All lessons were suspended, all examinations postponed. Some students were hurried away from Hogwarts by their parents over the next couple of days.

‘Why do you think Amelia left with the Death Eaters?’ Isabell asked on a dull Thursday morning.

‘She is a traitor,’ Olivia said simply. ‘She almost betrays us every single year and then comes scurrying back like a rat and apologising.’

‘She didn’t do that last year or before or before or before!’

Olivia shrugged.

‘She still doesn’t care about us,’ Olivia said. ‘She cares about Draco. Only dear Draco Malfoy.’

‘What if she does?’ Isabell asked.

‘What if she does?’ Olivia repeated angrily. ‘She literally ditched us!’

‘Did you hear what she said?’

‘I don’t want to!’

‘She said what about -’

‘I DON’T CARE!’ shouted Olivia, breathing heavily. 

Isabell stayed quiet as the sun slowly rose and sunlight hit their faces. 

Albert came in, his face sorrowful.

‘Time for the funeral guys,’ he said quietly, beckoning them to follow him.

They followed, walking on the wet grass where all the snow had melted in the grounds. There were chair aisles, and many people were there to pay their respects. Olivia, Isabell and Albert sat near the end. They saw that Rufus Scrimgeour, the new Minister of Magic, was sitting at the front along with Dolores Umbridge, last year’s torturing Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher. Her wide eyes and face shape represented a frog. There was no sympathy in her face. In fact, she looked quite amused. Hagrid was walking slowly up the aisle between the chairs. He was crying quite silently, his face gleaming with tears, and in his arms, wrapped in purple velvet spangled with golden stars, was what they knew to be Dumbledore's body. Isabell gasped and clasped her hands to her mouth.

‘Is that…’

Olivia nodded. Dumbledore's body was so close it seemed to take all the warmth from the day. Tears were streaming down Olivia and Isabell’s faces. Albert was as white as snow. They could not see clearly what was happening at the front. Hagrid seemed to have placed the body carefully upon the table. Now he retreated down the aisle, blowing his nose with loud trumpeting noises. A little tufty-haired man in plain black robes had got to his feet and stood now in front of Dumbledore's body. He took a deep breath and began talking, but Isabell and Olivia could not hear what he was saying. They doubted anyone was listening. The little man in black had stopped speaking at last and resumed his seat. The girls waited for somebody else to get to their feet; they expected speeches, probably from the Minister, but nobody moved. Then several people screamed. Bright, white flames had erupted around Dumbledore's body and the table upon which it lay. Higher and higher they rose, covering the body. White smoke spiralled into the air and made strange shapes. The next second, the fire had vanished. In its place was a white marble tomb, closing on Dumbledore's body and the table on which he had rested. A man with a fedora hat got up from his seat and went towards the tomb. He stood in front of it and faced the crowd, who were holding their breaths. A sad musical cry was heard, and a phoenix was flying. Olivia and Isabell thought of Amelia. Her animagus was a phoenix-

Albert shook his head to show that it wasn’t Amelia. He had seen the phoenix before in Dumbledore’s office.

‘Albus Dumbledore was a great and powerful wizard. He was a man of many great quotes. He taught us that love is the most powerful thing, more powerful than evil and death. He had made this ancient school vast and safe for student’s education. He is a man with a great pure heart. I do not have anything else to say except: Albus Dumbledore said if you want to help, you help.’

Isabell and Olivia looked at each other.

The old man dabbed his eyes with a handkerchief then left and sat back on his rightful seat. He beckoned students to stand up and give their respects. Olivia, Albert and Isabell were next. Isabell went to the marble white tomb and put a hand on it. 

‘Thank you Professor Dumbledore. For everything.’

Olivia then stared at the tomb. He was the man who made her choose from some horrible choices. For the right reasons.

But why did he let her choose from horrible choices if he was such a great man?

A voice in her head replied.

Because he knew you were going to choose the one which didn’t hurt anyone, even on your worst enemy.

Olivia thought of Amelia. Anger filled her head.

But why would she leave? Why!

Olivia shook her head.

No. I am not that person.

She smiled.

‘Thank you Dumbledore.’

She let go of the tomb and let Albert say his respects. The three of them saw the phoenix circle the tomb from up and let out a sad musical cry. Fawkes left and was seen no more.

‘So, what do we do now?’ Isabell asked.

‘Wait for another year to come then decide,’ said Olivia.

‘We need to survive next year. V-V-Voldemort has full power now that Dumbledore’s out of his way and will kill as many people as he pleases. We need to find a way to kill Voldemort!’ Albert said worriedly. 

‘No, Harry Potter should kill V-Voldemort!’  

‘Can’t we help them?’

‘We can’t. The three trio has to kill Voldemort. Without any more help. We, however, will stay at Hogwarts…’

‘B-but what if the Death Eaters take over the school?

‘Then we help students!’ said Olivia fiercely.

Albert and Isabell didn’t argue with her as the sun began going down peacefully and the orange skies were turning darker. 

There was silence for a moment. The dark sky, twinkling.

‘What about Amelia?’ asked Isabell, breaking the silence.

‘What about her?’

‘Well she’ll be with Voldemort, will she not?

‘Let her be. She wants to join Voldemort. She does whatever she wants and we can’t stop her.’

Olivia looked down. 

‘But can we? Can we stop her from joining Voldemort?’ Albert suggested.

Olivia considered this.

‘Who votes for saving a friend from joining evil and killing us all?’

But before anyone could say anything-

‘Dragonheart, Bluesky, Foxglove. Come with me,’ Professor Mcgonagall said suddenly, appearing out of nowhere.