Mother's Day

EPILOGUE

The rain fell, as it always seemed to do at funerals - like the heavens were crying with the living. The line of cars pulled into the cemetery, far too few cars to mourn the loss of such an amazing person. But the memorial service had been crowded with friends, family, and seeming strangers. All were there to pay memory to Buffy Summers.

Even Harry Potter.

Harry had stood at the back, covered in his father's cloak. He looked around and saw names from Buffy's past - teachers, childhood friends, men in uniforms, men who weren't men at all. All had come to shed tears over the loss. Harry saw Albus Dumbledore sitting in a nice looking Muggle suit next to a very somber Rupert Giles. They were near the back, away from the family. He had even seen a blonde vampire hiding in the loft, crying tears of blood.

Harry watched as the cars emptied near the grave site and walk to the open grave. The limo containing the family was the last to open its doors. Willow came out first, followed closely by Xander. Next out of the car was six year old Liam. His face was stern again the grief. The next face wasn't so lucky.

It was Dawn.

Harry looked at her and desperately fought the urge to run to her side. He wanted to console them all - especially her. But he dug his nails into his hand and the pain seemed to push the urge out his mind for the moment. He kept his distance, watching six women - one a very somber looking Faith - easily lift the coffin from the hearse and move it to its final resting place.

Harry thought for a moment about the finality of that. He himself had been considered dead a few times... Buffy too. But this was her last good-bye.

He could only vaguely hear the words of the priest as he read from his book. Harry couldn't imagine it being a Bible, but having spent part of her life killing demons, maybe that would be fitting. Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple golden ring. He thumbed it, almost feeling the warmth of Buffy holding it two days earlier.

Soon the coffin was being lowered into the ground. Dawn and Willow were each on one of Xander's shoulders. Liam held fast. He understood, even at that age, that his mother had passed on a legacy to him. He would stand in the face of death again and again - no matter the influence of others.

Harry closed his eyes and said a silent prayer for the Slayer. He put the ring back in the pocket of his robe and pulled out his wand. A single tear escaped his cloudy eyes. He waved the wand in the air and with a 'pop' he disappeared.

******

Xander Harris looked up from watching the grave of his best friend lower into the ground. He saw the cloaked figure under the tree and watched it disappear. Strange things have always followed him, but he knew who it was and understood why the distance.

Then his hearing caught the sound of a bagpipe playing on the wind. It was so faint that it might be mistaken for a passing car, or another funeral across the cemetery. But the cemetery wasn't that big, and the road was too far away. Xander knew where the sound came from and that it was meant to sound faint. And as the tears came from his good eye, he sang the words to the song under his breath.

Amazing Grace

How sweet the sound

That saved a wretch like me

I once was lost,

But now I'm found

Was blind,

But now I see.

MOTHER'S DAY