Hi all! I'm very happy! I got more than 900 reviews! That is sooo bloody fantastic! ^__^
Let's get straight down to business, shall we? I noticed some of you didn't get why Cosmos was so emotionless and all. From my point of view, there's a simple explanation: Her scouts only gave her half of her powers, and this boost wasn't meant for her to transform like that. And anyway, it wasn't really her time. So, call this a premature transformation. It's bound to have nasty side effects, ne? But Usa-chan's still in there, don't worry! ^_~
So now, on to the thank yous! :
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Father Mine
Chapter 28: The end of the school year
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"Ugh!" A disgruntled grunt, a furrowing of eyebrow. He tried to open his eyes, but damn! The light was way too bright. He felt queasy. Everything smelled wrong, well, not wrong, but way too clean. He knew that smell. By all the hushed voices around him, sometimes whispering his name and some 'he's finally awakening!' he knew he was in a bloody hospital. Or something along those lines.
'Why aren't I dead? Didn't Cosmos kill us all? What happened to Voldemort?' His thoughts were running 200 miles per hour, and when a major headache began to have its way with his brain, he decided to groan and simply stop thinking for the moment.
He felt something slid down in his throat and the damn reflex to swallow arose before his instincts could tell him to reject the foul tasting liquid. He felt his insides turn to mush as sleep took him again.
*~*~*
When he awoke for the second time, it was Sirius who was in his vision. The dark haired man brought a hand to his forehead, before muttering something and tilting his head a little. "Hey buddy!" He started silently, a wisp of a smile on his lips. "You must have one heck of a headache. Drink this, it'll help you focus."
He tilted the goblet and Harry had to grimace at the taste. The good thing was, his headache was gone almost instantly, but he still grimaced and Sirius handed him a glass of water, while chuckling. "I know how you feel! They gave me the damn same potion when I awoke. It tastes like shit, but at least it does the job."
Harry nodded and gave him back the empty glass. He tried to sit up, but his head started to do the merry-go-round and he groaned. Sirius helped him to sit up gently. "Don't move too much. The last battle took a lot from you."
Harry glanced at him. "How-" He coughed a little and rasped his throat while Sirius patted him on the back. "How long have I been asleep?"
Sirius gave him a half smile. "About 2 weeks. We're in January and school has started again. We're in St-Mungo's hospital for wizards."
Harry seemed to think for a moment before he asked; "What happened? Are there a lot of injured people?"
The dog animagus seemed to be adamant about answering this question but he sighed and slumped in his chair. "We don't know what happened. The personnel of St-Mungos found us on Hogwarts ground the day after. Everyone was unconscious, but no one had died. We were all in perfect shape, no signs of injuries and all…The area was completely destroyed, though, and all the Death Eaters and Dementors had perished, along with Voldemort. Everyone who we thought were dead was healed, so there aren't any losses at all."
He put his head in his hands when he saw the questioning gaze Harry gave him, his green eyes shining with hope. "And Serena?" He asked so silently Sirius had to strain his hearing.
Out of nowhere, Sirius hugged Harry to his chest tightly, trembling slightly. He took a shuddering breath and whispered; "She wasn't anywhere. We searched and searched, I went to the manor where I had journeyed a couple of month when we returned here, and there wasn't any trace of her there. We don't know what happened, we don't know why we've been spared. I thought for sure she was going to kill us all. I don't know, Harry, I really don't! I just hope she wasn't taken back to the veil. We'll continue our search, Harry. But I just don't know anymore."
This fell on Harry's heart like a ton of bricks and he gripped his godfather back tightly enough to hurt if Sirius wasn't such a strong person. He didn't say anything, just soaked Sirius' shirt with his tears, while his godfather was doing the very same on his shoulder.
They didn't notice the door shutting silently behind them, and the sad faces of Remus, Ron, and Hermione.
*~*~*
While he's been greeted back as a hero and almost worshipped, he turned down all attention. He went back to school 2 days after waking up and being cleared by the mediwizards.
Sirius was with him all along, and while they continued their search for days and days on end, it didn't help one bit. Almost everyone had lost hope, except the ones who had known her the best. But even Harry and Sirius had their limits. Dumbledore had asked them to stop searching after they had gotten sick from lack of sleep.
Harry had buried himself under tons of work to try to forget a little about Serena. His school grades had improved greatly but still, his heart was crying. Even Snape was trying to be more sympathetic with him in class. Sirius had taken the habitude to help Remus in DADA so he could at least see Harry in his classes.
The days passed and they became weeks, which became in their turn, months.
It was soon time for graduation.
