Chapter Fifteen: The Solution
Harry noticed Dumbledore was looking at them with an expression he couldn't read. But the old twinkle was in his eye again. After about a minute of looking at the trio, he smiled.
"Professor," said McGonagall. "You have an idea?"
"I do indeed, Minerva." He nodded.
There was a hint of a chuckle to his voice and the grin on his face was
evident. The headmaster would not take
his eyes off of the three friends.
Harry frowned at him, confused.
"What is it, Professor?" Harry asked.
"Minerva," Dumbledore said with a sly smile, eyes always on the group of friends. "I want you to look long and hard at the picture before you."
"It's a young girl… Dumbledore, why do you want me to look at a dead-"
"Not Jasna, my dear woman, but Harry! Harry, Ron and Hermione! The solution!"
"I see three friends… They're consoling each other…"
"And they are smiling.
In the face of despair and sorrow, they are smiling."
"They aren't very strong-"
"Yes, Minerva, you're right, they aren't very strong smiles. But they're smiles nonetheless. They have lost a friend that was very near
and dear to their hearts and yet they've realized that they still have each
other. A single unit, Minerva! Banding together! A circle of friendship— no, of fraternity! We need to stop dwelling on our weaknesses
and losses and focus on our strengths and what we have! We
need to stay together! And this is
one of the best examples I've seen.
Support each other, you three!
Loyalty and trust are powerful and fragile things. Remember that. Remember Jasna. Remember
her words and heed her advice. Find a solution!"
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked at each other for a moment. Then, they looked at Dumbledore.
"Professor…" Hermione said, slowly. "Are you saying that…
We're the solution?"
"You're a very bright girl Hermione." Dumbledore nodded.
"But… How?"
"Joint action, teamwork, cooperation!
Trust, friendship and loyalty!
We are one unit working towards the same goal! Betrayal is not an option.
As long as we stay together, we can bring about the true downfall to
Lord Voldemort. But the key to his
destruction is our loyalty to each other!
We may not be the solution,
Hermione, but we are the ones who can
find it. Together."
"When you say 'we'…" Harry said. "Who are you including?"
"Anyone who does not want to see Lord Voldemort in power again."
"You expect so many people to work together? Enemies and friends?" Ron was agape. Dumbledore gave him a warm smile.
"Ron, enemies will become friends. Our only enemies are fear, hate and Lord Voldemort, who happens to be the sheer embodiment of Fear and Hate."
Harry looked at his comrades, his allies and gave them a confident nod.
"Together, we'll find a solution. Together, we'll fight him. And together, we will defeat him."
Harry focussed on the common goal: The defeat of Lord Voldemort. As long as Harry concentrated on 'the common goal' then he didn't have to think about Jasna. He didn't have to think about what he had lost. His denial was obvious to Ron and Hermione, but they said nothing.
"Let him deal with it his own way," Hermione advised Ron and the others.
Harry was so distressed the morning after, that Ron had to escort him out of the Great Hall. Harry couldn't eat, he claimed.
"Neither can I," Ron muttered to Hermione as he stood up to take Harry outside. Dumbledore watched the two leave and when Ron appeared in the Hall again was when he began his speech. However, before he did, he heaved a great sigh. This was the second time in two years that he was to discuss the death of a student. This was the second time in two months that he was to discuss Jasna Larden.
"Students, faculty… Friends. I stand here before you today not just as your headmaster, but as a friend. You all know you can trust me. But what you need to know is you can trust each other. At least I pray you can. A young girl died last night…" Dumbledore paused as he looked towards the Gryffindor table. Hermione's head was on Ron's shoulder and Dumbledore thought he saw her eyes glistening. Ron was stroking her hair, soothingly.
"A young girl died last night in the hospital wing. You all knew her, whether it was by face or by name, and some of you even grew to love her. That girl, that brave and incredible young girl was called Jasna Larden." Again, Dumbledore paused as he glanced at the Slytherins. He saw Draco Malfoy's head bent and his eyes were on the floor.
