Chapter 54-Remembering the life of Ella Deerr

Alana landed her motorcycle towards the fields near Diagon Alley. Lynn got off and sat down. She started to cry. Alana put her hand on her head and started to cry as well.

"What do you mean they left" Ivy said as her and Stuart were in Dumbledore's office.

"What I said Mrs. Deerr, it happened a few hours ago" Dumbledore said pointing out the window at the damage.

"Father overreacted, bringing those security guards he probably scared them. This is the wrong time to do this" Stuart said painfully.

"Your mother was a wonderful woman she will be missed Stuart" McGonagall said. "I think they were just angry, their grieving, I'll give them a day. They'll be back here"

"Things have to change, we're not babies" A fifth year girl said to Filch. Lupin watched this and sighed.

"Since when are you my father" he thought of Alana's angry words. "I could be" he thought.

"What your girlfriend did was awesome" Todd said to Harry.

"It would be awesome if she told me where she went. I just want to be there for her. Her grandmother was her idol and now she lost her" Harry said.

"So tell me again what happened" Rita Skeeter asked a fourth year boy from Hufflepuff.

"Alana and Lynn ran from down there, Filch and some guys where behind them. Lynn threw some marbles on the floor and they fell it was the funniest thing I saw in my life. Lynn wherever you are I want to marry you muah! Muah!" the fourth year boy said.

"What was more awesome was when Alana kicked that guy in the balls" Lisa said happily. "Girl power all the way, we're not babies"

"Ok Ms.Skeeter, I think you have enough information" Lupin said as Hagrid opened the door for her.

"Do I ever" Skeeter said happily leaving.

"Harry where are they" Michael said frantically.

"You're feeling better" Harry said looking at the cast on his left arm.

"I just heard from the hospital ward, so you know where they are" Michael asked.

"No I don't, Alana hasn't contacted me, she will, well I hope she uses parchment. She just wants to find her brother and tell him about their grandmother" Harry said.

"Lynn I want to marry you" the fourth year Hufflepuff said again walking back to his seat.

"Hey" Michael said about to walk over. Harry stopped him.

"That was pretty awesome" Seamus said. "The look on her grandfather's face was priceless"

"Where are you" Harry thought worrying about his girlfriend.

"Where do you think Steven could be" Lynn asked.

"He was in London last time I spoke to Carly. We can't go to Hogsmade and ask grandfather probably has men over there" Alana replied.

"Has men, I bet he does. What is going to happen to us, she was our rock, you see what happens when she's not here. This does!" Lynn said angrily with tears in her eyes.

"I don't know, I don't know!" Alana yelled starting to cry again.

The girls' sobs softened as Lynn got up. "It was funny seeing you kick that guy in the balls" she said laughing. Alana started to laugh as well.

"We'll make it Lynn" Alana said giving her cousin a hug.

"I hope so" Lynn said.

Harry entered the Gryffindor common room tired of John, Stuart, and Lupin questioning him the rest of the afternoon on Alana's whereabouts.

"Harry" Alana wrote.

Harry felt his parchment shake in his bag. "About time" he thought.

"Where are you" Harry wrote.

"In the Leaky cauldron with Lynn" Alana wrote.

"How are you" Harry wrote.

"I'm better, I'm sorry I wasn't putting that hex on you" Alana wrote.

"You know I know that, I wish I could have went too. I'm sorry about your grandmother" Harry wrote.

"She liked you a lot, she wanted you to come to the states for the summer. She would have spoiled you rotten. I'm going to miss her so much Harry" Alana wrote. She started to cry causing a teardrop to fall on the parchment.

Harry saw the tear drop on his parchment. He closed his eyes thinking about the pain Alana was in. He knelt down and kissed the parchment where the tear appeared.

Alana saw a lip print and smiled.

"I love you" Harry wrote.

"I love you too" Alana wrote.

Harry put the communication parchment away and sighed walking to his room.

"You have a visitor" the maid yelled from Alana's room.

Lynn took out her wand as Alana nodded. "Coming" Alana yelled.

"Hey" Steven said with a smile. Alana plopped into his arms crying.

"What's wrong" Steven said looking at Lynn. Lynn just shook her head.

"Sit down" Alana said.

"Xander saw you guys in Diagon Alley earlier, what did the family do this time" Steven said.

"Grandmother died in her sleep last night" Alana said. She saw Steven's eyes tearing up, he took a deep breath.

"How is grandfather holding up" Steven asked.

"He wasn't going to tell you, so we left and we're going to look for you" Lynn said.

"Oh really" Steven said calmly.

