16. The Price of Victory
Solomon did not wait for Poppy to regain her composure. He manhandled Harry onto a bed, then lifting Hermione a little more gently placed her on the one next to him. Solomon stood between the couple, placed his left hand on Harry's chest over his heart, then he did the same to Hermione with his right. Then he began to chant in a language, that was old, and forgotten, save by a few.
The words called out to summon a magic that was as old as time itself, as old as life, and as old as death. A magic that had only ever been used once before and on that occasion the words had resounded off the Sarsen stones of The Great Stone Circle. This time the resonance was created by the high ceiling of the hospital ward of Hogwarts, but it made the words sound no less compelling.
The air around Solomon, Harry and Hermione began to shimmer, as if there was an inferno trapped in each of them giving off vast quantities of heat. They were still visible, but their bodies glimmered and wavered in the disturbed air. Poppy Pomfrey watched all this not understanding what was happening, but knowing in her heart that she was going to lose more than just Dumbledore this afternoon.
Then she received another shock; at the end of Hermione's bed a stout figure began to appear out of nothing and nowhere, and as it took on substance Poppy could see that it was an elderly witch, one with a kind face which at the moment was troubled. She ignored all but Solomon and spoke softly to him.
"Are you sure what you are doing is wise Solomon?"
Solomon did not look up and his voice mirrored the strain he was taking to perform this spell. "I am aware of the cost Eleanor, and yes it is wise. These two have given everything to save us and I am not about to let them down now."
"Very well, how long can you hold?" she asked.
"As long as necessary, unto death if need be."
………………………………..
The great doors of Hogwarts School were open once more. In the entrance hall were signs that a battle had been fought here as well. There were chips of stone all over the floor and holes in the walls that had produced them. Those defending the inside of the doors had cuts and grazes caused by the flying stone, but no serious injuries. They also had a prize, five students all in Slytherin robes were bound and gagged and lying in a heap at the bottom of the stairs. If they had hopes of a bright future under Voldemort then these were gone, they were soon to learn that he was gone as well.
Ron and the others dashed across the threshold and they shot up the stairs heading for the Hospital Wing. Hardly able to take in the truth of AH's death they were frantic to find out what had happened to Harry and Hermione, they were not really prepared for what they would find.
Ginny outstripped her brother running up the stairs, despite his long legs, and she was the first to rush through the doors into the ward itself. There she found two of her best friends so pale, and unmoving as if dead, Solomon kneeling between them a hand on each of their chests, his head bowed looking as if he was trying to force life into them by the sheer power of his magic. Frightened and confused, Ginny looked wildly around and saw Dumbledore so near to death as well, with a tearful McGonagall and Pomfrey standing frozen near the beds. The tableau was too much for her mind to handle, so it acted in self preservation, and she fainted. Her legs gave way, and she would have fallen, but Ron was there and he caught her.
Ginny had not seen the other occupant of the ward, but Ron did. The old woman was standing close to Dumbledore's bed, bent over as if she was talking to the old man.
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Eleanor Wicca had seen much in a life that spanned countless years, but the enchantment that Solomon was attempting she had only seen once before. Before the birth of Solomon, before the birth of his mother, even before the birth of old man Merlin himself, Eleanor had been an 'ammanti', an old woman. Her task, then as now, to ensure, when she could, that the right things happened at the right time. In this distant time there was no magic, as those in Hogwarts would have understood it.
Magicians borrowed their magic from the air, the earth, from fire and water. Some could use this magic but the talent appeared only here and there, and rarely was it passed from father to son.
In one small village a boy was born, he was no more important to his tribe than any other child, but ultimately he would have an importance that none of his people would ever understand. The village's young Shaman understood and so did his father, who in one of those rare instances had been the Shaman before him until age and infirmity made him step down in favour of his son.
When the boy was ten years old something had happened. An evil presence, a 'maljo' had passed through the village and taken the boy's life. The Shaman had been near to hand, and as Solomon was doing with Harry and Hermione, had acted quickly and by his will alone held the boy's body stable, not alive, but not in death either.
"Kabagli belatu kraqo biwo ad-alo ad-sor-o wiro-jowanko dusjo!"
