The Choice Within A Dream (Le Choix Dans Un Rêve)
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!
Oh, you hate me now, don't you? [just don't sever any part of my body] =p
I've thought about this from the start, and this is how I wanted it to end. Sorry to disappoint, everyone. This is the last chapter. I haven't begun to think about the sequel so I don't know when I'll be posting it. But there has to be, right? With what I have been writing, there has to be.
Anyway, this is it. The end. Some of you might think it sad, or boring, or overly dramatic but I like how it all turned out. It's kind of long [compared to my other 6-paged chapters, this one has 10 pages]. Hope you enjoyed the show with me. See you, soon!
Thanks for reading my story!
+cheers to you readers+
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p
+read, enjoy, review+
Chapter 18 - Once Upon A Dream (Une fois sur un rêve)
Harry stared at the grounds of Hogwarts. With the use of his trusty broom, he had flown up to the Astronomy Tower to get away from everyone, and everything. He lay there, staring at the stars, twinkling down at him.
He heard the rustle of feathers, and when he looked to his right, there was Hedwig. She flapped her wings and landed beside him. She rubbed her head against his arm.
"Hello, Hedwig," Harry mumbled caressing her feathers. "Unbelievable, isn't it? In a few days, we'd be leaving this place and we won't be coming back."
Her eyes looked sorrowful.
"Seven years with me, in this place," Harry said softly. "I don't know what I'd do after this, Hedwig. Probably be an auror, as McGonagall said once. Or I could try for the Quidditch league, or-" he stopped. He didn't want to be thinking about the future.
"Harry? Whom are you talking to?" Hermione's sweet voice asked from behind him.
Hedwig rustled her feathers and departed into the night. Harry grinned sheepishly at Hermione. "Well, I was talking to Hedwig but now she's left me."
Hermione giggled slightly. "I have a confession to make," she whispered as she sat down beside Harry, staring into his eyes.
"You do?"
She nodded, and gazed at the sky, then she looked back at Harry. "I've always heard you talking to Hedwig."
Harry blushed. He'd been talking to Hedwig for ages. Who knew what kinds of things Hermione had heard him say to Hedwig?
"Er, did you hear anything that would, er, put me in a embarrassing position?"
Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "Oh no. I wouldn't do that to you, Harry. You're too kind. Don't worry. I didn't stay that long to listen to you. I knew I was interrupting a private moment, and I left."
"Well, thanks," Harry said with relief. "Not many people would leave. In fact, they'd rather stay and listen, and then put me in a compromising position the next day."
"I surely don't have anything against you, Harry Potter. So no need to worry about me doing that," Hermione responded, reassuringly. "And just for the record, not many people talk to their pets."
"Yes they do!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Hermione. "Animals are great listeners."
"And people are not?" Hermione challenged.
"Well, not all people," Harry answered hastily. "I meant, animals just let you talk and talk and they understand you completely. They don't try to feel sorry for you, or anything."
"That's the same with people," Hermione remarked indignantly, but she was smiling. "People do let you talk until you've said what you wanted to say. And they don't feel sorry for you. People understand more how you're feeling because they went through what you went through."
"Did you go through being an orphan?" Harry asked in defense.
Hermione stared at Harry. "Harry, I-"
"Don't say you're sorry, because you don't know what it's like to loose your parents, to not even know your parents," Harry snapped.
Hermione looked at him, her eyes hurt at what he had just said. If he only knew... "Harry, you have no idea," she whispered though Harry heard it.
"What?"
"Never mind," Hermione said shaking her head. "Okay, animals do make better listeners because their parents died too. They know what you went through."
"Hermione, all I'm saying is," Harry sighed deeply. He was getting frustrated because she was near him, and every time she was near him, he couldn't help but think about the love that he lost. "Just forget about it, alright?"
They were both silent for a while, each with their own thoughts until Hermione broke the silence, speaking in a soft frightened voice, "Harry, I'm worried about you. Ever since you've," she paused, her voice breaking, "-I don't know if it's because Ron and I are together, and you think we want you out because we don't. We're still the best of friends, Harry. You know that."
No, Harry thought miserably. If you only knew how much I loved you.
"Harry, please tell me," Hermione pleaded, her eyes now shining with tears. "Every time I.I see you, I feel so worried. Is this about Voldemort? Is he bothering you again?"
