The Ranger Doctor read the first sentence of the chapter and smiled.

"Saw that coming." he smirked.

It was Quirrell.

"Him?" said several students and guests.

"It was." said Dumbledore quietly.

"He helped protect the stone! Why?" shrieked Mrs. Weasely.

"I think it will all become clear in due time." said Dumbledore.

"If he hurts you, we'll kill him." growled Sirius and Remus.

"You!" gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

"What? He wasn't twitching?" said Fred in amazement.

"It can't be him." said George.

"It was him." said Dumbledore just as quiet as before.

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."

"So he was waiting for you." said Sirius worriedly.

"But I thought-Snape-"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an over-grown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

Snape scowled at the book. Dumbledore didn't mention that Quirrell had mocked and insulted him. He wished that he himself were down there to greet the Defense teacher.

Harry couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.

"There was so much evidence against Professor Snape, it didn't even register that someone else could be the one behind it all." said Harry.

"It must be easier when you read it instead of living it." said Lionus with a smirk.

"You knew?" said Professor Lupin.

"It's what we get paid to do. See things that go unnoticed." said Nightstrike.

"But Snape tried to kill me!"

"No I didn't." said Snape tiredly.

"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."

"He was trying to save Harry?" said Sirius stunned.

"That he was." said Dumbledore.

"Snape was trying to save me?"

"I wouldn't believe it either." said Sirius with a small smile.

"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match?

"To take the Slytherin opposition out?" said Fred innocently. Trying to lighten the mood, but he failed.

He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really...he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching.

"I always feel safer knowing Dumbledore is nearby." said Harry with a small smile.

"Yet, he's the one that puts you in danger." said Remus with a scowl.

"That was the only time, Remus, that I actually gave him the tools and the means of doing something dangerous. I think you will realize that." said Dumbledore.

"What about last year then?" said Remus angrily.

"That was a magical contract." said Harry loudly. "There was nothing he could do. Trust me; I pleaded with him to get me out of it."

All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular...and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."

Sirius gripped Harry tightly about the shoulders, while Ginny squeezed Harry's hand.

Mrs. Weasely looked over to Harry in horror.

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.

"NO!" yelled Sirius and Dr. Clark. Remus clutched at his throat.

"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"He was going to save a friend from a stupid troll!" yelled Fred.

"You let the troll in?"

"He let it in?" asked George weakly.

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls-you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there?

"That isn't a special gift, all you did was knock the stupid thing out." snarled Charlie.

Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me,

"Wow, you go, Professor Snape!" said a small first year Gryffindor.

"Yeah! You're so cool!" said another first year Gryffindor.

Professor Snape stared at the two first years, eyes wide and mouth slackened.

Dumbledore smiled brightly over at him.

went straight to the third floor to head me off-and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death,

"Thanks to Ron." said Harry with a smile.

that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly.

Snape growled threateningly.

"Now wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

"What mirror?" asked Dr. Clark.

It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror of Erised.

"OH, SHIT!" yelled Bill. "Harry! Don't look at it! You'll get distracted again!"

"I don't get distracted this time, I don't even see my family this time." said Harry with the same small smile that he had had on his face since the beginning of the chapter.

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this...

"That's true, who else would use a mirror that drives you nuts?" said Sirius shaking his head, but pulling Harry close to him.

but he's in London...I'll be far away by the time he gets back..."

"That's what you think." said Dumbledore and Harry at the same time.

All Harry could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.

"No! Don't do that!" moaned Mr. Weasely.

"Why not, dad? If it keeps the Stone away from him..." said George curiously.

"He's dangerous! If Harry ticks him off, or distracts him too much, he could just kill him outright!" cried Tonks answering for Mr. Weasely.

"I saw you and Snape in the forest—" he blurted out.

"Harry...don't distract him!" moaned Sirius. "I don't want him to hurt you!"

"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me—as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side.…"

"So...He WAS in on it..." said Madam Bones quietly,

"NO, HE..." shouted Fudge, but was silenced by Nightstrike fingering his sword.

Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

"He's starting to be enthralled with the mirror." said Tempest wisely.

"You know of it?" asked Charlie stunned.

"There is no magical object that we don't know about." said Lionus calmly.

"I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master.… but where is it?"

Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give.

Ginny whimpered slightly. Harry had to lean over and whisper in her ear. "I'm alright; I get out of it ok."

He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

"No you don't!" said Katie shrilly.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."

"That seems to be true." said Neville. "He picks on you more than he picks on me."

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other.

"They most certainly did." said Remus thoughtfully, yet still panicking. "Though I can't remember what really made them hate each other, right off the bat."

But he never wanted you dead."

"Sometimes, I wonder though..." said Harry quietly with a faint smile.

"Why do you say that, Potter?" said McGonagall taken aback.

"You'll find out in the fourth book, I think." said Harry.

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing—I thought Snape was threatening you.…"

"That's what I thought too." said Seamus.

For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.

"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions—he is a great wizard and I am weak—"

"He was in the room with him?" asked Moody quickly.

"Thank god you didn't go through that ajar door, then. If you had..." said Angelina faintly.

"Going through that door wouldn't have done anything." said Harry with another small smile.

"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly.

"Say what?" asked Bill.

"I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…

"There is good and there is evil. Sadly, some people sit in a gray area, in between the two." said Dumbledore quietly.

"The Dursleys are evil." muttered Katie.

