Chapter Fourteen
The First and Worst Funeral

After looking at everyone's faces, Ebony stepped in and corrected Dumbledore. "I'm only Tom's half-sister. We had the same father, but my mother is a Muggle, and I am NOT a descendent of Slytherin, thank goodness for that. And I am married to Gerald Whittaker, so I'm not really Miss Riddle anymore, but that was my name when I was at Hogwarts. No one has really heard of me for a while, because after I found out what Tom- I mean Voldemort- did, I had to lie low in case anyone accused me of being a Death Eater. I never knew that he was my half-brother until he tried to kill Harry Potter. My mother was a friend with Lily Evans's parents, and Lily's parents told my mother, who told me. I know- confusing, right? But that's the truth, whether I like it or not, and I do NOT like it." Ebony took a deep breath, and gave another smile.

Everyone just stared for a moment at Ebony, who tried to pretend she didn't notice. But she was afraid that she gave them too much information at once, and now they would hate her because of it. But a short, red-haired girl spoke to her in a welcoming tone, which brought relief to Ebony.

"Mrs. Whittaker, my name is Ginevra Weasley (But please, call me Ginny,) and I just want to say, welcome to the Order of the Phoenix."

Ginny smiled at this tall middle-aged woman, who returned the smile and answered, "Thanks. But please; call me Ebony. No one's ever called me Mrs. Whittaker before, and I'm afraid I'm not used to it!"

Ginny knew that this woman would be a great addition to the Order, and she was anxious to get to know her better.

"Well, Ginny… Ebony: I'm glad you don't mind each other, because you two will be traveling together for a few days," Dumbledore smiled and looked from Ginny to Ebony; neither of them had been expecting this.

At 11:30, everyone was standing around the empty grave, in which Neville Longbottom would soon be resting peacefully. They were only waiting for Harry, who apparated by Dumbledore's side a moment later.

Many of the girls were crying, and the men had solemn expressions on their faces. Neville's grandmother had also joined the ceremony, and she was standing quietly off to the side. She appeared to be praying over Frank and Alice Longbottom's graves, who had both died the previous winter.

Lupin and Moody carried Neville's casket over to the grave and as they lowered it, Dumbledore read a short biography of Neville's life. As everyone bowed his or her heads, Ginny was remembering the Yule Ball in her third year. If Neville hadn't taken her, she wouldn't have been able to go. Hermione was remembering all the times that she helped Neville in Potions class while Snape was there, and then how happy Neville was when he failed his Potions O.W.L. and he would never have to take Potions again. Harry was remembering how well Neville did in those secret D.A. meetings, and how Neville was so determined to be at the top of the class. Ron was remembering the time in their third year when Neville's boggart turned into Snape, and Neville forced it to wear his grandmother's clothes.

Everyone had their favorite memory of Neville, and all of them were good. He was a good friend, a good date, a good duelist, and he had a good sense of humor. All of the Longbottoms had died a noble death, and that's the way it should have been.

When everyone was still bowing their heads, Ebony felt a strange coldness sweep over her body. Although it was about noon, the sky was darkening every second. Apparently, Ebony was not the only one who detected a strange presence. Ginny and Hermione were shivering, and Ron kept rubbing his arm. As Dumbledore was reading the last passage and was announcing that Neville may rest in peace eternally, Ebony was slowly reaching for her wand inside her robes. It had been so long since she used the wand, because she was afraid that if she did magic, the Ministry would locate her and bring her in for questioning. But now Dumbledore was with her, so she felt safe to use it. Dumbledore declared the funeral over, and everyone raised their head, not wanting to confirm their fears of what was moving behind them. But Harry had managed to slip away from the crowd, and shouted, "EXPECTO PATRONUM!" at the nearing dementors. Ginny, Ron, Hermione, and the other D.A, members did the same, and the Order was spreading out. With a flick of his wand, Dumbledore buried the grave, then mumbled a hasty prayer, and shouted instructions to the Order members.

Ebony didn't know what to do. It had been nearly seventeen years since she used her wand for really complicated spells like the Patronus Charm, but she felt that it was her duty to try her best.

Just as she was about to unleash her Patronus, Dumbledore grabbed her arm, and pulled her away.

"Albus! I was just about to…"

"I know, I know! But you can't. You haven't done magic for a long time, and I know you want to, but we can't give Tom a chance to find you. I understand that you were a Healer for a while after you graduated from Hogwarts? Well, I'm sure there will be injuries, so you must help them. Apparate back to Grimmauld Place, grab the First Aide Kit, and come back here. Oh, and grab some chocolate," Dumbledore explained.

Ebony was slightly disappointed. She wanted to be in the action with everyone else, but she needed to obey Dumbledore. She also didn't want to have her half-brother know she was here. 'But he may know anyway,' she thought.

