Chapter 30: The Opening Ceremony

Hermione looked herself over once again in her bedroom mirror; she was so excited to be going out to the opening ceremony with her handsome knight that she was beside herself with anticipation.

"Oh will you come on already?" Demelza's voice came in while Hermione made sure her hair was all right for the last time.

"I'm coming" she answered and went down to the Gryffindor common room.

She found Ginny, Demelza, Neville, Luna, and Ron there, but no Harry. She was about to ask where Harry was when Ron spoke up.

"Harry said for me to tell you that he's been asked to sit at the Head Table at the ceremony."

Ron hadn't told anyone about this, so all of them were taken by surprise.

"Why do you suppose that is?" Neville questioned out loud to the group.

"They probably want to recognize him for killing You Know Who" was Luna's answer.

Hermione beamed with pride at the thought of Harry being recognized as a hero for his efforts.

"Pity that Harry won't be able to see you after all the trouble you went through" Demelza said to Hermione.

"He'll just have to make it up to me later on" Hermione answered in a devious voice, generating laughs from the girls and a low groan from Ron, which earned him an elbow from his little sister.

The group was now making quite a buzz about the whole ceremony on their way to the Great Hall. Everything was new now, and they were all looking forward to having a normal year without the looming threat of the Dark Lord. They were all very jubilant at this point, except for Ginny. She had the idea now that she would never see Sean again.

"He probably just fought the battle and went back to the monastery to go after more vampires," she thought to herself with spite. She then sighed inwardly and thought, "just like any brave and noble knight."

The friends made their way into the Great Hall and saw that there was already quite a crowd assembled. The entire hall had been refitted to seat many more people than normal. Hermione noticed many Ministry officials and lots of other guests who were neither students nor faculty. A great many students and guests had already filed in and were enjoying some food that had been provided. There were many house elves catering to the guests, and one in particular came to the group as they arrived.

"Hermione Granger, how nice to see you here" it was Dobby.

"Hello Dobby" Hermione answered enthusiastically.

"Harry Potter has been telling Dobby all about Harry Potter's adventures with Sean O'Sullivan. And Harry Potter also told me about his special girl Hermione Granger."

As Dobby finished this last part, a slight blush crept over Hermione's face and she knew that there would be some explaining to do with her friends.

"Well," Dobby said again, "Dobby must be getting back to work, enjoy yourselves."

After Dobby left, Hermione and the others made their way towards their tables when Demelza stopped dead in her tracks.

"Merlin's beard" she said in a mesmerized voice and with a look on her face to match.

"What is it?" Luna asked.

"Killer at two o'clock."

Luna gasped as she looked at the table, just to the right of the center at the stranger sitting next to Harry.

Neville stopped as well, "I wonder who he is? He looks a little young to be the new Defense Against the Dark Arts or Transfiguration teacher."

"I recognize him," Ron said, "that's Sean O'Sullivan. He was my brother's best man…and hey, there's Bill sitting next to him."

At about that time, Hermione and Ginny came to where the rest of them were standing and Hermione stifled a gasp. A big smile crept its way to Hermione's face as she grabbed Ginny's arm.

"Ginny look!" she exclaimed with delight as she positioned her best friend in front of her so she could see the head table. "Look who's sitting next to Harry."

Ginny also stifled a gasp, much as she had five years ago when she found Harry in her house one morning. There was the man of her dreams in all his glory and his formal clothes.

"It's him." Ginny said barely above a whisper. Then she heard Ron nearby at the Gryffindor table.

"Mum! Dad!" Ginny looked over to see her parents, all her brothers, and Fleur seated at the Gryffindor Table with two seats across from them reserved for Ron and Ginny. Ginny ran and hugged her mum, Fleur, her brothers, and then her dad.

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked with delight.

"Almost the entire Ministry of Magic has been invited," Mrs. Weasley said, "and Headmistress McGonagall said that we should especially be here--something involving Bill."

Ginny made sure that her family knew how glad she was that they were there, but soon after sitting down her gaze drifted to the Head Table and the young Muggle sitting there.

Harry had just finished explaining to a very confused Sean how the food they were all eating just appeared seemingly out of nowhere, but Sean had more inquiries.

"So, those House Elves work here?" Sean asked Harry.

"Yeah" Harry answered.

"And you know that one named Dobby because he almost killed you during your second year?"

Harry laughed a little before answering, "yeah, funny isn't it?"

Sean just smirked for his reply and then looked over to see the Sagart still talking with McGonagall. A smile came to Sean's face as he realized that he was seeing the fulfillment of the desire of Dumbledore and the previous Sagart at his monastery, the reunion between the Order of St. George and the magical world.

At about that time, an even bigger surprise came to Sean when Nearly Headless Nick floated in.

"Good day Harry Potter," he said as he tipped his head to Harry.

"Hello Nick," Harry said with a quiet happiness in his tone.

