Harry's Future

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

The last week of school at Hogwarts was a bit of a mixed bag. First through fourth and sixth years were taking exams while the fifth and sevenths were allowed to decompress after their week of testing for their OWLs and NEWTs. Harry got a partial break since he still had to administer the exam for his two sessions of first years but otherwise he was free to sleep in or go broom riding with Ginny or just hang out on the lawn and soak up the June sunshine. Since first year Defense Against the Dark Arts was primarily a theory course, he and Bill had put together an extensive exam in three parts. The first was to identify creatures commonly associated with the arts from pictures numbered and hung about the classroom. The second was a multiple choice format that had the students identifying curses based on a written description. The last was an essay asking the students to give their thoughts and opinions on the role of the Dark Arts in Magical history. While this may have seemed like a cross over into Professor Binn's History of Magic class Harry had spent a fair amount of time discussing what impact the Dark Arts had on Magical society down through the centuries. 

He fully expected the students to do very well on the first section, since as part of his review that had started a month before he devised a game of sorts. The pictures were posted about the classroom and then Harry turned out all the lights. He would then use his wand to light up a particular picture and students would then shout out what the creature was. They enjoyed this enormously and by the time the exam rolled around everyone in the class could identify even the most obscure creature. 

And then it was done. After nearly eight long years, his education at Hogwarts was completed, including as Professor McGonagall had put it a year ago, his year of extensive research in the field. He knew he was going to miss Hogwarts tremendously and he was sorely tempted to take the Headmistress up on her offer to stay on, but he knew he had other work to do just now. 

So it was on the night of the last dinner he would ever have as a student at Hogwarts he walked into the Great Hall with Ginny and Hermione with a mixture of sadness and joy, leavened with a healthy dose of satisfaction for a job well done. The Hall was filled with light and the ceiling reflected the dim glow of the setting sun outside. 

He looked up to see all the faculty seated at the table on the raised dais, wondering if indeed he would one day sit up there himself. Bill Weasley caught his eye and gave him a wink and raised his goblet in a silent salute. Professor McGonagall stood up and signaled for silence. 

"One and all, thank you for bringing us to the successful close of a great year. One might say the first year of a new era. Please enjoy your meal but remain when you are done for we have some announcements to close the evening." 

The dinner that appeared was every bit as sumptuous as the welcoming feast and Harry recognized so many favorites he didn't know where to begin. The conversation that filled the room was lighthearted and often punctuated with laughter. Harry had to smile because too often in the past the final dinner had been a somber affair. As he was polishing off his second helping of dessert the Headmistress came to stand behind the podium and gaveled for quiet. 

"Let me start by saying that was a very fine meal and my thanks to the kitchen staff for providing it to us." 

This prompted a round of applause. Hermione said, 

"That's the first time I've ever heard anyone even mention the 'staff' down in the kitchen. Maybe there's hope after all." 

"I am pleased to announce that for the first time in a number of years we will have the benefit of a returning Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. Professor Weasley has agreed to return next year to continue his fine work."