Until the Last Breath

'What's that?' Harry pointed to a tree near the lake, something was moving near it.

We walked over cautiously to find out what it was; when we saw what-or should I say who-it was we burst out laughing.

'It is not funny you mudblood! You'll get me off this tree or else!' It is true. Draco Malfoy was tied to a tree. I never thought I'd see the day. And by the look on Harry's face, he didn't either, he was laughing.

'Oh shut up scar head!' Malfoy hated this moment with every once of who he was.

'It must be hard on your self esteem, Malfoy, being tied to something so much smarter than you,' Harry said. I would have said something, but I was speechless - and I was laughing'

'You better untie me! Or I'll get my father to-' Malfoy said but he was interrupted by Harry.

'Why don't you just get your father to pay someone to untie you? What do you think Hermione, should we untie him?' Harry said.

'Oh the possibilities. Just untie me,' Malfoy said before I got a chance to say anything. I was still laughing though.

'Nah, I don't think we will. Come on Harry, let's go,' Harry and me left to a disgruntled 'fine' from Malfoy. I knew he wouldn't beg, he was always going on about his dignity.

It took awhile for Harry and me to calm down after that, but once we did, it was about nine o'clock. We had walked around the lake a couple more times and found that Malfoy had somehow gotten untied from the tree. We laughed remembering him tied to the tree again. After we decided we had enough of the lake, we decided we should go visit Hagrid. I had completely forgotten about my Transfiguration homework.

Knock knock. No one answered. Hagrid normally left his door unlocked, and today was no exception. They walked into Hagrid's hut. It was empty. Oh well.

Harry and me had just left Hagrid's hut when we heard a rustling noise behind us. Harry, being as brave as he is, suggested that he go check it out.

'Harry, no! That's the Forbidden Forest! It was probably just the wind anyway,' I begged him not to go. But it made no difference; he went anyway. I heard a few shrieks and ran to see what happened.

First I saw a very shocked looking Harry, and then I turned to look at an equally shocked Ron and Lavender. Almost all at once everyone got over the shock.

'Oh, I'm sorry.'

'Well...err...'

'Uhhh...'

It was a very funny situation, Lavender was leaning against a tree with her hair all messed up, Ron had obviously sprung away from her when Harry showed up as he was about five feet from her, and then there was Harry, his mouth hung open and he just stared. I couldn't help but laugh. Tonight was full of events, and it was still early.

'This-this-this isn't what it looks like, h-honestly! W-we were-weren't doing anything!' Ron stammered.

'Ron, you prat. They saw us, they aren't that stupid,' Lavender said. Ron gave her a look. She gave him one back.

'Well, we'll just be going, let's go Hermione,' Harry tried to grab hold of Hermione's arm, but being in the state he was in, he grabbed the branch of a tree.

'Yea. We'll come with you, you've already ruined the mood and we have to be back to the castle in an hour anyways,' Lavender said as she led the way back to the castle. Ron was scarlet to the tips of ears, and I guessed the top of his head under his hair was red too. But that was just a guess. A very educated guess.

After we were all back up in our dormitories, I had decided to put away my transfiguration that was still lying on my bed, I grabbed Hogwarts: A History and made my way downstairs into the common room. I had just gotten comfortable on an armchair in front of the fire when a very pale and distresses Professor McGonagall came in.

'Okay, everyone listen up! I need all the prefects for an emergency meeting, and I want everyone to stay in their own common rooms, and I don't want any trouble,' Professor McGonagall directed her last comment toward Fred and George. Her voice was unusually high.

As prefects, Dean Thomas and I followed her, along with Ginny Weasley and Colin Creevey, the fifth year prefects. Colin tried to bring his camera, but McGonagall threatened to curse him if he did, he seemed to be afraid of her the rest of the evening.

We all sat down in a small room behind the staff table, Slytherin were the last to come in.

'May I ask what is going on, as it is rather late, ten thirty to be exact. This better not be a Gryffindor trick,' Snape said, but McGonagall gave him a look that could kill and he backed off.

