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Chapter 9
The Welcome
Ginny and Harry had spent Saturday morning at the Burrow. Mrs. Weasley had not slept much after receiving Ginny's owl the evening before saying they were coming for a quick visit and to tell them some good news. She lay staring at the dark ceiling. I'll give her good news when she gets here - leaving me wondering and squirming. Must be they're getting wed - must be. But I daren't think it in case it's not that. But it must be. My little girl is to be married. My little baby. But I mustn't think it. What else could it be? Another medal? Head Girl? She wouldn't come home just to tell us that. Been offered a high-paid job for next year when she leaves school? She would say so in the message and perhaps come home to chat about the details.
Molly Weasley got out of bed once again and read the message for the twentieth time.
Mum, Dad!
Harry and me. Coming home for a quick visit just for Saturday morning with some good news. Love and kisses.
Ginny & Harry
Molly paced up and down the bedroom until she heard her husband's half-asleep murmurings telling her to give it a rest. She went out to Ginny's room to give him some peace and looked around. She looked at her girl's bed with the funny stitching on the edge of the quilt. Her wardrobe with the broken catch. The little desk Arthur had struggled to get her when Ron first went away to Hogwarts leaving Ginny all alone. Her OWL certificates in a card frame Spello-taped on the wall because they hadn't got a proper wood frame. Molly Weasley burst into tears and sat down on the edge of her daughter's bed. Arthur heard her and came in and sat with her with his arm around her shoulders and they looked around Ginny's room for a while.
"Molly, They wouldn't say something as important as they're getting married in a silly message. Ginny would want to tell us properly." whispered Arthur. "There's nothing else that they wouldn't just put in the message even if they came home. That's all it can be. We're going to be really disappointed if it's not now anyway so we might as well believe it."
Of course. Silly me. She wouldn't want to owl us 'By the way I'm getting married.' Not my Ginny. That's it. That's wonderful. They're getting wed. They're really getting wed. My little Ginny.
She kissed her husband and they went back to bed and managed to fall asleep after a while.
Molly Weasley was very tired by morning but beaming with delight when the pair arrived and both she and her husband were overjoyed when the youngsters confirmed their greatest hopes that they were to be married.
"It's wonderful, mum." Ginny held out her hand to show her ring finger.
Mrs. Weasley had already been trying to get a glimpse of her daughter's ring and it looked a fine but normal ring from a pace away but now she was delighted to look more closely. She saw the band which presently had a barely visible crystal-like appearance. The gems were soft glinting pastel shades flowing slowly over it indicating Ginny's contentment. Gradual slow flares of warmer richer colours every few seconds were her happy transient emotions. Molly held her daughter's hand and felt the fine old magic of the ring. Her senses told her more.
"It's... there's a promise... This is wonderful. This is rare." Molly attracted her husband over to see. Ginny showed them the locket, now a faint translucent gold, which had been partly concealed below her neckline.
"Well, that is something very special." remarked Mr. Weasley and he gave his daughter a big affectionate hug. "I think you've done very well for yourself Ginny and I'm very happy knowing you'll be in safe hands."
"Thanks dad. You've always kept me safe too." said Ginny, and her locket fluttered through pale cyans and blues and back to gold again.
Harry felt even more part of the family now just by telling Mr and Mrs. Weasley. He wondered if he could start calling them mum and dad. He wondered if he should - but he was too embarrassed to ask. They spent the morning chatting and sending more messages and owling Charlie. Bill and Fleur even managed to floo over for an hour and George who was working in his shop on his busiest day but found time to poke his grinning head through the flames and threatened to get them 'something special' for the wedding.
