Summary: Harry travels back in time to change the future, but something doesn't go exactly the way he planned. Neville is the boy who lived.
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter
Words in this chapter: 7,473
Chapter 10
Make the move
"Ready?" Blaise asked once they reached the door that had Fluffy behind.
"Ready" All chorused.
They all started humming the first melody they could think of, different one for each, Blaise opened the door and met Fluffy.
Fluffy started growling at first, but almost a second later it started getting drowsy.
"It is getting sleepy" Daphne said, "Keep humming"
Fluffy fell deeply asleep, loud snores making it obvious.
"Start going towards the trapdoor" Harry ordered, pointing out an open trapdoor in the middle of the floor.
They started falling into it, first Draco, then Daphne, then Pansy, then Nott, then Blaise, and Harry jumped in last.
Just as he landed in what he knew was the devils snare, loud barks were heard above, making them know that Fluffy had woken up.
"At least we are all out of their reach" Pansy shuddered, looking at where the barks where coming from, "What is this?" She asked trying to decipher what they were sitting on, with a disgusted face.
"Some type of plant" Nott said with a disgusted face.
"It moves" Daphne stated calmly, feeling the plant starting to wrap around her legs.
Pansy started to shriek and get the plant off her.
"Shut up Pansy!" both Draco and Theodore shouted.
"Then get it off me!" Pansy glared at them.
"What type of plant is it?" Draco asked.
Harry had decided to just observe instead of participating, to know what the five people that were with him, were capable of.
"It must like the dark, since I can barely see any of you" Blaise pointed out, taking his wand out and creating light with it.
The plant started to move away from the light, bringing a smirk into Blaise's face.
"Cast the lumos spell" Blaise told everyone, "It'll keep the plant away"
Everyone did as Blaise said, and were now free.
"There is nothing below this plant" Draco observed.
"What do you mean?" Daphne asked.
"There is nothing below the plant" Draco pointed down "When the plant gets away from us completely we will fall"
"We could levitate each other down" Daphne said thinking fast "Everyone levitate the one to your right, now!"
They all did just that, Harry with them.
When the plant, the one they hadn't identify yet, disappeared completely beneath them, they started to levitate each other to the ground slowly.
Almost a half a minute later they were all safely in the ground; Pansy and Daphne shaking off the invisible dirt from their robes.
"Should we move forward?" Blaise asked, showing the way.
After walking for a while, they started to hear an annoying noise.
"Make it stop!" Pansy covered her ears.
Harry knew he could get the key easily, once they reached where the broom was.
Destiny had other plans though. They seem to be very lucky; they wouldn't need to get the key. The door had been blasted open, so they just ignored the flying keys.
"This is easy" Draco observed walking over of what was left of the door, every one else behind him.
"What happened here?" Daphne asked surprised being careful of where she stepped.
The room was completely destroyed, what Harry knew was supposed to be a chessboard, was now pieces of rocks sprayed throughout the large dark room.
"There has to be a way out" Nott said, trying to find the exit.
"Maybe another door?" Blaise pointed to the other end of the room, where a door was.
"What a luck!" Daphne exclaimed, "It is open"
They all walked towards it, careful of where they stepped, not wanting to hurt themselves.
"Aghh! This is too hard" Pansy complained halfway through.
"We haven't done anything but walk yet" Daphne snorted.
"You can go back Pansy" Draco dismissed her, taking his wand out and levitating her where the flying keys where.
"Why didn't we think of that?" Blaise asked out loud, taking his wand out and levitating Daphne towards the door they were trying to reach.
"Hey! Levitate me back!" Pansy yelled.
"Go back!" Draco yelled back at Pansy, while Harry levitated him to where Daphne and Nott were waiting.
"Your turn Potter" Blaise pointed his wand at him.
Only ten minutes after they entered the room, they were all, except for Pansy, going through the door.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" Pansy yelled angrily at them.
"Go back to the common room. We will meet you there!" Draco yelled back at her, closing the door behind him since he was the last to go through it.
"She was getting on my nerves" Draco stated.
"We noticed" Daphne smirked.
"This is too easy, don't you think?" Blaise asked.
"Someone obviously has already gone through it" Nott said, pointing at something laying to their left.
"What is that?" Daphne asked.
"A Troll" Harry answered.
"How do you know?" Blaise asked.
