Harry stepped out into the corridor, allowing the portrait of the Fat Lady close behind him, grateful to finally escape the confines of the Gryffindor Tower. It was still relatively early, the sun having barely risen, so no one else was around to stop him from leaving. Having slept a fair amount over the past three days, he had found himself being unable to fall back to sleep after he had woken from a nightmare.

He began to slowly walk away from the entrance to the common room, no idea where he was going or what he was planning to do. Right now, he just wanted to stretch his legs and get away from the stifling grief that no one wanted to even discuss.

Somehow, the corridors nearest to the Gryffindor common room had avoided too much damage from the battle, but Harry knew that the further he walked, the more damage he would find. He barely paid attention to the direction he was walking as he allowed himself to become lost in thought.

How had it been three days since he had defeated Voldemort?

Harry realised that, beside the small bits of information that the Weasleys had given him, he had no idea how anyone in the wizarding world had reacted to the war finally being over. He figured most would be happy that they could finally live in peace and be free to live their lives, but were there people who blamed him for the death of their loved ones?

He was ripped from his thoughts as he nearly tripped over a small pile of bricks. Thankfully, he caught himself before he fell flat on his face, but the near trip forced him to take notice of his surroundings, making him realise he was right by where Fred had been killed. If they had already begun to clear the rubble and make repairs, they had obviously not reached this part as it looked the same as it was when they had pulled Fred away to a safe spot before he was moved down to the Great Hall.

A flash of the moment of the explosion that had ripped through the castle and killed Fred shot through Harry’s mind causing him to catch his breath. How had only Fred been killed when he, Ron, Hermione and Percy had all been present? It wasn’t fair that he had died without the chance to protect himself from harm.

“I’m sorry, Fred,” he said out loud, knowing there was no one around to hear his apology. “I’m sorry I wasn’t quick enough. I’m sorry that I survived, and you didn’t. It isn’t fair that you don’t get to experience the peace we won.”

Harry took several deep breaths as he regained control of his emotions, not wanting to break down in tears without someone to hold onto. He knew he couldn’t hide away from those who cared about him when it came to dealing with the emotions that stemmed from such traumatic events. However, before he could allow himself to open up, he needed this time to himself to process everything that had happened just a few days ago.

Looking up, he realised he was also close to the Room of Requirement. He had not returned since they had escaped the Fiendfyre that had ripped through the Room of Hidden Things when Crabbe had lost control of the spell. He couldn’t help but wonder if the room was still accessible in any form or if it had been destroyed beyond repair. He didn’t even know why he felt the need to find out, but he decided he did want to know.

Harry paced back and forth three times, thinking ‘I need a place to think’ as he did so. No door appeared, leaving him certain that the room had been lost forever as he doubted anyone would be using the room for any reason at that moment. Then, a thought crossed his mind that Crabbe had died in there and his body never recovered. Perhaps, it was a good thing that no one could access the room given the awful event that had happened there.

Shaking the morose thought away, Harry turned and walked away from the area that had seen so much loss in such a short space of time. Again, he paid no attention to where he was heading and yet, he felt the need to walk the corridors of every floor, stopping every so often at places that held meaning for him, no matter how small or large they were.

He walked past the sixth-floor boys’ bathroom, not wishing to remember the horrendous injuries he had inflicted on Draco Malfoy with a spell he had not understood. On the fifth floor, he paused and smiled by the entrance to the Prefects’ bathroom as he remembered how Moaning Myrtle had been present when he discovered the clue in the Golden Egg.

It was on the next floor down, however, that Harry stepped into the disused classroom that had once stored the Mirror of Erised. It had sustained some damage, but nothing too severe for him to be concerned about. He came to a pause in the spot he had spent several nights staring at his reflection surrounded by his parents and other family members he had never known. It was in this spot he had first spoken to Professor Dumbledore and was told not to dwell on dreams and forget to live. He knew the headmaster had been right because he would never regain the family that he had so cruelly lost. Instead, he had gained a new one through the Weasleys and his new dream, one he knew he could make come true, was to have his own family with Ginny.

He retreated from the room, not wanting to become too lost in the memory, and continued down to the third floor. It seemed he had so many memories here, from numerous Charms lessons to sneaking out of school through the passage located behind the One-Eyed Witch. He had even faced Voldemort for the first time after sneaking past Fluffy, who had been guarding a trapdoor in a room on the third floor.

