After the Battle
Voldemort's body was removed from the Great Hall where he fell for the last time. It was placed in a closet, well away from the place of honour where Fred, Tonks, Lupin, Colin Creevey, and some fifty others who died in the battle for Hogwarts lay.
The acting Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall had restored the four tables, but no one was sitting by house, but all together, house rivalries temporarily forgotten. Students and their families, Hogwarts elves, centaurs all united in a mood of celebration. Firenze lay in a corner, recovering. The elves sent up hastily prepared breakfasts, not up to Hogwarts' usual standards, but nobody cared.
Harry found himself seated next to Luna.
"I'd be wanting some peace and quiet, if I were you", she observed.
"Peace and quite sound pretty nice", Harry agreed.
"You still have the Cloak?"
"Yes…"
"I'll make a distraction so's you can slip it on and make your escape".
"Thanks, Luna"
She stood up and called out loudly enough to be heard above the din: "Look! A Blibbering Humdinger!", as she pointed to a random window.
As soon as everyone turned to look, Harry pulled his cloak of invisibility over his head and stood. He made his way through the Hall, to seek the two he wanted to see the most. He found them sitting together, crouched low to not be overheard.
"It's me", he said.
Ron and Hermione didn't need further explanation, as they got up casually, and slipped toward the main doors. Ginny was sitting two tables over, her head resting on her mother's shoulder. There would be time to talk later, maybe even for years. Neville had the Sword of Gryffindor next to his plate. A gaggle of ardent admirers surrounding him. Draco sat with his parents, Lucius and Narcissa, all looking as if they were uncertain they should be there. Harry was pleased to see that no one was giving them a hard time.
The marble staircase had pieces missing, and part of the balustrade had been blasted away. Every few steps, bloodstains and rubble. They could hear Peeves off somewhere singing a victory song:
We did it, we blasted them, and wee Potter's the one!
Voldy's gone moldy, so let's have some fun!
"Really gives you an appreciation of the magnitude of what we lost, don't it?", Ron said.
Harry knew happiness would return, but not just now, He was exhausted, and the losses of Tonks, Lupin, and Fred stabbed at him like a physical wound. First, there was unfinished business that needed to be taken care of: he owed Ron and Hermione an explanation, after all they'd been through. The loyalty they showed ever since their first year.
Harry described exactly what he'd seen of Snape's memories, what transpired in the forest as he went to confront Voldemort, his experience in that half way world that reminded him of King's Cross and the meeting with Dumbledore there. He explained about the choice: return or wait for a train to take him "on". He explained how the mysterious object concealed in the Golden Snitch was the Resurrection Stone, and how it showed him his parents, Sirius, and Remus and Tonks, and how the latter two wished that Harry would one day tell Teddy Lupin how his parents died, to take care of Teddy, to apologize to him for growing up without his parents, and to explain that their sacrifice was to leave him with a better world.
They arrived at the foot of the ever spiraling stairs that led to the Headmaster's office. The gargoyle that normally guarded the entrance had looked better. It was askew, and they wondered if it could even respond to a password, even if they knew it.
"You don't mind if we go up?", Harry asked.
"Help yourselves", it replied.
On up they went, and pushed open the door. The Pensieve was still on the desk where Harry had left it. There came an ear splitting noise that made Harry call out, momentarily thinking of Death Eater attacks, and the resurrection of Voldemort. However, it was applause from the portraits of past Headmasters and Mistresses. They were clapping, cheering, waving hats and wigs, depending on the fashions of their lifetimes. Dillys Derwent sobbed tears of joy unashamedly; Dexter Fortesque waved his ear trumpet. They were reaching through their frames to shake hands. Phineas Nigellus called out in his reedy voice: "Let it be known House Slytherin played its part. Let our contribution not be forgotten!"
Harry, however, was interested in just one portrait, the largest one directly behind the desk. Tears leaked from behind the half moon spectacles to trickle into the silver beard. The pride and gratitude radiated from the wise old face, filling Harry with a balm matched only by phoenix song. Harry held up his hands, and the others fell into a respectful silence. Where to begin…
"Professor, that item you hid in the Snitch, I left it in the forest when I was done with it".
The rest of the Headmasters and Mistresses looked on, curious and confused.
