FROM ME:
Now this is when things get sticky. Real sticky. Or maybe its jsut my keyboard. *mutters* damn cinimon roll...
TRINAL PROPHECY
Hogwarts loomed ahead, looking so familiar and home like. Harry put his arm over Luna’s shoulders, pulling her close in a hug. Luna looked up at him, smiling. Home. Hogwarts seemed like home.
The sun was just beginning its decent in the sky as the carriages stopped in front of the front doors of Hogwarts. Harry jumped out, holding Luna’s hand and helping her and Lily out of the carriage. Forrest, Gertrude, Susan Bones, Harry, and Luna with Lily walked slowly up the front steps and into Hogwarts. Harry looked up and all around the entrance hall, swamped with memories. Luna’s hand slipped into his own and squeezed encouragingly.
“Harry!” called a voice from the direction of the Great Hall doors. Neville Longbottom stood in the doorway, arms outstretched, dressed in the traditional black robes.
“Neville!” Harry cried. The group walked toward the Great Hall entrance. Neville and Harry greeted each other with a brotherly bear hug. Neville patted Luna’s shoulder and cooed in Lily’s face. Lily grabbed a handful of his hair. Harry hurriedly unpried her fingers, apologizing. Neville just laughed.
“She gets bigger every day,” he commented. “Come! The ceremony is about to start. I’ll show you to some seats.”
Neville led the small group into the Great Hall. Rows and rows of benches were lined up, facing the head table. Most of the benches were filled with thrilled parents, excited grandparents, and bored siblings. Harry, Luna, Lily, Forrest, and Gertrude took seats next to another family that Forrest and Gertrude knew. Susan went to sit with her parents.
As Luna settled Lily down, Harry looked up at the head table. The traditional row of teachers, with the exception of Neville and Dumbledore, sat calmly and serenely, once in a while leaning over to talk to one another.
Just then a cord was struck, and a slow processional tune began. The Great Hall doors opened to reveal several colorfully robed youth. Up at the head table Neville slipped into his seat. The students began to walk slowly into the hall, and down a break in the middle of the benches.
The students were clad in four colors of robes: red, green, blue, and yellow, obviously to represent their own houses. They processed into the Great Hall and sat on the benches closest to the head table. Once they were all settled, the music stopped. It was then that Harry noticed another polished presence up at the head table. Dumbledore stood, beaming down at the students and their families.
“Welcome!” Dumbledore boomed, raising his arms. The silver on the rim of his half moon spectacles flashed in the light. “Well, today is quite a big occasion, isn’t it? Welcome all family and friends, pets and professors, siblings and strips, brethren and blood relations, alliance and alumni.” Harry thought Dumbledore looked straight at him. The next instant, he was grinning at the other side of the room.
“I suppose this is the proper time to give a fantastic speech about how wonderful this class is and on how hard they have worked. Well then”“ he paused “”this class is wonderful and they have worked very hard.” A couple people in the audience chuckled. “No, really, I am very proud of them. Very proud indeed.”
And with that, Dumbledore strode around the head table and stood directly in front of the students. Behind him Professors McGonagall, Snape, Sprout, and Flitwick stood and also walked around the table to stand by Dumbledore. From under the table McGonagall produced a golden basket full to the brim with scrolls of paper. A soft buzz rose over the students.
“When you first came to Hogwarts you were called up individually to be sorted into your houses. Now, again, you will be called up; this time to”in a way”unsort you. Now each and every one of you will become equals. You are no longer rivals; you are partners heading out into the adult world hand in hand, equal to equal.” Dumbledore’s strong voice echoed throughout the silent Great Hall. Harry clutched Luna’s hand in his own, squeezing it every once in a while. Dumbledore calmly took the golden basket from McGonagall, and, picking the first one his hand touched, called, “Alton, Don!”
Don Alton strode confidently up to the head table, shook the hand of the head of his house, Professor Flitwick, and then ceremoniously received his diploma from Dumbledore. Don then when back to his seat among the flash of cameras.
“Barlow, Brent!”
“Calvert, Perry!”
“Clifton, Alvita!”
“Dalton, Terrence!”
“Evans, Mark!”
Luna sat up straight, peering over the heads to get a glance of her cousin-in-law. Mark marched resolutely up to McGonagall, then over to Dumbledore.
“Fabian, Brooke!”
“Kipp, Lawrence!”
“Nigel, Dulcia!”
After Dumbledore was finished naming off the multitude of names, he handed the gold basket back to McGonagall and nodded for the teachers to return to their seats. Then he clasp his hands in front of himself, beaming.
“Farewell to thee, now noble adults. Welcome to our side. Alas, we are no longer professor and student, but man to man, woman to woman, just two people facing the same harsh world. Good luck.”
Afterwards Luna and Harry hung around in the entrance hall, talking to various teachers. McGonagall cooed softly at Lily while Harry talked with Neville.
“You and Ginny were in the Daily Prophet,” he said, grinning. Neville’s eyes twinkled.
“I know. Ginny’s Mum started bawling, rambling on about all her children leaving. Really, I thought she was over it. I mean Ginny and I’ve been engaged for two months already.”
“Well, she was pretty emotional at mine, and Luna and I aren’t even related to her. Honestly, women can be so emotional.”
