Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, only Leo and Fawn
Warning: Dumbledore Bashing.
"Chapter 17 The Man with Two Faces," Snape began.
It was Quirrell.
"WHAT?!" the Gryffindor's shouted shocked.
"I was right!" Narcissa cheered.
"Why would Quirrell want the stone?" Remus asked confused.
"It explains it if you would all shut up," Snape rolled his eyes, wanting to get this over and done with.
"You!" gasped Harry.
Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.
"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter."
"I knew he didn't have a stutter," Remus remarked smugly.
"But I thought- Snape- "
"We all thought it was Snape," James said, ignoring Snape's glare.
"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
"That's one of the reasons," Peter said.
Harry couldn't take it in. this couldn't be true, it couldn't.
Snape scoffed to himself. Of course, Potter's spoilt brat would still think it's him even when the truth has slapped him in the face.
"But Snape tried to kill me!"
"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter curse, trying to save you."
"Thank you, Severus," Lily said gratefully.
Snape blushed and nodded but didn't say anything.
"Thanks," James said reluctantly to the shock of everyone. "What? I don't like the guy but he did try to save my kid."
Snape looked at James not believing he meant what he said and chose to ignore him instead.
"Snape was trying to save me?"
"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular…
"You may have done it for the right reasons but you were very unfair that game," said Andromeda.
-and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."
"You failed!" Sirius laughed.
Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry.
"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."
"You let the troll in?"
"It's a little obvious, I mean, one of the enchantments was a troll and you knew it was Quirrell's," said Ginny.
"I was eleven and it was a stressful situation, I wasn't thinking clearly," Harry defended himself.
"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls- you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, when straight to the third floor to head me off- and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly."
"You have to make sure he's never a professor, Professor McGonagall," said Fawn.
"I can assure, he won't be," said Professor McGonagall strongly.
"Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."
It was only then that Harry realized what was standing behind Quirrell. It was the Mirror Erised.
"That must be Dumbledore's enchantment," said Regulus.
"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this…. But he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"
"Doesn't mean you'll be able to get through Dumbledore's enchantment, you're not that good," Lily scoffed.
All Harry could think of doing was keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.
"I saw you and Snape in the forest- " he blurted out.
"What does that have to do with anything?" Sirius asked confused.
"I was just trying to stall him for as long as I could," said Harry.
"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me- as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"
"How did Quirrell even meet Voldy? He's always so quiet, you never would have thought he'd go to the dark side," said Lily.
"It gets explained later, I promise," said Harry.
Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.
"I see the Stone… I'm presenting it to my master… but where is it?"
Harry struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn't give. He had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.
"I don't think that's going to do that much," Remus frowned.
"It's better than nothing," said Ron.
"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."
"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."
"I don't loath him, just strongly dislike," said James awkwardly.
"But I heard you a few days ago sobbing- I thought Snape was threatening you…"
For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face.
"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions- he is a great wizard and I am weak-"
"You mean he was in the classroom with you?" Harry gasped.
"How did he get into Hogwarts?" Hagrid asked shocked.
"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly.
"That is so creepy," said Narcissa.
"I met him when I traveled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it…
"That's not true at all! That is such a black and white way to look at the world! Everyone has both good and evil inside them," said Lily.
-Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"
"How did they even know that the stone was in Gringotts in the first place?" Fawn asked suspiciously.
"That's what I said!" Leo said.
Quirrell's voice trailed away. Harry was remembering his trip to Diagon Alley- how could he have been so stupid? He'd seen Quirrell there that very day, shaken hands with him in the Leaky Cauldron.
"You better have washed your hands after that!" James said in a scolding tone.
Harry looked at him a little weirdly, why would he have washed his hands?
Quirrell cured under his breath.
"I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"
"I'm pretty sure if you break it, you defiantly won't get the stone," said Regulus.
Harry's mind was racing.
What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, he thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So, if I look in the mirror, it should see myself finding it- which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realizing what I'm up to?
"That's a smart idea but be careful that Quirrell doesn't realize you know where it is," said Lily worried.
He tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around his ankles were too tight: he tripped and fell over. Quirrell ignored him. He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror so? How does it work? Help me, Master!"
And to Harry's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.
'Use the boy… Use the boy…'
"No! That's terrifying!" Fawn whispered.
Quirrell rounded on Harry.
