Chapter eight

Harry smiled as Ginny walked down the stairs to the common room. He kissed her, but this time it wasn't just a small kiss they give each other when in public. This time it was a full-on passionate snog which caused a lot of whistles and suggestions.

'Did Bill say if he would let us know?' Harry asked.

'He didn't say, but I'm sure he will since he knows this came about because of us.'

'Us and not doing what the old man said. He really is thick.'

'He is, but now, let's go eat.'

Harry and Ginny gestured to Neville who joined them to walk down through the castle to the great hall.

The three friends just finished eating when their head of house told the three of them needed to go to the headmaster's office. It wasn't just them, Ron was told to go as well.

One thing the three noticed though, there were many students missing, along with Snape.

'Do you think it's to do with what Bill did?' Ginny asked as she gestured around at the missing students.

'It has to otherwise what else could have them gone. They were all marked with the dark mark. I see others who was all for that pure-blood shit, but they weren't marked.'

'Let's hope your right. But do you think they were just arrested, or was it more?' Neville asked.

'We're about to find out,' Ginny said as they were able to go straight up the stairs to the headmaster's office.

'When Bill finished the ritual it cause more than we thought. No one is in trouble for what happened mainly because Bill is licensed to do what he did.' Albus explained.

'What happened?' Ginny asked anxiously.

'Everyone with a dark mark died at the same time as Voldemort died. He linked his life force to the dark marks.'

Harry, Ginny and Neville grinned at each other until they ended up laughing. Ron just looked confused. Dumbledore sighed. He hoped many of the younger marked students could be shown how wrong they are. Even if he tried, he knew many would not accept it. Seeing the three students smiling and laughing over the deaths of many, showed him just what many would feel once they heard the news.

'I have more news. Molly, Arthur and Augusta have decided to remove you from Hogwarts. You will be learning from Bill, Charlie, Arthur, Molly, Remus and Tonks. I know you will be leaving as well Harry. Headquarters will now serve as the place you will learn.'

'What about Hermione?' Ron asked.

'No, she's not welcome in my home,' Harry glared at Ron before he turned back, 'Can we leave now?'

'Yes, the house elves are packing your things as we speak. Also, I have been asked if Miss Lovegood can join you. Her father has already informed us he was taking his daughter out due to the continuous bullying by her house mates.'

'She's welcome to come if she wants to.' Harry said.

'Then you can use the floo here. Your belongings will be sent along soon.' Albus sighed again but he knew it was all his fault. He could not blame Molly and Arthur for removing their two children from Hogwarts once they found out there were marked students at the school. It did not matter that they were all dead, they had lost faith in him and his staff.

Ron was furious but he knew there was nothing he could do, he couldn't even speak to Hermione before he left. He hoped McGonagall or Dumbledore explained where he was.

Harry sent Ginny through first, then Neville before he went through. Ron went last. They were met by Arthur, Molly, Bill, Charlie and Remus. Harry went straight up to Bill and hugged him making the others smile.

'Bill the miracle worker and a hero.'

'Not miracle, just doing my job. As for being a hero, that only came about thanks to you and Ginny by speaking to me, then I just used my knowledge to destroy them. We did get a bit of a fright though.'

'Why?' Ginny asked.

'The items arrived at the same time. A big bloody snake appeared as well.'

'Nagini,' Harry said, 'I hope you killed that blasted snake.'

'I did,' Charlie said, 'chopped into pieces then sent the pieces to Buckbeak.

'But it's all over,' Ginny said then wrapped her arms around her parent's.

'You both did the right thing by speaking with Bill about this. He was trained and Albus should have utilised Bill's training. That's what the order of the phoenix was for, to work together so we could end this. I shudder to think what could have happened if you didn't speak with him.' Arthur said.

'He expected me to find and destroy them, without having any idea where they were. He told me he had no idea, just some guesses. But I know he would not have been able to find one and before the will reading, I wouldn't have found it either.'

'What are you talking about?' Arthur asked.

'The goblet that belonged to Helga Hufflepuff. When I was at Gringotts that day, I dissolved the Malfoy's and Lestrange's marriages. All the money and items that belonged to Narcissa and Bellatrix before they married were returned to the Black vault, my vault. The goblet was in Bellatrix's vault until that day. We would never have been able to get in there even if we figured out where it was.'

'Your luck is still with you Harry,' Neville said.

'There was one here, at the house. The locket that belonged to Slytherin. We'll never know how it ended up here but it's destroyed now,' Bill said.

'That's what I was trying to remember. After seeing the memories, something clicked and I couldn't figure out what it was. The locket was here and we all tried to open it. Sirius thinks Kreacher took it after it was thrown in the bin. He told me that his brother did become a death eater.'

