Chapter fifteen

After eating Harry and Gabriel had appeared inside the walls of Hogwarts. They both had the invisibility cloak over them as they walked slowly and cautiously down through the castle until they came to the dungeons. With one wave of his hand Harry unlocked the door to Snape's private room, it was only then they removed the cloak. They stepped through another door and saw Snape asleep in a large bed. Harry shrugged then stood with his arms folded ready to watch. This time it was Gabriel that needed to put his past behind him so Harry was just going to make sure Snape never got off any spell at Gabriel.

Gabriel was quiet as he moved towards the bed, then he clamped a hand over Snape's mouth, his eyes flew opened and looked wide and terrified.

'Did you really think I would let this go Snivellus?'

Salic saw Snape trying to reach for his wand, 'Don't try it Snape, I've blocked all use of magic so that wand is just a stick right now.'

'What you did to Samuel is something I will never forget and you should have realised I would seek my revenge someday. I could kill you and be done with it, but I want you to suffer, Salic wants you to suffer for relaying the prophecy, so we thought of ruining your life,' Gabriel put his other arm across Severus' neck and pushed, 'If you can't talk you can't teach and you can never use that acid tongue of yours to hurt anyone else.'

'You always had a gift Gabriel, it's good to see you still have it,' Salic stepped closer to the bed watching Severus' Snape's wide frightened eyes which turned towards Salic, 'I know what you're thinking Snape, that you helped me, that you were my mother's friend, well friend, you got my parents murdered so don't think I will help you,' Salic watched as Gabriel pushed down further, it didn't take long then Gabriel stood, 'Let's go, it's done.'

'He might be able to survive but now he has to live with his new life,' Gabriel put his arm around Salic, 'Let's go Salic.'

'Yes, let's go, I'll send your regards to my parents and godfather Snape,' Salic kept staring down at Snape who still looked frightened before they vanished from the room, arriving in the back of the cemetery.

'Do you know where they are buried?'

'Samuel is not far from my parents,' Salic took Gabriel's hand and they walked through the cemetery in Godric's Hollow, 'There,' Salic pointed, then he watched as Gabriel knelt down at the small headstone of his dead lover. Salic never moved or made a sound just watched as his mentor spoke quietly to his lost love then Salic turned his head towards where his parents were laid to rest but as he did he saw something that sent a jolt of pain straight to his heart, his heart he used to believe was dead. He turned and walked slowly towards the headstones, not just of his parents Lily and James Potter, but now two more stood beside them. Remus and Tonks names were on one headstone, Sirius was the other. There might not have been a body but someone decided Sirius should have a headstone and they placed it between his friends, 'The marauders.'

'Yes, their together again.'

'They never had a life Gab, they missed out on so much just like Samuel did. None of it should have happened. I have all this power and I can't really change anything, I can't give them the life they deserved.'

Gabrielle wrapped his arms around Harry, because right now he was seeing Harry Potter staring down at his dead family, Harry Potter was in pain over the loss of his family and that pain had been buried for so long, now it was emerging just like the stray tear that fell down Harry's cheek.

'No, they never did, I never did, you never did. Maybe we can have a life now, a life that they should have had. Why don't we do that, live, live for them, live the life they should have lived.'

'It hurts, I don't want to feel this.'

'I know you don't, but it will always control your life if you don't grieve. You never did after Sirius died, you might not have known your parents but they were your parents and yet you never grieved for them. I think it's time…Harry, grieve for the ones you lost then move on, live like they would want you to live.'

Harry sat down in front of the headstone with Sirius' name on it, 'Hey Padfoot,' Harry felt it, felt the pain in his heart, like it was breaking to pieces, 'I wish you could tell me you don't hate me for what I did. I don't think I could ever take that from you. Why did you turn up Sirius, why,' Harry fell forward, curled into a ball and cried, he cried for Sirius, he cried for his parents, he cried for Remus and Tonks, he cried for everyone that suffered, but most of all he cried for his lost innocence. At the age of four Harry Potter stopped being a boy and was used for one man's gratification. At the age of eleven he faced Voldemort for the first time; that is when he lost his childhood. He faced danger, torture and heartache his whole life, that made him who he was today. But could Harry finally have a life where the pain in his heart was just a distant flicker, his lost loved ones a memory that would not consume his every thoughts; Harry didn't know.

Gabriel stared down at Harry crying, the pain he had in his heart had been eating away at him for years, now he was finally dealing with it. Gabriel did not want to see Harry like this, but he knew once he dealt with Voldemort's people then Salic could disappear into the background only emerging when needed and Harry could come to the surface.

'They would want you to live Harry, not just survive like you have been. Your parents sacrificed themselves so you could live, so honour what they did, live,' Gabriel sat behind Harry, he gently touched his arm and was surprised when Harry moved until he was sitting in Gabriel's lap, sobbing into his chest. Gabriel felt the pain Harry was going through because he had gone through the very same thing. So he wrapped his arms around Harry who if anyone saw him now would see a very lost boy. Not the boy who lived, not the saviour, but a boy who had suffered more than most adults do in a lifetime. Gabriel hoped now Harry could put his past to rest and move on, he would like to see Harry smile, but a smile that reached his eyes, something Gabriel has never seen on Harry Potter's face. Maybe one day, in the not too distant future those eyes will smile which would show Harry was healing.

'Harry, my son, it's time to live, it's time to put everything to rest and start a life that you deserve to live. I love you my son,' James Potter whispered in the night air.

'My boy, you have suffered, but you are strong. Don't let what has happened to you rule that beautiful heart of yours. You are my baby boy, I love you with all my heart,' Lily Potter also whispered into the night air.

'Harry my mate, remember what I said, we are always with you, in your heart, that will never change and just so you know, I could never hate you. Just like your parents, I love you, now it's time to live Harry,' Sirius Black whispered into the night air.

Harry and Gabriel stared up at the three ghostly images of their family, James, Lily and Sirius were smiling down at them then another figure appeared.

'You've found a new love Gab, it's about time. No one should stay alone. You know what Harry is going through as you went through it yourself when you lost me. Now you are also healing, but you can help Harry heal as well. All of us are finally resting in peace and both of you have given us that, a restful and peaceful afterlife. My love went with me Gab, never forget that,' Samuel smiled down at the two men before he slowly faded, Sirius smiled then he to faded, James and Lily smiled down at their son, they put their arms around each other as they faded.

Harry and Gabriel stared at the space they had seen their lost loved ones before they turned and faced each other. Gabriel saw hope in Harry's eyes, for the first time since they met he saw a bit of life return to those amazing green eyes, that gave Gabriel hope. Maybe the man who survived can finally have the life he deserves, a life free of pain and suffering.

The end: