Unofficial Portkey Archive

A week had passed since the day that the Heirs of Hogwarts, with the help of the Light, had brought down the most evil wizard the world had ever known. Lord Voldemort, or Tom Riddle, had finally been destroyed after years of his name shaking terror into those that heard it. All around the Wizarding world people celebrated the ultimate victory, joy ever present in the faces of all. Even the Muggles were feeling the effect, not knowing what they should be celebrating but still feeling a need to.

The reason to have such celebrating though came with a great price on top of it.

It was an immensely beautiful day at Hogwarts. June had finally appeared, filled with days of sunshine and cloudless blue skies. The scorched grounds of Hogwarts were no longer present, the slopes now filled with grass and scattered flowers. The trees of the Forbidden Forest that had been knocked down were removed and small stalks could already be seen springing up in their places. Life was slowly returning back to normal after the War.

Over by the sparkling lake, where the Giant Squid lazily stretched out his tentacles, a large stage had been erected, filled with an assortment of flowers and pictures, before which stood a wooden podium. Facing the stage were rows upon rows of white chairs, each of them occupied by various people who had fought and survived in their fight to save the Light and the Wizarding world.

In the front row sat the Four Heirs, their close friends and family right beside them. Hermione had her head on Harry's shoulder, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill from her eyes. Draco was next to her, his arm wrapped around Ginny's shoulders, lightly stroking her hair as the Hufflepuff Heir clung to Ron, who was on her other side. Both of their faces were so pale that their freckles stood out strikingly, tears dripping down their cheeks from bloodshot eyes; a brother and sister clinging to each other for comfort from their grief.

Luna and then Blaise were on Ron's other side, both very quiet and solemn, simply being there to give all the support they could to the Heirs. The War had affected them deeply as well; the War had affected everyone really. No one could outrun the pain that followed in the aftermath of such a joyous yet terrible event.

The rest of the Weasley's, along with Order members and students that were close friends of the Heirs, were seated in the rows closest to the saviors of the Wizarding World. Behind those people were rows filled with other survivors of the Light, followed by a select number of reporters and various other people. In the very far back, the hulking figure of Grawp could be seen hunched over, his face crumpled up in sadness.

A somber silence had settled on the fairly large crowd, only the occasional twitter of a bird and the rush of wind breaking it. A few individuals shifted about nervously before a companion nudged them into stillness. After several long minutes, their restlessness was rewarded by a tall figure moving slowly up the aisle that separated the rows of chairs down the middle.

Albus Dumbledore looked no different from any other time, except for the twinkling that was noticeably gone from his eyes. His face was drawn in sadness, the wrinkles and lines deep and far more pronounced then just the day before. His gait, usually smooth and placid, had an uncommon jerk to it, showing that an injury from the Final Battle had left him permanently damaged. An aura of greatness still surrounded him though, respect always following in the wake of the most brilliant wizard ever.

His steps finally brought him to the stage, which he slowly ascended and took his place behind the podium. Dumbledore's blue eyes gazed serenely out at the crowd, taking them all in before he bowed his head and began to speak.

"We are here today to honor those that gave their lives to ensure the safety of the Wizarding and Muggle worlds," Dumbledore said in a soft yet commanding tone. "No matter how small their deed was for the Light, each of these men and women deserve our respect and recognition. They fought for a cause that they believed in, a cause that they died for willingly. Each knew of the dangers and darkness they faced, each knew of the risks, and yet they kept going until the end, providing us with the ultimate sacrifice. This sacrifice should not go unnoticed nor should it be forgotten, and today we shall remember as a whole, but I ask that none of you forget them and the lives that each of them led. Among us here are the ones that knew these people, the ones that loved and cherished them, and our grief extends to them as well, to the ones that were left behind. And though we cry for them and despair grips our hearts that we shall never see them again in this life, know that they have moved on to the next great adventure and await us there. Remember all the good they did in this life and their deaths shall not have been in vain. We need not dwell on their death and the heartache that it brings, but we need to think only of the goodness that each of them brought to our lives in the time they spent on this Earth and of how each of them never backed down in the face of evil. That is what I ask of each of you sitting here now; remember their names and remember their lives, remember the love they spread and the joy they brought to us. If we do this, then they shall truly live on in each of our hearts."

