Before Things Change, Harry Potter Year 6

30. The White Tomb

Lilly's POV
All lessons were canceled and exams postponed. Many students were hurried out of Hogwarts in the week that came. Seamus' mom wanted to withdraw him, but he refused in order to pay his respects to Dumbledore. Hogsmeade was filling up with witches and wizards who wanted to pay their last respects to Dumbledore as well. Before the funeral, Madame Maxine had come, a delegation of Ministry officials, including the Minister himself, had come.
Ginny, Harry, Hermione, and Ron spent a lot of time together. I spent all of my time with Neville. He knew our time was limited... Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, Neville, and I visited the Hospital Wing together twice a day. Bill was still under the extreme care of Madam Pomfrey. I had been discharged the day after Neville. I wasn't healed, but I had a sling with a big patch over my wound. It looks as if I was bitten by a small shark with a lot of teeth. Every night I clean and change it to avoid infection, I refuse to wear anything that doesn't have sleeves, I'm ashamed to know I caused Bill to almost look like Mad-Eye Moody.
I went over to him alone one day when he was conscious. Fleur was there and she hugged me, I asked, "H-How are you, Bill?"
He said, "Good, just resting..."
"I'm sorry for everything. If I hadn't got into a battle with Greyback, I wouldn't be responsible for this and I feel horrible. I'm so sorry for causing you to look like this and not being able to do anything about it. Thank you for saving my life, but I feel so guilty. If I could take it away and put it on me, I would!" I said. I was crying by the end. He motioned for me to come close and I complied. He pulled me into a hug and I sobbed, "I'm sorry." Over and over.
Fleur hugged me from behind and Bill said, "Shhh... it's okay..."
After a few minutes I pulled back saying, "I'm sorry..."
He smiled saying, "I'm know... Lilly, I'm alright. I will always be okay, so stop feeling horrible okay? I'll be perfectly okay." I nodded and hugged Fleur saying 'I'm sorry.' Again. I said to both of them, "If you ever need anything, let me know and I'll do it to the best of my ability."
They nodded and Bill said, "Yeah, stop saying 'I'm sorry,' I've heard it enough."
I chuckled saying, "Yeah, I'm so- Will do." He chuckled and I said, "I'll see you both soon." They nodded, we said our goodbyes, and I went to the common room.
Hermione was talking about how the Prince she had found was Snape's mother. She was a pureblood and married a Muggle. Harry blamed himself for not showing Dumbledore the book, he would have recognized Snape's hand writting and he must have know Snape's mother's last name was Prince.
They went to bed and I was alone with Neville. We stared at the fire and I asked, "Can we go for tea?" He nodded and we snuck into the Kitchen. I had to help him walk though, so we teleported. Halfway through my cup, I said, "Neville. I don't think I'm coming back next year..."
He choked on his tea and sputtered, "W-what? Why?"
I placed my cup on the table and said, "Harry, Hermione, Ron, and I have a job to do. We have to finnish something Dumbledore started. I have to help. They aren't returning either, Voldemort is going to take over, and when he does, we can't be where he can find us. He will kill us..."
Neville nodded taking my hand asking, "When do you leave?"
"Night of Bill and Fleur's wedding, there's going to be an attack and the Ministry will fall. We start then."
I chose my words carefully... "How long will you be gone?"
"A very long time..."
"Where are you going?"
"Lots of places..."
"What are you doing?"
"Finishing what Dumbledore and Harry started..."
"I'm not allowed to know am I?"
"No."
He sighed in defeat and I said, "Know this... I will always love you and will always think about you when I'm away. Neville, know that if you return, they will use you as leverage against me... I don't want you returning to Hogwarts."
"No, I'm going to come back, I'm going to make a difference. I'm going to fight. Dumbledore's Army, we're going to fight back."
"And get yourselves killed in the process, no!"
"Let me come with you!"
"No, you're going to get hurt and it's too dangerous."
"Then I'm coming back to school."
"No! Neville, I-"
"Lilly, either way, I'm going to get hurt. As long as I'm here, I'm making a difference, right?"
I nodded and he continued, "Is this why you've been trying to reduce the amount of pain I would get throughout my school year?" I nodded saying, "If you come back, you're in for a rough year, Neville."
He pulled me into a hug saying, "Thank you, now it's my turn to fight and protect others."
I cried into his neck saying, "Neville, please?"
He rubbed my back with one hand saying, "You were brave, now it's my turn..." I smiled up at him and remembered when he and I danced for the first time. The dance lesson before the Yule Ball. He kissed me and I melted into the kiss. He smiled, we finished our tea, and we went to bed. Tomorrow was the funeral.