Year One
Disclaimer: All of this is based upon the lovely J.K. Rowling's work. I own nothing except for a few non-canon characters to be introduced later. All of the paraphrased or direct quotes are from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, text copyright 1997 by J.K. Rowling. This story also borrows and incorporates several ideas from They Shook Hands by Dethryl, which is posted on Schnoogle, and I highly recommend as it is a great fic.
Everything is in the British-English spellings and feel free to Brit-pick.
"blah": dialogue
'blah': thoughts
"blah": Parseltongue
"blah": Legilimency/Telepathy
Chapter Eight: For Those Who Bring Harm
"Voldemort."
"What!" Theo exclaimed, his mouth gaping open in shock.
"The person who is truly after the stone is Voldemort. Quirrell is only trying to get it for him," Holly explained patiently, glancing around the group.
All of her Slytherin friends plus the three Gryffindor first-years were gathered at a secluded table in the library, and they were all staring at her.
"Really? How do you know?" Hermione questioned earnestly.
Holly grimaced. She knew that Voldemort was after the Stone thanks to another dream she had had involving the death-shade and Firenze. The centaur had finally explained to her that the monster killing the unicorns and chasing after the two of them was nothing less than Voldemort himself.
She sighed, gazing down at the table, and finally explained the vivid dream-like experiences she had been having; she left out almost no details, not even Firenze's belief that she was having these dreams due to her connection with another Seer. The only thing that Holly actually excluded was that the connection was caused by her telepathy, an ability that only Blaise knew she possessed.
Holly finally glanced upwards from the tabletop, gauging her friends' reactions. Basically, they were completely and totally shocked. Everyone with the exception of Blaise, who was looking around in bemused silence, just continued staring at her.
"Well, say something," she put in exasperatedly after a few moments of quiet gaping.
"Wow!" Gavin stated in awe.
The others nodded their agreements.
"Brilliant!" Ron whispered in wonderment, staring at her as though she were the most exciting thing since the invention of Quidditch.
Similar expressions were on the faces of all her friends.
Holly just looked at them blankly.
They were taking this surprisingly well considering that it wasn't everyday their friend told them that she was having visions of Voldemort.
Holly voiced this thought to the group.
"Well, it does sort of make sense," Blaise replied.
"Yes," Pansy added. "If anyone would dream about the Dark Lord, it'd probably be you."
"And the connection makes a strange sort of sense, too," Neville commented.
Hermione nodded. "You did vanquish him, after all. So it would be you to realise that he was trying to rise again," she explained easily, a superior look on her face.
No one spoke much after that, not having an argument to combat Hermione's logic. They simply lingered for a while, tossing back and forth ideas about the Stone, Quirrell, and the Dark Lord.
The weeks leading up to her exams, Holly half expected the shade-Voldemort to burst in the door any moment. Either that or she thought Quirrell would just up and attack her on sight. As such, she was quite surprised when exams came and went. She had studied and prepared for each, so she could at least write off that particular worry. All in all, she felt that she had done rather well, especially in Charms thanks to her weekly visits with Professor Flitwick and Potions due to the fact that she studied with extra diligence so that her Head of House could find no fault in her work.
The morning of the last exam, Theo, Milli, and Draco had an incredibly large row in the Common Room, which undoubtedly had to do with the fact that Draco had made a comment about Autumn's Muggle parents. The three of them, as well as the other Slytherins, were glaring daggers at each other for the rest of the day. On one side were Draco and his two cronies. On the other were Theo, Milli, Gavin, the other first-years, and every single Slytherin Prefect, who all seemed to be bent on hexing Malfoy into next week.
Holly and Blaise, however, formed a third side, the one that was just too tired to argue anymore, and besides, they had far greater concerns. As such, after classes ended, the two snuck outside with the Gryffindors to sit near the lake, while a verbal battle undoubtedly raged within the Slytherin dorms.
Holly plopped down on the grass next to Hermione and toyed with the flute Hagrid had given her for Yule. Cynthia Moon had taught her the basics of reading music, and the girl had been so taken with the idea of it that she had started carrying her little flute with her everywhere, sneaking a few minutes to practice.
Still, she didn't play it this time. Holly merely sat back in the grass and stared at the sky, watching as an owl flew overhead, crossing over Hagrid's cabin to her before heading for the school.