Dumbledore then fell silent, letting his words sink in to the now weeping crowd. Even the ones that had barely known the now dead were sobbing, leaning on their loved ones. A large wail from Grawp rose above the rest, huge tear drops falling from the giant's eyes. Harry felt a sharp stab in his chest as he heard Hagrid's half-brother, his own tears staring to well up as he choked down sobs and felt an ache form within him.

After several long minutes, the wise wizard lifted his head back up and stepped further forward.

"And now I shall read to all of you the names of the people who fought and died for the Light. I shall read to you the people who fought against Lord Voldemort and all he stood for, the ones who never let evil take control of their minds and hearts. These are the people who need to remembered and thanked, for their sacrifices made our victory possible."

As Dumbledore began to read off the list of names in a slow and reverent tone, each one was like a pang to Harry's heart, but only certain ones truly tore at him, a few tears sliding down his cheeks. Hermione gripped his hand tightly in comfort, her own tears escaping her eyes. But nothing Hermione could do would make those few names stop repeating through Harry's mind.

Hannah Abbott
Amelia Bones
Susan Bones
Mandy Brocklehurst
Cho Chang
Michael Corner
Amos Diggory
Elphias Doge
Mundungus Fletcher
Anthony Goldstein
Rolanda Hooch
Angelina Johnson
Hestia Jones
Ernie Macmillan
Alastor "Mad-Eye" Moody
Parvati Patil
Zacharias Smith
Pomona Sprout
Dean Thomas
Charlie Weasley
Percival Weasley

A sob broke out from Ginny as the names of two of her brothers were said, Ron instantly wrapping his arms around her as they grieved for their family. His own blue eyes shone with more unshed tears, blinking furiously as Luna rested a gentle hand on his arm. Draco kept to himself for the moment, knowing that Ron and Ginny needed some time to themselves, knowing that they needed to feel a part of their family with them.

Dumbledore finished reading the names, tears glistening in his eyes as the last echo of his voice sounded on the grounds. With a nod to someone in the audience, the Headmaster of Hogwarts spoke not another word and left the stage. As he passed by Harry, he sent the Gryffindor Heir a knowing look. Harry's green eyes conveyed nothing, but he quickly realized what Dumbledore meant by that one look.

During this, the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, rose from his seat in the first row across the aisle from the Heirs and made his way to the now vacant podium. Clearing his throat importantly, the slightly flustered wizard stared out upon the crowd. The Heirs all exchanged quick looks, hoping that for once the Minister wouldn't make this event out to be something to simply have the Ministry look good and benefit from.

"First off, my deepest sympathies and utmost regret for all those who have lost a loved one to this horrendous War. I speak for the entire Ministry when I say that we understand your grief and we are all here to support each of you in your time of need. We all extend our complete gratitude to all of those who fought in this war for the Light; your sacrifices are recognized and appreciated. To all those who have since left us, they will not be forgotten and their deaths shall be remembered for always."

Fudge paused in his speech and Harry was ready to breathe a sigh of relief when the Minister opened his mouth again.

"There is one other point of business I would like to address though, before I leave this stage. There are four extraordinary people in this audience that need to be recognized for the services and sacrifices they extended to the Light side. Without them, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would be ruling right now and all the people that died in the War would have done so in vain. With that, I would like to bring a happier note to this memorial service and ask that these four young people come join me. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ginevra Weasley, and Draco Malfoy; will the Four Heirs of Hogwarts please stand up here with me."

Silence fell over the audience as Fudge beamed down at the Heirs, who were all seething with suppressed anger. Harry could hardly dare to believe that Fudge had just said that; he was practically mocking the deaths of all those people just so he could make a celebration of the Heirs and praise them before the mourners. The Minister was once again putting himself and his Ministry before anyone else.

Through their connection, the Heirs came to agreement. Standing as one, they carefully made their way to the stage, trying to hide their grimaces from the Minister. Fudge smiled gleefully at them before turning once more to the audience.

