Disclaimer – Nothing is mine. Nothing at all.

Chapter 4 – Saying Goodbye

'So how did Hermione fit into all of this? And what are the Ministry conditions?'

'I believe Miss Granger, sorry, Mrs Malfoy began her quest to reform Draco shortly after he arrived. She was the Ministry liaison in charge of his house arrest here at Hogwarts and I guess she applied herself to the task as much as she did to her schoolwork. Under the conditions set his is not to leave the school grounds, or be alone with the students without another adult present. He also has to have twice yearly evaluations with both a medi-wizard from St Mungos and a worker from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.'

Harry snorted. 'I wonder if she drew up a schedule for him.' he snickered.

Snape raised an eyebrow. He couldn't believe the change from the grief stunned young man of the morning. He took another sip and mulled it over; surprisingly it took several minutes before it dawned on him. 'You've spoken to him then.' He said quietly, not needing to say who it was they were talking about.

Harry smiled. 'Yes. I have. Did you wish to speak with him?'

Snape shook his head. 'No, not right now. Maybe another day if the offer remains open?'

'Of course. He would want to speak with you. You're always welcome whenever you want.'

'The offer is most appreciated, Harry.' Snape said honestly.

'Professor, I...I wanted to thank you.' Harry said softly.

Snape raised an eyebrow in question.

'For standing by my side. I know it must be very difficult for you, and I just want you to know I appreciate it. I cannot thank you enough for your support over the last day, Professor. Both in front of others and when we have been alone.'

'If you're that thankful, Headmaster.' Snape said with a wry smirk. 'Perhaps you should call me Severus. I have to admit to being slightly disconcerted to be addressed so formally by the man who is now, in effect, my employer.'

Harry's eyes brightened. 'Thank you, Severus.'

Snape's mouth curved into that almost smile again. 'You're welcome, Harry.'

Harry walked beside Snape, Severus, he corrected himself inwardly and slightly behind McGonagall, the rest of the staff trailing behind them as they headed towards the great hall. They had all arrived at the headmaster's office only minutes before with McGonagall suggesting they show a united front to the students. Harry had smiled gratefully and pulled on a set of black robes over his black pants and shirt.

'You shouldn't wear so much black, Harry. You look like Severus.' Hermione sniffed distastefully as they met up with her in the corridor, her clasped tightly within Malfoy's.

Harry had just raised an eyebrow at her. 'I believe the proper period for morning one's family is twelve months.' He said quietly before turning and continuing down the corridor.

Snape had quickly followed, a small smirk of amusement lighting his eyes and no further comment was made as they all made their way to the hall. Harry took a deep breath, letting it out slowly as McGonagall swept into the hall ahead of them.

'Relax, Harry, they won't kill you.' Snape murmured.

Harry snorted softly. 'They can't. Remember?' He muttered dryly.

Snape's mouth twitched even as his glare had students cowering all over the hall. The students themselves were deathly silent, their expressions a cross between reverence and fear, as nearly all recognised the Boy-Who-Lived. His picture was in "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts" after all.

This was Harry Potter.

They had all grown up on stories of the wizarding world's supposed saviour who went bad and disappeared. His story was the stuff of legend. A man who had taken on three hundred Death Eaters and not only lived to tell the tale but managed to kill every single one in less than an hour.

Harry kept his eyes firmly forward as they staff made their way up to the head table. McGonagall and the others all took their seats as Harry remained behind the headmaster's chair for several moments before swallowing heavily as he stepped around it to sit down. Gasps rang through the hall, particularly from the older students as they quickly realised the significance of Harry sitting in Dumbledore's chair.

'Attention.' McGonagall called as she tapped her goblet and the students quickly settled down. She glanced over at Harry who nodded. 'As you can see there have been changes to the staff over the last twenty four hours. It pains me to have to tell you that the wizarding world has lost one of its brightest lights.' McGonagall blinked several times. 'Albus Dumbledore finally passed on to his next great adventure and he will be missed by all of us I'm sure. I'd like you all to be silent for a minute as we remember one of the greatest wizard's our world has ever known.'

