Disclaimer: As the chapter title "Truth" suggests, Harry reveals a lot of information in this chapter, some of which may be upsetting, disturbing, distressing etc. to some readers even though it is not graphic and mainly implicit. While it is important to Harry as a character, it is not essential and isn't too dissimilar from canon if you should wish to skip it. As such, please avoid Harry's large written monologue (which is easily identified as it spans several italicised paragraphs) if you think you may be affected.

Harry raised a hand, wiping the tear from Hermione's cheek. 'They're happy tears,' she barely whispered, meeting his gaze. She wasn't sure how long it was, but it felt at least an hour before she tore her eyes from his, to then look down at her fidgeting hands. As silly as she thought it was, his eyes reminded her of a beautiful spring meadow, so calming and gentle.

He tapped her hands, miming writing with a finger. Catching on, she picked up his scruffy jeans and removed the notepad and pen. Slowly, he wrote, 'I'm sorry. I made you worry, didn't I? Are you going to shout at me now?'

She read it feeling guilty until she glanced up to see his grin. 'Prat,' she said, swatting him. 'Maybe later, when you tell me what you did. Right now I'm just happy you're awake.'

Eyebrows furrowed, he penned, 'How long was I out?'

'Well, it's Saturday morning now, so two and a bit days.'

'And Miss Granger has barely left your side,' Pomfrey added, finishing the last few steps to Harry's bedside. Hermione blushed, but didn't disagree. 'Now you're finally awake Mr Potter, do you notice anything I missed? A pain or burn, for example.' He moved slightly under the covers, raising both legs and arms and wiggling a bit before shaking his head. 'Good. Now, a headache or blurry vision,' she handed him his glasses while saying that part, 'or trouble remembering or anything of that sort?' He shook his head again. 'Very well. I will be informing the headmaster you are awake after updating your file. Call me if you need me - before I go I'll be in my office and afterwards one of the professors can get me.'

Hermione replied, 'Yes miss,' while Harry wrote a quick thank-you note.

'You are most welcome Mr Potter,' she said, turning back to her office, a gentle smile gracing her lips.

There was a few minutes of silence until Hermione asked, 'What happened, Harry?'

He shifted in his bed, pulling a pillow sideways and propping it up so he was in a proper sitting position. Once done writing his summary, he handed the page over, daring not to look at her.

'You could've died,' she whispered, discarding the page in preference of grabbing Harry and hugging him tightly. 'You could've died,' she kept quietly repeating. He tried not to fight it, knowing he wasn't in a position to ask for anything. Gradually her grip loosened and she separated from him. A single word slipped out, 'Why?'

While he could pretend he didn't know which "why" she was after, he did know. 'I saw Snape meet with the man who gave Hagrid the egg. He knew about the stone and Fluffy - the giant cat. I was going to tell you, but he used Crucio on Snape and I didn't want that to happen to you. I thought it was probably him the other night, so I didn't want you to come with in case he was there. There's no way the teachers would've believed me if I told them, I didn't have any evidence.'

There were several replies he thought he'd get, but was surprised when she said, 'You're so selfish.' She paused, then continued, 'You think I want you to be hurt or you don't care what I want. You can't think the first, so it must be the other. You're selfish. I... No... All your friends care very much about you and we've all been upset and it's all your fault.' Her voice was unwavering and low throughout, though she punctuated the last three words with pokes to his chest.

She let him think in peace. It took him a while to reply, but he did. 'I'm sorry – not used to anyone caring about me.'

'We do,' she murmured, 'I do; Neville, Susan and Hannah do; the Quidditch team does; Gryffindor house does; even Professor McGonagall was here a lot and looking a little sad.'

