Chapter 23 - The Nightmare is not yet Over

HARRY POTTER, THE-BOY-WHO-LIVED, CONQUERED THE DARK LORD!!! - The Daily Prophet

REJOICE! HE-WHO-MUST-NOT-BE-NAMED IS FINALLY DEAD!!! - Wizard's Weekly

PROPHECY FULFILLED!!! - Auror's Digest

POETIC JUSTICE -- HARRY AVENGED HIS PARENTS ON THEIR DEATH ANNIVERSARY!!! - The Rebel Quibbler Hermione closed the newspapers in disgust. "Hmp! The Cowards --- flaunting their papers now that it is safe for them to come out! Except the Rebel Quibbler, of course."

"Yeah, sounds like hypocrisy to me." said George who was currently being mended by Fred, his twin brother, who in turn was being massaged by Lee who was trying to get away from Zacharias whose wound he unknowingly infected by treating him without washing his wands first. Hermione just rolled her eyes in exasperation and went to look for more intellectually UNchallenged persons to talk to.

"Hey, where's Harry?" she asked Ron who was currently gorging himself with food as if he was deprived with it for so long.

"With Luna, I guess..." answered Ron after washing all the food down his large stomach with a pitcher of pumpkin juice.

"Really, Ron! You're so disgusting!"

"Hey! I'm a growing boy and I did answer your question, didn't I?" said Ron, looking a little bit embarrassed.

"Fine...fine...but you know, I still can't believe Harry defeated Voldemort so easily..." said Hermione.

"Yeah, you-know-who was ---"

"Say Voldemort, Ron. He.....is.....DEAD....No one needs to fear him anymore."

"You have a point there...as I was saying, Voldy wasn't as terrifying as before." mumbled Ron, eyeing Hermione's pastry covetously. Hermione grudgingly offered it to him while muttering something unintelligible which incredibly sounded like "Glutton!" but Ron just smiled widely at her.

"How do you know? You haven't even met him before..."

"I just know."

"What kind of an answer is that?"

"I think he means that it was just his subconscious mind speaking but he could not give a logical explanation...yet." answered Cho as she joined in the conversation.

"But it doesn't change the fact that he's dead, right?" asked Hermione, glad that somebody with the right state of mind was there.

"Maybe..." replied Cho evasively.

"What do you mean?" prompted Hermione, not willing to end the conversation at that.

"Because even Harry had his doubts too."

"How do you know? He didn't even talk to us...." said Hermione, looking slightly hurt and offended that somebody else had known before her and Ron.

"I heard him talking to Luna..." The two looked inquiringly at her. "I just came by to visit her then I accidentally heard him talking to Luna about it..." Cho paused for a while. "I really feel sad about what happened to Luna. She's really nice and I am so ashamed of myself for even thinking that she's just a good for nothing lunatic!"

"I couldn't believe what happened either. I don't know which was worse --- her not knowing where her dad was or finding out that he bartered for her life then murder a few minutes later...She should be celebrating with us right now..." said Hermione remorsefully.

"HARRY!" exclaimed Ron suddenly, nearly turning the table in his haste to stand up.

"Hey, what's wrong?" said both Cho and Hermione at once, seeing his glazed expression.

"I just realized that Harry might be blaming himself right now for what happened to Luna's dad. We need to talk to him before he wallow in self-condemnation again!" said Ron, unaware of the admiring glances that Hermione sent his way as he spoke.

The three immediately went to Luna's ward to visit her and to talk some sense to Harry before he wallow again in 'self-condemnation.
As they approached the ward, they saw Harry sitting beside Luna, holding her hand tight and engaging in a one-sided conversation, hoping that it would somehow penetrate her mind.

"I'm really really sorry, Luna....I promise I would make it up to you somehow. I know I couldn't bring your father back but please...please come back....please come back for me...I need you...I love you. I have never told you that before but I'm telling you now....I love you, hon..." Harry tried to wipe the tears that rolled down his cheeks but he could not help it.

Seeing Luna like this was gradually destroying the little sanity that he still possessed but he needed to do this....for Luna and for himself. He was holding on to Madam Pomphrey's words that there was nothing physically wrong with Luna. Her catatonic state was just due to shock and that her mind still refused to accept what happened but the mediwizard informed him that it was only temporarily but for how long, no one could really know.

Ron, Hermione and Cho stared consciously at one another after witnessing Harry's heart-wrenching statements. It was Hermione who spoke first.

"I-I think we should give them some privacy for now. They deserve it...Maybe we can talk to Harry later..." she said weakly. The others agreed, not really wanting to intrude.

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LETTER TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC

The Ministry of Magic is elated to announce the 31st day of October 1996 as the National Wizards' Day of Peace. For those who have not heard of the recent developments on the wizard community yet, this is the day that Dark Lord had finally been defeated by Harry Potter.

