Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter novels or films-I only wish that I had J.K Rowling's talent.
A/N: This is my first fanfiction piece, and is currently a one-shot. I will attempt to make it into a chaptered story at some point-but only if people like it. Please feel free to review this fiction-any and all comments and suggestons are welcome and appreciated.
Consequences
Chapter One
As the cloying air of summer lay, like an eiderdown, over the Hogwarts grounds-disturbed only by a slight and whispering breeze-one could be forgiven for thinking that this was a day no different to any other. Students sat, huddled in groups, under the canopies of leaves created by the towering oak trees that had shaded the school for centuries. The tableau of blazing colours present in the sunset seemed to set the surrounding landscape of rolling hills and heather-covered fens alight. Yet this was no ordinary day. Instead of the comforting presences of giggling, gossipy girls, couples holding hands, and the day to day hubbub of a vibrant school, there were only murmured rumours and strained conversations, built on uncertain futures. Albus Dumbledore watched, unusually grave, from his portrait, Fawkes crooning concernedly beside him.
The reason for the suffocating pall of anxiety which hung over the grounds, was that the Quibbler (the only reliable newspaper of the day) had reported the end of the Final Battle, in a once nondescript village called Little Hangleton. Although one might have expected there to be elation beyond anything seen that fateful Halloween, this was not the case. The simple fact of the matter was that, yes, the Final Battle was over-but no one could tell which faction had won. The Boy-Who-Lived had become The-Boy-Who-Disappeared, and Lord Voldemort had become non-existent, as far as anyone could see.
The war was over-but at what cost, only time would tell.