A/N: I'm back
Chapter 48: Graduation and Revelations.
**************************Hogwarts*******************************
June 17
11:00 am
Despite the damage, despite the causalities of the recent battles in the never-ending war against the darkness, the Quiddich pitch at Hogwarts was crowded almost beyond belief. The graduation ceremony was often a sedate, quiet affair, at least until the end. Unfortunately as in almost every case where Harry Potter was involved, normal did not apply. As this was after all a more or less public event, Dumbledore had been forced to allow the press access to the school, or at least to the pitch, where graduation was taking place this year. Originally this had been because it was thought that the Great Hall would not be in a fit condition to host, however due to the munificent efforts of the house elves and a veritable battalion of construction wizards, the Hall was once more repaired.
No, instead a different pair of motivations colored his thoughts this day. First, the background of the damaged castle more than amply illustrated the sacrifices this generation had undertaken to save them all once more. Dumbledore had decided that there would be no pretending at this event that recent events had not occurred, as certain members of the Ministry had requested. And second, due to a late night effort by the surviving Marauders, the Weasley Clan and almost every remaining Professor, including a certain tartan-clad head of house, the Great Hall was decorated for a wedding. The press had certainly not been invited to that celebration later today, in fact of all of the wizarding papers and wireless services, only the Quibbler would have representatives. And those reporters where definitely there under the eye of their boss, who just happened to have a daughter in that very wedding. Mad-Eye Moody had already given his contribution to the celebration, with a series of wards, spells and wizarding sensors designed to detect and repel everything from extendable ears to any unknown animagus all the way to small, uninvited rodentia.
If one looked carefully there were other signs of the times. The hard-eyed men and women scattered throughout the crowd, each in civilian robes or outfits; that would occasionally brush a hand across their ear as if listening to an unseen voice. The large Dragon, slumbering peacefully on the lawn, and the occasional sweep of a broom mounted rider over the stadium. Mad-Eye paused next to a couple of watchers, had a brief word and stomped on, seemingly satisfied. There were few active agents of the Ministry left, and most of those would had lived were here today. The several clustered in the graduates helped of course, but they were understandably distracted.
None of those more so than the pair seated on the stage next to Dumbledore, Harry and Hermione's chairs were pushed together close enough to touch. Harry smiled as he glanced down and noticed Hermione's knee bouncing in her nervousness. As he placed a hand on the offending knee, she stopped and looked over at him with a grateful glance. His hand fell from it and found hers, squeezing it under the cover of their robes. The eleven-year-old girl, whom had started Hogwarts in September seven years ago, would have been shocked at the impropriety. The young woman she had become didn't give a damn. She leaned her head against his shoulder for a moment, while Arthur was giving some sort of speech; neither of them was listening really.
They watched silently as Dumbledore stood at the podium. Both could feel his presence on the air, like a comforting, warm blanket. His stature never seemed larger as he looked down at the graduates arrayed before him, and out at the spectators lining the stands. He began to speak, calmly, at a normal volume, but somehow every ear in the arena heard him. "We come together today on a day of celebration, not of sadness." He smiled down at the graduates, and glanced back at Harry and Hermione on the stage behind him. "For not only are we marking the transition of some of our best and brightest into the greater world beyond these grounds," He paused, "we are marking...nay we are celebrating the sacrifice of those who selflessly gave so much for the betterment of others. It was a very wise man who said, that one can have no greater love than to lay down his life for another." He glanced around the arena, occasionally settling an eye on certain individuals before passing on, "That man was a muggle. One can never forget that it is the differences that make us strong, not the similarities." His words seemed to reverberate off the stands, almost as if they were trying to hammer their way into certain heads.
He raised a hand, a finger extended "There are those who would have us pretend that the events of the past seven, or even the past thirty years had not happened. They are wrong. Likewise there are those who would have us pretend that with the death of Tom Riddle the danger has passed, that we may return to the days when all was well, when there was only peace and the wizarding world could take comfort in its careful isolation from the outside world. They too are wrong. There will come a time, soon, when we will look to our friends, muggle, wizard, elf and others and be grateful that they stand with us, despite all we have done to isolate ourselves." He took a breath and stepped back. "But it is not I who should speak of these things, but those who will live fully in these times." He waved at Harry and Hermione. "I believe that our Head Boy and Head Girl should address you now, who by the way will also graduate second and first in their class...Harry Potter, and Hermione Po...Granger." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled at his not quite faux pas.
