Well, this is it! The final chapter. Thank you so much to everybody who has read and reviewed this story! It means a lot to me to know there are people out there who like my writing!
I am writing a sequel but it may take me a month or so before I can start uploading it.
Hope you guys enjoy the last instalment!

Epilogue

3 months later

The air was unnaturally still for a bitter November afternoon. Those students brave enough to stray into the grounds were wrapped tightly in their winter cloaks; many of them donned the house scarves in a bid to stay warm. The more sensible Hogwarts students had decided to spend the remaining hours of their Saturday in the Great Hall playing exploding snap, wizard's chess or just feasting on snacks from the trays which lined the house tables.

At the far end of the Gryffindor table sat Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger, both locked in what appeared to be an intense conversation. Whispering heatedly to each other, they failed to notice when newly reinstated Professor Remus Lupin came up behind them.

'Hermione?'

'What?' she snapped irritably, whipping her head around to face whoever had interrupted.

Remus quirked an amused eyebrow.

'Oh! I'm sorry Professor,' Hermione said quickly. 'I didn't realise - '

'Don't worry, Hermione,' Remus laughed. 'I'm not going to take points.' He paused for a few moments, regarding the two young witches with concern. 'Is everything alright?' he asked.

'Fine,' Ginny said quickly just as Hermione said,

'Harry's having nightmares again.'

Ginny glared at her friend.

'What?' Hermione snapped. 'If anyone can help him, Professor Lupin can.'

'He doesn't want people to worry about him!' Ginny snapped back. 'He's getting better, Professor, he really doesn't want people fussing over him.'

'He can't go on like this forever,' Hermione said. 'He hasn't slept properly for weeks.'

Ginny gave an irritable sigh.

'You know he needs help,' Hermione told her gently. 'There's only so much we can do.'

'You're not thinking about sending him to St Mungos,' Ginny raged. 'That's the last thing he'd want!'

'Nobody is suggesting that, Ginny,' Remus said gently. 'I know you're both concerned about Harry, but this is also about what he wants. It takes a long time to recover from traumatic events. It's just going to be a while before he's back to his usual self, and arguing about it isn't going to make it any easier for him.'

Ginny and Hermione fell into an awkward silence, neither meeting the others eye.

'Where is he?' Remus asked. 'I haven't seen him since yesterday.'

'He went for a walk in the grounds to clear his head,' Ginny said.

Remus nodded. 'Harry will be back to his usual self,' he said. 'But all of us will need to work together to help him.'

He then grabbed his cloak from the teachers table and headed outside into the cold.

It didn't take him long to find Harry. Remus spotted him sat beside the lake, gazing off into the distance. He watched him for a few moments, wondering if Harry was going to make any attempt to go inside into the warm. After deducing that he'd probably been out here for a good part of an hour, Remus approached him quietly.

'How's the squid?' he asked, settling himself next to Harry.

'I think he's cold,' Harry said, smiling. 'He keeps spinning around in circles.'

Remus laughed, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.

'Aren't you cold?' he asked.

Harry shook his head. 'I cast a warming charm.'

'Good to know you've been paying attention in class.'

Harry laughed. 'I'm not just a pretty face you know,' he said with a smirk.

Remus nudged his shoulder playfully and the two friends fell into a comfortable silence for a few moments.

'The girls say you haven't been sleeping,' Remus said eventually.

Harry turned his head in the other direction.

'It's getting better, Remus, I swear. It's not like it was just after… It's better now.'

'I know,' Remus said quickly. 'I don't know anybody else who could get themselves back on track as quickly as you. It's remarkable.'

'Well, I've had a lot of help,' Harry said with a shrug. 'It would have been a hell of a lot harder without you and Hermione and Ginny.'

'We're still here to help, Harry,' Remus said. 'With anything. You know that, don't you?'

'I know.'

'Even if it's one in the morning, it won't bother me.'

Harry laughed. 'Okay.'

His laugh died off quickly and Harry returned his gaze to the squid who was now attempting to catch birds with slimy tentacles.

'Are you going to tell me what's wrong? Or am I going to have to drag it out of you?'

Harry gave a brief smile.

