Harry awoke some time later to the felling of a cool rag pressed to his head. He tried to get up but he was pushed back down onto his bed. "Just lay there. You need your rest." Harry heard Ginny tell him before falling asleep again. He awoke the next day to loud talking in the room and knew that Mrs. Weasley had arrived. Harry sat up and looked around for his glasses but could not find them until someone handed them to him.
Harry looked up and his heart jolted. Dumbledore was sitting next to his bed. Harry was at a loss for words that he just stuttered. "Easy Harry I shall explain in a moment when we are alone. But for now some people want to see you." Dumbledore told him. Harry looked and at the other side of the room with their parents were Ron and Ginny. Hermione was sitting on Harry's other side sleeping. Harry reached over and shook her to wake her up.
Hermione stirred and looked around before she saw Harry and jumped up embracing him in a hug. "I'm so happy you’re alright. I knew you would be but some others didn't." she said with a smile and tears streaming down her face. Ron and Ginny noticed Harry had awakened and ran over to him. Ginny attacked him by jumping on the bed right on top of him. Ron on the other hand just shook his hand, "Good job."
Harry was pleased everyone wanted to be with him but he asked him all to leave so he could talk to Dumbledore alone. After all the hugs and kisses, the room emptied leaving the two of them alone. "I know Harry, I should be dead. Your right I should be but, as you can see, I am not. After Snape lifted me out of the window and I floated to the ground I was dead. Although Voldemort has Horcruxes, there are other ways of extending your life. You see Harry there is an old and powerful magic I came across to where if some were to sacrifice their lives and something else sacrifices their lives for that person. They can live again.
"I can tell you’re confused so I'll explain it. As you know, Snape made the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa. Draco's job was to kill me, and if he failed, Snape would have to kill me. As you saw Draco could not kill me, he just did not have it in him. Therefore, when Snape showed up he had no choice to do it. You heard Snape and I had an argument earlier last year. I was making him promise to me that he would kill me if it came to that.
"So that was my sacrifice, I would die instead of Snape. At the funeral, Fawkes sacrificed her life to save mine by flying into the coffin and giving me her soul. I was able to Apparate out of the coffin to a safe place no one knew where I was. I had to let you face Voldemort alone, it was the only way you could succeed."
Harry sat there for a minute taking in all Dumbledore was telling him. Then it hit him, "Sir, why did Wormtail sacrifice his life for mine?" Dumbledore smiled at Harry, "Wormtail is your uncle. To be more exact your fathers brother, well adopted brother. Your father’s parents adopted Wormtail when he was young and that is why he was always around him. Wormtail, I am guessing, never meant for Voldemort to kill your parents. He perhaps expected him to turn them to his side.
"When Voldemort tried killing you he couldn't let you just die so he sacrificed his life to save yours. Perhaps he wanted to undo what he had done some how." Dumbledore sat to await Harry's next question. "When I touched Voldemort my skin seemed to burn him. I thought he was immune to my touch now?" Harry asked him. Dumbledore shook his head, "No Harry he was immune to your mothers love and sacrifice for you, but not Wormtail's. When He jumped in front of you, that set another powerful protection on you. That is why you were able to touch him again.
"Now I shall go speak to the minister and Minerva. Yes, she is still headmistress of the school. I think I shall apply for the minister of magic position and get Stan Shunpike out of jail. You are ready for the real world and I shall watch over you." Dumbledore got up to leave but Harry had almost forgotten, "Sir one more thing. The snake is still out there." Harry told him. Dumbledore turned to him, "Actually Gwarp can be thanked for not letting the snake away. This morning when we searched the grounds for any death eaters left over we came across a smashed snake in the middle of a giant foot print."
Dumbledore turned and left which let the others come back in. "So what happened after I left last night?" Harry asked them and Ginny was the one who spoke up first. "Well after you left we fought the death eaters and Snape joined us. All the death eaters were grouped together against the swarm of people coming down on them. A few of them died before the rest gave up after we injured them a lot.
"We had some injuries but nothing major although Slughorn will be retiring for good. I killed Greyback for attacking my brother and Hermione knocked out Bellatrix after she hit Ron with the Crucio curse. But all in all we did great." Madam Pomfrey came in and gave Harry a dose of the sleeping potion and he fell asleep felling warm all over.
Harry was released the next day for the end of the year feast and awarding on the school trophy, which Gryffindor won again. Yearbooks were handed out to all the seventh years as they boarded the train to head home. Everyone spent the entire time getting signatures and it seemed everyone wanted Harry's. After being aloud through the barrier, Harry saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley standing there but no aunt and uncle. Harry was relieved he did not have to go back there and they were probably glad of the same.
Harry was planning to stay with the Weasleys until he could find a place to stay. Harry approached them, said his hellos and just came out with it. "Can I stay with you until I find a place to stay?" Molly just looked at him with a straight face, "I'm sorry Harry but we just don't have the room. I'm pregnant again so the twin's room is being turned into a nursery." Harry had a disappointed look on his face. Molly continued though, "But, if you will remember you own your own house and we shall take you to it.
They all piled into the ministry car, which the new minister Dumbledore arranged. Moreover, they drove for about and hour, Harry did not want to go back to Grimmuald place but he had no choice. He needed a place to live. The car pulled to a stop and Harry looked out of his window. Harry was not outside of his godfather’s house but he was outside of a place he never expected.
To Be Continued...