Up until that moment, Harry didn't think that all these could've been the workings of the Dark Lord himself. After all, Professor Dumbledore said that Voldemort could control minds. Was he the one behind all this? But what about Sir Richard, was he real or not?
"No, it's not that," Harry mumbled, more to himself than to Hermione.
"Then was it, Harry?" Hermione persisted.
Harry looked at her, his eyes sad. He would tell her, just not now. Not when he didn't understand it all himself. "Hermione, I don't know what to tell you. It's," he paused searching for a better word. "-complicated. I don't understand it myself."
Hermione nodded. "I wish you'd tell me, Harry. I really do."
"I will, Hermione," Harry answered. "In time, I promise you I will."
Hermione stood up. "Don't forget you made a promise," she said softly to him.
Harry's eyes clouded over, because he remembered a promise that they both made but she surely had already forgotten. And he remembered that moment.
"Harry," she had said that last Saturday morning he had spent with Hermione. She had smiled sweetly at him. "How are you feeling?"
In reply, he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Much better when you're here," he murmured and he truly meant it. "I love you, Hermione."
"Oh Harry, je t'aime," whispered Hermione blissfully. "I love you."
"Promise me you won't forget me," Harry whispered to her, nuzzling her hair.
Hermione leaned back, and frowning slightly, she stared at him with questioning eyes. "Harry, what are you saying?" she asked. "What's going on? You look so sad half the time, are you alright?"
Oh, she had looked so worried for him. She didn't know.
"Promise me," he insisted, caressing her cheeks.
"Of course I won't forget. I love you, with all my heart," Hermione reassured. She looked in his eyes, trying to read his mind. She wanted so much to know what had been troubling him for so long. "Harry, I won't forget you. I love you so much."
"But you will. He said you will," Harry muttered distractedly.
Back at the present, atop the Astronomy Tower, Harry gazed longingly at Hermione. There was no way that she would've remembered the love they shared in a different world - a world where there were no flying broomsticks, incantations or spells. A world where magic was sometimes called 'love'.
Hermione looked him in the eye. "A promise is a promise," she said softly.
He looked away, at the endless night sky, and turning back to her, he nodded. "I promise I won't forget."
With a contented smile, Hermione left.
----------
It was a clear sunny day as students of Hogwarts all set out on the platform. Harry couldn't believe it. He was never going to see Hogwarts again.
Before he stepped onto the train, he turned around for one last look.
"Yeh'll be back, 'Arry," a gruff voice said.
Harry grinned at Hagrid. "Well, I made it, Hagrid. I'm a real wizard now."
"Real wizard? Yeh 'av always bin a wizard ever since you wa' jus' a baby," Hagrid replied smiling at him, his black beetle eyes full of warmth. He drew Harry in a tight hug and when he pulled away, a tear glistened in his eyes. "Yeh're so tall now," he choked out.
Harry chuckled. "I grew up, Hagrid."
Hagrid nodded and blew his nose with a cloth the size of a blanket.
"Oh, Hagrid," Hermione's gentle voice cried out. She stepped out from the train, and hugged Hagrid. "I'll miss you."
Ron nodded, and hugged Hagrid as well. He tried to speak except what came out was a choked sound of, "Agrid." Ron swallowed the lump on his throat, refusing to cry.
"Well, no' as much as I'll miss the three o' yeh," Hagrid said rubbing his eyes. "Yeh three were the greatest bunch o' people I know, except Dumbledore himself, o'course."
The train whistled and everyone else clambered on board.
"We'll see you, Hagrid," Hermione called, tears glistening in her eyes. "Goodbye!"
"See you, Hagrid! I'll probably came back to teach," Ron finally cried out.
Harry grabbed hold of the train, as pulled himself inside. He stuck his head out as the train began to pick up speed. "We'll come back, Hagrid. And I'll write always, Hagrid. Thanks for everything!"
Hagrid howled as he waved goodbye to them, blowing his nose every now and then on the oversized handkerchief he had. Harry watched from the door, as Hogwarts moved further and further away and Hagrid became but a small dot in the distance, until he was entirely gone.
He wondered when he would be seeing Hagrid again.
He wondered if he'd be seeing Hogwarts again.
He did want to go back and maybe tell Dumbledore what had happened to him, the dreams he had. He suspected that Dumbledore, at least, had something to do with the Erised Charm. And Harry realized that someday, he'd be returning to Hogwarts where he and Dumbledore would talk about the effects of the Erised Charm just as he and Sir Richard had.
The three of them trudged towards their compartment with heavy hearts. Graduation always meant it was the end but they didn't want it all to end. Not just yet. Hogwarts was such a fantastic place and it all made them feel miserable that they won't be coming back ever.
"I'll miss Hogwarts," Hermione said mournfully.
Ron nodded in agreement. "Definitely not Snape, though."
Harry shrugged. He wasn't exactly best friends with Snape, but he had found out more about Snape to ensure that his old Potions Professor surely wasn't on the side of Voldemort. But that didn't mean he was going to miss Snape.
He was surely going to miss Hagrid. He told himself he'd come by Diagon Alley every now and then, just to see if Hagrid was there.
"Wonder what's going to happen now," Ron mumbled gazing out the window.
"Work, of course," Hermione replied absent-mindedly. "I don't think I'm going to be a dentist, though," she added with a half-smile on her face.
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, wondering if they'd be getting married.
"What kind of work do you think?" Ron asked.
"Well, the Ministry of Magic is always a good start," Hermione replied.
Ron snorted. "I'm not the type for that."
Hermione smiled understandingly. "I realized that, Ron. Neither am I," she explained, "I mean I'd really rather go back to Hogwarts and teach. Imagine, I'd be working with McGonagall, and I'd be teaching new wizards and witches-"
"How can you stand teaching little brats? Can you just imagine what we were like before?" Ron interrupted, a revolted look on his face.
"Well, no one asked you to teach," Hermione snapped, blushing. "You can always try for a Quidditch team or something."
Ron cast a sideways glance at Harry. "Dunno. You'd wanna try, Harry?"
Harry stared at Ron. "Maybe," he replied with a shrug. "I just don't know how I'd want to spend the rest of my life," he paused thinking about his parents and wondering how they would've spent the rest of their lives. "I'd probably be like my dad and mum."
And they all fell silent, each with their own thoughts. They were all thinking about the late Mr. and Mrs. James Potter. They had fought the war against Voldemort, until they died. Harry decided in his heart he was going to do the same thing. He was not going to rest until Voldemort was defeated.
Unbeknownst to him, Hermione and Ron made the same pledge in their hearts.
The mood lightened as though a spell was cast upon the compartment. Harry understood why. It was because of what had just happened. All three of them had made the same pledge and he knew, they'd stand together.
For the rest of the trip, they talked about their times at Hogwarts, where they were joined by their other fellow Gryffindors. They talked about the times they had spent at Hogwarts as friends and sometimes enemies. But as the train neared King's Cross Station, Harry felt a surge of joy as he gazed at the young faces of his friends.
This scene was forever going to stay in his mind. But later on, he found out that Colin Creevey was standing outside the door with his camera that had been bewitched to take pictures even beyond closed doors, and Colin had taken a picture of the Gryffindor seventh years on their last train ride, for the last time they'd be together as a group.
As they alighted from the scarlet steam engine that used to take them to Hogwarts and away from it, Harry felt another tinge of sadness. But as he saw his godfather waving at him, along with Lupin, his sadness was replaced with joy. He grinned broadly as he approached them.
"Oh, it's good to see them," Hermione said happily, and ran towards her parents.
Ron did the same, walking briskly towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and their sons, with Ginny in tow. Mrs. Weasley started gushing over how proud she was of her youngest son, and George and Fred told him that they too were proud of 'Ronniekins.'
"How you doing, Harry?" Sirius Black asked, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Alright," Harry replied as Sirius' strong arms engulfed him a tight hug. He heard Sirius sniff and Harry felt awkward. Why was his godfather crying for?
Sirius pulled back. "Your mum and dad are proud of you, Harry."
Harry stared back at him, feeling a lump forming in his throat. Hearing Sirius talk about his parents as though they were alive made him feel hopeful. He nodded at Sirius.
"We are proud of you, Harry," Lupin added smiling.
Sirius stepped back, and Harry hugged Lupin. He was, after all, more than just a teacher. He was his father's friend and his, too. Harry grinned as he pulled back, looking at the two men who meant so much to him. They were his friends, his brothers and sometimes, his father - he couldn't decide which.
"Thanks a lot, Sirius and Remus," Harry said truly meaning it.
"Aw," Sirius began grinning. "My godson has graduated. Well, how does it feel like, now that you're a full-fledged wizard who can do anything?"
