"YOU MORON!"
Susan was sobbing when she ran toward Harry, hurling insults and colorful swears with every step she took. She had her arms around Harry even while she called him every name in any book invented.
The others crept closer to Harry as well and Harry met Fred's eyes over Susan's head.
Fred wasn't crying, but Harry figured he would be soon.
Luna was smiling through her tears and reached beneath Susan's arm to touch Harry's hand.
"I knew you'd be here," Luna said. She looked beautiful in her pink dress, but broken by the loss of Draco. There was a light in her eyes that was missing and Harry could hardly stand to look at her. Luna's pain has always been Harry's and he couldn't carry her pain then.
Neville had his arm around Ron's shoulders and Blaise winked cheekily at Harry. They were all dressed up for the wedding Harry didn't realize was even happening. Ron smiled weakly, but he seemed as miserable as Luna.
Theo hung back some and had Rosie in his arms. Their eyes met and Theo tilted his head to the side in a silent question.
Did you get them?
Harry nodded.
All but one.
Theo raised a brow.
Are you doing it now?
Harry shook his head.
Tomorrow.
Harry didn't actually realize that he'd be crashing a wedding when he made it to the castle. And… And Harry wouldn't hate one more night with his friends.
"Sleepover tonight?" Harry asked them all once Susan released him.
One last night before everything ended the next day. The war, Timmy's life… Harry would have Sev kill him the next morning and if they did it right, Timmy would be gone by nightfall.
Harry wished he could tell Timmy that he was down to twenty-four hours, but he couldn't risk opening the link between them. Every single trick Harry had used or would use needed to be kept silent until Timmy was gone.
No need to give him a chance to make more horcruxes.
"I'll get our dorm cleared out," Theo offered when the others agreed to sleeping togetywr that night. Theo passed Rosie to Harry before leaving the reception that Harry crashed.
Harry waited for everyone to confirm that they'd meet in the old dorm after the wedding before he turned to Fred and forced a grin.
"Fancy a walk?" he asked.
"Alright then."
Harry accepted a few half-hugs and pats on the back before he bundled Rosie up in his arms and left the hall with Fred.
They didn't go outside, not with all the hippogriffs and acromantula roaming freely on the grounds. Harry had nearly been attacked by one before Hagrid recognized him and cleared a path to the castle for him.
Instead, they just started walking the empty and quiet corridors with no real destination in mind.
"You've grown, baby girl," Harry murmured to Rosie. She looked more like Hermione with her dark complexion by her soft brown curls were all Theo.
"Tell Uncle Harry that people tend to grow in three months," Fred said. He shrugged when Harry shot him a look. "I'm just saying."
"You're mad," Harry guessed. "I'm not going to apologize. I… there were things I needed to do."
Fred sighed and nodded. He looked handsome in his dress robes with his red hair trimmed and brushed neatly. He also looked weary though and Harry wondered if it was from the war or Harry's disappearance.
"I know," Fred said. He wrapped his arm around Harry's waist and they walked side-by-side. "I missed you."
"I missed you too," Harry said. Rosie laid her head on Harry's shoulder and part of Harry wished that moment could last forever.
"It's time now, right?" Fred asked. He kept his face aimed forward but his voice was choked.
Harry knew what he was asking and Harry wasn't going to lie to him. Harry gave Fred all the facts before they got married. There were things Harry couldn't tell Fred, couldn't tell anyone, but Harry had no reason to lie to him then.
"In the morning," Harry told him. It was odd how numb Harry felt about the whole thing. He thought he'd be… not scared, but maybe nervous?
Numb was better though, numb wouldn't keep Harry from doing what had to be done.
Fred made a pained sound and his arm tightened on Harry's waist. They had walked up the back staircase and when Fred stopped, Harry could see the quidditch pitch out window.
Then Fred was looking down at Harry and all Harry could see were his miserable blue eyes.
"I'm not ready," Fred croaked. He wasn't crying, but Harry knew he would be soon.
