MetaFic

Albus Dumbledore sat in his office and considered.

He considered every thing that had brought Harry Potter to this point in his life. He considered what he could have done differently, what he could have done to make Harry's life easier. But Albus knew that if Harry's life had been easier, he might not have been able to meet the challenges, he might not have been able to fight the battles that he had.

And the Weasleys. Dumbledore wished he could do more for the Weasleys, but he knew what a proud family they were. Not the kind of overweening pride that caused families like the Malfoys or Blacks to turn out the way they did, but a fiercer pride in self, and in their own accomplishments. It saddened him to see the pain they had gone through, helping him fight this war, helping him prepare Harry. And he knew that the Weasleys would suffer more in the days to come. In the end, he would do what he could to aid and reward them, though he knew it would be no easy thing.

Dumbledore poured himself a cup of tea. He reached into his robes and pulled out the small wooden box he had so carefully guarded. He pulled a scroll out and rolled it out on his desk. He tapped Harry's scroll, and the three-dimensional outlay of planets, moons, and stars sprang to life in his office. He walked amongst the swirling, moving objects, searching for anything he might have missed previously. He found the same thing he always had. Harry could save them. But it was far from a certain thing.

Dumbledore reached into the box and withdrew another scroll, one he had not looked at in years. He unrolled it, and cast the spell. It formed next to Harry's chart, a dark mirror. Dumbledore walked among its planets and moons, studying the position of starts and constellations. No, the destiny of Tom Marvolo Riddle remained as always. He overlaid it against Harry's, but still the final outcome was hazy. The slightest tip of the scales could toss the balance one way or the other, making the outcome uncertain still. Dumbledore banished Tom's chart, and replaced the parchment in the box.

As he set the parchment down, he grabbed the third and final parchment on a whim. He cast the chart of Ginny Weasley again. On the last casting he had combined her chart with Harry's and it had shown some interesting possibilities. He wanted to study those possibilities more. As he superimposed Ginny's chart over Harry's, the planets, moons, and stars of both charts began to swirl at a fierce speed, whipping around the room until finally Dumbledore couldn't follow them anymore. Fawkes trilled and glided over to land on his shoulder.

Slowly the chaotic swirl began to take on a form of its own. The planets, moons, and stars began to combine with each other, forming a new, unique chart. As the new combined chart took form, Albus Dumbledore looked on amazed. Never in his long years had such a thing happened. It filled him with a child-like wonder to see a new piece of magic being born.

As the chart settled, he walked among the new orbits and movements. Fawkes whistled excitedly as they slowly drifted through the constellations.

"Yes, most remarkable," Dumbledore told his oldest friend and companion. "Most remarkable indeed."

Albus Dumbledore banished the chart back the parchment. When he returned to the desk, only one parchment remained. He picked it up and read the names on it, then smiled. He rolled it up and placed it back in the wooden box, which disappeared into his robes. He took out his watch and checked it. Just enough time to wrap up a few more loose ends.

***

Harry Potter rushed down the corridors of Hogwarts carrying an enormous stack of books. It was nearly the first of February already, though it seemed just yesterday they had been at Grimmauld having Christmas. Since returning to school, Harry had started seeing less and less of his girlfriend, as the run-up to OWL testing began to move as fast as a Firebolt. In fact, most of the books he was toting were for Ginny, who was studying in the relative peace and quiet of the Room of Requirement with Luna and Hermione.

"Look, I just want to make sure that Ginny gets enough food and rest before tomorrow’s match with Hufflepuff." Ron stood with his hand on his hips, in full Quidditch Captain mode.

Hermione faced him squarely, her shiny prefect's badge reflecting the light in the room. "What she needs to do is finish revising her transfiguration, not go off for a bit off fish and chips and a nap."

"We need to be ready for Hufflepuff. They've got the strongest, most experienced team in Hogwarts. My players need to be sharp tomorrow." Ron didn't even flinch in the face of Hermione's wrath.

"The OWLs are far more important to Ginny's future than a silly old Quidditch match that no one will remember by end of term anyway," Hermione turned the glare up a notch.

Harry set the books down quietly and started to back out of the room. This was going to be a particularly bad row, he could tell.

"You did not just call Quidditch silly, did you?" Ron's face had gone red.

Harry felt something soft and small brush up against his trousers. He looked down to find Ginny, in her Ginger form, nudging him on the leg. Harry picked her up and finished backing out of the room. He checked to see if Luna was all right, but the blonde girl seemed oblivious to the argument raging near her, so he softly closed the door.

"I think what Ginny needs to do, is take a break from studying, and go someplace quiet with her boyfriend," Harry said, walking away with the tiny cat in his arms. Ginny purred in agreement.

Harry walked outside the building and found an empty bench in the central courtyard. He sat down, then placed Ginny on the bench near him. She transformed back into her normal state.

"Ah, peace and quiet. No Ron, no Hermione, no bloody OWL revisions," Ginny sighed.

"How are they going?" Harry asked, nudging closer to her.

"I don't want to talk about them."

The finality in her voice made Harry decide to avoid the subject at all cost. "Right then," Harry said, "no OWL talk tonight." He placed an arm around Ginny, pulling her closer.

Ginny settled into his embrace and closed her eyes. "Dumbledore and father won't let Charlie leave Grimmauld. It's driving him nuts."

"I suppose they're afraid that Charlie would be too easily controlled again," Harry whispered.

"I'll be glad when this is all over," Ginny said, her voice small and sad.

"We all will."

