NOTE: Yay for more! I've started reading the series again, for the upteenth time, and I've just started the Deathly Hallows. Harry just sent Kreacher to find Mundungus Fletcher.

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Valentine started to be able to see clearly. The light was blinding, though it was getting better. Then she noticed how stiff she was. But as Madame Pomfrey spoon fed her some more of the bitter potion, Valentine could move again. She sat up. "What happened?"

"You were Petrified," said Madame Pomfrey. "But you're all back to normal now."

Valentine stood up and immediately felt light headed. She put a hand to her forehead and to her stomach.

"You haven't eaten properly in five months," said Madame Pomfrey. "Go down to the feast. But take it slowly, and I will see you down there in a little while."

"I will, thank you," said Valentine, standing up. "Wait, the Christmas feast?"

"Good lord, no. The Leaving feast."

Valentine paled. "I've missed all that work!"

"I think you'll be all right. Now go!"

Valentine nodded weakly. She took it easily going down the stairs, and she ran into Collin Creevey and Nearly Headless Nick about halfway down. "Collin! Nick!"

They turned. "Lynn!" said Collin happily. "Shall we?"

"You both're all right?" asked Valentine as the trio started walking.

"Yes, quite," said Nick.

"What he said," said Collin.

They were at the Great Hall now. Valentine and Collin opened the doors and it seemed like the entire school looked around. They cheered. Collin sat down next to some of his friends, Nick stayed by the door and Valentine walked past the Gryffindor table to find her friends. She had reached the middle of the table when Percy and Angela jumped up and hugged her. Not wanting to be left out, Annabeth and Chip jumped up the next second and then Terry and Padma followed suit. Eventually, they all sat down at their tables.

The doors opened once more- it was Penelope Clearwater and Justin Finch-Fletchy. Again, the whole Hall cheered.

Valentine leaned to Annabeth and asked her, "Have they cheered every time one of the Petrified people came in?"\

Annabeth nodded.

Not soon after, Hermione and Madame Pomfrey came in and the two got the loudest cheer yet. Once everyone was settled down again, Professor McGonagall tapped her spoon on her glass. "Can I have your attention please?" And Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"Before we begin the feast, let us first give a round of applause to Professor Sprout and Madame Pomfrey, whose Mandrake juice has successfully been used to cure all those who have been Petrified!" The whole Hall, minus about half of the Slytherins, clapped and cheered.

Once the applause died down, he continued with, "And in light of recent events, all end of year exams have been canceled!" Dumbledore smiled broadly.

Every student in the Hall cheered for this, even the Slytherins. At the Gryffindor table, Hermione looked a little distressed, and was seen mouthing, "No!" repeatedly.

Dumbledore sat down. Not five seconds passed before the doors opened yet again, this time to reveal Hagrid standing in the doorway.

"Sorry I'm late." And he proceeded into the Hall with a huge grin on his face. "The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused. Some ruddy bird called Errol."

Again from the Gryffindor table, Ron flushed, and looked at Dumbledore, who smiled back knowingly.

And the Feast was wonderful.

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And the train ride came too quickly for Valentine's liking. It was spent mostly fooling around and celebrating- life was good. There were no exams that any of them had to worry about; Valentine was all right...life really was as good as it could possibly be. But as the Hogwarts Express got closer and closer to London, their conversation turned dark. Darker than it should have been.

"But what does it mean?" asked Valentine.

"What does what mean?" asked Terry.

"All the horrible stuff that happened this year. What does it mean?"

"It means we'll need to be prepared," said Terry.

"But what about-"

"Let's not concentrate on the bad. Let's think about how Ravenclaw's going to flatten Gryffindor next year!" said Chip brightly.

"No chance!" said Angela, lightly punching Chip on the arm. "We've still got Harry Potter."

"Oh, and what does that make me?" asked Valentine with a smile.

"A slice of Shepard's pie," said Chip.

The whole compartment burst into laughter. A prefect came in a few minutes after that. "The train's getting close to London. Better change into some Muggle clothes."

"Will do, Amy. Thanks," said Annabeth.

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NOTE: I know this has been really short, but I'm looking to move things forward. I'm going to start on the next chapter and I hope that this case of writers' block will go away soon.