Y/N followed Harry and Ron into the room, clutching Ginny's hand still. Lockhart following happily in their wake. They stood there for a moment before a scream tore through so loud that Y/N jumped.

'Ginny!'

Mrs Weasley came barrelling across the room and pulled Ginny into a hug followed, very closely by her very pale faced husband. Harry, Ron, and Y/N were looking straight past them at the mantlepiece. There stood Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall, she swept over to them at once as Fawkes soared over to Dumbledore.

'Mum- mum- I'm fine-' Y/N said as his mum began turning his head and inspecting the blood on his robes.

'You certainly don't look fine!' she cried in an unnaturally high voice, 'Or are you to tell me that this isn't your blood?'

'Actually most of it isn't, most of it was the basilisks.'

'BASILISK?' shrieked Professor McGonagall.

'Minerva, please,' said Dumbledore sternly. 'There will be time to fawn over Mr L/N later, for now I think we'd all very much like to know what happened tonight.'

Mrs Weasley was hugging both Ron and Harry and now turned to Y/N as Professor McGonagall moved back towards the mantle.

'Thank you,' she said breathlessly as she flung her arms around him.

'My pleasure,' said Y/N, hugging her back. 'I don't believe we got the chance to properly acquaint in Diagon Alley. Bit too busy, I'm Y/N L/N.'

'Of course, Ron speaks highly of you,' said Mr Weasley, walking up alongside his wife, 'As did Ginny in the letters she sent us. Even Fred and George have some bits to praise you on.' Y/N felt his face flush, but he beamed up at Mr Weasley. 'I'm Arthur, and this is my wife Molly. Thank you for bringing us back our daughter.'

'It was my pleasure, Arthur,' said Y/N as Mrs Weasley released him. 'Your sons have always been kind to me. Made sure I've felt welcome here, I wanted to return the same kindness.'

'Making someone feel welcome at school and saving their life are two very different things, my boy,' said Mr Weasley, smiling down at him. He squeezed Y/N's shoulder and then together, he and Molly steered Ginny towards the fireplace to sit with them as Harry stepped forward and placed the Sorting Hat and the diary on the desk in front of Dumbledore. Y/N stepped forward too and placed the sword alongside it. Professor McGonagall gasped.

Harry began telling them everything. About the disembodied voice in the pipes. Y/N finding Hermione's note about it being the Basilisk, how they'd followed the spiders into the forest and managed to get some answers out of them, and how they'd guessed that Moaning Myrtle must have been the victim from fifty years prior.

'Very well,' said Professor McGonagall as Harry paused looking unsure at Y/N. Harry had avoided mentioning the diary yet, 'so you found out where the entrance was, breaking a hundred school rules into pieces along the way, but how on earth did you all get out of there alive?'

Harry's voice was beginning to grow hoarse, so Y/N took over.

He told them all about Riddle's speech to them, the timely arrival of Fawkes and the Sorting Hat and Y/N's declaration that the snake was his to kill. McGonagall glared at him but Y/N pushed on, holding her gaze defiantly. He said about how Fawkes had destroyed the snake's eyes and his own spell had cut open the roof of its mouth, hence so much blood. Then Riddle's disarming and suddenly Harry at his side with the sword.

Harry took over and explained about how he'd scooped up the Sorting Hat and asked it for help. Prayed for anything that could assist them, and it had provided that blade.

Then Y/N finished off with the tale of stabbing the snake through the roof of the mouth and the fang digging into his leg.

McGonagall gave a small yelp at this and all four of the Weasleys present went pale. Dumbledore made to move towards him, but Y/N shook his head and showed them all the rip in his robes.

'Fawkes healed me,' said Y/N. 'His tears sealed the wound and removed the poison from me. He saved my life.'

Dumbledore turned to gaze at his phoenix with an almost furious pride and Y/N felt elated. Despite the look on his mother's face.

