Memorial

Harry and Ginny spent the Easter holidays together at Grimmauld Place after endless discussions with Molly, where they were pampered by Kreacher according to all the rules of art. The fact that Ginny also spent the nights there was only accepted by her mother after the clear indication that they were both of legal age and that nothing would happen that had not already happened anyway. Since Harry and Ginny both knew the password for the prefects' bathroom and could not be caught thanks to the invisibility cloak and the Marauder's Map, they had long exceeded this limit. Ron, of course, wasn't very enthusiastic about it either, but after Ginny asked him sugar-sweet about his numerous 'library stays' with Hermione, he was quiet. Over Easter, however, they stayed in the Burrow, where Harry continued to sleep in Ron's room. George, however, did not let himself be deterred by the fact that Angelina, whom he brought home for the first time, stayed with him and Molly was too busy worrying about the heavily pregnant Fleur with Bill to cause George problems. Charlie had also arrived, so Harry and Ron could share the already rather small bedroom under the roof with another person. Charlie's snoring turned out to be just as loud as Ron's.

On the Wednesday after Christmas, Harry had to go to the ministry to make his statement against Ludo Bagman, who was awaiting trial in a high-security cell in Azkaban and was presumably hoping for a long prison sentence so that he would not fall into the goblins' hands.

"Merrythought's department is freaking out", said Savage, when Harry made a brief visit in the office. Ares Merrythought was the new head of the goblin liaison office, he knew. "The goblins desperately want to take care of Bagman themselves, but we can't possibly give in - that would set a precedent."

The walls of Savage's and Zeas' cubicle were plastered with images of petty criminals.

"We're still being kept away from everything to do with Selwyn," Paula Zeas said as she scrolled through a file.

"After all, our arrest rate is much higher than the others'", Savage growled. "Oh, Fletcher was sentenced to four years last week if you haven't heard it."

Harry nodded, unsurprised, that Mundungus had received what he deserved. "I just hope that no Death Eater kills him in there."

"That can't happen," Savage said calmly. "The Death-Eaters are strictly separated from the other prisoners."

He leaned over to Harry and briefly looked around to see if anyone was nearby. 'We still don't have anything new about Selwyn, although we've turned over every stone in Hogsmeade and the surrounding area.'

- "There are caves-"

"We know," Savage growled. "But there was nothing to be found. No trace. He probably left the area after we saw him."

- "Do you know if he is alone?"

"Everything suggests that, we have - Fletcher won't do anything in Azkaban, Potter, don't worry," Savage said, a little louder and with a reserved face.

Harry looked up and was not much surprised to find that Proudfoot was behind him.

"Sir."

- "Potter," Proudfoot growled. "What are you doing here?"

"I just wanted to ask about Mr Fletcher's prison conditions, sir," Harry said calmly. "With all the Death-Eaters who are in Azkaban with him..."

"Of course," Proudfoot said in a tone that immediately made it clear to Harry that he didn't believe a word and knew exactly why he was here.

"Savage, what about this Throckmorton thing, do you have anything new about it?"

"I'm on it, sir," Savage said hastily.

"I hope so," Proudfoot growled. "Any further questions, Potter?"

"No, sir, I just wanted to leave," Harry sighed, saying goodbye to the other two.

In the atrium, he ran into the Minister of Magic, who was chased by a horde of reporters.

"Percy, please take care of it," Kingsley Shacklebolt muttered, as reporters enthusiastically began taking photos of Harry and shouting questions like "What do you think of the announced reform of werewolf legislation, Mr Potter?" or "What do you have to say about Miss Skeeter's book?"

Kingsley briefly shook his hand. "Are you okay, Harry?"

Harry nodded and pointed to the huge structure in the middle of the atrium, which was covered by a black cloth.

"A new work of art?"

"A monument," Kingsley said earnestly. "It will be inaugurated on the second of May, on the anniversary of the battle."

Harry nodded grimly and was somewhat surprised when he realized that it had been almost a year ago.

"Are you coming to the memorial service?", Kingsley asked.

