Hogwarts a History – Mazes and Monsters
Chapter 10 – Wrapping up

…

"And you're sure you have no memory after…"

"After that thing flew through me" said the boy, "no sir. But I was pretty beat by that point, especially after" *shiver*, "Barney."

Dumbledore shivered as well. He remembered getting it down there.

"I believe our muggle studies professor may have gone a little too far with that one."

The boy nodded.

Albus sat and made inane conversation for a few minutes before taking his leave, though not before indulging his candy fetish.

"Ah, alas, earwax" he remarked to the boy's amusement.

He held it in his mouth till he was out of the hospital wing before spitting it out.

"Blech, vile concoction" he cursed.

Catching himself a moment too late, he checked to make sure no one had heard him.

Satisfied, he began lurking down the hall. He loved to lurk, but it was so hard to do well in the garish eye-catching robes he preferred. Such a complicated man he was.

Not that it mattered. Even lurking couldn't improve his mood. He'd spent all year working on that labyrinth, even gone as far as asking his staff for ideas.

The things you learn about people when you ask them to protect a precious artifact. Scary.

Leading the last Potter into it had been no small challenge either. The boy was hopelessly incurious.

Wasn't that just like a Potter though? Making him suffer for no good reason.

Well, he'd get his, oh yes. And then, his revenge would be complete.

"Mwahaha. Mwahaha. Mwahahahahaha…"

"Excuse me."

"Ha!" the headmaster halted mid laugh.

The innocent big-eyed girl child stared up at him.

"Uh, you didn't see that."

The child slowly shook her head.

"Good, good, that's good" said the old man, walking away all casual like he hadn't just been laughing maniacally.

He really needed to stop doing that. Twirling his moustache too. It was going to ruin his reputation.

…

"Hey Ron."

"Harry, you're back."

"Don't know how much more nursing I could take."

Ron chuckled as Harry flopped into a nearby chair, "Guess I was lucky. She had me out almost before I sat down."

"Where's Hermione?"

"Sleeping. Whatever happened to you two after the chessboard really musta taken it out of her."

"You have no idea."

"Well, fill me in."

So, Harry recounted their journey through the chimera, the kappa, all the way to the library before glossing over, *shudder*, the horror. He had just gotten to Quirrell's head exploding when Hermione shambled down the stairs.

"Hermione!" the two boys greeted.

"Huh, what, who? Oh, Harry you're out of the hospital wing."

"And you're awake" said Harry.

The bushy hair shook her head, "Uh uh."

The two boys laughed.

"So, we did it, we stopped the dark lord" said Ron.

"Stopped him from getting this at least."

The two boys goggled at the red stone.

"How did you get that?" asked Harry.

"It fell out of your hand when we found you in that last chamber. Dumbledore was examining Quirrell, so I stuck it in my pocket."

Ron looked to Harry, "We have really been a bad influence on her."

"Makes you kinda proud, doesn't it?"

"A little" said Ron with a grin.

"You two" Hermione said with a pout that only made them laugh.

"So whatcha gonna do with it?"

"Contact the Flamel's and return it" she said, plopping down next to Ron, "I've no idea how to use it and even if I did, it doesn't belong to me."

"Makes sense" said Harry.

"Do you mind if I borrow Hedwig to send them a letter?"

"That's fine."

"So, what now?" asked Ron, "I mean, where do we go from here?"

"Home" said Hermione, "for the summer at least."

"Yeah" said Harry without enthusiasm.

"You guys should come visit The Burrow" said Ron.

"The Burrow?"

"It's our house in Ottery St. Catchpole."

"The Burrow?"

"That's what we call it" said Ron.

Hermione could only stare.

"Sounds great Ron" said Harry.

Ron looked to Hermione who shook her head.

"I don't even know how long I'll be home. We usually go on vacation during the summer."

"Really? Where?"

Hermione shrugged, "We went to Greece once. France was nice."

And so, with a successful adventure under their belts, the intrepid young wizards discussed plans for the summer, never suspecting what the future might have in store.