When Harry woke, he was met with the golden spectacles of Albus Dumbledore.
Harry desperately tried to remember what had happened. But from when he passed out to now was erased from his memory.
"Sir! The stone! Quirrell has it!"
"Calm yourself boy, you are a little behind times," Dumbledore had a twinkle in his eyes that told Harry all he needed to know. Harry calmed down and looked around, glancing at the pile of sweets placed on the end of his bed. Noticing this, Dumbledore spoke.
"They are from your friends and admirers. What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows."
Harry laughed at this.
"How long have I been here?" he asked.
"Three days. Mr Weasley, Miss Granger and surprisingly, Mr Malfoy will be very pleased to hear you are ok."
"Malfoy... What happened to the stone?"
"It has been destroyed."
Harry needn't ask anymore. He just had to check Voldemort was not coming back earlier than intended.
Dumbledore and Harry chatted for a little while longer before he had to excuse himself.
After a while, Madam Pomfrey came in, telling him to go back to sleep, even though Harry knew Ron and Hermione would be waiting to see him.
"Just 5 minutes, please," He begged.
"No, you need rest." Madam Pomfrey responded.
"I am resting, see, lying down and everything. Please."
"Oh alright, but just 5 minutes!" She said and walked towards the door, letting Harry's friends in.
Ron and Hermione rushed in and told Harry everything. How they had rushed out, told Professor McGonagall and Professor Dumbledore, and came back to find Harry lying on the ground, with Quirrell just out of his grasp. In return, Harry told them what had happened after he walked through the black fire. He told them how Quirrell was truly the one after the stone - he couldn't help the smug look on his face at Ron and Hermione's shocked faces - how Quirrell was smuggling Voldemort into the school, how he had gotten the stone and how he had defeated him.
"I told you it would be fine," Harry said sheepishly to Hermione, who gave him a stern look in return.
"I wouldn't call this fine... we thought you were- Dumbledore was so worried."
"Hermione... I'm ok." Hermione looked up, tears brimming in her eyes. She rushed forward and gave him another hug, before going and standing back next to Ron.
"Listen, mate, you have to be better by tomorrow. It's the end of year feast, and look, Slytherin did end up winning - we got smashed in the last Quidditch match without you - but the food'll be good." Ron looked at Harry expectantly. Harry grinned, remembering how Dumbledore gave them enough points for Gryffindor to win.
"I wouldn't miss it for the world."
~✦~
Harry was wandering down the corridor, after just being let out by a reluctant Madam Pomfrey, when he ran right into Hagrid.
"Harry! Yeh alrigh'!" That's as far as he got before bursting into tears. "It's all my ruddy fault! I shouldn' ever told anyone 'bout Fluffy! And now look what that evil git's done to you! Yeh could've died!"
"Hagrid!" Harry shouted, breaking Hagrid out of his tears. "You have nothing to take the blame for! Trust me, he would've just found out some other way!" Hagrid looked up, his eyes rimmed red. All of a sudden he grabbed Harry and wrapped him in a hug.
"I'm just glad yeh ok!" He voiced into Harry's shoulder. They stood there for a minute before Hagrid abruptly stood back.
"That reminds me, I've got yeh a present!" he dug around his coat, searching for the unknown present, while Harry stood and watched. Eventually, he pulled something out.
It seemed to be a large, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously, trying to remember what had been inside it. Yet he was shocked as he opened it up to see hundreds of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.
"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos ... Knew yeh didn' have any ... D'yeh like it?"
Harry's eyes brimmed with tears, and he nodded his head. He didn't say anything, but he didn't need to. Hagrid understood.
Harry stood outside the Great Hall doors, wiping tears from his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he pushed them open and stepped inside. Harry glanced at the green Slytherin banners and smirked to himself, knowing they wouldn't be green for very long. He went and joined Ron, Hermione and Neville at the Gryffindor table, ignoring the prying eyes of their schoolmates, where they talked and waited for the feast to begin. Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived just moments later. As he rose to the centre stage, a hush rippled over the crowd and the room went silent.
"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 ..." He chuckled to himself.
"Now, as I understand it, the House Cup is ready to be won, and here are the final tally's: in fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw have four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
The silence was broken at that, and roars sounded from the Slytherin table, deafening students around.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account." The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little, and they looked around, a puzzled expression forming on many of their faces.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes ... "First – to Mr Ronald Weasley ..."
Ron went red in the face; his skin matched the colour of his hair.
"... for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Gryffindor's cheers rivalled the Slytherins protests, some name-calling included in the noise. Dumbledore cleared his throat, and silence came over the hall yet again
"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, and shrunk down, hiding from the stomps of the Gryffindors.
"Third – to Mr Harry Potter ..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet.
"... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
The noise was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points – exactly the same as Slytherin. They had drawn 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 many types of courage in this world," said Dumbledore, smiling. "Standing up to an enemy is one thing, yet standing up to a friend? I, therefore, award ten points to Mr Neville Longbottom."
The noise created by the Gryffindors could've beaten a rock music festival ten times over. Any muggle in a fifty-mile radius would've heard them if it wasn't for the magical sound barrier placed around the school. Harry, Ron and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer, pointing at Neville. Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.
"Just like there are all kinds of courage, there are all types of fellowship."
The hall fell silent once more. Harry was confused, who else would be getting house points...? Unless...
"For attempting to protect and save those outside your own house... I award Mr Draco Malfoy 10 points."
The hall stayed silent. Faces glanced around, confused by what was happening. Gryffindor and Slytherin were tied. Each with four hundred and eighty-two points.
"Well," Dumbledore smiled, "I see we have something new. Gryffindor and Slytherin. Drawn. As I always say though, there is a first time for everything. So without further ado, I announce the House Cup to not one, but two of our glorious houses!" Cheers flooded the hall, Malfoy finally getting praise from his classmates, and with a wave of Dumbledore's wand, the decorations changed to fit Gryffindor as well. Gryffindor lions and Slytherin serpents covered the walls. It was something Harry had never believed could happen.
The next few days passed like a snitch speeding away. Wardrobes, suddenly empty, bags, packed and students were ready to go home. Neville's toad, Trevor, was found yet again, hiding in the corner of the boy's toilets, and notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to do magic over the break. In all the commotion and busyness, Harry hadn't seen Malfoy once and hadn't been able to congratulate him for his win. But there wasn't time to dwell on this, as suddenly they were on the train, heading back to their homes.
The train ride back reminded Harry that he was going to be stuck with the Dursleys yet again, but amidst the joy of friends and food, he couldn't even worry about it. Reaching the station, everyone changed into their muggle clothing, jackets and coats, and they piled out onto Platform 9 ¾. It took a while to get out onto platforms 9 and 10, as more than two to three people at a time would be suspicious, but soon Harry and his friends had reached the surface.
"You have to come to stay this summer," Ron stated. "Both of you." This made Harry grin as he knew Hermione had finally grown on Ron.
"Thanks," he replied, "I'll have something to look forward to." They smiled at each other and Harry gave Hermione a quick hug, before they parted ways. He waited and watched as Ron ran towards his family, and for a split second, he saw her. That flaming ginger hair. A smile formed on his lips, but soon he had lost sight of her. Walking past hundreds of wizards, Harry heard people call out to him, saying goodbye and see you next year, and he smiled in return.
"Ready are you?" A voice called and Harry turned to see his uncle, glaring down at him. Harry smiled politely before responding with a nod of his head. Nothing could ruin his joyful mood. As Harry turned to walk away from the station, a newly familiar mop of blonde hair caught his attention.
"Hey, Malfoy!" Harry called out, waiting for the grey eyes to meet his, a smirk forming upon his lips.
"I guess I did get lucky!"