Chapter six
As soon as the meals were finished, Harry stepped on stage and spoke about the war, his parents, his godfather and how their world was finally coming into the sunlight after being under dark clouds for so long. Some of the staff spoke about what they had heard from people that had suffered, how their students were braver than some adults, those adults that stayed away. Minerva made another speech about Albus Dumbledore and his tireless work on trying to stop Voldemort and how he hoped their world would not need to go to war, a war no one wanted, but everyone knew was inevitable. While she was talking she got everyone's attention, and nodded towards the gates of Hogwarts. All in attendance including Harry, Charlie, Ginny, Neville and Luna saw the small group that had wanted the ministry's memorial ball all standing there watching them, Ron and Hermione included, where the rest of Ron's family were inside Hogwarts. They realised that some of the guests that were invited to the ministry one were all at the Hogwarts one and Harry laughed because they realised that the ones inside Hogwarts were having a great time. Those few that were outside the gates that were either members of the order of the phoenix, the DA, that fought for years against Voldemort or turned up to fight the night of the battle will receive their awards, but they were be owled out to them because they didn't want to be part of the Hogwarts memorial which as far as everyone was concerned was the real one, the only one that mattered, so those outside the gates that weren't invited where left standing there because no one inside Hogwarts wanted them to spoil their night.
When the speeches were finished, the Weird Sisters stepped onto the stage and entertained everyone for the rest of the night. Harry mainly danced with Charlie, but he did dance with a few of his female friends, also Mrs. Weasley and Fleur, but he danced with some of the female staff members much to everyone's surprise then delight.
The memorial night at Hogwarts came to a close and slowly everyone drifted off home, just as the Weasley's were ready to leave Fleur went into labour so Bill and Poppy helped her up to the hospital wing while the family and close friends followed. After a lot or hours, Victoire Weasley was born, the first child of Bill and Fleur and the first grandchild for Arthur and Molly. They gave her the name Victoire as a tribute to their victory over evil one year ago. Charlie was named godfather and Fleur's sister Gabriel was named godmother. After seeing the newest member of the Weasley family, Neville, Luna, Ginny and a couple of other friends all went back to Harry and Charlie's place. The friends all ended up in the pool outside, having a great time, then everyone drifted off to the different bedrooms to sleep.
The following morning after a leisurely breakfast, everyone again went outside to have a swim. They were all enjoying being thrown up in the air by Charlie or having races down the length of the long pool, some even used the diving board to show off their skills at diving, which was terrible but highly amusing, then they heard Spirit growling again and all of them looked around.
'Oh blimey, Spirit,' Harry called then got out of the pool along with everyone else, 'What can I do for you two this time?' Harry said as he knelt down at Spirit, giving him a rub behind his ears.
'Everyone turned up at Hogwarts, so the ministry ball never went ahead which means we never got our awards. Why did you do it Harry, did you just want all the attention for yourself?' Ron asked.
'If that's what you really think then you don't know me at all. The only attention I got was when I accepted my awards that were voted on by the people that fought in the battle, oh and my parents and Sirius' awards. This night was for the people, not the ministry and not any one individual person because it came down to everyone that ended our war. Minerva and Aberforth came up with the names for the awards then the rest of us worked out how we wanted it. But anyway, did you all have a good night at the ministry, I know we all did at Hogwarts,' Harry grinned as he heard his friends laugh.
'I don't get why you're acting like this Harry, why you always talk to us like this, you sound as if you don't like us anymore. I thought we were best friends,' Hermione said sadly.
'Best friends, well let's see,' Harry looked at his friends behind him as Charlie put his arms around Harry, then they looked back at Ron and Hermione, 'In almost a year I saw you four times, I went to visit you, neither of you wanted anything to do with me. You were both so consumed with other that you acted like I wasn't there and if that's the way you think best friends should treat each other then as far as I'm concerned you aren't my friends anymore. Now let me get back to my fun with my real friends and if turn up again without notice, then you'll be in for it,' Harry looked down at his wolf, 'If they turn up again Spirit, you get a big feed, how would you like that,' the large wolf happily licking Harry's hand but made his friend laugh, 'So Charlie, Ginny, why don't you get your so called brother and his girlfriend out of my house,' Harry turned and walked back to the pool and dived straight in.
'He's not serious, is he, that we're not his friends anymore. All we wanted was to get to know each other properly, Harry said he understood that,' Hermione said sadly looking down at the pool.
'You two just don't get it, Neville go make sure he doesn't drink too much or drown himself, then I can explain to these two what is really going on.'
'We'll keep an eye on him Charlie,' Neville, Luna, Hannah, Susan, Parvati and Padma all headed back down to the pool.
'This is all your fault, you deserted Harry when he needed you're support. He told you, well told everyone about what happened that night. He went to see you two because he needed someone to talk to, he was suffering and he needed someone to listen and he needed unwavering support, like you used to give him. After you ignored him, he owled other friends and got the same response, none of you seemed to want anything to do with him. I came over one day to see if Harry wanted to spend some time together, found Harry dying in a pool of his own blood. Luckily I got Poppy to him in time, from then on we talked, Ginny would talk to Harry, Neville, and Luna did, but even with our help he's still an alcoholic. But I suppose having to die to save everyone would make anyone drink. So I promised myself that I would be here for Harry and give him all the love and support he deserved, what you two should have given him and didn't. Then we decided to get married, which we did. Oh by the way, the whole family was there. We tried to tell you two but not once did you seemed to want anything to do with anyone else but each other, you never heard anything any of us said. The ministry, the one Harry died for refused to let us marry, so we went overseas and we are legally bonded. So do you see why Harry wants nothing to do with anyone from the ministry or you two, now I think you should go and if you did want to take the chance and turn up again, Spirit will attack next time,' Charlie and Spirit with the help of Ginny moved Ron and Hermione out the door before joining Harry and their friends back in the pool. Charlie could see Harry getting depressed again, he nodded to the other then put Harry over his shoulder and headed up to their bedroom.