Well, this is the finale of my story. (Sighs) Well, it has been nice writing
this. It's not better than others but
it was good enough, I think. I am thinking of writing a sequel but I don't have
a much idea of what will be next. Well,
without further ado, here's chapter 32.
Chapter 32
**************
Harry felt what was left of his blood drain from his
face. Dementors? The foulest creatures
in the world, Harry thought. And they
are joining Voldemort? Professor Sullivan fell back to her chair again.
"Well, we all know
this would happen some day, right?" said Samantha brightly.
"Are you actually
happy about this?" asked Sirius.
"No, but, really,
there's nothing we can do. It has begun
and there's no way to stop it," said Samantha.
"Samantha is right,
Sirius-"
"My goodness,
Sirius Black! Professor, shall I call the minister?" said Professor Mcgonagall,
looking very surprise.
"Oh, Professor
Mcgonagall, it's all right, really," said Professor Sullivan. "Beside, I don't think the Minister would be
much help."
"Yes, yes, could
have said it better than I, Annie. Now,
listen all of you, we don't have much time.
The Dementors are probably already departed from Azkaban. Minerva, go and get Hagrid for me. Tell him it's very urgent that I talk to
him. Sirius and Remus, I want you two
to orient Samantha with you mission. I
think you two will need help. Set out
at once. Severus, you know what I need
you to do. Arabella and Mundungus go to
London and see if you can get news from the Ministry, preferably from Arthur Weasley. Now, all of you, go now and good luck."
"I will walk you
out," said Professor Sullivan to Sirius, Remus, and Samantha.
"Yes, you do that,
Annie, and come back here," said Dumblebore.
Everyone sent out once.
Sirius approached Harry and said,
"Don't worry, I'll come back to you as soon as I can. Briana will take care of you. Send me an owl if you need any help or if
you have a question in anything that Briana can't help you with." Sirius winked
at Harry and gave him a hug. He turned
into a giant dog and trotted off with them.
The past few days of the school year was a blur to
Harry. All he knows was that he spent
as much time as he can in Professor Sullivan's office. He would ask a lot of questions about his
father and mother. Professor Sullivan
would answer patiently. One bright
Saturday of a Hogsmeade Weekend, Harry told Ron and Hermione that he was going
to Professor Sullivan's office.
"Again? Is this the
fiftieth time you went there in two weeks?" asked Ron.
"Why don't you come
with us outside for a change, Harry. I
mean you need some fresh air and sunshine," said Hermione.
"Well, I still have
one more thing to ask her. If I'm done
visiting her, then I'll come down to the Three Broomsticks with you guys," said
Harry.
"If? 'If' is not a
good word," said Ron.
"Well, then bring
me back some sweets, all right?" grinned Harry. "Wait, I've got an idea. Why don't you two come with me? Come on, you two have never visited her in a
while."
With a few more minutes of persuasion, Ron and Hermione
followed Harry up to Professor Sullivan's office. Harry knocked on the door.
Professor Sullivan answered.
"Is it that time of
the day?" she teased. She looked at them.
"Well, do I have to ask?"
"Professor, are you
coming back next year?" asked Hermione.
"Well, Hermione,
we'll see where the wind takes me. Just
wait and see next year." She smiled at them.
An eagle owl came flying through the window. It looked familiar. Then
something struck Harry.
"Professor, did you
by any chance sent me anything from the past year?"
"Well, I wasn't
going to tell you but yes, I did. For
your birthday, I gave you a miniature quidditch game. I have heard from Remus that you absolutely adore quidditch, just
like your father. It's the latest rage
in Norway and so I bought it. I'm sorry
I didn't tell you that it was from me.
Your aunt forbade me to see you.
My guess is because she hates me.
I have done enough things to her that would make your hair curl. So anyway, I didn't want her to take it away
from you. I made sure that Artemis here
sent it right to you. I also sent you
the Marauders' Map for Christmas."
"Really?"
"Yes, I was
cleaning out this office when I found it."
"You know how it
works?" mused Ron.
"Of course,"
chuckled Professor Sullivan, "it's pretty handy, I'll admit."
