so much now?" The wind gusted again and blew some spray into her face. She wiped it away and walked on.
When she reached the top of the hill, she spied her friends waiting for her at the base of a large weeping willow tree. "How you doing, guys?" she asked. "It's been a long time. One year next Wednesday. I know I usually make my visits more often, but I've had a lot on my mind lately, and haven't found the time to come and see you. But now I'm here, and I have so many things to tell you." She took a seat on the bench that faced them and put her purse down beside her.
"The first piece of business is for all of you," she said. "Today is the one year anniversary of Voldemort's true destruction." She smiled. "I knew you'd love that. I'll tell you the whole story. Any anonymous tip came to the Ministry about one year from last Monday. The tip told of where Voldemort was holding out. The Ministry immediately sent a large band Aurors in that direction, and, sure enough, they found him. He was only guarded by a group of about five Death Eaters. The Aurors took care of them quickly. After that, they stormed Voldemort. When he saw them, he tried to Apparate away, but he himself had sealed that room with anti-Apparating wards. He could handle three, maybe four Aurors at a time, but definitely not eleven. The battle was short, and decisive. After he was killed, the Ministry made sure that he would never be able to rise again by destroying his body and scattering what little remains there were all over the earth. We're finally rid of him, once and for all.
"The next item is for you, Harry," she said, turning to one of them. "Next week, we celebrate the anniversary of Sirius's victory in the court. After Voldemort was destroyed, Sirius made an appeal to the court. This time they listened. Many Death Eaters were called in as witnesses. Dumbledore was also called. The Death Eaters were the ace in the hole however. Under the influence of Veritaserum, they told the courts that Sirius had never had anything to do with them and Voldemort. They told the court about how it was Peter Pettigrew who caused the explosion and cut off his own finger to frame Sirius. When the jury came back, they're decision was unanimous. Sirius got a full pardon from all of the charges relating to the Pettigrew incident. I see him every once in a while, but not nearly enough.
"Now for you, Hermione. I suppose you remember all of those books you wrote? Well, I got a massive surge of letters a couple of weeks ago from all of our teachers back at Hogwarts. McGonnagal, Flitwick, Hooch, Binns, Hagrid, of course, the Dark Arts Department, whoever's teaching that, and even Snape have all started using the books you wrote regarding their subjects. They all say, that includes a reluctant Snape, that your books cover their subjects much more thoroughly than any of the one's they remember using in the past. They say that the students are getting so much more out of their lessons using your texts, and that they are absorbing it so much more easily. Your dream's finally come true, Hermione. To teach every subject, all the time.
"And now some family business for you to think over, Ron. Letters from Hogwarts were not the only ones that made up that massive surge I was talking about. I got letters from the whole family. Bill sent me a letter from Egypt. He says that its been an unusually exciting week due to several attempted break-ins at the Gringotts safes. He's had his hands full trying to put new Locking Charms on all of the safes. Charlie sent a letter too. He's in China right now, helping out with a herd of Firesnakes that were driven out of their caves. Fred and George send their best as well. Weasley's Wizard Wheezes is doing great. They've managed to secure a big client. Zonko's. I knew you'd love that. Zonko's bought a massive stock of trick wands, Ton Tongue Toffees, Parrot Creams, and every other thing they made. Percy sent me a letter too. No, correction, he sent me a telegram. He's still working in the Ministry, still working for that Mr. Crouch, and despite what we tell him, he won't try to transfer to another department. He just loves that Crouch, just like he did when he first joined. Mom and Dad are doing great. They're still living at the Burrow, even though we've tried to convince them to give up that old place. Too stubborn.
"There's another thing to tell you all. And it's about me. About a month ago, I met a guy at the Ministry. We went out for some coffee together and really hit it off. I've been dating him ever since, and I really like him. I think he's going to pop the question soon. And I already know what I'm going to say. 'Of course I will' Look at that, Ron. I'm going to get married. Bet you never thought that would happen."
She stood up and walked over to where her friends were. As she looked at her friends, she drew out a package from her purse. It was a large paper cone and from it, she pulled three long, slender, red roses. She gave one to each of her friends. The wind gusted again, and she shivered. She brushed a lock of hair out of her eyes and brushed a tear away with it.
"I have one last thing to say, and despite what you may think, it hurts me more than it hurts you. I'm sorry to say, but I don't think I'll be coming to see you anymore. I might come every once in a while, but not as often as I have been. This place, you guys," she choked back a few more tears, "there are just too many memories. I feel that it's time for me to move on in my life. I've been chained to the past these past five years, and my first big step is to cut those chains. I hope you'll understand why I'm doing this. I have to continue, so, I guess this is good-bye." She stepped back and despite all her strength, broke down crying. She fell to her knees on the wet grass and buried her face in her hands. Her umbrella fell to the side and the rain poured freely onto her hair.
"Damn you rain! Damn you! Why do keep following me around? Every time that I've experienced sorrow, you've been there! You were there when Harry died! You were there when Ron left us! You were there when he died! You were there when Hermione locked herself in her room! When I found her dead in her bed, you were there! Just leave me alone!" she screamed, her face turned up to the sky. She pounded the wet grass with her fist. Her hair was matted against her face. She pounded the ground again and again and soon, she was kneeling so far down that her forehead was touching the ground.
She was crying for a few minutes when she noticed that the rain wasn't touching her anymore. She looked up and saw another umbrella over her. It was being held by the hands of a man, a man she knew very well. He looked down at her and smiled.
"Ginny," he said, "what are you doing here?"
"Just saying good-bye to some friends." she replied, standing up and wiping her tears on her sleeve. The man offered her his handkerchief. She took it and continued to wipe away her tears.
"Come on," he said, putting an arm around her, "let's go."
"One second," she said. She turned back to where her friends were. She looked at the slabs of marble that were planted at their heads. She read them one last time.
Harold James Potter
1986 - 2006
Beloved son and friend.
Your memory will live forever in our hearts.
May your soul find its way into Heaven.
Ronald Jonathan Weasley
1986 - 2008
Beloved son, husband, father, and friend.
Your nobility inspires all around you.
May your soul find its way into Heaven.
Hermione Alice Granger Weasley
1986 - 2010
Beloved daughter, wife, mother, and friend.
Your wisdom lives in our minds and you memory in our hearts.
May your soul find its way into Heaven.
"I know why I hate the rain now," she said more to herself than to anyone else. "It was raining just like this when I lost each of you. It was raining when we found Harry, tortured by the Cruciatus Curse and then killed by Avadea Kedavra. It was raining when Ron left to go avenge Harry's death and when we found his body, mutilated by a seemingly endless barrage of curses. It was raining when Hermione decided to lock herself in her room, and the day I found her dead.
"Are you going to be alright, Ginny?' the man asked.
"Yes, I'll be fine. I just needed to say good-bye." The two walked down the hill together and started their walk back to the wrought iron gates. As they were walking, the rain began to clear up, and by the time they reached the gates, the sun had come out and the clouds were nowhere to be seen.