A/N: After the many quite devastated reviews I've received for that last chapter, I feel that some explanations are in order.

Yes. I did indeed kill off Dumbledore.

And I'm very very sorry.

Writing the sequel to this story, however, I've come to the very unfortunate conclusion that I have done the right thing, and I hope Harry will realise that he's done the right thing too. As much as Harry has come to see that Dumbledore is not infallible, he still relies on him too much as a life guide and mentor. (I found myself trying to get Harry to go and tell Dumbledore about something he was having trouble with in the sequel, then I realised he was dead, and it wasn't possible.) My first reason for killing him off, (sniff) is that it's definitely time for that reliance to stop. Second, the wizarding world was never truly in danger as long as Dumbledore was somewhere nearby. Hasn't JK already told us that about only once or twice a book? It's like she's a posting a big target on his face for these last books. As far as I'm concerned, it's going to happen, and we have to brace ourselves. When? I haven't a clue. I only hope that JK cries as much as I did while writing the scene.

Dumbledore's a great man, and he deserves a great death, so I gave him one.

By the way everyone. Brace yourself, Dumbledore isn't alone. (everyone's now saying 'gasp! How could you!?')

By the way, Elmire, ce n'est pas un problème si vous preferez reviser tout en francais. Ce n'est pas ma premiere langue, mais je peut te comprendre assez bien. Je suis Ontarienne, et j'etais dans des classes de français depuis le jardinerie, alors ce n'est pas totalement difficile pour moi. Si vous êtes serieuse avec votre offre de traduire, vous êtes bienvenue a l'essayer. Je n'ai pas assez confiance avec le français pour le faire moi-mème. Merci bien!

For those of you who didn't understand, she's offered to translate my story into French. YAY!

Fawkes Disclaimer: No one can own a phoenix! The best you can hope for is to be its friend.


Chapter Thirty-Eight –

The Pack's Escape

Harry didn't wish to rouse himself.

He knew subconsciously that on the other side of that great barrier known as 'awake', he would encounter things that he did not expect and things that he did not like.

The nightmares were sometimes more pleasant.

Sirius Black fell through the veil of death, over and over and over again. He was merciless. He would not stop until Harry fully understood.

Death was not the end.

It was not something to be feared or pushed away.

It was acceptable, and it was a part of life. People died every day.

People who understood what they were getting into would be remembered for their bravery even right at the very end. People even had the right to choose their own end, should the situation be dire enough to prove that death by heroics was necessary.

Harry's own parents had done it.

It seemed they were in with a good crowd.

Sirius Black's wasted face smiled sadly at his godson as he flew through the air and disappeared through the black veil.

It's all right Harry. He whispered as he flew backwards.

Wake up.

Harry blinked tears out of his eyes, and lifted his hand to wipe them away. The world before him was blurred, and he thought for a moment that he might prefer to leave it that way.

"Harry?" he heard Hermione's voice, and a sudden scraping of chair feet on a hard wooden floor.

"Harry, mate, you awake?" Ron whispered.

Harry nodded, but didn't speak.

He was listening to someone crying.

"Cor, Harry, you frightened us!" Harry heard Neville's voice to his right.

"Where are my glasses?" Harry asked, feeling around the nightstand. The soft weeping from somewhere nearby was frightening him a bit. He caught one of the wire earpieces, and placed them carefully on his nose.

He looked around him.

He was in the infirmary again. Hermione stood at his bedside, and Ron sat looking despondent and red-eyed in another chair at the end of his bed.

"Seems to me," Harry muttered dryly, staring back up at the ceiling. "That a year at Hogwarts isn't complete without a nice June visit to the hospital wing."

"You're right there." Neville answered him from his own metal cot. "Broken leg." He answered Harry's unspoken question. "Be back to right in a day or two. Pomfrey mended the result of the lashing spell already."

"Stickyfoot's been climbing the walls with worry." Hermione whispered, and pointed to the ceiling, where a small yellow gecko sat gazing at them dolefully.

"What're you doing up there?" Neville asked her. "If you wanted to visit with us, then come on down and pull up a chair. It's always visiting hours here now. Special circumstances and all. There's no need for you to sneak in."

