Hannah had joined three of the Leaky Cauldron's private rooms together and then enlarged the space. A large table, filled with platters, dishes and tureen's containing all manner of food lined the wall to one side, while on the opposite side, half a dozen tables had been set up. A small bar had been installed against the back wall and this seemed to be where the majority of those there were congregated.
"Harry!"
The call went up from George and was quickly echoed by all of those there, along with a number of cheers and even a whistle that could only be Seamus.
Harry raised his hand in greeting, giving them a wave and, it seemed, incidentally, signalling a stampede. The first to reach him were Angelina, Alicia and Katie who wrapped him in a four-way hug, each managing to plant a sloppy kiss on his cheek.
"It's good to see you guys, too," Harry laughed as he took one hand off of Katie's back to shake hands with Dean, followed by Dennis, Lee and Oliver.
"Let the guy breathe, why don't ya?" Ron said, pulling the girls off Harry only to promptly wrap him in a gigantic bear-hug.
"Hey, Ron," Harry said. "How's things?"
"Yeah, you know," Ron replied, running a hand through hair that Harry noted was starting to thin. "Good. Cannons are having their best season in years."
"Heard they'd finally gotten a decent keeper," Harry replied.
"Boys," Hermione mock-huffed, her smile giving away her true feelings.
"Here you go, Harry."
Harry felt a tankard thrust into his hands and looked to see the distinctive foam of butterbeer in his hand.
"Thanks, Susan," Harry said.
"It's been too long, mate," Ron complained. "Thought you'd be done with your wandering years ago. Seeker's spot is still yours if you want it, just say the word. I assume you can still fly as great as you used to?"
"What? Of course, I can," Harry replied indignantly, images of him and Spider-man patrolling the city flitting through his mind.
"Forget it, Ron," Oliver interjected. "When Harry goes professional, you know he's going to join the best team in the league. Puddlemere."
"Puddlemere?" an aghast Ron protested. "Why in the world would he play with them when he can play with his best mate?"
"Well, we are the top team in the league. Have been for the past four years running. And a Seeker needs the best Captain and Keeper backing him up," Oliver boasted.
"What? You?" Ron spluttered.
Harry felt his arm pulled.
"Come on, once those two get going, nothing can stop them," Hermione whispered.
Harry grinned at her. Suddenly it was as though the years had just melted away and they were back in the Gryffindor common room once again. It was probably those thoughts that helped him focus on the woman half-hidden in the corner at one of the tables.
"Is that Lavender?" he asked, nodding in her direction.
Hermione looked over, surprise written on her face. "Yes, it is. It's surprising that she's here, actually."
When Harry looked at her curiously, she continued.
"It's rare to see her these days, she gets shunned a lot. You remember how Remus used to be treated? Well, it's like that, only worse, her being a girl. Her scars don't make it easy. At least she feels comfortable enough with us."
Harry frowned in annoyance at the ridiculousness of the wizarding world. Lavender Brown was a hero of the Battle of Hogwarts. She fought when so many didn't. Harry'd seen her that day, holding her own against Death Eaters two, three and four times her age. And she'd survived. The last that Harry'd heard, she'd earnt herself a respectable position as a lead writer with Teen Witch Weekly. Obviously, his information was out of date.
Squaring his shoulders, he marched across the room, greeting others here and there as he did, but not allowing himself to be waylaid for more than a second or two here and there.
"Hi, Lav, mind if I sit here?" Harry asked.
Lavender looked up in surprise. Her long hair was draped over half of her face, covering the scars that Fenrir Greyback had given her.
"Um, sure, Harry, if you want to," she said.
"How've you been?" he asked as he sat.
She shrugged noncommittedly. "You know. Good, I guess."
"I'm guessing Parvati and Padma are still in India?" he asked.
"Pad visits occasionally, but Parv is married now and has two boys and a third on the way, so she doesn't get to travel much any more," Lavender replied.
"She's married?" Harry asked with a shake of his head. "You go away for a few years and everything changes. Right. Looks like I've come to the right person; fill me in on all the goss."
It was almost like he's flipped a switch in the woman. Her face lit up and she even leant towards him, coming out of the shadows somewhat.
What followed next was an hour of the most in-depth discussion of what'd been happening in the wizarding world that Harry'd ever heard. And Lavender wasn't the only one getting in on the discussion. Everyone there drifted over at some point, adding in what they knew, not only about the couples that had formed, the weddings attended and the children born, but also the jobs that they'd settled into.
And through it all, Harry made sure that he kept smiling and laughing along with everyone else. Inside, though, he was cringing. Nothing had really changed. These people he once knew so well, his friends with so much potential, had hardly moved on at all. They had the same jobs as their parents, with very few exceptions. Life for them revolved around the same few things: family, jobs, quidditch, the Ministry and, to some extent, Hogwarts. And that was life for them.
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