Disclaimer – I do not own Harry Potter… wish I did oh the things I would do to Draco but alas I don't own him

The Price of Freedom.

The prophecy had been fulfilled, finally after 13 years of bloodshed Tom Riddles reign of terror had ended.

Complete silence covered the area as the morning sunlight burst through the heavy fog. Harry Potter stood leaning heavily on a blood stained sword, looking down at the ashes of the former Lord Voldemort. The battle ground was completely decimated, the ground strewn with pieces of human flesh and drenched in blood. The few remaining death eaters had fled immediately after their leader had fallen. Harry collapsed to the ground exhausted from the massive burst of magical energy it had taken to reflect the killing curse back to Riddle. His scar was split open and bleeding heavily from the raw magic that had surrounded him as the last of his link to voldemort had been destroyed. After thirteen terrible years harry potter finally allowed himself to grieve, for his parents, Sirius, the Weasley's his beloved mentor Albus Dumbledore, Neville and Luna, Ron and Hermione, and his beloved Ginny.

The magical backlash from the destruction soon drew the few remaining aurors to the battlegrounds. Picking himself up off the ground harry grabbed his sword cast one last glance at the ashes of the man who had caused him so much pain and disapperated.

Harry reappeared in the ruins of Hogwarts; he headed towards the Headmasters office the only place in the castle that had retained its former glory. There waiting for him behind the desk stood the portrait of his father figure Albus Dumbledore. "It is over." Harry stated in a hoarse voice unable to believe that his personal hell had finally ended. "My boy I am so proud" stated the portrait his eyes holding a twinkle that had not been seen for many years.

"How do you feel, are you injured" he asked scanning Harry for injuries.

"No" he collapsed into a chair and stared at his shoes. "What do I do Albus what happens to me now."

"You go on, you rebuild and you allow yourself to grieve for those you lost" Albus replied looking at Harry with tears in his eyes.

"Damn it Albus, I cannot just move on" Harry slammed the desk in anger and grief. He reached deep into the pockets of his robe and pulled out a leather pouch, handling it delicately he unrolled it to reveal five vials of silvery memories.

Staring at the wall below Dumbledore's portrait Harry began to talk his eyes fading as he fell into memories he had deeply hidden.

The beginning of Harrys' 6th year at Hogwarts saw Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Luna, and Ginny seated in the room of requirement around a roaring fire. Harry revealed the contents of the prophecy.

Harry jumped in surprise when he felt someone grab his hand, he looked down to see that Ginny had grabbed his hand in shock.

"Bloody hell mate you just don't do anything halfway do you." Ron stared harry in shock while grasping Hermione's hand tightly .Hermione stared at him with tears in her eyes, and Neville wore a blank look on his face.

"It could have been me " Neville's face was white with shock before he visibly shook himself and stated "well this doesn't change anything we are still going to be there for you no matter what happens."

"Of course nothing is going to change the fact that we are your friends and we love you" Ginny grasped his hand tighter and smiled at him. Everyone echoed her and agreed to help him in any way possible.

Harry stared into the fire lost in thought "What if the price of this war is too high what happens if I lose you" Hermione drew herself up wearing a look on her face that promised there would be much research taking place "what if we could go back if the price becomes too high we could travel back in time."

"That's impossible Mione a time turner won't work that far back" Ron looked triumphant at having outwitted Hermione.

"Well of course that wouldn't work Ronald" scoffed Hermione "it would have to be something much more complex than that. Perhaps a potion that takes all of your past memories." And with that note Hermione stood up and rushed out to the library.

"Within days Hermione had come up with a potion that allowed the brewers to send all of their memories to their 11 and 10 year old bodies. She also developed a spell that would forcibly eject all of the casters memories and store them in an unbreakable vial. This spell ensured that even if one of them should fall their memories could be sent back to their bodies.

"Dear lord boy you cannot be willing to risk this" Dumbledore stared at Harry in shock, watching as harry lovingly caressed one of the vials.

"I am willing Albus what is left for me, the world is in ruins and my family is dead" harry stood with an air of finality and began to search through Albus's bookshelves searching for Dumbledore copy of Hogwarts a history "ah here it is"

"What do you need that book for" asked Albus bewildered by Harry's behavior. Harry lovingly wiped the dust off the cover and whispered to it "the price is too high it is time to return" before their eyes the book changed into a notebook. "Hermione truly was brilliant wasn't she? She hid this book right under your nose during our 6th year, it contains all of the instructions I need to create the potion.

Albus stared at Harry in shock for a long moment for sighing and nodding "I see that I cannot stop you". "Is there anything I can do to help you?" Harry looked at him for a long moment and said "You realize I am not going to be able to tell you, when I was younger you were too suspicious of me."

