Another Hogwarts Tale

"You!" Harry spat out.

Quirrell smiled. There was no more twitch in his face.

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I’d be meeting you here, Potter. I just wasn't expecting your sister."

"That sounds like a You–Problem", Lucy said.

"But I thought - Snape -"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed and it was not his usual shaky high-pitched laugh, it was cold and sharp.

"Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

Harry couldn't believe it. That just couldn't be true.

Lucy was less surprised. She didn't really like Snape but hadn't been as keen on it as her brother.

"But Snape tried to kill me!"

"No, no, no. I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I’d have got you off that broom. I’d have managed it before then if Snape hadn’t been muttering a countercurse, trying to save you."

"Snape was trying to save me?" Harry asked, not believing it.

"Believe it or not, not everyone wants to kill you," Lucy said, rolling her eyes.

"Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really… he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."

Quirrell snapped his fingers.

Ropes whipped out of the air, wrapping tightly around Lucy and Harry's bodies.

"You're too nosy to live, Potter - both of you. I mean I would have let you live, Lucy, but now– Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."

"You let the troll in?"

"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls - you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape’s leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."

Only now did Harry realize what was behind Quirrell. It was the mirror of Erised.

"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this… but he's in London… I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"

Harry's only thoughts revolved around how to keep Quirrell talking and distract him from the mirror.

He looked at Lucy and she met his gaze.

"I saw you and Snape in the forest -" he blurred out.

"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I’d got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side…"

Quirrell came out from behind the mirror and looked in eagerly.

"I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?"

The Twins struggled against the ropes binding him, but they didn’t give.

He and Lucy had to keep Quirrell from giving his full attention to the mirror.

"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."

"Harry, stop talking about Snape," Lucy was annoyed, perhaps a little too dramatically.

"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted one of you dead."

"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing - I thought Snape was threatening you…"

For the first time, a tremor of fear crossed Quirrell's face.

"Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master’s instructions - he is a great wizard, and I am weak -"

"You mean he was there in the classroom with you?" Harry's mouth dropped open.

"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly.

"Yeah but - what master do you serve?", Harry asked.

"I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me."

Quirrell shivered suddenly.

“He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me… decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…"

Quirrell's voice trailed off. Harry remembered the visit to Diagon Alley - how could he have been so stupid?

He had seen Quirrell there that day, shaking his hand in the Leaky Cauldron. Quirrell cursed under his breath.

"That did not answer the question about who your master is", Harry said.

Lucy rolled her eyes, looked at her brother and said: "What is he supposed to say? Jesus?"

Quirrell ignored the twins.

"I don't understand… is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Harry's head was racing.

What I want more than anything in the world right now, he thought, is to find the stone before Quirrell.

If he looked in the mirror, he should actually see himself finding the stone. And that means he knows where he's hidden! But how can he look inside without Quirrell noticing what he's up to?

He tried to move a little to the left to get in front of the glass without attracting Quirrell's attention.

But the ropes were too tight around his ankles: he tripped and fell to the ground.

Quirrell paid no attention to him.

He was still talking to himself.

"What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

And to Lucy's Harry's horror, a voice answered, and that voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

"Use the boy... Use the boy."

Quirrell turned to Harry.

"Yes - Potter - come here."

He clapped his hands once and the cuffs fell off them.

The twins slowly got to their feet.

Then Lucy was knocked off her feet and thrown against one of the stone walls.

Her head hit the cool wall and the girl passed out.

~~

When Lucy slowly woke up after that, the first thing she heard was soft voices talking to each other.

"I should have gone with them," murmured the first voice. "Then I could have helped them."

"Don't be silly," replied a second voice. "You took care of Ron. Besides, you couldn't have helped. We're still kids, after all."

Lucy slowly opened her eyes and saw who was talking softly next to her bed.

Stella, Ophelia and Louisa sat next to her bed.

The black-haired girl carefully sat up and her best friends immediately drew their attention to her.

"Lucy, are you okay?" Ophelia wanted to know.

"I'm good and you?"

"Louisa and I weren't there and Stella's fine. She was bugging me the whole-time you guys passed out."

Lucys Friends told the young Witch everything that happened after she passed out.

Harry was fine too - Lucy had realized too late that her brother was in bed next to her.