'Nothing's wrong –'

'Harry,' Remus cut in, 'give me some credit. You may be able to fool the girls, but I like to think I know you better.'

Harry rolled his head around to face Remus. 'You're so annoying sometimes,' Harry said with a smirk.

Remus said nothing, but waited patiently for Harry to speak again.

'I miss Ron,' Harry said quietly. 'I thought as the year went on, I'd get used to not having him here…it's just so strange.'

'I know,' Remus said gently. 'There's not a day that goes by when I don't think of Sirius, or your mum and dad.'

'I always think he's going to walk in late to class, or I'm going to see him in the common room arguing with Hermione over something stupid.' He sighed heavily. 'I know it takes time… it's just a lot harder than I thought it would be.'

'It will take some time to get used to. It's always hard to accept that their not coming back.' Remus said.

Harry let out a non committal sound and rested back on his hands. Remus regarded him curiously.

'There's something else worrying you. I can see it in your eyes.'

Harry shifted uncomfortably on the ground. The thing that had been bothering him most since he'd defeated Voldemort and the only thing he had nightmares about – telling Remus would be admitting that he still had these thoughts. That, really, he wasn't as recovered as he was letting on.

'Harry,' Remus said firmly. 'If you don't talk to somebody this thing, whatever it is, will begin to eat you alive. You can't bottle your emotions.'

It would appear he wasn't going to let this go without a fight.

Harry took a deep breath.

'Sometimes I dream…that he still has my soul. I dream that however hard I try, he doesn't let go. And in the end, I give up, just like I did back in the forest…' Harry struggled inwardly for a few moments.
'Remus, I can't help but feel like that's going to come back and haunt me one day.'

'That's all in the past now. All those things that happened, they're not going to happen again. He's gone, once and for all, and there is no worry of him returning.'

Remus turned to look at him. 'And as for giving up,' he said, 'if any of us had gone through half of what you had this summer, we would have given up a long time ago. None of us can imagine what it felt like, but I'm sure any man would have felt helpless in that situation.'

Harry nodded but continued to gaze out across the lake.

'Giving up doesn't make you weak, Harry.'

Harry gave a snort. 'Now I know you made that up.'

'Really?' Remus asked. 'You think Dumbledore giving up his life for us was weak? Snape allowing himself to die for you; do you think that was weak?'

'No – '

'No. That's bravery. And having the courage to face death for the whole of the wizarding world? That's bravery at its upmost.'

Harry opened his mouth to reply but Remus cut him off quickly. 'Are you going to try to deny that?'

Harry shook his head. 'No. I was going to say I wish I could put things into perspective like you can.'

Remus smirked. 'It's my one and only talent.'

'Don't be stupid,' Harry laughed. 'You're also a half decent teacher.'

'Half decent?'

'Well, we haven't finished term yet. I'll give you a full evaluation then.'

Remus laughed loudly and pulled Harry into his chest, ruffling his hair viciously.

From high above on the astronomy tower, Severus Snape watched them curiously. He had not spoken directly to either of them since the events 3 months previous. After he'd woken and Madam Pomfrey deemed him healed enough to leave, Snape spent most of his time recovering in his quarters. What bothered him was how quickly Harry seemed to be able to jump back onto his feet and move around normally as if nothing had happened. It was only when he looked closer that he could see the nightmares plaguing the boys eyes and the terrors clearly still present within his mind. Snape could not blame him. After all, he was the only person who'd been through the same as Harry, who'd seen what he'd seen and felt the same pain Voldemort had put him through.
Snape wrapped his fingers around the dark mark on his arm. It was still there, still as prominent as ever. Though it no longer burned, Snape wondered whether or not it would ever fade from his skin.

'You haven't told him.' A voice spoke from behind him.

'I have done as you asked,' Snape replied sourly. 'I've had no contact with the boy.'

'…I have your word?'

'It has been three months. I will not go back now.'

Snape turned his gaze back towards Harry and Remus on the edge of the lake. They were quiet now, both gazing up towards the window of the tower where he was stood. Snape gave a scowl for good measure and then swept away back towards the comfort of his quarters.

'What's up with him?' Harry asked.

Remus laughed. 'I don't think we'll ever know.'