Harry Potter and the Old Believers

Chapter 20

Saturday, August 2, 1997

Ginny was pacing up and down the Gryffindor Common Room. Ron and Hermione, sitting on a sofa, watched her but knew better than to say anything. Remus, Charlie, Percy, George, and Fred sat around the room. Dobby sat on the floor in front of the fireplace, where a tiny fire was burning, pulling slightly on his ears. Sirius was pacing in his own way -- Padfoot was walking up and down the stairs.

Myrddin, Pwy, and Harry had apparated from Hogsmeade at 7:00 that morning. In less than five minutes, all of the sixty trained assault wizards, wearing distinctive brown robes and cowls, disappeared as well. After twenty more minutes, a second wave of thirty attackers, medics, and a few others went in. Since then, there had been no word.

The group of watchers had been brought to Hogwarts via floo from the Burrow a little after 9:00 am. None had been very interested in breakfast or lunch. It was now nearly 3:00 pm.

Padfoot suddenly ran down the stairs and started barking at the entrance. Everyone was standing by the time Dumbledore opened the panel.

"Well!" Sirius cried as soon as he transformed.

"Everything is as well as can be expected," Dumbledore stated, "although not as well as we'd hoped. Harry is exhausted, but physically whole. He killed Voldemort's reformed body; Harri Myrddin and Titus Pwy were then able to disperse the Dark Lord's essence, finally killing him. Nine on our side were killed. Over two dozen were seriously to drastically injured. Everyone else is at least lightly injured -- Harry had a sprained wrist and many scratches and bruises, some serious. Those should all be healed by the time he awakens after dinner. Professor Bill Weasley. . . ." the group gasped, they'd thought Bill was with Hagrid at Hagrid's hut, "and Hagrid were both slightly injured when the second wave, what Titus called the 'clean-up crew,' went in a little later."

"Doctor Pwy was rather more injured, but nothing overly serious. Professor Snape is in grave condition, and may not survive." He sighed. "They found six dormant vampires and forty-eight Death Eaters, plus Voldemort. All of them have been destroyed. The war is over."

He held up his arm, holding off the rush to the Infirmary. "As I said, Mister Potter will not awaken until after dinner. Professors Weasley and Hagrid will be at dinner, as will the Druid Chief. Madam Pomfrey and the medi-wizards are busy taking care of the other injured, and should not be disturbed. Miss Weasley may see Mister Potter tonight, the rest of you tomorrow morning, when I hope he will be released. Now, I need to notify the Ministry and inform the international press." He walked out.

"It's over?" Ron said. "It's hard to believe."

Everyone stared at each other for a moment. Fred and George then gave a whoop of triumph and hugged each other and then their brothers. Remus and Sirius did the same, while Hermione, Ron, and Ginny joined a group hug. Soon, everyone was hugging each other.

Dobby slipped out first, as only house elves could within Hogwarts. He made his way into the infirmary, and stood looking at Harry Potter. He waved his hand over Harry, and smiled at what he found after a second pass. After three minutes, he popped back to Gryffindor's Common Room.

Everyone was just sitting, smiling.

"Where did you go, Dobby?" Ginny asked.

"Dobby went to see Master Harry. Dobby knew Miss Wheezy and other friends of Master Harry would still be worried, so. . . ." He waved his hand, and a visual of Harry sleeping appeared. "Master Harry is asleep, and will be healed by tonight."

"Thank you, Dobby," Ginny said sincerely.

"Miss Wheezy is very welcome. Dobby will go to set up your rooms, now." He popped out of the room.

"I wish he wouldn't call Harry that," Hermione muttered.

"Get used to it," Remus said with a smile. "I rather think Dobby has adopted Harry, and there's not much anyone can do about it without hurting his feelings."

Harry suddenly realized that he was awake. One deep breath, and he knew he was still in the infirmary. He also realized that while he had minor aches all over, his head felt clearer than it ever had.

And then Harry remembered why. Some seventy-five minutes into the battle, Myrddin and Pwy had managed to partially stun Voldemort. Harry had swung the sword, and killed Voldemort's body. Myrddin and Pwy had done some things Harry still didn't understand to the greenish mist that came from it, destroying Voldemort's essence.

Voldemort was gone.

He'd woken up the night before, been fed a little stew by Ginny, and after a quick visit to the toilet, had fallen back asleep. Harry smiled and opened his eyes to a new world, and saw it was dawn. The second thing he saw was Ginny, asleep in the chair next to his bed.

Harry crept out of bed to the lavatory, wand in hand. He came out fifteen minutes later, clean and ready to face the day.

"Awake already, Mister Potter?" Madam Pomfrey whispered, coming in from another ward.

"Yes, ma'am."

"Tell me the total truth, for once. How do you feel?"

"Still a little banged up, just little aches really, but over-all, I feel pretty good. I never realized it, but there was always a little residual pain from my scar, no matter how weak or far away He was. It's gone."

She smiled. "There's a spare robe behind Miss Weasley, and your slippers are under that chair. Why don't you wake her up, and get out of here? I do have some seriously ill patients in the main ward, and we can use the space."

