Soul Searching/End Game
EG Chapter 19 - Recovery and Renewal
By Chem Prof
Chapter 19, Recovery and Renewal
On Monday morning the wizarding world’s attention was drawn away from Harry Potter for a time when the ‘special project’ Scrimgeour had been working on was revealed. In a wide-ranging strike he conducted a purge of the Voldemort supporters and sympathizers in the Ministry of Magic. Dozens of witches and wizards in a multitude of positions and levels of authority were either arrested or summarily dismissed, depending on the severity of their betrayals. Now that Voldemort was gone, and his top Death Eaters all dead or in prison, Scrimgeour was emboldened enough to act without fear of retribution.
As the details gradually came out, it was revealed that Percy Weasley had spearheaded the investigation, which had been initiated shortly after Harry and Viktor’s momentous meeting with Scrimgeour back in July. When Umbridge’s crimes were brought to light, Scrimgeour and Percy had realized that many of Fudge’s appointments had likely been influenced by Lucius Malfoy, and determined that it was necessary to clean house.
Percy’s single minded devotion to the task and his meticulous attention to detail had been invaluable in the long, painstaking process. But he had paid a personal price for this assignment. He had finally realized, after hearing all that Harry and Viktor had to say, that he had been dead wrong in his support for the previous administration. He was deeply ashamed that his eagerness for advancement in the Ministry had blinded him to what was actually happening, and had estranged him from his family. And then, in order to avoid compromising his investigation, he had to maintain his aloof attitude and keep up the appearance of still being a self-serving Ministry hack.
The wizarding public was stunned at the extent of the corruption. Scrimgeour had managed to reassign some of the dark supporters who were in the more dangerous positions, moving them to places where they would do less damage, but he could not make too many moves for fear of tipping off the investigation too soon. The most egregious revelation, in many minds, was the subversion of the floo network. The attack on the Weasly twins’ shop, as well as other assaults on individual homes, had been accompanied by the temporary shutdown of their floo access in order to close that escape route. Many of Voldemort and his Death Eaters’ victims over the years had died while trying to flee through an inoperable floo connection.
Recent Hogwarts graduates and their parents were also outraged by the discovery that OWL and NEWT scores had been tampered with in order to lower the scores of muggleborns and raise those of purebloods. The damage went both ways. It was quite some time before pureblood students like Tracey Davis and Daphne Greengrass, and even Lavender Brown and the Patils to a lesser extent, recovered from the suspicion that became attached to any of their past accomplishments.
-ooOoo-
Once the furor over the Ministry of Magic purge died down, attention turned to the awarding of medals to those who played parts in bringing down the dark lord. Over the next few days the decision on the candidates for the Orders of Merlin would be the subject of some intense negotiations with the Ministry. Their first proposal was to give Harry an Order of Merlin, 1st class, Ron and Hermione Orders of Merlin, 2nd class, and the students who had fought at Hogsmeade Orders of Merlin, 3rd class. Harry insisted that Ron and Hermione also receive the highest honor.
This was finally resolved when the Ministry agreed to give all three of them the Order of Merlin, 1st class, but insisted on adding the term ‘with highest distinction’ to Harry’s award. Then it was agreed that Viktor, as well as Ginny, Neville, and Luna, would receive the Order of Merlin, 2nd class. The latter ones were because those three students had been involved in the heaviest fighting at Hogsmeade, and in belated recognition of the Department of Mysteries battle two years previously. The rest of the DA, the Order of the Phoenix members who fought, and the members of Viktor’s strike force would receive the Order of Merlin, 3rd class.
The real sticking point came when Harry stated that Hagrid, Grawp, and Dobby also deserved Orders of Merlin, and suggested that Ragnok did as well. This idea was met by the Ministry official with whom he was meeting sputtering that such a thing was unheard of. Other magical beings were not even considered for Orders of Merlin. These honors were for wizards after all, not inferior creatures.
The discussion ended rather abruptly when this particular Ministry official went flying out of the infirmary where the meeting was taking place as the result of a particularly powerful banishing charm. It took Ron and Ginny several minutes to force an irate Harry back into bed, partly because they were laughing so hard at the look on the pompous official’s face as he went sailing through the door.
The Ministry began to take the suggestion more seriously when they discovered that the Hogwarts professors agreed with Harry. Then Viktor added his endorsement, particularly for Dobby, whose recruitment of the house elves for both their intelligence gathering and for their assistance with the strike teams had been one of the key turning points in the campaign.
At this point Scrimgeour stepped in and overruled the Ministry officials who were resisting. Harry Potter and Viktor Krum had more political capital than any other wizard in the world right now, and it would be professional suicide to stand against them if they were together on this. Grawp would receive a posthumous Order of Merlin, 3rd class, Hagrid would be included with the student defenders of Hogwarts in their awards, and Dobby would stand with Viktor’s strike team when the medals were awarded. Ragnok, who had political concerns of his own to deal with, respectfully declined his award, much to the relief of the Ministry.
