let me have a moment
let me say goodbye

ϟ

A fiery hand reached out in the distance towards Perry. She tried to move her hand towards it, but her arms were too heavy to budge. Perry blinked again, and realized it wasn't the fiery embers of a hand at all, it was a pair of glasses reflecting the light from behind her.

These particular pair of glasses belonged to Headmaster Dumbledore. He smiled down at Perry as she came to. She blinked rapidly as her eyes adjusted to the bright light of the room she was in. She looked around with her eyes and realized she was sitting in one of the beds in the hospital wing.

"Good afternoon, Persephone," greeted Dumbledore.

Perry looked at him before everything rushed back to her: "Sir! The stone! It was Professor Quirrell! He's got the stone! Sir, quick—"

"Calm yourself, my dear girl, you are a little behind the times," laughed Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the stone."

"What!" Perry panicked. "Then who does? Sir, I—"

"Persephone, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out."

Perry shut her eyes tight and took a deep breath. She nodded her head before she laid her head back on the pillow. She didn't remember it leaving the pillow but it must've when she began to panic. She looked around the room and saw a table next to her piled high with what looked to be half the candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admires," Dumbledore said cheerily. "What happened down in the dungeons between you, Harry, and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows." Perry's eyes widened. "I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley we're responsible for trying to send both you and Harry a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse the two of you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it may not be very hygienic, and confiscated it."

She smiled as she thought about the look that must've been on Fred and George's faces when Madam Pomfrey took it away. Then Harry came to her mind.

"Dif you say Harry is in the Hospital wing?"

"Was," Dumbledore corrected, "He was cleared yesterday."

"Yesterday?" she asked. "How long have I been in here?"

"Three days," Dumbledore answered. "Mr. Potter, Miss Parkingson, and all your other  friends will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."

"But, sir, the stone—"

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

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

"We must have crossed in midair," he explained. "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, as you had just lost consciousness— I feared I might have been to late."

"You almost were, I couldn't have kept him off the stone much longer," she said.

"Not the stone, Persephone, 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."

Perry barely had time to take in the fact she had almost tasted death. "Destroyed? But your friend— Nicolas Flamel—"

"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" Dumbledore said delightfully. "You did the tasks properly, didn't you? I suppose you or your dear friend Miss Granger found that much out. Well, Nicholas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."

"But, Professor, doesn't that mean he and his wife will.. die?"

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

They will die. Perry couldn't quite keep her mouth closed. What Perry had been so close to would happen to them sooner rather than later.

"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 there next great adventure."

Perry still looked cross.

"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 worse for them."

Perry was speechless, and so they sat in silence for a few moments. Each of them sat there with their own thoughts. Perry's thoughts made her question everything; Dumbledore's thoughts brought him to start humming.

"Professor Dumbledore?" Perry asked. "I've been thinking... Sir— even if the stone's gone, Volde— I mean—"

"No," Dumbledore cut her off, "Do call him Voldemort, Perry. 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, Perry, I'm afraid 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 he does to his enemies. Nevertheless, Persephone, 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."

Perry nodded whilst chewing on her lip. She hadn't realized when she started this nervous habit. The nodding began to make her head hurt so she stopped.

"Professor," Perry said hesitantly, "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," Perry said as she tried to comprehend what Dumbledore just said, "Why was it Quirrell couldn't touch Harry or I?"

"It's know that during the time you were left in the Potter's care, on that fateful night, Lily Potter died to save Harry and yourself. If there is one thing Voldemort can't understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as Harry's mother for the two of you leaves it's 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's and Harry's 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 someone marked by something so good."

"I have another question, Professor," Perry said.

"Of course," he replied kindly.

"How did Harry and I get the Stone out of the Mirror?"

"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant idea, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the stone— find the stone but not use it— would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just be seeing themselves making gold or drinking Elixer of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes. Now, any other questions?"

"Erm— yes, just one, sir."

"Fire away."

Perry smiled bashfully before breaking the eye contact she was making with him. She knew her manners and she knew that the polite thing to do was keep eye contact with who you were taking too, but she felt she couldn't while asking this question.

"When— When Voldemort first looked at me— well, it looked as if he recognized me. Do you think he knows who I am?"

"There are many things I, myself, still wonder about Voldemort," Dumbledore said. "But I have reason to believe he may. As for that reason, I cannot explain it to you now. It will have to wait till later. Is that all?"

"I— do you know who I am?" she asked suddenly.

He smiled at the blonde haired girl. "I have my suspicions, dear Persephone, but until they can be proven true or false, I shall keep it to myself to not give you false hope... Now, I'm sure your head must be hurting from the thinking I have put you through, I'm dearly sorry. There is an assortment of candies for you to devour, I have to get going. Thank you for seeing me, Miss Persephone."