Sean was looking at this as if it was the strangest thing he had ever seen, and it arguably was. In all his years of fighting demons and vampires, he had never seen a ghost; much less one who tipped it's head to people. Sean had a look on his face that simultaneously conveyed surprise and that he was stupefied. Harry carried on his conversation with Nick just like he always did, not noticing the state his mentor was in.

"Let me just say," Nick said to Harry, "how very proud all the other ghosts and I are of your accomplishments. And how you've grown since you've been here, it is an honor to know you and to have you in Gryffindor House."

"Thank you Nick," Harry answered with sincere gratitude, "but I couldn't have done it without him." Harry pointed to Sean and it was then that he noticed Sean's expression. Harry figured that it would be a good idea to introduce the two of them.

"Nick," Harry began, "this is Sean O'Sullivan, the man who trained me over the summer. Sean," Harry paused not knowing exactly how to introduce the ghost in front of him and Sean, he settled for simply saying, "this is Nick."

Ginny giggled as she saw the interaction between Harry, Nick, and a very confused and overwhelmed Sean.

"It's so cute how naïve he is" she said more to herself but still loud enough for Ron, Fleur, and her parents to hear.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley looked at their daughter and then sighed to themselves as they watched her awning over the young man they hoped she would one day marry. Hermione was balancing eating with filling Demelza and the other interested girls about her romantic moments with Harry and the night they had spent together in the Common Room. The question that they were the most on about though was Harry's new haircut.

Meanwhile at the head table after Nick had floated off to talk with more of the guests, Sean was grilling Harry for more information concerning what had just happened.

"You mean to tell me that that was a real ghost and that there are more of them around this place?"

"Oh yeah," Harry answered casually, "every house has one. Our History of Magic Professor is a ghost as well. And there are some who just hang around the place."

Sean was very overwhelmed at all this, and immediately returned to his drink, almost wishing it had alcohol in it, after Harry had finished explaining about the ghosts.

Sean was eating the same food as the wizards and was finding that pumpkin juice was much to his liking. Harry was impressed with how well Sean was handling the new sensations and experiences. A smile came to Harry's face when he noticed Hermione and the Weasleys at their table. When he saw Hermione's gaze meet his, he gave her a wave and she waved back.

Sean had also noticed Ginny sitting at the table and was finding it harder and harder to concentrate on his dinner. An elbow to his side from Bill brought him back to the present.

"When are you going to make your move mate?" Bill asked.

"What do you mean?" Sean answered.

"Oh please," Bill said slightly annoyed, "can't you tell that my sister is nuts for you?"

Comprehension hit Sean like a ton of bricks when he realized that from the moment they first met--she really had been smitten with him, as he felt himself becoming with her.

"It can never be," Sean said after a moment's pause, "these hands," Sean said as he held up his two calloused hands, "have killed too many and spilled too much blood to be worthy of something so fair and gentle."

Bill did not fail to notice how Sean referred to his sister, and he spoke to him. "My sister is a young woman now. She is capable of making her own decisions. You should tell her what you told me and let her choose whether or not she would have you."

Sean stopped in thought, and then began fidgeting with his crucifix, something he always did when he was nervous or embarrassed, with his left hand as his right brought up his mug for a long drink of pumpkin juice. After a few more moments, Headmistress McGonagall tapped her glass to quiet down the assembled masses.

"Attention" she called out in a voice barely loud enough for everyone to hear. When they quieted down, she began to speak. "As I'm sure that you have noticed, we have some special guests here today," she said as she looked first to her right at the Sagart and then to her left at Harry, Sean, and Bill.

"But first," she continued, "I have a few announcements to make. First off, the position of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher will be filled by Kingsley Shacklebolt of the Auror office."

Kingsley stood up and bowed graciously to the applause that greeted him. McGonagall then introduced Nymphadora Tonks as the new Transfiguration professor and head of Gryffindor house, and this was met with thunderous applause as well.

"Also," McGonagall said, "after the battle here at this very school that left Rufus Scrimgeour dead, the new Minister of Magic has been named."

There was a moment of silence in the room as they anticipated who it would be. McGonagall then spoke, "and his name is Alastar "Mad-Eye" Moody."

Moody had been seated at the head table, but had insisted on not being seated at the head, wanting to make room for the special guests. He did however get up and speak.

"Students of Hogwarts, faculty, and all others here assembled. We have been living in fear and worry for the past several years. We have received devastating blows from friend and foe alike. We have been faced with an ever-present threat…and we still are now. But, let me assure all of you that as I reluctantly accept this new position, I will fill it with integrity, strength, and an unwavering determination to see that all people in this world, Wizards and Muggles alike, will always enjoy the protection of the Ministry of Magic from any and all of those who would try to destroy this peace we have recently obtained. I thank you all and hope that you will place your confidence in me, as I will do all in my power to ensure that that confidence is well placed."

With this, the new Minister of Magic sat down to a thundering applause from those assembled. All the students and others assembled knew enough about the real Mad-Eye Moody to know that what he had said was true and now felt a great relief knowing that they were in good and capable hands.

"Now, without further adieu" McGonagall began again, "I wish to present our guests and proceed with the chief event of this ceremony."