A Potter Secret

Heading Home

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In his room, Harry sits and watches Isabella sleep in her kitten form. He watches the clock carefully so make sure he's not late for dinner. With ten minutes left, he gently shakes Isabella awake. Her eyes blink open slowly. When she sees Harry, she glances around before leaving her kitten form and hugging him. "You idiot!" Isabella cries. "Do you realize how worried I've been?! When- when I started seeing you in the chamber, I thought you were going to get really hurt!"

Harry hugs her before her punches start to hurt and pull her close. "I'm sorry, Isabella. I- I thought if I kept the stone safe, then you'd be safe because Voldemort wouldn't rise and therefore couldn't come after us- couldn't come after you!"

Isabella nods and squeezes Harry tighter. "Just- just tell me when you're going to do something foolish, alright? I could've helped you, told you want to expect."

"What do you mean?" Harry asks, pulling away and setting her on the bed beside him.

"They asked me to come up with some of the challenges. They thought that I'd come up with something that would be simple yet difficult; something that would be overlooked or someone would overthink. I gave them a number of ideas to use and they threw in some of their own. Fluffy was my idea," Isabella explains.

"And if Hagrid could keep a secret, then no one would be able to get through," Harry assures.

Isabella hugs him again. "I might not get another chance to say goodbye until next year," Isabella sighs. "I'll miss you, Harry."

"I'll miss you too, Izzy. I wish I could visit or you visit me," Harry sighs. "I love you and I promise we'll see each other soon." Isabella nods, getting up and transforming before padding out of the room.

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In the great hall. All students are seated, and green banners with snakes on them are around the ceiling. Dumbledore, at the head table, nods to McGonagall. She dings her glass and the chatter stops. Dumbledore rises. "Another year gone. And now, as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding, and the points stand thus. In fourth place, Gryffindor with 312 points," Dumbledore explains. Clapping. Harry and Hermione hide their heads. "Third place, Hufflepuff, with 352 points." More people clap. "In second place, Ravenclaw, with 426 points. And in first place, with 472 points, Slytherin House." There is immense cheering.

"Whoo! Yeah!" Slytherin students cheer.

"Nice one, Mate!" Draco cheers. He sees Ron looking at him and sneers.

"Yes, 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," Dumbledore interrupts. The Gryffindor students look up. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool intellect when others were in great peril, 50 points."

Harry pats her shoulder. "Good job," Harry congratulates.

"Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess," Dumbledore calls.

Ron looks at Harry and mouths, 'Me?' Harry nods, and mouths, 'You!'.

"That Hogwarts has seen these many years 50 points." The students applaud. "And third, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house 60 points." Immense cheering.

"We're tied with Slytherin!" Hermione realizes.

"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 10 points to Neville Longbottom," Dumbledore finishes. Immense cheering erupts from everyone but Slytherin. Neville is unbelieving, and sits there while cheering gets louder. Draco is downfallen. "Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of direction is in order." The green banners change to Gryffindor red and yellow. "Gryffindor wins the House Cup!"

"Yes!" Hagrid cheers.

All students stand and throw their hats into the air, except Draco, who smashes his down onto the table. "Neville!" Seamus calls, shaking his hand. All rub each other's hair and jump around, cheering and laughing.

"Yeah! We won!" Lee cheers, jumping with Harry, who looks back and grins very widely.

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The outdoor train station. Students are walking around, getting in the train. "Come on now, hurry up. You'll be late. Train's leaving. Go on. Go on. Come on. Hurry up," Hagrid says.

Harry hands Hedwig to a train man, and walks to an open door of the train with Hermione. Hermione waves to Hagrid, who waves back. Hermione gets in the train. "Come on, Harry," Hermione calls.

"One minute," Harry replies. He walks over to Hagrid.

"Thought you were leaving without saying good-bye, didja?" Hagrid takes a red album out of his coat pocket and hands it to Harry. "This is for you," Hagrid says. "From me and a certain kitten. She found the pictures from somethings that were kept after that night."

Harry opens the album and sees a picture, moving, of him as a baby with his parents. They are all smiling and waving. Harry smiles. "Thanks, Hagrid." Harry shakes Hagrid's hand, then hugs him tightly. "Tell her I'll write as soon as I can, alright?"

"Oh. Go on- on with you," Hagrid insists. Harry lets go. "Oh, listen, Harry, 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."

"But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do magic away from Hogwarts. You know that," Harry reminds.

"I do. But your cousin don't, do he? Eh?" Hagrid chuckles. "Off you go." Harry walks away, back to the train door where Hermione and Ron are waiting.

"Feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" Hermione asks.

"I'm not going home. Not really," Harry replies, looking back. The train whistles and they climb aboard. As the train starts to leave, Harry waves out the window to Hagrid, who waves back and then waves more to other students. As they ride past the castle, he can almost make out Isabella's face looking out of the Great Hall windows.

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