"I think they fit in the gray area." said Harry absently.

"Bull." said the three Gryffindor Chasers sharply.

"I agree with the girls." said Dr. Clark sternly.

Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"

Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley—how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.

"How were you to know he was the one after the Stone?" asked Hermione. "He was right! Who would consider him a threat?"

Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"I don't understand…is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

"If he breaks it, the Stone is lost forever. Never to appear in this world again." said Dumbledore.

Harry's mind was racing.

What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it—which means I'll see where it's hidden!

"Wow, Harry. That was some fast thinking!" said Tonks.

But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?

"Good luck with that." said Fred.

He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over.

Fred and George snorted loudly.

"What's so funny?" shrieked Mrs. Weasely.

"The mental picture of Harry tied up and falling over." said Fred quickly, he began to laugh out loud.

"Sorry, Harry. But it sounds hilarious!" said George wiping a tear from his eye.

"I almost started laughing when I fell actually. I had to stop myself." said Harry.

"So you weren't, all together, that much worried?" said Remus his eyebrows raised.

"I was worried, but I knew there was help coming." said Harry honestly.

Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

"Don't tell me he was there." moaned Remus standing up and walking behind the bowl. He placed a hand on Harry's right shoulder.

And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy… Use the boy…"

"No...no...don't..." moaned Remus again.

Quirrell rounded on Harry. "Yes—Potter—come here."

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.

"RUN!" yelled the inhabitants of the Great Hall.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry walked toward him.

"What made you walk towards him?" yelled Sirius.

"I'm not too sure." said Harry thoughtfully.

I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.

"You can't lie, we already established that! You're a horrible liar." said George clapping his hand to his forehead.

Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban.

"If he does anything..." snarled Dr. Clark.

"What do you mean?" said Harry curiously.

"If he molests you down there..." said Dr. Clark darkly.

Harry turned and stared at Dr. Clark, "No…no one touched me, not him, not anyone. I didn't need that image in my head, thank you very much!" he shook his head furiously.

He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again.

He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket—and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow—incredibly—he'd gotten the Stone.

"Oh...that was a bad move, Potter." said Lionus looking over to Harry.

"Why?" asked Ron quickly.

"It makes him a target, all it would take now to get the Stone is to either incapacitate or kill an eleven year old boy." said Tempest plainly.

Remus' nails dug into Harry's flesh. When Harry flinched, Sirius shoved the hand off Harry's shoulder.

Remus looked at Sirius quickly, Sirius pulled Harry's shirt down a little and he saw the marks dug into the alabaster skin. Remus blanched, and then whispered an apology to Harry. Harry merely waved the apology away.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Harry screwed up his courage.

"I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore," he invented. "I—I've won the house cup for Gryffindor."

The twins stared at the book. "...that was actually a pretty good lie..." said Fred.

Quirrell cursed again.

"Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Sorcerer's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?

"Don't turn your back on him, boy." said Moody quickly.

But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

"He lies… He lies…"

"Oh, crap." moaned Mr. Weasely.

"Is he a ventriloquist or something?" asked Dr. Clark.

"No, the voice belongs to someone else." said Harry plainly.

"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to him… face-to-face…"

Ginny gave a small squeak, while Sirius yelped as if someone had stamped on his animagus form's tail.

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough… for this…"

Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle.

"FOR GOD'S SAKE, MOVE!" yelled McGonagall. She had been silent for a majority of the time, wringing her hands and turning paler and paler.

Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.

Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound.

"When Harry screams and doesn't. You know that if you were to see it, you'd faint dead away." said George carefully.

Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Dear...God..." said Dr. Clark.

"That's Lord Voldemort." said Dumbledore to Dr. Clark, "The...one...who killed Harry's parents."

Dr. Clark sent a distraught look over to Harry, who sat looking forward, not noticing the looks he was receiving.

"What do you have to say now, Minister?" said Harry quietly, eyes closed.

Fudge was sitting and staring at the book in shock. Umbridge merely sniffed and turned her nose upwards. That action earned her a sharp slap to her face.

"Sit and don't make a nuisance of yourself." snarled Nightstrike.

"Harry Potter…" it whispered.

Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.

"I'm guessing you told your friends that you were standing your ground, bravely staring him down." said Professor Snape with a smirk.

"No, he did not!" screeched Hermione.

"He told us he couldn't move he was so scared." said Ron.

"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest…

"That was him?" whispered McGonagall. She and Hagrid both paled, they had taken first year students into the forest, where Lord Voldemort himself was hunting and killing unicorns!

and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own…. Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

"Oh no...He knows..." moaned Charlie.

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.

"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me…or you'll meet the same end as your parents… They died begging me for mercy…"

"LIAR!" shouted Sirius and Remus. "THEY DIDN'T BEG! DON'T LISTEN TO HIM!"

"I know they didn't, trust me, I know." said Harry quietly.

"How could you know?" said Fudge suspiciously.

"The Dementors you sent to the school two years ago." said Harry plainly.

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.

Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.

"Him smiling, is not a good thing." said Flitwick faintly.

"How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery..."

"That's a lie, if he did, he'd like Harry." said Neville jokingly. Instead of laughs he received only stares.

Yes, boy, your parents were brave….I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight…but your mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you….Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."

"Don't do it, Harry!" shouted Bill.

"NEVER!"

"Good lad!" said Lionus, the Doctor, Tempest, and Nightstrike. The Aurors nodded in approval. "You'd make a fine Ranger, boy." said Lionus with a smile.