Suddenly, Holly sat up and stared at the hut. She jumped to her feet, running for its door. Blaise, Hermione, Ron, Neville exchanged a confused glance before following, and the four of them tore off after her. There, they confronted the giant about Norbert, Fluffy, and a mysterious stranger, hearts sinking as they learned that Hagrid had accidentally revealed the dog's weakness.
They quickly raced back to the castle, almost crashing into McGonagall just inside the Entrance Hall. When she had demanded to know what they were doing, they rapidly informed her that they needed to see Dumbledore and that the Stone was in danger. However, McGonagall swiftly dismissed their worries, stating that the headmaster was gone and that they were not to bother her again. She practically ordered them back to their Common Rooms.
Off in an unused corridor, they discussed their options. The Gryffindors were bent on spying on Professor Snape, while Holly and Blaise insisted that Quirrell was the real culprit.
After several heated moments of discussion, it was agreed that Hermione would spy on the Potions master outside of the teacher's lounge. Ron and Neville would wait in the library, planning their next moves, while Blaise went to fetch the other Slytherins from the Common Room. Though the Gryffindors didn't know it, he was also going to find Professor Snape, praying that the man was in the dungeons and not the teacher's lounge. Finally, Holly would go to the Defence corridor to spy on Quirrell. Blaise almost had a fit when he heard the last two parts, but a quick mental nudge reminded him that she could easily sense if Quirrell was nearby, so he gracefully acceded defeat.
Just as they made to part ways, Holly slipped her flute to Blaise, instructing him to use it on Fluffy if she failed in her mission to watch the Defence teacher. He stared at her, trying to get her to take it back, but she refused.
It was only later, when the entire fiasco was over, that Blaise realised it was almost as if she knew he was going to need it.
Holly quickly reached the Defence corridor, hiding just around the corner, and mentally searched for her professor. What she found astounded her.
Quirrell was there, lingering at the back of her mind. He was near, but she found it impossible to determine his exact location. Further, she could sense another presence, a tantalisingly familiar one, but only just. It was almost as though he were a great distance away; he was that faint, but the Slytherin knew him to be somewhere in the area.
It was all together very strange and a bit unnerving.
Holly snuck a look around the corner, but she didn't see anyone. She continued peeking, not noticing the slight shift of dust behind her. Unfortunately, what the girl also didn't see, not that she could, was the invisible Quirrell sneak up behind her.
Her mental senses barely had time to tingle a warning before the spell struck, sending her to the floor. She tried to roll to her feet, but Holly quickly discovered that she was paralyzed or in a full Body-Bind more like. And her eyes widened as Quirrell finally came into view, smirking down at her.
He rapidly cast more spells on her and levitated her down the hallway, thankfully keeping her upright. He must have also spelled her to be unnoticeable because none of the students they passed in the hallways on their way to the third floor seemed to even see her.
Holly's mind was reeling the entire time as she floated. Quirrell had captured her, and no one would be the wiser. He could sneak the two of them to the third floor, and her friends would never even know it!
Frantic for some kind of salvation, Holly felt her mind reach out automatically. Instantly she felt a connection to another person in the castle, green eyes glowing as the Slytherin realised who she was connected to. She now had a chance. It was a very slim one at that, though, since she had never actually spoken to anyone telepathically before. She had only received thoughts, never sent any.
Screwing up her strength, Holly tried a desperate gamble.
"Blaise," she mentally called, "Quirrell has me. We're on our way to the third floor."
Blaise was just making his way to the Common Room when he heard Holly's mental scream. It took him a few seconds to realise it for what it was, and he hesitated, not knowing what to do.
Undoubtedly, Quirrell had gotten to her. Even now, she could be lying unconscious… or dead. He needed to get to her, but he also needed help. If the Defence professor could get her, then he could defeat Blaise as well.
Though, who could help him?
Ron?
Hermione?
Neville?
No, they were up against a fully trained wizard. There was no way they could win. They needed help, adult help. But who?
Not McGonagall, most definitely not.
Snape? No, there was still the chance that it was actually him.
And then it suddenly hit him!
Flitwick.
Blaise smiled grimly and tore through the hallways, ignoring the stares of those he passed. He barrelled up the stairs from the dungeon and was fast on his way to the Charms corridor. Just as he turned a corner, he ran smack into another person, sending both of them sprawling to the floor. Blaise quickly picked himself up and went to help the other person, but he froze when he recognised silvery eyes and platinum-blond hair.
Malfoy.
"Why are you in such a hurry?" the blond bit out in frustration, helping himself off of the floor.
Blaise didn't answer; instead, he continued on his way… or, at least, tried to. A firm hand on his arm stopped him, and he whirled around.
