Disclaimer: I own nothing…….
Thought in italics
AN: This is the sequel to my first story, Well No One Was Watching, if you haven't read it I suggest reading it first or this wont make any sense. This story is going to be about the life after the war, and learning how to deal with not having to fight anymore and having to live. I'm not sure where this story I going other than it is a Snape mentoring Harry story and the only ship that is def. is Ron and Hermione…so if you have any ideas about where this should go or what our heroes should go throw leave me a review and let me know…now on to the next part of their life…..I introduce……
Living 101
Chapter 1
At the end of WNOWW:
"You finished it Potter, you fitful your destiny, it's done" Professor Snape said
"It's time for you to live Harry" he continued.
"I don't know if I can Severus," Harry said with tears forming in his eyes, and the bloody sward still clutched in this hands.
"We will do it together, all of use will learn from each other Harry," Severus said as he swept his arm across the ground. The two sat on the blood soaked ground and watch everyone realize exactly what it means now, what it means to be free.
Harry looked around the font grounds of the castle, the battle only lasted for maybe an hour at the most, but the ground and grass was colored blood red. Slowly everyone began to realize that it was really and truthfully over, the Boy-Who-Lived, was now the Man-Who-Destroyed-Voldemort.
Neville's group was running around the field tending to the wounded fighters. Slowly the members of the DA began making their way over to their leader and sat down. Ron and Hermione joined right up front with Harry and Snape, followed by Draco. Everyone was silent, still comprehending the events that took place only a few minutes before. Finally the medics began to join the group with Neville being the last and joining the front as the final member of Harry's inner circle.
Harry looked up as the last member sat down,
"I guess the first thing I want to do is thank you all for fighting and for not questioning Ron at all, I really had no idea that the bastard was going to attack so soon, let alone how he even got through the wards. I guess that over the next few hours, days, weeks we will figure that all out and more. But right now what I really want to do is hear what happened because I have no idea what went on, all I know is what happened to me." Harry said as he looked around at all his friends.
"Well when the alarm went off when we were all in the meeting, and Ron just told us to do what we were trained to do. So Ginny and I took the first and second years and began getting everyone in the castle to the secure places, the little ones did great and their year mates listened to them, which I think surprised them more than anything else." Luna said, as she looked at Ginny for her to continue the story,
"After everyone was secure we took the top in the group and headed to the front door to guard, only 3 Death Eaters were able to make it to the doors, but they didn't get into the castle, our young ones fought like champions today." Ginny said as she looked over at the group of first and second years that were sitting intermixed with everyone else. The whole group was congratulating them on a job well done.
"I'll go next," Draco said as everyone quieted down and gave Draco their full attention.
"Well as most people know, I took my group to the right side of the castle towards the lake, we fought about 20 Death Eaters that got through over there, including my father. I saw the hair and knew it was him, even though he had the mask on, so I went after him as my second took the group and went after the others. Basically after many taunts thrown at each other, my father fired the first curse; we kept fighting for what seemed forever before he tripped over something and lost his footing. I…I killed him when he went down, I didn't know what else to do, he would have killed me if given the chance, since you know…I didn't follow in his footsteps like I was suppose to…but now I get to live my own life with out fear, but its gonna take a long time for me to get his dying face out of my memory." As Draco finished Harry gave him a pat on the back, since he doubted that Draco would accept a hug.
"It's alright Draco, I'm here, we're all here to talk if you need to…anyone else…" Harry said as he looked around.
"I would like to go Harry," Neville said. Harry nodded his head and in a voice that sounded way to much adult for Neville he began his story,
"I came outside and sent everyone where they needed to go before I went into the field to look for casualties, as I was tending to Dean I saw a shadow coming up from behind me, I turned around at the last possible second to avoid being hit by the Cruciatus Curse, than I head that laugh, the laugh that hunts my nightmares, Bellatrix Lestrange was behind me. I casted a shield over Dean and went to fight. She kept throwing curses at me, and I dodged, just like you taught us Harry, and finally I saw my opening, something else had gotten her attention, and I fired it, the killing curse, although cruciatus was on the tip of my tongue. I wanted her to feel what she made my parents feel, but I am not as cruel as she is. After she was down I noticed what it was that made her look away, it was you Harry when you appeared out of nowhere and opened your eyes. After that I finished tending to everyone that I could find and healing what I could. I sent the last fighter, a member of the order I think, to the hospital wing right before I joined over here."
Neville said as he finished his tale of the battle, as everyone looked on they all could see the noticeable change in the boy, who was now a man, he was no longer that shy scared kid, but a strong and noble fighter.
"Thanks Neville, I am sorry that you needed to kill, but I am also glad that you were able to avenge your parents and Sirius, Thank you. Anyone else?" Harry asked as he looked around.
Many more members went, each telling their story of the battle and what happened, who they fought and how they did, as well as, what they saw…Slowly Harry began to piece together what was going on well he was mentally, than physically fighting.
Than it was Ron's turn to tell his story.
"I came out and fought, I watched over the DA, I watched everyone fight and helped out where I was needed until I was hit with a cutting curse and went down. I a kept fighting from where I was on the ground, but I'm not sure about what was going on, my vision kept going blurry and I was having a hard time keeping awake. Finally Neville managed to get over to me, and informed me that I had lost almost half my blood and that he was surprised that I was still concise, and I had a broken arm and leg. I'm still not very sure how that happened, but Neville being the great medic that he is fixed me up; although I can't walk and I crawled over hear before to join the group. I was to stupid to have anyone help me, which Hermione hit me over the head just before because I did it. So I'm sorry Harry if I let you down, I was doing the best I could."
