The 11 year old pushed open another door, revealing a set of stairs. Ember walks down the stairs slowly. Halfway down, she winces, feeling her mark burning, and sees Professor Quirrell standing before the Mirror of Erised. "You?" she gaped, shocked and Quirrell turned to face her "No. I-it can't be. Snape, h-he was the one…"

"Yes. He does seem the type, doesn't he? Next to me, who would suspect, 'p-p-poor s-stuttering Professor Quirrell?'" Quirrel said, in a mock stammer.

"His injury at Halloween…he was trying to stop you", Ember breathed, everything suddenly making sense. His hurt leg…the potions bottle challenge she'd skipped…he was on of the protectors of the stone "And my broom, he really was trying to save me, wasn't he?"

"I would've succeeded too, if Snape's cloak hadn't caught fire", Quirrel remarked, annoyance flashing across his face as he recalled his failure "after my little stunt at Halloween and my attempt to kill you, he rarely left me alone" the wizard turned back to the mirror and Ember winced, her mark hurting once more "But he doesn't understand. I'm never alone. Never" he turned the mirror, staring at his reflection "Now, what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the stone. But how do I get it?"

"Use the girl" a rasping voice called seemingly from nowhere. Ember looks around, wondering where the voice is coming from.

The wizard turned to her again "Come here, Potter. Now!" he ordered. Ember's jaw clenched but she walked down the stairs anyway, stopping next to him. "Tell me... what do you see?" Ember looks into the mirror and this time she only saw her reflection. Then her reflection reached into her pocket and pulled a red stone out. She winked and puts it back. Very subtly, Ember reaches to her pocket and felt a lump. She gasped. "What is it?" Quirrell pressed "what did you see?"

The ginger looked at him, then back at the mirror, determined not to let him know that she has the Stone "I-I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup", she replied.

"She lies"

"Tell the truth! What do you see?!" Quirrell shouted, angrily.

"No!" Ember shot back, barely having flinched at the loudness of his voice.

"Let me speak to her"

"Master, you are not strong enough", Quirrell said as Ember backed away a little.

"I have strength enough for this"

Quirrell turned his back to the mirror and starts unwrapping his turban. Ember glanced over at the stairs, considering whether or not to make a break for it. She decided against it, for the moment. It was a big mistake for when the entire purple cloth is removed, it reveals a snakelike face with red eyes. "Ember Potter, we meet again", he rasped.

"Voldemort", Ember whispered, eyes wide.

"Yes", Voldemort said "You see what I have become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another. A mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own. But there is something that can. Something, that conveniently enough, lies in your pocket!" Ember spun around, darting for the stairs. "Stop her!" Voldemort ordered. Quirrell snapped his fingers and fire erupts all around the room. Ember didn't stop though, knowing she could pass through it safely. She got within mere inches when the fire suddenly flared up, throwing her backward. The ginger yelped as she tumbled down the stairs. "Don't be a fool! Why suffer a horrific death when you can join me and live?!" Voldemort said when the ginger eased herself up, wincing a little.

"Never!" she shouted.

Voldemort laughed "Bravery. Your parents had it too. Tell me, Ember, would you like to see your mother and father again? Together, we can bring them back" Lily's face with whom she would assume was her father, James, appeared in the mirror "All I ask for is something in return" the ginger pulled the Stone from her pocket "That's it, Ember. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the stone!"

Ember looked at her parents, her hand tightening around the stone. There was no way she was working with the wizard responsible for her parents deaths. "You liar!" she shouted.

"Kill her!" Voldemort ordered. Before hybrid could do anything, Quirrell soars into the air and grabs hold of Ember with one hand on her throat. They fall to the steps, causing her to drop the stone. The 11 year old gasped, struggling to breathe. She reached up and grabbed Quirrell's hand, planning on trying to pry it away from her neck when smoke suddenly smoke furled from under her hand.

He cried, releasing the girl and backing away. Ember got to her feet, glancing at her hands and then up at Quirrell, noting his hand starting to crumble into dust. "What is this magic?" he exclaimed.

"Fool! Get the stone!" Voldemort shouted. The dark wizard walked toward her but ginger quickly closed the gap, shoving her hands on his face, causing Quirrell to scream in pain. She watched him back away, his face cracked and crumbling. He then staggered forward, arm outstretched but his entire body crumbled away into dust and ash.

Ember walked over to the Philosopher's Stone and picked it up. She straightened up and turned around in time to see some sort of dust cloud rise up from Quirrell's body behind her. She screamed as it, now with Voldemort's face, rushed towards her. It flew through the girl and she promptly collapsed.

When she woke, Ember found herself once again in the hospital wing. The first thing she saw was Felix. He meowed and nudged her hand. "Hey buddy", she said softly, sitting up and drawing the kitten into her arms.