"We owe our lives and the victory of the Light to these four young students. They are being heralded as the Heirs of Hogwarts, the Saviors of the Wizarding World, and I do believe this title is very fitting. So, Harry, Hermione, Ginevra, and Draco, because of your selfless acts of courage and support you showed for the Light, I am presenting each of you with an Order of Merlin, First Class. Thank you!"

Fudge started to clap loudly then and very reluctantly the crowd followed his lead, not because they didn't think the Heirs deserved the recognition, but because they believed the timing to be completely wrong. The Heirs felt the same way and each could barely contain the hatred they felt for the Minister at that moment.

Feeling Draco's telepathic powers rippling gently through him, Harry quickly sent a message to the others.

I have an idea.

The others said nothing, but Harry could feel their consent along with a soothing touch of comfort from Hermione. Giving her a brief smile, Harry quickly stepped up to the podium, ignoring Fudge and effectively quieting the crowd down. His green eyes were serious yet determined, wanting to make things clear to the Minister of Magic and the rest of the world that he and the other Heirs did not want so much glory.

"Thank you, Minister, on behalf of myself and the other Heirs for your words, but I know that I speak for the four of us when I say we can not accept your generous offer," Harry said in a firm voice. "It is true that we as the Heirs finally brought down Voldemort and destroyed him, but this would never have been possible without all of people that fought alongside us. Each person that either died or survived played a key role in the victory we achieved, for the Heirs could never have defeated all of Voldemort's followers alone. We are here today to pay our respects to those that sacrificed themselves and for the four of us to accept these awards would be an insult to their memory. So, I know I speak for the other three Heirs when I say this, we want to give the awards right back and have them instead presented to all those who fought for the Light, whether or not they lived or died. Let these four Order of Merlin's stand as a representation to the sacrifice each person gave during the battle. It is them who should be honored and thanked, not us."

Harry then stepped back from the podium to lock eyes with the absolutely furious Minister. The audience started to clap after that, this time feeling that the cheers were more deserving. Only a few noticed the anger that passed between Harry and Cornelius Fudge, who felt he had just been publicly humiliated.

Ignoring the crowd, Fudge opened his mouth to speak when suddenly Hermione, Ginny, and Draco joined Harry, standing firmly behind their leader with their eyes blazing.

"Good day, Minister," Harry said quietly.

Fudge closed his mouth, his expression now pale and livid. Jamming his bowler hat on his head, he tipped the brim of it at them.

"Very well," he said tightly. "Good day indeed, but rest assured that you will hear more from me on this, Mister Potter."

"I'll eagerly await the owl," Harry responded, his tone very clear.

Without another word, Fudge let out a huff and marched off the stage. He didn't even return to his seat, simply left the area and made his way to Hogsmeade, a gaggle of reporters chasing after him.

The audience had quieted back down and the Heirs were about ready to leave the stage so the memorial service could be wrapped up, when Harry suddenly saw Dumbledore looking at him again. The old wizard gave him a quick nod and the Gryffindor suddenly remembered Dumbledore's look from before.

"Hang on," he said, halting the other three. "There's something I have to do."

"What? Harry…." Hermione trailed off, looking confused.

The crowd was looking at them expectedly, wondering how the memorial service would be finished. With a quick smile, Harry closed his eyes in concentration. A flash of fire made everyone gasp in surprise before it disappeared to reveal that Harry was nowhere to be seen. Before they could look for him, a beautiful yet mournful song filled the air. The piping tune was graceful and loud, a twinge of sadness underlying it. The crowd felt their hearts swell with a mixture of grief and joy, tears springing to everyone's eyes once more.

After a few minutes, a second song could be heard joining the first one, the same sorrow in it, but at a different degree. The two songs wove together in perfect harmony until they reached an ultimate pitch and out of the sky dropped a magnificent sight.

Two Phoenixes, both gorgeous in the bright sunlight, flew over the people and landed side by side on the podium. Never once did their duet let up, both birds letting their sorrow take shape in all the people before them.

Ginny let a sad smile slip across her face and she looked over at Draco.

"Its Harry and Fawkes," she told him quietly. "I've never seen anything so stirring."