"I recall a time about a year ago where I stood up at this very table, addressing this very room about the loss of a young Hufflepuff boy who's memory will live on in the hearts of those who loved him and whom he loved in return. The man who was murdered Cedric Diggeroy was the same man who was the cause of Jasna's insanity. Jasna's own father.
"I will not stand up here and lie to you. I'm sure you've had enough of that. I'm here to dispel false rumors and tell you the truth. Whether you are ready for it or not is your decision, not your parents or anyone else's. Jasna's father was Lord Voldemort. However, do not think for a moment that Jasna was anything like her father. She despised him probably more than any one of you in this room. She feared him probably more than any of your parents ever did. But she still had the sense to call him by his name. Voldemort. The word is not difficult to pronounce. I want you all to get used to it because unfortunately, it will be a word you will be hearing often from now on.
"Jasna was a smart, witty, and a little short tempered young lady with a mind of her own. But her most outstanding quality was her courage. Valiantly, she stood up to her father and defended the closest friend she ever had. She did not give in. He tortured her in every way possible and it eventually drove her mad." Dumbledore looked over at the Gryffindor table again and saw Neville Longbottom with a brave face.
"Jasna died in this very school and the cause of her death was her own father. I believe you are all familiar with the word suicide?" There were gasps and mutters among the crowd when Dumbledore said this. "I'm taking that as a yes. Well, suicide is what the tabloids and the Ministry will call Jasna's cause of death. But you know the truth. Jasna's father was the cause of her death, her own father.
"How many people must we lose to pain and suffering and death before the Ministry realizes what's going on? We can prevent this. We can prevent further suffering and bloodshed. Jasna's final request was not to mourn her too long. She wants us to find a solution. And together, we will find a solution. I am counting on your support. Do I have your support?"
There was hesitation throughout the Great Hall. Dumbledore had his staff not to make a move before a student did. He wanted a student to show their support on their own accord. Ron looked around the room and at the head on his shoulder that was beginning to cry.
"Cheer up, Hermione," he told her. "Everything will be OK." Gently, Ron helped Hermione to sit on her own. He took a deep breath and stood up. All heads turned to him.
"Jasna was a dear friend of mine…" he said in a strong voice. However there was a slight tremble to it. "You have my support, Professor Dumbledore." Hermione looked up at Ron with admiration. But she was too shocked to move. Someone else did it before her.
"And mine, Headmaster." At the professor's table, Snape stood up. His face was blank. Just then, Hermione heard the voice of someone she didn't expect.
"And you have mine, Professor." Hermione's head whipped over to the Slytherin table, where she saw Draco Malfoy stand.
"And mine," said Ginny, standing up herself. She gave a warm smile to her brother.
"And you always had mine." Hermione finally stood up herself. Ron gave her a reassuring smile and put his arm around her. Everyone in the hall was staring at the five people standing. It took a moment for what was going on to sink in.
"I've always trusted you, Dumbledore." McGonagall gave an apologetic nod in the headmaster's direction and stood up.
"You have our support, Professor!" The Weasley twins had a large grin on their face as they cheerily said the words together and rose to their feet.
"And mine." Cho Chang was the first of the Ravenclaws to make a stand. "For Jasna. And for Cedric." A young girl with curly blond locks and bright blue eyes looked up at her Ravenclaw companion. Finally, she stood.
"And you have mine," she said. She turned to Cho and whispered, "I'll follow you until the end of the earth, Cho."
Ron looked over at the Slytherins and saw Crabbe and Goyle sitting there, looking at Malfoy with stupid looks on their faces. Malfoy was looking straight at Professor Dumbledore, but Ron saw him kick his two goons. They rose with a grunt.
"You have my support, Dumbledore!" cried a young Hufflepuff fourth year.
"And mine."
"And mine."
"And mine!"
People all over the hall were standing. Ron and Hermione were particularly surprised with the Slytherins. Nearly the whole table was on its feet. Dumbledore smiled. This was a good beginning.
