(A/N: Everything you recognize belongs to J.K. Rowling. Chapter has been updated from original form.)
The first time Marigold woke up in the hospital wing, her eyes were out of focus and her head hurt a lot. She tried looking around, but the room swayed, and she passed out.
The second time Marigold woke up in the hospital wing, she saw Snape asleep in the chair next to her. She frantically fumbled about for her wand, making Snape wake up. He tried to comfort her, but she punched him square in his stupid nose. Madam Pomfrey showed up seconds later and forced some sort of potion down Marigold's throat that made her pass out again.
The third time Marigold woke up in the hospital wing, she was in restraints. Snape was nowhere to be found; in his place sat Professor Dumbledore.
"It seems as though we have been here before, my dear girl," Dumbledore said.
"Harry? Neville?"
"They are fine, just fine. Harry woke up a few hours ago; he's resting in the bed next to yours. And thanks to you, Neville made a full recovery. He's already been in to visit with Harry and yourself, though you were asleep."
"Snape was here… I thought he was going after the Stone," Marigold said, confused.
"Severus? No, my dear, it was the late Professor Quirrell. It seems he and Voldemort were working in tandem."
"Quirrell? What happened?"
"In short, Harry defeated them."
"Them? You-Know-Who was there?" Marigold asked, completely in shock.
"Voldemort. Always use the proper name of things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself. And yes, he was there."
"Did Harry beat You-Kn—Voldemort? Is Voldemort gone now? For good?"
"In a way, when he defeated Quirrell, Harry managed to get rid of this version of Voldemort. But he will turn up again, I'm sure. Harry, it seems, only delayed Voldemort's rise, but I suppose it's only a matter of time before he comes back in some way or another."
"I see…"
Marigold healed steadily; thanks in no small part to Madam Pomfrey, who at this point Marigold felt was well deserving of a basket of muffins. Harry woke up shortly after Dumbledore left, and the curtains between their beds were drawn aside.
Harry told her what had happened as the two pigged out on the get-well candy Harry had been given.
When he had gotten to the next room, Harry had found Professor Quirrell and the Mirror of Erised. Harry explained how Snape had apparently been trying to protect Harry all year. It had been Quirrell who had let the troll in at Halloween, as Snape had already suspected.
Harry explained how the Stone had been inside the Mirror or Erised and how he had obtained it. He told her what Dumbledore had told him, that only someone who wished to find the stone, but not use it, could get it.
Marigold nearly passed out from shock when Harry told her that Voldemort had been living on the back of Quirrell's head. Harry described how Voldemort had chalk white skin with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils.
Harry told Marigold that because of his mother's love, Voldemort (and Quirrell by proxy) couldn't touch him, and how when Quirrell tried, he had been burned raw. Marigold learned that Dumbledore had arrived just in time to save the day. According to Dumbledore, love is what made Quirrell and Voldemort unable to touch Harry… his mother's love.
Harry informed Marigold that the Stone was going to be destroyed.
Last but not least, Harry verified something Marigold had suspected: the invisibility cloak had been left in Dumbledore's possession until it had been passed to Harry.
Harry had just finished telling Marigold what had happened when Neville walked into the hospital wing.
"Marigold, Harry, you're up!" he exclaimed, running over to the two of them.
"You're okay!" Harry beamed.
"Yeah, thanks to Marigold," Neville replied, sitting down on her bed.
"Well, it was my fault you got hurt in the first place," Marigold said, looking down at her hands.
"Hey, I told you I trusted you, remember? And we got Harry through, didn't we? I'm glad I helped."
"Yeah?" Marigold asked, looking up at Neville.
"Yeah," Neville said, grabbing some of Harry's candy.
The three talked and ate sweets. Marigold told the two of them about her fight with the troll, and Neville told them what had happened since they were rescued. Apparently, Harry had missed a Quidditch match during his stay in the hospital wing. The points were all in Slytherin, and Gryffindor was in last place. But Neville begged them to come to the feast with him anyway.