'And then, the bit I wasn't really looking forward to telling you-' and Y/N told them about the diary. Stabbing it with the Basilisk fang and Ginny waking up.

'But why was our Ginny down there? She's not Muggleborn,' said Mr Weasley.

'It's that diary,' said Y/N, pointing to it on the desk. 'It's evil. I've been able to feel it whenever I've seen it. Ginny showed it to me a few months back and… it was overwhelming,' he looked at Dumbledore and for the first time ever he saw a flash of fear cross Dumbledore's face. 'When Riddle had manifested, I could feel the dread from him instead.'

'What interests me most,' said Dumbledore calmly, 'Is how exactly Lord Voldemort could have been inside a book, when my sources currently tell me he is in hiding in the forests of Albania.'

'What's that?' said Mr Weasley sounding shocked. 'You-Know-Who? Enchant Ginny? But Ginny's not- she can't-'

'All Riddle told us is that he wrote it when he was sixteen,' said Y/N, cutting across Mr Weasley. 'It was made to preserve his memory, so that someone else would come along and open up the Chamber instead. Ginny here just happened to be the middleman.'

Dumbledore took the diary and peered down at it.

'Brilliant,' he said softly. 'Of course, he was probably one of the most brilliant students Hogwarts has ever seen,' and he turned to face the Weasleys.

'Not many people know that Lord Voldemort was once called Tom Riddle. I taught him myself fifty years ago, at Hogwarts. He disappeared after leaving school, travelled far and wide, and sank so deep into the dark arts that when he resurfaced as Lord Voldemort. No one could recognise him. Hardly anyone ever connected the two.'

'But how did Ginny become the middleman?' asked Mr Weasley.

'H-his diary-' sobbed Ginny. 'I've b-been writing in it and he's been writing back all year-'

'Ginny!' said Mr Weasley. 'Haven't I taught you not to trust anything unless you can see where it keeps its brain? Y/N even said he warned you about the dangers of this item-'

'She did get rid of it after I told her that, Mr Weasley,' said Y/N. 'She tried to destroy it, but it was too powerfully enchanted. And Harry found it. When she saw me and Harry had it, she panicked. She thought we'd turn her in and she'd get into trouble.'

'I just found it in one of the books I got at Diagon Alley- I didn't know-' wailed Ginny. Y/N, McGonagall and Dumbledore all exchanged a look. A look that said quite plainly that Y/N had not only known when she'd gotten it. But who she'd gotten it off.

'Miss Weasley should go up to the Hospital Wing right away,' said Dumbledore in a stern voice. 'This has been a terrible ordeal for her. There will be no punishment. Older and wiser Wizards than she have been hoodwinked by Lord Voldemort,' he strode over to the door and opened it.

'Bed rest and perhaps a mug of hot chocolate. I find that always cheers me up,' said Dumbledore, smiling down at them. Ginny broke away from her parents and sprinted over to Y/N, hugging him tight. Y/N returned the gesture.

'I told you. I'll see you next year,' he whispered to her, she pulled away beaming and nodding and ran back over to join her parents who lead her out of the room.

'You will be joining them shortly too, Y/N,' said Dumbledore, striding back behind his desk. 'Not only will you at least need checking up following tonight's ordeal, but Madam Pomfrey is currently giving out the Mandrake Juice. The basilisk's victims shall be waking soon and there is one that I'm sure you wish to see.'

Y/N laughed in joy. They'd done it, it was over.

'But first-' said Dumbledore sternly. 'I have a few more points and questions, and I'm sure your mother does too. First of all, Y/N, do you know who gave Ginny Weasley that diary?'

'Yes Professor Dumbledore,' said Y/N 'I felt it when we were in Flourish and Blotts over the summer, I assumed she'd tell her parents when she just found a random book so I didn't mention it. It was Lucius Malfoy.'

McGonagall's, Ron's, and Harry's mouths all dropped open, but Dumbledore nodded solemnly.

'I thought he'd been a little bit too quick to react to this all taking place,' said Dumbledore. 'The man has always lacked subtlety once he gets excited.'

'He'll pay for that,' muttered Ron.

'I'm afraid not by you, Mr Weasley,' said Dumbledore. 'Revealing that you are aware of who gave the diary to Ginny raises the suspicion of who could have possibly known. We hardly want a spotlight on Mr L/N's ability just yet.'

'Thanks Professor,' said Y/N. 'I'd rather he didn't know what I can do.'

'However, on another note. I have told all three of you, admittedly on separate occasions, that I would have to expel you if you broke anymore school rules,' said Dumbledore.

Y/N felt his stomach plummet, he looked around at Ron and Harry who were both gazing opened mouthed at Dumbledore.

'Which goes to show, that the best of us must sometimes eat our words,' Dumbledore went on, smiling. Y/N groaned, but he was smiling too. 'All three of you will receive Special Awards for Services to the School, and I think, let me see, yes I think two hundred points each for Gryffindor.'

Ron went bright pink as all three of them beamed around at each other.

'But one of us seems to be keeping mightily quiet about his part in this dangerous adventure,' Dumbledore added. 'Why so modest, Gilderoy?'

'He prefers Tom now sir,' said Y/N, trying to hide his smirk as they all turned to look at Lockhart. Lockhart looked around quickly, as if confused as to who was speaking to him.

'There was an accident down in the Chamber, Professor Dumbledore,' said Ron. 'Professor Lockhart-'

'Am I a Professor?' said Lockhart, sounding surprised. 'Goodness, I expect I was hopeless, wasn't I?'

'Absolutely,' said Y/N, 'But you gave it your all, and that's the most anyone can ask of you, Tom.'

'Stop it,' hissed Harry.

'He tried to do a memory charm, and his wand backfired,' Ron whispered to Dumbledore.

'Ah dear, impaled upon your own sword Gilderoy?' said Dumbledore, his moustache quivering slightly.

'Sword?' said Gilderoy blankly. 'Haven't got a sword, he does though,' he added brightly, pointing at Y/N. 'He'll lend you one.'

'Minerva, as much as I hate to rob you of the chance to yell at Mr L/N, I must ask that you head down to the Kitchens. I think this all calls for a feast.'

'Right, Headmaster,' said McGonagall, composing herself slightly and straightening her hat. 'Y/N, I'll catch up with you later in the Hospital Wing.'

'See you later mum,' said Y/N as she swept from the room.

'Mr L/N, would you mind taking Professor Lockhart to the infirmary too? And Mr Weasley, I have a letter to scribe that I would much appreciate it if you could have sent off to Azkaban, we need our Gamekeeper back.'

'Feel free to use Ves,' said Y/N as he walked over to Lockhart. 'She'll probably be in our dorm,' and seizing Lockhart's arm, Y/N marched him from the room.

'This castle's incredible, isn't it?' said Gilderoy, looking around as they moved through the corridors.

'It really is!' said Y/N brightly. 'Moving staircases, talking pictures, we even had a three-headed dog once.'

'No! Really? Can you tell me about it?' said Lockhart excitedly.

'Of course I can, Tom!'

Much too quickly, the pair arrived outside the Hospital Wing doors and Y/N pushed them open. Madam Pomfrey swept over at once and began checking over Y/N.

'The Weasleys have told me everything,' she said, steering him towards a bed, 'Rest, recover, if you're okay in the morning I'll discharge you-'

'Hang on,' said Y/N, pulling away slightly. 'Lockhart's had his memory wiped, doesn't know who or where he is. He'll need attention more than I do.'

'Oh dear,' said Madam Pomfrey, and Y/N could hear the sarcasm in her voice, 'Whatever will we do without him.'

'He likes being called Tom now,' said Y/N brightly as she moved Lockhart over to one of the nearby beds.