"I can join the Order now," Harry said suddenly. He hadn't expected that.
Sirius and Remus looked at each other, then back at Harry. "You sure can," Remus said, and Sirius nodded fervently. "We'd be glad to have you as a member."
"Now come on, enough about that," Sirius interrupted lightly. "Molly's got a scrumptious party waiting for us, all because of the three of you graduating. Come on," he said as they walked towards the Weasleys and the Grangers.
Mrs. Weasley immediately swooped down on him, and hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes. "Harry, congratulations!" she choked out.
"Now, now, Molly, you don't want to strangle Harry," Arthur Weasley soothed as he gently pried his wife's arms off Harry. He smiled apologetically at Harry, saying, "Good to see you, Harry."
Harry grinned at him, while Ron beamed. "Mum's prepared food for us!"
"Shall we go then?" George asked, checking an imaginary watch.
Fred nodded beside him. "We still have lots to do than spend time with-"
"Oh, shush, Fred," Mrs. Weasley interrupted growing annoyed. "You both shall be spending time with us at Godric's Hollow and not at that joke shop of yours-"
"Mum!" Fred cried out in alarm.
"I sure missed this," Harry whispered to Hermione who giggled.
"We have to work!" George exclaimed. "It was you who told that we need to work-"
"Now is not the time for this," Mrs. Weasley scolded. She looked around at everyone, saying, "All right everyone know what to do?"
Harry grinned. She meant they were going to apparate to Godric's Hollow, which had been his home for the past two years and he was excited to see it again and Dobby, as well.
"What?" Ginny asked confused.
"Oh right," Mrs. Weasley said as though she just remembered something she had forgotten. "Ginny hasn't been doing good on her apparating skills."
"Er," Hermione began. "Neither have my parents."
Everyone laughed, except the Grangers who looked confused. "What's apparating?" Mr. Granger asked, looking expectantly at Hermione.
"Disappearing from one place and reappearing in another," she answered without missing a beat.
Ron snorted. "We're no longer in class, Hermione."
"I knew that," Hermione replied hotly, as a blush rolled up her cheeks.
"We'll find a fire grate for the Grangers to use," Lupin said wryly.
Sirius nodded. "We have to get home now before Dobby tears the house apart with all his 'Welcome Harry, Ron and Hermione' banners and not to mention all the lions he'd be making," he said seriously. Turning to the three, he added as an afterthought, "I daresay you'd find him and Winky getting along more than you expected."
Harry's mouth fell open. "Dobby? And.and.WINKY?"
"Ooh, Harry, just imagine," Hermione cried out, clearly delighted. "You'd have a family of house elves!"
"A FAMILY OF HOUSE ELVES?!" Ron exclaimed, a revolted look on his face. He turned to Harry and said, "Just think, house elves wearing hats and socks, and other clothes. You'd run out of socks by next Christmas!"
"Ron, don't be stupid," Hermoine argued annoyed.
"What?" Ron cried out indignantly.
The two kept arguing as they wheeled their trolleys out of the station into the gateway to the Muggle world. Harry hung back a bit.
"You okay, Harry?" Siruis asked.
"I'm not sure," Harry mumbled though he wasn't sure if Sirius heard it. He himself didn't know if he was going to be all right. Now, Hermione loved Ron and there was nothing he could do about it. He should, after all, be happy for his friends.
But he was happy for the way things were turning out now. He'd be spending lots of times with the people that he loved the most. And he knew that his parents were watching him, guiding him, up to the day he would be joining them.
As everyone began talking about magic and witches and wizards, Harry could still remember that far-off place, in a dream, where there were no witches or wizards. Where he went to the local Public School. Where Hermione loved him, where his parents were alive. Where he did not know magic, except the magic that was of love.
It was strange. If he were given a choice, he still would have chosen..
[THE END]
Complete Summary: The muggles in the Harry Potter series did not receive their letters from Hogwarts because a very strict Headmaster, who does not accept muggles, runs the school. So Harry, Hermione and Dean Thomas don't know anything about magic or anything that is associated with it (including Ron). It's like Hogwarts never happened.
Harry lives a normal life, with both his parents and his two best friends, Hermione and Dean. But in a dream, Harry finds himself in a magical world where there is a boy named Ron, where he is famous for a lightning bolt scar but, a world wherein his parents are dead.
