The Dark Lord's Daughter (Book 1): Song Bird

Candies and Bruises

I wake up glaring at the bright light. I groan and think about staying in bed for the day and to hell with classes. But then I remember the horrifics of yesterday and shoot up so suddenly I fall out of bed.
Harry! Ron! The stone? Quirrell!?
I hear someone stir in the bed beside me and I realize I'm back in the hospital wing. My body creaks and complains as I stand up to see Harry sitting up and putting on his glasses.
"Oh thank Merlin- Harry! You're alive!" My eye brim with tears of relief. I wipe my eyes and see that our beds are surrounded by stacks of candy and flowers and cards.
"I guess I am" Harry said sounding quite surprised. A man clears his throat and I look over to see  Dumbledore approaching us.
"Good afternoon, Harry, Miss Notte. Ah. Tokens from your admirers?"
"Admirers?" Harry asked and I laughed and looked at my bed covered with peppermint candies and gummy wands.
"What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. Ah, I see Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs." Dumbledore smiled and gestured at a large pile of chocolate frog cards and wrappers between our beds.
"Ron was here? Is he all right? What about Hermione?" I ask Dumbledore anxiously and sit on my bed feeling a bit dizzy suddenly.
"Fine. They're both just fine." Dumbledore said reassuringly. I slumped onto my bed in relief.
Harry grinned but it fell as he asked, "But, what happened to the Stone?"
"Relax, dear boy. The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around."
"But Flamel, he'll die, won't he?" Harry asked and I felt a little heart pang for him and his wife.
"He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die." Dumbledore said solemnly his eyes glittering with grief.
"How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next..."
"Yeah- I mean I was only there for a minute or two, I never saw how you actually got it."
"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 two and I thats saying something." We all grin at Dumbledore's response.  I look at a hopeful Harry, who was still tucked under the covers.
"Not as brilliant as a three headed dog in a school though- right Professor?" I grinned and Dumbledore's eyes twinkled mischievously but did not answer.
"Does that mean, with the Stone gone, I mean, that Voldemort can never come back?"
"Ah, 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? It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you, and that kind of act leaves a mark. No, no, this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin." Dumbledore finishes sadly, and I look at Harry who is looking down into his hands searching still for an invisible sign. Something left by his mother.
"What is it?"
"Love, Harry, love". Dumbledore pats Harry's head and give me another mischievous look when he sees me looking worriedly at Harry. "Ah. Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, and since then I have lost my liking for them. But I think I could be safe with a nice toffee..." He picks up an amber colored bean, "Mm. Alas. Earwax."