"What's wrong, Bl-Zabini?" Malfoy demanded.
"Nothing!" Blaise shouted, growling. "Now, let me go!" He wheezed, fighting to breathe. All the running he was doing was causing him to be rather short on air.
Malfoy sneered. "No, not until you tell me what is wrong."
"I don't have time for this!" Blaise yelled, shoving the other boy out of the way, but the blond wouldn't relinquish his hold. "I have to get help! She's in trouble!"
"Help? She's in trouble?" Draco repeated with confusion, but his eyes suddenly lit up in understanding. "It's Holly, isn't it?" he asked, but he went on before the other boy could answer, "This has something to do with the Stone, doesn't it? The one the others were talking about in the Common Room?"
"Yes," Blaise bit out. "Quirrell is trying to steal it, and now, he has Holly. Dumbledore's not here, and McGonagall didn't believe us. I'm going to Flitwick for help. Now move!"
Malfoy abruptly let go, but before Blaise could go fetch the Charms professor, Draco halted him again.
"No… I'll go. I'll get Dumbledore, too. Send him an owl or something," he stated quickly. "You go get the others and maybe some of the Prefects. They'll help; you know that they will."
Blaise eyed him for a minute, judging the blond's sincerity. Apparently, he believed what he had just been told because he nodded his thanks and tore off for the Slytherin Common Room, leaving Draco behind.
Malfoy rapidly turned, resolve clearly written across his features, and made his way to the Charms corridor, certain that he would fulfil his mission.
Blaise, however, never made it to the dorms. Instead, he veered off to the library, finding Ron, Neville, and Hermione, who had gone there after Professor Snape had discovered her and forced her away. He rapidly told them that Holly had been found out, and that Quirrell was taking her with him on his way to the Stone, though he purposely left out how he had come by this knowledge.
The three Gryffindors eyed him in shock before immediately deciding to head Quirrell off at the third floor. Once more, Blaise found himself racing through Hogwarts Castle, silently vowing to himself as he wheezed his way up the stairs that he would get in better shape.
Just behind the door to Fluffy's playpen, the four of them stared at the harp, which was lulling the beast to sleep, and knew that they were too late. After a moment of quick arguing, Hermione and Ron sent Neville to fetch Professor Sprout since McGonagall hadn't believed them in the first place and because they still suspected Snape… or Quirrell in Blaise's case. Besides, Professor Flitwick already knew.
The harped stopped just as the door shut behind Neville, and Fluffy immediately started to awaken. However, Blaise remembered the flute and quickly played it, lulling the creature back to sleep. The remaining three first-years, the two Gryffindors and the Slytherin, went through the trap door, following after their demented professor and their captured friend.
They battled their way through the obstacles. Blaise's normally calm nature allowing him to remember that the Devil's Snare, which they had landed on after going through the opening, was weakened by light and fire. It took a bit of time for them to get through the next obstacle because only Blaise and Ron were decent flyers. Further, neither was trained to spot small objects, much like a Seeker was. Ron was always forced to play Keeper with his brothers, and Blaise didn't really like Quidditch.
Thankfully, the redhead's skill in chess got them through McGonagall's enormous set, but Ron had to sacrifice himself in order for Blaise to checkmate the king.
With one last desperate look at him, the remaining two charged through the door and up the next passageway. Both were incredibly worried about Ron, but they knew he would eventually be fine; Holly didn't have that luxury.
Thankfully, the next barrier was an already defeated troll, which they easily bypassed. Blaise and Hermione pushed through the next door and into the room, flames springing up to guard both the entrance behind them and the exit in front. To the side of the room was a table with seven differently shaped bottles, standing on it in a line with a piece of parchment next to them.
The pair quickly glanced through, realising that it wasn't a magical test at all.
"Brilliant," Blaise whispered.
Hermione looked at him. "It is. A logic puzzle," she mused. "A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever."
"So could we," he informed her, studying the parchment.
The two of them looked over it for several moments before Blaise's eyes suddenly lit up.
"Got it!" he shouted.
"Me, too."
Hermione grasped the round bottle that would take them backwards, while Blaise fetched the tiny bottle that would allow them to go forward. However, there was a slight problem. There was only enough for one.
"You drink that," he told her, pointing to the round bottle. "No, listen," the Slytherin stated fiercely, stopping her protests. "Go back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room; they'll get you out of the trapdoor and passed Fluffy. Then, go straight to a teacher, several in fact. It doesn't matter which ones. Just bring them here. Or try the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore; we really need him." He inhaled shakily.
