Disclaimer: See Chapter 24
Getting real close to the end. . .
Kiki hung onto the carpetbag with Jiji back inside. Castle elves had already brought her family's other bags to the dock where the boat was moored. Hagrid would row them back to the station. So she wasn't surprised to see Hagrid already waiting at the dock. Something in his manner, however, surprised her. He seemed almost bashful. "There's somethin' I'd like to tell yer, Miss Kiki; somethin' private."
It seemed a little strange but she answered, "Alright, Hagrid, what is it?" "Well, it's about the other night, when Snape threw you on top of me. . ."
Kiki waited.
"Well, to tell yer the truth, I was a student here mysel' once. Years ago, o' course. Din't last but two ER three years. Never did get to fly on a broom. Don't think they coulda found one in my size.
"Anyway, what I mean is-what happened the other night. Apart from ridin' a flyin' motorcycle, I never did nothin' like that before. I flew. I can't put into words what that means to me, but I flew. . .and I wanted to thank yer." He stretched out a massive hand.
Ever since Kiki had gotten the note, it seemed she'd been biting her lip to keep from crying. She took hold of one of Hagrid's fingers-it was all she could do to reach her hand around it. "Glad I could help."
As the hour for their departure approached, students started gathering by the pier. They just kept coming and coming; almost the entire student body was standing there, waiting for the visitors to leave. Hermione was one of the last to show up, her eyes swollen as if she'd been crying. She stayed as far from Harry and Ron as she could, as if she didn't want to answer any questions. "What's her problem?" Ron muttered to Harry.
Before they could say anything else, Albus Dumbledore started down the steps to the pier, followed by Okino and Kokiri. Dumbledore stepped out in front of the students.
"We have some people here, I see. This year hasn't started the way I thought it might, but some very interesting things have happened, and we have our Continental visitors to thank for that. If perhaps Madame Kokiri would be so kind as to grace us with one final lesson."
Kokiri seemed to have been planning just what to say. She stepped forward confidently.
"These last few weeks have given me a great deal to think about. I hope that they have done the same for you. From now on, when you look at any growing thing at all, from the trees in this grove to the spices on a grocer's shelf, you will remember that magic is within them all, and that we bring our abilities to this magic, so that we may bring it to the service of others.
"Listen to me! I did not say "to the service of other witches", because they also know the craft. That means we cannot truly be witches and wizards unless we make our magic available to those who do not or cannot use it for themselves. I believe we not only can help the so-called Muggles; we must help them."
There was some muttering; even Hagrid didn't agree completely with this view. Taking no notice, Kokiri went on.
"A thousand years ago, the ability to turn cream into cheese was considered magic, since only Herbologists such as your Professor Sprout and myself knew about cheese cultures. But, as time went on, we Shared our knowledge, little by little, with the world around us. And, as time went on, science discovered so many of our secrets that we began to find it all rather difficult to sort out. The last great Sharing was after the disastrous First World War, when we Shared our knowledge of the mold that produced what we called the Great Cure; what everyone else now calls penicillin. We haven't done anything else for humanity since then, although I wish there was a way we could have stopped them inventing the atom bomb.
"Does this mean that what the so-called Muggles call technology is really magic, or does it mean that what we call magic is just another kind of technology, and not really magical at all? We must leave the answer to the future. But I look to the future with hope, with anticipation, and I hope you do so too. For, as we refine and expand our knowledge, we will not be casting off magic. We will be passing through what we all thought was magic, passing through to the very heart of nature, and the heart of God, where dwells the true magic.
"I believe the time will come when we will stop forcing the so-called Muggles to live lives of illusion, convinced by us that they didn't really see dragons and fairies and unicorns. Someday they will embrace the fairies and the unicorns and even the dragons that never left their world after all. And they will embrace us, for we will have led them to the Great Truth." With that, feeling she had no more to say, Kokiri turned toward Hagrid's rowboat. As she turned, though, a hand stopped her. Okino spun her back around to face him. His face shining like a sunrise, he put a hand on either side of her face. "Haven't I always said you were a better teacher than me?" he said quietly, then drew his wife toward him and kissed her lips. Kiki covered her eyes with one hand. It's embarrassing enough when one's parents are publicly affectionate. But they were in front of the whole school--! Well, at least it's not my school anymore, Kiki thought.
