The Sorcerers Stone (Part 2)
I don't own Harry Potter, Girl Meets World, the MCU, or anything else you recognize!
The holidays were over and soon the castle was flooded with her students again. Exams were approaching quicker than any of them would have liked, and many late nights found Thea studying in the common room when everyone else had long since gone to bed. It was here Harry found her one night, jolting himself awake after nightmare that ended in a flash of green light and a wicked cackle.
"Oh, uh, sorry, I didn't think-"
"Anyone else would be up?" Thea closed her book with a sigh "I shouldn't be, really. But we have a review in charms tomorrow I want to have down. What are you doing up?"
Harry blushed, he didn't really want to tell anyone about the nightmares the had plagued him since finding the Mirror of Erised "Just couldn't sleep." He offered, lamely.
"Mm-hmm?" Thea gave him a look "Something on your mind?"
"It's nothing to bother you with."
"Please, bother me." Thea pointed him to the couch "What's up?"
Harry conceded and sat down "It's just- I've just been-" He tried and failed to start several times.
"Does this have something to do with your nighttime adventures over the break?" Thea guessed.
"How did you-?"
"I know everything." Thea shrugged "No, you ran right past me on Christmas, do you know anyone else who could get through the portrait hole completely invisible?"
"Uhh..."
"You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. But sometimes talking helps."
Harry fidgeted, picking at the arm of his chair "Just dreams." He finally sighed.
"Wizard's dreams are an interesting phenomenon." Thea hummed when he didn't continue "Sometimes they can tell you things."
Harry glanced up.
"Not necessarily the foretelling the future stuff Trelawny teaches," She amended quickly "but they can mean things, even muggles think so."
"Like what?"
"Well, they can give insights into your anxieties, your fears." Thea got up and pulled a book from a nearby table "Or, in some cases, glimpses of important things, especially with wizards. If muggles get dreams like that, of magic, they just think they're dreams. But we know magic can do impossible things."
Harry took the book, already opened to a chapter titled 'Hypnos's Gift' and started thumbing through it.
"It's not a very thorough study unfortunately," Thea pouted "most wizards think it's nonsense so they don't bother to study it, or to fund the people who do study it."
"Thanks." Harry ran his fingers over the illustrations, the little people wiggling on the page.
"Don't mention it."
"No, really, thank you." Harry looked up "I'd never have thought-"
Thea stopped him, looking uncomfortable "Seriously, it's no problem, Harry. I'm always happy to help. Did you hear Oliver's upping practice to four night a week now?"
The change of subject was lightning quick "Uh, yeah, weather's gonna be horrible though."
"Ugh, I know." Thea rolled her eyes "He's desperate to win this year, so he's practicing like mad. You know he tried to ask if we could get special permission to practice past curfew?"
"No way." Harry groaned, with all the homework he had and exams coming up on top of the nightmares, adding in extra late quidditch practice would mean he'd never sleep again.
"Yeah," Thea laughed at his horrified expression "Don't worry, McGonagall shot that down before he got two words out. Oliver probably would've argued, but Madam Pomfrey said she's short on pepper-up as it is, she doesn't need the whole team working ourselves sick. Not even Wood will argue with her."
Harry laughed, the matron was a formidable foe, running her hospital wing with an iron fist. He had no desire to get on her bad side, and Wood seemed to be of the same mind.
Thea flashed him a smile "You should try and get a few more hours of sleep." She told him "And so should I."
Harry nodded, feeling a bit more settled after the conversation "Uh, can I-?"
"It's yours." Thea nodded, standing up "I dropped Divination so I don't need it anymore. Good night, Harry."
"Night." Harry looked back at the book in his lap, he probably wouldn't be getting any more sleep tonight, and started to read.
Finding out Snape would be refereeing the next quidditch match, Gryffindor verses Hufflepuff made for a very stressful few weeks. Oliver was working the team into the ground with endless practices and would corner them between classes to talk strategy.
Fred slumped down next to Thea and George in transfiguration one day.