"How can you be so calm" Alana asked.

"You need to learn how to deal with that old man, he's grieving for his wife of 50 years. He's angry with me, grief and anger go hand in hand. I guess you two know that" Steven said.

"I'll take you both to Hogwarts in the morning, you get to read about yourself's in the Quibbler, Xander told me we'll get a kick out of it" Steven said giving his sister a hug. He walked over to his cousin and gave her a hug. "I'm going to miss her too" he said leaving.

The next day

"Let's retrace our steps again" John said to Stuart.

"Father I wasn't even there" Stuart said as Harry rolled his eyes.

"Alana was outside, she said accasomething her motorcycle came" John said.

"Yea and she left" Ivy said in disgust.

"I think Alana's coming back" Harry said.

"You would know that's why you're not telling us" Stuart said glaring at Harry.

"She didn't, but your right I wouldn't tell you" Harry said as Lupin gave him a warning look.

"Look" Aaron said looking at two flashes of light from the sky.

Alana, Lynn, Steven, and Xander appeared. "I found them" Steven said landing his motorcycle next to Xander's.

"Thank goodness" Ivy said as Alana landed her motorcycle. Alana looked at her parents and ran to Harry's arms.

"I heard about grandmother" Steven said walking towards John.

John took a deep breath as Alana and Lynn watched. "I'm glad you didn't get hit with any curses before your grandmother died, it would of broke her heart" John said touching his grandson's face. Steven took a deep breath as he did this. "You remind me the most of your grandmother, her strength, her determination, you have her eyes" John said giving Steven a hug.

"Alana" Stuart said to his daughter. Lupin watched them.

"I'm sorry about grandmother" Alana said walking towards her father.

"She loved you so much, sweetheart. I'm going to miss her so much" Stuart said as they embraced. Lupin felt a glimmer of jealously watching them.

Ivy walked towards her daughter and gave her a hug as well.

"How long are you going to be mad at me" Aaron asked. "I am sorry"

"Come here uncle" Lynn said giving her uncle a hug.

"Grandmother would of wanted this, no fighting for once, just us celebrating the life she lived" Aaron said.

The rest of the family nodded and walked back to the castle.

Thursday-the funeral of Ella Deerr

"This is going to be so hard" Lynn said to her cousin as they entered the room looking at a few pictures of their grandmother.

"I know" Alana said fixing her black skirt.

"We have to be strong, it is what she would of wanted" Aaron said looking at a picture of Ella standing in front of the cabin.

"Hello you three" Lupin said. Alana smiled and walked towards him.

"Thank you professor, I am sorry again" Alana began to say.

"There's no need to apologize, I know what's it's like to lose someone dear to you" Lupin said. Alana nodded as tears came down her face. Lupin looked at her and felt a sharp pain looking at the tears in her eyes.

"It's always hard no matter how many people you lose" Alana said. Lupin touched her right shoulder and pulled her for an embrace. Alana sob quietly as she felt Lupin holding on to her.

Harry walked in and saw this, behind him was Ivy and Stuart Deerr. "Thank you professor" Stuart said quickly getting in between them. Harry took notice of this.

"Why did he look so nervous of Alana and Lupin" Harry thought.

"Hi" Alana said to Harry holding his hand.

"How are you holding up" Harry said.

"I'm just ok, just a little cries here and then" Alana said.

"That's fine, anything you need let me know, you're not alone in this" Harry said as he noticed her cousins watching.

"Thanks Harry" Aaron said looking at the picture.

"That was taken at that vacation we were 7 that time, when you and Alana fell into the lake" Lynn said.

"You pushed us" Aaron and Alana said together. The group began to chuckle.

"I know, and then great-grandmother pushed me and she dove in after us" Lynn said.

"And we left the lake after holding hands" Alana said with a smile.

"I remember she was wearing a silk dress and crocodile shoes and they were all soaked. And she was laughing When we were leaving the lake all I kept think was that we have the best grandmother in the world" Aaron said as he saw his mother enter the room.

Stuart walked over to his sister and gave her a hug. She gave a weak smile to the rest of the group.

"We should take our seats" Aaron said as grandfather and Steven entered the room.

The funeral was filled with friends of Ella Deerr throughout the year Kay was in the front. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Lupin were sitting in the middle. In back of them were Harry, Ron, Hermonine, and Michael. Steven and Alana sat next to each other. Aaron and Lynn were sitting on the opposite side.

William and Eden entered the room, Alana turned around. "No freaking way" Tracy began to say.

