HPNSA - BOOK ONE

CHAPTER TWENTY FOUR
IN MEMORIAM


“Ron!” Harry cried. But Ron was nowhere near the veil. “Where’s Ron?”

Sirius looked at him. “He’s not here, Harry.”

“But I heard him,” Harry said. “He’s somewhere there…”

“He’s close by.” Dumbledore said.

“Close by,” Harry then realized Sirius was not the only dead person around. “Are we all dead? Professor Dumbledore, did you die? Is Ron dead?”

“I will cross they veil if you do.” Dumbledore said. “Do you want to cross the veil, Harry?”

“Come Harry, there is peace here.” Sirius said.

“Wait, what happened?” Harry said he was now getting anxious. “Why are you forcing me to cross the veil?”

Then a woman appeared from the veil and stood beside Sirius. “Hello Harry.”

“Harry this is Ji, the Keeper of the Dead.” Sirius said.

“Are you going to force me to cross the veil as well?” Harry said sarcastically. He hated secrets and riddles – always has. He was steadily growing impatient with them.

“Do you want to cross the veil?” Ji said.

Harry shook his head, “No!” Harry looked around him: there was something not right about this setup he thought. “No. I promised Ron I’d stay alive. I fought so hard to do it, even when the pain was more than I could handle I knew I should continue because Ron is coming for me. Ron is not there,” Harry said pointing to those standing far away continuously waving at him. “That means he’s back with the living, waiting for me.”

“Harry I saw how you much you suffered. That is why I feel you need to cross over and leave that world behind.” Sirius said.

“I did suffer. But that is not Ron’s fault. I suffered because there is evil in the world and they must pay. And they will but if I cross the veil now they won’t. But those who love me, Ron especially he will suffer. My death will only cause nothing but misery and pain.” Harry said. “Ron gave up so much and did so much for me. I do not wish to burden him with my death.”

“You really love him that much?” Sirius said.

“More than I can put into words. I do not wish to cross the veil.” Harry shook his head, “Not yet. Not without Ron.”

Ji smiled back at him. Then she looked at Dumbledore and said, “It seems you have parleyed yourself yet again, Albus.” The she looked at Harry and said, “I envy you, Nymphrodite, and all those who came before you, envy you as well. To have such a love between you and your Defender…There are few that can say the same.”

“Then you will send me back?” Harry said smiling.

“The parley has been made, and the contract has been sealed, there is no other choice left. You shall return…”

Harry found it confusing with Ji mentioning a parley that took place with a contract that was sealed. Did Ron do something? He feared that Ron might have done something to himself to rescue him again from the clutches of death.

“What do you mean?” Harry said. “What contract? Who made the parley?”

But the veil stopped moving. Sirius and Ji disappeared and Harry found himself alone. Dumbledore was not with him anymore. And as he turned around he found himself inside a dark tunnel. Harry got scared and started running, searching for the exit. “Professor Dumbledore! Sirius! Where are you?”

It seems that he has been running for ages but everywhere he turned it was darkness. Harry was now beginning to panic. Then he heard Dumbledore’s voice all around him coming from every direction, “You are going back, Harry. I shall meet you there.”

“Professor Dumbledore! PROFESSOR DUMBLEDORE!” Harry cried.

Then Harry saw a light to his left and he ran for it. When he got to the end of the tunnel he was back at Hogwarts – near the forbidden forest. It was morning and the grounds were still white with snow the sun was shining brightly and behind him the Quidditch pitch was empty of banners. Over the castle there was a gloom that seemed to hover – the silence was uncanny and Harry feared that something had happened to Ron. He nervously ran and as he got to the entrance he saw that everyone was heading for the Great Hall.

“Hey! Hey!” Harry cried.

He called to them but it seems that no one heard him.

“Stop! Wait! Wait!” Harry cried.

Then Harry saw the Gryffindor house ghost Nearly Headless Nick.

“Nick!” Harry called out. “NEARLY HEADLESS NICK!”

“What? Who? Harry? Is that you?” The ghost said. Harry stopped – Nick couldn’t see him. But he was heard.

“What’s happening?” Harry said.

“Nearly headless Nick, do you see Harry? Is he a ghost now?” Said Neville.

“I’m not a ghost, Neville!” Harry said.

Nick turned about. “Harry? Are you here?”

“Nick stop playing jokes at us. It’s not funny!” Lee said.

“Do you see him?” Neville asked.

“No! I don’t see him, Neville. But I could swear I heard someone like him. I heard his voice…” Nick said.

Harry saw Neville shake his head and Lee told him the ghost has gone mad and they got annoyed with him thinking he was making light of their grief.

