Disclaimer: I still do not own Harry Potter.

Author's note: As a special treat, I am giving you two chapters in one day. Don't expect this from me normally though, it's just that I've neglected this story for over a year and am very excited to be writing it again. I also couldn't wait to post this chapter, because it's one of the more emotional ones I've written, and it's not all sad either. Read on and you'll see!

Thanks to everyone for the reviews, I know that me killing Mr. Weasley was a huge surprise! I did it because in the initial version of Order of the Phoenix, JKR was going to kill him; she said this in an interview. I wanted to explore how everyone would react to Arthur's death, and how the Weasleys would pull together. I realize by doing this, I may have people who are really disappointed, but I do hope that if you continue to read, you still enjoy the story nevertheless.

And thanks again for thinking of me and my brother. I do also hope that somewhere up there, he is happy that I am continuing this in his memory.

I hope you enjoy this chapter!

Chapter 57: Guardian Angels

Harry's whole body had gone numb. No. No. No. No. No. Mr. Weasley could not be dead. The man who was so full of life, bursting with questions about Muggles, fiddling with equipment, and loving his children could not be gone. But the looks on Sirius and Remus's faces confirmed that that was indeed true.

"Oh God," he breathed as he stared at them. "H-how?"

"The snake venom," said Dumbledore quietly. "The poison had entered his system. The Healers tried everything they could, but it had already reached a stage where nothing could be done."

"Do the children know?" asked Sirius shakily.

"They are being informed by Molly now," answered Dumbledore sadly. "Molly was by his side when he died."

"It's my fault," Harry mumbled miserably, burying his face in the pillow. That was the only thought on his mind now. "The Weasleys will never speak to me again."

Sirius and Remus put their arms around Harry, trying to give him comfort. "Harry, it wasn't your fault," Sirius tried to plead with the boy. "Everything that happened was Voldemort's doing. You saw it, yes, but you didn't cause it."

"That's not true!" Harry cried, trying to push the comfort away. "You know very well what Mr. Weasley was protecting!"

"Arthur Weasley loved you like a son, Harry," said Dumbledore. "You know that he would be happy that he's given his life for you. The last thing he'd want you to do is to blame yourself for this."

"And of course the Weasleys will talk to you again," said Remus. "They're not going to abandon you."

"But I killed him!" cried Harry, tears beginning to stream down his face unchecked. "Don't you understand? When I was the snake, I WANTED to attack him, I WANTED to bite him ..."

"But that was Voldemort, Harry," said Sirius. "Those were Voldemort's emotions you were feeling, not your own. And this is exactly what Voldemort wants; he wants you to blame yourself and to push us all away. Please, kiddo, don't do what he wants."

"First Cedric and now Mr. Weasley," sobbed Harry, seeming to ignore what Sirius had just said. He buried his face in his godfather's robes, and his shoulders shook as hysterical sobs seized him. Dumbledore looked on with a sad face as Harry's two guardians tried their best to console the grieving child.

Harry's crying seemed to continue for an age. "This isn't fair," Sirius muttered angrily to Dumbledore. "Harry's already had to deal with so much, this just isn't right! And this won't help in his recovery either."

Dumbledore remained quiet, knowing that this was true. This would only make his wizarding flu worse.

And by Merlin, were they right. When Harry's tears finally stopped, he lay limply in Sirius and Remus's arms, not moving. He was still breathing, but there was something about it that scared them. Sirius, gripping his hair in panic, screamed at Dumbledore, "Something's wrong! Get the Healer!"

Dumbledore moved faster than an old man should, and moments later, the Healer entered the room. She ran her wand over Harry, checking his vital signs. Her face grew grim as she faced his frightened-looking guardians and Dumbledore.

"Harry's gone into a coma," she said quietly. "He's in shock, and the fever's become so high that it's become too much for his body to fight it."

"Merlin," Sirius breathed, collapsing into one of the chairs by Harry's bed. "Merlin, no! You've got to be kidding!" The Healer shook her head.