"I might be able to hold Quirrell off for a while, but I'm no match for him really." Blaise added softly, "and Holly will undoubtedly need healing."
"But, Blaise, what if You-Know-Who's with them?
"Well, Holly was lucky once, wasn't she? Maybe her luck will hold out for the both of us," he informed her, steeling his face and quieting the urge to tremble.
Hermione's lip quivered, and she suddenly ran forward and threw her arms around him.
"Hermione!"
"Blaise, you're a great wizard, you know. Just bring her back safely." She then let go, backing away.
The boy nodded stiffly, cementing his resolve. "You drink first," he said.
Hermione took a long swig from the round bottle and shuddered. And then, she was gone.
The Slytherin took a deep breath and fingered the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames at the exit.
"Here I come," he stated firmly, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.
His insides felt like ice as he replaced the bottle on the table and started for the exit. Yet, just as Blaise was about to pass through the fire, an invisible force pulled him back, and he all but crashed into something solid, landing almost painfully on his bottom. He glanced up, ignoring the wavers in his vision, looking straight into two pair of eyes. One set was the fierce brown of Professor Flitwick. The other the blazing blue of the headmaster.
Sometime earlier, Holly breezed through the obstacles, seeing as how she wasn't the one actually battling them. Quirrell quickly extracted them from the devilish plant as soon as they landed, not even needing to repel it. Further, he simply summoned the correct key to the door, not bothering with the brooms. He didn't even attempt to play his way across the chessboard, simply choosing to levitate the both of them over the board, stunning the pieces when they tried to stop him. He defeated the troll with a single burst of sickly green light. The only obstacle that actually held him up was the logical exercise with the potions.
He paced back and forth, the still spelled girl by the table, casting discrete glances at the paper detailing the puzzle. Just as she reached the conclusion that the smallest bottle was the key to going forward, his head snapped up, and Quirrell marched to the table, grasping the tiny bottle. He stared at it for an instant and glanced at Holly before flicking his wand and multiplying the amount within. He quickly forced it down her unresponsive throat and tipped his head back, taking the rest. They stepped to the door, the logic puzzle resetting itself as they left.
A moment later, they were beyond the fire, standing in front of the Mirror of Erised.
Holly awoke slowly, consciousness returning in waves. She looked around bleakly, staring at the blurs and finally realising that she was in the Hospital Wing. She only wondered about that occurrence for a second before it all came back to her.
In her mind, there was Quirrell with Voldemort coming out of the back of his head. Holly herself was released from the spell, staring into the mirror, the Philosopher's Stone dropping into her pocket. There were her lies but Voldemort knowing the truth. There was his offer to bring back her parents and Quirrell finally touching her with his bare hands when she refused. Holly remembered his attempt to harm her and his horribly burnt fingers. Finally, she recalled grabbing on to his face when he tried to curse her.
Holly gasped as it all flooded back. She immediately tried to sit up, belatedly noticing that someone was attempting to help her. After a second, she felt her glasses pushed onto her nose and pillows moved behind her, propping her up. She turned to glance at her helper.
And Albus Dumbledore smiled and looked straight back at her.
"Professor," the Slytherin stated excitedly. "The Stone… Blaise, Hermione, Ron, and Neville-"
"Oh, don't worry, dear child," he calmly said to her. "Everything is fine. Voldemort does not have the Stone. Your friends are safe and healthy. Blaise was just about to go face Voldemort when I pulled him back and went after you. But, I dare say, you were doing quite a wonderful job of it." He beamed at her. "In fact, the only one who was in any real danger was you. You've been unconscious for the last four days." He grinned at her dazed look. "And the Stone… well, it has been destroyed."
Holly gaped at him, emerald eyes wide. "Destroyed? Sir, but what about your friend Nicholas and his wife?"
"Oh, you know about Nicholas?" Dumbledore questioned, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicholas and I have had a little chat and agreed it's all for the best."
"Professor, that means his wife and he will die, won't they?"
"Yes, they have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order, and then, yes, they will die." Dumbledore almost smiled before he noted the sad look on Holly's face. "To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicholas and Perenelle, it is really like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organised mind, death is but the next great adventure," he whispered, trying to comfort her. "You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all. The trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
The Slytherin sat in contemplatively silence for several moments before she finally spoke again.