Ron put a hand on Harry's shoulder, making him jump a little. "Ya ready, mate?" Piped up Ron, all dressed up for the occasion, wizard hat and all. Harry nodded back almost tiredly and followed him outside.
Blossoms and green leaves had taken the snow's place. With a lot of work, Hogwarts grounds had become presentable again, and spring was doing the rest of the work. They were in June, and the sun had come back, along with a warm breeze.
Because of the nice temperature, Dumbledore had insisted they do the ceremony outside. He had arranged several tables, 4 amongst them being the graduate's tables; Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, Slytherin and Gryffindor. There were also many tables full of proud parents, even the muggle ones, one with many reporters for different journals, and some of the ministry people, along with the new minister; Arthur Weasley.
A shock, surely, and a raise in the pay check. Percy was flabbergasted…And had implored mercy from his father for his stupid behaviour. Luckily, Mister Weasley was a good man and had accepted the excuses. He had also changed a lot of things in the ministry, and all good changes seeing the mood of his employers.
"I can't believe this day has finally come! All the hard work has finally paid off! I've even got a job offer in the ministry of magic! Can you believe it?" Hermione said, all happy and giddy.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Yes, Hermione. You only said so about a thousand times since yesterday."
Hermione pouted at Ron and Seamus continued; "It's true though about our school year being over. Hell! We're not even gone yet and I'm already feeling nostalgic!" Neville could only nod positively to his statement. They were about to begin the ceremony, so they quickly went to their seats while the parents scampered to their own tables.
The teachers and ministry official's tables were on a slightly higher platform, so that everyone could clearly see and hear them. There was a line of proud aurors behind the teacher's table, cloaks fasten on and hoods up. Being an Auror didn't mean to show themselves for everybody to see, but at least they were present and doing their duty.
Dumbledore got up and started his speech. "'Tis another ending school year, but only the beginning for those new graduate witches and wizards. This year has been most difficult, and losses were great, but those who are here today will never forget the day when the Dark Lord's reign of terror finally fell. The new graduates will surely find a way to make us proud and protect our new found peace, by working together for a better future."
Dumbledore paused and there was some applause and flashes while the reporters took pictures. "The ceremony will be simple. When I call your name, you will come in the front to receive your official wizarding diploma. You will not necessarily be called by alphabetical order, so always be prepared for when your name is called. The diplomas will be given to you by your Head of House. Thank you."
Everyone applauded while the Headmaster took the name scroll. With each name, a round of applause started. There were a lot of people to name, and it took a while for the third of students to be named. It seemed Dumbledore had purposely thought about naming the students who had stayed to fight in the last when he began again;
"You all probably know by now that the students left to name are all those who participated in the battle or have contributed to it by any other means. Some of them had to take hard and drastic decisions" he paused and glanced at Draco Malfoy" and some of them defended the school with all their might. I would like a big round of applause for them."
A wave of clapping hands and whistles and happy cries was heard. Dumbledore started to name them again and finally, after Draco, Ron and Hermione, when everyone *almost everyone* had been named, Dumbledore paused again. Almost everyone.
There was only one final person to name, and Harry didn't dare to look at anywhere but his table. He could feel hundreds of glances towards him and he hated it.
"Finally, there is only one student left on my scroll. The one who has proved that with courage, nothing is impossible; Harry Potter." There was a short total silence, and then the massive applauses and flashes of the cameras started.
He wanted to get sick. His stomach was protesting about getting up, but Dean pushed him towards the front table where Mc Gonagall was waiting patiently and proudly for him. He locked his gaze with Remus, who flashed him a proud smile, and immediately turned his gaze to his godfather. He was smiling softly to him and Harry gave him the same wisp of a smile back.
He marched up the steps slowly whilst the crowd was still roaring with joy. He walked behind the teacher's table where Minerva was waiting for him. He accepted the scroll and thanked his professor swiftly, avoiding meeting her gaze as much as possible.
He was starting to walk away when an Auror suddenly gripped his robes, stopping him in the process. "So, you're Harry Potter." Said an inquisitive voice from under the hood.
In an instant, Sirius was up, chair falling back with a thud and wand in hand. This sudden movement made people calm down and look strangely in the front. Moody took of his own hood and growled, while his magic eye was spinning wildly in its socket. "What the bloody hell are you doing?! Let go of the boy and get back to your rank immediately!"
The hooded figure chuckled. "Why should I? I don't belong in that rank anyway!"
Instantly, all wands were pointed to the person, who slowly let go of Harry's robes and put his hands in the air in mock surrender. "Jeez! You guys sure are quick at drawing your sticks! Don't you guys think they're all a little too nervous?" The person said, taking off his hood in the process.