After a while, Mr and Mrs Weasley came over with a still slightly shaking Ginny and settled themselves around Y/N's bed. They spoke happily to him, Y/N telling them about his past and them telling him all about their other sons Bill and Charlie. He'd already heard most of it from Ron, but he was happy to hear a few embarrassing tales about them from their time with someone their parents simply called 'The Curse-Breaker'.

Just as they were telling him about something called the Cursed Vaults, there came several different voices all groaning at once. They all looked around to see Colin, Justin, Penelope, Nick, and Hermione stretching and rubbing their eyes as they looked around blearily. Hermione's eyes scanned the room finally came to rest on Y/N.

She sat there open mouthed for half a second before she launched herself from her bed, Y/N did the same and they met in the middle, pulling each other into a tight hug.

'It didn't get- you didn't-' she said into his chest and Y/N shook his head.

'It's dead, it's over. We did it.'

Hermione squeezed him tighter and began laughing. Y/N looked around at the other confused faces and said, 'It's dead. Slytherin's monster is dead. We're all safe again.'

The cheers could have shook the ceiling. And so could the anger that was pulsing out of Madam Pomfrey as she stormed up the centre aisle towards them.

'You both need rest!' she shouted down at the two smiling Gryffindor's who had still not broken apart.

'Okay!' said Y/N brightly, and he tugged Hermione along to his bed and the Weasleys and made room for her to slide onto it alongside him, she did so happily. Madam Pomfrey looked murderous, but with one deep sigh she turned and began tending to Mrs Norris.

'Part of me hoped I'd wake up to see you here alongside me,' said Hermione, 'But not exactly in another one of the beds. What on earth are you doing here?'

Y/N told her all about finding her note, the trip into the forest, the realisation as to what they were facing and the trip down into the Chamber. She clung to his arm the entire time as though letting go would petrify her again, but Y/N did not care. And even the Weasleys looked on with rapt attention as he told about his slaying of the Basilisk once again

Then he got to the bit about the fang piercing him. Hermione immediately released him and seized his leg, examining the wound and running her finger along it.

'Hermione, I'm fine, honestly.'

'You nearly die to basilisk venom and then have the gal to sit there and tell me you're fine?' Hermione shrieked at him and Y/N withdrew a little. Mr Weasley shared a similar look of shock, but Mrs Weasley seemed to be nodding, almost approvingly.

Y/N tugged Hermione back so that she was lying next to him again and continued his tale, rounding it off with his arrival in the Hospital Wing.

'If you keep calling him Tom, I don't think we can be friends anymore,' said Hermione, looking across at Lockhart.

'What?' said Y/N indignantly. 'Not you to? I think it's brilliant, he really suits a Tom. He's like a much more useless Voldemort.'

'Because he tried to cast one memory charm on you?'

'Are we ignoring everyone else he's ever cast it on?'

'That doesn't make him like You-Know-Who.'

'No, but it does make him like sixteen-year-old Voldemort, a right old-'

'I think we'll leave you two to it,' said Mr Weasley, smiling slightly as he, Mrs Weasley, and Ginny got to their feet.

Ginny stepped forward, hugging Hermione with a quiet 'Glad to see you're okay,' and the three moved back over to Ginny's bed. Y/N pointed his wand at the curtains, and they drew around him and Hermione. She immediately pushed him down and placed her head against his chest with a sigh.

'I missed you,' he whispered, 'A lot.'

'I'd say I missed you too, but, well, I didn't really feel anything. One second I was at the library holding the mirror around the corner, next I was here. Hate the thought of you fighting that thing though. It was huge.'

'I guarantee it was probably larger in the chamber, that thing took up half the floor. I'll show you one day.'

'No thanks,' said Hermione as she pulled herself tighter against him.

'So…' she said slowly after a long pause.

'So?' said Y/N, looking down at her.

'Did you happen to… um… meet anyone else? Whilst hunting for the chamber.'

