"Today is about celebrating. Celebrating our victory. One year ago, we fought and won. We fought for our lives, yes, but mostly for a greater cause. Freedom, equality, justice, those are only a few of the concepts we fought for. We fought for a better world, for a safe place for our families to grow in, and we succeeded. Today, we remember. Remember our friends, our family, and the people we love that were by our side all this time, but are not among us today. They would be proud to see what we accomplished together. I am proud of the accepting and loving community we became. To our victory!" About a hundred voices echoed Prime Minister Kingsley Shacklebolt, and all of them followed by taking a sip of their glass of champagne.
Attending to the one-year anniversary of the end of the war were ministry officials, war heroes, and many other famous guests. Well-known war heroes Harry Potter and his date Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Minerva McGonagall and Severus Snape were sitting at the minister's table. As the joyful conversations began around the room, Harry sat quietly, thinking about how the other guests at his table changed since the war. Some of them grew to become much stronger, while the others still seemed so fragile, almost broken. Even though they all lived through the same pain, Harry deemed it normal that they were all affected on different levels. One thing for sure, no one would ever be the same. His thoughts first went to Ginny, the love of his life. He was so glad they were able to finally be together after the war. She became such a strong and loving woman, even after everything her family had to go through. There was no doubt she would be just like her mother in a few years, always looking out for the ones she loved.
Harry then contemplated his two best friends. Their years at Hogwarts had been full of love, friendship, challenges and grief, but the hardest year for their friendship was definitely the last one. After the war, Ron found the need to always look forward, move on with his life, because he could, because he was alive. It was his way to honour the dead. Hermione, however, always seemed to be reliving the past, to analyse what could have been done differently, she just couldn't get past the horror they all lived. Ron felt like Hermione was dragging him down, and she felt like he wasn't respecting her grief, and thus their newly romantic relationship didn't last. Harry tried to stay out of it and to this day, the trio was trying to find their balance back.
Harry's thoughts were cut off when Ron asked him with a concerned voice:
"Harry, are you ok? You seem a little out of it."
"Yes, don't worry Ron. I just… it feels weird to be all cheerful and happy considering what we all lost, exactly one year ago."
"Harry," Hermione said in this motherly voice she only used with her two best friends, "we talked about this last week. People need to be told that it's ok to be happy again. We won that war, but they still need us. You need this too."
There was a silent moment around the table where all its occupants thought about what Hermione just said. Since the fall of Lord Voldemort, it was hard for the wizard population to go on, living their normal life. Most of them probably forgot what normal was, after all that time spent worrying, hiding, running, and fighting. A year had past, Minerva thought, and it was time for everyone to go on living, even if they couldn't quite remember how yet. The first step of national recovery was this celebrations party, where they all had to cope with the memory of a past they wish they could forget, or change, in the hopes of a better future. Breaking the silence was the return of the Prime Minister to the table.
"Congratulations Kingsley, that was a very touching speech." Complimented Minerva.
"I actually have Hermione to thank for that, I asked for her help," answered Kingsley, sitting down between Severus and Harry.
"Always a pleasure!" Said Hermione, humble. "I heard you were saying something later too, Minerva?"
"You heard right." Replied the elder. "Don't tell anyone, but I am announcing the reopening of Hogwarts for the next school year!"
This announcement seemed to lighten up the mood at the table. Since the final battle, Hogwarts had been under construction. Some magical children had been lucky enough to be home schooled, but for most, the wait for the famous castle to be ready for them to go had been too much for their small patience. All year, Hermione, Minerva and a small group of witches and wizards led a volunteering operation to rebuild the school. The other guests at the table also participated from times to times, but none of them had the chance to be there recently and see it completely done.
"So how is it going to work then?" Questioned Ginny. "Do we have to go back?"
