"What!"

The whole room seemed to explode at this statement.

Hogwarts, closing? How the hell could that happen?

"That's what the Headmistress told me." Hermione then noticed the look on Ron's face. "You knew didn't you?"

"Yes. I've known for a while now. She told me it was closing because there is no more money to keep it running."

Harry looked sceptical. "Is that all?"

Harry realised that he had spoken out of turn so he quickly left the room.

An hour later when they were assembled in the Great Hall for dinner the double doors were flung open and McGonnagal entered looking extremely pleased and Harry was following close behind her, looking pleased and a little smug.

McGonnagal swept up to her place at the high table and called for silence.

"Everyone, as I am sure you have all found out by the instantaneous hand of rumour that the school is closing down. The reason was that the Ministry had decided to remove all funding from this establishment and to redistribute you to other schools around the globe. No doubt their justification for this insidious act is something along the lines of turning this castle into a winter retreat for high ranking Ministry officials." There were a few titters of assent; that sounded like the Ministry all right. "Sad though that news may have made you I can tell that you are all a bit annoyed that I am looking so pleased about seeing my school closing. I can assure you that I am not pleased with the news, but I am very pleased with what the outcome is." More titters. "It seems that this school is forever thanking Mr Harry Potter for his services to the school, and once again I shall be forced to present that award to him. Professor Potter has saved this school from closure before, and he has done it again! He has become the sole benefactor of the school. I do not think anyone has given this school more than you have and we are all indebted to you for enabling us to keep Hogwarts open. Thank you, Harry."

McGonnagal hugged Harry and motioned that he had the floor.

"Right, okay. Um, I'm not much of a public speaker but I'll do my best. I did not want this school to close as I'm sure none of you did. The Headmistress is right, I have been saving this school for a very long time. I believe I hold the record for the most Special Awards for Services to the School to ever have been awarded to a student, just as Professor Granger holds the record for the most OWLS and NEWTS ever achieved by a student. Many of you will be aware of my background as many newspaper articles have been written about me over the years and, as Miss Granger pointed out to me in our first term here, that there are may book on my life. I would like to point out that she wrote one of them herself. These books show that I never had a home until I came here and I just wanted to do my part in making it like that for future generations of students, who feel similarly. This school has been my home for fourteen years and I am not around to let it close!"

There was tumultuous applause in response to his rousing speech and Hermione glared at Harry, though not in a bad way. It was more her usual glare of "you're in so much trouble but I'll let you off because I love you" Harry and Ron had had that glare several times a term for fourteen years and it still had no more effect on them than it had had when they were little first years.

Once the cheers had subsided dinner went on as normal, although the atmosphere in the Hall was significantly better than it had been before the announcement.

Harry sat down next to Draco and Hermione and waited for her to have a go at him for his rather arrogant speech.

But it didn't come.

"I thought you were going to yell at me for the things I said in that speech?"

"I haven't decided whether I'm going to yet. I am torn between your actions in saving the school, yet again, and your references to me within that…"

"Rather empowering speech?" Draco put in with his trademark smirk. "Give it up Hermione, he said that this school was his home and I am in half a mind to force him to write a chapter or two about his experiences in my book."

"Darling, you know perfectly well that you don't have to force me to do anything. I do anything you ask me to do perfectly willingly."

"Your book? You never mentioned that you were writing a book, Draco."

"Well I am. It's called 'Gryffindor through a Slytherin's eyes.' Bad working title I know, but I'm working on it. Basically it's all those wonderful stories that we have accumulated from our time here. Ron is contributing several tales from the summer trips you had together. Let's see if I can make Hogwart's Golden Trio even more popular than they already are."

"Aren't you supposed to ask the Trio's permission first?"

"I did. I did before I started writing it."

"Since when?"