Harry cried silently for a while, then walked over to Shawn and took the translucent black stone from his trouser pocket.
"Earlier, I was hit by Voldemort's Killing Curse, and then I had a dream. In it, I appeared at King's Cross Station, surrounded by white mist.
There, I saw a weakened Voldemort, and then an older version of you.
You told me so many things, then guided me back. After that, I woke up.
Was that older version of you really you?"
Shawn took the black stone. It was indeed the Resurrection Stone.
"You can think of him as me, or as the most perfect version of me in your memory. That's what makes the Resurrection Stone so extraordinary: it can conjure false souls.
But I tampered with it a little. Otherwise, that older version of me would only have led you to your death.
I imagine Dumbledore has already explained our plan to you. We deceived you because we wanted you to survive."
Harry looked thoughtful. Before Sirius appeared in his life, he really had seen Shawn as both a father and an older brother. Then he bowed slightly in thanks.
"Being deceived didn't feel good, but at least I survived, and I came to understand a lot of things.
Sometimes, ignorance might be a kind of happiness. Knowing too much might mean having to shoulder more.
If I'd known earlier that Voldemort's soul was inside me, I might have collapsed under the burden long ago.
Whew. I just wanted to ask: after people die, do they really begin a new adventure?"
Shawn raised his eyebrows, then nodded in confirmation.
"The Headmaster was right. Death really is the beginning of a new adventure."
With two of the strongest people alive assuring him of that, Harry felt much more