"How's Professor Snape doing?" Snape's appearance had driven Voldemort over the edge, giving the two powerful Old Believers the chance to break through the shields they and Harry had been slowly weakening. It had come at a price -- the killing curse had missed Snape, but he'd caught much of it's reflective power.

"Still touch and go, but we still think there's a good chance he will pull through." She bustled out.

"Ginny?" Harry prodded softly.

Ginny opened her eyes, and saw Harry. She smiled, and Harry's heart melted. "I love you," she said equally softly.

"I know. That's why I came back. I slew the dragon for you four years ago, and helped defeat the evil wizard. Now can we live happily ever after?"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "It sounds like you're proposing. You can't propose yet."

"Don't tell me there's a third task?" Harry asked, eyes open wide in mock amazement.

"Idiot. You can't propose until I leave Hogwarts. Mum would skin you alive if we got engaged now."

"Today's August Third, right?"

"Right."

Harry pulled his wand out, and made some quick calculations in the air. "So, I can propose in Six hundred and ninety-seven days?"

Ginny giggled. "Yes -- and the way things are going, I'll say 'yes,' even if it's to marrying you the next day."

Harry smiled. "I hope Ron and Hermione can wait that long."

"For what?"

"I was hoping to make it a double wedding."

"Ron might not like to share -- and Mum forgot to threaten him not to get married right after school, so far as I know."

"True. And they might want to get married at Weston, or before they go."

"You know, the art program can be up to a five year program, if I want to be accepted into the Magical Art Guild?"

Harry shrugged. "I think I could find five or six years of things to do at Weston."

"Actually, it would be two years at Weston, then three years as an apprentice. That could almost anywhere; there's no way to predict who might offer to train me."

Harry smiled. "Gin, we have the money to live anywhere."

She blushed. "Where ever you are, I will be, Harry. I promise thee." Harry recognized that as 'the witch's pledge' -- they might not be able to announce their engagement, but if he answered, they were betrothed by ancient custom.

"Where ever you are, I will be, Ginny. I promise thee." They leaned to kiss, which completed the pledge.

Harri Myrddin walked in just after that moment, and the two settled down. "Harry, get your dressing gown and slippers on. We have a busy day arranged for you." Seeing the distressed look on his face, the Druid added, "Don't worry. One day of embarrassment will be followed by two weeks of relaxation."

"Just two weeks?" Ginny asked.

"Well, I'm certain Ms Granger will want to start him on the N.E.W.T.s by then," he teased. "Come along!"

It was indeed an embarrassing day for Harry. He was awarded the Order of Merlin (First Class), and accepted as a Warlock, a Sorcerer, and as a member of the International Confederation of Wizards. He endured an awards lunch, and dinner with many of the Ministers of Magic from Europe and North America, as well as Myrddin and the Head of the Council of Druids.

Harry was also presented with 10,000 galleons by the British Ministry and another 10,000 from other Ministries. He donated one third of the British reward to help those who had lost family members in the war, one third towards magical orphans in general, and one third to help children of Muggle decent whose parents might not wish to fund their Magical education. He handed Dumbledore the remaining galleon, and asked that each year Hogwarts reward the Pure-Blooded student who had done the most for the Muggle-borns of the school that year by inscribing their name on a plaque, which he would pay for. The galleon would be part of the plaque.

In a stroke of evil inspiration, Harry insisted the plaque be called the Snape - Potter Award. Ron, Sirius, and Remus had all been sent from the Hall until they'd stopped laughing.

Harry split the other 10,000 five ways. One fifth went to each of the three causes, and he gave another fifth to the Hogwarts Infirmary ("To help pay for the all the treatment I've had, and will have, there." Madam Pomfrey blushed a bright scarlet when she took the money.) The final fifth, he gave ". . . .to the three people who have helped me survive this long ordeal in more ways than anyone can count -- Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, and Hermione Granger."

The quartet sat in the Gryffindor Common Room that night, full of good food and a little tired of all the fuss.

"So, Ron what are you going to do with all that money?" Harry asked.

"You're a right bastard, Harry," Ron growled.

"So, who gets the two knuts?" Ginny asked.

"What two knuts?" Harry asked in return, puzzled.

"Well, we're splitting two thousand galleons. . . ."

"Two THOUSAND. . . ." Ron said in disbelief, for the ninth time that day.

"So that's six hundred and sixty-six galleons, eleven sickles, and nine knuts each, with two left over," Ginny explained.

"Oh. . . ."

"Six hundred and sixty-six. . . ." Ron was still in a little bit of shock.

"Why not draw straws," Harry teased. "Or maybe you and Hermione should have them. I'd hate to burden Ron any more wealth than I already have."

"Good idea," Hermione said. "And you might as well give me Ron's share anyway; he'll just spent it at Zonko's or someplace equally foolish. Most likely buying chocolate frogs until he can find that Agrippa. I'll invest it for him."

"WHAT!"

Harry held his hand out to Ginny, and they retired to her room while the other pair conducted their foreplay by argument.