Chapter Two: Aftermath
The Great Hall of Hogwarts Castle, and the corridors close to it, was strewn with the bodies of the injured and the fallen. In this part of the school, the werewolf pack led by the lycanthropic Fenrir Greyback, had struck – and they had hit hard.
Harry, one arm still wrapped around Hermione's shoulder as she helped him on, took in the tired faces of the lightly-wounded. Their troubled expressions lifted somewhat as they saw Harry – injured, and with his school robes baring tears - hobbling along to where a small crowd had gathered. Both Harry and Hermione regarded the broken, overturned tables where the House pupils gathered, and they stepped around the dead, half-human werewolves who had invaded the hall – their lives taken by fire, swords, magic – and even a few well-aimed blessed bullets (courtesy of a couple of quick-acting teachers).
The crowd parted for the newcomers, and the two friends entered the ring that had formed around the school's werewolf resident, Professor Lupin (the re-instated joint Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher). He was in human form once more, and half-dressed in shirt and trousers, though lacking shoes and socks. Lupin and an anxious-looking Luna Lovegood, were treating the half-conscious Ginny Weasley.
Professor Lupin felt Ginny's pulse, then sighed with relief. He glanced across to the girl's youngest brother, Ron, who was crouched nearby.
"It's alright, Ron," he declared in his usual, nasal tone-of-voice. "Your sister will be fine. Let's get her to the school hospital. Can you help us?"
Ron nodded, his face still ashen. He gave Ginny a quick hug, and she smiled weakly in response, squeezing his arm in turn.
Suddenly, they all realized who had joined them. Both Ginny and Luna looked extremely relieved and happy to see Harry.
Professor Lupin smiled, and for a few moments the worry lines in his face vanished. Earlier, he had warned Harry about the dangers of confronting Voldemort. Meanwhile, Ron beamed, got up, and squeezed his friend by the shoulders.
"I was afraid we wouldn't see you alive, again, Harry," he confessed. "The enemy's ran off from the school grounds, from what we've heard. What about…You-Know-Who? Did he face you?"
"He did. And he nearly killed me," Harry confessed. Then he allowed himself a grin. "But he'll never hurt anyone ever again!"
"You mean…!?"
"Yes, Ron. He's dead! At long last!" Briefly, Harry related what happened. Hermione added her account of the battle.
"Wo-wow! WOW!!" Ron punched the air. "YES! YYYEEESSS!!" Beside him, Ginny managed to smile at the news.
The gathered crowd began whispering amongst themselves, then let out an almighty cheer. The pupils jumped up and down, and hugged each other for joy. Professor Lupin beamed, ruffled Harry's hair, and shook his hand.
"Well done, Harry! Excellent work!"
Others hugged Harry, or exchanged a high-five with him. Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom, the Patil sisters, Justin Finch-Fletchley, Susan Bones, Ernie Macmillan, Stewart Ackerley of Ravenclaw…, and so on.
Eventually, Ron, Luna and Lupin got Ginny to the school hospital – the joyous crowds parting for them, as Harry and Hermione followed behind.
After many minutes of being mobbed by the surviving pupils, they finally got to the hospital.
* * * * *
With confirmation that the battle was definitely over, Ginny was treated in an over-packed ward. She was lucky. Due to the numbers of both staff and pupils requiring treatment, Professor Flitwick – who had taken charge as the Headmaster from Professor McGonnagall's caretaker stint of the previous summer – ordered as many rooms to be converted into makeshift wards, as was possible. Also, for volunteers to help the school nurse, Madam Pomfrey, treat the injured. The more serious cases – such as the victims of the Nagini-dragon - who'd been singed, or hit by falling masonry, were treated as priorities.
As a result of the chaotic commotion, Harry didn't get to see much of Ginny. He managed to squeeze her hand, and she had whispered a weak "Thank you", before one of the nurses drew the curtain rail around her bed, before preparing magic – along with Professor Lupin – to help treat the sixth form girl.
Hermione escorted a silent and anxious-looking Ron outside, so that they could get some fresh air, and mentally recover from the impact of the last hour. Meanwhile, Luna took Harry to one side.
"Get some rest, Harry. You look shattered," she advised in her soft Irish brogue, as she dabbed antiseptic cotton wool on the cut near his scar. "You deserve it! We all owe you a huge debt!"
