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A/N: Okay, I lied. Well, sort of. This isn't the last chapter. If you've been checking my bio, I had more than 8,000 words typed. Well, at the rate I was going, I think the chapter was going to be too long, if that's even possible. I was approaching 9,000 words! There was only a teeny bit left for me to do, but I could already tell it would take a while for my beta to get through it when I did finish... So, I've cut the chapter in half. The rest of it will be posted soon, and it's the real ending to this story. This chapter is almost 4,000 words which is at least the average size for most of the others.

I hope you guys like it! At least this way, you get to read it sooner.

Oh, and this chapter wasn't proofread because I'm just too damn impatient. Sorry! Just ignore any mistakes!

Hallie groaned. She wasn't quite sure where she was. She only knew that it hurt. Her limbs felt like limp noodles, and the pressure behind her eyes was unbearable. Hallie's mind was running unusually slow, and she struggled to remember, well, anything from before.

'Let's see...' she thought, 'I was visiting Hagrid, and we talked about Fluffy... Oh, yeah! And then McGonagall said... and Snape showed up, rotten timing as always... Then we went down the trapdoor last night... Right. Stupidest thing I've ever done... So, what happened?'

Hallie felt her fingers twitch against fabric. She scrunched up her nose, and finally managed to pry her eyelids apart... Only to see white. Lots and lots of white.

"Am I dead?" she croaked.

"Not at all, Miss Potter, although you did come rather close. You've been in the hospital wing for three days already. We were starting to think you would never wake up."

Hallie blinked and turned her head. Her view was slightly restricted by a mountain of sweets, but behind that she was able to make out the headmaster sitting down.

Seeing her bewildered gaze, he addressed the candy first, "Ah, yes, those would be from your many admirers."

Hallie raised an eyebrow. Since when did people start sending her gifts? She winced when she noticed a particularly garish-looking package covered in hearts. 'Gotta do something about those fan girls...'

Dumbledore elaborated. "What happened between you and Professor Quirrell was kept in the utmost confidence... So, obviously, the entire school knows. I believe you've gained quite a following. If your name didn't carry some weight before, you now have the respect of a few of the upper years, as well."

Would the hero worship never end? "I hate being the Boy-Who-Lived..." Hallie groaned.

"On the contrary, Hallie," Dumbledore smiled genially, but something about his expression had taught her to brace herself. "At the moment, I think the term would be Girl-Who-Lived, or maybe Child? Or young woman? Or perhaps witch, although I suppose that may be a bit redundant..."

As the old man rambled off topic, Hallie's eyes grew wide with shock. She glanced down at her lap, finding two small, feminine hands. They flew up to her face, tracing the rounder features with shock. She trembled slightly when she realized the amulet was gone. Hallie didn't know whether to feel relieved, or worried. She settled on panic.

"What happened? Where's my necklace? How- Do they all know? What about my friends? Did anyone explain to them- What if they hate me-"

"Hush, child," Dumbledore place a wrinkled hand on her shoulder to calm her down. "The majority of the school is not aware of your disguise. Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger are the exception. They know you are a girl, but I have left it up to you to tell them the rest."

Hallie gaped. "But how did they find out? And why am I a girl again? Where's the charm?"

"When I brought you out of the trapdoor, the glamour had already dissipated. Your friends were waiting for our return, and were quite worried to think you were harmed. I'm afraid I wasn't quite quick enough to hide you from sight before they found out..."

Dumbledore spoke innocently, but Hallie held back the urge to roll her eyes. 'Yeah, right. He probably let them know on purpose! Meddling old man...' For some reason, Hallie didn't know whether to hex him or hug him. 'At least I don't have to lie to them anymore...'

"During your battle with Quirrell, the amulet was damaged rather badly. He discovered what you are, but was unable to to tell anyone. He is dead."

Hallie didn't feel any remorse for the man who had tried to kill her, but it was still a shock to hear that she had murdered someone.

As if he knew what she was thinking, Dumbledore said sharply, "You are not responsible for his death. Lord Voldemort had been draining Quirrell's life force for some time. When his weakened spirit fled, he left his servant to die. It is unlikely that we could have saved him before sending him off to prison."

