Disclaimer: None of this belongs to me, I'm just borrowing
This is a one-shot that will most likely make it into my story 'Walk Alone' as a partial chapter. Just my idea of what a certain scene in HBP could have been like.
Also, this has not been betaed, so any mistakes are all of my own doing.
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Harry raced to the base of the tower as fast as he could, lungs burning and his legs aching. He knew what would await him there, but he still needed to see. Only a few teachers and students had braved the walk from the castle and everyone parted as Harry tore towards them.
He sank to his knees immediately beside the man who was his teacher, mentor, friend and savior. Harry reached out a shaking hand to close the empty eyes that would never twinkle again. He picked up the broken spectacles and put them in his pocket, somehow he knew Dumbledore would understand.
No one approached them and Harry didn't even realize he was crying until the drops began to stain the headmaster's robes.
Suddenly a bright shaft of light cut across the grounds and fell on Harry and Dumbledore. Harry looked up at the intrusion and his breath caught. Silhouetted in the doorway were two familiar figures. Relief like he had never felt before swelled in him. They stepped out of the school and Harry's heart plummeted at what he saw. Ron seemed to be carrying Hermione and on second glance Harry wasn't even sure she was conscious.
Making his way to them as quickly as he could he caught Ron's eye a few yards away and his knees almost gave way from his nod of reassurance.
Hermione seemed to barely have enough strength left to open her eyes. As Ron passed her to Harry he heard her hiss of pain and immediately stooped to scoop her up.
Ron was looking over Harry's shoulder now and had become very pale. "No. Merlin no. He can't be." He said shakily.
Harry headed back towards Dumbledore, Ron limping slowly behind him. He carefully placed Hermione on the ground and knelt next to her.
Ron's legs held out for him until he made it to the Professor's other side where he simply collapsed.
Hermione opened her eyes and the sight in front of her shocked her into a more aware state. She began trembling and her mouth opened long before the mournful wail made it out. "Noooooooooo……." She moaned before sobs overtook her.
Harry couldn't bring himself to move. The night's events had been too surreal to comprehend. Slowly though his mind seemed to clear and Dumbledore's words echoed in his head 'I am with you.' Harry closed his eyes in a silent memorial and steeled himself. This was the beginning of the end and they would have to see it through.
Harry's voice sounded unnatural in the silence. "We have to go in… we have to move him."
Harry looked across to Ron and saw a strength that bolstered him.
Ron rose to his feet, stumbling for a moment before forcing himself to stand.
"Can you take care of Hermione please?" Harry asked, it was without question that he would be the one to take the headmaster back into his castle.
Ron didn't say a word, merely came around and picked Hermione up. Later he would confess to Harry that at that moment the damage to his leg was so bad he couldn't even feel it, but it didn't seem to affect him then.
Harry turned back to Dumbledore and said 'Mobilicorpus' The greatest headmaster to ever preside over Hogwarts rose into the air and with Harry guiding him made his final journey into his castle.