Lucy Potter: Harry's little sister

Chapter 26: Power of Friendship

Lucy's POV:

The feast that evening was amazing, to say the least. Of course, all feasts at Hogwarts were great, with extra delicious food, beautiful decorations and all, but this was different.

This feast felt like a huge relief from all the stress, smelled like the end of dark times (which it was) and it tasted like hope. And everyone was celebrating together that their friends and family were back.

For the first time since I came to Hogwarts, I saw real interhouse unity. Everyone (ex- cept some people of course) was happy.

I felt content and for the first time in a very long time, it felt like a lifetime, I wasn't really worried about anything. I went to the Great Hall with my best friends: Vanessa, Ginny and Liliana. When I got there, I was beyond happy to see Hermione as well.

We all sat together: Harry, Hermione, Liliana, Vanessa, the Weasleys and I. Many people looked at us all, but I didn't really care at this moment.

You might ask how I got here, to the feast, after I got hit with the Cruciatus Curse only a few hours ago? Simple: I snuck out. I knew Poppy knew where I would be, but I'd slept a bit already. I was feeling a little better, I think.

Besides, I was gonna go back in two hours and I would rest as long as Poppy wanted me to. If she'd insist, I would stay until next full moon. I just couldn't miss the whole feast!

I'd always felt closest to Vanessa and in a way, this hadn't changed and maybe never would. However, in the time Vanessa had been petrified and Ginny hadn't really been herself, I'd found great comfort in Liliana too. A comfort I hadn't thought would come from her before, to be honest. And though I have no idea how, I think I did the same for her.

Because of this, you might think it would maybe ruin the group or change things, but if anything, I think we were an even closer- knit group now.

"Are you sure you shouldn't be in the Hospital Wing right now?" Hermione asked me, for about the fifth time tonight. I'd thought she didn't really know what the Cruciatus Curse was. In hindsight, I realised that was kind of stupid: this was Hermione Granger after all.

"I feel totally fine 'Mione," I responded with an eyeroll. Harry of course, wouldn't agree with me being here at all. So I told him that Poppy had given me a free pass to go.

Minnie looked at our group, sitting at the Gryffindor table, being happy. Our eyes met, she knew I wasn't supposed to be here. Yet all she did, was smile (which was a rare thing by itself) and raise her glass at me.

"Cheers Minnie," I muttered, raising my glass back at her.

"I still can't believe you," Hermione tutted, but she kept smiling too. "You can't just call a professor by their first name. Let alone a nickname."

I shrugged. "She doesn't mind it."

"Please, she loves that nickname," Liliana said to Hermione. "Especially coming from Lucy, for some reason." We all laughed, though Ginny was still a bit quiet. I made a mental note to talk to her later.

When Dumbledore finally announced that exams were cancelled, everyone was even more festive, except Hermione. "How do we know we'll be prepaired for next year?"

"Oh c'mon Hermione!" Ron scoffed. "You always score a 100 out of a 100 on those exams!"

"Speaking of next year," Percy asked. "Which subjects will you three be choosing next year?" For third year, students were obliged to choose extra subjects on top of the ones they already had. I'd seen people from Harry's year stress about those new classes and ask others advice.