Thank god exams were over, as much as I say I like exams, I don't. I just say that to make Hermione like me. It was a beautiful day to start our free time. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the giant squid which was basking in the sunlight in the shallow water by the lake.
"What A great day." I say. Hermione smiles at me saying "Yes it is, the History of magic exam was way easier then I expected, I didn't need to memorize a lot of the stuff I did." Ron fake coughs saying "over achiever!" I laugh with Ron, Hermione scowls at first but joins in the laughing.
Harry then grunts and grabs his scar "maybe good for you, but my scar has been hurting all the time now, I wish I knew what it MEANT, it's hurt before but never like this. I think it may be a warning, like dangers coming." I then say wisely "it could be a warning, when Voldemort is near, he gave you that scar. He hurt when you ran into him in the forest right? So maybe the reason it hurts is he is planing to steal the stone soon." I noticed both Ron and Hermione Wince. Ron hisses "Don't say his name!' but then said cheerfully "like Hermione pointed out, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named would not dare try anything under Dumbledore's nose, even Snape wouldn't, even if he knew all the ways past the things guarding the stone, he doesn't know how to get past Fluffy, he never confronted Hagrid. The stone will not be stolen, cheer up, exams are finished and it's a week 'till we find out how bad we have done." Realization crosses Harry's face. He says "what if he did find out how to get past Fluffy, seems sort of weird that the thing Hagrid wants most is a dragon egg, and the Stranger he met just happened to have one on him, who carry's a dragon egg around if it's illegal." my eyes widden as I put two and two together . I then say "oh no! They met at a bar, what if the stranger got Hagrid nice and drunk then asked him how to get past Fluffy, and Drunken Hagrid let it slip." Hermione says "I doubt Hagrid would be stupid enough to tell a stranger, he won't even tell us!" but Harry and I were already sprinting towards Hagrid's hut. Hermione and Ron sprint off after us.
Once we get to Hagrid's hut Harry bangs on the door, Hagrid opens it. He says "ah, done yer exams? Got time fer a drink?" Ron and Hermione start to walk in, Ron saying "yes please!" Harry grabs Ron's arm and I Hermione's hand, we pull them back. I let go of her hand the moment she's by my side. Harry says "no Hagrid, we're in a hurry, we have to ask you something, you know the night you got norbert, do you remember what the Stranger looked like?" Hagrid shrugs "Dunno, he wouldn' take his cloak off." he looks at our faces and says "it's not unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hogs head, that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a Dragon dealer, mightn' he? Never saw his face, kep' his hood up. I bit my lip, our worst fears are coming true, I ask "what did you talk to him about, did you mention Hogwarts?" Hagrid thought for a second and nodded "Hmm mighta, yeah, told him about bein' gamekeeper, he asked what sorta creatures I looked after, so I told him, an' I always wanted a dragon, an' he said, hmm can' remember to well, he kep' buyin' me drinks.. Yes he said he had a dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted, but he had to be sure it was goin to a good home, that I could handle it, so I told him, after Fluffy a dragon would be easy..." I bit my lip, he brought up Fluffy to the stranger.. This was NOT good. Harry says
"did he seem interested in Fluffy?"Hagrid gave him an 'are you dumb' look. He said "Well, yeah, how many three headed dogs d'yeh meet, even round Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight to sleep." he stops and says "I shouldn' have told yeh that, forget wha' I said, hey! Where are you goin'?" we had jumped up and sprinted off to the castle.
We didn't talk until we got to the castle, Harry says "we have to go find Dumbledore, Hagrid told the stranger how to get past fluffy, it was probably Voldemort or Snape. I just hope he will believe us." I nodded and said "I think he will, once you tell him about your scar. Dumbledore is the smartest wizard alive, he will make the connection." We were about to go to his office when a voice behind us asked "what are you four doing inside?" it was professor McGonagall. Hermione says "we want to see professor Dumbledore." McGonagall was visibly shocked, and probably suspicious. She asked "Professor Dumbledore? Why?" Harry hesitates and says "it's sort of, secret" her nostrils flare and she says coldly "Professor Dumbledore left for London 10 minutes ago. He received an urgent letter from the Ministry of Magic and left at once. Whatever it is, you can talk to me" Boy was this bad.. Dumbledore, gone?. I then gulp and say "but it's very important, it's about the Philosopher's stone, we think Sn- someone is going to steal it." she drops her books, she says hurriedly "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but it is very secure, protected by multiple enchantments. It is safe, and you would do well to forget about it. Go outside and enjoy your free time." She turns and leaves.