Fred was one of very few people that didn't irritate Harry when he cried. It was probably only because Harry knew how much Fred tried to not cry around Harry.
"Would you be ready in a year?" Harry asked him. "Two years?"
When Fred couldn't answer, Harry swung his free hand out to brush it down his arm.
"It's not gonna suck any less if we wait," Harry told him. Rosie made a soft sound and Harry kissed the top of her head and just breathed in the uniquely Rosie scent of her.
"Tell me what all I missed," Harry told Fred. When Fred pulled a face, Harry shrugged. "No use talking about what's going to happen. I just… I just wanna hear what I missed, yeah?"
There was no use in talking about what already happened either, but it was the better of the two choices.
Harry wouldn't beg for Fred to drop it and Fred didn't make him. They walked through the castle for a while as Fred told Harry about the things he'd missed.
Apparently Luna was barely speaking to anyone, but she had told Fred that morning that Harry would return. Ron wasn't sleeping, he was running himself ragged trying to take care of everyone else. Blaise was apparently hiding his grief in intense and constant dueling sessions while Neville had withdrawn from the others.
"Everyone's falling apart, darlin," Fred said. They were back outside the hall where the wedding reception was being held. Harry leaned against the wall with Rosie in his arms and studied her sweet and dainty face while he thought about it all.
"It'll get better," Harry said without really believing it. The war would end, but the gang would still be hurt and in little pieces.
Harry couldn't put them back together, he doubted if he could even be put back together.
None of it would be his problem in about twelve hours though. Sev wasn't happy about it, but he said he'd meet Harry in the morning. Which meant Harry had one more night of worries, one more night with his gang… then it would be over.
"Will you come dance with me?" Fred asked abruptly. He grinned a little smile that didn't meet his eyes at all when Harry looked up at him.
"Seems like it might be my last chance to dance with my husband," Fred said with a forced air of lightness to his tone. He held a hand out for Harry to take. "Come on, we'll pass Rosie over to Mum for a while."
Harry let himself be led back in to the hall that was filled with dancing couples and laughter. It was warm and cozy… Harry felt entirely detached from it all.
He was stained by his choices and marked for death. He didn't belong with the people who were able to find peace and contentment in Fleur and Bill's wedding.
They were happy for the moment and Harry was so damned cold that he doubted if he'd ever feel warmth again.
Fred led Harry around the crowd in the middle of the hall and kept Harry mostly blocked from view until they reached the front of the hall where part of Fred's family stood with Sirius and Remus.
Sirius' face lit up as soon as he saw Harry and Fred barely saved Rosie before Sirius had Harry wrapped up in a tight hug. Harry really hated being hugged, but he didn't have a knife on him to warn people away with.
And their last memories being Harry stabbing them wasn't exactly how Harry planned on being remembered.
"Merlin, Pup, where the hell have you been?" Sirius breathed in Harry's ear. "It's been mayhem without you."
Harry grinned bitterly as he wiggled from Sirius' grip.
"It'd be worse mayhem if I were here, wouldn't it?" Harry said. He nodded at Molly Weasley and then sent a curious look at Percy. Percy looked incredibly uncomfortable in the little group setting.
Harry wondered if he remembered the last dance held at Hogwarts when Harry broke his nose.
"Bill invited him?" Harry asked Fred, pretending Percy couldn't hear his purposefully rude question.
Fred grinned and passed Rosie over to his mother who immediately started smiling and cooing at Harry's goddaughter.
"Sirius did, actually," Fred said conversationally. "Supposedly Percy played double agent."
"He saved a lot of lives," Remus said, as if Harry cared.
"He's still a prat," Harry argued.
"Yeah but if we didn't let prats help save lives then you and I wouldn't be here," Sirius winked.
Percy cleared his throat and adjusted his wire-rimmed glasses in what seemed to be the most awkward movement Harry had ever seen.
"I'm sorry," Percy said, directly to Harry. He held his hand out between them. "I heard you're my brother in law now, I'd like a chance to be a better brother."
Harry raised a highly unimpressed brow at Percy's proffered hand.
