The Man with Two Faces

Neptunia stood there, holding Harry's hand hoping to provide some comfort to him as she remained neutral. The man standing in front of them was none other than Quirrel.

"You!" growled Neptunia as Harry gasped the name.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all. That fake bastard, she knew he was faking a disability. Coward!

"Me," he said calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter. Black" He spit out their names as though it were acid. Good, Neptunia thought. She wanted him to burn.

"But I thought -- Snape--" Harry stammered. Yeah, we get it, Harry. Uncle Sev is spooky.

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but 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?"

"I would. YOU were the one who tried to curse Harry during the quidditch match, weren't you?"

Neptunia remained black as Harry's confusion and Quirrel's smugness filled the room. Neptunia felt disgusted. She didn't want to feel the horrid man's emotion but she had to manipulate him somehow.

"Yes, I tried to kill you. I was hoping for the both of you but one would suffice at that moment. 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. "

Harry spoke up in disbelief, "He was?"

"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. Neptunia growled. "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 both tonight. "

Quirrel snapped his fingers and Neptunia rolled. In her instinct she forgot about, she forgot about Harry who was still standing still. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around Harry. He turned to Neptunia and ropes after her too. She retaliated by sending vines after him. The ropes and vines struggled against each other. Neptunia huffed as she controlled them from afar, this was quite different from the things she used to do.

Quirrel sneered as he battled Neptunia and spoke to both of them.

"You both are too nosy to live. 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."

"We're not heartless like you" shouted Neptunia as Harry let out a startled sentence. "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."

Neptunia let out a raged shout and one of the vines rather than go for the ropes, went for Quirrel. The thorns scratched them but the ropes bound Neptunia because they didn't have to deal with the vines any more. Quirrel burnt the vines and turned around as he said, "Now, wait quietly the both of you, I need to examine the mirror."

Neptunia watched as he turned around to face the Mirror of Erised. She shared a glance with Harry who seemed a little panicked. She sent a calming wave his way and quickly focused on Quirrel.

"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... "

Neptunia turned to Harry and mouthed a 'Keep him Distracted' towards him. Harry nodded. "I saw you and Snape in the forest -- " he blurted out. Neptunia tried using fire without using her fingers. It required deep concentration to keep it as small as possible while still burning the rope. She sent a small flame towards Harry as well.

"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 back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

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

Neptunia scoffed, "You're never gonna get it! It's just a mirror that shows you what you want."

Quirrel turned around to glare at her before turning back to the mirror. Out of her periphery, she noticed rubbing himself against the flame, hoping to speed the process. She looked towards her flame, it was about to cut the ropes. Just a little longer. Harry looked towards her, she mouthed 'just a little longer' towards him and he nodded.

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

"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 you dead. "

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

Neptunia felt the fear rolling off of Quirrel before she saw the spasm on his 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 gasped. Lord Voldemort, Neptunia realized.

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

Neptunia's ropes burned off and she stood up. Of course, Quirrell had been there the day Gringotts was 'robbed'. Neptunia saw Quirrel looking in the mirror and she ran to Harry as quietly as she could. Mrs Crawley had some use then. She helped Harry up, as she tried to take a peak at the mirror. She had to find the stone before Quirrell to hide it or prevent it from getting into his hands. Beside her, Harry was doing the same.

Quirrell cursed under his breath. "I don't understand. . . is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"

Harry tripped and Neptunia caught him before he could fall but they still made a lot of noise. But he didn't care. Neptunia was panicking. Quirrell could easily kill them both if he really tried. Should she move or? She stilled and made sure Harry was too as Quirrell talked, "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"

Neptunia's was still black and for the first time, she was glad her emotions weren't on display because she was terrified because a voice responded and it was coming from Quirrell.

"Use the kids...Use the kids..."

Quirrel turned and clapped his hands. The ropes fell off Harry and he ordered for them to come towards the mirror.

"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see. "

Neptunia desperately reached for Harry, physically by holding his hand and mentally. Harry, we have to lie. We have to look as one and lie. Tell me you understand.

Miraculously, Harry's reply came. Yeah. Got it.

Quirrell moved behind them and Neptunia had to wrinkle her nose as she quipped, "Geez, don't you ever shower?"

