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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟎: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐚𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐓𝐨 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐌𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬

Pain skidded down my whole body. It seemed to be wanting to kill me. 

But I saw someone. The face of someone familiar — I think? 

"You did it," the person said, "Diane, you did it!" 

It looked a lot like — HARRY! Except, older Harry. And he didn't have the same eyes. 

"You did it, Diane!" a woman's voice said. She had flaming red hair and she also was smiling. 

I blinked again. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above him.

 "Good afternoon, Diane," said Dumbledore.

 I stared at him. Then I remembered: "Professor! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Professor, quick —" 

"Calm yourself, dear girl, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone."

 "Then who does? Professor, I —" 

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

I swallowed and looked around me. I realized I must be in the hospital wing. I was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to me was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop.

 "Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it." 

"How long have I been in here?" 

"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Granger, Mr.Potter, and all the Fawleys will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried." 

I looked behind Dumbledore. There was Harry, grinning. He waved. I couldn't wave back. 

"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 Harry. 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. 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. I feared I might be too late."

 "You nearly were, I could have died —"

 "Diane, 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?" I said blankly. "But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —"

 "Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "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." Dumbledore smiled at the look of amazement on my face. "To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it 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 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." 

I lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling. 

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking..." 

Dumbledore turned to Harry and smiled. 

"Sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, YouKnow-Who —"

 "Call him Voldemort, Harry. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increasesfear of the thing itself."

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

 "No, Harry, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body toshare... not being truly alive, he cannot be killed." 

"He can't?!" I almost yelled. 

"He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as littlemercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed hisreturn to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losingbattle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power," Dumbledore continued. 

  Harry nodded but stopped quickly.

 Then he said, "Sir, there aresome 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 betreated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very goodreason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie." 

 "Well... Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killingme. But why would he want to kill me 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, oneday... put it from your mind, for now, Harry. When you are older... I know you hate to hearthis... when you are ready, you will know." 

 And Harry knew it would be no good to argue. "But why couldn't Quirrell touch me?"

 "Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. Hedidn't realize that love as powerful as your mothers for you leaves its mark. Not a scar, novisible sign... to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, willgive us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, andambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony totouch a person marked by something so good." 

Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Harry timeto dry his eyes on the sheet. When he had found his voice again, Harry said, "And the invisibilitycloak — do you know who sent it to me?" 

 "Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it."Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Useful things... your father used it mainly for sneaking off to thekitchens to steal food when he was here."

 "And there's something else..." 

 "Fire away."

 "Quirrell said, Snape —" 

 "Professor Snape, Harry." 

 "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, yourfather did something Snape could never forgive."

 "What?"

 "He saved his life." 

 "What?" I said. 

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

 I tried to understand this but it made my head pound, so I stopped. 

 "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 youand me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone — find it, butnot 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. Isuggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans! I wasunfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored one, and since then I'm afraidI've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?" 

 He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas!Ear wax!" 

 Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice woman, but very strict. 

 "Just five minutes," Harry pleaded. 

"Please, just five," I begged. 

 "Not." 

 "You let Professor Dumbledore in..." 

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

 "We are resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..." 

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

 And she let Ron and Hermione in. 

 "Harry! Diane!" Hermione was grinning.   "Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"

 "The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What happened?"

 It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than thewild rumors. Harry and I told them everything: Quirrell; the mirror; the Stone; and Voldemort. Ronand Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harrytold them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. 

 "So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"

 "That's what I said, but Dumbledore thinks that — what was it? — 'to the well-organized mind,death is but the next great adventure.'"

Ron looked at me. "Are you alright?" he asked. 

"I'm fine, thank you, Ron," I said as I sat up, groaning a little. 

"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his herowas. 

 "So what happened to you two?" said Harry. 

 "Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and wewere dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall —he already knew — he just said, 'Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?' and hurtled off to the thirdfloor."

 "D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak andeverything?"

 "Well, " Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have beenkilled." 

 "No, it isn't," said Harry thoughtfully. "He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wantedto give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know. Ireckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us, he just taughtus enough to help. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It'salmost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could..." 

 "Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up forthe end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missedthe last Quidditch match —" Harry almost choked. 

"Poor you," I said, giggling. 

"We were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you — but the food isgood," Ron continued.  

 At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT!" she said firmly. 

 After a good night's sleep, I felt nearly back to normal. 

 "I want to go to the feast," I told Madam Pomfrey as she straightened my many candy boxes. "Ican, can't I?"

 "Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in heropinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you two have anothervisitor."

 "Oh, good," said Harry from the other side. "Who is it?" 

Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual, when he was indoors, Hagrid looked toobig to be allowed. He sat down next to Harry, took one look at him, and burst into tears. 

