30-In Dumbledore's Office

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The following morning, surprisingly, Halley was the first awake. She sat for a minute, as the dramas of the previous night took a few minutes to wash over her. She sighed, taking a shaky breath in, and hopped out of bed to get a drink. She was still in her school uniform-she was stiff and worn out, and her skin felt clammy and cold to touch.

She really wasn't in a state of mind to deal with the endless praisings and questionings she reckoned she was doubtless lined up for.

Getting her drink, she sat by the window, and thought. The clock above the door told it to be half past eight, but it was now a Saturday, so Halley had no reason to worry. The day outside was clear and bright, and sunny. The sun hurt Halley's eyes, so she turned away.

"You're awake. Thank God."

Sirius was lying lazily in his bed, watching her. "How do you feel?"

Halley considered this.

"I feel like I've just woken up from a bad dream" she replied, coming to sit on the end of Sirius's bed. "I can't quite believe all the things that happened last night was me. Does everyone know about it?"

Sirius shrugged, sitting up to face her.

"Not sure. Hopefully not. Though we've got to go and see Dumbledore this morning. Not sure when."

Halley groaned, putting her glass by the side of Sirius's bed.

"I'm sick of being the hero."

"Well" Sirius replied lightly. "Maybe it's in your blood. True Gryffindor, you."

"What?" Halley laughed. "Arrogant and reckless? Sounds like me."

"No!" Sirius protested.

"If the centaurs hadn't come, I would be Lethifold dinner by now" Halley pointed out. "I shouldn't have thought I could handle it. See. Arrogant and reckless."

"Never change, Hal" Sirius sighed, smiling at her. "If you hadn't come when you did, I'd be dead. As would James. As would Snivvelly, though I'm sure the world could cope without him. See. Brave and selfless."

Halley smiled back meekly, looking away. Sirius reached for her hand and squeezed it.

"I think 'alive' is the most important factor here, mind, don't you?" he continued. Halley laughed out loud, and that woke up Sephy and Peter, who scrambled out of bed and came over. Sephy hugged Halley hard.

"You OK?" she asked timidly. Halley nodded and hugged her back.

"All good. Relatively sane, which is probably a blessing."

"Definitely" Sephy agreed, throwing a cushion at Samantha on the opposite bed, to wake her. Sirius, still in his bed, did the same to James.

"Bloody hell" the latter groaned. "Can't anyone get a good night's sleep in here..."

"Get up, Prongs" Peter laughed.

The six gathered around Sirius's bed, and there was a moment when they all weren't sure what to say. Sirius still had his hand in Halley's, but nobody felt the urge to point it out.

"I...think this proves we can go through anything, doesn't it?" Halley began nervously. There was a general nodding of heads.

"I think dear old Snivvelly over there is gonna find us a tougher nut to crack than he expected" James agreed.

"We're stopping antagonizing him, though, right?" Sephy asked warningly. Everyone nodded.

"Any fight we have with him will be of his own making" Sirius agreed, holding his three fingers up by his head. "Scout's honour."

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