If there was ever a time to celebrate, it was right now. The relief on the faces of everyone was only mitigated by weary exhaustion and veiled grief. For some, like Padma and Pavarti Patil, their shared pain over the loss of Lavender Brown was understandable. The young witch had died at the hands of Fenrir Greyback, who was also very dead. Blasted out of a fifth story window by a powerful curse thrown his way.
Then there was a circle of red-heads, hovering around one of their own. Fred Weasley, twin of George Weasley and former co-owner of Weasley Wizarding Wheezes, had died when a wall collapsed on top of him during a duel with a Death Eater. The devastation of his family was clear to see, and everyone in the room felt their hearts going out to the large brood. Arthur and Molly Weasley still had six of their children alive. The oldest Bill Weasley, had his right arm firmly supplanted around his lovely wife, Fleur Delacour-Weasley. Even dirtied and disheveled, Fleur still had an ethereal glow bestowed by her French Veela heritage.
The younger sons: Charlie, Percy and Ron, were all kneeling on the floor, consoling George and waiting for someone to come and collect Fred's body. Ginny Weasley, the youngest child and only daughter, was sitting on the floor wrapped within the arms of her boyfriend.
A renewed relationship in the heat of battle, Harry James Potter, the Boy who Lived and Savior of the Wizarding World twice over, looked utterly exhausted but oddly at peace. No one could deny that Harry had suffered more than most, but due to his ever humble nature and sense of fairness, he was also kind and forgiving.
A fact represented by the presence of a small family: a witch, wizard and their son. Huddled in a far corner and keeping to themselves. The shock of pale blonde hair unmistakeable on each, and even though most didn't want them there, none would go against the Chosen One.
A fact discovered when the Aurors, who'd come to take the family away, had left empty handed. Harry had explained that he would speak to the new Minister of Magic himself. Now they were only waiting on said wizard to show.
Kingsley Shacklebolt, former Auror for the British Ministry of Magic and loyal member of the Order of the Phoenix, was immediately sworn in as interim Minister not even an hour after the battle's end. Everyone felt a sense of cautious hope that those who'd given their allegiance to Voldemort, would finally get their comeuppance.
Most of them had already been hauled off to Azkaban, to await trial. A few however, had disappeared into the wind, but no one doubted that the worst of the fighting was finally over.
The Dark Lord was dead, after all.
And this time he would stay dead.
Hermione Granger, some called her the Brightest Witch of the Age, watched all of this play out from a quiet corner of the Great Hall. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, her home away from home for six years, lay in absolute ruins. The wards around the school were in shambles, most of the venerated castle, destroyed. She knew it would take months to repair with traditional magic, and it would hopefully return Hogwarts to its former glory but for her, it would always be tainted by war and death.
Sighing, her dulled amber eyes drifted slowly around the room. She was both relieved and sad. While in her heart she'd always known this would be the likely outcome of the war, there were times she felt herself doubting. Glancing over her shoulder, the darkness of night was just starting to give way to the breaking dawn. Gingerly lifting her tired and sore body up into a standing position, Hermione carefully walked over the rubble and debris, until she was standing out in the dilapidated courtyard. Gazing up into the sky, she couldn't help but smile wistfully.
She then walked through the courtyard and down the embankment, clearly searching for something or someone. When she found what she was looking for, she levitated the dead body and walked back to the courtyard, the body floating behind her in a stasis spell.
Once she got back to the entrance, Hermione set it down and sneered at the remains of a one, Fenrir Greyback.
He was one of the reasons she'd been allowed to stay here and help Harry with the war. A werewolf, yes. But also a relic from a time long since passed. His escape from her home, and his finding his way here, was no mere coincidence. Over the years his supreme arrogance had finally led to his undoing. The creature honestly thought Voldemort was strong enough to save him from his fate. It didn't make it any easier to bear that his bloodlust had caused irreparable harm to those he'd infected. However, it was only when his terrorizing exploits had reached back home, had something finally been decided to be done.
Hermione pulled out Bellatrix's wand, the one she'd been forced to use since her escape from Malfoy Manor, and removed the stasis before casting a petrifying spell over Fenrir's body. She then replaced the previous spell, only this time much stronger. Engrossed as she was, Hermione didn't immediately hear Harry coming up behind her. When he cleared his throat though, she glanced over her shoulder and smiled softly.
"Are you leaving now?" Harry asked, his voice breaking on the last word.
Hermione then noticed Ron was watching them from the destroyed castle entryway, and there were quite a few people behind him too. Ginny was there, as were Molly and Arthur. Minerva McGonagall, who would certainly be the new Headmistress when Hogwarts reopened, was eyeing her closely with a knowing gleam her sharp gaze. Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Dean Thomas, Seamus Finnegan, Cho Chang and Padma Pavarti were all standing back, obviously wondering what was going on too.