Albus looked slightly offended but silently he agreed. "As much as it pains me to agree it is true, but please dear boy please tell me as soon as it is possible"

Harry agreed and disapperated to his private hideout deep in the forbidden forest. His small cabin had become a home base for the horocrux hunt. He quickly grabbed all of the ingredients he needed for the potion. He had kept them in stock ever since Hermione had developed the potion. He faltered as he passed a photograph on the wall. It was taken the September of their 6th year by the lake; the boys were sitting with the girls in their laps. Harry was grinning at Ginny who was gazing lovingly at him, Hermione was trying to rub a bit of dirt off of Ron's nose while he laughingly tried to fend her off, Neville blushed beet red every time Luna kissed hi m on the cheek. Harry had to wrench his gaze away from the frame; they were so happy, so innocent. He blinked back tears and hurried out of the wards to disapperate. He would be seeing them soon enough.

Harry had several stops to make before he could begin his work on the potion. He first apperated to an American military base where he hurried to meet his mentor. General Chris Mason was a squib from Salem who had found Harry and his friends when they had retreated to America to tend to their injuries after the battle at Hogwarts. He had taken them under them his wing and taught them muggle styles of fighting and sword craft. Under General Mason's tutelage their ragtag band of school children had become a force to be reckoned with. He disillusioned himself before hurrying to the general's office.

The general took one look at him before folding the 28 year old savior of the wizarding world into a fatherly hug. It took all of Harry's willpower not to release the tears he was struggling to hold back. Chris pulled back and pulled a bottle of whiskey out of his desk and poured two shots. He passed one to a grateful Harry.

He eyed Harry over the top of his glass. "I'm not going to see you again, am I." He sighed "You have that hollow look of a man who has nothing left to live for" Harry looked up "You aren't going to try and stop me?"

Chris eyed Harry and said "I cannot begin to imagine the horrors you have seen, I have barely witness the beginning of it. You have seen and done things no child should ever have been burden with." He took a breath and looked Harry straight in the eye, "However something tells me that somehow I may be seeing you again. Whatever you do know that I am proud of you."

Harry abruptly stood up from his chair, looked Chris directly in the eye, Chris felt as though Harry was staring directly into his soul. "Thank you for everything I cannot even begin to payback the debt I owe you." With one last look harry turned on his heel strode out of the room and seemed to melt into the thing air.

Harry strode out of the gates and disapperated to Godrics Hollow. He strode through cemetery gates heading for his parents graves. In between his parent's graves was a small marker in the shape of a lioness curled around its cub. Under the frozen ground lay the body of Ginny Potter and in her arms she held his son, James Arthur Potter.

Jamie had been an unexpected gift. Three years prior Ginny had found out that she was expecting. Harry had been panicked but he loved Jamie as soon as Ginny had told him. Ginny went into hiding at Shells Cottage, which had been left to them by bill and fleur. Harry regretted that she spent much of her pregnancy alone but he spent every spare minute at Ginny's side. Ginny gave birth in late September to a healthy baby boy who was the spitting image of his grandfather. He was born with messy black hair and his mothers hazel eyes. Jamie was killed in an attack when the wards of the cottage were breached. Ginny had tried to protect him but was struck down by a killing curse from Lucius Malfoy. Jamie was two months old.

Drawing in shuddering breath he fell to his knees in front of the marker and rested his hand on the lions head. "I'm coming Gin just a couple more hours and we start all over again." He bent forward and kissed the cub. As he stood up he passed a hand over his parents gravestone; carved at the base was a big dog and a wolf playing with a stag. "Padfoot, Moony I will be seeing you soon, I only wish I could come back for you and mom as well, dad." Casting one last glance at the gravestones he disapperated back to Hogwarts to begin the potion.

After four hours of brewing the potion was ready, it had a beautiful mother of pearl sheen and the vapors rising off of it rose in gentle spirals. He had brewed the potion in the headmaster's office and Albus had looked on silently the whole time the twinkle dying from his eyes. Harry removed the vials from their leather case and prepared to add them to the potion in order of their deaths. First was Luna Longbottom nee Lovegood.

Luna was killed trying to save Saint Mungos from a death eater attack. She and Neville had been fighting for close to an hour and had been backed into a corner by the inner circle. She fell to a cutting curse to the throat; as she collapsed to the ground she wordlessly cast the spell to expel her memories. With one last loving look to Neville her memories began to swirl out of her mouth and formed the shape of silver crumple horned snorckak before disappearing to reform in the vial back at the hideout. Luna died with a dreamy expression of peace on her face.

As he poured the vial containing all of Luna's memories into the potion the snorckak rose and brushed its horn against his cheek before diving into the potion. The next glistening vial contained all of Neville Longbottom's memories.

