Title: The War We Fight
Summary: This is the story of a war. A war between good and evil, light and dark. This is the war Harry will fight, fight until the last breath leaves his body. This is where he will learn the meanings of life and death, love and friendship, sorrow and betrayal, honor and hardship. This is the war where he will fulfill his destiny.
H/G with some R/H sixth year fic.
Disclaimer: I don' t own anything but the plot! Please don' t sue, lol!
A/N: Ok, people, I'm sorry but I think this will be a rather long note.
I'm SO sorry this took so long, it seems that when things have to go wrong, they really go wrong. I finished this almost 10 days ago, late, but reasonable, then my Beta was busy, and then her computer went awry... I swear those aren't crapy excuses! But sorry anyway. The next one will come sooner. On to the more important stuff:
First of all, you'll notice that this chapter is HUGE. More than the double of what I normally write (22 pages!). I wanted to keep my word, and have Harry meet Ginny here, so this is the result. What I want to know is if you like the longer chapter, and would like me to keep it up. Maybe with something like a 5500+ words more or less for future chapters. If anyone cares, let me know.
Secondly, I want to state quite clearly, the OWL results are not mine. They belong to Nimbirosa's Bond of the Gryphon, a brilliant fic which she is rewriting as The Return of the Ancients. If you haven't yet, go check them out, and leave a nice review.
I think the way she did the results is brilliant, and therefore asked to borrow them, seeing as I know for a fact I'd never come even close to something as good or as developed as that. And she very kindly agreed to let me use them. So thanks Nim! You're great.
Now, on with the story, and don't forget to review.
Change has a considerable psychological impact on the human mind. To the fearful it is threatening because it means that things may get worse. To the hopeful it is encouraging because things may get better. To the confidant it is inspiring because the challenge exists to make things better.
- King Whitney Jr.
Chapter nine: Visitors, Conversations, and OWL results.
Ginny opened her eyes and stretched languorously. She had slept more in the five days since Harry returned then in the two weeks he had been gone put together. Slowly getting up, she walked to the window, and let the light in. The sun was already quite high in the sky, and she could hear the bustle of conversation down in the kitchen, meaning that everyone else was already up.
She put on some clothes and made her way downstairs, to join her family for breakfast. But she stopped just outside the door once she heard the angry tones and raised voices. It seemed her mother was trying quite valiantly to set some order in the room, to no avail.
She slipped in unnoticed, and sat quietly at the end of the table, letting the heated discussion wash over her, as her own thoughts wandered. She grabbed a still warm piece of toast and started to chew slowly, smiling inwardly.
"We can't all go! It'll overwhelm him!" Someone shouted.
"He needs family support!"
"Poppy will freak if we all go! You're crazy if you think she'll let us all see him!"
The argument was still going on full force around her, and Ginny was beginning to feel sorry for Harry, she was pretty sure he wouldn't appreciate everyone's concern at this particular moment in time. Or their pity for that matter…
She had started writing to him again, but his answer had been vague and quite frankly wholly unsatisfactory. She had missed their previous understanding and confidence, but hadn't been surprised at his reaction. He had never been one quite adept at sharing pain.
She had wanted to tell him about the dreams, but seeing his letter, had hesitated. Truth be told, his words had not been conductive to such confidences; they had a drop of cold distance she hadn't liked. She wondered if the two of them would ever reach that level of familiarity and trust they had during the summer. If not, she would certainly miss it quite dearly.
"Ginny!" Her mother's sharp tone snapped her out of her reverie. Looking up she saw that everyone's attention was fixed upon her, waiting for some kind of answer, to a question she didn't know.
"What?" She asked to no one in particular.
"We asked you what you thought of the matter," said her mother impatiently.
"What matter?" Asked Ginny, still surprised at the question. No one had ever cared to ask her opinion on anything before.
"The 'visiting Harry' matter, obviously." Mrs. Weasley's voice was chilling. Ginny realized she should really say something, or else the woman might explode.
"Uh…" she begun hesitantly. "It really depends on what sort of message you want to send Harry."
"What are you trying to say Ginevra?" Snapped Mrs. Weasley.
Ginny felt her own temper flaring at her mother's tone, but answered calmly enough.
"Well, mom, it's quite simple. If you want to show Harry that he has the support of a family, that we all consider and love him as one of our own, then the lot of us should go." She paused to draw breath, and saw that her whole family was listening to what she had to say. She wondered for a brief moment what had gotten into them; it had got to be the first time she was actually heard in the Weasley household. "However, if you want him to feel comfortable enough to talk to us, and maybe - just maybe mind you - open up and talk about what happened, then it should only be Ron, if he can keep his temper and hold his tongue, Hermione and me."
The moment she stopped talking Ron was all over her, like usual. He didn't miss a chance to disagree with her of late. He usually didn't even think before speaking and ended up looking foolish and petty. It was the case right now.
"And why wouldn't he talk to us if we all went? He knows we're like family."