Ron finished with tears in is eyes, this time Harry did turn and give his best friend a hug.
"It's ok Ron, you did more than I ever thought possible, and if your injuries were as bad as Neville told me, and I think that they were worse, I'm glad that Mione hit you, but I am also very happy that you are ok now. And besides you just got Hermione to date you, it would be a shame if something had happened." Harry said as he let go of his best friend and turned back to the group.
"Does anyone else want to go besides myself? Mione, do you want to go?" Harry asked.
"I just fought Harry, I joined who ever needed me, got a few bumps and cuts, but I will be fine," Hermione said as she ashore Harry with a hug, "I'm fine" she whispered into his ear.
"Well I guess it's my turn," Harry said as he took a deep breath.
"Well it all started in the hospital wing, I heard the alarm go off than I felt a great amount of pain in my head and my defenses fell. Than I continued to taunt the bastard, than with the help and encouragements from…umm…these voices, I was able to find the power that I needed, and it was thanks to you, thanks to everyone that believed in me, even when I doubted myself. Than some how, which I'm not even sure about yet, I ended up in the front of the castle, right in front of the bastard which threw him off more than me. When I opened my eyes, I could see the power in everything, it was like the whole world came alive, than I looked at the bastard, and I saw this little spot that was not black, I have no idea what that spot was, but that's where I aimed the killing curse. When he fell, I heard Hogwarts talking to me, she, she told me to walk over to him and call the Gryffindor Sword to me, which I did, than the sword just came into my head. Than I head a voice speaking in Parseltongue, telling me to sever the neck and what words to say, that's why I did what I did, than I just collapsed to the ground, were you see me now. So that's all, nothing too big, just did it." Harry said, as he finished he looked up; he had tears in the corner of his eyes.
His friends turned to him, and at once pilled on top of him. Laughter could be heard from under the pile of bodies,
"Alright, Alright get off me…." Harry shouted from the bottom as the rest of the DA sat by and watched, suddenly everyone was silent.
"Mr. Potter I believe that we have a few things to talk about." The Headmaster said from behind the group, he was followed by the rest of the staff and members of the Order.
"I believe that you heard all the information that you need to know Headmaster and I will inform you with any more information I get or find once I find it. For now I feel that we need to celebrate because, my group, my friends, oh yea and your students fought harder than anyone else that I saw including members of your own order. So we are off to have a big party, Fred, George your welcome to join since you are part of us, as for everyone else…and I guess that you all are invited as well since you did fight…." Harry said with a very very sarcastic tone to the adults, than he turned back to his friends and continued,
"Tonight we are going to be in the Great Hall, everyone, every member of this school, tonight we are celebraiting our freedom. Tonight our generation, the generation of war, of darkness, can finally live. Get everyone you can and join me in the Great Hall in a few minutes."
Everyone turned to leave; the adults stood opened mouth at the group before them.
"I feel that his has happened before Albus," Minerva said to her mentor.
"As do I, but for now I feel that Harry is right, tonight is the night of celebration in the entire wizarding world, I believe that I can already hear it starting from Hogsmeade. I shall deal with the students in the morning." Albus said to his staff and his order as he made his way into the castle behind Harry and his group.
"I feel that he has gone even crazier," Mrs. Weasley said to her husband and other Order members around her.
"But Harry is right Mum," Bill said with Charily nodding along, "they grew up in a different time than any of us, and with Harry being Harry, well they all grew up very fast, but still they're not kids anymore." Bill finished, than with Charily he headed up to the front of the group and tried to catch up with the twins.
Harry walked into the Great Hall and called Dobby to his side the moment he got in,
"What can Dobby do for the great Harry Potter, who has killed the snake-man?" the elves asked from a bow so low that his nose was touching the ground.
"I need you to set up a feast for everyone in the castle and more, we are celebrating Dobby." Harry said
"Right away Harry Potter, Dobby do that right away, all the other elves will be eager to help." Dobby said than popped away.
Moments later food began to appear, the students went crazy getting food and sitting down, talking with their friends and laughing. If anyone was to walk in on the scene, they would have sworn that it was just a normal party.
As Harry and his friends sat down at their table, the table that everyone in the DA was at, Draco leaned in and spoke in a hush voice to those around him,
"Should I go round up all my supplies and make this a great party?" he asked,
Ron eagerly nodded his head, and after a moment so did everyone else. With the OK, Draco went off to find as much alcohol as he could.
When Draco came back he made sure that everyone at the table, from fourth year up had a drink, and the other years had juice, he knocked onto his glass and a hush came over the table and soon over the whole hall.
Harry looked a Draco, and rolled his eyes before standing up,
"Well I guess I should say something, since Draco over here thinks I should, the only thing that I want to say is that tonight is for celebration, tomorrow we can deal with all the other bullshit, that goes for you Headmaster tomorrow we can deal with any questions that you might and will have, as for tonight…I do want to have a moment of silence for remembering what went on, and all those who we have lost in this war……..Now would everyone please raise their glasses in a toast to all those that we have lost."
Glasses clinking was not the only thing being heard, all throughout the hall people could also be heard say the names of lost ones, even at his own table, with is own friends, there were people to remember.