Stickyfoot crawled down the wall between the two windows above Harry and Neville's beds. Harry saw the red sky outside the windows, and realised that no one here had slept at all last night. He'd probably only been unconcsious for the last three hours or so. Three hours since… since Albus Dumbledore had died.

Luna drew herself up to her full human height once she reached the floor, and sighed. "I didn't want to interrupt." She said, and pulled a chair over beside Ron.

Ron looked very pale, and Harry eyed him cautiously.

"Ron?" Harry asked, suddenly feeling terrified. Ron wasn't upset about his best friend being unconscious, and despite his reverence for the headmaster, this wasn't about Dumbledore either. This was about something else. "What's happened?"

Ron gulped.

"It's Charlie." He stuttered. "He's dead." Ron's face was awash with grief, but it looked as if he had already cried about it quite a bit. His face was ruddy and pale. No more tears would fall. Hermione looked horrified, but unsure, as if she felt that there was really little more she could do for him just then, other than what she was already doing.

The world should have come crashing down on them in that secondwhen Ron told them about Charlie. But to everyone's surprise and alarm, it held up. The weeping girl in the next cubicle over seemed to wish that it hadn't. For Ginny Weasley, the world might as well have crumbled.

"Not Charlie." Harry whispered, tears coming to his eyes.

Ron nodded blankly, and Hermione patted him on the shoulder.

How could it be that Charlie, the man who could subdue a dragon, the best Weasley of them all, was dead?

On the other hand, how could Dumbledore, the wisest light wizard in over a century be dead either?

Nothing about death made any sense to Harry. Perhaps that was why he now understood it so well. He wasn't immune to the emotion that came with loss, but maybe there were just so few different ways of reacting, that Harry couldn't force himself to go through the whole grieving process all over again.

"Ginny?" He called out.

She sniffed, and her voice called over to him quaveringly. "Just leave me alone."

Ron shuddered. He hated to see his sister in pain.

Harry understood Ron's problem. His heart was heavy enough with his own emotional turmoil. When he heaped hers on top of the pile, it nearly broke. He stood, testing his sore, tense muscles, and walked toward the curtain divider.

Ginny looked up at him with red-rimmed eyes, and a pile of sodden tissues on the floor beside her. Obviously she had come to the medical ward for some space apart from other people. She'd hoped no one would be nearby to prod her, ask inane questions and interfere with her grief, but she wouldn't find solace here. Not this time. Perhaps she had been hoping that someone would give her a sleeping potion to dull the pain. Harry knew from experience that it wasn't in Madam Pomfrey's nature to allow someone to put off an emotional outburst by sleeping through it.

Other than Harry's, Neville's and Ginny's, there were nine partitions erected. That meant that in total, there were at least thirteen students or teachers in the hospital wing.

Harry didn't think he could take much more bad news. He didn't bother asking how many of Dumbledore's Army were now dead. He didn't want to know yet. He felt incredible guilt at the thought, but knew it would be much worse if he knew names. He was technically their commander, if he could use the unfortunate military term. If he knew that some had been killed, then he would also know that he had failed them somehow in their education. That he had once again, led innocent people to their deaths.

"Sabertooth?" he asked Ginny quietly, "Would you like to go for a walk in the forest?"

Ginny saw Harry's sad quivering face look up at him, and knew they were both feeling too much pain to be able to cope just yet. As a jungle cat, she didn't feel grief in quite the same way, and he could see that she longed for the escape. She nodded yes.

Harry turned to the rest of the pack. "What do you say?" he asked them. "Would you like to join us?"

"Can't." said Neville. "Bum leg."

"All right then, I'll stay with you." Luna said breezily. "I doubt I'd be able to keep up with the rest of you kids today anyhow." Harry felt a little odd to be called a 'kid' by someone a year his junior, but he let it slide. Luna was really an all right girl sometimes.

Ron and Hermione nodded, and the four of them slipped secretly past the frazzled-looking madam Pomfrey, who was busy collecting bowls of phoenix tears from a completely inconsolable Fawkes. They used a couple of strong disillusionment charms and snuck out into the quiet halls of the school.

