Chapter Twenty
"The House Cup"
Harry woke up the next afternoon in the hospital wing. He sat up and put on his glasses. He saw that someone had retrieved his wand for him and it lay on the nightstand. Ron and Hermione ran over to him. "Harry!" they shouted together. "Are you all right? We heard what happened! How dreadful it must have been for you!" Hermione said. "We received our O.W.L.s scores this morning, Harry, we've brought yours with us. I got twelve O.W.L.s!" Ron smiled and said, "And I got ten, Harry, ten O.W.L.s!" Harry smiled and opened his envelope. He read the results and looked up. "I got ten O.W.L.s too, Ron!" he said with a smile. "Now, now, don't bother the patient. He'll be leaving once he gets dressed and then you'll have him all to yourself again." Madam Pomfrey said with a smile as she rushed Ron and Hermione off. "Now get dressed, Potter, and on your way! The feast is waiting for you down in the Great Hall." Harry pulled the curtain around his bed and dressed in his robes. He put his wand back into his pocket and opened the curtain. Harry left the hospital wing and headed down to the Great Hall. When he pushed the doors open to the Great Hall, the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor tables all erupted in applause and cheers. The Slytherins didn't say anything they just sat quietly and sulked. The rafters were decorated with scarlet and gold banners with lions on them. Harry looked shocked. Dumbledore stood at his place at the staff table and clapped with the students. Harry wandered over and took a seat at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione and Ron. "Tonight, we will be recognizing young Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. "He has more courage and heart than anyone I've met in my great many years, and that's saying something. His loyalty rises above most, as does his two best friends', Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Thus, lifting their house to winning the House Cup for the fifth year in a row. Harry Potter was willing to put more on the line for this school than anyone else was-his life. For this, he will be given special awards from the school acknowledging him for his great accomplishments, and he shall receive the Order of Merlin, first class from the Ministry of Magic. Let us all raise our goblets and drink to Harry Potter." They all raised their goblets and said "To Harry Potter!" Harry felt himself growing red. He didn't ask to be honored. He looked at Ron and Hermione expecting to see them (or at least Ron) frowning. But to his surprise they were smiling greater than anyone else was in the Great Hall. Then Harry realized- they were proud of him. Hagrid lifted his great mug and cheered. Then Dumbledore waved his hand and said, "Let the feast begin!" And all the golden platters filled with food. Everyone ate until they were full. Later that afternoon, all of the Hogwarts students were gathering at the Hogsmeade train station to take them home for the summer break. Hagrid and Sirius (in dog form) were standing by the train. Harry hugged each of them. Hagrid wiped a tear from his face with his giant sleeve and said, "Yer done real good, 'arry. Yer made me real prou' of yer." Then he blew his nose on his sleeve and waved good bye to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They all gathered in their compartment grinning at each other. It had been an excellent year.
Harry woke up the next afternoon in the hospital wing. He sat up and put on his glasses. He saw that someone had retrieved his wand for him and it lay on the nightstand. Ron and Hermione ran over to him. "Harry!" they shouted together. "Are you all right? We heard what happened! How dreadful it must have been for you!" Hermione said. "We received our O.W.L.s scores this morning, Harry, we've brought yours with us. I got twelve O.W.L.s!" Ron smiled and said, "And I got ten, Harry, ten O.W.L.s!" Harry smiled and opened his envelope. He read the results and looked up. "I got ten O.W.L.s too, Ron!" he said with a smile. "Now, now, don't bother the patient. He'll be leaving once he gets dressed and then you'll have him all to yourself again." Madam Pomfrey said with a smile as she rushed Ron and Hermione off. "Now get dressed, Potter, and on your way! The feast is waiting for you down in the Great Hall." Harry pulled the curtain around his bed and dressed in his robes. He put his wand back into his pocket and opened the curtain. Harry left the hospital wing and headed down to the Great Hall. When he pushed the doors open to the Great Hall, the Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Gryffindor tables all erupted in applause and cheers. The Slytherins didn't say anything they just sat quietly and sulked. The rafters were decorated with scarlet and gold banners with lions on them. Harry looked shocked. Dumbledore stood at his place at the staff table and clapped with the students. Harry wandered over and took a seat at the Gryffindor table next to Hermione and Ron. "Tonight, we will be recognizing young Mr. Potter." Dumbledore said. "He has more courage and heart than anyone I've met in my great many years, and that's saying something. His loyalty rises above most, as does his two best friends', Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger. Thus, lifting their house to winning the House Cup for the fifth year in a row. Harry Potter was willing to put more on the line for this school than anyone else was-his life. For this, he will be given special awards from the school acknowledging him for his great accomplishments, and he shall receive the Order of Merlin, first class from the Ministry of Magic. Let us all raise our goblets and drink to Harry Potter." They all raised their goblets and said "To Harry Potter!" Harry felt himself growing red. He didn't ask to be honored. He looked at Ron and Hermione expecting to see them (or at least Ron) frowning. But to his surprise they were smiling greater than anyone else was in the Great Hall. Then Harry realized- they were proud of him. Hagrid lifted his great mug and cheered. Then Dumbledore waved his hand and said, "Let the feast begin!" And all the golden platters filled with food. Everyone ate until they were full. Later that afternoon, all of the Hogwarts students were gathering at the Hogsmeade train station to take them home for the summer break. Hagrid and Sirius (in dog form) were standing by the train. Harry hugged each of them. Hagrid wiped a tear from his face with his giant sleeve and said, "Yer done real good, 'arry. Yer made me real prou' of yer." Then he blew his nose on his sleeve and waved good bye to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. They all gathered in their compartment grinning at each other. It had been an excellent year.