He nodded in acknowledgement. If he didn't get to his bed quickly, he might well collapse and fall asleep on the spot. "What about you, Luna?"
"I'll help out in the hospital. Don't worry about me." She glanced across to where someone was crying.
They turned and saw a boy weeping, close by. Harry stiffened as he realized it was Alexander Greenway – a sixth-former, from Slytherin House. They Slytherins, of course, were regarded by Harry and his Gryffindor friends as a bad lot.
Though it was true that Horace Slughorn, who had taken over from Professor Snape as both Potions Master and head of Slytherin House, had proved his worth as a defender of the school (and was actually friendly to Harry) – Harry hadn't changed his opinions when it came to the Slytherin pupils. Draco Malfoy, who took delight in bullying Harry and his immediate circle ever since they all started Hogwarts together in the same year, was of this House. So too had been Voldemort and his supporters, including Draco's father, Lucius. From experience, Harry had learned never to trust a Slytherin pupil.
And, of course, Harry's most hated teacher, Severus Snape, had been head of Slytherin – until he'd deserted the school on the night that Professor Dumbledore had died, taking Draco Malfoy with him. Now Snape himself had perished, only a week ago. He had died in a clash between Voldemort's supporters and their opponents – the Order of the Phoenix.
Half of the older Slytherin students, Harry had now been told, had started to turn on their fellow pupils when today's battle had begun. And although Draco Malfoy was no longer a pupil of the school, his seventh year cronies – including Vincent Crabbe, Gregory Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson – in Slytherin House had led the uprising.
As shocking as this turn of events most to most, the more astute staff had anticipated such a move. Before too much damage could be caused, the uprising had been defeated, even as the Battle of Hogwarts was being fought.
At first, Harry was of the opinion that the Slytherins only had themselves to blame if some of their number had been killed in the crossfire of the furious fighting. Then he bit his lip, scolding himself. En route to the Great Hall, Hermione had told him that despite the shock of the rebelling students attacking their fellow pupils, there had been several Slytherins who had joined the other Houses in opposing the insurgency. Alex Greenway was one of those who had sided with Hogwarts, Harry now remembered.
He and Luna took a few steps towards Alex, who was slumped over a girl lying on one of the hospital beds. The young lady – another Slytherin pupil – was black, and of Caribbean origin. Harry recalled that her name was Yasmin N'Diaye.
Or rather it had been. The girl's skin and torn school robes were coated with a layer of dust, and there were numerous bruises on her skull and legs. Trails of blood from her nose and mouth had worked their way down her jaw and neck before drying.
It was obvious, from looking at the unmoving Yasmin, that she was dead.
"Alex…" Luna called softly to him. "I'm so sorry for your loss… What happened?"
The light brown-haired youth glanced up at her and wiped aside his tears. "We…we had just repelled two Dementors that chased after our group…in the library. Then Draco Malfoy slipped in…behind our backs, through another door. He cast a spell on the bookshelves…, caused them to fall over… Most of us leapt aside…- but Yasmin was trapped! We fought back with our wands… Drove him out of the room. And we brought Yasmin here, once we…managed to get her out from underneath the shelves… But her injuries were too great…!" Alex slammed his fist into the wall next to the bed. "Dammit – Malfoy! Why did you have to take away the only person that I loved!?"
"Malfoy came back!? He was amongst the Death Eaters?" Harry kept his voice low. He exchanged a glance with Luna, who seemed to be just as disturbed as he felt.
"Yeah… Dressed in black – just like the rest of them…" Alex spat, in reply. "And Crabbe and Goyle were besides him, firing off spells at us – trying to cut us down."
Now Harry realized that he did feel sorry for these Slytherins. The Caribbean girl on the bed was but one fallen statistic in the battle they had won. And yet, ultimately, it didn't matter what House she was from. It could have been one of his friends lying there, instead of someone he hardly knew – eyes closed to the world.
It could've been Ginny…
Harry briefly rested his hand on Alex's shoulder. The two of them had never exchanged pleasantries before – but that didn't matter. "You have my sympathy, as well as Luna's," he added.
"Yeah…" Alex's lips twitched. "Well. I know you've suffered the loss of…certain people…in your life, Potter."
