Because You Love Me

100. New Beginnings

Shouts of joy rang throughout Dumbledore's office. Fred and George were so happy to see Ginny alive, that they both cried. They had waited there the entire duration of the battle. Dumbledore's office was a mess when they all got back, but it didn't take long to clean up. The twins' only explanation was that they simply got bored. Arthur and Molly hadn't stopped hugging their daughter since they got back to Hogwarts. They dared her to leave their sides until they got back home.

Sirius and Lupin finally got the chance to speak to Harry too. They both expressed how glad they were to see him alive and gave him bear hugs to prove it.

"I thought we'd lost you," Lupin admitted. "You scared us there for a while."

Sirius grinned. "Voldemort, keep Harry down? Nah. Not a chance."

Harry laughed. "It was touch and go for a minute there."

He rubbed the top of Harry's head. "I'm so proud of you, Harry. You were really brave to save your mother like that. Lily and James would be proud of you too."

He smiled. He liked the sound of that. "What are they going to do with Voldemort's body?" He didn't know where the question had come from. It was just something that he wanted to know. No, something he needed to know.

Lupin frowned at him. That was an unusual question. "They'll bury him like they would anyone."

"I'm sorry. I meant to ask where they would be burying him," Harry corrected himself.

Sirius shrugged. "Probably in the family cemetery, I'd wager."

Lupin nodded in agreement. "That would make the most sense. Why do you ask, Harry?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "I just wanted to know where he was going to be." That was reasonable, wasn't it? "Just in case."

Sirius and Lupin glanced at one another. Sirius squatted down so his eyes would be level with Harry's. "You don't have to worry, Harry. No one is going to bring him back. They can't. Is that what you're worried about?"

"No," he said uncertainly. "I just- I need to know. It will help me sleep better at night."

Sirius nodded and he and Lupin departed.

"What was that all about?" Ron asked as he walked up to Harry. "I only just got away from Mum and Dad. They're smothering Ginny to death."

Harry grinned. He glanced over at her. She was glued to her mother's side. "Can you blame them? She's been dead for a year, Ron."

He frowned. "I know. Don't you think that it's weird that she grew?"

"Time caught up with her. Just like it did Voldemort."

"I'm just glad she's back."

"Me too."

Ron grinned.

"Where's Hermione?" Harry asked.

Ron pointed over to Dumbledore's desk. Hermione was sitting in a chair next to him, and they both had books cracked open in front of them. Harry raised an eyebrow curiously.

"What are they doing?"

Ron shrugged. "I'm not really sure. Dumbledore grabbed some off the shelf as soon as he came in, muttering to himself."

Suddenly, an epiphany hit Harry. "Oh! Never mind. I know what he's doing. I asked him how Ginny was able to come back to life. He's probably looking that up."

"Probably. You know, Harry. I wondered that myself. Don't get me wrong. It's great to have my sister back, but it's a little creepy."

He grinned. "I know exactly what you mean."