Disclaimer: I'm KJ not JK – there is a difference. Only a slight one mind you!

Chapter Seventeen: Bittersweet Sorrow

Harry closed his eyes, squeezing them shut sure that his short life full of sorrow and pain was about to be obliterated from this earth.

"Impedimenta…"

"Expelliarmus…"

"Obilivate…"

Harry's green eyes snapped opened as spells swirled about, yelled by voices from on high. Or rather from voices that sounded like they came from the heavens.

Confused and dazed, Harry looked up and with a jolt in his stomach realized there were wizards and witches in the sky cursing and hexing the Death Eaters. And there were more than just a few.

He saw Tonks and Lupin, Snape and Dumbledore, McGonagall, Mr. Weasley, Kingsley and several other witches and wizards he didn't know. Without realizing, it he let out a whoop of joy.

The tight circle of founders loosened, and Gryffindor grabbed Harry's sleeve stirring him forcibly towards the castle. "Get in," he growled, his beard face twisted in fury. "IN!"

Harry took a few quick steps by himself, propelled by Gryffindor's fury. But he stubbornly stopped and looked back.

'Gee, Dumbledore can fly...' Harry thought listless watching his headmaster in the sky, downing dozens of Death Eaters at one time.

"Avada Kedavra…."

Dumbledore's broom seemed to stop in mid air for the briefest of moments. Then the aged headmaster lolled forward and his body landed with an awful thud. He was dead.

"NOOOOOO!" Harry screamed and ignoring the look of absolute fury from Gryffindor, which could inspire fear into just about anyone, ran forward to Dumbledore's body.

Around Harry the battle continued, neither side distracted by the sudden death of a wizarding legend. Harry reached Dumbledore and gingerly turned him over; his periwinkle blue eyes glassy, as if they were staring into the other world. Harry felt himself choke involuntary and his fingers grip tighter around his wand.

It was a loud crack that got Harry attention. He looked up and found himself drowning in red angry eyes.

Feeling had removed itself from Harry's body. He stood without commanding his body, feeling as if reality had been suspended.

Green eyes meet with red eyes. For the tiniest second, Harry thought there was a break in fighting. But it must have been his imagination because the fighting had not ceased. It continued like a storm about them although, both Voldemort and Harry stood very still.

Voldemort curled his lips. "It ends here."

Harry forced his body to suppress the shudder of revulsion, in case Voldemort interrupted the movement as fear.

"I know..." Harry replied.

"CRUCIO!"

Harry braced himself for the white flames of pain to circulate through his body. But nothing happened...

Harry saw in Voldemort's eyes confusion and fear undisguised. He backed away also feeling confused and scared.

"CRUCIO!"

Nothing.

"CRUCIO, CRUCIO...CRU...CIO!"

"HARRY! GET OUT!" Harry turned his head to see Salazar Slytherin on the floor writhing in agony. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!" Salazar screamed.

Harry moved dazed, Voldemort however understood the situation before Harry. "Ah," Voldemort smiled sickly, "The curse transfers from Potter to you...Interesting."

"Pertificus Totalus!" Harry yelled, over the din in an attempt to stop Voldemort.

Voldemort sneered and with his hand gestured and the spell fell useless. "Adava Kedavara…"

Harry saw a blinding green light flash before his eyes. He sunk slowly to his knees, somewhere to his right he heard Salazar yell. A woman was screaming. He choked seeing long red hair and green eyes beckoning him.

Then a sea of darkness engulfed him.

Those who were on the historic battlefield that fateful day felt the force of the killing curse which had claimed more than one life.

Voldemort had been destroyed by the power of the blood of his ancestor. And with no leader the Death Eaters soon became easy targets for the Aurors. Voldemort had minions and no companions there was no thought that Voldemort could possibly be killed – there were no plans beyond taking Hogwarts and killing Harry Potter.

Sobbing hysterically, Helga Hufflepuff had hitched up her long skirts and ran and skipped over the fallen to reach Salazar. He too had been killed by the killing curse. It had travelled through Harry and affected him. His body was lifeless devoid of any life or hope.

Remus Lupin descended from the skies to search for Harry's body. He found him lying helpless in a heap face down in the mud, blood and gore of battle. Turning him over slightly Remus saw the candle wax paleness to his friend's only child. He looked like death. Remus did not magic a stretcher instead he insisted on carrying Harry's limp form inside the castle himself.

Remus woke early, sometime near dawn and entered the Great Hall at Hogwarts.

He felt a twinge of pity, guilt and anger snake its way up from his stomach to his throat, which constricted painfully.

His footfalls echoed about the ancient gathering hall loudly. But nothing stirred. Everything was still as it should be on a day like this.

Harry laid prone and motionless in-between Salazar and Dumbledore.

Remus Lupin shook his head sadly and reminded him once more that Harry was...was...dead.

Remus was alone in the Great Hall with the bodies of the fallen. Alone with the dead. He looked up at the enchanted ceiling which showed rows upon rows of burning candles against a night sky.

Sighing, he walked to where Harry lay in the middle, his pale hands clasping each other on his belly, his green eyes closed to the world, his pale face, lax.

Remus caught the tears before they started to drip down his cheeks and nose. Harry looked so peaceful and innocent.

Remus looked around guiltily and walked up the stairs that separated him from Harry. "Oh my god, James," he whispered, "I am so sorry."

Remus knelt beside the corpses as if to pray. But no words came, only tears of grief.

He did not know how long he was there like that but finally he stood, wiped his tears on the back of his old robes.

"Say hello to your parents and Sirius for me," he whispered to the still boy. He reached out a touched a cold lifeless cheek. "It's over now," he said more to comfort himself than the dead. "It's over."

He searched in his robes for something and pulled out the mirror Sirius had given Harry before he died.

Remus had found it amongst Harry's possessions. He slipped it into Harry's hands and said loudly, "I will not forget. To me, you will always be the Boy That Lived."

Remus Lupin turned on his heel and started to walk quickly to the exit.

He knew Harry's memory and those who fought and died to defeat Voldemort would be forgotten by the wizarding world. And he knew as the last of the marauders that it was his duty to keep the legend alive.

Remus stopped by the door, but he did not turn. He would never Hogwarts again, of this he was certain.

"Always..." He whispered into the lone night air. "Always."

A/N: Don't hurt me. I had written two chapters for the last one. Both my betas choose this ending!

Okay so they had a choice of tragedy and tragedy. But hey, war cost lives and what better way to illustrate that - and also I had to make it different to the ending of One True Heir as they were both written simultaneously!

I believe death is not something we should fear and what Remus said was true... nothing could hurt Harry and the fallen anymore. I would like to believe that he would be at peace.