"Yes- Potter- come here."
He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Harry fell off. Harry got slowly to his feet.
"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."
"Lie!" James insisted.
Harry walked toward him.
I must lie, he thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.
"Lying is the only thing you can do!" Lily agreed.
Quirrell moved close behind him. Harry breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. He closed his eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again
"Why is his turban always mentioned?" Narcissa asked curiously.
"You'll see," said Hermione.
He saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, his reflection was joined as another walked up behind him. It was Leo, with his snow-white hair glistening from the torches around them.
"What?" Leo asked confused.
Harry blushed brightly; he hadn't ever told Leo that he had seen him in the mirror.
"You never told me about this," said Leo with a small blush, he knew that it meant that Harry had secretly wanted him, maybe without him even knowing it yet.
The two smiled at him before Leo put his hand into his pocket and slowly put it into Harry's with his mischievous grin he wears whenever he causes trouble- and as he did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket. Somehow- incredibly- he'd gotten the Stone.
"That's amazing!" Remus breathed, he understood Dumbledore's enchantment and it was nothing but incredible.
"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"
Harry screwed up his courage. He could hear Leo's voice in his ear: "The best way to lie is to put some of the truth in it."
"I still stand by that!" said Leo.
"It's true," Sirius agreed
"I see myself standing next to Leo Black, I'm Quidditch captain and I've just won the house cup for Gryffindor, Leo's on the Quidditch team with me and we're celebrating together…"
"That's adorable!" said Leo giving Harry a kiss on the cheek.
"It's too bad you never tried out for the Quidditch team," said Harry.
"It's not my thing but we did celebrate together still," Leo grinned mischievously.
Quirrell cursed again.
"Get out of the way," he said. As Harry moved aside, he felt the Philosopher's Stone against his leg. Dare he make a break for it?
"Do it! Get out of there!" Lily encouraged.
But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.
"He lies… He lies…"
"Where is he?" Fawn asked worried.
"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"
The high voice spoke again.
"Let me speak to him… face-to-face…"
"Master, you are not strong enough!"
"I have strength enough… for this…"
"At least we'll finally know how Voldemort is there," Remus said nervously.
Harry felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting him to the spot. He couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, he watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. What was going on? The turban fell away. Quirrell's head look strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot.
Harry would have screamed, but he couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.
The screen suddenly lit up making everyone jump at the suddenly light. On screen was the horrifying imagine of Voldemort's face on the back of Quirrell's head.
"That's going to give me nightmares," Fawn whimpered. Sirius pulled her a little closer to his side protectively.
"I can't believe that's on Quirrell's head," Regulus said crept out.
"Harry Potter…" it whispered.
Harry tried to take a step backward but his legs wouldn't move.
"Can't blame you," Remus shuddered.
"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor… I have form only when I can share another's body… but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds… Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks… you saw faithful Quirrell drinking if for me in the forest…
"That was Quirrell?" Lily gagged.
"That's disgusting!" Narcissa agreed.
-and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own… Now… why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"
"Don't give it to him!" Andromeda said loudly.
So, he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backward.
"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me… or you'll meet the same end as your parents… they died begging me for mercy…"
"I would never beg!" James scoffed.
"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly.
"You tell him Harry!" Sirius cheered.
Quirrell was walking backward at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.
"How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery… Yes, boy, your parents were brave… I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight… but you mother needn't have died… she was trying to protect you… Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."
"I would do it again!" Lily said strongly, if it meant her family was safe, she would do anything.
"NEVER!"
"Go Harry!" the Marauders cheered.
Harry sprung toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE HIM!" and the next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled, struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. The pain in his head lessened- he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers- they were blistering before his eyes.
"What happened?" Regulus asked shocked, he had never heard of something like this before.
"Is it magic?" Narcissa asked, just as shocked.
"I've never heard of magic like that," said Professor McGonagall.
"I'm jus' glad he hasn' hur' Harry yet," Hagrid said.
"Seize him! SEIZE HIM!" shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet, landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck- Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.
"Master, I cannot hold him- my hands- my hands!"
"That's so bizarre! Why can't he touch you?" Andromeda asked.
"It'll be explained soon," Harry promised.
And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms- Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.
"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.
"Don't you dare!" James growled.
Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face-
"AAAARG!"
Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain- his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.
"Don't let go!" Sirius cheered.
Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off- the pain in Harry's head was building- he couldn't see-he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's tells of, 'KILL HIM! KILL HIM!' and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying, 'Harry! Harry!'
"Who is the other voices?" Lily asked worried.
"I can't remember," said Harry trying to think to back then but couldn't come up with anything.
He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down… down… down…
"Please tell me you are okay," Lily asked concerned.
"I'm fine, tired but fine," Harry reassured her.
Something gold was glinting just above him. The Snitch! He tried to catch it, but his arms were too heavy.
He blinked. It wasn't the Snitch at all. It was a pair of glasses. How strange.
He blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view about him.
"Dumbledore's there, thank Merlin," James sighed in relief.
"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore.
Harry stared at him. Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick- "
"You need to worry about yourself before anything else," Fawn scolded lightly.
Harry just grinned sheepishly at his boyfriend's mum.
"Calm yourself, dear boy, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."
"Then who does? Sir, I- "
"Harry, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have to throw me out."
"Madam Pomfrey would kick the headmaster out," Remus snickered.
Harry swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.
"You have so many friends," Lily gushed.
"And admirers," Andromeda teased.
"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so naturally, the whole school knows.
"It's hard to keep a big secret in this school," Peter mused.
"What secrets are you hiding?" Regulus asked nonchalantly.
"Nothing, he's hiding nothing," Sirius said quickly, knowing that Peter would accidently slip up and tell everyone something they shouldn't know.
-I believe your friend Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."
"We need to steal a toilet seat," James laughed.
"Don't even think about it, Mr Potter," said Professor McGonagall severely.
"How long have I been in here?"
"Three days. Mr. Leo Black, Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger will be most relived you have come round, they have been extremely worried."
"That's an understatement," said Leo.
"Leo was ready to pull his hair out," Ron chuckled.
"I thought I left him to die, I was allowed to be worried!" Leo defended himself.
"But sir, the Stone- "
"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."
"He shouldn't have had to do it at all!" Lily exclaimed.
"You got there? You got Leo's owl?"
"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I have just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."
"It was you."
"I feared I might be too late."
"You almost were!" Lily stressed.
"You nearly were, I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer- "
"Not the Stone, boy, you- the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."
"You are not allowed to go on your little adventures ever again!" Lily suddenly announced, turning to give Harry a stern look. "You are causing me too much stress!"
"I can't promise that, I'm sorry," Harry said quietly, hating that he was stressing and worrying his parents.
"He'll be okay, Lily, he's still here and he's got his friend, he'll be alright," James tried to reassure her, even if he did agree with her.
"Destroyed?" said Harry blankly. "But you friend- Nicolas Flamel- "
"I completely forgot about Flamel," Remus said.
"I think we all did," Regulus agreed.
"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounded quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, did you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."
"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"
"They have enough Elixir stored to see their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."
"After such a long life, it would seem it's time for them to finally pass on," Fawn hummed.
Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on Harry's face.
"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all- the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worse for them."
"I wouldn't want to live forever," James said.
"It would get rather boring after a while," Regulus nodded.
Harry lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.
"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking… sir- even if the Stone's gone, Vol- I mean, You-Know-Who- "
"Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
"Says a man who doesn't have to fear him," Narcissa mumbled bitterly. Of course, Dumbledore could say the Dark Lords name, he was never a threat to him but to everyone the Dark Lord was a very real and very scary threat.
"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"
"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies.
"One of the worst kinds of leaders and people," said Remus grimly.
-Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time- and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."
"That sounds like a dream," Fawn frowned. The way the war was going it felt like there wasn't going to be an end.
Harry nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made his head hurt. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"
"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reasons not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, like."
"If it has anything to do with Harry, he deserves to know the truth and all of it!" Leo snapped, he hated how much Dumbledore had hidden away from everyone just so he could control everyone, it was sick.
"Well… Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"
Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.
"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now, Harry. When you are older… I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."
"If he had told you then and there it would have saved us so much trouble!" Ron scoffed.
"What do you mean?" Lily asked at once.
"It'll be explained in the later books, we don't want to spoil anything," Hermione said quickly, knowing that either Harry or Leo was going to go into a rant about how much Dumbledore kept from everyone and how much it annoys them still.
And Harry knew it would be no good to argue.
"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"
"I'd like to that too," said Professor McGonagall.
