Disclaimer: All recognizable characters and settings belong to J.K. Rowling.
The Order burst into the Parkinson home and immediately began dueling the death eaters. Draco and Snape froze at seeing Harry's body on the floor.
"No!" Draco cried, running over to his brother.
"Do you see Severus? See how I've killed your son?" Voldemort goaded Snape, a triumphant look on his face.
Snape evaded the curse Voldemort sent his way and sent one of his own. "You only killed him because he let you," He said furiously.
Voldemort laughed. "Oh, please." He said dismissively.
"He knew you had to be the one to destroy your last Horcrux," Snape said snidely.
Voldemort froze. "What?"
"All of your Horcruxes have been destroyed. Harry's scar was the last one," Snape didn't look over to where he knew Draco was kneeling beside Harry's body. He couldn't or he would lose focus and Voldemort would get away. He wouldn't let Harry's death be in vain.
"His scar," Voldemort repeated slowly. His eyes suddenly widened in realization.
"I suppose you aren't as smart and powerful as you think you are," Snape sneered.
Voldemort's eyes darkened and he lifted his wand.
"Avada Kedavra!" Snape shouted.
Voldemort dropped to the ground, a shocked look on his face.
"Master!" Bellatrix shrieked, running over to Voldemort's body. "No!" She glared at Snape. "I will kill you for this!" She raised her wand.
"Stupefy!" Dumbledore had entered the house and now bound Bellatrix's unconscious body with thick ropes. He looked at Voldemort and then lifted his eyes to Snape. "Congratulations, Severus. You finally ended his reign of terror."
"No, Harry did," Snape snapped at him before going and joining Draco. His heart clenched at the words Draco was saying.
"No," Draco kept repeating, his head on Harry's chest. "No, come back," He pleaded. "You're my brother and best friend, please..." He sobbed. "Please."
Snape knelt down on the other side, gently running his hand through Harry's messy mop. "You foolish, brave boy," He whispered. And then for the first time since he had learned of Lily's death, he broke down into tears.
HP
Harry still couldn't believe he was sitting and talking with his parents and godfather. It felt like they had never been separated.
"I'm so sorry about Petunia," Lily said unhappily. "I can't believe she and her oaf of a husband hurt you."
"Don't forget their precious son," James said sarcastically.
"If I hadn't been so impulsive, Pup would have been raised by me." Sirius sighed.
"You did the best you could. We all did." Harry said.
Sirius brightened. "It was here in this room you rode your toddler broomstick." He informed Harry.
"Is this Godric's hollow?"
"Yes." Lily smiled. "You also took your first steps in this room."
"And over there is the kitchen where you dumped your jar of carrots all over my head when I tried feeding them to you," James chuckled.
Harry laughed. "I did?" He asked eagerly.
"Yup. Green beans too." James laughed.
"I would chase you around as Padfoot and you would just giggle. Then you tried to ride me as if I was a pony." Sirius chuckled.
"Yeah, and you kept knocking things over," Lily said with a pretend huff.
Sirius shrugged. "I knocked over that ugly vase your sister gave you."
"True and I didn't mind that at all," Lily giggled.
Harry laughed and then paused, frowning. "I hear something." He murmured.
Lily, James, and Sirius all exchanged glances. "That's Severus and Draco. They're crying for you," Lily said softly.
Harry's face fell. "Oh. I hope they understand..." Wistfulness entered his voice. "They've been brilliant to me. I was ready to give up but they wouldn't let me."
"I'm glad they didn't," Sirius said softly.
"You can go back, Harry," Lily told him gently.
"The Horcrux in your scar has been destroyed but you can return," James said.
"I can?" Harry felt torn. "I want to but I don't want to lose you again."
"You won't," Lily promised. "We're always with you. We always have been."
"We want you to have a happy, long life," James said. "And Snape and Draco need you."
"You'll keep them on their toes," Sirius teased.
Harry slowly grinned and nodded ruefully. "I love you guys." He said, his eyes filling with tears.
"We love you too," Lily said, hugging him. "Always and forever."
"Pup, tell Remus to stop hiding away in his grief," Sirius said. "Tell him he needs to live his life. Besides, a certain Metasmorphmagus is pretty fond of him."
"Tonks?" Harry's mouth dropped open. Remus and Tonks?
Sirius winked at him
"It's time, Harry," James said, taking his hand and giving it a squeeze. "Focus on their voices. Focus on your bond as a family."
Taking one last look at his parents and Sirius, Harry shut his eyes and listened.
HP
Snape was holding Harry in his arms, not responding to anyone or anything around him. He knew a lot was going on around him but all he cared about was the boy in his arms and the boy sitting next to him, crying his heart out. "Draco," He whispered.
Draco shook his head, holding tightly Harry's limp hand. There was nothing that could be said to make this okay, nothing that could comfort him. His brother, his best friend, was gone. "This can't be happening," He sobbed. "This hurts too much."
"I know," Snape reached with one arm and hugged Draco to him, his other arm holding Harry. The pain he felt was without measure.
"Dad? You're kinda holding me too tight."
"Sorry, Harr – Harry!" Snape exclaimed, looking down as his son's eyes opened. He laughed through his tears. "You're alive!" He helped Harry sit up and hugged him.
"I'm okay," Harry assured him once Snape let him go. He looked at Draco who was staring at him with shocked eyes, tears still streaming down his cheeks. "I'm okay." He repeated, squeezing Draco's hand.
Draco pulled him into a fierce hug. "I thought you were gone," He choked out. "I thought you left us."
"Nah, you need me around," Harry joked.
Draco barked a laugh and nodded. "Yeah, we do."
