Fire On Fire

1: As Well

"El!" Emma exclaimed as she rushed over to the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall.

El looked over to her sister as she reached the table. She was clearly very excited about something. They were at the end-of-the-year feast as it was the last day of the school year at Hogwarts because the next day, the students would be returning home. Harry had been in the hospital the whole past night and early in the morning, Ron and Hermione went to check on him.

"What is it?" Julia asked from across the table as Emma looked like she was on the verge of exploding.

"Harry," she said simply, pointing across the hall.

El, Julia, and Indiana all looked down to see Harry, Ron, and Hermione standing at the entrance of the room. Without a seconds thought, El jumped out of her seat along with Julia and Indiana and the three of them and Emma ran down between the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff table. Upon reaching their three friends, they threw their arms around them, hugging them as tight as ever.

Throughout the day, the story of what had happened beneath the trap door in the third floor corridor had spread increasingly fast around the school. Although some recounts of it were different from the original, it was quite clear which ones were accurate and which ones weren't.

"Let us know when you're thinking about doing something absolutely mental again, alright?" Emma said, ruffling up Harry's hair.

He chuckled and nodded, "I will, don't worry."

Emma gave him one last hug then returned to the Hufflepuff table as the rest of the friends made their way to take their seats at the Gryffindor table. Before sitting down, however, a thought popped up into El's head and she paused.

"I'll be right back, guys," she said to her friends before walking up to the staff table.

"Where's she going?" Fred, who was sitting beside her, asked.

"No idea," Julia shrugged.

El reached the staff table, stopping right at Dumbledore's seat as he looked at her with an expression of intrigue.

"Professor, I think you should know of something that happened last night in the common room," El spoke quietly enough so only Dumbledore would hear.

"And what may that be?" he asked.

"Well, when Harry, Ron, and Hermione were leaving to the trap door, Neville stood up for Gryffindor house even though it was hard for him since it was his friends he was standing up to," El told the headmaster.

"Hm," Dumbledore said simply, "Thank you for informing me Miss Ryan."

The eleven-year-old girl smiled and ran back to the Gryffindor table where she rejoined her friends. She glanced across the hall, making eye contact with her Slytherin friend and gave him a small wave.

"Who are you waving to?" Indiana asked curiously.

"Oh, no one," El said simply.

"Another year gone," Dumbledore spoke loudly to the students of Hogwarts as he stood facing them all, "And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding. And the points stand thus:"

The Gryffindors knew already that they wouldn't be winning. They were far too low in points, they blew their chance of winning quite a while previously.

"In fourth place," Dumbledore continued, "Gryffindor with 312 points. Third place, Hufflepuff with 352 points. In second place, Ravenclaw with 426 points. And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin house."

The Slytherin house erupted into cheers but they seemed to be the only house in the hall that had any excitement at all. Slytherin had won the house cup too many times in a row and it drew all the fun out of the competition. The other three houses didn't care who won, as long as it wasn't Slytherin, they were happy.

"Just look at the smirk on his face," Indiana said with annoyance as she glared at the blonde boy at the Slytherin table, "He ticks me off."

"Yeah, me too," El sighed out but her words didn't match the smile on her face.

"Yes, well done, Slytherin, well done, however," the hall went silent at Dumbledore's dramatic continuance, "Recent events must be taken into account and I have a few last-minute points to award."

"Psst!"

El turned to see Emma looking at her. She motioned her head over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, implying that she thought they were the reason. El nodded and they both returned their attention to Dumbledore.

"To Miss Hermione Granger," Dumbledore began awarding, "For the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril... 50 points," cheers, "Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years... 50 points," more cheers, "And third... to Mr. Harry Potter... for pure nerve and outstanding courage... I award Gryffindor house 60 points."

Cheers rose once again and Hermione leaned across the table to inform her friends, "We're tied with Slytherin!"

"Finally," Dumbledore spoke again, the students attention going to him once more, "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies... but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. Therefore, I award 10 points... to Neville Longbottom."

Cheers louder than ever before roared amongst the students in the great hall as fellow Gryffindors clapped Neville on the back as a way of saying good job. At once, everyone knew what this meant.

"Assuming that my calculations are correct," Dumbledore spoke up one last time, "I believe that a change of decoration is in order. Gryffindor wins the house cup!"

Although screams, shouts, and cheers filled the hall, it was as though everything was silent. Grins spread on the faces of not only the Gryffindors but the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws as well. Every black hat of the Gryffindor students were thrown into the air in celebration. El, a huge smile on her face, rushed to the Hufflepuff table and hugged her sister.

"Congrats on winning," Emma congratulated her.

"Thanks!" El said excitedly then sighed in fake sympathy, "Sucks losing first year, though. I mean, I wouldn't know. You can tell me all about it though."

Before Emma had the chance to hit her arm, playfully, El dashed away from the Hufflepuff table. It was all jokes anyway. Everyone knows that a win for one sister is a win for the other as well.