They passed the fourth floor quickly without so much as a glance at the wreckage they were sure to see. Even without looking, Harry could feel the presence of many dead in that hall. He thought it might be difficult to ever go back. Even just to wander through.

They waited behind a tapestry for a stairway to change in their favour, then they slipped past the moving portraits in the great hall, who eyed the four shimmering air spots suspiciously.

They slipped past an oblivious Filch and Mrs. Norris who were guarding the entranceway, and they scurried past the pale shaking form of professor McGonagall who stood sentry just outside the tall front doors.

It was still early enough in the morning that the press were not allowed on the castle grounds, but Harry could see a good number of them at the gates, circling like buzzards, and trying to get past the Auror security forces.

He envied the many young students who had been able to sleep through the night, oblivious to the strife and suffering that had taken place just beyond their dormitory walls.

Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione slid down the hill past Hagrid's hut, and out into the slowly brightening forest.

Greymane, Sabertooth, Sidetrack, and Eyespy trekked through the bramble of the forbidden forest, navigating their way around centaur herds, giant spiders, free range automobiles, and other less threatening creatures of the early morning.

They found a small cave, and once Greymane had poked his nose inside to be sure that it was safe, they crept in to sleep soundly in a comforting huddle of feathers and fur.


A loud hoot, and an indignant flapping sound woke Greymane that afternoon. He opened his eyes to take in the form of Sabertooth, who had also sat up abruptly at the sound, and who was craning her head around to look at something over behind him.

"Ron! You bit me!" He heard Hermione's voice exclaim from the cave entrance. He looked over at her to notice that she was clutching at a dark spot on her arm. She pulled her fingers away, and, Greymane could see that it wasn't too serious. Just a few puncture marks left by a set of curious half-awake fox teeth.

Sidetrack had the nerve to grin and yip at her. He flicked his tail haughtily, and ran past, brushing up against her leg tauntingly before he exited the cave.

"Why you little…" she said, turning back into Eyespy, and flapping after him in a huff.

Greymane and Sabertooth followed after them, purring and growling a conversation with each other.

We have to go back, you know. Greymane grumbled.

I know. Don't worry, I'll be okay.

Are you sure?

Yeah. If you want to worry about someone, worry about my mother.

Oh no. She won't be taking this well at all, will she? It'll be horrible for her!

I saw her and my dad this morning. They're a wreck, but we'll all be there to help them through this. They're hurting right now, but life goes on. People change, and people die. We have to accept that. I don't deny that I'll miss Charlie. Harry saw Sabertooth's eyes moisten, and he licked her on the furry cheek, hoping she would be strong and happy.

Thank you. Sabertooth grumbled. I'm glad you're here. You know just what it's like. You can help me.

Greymane wondered if maybe they shouldn't patent animagus training as a form of psychiatry. Ginny seemed to have it down to an art.

He licked her on the ear once more, just before they all transformed and moved out into the sunshine of Hogwart's grounds.

Harry took one look at the castle, and decided immediately against going back into the school. The front lawn was swarming with reporters and ministry officials. It was simply a case of luck and diversion that they hadn't already been spotted.

"Let's… lets go to Hagrid's." Harry suggested, looking nervous.

The others nodded, and they walked out of sight along the forest edge to the small hut.

Hagrid was in his garden when they arrived. He wasn't doing anything, just sitting and contemplating his newly sprouting pumpkin patch. Harry noticed he was missing a large burnt chunk of grizzled beard, and his hand was wrapped in an unravelling sterile gauze.

"Hey Hagrid." Harry called quietly. "How are you?"

Hagrid started at the sound, but he turned to look at the four of them eagerly. "Hello you lot!" He called. "You've had our Madam Pomfrey in a right state! She's been looking for you all afternoon."

"Sorry." Harry said. "We didn't want to stay there."

"Tha's no excuse." Hagrid said, shaking a bandaged finger at them. "She's got your health to think about. She doesn't need to worry about you any more than she 'as to."

The group blushed, knowing Hagrid was right.