"A wise decision, Harry", Dumbledore congratulated. "Did anyone see where it fell?"
"I don't think so, I mean, I highly doubt it".
"That is good, as you may have already surmised, its use is not without its own dangers. It can tempt you into crossing over prematurely".
"It's just that… well... I feel bad for seekers such as Xeno Lovegood…"
"Say no more: that isn't your responsibility, and they have been seeking for centuries. I'm afraid there's little you could do, and we don't want them going all over the forest. Let it lay in peace", Dumbledore explained.
"Then there's this", as Harry showed the Elder Wand. He wasn't so tired and out of it to not notice how Ron and Hermione both looked on with great reverence. He didn't like that look. "I don't want it…"
"Harry! Are you mental?!", Ron called out.
He turned to his companions: "Yes, I know it's extremely powerful, but look at all the trouble the damn thing has caused already. It belongs where Riddle found it. That way, once the Elder Wand's last master passes, its power will break. Isn't that right, Professor?"
"I do believe you are correct".
"There's one last thing", Harry said as he reached into his pouch to extract the broken pieces of his student wand, its halves held together by a thin strand of phoenix tail feather. He set the broken wand on the desk, touched it with the tip of the Elder Wand; "Reparo!", he cast.
Harry's student wand of holly snapped together, looking good as new, as red sparks shot from the tip. When he picked it up, it felt warm, as though getting reacquainted with its owner.
"I prefer my own", Harry explained to Ron and Hermione.
"I am, however, keeping Ignotus' present".
"But of course, Harry, it's yours, now and forever, until you pass it on", Dumbledore agreed.
Ron still looked on with longing at the Elder Wand: "You sure?"
"It's more trouble than it's worth, and I've had more than enough trouble to last me a lifetime. Right now, all I want to do is get reacquainted with a four poster in the Gryffindor dorms".
The next days were rough: the funerals for Remus Lupin and 'Dora Lupin, and Fred Weasley. The only magicals left to mourn Remus and 'Dora were Harry, Hermione, and Ron. Remus was the last Marauder. There was a contingent of strangers, Remus' co-workers from his normie career, none of whom knew anything about his magical connections, were there. No family for Remus. The only family 'Dora had was Narcissa Malfoy, and Lucius by marriage.
Fred's funeral was more well attended, given the number of Weasley relatives. Arthur did hid best to keep Molly from falling apart completely. This was the realization of her worst fears. Harry recalled the incident with the boggart. He'd found Molly, quite beside herself in grief, as she stood before a bloody, and quite dead, Ron. Then it turned into Bill, laying on his back, dead. Every time she tried the Riddikalus anti-boggart spell, it turned into Arthur, Percy, Fred and George, and finally Harry. Lupin intervened to distract it, and it became the full moon for him before he banished it. Lupin did his best to comfort, which is when Molly confessed: she had frequent nightmares, all involving the deaths of one or more of her children or her husband. Harry remembered how she kept that privacy-invading "clock" with her all the time, all hands pointing to "Mortal Danger". George said very little. He wondered if he could ever feel complete without his twin.
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The remainder of the time until Hogwarts reopened, and Harry started on his NEWT level studies in preparation for joining the Auror Corps was taken up with house keeping, to turn 12 Grimmauld Place from the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix into a home fit for caring for Harrry's godson, Teddy Lupin. He didn't have to do this alone as Ginny and Andromeda Tonks were all too willing to help.
Despite Harry's once saying to Dumbledore he didn't want the house, he still couldn't bring himself to sell it off as Sirius had willed the property to him. As for Potter Manor, that had been destroyed, a total loss, during Voldemort's first rampage through Magical Britain. He couldn't bring himself to break the last connection he had with the godfather he was just getting to know before his untimely demise in the Death Chamber at the Department of Mysteries. They would just have to overlook its creepier features, such as the portrait of Walpurga Black, and the house elf "trophies" – the heads of past house elves – that were stuck with Permanent Sticking Charms. The other nice features included all the protections generations of Blacks had put on it, that it was Unplottable, all insured Harry's privacy.
