The Crying Game

Now

The Crying Game. That's what he called it anyway. He has perfected the way the game was played so much that it was on a routine schedule. Nobody could tell that he played the game through his mask.

During the day, he smiled, laughed, and acted as if nothing was wrong. At night, however, the game started. There are no rules to this game. It didn't always start at night either. The game could start at anytime, but it was most likely to start at night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Then

If the game started at night, then it would start with a picture. The picture he kept on his bedside table of himself and her on their first date. What used to put a smile on his face now brought tears to his eyes.

The game then forced him to start the next part. Getting out his photo album. It was under his bed in his old school trunk. Right on top of everything, just waiting for a new game to start. The album was full of all that had left him. There were pictures of his parents, friends, her, and the Order of the Phoenix at the beginning of the second war.

There were things of his childhood. Things like his collection of chocolate frog cards, more pictures of him and his friends, and a twig from his old Firebolt. That twig was all that was left of the broom after the Death Eaters attacked him while flying.

As the game would begin to make it's next move, he would find one of his favorite pictures. It was a picture of him, Her, and all of the Weasleys in front of Fred and George's joke shop at the height of their business. Their building was burned down two weeks after the picture was taken. The Death Eaters murdered Fred and George while they were trying to put out the fire. Arthur arrived to visit them just as the last Death Eater Disapparated. He cried for hours over his son's bodies.

The second Crying Game he had played was that night. The Death Eaters got Ginny and Ron next. Ginny was out on her first mission. It had been a month since she had completed her Auror training. Ron was told to go with her just to make sure she would be all right. They put the Cruciatus Curse on him. He survived the fight, but went insane like Neville's parents. He died in St. Mungo's a few weeks later. The killing curse was all it took to get the horrified girl.

Then, there was Her. She was just walking to her flat. She was killed unexpectedly in front of a large crowd of Muggles. It was amazing how heartless people could be. She wrote him a few hours before saying that she didn't feel like Apparating, and she would be late since she was going to walk. She never came back home. He had that letter in his album too.

His second favorite picture was the one of the Order. Everyone was in it. He always looked for Remus and Tonks in it. It was taken right after the two of them got together, and could usually be found holding hands and smiling in that picture. They had recently been in a fight with Death Eaters, but they both survived. It was the one time when the game had failed to start.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now

Tonight was different though. Tonight he didn't play the game. Tonight he didn't cry. He looked through his other photo albums, the ones of him while he was at Hogwarts.

He found a picture of him with the Triwizard cup; the picture of his first real Christmas; the newspaper article Rita Skeeter wrote about him and Her. He found the article from the Quibbler when he announced Lord Voldemort's return.

That article made him think of Luna Lovegood. After she got out of Hogwarts, she vanished for a little over a year. When she finally came back, she returned with a Crumpled Horn Snorkak. After that, nobody called her "Looney" Lovegood again. She helps with the Order every now and then, but mostly works on her magazine, "D.A."

He eventually came across a picture of Hagrid with Buckbeak. Buckbeak is alive and well, but he still attacks the occasional Malfoy since he sometimes goes on missions with the Order. Hagrid is still trying to find Grawp a lady, but Grawp is now to smart for most Giants to understand him. He is a sort of caretaker of the Forbidden Forest, but he still enjoys pulling up trees.

As he flipped on through the book, he found a rare picture of the Dursleys. He should have known that someone would be coming to the house. A person was usually on guard at the house, but five Death Eaters stunned whoever it was and walked right into the house. He was up in his room when the came in. He didn't know that there were magical wards on the house, and they went off as soon as the Death Eaters came in. He barely escaped out his window before an explosion was heard coming from the house. Several members of the Order came as soon as he landed on the ground, but it was too late. They all cautiously walked into the house and found the Dursleys' bodies lying on the ground. They were all dead. He cried. This was the first Crying Game.

He didn't know the Game when Sirius and Dumbledore were murdered. He didn't know

if he could take much more.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Then

He saw one of the Death Eaters a few months later. It was Snape. He said that it was him the killed all three Dursleys. This was one fight that he wanted to win. He conjured a knife out of then air, and bewitched it to fly at Snape. It stabbed him in the heart, and he was killed instantly.