"You're both traitors, you know that?" He grouched "I had to threaten to jinx Wood's head to the quaffle to get him to leave me alone."
Thea scoffed "Just because we made it to the secret passage before you?"
"I know you saw him coming and didn't warn me, traitors."
George thumped his brother on the shoulder "You were a sacrifice we were willing to make. Thank you for your service."
Fred grumbled incoherently.
"What's Oliver's latest scheme for the match?" Thea asked "Is he still convinced Harry can learn the Wronski faint in three days?"
"He wants the chasers to nail the thimblerig shuffle by tomorrow night too."
"Is he mad?" George gasped "What's he thinking?"
"No one can perfect those maneuvers in one practice." Thea groaned, burying her face in her hands "Are we sure I can't stun him? Just a little bit?"
"As therapeutic as it may be," Professor McGonagall came up behind them making them all jump "To stupefy Mr. Wood, Gryffindor needs her team captain if we have a hope of winning."
Thea laughed "Just kidding, Professor. No stunning, I promise."
Professor McGonagall cracked a smile "Very well, I shall hold you to that. And you'll be glad to know, Professor Dumbledore is planning to attend the match. If nothing else, he will ensure that Professor Snape does not tip the scales in Hufflepuff's favor."
"He is?" George yelped, dropping his quill "That's great!"
"Indeed." McGonagall's eyes sparkled "Though I still expect you to play your best. This is the first year since Charlie Weasley graduated we've had a real chance at winning the quidditch cup."
"Of course." Fred nodded excitedly "We'll beat Slytherin, Professor. Don't worry."
"I won't. Now, let me see you change your quills into spoons."
The match didn't even last five minutes. Harry had spotted the snitch hovering under Snape's knee and looped him, catching it before anyone could blink. It had to be a record of some kind, the fastest quidditch match ever played at Hogwarts.
Thea was cheering, hugging Angelina and Katie as they jumped up and down. Fred and George had been caught by a sobbing Wood as he clung to their shoulders. Dumbledore patted Harry's shoulder and congratulated him, while Snape fumed, spitting at anyone who dared get near him.
The Gryffindor team changed out of their scarlet and gold robes and moved the party up to the common room. Fred, George, and Thea raided the kitchens for cakes and gallons of pumpkin juice. Harry had lagged behind, disappearing for a while before he joined the celebration.
"We won! You won! We won!" Ron was cheering as Harry finally made his way through the portrait hole "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold, but Madame Pomfrey says he'll be all right. Talk about showing Slytherin! Come on, Fred, George and Thea nicked some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."
"Never mind that now, let's find an empty room. Wait until you hear this." Harry pulled Ron and Hermione out of the crowded common room.
He filled them in on how he'd spotted Snape sneaking into the Forbidden Forest, threatening Professor Quirrell about the Sorcerer's Stone.
"You mean, the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Hermione gasped.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron groaned, burying his face in his hands "What're we gonna do?"
Harry shrugged helplessly "I don't know. What can we do?"
"We could go to Dumbledore!" Hermione suggested.
"No, Hagrid says Dumbledore trusts Snape. Why'd he believe us over him?" Ron shook his head "All Snape'd have to say is he doesn't know what we're talking about. We'd just be giving up our only advantage if we did that."
"What advantage?"
"Snape doesn't know we know." Ron explained "He doesn't know Harry followed him after the match. As far as he's concerned, the only person who knows he's after the stone is Quirrell."
"So what do we do?" Harry asked.
"We need help." Hermione insisted "If not Dumbledore, then McGonagall! Or Flitwick! I read he was an expert duelist, he could help."
"No, the teachers would take it straight to Dumbledore." Ron shook his head "We need someone who doesn't report to him."
"A prefect?"
"Same problem, they'd go to their head of house or straight to Dumbledore."
"Well, who do you suggest then?" Hermione fumed.
"We need someone we know we can trust, who can help us figure this out." Ron closed his eyes "Someone who isn't afraid of causing a little trouble."
"So, you're telling me there's a special rock in the basement that makes you immortal and Snape is threatening Professor Quirrell to get past whatever protection he put up so he can steal it?"
