Shannon Potter: After the War
Chapter 1:
The cleanup of the school didn't take as long as one would have thought. Everyone was helping. Aurors tried to arrest Snape, but I wouldn't have any part of it. I just defeated Voldemort, so they weren't in a hurry to argue with me on the subject. I said that we could trust him and left it at that. No one needs to know Snape's history.
After the school is somewhat clean, it's time to rest. The good thing about having the war here at the school is that the residences and families of those here are safe.
That's a much needed morale boost.
Everyone that has been cleared by the Nurses to travel does so while some of the old Ministry officials and Kingsley go to the Ministry to sort things out there. Paget goes with that crowd. I can't imagine how she is feeling right now — To lose her husband and her child…
McGonagall tells everyone that they will be invited next back fall for a real year at school. She says that the school will not be open for the remainder of the year.
I think that it's a good idea. After all the losses and devastation, school is not high on anyone's list right now.
In order to honor all of the dead, there is one giant ceremony. We all bow our heads in a moment of silence. We all hear McGonagall speak of how we won this war, how our courage lifted the evil from our hearts, our land and our world.
Her words are beautiful and are the things that made all of this worth it. It made almost dying worth it.
Andrew's hand is in mine during the ceremony.
None of us have changed clothes. We are all still in our bloody, ripped clothing. We don't care. We might not look our best, but that doesn't mean that we can't honor these people.
I don't know where I'm going to go. I don't know what to do. The Dursley's are gone and I no longer have to go back to them. I don't need the protection of my mother's blood anymore. I might not need that, but her spirit is still going to be the driving force of me. She's still in my heart as she always has been.
"What do we do now?" I ask Andrew once we break.
"We go home," he tells me. "And we come back next year."
One Year Later ….
Walking into Hogwart's School Of Witchcraft And Wizardry after you've defeated the greatest Dark Wizard of our age would seem ridiculous to most. Not to me. I'm not climbing up the ranks in the world just because I did that. I'm still just Anne. I'm the same girl I was then… Just a bit more haunted.
I sit at the Gryffindor table with Hermione as McGonagall gets up to start the first of year speech. Snape is back as Potions Master and Remus is back as DADA Professor. It's a good fit for the two. Snape might have wanted the post of DADA, but potion-brewing is his niche.
I'm incredibly happy to see this place back to where is was. It still might be the place of bloodshed, but it's still Hogwarts. We couldn't have helped where the battle was located. If not at the school — then where? People's back yards? In the cities and towns? No… I wouldn't have allowed that.
In the past year, our little quartet has helped Kingsley (our new Minister) get things settled in the Ministry. We might be just a few teenagers, but we saw the oppression of Voldemort and his supporters. We fought it.
The first thing I supported was the eradication of pureblood laws and the prejudices against what Umbridge called "Half-breeds." Which meant Remus is a free man and no more Greybacks will be created. Wolfsbane potion will be available to everyone, no matter the social status.
It's still an on-going process, but at least the process has been started.
For once in my life, I think it's going to be a great year here at Hogwarts.
Hermione and I just smile at each other.
In the dorms, everyone is happy, eating leftover candy from the train and catching up.
"I got Shannon!" I hear someone yell.
I see the familiar flash of blue and gold. Oh, yeah. Me, Hermione and Ron are on Chocolate frog cards now. Ron didn't choose to come back with us. He's helping out his brothers at their shop.
Things have changed since my first night here. I'm not longer nervous about going to class. I'm no longer nervous about going to potions. And I'm definitely not nervous about going to Defense Against The Dark Arts.
I'm pretty much free and clear for a great year. And a great Quidditch season.
Did I mention that Malfoy didn't come back?
Thank Merlin!
It's going to be a peaceful year.
Well, as peaceful as it came be when you're me. I'm not getting my hope too high. Seventh year is all about NEWTS. Which are Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Tests. At least this year we don't have to worry about Ministry interference. I won't have to be in detention instead of studying for my exams.
Then again, who knows how Snape will be. He might give me a week's worth of detentions for answering when called upon.
Maybe it'll be nice to know some things never change.