Neville died minutes after his young wife. His parents had already been murdered in their beds. As he saw Luna collapse to the floor he let out a roar of pain and began to attack furiously. When he realized that he was painfully outnumbered, he sealed the room and placed powerful wards around it. He had trapped fifty death eaters inside, he looked at Luna one last time before casting all of his memories into the vial, and he released all of his magical power into the room instantly killing all of the death eaters and himself.

Neville's vial of memories turned into a silvery bear, which looked at him with a mischievous smirk before sinking into the potion. He uncapped the next vial containing Hermione Weasley nee Granger's memories.

Hermione died defending Gringotts, She and Fleur had been rushing to purchase ingredients to brew healing potions. Death eaters attacked the alley and placed anti portkey and anti apperation wards. Fleur fell almost immediately from a bone breaking curse to the neck. Hermione was disarmed and changed into one of her two animagus forms, a lioness, she lunged into the battle slashing at the death eaters with her claws and teeth. She was knocked into a wall breaking many of her ribs. In an incredible piece of wandless and wordless magic she removed all of her memories except for her instinct as a lion to kill, before lunging into the battle taking as many death eaters into the void as possible. Harry and Ron had been at the hideout when they saw the bottle fill. Harry had barely been able to grab Ron before he collapsed to the ground.

Hermione's memories took the form of an intelligent owl that flew around his head before nipping his ear affectionately before diving gracefully into the cauldron. The next vial made Harry's hand shake and he had to take several deep breaths before he could unstopper it. Inside were the memories from the life of Ginny Potter nee Weasley.

As soon as the wards were breached at Shell cottage Ginny sent a patrounus to Harry. She barricaded herself into the nursery with Jamie. The inner circle blasted the door down and immediately sent a killing curse at Jamie. Ginny simultaneously sent her memories to the vial strapped to Harry's wrist as she threw herself in front of the curse meant for her son. Harry and Ron arrived in time to witness a second bolt of green light strike Jamie down in his crib. Harry had hit Lucius Malfoy with crucio before any of the death eaters had realized they were there. Ron killed the two remaining death eaters before turning his attention to the cowering form of Malfoy. Harry shaking with rage began hissing in parsletounge. He summoned hundreds of snakes all surrounding Malfoy and coiling and constricting around him. By the time all of the snakes had disappeared all that was left of Malfoy was a bloody mess.

Tears were pouring down Harry's face as Ginny's memories formed into a lioness that leaned forward and nuzzled his face. "My beloved"he whispered watching as the lioness made a playful leap into the cauldron. He stared at the potion collecting himself before continuing. The Last vial contained Ronald Weasley's memories.

Ron was with Harry all the way to the end. All of the horocruxs had been destroyed and they were going to attack Riddle Manor. All that remained of the order of the phoenix was Bill Weasley. Bill dropped the centuries of wards surrounding the manor, and was killed by the magical backlash. As soon as they entered Ron handed harry his sword and petrified him. As Harry stared up in disbelief at Ron, Ron began creating a glamour around himself so he was Harry's double. "I'm sorry mate but you need to save your strength for old moldie shorts. You aren't the only one who has a saving people thing" I'm going to buy you some time." Ron looked down at Harry "Goodbye brother" And Ron turned on his heel and strode into the manor. Ten minutes later harry saw the vial strapped to his wrist fill with memories, and felt the spell holding him still fail. Choking back a sob he stood up squared his shoulders and strode towards the throne room to go finish the bastard.

Harry stood staring at the vial in his hand unable to grasp the concept that Ron had sacrificed himself only hours ago. He uncorked the bottle with a shaking hand and watched as the memories formed into a massive lion, a Gryffindor even in death. The massive lion swatted at harry playfully with his massive paw as if saying why so sad. Harry laughed and reached as if to scratch the lion behind the ears "soon brother just a few more minutes". The lion dove into the cauldron and caused a splash.

Harry turned to Dumbledore's portrait. "I am going to erase all of my memories and add them to the potion. I need you to explain to me how to avada kedava myself." Dumbledore gasped. "I cannot do that"

"You have to it is the only way, my physical body cannot exist." Harry roared. "What the hell am I doing arguing with a portrait for I will just write myself a damn note, this is the least you could do for me."

Dumbledore looked stricken but agreed "Fine Harry I will assist if this is what you truly wish." Harry looked relieved and set about placing the cauldron on the floor and removing his shoes and socks, and rolling up his pant legs. He stepped into the cauldron, feeling slightly ridiculous. He looked at the portrait and said "Goodbye Albus I will be seeing you." Without further ado Harry spelled all of his memories out of his head, they formed a large silvery phoenix which gave a soft thrill that warmed his heart before diving into the cauldron by his feet.

Harry looked around the room blankly, he had no idea what his name was or why he was standing in pot, all he knew was an overwhelming since of sorrow. Dumbledore's portrait began to give him instructions. He watched as the boy clumsily lifted his wand and pointed it at his chest. Harry shakily incanted "Avada Kedava" and He knew nothing more.