Aurors found Bellatrix while she was in Knockturn Alley in a disguise. She was put on trial at the Ministry and was found guilty of multiple murders and tortures. She received the Dementors Kiss. Neville was there when the kiss was performed. Bellatrix mysteriously died in Azkaban later on.

Neville's parents died very shortly after Bellatrix was found dead. It was as though they were waiting on her death. Neville got out of school to be a Herbologist. He replaced Professor Sprout when she retired at Hogwarts. He married Fleur Delacour 's little sister Gabrielle, and they had twins. They named them Frank and Alice.

Molly and Arthur Weasley stayed where they where in their own home. It was still used as a second Headquarters, but the Black house was once again the primary headquarters. They never seemed as cheerful after they had to bury their four youngest children, but, who would talked a lot after what they had been through.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now

There was a knock on his door and Molly's head appeared there.

"Harry," she said softly.

Harry said nothing as she came all the way in the room. "It's...It's almost time to go." She had big tears in her eyes.

"I know," he said. "I just wanted to be alone for a minute."

Molly slowly came over and sat beside him on the bed and looked at him closely.

"You haven't cried tonight."

Harry attempted a smile. "Why should I cry?" he said miserably. "I will get to see Her tonight. I will see Ron, my parents, Sirius, Fred, George, Dumbledore... everyone. There have been so many people that have died. I will see them all..." he trailed off. He wasn't crying. He face was neutral.

Molly was crying hard now.

"You have grown to be a brave man," she said, "You're childhood left you many years ago, and even then you never really had one. You did things that most adults would never do when you were a child. You have been through so much, but you never gave up. You have destroyed six of Voldemort's Horcruxes..."

Harry knew why she stopped. "All but one," he said.

"V-V-Voldemort should be there by now. We need to leave now if you plan to catch him off guard." Molly was being as quiet as possible. She purposefully left out what he had to do after he meets Voldemort.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Then

They had only found out a few days ago, but try as the might there was no loophole. They told Harry carefully, not sure how to put it. The only thing he could think to say was, "That would explain why he stopped trying to kill me after Ron and I got his sixth Horcrux." That really did explain it though. After him and Ron killed Nagini, his snake, the only person the attacked him was Snape, and Harry didn't even think that it was on Voldemort's orders. He didn't try to deny it, but he couldn't believe that after all of those years of searching, it had been here all of this time.

It was relieving and upsetting at the same time.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Now

"Let's go." Harry said getting up.

Him and Molly walked down the dark stairs and into the kitchen. There was as much cheerfulness in there as there is at a funeral. Everyone was there. Literally everyone. People from the Order, his old school friends. Everyone.

At his entrance every head turned towards him. A couple of people started to cry. Harry said nothing, but begin making his way to the door.

Remus was the first person he saw. He had tears in his eyes, but through those tears, his eyes burned with pride.

"You have more then lived up to your father and mother's names Harry. I am very honored to have been your teacher, your friend, and your godfather, and most of all, to know you."

Harry thought back to when he had to look up at him, but now the meet eye to eye.

"I just hope that after tonight, you and Tonks will be able to have a proper life that doesn't revolve around fighting."

Harry finished his goodbyes to him and walked on trying to make his way to the door.

He passed Luna, who had become one of the most successful witches of the age by discovering nine new species of magical animals.

Neville, who is one of the best Herbologists anyone could ever need. Like Luna, he has discovered several new types of plants. Neville, who could be in Harry's place right now, was looking up at Harry with a devastated look. Neville never found out about the prophecy or how he could have been chosen.

He passed Arthur, who has treated him like a son all of these years.

Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnigan, Mad Eye, Tonks, Kingsly. All of the people he has know all of him life.

McGonagall pulled him into a hug as he went passed her.

Professors Flitwick, Sprout, Trelawney, Slughorn were there. Even Madam Rosemerta was there.

