Hi everyone. Firstly a HUGE appology. I know it was August when I last updated. There is a reason for that but I'll wait till the end to give it. For now enjoy the new chapter and please don't get too mad at me for taking so long.

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter or anything to do with it other than copies of the books which i've attempted to memorise and copies of the movies.

That afternoon saw hundreds of chairs lined up in neat rows outside in the Hogwarts grounds, not far from Dumbledore's still damaged tomb. Friends and family of those who had died had come from all over the country to pay their respects to the fallen. They joined the students and villagers of Hogsmeade filling up the back rows while the staff and members of the Order of the Phoenix filled the front rows. Harry, Ron and Hermione sat at the very front alongside Kingsley and Professor McGonagall. A small stage had been raised with a podium placed in its center. Once everyone was seated Kingsley rose and went to stand behind the podium. The effect was instantaneous. Silence fell over the gathered crowd, everyone facing the front expectantly waiting for him to begin.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, my fellow witches and wizards. We have gathered here to celebrate a most monumental occasion. Tom Riddle, the self-proclaimed 'Lord Voldemort', has finally been defeated."

A small cheer rose amongst the crowd but the overlying sorrow meant it was strangely muted.

"This victory could not have been possible without the help of everyone who fought against him, from Professor Dumbledore right down to the humble house-elves even as far as the late Professor Snape."

He paused as a small ripple of anger and muttering ran through the crowd at the mention of Snape.

"Professor Snape was more of a hero than any of us realized. New evidence shows that he in the end was always on our side and spent his life working to lay the path to Voldemort's destruction."

"What evidence?" shouted someone from near the back.

"Memories." Kingsley said. "Memories that he gave to Harry in the last few moments of his life. They explain and absolve him of all crimes he has been convicted of. As I was saying we all played a part in this monumental victory and it is a victory that should be celebrated. However, this victory came at a heavy price. We must also remember those who gave their lives to defend those they love. I now will hand over to Professor McGonagall."

There was a small scattering of applause however most people were still surprised by the declaration of Snape's true allegiance.

"Thank you Kingsley." McGonagall began. "This castle has served as a home for all those gathered here at some point. It seems only fitting that this is where the final battle for our freedom from a life of fear should be here. Every person who died here, died fighting to defend their home and those they love. We have gathered here today to remember those people. Every one of them was a father or son, mother or daughter, husband or wife and many more things to many people. They fought for those people to make those people safer and allow them to live a life not spent entirely in fear. Thank you. I now pass you on to the young boy, who has done more for us than anyone else. Harry Potter."

A huge applause met her words as Harry rose to take her place, his face bright red with embarrassment.

"Hi." Harry began lamely. "I'm sorry but I hate having to make speeches, and the Minister and Professor McGonagall have already said everything. Besides keeping you here much longer does nothing but bore us all when I'm sure we have something we'd rather be doing. So all I hope is that the monument we make here today will remind our children, and our children's children for generations to come that there will always be evil in this world, but as long as we remain true to ourselves and our hearts. We will survive. Here we remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for those they love. Here we honor them. Remember them for how they lived. Remember why they died and we shall have a world where love connects us all."

Harry finished his speech his voice strong, to see a crowd of people staring through eyes shining with unshed tears. He scanned the front rows and he spotted the Weasleys gathered in the second row, Hermione's head rested on Ron's shoulder tears flowing down both their faces. Ginny caught his eye and smiled.

"Thank you." Harry said stepping down from the podium.

There was an uproar of approval for his words. As he sat down Mr. Weasley placed his hand on his shoulder and lent forwards.

"Thank you." He whispered in Harry's ear. "Now leave the rest to us. Between us we'll make Fred proud."

