Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters or settings in this one-shot story. Everything – except for the storyline in this short fic – is owned by J.K. Rowling.
"Mr. Potter..."
Harry paused, and turned to glance at Dumbledore. Albus Dumbledore looked like he had aged too much in recent days. He seemed tired, worn out by time and worries. And his eyes… they lacked spirit. Harry raised an eyebrow in an unspoken question.
Dumbledore sighed. "I would like to have a moment with you, before we appear before them." 'Them' referred to the wizards and witches – warriors – who were waiting for their leaders, Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. The final battle was about to begin.
Harry nodded obligingly, and leaned against a wall. He made a sound that rivaled the elder wizard's sigh.
"Hm. How do you feel at the moment, Mr. Potter? I would like to know what you are thinking at this very moment, right before the end. How are you holding up, Harry?" Dumbledore peered at him carefully, trying to read his expression.
Harry's shoulders slumped. He stared downwards. Albus Dumbledore, the greatest wizard alive, worried about him. "Honestly, sir? I feel terrible. I keep thinking, 'this is the end… what if I don't make it out alive?' What if this is really the end for me? I know that I've been training for this very day. I know how everyone has been doing the same thing. Hermione, Ron, Ginny… well, everyone."
Harry paused momentarily, trembling, revealing his distress.
"And that's why I worry. I'm not alone in this. I'm not the only one at risk here. Everyone else might lose their lives, too. Some will lose parents, brothers, sisters… and children," he added, thinking about Molly and Arthur Weasley. "They might die. Why? Only because they're fighting with me? Because they believe in our cause, the cause that I've represented my entire life?" The tears in his eyes blurred his vision.
Albus opened his mouth to answer, but Harry continued, "Is this what my life was meant to be? Because of me… people will die. Not just me, but others too. I keep thinking of the future life these people might have. Marriage. Friends. Family. Children. They might never have the chance to enjoy those things in life."
Harry shook his head and stared off into nothingness. After a moment of contemplation, Dumbledore spoke.
"I know how war is like. I know how it feels, to lose those closest and dearest to us. This does not apply only to those with whom we are connected to by blood, but also to those we have chosen to be a part of our family."
Dumbledore paused in a moment of thought. "Family means the people we love, cherish, and more importantly, the people for whom we would sacrifice our lives." Albus closed his eyes.
"I've lived a long and troubled life, Harry. I'm old, much too old," he admitted, much to Harry's surprise. "But… every single person out there, every single student of mine…" Dumbledore's eyes opened and he looked pointedly at Harry. "… and you, Harry, have always been my family. Why do they do this, you ask? Because… just like you and me, they would sacrifice themselves for their families. They would do anything to give others what they really need – a future. That is what we are fighting for."
Harry looked up at Albus. Hope filled his eyes.
"So we fight not only for what we believe in, or our lives, or our cause, but also for our future?" Harry asked, thinking about his friends and family. Dumbledore nodded, pleased with the hope he had heard in Harry's voice. "Yes, Harry. We do not fight for them to die serving our cause, serving good. We fight so that these people have the chance to experience the happiness in life. Marriage, friends, family and children. Everything."
Harry thought about Ron and Hermione. 'One day… one day, they're going to get married. They'll have a nice family. A beautiful house. Smart and charming kids with red hair, running around poking their cute little heads into everything.' He smiled faintly. He also thought about Remus. 'One day, a cure for werewolves will be found, and he'll live a normal life. He would know what it feels like to be accepted for who he is.' If they survived, all his friends – no, his family – might live on to see a bright, new sunrise and a quiet, beautiful sunset every single day. They would be happy.
He wiped the tears away, smiling brightly at that thought. 'So this is what I'm fighting for. What we are fighting for. Our reason to live on.'
He looked at Professor Dumbledore.
"Thank you."
That was all he said, but it was enough. A simple 'thank you' with a thousand different layers. Thank you for the words of advice. Thank you for inspiring me to live on. Thank you for always supporting me. Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for everything.
Dumbledore smiled, and in his heart he knew that he would do anything – everything – for the person who stood before him. He would sacrifice himself just so Harry could have a future. He was sure that he wouldn't be a part of it, but he would still be happy, watching from the heavens above.
Harry hardened his gaze. He straightened his shoulders, moving to the middle of the hall. He looked at the ancient gates of Hogwarts, resolute in his newfound strength. Pulling out his wand, he said to Dumbledore "For now, we must fight. For now, we must survive. But the rest… the rest is still unwritten." Harry's voice strengthened. "This is where our life begins."
Dumbledore stepped to Harry's side, a step behind the young wizard. Pride filled him. Before this, Harry was just a boy, struggling to find his way in life.
But now… he was a man.
Albus Dumbledore knew that... from that very moment, everyone out there would have the greatest leader alive. The greatest leader to have ever lived. It was no other than Harry James Potter.
The gates opened.
Harry strode forward resolutely, followed closely by Dumbledore.
A faint murmur rose to a roar, a great crescendo.
They were greeted by the powerful and incomparable cheers of thousands.
Author's Notes:
This is my first fic ever, so please, leave some reviews – especially if it's constructive criticism. 'OMG THIS STORY IS SO GOOD' and 'OMG THIS STORY IS HORRIBLE' reviews are fine, but they're not very useful? So, yea. I hope that I do get a few reviews pointing out my strengths and weaknesses.
At the moment, I'm just getting a feel for things, writing short stories here and there. I'm planning to write an epic, but for now, I just want to see what people think of my writing. Please, do leave a review, I need the feedback.
Thanks for reading my story.