Authors Note: sorry, it's so short, but it's a gradual buildup. Reviews and feedback would be much appreciated :) I'm trying to capture the imagery of the castle and the emotions as I go along.
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A jarring movement had awoke a startled Harry, a swift movement he bounded out of his four poster bed, rigid stance with his wand at the ready. A habit which he learned from being on the run. It only took his eyes a moment to adjust as he put on his glasses to see it was only Ron standing over his bed, looking slightly disgruntled at Harrys wand.
"Sorry, mate" Harry said apologetically, stowing is wand back into his pants, "A knee jerker, you know?" Ron nodded, it would take a while for any of them to sleep soundly, without fear of being ambushed.
"Mum reckons we should probably head off, before it gets too crowded with the Daily Prophet reporters, Rita skeeter and all that garbage" Ron looked down at Harrys feet, "She also wants to move Lupins, Tonks and F...Freds...bodies before any images are taken"
The pain and grief came like a tidal wave as Ron recited those names, each one who had given up their lives for him, for the end of evil. He absentmindly wiped is eyes as he gathered up his discarded jacket and silently opened the dormitory door up as he and ron left the room for the final time.
The common room, had only a few people occupying it, most seemed to be completely unaware of Rons and Harrys presence. They all were in their own state of mind, only Seamus, who was leaning on a tore arm chair met their eyes.
Seamus, who was a close friend, an ally in the war, looked far older than he did the last time Harry saw him.
"You leaving soon Seamus?" Ron asked in a low voice
Seamus nodded slightly., "Yea, me and my mum are going to head to Bulgaria to see some family, and then..." seemed to lose his composure, "we have some funerals to attend to" He quickly rubbed is face of any evidence of tears and looked to Harry.
"Listen Harry, I know we didn't see eye to eye, your a good mate, and a damn good leader" Seamus mouth formed a tiny smile that didn't quite hide his sorrow, "I'll be expecting great things from ya"
Harrys mind instantly clicked over to that meeting 6 years ago with Ollivander, in which the old wandmaker made a similar comment.
"Well, thanks Seamus, I...hope I'll see you sometime..." Harry didn't realy know what to say, but Seamus nodded understanding Harrys emotions on is face. He embraced Harry in a hug and then to Ron, as he clasped Ron, Harry saw Seamus whisper into his best friends ear, to which Ron only nodded with a stony face.
With that last action, Seamus swept up out Rons and Harrys vision, clearly the apparating defenses had been taken down as people apparated and disparated as they pleased.
As the two friends climbed out of the damaged portrait hole, the Fat Lady could be heard wailing and sniffling all throughout the battered halls. It stung Harrys ears but he beared because everyone was grieving. He and Ron continued their journey to the Great Hall, passing by the fragments left of the historic castle. Everything looked different, it was all in ruin.
A thought struck Harry wildly, as they the manuevered through shambled bricks that once were stairs.
"Where's Hermione at?"
Ron ducked under a broken piece of wall, as Harry did the same, Ron took a sharp turn stepping on the tore and tampered pictures that no longer held a talking portrait. He seemed to take is time answering the question, although Harry did see Rons eyes glaze over a bit at the sound of Hermiones name.
"She's down on the Great Hall with mum and everyone else, they are trying to clean up best as possible..." Ron ran a hand through his tousled red hair "but everything is in such ruin I wouldn't even know where to start"
The last turn took the two boys into the Great Hall, which seemed to be a meeting place for friends and family, everyone was crying, whsipering or silent as a grave. The tables were chipped and the house banstiers were burned and tore, all around the words "Mudblood" and "He has come" were written in blood on the walls. No doubt it was Bellatrixs work, her image alone just made Harrys blood boil. He didn't have time to delve deeper into is hatred of the Black as he took in familiar faces tat littered the hall. He saw with despair, Colin Creeveys body laying gracefully on the ground next to a much older man and a woman who was crying over the two.
Harry scanned the pained faces, he finally saw the ones that he had been looking for. Standing and stitting around Lupin, Tonks and Freds bodies.
What had become of Hogwarts?
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I do not own H.P