Approximately one hour later, Harry and Hermione were holding hands under their favorite tree. Ron was there, too, fast asleep. Harry and Hermione were getting sleepy too, and Harry wondered if they would fall asleep holding hands again. But before they could do that, Sirius approached them. Harry swallowed.
"H-Hi, Sirius," he said, his face going warm.
"Hey, you," Sirius said back, crossing his arms. "What was it I said about you risking your neck?"
"To not to," Harry said sheepishly. "Look, I'm really sorry, I'll take any punishment…just please don't be angry."
"Are you kidding me?" Sirius grinned and flopped down next to Ron, who awoke with a sort of grunt. "That was awesome! Yeah, I was worried, not to mention furious. But now that you're okay, and the Stone is okay, and Quirrell is on his way to Azkaban, and you've saved the day…well, let's just say I couldn't be more proud."
…
With Harry's help, Gryffindor was able to wipe the floor with Ravenclaw in their last Quidditch match of the year a couple days later. Harry still wasn't the most popular kid in school but this, along with the whole Quirrell incident, had improved his standing a little. Gossip, as it so often did, had made Harry even more famous than he had been before. Now everybody knew what had happened in the Underground Chambers with Quirrell, somehow.
Sirius was indeed proud as all hell yet angry with Harry for risking his neck again, although not nearly as angry as he was with Dumbledore—he was convinced Dumbledore had done a lousy job of guarding the Sorcerer's Stone, and he wasn't pleased with the headmaster for putting Harry's life in danger again. But he had decided not to punish Harry, on the grounds that if Harry hadn't risked his neck, they all probably would be dead now.
"I know I've said it before, but I really am proud of you, Harry," Sirius said lazily. It was the last day of school, and he was lying against the tree by the lake, arms behind his head, eyes closed. Harry and Hermione were holding hands again; Ron was munching on some Honeydukes chocolate Sirius had gotten for him in Hogsmeade.
"Thanks." Harry smiled. "But, you know, I couldn't have done it without all your amazing lessons."
"Well, I never expected you to have to use them, especially not so soon," Sirius said, without opening his eyes.
"How did you know, though?" Harry asked. "How did you know I was in danger?"
"You know, I'm not sure," Sirius said thoughtfully, his eyes finally opening. "I mean, I was with Barbara, and we were watching that new Beauty and the Beast movie, and suddenly I just got the feeling that something was…wrong. Very wrong. I wasn't about to ignore a feeling like that, so I Apparated back to Hogsmeade, then made my way back into the castle using the secret shortcut by that one-eyed witch. I was lucky it was on the third floor. I was running towards where you said that dog was hiding, and on my way I met Ron, Hermione and Dumbledore."
"We had just been about to send that letter to Dumbledore when we met him in the Owlery," said Ron. "Dumbledore knew what you were up to already, and the three of us ran to the Forbidden Corridor. Dumbledore wanted to go get you, but Sirius said Dumbledore was not to go anywhere near you, and volunteered himself."
"Dumbledore gave Sirius a fresh key to the chess room, a secret password to make the chessmen let him through without playing the game, and the potion to get through the black flames," Hermione continued. "So the journey to the Stone must have been easier for him."
"Yeah," said Sirius. "By the time I got through the black flames, you had all but defeated Quirrell, and Voldemort had just totally insulted your parents. I couldn't stand for that."
"So you called Voldemort a murdering douchenozzle," said Harry with a grin.
"Well, he was being one." Sirius shrugged and closed his eyes again, leaning against the tree, just about ready to fall asleep.
"So did Dumbledore ever explain how the Sorcerer's Stone even got in my pocket?" Harry asked.
"Nah," said Sirius. "He was just kind of 'fuck-you' about it all. Some crap about how you could only find the Stone if you didn't want to use it—well, that's all very poetic, but it still doesn't really explain how the Stone actually got out of the mirror and into your pocket."
All was quiet for a moment, and Harry was sure Sirius had gone to sleep. But then—
"Black?"
"Snape?"
Sirius suddenly looked up. Snape was looming over them, looking aggravated. Harry didn't know what to say to him, so he didn't say anything. Snape looked overheated in all that black.
"Do you happen to know this woman?" Snape said flatly, arms crossed. "She's been standing outside my office door, asking for you for about an hour now. It's driving me mad!"
