Chapter 31

Emily covered little Jamie up and felt again how the desire to cry overcame her. Giving Jamie a kiss, she slowly turned around and left the room. She went to Sirius who was standing next to the window and was looking out.

"Sirius, Jamie needs you now. You have to…"

"No, I can't. I just can't Emily."

He looked at her with such an expression in his eyes that she knew that she wouldn't be able to bring herself to try it once more to persuade him.

"I'll stay with Jamie," she said softly and returned to her nephew who still was trembling like a leaf and still hadn't really realized that he would never again see his mother. Holding Jamie in her arms, she began to hum while her heart was breaking. Charlotte had been more to her than a sister. She had been her other half. Her whole life Charlotte had been there for her, had protected her, had helped her, and had been her confidant. After the death of their parents, she had comforted her and she had clung to her older sister. Emily couldn't believe that her sister should not been there anymore. How should they only live on? Staring into the darkness, she realized that it meant nothing to her that Voldemort had been brought to Askaban. Somehow she couldn't bring herself to feel that it meant something. The war was over but Charlotte was dead.

Emily thought back to the events which had led to this catastrophe. Where had been the beginning?

If Dumbledore had listened to Severus and Alison and would have never sent him back to Voldemort, would then everything have happened differently? If Harry and his friends would have never appeared in Hogwarts, would it then have happened? Emily knew that Charlotte hadn't really believed in Harry's fault at the murders of Farle and Bill Weasley and she knew that Charlotte would have never hold Harry responsible for what had happened but at this moment she couldn't help herself as to blame Harry in her sorrow just as Dumbledore, Voldemort and the Order and even Jamie and Lizzie, only to feel ashamed immediately afterwards. How could she seriously think that it was Jamie's fault?

As Jamie had finally fallen asleep, Emily rose and went over to Hermione's room. Emily remembered how frightened they had been as the children had appeared in the stony hall. Hermione was lying in bed. Her eyes were opened and seemed to stare at the opposite hall. Emily laid cautiously a hand on Hermione's shoulder.

"Hermione?"

Hermione looked at her with shadowy eyes.

"Why? Emily, why…" Hermione's voice broke and Emily pulled the girl into her arms.

Albus Dumbledore had climbed up one of the towers and shortly afterwards he leaned against the battlements. While looking in the star-strewn sky, he softly sighed. It was hard to believe that the war was indeed really over now. Since Voldemort was now in Askaban and his headquarters had been destroyed, those followers which hadn't been caught yet would surely not continue the war. At least he was hoping this, unless there would be a leader who could replace Riddle. It had been luck for them that only a part of the Dementors had joined the Dark Lord so that Askaban had never fallen into Tom Riddle's hands during all those years. Albus's thoughts wandered to Harry. He had wanted to take the boy and his friends along to Hogwarts but Harry had refused and had returned to Terley with his friends.

He didn't like it at all that he hadn't managed to stop Harry but at least the boy had told him where he could get hold of them. Terley, Albus thought, this answer had surprised him just as the sudden appearance of Peter Pettigrew and his role he had played in the events which had happened in the archives.

As he had heard after the fight that Pettigrew had intercepted one curse which had been meant for Remus and thus had saved Remus' life and so had lost his own life, he hadn't wanted to believe it. And to think that so many years ago he had betrayed Lily and James, a persistent little voice whispered in him. But Albus shuddered at the thought of what would have happen if Pettigrew hadn't showed them the way into the castle.

He hadn't any doubt that they wouldn't have been able to save the children and they would have not only lost Charlotte but Sirius, the Lupins and Alison as well. Sadly Albus blinked. He had liked Charlotte very much. Turning around, he went to the stairs. Going slowly downstairs, his thoughts wandered to Severus. They had found him unconsciousness in one of the dungeons of Arreton Castle and they had taken him with them. Currently he was lying in the hospital wing. Still no one knew what had happened to him or what on earth had brought him to kidnap his daughter and Jamie.

