Knowing and Changing

Chapter 5: A Month for Closure

Neville brought Luna, his grandmother and the Malfoys to meet him the following day. And although the meeting started off rather awkwardly, Luna managed to help break the ice between them all and they were soon plotting away.

Harry knew logically that any revenge he got on the people that had hurt and betrayed him was pointless, but he needed it. He needed some form of closure before travelling into the past.

They spent a week planning as Harry was still recovering from, well, everything. The goblins joined in on the schemes also, as did Kreacher. It was quite fun, actually. And he was surprised by how well he got on with the Malfoys, although, not really once he got to know the real them and not the people they had to pretend to be.

Harry decided to attend Severus' funeral. It was a quiet affair. The members of the family being the only ones to attend. Harry vowed to himself that he would make sure that Severus lived a happier, safer life this time.

He also attended Fred's, though he spent the entire time sandwiched between Neville, Luna and George, not letting anyone else come near him no matter how hard they tried. He was too tired and wanted to grieve for his boyfriend and their daughter in peace. George was the only one who knew that Harry and Fred were dating, though Harry hadn't gathered the courage to tell him about his unborn niece also. Harry knew it would break him even more than Fred's death had already done so.

He could see Ginny trying to flirt with him, even with the distance between them, and it made him feel sick. It was her brother's funeral and she was flirting with him. Harry shook in revulsion.

The trio and Molly tried speaking to him after the funeral, tried getting him alone, but he refused. He couldn't stand being there anymore, and neither could George so the two of them left to the shop, which had been on lockdown since the battle. Only Harry and George were allowed in.

The two of them spent the afternoon drinking, which, in hindsight, probably wasn't the best idea considering some of the potions that Harry was still on for healing purposes. And because he ended up telling George… everything. Which then led to George raging about the apartment on top of the shop. Shouting about his family, and Dumbledore, and death, and fate, and Death Eaters, and everything in between.

"Are you going?" George whispered as he collapsed back onto the sofa, next to Harry.

"Yes. But only after I get some revenge," Harry said, taking another swig of his firewhisky.

"Good," George said, his eyes gleaming with more life than they had since the battle, "I hope to be able to come along for the revenge if you don't mind,"

"Of course not, we have our next meeting tomorrow, I will take you along with me. We are meeting with Skeeter also to share some info," Harry winked.

George laughed, "This is gonna be great," then he sighed, "I can't believe Fred was going to be a mummy,"

Harry swallowed deeply, tears stinging his eyes.

"You know that he wouldn't have gone if he had known, don't you?"

"I know, George,"

"He would have been a great mummy. He was always looking after me and all the younger students, even some of the older ones. You would have been a great daddy also. Honestly that kid would have been so lucky to have you both as parents with the amount of love and caring you both have in you. And I know that one day, however many years in the past, you will make a wonderful parents, whether you are their mummy or daddy. And Fred would want you to be happy, so don't… don't hold back too much. He knows that you will always love him, and your daughter, but he also knows that there is so much more room in your heart for others, and that you deserve, more than anyone else in this crappy world, to be happy,"

They were both crying as they leaned on each other.

"I will make sure that this all doesn't happen the next time, I promise. Fred and Hadrian will have their baby girl,"

"How are you so sure that Fred and you will get together again in that future?"

"Because I am Hadrian, I know how I feel about Fred and I can't imagine it being any different even if I am raised differently. And I know that you and Fred aren't prejudiced against the other Houses, or who my family is. The war will be a lot shorter, so things will be vastly different. But something is just telling me that Fred and Hadrian will still be together, and their daughter will be okay. I will make sure of it,"

"You should have been able to have your daughter, too, Harry,"

"I know, but I am used to losing the people I love. Hadrian won't be used to that. Because I won't let it happen. Any of it. We are all going to be happy. We are all going to be okay. I promise,"

They continued on through the night. Talking, crying, laughing, mostly about Fred. All the while getting more and more drunk.