She nodded with her eyes down, and decided to change the subject, "What about my necklace? How did it break? I thought the spells would only fade if I took it off?"

"That is true, but it was the backlash of your own magic battling Quirrell's that destroyed it. I'm afraid I overestimated my spellwork. The two forces were more than the gem could handle, and it cracked. I believe it was also, in part, your mother's protection as well."

"My mum?" Hallie asked in a weak voice.

"Yes, the night Lord Voldemort tried to kill you, it was her sacrifice the provided a counter-curse to the Avada Kedavra. It is also that lasting protection that wards the home of your mother's blood, Petunia."

She winced at the mention of her aunt. Truthfully, Hallie had been dreading her return to Privet Drive. She hadn't actually had any contact with the Dursleys since she ran away from the zoo. However, Vernon was well-practiced at holding grudges, and she did not look forward to seeing him again.

She had known since the start of the year that Dumbledore had sent them a letter 'to reassure them of her whereabouts so they wouldn't worry.' As if her relatives hadn't thought her a freak before, she could only imagine what they were thinking now that she was a witch. Of course, her aunt should have had ten years to cope with the knowledge, having already known- news that left Hallie fuming- but her uncle was another story. She almost wished she could have been there to see Petunia trying to explain that side of her family to him.

"Your mother's love also saved you against Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore continued with a wistful tone. It was obvious her parents' death meant something to him as well. "While carrying his taint, Quirrell could not bare to touch your very skin. It must have caused him massive amounts of pain just to hold you as long as he did."

"He wasn't the only one hurting..." Hallie muttered. Rasing her voice, she asked, "Professor, could I... could I ask you something?"

"You just have, but go ahead," he smiled, just as he began digging through Hallie's get-well cards.

"Well, I was wondering- Er, what are you doing?" Hallie was distracted when the man pulled out a small bag and grimaced.

"I was hoping for some lemon drops, but alas, all I can find are Bertie Botts," Dumbledore sighed dramatically. "I came across a bogie flavored one in my youth, and I haven't quite trusted them since. But perhaps," he said, pulling a small cream-colored one out, "I will be safe with a nice toffee."

He popped it into his mouth, and Hallie bit her lip to keep from saying anything. She happened to know exactly what flavor that one was, having eaten it during Christmas break. Suffice to say, she'd lost her affinity for Bertie Botts, too.

The great Albus Dumbledore gagged and spit it back out, "Earwax..."

Hallie giggled before remembering her question. "Oh, um..."

"Please continue, my dear," he said comfortingly, "I will try to answer your query to the best of my ability."

She nodded, and made sure to look the old wizard in the eye. "Why did he want to kill me? Voldemort, I mean. Down there, he said that he tried to spare my mum... and he wanted me to join him..."

Dumbledore looked solemn at hearing that. However, instead of elaborating, he apologized. "I'm sorry, Hallie, but I'm afraid I cannot answer that. You have asked me the one thing that I do not believe you are ready to hear."

'What is he hiding...?' Hallie wondered, but she knew he wouldn't say anything more. Deciding that arguing would be pointless, she asked another question. "And what about the stone? How is it I got it out of the mirror?"

"Ah, now that I am happy to answer," Dumbledore twinkled. "It was one of my more brilliant ideas, if I do say so myself. Only one who desired to find the stone- find it, not use it- only then could they retrieve it."

"Oh! So, that's why Quirrell couldn't take it... I was actually getting kinda desperate back there. All I could think of was that I needed to get the stone away from him... But what happened to it? I remember I had it in my hand- But I might have dropped it! I can't remember-"

"You needn't worry, the stone is safe. It has been decided that the Sorcerer's Stone is much too powerful an object if it were to fall into the hands of one such as Voldemort. We have taken the proper measures to have it destroyed-"

"What! But what about the Flamels? They'll die!" Hallie blurted out, not understanding how they could just end their own lives like that.

"Ah, that is unfortunately true," Dumbledore agreed softly. "But Nicolas and Perenelle have been around for a long time, child. The have just enough elixir stored to get their affairs in order. Then, yes, they will die. However, I have always said that to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure..."

Hallie would never quite understand Dumbledore's reasoning, but if death was an adventure, then she was hoping for a nice, boring life. After all, there was no way second year could compare to her first at Hogwarts.

Hallie Potter was in for one hell of a surprise.

Hallie was nervous. No, not just nervous, she was ready to bolt. She was currently contemplating just how far she could make it to bathroom and out the window, regardless of the long drop, before the nurse caught her out of bed. She just wanted to be as far away as possible before Madam Pomfrey returned with Ron and Hermione. Most people were not terrified of their best friends. Hallie Potter was not most people. When the two Gryffindors walked hesitantly through the double doors, Hallie wanted only to crawl under the hospital bed and die.

'Oh, no, what am I going to say to them? How much do they already know? What if they hate me? I've been hiding from them all year long-'

"Harry?" Hermione's timid voice called, and Hallie restrained herself from pulling up the sheet to cover her face.

Both Ron and Hermione walked forward, not taking their eyes off the unfamiliar girl. Ron's eyes were wide as saucers, while Hermione wore a calculating expression.

"Mate," Ron was the first to speak, "is that really you?"

Hallie shrugged half-heartedly, "Yeah, it's me."

"Well, uh, you look different," Ron's blunt statement eased some of the tension. Hermione snorted and Hallie ducked down to hide an amused smile.

'Same old Ron. Leave it to him to state the obvious.'

"So, what's going on, Harry? Or is that even your name?"

The girl winced. "No, actually it's Hallie. Hallie Potter. Harry doesn't exist."

Hermione still managed to look startled, even though she must have figured it out by then. "You mean-"

"I am the so-called 'Boy' Who Lived, but my parents hid that I was a girl."

"Why would they do that?" Ron asked, taking a seat by her bed. He seemed a little wary of his friend, but was trying to get all the answers first.

"According to Dumbledore," Hallie explained, "they made up a phony identity incase something ever happened. They were going to send me to some friends, another wizarding family, if things got too dangerous. Guess they didn't have the chance, though," she added, slightly bitter.

"So, no one knew the truth?" Hermione frowned, thinking.

"Only Dumbledore, and my relatives, I guess. It was his idea, actually, to have me pretend I was a boy. He thought it would be safer."

"I suppose he was right." Hermione always was one to agree with authority. "The wizarding world was expecting Harry Potter... and this way, no one would recognize you outside of school. You could walk right through Diagon Alley, and no one would know their hero was in plain sight..."

'Damn, she's quick.'

"This does explain a lot, though," Hermione added offhandedly.

"What do you mean? What does it explain?" Ron looked flustered.

"Well, I have had my suspicions..."

"What suspicions?" He stared at her, getting increasingly frustrated.

Hallie turned to ease her hotheaded friend before he exploded. "She thought I was gay, Ron."

Ron gaped at Hallie, then burst out laughing. He leaned back in his chair and was nearly gasping for breath.

Hermione had the grace to look sheepish, before she said, "Yes, well, I hadn't considered that you weren't a boy! It just seemed like the most reasonable explanation! You always were a bit brighter than most of the boys in our year-"

Her eyes drifted towards Ron as she said that, and he stopped laughing with an indignant shout.

"Hey!"

"You've always seemed more sensitive, too-"

"You know, Hermione's right!" Ron gasped, sitting up abruptly.

"Isn't she always?" Hallie pointed out wryly.

"Yeah, well, most of the time," Ron stumbled. "But I can't believe I didn't see it sooner!" He tapped his chin thoughtfully. "I mean, you never did change clothes in front of any of us, you were always hiding behind the bed curtains... and you were always saying weird things, stuff I've only heard my sister say, like that time I called Hermione a-"

Ron saw Hermione's darkening expression and rushed to the point. "-Er, and you called me an insensitive prick!"

