Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I do not own.
A/N We're nearing the end of First Year, but I already have a couple chapters of Second Year planned out. I fully intend to write all seven books, but my writing has slowed down a little bit so the updates may be slower. Sorry in advance if that happens. In any case, I hope you enjoy this chapter. Remember: reviews are always more than welcome!
Thomas ran back through the chamber with the troll, only gagging once, and sprinted back into the chess room. Serena whirled as he entered none-too-quietly, wand raised in defense. When she saw it was him, she dropped it to her side again.
"Thomas! Where's... Where's Harry?" She stammered.
"He's going after Snape. We've got to get Dumbledore. Come on!" He insisted when she didn't move. She snapped out of it and helped him pull the still unconscious Phoebe up. Supporting her between them, they half carried, half dragged their friend along as fast as they could go.
Back in the key room, Thomas put Phoebe stomach-first over a broom. It didn't look remotely safe, but it was the best he could do. Serena pocketed her wand and clambered onto a second broom. With a nod to each other, they sped off.
In the future, whenever Thomas told the story, he made it sound cool. He said they expertly piloted their brooms out and would've made Wood cry with joy if he'd seen them. In reality, they smashed into walls and Phoebe fell off Thomas's broom three times before they even made it back to the room with the Devil's Snare.
Trying to hold Phoebe on the broom more securely, Thomas rocketed up through the trap door, miraculously avoiding smashing into the ceiling instead. Fluffy was too confused to do anything as they flew past one of his noses. Thomas sped into the hallway and stopped his broom there as he and Phoebe fell side-ways off it.
Serena, however, had done a u-turn back into the room. She grabbed the invisibility cloak off the floor, before spinning again to head for the door. She had just about impressed herself with her flying when her broom hit the edge of the open door and she fell to the floor, still clutching the cloak.
"Serena!" Thomas grabbed her by the back of her jacket and yanked her out of the room. She flailed her feet and managed to kick the door shut behind her before Fluffy could stick one of his heads out and drag them back in.
Serena scrambled to her feet and sprinted down the passageway. Thomas went over and tried to haul Phoebe up across his shoulders, but couldn't manage to do it, leaving himself looking like an idiot when a herd of teachers came racing around the corner. Serena was sprinting to keep up, still clutching the cloak to her chest like a security blanket.
"Ms. Black!" Madam Pomfrey was with them and made a bee-line for the unconscious girl. Thomas dropped her unceremoniously on the floor to let the nurse examine her.
Thomas and Serena spotted Snape and Dumbledore rushing into the room with Fluffy. Thomas looked at Serena and saw she was thinking the exact same thing as he was: if Snape was with them, who was Harry facing?
"And what would've happened if you were killed down there? Who would've known? What would we have done?" McGonagall's lecture had gone on for hours, it seemed. Sitting in her office, it was hard not to wish they were back facing Fluffy or even Devil's Snare as opposed to their stern Professor.
The afternoon sun was high in the sky. Phoebe had been released for the hospital wing, though she was still sporting some cuts and looked like roadkill, as she herself admitted. Thomas was tired. He couldn't remember the last time he'd eaten, let alone slept. Serena was just plain worried. They weren't allowed to see Harry yet and she was fidgeting through McGonagall's whole lecture, barely even listening.
"I have to write home to parents about this." McGonagall finished and the trio looked up at her.
"Mum will kill me." Serena said with certainty.
"Dad will... I honestly don't know." Thomas frowned, considering it.
"I don't have parents." Phoebe pointed out smugly. Professor McGonagall turned to her with pursed lips.
"Mr. Lupin, Ms. Pettigrew. Please go to your dormitories and rest. I need to have a word with Ms. Black." She spoke without looking at the other two. Thomas and Serena exchanged looks but then ran for it, leaving their friend behind without a second thought. Once the door had swung shut behind them again, McGonagall continued: "I've been corresponding with some cousins of yours-."
"The Malfoys are not-."
"Not them." McGonagall interrupted, exasperated. "Mrs. Malfoy's sister, Andromeda. She and her husband, Ted Tonks, have agreed to take you in."