"Oh, I don't know Ron," her voice was dripping sarcasm, and she saw her Dad actually flinch, "maybe he would feel, I don't know, overwhelmed, I think." She glared at him, before continuing more seriously. "Be honest, Ron. Would you talk about spending two weeks in the hands of your worst enemy, probably being tortured incessantly, being absolutely powerless to stop it, to a bunch of people who will come, stand beside his bed wringing their hands, embarrassed and not knowing what to say? But no, of course you're right, it's the perfect environment for confidences!"
The others were no longer listening to their argument; after all, it had become a common enough sight over the holidays. Mutterings were heard around the table as they started discussing again what to do.
"Then why should you go?" Ron tried again. "You aren't even his friend!"
She felt a stab of hurt at his words. Ron never spared her lately. He went directly to what was the tenderest; the most precious to her, what he knew would hurt the most. Blinking quickly, so as not to show her distress, she answered, in a quieter voice, but no less vicious than his.
"Maybe Ron, I might not be his best mate, as you obviously are. You seem to forget, however, that I spent the whole summer corresponding with him and that the Dark Lord used me to blackmail him into talking. I'm simply the person he spent the last two weeks worrying about; it will do him no good whatsoever to see for himself that I'm fine, and that Voldemort didn't get to me after all."
She took another bite out of her now freezing toast and continued to glare at Ron, to Bill's obvious amusement. He had been listening in to their discussion, and she was somewhat comforted by his approval. He had nodded when she talked, and that was enough for her.
She continued to eat in silence, simply listening to the loud voices around the table, her previous good humour totally evaporated after her argument with Ron. Suddenly her mother slammed her cup on the table, immediately silencing everyone. She was obviously tired of the whole subject, and was decided to put a stop to the whole discussion.
"I think Ginny is right. She, Ron and Hermione will go see Harry," she said at last, and she silenced Ron, who was about to talk with a single look. The look, as the other Weasleys liked to call it. "Ron, I'm saying this once, and only once, if I somehow get to know that you said anything harsh, acted as anything but the most supportive of friends… You'll have me to deal with once you come back. Is that clear?"
Ron didn't actually answer. He glared at the table in general, narrowly sparing Hermione, and left the room, climbing the stairs loudly to make his point. Ginny felt like giggling, or maybe even laughing out loud. Ron was acting like such a spoiled brat these days! It was refreshing to see her mother at the other end of his temper for once and not herself, his favourite scapegoat.
Her mother's voice once again brought her back to the present:
"I want all of you down here in half an hour. Hermione, can you tell Ron that? I'm sure he will be more receptive if the information comes from you. You'll floo to the three broomsticks and from there a carriage will take you all the way up to Hogwarts. Go on, now, go get ready." She shooed all of them from the kitchen as she started to wash up.
Her brothers left for work immediately after, as did her father. As she walked up the stairs to her own bedroom, she saw Hermione enter Ron's room, and heard some raised voices. Ron was going to have to get his act together, and soon, otherwise he would find himself all alone without even noticing it. This whole situation didn't bode well for their visit.
Ginny entered her room, and changed into something nicer. After all, if she was going to see Harry, it was the least she could do. The whole situation would probably be awkward enough without her feeling self-conscious on top of everything else. She had no idea what she would say to Harry once she got there. Would it be as easy to talk to him as it was to write? Or would she stutter and flush, as if she was eleven all over again? Simply thinking about seeing him made her heart beat faster, and pleasant warmth to spread through her body.
She put on a nice pair on jeans, one of the few clothes she owned that she had chosen herself, and was not some cast off from her brothers or a second hand her mother had bought, and a nice, dark grey shirt, with and imprinted dragon that matched her hair.
She realized then, that she wouldn't even be alone with Harry. How could she speak freely with Ron less than three steps away? She shuddered, and the small amount of dread that had begun to creep inside of her suddenly doubled in size.
Someone knocked on her door, then, just as she was finishing plaiting her hair, and Hermione came in.
"You look nice, Ginny." She said softly.
"Thanks, Hermione. How did it go with Ron? I heard him shouting…"
"Well, he likes to make his feelings perfectly clear to everyone, and he wasn't happy with what your Mom said, so… But at least he agreed to go, and that's something." She plopped down unceremoniously on the bed, and sighed loudly.
"I'm getting so tired of this situation with your brother, Ginny. At first, I thought it was only a phase; that he was dealing with all that had happened in the Department of Mystery, and You-Know-Who, but now… He's so angry with the world!"
"Well," Ginny smiled mischievously, "he seems happy enough with you, Mione. You're the only one he still listens to."
The other girl blushed crimson, and mumbled:
"Well, yes, but he hasn't done anything yet." Then, a bit more forcefully. "You seem pretty comfortable defending Harry's interest too, Ginny. Anything you're not telling me?"
Ginny plopped down beside the older girl and sighed despondently.
"I wish! I actually thought, before he was taken, that I might have a chance. But now… His last letter was so cold! It was as if he wasn't there, really. As if he was writing automatically, and didn't feel any of it. It was scary, really."
"Well, Ginny, you should just be glad he wrote. I haven't heard from him in ages." Hermione said bitterly. "I'm glad that at least he's opening up to someone, even if it's not me and Ron."
"Well, maybe it's good Ron is keeping his distance. I'm not sure Harry would deal well with the things Ron has been saying lately. I'm not sure he realizes just how much he hurts us, or me, more specifically." For the first time Hermione really heard the hurt Ginny was feeling expressed in her voice.