He appealed to the forces of light to be merciful 'trougo-karja' but even in their beneficence balance had to be maintained, one had to go willingly to replace the one taken. It had been the Shaman's father, who had made the trade. He had walked through the doorway and passed the veil, the exchange had been made, and the boy had lived. Everything that was happening now was due to the life of that boy. All the trouble, all the joy, the Castle and everything it contained, the world of Harry Potter and all the people who lived in it. For that boy had been the first, the first of many, but still the first human to contain the natural magic that made him a wizard and be able to pass that magic on to his children.
Now the problem was the same, only this time two had gone where they should not and two lives were held in the will of the Shaman and it would take two to willingly go and make the sacrifice.
……………………………
Dumbledore lay on his bed, he had not long to last now. His summoning of the three remaining founders and their enchantment to repel the Dementors had cost him his remaining strength, despite Severus' wonderful potion. It had not really surprised him that Slytherin had not responded to the call, and the other founders had told him that Slytherin's presence had left them some time ago, they thought, to start a new life. Dumbledore had no proof, but he suspected that Slytherin's new life had just ended out on the school lawns, and now his soul was gone forever. Albus Dumbledore was ready, he only had one task left to perform and dying was easy.
Ron could feel the old woman in his mind; she asked him questions he didn't even know he had the answers to. He looked from her to the two still forms on the beds and his heart broke.
He turned to look at his sister, now on another bed with Neville kneeling at her side. Then to Luna standing in the doorway, the tears falling down her face, tears not for Harry or Hermione, but for him, because somehow she knew what had been asked of him, and his heart broke again.
Ron turned away and walked, as if in a dream, to Dumbledore's bed, he bent over and picked up the old man. Either Dumbledore was very light or Ron had become very strong, for it cost him no effort.
Eleanor was by the window at the end of the ward, with a word and a gesture; a stone arch appeared with a fluttering veil hiding what lay beyond. The sun streaming thorough the windows made it hard for the other to see what was happening, but Ron could see clearly and carrying Dumbledore in his arms he walked towards the veil.
He knew that he was doing this not just for what Harry and Hermione had done, but for what they would do in the future. A future that would not include him, but a future that he could make possible. Madam Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall tried to hold him back, but he passed through their outstretched hands as if they weren't there.
He could not hear the cry of protest from Neville, nor those from Fred and George now standing in the doorway with Luna, who was beyond sadness. Ron climbed onto the first step of the dais, the bravest Weasley of them all; none would ever doubt his courage again. He took a deep breath for the final step, when a hand descended on his shoulder and held him back.
"No Mr. Weasley, not this time, you to have much still to do." The voice was not as strong as it once had been, but it still made Ron turn concerned that he had forgotten some piece of homework, to look straight into the very pale face of Severus Snape.
The potions master gave Ron a quirky smile. "I know that you would willingly go Ron," he said, using his first name for the first time, "but I cannot let you. You have a life to live, I have had mine, and there is nothing to keep me here any longer. If you let me take your place you will give my life a final purpose and a chance to learn the truth. Your greatest achievement is still out there waiting for you; it won't be in the field of potions, but never mind."
Snape reached out and took Dumbledore from Ron's arms. "If you'll allow me Headmaster," then to Ron, "thank-you, Mr. Weasley." And without a final look back, Snape walked on and through the veil.
Ron stepped back from the veil as the arch and the dais vanished. He looked at the old woman.
"What do we do now?" he asked quietly, as Luna came up behind him and held him tight as if she would never let him go.
Eleanor smiled sadly at him "We wait."
……………………………………..
Harry had felt the shock of dislocation as his soul had left his body behind, but he did not see it fall lifelessly into Solomon's arms. In her grief Hermione had felt and seen nothing and now Harry was rushing to keep up with her. Was this what it was like for Sirius, for all the souls of Voldemort's Inferius, for everybody who died? He made an extra effort, reached out, and caught Hermione's arm.
"Slow down love. There's no hurry," he said, trying to keep hold of her.
Hermione slowed her relentless pace, then stopped and turned to Harry, flinging her arms round him and holding him tight. Her body was wracked with sobbing; Harry smoothed her hair and tried to reassure her, all the time whispering "It's alright, it's alright."
