Disclaimer: I don't own the magical world of Harry Potter's and I am not JKR. I only own Tamara and the plot. The plot exists thanks to my own imagination and I am not trying to predict the future books. If there would be a very amazing coincidence, and this will actually be the plot of the sixth book, I don't want to be sued for plagiarism. I will consider suing JKR, though. Not true. I won't as I'm way too busy to sacrifice time for such nonsense.

Author's Note October 16, 2004: Sorry, I just had to put a couple of lines into paragraphs, that's what's changed.

Original Author's Note: Reasons why I haven't updated: 1.) Lack of reviews. 2.) Lack of time. 3.) Lack of creativity.

So you see that if you review well after this chapter, the time until the next chapter will be 33.3333333 shorter. That makes sense, doesn't it?

If my stupid teachers also would stop giving homework, or if my school would blow up (which actually almost happened the other day – two ambulances, six fire engines and three police cars blocked the street!), those of you who are logical (or maybe the opposite P) understand that the time until the next chapter will be yet 33.3333333333 shorter.

And then if I will get really really really creative now – guess what – the time until the next chapter will be yet another 33.33333333333 shorter.

So those of you who aced your last maths test, you understand that if you add all of this together, it's 100. And if the time is 100 shorter, it's... now. Oh.

That makes sense, doesn't it?

And, of course, thanks to Pussin Boots and noisy lil brat who actually did review. I guess two is better than one... or... (I don't even want to say it as it might be a self-fulfilling prophecy) none.

Chapter Poem

For everything you hate about yourself - forgive yourself.

For everything you love about yourself - forgive yourself.

For everything you're ashamed of.

For everything you're proud of.

For everything you want to hide.

For everything you want to show.

For everything that didn't turn out the way it was supposed to.

For everything that you are.

For everything that you wanted to me.

Forgive yourself.

Translation of the beginning poem in Jonas Gardell's book En komikers uppväxt.

Cool. I filled a whole page in Word with nonsense. Talented or what?


The Sister of a Slytherin

Chapter 23 – Confronting the Truth

So. When Draco had left me, I entered the Gryffindor common room and headed up to my dormitory as I thought it might be good for me to get some sleep before dinner (I had missed lunch because of the previous events). Julianne had left so it was completely empty.

I threw myself down onto my bed and closed my eyes, not bothering to change clothes or even take off my shoes. I was so tired, I just wanted to sleep. And so I did.

One might not think it is possible after such an eventful period, but I believe I there proved that it is possible to sleep a thoroughly dreamless sleep in such a situation. I just slept.

Until someone woke me a couple of hours later.

"Tamara?" the person said and shook my shoulder.

When I opened my eyes the view was fairly dizzy, as usual when you've been sleeping. But as it cleared up, I recognized the red-head standing at my bed to be Ginny.

"Hi", I said while rubbing my eyes to get rid of the very last tiredness still there.

"Dinner is served", she said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah sure", I said and sat up.

"Dumbledore is to make a speech", she said. "They say every student shall be there."

"I'm coming", I said and rose from the bed. I swayed a few times, but managed to keep standing on my two feet.

When we entered the Great Hall a couple of minutes later, it didn't quite look like it used to. The four long tables were gone and replaced by one longer in the shape of a U, and students from all houses where mixed.

"Hey look", I said to Ginny. "They re-arranged the tables..."

"Obviously", she said. "Good, let's go and sit with Luna then, shall we?"

I nodded and so we headed off towards the lonely figure at the far end of the table. I took the time to scan the room to see who were there, and it was everyone (of those who were left, of course). Julianne was there, sitting between the two other girls in our dormitory, who apparently were trying to cheer her up. I don't know if they succeeded totally, but I believe she smiled at least a little.

Harry was there, sitting with Ron. They both had their heads leaned into their hands and they both looked awfully miserable and tired. I wondered how Hermione was doing. She should be in the same condition yet, otherwise I should have heard about it, shouldn't I?

"Ginny?" I asked softly. "How is Hermione?"

Ginny turned to me with a serious look on her face and slowed down a little.

"She isn't..." I began but couldn't even say it. "She's still alive, isn't she?" I asked urgently.

Ginny nodded. "She's in a coma."

I swallowed. "What's... I mean, what happened to her?"

"Don't you know?" I shook my head. "Well", Ginny started in a low voice, "you know that some of the Death Eaters set of Harry. Of course they were all three – inseparable as they are", she added with a sad smile. "The Death Eaters almost had him – Harry, I mean, and one of them set of an Avada Kadavra curse."

I stared at her in shock, but before I had recovered from my lack of ability to talk and express myself, she had continued.

"She was so brave." Ginny's voice was barely a whisper now. "She just... she just rushed up and threw herself at Harry, like if to protect him, and managed to push him aside. But parts of the curse hit her instead."

"Oh my God", I whispered.

I couldn't help but thinking if I would have done the same thing. Not necessarily for Harry, but for someone else? Would I risk my own life for someone other's?

