AN:- I'm sorry, but I'm like 500% done with this story now.

Chapter Twenty-One: Going Home

"Right," said Lisa as they gathered on the steps outside Hogwarts, "we're not going to spend the next three months just writing to each other." She handed Lily and Sally a piece of paper, "we're going to visit my nana and granddad in Germany in the next few weeks, but after that you both have to come round to my house."

Sally nodded, "my mum said we're going to Spain and I have to invite you, because you'll love it."

"I think we're going to France," Lily said quietly, "my mother has family over there. I'll let you know when I'm coming back."

"Good," Lisa sat down and looked out over the grounds, where most of the rest of the school was sitting outside and enjoying the sunlight while they could.

Sally perched on the step next to her. "So what do you think's going to happen next year?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well last year Voldemort possessed one of our teachers and tried to kill Harry Potter until Harry stopped him, this year there was a monster running around petrifying people until Harry Potter stopped it. What do you think is going to happen to Harry and his friends next year?"

"Does something have to happen to them every year?" Lily asked, sitting as well.

Sally shrugged, "maybe it can be like a Hogwarts tradition? See what Harry and his friends have done to earn them hundreds of points and win the House Cup automatically?"

Lisa frowned at her friend, "sarcasm?"

"Maybe."

"I don't think things like that happen to normal people," Lily said, "they don't have grand adventures that happen to always take exactly one year."

"Hasn't this year been an adventure?" Lisa said indignantly.

"Well I got bullied into the Hospital Wing and we seemed to spend most of the year doing nothing but talking," Lily drawled.

Lisa and Sally were staring at her in shock, "what?"

"You talked about it."

"Oh," she hunched her shoulders up a little, "I was trying to make a joke."

Lisa frowned, "why would you do that?"

"Because if I'm serious about it then it just makes me feel worse, so I thought I might try making a joke." She looked over to where the carriages were starting to roll up the pathway towards them. "Is that okay?"

"It happened to you, I think you can do what you like," Lisa stood and stretched. "You know what? I think I'm ready to go home. I hope next year is a lot happier than this one."

Sally stood as well, "me too."

Lily stayed where she was on the dirt, taking in as much of the castle as she could. "I think I could just stay here until after summer," she said.

"Absolutely not," Lisa pulled her to her feet and they linked arms, Sally and Lisa dragging their friend down to where the carriages were waiting at the gate, "you are absolutely not staying here while Sally and I have a great time at my house."

"No," Sally agreed, "and I'm not going to Spain without you, so you'd better put that in your calendar."

"Do I actually have any choice in this?" Lily asked, trying to hide a grin.

"Of course not," Lisa said, depositing her by the side of a carriage, "because we're your friends and we're very smart and funny and brilliant and you have to do everything we say."

"Well alright then," Lily clambered into the carriage and smiled down at them, "glad that's settled."

"Absolutely," Lisa followed her in and helped Sally up as well. Before they could close the door Luna Lovegood climbed in as well, and when they stared at her she only smiled back.

"Why are you in our carriage?" Lisa asked eventually.

"I don't know," Luna said dreamily, looking out of the window, "it just felt like an important place to be."

"Uh, why?"

"It just feels like things are happening here."

"Okay," Lisa turned back to Lily, who was giggling in the corner. Sally was grinning as well. "Would you like to join us on the train?"

"I'd love to."

The carriage trundled on past the gates of Hogwarts and on to summer.

AN:- I love these girls, and I love these books, and I love these stories, and I love Harry Potter, but I have got nothing left for this story.

When I sat down to plan this I wrote out several key scenes which tied the books together, and Chamber of Secrets was always the barest of the plots. I knew what would happen whenever Lockhart was around, I knew about the bullying, I knew about the beginning. I had no idea about the majority of this book, and I think it shows. The next book will be better, I promise.

You can now follow me on Tumblr. Username: MelasZepheos, Blog Title: C the Guitar Man. I sometimes post stuff about my writing on there, including previews and original fiction writing.

Lily's joke. Part of Lily's plotline was supposed to be her finding a sense of humour, one that is very dry and sarcastic. So she's really trying to do the sort of Blackadder-esque 'let's highlight exactly why this situation doesn't match the cheery description you've just given it' type of humour. Not sure if it worked or not.

Some thanks for this book and the last (in no particular order):

Cassia4u

SapphireBryony

Son of Whitebeard

Emily Mae

Drunk Acorn Bear

Ember Nickel

john86710

AJ Freas

Avid Reader

Enzonia

So many thanks to you for reviewing this story. It always motivates me to come back, knowing that people are waiting for the next chapter, or the next book. I hope I've lived up to your expectations so far, and continue to delight and amaze in the future.

Coming soon:

Hogwarts Retold: Prisoner of Azkaban

Sirius Black has escaped from Azkaban prison, Dementors are guarding the doors at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and three third year girls are utterly unconcerned by the entire thing! They have Weasley twins to befriend, a bully to face and a whole third year's worth of spells and magic to learn.

Join Lily Moon, Lisa Turpin and Sally-Anne Perks for their third year at Hogwarts, where more madcap adventures await!