Some of the Hogwarts students worked very hard to suppress their giggles. Some of the teachers were shocked at the display. And some, like Minerva McGonagall, nodded and smiled and told themselves, "Your Great Truth sounds wonderful, Madame Kokiri, and the sooner we get there, the better!"
Kiki had to wait until her parents decided to get in the boat. When they finally broke their kiss, which seemed to Kiki to take an eternity, they joined her in the center. Just as Hagrid reached for the oar, Albus Dumbledore turned to the assembly. "Faculty, staff, ghosts and students of Hogwarts Academy, I say ye, Okino! Kokiri! And Kiki! HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
"HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
"HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
Such a tumult of shouting and cheering had never been heard outside of a championship Quidditch match. The cheers echoed and reechoed across the lake as Hagrid pulled away from the shore. Kiki could make out Neville, waving so violently that he lost his balance and fell over. She saw Hermione, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, as if she had just received the most wonderful present in the world. And she saw Harry Potter, cheering and waving and-she was sure-mouthing the words "Come back to us!" The cheers continued even when they passed the midpoint of the lake. Then, they suddenly fell silent at once. Hagrid, working the oar, turned back to look, then stopped himself, muttering "I don't believe it." Kiki and her parents turned to look. A woman stood on top of the water-the most beautiful woman Kiki had ever seen. Her long red hair, longer even than Kokiri's, cascaded down her back, almost touching the water. She was dressed in a robe with ornate Celtic designs, such as nobody had worn in a thousand years. In her hand she held a sword, pointing toward the sky in salute. Then, as quickly as she had come, she sank back into the lake, in absolute silence, leaving not a single ripple behind.
***
Awww, Kiki's gone. Story's almost over. . . *Sniffle* Well, R/R
Getting real close to the end. . .
Kiki hung onto the carpetbag with Jiji back inside. Castle elves had already brought her family's other bags to the dock where the boat was moored. Hagrid would row them back to the station. So she wasn't surprised to see Hagrid already waiting at the dock. Something in his manner, however, surprised her. He seemed almost bashful. "There's somethin' I'd like to tell yer, Miss Kiki; somethin' private."
It seemed a little strange but she answered, "Alright, Hagrid, what is it?" "Well, it's about the other night, when Snape threw you on top of me. . ."
Kiki waited.
"Well, to tell yer the truth, I was a student here mysel' once. Years ago, o' course. Din't last but two ER three years. Never did get to fly on a broom. Don't think they coulda found one in my size.
"Anyway, what I mean is-what happened the other night. Apart from ridin' a flyin' motorcycle, I never did nothin' like that before. I flew. I can't put into words what that means to me, but I flew. . .and I wanted to thank yer." He stretched out a massive hand.
Ever since Kiki had gotten the note, it seemed she'd been biting her lip to keep from crying. She took hold of one of Hagrid's fingers-it was all she could do to reach her hand around it. "Glad I could help."
As the hour for their departure approached, students started gathering by the pier. They just kept coming and coming; almost the entire student body was standing there, waiting for the visitors to leave. Hermione was one of the last to show up, her eyes swollen as if she'd been crying. She stayed as far from Harry and Ron as she could, as if she didn't want to answer any questions. "What's her problem?" Ron muttered to Harry.
Before they could say anything else, Albus Dumbledore started down the steps to the pier, followed by Okino and Kokiri. Dumbledore stepped out in front of the students.
"We have some people here, I see. This year hasn't started the way I thought it might, but some very interesting things have happened, and we have our Continental visitors to thank for that. If perhaps Madame Kokiri would be so kind as to grace us with one final lesson."
Kokiri seemed to have been planning just what to say. She stepped forward confidently.
