Another turning point;
a fork stuck in the road.
It's a warm, mid-June night, the seventh years are all seated in the Great Hall. All the house tables have been removed. Instead, a single table has been placed in the centre of the room, big enough to seat everyone. For once, all house rivalries have been put aside, Slytherins are sat beside Gryffindors and Hufflepuff's beside Ravenclaw's. The only way to tell the students apart is by the coloured strip on their black robes: Red for Gryffindor, green for Slytherin, yellow for Hufflepuff and blue for Ravenclaw.
Harry and Hermione stand up and move to the front. The room goes silent and turns to them, waiting expectantly.
"Seven years." Harry says simply. "Seven years since we first walked through those doors. We were only eleven. We were scared, we didn't know what to expect, what would happen. And in those seven years we have experienced many things. We had fun. There were pranks. You laughed with your friends, stressed over homework, met new people, won games, probably got a detention or two. You've danced, you've kissed. Sure, we've all had fall outs. Nobody can forget the petty house rivalries we had for the first six years of our education. But all those things, all the memories you have, you've experienced here. At Hogwart's, inside these stone walls. Hogwart's is a home to us all. And I know no one will forget it. So I want you all to take a minute to remember Hogwart's and the things you've achieved here."
The entire hall bow their heads. Some giggle as they remember something from their past, others look around at their friends, thinking about all the good times they'd had.
"Now..." Harry says with a grin. "Let's dance!"
A cheer ripples throughout the hall. And in unison they all chuck their pointed hats into the air. Glitters of red, gold, green, silver, blue, yellow and black flutter from the ceiling...
Time grabs you by the wrist;
directs you where to go.
Hermione is lecturing a group of third years on proper behaviour, but the third years keep laughing and she doesn't know why. As she gets more and more frustrated, she gets a furious clue as to what is going on. She whirls round angrily and glares at the troublemaker.
Ron is hanging upside down outside the window making faces. He pales when he realises he's been spotted. He jumps with a start, smiles sheepishly and then falls.
Crying out in alarm, she runs to the window. She blinks, stunned, when she spots Harry helping him in from a window below.
She's about to shout when Neville follows suit; leaping from the floor above. He stares at her in astonishment, then drops down to the next floor.
Her eyes widen as Luna floats by the window. She's wearing a huge skirt that is puffed up around her like a parachute. She waves dreamily before twirling down to the next floor.
Hermione, uncertain of how to react, backs away slowly… just in time because Ginny doesn't bother with the floor her friends are on. Instead, she swings right onto her floor with a shriek of glee. She hugs her friend then grabs her hand and pulls her down to the next floor.
So make the best of this test
and don't ask why.
Harry dives, his crimson Quidditch robes flapping in the wind as he fights his way to the Snitch. Above him, the Ravenclaw Seeker gasps her surprise and follows suits, but she's too late. Harry has a large lead on her and catches the Snitch with ease, despite the zooming Bludger that almost beheads him.
The Quidditch stands erupt; Gryffindor and Hufflepuff cheer loudly and the Ravenclaw students boo but clap half-heartedly. The Slytherins remain stony-faced. Ron leaps from his broom, nearly breaking his neck, and embraces Harry, laughing. "You've won us the House Championship!" he shouts.
"I know." Harry chokes. "Don't kill me for it!"
Ron loosens his hold as the Gryffindor's pour from the stands in a sea of red. Ginny flings herself at Harry. "You did it, you did it! I knew you could win!"
It's not a question
but a lesson learned in time.
Harry and Ginny, in their simple Hogwart's robes, are sat by the peaceful lake, watching the sun set. Harry has his arm wrapped loosely around her shoulders. Behind them, Hermione is scolding Ron for teasing the First Years.
Ginny's head is leaning against his shoulder. They stare off into the sunset, enjoying the peacefullness and simplicity of the moment, sharing something that can't be explained to anyone who hasn't experienced it themselves.
Ron nudges Hermione, and they both fall silent. Though neither had ever experienced it, they knew without words that such a moment is sacred.
It's something unpredictable
but in the end it's right.
I hope you had the time of your life.
A seemingly still picture of four students. They're all wearing black robes bearing the Gryffindor crest. The tallest, a red head, is shyly holding hands with a bushy haired brunette. A messy haired boy is cuddling a petite auburn haired girl. They're all grinning cheesily at the camera. The moment is spoiled, however, when a grinning boy sneaks up behind them. He quickly dumps a bucket of water on their heads, leaving them spluttering but smiling. Nodding at each other, Harry and Ron grab the Irish boy's arms and drag him over to the lake, where he is cheerfully chucked into the deep water.
