The Nice School of Magic
by Healer Pomfrey
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
This story is COMPLETELY AU. If you don't likt it, don't read it!
Before Harry could even do as much as warn Susan or act in any way, Barkymort rushed over to the evil wizards.
The two children observed in shock how Voldemort began to cast the most unforgivable spell at Harry, right before Barkymort jumped against his arm, making the spell go in a completely unexpected direction, where it reached a much nearer aim.
Still completely stunned, Harry and Susan watched Malfoy sink to the ground, before Barkymort began to fervently attack Voldemort.
"Tina," Susan quickly called her and Harry's house-elf. "Please call our father and the headmistress and Professor Pomfrey," she instructed the elf, before she pulled first Harry and then Barkymort into bear's hugs.
"Barkymort," Harry spoke up in shock. "Thank you so much for saving my life."
'My pleasure,' the dog thought to him, before he stood right in front of the boy with his front paws against his legs, so that he could reach up and lick his hands.
By the time Severus, Minerva and Poppy reached the children, Susan and Harry were sitting in the grass huddled against each other, while Barkymort was lying on their laps, peacefully chewing Voldemort's wand.
HP
"What happened here?" Severus asked, sternly.
While Harry absentmindedly noticed that the first years were climbing down from their tree house, giggling and chuckling, Susan explained to the adults what happened.
"Of course, we let all the wards down for the open day," Minerva said, groaning, before she interrupted herself and turned to Harry. "Harry, please lead the first years to Hagrid's hut," she instructed him. "We wouldn't want them to see the scene here."
"Of course," Harry replied and immediately strode over to the first years, feeling extremely relieved that Barkymort followed him, carrying Voldemort's wand in his mouth.
By the time he led the first years back towards the school building, Malfoy's and Voldemort's bodies were hidden under a disillusion charm. Severus, Poppy and Susan were still standing around the spot. 'Minerva probably went inside to call the Aurors,' Harry thought.
"Harry, stay here, I'll take over," Susan offered, and Harry gladly agreed and proceeded to sit down in the grass together with Barkymort.
"Harry, are you feeling all right?" Severus asked in concern, as he leaned down and pressed a cold hand against Harry's forehead.
"Not really," Harry admitted. "I just hope they won't do anything to Barkymort," he added in a whisper, causing his father to shake his head in determination.
"No Harry, he only defended you. On the contrary, he's a hero," Severus replied in a firm voice. "Minerva is contacting the French and the British Ministry of Magic, and they'll probably send Aurors to collect the bodies. If there is any consequence at all, it'll be that both Susan and you will receive the Order of Merlin first class for getting rid of the Dark Lord," he added, smirking.
"No thank you. We didn't do anything. Only Barkymort did and saved our lives," Harry replied in determination, before he asked in a small voice, "Dad, may I return to my room, please?"
"I'll accompany you," Poppy spoke up and quietly promised Severus to remain with Harry for the time being, knowing that he was not only ill but also still in shock by the earlier events.
HP
Like Severus had expected, Susan and Harry were both awarded the Order of Merlin first class, although they both emphasized that they had not done anything to vanquish the evil wizards.
'Just accept it,' Severus instructed his children, telepathically. 'They can't award the Order of Merlin to a dog.'
Finally, the children accepted the awards, even if they felt that it was totally undeserved. "Barkymort, you're the best," Harry told his familiar, when they were back in his room after the small ceremony that had taken place in the Hall Magnifique. "I'll be able to buy lots of treats for you from that money."
"I think he doesn't need anything else," Susan threw in, chuckling, as she pointed at Barkymort, who was happily chewing what was left of Voldemort's wand.
HP
Just a few days after the British Minister of Magic had travelled to France to award the children the Order of Merlin, the French Minister of Magic visited the Nice school.
"I'm aware that you already received the Order of Merlin first class," Minister Duval addressed Susan and Harry. "Nevertheless, we'd also like to thank you for vanquishing two evil wizards in our country."
"Minister..."
"... We didn't do anything..."
"... Our dog vanquished them..."
"... to protect us," Susan and Harry explained.
The Minister smiled. "Nevertheless I'd like to do you a favour. Is there anything that you'd like to have?" Seeing that the children stared at him in confusion, he added, "Like for example a one thousand Gaulleons voucher for the shopping centre in Marseilles or such?"
"I know something," Harry spoke up, thoughtfully, glancing at Susan. He had only once spoken about the matter with his sister, however, her first reaction had been to assure him that she was in. Slightly hesitantly, he explained to the friendly Minister about the plan that he had already been nursing for about two years.
Minister Duval remained pensive for a moment, before he replied, "I'm sure that it would be highly appreciated by the wizards and witches in Southern France, and I promise that I'll do anything to support your project. When exactly are you going to finish school?" he then asked.