'Maybe it's that simple, but we'll never know. So, let's have some lunch while we talk over your schedule. Charlie is going to remain for now and teach you all about magical creatures and herbology. We're also organising trips so you can see the creatures. Remus will take you through defence, Molly charms and potions. Bill and I will be doing transfiguration but we can only do a few hours here and there. Tonks will also help with defence, charms and transfiguration,' Arthur said.

The group headed to the kitchen where Molly already had lunch prepared. She just levitated it all to the table.

Hermione noticed Ron, Ginny, Harry and Neville were missing so she went to speak with her head of house. She was shocked to hear that those four will be tutored from now on. Minerva had been upset to lose four Gryffindor's, but she also lost two of the best players in quidditch. She didn't have anyone that could take the captain's position and hardly anyone was good enough to play, let alone take the seeker position. With so many Slytherin's gone due to taking the dark mark, they would not be able to form a team, just like Gryffindor.

Hermione had asked if she could be tutored with Ron, then she found out that Harry refused to let her enter his home, which is where they were having their lessons. She realised she was now alone at Hogwarts but she also would not get to see her boyfriend. She would have to write to Ron and work on meeting up in Hogsmeade.

Luna arrived the next day. The adults spoke for a bit while Luna joined her fellow students.

During their first lesson with Arthur, Harry finally found out that Draco Malfoy had become a squib. Snape had escorted him home, where Voldemort killed him. Voldemort didn't like squibs, to him, they were the same as muggles. Harry heard from Mr Weasley that Snape blamed Harry, yet there was proof that Harry was in the library, in full view of Madam Pince at the time Draco lost his magic. Harry thanked the man then explained to his girlfriend and Neville.

Albus Dumbledore died a few weeks before the end of the school year. He was buried on the grounds. Everyone turned up, except Harry and Ginny. Even though they had been disappointed in Albus Dumbledore, Arthur, Molly, Bill and Charlie did go to the funeral.

The students learning at Grimmauld place were eating lunch, that Harry made, when the adults arrived. Harry dished them up some lunch as well.

'We were asked if you lot would like to return to Hogwarts,' Arthur said.

'I do,' Ron said instantly.

'You can, if you wish Ron. How about the rest of you?'

'I'm not. McGonagall never did anything about the bully's or Snape. I doubt it will change,' Harry said.

'I'm staying with Harry,' Ginny said.

'I'll stay as well. Harry's right, she never stopped any of the harassment,' Neville said.

'I would rather stay here. My things don't go missing here, nor does my homework get destroyed,' Luna said.

'Then you can. Bill and Charlie will stay until the end of term. They have to return to their jobs. Remus is going to take over full time, but Molly will continue teaching charms and potions. Tonks will help when she can, the same as me.'

'Scrimgeour approached us, he wanted a meeting with you,' Bill said.

'The moment I saw who he had on his staff, I told him the truth. You would never met with him while two people he had working for him belong in Azkaban. He asked me to explain,' Arthur said, 'We told him what Umbridge did, from the dementors to the cruciatus curse. Everyone knows what Fudge did, which caused more deaths and he can even be partially to blame for Sirius. Rufus realises he is making mistakes because he listened to the wrong people. He had Umbridge and Fudge arrested, they will be questioned with veritaserum during their trials. He said everyone will now have the truth potion used on them. They have that potion sitting there, it would give them truthful answers, not like many do and lie.'

'Why wasn't it used before?' Ginny asked.

'Most of those that were guilty of different crimes sat on the Wizengamot. They worked it so it could not be used, unless someone volunteered to use it.'

'About time that was changed. But why did he want to speak to me when it was Bill that destroyed him this time?'

'That's what this is about. He figured it was you again Harry. Dad told him that it was me. He instantly wanted to give me the order of merlin, I refused. I said there were some out there that had that award when they didn't deserve it, so I didn't want to be associated with an award given to death eaters or criminals. He had no answer to that.'

'He did say Bill would get a reward,' Charlie said, 'Money.'

'I said did you end up having money given to you after you destroyed Voldemort the first time. He realised you weren't, so he organised that. What he gave me was a lot, so I gave half to mum and dad. I enjoy my job and I want to keep doing it for a while. Dad can work if he wants, but now he doesn't need to.'

'That means Harry wouldn't need to, even if he will want to,' Neville said.

'Yes,' Bill said.

'It might give me time to figure out what I want to do. I won't work for the ministry. I don't want to be a healer, I'm not sure what I want to do.'

'After seeing you and Ginny flying together, you two could go professional,' Charlie said.

'It's what I want to do and you are good enough Harry.' Ginny said.

'Maybe, I'll think about it. I have got some time now. I want to finish my education, hopefully by then I will know what I want to do.'

Right now, Harry really didn't care about what he might be doing in the next year or so. All he cared about was the war being over before it actually started. He had Ginny, who was the one to say to speak with Bill and thanks to that, Voldemort was dead and so were all the death eaters. Harry also realised that he did have a family, he had Ginny's family and he had his real friends. To Harry, his life couldn't get better.

The end: