Chapter 19: Saying Goodbye
For the next three days, we had to deal with the fact that everyone bloody well knew (well thought they knew) what happened, and that Harry was still in the hospital wing.
Dumbledore had found him passed out in a chamber where he had moved the mirror. He had a fee injuries, but he had hit his head very hard, and Madam Pomfrey kept him under to monitor his brain activity. Apparently. He had been through a lot, thought no one would tell us what.
We sat outside the hospital wing waiting to be let in. Dumbledore had came to us and told us we could visit him. When Pomfrey let us in, we ran up to him, happy to see him alive
"Harry!" Hermione yelled happily about to hug him, but hesitated. "Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to... Dumbledore was so worried!"
"The whole school's talking about it." I said. "What really happened?"
"Well, for starters, it wasn't Snape." said Harry.
I was confused. "Wasn't Snape? Who the bloody hell-"
"It was Quirrell!"
Hermione and I looked at Harry in awe.
"You are joking!"
"No! It really was, and remember how we would always try to guess what was under that turban and Ron, you said it was probably a face of his mum or something?"
"That was a horrible game you two would play." said Hermione.
"Well Ron, you were right. It was a face. Voldemort's to be exact."
We couldn't believe what he was saying. He wen on to tell how Quirrell had let the troll in on Halloween and how he was the one that was responsible for almost killing him at the first Quidditch game. And in fact, Snape was trying to save him by muttering a counter curse. He told us how he looked in the Mirror of Erised and seen himself holding the Stone, and it ended up in his pocket. He talked about seeing You Know Who, and how when he touched Quirrell, he sort of disintegrated.
He also told us how Dumbledore told Stone was going to be destroyed.
"So the Stone's gone?" I said when Harry was finished. "Flamel's just going to die ?"
"That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that...what was it? 'To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.'"
"I always said he was off his rocker." I said, laughing. He may be mental, but I really liked that man.
"So what happened to you two?" said Harry.
"Well, I got back all right." said Hermione. "I brought Ron round, that took a while. We made it out and I took him to the hospital wing. And I went dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when I met him in the entrance hall. He already knew! He just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the third floor."
"D'you think he meant you to do it?" I asked. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"
"Well," Hermione said crossly. "if he did, I mean to say that's terrible! You could have been killed."
"No, it isn't," said Harry, shaking his head. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taught us enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..."
"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right." I said, proudly. This man was a hoot!
"Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course, you missed the last Quidditch match. We were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you, but the food will be good."
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.
"You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT" she said firmly.
The end of the year feast looked to be a depressing affair. Nothing but bloody green and silver all around to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table.
How in the hell did those evil and mean gits do it? Especially with Malfoy being in their house.
Harry walked in and the room started chattering wildly. He sat down in between us and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at him.
Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later, quieting the room.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts...
"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Harry could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight. I refused to clap for them.
"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin." said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went instantly quiet. The Slytherins' smiles faded.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes...
"First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."
I was shocked to hear my name. My brother gave me a look of confusion, and I know my face had to be tomato red.
"... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percy, who hardly even acknowledged me as his brother for the whole school year was telling the other prefects "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"
I felt proud of myself. A feeling that was very foreign to me. Fred and George gave me pats on the back and Harry and Hermione cheered the loudest.
It felt good to be appreciated.
"Second - to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Hermione buried her face in her arms. "That's my best mate!" I yelled, giving her a pat on the back and cheering along with Harry and the other Gryffindors. Hermione peeked up, eyes red from crying.
"Third - to Mr. Harry Potter... " said Dumbledore. The room went deathly quiet. "... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
The table cheered even louder. Harry simply blushed and sat there, a huge grin plastered on his face. Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points, exactly the same as Slytherin. We had tied for the house cup! If only Dumbledore had given Harry just one more point.
Dumbledore raised his hand. The room gradually fell silent.
"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
The entire table cheered so loudly, i bet they heard us all the way at Hogsmeade station. Neville sat there looking dumbfounded at all the cheers he was getting and hugs. Harry, still cheering, nudged me in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him.
Sweet sweet victory!
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."
He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. All but Slytherin cheered and threw up their hats. Snape shook McGonagall's hand, forcing a smile while she was smiling so hard, it looked like it hurt.
It was the best evening of my life. Better than any Christmas, any Halloween, and any birthday I ever had. Gryffindor Tower celebrated all night long, and even though we were first years, Harry, Hermione, and I got to hang out with the 5th years and up at the party that they had thrown later that night.
Exam results came the next day. Hermione passed everything with flying colors, Harry and I did surprisingly well, and even Neville made it by.
Soon, it was time to pack up and leave. We made it to Hogsmeade station and boarded the train. We found a compartment for the three of us to sit in, Harry got tons of snacks (though Hermione didn't eat any of them) for the ride, and before we knew it, we has arrived at King's Cross station.
"You must come and stay this summer." I said. "Both of you! I'll send you an owl."
"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to."
"Bye, Harry!" said Parvati in passing.
"See you, Potter!" said Seamus, giving him a high five.
"Still famous." I said, grinning at him.
"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry.
We passed through the gateway together. As soon as we were on the other side. I heard a voice that I didn't realize I had missed until that moment.
"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"
It was Ginny. Totally overlooking me. I couldn't blame her.
"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! I can see-"
"Be quiet, Ginny, and it's rude to point." said Mum smiling at us. She gave each of us a hug.
"Busy year?" she said.
"Very," said Harry. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley."
"Oh, it was nothing, dear." she said pinching his cheek.
"Ready, are you?" came a gruff voice.
It was Harry's Uncle Vernon. He looked like one of those blimp things I saw in one of Hermione's muggle books. His face looked like a radish. Behind him stood a lady shaped like a pencil, and a boy that looked very much like one of the hogs that we had back at the Burrow. They all looked scared at the very sight of Harry.
"You must be Harry's family!" said Mum, holding out her hand for the stick lady to shake. She didn't shake her hand.
"In a manner of speaking," said the Vernon man. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day." He walked away.
Harry hung back for a second
"See you over the summer, then." I said.
"Hope you have - er - a good holiday," said Hermione, looking at Harry's family disapprovingly
"Oh, I will," said Harry, a sneaky grin etched on his face "They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer."
And with that, he waved and walked off.
"Write please Harry!" Hermione yelled after him. She looked nervous for him.
"Don't worry, he'll be alright. All the shit he did in school? What's a few muggles?" I said, trying to make her feel better.
"You'll write too, won't you Ron?" she asked.
I groaned. "Really? You're giving me homework?"
"Come on, Ron!"
"Alright, I'll write when I can. See if your parents will let you come. If you get bored around me, I have a sister." I said.
Hermione smiled. She looked over and saw her parents. She waned bye to me and went to join them.
It felt bad watching my second best mate leave. I suddenly felt alone. I had spent practically every day with the same two people since Halloween. And now, they had to leave me.
I turned around to see Mum giving me a funny smile. "You'll see them soon enough, Ron." She said, giving me a hug.
"Yeah. I will." I said, giving Ginny a quick hug and following Mum and my brothers to the car.
To be continued...
And that's Sorcerer's Stone!
This was book one in The King's Chronicles. I've decided to make it a series. Book 2 (Chamber Of Secrets) will be up soon. I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have enjoyed writing it.
Till next book!