CHAPTER 6-THE END OF DAYS
Dark clouds swirled and lightening cast harsh shadows from the enchanted ceiling, illuminating the crowd of silvery-white robes marching into the Great Hall. Nervous family members were squashed into rows of seats, which had replaced the long house tables. Equally nervous students pushed tassels out of their faces, scanning the room for a familiar face. As the graduates filed in by twos, Harry cast a sideways glance at Hermione. Muttering to herself and slightly panting, he thought she looked more nervous than she was before her first year hat sorting. Harry paused at this thought-it seemed only yesterday that the excitement of learning magic was there, when innocence remained. As his mind wandered, he stared aimlessly into the crowd. He rested upon the gaze of Mrs. Weasley. She smiled wistfully at him, teary eyed, and blew him a kiss. Feeling a lump forming in his throat, he looked away and unconsciously grabbed Hermione's hand. Her soft hand did not pull away, but rather gripped his tight, holding on for dear life. They made their way to the front of the room, fingers intertwined, caught in the dreariness of the black draperies that soiled the happy occasion.
As the graduates took their seats, the murmur of the hall settled and Professor McGonagall stepped behind the podium of a small stage that seemed to be gently floating in mid-air. Her mournful eyes gazed at the crowd for a moment before taking a breath and speaking.
"My dear children," she began, but stopped suddenly as she looked at the faces of the angel-robed teenagers. She shook her head slightly and landed on Harry's empty eyes.
"Oh, my dears, but you are not children anymore.no more. Of all the classes Hogwarts has ever seen, I am proud to say I have never taught one that has been stronger, smarter, brave.as beautiful as you are. And now the end has come."
Harry glanced around at his classmates, distracted by the noise of little sniffles. His eyes landed on Malfoy, who sat alone, Crabb and Goyle no longer at his side. Malfoy returned his gaze, but made no other movement- no sneers, smirks, comments. His eyes flickered to Harry's hand, which still tightly embraced Hermione's before returning his attention to McGonagall.
".we have lost so many smiling faces from our halls during your time here.Cedric.Ron Weasley.Headmaster Dumbledore.only to name a few. So many.as you walk from these gates into the world, remember the good they have done.remember their sacrifices.remember them."
Now the noise in the hall had elevated from the gentle droplets of sniffling to instances of outright wailing. Harry looked toward the ominous ceiling, offhandedly wondering how it became so stormy when the weather was beautifully clear all day.
"And now, I would like to present a person who has not only exemplified the standard of academic excellence Hogwarts strives to achieve, but also made proud the honor of Gryffendor (Professor McGonagall's chest swelled a little).your head girl and valedictorian, Hermione Granger."
Hermione smiled weakly and made to get up before she realized she was still attached to Harry. He gave her a reassuring smile and a tight squeeze before letting go. The hovering stage lowered for her to step onto before elevating again. She nodded lightly to the risers of professors, which Harry had failed to notice, although he should have known they would be there. They looked a bit odd, hovering there, facing the stage, and it took him a moment to realize some faces were missing. Hagrid sat in a frumpy suit next to Professor Sprout, both with a distracted look on their faces. Professor Trelawney's misty eyes scanned the graduates, a dark look on her face. Snape, Sirius, and Flitwick were no where to be seen. All eyes turned back to the stage as Hermione's wavering voice was amplified through the hall.
"Seven years ago we sat on boats together, gazing up at this place we would come to call home for the first time. Seven years ago we were divided.our houses became our families, our sanctions. But now we are one-the House of Dumbledore. Yet the House of Dumbledore has grown up.we're leaving Hogwarts."
Hermione's eyes shined out at the hundreds of faces, each returning her powerful gaze. Harry smiled slightly as he reflected how the mousy girl he had met at eleven had become a beautiful, confident young woman. His smile turned to a frown, however, as he glanced to the group of teachers to see Professor Trelawney in absolute hysterics. Taking this a little seriously, are we, Harry thought to himself as she leaned over Hagrid, tears and snot flowing freely. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, however, when her face turned in his direction. Her eyes were glazed, a look of pure terror on her face, took choked up to say words that seemed to want to pour from her lips. Hermione paid no attention, but was now holding a little piece of paper in her trembling hand.
".we're leaving and going our separate ways. But I will not forget what we had here.we must stay one."
A cold chill swept through the crowd, a cold that made one's breath catch in their chest and stayed in them. Crackles of lightening continued to sweep across the ceiling, but Hermione's voice went through them.
"No matter where you go, what profession you choose, what path you decide upon, remember Hogwarts.remember Harry run."
The sniffling stopped as everyone looked quizzically at Hermione. Harry gave her a puzzled look, but she did not look at him.
"Harry get out of here.NOW!!"
Harry felt the cold sweep around him, inside him, and his stomach dropped as he followed Hermione's terrified gaze towards the back of the hall, where there stood a half dozen Dementors, a handful of Death Eaters, around the piercing red eyes of Lord Voldemort.