-ooOoo-
Much to Madame Pomfrey’s amusement, Harry declined to be released from the Hospital Wing on Monday. The student who had always been so eager to leave his hospital bed before she was ready to release him now desired only to remain with his closest friend. Hermione had not yet regained consciousness, and Harry wanted to be there when she did. And so that day ended much like the previous one, and the school nurse noted once again that night that the two head students shared a single bed.
-ooOoo-
Tuesday, February 17
Hermione gradually felt herself waking up, but noticed several things that were different than normal. Her body seemed to be quite stiff, as though she had been lying in bed too long. She also felt very weak, and she ached all over. As she did every morning when she awoke, she reached out to try to sense Harry. Nothing. She couldn’t feel him anywhere.
A niggling worry began in the back of her mind and started to grow, eventually blossoming into full blown panic as her consciousness began recalling the details of what had happened to her before she fell asleep. They had been fighting Voldemort. Now she could no longer sense Harry’s mind. Was Harry dead!?
“Harry!” she tried to shout out, but her voice was not up to it yet and all that came out was a moan. Concurrently, she tried to roll over and sit up, only to be frustrated by a weight on her side that was restraining her movements. Her rising panic fueled an adrenaline rush that started her heart racing as she struggled to escape her bonds. Why wouldn’t her eyes open properly so she could see what was holding her down?
“Hermione! Are you awake?” In an instant she identified that voice and she stopped struggling. It was Harry! He was alive! Now she also recognized the familiar feel of his arm around her and realized that he was behind her in her bed, so she snuggled happily back into him. Harry was alive. They had defeated Voldemort. Life was wonderful.
So why couldn’t she sense him?
“Hermione, can you hear me?” Another moan was all she could manage. “OK, don’t try to talk. Don’t try to open your eyes yet either. It takes a while to wake up when you’ve been out for a while, and it’s easier if you don’t try to do everything at once. Trust me, I have more experience with this than you do.”
Hermione smiled at that. What she didn’t know was that Madame Pomfrey had told Harry what to expect when Hermione regained consciousness, and that this was much more serious than any of his past episodes. In addition to losing her magic, significant parts of Hermione’s nervous system had shut down, and it would be best to not tax her senses too much as she awakened.
“Can you feel this?” Harry moved the arm that he had been holding her with and ran his finger down her arm to her hand and back. Hermione smiled again and tried to reach out and squeeze his hand, only to find that her movements were still sluggish.
“Don’t try to move too much either. When I woke up I tried to sit up and almost passed out again.” Harry returned his arm to what she considered to be its proper place around her waist and Hermione decided that she could accept that for now.
“I’m going to go get Madame Pomfrey now, OK?” Harry released her and began to move away, ending the contact that she was so enjoying. Another moan let him know what she thought of that idea.
“All right,” he chuckled. “I guess that can wait for a while. It’s pretty early and she’s probably not up yet anyway.” He pulled her back into an embrace and the smile returned to her face, accompanied by a contented ‘Mmm’.
Harry began to stroke her arms and shoulders and anything else he could reach while talking softly to her, filling her in on some of the things that had happened the last few days. Hermione was amazed to hear that she had been unconscious for three days. Harry wasn’t surprised when she fell back asleep shortly thereafter; that had often happened to him in his past visits to the Hospital Wing. When he was sure she was sound asleep, he gently disengaged himself and crept out to inform Madame Pomfrey.
When Hermione next awoke, it was to a sea of concerned faces. To her disappointment, Harry was no wrapped around her, but at least he was sitting next to her holding her hand. And this time, to her relief, she could open her eyes and see everyone. She still felt ridiculously weak though. After some quick hugs and ‘welcome backs’ everyone left the room except Harry, Pomfrey, and McGonagall and she realized that there was something serious that was about to be discussed.
To Harry’s mind, Hermione took the news of her condition with surprising equanimity. He knew very well how discovering her identity as a witch had been a life altering experience for her, just as finding out he was a wizard had been for him. It was only after the two older witches left that she allowed her composure to slip.
But even then, the first regret she expressed was the loss of their magical connection. She told him of her panic at awakening and not being able to sense his presence. He suspected, correctly, that she was putting up a brave front for him, not wanting him to feel guilty about what she had done. Down inside the prospect of no longer having her magic terrified her.
Finally, he was able to get her to open up and talk about it, and then her emotions hit full force. For the next two hours he held her and reassured her while she first cried herself out, then gradually relaxed as she shared her fears with him. No, he would not abandon her if she couldn’t do magic. Yes, she would still be a big part of his life.