"Good afternoon, Ember", Dumbledore greeted, approaching the bed.

"Professor?" the hybrid blinked, surprised to see him. For one thing he was at the Ministry and for another, she'd asked Hermione to send word to Azalea instead of the headmaster. "I-I thought you were at the Ministry".

"I was", Dumbledore confirmed "but as soon as I arrived, I realised that Hogwarts was where I needed to be. I came back in time to discover that you'd found the Philosopher's Stone; beaten Professor Quirrell and was taken here by your aunt".

"Where is my aunt?" Ember asked.

"She's speaking with Professor Snape. Should be back soon", the wizard answered "Ah. Tokens from your admirers", he added, noting the sweets and cards that she had.

"Admirers?" Ember repeated, now noticing the gifts that had been left on the table at the end of the bed.

"What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows" he and Ember both smiled "Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs". Dumbledore picked up an opened chocolate frog box.

"Ron is not my friend", the hybrid gritted out and Felix meowed in agreement "he'll never be my friend".

The wizard gave her a quizzical look "why ever not Ember?" he enquired "he's nice boy".

"A nice boy?" Ember scoffed "mocking my best friend because she's able to cast a spell first time with zero issues, is not what I call a 'nice boy'".

"Oh, I'm sure he meant nothing by it. Harmless teasing", Dumbledore assured her which only served to rile her up even more.

"Harmless teasing?" she repeated "Harmless teasing?!" her eyes flickered red gold, which unnerved the wizard somewhat. Her kitten gave a warning growl at Dumbledore, sensing his mistress' rising anger toward the headmaster.

"You best step outside", Azalea suggested, entering the Hospital Wing to see her niece awake and looking somewhat angry. She could only imagine what that old goat had said in order to set her off but she knew that if he kept at it, it wasn't going to be pretty. "Let her rest".

Dumbledore nods "very well", he agreed "I'll see you at the end of term feast and please, consider befriending Mr Weasley. He's a good ally to have" and with that he left.

"In a parallel universe maybe", Ember muttered, earning a smirk from her aunt.

"You're standing firm against Dumblegit", Azalea remarked, approaching her niece's bed.

"I was just telling him how it is, that's all", the 11 year old defended.

"Still, it's good to see you're not…rolling over, as it were", her aunt comments, sitting down on the edge of the bed "he may be the headmaster but he does not have your best interests at heart".

"What do you mean?" Ember questioned.

"He wanted you to find the stone", Azalea replied.

"But…why?" the girl pressed "why go through all that effort to hide the stone…to protect it, if he wanted me to find it".

"My guess, he wanted you to use your gifts. To start to develop them so he can eventually use them for his own gains", the older hybrid explained "he tried a similar tactic with my sister and I when he were here. The thing he didn't realise is that we both could see through him…through his attempts. You, I'm afraid, through his interference ended up with our rather unsavoury sister so you grew up unaware of well…everything. For that I'm really sorry".

The 11 year old frowned "Sorry?" she repeats "why are you sorry? Its not your fault I was stuck with those damned Dursleys for 11 years".

"Actually…I came to Privet Drive the night Dumbledore left you at their door", Azalea confessed "I very nearly took you away but I decided against it. I thought it was best if you grew up away all the fame. In hindsight, I should've brought you home with me. In fact, I'd like to rectify that now. What would you say if I asked you to come live with me?"

The hybrid stared at her aunt "A-are you serious? I don't have to live with the Dursleys anymore?"

Azaela shook her head "not if you don't want to", she replied.

"No, I don't. I really, really don't", Ember admitted.

"Well, then. That's settled", Azaela proclaimed "no more living with my dreadful sister and her ghastly husband and son". The 11 year old let out an excited noise and hugged the witch which made Felix protest at being squished. He wriggled out between the two hybrids, grumbling as he plonked himself down at the end of the bed.

"How's Peter?" Ember questioned, finally realising that he wasn't present and neither was Hermione "and Hermione?"

"Hermione is perfectly fine, not a scratch on her", her aunt assured her "as for Peter, he's a bit banged up but he doesn't have a concussion thankfully".

"That's good to hear", the 11 year old remarked, relived to hear that her friends were fine, even Peter who'd been knocked unconscious "so…what happened to the stone?" the hybrid enquired "did Dumbledore get his mitts on it?"

Azalea shook her head "thankfully no. I've been in touch with Nicholas and after a lengthy discussion, he's decided that the stone should be destroyed".

"But…if it gets destroyed, he won't have anyway to make that elixir thing…he'll die", Ember stated, wondering if it was the best decision.

