Chapter Twenty Six
A/N: The last chapter! I'm not sure I want to say goodbye! ::Wails uncontrollably::
Disclaimer: Every night I hope and wish that I would own Harry Potter… but alas! my wishes have not been answered!
The past week had to have been the slowest ever for Harry Potter. He sat through is classes in a daze, not really paying attention to what any of the Professors were saying. It all seemed trivial somehow.
It was not only Harry who had been deeply changed by the events of that one night. Nearly all of the inhabitants of the castle seemed to have a slightly different demeanor. The teachers, when asked about what happened to them would simply skirt the question. Everyone figured they would find out sooner or later, as their loved ones had disappeared in a similar fashion (although presently were back and safe in their homes, all limbs intact, amazingly enough). The students were worse for wear. Very few of them had ever had to face a situation like the one that had presented itself a week pervious to the end of the term. It threw into sharp reality the fact that they were not untouchable. The students of Hogwarts did have a role to play in the impending war… they were just surprised that they did.
The changes in the student body were very apparent… but no more apparent than in Harry's own two best friends.
"What's wrong?" Harry asked Ron while they were packing up their trunks the night before they were due to return home.
"Who? Me? Wrong? Nothing!" Ron's face instantly matched his hair. "I… erm… forgot something in the common room… yeah… be right back." Ron dashed out the door and down the stairs. He sat down on the couch in front of the empty fire grate and took a deep breath.
"Hi Ron."
Ron jumped.
"Oh… hi Hermione."
Hermione sat down next to him. "All packed?"
"Not quite. I've still got a little more to do. Just thought I'd come down here and see if I'd forgotten anything."
"Didn't you lend that one book to Neville?" Hermione asked.
"Book… what bo- oh… yeah. You're right. Do you er… happen to know where he is?"
"Certainly, follow me." Hermione and Ron made their way out of the full common room, through the portrait hole, down a corridor, and into an empty classroom.
"Lent Neville a book, did I?" Ron asked, smiling. "Clever."
"I know." Hermione smiled back. "What's wrong?" she grabbed his hand and held it in her own.
"It's Harry… he's been asking me questions…"
"Do you think he knows?"
"I think he knows something is different, but that's all."
"We should tell him." Hermione said earnestly.
"No!" Ron's face looked panicked.
"Why not? We are going to have to tell him eventually you know."
"No we don't."
"Ron!"
"I know… just…just not now. I mean, he's got a lot on his mind right now."
Hermione thought about this for a moment. "Okay… you're right. But we are going to tell him eventually, right?"
"Right. When things have calmed down a bit."
"Good." Hermione smiled and led Ron out of the empty classroom.
Later that night, at the customary End of Term Feast, Dumbledore addressed the students. "Another year over." He began. "I daresay that this year has been quite interesting. I find that the only announcement fit to make at this time, is that which was brought to my attention my Mr. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. Mr. Fudge and I both agree that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry has, in the past, been the safest place in these parts for quite some time. However, the times have changed, as I am sure that all of you are well aware of." he smiled grimly. "Due to recent events, the Ministry finds it is necessary to close Hogwarts after the duration of this year. I regret to inform you of this. Never in all my years here at Hogwarts would I have ever thought this possible. I am very sorry to see the last days of this school. I assure you that I will do everything in my power to do whatever I can to salvage our glorious place of learning… Now, I am quite sure that you are all rather full and sleepy. Enjoy your last night in the castle; I regret to say that I may not be seeing you all next year."
The second Dumbledore stopped speaking the Great Hall erupted in a buzz of conversation.
"Close the school?!"
"But they can't!"
"I bet those no good Slytherins had something to do with it!"
"What are we going to do for next year?"
Questions of every sort were being flung every which way. Dumbledore sat and surveyed all his students over his half moon spectacles with a sad smile on his face. Very very slowly, the Great Hall emptied, and he was left sitting there, alone.
The conversations of the students were carried with them to their common rooms, sleep driven from all of their minds.
"How can they close the school?!" Neville wailed as the Gryffindors entered their common room.
"That Fudge is a right nutter!" Ginny exclaimed.
"What do you recon Dumbledore is going to do?" Seamus questioned the people around him.
"He's going to show them what a bloody stupid idea it is." Ron said.
"Mr. Weasley, please watch your language." Every head in the common room swung around to look at Professor McGonagall, whom had just appeared by the Gryffindor tower bulletin board.
"S-sorry Professor." Ron stammered, surprised.
"I am here to speak to all of you sixth years, so would you all please gather round? Is that everyone? Good." All of the confused looking sixth years formed a semi-circle around their head of house. "As you all know, before your seventh year in school, you are required to take an apparition test. Now apparition is not something that we cover in the curriculum, as it can be very dangerous. Instead, all students are to register through in Ministry o Magic or lessons there." She began handing them all pamphlets.
The sixth years exchanged dark glances. The pervious year they had had a class taught by the Ministry... and they all saw how well that worked out.
"Um, Professor?" Hermione asked.
"Yes, Ms. Granger?"
"With the schools livelihood in jeopardy then-"
"I am not sure Ms. Granger. I was simply assigned to tell you students of your apparition examinations. The longevity of the school is still in question." With that, Professor McGonagall turned on her heel and walked out of the room. The second she was gone hastier conversation took place, apparition tests added to the worries of the school being closed.