London, Ministry of Magick
"Minister Thicknesse, distinguished Ladies and Gentlemen of the Wizengamot", Harry addressed a full session of the Wizengamot. After Voldemort died, so did his Imperious curses, returning the Minister and many members to their right minds.
"While I appreciate the thought, I regret to inform you that I can not accept this award in good conscience…"
The crowd broke into pandemonium.
"You are the Chosen one…"
"You freed us from Voldemort…"
"The Boy Who Lived… twice!"
Harry raised his hands, the crowd fell silent.
"Allow me to explain", Harry continued, "Voldemort once said that I defeated him through luck and people more talented than I. He was right…"
More objections.
"Here is the whole story of what happened at Hogwarts. Voldemort issued an ultimatum: if I came to him in the Forbidden Forest, he would call off the attack, forgive those of us who defied him. It wasn't the smartest thing I ever did, not by a long shot, taking him at his word.
"When I arrived at his camp, he fired the Killing Curse. Never mind that he'd used it before and it didn't work out so well for him the first time. He could have chosen some other way, but he didn't. Here, I got lucky for the first time. I still had some protection, but that attack stripped it away. Both Voldemort and I passed out. Feinting isn't a known side effect of casting that curse. Even though he knew something strange had happened, did he fire off a second Killing Curse, just to make sure? He didn't. Did he examine my body himself, to see if I was dead? He didn't do that either. Did he send his most reliable lieutenant – Bellatrix Lestrange – to see? He sent the most unreliable person he could find, one who wasn't even a Death Eater. She knew the truth, and she lied.
"What was it that Voldemort always said? 'Don't lie to Lord Voldemort: he knows. He always knows' – except this time, he didn't. I got lucky once again. It was also a stroke of good fortune that he wasn't the true master of the wand he was using, falsely believing he was its master. He miscalculated when he believed that Severus Snape was its master as he assassinated Dumbledore. However, before he did that, Draco Malfoy disarmed the Professor, and his wand transferred its allegiance to Mr Malfoy. Later, I disarmed Draco, and thereby becoming the wand's true master – a wand will not attack its own master. This is how I got the drop on a much more powerful wizard. A wizard with a great many more years of combat experience. Again, I got very lucky.
"This is why I can not, in good conscience, accept this Order of Merlin. I did nothing to earn it, and I wasn't alone so all the credit doesn't rightfully belong to me. I understand the need for heroes, and I propose that the true hero is Lily Potter, my mother. It was she who deserves all the credit as it was her ultimate sacrifice to save the life of her child that made the defeat of Voldemort possible.
"As for myself, all I have ever wanted was to be Harry Potter, wizard, Hogwarts student. I never sought that fame I neither deserve nor want. Thank you for your consideration".
Chosen One Snubs Minister
Harry Potter, aka The Chosen One aka The Boy Who Lived acted in a most disgraceful manner before Minister Thicknesse and a full session of the Wizengamot. He refused to accept the Order of Merlin First Class for banishing the Dark Lord once and for all. In a rambling speech that defies explanation, he insisted it was pure luck as he denigrated his accomplishment. How could he turn his back on the entire Wizarding World?
It is well known that Mr Potter, with the approval of the late Albus Dumbledore, was one who clearly believed that rules were for everyone but himself. During his Hogwarts career, he should have been expelled many times over. With winks and nods, his Headmaster allowed him to get away with it. There is no secret: the Headmaster blatantly played favourites, repeatedly cheating Slytherin House out of the House Cup. It is understandable that special favours would be shown to the one who freed Magical Britain from Voldemort nearly twenty years ago. However, was this a good idea? In retrospect, it would seem not. This writer has long suspected that Mr Potter is an arrogant attention seeker. In his arrogance, he believes that an Order of Merlin isn't good enough for him. Will Potter demand that Minister Thicknesse step aside to make him the next Minister of Magick?
Potter claims he wants a life of normality. He puts his selfish needs over his duty to our world.
– Rita Skeeter
"What are you going to do?", Ginny asked.
"Nothing", Harry replied. "It's Skeeter we're talking about. I've dealt with her before, and you've seen her 'reporting', if you can call it that. I never wanted to be anyone's icon. Hell, I don't know how to be an icon, and I expect the Auror Training to be challenging enough as it is. Give it time, and they'll forget soon enough".