With that he left. He was right, Perry's head was pounding. He was also right about her going to devour the sweets next to her, and so she grabbed a box of Fizzing Whizzbees.

ϟ

"Perry!" Harry exclaimed as he rushed through the curtain. He practically launched himself into the hospital bed to give her a hug. Behind him Viktorija, Hermione, and Ron entered.

Perry hugged Harry back with what strength she had in her. Harry knew her usual hugs, and so he knew she must still be weak.

"I want to know everything!" she exclaimed, looking at Hermione and Ron. "What happened to you two!"

"Well, I got back all right," Hermione spoke up. "I brought Ron around— that took a while— and we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall— he already knew— he just said, 'They've gone after him, haven't they?' and hurtled off to the third floor."

"And we were talking about everything that happened," Ron said, "And we think Dumbledore sorta wanted to give you guys the chance to face Quirrell by sending Harry the invisibility cloak."

"Funny man," Perry said with a soft smile.

"Are you feeling all right, Perry?" Harry asked. "They told me you were much worse than I was."

"They wouldn't tell me all of it," Perry said with a sigh, "But I know I suffered some kind of head trauma."

"Nothing that Madam Pomfrey couldn't fix," she added when she saw their facial expressions. "She said for the next few days I should be experiencing some painful headaches, but then I'll be just fine."

"Good," Harry said. "And no.. burns?"

"No, that was Quirrell who got the burns," Perry said.

"I think," Viktorija started to explain, "What Harry was trying to ask was— well, Perry— Er— Harry told us you walked through fire. People can't just walk through fire and come out spotless."

"I—" Perry was at a lost for words. "I don't know. I'm really fine.. I think if there was something to worry about with the fire Dumbledore would've told me. Maybe because my intentions were pure I was able to cross. It's probably just one more of his crazy ideas."

The four children looked around at each other with looks of questioning. It seemed they each were wordlessly asking each other if they believed what Perry had said. While they did so, Perry slightly sat up to stretch.

"Going somewhere?" Viktorija asked.

"Hopefully," Perry said. "I'll beg Madam Pomfrey to let me go to the feast if I have too."

"I'm sure she'll let you," Hermione said.

"If not I'll go and ask Dumbledore," Harry said.

"You deserve to be there after everything you did," Ron said with a smile.

They talked for at least ten more minutes about the crazy rumors that had been spread around the school about the events in the dungeon. Viktorija knew absolutely every rumor down to the smallest details. Eventually Madam Pomfrey came in and yelled at the children for going over the time she had told them.

Once they left and Madam Pomfrey came back with her medicine, Perry asked her question: "Madam Pomfrey, will I be able to attend the feast?"

"Professor Dumbledore said you are allowed to go," she replied. "Now, take your medicine before the liquid starts to clot."

Perry looked at the cup of blue medicine with disgust before downing it.

ϟ

Viktorija walked beside Perry as they entered the Great Hall. Above, Slytherin banners hung proudly. As soon as she stepped through the doors, Perry felt eyes from all over land on her.

She had been dismissed by Madam Pomfrey only an hour ago. She had to run back to the Slytherin Common room as fast as she could and up to her dorm room. They would be leaving early tomorrow morning and she hadn't even started to pack. After she finished, she and Viktorija left for the feast.

Perry and Viktorija found their seats beside the other first year Slytherins. Upon sitting down, the other Slytherins began to hammer her with questions. Not only first years, there were questions from third years, sixth years; second years.

"What actually happened in the dungeons?"

"How'd you fight off Professor Quirrell?"

"Do you know what made him do it?"

"What we're the tasks like?"

Perry looked around like her head was on a swivel. "I— Uh— well— it's—" she couldn't finish answering one question before another was asked.

"Shut up!" Viktorija belted, quieting much of the Slytherin table and attracting the attention of some students at the others. "If she wants to answer your questions she will. Give her some time, for Merlin's sake."

It was silent for a second before Malfoy asked his question from directly across the table: "Is it true that you almost died?"

Perry opened her mouth to speak, but was cut off by the cheers of students. Dumbledore had arrived and was walking up to his gold podium.

"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 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 twelve; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy two."

A loud cheer broke out from the Slytherin table, while the other tables merely clapped for them.

"Yes, yes, well done Slytherin?" Dumbledore said. "As it so happens, recent events must be taken into account."

The hall now found itself silent.

"Ahem," Dumbledore said clearing his throat. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes..."

"First— to Mr. Ronald Weasley..."

A purple blush took over his face as he slumped down in his seat to try and hide himself.

"...For the best-played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor House fifty points!"

The whole hall cheered, including some Slytherins. Although no table's cheers could compare to those of the Gryffindors. The Hufflepuffs were now in fourth, and a silence fell again.

"Second— to Miss Hermione Granger... for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

The hall cheered, and after, a silence followed.

"Third— to Mr. Harry Potter... for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points."