'I'm sorry to bother you all,' at this McGonagall gave another icy stare towards Snape, 'but I'm afraid I have some, some bad news to tell you. I'm afraid that, that,' said McGonagall trying to hide tears, 'Dumbledore has...well he has died.' At that gasps could be heard throughout the room, even Snape turned pale. Both Hufflepuff girls and a girl in Ravenclaw were in tears. 'He has died about an hour ago peacefully, in his sleep.'

'All this fuss, I'm still here,' a voice came from behind me. I heard McGonagall scream and then she fell over into Snape's arms, who now looked like he regretted standing beside her. He was holding her with a disgusted look on his face.

'Maybe not my body, but my soul,' the voice continued, I turned around to find, much to my surprise, Dumbledore. Well, a very silvery ghostly Dumbledore. 'As I believe I have said before, death is but the next great adventure. It is quite a shame though; I will rather miss all those muggle sweets.'

'Dumbledore!?' Professor Sprout, the head of the Hufflepuff house said.

'Yes, I am here. Well, I suppose you would all like an explaination,' Everyone nodded in agreeance, 'you see, I am rather old, or should I say was rather old. Anyway, I have in fact died; I am a ghost because I have some unfinished business. I will not tell you what it is, but I am sure you will all know in due time.' Dumbledore said studying the look on everyone's faces. He opened his mouth to say something when Professor McGonagall woke up.

'Albus...are you, are you really a ghost,' she said

'Yes, I am. It is quite an experience, you should try it sometime Minerva, I am sure you will like it,' McGonagall looked at him as if he was not only dead, but crazy aswell. 'But before I say anymore, I would like you to go get Professor Figg and miss

Delacour, she should be in my office.' McGonagall left quickly. Professor Figg was our Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, the only one to stay for two years. I wasn't sure who miss Delacour was, but I'm sure I've heard that name somewhere before.

Dumbledore didn't say anything until Professor McGonagall came back. He seemed to be enjoying himself actually, chuckling every couple minutes. Everyone else, by the looks on their faces, was either in shock or frightened. Or both. The teacher's didn't know what to say. Finally Professor McGonagall came back with Professor Figg and, wait a minute was that? It is. It's Fleur Delacour from Beaubaxtons, what was she doing here?

'Thank you Minerva. I have a few annoucements to make,' Dumbledore started, 'First of all, as I am a ghost and could not possibly run a whole school, Professor McGonagall is the new Headmistress of Hogwarts,' Professor McGonagall looked a little flustered, but I suspect she knew this was coming. Everyone clapped for her. 'Secondly, since Professor McGonagall could not possibly run a school and be the head of Gryffindor, Professor Figg is the new head of Gryffindor,' More applause, well not from the Slytherins. I was glad Figg was the new head of Gryffindor, I liked her, she was strict but fair. I liked McGonagall too, who was also strict and fair, but she yelled to much. 'Third, we need a new Transfiguration teacher, please welcome miss Delacour who has graciously accepted,' More applause. A Veela. Now how are any of the guys going to pay attention, they already had enough trouble.

'Now, I would ask you all to go back to your dorms and don't say anything to anyone, I will tell everyone at breakfast,' McGonagall looked at Dumbledore, 'or rather, your headmistress McGonagall will.'

'It's about time that old crackpot died,' Malfoy said as soon as they were out of earshot from the teachers.

'Of course it is good for you, we all know how you-know-who was afraid of Dumbledore,' I snapped at him. Malfoy simple smirked and turned down the hall to the Slytherin dungeons.

Harry and Ron greeted me in the common rooms.

'Hermione! You were gone for an hour! Is anything wrong,' Harry said.

'No, nothing,' I lied, I wasn't going to tell them, I was a prefect for a reason, the teachers trusted me.

'Well what happened at the meeting, it must have been important, they don't call emergency meetings very often,' Harry said, both of them were determined to get something out of me.

'What did Dumbledore have to say?' Ron questioned.

'A lot actually, big news,' I said careful not to give out to much information.

'Well what did McGonagall say?' Harry said, after a few seconds I had not answered so he continued. 'You know, the head of Gryffindor?'

'Oh, she's not the head of Gryffindor,' With that I went upstairs to bed leaving Ron and Harry looking at each other with questioning looks.