He finally made it to the door. He looked around at him and said quietly, "Bye." Then he opened the door and Apparated into the night.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

He arrived in the graveyard that he hadn't been to since his fourth year. Voldemort was standing at his father's grave looking at it. Harry barely had time to get his wand out before Voldemort sent a curse his way.

Voldemort stared at him when he saw who it was.

"Potter. What do I owe to this visit?"

"We're going to end this now. Right now," Harry said as him and Voldemort circled each other.

Voldemort gazed at him for full minute then said, "You have it all figured out do you? You're my 7^th Horcrux. You're right." With that he yelled "Avada Kedavra!"

Harry jumped behind a tombstone just in time. He was so confused before it hit him. "He has another Horcrux!"

Harry jumped out from the tombstone and yelled, "Exper-" Too slow. Voldemort defended the attack with a flick of his wand.

"Cru-"

It was Harry's turn to defend the attack.

"Sectumsempra!"

A gash appeared in the side of Voldemort's head and he stumbled backwards. Harry saw his chance and attacked again. Even Voldemort couldn't stand the pain of this spell. The spell caused more pain then the Cruciatus Curse. Harry found the spell in the ruins of the Malfoy Manor.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Then

Lucius had died years before, very soon after the attack on the school Harry's 6^th year. Draco had to take his father's place in the chain of Death Eaters, but to prove himself, he was sent on a task. The Order never found out what the task was exactly, but Draco failed it. It enraged Voldemort so much that he sent his Death Eaters out to tear the Manor apart. Sadly, they succeed. Harry, Remus, Kingsley, McGonagall, and Tonks looked through the remains of the Manor, but found no bodies. Narcissa's whereabouts where unknown and still are.

Draco wasn't so lucky. The night of the Manor was burned Draco came to the Order. He said that he never supported his father's beliefs, and that he only followed his father because he was afraid of him. He also claimed that he didn't do the task on purpose. He wouldn't say what he had to do, but all he asked for was protection. Mad-Eye was the one who decided to make him swear his loyalty to the Order under the Unbreakable Vow. He agreed to do so immediately, but said that he wanted his mom to be with him too. She was supposed to be waiting for him at the Manor. Mary Jones, an Auror of four years, went with him to make sure that he only went to his house. She said that as soon as the Apparated into the house Death Eaters sent stunning jinxes their way. She managed to block the stunners, but was hit by a Confounding Charm. It wasn't a strong one, but by the time she had managed to make sense of the world again, Draco was gone along with the two Death Eaters. The room she was in was blazing with fire, and she Disapparated as soon as she could.

Draco's body was found by muggles in a desolate field in Scotland. A look of pain and terror was still on his face even at death.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Now

The book Harry found the spell in said that it caused the victim the feeling as though his veins were on fire. It looked as though the book was right.

Voldemort shut his mouth tight to stop the scream from escaping his lips. Harry kept the spell on him until he got what he wanted. He didn't have to wait that long. Ten seconds into the spell, Voldemort yelled. It would have terrified anyone else had they saw or heard it, but Harry was pleased. He waited another moment then took the spell off of him.

As soon as he did Voldemort stopped yelling. He was on his knees with his head down and was breathing hard. Slowly, he raised his head and looked right at Harry.

"It seems that I was wrong about you. You aren't weak like your parents," he said with a defiant look.

"No," Harry said softly pointing his wand at Voldemort, "I'm not. Avada Kedavra."

Voldemort fell face down on the ground, dead. He laid right on top of his dad's grave. Harry watched waiting. There was nothing, then slowly, a smoky figure started to form over Voldemort's body. It was Voldemort.

"You have 1 hour before I take my body back. You will never truly defeat me. You never have. I still have Horcruxes left. I can still come back. No matter what you do, you will never be rid of me."

With that the smoke cleared away as though it had never been there.

Harry suddenly felt very exhausted, and sat down on the floor. He had to hurry. The Death Eaters would sense something wrong and come. He had to figure out the other Horcrux.

What would Voldemort make sure to protect all of these years? What did he have Wormtail watch over when he still didn't have his body back?