McGonagall hung her head and the students quickly followed but Harry didn't notice. His head was already down as the smell of wool and lemon drops that was so familiar had overwhelmed him when he sat. He had no idea of how Albus could have impregnated his particular scent into the carved wooden chair Harry was sitting in, but he had and it made Harry's chest heavy and his eyes sting. He kept them clenched tightly shut, thankful that he had an excuse to keep his head lowered.

He started slightly as he felt what he knew to be Snape's hand land on his forearm and squeeze gently, effectively stopping him from all but shredding the edge of the sleeve of his robes in his trembling hands.

McGonagall raised her head as the potions master surreptitiously removed his hand. 'Thank you.' The witch said quietly, waiting as the students also looked up and waited in anticipation. 'As you can see Hogwarts has chosen her next Headmaster and I'm sure you will all join me in welcoming Mr Potter back to the school.' There was a small burst of tentative clapping that died quickly as Harry lifted his head and surveyed the hall.

McGonagall went on quickly. 'Albus Dumbledore's son has graciously allowed a public service to be held on Tuesday at ten o'clock. Classes will be cancelled. That will be all.' She finished sitting down. Harry groaned inwardly; there was no question that that would be in the Prophet by morning.

Whispers broke out around the room, quickly halting as Harry stood. He glanced down at McGonagall and opened his mouth to speak but just shook his head, realising he had nothing to say. He bent forward and placed his hands flat on the table, closing his eyes and summoning the food from the kitchens to the great hall. There were noises of surprise as suddenly the tables were bathed in a golden light that, once it had faded, showed them to be full of food. Harry's eyes opened and he nodded on before regaining his seat. No one moved, unsure of whether they could start.

'You may begin.' Harry said softly but clearly and the students, being teenagers, quickly dived in. Harry sat quietly surveying the hall, refusing any offers to place food on his plate. He had eaten at lunchtime and wasn't sure he could face anymore food.

It seemed almost surreal to be sitting in the hall he had sworn he would never set foot in again. The ceiling hadn't changed and Harry watched as it slowly turned from pink to blue to black as night fell. He could remember sitting down at the Gryffindor table with his friends, Dumbledore smiling indulgently at him every so often. He remembered the night he had arrived to be sorted, he remembered arguing with the hat, and he remembered Albus saluting afterwards with a wink from those twinkling blue eyes. Sitting here, hearing the students voices echo off the walls in a way that hadn't changed in hundreds of years brought back all of the memories, both good and bad, and Harry swallowed the lump that had risen in his throat as he tore his eyes from the hall and stared down into his goblet of pumpkin juice.

'You should eat, Harry.' Snape said quietly from his right.

Harry shook his head. 'I'm not hungry.' Harry replied quietly, taking a sip of pumpkin juice in the hope it would appease the older man. 'Would you care for a game of chess after dinner?' He asked, trying to change the subject.

Snape raised an eyebrow and snorted. 'Definitely far too much time with Albus.' He said alluding to the elderly wizard's habit of completely changing the subject whenever it suited him.

Harry sighed, his eyes dropping to his empty plate once again. 'I'm not sure anyone could spend too much time with, Albus.' He murmured softly, placing the goblet down on the table and resting his hands in his lap. 'He really was incredible you know. He knew so much about so many things and he always tried to teach you something no matter what it was you were talking about. Sometimes we would sit out on the back porch and he would tell me about what Hogwarts was like when he was young; sometimes we'd cast invisibility charms and wander through the local streets and he'd describe different trees and plants and even the people. He loved muggles. He thought they were incredibly intelligent to have figured out half the stuff they had without magic.' Harry's hands had returned to shredding the hem of his robes as Snape and McGonagall, those close enough to hear his monologue, listened intently.

'He said he wished sometimes that we could all live side by side even though he knew it was impossible. He taught me to play chess, and he showed me that when I got angry or upset I could turn to brewing to regain some control.'

