Chapter Twenty: The Balance Maintained
It didn't last for long. Harry came to almost as soon as his head hit the ground. He looked up to see the worried visage of the Bloody Baron peering down at him.
"Lad?"
"I'm fine. Bloody hell, why didn't you warn me?" Harry grumbled, struggling to his feet.
"Ah, lad," the Baron raised his ghostly eyebrows. "The cold isn't something you can describe, now is it?"
Harry thought for a moment, then nodded his agreement. "No, you're right. You couldn't have told me."
"Few could, lad. Few could," the Baron looked past Harry and the smile faded from his grey face. "He's come."
"Who?"
"The Gatekeeper," the Baron responded simply.
"You know him?" Harry was astounded.
"In my line of work, you meet all kinds," the Baron smiled again before looking back beyond Harry. Harry turned to see what he was looking at.
In the distance, Harry could see a group crowding around something bright. It took a moment for him to realize that the sun was reflecting off of something... it was a portal, and the tall form of Anubis stood beside it. Those brought back through the Veil by Voldemort and his followers, freed now with the extinction of the spirit which had held them, crowded around, desperate to return.
Harry, suddenly realizing what was happening, ran for the crowd, desperately hoping he would be in time to stop them. Pushing through, past others trying to reach the gate, he finally found them.
"Wait! Wait!" Harry yelled, grabbing for the robed arm of his mother.
"Harry?" Lily turned, her eyes sad. "Oh, Harry..."
And for the first time that he could remember, Harry Potter felt his mother's arms encircle him, and he took comfort from it.
"Mum?" Harry clung to her. "You can't leave... not now. Please..."
"Harry, we must," James said softly.
Harry looked up to see the others that Voldemort had summoned crowding to press their way through the portal. Anubis made them slow, counting them as they entered.
"Please... can't you stay? Please..."
"Harry, there must be a balancing," a deep, sad voice spoke.
Harry turned to look into the wise blue eyes of the Headmaster.
"Professor..."
"Harry, as many as came out must go in. Your parents cannot stay."
"Dear Merlin... Lily! James!"
Harry turned to see the ragged figure of Remus Lupin standing to the side, his face a mask of shock.
"Moony?" James smiled. "You're here with him. Good."
"James..." Remus whispered. "Dear God, James... how..?
"Don't ask," James grinned. "Trust me, you do not want to know."
"Sirius?" Harry enquired. Lily's green eyes found him again, and she shook her head.
"He resisted," she smiled. "But we..."
"We grabbed the chance to come," James admitted. "Your mother... we... wanted... we thought..."
"There must be a reckoning, James," Dumbledore said, his voice showing his sadness, but firm nonetheless.
"Harry... Harry!" Ginny Weasley came pushing through the crowd, throwing her arms around him and sobbing with relief. "Oh, Harry... when I saw you fall..."
"Ginny, I'm okay. Ginny..." He clutched at her, holding her close to him and burying his face in her hair. She smelled of sweat and smoke, and that scent that was essentially Ginny. He sighed.
"You have so much to go on with, Harry," his mother's soft voice came to him. He looked into her eyes, full of tears. "Holding you in my arms... just once... was worth coming back... and will be worth returning.
"No!" Harry cried. "I've got you here now... I can't..."
"We have to, Harry," James said quietly. "As much as we wish we could stay here, we can't upset the balance."
"But..." Harry looked at them, thinking, his eyes wild. "Then I'll go with you... I'll..."
"I wouldn't let you, love," Lily said gently. "Don't do this to yourself... to her..."
Harry looked down into Ginny's stricken eyes and realized, he couldn't leave her. He simply couldn't.
"I... No... I can't leave."
"Harry, you have your life to live. Live it, enjoy it with no regrets."
"But so did you! You gave it up for me... how..."
"Willingly, Harry."
"But you... you're barely older than me. You can't go back... you had lives to live, as well. Voldemort stole that from you!"
"Yes, but he did steal it, Harry. Our lives..." James swallowed. "The others... the others all wish to go back. Your mother and I would stay if we could, but... we can't."
Harry glanced to where the portal stood, Anubis at it's side. The line going through was dwindling. Those who had come through were almost desperate to return. Harry watched the blonde head of Colin Creevy as he stepped up and through. Susan Bones was next, and she went without a backward glance, without regret.
