Chaper 6: A New Headmistress for Hogwarts

Author's Note Millions of thanks to my original beta reader, who helped me tremendously, and to my new beta reader, whose gentle criticism and enthusiasm inspire me to do better. I appreciate the comments and support of everyone who took the time to read and review my story. Your generosity and kindness are amazing!

Disclaimer: The characters you recognize belong to the brilliant J. K. Rowling; I owe her an immeasurable debt of gratitude for her creation, a new kind of Camelot.

Chapter Six: A New Headmistress for Hogwarts

The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Hogsmeade, Scotland.

The evening meal was just ending in the Great Hall as Madam Granger-Weasley and Chairman Malfoy walked up the long aisle towards the teacher's table at the far end of the huge room. Malfoy detoured to speak to Harry Potter, the Defense Against the Dark Arts instructor, before taking his seat at the right of the place of honor, the throne-like chair reserved for the Headmistress. Hermione stood near her own place, at the left hand of the Headmistress's chair. She drew in a deep breath and then raised her wand to her throat, murmuringSonorous under her breath. When she spoke, her voice, magically amplified by the wand and the spell, reached every corner of the Great Hall.

"Good evening. I would like your attention, please."

She looked around the room, waiting for silence, which the students and teachers respectfully accorded her. No official announcements had been made, but everyone was aware that something out of the ordinary had occurred at Hogwarts this day, and everyone wanted to know what it was.

She glanced to her right, to see Draco nodding at her to continue, and then nervously looked at Harry Potter, her brother-in-law and her best friend since her own first year at Hogwarts. She had already seen that neither her children nor Harry's were in the Great Hall, but when she glanced at Harry, eyebrow raised in inquiry, he mouthed "Tell you afterward, they're okay though." She nodded her head and turned her attention back to the Great Hall.

"It's my unhappy duty to inform you that our beloved Headmistress, Minerva McGonagall, passed away this morning in her office here at the school. Her loss is sincerely mourned at Hogwarts and throughout the British wizarding community, as well as the entire greater magical community. It is a very sad day for all of us. I need to inform you that all evening activities have been cancelled and your teachers have agreed to be available in their offices or classrooms until 9:30 this evening, if any of you feel the need to seek counsel. Madam Bones will also be on duty in the Infirmary, if needed. And now..." Hermione was finding it difficult to draw breath for a moment, and her wand amplified the quaver in her voice. "And now... if you would all stand and pay tribute to dear Professor McGonagall with a moment of silence... and then you may dismiss to your common rooms."

The huge room was filled with the rustling of robes and the shuffling of feet as the students and staff all got to their feet. Looking out across the Great Hall, Hermione caught her breath as she saw the number of tear-stained faces, heard the sniffles and the out-and-out weeping. She watched with her heart in her throat and tears streaming down her own face as students turned to comfort students, and teachers reached out to other teachers and staff. At the end of a minute, she said softly, "You are dismissed," and continued to stand, transfixed, as the students and staff filed out of the Great Hall. She lowered her wand and murmured Finite Incantatem to end the spell which amplified her voice, then she sank into her chair, tears continuing to fall.

A moment later, she felt herself enveloped in strong, warm arms as Harry knelt beside her and hugged her tight.

"'Mione, oh, 'Mione, what will we do without her?"

Harry wept unashamed for his teacher, mentor, colleague and friend, and Hermione wept with him.

Through her tears, she murmured, "We'll be strong for the students and miss her fiercely when they're out of sight, Harry. You know we can't let her down. She'd hex us into next week."

Sniffling, laughing, wiping his eyes, Harry drew back, nodding his head. "You're right; it's what she'll expect of us."

He drew a clean handkerchief out of his pocket, and a second one for Hermione, and they both mopped up their faces and tidied their hair. Harry drew up a chair and took Hermione's hands in both of his.

"How are you holding up?" he asked, looking at her closely. "And I want the truth, not a lot of rubbish about how I'll-be-just-fine-so-don't-worry-Harry."

"But I will be just fine, and you don't need to worry, Harry. I had a good cry with Kingsley and another bit of weeping with Draco just now in my office. I'll have a good cry tonight and another with Ron tomorrow when he gets here. I should be all cried out and quite composed by Friday."

