AN: Hey everyone! Sorry about the ending of the last chapter. This was supposed to be a part of it, but it was too long on its own so I had to cut it out. This chapter is MUCH shorter than the last one and will wrap the end of the year up.
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Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or anything related to him. They are the sole property of J. K. Rowling. However Melanie and the characters from the orphanage are mine.
Chapter 5: The End?
The passage was dark and there was little to no light as Melanie raced down the corridor. She couldn't find Harry anywhere and was about to risk calling out to him, when a sudden light at the end of the hall appeared. Still hidden beneath the Cloak, Melanie ran forward and came upon a vast chamber set low in the ground, with pillars all around.
She crept forward and saw Harry stepping down the stairs, intently watching a vaguely familiar figure that was staring into a mirror. Melanie briefly wondered if that was the mirror Harry had found over Christmas, but brushed it aside to follow Harry. She was right behind him when the figure turned around and Harry stopped dead in his tracks.
"You? No, it can't be. Snape…he was… he was the one…"
"Yes, he does seem the type doesn't he?" interrupted Professor Quirrell, his eyes full of hate and determination. "Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-st-stuttering Professor Quirrell?"
"But that day," Harry said, "during the Quidditch match…Snape tried to kill me."
Quirrell chuckled. "Oh, no, dear boy, I tried to kill you! And trust me if Snape's cloak hadn't caught on fire and broken my eye contact I would have succeeded. Even with Snape muttering his little counter curse."
Melanie couldn't believe what she was hearing! It was Quirrell all along…not Snape? But everything pointed in that direction! Nothing said that it had been Quirrell, and why would he be after the Stone anyway?
"Snape was trying to save me?" Harry asked, apparently not believing what he was hearing either.
"I knew you were a danger to me right from the start," Quirrell said, "Especially after Halloween."
"Then you let the troll in!"
"Very good Potter, yes. Snape, unfortunately, wasn't fooled, when everyone else was running about the dungeon Snape went to the third floor to head me off. He of course never trusted me again. He rarely left me alone. But he doesn't understand…I'm never alone. Never."
Quirrell looked away from Harry to gaze into the mirror again and Melanie took the opportunity. Standing right behind Harry, she said, "Don't say anything. I'm under the Cloak. Nod if you can hear me."
Harry nodded.
"I'm here for you Harry. Whenever you need me to be."
"Now what does this mirror do?" Quirrell asked, still not looking away. "I see what I desire. I see myself holding the Stone. But how do I get it?"
There was a pause and Melanie could have sworn she heard something, but ignored it when Quirrell called Harry over. "Come here Potter! Now!"
Harry cautiously stepped forward, Melanie following close behind, and Quirrell pushed him in front of the mirror. "Tell me what do you see?"
Melanie looked into the mirror and saw something she never thought she would. It looked as if behind her, and man and a woman stood smiling and waving at her. The man had dark hair and eyes and a handsome face, while the woman was fair and thin, with blue eyes like the ocean and lighter hair. They looked…they looked like she imagined they would be. Perfect, loving, and most importantly…hers.
"What is it? What do you see?" Quirrell snapped, bringing Melanie out of her thought.
"I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore," Harry said. "I've won the House Cup."
Melanie might have laughed if the situation hadn't been so serious, because it was a terrible lie. She knew now for sure that this was the mirror that showed your heart's greatest desire and this definitely wasn't Harry's greatest desire.
"He lies!"
She was sure that she had heard a voice this time, but no one had opened their mouth to speak.
"Tell the truth! What do you see?" Quirrell yelled.
"Let me speak to him," said the unknown voice.
"Master, you are not strong enough," Quirrell said in a gentler tone. If Melanie didn't know any better, she would have said that he was talking to himself.
"I have strength enough for this."
Slowly Quirrell began to unravel his turban and tossed it to the ground. He then began to turn…
"Harry Potter, we meet again."
"Voldemort?"
It was as if Voldemort was sharing the same body as Quirrell, but only his less than human face could be seen. But that couldn't be possible…
"Yes, you see what I have become?" Voldemort said. "See what I must do to survive? Live off another. A mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me but it cannot give me a body of my own…"
Melanie gasped. She covered her mouth hoping no one had heard and when no one acknowledged her, she relaxed slightly. But not completely.