"Or Auror." added Madame Bones quickly.

Harry sprang toward the flame door,

"If he touches the flame now, what would have happened?" asked Colin.

"It would have sent them straight to Dumbledore's office. And placing them in a full-body bind." said Snape. "You only die if you wish to go forward without a potion, not backwards."

but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him.

"Wha' happened?" asked Lee in shock.

The pain in his head lessened—he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers—they were blistering before his eyes.

"How the hell did that happen?" asked Terry.

"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck—

"NO!" yelled Sirius.

Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Master, I cannot hold him—my hands—my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees,

"GET OFF HIM!" shouted Remus.

let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms — Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.

"NO! NO, PLEASE!" cried Dr. Clark.

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse,

"HARRY!" shouted Sirius.

"I'm right here!" said Harry turning Sirius' face to look at his own. "I'm right here." he said quietly. He took ahold of Remus' hand with his other hand, letting go of Ginny's hand, and gave it a squeeze. "Both of you need to settle down, you too." he said including Dr. Clark in his scolding.

but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face-

"AAAARGH!"

"Good instincts." said Kingsley wiping the sweat off his brow.

Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain—his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.

"Alright! Harry can fight back!" said Fred excitedly.

"Why didn't' you use your wand?" asked Moody.

"I didn't think I could beat him with what spells I learned. To be perfectly honest, I was scared." said Harry quietly.

Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off—the pain in Harry's head was building—he couldn't see—

"Hold on, Harry!" shouted George.

he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HIM! KILL HIM!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, "Harry! Harry!"

"What?" asked George looking confused.

Harry looked to Dumbledore who smiled, and nodded.

He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down…down…down…

"Oh no, Harry..." said Mrs. Weasely faintly.

Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch!

"What's the Snitch doing there?" asked Seamus.

"It wasn't the Snitch." said Harry.

He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.

"What?" What are you going on about?" asked Zacharias.

He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.

"Are you stoned or something?" asked Dean wonderingly.

"No, he wasn't." said Dumbledore with a smile.

He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.

"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore.

"The way I woke up that afternoon was a lot better than the way I would wake up at the Dursleys'." said Harry brightly.

"Getting ice cold water dumped on you at three in the morning is a better way of waking up, then what your Aunt Petunia does." said Fred shaking his head.

Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick—"

"You just about climbed out of the bed and lunged yourself at me." said Dumbledore with a small smile.

"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."

"Then who does? Sir, I—"

"Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."

"So does that mean he's in the hospital wing?" asked a second year Hufflepuff.

"Yeah, and you don't want to tick off, the school nurse, just agree with whatever she says." said George warningly.

Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

"I didn't expect to see candy." said Harry shaking his head.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows.

"Ain't that the truth." said Lee with a broad smile.

I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you.

"FRED, GEORGE! I SAID: DON'T BLOW UP TOILETS!" yelled Mrs. Weasely.

"But, mom!" whined George.

"We wanted to make him feel better!" whined Fred.

Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

"Damn, so you never did get it." said Fred disappointed.

"What did you think of the toilet seat we sent you, Ginny?" asked George, walking over and whispering into her ear.

"It's hanging in my room. Right behind the door, so mom doesn't see it." said Ginny, trying not laugh out loud.

"How long have I been in here?"

"Three days.

Sirius and Remus moaned, whined, groaned and held onto Harry tightly.

"Why are you upset now?" asked Harry.

"Three days with Madam Pomfrey means that you were really bad." said Sirius. Dr. Clark paled.

Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."

"Not nearly as worried as Dumbledore was." said Ron quietly to Hermione.

"But sir, the Stone —"

"I see you are not to be distracted.

"He never is when he's worried about something." said Neville.

Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."

"At least before he passed out." said Dumbledore quickly to the furious glares sent in his direction.

You got there? You got Hermione's owl?"

"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."

"Oh! So the person yelling 'Harry' was you, sir?" asked Colin eagerly.

Dumbledore merely nodded.

"It was you."

"I feared I might be too late."

"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer–"

"Not the stone Harry, he's talking about you!" said Mrs. Weasely helplessly.

"Not the Stone, boy, you—the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had.

Sirius, Remus and Dr. Clark were completely silent.

"What do you mean, 'effort nearly killed him'?" asked Remus in barely a whisper.

Little balls of light came popping out of the book in the Doctor's hands.

"Didn't we already do one of these today?" asked Lionus, slightly confused.

"Scattered Shots can sometimes happen multiple times in a day as the books progress. Scrolls only happen once every twenty four hours, at this point anyway, as the books progress they will become more numerous." said an Unspeakable.

After the now familiar spinning and shattering was completed and the balls found their way into each reader's chest, they found themselves down in an open, yet frightfully dark chamber. In the center of the room, they saw Harry holding on tightly to the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher of four years past.

Sirius rushed forward and tried his best to grab ahold of the man who dared to hurt his cub. But his clawing hands fell on empty space.

They all saw the face behind Professor Quirrell's own burnt face give him orders to kill the boy hanging on for dear life. All the students and a few of the guests screamed when they saw it, while Mrs. Weasely just about fainted dead away.

"Don't you dare!" shouted Dr. Clark to Professor Quirrell.

"We've already been through this part." said Harry quietly.

"Yeah, well, we weren't standing here watching it happen!" said Sirius loudly.