Hagrid, however glanced nervously at the distant buzzards around the front gates. "Why don't you come inside. I'll make you a cuppa tea."

They nodded, and followed the giant into his cabin.

"Where's Grawp?" Harry asked.

"Oh," Hagrid said, sounding proud and happy. "He's in the school dungeons bein' patched up, and havin' an interview. He doesn't fit into the infirmary, so they had to do it there. He told me I should come and see to you four." He leaned over to whisper. "Neville told me where you'd gone. I figured I'd wait for yeh."

"Grawp? An interview? Really?" Hermioine asked, enthralled at the idea that a real giant was getting respect of a sort from wizards. "So they're giving him the proper credit?"

"Yeh. Our McGonagall says what he did for you was enough to earn him an award. First giant to ever be given a wizarding award!"

"What he did for you?" Ron asked. "I didn't see it. What happened?"

Hermione chuckled. "Oh, I was getting ganged up on by four of them at once, and Grawp came over, letting himself get impaled by a knife in the leg, and he just picked up all four from in front of me, and handed them over to the Aurors."

"Did he?" Ron asked looking amazed. "That nicely?"

"Well," She amended. "He might have crushed them a little while he was doing it… Totally by accident of course. He's just stronger than he knows."

Ron rolled his eyes. "Of course."

An awkward silence seemed to fall over the cabin while Hagrid turned to put the kettle over the fire. Harry knew what everyone else wanted to ask. He might as well be the one.

"Hagrid…" He began.

"Hmm?" Hagrid asked absently.

"We know about Dumbledore, and Charlie…" He saw Ron and Ginny's faces fall at the mention of their brother, but it couldn't be helped. "Who else?" he asked in a whisper, dreading the answer.

Hagrid turned to face them sadly. "Acutana Vector."

"Professor Vector?" Harry asked, feeling horrified. He remembered what it was like to be in her class. How she was with the DA. No one that enthusiastic about life deserved a death that was full of fear. It was senseless and cruel. Unfounded guilt washed over him.

Hagrid nodded. "And the Order lost Jim Sandborne. He was new, and you didn't know him."

"Any students?" Harry asked harshly.

Hagrid hesitated.

"Who?" Harry asked, torturing himself with the thought of anyone dying so young.

"Justin Finch-Fletchley."

Harry closed his eyes letting the guilt flow from almost every pore. "Who else?"

"Sarah Kettleburn."

"The first-year? What was she doing there?" Harry asked, alarmed.

"Nobody can figure that out. Best we know is she woke up when the older students went out, and thought she'd follow them." Hagrid snuffled noisily, and turned his back to them, pretending to refill the kettle.

"I'll have to talk to Mark. He's got to be devastated." Harry put his hands over his eyes, and took three deep breaths. He'd led a twelve-year-old to her death.

"Anyone else?" He asked again, wishing Hagrid would just tell him.

Hagrid handed out cups of tea."No one else, except one Auror that I can't remember his name. There were a lot of people injured though, and quite a few are in St. Mungos. I don't want to alarm you, but there might'a been a few more after."

The four students didn't know what to say. Harry had gone far past the ability to cry. He just stared at a torn piece of carpet, and wished his hardest for a normal everyday life. Why did he have to be the boy-who-lived? Why did he have to be such a big part of this war? Why couldn't he just be a normal sixteen year-old boy? He loved being a wizard, but he would give it all up in a second to just have everyone safe. He just didn't see any other way of winning than fighting for it, and to do that, he needed help.

"To be honest, I was pretty impressed with the way you students fought. If you hadn't all been there, then I don't know what would have happened." Hagrid said, not realizing that he was in essence, answering all of Harry's questions. "It could have been plenty worse than it was. I saw a whole bunch of you fighting back to back. Was that on purpose?" Hagrid asked.

"That was my idea." Ron said. "I made up a game called 'evasion', and I thought it might help some of the people in the DA with their movement and body control."

"It wos a powerful good strategy." Hagrid told him nodding. "You'll have to show that one to Tonks."

"Thank you, I will."

They drank their tea in silence.

