All righty, here's Al!
Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Al's POV
I was feeling much more confidant now that James had said his speech. It was
quite surprising how much closer we had gotten in the past couple of days. We
helped each other on our speeches, and James had taught me how to look after
people. I had never have realized how caring he was! He was never so kind to
me when dad was still with us. But in the week since our fathers death, he had
been so nice, comforting everyone, when he was the one that needed to be
comforted! I think he learned that from dad.
I looked out to the crowd, and tried to smile, but it was painful. Almost
like breaking a pretzel rod, for my face had been in so downhearted, so
broken, for so long that it had almost grown accustomed to being in that
position, as if it were loath to break away. So, instead of trying to fight
that which would not come, I took a big breath, and started to read:
"Hi, as most of you know, I'm Albus Potter, Harry's second and youngest
son. I'd like to be able to say I was the closest to my dad, but then I
think of Teddy, who is essentially my brother, and I know that honour belonged
to him. I was always told I look just like my father, and personally, I tried
my best to be just like him. I was always trying to please him and I always
had fun with him, because he didn't put pressure on me to do well, simply
respected who I was. I loved all the times we went to the ministry together,
and seeing the respect he didn't ask for but was somehow given. I thought my
dad was the coolest person in the world. His office wasn't boring, that's
for sure. He had tons of pictures in it of people he knew, his family, his
favourite Quidditch teams. He even had items from the Weasley Wizard Wheezes!
He always let me do whatever I wanted, within reason of course, and I guess he
kind of spoiled me in that respect. But, he cared for me, and would always
think about the worst that could happen, he was always so aware of the worst.
And, of course, he always told everyone his 'phrase', something which he
supposedly picked up from Mad-Eye Moody, in his time the greatest Auror the
ministry ever saw and a close personal friend of my father. "Constant
Vigilance." It took me a couple of years to figure out the true meaning to
that. But I came to the conclusion one day, and I think it means to always be
alert for anything. I, I wish I was alert the day he left for his final
mission. I- I-I- I said," My throat was stuck. And then the tears started
flowing, the tears I had been holding back for so long. It's almost like I
hit a brick wall. I tried to speak, to finish my speech, and it came out as a
sound like a frog, but I forced myself to continue. "The last thing I said
to him b-before he left was, "Hey, dad, when you get back, can you come with
me to Diagon Alley? I want to check this new broom out with you."
I couldn't bear it. How could I have said something so stupid to him,
something so pathetic. When there were so many better things he would have
loved to hear more?
"Now, I wish I would have said good bye, or I love you. Not something so,
so, so," I practically yelled, "stupid! So, now I will say the good bye I
wanted to give him, e-even if it's too late."
I glanced at James, who gave me a 'thumbs-up' and then looked over at the
closed coffin, just as everyone before me has done. I spoke, perfectly calm
now, the tears somehow managing to stop just when I most needed them too, so I
could say this final goodbye.
"Dad, I love you, we all know that. And, thank you for making me who I am.
All those times we had together, I'm really going to miss you! You are the
best dad, and my best friend. I'll see you beyond the Veil one day but this is
Goodbye for now!" I closed my eyes, and walked away next to Lily. I hugged,
her and was surprised to see that she was standing up to speak.
Yup, you know what that means! Lily's next. Review! :D