He pointed out that they had already demonstrated that the two of them could get along quite nicely in a muggle environment. He carefully commiserated with her about the things she would no longer be able to do, trying to walk the tightrope between being overly condescending or being too insensitive. Even though she felt he slipped a few times too far one way or the other, she appreciated the effort he was making and made sure to let him know. Eventually, she was worn out from the emotionally draining experience and drifted off to sleep again.
-ooOoo-
“Wingardium Leviosa.” Nothing. Just like the last forty tries, the book stayed on the bedside table. Hermione Granger had rarely encountered a challenge that she couldn’t overcome by her determination to keep working at it until she succeeded, but this one looked like it was going to defeat her. Then the door of the infirmary opened and three crying girls rushed in. Once Hermione heard what they had to say she was moved to tears also.
The Hogwarts gossip network was working at its usual high efficiency, and the story about Hermione losing her magic had spread like wildfire. Many of the students were heartsick at the news, since Hermione had become one of the most popular Head Girls since Lily Evans. She had particularly gone out of her way to befriend and help out the younger students, and there were quite a few tears from the lower years. The three muggleborn first year girls had come up to the Hospital Wing to make an incredibly selfless offer. If Hermione could find a spell to do it, they would give her their magic. And they were all convinced that Hermione could do anything.
The three girls reported that as many as twenty or thirty of the students had suggested doing this, but the three of them persuaded the others that they should be the ones to make the sacrifice. As Carolyn pointed out with her usual logical delivery (waving her hands in the air to make her point), they were the ones who would miss it the least, and they could go back to being muggles more easily than anyone else in the wizarding world. Kristin interrupted to add that she and Laura thought it should be one of them because they, like Hermione, were Gryffindors but that Carolyn thought it should be her because all of her professors kept telling her how much she was like Hermione.
Hermione hugged them all and told them that although she greatly appreciated the offer, she couldn’t possibly accept it. Harry also gave them each a hug before they left and mentioned how proud he was to know students who were as selfless as they were.
-ooOoo-
The news about Hermione was not received everywhere in quite the same manner. In the office of the Ministry of Magic that was in charge of reviewing and making recommendations for the Orders of Merlin, where they were still smarting over being overruled about the awards for Dobby and Grawp, officials immediately dashed off a memo. Orders of Merlin were never given to muggles. Period. Since Hermione Granger was now a muggle, she was no longer eligible for the honor, and would not be awarded the Order of Merlin or any other medal. As far as they were concerned, she could leave the wizarding world and go back to her muggle home and forget all about magic and awards.
Scrimgeour knew that he was in a bind. He was well aware of how fond both Potter and Krum were of the muggleborn witch – former witch actually – and he was certain that his political career would end from their reaction to this, but on this one his hands were tied. The law was the law.
When the news of this decision reached Hogwarts, there was an explosion of outraged indignation. The school owlry was swept clean as students of all years and from all four houses sent messages to their friends, families, whoever they could think of with a common demand: Do Something!
Eventually some of the older muggleborn students, who had grown up watching protest demonstrations on television, hatched a plan for the student body to storm the Ministry of Magic in protest. Their professors, who themselves were equally incensed at the decision, were delighted with the students’ initiative and proud at how they were rallying around the Head Girl and made no attempt to stop them.
This idea quickly spread and soon the press caught wind of it. Since both the Daily Prophet and Wizarding Wireless Network were still in the ‘Say anything that will get us in good with Harry Potter’ mode, their coverage was entirely in favor of the protestors. The fury gradually built up to a tidal wave of ire that would soon swamp the Ministry.
The students and their families poured into the building with their automatically generated badges that recorded the purpose of their visit simply as ‘Protest’. They were soon joined by a host of muggleborn and mixed blood wizards and witches who had heard about the protest on the WWN, and who had chafed for too long under the arrogant superiority of the purebloods and their discriminatory laws. When nearly the entire Auror Corps refused to take any action to prevent the protestors from overrunning the Ministry building, and instead joined in on the side of the demonstrators, the frantic officials whose contemptuous attitude had precipitated the crisis met in an emergency session.
Finally, when it seemed as though the Ministry atrium would burst from the pressure of the irate mob, word came out that a compromise had been reached. Gradually the throng quieted and the Minister of Magic came out on a high balcony to make the announcement. Hermione Granger had been declared to be a squib, not a muggle, and thus would be eligible after all to receive her Order of Merlin.
This decision, of course, fooled no one who actually knew Hermione, but it enabled the Ministry to save face and Hermione would receive her award, so the DA leaders quickly persuaded the leaders of the protest to declare victory and go home. And the Ministry of Magic received a lesson in participatory democracy.