"Barbara!" Sirius jumped to his feet and embraced her. She hugged him back, beaming.
"Sirius," Barbara said affectionately. "I thought Phoebe and I would spend the end-of-year feast with you lot…if that's okay, of course."
"Well, I don't see why not," said Sirius happily, kissing her on the cheek. "By the way, you see this bloke here, Snape? He's the one who gave you that potion to make your morning sickness go away."
Snape looked taken aback, like someone had just electrocuted him.
"You did?!" Barbara squealed. "Wow, that was so nice of you!"
Harry laughed a little as she embraced him in a tight hug. Snape coughed, having inhaled an unnatural amount of her strawberry-scented perfume.
"Don't mention it," he said irritably, managing to break free of her grasp. "Really. Don't."
Snape turned on his heel and stalked away. Barbara stared.
"Wow, he's in a bad mood today, isn't he?" she said, looking at Sirius.
"Nah," said Sirius. "That was pretty normal, for him."
…
Barbara wanted Hufflepuff to win the House Cup, because that was the House the Sorting Hat had placed her in when she'd tried it on. However, she said that if Hufflepuff couldn't win (they were in third place) it would be great if Gryffindor won instead.
"Gryffindor is in last place," Harry told her, just before she walked to the High Table to sit next to Sirius (since Quirrell was in Azkaban, there was an empty seat there now). Sirius was already up there, wearing his finest red-and-gold robes, despite the entire Great Hall being decorated with green and silver. Harry sat down in between Ron and Hermione, who held his hand. All heads swiveled in his direction and people stood up to get an eyeful of him, but he ignored them. It seemed like a long time until Dumbledore stood up.
"Another year gone!" he said, spreading his arms out to the school. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast."
Harry looked at Barbara. She looked like she could devour every bit of food in the entire castle, or at least everything that tasted sweet.
"What a year it has been!" Dumbledore continued. "Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were…you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts…"
Sirius grinned. Harry was sure he was thinking about the new Hogsmeade house.
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points."
There was a smattering of light applause; even the Gryffindors were subdued. Sirius clapped enthusiastically, and so did Barbara. The teachers were supposed to clap to be polite, but Snape didn't.
"Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two…"
Barbara cheered and clapped for her would-have-been House. So did the other Hufflepuffs. Sirius clapped for Hufflepuff, too, because of Barbara.
"Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six…"
All the people at the Ravenclaw table clapped, although they seemed disappointed, having come so close. Harry knew they were thinking of the last Quidditch match, which they had also lost.
"And Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
For the first time, the clapping and cheering was truly enthusiastic. Snape was clapping, looking smug. Malfoy banged his goblet on the table. Sirius looked ill; Harry wondered if he regretted taking those points away now.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore told them. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
Sirius's head turned quick as anything to stare at Dumbledore, his eyes widening. Barbara's mouth opened slightly. Dumbledore continued his speech.
"Ahem. I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes…first—to Mr. Ronald Weasley…for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."
Everyone in Gryffindor cheered. Barbara was clapping, her face glowing. Dumbledore waited patiently for the noise to end, a smile on his face.
"Second," he said, "to Miss Hermione Granger…for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."
Hermione burst into happy tears, to Harry's surprise, and he hugged her, but they let go of each other when Harry heard his name come out of Dumbledore's mouth.
"Third—to Mr. Harry Potter…for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points."
Now Sirius could be seen banging his goblet on the table, cheering like crazy and pumping his fist in the air. Barbara had burst into tears too, just like Hermione. Snape was looking sullen.
"We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione whispered to Harry and Ron. Everyone went silent when Dumbledore raised his hand.
"There are all kinds of courage." Dumbledore smiled. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
Everyone piled onto Neville and hugged him. Harry was so happy Dumbledore had given Neville those points; this "why-does-everything-happen-to-me" person had finally had something good happen to him. Neville had won the House Cup for Gryffindor, and nobody could take that away.
Harry glanced at the Slytherin table. It was clear they were booing, but nobody could hear it over the cheering from the other three House tables, because even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were glad Slytherin hadn't won again. Sirius and Barbara were hugging each other in joy; she buried her face in his chest, and he gave her hair an affectionate stroke.
