Chapter 1: The end of the Golden Trio
Disclaimer: I don't own HP, JKR does.
A/N: Any feedback is appreciated, try to contend with my bad spelling, I do try but even spell check can't work miracles. Please inform me if dialogue/characters are not in canon and I will I identify myself of being a HP Nerd and much consideration has been made to get things right ... however I spelt Sirius wrong the other day... Enjoy.
The building was oddly quiet, silence reverberated though the destroyed corridors and cloisters. Shrapnel and rubble was common, bodies had left only a small impression on the old cold stone floor. The great hall. the enchanted ceiling no longer needed to see the dawn as rich sunlight illuminated the destruction and the silent vigils of the crowds below. All prejudices forgotten, all class or blood divides seemed unimportant, united in grief and what would come to be celebration. Gryffindor tower had sustained heavy damage, a giant had caused great indents to appear in the stone, this meant that a bloodstained man slept peacefully, a light breeze wafting though the half destroyed dormitory. His bed, which had previously been unslept in these past few months, had survived the damage, the occupant neither cared nor was interested in the fact that just a few metres away was a sheer drop. A women knelt, her long hair was matted and singed in places.
She was bleeding and was sure that her ankle had been badly twisted. But like the man sleeping, this didn't matter. Her arms where around her sister, the girl who they had left behind, whilst they shared no blood, both women had fought for and loved the people which encircled them. The women, made comforting noises and stroked the back of the figure, whilst tears made their steady decent. The man, his face in a mask of anguish, his usual blue eyes, which so often sparkled with mirth, where dull. He held another, shorter stockier, his brown eyes, like his mothers, he had shared identical with another and whilst the tall man would inevitably recover, he would not. His eyes would never fully sparkle with the same mischief or mayhem due to the events which had happened here.
A tall figure strode into the hall, his gaze roaming the scene. All eyes met his, Kingsley Shacklebolt spoke in a calm commanding tone, which suited his office: 'For those who need medical attention, the entrance hall is acting as a temporary hospital wing, we have fireplaces ready to floo those who are in critical condition to ST Mungo's.' He took another breath and continued. 'Those, who require food or drink, I believe there is a passage from the room of requirement on the seventh floor to the Hog's Head. Whilst the land lord is currently unavailable, I am sure he would not begrudge people to help themselves to his supplies. The residents of Hogsmede have also informed me that their shops and facilities are available for those who wish to use it. Many of you must be tired and weary, for that I offer the house dormitories, for those which are still standing; I am afraid that both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers have sustained heavy damage and therefore it would be unwise for anyone to attempt access.' He let his eyes pass over to where Ron and Hermione stood and gave them a small nod. 'Due to this, we have sleeping bags provided on the first and second floor classrooms. The Hogwarts kitchen are cordoned off, as many of the house elves have set up camp and are currently nursing their own wounded.'His dark eyes grew grave. 'Further, as I would not wish to trespass upon your time for much longer, I offer my sincere gratitude to everyone and my condolences. I promise you that we at the Ministry are trying to restore normality and round up any of Tom Riddle's followers.' He bowed his head and strode purposefully out of the hall, his cloak billowing out behind him.
Many people got up and gave aid to those who could not. The witch that Hermione had been comforting, stood up as well, whispering frantic and pleading instructions to her mother. Panic filled Molly Weasley's eyes, but her husband, his tears stemming, nodded to Hermione and Ginny, smiling sadly. Ginny and Hermione, found Ron and George. Ron knowing what they intended, whispered words of comfort to his older brother and followed them. They did not speak as they wound their way automatically to Gryffindor tower, letting their feet do the thinking. The portrait swung open automatically as they came into view. Ginny giving a quick look towards Hermione and Ron, ran up the boys dormitory stair case, her long hair flowing behind her. They looked at each other.
'Sleep?' Hermione murmured sadly. Ron nodded. She started up the boys dormitory staircase, Ron following her. Hermione entered the sixth year dorm, not saying a word,they took of their shoes, groaning slightly from the relief it brought. Ron performed a cleaning charm on their clothes, removing most of the blood. Two beds stood, which like Harry's had been unslept in for the entire year, next to each other. From habit Hermione performed the protective charms, before falling into bed. She just had time to glance Ron gazing at her blearily, from his own bed, before sleep descended.
Ginny saw the man that she had loved, for oh so many years, she took of her shoes and against all that her mother had taught her: She pushed another bed, she assumed it to be her brothers, next to Harry's. The sheer action nearly causing her pass out. Whilst there was room for her to neatly lie next to Harry, she had heard stories from Ron about Harry's nightmares and did not wish for either of them to be shoved over the side of the was nestled in the soft wads of fabric, clutching a pillow for comfort, it dawned on Ginny that perhaps he never had a teddy bear, or any form of comfort when he was a child. Removing the pillow from his grasp, she slipped underneath the covers and allowed him to cling to face nestled in her hair, she heard him murmur her name . Before sleep four slept for all day and all the following night, none of them wanting to wake up to see the chaos and destruction which lay waiting for them in the waking world.