Harry nodded stiffly. "What happened to Malfoy and the others?"
"Professors Moody and McGonnagall came to our rescue, by banishing the Dementors. Crabbe and Goyle, though, slipped through the net." Alex shook with rage, as he considered his next words. "And that scum, Malfoy, got away too!"
* * * * *
On the way to Gryffindor Tower – taking a long route round the devastation present – Harry swallowed hard as he slowly walked over to the broken wooden walkway where he had seen Cho fall to her death.
The soft ground where he came to a halt was littered with three other broken bodies. Two – a boy and a girl – were Ravenclaw friends of Cho. The third, Harry noticed with some surprise, was Millicent Bulstrode, of Slytherin House. The horrified expression on her face, mirroring the ones on Cho and the other Ravenclaw pupils, suggested that she had been just as terrified by the group's last moments – catching sight of the Nagini dragon lashing out with her tail, and bringing about their doom.
The wands of Bullstrode and the Ravenclaws lay near to their bodies. They had been prepared to fight at the end, though it had done them no good.
Was Millicent part of the Slytherin uprising? Was she about to kill Cho and her friends – or was she just as innocent as them? Harry asked himself, as he shakingly reached out and closed the wide eyes of all four of the group.
I guess I'll never know…
A few survivors were now milling over from the rest of the castle. Hagrid was with them.
"Harry!"
He turned round and managed to smile. "Hagrid!"
The half-giant groundsman and Keeper of Keys bounded over to him, taking long strides. They hugged each other, in relief.
"Thank god yur alive, Harry!" He looked back to where Harry's gaze had been. "Poor Miss Chang! And the rest of 'em. I'm sorry, lad. I know tha' you 'ad feelings for 'er, once. Too many died today." Hagrid squeezed Harry's shoulder warmly.
"She was my first crush… I felt I was in love with her, Hagrid." Harry swallowed. "I'm glad her murderer's now in hell. The one ultimately responsible for all of this…," he muttered. He stepped forward and bent down to feel Cho's pale face once more. He kissed her on the cheek, and blinked back the tears that were welling up. "Goodbye, Cho. Give my regards to Cedric. I hope the two of you together will find the happiness that was denied to you, here."
"Amen to tha'," Hagrid added.
Suddenly, Harry turned and hugged him again. As best as a lanky teenager could hug a half-giant, anyway. Hagrid held him close – and all at once, Harry felt as though he was an eleven-year old boy, again.
"I'm glad you survived, Hagrid…"
"Easy, lad. At least the nightmare's over. I…I know about Buckbeak, Harry. Still, good job I sent Grawp away in the mountains to look after 'imself. He would hav' bin terrified by wha' happened here today."
Harry nodded, remembering Hagrid's full-blooded giant of a brother, who wasn't very bright by human standards.
Hagrid stepped back and ruffled Harry's hair. "Well." The groundsman's lips twitched upwards. "I guess there'll be no more Vol…Voldemort…from now on…"
"Too right!" Harry replied. He recalled the horrified expression on his nemesis' face, as he was propelled into Buckbeak's burning remains. Remembered the blazing figure of the man who had killed his parents, and been responsible (however indirectly) for killing Cho and Cedric. A man who had killed so many…
Harry wished that there were still time turners available. The Ministry of Magic had kept over a few – magical devices that enabled the user to travel a few hours back in time. On too many occasions, Harry had wanted to use one again – to undo some of the decisions he'd made. Decisions that had led to Lord Voldemort regaining power, and causing the deaths of Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, and many others.
But in the past year, Harry and his friends had learnt from Ron's dad what happened to the time turners. Working in the Ministry, Mr Weasley had found out not long after the 'resurrection' of Voldemort, three years ago, that there had been a raid – by unknown persons – on the Ministry building used to store the devices. Although the raid had failed, the then Minister of Magic – Cornelius Fudge – feared the likelihood of another attempt to steal the time turners, and so had ordered them destroyed.
This meant that neither side in the war against Lord Voldemort could use the turners. Whatever happened, could not be undone.
Harry cast his eyes over the damaged walls of the castle, and the broken bodies scattered close by. A historical quote arose, unbidden, in his mind. Something the Duke of Wellington had once said, after the significant battle at Waterloo.
