Chapter 3

The aftermath

Dining hall, Gryffindor palace…

"Harry you have to eat something." Sirius Black, Prince Harry's godfather and best friend of Roi James said in a reprimanding tone. "I'm not hungry Sirius." Harry replied quietly. Sighing Sirius took a seat beside his godson. They were at the dining hall at Gryffindor palace. It has been a week since the attack on the ball happened. Many were hurt but most of them survived. "Harry starving yourself will not make a difference." Sirius stated calmly. "I'm not hungry. I promise I'll eat later." Harry said tiredly. "Alright, remember that you promised. Come they will meet us at the courtyard for the ceremony." Harry stood up and followed his godfather out to meet the others.

Courtyard…

"We are gathered here today to commemorate the lives of two good and just people. It shocked most of us that we will never see them again nor hear their sincere and just words. All of us were saddened by the events, what we thought would be a joyous celebration turned into something that we want to forget I am of course talking about the ball last week. It is time for us to say our farewells to James and Lily Potter, the King and Queen of Gryffindor Kingdom." High Elder Albus Dumbledore, stood before the crowd consisting of Prince Harry, Ducs Sirius Black and Remus Lupin, Rois Lucius Malfoy and Arthur Weasley, Reines Narcissa Malfoy and Molly Weasley, Princes Ronald, Fred, George, Percy, Bill and Charlie Weasley and Draco Malfoy, Princesses Hermione Granger and Ginevra Weasley, the Great Elders, Minerva Mcgonagall, Severus Snape, Filius Flitwick and Pomona Sprout and the faithful citizens of Gryffindor that wishes to see their King and Queen one last time.

Almost everyone was emotional during the ceremony. Most of the citizens were unable to contain their tears once Prince Harry started his eulogy sharing to them his most treasured and precious memories with his parents to the people. Although everyone was crying the young prince didn't even shed a single tear. Even the kind words that the others shared about his parents didn't bring a tear to his eyes.

After the ceremony, the citizens sadly went back to their homes leaving the royals and the elders in front of two freshly covered graves. Harry is standing in front of the group, Sirius and Remus on each side looking solemnly at the graves of their two best friends. Harry just stood there staring, not saying a word, his eyes downcast. Softly, Dumbledore patted Harry's back and said. "I think you should get some rest, this is more tiring than to you than for us. I'll ask some elves to take your dinner up in your room. I'll come a little after dinner to talk to you." Harry glanced at Dumbledore and nodded silently. Sirius patted his shoulder comfortingly and let him leave. The crowd all looked at the young prince as he walked back towards the castle looking pale and lost. Though he didn't show his sadness and tears they knew that Harry had been very close to his parents.

Soon after the others followed the prince to the palace all looking tired and sad at everything that has happened. They all settled to dinner, Dumbledore at the head at his left the four elders and on his right the kings and queens and their children. "This is truly a sad day. We've lost two wonderful people and their death affected as all. But we must also be thankful because they are now with God and there is no place on earth better than being with God." Dumbledore stated wisely. "Let us eat for we all need are strength for the coming days will certainly be tiring."

At the other side of the palace at the phoenix wing…

Knock…knock…knock…

The double doors opened leading to the bed chambers of the prince. Three house elves entered carrying trays of food and drinks. They quietly placed the trays on the side tables and gently prodded the prince who was lying under the covers of his bed fast asleep. "Your highness…your highness…" Harry carefully opened his eyes to the dimly lit room and glimpsed at the house elf gently prodding him to consciousness. "What is it Dobby?" The house elf named Dobby beamed because the Prince has remembered his name. "Prince should eat, Haut Aîné asked house elves to bring young prince his dinner. Master's dinner is over there on the table by the fireplace. Does master want us to bring it to him?" Dobby asked unsurely. "No thanks I'll just go there later. Thank you for bringing it up." Dobby nodded and he his companions vanished with a crack.

He carefully got out of bed and walked to the couch in front of the fire and brought the tray of food to his lap. The house elves brought him a big bowl of clam chowder, one of his favorite foods, a piece of steak with corn and carrots for the side dish and a slice of chocolate cake another one of his favorites. On the table is a pitcher full of ice cold orange juice and a glass of water. He started eating slowly after a few bites he couldn't eat anymore. These past few days he has not felt properly hungry. All he could feel is the emptiness surrounding him. A couple of days ago he was laughing and joking with his father and sharing stories with his mother and now they're gone. Gone forever and there is no way to bring them back. He got up from the sofa and sat down on his bed staring outside the window. He could still remember the night that turned his world upside down.

Harry groaned a signal that he was gaining consciousness and also alerting the people surrounding him. He slowly opened his eyes and his gaze landed on Albus Dumbledore staring at him sadly behind his half-moon spectacles. "How are you feeling Harry?" He groaned again when he accidentally moved his shoulder as pain shot through his body. "I suggest you don't move unless necessary. You have been injured. Although Elder Snape has given you some pain killers it must be wearing off now." The young man nodded tiredly and he noticed that other people were there. For one Lucius, Narcissa and Draco Malfoy were there, as well as all the Weasleys and Hermione Granger and the other elders. Drawing his attention from the crowd Dumbledore took a seat on his bed and asked him lightly. "What do you remember Harry?" Harry frowned a little and then spoke slowly. "I remember cloaked people started entering the guests and us that is Draco, Ron and Hermione started to help the people. I was fighting with one of them when I've noticed that someone was approaching Draco from the behind so I run towards him and attacked his pursuer. I got distracted I think and the one I was fighting with threw a dagger at me, that probably explains my shoulder then someone slashed me at the stomach, and then I can't remember anything after that…oh wait I remember someone screaming. It's odd that the voice surrounded familiar. Was anybody hurt? Is everything alright?" He asked quietly.

