To Err is Human, To Forgive Divine by Lady Connor

To Err is Human. To Forgive is Divine

“Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” - Oscar Wilde

What if Harry forgives Snape for all the hurt? How would Snape react to this? Snape has, after all, spent so much of his time wallowing in bitterness. Being forgiven is not something he expected. But what if Harry enjoys the reactions forgiving his enemies brings? What if he starts a trend?

ooOoo

It all started because Snape was still bitter that he was forced to accept Harry into his NEWT Potions class because McGonagall forced him to. So Snape was forced to lower his standards for everyone. And bitterly resented Harry for it.

Yeah, yeah - James Potter had been an asshole to Snape, but Harry didn’t need to be a genius to know that Snape retaliated in kind. And what did Snape want from Harry anyway? To apologise on his father’s behalf? The greasy git wouldn’t accept that.

Besides, Harry shouldn’t have to apologise for a father he’s never known. Snape clearly hadn’t developed emotionally enough to differentiate between father and son. And Harry only had two more years before he left Hogwarts forever, and he didn’t want to spend them being at loggerheads with Snape or anyone else.

Snape had the opportunity for a fresh start and wasted it, but Harry just wanted a blank slate. He wanted to enjoy his final years at Hogwarts.

Just as Snape took a breath to begin his next creative insult, Harry took the opportunity to blurt out, “I forgive you.”

Everyone froze.

The class was a mixture of all the Houses, given the low number of people continuing Potions at NEWT level, despite the lower standards. Not many opted to subject themselves to Snape for another two years when they didn’t have to. Neville took great enjoyment in waving them off to the dungeons, having dropped the subject gratefully despite getting an Exceeds Expectations.

Ron’s eyes were as wide as Hogwarts dinner plates. Even Hermione was still.

“You. Forgive. Me?” Snape repeated slowly, looking bewildered. “For what?”

Harry hadn’t thought this through, but that was typical of him, really. Still, he’d committed himself, and there was no going back.

So he took a deep breath, gathered his courage and continued, “For everything. For being a horrible teacher. For insulting me all the time. For insulting my father. For insulting my mother-”

“I’ve never insulted your mother,” Snape denied.

“Well, I always took it as implied. I mean, you hate my father so much, I just assumed you hate my mother as well. By proxy, at least, for having the bad judgement for marrying my father,” Harry rambled.

Snape opened his mouth to argue, but Harry ploughed on regardless.

“I mean, you seem to resent my very existence because I’m father’s son, so it’s not really that much of a leap for me to imagine you must hate my mother too.”

Snape’s lips moved soundlessly.

“But what I’m saying is I forgive you for being a miserable sod and for treating me like crap all the time. I understand you’ve had a horrible life up to now, and you’re clearly not all that interested in being a teacher, nevermind a good one, and you’ve got to cater to the pureblood Slytherins to maintain peace in your own life because, for some reason, you’ve decided you’re going to stay and be miserable in the castle. And that just means you’ve decided to make me the scapegoat and your verbal punching bag - which is something I’m used to with the Dursleys. I mean, my aunt Petunia hated my mum for being a witch and hates me for being a wizard, and you’re really not different from her for hating me for who my parents are, especially since the object of your ires are dead, so you’re both using me to vent your issues.”

The more Harry talked, the better he began to feel.

“You know what, Professor? I feel better for forgiving you. I feel like there’s a weight lifted from my shoulders. I feel lighter. It feels good to say it. I forgive you. I. Forgive. You.”

He sighed with a smile. He was enjoying the gobsmacked look on everyone’s faces, but especially on Snape’s, who didn’t know how to respond. He wondered if he should push his luck and maybe go for a hug but then decided that he’d pushed his Gryffindor courage to its limit.

“I forgive you,” he said one final time, packed his bag and exited the silent dungeon with the biggest smile he’d smiled in years.

ooOoo

Ron thought Harry had gone barmy. Perhaps all the bludgers to the head were catching up to his friend. Why else would he forgive the greasy git? In such a public way, too.

He felt like such a bad friend for not even realising Harry was buckling under the pressure.

“Forgiving Snape and Malfoy was the right thing to do, Ron,” Harry argued when Ron tried to point out Harry’s crazy behaviour to him.

He’d been ready to drag his friend to the hospital wing to get him examined by Madam Pomfrey when he really stopped to see Malfoy getting angry at Harry’s forgiveness. And he saw Harry’s hidden amusement. Was this a joke? Harry didn’t really mean it? Did he?

He decided to try for himself at the next opportunity. Which wasn’t long in presenting itself to Ron.

Malfoy, seeing Harry had gone round the twist, set his sights on Ron instead, usually as an easy target as Harry.

“Seriously, Potter, can’t you keep better friends? Someone who can afford decent robes, at least. How many of your brothers wore the same underwear before it was your turn, Weasel?”

Ron painstakingly calmed himself and decided to channel Harry’s abstract behaviour.

“I forgive you, Malfoy,” Ron said stiffly.

“What?” Malfoy spluttered.

The sight egged Ron on, almost making him grin. Perhaps Harry was onto something here.

“I forgive you,” he repeated, trying to keep a straight face. “I might not have as many galleons as you, but I do have a big heart. And I’m using it to forgive you. It’s not your fault for being a spoilt git. That’s how your parents raised you. They bought you everything you wanted, and why not if they can afford it? But I forgive you for thinking it means you can treat everyone else like scum. You don’t know any better. I forgive you for being a bully. I forgive you for trying to get me and my friends in trouble all the time.”

He was basically repeating a lot of what Harry had already said but seeing Malfoy turning redder than a tomato was fun.

“I forgive you for your horrible comments about my mum and my house. It might be small and overcrowded, which might seem strange to someone who's grown up in a massive Manor like yours, but at least I’ve never been lonely.”

“I’m not lonely!” Malfoy protested loudly, drawing the crowd even more.

“It’s okay, Malfoy,” Ron said magnanimously. “I forgive you.”

“I don’t need your forgiveness, Weasel,” Malfoy ground out.

“But you have it,” Ron said as solemnly as he could despite the grin on his face. He was having too much fun with this. “Because it’s my choice to forgive you.”

Leaving Malfoy in a confused rage, he turned and continued to the Great Hall for the next meal.

“Well done, Ron,” Harry praised. “That was very big of you.”

“You know, Harry? You were right. It was the right thing to do and made me feel loads better.”

Ron sighed happily, lips twitching at Malfoy’s bewilderment.

“It was ridiculous,” Hermione disagreed in exasperation.

“Perhaps, Hermione, one day, you’ll find it in your heart to forgive Malfoy, too,” Ron said sagely.

“Oh, please,” Hermione groaned.

Up at the Head table, Dumbledore looked pleased and twinkled kindly at the students as they talked about forgiveness.

ooOoo

Dear Voldemort,

I hope this letter finds you well. I like to think I’ve grown a lot over the past few years, and I’ve recently done a lot of soul-searching and realised something new about myself. And about you when it comes down to it.

Want to know what it is? Here it goes.