As Harry travelled lower down the school, the worse the damage from the battle became. Yet, he continued on, now knowing where he wanted to end up. It was, as he arrived at the first floor, that he began to notice the odd person milling around, specifically in the direction of the hospital wing. As a result, he purposefully turned in the opposite direction, not wanting to see anyone who might still be a patient under Madam Pomfrey’s care.

He immediately began to wish he had just continued down the stairs as he realised that he was about to pass by Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom. While the messages that Ginny had been forced to write on the wall opposite the entrance had faded with time, Harry didn’t want to see a reminder of how he very nearly lost his girlfriend before he had even truly known her. He, therefore, turned and headed back to the staircase, no longer wishing to allow himself to become lost in his memories of the castle.

He eventually found himself standing in the middle of the Great Hall. All the debris from the battle had been cleared as had the bodies of those who had lost their lives. It appeared that this was currently the only room in the castle where repairs had been made and completed if the return of the house tables was anything to go by. It looked different than the last time he was there, three days ago, and it made it hard for Harry to believe that he had defeated Voldemort in this very room. In some ways, it already felt like it had been a lifetime since the Dark wizard’s final curse had backfired on him.

The Great Hall felt different to Harry now. He could no longer look around it in awe at the sheer size of it, like he had when he had first walked through the doors on his first night at Hogwarts. He didn’t think he would be able to eat meals in here as a student, if he chose to return, without picturing the dead laid out on the floor. How would anyone who had been present for the battle and who would return be able to do so?

The memory of the bodies of Remus and Tonks flashed through his mind.

Teddy.

The thought of his godson was like a punch to the stomach to Harry. Little Teddy was only a few weeks old, and he was already an orphan, just like his godfather. It served as a reminder to Harry that he needed to meet the child and speak to Andromeda, who he knew had been left to care for Teddy throughout the battle. However, for now, meeting his godson would have to wait as there was something else that he needed to do while the castle remained relatively quiet.

“Harry!” shouted a voice from behind him as Harry reached the main castle doors.

Turning cautiously, Harry was relieved to see it was just Bill, calling to him from the marble staircase. It was only then that Harry also realised that he had not informed anyone that he planned to go for a walk around the castle. Then again, it was still relatively early and, from what he had seen, there were only a few people up and about.

“Hey, Bill,” Harry politely said as Bill reached him. “Is everyone looking for me?”

“No, but I’m guessing you didn’t tell anyone where you were going?”

“I didn’t think to,” Harry admitted. “I’m so used to not having to tell my own relatives where I am going or what I am doing that it is all too easy to forget I have people in my life that actually care.”

“If it helps, no one else is up yet,” Bill told him, putting Harry at ease. “Just don’t disappear for too long or you will have Ginny ready to hex you for doing so.”

Harry nodded, knowing he didn’t want anyone worrying that he was going to run off and not return. A couple of years ago, he would have probably contemplated the idea, but now, it just wasn’t an option when he had people who he could lean on.

“Bill, do you think you could help me with something?” Harry quietly asked as he realised that Bill’s skills as a curse-breaker would be perfect for what he needed to do.

Bill nodded and followed Harry out of the castle and onto the grounds of Hogwarts. The older wizard did not ask what Harry wanted help with, knowing he would be informed as and when he needed to be. He was surprised, however, when Harry led him to the White Tomb of Albus Dumbledore, which was situated on the shore of the lake.

Even though Harry had seen Voldemort crack open the tomb through the link they had previously shared, nothing could have prepared him for seeing it in person. The tomb, itself, had been cracked wide open from head to toe, leaving the body of the headmaster exposed to the elements. This one act, all to remove a wand with a troubled history, was evidence enough at just how cruel Voldemort had been in life.

“You were in the Great Hall at the time I faced Voldemort for the last time,” Harry said, turning his back on the tomb, “so you’ll remember how the Elder Wand was mentioned. I don’t want to keep it. I don’t think anyone should have a wand as powerful as that. I want to put it back in the tomb with Dumbledore and I want the tomb sealed up in a way that it can never be disturbed again.”

“I am impressed, Harry,” Bill responded, pride shining in his eyes at the younger wizard’s choice. “To be able to resist the temptation that must come from having it in your possession, not many people could do that.”

“The problem, though, is that people may still come after me in hopes of gaining control of it,” Harry said with a nervous tone. “If they truly defeat me, they’ll be able to gain control, which is why it needs to be sealed away securely enough that defeating me will mean nothing.”

Bill nodded before taking a walk around the tomb to understand the extent of the damage.

“If you can place the wand back in the tomb,” Bill asked as he came back to where Harry had remained standing, “I will repair the damage and seal the tomb. Then, I will teach you the spell I feel would be the best option to keep anyone from desecrating it ever again.”

