The Beginning Of Something New
By The Bushman
Chapter 1
Since the end of the war there was a definite effect of a great weight being lifted that could be felt in the classrooms, in the corridors and all over the grounds of Hogwarts School of Withcraft and Wizardry. In fact this effect could be felt all over the wizarding world. There had been casualties on both sides of the wretched war, a major one of these being the death of probably Hogwarts greatest headmaster and one of the greatest wizards of all time Albus Dumbledore. His death had left what seemed to be an endless gaping hole at Hogwarts, a Permanent void which was felt more by anyone close to him. The students and the teachers both tried to go on with daily routines, potions classes with Professor Snape and Divination with Professor Trelawney but no matter how they tried they could not lose in their minds the memory of the centre chair at the head table being empty for the first few weeks of normal term. The chair had remained empty for so long as a remark of respect for the great man, but now however it had been filled by acting head of Hogwarts as appointed by the Ministry of Magic, Professor McGonagall. This had been done so as a very weak attempt to show things were getting back to normal and as an even weeker attempt to boost morale in the staff and witihin the student body itself.
Three students in particular felt this loss more than most, as they were definitely the three students who were closest to Dumbledore. Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger and of course Harry Potter. Harry was even closer again to Dumbledore than Hermione and Ron had been and it was he who felt not only the loss of a mentor that he had come to admire greatly but the loss of someone he had come to look upon as a father figure and a great friend.
The three of them had all decided to return to Hogwarts to finish out their school years and they were all sat around the Gryffindor table in the great hall in their usual seats. The golden platters lay empty until with a sudden sparkle the food that been prepared by the Hogwarts house elves appeared on them. All three of them looked up from their plates at this point as the familiar chatter of the other students and the clatter of plates and cutlery began. They looked at each other for the first time that morning and exchanged very weak and very forced smiles, as had become the routine over the past several weeks. It wasn't as Hermione had pointed out in one of the very few times they had spoken to each other, that they were avoiding each other. They just all knew that each of them needed time, space and patience with each other to come to terms with and deal with what they had been through.
Ron was the first to reach in for some food and placed a huge spoonful of mashed potato on to his plate and then next to that three fat sausages. He finished off with three big spoonfuls of a really nice looking and great smelling gravy. He picked up his fork jabbed it into one end of one of his sausages and lifted it to his mouth. And as the other two watched him he wrapped his mouth around the sausage and bit off the biggest piece. He suddenly noticed that he was being watched by Harry and Hermione and mouth still full of food asked "What you two looking at? You know I love bangers and mash."
"Charming Ronald" Hermione snapped back "Still thinking with your stomach I see!" Harry looked at Hermione at first surprised by this outburst but then noticed both Ron and Hermione were both sniggering which brought a smile to his own face "Yep you're right there Hermione, good old Ron." With that they all began laughing aloud and they knew they no longer had to avoid each other.