Chapter 53
All the captured Death Eaters were rounded up and carted away. The bodies of Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy, the only people that had died in the battle, were wrapped up and set aside for whatever it is they do with wizard bodies. Harry sat on one of the larger piles of rocks, his Firebolt beside him and Voldemort's broken wand in his hand.
He looked up at the sky with new eyes and saw wisps of white clouds scattered amongst the very blue background they danced in. A small breeze played over his face and for the fist time in sixteen and a half years Harry Potter felt free. No more living with the Dursley's, not more having a mortal enemy, unless you count Malfoy, and Harry thought that even then there would be an unspoken agreement to keep hostilities at bay and go their separate ways.
He saw Hermione laughing with Ron and Luna over a conversation that he had no knowledge and frankly he didn't much care as long as they were having fun.
"Harry," said a familiar voice from inches away.
He looked up, over his shoulder, and shielded his eyes from the morning sun. "Professor Dumbledore."
"I think it is time we returned to Hogwarts."
Harry nodded and picked up his broom stick before standing. He handed over Voldemort's wand and Dumbledore held it up. "Are you sure you won't keep this, Harry, as a memento, perhaps?"
Harry shook his head. "The scar's gone. Voldemort's gone. Lestrange is gone. I'm putting all of that behind me. I plan on having some fun for once in my life, and I don't want reminders of him."
Dumbledore smiled and nodded. "As you wish, Harry. I was wondering .."
"Yes sir?"
Dumbledore shook his head. "Another time perhaps. I believe the whole of the wizarding world has something to celebrate on this noteworthy day."
Hermione closed in behind him and slid her hand into the crook of his arm. He turned to her, smiled and before he knew it he was curtained from behind by the Order of the Dog Star.
As with any newsworthy event a photographer from the Daily Prophet arrived and started snapping pictures. For the first time in his life he didn't mind the number of flashes going off in front of his face and even had the Order pose for one.
Dumbledore shooed the photographer away and held the reporter at arms length with promises of an interview if she would leave them alone for a moment.
"Time for you to return. Have a good rest, for tonight we will have a celebration like none Hogwarts has seen in many years."
He picked up and tapped a piece of stone that had fallen from the house. "Portus!"
"Everyone grab on. In three, two, one."
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The day proceeded almost as normal, except that classes were cancelled because of lack of attention of the teachers, until word started to get out with the arrival of the lunchtime post owls.
"Is it true, Harry?" Seamus Finnigan called across and down from the table while holding a letter, presumably from his 'mam'.
"What's that?"
"That You-Know... that Voldemort's dead?"
Harry just smiled. "Were not supposed to say anything until tonight."
The normal chatter in the Great Hall rose to a fevered pitch, speculation regarding what happen, from what Harry could overhear, rose to Harry destroying the entire house single-handedly, to Voldemort performing the Killing Curse upon himself in despair at having to face Dumbledore and Harry at the same time.
The noise did come to a halt when the doors to the Great Hall opened to reveal Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, and Hagrid issuing forth to the head table.
By the time they had reached their seats and Dumbledore turned to address the students you could hear a flobberworm crawl.
"It seems as if news has spread in it the usual manner here at Hogwarts. So I will dispel any rumors that might have been told out of hand."
He took a deep breath. "At approximately nine-thirty this morning a fierce battle was fought at Malfoy Manor between members of Voldemort's Death Eaters, Voldemort himself and seven members of this school."
Murmurs started spreading. Harry turned to Hermione. "What's he playing at? What about the other Order?"
Hermione shrugged her shoulders and Dumbledore continued.
"Through extensive training and perseverance the members of your school now stand in victory over the Dark Lord and have seal the fates of what is assumed is all of his Death Eaters and Voldemort himself."
Cheers rose up along with yells of victory, clapping and hooting until Dumbledore raised his hands again. "I had intended to have a great feast tonight in honor of these seven brave students, but with news traveling as it has I think it is in order that we start the celebration, now."
He clapped his hands and the hall was inundated with banners, streamers, and party favors.
The door to the side of the staff table opened and Kingsley Shaklebolt stepped through carrying a good sized box with him. Dumbledore nodded in his direction.
"I would like the following students to make their way to the dais for their awards."
The order members looked at each other with questions on their faces.
"Luna Lovegood."
Ravenclaw table looked shocked, but nonetheless applauded loudly for their housemate.
"Neville Longbottom."
Gryffindor table yelled their cheers as well.
"Draco Black."
Harry could see the disheartened look on Malfoy's face at being singled out with the do-gooders and laughed to himself while Slytherin house applauded him.
"Ginny Weasley."
Gryffindor took over as the loudest house and kept applauding and cheering through the rest of the names.
"Ronald Weasley."
"Hermione Granger."
Harry waited anxiously for his name to be called but it never came. Kingsley Shaklebolt sat his box on the staff table and opened the lid withdrawing several scrolls and something else that Harry couldn't see. He stepped forward and turned to the students.
"For bravery and resourcefulness above and beyond the call of their station, I Kingsley Shaklebolt, Minister of Magic, award to each of these people behind me the Order of Merlin, First Class."
Harry yelled his joy along with the rest of the Hogwarts student body. The Minister stepped to each of them and hung a blue ribbon medallion around each of their necks, handed them a scroll, and shook their hands in turn. He laughed at Ron when he picked up his medallion and looked at it with disbelief.
Dumbledore raised his hands and the students quieted down once more.
