<sup>The celebrations echoed in the golden Hall. Food lined a table, the platters gleaming as they replenished their supplies. Each voice was filled with pride as they bragged about how they had aided Harry in some way to their younger friends. Even the most strict of professors bore a grin, looking around at the faces who truly conquered Voldemort, before pausing on those who really didn't help at all. Her smile grew into a frown as she noted that they were boasting about how they 'knew Harry would win' or they 'helped defeat Voldemort.' These students, in all honesty, had no clue what it was like. If only they knew...

You could tell the difference from those who had just been a bystander in the war, and who had actually lived through the torture and pain of it. Those who had witnessed what Voldemort could really do, who had been at his whim many times before, had fake smiles, and some even were solemn as they eagerly tried to change the topic of the war. She pitied them, really. Forever they'd remember the blood, they'd always see their best friends and family drop in front of their eyes, killed because they were trying to protect a cause. They'd always remember what it was like to go to a school where Death Eaters were the elite staff and had no problems inflicting major injury.


The war is now over. Voldemort is gone, his curse once again backfiring, but this time he had no horcruxes left to bring him back. The minute you could tell that he would not win, the Death Eaters fled, some of them succeeding in remaining alive. Each one that escaped ran off in a different way and went into hiding. Each one has taken up a different name and started a new life. Each one is secretly planning to collaborate with another. Each one wants another uprise.

Many students participated in the war, and in turn they are shaken up. Their memories are shattered, their happiness has been drained. Sure, they realize that they won, but they knew that it wasn't over, and they wouldn't ever be able to rid themselves of the gruesome memories of torture and pain they suffered. It seems each day a student recalls horrible scenes, and they have flashbacks. A few aren't suffering from the traumatic experience, but they too still have vivid memories that are sometimes pushed into their field of view.

All the Seventh Years have graduated, regardless of what their grades might have been. "Those idiots they called 'professors' didn't give you fair grades, and since we can't make you repeat the year, you've all been given passing marks," Headmistress McGonagall had said in her speech at the after party. This was a relief to many students, as well as Harry, Ron, and Hermione, since they hadn't gone to Hogwarts for their last year, and now that they were being told they wouldn't earn negative marks on their records, they realized they could pursue any career they wanted.

Dolores Umbridge was removed from the Ministry, as was many of those who were collaborating with Voldemort during the past year, and quite possibly longer. Amelia Bones has officially been titled Minister, and she has already been deep in work fixing the corrupted Ministry that Scrimgeour and Fudge had devised.


So, what will happen with all of the brave and loyal souls who aided Harry? Will they go off and seek an occupation that makes them happy? Will the Wizarding World be at peace again, or will there be a new uprising? The choice is yours, and yours alone. It's time for you to choose-where do your loyalties lie?</sup>