"Phoenix Lament," Hermione whispered, awe in her voice and a tear slipping down her cheek.

As the last note of the song echoed out, both birds disappeared in a flash of flames once more, a single gleaming tail feather left behind from each of them. With a soft pop, Harry appeared beside the other Heirs returned to his human form while Fawkes appeared on Dumbledore's shoulder. Harry bowed his head to the real Phoenix, who tilted his head and blinked back. The Headmaster gave Harry a very proud smile, clearly pleased with Harry's performance as the ending to the memorial service.

Still slightly stunned, the crowd slowly stood and began to make their way back to the castle. Harry turned to his fellow Heirs, who were all staring at him in disbelief.

"Well, Potter," Draco started, breaking the silence, "that was quite inspiring. I must say, that song of yours made me feel…."

"Complete," Hermione finished for him, understanding what the Slytherin meant to say.

"Yeah, that," Draco said, nodding in her direction.

Harry couldn't help but blush.

"Thanks. It wasn't planned or anything, I just knew what Dumbledore wanted me to do when he looked at me. Having Fawkes join me was certainly unexpected. I wanted to do that though, express the sorrow we all feel through my Phoenix form. I simply knew that song would do just that."

"It's a Phoenix Lament, Harry," Hermione said softly. "It's a song of sorrow that Phoenixes express when they feel the need to. Usually it is used when their owner has died, but if their keeper feels pain for another's death, they will sing the song then as well. It was very appropriate."

"Thanks, 'Mione," Harry said shyly, giving her a quick kiss before hugging her to him.

"Ready to head back to the castle now?" Ginny asked, smiling at the couple.

"Yeah," Hermione said. "We could use a bit of rest after everything."

The four got solemn looks on their faces as they remembered the dead.

"Hard to believe some of them are now gone," Draco muttered. "Hannah, Moody, Cho, Charlie…"

His voice trailed off, but the others knew what he meant. All the ones that had helped them directly, the ones who had been their support system, were now never to be seen again in this world. It was a hard fact to comprehend.

Seeing Ron, Luna, Blaise, the rest of the Weasley's, and Dumbledore waiting for them, Harry sighed and started to make his way down the stage.

"Come on, we have some things to finish up."

Before the Heirs could successfully make their way over to their friends though, they were suddenly accosted by a middle-aged woman. She had short brown hair and pale blue eyes set into a slightly pudgy face. She was wearing excessive amounts of makeup and far too tight clothes on her slightly rounded figure. A long piece of parchment and a Quick-Quotes Quill were floating beside her, the quill already zooming across the page.

"Teresa Niffle, writer for the Daily Prophet," the woman announced, firmly grasping Harry's hand in her own before he could object. "I was wondering if I could ask the four of you some questions before you return to the castle."

"Well, um…we aren't really ready to talk to reporters at the moment," Harry said, fumbling for his words.

"It will only take a minute, I promise." Teresa smiled, a sharp glint to her eyes.

"You heard what he said," Hermione interjected angrily, glaring at the older woman.

Completely ignoring Hermione, Teresa continued to stare straight at Harry.

"So, Harry, what do you think was the reason you defeated the Dark Lord? Was it your love for the stunning Ginevra Weasley that led to his downfall?"

All of the Heirs' jaws dropped at the question, completely taken aback. From the corner of his eye, Harry could see the others rushing over to the four and he silently willed them to run faster. Next to him, Hermione was clenching her fists together while Ginny had a fiery rage burning in her eyes. Draco looked impassive, but to those that knew him well, he was seething in anger.

"How dare you!" Ginny shrieked, pointing an accusing finger at the reporter. "You know nothing about us or what we did that day. How dare you come here spreading lies!"

"Shut up, you silly little girl," Teresa snarled, "I wasn't speaking to you."

"Why you…" Draco snapped, taking a step forward.

"And how are you handling the fact, Heir of Slytherin, that your father murdered your only sister?" Teresa asked in a rush, looking very pleased with herself.

The Heirs froze in place as Draco's eyes became icy and his face went blank. Ginny took in a sharp breath, fearing she had misunderstood the question. Hermione quickly went nose to nose with the reporter, glaring at her with pure hatred.