But whatever had happened, Albus thought, life had to go on, as hard as it was. Perhaps one day answers to his questions would be found. Reaching the door to his office, he decided to speak with Harry as soon as possible. Harry had to return to Hogwarts, now that they knew who had been responsible for the murders in the archives.

After Remus had brought his children to bed, he began to search for his wife and Sirius. Emily he found with Hermione, gently he closed the door and sighing he looked around but Sirius was nowhere to see.

He was worried about his friend and he thought where he could have gone to. Returning to Meggie and Ian, he frowned. Where are you Sirius? He felt however a certain relief that he hadn't to face Sirius at this moment.

He could imagine only too well what Sirius was feeling now. His sorrow was nothing in comparison to Sirius' grief.

"Dad. Where's Mummy?"

Remus jumped slightly as he saw his five year old daughter standing in front of him who blinked at him sleepily. Picking her up, he ran a hand over her dishevelled curls.

"You should be sleeping long ago, Meggie," he said and Meggie snuggled up to him.

Once more Remus' thoughts revolved around the fight. At least they had been able to save the children, he thought and tightly hugged his daughter. He however should not been sitting here now, it flashed through his mind.

As Jamie and Lizzie had been kidnapped today it hadn't been a question to him whether he would come along to the Dark Lord's castle. Despite his limited ability to fight and although he had known that should it come to a fight he would hardly have a chance to survive due to his crippled leg, he had refused to stay in Hogwarts.

He had already believed everything lost as the Death Eaters had held onto them. The unexpected arrival of the Order had resulted in him being able to free himself. Shortly afterwards he had found himself opposite of Peter. Surprised they had looked at each other for one moment. From somewhere a curse had shoot towards them and for a fraction of a second Peter had regarded him with a strange, desperate expression in his eyes and then he had thrown himself in front of him and thus had saved his life. Remus still couldn't believe it. Thirteen years ago he had vowed to kill Peter and to get revenge for the betrayal and now Peter of all people had saved his life.

Remus shook his head. For so many years he had hated his former friends and now he didn't know anymore what he should feel towards Peter. Remus looked down on his sleeping daughter and boundless gratitude overcame him, even if he certainly would never understand why Peter had done this.

Looking out of the window on the dark lake, Ginny stood motionless in her room. Trying to sleep was pointless, she was much to churned up inside. As they had been standing clueless in front of the wards, Ginny had already thought that they wouldn't manage it to leave the castle. Unexpectedly they had run into a member of the Order and although she was still feeling bad about it they hadn't had another choice but to curse him with a Stunner and to steal his bracelet just as Harry, Caro and Draco had to have done it then. The forest which surrounded the headquarters of the Dark Lord they had found without any difficulties. There they had waited again since they hadn't found a way how to get inside the castle.

Their surprise had been great as suddenly nearly the whole Order had appeared, so that they had followed the adults to the stony hall in the end. She had seen Harry only for a moment then Charlie had grasped her arm and dragged her and Ron out, his friend had taken care of Hermione and Neville. Only later they had heard what had happened. If she should go to Hermione? To find out that Voldemort had murdered Charlotte must have hit Hermione hard, Ginny thought. She knew after all how much Hermione had been attached to Charlotte. Remembering how it had been as she had mourned over Bill, she left her room and padded silently through the corridors. Reaching the chambers of the Blacks, she still hesitated, then she however opened the door which strangely wasn't locked. The room lay in complete darkness.

Timidly she opened the door to Hermione's room and stopped abruptly. Emily was with Hermione, they clung to each other and Ginny stepped back. After she was in her bed short time later, she pulled her blanket tightly around her and touched Harry's bracelet. She wondered how he was feeling now. She didn't know what exactly had happen but that Harry had defeated Voldemort seemed strange to her. Though she hardly knew something about him, neither from his childhood, nor his feelings, she loved him and missed him greatly. It was crazy but she couldn't change it. Would he now return to Hogwarts?

