Don't Forget Me

Chapter 2 - With you forever

A moment later they stood outside the graveyard with maybe fifty Aurors behind them. Dumbledore gave a silent signal with his hand and everyone started to walk slowly in between the graves.

The sun was setting in the horizon and the darkness was slowly filling the entire graveyard. Hermione felt a chill going up her spin and Ron quickly put an arm around her. Except for the group that was coming in, they couldn't see a single thing, it was all dead still. If it had been a Muggle movie you might have expected zombies to come up from the ground, but this wasn't a movie. This was the horrible reality.

Ginny gave out a tiny squeak when she stumbled over something on the ground and fell to her knees. George went over to her and just as he was about to pull her up he noticed what she tripped on. "Professor Dumbledore, come and have a look at this."

Dumbledore hurried up to them and saw the body on the ground. It wore black robes and a mask covered its face. There was no doubt that this was a Death Eater. Ginny, who had just got up and turned around, fell back down in shock. Mrs Weasley ran up quickly and helped her up again, pulling her into a hug.

Dumbledore slowly bent down and removed the mask. The dead face of Lucius Malfoy stared back up at him.

"Dumbledore!" an Auror on the other side of the graveyard yelled. "There is another over here!"

"Here's one too Professor!" Bill yelled from another side.

"Well, it seems like Harry has been here," Dumbledore stated as he pulled himself up and looked over at Lupin.

"Yes, it looks like that," Lupin answered and continued his search. He needed to find Harry before he did something stupid. But the graveyard wasn't that big, and if Harry was here wouldn't he have seen them by now? Or had he seen them and just ran away because he didn't want them there? Or was he here, unable to talk to them? Lupin swallowed hard and closed his eyes. He didn't want to think about that. Harry was still alive, he knew it.

He walked around another tombstone and saw a big pile of dust on the ground, or was it really dust? Why should there be dust outside and in a graveyard? It didn't seem right... He bent down and sniffed, and suddenly became stiff as a tree. It wasn't dust, it was ashes. "Dumbledore! Come have a look at this!" he yelled confused.

"Seriously, do you really have to yell that loud?" Lupin jumped in surprise and quickly turned around, his wand at the ready. The sight that met his eyes made him stare in disbelief.

On the ground with his back leaned against the tomb of Tom Riddle, it was Harry Potter. His hair was hanging in threads, his skin was as white as snow and covered with cuts and bruises; and his clothes were all drenched in what unmistakably looked like blood. When Harry looked at him, Lupin couldn't see a single bit of life in his eyes. Those eyes that had once been bright emerald green had finally seen enough, and it didn't look like the sparkle would ever return.

"Harry?" Lupin couldn't believe his eyes. The boy before him didn't move, he just stared at the ashes. Heavy steps were heard around them and soon everyone who had been at the Burrow plus Kingsley Shacklebolt stood in a wide circle around the two of them.

Dumbledore looked at the ashes for a second before he turned to Harry. "Harry, what is that?"

Harry sighed. "Can't you figure that out yourself?" Harry looked up at them for a second before he sighed yet again. "The war is over."

They looked at him, confused, before the meaning of his words struck them. "Harry, that can't be. . ." Kingsley started, but he couldn't finish it. It was too unbelievable.

"How Harry?" Dumbledore asked.

"I was just fed up with him. The bastard was too occupied with himself, thinking he was undoubtedly going to win the war. He couldn't imagine that a little child could stop him. I just proved him wrong," Harry said all this without the slightest bit of emotion.

"But how, Harry?" Dumbledore asked again, not at all satisfied with the answer.

Harry looked him in the eyes. "That is for me to know and for you to wonder. But I can tell you this, never doubt true love." He looked back to the ashes. "Kind of ironic, don't you think? Him being killed at the exact point of his resurrection." He looked up again. "Now for my question. Why did you come here? Didn't I tell you to stay away?"

"We got your letter Harry," Hermione said. "You didn't think we would just sit around and wait, did you?" Tears were smearing her cheeks.

Harry shrugged. "No, I guess I didn't. Just hoped." He lifted his hand and pulled back the hair from his face, which made everyone see the cut on his wrist.

"Harry, you need help," Lupin said quickly and took out his wand, "you're bleeding badly." He gave his wand a flick and bandages shot out against Harry. They didn't get there though.

A shield came up in front of him and made the bandages shoot back at Ron, who didn't duck quickly enough, and got his wrist rapped instead. He screamed with shock and then pulled them of with one movement. Everyone turned back towards Harry.

"Didn't you read my letter?" He asked his face set stone like.

"Harry, did you do that to yourself?" Dumbledore asked quietly.

Harry lifted his arms and looked at the cuts. "Isn't it beautiful?" he said without taking his eyes of them. "How the dark red blood runs down the white skin. The blood symbolising life and the skin death." He smiled. "I didn't know that death could be so beautiful."

They didn't know what to say. What had happened to that little boy they had once known? That boy who enjoyed life and wanted to live forever, the one that smiled and joked around with his friends? Now there was this man who had been forced to grow up too quickly and had seen more then anyone should be allowed to. He deserved a better life than this.