Phoebe stared at her teacher, trying to decide how to react that piece of news. She was going to get out of the orphanage? She was going to live in an actual house? Someone wanted her? She must've looked as dumbstruck as she felt, because McGonagall went on:
"Yes, they've agreed to take you in. They have a daughter that graduated just last year, in fact. I'm sure you'll be very happy there." She gave Phoebe one of her rare smiles to reassure her. "But it's a pity that the very first letter I had to write them after they agreed to become your legal guardians was about how you broke nearly every school rule and nearly got yourself killed!"
"Sorry?" It came out like a question and Professor McGonagall sighed.
"You are very lucky, Ms. Black, that their daughter was just as much of a handful. I'm certain they're used to it. Now, off to bed. You look to be in need of some rest as well." McGonagall waved her away but Phoebe threw her arms around the woman in a hug before she left. She was surprised when McGonagall returned the gesture, just for a moment before she was ordering her off to bed again.
Phoebe was practically skipping as she headed back to Gryffindor tower.
It was two more days before the trio was allowed into the hospital wing to see Harry. By that time, wild rumors about what had happened were circulating the school and even Thomas, Serena and Phoebe couldn't tell what the truth was. As it turned out, 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: Quirrell, the mirror, the Stone and Voldemort. He thought they were a very good audience. They gasped at all the right places and Serena even screamed out loud when he told them what was under Quirrell's turban.
"So the Stone's gone? What happens to Flamel? Does he just die?" Phoebe asked as he finished. They were all sitting on his bed together; it made it very crowded by Harry didn't mind a bit.
"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that... What was it? 'To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure'."
"But, yeah, the dude's definitely dead." Thomas agreed.
"So what happened to you three?" Harry asked. As they told their story, complete with the girls correcting Thomas when he got something obviously wrong, they realized it was nothing compared to what Harry had done. He listened to them and seemed impressed by their own heroics.
"Do you reckon Dumbledore knew everything?" Thomas asked as their own story ended. It hadn't escaped anyone's notice how Dumbledore was already there when they went to get him and how he went straight to Harry, as if already knowing he was still down there.
"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..." Harry explained thoughtfully.
"The adult supervision here..." Phoebe muttered, shaking her head.
"Enough about that night." Serena said, bouncing on the bed slightly. "Harry, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course. You missed the last Quidditch match, by the way, and Gryffindor was slaughtered by Ravenclaw without you. But the food will be good."
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over to kick the other three out, saying Harry needed his rest. Serena hugged him one last time, Thomas and Phoebe congratulated him on not dying once more and the three hurried out, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.
Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone the next night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup. He carried his new scrapbook with him, still silently thanking Hagrid for the wonderful gift. He could see his parents now, whenever he wanted, without some magic mirror.
The Great Hall was already full when he got there. The 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. He slipped into a seat between Serena and Thomas 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.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore announced 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... 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 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. "Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account.
The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little. Other students perked up.
"Ahem. I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes... First, to Ms. Serena Pettigrew, for bravery and intelligence in the face of a dangerous beast... I award Gryffindor house forty points!"
The hall applauded with thunderous claps seeming to shake the floor. Serena looked shocked and ducked her head down, flushing with embarrassment. Harry cheered for her and she shot him a half-amused, half-embarrassed look between her fingers. He just grinned back at her.
"Second, to Ms. Phoebe Black for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years... I award Gryffindor house forty points."
Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Phoebe grinned proudly and stood up on her seat to bow dramatically. Thomas whooped for her and gave her high fives as she finally sat back down. At last there was silence again.
"Third, to Mr. Thomas Lupin, for the use of cool logic in the face of fire... I award Gryffindor house forty points."
Cheering and shouts erupted once again as Thomas jumped up onto his seat, pointed at the Slytherin table and yelled 'BOO YAH, MALFOY!' at the top of his lungs. Draco, indeed, looked like he was about to stroke out.
"Fourth, to Mr. Harry Potter..." Dumbledore continued over the noise. The room went deadly quiet. "For pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house forty points."
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. 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."
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, Thomas, Serena and Phoebe 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.
Phoebe laughed 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. Thomas yelled 'BOO-YAH' again at him and then started dancing on his seat.
"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 bit. 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 that night.