A.N. This is a short distopic story happening after the war and the victory.

Standard disclaimer applies.

Graduation

June 1999

The Hogwarts class of '99 was somewhat unusual. While it was a bit larger than most, as it included some of those who should have graduated a year earlier but were delayed by the war, what made it really unusual was the maturity of most of the graduates and the patina of sadness that even the end-of-school celebrations couldn't wipe. Considering the fact that quite a few of these graduates had fought in the last battle that had taken place on the same grounds just over a year earlier, many losing classmates, friends or family, it was natural that they were still somewhat sad.

It was not surprising that the Head Girl – Hermione Granger – was also a bit sad. She got the highest scores on NEWTS for more than a century, but she had no close friends to share the news with. Neville was there, of course, supporting her as much as he could throughout the year, but as much as she liked him, he wasn't Harry. Ron didn't even come for his delayed seventh year, trying to cash on his 'war hero' status. Not that it would have changed much. He would have probably mocked her study habits and started some formidable quarrels, but she could not count on his support. Well, she hadn't even considered him a friend since finding out that he was using love potions on her and on Harry to assure Ginny of getting her childhood hero while distancing Hermione from Harry, allowing Molly to achieve her dream of 'one big happy family,' although how happy that could be, based on potions instead of true feelings, Hermione wasn't sure.

Then there was Harry… Her Harry… He had disappeared a few weeks after the battle, only two days after she left for Australia. He left a letter on his bed at the Burrow. Molly had burned it after reading its contents. Luckily, Hermione got hold of another copy. Basically, it said that he could no longer stay in the British magical world and left it to find his place somewhere else. He stayed in contact with her, of course, and occasionally with Neville and with Luna, but they all kept it secret. For all practical purposes, Harry was thought of as dead.

Hermione shook her head to get rid of the memories. She had a duty to perform. As Head Girl, she had to take part in the organization, and as the best student of her class, she had to give a speech. She sighed at the thought that her parents would not be present. The Headmaster had actually offered her some special bracelets for her parents, to let them see Hogwarts and visit it. She had to decline. If everything had gone according to plan, her parents should have already been back in Australia for a day, at least. They would be safe there for a while. She still wished they could be with the other parents, proudly watching their daughter.

She quickly changed, wearing her graduation robes. She looked at the irregularly shaped pendant on the gold chain that hung above her breasts and patted it with a smile before closing her robes, hiding both chain and pendant. She took her notes and put them in a pocket and tacked her wand in the holster on her arm. She would not be caught without her wand ever again. It was a new wand, bought from Ollivander after the war, to replace the one lost when the Snatchers caught them. Hermione took another glance at her room, making sure that nothing was left loose. She then called "Kreacher!"

The old house-elf appeared silently. She waved at her trunk and the few boxes set at the side of her bed. "Wait until the ceremony starts before moving it away," she instructed.

Kreacher bowed. "As my lady wishes." She had instructed him clearly beforehand, so he already knew where to take everything. She nodded approvingly and he vanished.

\/\/\/

Two hours later, the ceremony was in full swing. First, the headmaster – one brought from Salem after the war – congratulated the graduates. He then let the minister, followed by some more dignitaries, give short speeches, before standing up proudly to invite the next speaker. "I feel honoured and delighted to invite our best student for more than a century, a heroine who got the Order of Merlin, First Class, award for her deeds during the war, our Head girl, who is also a very impressive young woman – Miss Hermione Granger – to speak for the graduating students."

Hermione stood up and walked slowly to the podium, noticing a shimmer, as some very effective ward shields sprang into existence around her. She hid an appreciative smile as she stood proudly in front of the audience, hoping the shield would not be needed but glad that it was set there.

"Ladies and Gentlemen, Witches and Wizards, we've all come here today to celebrate the ending of our time as students and the beginning of our lives as adult citizens. We're deeply grateful to the staff of this time-honoured establishment for their effort to turn us from a bunch of mostly irresponsible children with little or no knowledge of our abilities, how to use them and how to be responsible in their use, into what we are now – adult witches and wizards who can carry on the great traditions of our kind.

"Yet our teachers were not the only ones to shape us during our time here. There were other events that affected the whole wizarding world and didn't skip over us. The war that raged even within these grounds merely fourteen months ago shaped us just as much, and in some cases even more.

"The war taught us bravery, cunning, sacrifice, and more. Yet the war failed to achieve its most fundamental goal – to change the magical world for the better. Our greatest hero – Harry Potter – saw this soon after the last battle. While the fighters and their families were still busy with burials, with tending to the wounded and with recuperation, other forces were busy making sure that everything will stay the same, with the same bigotry and the same self-interests that plagued our society and led to the two blood wars. He couldn't accept this. He didn't fight a dark lord only to let the conditions that made that dark lord rise stay unchanged, inviting the next dark lord.

"Unable to make the changes that he deemed necessary, since he was still too young to claim his rightful positions, he decided to cut loose from the British magical world and keep his distance until either it changes for better or collapses on its own."

A voice from the audience interrupted her. "How do you know that's what he meant? There was no explanation for his disappearance, as everybody knows."

Hermione recognized Molly's voice. She smirked as she turned to face her. She considered Molly 'the potion queen' whenever she thought of her. "Actually, there was a letter, only you found it unacceptable, since it painted you in very dark colours, so you burned it before anybody outside your family had a chance to read it. Harry had thought of that possibility, so he sent me a copy and kept another at Gringotts. Actually, I think it's time to read some parts of that letter, the ones that aren't too personal."