-ooOoo-
Hermione was flabbergasted when she heard what had happened. She had feared that Harry and Ron, and possibly Viktor, would be outraged and had made them promise not to cause any trouble at the Ministry on her behalf. So the three of them had accompanied the students during the protest, but had stayed in the background and watched. Harry had felt his pride in and satisfaction with his fellow students swell inside him as the drama unfolded. His only contribution had been to signal the other DA leaders to accept the Ministry’s compromise offer.
Hermione couldn’t stop crying at this obvious indication that the bushy-haired know it all that nobody liked was now held in such high esteem by the Hogwarts student body that they would go to all of this trouble for her. Her friends merely grinned at her and kept hugging her as her tears flowed unabated. Finally Madame Pomfrey insisted that the celebrants leave to permit her patient to get some rest, and eventually only Harry and Ron remained by her bedside. It was the first time that the three of them had been alone together since the battle, and the talk turned to that fateful day.
Harry and Hermione both congratulated Ron on fighting off the Imperius curse as well as he had, then Harry teased Ron about being upended by Hermione’s tackle. Hermione playfully rubbed her shoulder and made a sarcastic comment about big clumsy friends, and Ron retorted that at least he was still conscious at the end of the battle.
Then both of the boys turned serious and spoke in awe of the display of spells that Hermione had put on during her direct dueling with Voldemort. Hermione pointed out that it was Ron’s Expeliarmus that saved her and leaned forward to give him a kiss on the cheek as he blushed. Then Ron asked about the power transfer and Harry and Hermione finally admitted the connection between his ring and her necklace that they had kept secret.
“I can’t believe you guys didn’t tell me about that,” Ron pouted playfully. He knew very well that he had been rather a prat during the previous term and hadn’t always deserved their confidence, so he didn’t make a big issue about it. “So right when you and Voldemort were both wearing down, she transferred her magic to you and then you were strong enough to beat him?” Harry and Hermione nodded and she reached over and squeezed his hand, hoping he wasn’t going to start feeling guilty again. But Ron wasn’t finished.
“So, why don’t you just switch and reverse it? Have Harry put on the necklace and Hermione the ring and have Harry transfer it back?” Harry and Hermione just stared at each other. Harry opened his mouth once then closed it again. Hermione started several responses but never got past the first word.
“It … But … You …” Finally a hopeful look appeared on her face, but then it disappeared and she frowned. “No,” she said with a shaky voice. “I won’t risk having Harry lose his magic. If he gave all his magic to me he would be just as bad off as I am right now. It’s better for me to be without magic than Harry.” Harry’s angry response to that declaration was interrupted by a new voice.
“That wouldn’t be necessary.” The three turned quickly to see Madame Pomfrey approaching. “I’m sorry for listening in, but I couldn’t help overhearing. If Mr. Potter has a way of transferring magic to Miss Granger, it would only take a small amount. Then we can use restorative potions and with plenty of rest her magic can renew itself.” Harry and Hermione tuned the rest of her words out as their eyes locked, excitement blazing in them. Their hands squeezed together while all three friends shared a single thought. ‘Hermione can get her magic back!’
Just to make sure, McGonagall and Flitwick were consulted about the idea. Once they gave their approval the excited students were eager to try it right away. With trembling hands Hermione removed the necklace that had been around her neck continuously since July and placed it carefully on Harry. Then Harry handed her the ring.
To his disappointment, nothing happened when she put it on. He had expected it to flare and that he would feel the sensation in his chest from the necklace that normally accompanied that action, but Hermione reminded him that since she didn’t have any magic yet that effect was probably suppressed. Then Flitwick suggested that they recreate their actions during the battle as closely as possible.
Hermione’s face flushed as she revealed that she had been hugging him from behind and wanting to do anything she could to help him, but Harry simply shrugged and climbed onto the bed behind her and wrapped his arms around her. “Like this?” he asked, and she nodded, still a little embarrassed.
Harry closed his eyes and wished with all his might that he could give Hermione her magic back again. He blanked out everything else in the room as he focused on that single thought. At first, nothing seemed to be happening so he pushed harder, actually making himself a little dizzy. Then he began to feel the stone in the necklace growing cold against his chest, and he was so excited that he pushed even harder.
Off in the distance he thought he heard voices calling to him, but he couldn’t make out what they were saying. He shook them off. This was more important. Hermione just had to get her magic back! The stone got colder and he was ecstatic, but he also noticed that he was getting more lightheaded. Just hold on a little longer, he told himself.
‘Harry, stop!’
Harry opened his eyes to find himself back in his own bed. The last thing he remembered was Hermione’s voice … but it had been in his head. Their magical connection was back! That must mean that … His eyes flew open and he turned his head excitedly towards Hermione’s bed, only to see her gazing back at him, her eyes glistening, but with a bright smile on her face. Seeing the question in his eyes, she nodded happily and her voice sounded in his head once more. ‘You big goof. You just don’t know when to quit, do you?’ He grinned sheepishly and gave her a shrug, which only made her smile more.
