It's finally here! Soooooooooooooo Sorry for the long wait, but if it makes you feel better, it was almost abandoned, so at least we finished it.
We're not J. K. Rowling!
Chapter 44
The Titleless Chapter
Sirius, Remus, Heather and Bridget could do nothing but stare at James. He and Lily stood their ground, James smirking and Lily smiling softly. Remus was the first to break the silence, his words coming out in a discursive babble.
"You haven't seen…but the…spirit…fire…Halloween…you're here."
"Very good, Remus!" James mock-praised.
"Give the man a rest! It's the first time he's seen us in who knows how long! For Merlin's sake, James!"
"Fine, fine, I'll be all nice and mushy."
"Are you…actually there? Here? Really?" Heather managed to spit out.
"Why does everyone feel the need to question my competence as the Spirit of Fire? Yes, they are really here. Yes, you can talk to them, hug them, slap them silly, etc. No, you can't see them again until you die. Yes, I am serious. Anything else?"
"No, I think that's it," Bridget remarked.
"How can I ever thank…" Lily began, but was cut off.
"You can thank me by not asking any more questions," the Spirit retorted. "Good day." With a burst of light, the mountainous land disappeared, and they found themselves in something that looked strangely like the living room of Lily and James's house in Godric's Hollow.
"This is definitely being classified in the 'Too strange to think about' file," James commented, as if he were talking about the weather.
"James?" Sirius murmured.
"Sirius," James replied knowingly. The room seemed to hold its breath as they stared, transfixed, at each other. "Well, are you going to do something?"
"I was, actually, just planning on standing here until you did something."
"Well, what do you expect me to do?"
"Blame me for your deaths."
"What? Why on earth would I do that? You weren't our Secret Keeper."
"But I'm the one who suggested that you use Peter."
"So that automatically makes you responsible?"
"Yes. Yes it does."
"Padfoot, you're an idiot."
"You're both idiots!" Lily shouted, shoving James toward Sirius, just as Heather did the same with Sirius. They met in the middle in an awkward hug. Soon, the entire room was filled with people hugging, crying, and discussing old times.
"So, Sirius," James began, "is it true that you're actually going to be married?"
"Actually, Prongs, I'm already married."
"Really?"
"Yes, really."
"Hey, that's great! Hey, everyone! Padfoot's married!" Everyone in the room looked over at James in confusion.
"And this is news how?" Remus asked.
"Well, it's news to me," James replied.
"Where have you been, James? We've all known about that for ages!" Lily laughed.
"Well, then, this would probably be a good time to tell you two something..." Bridget shared a knowing glance with Remus.
"Don't tell me! You're getting married, too!" Lily shrieked.
"How do you do that?" Remus muttered.
"I knew it! See, James, I told you they'd end up together somehow!"
"Fine, here's a galleon."
"Thanks."
Suddenly, the living room was transformed back into a mountainous land. The Spirit of Fire returned in a flash of light.
"You've all had your fun, it's time to go. We're messing up the time-space continuum here."
"We have to leave? Now?" Heather wailed.
"Are you questioning my competence as the Spirit of Fire again? I know what I'm doing, thank you very much. Now, hug, cry, do whatever you want, just make it quick. I'm on a very tight schedule."
"What on earth do you do that you have a schedule?" Sirius demanded.
"Well, actually, I have a poker tournament with the Spirit of Wind and the Spirit of Earth in ten minutes. The Spirit of Earth gets rather testy if I'm late."
"He can wait for fifteen more minutes. We haven't seen each other in fifteen years!" James added.
"Would you like an earthquake? And now, you've got five minutes."
"I don't know about them, but we don't have earthquakes in the Land of the Dead," Lily retorted.
"Want to bet on it?"
Seeing that they had lost, the group quickly said their good-byes and shared one last hug. With a burst of fire, they found themselves back in Heather's office.
Hermione and Ron had made themselves comfortable on the couch in the Gryffindor Common Room, mourning the loss of their friend. Hermione had been on the brink of tears all week and Ron had, without avail, tried to comfort her while fighting tears of his own. Ever since Harry's death, they had felt both feelings of deep sorrow, as well as a certain something else between them.
"Ron, I miss him, so much."
"Hermione, I told you not to bring that up."
"Ron, you can't just forget about him like that."
"I don't want to talk about this, okay?"
Hermione was about to pursue the subject further, but thought better of it upon seeing Ron's face. Ron was silent for a moment. Suddenly, he developed a strange sense of courage.
"Umm, Hermione?"
"What?"
Ron opened his mouth as if to say something, but leaned in toward Hermione instead and kissed her. For a moment, Hermione kissed him back, but pulled away.
"RON!" she shrieked, slapping him. "What on earth do you think you're doing?"
"Kissing you. What do you think I'm doing?"
"You idiot!"
"Oh, so kissing makes me an idiot?"
"Yes, it does. But, you're my idiot!" Hermione threw herself at Ron, causing both of them to fall off the couch.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Ron yelled, trying to stand up, but failing miserably. He and Hermione managed to untangle themselves and regain their composure. They both stood up, clearing their throats uncomfortably, before diving at each other. They landed on the sofa in a heap.
Harry stood in the doorway of the Common Room, his mouth hanging open as he watched the display of hormones gone awry. As he stood there gaping, Nikki walked up behind him.
"Hey, Harry? Aren't you going to go inside?"
"I had a better idea, actually," Harry whispered, pointing to the couch.
Nikki peered into the room. "Ohhhh...I get it. Are they going to come up for air any time soon?"
"Doubtful."
"So...what's the plan?"
"Why did you stop?" Ron questioned as they broke apart.
