Chapter 20

The next day, the celebratory feast was huge. We were all in our pajamas and exams had been canceled. Everyone was so happy, except Hermione of course. She soon joined in the cheer though. It's kind of hard not to be happy when an evil monster was killed.

Not everyone was too pleased with us. Fred was really mad at me. He had caught up with me earlier that day.

"How could you be so stupid?!" He had asked me angrily.

"What, you wanted us to let your sister die and Hogwarts be closed?" I argued.

"No but you could have told a teacher!"

"We tried! They weren't listening to us." I told him again.

"You all could have been killed! You almost died!" He said. He had started to make me mad then.

"Why do you care?! I thought you hated me because I was from the future!" I had said.

"I-I-I..." He spluttered.

"Well, why do you care?!" I asked again.

"I umm...Ron would have been sad if you died. I don't care." He insisted. He didn't sound very convincing though. "And Oliver Wood would be devastated to loose his star Seeker and one of his chasers." I rolled my eyes. Is that the best he could come up with? I thought he was a star prankster. They're supposed to be good at lying. I just turned and left.

After the feast I decided to go to the library to destroy the diadem. I just told the others I had to put a book back so that they would go away. I was walking down the hall when I ran into Goyle, Crabbe and Draco. He still followed them around. I don't know why. Goyle is too stupid to be the leader but he tries anyway.

"Look who it is!" Goyle exclaimed. "That weak mudblood who got bit by a basilisk. I wish that it killed you. There would be less filth in the school." God, does this guy never leave me alone?

"What do you want? I'm busy!" I told them.

"well you-" Goyle began but he was cut off by someone.

"Just leave her alone, Goyle." It was Draco. I tried to hide my surprise but it was difficult.

"What?" Goyle asked sharply.

"I'm sick of this! Blood doesn't define who you are." He said. I was so surprised I was hearing this from Draco. "Joanne was right. I can be better than this." He came over and stood beside me. I can't believe I got through to him!

"Thanks." I whispered to him.

"Draco, you traitor!" Goyle spat. "Standing beside a mudblood like she is an equal." We had drawn a crowd now. I think everyone was shocked to see a Malfoy standing up for a muggle born.

"She's better than anything you will ever be." He told them. I was to shocked to speak. "She showed me how stupid all the blood prejudice is. Muggle borns have just as much right to be here as the rest or us!"

"B-but." Goyle and Crabbe were just to shocked to speak.

"Lets go." I said. Draco and I turned around and left.

"Did you see everyones faces!" I exclaimed when we were far away.

"I just want to say I'm sorry." He told me. "I was such a prat."

"You were just repeating what you were raised to believe." I said. We parted ways and I went to the Ravenclaw Library.

When I got there. I took the diadem out of it's hiding place and positioned it on the floor. I raised the fang and jerked it down as hard as I could. It cracked the middle jewel and a huge fog was released. It swirled around the library, knocking books of shelves, before dying down. Luckily the books just put themselves back it their places. Then I noticed one book was still on the floor.

I went over and picked it up. It was a small book. In gold letters along the front was the word Gringott's. I sat down at the table and placed the book in front of me before opening it. It wasn't a book! It was a box that was charmed to look like a book. Inside was a single key and a letter. It was a vault key. I took out the letter and ripped it open. I unfolded it and it said:

Dear my descendants,

I am the granddaughter of Rowena Ravenclaw and this is the key to my vault at Gringott's. My money and the money of my husband, the heir of Hufflepuff, has been left for our descendants. We decided that for when we die, we would hide a key here so one of our descendants can find it. I hope it is of great use to you. You can take and add money as you please. Before you die, put this back so another like you will find it.

Use it well.

I was shocked. They left me money! This is fantastic! I pocketed the key and the letter before putting the book back on the shelf.

...

It turned out to be a very good thing I found that money because both the Grangers and the Weasleys were going on holiday. Harry said he would let me stay over but he didn't want to put me through hell and his uncle and aunt would never allow it. I explained to them about the money and told them it was fine.

I had lots of money and a whole holiday to myself. I was going to hunt down some horcruxes if it killed me! This is the perfect opportunity to get some stuff done. I went back to the library and picked up a lot of books that would help me. I read up on defensive spells and dueling. I also learned how to put undetectable extension charms and light weight charms on my trunk. I figured I could set up my trunk like an apartment. This holiday was going to be fun!

...

Nothing really exciting happened for the rest of the term. Draco and I had become good friends. I thought after what he did that the Slytherins would hate him but it turned out this wasn't true. Plenty of Slytherins agreed with him but were not brave enough to say so until now. It certainly helped me prove to Ron that not all Slytherins are evil. They started spreading out and sitting with their, would be, secret friends at other houses. The rift between houses was starting to become smaller and smaller. There was never just one colour at a table any more. Draco and his friend Blaze Zabini sat with me a lot of the time. Ron was finally becoming tolerant. He even admitted I was right about Draco and the Slytherins.

Fred was being heaps nicer to me. We didn't hate each other anymore. With the house rift practically gone, Percy announced that he had a girlfriend and he and Penelope Clearwater, became almost inseparable. The teachers were all so happy that everyone was getting along. Except for Snape. I think he liked the rivalry, that prat. I just hoped that things won't go back to normal next year.

As for Lucius Malfoy, he was arrested. Since I had clearly seen him put the diary in Ginny's caldron, I was able to submit the memory as proof. He was then questioned under veritaserum. He was found to have willingly been a death eater and to have known what the diary would do. He was sentenced to life in askaban. Draco wasn't to angry with me though. Draco didn't like his father, but he was still sad about it. His mum was relieved because she was forced to marry him in the first place. What was left of the Malfoy family, cut all ties with the death eaters.

Even though Lucius had been lying, Fudge still refused to question all former death eaters with veritaserum. He is such a fool. I don't know how he ever became minister. He insisted that since the Dark Lord was gone, it makes no difference. Amelia Bones, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, started a petition to get him fired. It can't be put through for at least twelve months though. Trying to fire a minister has never been done before but I hope she succeeds.

...

Another year had ended. I was on the train, sitting in a compartment with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Draco, Blaze. Draco and Blaze had started to become friends with Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville through me. We were all talking happily.

This year had been great. Because we didn't have to study for exams, I had found the time to completely master the patronus charm. We were still a long way off becoming animagi though. We had all finished transforming our arms and legs. I still had no idea what the others were, but judging by what I had transformed so far, I was pretty sure I was a horse. Hermione was definitely some kind of bird. It was still to early to tell though.

When we arrived, we said good bye at the platform and went off in our different direction. This holiday was going to be something!

...