Chapter Text
“Avada Kedavra!”
“Expelliarmus!”
The bang was like a cannon blast, and the golden flames that erupted between them, at the dead center of the circle they had been treading, marked the point where the spells collided.
Harry saw Voldemort’s green jet meet his own spell, saw the Elder Wand fly high, dark against the sunrise, spinning across the enchanted ceiling like the head of Nagini, spinning through the air toward the master it would not kill, who had come to take full possession of it at last.
And Harry, with the unerring skill of a Seeker, caught the wand in his free hand as Voldemort fell backward, arms splayed, the slit pupils of the scarlet eyes rolling upward. Tom Riddle hit the floor with a mundane finality, his body feeble and shrunken, the white hands empty, the snakelike face vacant and unknowing.
Voldemort was dead, killed by his own rebounding curse, and Harry stood with two wands in his hands, staring down at his enemy’s shell.
There was silence in the great hall before cheers erupted in the hall, everyone charging towards Harry. Ron and Hermione embraced him in a huge hug, quickly joined by everyone else. As he was squished in the middle of it all, he couldn’t help but wish his parents were there, wishing they could see this victory.
“Let the man breathe” yelled Ron, shoving people away from Harry. “Come with us” Harry nodded and let Ron and Hermione lead him out and into the grounds, death eaters bodies and rubble littering the grounds as they walked towards the lake. As they stood at the edge Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, their arms around each other, he’d almost forgotten their kiss from earlier.
“Glad to see you finally pulled your heads in” Harry nodded at them
“Shove off” said Ron, "Where's Ginny?”
“I’ll let her have some space” said Harry “After everything…” he trailed off, his eyes finding the merpeople sitting just below the surface, staring at him. He stared back at them, his mind wandering, thinking about those he’d lost. Fred, Remus, Tonks, Colin, Snape, Dobby, Mad-eye, Hedwig, Dumbledore, Sirius, his mum and dad. Their names and faces bounced around his head before he felt a hand on his shoulder.
“Are you okay?” Hermione whispered. Harry shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. He felt Hermione’s arms around him and then a moment later Ron’s arms around them both.
“I’m sorry” Harry whispered, to them, to himself, to the dead, praying they heard him “I never wanted anyone to die for me, you know that”
“We know that mate” Ron’s gruff voice responded, buried in Hermione’s hair and thick with tears.
“Everyone knew what they were doing Harry” said Hermione “Please don’t hold this against yourself” Harry shook his head, more tears escaping his eyes, burning hot. He felt their arms tighten around him, and they didn’t move for hours.
One week had passed since the battle, then two. The castle was finally clean enough to hold funerals. They passed in a blur. Three weeks since it happened and the funerals were done. It didn’t feel real. He didn’t see George ever. He felt bad. He spent his days locked up in his bedroom. He saw Teddy Lupin three times a week. The baby was one month old. One month without his parents. Harry couldn’t look Andromeda in the eyes. He saw Ginny only a few times. He avoided the Weasleys, hiding out at Grimmauld Place.
“Harry” He woke up in Sirius’ bed, Ron standing over him. “Harry wake up”
“What do you want Ron”
“They need you at the ministry”
“The ministry can fuck off” Harry rolled over, pulling the covers over his head. Ron sighed and pulled them off. “Oi, piss off”
“Harry. This is important. Kingsley’s requested you specially” Kingsley, a man he hadn’t spoken to since the funerals. He knew he was temporary minister, he’d read the profit.
“What does he want?”
“I don’t know. He just contacted me this morning and said to bring you. No one else. Just us”
“Maybe he wants to lock us up” Harry mumbled, rolling over and standing up, gripping the bed for support.
“You look terrible mate,” said Ron. Harry rolled his eyes, going over to the pile of clothes he had on a chair, picking through it until he found one that smelt okay. Pulling the shirt over his head, he caught sight of himself in a mirror. His hair was messier than ever, glasses askew and huge dark circles under his eyes. He’d neglected shaving and had some noticeable stubble on his chin. Sighing he pulled on a pair of jeans and turned to look at Ron.
“Better?”
“Lets just get your hair under control and maybe get your teeth brushed” Ron steered him towards the bathroom and Harry nodded. Almost robotically cleaned his teeth, splashed water on his face and ran a comb through his hair. “There we go” Ron managed a smile, Harry noticed he too had dark circles under his eyes and a ginger stubble on his lip and chin.
“Lets get this over with” Harry mumbled, shoving his wand in his pocket and grabbing his cloak. The pair walked downstairs in silence and once they exited the front door, turned with a loud CRACK.
Moments later Harry landed in the ministry of magic, Ron with him. He pulled his hood over his head, drawing the cloak tightly around him as he felt people stare. Ron wrapped a protective arm around him, steering him towards the lifts, where Kingsley was waiting for them.
“Harry” Kingsley nodded at him as they got into a lift alone
“Whats up?” asked Harry, pulling his hood off
“Somethings happened”
“Clearly, or else you wouldn’t ask this git to wake me up at the crack of dawn”
“It's 10am” protested Ron before he caught Kingsley's look “Not important, what's up?”
“Well, you know it's been a month today, since…”
“I got everyone I love killed? I know” Harry stared at his battered old trainers, looking extra grimey against the shiny floor.
“Well, today I was down in the Department of Mysteries and I noticed a new prophecy on the shelf”
“A new prophecy? When?”
“No clue” Kingsley shrugged as they exited the lift, walking down the stretch of the hall. Harry remembered what had happened the last time he was here and panic rose in his chest. Quickly he shook his head, telling himself he wasn’t going to let his emotions run amuck. In silence they entered a room and Kingsley pointed to a single glass orb. Harry and Ron leant close to it and an eerie voice filled the room.
“When darkness falls and rises no more,
The hearts once stilled shall beat once more.
Through tears of the living and magic untold,
The fallen return as once foretold.
When the final curse is broken by love’s pure hand,
The veil shall waver, the lost shall stand.
From death’s cold grasp, their spirits shall wake,
As dawn restores what night did take.”
Silence echoed around the room. “Well…” Ron stared at the now silent orb “What the bloody hell does that mean?”
“Hearts once stilled shall beat once more” Harry mumbled “The veil shall waver”
“Theres more” said Kingsley, leading them out and back up to the lift, getting into another lift alone.
“What?”
“Well… don’t freak, but we think we know what the prophecy is saying”
“What happened?” asked Harry, staring at Kingsley
“Last night, someone… returned…”
“Returned?” asked Ron “What do you mean…”
“Returned from the dead. Rose from the dead. Came back to life. Is here again”
“What?”
“Thats impossible”
“I know” said Kingsley “We’ve triple checked them with veritaserum”
“Who?” Kingsley stayed silent “Kingsley who?” Ron repeated himself
“Thats why we brought you here”
“Don’t do this” said Ron, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. Harry reached out a hand and placed it on his forearm “Don’t do this Kingsley. We’re all learning to live with it”
“Ron, I’m not joking” Kingsley stopped them outside his office door. His old auror office door. “Do you two want to come in? I promise you we have run every test in the book and it is him. We’ve even DNA matched him”
“DNA?” Harry stared at the floor, before glancing at Ron. “Ron… mate, you okay?”
“I can’t do this” said Ron “It can’t be him, we buried him. I saw it”
“Do you want me to go in first?” asked Harry “I can, I dunno, check”
“How?”
“I don’t bloody know” Harry stared at him “This is fucked. Kingsley” he turned to the minister
“Just come in with me” He opened the door. Harry took Ron’s hand and held it tight
“You say it and we’re out of there” he mumbled. Ron nodded, gripping him tightly. The pair then entered the room.