"Yes, Harry takes thing too much at heart. I hope Ron doesn't do anything stupid, or it could get nasty…"
"Well, we'll have to see how today goes. You think Ron will keep his head cool?"
"We'll see…" said Hermione worriedly, as she got up and together they made their way down the stairs.
Remus wasn't sure he should enter the Hospital Wing. Poppy had said that Harry was fine, that he would be weak for a few days, but otherwise, would recover perfectly. And she assured him he could talk to him now.
But if he were honest with himself, Harry wasn't the one he was worried about. Poppy had said that it would be good for him to have company, that Harry needed a distraction, and some light conversation to take his mind off the pain, and Remus didn't think he would be any good as a distraction. He had no idea what to say, or how to act around Harry anymore.
Gathering all the remains he could find of his Gryffindor courage, Remus pushed the door open, and stepped inside the ward. He spotted Harry straight away; he was lying in the only occupied bed of the whole infirmary.
His heart gave a small lurch as he once again saw his best friend's son lying in a hospital bed. They looked so alike, it was scary. Especially now that Harry had grown a bit, and was no longer such a lanky kid. If you didn't meet his eyes, Harry could pass for James anywhere.
Remus walked towards his bed, and saw, with slight relief, that Harry was indeed looking much better than when he had first arrived. Harry heard his approaching footsteps and turned his head to see who was coming. His green eyes lit up, and he smiled faintly when he saw the werewolf.
The older man tried to smile back, but wasn't sure he quite managed to hide his discomfort from the boy. Judging by Harry's expression, he saw through his disguise with ease, but chose not to comment on it.
"Hi Remus," said Harry cheerfully, "came to save me from boredom?"
"Hello Harry." Remus slapped himself internally for his foolish worries, and sat down next to the bed. "Not sure I'm the answer to your problem, however." They laughed slightly, but soon slipped into an uncomfortable silence.
"How have you been Harry?" Remus asked at last, cursing himself for his lack of tact. He couldn't keep the concern out of his voice, and knew it would sit well with Harry.
"I'll be fine." Harry's voice made it quite clear that the subject was not open to discussion. But Remus couldn't quench his conscience, that told him he was responsive for this particular young man's well being, and that it was his duty to ask. He plunged on, even though all his instincts told him to back off.
"You don't look fine, Harry." Harry shot him a reproachful glare, before turning away. He answered nonetheless.
"I'm perfectly fine, under the circumstances. You didn't expect me to come bouncing back after the last two weeks, did you?"
Seeing and opening, Remus asked tentatively:
"Do you want to talk about what you went through?"
The silence that followed his question was so long that he actually stopped hoping for an answer. Harry's voice actually startled him, when he finally did speak.
"I saw Bellatrix Lestrange there, Remus. She was one of the ones that came to my uncle's house. I saw her afterwards as well. She's a sadistic bitch, that woman. Voldemort treats her like some sort of lap dog, and she thrives in the attention. It's disgusting."
Harry stopped talking, but Remus felt he hadn't said all he wanted to say, so he gave him time, and soon, Harry took up where he had left off.
"I never thought I could hate someone more than I did Voldemort, Remus." He paused, and for the first time since he had begun to talk, looked Remus in the eye. "But then, I didn't actually think I could feel this kind of hate."
Remus shuddered fearfully at the fire that he saw burning in Harry's eyes. It went beyond the silver twirls, and the haunting green. It was a deep, heartfelt pain; a new feeling that had been totally absent from Harry's eyes until that moment.
So this was what Dumbledore had been talking about when he said that Harry would never be the same again, Remus thought. Somewhere in a dark damp cell, in between two curses, Harry had been robbed of his last naivety; the innocence of childhood, and in that same dungeon, he had learned what it was to hate.
Remus gave Bellatrix a momentary and fleeting thought, wishing her luck if she ever faced Harry alone again. He was quite sure she wouldn't have Wormtail's luck.
Snapping back to the matter at hand, Remus searched his mind for something to answer. Hopefully something smart, and witty, that would alleviate both of their consciences. No such luck, though.
He wasn't sure what Harry expected him to say in response to his statement. He chose, since Harry was being so blunt and to the point, to ask him what was on his mind.
"Why do you say you hate her more than Voldemort? I mean, everyone expects him to be your worst enemy…"
It was quite an honour to be in the top of Harry Potter's enemy's list, the objective of every Dark Lord, when they were done wracking havoc in the world. He wondered what Bellatrix had done to deserve it; after all, to surpass even Voldemort must be a difficult achievement. Harry's eyes, still burning with that strange new fire, were fixed in the pristine white ceiling when he spoke, voice tight with barely suppressed emotion.
"Voldemort robbed me of my parents, Remus, thanks to him I'll never know first hand what having a family really means. But Bellatrix went beyond that… She took away the only support I knew. She robbed me of something that I can actually miss. I had Sirius for two years, I had a small taste of trust and love…" Harry blinked to stop the unwanted tears to fall from is eyes. "I know exactly what I lost when Sirius, when Sirius…" Even after more than a month, he couldn't bring himself to say the words out loud. "And all of this because of my own stupidity. It's so much worse!"
