Que Sera Sera

Not much explaining could be done in the course of the half-hour stroll home, but Harry did not mind. To tell the truth, he was only too happy to inhale the fresh air, taste the remnants of Black Forest that clung to his teeth, and grin like a maniac at everyone he came across.

Amidst his bliss, he managed to garner that Ron and Hermione had got their act together the day after Hermione arrived at the Burrow - Ron had confessed his feelings just after defeating her in a game of one-on-one Quidditch.

Before he knew it, Ginny was asking, "So what about you and Luna?"

He could feel himself turning red all the way down to his chest, but managed to give a coherent reply. "She's been a rock over the holidays, and her support means as much to me as yours does."

"So when do you plan to tell her you like her?" interrupted Hermione.

" Not any time soon, that's for sure," Harry said, not managing much venom in his glare. In an unusual fit of loquacity and candour, he added, "Not until I'm certain we're both ready for this, and...and that I'm worthy of her." He trailed off in a whisper.

Ron cut in, "Change subject."

The Hogwarts Letter -

"Harry! Wake up, sleepyhead!"

"Morning, Potty-boy!"

"Here's your letter... and a badge." Ron, the twins and Hermione were shaking him simultaneously, forcing him out of the deep slumber he had been enjoying every night over the past fortnight.

"Open it," he mumbled, rubbing his eyes and searching in vain for his glasses. "Damn!"

Hermione placed her wand to his temple, jabbing it slightly harder than Harry suspected was necessary. "Oculus," she said firmly.

"OW!" he cried, pressing his palms into eyes that suddenly stung and watered unbearably [Midfic A/N: Not unlike a Muggle's first experience with contact lenses].

"Don't worry, it'll be okay after a minute. You won't need glasses after that and if you do, we can fix it again."

"Now how about opening that letter?" asked Fred.

"There has to be a big badge in there," said George, eyeing the fat envelope.

Harry ripped it open, realising the sting in his eyes had already faded as he cast a quick glance at the booklist. He already possessed most of the texts; he would just have to acquire a book of NEWT sample papers from either Jollytomes or Bibliomania publishers, plus an advanced text for Transfiguration and a book called Defence Against Dark Curses.

The next sheet contained the usual letter from McGonagall, which Harry did not bother to glance at.

And then he felt cool metal beneath his fingers, and drew out the red badge, with the words 'Gryffindor Captain' emblazoned on it in gold. He grinned, and looked up at his friends, who by this time were both waving badges of their own under his nose.

"Congratulations, Harry! This is just the right badge for you to have! I know you're going to take the best care of the Prefects and see that they don't shy away from their duties, I just..." Harry lost the rest of Hermione's outburst as she enveloped him in a squeeze once more.

"Whoa, slow down, Head Girl," laughed Ron, clapping them both on the back as he added, "Ginny and Luna are still Prefects. Hermione has the list."

"Congratulations then. What about you? Head Boy?" asked Harry.

"Oh no. And thank God for it. Still Quidditch Captain, just like Charlie before me."

"Good for you! As long as there's a Quidditch Cup this year, we're winning it," commented George, as Fred tallied, "Potter the Invincible, Weasley the King, Weasley the Chaser, the Creevey brothers as Beaters, and the other two Chasers aren't half bad, though not really in Angelina's or Alicia's league. You should sail through; just don't exhaust your team with practice before the match!" They laughed together at Ron's propensity to drive his team through endless, gruelling practice and physical training sessions.

"I feel a bit deflated," muttered Hermione, after another round of congratulations at the breakfast table. "Leonora's written this awfully long letter to me, telling her successor what being Head Girl is all about. I wish she were around for even the first month of my tenure."

"Deflated? Thank God. You'll be bursting after a full day in office, so at least you have room to hold all the criticism, the indecision, and - of course - the fact that your counterpart will be the worst possible choice," quipped Bill-the-ex-Head Boy, who had overheard.

"Oh, so the hatred works both ways? Leonora wasn't sure, she just said the Head Girl nearly always hates the Head Boy. And this year, I have no idea what will happen." She finished with a glum sigh.