"Sir? I've been thinking… even with the Stone gone won't Vol… er, You-Know-Who-"
"Call him Voldemort, Holly," the headmaster corrected gently. "Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
Holly nodded before continuing her train of thought. "Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort can still find other ways of coming back, can't he? He isn't really gone."
Dumbledore shook his head sadly. "No, Holly, he is not gone. He's still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share. Not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. You have delayed his return to power, but it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time, and if he is delayed again and again… why, he may never return to power."
She thought about this for a moment before something suddenly occurred to her. "Sir, what about Professor Quirrell?" Holly asked slowly, but noting Dumbledore's expression she hesitated. "He's not dead, is he?" She looked at him beseechingly. "Please, tell me the truth."
"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing… and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your question as truthfully as I can." He gazed at her sombrely. "I'm afraid that Professor Quirrell is in fact dead, my dear girl," he answered as Holly looked on helplessly. "Voldemort abandoned his servant to die so that he might escape.
She nodded absentmindedly, too absorbed in the knowledge that the man was dead. Even though he had tried to harm her, she still felt guilty. But then, that was what separated her from Voldemort. He had no conscience, and she did.
'Why did he die?' Holly desperately wanted to ask. 'I didn't hurt him that badly.'
However, before she could voice her thoughts to the headmaster, an unbidden memory surfaced in her mind. It was a passage she remembered from Hogwarts: A History, which supposedly dealt with a curse the Founders had placed on the castle.
Enter those for which yearn
Knowledge, wisdom, who seek to learn.
But heed this warning, friend and guest,
For those who bring harm with their quest:
Your deeds will be sent back, three times three.
As we will it, so mote it be.
Perhaps Quirrell had brought his death upon himself by seeking to do harm. Yet, there was no real way of ever knowing.
Holly snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Dumbledore cough.
"Sorry, Headmaster," she murmured apologetically. "My thoughts wandered."
Dumbledore smiled sadly. "I can understand, child." He gazed at her intently for a moment before continuing, "Now, I believe that there are several other things that we need to discuss."
The headmaster quickly covered the events following the girl's kidnapping and Voldemort's attempt at obtaining the Stone. He told her of how Ron, Hermione, and Blaise had gone after her, Neville going back for help. He also explained that Blaise was the only one preparing to enter the final room but that he and Professor Flitwick had stopped the boy. Additionally, Dumbledore mentioned that it had been an owl from Draco Malfoy which had led him back to the castle. Further, that Draco had alerted Professor Flitwick to the danger she was in.
The headmaster even explained exactly how Holly had gotten the Stone out of the mirror, which occurred because she wanted to find it but not use it. Dumbledore also touched upon why the Killing curse had originally back-fired on Voldemort, telling her that her mother had died to save her. He also talked about the Invisibility Cloak and Professor Snape's on-going hatred of James Potter due to the fact that her father had once saved the Potions master's life.
Holly accepted all of this information readily, only becoming confused during one part of the discussion. Dumbledore was talking about her mother and the back-fired killing curse, when his thoughts mentioned a single, strange word. But it disappeared almost as quickly as the headmaster had thought it. She could not discern anything about the word or the circumstances surrounding its appearance in the headmaster's thoughts, but she knew without a doubt that he had thought it.
Try as she might, the girl could glean nothing else from the man, just that single word. It was later on when she was back in her dorm room that she laid awake, wondering why he had thought it.
Prophecy? Why would the headmaster think about a prophecy when he told her about Voldemort?
However, no answers were forthcoming.
Later, the same day that Holly awoke in the Hospital Wing, her friends came to visit. Madam Pomfrey almost had a coronary when she saw the huge amount of people calling on her patient, which included all of Holly's Slytherin first-year friends plus Gavin, Ron, Hermione, and Neville. Unfortunately for the nurse, she was unable to remove the visitors since Headmaster Dumbledore had sent a note declaring that they were all allowed to visit Holly.
The girl couldn't help but laugh at the entire situation.
Soon enough, all of her friends were settled around her in various spots: some in the hospital chairs, others on the surrounding beds, and even two at the foot of her own. Blaise, though, took the first seat available; he sat next to Holly, sharing her pillow and leaning back on her headboard. He smiled softly at her, while the others were all searching for seats, whispering about how worried he had been. He gently put his arm around her waist and hugged her. He noticed that, for the very first time, she didn't even flinch at the contact.