"You sure you wanna shake my hand, Perky? I do put my cock in my husband's arse, on occasion."
Sirius positively howled with laughter - even Remus grinned widely - while Fred's arm tightened on Harry's waist. Molly seemed like she was going to pretend she couldn't hear Harry, though he did see a tiny grin tugging at the corner of her lips.
Percy winced, but kept his hand stubbornly aimed at Harry.
"Fine." Harry grabbed his hand tightly - probably too tightly - and took the opportunity to pull Percy closer to taunt him just a little more with his mouth right by his ear. "I also put him in my mouth, and he loves it."
Percy was red faced when he pulled away from Harry, but Harry just gave Fred a bright and innocent smile.
"Come dance with me?" he asked, in a mildly better mood.
Hitting Percy for all the times he hurt Fred's feelings would feel better, but it seemed as if the Weasley family was fully prepared to accept Percy back in the fold.
Harry didn't care how many lives Percy saved, Harry still hated him.
Fred was quiet while they danced together for a slow song. Harry laid his head on Fred's chest and wondered if they were both thinking of the Yule Ball.
"I don't know how to live without you," Fred whispered while they turned and swayed together. "I've been in love with you for so long…"
Harry hummed and saw Fred's mum with Rosie, Bill dancing with Fleur with smiles on their faces. George was being pushed around by Lee Jordan and Lee's little sister with the beads in her hair. Ron was sitting at a table with Daphne Greengrass, his sister Ginny, and Neville. Percy was still talking with Remus and one of the women from Remus' pack. Charlie was swinging Susan and Luna around as he tried to dance with them both, causing all three of them to laugh.
"You've got a family that'll need you," Harry told Fred. Fred wouldn't be alone, not even for a minute. If the Weasley family folded Percy back in without a second thought, they'd never let Fred be alone.
"You have a family too," Fred said quietly.
Harry looked at Luna and Susan in their matching dresses. He saw Blaise dancing with Sky. Ron and Neville were sitting together. Sirius was dancing with Trelawney. Theo was off to the side of the room, his eyes continuously roaming to where Molly held Rosie even while he talked to a set of twin girls that Harry vaguely recognized.
And Sev…
It took Harry a moment to find him, but he was standing beside a table of drinks. As soon as Harry found him, Sev's eyes locked on Harry's. There was more pain in Sev's eyes than Harry had ever seen before.
"They'll be fine too," Harry said without looking away from Sev.
Harry was the one that put that pain in Sev's eyes and there was nothing either of them could do to minimize it.
It was too late to question their course… if Harry only had the one night left, he wasn't even going to waste time trying.
Just before midnight, when Harry was down to eight hours, everyone met up in the Slytherin dorm.
In their dorm, sitting in a circle on the floor, it was almost like old times when they made their plans and plots. If it weren't for the gaps where Draco and Hermione should have sat, Harry could convince himself they were thirteen and discussing boggarts again.
Except that Harry had been whole and felt everything so sharply that it had been agony.
And all Harry felt then was numb.
Numb and done.
Fred had left them with a couple bottles of firewhisky before he took Rosie to leave her with Molly. Harry had almost cried when he kissed Rosie's forehead goodbye.
Rosie was the one good thing in the entire damned world. There wasn't anything Harry wouldn't do for his goddaughter.
Harry did everything for her.
Harry held his cup up when Susan finished pouring them all a drink.
"To Draco," he said solemnly. It didn't feel real that Draco was gone. Draco had always been there, right from the beginning.
"To Trent," Blaise added.
"To Hermione," Theo murmured.
Susan looked directly at Harry when she lifted her cup.
"To Harry," she said quietly.
Everyone threw back their drinks, but Harry heard Theo make a nearly imperceptible sigh before he did.
The liquor burned Harry's throat and gave him the nerve he needed to have one last frank conversation with the others.
"I need to tell you all something and I don't want anyone to cry while I do it," Harry said warningly. He looked around and waited until everyone agreed before he started his story.