"Am I going to live
with you, Professor?" asked Harry.
Professor Sullivan remained silent.
"About that,
Harry," said Professor Sullivan, "I talked to uncle and, well, he said that it
would be best if you stayed with your relatives for now. I know it sounds quite unfair but he said
that I can visit you any time I wanted." She paused and sighed. "I really wanted to you live with me. I know you would absolutely enjoy it. I am so sorry, Harry, I really am."
"It's all right,"
muttered Harry. For a moment, he
thought that he was leaving the Dursleys forever, but he was wrong.
"Hey, cheer up,
mate. Don't be surprise if I turn up on your doorstep a day after you return
from Hogwarts," said Professor Sullivan.
Harry couldn't help but laugh.
He supposed it's all right if he didn't expect to live with her yet. They spent the whole day in her office. As they said good-bye to her that night, she
called out to Harry.
"Take care of
yourself, all right?" she said. Then
she hesitated and gave him a hug that Harry only remembered one hug that was
quite like it. It was last year after
the Fourth Task of the Triwizard Tournament.
Mrs. Weasley gave him that kind of hug, a motherly hug. I guess this is what comes close to having a
mum, he thought, a godmother.
"Hurry up! We're
going to be late!" Ron said. It was the End-of-term feast. Harry didn't feel like he was in the right
mood to celebrate. He didn't really
like the end of the term feasts very much, partly was because he didn't like
the idea of going back to Privet Drive.
He was dragging himself to get ready.
"Hurry up! Hermione's waiting for us!"
"All right, all
right," muttered Harry as he laced up his sneakers. They both got down the
boy's dorm and found Hermione waiting downstairs. They all headed to the Great Hall, which was already packed with
student. The Great Hall was decorated
with the Gryffindor house colors, scarlet and gold. The Gryffindor mascot's banner, the lion, was hanging behind the
teachers' table. Harry knew pretty well
that the House Cup was going to be awarded to them this year.
As they sat down and waited for the food, Dumbledore got up
and said, "Well, another year has past
us once again. Amidst of all of what is
happening, we have managed to go on about our business and stayed strong. Before we eat, I would like to acknowledge
the fact that all of us here tonight have heard of the news about the
Dementors. I have said this once and I
will say it again, we are only weak when we are divided and strong if we are
united. "
"Well, do not let
me make you all glum. This is a
feast. Let's eat!" With that the food
appeared and they all ate their fill till it was gone. After that, Dumbledore stood up again and
said, "Now, the moment we have all been
waiting for, the announcement of points for the House Cup. At the fourth place is the Ravenclaws with
three hundred and sixteen points." The Ravenclaws applauded and cheered. "At third place is the Hufflepuffs with
three hundred and sixty-seven points." The Hufflepuffs cheered more loudly than
the Ravenclaws. "At second place is
Slytherins with four hundred and seventy-five points." Dumbledore had to raise
his voice to make himself heard because the Gryffindors were pounding on the
table with excitement. "And at first
place, with five hundred and four points, is the Gryffindors!" The Gryffindors
cheered the loudest. Harry swore that
the people in Hogsmeade could hear them.
The feast lasted for a couple more hours. They went back to the Tower that night,
tired and sleepy. Harry's ears were
ringing badly because of the noise in the Hall. He had almost forgotten that he was leaving tomorrow. As he was putting on his pajamas, he noticed
something glittering on his bed. He
went over to pick it up. It was his
dragon necklace. A note was right next
to it. He picked that up and read:
Harry,
I am truly sorry that you can't come and live with
me. I have been looking forward to it
all year. But fate as we know is
uncontrollable. I assure you that I
will always take care of you. I have
kept a promise to your mother and I am determined to keep it. Well, as a token of my appreciation for
helping me retrieve the necklaces, I give you back the one that Hermione gave
you. Someday I hope to teach you the
old ways of the Phoenix. That is if you
want to become an auror, I know you have a great head start. Well, till next time. See you during the holidays!