A few more moments went passed before he wrote, 'I'm ready to tell you, but you have to promise not to tell anyone, even your parents or McGonagall or the headmaster.' She was puzzled, but nodded when they looked at each other. 'I really hate the Dursleys. Petunia would wake me up early to make breakfast, but I was only allowed a little bit. After that, I had to wash up the plates. Next I had to hang up the washing or de-weed the gardens or wash the car, depending on the day. I would be sent to my room then until lunch, when I cooked and cleaned up. Sometimes I hoovered or scrubbed the floors then, but normally I was sent back to my room. The same happened at dinner, but I always got sent back to my room after that, because Vernon was home. My room is a little one with a bed, a small desk and a basket for my clothes, but I keep some books under my bed. Dudley has a bigger one and he has a wardrobe, TV and loads of toys in his – I had to tidy it sometimes, but Petunia watched to make sure I didn't stealor play with any of his stuff. Dudley never had to do any chores though, just me. If Petunia went to see her friends, she made me go to the park until it was time to cook dinner – Dudley normally went to a friends house or him and his friends would chase me and hurt me, but it was only a little, so it was okay.

'When we went to school, it was a little better. Dudley scared away anyone who came near me and he and his friends would hurt me like at the park when the teachers weren't around. Otherwise, school was fun. I mean, I had to be careful I didn't do well, otherwise Vernon called me a cheater and wouldn't let me have dinner, because only good people are allowed food, but I would get to read and write and play a bit at school. I wasn't always sure what I did, but there were other times when I wasn't being good and didn't get any food. If I was really bad, he'd fix me, so I would be good again, though it did hurt. If I was only a little bad, he'd make me stay in the cupboard under the stairs until I learnt my lesson, but I would miss dinner and get very hungry. I wish they were like your parents, they were really nice and they didn't think I was bad, did they? Maybe it was because they didn't know I was a freak - that's what the Dursleys say I am -but I hope not.

'Why don't I speak? I told you already about Callum, but not everything. He was really great. I met him when I was six and a half at the park. When Dudley and his friends came, I was sad that Callum wouldn't be my friend anymore, but he didn't run away, even after Dudley started trying to hurt him. Callum was too fast and would keep out of his way, calling him things like "fatty" and "bully,"- it was really funny seeing Dudley get so angry. After that, Callum would play with me when I was at the park and if he saw Dudley hurting anyone, he'd go and stop him, even if he sometimes got hurt. When Dudley told Vernon about what Callum said to him, that was when I was being a little bad, but I didn't mind, because Callum would always have snacks to share. One day, when I was nine, me and Callum were playing in the park. Dudley and his friends started trying to catch us, but we were always faster and got to the main road. They wouldn't try to hurt us there, because of all the adults. Dudley was really angry that day though and when a car was coming passed, he pushed Callum. You know what happens next.

'When I told the police officers what happened, they said they would check. I even talked to a nice police lady about what I did at the Dursleys and they all treated me really well after that. When it was nearly night time though, they changed and told me I was wrong, that Dudley wasn't even there, but I knew he was. One of them said there wasn't any evidence and another kept telling me it was wrong to lie, even though I wasn't. I was starting to get scared, because one of them mentioned sending me away and I didn't want to go to jail. The nice lady came back soon, only she wasn't nice anymore. She kept telling me I shouldn't lie about my kind aunt and uncle, that I was treated like I should be. When I talked to her, trying to tell her the truth again, she changed what I said, until I stopped talking. She kept asking me questions though, even when I didn't talk for ages, so I started writing with some crayons and paper she gave me earlier. It was a bit strange she asked me where I got them, but she took them away after I answered all her questions anyway.

'No otherpolice officer talked to me after that, but I knew I must have been really bad, because I got my arm and leg broken when we were back and had to stay in the cupboard for three whole days, not even coming out to cook. When I did come out, there was a strange man, but I can't remember what he looked like. He did or said something and all of a sudden I was remembering everything I could about Callum, but it also felt like I was forgetting it, if that makes sense. I really didn't want to forget him, because all my happy memories were with him, so I tried my best to keep remembering. It took a while, but it stopped and I was so tired I think I fell asleep afterwards. When I woke up, I was back in the cupboard. I didn't see the strange man again, at least I don't think I did, but I was happy that I could remember Callum, even some things I didn't know I knew, like I could remember that I first saw him when I had turned six and I was at the park, but Dudley wasn't there, so he was just swinging and I was playing on the slide.

