Secrets To Keep

e x t r a

suggested by rickandrowling28

warning: im probably gonna make this sooo dramatic and cringy. what can I say, it's what im best at.

edit: OHMYGOD IM CRYING SJDVIUHRNVF

ALSO: the whole character description thingy is coming up.

----

It had barely been a week when the whole family was having a bonfire for Rose's birthday. It was technically scheduled for the twelfth of August, but well...you know.

The adults were chatting as the kids played, when little Luke came running up to Teddy. "Daddy, Daddy!"

Teddy looked down at the seven year old. "What is it, Lukie?"

"I found a stone in Grampie's office!" He showed a black little stone, and Hermione gasped.

Teddy looked at her. "What is it Aunt Hermione?"

She turned to her husband. "Doesn't that look familiar?"

Ron shrugged. "You've probably seen it in a book, Dear."

"No, I've seen it in Harry's memories. Think!"

Hearing the commotion, Bill came over. "Isn't that the Resurrection Stone from the Forbidden Forest?"

Hermione smacked Ron's arm. "I told you!"

Teddy took the Stone from Luke. "What's that?"

The few adults near exchanged glances, and Ron laughed quietly. "Dammit Harry."

"It, ah," Bill paused. "It summons a replication of the dead. "It's pretty dangerous, I'd say."

Teddy let it roll in his hand until Charlie cursed. "Holy shit!"

They all looked to where he was pointing, and George walked forward slowly, holding a hand out. "Freddie..."

Ron and Hermione exchanged weary looks. This didn't seem very safe...

Soon, even more of their loved ones were before them, in distorted forms.

"Dad!" Amaya gasped tearfully.

Her twin brother, Beckett clasped her hand.

Luna stood, looking like she wanted to stop her children from seeing him. When he was taken away again it would be absolute hell. She instead said, "Oh Har."

In front of them were James and Lily Potter, Sirius Black, Remus and 'Dora' Lupin, ("Is that..." "Those are your parents, Teddy.") Cedric Diggory, (I've seen you in the Common Room!" "A fellow Puff? Wicked.")Molly, Arthur, and Fred Weasley, Severus Snape, Colin Creevey, (Oi, he looks a lot like that picture in the Headmistress' office!" "That's because he is, you twit!") There were too many to account for.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione cut to the chase. "This isn't...right."

Harry was at the front, as it always was. "I uh, did something you might be mad at me for."

Ron snorted. "Even in death she's scary, aye Mate?"

Dead-Harry (what could you call him, really?) laughed. "Oh, yes she is."

"The point?" Roxanne asked.

Harry sighed. "I may have made a deal with, er, Death."

"You may have, or you did?" Asked Evie. She always was sassy.

"I did." Harry rubbed the beck of his neck. "I thought if Death gave you all one more chance to say goodbye it might give you closure, it wouldn't hurt so bad."

Fleur looked at him sadly. "Eet is very sweet but, is eet smart?"

"Fleur's got a point." Ginny said sadly. "I'm happy to see everyone one last time, but won't it just open an old wound?"

"Bit late for that, Mum." Alex said cheekily.

"Look, I say we all just ask questions we wanted to and--"

Suddenly George was laughing. Ghost-Fred looked at him oddly. "What?"

"H-Harry was defeated by, by MILK!"

James and Sirius laughed too, as Harry groaned. They'd just stopped laughing about this in the Afterlife, and now they were going to again. Great.

Everyone was laughing, as Charlie smirked. "Voldemort couldn't kill him, but milk could. Only you, Harry." He paused. "Still hot, even dead, surprisingly."

If Harry thought he couldn't blush harder, he was wrong.

---

Soon -- sadly -- Dead-Lily Potter felt a tug. "Oh no."

"What?" Alice asked, rubbing her stomach.

"I feel it too." Dead-Harry said sadly.

Dead-Sirius rubbed his shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll meet again one day."

Amaya tried to clutch at her dad's hand. "Please,"

"I'm sorry, baby." Harry told her.

They said their goodbyes, and soon the air was clear again.

Rose laughed. "This was simultaneously the happiest and saddest birthday ever."

---

In the Afterlife

They all fell when they 'landed' back in the Afterlife.

It had really evolved since that summer back in '98.

Now it was a room full of furniture and things to entertain themselves with. It had a little pond area, surrounded by stones. If you wanted to see someone, all you need do was pick up a stone, take out your wand, and write the name on the stone. After that, toss it into the pond.

They talked a lot, but sometimes they let out their grief on one another. Just because they were dead didn't mean they couldn't feel emotional pain. They had to, being ripped away from their families with no idea what was happening. They couldn't feel physical pain, however.

Harry and his parents had gotten to know each other a great lot in the past few weeks. Surprisingly, Harry was more like Lily than his father. It surprised him, but he didn't mind at all. She was absolutely radiant when thanking him for naming Juniper after her.

He wouldn't see his family for years, but until then, he had his dead-family.

It was quite nice, for being dead.