Chapter Thirty; The Commencement Ceremony

Thank you! I was going to explain about how Harry managed to do it, but since he speaks about it in the next chapter I'd figure that instead of repeating myself I'll just let him say it all instead since I portray him to be quite the motivational speaker. Anyway, even though we have a few more chapters then I originally planned, it really is getting to be the end. (until the next one which I will explain in the start of the last chapter) Now this chapter isn't (very) religious so I want EVERYBODY to listen to Harry's graduation speech because he hits the nail right on the head!

By the way, I cried when I was writing the last (previous) chapter. It's SO sad! Poor Cowboy!

Harry walked over to the Elder wand and picked it up off the ground just as Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Tobey were walking over to him.

"He's gone." Ginny said as Harry turned to look at her and nodded.

"Yep, he is." He replied with a grin.

"That means you get his wand then, it's yours." Ron realized as Harry nodded again.

"Yep." He said.

"So what are you going to do with it then? I mean it's the most powerful wand in the world." Ron told him as he took the wand in-between both of his hands and snapped it in half before throwing both of the pieces in opposite directions. Ron widened his eyes with astonishment and disbelief. "Are you mad!?" he exclaimed as Harry laughed.

"Yes I suppose, but only about her." He said as he turned over to look at Ginny and took ahold of her hand and kissed the back of it. "I love you Ginevra Molly Weasley, with all my heart and soul." He told her.

"I love you too Harry, but I'm sorry about your dog." She told him.

"Don't be." He began. "I mean I'll miss him, but I know that I'll see him again someday." He said.

"C'mon, we'll help you burry him." Hermione told him.

…

Harry squatted down and placed Cowboy's old red collar on the top of his grave before glancing up at his headstone.

In Loving Memory of a wonderful dog and friend that a wizard could ever ask for.

Cowboy Snape

Born; 1985

Died a true hero in 1997. Gone but never forgotten RIP

There was also a tiny picture of Cowboy at the bottom with paw prints all around the headstone. Harry sniffed as he wiped his nose on the back of his sleeve while a tear rolled down his cheek. "So long boy, take care." He said before he stood up and turned around to face his father before he wrapped his arms around him and embraced him in a tight hug. He gave another sniff as another tear rolled down his cheek.

"Shh,.." his father whispered soothingly while rubbing his shoulders and resting his chin on the top of his head. "It's okay,.." he reassured him while giving him a quick kiss. "it's okay." He told him when suddenly they broke out of the hug and gazed into each other's eyes.

"I have to tell you something." Harry began. "I went to Heaven. Well a part of Heaven anyway, and I saw Jesus there and Dumbledore and_" he said before giving a slight pause. "Gianna." He finished as his father just simply looked at him. "She's fine, she's close to Teddy's and Heather's age now. Apparently if you die as a baby you grow up there. But yeah she's fine, Jesus is watching over her." He told him as he realized that his father was now silently weeping as well.

"Oh Harry, come here." He told him before pulling him into a hug again and then grabbed ahold of his face wiping away the last of his tears with his thumbs. "You scared me so much. I thought that I was never going to see you again." He told him.

"Yeah, me too. But I'm here. I still have a job to do." He said while glancing over at Ginny and smiling warmly at her.

….

"Ladies and gentlemen, the Hogwarts commencement ceremony is about to begin. However before we do there are a few of announcements that I'd like to make." Professor McGonagall said as she turned to face the front of the room. "First of all congratulations to Gryffindor house for another victory on winning the house cup and how wonderful you all did on your exams." She said as the room exploded with cheers and applause. "Second of all although Mr. Harry Snape has decided to decline my offer to him to become the new headmaster, Mr. Ronald Weasley has agreed to take his place.

Along with Ms. Hermione Granger who will take my place as headmistress and head of Gryffindor house since I will now be entering retirement." She said as more cheers and applause broke throughout the crowd. "And speaking of Mr. Harry Snape, he has a few words that he would like to share with us. So please welcome him to the stage." Professor McGonagall finished while applauding along with everyone else as Harry walked up to the stand wearing his black graduation robes.

"Thank you." He began as he turned to face the room. "I just wanted to say that these last several years of my life have been totally awesome and I have been proud to call this place my home away from home. However, there comes a time in all of our lives where we have to move onto something new. Now it won't always be easy and it can even be scary sometimes but in the end, the only thing that matters is that you try your best and do what you love. And the best way to do that is to share your interests with the people that you love, especially the ones who you owe your life to.

For my mother and a group of my friends God bless their souls just gave me an extraordinary gift. You see I have been dreaming about working with dragons ever since I was a little boy, and thanks to them that dream has come true. For not only will I be working with them but I will also be training them, riding them, breeding them, and basically everything under the sun in my new personal business. Not only that but I will also be teaching Sunday school as well.

All I have to say is the love, faith, and belief that they have in me as well as the rest of my friends and family is one of the best gifts that I could ever receive in this world. You see the problem with most people is that even though they have dreams they never try to accomplish them. I'm not sure whether or not it's because they're afraid to try or other people telling them that they can't, but in the end, the only opinion that really matters is what you think of yourself.

And if you never even try to make your dreams come true, then the world will never see what you have to offer it. I mean it doesn't matter what is said, thought, or spoken about you. Because you are the one in charge of your own future, and you're the one who decides where you want to take it." He said as everyone else in the room stood up and started clapping and cheering for him. Hermione (who was wearing red robes like the rest of the girls) screamed the loudest while Ron placed two of his fingers in-between his teeth and whistled.

A wide grin stretched a crossed Harry's face. "Ladies and gentlemen, I am a very proud man right now to be part of the class of 1998." He said before he took off his cap and tossed it up in the air along with everyone else as they continued applauding, screaming, and cheering.