J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and the Harry Potter universe. The plot is
mine, so please ask before posting to any other website. Thanks, enjoy,
and please review.
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Paying Tribute
Chapter Five: The Circle of Life
"I owe quite a bit to Harry Potter. We had endless hours of fun; we faced some tough trials together. But the biggest lesson I learned is much more profound."
Ronald and Hermione Weasley stood together in the center of Potter's Circle, the garden near the lake at Hogwarts where Harry was buried ten years ago. Most of the students from Hogwarts' five houses stood outside the circle, looking in. The whole Weasley family was present, and well as many of Harry's teachers and old Hogwarts classmates.
Ron was smiling, holding onto Hermione's hand, happy to be able to wax philosophic about his old friend. "Of course, I'm not referring to young Harry over there," pointing to a red-haired baby boy sitting on his Grandma Molly's lap, "although if our boy turns out to be anything like Harry Potter, we'll be pleased. What I mean to say is, Harry taught me a lot about me. When I met him, I was just another in a long line of Weasleys. At least, that's how it felt sometimes. I had five brothers to live up to. Of my two best friends, one was possibly the most famous wizard there was, and the other was the smartest person in the school." There was laughter as Hermione began to blush.
"After Harry's death, after Voldemort was defeated at last, Professor Dumbledore called me into his office. He said, 'Ronald, you are going feel hurt by this for a long time. There's nothing anyone can do to take it away.
"'You can, however, give yourself some help. Lean on the friends you love and trust the most. No true friend will blame you for Harry's death. Remember that you are responsible for saving the life of almost every man, woman and child on this planet. You, Harry and Hermione were able to stop Voldemort when I failed to do so. Last, and most important, remember Harry's last words. 'I made this choice, not you.' Always remember that Harry made a choice. He understood the consequences. He chose to share possession of Voldemort's body, knowing the cost if he succeeded. Our lives are shaped by the choices we make. You have a good head on your shoulders. Make the choices that allow you to be happy, Ronald.'
"I spent some months contemplating taking my own life after that conversation. I came close to convincing myself that the choice I needed to make was to end my own misery.
"It took Hermione here to make me realize that I wasn't making a choice, I was taking the easy way out. Ending your own life means the end of choices, as well as the end of chances to love, laugh, have babies, eat Bertie Bott's Every-Flavoured Beans."
Everyone present shared a laugh at this.
"Harry, as a boy, was famous. Everyone had high expectations for him. He got special treatment from the teachers at school. He lived with the knowledge that his parents were murdered and that their killer was after him. And still, with all of that, he enjoyed school, made friends, won the Quidditch Cup, captained the Quidditch Team, and was Head Boy.
"What's not too well known about him was that his Muggle family didn't treat him all that well when he was home for the summer. My family and I used to worry about him all the time. But still, he chose to not give in to the pressure, and chose to carve out a normal existence for himself.
"And I chose to do the same, to follow the path that Harry laid out before me. Thanks, dear friend, for showing me the way."
The crowed around him clapped as he finished his comments. He stole a quick kiss from Hermione before putting a postscript on the day's events.
"Now, I understand that Gryffindor is playing Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup today. I'm not sure who I should cheer for."
***
Paying Tribute
Chapter Five: The Circle of Life
"I owe quite a bit to Harry Potter. We had endless hours of fun; we faced some tough trials together. But the biggest lesson I learned is much more profound."
Ronald and Hermione Weasley stood together in the center of Potter's Circle, the garden near the lake at Hogwarts where Harry was buried ten years ago. Most of the students from Hogwarts' five houses stood outside the circle, looking in. The whole Weasley family was present, and well as many of Harry's teachers and old Hogwarts classmates.
Ron was smiling, holding onto Hermione's hand, happy to be able to wax philosophic about his old friend. "Of course, I'm not referring to young Harry over there," pointing to a red-haired baby boy sitting on his Grandma Molly's lap, "although if our boy turns out to be anything like Harry Potter, we'll be pleased. What I mean to say is, Harry taught me a lot about me. When I met him, I was just another in a long line of Weasleys. At least, that's how it felt sometimes. I had five brothers to live up to. Of my two best friends, one was possibly the most famous wizard there was, and the other was the smartest person in the school." There was laughter as Hermione began to blush.
"After Harry's death, after Voldemort was defeated at last, Professor Dumbledore called me into his office. He said, 'Ronald, you are going feel hurt by this for a long time. There's nothing anyone can do to take it away.
"'You can, however, give yourself some help. Lean on the friends you love and trust the most. No true friend will blame you for Harry's death. Remember that you are responsible for saving the life of almost every man, woman and child on this planet. You, Harry and Hermione were able to stop Voldemort when I failed to do so. Last, and most important, remember Harry's last words. 'I made this choice, not you.' Always remember that Harry made a choice. He understood the consequences. He chose to share possession of Voldemort's body, knowing the cost if he succeeded. Our lives are shaped by the choices we make. You have a good head on your shoulders. Make the choices that allow you to be happy, Ronald.'
"I spent some months contemplating taking my own life after that conversation. I came close to convincing myself that the choice I needed to make was to end my own misery.
"It took Hermione here to make me realize that I wasn't making a choice, I was taking the easy way out. Ending your own life means the end of choices, as well as the end of chances to love, laugh, have babies, eat Bertie Bott's Every-Flavoured Beans."
Everyone present shared a laugh at this.
"Harry, as a boy, was famous. Everyone had high expectations for him. He got special treatment from the teachers at school. He lived with the knowledge that his parents were murdered and that their killer was after him. And still, with all of that, he enjoyed school, made friends, won the Quidditch Cup, captained the Quidditch Team, and was Head Boy.
"What's not too well known about him was that his Muggle family didn't treat him all that well when he was home for the summer. My family and I used to worry about him all the time. But still, he chose to not give in to the pressure, and chose to carve out a normal existence for himself.
"And I chose to do the same, to follow the path that Harry laid out before me. Thanks, dear friend, for showing me the way."
The crowed around him clapped as he finished his comments. He stole a quick kiss from Hermione before putting a postscript on the day's events.
"Now, I understand that Gryffindor is playing Slytherin for the Quidditch Cup today. I'm not sure who I should cheer for."