Resurrection (A Harry Potter, After the War Fanfiction)

May 7, 1998

5 days have passed since the Battle of Hogwarts was completed.

3 days ago, Harry made the decision to use the Resurrection Stone as a tool to provide closure for all those that lost their friends, family members, teachers, and significant others.

The day after letting Dennis say his goodbyes to Colin, Harry opened the room up to the friends and families of the Fallen Fifty.

He could hardly bear being in the room where it happened. Replenishing the tissue box every other group, waiting outside for privacy so that friends could laugh together just once more, silently learning the names of students who he had not bothered to learn during school; it was all exhausting.

50 goodbyes. 50 brave students and adults that Harry could not save.

It was understandably overwhelming for a boy of just seventeen to deal with.

That is how the Boy Who Lived found himself outside of the Hog's Head Inn late on the night of May 7. He wasn't looking for a drink, he was just looking for an escape from the castle.

Silence was what greeted Harry the second he stepped into the Hog's Head. It was oddly comforting, being one of only two people in the dingy pub. The other person had his back to Harry. Aberforth did not seem to notice the ringing of the bell above the door signaling Harry's arrival. He was simply staring off into space. Harry couldn't blame him.

Harry walked slowly toward Aberforth, not wanting to startle the older man. Harry tapped him on the shoulder, and the next instant found himself pinned against the bar counter. Aberforth's eyes were wild, hair unkempt, dirt pooling in the deep lines on his face; he was certainly looking worse for wear. Aberforth cleared his throat and took a few steps back.

"I'm sorry, Potter", Aberforth breathed out barely above a whisper. "You know how it is, not knowing who's coming up behind you. Not knowing..." the old man trailed off.

"No apologies necessary, sir". Harry understood what the old man was trying to say. Harry could hardly go anywhere on his own since the battle, but he almost always found Ron or Hermione or Ginny at his side anyways, and that helped take the edge off.

Aberforth smiled briefly, then sat down heavily on the barstool adjacent to Harry's. He leaned over the bar and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of what looked like ancient Firewhiskey. Aberforth silently poured a little in each glass and handed one to Harry.

"To...surviving" Aberforth toasted. Harry thought it was an appropriate toast since he felt there wasn't much to celebrate, even though the rest of the Wizarding World was overjoyed at the fall of Voldemort.

Harry savored the burn of the Firewhiskey in his throat. It temporarily brought him to a place that wasn't the broken castle or the dingy pub. He sat his glass down and stood up from his chair.

"Take a walk with me, sir". He implored to Aberforth. The old man looked at him questioningly, sipped down the rest of his drink, and followed Harry out of the pub.

The walk back to the castle was a quiet one, with only a brief stop at the entrance to verify their identities with whoever was on guard. After all, Voldemort was gone, but the world was still on edge and followed the maxim "Better safe than sorry".

Harry led Aberforth to the same classroom off of the Great Hall as he had done with too many families and friends already. He motioned for the old man to sit at the desk, and silently handed him the stone.

"I think you know what to do with this."

Aberforth nodded slowly and turned the stone thrice in hand. Harry took a few steps back to witness the appearance of the shimmering forms of Ariana and Albus Dumbledore.

Aberforth stood up rather abruptly. For a second, it felt as if all of the air had been sucked out of the classroom. Neither the semi-solid apparitions nor Aberforth made a move until finally Ariana smiled and beckoned him forward. Harry had never seen Aberforth move so quickly towards his younger sister's embrace. Albus's arms snaked around his two siblings' shoulders.

The siblings had finally been reunited, and while it was not under excellent circumstances, Harry knew that even if the two resurrected individuals chose not to speak, this meeting was enough to keep Aberforth going for a few more decades. At this rate, Aberforth would grow to be older than Albus.

The siblings broke apart, and with one last smile, Ariana Dumbledore faded away.

Dumbledore beckoned Harry forward. Harry was not expecting to speak to his former Headmaster, so he came forward hesitantly. The headmaster smiled before he began to speak.

"Harry, you've done so well." Harry cringed slightly at this part because, being the selfless boy that he was, he felt like he could have done more, could have saved more people. Nevertheless, his Headmaster continued.

"I put so much pressure on you from the beginning. I made you grow up too fast. I forced you into a fate that you had no input in deciding."

Harry was rather shocked at his Headmaster's apologies, but could not find the words to respond. He simply nodded and tried not to let the tears escape his eyes. Dumbledore shot him one last smile before turning to his brother.

"Aberforth" was all Albus said. The image of him was starting to fade, and there was not enough time for more words; however, the look that Albus gave Aberforth as he left this world for the last time was one of apology, forgiveness, and pure love.

Aberforth wiped at his eyes with the dirty sleeve of his robe, and whispered silently into the room that was now devoid of his siblings,

"I forgive you, Albus". 

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Hello to my readers (even though there are only a few of you)! 

I know it has been a long time since this story was updated, but I didn't really have the time or the motivation to write. Now, I'm trying to finish this story. It won't be too much longer, but I still have a few more goodbyes that I would like to write. 

I don't feel like this chapter was my best, but I haven't written in a while so I'm looking forward to growing in my fictional writing skills as I finish this work. 

As always, please leave any feedback, questions, or comments that you have about this chapter! I would love to read it all (positive and negative). 

Thanks to those that have stuck by this story since it was first published. 

xoxo, Miranda