'I still really miss him, but I decided that as long as I remembered him, then he wasn't really gone, since he was still in my mind. I know it's silly, but to make sure I remembered him, I wrote his name on both my pens and my pencil too and always used them when I could. Slowly, I stopped talking at all as every time I wrote, I would think about him, so I would always try to write. Now, I write, because it reminds me how great he was and reminds me to try and be as great. I'm not sure if I could talk even if I wanted to, but I don't want to.

'Last bit, I know you didn't ask, but I want to tell you why I liked Susan so much at the start of the year. When I first went to Diagon Alley, no one knew who I was. Hagrid took me to the bank and the goblins were very polite. When we came out, I bumped into Susan and her aunt, Amelia. Hagrid and Amelia started talking and Susan asked if I was starting this year. After I nodded, she got really excited, telling me about what her aunt told her about Hogwarts. Amelia noticed and suggested we went to Fortescue's. I think it was only when Amelia asked what I wanted that Susan realised I didn't talk and that she didn't know my name. When I told her I was Harry Potter, she looked at my forehead for a split-second then said she was pleased to meet me, continuing like nothing changed. After our ice-creams, she said she'd promise not to tell anyone about seeing me, even after I told her I didn't mind. Later on, after it was just me and Hagrid, we were on our way out of Flourish and Blotts. That's when I found out I was a "celebrity" and got mobbed. I was so scared, surrounded by people I didn't know shouting my name, but Hagrid managed to keep them back and we got out. By the time I got to Hogwarts, loads of people had acted stupid or strange because I was the "Boy-Who-Lived," but Susan didn't.

'I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, but I was really afraid you wouldn't want to be my friend anymore. I still am, but it would make me even more selfish to not tell you, wouldn't it? I hope you understand, but I understand if you don't want to be my friend. Please, just don't tell anyone, I don't want to be alone again.'

Harry couldn't look up while she read it. He was shaking with nerves as his imagination gnawed away, feeling horrible knowing that he had done something that his uncle would say was very bad and feeling more alone than ever despite having Hermione in arms' reach.

When she visibly drooped, lowering the page out of sight, he knew judgement time had arrived.

She mouthed, 'You're not a freak,' before repeating that as a whisper, then she fell forwards, holding Harry by his shoulders and practically pulling him so he was double over. 'You're not a freak,' she muttered again, but so close to his ear that it was like she was shouting it. 'My parents loved you and they want to meet you again and take you camping and stuff; I really like you and want to be your friend forever; your family treated you horribly and should be thrown in jail, not you; you're amazing and great, just as much as Callum.'

Her sobs began and all he could manage was to pat her back before changing to rubbing small circles upon it. As her words sunk in, tears ran down his cheek, his feelings of being alone no more. Her crying died down and his tears ceased with time until they were only clinging to each other.

Quietly, she said, 'I didn't have friends before Hogwarts. They didn't like reading at my old school, but I did. At first it was okay, because they would leave me alone, but after a couple of years, they started calling me names. One of the names was "freak," but my mum told me that it wasn't true, that I was different, but that being different didn't mean I was a freak. My mum and dad would always read and play with me, so I didn't mind not having friends. I was so scared when I came to Hogwarts, knowing they were so far away, but most people were nice, like Professor McGonagall and... you. Even with that silly Weasley and pompous Malfoy, it was worth coming here to... make my first friends.'

She wasn't sure when it happened, but she released Harry from her arms and was sitting up again, albeit nervous after spilling her heart out. When a piece of paper was placed on top of her hands, she almost jumped from fright. There was only a sentence there, but she read it slowly and three times before looking up. 'I really want to be your best friend forever too.'