The Gryffindors were now tied with the Slytherins, and the hall stood at an uncomfortable silence.

"There are all kinds of courage," Dumbledore said smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. It takes a a whole lot of trust and quick thinking to hoard off those we do not know personally, from a mission we do not know the details of. I therefore award ten points to Mr, Neville Longbottom—" the Gryffindors house cheered louder than before— "and to Miss Viktorija Parkinson—" the Gryffindors went silent and the Slytherin table matched their cheers.

"And finally— to Miss Persephone... for keeping her wits in a time of chaos, and putting ones self in the face of mortal peril to protect all others... I award Slytherin House sixty points!"

The Slytherin table went ballistic. They cheered and clapped and threw their hats all over the place. Perry turned around and saw Harry standing up clapping for her. She could see Ron, Hermione, and the twins stand up and clap with him. At the Hufflepuffs table Alana and Cedric stood standing as well.

In those few seconds, Perry decided this was the best moment of her life so far.

ϟ

"Promise you'll write?" Perry asked looking up at Cedric and Alana.

"Of course we promise," Alana said.

"Couldn't risk losing our most famous friend," Cedric teased.

"Shut it!" Perry giggled elbowing him in the side as they walked down the train corridor.

"After you," Cedric said to both the girls as they stepped off of the Hogwarts Express onto platform nine and three-quarters.

"I guess I'll see you guys next year," she said giving each of them a hug.

"Bye Perry," Alana said.

"Bye Seph," Cedric said waving goodbye.

Perry waved back with a soft smile.

"Perry!" Viktorija called out.

Perry ran over to her, waving goodbye to the many random people who said goodbye to her on the way.

"Always gonna be famous, aren't you," she teased.

"Can't help it," Perry giggled.

Viktorija pulled her into a big hug. "I'll write you," she mumbled into her arm that covered her mouth because of the hug. "And if you don't write back I'll assume it was the muggles and I'll have to owl Fred and George."

Perry let out a laugh as she let go of the hug. "Can't wait till that happens, because it surly will. Anyways, I have my own plan for the Dursley's."

"Oh, do tell."

"They don't know I can't use magic, and they don't need to know I can't use magic. I think Harry and I will have quite some fun with Dudley this summer."

"Oh, I love how I rubbed off on you," Viktorija said hugging Perry again.

"Ahem," said a woman with dark black hair. She was wearing a nice blouse, a navy blazer, and a matching navy skirt. Next to her stood a built man with dark black hair and a stubble of a beard.

"Oh," Viktorija said. "Persephone, these are my parents. Mom; Dad, this is Persephone."

"Nice to meet you," Mrs. Parkinson said with a smile across her face. She stuck out her hand and Perry shook it.

"We've heard so much about you," Mr. Parkinson said cheerily.

"Dad!" Viktorija whined.

"No, no," Perry said. "It's okay."

"Perry!" Harry shouted from the other side of the platform.

"Looks like I have to get going," Perry said. "It was very nice to meet you. Bye, Tori!" Perry gave her one last bone crushing hug and then spun on her heal and ran towards Harry.

"You must come and stay this summer," Ron said. "Both of you— Ill send an owl."

"Looking forward to it," Perry said giving him a tight hug before grabbing her trunk and running through the pillar.

Once they were all through they moved away from the gateway and multiple students they have never met before said goodbye to them.

"I don't think I'll ever get used to that," Perry said.

"Me either," Ron said causing both of them to laugh.

"There they are, Mum, there they are, look!"

Perry spotted Ginny Weasley standing beside her mum holding her hand. She was pointing at them and Perry smiled to her.

"Persephone and Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, mum! I can see—"

"Be quiet, Ginny," Mrs. Weasley reprimanded. "It's rude to point." Mrs. Weasley smiled down at the three children.

"Busy year?" she asked.

"Very," Perry said speaking for the three of them. "Harry and I would like to thank you for the sweets and the sweaters, Mrs. Weasley."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear."

"Perry!" Hermione said running up to her. "I thought I had lost the chance to say goodbye."

"I'm right here," Perry giggled.

"Do write over the summer," Hermione said. "I'll write back. And don't get expelled."

"I sure hope I don't," Perry said sarcastically.

Around them people were departing. Perry wondered what the muggles must thing about all of these people on the platform with odd trunks and animals.

"Ready, are you?" said the gruff voice of Mr. Vernon Dursley.

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

"In a manner of speaking," said Mr. Vernon. "Hurry up, boy; girl, we haven't got all day." With those last words he walked away.

Perry and Harry turned to Ron and Hermione to say their last words before holiday and give their lasts hugs.

"See you over summer, then," Ron said.

"Hope you have a— er— good holiday," Hermione said unconfidently.

"Oh we will," Harry said playfully.

"The muggles don't know we can't use magic over the summer," Perry said with a mischievous smile. "We plan on giving them hell."