In the end, Harry Potter has to choose between living the life of a muggle, or living in the world of magic.
*Note* I'm putting French translations, because I want to. Hehehe. Hope you like this story, and if you're confused, or you hate it, or you like it =) .then just review and say so. Thanks for the reviews!!! =) Cheers to you readers!
Oh, you hate me now, don't you? [just don't sever any part of my body] =p
I've thought about this from the start, and this is how I wanted it to end. Sorry to disappoint, everyone. This is the last chapter. I haven't begun to think about the sequel so I don't know when I'll be posting it. But there has to be, right? With what I have been writing, there has to be.
Anyway, this is it. The end. Some of you might think it sad, or boring, or overly dramatic but I like how it all turned out. It's kind of long [compared to my other 6-paged chapters, this one has 10 pages]. Hope you enjoyed the show with me. See you, soon!
Thanks for reading my story!
+cheers to you readers+
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Harry Potter. That's thanks to J.K. Rowling, not me. :-p
+read, enjoy, review+
Chapter 18 - Once Upon A Dream (Une fois sur un rêve)
Harry stared at the grounds of Hogwarts. With the use of his trusty broom, he had flown up to the Astronomy Tower to get away from everyone, and everything. He lay there, staring at the stars, twinkling down at him.
He heard the rustle of feathers, and when he looked to his right, there was Hedwig. She flapped her wings and landed beside him. She rubbed her head against his arm.
"Hello, Hedwig," Harry mumbled caressing her feathers. "Unbelievable, isn't it? In a few days, we'd be leaving this place and we won't be coming back."
Her eyes looked sorrowful.
"Seven years with me, in this place," Harry said softly. "I don't know what I'd do after this, Hedwig. Probably be an auror, as McGonagall said once. Or I could try for the Quidditch league, or-" he stopped. He didn't want to be thinking about the future.
"Harry? Whom are you talking to?" Hermione's sweet voice asked from behind him.
Hedwig rustled her feathers and departed into the night. Harry grinned sheepishly at Hermione. "Well, I was talking to Hedwig but now she's left me."
Hermione giggled slightly. "I have a confession to make," she whispered as she sat down beside Harry, staring into his eyes.
"You do?"
She nodded, and gazed at the sky, then she looked back at Harry. "I've always heard you talking to Hedwig."
Harry blushed. He'd been talking to Hedwig for ages. Who knew what kinds of things Hermione had heard him say to Hedwig?
"Er, did you hear anything that would, er, put me in a embarrassing position?"
Hermione laughed, shaking her head. "Oh no. I wouldn't do that to you, Harry. You're too kind. Don't worry. I didn't stay that long to listen to you. I knew I was interrupting a private moment, and I left."
"Well, thanks," Harry said with relief. "Not many people would leave. In fact, they'd rather stay and listen, and then put me in a compromising position the next day."
"I surely don't have anything against you, Harry Potter. So no need to worry about me doing that," Hermione responded, reassuringly. "And just for the record, not many people talk to their pets."
"Yes they do!" Harry exclaimed, looking at Hermione. "Animals are great listeners."
"And people are not?" Hermione challenged.
"Well, not all people," Harry answered hastily. "I meant, animals just let you talk and talk and they understand you completely. They don't try to feel sorry for you, or anything."
"That's the same with people," Hermione remarked indignantly, but she was smiling. "People do let you talk until you've said what you wanted to say. And they don't feel sorry for you. People understand more how you're feeling because they went through what you went through."
"Did you go through being an orphan?" Harry asked in defense.
Hermione stared at Harry. "Harry, I-"
"Don't say you're sorry, because you don't know what it's like to loose your parents, to not even know your parents," Harry snapped.
Hermione looked at him, her eyes hurt at what he had just said. If he only knew... "Harry, you have no idea," she whispered though Harry heard it.
"What?"
"Never mind," Hermione said shaking her head. "Okay, animals do make better listeners because their parents died too. They know what you went through."
"Hermione, all I'm saying is," Harry sighed deeply. He was getting frustrated because she was near him, and every time she was near him, he couldn't help but think about the love that he lost. "Just forget about it, alright?"
They were both silent for a while, each with their own thoughts until Hermione broke the silence, speaking in a soft frightened voice, "Harry, I'm worried about you. Ever since you've," she paused, her voice breaking, "-I don't know if it's because Ron and I are together, and you think we want you out because we don't. We're still the best of friends, Harry. You know that."
