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BONUS CHAPTER | You're a Wizard, Hagrid.

10 May 1999

One Year after the Second Wizarding War

A Tribute to Robbie Coltrane.

TRUST IN THE MAGIC of new beginnings. If there was anything light and hopeful to come from the aftermath Second Wizarding War, it was that lesson. People and places, dreams and things, all began to build anew in the wake of the devastation and loss faced in the war. Rubeus Hagrid, the joyous and hearty essence of Hogwarts personified in a giant being, had lost sight of this hope -- the hope of trusting the magic of new beginnings. The war was won and his young friend Harry Potter lived to tell the tale -- something many adults who watched him grow up didn't think would happen. But with the victory came many losses, and Hagrid found difficult coming to terms with the losses of all the beloved students of Hogwarts, those who were students when they fought and those he watched build their own families. Everyone came together to fight for a common cause.

Today, they came together again.

Today, exactly one year plus one week from the anniversary of the victory of the war, Rubeus Hagrid celebrated both the rebuilding of his beloved hut and his official graduation from Hogwarts School. Upon winning the war, Lily impressed upon Minister Kingsley and Headmistress McGonagall that Hagrid's magical right would be returned, his past offenses expunged, and the Ministry would fund the rebuilding of his home. With the reinstatement of his magical rights, he was allowed to return to Hogwarts as a student, and with the tutoring of McGonagall, Slughorn, and Flitwick, he was able to use his knowledge from his many decades at Hogwarts to graduate. The professors held a lovely ceremony that many of his students, past and present, attended to congratulate and celebrate him. The golden trio, the Weasleys, and remaining Order members were among many of the guests.

The Golden Trio found it especially emotional when Hagrid officially laid his pink umbrella to rest in replacement of a real wand -- made specially by Ollivander himself, who stopped commissioning wands ages ago but made an exception for this. Ginny and Hermione helped Harry bake a cake similar to the birthday cake Hagrid made Harry for his birthday the first year they met. The gesture reduced the friendly giant to tears. The entire afternoon was filled with laughter and smiles, and they shared all of their favorite memories of the beloved giant.

There was only one thing missing. One person.

Lily-Rose Potter had not been to any gatherings since that last victorious day of the war. She remained mostly unseen and unheard, traveling only between the Burrow and Andromeda's home at her leisure as she rehabilitated from the emotional, mental, and physical torture she endured during the war. Sometimes, Harry, Fred, or one of her friends would take a stroll with her somewhere after dark so that she could be in the world -- even if it was when the world was asleep. There was something about strolling through Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade at night, when all was calm, that was strangely refreshing. Lily, the woman who used to be of many words, didn't say much on these excursions, but she didn't need to. They understood.

When Hagrid didn't see her at his celebration, he understood. How could he not? She was there in spirit. She was the reason he was able to achieve all of that, after all, seeing as she made his freedom and reinstatement a condition owed to her for her victory. She was selfless to the very end of it, and deserved to live for herself now. So when Harry and Fred approached him in the middle of the celebration, once he found a free moment from all of the chatter, he saw the bittersweet smiles on their faces and stopped them before they could apologize for her absence. He would have loved for her to be there, but he knew how difficult it was for her to be among crowds -- to be so exposed in the open world after the war and Voldemort stripped her soul bare.