Carrier Pigeons.

The war is more than over.

The dust has more than just settled and the structures have since been replaced and renewed.

It's almost like the war has never happened, and in another few rotations all of the war that will remain will be stories told by elders.

It is a scary thing to think that for a few individuals the war has not yet gone. Homes are built and families are had, but still the war continues on behind the eyelids of the sleeping and in the minds of the traumatized.

There's a lot of "should-bes" now.

Harry "should be" able to sleep through the night.

Hermione "should be" able to enjoy every day.

Ron "should be" getting married.

Arthur "should" have made peace with Percy before his death.

Molly "should" have told him she loved him one more time.

And Ginny "should be" comfortable around men.

Tonks "should be "in love with the newborn she held in her arms.

Remus "should be" excited to start a family.

And Sirius "should be" happy for them both.

But Harry hasn't slept through the night in weeks and Hermione isn't happy as she sits alone in a home she bought to be alone in. Ron isn't getting married to the bushy haired girl he loves, and Arthur and Molly will never get another chance. Ginny shys away from the boyfriend who attempts to touch her as Tom had, Tonks hates picking up the child and doesn't understand why and Remus does the work because Tonks doesn't and Sirius hadn't seen his best friend in months.

But there is one more.

Another story to be told. Another breathing member to remember.

There is Severus Snape who should be dead but isn't.

Why is it that when the world smiles there are those who are immune to the radiant warmth? How could a person be so cold that even the sun won't penetrate the blackness? There is no room for pleasant dreams of kind and happy things when such a shock has yet to fade and continues to cloud the mind. Why are there always questions to be asked that seem to go unanswered? Why are there always other paths that should have been taken?

Why are there always so many questions….. So many damn unanswered questions?

The world is much quieter now.

The dust has turned over and has been swept away from the sight. The once wet blood has since dried and been washed away from the stone. No one sees the marks of war these days unless it's those who were there to witness to the devastation.

It's late, and the world is dark again.

The alcohol is out, weakness breaks, the people who are lonely feel the rotting of their soul as they lay for another few hours. Just because someone is sleeping doesn't mean they are resting. Nightmares are draining, and this is something they would all have in common except for those who have found their vices.

The Half Blood Prince has awoken from a blackness and complete devastation. He's away from the world that took him. Away from the school that drained him. Away from those that raised him. And he has not been here alone. But those who know him are unknown to many others, you wouldn't know them, and I doubt you could find out if you tried.

That night there's something in the air. A feeling carried in the talons of owls who are moving towards people who are not expecting such a wash of memory. The letters information is simple, it's unidentifiable script is perfect and uniform as the words are written by magic, not hand. The paper and envelope are made up of cheap and inexpensive material; the ink, a cheap and basic blend of a mass sold product. There was nothing individualized about these messages, but there is a stamp that seals each one in the form of a blue wax stamp with that of an image resembling a rising phoenix pressed in.

Dinner Party.

Dennovans Crosses.

Room 7.

8pm.

Casual Dress.

No +1

Every invitation is exactly the same for each person who finds themselves holding one. Exactly the same, save for the name of the person the letter was was meant for. The matching, dark blue wax seal will be broken open and will be noticed by all as they do.

Minerva Mcgonagall opens her letter from the height of the astronomy tower on the eve of a beautiful cloudless sunset. She's headmistress of the school now, and is rather enjoying the job. It keeps her busy and her mind on many things. She needs a new teacher and has a few people in mind. She sighs to herself as she looks up from the parchment and out into the world that stretches before her. She has been given an opportunity and will take it. It doesn't take much to convince her.

Minerva doesn't know who sent this message, but she's they did.

Hermione Granger sits with her mother and father in the living room of her childhood home. She's dressed in expensive robes with little patches of dust here and there from her travel over. She's holding her own letter with two hands, eyeing how delicately her name is spelled. She's excited, and wonders who else will be there. Discussing this with her parents who knew everything, she quickly comes to the conclusion she'll be attending.

Hermione is a Ministry member now. Working in the muggle and magic relations department, she's living a perfect life. But a sad one also. It's been a long time since the Order got together, even longer that some had been seen.

Sirius Black sits up against the backboard of the bed as to his side a shirtless Remus is laying on his stomach next to him asleep. He's looking over their invitations again, using the light of the moon against the cold light tan parchment. He flips over the pages of what could have been hundredth time and still, he can't find a sender's address or the name of a host. Just the sigil of the phoenix imprinted on the bottom of each page and into the wax. He takes a deep swig of his vodka that had been sitting on the side table as he reads the words again, grimacing as he thinks of Severus and how he promises over and over how hard he would punch that git in the face at first sight.

