Chapter sixteen

Harry strolled confidently through the ministry of magic even though he knew all eyes were on him. He got to the minister's office where he was shown straight in.

'I know this will be a difficult night for you Harry, but I hope it will not be too hard.'

'Like a lot of people minister, that night will be but we can pay tribute to those who are no longer with us.'

'Yes, exactly, the ones that are no longer with us should be thanked for their ultimate sacrifice. Now as I'm sure Minerva explained the memorial pin will be named after you. I did not decide this just because we're friends. I had my staff question everyone about the name for the memorial pin, it was unanimous, everyone believed it should be named after you. Not just for killing Voldemort, but for what you went through all those years to be able to finish him that night. So many said that you could have turned your back on this world, you could have turned hard, you could have turned dark, but you never did. Not many grown witches or wizards could have gone through what you did and come away with your heart and mind intact.'

'Those first few weeks after, I did a lot of thinking about that, even though I had a rotten childhood, from the time I came to Hogwarts I had a lot of good people around me. Kids take on the beliefs of their parents or traits, I never did with the muggles, but I did with the staff of Hogwarts, with the DA, with my friends. I'm sure you noticed at order meetings how quiet I was, well, I would watch all of you and hoped I could be half as good as you were. That no matter the danger, you would do the right thing and that's what I wanted, to do the right thing. So even though I hate the attention I get, I am honour that it will be named after me. But I love the fact you want to call the memorial after The Marauders.'

'Yes, when I mentioned it Minerva did say it would not just be for Sirius, but for the friendship of those men who gave the ultimate sacrifice, to keep the chosen one alive. Now, yes there will be awards and speeches, but no, I do not expect a speech from you as I knew you would refuse. There is something I am trying to work on though, which does involve you, some way that everyone can see that Harry Potter is not just the one to kill Voldemort, but a normal young man. I have not come up with anything yet, but they should see you as just Harry, as you've said so many times. But it's also a way to pay our respects to you for what you did.

'I have been asked to do many things, some sounded interesting, one seemed to get asked a lot, but I believe it would be too hard for everyone.'

'Oh blimey, what?'

'Some suggested we play memories of what took place, different memories to show different perspectives. But no, it would be too painful for those that lost someone. So my young friend, we need to find a way to show that you are just Harry, a normal young man that just happened to be the saviour.'

Harry stared at Kingsley for a minute, an idea forming in his mind. He wasn't sure about the attention it would give him but it could be a way to show a part of his life and show that he was just like everyone else. So he put forth his idea to the minister who believed it was a wonderful idea and it would also pay tribute to a wonderful and brave woman. So Harry and Kingsley organised that but they both agreed that this part of the memorial will be kept secret, until the night.

As the day to the memorial ball came closer Harry became quieter, but also more anxious. Severus knew this night would be hard on Harry but he also knew Harry wasn't telling him something, something that the minister had planned for the night, something that involved Harry.

The staff, the house elves along with some of the older students were making sure the castle was cleaned and grounds were decorated. The outside was tidied as well as that's where the memorial was to be held. A stage had been erected and chairs lined the lawns ready for the guests. The headmistress and the minister had in fact enchanted three fireplaces inside the castle and one at the ministry. The invited guests could floo directly from their homes or apparate to the ministry and floo to Hogwarts from there.

By lunch time on the day, aurors were stationed at the three fireplaces inside Hogwarts and the staff knew that two more aurors were standing at the fireplace in the ministry.

The staff had spoken with the students the day before, making sure they understood how important the memorial ball was. The headmistress had stressed that the students had to behave or they would face expulsion from Hogwarts. No one wanted to disrupt this night.

The first part of the memorial was a sombre affair, the minister for magic made a heartfelt speech before the Harry Potter memorial pin was given to all that lost a family member. The first three pins went to Harry Potter for his mother, father and godfather, after that names were called so every person who lost a loved one received the pin. Many had been surprised when Severus Snape had been presented with Albus Dumbledore's pin. Reporters asked Aberforth Dumbledore why he was not presented with his brother's pin, he told the truth, the brothers did not have a close relationship where Severus and Albus were very close.

Once the wards of order of merlin: first class, second class and third class were handed out, a dance floor had appeared, the chairs were scattered around the ground, but the tables had also appeared ready for dinner which was to happen first before the celebration of life concert began.

'Harry, you need to eat,' Severus said.

'Just nervous Severus, I still have one thing to do tonight,' Harry looked up at his lover, 'The minister and I believe it will be nice but it will also be hard, on me, you and probably others.'

'I'm not sure I want to know, but try and eat, even if it's just a small amount.'

'I'll eat after Severus, I promise, my stomach wouldn't take food right now.'

'Alright, well I believe I am about to find out why you are so nervous.'

Everyone looked towards the stage where the minister and the band appeared, along with a large screen hanging just above the heads of the band.

'We have one more tribute to pay tonight before we begin our celebration. As all of you know part of the reason that Harry Potter was able to survive that Halloween night of ninety eighty one was due to his mother's love, a love which gave him a protection, which allowed him to survive. So this tribute is to show just a small bit of that love, but also to show that Harry Potter might be the-boy-who-lived, thanks to his mother, but he is also just Harry as he tells everyone. Harry Potter never wanted to be thought of as a hero, all he wanted was to be like his friends, well, we all know that never happened. So Harry would you please join me on stage?'

All eyes turned to Harry as he walked between the tables then stepped up on the stage to join the minister.

'We are about to see a young man who is just like everyone else, but also to see just what Lily Evans Potter was like in regards to her son, the one she died trying to save. Harry, it's all yours.'

Harry nodded, blew out a huge breath before facing the crowd, 'What you are about to see is a memory my godfather left me. He realised that there was a good chance he would die before the war finished. Sirius Black as most of you know was best friends with my father, but due to some unpleasant circumstances we never did get to see each other very often. Sirius decided to leave me memories of his time with my parents, just so I could see a bit of their lives. This one is for my mother and a way for me to pay a tribute to a woman who was willing to die to save her son. I'll apologise now if I don't make it to the end, but I'm sure you will understand.'

Harry sat at the piano, he looked up at the screen, then flicked his wand before he started playing. To everyone's surprise or shock Harry sang along with his mother who was singing to Harry as a baby in her arms.

By the end of the song Harry's voice did break and everyone got to see the tears that had started to fall down his face. But as everyone looked around they realised that not only was Harry Potter crying for his mother, but so many in the crowd were crying for Harry, for the loss of his mother, for the destruction one man did to this family. As Lily finished singing to her angel, her son Harry, she looked up as if she was gazing out at the crowd, she smiled, a bright beautiful smile. Harry blew a kiss to his mother before he stepped off the stage and walked between the applauding crowd who were all on their feet. All Harry could do was nod before taking his seat beside Severus who was still gazing up at the screen, at the woman who had once been his best friend.

The two men sat in listening to the applause and saw the tears from many that were applauding, but all they could do was continue to gaze up at the screen that was filled with the smile of Lily Evans-Potter.

The end: