#MyStories
This story takes place the spring after the Battle of Hogwarts, almost a year later. Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald and Ginny Weasley have all returned to Hogwarts. This story take place after their seventh year N.E.W.T.S. have finished.As Harry Potter walked through the halls of Hogwarts with his best friends Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger, memories of the past eight years flooded him. They passed the place where the Room of Requirement appears. He remembered founding the D.A. and how he loved teaching his friends Defense Against the Dark Arts. As they passed the girls bathroom that is haunted by Moaning Myrtle, he thought back to second year when he, Hermione, and Ron brewed Polyjuice potion in there. As Harry kept walking he heard Hermione talking to Ron about things from their past and knew that he wasn't the only one reminiscing.
They walked past the hall where Fred Weasley died. He couldn't help remember the Battle of Hogwarts. He was washed over with a new wave of grief. He could almost hear the screams and cries of triumph from the Death Eaters. He still had nightmares every night. He woke up screaming. He had to put a silencing charm around his bed so he didn't wake up the others in his dorm. He didn't even notice as he passed a place where he and Ginny had sat and talked one afternoon during that blissful time before the death of Dumbledore.
When they got to the portrait of the Fat Lady, Harry turned to his friends. He looked them and said, "Can you believe that was the last time we'll test at Hogwarts? And one of the last times we'll walk through the halls as students?" With a watery smile, Hermione replied, "Yes, but I also know that we will end up back here again."
"Really? How?" Ron asked. "Can you see the future? Because I thought you dropped out of Divination." he joked. "No, Ron, but I do know that we will miss this place too much to not come back." Harry smiled at that sentiment. Together they turned to the Fat Lady who had been listening to them while they talked. She smiled at them and said, "Don't tell anybody else, but I think you three embody the spirit of Gryffindor as much as Godric Gryffindor himself." They smiled at her as she swung open.
Together they entered the common room and looked around at their friends and fellow Gryffindors. They sat on their favorite couches(the ones where they coincidentally sat on when they talked about Harry and Cho's kiss). The tables where they always did homework. They also remembered the wild Quidditch parties and the place where Ginny and Harry kissed in sixth year after they won the Quidditch cup.
Slowly they were joined by Seamus, Dean, Neville, Parvati, and Ginny.
As Ginny sat down, Harry put his arm around her shoulders and looked at her, thinking about all they had been through. He loved the way her eyes danced when she laughed or shot sparks when she was angry. He loved the way she didn't seem to care what anyone thought about her. He also loved how gentle and loving she could be. He also thought about when he saved her in The Chamber of Secrets and how she had grown from that scared little girl into an independent, strong, amazing woman. She had fought and defeated the Death Eaters, refounded the D.A. to rebel against the Carrows. She was the best chaser on the Gryffindor Quidditch team and had already been offered a spot with the Holyhead Harpies. He realized that he loved her and wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. She was the only one for him.
Harry looked up at his name being called. He saw everybody staring at him. "Are you alright Harry?" asked Hermione. "Yeah I'm fine. Just thinking." he replied. "About what?" asked Parvati. Seamus elbowed her. "Ow! What was that for?!" she exclaimed, rubbing her side. "It's not our business." Seamus replied. Harry shot a grateful smile at him. "Anyways, the reason we were calling your name Harry was because Neville asked you a question." Ron said. "Oh sorry, what was the question Neville?" Harry asked. When Neville didn't reply Harry looked at him. "Neville? You alright mate?"
"Huh? What?" Neville said, startled out of his thinking. "I said, what was your question mate?" said Harry looking at Neville worriedly. "Are you alright?"
"Yes, I'm fine, I was just thinking about how this is one of our last nights at Hogwarts and how after this we might not see much of each other." he stated looking around at the group. "My question was, do you think it's wrong to be so happy when we lost so many people last year? And do you think we'll ever stop feeling the pain and guilt?" Neville asked, with tears in his eyes. Harry thought hard about how to answer. "I know that the pain will have really go away. It'll fade and then something or someone will say or do something and it'll come rushing back. I don't think it'll ever go away forever. And I think that the people who died would want us to be happy. They wouldn't want us to sit around feeling guilt and grief. They would want to be remembered but not with grief. They would want us to be happy and live our lives to the fullest because that is what they died for. They died so that everybody else could live." Harry said, thinking about his parents and Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Fred and the countless others who died in the Battle of Hogwarts. He looked around at the group and saw that he wasn't the only one remembering people who died. He saw Parvati with tears in her eyes and knew she was remembering Lavender Brown. He heard Seamus and Dean both remembering the people who died from the D.A. He knew Ginny and Ron were remembering Fred, and Hermione was remembering others. He thought about what to do to get everybody's minds off the war. He couldn't think of anything. Eventually after a couple more hours of talking (and a few tears) Dean, Seamus, Neville, and Parvati went to bed. As they watched Neville disappear up the boys staircase Hermione stood up. "I'm going to head to bed too." she said, kissing the top of Ron's head. "I'll go with you." said Ginny. She stood up, stretched, gave Harry a kiss and followed Hermione up the girls staircase. After a couple minutes of silence Ron startled Harry out of his stupor. "We sure got lucky didn't we Harry? We not only faced off against Death Eaters countless times last year but who knows how many times before that? And we're alive? I don't know what we did to deserve that kind of luck but I'm thankful we have it."
"I don't know mate. I don't know how we got so lucky." Harry replied thinking again of his parents and Sirius.
The next morning, Harry awoke to a dark dormitory and Neville snoring. He looked around trying to figure out what had awoken him when he suddenly heard a soft hoot. He looked again at the end of his bed and saw a light honey colored owl sitting there. He reached out to pet it and noticed a tiny note attached to it. While he continued to stroke the owl he untied the note and read it.
'Ello Harry,
I was just wonderin if you, Ron and 'ermione could come visit me tomorrow afternoon for one last visit before you leave 'Ogwarts. Also, this owl's name is Sunrise. She's an orphan just like you. I found her one morning at sunrise by herself near the Whomping Willow with a broken wing. Took care of her meself. She's yours now.
Hagrid
Harry looked again at the owl who was now staring back at him. "Sunrise huh? Nice name." Harry whispered. The owl hooted softly at him, then gave him an affectionate nip on the finger and took off through the window towards the Owlery. Harry decided to get up. After getting dressed, he headed down to the common room and took his favorite armchair. A couple of minutes later, he heard a soft voice behind him. "Hi Harry." Harry turned around startled. "Hermione?" he asked. "What are you doing up so early?" She looked at him and said, "The same reason I've been up for the past year. Nightmares."
"Oh. How come you never said anything?" Harry asked. "I figured that you had enough to think about. I made Ron promise not to tell you." she replied looking a little guilty. Harry got a bit annoyed. "C'mon Hermione! You know I would never care if you told me. I could've helped you. I've been having nightmares for as long as I can remember." Harry said rubbing his scar out of habit. "Does it hurt again? Is it prickling?" Hermione said in a very panicky voice. "Is he back?! Is Voldemort back?!" she said with a wild look in her eyes. "Woah! Calm down Hermione! I was just rubbing it out of habit!" Harry exclaimed, shocked at his best friend's reaction. "I'm sorry it's just…that's one of my nightmares." she replied, starting to cry. "You suddenly start screaming and clutching your head and then there he is…standing there…first he kills my mum and dad. Then the Weasleys. Then you. And then…then…then he kills Ron right in front of me." Hermione finished in a whisper, visibly sobbing now. Harry moved over to her and gave her a hug. "Shhh…shhh…it's alright Hermione. He's not coming back. He's never coming back. He'll never kill me or your parents and he will definitely not kill Ron." Harry said, trying to comfort her.
Harry heard footsteps and looked up to see Ron enter the room. "Ron…I…"Harry started. "Hermione, are you alright? Did it happen again?" Ron interrupted him. Hermione nodded. Harry moved so that Ron could sit by her. "I'll just…go down to the Great Hall…I'll bring back breakfast." Harry said trying to find an excuse to give them some space. Ron nodded his head to show he had heard him. As Harry left the common room he heard Ron comforting Hermione. "It's ok…shh…shhh…he's not coming back…he'll never come back." As Harry walked through the halls he thought over what had just happened. Hermione was one of the calmest people he knew, so it really shook him to see her like that. "How many people have been dealing with something like that over the past year?" he wondered. "I wish I could do something for her and all of them." He hurried through breakfast grabbing some toast for Hermione and Ron and ran back to the common room.
After giving Ron and Hermione their toast, he sat in a chair waiting for a certain person. After about an hour of waiting Ginny finally emerged from the girls staircase. He went over to her and whispered, "Hey I have an idea. Follow me." She nodded and followed him out of the common room. She noticed Hermione and Ron sitting in the corner talking in low voices. "Is Hermione okay?" she asked Harry as they started off down the hall. "Not really." he replied, and continued on to tell her about the events that had transpired that morning. "Wow. I wish she'd told me. I could've helped her. I've been having nightmares since the Chamber of Secrets." she said. Harry looked at her shocked. "What?! How come you never told me? Seriously, does nobody think I'm capable of helping? Just because I had stuff going on doesn't mean I didn't want to help you!" As he turned to look at Ginny, he saw her eyes harden. "It's not like you talk to us about your nightmares! Ron told me he still wakes up to you thrashing and he knows you put a silencing charm around your bed so they wouldn't hear your screaming!" "I don't want to wake them up screaming about my mother and Voldemort Ginny! I don't want to make their pain worse by adding on to it! I don't need to make mine worse by taking about it. He finished in a soft voice. Ginny just looked at him, and said, "We don't want to be a burden to you Harry. We don't want you to have yo worry about us too. We worry about you. Harry stopped, turned around and gave her a kiss. "You could never be a burden to me." he said. "I already worry about you. Now c'mon." Ginny followed him with a sad look on her face. She knew how much pain he'd been though and she also knew that nobody could relate to that. They had only suffered a fraction of the pain. She knew that he wasn't fine no matter how much he said it. Nobody could be fine after what they went headed out onto the grounds towards the tree they usually sat under. As they talked Harry could tell that she was still a little subdued. "You don't have to worry about me. I'm fine Ginny." Harry said with a smile, hoping they could put their argument behind them.
The next morning Harry awoke to Neville shutting the bathroom door behind him. He was sweating and could still hear his mother's scream fading in his ears. Harry groaned and put his glasses on. He lay awake until Neville came back out and the left the dorm. He decided to get up. He saw that Ron and Dean were still asleep so, pushing his nightmare to the back of his mind, he decided to have a bit of fun. Ron! Wake up! Hermione is asking for you!" Ron bolted up in bed and yelled, "Is she ok!? Is it another nightmare?!" Harry doubled over laughing at Ron and Dean (who shot up when Ron yelled then collapsed back onto his bed with some cursing) and ignored the pillow Ron chucked at him.
After dressing, the boys headed downstairs to find Hermione, Ginny, and Neville chatting. "Hello Harry. Me and Neville were just about to go visit with Luna." Ginny greeted him. "Alright I'll see you later." Harry replied. After they left Harry told the other two, "Hagrid sent me a note yesterday asking if we would come visit him today." "Oh perfect! I've been wanting to visit him! But what did he send it with?" Hermione replied. "He had an owl named Sunrise. I guess he took care of her after finding her one morning at sunrise near the Whomping Willow with a broken wing. He gave her to me." Harry told them. "Oh how nice! Hagrid got you Hedwig and now he's gotten you Sunrise!" Hermione said. She instantly regretted it when she saw the grimace of pain on Harry's face at the mention of his old owl. All of the sudden he was back in the sidecar of Hagrid's motorcycle on the night he left Privet Drive for the last time. He could see the curses flying through the air and heard the screech of Hedwig as she dropped to the floor of her cage. "Harry! Harry!" Harry's eyes flew open and he raised his wand in one fluid motion. "Woah mate! It's just me!" Ron yelped jumping backwards. "Sorry." Harry said rubbing his scar on his chest as it started hurting. He noticed everybody staring at him, and knew he'd collapsed again. "You saw that night didn't you?" Ron asked after he helped him into a chair. Harry nodded. "Oh Harry! I'm so sorry I shouldn't have mentioned it!" Hermione cried. "It's ok Hermione it doesn't happen as often anymore." Harry reassured her. "I just sometimes get caught off guard."
After another twenty minutes, they headed down to Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid opened the door, he beamed at the sight of them. 'Ello Harry! Ron! How're you doing Hermione? Got top marks on your N.E.W.T.S I expect?" he greeted them. Hermione blushed at the praise. After spending a few hours visiting with Hagrid, Ron and Hermione decided to head back to the castle to get ready for dinner. "I'll catch up with you in a few minutes." Harry told them. As soon as the door closed behind them, Harry turned to Hagrid. "Thanks for the owl Hagrid. She's really nice." "Of course, Harry! I had no need of her and thought you might enjoy her." Hagrid replied with a smile. "How are you doing Harry?" Hagrid asked. "I'm fine." came the answer. "I'll see you later Hagrid." Harry said before Hagrid could inquire more. "Bye Harry." Hagrid watched him walk back up the grounds with his hands shoved into his pockets. He knew that Harry was far from fine. He couldn't believer how much Harry had gone through. How much all of them had gone through! "And they're still just children…" he thought.
That night was the going away feast. After the food cleared, Professor McGonagall stood up. "It is the end of another year." she stated. I would like to congratulate our graduating class of 1999. Please stand." Harry, Hermione, Ron, Ginny, and their friends all stood while their fellow students clapped and cheered "It has also been one year since the Battle of Hogwarts." McGonagall continued. "We lost many good students, friends, family and many others." Harry looked around the hall, and saw many students wiping away tears or sniffling as they remembered those they had lost. He turned back to Professor McGonagall as she continued. "They will never be forgotten. That is why Hogwarts will be building a memorial to mark the one year anniversary. I would like to invite all current students and their families, friends and alumni to the anniversary ceremony in two weeks time. Your families will be getting a letter with all the details." After the end of the feast they headed back to the common room. Ron and Hermione headed up their separate staircases to bed while Ginny and Harry ironed out the last few details for the next day.
The next morning Harry awoke to Ron yelling, "Harry! Wake up mate! It's graduation day! We're late!" Harry jolted awake, slammed his glasses on his face, jumped out of bed and started rushing to get dressed before he realized that Ron was laughing his head off. In between laughter Ron explained, "That…haha…was…haha…for…haha…yesterday…YOUR FACE! Priceless!" After getting dressed in their black dress robes (with Ron still laughing at Harry and Harry glaring at him), the boys met up with Neville, Dean, Ginny, Hermione, Seamus and Parvati in the common room.
Ginny had on a knee length, royal blue dress with a pair of white trainers and her hair hanging loosely curled around her shoulders. Hermione was in a dress a bit longer than her knees in a light violet shade and a pair of matching three inch high heels. Her hair was in a sleek, twisted bun. "Luna said she'd meet us in the Great Hall." Ginny told Harry. Together they all headed down to the Great Hall where the rest of the seventh years were gathered before the graduation ceremony. "Ginny! Over here!" said a whimsical voice. Turning to look, Harry saw their good friend Luna Lovegood fighting through the crowd to them. She was dressed in a bright green floor length dress (that was actually kind of pretty) with a pair of sliver flats and her hair in its usual style. She greeted everybody with a hug. She looked at Harry and said in her usually dreamy way, "Your Wrackspurts have disappeared Harry. That's a good thing." "Thanks Luna." Harry said with a laugh.
After a couple more minutes of milling about talking to classmates they heard a voice from the doors. "All ready then?" Turning, they saw Hagrid standing there in his best (and most horrible) hairy brown suit. "I'm supposed to escort you, so organize yourselves by house." The Slytherins went first with the smallest class (7), then the Hufflepuffs (9), the Ravenclaws (10), and the Gryffindors (12).
They followed Hagrid out the doors onto the lawn and proceeded to a spot in front of the lake where a stage and rows of chairs had been set up.
