Mary was back in the bed when she next opened her eyes. A dark haired woman in lime green robes had her back to her and was looking over a stack of parchment that sat on the tiny metal table. She watched while the woman tapped the papers with her wand. They rolled into a scroll and vanished without a trace.

"Hi," Mary whispered weakly, startling the older woman so badly that she knocked the table over.

"Miss Potter!" The woman smiled warmly, waving her wand to right the mess she'd made. "It's good to see you finally awake. I'm Healer Tonks."

"Uh, no offence, but where am I?" Her upper arm itched like mad and she tried to push the feeling back, but with little victory.

"You're in St. Mungo's, Miss Potter." Healer Tonks held up her hand in a gesture meant to reassure, but it only made Mary more anxious.

"What happened?" Mary asked at once, scratching at the band on her arm. "Are Ron and Ginny okay?"

"You were brought here after an incident with a basilisk at Hogwarts." Healer Tonks gently pried her hand away from her arm. "Don't mess with that, Miss Potter."

"Ron and Ginny?" Mary asked again, annoyance creeping into her tone. "Are they okay?"

"The Weasley children are fine, sweetheart." Healer Tonks patted her hand kindly.

"What is this thing?" Mary scratched at the silver cuff on her arm - that wrapped around her bicep just above the crook of her elbow- in an attempt to dig it out with her fingernails. "Why won't it come off?

Healer Tonks grimaced and grabbed Mary's hand once again before she could scratch her arm to the bone. "That is an artefact of Professor Dumbledore's. He placed it there to nullify the basilisk venom and keep it contained."

Mary furrowed her brow. "Shouldn't Fawkes' tears have counteracted the basilisk venom?"

"Professor Dumbledore's Phoenix cried on the wound, likely saving your life, but for some reason it didn't heal completely."

"Your professors were worried that the mixing of two strong magical substances caused irreparable damage. They brought you here where you could be monitored around the clock," Healer Tonks said in a sympathetic tone. "You've been in a coma for the last three weeks."

Mary stared at the silver cuff in disgust. "No, that's not right. Phoenix tears should have just healed it."

"Normally, yes, but something happened that altered the way the two volatile magics normally behave. You'll have to ask Professor Dumbledore about any other details as I simply do not know how to explain it. No one has ever seen a case as unique as yours." Healer Tonks gave her a pitying glance.

"So how long do I have to keep it on?" Mary asked, letting out a sigh as Healer Tonks stepped closer. "Wait, if it cuts off my magic, how will I use my wand?"

"We're not certain how long it will take for us to find a better solution, but we are trying." Healer Tonks squeezed her hand gently. "And I'm afraid you'll have to learn to use your left hand for magic. It may even be in your best interest to find a wand that suits it better, if your own fails."

Mary scraped her palm over her face and took a deep breath. "My right hand is now a Muggle. Lovely ."

Thinking back over her latest nightmare, even Harry had fought the basilisk, but he had escaped with Fawkes and Ginny in time to free Dobby the house elf. He hadn't been hurt all that much, and the phoenix tears healed him completely. Harry left the Headmaster's office without so much as a checkup and was in perfect health.

I guess that's the perk of being in a dream. Mary thought grimly. Best not tell the healers that. They'll think I've gone barmy.

Healer Tonks waved her wand over Mary once again, then tapped it on the scroll. "I'll go get you a lunch tray and contact Professor Dumbledore. He might be able to explain what I cannot."

"Thanks." Mary nodded gratefully, still lost in thought.

She wondered what happened to Ron and how he had found Ginny. How did they make it out of the tunnel? Where was Lockhart? Did Hermione wake up from her petrification? Other than that and ending up in the hospital, everything she had dreamed about Harry had happened to her, well, right up until stabbing the diary. Is my imagination just running wild?

Looking at the calendar on the wall, Mary realised that she'd been asleep for the better part of the summer. It didn't feel like much of a loss though. It's not like the Dursley's would be torn up over her being absent. They'd probably had a party for every day she didn't darken their normal old doorstep with her freakish presence.

Healer Tonks walked in a few moments later, holding a cafeteria tray, with Dumbledore following closely behind her. "It's good to see you awake, child."

"Eat as much as you can." Healer Tonks sat the tray holding a bowl of broth and a cupful of juice on Mary's lap. "I'll be back in half an hour to start another round of potions."

"How are you feeling?" Dumbledore asked kindly as he dug through his pockets and pulled out a small cellophane bag of yellow sweets. "Lemon Drop?"