So take the photographs
and still frames in your mind.
A small muggle radio is blasting out loud music. There is a stack of dirty dishes near the sink that nobody seems in a hurry to clean. Harry and Hermione are rubbing washing up liquid onto their hands and blowing huge bubbles through their fingers and then trying to hold them in their hands. Ron is twirling on the spot. They're all singing along to the chorus of the song and would intermittently pick up spoons or forks and dramatically belt the lyrics into them as though the objects were microphones. The two teenagers watch with glee as Ron does some extravagant dancing, and laugh even more when he starts tangoing with a tea towel. Harry spins round singing loudly and then freezes when he notices an audience in the doorway, all smirking at him. The other two haven't noticed yet and start doing exaggerated disco moves. Harry gently nudges Hermione who slowly turns round, still dancing. She shrieks at the sight of the entire Weasley clan. Ron's head shoots up and he follows their gaze. He immediately straightens up and waves sheepishly at his family.
Hang it on a shelf
In good health and good time.
The Sixth year Gryffindor's (and Ginny) are seated in the common room, the school day having passed quickly as they now lounge idly on the sofas and chairs.
Hermione is sat cross-legged on the floor with a book open in her lap; Ron is behind her in a large squidgey chair beside the fireplace. Dean and Seamus are sprawled over the large sofa like animals. The stretch out even more when Neville, with a roll of his eyes, climbs between the two. Lavender and Parvati are on the fur rug, giggling at a magazine. Harry is sat in the chair opposite from Ron, Ginny is seated between his knees, smiling happily as he plays with her hair.
Tattoos of memories
and dead skin on trial.
A raven-haired boy is slumped on his bed. He's looking at a large photo album, pausing every few minutes to stare longingly at a picture. The door opens quietly, but he does not notice. A tired-looking man smiles gently at the boy before moving to put his arm round him. The boy starts with surprise but then relaxes into the hug, a contented smile playing on his lips.
For what it's worth,
it was worth all the while.
A picture of three people, all trying to have a serious photo taken. They all crack up laughing and picture Ron starts a mock catfight with picture Harry, as picture Hermione looks on and sighs. A small auburn haired girl skips on and kisses the raven-haired boy on the lips as Ron makes gagging motions in the background. A dreamy Luna pulls a bemused looking Neville along, and they settle themselves by their other friend's feet. They all grin and wave happily at the camera.
It's something unpredictable
The surface of the lake glittered in the light from the blazing sun. The giant squid was basking on the shore, one of its many tentacles reaching for a picnic basket resting between a couple under a tree. The students were out on the grounds, this spring being rather hot and stuffy. A few older boys were even swimming in the lake, dodging swipes from the giant sea creature. Girls were sunbathing along the bank or dangling their feet in the shallow waters. Harry felt at peace under the large tree at the edge of the lake. It was the same tree that his father had sat under many years ago. It made Harry feel alive and at home, sitting in the same spot that once his dad had sat in.
But in the end it's right.
Harry Potter stood at the edge of the Hogwarts, climbing into a stage coach headed towards Hogsmeade for the Hogwarts Express. Standing up on one of the steps, he craned his neck back towards the castle to get one last view of it before he left it forever. Smiling, he let out a foolish laugh as he felt a tear form at the edge of his eye. Pretending to stoop down and tie his shoe, he hurriedly wiped his eye as he fumbled with the shoe lace. Looking back at Hogwart's one last time, Harry couldn't stop the memories of the last seven years that flooded his mind. All the adventures he and his friends had been on, so many memories. All of them inside this castle. He turned his thoughts to his two best friends.
He'd often wondered why they were still friends with him. He'd got them into all sorts of trouble. They could've led normal lives where they wouldn't be constantly dragged into the limelight with him. But then maybe Ron and Hermione weren't all that normal anyway. Hermione was the smartest witch of her time and Ron had been on numerous dangerous adventures with him, more than any other teenager their age.
They were with him for a fair bit of the weird going on's of Harry's life even if they didn't end up in the final battles like he did. They weren't happy with that fact, they wanted to stand beside Harry when he faced these dangers.
What was it people called them? The Golden Trio, the Three Musketeers, the Scooby Gang. Hell, even the Three stooges at some point!
He grinned as he made this revelation. They weren't normal either...they were all weird together. And no matter how hard things got, they would still be together...still as weird as hell.
I hope you had the time of your life…