Shortly after a big lunch the happy couple had to make an effort to break away from the comfortable air of happy excitement at the Burrow. Harry had never really thought of this - not experienced Ginny's home in this way before. It was unexpected. It was lovely to share his happiness with a family especially since it was family business; his family now. Harry had never known anything like this with the Dursleys. He felt it must have been fantastic to have been Ron as a child with all his brothers and a sister and real parents right there in your home. He wished now they'd brought Ron back with them this trip. He wondered when Ron and Hermione... Harry sighed. If they ever do get engaged and come back here just like this would Ron ask Harry back with him? He hoped so. Just for this lovely family excitement.
"I hope we have family too. Nobody shut away in a bloody cupboard under the stairs. Lots of kids everywhere. It's lovely. I really, really enjoyed that." he said to Ginny as they shared the floo back to Hogwarts leaving Molly to doze off in her armchair by the fire and Arthur charming the lunch dishes and plates to wash themselves very quietly for once.
...
"Nothing!" sighed Harry as he flew the last of the illustrated atlases gently onto the top of the discarded pile of geography and geology books and magazines in the corner of the Gryffindor reading room. It balanced there for a few moments while Harry watched it lazily then it slipped down. Harry shrugged and glanced over at Hermione and Ron who were searching through the final books from the Hogwarts' Library they had accumulated. They were looking for any pictures of volcanoes and passing them to Harry for evaluation but they had been passing less and less for the last hour.
"Most wizards are not really big on geography, Harry." explained Ron, they generally apparate or floo from place to place without actually seeing much in between.
"These three are the only ones that might be of help and two don't look hopeful." said Harry, looking at the spine of one. "This 'Stoddeley's Guide to Natural Portkeys by Gavienus Stoddeley' might be of use if there is one near the mountain."
Hermione looked up from a boring list of rock formations to exclaim, "You're not going to go to it though Harry! What are you talking about? We only want to find where it is then let the ministry worry about it."
"I know. I'm just saying. Might be useful." muttered Harry.
Hermione looked at Ron and rolled her eyes. Ron just shook his head to indicate she should let it go.
"I like this one best, 'Preed's Peaks Vol. 6'. It's beautifully drawn with fine detail. This one's not got our mountain but I'm going back to the library and see if I can find the other volumes." said Harry a little more enthusiastically.
"You won't find them Harry. Honest - we've scoured every shelf for these we already have. Ginny is still down there checking to see if there is anything we might have missed but really, we know there are no more geography or geology-related books in the Hogwarts' Library." said Ron.
"Oh well, scratch that then." sighed Harry floating Volume 6 across to the discard pile in the corner.
"What good will that do?" asked Ron.
Hermione laughed, "It's just muggle talk for scrub it - remove it from the list."
"But we haven't got a list." protested Ron.
"Hello? Earth to Ron Weasley - It's just a figure of speech." said Hermione.
"Earth? What is that supposed to mean?" Said Ron, rather exasperated with the fruitless effort they had been making.
"Cut it out you two before you start! Not today." protested Harry.
Ron wondered what he was supposed to cut out. Bloody muggle-talk he thought but he got the general idea so he kept his mouth shut.
"This one, 'Highlands and Lowlands by Maucolyn Thornburgh' is just descriptions, no pictures. But they are good descriptions and there are lots of them. Gonna take me a week to search it though." grumbled Harry.
Hermione made a suggestion, "We can Geminio it a few times. If, let's see, four or five of us do a section each and mark any actual volcanoes for you to look at. When I looked in that earlier most of the entries are flatlands or low hills anyway; there are very few mountains. I think we can do it in an hour."
"Not today. I've had enough once we've finished these last few." sighed Ron.
"Maybe we should ask someone." suggested Hermione. Although she trusted Harry, it was difficult to keep motivated when there was no visible problem, "Remind me why we are doing all this ourselves? The Ministry of Magic and the Aurors ought to have a team working on this so we can get on with our schoolwork."
"Despite my fame, most of them won't want to believe anything based on a notion so tenuous and vague as a memory of a volcano. With Mad-Eye and Tonks gone, Dumbledore, and... I can only think of say Kingsley who would trust me but even he would have a hard time pushing through action on this. I've learned from bitter experience that the only ones you can trust to support you are your friends. If we can just find something tangible, something really persuasive..."