"It's still unfair…"
"'Unfair' (finger quotes) pretty much sums up my entire life in one word".
There is Something Disgraceful
The Daily Prophet was right about one thing: something disgraceful happened, but not at the Ministry of Magick. I refer to the article about Harry Potter's appearance before the Wizengamot. The Wizarding World hasn't been much better. I can understand that we will be grateful to Harry Potter for having saved us twice from Voldemort. The best way to show that gratitude is to allow Mr Potter to have a life of his own: something he has been denied up until now. A chain of events that began before Mr Potter was ever born set a course of destiny not of his choosing. Now that he has finally fulfilled that destiny, it is high time he reclaimed a life of his own.
We do not own Mr Potter, but have behaved as though he is our property. Can you imagine how terrifying it must have been, strangers demanding to shake his hand, or gawk at his scar, when out and about as a three year old boy? For something about which he knew nothing, and couldn't remember. Even as a toddler, Mr Potter was accosted by well meaning members of our community.
So what if Mr Potter declined his Order of Merlin? He has always believed, and rightly so, that the true heroes of the battles against Voldemort are his parents, James and Lily Potter, and especially Lily, whose self sacrifice saved her son's life and made possible our ultimate victory. If you truly want to thank Mr Potter, the best way is to respect his wishes, to respect his privacy, and to allow him to set his own destiny as he makes his way through our world, and through life.
– Xenophilius Lovegood
Chief Editor and Publisher
The Quibbler
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London: Ministry of Magick
"The defense calls Mr Harold James Potter to the stand".
Harry stepped toward the witness box: "Do you, Harold Potter, swear by your magick that the testimony you give shall be the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth", the bailiff administered the oath.
"I do"
"The witness may take the stand", the bailiff said.
"Would you describe for the Wizengamot the events of last March at Malfoy Manor?"
"Certainly. In a moment of excitement, I happened to say his name. The wards around our camp site dropped, and we were surrounded by a party of Snatchers. They decided to take us, Ron and Hermione…"
"You're referring to Ronald Weasley and Hermione Granger?"
"That's correct… As I was saying, Hermione cast a Stinging Jinx at my face to distort my features into something unrecognizable. Then they took us to Malfoy Manor. Fortunately, Voldemort wasn't in. This is when Draco Malfoy refused to give away my identity. He kept saying he didn't know I was Harry Potter, despite that Bellatrix Lestrange, Lucius Malfoy, and the Snatcher, Scabior were pressuring him to positively identify me, and he kept refusing to do do until it became impossible to deny it, as they knew who Ron and Hermione were".
"Yet you and Mr Malfoy aren't on the best of terms?"
"Everyone knows about that rivalry: House Gryffindor and House Slytherin – the worst rivalry on campus. We didn't get along".
"And yet he refused to identify you, why would he do that?"
"Objectiom", called out the prosecutor, "calls for speculation".
"Sustained".
"Nothing further, Your Honour".
Next was the prosecutor: "Why did you offer to testify on behalf of the defendant?"
"My godfather, Sirius Black, spent twelve years in Azkaban for a crime he did not commit. I don't want to see another miscarriage of justice like that".
He riffled through papers: "It says here during your debriefing after the Battle of Hogwarts that you claimed that Narcissa Malfoy saved your life".
"She lied to Voldemort, telling him I was dead after his Killing Curse hit me when she knew I wasn't. She was concerned for her son, and wanted to know if he was still in the castle".
"You feel grateful?"
"Well, yeah, who wouldn't?"
"Doesn't that give you a motive to shade your testimony?"
"Objection! Your Honour!"
"Objection sustained, the court will disregard that last question"
"Nothing further"
"The witness is excused".
The jury found Draco not guilty of all charges, Lucius never was charged: his gold buying his way out of legal troubles, and Narcissa was never charged.
The exuberance of the immediate defeat of Voldemort for the last time saw marriages. Harry and Ginny, much to the displeasure of Molly Weasley, had a small, private wedding at the Ministry, well out of the glare of publicity. At least the marriage of Ron and Hermione made up for it: an affair as lavish as that of Bill and Fleur, and as well attended. As was Bill's wedding, theirs were held at the Burrow and with as extensive a guest list, and festivities.