Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J. K. Rowling, not me.
Dumbledore Answers Harry - Chapter 25 - Getting Back to Normal
'Dear Parent and Student,
It is my pleasure to inform you that the legendary Chamber of Secrets has been found and the basilisk within destroyed. Therefore Hogwarts is safe once more and will be reopening on Monday, January 6th as originally scheduled. The Hogwarts Express will leave from Platform 9 ¾ at Kings Cross Station at 11 a.m. that day. Awards for special services to the school have been given to Gryffindor students Harry Potter and Hermione Granger for their involvement in the elimination of this threat.
For nearly 1,000 years, members of Hogwarts' staff have attempted to solve the mystery of the Chamber of Secrets. Miss Granger solved it in a month. As soon as he was revived, Mr. Potter insisted on joining the team assigned to enter the Chamber when it was realized that his unique talents were required to gain entrance.
It is thanks to their efforts, along with Sirius Black's (who was on the team with Mr. Potter and myself), that Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry can reopen.
We will expect all students to return for the new term unless we are otherwise notified.
Sincerely,
Albus Dumbledore - Headmaster'
It was with a twinkle in his eyes that Albus finished the final draft of this letter. Although he realized Harry didn't like the attention, he knew that wizarding society needed to believe in the Boy-Who-Lived. Besides, he felt that Harry (as well as Hermione) did deserve the credit. That boy was one of the bravest people he'd ever met. He quickly performed the spell to have it duplicated with the appropriate names placed on each copy. He would summon a house elf to tie each one onto an owl.
He was exhausted after going into the Chamber, gutting a basilisk, and finally returning and taking a shower (scourgify spells just weren't the same as a real shower), but he wanted to get the good news out as soon as possible. After giving an elf his assignment, he headed back to his own bed in the Headmaster's suite. It was good to be home.
-
Harry, on the other hand, was getting his second lecture from Hermione since getting back. The first one was the danger he was in, but after he told her and his other friends what had happened, she started lecturing him about something he hadn't expected.
"You had the opportunity to study the remains of a basilisk up close and refused! Do you realize the educational experience you've missed just because you were squeamish? Not to mention the extra credit you could have gotten!"
"I'd have probably contaminated the products by barfing! I did not want to see what a basilisk's insides look like!"
"I don't blame you at all, Harry!" said Ginny. "That's would've been gross!"
"Disgusting!" agreed Ron.
"So you didn't mind walking on rat skeletons, risking your life, getting bitten by a snake, and blasting its head off, but you would mind dissecting a basilisk?"
"Exactly," he nodded.
She let out a scream of frustration.
"I'll bet Sirius will wish he'd left too before he's done."
"You're right about that, pup," said a voice from the doorway.
"Sirius!" Harry said happily. He started to get up before he noticed the blood, etc, that was covering his godfather. He was a filthy mess. He sat back down. "I think Hermione will want to watch your memory of that obviously pleasant event."
"I'll be glad to give it to her," he said shuddering. "I don't want the memory. We even took the teeth. Dumbledore said something about them having properties that can destroy certain cursed objects. Maybe he was talking about the venom. I don't know. All I know is that I'm glad to be out of there."
"I'll bet my parents would love to see those teeth," commented Hermione excitedly.
Sirius shook his head at her enthusiasm. "I'm gonna go take a shower."
"Good idea."
-
Harry wasn't really surprised by the stares he received when he boarded the Hogwarts Express, but he didn't like them anyway. It had started the moment he, the Weasleys, and Hermione stepped through the barrier onto Platform Nine and Three Quarters.
The first thing Harry noticed was about ten aurors standing at strategic locations around the platform. He thought it was a very good idea. The whole wizarding world found out (or at least should have) what a coward Voldemort was when he attacked a one-year-old baby at Godric's Hollow. He'd think nothing of attacking eleven-year-olds on their way to school. Harry couldn't help but notice the looks of admiration they were giving him, even after the normal glance at his scar. When he tried to ignore them, he realized that almost everyone was looking at him. He also noted that some of them were looking at his girlfriend, too.
