The Forgotten Prophecy [Book 1]

XVI. An Unexpected Feast

The Great Hall starts to fill up with students in their pajamas. It is not like any feast we ever had. The students all rejoice knowing that Hogwarts is safe again. I walk down the Great Hall. "Excellent work, Ellie!" "Great job!" "Well done!" Students say as I walk down. Harry and Ron are sitting down at the table crowded by students. Most of the petrified students are back on their feet. Justin is talking to Harry again. Maybe he's apologizing. I scan the Gryffindor table, but don't see Hermione anywhere. "Biscuit." I turn around to see Alexander standing there. He pulls me in for a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay," he says softly, hugging me tighter. I smile as we pull apart. "I thought I told you to stay low," Alexander says. "Okay, but when do I ever listen to you?" I ask. He rolls his eyes and leads me to Harry and Ron.

"Great work, boys," he says shaking Harry and Ron's hands. They smile at him. "Eat up. You deserve," Alexander tells us. He squeezes my shoulder and then heads back to the Slytherin table. I sit down next to Ron. "I can't believe you guys solved it!" Neville says, sitting across from me. "Must have been an adventure!" Seamus adds. "You have no idea," Harry tells them. "Hey, look it's Hermione!" Neville shouts looking towards the Great Hall doors. Harry, Ron, and I look over at her. She beams brightly and runs over. Harry and Ron jump out of their seats. Hermione hugs Harry. She begins to hug Ron, but stops and offers him a handshake. "Uhh, er, welcome back Hermione," he says shaking her hand. I giggle.

"It's good to be back.. Congratulations, I can't believe you solved it!" She says smiling wide. "Well, we had plenty of help from you. We couldn't have done it without you," Harry tells her. "Thanks," she says. She glances over at me. "Good to have you back, Hermione," I tell her smiling. She smiles. Professor McGonagall taps her glass to get our attention. The trio sits down and we turn to the High Table. "Before we begin the feast, let's have a round of applause for Professor Sprout and Madam Pomfrey who's Mandrake juice has been successfully administrated to all who had been petrified," Professor Dumbledore says. All the students clap. "Also, in light of the recent events, all exams have been cancelled!" The students erupt in cheers and claps at this. "Oh no!" Hermione says, disappointed.

The doors of the Great Hall opens as Hagrid walks in. The students stop cheering as they watch him. "Sorry I'm late. The owl that delivered my release papers got all lost and confused.. Some ruddy bird called Errol." Hagrid says as he continues to walk. Harry and I exchange glances at Ron who frowns. Hagrid stops at the four at us. "Well, I'd just like to say, if it hadn't been for yeh, Harry, Ron, Ellie, and Hermione of course, I'd still be in yeh know where.. So I'd just like to say thanks," Hagrid says to us, nodding. We smile at him. Harry stands up. "There's no Hogwarts without you Hagrid," he says. Hagrid tears up as Harry hugs him. Claps start arising in the Great Hall. Soon, everyone is on their feet clapping and cheering on Hagrid. Students start coming around to hug and high five him.

Professor Dumbledore also had announced that Professor Lockhart would not be our Defense Against Dark Arts teacher next year. "That's a shame. He was starting to grow on me," Ron says. The feast continues for the rest of the night. Everyone is too happy to sleep. "Would you look at that. In the end, you worked with them to solve it," Alexander says smiling. We are outside the Great Hall, watching the night sky. "Yeah, I guess," I say, grinning. "Next time you try to do something ridiculously and dangerously stupid, take me with you," he says with a wink. We laugh. "You know what I realized. This is the first year I actually didn't skip a lot of classes.. I guess I owe you a thanks," Alexander says, smiling. "Me? Why?" I ask him. "Cause for the first time I wasn't alone. You made it possible to go through school... I had my best friend with me this year," he says. I smile and place my hand over his. "And for the years to come." "Of course. You're not getting rid of me that easily," he says as he pulls me in for a headlock. I laugh as I get myself out of the headlock.

~•~

Hogwarts is back to normal within a few days. There is still a month left in the term. Defense Against Dark Arts classes are cancelled for the rest of the term. Ginny is back to her happy self. Everyone is happy.. everyone except Draco. For the past few days, he walks around with his head down. The Marauder's map shows him standing at the Astronomy Tower alone, so I make my way over there. The sun is blazing out and the view is beautiful. I stand a few inches away from him at the railing, looking at the view.

"Come to take a poke at me?" He asks me. "Why would I do that?" I ask him. "I seem to be your latest victim for pranks," he says with a shrug. "That was unintentional," I say, thinking back to the prank Finn pulled on Draco. "Right," Draco says quietly. We look into the view in silence. "I met your father," I say. "He told me," Draco says. I turn to him. "You told him about the pranks?" I ask him. "He heard about the pranks from the others. I only told him about Vixen," Draco says, not looking at me. "Well, I hope you know your father doesn't scare me," I say turning back to the view. "That makes one of us," Draco mutters so quietly that I wasn't sure I heard him correctly. "What did you say?" I ask him. "Nothing," he replies.

"My father says you can't be trusted because of your suspicious background. He thinks you're hiding something.. He wants me to stay away from you," Draco adds. He's not completely wrong. "Well, you're not doing a good job of it," I joke, pointing to the two of us. Draco doesn't say anything. I sigh. "You know your father can't tell you who you can hang out with," I say to him. He still doesn't say anything. I look back at the view in front of us. The silence between us lingers for a minute. "Why did you do it?" Draco asks, still looking at the view. I turn to him. "Do what?" I ask him confused. "Why did you go down to the Chamber of Secrets to save Ginny? You knew the Basilisk was down there, but yet you went down there.. I didn't think the two of you were close," Draco says. I smile softly. "We weren't that close, but I wanted to help her. I wanted to get her out of there, and so I went down there," I tell him. "You could have died," Draco says quietly. He still hasn't faced me. "Yeah, probably.. I didn't really think much of that," I say with a laugh.

I look back at the view. "I guess I was so focused on helping her, nothing else really mattered." Draco doesn't say anything. I turn to him. "I'll leave you alone, now," I say, turning to go. "About getting to know each other," Draco says, causing me to stop in my tracks. I turn to him. He's finally facing me. His eyes are glistening from the sun. "Do you still want to get to know each other?" He asks me. There is something in his voice.. It is hope. "I'd like that," I respond smiling. He smiles and my heart flushes. Why? "Good," he says and leaves the Astronomy Tower.