Harry shook his head. "No, Kingsley. I... There will also be a memorial service at Hogwarts and I should be there."

"Of course," Kingsley said earnestly, changing the subject. "Something new about who has scrambled through your stuff?"

"Nothing," Harry said grimly. "Not the slightest trace."

"Keep your eyes open," Kingsley growled. "And contact me directly if something like this happens again."

The day of remembrance was imminent and ensured that after the end of the holidays there was a silence and sadness in the castle, which had nothing to do with trials. Especially the older years were grim, which dubbed off on the younger ones, who had nothing to do with the battle but were intimidated by the behavior of the elders. Harry was no different. The monument in the entrance hall, to which he had almost become accustomed by now, involuntarily attracted his gaze whenever he passed by. In the course of this depressed and irritated mood, the Hufflepuffs finally learned of Zacharias Smith's performance in the trophy room, after which he received such a hearty rub that he had to spend a whole week in the hospital wing, because he had been hit by various curses. Ernie Macmillan grimly listed their effects in Herbology: Zacharias had grown a long wooden nose and two oversized bunny ears, and every time he wanted to say something, these ears poured out steam like a locomotive. Ernie himself was responsible for the complete disappearance of Zacharias' hair. So it was that Smith spent the memorial day in the hospital wing, which was probably better for him.

On the morning of the second of May, Harry got up early after being startled from the third nightmare in a row, staring out of the window at the lands. The pictures of last year that haunted him in his dreams had taken place there: Ginny, who saw Vicky Frobisher die, Wood carrying the dead Colin, Snape, who collapsed in blood... and Voldemort in the clearing in the Forbidden Forest, Voldemort, who directed the elder staff at him...

"Can't sleep too?", whispered Neville, who suddenly stood next to him.

Harry shook his head silently.

"I thought we should stand together later," Neville said after a while. "You know, the DA."

- "Yeah..."

They stood there in the darkness, waiting for the day to begin, the day they had feared, because it reminded them more than anything else of what they had lost. The others joined them silently one by one and looked out and Harry had to remember how he had seen them all a year ago, desperate and blood-soaked, but courageous to the end. It was a miracle that all five of them had made it, unlike all those they had lost and who they would remember today.

"It's time," Neville finally muttered quietly, and went to the bathroom first.

There would be no lessons that day, Professor McGonagall had announced at dinner the day before. Instead, the whole school gathered at dawn at the monument in the entrance hall, for once not ordered by houses and years. Everyone was standing where they felt the most comfortable. Harry and the other three stood with those of the DA who were still alive and at school: Dennis Creevey and Ernie Macmillan, Seamus and Dean, Luna and Susan Bones, Terry Boot and Lavender and Parvati.

This time, McGonagall did not give a speech, instead she read out the names of the dead. Fifty-four names, each like a fire that Harry burned from within. The worst were the ones he missed the most, and when McGonagall gently said 'Fred Weasley' at the very end, Ginny's and Hermione's fingers clawed painfully into his hands. He swallowed and looked around, his gaze falling on the group of older Slytherins standing at the entrance to the dungeons. Malfoy and Astoria and Daphne Greengrass looked as pale as the rest of the students, while Goyle stared dully straight as usual. Pansy Parkinson cast angry glances at Astoria, and Blaise Zabini next to her apparently tried to make a respectful face. There was nothing to see of Theodore Nott, he noticed angrily, while McGonagall thanked everyone for their participation and sent them for breakfast. McGonagall had apparently noticed that as well.

"Fifty points deduction from Slytherin for Mr Nott's absence, Horace," she said angrily to Nott's Head of House as Harry and the others walked by.

After breakfast, Harry tried to vanish inconspicuously, but Ginny stubbornly pulled him back to the bench and stared at him.

"You're not leaving me alone today, Potter," she growled quietly, and Harry turned red with embarrassment because he had to be reminded once again that he wasn't the only one who had lost so much a year ago.

"I'm sorry," he said softly, putting his arm around her.

"Today, none of us should be alone," she muttered, pushing the remnants of her breakfast away.