Harry pointed to something in front of them.
"Is that its head?" Daphne said disgusted, covering her face with her hands.
"Just walk around it" Nott said, doing exactly that.
Blaise got closer to the Troll.
"This is disgusting" Blaise said observing intensely at the Troll's head, "It is a clean cut"
A thump was heard, and the next thing they knew Daphne was on the floor. Harry lean beside, her trying to shake her up.
"It is no use" Blaise said "Even if we woke her up with magic, she would just faint again"
"She can't stand to see blood" Draco pointed at a pool of it two feet from where Daphne was.
"We can't jus leave her here" Harry pointed out.
"It is not like the Troll is going to wake up and eat her" Blaise pointed out, and started walking towards where he had seen another door.
"I'm not staying with her" Nott said, following Blaise.
"She will be fine" Draco followed the other boys.
Not wanting to leave her there, but knowing he had to continue, he followed.
"It is for the better" Blaise stated.
"What is?" Harry asked.
"That neither Daphne nor Pansy continued with us" Blaise answered.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Pansy was just slowing us down" Blaise answered.
"And Daphne?" Harry pressed.
"Now she has no rights on the stone" Blaise smirked.
Once they all crossed the door and Draco closed it behind him, flames flared up.
"Going back it's not an option" Draco shrugged.
"Then forward it is" Blaise said.
"Not an option either" Nott said, when he noticed the flames that had flared at the other end of the room as well.
"Neither back nor forward?" Blaise asked skeptically.
"There has to be a way" Draco said, "There is always a way"
Draco walked towards the other end "There are potions here" he called back.
"Well potion prodigy, why are they here?" Blaise asked Draco, once he saw the vials of potions as well.
"This might help" Nott picked up a crumpled piece of paper off the floor beside the table.
"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, which ever you would find, One among us seven will let you move ahead, Another will transport the drinker back instead, Two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide, You will always find some on nettle wine's left side; Second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onward, neither is your friend; Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; Fourth, the second left and the second on the right, Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight." Nott read out loud.
"That sounds like uncle Snape" Draco said.
"Uncle?" Blaise asked.
"Godfather actually" Draco answered, taking the paper from Nott, and reading it to himself.
"Quite obvious if you know what to look for" Draco said, taking the smallest vial from the table, which was full.
"There is only enough for one of us" Nott observed.
"It is obvious the vial replenishes itself Nott" Draco said "Otherwise we would have seen Quirrel, the Weasel and Longbottom by now"
"Potter should be the first to drink from it" Nott snatched the vial from Draco and gave it to Harry.
"Why?" Draco said.
"He is the least Slytherin of us. He is the one we can trust" Nott mocked.
"If I am wrong about the potion, better you die than us" Draco shrugged.
"You think you are wrong?" Blaise asked.
"No, but I still prefer him to die than me" Draco said.
Harry remembered this being the right potion from when he had passed through here with Hermione, so he gulped the potion down and passed through the flames.
He heard a loud crack behind, but couldn't see what had happened.
"Get me the stone" Quirrel ordered.
Harry could see Quirrel with Neville and Ron a little farther from them, both looked terrified.
"What stone?" Neville asked scared.
"Leave him alone" Harry ordered at Voldemort's vessel.
"Potter nice of you to join us" Quirrel greeted, grabbing Neville firmly by the neck.
"Let them go" Harry started walking slowly towards them.
"You want to exchange two first years for one?" Quirrel mocked, "True Gryffindor. Wait, aren't you a Slytherin?"
"Let me see him" a voice said.
"But master…" Quirrel started to say.
"Don't question me!" the voice hissed.
Quirrel threw Neville towards Ron and started to unwrap the turban around his head, carefully.
"Are you ok?" Ron asked in a whisper helping Neville up. Ron was keeping an eye on Quirrel trying to find a way to get out, without him noticing.
He couldn't leave Potter behind, could he?
Ron hated the fact that his mother had brought him up right at that moment.
Once Quirrel finished taking the turban off he threw it on the floor.
"I want to see him" the voice said.
Quirrel turned around.
Ron and Neville gasped at the sight.
Harry tried hard not to vomit. It was a sight he had seen once, and it wasn't one he had wanted to repeat.
Where a head was supposed to have been, a face was instead. The most horrible face he had seen; one that had plagued his nightmares for years, it was even worst than the one with the two red eyes he had gotten used to see.