"Eh, what's Friday then?"

"Visitation...that's a horrid word, isn't it? ... at the Ministry, noon till eight in the evening. Memorial Services here on Saturday, out by the lake, if the weather permits it."

"And after that, life goes on, just like that?"

"Minerva'd never forgive us if we let this keep us from doing our duty, Harry."

"Eh, I know, I know. And in my head, I agree with her... but my other parts haven't figured it out yet, you know?"

Hermione sniffled and wiped her nose again. "Yes, I do know. I've been telling myself that all afternoon. It's really not quite real yet, actually. But Minerva expects us to cope, and I'll not let her down."

"Never." He smiled at Hermione, marveling that she had found the strength to hold everything together so far, giving comfort to everyone by her very presence.

"Where are the children?"

"James and Albus got permission from Neville to have Hugo bunk in their room tonight; Rose and Lily were both really upset earlier when classes ended and they realized they couldn't run up and kiss Granny Min goodnight. Ginny came up from Hogsmeade and took them both back to our place. She was expecting Arthur and Molly and some of the rest of the family there tonight. "

Before she could ask, he added, "I checked on the boys before I came down for supper, and they were all three fine."

She nodded her head, grateful for the web of family love and support that enabled them all to take care of what needed to be done while still ensuring that their children also felt loved and cared for.

"'Mione, have you eaten?"

Harry's anxious voice drew her back from her musing, and she nodded her head, smiling a little bit. "Kingsley fed me a lovely tea at the Ministry, and just now when I was talking to Draco before we came down to the Hall, I had a cup of tea. I knew I would be missing dinner, not that I feel much like eating anyway. You?"

"I ate...can't say I remember what, or what anything tasted like. But I ate."

She nodded her head, and they both fell silent for a moment. Weariness washed over Hermione, but she could not stop thinking of the things she still planned to do, and it must have shown on her face because Harry rested his hand on her shoulder and waggled an admonitory finger in front of her nose.

"No, no, no. I hear the wheels turning in your head; stop that right now. If you look, you can see that Draco Malfoy is wearing his best 'Chairman-of-the-Board-of-Governors' hat and talking to all four Heads of House and Madam Bones. He's a decent sort these days; he'll come and tell you if there is anything that needs your attention tonight. You don't need to check on the boys, Neville checked them shortly after I did. He came to supper later than me. He said James is already sleeping, and Albus and Hugo were sort of playing chess and talking. The age they are, if their mum or auntie stops in to check on them now, they shall be embarrassed. I've been told off to escort you to our place; that's probably where Ron will go first. You can wait for him there, have a bit of tea and supper and check on the girls, all in one trip, which is efficient. And we have plenty of spare rooms, if you wind up too tired to come back to the school tonight."

He looked at her and smiled his crooked grin, and she chuckled at how neatly he had planned the rest of her evening for her. It was a tribute to their long years of friendship that what he planned for her was exactly what she needed.

"Alright, then, I'll get my cloak."

"Correction, I will get your cloak, you will stay here and rest."

"Alright, but I shall fall asleep right here in this chair if you take too long."

"You won't even realize I've been gone," he promised, and made his way purposefully out of the Hall. She saw him stop to speak to Draco on his way out, but the day was catching up to her; she laid her head back against the back of the chair and was almost instantly asleep.

Prompt Information

This story was written for the Potter Place Deathly Hallows Challenge.

I used prompts 6 and 8 but modified them.

The original prompts:

6. The kids leave after Snape dies. He sits up and realizes he is a ghost.

8. As Hermione, Ron, and Harry watch Snape die, Hermione is devastated because she has been secretly in love with him. Waiting until after the war is won, Hermione gets her Time Turner and goes back a year. She confronts Snape and tells him what will happen. They take the year to come up with a potion that will react once the Dark Lord and the gang leave the Shrieking Shack. Since Hermione cannot be seen by her other self, she must stay with Snape in the dungeons until the day of the battle. I think it would be kind of cool is she were to fight during the battle as herself and her time turner self.)

My modifications: The story is written about a portrait and not a ghost. I only borrowed Hermione being in love with Severus from prompt 8.