McGonagall's eyebrows shot skyward as she looked past Harry to catch Snape's eye. Both were stunned to finally hear about the secret life the headmaster had lived with the Boy-Who-Lived.

'He showed me that life was worth living, and even if I didn't listen to him, I knew he was right. He was always right.'

'Harry?' McGonagall's voice was kind and this time it was her hand that stilled his frantic movements, hidden by the table from all but those either side of him.

'How can someone like him just die, Professor? Harry whispered. 'It's just not possible. It's not.' He insisted.

McGonagall glanced up at Snape before speaking. 'Harry, I think you've done enough for today. Severus is going to walk you back to your office and I want you to take a dreamless sleep. Tomorrow is going to be a very difficult day.' It was obvious to both Snape and McGonagall that while Harry put on a brave face he really hadn't come to terms with the sudden death of his mentor and probably wouldn't until after the funeral on Tuesday. McGonagall knew that while Harry's having been chosen as Headmaster had been a shock, it was her duty to stand by him and that meant supporting him until he could deal with his grief and stand on his own.

Harry just nodded at her words even as it seemed to Snape as if he hadn't really heard them. He wondered if this is what the boy had been like shortly after the destruction of Voldemort. The readily occurring shock the young man seemed unable to shake worried him. He would have to talk to Albus and see what had really happened after that fateful day.

'Come on, Harry.' Snape murmured, grasping the man's elbow and tugging him gently until he was standing. Most of the students looked up at the movement from the head table but Snape just glared at them even as he kept a hand on Harry's lower back and guided him from the hall.

It was late. Well after midnight. Harry had tried to resist the dreamless sleep and had spent an hour tossing and turning, calling out both in pain and grief until Snape could stand it no longer and stormed into the bedroom from where he had been listening in silence from the sitting room and all but forced the potion down the young man's throat.

'I had hoped you had remained, Severus.' Dumbledore said softly causing the potions master to turn sharply.

'Albus.' Snape said, slightly hoarsely if he was honest with himself.

'Thank you, dear boy. Thank you for keeping such a concerned eye on him. You cannot imagine what a relief it is to know that you are there for him.'

'I made you a promise, Albus, and I intend to keep it.' Snape said quietly but sincerely.

'I know, and for that I thank you. Harry needs all the help he can get. This will be much tougher for him than you would expect. There is much I didn't get time to tell you about.'

Snape cocked an elegant eyebrow. 'Go on.'

After twenty minutes Snape sat down and continued listening to the story the elderly wizard had to tell. It was incredible. The fact the young man was alive and coherent was incredible.

Two hours later he stood and moved to stare down at the now sleeping figure. 'I will watch him carefully, Albus.' He assured the figure in the portrait pretending not to hear the sigh of relief the ex headmaster of Hogwarts let out.

'Thank you, dear boy. Thank you.' Albus said profusely. 'Now, you should really get some sleep yourself or those rumours about your being a vampire may resurface yet again.' Albus chuckled softly.

Snape rolled his eyes. 'Students have been spreading that rumour since I arrived, Albus. Short of casting a Lumos spell on myself I imagine no one would believe otherwise anyway.'

'I know, I know, but an old man can dream can't he?' The elderly wizard's painted blue eyes twinkled astoundingly at him and it was all Snape could do not to swear as he waved goodbye and stalked from the room.

'Do you mean to tell me that Albus has been the only contact the boy has had in almost ten years?' Poppy breathed incredulously. Snape nodded in reply sipping the tea in front of him as he watched the two witches across the desk.

'But that's impossible.' McGonagall burst out. 'Surely he went out. Spoke to people.'

Snape shook his head. 'He went out, yes, but only with Albus. He never went near anyone else and he never spoke to anyone. The wards on his property were incredible; stronger that Hogwarts in many ways. Albus brought his food and other things when he came once a week and apparently that was enough for the boy.'

'What happened after V..voldemort died?' McGonagall stammered.

Snape placed his cup down and rubbed tiredly at his eyes. 'I've never shared what happened that day with anyone but Albus. I'm not sure if I should be sharing it with you.'