"However," Voldemort continued. "There is something that can. Something that conveniently lies in your pocket!"
Harry made a dash for the exit and Melanie followed close behind. "Stop him!" Voldemort yelled and flames suddenly surrounded the area, stopping Melanie and Harry from escaping.
"Don't be a fool!" Voldemort shouted. "Why suffer a horrific death when you can join with me and live?"
"Never!" Harry yelled.
Voldemort laughed. "Bravery…you're parents had it too. Tell me Harry, would you like to see your mother and father again? Together we can bring them back. All I ask for is something in return."
Melanie watched in horror as Harry reached into his pocket and pulled out the Stone.
"That's it Harry. There is no good and evil, only power and those too weak to seek it. Together we'll do extraordinary things!"
Melanie ran forward and put a hand on Harry's arm to stop him. Unfortunately, Harry looked up in her direction and Voldemort noticed.
Voldemort grinned. "Ahh…so you've brought a friend I see. Why don't you come out to play?"
Take off the Cloak or pretend you didn't hear him? This battle raged inside her until Melanie grabbed the Cloak and yanked it off of her. It fell to the ground so that both Harry and Voldemort could see her.
His eyes grew wide for a moment, but she didn't know why. He already knew she was there, so how could there be any surprise.
Then he laughed. "Very interesting," he said as he seemed to examine her. "Tell me girl, what is your name?"
Melanie kept her mouth shut, but Voldemort seemed unfazed by it.
"Stubborn," he laughed. "Ahh, yes… Melanie isn't it?"
If she had been looking in a mirror she was sure she would have seen the colour drain from her face.
"So they did find you after all? Even after they worked so hard to erase you…"
Voldemort looked away from her and turned to Harry. "It's such a shame Harry, that some know nothing about themselves. And then when they find out…well everything changes after that doesn't it?
"Now Harry, give me the Stone!"
"No!"
"Kill them!"
Melanie jumped back as Quirrell lunged at them, knocking the Stone from Harry's hand as he fell. She ran over to them, grabbing Quirrell by the robes and pulling, but she was sent flying backwards through the air. Melanie's back hit the ground and her head smashed against the stone floor, sending stars in front of her eyes. She blinked as she pulled herself up and after a while she saw Harry still struggling beneath Quirrell, who had his hands around Harry's throat.
"Harry!" she yelled as she slowly climbed to her feet.
It seemed her yell was distraction enough because the next thing Melanie heard was Quirrell screaming in pain. She looked up and saw him holding his hand while Harry stared down at his hands.
"What is this magic?" Quirrell yelled.
"Fool! Get the Stone!" Voldemort ordered.
Quirrell went in to attack Harry again, but as Harry put his hands on Quirrell's face he screamed in agony and fell back. Melanie watched as his face began to crumble like old stone and soon he fell forward into nothing but a pile of dust and empty robes.
"Harry?" Melanie said as she stumbled over to him. "Harry, are you alright?"
He nodded to her before bending down and picking up the Stone. It looked to her like a red ruby, but natural and uncut, about the size of her palm.
"What…?"
Suddenly a howling cry came from behind her and she just managed to move away as a cloud of dark grey smoke went straight through Harry's chest before disappearing. Harry fell to his knees and then to the ground, unconscious.
"Harry!" Melanie cried as she made her way over to him. She took his head and rested it on her knees, before taking his hand. "Harry, wake up. Please, wake up," she begged. It was then that she noticed the Stone in his limp hand. Slowly she reached out and held it in her hand, weighing and looking closely at it.
"Oh, Merlin!"
Melanie looked up the steps to see Professor McGonagall rushing down them, Professor Dumbledore not far behind. Melanie continued to hold Harry and the Stone until they reached the bottom.
"Miss Danielson! How did you…oh, dear! Albus, Potter he's…!"
"He will be perfectly well Minerva. If you would be so kind as to take Mr. Potter up to the Hospital Wing, I would like a word with Miss Danielson," Dumbledore instructed.
Melanie watched as Harry was lifted away up the steps and only when they were alone did Dumbledore speak. "It was a brave thing you and your friends did…foolish, but brave."
Melanie smiled. He had just perfectly described them.
