Chapter 121
Painful Farewell's
Despite the victory of destroying a Horcrux, the next week at Hogwarts was one of sadness and sorrow. Several students were immediately taken home by their parents, and some parents tried to withdraw their children, but they refused, Dean Thomas being a prime example. His mother had come to collect him, and he had engaged in a shouting match with her, which ended with Dean's mother finding lodging in Hogsmeade until Dumbledore's funeral had been concluded.
The ministry workers who were helping repair the damage to the castle worked quickly, alongside the teachers, and within a week, the damage was repaired, at least the physical damage. Lily knew the emotional damage done would never be healed.
The day before Dumbledore's funeral, Scrimgeour arrived, wanting to meet with Lily, who agreed to do so, and as she sat in what was now Minerva's office, with Fawkes sitting on the back of Lily's chair, she looked at the man. He was clearly exhausted, and not just physically. Much like the castle, Lily knew the man was hurt emotionally, given the victory that Voldemort had claimed.
"You look… exhausted," Lily said. Scrimgeour chuckled softly.
"I feel it," he admitted, looking at Lily and Sirius. "I appreciate you taking the time to meet with me today, Lily."
"I know you got some of what happened from that night, but I assume you want to know more?" Lily asked. To her surprise, Scrimgeour shook his head.
"No, I don't need to know more. It's probably safer if I don't, to be fair. If Voldemort could attack and win here, who knows what he could do," Scrimgeour replied.
"Wait, that… you've never used his name before," Lily was surprised, though she wondered if it was a good thing.
"Something Dumbledore always said; fear of a name increases fear of a thing itself," Scrimgeour told her. "I'm not gonna be afraid of that bastard anymore."
"Dumbledore would be pleased to hear that," Lily said, with a small smile. The portrait of Dumbledore behind the desk showed the older man asleep. Did paintings get tired? What kind of life was it? Was it like life at all? Lily had a lot of questions, but she'd ask them later.
"Just tell me there was some good from that night," Scrimgeour said.
"There was," Lily confirmed. "I've got a lot to do, but we made a good start in stopping him."
"Good. I've been briefed on how the battle here went; your friends acquitted themselves admirably," Scrimgeour said. "I've already alerted the whole of the ministry that Voldemort has a… a duplicate, I mean, that's the best word we've got right now. We're trying to research how, but whilst I have suspicions, I'm leaving this in your capable hands."
"I appreciate that, Minister. After this, he's going to be bolder, I think," Lily said.
"That's an understatement," Sirius replied. "I'd be surprised if he doesn't try and infiltrate the ministry next."
"Oh, I'm fully expecting him to try," Scrimgeour replied. "I've already got a number of precautions in place for his attempts, including regular, surprise checks of every ministry worker, including myself. I've also insisted that ministry workers start staying in pairs, so they can't be attacked without someone knowing."
"Good ideas," Sirius said. "Still, we need to be careful."
"You're not wrong," Scrimgeour agreed. "I just don't know how to deal with the fact that there are two of him. That's all my nightmares come true."
"It's everyone's nightmare come true. Fleur's parents are inconsolable, losing their daughter to Voldemort. It's… disgusting to think that he would have had a spy with us at all. If it wasn't for the fact that Snape killed Dumbledore, he… he'd still be here, spying on us," Lily said. "I hate knowing he was here the whole time… or she… I don't even know what to gender the second Voldemort as."
"Just go with they, people use that when they don't want to be either," Scrimgeour replied. That shocked Lily and Sirius, visibly so, causing Scrimgeour to laugh. "I've been doing my research on everything relating to your transition, Lily. There's a lot to learn, and it's been quite an eye opener. I've already started drafting laws to give trans people more rights to protect them, so they don't feel afraid to come out and get to be themselves."
"That's good to hear, Minister," Lily said. "It's something I hope can continue, when the war is over."
"That's a hope of mine as well. I won't lie; the last year has been difficult, for so many reasons, and losing Dumbledore has cost us greatly," Scrimgeour said. "Whatever your mission is, tell me what you need for it."
"I honestly don't know," Lily admitted. She sighed. "I have no idea where to begin; I just know what I need to do."
"Take some time to consider your moves; it's going to be difficult, of course, but it's clear that you are our best hope," Scrimgeour told her. "Just remember; if you need anything, please tell me. You'll have my complete support."
"Thank you, Minister," Lily said. "As soon as I know anything, I'll let you know."
"There's two more things I need to speak about," Scrimgeour said. "First, I have a request; you've been one of the few people who knew Dumbledore… well, better than most, I suspect. He was a private person, mostly. But I know over the last year, you and he have gotten closer, and I'd like to ask you to give a eulogy."
"Me?" Lily asked.
"I know Dumbledore was fond of you, Lily," Scrimgeour said, as there was a knock at the door. "I hope you don't mind; I sent a message before I arrived here, asking your friends Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to arrive here."
"How come?" Sirius spoke up, as Scrimgeour opened the door, with Ron, Hermione, Fleur, and Ginny entering.