They were all quick to tell Holly about the rumours running rampant around the school, such as the story that Quirrell had kidnapped her so that she could be a human sacrifice. Or the one that said the professor was the reincarnation of Salazar Slytherin, and he was ridding the school of half-bloods and Muggleborns, starting with Holly. Yet, it was one of those rare occasions when the true story was even more bizarre and exciting than the wild rumours.
She quickly told them everything: Quirrell, the mirror, the Stone, and Voldemort. All of her friends were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Holly told them what was under the professor's turban, Hermione, Pansy, and Theo screamed out loud.
Hagrid came in soon after Holly's story dwindled to an end. The giant blubbered and all but threw himself on her tiny shoulder, crushing her beneath his weight. After her friends had finally managed to brisk him off of her, he handed Holly a small package and beamed down at her. Inside was a photo album filled with pictures of her parents.
The visit was soon over after that, mostly due to the fact that Madam Pomfrey had all but thrown her friends out. The nurse ordered the Slytherin to rest and was about to shut the infirmary door when another person quietly walked in.
Green eyes widened as Holly noticed who it was, but she remained quiet as he walked to the annoyed nurse and hand her a note before coming over to the girl's bed.
"Hello," Draco Malfoy greeted nervously.
Holly looked at him blankly. "Er… hello," she said after a moment, gesturing for him to sit.
Draco nodded and took the chair next to her bed, staring at the ground for several moments. Undoubtedly, the two would have sat in silence for the rest of forever had Holly not prompted him.
"Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?" she questioned.
"Yes…" he trailed off.
She mentally rolled her eyes. "Well?"
Draco inhaled sharply before launching into an explanation of how his father had been a Death Eater in Voldemort's inner circle but that Lucius Malfoy had been forced into it. He also whispered that the parents of Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy, not to mention Theo's uncle, had all been forced into the Dark Lord's service as well. When Holly questioned why Pansy and Theo could associate with Muggleborns and Muggle-lovers, Draco blithely informed her that their family had not been in the inner circle. If the Dark Lord were to return, he would severely punish the Notts and Parkinsons for their supposed treachery, but they would be left alive. That was not the case for the family members of Voldemort's elite.
The girl stared at him blankly before reaching out her senses and searching his thoughts. And there it was, bright as day, for all the world to see. Had they been telepaths.
Draco Malfoy was telling the truth. He was actually telling the truth.
He had been a horrible git the entire year, not because it was his true personality, though it might actually have been. In truth, it was because he was afraid. He was deathly afraid that the Dark Lord would return and kill his family for associating with Muggleborns and the like.
"As far as excuses for bad behaviour go," Holly said after a moment, "that's a pretty good one. Still, it doesn't quite justify all of your actions. You could just ignore Muggleborns; you don't have to torment them," she asserted fiercely.
Draco flinched. "True… but I was afraid. I thought that he might come back and kill us for even allowing them to exist."
She could see his point, but that still didn't completely excuse his behaviour.
"We have no idea if he ever will come back," Holly stated heatedly. "As long as there are people who work against him, there's still hope that he won't, so you can stop being such a prat."
"What if he does come back?" Draco questioned nervously, his silvery eyes widening.
Holly shushed him, fearing that Madam Pomfrey would overhear. "Then, he comes back, Draco. You can't live your life in fear," she explained, hesitantly laying her hand on his. "Believe me, I know."
Draco quivered. "He could kill my entire family," he murmured, unconsciously running his thumb over the back of her hand.
"Yes, he could," she stated, choosing to go with the undiminished truth. "But at the same time, by acting out as you were, you're drawing attention to yourself. Merlin only knows what he or someone else would do about that," she asserted.
Seeing him blanch, Holly continued in a much gentler tone, "Why don't you just ignore them since you can't make nice? Just avoid them and don't say anything; keep your head down."
He nodded slowly, thinking it over. "I guess that could work," he acquiesced. "What about Autumn? She's one of my year-mates, after all."
"Make an exception for her. She's Slytherin, so that has to count for something. Or you could explain it to her. After you apologise, that is."
Draco nodded reluctantly. "I was planning on it anyway. I was going to do it for the Weasel… er… Weasley," he corrected at Holly's narrowed eyes, "and Longbottom as well. Maybe Granger, too, but I didn't really bother her."
"And what about us? The other Slytherins?" she asked.
He hesitated. "I already apologised to the House. I did it earlier, this morning before breakfast. It's just you left actually, and I'm sorry, Holly." Draco trembled faintly. "I'm so sorry; it was wrong of me. I was afraid, but that doesn't excuse anything. I… can you ever forgive me?" he pleaded, his eyes begging her.
