"I visited my parents at San Mungo almost every day. While I was there, I saw the whole department of potions for patients, and also the private greenhouses of the hospital from which they concern the healing plants for medicine. I spent a lot of time going back and forth from my grandmother's house to the hospital. Better to stay in the hospital with my crazy parents than at home with my even more crazy grandmother. She still scares me, despite the fact I killed a snake bigger than me, I still don't feel able to face her." said Neville as everyone burst out laughing.
"and you? what have you done all this time?" asked Luna
"we spent the summer at the burrow, playing quidditch and spending the days joking with George's products, how really enjoyed seeing his products in action. We also organized a joke contest, Ginny and Hermione against me and Ron." Harry answered.
"By the way, if you don't know it, since the Battle of Hogwarts, also me and Ron are a couple." Neither Neville nor Luna seemed in the least surprised by Hermione's words. Instead, they decide what had happened during the battle was only the result of the adrenaline of the moment, a madness, done while everyone was going mad, and continued their life as friends.
Throughout the rest of the trip they continued to talk about their summers for once quietly. All the jokes that had been done to each other were told in detail.
"Hahahaha, and then, when Ron opened the door, the bucket of water fell on him! Even if it's old and trivial as a joke, it's funny because Ron didn't expected it anyway!" Ginny said in collective laughter.
Ron blushed turning purple, but Harry come in his help with a story that could deflect attention: "instead we enchanted Hermione's cake, and when she wanted to eat it, the cake started to scream and chase her all over the room." Said Harry.
"Luna, and you?"
"I helped my dad to rebuild our house and then I planted a lot of dirigibles plums trees , and also some luminescent raspberry bushes. We added a pond where we planted submarine apples with Neville. Then we also restored the Quibbler and wrote other numbers." Luna said satisfied.
"Do you want one?" she asked referring to her magazines.
"Of course." Hermione registered by taking a copy and putting it in her bag.
"I have a question." Harry announced. "What are submarine apples?"
"they are like apples, but the apple tree grows upside down, and in water. When ripe, the apples come off and you can easily fish them because they float" Luna explained.
"How nice guys, but do you think about it? A whole year as normal students!" Ron said.
"Let's say that monsters won't try to kill us, but no-one will live us in peace, now we're heroes." Harry said smiling.
"Every time I came out of the burrow, people attacked me for autographs! But I haven't signed one, I don't like all this attention. I mean, not like before I was without it, but it is really too much!"
"we hope that at least the ghosts do not ask them." Ron concluded. "Yeah." confirmed Harry.
"this is it. It's our last year in Hogwarts." Hermione said smiling melancholically looking at them on by one. They nodded sadly, with her same expression. "it feels like saying goodbye to my home." Harry commented looking away. They passed a few minutes silently looking elsewhere in their own world.
"Who do you think the prefects will be, and the heads?" Hermione asked, trying to hide her usual anxiety, and breaking that heavy and sad silence.
"I don't know, and actually don't care that much; but in my opinion you could be headgirl." received Ginny.
Here, just what he didn't want to hear, or maybe yes? Hermione didn'y know what she wanted anymore, but at that moment, what Ginny said only increase her anxiety and impatience. All she managed to do was nod a little lost.
"Come on Hermione, don't worry, at best you have some other Ravenclaw's nerds." Ron tried to calm her down while he was taking reproachful looks of Hermione and Luna.
"And the prefects are of the fifth year, we don't even know them!" continue as if the killing glances that had been left were not noticed.
"It doesn't reassure me at all." Hermione retorted. "And then we don't know if McGonagall kept Dumbledore's rules!" you continue almost scolding him.
"why should they change them ?!" he replied, raising his voice.
Harry and Ginny knew exactly what it was; it was one of their usual disputes, as they had seen many that summer. It didn't seem like they were a couple at all.
"I don't know, but since they built the new school, the principal has changed ... maybe they have also changed some rules." Hermione concluded by breathing deeply. Ron decides it is not worth the effort, and abandoned the debate.