While Hallie blushed at memory of her outburst the morning before the troll incident, Hermione was growing teary-eyed. Glancing over at her bushy-haired friend, Hallie was startled when the girl practically leapt onto the hospital bed, and pulled her into a suffocating hug.

"Uh, 'Mione?" Hallie squeaked, out of breath.

"Oh, you really said that?" Hermione asked. "You're such a good friend, Har- er, Hallie!"

Ron took one look at Hallie's panicked face as she awkwardly patted the crying girl and sniggered.

"At least we know you're not a total girl. You're just as lost as the rest of us guys, eh, mate?"

Hallie glared playfully at him, before offering up a pleading look. Mouthing over Hermione's shoulder, she said, "Save me, and I'll share my get-well presents!"

Ron took a second to drool over the mountain of Honey Dukes before he pulled Hermione back into her chair. He then starting digging through the stuff. As he searched, he mentioned with his head half buried, "You know, I think the twins tried to send you a toilet seat. Looks like Pomfrey confiscated it, though."

While Ron ripped open a box of licorice wands, Hermione leaned forward curiously, still wiping away a few hormonal tears. "So, does this mean you're going to become a girl again, Hallie?"

Ron paused in mid-bite to hear her answer. Hallie suddenly became very interested in the white bed sheets.

"Well... no. Dumbledore thinks I should stay 'Harry' Potter for a while longer, and I kind of agree."

"What!"

"Why?"

Hallie sighed, "I mean, it would be a bit of a shock if I left the infirmary looking like this," she gestured by picking up a strand of her long black hair. Then she grinned toward the redhead. "Besides, who knows what kind of rumors the students would come up with. We wouldn't want them all to draw the same conclusions as Ron here."

She snickered, remembering how Dumbledore had mentioned Ron's comment on his way out. She had been badgering him for answers about her friends' reactions, when he had suddenly remembered a faculty meeting that he was late for. Hallie wondered how Snape was taking the news that the Potter heir had survived the odds once more... Hallie sighed at the thought, 'There goes the rest of Gryffindor's points for breaking rules and attacking teachers. We can kiss the house cup good-bye.'

Hermione was laughing at Hallie's allusion, and quipped, "Of course, You-Know-Who's ultimate revenge: to turn the Boy-Who-Lived into a girl!"

It was too much for the girls, who burst into giggles, leaning on each other to stay upright. Ron's ears were beet red, and he exclaimed in his defense, "Hey, cut me some slack, I had a concussion!"

The three friends spent the next hour simply catching up, despite Madam Pomfrey's many threats to evict them so her patient could rest. All it took were a few set of puppy eyes from Hallie, which didn't actually work, to a threat to sneak out of the wing, which didn't work either, and finally a resigned promise to behave, which at least gave them ten more minutes.

Ron and Hermione were using the time to reacquaint themselves with their friend's new appearance. It was difficult at first, and both felt as though they were meeting her for the first time. But after a while, they realized that it was still the same 'Harry' that they had known all along. For Hermione, she saw this as the perfect opportunity to bond with a female friend other than Parvati and Lavender. For Ron, it was still kind of disturbing to realize that a girl had been sleeping in his dorm. He would probably take a while to get over that...

Hallie was enjoying herself more than she had all year. For the first time in months, she felt like she could really be herself, and she was no longer tied down by the burden of guilt for deceiving her best friends.

They had moved their discussion to her bed, just managing to fit all three first years, with Hallie and Hermione side by side, and Ron on his stomach at the end. They were also surrounded by a surprisingly large amount of candy wrappers, courtesy of Ron. Hallie filled them in on her confrontation with Voldemort, and the other two, in turn, told her about everything she had missed while asleep.

Apparently, the rumor mill was working overtime once word spread that a magical stone capable of turning anything into gold and producing the elixir of life had been guarded at their school, and stuttering Professor Quirrell had tried to steal it. Hallie noticed that Dumbledore had neglected to tell the school about Voldemort's part in it all, but she supposed it was for the best. The students were also aware that the three previously outcast Gryffindors, who were stupid enough to lose half of their house's points in one night, had saved the day. They also knew that Harry Potter had gone after the bad guy, and was injured in the process.