"All the horcruxes except one are gone," Harry said. "And tomorrow morning the last one will be gone too…"
Everyone stayed quiet while Harry explained that he'd destroyed the cup and Ron destroyed the tiara. Most of them knew that Harry had the last horcrux in him; Harry still said it anyway.
"In the morning Sev is going to cast the killing curse at me," Harry said, remaining cold and factual. The first bottle of firewhisky was gone and Harry held his cup out for a refill from Blaise.
"Once he's killed me, you lot need to help Susan," Harry said. "She's going to kill the Minister."
No one said anything and then Neville let out a hysterical laugh. Harry wondered if he'd actually snapped and lost his mind and then Ron giggled. After Ron it was Blaise and Luna, then Theo joined in.
Harry and Susan shared an incredulous look while their friends were all giggling like lunatics.
"What the fuck is so funny?" Harry demanded loudly over the sound of laughter. He scowled at Theo, who he expected a little more loyalty from than the others. "Hello?"
"Nothing is funny!" Theo cried. He threw his hands up helplessly while he continued snickering. "It's mental, Harry! We- we have to bury Draco but not until after you have Severus kill you. Oh! And of course that's after Susan kills the most politically powerful figure in our world."
"A triple funeral," Ron wheezed. He had tears streaming from his eyes and one of his hands was clutching Luna's tightly. "If Harry's dead, who does the eulogy?"
"I will!" Blaise swayed on his feet when he jumped up to stand. He held his drink out and cleared his throat importantly.
"We're gathered here today to remember our friends, Harry and Draco."
"And our most annoying enemy, Tommy," Susan giggled. She was stretched out with her head on Harry's lap and smirked at him when Harry glanced down at her. "Triple funeral, Harry. You apparently won't be here for it."
They better have been joking because of the alcohol and weren't truly planning on burying Harry, Draco, and Timmy at the same time. Harry sent a quick look toward Theo who nodded even while he watched Blaise with a silly grin on his face.
"And who could forget the Dark Lord with the most appalling taste in followers?" Blaise said. "If Draco were here, he would give us all a ten point critique of Tom's wardrobe, his followers, and then find a way to mention how much better his own taste is."
Luna sniffled and Ron squeezed her hand.
"Harry wouldn't care about his terrible aesthetic choices though," Blaise went on. "Harry would merely laugh that he didn't manage to last a year as Minister."
"Hear, hear," Neville cheered.
"Draco would be thrilled to share a funeral with Harry. Despite Harry's choice in sweaters and spouses, Draco was very supportive of all of Harry's mad choices."
"Like trying to bring a King Cobra in our dorm," Theo muttered.
"However, the joke's on you, darling Draco." Blaise raised his cup, prompting the others to do the same. "You're stuck with Harry now. To Draco, Harry, and good old Tom."
Everyone raised their cups and then Tom another drink.
Luna met Harry's eyes and there was a sort of pitying sadness in her eyes.
Harry assumed it meant Luna knew what Harry had known for months, Harry would never see Draco again.
Harry dressed in a mixture of Theo and Fred's clothes the next morning. Theo's trousers, Fred's most recent Weasley sweater. Harry took his time brushing his teeth, combing his hair.
When Harry looked in the mirror he wondered why he didn't look any different than usual. He looked tired, a bit pale, but his eyes were still green and he still carried all the scars he'd earned through his life.
Everything on the outside looked the same while Harry was so irreparably different on the inside.
Harry woke Theo up first and Theo didn't have any words of wisdom or confidence for Harry. As confident as Theo had been, he was shaking that morning. Next was Fred, who cried silently while he got dressed. Susan was already dressed and made a half-hearted comment that maybe they should eat breakfast first that went ignored.
Not that a healthy meal really mattered at that point.
Harry wanted to wake Luna up, he just wanted her with him, but he left her sleeping on the little nest she made between Ron and Blaise. It would make Harry feel better to have Luna there, but Luna had been through enough.
It was a final act of kindness to leave her behind in Harry's last mission for the war.