The morning light was painful against their eyes as they awoke in the mid morning. They were both groaning messes on the sofa until George gathered the energy to summon them some hangover cure potions. They sighed with relief as the potions worked their way through their systems.

"Are you still okay with me coming with you today?" George asked.

"Of course. We should probably clean up and grab something quick to eat before we go though,"

George hummed in agreement and yet neither of them moved, still too groggy from the day before.

At least until Luna's hare Patronus bounded gracefully into the room, "Harry, we hope you and George are… well, as okay as you can be. But Rita is going to be here in an hour and we are all waiting patiently at Gringotts for your wrackspurts to clear and you to join us. See you both soon,"

"It's creepy how she knows things," George grunts as he sits up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

Harry moaned in agreement as he sat up also.

They struggled around the apartment, showering and getting changed before quickly making some butter on toast and heading down the road, towards Gringotts.

They made it to the bank about fifteen minutes before Skeeter was due to arrive. Thankfully not nearly as tired as they were when they woke up. The morning air, the food, and the showers, managed to wake them up a little.

Harry formally introduced George to everyone and they both collapsed into their chairs around the large table.

Harry smiled gratefully and said a quiet, "Thank you," as Narcissa placed a warm mug of coffee in front of both Harry and George.

The meeting with Rita went well. She rather joyfully wrote down everything they told her and happily took the file of proof. She knew what they would do if she didn't print the truth. But she knew the stories were too good, too big, to not write the truth in her articles.

The articles would reveal everything.

Everything about Dumbledore.

Everything about his old friends.

Everything about his childhood.

Everything about the Malfoys, his parents, the Longbottoms, and Severus Snape.

They would be printed in The Daily Profit, The Quibbler, and Witch Weekly with them all chipping in to pay for the pages.

There was another file of evidence going to Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister for Magic, at least temporarily whilst they were waiting for an election, although Harry was sure that if he wasn't going to go back in time and ruin this timeline then Kingsley would remain in the position.

Skeeter would be posting articles about the events that took place throughout the month also, any arrests, sentences, etc.

It felt good.

It felt good to be able to take control of his life for once.

To be able to get some closure for once.

Once Skeeter left, a little skip in her step, Harry breathed a sigh of relief as the weight of the world seemed to crumble off his shoulders. He rested his forehead on the table and breathed for what seemed like the first time in years. They were shaky, but they were free.

Tears were flowing from his eyes, and yet he didn't care.

For the first time, ever, everyone would know the truth about him, his life. Everything.

And it was… he didn't really know how to describe it, but it was the best he had felt in a very long time. All the lies that had circulated about him over the years just added to his burden, but now, now he was free of that burden.

He didn't realise he was sobbing until he felt warm, comforting arms surrounding him, holding him the way he wished his mother would.

The next few weeks passed by in a blur of excitement and emotions of all kinds.

It was fun to watch the Wizarding World go crazy after reading the articles. Calling for justice for their 'Saviour'. The two youngest Weasleys and Hermione couldn't go outside without being bullied in some fashion.

It didn't stop them from fighting back though, from sneering at the crowds and saying that it was all lies.

George and Lee, with some help from Draco, Luna, Neville and the original Gryffindor Quidditch team all teamed up to play pranks on the trio also.

Molly Weasley was being harassed by all the mothers who thought it wrong that she would steal from an orphan who saw her as a mother figure.

She also sneered, and screeched, and said it was all lies.

Nobody believed them, of course.

The proof was in the articles for the country, and later the world to see.

Kingsley and various Aurors arrived in Diagon Alley one day to arrest them after a fight broke out.

Kingsley may have been part of the Order but he didn't know that funds were coming from Harry without his permission. In fact, the only ones that knew, according to Molly Weasley's trial under Veritaserum were her, Albus, the three teenagers, and one Remus Lupin. The revelation of which hurt Harry, despite the fact he didn't like Remus anymore (he just stood there and let his friends rape a boy the same age as them, as a prefect), it didn't mean that it didn't hurt that the man he used to care for knew about at least some of the theft.

