Author's Notes: Hello all and welcome to the last chapter of Year 6. I want to apologize for the short chapter, and jumping past all the climactic events. Writing it I found that all I was doing was summarizing the events already detailed in the book, there being little to no difference between what Harry did and what Heather might do. Planning has already begun for Deathly Hallows, so hopefully there won't be much delay in bringing it out. Thank you all again for reading and reaching out, its thanks to you that I'm able to finish this story.
Harry Potter doesn't belong to me, its JK Rowling's sandbox, I'm just playing in it.
Chapter Twenty-One
Despite Heather not being able to play, Gryffindor flattened Ravenclaw. Ginny was tapped to replace her as Seeker, with Dean returning to the team as Chaser. The detention she had with Snape that morning dragged on, with time not seeming to move at all. She had been set the task of copying afresh faded cards detailing the misdeeds of previous troublemakers for Filch. Why he still needed these records when most of the offenses had taken place over twenty years ago, Heather had no clue. It was mindless busy work, made only marginally better at the constant sight of her father's and Sirius' names, often followed by those of Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew.
On her return to the Common Room that afternoon, full of trepidation at what she would find through the portrait hole, Heather was nearly knocked off her feet by the almost physical explosion of noise at the sight of her. They had won, securing the cup for Gryffindor for the third year in a row.
It took two weeks for Draco Malfoy to be released from the Hospital Wing. His mother and father had arrived the evening he was wounded, and according to Nearly Headless Nick were out for blood. Professor McGonagall took Heather aside the next day and spent nearly twenty minutes berating her and saying that she felt the punishment from Professor Snape was completely justified.
All in all, the last few months of her sixth year were not as pleasant as they could have been. Ever since the Easter Holidays, each of their professors had shifted over to preparations for the end-of-year exams. Apologetically, Heather asked for permission from Madam Pomfrey to be released from her post as student aide in the hospital, stating quite honestly that her homework was falling behind. She was saddened having to ask, not only because she was afraid that Madam Pomfrey would relent on their deal, but also because she had come to enjoy working with the matron.
"Of course, Heather." She said kindly "And don't worry, your secret is still safe with me."
As June arrived and the last vestiges of spring faded, Heather started noticing Hermione and Ron spending more time together, that is to say more time without Heather, than she could ever remember them doing before. Several times she saw the two of the laughing with their heads together out in the grounds or in the library, and once she even thought she caught them holding hands. Choosing to give the newly formed couple their space, Heather spent her spare time with Ginny, who had caught on to what was going on just as Heather did. Though she continued to fake being sick at the thought of her brother and her best friend, Heather could tell that Ginny was okay with the situation. She was certainly more pleased that Ron was with Hermione instead of Lavender.
Heather waiting patiently for word from Dumbledore, who appeared to be leaving the school almost daily now. She was sure he would find a horcrux soon, and then she would be able to go with him to destroy it. Her hopes were finally answered several weeks later. She was sitting in the library with Hermione and Ron, who were laughing at some shared joke Heather wasn't aware of, when Jimmy Peakes delivered another tightly wrapped scroll of parchment.
Heather,
Please come to my office immediately.
Fondly, Albus Dumbledore.
"I'd better go" she said, quickly getting up from the table and rushing out of the library. Heather had never travelled through the castle as fast as she did tonight. Crashing through secret passages hidden behind tapestries, she emerged ten minutes later on the seventh-floor corridor, just around the corner from the Room of Requirement.
As she careened around the bend, she heard a loud shout and a body was thrown from the room, followed by half a dozen empty sherry bottles. Heather braked in time to see Professor Trelawney rise, her many shawls in complete disarray. When she had gotten to her feet, she related to Heather how she had entered the room, only to hear enthusiastic whooping. After calling out to ask if anyone was there, something Heather thought her inner eye should have been able to tell her without shouting, Professor Trelawney was thrown bodily from the room.
"I think you'd best come with me and tell Dumbledore what's just happened." Said Heather, putting her arm around the divination teacher and leading her away down the corridor. Trelawney began to talk aimlessly, telling Heather how much she missed having her in her classes. Lost in thought, "or drunk" thought Heather who was ignoring her and contemplating what would make Malfoy so happy, Trelawney started telling the story of her interrupted interview. Halfway through Heather began to actually pay attention, just in time to hear that it had been Snape who had overheard the prophecy and ran to Voldemort. Snape had betrayed her parents.
A feeling of strong betrayal filling her, Heather sprinted ahead, leaving the tottering professor in her wake. Taking the stairs three at a time, Heather burst into Dumbledore's office, intent on finally getting the whole truth out of the headmaster. In her rage, she had forgotten his summons, forgetting why she had even been sent for in the first place.
"What has happened, Heather?" he asked, seeing the burning rage in her eyes.
"Snape! Snape betrayed my parents, and you still trust him. You let him teach here!"