"Come on you lot. Have we got to do this all ourselves?" shouted Seamus from the common room. The other Gryffindors were putting up some cards, signs, and other decorations. Hannah and Luna had been given temporary honorary Gryffindor status for the day and Luna was already here. She was magically painting a huge "Welcome Back Neville" sign, animated with various plants and foliage effects for each letter of the message. Dean was adding sounds and a Sousa brass band effect. They were also smuggling in various foodstuffs and drinks to make a small party of it later that evening.
"Studying - Important - Can't stop yet!" Harry shouted back.
"Yeah right - Since when has geography been taught at Hogwarts?" came back the reply. "Think we're deaf and stupid?"
"Yes." replied Harry and grinned at Ron.
"How about Professor Worley? She's probably good at detective work like this." suggested Ron, then looking at the sceptical expression on their faces he added, "Uncovering Dark Arts and stuff is what she does right? Look, she's Defence teacher but how can you defend if you've not found something to defend against yet?"
"Yeah, we get it Ron." said Harry sarcastically, "but she's not really a friend who is likely to support a crazy... yeah well, it does sound crazy though I say it myself."
"Reckon you fancy her, Ron." smirked Hermione.
"Do not." retorted Ron.
"Ever since she got Draco in that arm lock..." said Hermione.
The three fell about laughing at the memory as the door opened and Ginny came in and joined them in the reading room. "Any luck?"
"Not yet. Did you get Hannah to come?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, she's studying but we'll sneak her into the common room later just before Neville is due. Be a nice surprise for him when he gets here."
"OK then Ron. Why not go now? Worley'll probably be in her office or in her own room ... Just be careful of that arm lock though, eh?" said Harry with a grin and Hermione laughed with him.
"Me? Why me? It was just a suggestion." replied Ron, "Anyway, it's your vision. I can't describe the mountain can I?"
Harry just grinned at him.
"You're winding me up aren't you?" said Ron with a wry smile. After seven years he had absorbed more muggle-talk than he realized from Harry and Hermione.
Harry play-acted a big sigh, "Oh well, personally I think you're missing a big opportunity to learn some new moves. I'll be back in a few hours hopefully - tomorrow morning at the latest." said Harry as he got to his feet and walked to the door.
"Harry Potter if you're not back in a few minutes then I'll show you a few moves of my own!" exclaimed Ginny and her pendant flashed brightly for a moment.
"It's out of my control, Ginny. Once I get pinned down in her bedroom with that armlock there's nothing I can do but submit." said Harry in mock earnestness. He just managed to dodge a copy of "Wizards' Guide to Exits and Escapes" as he slipped through the door and pulled it shut behind him.
...
Harry found Professor Worley in her office on the second floor. He stopped and stared as he entered at her invitation.
"What is it?" asked Worley, seeing the look on Harry's face.
Harry regained his composure then said bitterly, "Sorry Professor. I just realized I've not been in here since... The last time I was here I was threatened with the Cruciatus Curse... and before that I got this." He held out his right arm to show the scars on the back of his hand.
"Umbridge?"
Harry nodded. He looked around. The office was more utilitarian now but anything was better than that pink and lace. Deep in thought he murmured out loud, "A lot of kids suffered here. First years crying..."
Worley was studying Harry intently, gauging his feelings, allowing him time, but eventually she said, "What was it you wanted to see me about, Harry?"
Harry came back to the present. He told her about his near-death experience - the curse and his memory of the mountain. He did not really expect her to be too interested - Harry only wanted to know if she had any suggestions how he might find the mountain - but Worley was quite alarmed. She looked shocked at first but soon recovered.
"Have you reported this to the Ministry of Magic? To the headmistress?" asked the professor.
"No, nobody - they won't take this too seriously unless I can find something concrete to show them."
