Harry Potter and the war of life

Chapter 1 the morning after

When Harry woke up in his four poster bed in Gryffindor tower it was with Kreacher beside the door.
Ron was in his bed but the rest of the beds were empty.

"Kreacher did what master wanted and kept everybody out, may Kreacher go now and get master his breakfast? " the old elf asked.
Harry was astonished that Kreacher was speaking to him directly and with respect.
"Master?" Kreacher asked.

"Oh yes, sorry Kreacher thank you and you may go, but before you go and make breakfast please get Molly and Arthur Weasley, Ginny Weasley and Hermione Granger for me. They will all be joining me and Ron here for breakfast. I think the other house elves will happily help you with the breakfast." Harry told the elf.

"Yes master." And with a crack he was gone.

"Ron wake up" Harry called.
"What what what?" Ron called as he fell out of his bed his wand at the ready.
Harry laughed and told him about the people who would be coming to the dormitory in a few moments.
"So we better hurry." He finished.

Ron and Harry were just ready when the door opened and a mad Hermione came barching trough the door.

"What did you do?" She screamed.
"I couldn't get in the room anymore when I came back from the girls dormitory and when we called all we would hear was Kreacher telling no one was allowed in." Hermione bellowed.

Harry looked at Ron and both of them started laughing and fell on the ground

"What is so funny about that?" Hermione demanded. "I even called professor McGonagall and even she got a no."

"Sorry about that but that's my fault." Harry told between hicks and laughter.

"I told him that nobody and I meant nobody may enter anymore remember. I wanted some peace and quit. I went straight to bed when you left and I guess I was a sleep before you returned." He explained

Hermione just sat at Harry's bed with a sigh and didn't speak until the rest of the invited guests arrived.

"It was because of Harry wanted some peace and quiet that we all got in a freaking state of mind yesterday evening." She said when the others even had a chance to speak.
"What do you mean dear." Molly asked?
Before she could answer Harry told them what happened and Molly smiled at him.
"We would have understood Harry if you wanted some time alone but this was a little over the top don't you think." She asked him.
"We all were very concerned about the two of you. All we could get Kreacher to say was, Master wants nobody in Kreacher does what master wants." Molly continued
"If we asked him if you were alright he would not answer so you see our point don't you. We didn't even know if you were still in the room." she said the last part with a lot of worry in her voice

Harry's smile faded of his face.
"Sorry Mrs. Weasley." He said "I never thought of that."

Than Ginny came towards him and he saw her face and backed up a few paces.

SMACK.

"GINNY!" Mrs. Weasley scream came across the room

"That's for all of us for getting us so worried yesterday" Ginny said without paying attention to her mother's scream.

SMACK.

"And that is for me because you let me believe you were dead."

Harry stood there glasses astray and without any words.

"Morning Ginny." he finally said.

After some more words of concern they asked Harry what was the reason that they all were there with him and Ron.

"Has Kreacher not told you it was for Breakfast?" Harry asked.
"Well he told us that we were to come here to eat you." Mr. Weasley said.
"He must have meant eat with me not eat me." Harry laughed. "I will call him to ask if breakfast is ready. Mr. Weasley could you get us a table and some chairs please."

Harry called for Kreacher and Mr. Weasley made the requested table and chairs out of thin air with his wand.
When breakfast was over Harry, Hermione and the Weasley's all went down.

They arrived in the common room and to Harry's surprise it was not touched at all.

"How is this possible?" He thought.
Mr. Weasley saw his surprise.
"We started repairs here first we didn't want you to wake up to a destroyed Hogwarts."
Harry smiled "Thank you," he said "but I have to face it Hogwarts is gone. The castle was almost completely destroyed in the battle so why repair it."
"Because we will need a place to teach new generations of wizards and witches what you and your friends have done Mr. Potter." Came the strict voice of professor. McGonagall.

"Sorry professor but what?" Harry asked surprised

Professor McGonagall walked up to Harry and to everybody's surprise gave him a big hug.