"Sorry, are we interrupting?" Hermione asked, holding Fleur's hand. Since that night, neither Hermione nor Fleur had been apart. Hermione had refused to leave Fleur's side.
"No, you're just in time, Miss Granger," Scrimgeour said, producing a scroll and opening it. "I thought this would be the best place to meet with all of you, to read out Dumbledore's will."
"I'm sorry, his will?" Ginny asked. "Why… why us?"
"Because you're named in it, Miss Weasley," Scrimgeour replied, as everyone sat down. "First, to Hermione Jean Granger, I leave my copy of the Tales of Beedle the Bard, in the hopes that she will find it entertaining and instructive," Scrimgeour said, handing a book to Hermione.
"I… I've never heard of this," Hermione confessed.
"Wow, a book Hermione doesn't know about? That's impressive," Ron teased, with a small chuckle.
"Perhaps that was why he left it to you. He knew you enough to know you loved reading," Lily said, smiling at her friend.
"That's my thinking as well," Scrimgeour agreed. "Next, to Ronald Billius Weasley. I leave my Deluminator, in the hopes that he will remember me when he uses it."
"His what?" Ron asked, accepting the small device.
"That's something Dumbledore made. It can take away light from an area and store it, and then be used elsewhere," Scrimgeour explained. "I know many people wanted to duplicate it, but no one ever could."
"It's weird… but that was Dumbledore to a tea, wasn't it?" Ron asked, sniffing softly.
"You're not wrong," Lily agreed, smiling as she held Ron's hand. "He cared for you and had a great deal of respect for you."
"Likewise," Ron agreed. "He didn't always get everything right, but he did when it mattered."
"To Genevra Molly Weasley, I leave the guardianship of my Phoenix, Fawkes. A loyal friend who has always been there for me when I needed him, I know he will watch over her, and she will be an excellent companion," Scrimgeour read out, as Fawkes let out a soft cry, landing on Ginny's shoulder.
"Wait, he… he wanted me to… to have Fawkes?" Ginny asked, tears in her eyes as she gently stroked the Phoenix.
"Phoenixes are exceptionally loyal creatures, and very rare. Most disappear when their owners pass away, but the best can bequeath them to another, but only if the person is pure of heart and a loyal friend as well," Scrimgeour explained.
"Given that Fawkes just came to you like that Ginny, I'd say he's accepted Dumbledore's request," Sirius said softly. Fawkes let out another soft cry, which Lily suspected was a confirmation.
"I won't let you down, Professor," Ginny whispered, though Lily could hear her.
"And lastly, to Lily Jasmine Potter, I leave the Snitch that she caught in her very first Quidditch match, as a reminder of the rewards of perseverance and skill," Scrimgeour read, picking a small box from his pocket, and handing it to Lily. She accepted it, seeing the Snitch in the box.
"Okay, not gonna lie, this doesn't make much sense to me," Lily said, looking at it as she held it.
"I must confess, I thought there might be some clue for you on it. That was the kind of thing Dumbledore did, and I figured it'd be perfect because of its flash memory," Scrimgeour admitted.
"Flash memory?" Ron asked. Hermione went to speak automatically, but this time, Lily spoke up.
"A Snitch is magically enchanted so that it recognises only the first person who touches it. Until it's opened in a match, no one touches it, not even when making it," Lily explained. She smiled and shook her head. "My first match," she repeated, as she saw Ron's eyes widen.
"The one you almost swallowed," Ron realised.
"Yep," Lily agreed, bringing her lips to the Snitch. The side of it lit up, showing words that she read out. "I open at the close."
"Right, so more mysteries and questions rather than solutions," Sirius muttered loudly, rolling his eyes.
"There is one more thing you were left, Lily," Scrimgeour said. "And maybe this will help you in some way. I spent the last two days making sure it was linked to you, so that no one could take it from you," he explained, summoning an item from the wall of the office.
"The Sword of Gryffindor?" Lily asked. Scrimgeour nodded in confirmation.
"Normally, this would have to remain at the school, but if Dumbledore wanted you to have it, then he knew you'd need it for an important reason, and so I've linked it magically to you," Scrimgeour said, handing a sheath to Lily, who accepted it. The sword magically appeared in the sheath.
"Thank you, Minister," Lily said, holding the sheath and sword with reverence.
"I do ask that once you have completed your mission, you return it to the school," Scrimgeour replied.
"I promise," Lily agreed, nodding as she looked at the man. "I appreciate this."
"You're welcome. We should get ready for the service," Scrimgeour suggested.
"Agreed," Sirius said, as he looked at the others. "Time to get ready."
The sun shone down upon the grounds of Hogwarts, with a lot of chairs set up in front of a white tomb on the grounds, a short distance from the castle, but within view of everything. Lily had come here with the others for a picnic often; she loved the view of the lake. The tomb had been constructed during the night, magically, and it looked perfect, showing an image of Professor Dumbledore, smiling. It reminded Lily of a holographic image from her Uncle's favourite show, Star Trek, with the image looking around at the crowd.
