Second Chance at Saving Them {Harry Potter}

FIN

I tried writing the trial, but it didn't feel right. It didn't fit with the story, so I merely gloss over it here.

But here it is, the final chapter of Second Chance at Saving Them.

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The trial that followed was grueling, even for Harry who had as much experience in a courtroom as a decent lawyer. Mr. Riddle, as he was referred to during the trial, had a lawyer Harry was familiar with, Hai Ng. Currently, he was in his thirties with a reputation for taking only the most impossible cases, just to prove he could get anyone off. He was also from China and had very little knowledge of Voldemort's actions before he took the case, so he had no issue representing him. Harry knew him as a fifty year old man with a mission to make Harry's life as hard as possible.

It was possible he was even worse as a thirty year old man. Every time Harry said something, he'd pick it apart until not even Harry knew what had been said originally. He'd put the others through their paces as well, but Harry suspected Ng believed he was the weakest link being put on the stand because of his age and apparent lack of experience. And to his credit, he would have been right if Harry didn't actually have the mind of a forty-four year old.

But, in the end, the Wizengamot put him away for life. Not that Harry expected any less. There wasn't a wizard in the UK that hadn't been affected by Voldemort in some way. The trial itself had been nothing more than a formality as far as Harry was concerned.

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The trial had gone long so by the time it was done, Harry had a week and a half left before he had to return to his fifth year at Hogwarts. And he intended to spend it like any other fifteen year old would. He would play Quidditch, relax with his friends, and kiss his amazing girlfriend/wife.

During one of his many days at the Weasley's, he found himself able to do just that. Luna had come over in the middle of one of their scrimmage matches, so the twins excused themselves and soon there was smoke pouring out of their bedroom window.

Now, Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Luna were sitting under the largest tree in the Weasley's backyard. Harry had his arm draped over Ginny's shoulders as she and Ron discussed Quidditch tactics. Luna was laying in the grass, staring up at the sky when she spoke, "It's quite nice outside. Makes you wonder."

"About what?" Harry asked, shifting slightly to look more directly at Luna.

"How our lives have changed. How we've changed them, how we've changed everyone's lives. For the better, but we've changed them. Five years ago, we were all happy, living with our families, and we'd healed. Then we were sent back."

Ginny and Ron had stopped their conversation when Luna started talking, and Ginny found herself agreeing with her, "Exactly. Our lives before all this happened, before we were sent back, I'd be lying if I said they weren't more than I could have hoped for. But this entire experience, having the chance to go back and save everyone. Sirus, Remus, Tonks, Fred."

"I suppose it wasn't all good." Luna said, "The first year was terribly lonely, I had my father, of course, but no one knew what I'd gone through anymore. I like to believe I've changed quite a bit since I was nine, and suddenly I was expected to be exactly the same."

"But we accomplished a lot." Harry responded, "We saved a lot of people who died when Voldemort rose."

"And I found you all, and then Rolf was sent here as well, and it was easy to see the good in this."

"And to think, at this time last year, the war was only just beginning. It didn't even seem real yet. Like it was just a nightmare." Ron said, having joined Luna as he laid back.