Harry saw Mr. and Mrs. Granger, who smiled and waved at him, Ron, and Hermione. He also saw Luna's father, Mr. Lovegood in his bright yellow, egg yolk colored robes. Harry noticed Seamus's mum and dad sitting with Dean's parents. They were both waving wildly at their children. As Harry turned his head, he saw a flash of red. He looked back and saw the whole Weasley clan (minus Ginny and Ron) taking up two rows by themselves. He saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley sitting by Neville's grandmother chatting with her. Next to them was Bill and Fleur (who's belly was more prominent then at Christmas break) who were laughing with Charlie and his girlfriend. Next to them, Harry saw George and (he insists just friends but everybody else thinks otherwise) Angelina Johnson, who were talking with Percy. As he sat down in the front row with the rest of his class, Harry saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley both wave at Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and him. He smiled and waved back. As he waved, Harry couldn't help but hear a small thought in the back of his head, wishing that it were his parents and not Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waving at him. Harry instantly felt guilty. "Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have done so much for you! There good as your parents!" he lectured himself. "But it's still not the same." he thought. Harry shook his head to get the thoughts out and attracted Ginny's attention. "Are you ok?" she whispered as Professor McGonagall stood up to start the ceremony. "I'm fine." he whispered back.
"Welcome family and friends to the graduation ceremony for the graduating class of 1999!" McGonagall started. "We will go House by House, student by student until we're done. I expect you all to not interrupt." she finished, with one of her infamous glares that caused some of her old students to laugh. "Slytherin house is first!" she announced. After getting through the seven students in Slytherin she moved onto Hufflepuff. As Harry watched the first Hufflepuff (Hannah Abbot) go through the ceremony he realized the ceremony was different for each House and person. For Slytherin students, Professor McGonagall had called their name. They would then walk up on stage and through a curtain of green sparks. After they walked through there, their Head of House, Professor Slughorn would take their wand and perform a simple spell. Out of their wand would come a slip of paper that told of their proudest moment during their time at Hogwarts. After that the student shook all the professor's hands, then walked off stage through another curtain of green sparks and sat down on the other side. For the Hufflepuffs, they walked through a curtain of trailing plants onto the stage. Professor Sprout, their Head of House, would talk about the moment the student had worked the hardest. After, they shook the professor's hands, they walked off through another curtain of plants.
After the last Hufflepuff walked off stage, it was the Ravenclaws next. They walked through a curtain of book pages, and met their Head of House, small Professor Flitwick in the middle of the stage. Professor Flitwick would then talk about that student's smartest moment. Harry noticed that Professor McGonagall skipped over Luna Lovegood, instead of going in alphabetical order. "I wonder why Professor McGonagall skipped over Luna?" Ginny whispered to him. Soon, her question was answered. Professor McGonagall called Luna Lovegood up last, but instead of Professor Flitwick talking about her, Professor McGonagall herself did it, "For her extensive help in the Battle Of Hogwarts and even before that in The Battle of the Department of Mysteries, Miss Lovegood has been awarded an Order of Merlin, Third Class. Her smartest moment was the moment she stood by her friends no matter what." As Harry cheered with his friends, he felt that Luna definitely deserved her Order of Merlin. He also noticed that for the first time he had ever seen, Luna Lovegood was blushing. Harry couldn't help but laugh. After the cheering died down and Luna had taken her seat on the other side of the stage, The Gryffindor part of the graduation ceremony started.