No, Harry thought miserably. If you only knew how much I loved you.
"Harry, please tell me," Hermione pleaded, her eyes now shining with tears. "Every time I.I see you, I feel so worried. Is this about Voldemort? Is he bothering you again?"
Up until that moment, Harry didn't think that all these could've been the workings of the Dark Lord himself. After all, Professor Dumbledore said that Voldemort could control minds. Was he the one behind all this? But what about Sir Richard, was he real or not?
"No, it's not that," Harry mumbled, more to himself than to Hermione.
"Then was it, Harry?" Hermione persisted.
Harry looked at her, his eyes sad. He would tell her, just not now. Not when he didn't understand it all himself. "Hermione, I don't know what to tell you. It's," he paused searching for a better word. "-complicated. I don't understand it myself."
Hermione nodded. "I wish you'd tell me, Harry. I really do."
"I will, Hermione," Harry answered. "In time, I promise you I will."
Hermione stood up. "Don't forget you made a promise," she said softly to him.
Harry's eyes clouded over, because he remembered a promise that they both made but she surely had already forgotten. And he remembered that moment.
"Harry," she had said that last Saturday morning he had spent with Hermione. She had smiled sweetly at him. "How are you feeling?"
In reply, he bent down and kissed her lightly on the lips. "Much better when you're here," he murmured and he truly meant it. "I love you, Hermione."
"Oh Harry, je t'aime," whispered Hermione blissfully. "I love you."
"Promise me you won't forget me," Harry whispered to her, nuzzling her hair.
Hermione leaned back, and frowning slightly, she stared at him with questioning eyes. "Harry, what are you saying?" she asked. "What's going on? You look so sad half the time, are you alright?"
Oh, she had looked so worried for him. She didn't know.
"Promise me," he insisted, caressing her cheeks.
"Of course I won't forget. I love you, with all my heart," Hermione reassured. She looked in his eyes, trying to read his mind. She wanted so much to know what had been troubling him for so long. "Harry, I won't forget you. I love you so much."
"But you will. He said you will," Harry muttered distractedly.
Back at the present, atop the Astronomy Tower, Harry gazed longingly at Hermione. There was no way that she would've remembered the love they shared in a different world - a world where there were no flying broomsticks, incantations or spells. A world where magic was sometimes called 'love'.
Hermione looked him in the eye. "A promise is a promise," she said softly.
He looked away, at the endless night sky, and turning back to her, he nodded. "I promise I won't forget."
With a contented smile, Hermione left.
----------
It was a clear sunny day as students of Hogwarts all set out on the platform. Harry couldn't believe it. He was never going to see Hogwarts again.
Before he stepped onto the train, he turned around for one last look.
"Yeh'll be back, 'Arry," a gruff voice said.
Harry grinned at Hagrid. "Well, I made it, Hagrid. I'm a real wizard now."
"Real wizard? Yeh 'av always bin a wizard ever since you wa' jus' a baby," Hagrid replied smiling at him, his black beetle eyes full of warmth. He drew Harry in a tight hug and when he pulled away, a tear glistened in his eyes. "Yeh're so tall now," he choked out.
Harry chuckled. "I grew up, Hagrid."
Hagrid nodded and blew his nose with a cloth the size of a blanket.
"Oh, Hagrid," Hermione's gentle voice cried out. She stepped out from the train, and hugged Hagrid. "I'll miss you."
Ron nodded, and hugged Hagrid as well. He tried to speak except what came out was a choked sound of, "Agrid." Ron swallowed the lump on his throat, refusing to cry.
"Well, no' as much as I'll miss the three o' yeh," Hagrid said rubbing his eyes. "Yeh three were the greatest bunch o' people I know, except Dumbledore himself, o'course."
The train whistled and everyone else clambered on board.
"We'll see you, Hagrid," Hermione called, tears glistening in her eyes. "Goodbye!"
"See you, Hagrid! I'll probably came back to teach," Ron finally cried out.
Harry grabbed hold of the train, as pulled himself inside. He stuck his head out as the train began to pick up speed. "We'll come back, Hagrid. And I'll write always, Hagrid. Thanks for everything!"
Hagrid howled as he waved goodbye to them, blowing his nose every now and then on the oversized handkerchief he had. Harry watched from the door, as Hogwarts moved further and further away and Hagrid became but a small dot in the distance, until he was entirely gone.