"Thanks." She grabbed one and placed it on her napkin, then sat forward. "I'm okay, sir. Just a little out of sorts."

"I can imagine so." Dumbledore nodded and sat down in the chair beside her bed. "I too feel disoriented after a long nap."

"Do you know what happened, sir?" Mary asked quietly. "I can't seem to remember getting out of the Chamber."

"After you collapsed, Miss Weasley was distraught, thinking that you were dead. She ran back through the Chamber to where her brother Ronald and Professor Lockhart were hauling rocks out of the way and managed to find a place to climb through." Dumbledore patted her hand. "The three of them made their way back up the tunnel that led to the girls restroom on the second floor."

"Ginny is okay though, right sir?" Mary begged for more information. "She didn't look very well, if I recall."

"She is fully recovered." He smiled in assurance, then sighed. "Though I'm afraid that Professor Lockhart didn't fare as well. His backfired spell caused significant damage."

Mary had no sympathy for the dishonest man, and didn't feel the need to act as though she did. "How did I get out?"

"Your friends were in hysterics when they were found in the corridor by Professor Sprout," Dumbledore continued. "They arrived in my office where their parents were, having already been told of their only daughter's kidnapping. Young Mister Weasley was able to fill in some of the blanks, but the loss of his best friend seemed to be taking its toll. Fawkes appeared with you, the diary, the Sorting Hat, and the Sword of Gryffindor, but he would not let anyone near you until he finished crying onto your wound."

"I love that old bird." Mary smiled, then grimaced at the thought of being dumped onto the office floor in front of an audience. "Hermione is right. I do have the tendency to make an entrance."

"That was a particularly frightening one, if I may say." Dumbledore peered at her over the rims of his glasses. "We were all quite worried about you, child."

"I'm okay." She shrugged and played with a loose thread on her blanket. "Did you know that it was Lucius Malfoy who gave Ginny the diary?"

"I suspected it." Dumbledore evaded her line of questioning. "I'm sure that he knows now that such a thing will not be tolerated. Especially after his house elf, Dobby, was quite vehement in defending you. Luckily, a misplaced sock spared him the punishment he was sure to receive."

"One of yours?" Mary raised a brow at him.

"Guilty as charged." Dumbledore's eyes met hers with a twinkle. "While I offered him employment at the school, he claims to want to spend some time out and about."

"That's great!" Mary grinned, knowing that Dobby deserved freedom as all living things did.

"If I may ask." Dumbledore leaned toward her slightly. "What happened with the diary? Young Ginny could only say that a young boy appeared in it when she would write to him."

Mary stared at her hands to avoid looking into those knowing eyes, while trying to decide what she should tell him.

"It belonged to Tom Riddle," Mary finally replied. "He was there, not really a ghost, but he claimed that if Ginny died he'd be alive again. He said that he was using the diary to drain her life away. I didn't know what else to do, sir. I'd already been poisoned and was running out of time. So I stabbed it with the fang I pulled out of my arm."

"It was a very brave thing you did, Mary," Dumbledore said in a soft voice. "Once again you've prevented Lord Voldemort's return to the mortal world."

"I had a lot of help from my friends." Mary shrugged, uncomfortable with the undeserved praise.

Dumbledore sat quietly while she ate, staring down at his hands as though in deep thought. "Do you have questions about the Magical Suppression Cuff?"

"Yeah." Mary sighed and scratched at her arm where the cuff sat. "Healer Tonks said I can't take it off right yet."

"I'm sorry, my dear," Dumbledore replied, looking slightly shaken. "Your magic was in an odd state of flux. I don't know if Healer Tonks told you, but Fawkes' tears neutralised the basilisk venom just enough to heal your arm, but the warring magics almost took you from this world. It wasn't until I found a way to isolate and cut off the magic to your arm that we were able to stabilise you."

Mary rubbed at the cold band of silver. "Thank you, sir. I really do appreciate you giving this to me."

"If you have no more questions, child, I do believe I will take my leave and let you get back to rest." Dumbledore stood and smiled at her. "With any luck, you'll be well on your way home tomorrow."

"The Dursleys will be thrilled." Mary's face fell and she looked back down at her blanket in thought. "I did have one more question, sir. I know you had your reasons not to answer when I asked at the end of first year, but can you tell me now why Voldemort seems so intent on killing me? Even his sixteen year old self was obsessed with it. It can't just be because he failed to kill me as a baby."

Dumbledore seemed to consider her request, then slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid that is not something I can answer today, dear girl."

Mary clenched her fist, burying her fingernails into her palm. "I understand, sir."