"Get out," she hissed, a fury rippling off of her that had only been seen when she had faced Voldemort a week before.

Before Teresa could respond, the others had finally reached the Heirs.

"What is going on here?" Arthur Weasley asked, leaning on a walking stick.

"Just some harmless questioning," Teresa replied smoothly, her parchment and quill suddenly disappearing.

"You!" Ron shouted, looking livid. "You're that reporter who wrote all that nonsense about the Heirs those months back! What are you doing here? Spreading more lies?"

"Ronald Bilius Weasley!" Molly Weasley glared at her youngest son.

"No, Molly," Dumbledore interrupted. "I believe that Mister Weasley is right in what he says."

"Agreeing with a minor, Albus?" Teresa said in a sniffing voice. "I pride myself on telling the truth and simply letting my readers know what is going on with those people that are such an integral part of the Wizarding world."

"Liar!" Ron bellowed.

"I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask you to leave, Miss Niffle," Dumbledore said in a calm yet stern tone. "You have an interesting habit of picking up lies and spreading nasty rumors about people. I can not have you on the grounds and antagonizing my students."

Looking mortified, Teresa Niffle glowered at the Headmaster.

"I was questioning them, not harming them in any way!"

"Yes, you were harming us," Harry spoke up, his gaze hard. "Spreading those lies hurts more than you think. And to ask us such things on today of all days is just plain rude. We have nothing further to say to you. Good-bye."

"Fine!" she yelled, face red with anger. "I'll be leaving then. But expect a report on this incident!"

"I'd rather think not," Dumbledore responded.

With a flick of his wand, the parchment and the Quick-Quotes Quill soared out of a pocket on the reporter's cloak. And before she could make a desperate grab for them, they burst into flames, the ashes falling to the grass.

"I'm sure you can find your way out," the wizard said quietly.

With a deadly glare, Teresa Niffle turned her back on the group and marched off to Hogsmeade, imitating the spectacle by the Minister from before. Everyone hoped they would never have to see her again.

"That was….intriguing," Blaise said, raising an eyebrow.

"That's putting it mildly," Harry answered blandly.

"I am sure she will not bother you four anymore," Dumbledore said, his eyes twinkling. "We have other matters that we must discuss before we all return to the castle. I have just received word about certain Death Eaters that were apprehended. Many were caught, but I believe these are the ones that would interest you the most. Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, Pansy Parkinson, and Theodore Nott shall all be standing trial and will almost certainly be sent to Azkaban. Unfortunately, because of the demise of the Dementors, none of them will be receiving the Kiss, but they will be heavily guarded with the new security measures that are to be put up at Azkaban."

The group felt a surge of happiness ripple through them all at the news. It was needed on such a mournful day.

"That's wonderful to hear, Albus!" Molly said, smiling.

"I needed to hear that," Harry said. "They each deserve horrible punishments, but to at least know they are being confined if enough for me at the moment."

"Not for me though," Draco growled out, startling them all. "I want my father dead after all he's done. He doesn't deserve to live."

"Draco…" Ginny said softly, touching his shoulder.

"No, Gin," he snapped, moving away from her. "He killed my sister! I want him to pay for that, I want to kill him myself!"

"You don't mean that," Hermione gasped, eyes wide. "I never knew it was him that killed Rose, and I am so sorry for that, but he will be dealt with accordingly."

"No," Draco whispered, "its not enough. He'll escape if they simply set him in Azkaban. I know him, he will do all he can to get out of there."

An uncomfortable silence settled over everyone at Draco's words, no one wanting to look the blonde in the eye. Dumbledore finally moved forward and placed a hand on Draco's shoulder, causing the Slytherin Heir to look up at him.

"I understand the pain and anger you are going though at this moment, Draco," he said in a gentle tone, "but you must also remember that you cannot let that anger take control of you. Your father is being held at this very moment and will most definitely receive a harsh punishment for his actions, not just for being a Death Eater, but also for murdering Rose. I know how much you crave revenge, but you must put that aside; it is not the way of the Heirs. Please remember that and simply know that justice will be brought to your father's actions."

