After a long, exhausting session of the Wizengamot, Dumbledore actually rather enjoyed the long broom ride back to Hogwarts. With some warming charms and a nice seat cushion, it was quite pleasant, and let him get away from things for an hour or two. True, he could have simply floo'd back to the castle, but even a headmaster needed some time alone.

He was just beginning to feel a bit stiff and creaky when the lights of Hogsmeade came into view, and he smiled to himself. "Home again. I'll never get tired of seeing such things."

He slowed as he came to the Hogwarts grounds, watching the castle in the mist that rose off of the lake. It looked peaceful and tranquil this evening, and Dumbledore wondered absently if he could get Minerva and Snape to join him for a Hot Toddy. Really, dealing with those students was wearing on their nerves, and they were going to need a break more than ever. He supposed-

The tranquil air was suddenly interrupted as for a brief instant, the eastern wall of the castle seemed to bulge for a moment, glowing a bright red color. Then the stone exploded outwards as a massive, echoing roar shattered the night air.

Dumbledore's blood ran cold, but he accelerated as fast as he could, horrific visions filling his mind. What was going on here!? Surely it wasn't...but it had to be! What was the fool girl doing!? What on earth was in the Third Floor corridor that made her unleash that kind of magic!?

Dumbledore landed amidst rubble and began a frantic search. He soon located a source of magic, recklessly flinging aside shattered masonry. Under a massive pile, he found a glowing barrier, held up by a trembling Longbottom.

"S-stay back," she coughed, her wand held in both of her hands. She was shaking with the effort of maintaining her protective shield, below which were the still forms of six students.

"It is alright, Miss Longbottom. It's just me. What happened?" Dumbledore asked in gentle tones.

"You...you're not...Where's Voldemort? Or Quirrell?" she whimpered, tears running down her face. The shield flickered slightly, but Darkness gritted her teeth and the sprang back to full life again. Truly, a remarkable display.

"Voldemort? Why would he-" The Stone was gone. Dumbledore had removed it months ago, before Christmas, when it became obvious the students were going after it. He had thought that Voldemort's creature would abandon the chase then. He assumed it to be Quirrinius, but was not certain. When Quirrinius stayed and the attacks on the Unicorns stopped, he assumed that he had been wrong.

But Miss Potter was still here. What if she had been Tom's goal all along?

"Megumin...I think she...please, where is she? Is she alright?" Darkness begged. She groaned, then slumped down, her shield failing at last. Dumbledore caught the rubble with a fick of his wand, tossing it aside. He ensured the seven unconscious students were safe, then turned about.

Voices were calling out to him, professors in sleepwear arriving.

"Here!" Dumbledore called. "I've found seven students! Potter is still missing!"

Quickly, the students were removed, hustled off to a temporary infirmary on the grounds by frantic teachers. Snape looked around, his face paler than normal. "Potter? Where is she!"

"Help me look, Severus," Dumbledore ordered. "We must find her…"

If she was lost...it did not bear thinking of. Prophecy be damned, she was just a girl!

Snape frantically sifted through rubble, looking for the slightest trace of Megumin. The magic that had been unleashed here had been spectacular in its destruction. They were evacuating the entire castle, as the structure itself was compromised. The magic that knitted Hogwarts together was badly damaged, and would take weeks or even months to repair.

But none of that mattered.

"Damn you, Potter! If you killed yourself-" Snape snarled as he moved aside a hunk of stone larger than he was.

"Miss Longbottom mentioned Voldemort. Has anyone seen Quirinius?" Dumbledore asked as he worked alongside Snape.

"Him? No. I thought he had been ruled out," Snape said, pausing to gasp for breath. "The Stone was gone, yes?"

"Of course. I gave it to someone I trust absolutely, someone who I know can and has defied Voldemort in the past," Dumbledore said.

Snape didn't have time or patience to figure out who that was. "Then why...Potter. The Prophecy."

Dumbledore grimaced and nodded. "She should have been safe here…"

"This was her work. But how a girl of eleven managed this…" Snape gestured in frustration to the devastation around them.

