Harry Potter and The 7th Year Proposal

Chapter 1 - The Three Tombs

Chapter 1 - The Three Tombs

Harry sat in his chair, straight and solemn. A podium was set up in the Weasley's orchard. Three tombs were set in a row. A haunting feeling floated over him, he felt empty as he stared at them. They stood there, mocking him. It was his fault they were there in the first place. His fault all of these people had come to the Weasley's orchard now. All his fault.

He looked up to the podium and, now, standing there tall, was Ginny. Harry gazed at her as a single tear streaked down her face. In the row ahead of him, Mrs. Weasley was weeping into her husband's chest while Mr. Weasley hugged her tightly; he was blinking furiously and his face was all screwed up. Ron sat beside Harry, stark white and watching the grass intently, as though making sure it wouldn't run away. Beside Ron, Hermione was sobbing almost as much as Mrs. Weasley.

But the demeanor that bothered Harry most, was George's. He had hardly spoken to anyone since the Final Battle and had eaten almost nothing. George looked up at Harry who smiled half-heartedly. George nodded and returned his face to his hands.

"I know," Ginny addressed to the whole orchard, "that Fred will be missed so much by all of us," she gulped a little. "But I also know that Fred would not want us moping around or mourning his death. He'd want us celebrating his–very mischievous–life," Ginny managed a watery chuckle and looked to Harry who smiled encouragingly.

"So thank you, Fred, for being a brother better than I could have asked for, and for teaching me how to be a sneaky prankster and toughening me up, so that I could handle the real world. I don't know what the rest of our lives will be like without you, but I do know that we will somehow manage.

"Please, Fred, continue to watch over us and remember that we all love you so much, and we will miss you so, so much," Ginny wiped her face and made her way back to her seat next to Harry.

Harry gave her half a smile and took her hand. They watched as Mrs. Tonks walked up the podium.

"My daughter, Nymphadora, who was Tonks to most of you, was a person you could not help but love to be around. She lifted your spirits no matter the day. Whether it be her knack of running into things," Mrs. Tonks smiled, "or her metamorphmagus that would have us rolling on the floor as she turned her nose into a beak. She gave us new hope in the fight against Voldemort, she always found the silver lining. And I know right now, she is watching over us, still wishing she could be here, but knowing she died for the right reason, and knowing that we're not letting her memory fade. We'll miss you 'Dora, you were a perfect daughter. I love you," Mrs. Tonks' eyes welled with tears and she stepped down from the podium and walked wearily back to her seat.

Now, Harry stood up. His walk to the front seemed to take hours. He looked down at his hands and cleared his throat.

"I met Remus Lupin in my third year at Hogwarts. He was the best Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher I've ever had. His classes were so interesting, always my favorite. He was the first teacher who actually taught us something useful, and we loved it.

"Since then, Remus Lupin has become more than a teacher, he's become a friend, and family. He's helped me understand a lot. He told me about my parents and how very brave they were in trying to save my life. Well, Remus Lupin was just as brave. He had to overcome some very...hairy obstacles in his life," Harry smirked and caught the eye of George who almost grinned, "but he fought through thoughs hard times and managed to live a normal life.

"Remus Lupin and his wife Tonks just recently had a baby. They named him Ted Remus Lupin. I know that Lupin would give anything to be able to hold his little boy right now; he was so proud of him. But, I also know that if Lupin had a choice of how he was going to die, he would have chose to die while fighting Voldemort. He wanted to make his son's future as perfect as possible, and now he is able to watch over his every move from Heaven. And now, I know the Remus Lupin is having one hell of a time up there with his wife and best friends: Tonks, my mother and father, and Sirius Black. All five of them died trying to protect their loved ones from the wrath of Voldemort. And all have succeeded," Harry smiled as tears stung at his eyes. "So, thank you Remus Lupin, Nymphadora Tonks, and Fred Weasley for making our lives worthwhile and always having room to care for us. We all will miss you. Goodbye."

Nobody spoke, all was silent. The light breeze was the only thing that whispered as it passed lightly through the orchard. Harry walked down the podium and went over to Ginny.

Her eyes were red and she hugged him tightly, "That was beautiful, Harry." She kissed him lightly on the cheek and pressed her face to his chest, he held on tighter.

All around them people started standing up. He could hear stories of how Fred had tricked them into trying a Skiving Snackbox, or how Tonks had once elongated her neck to the size of a giraffe's, or how Lupin had saved them from a Deatheater during the Final Battle.

Harry didn't know how to feel anymore. Relieved that the war was finally over; Voldemort finally finished, or full of grief and dread for all of those who had died to save and help him: Lily and James Potter, Sirius Black, Dumbledore, Dobby the house-elf, Mad-Eye Moody, Collin Creevey, Severus Snape, Tonks, Lupin and many more, nameless faces.

Then Harry remembered something. Lupin had named him Godfather to his son Teddy. A feeling of great responsibility filled Harry. He knew that Ted's life would never be normal, just like Harry, he had no parents. Voldemort had made sure of that.

Harry vouched right then and there that he was going to do everything he could to make his Godson's life the best it could be.