'The saddest thing next to a battle lost, is a battle won…'
* * * * *
Harry was woken up by Ron's persistent shaking, some time later. He groaned, raised his head from the bed, and saw that the time was about eight o'clock in the evening.
"I've been asleep too long! Thanks, Ron."
"That's okay, Harry. Guess I would be shattered if I'd just survived a showdown with Voldemort, too! Anyway, Professor Lupin and Tonks have asked to see you, me, and 'Mione, in the Professor's room. To discuss Ginny…"
His heart thumping, Harry studied his friend's pensive face. "How…? How is she, Ron?"
"She'll survive the bite-wound. That's all Madame Pomfrey told me."
Giving a sigh of relief, Harry (who was still dressed in his school clothes) slipped on his robes, and reached for his shoes. "Right – let's get going."
Ron stopped him by lightly resting a restraining hand of him. "Wait a mo', Harry. I wanted to talk, man-to-man… I know you wanted to distance yourself from Ginny, whilst Vol-Voldemort had you down as a marked target. But now that… You-Know-Who is out of the picture… How do you feel about my sister, now?"
Harry paused and thought that over, then he finally managed to return Ron's gaze. "I've still got feelings for her, Ron. There's no one else, as far as I'm concerned. Cho's been out of my system for a while…"
"I heard that Cho's…" Ron bit his lip, wondering if Harry knew or not.
He nodded. "She's dead, Ron. I saw her die… And the thought that Ginny could've died as well… Despite the fact I've had to have a hard heart since losing Sirius and Dumbledore… She still gave me moral support during the course of the last year, when I couldn't bare to go on anymore with this dumb war… Hell – I want to be there for Ginny, whatever the circumstances! If she had died…it would have torn me apart! I want me and her to get together again, and celebrate! How do you feel…about that? How would Ginny feel – having me back?"
Ron slowly grinned. "I think that's the second best news I've heard all day, Harry! Of course I'd approve of it if you two wanted to get together again! I reckon my sister wouldn't hesitate for a moment at the chance!"
"Thanks, Ron."
They smiled at each other, and savoured the moment as best friends do. Then Ron started to fidget. "We'd better get moving."
"Sure thing." Harry got fully dressed, and the two young men left the bedroom.
* * * * *
Harry, Ron, and Hermione were sat in the dungeon-level study belonging to Professor Lupin. Since the departure of Professor Snape last year, Lupin had been re-offered the post of Defence Against the Dark Arts tutor. He had taken it on, subject to sharing the post with Professor Alistor Moody. With this flexibility, the two men could alternate between school and Ministry business, and they had used the arrangement to keep a closer guard against the activities of Voldemort and his followers.
As part of Lupin's re-employment, he had taken over Professor Snape's set of rooms.
Harry shuddered, as he stared at a black stain blasted onto one of the walls. It was all that remained of the Dementor that had entered this room, in order to kill Professor Lupin, in the early stages of the Battle of Hogwarts. But the Professor had lashed out with a powerful, and new, magical concoction he'd been experimenting with. It had destroyed the hellish creature. After that close call, Lupin had gone on the offensive – using first of all his wand against the Death Eaters, before transforming into a fully-fledged wolf, to tackle Fenrir Greyback and his invading werewolf pack.
In a way, Harry considered, Hogwarts had been lucky. Voldemort had not amassed all of the forces he had been believed to possess. There had been no giants, and only a few Dementors. In fact, a host of Dementors had been wiped out in an earlier battle – the one that had claimed the life of Professor Snape. During the conflict, an unbeatable wand – which Voldemort had been eager to acquire – had been used to cast forth a powerful magical force which destroyed the black wraiths.
The wand had also been destroyed, in the magical backlash.
Voldemort escaped that battle – but now he had finally paid for his sins.
Harry refocused his attention on those who were presently with him. Professor Lupin, sitting on the opposite side of his desk from the Gryffindor trio, was now dressed in an old brown suit and corduroy trousers, complete wit an off-white shirt and green tie. Presently flanking him were two people. One was Nymphadora Tonks, the young Animagus, who special relationship was now known to Harry and his friends. Tonks, as she preferred to be called, still had the strange habit of her hair changing colour, in tandem with her mood. Right now, it was displaying her usual, unruly, mousy-brown locks.