I realised I’d been carrying this big ball of hate around with me since I first found out I was a wizard, and Hagrid told me how my parents really died. You see, my aunt and uncle, the muggles I live with, told me my parents died in a car crash.

Of course, I have since learned otherwise. And I hated you for taking them away from me. But recently, I realised they made a choice to fight against you. And now, it’s my turn to make a choice.

And my choice is this:

I forgive you.

I forgive you for killing my parents. I forgive you for believing in a prophecy that made you believe I could beat you, because by believing in the prophecy, you’ve already made me a winner, Voldemort. I have already beaten you. The prophecy is fulfilled, and now we can both move on.

So, in the spirit of moving on and being of completely sound mind (my friend Hermione made me and my other friend Ron visit the Hospital Wing to see if we needed our heads examined), I repeat, I forgive you.

Might I also add that I appreciate how you always wait until the end of the year before attacking me. You see, you care more about my education than my family ever would.

You waited until I almost completed my OWLs before sending me that vision of Sirius being tortured. I mean, I didn’t get to complete my History OWL, but really I already knew that was a write-off. But wouldn’t it have been delicious irony if you’d sent me that vision during my Divination exam?

Ha, just think about it. You sending me a vision in DIvination to retrieve the prophecy. Wouldn’t that have been funny?

Which reminds me, I also forgive you for spending all last year in hiding and thus letting everyone believe that I was a mad, lying lunatic. I understand you only did that because you expected to kill me in the cemetery and never expected me to escape, and so you used the opportunity to build an army. That’s what I would have done in your shoes.

I also forgive you for instructing Pettigrew to kill my schoolmate and fellow Champion, Cedric Diggory, right in front of me and traumatising me for life. On the plus side, I can now see Thestrals. Yay!

And I forgive you for sending me weird dreams all year every time I tried to sleep and making my scar hurt every time you felt strong emotions. Speaking of dreams, thank you so much for the dream where your snake hurt Arthur Weasley. He’s my best mate's dad, and if it wasn’t for you, I might not have been able to save him in time.

See, you’re a better person than you think. If you really wanted him dead, I wouldn't have got that vision in the first place.

Anyway, I’m sure you’ve got plenty of things to get on with, Death Eaters to torture and whatnot.

My warmest regards,

Harry Potter.

Voldemort had to read the letter three times, his ire increasing with each reading.

“He forgives me? He forgives me? He forgives me?” Voldemort raged, repeating the same with different stresses.

Who did that boy think he was? To forgive him, Lord Voldemort? Did the boy really think he’d won? And what did he mean by soul-searching? Did he mean his Horcruxes?

“Crucio!” he couldn’t help but incant.

In his rage, his spell hit Wormtail, who’d been cowering almost out of sight after Potter’s snowy owl dropped off two letters.

“Wormtail, fetch me parchment and a quill. I have a letter to write to this idiotic boy who thinks he can forgive me.”

Well, he’d show the boy!

“Yes, my Lord,” Wormtail whimpered.

He pathetically crawled away, whimpering tearfully as his silver hand clutched the second letter addressed to Peter Pettigrew.

Out of sight, Wormtail ripped open the letter, which read,

Fuck you, Pettigrew. Did you really think you deserve forgiveness?

Wormtail jumped in fright and squeaked as he heard Voldemort bellow,

“WORMTAIL! WHERE’S MY QUILL AND PARCHMENT?”

ooOoo

Dear Umbridge,

I’d call you a miserable toad, but that would be an insult to my friend Neville’s toad, Trevor.

So I’m going to call you a miserable cunt.

I’m trying to be a more forgiving person, and as much as I want to say I forgive you, I must not tell lies. I wish the Dementors would give you a Kiss, but they’d probably lose their souls.

Fuck you, Umbridge. Hope you croak.

ooOoo

Harry took the unknown letter from the unknown owl. He tested the letter with several diagnostics and detection spells, having learned from the bubotuber incident in his fourth year.

The letter came up clean, so Harry cautiously opened it. Ron was penning away his own letter to Merlin knew who this time.

POTTER- WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE TO FORGIVE ME?

I FORGIVE YOU, YOU IDIOT BOY, FOR LEAVING ME A BODILESS WRAITH FOR THIRTEEN YEARS AND FOR KILLING MY BASILISK. AND FOR FOILING MY PLAN TO KILL YOU BY ESCAPING.

YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN AGAINST ME?

I’LL SHOW YOU WHO THE WINNER IS.

SINCERELY,

VOLDEMORT.

PS - STAY AWAY FROM MY HORCRUXES.

Harry gave the letter a confused look. As nice as it was to be forgiven in return, he had to wonder what a Horcrux was.

He’d have to ask Dumbledore.

ooOoo

The Sorting Hat placed you in Gryffindor for a reason, Neville told himself. He’d been standing in front of Snape’s office for ten minutes, trying to gather the courage to knock.

He took a deep breath and knocked before he changed his mind.

The door opened aggressively within seconds.

“What do you want, Longbottom?” Snape asked with a glower.

Snape had been in a bad mood since Harry forgave the Potions Master so publicly in the classroom. As he’d dropped out of Potions as soon as he could, he missed the incident, but Snape spent lots of time stalking Harry to take his forgiveness back.

Now everyone was going around forgiving each other, trading pardons as one would a Chocolate Frog card.

He’d spent a long time thinking about this.

“I forgive you,” Neville blurted out.

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose.

Neville knew lots of students had approached Snape since, forgiving him for being a shit teacher. But that wasn’t exactly what Neville as forgiving Snape for.

“I forgive you for being my boggart,” Neville continued, straightening his spine.

Snape froze, looking at Neville cautiously over his pinched nose and slowly lowering his hand.

“What?”

“You were my boggart,” Neville told him. “In third year.”

He knew Snape remembered. When word got around that boggart Snape was dressed in Neville’s gran’s clothes, Snape had been pissed beyond belief and made Neville even more miserable.

Snape didn’t say a word.

“It wasn’t because you were a bad teacher. Or not just because you were a bad teacher,” he amended. “Because frankly, you’re a horrible teacher. But you always made me feel like a failure. Like my gran did. Like I wasn’t worth anything. And you’re always around to tell me how crap I am at. You became the manifestation of my failure. That’s why you’re my boggart. But I realised I don’t need anyone’s validation, especially yours. I’m going to do a Master’s in Herbology, because that’s something I excel at. I know the properties of hundreds and hundreds of plants. I can tell how preparing each plant changes those properties. I did well in Lupin’s class, and Harry, who’s not even a teacher, taught me enough to stand up against grown men at the Ministry. So even though you made me feel like a failure, I forgive you.”

That said, Neville turned around and walked away, leaving Snape to stare at his back.

ooOoo

Lucius walked into his Study, ready to relax with a good book. He needed some intellectual stimulation after the arduous day he’d had at the Ministry. Networking was hard, and some politicians didn’t know their heads from their arses.

So, here he was, ready to unwind, and try to preserve some brain cells he felt he lost after speaking to the newest and stupidest Ministy workers he’d ever met (and having worked with Former Minister Fudge that was saying something), with a good book and his favourite whiskey.

