Suddenly, she woke up. Ben was poking at her, laughing, with Alex at his side. She barely opened her eyes. Nobody noticed. Ben's reddish brown hair had streaks of grey in it. Alex had huge dark circles under his eyes. Laurel opened her eyes all the way and tried to sit up. She was too tired and fell back.
"Where's Lottie?" asked Laurel.
Ben looked down with an ashamed look on his face. His eyes looked worried and disappointed.
"Laur, she's gone." Laurel gasped and screamed out "No!"
Madame Burnell came running to Laurel's side. After a bit of explaining what had happened, Madame Burnell chose to explain what had happened to dear Charlotte Hare.
"My dear, she's most definitely alive," explained Madame Burnell. "The spell that was cast on Charlotte Hare ruined her immune system forever. Even if she did have the strength to wake up, she'd get sick from everything. She's gone, darling. We're just going to not feed her for a bit, let her body die on its own. Her systems aren't even functioning properly. No magic or Muggle surjry could save Lottie now."
Laurel felt tears roll down her face. Ben grabbed her hand. "We lost too many, Laur. We lost Emma, Grace, Lottie, Easton, and Joseph. Oliver's been put in Azkaban."
"But that's in Britain!" exclaimed Laurel.
"Yes, but we have Portkeys to take them there. Professor Brentley went with him, as did Sir Pontius Trumble. He was such a nice young man. Threw his life away to be with that dang He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named." Madame Burnell shrugged. "There's no going back now. He killed... he killed..." Her voice trailed off.
"Who?" asked Alex, sudden curiosity had struck up in him.
"Jane McLaggen, Alfie Darren, Melvin Winthrop, Violetta Mishkin, and Honora Burnell. Tius didn't kill her directly. It was his orders." Madame Burnell's tears fell onto her lap.
"I'm so sorry," said Laurel, her voice barely audible. She too was crying. She had lost so many people just then, due to Lord Voldemort.
"It's all right. Harry Potter's in town. Killed the last Horcrux, he did," Madame Burnell announced. Laurel looked puzzled. "You, m'dear."
"How?"
"Draught of the Living Death. That's the potion I gave you."
Laurel's eyes widened in shock. Madam Jillens poked her head in through the curtain where all four of them were. "Bertha, Hugo's requesting all students well enough to get into the Great Hall to be there in fifteen minutes."
Madame Burnell motioned for them to go. Laurel's legs were wobbly, so she had to drape her arms around Alex and Ben's necks to stay upright. They walked down the stairs to the Great Hall.
Laurel almost fell over. The sight of the beautiful, grand Great Hall was awful. There were huge cracks in the ground and walls and tables and benches were thrown aside. Blood was spilled on the ground. There was red hair sticking to some places. Laurel instantly thought of Grace True's death. She hadn't really liked Grace, but it didn't seem real that she was gone. How could Emma and Lottie and so many more could have left her? Tears rolled down her face.
Where the teachers' dining table would have been was destroyed metal. Professor Brentley stood there with Professors Eskel and Effemy. Effemy had humongous wet drops falling off her face and Eskel held Effemy in his arms. Professor Brentley smiled sweetly at the crowd.
"Hullo students," said Professor Brentley as he killed his throat. "I apologize for what happened last night. Little did we know that our own Junior Professor Pontius Trumble and Headmaster Ebenezer Craddock were Death Eaters.
"I hope that all of you that lost loved ones do not have much too deep sorrow. I know so many have lost people, but be happy that you are alive. Last night, Harry Potter arrived and destroyed the final Horcrux: Laurel Hare." People's eyes moved to meet Laurel's as she put her head down. Hugo Brentley continued his speech. "Anyways, you will go home with your families. If you made plans to stay for Christmas or to go to a friend's home, please change your plans so you can go home. I apologize for the inconvenience.
"As acting headmaster, it being that Headmaster Craddock was killed and Headmistress Kendall was also killed, I have decided that Strawgoh may not be reopened for at least fifteen years. All of the protective charms around this school have been destroyed and it is pretty ruined. We will have to demolish the school and make it all over again, with a new location. If anybody has anyway to persuade the goblins, please tell us. This school stands the way it is because it is partially goblin made.
"Thank you for dealing with all of this. I hope you will be able to continue your studies at home. Again, I apologize for everything that happened. Headmaster Craddock always seemed so amazing to me. I guess my judgement wasn't as good as I thought it was. And dear young Tius always seemed so charming. I am so sorry."
