In Harry Potter as Neville Longbottom

Chapter 93: Aftermath

When Harry woke up, he found himself in the familiar Infirmary. Thanks to their Quidditch practice, he had come here multiple times in past.

"He is awake!" Madam Poppy said loudly and the whole group of Professors and Aurors suddenly ran around Harry potter's bed.

"How are you, Potter?" Professor McGonagall asked in a worried tone.

"I am feeling fine professor. How am I here? I remember I was still in the chamber fighting that giant snake!" Harry asked excitedly.

In his mind, the Great Headmaster Dumbledore must have killed that monster and saved him from that place.

"The Giant Snake? Did you saw that giant snake, Potter?" Professor Snape spoke and Harry felt a little angry when he was questioned like a liar.

"No. But I heard him. I heard his voice and then ..." Harry wanted to speak more but Dumbledore stopped him with his gesture.

"I think he needs rest and the fact that both kids are safe and rescued, we should be glad that our Halloween brought us not horrors but joys of life." In the tone of an elder, Professor Dumbledore spoke and then all Professors one by one left the Infirmary.

In another bed on the corner of the Infirmary, a girl was sleeping peacefully. Her pale face was looking much better than when she first came, and Madam Poppy was sure that she will be fine too. Her magic reserves were practically drained, and she might need to take a long break but it won't be a big problem in the long run.

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(Headmaster's Office)

Professors and Aurors were sitting in the office and Dumbledore was sitting in the main chair. They were waiting for the main guest to arrive and soon, the fireplace lit up and the minister of magic, Rufus Scrimgeour, dressed in a suit with tie and clean shoes came out.

"It seems we are all here. This the liveliest Halloween ever in Hogwarts in decades I think." Headmaster Dumbledore spoke in a joyful tone.

"Happy Halloween to you too Dumbledore. Now, can we discuss why you have called me here?" Minister Scrimgeour was not pleased with the sudden call from Dumbledore for an urgent meeting.

"Calm down Lad! Why are you in so a hurry? You know I feel so proud looking at you. Tell me, why the heck are you not getting married and having tons of kids? Do you want to end our family line with you?"

Suddenly in the serious atmosphere, one of the paintings of previous headmasters, Brutus Scrimgeour, ancestor of Scrimgeour spoke.

Listening to the sudden speech, everyone in the room felt hard to control their laughter and the young aurors even ended up laughing but just after a glare from Minister, the room turned silent again.

"At least your descendants became a minister. Look at my family. The last male heir is still a prisoner in Azkaban." Phineas Nigellus Black, another headmaster who was appointed after Scrimgeour spoke in embarrassment.

"Ahem...We old people should talk alone later. In case you want to have a private conversation, I can gift one of your portraits to our minister," Current headmaster Dumbledore spoke to ease the atmosphere.

"No need. What will I do alone there? You...Rufus... I give you one year. Only one. I need you to find a woman and knock her up. You have done your duty as a wizard, now do your duty as a Scrimgeour," Before the old headmaster could finish, the minister waved his hand suddenly and a large drape flew from the windows and covered all the portraits.

"Very well. Now, back on topic. Go on Headmaster Dumbledore," Minister spoke and then he also took a seat in front.

"Harry Potter fought another piece of Lord Voldemort's soul tonight. Alone. And defeated it." Dumbledore spoke in a simple calm tone but the few words he spoke sent ripples in the minister's heart.

"You mean the boy again defeated Lord Voldemort! How...Wait...How did Voldemort even came back here?" Minister of Magic, who was just happy and wanted to dance on the good news thought of an important question and controlled his actions.

"Because of this." Headmaster Dumbledore pushed a destroyed diary in front of everyone.

Rufus Scrimgeour who has spent his entire life working as an Auror knew there was something very vile and dangerous about the diary. His decades of training and his instincts were telling him that this diary was something more than just evil.

"This diary...became a container for one of the pieces of Voldemort's soul and somehow was brought here by another student. Daphne Greengrass.

I believe this diary is just one of many such containers. We need to search and destroy these before other followers of his ever find out."

Headmaster Dumbledore stood up and spoke while with his gesture the diary flew in the hands of Minister of Magic.

"Hmmm.... I will check and let you know. Thanks for the wonderful news, Dumbledore and have a great Halloween." Getting the diary, Rufus Scrimgeour walked back into the fireplace and disappeared.

Other Aurors except Kingsley also left Hogwarts and chased after the minister.

"I will go and meet my nephew before leaving." Kingsley Shacklebolt also left the room with his sentence. After only the professors were left alone in the room, Dumbledore spoke again.

"Inform the Greengrass family and let them take Miss Greengrass back for long term recuperation. Let Harry join the Halloween party that he saved by his own actions and saved the Hogwarts from any other incident.

Professor Snape will stay behind, everyone else, please prepare for the feast."

Headmaster Dumbledore sent everyone away except Professor Snape from his office and then the two talked, debate and almost fought before Professor Snape had to walk back to his own office in a sad mood.

No matter how hard he tried, he could not change the mistakes he committed and no matter how hard he pushes, he cannot protect Harry from his own fate.

Somehow the boy will always become a saviour in end and Dumbledore is going to promote him in the same way, ministry did in case of Longbottom last year.