I've got about 50 dollars in my savings account. Thats pretty much all I own in this universe, so don't sue me.
It was finally over.
The Boy-Who-Lived-To-Kill-He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, or whatever crackpot name they would be calling him now, walked slowly through the halls of Hogwarts. Although It was mid-morning in the middle of a school year, nobody could be found in the whole castle; No Ron to talk excitedly about the upcoming meal, no Hermione to worry about her Arithmancy essay, no Neville to stutter around mumbling about obscure plants, not even the familiar, even if unwanted, sneering face of Draco Malfoy.
All was quiet, which was not odd considering that more than two thirds of the Wizarding population had died in the recent war. Harry idly wondered if there was anything left of the Old Families to preach about blood purity or such nonsense.
Nothing mattered anymore.
The final battle had not come as much of a surprise to anyone. Perhaps it was the fact that the Order of the Phoenix had been slaughtered 3 months ago, or that the Auror department had fallen in less than a month, or maybe the fall of the Ministry of Magic last week was to blame.
Perhaps Voldemort announcing to everyone over the Wireless that he would attack at dawn had something to do with it, but whatever the reason, all magic wielders had been present and ready to battle. To kill or be killed.
They had long since discarded the silly notion that killing was for criminals and Dark Lords. It was now a matter of whether or not you lived to see another day, not that there was much left to see. Lives were measured in hours, if not days. People were living as if their end had already come and gone, and they were simply waiting for their bodies to catch up.
He shook his head to clear it as he reached the kitchens. It was best not to think on such topics. He triggered the opening with experienced fingers and stepped through. So used he was to the hyperactive nature of this place that it took him a moment to register the sight before him.
Complete and utter silence. There wasn't even one moving body, be it an insect. The area well known to all residents of the old castle for its active and lively atmosphere was completely deserted. pots and dishes were lying everywhere in reckless abandon. Everything was in contrast with the very nature of the ever present occupants of the kitchen.
It seemed like even the Elves had left them.
Thoughts of his late friend Dobby blackening his mood, he quickly turned to leave the haunted picture behind. He pushed his mind to think of lighter topics, but try as he might, he could not stop himself from remembering all that he had lost in the course of twelve hours.
Mad-eye Moody's head, with its ever present scowl, as it rested quite a distance from his body.
Hagrid's body, or what was left of it, just outside his ruined hut.
Flitwick and Macgonagall, butchered, lying in front of a group of children, likewise dead.
Remus and Tonks, or rather their severed hands and they were reaching for each other.
So lost he was in his somber thoughts that he hadn't noticed reaching the Great Hall, or opening the doors. But the noise inside sure got his attention.
"SURPRISE!"
There were balloons of every color in the air, dancing amid the confetti raining down the floor. There were banners of every kind covering the walls. There was the smell of freshly made food, and the air was filled with a festive mood.
Thats when he noticed the people.
The hall had obviously been expanded to accommodate a humongous crowd. Everyone was dressed in colorful robes and wore big smiles on their faces.
His eyes got bigger as his brain finally registered who his audience was.
There were the Creevey brothers, grinning at him from the left table.
There was Luna, dancing between the tables to a tune only she could hear.
There was Neville, Ginny, Cho, Justin, and all the rest of the Hogwarts crowd laughing and cheering together. Even the Slytherins were there, happily sitting amidst the other houses and sharing jokes.
Eventually his eyes travelled to the head table, where he found those he had believed lost just a minute ago, waving at him with a big smile; Ron, Hermione, Remus, Tonks, Hagrid, Dumbledore-
The last thing he saw before passing out was the biggest banner directly above the Head table. Written across it in what suspiciously looked like Snape's sharp handwriting, were three simple words.
'Happy Birthday, Harry!'