Neptunia stared at the mirror and was surprised to see the Mirror Harry take out the stone from his pocket, wink and put in Neptunia's sweatpant's pockets as Mirror Neptunia smirked and nodded.

Neptunia felt a weight in her pocket. Amazing, how did- No Neptunia focus. She squeezed his hand and Harry squeezed back.

"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"

Harry told his excuse, Neptunia screwed up her courage and said, "I'm Head Girl and I've topped the records for NEWT exams."

Quirrell cursed and pushed them aside. Harry stumbled and looked towards her. She nodded and looked towards the door. She was about to make a run for it. When-

"They lie. . . They lie. . . "

Harry stilled and Neptunia stood in front of Harry. Quirrell took that as a confirmation. "Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you just see?"

The high voice spoke again.

"Let me speak to him. . . face-to-face. . . "

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough. . . for this. . . "

Neptunia felt petrified. Move, she screamed inside her head. She needed to leave. MOVE. Quirrell turned around as he unwrapped his turban. It fell away and Neptunia felt disgusted. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Neptunia had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

"Neptunia Black...Harry Potter.." It whispered. Neptunia stood beside Harry and tried to move him backwards but he was standing still.

"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapor. . . I have form only when I can share another's body. . . but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds. . . Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks. . . you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest. . . and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own. . . Now. . . why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

So, he knew. Harry jerked and Neptunia dragged him as she stepped backwards.

"Don't be a fool Black," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me. . . or you'll meet the same end as your parents. . . They died begging me for mercy. . . "

"LIAR!" Harry shouted suddenly alongside Neptunia.

Quirrell was walking backwards at them so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.

"How touching. . . " it hissed. "I always value bravery. . . Yes, your parents were brave. . . I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight. . . but your mother needn't have died. . . she was trying to protect you. .and Black, your mother was admirable in her attempt. Now, hand over the stone so they needn't have died in vain."

"NEVER!" shouted Neptunia.

Harry ran towards the flame door as Neptunia ran behind him so she could close the flame behind her but Voldemort screamed "SEIZE THEM" Quirrell sent a bunch of ropes towards her and Harry. She deflected the ones aimed at Harry but she was bound by them. Quirrell gripped Harry 's hand and he shouted out in pain. Neptunia's eyes widened. She closed her eyes and opened them. She was sure that her eyes were like orange balls of flame-like her hair. The ropes burned off. To Neptunia and Harry's surprise though, Quirrell had already let go of Harry and his hands were...blistering? Neptunia's scar had been hurting when Quirrell touched Harry but it lessened when he let go of Harry.

"Master, I cannot hold him -- my hands -- my hands!"

And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms -- Harry could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

"Then kill him, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort. NO!

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face --

"AAAARGH!"

Neptunia moved and ran towards Quirrell as he rolled off of Harry who was losing consciousness. She moved to Quirrell and grabbed his face with her hands as her hair burned brighter and hotter hoping to cause more pain to Quirrell. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw her off. Neptunia was sure her heart was going to burst. It was hurting so bad. She couldn't breathe. Everything was spinning and hurting. She could hear Voldemort's screams of "KILL HER! KILL HER!" and another voice shouting "Harry! Neptunia!" before darkness reigned.

Oh, gods. She was falling, where was her air? There's something gold and black. What was it? She tried to reach for it but everything was just so numb. She blinked. It was Professor Dumbledore and Harry. It was their glasses that she saw. She blinked.

"Good afternoon Neptunia. Harry woke up just before you," said Dumbledore as his smiling face came into focus.

Harry gasped as though he had remembered something, "Sir! The stone! The mirror! And Quirrell!"

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

"Then who does? Sir, I--"

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

Neptunia giggled and Professor Dumbledore sent a smile her way. She looked around and noticed that they were in the hospital wing. She looks to the tables beside her and Harry. Huh. She didn't know that the hospital wing had a 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. "

Neptunia laughed as she said, "I would've loved to see that."

Harry looked towards her and smiled before turning to Professor Dumbledore. "How long have we been in here?"

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

"But sir, the Stone--" interjected Neptunia.

"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. "

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

"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," whispered Neptunia

"I feared I might be too late," said Professor Dumbledore as Neptunia looked towards the side.

"You almost were, sir. I couldn't protect the stone for much longer. And Harry had already lost consciousness. I was..."