"Because, we ought not to be doing this!"
"Why not? There's nobody here, Hermione. Besides, I...um...I..."
"You what, Ron? And I meant that we should be mourning Harry, not snogging ourselves senseless."
"But I like snogging myself senseless!" Ron shouted. "I love you, Hermione!"
"Oh, Ron!" Hermione cried, "I love you, too!" She lunged at Ron just as a voice came out of nowhere.
"Well, if I'd known that dying would get you two together, I probably would've tried it a long time ago."
Hermione screamed and fell off of the couch as Ron grabbed a pillow, ready to strike anyone that came within range. He looked around and saw no one.
"Where are you?" Hermione stammered.
"Uh, yeah! Where are you?" Ron sputtered, shielding himself with the pillow. No one answered.
"Oh, come on!" shouted Hermione. "This is a really sick joke!"
"No more sick than what I just witnessed, I'm sure!" Harry's voice snickered.
"Who are you?" Ron demanded, wielding the pillow like a sword.
"You know, that looks ridiculous, Ron. And I thought by now you would have figured out who I am. I mean, honestly, I've known you since first year!"
"I – I...uh...I don't..."
Hermione gasped. "Harry? Is that you?"
"Well, finally somebody figured it out!" Harry shouted exasperatedly. He whipped off his Invisibility Cloak, causing Ron to shriek in horror.
"How long have you been standing there?"
"You're – you're ALIVE?" Hermione squeaked. She slowly got off the sofa, stumbled over to Harry, and poked him several times.
"Hermione, what are you doing?" She smacked him in response.
"You are alive!" Hermione shouted. "But, how...?"
"Well, it's a long story..."
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly.
"Um, Hermione...can't...breathe..."
"Right, sorry." Hermione loosened her death grip on him, but remained attached to Harry.
"Hey," Nikki smirked, walking into the room. "Get off my boyfriend."
"Yeah, get off her boyfriend!" Ron added, standing up.
Hermione let go of Harry and stepped back.
"I'm sorry, I missed you!"
"I missed you, too, Hermione," Harry smiled. "All of you," he added pointedly.
Harry looked over at Ron, who stared back, his arms crossed. Harry looked down at his feet uncomfortably. Nikki and Hermione looked back and forth between them. Finally, their respective girlfriends pushed them together into an embrace.
"Harry!" Ron sobbed.
Harry patted Ron on the back. "It's okay, mate."
Hermione and Nikki exchanged a glance and both burst out laughing.
"Boys."
"Do we really have to take the Knight Bus?" Ron whimpered as he, Hermione, Harry, Nikki, Sirius, Remus, Bridget, Heather, Chris, and Ginny climbed into the purple vehicle.
"Yes. Or would you rather walk?" Hermione quipped.
"Well, I thought maybe we could, um, take thestrals or something..."
"No," Harry retorted as he stepped onto the bus, dragging Ron behind him.
"I don't get it. It's a bus. What's so bad about it?" Nikki asked.
"Just sit down," Ginny sighed. "It'll be all over soon."
The group took their seats on the first floor as the bus lurched forward with a BANG! Soon, they were careening through rural England at lightning speed.
"Wow! I don't see why you guys hate this so much!" Nikki shouted, putting her hands in the air.
"Just wait until it stops, Nikki. You'll see what we mean," Harry moaned in apprehension.
Suddenly, the bus stopped with a grinding halt at a crooked house in Ottery St. Catchpole, sending Nikki flying into Harry's arms with enough force to knock him off of his seat.
"That's why," Harry muttered as Nikki massaged her forehead.
Ron and Ginny exited the bus with tremendous relief. Everyone from their group waved goodbye as the bus sped off once more. Suddenly, Harry thought of something.
"Um, Sirius? Won't the Dursleys be expecting me back at Privet Drive? Do they know about me not coming back?"
"Dumbledore sent them an owl explaining everything. Besides, do you really think they care?"
"Well, no, but – "
Harry was cut off as the bus stopped sharply in a subdivision just outside of London.
"This is me, Harry." Hermione gave him a quick hug. "Promise you'll write?"
"Uh, yeah. Sure, Hermione. See you."
Hermione stepped off of the bus, which drove off. They eventually stopped by a private lake with a single, very large house perched next to it. Harry exited the bus, his jaw hanging open in awe.
After several minutes of everyone standing there, staring at the monstrous mansion, Sirius spoke up. "So, what do you think?"
"Sirius, there is no way you need that much house," Remus stammered.
"Why not? There will be a lot of people living here."
"Well, yeah, but from the looks of it, we could all have our own private wings and still have room left over!"
Harry decided to leave the two of them to their fight and strolled up the walkway, followed by Nikki, Chris, Heather, and Bridget. They reached the gigantic oak door, which was decorated with an ornate hippogriff doorknocker. Harry glanced at Nikki and knocked loudly. They all heard the pitter patter of feet running to the door, which was soon thrown open, revealing –
"Dobby is so glad to be seeing Harry Potter, sir! Was Harry Potter's journey here comfortable? Would Harry Potter like Dobby to get some refreshments for Harry Potter and Harry Potter's friends? Would – "
"Dobby!" Harry interrupted. "First off, stop saying my name. Secondly, no, I don't need any refreshments. I think we're fine, thanks."
"At least let Dobby take Master Harry Potter's bags!"
"That would be great, Dobby. But stop saying my name!"
"Of course, Master Harry Potter!"
Harry glanced up at the huge mansion before him, back at Dobby, over at Sirius and Remus, who were still fighting, and lastly at Nikki.
"This is going to be an... interesting summer."
