Centaurs and house-elves, and Firenze lay recovering in the corner, and Grawp peered in

Through a smashed window, and people were throwing food into his laughing mouth.

After a while, exhausted and drained, Harry found himself sitting on a bench beside Luna.

“I’d want some peace and quiet, if it were me,” she said.

“I’d love some,” he replied.

“I’ll distract them all,” she said. “Use your cloak.”

And before he could say a word, she had cried, “Oooh, look, a Blibbering

Humdinger!” and pointed out the window. Everyone who heard looked around, and

Harry slid the Cloak up over himself, and got to his feet.

Now he could move through the Hall without interference. He spotted Ginny two

tables away; she was sitting with her head on her mother’s shoulder: There would be time

To talk later, hours and days and maybe years in which to talk. He saw Neville, the sword

Of Gryffindor lying beside his plate as he ate, surrounded by a knot of fervent admirers.

Along the aisle between the tables he walked, and he spotted the three Malfoys, huddled

Together as though unsure whether or not they were supposed to be there, but nobody was

Paying them any attention. Everywhere he looked, he saw families reunited, and finally,

He saw the two whose company he craved most.

“It’s me,” he muttered, crouching down between them. “Will you come with

me?”

They stood up at once, and together he, Ron and Hermione left the Great Hall.

Great chunks were missing from the marble staircase, part of the balustrade gone, and

Rubble and bloodstains occurred ever few steps as their climbed.

Somewhere in the distance they could hear Peeves zooming through the

corridors singing a victory song of his own composition:

We did it, we bashed them, wee Potter’s the one,

And Voldy’s gone moldy, so now let’s have fun!

“Really gives a feeling for the scope and tragedy of the thing, doesn’t it?” said

Ron, pushing open a door to let Harry and Hermione through.

Happiness would come, Harry though, but at the moment it was muffled by

Exhaustion, and the pain of losing Fred and Lupin and Tonks pierced him like a physical

Wound every few steps. Most of all he felt the most stupendous relief, and a longing to

Sleep. But first he owed an explanation to Ron and Hermione, who had stuck with him for

So long, and who deserved the truth. Painstakingly he recounted what he had seem in the

Pensieve and what had happened in the forest, and they had not even begun to express all

Their shock and amazement, when at last they arrived at the place to which they had been

Walking, though none of them had mentioned their destination.

Since he had last seen it, the gargoyle guarding the entrance to the headmaster’s

Study had been knocked aside; it stood lopsided, looking a little punch-drunk, and Harry

Wondered whether it would be able to distinguish passwords anymore.

“Can we go up?” he asked the gargoyle.

“Feel free,” groaned the statue.

They clambered over him and onto the spiral stone staircase that moved slowly

Upward like an escalator. Harry pushed open the door at the top.

He had one, brief glimpse of the stone Pensieve on the desk where he had left it,

And then an earsplitting noise made him cry out, thinking of curses and returning Death

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 545