Annoyed at the situation Harry decided to stay quiet and wait for the answer to come to him, obviously he had to go in and find out for himself what was it that they gathered in the Great Hall for. Harry followed them inside and there, to his horror he saw what everyone was grieving about: A glass coffin was placed at the center of the hall and Knights were all around. Here and there Harry saw faces drenched in tears, the whole hall was filled with crying, sobbing, sniveling and kind words. Then he saw Ron kneeling before the glass coffin his body shaking terribly – relieved to see it wasn’t Ron’s funeral Harry looked at every single one in the hall determining who it was they grieved for. Hermione was sitting nearby cradling a baby - she was crying as well but the Baby was not.

Harry went to the baby and the child fixed his eyes on Harry. Harry could almost swear that he saw him. Then he went closer to Ron. Then he looked upon the figure inside the casket. It was him - dressed in immaculately white robes – with his hands clasped together holding his wand. On top of the casket he saw the emblem.

Harry fell to his knees shocked. His eyes swelled with tears and finally he said, “I am dead then.”

Ron stopped sobbing and looked at the coffin before him, “Harry?” Ron said. Everyone hushed. “Harry?”

Harry felt his heart race – Ron could hear him as well - But how?

“Ron? Can you hear me?” Harry said. He tried reaching out but his hands went through Ron.

Ron stood and turned around. He looked around him and everyone started murmuring. “Harry!” Molly placed her arms around him and even Fred went to him and embraced him tightly.

“Ron don’t do this,” Molly said. “Don’t do this son!”

“No! I heard him, he’s here.” Ron said, and then he went back to the coffin. “I think he’s alive. Harry? Harry?” He said tapping the unbreakable glass. “Harry!”

“He’s gone mad!” Harry heard Padma say covering her mouth. And they were all crying now, crying louder. Arthur and Bill stood and were about to restrain Ron.

“No! Ron I’m here!” Harry said. “You did hear me, I’m here!”

Ron’s eyes grew wide and he smiled. “Harry, where are you?” Turning around he looked at the direction of the voice. Everyone was now wailing and shaking their heads. Arthur held Ron tightly and they were going to take him away and Harry feared they’d lock him in some asylum somewhere.

“No! You don’t understand, I heard him! The parley worked!” Ron cried begging for them to believe him.

“He meddled with Dark Magic, that’s what’s causing this.” Harry heard them say.

Angry at them all Harry decided he needed to get Ron away from there. As long as they could talk to each, nothing else mattered. They needed to be alone and he knew exactly where to take him. “Follow me Ron! Follow me to the Southern Tower!”

Ron tore himself from their hands and he ran towards the Southern Tower. Arthur and Remus followed him but he was too fast and when he got there he closed the door and conjured a locking spell. Though it would have been easy for them to open it somehow they did not and Ron and Harry found the privacy they needed.

“Harry?” Ron said.

“I am here, Ron.” Harry said. His eyes filled with tears. “I am here,”

“I can’t see you.” Ron said as tears steadily flowed down his face.

“I am right in front of you,” Harry said, Ron reached out his hands. Harry reached out for Ron’s face and held it with both hands. Neither of them could feel the touch but it was enough for now. “I am holding your face right now,”

Ron placed his hands on his face. “I can’t feel it Harry. Why can’t I see you?” Ron said.

“I don’t know. I am not dead yet, Nearly-headless Nick could not see me either. I think I’m between worlds.” Harry said.

Ron fell silent. “It worked then.”

“What worked?” Harry said.

“I made a deal with the Keepers of the Dead. I thought it was a dream, that I’d lost you forever.” Ron said.

“I tried to keep my promise, Ron. Sirius asked me if I wanted to cross the veil, but decided not to.” Harry said. Ron closed his eyes tightly. “I remembered you, and the promise to stay alive, and I did…” Harry stopped a little and then he laughed a little then said, “…somewhat.”

“I don’t care, Harry. You will come back, I think I should do my end of the bargain first before they release you entirely.” Ron said.

“What was the deal?” Harry said.

“To have you back, I needed to do something for them. I agreed to it. Had they asked me for my life, I would have given it. But Ji never told me about the price.” Ron said.

“Ji? You’ve spoken to her too?” Harry said.

“Yes.” Ron said.

“What was it that she told you to do?” Harry said. Ron did not answer. “Ron,”

“Whatever it is I will do it. And you will return to me.” Ron said.

“Ron,”

“I will not live without you, Harry,” Ron said his tears coming back. “I will do anything to bring you back to life.”

Harry nodded. “Then I will wait. I love you, Ron! I love you so much!”

And though they could not feel each other physically, and Ron could not see him, still they felt the warmth of love filling their hearts. There was always hope, Dumbledore once said, though it cannot be seen at the time it was needed, it comes when everything else seems to fail.