'Got a date with Myrtle set up for when I die, she told me I could share her toilet,' said Y/N, Hermione smacked his chest.

'Idiot. You know what I meant.'

'And you know my answer. 'Mione, I wouldn't have told you how I felt if I didn't mean it. And yes, I still feel the same way, if anything it was worse whilst you were out.'

Hermione nodded slowly against his chest. Not looking at him.

'Did you meet someone else whilst encased in stone? I've heard Medusa-' but he was cut off as another blow landed into his stomach.

'Shut up.'

'You aren't meant to punch the guy in the Hospital Bed.'

'We're both in the Hospital Bed, it cancels out.'

'That's not how-'

Thwack!

'Okay okay I get it, jeez,' said Y/N.

They lay there for a long while, neither of them saying anything, and when Hermione finally raised her head to look at him, he could see tears in her eyes. He leant down and kissed her forehead, Hermione closed her eyes as he did so and blushed.

'Come on,' said Y/N. 'As much as I could stay like this all evening, they have prepared a feast that we should probably go to.'

Hermione grumbled and yanked Y/N back down onto the pillow as he tried to sit up.

''Mione,' said Y/N warningly, 'I killed a basilisk, I'm hardly gonna be bossed around by-'

Thwack!

'Five more minutes it is then,' spluttered Y/N.

Twenty minutes later, the two of them left hand in hand down towards the Great Hall. It was a sight the likes of which Y/N had never seen before. Y/N and the rest of the petrified folk slid inside to thunderous applause. Each breaking away and heading off to their own House tables. Y/N and Hermione spotted Harry and Ron stood on their benches waving to them and they ran along to see them.

Throughout the night, many wonderful things happened. Justin came over to shake all of their hands (Even Hermione's) and apologise profusely for ever accusing Harry. Hagrid turned up halfway through the night to more thunderous applause, especially from the Gryffindor's, and he clasped Harry and Ron on the back whilst thanking Y/N profusely for looking after Fang. Gryffindor had won the House Cup for the second year in a row, to no one's surprise, and finally, Professor McGonagall got to her feet to announce that exams had been cancelled.

Hermione turned her face towards Y/N, looking stricken.

''Mione, you can take a break for one year. They were due to start in three days.'

'Three days?' she shrieked. 'How long was I petrified for?'

'A couple of months,' said Y/N.

'I'll have missed out on so much, so many lessons, you'll have to help me catch up, Y/N. Over the summer-!'

'You're going to France, 'Mione.' And she gave another little squeal and began listing off other ways that Y/N could help her.

Finally, towards the end of the feast, Dumbledore got to his feet and announced that, sadly, Professor Lockhart would not be returning next year, owing to the loss of his memories. Many people cheered for this, including several of the teachers.

The next few days passed in a blaze of sunshine and the quartet regularly found themselves down in the grounds, talking animatedly about anything, Y/N with his arm around Hermione. Whilst they hadn't officially gotten together yet (they'd decided to wait till after she was back from France), their interactions with each other had definitely gotten a lot closer in even the last few days since she had awoken.

'What are we meant to do with Defence Against the Dark Arts now?' asked Ron, looking down at his timetable, as they were due there in ten minutes.

'They're cancelled,' said Y/N. 'We just don't go, consider them free periods.'

'Brilliant!' said Ron eagerly as he tucked his timetable away. Hermione gave a disappointing tut.

'Come on, Hermione. He didn't actually teach us anything did he?' said Harry. 'The most exciting lesson was the one Y/N yelled at him in.'

'You yelled at him?' asked Hermione, spinning around to look at Y/N.

'He was insulting Hagrid, said that he was definitely guilty for the snake or he wouldn't have been taken away. He deserved it, and the chair, and the book.'

'What do you mean?' asked Hermione warningly.