Hermione didn't know she could squeal in joy. Harry, while still not completely comfortable with it, accepted her hug. It was a strange thought through his head that pointed out she was the only person who he could remember hugging him, excluding when Dudley would rugby tackle him, but he didn't think that classed as a hug even if it shared a lot of physical similarities.

'Hey you two,' Susan cheerily said. Hermione quickly pulled away from Harry, rosy cheeked.

'Sorry, we've been, er, talking a lot.'

Neville snorted, adding, 'For the l-last hour.' Hannah giggled, the three new arrivals standing beside his bed opposite Hermione.

Reddening further, Hermione responded, 'Well, there was a lot to talk about.' Saving her from further embarrassment, Harry started flipping through the loose pages, carefully hiding some before presenting the trio with his tale from the other night with additional notes on the Philosopher's Stone. Whilst they read, he found his wand on the table and cleared the remaining pages before reattaching them to his notepad. Hermione was trying her best to stifle the blushing by focusing on something away from everyone else, which he found quite amusing.

So it was that he wasn't paying anyone else much attention and completely missed Susan until it was too late. While her playful punches weren't at all sore, he discovered the same did not hold true for her slaps. 'Don't you ever do that again! How bloody stupid are you? A giant two-headed cat and you just prance in, hoping not to get eaten? Devil's Snare and you think it's a good idea to keep on going? Deadly potions! This is all after you think some crazy madman is inside there! What were you thinking?' Susan shouted. After getting nothing more than a terrified-out-of-your-mind open-mouthed stare, she, loudly asked, 'Well?'

Harry gulped and wrote the only thing he could think of under the intense glare. 'Sorry?' Neville was ready to laugh, but a quick glance from Susan stopped that from happening. Hannah, at least, was more subtle in her appreciation of Harry's predicament and disguised her chuckle as a cough.

With the full force of her stare back on Harry, Susan sternly said, 'I'm waiting.'

While making a vow to never do anything that Susan thought was stupid again, he wrote, 'I thought I didn't want an evil person to get the stone, that the teachers wouldn't believe me and that I didn't want any of my friends getting hurt. Hermione has already told me how selfish I was and I'm sorry for making all of you worry about me so much and I'll try my best to be less stupider.'

Apparently ending on a joke wasn't quite what she was looking for, as he got a weak punch on his arm, but her scowl did melt into a smile. 'Fine, I forgive you this time.' Neville and Hannah quickly concurred and they somehow ended up in a five-way hug after Neville shifted around the bed to beside Hermione, giving them enough room to lean over and crowd around Harry.

It was a much more open hug, with it being arms weaved around each other linking shoulders, so Harry was content, up until Hannah lost her balance and brought them crashing down on top of him in laughter. When they extracted themselves, a peaceful rather than oppressive silence settled for the first time in days.

This period of thinking eventually gave rise to Harry writing, 'What does family mean to each of you?' The question came up when he reflected on what Hermione had told him about his own hated remnants of family.

Hannah held it first and passed it on after she read it, but knew that she would go first and needed a moment to ponder. After all, it was an unusual question and she hadn't really had to think about it ever before. Her soft voice spoke, 'My family are people that I know will always care about me and be on my side. They'll always love me and help me. My mum always listens if I have a problem and my dad always gets me nice little things that I keep in a special drawer, even if I don't like them, because he bought them for me.'

Susan was glad she wasn't first; she really needed every second to make sure she said it right, since it was a little more complicated for her. 'I lost my parents when I was one, so my aunt raised me. She's a bit strict and a bit bossy, but she is always fair. When something's wrong, she tries her best to fix it. Her job keeps her busy, but there's always some time to sit with me and play Exploding Snap or have a talk or whatever I want. I guess I'm trying to say that family are people who aren't perfect, but try to be because they love you and you love them.'