"Wormtail." Harry thought bitterly.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Then

Harry and Ron were looking in the Riddle house for Nagini. It was difficult to look for something as black as the night was without light. They couldn't alert the snake without risking getting bit.

Harry was a little ahead of Ron in the long hallway. He had just pushed open a door when he heard Ron yell. He looked back and saw that Nagini had thrown herself on Ron and was suffocating him. Harry didn't waste anytime and immediately killed it.

Wormtail came out of nowhere with his wand pointed right at Harry. Ron was still trying to get the dead snake off of him and didn't notice anything until Wormtail spoke.

"Harry? What are you doing here? Ah, I see that you have found that wretched snake. Good of you to kill it. Saved me the trouble."

Harry was so confused that he didn't know what to say. He became even more confused when Wormtail lowered his wand and put it in his pocket. Harry didn't even try and stop him when he walked over to Ron and helped him out of the coils of the snake.

No sooner did Wormtail open his mouth to say something did the sound of wizards Apparating fill the room. It was Death Eaters. There were about five of them. One of them stepped forward.

"We have been sent by the Dark Lord to come and get you Potter, and only you. Kill the others."

Harry quickly stepped in front of Ron as the curse came at him, and braced himself. To his great surprise, Wormtail got in front of Harry. Harry and Ron only stayed in enough time to see him drop down to the ground dead.

He never got a chance to explain himself, but his debt to Harry had been repaid.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Now

Harry sat in the middle of the graveyard thinking of the memory. He looked up at Voldemort's body again.

What would he keep? What did he cherish most?

Then it hit him. His wand. Voldemort made sure that his wand was safe over the years.

Harry got up and walked over to his body. There it was in his hand. Harry murmured a charm at it before he picked it up and examined it. It was so similar to his own wand. Harry didn't even know if his idea was correct, but it wouldn't do anything just to stare at it.

"Reducto," Harry said quietly.

The wand turned into sawdust in his hand. At the same moment smoke appeared over Voldemort's body again, but this time it went in it. Voldemort suddenly gasped and sat up quickly. Harry stumbled backwards and scrambled to get away from him. He didn't need to though. A bright cut appeared in the center of Voldemort's chest. It looked like fire was burning inside. Harry was brought back to the moment in his second year when Tom Riddle had been killed like this. When another Horcrux was destroyed.

The gash spread all over his body until all of it was glowing. With a look of shock, horror, and anger in Harry's direction, his disappeared.

Harry let out the breath he didn't realize he was holding. There was nothing left where Voldemort had been save blood. Harry stood up and walked over to the spot where he disappeared. Now there was only one other thing left to do.

He swallowed and closed his eyes. He didn't cry. He wouldn't play the game anymore. He filled his head with what was to come. He would see her. He would see her. He would see her...

"Avada Kedavra"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

He didn't see his body fall to the ground. He didn't see Voldemort's body appear again right next to his. Dead.

He didn't see Molly and Remus find him a few hours later. He didn't see them cry. He didn't see them play the game he dreaded. He didn't see his body being brought back to the Black house. He didn't see everyone in the Order coming to see his body. He didn't see McGonagall crying harder then when Dumbledore was killed. He didn't see Tonks crying on Remus' shoulder for hours. He didn't see Kingsley, head Auror, crying silently.

He didn't see his funeral. He didn't see his casket being lowered into a grave beside his parents.

He didn't see the celebrations of the second war being over. He didn't see Rufus Scrimgeour presenting him the Order of Merlin First Class. He didn't see the children that grew up without knowing of war, or the purity of blood.

But he did see her.

He saw her as soon as he saw the flash of green light from his wand.

"Come," she said. "You job is over. Come and rest."

She showed him everyone he thought he had lost; Ron, Ginny, Sirius, Dumbledore, Fred, George, everyone. Then he saw his parents. He didn't know if he ran, but he got there as fast as he could and hugged them. They stood there until he felt her hand on his shoulder.

"Harry..." She reached up to touch his cheek.

He leaned into her touch and grabbed her hand to hold it closer to his cheek.

"Hermione..."

FIN