A/N: All the characters contained herein belong to Ms. Rowling. Please read and review.
Harry spent the rest of the day playing chess with Ron, while Hermione and Ginny looked on. It was nice to be able to relax with his friends and shut out his worries for a time. All too soon, however, the afternoon was over and Harry knew he would have to face reality once again.
*Crack* *Crack* Fred and George appeared in the center of the room.
"Oy! Ickle Ronniekins! Mum says it's time for dinner," said Fred.
"Hiya Harry. Hermione," added George.
"Hi Fred. Hi George. How's the joke shop going?" Harry asked smiling.
"Great!" Fred answered.
"We may have to get larger premises soon," George said.
"And Mum finally decided that maybe it wasn't such a bad idea after all," Fred said.
"Once she realized how much we could help the family out," George grinned as they headed down to the kitchen.
"Harry!" Mr. Weasley greeted him when he entered. "How are you?"
"Fine thanks Mr. Weasley," Harry replied politely, looking around the crowded kitchen. All of the Weasleys, with the exception of Percy and Charlie, were there. Harry also recognized Tonks, Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mundungus Fletcher, and, of course, Professor Lupin. Sitting at the head of the table, his eyes twinkiling as he laughed at something 'Dung had said, was Professor Dumbledore.
"Harry," Professor Dumbledore greeted him, his smiling eyes a trifle wary, as if unsure of the reaction he'd get.
"Professor," Harry murmured awkwardly, not sure if he was quite ready to forgive and forget, but not wanting to cause a scene in front of the Weasleys. Hermione and Ron exchanged a look that told Harry they'd noticed and he sighed, knowing he'd have questions to answer later.
The meal passed quickly. Harry let the conversation flow around him while he caught up on the Weasley's lives and the happenings in the wizarding world. He shot occasional glances at Dumbledore, trying to decide how to deal with his headmaster and exactly how he did feel about him.
Finally, when everyone had finished and was sitting back feeling pleasantly full, Dumbledore cleared his throat. "I believe," he said, "it is time. Those of you who received notice, please follow me."
With that, Dumbledore rose and left the room. Harry, who had expected it to just to be he and Professor Lupin, was surprised to see how many people, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione included, who rose and began to follow the Headmaster out.
"Ready Harry?" a hoarse voice asked. Harry looked up to see Professor Lupin's concerned face.
"Do I have a choice Professor?" Harry asked.
Lupin smiled sadly, "Not really."
"Then I guess I'm ready."
Standing , Harry followed Lupin into the drawing room. Everyone else was already sitting. Harry hastily found a spot on the sofa between Ron and Ginny and sat down as well.
Dumbledore cleared his throat again from his spot behind the large mahogany desk and looked over his half-moon spectacles. "We are here for the reading of the last will and testament of Sirius Black. Sirius asked me to make sure that you were all present for this. He recorded his last wishes in this pensieve. I ask that you all remain quiet until it is over." With that, Dumbledore waved his wand over the Pensieve and the silvery form of Sirius rose from it's depths.
"If you are all hearing this then I have died, hopefully in battle and not from sheer boredom at Grimmauld Place," Sirius said with his achingly familiar bark-like laugh. "No matter what the manner of my death however, I ask that instead of mourning my passing, you celebrate my life for there is very little of it I regret. And you and James always claimed I didn't know how to make a speach Moony," he added with a wink.
"Now then to dividing my estate... Firstly to my dear cousin Nymphadora Tonks, the only living family member I can stand... I leave all of the family albums and records, as well as the oh so precious to my mother, Black family heirlooms. I know you'll appreciate them 'Dora. I also know you'll appreciate just how much this will annoy Narcissa and Bellatrix even more," he said with a wink causing Tonks to laugh and nod in agreement.
"Next to Mundungus Fletcher, for years of making Professor McGonagall think that maybe I wasn't THAT bad, I leave a warehouse I happen to own in Knockturn Alley. It has some extra features i think you'll find useful. Now try to stay out of any major trouble 'Dung."