"Like I told you Mr. Potter, we need a school to tell our new students what you and Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger have done to save the wizard community and don't forget that you still need to complete your seventh year." Professor McGonagall told him.
"We can not do that if this castle is in ruins, now can we?" She added with a small smile.

Harry was stunned. "You didn't think that this was kept out of the history books, now were you mate?" Ron asked him. "This is the biggest event in the last century or so, so you will be more famous than you already were."

"Great," Harry said. "Just what I need more fame." Everybody even Harry laughed at this remark.

They all walked out the portrait hole and than it hit Harry big time.
The corridor was a mess, suits of armor lay everywhere, stones from the walls splattered across the floor and even the ceiling was at some points completely gone.

"HARRY!" Ginny screamed as she caught him just before he fell to the floor. Ron and Hermione were beside him in seconds.
"Ginny what happened?" Ron asked.
"I don't know he just collapsed." She told him.
"I'm okay." Came the voice of Harry. "It was just the shock of all this destruction." He told them.
"Nice catch Ginny." He smiled.
Now the others came hurried around the corner allerted by Ginny's scream and asked if everything was ok.

Mrs. Weasley wanted Harry taken to see Madam Pomfrey at once but Harry wouldn't go.
"But what if some curse has hit you?" She tried.
"No I won't go" He said one more time. "Madam Pomfrey doesn't need a patient who has nothing. I just slipped that's all."
"But." Mrs. Weasley began once more. "Molly that's enough." Mr. Weasley told his wife.
"If Harry says he's fine, he is fine. So let's help him to his feet." He said as he offered Harry his hand.
"But Arthur what if." his wife once again started. "Molly enough." He said with a firm voice, with Harry back on his feet he said. "Mrs. Weasley I'm fine really."
With a big sigh she said "Okay dear are you really sure your fine?" "Yes I'm fine." He told her once again, and they continued down to the great hall.

When they arrived in the great hall a lot of people were cleaning up and repairing the holes made by spells and curses that missed their targets.
When they saw Harry, Ron and Hermione enter they all stopped and started clapping.
The three of them were left by the others as they joined the audience and also started clapping.
Harry, Ron and Hermione didn't know were to look and how to react. Than Harry raised his hands and everybody fell silent.

"Thank you," He started. "But we don't deserve this kind of applause."
People started to protest but Harry raised his hands again at the murmur stopped.
He looked sideways to Ron and Hermione and both nodded.
"No we did not do this all alone," Harry continued, "you all helped and stood by us when you never really knew what was going on. I am afraid that the three of us will never tell you the complete truth but know this. What we did was absolutely necessary to defeat Voldermort." (A shiver went through the audience)

Harry waited a few seconds as he noticed the shiver. "So thank you all for your support and the applause you gave us when we entered is more for you than it is for us." With that said Harry, Ron and Hermione started clapping, soon to be joined by the rest of the people in the great hall.

"That was some speech you gave there Harry, " Mr. Weasley told him after the applause had faded and everybody returned to the cleaning and repairs, "but forgive me for asking but why can't you tell us now what you three have been doing since you disappeared from the wedding."
"That is because we promised professor Dumbledore that we wouldn't, sorry sir." Harry replied.
"But professor Dumbledore is dead Harry and the war is over." Mr. Weasley began. "I think it will be alright if you told us now."

"I am sorry sir but I won't tell you and I don't think Ron or Hermione will tell you either. We promised and we want to keep that promise. Even if the war is over. The thing is sir that what we needed to do included some very dark magic and we don't want anybody to know what that dark magic was." Harry explaint.
Mr. Weasley wanted to say something but Ron stopped him.
"Dad please give it up. We promised we would not tell a soul what we were to do and we will keep that promise. It is like Harry said, it doesn't matter that the war is over or Dumbledore is dead. We promised and that is that.

Now what can we do to help?" Ron asked.
"Help?" Professor McGonagall asked, "what do you mean help?"
"Well," Said Harry, "there is a castle that needs to be rebuilt so where can we help?"
"But dear boy you just came out of a fierce battle don't you want some rest.
You don't need to help Harry you have done enough already by defeating Voldermort." McGonnagal told her old student.

