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WHEN ATHENA MADE IT into the great hall for the end of year feast, she was greeted with an abundance of emerald decorations. Slytherin had soared ahead and were now in the lead for points by quite a way. She cast her view towards the point display and saw that there were a pitiful amount of rubies in comparison to the other jewels.
Turning her attention towards the teachers table, she spotted Snape looking very smug at the turn of events which made her even more annoyed. She took her seat between Snape and Aurora and didn't say a word to either of them as her sister was already animatedly taking to Professor McGonagall.
The students were piling in and Athena was hoping that Madame Pomfrey was going to let Harry attend the feast. He seemed to be making a good recovery however the matron hadn't wanted to take any chances. Therefore she wasn't surprised to see Hermione and Ron also looking hopefully at the doors.
By the time everyone was seated, Athena began to presume that he wasn't going to make it however a second later all of the talking in the hall died out and heads turned. Whispers started and Athena looked up to see Harry looking small and anxious walking into the hall.
She smiled in relief as he found his seat between Ron and Hermione. The whispers were still evident, everyone knew that something had happened, it had spread across the school like wildfire. For once Athena was glad to hear Dumbledore talk because it took the attention off Harry.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth 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 three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy- two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Athena was agitated to her a snide remark from Snape beside her. She took to ignoring him. Cheers broke out from the Slytherin table and the other houses clapped politely.
"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. Athena had a feeling she already knew what was going to happen. Although she didn't enjoy seeing a Slytherin victory mainly because of Snape, she didn't think it fair to snatch this prize from under their noses. They were only children after all.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore to distract from the chatter that had broken out "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes..."
Everyone in the hall was holding their breaths. Snape was muttering something that no one could hear and she suspected that he too knew what was happening.
"First — to Mr Ronald Weasley...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!"
Athena forgot her annoyance at Dumbledore's obvious favouritism as she saw the joyous reactions of the Gryffindor's and Ron's obvious pride.
At last there was silence again.
"Second — 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; Athena strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up. Yet again, Athena let out a cheer mainly to annoy Snape who was now very pointedly looking at the ceiling.
"Third — to Mr Harry Potter..." continued Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet "for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points." The eruption 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.
They had tied for the house cup — if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.
Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
Athena looked to him in surprise. She had believed that Harry would be the final award, after all he was evidently a favourite of Dumbledore. Yet it seemed the head master wasn't finished just yet.
"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, and Hermione 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. Athena thought that she might cry as she clapped her hand over her mouth. Aurora was shaking her arm happily and calling something that she couldn't hear.
Athena was so happy she could burst, never had she felt so much pride. She was beginning to think that this was the best thing that Dumbledore had ever done. Neville was buried under cheers and excitement and she knew that he'd be feeling better than ever in this moment.
"Which means, Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating 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 Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place.
Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. Athena laughed in glee. She felt rather bad for the Slytherins who were obviously very angered at this development however Athena's inner Gryffindor was cheering. She'd always supported Gryffindor, the house of her friends.
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Athena packed her bags slowly as though she didn't want to leave. The school was calling her to stay and she wished that she could. Usually she'd be excited to go home, she didn't know what had changed but she was aware that something had.
The jubilation of Gryffindor's win hadn't yet worn off. It didn't matter than they hadn't won the quidditch cup, the victory against Slytherin had been all the house needed.
Harry hadn't stopped smiling since. He, Hermione, Ron and Neville had been considered somewhat heroes by the lions. Athena hadn't seen Neville so happy since he was younger, he was finally being appreciated by those around him and she could tell that he was slowly becoming more confident.
Athena hoped that this would continue throughout his time at Hogwarts, she was sure that he had enjoyed his first year. She knew how happy Alice and Lily would have been to know that Neville and Harry were good friends, this made her more content than Athena could believe.
Maybe this was why she didn't want to leave, Hogwarts had given her more comfort this year than ever and now dragging herself away felt cold and cruel. She wished she could have taken Harry with her, that he could have stayed with her over the summer and would have been able to see his friends.
Now he'd be stuck in that dismal muggle house for two months and Athena couldn't stand the thought. She'd only just gotten him back and now it felt like she was losing him again, she knew it wasn't forever. For now that would be enough.
Students were placing their bags into carriages when Athena made her way out of the school. She'd be travelling home via apparition however she wanted to say goodbye to everyone first.
She found Harry on Hogsmede stations platform talking to Hagrid. She walked over to Neville, Ron and Hermione who were standing nearby.
"I trust that you'll all have a good summer" she smiled,
"Eh I don't know, can't be bothered to hear Ginny bang on about Harry and Hogwarts" Ron shrugged.
"I'll be going to France!" Hermione beamed,
"Ooh that sounds lovely" Athena gasped, "I went to France once, one of the best holidays I've ever had"
"I'll be seeing you soon Rena" Neville pointed out, "this isn't really bye for me"
"It isn't bye for any of us!" Athena pointed out, "because it's only a couple of months until you're back, hopefully for a more normal year of school"
"Is Hogwarts ever normal?" Hermione asked,
"I suppose not" Athena laughed.
A second later, Harry came darting over with a large book in his hands,
"What you got?" Athena asked,
"Hagrid made me a photo album with pictures of my parents" Harry beamed as he held it up to show her.
"Oh what a lovely gift" she gasped, "now I know why he asked me for photos"
She started flicking through it, recognising some of her own and seeing her face littering a few of the pages.
She paused towards the middle of the book when she spotted a photo she hadn't seen in years. Lily and James wedding. They were standing at the front looking radiant. Sirius and Kennedy close by.
However her eyes had fallen on the very obvious couple on the left. Athena looked up to Harry who was staring at her almost knowingly. Hermione, Neville and Ron were saying goodbye to Seamus and Dean which Athena was glad for because she felt tears prick in her eyes.
"You looked happy" Harry smiled. Athena looked back to the photo. Remus' arm was around her. She was staring at the camera but he was just looking at her with nothing short of love in his eyes,
"I was" Athena nodded,
"Did you love him?" Harry asked,
"Yeah" Athena murmured, "yeah I did"
"I'm sorry" Harry frowned, "I shouldn't have asked that, I understand it's none of my business"
"It's ok" Athena sighed as she closed the book, "it was a long time ago, the book is beautiful Harry I'm glad you have so many memories to look at"
"You can borrow it anytime" Harry grinned in response,
"Thank you, I'll write to you over summer, ok?"
"Good" Harry replied. They stood for a moment before Harry rushed forwards and hugged her tightly, "I'm going to miss you"
"I'll miss you too Harry" she sighed as she bent down slightly to hug him back, "but it won't be long until I can see you again"
"Bye Rena!" Hermione, Ron and Neville called as they boarded the train. Athena waved enthusiastically, blinking tears out of her eyes. Harry picked up his bag and gave her one last smile before he followed them on board.
"Goodbye!" Athena called. Catching a last glimpse of the group before they disappeared. Two months felt like an awfully long time, summer had never felt so unwelcoming before and home had never felt less like home.
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A/n
Words - 1928
Published - 1st May
That's act one done !