Younger Harry's head was hung backwards, his eyes were squeezed tightly shut and his teeth were gritted in pain. They heard a loud bang and saw another Dumbledore come running down the stairs and shouting Harry's name.

"So that was you, sir." said Colin, staring at his wounded and blinded hero.

He disarmed Quirrell and wrenched the man's arms away from Harry. As if in slow motion, Harry fell to the ground, his hand limply holding the much sought after stone.

Sirius, Remus and Dr. Clark clutched at the present-day Harry, and not relinquishing their hold.

Quirrell screamed as Harry's hold on him was removed, and then some sort of mist came from his mouth. As the mist left him, his skin began to dry and cling to his bones. His eyes bulged out of their sockets and his hands flew to his throat.

"That's disgusting." said Fred and George weakly.

The Watchers and the Dumbledore of the past stared in horror and shock as the mist left the poor man's body completely. Quirrell crumpled to the ground his arm slowly raised and tried to reach out to the vapor above him, but his arm fell and his breath was reduced to a weak shudder. The vapor hissed at him, and then tried to waft quickly over to the fallen first year. Dumbledore casted a spell over Harry, covering him with a shimmering veil of light. Try as it might, the vapor couldn't penetrate the veil. It then disappeared out the door and through the flames.

Dumbledore dispersed the veil and bent low over the unconscious child, the boy looked as he was merely sleeping on the cold stone.

"Harry? Harry, wake up." said Dumbledore, giving the boy's shoulder a shake. The moment he touched him he pulled back slightly. "Why are you so cold, Harry? Harry? HARRY!" yelled Dumbledore shaking Harry harder.

"Oh, no!" moaned Sirius. Mrs. Weasely came rushing over to the present day Harry and held onto him just as tightly as the three men were.

The scene shifted forward and they saw Madam Pomfrey covering Ron, who had fallen asleep, with a warm blanket. The door to the Hospital Wing burst open and Dumbledore came running towards the Medi-witch.

"Poppy! Poppy, Please!" cried Dumbledore hurriedly. "It's Harry, he's..." he laid the pale and lifeless body down on a nearby bed.

"I didn't hear all this, must've been the potion she gave me." said Ron quietly.

Fudge merely stared in shock down at the injured boy of the past.

Madam Pomfrey quickly rushed over and examined him, as she did, her face turned from worry to absolute horror.

"Poppy, please, please don't tell me..." said Dumbledore weakly. "Don't tell me he's gone."

"Not yet, but I don't know how much longer he's going to last." said Madam Pomfrey, waving her wand over the boy and letting the magical waves wash over his body.

"Is there anything I can do?" said Dumbledore quickly.

"No, there's...what is that thing?" said Madam Pomfrey looking under Harry's eyelids, then looking to the stone, which caught her eye, laying on the table.

"It's the Sorcerer's Stone." said Dumbledore bitterly.

"Give it here!" she quickly, taking it off the table. She took a large glass and placed it down on the side-table, picked up the stone and between her two hands, squeezed it.

Soon, a small trickle of golden liquid fell from the Stone and began to pool into the glass. When the glass was almost a fourth of the way full, she stopped squeezing and placed the stone back down. She picked the glass up and lifted Harry's limp head.

"Open his mouth!" ordered Madam Pomfrey to Dumbledore. He stood up and gently opened the boy's mouth. Madam Pomfrey poured the liquid slowly into the boy's mouth. With the help of Madam Pomfrey's wand, the liquid was swallowed down.

"Now what?" said Dumbledore anxiously.

"You really are shaken up, aren't you? You should know what that was." said Madam Pomfrey with a dry chuckle. "Now he rests, he's going to be just fine. He'll be sore and very weak for a while, and magically drained for a month or two, but fine. Good thing that stone is here, without it..." she said wiping her wet eyes on a handkerchief.

"Thank goodness...thank goodness." whispered Dumbledore, burying his eyes into Harry's messy locks.

The balls of light left their bodies and they once again found themselves in Great Hall. They all turned and looked at Harry, who felt his abdomen.

"I drank Elixir of Life?" he said weakly.

"It was the only thing that kept you from dying that night." said Madam Pomfrey sadly.

It was several moments till 'Doc' cleared his throat and continued on with the reading.

As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" asked Fred and George quietly in unison.

"Destroyed?" said Harry blankly. "But your friend—Nicolas Flamel—"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you?

"It only took us about three-quarters of a year." said Ron with a smirk.

Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."

"Little chat?" said Dr. Clark. "How do you have a little chat with that topic? 'Sorry Nicolas, someone tried to steal the thing you spent so long to create, so you're going to have to destroy it and die'?"

"It didn't quite go like that, Sam," said Dumbledore with a small smile. "more along the lines of just showing the disastrous effects of protecting a stone such as that."

"What did you show him?" asked Tonks questioningly.

"Harry, unconscious in the hospital wing. Once he saw you Harry and heard what had placed you in that condition, he destroyed it right then and there." said Dumbledore.

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"You're in the hospital wing, and you don't even give a damn about what is wrong with you?" said Charlie stunned.

"I was more concerned about someone dying because of me." said Harry sadly.

"It wasn't because of you, it was because of Voldemort that Nicolas had to remove that path of empowerment." said Dumbledore giving Harry a reassuring smile.

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."

"And you were the last person to drink straight from that stone." said Dumbledore with a small smile. "Speaking of their affairs, I fear that I have not told you, though it was my duty to do so as the executor of his will, they left all their wealth and possessions to you."

