Chapter 10
The philosophy behind stones and friendships
Harry awoke slowly from a slumber he thought would be his last. The man with two faces still haunted his mind. That abomination growing from the back of Quirrell's head. Watching that man he thought to be harmless crumble into dust. The spectre carrying Voldemort's face piercing right through him. That was the moment darkness engulfed the boy, and when he thought he'd never get to see any of his friends ever again. Ron. Marley. Hermione. He paused on that thought with a shiver, his bandaged hand wandering around the hospital bed in search for a set of round binoculars. Suppose the fact that he woke up in a hospital bed is good news, a rather strange conundrum.
Even more strange was the assortment of sweets and cards and other goodies waiting for him, presenting themselves on a convenient hospital table, waiting eagerly to be discovered by the Boy who lived (twice).
"Good afternoon, Harry.", a familiar voice sounded. One both raspy and soft at the same time.
"Ah. Tokens from your admirers?"
"Admirers?", the boy asked in a confused tone. For some reason the image of Marley saying goodbye to him after the chess game jumped to mind, though he pushed the thought aside as the old man started digging through his pile of gifts.
"What happened down in the dungeons between you and Quirrell remains a well-kept secret.", he began, before gifting Harry an idiotic smirk, "So, naturally, the entire school knows."
He smiled brightly at the headmaster with a sense of honest joy, one you'd get from a person not set on gaining anything from entertaining someone else, but who just does it for fun.
"I see. Seems as though your friend Ronald saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs."
At the mention of his name Harry sat up even straighter.
"Ron was here? Is he alright?", his mind jumped to the next person right after, "What about Marley?!"
"They're perfectly fine, as is Ms. Granger. Although the poor girl was pretty exhausted from carrying Mr. Weasley for such a long distance."
Harry let out a sigh of relief, feeling a bit bad for Hermione having do all the work. Wasn't the first time.
"But...", his mind soared onto the next topic, "...what about the stone? What happened to it?"
"Relax, dear boy.", Dumbledore spoke calmly, "My friend Nicholas and I had a brief chat concerning the stone. We both agreed that destroying it would be for the best."
For a moment he allowed to boy to ponder the ramifications of this.
"But... that means Flamel will die. Won't he?"
"He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order first.", the long-bearded wizard began, "But yes. Eventually, like all of us, he will die."
With that checked off the list and a moment of something akin to grief washing over him, Harry jumped immediately to his next question.
"How is it I got the stone, sir? One minute I was staring at the mirror and..."
He fell silent at the image of his parents, which will have been the final time he'd be able to see them like this.
"Ah. You see, only a person who wanted to find the stone – find it, but not use it – would be allowed to receive it. That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you and me that is saying something."
For a brief moment Harry smirked at the old man's apparent vanity, finding it more than amusing. Though eventually his focus returned to more serious manners.
"With the stone gone... does that mean... Voldemort can never come back?"
Not having held out too much hope from the start, Harry could still feel his heart sink to the ground as Dumbledore nodded cautiously from side to side.
"I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return. We'll have to be on the lookout."
Not wanting to leave the boy on such a sorrow note, the headmaster recalled something else important that's worth mentioning.
"Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to be touched by you?"
He politely shook his head.
"It's because of your mother. She gave her own life to protect yours. Such an act of kindness leaves a mark."
Hearing that word, Harry's hand wandered up to the red bolt scaring his forehead.
"No. Not that kind of mark. It is one which cannot be seen. One which lies beneath your skin.
"What is it?", Harry asked with a curious frown.
"Love, Harry. Love."
Dumbledore made yet another odd comment referring to Bertie Bott's Flavoured Beans, Harry finding it once again delightfully amusing. Such a strange old cook. He also found it odd that the headmaster hummed the melody to Marley's Madonna song on his way out.
Another hour passed before the overly cautious Madame Pomfrey released Mr. Potter from his hospital bed, the boy, clad in his school uniform again, walking not too far down the hall before spotting Ron and Hermione chatting amongst each other on top of a stairwell balcony. He for one wore a nasty bandage, while she decided to wear a rather pretty headband. The two paused their causal discussion they moment they spotted their other friend over the railing.
"You alright there, Ron?"
"All right with me. You?"
"All right myself. Hermione?"
"Never better."
Harry nodded as they all smiled, though to him one person was clearly missing.
"Where's Marley?"
On command, the girl appeared from the corridor behind Ron and Hermione, plopping next to them as she leaned so far over the railing she almost dropped.
"HARRYYY!", she shrieked with excitement, beginning her sprint down the stairs and towards the boy wearing glasses and an even wider smile.
To make their reunion even more memorable, Marley fell flat on her face just before reaching him, the two Gryffindor's on top of the stairwell motivated to rush down as well.
"Are you hurt?", Harry asked with concern while kneeling down next to the girl, handing Marley her glasses which had been dropped in the fall.
"Other than this old thing I'm perfectly fine and dandy!", she proudly held up her bandaged arm, a white cast holding it in an awkward 45-degree-angle. He helped the girl back on her feet as the other two joined them. The second Marley and Harry stood upright again she launched at his throat like a wild cat, engulfing him in the tightest hug the boy ever experienced in his eleven years on this planet so far. Though this wasn't a bad thing for him whatsoever.
