Friends Forever

In the Great Hall of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry the sun shone in through the enchanted ceiling, revealing a bright cloudless sky. Below at the Gryffindor table three best friends talked about their future plans, for this was the last day of their seventh and final year at Hogwarts.

"What do you plan to do when you get home, Harry?" asked Ron.

"Well firstly I'm going to buy a place so I won't have to go back to the Dursleys'. I was thinking a flat in London, close to the Ministry of Magic. I'm going to start my training to be an auror." Ever since Sirius's death, he had been driven by his memory to be an auror; he wanted to stop the dark wizards from killing people he loved. He couldn't let that keep happening, never again he was always telling himself.

"What about you, Ron? You planning on the Quidditch thing?" Harry asked.

"Oh yeah!" he said excitedly. "I meant to tell you guys, the Chudley Cannons accepted me as their new Keeper, isn't it great?"

"Oh honey, that's wonderful!" cooed Hermione, kissing Ron's cheek. The had become a couple in the summer before their seventh year, both realizing the attraction that had been there since they had known each other.

"Congratulations, mate," Harry said smiling.

"What about you, 'Mione?" said Ron.

"Well your Dad has asked me to work with him in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department. I figured he could use the help since I know a lot about muggles. Especially since he is clueless on the way most of the muggle things work."

"That's great," Ron said kissing her forehead.

"So when's the wedding going to be?" Harry asked.

"Well, we are going for this summer, but we aren't exactly sure what date yet. We'll keep you posted," Hermione said with a huge grin. "Oh, look at the time, we better be going or we'll miss the train home."

They got up and went to the professors' table and said their good-byes and went into the entrance hall to grab their trunks. "I'm going to miss this place, it's been home for so many years," Harry said sentimentally. He had never felt like anywhere else was a home, except maybe the Burrow, but he was never there long enough so that didn't count.

They got in an empty carriage and watched the Hogwarts castle disappear behind them, taking them to Hogsmeade station and away from all they had ever known. For now they were going to face the real world, but at least they were going towards it together.

The ride home was full of talking and laughing and memories, but they were drawing closer to the platform. Once on the platform they said goodbye to their friends and they walked through the barrier together. "Even if our time at Hogwarts is over, at least we are always going to see each other. Friends forever," said Ron, and Hermione and Harry repeated it and they all hugged and walked on. They were headed to the burrow, to a graduation party in their honor, the famous trio, friends forever.