Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜
ALTHEA GROANED AS she awoke, she turned her head to see Dumbledore standing there. Harry was stirring slightly in his sleep. "Professor?" She asked.
"Ms. Weasley, how are you?"
"As good as I can be after fighting Voldemort." She snapped.
Dumbledore chuckled as Harry awoke, "Good afternoon, Harry." He turned to the giant gift baskets in front of Harry's bed, as well as some on Althea's. "Tokens from your admirers?"
"Admirers?"
"What happened down in the dungeons between you, Ms. Weasley, and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows." The three smiled. "Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs."
"Ron was here?" Althea asked. "Is he all right? What about Hermione?"
"Fine. They're both just fine."
"Are you-"
"Yes, Ms. Weasley."
"But, what happened to the Stone?" Harry asked.
"Relax, dear boy. The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around."
"He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die." Dumbldore clarified.
"How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next..."
"I'd also like to know." Althea piped up.
"Ah. You see, only a person who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it. That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you and me that's saying something."
"Does that mean, with the Stone gone, I mean, that Voldemort can never come back?" Harry asked.
"I don't think so." Althea said. "He managed so much while he was in power and he's still not done until he kills you."
Dumbldore nodded, "I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return. Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him?" Harry shook his head. "It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark." Harry touched his scar. "No, no, this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin."
"What is it?"
"Love, Harry, love." He said. He looked through the various gifts. "Ah. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans. I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I have lost my liking for them. But I think I could be safe with a nice toffee..." He took a brown bean and ate it. "Mm. Alas. Earwax."
Althea scrunched her nose in disgust.
❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜
Harry with his arm still bandaged and Althea with a bandage around her head entered a corridor where up on a stairwell balcony, Hermione and Ron are talking. They stop when they see Harry and Althea. They lean over the railing. "All right there, Ron?"
"All right? You?"
He shrugged, "All right. Hermione?"
"Never better." She smiled.
They turned to Althea and Harry sighed, "How'bout you, Red. You alright?"
Althea shook her head, "Fuck no. Who knew that I would be fighting Voldemort in first year." The four chuckled as they made their way to the Great Hall.
❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜
The Great Hall was full of students eating and talking with each other. There are green and silver banners with the Slytherin symbol above their heads, already indicating the house with the most points. Dumbledore gave a slight nod to professor McGonagall, who then clinked her spoon to her glass, to ask attention from the students. The crowd falls silent. Dumbledore stood up and spoke with his magically magnified voice.
"Another year, gone! And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarded and the points stand thus. In fourth place: Gryffindor, with 312 points!" There is a medium applause from the crowd. "In third place: Hufflepuff, with 352 points!" The applause for Hufflepuff is slightly louder than the clapping for Gryffindor. "Second: Ravenclaw, with 426 points!" Applause again, this time with a slight cheer from some students. "And in first place, with 472 points: Slytherin house!" A loud roar rose from the Slytherin table, as students stood up and clapped for themselves. Hermione scowled with her hand to her cheek; Snape applauded the students of his house.
"Yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin. However, recent events must be taken into account and I have a few last minute points to award." Some faces at the Gryffindor table rose hopefully. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril: fifty points!" Hermione looked surprised, while the other Gryffindor students applauded her.
"Nice job!" Althea cheered.
"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years: fifty points!" Ron looked even more surprised than Hermione did and the Gryffindor table was applauding even louder. "Third, to Ms. Althea Weasley. For being as stubborn as she was and saving her friends from mortal peril. "The Gryffindors cheer again, this time even louder than before. "And knowing way too much." Althea grinned as Dumbledore winked at her subtly.
"We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione yelled. Now, the Gryffindors look really hopeful, as Dumbledore hasn't finished talking yet.
"And finally: it 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 ten points to Neville Longbottom!" Neville can't believe what he just heard.
All students cheered for Neville as he blushed. "Yeah, Neville!"
"Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of decoration is in order!" Dumbledore clapped and motioned his hands towards the Slytherin banners, where they flapped heavily, until the banners changed completely to red and gold with the Gryffindor symbol. "Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"
The Great Hall exploded with applause, not only from the Gryffindors, but also from the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs, because they are glad that, for the first time in seven years, someone other than Slytherin has won the House Cup.
❛ ━━━━━━･❪ ❁ ❫ ･━━━━━━ ❜
Althea and Ron sat down in an empty compartment, the door slid open. " Room for two more, everywhere else was full." Harry and Hermione grinned as the twins laughed.
"For fucks sake, you two. Get in here."
Harry landed next Althea, "Red-"
"Fuck off, Harold."
Author's Note: First year done! I hope y'all enjoyed, chamber of secrets coming soon!