"She did defeat Voldemort as a babe. I thought it was the power of Love, a last act of grace from her mother. But now…" Dumbledore shook his head.

After a few minutes, they uncovered a twisted and mangled sheet of glass and tangled metal. The Mirror of Erised was cracked and nearly unrecognizable, but it was still there, somehow, despite clearly being near to the center of the blast. Snape was about to toss it aside, when there came a tapping from inside the glass.

He peered down, and found a face with glowing red eyes looking back at him.

"Megumin!" Snape gasped, and knelt over the glass. "How...it doesn't matter! How do we get her out?"

"What on Earth…" Dumbledore knelt beside him, then muttered an incantation. Together, they reached down to pull Megumin out of the mirror.

It was quite a struggle, as the magic of the mirror was clearly failing. Snape refused to give up, and tugged with all his might. Suddenly, it became easier, as if someone was pushing from the other side.

"Take good care of her," a voice called as Megumin was dragged free. "Tell nee-chan, I'm coming for her!"

Then Megumin popped free, coming out of the glass entirely. As she did so, the Mirror shattered, dissolving into tiny fragments as if the spell holding it together had been broken.

Snape was heedless of all of this, clutching Megumin to his breast. He put his ear to her lips, and felt a faint breath of air.

"She's alive," he gasped, and turned to race for the infirmary. "Thank God, she's still alive."

Not god! An irritated whisper huffed. Hmph! You'd think a so-called Crimson Demon would know better…

"Not now, Megumin," Snape growled, scampering over the rubble. "You'll be safe, just rest."

But Megumin was still out cold.

That was a great Explosion, nee-chan! But you're hurt...And my magic can't heal...Ooooo! Fine! You go back, but remember, I'm coming for you, nee-chan! And I won't let anyone steal you again…

Slowly, Megumin forced her eyes open. Everything was pain. Her entire body felt as though she'd stayed out in the summer sun without protection, and her head throbbed. She felt weak and listless, as though all of her energy had been sucked away, and even blinking was a titanic effort.

Despite this, she felt...satisfied. Complete. As though something that had been missing from her life had finally been restored to her.

But there was something even more important. "Yunyun...where…"

There was a creaking sound, and Snape's face appeared in her vision. "Megumin? You're awake?"

She tried to nod, but only managed the briefest of motions. "My...friends...are…"

"Everyone is alive, fool girl. No thanks to you. Drink this."

Snape shoved something in Megumin's mouth, and sweet liquid trickled in. She involuntarily swallowed, and her vision swam.

"Go back to sleep. You're burned all over," Snape's voice ordered. "Fool Girl. Thank God you're alive…"

When Megumin awoke again, her strength was at least partially restored, and the pain had retreated to a dull ache. Someone was snoring softly, and she opened her eyes to find that it was Ron, who was slumped in a chair next to Yunyun, who was similarly asleep. Hermione was quietly reading, and Darkness was nervously pacing on quiet feet.

"Did…" Megumin rasped through cracked lips.

Instantly, everyone was on their feet and crowded around Megumin's bed.

"Y-you're awake!" Yunyun gasped, tearing up as she seized Megumin's hand. "W-we were so worried!"

"Here, take this," Darkness said gently, pressing a small cup to Megumin's lips. It turned out to contain a bit of cool water, which was just what she needed. As she drank, Hermione began to babble.

"Do you realize what you've done? You managed to do what no muggle army or a thousand years of students have! You blew up Hogwarts and canceled classes for the rest of term! We're all going to get expelled! No one has said anything yet but that's the only possible outcome! Megumin, you killed a teacher and-"

"Oh shut up. She killed Voldemort. Or Quirrell. Or whatever that thing was. Should bloody well give her an Order of Merlin if you ask me," Ron grumbled.

"Was...there…" Megumin swallowed as her friends hung on her every word. "...treasure? How much loot and XP did we get?"

Yunyun sighed and slumped back into her chair. "S-she's fine. She'll be a-alright."