She noticed that there were a lot of ministry officials, parents of the students, all of whom would have gone to Hogwarts themselves, as well as former students, including Cho, Cedric, Oliver Wood, and even Fred and George, who were wearing suits that kept changing colours, and making the occasional noise. Lily knew Professor Dumbledore would have loved the suits.
As the service begun, Scrimgeour was the first to take the podium. "I remember when I attended Hogwarts; Albus Dumbledore wasn't the headmaster yet, he was the Transfiguration Professor. He didn't become the headmaster until 1965, and yet, even then, everyone would look up to him. He had surprised so many people who had expected him to become the Minister of Magic; but he preferred to teach. Even during this last year, he taught me much about being the Minister, how to understand different situations, how to always be ready for anything. Anyone who knew Albus knew that teaching was always going to be his passion," Scrimgeour said, his voice being amplified.
Lily knew that was true; there was nothing that mattered more to Dumbledore than teaching, whether it was a simple lesson, or teaching her and Ginny about Voldemort during the last year. She knew even when the two of them had been talking and enjoying a pineapple juice together, just before she met Professor Slughorn, he had been teaching her about living properly, about enjoying life, and sharing moments with those you cared for.
She heard Scrimgeour go on about how noble Dumbledore was, even though his favourite words were those like Nitwit, Oddsbodkins, and any word that sounded insane to say. Lily couldn't help but laugh softly even as the tears were flowing from her eyes, down her cheek. She felt Ginny's hand holding her own, with Ginny's thumb rubbing across Lily's hand.
It wasn't long before Lily was standing at the podium, with Ginny standing next to her. "When I first met Professor Dumbledore, I wasn't sure what kind of man he was. I'd never really heard of him, though growing up as a muggle, my Aunt Minnie would tell me stories about her boss at work who was always so cheerful, and who enjoyed silly games. The more I got to know Professor Dumbledore, the more I knew she had been right," Lily said.
"In my first year, I knew there was something happening, but I didn't know what, and yet one evening, I came across the Mirror of Erised, and went there twice more. The third time, Professor Dumbledore spoke to me, having seen me at the mirror, and we had the first real conversation I'd ever had. We spoke of dreams, of life, and he taught me an important lesson; how it does not do to dwell on dreams and forget to live," Lily continued.
She paused, looking down at the ground, before looking back up. She knew she was going to struggle, but she wanted to make sure she did right by Dumbledore.
"When I came out as Transgender, he was immediately working on ways to help me transition, to help me become the woman I knew I really was, and he encouraged me to be myself," Lily continued. "I never imagined how important his support would become, especially in my fourth year, during the Tri-Wizard tournament."
"The thing I learnt about Professor Dumbledore is that he absolutely loved being at the school, and he believed in the goodness of everyone. He would encourage everyone to unite against darkness, and against evil, not because we are stronger together, though we are, but because love is always greater than hate. I've learnt this more over the last year," Lily explained.
"One thing I always felt, no matter what, was how much of a father, and grandfather, he had been ever since he came into my life," Lily said. "He was always there when I needed him, and always showed everyone love, whoever they were, even forgiving everyone no matter what the case."
"Without love, we're nothing but empty, hollow shells, and that's what Professor Dumbledore wanted us all to know, because that's who he was; he was the very definition of love personified. He cared about everyone here, and while he isn't here in person, he'll always be alive in our hearts and minds. As long as we remember him, and… and live the way…" Lily paused, struggling to go on. Ginny took her hand and stepped forward.
"As long as we remember him and live the way he taught us to live, caring for everyone and showing love for what it is; the most powerful and most important part of life," Ginny finished.
As Lily and Ginny sat down, more people got up to speak, sharing stories of how much Dumbledore had meant to them, and finally, as the last of the mourners spoke, a wailing song rose from the lake, as well as a wave of arrows from the forest, from the mer-people, and the centaurs.
Fawkes was resting on Ginny's lap, softly crying a few tears. Lily placed a hand on Fawkes' back, gently stroking her. There was so much she had wanted to talk to with Dumbledore, so many stories yet to share. But there hadn't been enough time. It felt like there would never be enough time, not really.
Lily watched as the funeral ended, with people returning to the castle for a wake, but Lily didn't want to go. She didn't want to be surrounded by people, some of which would be looking to her for answers, and for help. It was a poorly kept secret that she was the chosen one, after all.
What she wanted was to be back on that bench with Dumbledore, smiling, laughing, and just talking, as if there weren't a care in the world. But that would never happen again, and their time had ended. Dumbledore had left the world darker, but worse, for Lily, was that he had left her.
She had her mission to do now, and she would never give up, but without Dumbledore, it felt like it would be a lot harder. She walked over to the small tomb like coffin and placed a hand on it. She had placed Dumbledore's wand with him; it would watch over him forever. She sniffed softly, with Ginny by her side.
"I won't let you down, Professor," Lily said softly, closing her eyes, tears flowing.
"We won't let you down," Ginny corrected, smiling sadly at Lily.
"You taught us to survive, and that's what we'll do," Lily promised. She took a breath, before stepping back, her final word to Dumbledore flowing on the breeze as it fluttered around them.
"Goodbye."