“Uh-huh,” Luna grunted disapprovingly. “I wasn’t the one crying at the alter if I remember right. You were the one with the ‘allergies’.”
Harry decided to change the subject.
“Has Molly taken over all of the wedding decisions yet?” he asked.
“Yes,” Neville said, rolling his eyes. “She’s determined that the bridesmaids’ dresses should be pink. Ginny’s firmly disagreed, but I can’t help but worry.” He gave a wry smile. Harry chuckled.
“I know how you feel, mate,” he said sympathetically.
“Ah, Harry,” said a voice behind him. Harry turned to face the twinkling eyes of Dumbledore. “How are you?”
“I’m good, sir,” Harry replied.
Dumbledore leaned over to ruffle Lily’s hair. Unsurprisingly, Lily grabbed a good chuck of his beard.
“My, she is displaying quite a strong similarity to yourself, Harry,” Dumbledore remarked.
Again, Harry had to pry the baby’s strong fingers out of someone’s tresses. “That was a brilliant ceremony,” Luna said to Dumbledore, swaying back and forth with Lily on her hip.
“Thank you very much, Luna dear,” Dumbledore smiled, bowing very slightly. He clamped a hand on Harry’s shoulder. “I hate to be abrupt, but I do believe that Miss Fabian’s parents would like a picture. I will see you later.” With a swirl of shiny purple robes, Dumbledore swept over to Brooke Fabian’s family.
“Good evening, dears,” said a soft whispery voice in Harry’s ear. Professor Trelawney’s large bug-eye-like glasses sparkled in front of his face.
“Professor,” Harry sighed, remembering his miserable Divination classes.
“Ah, it seems that Lily has grown to be quite the little child. I could have predicted as much.” Harry grimaced. “Fall is steadily approaching. With that comes danger,” she said in a low voice. Harry tried to ignore her, looking over the top of the crowd for someone else to talk to.
“Before its peak in the month, the moon will flicker out forever,” Trelawney whispered, staring dreamily off into space. “For evil will blow out the light, and away from life will it sever.” And just like that she melted away into the throng.
“Harry, look,” Luna said. “Here comes Mark.”
Harry turned around again, seeing through the crowd of people his cousin heading towards them.
“Harry!” he called, waving. Harry smiled back.
Mark was dressed in radiant red robes, his light brown hair swept coolly across his forehead, fringing above brilliant emerald eyes, so much like his father’s and Harry’s. It was an Evans trademark.
“Top marks, Harry! I got away with top marks! Maybe my dream of being an Auror will come true!” he cried.
“Of course it will,” Harry said to his younger cousin. “I didn’t have the best of grades and look where I am.”
“Yes,” cut in Luna. “Working late hours every day because of some big deal in the Ministry, or some false lead on Wormtail.”
Forrest broke through the crowd, an unlit cigar in his mouth and eyes gleaming.
“That’s my boy!” he said, slapping Mark heartily on the back. “That’s my boy!”
Gertrude appeared behind her husband, tears in her eyes. “We’re so proud of you,” she sobbed. Mark beamed.
Out of the corner of his eye, Harry saw the looming figure of Hagrid standing at the edge of the large crowd.
“I’ll be right back,” Harry said softly to Luna. She nodded, beginning a conversation with Gertrude about baby formulas. Harry skirted out of the mass of people and towards Hagrid.
“Hello, Potter,” said a soft, cool voice in his ear.
“Hi, Severus,” Harry said.
“Congratulations to your cousin,” Snape said, his dark eyes flittering around at all the people.
“Oh, he’s right over there. Go tell him yourself,” Harry said brightly, pointing towards the Evans family.
Snape knew Forrest well. After all, brothers often do like to have the lowdown on the boyfriends of their sisters. Snape had once dated Petunia in their youth.
“I think I will, Potter,” Snape said. Then his face darkened. “What is this I here about a Dark Mark appearance,” he whispered. “Anything to do with Wormtail?”
Harry sighed. “I can’t talk about it here. Later.”
Snape nodded curtly before slipping through the crowd towards Forrest. Harry headed toward Hagrid again.
“Hi, Hagrid,” Harry said once he reached the half giant.
“Hey!” Hagrid said, looking down. “ ‘Ow’s it goin’, Arry? ‘Ow’s Lily?”
“She’s great. I’m good,” Harry replied. “How’s it going with Madame Maxime?”
Hagrid blushed.
“Perty good,” he mumbled. “We’re not nearly as busy now tha’ the Dark Lor’s gone.” Hagrid grinned. Harry nodded.
“Well, I suppose things could be worse,” he commented quietly. Hagrid chuckled.
“I don’ mind, you know. ‘S nice to jus’ spend time with the students.”
“Harry!” called Luna’s voice from behind him. “Come on! We’re going with Forrest and Gertrude to the Three Broomsticks.”
Harry looked back up at Hagrid.
“See you around,” he said, extending his hand. Hagrid shook it.
“Don’ be a stranger,” Hagrid said cheerfully. Harry nodded, grinned sheepishly, then turned around and left the entrance hall with his wife and family. Together they left the Hogwarts grounds.
Reviewism of the day:
Sirius Black:
"You should have REVIEWED! REVIEWED rather than betray your friends, as we would have done for you!"
*brightly* have a wonderful day!