As proof, Hermione lifted her wand and performed the familiar swish and flick. “Wingardium Leviosa.” The book on her bedside table rose and came obediently into her hands. She turned back and grinned at him. “Forty-second time’s the charm!”
Harry groaned at the pun but then a questioning look appeared on his face. “Forty-two. Why does that number seem familiar?”
Hermione’s grin grew even larger. “It’s the answer.” Harry’s questioning look remained so she gave another hint. “To life, the universe, and everything.” Now he remembered the reference to the strange book they had read together during the summer.
Shaking his head at her silliness, but also thrilled at the additional indication from the teasing that she was back to normal, Harry struggled out of his bed and quickly crossed the short distance to hers. Not caring that there were other people in the room, he climbed in with her, taking her into his arms and hugging her for all he was worth. Hermione was finally well again!
The news spread even faster through the castle this time. It was dinnertime and the Great Hall was starting to fill up when Ron burst through the doors at a dead run, his mind actually on something other than food.
“Hermione’s magic is back!”
A roar went up and students started jumping up and down in the aisles between the long tables, hugging whomever they could reach in their exhilaration. Up at the staff table there wasn’t a dry eye in sight as the teachers felt the relief wash over them. They had their favorite student back. Over at the Gryffindor table Ginny raced over to her brother and hugged him, then darted from the hall to the Hospital Wing to celebrate with her best friends.
And back in London, Rufus Scrimgeour breathed a sigh of relief.
-ooOoo-
Once Hermione was released, only one occupant remained in the infirmary. Neville Longbottom. The damage to his internal organs from the dread purple-hued curse had been so severe that it had been all Madame Pomfrey could do to keep his body functioning. After seeing how well Lupin’s treatment had worked she had taken the unheard of step of actually injecting potions into his bloodstream. If she could only get him stabilized she could spend more time repairing the damage.
His heart had stopped several times and they had long since lost count of the number of times he had ceased breathing. Flitwick and Slughorn had done wonders in devising, with the consultation of Slughorn’s contact at St. Mungo’s, magical devices that would detect a loss of heartbeat or breathing and provide a magical pulse of energy to restart it. Neville’s liver and kidneys were also only functioning intermittently. It was a race against time to get these critical organs repaired before they atrophied through lack of use.
Now that Hermione had recovered, she, Harry, and Ginny had spent more time with Neville and his gran. Augusta Longbottom seemed resigned to whatever fate awaited him. She spoke with them often about honor and how proud she was of Neville for everything he had done in the war, and how much he was like Frank and Alice. If he came through it and returned to life she would be incredibly joyful, but if not she was prepared to accept it. Her primary concern was that he wouldn’t linger, not dead but not really living, like his parents had.
-ooOoo-
The following weekend saw two major ceremonies. The first was a memorial ceremony for all of the fighters who had died in the final battle. A monument was erected just outside Hogsmeade, near the train station along the road to Hogwarts, with the names of all who had fallen inscribed. On one side were listed the Aurors who had given their lives; the other side contained the names of Moody, Grawp, Corner, Smith, and Zabini, who were also posthumously awarded their Orders of Merlin.
The awards ceremony was held on the quidditch pitch at Hogwarts. Harry had let it be known that he was adamantly opposed to hearing speeches from a lot of self-important politicians. Scrimgeour’s price for making this concession was that Harry himself would give an acceptance speech. He was quite aware that such a speech would be the most highly covered event by the wizarding press in decades. They finally agreed that the only other speeches besides Harry’s would be given by McGonagall and Scrimgeour.
The pitch had been expanded and additional stands had been erected below the normal ones, plus hundreds of seats that were set out at ground level. In addition to all of the wizards and witches who had managed to obtain an invitation there were two very special muggles in attendance. As soon as Hermione had been released from the hospital, she and Harry had gone out to Hogsmeade to try to call her parents on the cell phones. To her astonishment and delight, the Grangers were already back in England, and she and Harry had immediately apparated to their house to let them see for themselves that the two of them were all right.
Unwilling to part from her parents after only a short visit, the couple stayed the night and then figured out a way for them to come to Hogwarts for the awards ceremony. It was quite interesting to watch the looks on the Grangers’ faces as they approached the castle and the notice-me-not charms and the muggle repellent charms kicked in.
At first, all that Emma and Dan saw were some old ruins, and then they felt an irresistible compulsion to leave the place and return home to attend to some important business that they had just remembered. Harry and Hermione finally had to stun them to get them past the castle gates. Once on the grounds, the Headmistress cast a charm on them that negated the protective spells for the day.