And oh– everyone at school knew what had happened.

"That's why -"

Stella pointed to a table that looked like a market stall full of sweets between her bed and the one where her brother was lying.

Lucy laughed when she saw the toilet seat leaning against the table. Fred and George had even signed it - Unfortunately, Madame Pomfrey had confiscated it on the same day after Stella, Ophelia and Louisa had left.

~~

Lucy was quickly released from the hospital wing. Luckily, the other students were nice enough not to rush her with questions - at least not yet.

Her brother woke up two days later and Lucy immediately made her way to the hospital wing when Professor McGonagall informed her.

"How long have I been in here?" Harry was asking Professor Dumbledore when Lucy joined them.

"Three days. You sister and friends will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."

"Yes, we were," confirmed Lucy. "You, ok?"

After the twins made sure each other was okay, Harry turned back to Professor Dumbledore.

"But, sir, the Stone -"

"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."

While the twins listened intently to their Headmaster, Lucy sat down on the bed with Harry.

"You got there? You got Hermione’s owl?"

"We must have crossed in midair. No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."

"It was you."

"I feared I might be too late."

"You nearly were, I couldn’t have kept him off the Stone much longer -"

"Not the Stone, boy, you - the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" said Lucy and Harry, dismayed.

"But your friend, Nicolas Flamel -" Lucy pointed out.

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite amused. "You did do the thing properly, didn’t you? Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it’s all for the best."

"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."

Lucy looked wide-eyed at Professor Dumbledore.

Dumbledore smiled at the startled faces on the twins.

"To one as young as you, I’m sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all - the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."

Harry lay there not knowing what to say to that. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

Lucy frowned, thinking about what her Headmaster had just said.

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking... Even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, you-know-who-"

"Call him Voldemort. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."

"Yes, sir. Well, Voldemort’s going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share… not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time - and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

Harry nodded but stopped immediately as his head hurt from it.

Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me… things I want to know the truth about…"

"The truth." Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."

"Well… Voldemort said that he only killed our mother because she tried to stop him from killing us. But why would he want to kill us in the first place?"

Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.

"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day… put it from your mind for now. When you are older…"

Lucy started to say something, but Professor Dumbledore held up his hand as a sign that she should not interrupt him.

"I know you hate to hear this… when you are ready, you will know."

And Lucy knew there was no point in arguing, but there was another question she would like to ask.

"Sir, Quirrell said that he didn't plan to kill me. I don't understand. Why did he tried to kill Harry and not me?"

Dumbledore nodded and thought for a Moment, before he answered: "I can only guess, Lucy. But, I think, Voldemort is assuming that you are no threat to him. Which is a mistake, you are very talented."

The three felt silent again.

No threat, repeated Lucy in her head over and over. That monster killed their parents– so of course she was a threat to him.

"But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?", Harry wanted to know.

"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign… to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."

Dumbledore was now taking immense pleasure in a bird perched on the windowsill outside.

Harry had time to dry his eyes on the covers and Lucy wiped away her tears with her sweater.

When Harry found his voice again, he said, "And the Invisibility Cloak and necklace - do you know who sent them to us?"

"Ah - your parents happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it."

Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled.

“Useful things… your father used the cloak mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."

A smile crossed Lucy's lips. That wasn't a bad idea.

"And there's something else…" Harry began again.

"Fire away."

"Quirrell said Snape -"

"Professor Snape, Harry," the headmaster corrected Lucy's brother.

"Yes, him - Quirrell said he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"

"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr. Malfoy. And then, your father did something Snape could never forgive."

"What?" Lucy asked, looking intently at Professor Dumbledore.

"He saved his life."

The twins gave each other a confused look before asking simultaneously, "What?"

"Yes…" said Dumbledore, deep in thought, "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt… I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"

Harry tried to understand this, but his head started pounding and he gave up.

Lucy tried to understand why Professor Snape hated their father for saving him.

Saved? From what? Something from the forbidden forest?

"And sir, there’s one more thing…"

"Just the one?"

"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone - find it, but not use it - would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes… Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them - but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"

Smiling, he popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth.

Shortly thereafter he choked her out again: "Alas! Ear wax!"

~~

Madam Pomfrey was a nice lady, but very strict.