The morning of the second day, Hermione stirred, she awoke to birdsong, to her the most delicate and beautiful, crisp morning air, filtered though. Although the morning looked sunny, the wind held a bitter edge, as if Mother Nature herself was in mourning. She sat up, brushing her hair out of her eyes, she did really need to get it cut, it was singed, clumps had either matted or had been burnt away. Not wanting to disturb Ron, she lay there quite content. A rustle beside her told her, Ron was now awake, they sat up simultaneously. It was curious to Hermione, how such intimate emotions could be shared between two people, however circumstance and emotion kept them from acting upon them. Ron seemed to be thinking the same thing.
'Harry.' Hermione said simply, her voice was dry and cracked, from over or under use she was not sure. Ron nodded, the two of them wordlessly, got up, looked at their shoes with disdain and ignoring them tip toed out onto the stair case. Harry was already up, his unruly hair was a sight for sore eyes, his emerald green eyes, raw with sobs. Ron put his arms around him, as they descended the stairs to the common room.
They just sat there, six years of habit and routine caused them to take their places on the squashy arm chairs next to the still fireplace. The table in front of them was a familiar sight. Parchment, quills and ink should have been scattered in front of them, in various degrees of completion. Harry could almost see Hermione pouring over notes or a chess board where he and Ron would be pouring over instead of doing were no words to describe the moment. They knew each other too well to spoil the moment: Three friends. Whilst the relationship had of course changed and matured over time, this did not matter. At this moment they where what many people would come to know them as The Golden Trio. A moment of stillness before inevitably went their separate ways, before everything changed. A small smile crossed Hermione's face as she looked at the two men in front of her, her eyes glassy.
'Hermione?' Ron asked seeing her expression. Harry looked at her too, he like her was also reminiscing at all the mundane things they had taken for granted; school work, Hogsmede, finding someone attractive for the first time, holidays to the Burrow, the childish feud with the Slytherins Quiddich: how could he forget Quiddich?
'Seems to have flown by.' Harry murmured. Ron's face fell into a lopsided smile.
'Its been good though, hasn't it.''Yeah. Do you remember slugs?' Harry asked grinning, his face suddenly alight.
Ron rolled his eyes, 'Yeah, couldn't get the taste out for days.'
'Oh! And Fluffy!' Hermione squealed.
'Oh yes, because finding a three headed dog was really the highlight of the day.' Ron said sarcastically, but smiling at her never the less.
'First Quiddich match.' Harry said dreamily
'Spending hours in the god-forsaken library.' Ron groaned, to Harry's laughter.
'Spending time with Cho in Madam Puddifoots.' Hermione shot back with an most un-Hermione grin. Harry blanched,
'Merlin, Don't remind me.' Ron laughed.
'Your saying it wrong! Its Wing-GAR-dium Levi-O-sa, make the ''gar'' nice and long!' Ron said in a rather good impression of Hermione.
'Ron you might mock, but your face after Hermione did it, effortlessly, I remind you.' He shot an admiring look to Hermione. 'Was priceless.'
'Indeed.' Hermione said dreamily, smiling, the image plastered in her minds fell silent again lost in thought and memories. Hermione's face shot up, a look of realisation on her face, she jumped to her feet.
'What is it!' Harry asked her panic stricken. 'Please tell me we got all the Horcruxes, he's not possessing Ginny again. Merlin! Hermione tell me! '
She held up a placating hand. 'No, Harry.' She smiled slightly at his reaction. I've remembered something much more important.'
Ron and Harry looked at her in puzzlement. She motioned to them to follow her to the tapestry of Godric Gryffindor which hung between the staircases which led up towards the dormitories. lifted the tapestry up, there engraved into the wood was a plaque:
'Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs Creating mischief and Mayhem from 1970-1977''
Harry felt Ron put an arm around him, without it he probably would have fallen to the floor. Hermione looked at them, and raised her wand, they nodded.
Harry, Ron and Hermione Getting into trouble, breaking the rules and meddling in things which didn't concern them 1991-1998
Ron laughed, 'Perfect.' He said kissing the top of her head.
'Yeah.' Harry thickly 'Thanks Hermione.'
'Oh, bugger it.' Hermione said, tears streaming as she hugged both of a mass of arms and tears, the Golden Trio stood.
'We did it.' Ron muttered, 'We bloody did it.' Ronald, don't swear!' Harry burst out laughing, a release from the past few days, once started couldn't be stopped. He had done it, he could not think about those who he had lost, who had died for him. But now in this place with Ron and Hermione, he could laugh and just be.