'I mean I threw a chair at him and then Dean threw a book. Or so he tells me, I stormed out before-' but he paused seeing the look on his best friends face. 'Now I know how you feel about the teachers, 'Mione, but he's hardly worth anything-'

'I'm going to give you a ten second head start, Y/N. You'd best hope that snake taught you how to run faster than me.'

They returned to the common room that night with Harry, Ron and Hermione in very high spirits and Y/N wincing slightly as he walked.

'Proud of yourself?' Hermione asked him as she slotted into the same armchair as him in the common room.

'Couldn't be prouder,' he said, throwing his arm around her.

Y/N didn't think much more could be done to lift his spirits, but boy was he wrong. A day or two later, news flew around the castle that Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as school governor. This in turn caused Harry to tell them all about Mr Malfoy marching into the office after Ron, Y/N and Lockhart had left, and Harry using the diary to free Dobby the house-elf that had been attempting to stop Harry from coming to school that year.

These factors combined ensured that Malfoy slunk into classes instead of strutting, and actually kept his mouth shut in the Great Hall and in lessons, which was a miracle.

'Probably afraid of you as well, after that cauldron incident,' Ron muttered to Y/N as Malfoy glared at them from the back of the Potions Classroom.

'Not my fault his Cauldron just ripped itself apart. Sounds like something that only happens to smartarse pricks,' said Y/N a little louder. This earnt him a smack over the head from Snape but little else. Hermione had already heard about that incident from them and had not taken kindly to Malfoy's comments. As a result, Y/N had gone unharmed.

Finally, the day before they were due on the train back to London, Y/N received a letter from Ves.

Dear Y/N

Please meet me in my office as soon as possible. I wish to discuss the events of the Chamber with you before we head home. And do bring Miss Granger with you, I have been meaning to catch up with her.

Professor M McGonagall.

So, when Hermione wandered downstairs and greeted him as usual with them being the only two in the common room, he seized her arm and pulled her down to Professor McGonagall's office. He knocked on the door and it swung open by itself.

'Ah Y/N, Hermione. A pleasure. Please,' said Professor McGonagall, gesturing to the chairs at her desk. Hermione moved forward as Y/N shut the office door, then joined them. 'Are you well?' Minerva asked Hermione who nodded.

'Yes, the restorative draught fixed everything,' she said happily. 'The basilisk didn't really do anything more than freeze me, there wasn't even any pain. Y/N's been keeping me busy since I woke up, but I think I can let him off.'

'Y/N has had a new life breathed into him since you awoke and that basilisk was defeated,' said Minerva, her eyes turning onto her son. 'I haven't seen the boy this happy since he was due to start here.'

'How could I not be?' said Y/N. 'Suns out, heir's gone, Tom's gone, everything's back to normal.'

'Stop calling him Tom!' snapped Hermione.

'It's his name!' said Y/N. 'Tom Lockhart! He loves it!'

'He loves it 'cause you told him he should love it,' said Minerva with a sigh, but he could see the smile on her face. 'I, once again, find myself in the unfortunate position-' she continued '-of needing to tell you off, and yet not reasonably having anything to tell you off over. What you did was reckless, foolish, and downright suicidal. And yet here you sit in front of me. And I also can't say I'd have done any different if I were in your shoes.'

'It had to be stopped mum,' said Y/N. 'It had to be, if not me then someone had to. I was willing to do anything I needed to, to kill it. And that diary too.'

'I am aware Y/N, and that is why I will not yell at you. You did this school and everyone in it a wonderful service, and I am proud of you. Very.'

'Thanks mum,' he said, blushing violently.

'However, Professor Dumbledore has asked me to pass along a message. He has heard tales of you casting magic whilst in states of extreme distress or anger. The incident in the Hospital Wing and with Mr Malfoy's cauldron are both examples. He says to keep an eye out for his owl as he will be in touch to discuss it.'

'Alright,' said Y/N, a little unsure. 'Surely it's not that big a deal is it? Everyone does it when they're new don't they?'