Also present was the current headmaster – the vertically-challenged Professor Flitwick, who was sat on a stool and keenly listening to Professor Lupin's account as to how, as a wolf, he'd ended up biting Ginny Weasley. Flitwick – Harry was glad to note – had reverted in recent months, back to the white-haired and short-bearded appearance he had presented some years ago. He had also improved on his choice of clothes – his current attire being blue wizarding robes and a matching waistcoat, along with a white tunic and dark trousers and shoes. Harry had thought the dyed black hair and stripped trousers Flitwick had displayed on occasion made him look rather ridiculous. Now he was more presentable as the headmaster of Hogwarts – having proven himself to be a more shrewd leader than many would have expected.
"…I leapt for Greyback, in order to stop his king spree of the pupils," Lupin announced, in his rather nasal, north England, tones. "You saw for yourself how chaotic things were in the Great Hall, Ron. Greyback saw me coming, and rolled aside. I couldn't avoid crashing into Ginny, and my gaping jaws sank into her raised arm. My claws added to her injuries… I'm sorry."
Ron managed to nod. "At least she'll recover. Just don't expect me to be happy about it! She's…infected…now, isn't she?"
Lupin sighed. "Yes. At the next full moon, Ginny will become a werewolf. To be more exact, she'll take on a half-wolf appearance. My curse for life, will be hers also. I can't apologise enough for what I've done, Ron."
"Remus, don't be so hard on yourself," Professor Flitwick addressed him. "If you hadn't fought Greyback's pack, werewolf-to-werewolf – and killed two of them in the process – there would have been more casualties amongst the pupils!"
"And what will happen to Ginny, when she has to…change?" Ron bristled. "The summer holidays will be coming soon. And the word will spread around school that my sister's no longer…entirely human… She'll be the brunt of discrimination! What if she escapes from any confinement my family provides for her, eh?"
"Ron! Calm down," Hermione admonished him.
There was silence in the room for a moment. Harry broke it.
"Professor Lupin… I didn't know you were able to transform all the way into a wolf… And of your own accord, too."
Tonks reached over and squeezed Lupin's hand. "Tell them, Remus," she urged him.
He bit his lip, then spoke up. "For the past year, with Tonk's help, I've decided to face…my problem…differently. As you youngsters know, I've tried to control the beast inside of me by drinking Professor Snape's concocted potions, which weakened my wolf during the full moon.
"Since that option no longer exists, and with the threat of Voldemort and the Death Eaters making it necessary for me to resume teaching here – Tonks and I have been conducting experiments. Instead of fighting the beast, I decided to accept it, instead. To integrate fully with it, and get my animal instincts to co-operate as much as possible with my developing human control during the nights of the full moon. In short, to turn my disadvantage into an advantage – and strive to be the best of being both man and wolf."
Hermione was leaning forward, her expression enraptured by what the Professor was saying.
"And you've made a breakthrough!" she exclaimed. "You transformed in the daylight today, and helped saved our lives, Professor!"
Lupin smiled sheepishly. He looked a little embarrassed by Hermione's praise. "I did what I could," he responded. "But yes, I'm now more in control of my other self. But I'm still obliged to be a wild creature when the moon is full. As a wolf man, or as a completely-formed wolf."
"And as Headmaster, I'm giving you the authority to do more to help the school, using your…special talents, Professor Lupin," Professor Flitwick announced. "From what I've been told, Fenrir Greyback panicked when word reached him on the battlefield that both Voldemort and Nagini had perished. Although some of the werewolves were killed by myself and other staff – many of the pack got away. Greyback included. Several of the Death Eaters evaded capture, also. And some of the rebellious Slytherin pupils are now missing. Pansy Parkinson, for one. I believe that having openly supported Lord Voldemort, only to hear of his unexpected fall, they have fled with those who they allied themselves with."
The half-goblin headmaster paused, then continued. "There is another matter which disturbs me, Remus. The jet crystal known as the Nightshadow. It was recently entrusted to the care of the castle by the Ministry – and now it has been stolen from Professor Moody's office."
Lupin gave a start, then narrowed his eyes in thought. "Now that you mention it, I do recall seeing Miss Parkinson slip into that room. I thought that she was hiding away from the fighting, but I was rather preoccupied with other matters to check on her."
"Ahh – that resolves that mystery!" Flitwick responded, with a chuckle.