"Sleep well, Mary." He nodded and left the room without another word, but the sympathetic look in his eyes suggested that he knew far more than he was willing to tell her.

A large burly nurse with broad shoulders and grey hair walked into the room before the door closed. The woman said nothing, but stared down at her stonily as she handed Mary foul tasting potions that made her body feel like gelatin and her eyes grow heavy.

Professor McGonagall showed up early the next morning, not long after Healer Tonks took away her barely touched tray of eggs and toast.

Mary tried to smile, but gave up soon after. "Morning, Professor."

"Morning, Potter." McGonagall smiled in return. "I'm here to escort you home. How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine." Mary grimaced as she got out of the bed, feeling stronger than she had the day before, but still not ready to face the Dursleys. "Thank you, professor."

McGonagall shot her a shrewd and calculating glance. "Professor Dumbledore mentioned that you may be in need of a new wand. I'll take you to Ollivanders, and if you can promise to keep this to yourself, I have your supply list for the upcoming year. We can get your needed texts and supplies so that you can be ready for the next term."

Mary took the envelope and opened it carefully. The list was exactly how she remembered from her dream and Mary made a mental note to find out what else was the same.

Mary read over the offered courses for third years. "I know I picked Divination when we talked about electives, but I think I'd have better luck with Ancient Runes. Can I switch?"

"Of course you can," McGonagall said, her smile widening. "These courses will determine the kind of career you choose in the future. Ancient Runes will be a very wise choice. Arithmancy would be wonderful too."

"I'll tackle that beast on my own time, professor. Knowing my luck, Hermione will take Divination and I'll end up learning it anyway." Mary folded up the letter and placed it on the bed. "The professors won't mind if I come to them with a question every once in a while though, will they?"

"As long as you do not abuse their time and help, I don't see them minding," Professor McGonagall said primly, staring around the empty room. "Do you have anything here that you wish to take with you?"

Mary felt her face flush as she looked down at her hospital gown. "I don't have anything to wear."

Professor McGonagall let out a quiet laugh and grinned at Mary over the rim of her glasses. "I am a Transfiguration professor, Potter."

With a wave of her wand, McGonagall transformed Mary's striped hospital gown into a pair of jeans, a t-shirt, and a nice warm jumper.

Mary smiled widely and grabbed her Holly wand from the bedside table, holding back a grimace as she felt absolutely nothing while holding her beloved wand in her right hand. In a fit of inspiration, Mary twisted her dark hair into a messy bun, sliding her wand through it to hold it in place.

Professor McGonagall's lips thinned considerably at the sight. "Mister Ollivander will be highly offended at the sight of one of his creations being used as a hair accessory."

Mary shrugged her shoulders and dug her hands into her pockets. "I'll take it out before we get there. Might even get a couple wand holsters."

McGonagall nodded once and breathed deeply. "A very wise choice."

"Here we are, Potter." Minerva steadied her student and cleared her throat after the two had Apparated to the edge of Number Four, Privet Drive. "I must say, It's been a long time since I've had such a pleasant day."

Potter smiled brightly up at her with a determined air. "We'll have to go shopping again next summer, Professor."

"I look forward to it." She nodded, holding tight to Potter's shoulder and using the other to knock lightly on the door.

Potter wrung her hands and stared down at her feet, slouching as loud footsteps approached from inside the house. It put her on edge to see Potter, who'd always been brave and courageous, backing away and looking ready to flee.

A very large man pulled the door open and growled at Potter's trembling form. " You! I thought those freaks said you were in the hospital!"

Potter blinked up at him. "I've recovered, Uncle Vernon."

"A shame." Dursley gritted out and turned his glare on Minerva. "Couldn't your lot just keep her?"

Dursley's attitude ignited her temper and Minerva itched to hex the walrus of a man. How dare he talk to Potter that way? Especially given her most recent brush with death.

"Miss Potter is your niece." Minerva clutched her wand tightly in her hand. "You haven't visited or wrote to her once since she was injured. What is your excuse, Muggle , for such an act?"

A small hand on her arm distracted her from the lengthy tirade she was about to unleash on Dursley. "It's okay, professor."

Dursley looked at Potter with a dark gleam in his beady eyes. "Upstairs. Now. Leave your freakish things and that stick in the cupboard. And that owl best not make any noise, girl!"