"How am I supposed to concentrate on getting registered for apparition when I might not even have a school to come back to next year?!" Ron exclaimed.
"Ron, calm down." Hermione said. "Apparition tests will not be that difficult. Besides, I'll be helping you and Harry study. The only thing we have to worry about is the school."
"That's a comforting thought." Ron mumbled.
"Look. We've got Dumbledore. The Ministry has Fudge. Dumbledore is bound to think of something. He always finds a way. He always has."
All of the common room quieted down to listen to them. Everyone thought about what Hermione just said. It was true... Dumbledore had always managed to pull through them somehow. He was probably the one man in the wizarding world who could see the situation from all sides. I anyone could salvage the fate o Hogwarts, Dumbledore could.
Around midnight the conversation died down, the students realizing that there was really nothing more they could do, as it was the last day of term anyway. "Dumbledore will take care of us" was the general consensus.
"I'm going to turn in." Harry said, rubbing his eyes.
"All right." Ron said.
"Goodnight." Hermione added.
Harry slowly clamored up the stairs and into his our poster, he heard Neville already snoring on the other side o the room. Harry was fast asleep by the time Ron entered the dormitory.
The next morning everyone arose somber, the reality of their last day at Hogwarts finally sinking in.
"It's all right." Hermione kept protesting. "Dumbledore won't let it happen. He can't." This seemed a reasonable enough argument. Everyone ate a quiet breakfast in the Great Hall before getting onto the train that would take them home.
Much of the train ride home consisted of different people popping in and out of compartments to say hellos and goodbyes. By the time the food cart rolled around Harry, Ron, and Hermione were all in very good spirits. The worries that they had thought of and dwelled upon at Hogwarts had seemed to have been left behind on the platform in Hogsmade station. They somehow found themselves sucked into a conversation of their up-and-coming apparition tests.
"How hard do you reckon it'll be?" Harry asked.
"It couldn't be that difficult, after all, Fred and George passed." Ginny said. Ron nodded in agreement.
"Your brothers may not have gotten the best marks, but they still are really good wizards." Hermione said. "I mean, look at the types of things they were able to come up with." Everyone else in the compartment murmured agreement.
Sooner than the students on the Hogwarts Express would have liked, the train began to slow as they neared King's Cross Station. Harry, Ron, and Hermione could hear the thumps of trunks being pulled out of the luggage rack, so they followed suit. After a slight congestion of students in the corridors, the three were on the sunny platform waving goodbye to a few of their friends. They were just nearing the barrier when Hermione's bag ripped open. Harry and Ron both stopped to help her gather up her things.
"Oh Harry, it's all right. I' sure Moody wants to talk to you anyway. Ron and I will be along in just a moment." Hermione said, standing up and nearly shooing him out of the barrier. Harry shrugged and went on his way.
"This is what you get from carrying so many books Her-" Ron's speech was cut short by Hermione pulling him behind a pillar, away from the hustle and bustle of the other students. She wrapped her arms around his neck and gave him a very brief kiss.
"I'll miss you." she said.
"I'll miss you to." Ron said with a sad smile on his face.
Hermione smiled back up at him and then hastily made her way out from behind the pillar. "Come on, we have to get to the other platform before Harry leaves."
The two gathered up the rest of Hermione's books and quills and parchment, shoved it unceremoniously into her trunk, and walked through the barrier. Harry spotted them and ran over, a definite spring in his step.
"I don't have to go with the Drusleys!" he cried.
"What?!" said Ron and Hermione together.
"Moody just told me. He said I can go straight to headquarters with you Ron!"
"That's wicked, mate!"
"But why? I mean, you've always had to go to the Drusley's before this year, why now?" Hermione looked perplexed.
"Because Dumbledore thinks it would hurt him more than it would help him." Came Moody's gruff voice from behind them all. He, Tonks, and Kinsley Shacklebolt had made their way over to the three students.
"How so?" Ron questioned.
"The Death Eaters took Dudley, remember? I would be murdered if I step anywhere near Privet Drive." Harry smiled as if at a very funny joke.
"But the people who went missing, they were found. They were brought back home. Why would they-"
"They still think I was the one who did it." Harry clarified.
"Who cares?!" Ron exclaimed. "You get to come stay with us, that's all that matters!"
Harry grinned ear to ear. This might actually be a good summer...
A/N: It's over! ::Cries hysterically:: Oh my god! My first fanfic ever done… What am I going to do now? The sequel you say? What a brilliant idea! I would like to take this brief moment to thank all of my very kind reviewers. You all make this process super enjoyable. Snappish79, RussellGrl15, Duckymander, rhinemjr, crazygonutz, Joots, Wynjara, enna seawave, missprongs, Sylvia Viridian, Lady Slone of Snow Mt, Mystic-fox, angelface58, Hplova4eva, MoonGoddess25, Mystic-fox, michelleywelley, and numerous other who have stuck with me all the way through. You guys rock! Thanks for hanging in there and bearing with me. I really hope you all enjoyed the story. Please do check out the sequel as soon as it's up. You are all awesome!
I also would like the thank Dana Whelks, without her I would never have even bothered with this website. The fact that I've even on here is all credited to her. Please, while I'm not my little hiatus, please check out her stuff, it's really well done.
Thanks guys. I can't wait to see you all again!