~Bella's POV~
Me, Ryan, Edward and Harry are standing the other side of Dumbledore's desk in his office.
"You all realize, of course that in the past few hours, you have broken perhaps a dozen school rules."
"Yes sir," we all say together.
"There is sufficient evidence to have you all expelled."
"Yes sir," we repeat.
"Therefore, it is only fitting that you all receive Special Awards for Services to the school."
He smiles at us and we look at each other with smiles on our faces.
"Thanks sir," Ryan grins.
"Now, Mr Dunn, if you would have an owl deliver these release papers to Azkaban. I believe we want our gamekeeper back."
Ryan leaves and Edward goes after him so Dumbledore turns to us.
"Harry, Bella, first I want to thank you. You must have shown real loyalty down in the Chamber. Nothing but that could have called Reba to you."
"But I don't understand," I say. "Why would Emberlee's bird come just because Harry showed loyalty when Emberlee hates us?"
"Phoenix's do not know hate, only loyalty and love and they can sense when somebody with only loyalty and love are in danger. And second, I sense that something is troubling you both."
"It's just... you see sir, I couldn't help but notice certain things, certain... certain similarities between Tom Riddle and us."
"I see. Well, you can both speak Parseltongue whereas Hollie cannot. Why? Because Lord Voldemort can speak Parseltongue. If I'm not mistaken, he transferred some of his powers to you two the night he gave you those scars."
"Voldemort transferred some of his powers to us?"
"Not intentionally but yes."
"So the Sorting Hat was right. I should be in Slytherin."
"It's true. You both possess many of the qualities that Voldemort himself prizes. Determination, resourcefulness, and if I may say so, a certain disregard for the rules. However, the Hat placed Bella in Gryffindor because she is extraordinarily smart beyond her years. Why, then, did the Sorting Hat place you in Gryffindor, Harry?"
"I asked to be in Gryffindor," Harry says.
"Exactly, Harry, exactly. Which makes you different from Voldemort. It is not our abilities that show what we truly are. It is our choices. If you want proof why you belong in Gryffindor, then I suggest you look more closely at this."
He lifts up the bloodied sword which was lying across the table.
Harry takes the sword and we look more closely. It is engraved with the name Godric Gryffindor.
"It would take a true Gryffindor to pull that out of the hat."
The door bursts open and Lucius barges in with Dobby behind him.
"Dobby!" Harry says. "So this is your master. The family you serve is the Malfoys?"
"I'll deal with you later," Lucius says to the House Elf before they both make their way to the desk.
"So it's true. You have returned."
"When the governors learned that Arthur Weasley's daughter was taken into the Chamber, they saw fit to summon me back."
"Ridiculous."
"Curiously, Lucius, several of them were under the impression that you would curse their family if they did not agree to suspend me in the first place."
"How dare you!"
"Beg your pardon?"
"My sole concern has always been and will always be the welfare of the school and, of course, its students. The culprit has been identified, I presume?"
"Yes."
"And? Who was it?"
Dumbledore looks at us then back at Lucius.
"Voldemort."
"Ah!"
"Only this time he chose to act through somebody else by means of this."
He holds up the diary and Lucius looks at us.
"I see," he says, looking back at Dumbledore.
"Fortunately, our young Potters discovered it. One hopes that no more of Lord Voldemort's old school things should find their way into innocent hands. The consequences for the one responsible would be severe."
"Well, let us hope that these children will always be around to save the day."
"Don't worry," I say. "We will be."
"Dumbledore," Lucius says. "Come Dobby we're leaving."
As they head out of the office, Lucius kicks Dobby ahead and then hits him before they go out the door.
"Sir?" Harry asks. "I wonder if I could have that?"
He looks at the diary.
Dumbledore nods so Harry picks up the book and we both hurry after Lucius.
"Mr Malfoy."
We're ignored.
"Mr Malfoy," I say this time so he stops and turns.
"I have something of yours."
Harry shoves the diary in his hand.
"Mine? I don't know what you're talking about."
"I think you do, sir" Harry says. "I think you slipped the diary into Ginny Weasley's cauldron that day at Diagon Alley."
"You do, do you?"
He shoves the book into Dobby's face and the Elf takes it.
Lucius then comes right up into my face.
"Why don't you prove it?"
Neither of us say anything as Lucius stares at us.
"Come, Dobby!"
"Open it," Harry whispers to the Elf so Dobby opens the book to find a sock.
"Dobby!"
"Master has given Dobby a sock."
What? I didn't give..."
He turns round and the expression on his face is classic.
"Master has presented Dobby with clothes. Dobby is free."
Lucius stares at us and Harry lifts his trousers to reveal he's missing a sock.
"You lost me my servant!"
He pulls out his wand and points it at us before coming at us but Dobby stands in front of us.
"You shall not harm the Potter children."
Lucius goes to cast a spell but Dobby makes him fly backwards.
"Your parents were meddlesome fools too. Mark my words Potter children. One day soon you are going to meet the same sticky end."
He walks away and Dobby turns to us.
"You freed Dobby. How can Dobby ever repay you?"
"Just promise us something."
"Anything!"
"Never try to save our lives again."
He just smiles at us.
"Welcome back, Sir Nicholas," one of the students say during breakfast the next day.
"Thank you!"
"Good evening, Sir Nicholas," another student says.
"Good evening!"
"Good to see you, Sir Nicholas."
"Thank you!"
"Guys, it's Hollie and Hermione," Neville says.
We all look at the door before the six of us stand as the two girls' race towards us and we join together in a group hug.
"Welcome back."
"It's good to be back," Hermione says.
"Congratulations, I can't believe you solved it," Hollie grins.
"Well we had loads of help from the both of you," Ben smiles.
"We couldn't have done it without you," Harry says.
"Thanks!" Hermione says.
McGonagall taps her glass so we return to our seats.
"Could I have your attention, please?"
Dumbledore stands.
"Before we begin the feast let us have a round of applause for Professor Sprout and Doctor Cullen whose Mandrake juice has been so successfully administered to all who had been petrified."
Everyone claps.
"Also, in light of the recent events, as a school treat, all exams have been cancelled."
There's more clapping and cheering as Dumbledore sits down.
As we begin eating, the mail arrives but as Elie approaches she is hit by a spell and falls to the table.
"Who did that?" McGonagall shouts as she stands.
"It was Emberlee," Millicent shouts.
"Emberlee Potter, my classroom, right now."
Emberlee stands and follows McGonagall out of the hall as I pick up my beloved bird and cradle her.
"She killed my owl," I begin to cry but Esme comes over.
"No, she's just stunned."
She takes out her wand.
"Rennervate!"
Elie begins moving and flies away.
"How can she be so cruel?" I ask.
"Maybe you shouldn't have taken her parents away from her," Draco shouts.
"Mr Malfoy," Snape says. "Unless you want to join your girlfriend in McGonagall's office, I suggest you apologise."
"I'll see myself out," Draco says before he leaves.
"All's well," Dumbledore says. "Go back to your feast."
~Emberlee's POV~
"What on earth possessed you to attack your sister's owl?"
"She is not my sister."
"Miss Potter, this behaviour has to stop. We know you were extremely jealous of your siblings but they did not ask to be born and it's unfortunate that you lost your parents before you could see how fun it would have been to have three playmates. However, you have gone too far this time and because of that, you will no longer be welcome here at Hogwarts."
"You can't expel me."
"I can, and I am. You have until dusk to pack your things and your guardians will be notified."
I go to protest but she stops me.
"You may go."
As I leave, Draco is coming along the corridor so I run up to him, put my head into his chest and sob.
"Hey, what's wrong?"
"I've been expelled."
"What?" he says with anger in his voice. "Wait 'til father hears about this."
"Will you help me pack?"
"Of course."
When we get to the dorms, Draco wipes the tears from my face before he leans in and kisses me.
*SEXUAL CONTENT*
He deepens the kiss and starts to kiss my neck, which I know is going to leave a mark. I start to remove his clothes and he does the same with mine. He lays me on my bed and crawls over me, spreading my legs, and angles himself at my entrance.
He enters me slowly and it feels good. We've had sex before, usually when I get upset because he knows it makes me feel better – having the boy I love inside me, making me feel good.
He kisses me then thrusts inside me.
"Uh," I gasp with delight.
"Tell me when you want me to stop," he pants in my ear.
All I can do is nod. He thrusts more and more, keeping a steady pace as I move with him before he quickens his pace.
"I love you," he groans.
"I love you too," I moan.
He thrusts once more before he collapses on top of me and we hold each other.
He moves off me, and as we lay together, with Draco holding my hand, I start to cry again.
"What's the matter now?"
"I just miss my parents."
"Listen, I know it's hard but perhaps you should stop being so hard on them."
I just stare at him.
"I'm not saying like them but look where it's got you. Everyone is taking their side... nobody remembers that you lost your parents too. It's all about them and their stupid scars."
I look up at him with understanding.
"I love you so much Ember and I don't want anything to happen to you."
"I love you too Draco."
He kisses me again and I hear footsteps getting closer but before we can get up, Professor Snape is standing in the doorway looking right at us. His dull blue eyes widen.
"Mr. Malfoy and Miss. Potter," he says with a raised voice. "What on Earth do you think you're doing? I will be telling Lucius about this charade."
"We, uh, this... we..." I stutter before Draco puts his hand on me to stop me.
"What we were doing is none of your business Snape. My father knows we have sex and leaves us to it but when he hears that Emberlee has been expelled, he will be furious."
Snape is taken aback but being a teacher, he doesn't let it faze him.
"Both of you get your things together and put some clothes on. I'm taking you both to the station."
"Excuse me? Why I am being sent home?"
"You're just going home early, Malfoy. You're not expelled like your friend," he says before he turns and walks away.
"I'm glad he didn't walk in a few minutes before because I needed that," I say.
"I will do anything for you, my love," he smiles as he strokes my hair from my forehead and kisses me tenderly.
We both get up and dressed into our travelling clothes, pack our things and we leave Hogwarts for the train.
~Bella's POV~
When Emberlee and Malfoy left and Elie was alright we go back to our original positions - which was eating and talking about everything.
"This year has been crazy," I sigh.
"Yes, it has," Harry says.
"But, where's Hagrid... isn't he innocent?" Bam asks.
I nod sadly. "I guess they didn't let him go," I say.
Edward grabs my hand and lightly rubs his thumb over it. As we continue to eat the door opens and we turn to see Hagrid. We all stare in awe.
"Sorry I'm late," Hagrid apologises and starts walking down the aisle. "The owl that was sent got confused and lost its way - some ruddy owl called Errol," he says.
We all laugh because we all knew it was Ron's. Hagrid stops in front of us and smiles.
"Thank you guys. If it wasn't for you I would still be up there... so thanks," he murmurs.
I stand up and smile.
"Hogwarts wouldn't be the same without you Hagrid," I say.
"Oh," he coos as he wipes a tear from his eye.
I hug him and he hugs me back as he strokes my hair. I hear someone clapping, then another so I back up and start clapping as well. Soon the entire hall is clapping which escalates into cheering.
This year has been great and now we wait to see what's next.