Potter nodded quickly and ran into the house and up the stairs. Minerva pushed past the lout, ignoring his protests, and followed Potter into a tiny room that looked more like a storage locker than a young girl's bedroom. While Potter was pulling the shrunken parcels from her pockets, Minerva took a glance around the room and grimaced at the state it was in. The mattress was lumpy and looked like it had seen better days. The threadbare blanket and far too flattened pillow were past any kind of repair. Everything was either broken or so worn out that it was only fit for the rubbish bin.

With a wave of her wand, Minerva vanished everything but the furniture, mattress, and most recent purchases, startling her student. "I'll be sending some new things to you, Potter."

"But." Potter looked horrified at the now empty room.

"I'll have it all sent within a few hours by Annie, my house elf." Minerva held up a hand to stave off any arguments. "I'll repair what's left before I leave. You are to keep your belongings and your wand in here with you. I don't care what that man says."

Potter sat on the dilapidated chair with flushed cheeks and Minerva resisted the urge to hug her. She knew that things at the Dursleys were not easy for Potter, but to see both the way she was treated alongside the way she was forced to live was unforgivable. Albus had a lot of explaining to do.

With a few strong repairing charms, the furniture was in better condition, and a few more spells had Potter's purchases and the contents of her trunk unpacked and ready to be put away.

Minerva glanced at her watch and frowned at how the time had flown by. "It's dinner hour, Potter. I need to get back to Hogwarts."

Potter stood. "Thank you for everything, professor."

"It was no problem, Potter." Minerva nodded at her. "Owl me if you need anything at all."

Potter looked around the bare room as if in search of something, but jumped when a tapping noise sounded from the window. She moved the shade aside and revealed the white Snowy owl sitting on the other side of the thick metal bars.

Minerva's vision tinged red at the sight of the bars and immediately vanished them, hoping that the damned Muggles ended up in the deepest pit of Hades. No other window on the house had bars across it. That alongside the many locks on the outside of the door told a story all in itself. One that Minerva wasn't sure she wanted to hear.

"Thank you." Potter smiled at her, opening the window to let the bird in. "Have a good evening, professor."

"You as well." Minerva shut the bedroom door behind herself and looked at the locks in disdain.

So the Dursleys wanted to keep the girl a prisoner in her own room? She realised with a heavy heart. The burden of guilt and betrayal that had festered in her heart for the past twelve years surged forward and she could nary contain it. The child should have never been left, abandoned really, by those of her own kind. Albus be damned, she'd find a way to make it right.

"Repello Muggletum ." Minerva cast at the doorway.

With a sly smile, she vanished the series of locks and descended the stairs, leaving the house without anyone noticing. The cat Animagus knew for a fact that if any Muggle tried to find Potter, they'd be automatically diverted, thinking that they had forgotten something important and completely forget who they were really looking for.

"Annie," Minerva whispered quietly from beside a thick hedge.

A small pop sounded and a tiny elf appeared in front of her, wearing a pink paisley dress. "You called Annie, Madam?"

"Go to the Gryffindor supply room and bring a full set of bedding including a new mattress. Bring them here to Mary Potter and help her arrange everything." She pointed at Potter who was sitting at the small desk in front of the window. "Bring her a basket of food also, whatever is being served by the Hogwarts elves should be fine. Find me as soon as it's taken care of."

"Right away, Madam." Annie nodded and disappeared with a soft pop.

Dinner at Hogwarts that night was highly uneventful. Minerva had been both outraged and saddened by the way Dumbledore explained the issue with the Dursleys and just how important the protective enchantments were. But Minerva was not deterred, she would find a way to make sure Potter was raised to be both safe and happy, even if Minerva had to do it herself. Towards the end of the meal - when Minerva had to resist choking a certain Divination professor with her bare hands - Annie appeared next to her, wringing her hands and looking quite put upon.

"What happened, Annie?" Minerva asked kindly. "Is something wrong?"

The little elf tugged on her ears. "It is Miss Potter, Madam. She was not wanting Annie to leave until Annie sits down and eats dinner with her."

Minerva bit her cheek to keep from smiling at the poor elf. Annie must have been both shocked and confused by Potter's offer.

"You are a good elf, Annie." Minerva patted her tiny shoulder. "I'm sure Potter was thrilled to have your company."

The elf flushed under the praise. "You are too kind, Madam."

"Nonsense," Minerva replied firmly. "I won't keep you any longer. You may have the rest of the night to do as you wish."

Annie nodded and snapped her fingers, leaving once again with a small pop.

Minerva smiled to herself and shook her head and set into her pudding with a lighter heart. If all went well, Potter wouldn't have to interact with the Muggles very much over the summer. And when she returned to Hogwarts, Minerva would make sure that she was given all the care she could ever want.

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