Caro stood on the terrace and looked at Harry and Dumbledore who ere walking down to the beach. Stepping to one of the deckchairs, slowly sit and riveted her gaze on the ocean. Still she couldn't believe the events which had taken place in Arreton Castle a few days ago. If she remembered this, she still had the feeling that she had betrayed her father but Caro knew that she would act exactly in the same way, should she had to make this decision again. After they had brought the little ones back to Hogwarts and had returned to Arreton, everything had been settled already.

They had heard only from Dumbledore what had happened as they had finally spotted Harry among the scarlet cloaks. Neither Draco's parents, nor her mother they had seen anymore. Caro shook her head. She shuddered at the thought that her mother and Draco's parents were in Askaban. Draco was desperate. However they had imagined the outcome would be of their attempt to help – had she done it at all, she wondered or had all her thoughts been riveted on Jamie and Lizzie; Caro didn't know it anymore – surely they would have never imagined that it would end like this. T

he Dark Side completely destroyed, at least in Great Britain and the Dark Lord in Askaban. Why. She asked herself, hadn't he defended himself. As they had returned to Terley after the fight, Harry had started at her with strange lifeless look and had murmured this question to him over and over again. Caro didn't understand it either. He could have blocked Harry's curse without any difficulty. Did Harry mean more to him as she had always believed?

Caro leaned back in her deckchair. She was worried. Harry was in a worse condition he had been after the events in the archives of the Order and Draco who feared for his parents, wanted to free them with their help. Harry's behaviour, who had reacted rather apathetically to Draco's desperate attempts to think up a plan, had led to a fierce quarrel between the two yesterday or more precisely said Draco had shouted and Harry had remained silent with rigid face. How should it only go on now? Caro thought sadly and helplessly. Harry didn't speak practically at all anymore.

Caro sat up and gazed into distance. She could still recognize Dumbledore and Harry as little dots. Hopefully it didn't turn out to be a mistake that she had told Harry that Dumbledore had stood outside of the wards and had insisted upon speaking with Harry. As she hadn't been able to dissuade him from his intention, she had finally gone to fetch Harry. What did Dumbledore want from Harry?

„Harry, you have done what had to be done. You have ended the war. You can really be proud of yourself. Especially…"

Dumbledore continued to speak but Harry didn't listen to him anymore. He regretted it that he had let the old wizard, who had stood outside the wards of Terley in, after Caro had told him of it.

‚Proud?' he wondered. Of what? Should he be proud that Charlotte was dead; that Severus was not able to communicate to anyone and had obviously lost his mind, that Jamie and Lizzie suffered from nightmares and would never forget the happenings; that Alison and Sirius were desperate and overwhelmed by sorrow; that he had betrayed his adoptive father and had brought him to Askaban where he was waiting for his execution; that Draco wasn't talking to him anymore; that Draco's parents and Bella as well were waiting for their sentences?

"….your education. If the new school year will begin…."

Harry thought of Hogwarts and alone the imagination having to attend the lessons as nothing would have happened caused great aversion rising in him. Apart from this, would he be able to bear seeing his godfather again, Alison, Jamie and Lizzie, Emily and Remus? He would always be remained of what had happened. Shuddering he shook his head. No, he certainly would not return to Hogwarts. Since he hadn't any desire however to get involved in an argument with Dumbledore he assured the old wizard that he would come to Hogwarts at start of school.

As Dumbledore had finally left him alone, Harry went down to the beach, sat on the warm sand and stared at the ocean which stretched itself so endlessly far and listened to the noise of the waves. It was strange but everything seemed not really to touch him, it was almost so as he would see everything through a fog.

Ginny's letter he hadn't answered and even as Draco had screamed at him that they had to do something, he hadn't really cared. He didn't want to think of it anymore, he did want to forget it, he wanted to forget everything.