The heartfelt pain in Harry's eyes, wagging a losing battle with his hate, reminded Remus of how young he actually was. He wanted to take him in his arms, to tell him to let go. Show him that repressing all his feelings would be the end of him, but something held him back. His pity would not be welcome, and his concern even less so.
"I don't know how to deal with this Remus," continued Harry. "I've never, ever wanted to hurt another person in my life. Even the Dursleys, and they treated me pretty shabbily my whole life. Not even Voldemort, I only ever wanted to stop him from hurting others, never to actively hurt him. Now… I'm not sure now, that given the chance I would not hurt, maybe even kill - who knows - Bellatrix. And you don't need to tell me how wrong it is to want revenge, I know it already. But I don't seem to be able to make it feel wrong!"
Harry turned away, ashamed of his confession, and Remus felt his heart clench at the sight of this pain, those conflicting emotions that were eating him alive.
It was ironic really that he had come to the hospital to try and get a better look at Harry's feelings, and now that he had, with almost no effort in his part, he had no idea of what to say, or how to deal with them. He wished Sirius were here. He always knew what to say, what to do in those situations. He was the one who should be here comforting Harry after this ordeal, not him. He wasn't cut out for the job, and it made him feel awfully inadequate.
"Harry," he said at last, "look at me." But Harry didn't. Remus continued talking anyway. "I don't think you should feel bad for hating someone who has done you so much harm, caused you so much pain as Bellatrix Lestrange has. You must understand however, that emotions are just that, emotions. You must allow yourself to feel them, but not be blinded by them. There must be balance in everything, you see… You can't let yourself to be disconnected from your heart, Harry, it gives you strength. But you can't constantly struggle with your emotions. It will drive you crazy, and I'm talking from experience."
"Balance!" Harry gave a bark of laughter, filled to the brink with bitterness. "How can there ever be balance in my life again, Remus? My balance disappeared the moment I stepped into that blasted place."
"It might take you some time to feel like yourself again, Harry, but I'm sure you'll get there sometime. You're tough, Harry, and I've got faith in you." He paused for a moment before continuing. "Look, Harry, I want you to know that I'll be around the castle a lot more this year. I'm not Sirius, and I'd never presume to take his place, but I need you to know that anything, anything at all that may be in my power to give you, I will."
Harry turned and looked at him then. That piercing gaze that had previously been a Dumbledore prerogative piercing through Remus like a knife. And then he said, smiling slightly:
"Thanks Remus. I… It was good talking to you. And I know you miss him too. Maybe even more than I do, I guess. He was your friend for so long!" Harry struggled to say the last words, coming out in a strangled sob. Remus reached out, and took his hand, comforting him with as much as he thought would be welcome.
They were silent for a long while, a comfortable, thoughtful silence, quite unlike their first. It was finally broken by Remus, who realized their time together was coming to an end.
"Harry, in another matter altogether, I discussed things with professor Dumbledore regarding the rest of your summer. He thinks it's best if, as soon as you are well again, you go to headquarters. It's the safest place right now, since Privet Drive is out of the question, and you can't stay here all alone. The Weasleys will be there to keep you company." He added the last part when he saw the distress in Harry's eyes when he heard the news.
They heard footsteps in the corridor, and Lupin smiled.
"That would be Ron, Hermione and Ginny. Madam Pomfrey let them come today, to save you from your boredom as you so mildly put it."
Harry's whole countenance lit up, and Remus felt slightly better after the whole conversation.
"The headmaster gave me your OWL results as well, so that you can open them with your friends. I'll leave you alone now, should I?" Remus handed him a pristine white envelope, with the ministry's seal in bright red in the front.
"Thanks, Remus. Really." The werewolf only smiled, and left without another word.
As he watched the older man's retreating back, Harry sagged back in his bed, and closed his eyes briefly. As much as he hated to admit it, he was tired. Remus visit had been quite the emotionally draining experience, and he wasn't so sure to be up to the task of seeing his friends. Not that he had much of a choice anymore, they where already here, and fast approaching his bedside.
As he opened his eyes again, the first thing he saw, and felt, was a mass of bushy brown hair, suddenly blocking his whole line of sight, and the crushing hug that one of his two best friends, his almost sister, gave him.
"Harry!" she sobbed in his shoulder, while clutching him, as if to let go would mean losing him all over again. "God, Harry, I was so worried! I thought I'd never see you again!" She let him go, and suddenly, in a frightening voice, a far cry from her usual calm and composure. "Don't you ever frighten me like this again! My heart couldn't bear it!"
Harry didn't manage to hide the smile tucking at the corners of his mouth as Hermione rambled on. He had missed her so much, that it didn't really matter what she was saying, as long as he could hear the comforting and reassuring sound of her voice.
"Come, Hermione, you're strangling him. Let him some time to catch his breath again." Ron's voice cut through the overly emotional scene, and he came to stand in the other side of Harry's bed, but didn't say anything else. Harry didn't seem to notice, or chose not to comment on the unusual silence, and said instead:
"Hey, mate. It's good to see you again, Ron. It's been a long time."
"Yes," the redheaded youth said, "a long time indeed."
