Chapter 12 - Remembering the War
Harry, Ron and Hermione stood at the side of the Sixth Year Defense Against the Dark Arts class, while Remus stood in front of the class starting the lesson.
“Wands away. Class, today we are going to have a different lesson. You all have spent a great deal of time studying and learn spells of defense. But I also believe that the best way for us to prepare for the future is to learn from our past.” Remus began to which the class groaned.
“Don’t worry. I’m not giving you some History of Magic lesson from the long distant past. You’ll be learning about our more recent past. Many of the events you’ll hear about took place on these very grounds. And the best way for you to learn about these events, is to hear it from those that were actually involved.”
“So I’ve invited three of my friends to give you a first hand account about the Golden Trio.” Remus smiled as he turned and nodded for his guest to join him in front of the class, “I’d like to introduce Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger-Weasley and Harry Potter.”
The trio smiled to the class and Remus conjured up four stools for them to sit on.
“For the first part of today’s class, I’ll be asking our guest questions relating to their time here at Hogwarts up through the Battle of Hogwarts. Following there will be a short time for you to write out questions to be asked. Then near the end of the class time, Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley will be demonstrating some dueling techniques.”
“First off, just for background information, how did you all meet and become friends?” Remus asked.
“Ron and I met at the entrance to platform 9 3/4. I was raised in the Muggle world and had only just learned of wizards and witches, and that I was one. Ron’s family showed me how to get on the platform. Then we were in the same compartment on the Hogwarts train.” Harry started glad that Remus was using this format. It was much more relaxing when he felt like he was talking to a friend.
“I met Ron and Harry on the train, as well. I was helping Assistant Professor Longbottom look for his toad, Trevor. But I didn’t really become friends with them until Halloween.” Hermione stated. “At the time, many of the Professors were guarding a valuable stone, that Voldermort, with the help of the defense teacher at the time, Professor Quirrell, was trying to obtain. Professor Quirrell had set a troll loose in the school, and Harry and Ron saved me from it.”
“How did you defeat Professor Quirrell?” Remus asked.
“We learned that he had learned how to get past Fluffy, Professor Hagrid’s three headed dog.” Ron started, “So using Harry’s invisibility cloak, we set off to stop him. Even after Fluffy, the Professors’ set up some amazing obstacles. Luckily with Hermione’s knowledge and logic, Harry’s amazing flying skills . . . ”
“Not to mention, Ron’s amazing chess skills.” Hermione praised and Ron blushed a little.
“With Hermione and Ron’s help, I entered the inner chamber and retrieved the stone. Then Headmaster Dumbledore arrived and helped save me from Professor Quirrell and Voldermort.” Harry concluded.
“Then your second year, the Chamber of Secrets was open, what was the creature from the chamber, and why were so many lucky enough to be petrified and not killed?” Remus asked.
“The creature that was in the chamber was a basalisk. If you looked into its eyes, it would kill you. The people that were petrified saw its eyes through a reflection. Penelope saw it though Nearly Headless Nick, Mrs. Norris saw it through the reflection in water, and Hermione saw it through the reflection of a mirror.” Ron stated.
“Hermione actually figured out what we were dealing with, that is why she was carrying a hand mirror around. When Ginny Weasley was taken, Ron and I figured out how to rescue her. Voldermort was behind it. I defeated the basalisk with the Sword of Griffindor.” Harry concluded.
“Third year is when you learned that Sirius Black had been falsely convicted of betraying your parents and that Peter Pettigrew was still alive.” Remus stated.
“Yes.” Harry confirmed.
“Fourth year was the Triwizard Tournament? Harry how did you become involved in that, even though you were underage?” Remus asked.
“Barty Crouch, jr. had kidnapped ex-Auror Alistar Moody and was using polyjuice to assume his identity under Voldermort’s orders. He put my name in the cup.” Harry stated.
“Most of the tasks required knowledge that was beyond our level, so Hermione started studying up on every spell Harry might need to win, or merely survive.” Ron stated. “Hermione and I helped Harry learn the spells he would need.”
“During the final task, the cup ended up being a port key to Voldermort. Cedric and
I were transported, and Peter killed Cedric on Voldermort’s orders. A ritual was then performed to bring Voldermort back to human again. We dueled and due to the fact that we had the same cores are wands connected. This helped me to be able to escape with Cedric’s body.” Harry stated.
“Fifth year, what was the purpose of forming the DA?”
“That was Hermione’s brilliant idea.” Ron praised.
“The Ministry was still denying Voldermort’s return, and with the great help of Deloris Umbridge, we were not learning anything to help us in defense at all. So, considering that Harry had some experience with more advanced magic then the rest of us, we formed the DA, Dumbledore’s Army, in an effort to teach ourselves.” Hermione offered.
“Sixth year is when you first started really studying about how to defeat Voldermort?” Remus asked.