"Potter" the face greeted, "You could have been on Longbottoms place"
"Yet, you chose him" Harry was trying to come up with a plan to get Ron and Neville out.
"You know" the face smirked, "Do you know who I am?"
"Yes, I do" Harry answered, "Tom Riddle"
The face contorted to rage, "Don't say that name!"
"It is the one your mother gave you" Harry said "Tom Riddle"
Harry started to feel a splitting headache, and blood started to fall from where his scar had been in a different life. He couldn't endure the pain anymore and fell on his knees screaming as if he was under the cruciatus curse.
"What are you doing to him?" Ron demanded to know, showing his Gryffidor courage.
The face just smirked at him. "Come here"
"Leave him alone!" Ron demanded, feeling sick at seeing Harry in that pain.
"I ordered you to come here!" The voice hissed.
Ron walked towards Quirrel still feeling apprehensive, but wanting to do something.
"Look into the mirror" Voldemort ordered once Ron reached him.
Ron did just that and saw what he had seen before.
"What do you see?" Voldemort demanded to know.
"I'm Head boy" without the same enthusiasm he had shown to Neville when he asked.
Enraged, Voldemort, using Quirrel's body, threw Ron aside.
Ron hit his head and fell unconscious.
Harry had stopped screaming and was now slowly getting up, blood on his face.
"I didn't think you would be able to hurt me like that here" Harry whispered to himself.
"Potter, good for you to come back" Voldemort exclaimed, not having heard what Harry had said.
Harry looked up and saw Ron on the floor, without moving.
"What did you do to him?" Harry demanded to know with as much force as he could muster.
"He was useless" Voldemort stated, "Come here Potter" he ordered.
Harry knowing the only way to get the stone was through the mirror. He walked towards Voldemort, as quickly as he could, which wasn't much.
"Look into the mirror" Voldemort ordered once Harry reached him.
Harry knew that since he didn't want to use the stone but did want to get it, the mirror would give it to him.
Just as he already knew would happen, he looked into the mirror and the Harry starring back at him was holding a stone on his hand, which he then put on the side pocket of his pants.
"What do you see?" Voldemort asked.
"Myself" Harry said, "It is a mirror after all"
"Funny?" Voldemort smirked, "Where is it?"
"Where is what?" Harry asked.
"The stone. You have it" Voldemort accused.
"Why would I have it?" Harry asked.
"I know you have it" Voldemort accused again, "I can feel the darkness you have inside"
"The darkness I have inside?" Harry asked.
"Just like Longbottom" Voldemort smirked. Harry was confused.
"I don't know how it happened, but it works" Voldemort said.
'What?" Harry asked not following.
"Give me the stone Potter" Voldemort made Quirrel try to reach it.
Hoping it would work Harry put his hands on Quirrel's face, expecting him to shriek in pain.
He didn't.
It didn't work.
Quirrel grabbed Harrys hands tightly, almost breaking his fingers, a tossed him to the floor.
"Accio philosopher stone"
The stone ripped Harry's pocket and flew straight to Quirrel's hands.
Neville gathered his courage and pushed Quirrel away from Harry, touching his face as he did it.
Quirrel screamed in pain as part of his face, where Neville had touched him, started to burn away.
"Touch him again" Harry urged Neville.
"Kill them!" Voldemort ordered Quirrel.
Before Quirrel could point his wand at either boy, Neville pushed him to the ground and put his hands on his face once more, feeling the burning sensation coming from his hands as smoke came out of Quirrels face.
Quirrel screamed in pain for what felt like an eternity. Voldemort got away before anyone could do anything and Neville fell unconscious.
Harry slowly got up and kicked Quirrel to the side. He was dead.
He leaned closer to Neville and could see his chest moving, he was still alive.
Harry took the Philosopher stone from Quirrel and put it in his shoe with a notice me not charm, so no one could see it.
He walked towards Ron and saw his chest moving as well. He was breathing.
"Mr. Potter"
Harry turned quickly around with his wand ready. He put it down as soon as he saw it was Dumbledore.
"He is dead" Harry said looking at Quirrel.
"Did you kill him?" Dumbledore asked.
"No" Harry answered, "Voldemort did. He was possessing him"
"What happened to Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom?" Dumbledore inquired.