McGonagall’s speech was mercifully short, because Harry was thoroughly embarrassed as she described how he and his friends had grown and developed during their seven years at Hogwarts. From the first time she had seen him fly and immediately put him on the house quidditch team, through a description of how the three of them had fought their way through the traps to the Sorcerer’s Stone, Hermione’s cleverness and Harry and Ron’s bravery in finding the Chamber of Secrets and slaying the basilisk, and on and on up to the way he and Hermione had taken charge as Head Students, she described his accomplishments in glowing terms.
She finished her tribute by announcing that the Valentine’s dance that had been canceled the day of the final battle would be held the following Saturday. This allowed Harry to pretend that the cheers that followed her remarks were due to the dance, rather than for his accomplishments.
Scrimgeour made the surprisingly frank admission that Harry, with good reason, had distrusted the Ministry, but been fanatically loyal to Dumbledore. He credited Harry with overcoming his aversion to the wizarding government and meeting with him in July, and stated that from this meeting Harry, Viktor, and he had developed the strategy that was ultimately successful in winning the war. Harry thought Scrimgeour made it sound like the politicians had done more than they actually had, but the story wasn’t too distorted. He guessed that was as good as you could expect from a politician.
When his own turn came, the audience in front of him and those listening at home on the WWN were in for a surprise. Harry had been extremely nervous about talking like this, and had discussed what he was going to say with Ron and Hermione, especially Hermione. He had spent most of his time since Hermione’s recovery working on it with her, and Dan and Emma had helped out also.
Dan, who had given some speeches at dentist conventions, had some tips for him about public speaking. While Harry was amused by the suggestion that he visualize everyone in the audience without clothing, he found his thoughts going to Hermione on the beach in Florida whenever he tried it and that wasn’t exactly helpful. Finally Hermione and Ron had agreed to stand beside him as he made his address. To help settle his nerves he began on a humorous note.
“Those of you who know me are all aware that I’m not exactly one for speeches. Personally I wanted Hermione to give this speech, but both Ron and Hermione talked me out of it. Hermione said it was my story to tell, and Ron said that if Hermione started talking she would go on all day, and he was worried he would miss supper.”
Most of the audience reacted with polite laughter, but the students sitting on the award platform and in the audience chuckled heartily. The chuckles turned to full-blown laughter when Hermione reached over and playfully whapped Ron on the back of the head. But then Harry turned serious.
“I want to tell all of you the stories of two boys. Many years ago there was a witch from a family who was poor, but very proud of their pureblood heritage, who lived with her father and brother in a small hut near a muggle village. She found herself attracted to the son of one of the rich muggle families from that village, and she used a love potion to make him fall in love with her. He married her, but as soon as the potion wore off and he found out she was a witch he left her, even though she was pregnant with his son. The witch died in childbirth, leaving the boy to be raised in a muggle orphanage.”
“The boy grew up hating the world and everyone in it. He took his hatred out on the children around him, stealing from them and causing them pain whenever he could get away with it. Eventually he discovered that he had some strange powers, but it wasn’t until he was visited by Albus Dumbledore that he learned that he was a wizard. He came to Hogwarts and was a brilliant student, eventually becoming Head Boy. But he never lost his hatred of the world.”
“The second boy was born to a mother and a father who loved him very much. His mother was a brilliant muggleborn witch and his father was a talented pureblood wizard. But when he was just a year old, his mother and father were murdered and he also became an orphan. He was sent to live with his muggle relatives who hated magic and everything associated with it.
So he grew up being despised for what he was, even though he didn’t know why he was different. His relatives never told him he was a wizard, so like the first boy he only found out why strange things sometimes happened to him when he turned eleven and he received his letter from Hogwarts. When he got to Hogwarts his life was completely turned around. He finally had friendship and love in his life.”
At this point Harry paused and reached out to put an arm around first Ron, then Hermione. By this time many of his listeners had figured out that he was talking about himself, but most of them had not made the other connections in the story. “Although it was a struggle for him to adjust, with the help of his friends he also succeeded at Hogwarts and eventually became Head Boy.”
“The first boy was named Tom Marvolo Riddle.” There were a few gasps from the crowd at this revelation. “The second boy is me. Tom Riddle hated the name his mother had given him, the name of his muggle father, so he changed it.” While he was saying this Hermione pulled out her wand and wrote out the flaming letters in the air, just as the sixteen-year-old image of Tom Riddle had done in the Chamber of Secrets. When she finished, Harry nodded to her and with a flick of her wand the letters rearranged to spell out the new name as Harry continued.
“He changed it to what would become the most feared name in the wizarding world. Lord Voldemort.” As Harry expected, there were shrieks and cries from the audience as the letters rearranged and he spoke the dreaded name aloud, but he was proud that none of them came from the DA members behind him and his other fellow award winners.
