Chapter one

Even though people were still celebrating that Voldemort was dead, they were also mourning the people they lost in the fighting. Some like Neville Longbottom still sat at one of the tables with a group of friends and just some others that wanted to be close to someone that helped bring an end to the war and of course, Neville still had the sword of Gryffindor with him. The Weasley family were happy it was over, but they just couldn't show it when they lost one of their own. Harry Potter was the one everyone seemed to want to talk to, but they all knew he wanted to be alone, so as he sat at one of the tables everyone kept glancing at him.

The newly elected minister for magic Kingsley Shacklebolt was still at Hogwarts but he was already running the magical world and with the help of some trustworthy people, they were cleaning out places like the ministry, rounding up supporters of Voldemort. The most they could do at that time was just lock them in temporary holding cells on the lowest floor at the ministry.

The newly appointed headmistress of Hogwarts school of witchcraft and wizardry, Minerva McGonagall was already organising repairs to the castle, along with searching everywhere for anyone that might be wounded and of course more people that had died.

When word started spreading that Harry Potter had killed Voldemort, thousands of people started to turn up at Hogwarts, along with reporters. Some, like parents, former students or shop keepers came to help, others just wanted to see their hero. But it seemed the most any of them would do was stare at the young man, not even reporters went near him. It was like they could all tell he wouldn't appreciate being disturbed and after what he did for their world, people respected his privacy. It didn't stop photographers taking photos of him or even photos of the damaged, wounded and the dead. Some even snuck into the room that held Voldemorts body and took photos of him.

Madame Pomfrey, the matron of Hogwarts was tending to the wounded with the help of two other healers that had turned up to help and the three of them were working nonstop performing their healing charms and making their potions to aid the injured.

Irma Pince, Pomona Sprout and Horace Slughorn were taking all the people that died and putting them into some of the empty rooms on the ground floor, then they would start writing down their names so families could be notified of their deceased loved ones.

The house elves of Hogwarts never rested, they kept cooking so everyone could eat and always kept enough hot tea, coffee or hot chocolate ready at all times.

The centaurs had even stayed on the grounds after the fighting, they spoke to people and realised that not all thought of them as pretty talking horses, so they finally started to get to know the humans and the humans were getting to know the centaurs.

Even though Hagrid had been injured by the other giants, he never stopped working with Grawp at his side. They were outside picking up pieces of statues, or the castle and stacking them into large piles. As they were working, they did find more that had died, some death eaters and snatchers, some from their side, but also creatures which made Hagrid start crying again whenever he found a dead house elf, owl, centaur or hippogriff. So Hagrid and Grawp would take the magical creatures and place them gently in another room on the ground floor.

Lots of students and their parents helped the half giant and his little brother, by picking up a dead owl or house elf, while Hagrid and Grawp would pick up the larger creatures like the centaurs and hippogriffs.

Cho Chang, though exhausted was helping bring in the dead house elves and one she thought looked familiar, so she went to speak with Professor McGonagall.

'Professor.'

'Oh Miss Chang, can I help you with something?'

'Yes, I was helping Hagrid bring in the dead owls and house elves, there's one I think you need to see Professor.'

'Alright, show me Miss Chang.' the two women stepped into the old classroom and Cho pointed to one, 'Yes, thank you Cho, I'll go speak with him. But I think you can rest for a while, get something to eat.'

'I will Professor.'

Minerva McGonagall went back into the great hall and down to the other end where she sat next to a very tired looking Harry Potter.

'Hello Professor.'

'Hello Harry, you look like you're going to fall asleep right here at the table.'

'I'm exhausted, but not ready to sleep yet and it's good to eat, haven't eaten in a while.'

'Yes, I expect there's a lot of people like that. But I'm sorry, I need you to come with me for a minute.'

'Oh alright Professor,' Harry wearily got up and followed his professor from the great hall and into a class room where she pointed, 'Kreacher,' Harry sighed as he sat down next to the old elf, 'He led the house elves last night,' Harry stared at the old elf before closing his eyes, 'The night Dumbledore died, we went to get that locket, but it wasn't the real one we'd been looking for, it was a fake that Regulus Black replaced with the real one. I knew Kreacher loved Regulus, so I gave him the locket. Can you make sure it stays with him Professor?'

'I'll take care of it Harry, now why don't you go see Poppy then get some sleep?'

'I wanted to give her time to heal the seriously injured first, mine aren't that bad. As for sleeping, I'm not ready to close my eyes just yet,' Harry sighed again then stood up, 'Where will the house elves be buried Professor?'

'There's a part inside the forbidden forest, down near the gates that the house elves go when they die. So they will all be buried there.'

'Let me know when because I want to help. Um, do you know what Kingsley's planning on doing with his body?'

'No, but I'm sure he will organise something soon, like the rest of us, he's very busy at the moment.'

'Yeah, he would be and at least his someone we can trust. Since we're here, I did want to ask if you would let me stay Professor. I really want to help repair this place, I hate seeing it so damaged.'

'If you wish, but I thought you'd like to rest now it's all over.'

'I will, but I have to make sure this place gets fixed. Hogwarts always meant a lot to me, even with everything that happened here, I still love the place.'

'Then if you want to Harry, stay as long as you like. Now I do know the Gryffindor rooms are damaged, so I'll find you somewhere to sleep, an unused staff living quarters that have been sealed off for a long time.'

'That would be great, thanks. But you look like you need a trip to the matron as well. I saw how hard you hit the wall Professor, you're bound to have some injuries there.'

'Yes, I think a few broken ribs, but like you, I've been letting Poppy help the more seriously injured. But unlike you, I'm not bleeding, you are.'

Harry stared down at his badly stained and ripped shirt, 'Yeah,' Harry ran his hand over the fresh blood, wincing a little, 'I should see her before I bleed to death. It would be a shame to die now after everything that happened last night.'

'Then let's go see her together while we have a bit of time, then I'll organise your room.'

'You're on Professor,' Harry gave her a weary smile then they headed up to the hospital wing. They were both thankful that the large room only received minor damage. But when they stepped into the old room, they both just stared at the people. More beds than they had ever seen were in there and every bed was occupied. Poppy and the other two healers were constantly moving from one bed to another, performing their healing charms or giving their patients potions until Poppy Pomfrey spotted her two guests and hurried over to them.

'Follow me Minerva, Mr. Potter.'

'It's good to see some things never change,' Harry gave the matron a cheeky smile.

'Yes, well,' the matron said stiffly, then she gave Harry a smile before she conjured a couple of bed and curtains to stop anyone staring at Harry and the headmistress, 'Minerva, I saw what happened, but do you have any other injuries other than your back?'

'Normal cuts and bruises Poppy, but I'm sure I have a couple of broken ribs.'

'I'm sure you have as well, so stay still,' the matron performed her charms, then handed the headmistress two potions, 'You have three broken ribs, but nothing else that's serious. You really need to rest Minerva, but I think I will let you get away with working this time.'

'Yes, we're all a bit busy right now, but I'm sure we will all rest now and we have the time to do it.'

'Alright Mr. Potter, I can see a lot of fresh blood on you, so you have more than just normal cuts and bruises. I'm going to need to see what is bleeding, but first, any other injuries that you know of?'

'Well he did play with me for a while, so I think I have a few things broken. I've just been too tired to worry about them.'

'Alright, then let me see what's bleeding, then I'll work on the breaks.'

Harry slowly took his shirt off and the three of them stared at Harry's chest in stunned silence.