Holly knew her answer before he had even finished, but she waited for a moment just to let him stew.
"Yes, I can and do forgive you." She squeezed the hand she still held. "Oh, by the way, thanks for telling Professor Flitwick and owling Dumbledore. Undoubtedly, Quirrell would have gotten me if they hadn't shown up."
He stared at her blankly and nodded.
She smiled. "Friends?"
Draco sighed in relief, his eyes very bright. "Friends," he affirmed, squeezing back.
Holly made her way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. Madam Pomfrey had insisted on a last minute check-up, so the Great Hall was already full, decked out in a giant mesh of Gryffindor and Slytherin colours. The banners were a mixture of green, red, silver, and gold with lions and serpents on them.
When Holly entered the Great Hall, there was a sudden hush, and then, everybody started talking loudly all at once. She ignored them and snagged a vacant seat between Blaise and Draco, who were currently eyeing each other peculiarly.
Fortunately, the whispers soon died away because Dumbledore arrived.
"Another year gone!" the headmaster said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are all a little fuller than they were, and you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts." He beamed at them.
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding, but first, let me indulge," he added. "Slytherin House, even though they have lost their most recent match to Hufflepuff, stands in the lead for the Quidditch Cup and has therefore won it."
The Slytherin table burst into applause, happy over their victory. Holly, however, shifted slightly. They had suffered their worst defeat in over three hundred years because she had missed the match three days previous, not that it was really her fault since she had been unconscious at the time.
"With that settled," Dumbledore went on, "the House points stand thus: In fourth place, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two points. In third, Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six. Lastly, tied for first, Slytherin and Gryffindor each have four hundred and seventy-two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out at the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables, although there was a slight undertone of tension as they eyed each other warily.
"Yes, yes, well done both of you," Dumbledore stated, his eyes twinkling. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went very still.
"Ahem," the headmaster continued, "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…"
McGonagall and Snape both looked at him wearily.
Dumbledore merely grinned. "First, to the Slytherin first-years, for discovering one of the best kept of Hogwarts' many secrets and for solving a nearly impossible mystery, I award forty points." His smile grew at the explosion of noise that occurred at the Slytherin table. "And to one Ravenclaw first-year – I believe you know which one – for much the same reasons, I award ten points."
All the members of Ravenclaw glanced around, trying to figure out to whom Dumbledore was referring. Finally, an expression of understanding collectively dawned on their faces, and they turned to pat Gavin on the back, only to discover that he was sitting with the Slytherins.
The Slytherins, on the other hand, were on the verge of exploding with glee because they were now ahead in the points' race. They were just beginning to scream with delight, when the headmaster effectively silenced them.
"Second," Dumbledore called out over the crowd, "to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"
Ron went purple in the face, looking rather like a radish with a bad sunburn.
Dumbledore seemed not to notice because he carried on blithely, "For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."
Gryffindor table exploded with applause and cheer because they now thought that they had won the House Cup.
Percy could be heard telling the other Prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"
After several minutes of uninterrupted cheering, Dumbledore managed to quiet them. At last, there was silence again.
"Third, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House fifty points. Additionally, to Mr. Neville Longbottom," the headmaster's said, facing brightening even more. "For being brave enough to admit that you needed assistance and for being willing to obtain it, even if it meant leaving others behind, I award fifty points."
Both Hermione and Neville looked floored. The girl dropped her head into her hands, and Holly strongly suspected that she was crying. Neville, on the other hand, simply gazed around in disbelief. He had never even won a single point before.
Meanwhile, Gryffindor cheered again, just as loudly as before, but it soon died down as they noticed the headmaster's expression.
"Fourth, to Mr. Blaise Zabini," Dumbledore put in, and the room went deadly quiet. "For a quick mind and a ready wit, as well as an undying loyalty, I award Slytherin House fifty points."
The Slytherins clapped loudly, some shifting in their seats anxiously. They were hoping that Dumbledore would award them more points, and they weren't disappointed.
"Fifth, to Miss Holly Potter," he inserted with a wide grin, and everyone held their collective breaths. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, not to mention a great deal of Slytherin cunning, I award Slytherin House sixty points."
The din was deafening. The people adding up the points mentally suddenly looked stumped.
"Wait," someone called, suspiciously sounding like Alé Zabini-Rookwood, "they're still tied!"
The Hall broke out into hundreds of whispers, but Dumbledore ignored them all. He simply continued smiling. When the din began to quiet several moments later, he spoke.