It was entertaining, watching their struggles as they are sentenced to Azkaban for five years before another ten in the mines of Gringotts, and as they are dragged away by guards.

"Harry is a LIAR! You all know this! Why are you doing this?" Ron screamed as he was dragged from his chair.

"Harry, how could you do this to me? We are meant to get married! You love me!" Ginny squealed.

"Harry, you know this is wrong! Stop them!" Hermione screeched.

"Harry, you were nothing but a son to me! You got my son killed, the least you could do is save me from this!"

The door slammed and his heart shattered.

He stared at the door unseeingly. His broken heart in his throat.

He could hear people around him but he couldn't hear what they were saying.

He could feel someone holding him but he didn't know who.

Fred.

He had gotten Fred killed.

He had gotten their daughter killed.

His head was pounding.

His heart was pounding.

It hurt to breathe.

It hurt to think.

Dead.

They were dead.

They were dead because of him.

"Harry, you have to breathe, okay..? Breathe… Breathe for me… In… and out… It's not your fault, Harry… Fred wouldn't want you to blame yourself… He chose to fight, Harry… He knew the risks…" He could hear them speaking, multiple people, but they were all combining together. Muddled in his mind.

He felt something soft underneath him and he sunk into it.

He felt a cool vial on his lips and he swallowed something.

Breathing started to hurt a little less.

The pounding lessened.

But the pain of those words didn't.

Fred.

He could feel delicate fingers carding through his hair. A larger, familiar hand, warm in his own.

His mind was swirling with the words spoken by the woman he once thought of as a mother.

Killed.

They were killed.

They were killed because of him.

A sob tore from his throat.

"It's my fault," he mumbled.

"No, Harry, no. It's not your fault. It is the fault of those that started this war. Never the fault of you. And Fred wouldn't want you blaming yourself. He loves you, so, so much. He chose to fight. He knew the risks, Harry," George said.

"But,"

"No buts, Hadrian. It's not your fault. It is the fault of the person who killed him, and those who started this war," Narcissa said, a motherly tone in her voice.

"The wall exploded… I watched him die… I watched him die… but I couldn't… I had to keep going… I couldn't stay with him… I'm sorry… I didn't want him to die… I didn't want anyone to die… I didn't want this… any of this… I'm sorry… my fault… they are dead… because of me… and I couldn't stay with him…" Harry mumbled between cries.

"Harry," George didn't know what to say, not really, "we know you didn't want this. This war started long before you were even conceived and it isn't your fault that you got dragged into it. Dumbledore dragged you into this, he dragged a lot of people into it that shouldn't have been involved. Fred and I shouldn't have been involved either, but, well… we wanted to help you, my little brother and the love of his life. Plus our mother dragged us in, kicking and screaming. It's not your fault. You were a child, you are still just a teenager, this shouldn't have involved you, and we're all sorry it did. Fred doesn't want you to blame yourself for his death or anyone else's. The blame doesn't lie at your feet. If anything it is Molly's fault for dragging us into an Order and a war that we didn't want to be a part of. Not that she would ever admit that to herself, because she is just such a 'perfect' mother," George snarled slightly at the end but the rest of the time his voice was calming, helping to soothe Harry's tears and pain somewhat.

No one said anything else, Harry couldn't bare to speak, and the other two didn't know how to help.

Harry ended up crying himself to sleep, the words still swirling through his mind.

Hiya, I hope you are all well!

Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it despite it's messiness and time jumps (it took me all night to write and I am not feeling too good at the moment with my health issues flaring up). Hopefully the next chapter will be an improvement, it will centre around a conversation between Harry and Luna before Harry goes back in time in the following chapter.

I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are more than welcome to join if you would like to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfictions, life, share memes, and more. I will happily add any of you to the group if you would like to join. It is also where, when I am able and more organised, I will be sharing some sort of update schedule and posts about what I am writing when, etc. so if you would like to be kept up to date on these kinds of things then feel free to join.

I hope you are all having an amazing day.

Kind regards,

Paige xx