Hermione moved, to stand beside Ron, the thought that she might have to control his temper later on crossing her mind, and it was then that Harry's third visitor became visible to him.
His mind suddenly became blank, as wave upon wave of relief cursed through him, and a new feeling he hadn't been prepared for spreading in his body. He took a moment, simply staring at her, taking in all the little details of her person, from the dark shade of red of her hair, to the almost invisible dusting of freckles on the bridge of her nose, and the smile that lit her face when she caught his eyes.
Suddenly, words seemed a superfluous thing. Her eyes, to Harry at least, spoke more fluently and more vividly than a thousand speeches. Their relationship had changed so much since the last time he had seen her, and he was so acutely aware of how much he owed her, that there was simply nothing meaningful enough to express all that was speeding through his mind at the moment.
"Hello Harry." Her voice snapped him out of his daze, and he fought the urge to blush. He shouldn't have been ogling Ginny! But he couldn't seem to break her gaze either. He felt that, if he wanted, he could drown in her pools of brown fire, and die a happy man.
"Ginny!" Harry's voice was low, full of barely suppressed emotions, and his eyes suddenly glowed even more brightly, as his magic reacted to him. "You came!"
Ginny smiled, a small, happy smile, which warmed Harry's heart.
"Of course I came, Harry. After all that's happened in the summer, I had to come."
Ginny had seen the emotion in his eyes, and it had warmed her heart. She had been expecting something much worse from Harry. She had expected an empty cold shell, and it was heartening to see that her fears had not been proved true. Harry still felt; he just had to learn all over again that it was not wrong to let them go and roam free occasionally.
She reached for his hand, but he pulled her down instead for a hug, as fierce as, if not more so, than Hermione's had been, and he muttered in her ear, only for her sake.
"Thank you Gin, thank you. For everything." More than a minute passed before either was ready to let go, and in that time the rest of the world didn't seem to exist. It was nothing more than an unwelcome distraction from what mattered in reality.
But Ron suddenly cleared his throat loudly, and Harry jumped, letting go of Ginny in a same movement. Ginny glared at her brother, who brushed it away with a smirk, and Ginny fought her temper that was threatening to rise. She didn't want to make a scene in front of Harry; she would deal with Ron in private.
Hermione, who had also frowned at Ron's interruption, turned towards Harry and asked concernedly:
"How are you feeling, Harry?"
Ginny marvelled at the instantaneous reaction: Harry's face, open and trusting, became a blank book in the space of a second. She rolled her eyes internally, cursing Hermione's lack of tact. She was really almost as bad as Ron when it came to dealing with Harry when he was in one of his moods.
"I'm fine, Mione." Harry answered. "How was your summer so far?" His attempt to change the subject was blindingly obvious, but apparently worked, as Hermione decided not to push the subject.
"It was good, Harry. I received my OWL results a few weeks back." Ginny half expected the other girl to jump up and down in her excitement to tell Harry how she went. It was almost comical. Harry, however, was happy to oblige her, and asked:
"How did you do? I'm sure you were the best, Mione."
"Well…" She blushed slightly and continued. "I got all twelve of them, and I've got a high O overall. I was very pleased, and my Transfiguration theoretical grade was said to be just a tiny bit under the school record. Of course I was a little disappointed that I didn't actually break it, but I'm pleased nonetheless"
Harry smiled, truly happy for her.
"That's great, Hermione. We all knew you had it in you."
"Well… My Defence grade was pretty much your doing, Harry. If it wasn't for the DA…"
"You'd still have done it, Mione." Harry cut in. "You'd have studies by yourself, and would've had a good grade too."
"Well… Maybe, but that's not the point, Harry. Ron had an outstanding in the Defence practical, and I'm sure he has you to thank."
Ron's head snapped up as she said this, and he glared daggers at Hermione's back. Ginny, sensing an imminent outburst, caught his gaze and shook her head, sending a message quite clearly, that he could not ignore.
"He did well too, Harry." Hermione continued, oblivious to the boy standing behind her. "Got nine OWLs total, with two Os, and three EE. How about you? You didn't tell us how you went." She looked at him expectantly, and he opened the envelope he was still holding, mumbling:
"Just received them, wait a second."
Harry felt unexpectedly nervous, his stomach churning uncomfortably. It was unnerving, really, what with people always having such high expectations… So it was that he received one of the biggest surprises of his life once he opened the envelope. But Hermione didn't give him the time to finish reading, and snatched the paper from his hands before he could even move to stop her.
Hermione finished reading, and looked at Harry. She had palled when she saw his results, and further still when she read all the examiners comments. With a little effort she said:
"You did… Incredibly, Harry. I knew you could be great. Congratulations."
It was obvious to all present, however, that her heart was not in what she said. She passed the results on to Ron, who, with a mere glance at the overalls, stormed out of the ward, pale with fury.
Hermione looked helplessly at his retreating back, and said haltingly:
"I'd better go after him, Harry. He hasn't been himself lately, I'll make sure he doesn't do anything stupid." She looked at him, smiled a little forcedly, but with true affection shining in her eyes and said: "It was nice seeing you, Harry. I hope you can get out of here soon."