At least, that was the plan. However, the moment he sat down, he felt wards of some sort activate and no matter how much he struggled, he couldn’t move again.

“Bad Former Master Lucy Malfoy not be moving. Dobby has something to say.”

“Dobby? What the hell are you doing back here? Release me at once, Elf,” Lucius ordered.

Dobby clicked his fingers together and Lucius’s lips disappeared, leaving his mouth smooth.

“Now, Bad Former Master Lucy Malfoy needs to listen to what Dobby must say, or Bad Former Master bes stuck all day.”

Furious at being threatened by such a lowly creature, in his own home, Lucius struggled against his invisible binds ferociously, while trying to yell for Narcissa at the same time, which only came out muffled.

Dobby waited patiently as Lucius tired himself out and slumped back in his bindings, defeated.

“Now, Bad Former Master be ready to listen?”

Lucius gathered enough energy to glare at the impudent creature but reluctantly nodded.

Dobby stood up straight and looked Lucius straight in the eyes.

“Dobby be forgiving Bad Former Master Lucy for making Dobby feel like bad, useless elf. Dobby be forgiving Bad Former Master Lucy for making Dobby hurt himself when Bad Former Master to lazy to do it himself. Dobby is forgiving for making Dobby help with bad plans that don’t work. Dobby is forgiving for using Dobby as personal whipping elf. Dobby is forgiving for making Dobby punish himself when Dobby does something by accident. Dobby is forgiving for all the years Dobby suffered under Bad Former Master Lucy. Dobby is forgiving for not making Dead Mistress Florence proud like she asked on death bed. Dobby forgiving for breaking promise to dead mother. And Dobby be thanking Bad Former Master Lucy Malfoy for freeing Dobby with smelly sock.

“Master Harry be right. Dobby is be feeling lighter.”

Dobby disappeared with a loud crack and it was a full five minutes later that Lucius was released from his bindings and slumped wearily back in his favourite chair.

ooOoo

Since his encounter with Dobby, Lucius interacted cautiously with his remaining elves. He was less abrupt with them and addressed them almost respectfully. Almost. Bad habits don’t change overnight, after all.

Still, apart from Lucius and his elves, things were progressing normally. The Dark Lord hadn’t summoned anyone for a while (Lucius heard him mutter something about soul-searching) and since he’d decided to take a break from Ministry, trying to distance himself from Fudge, Lucius spent more time at home with his wife.

Things were looking good and he headed up to Study to catch up with some Arithmancy puzzles he’d been saving.

He felt familiar wards activate.

“No. Please. Not again. For Merlin’s sake, please,” Lucius begged.

However, instead of his former House Elf, he was confronted by the last two people he’d expected in his home.

Harry Potter, he recognised. Who wouldn’t? The other girl, some red-headed teen. Probably a Weasley, judging from her looks.

“Mr Malfoy,” Potter greeted politely. “How are you doing?”

“A little bound, actually,” Lucius said. “Perhaps you’d care to release me?”

“We have something to say,” Potter told him, “and then Dobby will release you when we’re safely out of here.”

He really needed to adjust the wards again so his former House Elf couldn’t sneak. Perhaps he’d move his Study to the South wing. There’s more sun there.

“Do I need to be bound to hear these things?” Lucius asked.

“It would make us feel safer,” Potter shared.

Lucius sighed, “Go ahead.” At least he still had his lips. And the sooner they said what they needed to, the sooner he would be released, and he would be able to secure his wards and move his Study.

Potter and girl Weasley took a minute to confer.

“I’ll go first,” Potter said as he stepped forward. “I forgive you for joining an evil megalomaniac and getting his ugly tattoo on your arm. Tom Riddle was charming and good-looking, and I forgive you for being shallow enough to give in to him and believe his promises. I forgive you for passing on your horrible ideology to your son, who truly doesn’t know what he means and is only parroting your words to make himself look important in the eyes of his peers. I forgive you for feeling the need to spoil Draco because he’s your only child, and you struggled to conceive more children to fill up this massive manor. I forgive you for believing Draco’s lies and trying to execute an innocent creature. I forgive you for apparating to the cemetery the minute your master got his body back and summoned you. I understand you were trying to avoid being punished for not trying to locate him sooner and couldn’t be seen trying to help someone he considered his nemesis. I forgive you for laughing when Voldemort put me under Cruciatus. I understand that the laughter came out of relief that it wasn’t you writhing under his wand. I forgive you for bribing the Minister into ignoring Voldemort’s return, I know it was because you were following your master’s orders.

In fact, I forgive you for continuing to follow your master’s orders at the Ministry last year. My godfather might have lost a fight to a curtain, but the Minister was finally forced to admit Voldemort was back, so it was still a win!”

Potter stepped back, gently prodding girl Weasley with a soft, “Ginny.”

Girl Weasley stepped forward and took a deep breath, and said, “I forgive you for trying to use me to politically disparage my father. I forgive you for tricking me into writing in a diary that would eventually suck my soul out and leave me a corpse. I forgive you for taking away my courage to speak to my family about the stuff I was going through. I forgive you for making me lose a piece of myself. I was always scared and excited for my first year at Hogwarts, and I forgive you for making me lose out on what should have been the most exciting year of my life. I forgive you for using me to further your own agenda. I forgive you for making me unleash a horrible beast that would have killed anyone with a single glance at best, or devoured them whole at worst. I forgive you for everything I suffered through after finding the diary you left for me to find. I forgive you for making me not want to trust my own mind.”

ooOoo

“Father, you have to come with me right now,” Draco demanded, making Lucius jump at his sudden entry.

It was the weekend, true, but Draco still should have been at school.

“Draco, what are you doing here?” Narcissa asked as she stood from her chair to hug her son.

“I’ve come to see Father about going to Weasley’s hovel,” Draco continued after greeting his mother. “Father, Weasley and Potter have been going around forgiving everyone for their mistakes.”

Lucius was well aware, having had his own visitors in Potter and Weasley. He’d adjusted the wards, yet again, to stop unwanted visitors.

“How did you get here?” Lucius asked suspiciously.

“Our old elf brought me to the gates,” Draco said dismissively, confirming his father’s suspicions.

Perhaps it was easier to start the wards from scratch. He’d need to speak to the Goblins about this.

“But you need to get to the Weasley's home and forgive them,” Draco demanded.

“Why would I do that? Lucius queried with a raised brow.

“Potter and Weasley can’t be the only ones going around forgiving people. Now everyone at school is doing it. But no one outside of school has been forgiving each other, and we need to be the first ones to do that. And Arthur Weasley is the first. And then I can go back to school and tell Weasley that my father forgave his father first,” Draco said with a decisive nod as he crossed his arms across his chest.

Lucius tried to argue but somehow, twenty minutes later, he found himself apparating himself and his son to Ottery St Catchpole, knocking on the Burrow’s door and coming face to face with Arthur Weasley.

“I’ve come to forgive you,” Lucius began unenthusiastically.