After she is out of earshot I say "Dumbledore's gone? Snape will try to steal the stone, tonight. We need to protect it." Harry takes charge saying "Hermione you go wait outside the teacher's lounge to keep an eye on Snape, David, Ron and I will head up to the third floor." Hermione holds up her hands and says "wait, why me?" Ron puts on a high voice saying
"Professor Flitwick, I am so worried, I think I got question fourteen b on my exam wrong." she glares but nods and runs off, we head to the third floor.
10 minutes later we were all back in the Gryffindor common room. No sooner had we got to the third floor had we ran into Professor McGonagall, she had stormed "I suppose you think 3 1st year students are harder to get past then a pack of enchantments! Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another 50 points from Gryffindor! Yes Weasley, my own House!" Hermione had about as much luck, she had been waiting by the teachers lounge for a few minutes when Snape strolled out, she had just barely got away. Harry said "this is it, isn't it? I am going tonight to try to get to the stone first." my eyes widdened. Ron and Hermione were shocked as well. "You're Mad!" says Ron, Hermione nodded and said "you can't! You'll be expelled! McGonagall and Snape said so." . I bit my lip, once again remembering my promise to come home to my mother and not do anything dangerous.. However my dream surfaces in my mind. I take a deep breath and say "I agree he should go.' Hermione and Ron stare open mouthed at me. Harry says "thank you David, at least someone's on my side. Hermione, Ron, Voldemort killed my parents, if he gets the stone, there will be no Hogwarts to come back to, no house cups, if I do die tonight, it will be faster then waiting at the Dursleys for him to come and finish me off. I may be no match for Snape or Voldemort, but I can hold them off till Dumbledore can come." I held up my hand and said "Let me finish Harry, you should go, but not alone. I am coming with you. Remember, my Dad died trying to defend your parents, I have as much right to go as you do. I think I should finish my Dad's work, protecting the Potters, since you are the last, I feel honor bound to protect you, otherwise my father died for nothing. I grew up without a father.. For nothing. Also, perhaps most importantly, I'll protect you because you are one of my best friends, if Voldemort shows his ugly face, then I shall kill him for killing my father. With my bare hands if I have to" I was acting brave of course.. I was terrified in reality. I didn't think for a second I was capable, mentally or otherwise, to kill Voldemort. However I was not going to sit around and let him take more away from me. My father would be the only thing Voldemort took from me. That was a bigger promise to myself than anything else.
Hermione wails and hugs me, I blush and hug here back. She says between sobs "that's-so-Sweet." I bite my lip again and said "Uh.. Yeah.. Yeah." Ron says "but will the cloak fit all four of us?" I pull away from Hermione and give him a look. Harry then asks "All four of us?" Ron nods
"yeah, did you expect Hermione and I to stand aside and let you two risk your lives?" Harry then retorts "You will be expelled too." Hermione sniffs and says "not if I can help it, Flitwick told me in secret that I got one hundred and twelve percent on my exam, they are not about to throw me out." I was on the fence about it all. I was doing this so I didn't lose more to Voldemort. My two other best friends being in harms way defeated the purpose of going in the first place. Harry thinks for a second and I wait for him to say no. He then says "for all four of us to use the cloak.. We probably couldn't without showing our feet" I hesitate for a second. If Harry was willing to let them come along.. Then I had to be too.. So I said "well I have an idea, you three go in the cloak, I will try to preform a difficult piece of magic." Hermione asks "what magic?". I smile slightly and said "A disillusionment charm." Her eyes widen and she says "but David..that's really advanced, are you sure you can do it? It doesn't even make you completely invisible." I nod, trying to act more sure than I actually was, saying "I know I can do it, my dad did it when he was trying to protect Harry's parents. He turned completely invisible. Dumbledore even said it was the best casting of the charm he had ever seen. Maybe I won't be able to go completely invisible, but I should be able to do it, I've read about it for a year so I know the basics. I should go practice though" I run up the steps to the boys dormitory.
It took the rest of the day to get a decent charm, that actually made me practically invisible. When I demonstrated it to Hermione, she even said "wow, David, I am impressed, this is OWL level stuff and you get it before you even complete first year, you are really talented!" It was a good thing I was invisible because I was blushing uncontrollably.