"C'mon." Hagrid said, after awhile, standing up, and taking their half-empty tea cups over to the sink. He looked out the window, checking the gates."The press folk have gone away from the lawn. Let's go up to the castle, and put Madam Pomfrey out of her misery."


"Remus!" Harry called, as he entered the infirmary, and noticed that one of the partitions had been drawn back to reveal the werewolf. "I didn't know you were here! I thought only students and teachers were in the infirmary! Were you injured?" He did a quick visual scan, and couldn't see any missing appendages.

Remus, who was sitting at the edge of one of the wrought iron beds next to a crooning Fawkes, smiled at Harry. "Not badly, which is why I was allowed to stay here. I only had a broken rib. Tonks was sent off to St. Mungos."

"Was she? Again?" Harry asked, not sure whether to laugh or cry. "What happened to her this time?!"

"She tripped over someone." He said wryly. "Hit her head, and was knocked out. It didn't help that she was also struck with a stray curse. She's being monitored for her head, and having a few bones in one leg regrown as we speak."

Harry winced. He'd had to regrow a bunch of bones in his arm before, and it really hurt. "No brain damage then?" he asked, knowing Remus wouldn't have told him so casually if she'd had any.

"No more than usual." He carefully eyed the morose teen. "What about you? I saw your battle from across the hall. It was impressive. Are you all right?"

Harry shook his head. "I've got a sore scar, but that's about it."

Remus shook his head. "I'm not asking about your physical condition."

"I'll be alright." Harry said in a low voice, and Remus understood. Harry would talk when he was good and ready. Besides, he would find it difficult to explain why it was that he did not feel the same sort of crushing guilt for professor Dumbledore's death as he had Sirius'. No one would understand his choice not to go through that sort of pain ever again. Life had been officially labelled too brief.

"Ron! Ginny! Harry! Oh, we were so worried about you! Oh Hermione, you too!" Mrs. Weasley flew over to them, and cried on each of their shoulders, clutching their bodies to her for a few minutes, and making them all cry a little in turn. Mr. Weasley also gave them all very emotional hugs, and didn't, for once, tell his wife to leave them alone or to stop crying. He even had a few tears of his own to shed. The sight was incongruous to Harry, as he'd never really seen Mr. Weasley being completely serious or upset. He'd seen him angry, no doubt about that, but never sad.

While this was happening, Hermione explained more calmly than anyone else could have, where they had all been for the last four hours. Madam Pomfrey, although incredibly confused as to why the students had taken sanctuary in the forbidden forest, insisted on looking Harry over one last time, and was quite peeved that he had left without telling her.

The twins came by, and brought the newest edition of the daily prophet. The front page was, by far, the most honest of all of the articles Harry had ever seen written. There was more in the article about Dumbledore, Charlie and the five others who had died than there was about Harry for once. In fact Harry could only see his name printed once in the whole article, which was astounding considering the battle scene he'd caused with Voldemort. They were calling him 'Albus Dumbledore's unofficial apprentice'.

It seemed that one of the editors had finally realised what was important in this war after all. Either that, or Fudge had finally decided to withdraw his fingers of influence that the ministry had held over the paper for so long. It probably helped that Angela Downfish was the author, and likely she had it on good authority that he didn't like seeing his name in the paper. He made a mental note to thank her later when he finally met her.

Professor McGonagall came by for a few minutes, explaining everything about what sort of precautions the ministry was now taking with their new prisoners. Apparently they were all going back to the rebuilt and refortified walls of Azkaban, and Harry hoped above all that Voldemort would not find some way of breaking them out again. She also told them how the school was doing, and how horrible she had felt when she'd had to go and explain to the rest of Gryffindor house what had taken place, and that she'd had to quarantine all of the students until tomorrow. She'd left the Fat Lady in charge of keeping them locked in, and the house elves in charge of bringing them meals and other necessities. She couldn't run the risk of anyone walking right into the investigations that were taking place on the fourth floor.