Harry nodded at his words a small smile playing across his lips. Kingsley stood once more and raised his wand. A large block of marble rose out of the ground. Another flick of his wand and writing started to appear on the block, covering every inch of it. Names. Every one of them a loved one that had been lost in the war against Voldemort, wizard and muggle alike. When the block was covered Kingsley rose to the podium and prepared to speak once again when a loud whistling cut across him. A single spark shot from the top of the astronomy tower glowing brighter as it made its way towards Kingsley and went to hover over the newly made memorial where it began to split into four, each moving to position themselves over the top corners of the block before transfiguring into fireworks which exploded to form two phoenix's and two giant letters. DA. with the left half of the A in the form of Harry's lightning bolt scar. Harry recognized it as a logo Dean had designed for Dumbledore's Army back in their fifth year and realized this was the Weasleys way of saying goodbye to Fred and other members of the Order of the DA that had fallen. The shapes fell and melted into the marble shooting streaks of colour through the white. A small DA or Phoenix formed next to names of people belonging to their organization. The light that had burned upon the memorial faded finally to a huge round of applause.

"Thank you very much." Kingsley began as the applause died. "I admit that I wasn't expecting that but it's a fitting tribute. Can we now have a minutes silence in memory of the fallen." Everyone fell silent and bowed their heads. When it was over Kingsley spoke again. "There is nothing left for me to add so instead I want to inform you that refreshments are being served in the Great Hall courtesy of the house elves and repairs on the school shall begin two weeks from now. Anyone who wishes to come and aid the effort is welcome to come and help."

He stepped down from the podium to a last round of applause as people began to rise and make their way towards the castle.

"Great speech Potter." He said as he approached where Harry and the Weasleys were still seated. "Really moving."

Harry blushed deeply. "I made it up as I went along" He admitted "I never actually got round to writing a proper speech for it."

"That doesn't matter Harry." Mr. Weasley said placing a hand on his shoulder. "You said what people needed to hear. More importantly you said it from your heart."

Harry smiled slightly as he turned to Ginny, linked arms with her and led the way back up to the castle.

It was the morning of Fred's funeral. The Weasleys, Harry and Hermione had returned to the Burrow the morning after the memorial. George had won his bet with Bill when Ron had been the first to turn on Harry and Ginny and make a fuss about how they had been sleeping together. Everyone had been surprised when instead of agreeing with him and turning on Harry and Ginny Mrs. Weasley had started telling him off for being hypocritical before telling the entire family that she had walked in on him and Hermione sleeping together, at least Harry and Ginny asked permission first even if they never got it. It had been a rather depressing week.

The day following their return home they had attended the joint funeral of Remus and Tonks. It had been a rather quiet affair with only members of the Order invited, most of whom had left shortly after the service to hunt down the remaining Death Eaters as Kingsley had decided to rebuild the entire ministry from the ground level upwards to remove corruption and Voldemort sympathizers. To prevent the wizarding community collapsing during this time the Order was acting as a small de facto-ministry and most of its members were working overtime to help out. Harry and Ginny stayed with Andromeda for the remainder of the day to keep her company and allow Harry to finally meet his godson. After making several offers to help look after him that were eventually accepted they had returned to the Burrow to get some rest for Colin's funeral the next day. The week had continued much in this manner but Fred's was the last funeral.

The soft creaking of the bedroom door opening as Hermione sneaked back in prompted a sleepy Harry to wake and untangle himself from Ginny's sleeping form to make his own way back up to Ron's room in the attic where he was supposed to be sleeping. It was a simple arrangement that had been agreed on by the four of them when it became clear that they wouldn't be allowed to sleep together with their respective partners if people knew about it. So every night when they were sure Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were asleep Harry would go down to Ginny's room and Hermione would go up to Ron's then before they got up they would switch back. Harry reached Ron's room and opened the door just as a noise downstairs told him Mrs. Weasley was about to do her routine check of the rooms to check everyone was where they should be. It was obvious in how she watched them and never left them without someone else in the room that she didn't quite trust the young couples. He threw himself into his bed and closed his eyes quickly feigning sleep just before the door opened and Mrs. Weasley's head poked round. After a quick scan of Harry and Ron's apparently sleeping forms she withdrew her head and shut the door quietly before heading to begin breakfast. It was going to be a long day.