He wondered when he would be seeing Hagrid again.
He wondered if he'd be seeing Hogwarts again.
He did want to go back and maybe tell Dumbledore what had happened to him, the dreams he had. He suspected that Dumbledore, at least, had something to do with the Erised Charm. And Harry realized that someday, he'd be returning to Hogwarts where he and Dumbledore would talk about the effects of the Erised Charm just as he and Sir Richard had.
The three of them trudged towards their compartment with heavy hearts. Graduation always meant it was the end but they didn't want it all to end. Not just yet. Hogwarts was such a fantastic place and it all made them feel miserable that they won't be coming back ever.
"I'll miss Hogwarts," Hermione said mournfully.
Ron nodded in agreement. "Definitely not Snape, though."
Harry shrugged. He wasn't exactly best friends with Snape, but he had found out more about Snape to ensure that his old Potions Professor surely wasn't on the side of Voldemort. But that didn't mean he was going to miss Snape.
He was surely going to miss Hagrid. He told himself he'd come by Diagon Alley every now and then, just to see if Hagrid was there.
"Wonder what's going to happen now," Ron mumbled gazing out the window.
"Work, of course," Hermione replied absent-mindedly. "I don't think I'm going to be a dentist, though," she added with a half-smile on her face.
Harry looked at Ron and Hermione, wondering if they'd be getting married.
"What kind of work do you think?" Ron asked.
"Well, the Ministry of Magic is always a good start," Hermione replied.
Ron snorted. "I'm not the type for that."
Hermione smiled understandingly. "I realized that, Ron. Neither am I," she explained, "I mean I'd really rather go back to Hogwarts and teach. Imagine, I'd be working with McGonagall, and I'd be teaching new wizards and witches-"
"How can you stand teaching little brats? Can you just imagine what we were like before?" Ron interrupted, a revolted look on his face.
"Well, no one asked you to teach," Hermione snapped, blushing. "You can always try for a Quidditch team or something."
Ron cast a sideways glance at Harry. "Dunno. You'd wanna try, Harry?"
Harry stared at Ron. "Maybe," he replied with a shrug. "I just don't know how I'd want to spend the rest of my life," he paused thinking about his parents and wondering how they would've spent the rest of their lives. "I'd probably be like my dad and mum."
And they all fell silent, each with their own thoughts. They were all thinking about the late Mr. and Mrs. James Potter. They had fought the war against Voldemort, until they died. Harry decided in his heart he was going to do the same thing. He was not going to rest until Voldemort was defeated.
Unbeknownst to him, Hermione and Ron made the same pledge in their hearts.
The mood lightened as though a spell was cast upon the compartment. Harry understood why. It was because of what had just happened. All three of them had made the same pledge and he knew, they'd stand together.
For the rest of the trip, they talked about their times at Hogwarts, where they were joined by their other fellow Gryffindors. They talked about the times they had spent at Hogwarts as friends and sometimes enemies. But as the train neared King's Cross Station, Harry felt a surge of joy as he gazed at the young faces of his friends.
This scene was forever going to stay in his mind. But later on, he found out that Colin Creevey was standing outside the door with his camera that had been bewitched to take pictures even beyond closed doors, and Colin had taken a picture of the Gryffindor seventh years on their last train ride, for the last time they'd be together as a group.
As they alighted from the scarlet steam engine that used to take them to Hogwarts and away from it, Harry felt another tinge of sadness. But as he saw his godfather waving at him, along with Lupin, his sadness was replaced with joy. He grinned broadly as he approached them.
"Oh, it's good to see them," Hermione said happily, and ran towards her parents.
Ron did the same, walking briskly towards Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and their sons, with Ginny in tow. Mrs. Weasley started gushing over how proud she was of her youngest son, and George and Fred told him that they too were proud of 'Ronniekins.'
"How you doing, Harry?" Sirius Black asked, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder.
"Alright," Harry replied as Sirius' strong arms engulfed him a tight hug. He heard Sirius sniff and Harry felt awkward. Why was his godfather crying for?
Sirius pulled back. "Your mum and dad are proud of you, Harry."
Harry stared back at him, feeling a lump forming in his throat. Hearing Sirius talk about his parents as though they were alive made him feel hopeful. He nodded at Sirius.
