Chapter 24

Explanation and Celebration

"Harry!" Everyone had come running down the stairs and burst into the room. It was a strange site indeed, Harry kneeling next to a pile of dust and robes, charred marks on the walls, and thousands of splinters everywhere.

Once they where back at school, Dumbledore summoned Harry to his office and Harry told him everything.

"Professor, Voldemort said that he needed my wand to kill me, then he tried to ask me for it. Why did he think I would just give it to him?"

"Well, Harry, We can only guess now, but my theory is that Voldemort might have been weakened by the connection between you and him, so, when his wand was snapped he slowly began to die, he would die faster if you wand was broken, but if you died, and he got your wand it would be almost as if he had his wand back. So, he might have thought that because your had you father back your happiness would cause you to be timid enough for him to sweet talk you into giving him you wand."

"And, sir,"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Urm, now that I know that my dad is still alive, will I be able to leave the Dursleys and go live with him?"

Dumbledore beamed and grinned.

"But of course, Harry, after we find you a new home. I dare say Godric's Hollow will not suit you any more."

Then he did some thing Harry had never seen him do before, laugh. Not a small chuckle, a full out laugh. Harry thought it was strange to hear Dumbledore laughing, for his laugh was something like a ho-ho-ho, like Santa Clause, only not as deep pitched.

Then Dumbledore said to Harry

"I'm going to let you go now, Harry, I do think you'll want to join the celebrations."

So Harry made his way to Gryffindorr tower, but Sir Nicholas stopped him in the hall.

"Hello, Nick."

"You'll want to go to the great hall, Harry."

"Oh, uh, ok, thanks Nick."

So Harry turned around and made his way to the great hall. The doors were shut tight and Harry began to think if this was some kind of joke. But when he pushed the door open people everywhere jumped out from under tables, and behind chairs and screamed

"HURRAY FOR HARRY!"

A group of seventh years dashed over and lifted Harry onto their shoulders against his will and carried him over to the staff table, placing him down in Dumbledore's chair. He attempted to get up but Fred and George pushed him back down into the seat. Then the chair lifted off the ground and Harry looked down to see Fred, George, and two seventh years Harry did not know carrying his chair as if the was some sort of god.

"Guys, put me down!" Harry hissed at them.

"No way, we're not done yet." And the four of them laughed as the carried Harry through the crowd of people. But then when the got to the door and were about to turn around, Harry leaped off the chair and made a mad dash away from the hall. He didn't stop running until he decided to go to the hospital wing. He entered and saw just who he had wanted to see. Hermione, Ron, Cho, Ginny, Neville, Ernie, Luna, Neva, and Draco. He also saw almost all of the order and James in the next row. Everyone looked up and saw his and Hermione jumped up from her bed and gave him a big hug, and Madame Pomfrey had a fit about disturbing their rest, until she caught site of Harry's wrist and wrestled him into a bed. Harry was almost gracious that she kept finding injuries on him and insisting that he stay longer so she could clean him up. This way he could spend time with the others. Finally after about a week, they where allowed to leave the hospital wing. Exams where coming up and Hermione was freaking out at how much they had missed.

"Oh my gosh, we are soo.. behind, we're going to fail!" She had them studying at least seven to eight hours a day. This continued for about a week and then Dumbledore informed them that Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Luna, Neville, Cho, and Ernie did not have to take the exams because they had not attended much school. But Cho did have to write an essay on every subject to make up for her N.E.W.T.'s.

Since they were all Animagi, professor McGonagall escorted them and James to the Ministry of Magic on their last Hogsmead weekend to register. Then, to celebrate, James took them all for ice cream in the same shop that Harry had had his date with Cho, Madame Puddifoots. As soon as they entered Madame Puddifoot, spotting Harry gave them all free Ice cream.

But Harry left a stack of ten galleons on the table when they left.

Cho pulled Harry into an ally between two shops and said

"Thanks for risking your life for me Harry. That was really brave of you. I can't thank you enough." Then without warning she pulled him into a kiss, a real kiss, not just a peck on the cheek. Then she continued

"I hope you won't forget me over the summer, Harry. I'm going to try and get a job at Hogwarts, so we can keep in touch." Then she whispered into his ear "I love you, Harry."

A/N: OHHHHHHHHHHHHH... Bet ya can't wait to see what happens next, huh? lol