The room was filled with clapping and crying kids. Many of the first, second, and third years were gone. Apparently, they had died or become very sick. Maddie walked into the room with puffy eyes and messy hair. Alex ran up to see her.
"Maddie!" Laurel screamed as she saw her pretty friend with golden eyes trudge into the room.
Maddie's parents, Lennora and Cedric, and her two sisters, Aradina and Trixibelle, followed Maddie. Lennora was calming the upset newborn Aradina and little Trixibelle toddled behind her. Cedric's face was wet as well.
"Laur, I'm so sorry. It's my grandfather's fault. I mean, we lost so many thanks to him," Maddie cried. She fell into Laurel's shoulder. "I-I-I didn't want this to happen!"
Ben tried to sooth the sobbing young girl. "It'll be alright, Mads. Seriously. It's not your fault you have bad blood running through your veins. Sometimes people make trashy decisions." Maddie sobbed harder.
Cedric, Lennora, Trixibelle, and Aradina followed Maddie. Trixie and Aradina didn't know what was going on, but Lennora and Cedric came to fix Maddie's broken heart.
"You did those things for good, darling," Lennora said, rubbing her sad daughter's back. "Your grandfather was a nice man with potential who made a bad decision. We can't hold you accountable for that decision, Madella. It is simply not your fault that he got his punishment: a life taken from him. Besides, if he had lived, he would have a much worse time in Azkaban. Don't be ridiculous, dearie. Be glad that Hugo Brentley swooped in and said the Killing Curse."
Maddie's golden brown eyes filled with tears once again. "But the professor didn't kill Grandfather. I did."
Cedric gasped. "Madella, no! How? How could you?"
Maddie sobbed harder. "I didn't know what else to do, Dad. I just did what I had to. I just didn't know. Mom!"
Lennora's eyes were dry. "Cedric," she said calmly, "I knew. I knew that your father was a Death Eater. I saw his Dark Mark once. He threatened to put me under the Cruciatus Curse if I told you or anybody else. And I wanted to put the Killing Curse on him so badly. I didn't have the guts to do what Madella did. I am proud of her for putting the Dark Lord's followers in their rightful place. You can't judge her because she killed your father. Your father was not the best person in the world. You need to realize that, Ceddy."
Cedric had pulled out his wand. "You know what, Lenny?" He rolled up his left sleeve to show a snake coming out of a skull. It was fading rapidly. "Ask Madella to kill me, too. Since she's such a good Dark wizard catcher. Maybe she'll be an Auror. Want to lock up your own daddy, Mads?"
Maddie pulled out her wand and shouted "Stupefy!" before she knew what she was doing. Lennora's eyes were wide. "I'm sorry, Mom. He's just... he's just like Grandfather."
"Madella!" Hugo Brentley said, running over to what had happened. He lifted up his left sleeve. "Well, I guess being a Death Eater runs in the family." Brentley shrugged. "He won't die, girls. While he's out, we'll get a Portkey to Azkaban. They'll question him there. Professor Caldwell will be attending with him, right, Jimmy?"
Professor Caldwell nodded. "Cedric always seemed like a strange boy who was very, very interested in the Dark Arts. At least we know why. I am sorry, Lennora, for your poor taste in men. At least Laurel's mother here knew to dump a bad person when she met one."
Laurel laughed, but seeing the serious looks on Maddie's family's face and Ben and Alex's faces as well.
"Ennerverate!" shouted Professor Brentley. "I need to ask a question about Laurel's parents death before he leaves to Azkaban." Cedric awoke. He looked around. Professor Eskel and Effemy rushed to Brentley's side. "Get me the strongest truth potion possible, Rupert."
Professor Eskel shouted "Accio Veritaserum." A small bottle with a bubbling liquid inside flew into Eskel's hand. Professor Eskel handed Brentley the bottle. Brentley poured the liquid into Maddie's father's mouth.
"Is your name Cedric Craddock?" asked Professor Brentley.
"Yes," Cedric replied.
"Who killed Della and Barry Hare?" asked the professor once against. Cedric looked up at the teacher.
"Me. I'm proud!" giggled Cedric, who was most definitely suffering from a strange side effect of Veritaserum.
"We're finished. Jimmy, the Portkey should be ready. Take this idiot to Azkaban. I never want to see him again," finished the teacher. "Miss Hare, come with me. We need to speak."