Still in Your Silence
Harry gazes up at Hogwarts, the tip of Gryffindor Tower jutting out at a crooked angle and as he looks over his home, he can see even more battle scars: huge gouges in the grounds and the withered stump of the Whomping Willow, green vines with purple flowers trailing up the North Tower, the plant almost overtaking the window, cracks and splinters all around the walls.
At least the Lake's still the same. He grins when he sees a tentacle poke out of the water and smack down a bird, the creature falling into the water with a splash.
He sighs and opens the doors to the Great Hall, Hermione waving him over to the unofficial eighth-year table, where a collection of students from his year wait. He can see Seamus Finnegan and Dean Thomas along with a bunch of other students from the rest of the Houses, minus a small cluster of Slytherins together at the end of their own table.
A tall brunet Slytherin raises his head to nod at Harry and Harry's startled by the bright shine of silver eyes and the small smirk gracing his handsome features. So startled that he almost misses the open seat Hermione's left for him until she tugs him down.
"Harry! Come sit down, Oliver was just telling me about the fascinating Ancient Runes text he's been reading."
Harry gives one last glance towards the Slytherin boy and sits next to Hermione and a short squat blond Ravenclaw. "Oliver?" he asks, pulling a plate of sausages closer and piling some onto his plate.
"Rivers! Ravenclaw, Mum was a Muggle so I had to miss last year. There's a few of us about!" he says brightly, pointing out Justin Finch-Fletchley, another Ravenclaw male who Hermione hisses is named Ambrose Calhoun, and Luna Lovegood who gives Harry a beatific smile and waves.
Harry waves back, grinning at a familiar face.
"Hullo, Harry! Welcome back!"
"Hi, Luna! How are the Nargles?"
"Ripe," she answers, stringing tiny turnips onto a leather cord.
"Good?"
"Very good," Luna says, adding tiny carrots and aubergines onto her necklace. "You don't have as many Wrackspurts around you now, Harry."
"Oh, wonderful!"
Luna tilts her head and gazes at Harry, her wide ice blue eyes boring into him and he shivers a little under her eyes.
"Yes?"
She blinks at him, absentmindedly adding minuscule peas to her necklace in between the bigger vegetables.
"It's going to be an interesting year, Harry Potter."
"Isn't it always, Luna?" Harry gives her a tired smile.
Luna smiles back at him and hands him a leftover tiny turnip. Harry tucks it into his pocket.
***
There's a Welcome Back party in the Gryffindor Common Room and Harry grins as Neville swings an arm around Ginny, pressing a sloppy smooch to her cheek.
"You excited for your Seventh Year, Gin-Gi-Gilroy?"
Gilroy?" Harry asks. She never mentioned this in her letters. Harry's own brain reminding him guiltily that their letters stopped soon after they broke up, dwindling down to once a month, their contents just school and Quidditch related.
Ginny blushes, the flush making her freckles disappear, Neville's arm still firmly wrapped around her shoulders. "Yeah, er, over the summer I asked Mum and Dad if they could call me Gilroy from now on."
Hermione's eyes widen and Harry knows she's found a new cause for the year. Poor Ginny, I hope she can handle a full-force Hermione.
"Would you like us to call you Gilroy? I never knew there were magical transsexual people; absolutely fascinating. Do you know any oth-" Hermione stops abruptly, a small sheepish smile on her face and Harry looking slightly triumphant, pulling his socked foot back from her own. "Sorry, Gin-Gilroy."
Gilroy shoots her a cheeky grin. "It's okay, Hermione. You're my friend and I know how you are. Yes, please, call me Gilroy."
Harry nods. "All right." He pauses, putting his Butterbeer down briefly. "Wait, is this why we broke up?"
Gilroy ducks his head, his hand drifting down to squeeze Neville's. "Yeah, part of it."
Harry lets out a small huff. "Well, I wouldn't've cared what bits you have." He swallows briefly and barrels on. "I don't care now actually." A huge rush of relief washes over him and he smiles to himself.
Gilroy licks his lips briefly, tongue darting out. "Thanks, Harry, I think?"
Harry grins at him. "You're welcome, Gilroy. Does he make you happy?" Gilroy sighs in relief. "He does, yeah."
Hermione's eyes narrow and Harry chuckles as she pounces on his wording.
"Harry! I'm so honoured you decided to come out to us! Are we the first?"
"Yeah. I mean, I figured it out around Sixth Year myself but then you know, there was that whole mess with Voldemort and all."
Gilroy nods, face split in a knowing grin. "Hey, looks like we have more in common than I thought!"
Harry starts to laugh and soon their whole group is collapsing into the boisterous laughter of tipsy teenagers.
Seamus stands up, pulling Dean to his feet and planting a sloppy smooch right on his lips. "I want to thank our fearless leader Harry Potter for also giving me th' courage to come out. 'm Seamus and I feckin' love Dean Thomas."
Dean snorts and kissing his boyfriend back. "You idiot. I love you too. Sorry, Harry," he adds in a loud whisper. "I tried to get him to do it a bit more low-key but well, Seamus is Seamus."
***
Harry finally manages to pull away from his friends, Seamus' voice still carrying up the steps as he loudly tells Hermione what he and Dean were up to after Voldemort fell, and makes his way up to the seventh (and the scant few eighth) years' Gryffindor boys dorm at the very top of the Tower.
Harry dumps his stuff on his bed, his trunk already at the foot, the only remnant of the last tumultuous year being a deep heavy gash across the front.
He glances around the rest of the room, noting that Dean and Seamus have pushed their beds together. His eyes widen at the plant on Neville's nightstand, the specimen waving a bright orange tentacle at him. Harry gives a brief shiver and climbs into bed, the room dimly lit by the softly glowing plant even through Harry's bed curtains.
Despite that, he soon falls asleep.