"There are all kinds of courage," he stated sombrely. "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to our enemies and just as much to stand up to our friends." He paused, glancing around. "But it takes even more to stand up to ourselves, to admit that we are wrong and try to rectify our mistakes. I, therefore, award ten points to Mr. Draco Malfoy."
Draco was stunned.
So was everyone else. They had all heard about his argument with Holly months ago, and a few knew about their reconciliation; the rest would hear about it soon enough. However, almost no one knew why it had occurred.
Almost as one, every eye in the Hall turned to Draco, but he was too shocked to even notice.
Finally, Holly nudged him, and he turned to look at her. She simply smiled and began to clap, Blaise and the other first-years quickly joining in.
All year Draco had been terrorising the other students and irritating Slytherin House to no end, but all was apparently forgiven because soon the entire table erupted in applause. The other Houses were slow to join in but eventually did, taking Dumbledore's words to heart.
Soon, the Great Hall was filled with thunderous applause.
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the noise, "we need a little change of decoration." He clapped his hands.
In an instant, the mixed green/red and gold/silver hangings lost the scarlet and gold, simply retaining the Slytherin colours. The giant lion vanished and the serpent grew larger, beaming down at the students and giving sly winks. Professor Snape was shaking McGonagall's hand, a horrible forced smile on her face. Holly caught the man's eye, noticing a strange glimmer in it, but she was under no delusions that their relationship would truly change. He would still hate her, but hopefully, he would be a little less vocal about it.
It was the best evening of the girl's life, better than winning at Quidditch, Yule, or knocking out mountain trolls. She would never, ever forget this night.
The last day of school passed quickly. They received their exam scores back; everyone passed, including Vincent and Greg, who actually did rather well. Better than Ron, in fact.
Holly and Blaise came in at the top of the Slytherin first-years, closely followed by Theo and Draco. Gavin was number one for the Ravenclaws by a rather large margin, which was very surprising, especially considering the fact that Holly rarely saw him actually study. He did his homework, but that seemed to be it, unless he studied when she wasn't around.
As expected, Hermione had beat out the other Gryffindors as well. Yet, it was impossible to know her class ranking in relation to the others because the score was ranked within the Houses, not the entire school. They could compare their actual exam scores, but there was no way of knowing who was the top of all the first-years.
Soon enough, everyone's belongings were packed. Trevor was found lurking in the boy's toilet. Gavin was actually seen in the Ravenclaw Common Room. It was time to go home.
The first-years made their way out to the train, where Holly bid goodbye to the Gryffindors before going to sit in a compartment with Blaise, Draco, Milli, and Pansy. The group played rousing games of Exploding Snap and cast a few last minute spells before the train pulled into King's Cross.
Holly grimaced as she saw the Dursleys. She waved to her friends, receiving strict instructions to write them, and hugged Blaise, who whispered in her ear for her to owl him if her relatives tried anything. Holly was about to walk over to them, but a hand on her wrist stopped her. She gazed up and noticed Blaise smiling back at her. The boy led her over to a couple standing by the wall, a dark-skinned and incredibly beautiful woman and a very pale, scholarly man.
Mr. and Mrs. Zabini smiled warmly at both of them, hugging first Blaise and then Holly herself. In fact, Blaise's mother, Erendiria, squeezed the girl as though she were her long-lost daughter. Thankfully, Dante, Mr. Zabini, was a bit more sedate about it, even if he did beam repeatedly at her.
Twenty minutes of pleasantries and an invitation to visit during the holiday later, Holly was finally making her way over to her relatives. Vernon merely scowled when he saw her before turning to go to the car. Petunia sniffed and followed in his wake. Dudley squealed like a pig, his hands on his incredibly large bottom, and ran… well, pounded after his parents.
They didn't even greet her.
However, Holly wasn't the least bit bothered. They weren't her friends; they weren't her family. So it just didn't matter to her. And if they tried anything this summer, the consequences would be dire. Her friends and their parents would ensure that.
The Slytherin smirked as she followed them from the station and was ordered into the car. She sniffed at the Dursleys' rudeness, but the wonderful thought, the one that had occurred to her as Professor Flitwick handed out the sheets of parchment forbidding magic during the holiday, still resounded in her mind.
The Dursleys didn't know she wasn't allowed to use magic during the summer. Oh, this would be an interesting holiday indeed.
Finite Incantatem
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Chapter Nine: Child of Fate
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
Updated and Edited:
08/08/10