'It would help us to understand, Severus.' Poppy explained.

Snape stared at them both impassively for several moments before nodding curtly. 'I won't go into details of the actual battle lest to say that it was bloody. The fact that Potter was still standing afterwards was unfathomable. When the last sounds had faded I found him standing in the middle of the field, covered in blood and unmoving. He wouldn't respond, wouldn't speak, in fact, he barely even seemed to be breathing. I tried talking to him but he just kept staring at the carnage around him with a look of absolute horror on his face that should never have been possible on one so young.' Snape took a heavy, pained breath.

'His breathing finally began to pick up, getting faster and faster and I knew he was going to lose it. I tried talking to him again but it did no good and in the end I stunned him and used the emergency Portkey to get him back to Hogwarts.'

'He came back to the castle?' McGonagall eyes widened in surprise. 'But the Ministry said he'd disappeared and Albus never told us otherwise.'

'He knew better. As the Ministry investigated they realised just how all those Death Eaters had died. Wandless magic. Wandless magic of such a powerful nature that it could have only been one person. Potter's wandless abilities were probably one of the worst kept secrets in the Ministry.'

'But how would Albus know what they would say?'

Snape frowned. 'Albus always knew. He knew what fear and awe and a lack of knowledge would breed. And he knew Potter wouldn't be safe for a long time, if ever.'

'What happened to Harry?' Poppy asked curiously.

'He didn't speak...to anyone...not even Albus, for almost two years.'

'What?'

'Severe shock. Albus used to floo over to the states several times a week and he had Dobby staying to look after Harry the rest of the time. The boy couldn't live with what he'd done and tried to kill himself on several occasions.'

'Oh dear Merlin.' McGonagall breathed.

'By their third summer in Lexington Harry had finally begun to respond and Albus was overjoyed. That was the summer he told us he spent the entirety of in Spain instead of the month long holidays he'd had the two summers previous. Once Harry began relating properly to Albus the boy insisted Dobby return to Hogwarts. He said he didn't want any reminders of the wizarding world.'

'What of his magic?'

'He didn't use a scrap for more than five years. In fact it wasn't until Albus reintroduced him to brewing as a way of remaining calm that he used it; apparently a potion exploded and he shielded himself and Albus from in automatically.'

'How...how could this have happened? How could Albus have been the only one to see him?'

'What of his friends?' Poppy asked, waving her wand and reheating their tea.

'Apparently several owls were sent but when Harry didn't reply, then the worst was thought. Once the Ministry finished its supposed investigation it only got worse. Dumbledore kept Harry in Lexington and no one had any inkling that he had any idea of where the boy was.'

'I can't believe he hid this from us for so many years.' McGonagall said, shaking her head in disbelief.

'He had no choice. He loved the boy. He would have taken a killing curse to the chest before he let anything happen to him.' Snape murmured.

The three friends were silent for many minutes before Poppy finally spoke. 'This Tuesday isn't going to be easy for him, is it?'

Snape shook his head. 'No, I don't believe so.'

Breakfast the next morning, and dinner the next day were two meals that would be spoken about in hushed disbelieving tones for many years to come. The Daily Prophet that arrived in the morning reported the death of Albus Dumbledore and Harry's subsequent installation as Headmaster of Hogwarts. It rehashed the final battle of a decade ago and Harry's part in it and speculations ran wild as to what Harry's purpose was in returning from where he had been hiding and just what he thought he was doing in taking such a position with no experience whatsoever.

Harry, for his part ignored the articles, actually managing to eat some breakfast before the unannounced but certainly not unforeseen arrival of the latest Minister of Magic and several members of the Wizingamot.

'Mr Potter, what exactly is going on here?' Percy Weasley was just a pompous as ever.

Harry stood up and gave the students that were still in the hall a small smile as he walked up the aisle towards the door. He stopped and glanced over the older brother of his once best friend.

'Good morning, Minister Weasley.' Harry said politely. 'If you and your party would care to follow me we can continue this somewhere more private.' Harry didn't wait for an answer, instead moving past the group and heading immediately up the staircase.