"The Ministry explored the possibilities." Replied Kingsley. "The students that were in 5th and 7th year during… During Severus' time as a Headmaster," Kinglsey looked everywhere but the man at his left saying that, but didn't know how else to talk about that year without being more insensitive to the man's sacrifices and difficult situation, "will be offered to pass their exams in the summer if they think they are ready. For all the other students, including those who will have failed these exams, their year will have to be completely repeated. The quality of the education received during the last year at Hogwarts is not up to the ministry's standards."
"Will you be teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts this year, professor Snape?" An awkard silence followed Neville's question. Slowly, Severus, who had been sitting back during the conversation, leaned in the table and looked straight into the boy's eyes saying:
"I don't think that my presence at Hogwarts would be very welcomed, Mr. Longbottom."
Dinner magically appeared on the tables and everyone took that opportunity to change the subject. Even though Severus Snape had been revealed as a double agent for Dumbledore during the trials, all the bad he'd done for the greater good made him a disliked wizard. For the past year, he seemed to be seen in public only on occasions related to the war, like this one. Since the trials, he had been staying home, in his private potions lab, brewing rare antidotes and remedies for St. Mungo's hospital. After he was saved from Nagini's deadly venom, he offered his services to the hospital in the hopes of contributing to save more lives. That wasn't the reason he'd told to those who ask, though. Officially, he would say that this was the perfect way to practice his art without being disturbed.
"So, Ginny, when is your first game of the season?"
"Wait, did I just hear Hermione talk about Quidditch… Willingly?" Ron asked, laughing. It made people at the table chuckle a bit, except Hermione, who rolled her eyes, and Severus, who might had forgotten how to laugh.
"To answer your question though, the first one is actually in a couple of weeks."
"And the practices doubled in the last few weeks," complained Harry, "I hardly see her anymore!"
"Harry!" Ginny laughed, slapping Harry's arm.
"I would think that Kingsley kept you busy enough with Auror's duties that you don't feel so lonely," suggested Hermione.
As usual, whenever Harry, Ron and Hermione were together, all the others could do was to sit back and listen. Those were the moments where everything felt like it could be normal again. Even though it was never really normal. Watching them, Minerva felt like watching the kids she never had. She always felt stronger for these three, knowing what they were going through and yet how much love and happy moments they managed to have between them during all these difficult years. She looked at Harry, sitting next to the Prime Minister, laughing at Ron chocking on his food because he tried to eat too much, too fast. For Hermione, sat beside her, it was a little different. Things changed, for all the witches and wizards at this table, but in Minerva's perspective, Hermione's case was not the same. This beautiful young woman gave the impression of living in the past, being at Hogwarts for the last year, as if she couldn't move on. She seemed lonely. Minerva couldn't remember seeing Hermione with other friends than Ron or Harry. Maybe she would try to talk to her, Minerva thought.
As the night went on, dinner eventually got to an end and Minerva had the chance to announce the grand opening of Hogwarts to a cheering crowd. The great news created an atmosphere of happy celebrations, where everybody could exchange about their new post-war life and projects for the future. Not long after, Kingsley prepared for another speech. The guests all gathered up to listen.
"I didn't know there was an other Minister's speech tonight," Harry muttered. "Did you write this one too, Hermione?"
"No," Hermione answered, looking at Kingsley with apparent confusion. "I didn't know either."
"Thank you," started Kingsley, "for this wonderful night. Before we let you go home, the Ministry and I wanted to take tonight's opportunity to announce a new law that will get publicly known tomorrow. I'm here to present you the Preservation of Magic law."
Author's note: This is not my first Harry Potter fanfiction. It is, however, my first English written fanfiction. It is not my first language, but if my grammar and spelling isn't as good as I think it is, I would appreciate feedback. Constructive feedback about my style and the content of the story as well is welcome.
I like to post one chapter every week and I am always one chapter ahead in writing to make sure the story stays linear. I do not like to be OOC, so I try to stay as close as I can to the characters and J.K. Rowling's story, even though I put them through an unlikely plot.
Thank you so much for reading; it means the world to me,
Maude.