“I am sure Dumbledore would have wanted the school

“I am sure Dumbledore would have wanted the school to remain open,” said Professor Sprout. “I feel that if a single pupil wants to come, then the school ought to

remain open for that pupil.”

“But will we have a single pupil after this?” said Slughorn, now dabbing his sweating brow with a silken handkerchief. “Parents will want to keep their children at

home and I can't say I blame them. Personally, I don't think we're in more danger at Hogwarts than we are anywhere else, but you can't expect mothers to think like

that. They'll want to keep their families together, it's only natural.”

“I agree,” said Professor McGonagall. “And in any case, it is not true to say that Dumbledore never envisaged a situation in which Hogwarts might close. When the

Chamber of Secrets reopened he considered the closure of the school—and I must say that Professor Dumbledore's murder is more disturbing to me than the idea of

Slytherin's monster living undetected in the bowels of the castle...”

“We must consult the governors,” said Professor Flitwick in his squeaky little voice; he had a large bruise on his forehead but seemed otherwise unscathed by his

collapse in Snape's office. “We must follow the established procedures. A decision should not be made hastily.”

“Hagrid, you haven't said anything,” said Professor McGonagall. “What are your views, ought Hogwarts to remain open?”

Hagrid, who had been weeping silently into his large, spotted handkerchief throughout this conversation, now raised puffy red eyes and croaked, “I dunno, Professor...

that's fer the Heads of House an’ the Headmistress ter decide ...”

“Professor Dumbledore always valued your views,” said Professor McGonagall kindly, “and so do I.”

“Well, I'm stayin,” said Hagrid, fat tears still leaking out of the corners of his eyes and trickling down into his tangled beard. “It's me home, it's bin me home

since I was thirteen. An’ if there's kids who wan’ me ter teach ‘em, I'll do it. But... I dunno ... Hogwarts without Dumbledore ...” He gulped and disappeared

behind his handkerchief once more, and there was silence.

“Very well,” said Professor McGonagall, glancing out of the window at the grounds, checking to see whether the Minister was yet approaching, “then I must agree with

Filius that the right thing to do is to consult the governors, who will make the final decision.

“Now, as to getting students home... there is an argument for doing it sooner rather than later. We could arrange for the Hogwarts Express to come tomorrow if

necessary—”

“What about Dumbledore's funeral?” said Harry, speaking at last.

“Well...” said Professor McGonagall, losing a little of her briskness as her voice shook. “I—I know that it was Dumbledore's wish to be laid to rest here, at

Hogwarts—”

“Then that's what'll happen, isn't it?” said Harry fiercely.

“If the Ministry thinks it appropriate,” said Professor McGonagall. “No other headmaster or headmistress has ever been—”

“No other headmaster or headmistress ever gave more to this school,” growled Hagrid.

“Hogwarts should be Dumbledore's final resting place,” said Professor Flitwick.

“Absolutely,” said Professor Sprout.

“And in that case,” said Harry, “you shouldn't send the students home until the funeral's over. They'll want to say—”

The last word caught in his throat, but Professor Sprout completed the sentence for him.

“Goodbye.”