"The next person we would like to acknowledge has been known throughout the wizarding world since he first defeated Voldemort some sixteen years ago. Who's bravery in the face of almost certain mortal peril over the years has led to multiple victory's over Voldemort and this morning to his eventual and unequivocal death. I am quite sure you will raise your glasses to this brave group's leader, Harry Potter."
Harry couldn't ever remember such a swell of pride rise in his chest as when Dumbledore mentioned his name in such regard. He rose from his seat and made his way up the aisle to raised glasses and shouts of encouragement. When he stepped up on the dais with his best friends in the entire world ... and Malfoy ... he saw Hermione covering her mouth and wiping away tears from her eyes as she grinned at him.
Kingsley walked over to him. "Harry," he whispered. "I wish there were a higher award I could give you."
He set a matching blue ribbon medallion around Harry's neck and handed him a scroll and shook his hand. "Congratulations."
Dumbledore shook his hand first and then proceeded to the rest of the Order and ... Malfoy, then turned to the student body. "Classes have been canceled for the remainder of the week. Enjoy your celebration!"
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Dumbledore had allowed Fred and George Weasley to set a rather large stand in front of the school for sale of their many fireworks that had been such a hit last year, and fairly soon the sky was full with spinning colors and explosions. Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick were even reported to be seen performing Vanishing Spells on quite a lot of them in order to see the fireworks divide ten-fold as they did the previous year.
Once the ground had turned to mush from the trampled snow the party turned inside the castle. Even the portraits were getting into the act as Harry saw the occupants drinking champagne and the mad-knight chasing a dragon around with a very large cocktail umbrella.
"So what do you have planned next, Harry," asked a very happy and extraordinarily tired Hermione as she set her head on his shoulder in front of the fire in the Gryffindor common room.
He shrugged. "I was thinking about getting married, graduating school, and setting up house with a very beautiful Gryffindor girl that I've had my eye on ... where is Ginny anyway?"
She smacked him on the chest playfully. "I'm serious."
He sighed. "I'm tired of planning ahead, Mione. I just want to take one day at a time."
She nodded. "I guess you've got your N.E.W.T.'s aced with what you've learned."
He agreed. "Think Dumbledore will let us take them early?"
"We could always ask. I suppose."
A tapping sounded at the common room window. Hermione looked over and spotted a snowy white owl. "It's Hedwig."
Harry jumped up and trotted to the window, unlatching it so Hedwig could hop inside. "What do you have girl?"
He took a folded note from her beak and reached into his pocket for a treat.
Harry,
Your presence is requested in my office at your earliest convenience.
Dumbledore
He handed the note to Hermione who yawned. "That's okay. I wanted to get to sleep early tonight." She stood and tiptoed up to meet his lips. "I'll be waiting."
He watched as she disappeared behind the portrait of the Thin Lady and made his way to the headmaster's office. The halls were still filled with very happy students and an even grumpier Argus Filch who was sitting on the Grand Stairway petting a very disgruntled Mrs. Norris muttering something about having to clean up the mess. Harry laughed to himself the rest of the way to the office and up the revolving spiral staircase.
He knocked lightly.
"Come in Harry. Come in."
He opened the door and stuck his head in. "You wanted to see me sir."
Dumbledore held out his hand to the chair in front of his desk. "Thank you for coming so quickly. I thought we might have time for a little chat before you retire for the evening."
Harry nodded and noticed a familiar scroll and blue ribbon medallion laying on Dumbledore's desk.
"Congratulations sir. That's your second Order of Merlin, isn't it?"
Dumbledore looked down at the award and sighed softly. "Harry things like this mean very little to me anymore, however, what it symbolizes does hold dear to my heart." He paused as if reflective thought. "There are two things I want you to take away here with you tonight. First, a strong assurance that Voldemort is truly dead."
Harry nodded. "The scar..."
Dumbledore interrupted him. "Yes, your scar. And If I am not mistaken you will be missing two other things as well: your lucid dreams, and your ability to speak Parseltongue."
Harry hadn't thought of it but it made sense if Voldemort was dead that perhaps so would his connection that allowed him those particular abilities.
Dumbledore raised his wand. "If I may?"
Harry nodded and watched as Dumbledore conjured a small garden snake in a goblet.
He looked at the snake and spoke to it. "Alright there?"
Dumbledore smiled and vanished the snake. "Very good, Harry."
He assumed he didn't say anything in Parseltongue by the headmaster's smile.
"Now, second, is this." He handed Harry the medallion and scroll.
"But ..." he started to protest about already storing his away on his desk in his study.
"This award is not for you, Harry, but for Sirius ... posthumously." He paused. "All of the members of Order of the Phoenix that were at the battle have received theirs and those that weren't have been awarded the Order of Merlin, Second Class for their participation in the downfall of Voldemort."
"But ..."
"I thought it best, for strategic reasons, not to reveal the Order's members nor its involvement in case there is further need of its services in the future."
He leaned back in his chair. "Your Order will receive full credit for their involvement as the general public will need something or rather someone to believe in and hold in high regard. I believe Sirius and your Order will serve in that position quite nicely."
Harry looked down at the scroll and back up again.
"If you will check tomorrow's special edition of the Daily Prophet I believe you will understand."
Dumbledore took note of Harry's mood and decided not to continue.
"We can pick this up again at the end of the week, Harry."
Harry stood up and turned toward the door but stooped before he left. "Thank you sir."
"No Harry ... thank you for your dedication and your sacrifice. The world has been a much better place with you in it."