Sev was waiting for Harry at the gates to the castle. His face was pale and Harry pretended to not notice the red rims around his eyes.
There was nothing Harry could say to make it easier on him so Harry didn't try.
Sev looked at Susan, Theo, and Fred and said nothing about their presence. Not that he really could, considering he had Tonks with him. Tonks gave Harry a sad smile and he hoped she remembered her promise to keep Sev going when it was all over.
"Where would you like to go?" Sev asked Harry quietly.
Harry already knew where it would end at, the same place it started.
"Godric's Hollow."
The six of them stood outside the cottage that Harry had rebuilt for a moment. Sev was squeezing Tonks' hand almost as tightly as Fred was squeezing Harry's.
"Try not to blow this place up," Harry said lightly. "It was a pain in the arse to rebuild and I'm leaving it to Susan."
Susan huffed and blew a wisp of her hair up in the air before it landed right back on her forehead.
"Yeah, I really want to live in the house where you died," Susan said scathingly. She could act as pissy as she wanted, Harry heard how her voice shook.
"Quiet," Sev said sternly. He closed his eyes while he inhaled deeply and then exhaled before looking over at Harry.
"Harry, are you certain?" he asked gravely. "We could—"
"Don't pretend we have choices now," Harry said shortly. It wasn't the time for lies and evasions, it was time to just do what they'd known needed done for months. "Let's just get this over with so Susan can go kill the Minister."
Harry appreciated the way that the others didn't cry or even sniffle while they followed him through the house. It was probably morbid, but Harry went back up to what had once been his room. Stevie wasn't there, but Harry's belongings still were.
Just outside the bedroom, Harry gave his goodbyes to the others. None of them needed to watch, it was bad enough that Sev would have to remember it.
"Don't let him drown," Harry whispered when he made himself hug Tonks. Tonks held on to Harry tightly and Harry could feel her shoulders shaking.
"I won't," she breathed. "You're so brave."
Harry wasn't. He was a coward.
But it was nice of her to say.
Theo pulled Harry in for a hug next and they had a rapid-fire conversation in muted whispers.
"Don't be afraid," Theo said.
"Take care of Rosie," Harry said.
"You're a good brother."
"You're the best brother I could've asked for."
"I'll see you soon."
"So you keep saying."
Susan was openly sobbing when Harry turned to her next. He pulled her toward him and she practically fell in his arms and clung to him while she cried her heart out.
"Kill him as soon as this is done," Harry told her. "Don't wait, don't give him a chance to get away or make more. Take the sword from my box and drive it through his head."
"I - I can't," Susan whimpered. "Harry, please, I can't."
Harry grabbed Susan's shoulders and pushed her away so he could grip her tightly and stare in her teal eyes.
"You have to," Harry said intently. If Susan didn't kill Timmy then what was the point of it all? "You have to fuckin' do it for Draco and Trent and Amelia."
Susan let out another sob and shook her head before hugging Harry once more.
"For you," she said. "I can do it for you."
Harry stroked one hand through Susan's hair and closed his eyes.
"Do it for me then," he said. "I love you, Sue."
"I love you with my whole heart, Harry James."
Harry focused the cold numbness inside his chest when Theo took Susan so Harry could face Fred.
Fred put his left hand on Harry's face and Harry could feel the ring on his cheek.
"I'm going to miss you every day for the rest of my life," Fred said in a thick whisper. "You're the love of my life."
"That's really fuckin' unlucky," Harry said.
It was unlucky. Harry never should have let Fred marry him. If Harry was a better person, he would have ended it as soon as he found out about the horcrux inside him.
Harry wasn't that good of a person though. Fred had offered Harry everything he once dreamt of having and Harry took it without worrying about the pain it would bring Fred.
"I do love you," Harry said to him. Harry did. There was a time when Harry didn't know how to accept love, nevermind giving it, but Harry knew he loved Fred.
It wouldn't feel like being punched in the stomach otherwise.
"I know." Fred smiled sadly and ducked his head to press a soft kiss to Harry's lips. "I'll see you again one day."
