Where Armageddon ends

Disclaimer:  Characters belong to JK Rowling, the faire godmother of these characters. However, I believe the plot is mine.

Summary:  AU – Twelve years later, Harry James Potter is found, after disappearing after the Great battle. Voldemort has won. Harry James Potter is a defeated man. Prologue is up.

Dedications: Uhm …. My muse perhaps ? His name is Billy The Kid. * grins *  

Needed: Some Kleenex maybe ? I know I almost needed it.

Chapter two : Forgive me

The stumbling figure of Remus Lupin, alias Moony, was not one of the few. He clutched his wounded arm to his chest, still holding his wand as good as possible. The battle had been lost and won; he did not want to think about it. They had taken the risks, they just had to take the consequences. They had lost, yes, but right now, all he cared about was Harry.

Harry had been glancing towards him when he had felt that The Dark Lord had been heading his way. And that had been all the warning he needed. When he had looked up the other moment, barely seconds later, Harry was gone. No longer in sight.

Scanning the felled bodies as he trampled over them, stepped on them, stepped over them, he did not see a young seventeen year old, wearing those typical glasses, no one with the world famous scar.

In the distance, he saw a patch of red hair, and knew it most belong to one of the Weasleys. The body was moving awkwardly, trying to rise. From here on, Remus Lupin could see the blood that plastered his hair to his skull.

As he hurried over to him, stumbling once again over bodies, belonging to his or the other side, he stood face to face with Charlie Weasley, who certainly did not look very much alive. His skin was the colour of death; if not attended to immediately, he could die.

"Charlie, have you seen Harry?"

The red-haired man nodded a slow no. "Have you seen my family?"

Remus had to nod no, but gave him a look of concern he knew Charlie shared; the battle had been lost; only Merlin knew right now what would happen to their families and friends.

Remus knew that the first-aid troops must be around here somewhere. As was the rule in battle; the heavy wounded were attended to first. At first he made a move as if to take the younger wizard in his arm, which meant he had to abandon his wand, but he would give that up any moment to save the life of a friend. Charlie Weasley waved his gesture away.

The look in the man's eyes told him: "Go and search for Harry." As all Weasleys were, this man was far more nobler than most. A true Gryffindor. Stretching his unwounded arm to the sky, with his wand firmly in his hands, Remus set out the signal that would make it clear that aid was needed.

Charlie Weasley nodded once, as in matter of a thank you, and Remus was contemplated between the searing choice of staying with this man, or to continue his search for Harry.

"Go!" The scream coming from Charlie's mouth was hoarse, and Remus said or did nothing more.

Remus scanned the battlefield once again, and saw that the med troops were coming this way. Content enough with the situation as it was, Remus continued his search.

He found a lightly wounded Ron Weasley clutching the dead body of Neville Longbottom, and did not bother to ask anything to the grieve stricken teenage boy. Once more he set off the signal; at least this way he knew at least two Weasley brothers would see each other again.

But no Harry. Severus Snape was alive, barely unharmed, but neither he could tell where the-boy-who-lived was.

Madame Hooch had gone to more peaceful locations; at least she no longer had to endure the horror regime of Voldemort. Hagrid could be seen from afar, scanning the field, perhaps also joining in the search for the boy who lived; the fact that he was still standing, relieved his mood a bit.

Suddenly, he felt a heavy hand drop upon his shoulder. Warned, he turned around, almost losing balance, and saw the battered, but friendly face of Dumbledore.

"My friend, you are wounded; leave the search for Harry to people who are more fit to it."

"I must search for Harry; if he is alive, we must bring him into safety, if he is dead, I want to give him a decent burial before those death eaters mutilate his body."

The voice of the werewolf sounded almost like a wolf who was howling; inside of him he felt the beast struggling to break free.

"We must get you someplace safe; where Voldemort cannot track you down; when he finds out you are a Werewolf, your days of living might be short."
 
"But Harry …"

"Everybody that is more or less okay is looking for him, Remus. Trust me."

Remus Lupin, former teacher of the defences against the dark arts, sank down on the muddy ground, and looked up to the sun who had begun to shine.

"Forgive me, Harry. Forgive me."

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