“I beg your pardon?” Arthur asked with a confused look. The filthy beggar didn’t even have the manners to invite him in. Then again, from the yelling coming from inside, they had their own drama to deal with.

Lucius wanted to walk away but Draco poked him in the back. He drew himself to his full height and looked down his nose at the badling pauper.

“I forgive you,” Lucius repeated through gritted teeth.

“FOR NOT BELIEVING IN US-” came the loud shouting of someone behind Arthur.

“For what?” Arthur asked, looking nervously behind him. “Look, perhaps this isn’t the best time, really.”

“No,” Draco interrupted petulantly. “Right now. Father!”

Lucius took a deep breath.

“I forgive you for being a poor beggar who’s always been jealous of my riches. I forgive you for using any excuse to conduct a raid on my home and believing I’m always hiding something dark under my study. I forgive you for spreading rumours of my supposed guilt in the first war and that I’ve bribed my way of out Azakban.”

Arthur’s jaw dropped in disbelief and spluttered, “Now, wait, wait, wait. Hold on a minute. You for-”

Lucius ploughed over his indignant protests, beginning to enjoy the gormless look on the other man’s face.

He had to raise his voice to be heard over the yelling in the background.

“ALWAYS THINKING WE WERE UP TO NO GOOD-”

“I forgive you for suspecting me of no good all the time. I forgive you for trying to use your reputation to besmirch mine. I forgive you for tarnishing what it means to be a pureblood by your ignorant fascination with muggles. I forgive you for your ridiculous endeavours with muggle objects. I forgive you for hitting me and giving me a black eye at the book several years ago. I forgive you for getting my lovely roves dirty by knocking me to the ground.”

Lucius left his nemesis spluttering in his doorway and turned, “Come, Draco. We must leave.”

ooOoo

The red letter arrived at the same as the knock came at the door.

“I’ll answer the door,” Arthur volunteered as the owl didn’t waste a second once relieved of its burden before flying off again. Leaving Molly to open the Howler addressed directly to her.

She opened it quickly, wondering who sent her a howler and her eardrums were assaulted by the voices of her twin boys.

DEAR MOTHER,

WE WANT TO SAY HOW MUCH WE LOVE YOU AND HOW MUCH WE APPRECIATE ALL YOU HAVE DONE FOR US AND UNDERSTAND THAT EVERYTHING YOU’VE SAID COMES FROM A GOOD PLACE.

FOR THIS REASON, WE MUST FIND IT IN OUR HEARTS TO FORGIVE YOU FOR NOT BELIEVING IN US WHEN YOU FOUND OUT OUR GREATEST AMBITION WAS TO START A JOKE SHOP.

WE FORGIVE YOU FOR ALWAYS THINKING WE WERE UP TO NO GOOD. WE FORGIVE YOU FOR THROWING OUT ALL THE PRODUCTS WE WORKED HARD FOR, EVEN THOUGH WE SAVED UP ALL OUR POCKET MONEY TO BUY INGREDIENTS TO EXPERIMENT WITH.

WE FORGIVE YOU FOR CONSTANTLY COMPARING US TO OUR BROTHERS AND ALWAYS PUSHING US TO WORK IN THE ONE PLACE WHERE WE KNOW DAD WAS NEVER APPRECIATED. WE FORGIVE YOU FOR BELIEVING THAT THE MINISTRY WAS A STABLE ENVIRONMENT TO WORK IN, EVEN THOUGH THEY HAVE NEVER PAID DAD FAIRLY FOR ALL HIS TIME AND HARD WORK.

The letter continued to list all the things Fred and George forgave her, and then when it was done, it ripped itself into pieces and lay silent.

“Can you believe what Lucius Mafloy just said to me?” Arthur said indignantly.

ooOoo

Hermione waited for the whole dorm to be asleep before sneaking downstairs, arms laden with several knitted hats.

Turning on the lights, she shrieked in surprise and alarm at the sight before her.

House-elves.

There were House-elves covering every bit of the Common room. On the floors and the sofas. On the bean bags and tables. On the mantle and hanging from the lights. They were everywhere.

Calming herself down, she beamed in pleasure at them.

“Oh, you’re here to be free,” she said and began to throw her knitted hats in every direction to allow the elves to catch them, rambling obliviously as she did so. “I don’t have enough hats, but I’ve got other stuff in my dorms, and I’ll have more hats tomorrow.”

“We’s wanting Miss Grangy to listen to us carefully,” one of the kitchen elves said, stepping forward and taking lead.

“Yes, of course,” Hermione said. Anything she could do secure their freedom. They deserved to be free.

“We’s forgives Miss Grangy for trying to free elves. We’s forgiving yous for trying to taking our work from us and tricking us into leaving and leaving horrible hats everywhere. We’s forgiving for Miss Grangy being ignorant of what it means to be a good elf. We’s forgive you for learning about House-Elf magic. We’s request that Miss Grangy stop doing things that needs forgiving.”

“We’s all forgive Miss Grangy,” they all said together.

They disappeared with a blink and the hats she’d thrown to the elves were magically returned, hitting her in the face. Not just the ones she’d brought down now, but all the ones she’d been knitting and leaving out since last year.

She looked down at the huge pile in dismay.

ooOoo

Some of them approached him alone. Some of them came in groups.

But they came to him, and they all offered their forgiveness.

We forgive you for endangering us by keeping a Cerberus in the school.

We forgive you for endangering us by sending us and the Slytherins to the dungeons when there was a troll in the school.

“I forgive you for hiring Lockhart and letting him run the Duelling club.”

“We forgive you for letting Lockhart have his memories erased.”

“I forgive you for favouring the Gryffindors over everyone else.”

“We forgive you for letting the Slytherins get away with everything.”

“I forgive you for serving Lemon tea.”

“I forgive you for wearing those orange robes.”

“We forgive you for cutting the choir budget.”

“We forgive you for not getting the giant snake.”

“I forgive you for letting Snape teach.”

“I forgive you for getting rid of the drama club.”

“I forgive you for making bigger bathrooms.”

“We forgive you for not having stronger wards to keep out intruders.”

“We forgive you for giving the Gryffindors the House Cup every year.”

“I forgive you for forgetting my House exists too.”

Albus humbly accepted each one.

ooOoo

Over the past several days, Snape had been relentless in his pursuit to get Harry to take his forgiveness back. Harry had refused every time. After he had let his anger for Snape go, he had felt almost weightless. It was freeing in a way he could never have imagined.

“Potter,” he heard his name being called by the man in question.

“Yes, Professor? Harry answered, turning around to face the man.

“Take it back,” Snape demanded unsurprisingly.

“No, I don’t think I will,” Harry shrugged off Snape’s demand for what felt like the hundredth time. “It’s not on my list of things to do today.”

“Potter,” Snape growled, looking almost deranged.

“I’m going to stop you there,” Harry cut him off, not in the mood to have this conversation yet again. “I’ve forgiven you for your terrible behaviour towards me. And since I have, I've come to see you aren’t all that bad of a person, even if it seems like your life goal is to make children miserable. You look past all of that, and you’re actually a pretty decent person.”