“Yes, Professor Dumbledore and I started to meet to research Tom Riddle’s past.” Harry answered. “We had just returned from a fact-finding mission, when Hogwarts was attacked by Death Eaters. Ron, Hermione, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood, Bill Weasley, Nymphadora Tonks-Lupin and you, Professor, participated in that battle. Professor Dumbledore died that night as well, but it wasn’t until later that I learned that he had asked Professor Snape to commit the act, because he was dying anyway.”
“And you did not return for seventh year.” Remus offered.
“Correct, actually Hermione would not have been able to return due Voldermort taking over the Ministry and the fact that she is muggle born. We were searching for the means to defeat Voldermort.” Ron offered.
“That is were you learned of the Elder Wand?” Remus asked.
“Yes, because of Professor Snape’s part in Professor Dumbledore’s death, Voldermort believed that Professor Snape possessed it, so he murdered him. But actually, Draco Malfoy had disarmed Professor Dumbledore before his death, and I had disarmed Draco.” Harry replied. “So the wand was loyal to me.”
“What was the final battle like?”
“Horrible, I remember when Fred Weasley was killed. One minute he was standing next to Percy Weasley, Ron, Harry and me, and the next a wall collapsed and he was dead.” Hermione said tearing up. “That was very hard. We still had tasks to accomplish to defeat Voldermort, but refocusing at such a loss of a loved one was difficult.”
“Hermione helped to keep me from getting myself killed, because I was so upset. And then fighting the Death Eaters, who were far more advanced then us was a real challenge. Many times it was three of us against one of them.” Ron reflected.
“When we thought Harry had died, it was horrible. But we kept fighting. We were not going to give up our freedom.” Hermione stated.
“Then we saw that Harry was alive. Hope. That is the greatest hope I’ve ever experienced.” Ron finished.
“Many people that we knew and loved lost their lives so that we could defeat Voldermort. Not just that night, but all through both wars.” Harry started. “Like Professors Dumbledore and Snape . . . ”
“Fred Weasley and Colin Creevy . . . ” Hermione added.
“Sirius Black and Ted Tonks . . . ” Ron added.
“Cedric Diggory and a free elf named Dobby . . . ” Harry added.
“And James and Lily Potter.” Remus concluded. “Now, I’m going give you each five minutes to write out a question for our guests. I’ll give the questions to them, and allow them to choose which questions to answer.”
“You guys have done very well.” Remus said quietly as the class wrote out their questions. He then collected the questions and handed them to Harry. Harry divided the questions among the three of them and they each quickly looked at questions, to decided which ones to answer.
“I guess I’ll start, ‘What was the hardest thing to deal with over the course of your battles?’” Harry read, “For me it was the pressure. All the expectation that was on me to do something that I really wasn’t sure I was capable of.”
“For me it would have been anytime we were fighting amongst ourselves. We always were at our best when we were together, so if I was fighting with Ron or Harry, or Ron and Harry were fighting that was very hard.” Hermione stated.
“I had a hard time with my own self-esteem issues. When you’re the youngest boy in my family, and my siblings, have accomplished so much. Also my best friends were the brightest witch of our age, and the Boy Who Lived. It was a lot for me to deal with.” Ron answered.
“Okay, ‘did you ever experience the effects of an unforgivable curse?’” Hermione read. “Yes, during what would have been seventh year, we were captured, and Bellatrix LeStrange performed the Cruciatus curse on me. It’s excruciatingly painful.”
“I’ve been subjected to all three curses several times. I learned fairly early how to fight off the Imperius curse, and due to love, which is truly the ultimate weapon, I survived the Killing curse.” Harry replied.
“I luckily have not.” Ron stated then read, “‘What is the shape does your potronus take?’Jack Russel terrier.”
“An otter.”
“A stag.” Harry answered then read, “‘Many of us admire you, who is it that you look up to?’ There are many people really, I admire my parents for who they were and the ultimate love they showed me. I admired Professors for all they did to protect the students. Especially, Professors Dumbledore and Snape. And I admire Professor Lupin, for all that he has lost in his life, he has gone on and lived his life, and now he has an amazing life.”
“Thank you.” Remus said humbled. “Ron.”
Ron just rolled his eyes at Harry, “I actually admire my parents, Arthur and Molly Weasley. We have never had a lot, but we had a happy life, and that is due to them. I don’t always agree with them, but I do know that they love me. I hope that one day, although I hope we are more financially sound, that my own future children will have a happy childhood, and know that their mother and I love them.” Ron stated earning a smile from Hermione.
“Don’t laugh.” Hermione said pointing to Remus and Harry, and they gave her a questioning look. “The person I most admire is Professor Mogonagall.” And Remus and Harry both cracked up. “No, they don’t think it’s funny that I admire the Headmistress. They are recalling my final from third year. Professor Lupin was the defense teacher at the time, and the final part of the exam was facing a boggart. Well mine was Professor Mogonagall telling me I had failed all my exams. Anyway, I admire her talent, her intelligence, her heart, and the accomplishments she has achieved.”
They finished up by answering several more questions before, Harry and Ron demonstrating dueling for the class. They felt relieved that it was over, until Remus reminded them that there were still several more classes left. Then the nerves hit again.
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