"let's talk about more cheerful things. Anyone want a luminescent raspberry?" the silence had been broken by Luna. Everyone appreciated the talent she had in relieving situations and restoring good mood.
All of them took a luminescent raspberry from Luna's Hand; she had pulled them out of a small bag of blue cloth closed by a silver string with beads at the end. Those raspberries had a different taste for everyone who ate it, depending on the mood.
Then Luna, Neville, Ginny and Harry enjoyed a sweet raspberry that kept both its smell and taste in mouth for at least another five minutes. Instead Ron sent down a bitter raspberry like gall, like his thoughts; and he also had to keep that taste in his mouth for the same time as the sweet ones. And Hermione ate a raspberry that tasted of coffee, but without sugar, and even poor ones.
Before closing the bag, Luna took a small scented card note and passed it on to her companions. There was a list of foods such as cake, coffee, raspberries, cod liver oil ... and others, they were more or less a dozen. Next to that column there was another of the corresponding moods. Now they knew they had to accept a raspberry from Luna only in a good mood, or the situation would only get worse.
Furthermore, those raspberries were not called Luminescent for no reason. At night the raspberry plants would light up if they felt the presence of someone; and after you've eaten them, a random part of the body would light up until the taste disappeared from the mouth.
So you could eat a cod liver oil raspberry with an ear that gave off light. Wonderful isn't it?
They decided to turn off the lights of the compartment, remaining only with Neville's right hand, Harry's left ear, Ginny's nose, Luna's hair, Hermione's forefinger, and an entire arm of Ron that illuminated the small space as if it was day.
Without them realizing anything, it was now dark, and they were almost at the school; they put their uniforms on and went to the exit. The train finally arrived in Hogwarts.
The night was clear and the stars bright. "First year! First year! This way!" A deep and familiar voice shouted interrupting the star's silence.
The six of them were conquered by memories, then ran to hug Hagrid.
"I don't think you're in the first year!" said Hagrid almost moved.
"We missed you, Hagrid." they said together.
Hagrid looked at them with shining eyes, they were no longer those astonished little boys who he accompanied to the castle for the first time a long time ago.
They were now the heroes thank whom he could still accompany the little wizards to the castle, he was really proud of them.
He greeted them and then went away followed by a flock of children who seemed even smaller near him.
Then Harry turned and said, "Come on guys, hurry up, or we'll be late for our last first banquet at Hogwarts!" At these words they reached one of the carriages that for none of the students, who had seen their friends die in front of them at the battle, were pulling by themselves.
Soon they were again in front of the huge castle that had given them so many adventures.
"don't you also believe that they rebuilt it even bigger?!" asked Neville.
"I don't think so, in my opinion it's always the beautiful castle we entered in the first year, the one that saved me from the Dursleys' imprisonment." Harry replied.
"It doesn't even seem like there's been a battle here" Hermione added walking towards the entrance after getting off the carriage.
They passed through the gates of Hogwarts, without knowing that fate had still kept something in store for them.
As they walked down the hallway they noticed that all the paintings that were there before had been moved, and all those of the fallen from the Battle of Hogwarts had been put in their place.
There was Fred... Lavanda, Colin, and Tonks... and Lupin... and many others, of boys and girls who had sacrificed their lives for the freedom of the magical world.
When they entered the tears threatened to streak their faces looking at the smiling faces of those who had long since left them.
All the paintings, and the whole host of ghosts, were there to congratulated the great heroes of Hogwarts.
"Tonks, Lupin, I miss you so much, Teddy is fine, he miss you; I would like you to be here. "
"stay strong Harry, we will always be here. "Lupin gently patting his chest, Harry nodded with a melancholy smile.
"Oh Fred, we miss your happiness, especially George, it is no longer the same without you, neither of us is after all." said the two Weasley passing in front of the portrait of their brother.
Fortunately all that melancholy was chased away by a small second year boy who had stopped in front of Harry.
"Harry?! Would you do me an autograph?" he asked a little awkwardly.
"Emm .. sure" he stammered not yet accustomed to the situation.