A few hours later saw Harry waking up to Ginny crawling across the bed to him before wrapping her arms around him and collapsing on top of him, tears streaming down her face. He said nothing as he folded his arms around her, holding her close and kissed her hair softly. It would be a hard day for them all, bringing all the pain of losing a brother, dulled by the other sorrows of the past weeks funerals, back to the surface; as raw and stinging a wound as when it first happened. Soon enough the tears began to fade and Ginny raised her head slowly looking Harry in the eye.

"Good morning." She said in an attempt at her normal cheery attitude.

"Morning beautiful." Harry said following her example though it seemed that today that was the wrong thing to do.

"Don't be stupid Harry." Ginny said as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "I look a mess. Oh if Fred could see me now."

"He can see you." Harry said comfortingly. "They all can. I should know."

"How?" Ginny stammered into his chest confused.

"Because I spoke to Sirius and Remus before I entered the forest." Harry said quietly. "And my parents."

"Really?" She asked shocked. Harry had never mentioned it before though he mentioned using the resurrection stone.

"Yeah." He replied softly. "They can see everything we do, which scares me actually."

"You mean..." Ginny began beginning to follow his thought train. "Fred can see us in bed together each night? EWWWWWW." she shrieked the last part causing Ron to sit bolt upright yelling.

"I'm up, I'm up OK?" He said staring wildly around the room. Noticing his sister in bed with his best mate he added, "Though I really wish I wasn't."

"Good morning to you to." Ginny said laughing as his face turned swiftly red.

Ron looked ready to start moaning at them about being "all lovie-dovie" - as he referred to it - in public but seemed to check himself.

"I'll let you off today." He said at length, before climbing out of bed, grabbing some clothes and heading for a shower.

Three o'clock came to find the Weasley's, Harry and Hermione standing in the orchard behind the burrow waiting to direct the funeral guests to their seats. They were all silent, dressed in black dress robes, a solemn air hanging over them.

Slowly guests started to arrive. The first were surviving members of the Order who went down the line offering their condolences and hugging Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. Slowly more and more people turned up, Lee Jordan arrived somewhere amongst them and disappeared off with George tears streaming down both their faces but they were also grinning.

"Something's going to happen." Harry whispered to Ginny pointing at the two of them as they vanished amongst the small crowd that had gathered.

Ginny laughed slightly. "Yeah. I heard George muttering earlier that Fred would be puking his guts out at the idea of a normal boring ceremony with everybody crying. He's probably recruited Lee into helping him make sure the ceremony is anything but boring."

Harry nodded as he turned to face Hagrid who had just arrived and was swiftly creating a path towards them.

"Hagrid." Harry shouted running up and hugging the half giant. "It's good to see you."

Hagrid responded by pulling him into a bone crushing hug. "Don' ever do tha' to me again. I understand why you 'ad to but merlin's beard I though' you was dead 'Arry." Hagrid said sobbing, big fat tears falling into his beard and onto Harry's head.

"Hagrid." Ginny said running over. "He actually will be dead if you continue to crush him like that."

Hagrid released Harry who staggered backwards all the air crushed out of him and gasping for breath.

"Sorry 'Arry." Hagrid said wiping away the tears.

Harry just nodded and showed Hagrid to his specially re-enforced seat before rejoining Ginny and going forwards to take their seats in the front rows and wait for the ceremony to begin.

As the room settled and the people fell silent a number of golden leaves began to fall softly from the air above their heads and music began to play softly. All heads turned to the back of the aisle created between the chairs as Mr. Weasley and the five remaining Weasley son's slowly carried Fred's coffin to the front. The coffin was a brilliant purple with the WWW logo of the shop which had been his and George's dream emblazoned on the top. They placed the coffin silently on the ground in front of the headstone that had been put in place for him, and the Weasley son's went to sit down as Mr. Weasley went to stand on a small raised stage that had been conjured.

"I want to thank everyone for coming here today." He began. "I know Fred loved you all in some way or form and would be happy to see so many faces in one place because of him." a few people smiled slightly at this. "Fred was many things to many people and I think it would be easier to remember him if we let some of the closest to him tell us what he was to them."

Mr. Weasley stood down from the stage and nodded at his daughter. Ginny sniffed slightly and squeezed Harry's hand for comfort before taking the stage herself. She took a shaky breath to calm herself as she began her speech.