They sat in a companionable silence for several minutes, then Ginny turned her head to face him. "So what do you plan to do, after everything's over?"

"What do you mean?"

"You must have some plans for your future?"

Harry swallowed. "I haven't really thought all that much about it. I told McGonagall last year that I wanted to be an Auror, but it wasn't really what I wanted. I said it just to annoy Umbridge." Harry thought for a minute. "I guess I'm just afraid to make plans for a future I may not be allowed to have," he finally told her.

Ginny sat up straight and looked at him. "Of course you're going to have a future."

"Gin, I still have to face Voldemort. Even if I do manage somehow to stop him, it's quite likely I won't survive."

Ginny narrowed her eyes at him. "You can just put that thought away right now, Harry Potter, because I've invested too much time and energy in you to allow some power hungry madman to take you away from me."

"Ginny–"

She moved closer to him, her lips almost touching his. "Now you listen to me, Potter," she softly hissed, "I plan on having you around for a long time. I also plan on Tom's worthless carcass to be molding under the ground while you and I finish school, get married, buy a house, and fill it with love, happiness, and a gaggle of children."

"Got it all planned out do you?" Harry grinned.

"You better believe it. I know what I want, and I'm bloody determined to get there."

Harry leaned in and touched his forehead to hers. "Keep reminding me, okay?"

"Every day, Harry, I'll tell you every day if that's what you need," she moved her head slightly, allowing their lips to come together. They stayed like that until finally oxygen became an issue.

Harry smiled at lightly. "So how many kids are we talking about?"

Ginny smiled happily. "Well, you figure I'm a Weasley, I'm good for five or six, then you're an honorary Weasley, so at least three or four. That means probably nine kids."

Harry paled and swallowed. "Nine?"

Ginny nodded solemnly. "Yeah. I suppose we should get started pretty soon."

Harry blinked twice, his mind trying to wrap itself around the idea of having nine children. He looked back down at Ginny, who regarded him with a steady expression. Harry swallowed, then opened his mouth to speak. Nothing came out.

It was too much for Ginny, who burst into merry laughter. "Oh my, you should have seen the look on your face!" She doubled over, holding her stomach from laughing so hard.

Harry's eyes narrowed. "Wait, you mean you're joking?"

Ginny straightened up and took a deep breath. "Harry, I'm not a brood mare or something. Have nine kids? No thank you. Three maybe, but not nine."

"Three sounds good," Harry said recovering from his shock.

"Three it is then," she replied, smiling.

They sat together quietly for time, exchanging soft kisses, and light touches. Finally, Harry spoke gain.

"Quidditch."

Ginny licked her lips, and looked at him quizzically. "Harry, I like Quidditch too, but I don't think right now is–"

"That's what I want to do, after school," he told her.

"I think that would be brilliant," she told him taking his face in her hands, "Now shut up and kiss me some more. I've missed having you to myself."

Harry Potter was very good at listening to his girlfriend.

***

Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger stood in the shadows and watched Harry and Ginny.

"I'm just glad they found each other," Ron said, turning away from the sight of his sister and his best friend locking lips.

"I'm still afraid. Ron. For a moment Harry sounded so -- so lost. Like he never expects to have anything of his own," Hermione gave her two friends one last look and turned away to walk with her boyfriend back into the castle.

"Ginny will keep him going. When the day comes that Harry has to fight Voldemort, Ginny will give him a reason to come back alive." Ron's voice held an almost mystical certainty.

"Will that be enough?" Hermione asked.

"It has to be."

Hermione swallowed. "What if something happens to Ginny?"

Ron was quiet for several steps and Hermione was afraid she had stepped over a line, talking about the potential death of his sister. Ron took a deep breath.

"Then may heaven have mercy on us all, because I think Harry would go mad if it happens," he said in a soft, sad voice.

Hermione was not reassured. She was starting to feel too much like Luna was right, that they were going to all end up like those champions in the stories. The ones who always died bravely.

***

"Are you okay with this?" Luna asked. She was curled up around Neville in their own private spot hidden deep within Hogwarts Castle.

"Yes. Someone has to keep them off Harry until he can reach Voldemort," Neville said quietly. "It might as well be us."

"I wish–I wish--," Luna stopped suddenly.

"You wish what?" Neville asked.

"That it wasn't going to have to hurt so much for all of us," Luna sighed and looked up at the ceiling.

"I know."

"The Snorkacks are coming. They're generally gentle, but they're drawn to great events."

"Mmm-hmm," Neville answered.

Luna turned and regarded Neville with her too large eyes. "Love me."

Neville Longbottom ran a tender hand along his girlfriend's face. "Always."

***

Albus Dumbledore sealed the last envelope and placed it on his desk. He had been writing all day, and his eyes were weary. He removed his half-moon spectacles and placed them on the desk next to his letters, and the small wooden box. Fawkes flew over and landed on the desk in front of him.

"You will care for and protect him?"

The great magical bird bobbed his head yes.

"These are dark times, old friend. He will need you before the end."

The bird walked across the desk and nuzzled his old friend, purring and softly trilling.

"Now, none of that," Dumbledore said.

The phoenix lifted his head and climbed into the lap of Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore ran a caring hand down the bird’s warm feathers, then took out his watch. He watched the last few seconds tick away, then with a small sigh Albus Dumbledore closed his eyes.

***

In the morning when Harry awoke, Fawkes sat on the end of his bed, looking sad enough to break the icy heart of Severus Snape. Ten minutes later, Minerva McGonagall called the school together to give them the news.

Albus Dumbledore was dead.