Chapter 8 - School
Harry woke in a strange mood. Without even a glance at the Dursleys he walked to the largest canvas in the room. Vernon and Petunia watched with fear. What more horrors would their nephew arouse? How could it get any worse?
"Hey guys – here's a gift for everyone." Weasleys and friends started to come from various homes to see what Harry would do next. The maimed wizard gestured and chanted, and the large portrait revealed Hogwarts, complete with faculty and students lined up in front.
Moony walked over, shaking the hands of professors and gazing at the castle before him. He turned back to Harry, excitement and questions dancing in his amber eyes. "How, Harry? This took an amazing amount of magic."
The young wizard's eyes were sad. "Hogwarts was totally destroyed right before I killed Voldemort" he shook his head sorrowfully, "not a teacher was left. The only students who survived were purebloods. The castle was leveled. I commissioned several wizards who worked on this for a year. Most of the professors are there – I left out Dumbledore" he spat the name with obvious hatred "and most of the students from my fifth year that aren't in other portraits in my gallery are here. I don't want any of you to get bored or lonely."
"Portraits can't get bored or lonely, Cub" Sirius spoke gently. "We are created so we can not go insane."
"I know" Harry was practically whispering. "But I miss it so much."
He spun around and sat in his chair. Conjuring a light meal and ever-present bottle of wine, and he spent the hours watching.
McGonagall, Flitwich, the ghosts, Sprout, Madame Hooch and Pomphrey. They were there hugging children and chatting happily with Weasleys and Marauders who had come over to catch them up on current events. Looks of pity, mingled with disgust, horror, or fear on occasion were sent toward The-Boy-Who-Lived, but more looks of horror and disgust were aimed at the Dursleys. Snape half heartedly shook a few hands, and then walked to the front of the canvas to look at Harry.
"Didn't know you had it in you" was all he said, before spinning and striding off to his dungeons to brew for all eternity, robes billowing behind him.