Worley pondered this for a while then said, "Probably you're right. Listen, Harry, if there is anything in this then it is possible... You realize there are still Death Eaters and sympathisers out there?"
"Yes, of course."
"What I mean is, you're not out of danger yet. If word got out about this..."
"Nobody knows but me and my friends. I've learnt the hard way not to waste my time trying to persuade people to believe me."
"Very well. All I can do for now is make some stealthy investigations to see if I can find out anything. Meanwhile, you're doing the right thing. Until we can find something to show the Ministry we'd better keep quiet."
Harry gave the teacher what few details he had about the mountain and Worley promised to contact Harry if she found out anything. Harry was glad to get out of that room; it depressed him.
...
Ginny screamed as Harry crawled into the Gryffindor common room. His robes were torn and he dragged himself along by one arm croaking, "She got me! Oh God it was awful. I tried to escape but once she had me in her clutches I was unable to resist."
Ron stared in horror.
Hermione was laughing, "Harry! That is the worst performance I've ever seen." She stopped laughing as she looked at Ginny.
Ginny stormed off up to the girls' dormitory in a huff as everyone else began laughing. She had had a bad scare and her pendant was flaming red.
"Reparo! Honestly Harry you've..." Hermione lowered her wand as her spell restored Harry's robes.
Harry got slowly up from the floor feeling like a Dementor on its day off.
"You'll have to pay big time for this Harry - you know that. You'll have to make it up to Ginny. I'll go up and speak to her." Hermione turned away and followed Ginny up the stairs.
Ron had a big grin on his face by now, "You got me going there for a minute, mate. I didn't know what to..."
"Stupid really. I didn't think." muttered Harry. "Anyway, Worley is going to see if she can find out anything-"
Hermione was screaming, running down in terror from upstairs, "Ginny! Ginny! What's she done? She can't have..." She ran to the window and looked out.
Harry and Ron stared, sick with fear. Hermione turned slowly around. There was a grim smile on her face.
"Now you know what it feels like." It was Ginny talking from the top of the stairs.
"Bloody Hell, Ginny! One shock is enough!" spluttered Ron.
Harry felt rather weak. He finally gasped, "I didn't think, honestly I just thought everybody would laugh."
Ron exploded, "Ginny, Harry didn't actually mean to scare anybody - but YOU did! And you Hermione! You shouldn't have done that. You did it deliberately! That was worse!"
"He's right!" said Dean.
"What's it bloody well got to do with you!" shouted Ginny at Dean.
"Now see what you've done, Ron!" yelled Hermione.
"I haven't done anything! Don't have a go at me!" replied Ron, angrily.
"Just calm down everybody!" shouted Harry.
"But it was your damn fault in the first..." Ginny tailed off, looking towards the door. Everybody turned.
"How long have you been there, Neville?" asked Hermione.
Neville grinned, "Long enough to see everything's normal around here! For a while I was worried there might be some soppy, sentimental kissing and hugging and a welcome back celebration! Good thing I got back early."
The atmosphere lightened up quickly as they all gathered around Neville to congratulate his recovery and direct him to the food and drink. Sousa struck up an upbeat tune and foliage sprouted and squirmed to display Luna's message.
Ginny easily forgave Harry and cautioned him lightly, "No more practical jokes, OK? I've seen you lying dead I thought - and once in my life is enough. Look I was supposed to get Hannah here before Neville got back." then she gave Harry a quick kiss and slipped out and brought back Hannah.
Neville was quick to give his fiance a big kiss, several actually, and completely loved the whistles and cheers from the surrounding crowd. He felt incredibly free. There was no need to believe he had to hide his feelings for Hannah anymore.
The welcome back party turned somehow into a double engagement party when Neville formally announced what everyone already knew but he was proud to do it. Then Harry also reaffirmed his and Ginny's betrothal which everyone also knew all about but it was fun to make an official announcement. What was intended to be a couple of hours celebration ran well into the early hours at which time some of the younger Gryffindors had drifted off to their dormitories to sleep. Much of the ale consumed was not just butter beer so everyone was rather merry and content.
