meant to be (1)

61

Harry and I made our way down to the end-of-year feast alone. We had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing bout, insisting on giving us one last check-up, so the Great Hal was already full.

It was decked out in the Slytherin clours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the House Cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner suwing the Slycherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Harry and I walked in there was a sudden hush and then everybody started talking loudly at once. We sat down at the Cryffindor table opposite of Hermione and Ron. I tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look
at Harry and I.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully, "And I must trouble you with an old mans's wheezing before we sink into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...
'Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with two hundred and fifty-two; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two!"

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin!" said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account"

The room went very still. The Slytherins smiles faded a little.

"Ahem" said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes ...
First - to Mr Ronald Weasley..."

Ron went purple in the face, while I grimaced at him. He looked like a radish with bad sunburn.

"... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points"

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other Prefects,

"My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

There was a silence again.

"Scond - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; I strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves - we were a hundred points up.

"Third - to Miss Julie Clarke." said Dumbledore and the room went extremely quiet. "... for supporting her friends even in the darkest times I arward Gryffindor house sixty points!"

The Hall erupted into clapping and loud cheers. I must've accepted at least fifty high fives and pats on my shoulder.

"Fourth - to Mr Harry Potter.." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "...for pure nerve and outstanding courage, l award Gryffindor house sixty points!"

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points - exactly the same as Slytherin. We had drawn for the House Cup - if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point. Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage." said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom!"

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him.

He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

I, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind curse put on him.

"Which means." Dumbledore called over the stom of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebring the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration'"

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slycherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion tock is place. Snape was shaking Professor McConagalls hand, with a horrible forced smile.

He caught my eye and I knew at once that Snape's feelings towards me hadn't changed one bit. This didn't worry me. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

It was the best evening of my life, better than winning at Quidditch or Christmas or knocking out mountain talls I would never, ever forget tonight.