Summary of the last chapter:

Neville and Hermione visit Harry in the hospital wing and tell him their side of the story – how they got Professor Snape to help and went through the trapdoor to rescue Harry.

A/N: Here it is – the last chapter of this first story of the Harry Potter and Tom Riddle series! Thank you again to all of you who have read, reviewed and shared their thoughts with me, and many heartfelt thanks to Dreamthrower for putting my writing into decent English!

And So Ends the School Year

Five minutes after his friends had left, another visitor made an appearance, much to Madam Pompfrey's displeasure.

It was Hagrid. The half-giant was devastated and blamed himself for Harry ending up in the hospital wing. After all, none of it would have happened had he only kept his big mouth shut. Harry had a hard time consoling him. He couldn't very well tell him that he'd been used as a tool which had served its purpose exactly as intended by its wielder - Dumbledore. Nor would it be helpful to assure him that he wasn't to blame for not being particularly bright. If anything, Harry felt even more resentment for the headmaster, who probably hadn't thought about what it would do to Hagrid when he figured out that his chattiness had set events in motion that led to Harry being abducted by Voldemort. He had used the man who held him in such high esteem, and used him badly. Harry didn't know if the fact that Hagrid was totally oblivious of the fact was a good or a very bad thing.

To make up for the perceived disservice he had done Harry, Hagrid had put a lot of time into the making of a photo album with pictures of his parents from their time in Hogwarts. He had asked all the other teachers to share any pictures they still had. Looking at them made Harry feel rather emotional, and he offered his heart-felt thanks to the half giant.

Hagrid told Harry that friends of Charlie's had come by to pick up Norbert just last night. They had been about to visit him in Romania anyway, but instead of using an international Portkey as intended, they had agreed to fly on their broomsticks so they could transport the young dragon in a transport net. By the sound of it, it had been a teary farewell despite the fact that Hagrid's furniture had suffered some serious damage due to the dragon lately.

"Yeh can bring yer snake down ter me hut again now," he said, sniffing as he was overcome by the memory again. "It's been mighty quiet in there since Norbert left and it'll be nice ter have company again."

*'*'*'*'*'*

In the headmaster's office, one rather content wizard and one who was anything but sat staring at a big red stone on the desk between them. "Are you happy with how things turned out, Albus?" asked the Potions master, not bothering to hide his misgivings. "Did everything happen according to your great master plan?"

"Most parts did," the headmaster answered, as if he hadn't noticed the resentful undertone in his employee's voice. "Some didn't." Albus looked pensive. "Harry surprised me."

"In what way?"

"You should have seen how he held his own against Voldemort, Severus! I would never have thought it possible … an eleven year old! He kept his cool the entire time – I see now why he couldn't possibly have been a Gryffindor. He even taunted the man everybody else fears so greatly with wit and sarcasm."

"You were there the entire time?"

"I was close by from the moment my wards alarmed me that the last defences had been breached. Fawkes brought me straight down to where I could observe without being seen. I heard everything. It was odd. Harry wasn't surprised at all when Quirinus revealed that he wasn't alone in his body. He called Voldemort Quirinus' 'evil twin' and had an almost scientific interest in how the physical manifestation was brought about."

"And your concerns that he might have ambitions to become another dark lord? Have they been laid to rest?"

The headmaster stroked his beard, looking pensive. "For a moment there, I was afraid," he admitted. "Did you realize that Harry actually retrieved the stone from mirror? That, I still fail to understand. Only someone who would wish to find the stone but not use it was able to get it out of the mirror."

"So what? Harry didn't wish to use it."

"Yes. But why should he have wished to retrieve it in the first place? I had expected him to see his parents, like he did before. Or, given the current situation, his greatest desire that very moment might have been to be safely back in the Slytherin dorms. But why should Harry wish to possess the stone, but not use it?"

"To keep it safe from Voldemort?"

"Yes. That seems the only possible explanation. I admit it was a major flaw in my brilliant plan. The stone should have remained safely in the mirror. The moment Harry had it in his pocket, the stone definitely wasn't safe anymore. What if Voldemort had found it there, or read it in the boy's mind?"

"But he didn't."

"Because Harry made sure to not make eye-contact with him, as if he knew that Voldemort is an unscrupulous Legilimens."

"He did. He confessed to me that Quirrell was constantly giving him a headache. I thought he might be using Legilimency on the boy and suggested that he not look anyone in the eye he suspects of possessing the ability."

"He's frighteningly smart, for a child so young. One would think he's a couple of years older than he actually is, given his astonishing level of maturity."

"Children either break in a tough environment or they learn to rise above the difficult conditions they are faced with. It's 'make it' or 'break it', Albus. Harry had to quickly develop all the skills at his disposal: His knowledge, his cunning, his ability to judge people and situations and learn to anticipate their actions. It's a survival skill."

"Severus – surely his upbringing can't have been that dire?"

"Had you checked on him at all, you would know the answer to that question. He has not confided in me, but his maturity, as you call it, and his whole demeanour suggest otherwise. Harry is a very independent child who greatly mistrusts adults."

"Then I'm glad that he seems to be trusting you to some degree. And that he has made friends."

"You do realize that Harry trusting me will become quite a problem should the Dark Lord manage to return?"

"Well, yes, I do. That's another thing that didn't quite go according to plan. Harry should have been in Gryffindor, giving you all the reason you need to despise him. With Harry in Slytherin, it's of course difficult for you to maintain a distance and protect your position. We'll have to see how that plays out in the future and adapt our plans accordingly once the Dark Lord is back."

"He might not return at all."

"He will find a way, Severus. This has been just a minor setback for him, which I hope will give Harry some reprieve – a few school years in peace to find his place in our world, to make friends and be happy. Because eventually, he will have to face Voldemort again, but I'm confident that the boy is truly cut out of the cloth that makes heroes. He's certainly a force to be reckoned with.