He reached the gargoyle and just placed a hand on its head, making a mental note to set a password later, before moving up the winding staircase before it could carry him up and into the office. He waited until they were all in the office and noticed Snape standing at the top of the stairs. The potions master raised an eyebrow in question but Harry just shook his head.

'I can do this, Severus.' He said quietly and the older man nodded once before disappearing back down the stairs. He turned to Percy, conjuring a few extra chairs before coming around the table to sit in his chair.

'Now, Minister, what can I do for you?' Harry asked calmly.

'Now listen here, Potter. I won't stand for this. You still have charges pending.' Percy blustered.

Harry sat back in his chair, steepling his fingers in front of him in a posture he knew any past Hogwarts student would recognise immediately. It had the desired effect as Percy's eyes widened and his mouth snapped closed, even as the two Wizingamot members and the two Aurors mouths fell open.

Harry kept his face impassive even as he snorted inwardly. 'I have no idea of what charges you are referring to, Minister. All I know was that Albus requested I return and when I did I found out that Hogwarts had chosen me to hold the wards.'

'Hogwarts had chosen you? You cannot be serious, Mr Potter.'

Harry sighed. 'The wards of the school are extremely heavy. They have been added to so many times that they cannot be held by just any witch or wizard. The fact that they also contain the trigger for all of the magical wards in Britain certainly does not help.'

'You cannot tell me that you are the only one capable of holding them Mr Potter.' Percy sneered. 'I demand you release them immediately.'

'I wish I could, Minister. Honestly, I do. But I think you will find that Hogwarts will not accept any other.' Harry didn't move, didn't even blink as Percy stared at him in contemplation.

'I don't believe you, Mr Potter. I insist you relinquish them to Mr Abacus here.'

Harry shrugged and stood up. 'Fine. I will do as you ask but I want it said here and now that I am not responsible for what happens.'

Percy stopped him with a hand out. 'Wait, what do you mean what happens?'

'Minister, as I said, the wards of Hogwarts contain the trigger for all of the wards in the wizarding world. If the wards here fall, they fall everywhere.'

Percy gaped at him. 'You cannot be serious.'

'Deathly serious, Minister. But it is your decision.'

The blustery red head straightened and sneered again. 'That's right, Potter. It is my decision. Now get on with it.'

Harry walked back around the desk and firmly grasped the other man's arms. 'You will feel a pressure that will get stronger and stronger. You need to stay calm until Hogwarts accepts you.' Harry told him, knowing this wasn't going to work.

The tall balding man nodded. 'Will this work?'

'I have no idea.' Harry lied. 'It is the castle's decision who she chooses to hold the wards.'

Abacus nodded and Harry closed his eyes. He could feel the comforting presence of the castle surrounding him as he tried to send through the Minister's request.

The result was immediate. Hogwarts was not happy. She had chosen her bearer and would not be swayed from her choice. The ceiling in the great hall began to crackle angrily as the moving staircases froze where they were. The portraits began screaming as the very walls of the castle began to bleed and once again there was a rumble that rang out from the very foundations as the castle seemed to want to shift in its bed.

Sweat poured off Harry's forehead as he tried to coax the castle into doing what he wanted. He felt the other man shift in his arms but he continued to try.

'Stop, Harry, you can't.' Snape's voice rang out from the doorway and Harry pulled away, gasping heavily as he swayed where he stood. 'Are you completely out of your mind?' The potions master snapped as he stalked across the room and gently but firmly propelled Harry back behind his desk and into his chair.

'Professor Snape, do you mind.' Percy snapped out causing the potions master to turn on him and, Minister or not, the Snape glare of death is not something you want directed at you at any time.

'Minister Weasley.' Snape drawled. 'Do you know nothing of Hogwarts' history? You cannot force the Ward Bearer to relinquish the wards. It is just not possible. It's the castle herself that transfers them, not the headmaster. Hogwarts has chosen Mr Potter because she knows he is capable of carrying the thousand year old wards.'