"That about sums it up." Ron nodded.
"Merlin's beard." Thea rubbed her temples tiredly "Not that I don't believe you, but how do you guys know this? What's your proof?"
It had been a few days since the match, Fred and George were in detention and this was the first chance the trio had to talk to Thea alone. They'd given her the run down in the unused classroom they were huddled away in.
"I saw Snape and Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest after the match." Harry explained "Snape was threatening him!"
"I believe you, Harry, but that's not gonna hold up. We need concrete evidence that Snape is planning to steal that rock."
"It's a stone." Hermione corrected "The Sorcerer's Stone."
"I'm gonna keep calling it that rock." Thea sighed "It's less obvious. Okay, let me think."
She started pacing back and forth, feeling the first years eyes follow her from one wall to the other. They needed proof before they could go to Dumbledore and accuse Snape. What would Topanga do?
"All right, I'm going to go write some letters, see if we can't get an experts advice on this hypothetical situation." Thea pointed at the kids "You three are going to the library, see if you can find any books on wizarding law and we'll meet up in a few hours."
Hermione jumped up eagerly, glad to have the beginnings of a real plan "I can get those books Professor Sprout recommended we read before exams too."
"Right, exams." Thea froze, looking back at them, halfway out the door "You guys worry about those first. Education is important and all that. Do some homework while you're in the library, it'll make you look less suspicious."
They found Hagrid in the library, looking shifty as he tried to hide a book from their view. After a suspicious conversation, which Hagrid ended abruptly with an invite back to his little hut.
"What was he doing?" Hermione wondered, watching him lumber away between the bookshelves "And what was he hiding behind his back?"
Ron pulled a book from the shelf "No idea." He had learned sarcasm from Thea very early on "I'll go see what section he was in."
Harry and Hermione got to work, scanning the shelves for anything that might be of any help. Ron came back with a large stack of books that he dropped on the table, making Madame Pince shoot them an icy glare.
"Dragons." He whispered furiously "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons. Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, a Dragonkeeper's Guide."
"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon." Harry mused "He told me so the first time I ever met him."
"But it's against our laws, dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlock's Convention of 1709, everyone knows that." Ron said like it was obvious "It's hard to stop muggles noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden- anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."
Harry frowned "But there aren't any wild dragons in Britain?"
"Course there are, Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a time hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."
"So what on Earth is Hagrid up to?" Hermione wondered "And how did you know all that? We haven't gotten to the Warlock's Convention of 1709 in History of Magic yet."
"Charlie's super into dragons, you can only listen to him and Thea go on about them for so long before you start remembering what they're saying." Ron flushed, his cheeks the same flaming red as his hair.
Hermione looked like she wanted to question him further, but Ron buried himself in one of the books, albeit it was upside down.
Thea was pacing the owlery, chewing anxiously on her quill as she tried to figure out how exactly to explain the current situation without incriminating all of them if her letter was intercepted.
Dear Mom,
Everything you're about to read is totally hypothetical.
Say, there was a valuable rock, maybe hidden somewhere at Hogwarts. And maybe it's protected by lots of powerful magic but there's someone in a position of power potentially looking to steal it? There might be a witness to them threatening another authority figure who helped protect this imaginary special rock, but they're a literal child. How might one, hypothetically go about proving the guilt of the threatener and what kind of evidence would one potentially need to get a conviction in Wizarding Court?
I really hope this mess makes sense. Please don't panic, everything is fine (I think).
I miss you guys, give Dad and Auggie my love, and tell Riley I hope middle school is going well.
Love,
Thea
Yeah, that would have to do. Thea whistled, calling Iris down to perch in front of her so she could tie the letter to her leg.
"Take this to Mom, fast, okay girl?" She gently stroked the bird's feathers "Don't leave without a reply."
Iris cooed and took off out the window. Thea watched her soar away until she disappeared into the clouds. Taking a deep breath, she turned and made her way down to the Great Hall for dinner.