“That’s right. Lord Voldemort and I had a lot more in common than most of you knew. Both of us of mixed wizarding and muggle blood. Both of us orphans raised in unpleasant circumstances in the muggle world, neither of us knowing we were wizards until we were eleven. Professor Dumbledore thought that it was this similarity that led him to attack me when I was one, and in doing so he inadvertently made us even more alike. That attack also marked us as mortal enemies, neither of whom would be able to live the life he wanted until the other was dead.”
“So in one way or another I was forced to battle against Voldemort my whole life. Several more times in recent years he tried to kill me, but ultimately, with the help of all of my friends, but especially these two who have been with me all the way, I was able to destroy him for good.” Harry had been briefly interrupted by shouts or cheers several times while he talked so far, but now he had to pause as a roar of approval and thunderous applause filled the stadium.
“Both Tom Riddle and I grew up in the muggle world with hatred. Unfortunately, both of us discovered that the wizarding world has just as much hatred as the muggle world. I have been fighting against that hatred ever since I first discovered it, in whatever form I encountered it. Tom Riddle embraced that hatred, and used it to recruit and control his followers.” The crowd had quieted now, not sure where this was going.
“I’m talking about that hatred that manifests itself in the belief that some magic users are better than others because of their heritage. The ridiculous idea that blood status makes someone superior to someone else.” Stunned silence now filled the stadium. Harry Potter seemed to be challenging one of the most widely held and sacrosanct beliefs of the wizarding world.
“Tom Riddle’s grandfather was obsessed with being a pureblood, and a direct descendent of Salazar Slytherin. So much so that he disowned his daughter when she married a muggle. But having a muggle father didn’t stop Tom Riddle from being the Heir of Slytherin, or from opening the Chamber of Secrets. Having a muggle father didn’t stop him from becoming one of the two most powerful wizards in the world. And having a muggle father didn’t stop him from making complete fools of the purebloods who followed him under the misguided notion that his preaching about blood superiority was anything other than a means to advance his own power.”
This pronouncement was met with a sea of blank stares, and a murmur of disbelief arose and then abated as the idea slowly took hold that Harry might actually be on to something.
“One of my ancestors is Godric Gryffindor. Does having a muggleborn mother make me any less of a descendent of Gryffindor?” Suddenly Harry reached out his hand and the Sword of Gryffindor appeared, suspended in the air before him. In one smooth move he grasped the sword, reversed it, and plunged it into the stage next to him, embedding it so that it stood there quivering slightly, it’s bejeweled hilt glistening in the sunlight. This caused another round of gasps from the crowd, along with looks of wonder from most of the assembled throng.
“Standing here before you are three students who are the youngest people in history to be awarded an Order of Merlin, 1st Class. One of us is a muggleborn, one of us is of mixed blood, and one of us is a pureblood. Do you honestly think that makes a difference to any of us? Not once in all of the years we have been friends has our blood status had any effect on how we felt about each other.”
“The most talented witch of my entire generation is a muggleborn.” Hermione turned bright red at that statement as Ron nodded vigorously in agreement. Harry briefly looked back at the students on the stage behind him and saw similar acknowledgements of assent. He grinned at them and continued, “and I’m sure my classmates would agree that two of the least talented students in our class were purebloods.” This generated quite a few smiles and several guffaws. Turning back to his audience he added, “from what I hear from the professors here, I think it’s safe to say that my muggleborn mother was one of the most talented witches of her generation.”
Harry gestured to the DA members and went on. “Look at this group of students. It’s a mixture of muggleborns, mixed bloods, and purebloods. Everyone knows who the muggleborns in the school are, but only because we enter in our first years being woefully ignorant of the wizarding world.” Beside him a smile came to Hermione’s face as Harry once again had subconsciously identified himself with the muggleborns. “But I can honestly say that I don’t even know for sure how many of them are mixed blood and how many are purebloods. It just doesn’t make a difference.”
Harry paused and looked out at his audience with a challenge in his eyes. “The misguided belief in blood superiority played right into Voldemort's hands. He used that belief and the ignorance of those who held it in his rise to power. And if the wizarding world doesn't learn its lesson and reject that nonsense the next dark lord will do the same thing. A wise man once said, ‘Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.’ That choice is up to you.”
“But that’s not the only thing that needs to change. Even more pervasive, and just as wrongheaded, is the arrogance that causes us to believe we are superior to every other race of magical beings. This war would not have been won without the help of our other magical allies. Ask any of the members of Viktor Krum's strike teams about the contributions of the house elves. They will be the first to tell you that their assistance saved many lives. And I can personally attest that they are the most loyal creatures that I have had the pleasure to know. We also benefited greatly from our partnership with the goblins of Gringotts. I am well aware of the centuries of distrust between goblins and wizards but know this: I have found Gringotts Bank to be more honorable and trustworthy than any wizard institution I've ever dealt with.”