“I don’t know what gave you that impression, Potter, but I am happy to help you re-evaluate it.”

“I don't know, Professor, spending years protecting someone whose father you hated sounds like something a good person would do. I mean, you also took a position as a teacher here to protect me, and that also makes you well... A good person, even if you refuse to see it yourself.”

“How do you know…” Snape trailed off, flabbergasted. Who had told Potter?

“That’s not the point,” Harry waved him away, not wanting to get into that. It was a long story. “My point was you’re a decent human being whether you like it or not, or want to pretend otherwise.”

“Stop,” Snape croaked, unable to handle this on top of the boy's forgiveness. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“I know more than you think,” Harry retorted before tacking on, “You know, I really hope you learn to forgive yourself one of these days. Good people make mistakes, it makes us human. Haven’t you paid for yours enough already?”

Harry didn’t wait for Snape’s reply and departed before the man could start another useless argument.

ooOoo

Parvati and Lavender giggled to themselves. After Harry had publicly forgiven Professor Snape, he had gone and forgiven Draco as well. Ron Weasley followed suit. It was all anyone was talking about. A trend started shortly after that. Everyone was doing it now. Students could be found forgiving each other all throughout the grounds of Hogwarts. Lavender and Parvati couldn’t wait for their turn. They waited on their beds with bated breath for Hermione to return.

“I forgive you,” Lavender jumped the gun as soon as Hermione walked in, not following their plan at all. She was just so excited.

“Excuse me?” Hermione questioned, eyebrow raised. Not this. She had been dealing with this enough with Harry and Ron.

“She means to say is that we’ve forgiven you for being a terrible roommate,” Parvati corrected, giving Hermione her best smile.

“I haven’t been a terrible roommate.”

“Whatever you say, Hermione. Either way, we forgive you,” Lavender laughed, pulling Parvati towards the door. Harry was really onto something. That felt good.

“Wait, come back here and explain yourselves,” Hermione demanded as she watched the pair disappear, both giggling loudly. What in Merlin’s name was going on?

“If you need us to spell out how you’ve been miserable to live with for years now, we don't think it’s worth it to explain. Figure it out yourself,” Parvati called from the stairwell. “You are so smart, after all.”

Hermione started at the exit, completely confused. She wasn’t hard to live with. Her side of the room was always perfectly clean, and she was quiet. She kept to herself mostly. It was them who were the bad roommates. She could never study here in peace with the way they chatted about topics of no value. She should be the one forgiving them. If she didn’t think this whole thing was ridiculous, she would. But she wasn’t going to get sucked into all this nonsense.

ooOoo

Dear Krum

We haven’t actually said more than a handful of words to each other, but I’d like you to know I forgive you for taking Hermione to the ball. I hated you since I saw her on your arm that night. Any mention of you sent me into a rage, but I have decided to let that anger go and forgive you.

You’re welcome,

Ronald Weasley

Viktor Krum stared down at the letter in his hands, bewildered. He tried to place a face to the name. He had heard it before but where… Hermione had spent most of their time together speaking about Potter. Her letters were filled to the brim with him too. He couldn’t remember her mentioning a Ronald. Maybe he should write to her and let her know she might have a crazed admire loose at Hogwarts. This person didn’t sound sane in the slightest.

ooOoo

“Hermione, wait up,” Ron called as he spotted Hermione in the hall on his way back from his trip to the owlery.

Hermione paused her brisk pace to what Ron could only assume would have been the library.

“I’m going to study,” Hermione sniffed, still sore that her roommates had left without properly explaining themselves. “What do you want?”

“I wanted to let you know I’ve decided to be the bigger person and forgive you.”

“Not you, too,” Hermione huffed as she hugged her books to her chest. “I know I’m going to regret asking this, but what exactly are you forgiving me for?”

“For going to ball with Viktor Krum instead of me.”

“Excuse you,” Hermione hissed through clenched teeth.

“It’s alright now,” Ron grinned, unaware of the wrath that bubbled within her. “I forgive you for it. We’re all good now.”

“YOU FORGIVE ME FOR GOING WITH KRUM?” Hermione shouted, letting her books crash to the floor in search of her wand, her sanity lost into the void, “WELL FOR YOUR INFORMATION RONALD WEASLEY IT IS ME WHO FORGIVES YOU. I FORGIVE YOU FOR BEING AN INCONSIDERATE TWAT AND NOT REALISING I AM, IN FACT, A WOMAN AND ASKING ME FIRST. I FORGIVE YOU FOR TREATING ME LIKE A LAST RESORT. I FORGIVE YOU FOR ASSUMING I AM SO UNDESIRABLE NO ONE ELSE WOULD WANT TO TAKE ME TO THE BALL.”

Hermione panted as she got it all out, lowering her wand. Okay, maybe she’d admit that Harry really was on to something. That had felt really good. She collected her books and left Ron standing in the hall to be pointed and gawked at. She still had to study, after all.

ooOoo

Harry found himself standing in front of the Veil. Sneaking into the Department of Mysteries was laughably easier the second time around. The next person on his list to forgive was dead, and since Sirius didn’t have a grave, he figured this was the next best thing.

“I forgive you,” Harry began feeling a little silly talking to basically a curtain, but he forged ahead, “for thinking I was my father. I know you weren’t well, and instead of being given the help you desperately needed, you were locked away in a home you hated. I understand what that’s like. So I forgive you for never being able to see me as anything other than another chance. I forgive you for going after Peter instead of staying to raise me. Your choice made my life a living hell, but I don’t blame you for that. I don’t think I would have made a different choice if someone I trusted betrayed Ron or Hermione, and it led to their death. I'm sure I would have gone after that person without a second thought too.

“I wanted to thank you for doing the best you knew how, even if it wasn’t what others would call adequate. You tried, and that’s more than I can say for ninety per cent of the adults in my life. I hope you get to reconnect with my father in the afterlife. I hope it’s far kinder than this one was to you. I wish you nothing but the best.”

ooOoo

Fudge,

Lately, I have been forgiving others, and I would say I forgive you for being the most incompetent piece of shit I have had the displeasure of knowing, but, well, I simply do not want to. Thank you for being so bad at your job you were forcibly removed from it. What else did you expect after you allowed someone worse than Voldemort to become a teacher and mutilate me and my friends? I hope the rest of your life is miserable. I think you are one of the few people I actually do hope a dementor kisses.

Eat shit,

ooOoo

Hermione had to admit after shouting at Ron she had felt a lot better. The next several days gave her time to think and she decided to take Ron’s advice to forgive Draco Malfoy. She set out to do just that.

“Malfoy,” she called when she spotted him surrounded by a group of his friends.

“Oh no, you don’t,” Draco raced towards her frantically, still talking, “I for…”

“I forgive you for calling me,” Hermione spoke over him, not wanting to allow him to forgive her first.

“Forgive you,” Draco started speaking louder until they both were speaking over the other.

“A Mudblood.”

“Hitting me in the face.”

“and hoping I’d die.”

“And being an annoying know-it-all.”