"We're now going to be seventh years, so we'll finish our tenth year in four years' time," Harry explained, smiling. "I know that it's still a while, especially since we still need to take our masteries afterwards, but..." He slowly trailed off, glancing at his sister.
"Thank you very much, Minister," Susan added. "Your help in this matter will be highly appreciated."
The Minister nodded, seemingly contented. "I'll speak with my colleagues, and sometime during the next year, or maybe two years," he added, thoughtfully, "you'll receive a suggestion from us."
The children profusely thanked the Minister, before they escorted him to the Portal leading to Marseille, as the Minister insisted on travelling like wizards and witches in this area would do to visit Nice.
"Harry, you're brilliant," Susan told her brother, when they slowly walked back towards the school with Barkymort in tow. "Maybe we should ask Hermione and Neville if they're interested joining us though," she suggested.
"Of course," Harry replied, smiling. "I'm sure they'll be in, oh well, at least I hope so," he added, trying to imagine Hermione's reaction. "It's still early enough to tell them in about two years' time though."
HP
If Severus had assumed that the awards from the British and the French Ministries of Magic were the only after effects of the event that had occurred on the first of July, he was mistaken. The other result was that Draco Malfoy returned to Hogwarts.
As soon as Minister Duval had left, Susan suddenly remembered that they now could as well invite Draco for Harry's birthday. 'That's a good idea,' Harry agreed and immediately sat down to write a letter to his friend. He explained that the death of Draco's father had been an accident caused by Barkymort, before he invited his friend for his birthday and at the same time asked if he was going to return to the Nice school.
"Also tell him about the French class," Susan, who had been reading over Harry's shoulder, instructed him.
Harry obeyed and was happy when he received a reply a few days later.
'Harry,
It's not your fault but Father's. He was the one to do evil things together with the Dark Lord. It's a relief that they're both gone before more innocent people would have had to die.
Of course I will come to your birthday, and Mum is going to contact Professor McGonagall to enrol me for the next school year and for the French course.
Looking forward to meeting you,
Draco'
HP
'Thank Merlin Draco doesn't think I'm responsible for his father's death,' Harry thought in relief. On the one hand, he was incredibly happy that Voldemort and Malfoy were both gone and could not harm him anymore. On the other hand, however, all his hopes of finding out which spell Malfoy had cast on him and how to cancel it had completely vanished.
'Maybe I should tell Dad and Poppy about our plans,' he thought. 'Perhaps I could skip some classes like Defence and take more specific classes so that I'd be able to take the necessary exams earlier.'
He was brought back to reality when Felix toddled into his room, waving a children's book, which he pressed into Harry's face, enquiring, "Hawwy wee boo?"
"All right little one," Harry replied, smiling, before he pulled his small brother onto his lab and read the booklet to him.
Felix thoroughly enjoyed himself and smiled, happily. However, when Harry finished reading, he slid down from his brother's lab and climbed onto his bed, where Barkymort was relaxing, chewing his recent favourite toy.
"Baba," Felix shouted, throwing his arms around the dog's head.
Barkymort eagerly began to lick the small boy's face over and over until they both drifted off to sleep.
'They're so funny,' Harry thought in amusement, 'both Barkymort and Felix.' Knowing that his dog would take good care of his little brother, Harry left the room to look for his sister.
HP
The remaining few days of the holidays until Harry's birthday passed in a blur. To Harry's devastation, the full moon fell onto the day after his birthday, so that his condition was not the best when his classmates arrived. Everyone was absolutely excited about the fact to be able to return to school a month earlier in order to attend the French intensive course that was scheduled to commence on the first of August.
Harry's class had their French course every morning, while Claudine taught the mixed class from students of all other classes during the afternoon. The soon-to-be seventh years mostly spent the afternoons on the beach, swimming or playing Quidditch, and they thoroughly enjoyed themselves spending part of their holidays together.
Claudine was not only very nice but also turned out to be a wonderful teacher, and Harry and his classmates were so motivated that they often practised speaking French to each other when they spent the evenings in their tree house. By the end of the holidays, the whole class was able to conduct an easy conversation in French.
HP
It was on the evening before the remaining students were due to arrive for the new school year, when the class spent the evening in the common room due to Harry being ill and not allowed to leave the common room. "Why does the full moon always have to be on times like the last evening of the holidays?" Harry mumbled to Susan, who was sitting on the edge of the sofa, where Harry was resting.
Unfortunately, others had heard his little outburst as well, and a conversation about his condition, the spell that had caused it and the question about possible ways to find a cure developed, causing Harry to inwardly groan in annoyance.
Unable to feign being asleep, he decided to divert everyone's attention by a different method and proceeded to tell them about Susan's and his plan for the future.
Five minutes of eager conversation between his classmates followed, before everyone agreed, "You'll need us all, and we're in."
tbc...
Thanks to my dear readers who always leave me a kind comment. I really appreciate it!