Hermione gave him the tiniest of glares, before she stood on her toes and kissed the old wizard on the cheek to tumultuous applause from the graduates, even a few surviving Slytherins. Down in the front row, Ron stood, applauding, and most of the rest of the graduates followed. As he sat down, he screamed out, "get'em Harry!"
"Thanks Ron." Harry replied wryly as he replaced Dumbledore at the podium. Hermione stood next to him, and mouthed, "your time will come," at her red-haired brother. He laughed. Harry looked at her, and motioned surreptitiously towards the crowd. What's wrong don't want to speak? After all of that speech writing?
Oh, Like I'm not prepared. Hermione shot back as she flicked a wand at the podium and a roll of parchment appeared. Another flick and it flattened itself out. She glanced down for an instant, and then with a breath looked up, "Throughout the History of the wizarding world, never has so much depended on the actions and the valor of so few, so young." She gazed around the audience; her chocolate eyes catching Harry's for just a second. "Barely one week ago, the darkness stood on the very ground I am standing on now, and demanded its due. It received it. Not through the efforts of the Ministry, in the main, but of young wizards and witches, many of whom would not even be able to perform magic outside of the school, according to rules laid down centuries ago in another time." Applause broke out from the students at her words, while in the stands the results were mixed. Tonks stood and cheered along with several others her age. Several older wizards and witches looked aghast, while the majority sat waiting for her to continue. If nothing else, her part in the battle against Voldemort had gained her that much.
But she did not continue, not directly. Harry glanced at her, and continued her words, whatever separate speeches they had planned, were lost in the moment. "And it was not only those young wizards and witches who fought valiantly that night. Others whom we as wizards have seen as beneath us fought for their lives, their freedom and for that of those they had never and will never meet. On this very field, a Lycan defeated more Death Eaters than any save Dumbledore himself. A giant and the centaurs, both species we have hunted and vilified for hundreds of years patrolled that forest," Harry waved vaguely at the trees of the Forbidden Forest, "guarding against the escape of those who fled the light. House elves risked their lives to help carry injured students to the infirmary, while the Death Eaters were still roaming this very castle, killed anything that moved." He took a breath.
Hermione dropped her hand to his and gave it a squeeze, "We as wizards and witches stand on the cusp, where will we go from here. Will we continue the practices and activities that gave rise to Voldemort," A loud hissing noise erupted from the crowd, she paid it no mind, "That ultimately gave him his power? Or will we set aside those flawed ideals, those ideas proven incorrect through hundreds of years of history?"
Harry flicked a wand; his Order of Merlin appeared spinning slowly in the air above the podium. "In the end, these are symbols of failure, that few must stand in the path of the darkness to protect the many after all other avenues have failed."
Hermione nodded, "It is our choice of where to stand. It is our choice to rectify the injustices of position and birth. It is this choice we charge this year's graduates with. It is us who will ultimately determine the course of our society. Make it a good one."
The rest of the ceremony passed quickly and peacefully. Hermione smiled and hugged McGonagall when the elder witch handed her, her diploma. McGonagall whispered something in her ear in response that caused Hermione to glance back at Harry and blush. What? He inquired.
She grinned, You'll see tonight...
Harry responded with a slight leer that only deepened her blush. Yes, my dear...we shall. He did not see her response as he turned to McGonagall, and in imitation of his soon-to-be wife, he hugged the matronly Gryffindor as well. "Thank you," Harry whispered, they both knew he wasn't referring to the diploma in the main. She nodded and turned away for an instant, wiping away tears as she did. The pair of them went back to their seats next to Dumbledore, pausing as they passed to give Hagrid a hug as well, between both of them, they more or less could reach around him. He didn't bother to hide his tears as he returned the hug, almost crushing them with its intensity.
"Its ok Hagrid," Hermione whispered, as he continued to crush them, she felt Harry draw the barest trickle of power to reinforce their bones. "Really, we'll see you." She smiled, "we can apparate across the channel just fine, you know, if you're at Maxine's and we will be teaching here too."