“And being a blood purist piece of shit. You can’t help the fact your parents don’t love you.”

“And for being born a Mudblood, you can’t change that.”

Neither could actually hear what the other side said, but left feeling victorious.

ooOoo

Harry rounded a corner doing his best to escape before Snape spotted him. The man was like a bloodhound. He had been behind every corner after Harry forgave him, demanding Harry take his forgiveness back. During meals, at Quidditch practice, you name it, Snape was there hovering like a bat. Harry was sure the other professors were in on it. Sprout had “accidentally” allowed one of her plants to snare him in the Great hall of all places, McGonagall's spell had conveniently missed her mark and transfigured the door he was trying to leave through into a wall. It was getting ridiculous.

Before he could take more than three steps, however, Flitwick had literally run into him. He was willing to bet it was on purpose.

“Sorry, Professor,” Harry rushed out, trying and failing to get around Flitwick before Snape could catch up.

“It’s alright, Mr. Potter. I must be going now.”

Flitwick finally granted him freedom, but it was too late. Snape had grabbed hold of his shoulder and spun him around.

“Take it back,” Snape ground out.

Harry pretended not to hear him. Maybe ignoring him would work.

“I don’t want nor need your forgiveness. You don’t just get to forgive me,” Snape continued while Harry counted the cracks in the ceiling.

“I made you an orphan for Merlin’s sake, an orphan,” Snape started to shake him desperately. “You should hate me. I deserve all of the hate and anger you have to give.”

“I know,” Harry stated, finally looking at him, “I want peace. Forgiving you gave me peace, so you just going to have to,” Harry was overtaken by a weird spirit, and he could only describe the sensation as channelling as he said, “Let it go.”

Harry’s eyes widened as he watched Snape’s eyes roll back and change colour. He backed away as Snape whispered, “The cold never bothered me anyway.”

Harry took his chance to flee, this was just too weird for him.

ooOoo

After seeing all the forgiveness going around Hogwarts, Tonks was hit with an idea. She rushed to Remus’ after her shift was over.

“I forgive you,” she said in lieu of a greeting ignoring his puzzled look as she continued, “for making me miserable for months because your head’s stuck so far up your ass you can’t see what’s in front of you. I forgive you for having self-confidence I would have to go find at the bottom of the dead sea. I forgive you for not accepting the fact I love you. And I forgive you for not trusting the idea you could possibly be happy.”

“I…”

“I’m not done,” Tonks carried on as if he hadn’t spoken, “I forgive you, but I’m not going to sit here and let this continue. You need to figure yourself out and fast. I’m not going to wait forever for you to realise you deserve something good in your life too. I have never seen you as a monster. I don’t care what you are. I. Love. You. stupidity and all, and I hope you realise that before it's too late.”

Tonks used the fact he was still frozen in shock to place a hand on his cheek before disappearing. She had no interest in hearing more of his excuses. He would either take the hint, or she would move on.

ooOoo

Bellatrix,

I’m going to start this letter by saying somewhere out there is a tree that’s sole purpose is to replace the oxygen you waste, and I implore you to go find it and apologize. This letter was supposed to be about forgiveness, but my forgiveness has jumped off your ego and died on its way down trying to find your IQ.

Honestly, seeing how Azkaban had weathered you away brought me joy because there was simply less of you in the universe. Kindly go find a cactus to reproduce with, and maybe your offspring would be less of an eyesore to all those around. You tortured my parents into insanity when you could have just spoken and had the same effect. Have you heard your voice? Nails on a chalkboard would be more soothing. I’m sure you are rather disappointed that your master's plan at the Ministry failed, but life is full of disappointments; just ask your parents. Oh wait, they're dead, aren’t they?

I’d say go fuck yourself, but I doubt even you can stand yourself,

Neville Longbottom.

ooOoo

Severus had a rather long month. After Potter had publicly forgiven him, the rest of the school had to follow suit, afraid to be the last to follow Potter after they had all shunned the boy the previous year. He had a line of students come up to him to forgive him for the way he taught, and Neville Longbottom's forgiveness was still prominent in his memory. Each new student who came to him chipped at the jaded cloak he wore around his wounded psyche. None of them could phantom what he had put himself through, day in and day out, to teach them all. None of them would ever understand what it did to him to be within these walls. He had not chosen to be a teacher. If they wanted to take their grievances up with anyone, it should be Albus Dumbledore. Now there was a thought… Why shouldn’t the headmaster be given a taste of what he had to endure all month? With a vigour Severus hadn’t had in over a decade, he made his way to the Headmaster's office, bypassing the gargoyles with a practice eased. He knocked on Dumbledore’s office door and waited to be allowed entrance.

“Enter,” Dumbldore’s voice carried through the door, and Severus did just that. “Ah, Severus, what do I owe this pleasure?”

“Forgiveness, of course, Sir or have you not heard?” Snape drawled sarcastically, almost gleeful for what was to come. “I have spent a month hearing several of Hogwarts students’ grievances against me and thought I may share them with you.”

Dumbledore sat up straighter, his blue eyes twinkling curiously. He had several students already come to forgive him. What else could he have done wrong in their eyes? For they had been rather vocal with every injustice, they could think of, he may have put any one of them through.

“I forgive you for forcing me to be a teacher,” Severus began dryly as he made a mental list of every complaint he had gotten this month so he may parrot them back at Dumbledore.“I forgive you for allowing me to torment students year after year, knowing I hate children and have no plans on ever being civil with any of them. I forgive you for every student you’ve allowed me to ruin and degrade throughout the years because you insist I teach.

“I forgive you for allowing the teachers to biasedly deduct or reward points. I forgive you for allowing the houses to hate each other so freely. I forgive you for never stepping in to stop any of us with our favouritism.”

The longer Severus went on with this charade, the better he felt. He had never been given the opportunity to complain in such a way, and slowly, his words rang true.

“I forgive you for never stopping the relentless bullying I went through. I forgive you for not stopping the Slytherins from slipping through the cracks and into Voldemort’s army. I forgive you for never getting the Slytherin’s needed help, they were just as deserving of your kindness as everyone else. I forgive you for never reaching out to any of us the way you did the Gryffindors.

“I forgive you for using my love for Lily to tie me to this castle. I forgive you for forcing me to see the spitting image of the man who tormented me for years wearing Lily’s eyes every day. I forgive you for not caring about the memories this castle holds for me. I forgive you for putting the greater good above my pain. I forgive you for never giving me the time to grieve my best friend's death. I forgive you for manipulating me. I forgive you for what you’ve allowed me to become, for making me who I am today.”

“I forgive you for using Potter year after year in your little schemes even though you promised me you would keep them safe if I spied. I forgive you for failing to keep Lily alive. I forgive you for putting her son, the person I have sworn to protect, in danger. I forgive you for only caring about your goals.”

ooOoo

Severus sank into his office chair, weary down to his bones. He had just come from his conversation with Dumbledore if you felt like being generous and calling it a conversation. For the first time, in a very long time, feeling as if he could breathe properly. As much as he loathed to admit it, Potter was right, forgiveness brought him peace. Making sure his door was locked and he would not be disturbed, Severus summoned a mirror, planning on doing something he never thought he’d allow himself. But if he was going to accept Potter’s forgiveness which he begrudgingly could admit he wished to accept, for he did not want to lose hold of this wisps of peace he had been granted, first he must accept one other person’s forgiveness.