"She would of wanted them here" Steven said shaking William's hand. He looked tired, his eyes were red like Eden's. They took seats in the back.

"They won't try anything, I'm sure of it" Steven said walking back to Alana.

"No freaking way" Lynn said watching Amber Scott enter the room.

"Get out" Tracy said getting up.

"That's Eden's mother she broke that vase" Lynn said to Alana who was walking up to the woman.

"Why are you here" Alana said looking over at her father. "Have you done enough damage"

"I came to give my respects to Ella" Amber replied. "Despite who's here" she said looking at Tracy.

"The people who are here my grandmother loved, I am sure she didn't care for you're very much. She cared for Eden, so get the hell out" Alana roared coming up to her face causing Amber to jump. Amber nodded to Eden and left.

Alana walked to the front and was stopped by Tracy. She turned around and Tracy hugged her. Steven looked stunned himself as Alana sat down.

John walked to the podium and spoke "We have come together to celebrate the life of my wife Ella Tolliver Derr was loved by every person in this room. That is not an exaggeration of a pleasantry. It's a simple statement of fact"

Kay: Ella was my best friend for over 50 years. That's a very long time to know somebody. She was more, no she was my sister. She was there for me during my darkest times but we did have some good times as well going to the swing clubs in our finest doing the Charleston. Laughing at John whenever he mad a fool of himself. I will always treasure her friendship. Alana and Lynn's friendship reminds me of my friendship with Ella, hold on to that the both of you it is a precious gift.

Alana felt tears come down her yes as she looked over at her cousin who was also in tears over Kay's words.

Ivy walked to the podium after. "I came into the Deerr house many years ago. I had to say at first I didn't love most of them. No, I take that back, I didn't like most of them very much at first. Ella was the exception. She was warm, she was gracious, and most of all, she was welcoming from the moment we met.

Stuart: There are so many words to describe my mother—kind and generous and loving and beautiful. I never met a person who didn't like her, which I understand She loved with an open heart and it was returned in kind by her family and her friends.

Tracy: When I was 14 years old, I overheard a friend of my mother's trying to figure out how a woman as delightful as Ella Deerr could have raised me, many people have echoed a sentiment that I'm sure over the years. She always saw the best in me. And when I disappointed her, she would express her displeasure mildly, and when she would tell me she loved me anyway. That love has sustained me my whole life. She had faith in herself. She never stopped learning, and I, in turn, will honor her by learning from her.

Alana started to get up.

She smiled at the group and took a deep breath. "There is nothing that I can say about my grandmother that someone hasn't already said better so I decided to tell you a story of the type of person she was. As many of you know the Deerr's adopted me when I was six after my birthmother passed away. A few days after my mom died it was time to go back to school but I wasn't registered yet. I watched Aaron and Lynn head to school and I stayed in my room looking at the tea set grandfather gave me. She walked into the room and saw how lonely I was. I remember her leaving the room and telling Reginald to cancel her appointments for the day. After she walked back to my room and we played tea party for the rest of the day" Alana said with a laugh.

"That was the type of woman my grandmother was, putting other's before her, she was so selfless at times and I hope she knows how much of that I learned from her" Alana said leaving the podium.

Aaron walked up to the podium giving Alana a pat on the back as she stepped down.

Aaron : Alana is right, there is nothing I can say about my grandmother that some hasn't said already. But she had such a free spirit. She encouraged me to try things, to take chances. She warned me that I might get hurt along the way, but she guaranteed that it would be worth the trip. She wanted me to find true love. She said that it had been the sustaining grace of her life. I—I didn't say goodbye to my grandmother. She was looking out the window and I waved as I – as I left the house. And I wish now that I'd gone upstairs and kissed her. I wish that I had told her that I loved her. But I know that she knew."

Aaron looked at the audience and saw Hermonine's face filled with tears. Steven holding Alana's hand, and Tracy putting her hand on Lynn's shoulder.

Lynn (singing): I would be true for there are those that trust me and I would be pure for there are those that care and I would be strong for there is much to suffer and I will be brave for there is much to dare I will be friend to all, the foe and friendless I will be giving and I'll forget the gift I will be humble for there I know my weakness I will look up to lave and love and live.

Lynn finished signing as John walked over to his granddaughter. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"May I thank all of you for coming here today. My wife would be so moved by this outpouring of love. She so loved you all in return. Ella would have been pleased, maybe a little embarrassed by all the attention. But I know she understands how deeply she touched us all, and how irreplaceable she is in all out live" John said as a few people nodded.

Alana smiled to herself and remembered the time she had with her grandmother.