"Are you serious!?" Ron demanded, looking like he wanted to strangle Megumin. "You nearly died! We ALL nearly died! If Darkness hadn't put up that shield McGonagall says we would have been squashed flatter than Norman Rambsy in the 1983 Quidditch Kerfuffle!"

"How flat was Norman Rambsy?" Hermoine asked in a tone of irritation mixed with curiosity.

"Don't bloody well know, they never found the body!" Ron snapped. He ran his hand through his hair and sighed. "Look, they're probably not going to expel us, if for no other reason than the school is going to be closed for a few months."

"And you defeated Voldemort. Again," Darkness said, taking Megumin's other hand and squeezing as tears came to her eyes.

"I didn't do it alone," Megumin said seriously. "You all helped. Where are Kazuma and the others? They assisted us as well."

"They're with Snape. Things are still getting sorted. You were out for a day and a half," Hermione informed.

It turned out they were in a temporary structure erected by the Headmaster on the grounds. As it was a magical temporary structure, it took the form of an elaborate Victorian Manor, complete with a large garden, gymnasium, and surrounded by a wood. All of this apparently fit inside of an average sized camping tent.

Thanks to Madam Pomfrey's ministrations, Megumin was able to get out of bed in time for dinner.

"Really should make you stay longer. But needs must," the much harassed school medico sighed as she helped Megumin into her formal robes.

"I must be there for my triumph," Megumin said, posing despite the lingering discomfort.

"And what makes you think it is going to be a triumph and not a tribunal?" Pomfrey demanded.

"Clearly, good has once more prevailed, and my great powers have vanquished Lord Voldemort for another year," Megumin explained.

"Great powers? More like a- Did you say another year?" Pomfrey asked, sounding suddenly terrified.

"Did you find the body?" Megumin demanded.

"Well, no. Whatever you did reduced the stone wall itself to powder and blew a hole in a magical castle that was designed to withstand every sort of spell imaginable. Naturally, there was no body," Pomfrey said in exasperation.

"If there is no body, clearly, the villain is only defeated for a time, and shall return. Probably in time for exams next year. That is how these things work, after all," Megumin said with a shrug.

In response, Pomfrey began muttering prayers to every deity and spirit she knew of. Unfortunately, she didn't know of the ones responsible for the whole mess at that time.

To Megumin's delight, there was a large outdoor feast, above which stretched a canopy of fanciful night sky that appeared to have been painted by Van Gogh. She strode into the feast, expecting cheers and applause.

Instead, there were cat calls and angry shouts.

"You bloody maniac!"

"You ruined my exams! This was my NEWT year!"

"Should be expelled!"

"Hmph," Megumin huffed, taking a seat at the end of the Gryffindor table with the rest of her friends. She paused and glanced at Yunyun who was right next to her. "Why are you here?"

"She was getting harassed by the other Hufflepuffs," Hermione explained. "I pulled her over here for her own protection.

Megumin glanced over at the Slytherin table, where a large gap existed between three very nervous and dejected looking boys and the rest of their house. "Oh. Well, I suppose we can protect Yunyun until this gets sorted out."

"Sorted out? What sort of sorting out is there supposed to be?! You killed a professor and tried to murder us all in our sleep!" Lavender demanded from a few places down.

Before further arguments could be had, Dumbledore tapped his glass, and this disquieted mutterings vanished.

"It is with some regret that I must announce that the end of the school year has come early," Dumbledore said in a weary voice. "Thanks to the diabolical machinations of one of our very own-"

"It was the Crimson Demon Clan!" an irate Hufflepuff shouted, and there were angry mutters of agreement from around the room.

"-professors," Dumbledore finished.

There was a confused silence, then a Ravenclaw prefect asked, "Potter's a professor?"

"No, I will get to MIss Potter's actions shortly. It seems that Quirinius Quirrell had another name, one you might be more familiar with," Dumbledore said. He sighed and paused, which Megumin approved of. At least someone understood the value of timing and drama.

"Lord Voldemort."

There was a collective intake of breath, and a few strangled sobs.

