AN: This has been updated faster than usual. It's also longer than usual, meaning I spent a long time typing it all out for you. The sacrifices I make for you guys! Show that you appreciate with a lovely review, please!
JKR's story and characters, not mine....you know how it is.
It would have been a happy occasion if not for the sad circumstances. Percy had been welcomed back into the fold, along with Penelope and their daughter, Janey.
When Dumbledore arrived, he didn't look surprised to see Percy restored to his family. Before the memorial began, he took Tonks aside and whispered something to her. She smiled sadly and nodded and Dumbledore gently patted her hand.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
"We all know why we're here. We all knew and loved the man whose life we've come to celebrate." Dumbledore's voice rang out, loud and clear. In the parlor, a small crowd of Order members had gathered to pay their respects to Lupin. Many faces Harry recognized but some he did not. He glanced around discreetly. There was Tonks, of course, and the Weasley family. Kingsley and Mad-Eye were seated together and he also saw Professor McGonagall and to his surprise and shock, Snape. Composing himself, he paid attention to Dumbledore.
"It seemed at times, that the whole world knew that Remus John Lupin was a werewolf. He suffered bitter persecution for this. However, those that knew him best, knew that he was a brilliant man, an inspiring mentor, a loyal friend and a loving husband. There
is not a person in this room that he wouldn't have given his life for. You all know what we're up against in our fight against Voldemort. There are many in the Order that have been lost. Truly, Remus Lupin had as much courage and loyalty as those who've died facing Voldemort himself. The Prewett's, the Potters, and many others." Harry drew his head up proudly as nearby, Mrs. Weasley sniffled, a handkerchief at her eyes.
"Like his closest friends, James Potter and Sirius Black, Remus Lupin gave all that he had to defend those he loved. I feel that Remus doesn't want us to mourn him, but rather to keep fighting. If we stop the fight, even for a moment, look back, we will be lost. Don't look back on the wound, but rather, learn from the pain. That is where you'll find your peace." Dumbledore smiled.
"These so-called 'victims' have left behind a legacy of love, never to be forgotten."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry sat by himself in Sirius' room, staring blankly ahead of him. The door behind him opened and shut but he didn't turn around. He knew who it was.
"Harry? Are you alright?" Ginny put her hand on his shoulder and his mind flashed back to that day last summer when Ginny had given him comfort and unknowingly became the rock that he held to with all the strength that he had. He'd looked at her and for the first time, finally saw her.
"I'm fine," he said, and was surprised to realize that it was true. "Have a seat," he told her. "I want to show you something."
As she sat down, he went to the wardrobe and eased the door open. She peered out from behind him.
"What's in it?" she asked with curiosity.
"Back in December I found a lot of things in here that belonged to my parents. I thought you might be interested."
He pulled the quidditch robes out, followed by his dad's dress robes and his mother's wedding dress.
"Wow," Ginny breathed softly, touching the silky folds. "This is beautiful. Was it your mother's?"
Harry nodded, and then turned back. "Also, there's..." He paused.
"What is it?" Ginny asked, laying down the dress and standing behind him.
"These boxes. They weren't in here last time." He pulled the two long, thin boxes out and handed one to Ginny. Together they pulled off the lids.
"Wands?"
"Must be my dad's and my mum's," Harry said, lifting his out as Ginny did the same.
Suddenly, he felt a familiar jerk behind his navel, and he heard Ginny scream, "Harry!"
Before he knew what was happening, it stopped. He found himself, still holding the wand, Ginny at his side. However, Grimmauld Place was gone. They stood on a quiet street.
"Where are we?" Ginny whispered, taking Harry's hand.
He shook his head. "I don't know."
The clouds moved from over the moon and Ginny saw a street sign.
"Where's Godric's Hollow?" she asked, in puzzlement. "I've never heard of it before, have you?"
Harry's jaw dropped open. "I think...I think it was where my parents lived...where I lived."
Ginny shivered suddenly.
"Are you okay?" Harry asked. It was warm for March, she couldn't possibly be cold.
"I'm fine," Ginny said. "I just...felt weird." She rubbed her arms. "If this is where they lived, let's go find the house!"
They walked down the lane. Harry didn't know what the house had looked like but if it was still around, he knew that it would be just the remains of the building it once was.
At the end of the street they saw it. In the midst of a grove of trees was a two story house, its windows shattered and the roof with holes in it.
"This is it," Harry said, gazing up at it in awe.
"Come on," Ginny said, pulling him forward. At the door he observed the lion's head doorknob before Turing it and pushing the door open.
The moonlight streamed through the open window, casting light on the living room. Shattered glass lay on the floor, books were scattered across the room, and the couches and lamps had all been overturned. Everything was coated in fifteen years worth of dust.
Harry swallowed back the emotion rising in his throat when Ginny knelt down to pick up a picture frame.
His mum and dad were kneeling opposite each other, helping baby Harry to walk between them. Lily laughed as he would toddle with determination and there was no mistaking the glint of pride in James' eyes.
Harry glanced up at the wall. One portrait still hung there, a large painting of a woman. She had dark red hair with piercing green eyes and she wore a long lavender gown, a wreath of flowers encircling her hair. She was holding the back of a chair and smiled down at Harry and Ginny.
"Hello," she said, gently. "What are you two doing here?"
"Mum?" Harry said, quietly.
"What?" she smiled. "I don't believe that we have met."
"I-I think I'm your son," said Harry.
"Oh," Lily laughed. "You must be mistaken. The woman I was painted for is no longer a live. She did have a son, but he must have died as well. Her husband looked a lot like you, though."