"We are proud of you, Harry," Lupin added smiling.
Sirius stepped back, and Harry hugged Lupin. He was, after all, more than just a teacher. He was his father's friend and his, too. Harry grinned as he pulled back, looking at the two men who meant so much to him. They were his friends, his brothers and sometimes, his father - he couldn't decide which.
"Thanks a lot, Sirius and Remus," Harry said truly meaning it.
"Aw," Sirius began grinning. "My godson has graduated. Well, how does it feel like, now that you're a full-fledged wizard who can do anything?"
"I can join the Order now," Harry said suddenly. He hadn't expected that.
Sirius and Remus looked at each other, then back at Harry. "You sure can," Remus said, and Sirius nodded fervently. "We'd be glad to have you as a member."
"Now come on, enough about that," Sirius interrupted lightly. "Molly's got a scrumptious party waiting for us, all because of the three of you graduating. Come on," he said as they walked towards the Weasleys and the Grangers.
Mrs. Weasley immediately swooped down on him, and hugged him tightly, tears in her eyes. "Harry, congratulations!" she choked out.
"Now, now, Molly, you don't want to strangle Harry," Arthur Weasley soothed as he gently pried his wife's arms off Harry. He smiled apologetically at Harry, saying, "Good to see you, Harry."
Harry grinned at him, while Ron beamed. "Mum's prepared food for us!"
"Shall we go then?" George asked, checking an imaginary watch.
Fred nodded beside him. "We still have lots to do than spend time with-"
"Oh, shush, Fred," Mrs. Weasley interrupted growing annoyed. "You both shall be spending time with us at Godric's Hollow and not at that joke shop of yours-"
"Mum!" Fred cried out in alarm.
"I sure missed this," Harry whispered to Hermione who giggled.
"We have to work!" George exclaimed. "It was you who told that we need to work-"
"Now is not the time for this," Mrs. Weasley scolded. She looked around at everyone, saying, "All right everyone know what to do?"
Harry grinned. She meant they were going to apparate to Godric's Hollow, which had been his home for the past two years and he was excited to see it again and Dobby, as well.
"What?" Ginny asked confused.
"Oh right," Mrs. Weasley said as though she just remembered something she had forgotten. "Ginny hasn't been doing good on her apparating skills."
"Er," Hermione began. "Neither have my parents."
Everyone laughed, except the Grangers who looked confused. "What's apparating?" Mr. Granger asked, looking expectantly at Hermione.
"Disappearing from one place and reappearing in another," she answered without missing a beat.
Ron snorted. "We're no longer in class, Hermione."
"I knew that," Hermione replied hotly, as a blush rolled up her cheeks.
"We'll find a fire grate for the Grangers to use," Lupin said wryly.
Sirius nodded. "We have to get home now before Dobby tears the house apart with all his 'Welcome Harry, Ron and Hermione' banners and not to mention all the lions he'd be making," he said seriously. Turning to the three, he added as an afterthought, "I daresay you'd find him and Winky getting along more than you expected."
Harry's mouth fell open. "Dobby? And.and.WINKY?"
"Ooh, Harry, just imagine," Hermione cried out, clearly delighted. "You'd have a family of house elves!"
"A FAMILY OF HOUSE ELVES?!" Ron exclaimed, a revolted look on his face. He turned to Harry and said, "Just think, house elves wearing hats and socks, and other clothes. You'd run out of socks by next Christmas!"
"Ron, don't be stupid," Hermoine argued annoyed.
"What?" Ron cried out indignantly.
The two kept arguing as they wheeled their trolleys out of the station into the gateway to the Muggle world. Harry hung back a bit.
"You okay, Harry?" Siruis asked.
"I'm not sure," Harry mumbled though he wasn't sure if Sirius heard it. He himself didn't know if he was going to be all right. Now, Hermione loved Ron and there was nothing he could do about it. He should, after all, be happy for his friends.
But he was happy for the way things were turning out now. He'd be spending lots of times with the people that he loved the most. And he knew that his parents were watching him, guiding him, up to the day he would be joining them.
As everyone began talking about magic and witches and wizards, Harry could still remember that far-off place, in a dream, where there were no witches or wizards. Where he went to the local Public School. Where Hermione loved him, where his parents were alive. Where he did not know magic, except the magic that was of love.
It was strange. If he were given a choice, he still would have chosen..
[THE END]