Harry began to take notice of their surroundings. They were on a path through the woods, or maybe it was a corridor with torches lighting the way, or maybe it was both. It was however very strange, as both the corridor and the path flowed into and out of existence. As far as he could see there was only one object that remained static and that was a large squashy sofa, so familiar to him that he almost laughed out loud.
Sitting on that sofa was a little girl with golden curly hair and next to her holding her hand was AH. They appeared as solid as he and Hermione did, but he knew, or at least he thought he knew, that none of this was possible.
Hermione lifted her head to find that she and Harry were now standing next to the sofa and the two children on it. In this place, wherever it was, it appeared time and distance had no meaning. AH was smiling at her, he seemed quite unconcerned. Hermione knelt down in front of him and took his spare hand.
"I am so sorry AH, it's all my fault, you should be safe in Gryffindor Tower, not here."
AH smiled, "It's OK, you see I found Sophie. She was waiting for me, now we can go on; we need to finish our journey."
Hermione was close to tears again "But… don't you understand… you're dead AH. I've come to take you back."
"I can't go back now. I will, we both will, but not now." AH was talking with an understanding that an eleven year old should not have. "We have been born out of time, but now we can put that right."
He reached out and grasped the stone hanging round Hermione's neck. Harry had been the only one able to do that before, without it reacting violently. Hermione's Tear was dark and inactive, but in AH's hand the stone took on a beautiful pink glow, it pulsed once, then once again and then the colour faded away. AH looked at his friend sitting next to him on the sofa, they exchanged conspiratorial smiles, and then he reached out and drew Hermione to him and kissed her on the cheek.
If Harry was feeling a little left out he didn't mind. This was for Hermione, something important was happening, and he sensed it was healing her. Then he felt something tugging on his robes and he looked down, Sophie had left the sofa and was standing next to him. Harry crouched down to bring his face level with hers, and was a little surprised to have her arms firmly placed round his neck and a kiss planted on his cheek.
"What did I do to deserve that?" he asked.
Sophie pursed her lips, and brought her hand up to cup her chin as if she was thinking.
"Oooh, you just wait and see," then she laughed a silvery giggle which sent shivers down Harry's spine, a giggle which he thought was very familiar.
The four of them sat in a line on the sofa waiting. AH had said it was for their guides, some one would come and lead them on, but so far no one had appeared. Then two figures walking side by side could be seen in the distance, and then they were right beside them. Harry's mouth dropped open, it was Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape, but it was a Snape that Harry had never seen before. He was smartly dressed in dark green robes, his hair was clean of its usual grease, and he was smiling, and it was a pleasant smile. Dumbledore looked the same, no, he looked well again, he looked as fit and as strong as he had the first day Harry had seen him.
"I see you have no more grasp of things on this side than you did on the other Harry," Snape said, "close your mouth boy, it makes you look like an idiot."
"Now now Severus, you are supposed to be changing, try to be nice," Dumbledore chided.
"Sorry Albus, but Potter seems to bring out the worst in me," he turned to Harry and smiled, "sorry Harry, force of habit."
Harry shut his mouth anyway.
Dumbledore smiled in a fatherly way at the four sitting and waiting. "Well then, time to go," the four stood. "Ah! Not you two," he said pointing at Harry and Hermione, "you have a different road to travel." He swung his arm to the side, and another path that hadn't been there before, appeared.
Harry and Hermione looked at each other, then at the four preparing to leave. Harry suddenly felt a lump in his throat and he could see the tears in Hermione's eyes, but he could think of nothing to say.
He watched as Snape looked down at AH and reached out a hand to him. As their hands joined Harry saw Snape relax, AH looked Harry directly in the eye and winked at him.
Dumbledore took Sophie's hand, smiled once at Harry and Hermione and said "Right then off we go." The four turned away all hand in hand, took one step, then another, and then they were gone.
Harry and Hermione stood together and watched, their eyes fixed on the spot where the four had vanished, hoping to glimpse them again but there was nothing only the path or corridor stretching into the distance fluctuating in and out of existence.
Harry slipped his arm round Hermione's waist. "Come on," he said, turning to the new path, "let's see where this one leads."
They walked on and Hermione laid her head on his shoulder and sighed, "I don't care where it goes as long as I can be with you. That's the only place I want to be,… ever."
