Harry slowly came back to consciousness. He could hear two voices talking above him. The words didn't make sense.

"The same again."

"What I agreed to was £40,000 for the year."

"At Hogwarts. Out in the Muggle world it's easier to do it. Here it's easier to protect and harder to kill. Out there it'll be harder to protect him. £40,000 for the school year and £40,000 again for holidays."

Harry opened his eyes and saw two figures above him. One was white and gold, the other was black.

"Hello Harry." The black one greeted him "Welcome back." Harry blinked and the figures focused. "Thought you might have given up." Ella smiled.

"Good afternoon." Dumbledore smiled as well.

Harry suddenly remembered everything. "What happened?"

"Dumbledore got there just as we were leaving and you tripped. He helped get you out of there."

"The Stone?"

"It's safe. It will be destroyed any day now." Dumbledore informed him.

"But Flamel..."

"Oh, you know about him?"

"Didn't I fill you in on that part?" Ella asked, examining Harry's bedside table. "Oh dear, Ron's eaten most of the frogs. There's none left."

"Yes Flamel will die. But to the well-organised mind death is but the next great adventure."

"Anyway, Quirrell was the one who tried to hire me to kill you and Dumbledore is negotiating my summer fee on behalf of the person paying. I told you it wasn't Snape, it was Quirrell all along. There's only two packets of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans left as well." Ella commented.

"Miss. Riddle and your friend Ronald have been eating all of your sweets." Dumbledore informed Harry.

"Who sent them?"

"Various friends and admirers. I think Fred and George tried to send a toilet seat. Madame Pomfrey thought it was unhygienic or something like that. Snape was trying to stop Quirrell all year. Snape was muttering a counter-curse in the Quiddich match. He confronted Quirrell to find out how much he knew."

"He hated your father, then James and his brother did something Snape could never repay."

"What?"

"They saved his life." Dumbledore told him simply. "Funny the way people's minds work isn't it? Snape couldn't bear being in James' debt, he didn't mind so much about Luke, so this year he tried to repay the debt. Now he can go back to hating your father's memory in peace."

"Aha! A Chocolate Frog!" Ella exclaimed in delight. Harry told her to go and watch Tremors.

Over the next few days Harry was visited by Ron, Hermione, Hagrid and various other people. He was finally released on the day of the Feast. Just after he got there, Dumbledore arrived.

"Another year gone." he announced cheerfully "And before we tuck in I must talk to you for a minute. Now, the Hose Cup needs awarding…is anyone expecting an owl?" he commented as an owl entered the Hall and flew over to the Gryffindor table.

It landed in front of Ella and she tore open the letter. Smiling she called over to the Slytherin table "Draco? Your parents can't pick you up from the station so Rebecca will be there instead. Allright?"

Malfoy looked confused "Who's Rebecca?"

"You don't know her?" Ella looked surprised. "I'll introduce you at the station then. Carry on Professor."

"So, the House Cup needs awarding and the points stand thus, in fourth place with three hundred and twelve, Gryffindor, in third with three hundred and fifty-two, Hufflepuff, in second with four hundred and twenty-six, Raven claw and Slytherin have four hundred and seventy-two."

Slytherin cheered loudly as this was announced.

"Why are you smiling?" Ron asked Ella.

"I'm wondering where your house points are."

"Yes, well done Slytherin. However recent events must be taken into account."

"Told you." Ella told them smugly.

"First, to Mr Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years. I award Gryffindor fifty points." Gryffindor cheered louder than the Slytherins.

"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger for the use of cool logic in the face of fire. I award Gryffindor fifty points." Hermione lowered her head into her arms.

"Hey kid, you did great." Ella comforted her.

"Third, to Mr Harry Potter," Everybody went quiet "For pure nerve and outstanding courage. I award Gryffindor sixty points."

"We're the same as Slytherin." Ella told him as all the Gryffindors yelled. Dumbledore raised his hand for quiet.

"Unfortunately I cannot give Miss. Riddle any house points no matter how big a gun she points at me. As I'm sure you know there are many different kinds of courage. It takes a great deal to stand up to our enemies but even more to stand up to our friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom."

The Hall promptly exploded. It took several shots from Ella's gun to get everyone's attention. "Shut up will you?"

"Which means," Dumbledore cut her off "We need a change of decoration." He clapped his hands and the green and silver turned to scarlet and gold. Snape shook McGonagall's hand grimly and Ella bounded up to talk to him. Harry didn't hear what she said but all the surrounding teachers laughed. When she came back he asked her what it was.

"Oh, I just told him that he'd paid back Dad's debt and could he go back to hating me please because the idea of him being nice to me is simply too much." Harry and Ron laughed as well.

As they got off the train Ella told Harry to wait a minute while she fetched Draco. When she returned dragging the unfortunate Malfoy she told them they could go now.

"Here you go Rebecca." Ella smiled as she dumped Malfoy in front of a blond woman. "Good to see you again by the way."

"Could you stop pretending you like me?"

"Sure." Ella's smile vanished. "Mind telling me why your brother doesn't know who you are?"

"Allright Potter. I haven't seen him since your cousin was born."

"Potter?" Hermione whispered to Harry. Harry shrugged.

Rebecca raised her eyebrows "Mind telling me why your cousin doesn't know who you are? How's Luke by the way?"

Ella promptly aimed a punch at Rebecca's face and then vanished in the crowd.

This is the end of Harry's first year. Harry's second year happens in "Voldemort's niece, snakes and other things"