'They do,' said Minerva slowly, 'But not to the level or degree that you have been. You have been showing top end magic that you aren't able to consciously cast flying out on a whim. Whilst the Headmaster does not see this as cause for concern, he does see it as something to be looked into and nipped if we can.'

'I trust you both,' said Y/N, 'If it's not good to have this then I'm willing to learn to be rid of it.'

'Good,' said Minerva and her eyes suddenly twinkled mischievously. 'Now, what's this I hear about you two walking hand in hand everywhere you go?'

Y/N and Hermione spluttered, both turning a very bright shade of pink.

The end of term rolled around and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Y/N, Fred, George, and Ginny all got a compartment together on the Hogwarts Express ride home. Fred and George sat alongside Harry and Ron, whilst Ginny sat next to Y/N and Hermione who was taking up two seats owing to her lying down with her head on Y/N's leg. They played exploding snap, set off the last of Fred and George's fireworks and practiced spells. Y/N spent a while playing catch up with Hermione on some of the classes she'd missed.

They were about to pull into Kings Cross station when Harry spoke up.

'Ginny, what did you see Percy doing that he didn't want you to tell anyone?'

'What?' said Y/N, looking around.

'After you went after her the day she tried to tell us about the Chamber, Ron yelled at Percy for interrupting her and stopping her from telling us something important. Percy said it wasn't important, it was just silly.'

'Oh that,' giggled Ginny, 'Percy's got a girlfriend.'

There was a loud clunk as Fred dropped his books on George's head.

'What?!' said the entire cabin incredulously.

'It's that Ravenclaw Prefect, Penelope Clearwater. The one they found with Hermione. That's who he was writing to all of last summer. He's been meeting her all over the school in secret. I walked in on them kissing in an empty classroom one day, he was so upset.'

Fred and George were looking as though Christmas had arrived early.

'You won't bully him, will you?' said Ginny quickly, looking worried.

'Wouldn't dream of it,' said Fred.

'Definitely not,' said George.

'Give him one from me,' said Y/N.

Harry pulled out a slip of parchment and wrote a number on it three times, handing it out to Ron, Hermione, and Y/N.

'It's called a Telephone number,' he said to Ron and Y/N. 'I taught Mr Weasley how to use one last year and I imagine McGonagall knows. Call me over the summer, okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to.'

'Do more than ring you, mate,' said Y/N, 'Keep your eyes peeled for Ves. You may not be able to use Hedwig, but they can't stop my girl.'

They walked back through the gate into the Muggle world and Hermione waved happily over to her parents before turning to Y/N.

'I'll write to you every day, using the journal and Ves if you send her-' she suddenly clasped her hands over her mouth. 'Your birthday!' she shrieked, 'I missed it!'

'So did I,' said Y/N, suddenly realising, 'In all the chaos it completely slipped my mind, it was just another day. I stopped paying attention after a while.'

'Send Ves to me once we arrive and I'll send it back with her!' said Hermione quickly as she hugged him. 'And once we're back, I'll drop by the Leaky Cauldron, come meet me?'

'Of course,' said Y/N, 'And have fun 'Mione. Enjoy your time away, you deserve a break.' She grabbed his shirt and tugged him down to kiss him on the cheek, then with a smile and a wave, she departed towards her family.

Y/N turned to leave and something hit him hard around the waist.

'You will write, won't you?' said Ginny, looking up at him.

'Of course I will,' said Y/N, hugging her back, 'Ves is going to be busy this summer. It may take a while 'cause she needs to make a round trip to France, but once she's back, I'll be in regular contact.' Ginny nodded smiling happily, and then ran off to join her family who were all beaming and waving at Y/N. He returned the gesture then made his way out of the station. He sat down on one of the benches outside and closed his eyes, breathing in the fresh air.

He heard a faint pop next to him and opened his eyes. There stood his mother, beaming down at him.

'Ready to go?' she asked.

'Ready.'