'But Potter is facing charges.' Percy insisted. 'He cannot carry the wards. What if he has to go to Azkaban?'

Only the painful clenching of Snape's hand on Harry's shoulder kept him in his seat and silent. 'I think you will find, Minister, that all of those charges were dismissed after the death of Cornelius Fudge at a special session of the Wizingamot. Is that correct?' Snape directed the question to Abacus who was still standing.

'He is correct, Minister.' Abacus said firmly.

'Percy, I'm not here to cause trouble.' Harry said quietly. 'I'm here only until I can dismantle enough of the extra wards without destabilizing the whole lot and pass them on to someone else. I didn't ask for this and I don't want it. I will do my duty to the wizarding world because Albus asked me too and for no other reason. Now is there anything else? I have a service to plan and many owls to send as well as a visit to Gringotts to fit into an already busy day.'

Percy stared at Harry intently for several moments before he shook his head slowly. 'Just so you know, Potter, the board of Governors will still have control over any changes you make within the school.'

'I won't be changing anything.' Harry murmured.

Percy sniffed and turned on his heel, sweeping from the room in a poor imitation of the man kneeling on the floor beside the headmaster's chair. Snape just ignored him as the Aurors and Wizingamot quickly followed.

'That was in incredibly foolish thing to do, Harry.' Snape scolded, reaching up to open Harry's already closed eyes.

'Hmmm.' Harry just hummed in reply, suddenly too tired to even move. Snape reached for his little bag of potions that he carried everywhere and pulled out several, holding them to Harry's lips and waiting for the young man to open his mouth.

'This will last for an hour or so but you'll need to rest this afternoon.'

Harry waited as the Pepper-Up did it's work before nodding slowly. 'I will.' He promised.

'You'd better.' Snape said from the doorway. 'I'll be checking.'

Harry rolled his eyes. 'Yes mum.' He grumbled, flicking his wrist and closing the door between them before the older man could retort. Feeling much better he stood up and moved to the fireplace, kneeling down and initiating a call to Gringotts.

Ten minutes later he ended the call having made an appointment for Wednesday afternoon to see Ragnok and the manager of the Dumbledore accounts. He returned to his desk and summoned quill and parchment and penned letters to both the Prophet and the Quibbler stating the day and time for Albus' funeral service before writing to several people he wanted to speak at the service. It was as he put the final seal on the letters and passed them to a patiently waiting Fawkes that he felt the potions begin to wear off and the deep tiredness he had earlier sweep up and over him.

He leant back in his chair and closed his eyes making himself a promise to rest for just a moment before going down see speak with Poppy.

Snape snorted softly as he stepped silently into the office several hours later. 'Well, at least he listens now.' He muttered dryly as he levitated the still sleeping figure out of the chair and through the sitting room to place him gently down on the bed, summoning a blanket and placing it over the young man and dimming the lights as he closed the curtains.

'Severus, what happened?' Albus asked in concern. 'He shouldn't be sleeping now. Not after the Dreamless Sleep last night.'

Snape moved away from the bed. 'Weasley was here. He tried to force Harry into relinquishing the wards.' He snarled quietly.

'WHAT?'

'Albus?' Harry said groggily.

'It's alright, dear boy. You're safe here. Go to sleep.' Albus crooned softly.

'Albus?'

'Go to sleep, Harry. I'll be here when you wake.' Albus promised. 'Severus, please just run your fingers through his hair a few times and he'll go to sleep.' He whispered.

Snape raised an incredulous eyebrow.

'Please.' Albus begged.

'Albus, where are you?' Harry called out again in the darkened room.

Dumbledore gave Snape another pleading glance and with a theatrical sigh the potions master took a few steps forward and sat gently on the edge of the bed. 'I'm here, Harry.' He said softly, reaching up to card his fingers through the messy black hair.

'Albus?'

'Mmmn.' Snape murmured.

'I wish I was with you.' Harry mumbled sleepily. 'I don't want to be here anymore.'