Eventually, a very annoyed Madam Pomfrey kicked Neville out. After saying goodnight to the two of them, Neville went back to his dormitory. Madam Pomfrey closed the curtain between Marigold and Harry, and the two of them wished each other goodnight through the sheet.
Marigold was still very sore, and trying to ignore the pain in the uncomfortable bed was nearly impossible. But she soon heard Harry's snores from the other side of the curtain. She quickly fell asleep after, feeling safe.
The next morning, Madam Pomfrey woke Marigold up and gave her several potions that Marigold didn't recognize, and a few she did. None of them tasted very good. After a few gagging noises coming from Harry's bed, the curtain was drawn and the two of them were able to talk.
They both agreed: they had to attend the end of the year feast. When Madam Pomfrey returned a few minutes later, Harry asked her if they were allowed to go.
"Professor Dumbledore says you are both allowed to go," she said sniffily, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "Also, the two of you have a visitor."
"Oh good," Harry said. "Who is it?"
Hagrid ducked through the door as Harry spoke. Even in the large hospital wing, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He took one look at the two of them and burst into tears. He barely made it to the chair next to Harry before crumpling into a blubbery mess.
"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' know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out and made ter live as a Muggle!"
"Hagrid!" Harry said, a look of shock on his face. "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."
"Yeh could've died! An' don' say the name!"
"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed.
Marigold jumped so hard she nearly fell off her bed. Hagrid was so shocked that he stopped crying.
"I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a chocolate frog, I've got loads…"
"Harry's right, Hagrid. It's okay, we're fine."
Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and grabbed one of the frogs.
"That reminds me. I've got yeh a present, Harry. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead—anyway, got yeh this…"
Hagrid handed Harry a handsome, leather-bound book. Harry opened it.
"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school frieds, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"
Harry couldn't speak. Marigold couldn't blame him.
Harry and Marigold were already late for the feast when Madam Pomfrey finally released them. She had insisted on giving them both one last checkup after realizing Marigold still had a limp.
When they finally reached the Great Hall, it was already full. The green and silver banners were hanging everywhere to celebrate the 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 Marigold and Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly at once. The two of them sat down across from Neville at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at them. Hermione and Ron, who were sitting next to Neville, couldn't stop staring at them.
Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later, and the babble died away.
"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. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are a little fuller than they were… you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…
"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand as thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty two points; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and sixty-two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Marigold could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table next to a whooping Crabbe and Goyle.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore said. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went very still. The Slytherin's smiles faded a little.
"Ahem. I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… to Mr. Harry Potter… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
Gryffindor cheers rang through the hall; the candles above the long table seemed to quiver with their screams. Dumbledore waited for them to calm down before clearing his throat again, all eyes turned to see what he had to say next.
"Second—to miss Marigold Rosenberg…"
Marigold felt all eyes turn to her, including those of the professors. She desperately wanted to climb under the table.
"… for stepping up to lead in a time of chaos, and pushing through in a time of strife, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Marigold felt like she was going to cry. Gryffindors up and down the table were losing it. Dumbledore raised his hand and the room gradually fell.
"It takes a certain amount of fortitude to stand up for those around you, a certain strength in character to selflessly help those around you achieve their goals. I therefore award fifty points to Neville Longbottom."
The room was silent for about ten seconds before an explosion of cheers erupted through the Great Hall. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs joined in the celebration. Neville, white with shock, was ambushed by a swarm of elated Gryffindors. Harry somehow got Marigolds attention 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.
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, "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 vanquished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand with a horrible, forced smile.
It was the best evening of Marigold's life, better than Christmas. She would never ever forget tonight.
With Fluffy, the Stone, the hospital wing, and the house cup, Marigold had completely forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. Harry passed with good marks. Neville scraped through with a near perfect mark in Herbology, which made up for his abysmal Potions one. Marigold had the some of the best marks of the first years, second only to Hermione Granger.
Marigold was still healing, but with one last visit to Madam Pomfrey, she was set to go.