Immediately after the boy, a cloud of little wizards and witches surrounded the unfortunates, holding some sheets and pens to ask for autographs, evidently that poor clumsy second year was the bravest of all, he had come first.
As soon as they managed to free themselves, they ran to the great hall, where they knew no one would dared to make so much noise and confusion. Between music and shouts, they entered the great hall.
"I didn't remember what's feeling like entering here" Ginny said full of amazement.
As soon as they sat down at their table, the other Gryffindors, like Dean and Seamus, joined them.
Waiting for them there was the whole new group of teachers; but everyone noticed that it was not the same thing, no longer seeing Professor Dumbledore in front of his lectern, ready for the speech at the beginning of the year.
They also felt the lack of Snape who he peered at them carefully from his chair.
There was a new professor or defence against the dark arts. "weird" they thought. It was a female, they had always had male professors. New female principal, New female professor! Girl power.
She must have been about thirty years old, maybe thirty-five, she was quite thin and seemed full of life. She wore a long midnight blue dress with a coordinated cape, she had long black hair, and two purple eyes that observed all the student as X-ray.
"I think I have seen her before." Ron said frowning.
"yeah, me too ... ... at the battle!" Hermione exclaimed.
"She must be an auror." confirmed Harry.
But they were interrupted by professor McGonagall who called silence and stood behind the golden lectern, cleared her throat, and began her speech:
"I think you all know about the horrors that terrified the magical world until not less than a few months ago, and made us loose many of our loved ones, that now will be remembered forever, as great heroes.
I don't deny having feared for today's safety, for our school, during the fateful night; but now we can say that all wizards, and Hogwarts, are ready to get up again, to look ahead, to build a new future.
You are called back here because we believe that for doing this, a proper education is needed, without restrictions on students and subjects.
You are here today to get up too, to find the strength to go on!" there was a moment of emotion and silence which lasted a few seconds but for each of the students seemed to last for years, no-one dared to applaud, too tense.
"And now, there are new students waiting to enter this room for the first time, who will see it without thinking about what happened, here and out there.
But thinking about everything that will happen, thinking about adventures, friendships, joys, all that they can still live without the horrible memories of the past.
I want you, like them, to come back here thinking about your future, with the same wonder that now fills their eyes, impatient to enter here. And that filled your eyes when you were in their place! Good luck to you all!
Please enter the first year." she concluded by going away meanwhile everyone was cheering mooved. The doors of the great hall opened and the children entered ready to be sorted.
At the Gryffindor table, not everyone seemed excited about the sorting, but rather about who, like them, had returned to Hogwarts.
At the Hufflepuff table they could see Hanna Abbot, Rolf Scamander and Morgan Armstrong, a girl who had fought alongside Ginny to death, (of the opponents, of course). Cho Chang and Liam Arden, at the Ravenclaw table with Luna, and obviously Seamus, and Dean near them. And many other that they dind't recognize. The looked quite disgusted at the Slytherin Table, only to see that many of them had come back. There were Pansy Parkinson, the Greengrass sisters, Theodor Nott, Gregory Goyle, Blaise Zabini, and Draco Malfoy.
McGonagall stood up and tapping with a spoon on a glass called a moment of silence.
"today I've the honour of presenting you, your new teacher of defence against the dark arts: Aìda Anemonaeris." The whole hall applauded to the new teacher; hoping that she wouldn't try to kill them or something. Then she disappeared from the teachers table mysteriously, for unknown reason.
"This year will join us also Megan Spungen, from Ilvermorny! Her parents have moved in London for work, so she has come to complete her studies here. she is in sixth year and will be part of the Hufflepuff house." there was a brief applause of courtesy for Megan, who had just arrived at Hufflepuff table.
She was a blonde girl with one blue eye and the other brown, she seemed to have the same effect of a prince charming, but female. when Hermione looked her in the eyes, she saw something strange, but not good, she didn't have a good feeling about her.
After the introduction of the new student, McGonagall resumed her speech.
"Dear students, new and old, as you know, some rules had changed this year, and I decided to establish a new student's position: the head of the house.