Harry looked quickly over to Dumbledore. "What?" he said in barely a whisper.

"They had no children and obviously, no living relatives. They had no one to give their assets to. Also, it was Nicolas' way of apologizing, for being the cause of someone almost taking your life. Also, there is a trust fund for Mr. Weasely and Miss Granger, about a million galleons each."

"Huh?" said Ron staring at Dumbledore. Hermione's mouth slackened and hung loosely open.

"It will be available to you the year after you graduate from Hogwarts. Giving you a large head start in your future careers." said Dumbledore with a broad smile.

"Why? Why did he give us..." said Hermione weakly.

"For your participation in trying to save the Stone as well." said Dumbledore with a smile.

Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.

"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible,

"To anyone but you, I think, it's incredible." said Bill shaking his head.

but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day.

"That's an odd way of looking at it, but then again, being a doctor, I don't always see people die peacefully." said Dr. Clark thinking carefully.

"Who do you mostly treat, Dr. Clark?" asked Hermione, extremely interested.

"I'm an E.R. surgeon." said Dr. Clark with a smile.

"So you ARE one of the muggle nutters that cut people open? OUCH!" said Ron and then yelped as Hermione elbowed him hard in the ribs.

Dr. Clark, was not insulted however, he merely laughed. "Yeah, Ron, I guess you could call me and my profession that. Especially after what I've seen of magical healing." he said with a smile.

After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing.

"Except for the part about it saving Harry's life, correct?" said McGonagall.

"I didn't think that Harry was up to hearing that tale just yet." said Dumbledore sadly.

"I really wasn't, after a while, I just wanted to go back to sleep." said Harry with a smile.

As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all—

"Not all of us." said the Rangers, Aurors, and Harry.

"We want it so that there is no more need for us, so we can take it easy." said Lionus, as the other Rangers nodded.

"Same thing with us." said Moody.

Harry said nothing, thinking of his parents, Officer McFinn, Cedric and the end of Voldemort.

the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

"That's true." said Firenze and Tempest together.

Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

"You do love to have people think about what you say and then try and come up with a rebuttal." said McGonagall with a smile.

"And I didn't have one." said Harry with a smile.

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking… sir—even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who—"

"Call him Voldemort, Harry.

"How come you don't stutter over his name, like everyone else?" asked Percy suspiciously.

"We don't worry about him, he's not on our radar." said the Doctor, shrugging.

"He's on our radar now, Doc. He used my squad to try and get the Potter boy. Its personal." said Lionus with a snarl.

"Oh, well, killing him won't take too long now." said Doc shrugging.

"Why didn't you take him out if he's no problem?" said Sirius angrily.

"You had the means to take him out, you didn't need us." said Lionus simply.

Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Wise words." said Tempest nodding approvingly over to the Headmaster.

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"YES HE HAS!" shouted Umbridge. Lionus whipped out his wand and immediately a gag appeared over her mouth and ropes around her wrists, securing her to the chair.

"I'm not ready to go and take care of the paper work just yet, and neither is Nightstrike or Tempest, I shouldn't wonder. So this," he said standing up and walking over to her. He pulled the gag out of her mouth and snapping it back, like a rubber band. "should take care of your bothersome chatter."

Fudge was still staring at Harry in shock, he hadn't noticed that his colleague was now gagged and bound.

"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies.

"That was obvious from the Scattered Shot." said Kingsley shuddering; he was remembering what had happened to the unsuspecting Quirrell.

Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time—

"That was a little promise to myself, that I would not have you do something like this again." said Dumbledore sadly.

and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt.

"I remember you wincing in pain. I just about summoned Madam Pomfrey." said Dumbledore quietly.

Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"

"That is what stopped me dead in my tracks." said Dumbledore sadly.

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"That was a little hint to me that, you weren't going to tell me much." said Harry with a small smile.

"Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"

"A question the whole world would like to know." said Remus.

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.

"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."

And Harry knew it would be no good to argue.

"I was right." said Harry with a larger smile.

"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love.

"His famous 'love speech'." said Nightstrike smiling with his eyes looking up at the ceiling.

He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

Sirius smiled broadly with tears in his eyes, he kissed the top of Harry's head.

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet.

"Awww!" cooed several girls.

When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak — do you know who sent it to me?"

"Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."

"Wasn't just using it to sneak food." said Remus with a broad smile.

"And there's something else…"

"Fire away."

"Quirrell said Snape —"

"Professor Snape, Harry."

"You still have to keep reminding me of the title in front of his name." said Harry to Dumbledore.

"Yes, him —

Several people snorted.

Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Bout as true as true can be." said Sirius with a glare towards Snape.

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy.

"I don't detest him anymore, at least not really." said Harry quietly. "I just dislike him."

And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?"

"He saved his life."

"What?"

Sirius shuffled his feet guiltily and chewed his lip.

Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"

"Makes sense." said Fred.

"I guess." said George.

Harry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he stopped.

"And sir, there's one more thing…"

"Just the one?"

"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"

"You wanted to find it, and not use it." said Luna dreamily.

Dumbledore smiled brightly at her. "We must have a chat sometime Miss. Lovegood. I think we would have the most stimulating conversations."

Luna looked happily over to the man, "Oh yes sir! I've heard that you have a Humroonbow in your office!"

"A Humroonbow, Miss Lovegood?" said Dumbledore with a smile.