"I think Ron hit his head" Harry said looking at a lump on the red-head's head, "Neville must be magically exhausted"
Harry started to sway, feeling the adrenaline leaving his body, and exhaustion taking its place.
"Sit down Mr. Potter" Dumbledore said, walking towards him, "We should go to the Hospital wing"
"I think you are right" Harry said, sitting down, blood still all over his face.
"Miss Granger came looking for me, and told me quite an interesting story" He said before pointing his wand at Harry.
Harry opened his eyes quickly and regretted it. The light gave him a headache making him shut his eyes again.
"Mr. Potter" a voice greeted "Good you are awake. Drink this"
Someone pushed something into his hands.
"What are these?" Harry asked, not taking whatever it was being pushed into his hands.
"Potions. You need to drink them" the voice urged him.
"Where am I?" Harry tried opening his eyes once more, this time slowly, so he could get accustomed to the intensity of the light.
"In the Hospital wing" Madame Pompfrey said "Professor Dumbledore brought you here"
"I need my glasses" Harry said looking for them.
"On you're right" Madame Pompfrey said, handing him the glasses and waiting for him to put them on, "Now drink this, all of them" she pushed the potions to him again.
Harry grabbed them. They smelled awful.
"All of them" Madame Pompfrey ordered, and that is what Harry did, trying not to choke on them.
"How long?" Harry wanted to know how long he had been unconscious.
"Last night" Madame Pompfrey said, vanishing the empty potion vials.
"What time is it?" Harry asked, still feeling the awful taste of the potions on his tongue.
"Five minutes until curfew" she answered, "You should rest"
"I've been sleeping all day" Harry said, his eyes betraying his act on trying to look awake.
"Go back to sleep" The mediwitch ordered.
"Can I leave tomorrow?" Harry asked.
"No, you may not. Your parents are coming back tomorrow" Madame Pompfrey said.
"My parents?" Harry now was awake.
"They came today, but you were still unconscious. They should be back tomorrow" Madame Pompfrey tucked him in "Now rest Mr. Potter"
"Is he asleep?"
"Let him rest"
"But Madame Pompfrey said he woke up last night"
"And she also said, he was exhausted"
"But its almost 3 o'clock. Harry wake up!"
"Danielle Potter!"
Harry slowly opened his eyes. A face, which he recognized as his sisters, was an inch from his.
"He is awake" Danielle said, taking her face further away from his.
"Harry are you ok?" Lily asked, taking his hand on hers.
"I'm fine" he answered.
"Fine?" Lily shrieked, "Harry, you were tortured, again!"
"Calm down Lily" James came into his sight, trying to calm his wife down.
"He was tortured" Lily glared at James.
"What happened Harry?" James asked concern.
Madame Pompfrey came right at that moment.
"It is time for you potions" She told Harry.
"What are they?" Harry asked after swallowing them.
"The first one was to reduce the fever you've had since you came here, the second one was the cruciatus curse" Lily gasped at hearing that "and the third one was a pepper up potion to help you get your energy back"
"Cruciatus curse?" Lily asked Poppy.
"I wasn't crucioed" Harry said confused.
"You have the syntoms" Madame Pompfrey said.
"But I wasn't crucioed" He said again.
"Don't lie to us Harry" Lily said in a stern voice.
"Really mom, I wasn't crucioed" Harry said.
"Then what happened?" Lily asked.
"I don't know. I got a horrible headache that lasted an eternity, that is it" Harry explained.
"You had blood all over your face, Mr. Potter" Madame Pompfrey said.
"He had what?" Lily shrieked.
James and Danielle were walking farther away from Lily and Harry, slowly.
"I don't know anything about that" Harry stated.
"You didn't know you had blood on your face?" Lily asked.
"Well… no" bad answer.
"How could you not know you were bleeding?" Lily asked getting riled up, "You promised you would take care of yourself, Harry James Potter"
"It wasn't my fault!" He tried to defend himself.
"Lily, he needs to rest" Madame Pompfrey tried to calm her down.
"Sleep!" Lily ordered Harry.
Harry didn't know what to say.
"Now young man!" Lily ordered, "We will talk when you are better, and I expect full answers"
"Poppy, are there any news about the research?" Lily asked more calmly turning away from Harry and shutting the curtains around the bed close.
"No Lily, the only thing we have gathered is that its hurting him, but we still haven't figure out what it is and how to help him" Madame Pompfrey answered before a door was closed, and nothing else could be heard.
