The Last Time

Epilogue

Harry didn't speak at the memorial service after all. He sat quietly between Hermione and Ron in the midst of the rest of the Gryffindors in the bright sunshine on the Quidditch pitch. The service was open to the entire population of wizarding Britain, and the stands were so full that many of the students sat on the green grass of the pitch, as there were far more people than the stands could hold.

It was too unreal for Hermione to comprehend. There were speeches, first by Headmistress McGonagall, then Arthur Weasley (on behalf of the suddenly-ill Minister of Magic); her ears heard the words but her brain could not process them; they were like jumbled nonsense in her head. She stole a glance at Harry and Ron out of the corner of her eye. Harry stared intently at the tips of his shoes, avoiding meeting the eyes of the many people who stared and whispered in his direction. Ron looked all around, as if he were looking for something, expecting something to happen, occasionally looking at Harry concernedly.

There was a small chorus, which surprised her. She was even more surprised to see some of the faces in the chorus, as most of them she had no idea could even sing. Seamus Finnegan. Luna Lovegood. Lavender Brown. Susan Bones. Natalie McDonald. Pansy Parkinson. Euan Ambercrombie. Eloise Midgen. Colin and Dennis Creevey. Terry Boot. Claire Murphy. Justin Finch-Fletchley. Blaise Zabini. Mandy Brocklehurst.

When had they had time to put this together? There had never been a Hogwarts chorus before.

What they sang was the most beautiful thing she'd ever heard. It started with an eerie organ melody - where that was coming from she hadn't a clue - and then their voices joined in an ethereal tapestry of sound. Students putting aside House rivalries for a moment to say thank you to the man who had looked over them for the past years.

She was a little taken back by the words:

Domine Deus, Rex caelestis. Deus Pater omnipotens.

Domine Fili unigenite Jesu Christe.

Domine Deus, Agnus Dei, Filius Patris.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis.

Qui tollis peccata mundi, suscipe deprecationem nostrum.

Qui sedes ad dexteram Patris, miserere nobis.

She didn't expect something so religious to be sung at a wizarding ceremony - then she realized it wasn't about the words. It was about the feeling behind them, the emotion and respect that the singers were paying to their former Headmaster. This was their last gift to him.

Albus Dumbledore, currently Headmaster of Hogwarts. Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling.

The Chocolate Frog card quote sprang unbidden into her mind as the ending words of the song rang in her ears, sung in perfect harmony by Lavender and Eloise. What a way to sum up someone's life, to distill it down to what would fit on a small piece of cardboard.

Miserere nobis. Miserere nobis.

Have mercy upon us.

Someone had better, she thought.

*****

The train ride home was quiet. Hermione thought about all the times they'd sat on this train, playing Exploding Snap or goofing off, but there was none of that now. Even Pigwidgeon sat quietly in his cage, not hooting or banging himself against the bars, just blinking at Hedwig across the compartment.

"Will you be coming to the Burrow soon, Hermione?" Ron asked, as they neared King's Cross.

Hermione nodded. "I want to spend some time with my parents, first, but yes, I'll be there soon."

"Good," said Ron.

Harry said nothing, but stared out the window.

When they reached the station, they saw Mr. and Mrs. Weasley waiting for them on the platform; Hermione was sure her own parents were waiting for her just past the barrier. The Weasleys greeted them with welcoming hugs and helped them unload their luggage and their pets.

"We'll wait for you out by the car, boys," said Mrs. Weasley, carrying Pigwidgeon's cage under one arm. "See you soon, Hermione dear."

Ron looked up at Hermione with a grin. "See you in a few weeks, Hermione."

"Do try to stay out of trouble, won't you?" She tousled his hair playfully and bent down to give him a hug.

"I'll try," said Ron, and his breath tickled her neck. "And I'll keep Harry out of trouble too." He kissed her cheek and let her go, still grinning, and wheeled through the barrier.

She turned to Harry then, and wrapped her arms around his waist. He pulled her tightly to him, and she felt his breath catch in his chest.

"I won't be away long, you know," she said, keeping her voice light.

He nodded. "Yeah, I know," he said into her hair. "Please hurry, okay?" Harry shifted slightly, touching his forehead to hers. "I'll see you soon, Hermione." Then he kissed her, a kiss that made her want to go straight off with him and hide away, never to come out in public again.

She didn't want to let go, didn't want to stop kissing him, but she knew if she didn't she'd cause a very public spectacle right here in the middle of Platform Nine and Three Quarters; so she reluctantly released him, and they walked together through the barrier into the Muggle world for the last time.

*****