"Why? Is the Pretty Silver Ferret our Bighead Boy or what?" asked Fred.

"Who else? He's not as bad as he used to be, though. I'm surprised Lucius let me be Head Girl. I thought he had those spots reserved for pure-bloods!"

At Kings' Cross:

Books and stationery purchased, trunks packed, and everyone somehow bundled into Remus Lupin's battered jalopy, the company found itself at Platform 9¾, wondering where the holidays had gone. The trio took the time for a private moment, realising that this was the last time they would board the Hogwarts Express from London as students, if not in their entire lives.

War loomed near, and somewhere deep in their minds they were thankful that they had been able to board the train from an unscathed King's Cross throughout their seven years at Hogwarts. Not all places had escaped damage from Voldemort and his Death Eaters, and the awareness of this had crept into everyone's eyes.

Others watched as the seventh-years (I checked it with canon) gathered together, no longer divided as the house system had been abolished. The outgoing students gathered like this every year, but somehow this gathering had a separate poignancy to it; no one really wanted to voice aloud the fears that these students might never see their families again. One or two sniffs were heard, and a few handkerchiefs made appearances as not everyone was able to contain their emotions.

With a final wave, the group swept into the train, levitating their trunks behind them. The chorused farewells were responded to in style, as a great banner unfurled in the air with a bang, reading,

Hogwarts and Dumbledore

- forever!

Harry, ever the leader, started the cheer - "Three cheers for Hogwarts!"

As the train pulled majestically out of the platform, the cheers and hurrahs continued until onlookers were almost deafened.

In school, finally:

Upon entering Hogwarts, they would see that the atmosphere of the approaching war seemed to pervade the whole school. The Sorting Hat had made a cameo appearance this year, and once again delivered its message of unity, describing the Hogwarts Four and hoping that the new students would imbibe their qualities within themselves. Its song had finished on a rather gloomy note:

For, very soon,

It shall some to pass

That the life you have known

Will shatter like glass.

And when it does,

As it surely will do,

You must be prepared,

For the world counts on you.

Headmaster Dumbledore, once again, had given them a welcoming speech as full of cheer, encouragement and eccentricity as ever, restoring some remnant of normalcy to the proceedings.

The students had gathered together at seven tables in the Great Hall, mostly sorting themselves according to age, though some groups stuck together no matter what.

The group which had formerly comprised the seventh-year Gryffindors (plus siblings, and boyfriends/girlfriends), now included most members of the DA (Zacharias Smith, Marietta Edgecombe and Cho Chang being the exceptions), as well as others who knew they were always welcome, no matter what.

Hermione had been hearing the words "Hi, Head Girl!" till she was sick at the very mention of her badge, while Harry was highly irritated at the number of times he had been called upon to resolve petty fights over seating places, messy eaters and whatnot. Flopping down in his chair after bodily wresting two furious first-years apart, he panted, "Is this what I was whining about not having had two years ago? How did you survive as Prefects?"

"Relax, Harry. Let the Prefects do the dirty work. Your job is handling the Prefects, not the main brood!" soothed Hermione, eyeing Ginny who sat snug against Neville.

"Ha! So you're supposed to be doing the stuff I was?" demanded Harry of Ginny. "Go and sort out those two lost-looking girls over at the Slytherin corner, they shouldn't be there!" he ordered the redhead, adding, "You can handle that alone, you know," quirking his brow at Neville who seemed about to follow.

"Well done, Harry. You seem to be getting the hang of this!" called Dean, grinning.

"Gah!"

As Ginny returned, Hermione rapped the table with her knuckles. "Prefects, listen up please." Having caught almost everyone's attention, she cast a sugary smile at the Head Boy, who was still busy eating chop suey. "That also applies to the other badge holders. Draco dear, would you mind...?"

Ron and Harry both choked on their laughter, and Hermione rapped out, "Prefectorial Meeting at 6 p.m. in the empty classroom on the second floor, next to Edwige the Wise's statue. You'll find a sign on the door. Attendance is compulsory; you will receive your duties. Clear?" She paused.

"Crystal," someone commented.

"Draco, I would like to speak to you after the meal is over," the Head Girl finished.