Before separating fully, she gave him a long peck on the cheek, causing the boy to rub that spot in excited confusion. This time the blush did not need to be put into question.
She realized quickly how this looked, turning to everyone as she stumbled over her words.
"What?! He almost... died fighting... Voldemort! I was bloody scared! And that was just last night! What about Voldemort in the forest? Or when we were almost eaten by Fluffy?!"
"What about me?", Ron interjected, sounding offended, "I almost died too. Could've broken my neck with that-"
Getting his request answered, Ronald too was rewarded with a soft smooch on the cheek, the Weasley boy blushing much, much harder at this. Marley aimed to give one to Hermione as well for good measure, though the girl adamantly refused from the get-go.
"No thanks. I do appreciate it though.", she simply announced. Marley shrugged casually at this, instead intertwining her healthy arm inside of hers, which the Gryffindor girl did allow for.
"Your loss. Anyways, who else is hungry besides me?", she asked with her usual jolliness.
"Me, more than anything.", Ron admitted after having calmed down from his embarrassment, "We were waiting for Harry to finally show up so we could get started."
"Oh well, no one's surprised that you're hungry, Sir Ronald.", Hermione gave him with a wink, making herself giggle and Marley howl with joy. He himself didn't find it funny whatsoever.
The two girls were far enough away when he leaned a bit closer to Harry.
"Like I said – next year, you're dealing with Hermione, and I'm dealing with Marley."
Harry chuckled at this as they followed their female companions. Funnily, his mind was still fixated on that peck from before. If anything, Marley saved their lives too, so wouldn't she deserve one as well? As soon as he felt heat rising to his face, he abandoned the thought quickly, though.
Some bitterness lingered in the Great Hall, one because Marley was forced to separate from her friends for now, but also because, to all of their surprise, neither of their houses had apparently won that stupid cup thing.
Blue and black banners crested with a raven inside hung above all their heads, Marley's face expressing shame as she sat down quietly next to the other perpetrator of this series of events – Malfoy. Luckily Sam wasn't too far away either, the older boy gifting her a smile as she reciprocated.
"Well...", the lonely blonde boy mumbled, "...so much for the House Cup."
She said nothing for a moment, though gave him a lukewarm expression after.
"Thank you by the way. For... not telling on me."
"I did tell on you."
Her features expressed worry and intrigue, though his scoff assured her of the opposite.
"After we found out about Potter saving the school. I told them I let you go so you could help."
A prior offer of flat-out friendship seemed a bit too early for now, though it appeared as though the former enemies were at least on neutral terms for now. Perhaps even mildly positive.
With the arrival of Dumbledore behind his famed podium, the Slytherin truce took a backseat.
"Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the House Cup needs to be awarded. And the points stand as follows – in fourth place, Gryffindor, with 312 points."
Mild applause from the crowd, Marely quietly joining.
"Third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points."
Hufflepuff's enthusiasm remained more or less the same, despite having beaten another house.
"In second place, Slytherin, 422."
A majority of Slytherin students apparently bad losers, there was the least applause thus far, though Marley, Sam, and even Draco made up for it with their clapping, alongside some others as well.
"And in first place, with 426 points, Ravenclaw house."
By far the loudest reaction yet, even including some whistles and roars. Marley briefly meet the gaze of Harry, shrugging with a satisfied look, as did the boy to her.
"Yes, yes, well done, Ravenclaw. Well done, indeed. However, recent events must be taken into account."
As the old man spoke those words, both Marley and Harry jerked their heads back to the stage, as did literally everyone else in the room.
"I have, therefore, a few last-minute points to award. First, to Ms. Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril. 50 points."
The girl's eyes almost popped out of her skull at this, Harry giving Hermione a pat on the back as the crowd erupted into applause, for her.
"Good job.", Harry told the girl, though she remained unable to respond for now.
"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the most grandiose game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, 50 points."
While the cheering was even louder this time, the Boy who lived uttered no silly comment, his face instead moving to look back at Marley, the girl meeting his eyes with clear excitement of what might come next.
"Thirdly, Ms. Marlene Verpe. For her cunning loyalty in the face of doom. As well as her excellent taste in music. 50 points, to Slytherin."
Marley shrieked up comically before covering her mouth in shame, the rest of the Great Hall a mixture of some clapping, but mostly confused mumbling.
"What is he planning?", Malfoy asked with distain.
"I also need to mention Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points."
A more clear point of separation between disappointment and joy started to settle amongst the students.
"Ah. So he lets them win.", Draco finally declared.
"Just wait...", Marley assured him. Something about this whole spiel told her to trust the process, why that was the case the girl couldn't possibly put into words.
"In addition, it also takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom."
If Hermione's reaction was one of pure shock, Neville himself looked as though his entire bodily structure was about to melt, or fall apart, or combust. Any of the like. The ensuing applause didn't help with this whatsoever.
"We're leading now!", Hermione excitedly announced to the other Gryffindors. All except Harry were expecting big gains now.