The Ministry wanted to name it Harry Potter Day but Mr. Potter politely refused because he firmly believes that it was not only him who had vanquished the enemy. It is the combined effort of the Wizarding World that ended Voldemort's reign of terror. As such, let this day be commemmorated as the day that our world had joined together to fight evil and may this day remind us all of the sufferings and losses we endured to make our world a better place.

In this light, let it be known that all the wizarding schools shall be opened once more to continue educating young witches and wizards to their full potential. The new Headmaster for Durmstrang Academy would now be Professor Marcus Leninski and Professor Minerva McGonagall for Hogwarts Schools of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Professor Albus Dumbledore's passing had been devastating but wherever he was, the reinstatement of these institutions would definitely make him happy.

The Ministry shall provide assistance for the restoration of these schools as soon as magically possible. Also, the whole academic program and schedule for this school year had been altered for the students' benefit. This school year would now last until August 15, 1997 and there would be a reasonable two-week respite before the beginning of the following term in which the academic schedule would revert to normal.

The shops in Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade was restored and fully operational. The public may now purchase their necessities there. However, we regret to inform you that Mr. Ollivander is still missing until now. You may purchase the wands at the Ministry of Magic - Department of Wizard Trading where Mr. Ollivander's merchandise is currently being stored for safe-keeping.

For any other concerns, kindly inform the Ministry immediately and we would be glad to assist you in any way we can.

Hoping that the past few months would dissuade anyone from straying from the path of good.

Thank you very much and good day!

Sincerely yours,

Arthur Weasley Minister of Magic

"Oh, Ron, your father's dedication is overwhelming!" said Hermione as she read the letter that had just arrived. Everyone received the letter and some were already having mixed reactions about the content.

"Merlin! We'll begin the term next week!" exclaimed Neville.

"After all we've been through? This is unfair!" said Parvati in agony after scanning the paper.

"Really now. Don't you think this is the best thing that happened to us this past few months?" said Hermione in defense of the minister's decision.

"Speak for yourself." muttered the majority of the group.

"Suit yourselves! But I'm so excited...imagine we won't have to lose one school year just because some dark lord decided to conquer us..." said Hermione, then her eyes became suddenly wide with worry. "Wait! We haven't received our Hogwart's letters. We haven't even got the O.W.L results yet! How are we going to buy our school supplies? And we only got a week to prepare!" She paced around the room as if figuring out a way to solve her dilemma as the others watched her disinterestedly.

Ron became suddenly busy with counting his fingers and soon piqued the others' curiousity including Hermione's.

"Hey! What are you doing?" asked Neville.

"Well, I just counted the number we're going to suffer this year. Our usual term lasts for ten months and now it's down to nine! Imagine, one month less! I guess dad's decision is okay with me." said Ron cheerfully. The others began counting too and upon confirming Ron's conclusion, they too became overjoyed with the idea.

"Trust Ron to think of it this way..." thought Hermione, smiling inspite of herself.

Harry continued to stare numbly at the letter perched on the bedside table where an owl had dropped it. Without even looking at its contents, he knew that it came from the new headmistress bearing their school letter and the dreaded O.W.L. results but he just could not bring himself to read it. The past few days had been surreal to him and returning to Hogwarts was farthest from his priorities.

The letter lay unopened as he continued to converse with Luna, trying very hard to bring some spark to her eyes. But there was none...He broke the contact for a while, defeated. Yet he needed to be strong... He read and reread the books he borrowed from the library but they all say the same thing. There was no cure....she just needed time to recuperate on her own.

"Harry! Have you got your Hogwarts letters?" whispered Ron, eyeing his bestfriend sympathetically. Several DA members decided that it was time to talk to Harry whether he was ready or not. The term would start within a few days and Harry had not even left Luna's side for a minute.

Harry nodded his head and pointed at the still unopened parchment beside him. Hermione picked it up and handed it to him.

"Open it. Luna will have wanted you to graduate, Harry. And it will take your mind off --- stuff." said Hermione.

Like a zombie that was totally devoid of feelings and free will, Harry reluctantly opened the letter and stared disinterestedly at its contents.

"I got five O.W.L.'s including Potions. I guess I can still pursue my ambition to be an Auror...and I was appointed as the new Quidditch Captain too." he said without enthusiasm in his voice. It was as if he was just reading a very boring history essay.

"QUIDDITCH CAPTAIN! That's cool, mate!" exclaimed Ron, patting him at the back but Harry did not even smile at his gesture.

"Uh-huh!" Harry nodded absentmindedly. "Have you still got your galleons with you?" he asked his friends as an afterthought.

"Yes, why?" asked Neville curiously.

"Hold on to it."

"But why?" asked Ron.

"Because the nightmare is not yet over..."

THE END!

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Author's Note: I sincerely hope that you enjoyed this story. I already finished the sequel entitled Harry Potter and the Lost Prophecy. Draco, Wormtail and Snape would play major roles in that book. I hope you would read it too :-)

Again, please remember to review! Thanks.