…………………………………
In the Hospital Wing night was drawing in, Ron and all the others were sitting on chairs and perched on beds around the ward. Solomon kneeled as he had all day, bent in concentration, the air shimmering around him. Then suddenly he straightened, lifted his hands from Harry and Hermione, and stood.
The bodies, lying so pale and still, moved. It was small to start with, but each movement was stronger than the last, then it was obvious to everyone in the ward that Harry and Hermione were breathing again.
………………………………..
Solomon breathed a sigh of relief, he could have held the enchantment forever, but the longer Harry and Hermione were dead the less likely that Dumbledore and Severus would be able to find them. If the two youngsters had passed beyond the entrance, then all would be lost, and Solomon would have no way of knowing that they could not return.
His relief had come because in each chest he had felt a tiny flutter, like the beating wings of the smallest bird, it was fast and faint but it was there. The stone on Hermione's necklace flickered once and then again, a faint blue double pulse shone out and then settled into a steady rhythm. Their hearts had started again and Solomon adjusted the enchantment, so that he was now just enriching their blood, not pushing it around their bodies as well. It had taken another half an hour for the first faint movements to suggest that they were about to start breathing again. Solomon adjusted the enrichment charm to encourage the breathing to deepen and when he was sure that they could manage on their own, he broke the enchantment and his contact with them.
……………………………..
As he straightened Solomon caught his reflection in the mirror above Hermione's bed. He looked as if he had aged twenty years and perhaps he had. His hair was now completely white and there may have been a few more lines around his eyes, but that didn't matter, he could reverse his external appearance when he felt like it.
He was pleased he hadn't sprouted a beard, they were far too itchy to cope with, but on the down side he thought he would have to use his reading glasses a bit more frequently.
Nevertheless any price would have been worth seeing what he could see now, and that was the stone of Hermione's necklace pulsing again with that strange double beat. Someone came up behind him with a chair and he sat gratefully. It was Ron who placed a questioning hand on his shoulder.
"Yes Ron, they should be fine, and by the way even by today's extraordinary standards what you did was the bravest thing I have ever seen. A totally selfless sacrifice is something that not many would contemplate, the fact that you didn't have to do it no way diminishes the desire. I am very proud of you." Solomon was now surrounded by the rest of the Tyr as they waited for Harry and Hermione to show some signs of waking. "In fact" he said "I am very proud of all of you."
It was Hermione who stirred first, she opened her eyes to the low candle light that was the only illumination in the ward.
"Harry!" she called "Harry, where are you?"
A voice deeper than Harry's answered, but a welcome voice none the less. "He's right here with you my dear, in the next bed. He's going to be fine, he just needs a little longer to recover."
"Oh Solomon, it was so strange and it was so beautiful, and we saw AH and Sophie and the Headmaster and Snape."
"Professor Snape, Hermione. Don't worry about that now, we'll talk about it all later" he said reassuring her.
Madam Pomfrey insisted that now Hermione was conscious she was her responsibility, so Solomon and the others moved away to let the nurse do her job.
It was an hour later that Harry showed signs of literally returning to the land of the living, and by the following morning it would have been hard to tell that they had been so close to being completely dead.
…………………………………..
For everyone else it was a different matter. Ron and Luna were fast asleep on one bed with Ginny and Neville on another. Fred, George, Remus and Tonks were tucked up as well, but it was noticed that Tonks had firmly pushed her bed close to Remus' so that they could sleep in each others arms, but in comfort. Of Frank and Alice Longbottom, Solomon and Eleanor Wicca there was no sign. The hushed tones of Poppy Pomfrey and Minerva McGonagall could be heard in conversation in Poppy's office.
"So will you take over now Minerva?"
"Oh, only until the Governors find a new Head," her Scots lilt gave her voice a sing song quality. "I don't want the job permanently; this will be a difficult time for the school, I will help all I can, but I've worked too long with Dumbledore. There will have to be many changes and that's not for me. I found it hard enough telling the school about Albus, Severus and poor little Austin Henry last night. How about you, Poppy?"
"I'll stay for a while, but I would like to start the orphanage again, I think once all the dust settles, there may be a greater need for it now more than ever."
"Aye it'll be a difficult time for us all," said McGonagall She nodded her head in the direction of the ward, "for those in there, worse than others."