"NO I want to help we all did a lot and I don't see you taking some rest." Harry Said.
"So were can we help. Oh wait I see something." And off he was. Harry pointed his wand and said the reparo spell. The window were Grawp was looking through the night before sprang back to its original glory. "Ok what's next?" He said
"Mr. Potter STOP" Came the voice of professor McGonagall.
"What?" Said Harry.
"I want you to take a day off now go." She said.
"Only if we all take a day off." Came Harry's reply.
"What? But that's," McGonagall began.
"Insane?" Harry ended her sentence.
"I was going to say impossible but I think insane is also possible" Said McGonagall.

"Harry walk with me." She said in a voice that said it wasn't open for debate so Harry followed. Ron started walking over. "Only Mr. Potter please you may wait here Mr. Weasley" McGonagall said, and she and Harry left the great hall and went through the big wooden doors out off the castle.
"Harry please listen to me," McGonagall started. "When you bordered yourself in your dormitory last night the rest of us had a long conversation about what we wanted to do. The thing is that most of the people here don't want you to help with the repairs." She told Harry.
"But I want to help." Harry interrupted.
"I know you do, but keep in mind that a lot of people here saw you defeat Voldermort. They think that you and your friends are heroes and a hero does not get his hands dirty with something like repairs." McGonnagal explaint to Harry who could not believe what he was hearing.
"So you just want us to sit and be nice is that it?" Harry asked angrily.
"I won't do that. It is because of me that the castle is in this state so I need to help, and I won't take no for an answer." He added

McGonagall smiled at him, which Harry never could get used to. "I already told the rest that this would be your reaction but they insisted that I tried. So I propose a deal."
"A deal?" Harry asked. "What do you mean professor?"
"You want to help and we want you to take it easy so let's make a deal." McGonnagal said with a bit of jou in her voice.
"If you want to help than you only help after lunch. That way you can have a sleep in every day and take the mornings off so you can take it easy. I can tell you that this will apply also for Mr. and Miss Weasley and for Miss Granger. After lunch you can help us with the repairs on the castle and the grounds. Is that a deal?" She asked.

Harry thought about it for a moment and said.
"Deal, but I have two conditions. First of all we don't get the easy jobs just so we think we are helping.
Second when we ask one of the adults to come with us like for a visit in Hogsmeade they will come with no objection."
McGonagall face was unreadable for Harry but in the end she said. "Deal."

Harry wanted to turn around but McGonagall walked on towards the lake. "We still have some hours before lunch Mr. Potter," She said, "perhaps we could have a walk around the lake and I want to ask you some questions if you don't mind."

"Sure," said Harry. "but one moment please." as he turned
"Kreacher" He called and with a crack the elf appeared. "Master called Kreacher, Kreacher comes to serve master. What can Kreacher do?"
"I need you to tell Ron and Hermione that I will be back for lunch and that they don't need to worry about me. Also tell them that they are not allowed to do any work untill I return. Oh and could you also tell that to Ginny for me?" Harry said.

"Kreacher tells masters friends what master said." With another crack Kreacher was gone.

Harry turned to McGonagall and they started walking.

"What do you want to ask me professor, Harry started. If it is about what Ron, Hermione and I were doing the past year I won't tell you." He said. "I'm sorry." He added fast.
"No, that is not what I wanted to ask you Harry. I know that professor Dumbledore has put you three on a quest he started but that is all I need to know." She told Harry
"I wanted to ask if you would consider returning to Hogwarts next year to complete your education and like I said this morning you still need to take your NEWTS.
I know that is a lot to ask for now and that you have done more than most wizards or witches will do in a lifetime but still I need to ask it." Professor McGonagall looked at Harry with some anticipation as she was not asking what she really wanted to ask him.

"Second thing I want to ask you is, and that is why you need your NEWTS. When you are done with your exams will you consider the job of Defense against the dark arts teacher?"

Harry stopped and stared at McGonagall

"You're joking right?"