“Why me?” Harry asked, having hoped for Bill to complete the necessary spells and wards.

“The spell, itself, is an old protection Charm,” Bill explained. “It is an old spell, which fell out of favour many decades ago, because of the fact the protection is permanent. The spell, itself, not only protects the item from harm, but it is unbreakable by any known spell or tool. The reason it fell out of favour is because it is highly dependent on the intent of the caster.”

“So, if someone still wanted access to the objects inside what they are casting the spell on, then it wouldn’t work?”

“Exactly,” Bill confirmed. “Therefore, it makes sense for it to be you to be the one to cast this spell because you are intent on making sure no one ever opens up Dumbledore’s tomb ever again, no matter their reason for doing so.”

“Then, let’s do this,” Harry said before he taking a deep breath to calm his nerves.

He walked towards the final resting place of his former headmaster, pulling the Elder Wand from the pocket of his robe as he did so.

“I’m sorry that Voldemort did this to you, sir,” Harry said as he looked down into the tomb and saw the body of Albus Dumbledore. “I am going to make sure no one ever disturbs your final resting place again.”

Harry carefully placed the Elder Wand between Dumbledore’s hands before taking in the peaceful look upon the headmaster’s face. He still found it hard to believe that the man had arranged his own death and yet, he could somehow understand wanting to die on your terms rather than letting someone decide the when and how of it all.

“Even though I feel like you made things so much harder for me at times, you still have my thanks for everything you did for me,” Harry quietly said before moving away to allow Bill to seal up the tomb for the final time. Within a few minutes, the white tomb looked as though it had never been disturbed, allowing Harry some relief that Dumbledore could now truly rest in peace.

“Remember Harry,” Bill said as Harry stepped forward to cast the protection spell that he had just been taught, “intent is everything when it comes to this spell. Like with the Patronus Charm, let it fill you completely before casting, otherwise it will not work.”

Harry closed his eyes, his wand in hand ready to cast the spell, and allowed the feeling of wanting to protect the tomb from anyone wishing to disturb or desecrate it to overwhelm his senses. Once ready, he pointed his wand directly at the tomb and whispered the words of the spell. Before he even opened his eyes, Harry knew that it had worked. He wasn’t sure how he knew, he just did, but he felt a weight lift from his shoulders knowing he had protected the Elder Wand and the headmaster’s resting place from ever being touched again.

“Wow, that worked better than I expected,” Bill said in awe, causing Harry to finally reopen his eyes. “I cannot even get close the tomb. There’s no way anyone will be able to touch the tomb or get to the wand. Great job, Harry!”

“Thanks, Bill,” Harry politely replied, grateful he now had one less thing to worry about.

After double-checking no spell could get through the protective charms, Harry and Bill began walking back up to the castle in silence. As they reached the castle doors, however, Harry wrestled with his thoughts about something he wanted to ask Bill but feared upsetting the older wizard with his questions.

“Are any of the bodies of those who died in the battle still here at the castle?” Harry tentatively asked, knowing Fred was probably one of them.

“A few,” Bill confirmed. “Some of them have yet to be claimed, because of problems reaching their next of kin. Others, like Fred, are still here because their families are still residing in the castle. The majority were removed in the last couple of days. Why do you ask?”

“I want to pay my respects,” Harry simply said, not wanting to admit that he would probably apologise to each person as well. He could feel Bill’s eyes on him, scrutinising him as though he was deciding whether to tell Harry which room the bodies had been moved to.

“They were moved to the chamber that is at the back of the Great Hall,” Bill finally told him as though he had decided it would be fine for him to know. “You know the one the Triwizard Champions gathered in with their families on the morning of the third task.”

“I remember.”

And he did remember it as it was the day that Voldemort had regained his body. It was essentially the official start of the second wizarding war. It had been nearly three years since that day and now, here they were having finally defeated the Dark wizard. It had come at a cost, though, and Harry felt he needed to honour those who had been lost while he had worked towards the final showdown with Voldemort.

As the two wizards re-entered the castle, Harry noticed that there were now more people milling around. No one paid attention to them as they walked into the Great Hall, which intrigued Harry, but he chose not to question it for the moment.

“I am going to head back up to the tower,” Bill said, pausing Harry in his tracks. “I am going to let Ginny and Mum know where you are, so that they don’t panic. Just… just don’t spend too long in there.”

