Harry Potter and the Gang of Giggling Girls
by Glee-chan
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Harry exited the chamber to find Professor Dumbledore waiting for him. For the first time in a long time, he was beaming. It didn't dawn to Harry why until he thought of it himself. Voldemort was finally gone. Harry gave a small smile then gave a laugh. He could be just a normal person again. He could finish school and become an Auror…or maybe he could try out for a professional Quidditch league. The choices were endless now.
"Don't to ahead of yourself, Harry, you've still have school to finish."
"Huh?"
"Did you forget that last night the two of us left during the tail end of the term? I suggest we leave shortly."
Harry nodded then thought about it. "Professor. I, I mean Harry, hasn't been in school all year. Does this mean that I have to finish out being Naomi?"
The Headmaster nodded his head then he reached into his robes and pulled out Cho's Key. "It's for the best to complete the illusion, and will cause less problems with the Board of Education. Next year you may return as your normal self, but as for now, it would be wise if Naomi finished her classes."
Harry took his key back. "I get it. Plus, if I think about it, I owe it to Padma, Cho, and Pansy for keeping my secret. Even if they didn't know they were doing it. They have a right to say goodbye to Naomi properly."
"That's noble of you Harry." Dumbledore bowed his head. "Well, lets prepare to leave."
After finishing up whateve legal matters they needed to attend to, then leaving the Ministry of Magic offices, Dumbledore took Harry by the hand and preformed a side-by-side apparation, even if he didn't have too. On arriving into the Dark Forest, Harry once again placed on Naomi's ring. At once his vision went blurry and his pants fell to his knees. Professor Dumbledore gave a small chuckle at the sight in front of his and shook his head as Harry pulled his pants back up and tightened his belt as far as it would go.
"I'll be heading to the Great Hall. Please change and meet your friends. I think the school has every right to know the events of yesterday, although I suspect the morning Daily Prophet has finally hit newsstands by now…"
Harry nodded, then took off his glasses and headed towards the castle. It was still morning, so most of the students weren't around to see Naomi in the dress robes provided to him for the trail. On arriving to his dorm-room he saw Cho and Padma, and Luna sitting on Cho's bed, looking as though they hadn't slept at all, even with the pajamas they were wearing. Marietta, Rebecca, and Nanette were still fast asleep.
"Ha—I mean.. Naomi!" Cho shouted out on sight of him.
"What are you wearing?" Padma asked looking him over, but Cho waved her question away.
"You're alive!"
"Of course I am." Harry said, but still had a smile on his face. "I was gone for one night and you lot go mad? I must be a bigger influence than I thought."
Marietta moaned and rolled over in her bed, grumbling in a soft voice. "They kept me up whispering all night. They were worried that you didn't come to bed. I told them not to worry…." But if she had anything more to say on the matter she passed out again.
Harry gave a small shrug, but quickly found himself on the floor as he was tackled by both Cho and Padma. "Geez! I'm okay!"
Cho was kissing his cheeks. "Don't scare me like that again! Okay! Promise!"
Harry pulled himself up, which quite a task since Padma was still hugging him. "I promise."
"So it's done…" Padma looked worried. "Your family business, I mean." She shot a look at Marietta.
"I'd say so." Harry smiled again. "Professor Dumbledore ran into me when I came back. He told me he had a special announcement to be made in the Great Hall. You guys should head over there."
Marietta yawned and sat up, blinking heavily. "You're not going?"
"Not wearing this." Harry wrinkled his nose.
"I should hope not. Other wise people might think you were a boy." Marietta pulled her blankets to the side, and started to undress, leaving Cho and Padma to look at each other.
When the rest of the girls had awaken, they left shortly after, as an announcement from Dumbledore sounded more interesting than sleeping in. Harry quickly started taking off his dress robes and started replacing them with Naomi's. Once again Harry felt uncomfortable as both girls were staring at him like he was the coming Christ.
"You really defeated You-Know-Who?" Padma asked after awhile.
Harry finished dressing. "Fix my hair, will you?" Harry glanced at Padma, trying to get her to act her normal self. He had gotten used to not being hero-worshipped that he didn't want Padma to start now.
Cho smiled and nudged Padma. "Go on."