Harry lay in his bed listening to the conversation unfold, they were right, there was lots of change coming, and today would see the start of it.
"Hermione?" he whispered.
"Hmm." She replied sleepily.
"You awake?"
"I am now"
"Would you come with me for a walk?"
"What now?"
"Yes, this is the first morning we have had in a world without Voldemort; I'd quite like to enjoy it."
Hermione sat up "Gosh, I hadn't thought of that, don't you think they'll try and stop us?"
"Not if we don't tell them. Come on."
As quietly as they could, the pair slipped out of bed and crept along the ward, out into the corridor and down the stairs.
The Entrance Hall was spotless as usual, all the damage had been repaired, Harry and Hermione opened the Castle doors and found that outside all the horrors of the day before had been removed as well. They walked away from the Castle, across the lawns and down to the lake. Their wandering led them as usual to their spot under the large tree. There they sat and waited as the sun already spreading its light over the countryside appeared over the hills and flooded the valley in a gentle yellow glow. They sat, just looking, not talking, absorbing the beauty of this first day and then from the far end of the lake they could hear someone coming.
They knew who it was before they could see him, his tuneless humming and occasional words of some song floated over the waters of the lake, then as they expected Hagrid came into view. He could see someone as well, but not who they were, so he challenged them with the pink umbrella he was carrying.
"'Oo's there?" he said sharply. Then as they stood, " 'arry! 'ermione!" he shouted in a far more joyous tone, "w'at you doin' 'ere?"
Then he was up to them and crushed them both in a fierce hug. He was crying but his tears were those of joy. "I knew you'd do it, never dou'ted it for a moment," his happiness was hard for him to contain.
He released them, and they quickly checked to make sure nothing had been broken, then Harry noticed the umbrella.
"What have you been doing Hagrid?"
Hagrid's cheerfulness evaporated, he looked at his feet and the sky, anywhere but Harry and Hermione. "Err, I been looking after young Austin 'enry. I found a spot down the lake a ways. Pretty little place if I says so meself, thought it were only fittin'."
"I'm sure it's lovely Hagrid," Hermione said quietly, "but don't be sad, there's something we need to tell you."
And so they told him all that had happened, and in turn he told them all he had seen. When they had finished Hagrid continued back to his hut in a happier frame of mind, and Harry and Hermione walked on down the lakeside to the little grass-banked bay they had visited once before.
Only there in the centre, where they had laid their blanket, was the small grave. A length of freshly turned earth that would soon flatten and melt back into the ground leaving no trace.
"It's not enough," said Hermione tearfully.
Harry looked at her and instantly knew what was on her mind.
"We can try Hermione, but it will take both of us," he said.
He reached around her neck and unclasped the chain of her necklace. They stood close together, the stone of Hermione's Tear clasped in their joined hands. Forming the magic in their minds they focused on the jewel and the grave before them. For the first time in their lives, but not the last, Harry and Hermione truly combined their magic. There was a flash of light and the sound of stone grating on stone. As the light faded instead of the pile of earth, AH's grave was capped with a slab of red granite and on it two words emblazoned in gold proclaimed Forever Together.
……………………………..
Harry and Hermione returned to the castle to find the place in an uproar, students were running about in the grounds searching the bushes and ditches, even braving Fang's loud barking and looking in Hagrid's hut. Hagrid was not around as after dropping off his umbrella he had carried on into the forest to visit his brother Gawp and thus was missing all the excitement.
The causes of the excitement were walking calmly across the lawns back up to the main doors of the school. As Harry and Hermione passed them, the searching students stopped what they were doing and joined the throng that were now following the Head Boy and Girl.
Harry leaned in close and whispered.
"Do you think we are in trouble again?"
"Looks that way, perhaps we should have told someone we were going out," Hermione whispered back.
"Where in Merlin's name have you two been!" screamed a shrill voice as an irate Ginny Weasley, her face almost as red as her hair, appeared in the doorway.
Her shout was loud enough to cut through all the student babble and the crowd fell silent. She stood there, her hands on her hips, a miniature Molly Weasley, Harry was about to laugh and make a joke of it when he saw the fire in her eyes and thought better of it.
"Err…Umm… we just went for a walk down by the lake," an abashed Harry replied, "we didn't mean to cause any trouble."