"There are some things I need to ask him"
"They will have to wait"
"You said he was stable"
"He still needs to rest"
"Maybe we could wake him up for a couple of hours"
"I am against it"
Harry could hear someone walking out.
The curtains around his bed opened.
"Mr. Potter you are awake" Professor Dumbledore said.
"Professor Dumbledore" Harry greeted, still feeling drain.
"I need to ask you some questions" Professor Dumbledore closed the curtains behind him.
"I don't feel up to it yet" Harry said.
"I know Harry, but it is important" Dumbledore said, taking a grandfatherly role.
Harry knew Dumbledore wouldn't go until he felt Harry had told him everything, so he waited for it to begin.
"Why were you there Harry?" Dumbledore asked "Miss Granger said you and your friends were supposed to be waiting for us at the entrance of the third floor. Only Miss Parkinson was there"
"We went to look for Ron and Neville" Harry lied, hoping Dumbledore wouldn't know.
"Very brave of you" Dumbledore said, not betraying any emotion.
A couple of seconds of silence passed and Harry was starting to feel uncomfortable under the Headmaster's gaze.
"Why was Miss Parkinson the only one that didn't go with you?" Dumbledore asked.
"She was supposed to wait for you and Hermione, sir" Harry said.
"Why was Miss Greengrass passed out beside a dead Troll?" Dumbledore asked.
"The Troll was already dead when we got there. Daphne fainted" Harry answered.
"So you didn't kill that Troll?" Dumbledore asked.
"No" Harry answered quickly.
"But you could have, like the one you killed on Halloween?" Dumbledore pressed.
"I didn't kill that Troll either" Harry stated.
"Very well" Dumbledore said, "Why did you leave Daphne alone?"
"The Troll was dead, we figured nothing would happen" Harry shrugged, feeling guilty about it, but not wanting to show it.
"Why were Mr. Nott, Mr. Zabini and Mr. Malfoy trapped in a room surrounded by flames?" Dumbledore asked.
"They were supposed to come with me, but they never did" Harry said, wanting to know the answer himself. Why had they left him alone?
"What happened when you saw Professor Quirrel?" Dumbledore asked.
"He was holding Neville by his neck" Harry told him.
"And you tried to help him" Dumbledore said.
"He wanted a stone" Harry said.
"Professor Quirrel?" Dumbledore asked.
"Voldemort" Harry answered.
"You say his name" Dumbledore noticed.
"Fear of a name only increases fear on the man" Harry said.
"Wise words" Dumbledore said.
"Someone told me that" Harry said with longing.
"I'm sure he was a very intelligent person" Dumbledore said.
"He was like a mentor at some point" Harry said.
"A long time ago?" Dumbledore asked.
"Years ago" Harry answered.
"You said Voldemort wanted a stone?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes" Harry said, faking innocence "Why would he want a stone?"
"I don't know, Harry" Dumbledore lied.
So he is not going to tell me why I almost died. Harry thought.
"What happened to Mr. Weasley and Mr. Longbottom?" Dumbledore asked.
"I don't know what happened to Ron, he was already unconscious when I noticed" Harry started explaining.
"Why didn't you notice what happened to Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore interrupted.
"I was preoccupied" Harry answered.
"I see" Dumbledore said, looking intensely at Harry.
"I had a headache" Harry said.
"I see" Dumbledore said.
"Neville was magically exhausted" Harry said, "Is he ok?"
"He is still unconscious" Dumbledore told him.
"How is Ron?" Harry asked, kicking himself for not asking earlier.
"He left the Hospital Wing two days ago" Dumbledore said.
"Why is Mr. Longbottom magically exhausted?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm not sure" Harry lied "He just touched Professor Quirrel. Next thing I knew Professor Quirrel was dead and Neville was unconscious"
"What do you mean he touched Professor Quirrel?" Dumbledore pressed.
"He put his hands on his face" Harry explained.
"And what happened when he did that?" Dumbledore asked.
"Professor Quirrel was in pain" Harry answered
"In pain?" Dumbledore asked.
"He started screaming. His face looked as if he was burning" Harry explained.
"Burning?" Dumbledore asked.
"Smoke was coming off his face" Harry said.
"I see" Dumbledore said.
Harry was getting irritated.