"I'm their son," Harry persisted. "Lily and James'."
"Really?" The painting smiled again. "I was so certain that you'd all been killed when that man came."
Ginny gripped Harry's hand tightly.
"Voldemort?" asked Harry.
"Yes, that was the name," Lily said. "If you like, I can tell you what happened."
Harry's throat was dry. "I'd like that very much."
Ginny and Harry turned the sofa upright and had a seat.
“When I was painted, you weren’t born then. James and Lily were so in love, and they wanted a child. Then, you came and there was such a to-do. Lily and James never had a lot of visitors because they were in hiding from Voldemort.” Harry was startled to see that for once, Ginny didn’t cringe at the name. She looked rather pale though. He turned his attention back to the story.
“That handsome devil, Sirius Black came to visit and they named him your godfather. Remus Lupin came quite often but every couple of weeks, he would stop coming. And then, there was little Peter Pettigrew.” She paused. “I never really liked him and he too, stopped coming. One night, your mum was upstairs rocking you to sleep and your dad was reading in here.
“There was a knock at the door and James went to answer. It was him. He and your father exchanged words that I couldn’t hear and wand sparks began to fly, your father’s red, the Dark Lord’s green. Suddenly, your mother screamed from upstairs and James was distracted.” She shook her head sadly. “It was the last sound your father heard. When James lay dead, Voldemort ran upstairs and all I could hear was more screaming and your mother pleading until her voice was also silenced. I waited for you to start crying but I never heard a sound. I figured that you had been killed, too. The, a shock wave went through the house, throwing books and furniture and pictures about, ripping the glass out of the windows. I have a permanent sticking charm on the back of my frame so I’ve been here for fifteen years. They questioned me, then left me alone. The last people I saw were Remus Lupin and Albus Dumbledore. They had come to bury your parents.”
“Do you-do you know where they are buried?” Harry asked, wiping tears from his cheeks.
“Of course. There’s a cemetery out back.”
Harry and Ginny stood quickly.
“Come on,” he said, as they made their way to the back of the house, out the door and down the hill.
At the bottom of the field, there was a white fence enclosing a circular area. Harry opened the gate and reverently, he and Ginny stepped inside. Two identical stones marked where his parents had been buried. Harry knelt down to read the inscription.
“James Potter-warrior, husband, father. The greatest sacrifice you can give is yourself.” He traced the words with his hand.
“Lily Evans Potter,” Ginny read. “You’re the fire in my life, gilding me, refining me, renewing me. Our love is eternal, as everlasting as the Phoenix.”
“What does that mean?” Harry asked.
“The phoenix, Harry. You know it is the symbol of rebirth.”
Harry jumped. “Professor! What are you doing here?”
Dumbledore smiled. “I’m very pleased that the two of you found the wands.”
“You planted the Portkeys?” Harry asked.
“Certainly. Now about, these inscriptions.” He lit his wand and held it over the stone.
“James of course, would have done anything for your mother and for you. He died in defense of you, as I’m sure the painting told you.”
“The painting…was my mum a lot like her?”
“Yes, Harry, a painting learns the most about its subject by observing them. However, I must caution you, it’s just a painting, a soulless copy of the magnificence that your mother once was. As for her stone, that is a quote from your father. He told her that when you were born. Even thought they’ve died, like the phoenix, their love was renewed and mad stronger. It’s endless and knows no boundary, not even in death. It lives on, Harry, in you.” He pointed back up the house.
“You might want to look at the fountain before you leave. I’d like you back at Grimmauld Place at midnight.”
“You’re leaving?” Ginny asked, surprised.
Dumbledore looked shocked. “Of course. I trust the two of you. When you’re ready to return, just take up the wands.” With a pop, he was gone.
“Let’s go look!” Ginny said, pulling Harry away.
Near the back door was a fountain, much like the one at the Ministry, but with only one figure. An enormous phoenix rested upon the stone, looking as if it were about to take off. Carved along the walls of the foundtain, it said, “The dead that are loved are never really gone. Life goes on after death for love holds all thins together. A memorial for Lily and James Potter.” Ginny shivered again, more noticeably than the first time.
“Why don’t we go inside,” Harry suggested and Ginny nodded.
“I don’t know what’s wrong with me,” she said as they entered one of the rooms. “I can’t-oh, Harry!”
It was the nursery. Lying in the crib was a tattered old bear. Ginny picked it up and handed it to Harry, then went to sit in a rocking chair. Noticing a small stack of notebooks, she picked up the top one and read the first page.
“It’s a diary!” she said. “’My precious little baby, my Harry James gets bigger every day. How I wish that I could share him with my sister but our circumstances make it impossible.” She glanced up at Harry and handed the whole stack to him.
“I’m sorry,” she said. “I shouldn’t be looking at them. They’re personal.”
“It’s alright,” Harry said. “I don’t-“
“No,” Ginny insisted softly. “Some things should remain private.” Her hand suddenly flew to her head and she caught her breath. She started shaking and grabbed a dresser for support.
“This is amazing,” Harry said, not noticing. “The history in here, all the memories…” Ginny collapsed onto the floor.
“Ginny!” Harry screamed, running to her still form.
Nice little cliffie to leave you guys with. I would like to add that everything was written or planned before HBP and has been left in its original form taking none of the new canon into effect. In other words, any similarities are purely coincidental. Please enjoy!
"Children are the last hope that we have. When all have fallen, they will remain, to carry our flag and to fight out fight."
Eventually, I'll get some more cruel spoilers but I felt that the cliffie was bad enough.