Neville was sat in his favourite leather chair with Hannah on his knee. Ron and Hermione were curled up together on the rug near the fire and Harry and Ginny were not far from them. Luna and Seamus were sat at a little table playing out some kind of card game that Luna had invented called Reverse Poker. She was teaching Seamus as they went along but she wasn't giving much away because she was wearing her spectrespecs. Neville was speaking softly to Hannah but if he had intended his conversation to be private then the drinks he had consumed had clouded his judgement and most of them nearby were listening in to fragments of it.
"Hannah, when we were with my parents the other night, did you notice anything - anything... special." asked Neville.
"What do you mean, Neville? They were very quiet." replied Hannah.
"I just wondered if you... knew anything."
"About what?"
"Since that night there is something different. The healers are puzzled." said Neville, "My parents, the healers think they are taking more notice of their surroundings... I think so too and..." Neville paused.
"What is it?" asked Hannah. Everyone else now was more attentive, listening in. Seamus had hesitated on his turn at the card game.
"Mum looked at me." Neville hesitated thinking how vague this all must sound, "I mean, she looked at me differently."
"You mean... she recognized you?" whispered Hannah.
"Not exactly... I'm not sure. No I don't think so. But it was... I mean not as her son but maybe she is sort of noticing me as a regular visitor. It's just different. Usually I'm just nobody to her. Now she was noticing me - differently."
"What do the healers say?" asked Hannah.
"They sensed something too but they can't really determine anything. It was the nurses and orderlies who noticed most because they spend more time with them. They felt... maybe she... both of them really but mainly my mum... they felt she was sort of looking at them more... awake. It's very hard to describe."
There was a long silence. Ginny looked at Harry meaningfully but said nothing.
"Sometimes things are not what they seem at all." said Luna quietly but clearly in the silence. "If it were me I wouldn't want you to realize how good it was too soon so I would pretend it was less than it really was."
Neville looked across at Luna but she was facing only towards Seamus and hugging her card hand while Seamus stared back at her. They could not read her expression because of her specs. Both Neville and Seamus were wondering what she meant. Seamus looked at his cards. He had two pairs, threes and eights. Did she mean she suspected his hand was too good so he should discard from the pairs? Was she teaching him or playing to beat him now? Was she even talking about the game?
Ginny squeezed Harry's hand. She did not know what was going on but she felt sure that Harry did.
Seamus discarded his spare and drew a nine. Luna pushed a couple more Every Flavour Beans into the pot from the large pile she was accumulating and said, "I'll take pity. I can't see you." She was smiling but looking directly at Harry who remained poker faced and innocent-looking. That look was not missed by Ginny.
"Does that mean I don't need to show my hand - so I win?" asked Seamus.
"No, it means I have to show you my hand so I win. I've only got one pair." said Luna, taking the pot.
Seamus scratched his head, "You cleaned me out. Will you take an IOU then we can continue."
"No, here's my UOMe and some beans then if you win you can give the UOMe back to me."
"What if I throw away the UOMe?"
"You can't. It's got a Stayclose charm on it."
"Are you sure about all this?" grinned Seamus, "I've got a feeling I'm being had - like you can see my hand."
"Well of course I can. Why do you think I'm wearing these specs? Do you mean you've not been cheating? No wonder you are losing so badly. I thought I explained that." Luna smiled sweetly. "In that case you forfeit for breaking the Must Cheat Rule."
...
"Luna, we're good friends right?" said Ginny as they nibbled at a few sweetmeats on the side table.
"You want to know about Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom." said Luna.
"Has... someone told you something?" asked Ginny.
"No... I just worked it out. I'm a Ravenclaw. It's quite simple."
"Worked what out?" asked Ginny.
"Where there's the most powerful magic there's the most powerful wizard don't you think?" said Luna enigmatically.
