Chapter13
Harry
Pery’sgotaprojet.
HetellsittothemoveradrinkattheHog’sHead,standinginfrontoftheroomwithhiseyesshining,glisteningoverwithtears.Glisteningwiththeghostsofhispasts,Ritahadwroteone,andnowlookingatPeryhehadanideaofwhatthatwassupposedtolooklike.
“Thiswasahorrible,horriblething.Thewar.”Peryswallowedhard,andHarrydranktherestofhisbeerjusttogivehimselfsomethingtodo.Besidehim,Drao’shandfoundhiswayontoHarry’slegunderhthetable,fittostaystillandthenletgo.“Butitwashistoryinthemaking.Andsomeonehastotellit,tomakesurethepeoplewhoomeafterusknowhowitstarted,sotheyanseetheVoldemortforwhatheis—justaman.”
ThesentenewasalmostamirrorimageofthethingthatHarryhadbeentryingtoonvinehimselfofsinethefinalbattle.HowintheendTomRiddlewasonlyTom,andwhenhediedhedidnotgooutinabzeofgloryorforaause,heonlyfellhardandfinalontheoldground,likeapuppetwhosestringshadbeenut.Likehereallywasonlyaman.
“Therewerealotofpeoplewhodidgoodthingsduringthattime.Andtherewerepeoplewhodidbadthings.Whenhefirstrosetopowerandseemedtohavebeendefeated,wetriedtoshoveallthememoriesundertherug,andnoneofusknewanythingaboutit.Butthistimewe’renotmakingmistakes.Therewereheroesinthiswar,someoftheminthisveryroom.”Heraiseshisgssinasembneofatoast,andthepeoplearoundHarrywerenodding.Geepoundedhisgssdownonthewoodentable,andtherewasaansweringheerastheylookedaroundateahother.Everyoneinthisroomhadfought,everyonewasforedtogrieve.“Weshouldknowtheirnames.”
Harryknewthatallofthemhadgottenalittleobsessedwithsomethingafterthewar.ForPery,itwasreolletion,ofhearingallthestoriesandgettingthemdownasfastasheould,therightway,withthebiases.Hedidn’twantanyonewhodiedfortheausetobegivenovertooblivion,theirnameserasedandwithnoonetorememberthem.Andhedidn’twantanyonetofetthesinsofthosewhofoughtonthewrongside.
“Idon’twantanothergroupofkidstogrowuplikewedid.”Themoment,withPerystandinginfrontofthem,remindsHarryfierelyofthetimewhenHermionestoodinfrontofthemallandtriedtostartDumbledore’sArmy.Itmakesalumpriseinhisthroatandheswallowsitdown.“Wedon’tneedanotherfightlikethis.Soplease,helpme?”
Thereissilene,wherePerylooksunsureforthefirsttimeduringthiswholespeeh.Andthen,justasHarryknewhewouldbe,hemakeshimselfbethefirstonetostand.
Hishairsrapesonthestone,makingeveryonewine,buthewormshiswaythroughthejumbleoflegsandhairsandtablestothefrontoftheroom.Perysmilesandpshimonthebak,likehehaddonesomethingspeial.Harrysmilesbak.“WheredoIsign?”
Intheend,hisnameisfirstonthelist.
Drao’sisseond.
Itstartsimmediately.