Malfoy had already been caught once sneaking out past the Slytherin guard, and he was docked two hundred points by Snape, of all people, giving Gryffindor an extreme lead for the house cup. Harry was pleased that Snape had docked his house so many points, but had ceased to be surprised about anything the potions master did. He didn't understand the man, and would probably never like him, but he respected him. He'd had a very hard job, and Harry knew that better than anyone. It was possible that Snape was just letting loose, now that he had officially proclaimed his true allegiances.

McGonagall also explained how she had spent half the morning consoling professor Trelawney, who was adamant that she could not stay at Hogwarts any longer. She had been in the infirmary for an hour that morning, but had gone back up to her tower to apparently drown her sorrows in a bottle of sherry for the evening.

Over all, Harry was quite surprised and alarmed that professor McGonagall had dropped the usual prickly schoolmarm attitude, and was speaking to them all as if they were equals. She seemed to have subconsciously separated Harry and his Pack from the rest of Gryffindor, and made them into friends, or at least allies of equal footing. Harry supposed that he appreciated the change. He felt very grown up just then.

"Harry, I wanted to thank you," professor McGonagall pulled him aside, and thanked him solemnly. "for everything you've done this year with the DA, with Professor Trelawney, the Hogsmeade attack, and everything." Harry understood 'everything' to mean yesterday's battle with Voldemort. "I know it's difficult for you to always be a witness, and the focus of everyone's attention, but very few people could have borne it all with as much courage and strength as you have shown." She continued, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

Harry blushed a little at the compliment. "Thank you professor."

"I also wanted to let you know that I believe you did the correct thing last night." McGonagall's voice had dropped low, and her hand shook on his shoulder, so she removed it. Harry could only stare at her curiously.

"Albus knew something like this would happen soon. I'm not sure how he knew it, but he did. Perhaps it was just inevitable, since You-Know-Who's return." She shrugged. "He made certain that I knew what his wishes were, and I get the feeling that wherever he is now, whatever he is doing, he is immensely proud of you. I know you had to make a difficult decision yesterday, and very quickly too, I might add. Professor Dumbledore would have been very disappointed in you if you had chosen any other way."

Harry felt a little like crying. He knew Dumbledore had probably known what he did from what Harry had told him of the third prophecy. McGonagall obviously didn't know about it, but since it was over and done with, Harry didn't feel keen on enlightening her. He could barely speak as he leaned forward and envelopedhisprofessor in a vicious embrace.

Finally, Madam Pomfrey had to kick them all out of the infirmary, so that her other patients could get some rest. Harry and his friends said goodbye to the Weasleys and Remus. They went solemnly back to Gryffindor tower, where mourning silence met them and cautious eyes followed them as they moved up to their dormitories where they could be alone.


The next day, Harry sat again in professor Trelawney's tower room.

He didn't really want to be here, but he knew that Trelawney would need some closure. Since she had now witnessed two major battles, he thought she might have some new insights on fighting and defense. Frankly, he felt sorry for her. He could only imagine just how badly she was taking her role in Dumbledore's death. She might be blaming herself, and Harry knew he couldn't dissuade her from that point of view, no matter how hard he attempted to comfort her.

"Professor McGonagall tells me you're going to leave the school?" He started the conversation, since she seemed to want to remain silent.

Trelawney nodded weakly. "I tendered my resignation this morning."

"Why?"

She looked at him in surprise, her eyes widening behind her thick glasses. "You think I should stay?"

Harry paused. Even though her classes had been a little better in the months since Christmas, she was still a pretty bad teacher. It was just that since she had been progressing with the DA, he had come to see her as a good person. Not that he was about to come visit her every chance he got, but she meant well. He didn't want to have to explain the difference to her. "I want to know why you think you need to leave?"

She remained silent for a moment, standing up, and walking over to her window. In all the time that Harry had been taking her class, the heavy maroon drapes had never been completely pulled to the side. They now stood wide open, and the sunshine streamed into her dusty classroom for what felt like the first time. The sound of a few frolicking young students reached their ears through the open window from the grounds. "Hogwarts is not really safe without Dumbledore here. They will try and attack again, and I can't be in the middle of this war." She said quietly. "I'm not willing to put up my own life for those of others. I'm not a fighter."