"Why did his face burn when Neville touch him?" Harry asked.
"I don't know my boy" Dumbledore answered.
Harry was now irritated, and wanting nothing more than for the Headmaster to leave.
"I am tired" Harry whispered loud enough for the Headmaster to hear.
"Of course Harry. You should rest" Dumbledore stood up and left.
"Shh! He is sleeping"
"Well, with all that shh, you are going to wake him up"
"Shut up! Madame Pompfrey will kick us out"
"What happened to the stone?"
"I have no idea"
"Dumbledore got there soon after Nott broke the vial!"
"It was an accident"
"Really? And only the vial we needed broke?"
"He is waking up"
"I can't sleep with all this noise" Harry said not wanting to open his eyes yet.
"You have slept for days"
"And I want to keep sleeping" Harry said turning around, not opening his eyes.
"Wake up Potter"
The covers were thrown off Harry.
"Fine" Harry grumbled and opened his eyes.
Daphne, Draco, Theodore, Pansy and Blaise were around the bed.
"Why did you think of the bright idea of waking me up?" Harry asked annoyed.
"Where is the stone?" Daphne asked with narrow eyes.
"What stone?" Harry asked.
"Don't play dumb Potter. Where is the stone?" Blaise asked.
"I had no time to get it, since a crazy Porfessor was trying to kill me" Harry lied.
"You don't prioritize" Daphne said, and the left, Blaise soon after.
"What was that about?" Harry asked.
"The only reason they went along with everything about going after the stone, was because the wanted the stone. Remember?" Pansy said, "Or did you hit your head in there?"
"Not necessary" Draco told Pansy, she just shrugged.
"Oh right" Harry said.
"So what happened?" Draco asked.
"With Quirrel?" Harry asked back.
"Obviously Potter" Pansy snapped.
"Why don't you go with Daphne and Blaise?" Draco asked Pansy.
Pansy huffed and left.
"So… what happened?" Draco asked.
"Voldemort" Harry said.
"What does the Dark Lord have to do with it?" Draco asked.
"He was possessing Quirrel" Harry answered.
"Impossible, Lonbottom killed him" Draco said.
"He didn't" Harry said.
"He is more powerful than I thought then. Making everyone believe he is gone" Draco sounded impressed.
"I don't think he planned it" Harry said, not liking Draco's reaction.
"He is cunning. Must have been a Slytherin" Draco said.
"Must" Harry said.
"How are you still alive?" Draco asked.
"Well, thank you Malfoy. It is nice to see you too" Harry said in sarcasm.
"No one confronts the Dark Lord and lives" Draco stated.
"He fled" Harry said.
"You made the Dark Lord fled?" Draco asked.
"Neville did" Harry answered.
"An eleven year old made the most powerful wizard fled?" Draco asked.
"Neville killed Quirrel" Harry stated.
"Really?" Draco sounded impressed, "Didn't know he got it in him"
"Killing someone is not something to be impressed of" Harry said.
"Being able to do it might be" Draco answered.
"Planning on killing someone" Harry asked.
"Maybe the Weasel" Draco answered, shocking Harry.
"I'm joking!" Draco threw her hands up, "Seriously Harry, calm down"
Harry woke up for the third time that day.
"Harry?"
Harry turned to where the voice had come from.
"Hermione" Harry greeted surprised.
"How are you feeling?" She asked concern.
"I'm alright, don't worry" Harry said.
"I came back and you weren't there" Hermione accused softly.
"I'm sorry Hermione, we had to get to Quirrel" Harry explained.
"Was the stone so important you had to risk your life for it?" Hermione asked.
"Apparently it was" Harry answered, "Voldemort was trying to get it"
"Yet you didn't know that" Hermione said.
"I knew Quirrel was after it" Harry said.
"You suspected Quirrel was after it" Hermione corrected.
"And Nott confirmed it when he said Quirrel had gone to the third floor" Harry said.
"Why did you think you were able to confront a Professor by yourself?" Hermione asked.
"I wasn't alone" Harry said.
"You are more powerful than you let others know" Hermione stated.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"Exactly. Why do you do it?" Hermione asked.
"No, I meant. Why do you think I am more powerful than what I let others know?" Harry asked.
"You killed a Troll" Hermione said.
"No, I didn't" Harry said.
"I was there. You don't have to lie, no one is here but us" Hermione said.