"Just five minutes," Harry begged.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in..."

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey… You also let Stella, Ophelia and Louisa visit Lucy."

"Oh, very well,," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let Ron and Hermione in.

The friends chatted about what had happened and after a few minutes Madam Pomfrey twirled over.

"You’ve had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT," she said firmly.

~~

After a good night's sleep, Harry almost felt his strength restored, and Lucy practically never left his side.

"I want to go to the feast," he explained to Madam Pomfrey, who was piling up his many boxes of candy. "I can, can't I?"

"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said pointedly, as if she thought Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how hazardous parties could be to one's health. "And you have another visitor."

"Oh good," said Harry. "Who is it?"

As soon as he asked, Hagrid slipped through the door. As always when he was indoors, he looked outrageously tall. He sat down next to Harry, gave him a look and burst into tears.

"It was - all - my - ruddy - fault," he sobbed, burying his face in his hands. "I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"

"Hagrid!" said Lucy and Harry, appalled to see Hagrid shaking with grief and regret and large tears falling down his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him"

"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"

"VOLDEMORT," Harry roared, and Hagrid got such a shock he stopped crying.

Lucy jumped too and looked at Harry with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

"We've met him and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads…"

Hagrid wiped his nose with the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."

"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry, looking worried, and finally Hagrid let out a soft chuckle.

"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead - anyway, got yeh this…"

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs.

From every page of the book, their parents smiled and waved at the twins.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos… knew yeh didn' have any… d'yeh like it?"

Lucy and Harry couldn't utter a word, but Hagrid understood.

~~

That evening, Harry walked to the end-of-year feast alone.

Madam Pomfrey, who had been making a fuss about examining him one last time, had stopped him and the Great Hall was already full of students.

It was decked out in the Slytherins' colours of green and silver, for they had won the House Cup for the seventh year in a row.

A huge banner depicting the Slytherin snake covered the wall behind the high table.

When Harry walked in there was a short silence and then everyone started talking loudly at once.

He took a seat at the Gryffindor table between Ron and Hermione and next to his sister, trying to ignore the students who rose to see him.

Luckily Dumbledore walked in just a few moments later.

The chatter died away.

“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… Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and fifty two points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, five hundred and twelve Points."

A storm of cheers erupted from the Slytherin table and footsteps go.

Harry saw Draco Malfoy slam the mug on the table. The sight made him almost nauseous.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

It became very quiet in the hall. The smile on the faces of the Slytherins faded.

"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First - to Mr. Ronald Weasley…"

Ron turned purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn.

"… for the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

The cheers of the Gryffindors almost lifted the enchanted ceiling even higher; the stars above their heads seemed to tremble.

Percy couldn't be overheard telling the other prefects: "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall’s giant chess set!"

Finally calm returned.

"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; Harry had a certain feeling that she had burst into tears. Table up, table down, the Gryffindors were ecstatic - they had a hundred points more.

"Third - Miss Stella Barnes and Lucy Potter... I give them twenty points each for their bravery when their friends were in danger."

This time the Gryffindor Table and some students from the other houses applauded.

They did not like that Slytherin got any more points, but they liked Lucy and Stella, so they were happy for them. Lucy blushed and looked down at her plate in embarrassment.

"Fourth - to Mr Harry Potter…," said Dumbledore. It became dead quiet in the hall. "… for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."

A deafening roar broke out.

Anyone who could do math while screaming himself hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had five hundred and twelve points - the same as Slytherin.

They were tied for the House Cup - if only Dumbledore had given Harry one more point.

Dumbledore raised his hand.

The hall grew gradually quiet.

"There are all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefore award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."

Someone outside the Great Hall might have guessed that there had been an explosion, so deafening was the noise that erupted at the Gryffindor table.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Lucy, Stella and Leyla stood up cheering and screaming as Neville, white with shock, was buried under a pile of people who all wanted to hug him.

He'd never even scored a point for Gryffindor before.

Harry, still jubilant, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who looked like someone had just put the body clamp on his neck.

"Which means," shouted Dumbledore over the thunderous applause, for the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were also celebrating the fall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."

He clapped his hands. In a moment, the green garlands were scarlet, and the silver had turned to gold; the giant snake of Slytherins disappeared and a massive Gryffindor lion took its place.