Yours truly,
Briana Amelia
Dumbledore Sullivan (your godmother)
Harry felt his eyes mist, but since Ron, Seamus, Dean, and
Neville were in the same room as him, he quickly wiped them off. As he lay down on his bed, he gave a thought
of what it would be like if he would live with Professor Sullivan. He thought it would be great. Hey, anything is better than living with the
Dursleys, he thought. His thoughts made
him drift away to slumber.
His trunks were packed and Hedwig was safely in her
cage. They went to Hogsmeade Station by
way of the floating carriages. The
journey back to London was a quiet one.
Hermione was reading a book as usual.
Ron and Harry were talking about quidditch. For some strange reason, their conversation led to the events of
the past month.
"It's funny, isn't
it? About Catalina Mullet being Samantha Abberton?" said Ron. "I thought she was the one who was betraying
the whole lot."
"Hmm…it is
weird. It's pretty amazing how they all
found each other again. I mean
Professor Sullivan spending the last fifteen years away some place abroad.
Remus wondering around Britain for someone who didn't want to be found. Sirius locked up in Azkaban. And this
Samantha Abberton pretending to be someone else. It's a bit odd," said Hermione.
"Don't forget about
Maria Costello. I wonder what Professor
Sullivan did to make her so mean," said Ron thoughtfully. "I mean I wonder what they were like when
they were our age." Fred and George Weasley interrupted Harry's thoughts.
"I can't believe
this is our last trip back from Hogwarts," sighed Fred.
"Tell me about
it. I mean Hogwarts was the one place
we know so well," said George, with his hands on his chest looking sad.
"So what are you
guys going to do now?" asked Harry.
Fred and George looked at each other.
"Well, do you know
that empty lot next to the Quality Quidditch Supplies? We already asked dad if
we could open a joke shop there. Mum
would have to approve, of course," added George.
"Have you bought it
yet?" asked Ron. "Where are you going
to get the money? You said so
yourselves that you're broke."
"Relax, Ronald, we
have money. Don't worry," said
Fred. The lunch trolley came in at noon
and they bought some food for lunch.
Harry's thoughts wondered back to what Ron said. What were his parents like when they were
their age? Earlier this year, he was given the opportunity, but that was just
the Realm of Foregoing, it can't be real.
But is it? He was so lost in his thoughts that he didn't noticed that
Ron was talking to him.
"Earth to Harry,"
said Ron, waving his hands in front of Harry's face. "I was asking if you are going to come stay at the Burrow again."
"Huh? Er, I don't
know. Professor Sullivan said that she
might pay me a visit. I reckon I can
ask her if I can stay with her for the rest of the holidays," said Harry.
"Are you the new
teacher's pet, Potter?" said a drawling voice, which they knew it was
Malfoy. "D'you reckon she's your
mother?"
"Shut up, Malfoy, I
am not in the mood," snapped Harry.
"Oh, I am so
scared. What are you going to do? Are
you-" Flash of light hit Malfoy right on the head. Two other flashed hit Crabbe and Goyle. Harry turned around.
Hermione had her wand out.
"They are so
annoying, don't you think?" she said coolly.
Ron and Harry looked at each other.
"What? Well, they are, aren't they?"
They arrived at the Platform 9 ¾. As they were leaving, Hermione brought up something that made
Harry's stomach lurched in fear.
"What do you reckon
your O.W.L.s results are going to be?" asked Hermione. "I hope I did a great job."
"Great, something
to think about while I'm at the Burrow," muttered Ron. They crossed the barrier dividing the two
worlds. Harry said good-bye to the
Weasleys and turned to where his Uncle Vernon was. He sighed. I guess the
world isn't perfect, he thought.
Well, that is the end of this story. (Applause and cheers) Thank you to all who
reviewed. You guys really helped me a lot reviewing and telling me what is good
and what is not good. I have a new
story that will be coming out real soon.
I have called it 'Semi-Charmed Life: Year 1.' It's about Briana Sullivan (mostly about her), MWPP/L, and my new
characters' lives when they were at Hogwarts.
It's a seven series, or at least I will make it seven. Lots of L/J romance and pranks and things!
So that's all. Thank you! Thank you to all who put this story in their favorite
lists. Thanks! (Bows, does the curtsy,
and waves good-bye)…