"Do you want to return?" He asked, his pain showing clearly in his green eyes.
"I would rather... " Lily sighed. "We have no choice, Harry. We would be with you if we could, but if this balance were upset... terrible things would happen, Harry."
"But..."
"There is a painting in the study of Potter Manor... there are instructions in my black writing case... you can have a small piece of us that way. I..."
"I've already found that. When you came back, the painting stilled. I don't think it will work a second time."
"No," Lily agreed sadly. "It won't. I'm sorry, Harry."
"There are as yet two souls missing from my world. The balance cannot be met until two more walk through," the booming voice of Anubis reached them.
"Harry, we must go."
"I know," Harry said quietly.
"Harry, there is more. It's not forever. There is a place beyond this... the Summerland... you will find it."
Harry looked steadily at his father. He knew he had to let go. He felt Ginny's hand in his, and suddenly knew that he could. He had Ginny. "I know."
They walked as a group towards the portal. Anubis eyed them carefully. "You are the two?"
"We..." James glanced down at Lily, grasping her hand tightly, and then back to Harry, regret in his eyes.
"No, they are not," a firm voice spoke.
Harry and the others spun around to see two figures approaching. Harry could hardly believe his eyes. Nearly Headless Nick and the Grey Lady, hand in hand.
"We are ready, Harry. They are not," Nick explained. "We will go."
"But..." Harry looked at them, shocked.
"No, Harry," the Grey Lady spoke for the first time in Harry's memory. Her voice was soft, lilting Irish, and she smiled sadly. "I am ready. I stayed... I stayed to be with an unworthy man, who left me alone upon his own death... Nicholas and I are ready to go. We want to go. Can we, please?"
"Two are owed," Anubis said firmly. "We are missing the souls of a man and a woman... I care not their identities. The balance must be maintained."
"Nick?" Harry hesitated, hardly daring to hope, but feeling guilt all the same.
"It's what I want, Harry. Peace. Can you imagine? No more blasted immortality. What a lovely thought!"
Harry smiled, tears threatening. "Thank you... thank you so much..."
"No, Harry, it is my pleasure. Mine. Be assured of that."
With this, Nick and the Grey Lady moved towards the portal.
"Nick!" Harry called.
"Yes, Professor Potter?"
"Tell Sirius... if you see him... thank him for me."
Nick smiled. "I shall do that, Harry."
And with a flurry of movement, the two figures were gone.
"The balance is met," Anubis spoke, then turned, his eyes boring into Harry. "Beware, mortals... these gates are not playthings. Eternity, and my wrath, await those who seek control in my domain."
And with that, he disappeared, the gate gone with him, leaving a ragged group of exhausted, yet exultant, witches and wizards standing alone on the battlefield.
Not done yet... still a bit to tell...
CQ
BrittSchrick: Oh, I will absolutely be done by Saturday. I have a release party to go to! Our local Chapters (HUGE Canadian book store chain for those of you who aren't familiar with the name) are having a pre-release party, and releasing it on the dot of midnight. We shall be there... and I shall be reading all night! My kids are excited... I'm excited. My husband is looking at us like we're all nuts. Ah, well – can't convert everyone!
LarnaMandrea: Glad you thought so! As for the Imperius... come ON! I couldn't let Malfoy (the evil little git) have his way with them, now could I? I think I feel another one-shot coming on...
Perenelle: The Baron is a ghost because he was a ghost killer, and one of the risks taken, should things go wrong, is an eternity as a ghost. Harry took this risk, but it didn't happen.
LittleTom45: Wonderful! I love to hear that people have started to write. I'm putting you on my author watch list!
Shotgunn: Sorry about the lack of glory in Hagrid's passing, my friend. Perhaps the view in my head is better... I had an image of an army of undead being met at the gates of Hogwarts by the huge half-giant, armed only with a crossbow and a very badly disguised wand... perhaps it lost something in the translation.
CharminglyHolly: Chocolate. Definitely chocolate...
WolfsScream: You know, I never thought of that. Would a blind person be able to sense someone's presence, even with an invisibility cloak? Hmm... I sense a plot ferret...
And to all my lovely reviewers, a huge thank you: Gerie, AlliBaby, GiGiFanfic, SabineStrohemMoss, JainaSanri, Volleypickle16, Kordolin, jC, HeartofGryffindor89