If Fred and George noticed her preoccupation, they didn't comment on it. It wasn't unusual for Thea to get quieter the closer they got to exams, her mind was often swimming with information. They let her stew in her thoughts through dinner, piling extra shepherds pie on her plate just in case.
But when, several hours later, she was still in a trance, Fred had to ask.
"What gives?" He dropped down on the sofa next to his best friend.
George sat down on her other side "You've been out of it for hours. What ails you, dear Althea?"
At least her friends could still make her laugh "I'm fine, guys, really. I'm just...thinking."
"Ah, I am unfamiliar with the idea of thoughts!" Fred laughed "Do enlighten me, oh great thinker!"
"Shut up." Thea shoved him lightly "It's nothing."
"Are you sure? We could help?" George offered.
"Not yet." Thea shook her head "It's too complicated to explain tonight. Can we go back to planning our next prank on Filch? Or is it too late to change it to Snape?"
They plotted a fantastic trick that would hopefully catch both Snape and Filch for several hours until the common room was empty, and Fred and George finally went up to bed too. The portrait swung open and Harry, Ron, and Hermione came in, minutes before curfew.
"He's got a bleeding dragon!" Ron hissed, spotting Thea in her normal spot "Hagrid's got a dragon."
"You say words, but I really don't like them." Thea sighed "Magic rock, Hagrid's dragon obsession, what's next? Mermaid revolution? Give me more information, please."
"Hagrid won a Norwegian Ridgeback egg from a stranger in the Hogs Head." Hermione huffed "He's keeping it and he's going to raise it in his wooden house."
"Never mind, I didn't want to know."
"Too late." Ron grumbled "Thing'll be twenty feet long in less than a month. The Ministry'll go ballistic."
"What do we do?" Hermione groaned "It's illegal, shouldn't we report it?"
"No!" Harry and Ron shot that idea down and started shouting over each other.
"Do you want Hagrid to get fired? We can't report him!"
"Are you mad, woman? Who're we gonna tell? Hagrid's gamekeeper."
"Okay, okay, okay!" Thea clapped her hands, trying desperately to get the first years back under control "Obviously Hagrid can't keep a dragon hidden in his hut for long. Like Hermione said, it's wooden. I'll go down and see him tomorrow and try to talk some sense into him. Norwegian Ridgebacks don't thrive in Scottish climates. Maybe we can spin this as he got the egg and wanted to make sure it was healthy before he turned it over to the authorities."
That plan did not work. Thea tried using facts, she tried bribery, she tried tears. Hagrid would not budge. Then one morning, he sent Harry a note.
It's hatching.
"Oh sweet Merlin." Thea poured herself another cup of tea "I'm too young to have a heart attack."
The dragon was tiny, for now. Barely as long as Hagrid's hand. But he grew quickly, and he seemed to decide that Ron's fingers were his favorite food. Ron wound up in the hospital wing, his hand swollen and bright green.
Harry and Hermione decided to sneak the dragon, christened Norbert, up to the Astronomy tower and hand him off to some of Charlie's friends to take to the sanctuary in Romania. They did not inform Thea of their plan, as she could've told them Dumbledore would know the second the unauthorized visitors entered the grounds. And so, they were caught by Filch, Neville had gotten mixed up in it too, as had Malfoy, and now all four of them had detention and they'd lost Gryffindor 150 points, all in one night.
Thea, Fred, George, and Percy all got stern letters from Mr. Weasley who had somehow managed to keep his wife from hear about it, practically begging them to not let the first years get in any more trouble.
"How is this our fault?" Fred scowled, crumpling up his note and chucking it in the fireplace "I didn't know Hagrid had a dragon, did you?"
Thea carefully avoided eye contact.
These events did seem to put Harry and Hermione off the idea of any more trouble, as they didn't press Thea for any news on the stone or whatever contact she'd written to.
The next few weeks were spent cautiously, Thea doing everything she could to earn Gryffindor some points back, from extra credit to clapping erasers for Flitwick to outright threatening Fred and George that she would put the full body bind curse on them until the end of term if they couldn't behave. Harry, Hermione, and Neville were effectively being shunned by all of their housemates.