"How?"
Harry chuckled. "Did I guess?"
She nodded warily.
"Ron, Dean, Luna and I heard your screams, Hermione. No one should've ever been able to survive, much less bounce back as quickly as you did after being cursed with an unforgivable for so long. And that spell you sent at Greyback?" Harry gestured towards the mangled body on the ground, its entire torso was completely flayed open.
Hermione eyed her best friend, then walked over and enveloped him into a crushing hug.
"You were always more clever than anyone has ever given you credit for, Harry Potter."
He snorted out a broken laugh, but returned the hug with equal fervor.
When he finally let Hermione go, Harry ran a shaking hand through his messy black hair.
"Are you going to come back?"
"I don't know." She replied truthfully. "It's not up to me."
He nodded and took a step back, not even giving his other best friend so much as a side glance when Ron sidled up next to him.
Hermione took another look over Harry's shoulder, and noticed the courtyard was now filled with almost everyone from the Great Hall, and they were all watching with looks that ranged from curiosity, to awe, to confusion.
One however, was filled with utter remorse.
She nodded to the group en masse one last time, then lifted her head up to the sky and called out into the morning light…
"Heimdall, open the bifrost!"
Suddenly the skies above Hogwarts started swirling and crackling with raw unrestrained power. Ron, sensing what was about to happen, quickly pulled Harry back.
Before she disappeared, Hermione winked at her two best friends, and then the bifrost slammed into her, the force of its power whisking her and her quarry back home.
To Asgard.
When the bifrost was gone, both Harry and Ron stared completely dumbfounded at the runic insignia on the ground, its burning embers alight with dimmed fire, and Harry shook his head.
"I would've never guessed, you know? Not until that night."
Ron nodded too. "I know." He glanced over his shoulder and watched as everyone slowly came forward, their expressions clearly as shocked as he and Harry felt. Well, everyone except for Luna, who was looking up into the heavens with a small smile upon her face.
"Merlin's Beard!" Seamus sputtered out, pointing to the ground. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Hermione is Asgardian." Luna piped up in her dreamy voice, ignoring the stunned and frankly, disbelieving stares.
Harry didn't know what to say, because what was there to say? It didn't stop others from speaking their thoughts, though.
"Did she take Fenrir's body with her?" Neville asked warily, causing Harry to reply, "She did."
"Huh," this came from Bill Weasley, who was now eyeing the insignia closely, "there are old Norse legends depicting Fenrir as the child of Loki and the giantess Angrboda, and he was said to be the one to herald in Ragnarok. Have to wonder now, just how many of those old legends are based in fact, since it's clear Fenrir's dead."
"Do you think that's why Mione was here?" Inquired Ron, his expression more contemplative than anything else which frankly, surprised his family and Harry, who thought the red-head would be feeling more angry and betrayed.
"She's an Aesir," Neville piped in, "which means she will live for thousands of years." Everyone turned to him and Neville shrugged, "Well, I'm assuming she is."
Luna hummed again, and felt many sets of eyes turning her way. She however, was looking directly at Harry. "I believe based on Hermione's aura, Neville is right. But I also have a feeling Hermione is not only an Aesir, but the daughter of the All-Father himself."
"Excuse me?" Ron sputtered out, while several other people spoke up at once too.
"How could you possibly know that, Luna?" This was from Ginny.
"Are you mad?" Seamus blurted out.
"I always knew Loony was down right crazy." This was muttered by Cormac McLaggen, who was standing behind both Dean and Seamus.
"Miss Lovegood is correct." McGonagall offered firmly after listening to the utter hysteria, and everyone instantly shut up and focused all their attention on the Head of Gryffindor House. "Dumbledore was approached by Queen Frigga of Asgard when Hermione came into her magic in their world. The All-Father felt it would be helpful for his daughter to learn the ways of Earth magic. There was another reason for that decision which I wasn't privy to. Dumbledore was the one who was approached, and he allowed it."
"So you're actually saying?" Harry blurted out, and McGonagall nodded.
"Yes, Mr. Potter. Hermione Odinstoddir is her formal name. She's the youngest of Odin's children, and a princess of the Realm Eternal."
"Bloody hell!" Was said by more than one person, while Molly Weasley was literally clutching her chest muttering 'oh my,' over and over again.
"Wait!" Charlie Weasley interjected with glee, "Does that mean that Thor is Hermione's older brother?"
Everyone gaped at each other, but McGonagall didn't answer. She just turned around and walked back into the castle to check with Madam Pomfrey, who was treating the injured within the Hogwarts infirmary.