"Let's go to the lake," Neville finally said, when it became clear that none of them were really hungry. The others followed him with a shrug, but glad that they were able to leave the Great Hall. They sat under a few oaks at the lake where the giant octopus made its rounds sluggishly, staring at the water and the forest. It was one of the warmest days they had experienced so far this year, even though it was so early in the morning. Gradually, the rest of the DA joined them: Lavender and Dean leaning tightly against one of the oak trees, Luna, who told Terry about the last edition of the Quibbler, which at least seemed to distract him a little, Parvati, who sat silently by the water and looked at her reflection. Ernie and Susan read their Daily prophets and sighed quietly from time to time, Dennis and Seamus threw stones into the water, and Hermione and Ron sat there, leaning together as Harry and Ginny. Neville scrolled through his herbology book with empty eyes.

It was a setback, Harry thought tiredly. Throughout the year, they had been a little bit better, bit by bit, but the anniversary threw them all far behind. And yet this day was important, because those who had left them deserved to be remembered, remembered for the great sacrifice, the greatest possible sacrifice they had made. He wondered how those who were not at Hogwarts would spend that day. Kingsley and Arthur would be at the ministry's memorial service, but Molly certainly wouldn't go. Presumably Bill and Fleur and maybe Charlie would come over to keep her company. Andromeda would surely sit in the garden with Teddy for hours today and stare at the tombstones and George and Angelina would hold onto each other...

Parvati started crying quietly as she stared at the water, and Neville put his book away and took her in his arms.

"Come, Pav, stop looking at it..."

"I see her a-always," Parvati sobbed desperately. "Every time I see my reflection..."

Harry's heart was painfully cramped when he realized that it was not herself who Parvati saw, but her dead twin sister.

"Shhh," said Seamus unexpectedly softly, who now also squatted next to her and put his arm around her. "It's okay, Pav, just let it out..."

Harry wondered if George was feeling the same. Yes, he thought sadly. He certainly felt the same, Harry thought, while Parvati wept at Seamus' and then Lavender's shoulder.

"Is... that Hermes?", Ron asked in a raucous voice, and Harry looked up in amazement. With a queasy feeling in his stomach, he realized that it was actually Percy's owl flying towards them across the lake.

"Something must have happened at the ministry," Hermine said, horrified.

Hermes landed elegantly on Ron's shoulder and stretched out his leg, which contained a hastily sealed letter addressed to Ronald and Ginevra Weasley, Gryffindor House, Hogwarts. The two siblings exchanged an anxious look, then Ron ripped open the letter and his nervous face turned into an incredulous beam.

"The baby is here!" he shouted, holding Ginny enthusiastically.

"What?" she asked incredulously. Harry and Hermione read over their shoulders what Percy had written unusually hastily and almost illegible:

Ron, Ginny,

Fleur has just given birth to a healthy girl! We are all completely happy! Unbelievable that it just happened today, right? Bill and Fleur had actually agreed on Dominique, but now they want to call her Victoire.

Love,

Your Brother Percy

"Victoire," Hermione said softly. "Victory."

"That's...", Harry said, who couldn't find words.

"It changes everything," Ginny said through tears, hugging Ron violently. "Oh, that's so... so wonderful!"

"We have a niece," Ron laughed, wiping away his tears. "People! I'm an uncle! Me!"

The others enthusiastically congratulated the two Weasleys and for a moment all the grief was forgotten when they were all so wonderfully reminded that life went on, that life had triumphed, that they had won, and Harry reminded himself to immediately sent an owl to Andromeda to tell her that Teddy now had a playmate-

And then they heard the screams from the castle. Loud, shrill and panicked, dozens of frightened, screaming children. They stared at the castle and all paused for a moment, petrified by what they saw, before running off and pulling out their wands, and Harry pulled out the two-way mirror to warn Kingsley, and Ron sent his Patronus to Proudfoot to call the Aurors as they stared in horror at the snake that came out of the mouth of the skull.

The Dark Mark had appeared above the highest tower of Hogwarts.