As we were heading out of the common room that night we found Neville siting in an arm chair by the fire. He turned around to face us. He said "your going out again, aren't you? You can't! You will lose Gryffindor more points.' he gets up from the chair and stand in front of the portrait door, he continues "I won't let you, I, I'll fight you!" Ron says "Neville, let us by, you'll understand soon why were doing this, don't be an idiot.." Neville raises his fists up and replies "Don't call me an Idiot, you told me to stand up to people" Ron retorts "Yes but not us!" I pull out my wand and point it at him and say calmly "Neville, I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you don't move. You don't understand why we are doing th-' he jumps forwards and punches me in the face, hard "OWWW!" I hissed, grabbing my nose. Hermione pulls out her wand and says "I am so sorry Neville, Petrificus Totalus!" his arms and legs snap together, he falls over. I follow the others holding my nose, which is bleeding lightly. I then tap my leg with my wand when we get out of the common room, whispering "Invisibilia" performing the Disillusionment charm. I whisper "can you see me?" I see them inspecting me, and Harry says "No." I grin and say"lets go then."
As we made our way to the third floor corridor we run into Peeves. He somehow noticed us, maybe heard our footsteps, and says "are you goulies, gosties or evil little studenties?" Harry says in a great imitation of the bloody baron "the Bloody baron has reasons for being invisible, now leave! I have business here tonight." Peeves stands (floats?) Up straighter and salutes "Of course your Bloodiness." he says before he leaves. "Good thinking Harry" I whisper before we continue on our way.
We reach the third floor and find the door ajar, I take off the charm and say "Snape must have already got past Fluffy." we walk in and find Fluffy waking up. Harry quickly pulls out the wooden flute he got from Hagrid for Christmas and starts to play a rough tune. Fluffy falls back to sleep. I open the trapdoor, Harry stops playing and says "you three are sure about coming right? This is your last chance to back out". We all nod "Of course." we all say. He hands the flute to Hermione who starts playing. Harry says "I will go down first, if I don't say it's ok then go send Hedwig to Dumbledore." he then jumps. A few seconds later he calls "it's safe! It's a soft landing!" I nod and say "I'll go next." I jump in. After what felt like ages of falling, I landed. It was a soft landing. Ron appeared through the hole next, then Hermione.
Ron says "we must be miles under the school, good thing this thing was here to save us." Hermione fake laughs saying "safe? Do you even notice the plant curling around your legs and arms!?" Ron looks down and yells "Bloody hell! What is this thing!" I notice that the plant was wrapping around my own legs and body. I recognized it and say "it's devils snare. Sprout mentioned it during class, remember?" Ron says "no! We don't pay attention!" I rolled my eyes, knowing what he said to be true. Hermione says "I remember, it grows in darkness-" She is cut off by Harry yelling "Then light a fire!" "but there's no wood!" Hermione yells back in panic. Harry, Ron and I all yell in unison "WOOD!? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?!" She stares at us dumbstruck I yell "YOUR WAND HERMIONE! USE YOUR WAND!" she say in a small voice "oh yeah." then screams "Incendio!" Fire erupts from her wand and hits the plant. It retracts and drops us on to the floor just underneath.
We get up slowly checking for injuries. Harry says "We're lucky Hermione and David pay attention in classes." Ron says " More like Lucky David and Harry don't lose their heads in a crises, no wood, honestly!" I then heard something down the hall and hushed Ron "Shhh!" Ron looks at me a little hurt saying "Hey I was complimenting you mate, a thank you would be nice." I held up a hand "No do you hear that? wings! Thousands of beating wings." we open a door at the end of the hall and inside are thousands of.. "flying keys!' exclaims Hermione. Harry then says "and I bet one of them fits that door" pointing to the door on the other end of the room. There were four brooms floating in front of us. Old school brooms, Shooting stars it looked like, maybe older. I say "I guess we have to catch the key that fits" Harry then adds "it's probably the oldest and most beat up one." we grab the brooms and the keys dart at us, I pull myself on and dodge. I zoom in to the air with Harry as Hermione and Ron swat helplessly at the swarming keys. Harry yells "Wow David, you are a good flyer, you would make a good chaser, I'll talk to Wood." I dodged a few keys and looked at Harry and said awkwardly "Gee thanks Harry but, really not the time." He nods and adds just as awkwardly "Err right." I scan the keys as we swerve through the air and find an old one with a broken wing. "THERE IT IS!" I yell to Harry. He sees it too and says "or a really good Reserve Seeker." I rolled my eyes "Still not the time." He nodded "Right." I would have laughed but I stopped when I hear Hermione scream, the keys were still bombarding her. Harry and I race towards the key. He catch it. I scowls at Harry, He smiles, I scowls again. Once he had touched the key the rest of them hurry after him. I yell "Toss it!" He throws it hard, I catch it and the keys then go for me. I then do a total Karate-ish move. I fly close enough to the door, jump off the broom, barrel roll and come up standing. Put the key in the lock, turn it and open the door as my friends fly past me, I go through and close the door just as the keys ram into it.
We all try to catch our breath. Harry, Ron and Hermione dismount their brooms. I then say "Now THAT was close." They all nod. Harry then says "Well now that it's a better time, I'm going to talk to Wood..if we live... and recommend you as a full time Chaser and reserve seeker, you are awesome!" says Harry. I blush slightly "gee, thanks Harry" Honestly I was shocked. I had never been into sports back in Canada.. In fact I down right sucked at them.. To be called good.. And to actually want to be on a sports team.. Well that was almost stranger than finding out I was a Wizard. Of course a sport when you flew around on a boom high in the sky and could be knocked off by danger balls or oposing players was a lot better and cooler than kicking a ball around a grassy field.
"Bloody Hell!" exclaims Ron. I turn around and see what he means. "It's a giant chess set!" says Harry. "oh no!" squeaks Hermione, I agree, we are not very good at chess. It could never really hold my attention. Chess was Muggle too.. And I was really interesting in the wizarding world so I spent my time learning about that. However had I know our lives may depend on my chess skills I might have played a match or two with Ron. Speaking of Ron.. He was an excellent "Ron, can you get us across this?" I ask. He goes red and says "well, maybe... perhaps" then more confidently "yes. Yes I can, Harry you take the Bishop, Hermione the castle, right beside him and David, you take the King. I will be a Knight." at his word the Bishop and castle move off the board. I walk to the King, he hands me his sword, which was very heavy, and moved off the board as well. "White always plays first, see" says Ron as a white piece moves.
He then begins to command our black pieces, strategically sacrificing pawns as needed, but taking out quite a few quite pieces as well. He rarely moved Harry, Hermione and I. That I was grateful though as this sword was HEAVY. As we continue to take out white pieces, many of ours were taken as well. Ron did his best to keep us out of danger. Finally Ron says "ahh it's the only way." I look at him and ask "What's the only way?" He looks at me and says "I have to sacrifice myself." Hermione yells from right beside me "Ronald! You Can't!" he yells back "this is chess Hermione! Sacrifices need to be made! When I am taken Harry can check mate the King." he doesn't wait for our response, he rides his horse up to their king and it raises it's sword and stabs the horse. I raise my hand and yell "NO!" the horse explodes, A sharp piece flies towards me and cuts right down my arm. I yell in pain, Hermione yells too, I look and see a deep gash in her forehead. I o to reach out my hand to her but my arm is limp. I want to shuffle over and put an arm around her but to do so would lose us the game. Harry walks over to the king and says "Check mate." the Kings sword drops from it's hands. We won.
Harry runs over to Ron, we follow. I asked "Is he..?" Harry says "passed out." I nod with a small smile and I ask "can one of you take off my cloak?" since Hermione is closest she does. She hands it to me I wrap it around my injured arm. I wince as the fabric clings to the cut. I say reluctantly " We need to leave him here, we can come back for him. Snape could be getting the Stone right now." They nod and we proceed through the door. It was just a normal room, that stunk like toilets. In the middle was a bigger troll then the one we knocked out at Halloween, it had a giant bump on its head. I hold my nose with my free hand, despite it being clogged with dried blood I could still smell the stench. "Glade we didn't have to battle that one.' says Harry. I nod "talk about it." I say. Hermione then says "Lets just get this over with" We step over the Troll and continue through the door.
As all of us get though fire sprouts up at each door, Purple at the one we just came through then black at the one leading onwards. In the middle were 7 bottles full of potions.. One sheet of paper that read
Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line,
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, Different are those who stand at either end,
but if you wish to move onwards, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
After Hermione read it she says "Brilliant! It's not Magic, but Logic! A puzzle! most wizards haven't an inkling of Logic in them, they would be stuck in here forever!" Harry pipes up saying "but so will we, wont we?" I say with excitement "Of course not! Everything we need is on this sheet!" Hermione beams at me saying "three are poison, 2 wine and one will help us through the black fire and one will help us through the purple!" I then say
"well obviously the second on the left and on the right is Wine.."
"And poison is the farthest on the left , and the third from the right is also poison.."
"So the one on the farthest right is the one to get us through the purple or black fire..." I continue.
"And since the giant bottle is at the end, and that isn't supposed to get us through the black fire.."
"Then that must mean the smallest bottle will get us forward!"
"Yes!" says Hermione I grin at her, who grins back. She hugs me, I hug back with one arms, she drips blood from her forehead on me but I don't really care.
Harry clears his throat and says "umm the little bottle only had enough for one mouth full.. And I am going to use it." Hermione and I break apart and stare at him open mouthed. "Harry! No! I will go!" we both yell at him at the same time. Harry shakes his head saying "look at you both, David, your right arm, your WAND arm is injured and Hermione, you are losing to much blood to stand a chance against Snape or Voldemort, use that potion to get back, get Ron, go get the brooms and fly up the trap door , go send Hedwig or Zeus to Dumbledore, I doubt I will be able to keep Snape or Voldemort away from the Stone for long, I'm no match for him, really." Hermione's lower lip pouts then she flings herself at him saying
"you are the best Wizard I know Harry." He looked shocked "Me? You're the one with the highest grades." She shook her hand and pulled back, saying "Me? Books, cleverness, that's not all that makes up a Wizard, you are Brave." If it weren't for the fact My best friend was pretty much heading to his death, I would have been very mad that it wasn't me getting this praise. So I say
"if you survive this, I'll kill you." he laughs and says "Tell Wood, if I don't make it, that I choose you as my replacement as Seeker, say it was my dying wish." I say firmly "live and tell him yourself." he smiles and says "take the potion first." I then panic and said "no, wait. Harry, I would never forgive myself if I didn't say this. When I lived in Canada.. I thought I had friends.. But in reality I had people who kept me around for entertainment. Never did they care how I was feeling or doing. When I first came to Hogwarts.. I said to myself that I wasn't going to rush into making friends. Then I met you..and Ron and then Hermione. You all taught me what true friendship was.. But that started with you mate. Just.. Thank you." He walk forward and pull him into a one armed hug. He hugs me back and said "You were one of my first true Mates too David. Which is why I'm taking the fall. I can't bare any one of you doing it instead o f me" I pull back and nod before going over to Hermione. I take my half and Hermione hers. We shudder. Harry says horror struck
"It's not poison!?" I shake my head and say "No, but it's ice cold" He nods and says "go before it wears off." he takes his potion and walks through the black fire, we walk though the purple.
Once we get back to Ron my arm is working somewhat. Hermione looks very pale though. I strip off my shirt, very timidly, because I still had somewhat of a big belly, even though I had started working out earlier in the year, and press it up against her cut, she yelps, so do I, since I was using my injured arm to hold up the shirt. I pull her into me, so she's laying against my chest, so it's easier on my arm, she doesn't pull back, instead she cuddles into me a little. She sobs "Harry..." I nod and say "Shhh I know I know, when you've got your strength back, we will go up and send Zeus to Dumbledore."
"There will be no need for that."says a voice, I look around and see Dumbledore speed walk into the room. "Professor! It's Harry! He's gone to stop Sn- Voldemort! We need to help him!" He begins to walk past and said "That's where I am going now Mr. Shuter, now take Miss Granger and Mr Weasley up to the hospital wing." I get up and say "no I am coming with you." He looks at me and says "David, this isn't something that a first year should have to deal with." I shook my head and said "Harry is dealing with it right now Professor! I am going with you." He didn't look at me and walked off. When I followed he said "No. Go back David" We enter the Troll room as I say
"No. Take away all the points from Gryffindor you want, or expel me I don't care, that is my best friend in there. You yourself said I would make the best friends at Hogwarts. Well I have.. And unlike my father I'm not going to lose him." he sighs and continues through the potion room without fighting me any more, no fire this time, must recognize Dumbledore. As we exit we enter a corridor at the end of it there is a column of fire. Dumbledore raises his wand and says "Argumanti!" water spurts from his wand and douses the flames. I run forward and see, not Snape, but professor Quirrell on top of Harry trying to strangle him. I pull out my wand, point it at Quirrell, gasp in pain and yell
"FLIPENDO!" he is knocked backwards enough for Dumbledore to pull him off and throw him. As he flies I see the back of his head, on it was..Voldemort's head, I remember it from my dream at the beginning of the year. Voldemort detaches from Quirrell and flies towards me. He stops in front of me and hisses "You! The son of the Traitor! Ernest Moore!" he flies though me and I black out.
