Chapter Twenty: Part Two

Thanks for the comments guys Sadly, although perhaps not too sadly, this will be the final post for this story. I hope that with this conclusion you will all feel satisfied and perhaps even a bit excited for the sequel. I have greatly enjoyed all of your willingness to read this story as well as take the time to comment on each post. Thank you so much and enjoy! If you would like for me to inform you when I am going to start writing the sequel let me know, or just look out for The Phoenix Sa13+.

Trying to prevent my cheeks from possibly turning any redder I pulled Harry up off of the bench and we began our walk to the Great Hall. I stopped when the thought suddenly occurred to me.

"Where is Umbridge?" I asked, turning to look at Harry.

"In St. Mungo's the last I heard," said Harry with a little shrug.

"St. Mungo's?" I said, my eyebrows raising up in curiosity. "How did that happen?"

Harry filled me in one the whole incident with Umbridge and leading her out to Grawp, Hagrid's giant brother (and yes I mean literally a giant) named Grawp who Harry could have sworn he had mentioned to me before. He told me about the puking pastilles that Ron used to help them escape and the message he had delivered to Snape which I already knew about.

"So, eventually we made it to the Ministry by flying the thestrals and well, you know what happens after that," Harry concluded.

I nodded my head, still slightly dazed that I had obviously missed so much. Our walk that should have taken five minutes ended up taking twenty, me stopping to raise my eyebrows at Harry. By the time we had made it to the Great Hall almost the entire room was completely full. Harry and I hurried over, taking seats across from Ron and Hermione.

I smiled at them warmly, looking up and down the table to see who was around us. I smiled to see Ginny next to Seamus whose arm was wrapped comfortably around her waist. I gave her a couple of eyebrow raises and instinctively she blushed before giving me a "don't you dare" look.

As I continued my scan of the table it occurred to me that two very important red heads were missing.

"Where are Fred and George?" I asked.

"You mean you didn't tell her Harry?" said Hermione, raising her eyebrows in disbelief.

"Ah, sorry Abby, it's just hard remembering what you were here for and what you missed."

"Uh-huh," I said, giving him a little stare. "So...what happened?"

"Well, you see Fred and George decided that they've never really been suited for the academic world," said Ron with a little smile.

"So they concocted all these fireworks that they set off while we were taking our O.W.L.s and the one turned into this rather large dragon," said Hermione, trying to hold back the laugher, "that basically chased Umbridge out of the room."

"It was bloody brilliant!" said Ron in appreciation. "Then they flew off on their brooms and last time I checked they're back at home."

"Wow," I said in amazement. "I wish I could have seen it, although, I wonder why your mom didn't say anything to me."

"Probably because Harry..." but Hermione stopped dead in her tracks.

"It's okay Hermione," said Harry with a weak attempt at a smile. The pit in my stomach grew a little bit larger but I held back the tears.

Almost as if someone had expected the tension filled moment that just overcame all of us the food magically appeared.

"Ahh...great!" said Ron, instantly reaching out to pull food onto his plate. All of us began chuckling as Ron gave us his "what did I do?" look. We all sat there munching on food, engaging in some small talk as well as talking to our other fellow Gryffindors. Luna even came over from the Ravenclaw table to talk to us for a while.

"How are you Luna?" I said, scooting myself over so that she could slid in next to me. Since our DA meetings we had become rather proud to have Luna as our friend...she really was a great one if you could take her weird tendencies for what they were.

"I am doing very well although it seems that some people have taken some of my things and hid them throughout the castle."

"That's horrible," said Hermione, anger starting to build up inside her.

"Ah, I imagine it's all in good fun," said Luna with a little shrug. "Besides, things always have a way of turning up when you least expect them to." In the moment Luna reached under the table and pulled out her pair of radish earrings. Our mouths all fell open slightly.

"Have a nice break everyone," said Luna with a smile before getting back up and heading back to the Ravenclaw table.

We all continued to be silent for a couple of moments before I gave a little smile and the shake of my head.

"Absolutely bonkers that one but bloody brilliant," said Ron before taking a bite out of his chicken wing.

"Yeah, she is," said Harry with a little smile. Harry gave a little wave and we all turned to see that Hagrid had arrived. We all waved, Hagrid giving Harry and I a knowing smile causing my cheeks to turn almost as red as Ron's hair.

Ron was about to say something but Dumbledore had stood up and knocked on the side of his glass.

"If I may have your attention momentarily," said Dumbledore with a gentle smile.

Everyone in the Great Hall silenced immediately, everyone curious as to what Dumbledore was going to say. The Daily Prophet had run an article that very morning telling everyone that the Ministry had been wrong and that Voldemort had indeed returned. The front picture on the newspaper was Dumbledore, with his arm wrapped around Harry’s shoulder on one side, and me gripping onto Harry’s hand on the other, my wand still out. I remember looking at the picture by myself and thinking how different I looked. I was no longer the little child that people always seemed to view me as. I was different…older somehow. My face looked like parents’ faces after a long day of work and my eyes no longer had they light glow that they normally did to them. I looked weary, cautious, and almost anticipatory, and as the Daily Prophet made an effort to mention on several different accounts, my hand never left Harry’s.

“I hope that all of you are enjoying the fine food before you. I do not wish to bring down the joyous mood that naturally comes with the end of work and classes, but I find this matter is much too important to not discuss. As you all know I am sure it is indeed true that Lord Voldemort has returned.”

Quiet whispers went throughout the room and Dumbledore waited for them to finish before he continued.

“I must warn you that times will become progressively difficult as Lord Voldemort gains followers and I must ask you to prepare yourself for these dark times that lie ahead of us. We have already lost so much, and perhaps one of our greatest losses is Sirius Black. While the Ministry has construed Sirius as being an enemy to wizarding kind, he was in fact a hero and a brave man that fought fiercely for just causes, and more importantly for the ones he loved. For those of you who did not know him personally know that we suffered a great loss, and let us hope that whatever world he has now entered will bring him more peace than this one.”

With that Dumbledore gave a little nod before resuming to his seat, and turning to take to Professor McGonagall. I turned to look back at everyone to find tears had welled and spilled over in Hermione’s eyes, Ron was rubbing her back solemnly, and Harry had tightened his grip on my hand.

Perhaps when one reads about the great wars of men and women they get a vision of glory and fame. They get a vision of good triumphing over evil with one man stepping atop a great hill to proclaim that his people are free. And perhaps while the end result does bring great happiness to the people, perhaps it is too often overlooked the ugliness that comes with war. Perhaps in all the glory we forget to see that with this victory came a lot of loss, and sometimes these losses cannot easily be forgotten.

As we sat there, finishing our last meal at Hogwarts and concluding our fifth year at Hogwarts the thoughts were bouncing from person to person as to what would happen next. Most wanted to remain in ignorant bliss while others were petrified as to how to act. As I sat there staring at my three friends I knew we would be the ones that would see it to the end. I knew that we would be the ones that would have to knock Voldemort down, but try as I might I couldn’t push the thought from my head as to what we would have to do and at what cost? How many people would have to die?

I returned Harry’s tightened grip and relished the moment, because in the end who knew whether either of us would be around to replicate this moment.