They served their detention in the Forbidden Forest, where to no one's surprise, Harry and Malfoy were attacked by a shadowy monster. Malfoy fled, the coward, and Harry was rescued by the centaur Firenze with barely a scratch. Thea nearly marched into Dumbledore's office when she heard that a bunch of first years were set loose in the forest to find a unicorn killer in the dead of night. Percy had to physically tackle her, though he was steaming himself.
"It's ridiculous!" Thea was still fuming almost a week later "It's child endangerment! There is simply no excuse-"
She was thankfully interrupted when Iris dropped a letter on her head. Recognizing her mother's handwriting on the envelope, Thea quickly tore it open.
Dear Thea,
Hypothetical, huh?
I don't buy it, but fine. Those wizarding law books you sent me say there's a few possible options. First, this hypothetical witness could consent to being questioned under a truth serum, in which case they literally couldn't lie. Second, there's a spell to check a witch or wizards wand to see any magic that was performed within a certain period of time. Third, please, please, PLEASE tell a teacher or that headmaster of yours, you are thirteen for goodness sake, this sounds like something an adult should handle. Fourth, if, and only if, it's safe, try to gather more evidence. Try to convinced the authority figure who's being threatened to come forward.
I cannot stress this enough, if by some chance this is not a hypothetical situation and is really happening, do not try to handle this alone. I swear I will write to your headmaster myself if I have to.
We miss you too. Auggie's playing soccer (and he's apparently married to his friend Ava), Riley's life is full of dramatics as usual. Did we tell you she's made a new friend? His name's Lucas, he's from Texas, and Riley has a huge crush on him. Might be the kind of thing sisters would bond over if you want to write to her...
Your father is trying to teach Auggie to play chess with that moving set you got him for Christmas. The pieces keep yelling at your Dad, but they seem to like Auggie. Maybe because he usually wins.
Please write more soon, we love to hear from you. Auggie put in a drawing for you. Keep me updated on whatever hypothetical situation is going down.
Love,
Mom
Val quickly tucked the letter away for safekeeping and unfolded Auggie's drawing. It was a little stick figure boy with curly hair holding hands with a blonde stick figure girl under what appeared to be an alter. Clearly this was the wedding her Mom had mentioned. The Riley figure was in its usual place, in the bottom corner with a rain cloud over her head.
George peaked over her shoulder and laughed "What's happening here?"
"Auggie got married, I guess."
"Isn't he, like five?" Fred wondered.
"It's not an actual marriage." Val laughed "I think they're just pretending. But he's still growing up so fast. I can't believe I missed his wedding."
Their laughter dimmed, Fred and George exchanged a look over Thea's head. She really missed her family, they knew, and she often felt like she was missing everything that happened in their lives.
"You could go home this summer." Fred suggested cautiously "They'd probably like to see you."
Thea hummed noncommittally and quickly changed the subject "Have you gotten your exam schedules yet? I've got Transfiguration first thing tomorrow, but potions isn't until Thursday."
Thea never slept well during exam week. She didn't sleep well usually though, often preferring to curl up in a corner of the common room and rest her eyes. She was often joined by other students come exams, older pupils preparing for their OWLs or NEWTs. Eventually she'd fall asleep, coiled like a cat in an armchair and someone would drape a blanket over her. But once she was asleep, there was little that would rouse her before daylight.
As it was, she did not hear Harry, Ron, and Hermione sneaking out, or the scuffle that ended with Neville in a full body bind curse on the floor. As sunlight started to seep in through the window, and Thea started to stir, poor Neville, who'd been stuck on the unforgiving floor all night started making as much noise as he could.
"Mm-mmph! Mmph!"
"Huh?" Thea rubbed the sleep from her eyes "Who's there?"
"MM-MMPH! MM-MMPH MMPH!"
"Neville? Why are you on the ground?"
"MMMMPPPPHHH!"
Thea fumbled for her wand "Finite incantatem!"
"Harry, Ron, and Hermione snuck out last night!" Neville, finally free, pushed himself up "I tried to stop them, you have to believe me!"