Snape's hand froze and Harry made a noise of discontent. 'I know you don't.' Snape said softly. It was obvious that Harry was dreaming, in spite of having the conversation, so Snape's hand began its repetitive movement once more.

'Albus?'

'Yes?'

'Don't leave me.'

Harry's voice was plaintive and Snape knew the following day was going to be brutal. 'I won't.' Snape murmured as he continued sitting there staring at the young man for several hours. Eventually he stood with a heavy sigh and moved away.

'When is the service?' Albus' voice startled him and Snape shook his head to clear the fuzziness that had been left.

'Tomorrow.'

The portrait Dumbledore glanced over at the bed, tears shining clearly in his eyes. 'Severus...'

'I know.' Snape whispered. 'I won't leave him alone.'

'Thank you.'

The stuff of legends continued at dinner that evening when the Howlers began to arrive. Harry sat calmly as one Howler after another exploded and witch after witch, wizard after wizard called him all manner of things. After the first half dozen they began to get quite explicit and Harry cast a silencing charm around him so the students couldn't hear. It was obvious to all though by the clenching of the new headmaster's jaw that he could still hear them even if no one else could.

In a show of patience Snape wouldn't have credited the young man with previously Harry sat through the entire lot, the rest of the staff and students remaining by default as they waited to see what Harry would do.

They were to be disappointed however as once the final one had screamed its obscenities for only Harry to hear, and torn itself to shreds that fell on the large pile already below it, Harry banished the pile with a flick of his wrist before lifting his napkin and touching the edge of his lips. Once the napkin had been placed on the table, he stood and glanced down at the staff and students.

'Good evening.' He said politely before sweeping silently from the hall.

They were all there. All the members of the Order. Ministry officials, past Hogwarts students and even the odd magical creature. All had come to pay their respects to one of the greatest wizard's of the age. At least most of them had. Harry knew that others had come to see the son of Albus Dumbledore. His existence reported in yesterday's paper but without a face or name to put to the story had many questioning the validity of the reports.

The body of Albus Dumbledore had lain in state in the great hall since six o'clock that morning before Hagrid had carried the body down to the stone altar beside the lake, sniffling heavily all the while. Once he'd placed it down gently he blew his nose in an enormous red handkerchief and moved away.

Harry had allowed himself to be escorted down to the service at the very last minute, Fawkes perched protectively on his shoulder. He sat in the front row, eyes forward and hands clasped tightly in his lap as he listened to both Percy Weasley and Minerva McGonagall.

Several of the Hogwarts alumni spoke next of the man Dumbledore had been and what he had meant to them, but Harry's eyes never left the still figure laying prone only yards away from him. The longer the service went on the less Harry heard. All he could see was the one person who had never let him down, the one person who loved him for who he was, and the one person he truly loved lying so still.

'Albus.' He whispered.

Suddenly the body burst into flames.

'NO!' Harry screamed, fighting the arms that went around him as he launched himself towards the burning figure of his father. 'No, no, no, no.' Harry sobbed over and over as Albus' body burnt until nothing was left.

Fawkes burst into song, cheering those around them slightly but Harry was too far gone. The other mourners were shocked at the depth of grief Harry was displaying.

'Harry, Harry.' Snape said softly as he tried to hold onto the squirming young man. He had no idea what to say to curb the young man's grief. 'You're father loved you, Harry. He loved you very much.'

'Albus. Don't leave me. Please, please don't leave me.' Harry's pleading cries were heard even as the rumours began to start. Those closest to the potions master had heard what he had said and it took less than a few minutes for the words to get around those gathered.

Harry broke from Snape's grip and fell forward onto the ground. He didn't care who was watching or listening. All he could think of was the fact that it was true. That the last few days hadn't been a continuing nightmare from which he couldn't wake. That he would never again feel those warm caring arms comforting him; the white beard that was so soft as he rested against it and those twinkling blue eyes that had looked at him with such love.

Albus was gone. Completely, utterly, gone.

He had left Hogwarts.

Had left the wizarding world.

He had left Harry.