"What does this mean?" croaked Remus. "Will Harry ... will he ..."

"We'll do everything we can for him, but I'm warning you, it's not looking good," said the Healer. "I haven't seen a case of wizarding flu like this since 1945, when I started working here." She and Dumbledore exchanged a meaningful glance.

"Oh God, please, no," Sirius moaned, burying his face in his hands. Remus, the calmer of the two but still terrified, laid a hand on the black-haired man's shoulder.

"Harry has to get through this," he said, trying to reassure himself and Sirius. "He's strong. He has to make it."

The Healer left the room, then returned with many bottles of potions. She slipped an needle in Harry's arm, and fed him the potions that way. then she left again, leaving Sirius, Remus, and Dumbledore to agonize over the boy who was dying right in front of their eyes.

"Harry, please, pup, you have to make it," Sirius cried, taking one of Harry's hands within his own. "I can't lose you now, I love you so much. I can't lose you now!"

"Please, hang on, cub," said Remus, taking Harry's other hand. The boy's slow heartbeat and labored breathing scared him more than he would ever admit to anyone. "We all love you, you have to hang on."

Dumbledore looked at the boy, the boy he had failed in so many ways. He wasn't sure what to say. All he could muster was a "Hold on, Harry." as he looked at his closed eyes. "We'll all be here for you when you wake up. Please, hold on."

xxx

Harry was walking through a tunnel. He wasn't sure how he had gotten in here. As he walked, he was struck with an inexplicable feeling that he had to keep going, he couldn't stop. This place was very unfamiliar, and he had no clue where he was, but all he knew was that he absolutely had to keep going.

As he walked, memories began to flood back to him. He remembered the Dursleys, Hogwarts, his friends, discovering Sirius was innocent, the Triwizard Tournament and the horrible events of the third task, Umbridge, and finally, the snakebite and Mr. Weasley.

Unbelievable sadness and guilt squeezed his heart as he remembered all these things. But what was he doing in this tunnel? His very last memory was sobbing in Sirius and Remus's arms, and then, he'd felt extremely lightheaded and strange. His eyes had closed, and now, he was here.

He walked for what seemed like forever. Part of him wanted to turn back, but again, that inexplicable feeling told him to keep walking in a straight line.

Then, suddenly, something changed. Ahead of him, he could see that the tunnel ended. He saw a clearing, with a grassy field and many different kinds of flowers. The air was cool, and the smell was wonderful. As he entered it, he wondered what else he would find there. He figured he'd explore the area for a while.

But after about only thirty seconds of exploration, he saw a figure running towards him, beaming at him. And as he got a good look at the figure, emotions hit him from all sides. The figure walked the last few steps that it took to get to him, and then Harry was being hugged, squeezed tightly, and tears were entering the boy's eyes again as he croaked out, "Cedric?"

"Hey, Harry," Cedric Diggory said, ruffling the boy's hair gently as he drew away from the embrace. "Yeah, it's me."

"Am I ... am I d-dead?" Harry stuttered, looking at every inch of Cedric that he could. His gray eyes held a loving and kind expression, and he was smiling softly at Harry. His hand was laying upon the younger boy's shoulder, and he looked alive and whole, the same as he had before the horrible events of June 24. He was dressed in immaculate dress robes, and his good looks were still evident.

"No, you're not," Cedric replied softly. "But you're pretty close. You're, shall we say, hovering between life and death."

"Wh-what happened?" asked Harry, still finding it hard to believe that his friend was standing right in front of him. His friend, who he'd watched die.

"You went into shock," Cedric answered quietly. "And your fever rose dramatically. Your body was too weak to take it all, so you ended up here. But you need to understand something, Harry," he added gently. "It's not your time yet. You need to go back."

Harry looked at the grassy field, the beautiful flowers, and then Cedric again. "I know," he sighed. "I know I can't stay here. But Cedric ... Merlin ... I'm so sorry."

Cedric drew Harry into another firm embrace. "You have nothing to be sorry for, little brother," he whispered in Harry's ear. "I told you that I'd protect you, and that's what I ended up doing. I was happy to do it for you, and embarrassing Voldemort on top of it was a bonus."

