Sorry about the delay for this chapter, I've had a busy week. I have an exam to revise for and coursework to do.
This chapter is, as suggested by the title, the first chapter involving the actual reunion. It also skips between Harry and Ron & Hermione as they look for each other.
Thanks to Greyhound Master, yumienuf2eat, JaZzIe PaDpRoNgS and Wettlewash for your reviews on Chapter Three.
On Thursday 20th May 2004, Philip O'Connor collapsed and died aged just 15. R.I.P. Phil, you will be missed but never forgotten.
Harry
Harry found that when he arrived at Hogwarts, he was just five minutes early. There were other people there too, waiting outside. Apparently Dumbledore was to be punctual and have the reunion start promptly at 8. Unfortunately, none of the people waiting outside were people he knew well - there was not one Gryffindor there. He couldn't see Ron or Hermione around, and again he began to worry again over whether or not they would show up. He stood around, and as eight o'clock came the doors magically opened of their own accord and people headed inside. Harry took a look around and when he didn't see Ron or Hermione, he reluctantly stepped inside.
Ron & Hermione
"Are you okay?" Ron asked Hermione anxiously as she tripped. She wasn't used to wearing high heels, but had worn them tonight in the hope her added inch or so of height would make her more noticeable.
"I think so, but my ankle's a little sore," she replied. "Come on, let's go." Desperate to get to the reunion, she got back up and tried to walk on. However, she found herself limping.
"You can't go like that. Look, there's a bench over there, we can sit there for a little bit until your ankle gets better." Ron wanted to get to the reunion just as much as Hermione, but she was his friend, and he couldn't let her limp there and make her ankle worse. He helped her over to the bench and sat with her as she rubbed her ankle.
Harry
As people got into the Great Hall, they gasped in delight. It looked simply splendid, and brought back many memories from their schooldays. As this was a ball however, the house tables weren't there. There was a big table at the front of the hall with the food, and chairs at the sides. There were also the year-group pictures of all four houses on the walls.
Despite all of this, Harry wasn't happy. He wanted to see Hermione and Ron, and to his frustration he couldn't. He did see his old Hogwarts roommate Dean Thomas though, with Lavender Brown. As he was about to make his way over, make conversation and then ask if they'd seen Ron or Hermione, Dumbledore stepped onto the stage. Everyone fell silent, and all eyes were upon the Hogwarts Headmaster.
"Hello, and welcome back to Hogwarts. I'm delighted to see so many of you again, ten years on. It fills my heart with joy to see the successful heights some of you have reached." At that moment, Harry was sure Dumbledore's eyes flickered momentarily towards him. "Anyway, as you know, the ball will take place until 9 pm. Should any of you wish to leave before then, feel free to do so. However, lets not waste any more time. Lets do what we all came here to do - reunite! Playing tonight is the ever-popular legendary band, the Weird Sisters. Please join me in welcoming them back to Hogwarts 13 and a half years after they were last here." The Weird Sisters came onto the stage, still as hairy as Harry remembered them to be. Dumbledore stepped aside, and they began to play. People began to dance, and Harry took the opportunity to walk around the hall pretending to look for someone to dance with, but instead look for Ron or Hermione. But just moments after he'd started looking, Parvati Patil approached him.
"Hey Harry, its good to see you! Would you like to dance?" She smiled up at him hopefully, and Harry didn't have the heart to turn her down. After all, he had treated her quite poorly when they'd gone to the Yule Ball in their fourth year at Hogwarts. This could be his apology to her. Slightly frustrated, he began to dance with her.
Ron & Hermione
"How's your ankle now?" Ron asked impatiently, having just looked at his watch. It was twenty past eight.
"Okay I think," said Hermione in response. It still hurt a little, though not as much as before. She felt really bad about making herself and Ron late. Also, it would now be even more difficult to find Harry now. She got up, and began to walk again. She could feel a bit of pain in her foot but she ignored it. As she and Ron got to Hogwarts and headed into the Great Hall, her heart sank. It was so packed, finding Harry would be Mission Impossible. Ron looked at her, having looked around the hall himself for Harry, and said politely, "Do you wanna dance?" Hermione agreed, thinking that at the end of this song she could say she wanted to get a drink and go and look for Harry. There was nothing wrong with dancing with Ron - in actual fact he was a pretty good dancer. But the only person she really wanted to dance with was Harry. As the song drew to a close, Hermione told Ron she was going to get a drink. As she turned away, she bumped into Parvati Patil.
"Oops, sorry Parvati... Harry?!" There, just in front of her, apparently dancing with Parvati, was Harry. She smiled at him, and he smiled back.
"Its good to see you," he said, and gave her a friendly hug. Just then, Ron, who had been stood only a few feet away, also came over.
"Harry!" he yelled delightedly. They shook hands, but then pulled each other into a hug.
"Could you excuse me?" Harry asked Parvati. She agreed, and he went with Ron and Hermione into the corridor, where it was a little quieter. The three got talking, and it was just like being back in school. None of them wanted to cause any problems, so neither Ron nor Hermione mentioned their respective issues with Harry. He didn't do so either. Instead, whilst talking, he couldn't help but grin. He knew that he would have to talk to both Ron and Hermione in private and apologise about the fights they'd had, but now wasn't the time. Now was the time for them to re-establish their friendship.
I think I'll leave it there for now... the trio are back together, and it seems like a nice little end before the problems arise between them.