"I wouldn't be so sure of it.", he spoke quietly, looking back over to Marley, who carried the same expression as him.
"Lastly..."
Malfoy had, at this point, crossed his arms and was shaking his head-
"Mr. Draco Malfoy."
At this, Marley gave him a sassy look that screamed "told you so".
"Without the overwhelming trust he had in his other Slytherins, perhaps last night's events might have played out entirely different. So, for his wisdom, and excellent reading of character, he is awarded 50 points."
This time almost no applause came to fruition. Instead, the entire hall broke into wild discussion, almost overshadowing their headmaster. Even McGonagall and Snape shared a confused frown.
"Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of decorations is in order."
Dumbledore clapped twice and, with the motion of his hands, all of the aforementioned banners flapped in non-existent winds, before changing to the strangest of blends.
Gold and silver. Red and green. Lions and snakes.
"For the first time in Hogwarts history...", the old man declared, "...Gryffindor and Slytherin both win the House Cup!"
No one knew what to expect from this revelation, least of all Dumbledore or the other teachers.
His gamble was met with the loudest, most thunderous applause, perhaps maybe ever. Minus some grumpy holdouts in Slytherin and Ravenclaw, most of the student body exploded into celebrations, cheering as if their lives depended on it. Harry. Marley. Ron. Hermione. Draco. Neville, who had put himself together again. Sam. Fred and George. Hagrid. Even McGonagall and Snape nodded towards their counterparts.
As all of their funny little conical hats were tossed upwards, Marley found the combined banners simply beautiful. Would it be impolite to ask Dumbledore to make her one as well?
Harry felt his stomach filling up with a strange sense of melancholy as he watched Hermione be greeted by her parents first, a set of very lovely-looking people embracing their daughter as they stepped through the magic portal at platform 9 3/4. Ron, his older twin siblings, and Percy were next, greeted by their energetic mother and Ron's little sister, who bravely stared at Harry like he was an alien object, before the Weasley family left as well.
"Harry Potter!", Marley announced behind him in a funny voice. He turned towards her with a bright smile, a gesture she returned swiftly.
"I have something for you.", she announced first, before handing him the little music cassette with her left arm.
"Is that Madonna?"
Surprisingly, a frown appeared on the girl.
"No. Professor Dumbledore... borrowed it for the summer.", she spoke with venom, though swallowed her pride right after in order to be bright and happy again, "This is Jackson Five. Since you said you never heard it before."
He admired the item for a brief moment, stroking it gently as he smiled back at the Slytherin, perhaps for a moment too long. She however was forced to break off eye contact, staring over his shoulder at something else instead.
"Why is that grumpy old man looking at you?"
Harry turned in the direction of her stare, finding an annoyed Vernon tapping his watch as his glare grew more intense.
"Right. That's my uncle. Means I got to go.", he announced, sounding disappointed. Not knowing as to how he should adequately say goodbye to her, Marley luckily just hugged him again, this time far softer and slower, rubbing his back as her calm breath sounded in his ear.
They separated again and Marley sighed.
"I'll miss you a lot. Like, a whole lot.", she admitted.
"I'll miss you too. I'll miss everything about Hogwarts.", he responded.
She watched as his uncle grew comically impatient in the back.
"It's just for the summer though, right? That doesn't sound too bad."
In a show of compassion, that optimism that Harry once gifted to the girl months ago was returned to the boy, both smiling like dorks for a few moments longer.
Vernon looked annoyed as he slammed the car door leading to the driver's seat, Harry buckled in the back, thank God.
"London traffic is a nightmare.", the old man mumbled before giving Harry an intrusive stare through the rearview mirror, "What you go there, boy?", he asked, referring to the tape Harry was still holding on to.
"Uh... Jackson Five?", Harry answered, not the least surprised to find his relatives still as overtly unfriendly as they had been in the years before.
That is until now at least, Vernon's eyes widening as he heard his answer.
"Gimme that!", he barked, though Harry found himself intrigued enough to hand the cassette tape over.
In the most baffling of revelations, even more than that of the Wizarding World, he saw his uncle chuckle.
"Jackson Five... I used to listen to that sort of thing when I was younger."
Like the flick of a switch, the man with a moustache morphed back to his grimace.
"Not a word of this to your aunt. Understood?"
Harry nodded frantically, holding back his own joy at the fact that Vernon put in the tape in his car radio, hitting play.
Who on Earth is that girl Marley Verpe that she can make Vernon Dursley excited?
Cue "Standing in the Shadows of Love" by Jackson Five
AUTHOR'S NOTE: And so, the Philosopher's Stone portion of the story comes to an end. What a ride.
I'd like to take the opportunity to state here that this story is not stolen or reuploaded. If you do find this very smiliar to a pre-existing fic, that is most likely because this isn't the most original of premises. There will be some overlaps.
Regardless of that, I thoroughly enjoyed it thus far. Revisiting this story again from a new angle, with a new character I've grown very much attached to, has been very rewarding. I'll be taking a short break before getting back into Chamber of Secrets, though it won't be too long.
If there's anything else you'd like to know or ask, feel free to go ahead. If nothing else - Happy Pride Month! :D