Harry nodded. That was the right answer. He understood the fact that some people could and some people couldn't. This was her way of admitting that fighting was sometimes necessary, even if she couldn't do it herself. "Since you're still in danger, you need to make sure you aren't noticeable."

"That's right."

"So where are you going to go, if you're not going to be here?"

"Professor McGonagall said something about blood magic being the strongest sortof protection. Apparently… Professor Dumbledore's sacrifice made it possible for me to have protection if I were to live with someone of his blood."

Harry nodded. "I've had a bit of experience with that one myself. But does Dumbledore have any relatives?"

"I was told he had a younger brother who lives somewhere in the Highlands."

Harry chuckled, remembering the one time that the Headmaster had mentioned his brother to him. "Ah yes, I remember the tale. Aberforth's inappropriate goat charms are legend."

Trelawney furrowed her brow in confusion.

"Sorry, do go on. Have you spoken to Aberforth Dumbledore?"

"He's agreed to take me in for the duration of the war. Minerva has spoken to him on my behalf."

"From what I've heard of Aberforth, he will be completely titillated by your Seeing abilities. He's a bit eccentric, and I'm sure he would be quite pleased to be in the company of a known seer. Don't fake it like you usually do though. Just let it come to you the natural way, and he'll like you just fine." Harry also made a mental note to write to Aberforth, and tell him to report the odd prophecy she might spew out to someone.

Trelawney said nothing, but stared sadly out the open tower window.

"I shouldn't be here." She said, ignoring his comment on her divination skills. "Professor Dumbledore was more important that I am. This war really can't be fought without him. Why did he do what he did?"

"Because no one else saw what he saw." Harry said sadly, knowing she was right when she said that the war would most likely take a turn for the worse now that Dumbledore was gone. That wasn't her fault though. Harry might have gone so far as to say that it was officially his fault, except that he knew he didn't want to go back to assigning guilt. Especially since, as far as he was concerned, he had made the only decision which would honour Dumbledore's sacrifice.

Trelawney looked almost as though she wanted to cry. "I should be dead right now."

Harry shook his head at her. "You're here because I chose you to live. Dumbledore knew what he was doing when he sacrificed his life for you. You were innocent. You have no way of changing that outcome. It was not your decision. You're feeling survivor's guilt."

She came back to the desk and sat down, listening intently. Her eyes were wide and white behind her huge glasses.

"The saddest thing about a sudden death," Harry told her, feeling strangely philisophical, "is that we cannot all die at once. When someone goes, they are always leaving someone else behind. No matter how tragic their death, it is the people left behind who suffer the most." He sighed. "I suffered when my Godfather was killed. I've suffered pretty much all my life because my parents were killed. The last thing I want to do right now, is make the people who care for me go through the same thing, but I would be willing to do it for the right cause." He paused to gather his thoughts for a moment.

Harry splayed his hands on the surface of her desk, and looked sincerely at her distraught expression. "I've learned that when someone dies to save you, you owe it to that person's memory to survive their cause. Find a new cause, and fight for it."

Trelawney nodded, looking athim in amazement. He was so incredibly wise beyond his years now. She looked as though she might have been frightened, if she didn't understand wholeheartedly what he had just told her.

"Dumbledore, Sirius, professor Vector, and my parents all died to save the wizarding world and myself from Voldemort. I think that the saddest thing here, is that these people have all died for the same reason. And that will happen over and over again until someone stops him permanently."

He stood from his seat, and Trelawney stood with him. "I'm going to survive this cause for them, deal with it, and one day I'll find a new cause. That's the best way I can repay them for their sacrifice. You can do the same for professor Dumbledore. It's the biggest honour you can give him. Even if your new cause is just to See, and to tell divine knowledge. It can still be something worth fighting for."

He held out his hand for Trelawney to shake. "I wish you good luck and happiness."

Trelawney looked unable to speak. She swallowed hard twice. She reached forward, and shaking his hand, she croaked through the lump in her throat. "Thank you."

Harry walked out of the Divination tower, for what he hoped would be the last time.


A/N: Hey everyone! July 16th is party time! Isn't that great?