'Heroes usually find an early grave,' Severus couldn't help but think. He hoped that with Lily's son, it wouldn't prove to be true.

*'*'*'*'*

The leaving feast was everything the twins had promised. Just like the welcome feast at the beginning of the school year, the mood was festive, the food plentiful and delicious, and the general mood cheerfully expectant. The difference was that Harry now knew all of his year mates and even some of the older students by name. Some of them, he knew very well – like the Slytherins from his own house, most notably Blaise. Others, he now counted as friends, even though they were in different houses.

He knew most teachers at the staff table, and all the ghosts who roamed the hallways. He was even well acquainted with some of the portraits and now found his way around the castle easily. He knew how to evade Mr. Filch and Mrs. Norris or where to hide when he ran across Peeves. He hadn't gotten stuck in a trick step on the stairs once in the last two months.

In a nutshell: He felt at home at Hogwarts. He felt more at home here in the castle than he had ever felt at home at the Dursleys'. And despite Tom's frequent complaints about safety issues and the general craziness of certain things in the wizarding world, Harry knew that Tom felt at home here as well. They were both going to miss it and were already looking forward to returning in September.

When they had all taken their fill, Dumbledore rose to award the house cup. The house point hourglasses showed Slytherin clear in the lead, followed by Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff. Gryffindor was last, which was not surprising, as they had Severus Snape against them and the twins as prime mischief-makers not doing them any favours with regard to house points.

Dumbledore awarded a few last minute points to Hermione – for sound decision making and helping a friend in need, to Neville – for bravery and using his skills under pressure, and to Harry – for fearlessness and fortitude in a moment of danger. This put Gryffindor ahead of Hufflepuff by ten points (which the lions celebrated as if they had won the cup), but didn't change anything in the overall outcome. The hall was decorated in green and silver and Professor Snape could briefly be seen sitting at the staff table with a hint of a smile on his face. It was an altogether memorable evening.

Exam results had been given out the day before (Hermione and Harry had passed with good or excellent marks, and Neville had done reasonably well), trunks had been packed and familiars put in their cages. Harry had decided to leave Marvolo with Hagrid, even though it had been a tough decision to make. But he didn't trust Dudley not to aggravate the viper (yes, he was that stupid), and Marvolo had only promised not to bite if he wasn't provoked. Besides, he just couldn't imagine a poisonous snake being welcome in Aunt Petunia's house.

Hedwig, however, was to come with him. He'd need her to send letters to Hermione and Neville, and possibly – though hopefully it wouldn't become necessary – to Professor Snape.

Harry had been sent to his office right after being released from the hospital wing. Like always when Harry came to see him, his head of house had heaved a deep sigh.

"Mr. Potter. You have recovered from your ordeal, I see."

"Yes, Sir. I wasn't injured. Madam Pomfrey said it was just exhaustion, though I didn't really do anything to get into that state."

"Your magic fought a grown up wizard with all that was in you. It was all but depleted when we found you."

"He isn't gone though, Voldemort, is he?"

"No. I'm afraid he isn't."

"What if he's already taken possession of another? How will we know? He could be anyone …"

"No. I don't think he'll be able to go that route again. He was lucky to find Professor Quirrell in the first place. He needs a willing vessel. I don't know what he promised him or how he persuaded him, but those were exceptional circumstances. Possessions can't be maintained for an extended period of time."

Harry's attention was caught. "They can't?"

"No. As the possessing spirit doesn't have power of his own, his drawing on the reserves of the one being possessed. Professor Quirrell was weakening both his physical and magical reserves. The only thing that helped make up for the amount of power loss and damage to the vessel was unicorn blood. And there are severe side effects to that. It's said that whoever consumes unicorn blood forcibly taken will find no peace in any moment of his life. Paranoia, nightmares, a state of permanent agitation and anxiety … It's nothing anyone of a sane mind would even consider."

"How did Voldemort end up as spirit in the first place?" asked Harry. "Why didn't he die the first time?"

"That, I'm afraid, I can't tell you."

"Cannot or will not?"

"Cannot. Nobody knows exactly what happened on the night you were attacked. All I can tell you is that the Dark Lord has a vast knowledge of dark and obscure magic, and has travelled places few have been to. Who knows what he picked up during that time. It was, most likely, an effect of the clashing of whatever magic he wielded against you and the magic used by your mother to protect you that made him become what he is now."

"What do I do to protect myself from him?"

"You are already protected, Mr. Potter. As long as you live with your aunt, as long as she is the one raising you in your mother's stead, you are safe from him. As proven by your confrontation."

"So, I'm not to waste any thoughts on him and just continue with my life?"

Severus raised an eyebrow. "As opposed to what?" he asked, irony in is voice. "Going on a quest to find him somewhere on this planet and challenging him to a duel? Locking yourself in a cupboard and refusing to come out while the danger remains?"

Harry sighed. "You're right. There's nothing I can do anyway, so I should probably just live my life."

"That's what I'd suggest you do. I have high hopes that it'll be easier for you now, as your aunt has been made to understand that it's in her own best interest to treat you decently. That isn't to say she won't be taking you to task, mind you, and I expect you to not aggravate her just out of spite. "

"I won't,"Harry promised. Voldemort might not be able to hurt him, but Uncle Vernon sure was, and Harry wasn't sure he'd take warnings of potential future repercussions to heart.

"However, should you find yourself in any kind of trouble that you can't deal with by yourself, Mr. Potter, you may send me an owl."

"That's very kind of you, Sir. I'll keep that in mind." Harry smiled. It was nice to know someone cared. It gave him a warm feeling in his chest.

"Then I wish you a pleasant holiday, Mr. Potter, until I see you back in September."