A/N: This is very much a transition chapter, everyone, but it needed to happen and required a lot of brainwork to figure out! Good news, this update won't cause depression.
Harry let out a long slow whistle. "Tell me about it." I heard Ron murmur. There had been a lot of silence once we'd been let out of Dumbledore's, rather, the headmaster's office.
"Somehow it hadn't seemed this bad in May." Ginny whispered in my ear. I couldn't manage anything but a nod. This magnificent, beautiful castle stood in ruins all around us. I couldn't even fathom how so much of it still stood. Somewhere to my left I heard a groan. Turning, I saw Oliver Wood staring out over what was once the Quidditch field. In its place now was a field of charred grass and rubble. That's about all I could see anywhere- rubble. It seemed the only parts of the castle moderately unharmed were the Great Hall and the areas somewhat immediately surrounding it- the headmaster's office, the kitchens, the entry hall, and McGonagall's classroom all seemed in far better shape than the rest of the castle.
"Well. I believe this is everyone." McGonagall's voice broke the trance everyone had fallen into. I looked around at the other individuals for the first time and realized, thankfully, that I knew everyone. "But just to check. Katie Bell?" From the loose circle gathered around McGonagall, Katie stepped forward. "Seamus Finnigan?" Seamus stepped up. "I want to make it clear, Mr. Finnigan, that we are re-building this castle, and that explosions should be kept to a minimum. Am I understood?" With a slight flush to his cheeks, Seamus nodded. "Hermione Granger." I stepped forward, locking eyes with McGonagall for a slight moment. The woman looked as though she'd aged centuries in a day. Slowly, the circle moved in. "Angelina Johnson. Lee Jordan. Neville Longbottom. Luna Lovegood. Ernie MacMillan. Draco Malfoy." There was a bit of a uniform look of shock when Draco moved from the shadows. Clearly most people had glazed over his name on the letter. "Harry Potter." Oh, there was irony in alphabetical order. "Alicia Spinnet. Dean Thomas. Bill Weasley. Charlie Weasley. George Weasley." The space between C and G in the alphabet had never seemed so large. "Ginny Weasley. Percy Weasley. Ron Weasley. Oliver Wood." McGonagall rolled up her scroll. "Well. That's everyone then. As it said in your letter, I have selected you to assist in the rebuilding process due to your show of loyalty to this school. It could have been shown during the battle that tore it apart, or shown throughout your time here. You'll notice that we have a member from each house, that would be because unfortunately all of the house dormitories and common rooms are destroyed." There was a sharp intake of breath that sounded as though it came from Draco. "Yes, Mr. Malfoy, even the Slytherin dormitories. Apparently no house was safe. Regardless. Though we have individuals from each house, we do have an excess of Gryffindors. You will all be split into teams to work on certain parts of the castle. Though I have no doubts in your abilities, for any of you, you will be working under a teacher to ensure everyone's safety."
The teachers stepped out from McGonagall's classroom. Professors Flitwick, Sprout, and Slughorn were all noticeable as heads of house. Madams Hooch, Pince, and Pomfrey were also here, as were Professors Trelawney, Vector, Sinistra, and Grubbly-Plank. Hagrid stepped out last.
"Professor Sprout and Ernie will be heading the repair of the Hufflepuff dormitories. Professor Flitwick and Luna will head the repair of Ravenclaw, Professor Flitwick and Draco will head the repair of Slytherin, and Ron and Ginny Weasley will head the repair of Gryffindor's dormitories as I will be heading other areas. That being said, I will be overseeing the repairs being made to classrooms and private offices, and each professor will be assisting me in the rebuilding of their own individual class and office. Madam Pomfrey will be in charge of the hospital wing, Madam Pince the library, and Madam Hooch the Quidditch pitch. Professors Vector and Trelawney have kindly agreed to oversee the dungeons, Professor Sinistra will be overseeing the Astronomy tower, and Professors Grubbly-Plank and Hagrid will be in charge of the Owlery. Because Professor Sprout will be working on the Hufflepuff common room, Neville, you will oversee work on the Greenhouses. Percy, I feel you'd be incredibly useful in the Prefects Bath. Katie, you will work in the Owlery, Seamus and Alicia will assist me with classrooms, Hermione and George will work in the library, Angelina and Harry in the hospital wing, Lee and Oliver on the Quidditch pitch, Dean in the dungeons, and Bill and Charlie on the astronomy tower. Katie, Bill, and Lee, part of your time will be spent with Luna and Professor Flitwick in the Ravenclaw dormitories; Seamus, George, and Charlie you'll be with Ernie and Professor Sprout in Hufflepuff; Angelina, Harry, and Alicia will be with Draco and Professor Slughorn in Slytherin; which means that Hermione, Dean, and Oliver will be with Ginny and Ron in Gryffindor." I cursed inwardly. But I guess I'd have to get used to the common room sooner of later if I was going to be living there all year. "We start work tomorrow, today, I want everyone to divide their time if needed, but work with your chair people to start deciding what needs to be done. We'll have construction assistance coming in next week. There are three meals served a day, and your housing is provided in Hogsmeade. We shall meet back here at seven. Understood?" Everyone nodded, then joined there groups and dispersed. It seemed we were going to dormitories last, so I followed George and Madam Pince to what was once the library.