Bill didn’t wait for a response as he turned and left the Great Hall, leaving Harry to wonder why Bill would ask him not to spend too long in a room full of dead bodies. If the older wizard was worried that he would drown in the guilt he felt for the lives that had been lost, well, he was barely keeping his head above water right now at it was. Two minutes or two hours in that room would not make a difference to how he was feeling.

Pushing those thoughts aside, knowing they would be of no help to him, Harry walked through the Great Hall and into the chamber. He immediately saw several bodies laid out on the floor, all of which looked as though the people could have just been sleeping. There were certainly far fewer than there had been when he had seen them laid out in the Great Hall during the lull in the battle.

Stepping further into the chamber, he let his eyes sweep the room to see if anyone he personally knew was there. His eyes came to a rest on the only other living person in the room – an older woman knelt on the floor, holding something he couldn’t make out, right in front of the bodies of Remus Lupin and Nymphadora Tonks. He realised that it was Andromeda Tonks, whom he had met the previous summer on his escape from Privet Drive. That meant, therefore, that in her arms was his godson, Teddy.

Harry tried to step backwards, not wanting to disturb Mrs Tonks at this time, but his footsteps echoed around the chamber, causing her to turn her head towards him.

“Harry, you startled me,” she gasped in surprise.

“I’m sorry,” he replied, noticing the tears streaming down her face. “I can come back later.”

“No, please stay,” she pleaded. “It may not be the best circumstances, but I would really like it if I could introduce you to your godson.”

Harry remained where he was for the moment, feeling torn over what to do. He had wanted to come and pay his respects to anyone whose body had yet to be claimed, but now he was faced with something he had not expected. Seeing his godson, asleep in the arms of his grandmother, who was kneeling in front of her grandson’s dead parents was a sharp reminder of everything he and Teddy had lost and the bright spot that this child represented in amongst all of the losses. He couldn’t walk out of the chamber now without coming across as rude and he knew he wanted to have a good relationship with Mrs Tonks, especially if he was to be heavily involved in the life of little Teddy.

“I’m sorry for your losses, Mrs Tonks,” Harry said once he had walked over to the woman and knelt down next to her. “I am also sorry I wasn’t…”

“It was not your fault, Harry,” she told him firmly. “Remus was always going to be there fighting alongside you. As for Tonks, it didn’t matter how much I pleaded with her or reminded her that she was now a mother, the Auror inside her needed to be here. They played their parts and lost their lives in the process. I hope you will help me to teach Teddy, when he is old enough, that his parents fought so that he could grow up in a peaceful world.”

“I would love that very much, Mrs Tonks,” he told her as he looked down to look at the child in her arms. “I want him to have what I never had growing up.”

“If we are going to provide that for him, then we can start with you calling me Andromeda or Andy,” she told him as she carefully stood back up, “whichever one you are most comfortable with. Now, would you like to properly meet your godson?”

Harry nodded as he stood and followed Andy out of the chamber, back into the Great Hall. It didn’t occur to him that she had purposefully distracted him to stop him from wallowing in his guilt. He was already fascinated by the bundle in her arms for whom he would, with some help, be personally responsible for.

“Take a seat here, Harry,” Andy directed him. “Now, when holding a baby that is Teddy’s age, it is important for you to support their head as they are not currently able to hold it up themselves.”

Harry held out his arms, following every instruction the older witch gave him as she placed his godson into his arms. He felt Andy step away slightly once he felt comfortable and secure holding Teddy, allowing him space to spend time with the baby without feeling smothered.

As he looked down at the child, Harry couldn’t help but immediately fall in love with the child he had been given the honour of being godfather too. He knew, deep in his heart, that he would do anything and everything to make sure Teddy had a good and happy life, a life that Harry had been denied as a child.

“You’re a very special boy, Teddy,” Harry whispered to the baby as Teddy slowly opened his eyes. Harry watched in awe as Teddy’s hair colour slowly began to shift from sandy blonde to black, reminding him of how Teddy was a Metamorphmagus like his mother. “Somehow, I think you are going to cause me and your grandmother lots of trouble as you grow up.”

Harry gently raised his arms up to allow him to kiss Teddy gently on his forehead.

“It isn’t fair that your mum and dad died when you were only born a few weeks ago,” Harry softly said as tears began to slowly run down his face. “I’m an orphan, just like you are, and I am going to make sure you never feel alone and always feel loved. You have your grandmother, and you will have me there, too. I’m not going to let anything happen to you, Teddy.”

Harry let his tears flow freely, for once not caring what anyone thought, as he grieved for the two boys who had been made orphans, all because of a madman who wanted power and control.