"Yeah… Thanks Hermione, and say… No never mind, I'll talk to him once I'm out of bed." He smiled encouragingly at her, and watched her as she chased after Ron, a heavy weight settling in his chest. He had a feeling it would be some time before they were ever together again, as friends.
He then turned towards Ginny, who was slowly going through his results. And asked:
"Could you read them out loud? I didn't even have a chance to glance at the comments before Hermione…"
Ginny didn't even answer, but begun to read.
Key
'O' – Outstanding (89-100): Superb level of magic and concentration as well as a good amount of self-confidence in their abilities. The student knows what he/she is doing, and is doing it more than adequately. The student has made no mistakes at all or only the most minor of mistakes and corrected them almost instantly.
'E' – Exceeds Expectations (80-88): Good magical prowess in the subject. The student may have made a couple of minor mistakes, but had no problems in figuring out what was wrong and reversing the effects easily. The student demonstrates an adequately pleasing amount of self-confidence in what their abilities are and what they are doing.
'A' – Acceptable (60-79): Adequate ability, knowledge and confidence are demonstrated. Self-confidence in their abilities is not as satisfactory, and they had problems correcting the mistake they had made in this exam.
'P' – Poor (50-59): Poor performance in magic and demonstrated little or not self-confidence in their abilities. Clearly, this student must improve more and figure out what went wrong and how, as they had problems doing so during the exam.
'D' – Dreadful (Under 50): A mournful demonstration of knowledge, magical ability and self-confidence in their abilities as well as being unable to reverse whatever mistake they have committed in their exam. The student must study and/or work much harder. Also, they should request tutoring during the NEWTs."
"Core OWLs
Defence Against the Dark Arts (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: O – 100 plus
Written: O – 100 plus
Overall: Outstanding
OWLs: 2 plus 1 (honorary)
Brief Professor's Comments:
Potter is very disruptive in class and is loud in his objections toward the Ministry methods. It would not surprise me if he should get into trouble one day for his troublemaking. His class mark in Defence is abysmal due to constant interruption in my teaching.
"This woman should be hung in a bloody post! It's a necessary action for the good of humanity."
Ginny's remark managed to extract a small smile from Harry, whose mind was still dwelling in his two best friends unexpected departure.
Examiner's Comments:
It was very surprising when Mr. Potter showed extraordinary Defensive ability and form in direct contrast to Dolores' comments. His wand work is superb and his stance is flawless. He completed the entire bonus booklet, scoring himself the highest written paper in Hogwarts' history and shattering the previous record held by his own mother, Lily Potter née Evans. His practical application of the method was captivatingly hypnotic in its efficiency. Most astonishingly, he could produce a corporeal Patronus, and one of the most powerful and substantial ones I've seen to date. At such a young age, it is more than remarkable, and a colleague of mine claimed that he had mastered it at age thirteen. The Patronus alone merited more than a few bonus marks – add to that the points for his power and confident spell casting and we've got another Defence record from Harry Potter. Note, the previous record was held by his own father. I think we can expect great things from this student.
"So this' what got Hermione's knickers in a twist! You beat a school record! She should have expected this though… You are the best Defence student at Hogwarts."
"That's not the point here, Gin. Hermione's supposed to be the good student, not me! I'm the one who leads us all into dangerous situations and then blunders out of them, hoping to end the day with my life." Harry's voice was slightly bitter, and Ginny noticed that a large amount of it was due mostly to his friends' reactions to his good results. She silently cursed them for abandoning him when he needed them the most, and made a promise to herself to be there for him.
"Well, Harry, you were the one teaching the DA. It's normal you had the best grade in that class."
"What about the rest, then?"
"We'll see. Let me continue."
Transfiguration (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: O – 94
Written: O – 91
Overall: Outstanding
OWLs: 2
Brief Professor's Comments:
Mr. Potter is a good student of practical transfiguration, although his attention may wander a little at times. His stance and ready will to apply any theory we have learnt has earned him a good overall mark in the second half of the school year. I wish him the best of luck in the OWLs and the pursuit of his career.
Examiner's Comments:
Potter has lived up to his Professor's expectations and I am pleased to note that he has inherited a little of his Father's Transfiguration prowess. Excellent grip demonstrated, and although he faltered the smallest fraction during his practical, he succeeded in completing the Transfiguration. I, like my old friend Minerva, wish the best of luck to Mr. Potter in pursuing his career.
"You should show this to Professor McGonagall. She'll be so proud of you Harry! And she helped you so much last year!" But he simply mumbled something unintelligible, that she took as a sign she should continue reading.
Charms (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: E – 88
Written: O – 96
Overall: Outstanding
OWLs: 2
Brief Professor's Comments:
Mr. Potter has demonstrated great potential in this class, and I am pleased to have worked with Lily's child, who has obviously inherited her Charming ability. However, Potter can be flustered doing practical charms work in front of an audience, which is why I commend him for his flawless Summoning ability. With a little bit of work and effort, Lily's record may well be surpassed. I would not be surprised should Mr. Potter pull off an Outstanding.