On the headmaster's orders, all visitors had been restricted from the hospital wing, and everyone was curious as to how bad off she could be. The Hufflepuffs were saying that Harry Potter was victim to a babbling curse, and had yet to speak in anything but Pig Latin. The Ravenclaws thought the whole thing exaggerated, and she was only trying to skive off on classwork. The Slytherins were telling anyone who would listen, and most who preferred not to, that Potter was actually dead, and the teachers were trying to stall until they could bring in a Doppelganger. The Gryffindors retaliated by trying to hex the Slytherins on sight, and they claimed that Potter had survived a brutal duel, nearly losing a limb, but would make a miraculous recovery any day now.

Hallie now knew that the wizarding populace was just plain stupid.

The conversation had drifted to classes, and the History of Magic test that Hermione was adamant Hallie study for, when Madam Pomfrey called that time was up.

"That's it! Out, you two!" she screeched, and Ron jumped down from the trash-covered bed guiltily. "I've allowed you enough time as it is. Miss Potter needs to rest if she wants to be out of here any time soon!"

Hermione hugged Hallie one last time after getting up, and Ron gave her a gruff pat on the back.

"Get well soon, Hallie! I'll make sure to bring your homework with me in the morning! Oh, and those notes on the third Goblin rebellion!"

Hallie nodded, biting back a groan. Then she smiled more genuinely and addressed them both, "Thanks again, you guys... You know, for not giving up on me..."

Hermione and Ron paused at the foot of her bed, and Hallie swallowed back tears.

"I really am sorry for not telling you. It's just-"

She didn't get to finish. Both of her friends tackled her in a hug, even Ron, who wasn't normally one for emotional displays, clung to her tightly.

In the doorway of the nurse's office, Madam Pomfrey sighed, and mentally added another five minutes.

"Don't worry, Hallie, we understand," Hermione sniffed.

Ron grinned at her, "Yeah, and you're still my best mate. What kind of friend would I be if I abandoned you for a little thing like a gender switch?"

Hallie gave a weak laugh, her eyes shining.

"But seriously," Ron joked, "are there any more secrets you're not telling us?"

She sobered immediately, and Ron grew worried. Hermione also sat back to watch Hallie's sudden serious face.

"Well, there is one more thing..." she whispered.

They leaned in closer to hear.

"My parents weren't really James and Lily Potter, and I'm actually the illegitimate child of Professor Snape after he had an affair with a muggle fortune teller, and they were forced to give me up when she predicted that the world would end if I became a Slytherin, so I went to the Potters who actually thought I was a boy and had their memories modified to think it was all true!" she said in a rush without stopping for breath.

Ron yelped once the words reached his brain, and fell off the edge of the bed. Hermione was staring at Hallie in pure shock.

Hallie took a moment to savor their matching expressions of horror, before a snicker escaped her clamped lips. Her cheeks turned red from the effort of holding it back. Hermione narrowed her eyes at Hallie suspiciously. Another giggle broke free, then full out laughter.

Ron's face poked up from the floor, glaring at her. "Oy, are you trying to give me a heart attack, mate?"

"Sorry, Ron," Hallie apologized, still trying to catch her breath, "but I couldn't resist."

"It's alright... but you were just kidding, right?"

Silence.

"RIGHT?"

Hallie started laughing again, and this time Hermione joined in at Ron's expense. She buried her head in a pillow to muffle the sounds.

Ron glanced between his two hysterical friends, and muttered to himself, "Girls."

Hermione finally calmed down, and glanced at Hallie bemusedly, "How in the world did you come up with all that, anyway?"

"I've had a lot of free time on my hands," Hallie shrugged hopelessly, "I swear, I'm about to go crazy in this place from boredom!"

REVIEW IF YOU WANT MORE!

It's kind of depressing to see how short this is now... But the next half of the chapter is going to be about 5,000 words. I can't wait!

Oh, and if some of you are unhappy with Ron's lack of reaction, there is more in the next chapter, don't worry.