The young prince didn't notice a black-haired man wearing dark purple robes approaching his bedside. "Harry, how are you feeling?" Harry stared at the man and couldn't help but smile. "Sirius what are you doing here? I didn't know you made it to the party." "I came as soon as I've heard what happened. I told James I'll try to come to the party. I arrived just as the cloaked people vanished into thin air." "Anyway," Dumbledore cut through the conversation. "Harry, there is something we need to tell you. This will be very hard and shocking on you we assume but we want you to know that we're all here to support you no matter what." Sirius nodded in agreement and so did the others. Harry stared straight at Dumbledore and waited for him to explain. "Harry, somebody did get hurt. You see your mother was attacked by the cloaked men and your father tried to protect her as best he as can. They both got injured the men under the cloaked threw something down that caused an explosion unfortunately that left both of them injured and weak they weren't able to move fast enough to avoid being blasted by the debris that scattered caused by the explosion. I'm sorry but your parents didn't made it. I'm sorry but Roi James and Reine Lily have been killed. As soon as they were sure that the king and queen were dead the cloaked figures vanished and Sirius here came through the door and found you on the floor." Dumbledore stopped talking and waited for his message to sink in.

Tiredly Harry sat up with the help of Sirius. "That's not true." He said his eyes taking everyone's reaction. "That's not a very nice joke, professor. We are papa and mama then." Dumbledore looked at him sadly. "I wish I was joking, Harry my boy. I don't have any reason to joke about something like that." Harry looked at Sirius for reassurance that it was all a lie. "Harry I'm sorry but it's true. James and Lily, they're gone." Sirius looked down with sadness. That was the time that Harry noticed Narcissa, Molly, Ginevra, Hermione, Elders Minerva and Pomona crying quietly in one corner of the room. "It's impossible. Why are you all lying to me?" Harry exclaimed almost hysterically. "I can't believe this. They're not gone; they're just probably in the gardens taking their usual walk around the palace." He screamed even more, gripping the sheets half covering him. Gently Sirius wrapped his arms around his godson and held him tightly. Tears started flowing down his eyes as Sirius rubbed circle across his back. "Everything's going to be alright." "You're all lying. I hate you for lying to me." Harry chocked out. "Hate you…hate you…"

Severus Snape then moved forward and with the help of Sirius and Dumbledore laid down Harry on his bed. "What are you doing? I hate you, what are you doing? Why are you doing this to me?" "Harry calm down you need to stop struggling." Sirius stated calmly. "No…" Severus took a corked bottle from his pocket and carefully poured its contents to Harry's mouth. "I hate you!" The young prince spluttered out while the others look on. Dumbledore gently rubbed his throat so that he could swallow the potion. "You need to calm down. The potion is calming draught with a few drops of dreamless sleep potion. You need it to rest." Slowly Harry tiredly slumped on the bed his eyelids covering his emerald green eyes.

A soft knocking on his door distracted him from his thoughts. "Come in, it's open." The double doors opened again and Dumbledore and Severus Snape entered his room. Dumbledore is wearing cyan colored robes with silver stars and Snape his usual black robes. Dumbledore offered him a smile and asked. "How are you feeling? Did you eat enough?" Walking towards the couch and inspecting his food tray the High Elder frowned a little. "You didn't eat much. Aren't you hungry?" "I'm not really hungry just tired." Harry replied quietly. The older man nodded and motioned to Severus. "I know I told you that I will be visiting you to have a talk with you. I also asked Severus to come so that he can check on your wounds if they are healing properly. The prince just nodded and Snape moved forward and removed that bandages on his arm. Inspecting it carefully, prodded it gently, and said. "I think it's healing nicely Dumbledore. I'll just ask Madame Pomfrey to bring you some more healing salves to ensure that the healing process continues. Just come to me or Pomfrey if you feel anything wrong." Harry nodded. Severus then said. "You need to lie down your highness I also need to see what has become of that nasty slash on your stomach." Harry lied down on his bed while Snape pulled up his pajama top and inspected the bandaged gash on his stomach. "Does it hurt?" Harry shook his head. "Good. Everything seems to be in order. Follow my advice and everything will be alright. Dumbledore I have a meeting with Lucius tonight. I better leave." And with that Elder Snape left the room leaving the High Elder and the High Prince in the room.

"Harry, how are you feeling?" "Better I suppose." He replied sitting up and fixing his top. "I want to talk to you about the situation of your kingdom. The death of your parents is very sudden, nobody expected a change of ruler in such a short period of time but it cannot be help. What's more the legal heir is not of age, so we the elders have decided that Sirius ascend the throne until of course you are of age to take the crown yourself. We chose Sirius because we know that he has a good heart and he will be able to take care of the kingdom until that time." Harry nodded. "That's alright with me. There's nobody else I could trust with my father's kingdom than with Sirius. I know he will take good care of it." Dumbledore seemed satisfied. "Very well that's all. I will take my leave now since I knew you are still very tired and in need of rest." The high elder stood up and gave Harry a pat on the shoulder and left the room closing the doors behind him.

Harry then crawled to the middle of his bed and curled into a ball while letting the tears that he tried so hard to stop fall from his eyes and soaking his pillow with the grief and pain the prince was experiencing.