“I forgive you,” he said hesitantly as he met his own gaze.

I forgive you,” he said, this time stronger, more confident. “I forgive you for calling Lily a Mudblood. I forgive you for pushing the only person who ever truly loved you away. I forgive you for joining the Death Eaters. I forgive you for allowing yourself to be manipulated for years on end by person after person. I forgive you for being so bitter and twisted that you took your anger out on the innocent. I forgive you for treating the last piece of Lily on this earth as nothing more than a punching bag. Most importantly, I forgive you for being the reason Lily is dead.”

Freedom swelled in Severus as he banished the mirror. Words he never thought would see the light of day had been spoken. He felt almost weightless. Now all that was left was accepting Potter’s forgiveness. He took in one deep breath and held it for several seconds before releasing it. He deserved to be forgiven. He had paid the price for his mistakes. It was time to move forward….

Looking at the clock, Severus collected himself, he had to teach Potions to the sixth years in twenty minutes. For the first time in six years, he did not dread laying eyes on Potter. A smirk made its way onto Severus' face, it would be his turn to turn Potter’s world upside down. Yes, he rather liked that idea.

“I accept your forgiveness Potter,” Severus announced as he entered the classroom and spotted the Gryffindor seated between his two best friends. “I accept your forgiveness and offer you mine. I forgive you for making my job such a pain in the ass by being physically incapable of staying out of danger. I forgive you for the emotional whiplash you put me through, and I forgive you for reminding me of your mother.”

The look of shock on Potter’s face was completely worth every word he had just uttered.

ooOoo

Padma searched the Great Hall impatiently, looking for Ron. She had wanted to say this for a while now, and after Harry had started this whole forgiveness madness, she was finally given her opportunity. She waited until Ron was seated amongst his House. It wouldn’t do if he wasn’t surrounded. She wanted him to feel a fraction of the humiliation she had felt at the Ball when he had ignored her to sulk over Hermione Granger.

“I forgive you for ruining the Yule Ball for me,” she announced loudly after she had snuck over to him, gaining the entire hall’s attention. “I also forgive you for the hours I wasted getting ready that night. I forgive you for all the hurt and humiliation you made me feel that night. And for ruining the mood of everyone around you. I forgive you for not being capable of noticing a beautiful woman when she’s in front of you and so emotionally inept you can’t communicate your feelings like a proper human being.”

Padma stormed away after she had said her piece. This wasn’t about letting Ron defend himself or apologise. She had done this for her. To take her own power back. She would never let a boy make her feel as if she was lacking again.

ooOoo

Harry held the Triwizard tournament cup over his head as he entered the Great Hall, gaining everyone’s attention at once.

“I’m sure you all know what this is,” He stated, making sure everyone was listening before he continued. “It’s the Cup I won after I watched Cedric Diggory die. After Voldemort returned.”

Harry threw the Cup down, and it clattered against the stone floor; the sound magnified by the silence of the Great hall.

“I came back after a summer of hell and tried to warn you all that Voldemort was back. Most of you ridiculed me and thought I was insane. You all once more believed the absolute worst of me when I had never given any of you a reason to do so. You made me an outcast again. You allowed me to be treated unjustly again. Everywhere I went, someone was trying to make me tell them about the night I watched Cedric die. None of you cared about the truth. You wanted to hear how traumatised I was for your own sick satisfaction or curiosity. Screw how I felt about it, all right? As long as you got what you wanted. I want you all to know I forgive you for it. Even the Slytherins for trying to capture me so Umbridge could torture the location of my godfather out of me. I’m done hating you all, it’s too exhausting.”

Harry left the Great Hall allowing all the students to stew in their guilt, if they felt any of it. It wasn’t his problem anymore. He had washed his hands of it all.

ooOoo

Hermione made her way down the familiar path to Hagrid's hut and found the man outside tending to his garden. She approached her friend and gathered her courage to say what she had wanted to say for years now.

“Hey Hermione,” Hagrid greeted her fondly. “Did you want to come in for a cup a tea? I’m almost finished here.”

“No,” She shook her head then cleared her throat. “I’m actually here to forgive you.”

“To forgive me?”

“Yes,” Hermione said firmly, having found her courage. “I forgive you for putting us in danger with your creatures. I forgive you for being a bad teacher and not knowing you were hurting our education. I forgive you for thinking you could raise a dragon in a hut and the detention in the forest after we got caught trying to help you. I forgive you for breeding the Skrewts and having us look after them, and I forgive you for asking us to look after your Giant brother who could have killed us.”

Guilt washed through Hermione as she watched Hagrid’s hurt show freely, but this needed to be done.

“I know your heart was in the right place,” Hermione said softer, “And that’s why we we’ve never held a grudge. We love you Hagrid, but I do hope you make better choices for your sake and your future students' sake.”

ooOoo

Mooney, Remus, Professor Lupin,

Thank you for teaching me to defend myself from dementors, and showing me that there is something in this school that I can be good at.

I hope this letter finds you well, and I just want you to know that I forgive you. I don’t really know how hard it is to live as a werewolf, but I do understand how fickle the wizards and witches of Britain are, so I can feel some sympathy for you. I forgive you for never contacting me when I was a child, or even after I entered Hogwarts. You were just following Dumbledore’s orders.

I also forgive you for never contacting me after my 3rd year as well. It must have been very hard for you to suddenly have one of your best friends back in your life, and the only reason that he was still alive was the son of the other best friend, whom you told absolutely nothing about his parents to, during the entire year that you taught at the school. It wasn’t as if we didn’t have private lessons together or anything. The sarcasm probably doesn’t make you believe I forgive you, but I do. There’s a lot of anger for me to process over your silence and the fact you know let someone who you thought was going to kill me run around Hogwarts all year when you knew how he was doing it, but I am choosing to let that anger go. I no longer wish to hold it. Your guilt doesn’t have to be my responsibility. I am choosing to clear the air between the two of us.

Hope you find some parchment and a quill,

Harry

oooOooo

“Ahh, Mr. Potter,” Professor McGonagall said, stopping Harry right next to the Fat Lady’s portrait.

Harry looked at his professor, confused, he didn’t think he had done anything recently to deserve detention, no one had caught him and Ginny in the broom closet on the 4th floor the other day. “What can I do for you, Professor?” he questioned.

“I just wanted to say that I forgive you, Potter, for all the stunts that you’ve pulled throughout the years, giving me heart attacks and grey hairs.”

Harry had to hold in the laugh that he wanted to let out. “Ahh, thank you, Professor. I also forgive you.”

The look of confusion on McGonagall’s face almost made Harry wish that Colin was with him to take a picture.