"I 'ow." Hagrid bawled, "but it's just that you're all grown up..."
"You were my first real friend Hagrid, I never let anything happen to that." Harry put in, though his words were somewhat muffled by the moleskin coat Hagrid had on. After another minute, McGonagall came to their rescue and pried the half-giant away. They had to get on with the graduation.
With the Head Students finally able to return to their seat, graduation resumed. The first row started up onto the stage, Neville, Seamus and Dean managed to escape mostly unscathed, but Ron did not escape without a hug from Hagrid as well, which delayed matters another ten minutes.
Finally after a half hour, the diplomas were distributed; everyone was back in their seats and Dumbledore returned to the podium. He smiled as he looked back at Harry and Hermione and turned to regard the graduates. "Ladies and Gentlemen...it is my pleasure to present this year's graduates of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A flurry of pointed hats flew to the sky at his words, and a loud cheer erupted from the graduates. A jet of silver light rushed from the Gryffindor box, where the Weasleys were congregated. All at once, a year's production of WWW WildWhizBangs erupted over the crowd. Even in the daylight the magically enhanced fireworks were perfectly visible. Bright blue Catherine wheels spun around ghostly graduates. A huge, crimson lion blossomed over the stage.
Freed, now. Ron hugged Luna as she came tearing down the aisle in front of the stage, closely followed by Fred, George, her dad, and Molly Weasley. Harry grabbed Hermione's hand and they jumped down from the stage to the ground, ignoring the stairs.
"Ok, that will be enough..." Molly growled in a tone that booked no resistance. Hermione, Luna, you two are coming with me. You'll see these two miscreants soon enough."
"Hey!" Ron objected, "I'm your son, and Harry might as well be..."
"Doesn't keep me from telling the truth dear." Molly retorted. Grabbing the hand of each of the girls in either hand, Molly pulled the mostly unresisting pair away, towards the castle. Harry and Ron stood together, watching the pair head off.
"Well, what now?" Ron asked rhetorically.
Harry shrugged, "And now we wait."
Ron nodded, "Ok, chess?" He asked, flicking his wand to conjure a set on the corner of the stage. He looked at Harry with a predatory look.
"Sure Ron, I need my ego bruised." Harry replied as he moved his piece, a pawn.
***************************Lakeside, Hogwarts*****************************
2:30 pm.
Neville and Ginny sat quietly, looking out over the lake. She was cradled in his arms and leaning back into him, like he was a large sentient chair. His back was in turn propped against the beech tree that Harry, Hermione and Ron had frequented many times in their travails at Hogwarts. She looked tiny in his arms, her hair falling forward to cover most of her face.
Neither of them had changed for the wedding yet, despite Molly's protests. In fact Neville had just un-disillusioned them after Hurricane Molly had finished passing, in her loudly stated mission to "find those bloody girls." In the background the Squid was lazily waving its tentacles above the water. It had already surfaced once and gazed at them with its huge eye, just curious, not hungry. It had been rather sated recently after the Dragon diet of last week.
Ginny squirmed, groaning to herself. She had been fine all this morning after her late night, or early morning, rather, chat with Hermione, but now the thoughts were resurfacing. She didn't want to, not really, not today, but in the end she thought Neville needed to know the truth. "Neville..." She paused. Neville startled at her tone, but motioned for her to continue. "I need to tell you something."
"What?"
She gulped audibly. She dropped her eyes to the ground, and stared at a point between her slightly splayed legs. Ginny's hands came together in her lap; she started playing with her ring absently, almost as if she needed to confirm it was still there. "Neville I went to go see Poppy the other day..."
"Are you sick, Gin, I can..." Neville asked quickly. He was always helpful.
"Not exactly Neville." Silence fell, suddenly. Ginny looked around the area, hoping that someone would come along and relieve her of the need to say what she needed to say. Her heart started beating heavily, and her breath grew short. "Neville, whatever...its ok, I know that it's a lot to ask, especially for someone just out of school. I mean..."