Ginny had managed to keep about five dementors away from Ebony, as she was disapparating. Ginny kept glancing over at Harry who was able to keep about fifteen dementors away at a time. Determined not to become jealous, Ginny just kept focusing on her dream the previous night…that was her happy thought, and it was working quite well. She just kept thinking of Voldemort and Snape lying lifelessly on the floor, her mother announcing the wedding, and Harry about to kiss her…

'Just focus on the corpse, Voldemort is dead, I just killed him, but Ginny keeps appearing! She's not supposed to be here. Oh well, she can stay. She looks better in this lighting anyway. I can't believe I think about her so much. Never mind; focus. Voldemort is dead, I'm alive, the battle is over, the prophecy fulfilled, and Ginny's hugging me? She is hugging me, and this makes me happier than killing Voldemort! I must be out of mind, but Ginny really is hugging me!' Harry thought to himself as he was firing his Patronus Charm at about twelve dementors.

The dementors were going away now, and Ginny was hugging him. Ebony was handing out chocolate to everyone, and giving some people some potions. Ginny and Harry walked over to Ebony, and sat on the ground together, with Hermione, Ron, Dean, Luna, Cho, and Seamus. They began chatting animatedly about their plans after the Final Duel.

"I really want to be a Healer. What about you, Hermione?" Cho asked.

"I think being a Healer would be nice, but I also think a job at the Ministry would be good too. Maybe in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. I could straighten them all out down there," Hermione replied, and Ron gave a smile that showed he very well knew that she would.

"Well, I want to continue the Quibbler with my father. But I'm going to reform the magazine. No more stories about the Crumple-Horned Snorkack, or anything like that. It will be a 'normal' magazine if you will." Luna wasn't 'loony' anymore. After the Battle at the Department of Mysteries, she was very changed, and quite normal. She also became one of Ginny and Hermione's best friends.

"Well, I want to work in the Department of Magical Games and Sports. You too Dean, right?" Seamus said, and Dean nodded. Cho was looking over at Seamus, and when he looked back, she smiled and blushed.

Harry glanced over at Cho. They had patched up their friendship a few months before, and he was glad of it. Now they were just good friends, and he knew that she liked Seamus.

"Well, I dunno about anyone else, but I want to play Quidditch. I could lead England to the Cup, finally! Bring some glory to them all!" Ron declared, and Ginny grinned at her older brother with admiration.

"What about you Ginny?" Hermione asked, looking over at Ginny.

"Well, This may sound silly, but I want to be an Auror. I think that would be something I could really enjoy," Ginny replied sheepishly, her cheeks and ears turning slightly pink. But Harry didn't want her to feel embarrassed.

"Gin, that's not silly! I want to be an Auror, too. You've got the O.W.L.s, so you can be one. You'd be a really good one, actually."

Ginny grinned, and Harry suddenly remembered that he needed to leave, no matter how much he didn't want to.

"Guys, I've got to leave now. I know that I haven't talked to you guys much lately, but, as you know, I'm busy. If I come out of this alive, I promise, I will take everyone here to the World Cup next year!" Harry explained as he stood up.

"What the hell do you mean, 'if I come out of this alive'? Of course you're going to win. You're Harry Potter! Voldemort doesn't stand a chance!" Ron yelled enthusiastically.

Harry was speechless for a moment. Ron had never used Voldemort's name in front of him before. And they all believed in him, that he really could defeat Voldemort. Harry just wasn't sure if he thought he could do it alone. Harry grinned at Ron, who grinned back, and then all the girls stood up and gave him a hug, and the guys slapped him on the back. Harry went over to Dumbledore and mumbled something, and then he disapparated with a loud crack.

Just as Ebony finished handing out chocolate, and potions, she came over to Ginny and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Ginny? Professor Dumbledore wants us both. I hope we're not in trouble!" Ebony joked, and Ginny knew that though Ebony was much older in body, her spirit could be no older than seventeen.

Ginny stood up and walked with Ebony over to Dumbledore. It was starting to rain, and the sky was darkening again, though this time it was natural. Dumbledore smiled at the two, and he motioned for them to follow him. He conjured a huge umbrella, and held it above himself, Ebony, and Ginny.

"So, Albus, when we will be leaving?" Ebony asked, just as she stepped in a puddle of mud.

Ginny laughed and pointed her wand at Ebony's shoe and the bottom of her jeans. "Scourgify," Ginny muttered, and Ebony playfully tapped Ginny on the shoulder.

"Well, right now, actually. But you will be acting as Muggles, and use the London Underground. If you need a map, I have a scar on my knee that is very precise," Dumbledore answered. Just then, Hermione screamed, and the three of them whipped around and darted back towards the gravesite. Moving towards Hermione, Ron, Dean, Luna, Cho, and Seamus, was Draco Malfoy and Theodore Nott.