"It's a creature that instills comfort and calmness in a room. They love to be near powerful people." she said dreamily.

"There might be one in there, if so, it is a very good hider." said Dumbledore, his eyes twinkling brightly.

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas,

"From what I've heard, you have every right to have a high opinion of yourself." said Dr. Clark with a bright smile.

and between you and me, that's saying something.

Dumbledore laughed. "Dear me, what has become of my humility? I must get it in check."

You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone—find it, but not use it—would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes…

Dumbledore continued laughing but now he was burying his face in his hands. "Oh, dear me!" he said still laughing.

Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets.

"That's is a very nice way of shutting him up." said Dr. Clark teasingly.

"If he had another question, I would have answered him." said Dumbledore brightly.

"And I did have one more, I asked if you were alright." said Harry with a smile.

"Why would you ask him that?" said Mrs. Weasely.

"You'll find out real soon." said Harry with a grin. Dumbledore chuckled.

Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them—but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"

"Since you had that one, sir, I don't eat them either." said Harry laughing along with Dumbledore. Several students laughed too, along with Mrs. Weasely, who got the answer to her question.

Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.

"Nice description of me Mr. Potter." said Madam Pomfrey smiling.

"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"

"I can't really say no to Dumbledore." said Madam Pomfrey smiling.

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You needrest."

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"

"Oh no. you've got your mother's cheek! What is living with you going to bring?" said Sirius pretending to look worried.

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let Ron and Hermione in.

"Harry!"

Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.

"Madam Pomfrey said she'd throw us out if we were too rough with you." said Hermione with a small smile.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to—Dumbledore was so worried—"

"I guess we didn't know just how worried." said Ron quietly.

"And we didn't know how close you were to..." said Hermione faintly.

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry told them everything:

"Well you softened it quite a bit." said Hermione looking over to Harry with a fond smile. "Thanks for that by the way."

Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.

"I'm amazed that Madam Pomfrey didn't come and check what was going on." said Ron thinking back.

"I was too busy listening to the story, Mr. Weasely, and I had to barely hold back my scream as well." said Madam Pomfrey defensively.

"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that—what was it?—'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.

"Like I said Harry, that one is my favorite phrase to describe my eccentricities." said Dumbledore, smiling towards Ron.

"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.

"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round—that took a while—and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall—he already knew—he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"He was just about as fast a runner as Harry is." said Ron loudly.

"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"

"Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did—I mean to say that's terrible—you could have been killed."

"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"

"And I swear, I will never do that again." said Dumbledore sadly. "From that point on, I always made sure that I or someone else was within calling distance."

"Made sure? You mean to say that he's gotten into more danger after this?" said Sirius weakly.

"Sort of..." said Harry plainly.

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course—

"Damn, that sucks." said Remus sadly.

you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you—

"Being without a seeker will do that." said Charlie shaking his head.

but the food'll be good."

"The end-of-the-year feasts are always good." said Bill with a smile.

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.

"Story time was over, now it's sleepy time." said Fred in a cutesy voice.

After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.

"I'm not too sure what normal is." said Harry with a chuckle.

"I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes. "I can, can't I?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be.

"They can be! He was fragile!" said Madam Pomfrey ignoring Harry's groan. "He could have been jostled around and injured further!"

"And you have another visitor."

"Wonder who it is?" said Ernie.

"Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?"

Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke.

"That was nice of you Hagrid!" said Mrs. Weasely. She was feeling much better, now that Harry, Ron, and Hermione were out of danger.

As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears.

"What was wrong, Hagrid?" said Mrs. Weasely confused.

"It's—all—my—ruddy—fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

"Whoa! Hagrid never cries, or swears off drinking! Did you really do it?" asked Charlie looking up to Hagrid.

"He did, for quite a while." said Dumbledore kindly.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."

"That was nice of you, trying to calm him down." said Ginny quietly.

"I was in shock, he was so big, and he was so strong, I didn't know he could cry like that." whispered Harry.

"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"

"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying.

"I've met him and I'm calling him by his name.

"Dumbledore gave me the go ahead to say it. Before, I was too nervous to say it, just in case someone would get angry at me for saying it." said Harry quietly.

Sirius and Remus thought back to the Dursleys. Sirius growled softly. "Unless you swear, we aren't going to get mad at you."

Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"

"You're so generous, Harry!" cooed Mrs. Weasely.

"I didn't have my knapsack or anything, or I would have given him some gingerbread, but chocolate made Neville feel better." said Harry, blushing furiously.

Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."

"Seems like he's always got something for you." said Remus with a smile.

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously,

"I only eat stoats or weasels while I'm in dog form." said Sirius shaking his head.

"Your dog form needs a bath, now that I think about it." said Dr. Clark smirking.

Remus and Harry laughed as Sirius smacked him on head with a cushion.

and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.

"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it.

"Fix what?" asked Dean.

'course, he shoulda sacked me instead—anyway, got yeh this…"

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.

"Oh, Hagrid." said Sirius smiling up to Hagrid, Remus was drying his eyes.

"Dumbledore put me in charge of gatherin' it all up." said Hagrid proudly.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos…

"Sorry, Harry, I wasn't one of the people who gave Hagrid photos. But I've got a bunch, all of the ones that Sirius and I took." said Remus sadly.

"Why didn't you send Hagrid any?" asked Ron confused.

"I was abroad. In South America actually." said Remus.

knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"

"I loved it, I still love it." said Harry, wiping the tears from his eyes.

Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.

Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup,

"I wish I did one to look for non-magically caused injuries." said Madam Pomfrey bitterly.

so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row.

A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.

When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once.

"Nothing all that different from what happens now." said Harry to himself.

He slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.

Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.

"Whereas with 'The Toad' she has to clear her throat." said Fred with a smirk.

"And still people talk over her." said George with a grin.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast.

"Nice opening speech." said Dr. Clark laughing heartily.

What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…

"We all do try our best to forget everything." said Harry happily.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.

"Took everything I had not to smack you." said Harry over to Draco.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

"Huh?" asked Sirius and Bill at the same time.

The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.

Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...

"Can he do that?" asked Tonks to McGonagall.

"He can, and for any reason he sees fit. This, as the rest of the teacher (except for Snape) agreed, was a very good reason." said McGonagall.

First—to Mr. Ronald Weasley…" Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

"Gee, thanks mate." said Ron with a raised eyebrow.

"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

"Go Ron!" yelled Charlie and Bill.

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"

"Yeah, if I had known just how difficult it was..." said Percy weakly.

At last there was silence again.

"Second—to Miss Hermione Granger… for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

"Were you trying to make a joke? Cause if you did, you did one heck of a job." said Kingsley, trying to hide a smile.

Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears.

"I had never been awarded points in front of the whole school before." said Hermione trying to defend herself.

Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves—they were a hundred points up.

"You're narrowing the lead!" yelled Sirius, getting more and more excited.

"Third—to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

"Come on! One more point and they would win!" said Dr. Clark counting up the points fast. "Has there ever been a year in which houses are tied?"

"Nope, never. If it does happen, then Dumbledore, or if there is another headmaster, gives points for things he's noticed throughout the year."

The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points—exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup—if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

"Go Neville! I guess getting cursed and left on the ground all night, sort of paid off!" said Charlie clapping Neville on the back.

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

"Since then, he's won quite a bit in Herbology class." said Harry proudly.

Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.

"I had to tell my students that it was well within the rules what Dumbledore did." said Snape with a frown.

Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot.

"Big surprise." said Fred and George rolling their eyes.

This didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… he would never, ever forget tonight.

"I still haven't." said Harry quietly.

Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks;

"Meaning I got through with mostly 'E's and Harry scored all 'E's he was worried that he might have hit an 'O' or dropped down too low." said Ron with a smirk.

Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years.

"Big surprise." chanted Fred and George again, but they were smiling.

Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one.

"That hasn't changed at all." said Neville with a small smile.

They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.

"Goyle managed to get an 'A' in Potions, which raised his average from a 'T' to a 'P'." muttered Draco.

"Which is just enough to get you through to second year." said Snape.

And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets;notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley sadly);

"Not with you two as students, I won't" said Professor McGonagall sternly.

Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

"It never seems like to take a long time to get there, but it takes all day to get to the school." said Hermione thoughtfully.

"That's because the train goes slower at the beginning of the year." said Harry absently.

"How do you know?" said Hermione quickly.

"I timed it." said Harry with a broad smile.

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles.

"Could use him at the beginning for the Muggle-borns." said Harry to Dumbledore.

"I will see if he wishes to do so." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you—I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."

"Wish I had asked about that further." said Ron angrily.

People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Bye, Harry!"

"See you, Potter!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.

"Tell me we don't have to listen to more of the Dursley's." whined Remus.

"Sorry." said Harry.

"You don't need to be sorry, they do." said Remus quickly.

He, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!" It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Sorry, Ron." said Ginny sadly.

"It's all good." said Ron waving away the apology.

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see —"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.

"Busy year?" she said.

"Oh, dear, I asked a loaded question, didn't I." said Mrs. Weasely shaking her head.

"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Ready, are you?"

It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people.

"Oh, just let me at him for a few moments. It's all I'm asking." said Remus angrily.

Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

"They thought I could fight back, now. They used to be this nervous...around...Officer McFinn..." said Harry changing quickly from a happy mood, to a downtrodden one. Dr. Clark reached around and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.

"I just thought they were grumpy." said Mrs. Weasely earnestly to Harry.

"It's alright, you were there when I really needed you." said Harry consolingly.

Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have—er—a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.

"They were more than just unpleasant." said Hermione angrily.

"Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face.

"It wasn't just the smile, it was that you looked really evil." said Ron with a laugh.

"They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"

"Don't push your luck boy." growled Moody warningly.

"Well that's the end of this book." said the Doctor.

"Good job, Nicodemus. I'm amazed you didn't all of a sudden switch to Latin. He loves to do that." said Lionus rolling his eyes.

"These are children, I didn't want to overwhelm them." said Nicodemus haughtily.

"Can we start the next book?" asked Colin excitedly. "I'm in that one!"

"It's six forty-two." said Harry looking at the sunset. "And if it starts the way I think it does, we better save it for tomorrow."

"Your choice, Harry." said Dumbledore kindly. "Well, let's stretch our legs and await dinner."

"Mind if I go down and cook something?" asked Harry. "Better vent before tomorrow rolls around."

"Of course not, dear boy. Go and cook to your heart's desire." said Dumbledore smiling broadly.

"Harry, we need to talk." said Remus.

"Is it about punishing me for going down the trapdoor?" said Harry looking up to him.

"Yeah, I…" said Remus.

"Dumbledore said we weren't going to be punished for anything that happened in the past." said Ron worriedly.