Examiner's Comments:
True to his professor's observations, Potter was highly nervous while performing Charming in front of me; so much, in fact, that he mixed up the incantations for the colouring charm and the growing charm. However, he was able to reverse its effects quickly and recast the spell. His written, however, was impressive, as he finished several of the bonus questions on Summoning charms as well as the bonus page. Well done Mr. Potter, and good luck in walking your chosen path, whichever that may be."
History of Magic (for 1 OWLs)
Practical: N/A
Written: E – 79 (Incomplete Portion only)
Overall: Acceptable (circumstantial)
OWLs: 1
Brief Professor's Comments:
Perkins has always been a quiet student in my class and rarely ever volunteered information. He has a tendency to doze off occasionally, but I give him my blessings in his future, because he has rarely given me trouble. I say goodbye to him and his class, for I am moving on to sunnier locations. It will be interesting to see history unfold from somewhere other than this castle.
Examiner's Comments:
Mr. Potter had only done a few pages of this written OWL when he collapsed in the testing hall, likely due to stress. However, he has done adequately enough that we boosted his letter grade by one and his percentage by ten. We wish Mr. Potter the best of luck in his chosen career.
"Harry, you really are a lucky bastard! How the hell the ministry accepted to grade only part of your exam we might never know!"
"Probably another stupid advantage of being the blasted Boy-Who-Lived."
"Why do you complain, then? It's a nice advantage to have, Harry, and you should use it, because the disadvantages that come with that position are certainly very large indeed."
Harry seemed to perk up slightly at her remark, and a small grin spread in his face.
"You know what, Gin? You're probably right. I'd never thought of it that way." He gave a small bark of laughter, and continued. "Do you think Snape might eventually be convinced to see things your way?"
"Keep up the wishful thinking Harry! Probably not even in your dreams!"
"Hey, I don't want Snape in my dreams! Old Tommy is more than enough subject for nightmares."
This managed to make Ginny laugh, and the sweet sound send a small shiver to Harry's heart. After settling down in a chair, Ginny continued reading.
Astronomy (for 1 OWLs)
Practical: Acceptable – 72 (circumstantial)
Written: E – 87
Overall: Acceptable (circumstantial)
OWLs: 1
Brief Professor's Comments:
Mr. Potter is one of the few students of mine who appreciate the night sky. While he may not be overly excited about staying up late to do the necessary classes, he knows the constellations well, and he knows the stars well, particularly one Sirius; the Dog star.
"That's sweet, Harry. Will you continue with Astronomy this year Harry?"
"I've no idea Gin, maybe, I guess."
Examiner's Comments:
All students taking this OWL practical had their letter grade bumped up one due to circumstantial distraction. We wish Minerva McGonagall a speedy recovery here and curses and hexes upon the dishonourable folk who have put her in her current condition."
Herbology (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: E – 87
Written: E – 83
Overall: Exceeds Expectations
OWLs: 2
Brief Professor's Comments:
"Potter has a rare appreciation for anything alive, and I think that Professor Rubeus Hagrid will agree with me. He is gentle with whatever he handles in the greenhouse, and, while not possessing the complete love of Herbology that Mr. Longbottom has ("Does anyone?" laughed Ginny), he does have a natural aptitude with working alongside and with plants. I wish Potter the best in the coming years.
Examiner's Comments:
Mr. Potter is gentle with what he works with, and the only problem I have with his examination is that right at the tail end of it, someone jostled him and he snipped off the stem halfway up. He was mortified and seemed more concerned for the plant than his grades, so I have taken the liberty to grade him for the time before that and took ten percent off for the 'accident'.
Potions (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: O – 89
Written: O – 93
Overall: Outstanding
OWLs: 2
Brief Professor's Comments:
Potter has caused countless problems in my class and I have no reason to believe that he will even pass either Potions OWL. He is arrogant; he talks back repeatedly and never follows my instructions. I give my luck to Mr. Potter now, because he will need it when he is thrown out of this school eventually.
"What a greasy bastard! Why does he have to teach such a nice subject as potions!"
"What? You like potions?" Asked Harry incredulously, sitting halfway up to look her in the face.
"I love potions! If it wasn't for Snape, it would probably be my favourite subject."
"Ginny, you're totally nutters! How can anyone like potions!" He shook his head incredulously. "Anyway, go on. If I actually believed any of this crap, it would certainly be quite the ego buster."
"But it is true, Harry! You just don't seem to realize the potential you have…"
"Of course, Gin, and I'm Merlin himself, in disguise."
Shaking her head reproachfully, Ginny continued:
Examiner's Comments:
Contrary to Professor Severus Snape's rather depreciating comments about Mr. Potter, he has done remarkably well for someone who has been christened the class vagabond. I wish Mr. Potter the best of luck in the future.
Elective OWLs
Care of Magical Creatures (for 2 OWLs)
Practical: O – 98
Written: O – 93
Overall: Outstanding
OWLs: 2
Brief Professor's Comments:
Harry is a very good student in my class and always agrees to volunteer whenever no one else will approach the critters I've got. Due to his careful following of the instructions, he has always had a high mark in practical Care of Magical Creatures. I have complete faith that Harry will make it through with flying colours.
