AN: LAST CHAPTER! Things might be a little…well a lot, confusing but stick with it, you've managed to make it this far. It's graduation time at Hogwarts and there have been some massive changes. Anything that isn't answered at the end of this chapter will be answered in the soon to arrive sequel, so bear with me a little longer….
Disclaimer: Sing it with me folks: Not mine, not mine, not mine!
Chapter Twelve: How Did We Get Here
"And so, we send you out into the world with all the tools. It is now up to you what you do with them. This is one of the best classes that have ever come through these halls. All of you will be missed. Yes it's true that there have been hardships and losses to all, but you have overcome them with the grace and dignity that I've always known you to posses. I hope that we have managed to instill some positive characteristics into your once fragile minds, I and hope that these will help you all achieve the life you deserve so much. Congratulations, the best of luck to you all, and don't forget us…we won't forget you."
There was a roar of applause and cheers throughout the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Albus Dumbledore stood at the podium and beamed at the students who would be joining the world in a few short hours.
Minerva McGonagall approached the podium as the hall settled down. The parents in the back of the hall looked on as their children's graduation ceremony came to close. "It is my pleasure to say to for the last time…Class Dismissed."
The hall erupted again and the air was filled with hats with tassels of the school's colors. Students were laughing, crying and celebrating in every corner of the hall. The teachers looked on with pride.
McGonagall and Dumbledore stood together at the podium watching the merriment commence. They both had tears in their eyes. "Part of me thought we wouldn't make it here." she said.
Dumbledore gave a slight sigh. "I was inclined to agree with you until a few short moments ago."
"Now all they have to do is survive the real world" she said matter of factly.
"We've prepared them as best we could and better…they're in charge now." the veteran wizard said with a note of sorrow.
"But those were different time we were teaching them in Albus. We taught them hoping another war would never come and now they graduate in the midst of a war far worse than any of use ever dared to imagine."
"I blame myself Minerva." Dumbledore said quietly.
"You shouldn't say such things." she told him sternly.
"But it's true. If I had been more adamant on some issues perhaps the ministry would have been more prepared. Perhaps we could have stopped Voldemort from regaining so much power."
"They were fools not to listen to you. You can't blame yourself for yourself for your predecessor's faults Minister." a voice said behind them. They turned to see Narcissa Malfoy.
"My sentiments exactly" Minerva added triumphantly.
"You should listen to the Headmistress, Sir." Narcissa advised.
The Minister of Magic gave them a weak smile. "Thank you for your support ladies, but at the moment I would rather celebrate this graduation than dwell on hardships."
"Well said Sir" another voice said.
Dumbledore turned to face his Potions Master. "Why thank you Severus."
The growing group looked out into the celebration. Narcissa saw her daughter leaping into the air with Hermione Granger. They were soon joined by Harry Potter, who was also leaping like a lunatic. "If you'll excuse me, I'll go congratulate my daughter before she injures herself" Narcissa said with a laugh. It was the first real laugh she gave in quite a while. She walked towards her daughter and her daughter's friends with her arms opened for a hug.
"It's a shame. That family has been through so much and it's not over yet." McGonagall commented.
"At least I was able to give them good news last month." Dumbledore reminded her.
Snape rolled his eyes. "Oh yes…fantastic news" His remark dripped sarcasm.
"Now Severus, we have enough going on without your petty feud." McGonagall scolded.
"I'd hardly call it petty." Snape shot back.
"He'll be a valuable asset to the school." McGonagall said irritably.
"You wouldn't be talking about me now would you?" someone asked.
"No." Snape answered quickly.
"Professor Snape, Professor Black you will be civil to each other at least until the students leave in two short hours." Dumbledore instructed.
"I guess I can manage until then." Sirius Black said deviously. "See you in two hours then Snape." he chortled as he walked away.
"Oh joy" Snape muttered bitterly as he went in the other direction.
Dumbledore shook his head. "It amazes me how long those two are able to hold a grudge."
Minerva nodded in agreement. "Let's hope his graduating class's don't last that long."
They looked once more into the sea of students. Harry and Hermione were hugging each other. Faith Malfoy was dancing in circles along side of her cousin Sirius Black as Narcissa tried to scold them but just laughed instead.
Even in this moment of happiness, waves of hostility were focused on Harry Potter, Hermione granger and Faith Malfoy. Most of the Slytherin students were glaring at them with hatred in their eyes. Draco Malfoy was leering at the group from one side of the Great Hall and Ron Weasley was doing the same from the other.
Draco's hostility was more out of habit than hatred. He and Faith had begun to rebuild their relationship in the past year. He still had resentment towards his Gryffindor sister and her mates. And she didn't exactly make it easy in Draco to accept the fact that she was one of the genuine 'good guys'.
Ron Weasley had been unable to see past the Malfoy in Faith Malfoy. In their sixth year he had gotten into an all out war with her and delivered an ultimatum to Harry and Hermione. The choice was simple, him or Faith. Hermione had grown close to Faith and numerous strains had been put on her friendship with Ron so the choice was easy for her. Harry had tried to remain friends with both Ron and Faith. But in the end he didn't like what he saw in his friend and had always had a strange sense of family with Faith. He knew it was because of Sirius, and now that he was living with his Godfather, he and Faith were family in every sense of the word so Ron's ultimatum didn't bring him the desired results.
