Chapter 3

Lily sighed heavily trying to hand her husband the Daily Prophet and not look at the front page. She knew what the headlines would say. She didn't need the reminder. Her father had been hospitalized in St. Mungo's for the past week. Old age had finally caught up with as the years in the Auror's corp.

She didn't need the papers to tell her the hero he was. She knew already. She and her brothers had grew up hearing the stories of their father's life before they were born. She could remember the times he would be gone on missions. She had been the one who would sit with mum until she was forced to go to bed. She knew he was a hero.

But she knew him more than a national hero. She knew the man who taught her to ride her first broom. The man who had held her when she had her first heartbreak. He was the one that lead them in pillow fights and family quiddich games. He was the one you could count on to go to for advice for an honest answer. He was the strong father who chased all their nightmares away. He was more than that he was her Daddy.

She was lost in thought as a single tear fell down her cheek. She was shaken from her thoughts as her husbands arms snaked around her waist pulling her to him. She turned and buried her face into his broad chest and cried. It was the only time she would allow herself to really cry. She couldn't cry at the hospital. She had to stay strong for her mum and brothers. Even though they all told her not to. She felt that it was what her father wanted.

Her husband only pulled away from her when she wiped the tears from her face. He looked at her and smiled sadly.

"We need to decide what to do about the children dear." Jason said kindly.

"I know. Part of me says to bring them home from Hogwarts and the other part tells me to let them stay so that all they remember is Dad when he was strong I just don't know what is best?" she answered stress sounding in her voice.

"Why don't we send them an owl telling them and let them decide if they want to come home?" her husband suggested. Since they had married they had six children and all of them were now at Hogwarts. They knew that the headmistress would allow them all to come home if that is what they wished.

They decided to write the children. A few hours they received word that they all wanted to come home. Jason left for Hogwarts leaving Lily to think. He had been gone for about a half hour when she heard a solemn voice coming from the fireplace. It was the quiet voice of her Uncle Ron.

"Lily are you there?"

"Yes I'm right here." she said stepping to the fireplace.

"Lily you need to get here now. The healers say it's only a matter of time. They think he's waiting for you." he said with tears in his voice.

"I'm on my way. I just have to send a patronus to Jason to meet me there with the kids." she said barely holding her emotion back. It took her a couple tries before she successfully completed the patronus and sent it on it's way. With a quick look around to make sure everything was secure she floo'd to the hospital.

She hurried down the now too familiar hall into the waiting room to see who was there and what they could tell her. She found her grandmum Weasely and uncle Bill along with his wife and oldest two children with their spouses. Her uncle Ron was sitting next to her aunt Hermione noticed her terrified look and quickly rose to meet her. Her pulled her to him and embraced her strongly. As she held on to her uncle every one seemed to notice she was there. Soon other arms were grabbing her but who she didn't even notice. It seemed surreal to her. She knew it was happening but it just didn't feel right.

She didn't notice that her two brothers and mum had entered. James had tears in his eyes as he held his wife in his arms. Albus hadn't been crying yet but she could tell when she finally looked up that he was going to break soon. His wife had tears in her eyes. Her mum looked sad but strong as she came to hug her daughter close to her. After letting go of her Mum she waited to hear the worst. That she had came to late.

"It's time. The healers don't want us all in there at the same time. So we can go in three or four at a time." Ginny said sadly. As she made the announcement Jason and the kids arrived in the waiting room. Without even being spoken too they knew what was happening. One by one the family groups went in. Molly and Bill and Fleur. Then their two daughters and the younger or the two's husband. Teddy stayed with Ginny. He wasn't ready to go in quite yet. Then Charlie and his family went in. Percy and his wife went in. George and Angelina who he had married went in to say their good byes. Ron and Hermione along with Rose and Hugo went in. Finally James' and Albus' wives went in before Jason and the three youngest of their children went in. Jason went in a second time with the three oldest.

No one took a long time in saying goodbye to make sure that Ginny and the kids had enough time to say their good byes. Ginny lead her children into the room holding on to especially Lily's hand. Lily gasp in pain as she saw his weak and fragile body in front of her. He had always been the strongest man she had ever known. But to see him now broke her heart. She slowly walked towards the bed. Begging her feet to keep moving. But wishing she could be any where else but there.

She listened helplessly as Teddy and her brothers said their goodbyes to their godfather and father respectively. She tried to say goodbye but couldn't force the words out. She listened to her mum saying her tearful speech. Suddenly she found herself moving. No one said a word as she crawled up into the bed beside her dad just like she did when they all were little. She put her head down on his chest careful of all the wires. She tried to find the words of how she want wanted to say good bye to her father. The very first man in her life.

As she held on to her dad she felt the bed grow beneath her. And before she knew it her mum and brothers and even Teddy had crawled up with her next to Harry. Just like they had when they were little. A tear fell from her eye as she looked up at his face. His eyes looked sad and old as he looked at his family surrounding him. She almost let a sob escape as the words from so long ago haunted her. She remembered learning to ride her first broom and walking down that aisle to marry the love of her life. She suddenly knew what she had to do. She tried to control the pain in her voice as she spoke.

"You can let go now daddy. It's scary for all of us but we will be alright." she said. Her father's heartbeat slowed slightly. She let a few more tears fall and then spoke again.

"You can let go now Daddy." she said again in his ear. His heart slowed further. They all laid there with him as his heart stopped completely. The healer came in and taking a quick look she silently removed the wires the best she could then left the family mourn together.

Days had went by hundreds of people if not thousands sent their condolences. People she never knew showed up at the funeral. She accepted the condolences with a sad smile. And on the day they buried him she stood alone after the ceremony was over. Her husband waited at the edge of the cemetery for her. She stood looking at the grave. As she felt the wind on her face she could faintly here her father's voice in the wind whisper "I love you always my little pumpkin." With a faint smile she turned to go meet her husband and she knew that every thing would be ok. Maybe not today but someday.

It was killin' me to see

The strongest man I ever knew

Wastin' away to nothin'

In that hospital room

'You know he's only hangin' on for you'

That's what the night nurse said

My voice and heart were breakin'

As I crawled up in his bed, and said

You can let go now, Daddy

You can let go

Your little girl is ready

To do this on my own

It's gonna be a little bit scary

But I want you to know

I'll be okay now, Daddy

You can let go

You can let go