Examiner's Comments:
Professor Rubeus Hagrid obviously has taught this young man well, because his practical performance was near-faultless. I hope to observe Mr. Potter more in the near-future around what other 'critters' Hagrid might turn up with.
"At least this will make Hagrid happy, Gin. Show him that he can be a good teacher." Harry smiled at her.
"Yes, although Hagrid has some rather, uh… unorthodox methods, I've learned a lot in his class."
Divination (for 1 OWLs)
Practical: P – 55
Written: A – 65
Overall: Acceptable
OWLs: 1
Brief Professor's Comments:
Harry Potter possesses no inner...
"Well, I'm not interested in what that overgrown dragonfly has to say. What about you?"
"Sure, Gin, anything you want." He gave her his trademark half-grin; the one that sent shivers running own her spine and gave her butterflies in the stomach. She wondered briefly if he had any idea of the effect he had on her. Probably not, the great prat. He was as clueless as Ron, when it came to feelings. Sighing, because she hated to see the hurt that had settled in his eyes as soon as Ron and Hermione had left, she said:
"Don't worry about Hermione too much, Harry. You just caught her by surprise, is all, and she'll probably apologize as soon as she seen you again."
He closed his eyes as if in pain, and said, in a tight voice:
"It's not so much what she did, Gin, but the fact that school, and grades are enough to drive her away… You saw the way she reacted! It's not as if I asked for those results, and I'd change them in a heartbeat, if I could, if it meant Mione would feel better. You know that, right?" He looked at her pleadingly, and the tightness in her chest increased. Damn Hermione and her bloody obsession with proving herself the best.
"Of course I know that Harry. Hermione knows too… She's just a little obsessed with grades, it's not as if she isn't your friend anymore or anything. She's just not used to having someone better her at anything." She smiled and said. "In a few hours she'll realize that, although you got an honorary OWL, her overall is better than yours, and that will console her, and everything will be alright again."
This lightened the mood a little, and they chatted lightly about Ginny's summer, and how was life at the burrow. Ginny made sure to stay clear of any subject that might prove even slightly stressful, and was rewarded by Harry laughing several times, even to tears sometimes, as she told him about some of the Twins newest inventions.
She was surprised at the ease with which she was talking, spinning out tales she had forgot she even knew. And she was not a little proud of the way she was managing to make Harry laugh, something she was pretty sure no one had done for a long time.
However, this train of conversation eventually lead her to Fred and George's Guinea Pig: Ron. And this in turn reminded Harry of the little scene that had just transpired in the infirmary.
"Ron… Is going through a rough phase right now Harry. You'll have to forgive him for his little outbursts. I'm hoping this will go away soon, because otherwise it will become impossible for me to live under the same roof as him."
"That bad, Gin?" Harry asked concernedly.
"Worse, Harry. And as nobody agrees with him, and Bill and Charlie give their opinion quite frankly and openly, he is becoming even more defensive. He thinks that the whole family is turning on him or some other such crap. The only person who still manages to get through to him is Hermione."
They were both silent for a few minutes, and then, just as Madam Pomfrey appeared outside her office, and motioned for Ginny to leave as her time was over, she turned and said:
"Look, Harry. I wanted to thank you."
He looked at her, surprise written all over his face.
"What for? I'm the one who should be thanking you here!"
"No Harry, let me talk, I've got to go soon, or Madam Pomfrey will kick me out. I want to thank you for talking to me, and sending me letters, taking me seriously and being my friend over the summer. You have no idea how much good talking about all those things did me. So, thanks Harry."
"Gin." He sat up, took her hands in his, and gave them a friendly squeeze. "Gin, you saved my life this summer! I'm the one who's indebted to you. You gave me hope, when I had none left, you reminded me that there were still things worth fighting for, that a better world was possible, that I shouldn't give up." And that I could still love, he thought. But he didn't say this out loud. There would be a time for such things later. A time when he would be able to be completely open with her.
But that time was not now. So he simply held her hands, until an angry nurse came, and took her away.
A/N: Okay, here we come to the end of this 8000 words monstrosity. To stop any flames coming this way because of Harry's very good results, I have four things to say:
Harry's a smart kid, he wouldn't have survived this far if he wasn't. All he has to do is apply himself a little, and he'd probably be at the very top of his class. And that's where Hermione comes in. She's sure to have rubbed in on him as exams approached, forcing him to work. And if you don't agree, well, too bad.
Secondly, Harry is James and Lily's son. They were said to be brilliant, two of the finest minds to have crossed Hogwarts. And James doesn't seem to be the type to study all day long, he has natural talent, and a sharp mind. For the purpose of this story, Harry inherited both qualities.
Thirdly, Harry has to defeat Voldemort. That means that he has to be better than all the above mentioned people, and I'll start by giving him natural talent and a generous amount of intelligence.
Fourtly, Harry's the one that leads the DA. That means that it's reasonable for Harry to have the best results in DADA.
And lastly, I want Harry to be smart. I can't bear stories that make him a blubbering idiot, who has to be dragged forward by Hermione or Dumbledore, so I refuse to write that, and my vote, in this case, is the only one that counts.
Obviously, if someone totally disagrees with me, they're welcome to state their reasons in a nice, polite review, and I'll certainly answer. Polite being the important word in that sentence.