I didn't know.

"But she's still alive", I said. "How...?"

"I'm not sure", Ginny said. "But I think it was because the curse didn't hit the person it was supposed to. Hi, Luna", she said and sat down.

I hadn't even noticed that we had reached our destination by now so I was sort of surprised by the abrupt end of our conversation. But however, I also sat down and smiled against Luna.

"Hi", I said.

"Hi", she said to us both.

But before we had time for any further tête-à-tête, the chatter in the hall silenced immediately. I looked up to see that Professor Dumbledore had entered the sort of stage that there was now when they had rearranged the tables. He was standing in the middle of the U.

"Good evening, students", he began and did surprisingly not receive a usual murmuring 'good evening headmaster' back.

By his tone I knew it was going to be some kind of a speech, and it was obvious what the subject would be.

"The biggest tragedy in Hogwarts' history has hit us all with shock", he began. "Something that we didn't believe to be possible has happened."

There had been a few Slytherin girls – Pansy Parkinson and her friends, I believe, who had been gossiping and giggling before Dumbledore had entered, and their smiles were slowly fading off their faces. Even those stupid Slytherin girls were touched by the seriousness of the moment.

"I am fully aware of that many of you are feeling aggressions towards the teachers – about me – and are criticizing our way of handling this and not telling you everything. Perhaps it should have been done in another way, but it took us all unprepared."

He stopped speaking and silence fell in the room. I couldn't remember that it ever had been so silent in the Great Hall.

"Look around", he continued after a while. No one did. Everyone – and I mean everyone – was looking down into the table. Someone had leaned her head into her hands and was sobbing quietly. "People are missing. People that should be right here, amongst us. They were students, just like the rest of you. They were all your friends. But they aren't here anymore."

I glance on the people surrounding me said that the number of students crying now had been doubled. A tear was threatening to slip out of the corner of my eye too, but I dried it stubbornly away with the back of my hand.

"One wise man once said that death is just the next great adventure. It's not really death. And it is the circle of life. Let's just all hope that they are all happy wherever they are. We'll take a minute of silence to think over that, starting now."

It was so quiet one would have heard a needle fall down onto the floor. I took a deep breath, still strangling against my tears, and started scratching unconsciously on a blemish on my chin. The silence was nerve-wracking and uncomfortable and even though Dumbledore's speech didn't exactly make me feel better, I was still relieved when he spoke up again.

"I don't know if any of you are religious", he said, "but for those of you who are; pray also for Hermione Granger, who in this very moment is fighting for her life at St Mungo's Hospital for Magical Injuries (A/N Whatever it's supposed to say there.)."

A very strange sound was heard, it was some kind of a mixture between a sob and a groan. Then a boy with messy red hair was seen rising from the table and sprinting out of the room. Harry rose too like if he was going to follow Ron out, but then he sank down onto the bench again.

"All tragedies have one thing in common", Dumbledore continued. "We can always learn from them. We can learn very much from these recent events. Some practical things – we know by now that we need to protect the school far better, and work has already been started. But there's more. We know that we can never be safe. Things aren't always like they turned out to be."

Minor Pause.

"You might wonder why we rearranged the tables today. The answer is very simple – it's simply because this is the beginning of a new era at Hogwarts. An era when we aren't consumed by trivial differences any more. We will be united in our common interests. Those of you, who are not willing to work for our common interests and peace, may I ask you to leave the room now."

I looked up. I honestly thought at least someone would, but no one did. I saw that some of the Slytherin looked quite sceptical, but I feel sort of proud to say that when I looked at Draco, he looked deeply moved by Dumbledore's speech.

He never stopped surprising me. Right there and then, I just felt that maybe there was still hope for him.

"No one? Good", Dumbledore said. "Because we're fighting for our lives. For our right to exist. And when this all comes to its end, the world will be different. That day will be remembered forever. It will be known as the day when we all declared in one voice that we would not go quietly into the night and that we would not vanish without a fight. It won't be easy, but we will have the victory."

Everyone had raised their heads by now, watching our headmaster intensely. I guess I don't have to mention that I was one of them...

"I am pleased to say that we will have our lessons back by tomorrow."

General groan from the students.

"Fifth and seventh years will be taking OWLs and NEWTs as planned."

Groan again.

"I believe you all should be hungry by now, so I have just another couple of words before I'll let you tuck in", he continued. "May I have your fully attention, please."

A couple of seconds later, when he was sure he had it, he continued.

"Happiness can be found in the darkest of times. If only you remember to turn on the light."


Author's Note: Now those of you who are paying attention should know that I basically stole loads of lines in Dumbledore's speech, and that was intentionally. Just so you know ;)

If you feel for doing some charity, you know you can always press Go on the bottom of the page, don't you? I mean, I don't have to tell you that? I know I don't have to ask you to review, cause you'll do it anyway, right?

Right?

RIGHT?!

Don't prove me wrong.