"I believe you, Neville, I believe you." Thea tried to soothe him "What happened? Where were they going?"
"I don't know." Neville groaned miserably "They never came back."
Thea brushed a hand through her hair "Okay, stay calm, Nev. I'm going to Dumbledore, I should've done this ages ago. They went through the third floor corridor, I know it. They should've woken me up, for Merlin's sake!"
She disappeared through the portrait hole, still muttering angrily under her breath, as Neville scrambled to follow her. It was still far too early for anyone else to be awake, so they reached the griffin guarding Dumbledore's office with ease.
"Ice mice!"
It didn't move.
"Damn it, the password changed." Thea cursed, aiming a kick at the food of the statue "Fizzing Wizzbee? Acid pops! Sugar quill! LICORICE WANDS! BATS BLOOD LOLLIES! JUST OPEN YOU BLOODY THING! PEPPERMINT TOADS!"
The griffin hopped aside with a huff and Thea raced up the stairs, pulling Neville behind her. She didn't bother to knock, shoving the doors open so forcefully they crashed against the stone wall.
"Professor? Professor Dumbledore!" She shrieked, sounding more like a banshee than anything else "We need you, Professor!"
Dumbledore appeared, looking rather ruffled with curlers in his beard "Yes, Ms. Matthews, I am here, will you please stop shouting?"
"Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in trouble, they've gone through the third floor corridor, I know I should've told you sooner but they know about the stone and they think Snape's trying to steal it and-" Thea babbled.
"Mr. Weasley, Mr. Potter, and Ms. Granger are in the hospital wing." Dumbledore sounded very tired "They will be fine."
"They're-" Thea was struck dumb "They're in the hospital wing?"
"Yes, they had an unfortunate encounter with Lord Voldemort-"
Neville squeaked in fear.
"VOLDEMORT?!"
"Please, stop shouting." Dumbledore rubbed his ears gingerly "Yes, in their adventure last night Mr. Potter once again ran afoul of Lord Voldemort, who was concealing himself on the back of Professor Quirrell's head."
Val suddenly remembered how she, Fred, and George had enchanted snowballs to bounce off the back of Professor Quirrell's turban and let out a noise somewhere between a wheezing laugh and a horrified warble.
"Ms. Matthews?"
"It's fine, it's fine. Everything's fine. Did he get the rock?"
"Yes, well, Mr. Potter was able to- the rock?"
"Stone, rock, whatever!" Thea threw up her hands "What happened?"
"I'm afraid I only got Ms. Granger's account last night, Mr. Weasley was unconscious when I returned and Mr. Potter put up quite a fight and has yet to awaken, they're all resting now." Professor Dumbledore sighed, looking forlornly back at where his own bed surely waited "As I rather wish I was. I suppose there's no chance of me going back to sleep?"
"I'd say I'm sorry, but we both know I'm not." Thea didn't look the least bit ashamed, in fact she looked even angrier if that was possible "Did you know this whole time? That they were planning to try to get down there themselves? Because if you did I swear to Merlin-"
"I did not know, Ms. Matthews." Professor Dumbledore gently pushed her into a chair "Have a rock cake, Hagrid sent a bundle."
Thea, almost unconsciously took a bite, effectively gluing her own mouth shut.
"Ah, finally. As I was saying, the stone has been destroyed and Voldemort is no longer on school grounds. Misters Potter and Weasley and Ms. Granger will all make a full recovery. I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will allow you to see them once we reach a decent hour." He clapped his hands "Preferably after breakfast. Though perhaps you should change from your pajamas first?"
To her credit, Thea didn't blush, but Neville did. He'd been standing awkwardly by the door as Thea raged, trying to become one with the wall. Realizing that they were both barefoot and dressed in pajamas he started trying to shuffle out of the room without notice.
"Mr. Longbottom." Dumbledore spotted him "Do have a lemon drop before you go. You needn't worry, you're in no trouble."
Neville took a candy from the bowl before he fled the office. Thea had the decency to look slightly guilty, but that quickly faded as she tried to unstick her jaw.