"Quirrell...Quirrell was...You-Know-Who?" Marcus Flint asked in strangled tones. He had an uncle in Azkaban, and while his own family seemed to be largely innocent, they had been sympathetic in the last war.

"Indeed," Dumbledore said with a nod. "Though I am not certain as to all the details. Miss Potter, would you care to enlighten us?"

Megumin sprang up like a jack in the box and lept atop the table, eyes glowing with passion. "Indeed! For you see-"

"And stick to the truth, Miss Potter. There is little need for elaboration this night," Dumbledore said firmly.

"VERY WELL!" Megumin cackled. Then she paused. "Wait, are you not going to try to silence this whole thing and hide the truth of events?"

"Well, would you ever consent to not tell every living soul you come across that you fought and defeated Lord Voldemort once more?" Dumbledore inquired.

"Of course not!"

"Then I would much rather have you tell your tale here and now, and let everyone know the truth," Dumbledore replied.

"EXCELLENT! I shall require the aid of my steadfast companions! Come, everyone, stand and give your accounts!" Megumin declared.

The other four at the Gryffindor table stood up next to Megumin, most of them looking rather sheepish. Save for Darkness, who set her jaw and looked rather stoic.

However, Megumin was not done. She beckoned towards the Slytherins. "Come! I must have all my allies with me!"

"OK!" Dust agreed, and ran up to stand beside Megumin on the table.

Kazuma and Draco exchanged a panicked look, before Kazuma swallowed and whispered something. Draco whimpered slightly, then nodded. The two of them shuffled over, where Megumin grabbed them and yanked at both boys until they got up on the table with her.

"NOW! I shall begin my thrilling tale! You see…"

With the help of the others, a more or less accurate version of events emerged. While Megumin certainly cast herself as the star of the show and edited things to make herself look better, she did hit the highlights of how each and every one of her companions had helped her. The biggest divergence came from Yunyun defeating and befriending an entire army of trolls, and Megumin's chess match with Draco involving him being mind controlled and breaking free through the "power of our eternal bonds" at the last moment to save her life. And also her not falling for the most classic and basic of chess blunders.

When the story was at last finished, Megumin said, "And that is how, with the help of my brave companions, I once more vanquished the Dark Lord Voldemort."

"Thank you, Miss Potter. You may all sit down again," Dumbeldore said gravely.

Megumin sat, beaming around at the Gryffindor table. "Well, what do you think of that, Lavender?"

"You are the most destructive maniac I have ever met," Lavender said, sounding stunned. "And you saved our lives again. Thank you."

Yunyun returned to the Hufflepuff table, where her embarrassed housemates gave her a warm welcome, while the Slytherins gave very confused congratulations to the Three Stooges.

"Yes, we have finally avenged our families," Kazuma said loudly.

Draco nodded. "Too right. They were imperioused for years, and how we have set right what once was wrong."

"Wait, but you guys said-" Dust began, until he took two swift elbows to the ribs. "I mean, me too, thanks."

"Now, thanks to those revelations, some adjustments to the house cup are merited," Dumbledore continued as if this were all perfectly normal. Which given what happened at Hogwarts most years wasn't actually too far off the mark.

"First, to Miss Hermione Granger. For outstanding botanical knowledge, and for standing firm with her friends in the face of dire peril: 100 points."

The Gryffindor's managed a faint cheer, though everyone was still too stunned to do much more than that.

"To Mr. Ron Weasley. For an excellent display of Seeker Skills, and for being a voice of reason, 100 points to Gryffindor."

This time Fred and George whistled and clapped, while Percy gave Ron a weak smile and patted him gently on the back.

"To Miss Yunyun Dursley; for proving that it is always better to make friends than foes, 100 points to Hufflepuff."

The Hufflepuffs managed a good show of clapping, though Yunyun put her head down and looked terribly embarrassed.

"To Mr. Kazuma Crabbe, for true cleverness and knowing where his loyalties really lay: 100 points."

There was weak applause, with Snape clapping only once before glaring at his charges.

"To Mr. Dust Goyle: For letting his heart lead and always being willing to be a true friend, 100 points."