Draco's hard look faltered at the wizard's words before a deep sigh escaped his lips.

"Thank you, Professor," he mumbled, staring down at the ground.

Draco's anger and hurt hadn't vanished completely, but the feelings had significantly receded, forcefully put away so the strong bond of the Heirs wouldn't be put under a strain. Knowing he had friends around him that loved him and supported him, Draco knew he could withstand the fact that he never was able to face his father and take out revenge on him. The blonde did know that if he ever faced Lucius Malfoy outside of Azkaban, if his father somehow escaped, Draco would kill him with his bare hands. No one would be able to stand in his way then. Not even Ginny, who had such a deep effect on him and was able to calm down even his most violent rages.

At this thought, Draco turned to his red-headed girlfriend and gently took her hand in his own, giving her a reassuring smile. Her brown eyes narrowed before she finally relaxed and smiled back at him, leaning up to place a quick kiss on his cheek. She had forgiven him for his outburst and he cherished that thought deeply.

"I love you," he said under his breath so the others couldn't hear.

"I know," she responded in the same tone, a smile lighting up her features.

A crazy thought entered Draco's mind at her words, but he swiftly squashed it down. They were too young and they had so much ahead of them still. Maybe sometime in the future it would be right to make Ginny officially his, but no, he couldn't think of that now. He knew Harry wanted the same thing with Hermione, but was holding back as well. The time would come for all things such as that to take place.

Staring over the top of Ginny's head, he and Harry exchanged knowing glances which were completely unnoticed by everyone else. At that moment, Draco truly felt that he had found a friend in Harry, a guy he could go to and just talk with. A friendship like that was something Draco had been lacking for so long, and to know that he and Harry were now friends and mates was a really comforting thought.

"Are you four ready now?" Ron's voice broke through to them.

Harry whipped his head around and shot his best mate a grin.

"Sure thing, Ron. Let's get back up to the castle."

And so the Four Heirs, along with their friends and family, slowly made their way across the grounds. Chatting softly, but yet never forgetting what the real reason for that day had been. Dumbledore watched them walk away before turning once more to the stage where the flowers and pictures still lay. With a sad smile, the Headmaster tipped his head downward in respect.

"And the Song of the Phoenix shall forever keep you ingrained in the memories of those who attended today. Your lives will always be remembered from this day forth."

With a soft flick of his wand, the stage and all the items upon it was transfigured into a pure white headstone which simply stated in a flowing script:

To those that gave their lives for the Light.
They showed true love in the face of ultimate evil
and for this they will be remembered for always.
Rest in Peace.

................................

Author's Note: Thank you everyone for the amazing amount of reviews for the last chapters! You guys have been just great, sticking by me even though I'm incredibly slow with updates. I was a bit better with this one though, so I hope you enjoyed it! Only one chapter left and this story is offically over, what a sad thought. I'm excited to think its wrapped up but I hate letting it go. :(
I do hope this chapter was okay. I know I didn't mention too many that died, but those were the important ones. Also, certain people weren't killed off because they will be important to the sequels. Hope that makes sense. I was sad to kill off certain characters though and I had trouble making the list up. The whole scene with Fudge was put in there because I never liked his character and always thought him to be a bumbling fool, so that's why I treat him so harshly. I brought back Teresa Niffle too. Don't know if she'll appear in the sequels though... And I know I said HBP would not influence this story, but I had to use the Phoenix Lament, since I did like that part about book 6. Hope no one minds.
And I wanted to comment on a HUGE mistake I made that surprisingly no one picked up on. In chapter 35, I mentioned how Lucius Malfoy was arrested and then a couple chapters later he's suddenly with Voldemort. Big whoops on my part. So, let's just basically say he's arrested now since I had no way to fix that error. Sorry guys, that was a big mess up on my part.
Well, that's about it. Hope you liked the chapter and I ask to please review. I'd love to hit 2000 reviews once this story is over but I won't push for it, it'd just be a nice little reward for all the effort I put in to this story. :) I'll try and post again soon! Big thanks again for all the support!

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