"Hermione, I didn't kill the Troll" Harry said.
"I saw you" Hermione said.
"We are talking about Halloween right?" Harry asked. She nodded.
"The Troll just fell dead" Harry said.
"No it didn't. I saw you kill it" Hermione said getting frustrated.
"I didn't even have time to point my wand at it" Harry said.
"Yes you did, I saw you cast the curse that kill it" Hermione said.
"I think you have no idea of what you saw" Harry said.
"Really?" Hermione asked, "So there is nothing weird about you?"
"No there isn't" Harry said.
"Why did you curse Ron off his broom?" Hermione asked.
"I didn't" Harry said
"You said Draco did" Hermione said, "Yet your wand was the one that was used"
"My wand wasn't used" Harry said.
"Everyone know it was, it was all over the school about the Priori Incantatem, just like the fact that you denied the wand was yours" Hermione said.
"It was a misunderstanding" Harry said.
"You didn't know your own wand?" Hermione asked.
"I didn't had much time with it" Harry said.
"How do you know Ginny Weasley?" Hermione asked. It startled Harry.
"Why do you ask that?" Harry asked surprised.
"So you do know her?" Hermione looked triumphant.
"Why do you think I know her?" Harry asked.
"You mentioned a Ginny. I just wasn't sure it was Ginny Weasley" Hermione said.
"Why is this important?" Harry asked.
"I don't know yet. You are going to answer that" Hermione said.
"I am sorry Hermione but we are all entitled to have our secrets" Harry said, with a finality to his tone.
After five days in the Hospital Wing, Madame Pompfrey finally let him go. Neville hadn't woken up yet when he left.
Today was the last day of school, tomorrow they would go back home.
Hermione still didn't talk to him, Daphne and Blaise only glared when they saw him, Pansy ignored him, and Draco and Theo just shrugged it off.
Good first year ending.
"This has been a great year. New friends. We all have learned something new hopefully" Dumbledore said with a twinkle in his eye..
It was the last feast before they had to go home.
"I know you've all been waiting for this, but we should welcome young Mr. Longbottom back" Dumbledore started clapping, everyone soon followed.
There he was, sitting in the Gryffindor table a much healthier Neville Longbotom. He was sitting between Ron Weasley, who didn't even had a scratch on him to remind him of what had happened, and Dean Thomas who looked glad to see his friend.
"I know everyone has been waiting for this. I won't make you wait, so now to the House points" Dumbledore cleared his throat.
"With 246 points, in fourth place Hufflepuff" Dumbledore waited for the clapping to stop.
"With 311 points, in third place Slytherin" No one clapped, so Dumbledore continued.
"With 378 points, in second place Gryffindor" Dumbledore announced, by now Ravenclaw was already celebrating.
"And with 437 points, in first place Ravenclaw" Dumbledore said, "But… I do have some last minute points to give"
Everyone fell silent. Harry had known this was coming, maybe Slytherin could even get to first place.
"For the best chess game Hogwarts has ever seen, 30 points to Mr. Weasley" Dumbledore said. All the Weasleys currently in Hogwarts, especially the twins, made a racket.
"For bravery beyond anything Hogwarts has ever seen, 50 points to Mr. Longbottom" Everyone except for the Slytherins clapped.
"For thinking before acting, 20 points for Miss Granger" There was a polite applause, mostly from the Ravenclaws.
"So, if I am not mistaken, Ravenclaw now in second place has 457 points, and Gryffindor now with 458 points is in first place" Dumbledore announced merrily, and everything in the Great Hall changed into Red and Gold.
"He didn't give us any points" Harry said amazed.
"Of course not, we are Slytherins" Draco said.
"So?" Harry asked.
"We are evil" Draco mocked, everyone that heard started laughing.
"It isn't fair" Harry stated seriously.
Everyone just shrugged.
"That is why Professor Snape always gives us points in exaggerated manner, to make it more fair" an older Slytherin explained.
"So he isn't really being unjust?" Harry asked.
"He is actually trying to make it just" Draco said.
"We are hated by everyone, didn't you notice?" the same older Slytherin asked.
"Well, yes. But I thought only the students were part of that" Harry said.
"No. The staff does too" The older Slytherin said.
"And we sometimes even hate each other" Harry accused.
"Sorry about that" the boy shrugged, "But you have to admit, you had it coming"
"Why?" Harry asked.