"You-you said his name," Harry stammered.

Cedric laughed quietly. "Of course I did," he said. "Dumbledore was right. We shouldn't fear the name of someone who's so weak that he's going to be destroyed in the end."

"But h-how do you know?" asked Harry. "I d-don't feel strong enough ... I can't destroy him, I'm only fifteen ..."

Cedric put a finger to Harry's lips to stop him from talking. "You can do it, Harry. I believe in you," he said sincerely. "The task may seem daunting now, but I know you can do it. I'm already so proud of how far you've come since last year. I've been watching you, Harry, and I couldn't be happier with how you've handled things. But you need to stop blaming yourself for what happened to me; it wasn't your fault."

"Are you s-sure?" Harry asked, a small sob escaping him.

Cedric let him bury his face in his immaculate robes. "Of course I'm sure," he whispered tenderly, stroking Harry's hair. "Now, before you go back, there are a few more people who want to see you."

He drew back, and Harry looked across the field, where another figure was making its way toward the pair. As it came closer, Harry knew who it was. He almost collapsed to the ground, but Cedric held him up. "It's all right, he doesn't blame you one little bit," the older boy reassured him as Arthur Weasley made his entrance.

"Hello, Harry," the man said, smiling softly at him. "And hello, Cedric. Nice place, isn't it?"

"Mr. ... Weasley?" Harry choked out. "Is that really you?"

"In the flesh," Mr. Weasley answered, going over to him and wrapping him in a fatherly hug. "Good to see you, Harry."

Tears streamed down Harry's face as he said, "Mr. Weasley, I-I didn't mean to get you killed!"

"Now, listen to me," Mr. Weasley said, and there was absolute seriousness in his voice. "You didn't get me killed. It was the snake that did."

"But I was ... I WAS the snake!" Harry protested feebly.

"Sirius and Remus are right," Arthur told him. "The feelings you felt came from You-Know- ... oh, all right ... Voldemort. Not you. And Dumbledore is right also, I love you like a son. When you came into our lives, you blessed the Weasley family with your sincerity and kindness. I couldn't be happier than to know that I gave my life protecting you."

This was too much for Harry to take, and he held on to Mr. Weasley as more sobs shook his body.

"It's all right, Harry, everything will be all right," the man soothed.

"But Mrs. Weasley, Ginny, R-Ron, Fred, George ... t-they'll hate me when they find out why you died," Harry choked out.

"Harry, look at me." Arthur lifted his chin so he could look into Harry's tear-filled emerald eyes. "I don't ever want to hear you say that again. My family will not hate you. Their love for you is unconditional. Of course, they'll miss me, but they're a strong bunch of people. We've always thought ourselves capable of handling anything, and they can bear even this. They'll need you now more than ever, Harry. They'll be there for you, I know they will. My family loves you because you're a part of them. The best thing that could have possibly happened to me was that my Ron stumbled upon you on the train your first year."

Harry, overwhelmed with emotion, saw nothing but truth in Mr. Weasley's eyes. "Really?"

"Really," the man answered. "But I'd like you to do one thing for me, and that is, make sure you look after them. Promise me you will."

"I promise," Harry answered, meaning it with all his heart.

"Good," said Mr. Weasley, squeezing his hand.

"Is it time for me to go back now?" Harry asked slowly.

"Not until you've seen the two people who want to see you the most," said Arthur.

More tears raced down Harry's cheeks, because he somehow knew what was coming next. Cedric and Mr. Weasley stayed close by Harry as he looked across the field one more time. Two more figures were running towards him, faster than he'd seen anyone ever run before.

And then, two sets of arms were around him, and one of the people was crying, her tears soaking into Harry's robes. The Boy-Who-Lived was being hugged by his parents.

"Oh, sweetheart," Lily said in between soft sobs. "Oh, Harry, my boy."

"Harry, son," James said, clapping Harry on the shoulder as he and Lily stepped a pace back. "How goes it?"