"Oh, thank you guys, thank you!" Harry looked up and saw someone else running towards him. It was Holly Greengrass. She gave tight hugs to Harry, Neville, Ron and Hermione (Ron turned purple and collapsed onto the floor).
"Hi, Holly," said Harry. "We won! Isn't it great?"
"More than you know!" Holly couldn't stop beaming at Harry. "This was my last year at Hogwarts, remember? I was sure I wouldn't see a year when Slytherin didn't win the House Cup—and thanks to you, I finally did!"
Everyone turned to the High Table when they saw Sirius standing up.
"Mind if I do the honors, Professor Dumbledore?" he said, winking, and Harry suddenly knew his godfather's displeasure with Dumbledore was a thing of the past.
"Go ahead, Professor Black," Dumbledore said serenely.
Sirius pulled his wand out of his pocket and swept it across the Great Hall. The green Slytherin banners turned Gryffindor-red, the exact same color as Sirius's silk robes. The silver became gold. Sirius wiped the Slytherin serpent away with another wave of his wand, and it was replaced with a Gryffindor lion. Sirius flicked his wand once more and the Gryffindor lion let out a deafening roar, just like everyone in the Great Hall did—well, except the Slytherins, of course.
Snape looked like he was the one with the constipation problem as he shook Professor McGonagall's hand. She looked exasperated with Sirius and Dumbledore, but still happy. Sirius and Barbara came over to collect Harry, Ron and Hermione after dinner (Barbara had plowed through the desserts even faster than Ron).
"Things are going to be okay between you and Dumbledore now, aren't they?" Harry asked, grinning at Sirius.
"Looks like it," Sirius said airily. "I was just telling him…maybe he's not as much of a douchenozzle as I thought he was."
…
Sirius and Barbara joined Harry, Ron and Hermione for the train ride home. Barbara commented that she was still shocked that a place like Hogwarts could exist.
"Well, it seems normal to people like me, you know, we grew up hearing about it," Sirius told her casually. "In a few years, it'll seem normal to you, too. And of course to our lovely daughter, Phoebe."
Barbara grinned.
"We're almost to the third trimester," she said, "and I couldn't be happier."
When they finally reached Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, trunk-free because Sirius had stuffed them all in his magical pockets, they went back to King's Cross in twos and threes. Sirius and Barbara went together, and then Harry, Ron and Hermione. When they got there, they found Remus waiting there, along with Mrs. Weasley and Ron's younger sister, Ginny.
"Busy year?" said Mrs. Weasley, smiling.
"Very," Harry told her. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear," she said in reply. Ron waved, and went to join his mother and sister.
"I'll see you soon, Harry," Hermione said, kissing Harry on the cheek and making him go red. "This was a wonderful year."
"And don't forget that makeover I promised you," Barbara added, grinning. "If you're still interested, that is."
"Oh, I am!" Hermione's face lit up, and she hugged Barbara too, then mumbled, "Bye, Phoebe, can't wait until you're finally born!"
Barbara laughed, and Hermione went to join her parents. Harry was about to walk away when Holly came running up to him, tears in her eyes.
"I can't believe I'll never ride that train again," she said, choked up. "I'm going to see if I can get a job in Hogsmeade, that way I can still be nearby. It was nice meeting you, Harry."
"Nice meeting you too," Harry told her. "And who knows, we might meet again. I'm going to move to Hogsmeade, too. We're going to get a new house there!"
"Keep me posted!" Holly called, then she ran off to join her cousins, Daphne and Astoria, to take them home. Harry saw Draco Malfoy was watching Astoria out of the corner of his eye as Lucius and Narcissa came to take him away.
"You know what this calls for, don't you?" said Barbara as she, Remus, Sirius and Harry walked out to the parking lot. Barbara put up her hand to hail a cab.
"What?" said Harry.
"Why, a chocolate-chip pizza at Reggie's Pizza Empire, of course," Barbara replied. "I'll make the reservations tonight, and we can go tomorrow. Kind of like an end-of-year celebration thing."
"Just an excuse for you to eat more chocolate-chip pizza, more like," said Sirius jokingly, Barbara grinned and punched him in the arm, and they all laughed heartily.
It was going to be a very interesting summer.
TO BE CONTINUED!