"We have to stay united, and you refused to do that" the boy answered.
"I was standing for what is right" Harry defended himself.
"It doesn't matter if its right or not, we only have each other" the boy turned to his friends again.
"Come on Potter. The train will leave without you" Draco urged him to finish packing. They were supposed to be in the Great Hall with their trunks in fifteen minutes.
"I am almost done" Harry said closing his trunk "See"
"Lets go" Draco said
Harry carried his trunk, trying to get it to the Great Hall.
"Are you a wizard or not?" Draco asked.
"I am" Harry answered not knowing where this was going.
"We are going to ask someone to shrink our trunks, you don't really expect us to carry them there do you?" Draco mocked "At least ask a house elf to take it for you"
"Lets go find someone to shrink it" Harry said, preferring that option than making a house elf do it, remembering Dobby.
They did find someone to shrink it, a fourth year girl.
They were now waiting for the carriages that were going to take them to Hogsmade station, with their trunks safely in their pockets.
"Hey" Nott greeted.
"Hey" Draco and Harry greeted back.
"Where are Pansy, Daphne, and Blaise?" Nott asked.
"Not sure" Draco shrugged, "Crabbe, Goyle!" Draco called them.
"One on the front, one on the back" he told Crabbe and Goyle once they reached them, both of them carrying their heavy normal size trunks.
"Honestly!" Draco exclaimed, getting an older Slytherin to shrink their trunks.
"The carriages are here, we should get going" Nott pointed outside.
"Four to each carriage" Hagrid bellowed, waving at Harry once he saw him.
Draco, Harry, Theodore and Pansy got a carriage to themselves.
Daphne, Blaise, Crabbe and Goyle got the one behind.
"Are they still going to ignore me?" Harry asked.
"They think you made them lose their time" Pansy said.
"Why?" Harry asked.
"They got nothing after all the months we put into planning to get the stone" Pansy answered.
"We stopped Quirrel from getting it" Harry said.
"But we didn't get it either" Pansy said.
Harry had found the stone still in his shoe when Madame Pompfrey had given him his stuff back. That had made him sigh in relief, and thank him self for thinking about the charm he put on it before Dumbledore walked in.
It was now hidden in the bottom of his trunk.
They got into the Hogwarts Express. It was a very uncomfortable ride back. Daphne, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle, Theo, Pansy, Draco and Harry in the same compartment.
"Crabbe, Goyle, why don't you sit somewhere else?" Draco asked.
The compartment was a little crowded.
"That is fine. We will leave" Daphne and Blaise left.
"Their loss" Harry shrugged.
"We should be almost there anyway" Nott said, "Any plans for the summer?"
"Not that I know of" Harry said.
"I'm going to France for a couple of weeks in July" Draco said.
"Maybe you can come over for a week or two" Nott shrugged.
"I will see with father" Draco promised.
"I can ask" Harry shrugged.
"Perfect" Nott smirked.
"There he is!"
Harry saw Danielle rocketing towards him a second before she slammed onto him.
"I missed you" Danielle said hugging him tightly.
"I missed you too" Harry said, barely being able to breath.
"Liar" Danielle glared and punched him in the shoulder, "You barely wrote to me"
"Sorry" Harry apologized, rubbing his now sore shoulder.
"Good one kiddo" Sirius told Danielle, messing up her hair.
Danielle glared at him and tried to get her hair in place.
"Good one?" Harry asked.
"You must have deserved it" Sirius said.
"Why do I must have deserve it?" Harry asked.
"I don't know. Ask her" Sirius pointed at Danielle, "Now say hello to your godfather"
Harry greeted him with a hug, just when James and Lily seemed to find him.
"Harry how are you?" Lily asked.
"I am fine mum" Harry said.
"Are you sure?" Lily asked, inspecting him.
"I am fine mum" Harry said again.
"Let him breath Lily" James chuckled.
"Hey Harry" James greeted
"Hey dad" Harry smiled.
"Glad to see you are alive" James joked, earning a glare from Lily and Harry, and a loud laughter from Sirius and Danielle.
"We should go now" Lily said, still not finding James joke funny.
Random Facts:
The vial replenishes it self once someone puts it back.
End of First year
Date: 25th, 26th, 27th, 28th April, 5th, 6th June 1992
Reviews are welcomed.