Snape and Draco helped Harry up and they looked around to see that all the death eaters were all bound. And Voldemort's body still lay on the ground, red eyes vacant. "He's really dead," Harry whispered.
"Severus ended him," Draco said proudly.
"You did? Wow," Harry breathed, looking at his Dad.
"You did, Harry," Snape said quietly.
Dumbledore, who had been standing near, stepped forward. "He's gone for good," He said with a big smile. "Thanks to you, Harry."
Harry sighed as Snape and Draco pushed him behind them as if protecting him from the Headmaster.
"After what you did, you can just stay away from him," Snape hissed. "I mean it, Albus!"
"There was no other way," Dumbledore said softly.
"Oh, really? How hard did you try to find another way? Because you certainly didn't give me a chance to try, did you?" Snape countered.
"Did you know he would be able to come back?" Draco demanded.
"I hoped he would but I did not know for sure," Dumbledore admitted. "It's why...It is why I thought it best he remained with his relatives. They did not care for him as they should have but that also meant it wouldn't be hard on them for Harry to die. When you adopted him, I knew it meant you would have to face losing him. I knew it would be difficult enough for his friends to have to grieve but at least -"
"He didn't have a family that would mourn him," Snape said coldly. "So sorry for us to ruin your plans."
"Dad -" Harry started.
"Hush," Snape gave him a mild glare.
"Severus, I am very sorry," Dumbledore said. "Everything I did was for the greater good. I thought I was doing right by Harry. Believe me, I am very pleased you three have formed a family. And I'm grateful you are back with us, Harry."
"Thank you," Harry said, trying to get around Snape and Draco. He rolled his eyes when they wouldn't let him.
After Dumbledore walked away, Snape spun around, his eyes flashing. "Consider yourself grounded for the rest of your life!" He snapped. "For leaving the castle and then for having the gall to get yourself killed!"
"Okay," Harry said cheerfully.
"I'm not kidding. And you can expect a very big lecture later for being so foolhardy and reckless," Snape continued. "And I'm sure I have plenty of cauldrons that need cleaning, many essays I'll assign you to write as well."
"Sounds good," Harry said with a smile on his face.
"Incorrigible brat," Snape huffed, hugging him. "And a zillion points from Gryffindor for putting us under the body bind curse."
"Whatever you say, Dad," Harry grinned.
Draco swung his arm around Harry's shoulders. "You ever do anything like this again..." He trailed off, eyes narrowing. "I'll jinx your hair green and silver for a year."
Harry gulped. "Well, it would bring out my eyes I guess."
Draco laughed. "Cheeky prat!"
HP
Word had reached the castle quickly that Voldemort was dead. Unfortunately, news of Harry's death had also reached Hogwarts so when Harry returned, his peers stared at him in shock.
"Mr. Potter," McGonagall's red-rimmed eyes went wide. She cleared her throat, feeling overcome with emotion. "We were told you were," She paused, shaking her head. "I'm so glad you are all right and the rumors were false."
"They weren't false," Snape said quietly. "Harry did die."
McGonagall gave an intake of breath. "I believe I would like to speak with you later, Severus." She said, clearly wanting to know what happened but realizing this wasn't the right moment.
"Harry?"
Harry turned to see Ron and Hermione, their eyes swollen from crying. "I'm fine, guys," He said softly.
"Oh Harry," Hermione cried, stepping forward and throwing her arms around him. "We heard you were dead!"
"I was," Harry said, hugging her back.
"Merlin," Ron breathed. He looked embarrassed. "Harry, I'm sorry. I've been a selfish prat," He admitted.
"Me too," Hermione said.
"I was more of one," Ron insisted. He sighed. "Harry, after the ministry I realized that I was in love with Hermione. And I was so scared she would die from that curse that hit her before I could even tell her. I was afraid of what happened that night and I took it out on you."
"I do understand," Harry said.
"I know I ruined our friendship by not being there for you," Ron said unhappily. "And I was jealous when I saw you hanging out with Draco, that he's your brother. I'm sorry."
"I forgive you," Harry said simply. Being angry or resentful wouldn't solve anything nor would it make him feel better. Their friendship was changed, that was true. He doubted they would ever be as close as they once were but that was okay. It really was.
"We'll talk to you later, Harry. And we're really glad that you're okay," Hermione said, giving him another hug.
Harry watched them leave, feeling content.
"What did they want?" Draco sniffed as he stood by him.
"To apologize," Harry said.
"Oh," Draco was quiet a moment. "So the golden trio is back together?" He tried to keep his tone light.
Harry tilted his head, seeing the apprehensiveness in Draco's eyes. "No. We aren't enemies or anything and all has been forgiven but the friendship will never be the same." He shrugged. "I have a new best friend." His heart clenched at the hopeful look in Draco's eyes. It was a very rare thing for Draco to show any insecurity or vulnerability about anything. "Moaning Myrtle and I have been getting along really well lately so naturally -" He started to tease.
Draco scowled at him.
Harry laughed and nudged him. "Of course it's you! You must know that you're my best friend."
"Well, I was just making sure you knew that," Draco said smoothly.
"Uh huh," Harry laughed. He glanced up when his dad put his hand on his shoulder.
"Let's go. I want Madame Pomfrey to check you out and then we'll go to our quarters," Snape said.
"Oh, but I'm fine. I don't need to see -"
"Uh, Harry. You're in enough trouble as it is," Draco whispered loudly. "I wouldn't argue."
"I would listen to your brother if I were you," Snape said dryly.
"Right," Harry said weakly. Yeah, he was in for lectures, probably horrible chores, and being grounded indefinitely. Harry couldn't help but smile to himself as he followed Snape and Draco to the infirmary. He wouldn't have it any other way.
TBC: