Part Six
It was time for the ceremony. All the seventh years were in the Great Hall waiting for Professor McGonnagall to call them out to the grounds where the ceremony was taking place.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Harriet were sitting together. None of them were saying anything. Hermione had her nose in a book, 'Muggles and You'. Ron had asked her why she was reading it since her parents were Muggles anyway. Hermione ignored him, not wanting to get yelled at by Harriet again.
The doors of the Great Hall opened. Professor McGonnagall was standing there in her best robes.
"It's time," she said
The seventh years stood up and followed her out into the Entrance Hall, through the Great Oak Doors and onto the grounds. There they were met with cheers and clapping from the parents and the rest of the school.
The students walked on to the stage that Professor Flitwick had conjured up for the occasion and took their places.
When Harriet got to her spot, she looked out into the audience. She laughed to herself as she spotted the row of red hair amongst the crowd.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came, bringing along Bill and Charlie, and Fred and George were there both wearing dress shirts and new ties they had bought with their joke shop money. Ginny sat next to them, and on the end Harriet was surprised to see Percy.
All of them were beaming up at the graduating students. Fred and George waved. Harriet smiled. After the Three Broomsticks, she seriously debated whether or not she was still going to go to America. There was just too much to leave behind. Even though, she still wasn't sure yet.
Albus Dumbledore stood up and the clapping settled down.
"Welcome, students, parents, and teachers to our seventh year graduation ceremony." He looked at the faces in the crowd. "The students you see here before you posses exceptional talent. Each student will be a great asset to our society. They all conquered the great task of completing seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The crowed cheered. Harriet could see Mrs. Weasley wiping tears of joy from her eyes.
"Today, we let go of these students, hoping we have instilled our knowledge into them. Hoping we have left a lasting mark on each and everyone of their lives."
The crowed applauded again. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.
"This class in particular," he continued, "contained a most interesting mix of students. I would now like to honor a few in particular." Dumbledore pulled a scroll out of his robes and began to read.
"First, I would like to congratulate Neville Longbottom for the most outstanding improvement he showed throughout the years and his excellent scores in Herbology."
Neville turned bright red and went up to receive his award. Harriet could see his grandmother beaming up at him from the audience as everyone clapped.
"Next, congratulations to Hermione Granger for superb marks in all classes and for proving to all of us that one doesn't need to come from a magical background to do well in the magical world."
Hermione flushed. Harriet snickered as she stumbled while she was going up to receive her award. She received a sharp jab in the ribs from Ron.
After Harry received his award for special services to the school "countless times", and Ron received his for being the fourth prefect in the Weasley line, Harriet zoned herself out. More awards were given and Harriet only brought herself back when she noticed silence from the crowd. Dumbledore spoke again.
"And now I would like to give out a special award to a particular student who joined us about half way through her fourth year."
Harriet looked up so quickly she strained her neck. No way...
"This witch is the sister of one of our students who most of you know either personally or know just from being in this school for so many years. Although she has been through the same ordeal as her brother, her feats have been slowly shunned and unrecognized by most of us here. As you have seen from watching other students being recognized for they're achievements, this student must longer go unnoticed."
Harriet stared at Dumbledore in disbelief, her mouth hanging open.
"I am talking, of course about Harriet Potter. Harriet, like her brother has proven bravery beyond the measure of some that stand before me today. She has pushed her limits beyond what any of us could have hoped for although she spent quite a bit of time in detention..." Harriet smiled in spite of herself and Fred and George shared looks of great pride. "I would now like to take the opportunity to congratulate her."
Dumbledore started clapping and the crowd joined in. Fred and George stood up as they clapped, and whooped and hollered until Mrs. Weasley could get them to sit down. They were the last ones to stop clapping.
Harriet went up and shook Dumbledore's hand, tears streaming down her face. She sat back down between Ron and Harry and then Dumbledore called each student up to receive their diploma.
Dumbledore beamed as he shook Harriet's hand again. Harriet smiled back as she took the diploma.
"Your mother would have been proud," he whispered to her. She looked into Dumbledore wise face and nodded. She then turned and ran down the stage to meet the Weasley's.
"Oh, congratulations Harriet, dear!" said Mrs. Weasley pulling Harriet into a motherly hug.
"Yeah, well done," said Fred when Mrs. Weasley let go. Harriet shook each of Fred and George's hand.
"Ronald! Oh Ron congratulations, I'm so proud!" Mrs. Weasley cried as she grabbed Ron into a back-breaking hug.
"Mum. Ah. MUM! Stop! I. Arg. Can't breathe!!"
"Aw, Ronnie you don't mind if we don't hug you, do you?" said Fred in a mocking voice. "Only we would have gotten you something from our shop, 'cept mum felt it was inappropriate."
"Quiet, you two," said Mrs. Weasley as she let go of Ron, who collapsed to the ground. "I hardly think and exploding graduation hat is appropriate. And at least Ron had the sense not to fly out of school on a broomstick in the middle of term."
"Don't get your hair in a knot, mum!" shouted Fred.
"Yeah it's not like we didn't get our little Ronnie-kins anything. Happy graduation, Ron," said George, holding out a small sack of Galleons.
Ron, who was still recovering from his mother's embrace, took the sack. When he saw how much gold was inside, he fell back down again.
"Oh, no please don't thank us!" said George.
"Yes, Ron no need to announce to the world your thanks to your favorite twin brothers," said Fred as he and George hoisted Ron to his feet.
"G-guys?" stuttered Ron. "D'you have any idea how much money this is?"
"Well I'm assuming we do, otherwise we wouldn't have given it to you," said Fred.
"But, hey if you don't want it we can always take it back..." said George, reaching toward Ron.
"No! I-I mean thanks guys. So I'm assuming business is well then?" said Ron, pouring the Galleons onto his outstretched hand.
"Oh, yes, wonderful. We actually just came out with a new product," said Fred.
"Really?" asked Ron, mesmerized by the amount of gold his brothers had willingly given him. "What is it?"
"Oh I reckon you'll be able to test them soon," said George.
The twins and Harriet shared a look and they all had to turn away to conceal their laughter.
It was time for the ceremony. All the seventh years were in the Great Hall waiting for Professor McGonnagall to call them out to the grounds where the ceremony was taking place.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Harriet were sitting together. None of them were saying anything. Hermione had her nose in a book, 'Muggles and You'. Ron had asked her why she was reading it since her parents were Muggles anyway. Hermione ignored him, not wanting to get yelled at by Harriet again.
The doors of the Great Hall opened. Professor McGonnagall was standing there in her best robes.
"It's time," she said
The seventh years stood up and followed her out into the Entrance Hall, through the Great Oak Doors and onto the grounds. There they were met with cheers and clapping from the parents and the rest of the school.
The students walked on to the stage that Professor Flitwick had conjured up for the occasion and took their places.
When Harriet got to her spot, she looked out into the audience. She laughed to herself as she spotted the row of red hair amongst the crowd.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley came, bringing along Bill and Charlie, and Fred and George were there both wearing dress shirts and new ties they had bought with their joke shop money. Ginny sat next to them, and on the end Harriet was surprised to see Percy.
All of them were beaming up at the graduating students. Fred and George waved. Harriet smiled. After the Three Broomsticks, she seriously debated whether or not she was still going to go to America. There was just too much to leave behind. Even though, she still wasn't sure yet.
Albus Dumbledore stood up and the clapping settled down.
"Welcome, students, parents, and teachers to our seventh year graduation ceremony." He looked at the faces in the crowd. "The students you see here before you posses exceptional talent. Each student will be a great asset to our society. They all conquered the great task of completing seven years at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
The crowed cheered. Harriet could see Mrs. Weasley wiping tears of joy from her eyes.
"Today, we let go of these students, hoping we have instilled our knowledge into them. Hoping we have left a lasting mark on each and everyone of their lives."
The crowed applauded again. Dumbledore raised his hands for silence.
"This class in particular," he continued, "contained a most interesting mix of students. I would now like to honor a few in particular." Dumbledore pulled a scroll out of his robes and began to read.
"First, I would like to congratulate Neville Longbottom for the most outstanding improvement he showed throughout the years and his excellent scores in Herbology."
Neville turned bright red and went up to receive his award. Harriet could see his grandmother beaming up at him from the audience as everyone clapped.
"Next, congratulations to Hermione Granger for superb marks in all classes and for proving to all of us that one doesn't need to come from a magical background to do well in the magical world."
Hermione flushed. Harriet snickered as she stumbled while she was going up to receive her award. She received a sharp jab in the ribs from Ron.
After Harry received his award for special services to the school "countless times", and Ron received his for being the fourth prefect in the Weasley line, Harriet zoned herself out. More awards were given and Harriet only brought herself back when she noticed silence from the crowd. Dumbledore spoke again.
"And now I would like to give out a special award to a particular student who joined us about half way through her fourth year."
Harriet looked up so quickly she strained her neck. No way...
"This witch is the sister of one of our students who most of you know either personally or know just from being in this school for so many years. Although she has been through the same ordeal as her brother, her feats have been slowly shunned and unrecognized by most of us here. As you have seen from watching other students being recognized for they're achievements, this student must longer go unnoticed."
Harriet stared at Dumbledore in disbelief, her mouth hanging open.
"I am talking, of course about Harriet Potter. Harriet, like her brother has proven bravery beyond the measure of some that stand before me today. She has pushed her limits beyond what any of us could have hoped for although she spent quite a bit of time in detention..." Harriet smiled in spite of herself and Fred and George shared looks of great pride. "I would now like to take the opportunity to congratulate her."
Dumbledore started clapping and the crowd joined in. Fred and George stood up as they clapped, and whooped and hollered until Mrs. Weasley could get them to sit down. They were the last ones to stop clapping.
Harriet went up and shook Dumbledore's hand, tears streaming down her face. She sat back down between Ron and Harry and then Dumbledore called each student up to receive their diploma.
Dumbledore beamed as he shook Harriet's hand again. Harriet smiled back as she took the diploma.
"Your mother would have been proud," he whispered to her. She looked into Dumbledore wise face and nodded. She then turned and ran down the stage to meet the Weasley's.
"Oh, congratulations Harriet, dear!" said Mrs. Weasley pulling Harriet into a motherly hug.
"Yeah, well done," said Fred when Mrs. Weasley let go. Harriet shook each of Fred and George's hand.
"Ronald! Oh Ron congratulations, I'm so proud!" Mrs. Weasley cried as she grabbed Ron into a back-breaking hug.
"Mum. Ah. MUM! Stop! I. Arg. Can't breathe!!"
"Aw, Ronnie you don't mind if we don't hug you, do you?" said Fred in a mocking voice. "Only we would have gotten you something from our shop, 'cept mum felt it was inappropriate."
"Quiet, you two," said Mrs. Weasley as she let go of Ron, who collapsed to the ground. "I hardly think and exploding graduation hat is appropriate. And at least Ron had the sense not to fly out of school on a broomstick in the middle of term."
"Don't get your hair in a knot, mum!" shouted Fred.
"Yeah it's not like we didn't get our little Ronnie-kins anything. Happy graduation, Ron," said George, holding out a small sack of Galleons.
Ron, who was still recovering from his mother's embrace, took the sack. When he saw how much gold was inside, he fell back down again.
"Oh, no please don't thank us!" said George.
"Yes, Ron no need to announce to the world your thanks to your favorite twin brothers," said Fred as he and George hoisted Ron to his feet.
"G-guys?" stuttered Ron. "D'you have any idea how much money this is?"
"Well I'm assuming we do, otherwise we wouldn't have given it to you," said Fred.
"But, hey if you don't want it we can always take it back..." said George, reaching toward Ron.
"No! I-I mean thanks guys. So I'm assuming business is well then?" said Ron, pouring the Galleons onto his outstretched hand.
"Oh, yes, wonderful. We actually just came out with a new product," said Fred.
"Really?" asked Ron, mesmerized by the amount of gold his brothers had willingly given him. "What is it?"
"Oh I reckon you'll be able to test them soon," said George.
The twins and Harriet shared a look and they all had to turn away to conceal their laughter.