Hermione felt a bit pressured when the gazes turned expectantly to herself. In truth, she still felt off from her swinging moods, even if the swings were justified. With a deep breath behind her, she began. 'Family are a collection of people whom you love, and in turn love you, unconditionally.' If the others hadn't been so personal, she would have left it there. 'Each of my parents knows a lot about my life and loves every part of it, that like reading books or that I dislike the colour pink. I'm never scared they might love me less if I tell them the truth, because I know that even if I think I did something bad, they know I feel bad for doing it or understand why I did it anyway.'

Neville had had a long time to think things over, mixed emotions arising as he thought of his family. 'I-I was raised by my gran. She's s-strict and old-fashioned, b-but she was v-very proud when I g-got into Hogwarts. Family a-are always loving, k-kind and supportive through good and b-bad times.'

There was a brief reprieve before Hannah asked, 'What about you, Harry?'

Twiddling his pen, Harry wasn't sure what to write only knowing he wouldn't be mentioning anything at all to do with the Dursleys. It was after a minute of deep thought that inspiration struck and he scribbled away on a page.

The note went passed Susan, Hannah and Neville before Hermione had it, the others giving away no clues in their reactions, before she read, 'Based on everything I have just heard, I have decided that my family is currently sitting around me. I have my big brother Neville, who taught us all to skip stones and me to swim; my big sister Susan, who taught me not to be stupid and make her angry; my little sister Hermione, who needs me to keep annoying boys away from her before she gets in trouble for hexing them; my twin sister Hannah, who is nearly as quiet as me except when helping others.'

Hermione looked up from the page to four beaming faces. She mock-pouted, saying, 'I can't be your little sister, Harry – I'm older than you!' Shortly thereafter she broke down to chuckles along with the others.

It was to this scene Pomfrey returned to after her visit to the headmaster. 'Good morning children; all's well I take it?'

There was a chorus of, 'Yes Madam Pomfrey,' before a burst of giggles.

'I'd like Mr Potter to stay around for a couple of hours to make sure nothing turns up and the headmaster wishes to see him this evening after dinner. In the meantime, it is breakfast time,' she paused for the groans, 'however I may be willing to call up food for all of you,' they innocently smiled at her, 'just this time.'

There was a chorus of, 'Thank you Madam Pomfrey!'

'You're most welcome children,' she said before turning to her office, file in hand. Soon plates popped up on the bedside tables and were handed out and hastily devoured before conversation began on the goings on over the passed few days. It continued on for a good portion of an hour, when Hermione excused herself to have a shower and put on fresh clothes. Neville offered to go with just in case she ran into anyone she'd rather not. Before she left though, she discretely told Harry that Pomfrey had wanted to ask some questions home life.

Susan and Hannah happily chatted away about their upcoming birthdays and summer plans they had solidly arranged between the two of them as well as ideas about whole group activities. Once their enthusiasm had settled somewhat, he asked them if they could give him a few minutes with Madame Pomfrey, which they readily agreed to.

'Yes, Mr Potter?' she asked, drawing the curtains closed behind her.

'Hermione said you wanted to know about my time with the Dursleys?'

It landed flat at first, but recognition sprung upon her face and she said, 'Oh yes, completely slipped my mind. A couple of oddities in some routine tests I think it was.' Quietly to herself, she added, 'Now, which tests were they?'

She accepted his note, hoping it would jog her memory. 'I would play in the park a lot and get hurt sometimes, is it maybe that?'

Nothing quite clicked in her head, but she felt like a gear was turning. 'It may be,' she calmly said before reciting scanning spells that would show typical play-induced damage. 'Ah, this must be it,' she muttered, before going for a successive scan. 'Multiple bone-fractures and low calcium diet leading to slightly weakened bones. Nothing to worry about Mr Potter, a short course of potions and the damage will be reversed, though its already on the mend since coming here. It would be an idea to improve your diet once you return home though, otherwise we may end up with the same problem in another few years time.'

