The Boy-Who-Did-Not-Live...Or Did He?

Torch-I do not own Harry Potter. READ THIS! The events of Deathly Hallows have been changed slightly. Harry did not enter the forest to die, instead Voldemort came straight to the castle and once there, Harry and Voldemort dueled. Read to find out what happened next.

Ron stood at the front of the extremely large crowd. He took a deep breath, forcing down the lump in his throat as he began to talk.

"Well, you all know why you're here. This person, lying here," he looked to the left of him where the open coffin holding his best friend lay and shuddered," was one of the greatest wizards there ever was. Heck, I'd say he was the best! This person, the so called Boy-Who-Lived, Chosen One and Man-Who-Conquered, was Harry Potter. A good friend, and a hero."

There was a pause as everyone remembered the boy who once was.

"I remember when I first met Harry. He was all alone and didn't know how to get onto Platform 9 and 3/4. Mum helped him out, of course. Soon after, we met again on the train. We shared a compartment and I told Harry all about the Magical World. When we arrived at Hogwarts we were both sorted into Gryffindor and our friendship was assured. During that year, Harry became the youngest seeker in a century, we battled a troll, became friends with Hermione, escaped from devil snare, played a giant chess match and Harry defeated Lord Voldemort who was sticking out of our Defense professor's head. Same old, same old really." Ron shrugged, a half smile plastered on his face.

"In our second year, we found out about Slytherin's heir. After Harry found out he was parseltongue, he was shunned by the school. We found out what Slytherin's monster was(thanks to Hermione) and, after my little sister Ginny was taken into it's chamber, we set off to save her. It was Harry who realised where the chamber of secrets was located, and it was Harry who defeated the Basilisk and stopped Voldemort from gaining a new body and returning to power.

"We entered out third year, still alive. Here we found out that Sirius Black, the 'supposed' traitor of Lily and James Potter had broken out of Azkaban to kill Harry. It was at the end of the year that we found out Sirius was actually innocent, and was also Harry's godfather. We also found out that Peter Pettigrew, the REAL traitor, was my pet rat Scabbers. Harry saved his life, at the cost of his and Sirius'. Pettigrew escaped, and now Harry couldn't live with Sirius because he had to go on the run, because some STUPID MINISTRY CREEPS DIDN'T BELIEVE HIM!" Ron took a deep breath. "Anyway, Harry saved us all that year too, when the Dementors tried to kiss us, he cast an incredibly powerful patronus.

"Fourth year led Harry to compete in the Tri-Wizard Tournament. He battled dragons, swam into the lake to save me and someone he didn't know! (Bloody hero.)" He muttered. "Then he went into the maze, got portkeyed to Voldemort, saw Cedric die and Voldemort return, duelled him, escaped and came back to Hogwarts, virtually unharmed.

"Fifth year was probably worst, the Ministry told stories in the Prophet that Harry was mad and Dumbledore had lost his marbles. (Like he had them to begin with)" Ron muttered again, causing a few chuckles from the wet-eyed audience. "Umbridge, the foul bitch," (Some people in the audience tearfully cheered, whilst Mrs Weasley gasped and said "Ronald!") "tortured the students and Harry, never teaching us proper magic, just the so-called principles! So Harry started up a Defense group called Dumbldore's Army (because that's what the Ministry feared we were doing). However, Umbridge found out and Dumbldore had to go on the run because of it. Then Harry had a dream saying Sirius was in trouble. We, including some D.A members, trailed to the ministry only to find out it was all a trap. We battled Death Eaters, but Harry lost the closest thing to a father he'd ever had. Sirius Black died that night. The Ministry finally realised Sirius was innocent but it was a bit bloody late!" Ron spat bitterly.

"In our Sixth year, Dumbledore told Harry that he was the only one who could kill Voldemort. (No one winced.) However, at the end of the year, Dumbldore died and Harry declared he wouldn't be going to Hogwarts the following year, as he had to get on with the mission Dumbledore had left him. Me and Hermione said we stay with him to the end, 'cos that's what friends are for." Ron stopped for a moment, to swallow the lump in his throat. He looked to the front row where he saw his girlfriend, Hermione, and his little sister, silently weeping, yet hanging onto his every word.

"We never made it to our seventh year. I won't tell you all the details, because i don't think it's my place. At the begining we went to my brother, Bill, and Fleur's wedding. We had to go before it finished as the Death Eaters had arrived. During that year we worked towards defeating Voldemort. When at last our journey led us back to Hogwarts, we fought the battle of a lifetime. This is where Harry's life ended. After leaving the Shrieking Shack after seeing Severus Snape die, we went back to the school where Voldemort was waiting. Those of you there will know that Snape was a good man, and also that Harry went down first, but only a second before Voldemort. The two beams connected and the green light ran down both wands, first hitting Harry who," Rons voice cracked before he forced himself to continue as the audience bowed their heads. "fell, then it hit Voldemort, who died. Now I ask you not to remember Harry for the person who killed You-Know-Who. I ask you to remember him for saving the world, being himself...and just...being kind, caring, but most of all...being a hero."

"You know what?" A voice asked. "I'm rather touched!"

Everyone looked up in shock, towards where the voice they knew so well had come from. Harry Potter was sitting up in his coffin, grinning from ear to ear at the looks of confusion on the crowd's faces. There was a moment before Ron whipped out his wand.

"What the hell do you think you're doing!" He growled.

"Erm…" Harry said, bewildered. "Being alive?"

"This is a funeral!" Ron cried.

"Yes, I can see that," Harry looked towards the audience and waved. "Hi!"

Ron blasted Harry's hand.

"Owch! What you do that for?!?" Harry cried, holding his wrist.

"It hurt you?" Ron replied, confused. "But I thought you were an inferi!"

"Guess you thought wrong," Harry answered annoyedly.

"Then you must be a Death Eater!"

"God, is it that hard to believe I'm alive?" Harry asked.

"Well, yeah when we saw you die, just the other day!" Ron said sarcasticaly.

"Did any of you even think about checking for a pulse?" Harry cried angrily.

Ron blushed. "Yeah, well, when you've just seen your best friend been Avada Kedavra'd, you tend not to bother checking for his heart beat."

"So even though I survived once you don't think I could do it again." Harry said, putting a hand to his heart and pretending to look hurt. "And after you saved me in an icy lake after getting that dam sword, you don't even think I could be alive. I'm really hurt."

"Icy lake? Sword?" Ron whispered, flabbergasted. "Harry?"

"So now you believe me?" Harry said, getting out of his coffin. "You know, it's rather cramped in there, next time you decide I'm dead can I have a bigger one?" He asked before he was dived on by Ron. When Ron let go, Ginny stepped towards him.

"Harry?" She whispered.

Harry looked into her brown eyes as she was absorbed into his emerald ones.

"I'm back." He said quietly.

Their gaze broke as Ginny scrunched her eyes closed and dived into Harry's arms. They had a moment alone before the rest of the crowd grabbed him, all desperate to hug The-Boy-Who-Truly-Lived.