“I forgive you for never checking on me when you knew exactly where I was as a child. I forgive you for my first year when you took 150 points away from three people in your House out at night but only 20 away from another House, and didn’t have the full story. I forgive you for then sending us out into the forest after curfew as our detention. I forgive you for not believing Hermione, Ron and myself when we tried to tell you that someone was going to steal the stone, forcing us to do your job for you and protect it, because, come on, those protections around the stone were a joke.

“I forgive you for my second year when you didn’t stand up for me when it came out that I was a parselmouth. I forgive you for letting the student body treat me like a pariah and never defending me.

“I forgive you for my third year for never really explaining why everyone thought that Sirius was after me. I should have been told something, at least. I forgive you for taking my Christmas present from me before I even got to enjoy it. I forgive you for not keeping me updated on one of the few things I could really call my own and leaving me anxious about not having my broom back in time to play the sport that you forced me into.

“I forgive you for my fourth year when you again stood by and did nothing when the entire student body turned on me for thinking that I put my name in the Goblet of Fire. I understand that you couldn’t help with the tasks, but you could have helped in other ways.

“And finally, I forgive you for last year for telling me to keep my head down with Umbridge while you did nothing to prevent her from using a blood quill on the students in her detentions. She didn’t have that much power in the school at the beginning of the year, and a letter to the board of governors or to Madame Bones and she would have been gone...

“But it's okay, Professor, I forgive you for all that. I hope you have a wonderful day.” Harry then turned and gave the password, disappearing into the Common room, leaving a stunned Professor in his wake.

oooOooo

After Harry’s talk with Professor McGonagall, he felt much better. He had been wanting to say some of that for a while. It was different than forgiving Snape or Umbridge. It was so therapeutic that he thought he would forgive the other teachers as well.

He made his way up to Professor Trelawney’s classroom during his free period. He knew from Lavender and Parvati that she didn’t have a class at this time either. Bracing himself before walking into her classroom for the last time he opened that hatch and climbed the ladder.

“Ahh Mr. Potter,” she said. “Have you come to your senses and rejoin our class at last?”

“No Professor,” he replied. “I just came to say that I forgive you.”

“Whatever do I need to be forgiven for?” Trelawney asked, her eyes even wider than he had ever seen them behind her glasses.

“I forgive you for always predicting my death. I forgive you the constant misery that you wished upon me. And I forgive you for the two prophecies that you have given that have ruined my life.” With nothing else to say and a headache forming from the incense in the room, Harry quickly fled.

oooOooo

Harry was not surprised to see Neville early for Herbology and helping Professor Sprout in the greenhouses. Waving to his friend he walked straight to the professor and said, “I forgive you, Professor.”

Though she looked slightly confused, she nodded her head at him and said, “I’m glad to hear that Mr. Potter, and I thank you for your forgiveness for whatever I may have done that you feel has wronged you.”

Taken aback by her response, it took Harry a moment to gather himself, “I forgive you for letting your students bully me in my 2nd and 4th years. I understand that you thought I was taking the spotlight away from Cedric, and that is the last thing that I wanted to do. I forgive you for not stopping the bullying that your house did to me because I happen to have the ability to speak another language that Britain has deemed evil.”

Professor Sprout nodded at him again, her face no longer confused but solemn, “I apologise Mr. Potter for any pain that I may have caused you, and humbly accept your forgiveness.”

Neville, who had been watching the whole thing, led a stunned Harry out of the greenhouse. He knew his friend didn’t spend enough time with the Hufflepuffs to understand their Professor’s reaction so he tried to contain his mirth. Patting him on the back, Neville sent Harry over to Ron and Hermione who were waiting for him. He figured that his friend had a couple more people that he wanted to talk to that day.

oooOooo

Dear Professor Lockhart,

I know that you won’t remember me, and when you taught at Hogwarts but I just want to say, I forgive you.

I forgive you for trying to boost your own fame by dragging me into your announcement that you would be teaching at Hogwarts for my 2nd year.

I forgive you for being a completely incompetent teacher and letting pixies loose in your first lesson with us.

I do not forgive you for that, my ears still hurt thinking about that incident - Neville Longbottom

I forgive you for making me reenact all your books with you as your lessons because you were so inept at magic that you couldn’t teach anything.

I forgive you for being such a twat that when Ron and I went to you for help in rescuing his sister you decided that the better idea was for you to steal Ron’s wand and try to take the credit before attempting to obliviate us.

I would also like to say thank you. Thank you for being dumb enough to steal the person who had the broken wand when attempting to obliviate us so that the spell backfired and hit you instead. It was a gift to society that you are no longer allowed out of St. Mungos and among the population where you can spread your special brand of stupid.

I would also like to say thank you, for being dumb enough to try and duel Snape. Because of this I know the disarming charm.

Hope your recovery isn’t improving,

Harry Potter

The two healers read the letter once more before throwing it away. “Well that was rather rude of those two. We shall have to give Gilderoy some extra fan mail today,” one said to the other.

oooOooo

Luna was followed into the Great Hall by her friends. They had offered to help her carry the flowers that she wanted to hand out to everyone. So loaded down with violets, Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Neville followed Luna as she skipped up and down the aisles of the tables.

Luna skipped happily to each person sitting at the table and gave them a small pat on the head and a violet and said, with a large smile on her face, “I forgive you.”

Hermione followed Luna until she reached Marietta and Cho. With a wide smile to match Luna’s but much more sinister, Hermione set a Belladonna down in front of the girl to go along with her violet from Luna. ‘Let that be a reminder for her to keep silent,’ Hermione thought vindictively.

While not as chipper as Luna, Harry walked up and down the Hufflepuff table and forgave all of the students that had been there during his 2nd and 4th years as well.

When every one of the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs had been forgiven and there were only two flowers remaining, Harry and Luna both walked up to the head table and approached Professor Flitwick.

They both gave him the flowers and, while Luna just said, “I forgive you.” Harry said, “I forgive you for not protecting your students and allowing people to take someone's things and hide them from that person.”

With that the 6 students walked out of the great hall, and Ginny could be heard saying, “The house elves have dinner ready for us in the kitchens tonight.”

oooOooo

ooOoo

Ron knew that Aarogg was sick, but he felt that talking to Hagrid about his crazy pet would help him feel better. He knocked on the door of the hut and waited for Hagrid to answer.

The door had barely opened when Ron blurted, “I forgive you.”

Hagrid, who had heard and seen what Harry and others had been doing in the castle recently, was confused about what he was being forgiven for.

“I forgive you for sending Harry and me into the forest when we were 12 years old and telling us to follow the spiders. I forgive you for sending us into an Acromantula nest that you helped make because you don’t realise that they are dangerous creatures. I forgive you for not realising that the only reason we weren’t eaten was because of my dad's old car and not because we were your friends.”

Hagrid looked at the boy in front of him, did he do the wrong thing that year by telling them to follow the spiders? Surely his friend wouldn’t hurt anyone that Hagrid had sent to talk to him.

Before Hagrid could say anything, Ron turned and walked away. He had done what he needed to do. He was still terrified of spiders, especially giant ones that could talk, but he felt better about what happened in his second year after forgiving Hagrid.