"But Voldemort is dead! Professor Dumbledore is dead!"
"Someone else is now the most powerful wizard." replied Luna.
"Nobody could... Nobody could help them... Not unless... You mean..." Ginny gasped and her eyes widened.
"It must be terribly difficult to disturb someone's rest when you love them." Luna smiled sadly at Ginny, reading her thoughts.
...
The dormitory was empty except for Seamus snoring heavily at the far end. Ron and Hermione were still downstairs having fallen asleep on the hearth rug. Neville was still talking to Hannah down there. Harry was too tired and too happy to bother undressing. He would just lay down on his bed and get a few hours sleep before the new day began.
"Harry." said Ginny. She stood at the top of the dormitory stairs.
Harry looked at Ginny. He knew the less she said then usually the more important it was.
"Yes, Ginny."
"You kept it didn't you?"
Harry remained silent for a while then, "I did not intend to keep it. But I delayed. The longer I put it off the more I realized I could not desecrate Professor Dumbledore's tomb even though I kind of had his permission. I placed the elder wand in a chest in my... in our vault in Gringott's. I intended for it to remain there until after my death. No one else could then master it."
"Where is it now?"
Harry did not answer but Ginny saw his eyes flick briefly towards his trunk at the end of the bed.
"We must never speak of this to anyone, Ginny." said Harry.
"Luna already worked it out. Whenever it is used it leaves a kind of trail of magical greatness." said Ginny.
"But few are able or inclined to interpret that trail. Luna is exceptional. She will not speak of it again."
"No, she would not even speak openly to me." said Ginny.
"I cannot say that I will never use it again. But it will be returned to our vault and there it will remain."
"Will they recover? Neville's mum and dad I mean?" asked Ginny
"I don't know Ginny. I don't see how they can be the same as before but I felt the immense power, Ginny - even using that simple healing spell that Worley taught us. Using that wand is beyond anything I've known before. I'm confident the Longbottoms will improve in some degree even if it is a very slow recovery. Neville suspects it is something to do with Hannah being there - power of love - or perhaps that he has found his soul mate and it released heaven's influence or something deeply mystical like that. Let him continue to think that way."
"Harry."
"Yes, Gin?"
"I think I've found my soul mate too."
...
Professor McGonagall looked at the dreadful mess in the Gryffindor common room. Colored confetti, charmed streamers, feathers, food, even sleeping students, all littered the floor. Torn decorations hung in tatters from floating dirigible plums. A muffled Sousa tuba faintly sounded from somewhere below a pile of blankets. It was Sunday morning and the few students who were awake stared in disbelief.
"Headmistress!" said Hermione, as she rose from the hearth and shook ashes from her hair.
"I am still the head of this house too! I want every Gryffindor here in attendance within five minutes. I will wait." McGonagall frowned down at a first year who scurried by with an indeterminate sandwich he had been trying to toast back to life with a wand spell.
McGonagall noted that there was a very strange student contorted in a leather armchair in a dark corner off to one side of the cold fireplace just beginning to stir as Hermione ran around waking everyone. As she watched she noted at least three or four arms and the same number of legs began to unravel and stick from various corners of a heavy blanket. There was little that McGonagall did not know about transfiguration but this eluded her understanding for a few seconds until she suddenly perceived what she was looking at.
"Mr. Longbottom! and... Miss Abbott!" McGonagall's surprise was not held back from her face.
"Are there any more of you in there?" she asked drily.
"Not so fast, young lady!" McGonagall called as Hannah tried to slip away and back to her own common room, "Please wait here with the others."
McGonagall raised her voice to reach all of the rooms in the Gryffindor Tower, "Do we have any more Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws... Heaven forbid - Slytherins, in here?"
Luna crept slowly down from the girls' dormitory.
"Well! I'm pleased to see one of you is at least in the right type of place where she ought to be." again the sardonic voice dominated the room. McGonagall cast her patronus to inform Professors Flitwick and Sprout of the whereabouts of their missing students and the silvery blue cat leapt through the door and disappeared from view.