No matter what Dumbledore said afterwards about Snape's remorse after learning what he'd done, Heather didn't believe a word of it. There was no way the man who had called her mother "mudblood" and hated her father would feel anything close to sadness after their deaths.
"Do you still wish to accompany me?" asked Dumbledore after he finished speaking.
"Of course I do."
"Then go and retrieve your cloak. Tell no one where we are going and come straight back here."
Heather left the office, passing Professor Trelawney at a run and returned to Gryffindor Tower. Quickly she explained what was happening to Hermione and Ron, thrusting the Map and the remainder of her lucky potion into their hands. "Whatever Malfoy is planning, it's going to happen tonight." She told them, instructing them to patrol near the Room of Requirement in order to head off Malfoy. Breathlessly she hugged both of them before returning to Dumbledore's office. The headmaster led her, under her cloak, out of the school and down the long road to Hogsmeade. Giving Heather his arm, Dumbledore turned on the spot once they were out of sight of Madame Rosmerta, apparating both of them a long way from Hogwarts.
HPHPHPHPHPHP
It was a bright sunny day out on the grounds, as though the weather was mocking the feelings of everyone present. Heather filed down to the shore of the lake with the rest of the school for the funeral of Albus Dumbledore, her hand tightly clutching the locket that so much had been sacrificed to retrieve. Wizards and witches from up and down the country had travelled to Hogwarts in days previous, intent on having the chance to say goodbye to one of the greatest wizards the world may have ever known.
At the edge of the lake, very near to where the stands had been erected for the second task of the Triwizard Tournament two years ago, hundreds of chairs had been set. Heather noticed without much caring the presence of Rufus Scrimgeour, followed by an entourage that included both Percy Weasley and Delores Umbridge. Umbridge had a look of very forced sorrow on her features, and kept shifting her gaze warily to Firenze who was standing at the end of her row.
Cornelius Fudge, who appeared to have diminished since his fall from grace, walked down the aisle to a seat near the front, something that Heather felt he shouldn't have. Much as she had seen herself this year, now that Dumbledore had been proven correct about everything he had ever said about Lord Voldemort, those who had openly ridiculed and mocked him had changed their tune. She was sure that Dumbledore had forgiven them in his own way, knowing that division was the quickest way for Voldemort to succeed. Heather hadn't forgotten, and she was sure not going to forgive. Catching her eye, Fudge gave a half hearted wave, his old look of fatherly care appearing on his gaunt face. She didn't reply but gave him her stoniest look. Crestfallen, he continued to his seat.
The service was short. A wispy haired wizard stood up once everyone was seated and quiet and started to speak. His words hardly carried far enough for Heather to hear him, and after a few minutes she stopped trying. Nothing he would say would change the fact that Dumbledore was dead, killed by the man he supposedly trusted.
Heather wondered where Snape was now. Probably hiding with Draco Malfoy, or with Voldemort handing over every bit of information that he's been unable to while Dumbledore still lived. Beside her, Ginny and Hermione were crying silently. Both of them had sustained minor injuries during the battle that night. Bill had gotten the worst of it though. His face was still badly scarred from Fenrir Greyback's savaging. Heather tried not to blame herself for her friend's injuries but couldn't stop the feeling. She had asked them to leave the safety of Gryffindor Tower and put themselves in harms way.
The wizard speaking came to a finish, waving his wand in a broad arc. With a burst of flame the wrapped body of Albus Dumbledore vanished and was encased in a white marble tomb. Quietly, in twos and threes, people began to get up. Some made their way up to the tomb, laying their hands on it and whispering words that no one else could hear. Others chose to take their leave and walked to the open gates, disappearing once past the wards. Heather rose and started to walk along the edge of the lake. Mutely Hermione and Ron followed her while Ginny stayed behind to comfort a disconsolate Luna.
Stopping under the leaves of a tree the three of them had spent countless hours beneath, Heather turned and looked at her friends. She had something to say, and they weren't going to like it.
"I'm not coming back next year. Dumbledore's given me a job to do." She said blankly
"I knew you were going to say that." Said Hermione sadly.
"What are you going to do?" asked Ron.
"Go back to the Dursley's for a start. Just for a little while. That's what Dumbledore wanted. After that…" she broke off and shrugged.
Both Hermione and Ron shared a brief look. "Heather, we're coming with you."
"No!" she cried. Didn't they understand that she had to do this alone?
"C'mon mate, you've given us the chance to walk away before. When have we ever taken you up on it?" interjected Ron. "Besides, you're going to have to come around my house this summer anyway. Don't think you're going to be able to miss Bill's wedding. Mum'd murder you."
Heather looked at both of them, ten different emotions flooding her chest. Walking up to them, she pulled them into a tight hug. "No, I guess I can't miss that can I?"
Turning so they didn't see the tears streaming down her face, she walked towards the crowd of students making their way to the thestral drawn carriages that would take them to Hogsmeade Station.