Snape shook Professor McGonagall's hand with a horribly forced smile.

He glanced over at Harry, and Harry knew immediately that Snape's feelings towards him hadn't changed.

So he wasn't worried.

So life would next go on as normal for a year, at least as normal as it could be at Hogwarts.

It was the best night of Lucy and Harry's lives, better than winning Quidditch or Christmas or slaying mountain trolls... he would never forget that night.

The twins almost forgot that the certificates had to come, and they did.

Much to her surprise, he and Ron had passed with good grades; Hermione was of course the best of the year - even ahead of Ophelia.

Lucy and Stella had been almost as good as Hermione and Ophelia.

Lucy had expected to pass, but she hadn't counted on such good grades.

Even Neville, whose good grades in Herbology made up for the miserable ones in Potions, was so incredibly happy.

They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might get kicked out, but he made it, too.

It was a Shame, but like Ron said, you can't have everything in life.

And suddenly their cupboards were empty, their bags packed, Neville's toad was found crawling about in a corner of the toilet; all the students were given slips of paper admonishing them not to do magic during the holidays ("I always hope they’ll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasley, disappointed).

Hagrid stood ready to lead her down to the fleet of boats in which he took her across the lake; they boarded the Hogwarts Express; while they chattered and laughed, the land gradually grew greener; they ate Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans and watched Muggle towns go by; they shed their magician's cloaks and put on jackets and cloaks; and then they pulled into King's Cross station on platform nine and three-quarters.

~~

It took quite a while for them all to get off the platform.

A wizened old security guard stood at the top of the ticket gate and let them through the gate in twos or threes at a time, so they didn't all tumble out of a solid wall at once and startle the Muggles.

"You must come and stay this summer," said Ron, "both of you - I'll send you an owl."

"Thanks," said Lucy. "We need something to look forward to."

With pushing and shoving, they approached the gateway to the muggle world.

Some of the other students shouted:

"Bye, Harry and Lucy!"

"See you then, Potters!"

"Still famous," said Ron, grinning at Harry and his sister.

"Not where we're going, I promise you," Harry said.

The twins and their friends walked through the gate together.

"There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

It was Ginny Weasley, Ron's little sister, but she wasn't pointing at Ron.

"Harry Potter," she shrieked. "Look, Mum! I can see him and Lucy -"

"Be quiet, Ginny, and it’s rude to point."

Mrs Weasley smiled at them.

"Busy year?" she said.

"Very," said Harry.

"Thanks for the fudge and the sweaters, Mrs. Weasley," Lucy thanked and Harry nodded in agreement.

"Oh, you're welcome, my dears."

"Yes, thank you very much Mrs. Weasley. The fudge was delicious", Ophelia also thanked.

"Exactly. My uncles and I ate them in one day," Louisa added.

Then she seemed to see someone and waved at the person.

"Uncle Gavin!"

The Man with short dark hair joined the group and walked to his niece.

"So, this is Leyla, Lucy, Harry, Ron and Hermione," the blonde witch introduced her friends.

"Nice to meet you, Mr. Lassiter."

"Oh please, Mr Lassiter was my grandfather, call me Gavin."

The friends nodded.

Lucy was happy that Louisa had a nice family. The black-haired girl wished that she and her brother also had a nice uncle and aunt who didn't hate them.

"Ready, are you?"

Speaking of the devil, Lucy thought.

It was Uncle Vernon.

Still purple-faced. Still with a Mustache.

Still angry at how Lucy and Harry could so calmly carry around a cage with an owl and a basket with a cat in a train station full of normal people.

Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, horrified at the mere sight of the twins.

"You must be Harry's and Lucys family," said Mrs Weasley.

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, you two, we haven’t got all day."

He walked away.

"Are they always like this?" Gavin asked.

"On the good days," Lucy replied and Gavin nodded silently.

Lucy and Harry stopped by their friends for a parting word.

"See you over the summer, then."

"Hope you have - er - a good holiday," Hermione said, looking at Uncle Vernon a little dubiously, appalled that anyone could be so rude.

"Oh, we will," said Harry, and they were surprised to see a mischievous smile spread across his and Lucy's faces.

"They don’t know we’re not allowed to use magic at home. I’m going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer–"