"To Arthur and Molly Weasley I leave the sum of 20,000 galleons and my undying gratitude for the love and caring they have given Harry over the years. You've given him a family when he had none, and I can never, ever express my gratitude for that. Please continue to be there for him, I have a feeling he'll need you now more than ever." Mrs. Weasley nodded tearfully and buried her face in her husband's shoulder.
"To Fred and George Weasley, the biggest pranksters Hogwarts has seen since the Marauders, I leave the sum of 5000 galleons to be used for 'research and development' at their joke shop. I also leave my copy of '1001 Uses for Dungbombs: Another Marauder Production'... a little something James, Remus, the rat, and I put together at Hogwarts. I hope it provides you with inspiration."
"To Miss Ginevra Weasley... I leave my entire music collection, especially those Wierd Sisters albums which she is so fond of. Remember our conversation from last summer Ginny. I stand by what I said." Curiously, Ginny blushed at this, leaving Harry wondering exactly what she and Sirius had discussed.
"To Miss Hermione Granger, I leave all of the books in the library at Grimmauld Place. Remus and I have removed all of the dangerous ones. Remus was right when he said you are the brightest witch of your age. You have amazed me time and again with not just with your intelligence, but with your capacity to care for others and your fierce determination to see that the right thing is done. Please try to keep Harry and Ron out of trouble for me."
"To Ronald Weasley, I leave my wizard's chess set, solid gold gobstones, and deluxe exploding snap deck. It's not easy to be the best friend of a hero, believe me I know, I've been there. Harry needs you though, as much as James needed me, maybe even more so. Keep his feet on the ground Ron and make him take time to have fun occasionally. Remember also to live your life and don't let opportunity slip your fingers." He said with a significant look, which caused Ron's ears to turn bright red.
"Next to my best friend and partner in crime, Professor Remus J. Lupin...well Moony, I should've known you'd be the last of the Marauders. You always were the best of us. I have always and will always consider you my brother. To you Moony, I leave the sum of 100,000 galleons and my greatest treasure... Harry. I name you Harry's legal guardian. It's what James and Lily would've wanted, and it's what I want as well. Keep him safe Remus, help him to be ready for what my heart tells me he has to face. We're counting on you."
"Finally, to my godson, Harry James Potter... I leave the remainder of my estate, including the house known as Grimmauld Place. Harry, know that I love you and I am so proud of the young man you have become. Knowing you, you are brooding and feeling responsible for my death... stop it. I have always made my own decisions in life, and whatever events lead to my demise, I am quite sure they were due to conscious decisions on my part. Try to remember to enjoy your life Harry. Give yourself time to have fun, fall in love, throw a couple of dung bombs in Snape's office for your Dad and me. Live your life Harry. Know that I will always be with you, watching over you, just like I know your folks have always done."
"Good-bye my friends... my family... I guess my mischief here has been managed at last." With that the silver image melted back into the Pensieve.
Harry heard Professor Lupin let out a mournful howl-like sob, saw Tonks trying to comfort him as she cried herself. He saw Ron and Hermione, tears streaming down their faces, Hermione's head on Ron's shoulder. Fred and George were standing with their Mum, helping Mr. Weasley to comfort her. 'Dung's head was buried in his hands. Harry felt frozen inside, unable to cope with yet another loss.
Harry felt a small hand slip into his, turning he saw the luminous brown eyes of Ginny Weasley looking back at him. Her tear-streaked face was filled not with the pity he expected, but with understanding and grief of her own. Harry felt the dam within him cracking and breaking, suddenly it was all too much to bear. He let out a heartwrenching sob and felt Ginny's arms wrap around him. Burrying his face in her shoulder, he cried out his grief and guilt while she held him and whispered nonsensical words of comfort.
A/N: ok...so this one was REALLY hard to write. Hope y'all like it. Please review.