Neville smiled crookedly, "Ginny, honey, what exactly are you trying to say?" He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. She shivered as his fingers trailed up and down. A soft purr came from her throat; then with a sudden shake of her head, she reminded herself what she had been trying to say.
"Neville, I'm pregnant." Ginny whispered. A hiss of breath escaped Neville's throat, his fingers kept moving as he looked out over the lake, not speaking for a long while. "Neville..." Ginny asked hesitantly. He still did not speak. His eyes were unfocused, as thoughts about what exactly this meant raced through his mind.
Ginny's heart raced faster, as she started to imagine terrible fates. Of Neville cursing and walking away, of him denying that it could be his, and most terribly of him saying nothing at all. Instead, he just nodded. "Ok, I guess we will have to move the wedding up." He shrugged.
"Aren't you mad?" She asked in a tiny voice.
"Not really...Its half my fault anyway." She turned back to look, he smiled at her encouragingly. She smiled, and with a breath, tears started to fall. Without a word, Neville pulled her into his chest. His chin resting on the crown of her head, he sighed. "I guess it's good I already have a job lined up."
Interspaced with her muffled sobs, Ginny chuckled. He smiled absently over the top of her head. "I love you Neville." Ginny whispered; the words almost lost in the folds of his shirt.
"You too, squirt." Neville replied softly as Ginny extracted herself and spun back around, resuming their posture from before. The pair of them sat there, like that, not speaking, not even moving much until with a sudden realization, they noticed Hermione standing on the lakeshore a bit away. The bride to be was dressed in shorts and a t-shirt, her hair was pulled back to fall in soft waves over her back, so she had obviously started to get ready. Ginny was a touch amazed that her Mum hadn't tracked her down yet. Or herself for that matter as Ginny was Hermione's maid of honor. However as was the case with all things Molly, when she could control a situation, she did so utterly. Many of the duties that would have fallen to Ginny, Molly had taken on, and everyone had wisely let her. Hermione was her daughter in all the ways that mattered now; she had been even before the papers were signed at the Ministry.
Ginny and Neville watched, still a touch amazed, as Hermione absently transfigured a small rock on the side of lake back and forth between its native form and a small cat. Not that that was really amazing, it was Hermione after all, but the fact that her wand was tucked in her back pocket. Of course they hadn't heard her approach, at this point, and after two years of constant training it was probably harder to make noise when she walked than not. She obviously hadn't seen them; she was talking to the air. Neville made a small noise and she jumped.
"Oh..." Hermione said a touch sheepishly, "I didn't see you guys there." She smiled as she approached, and knelt down.
"And why aren't you getting ready Mrs. Potter." Neville asked humorously. "And just who were you talking to there?"
She sighed, and stood from her crouch, she looked away over the lake, "Mum and dad." She said with no touch of embarrassment. Neville and Ginny glanced at each other and shared a look. Hermione didn't notice, she still was watching the placid waters of the loch, "And I'm hiding from Molly, kind of like Ginny here."
"But I'm not getting married, sis." Ginny shot back, her eyes grinning now.
"Not today, anyway." Hermione agreed as she turned back to them, then with sudden insight she added, "or are you? Did you?" She asked Ginny.
"Yeah he knows, Hermione." Ginny replied.
"Are you ok with this, Neville?" Hermione asked her friend softly. He nodded. "I kept my word Ginny, only Harry knows...he won't tell Ron, though he did tell me to tell you that you should as soon as possible."
Ginny smiled slightly, "I will sis." She waved at the two of them, and pulled a small camera from the pocket of the shorts she had on. "Can you take a picture of us Hermione, I want to remember this." Hermione nodded and stepped back, and snapped the shot, the two of them had resumed their pose under the tree. Ginny looking tiny in his arms as the two of them looked out towards the distant mountains.
Hermione finally muttered something and headed off towards the castle. She pulled Ginny from Neville as she went, with the accompaniment of a small protest from the miniscule witch. He just laughed and rose himself, he figured that he might as well go find Harry and Ron. They at least might still be free, though with Molly on the warpath nothing was assured. On the way into the castle, he passed Fred and George, muttering to each other furiously. They were up to something. Of course.
A/N: Next Guess what? Yeah the Wedding, even I can't put it off much longer.