"School won't punish you, but we will." said Remus nodding over to Mrs. Weasley.

"What sort of punishment did you have in mind?" asked Harry plainly.

"We can talk about that in private." said Remus.

"Like I told Sirius before, I've had worse, whatever you do." said Harry shrugging. "Paddling won't do much to me, better get creative." Harry stood up in the bowl and walked out and towards the kitchens. But stopped before he closed the door behind him, he addressed the rest of the students without looking at them.

"You believed the rumors that year, and they mentioned Voldemort, and yet when I tell you almost directly what happened last year, not one of you believed me." he then took leave.

As the students digested this Remus had his own worries, he turned to Sirius.

"Why does he keep fighting me?" he asked worriedly.

"Beats me, I'll ask him later." said Sirius shrugging.

He was pouring candied chestnuts and syrup in a bowl when Ginny came in, she looked around until she found Harry.

"What are you making?" asked Ginny walking over to him.

"Candied Chestnuts, thought they'd be a nice snack for tomorrow. Whatcha need?" said Harry wiping his hands on a towel.

"Dumbledore just announced that on the weekends, we won't be doing any reading. I just wanted to know, if you wanted to go to Hogsmede with me on Saturday." she said giving Harry a shy smile.

"I'd love to. You hungry? I've got a small pot of my seven-day spaghetti on the stove, it's just about ready." said Harry looking over to the streaming pot.

"Sure, um..what makes it 'seven-day spaghetti'." asked Ginny sitting down at a little table.

"Every day, I add more spices to the mix. Here we go." said Harry placing some of it onto a plate and hands it to her. She twirled her fork around the noodles and places the fork full of spaghetti into her mouth. She moaned in delight of the multitude of flavors blending together in her mouth. It was sweet and spicy all in one tasty bite.

"Hmm...mmm.." moaned Ginny.

"I take it, you like it?" said Harry eating from his own plate.

"You need to teach mom this recipe." said Ginny getting another forkful.

"Your mom doesn't need any help in the kitchen." said Harry with a smile. "So, what do you want to do in Hogsmede?" said Harry pouring Ginny a tall glass of butterbeer.

"Well, we can just wander about." said Ginny with a smile. "We can talk and walk..."

"That sounds great. I think both of our families would kill us if we moved way too fast. Ron might not like the idea of me dating you though." said Harry helping himself to seconds.

"When it comes to my choice of who I date, I don't care what Ron thinks." said Ginny rolling her eyes.

"You don't sleep in the same room with him." said Harry shaking his fork at her playfully.

Once they ate all they wanted, which was the entire pot, Harry magicked the pot into the sink and it began to clean itself.

"Want to help me finish off the chestnuts?" said Harry with a broad smile. Ginny nodded and listened to Harry's instructions.

It was ten o'clock when they were almost finished, Harry was magicking the syrup to be absorbed faster into the delectable little chestnuts, when Sirius came down with Mrs. Weasely on his heels. When they saw both teens in the kitchen together; Mrs. Weasely placed her hands on her hips.

"What are you two doing? It's ten at night!" she scolded.

"Making a snack for tomorrow." said Harry getting a large baking sheet. "Thank God for magic, this would normally take a whole week to make."

"Well, it's time for the both of you to go to bed." said Sirius looking suspiciously over to Harry.

Ginny left with her mother and Sirius came over to Harry.

"You like pushing your luck, don't you?" said Sirius with a mischievous grin.

"I'm not too sure what you're talking about." said Harry, placing the nuts in the stove.

"Don't go too fast with Ginny. You don't want to ostracize yourself from that family." said Sirius with a smirk.

"I don't intend to do anything hasty with Ginny. I may be reckless with my life, but I've got morals." said Harry smacking Sirius' hand with a wooden spoon when he reached for a finger-full of the excess syrup.

"I was about to kiss her a week ago, if you can bother to remember, but I pulled back. I don't want to rush in; I want to take it slow. I had a crush on Cho, and I wanted to run into a relationship with her." said Harry setting the timer.

"That really, really cute Ravenclaw? Hell, I would have!" said Sirius with a smirk.

"I would have gone headlong, forgetting about her lingering feelings for...Cedric." Harry looked down, with a saddened expression. "I don't want to put her through hell."

Sirius stared at him and smiled. "Alright, finish cooking and let's get you to bed. I have a feeling that tomorrow is going to be a long day for me, if it's got the Dursley's in the chapter. And on the way, Remus wants me to ask why you keep scrapping with him."

"He wants to punish me for either things that had already happened four years ago, or for things I've thought. He needs to lay off. Also, Ron and I ended up in the hospital wing; I think we were punished enough." said Harry looking at the stove intently. "And you already told me I was going to be grounded when I get home, so what's the point of going on about it?"

"Fair enough, little late for Ron, but…I'll have a talk with Moony." said Sirius ruffling his godson's hair. "Thanks again for letting us treat you like a kid."

"No problem, thanks for letting me sleep when I want to." said Harry.

"Yeah, Dumbledore and I were wondering about that, why do you sleep all the time?" asked Sirius, finally sneaking a bit of syrup.

"I'm not all together sure; I just get so tired at random times. I have a theory, but I don't' know…" said Harry quietly.

"Well, no matter, take all the naps you want, we'll stay alert for you. Come on, the house-elves can polish it up, let's get you to bed." said Sirius putting an arm around the youth and leading him out of the kitchen.