"These last few weeks have given me a great deal to think about. I hope that they have done the same for you. From now on, when you look at any growing thing at all, from the trees in this grove to the spices on a grocer's shelf, you will remember that magic is within them all, and that we bring our abilities to this magic, so that we may bring it to the service of others.
"Listen to me! I did not say "to the service of other witches", because they also know the craft. That means we cannot truly be witches and wizards unless we make our magic available to those who do not or cannot use it for themselves. I believe we not only can help the so-called Muggles; we must help them."
There was some muttering; even Hagrid didn't agree completely with this view. Taking no notice, Kokiri went on.
"A thousand years ago, the ability to turn cream into cheese was considered magic, since only Herbologists such as your Professor Sprout and myself knew about cheese cultures. But, as time went on, we Shared our knowledge, little by little, with the world around us. And, as time went on, science discovered so many of our secrets that we began to find it all rather difficult to sort out. The last great Sharing was after the disastrous First World War, when we Shared our knowledge of the mold that produced what we called the Great Cure; what everyone else now calls penicillin. We haven't done anything else for humanity since then, although I wish there was a way we could have stopped them inventing the atom bomb.
"Does this mean that what the so-called Muggles call technology is really magic, or does it mean that what we call magic is just another kind of technology, and not really magical at all? We must leave the answer to the future. But I look to the future with hope, with anticipation, and I hope you do so too. For, as we refine and expand our knowledge, we will not be casting off magic. We will be passing through what we all thought was magic, passing through to the very heart of nature, and the heart of God, where dwells the true magic.
"I believe the time will come when we will stop forcing the so-called Muggles to live lives of illusion, convinced by us that they didn't really see dragons and fairies and unicorns. Someday they will embrace the fairies and the unicorns and even the dragons that never left their world after all. And they will embrace us, for we will have led them to the Great Truth." With that, feeling she had no more to say, Kokiri turned toward Hagrid's rowboat. As she turned, though, a hand stopped her. Okino spun her back around to face him. His face shining like a sunrise, he put a hand on either side of her face. "Haven't I always said you were a better teacher than me?" he said quietly, then drew his wife toward him and kissed her lips. Kiki covered her eyes with one hand. It's embarrassing enough when one's parents are publicly affectionate. But they were in front of the whole school--! Well, at least it's not my school anymore, Kiki thought.
Some of the Hogwarts students worked very hard to suppress their giggles. Some of the teachers were shocked at the display. And some, like Minerva McGonagall, nodded and smiled and told themselves, "Your Great Truth sounds wonderful, Madame Kokiri, and the sooner we get there, the better!"
Kiki had to wait until her parents decided to get in the boat. When they finally broke their kiss, which seemed to Kiki to take an eternity, they joined her in the center. Just as Hagrid reached for the oar, Albus Dumbledore turned to the assembly. "Faculty, staff, ghosts and students of Hogwarts Academy, I say ye, Okino! Kokiri! And Kiki! HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
"HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
"HIP HIP"
"HURRAH!!"
Such a tumult of shouting and cheering had never been heard outside of a championship Quidditch match. The cheers echoed and reechoed across the lake as Hagrid pulled away from the shore. Kiki could make out Neville, waving so violently that he lost his balance and fell over. She saw Hermione, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, as if she had just received the most wonderful present in the world. And she saw Harry Potter, cheering and waving and-she was sure-mouthing the words "Come back to us!" The cheers continued even when they passed the midpoint of the lake. Then, they suddenly fell silent at once. Hagrid, working the oar, turned back to look, then stopped himself, muttering "I don't believe it." Kiki and her parents turned to look. A woman stood on top of the water-the most beautiful woman Kiki had ever seen. Her long red hair, longer even than Kokiri's, cascaded down her back, almost touching the water. She was dressed in a robe with ornate Celtic designs, such as nobody had worn in a thousand years. In her hand she held a sword, pointing toward the sky in salute. Then, as quickly as she had come, she sank back into the lake, in absolute silence, leaving not a single ripple behind.
***
Awww, Kiki's gone. Story's almost over. . . *Sniffle* Well, R/R