One for each house, from the last year, girl or boy, who has more power than prefects but less than heads of the school; they will meet twice a month with school heads to plan events for the school year and take stock of the situation." A light chatter filled the hall and started getting too loud for McGonagall.
"for this special year, it will be like a reward for the heroes and the bravest of the battle and the war. Now, without delay: here are the house heads!
For Gryffindor: Ron Weasley! Slytherin: Draco Malfoy! Ravenclaw: Luna Lovegood! and finally Hufflepuff: Morgan Armstrong! congratulations!"
Now all the students were making so much noise cheering them, that McGonagall was tempted to cover her ears with hands, but she didn't want to look impolite.
"and now I will name the heads of the school: they will be the now living legends: Harry Potter and Hermione Granger!" the hall exploded applauding loudly for the heads, so loudly that the walls shook.
(except for good part of the Slytherins, who seemed not so happy about the total Gryffindor heads. But, I mean, they are legends!)
"heads of school have power over prefects and house's heads, organize school events with them, and they make respect the rules.
We also have another position this year. Professor Sprout needs help with the greenhouses, for the cultivation of potion herbs, and for the restoration of the forbidden forest, because it is still quite destroyed from the battle.
The position of keeper of the greenhouses has been assigned to Neville Longbottom, for his innate knowledge of plants."
heads, of school and houses, with Neville, walked to McGonagall, under an applause shower. she handed them their brooches and sent them back to sit.
"I think the moment of the banquet finally arrived!" the tables of the four houses were covered with every kind of delicacy imaginable, and everyone began to eat happily.
"Congratulations guys! wow, both Gryffindor heads! Take this Slytherin! And don't worry Neville, you will be a fantastic keeper of the greenhouses!" Ginny reassured him seeing Neville's worried and absorbed face.
"thanks Ginny! But now we are eating, all of this made me very hungry."
"Neville is right!" Ron was already struggling with a huge roasted chicken leg.
"Ginny you will be prefect next year, don't worry, if there is someone who deserves it, that's you." Ron stammered between mouthfuls.
"You're really disgust me when you eat!" Hermione scolded him with a disgusted face.
"and you really disgust me when you scolt me like this." Retorted Ron with a smirk, at the horrified face of Hermione
"please, the forks! a bit of education!"
"ah, so now it sucks you also the way I eat?!" asked ironically Ron.
"Oh no, not again." Ginny sighted desperately looking for support from Harry annoyed eyes.
"Come on, it's not a big deal, and besides, you know that... tomorrow we have to... check if there are still all the secret passages of the marauder's map after school reconstruction?!" Harry said trying to ease the tension and change the subject .
"You're right, it's vital." Ron replied, starting to eat quietly. It seemed that Harry's purpose had been reached.
After at least an hour of feasting, interrupted only by a few congratulatory phrases, McGonagall took the floor.
"today has been a long and tiring day, and tomorrow morning will start your lessons, so it's time to go to sleep. Good night everyone." She dismissed the school, which swarmed out of the great room with a lot of chatter.
She did not go to sleep, but in her study, where the new minister of magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt, was waiting for her.
"Do you really think they are the right people?" asked the agitated minister.
"I don't think it, Kingsley, I'm sure of it! They will make it, stop everything! They will finally put the word end!" said McGonagall, sitting in her armchair beyond the desk cluttered with paperwork and other various objects, while the minister sat on the armchair in front of the desk, slightly smaller than the other, but still comfortable.
"Minerva, but there are still Death Eaters around, they don't seem to want to give up! The other week the dark mark appeared again, luckily we intervened quickly and disappeared, but I think they will continue. Yesterday we caught one in the ministry!" sighted Kingsley worried, while maintaining his deep and calm tone.
"of course, you caught him!" McGonagall said, reassuring him and trying to convince herself that everything was all right, but Kingsley was not satisfied.
"You don't understand: this Death Eater was already inside, inside the ministry of magic!" he shouted more and more worried.
"they will defeat them! They will stop this once and for all, I can feel it." she reassured him.
"Okay, we just have to hope, and believe in them." Having said that, the minister got up, cordially said good night to the headmistress and left.