I wake up in the Hospital wing, my arm in a sling. Harry is in the bed next to me, awake, with Ron and Hermione siting on his bed. I groan "Er-mio-nee, Arry...Ron. What. What happened?" my voice getting stronger as a awake fuller. Hermione squeals and runs to me bed, throws her arms around me, I look through her bushy hair to see Ron and Harry grinning at me. As Hermione pulls out of the hug Harry says "well, you stayed true to your word, you continued your fathers work in protecting the Potters, if you hadn't used Flipendo on Quirrell, he would have killed me. I don't know what Voldemort did to you but you were out longer than me. The farewell feast is tomorrow. And unless a miracle happens and we gain over two hundred more points in the next day, Slytherin wins." I sigh and then grimace and say "Oh gods, imagne Malfoy's smug face when he wins." Harry grimaces but then smiles saying "now that I have dropped that bomb, I have got some good news, Wood was in yesterday, I gave him a play by play of your account on a broom, and his face brightened, and he said that Alicia Spinnet did not want to return as a full time player, she will be reserve though, so he said next year he would give you a shot." All I could do is Grin. I was going to be a Gryffindor Chaser!
The next evening we were all sitting at our house tables in the great hall. Dumbledore stood up and said "Another year gone! Hopefully we have filled your heads with useful knowledge! Now you have all summer to get them nice and empty for next year. Now I am told it is time to annouce the winner of the house cup! The points stand as thus, in fourth place, with two hundred and sixty two points, Gryffindor. In third with three hundred and fifty two; Hufflepuff. In second, Ravenclaw, with four hundred and twenty six points. And with four hundred and seventy two, Slytherin!" the Slytherin table cheered, Malfoy one of the loudest. Dunmbledore continued "yes, well done Slytherin, however recent events must be taken into account" (the slytherin table went silent) "some last minutes points to be handed out! First to Mr Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen, I award Gryffindor house fifty points!" I slap Ron on the back "well done mate!" I yell over the yelling of the crowd "second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool Logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor fifty points!" Hermione buried her face in her arms, I put my arms around her and pulled her into me "congrates, you earned ten times that." I whisper in her ear. Dumbledore continues "Third, to Mr David Shuter" my head jerks up "For showing us that Gryffindor's can be more then brave! They can be Smart, Loyal to the bone, and they can also have quite a thirst to prove themselfs" he winks at me and continues "I therefore award him fifty points" I grin as I have never grinned before. Gryffindors all down the table clap and yell "DAVID!" "DAVID!" "DAVID!" "David." the last was from Hermione, I look down at her and see her smiling. I look into those brown eyes, they stare back into my hazel ones, then she gives me a little peck on the cheek. I blush and she leans in again and whispers in my ear "you deserve ten times that." I smile as Dumbledore continues "and Fourth, to Mr Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points!' the 3 tables that weren't Slytherin start clapping and yelling. Ron yells "we are tied with Slytherin!" Dumbledore says "now, now, settle down. Where was I? Oh yes, it takes a lot of courage to stand up to your enemies, but even more so to stand up to your friends, that is why I award Mr Neville Longbottom of Gryffindor... ten points!" everyone starts yelling! A chant starts at the Gryffindor table and spreads to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff table saying "NEVILLE! NEVILLE! NEVILLE! NEVILLE!" "WE WON THE HOUSE CUP!" I yell. And so we had, the rest of the night was the best night of my life, I was never going to forget this night.
All too soon we were packed up and on the Hogwarts express again. It had been one hell of a year with many ups and downs. I learned a lot of magic.. And made what I believed would become life long friends.. And couldn't help but feel I was falling for Hermione. Something I of course could never tell her, as that would ruin our friendship.. Something I treasured too much to ruin.
We all sat in the same compartment as we did coming into school. I say "I'll write you all this summer, even you Harry, I wish I could be there in person, but my Mom has two surprises for me. one is we are going to Canada for the summer, and even the States to visit my Aunts and Uncle. The other she said she is bringing with her to Kings cross, so yeah I won't be there mate" before long we roll into platform 9 3/4 , pass through the barrier into the Muggle world, there my Mom stand, with, Merlins beard! A Racing broomstick, I run towards her and see the golden lettering on the handle
FIREBOLT