Padma nodded as she went about fixing Naomi's hair. "You have to tell us everything."
"Professor Dumbledore will tell everyone at breakfast, if we can get there on time that is."
It took a while to motivate the girls to stop idolizing him and head back downstairs. Once entering the Great Hall, he noticed that nothing had seemed to change. For the students who had been there the whole time, they were unaware the wizard world was safe and that Lord Voldemort was gone. He realized that due to past issues of the Prophet many didn't even believe Voldemort was back. It would be quite a shock to them to learn all of this had happened right under their noses.
When he sat down at the Ravenclaw table, he noticed a few faces from the Gryffindor side turning to look at him. Ron had a big grin on his face, Hermione looked as though a big wave of relief took her over, but Ginny was out of her seat and bolting full speed towards him. Within moments Harry found himself on the ground, attacked by another loving hug.
"G-Ginny!" Harry coughed. The stone floor seemed to hurt a bit more than the wooden floor.
"I've been wanted to do that all morning. I couldn't talk to you after the hearing."
"Hearing?" Cho helped Harry up and Padma yanked Ginny off the ground.
"It… it was nothing. We should sit and draw less attention than what just happened." Harry pointed out.
Ginny blinked. "Why? You don't have to wear that anymore."
"What and expose I've been in drag for a year. No thanks. I'd rather Voldemort killed me again." Everyone present winced. For the first time it wasn't because he used Voldemort's name, but mentioned his death. "Err…Sorry. But I'm fine, and want to pretend nothing happened at all. I have to finish the year as … me. Then afterwards I can be normal again."
Ginny pouted. "You're still coming over my house over the summer." With that she walked off towards her own table.
Cho lead them to the Ravenclaw table where Harry was confronted with questions about why Ginny had tackled him. Rebecca suggested that Harry owed her money, which Harry couldn't think of anything else so agreed with her.
"Students." Professor Dumbledore was at the head table suddenly. "Many of you may have noticed that a considerable amount of Hogwarts Staff has been missing last night. And it is my duty to tell you all what has happened." There was a small muffled conversations, but all stopped as Dumbledore spoke again. "First, I must in form you that many of your test results will be delayed due to our absence. But once you've heard our reasoning, I believe that everyone will be accent that the reason before our absence was unavoidable."
There was a murmur int he room before Dumbledore continued,
"Last year, I informed everyone that Cedric Diggory was killed by Lord Voldemort. Many of you I suspect did not believe this. In fact, the Daily Prophet has gone through great lengths to surpress this knowledge. As you will see shortly, that tune has changed. What I tell you now, you will be able to read in this morning's paper." Dumbledore held up an issue of the Daily Prophet. The headline read "Harry Potter Destroyed He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named!"
There was an audable gasp from the room. The Headmaster continued.
"Some of your Professors are members of a society that fought against Death Eaters during the First Wizardry War. As it turned out, our duties required us to reform The Order of the Phoenix, and aid Mr. Potter in the defeat of Lord Voldemort. For full details of the night's events, I suggest you read the Daily Prophet. I have read through it myself, and I must say Rita Skeeter has given more-or-less an accurate description. You will find many surprising truths here, including the exposure of a corrupt Minister of Magic as well as a confession from Peter Pettigrew, the man who framed Sirius Black. Yet, the most important news of the day is that Voldemort is no more, and can never come back."
"You-Know-Who is dead?" Luna asked.
"What's a matter, surprised the werewolves didn't get him?" Padma rolled her eyes.
"No. You-Know-Who wouldn't be killed by werewolves because he has silver blood. I'm just surprised that he was killed by Harry. I always thought his arthritis would get him in the end."
Before anyone could ask what that meant Dumbledore silenced them again. "It has been agreed upon by the Ministry to allow Mr. Potter to return to Hogwarts next year. Since he has been receiving private lessons throughout the course of this year, he will graduate to his 6th year." Harry knew he was saying this as a cover-up to his absence, as he knew the marks he was making as Naomi would be Harry's. "We had hoped to see him again before the school year ends to give him a hero's banquet in his honor, however that does not seem possible. Regardless, Owls have been sent to see what his reply is."