"I will need, of course, a full description of the night's events, but I feel as though there are certain questions that you are wishing to ask."
Melanie walked over to the mirror and stood in front of it, knowing that Dumbledore had followed.
"Harry told me about this, after Christmas," she said. "He told me it showed you your heart's greatest desire."
"Indeed."
"I don't understand," Melanie said turning around to look at him. "When I looked into the mirror, I saw…"
"What you have always wished for whether you knew it or not," Dumbledore said. "When I first met you, it amazed me how a child could be so happy and carefree, not the least bit curious as to where her family had gone. And then I realized that it had never been a concern because you had never had anything else.
"I had planned on telling you before the End of Term Feast, but now is as good a time as any."
"You found out something about my parents?" Melanie guessed.
"I still don't know who they were or what happened, but I know that they left you in the care of a Muggle orphanage in order to hide you," Dumbledore told her.
Melanie was confused. "Hide me? Hide me from what?"
"Alas," he sighed, "I do not know. I can only guess that it was something very important for your parents to be forced to give you up."
"Professor? Earlier Voldemort…sorry, You-Know-Who said that they found me even after they tried to erase me. What do you think that means?"
Dumbledore seemed to think for a moment, but said, "I do not know Melanie, but I will work on that. Is there anything else that Voldemort told you?"
"No…but, it was like he knew me," Melanie said.
"Voldemort knows many people, my dear. It does not surprise me that he knew who you were."
"But it was like he knew me. Personally. He looked surprised to see me."
Again Dumbledore fell into thought, but seemed to either not have any idea or choose not to tell her.
"Perhaps, in time, we will have answers to these questions. For now, I believe a good rest and dreamless sleep potion is needed."
Melanie smiled and followed the Professor away from the mirror and towards the exit of the chamber.
"Oh, Professor!" she exclaimed.
Dumbledore stopped and looked at her with a smile on his face. Melanie held out her hand, where the Stone lay sparkling in it.
"I took this from Harry after he fell," she said. "Maybe…"
"Yes, my dear child. Perhaps it is best that I hold onto it," Dumbledore said, taking it from her hand and dropping it in his pocket. "Now," he continued, "let us leave this place in hopes of some comfort and maybe if we're lucky we'll be able to find some sweets."
It had taken Ron a while to wake up after the incident with the chess game, but when he did he went right back to his usual self. Hermione was mostly unharmed, albeit a few bumps and nicks, and had taken to staying in the library. Perhaps all the excitement had gotten to her a bit. Melanie however, was perfectly healthy managing to escape with the least amount of injuries.
Harry was a different story. It had been a few days, yet he had still not woken up. Madam Pomfrey didn't seem at all too worried about him, giving Melanie some reassurance, but she still fretted over it. She had taken to visiting him as much as possible between Ron and Hermione, but the most she could do was sit and watch.
She was on her way to the Hospital Wing by herself and came to the door when she heard a very familiar voice carry through.
"Does that mean with the Stone gone that is, that Voldemort can never come back?"
Melanie nearly screamed with delight. Harry was awake! She might have even burst through the door if she hadn't heard Dumbledore speak next.
"Ah, I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return," Dumbledore answered. "Harry do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him? It was because of your mother…"
Melanie suddenly found she felt guilty for listening to the conversation, but her curiosity was too great to control. She had been wondering that exact thing since she had been brought back to the school, because she knew it was that, and only that that saved them.
Dumbledore continued, "She sacrificed herself for you. And that kind of act leaves a mark. No, no this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin."
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"Love Harry. Love," he answered, the tone of his voice betraying that he had a twinkle in his eye.
Not able to contain herself anymore, Melanie burst through the door and flew into the wing.
"Harry! You're awake!" she cried as she ran over to his bed and enveloped him in a hug. "I'm so glad you're okay!"
"You too, Melanie," Harry said, hugging her back.
"Miss Danielson has not left your side since you were brought here," Dumbledore told him with a chuckle.
"Really?" Harry asked surprised.
Melanie blushed slightly before saying, "Ron's up too. Both he and Hermione will be excited when they hear you're up."
Harry smiled and then Dumbledore spoke up again as he poked around the gifts at the end of Harry's bed.
"Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans," he said as he picked up an already open box. "I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one. Since then I'm afraid I've lost my liking for them. But…"
Melanie and Harry smiled as he reached in and picked one out. "I think I could be safe with a nice toffee… Alas! Earwax!"
Harry and Melanie laughed and Dumbledore left, not before taking another bean.
"Thank you."
Melanie turned from the doors Dumbledore had just left through and looked at Harry confusedly. "For what?" she asked.
"For coming after me," Harry said, "even when I asked you not too. I don't know how I would have got through that on my own."
"You would have been fine," Melanie answered, a small smile on her face.
There was a short pause before Harry grinned. "Knew your stubbornness would be good for something," he said jokingly.
"Hey! I'll have you know…!"
"Mr. Potter," Madam Pomfrey interrupted. "You are free to go upon the Headmaster's orders."
She left and Melanie followed and she waited outside while Harry got changed. When he came out, he looked as free as a bird while he stretched his arms and legs obviously glad to be out of bed.
"Let's go find Ron and Hermione," Melanie said before dragging him off nearly at a run, finding it difficult to believe what they had just gone through.
The End of Term Feast was a mixture of emotions for Melanie. She was excited that the summer had arrived, but she was sad that it would be another two months before she saw her friends again. And the feast itself held mixed feelings, though she knew it would be great she already knew that Slytherin would win the House Cup. Either way she found herself seated beside Hermione as the rest of their school listened to Dumbledore, who was making his speech.
"Another year gone," he began. "And now as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding. And the points stand as thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor with 312 points."
There was a scattered applause and looking around, Melanie didn't see too many happy faces at the Gryffindor table. She felt slightly responsible.
"Third place, Hufflepuff with 352 points," Dumbledore continued. "In second place Ravenclaw with 426 points. And in first place, with 502 points, Slytherin House."
A great cheer erupted from the Slytherin table as the house clapped and yelled victory. No one in Gryffindor applauded, and only a few from the other houses were gracious enough to politely congratulate them.
"Yes, yes. Well-done Slytherin. Well-done Slytherin," Dumbledore praised as the Great Hall fell back into silence once more. "However recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last-minute points to award."
Melanie looked over at the others and it seemed they were as surprised as she was.
"To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect when others were in grave peril. 40 points."
Melanie cheered as Hermione went beat red and looked down at her plate.
"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen these many years. 40 points."
If possible, Ron went redder than Hermione and Melanie laughed.
"Third, to Miss Melanie Danielson, for showing sheer determination and loyalty in helping her friends. 50 points."
Now it was the others' turn to laugh as Melanie felt her face heat up as the colour rose up to her cheeks.
"And forth to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage. I award Gryffindor House 60 points."
It was amazing! They were actually up! They were…
"We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione exclaimed as the rest of they held their breath for the tie breaker.
"And finally," Dumbledore said. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies. But a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom."
Melanie looked down the table to where Neville looked completely awe struck, not moving as those around him clapped him on the back and congratulated him.
"Assuming my calculations are correct I believe that a change of decoration is in order," Dumbledore stated. With a clap of his hands the green and silver Slytherin banners were magically replaced by gold and scarlet ones, the Gryffindor House colors.
"Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"
The table erupted as joyous screaming and chatter broke out. Melanie rose with the rest of her house, congratulating those fellow members around her. They had won! They had won the House Cup!
Melanie struggled to push her way through the crowd carrying all her luggage as she made her way over to the train. Ron was somewhere ahead of her, and Hermione and Harry were behind her as they all tried to get through the crowd of students who were all just as desperate to get on.
Finally she found Ron who had gone ahead and saved them a compartment and pulled her truck inside. With his help, she managed to load it onto the top rack before she collapsed into a seat. Hermione took the seat across from her, a book in her hands, and Ron took the one beside her, staring out the window.
"Where's Harry?" Melanie asked, when she noticed they were missing someone.
"Here!" Harry said as he entered the compartment with his things. He shoved them onto the rack and fell into the seat beside her, a large album resting on his lap.
"Feel's strange to be going home doesn't it?" Hermione asked as the train pulled out of the station.
"I'm not going home," Harry said with a smile. "Not really."
It was then that Melanie realized it wasn't the end of their adventure…
It was just the beginning.