Dust beamed happily, though his table looked very sullen as they golf clapped.

"And, to Mr. Draco Malfoy. For valuing what matters most over both position and privilege: 100 points."

Draco gave a polite nod, though he mostly just looked sick as his table clapped.

"Now, to our last two." Dumbledore nodded to Megumin and Darkness. "To Miss…"

"Darkness!" the girl in question squeaked.

Dumbledore chuckled and agreed, "Miss Darkness. For the most excellent shield charm I have ever seen, as well as selfless determination to protect those around her, and a willingness to pursue justice even for those she is less than fond of: 200 points."

Megumin beamed, and then preened a bit as the table applauded for Darkness.

"And, last. Miss Potter. On the one hand, you shall be given 500 points for once more defeating Lord Voldemort," Dumbledore said, smiling at her.

"And on the other," Snape growled. "You blew up the entire castle, exhibited a level of recklessness and stupidity that even Hogwarts has rarely seen, and nearly killed yourself and all your friends. For this, you lose 900 points."

"WHAT?!" Megumin cried, standing up in outrage. "But my beautiful explosion saved the day by stopping Voldemort!"

"The day would not have needed to be saved if you had not thrown yourself to the wolves repeatedly, young lady," Snape shot back.

"But...but...there was something in the mirror! A red stone!" Megumin protested. She wracked her brain, then turned to Hermione.

"Um...perhaps the Philosopher's Stone? With that Voldemort could have made himself immortal and had enough gold to fund another war," Hermione guessed. Rather astutely, actually.

"The Stone was not in the mirror. It was held at Hogwarts for a time, but when you and your band of fools proved you could never be kept out of the Third Floor Corridor no matter what was attempted, the deadlier traps were removed along with the Philosopher's Stone, which is being kept elsewhere," Snape informed.

"Oh. Well, I still defeated a Dark Lord. That has to count for something!"

"And it did. However, next time, we hope you will not be as reckless in your efforts," Dumbledore said gently. "As well as a tad less destructive."

"You do not appreciate the beauty and glory that is Explosion Magic," Megumin whined.

The room shifted nervously for a moment, and Dumbledore looked downright disturbed. At last, he cleared his throat. "I believe a special change of decoration is in order. With the addition of those last minute points, Slytherin is the victor in the House Cup, thanks to the efforts of three young men who so bravely stood up against evil and proved themselves heroes."

Green banners sprouted from the ground around them, and a short fanfare played.

"HA!" Kazuma said, jumping up. "In your FACE, Potter! Looks like my team wins the dungeon crawl and gets the treasure after all!"

"YOU WILL RUE THIS DAY, KAZUTRASH!" Megumin raged, trying to draw her wand to do something incredibly stupid, but held back by a desperate Darkness. "THAT CUP IS MINE, NEXT YEAR! YOU HEAR ME?! MINE!"

After a moment of stunned disbelief, the Slytherin table broke into wild cheers, picked up Draco, Kazuma, and Dust, and began to sing, "For He's a Jolly Good Fellow" as they paraded them around the clearing.

The feast appeared, and an air of general celebration took hold.

"Cheer up, Megumin!" Lavender laughed. "Who cares about the cup? You'll get an order of Merlin for this!"

"I should get the House Cup," Megumin grumped. "They stole it from me."

"That's not the important cup anyway," Ron said, trying to cheer Megumin up. She looked up at him quizzically, and he explained, "We won the Quidditch Cup."

Megumin glared at Ron for a moment, then rolled her eyes. "Yes, fine, that's good I suppose. But next year I expect both cups to be ours!"

"You do realize you personally lost more points for Gryfindor than the entire rest of the house combined, right?" Hermione asked.

"I also gained the most points, which proves that I am the best," Megumin declared.

Everyone else politely decided not to argue, and enjoyed the feast. Next year's troubles would be their own.

Meanwhile, Trouble had just finished her world tour, and was arriving back in England after having both performed at a sold out concert in Tokyo and defeated a powerful Japanese Nure-onna.

If anything, it was all downhill from there.