"Well just you come up here Harry, and you Hermione," Ginny said fixing her with a glare, "they're all waiting for you and they've been very worried."
As they ambled up the steps Harry thought this was all terribly unfair and as Ginny encouraged them to hurry, he muttered under his breath, "Yes mother".
"What was that Harry?"
"Nothing Ginny," was the surly reply.
They thought they were going to be taken to a meeting with the hierarchy of the wizarding world, but instead Ginny led them into the Great Hall, in which all the students were now seated, the last few rushing in just before Harry and Hermione.
As they crossed the threshold the room fell silent, then as they walked slowly up the isle between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw tables, Professor McGonagall sitting in Dumbledore's old chair stood and began to applaud. Then Solomon was there next to her joining in, then all the staff stood and the applause began to spread to the students and then the cheers began.
Both Harry and Hermione had seen many occasions of happiness and celebration in this Great Hall, but neither had experienced anything like this. Ron and Neville, standing at the head of the Gryffindor table, were joined by Ginny, all three cheering as loud as the others. Luna was on the opposite side of the aisle at the head of the Ravenclaw table, and was swinging her butterbeer cork necklace round her head in her excitement. The six members of the Tyr met, embraced, and then turned to accept the acclamation of their peers.
The noise died down only slowly and Harry had a chance to view all the tables. His own, Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were full of cheering students, and as he turned his gaze to the Slytherin table he was gladdened to see their response was the same. As he looked down their ranks he could see the three Slytherin members of the old DA, they as with all the others had been given the task of protecting their own houses in case the Death Eaters had gained entry to the castle.
The Slytherins were the only ones to see action, trying to prevent the five students leaving their common room and attacking the front doors. Malcolm Braddock was sporting a sling, his arm had been broken in the fight. Looking at him and the students around him Harry noticed something else, they were all wearing plain black robes. In fact none of the Slytherin students were wearing their house robes, Harry wondered what all this could possibly mean.
The applause eventually died, Harry and the others turned to face the staff table. Professor McGonagall remained standing and looked down at the six students standing in front of her. Eyes bright and shining, she smiled at them.
"What the rest of the wizarding world will make of your exploits yesterday I cannot say," she said, her voice wavering with suppressed emotion. "I speak now for the school, its staff and its students. Know that we owe a debt so great that it can never be repaid, and knowing you as I do, I realise that any gaudy display of homage would not be what you want. Suffice to know that from this day forth Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ronald Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Ginny Weasley have the keys to Hogwarts, they have the right to expect help from any member of staff and obedience from any student here, or yet to come. They also receive awards for services to the school; this will be recorded under their collective name as the Tyr of Hogwarts." The cheers hit the roof again, but they ebbed away as Harry turned to face the school.
"I ask only one thing," he said, "that the peace we have made her should last. You will all go out into the wizarding world, some sooner some later, and I want you to carry this peace with you," he paused, choosing his words carefully. "If in your time at school, or even after you have left, you feel aggrieved at someone, do not let the feeling fester and turn to hate. Take a walk down to the lake as I did with Hermione earlier this morning." He reached out for her and linked his arm through hers. "Walk along the lakeside and you will come to a secluded bay with a grass bank. There is a stone on that bank, beneath it is one of your own, a young boy who saw the victory and celebrated it, but his celebration was cruelly cut short." Harry stopped for a moment, steadied his thoughts, then continued. "Take your bad feelings with you, look at that stone, remember what it represents and read the words written on it. The words are not just for Austin Henry, they are for all of us. Even if you never have a need, visit the stone, go alone or go with your friends and remember, …so that we never have to go through all of this again."
Hermione slipped her hand into Harry's, her right in his left, the hearts on their palms together again, the stone at her neck flared into brilliance and the Great Hall rang as it had done on Harry's sixteenth birthday to record a deed well done.
……………………………
The school broke up the following day, an early start to the Easter Holidays. The Tyr remained behind as the Ministry was on its way and the details of the battle needed to be discussed, recorded, and then reproduced in a way the general wizarding world would fine acceptable.
There had been another change at the top and a new Minister for Magic had been appointed. Rufus Scrimegour had now taken over and Harry was no more impressed with him than he had been with Cornelius Fudge. So for the most part Harry ignored him.