"We... that is, we Gryffindors, we gave them temporary honorary Gryffindor status because of their er... because of their courage and..." even Hermione faltered and tailed off under McGonagall's silent glare.
"Is that everyone? ... Very well. When I point my wand at you I wish you to walk over and stand by the door." McGonagall began singling out individual students who glumly walked across to join the growing group. Most were senior students, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, among them and they began to feel that they were being regarded as ringleaders and more responsible.
Finally, McGonagall walked over to inspect the students gathered near the door. She uttered something softly and a purple sock flew from somewhere and hovered in front of her, "Yours I think?" she propelled it to Dean who was standing with one bare foot and a shoe in his hand. McGonagall shook her head, "I won't ask why that one is purple while the one you are wearing is bright green."
"Well! You'll have to do. This way! Follow me please." she led the group out and down from the Tower.
...
As the group followed McGonagall into Hogwarts' Entrance Hall they were all truly astonished to see not only students already gathered there from other houses but also many house-elves from the kitchen. Most of the teachers were also lined up along one wall, Hagrid among them. McGonagall addressed them all:
"We have had to delay this meeting until we could get everyone present at one time." She particularly eyed Luna and Neville when she said this.
"It has been our wish to keep this occasion very short, rather low-profile and informal because we know many of you have suffered the most aggressive attention of the press, officialdom, and other interests to the point where it must have become tiresome." She looked at Harry as she spoke.
"Let me say first that Mr. Ron Weasley is here not only on his own behalf but also to represent his brother Fred Weasley." Ron gulped at this.
"Likewise, Mr. Dennis Creavey is here both for himself and to represent his brother Colin Creavey.
"We, the teachers of Hogwarts wish simply to honour and remember the Hogwarts' students who worked for, and fought for, and in some cases, gave their lives for, the protection of this, the Hogwarts School. We also honour the house-elves who also risked all and fought for this school. As long as this school stands, all your names will be remembered. We are so very proud of you." McGonagall glanced across at Flitwick who flicked his wand.
The great canvas that had hung in the Entrance Hall was swept aside from the wall it had covered since the start of the school year. Beneath it, the marks of battle still showed. Long streaks were gouged and cut through broken stonework where misdirected curses had ploughed. Great burns and stains and scorch marks covered much of this area and in some parts the edges of stones had melted and flowed down. The area was bordered by magically repaired, clean, scrubbed, whole stones. So abrupt was the division that it was clear that the damage had been far more extensive and this was but a sample area left unrepaired.
Centred within and upon this corrupted section was a new stone, very long and smooth and pure, of black polished marble flecked with veins of dark reds and blues and greys. Deeply etched into its surface were two lists, one being the names of students and elves that had fought in the Great Battle and the other those who had formed the resistance known as Dumbledore's Army. Many students were in both and McGonagall read them all out to the assembly.
"In addition, we wish to especially honour a former Hogwarts' employee who gave his life that others might defend this school and defeat the enemy. It is unlikely that all of us would have survived without this sacrifice. We wish to honour and remember the house-elf Dobby."
McGonagall paused for a few moments' silent remembrance after which she said that any students who wished to, could remain to look at the commemoration and spend further time in thought.
Of all the ceremonies and awards that Harry Potter had attended, this was the one of which he was most proud - to see his name associated with the school that had been his home and which he had loved, even through the bad times, since he was eleven years of age.
.
Author's Notes
This chapter might not seem so important to the story but there are key parts though I'm not telling you which. ;) The next (BUT ONE) chapter is already 4/5ths done so it shouldn't be too long before I upload it I think. It should be an especially nice one for Luna fans which is basically everybody. :)
As ever, your comments and reviews are welcome even if you don't like the story I'd like to learn from your feedback. Thanks. :)
- Hippothestrowl