But he can't.

He can't because that man is dead and in the years that had passed since the end of the war, Sirius has found that perhaps Severus was the lucky one after all. He and Remus are sure to attend but not together. This is unsaid but true, and Sirius washes Remuses feeling about that away with another hard sip of the drink as he flips the pages over again.

Ginny wraps her boyfriend slowly as she sinks into his side, her own letter held in her hand. Lit by the flickering firelight the two hug each other and talk excitedly about what she will see when she goes. Of course, she's going. Why wouldn't she? The expensive wedding ring flashes in the fireplace like a cold storm as Ginny hugs the man she feels love for tightly, taking the opportunity to allow her face to crack to nervousness when he couldn't see her.

Ginny doesn't know who sent the letter, but she knows there if she got one so had others and out of them all, there is one person she's the most nervous to see again.

George walks into the day room where his brother sits. He's holding his envelope a bird just delivered and sees Fred turn around holding his. Fred is, of course, joyous, but is not in the best of health and is riddled with damages and a far broken soul. The brother will assure his twin and then Fred smiles, mentioning something about how this will be good for him.

To be able to close doors is vital for healing his doctors have said, and Fred really wants to get out of this hospital.

Tonks sits alone in a very quiet house. Her head is resting on her hands and her eyes are gazing out the small cottage window. She breathes out slowly as she drums her fingers over the paper signed with her name. If this really is what she thought this was, she will go for Remus. She agrees with herself and nods her head even though the man who should be here, isn't. She wasn't a stranger to the small group who remained in the area. She had dinners with the Weasleys, coffee with Kingsley and a drink with Minerva on occasion still. If not for Remus, and if this is truly what she thinks it is, she will also go in hope of seeing Severus Snape again. She knows he's dead, but then again she doesn't because a body was never buried. Her hair turns red as she thinks of Sirius then dull blue as she thinks of her once much loved husband who fell away from her in grief and trauma.

Tonks flips the parchment looking for a sender but locates none. She finds that odd but still she has already decided. She will go for herself to show that she is no longer broken.

Kingsley pushes away the thought of yes or no's as he knew without a thought he would attend. He was busy, guarding the Minister who was currently on his way out, and whose right he must protect. He smiles as he walks down the hall adjusting the cuffs of his robe. Whoever this was, was doing something good.

The rest of the Weasleys all open their letters together and had waited specifically for Charlie and Flur and their two children, older brother Salve and baby, Aurora. Charlie sits aside his father, Ron besides Bill. They sit around the long wooden table of the newly built, lavishly done Burrow but there are some chairs that remain cold and empty. They count down loudly where upon landing on one, the seal is broken and the letters are read. They think of Ginny and smile and talk of Harry. They speak of George and then ponder if Fred will choose to come. If Fred will be allowed to come….

A waver of a smile is passed but they will all hope for the best; for the return of their family as one again. As much as they could of course. Percy is not forgotten.

And then there's Severus Snape. A person that would pass the mind of many that night. There was a rumor of his life but it was a word that bordered on myth at this point. Only one article had been published since his mysterious disappearance from his St. Mungo's bed, and one blurry picture of a man who resembled him was ever posted along with it. That was over a year ago now, and nothing since filled a single square of the one paper it was published in.

But someone somewhere knows where to find the man because, on the eve of that same night, Severus Snape is breaking the seal of the letter addressed for him with a hand that only carries three fingers.

He's very tired now. He's energy is spent. The acid on his tongue no longer spits with a bark he can no longer produce. The war had taken most of his voice and in turn, his world. But he lived against all doubt and wants nothing more than to throw the parchment down and move on.

He wanted this because he's had moved on.

He left behind all but three, two of three only knowing because he knew the father. Draco Malfoy knew he was alive because Narcissa Malfoy knew that Severus was selling potions through Lucius Malfoy for profit. He doesn't want to be acknowledged and Lucius takes the credit proudly as his name is on each label and business card. The Malfoys willingly gave the silence and space Severus requested and besides the man's first initial contact to trade, nothing else had ever been passed between them.

That's it.. Well, except for Koan. But Koan is a different story. A story that isn't for now.

He shakes her out of his head and turns away from the thought. He stalls for a moment before taking the first step towards the bedroom. He sighs, leaving the parchment on the table as he walks away.