Chapter 47 – Hogwarts Clear Up
It had been about two weeks since the huge battle at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and the wizarding community was slowly getting back to normal. The funerals had been held for those who had lost their lives during the battle. The wizarding streets of Diagon Alley and the village of Hogsmede were starting to show signs of life, as shops began re-opening and people ventured back to their homes to start again. One shop in particular stood brightly at the end of Diagon Alley all set for opening, Weasleys Wizard Wheezes, the shop ran by Fred and George Weasley. Ollivander's Wand shop too was all fixed up and ready for business once again.

It was now the first day of the clear up operation at Hogwarts and Harry, Hermione, The Weasley family and friends had all gathered in the court yard of the school ready for action. Already the outside of the school building was back to normal with walls rebuilt and windows back in place.

"It feels odd being back doesn't it?" George Weasley spoke looking up at the huge castle, his hand gripping that of his girlfriend Laura's tightly.

"To think the last time we were all here..." Dean Thomas trailed off only to be hushed by Molly Weasley.

"Now everyone let's not think about that." she spoke trying to stay positive however it was hard, she had nearly lost one of her sons the last time she was here, not to mention nearly loosing Harry too and she'd lost two very good friends of hers.

The group walked up to the castle and the huge doors opened. Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn were there to greet them.

"Oh it's lovely to see you all. Please come in." McGonagall chirped pulling Molly into a hug.

The two led everyone else into the Great Hall which looked like nothing had happened to it.

"There's an eerie feeling in here and I don't like it." Fred Weasley said to his twin.

Parvati and Padma Patail who had arrived with the huge group dissolved into tears as the horrible memories of the battle came flooding back to them.

"Now, now dears. It's alright." McGonagall spoke shuffling over and hugging the twin girls.

"We just want Lavender back Miss." Padma sniffed.

"I now dear, we all lost some of our friends that day and they will all be greatly missed but they wouldn't want us all to be like this." McGonagall spoke in a soft tone.

Hagrid was next to arrive and nearly crushed Harry by hugging him tightly. Professor Sprout, Professor Trewlaney and Professor Flitwick all entered followed by the house ghosts. The Great Hall soon filled up with noise as everyone reacquainted themselves with one another.

More and more past and present pupils arrived including Cho Chang, Oliver Wood and Angelina Johnston. There were even a few Slytherin students there past and present. Professor McGonagall went up to the very front and silenced everyone. The room fell silence at once.

"Hello everyone. It is so good to see so many familiar faces here today and I would like to thank every single one of you for turning up to help with the rebuilding of this school on behave of myself and my fellow members of staff." She spoke to the huge crowd.

"Today we are going to start with the four common rooms and all the dormitories. I also want to say that we are hoping to make Hogwarts somewhat more modern too but more on that later. Refreshments will be here in the Great Hall at 1pm when we'll retire for a break. So let's get too it. If we split into four groups and each take a house. I shall take a group to the Gryffindor tower, Professor Slughorn to the Slytherin dungeons, Professor Flitwick to the Ravenclaw tower and Professor Sprout to the Hufflepuff rooms."

Everyone split up into their four houses, most of them going to their old one. Sarah Jones grabbed her sister Laura's arm and dragged her over to a group of fellow Hufflepuffs which included Susan Bones and Hannah Abott. Laura looked back at her boyfriend George Weasley with pleading eyes. She wanted to go with him to the Gryffindor tower. George dashed over to her.

"Hey look I'll meet you down here at one. I've an idea." he spoke kissing her lightly on the forehead.

Everyone followed the heads of houses and house ghosts to their respective common rooms. The house elves had been doing a brilliant job already as the rooms looked pretty much the same as before, only tears in the chairs had been repaired and tables no longer wobbled.

"We have been talking about getting the muggle invention called the television into the school." Professor Slughorn told everyone in the Slytherin common room.

"What's that?" a fair haired boy questioned.

"No idea." his black haired friend answered.

In the four common rooms there was a lot of chatter amongst everyone. Snape hadn't made an appearance once since everyone arrived and none of the staff mentioned him once. In each common room the pictures of those who had lost their lives in the battle were put up.

In the Hufflepuff room pictures of Cedric Diggory and Tonks smiled happily at everyone as they set about fixing the common room and dormitories.

In the Gryffindor common room a small group of people stood looking at the smiling pictures of Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Colin Creevey and Lavender Brown. A single tear slid down Harry Potter's face as he looked at his godfather and one of his good friends Lupin.

George Weasley stood looking at the remembrance wall thinking about how lucky he was that his twin brother Fred wasn't on that wall. Molly Weasley wiped a tear from her own eyes as she stood in her husband's arms.

"Oh Arthur why did so many of our friends have to die?" she cried.

"I know Molly dear but we've still got all our family. Fred could have been on that wall." Arthur spoke and Molly sobbed harder.

Molly pulled away and walked over to her twin sons pulling them into the biggest, bone crushing hug she could master.

"Oh boys I love you both so much. I can't imagine loosing either of you." She cried.

Fred looked at his twin in shock.

"What's brought this on Mum?" Fred asked.

"Oh Fred dear, it's just being back here, it's brought so many of those horrible memories back to me and how close I was too losing you." she sobbed.

"It's alright Mum, I'm here and I'm not going anywhere any time soon." Fred said in a reassuring tone then hugging her tightly.

Molly gathered all her children and hugged every single one of them thankful all of them were alive.