Dark clouds swirled and lightening cast harsh shadows from the enchanted ceiling, illuminating the crowd of silvery-white robes marching into the Great Hall. Nervous family members were squashed into rows of seats, which had replaced the long house tables. Equally nervous students pushed tassels out of their faces, scanning the room for a familiar face. As the graduates filed in by twos, Harry cast a sideways glance at Hermione. Muttering to herself and slightly panting, he thought she looked more nervous than she was before her first year hat sorting. Harry paused at this thought-it seemed only yesterday that the excitement of learning magic was there, when innocence remained. As his mind wandered, he stared aimlessly into the crowd. He rested upon the gaze of Mrs. Weasley. She smiled wistfully at him, teary eyed, and blew him a kiss. Feeling a lump forming in his throat, he looked away and unconsciously grabbed Hermione's hand. Her soft hand did not pull away, but rather gripped his tight, holding on for dear life. They made their way to the front of the room, fingers intertwined, caught in the dreariness of the black draperies that soiled the happy occasion.
As the graduates took their seats, the murmur of the hall settled and Professor McGonagall stepped behind the podium of a small stage that seemed to be gently floating in mid-air. Her mournful eyes gazed at the crowd for a moment before taking a breath and speaking.
"My dear children," she began, but stopped suddenly as she looked at the faces of the angel-robed teenagers. She shook her head slightly and landed on Harry's empty eyes.
"Oh, my dears, but you are not children anymore.no more. Of all the classes Hogwarts has ever seen, I am proud to say I have never taught one that has been stronger, smarter, brave.as beautiful as you are. And now the end has come."
Harry glanced around at his classmates, distracted by the noise of little sniffles. His eyes landed on Malfoy, who sat alone, Crabb and Goyle no longer at his side. Malfoy returned his gaze, but made no other movement- no sneers, smirks, comments. His eyes flickered to Harry's hand, which still tightly embraced Hermione's before returning his attention to McGonagall.
".we have lost so many smiling faces from our halls during your time here.Cedric.Ron Weasley.Headmaster Dumbledore.only to name a few. So many.as you walk from these gates into the world, remember the good they have done.remember their sacrifices.remember them."
Now the noise in the hall had elevated from the gentle droplets of sniffling to instances of outright wailing. Harry looked toward the ominous ceiling, offhandedly wondering how it became so stormy when the weather was beautifully clear all day.
"And now, I would like to present a person who has not only exemplified the standard of academic excellence Hogwarts strives to achieve, but also made proud the honor of Gryffendor (Professor McGonagall's chest swelled a little).your head girl and valedictorian, Hermione Granger."
Hermione smiled weakly and made to get up before she realized she was still attached to Harry. He gave her a reassuring smile and a tight squeeze before letting go. The hovering stage lowered for her to step onto before elevating again. She nodded lightly to the risers of professors, which Harry had failed to notice, although he should have known they would be there. They looked a bit odd, hovering there, facing the stage, and it took him a moment to realize some faces were missing. Hagrid sat in a frumpy suit next to Professor Sprout, both with a distracted look on their faces. Professor Trelawney's misty eyes scanned the graduates, a dark look on her face. Snape, Sirius, and Flitwick were no where to be seen. All eyes turned back to the stage as Hermione's wavering voice was amplified through the hall.
"Seven years ago we sat on boats together, gazing up at this place we would come to call home for the first time. Seven years ago we were divided.our houses became our families, our sanctions. But now we are one-the House of Dumbledore. Yet the House of Dumbledore has grown up.we're leaving Hogwarts."
Hermione's eyes shined out at the hundreds of faces, each returning her powerful gaze. Harry smiled slightly as he reflected how the mousy girl he had met at eleven had become a beautiful, confident young woman. His smile turned to a frown, however, as he glanced to the group of teachers to see Professor Trelawney in absolute hysterics. Taking this a little seriously, are we, Harry thought to himself as she leaned over Hagrid, tears and snot flowing freely. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, however, when her face turned in his direction. Her eyes were glazed, a look of pure terror on her face, took choked up to say words that seemed to want to pour from her lips. Hermione paid no attention, but was now holding a little piece of paper in her trembling hand.
".we're leaving and going our separate ways. But I will not forget what we had here.we must stay one."
A cold chill swept through the crowd, a cold that made one's breath catch in their chest and stayed in them. Crackles of lightening continued to sweep across the ceiling, but Hermione's voice went through them.
"No matter where you go, what profession you choose, what path you decide upon, remember Hogwarts.remember Harry run."
The sniffling stopped as everyone looked quizzically at Hermione. Harry gave her a puzzled look, but she did not look at him.
"Harry get out of here.NOW!!"
Harry felt the cold sweep around him, inside him, and his stomach dropped as he followed Hermione's terrified gaze towards the back of the hall, where there stood a half dozen Dementors, a handful of Death Eaters, around the piercing red eyes of Lord Voldemort.