"Isn't there a twin jewel that acts as the counter-balance to the Nightshadow…?" Lupin asked.
"The Solstice Star, yes. Luckily that was still secure in Alistor's office. Here it is!" Flitwick produced from the pocket of his electric blue-coloured waistcoat polished, milky quartz, that seemed to glow in the gaslight of the room.
Harry, Hermione, and Ron eyed it in admiration. Just by looking, it was obvious that there was something very magical about the stone.
The headmaster noted the reactions of the pupils, and smiled. He jumped down from his stool, still carrying the illuminated quartz.
"Now, it is possible that the Death Eaters will try to break into the school again – once they have recovered from the shock of losing their idolized leader. If so, they may try to get their hands on this," Professor Flitwick declared, pacing the floor. "I think you should all know what this crystal can do."
"Us three as well?" Harry raised an eyebrow, as he, Hermione, and Ron shared a look.
"Indeed, Mr Potter. Going on your past experience with fate, all three of you need to watch carefully. It might prove important one day… With your permission, Remus?"
"A demonstration?" Lupin was interested. "Please carry on, Headmaster!"
Professor Flitwick took position in a clear space in the study and placed the magical quartz on the floor, then turned round and magically conjured up a bare wooden hat stand into existence against the bare patch of stone wall.
Next, the headmaster redirected his wand towards the Solstice Star. He was now directly in-between it and the hat stand.
"Incendrio!"
With a flick of his wand, Flitwick cast his spell – then he quickly dived to one side and rolled across the floor. It was just as well he did. For barely a second or two after his spell struck the crystal, the Solstice Star glowed fiercely – then literally spat the spell back in the direction it had come from.
The magic slammed into the hat stand, and it burst into flame.
"Don't panic!" Professor Flitwick soon doused the fire with another spell.
"Now…" the headmaster began, as he resumed his seat and held the milky quartz in his hand before his stunned audience. "The Nightshadow crystal can enable the one who master it, to gain control of the wills of other people. It also protects the bearer against magical attack, by absorbing any incoming spell."
"Like a black hole?" Tonks put to the Professor.
"Exactly – yes!" He chuckled. "And the Solstice Star, as you have all just seen – has the opposite effect. It rebounds spells aimed against it, or its bearer."
"Neat!" Ron's eyes widened.
"Astounding…!" Hermione whispered, her eyes shining brightly.
"If that fell into the hands of the Death Eaters, it would be bad," Harry remarked.
"Indeed. However, there is a known danger in having the two gems together," the headmaster added sagely. "If the two should ever actually make physical contact, their powers will violently collide and cancel each other out! Anyone in near-proximity to the gemstones will meet…a most unfortunate end!
"Now then… Onto other business," Flitwick announced, as he put the milky quartz back into his waistcoat pocket. "Naturally, I am worried about the Death Eaters still at large."
"They'll go to ground, Professor Flitwick," Harry declared, smiling. "They've lost their illustrious leaded – which will knock them for six."
"Quite so, Harry. But we need to track them all down, to end this war for good. And arrest, or – if necessary – kill them. We need a werewolf to hunt down Greyback's werewolves."
Lupin nodded. "You have my services, Headmaster."
"Thank you. But I want you to first take young Miss Weasley under your wing, and teach her the self-control you've learnt, Remus. If she's agreeable, she can become your apprentice in tracking down our enemies. When she's ready for such a task, of course."
Ron looked uncomfortable. But instead of arguing, he asked. "Anything we can do, Professor Flitwick?"
"Yes. Be there for your sister. And I don't want you to resent Professor Lupin for what happened to Miss Weasley. This was an accident. Apart from that…we need more Aurors to help track down the remaining Death Eaters at liberty."
Harry straightened up, interested. "I was thinking of taking on that career, Professor," he piped up.
"And me," Hermione confessed.
Ron's lips twitched upwards. "Count me in."
"As I thought. But you'll need to be trained. As there's the possibility that our enemies may strike here again, to avenge their wretched Lord, I'm prepared to offer training – from Professor Moody – to you three, at Hogwarts. Consider it an extended year of study. You'll be junior staff, in effect – and you can help the pupils learn defensive magic. Like you did two years ago. Interested?" The little headmaster smiled.