The Gryffindors passed through a curtain of red cloth, then met their Head of House, Professor McGonagall in the middle of the stage. She then talked about their bravest moment. As Harry cheered for his classmates and friends he knew that he, Hermione, and Ron would be at the end. A couple of minutes later, he was surprised to find that Neville Longbottom and Ginny, were at the end too. After Dean Thomas had crossed to the other side of the stage, Professor McGonagall called up Ginny. McGonagall started, "For her bravery during the reign of the Death Eaters over Hogwarts, trying to steal the Sword of Gryffindor, facing off against Bellatrix Lestrange, and many other incredible feats, Ginerva, (here Ginny glared at her) Excuse me, Ginny Weasley,"McGonagall corrected, "has received a Order of Merlin, Third Class." Harry, and the rest of the audience cheered loudly, causing Ginny to blush and take a fake bow, making the audience laugh. Next, McGonagall called up Neville. "If you had asked me three years ago who would be brave enough to stand up to the Dark Lord in place of Harry, I'm sure Neville Longbottom wouldn't have been in even the top 50. Neville Longbottom has advanced the most, and in the best way. For his bravery against the Dark Lord, his significant participation in the Battle of Hogwarts and the Battle of the Department of Mysteries, his help founding and then refounding the D.A., Neville Longbottom has received an Order of Merlin, Second Class. Harry cheered and clapped and clapped some more along with his friends. He distinctly heard Neville's grandmother say, "He has lived up to his mother and father's legacy more than I could've imagined! I am so proud of him!" Harry knew that would mean more to Neville then anything else.
Next, McGonagall called Ron onstage. "For countless deeds, (some that broke quite a few school rules)." here everybody laughed. She continued, "helping Harry Potter, going on the run with him, fighting many Death Eaters, and proving loyalty to his friends and family countless time…Ronald Weasley is being awarded with Order Of Merlin, First Class. Harry cheered and clapped. He heard a few distinct wolf whistles from the Weasley part of the audience. Ron turned bright red and hesitantly waved. He crossed the stage. Next, Professor McGonagall called Hermione on stage. For participating in The Battle of the Department of Mysteries, the Battle of Hogwarts, going on the run with Harry Potter, defeating countless Death Eaters, proving her smarts and wits countless times…Hermione Granger is being awarded an Order of Merlin, First Class. Harry cheered and whistles and clapped. Form the other side of the stage, Ron yelled, "That's my girlfriend!" causing Hermione to blush deep red. After thanking Professor McGonagall, and proceeding to the other side of the stage, she sat next to Ron and grinned at her proud parents.
Harry knew he was next. He also knew he was about to get very embarrassed. "Harry James Potter." Professor McGonagall called. He slowly stood up and made his way to the stage. Professor McGonagall started, "Harry Potter. The Chosen One. The Boy Who Defeated the Dark Lord. My favorite student," here Harry looked up at her surprised. "He has many names, and many feats to those names. Yes, he defeated the Dark Lord. Yes, he competed and won the TriWizard Tournament. But I'm not going to talk about that today. Im going to talk about what makes Harry, Harry. People often say he looks like James with Lily's eyes. But he acts more like Lily. The way he squints when he's concentrating. His undying love and loyalty to his friends. He also has James' stubbornness and bravery. It saddens me that he never got to know the amazing people they were. But I know they would be immensely proud of him. Not because he defeated You-Know-Who. But because he was willing to die for his friends and family. And that is exactly what Lily and James would want their child to be like. Brave, compassionate, loyal, loving, compassionate. I am here today to award Harry James Potter an Order of Merlin, First Class, because he not only defeated the Dark Lord, but because he lived up to and exceeded Lily and James' expectations! As Harry wiped away the tears that had formed in his eyes, he didn't even mixture the clapping and cheering. All he heard was Professor McGonagall saying, "I know they would be immensely proud of him." That mattered more to him than some Order of Merlin. He looked up at Professor McGonagall, and hugged her. She was quite taken aback but the hugged him back with as much love as she could muster. He then took his seat on the other side of the stage as she continued after the cheering had died down. "May I present to you…the Hogwarts graduations class of 1999!" Harry threw his cap into the air and watched as it exploded into fireworks along with all his classmates. "I love magic." He thought as he hugged Ginny.
The graduating class then followed the path down to the lake where they got into the boats. As the boats started rowing them back towards Hogsmeade station, Harry looked back at Hogwarts. The place he had called home for the last eight years. He though of everything they had been through together. He couldn't help but be sad that he was moving on. "But it's like Hermione said," he thought. "We'll be back some day." He knew his friends and family were worried about him. "They don't need to be. I'm fine." Harry thought trying to deceiver himself also. He then turned back around, excited for his future and the things it held.
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