The Ministry listened with polite interest and a lot of scepticism to the story of the battle at Hogwarts. They were finding the whole thing difficult to swallow, and admit that six students one Professor and half a dozen vigilantes could finish such a threat as Voldemort. They were far more impressed with their own involvement in the clean up in Glastonbury, and it was regaled in glowing terms. It seemed that the surviving followers of Voldemort were set upon by the remaining Dementors and all reduced to soulless shells and would soon cease to be a problem. The Dementors themselves had been held, with a little help from some of the witches and wizards from Avalon, and a means had been found to imprison them. Held in this way they could be totally isolated and prevented from feeding, they would essentially starve to death, or extinction, or whatever it was they did. This, the Ministry had decided, was the important outcome of that day's event.
The Minister announced that there would be no awards given to Harry and his friends; in truth they were scared that if they were not careful they would end up making another Dumbledore out of Harry who would one day challenge their authority. They gave them their thanks but that was all.
None of the students cared, but Mr and Mrs Weasley, who had arrived at the school the day after the battle, were furious. They and most of the other adults, were disgusted that there was to be no official recognition of what the students had done.
Harry diffused a situation which was becoming ugly, by inviting the new Minister for Magic for a walk along the lake. When they came back Scrimegour was looking very thoughtful, took his leave of Professor McGonagall and departed back to London straight away.
The school governors, a very different bunch to the ones who had sacked Dumbledore in Harry's second year, met with all the staff and with the members of the Tyr. They were far more appreciative of the efforts of all concerned and if they were anything to go by, despite the efforts of the Ministry, the truth would come out in the end.
It was in the talks they had with Solomon, McGonagall and their friends at the school that everyone learned the full story. The courage that Ron had shown, and his willingness to sacrifice himself, earned him a special place in Harry and Hermione's hearts, as if he didn't have one there already.
Hermione had been very upset when she learned the reason for Solomon's apparent ageing and berated herself at great length for her stupidity, but Harry knew that without their visit to wherever it was, she would never have been whole again. She also desperately needed to know why having saved Harry from Voldemort's curse she could not do the same for AH, it was Harry who supplied the answer to that.
He explained that his tactic had been to tire Voldemort, which is why he had been dodging and deflecting his spells and curses. The killing curse that hit Harry had been the eighth or ninth Voldemort had thrown at him and to maintain the hate and power needed to use the curse effectively is very difficult.
"It's one of the reasons why that curse is so hard to use in a battle," he said. "There is so much going on around you to act as a distraction. Don't you remember in our fourth year the false Moody telling us that we could all say the words and make the wand movement at him and he wouldn't get as much as a nose bleed?"
"Err…No," said Ron.
"Well he did," continued Harry, "and it is the same with all the unforgivable curses, you really have to mean it with every fibre of your being for them to work, Bellatrix taught me that. I doubt if Voldemort's curse had half the power of some of the ones he threw at me. I would have died if Hermione hadn't been linked to me and held me, but I think it was because Voldemort's curse was weak that she could do it at all."
Ron looked at his friend thoughtfully "What you mean is that you were lucky and AH wasn't."
"Yes, Draco must really have wanted to kill AH" Harry said sadly.
There was an instant intake of breath when Harry mentioned Draco's name.
"You sure it was him Harry?" Ginny asked.
Hermione had gone very pale at the thought.
"No not sure, but he wasn't at Avalon, and he wasn't at the fight on the castle steps, lurking in the bushes is something he has had practice at," said Harry, in a voice that had the edge of winter in it, "I'll make sure I ask him when I catch up to him."
Harry turned quickly as Hermione stifled a sob. She looked imploringly at him.
"No Harry," she pleaded, "please think of what you said, think about AH, and think about those two words and what they mean. Don't let vengeance rule again, not even against Draco. He will get his own reward for what he has done, of that I'm sure. I don't want his ghost clouding the rest of our lives." Her arms were around his neck again, it was happening a lot lately, and Hermione kissed him soundly on the lips. "We have the chance to live, let's do it."
…………………………
'So there it was' thought Harry 'the war was over, and they had won'. But this episode in his life had a bit more to run. There were the holidays to look forward to and then there was still one more term left for all of them at Hogwarts. A new Headteacher to cope with, and the little matter of Draco Malfoy,…. well maybe.