Harry felt his stomach turn. He knew owls meant Dumbledore was asking him right then and there to be Harry for that banquet. But he hated the idea of everyone hero-worshipping him even more than they already did.
"On final note." Dumbledore concluded. "After the defeat of He-Who-Shall-Never-Be-Named-Again, an Auror was ordered by the Minister of Magic to arrest Mr. Potter of murder."
"That's not right!" Harry heard a voice over the crowd.
"Calm yourself Mr. Thomas. Mr. Potter successful defended himself in front of a the Council of Mages in the Wizards Council. I'm pleased to say that all charges against Mr. Potter has been dropped." There was another murmur going through the students. Dumbledore had to silence them again. "I believe that is everything. This is a time for celebration. No more Voldemort. So let's enjoy our breakfasts, shall we?"
Everyone started talking again, but Harry noticed that Mad-Eye leaned in over McGonagall. She got up again. "Sorry I had forgotten. As a school treat, today's exams are canceled."
This time the Great Hall could not be silenced.
As Harry was leaving the Great Hall with his Ravenclaw friends he was stopped by Mad-Eye Moody. He didn't send Cho and the others away so Harry knew the subject on his mind had to be Naomi related. He yanked his arm from Cho and walked slightly closer to Moody with curious look on his face.
"Professor?"
"Ms. Hanson. All your Practice exams have been graded, and you have performed excellent in every subject. As a matter of fact only one other student in your year performed better than you. So the school has decided that unless you want to take the Final Exams, we can use your grades from the Practice tests as your final scores."
Harry really didn't need to think that hard for an answer. "Sounds like a good idea to me."
"Thought you might say that. The other student, whom I'm sure you are familiar with, has requested the opposite. Strange girl that one."
"Hermione." Harry shook his head, but the thought of Hermione taking a test when she didn't have to still put a smile on his face. She would never change.
"I'll inform the other Professors of your decision." Moody started to limp away then turned back around as if he remembered something. "I'm supposed to warn you not to interfere in your friends' studying. Just because you don't have to doesn't mean they don't either."
"Right."
Moody walked off and Harry was quickly re-clung to Cho and Padma. "All that library work paid off it seems." Padma smiled.
"Yep. Voldemort is dead and I don't have to take the finals." Harry glanced down at his chest for a moment then caught sight of the key dangling around his neck. Suddenly he remembered what Cho had said when he gave it to him.
Padma seemed to have noticed he was looking at the key and quickly thought the same thing. "Cho. You-Know-Who is gone, so what's with the key?"
"Pardon?" Cho looked completely confused.
"You know the one you gave Naomi for Christmas." Padma paused then whispered into Harry's ear. "Or should I call you Harry?"
"Naomi is fine." Harry shrugged. He started walked, leading the girls towards the Ravenclaw dormitories.
"Oh. The key." Cho's face looked pink as she walked. She quickly looked down. "It's… uh.. well it's a key to my house."
"What?" Padma and Harry both shouted at the same time. Luna blinked.
"I thought you could … stay at my place. Since you have no where to go after school that is." Cho stammered over her words.
Nanette, who suddenly was there, tilted her head. "You just want to shack up."
Cho let go of Harry's arm and stopped. "WHAT!" But her face was even redder than before.
"It's not healthy to lie to yourself, you know." Nanette spoke in a matter-of-fact tone. "You want to do this and that with her. You have been wanting to all year."
Cho's mouth was open, her eyes looked vacant as if Nanette had stolen something from her. Her bottom lip move slightly but all she made was a frightened whimpering noise. Padma just started laughing. At first Harry thought it was cruel to laugh at Cho's embarrassment, but her face was just too funny that Harry found himself chuckling slightly.
"T-That isn't true!" Cho said after she found her voice. The color in her face was slowly draining. She truly looked exposed.
Nanette just shrugged. "It's okay if you want to. It's very admirable that you're not forcing yourself on Naomi though. I'm sure there have been plenty of opportunities for you to make a move."
Cho once again turned into a statue, but this time she looked as pale as one. Padma just continued laughing, wiping tears from her eyes. Harry was sort of feeling sorry for Cho, but at the same time saw her in a different light. He knew she liked him, but not so much as wanting to make him her love-slave.