She saw Molly grab her wand and send a spell at her. She ducked behind the lectern, but the spell splashed on the shield ward harmlessly. Hermione stood up again, smirking directly at Molly. "Well, on second thought, maybe I should read the personal parts too."

Had it been a Muggle event, somebody would have already taken Molly out or at least warned her furiously. Since this was Magical Britain and Molly was a Pureblood, while Hermione wasn't, nobody seemed to care, except for Arthur, who grabbed his wife's arm firmly and took her wand away. Hermione wasn't surprised. Harry had already predicted that, and he didn't need Divination either.

Hermione took a parchment out of her pocket and spread it on the lectern. Someone at her back seemed to feel offended and tried to approach, probably to grab the letter before she could read it. The shield ward stopped them, not very kindly. It felt like being electrocuted and was quite painful, she was sure. It was a shield she had designed, after all.

"Here's Harry's letter:

Hi,

I'm sorry to have left you this way, without a proper goodbye, but I knew you would try to stop me in any way you could, and frankly – I didn't want to go into all the discussion and arguing that would have ensued. This way, you have no choice but to accept my decision, whether you like it or not.

Why am I leaving?

There are many answers to that. I'll start with what concerns you specifically. Molly – since my first year you tried to present yourself as a mother figure to me, stating that I was just like one of your children. I always suspected, and now I know, that it was just an act, a facade you've shown to me. All you really wanted was for Ginny to get me in any way she could, thus gaining you and your children access to my vaults. You tried to separate me from Hermione, although everyone knew we were destined for each other. Well, everyone except Hermione and me. When it didn't work as you wanted it to, you turned to love potions. It first seemed to work. I got infatuated with Ginny and Hermione showed interest in Ron, taking her out of Ginny's way. Well, it didn't work for long. Ron is as subtle as an axe blow, so it wasn't too difficult to see that he was spiking my drinks and then Hermione's. She was smart enough to find the antidote and we continued acting as if we were still under the influence. We didn't really want Ron to join us on our quest, knowing he would bring the potions with him. Luckily, Hermione managed to replace the potion with plain water within a few days.

Once the war was over, your first concern, even before burying Fred, was to replenish your potion supply and resume administering it to us both. I'm tired of staying cautious against the potions, and your cooking, although I usually like it, is not as great as you believe. Don't worry, I'll eat well where I'm going and won't have to beware of potions.

Ron, my supposedly best friend, you still have to learn a lot and not only school stuff, although I doubt you ever will. You were a nice friend for playing around, but I couldn't really trust you. You betrayed me during the fourth year and never really apologized. You did it again during our quest, but then I knew you just ran out of potions, or what you still believed to be potions. You were never a real friend. I'm not sure you were even a friend at all. You were just playing your part in the game your mother directed.

Ginny, I sometimes feel like you were just a victim of your mother's plots like I am, but then I remember how enthusiastic you've been in playing your part. You never really loved me, Harry. You were entranced by The-Boy-Who-Lived and all the stories about him, That's not me and never have been. I'm just Harry, a sometimes moody, sometimes stupid and occasionally brave boy. You don't really care for ME, although you've become a friend of sorts with me. You're a smart girl, really, and you're quite pretty and shapely. Go find someone whom you can really like and who would like you in return. Hopefully, that will grow into love. Forget about me, though. We were never intended for each other and never will.

Arthur and George – I know you were never part of this conspiracy. I'm glad to have met you and of being accepted into your family. Despite Molly, I have no ill feelings towards you. I wish you the best. Same goes for Bill and Fleur.

As for the other reasons for leaving… I've seen what happened during the few weeks it took our society to come out of mourning. The rich Pureblood families, those who sent others to fight for them, acted swiftly in the political arena, practically nullifying all that the war was supposed to achieve. By the time I realized what had happened, I found out that I was outmanoeuvred and outclassed. Percy, you did your worst as part of that. I don't think I'll ever forgive you. Your adherence to regulations will eventually be your downfall.

Anyway, I'm digressing. Magical Britain is no longer a place where I can feel at home. I can't even stay in Britain, since that puts me under the Ministry's jurisdiction, and I despise the way it turned out. I'm going to leave this all behind, but I'm going to take all that's mine. I'll not spend a single sickle in Magical Britain until it has truly reformed. When the Muggle-born and Halfblood witches and wizards will be treated just like the Pureblood, both officially and unofficially, then I'll reconsider my decision.

Hermione my dear, please make sure your parents leave Britain soon. The Pureblood can't tolerate the fact that you're brighter than any of them. If they can't touch you, they'll find a way to get to your parents. I don't think you should stay either, but I know you want to finish your studies and get the highest NEWT grades ever. Still, I beg you to leave as soon as you graduate. Let the British Magical society collapse on its own, We don't need to take any part in that.

My other real friends – you know who you are – I suggest you also leave Magical Britain to its doom. Find your place elsewhere, where you can live freely and prosper. I'll be in touch when I can."

Hermione folded the letter and put it back in her pocket. She could see that the audience didn't like it. She didn't mind. "As we're graduating today, it is time we face the world and see it for what it really is. We must face the truth, whether we like it or not. Unfortunately, Harry's letter told you the truth. Now you must choose. You must know that you're either be part of the problem or part of the solution. It's our choice and our life. Whatever we do with that, only the future will tell."

She now stood straight, as if taller. "Just like Harry suggested, I see no future for me in this country, the way it currently stands. I choose to leave for now. Goodbye!"

She took the gold chain out of her robe and touched the pendant. "Potter's new home," she said softly. She managed to see some more spells splashing harmlessly against the shields before she was whisked away.