"Come on," said Hermione, tugging his arm. "Let's get onto the train before they ask for autographs." Judging by the way her facing was turning pink, Harry figured she'd realized that they were looking at her, too.
They had expected it after the Daily Prophet printed an excerpt from the letter Dumbledore had sent everyone. However, expecting it doesn't make it welcome. After they'd taken a few steps (while dragging their trunks), they heard a camera flash and turned to see a photographer and several reporters with quills and parchment floating next to them. They looked at each other and ran for it while Ron and Ginny got between them and the reporters.
They managed to board the train, doing their best to ignore their names being yelled and quickly made their way to the last compartment and closed the window and door.
"Thank God!" exclaimed Hermione with a grin. They were slightly panting from their efforts, but could still talk normally.
"Why can't they leave me - I guess now it's us - alone and bother someone else?"
"I don't…" She stopped and pulled out her wand, pointing it at the window where Harry now noticed a member of the press staring into with his face pressed against it. She muttered a spell and the window turned black. Satisfied with her work, she turned her attention back to her boyfriend. "That's better!" and scooted closer to him on the seat.
"Much," he agreed as he reached one hand toward her cheek. By the look in his eyes Hermione could tell he was going to kiss her. She closed her eyes in anticipation. Suddenly the door opened.
"There you are!" came Ginny's voice. She sounded amused. Hermione opened her eyes miserably.
"Can't you two keep your hands off each other for two seconds?" asked Ron, who was right behind.
"Er, if we're intruding, we should go," said Neville, who was behind Ron carrying a plant.
Taking a deep breath, Harry said, "Of course you're not intruding. Come on in."
Hermione moved closer to the window, and Harry scooted closer to her. Ron sat on Harry's other side. Ginny sat across from Hermione, and Neville, with his ears turning pink, sat next to her (not as close as Harry was to Hermione). Harry happily noticed that Ginny blushed a bit.
"So, Neville, what have you been up to since school was let out?" asked Harry.
"Er, well, I, I've been working on my g-greenhouse."
Ginny looked fascinated. "Really? You have a greenhouse?"
"Yeah. You see…"
For the next half-hour, Neville explained the different plants that were in his greenhouse and the charms that kept it warm in all kinds of weather. Ginny was hanging on every word. It was finally interrupted by a scene that made Harry want to laugh.
"Well, look what we have here. Pottie and his gang."
The speaker was none other than Pansy Parkinson. Now she was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. What amused Harry wasn't their appearance. It was the fact that Crabbe and Goyle were always someone's bodyguards, and that someone always had to visit him on the train. He briefly thought of using his air elemental power to blow Pansy's skirt up to embarrass her. Then he decided he didn't want to see that much of her. Besides, Hermione might not approve. He'd have to settle for fire again. He kept his hands away from his wand despite the fact that the three Slytherins (as well as his friends) were holding theirs.
Chuckling, he looked at the two goons. "I see you've found a new master again like good little puppies. I really can't understand why anybody thinks you squibs are useful."
"They have their uses, Pottie! Did you enjoy that 'ittle nap you took? The whole school had to close just for y…Ahhhh!" At that moment, she began hopping on one foot as she started kicking the other off. It was on fire. "What did you…"
Her question was cut off as both the goons found a bigger problem. The backs of their pants were on fire and they were screaming like little girls. They were each giving themselves spankings against the wall in their attempt to put out the fire. The Gryffindors couldn't stop themselves from laughing at the scene in front of them.
Pansy managed to get her burning shoe off only to find that her skirt was now in flames. She suddenly remembered she was a witch and used the water spell on herself, effectively soaking her skirt. Hermione then performed the banishing spell on all three of them, effectively pushing them out the door. Ginny then closed it, and Harry finally pulled out his wand and warded it so they couldn't be interrupted again.
"I guess Pansy's taking Nott's place as Voldemort's Hogwarts contact."
Neville chuckled, "He sure is scraping the bottom of the barrel."
Ginny looked at the item Pansy had left behind with a grin. "What should we do with her shoe?"
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