Sirius Black wrangled his Godson and Little Cousin into a massive bear hug. Faith managed to squirm out so Sirius pulled Hermione in as a substitute. Faith gave her mother a hug. Narcissa moved Faith's hair out of her eyes and looked at her. "I'm so proud of you Faith. I don't think I could ever be prouder."
Faith beamed at her. "Mum, I just graduated and start at the Academy in a month. This is the most amazing feeling EVER." Faith spun in a circle of pure joy.
"Have you seen your brother?" Narcissa asked.
"Not since breakfast." Faith answered, still spinning. "He's probably off scowling somewhere."
"I don't suppose he's told you his plans for the next year because he hasn't sad a word to me."
Faith stopped spinning and had a shocked look on her face. "He hasn't told you?" she asked. Narcissa's expression made it obvious that he hadn't. Faith grabbed her mother's hand and started to walk across the great hall muttering. "Oh all the self absorbed, inconsiderable, self centered…DRACO!"
Draco turned around violently and rolled his eyes when he saw the two women. He stalked over to them. "You called?"
Faith punched him in the shoulder. "You haven't told her yet?"
Draco shrugged. "There's nothing to tell."
"The hell there isn't Ferret Boy!" Faith said loudly.
He rolled his eyes again. He looked Narcissa in the eye. "Mum, I'm going to school with Faith next year."
Narcissa looked utterly confused…then amused. "Good show Draco." she said with a laugh. "What are you really doing?"
"I got accepted to A. Academy and I decided to go." Draco said in a serious tone.
Narcissa looked at him and then burst into laughter after a moment. "You almost had me there."
Faith looked her mother in the eye. "Mum, he's telling the truth.
Narcissa looked at her two children. She realized that this wasn't one of their jokes and that they were telling the truth.
"I got my letter last month." Draco told her.
"And you didn't tell me?" she asked. Her voice was full of hurt.
Draco looked at her without being too concerned about her feelings. "I never had the chance."
Narcissa took a deep breath and fought back tears. "Congratulations Draco. I hope you do well. Excuse me." She walked away as quickly as she could without running.
"Nicely played Draco" Faith said sarcastically.
Draco looked at her with disgust. "Don't ever start. You knew exactly what would happen when you brought her over here. I'm so tired of everyone coming down on me when I've tried so hard to do the right thing, or at least what most people think is the right thing. I have no idea what's going to happen to me. So how about a little god damned sympathy."
Faith swayed back and forth looking at her shoes. She gave a little shrug. "I mean…you could have written at least." she said softly.
Draco scoffed. "And how was I suppose to let her know when every move I make is being watched by-"
"Don't say his name." Faith interrupted
Draco leaned in and whispered. "You know its true Faith."
Faith pushed him away. "He's dead Draco."
"We don't know that. They never found a body." he said.
Faith's eyes were full of anger. "Mum killed him. They don't need the body. She killed him and he's dead."
Draco tried to make her see his point. "Faith, there's always a chance that-"
Faith interrupted him again. "No Draco. There's no chance. There is absolutely no chance that Lucius Malfoy is alive. If he were why would the Death Eaters be after Mum so bad?"
"Oh I don't know. Because she betrayed them, conspired against them, killed some of them and has a daughter going into A. Academy. You know, just for starters."
"And a son." Faith said.
"What?" Draco asked.
"And a son. She has a daughter and a son going to the Auror Academy."
"They don't know about that yet and I intend to keep it that way, do you understand me?" he walked away from Faith and went to talk to some of his friends across the room.
"Whatever." Faith said under her breath as she made her way back to her friends.
"There you are." Harry called. Faith gave a weak smile.
"So now what do we do?" she asked.
"Well, I think we're supposed to go home and start our lives after Hogwarts." he explained.
"Is that so?" Hermione asked jokingly.
Harry nodded. "Apparently, we go to university and then we get these things called jobs and become productive members of society."
"Wow, who'd have thought there was so much to do after graduation. And I thought this was the hard part." Faith laughed.
"And then you have to get convicted of a crime and go to prison." Sirius added. The three students looked at him with smiles. "Wait, was that just me?" he asked.
"Yeah Sirius, that was just you." Hermione assured him.
"Damn, and here I thought I was doing everything I was supposed to after Hogwarts."
They all laughed. "Well, I think we've done just about everything we can to this place." Faith said joyfully.
"I have to agree. The only thing that's left is to destroy it." Harry joked.
"Do we have to do that now?" Hermione asked. "I have a lot of reading to do before classes start at A. Academy."
"Besides, Ol' Padfoot here would be out of a job if we demolished it." Faith added.
"Oh yeah, I almost forgot about that." Harry laughed
"Thanks Harry." Sirius said as he ruffled his hair. "Let get the hell out of here shall we?" he asked.
"Amen!" sounded Faith.
They made their way towards the main entrance. They were all going to Narcissa's house for a late dinner before heading in their separate directions. No one knew what the future held but they were anxious to find out. But whatever met them, they were confident that they would be able to get through it as they always had.
Faith paused for a moment at the doorway as the others walked ahead. Harry and Sirius were mock fighting and Hermione was pretending to be a commentator of the fight. She stood at the top of the outside stairs and smiled.
Voldemort didn't stand a chance.
AN2: Well that's the end of my little story. Thanks to all of you who have read it and even more to those wonderful few who took the time to review. (HINT, HINT!) It's been a lot of fun and the ride isn't quite over for Faith Malfoy just yet…