"Fred. Was nothing short of hell most of the time." She began a slightly laugh escaping her. "A true master in the art of pranking and practical jokes. Him and George were forever inventing new ways to make people laugh. They were the perfect duo. Those who spent a lot of time around them quickly learnt that they were always up to something. But Fred was more than just a prankster. He was an older brother and a brother like no other. He taught me how to ride a broom, he taught me how to play Quiddich, he even taught me how to break into the broom cupboard without being caught. He protected me at school. He cheered me up when I was sad, thought I never did get that toilet seat he promised. He was my brother. And he certainly left his mark on the world."

She stood for a moment longer to wipe the tears that were falling thick and fast down her cheeks then stepped down and giving Harry a quick kiss on the cheek before allowing him to take her place.

"Fred Weasley." Harry began. "That's about as far as I got when trying to work out what to say. How do you describe one such as Fred? Him and George were brilliant right from the moment I met them. They were the first glimpse into a real family I had. My first year they were forever making jokes and fooling around. When I made the quiddich team they were more supportive than I could have asked for. In my second year they showed just how far friends will go to help each other when they turned up outside my bedroom in a flying car and tearing the bars off the window. They never ran out of idea's and were always there when you needed them. I can think of a long list of things that would never have happened if I had never met Fred and George Weasley. And I almost certainly wouldn't be here to tell them without him. A true friend and Gryffindor."

Harry proceeded to step down and allow George to take his place.

"Well," George began. "Fred was my other half, and as such I'm sure I know exactly what he would have wanted said at his funeral."

He waved his wand at the coffin and the WWW logo on the top burst into flames which rose upwards to form a giant flaming version of Fred.

"You really are a miserable lot" The apparition said smiling. "We won didn't we? So I died. Doesn't mean I'm not here. Every one of you carries a piece of me in you in the form of your memories of me. So stop crying, bugger off and celebrate Voldemort's defeat." The audience laughed at this. "Just remember to be on the watch for You-No-Poo, much more dangerous than anything else on this planet. Now cheer up and go get drunk. Be seeing you all."

With that the flames vanished leaving the coffin undamaged and an audience full of sad but smiling people.

"On a more serious note though." George said once they settled again. "We are having a party in his honor and to celebrate winning this evening which you're all welcome at. Don't worry mum. I've sorted it all out and you are not allowed to cancel it on us."

The audience laughed more at this and smiled as George waved his wand once more. The coffin sank slowly into the ground in front of the headstone as words appeared on the stone.

FREDRIC FABIAN WEASLEY

APRIL 1ST 1978 – MAY 2ND 1998

MISCHIEF MANAGED

The crowd remained silent for a moment then as the rose to leave a loud bang came from the midst of the woods behind them as a huge firework taking the form of a dragon flew above their heads, before spitting sparks to form the words.

HAD TO END WITH A BANG!

They remained shimmering in the air for a moment longer before both the words and the dragon exploded into more fireworks.

I'm sorry but I can't believe that Fred would want a boring normal funeral with everyone upset. I also can't believe George would let that happen.

So the promised explanation as to why it took so long. I am REALLY sorry by the way. At first I simply had writers block which I'm sure you understand can be a pain in the arse. Then just as I was managing to get idea's back into my head I started University as a Maths student and was so overwhelmed by all the new things that I kinda forgot as I tried to take it all in. Then came the worst part. Coursework. Seriously anyone who thinks Maths students don't have to do coursework is wrong. I've handed in 10 pieces over the last month or two and still have another 3 on me to do but they're not till after christmas.

I've finally managed to find the time to finish this chapter which has been half wrote since september over the last few weeks and I'm so glad I got it done and I can hopefully write another couple over the xmas period.

A huge thanks to all thoes who have reviewed in the past and also to thoes who's HarryXGinny fanfics i have read in the last few weeks for inspiration.

If anyone has a suggestion for things they can do during the summer before Hogwarts please let me know as I only have one or two idea's and a few things that are definate and I don't like skipping too much time out.

Ok that was a massive authors note. Hope you all loved the chapter.

Baueros XX