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mothers for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
Lily moved so she was sitting next to her son and threw her arms around him in a tight embrace. "I would do it again in a heartbeat!" she whispered.
Harry hugged her back, just as tight. He would be forever grateful for his mother's love and all it has done for him over the years.
Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird on the windowsill, which gave Harry time to dry his eyes on the sheet. When he found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibility cloak- do you know who sent it to me?"
"I would love to know who I left that with if not Harry," James said after giving Lily and Harry a soft smile.
"Ah- your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it," Dumbledore's eyes twinkled.
"That doesn't sound like me," James murmured.
"What do you mean?" Andromeda asked.
"I would leave my cloak to either Harry or one of my friends, I wouldn't have just left it to Dumbledore," James frowned. It didn't make sense, if Harry didn't get the cloak, then Sirius would have and then Remus and then Peter, so why would he leave it in Dumbledore's hands? He was pretty sure he didn't need an invisibility cloak so why would he have him?
"Useful things… your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."
"Now that sounds like me," James chuckled.
"And there's something else…"
"Fire away."
"Quirrell said Snape- "
"Professor Snape, Harry."
Everyone rolled their eyes. It didn't really seem to matter if Harry called Snape by his title at the moment.
"Yes, him- Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"
"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."
"Me and Snape are so much worse than you and Malfoy will ever be!" James said shocked that Dumbledore would even compare the two with his mutual dislike with Snape.
"What?"
"He saved his life."
"What?"
"When?" Narcissa asked shocked.
"Don't worry about it," James said not looking at anyone. Dumbledore had told them all not to mention the incident again.
Snape, for once, agreed with Potter. He didn't want to be reminded of the stupid prank that almost killed him.
"Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"
"I would have done it because of Lily," Snape said quietly to himself.
"Thanks," James said reluctantly to the shock of everyone in the room.
Harry tried to understand this but it made his head pound, so he stopped.
"Thinking does that to people who don't use their brains very often," Ginny said off-handedly
Leo let out a loud, surprised laugh. He wasn't expecting Ginny to say that.
"Thanks, Gin," Harry said sarcastically.
"And sir, there's one more thing…"
"Just the one?"
"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"
"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone- find it, but not use it- would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking the Elixir of Live. My brain surprised even me sometimes…"
"How do you even do that?" Remus asked shocked.
"It is very advance charm magic," Professor McGonagall said, she was impressed, she certainly couldn't do use advanced magic like that.
"Why was Leo the one to give me the Stone?"
"That's what I'd like to know," said Sirius.
"As you may know, Mr. Black has a certain talent for mischief, so perhaps your mind associated with gaining the Stone as stealing and Mr. Black came into your mind because of that," Dumbledore hummed.
"Excuse me?" Leo asked in an angry tone. "I may be a trouble maker but I am not a thief!"
"Why does it sound like Dumbledore is trying to turn Harry away from Leo?" Fawn asked with a confused frown.
"He can try all he wants but it won't work!" Harry scoffed. He completely forgot about Dumbledore basically called Leo a thief and he wasn't happy about it.
"Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lose my liking for them- but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he chocked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"
"He didn't even wait for Harry to say he could have one," Lily frowned. The book and Harry and his friends weren't painting Dumbledore in a very good light at the moment.
Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict.
"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.
"Absolutely not."
"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"
"Because he's the headmaster, she can't really say no to the guy," Sirius snorted.
"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."
"I am resting, looking, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey…"
"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."
"Madam Pomfrey is such a softy," Fawn giggled.
And she let Leo, Ron and Hermione in.
"Harry!"
Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but Harry was glad she held herself in as his head was still very sore.
"I was close," Hermione admitted with a chuckled.
"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to- Dumbledore was so worried- "
"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"
It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumors. Harry told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in the all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. Leo was just listening quietly, not reacting.
"You keep a blank face the whole time and then give your reaction at the end, it makes people nervous," Leo sniggered.
"I'm glad you're okay, Harry. I knew you could do it, though," he smirked proudly.
"Don't try to play it cool, you were the most worried," Ron laughed.
"You were pacing the entire time Harry was unconscious," Hermione added.
"Guys," Leo whined making everyone laugh.
"So, the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"
"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that- what was it? – 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure'."
"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.
"So, what happened to you three?" said Harry.
"We got back all right," said Leo. "Hermione had brought Ron around when I got back to them, and we dashed up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall- he already knew, somehow- just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor. Didn't know someone of his age could move so fast."
"I would love to see Dumbledore run," Peter chuckled.
"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"
"He better not have set my son up to go into a dangerous situation where he could have been killed!" Lily said sternly.
"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did- I mean to say that's terrible- you could have been killed."
"I actually agree with Hermione, it sounds like he was kind of manipulating you a bit Harry," said Leo.
"I agree," Lily nodded, she was starting to have second thoughts about Dumbledore at the moment, no matter how brilliant the man was.
"No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…"
"He didn't prepare you at all? All he did was explain how to mirror worked" said James with a frown.
"You were eleven, he shouldn't have let you walk into a situation like that, regardless if you had the right to face You-Know-Who or not!" Regulus added.
"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course- you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you- but the food'll be good."
"No!" James and Sirius whined, no one was sure if they were bummed out about losing Quidditch or the House Cup or both so everyone just ignored them.
At the moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.
"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT!" she said firmly.
After a good night's sleep, Harry felt nearly back to normal.
"I want to go to the feast," he told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened his many candy boxes, "I can, can't I?"
"Professor Dumbledore says you are allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."
"With Sirius and his friend's, walking down the corridor is a hazard," Regulus snorted.
"That is just rude," Sirius gasped dramatically.
"Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?"
Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usually when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears.
"Aw, Hagrid," Fawn said.
"It's- all- my- ruddy- fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a muggle!"
"Hagrid, it wasn't your fault, he would have found out regardless," Leo assured the gentle giant.
"Yeah, we never blamed you Hagrid," Harry added.
"Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him. Leo even said that it's one of the creature books in the library."
"It is," Leo nodded.
"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"
"VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've met him and I'm calling him by his name. please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"
"Harry, you are the sweetest boy!" Narcissa praised.
Hagrid wiped his nose of the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."
"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.
"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'Course, he shoulda sacked me instead- anyway, got yeh this…"
"You don't deserve to get sacked for one mistake, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall said.
"Thank yer," Hagrid said with a blush.
It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.
"I love that album, I still have it," Harry said with a wide smile, it was one of his most treasured possessions.
"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn't have any… d'yeh like it?"
"I wonder who you asked, Hagrid," James wondered.
"Who knows?" Hagrid asked.
Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.
Harry made his way down to the end-of-year feast alone that night. He had been held up by Madam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving him one last checkup, so the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colours of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.
"BOO!" James and Sirius moaned.
When Harry walked in there was a sudden hush, and the everyone started talking loudly at once. He slipped into a seat between Leo and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.
"Again, with the staring, does it ever stop?" Andromeda rolled her eyes.
"I tend not to notice it anymore," said Harry.
Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! 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… 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; in third Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, five hundred and twenty-two.'
"We're last," Remus sighed in disappointment.
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.
"Is he really giving house points out at the end of year feast? That's a little unfair, isn't it?" Fawn asked with a frown. She knew that her son and his friends were the ones who were getting the points but that didn't stop her from frowning over the blatant favoritism.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First- to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"
Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.
"That is a lovely description, thank you Harry," Ron said sarcastically.
"Only the best for you, mate," Harry grinned.
"…for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past Professor McGonagall's giant chess set!"
Ron went red in the face at the reminder of his brother's praise.
At last, there was silence again.
"Second- to Miss Hermione Granger… for the compassion to help her friends, even in the grimmest of times, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Hermione buried her face in her arms; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears.
"Aw, Hermione," Leo cooed.
Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves- they were a hundred points up. "Thirdly- to Mr. Leo black…" said Dumbledore, "for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Gryffindor cheers even louder again, the candles in the air were shaking slightly. Leo gave a genuine smile as Gryffindor's started to clap him on the back. Harry had never seen that smile on Leo before, it was happier than his grin or his smirk when he caused trouble, it made him look very handsome.
"That's so adorable," Fawn squealed, she loved hearing about her son's relationship, it was everything that she could have ever hoped for, for him.
Leo grinned and gave Harry a quick but sweet kiss before pulling him closer.
"Forth- to Mr. Harry Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet, "for pure nerve and outside courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
"That means we're tied with Slytherin!" James cheered.
The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had five hundred and twenty-two points- exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup- if only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.
Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
"WE WON THE HOUSE CUP!" Sirius and James jumped up and started to dance making everyone but Snape crack up laughing.
It took Professor McGonagall a moment to calm the boys down enough for them to sit down so they could finish the book.
Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Harry, Leo, Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry, still cheering, nudged Leo in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.
"That will always be a favourite memory of mine," Leo promised.
"I'm just glad that Neville finally got the recognition that he deserves, that poor boy has been through a lot this year," Andromeda said.
"I agree, I just wish it wasn't from a show of favoritism for Gryffindor," Fawn said.
"Which means," Dumbledore called out the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."
He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor Lion took its place. Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eye and Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed on jot.
"Of course, they haven't," Remus rolled his eyes.
That didn't worry Harry. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.
"So, not normal," James grinned.
It was the best evening of Harry's life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls… he would never, ever forget tonight.
Harry had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To their great surprise, both he and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione of course, had the best grades of the first years, Leo coming just being her, his Charm results were the only thing he didn't get perfect.
"I'm so proud of you two!" Lily cooed as she pulled the two boys towards her with a big embrace.
"Thank you," Leo sang happily. "I still suck at Charms but I still got good marks."
Even Neville scarped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life.
"I still don't know how he passed," Hermione frowned.
"Parents probably paid the school to pass him," Ron shrugged.
And suddenly, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to use magic over the holidays ('I always hope they'll forget to give us these,' said Fred Weasley sadly);
"I wish they would," Regulus agreed.
Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie's Bott's Every Flavour Beans as they sped past muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.
"I love the train ride back, it just has a feeling to it to makes you relaxed and excited all at once," said Narcissa.
It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by the ticket barrier, letting them go through the gates in twos and threes so they didn't attract attention by all bursting out of a solid wall at once an alarming the muggles.
"It would be pretty funny though," Remus chuckled, thinking the faces the muggles would make.
"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you- I'll send you an owl."
"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."
People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the muggle world. Some of them called:
"Bye, Harry!"
"See you, Potter!"
"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him.
"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.
"Back to the Dursley's," James frowned. "They had better not do anything to you or I'm blowing them up!"
Professor McGonagall gave him a stern look but didn't say anything.
He, Leo, Ron, and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is, mum, there he is, look!"
It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.
"Aw, little Ginny with her crush!" Leo cooed, looking at Ginny.
"Shut up," Ginny rolled her eyes and chuckled, she got over crush when she was in her third year.
"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, mum! I can see- "
"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point."
Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them.
"Busy year?" she said.
"You could say that," Ron chuckled.
"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing dear."
"We need to do something nice for Molly and Arthur," Lily said.
"We will," James agreed.
"Ready, are you?"
It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.
"I completely forgot Hagrid gave him a pig's tail!" Remus roared with laughter; everyone was quick to join when at the reminder.
"You must be Harry's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.
"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.
"Still as rude as ever, I see," Sirius scoffed.
Harry hung back for a last word with Leo, Ron and Hermione.
"See you over the summer, then."
"Hope you have- er- a good holiday," said Hermione looked uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant.
"If you need somewhere to get away, your more then welcome to come and stay at mine over the summer, my aunt and uncle would love to have you. Just send me an owl," Leo offered.
"I would be delighted if you stayed with us Harry," Andromeda beamed.
"Thank you, Andy," Harry grinned.
"Thanks," Harry grinned with slightly pink cheeks. "But I should have an alright summer," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face, it was just like Leo's troublemaking grin. "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…"
Everyone cheered for Harry when Snape finally closed the book, signaling that the first book was finished.
A/N: So, the first book is finished, I will be posted just one more chapter soon of the characters just talking a bit about their favourite moments in the book and favourite people so far. Also, I couldn't help but bash Dumbledore a bit in this chapter so hopefully you all enjoyed that as much as I have.
See you all next chapter but until enjoy some incorrect quotes:
Hermione: What the fuck is wrong with you?
Leo: You could've started with a 'good morning'…
Hermione: Good morning. What the fuck is wrong with you?
Hermione, massively sleep deprived: A mosquito tried to bite me so I slapped it and killed it. Then I started thinking. Like, it was just trying to get food. What if I went to the fridge and it just slammed the door shut, snapping my neck?
Ron, very concerned: … Are you okay?
Ron: I have a problem.
Leo: Kill it.
Ron: Can you chill for like, two seconds?