A few more flashes of her wand followed.

'It seems like you're a bit low on other vitamins and minerals too. I think I would like to put you on a complete course of nutrient potions. They don't taste the best, but will ensure there's no lasting damage from the past. In the future, more fruit and veg, understand?' He nodded. 'Well then, nothing else seems to be wrong, so once I have everything written down and your first batch down the hatch I'm inclined to release you.' She waited for him to reply, smiling at the thank-you note. 'A charmer, just like your father.'

She returned to her office and then disappeared out the doors, Harry guessed to inform the resident potion brewer of the required potions for his new regime and perhaps get the first doses. Susan and Hannah rejoined him as did Neville and Hermione soon after. They talked onwards from then for a couple of hours, at which point Pomfrey, laden with potions, stopped by his bed. The faces he pulled after downing each drink gave way to laughter, until Pomfrey pondered out loud if she should check to see if other children could use a more nutritious diet.

Once that was done, she declared him fit and arranged to see him every day before breakfast and dinner. Something was tickling at the back of Harry's mind though, so before leaving, he wrote, 'So I'm completely healthy?No reason for me to not do magic or fly or go for a swim?' and handed it to Pomfrey

In reply, she smiled and said, 'Yes Mr Potter, you may do anything you wish so long as it abides by Hogwarts rules.' After a moment, she added, 'Please try not to end up in my care again before the end of term.' All she got back was a grin.

'Ladies and gentleman; boys and girls; Gryffindors, Hufflepuffs, Ravenclaws and Slimy-'

A loud cough from McGonagall stopped Lee in his tracks.

'Slytherins,' he amended. 'Today we have the final Quidditch match of the season and the decider for the Quidditch Cup. Both Gryffindor and Ravenclaw stand undefeated; Gryffindor have the larger points difference from two short matches, though only by twenty points. If you asked the bookies a week ago, they would have told you it was anyone's game, but I've been informed that the Gryffindor team have decided to keep their infamous seeker on the team despite laying in the hospital wing for the last few days in a show of inspirational solidarity, even if Wood was forced to do so by the lovely girls and the twins.'

There was a spatter of applause from the crowd while Hooch dragged out the chest of quidditch balls. With everything in place, Lee continued on.

'First up we have the Gryffindor team: slave-driver, I mean, Captain Oliver Wood as Keeper; the delectable chasers Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson and Alicia Spinnet; the quite possibly insane beaters Fred Weasley and George Weasley; and lastly, we don't have the star snitch snatcher Harry Potter seeker extraodinare.' Before he went on to announce the Ravenclaw team, something in the distance caught his attention. Sparing a moment to view it with his omnocular, he loudly proclaimed, 'Bugger that, we do!'

Author notes

Hurrah, the climax of the first-year emotional adventure! It was draining to write both because I honestly have no idea how an eleven/twelve year old girl would react to that sorta stuff and because it's a really bloody depressing thing to have to write about that sorta stuff. Of course, I've actually written this a good few times, because I had trouble making it seem believable and hopefully my anguish/very mild OCD has been worth it.

Unstorily, the bulk of this chapter was rewritten in the last three and a half hours from midnight onwards with half an hour for a read over. While I don't intend to do this often, at least it was nice and peaceful at this time. As far as an extra update goes, I think it's unlikely unless the next bit of the story behaves and lets itself be easily written.

Thanks for all the comments regarding my parting question last chapter; I'm happy to see I wasn't missing some glaringly obvious reason to split the story by year. As such, I will keep it all here in one easy-to-handle bundle, though will probably have to up the rating eventually.

Riddle solution (left to right): Going back safely; painless death; going forward safely; sleeping drought; painful death; rotting of the mind; amnesia.

Until next time, snatching snitches could be a tongue twister if you keep saying it fast - I'm not too sure really.