"I'm afraid he will but ultimately it was for the best. The wrong people already tried to get their hands on it once and they certainly would try again if the stone continued to exist", Azalea explained but then she winked, making her niece give her a quizzical look. The older witch tapped her ear and pointed to the door. Ember nods, understanding. Her aunt didn't want to tell her the truth lest it be overheard by a nosy peacock.

"With the stone now gone does that mean Voldemort can never come back?" the ginger asked, really hoping that was the case. She dreaded the thought of going up against the dark wizard for a second time.

"Unfortunately, there ARE other ways that he could return", Azalea confessed "if one were motivated enough to find them which he most certainly is".

"So…we can expect him to return", Ember shuddered "great".

Her aunt placed a hand on her shoulder "It's going to be ok Ember", she said softly "there's plenty of people who are going to look out for you, both inside and outside of school. He's not going to get anywhere near you ever again".

Ember gave her a small smile, grateful for her mother's sister. "Thank you", she whispered "I very much doubt whatever I'd done to him this time will work next time", she added, glancing down at her hands "though…what did I do?" she questioned, looking up at Azalea "I didn't feel like I'd done anything and yet when I touched him…his skin burned and crumbled away".

"I think we have Lily to thank for that", her aunt surmised "she loved you so much and when she sacrificed herself to protect you all those years ago that created a special kind of magic. Thats what saved you then and its what saved you now".

"Love saved me?" Ember raised her brows, incredulous.

"Don't underestimate it", Azalea warned "Love is a very powerful thing…something Voldemort will never understand nor for that matter will a certain headmaster", she added in a lowered voice "and that, my dear niece is what will give us the edge".

~Great Hall~

The next day saw Ember sitting with her friends at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall. Felix was also present too, sitting on the bench next to her. The Great Hall had been decorated with Syltherin Banners as they had the most points.

Dumbledore stood up to address the school "Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus. In fourth place: Gryffindor, with 342 points. In third place: Hufflepuff, with 352 points. Second: Ravenclaw, with 426 points. And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin House!" that got immense cheering from the Slytherin's.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin", Dumbledore said after they've quietened down "However, recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last minute points to award. To Mr Peter Parker both his unwavering loyalty for his friends, irrespective of their house AND for the best game of chess Hogwarts has seen these many years…50" that got applause from everyone, including several loud cheers from the Ravenclaws since it put them 4 points above Slytherin. Ember glanced over at the delighted third year. 'Thank you', she mouthed and the brunet nods. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool intellect when others were in great peril, 50 points". Everyone clapped for that too.

Ember patted her on the shoulder "Good job", she said and the curly haired witch smiled with pride. "And Second, to Miss Ember Potter for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 80 points" that got a lot of cheers from the Gryffindor table.

"We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione announced getting a grin from the hybrid.

"And finally, I award 20 points to Neville Longbottom for his display of loyalty and bravery". The boy in question sat there in disbelief at the fact that he managed to get points for his house. "Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of direction is in order" Dumbledore claps his hands. The green banners change to Gryffindor red and yellow "Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"

The entire Great Hall exploded with cheers. Every single student jumped up and threw their hats into the air. Ember hugged Hermione happily, laughing and smiling. "Sorry Felix", she said apologetically when he complained about being squished between the two of them.

~train station~

"Come on now, hurry up. You'll be late. Train's leaving. Go on. Go on. Come on. Hurry up", Hagrid said to all those who'd not gotten onto the train yet. Ember hands Hedwig over to one of the people loading the luggage on board the Hogwarts Express. She walked over to an open door where Hermione was standing. The wavy haired witch waved at Hagrid, who waved back. She then boarded the train.

"You coming?" she asked Ember.

"One minute", the hybrid replied "could you look after Felix for me?"

"Sure", Hermione answered. The ginger picked up the kitten and deposited him into her arms before walking towards Hagrid.

"Thought you were leaving without saying good-bye, didja?" he took out a red album from his coat pocket and hands it to Ember "This is for you".

Ember opens the album and sees a picture of her as a baby with her parents. They are all smiling and waving at him. Ember smiles. "Thanks, Hagrid", he said shaking Hagrid's hand before hugging him tightly.

"Oh. Go on...on with you" Hagrid lets Ember go "Oh, listen, Ember, if that dolt of a cousin of yours, Dudley, gives you any grief, you could always, um…threaten him with a nice pair of ears to go with that tail of his".

Ember frowned "But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do magic away from Hogwarts. You know that", she reminded him.

"I do. But your cousin don't, do he? Eh?" Hagrid chuckled "Off you go". Ember gave him one last smile before he re-joined Hermione at the train door.

"Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" she asked her.

"I'm not going home. Not really", Ember said. Number 4 Privet Drive wasn't her home anymore. No, that distinction belongs to both Azalea's house AND Hogwarts. Truth be told, despite what she'd been through, she couldn't wait for her second year to begin.