Snape raised his eyebrows when the 'guy' proved to be clearly female. She looked like a guy but her features were too feminine to be those of a man's.
Arthur furrowed his brows. "Who are you?! You're not an Auror!"
The strange woman rolled her eyes. "No duh, Sherlock!" With a quick move of the wrist, a sharp gust of wind made them loose their grips on their wands. She chuckled while they fumbled to get their rolling wands from the ground and they heard other snickers. 6 other 'Aurors' took off their own hood and raised their eyebrows in mockery.
"WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!?" Moody ground out. None of them were Aurors from the ministry and by the looks of things, nobody knew them.
Harry had enough. Nobody seemed to know them, and since the others were still fumbling with their wands, he decided to take action. He brandished his wand and pointed it menacingly towards the one who had gripped his robes in the first place. "Are you an enemy? I won't let you hurt anyone!" He hissed angrily.
Even with the wand pointed between her eyes, she smirked to him and bent a little, examining him with a raised eyebrow. "He's a feisty one, isn't he? I think I like him already!"
One of the other 6 girls, a woman with see green hair tried to hide a giggle. "You should stop pestering him! He looks angry enough already!"
The one with short dirty blond hair smirked and stepped back, leaving more space for Harry.
"True, his aura is raging at the moment." This came from a younger girl's mouth and Lupin shuddered at her glacial tone of voice.
One with short blue hair put a finger on her shin and seemed to think for a moment. "Well, we kind of interrupted their ceremony; it's quite understandable for them to be wary of us. Especially after the battle they were in a couple of months ago." She finished in a very wise voice.
The one beside her snorted loudly and impatiently. "Bah! It's nothing! And are you sure he's ok for…you know." She asked with a glare in Harry's direction, brushing her black hair behind her shoulder.
She got a slap in the back by a very tall female with a ponytail. "Chill out girl! Control your temper!" Was the only thing she said. The black haired girl looked at the brunette with a murderous look and the happy looking blond one giggled wildly, getting her friend's attention.
"You don't have to worry, you guys! She chose him herself, and I can see why!"
Harry and Sirius growled with impatience and the green eyed boy took a step forward, threatening those weird girls more seriously. "I'm warning you! Tell me who you are and what you want with me or I'll stun you!"
The boyish girl gave a mock pout and faced her friends. "Here we are, having travelled a long way just to give him a present for finally ending his school year and he's threatening us!"
Harry eyed them warily while Remus frowned. 'A gift?' He thought. Before he could voice out his question, a soft giggle resonated through the air, making everyone turn around at the end of the student tables.
A cloaked person advanced slowly towards them and immediately, the 7 odd girls in the front bowed down on their knees. "We were waiting for you, highness. Welcome." Said the one with aquamarine hair, smiling softly to the still cloaked person.
In an instant, all wands were pointed at the mysterious figure. Dumbledore frowned, his eyes loosing the usual sparkles. "Who are you? Another person who wants to conquer the world? What business do you have here?" He asked with a powerful and stern voice. His aura reeked of strong magic but the hidden person only giggled again.
"My, my! What a way to treat Harry's gift!" It was the same boyish girl who smirked at Dumbledore.
Another giggle. "With the way you made your entrance, Haruka, I'm not surprised they acted this way! You could've introduced yourselves more properly, you know!" said the one under the cloak, and Harry and Sirius's eyes got bigger by the second.
"You know me, Hime-sama. I love grand entrances!" The one called 'Haruka' replied good naturedly.
The mysterious figure shook her head in reprimand. "Yes, I know. Unfortunately." A white, feminine hand reached out from under the long sleeve of the cloak and took of the hood, only to have plenty of long, silky hair spill on the ground. There was a collective gasp when everyone got a good look at the young woman.
"Serenity?" Came the shocked and whispered response from Sirius, while Harry's wand clattered loudly on the stage, forgotten.
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Finally, another chapter done. I'm having quite a bit of difficulty to find time to write these days. I went to see the movie 'Timeline' (Prisonniers du Temps) with my dad Tuesday, and it ROCKS!!!!! It's a must-see! I was on the edge of my seat all the time! ^___^
Good! Sere-Hime is back! You'll know what happened in the next chapter when she kinda went crazy in chappie 27. I'm sure all of you thought they were going to float in 'the void' for a while! Admit it! (Call it the void, the limbo, the empty space…whatever. The floating stuff where they see flashbacks.) Ha! Got you! ^_^
I want to see reviews, people! Lots and lots, and lots, and lots……and lots, and lots….Well, you got the point…^_^;;;
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Love ya all!
Eternal Cosmos ^_~