At these words Ragnok, who was sitting on the stage with other dignitaries (an unusual occurrence in its own right) smiled inwardly. He had certainly made the correct decision in supporting Harry Potter. His stature among the goblin leaders would now be assured for generations to come.
Harry had finally come to the conclusion of his speech. “That's the way I see it folks. We have our work cut out for us. But until we as wizards are able to change the way we view each other and other magical beings, the statue of magical brethren at the Ministry of Magic is a lie. And I pledge to you today, that I and those who work with me will spend the rest of our lives trying to make this a reality.”
Hermione and Ron were the first to congratulate him, Ron clapping him heartily on the back and Hermione throwing her arms around his neck in a hug. ‘That was wonderful!’ her voice sounded in his mind. ‘I’m so proud of you!’ Then he was engulfed by Ginny and quickly swarmed under by the other students.
To say the reaction to Harry's address was mixed would be a gross understatement. Many of his listeners sat stunned, some angry, some offended, some puzzled, some thoughtful. His friends on the stage, as well as the students in the audience, gave him a standing ovation. Most of the rest responded with polite applause. But it had certainly given everyone something to think about and talk about for quite some time to come.
-ooOoo-
After the medals had been awarded and the ceremony concluded, and the reporters had finally left him alone, Viktor Krum found himself once more contemplating Luna Lovegood. He was intrigued by the blue-eyed blonde witch with the butterbeer cork necklace who had such an unusual way of looking at the world. In a way, she reminded him of Hermione Granger when he had first met her. Both girls were highly intelligent, tended to be loners, weren’t overly concerned with their appearance, and didn’t care what other people thought of them. They were pretty much the exact opposite of the fan girls that always swarmed around him. He set his jaw and approached her.
“Excuse me Miss Lovegood.” Luna turned around and gave him that mysterious smile again. “Would you perhaps be willing to have me be your escort to the dance that your headmistress just announced?”
Luna’s eyes went wide for an instant, but then she quickly brought herself under control. She thought for a moment, then replied. “I’m sorry, Viktor, but I have to decline your offer.”
Viktor managed to keep the disappointment from his face. He drew himself up and responded stiffly, “I see. I apologize for the interruption.” Before he could turn away Luna reached out her hand to stop him. He looked at her again, but she still had that calm, unreadable expression on her face.
“Perhaps you weren’t aware of the rules for this particular dance,” she said evenly. “The girls are required to ask the boys.” She paused, just long enough for this to sink in, but continued before he could say anything else. “Viktor Krum, would you be willing to go to the Valentine’s dance with me?”
A short distance away, three students were watching this developing drama with varying degrees of astonishment. “Krum and Luna?” Ron asked in amazement. “Are you kidding me?”
“I think it’s sweet,” announced Hermione. “They both deserve to find someone as nice as they are.”
“Well,” Ginny pointed out. “Rita Skeeter did say that the witch that snagged Viktor would have to be both intelligent and patient. Luna is certainly both of those. Just look at how patient she was while she was waiting for Ron to notice her. Come to think of it though,” she smirked at her brother, “that doesn’t say much for her intelligence, does it?”
“Hey!”
“Come on, Ronnie,” she laughed, tugging on his arm. “Let’s go get you something to eat.”
-ooOoo-
Hermione had tired out early so Ginny took her back to the Heads suite while Harry and Ron stayed at the feast, patiently accepting everyone’s congratulations and answering questions. Finally McGonagall called a halt to the festivities and ushered all of the visitors from the castle. Harry took Dan and Emma home, graciously accepting their enthusiastic congratulations on what they called his groundbreaking speech.
Once back at Hogwarts, Harry dropped Ron off at Gryffindor tower, but decided to stop and visit Neville in the Hospital Wing before returning to his quarters. As usual, he found Augusta Longbottom there and the two talked briefly before they both left for the night. Neville’s condition had finally stabilized, but no one knew if they had arrested the deterioration in time. The next few days would tell one way or the other.
Figuring that Hermione had already turned in, Harry started towards his room as soon as he came through the portrait hole. But before he made it to his door he found himself stopped by a wordless Impedimentia jinx. Then another spell manifested itself as he began to be levitated backwards toward the center of the room, coming to rest on the sofa, with a witch on either side of him.
“We need to talk.”
-xox-XOX-XOX-xox-
Author Notes:
The subplot involving Hermione’s loss of magic, leading to the cutting off of her mental link with Harry, followed by a ‘jump start’ recovery, was inspired by a similar subplot in This Means War by Jeconais (except in that story it was Harry and Ginny). And congratulations to those readers who figured out in advance how they were going to fix it.
Note - The rating for the final chapter is increased to Mature, due to some references to sexual activity.