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

"Aw, Hagrid," I said, sympathetically. "Hagrid, it's alright, we didn't die, now did we?" 

 "Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leakingdown into his beard. "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talkingabout, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him." 

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

 "VOLDEMORT!" Harry bellowed, and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "I've methim and I'm calling him by his name. Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, hecan't use it. Have a Chocolate Frog, I've got loads..."

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

 "It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" said Harry anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.

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

 It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Harry opened it curiously. It was full ofwizard 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' haveany... d'yeh like it?" 

 Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid seemed to understand. 

 Harry and I made our way down to the end-of-year feast that night. We had been held up byMadam Pomfrey's fussing about, insisting on giving us one last checkup, so the Great Hall wasalready full. It was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin'swinning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner showing the Slytherinserpent covered the wall behind the High Table. 

When I walked in there was a sudden hush, and then everybody started talking loudly atonce. We slipped into a seat between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table and tried toignore the fact that people were standing up to look at us.

 Fortunately, Dumbledore arrived moments later. The babble died away. 

 "Another year has gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man'swheezing 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 toget 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 fourthplace, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundredand fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred andseventy-two." 

 A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. I could see DracoMalfoy banging his goblet on the table. It was a sickening sight. 

I gagged a little. 

 "Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken intoaccount." 

 The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little. 

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

 Ron went 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 Gryffindorhouse fifty points." 

 Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver. Percycould be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got pastMcGonagall's giant chess set!" 

"Go, Ron!" I smiled at Ron and clapped. 

 At last, there was silence again. 

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

 Hermione buried her face in her arms; I strongly suspected she had burst into tears. 

Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — we were a hundred points up.

 "Third — to Ms. Diane Drusley..." said Dumbledore.  "... for staying with those you have lived your whole life with even if it meant death!" 

Dumbledore didn't award me any points, but all the Gryffindors were clapping as if he did. 

"Good job!" The Fawleys said smiling; "Good job, Dursley!" Percy said, clapping. Ron blushed a little before smiling at me. And Hermione was clapping the loudest. Harry gave me a quick hug. 

"Third — to Mr. Harry Potter..." said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "... for purenerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points." 

 The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew thatGryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — the same as Slytherin. Theyhad tied 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 all kinds of courage," said Dumbledore, smiling. "It takes a great deal of bravery tostand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I, therefore, award ten pointsto Mr. Neville Longbottom." 

 Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion hadtaken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. 

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile ofpeople hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

 Harry, stillcheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunnedand horrified if he'd just had the Body-Bind Curse put on him. 

 "Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, for even Ravenclaw andHufflepuff were celebrating the downfall of Slytherin, "we need a little change of decoration."  He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings became scarlet and the silver becamegold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. 

Snapewas shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. He caught Harry's eyeand Harry knew at once that Snape's feelings toward him hadn't changed one jot. This didn'tworry Harry.  

I had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To our great surprise, both Harry and Ron passed with good marks; Hermione, of course, had the best grades ofthe first years, and I had passed too. Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmalPotions one. We had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrownout, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but as Ron said, you couldn't have everything in life. 

And suddenly, our wardrobes were empty, our trunks were packed, Neville's toad was foundlurking in a corner of the toilets; notes were handed out to all students, warning them not to usemagic over the holidays ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred Weasleysadly); Hagrid was there to take us down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; we were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greenerand tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling offour wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quartersat King's Cross Station. 

 It took quite a while for us all to get off the platform. A wizened old guard was up by theticket barrier, letting them go through the gate in twos and threes so they didn't attract attentionby all bursting out of a solid wall at once and alarming the Muggles. 

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

 "Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to." 

People jostled us as theymoved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called: 

 "Bye, Harry!" 

 "See you, Potter!"

 "Still famous," said Ron, grinning at him. 

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

 He, Ron, Hermione, and I passed through the gateway together. 

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

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

 "Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mum! I can see —"

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

 Mrs. Weasley smiled down at them. 

 "Busy year?" she said. 

 "Very," said Harry. 

"Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs. Weasley," I said. 

"Oh, it was nothing, dear." 

"Ready, are you?" It was Dad, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve ofHarry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Mum and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry and me.

 "You must be Harry and Diane's family!" said Mrs. Weasley.

 "In a manner of speaking," said Dad. "Hurry up, you two, we haven't got all day." 

Hewalked away. Harry and I hung back for the last word with Ron and Hermione. 

 "See you over the summer, then." 

 "Hope you have — er — a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Dad, shocked that anyone could be so unpleasant. 

 "Oh, I will," said Harry, and they were surprised at the grin that was spreading over his face."They don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun withDudley this summer..." 

I grinned and chuckled. "Don't do too much harm to Dudley though, or it'll be my fault!"