Here at The Beginning

"He was like a father to me," Harry said.. "The last of the Marauders. He understood what it was like to be different, he was brave, and good, and a wonderful person."

Tonks was crying, her rather grubby handkerchief clutched tightly in her hand.

"And he always had chocolate."

A few of those who'd been taught by him at Hogwarts laughed.

"Remus was always there when you needed a shoulder to cry on."

Hermione was crying into Ron's shoulder.

"A hand to hold."

Ginny bit her lip, and Harry could tell she was fighting back tears.

"Or someone to just be there, and not say anything."

Mrs. Weasley nodded her head sadly.

"He was a brilliant man. He had a quiet strength about him that you never forgot."

Luna was serene, as always.

"He had a way about him, something that made you want to trust him with all your problems. Like he could somehow make them all go away."

Neville was holding Luna's hand, and his eyes looked rather red.

"He had such an impact on everyone around him."

Dean bowed his head, hiding tears.

"He accepted everyone without asking for anything in return."

Mundungus Fletcher harrumphed, looking rather teary-eyed himself.

"We're all going to miss him," Harry concluded, his throat tightening painfully as he tried not to cry. He was a hero in the war, and he couldn't break down. "He was a good man. Thank you."

He stepped down from the microphone and sat down beside Ginny, who gave him a watery smile.

After the services had been concluded, and the words spoken over his grave, the people Remus had lovingly referred to as Harry's Posse all congregated at Harry's flat.

Ginny got out some glasses and a bottle of firewhiskey that Harry had been saving. She rummaged around until she found something to eat, too.

"Do you ever go grocery shopping, Harry?" she demanded indignantly.

"Ginny, you're over here all the time," Harry said. "You should know by now that I never have any food in my fridge unless you or Hermione put some in there."

Ginny sighed. "What am I ever going to do with you?"

"Hopefully nothing too painful," Harry said as he sat down with his back against the couch, his attempt at humor ruined by the melancholy note in his voice.

"Harry, it'll be alright," Ron said quietly. "He's off to a better place."

"But that means he's not here," Harry said desperately. "He's gone. I'm going to miss him."

"We all are," Neville said, sitting down on the couch.

"But he would have wanted us to be happy for him," Hermione said. "He's gone to be with his friends."

"He never had anyone," Harry said hoarsely. "We were too busy fighting that stupid war to see that he kept giving and giving and never got anything back."

"He got us," Luna said. Harry looked at her hopefully. Luna was always certain about these things, and he found himself believing her. "He was happy knowing that we were happy."

"I remember how he used to tease me," Ginny said quietly, handing out glasses full of alcohol. "About Harry. He'd tell me how much we reminded him of James and Lily, and then say he did it just to see me blush."

Harry smiled fondly at her as she sat down on the floor beside him.

"He would always listen to me," Hermione sighed. "He told me how much I was like him. Then he told me I needed to loosen up a bit. But he always listened."

"He always knew the right thing to say," Ron said. "I remember how he used to smile knowingly every time I'd sulk around the living room - "

"Because we were fighting," Hermione added.

"And it always annoyed the hell out of me," Ron finished.

"He was such an encouraging person," Neville said. "I mean, when I was getting teased about anything, or discouraged when you all picked up spells faster than I did, he'd just say that Sirius was bit slow too, and look how he turned out."

"And he told me I was different," Luna said. "That I'd better watch out for you all when he was gone, because I was the only one without those rash Gryffindor tendencies."

"Godric, I miss him," Harry said, blinking to hold back the tears. Everyone nodded in agreement.

Ginny lifted her firewhiskey. "To Remus."

"To Remus," they all murmured, and drank solemnly from their glasses.

Everyone eventually went home, leaving Harry alone with his tears. He cried buckets of them, knowing that he'd just lost the third father figure in his life. It was terrible, how this war had torn them apart, pitched student against student and life against life.

No one wanted to die.

He felt a small hand on his arm, and looked up to see Ginny kneeling beside him, an empathetic look on her face.

Not saying a word, Harry took her into his arms. Their tears mingled together, both of them dealing with the heartache together. Comforted by each other's presence, soothed by their embrace.

"Why'd you come back?" Harry whispered.

"Because you shouldn't have to be alone," Ginny whispered back.

"So we're together here at the end," Harry said, looking down at her.

"The end of this chapter," Ginny said. "We've our whole lives ahead of us, Harry. We're here together at the beginning."

"The beginning," Harry repeated. "May he rest in peace."

"May they all rest in peace," Ginny said.