"Mum? Dad?" Harry gasped, getting a good look at them. The last time he'd seen them was when their ghosts had come out of Voldemort's wand.

"It's us," Lily said gently. "Harry, we just want you to know how much we love you. And Cedric couldn't be more right about how proud we all are of you."

"Yeah, you're a Marauder after my own heart," beamed James. "But seriously, Harry, the fact that you are my son makes me the happiest man ever. You've been so brave through everything that's been thrown at you."

"Don't ever give up," Lily whispered, looking her son up and down, as if memorizing every part of him. Her emerald eyes were just like Harry's, and they shone with tears. "And don't ever listen to anything Voldemort says, all right?"

"I ... I ..." Harry was at a loss for words.

Lily and James hugged him again, rubbing soothing circles on his back. "It's time for you to go back now," James said, "but we were desperate to see you before you left."

"And don't ever blame yourself for anything Voldemort does," Lily pleaded with him. "As we told you at the end of last year, we love you so very, very much. We're always watching over you."

"You mean ... that was really you ... last year?" Harry asked quietly. "You helped me?"

"We wanted you to survive," Cedric told him earnestly.

"Thank you," Harry said through his tears. "Thank you so much."

"You don't need to thank us," James said. "We weren't going to let Voldemort kill you. We want you here, Harry, with us, but we know you belong on Earth for now."

"Your godfather and Remus need you," Mr. Weasley declared. "They haven't left your side once since the Healers said you'd gone into the coma. It's time you went back and assured them you're okay."

"Harry, my son, take care of ol' Padfoot and ol' Moony for me," James said, ruffling his son's messy hair. "And give ol' Umbitch the one-two."

"James!" Lily chastised warningly, but her emerald eyes sparkled with laughter.

James grinned. "Oh, fine, fine. But make sure she gets what's coming to her," he told him.

"Harry," Cedric said, "you've been doing a wonderful job taking care of Cho. Please continue to do that for me, and tell her I still love her very much."

"I will," Harry promised tearfully.

Lily kissed him tenderly on the forehead. "And I'm so sorry you ever had to go to Petunia," she said softly. "That wasn't meant to happen."

"It's not your fault," Harry told her, meaning every word of it. He gave his parents, Cedric, and Mr. Weasley a shaky smile. "What do I do to go back?" he asked.

"Just lay down here on the grass with us," said Lily, and Harry complied. She and James wrapped him up in their arms. "Never forget that we love you," she whispered. "In a few seconds you'll start to feel sleepy. Let the feeling take you over. Once you're asleep, you'll go back to the living world. We'll hold you until then."

"Okay." Harry agreed softly. Sure enough, a feeling of exhaustion was starting to come over him.

Cedric patted his shoulder gently. "Stay strong, Harry," he said. "Take care of yourself."

"We'll always be here for you. Just look for us in your heart," Lily said, putting her hand over her own to emphasize the point.

"Take care of my family for me, Harry. I'll see you soon," Mr. Weasley said.

"Love you, son," James said, and that was the last thing Harry heard as he drifted off into a peaceful sleep, comforted by the presence of his big brother, Mr. Weasley, and his parents.

As Harry's breathing grew deep and even, he began to shrink in James and Lily's arms. Lily began to sob with both joy and heartache as she knew her son was leaving her, but at the same time, going back to his world. As he melted into thin air, James held her tightly. "He'll be okay, Lil," he whispered. "He's got Padfoot and Moony and his friends. They'll look after him for us." He gently wiped tears from his wife's eyes.

"I know," Lily said softly. "It's just hard, you know? It's hard not being able to be there for him."

"It is," James agreed. "But I know he'll make it." He and Lily got up off the grass, and James ruffled Cedric's hair. "You okay, Ced?" he asked.

"I am," Cedric smiled. "And I'm glad Harry will be, too."

"Me, too, son. Me, too." Arthur said sincerely. The four shared a smile as they thought of how they'd continue to watch over their beloved Harry.

They were his guardian angels.