"Harry, you don't need to die," Lupin said, the words coming out as a whisper. He wanted to run up to Harry and pull him into his arms, never letting him go again, telling him that everything would be all right if he only let them help him. But by the look on Harry's face he could tell that that wasn't a good idea.

Harry stared at his arms for a few seconds more before he looked up at Lupin, his face completely blank. "Yes I do."

"Why Harry?" Ginny blurted out through her sobs.

Harry looked at her, the little girl he had once saved from Tom Riddle, that poor little girl that nearly died because of him. She wasn't so little anymore. She had grown up to be an attractive woman, and he almost regretted ignoring her all those years before. "I'm sorry," he whispered.

"Why Harry? Let us help you," Hermione cried.

"I can't. I thought the letter was pretty clear at this point. I have caused so many people to die, my parents, Cedric, Sirius... And now I have killed even more people." He looked at the ashes again. "What have I got to live for?"

"First of all it's not your fault that they died Harry. Your parents and Sirius died because they loved you, and if anyone is to be blamed for that it's Voldemort," Lupin said firmly, trying to make Harry understand. "Secondly, you only killed these people because if you hadn't they would have killed others. You can't blame yourself for that."

"You don't understand. Even if it wasn't my fault that they died, they're still dead. I just want to be where they are," Harry said just as firmly. "I'm a murderer without a family. What kind of life is that?"

"You have us Harry," Hermione put in. "We're your family now. Blood isn't all that matters."

Harry looked at her, knowing she meant what she said. "But it isn't enough. You have to let me go." Even though Harry's face was still hard as stone tears ran down his face.

"We can't do that mate. We're friends, we always will be, and I can't just let you die." Ron was struggling hard not to cry.

"I'm sorry Ron, but I'm not giving you an option here," Harry said, even though he saw Ron's ears turning red.

"YOU'RE NOT GOING TO DIE! YOU HEAR ME? I WON'T LET YOU!" Ron screamed, finally not able to hold back the tears. Harry didn't even flinch when Ron screamed, but silent tears were falling down his dirt covered cheeks as he looked at the person who had been his best friend for so many years. "We're best friend's mate. You can't just leave me..." Ron continued and then went quiet.

"I'm sorry Ron, but you just don't understand. I don't want to live. I have gone through enough, now I just want to sleep." Harry closed his eyes and for a second they thought that he had died, but then opened them again. "I won't be happy as long as I'm still alive. If you try to save me it will only be my body that survives, my soul will already be gone. I have seen enough Ron," Harry finished as the tears kept coming.

"We don't want you to leave Harry," Lupin said and Harry turned towards him. "If you go then I will be alone again. I have already lost my best friends, and you're the only link I have to them." Tears were falling down his face too.

Harry looked up at his father's best friend. He was truly sorry for Lupin; he had lost so much as well. "Do you really want me to stay Remus?" Lupin looked into his eyes as Harry for the first time used his first name. "I won't be happy, I never will." Lupin looked back to the ground. "And you won't be alone. You have lots of friends in the Order, and they won't let you fall." Harry looked up at the stars that were beginning to show on the night sky. "I don't exactly know what death is like, but in my mind you will meet everyone you love again and you will be able to watch over those that are still alive." He looked back at all of them. "I will always be watching you. None of you will ever be alone."

"Harry..." Hermione began but Harry put up one of his hands to stop her.

"There is no way anyone of you can talk me out of this. This is what I want," he said firmly. "You don't have to grieve for me; there is no need for that. I will be happy at last, I can promise you that." He gave them a small smile, which was all he had energy for. He could feel death closing in on him now, but he didn't worry. Nothing could be worse then the life he had already lived. "I think you should go now," he said turning his attention back to them. "I don't want you to be here when I die, that is not how I want you to remember me."

"No way mate," Ron said determinedly. "If I can't stop you, then at least I will be here with you. I have been by your side through so much. I won't leave you now that you need me the most."

"None of us will Harry," Lupin added. "We won't let you die alone."

Harry smiled. He hadn't really thought that they would leave, and he was happy that they didn't. "I want you to remember that I love you, all of you. Don't worry about me. As you said professor 'To the well organised mind, death is but the next great adventure'." Dumbledore managed to smile between the tears. "Don't forget me will you," Harry finished.

"No chance Harry!" Fred said.

"We will always remember you. The whole wizarding world will," Dumbledore said, wiping his eyes.

"We will always love you Harry," Lupin said kneeling down a few meters away, as the shield was still blocking Harry.

Harry smiled at them and leaned back towards the tombstone. Everything was beginning to fade away and he hardly managed to keep his eyes open. All the pain was washed away and he felt like he could fly, lift from the ground and just soar. He heard voices in his head and focused hard to try and hear them.

"Harry!" a woman called

"Welcome Harry!" a male voice this time

"Don't worry Harry, you're safe now." Harry recognised that voice.

"Sirius?" he whispered and the others hardly heard him. "Mum? Dad?" A look of confusion was on his face.

The others looked down at him as he drifted away from them. Tears were falling down their faces but Lupin still couldn't help but to smile. He knew that Harry was getting his greatest wish fulfilled right at that moment, and he was really happy for him. "Go to them Harry. They have been waiting for you," he whispered slowly.

They could se a wide smile spreading across Harry's face as he took in one last breath. Harry Potter had finally found his peace.

"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"#"