Only if Theo was right and Harry was wrong.
Harry didn't often - ever - hope he was wrong, but he did then.
Everyone stepped back to give Harry and Sev space. Theo and Susan held each other while Tonks kept Fred on his feet.
Harry wished he had some witty or deep words to say to them. He wished he could find a way to make them stop crying, but he couldn't.
Everything Harry needed to say was written down in letters inside his box. Susan knew they were there, so did Tonks, one of them would be able to hand them out.
"Are you ready?" Sev asked Harry.
Harry sent one last look at his husband, his best friend, and his brother before turning his back to them and nodding at the only father Harry ever really knew.
"Yeah," he lied.
Harry flicked his fingers absently when the door closed behind him. Nobody needed to hear the curse Sev would cast or the sound of Harry's body hitting the floor.
Sev had his wand drawn, but he didn't look inclined to use it. He just watched Harry as Harry flexed his hands in fists at his sides.
"Harry…"
"You promised," Harry reminded him. "Sev, you promised."
"Your godfather will be unhappy if you do not tell him goodbye."
Harry very nearly grinned at Sev's obvious attempt to stall the inevitable.
"I wrote him a letter," Harry said. "And you don't really care if he's unhappy."
Sev held his left hand out and tapped one of his fingers with his wand. Harry watched as a thick black band appeared on his fourth finger.
"Nymphadora and I were married the day before yesterday," Sev said quietly. "Unfortunately, it means I will be stuck listening to Black complain for the rest of our lives if you do not return and tell him goodbye."
Harry looked from the ring to Sev's perfectly serious face. Harry wanted to be indignant, irritated, bitter that Harry had been finding horcruxes while Sev went and got married.
"That's brill," Harry said instead. Harry wasn't going to ruin their last conversation by fighting.
It was probably what Sev was hoping for anyway. If Harry got pissed (why the hell would Sev get married without Harry there?!) then Sev could delay the inevitable.
"Then your cousin has a letter from me," Harry told Sev. He backed up a few steps and held his arms at his side. "You promised. Do it or I'll call the Minster and you'll have to do it anyway."
Sev's face twisted up in what most people would probably think was a grimace. Not Harry. Harry spent enough time around the man to recognize the pain in every line of his face.
"Harry, I cannot," Sev whispered brokenly. "You cannot expect this of me."
Harry looked up at him, the one person in his life that he knew would be there through everything.
He was there when Harry was just a nasty kid living on the streets.
He was there when Harry had been expelled and needed a guardian.
He was there when Harry struggled with his mental health and couldn't accept help.
He had been there through the Triwizard Tournament and fought by his side against Timmy in the graveyard.
He stayed by his side when Harry killed Umbridge and when he was possessed by Timmy and broke in the aftermath.
He didn't waver when Harry had been framed for murder and when he lost Trent.
He was there when Harry killed Dumbledore and finally settled the score between them.
And he was there then. With his wand in Harry's face and tears streaming freely down his cheeks.
But he didn't want to do it.
And it was cruel, possibly one of the cruelest things Harry had ever done, but Harry needed him to cast the spell.
Harry gave Sev a trembling smile, the last wisps of his courage letting him give him a last smile to remember.
"Dad, please... you promised."
Sev's wand drooped for a moment, as a sob wrenched free from his throat. "I love you," he said.
Harry wanted to close his eyes, block the moment out, as he tended to do when things were too overwhelming, but it was his last gift to the fucking saint of a man to see him go with his eyes wide open and his head held high.
"I love you too."
Harry saw his lips move, but he couldn't hear the curse Sev murmured over the sound of death rushing towards him in a flash of green light.
There were no flashes of Harry's life - he didn't see the day he met Susan or his first kiss with Fred. Harry didn't see the day Sev made him his heir or all the times Luna nursed Harry through his illnesses.
Harry didn't see his goddaughter or a sky blurring beneath him while he flew his broomstick.
There was a rush of green light and then there was nothing.