"They're all okay though?" She asked shakily, finally prying her teeth apart "No one was hurt?"
"Apart from Professor Quirrell who's body could not handle the strain when Voldemort left him, they are all fine."
"Good, that's good." Thea took a deep breath "Why in the name of Lady Magic would you put that stupid rock in a school? There are children here, you know? You put everyone in danger, and for what? What was the point?"
"I have my reasons, Ms. Matthews. I do know what I'm doing, I've been headmaster here long enough. I do not have to explain myself to you." Dumbledore was getting a little fed up it seemed "It is still far too early for this conversation. If I agree to let you rant at me during daytime hours, may we perhaps go back to sleep?"
"...Did you really think that was gonna work?"
"Allow an old man hope."
Hermione had escaped with only scratches thankfully. Ron awoke the next day to a furious Thea at his bedside, Madam Pomfrey had to threaten to ban her from the hospital wing before she calmed down. It took Harry three days to wake up, and then another before Madam Pomfrey allowed anyone but Dumbledore in to see him.
Ron had been chewed out by Thea, Percy, Fred and George and thus knew what was coming when Thea pushed through the infirmary doors.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"Ms. Matthews!"
"Sorry, Madam Pomfrey." Thea lowered her voice "What the hell were you thinking? You should've woken me up, I could've helped. You should never have gone down there alone."
"I wasn't alone." Harry protested.
"Three first years do not a wizard make!" Thea hissed "It was reckless and stupid and dangerous and I'm very glad you're all okay, but if you ever pull a stunt like that again, I swear-"
"I'm sorry." Harry looked thoroughly chastened "We just thought..."
"I know." Thea took a calming breath "I know you thought you were doing the right thing, but you absolutely cannot pull a stunt like that again. I am too young to be going gray. You kids are gonna kill me faster than Voldemort for those snowballs."
"'You kids?' Ron scoffed "You sound like Mum."
"Speaking of your mother," Thea turned a thunderous face to her surrogate little brother "She sent you a letter. It was delivered this morning."
"Uh..."
"Yeah, have fun with that." Thea thrust the letter at him "I'm surprised it's not a howler."
Harry had to laugh as Ron cautiously pried the letter open like it was about to eat him.
Harry was thankfully allowed to attend the end of year feast, and Dumbledore, to their great surprise, awarded him, Ron, and Hermione 50 points apiece and then Neville ten, winning Gryffindor the house cup.
"And finally, to Ms. Althea Matthews, for her determination and spirit in defense of her loved ones, and locked doors, I award Gryffindor house twenty points!"
Thea buried her face in Fred's shoulder to hid her laughter, she hadn't even realized the office doors had been locked when she burst through them.
"Which means," Dumbledore raised his hands "We are in need of a change of decorations!"
The green and silver banners became scarlet and gold, the snakes changing into lions in the blink of an eye. The Great Hall exploded as the Gryffindors whooped and cheered, their joy carrying them through the end of term feast.
Exam results came, Thea and Hermione had the best marks of their respective years. Harry and Ron did surprisingly well, likely thanks to the two girls, and even Fred and George managed to scrape by. Before Harry knew it, his trunk was packed and the first years were being ferried across the lake to the Hogwarts Express.
Harry wasn't thrilled to be returning to the Dursleys, but Ron and Thea had insisted that he would come and stay with them, giving him something to look forward to. They all promised to write, and Thea warned him teasingly that he'd better respond or she'd come to Privet Drive herself. The thought of Thea knocking down the Dursley's door was almost enough to make Harry consider not writing, just to see what would happen.
Their first year at Hogwarts was over, but their adventures were just beginning. Thea had been right, the year certainly hadn't been calm, and it wouldn't be again for quite some time.
Word count:5514 words
So sorry for the wait y'all, life's been kicking my butt. I could go into it, but I'm finishing this chapter at 1am and I'm tired. Enjoy! Please don't forget to comment, vote, and add to your reading lists! #FreePalestine🍉🍉🍉
Love,
The Author