Graduation was over. The Weasleys and the Grangers had all shown up for the ceremony which was held on the lawn outside the castle on a beautiful June day. They had cheered for Harry, Hermione and Ron as they each walked up to receive their diploma from McGonagall. Ginny hooted for all of them. When Harry received his diploma, to his embarrassment his fellow students had broken out into a short chant of "Ha...rry! Ha…rry!"

That was yesterday. Now, all the families had gone home. The only ones left at Hogwarts were the seventh years who had just graduated. They had gotten to spend one final night at Hogwarts after graduation before riding back to London on the Hogwarts Express. They had had the option of leaving the previous day with their families, but almost all of the students were looking forward to going home on the Hogwarts Express one last time. Harry, Ron and Hermione had all chosen to stay, and Ginny had stayed with them.

Their bags were packed, and in a couple of hours they would be leaving. The four friends would all be back again in the fall. Unlike the other seventh years, Harry, Hermione and Ron weren't leaving Hogwarts for good. But still, they knew things were changing for them. They were leaving today with their fellow students for the last time. When they returned in the fall they would be full members of the faculty and staff. Things would be different. They felt that when they got on the Hogwarts Express they would really be leaving their childhoods behind and embarking on a new stage of their lives. It made them feel excited and a little sad at the same time.

Harry was walking along the edge of the lake. He finally reached his destination. He was standing in front of a medium-sized, white block of stone, resting under an oak tree a few feet from the lake. Harry stood there for a moment, reading the words etched into the stone:

Here lies Severus Snape (1960-1998)

Professor and Headmaster

of the

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry

He sacrificed his life so we could be free

Harry realized he was standing just a few feet from the place where his father had once tormented Snape. Two years ago, Harry had felt so haunted by that memory of his father. Today he felt at peace. A small field of yellow wildflowers was growing next to the lake. Harry plucked a single yellow flower and walked over to Snape's gravestone with it. He placed the flower gently on top of the gravestone, looked at it for a moment, and whispered, "Rest in peace." Then he walked on.

Ginny, Ron and Hermione were waiting for him on the other side of the lake. "Okay," said Harry when he arrived. "We have one last stop."

A few minutes later, Hermione was knocking on the door of Hagrid's hut. "Come in," boomed Hagrid's voice. As soon as they entered, Fang was licking their faces one after another until they were all wet. "Down, boy," said Hagrid. Fang trotted over to the fireplace, where he curled up and promptly fell asleep.

"Yeh all here ter say goodbye?" said Hagrid.

"Well, it's not really goodbye," said Hermione. "We'll be back in a few months."

"I know," said Hagrid, "but fer three of yeh this is the end of one thing and the beginnin' of another. Seven years ago, yeh were all such little runts. And now look at yeh. Yeh 're all grown up. And 'arry. Yeh was jus' a one-year-old pup when I firs' held yeh in my arms. An' yeh were a wide-eyed little thing when I firs' told yeh about yeh bein' a wizard. And now look at wha' yeh accomplished. Look at what all of yeh accomplished. I couldn' be any prouder of yeh if yeh were my own children. I love all of yeh." With that Hagrid wrapped his gigantic arms around all four of them and held them so tightly they almost suffocated, while he began to weep such gigantic tears that their hair, faces and clothes, already damp from Fang, were now so soaking wet they felt like they were in a swimming pool. Finally, before they actually suffocated, Hagrid let go. Immediately, he started bawling a second time, wrapped his arms around them again and gave them an even tighter hug. Somehow they survived.

When they finished gasping for air and had recovered from Hagrid's sweet embrace, Hermione and Ginny each gave Hagrid a kiss on his gigantic, hairy cheeks. "Wha's the matter, boys?" said Hagrid with a smile. "Don' I get a kiss from yeh?" They looked at each other, shrugged, and kissed Hagrid on his cheeks. "Be good, kids," said Hagrid. "Don' get into any trouble, and I'll see yeh soon."

"Bye, Hagrid," they said, and headed back up to the castle.

They were sharing a compartment on the Hogwarts Express. "Remember the first time we met?" asked Hermione.

"Sure," said Ron. "I think it was in this compartment. You were a big know-it-all."

"Watch it," said Hermione. "I can still turn you into a French Fry."

"I remember the first time you and I met," said Harry turning to Ginny. "You took one look at me, and ran right out of the room." Ginny blushed, and curled up next to Harry to take a nap.

The witch with the trolley came by their compartment. Looking hungrily at the packages of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans, Cauldron Cakes, Chocolate Frogs, Pumpkin Pasties, Licorice Wands, and Drooble's Best Blowing Gum, Ron reached into his pocket and then realized he didn't have any money with him. "That's okay," said Ron looking a bit glum. "I don't need anything."

"Forget that," said Harry to Ron. Turning to the witch, Harry said, "I'll take everything on your cart."

"Everything?" said the witch.

"Yup," said Harry. "Everything. We rid the world of Voldemort. We're in love. And we're on summer vacation. I think we deserve a whole bunch of treats."

No one argued with that.