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The Great Hall was more beautiful that night than it had ever been before. The sky was a dark velvety blue with a scattering of stars like silver beads strewn across a sheet of silk. The tables were all still there, yet it was with an ache of sadness that I glanced around the hall to see barely 50 students seated around them. The Slytherine table was completely empty.

Even though we had known this was how it was going to be it still made me feel almost ready to cry again; particularly when I looked up at the staff table to see the largest seat in the centre of the table, Dumbledore's seat, empty.

Professor McGonagall entered the hall last; she walked down the centre isle up to the staff table. There she took her place amongst Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout and, surprisingly, Lupin. Hagrid had gone back to the mountains with Grawp on another hopeless mission to try to get the giants to turn away from Voldemort. Apparently it was "what Dumbledore would have wanted" and even though we were all very worried about him I think that Hogwarts wasn't really the place for Hagrid once Dumbledore was gone. After all, Dumbledore was the only reason that Hagrid stayed here for so long.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts! I am delighted to see at least some of you back here again even if our numbers have diminished by a large amount. This is, of course due mainly to the fact that we have only invited the top two years of the school to return. However if you look around you you will notice that a few of your fellow classmates have also opted not to return to Hogwarts. I am very proud to see so many of you feel that the course we are offering and the help that you will be providing to the fight against Voldemort is worthwhile. I hope that you will enjoy and benefit from the completion of your education as well as making a difference to the wizarding community. This is, I believe, what Professor Dumbledore always hoped the school would achieve. Thank you."

I glanced at Harry after this long and rather moving speech from Professor McGonagall to see him and Ron both yawning and pulling faces at each other. I ask you! I mean we did know all this already but it was still a very emotional speech, not one to be yawning through. I kicked them both and caught Ginny's eye, she raised an eyebrow but smiled slightly at all of us. I rolled my eyes and turned to the food in front of us.

About an hour later the remaining food on the plates melted seamlessly into golden gleaming cleanness. Professor McGonagall returned to her feet and smiled, this time slightly more warmly, at us.

"Good night and sleep well, tomorrow is going to be a hard day for you all."

I yawned and dragged myself to my feet. Beside me Harry and Ron were suddenly looking exhausted, the enthusiasm and energy they had shown whilst eating dinner seemed to have disappeared into thin air. They were now staggering along to the common room ready to run up to their dormitories and throw themselves into bed, I expect anyway. That was what I was going to do, after I'd had a shower, changed and done my teeth first, of course.

I awoke bright and early to the chatter of the birds outside my window. This comforting morning chorus always made me feel cheerful and welcome; it made me feel like I had come home. Yawning I stood up and walked over to the window; I am always the first up in my dormitory, definitely a morning person much to Ron and Harry's dismay.

After getting dressed and pulling on my cloak (it looked like it was going to be a cold day) I strolled down the stairs to the common room. I was the only one in there but it seemed a bit too early to have breakfast, plus I wanted to be with Harry and Ron on the first day. So I pulled off my cloak and curled up on one of the soft, squashy armchairs by the still slightly smouldering fire. I sighed, my eyes seemed almost automatically drawn to the glowing coals in front of me.

As I gazed transfixed into the fire memories began to rise to the surface of my mind, memories of Sirius. Tears began to roll silently down my cheeks and my throat felt like I had swallowed a tennis ball without meaning to.

"Hermione?" A soft voice called out, penetrating my thoughts. I dragged my eyes away from the fire to stare up at Ginny. "Are you ok?" I quickly wiped my eyes on the sleeve of my robes.

"Of course I am, why wouldn't I be? I'm absolutely…"

"Erm Hermione, you're babbling and crying, that generally means you're upset about something, what is it?"

"Oh, I was just thinking, about Sirius. I can't believe he's dead Ginny. What are we going to do without him?"

"Well, erm, no offence 'Mione but I reckon we'll get along just fine without him. After all he died more than a year ago. I personally think we should be more worried about Dumbledore being dead."

I stared up at her unbelievingly. Then I thought about it, I suppose we are ok without Sirius though I hate it that he's dead. It is going to be a lot harder to get along without Dumbledore. There is no way that we will ever replace either of them, but I guess we're just going to have to save our grieving for some other time. Like after the war, when we've won it.

"That's better!" Ginny smiled at me. I frowned slightly, how did she know what was going on inside my head? "You were smiling silly! I can't really read minds!"

"Then how did you know what I was thinking then?"

"You looked confused. Come on, I'm starving, let's go get some breakfast." I opened my mouth to say that we really should wait for Harry and Ron when they appeared at the bottom of the boys' staircase.

"Hey Ginny, Hermione, you two are up early!"

"Ready for the last first day of the last year of school?" I asked. I only asked it so that I could see the looks they gave me. Smiling I led the way out of the common room.

A/N Thank you so much to Sparkle Black, you really make my day :D. And to anyone else who reads this but doesn't review hope you enjoyed it, though review would be much appreciated, please!

Miss Moonshadow