Chapter Sixty Seven
Harry sat on the steps of the ruined castle, Pansy, Draco, Neville, Daphne, Cho and William around him as the fresh May wind brushed over their skin.
They'd all managed to sleep, in a large group in the now empty Great Hall. More people had arrived from the Ministry and Azkaban to try and sort everything out.
It was a job Harry didn't envy.
Almost everyone had gone home now, just a few of the key players left filling in details and those too injured to be moved just yet.
Severus was up and about, although Madam Pomfrey was far from happy about it. He would always be badly scared from the burns but he was alive and would continue to be for a long while to come and that was all that mattered in the end.
"I was so excited when I got my letter." Hermione said, after a long but comfortable silence, "I never would have guessed all this was to come. Not sure I would of rather not come though…"
"It's not been a normal school life that's for sure." Draco smirked.
"I'm coming back." Daphne said with a sigh, "Next year. Professor McGonagall brought up the idea of giving those who wanted it an eighth year, to get our schooling back on track before we leave. My parents strongly hinted that was the path they would wish me to take. Besides, I would like to have my N.E. ."
"Daddy thinks we'll all be offered any job we want, or a place on any training program." Pansy said, "But I think if we're allowed to, I'd rather earn it, so I'll definitely come back as well."
"Me too." Neville nodded, "Besides I know my parents would want me too."
"Same here." Harry grinned, "It would be really nice to have one, nice and normal school year!" he laughed.
"I'll come back as well." Hermione said, "I was actually looking forward to my N.E. before all this happened."
Draco rolled his eyes, "Of course you were, Granger. I guess I'm coming back as well then. Not only do I not want to see my father's face when I tell him I'm going to be the first Malfoy not to pass his N.E. , I also feel once and for all we should see whether it's Hermione or I who come out top of the year."
"Oh you are so on, Malfoy!" Hermione laughed.
"Do you remember when we all first met?" Neville asked, learning against the wall.
"I remember you and Malfoy being so sure I was too important to talk to." Harry laughed, "You let me copy your work until Mrs Ijewsky told us off."
"Was she a yeller?" William asked, "My governess was a huge yeller!"
"Worse." Draco smiled, "She'd just give you this look and make you wish the whole world would fall out under your feet."
"I miss her." Neville sighed, "When I have kids I'm going to see if I can hire her again."
"Did she never think about teaching here?" Cho asked.
"She was a muggle." Neville told her.
"No she wasn't." Draco smiled, "Just a different type of magic."
"I think we must of met at some party." Pansy said, "I know Daphne and I met when Mummy decided I needed friends. I had started to talk to the horses in the stable."
"I met you at Quidditch," William said to Daphne, Harry and Draco, "and then I met Pansy pulling her from a rather unnatural pit of quick sand in the forest."
"I remember." Pansy blushed, snuggling a little further into his arms.
"I met you at Quidditch as well." Cho said, "I thought you were brilliant the second I saw you on your broom." she smiled at Harry.
"I met you all on the train." Hermione said, trying to remember the details, "I met Neville looking for his toad…"
"Trevor." Neville nodded, "He was useless in every way that wasn't getting lost and turning up randomly. Grandma got him for me as a joke I think."
Hermione laughed, "I met Harry and Draco asking them about him, got completely the wrong impression and then I think I met Pansy and Daphne just before the Sorting."
"And trust me we got completely the wrong impression of you as well." Daphne said, giving her a hug and snorting a laugh.
"We made it through though." Harry said, "Here's to unlikely friendships that have always and will always have our backs."
There was a murmur of agreement around the group, as the eight of them hugged one another tightly and let themselves enjoy the moment of calm before whatever came next, both the good and the bad.
"Harry?" Lily said, walking over to the little group, "Do you mind if I borrow you for a few minutes?"
Harry nodded and broke away from the group, saying he'd be back soon. They couldn't stay at school forever, they'd all need to go home to their own houses eventually, but he wasn't worrying about that right now.
He followed his mother out into the bright sunshine and down to the lake, the squid was basking in the sunshine, waving it's tentacles slowly.
"Is Dad OK? Danica?" Harry asked, he wondered how long it would be before he stopped assuming the worst had happened, it would be too long for sure.
"They're fine. Danica wont leave him alone." Lily smiled, "He was so afraid she'd be scared of him now, with all the burns… I'm not sure she even noticed, she was just really pleased to have her Dad back."
"Danica always had a way of looking past the outside of people." Harry mused.
Lily nodded in agreement, guiding Harry over to the old tree and sitting down, patting the ground next to her.
Harry flopped down beside her and lent back against the knotted wood, realising it was exactly what James used to do, and for the first time in years, that thought made him truly smile.
"I think I've worked out what this is." Lily said, pulling the red wand from her pocket.
Harry ran a finger over the wood. It was perfectly smooth, taken from the heart of the tree and made by an expert. The level of craftsmanship that created it would have made Ollivander look like a first day apprentice.
"The colour of the wood was the first clue of course." Lily sighed, "Once I'd had time to really look at it, realised it wasn't stained or dyed, this is the colour the tree grew. It's beautiful, really."
Harry nodded, he wasn't sure where his mother was going, he wasn't sure he really understood what the wand was and the one person he would of asked was gone.
"It's the Elder wand, isn't it?" Lily whispered, "From the brothers story?"
Harry nodded again, "Yeah… yeah I think so."
Lily nodded, "Death follows this wand."
Harry felt a sudden chill, "Yes."
"We've had enough death." Lily sighed, "Do you think Dumbledore knew you didn't have to kill the person to claim it? Who on earth did he get it from?"
"I have no idea." Harry shrugged, "It's not the wand he normally used anyway… it's just… it's all so weird." he laughed, "After everything else, everything we went through, everything we've lost and had to fight for… we end up in a fairy story!"
Lily joined her son in laughing, "You could never make it up could you?"
Harry rested his head back, "What are you going to do with it?"
Lily twirled the wand between her fingers. It felt like hers, she had no doubts it would respond just as well as her normal wand, without the years of bonding to one another.
However there was no part of her that wanted it, or more importantly everything that came with it.
She clutched the wand firmly in her hands and felt the wood splinter under her touch. The wand broke with a satisfying crack that rang out in the quiet.
Harry watched her walk out, into the shallow water of the lake shore, and hand the two halves to the squid.
"Drop them somewhere, away from the merpeople or anyone else who could find the bits, far apart from one another…" Lily asked, "No one must ever find one half, let alone them both of them. Please."
The squid let out a stream of bubbles and took the shattered wand far away, where it would never be seen again.
Lily wondered back over to her son and helped him to his feet, "Harry?"
"Yes Mum?"
"Time to go home." Lily smiled, guiding him towards the castle.