The night before they were set to go home, Marigold had stayed up late talking with Harry and Neville. She climbed up the stairs to her dormitory and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. She was doing her best to stay quiet, but she must have been louder than expected, because Fae appeared in the doorway of the bathroom, glaring at her.
"Hello, Marigold. You must think you are so great winning all those points and winning the House Cup for us," she hissed. "But don't think that anyone forgot that you had lost those points in the first place."
Marigold spit out her toothpaste and straightened up. This was going to end and it was going to end tonight.
"Did you hear me?"
Marigold turned to Fae, grabbing her wand from her robes as she did. "I heard you, Fae," Marigold said, pointing her wand directly at her. "I just don't care anymore. I let you steal my notes, push me down the stairs, and make your funny little letters. But I'm done letting you get away with it."
Fae looked at Marigold's wand with disdain and a little bit of fear.
"You might think I didn't retaliate because I couldn't," Marigold continued, walking toward Fae, wand steady. "My dear Fae, I didn't do anything because it wasn't worth my time. You aren't worth my time. But I'm going to make a little exception. If you do one more thing to bother me, to bully me, you will regret it."
"What are you going to do?" Fae asked, backing up even further.
"I don't know," she said, and she really didn't, "but I've fought a troll, twice, I think I can creatively handle you."
Fae didn't say anything as she turned to go back to bed.
"Oh and Fae?" Marigold called after her. "If you bother Hermione anymore, you'll answer to me on that as well. Good night!"
Marigold put her wand back in her robes, washed her face, brushed her hair one last time to get rid of tangles, changed into her pajamas, and went to bed.
With their trunks packed and wardrobes empty, it was time to go home. Notes were handed out to all the students, warning them not to use magic over their summer holiday ("I always hope they'll forget to give these," Fred said sadly); Hagrid was there to take the first years down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake.
Then they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bertie 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 Kings Cross Station.
It took quite a while for them to get off the platform. An old wizard 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 the same time and alarming the Muggles.
"You both have to write over the summer," Marigold said. "I'll see if I can have you over, at the very least for our birthday."
"Great! I'll need something to look forward to," Harry said.
People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway and back to the Muggle world. Some of them called out to Harry, saying goodbye.
Marigold and the boys passed through the gateway together. Mrs. Weasley was standing on the other side with Ginny. The trio walked over.
"Harry Potter, look, mom!" Ginny squealed as they got closer.
"Quiet, Ginny. It's rude to point."
Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.
"Busy year?" she asked, though Marigold knew full well that Mrs. Weasley knew what they had been through. She was sure Dumbledore had written to her.
"Very," Harry said. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear."
"Ready, are you?"
Marigold looked over to see a very large, purple-faced man. He could only be Harry's uncle. Marigold didn't appreciate how he was glaring at Harry. Behind the large man, a very angry looking woman was sheltering a porky boy who looked terrified at the very sight of Harry.
"You must be Harry's family!" Mrs. Weasley said.
"In a manner of speaking," he said. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.
Harry hung back for a last word with Marigold and Neville.
"See you over the summer, then."
"I hope you have… a good holiday," Neville said, looking uncertainty at the people who had just walked away.
"Oh, I will," Harry said.
Marigold was surprised to see a grin spreading over his face.
"They don't know that we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"
With that, and a last goodbye, Harry ran off after his relatives.
"You think he will be okay?" Neville asked.
"Yeah, I think so… and if he's not we can always go and rescue him."
Neville's Grandmother showed up just as the twins joined the group of Weasleys. The two guardians exchanged pleasantries, but eventually, they had to go their separate ways, pulling their respective children along with them.
"I'll write as soon as I can, Nev," Marigold called as he walked away.
"Me too, Goldie!" Neville shouted, waving.
Marigold beamed at her new nickname.
"So, Marigold, why are you all scratched and limping?" Ginny asked, leaving her mother's side.
"Well, Ginny, that is an interesting story…"
(A/N: Thank you for reading. If you are new, don't hesitate to Follow and Favorite. All comments are thoroughly enjoyed. The story continues in Marigold Rosenberg and the Blood Stained Walls.)