"Not the stone, dear. 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. "

Neptunia's jaw dropped. She looked to Harry who blankly spoke up."Destroyed? ut 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. "

Neptunia attempted to get up, "But they'll die!" She was horrified. It was because of Voldemort--

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

Professor smiled at Harry's look of amazement and Neptunia's horrified face. Neptunia's hair fell in front of her face and it was back to their usual blue and purple. She tucked her bangs behind her ear and looked towards Professor Dumbledore. "Sir, surely there must be another way."

"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 leaned back and Neptunia put her head in her hands. Professor hummed and smiled towards the ceiling.

"Sir?" said Harry. "I've been thinking. . . sir -- even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who--"

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

Neptunia looked up and smiled, "Yes sir, that and his name in french is stupid."

Professor Dumbledore looked towards her and smiled. Harry looked confused before he continues, "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 quickly, Neptunia suspected because it was because his head hurt as her chest did when she moved. Then he said, "Sir, there are some other things.."

He hesitated and Neptunia cut in, "Sir, there are some things we'd like to know and sir, we were hoping.. that you'd tell the truth about it."

"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. "

Neptunia looked towards Harry, "Well. . . Voldemort said that he only killed our parents cause they 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, Harry. When you are older. . . I know you hate to hear this. . . when you are ready, you will know. "

Neptunia looked away. One day...it never comes fast enough. Neptunia hoped it would. She looked towards Professor Dumbledore, "Sir, Why couldn't Quirrell touch us?"

"Your mothers died for 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, couldn't touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good. "

Professor Dumbledore became suddenly interested in a bird that sat on the window sill as Harry wiped his tears with the bedsheet. Neptunia let her tears have free reign behind her hands. Mom...she thought, I love you too.

Harry found his voice and said, "And the invisibility cloak -- 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 the kitchens to steal food when he was here. "

Neptunia tilted her head, "Where are the kitchens though?"

Professor Dumbledore smiled at her as Harry continued, "And there's something else. . . "

"Fire away. "

"Quirrell said Snape--"

"Professor Snape, Harry. " Neptunia smothered her laugh with her fist.

"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?" asked Harry.

"He saved his life. "

"What ?" Neptunia deadpanned.

"Yes. . . " said Dumbledore dreamily. "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 it made his head pound, so he stopped.

Neptunia sat upright, "Sir, I need to ask 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 Flavor 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?"

"I'd be cautious sir, they are from Fred and George." Neptunia giggled. 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 but Neptunia knew how to melt even the hardest of hearts.

"Just five minutes," Harry pleaded.

"Absolutely not. "

"You let Professor Dumbledore in. . . " interjected Neptunia

"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. . . "

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

And she let Ron and Hermione in.

"Harry! Neptunia!"

Hermione flung her arms around Neptunia and though it hurt, she was glad because she loved hugs.

"Oh Neptunia! Harry! We were sure you were going to -- Dumbledore was so worried--"

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

It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumours. Harry and Neptunia told the story. Each interjecting at certain moments to continue the story.Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Harry told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud. Ron shouted 'Bloody Hell' when Neptunia said that she lit her hair on fire and turned her eyes into balls of fire accidentally to burn Quirrell after Harry fell unconscious.

"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. '" said Harry as Neptunia smiled and shook her head.

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

"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 we were dashing up to the owlery to contact Dumbledore when we met him in the entrance hall -- he already knew-- 'Neptunia and Harry have gone after him, haven't they?'--and hurtled off to the third floor. "

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

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

Neptunia shook her head, laid back down and let Harry speak

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

"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course -- you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you -- but the food'll be good. "

Neptunia laughed, "Can you ever stop thinking about food?"

At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over.

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

After a good night and a date with sleep. Neptunia felt great and by the looks of it, so did Harry.

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

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

"Oh, good," said Harry. "Who is it?" Neptunia smiled, "I was bored."

Hagrid sidled through the door as he spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big 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 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!"

Neptunia got up and hugged Hagrid, "Oh NO! Don't say that! We all make mistakes!" She looked to Harry.

"Hagrid!" said Harry, shocked to see Hagrid shaking with grief and remorse, great tears leaking down into 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!"

Neptunia looked towards Harry with a deadpan and they nodded. "VOLDEMORT!" they shouted and Hagrid was so shocked, he stopped crying. "We've met him and We're 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. . . " Neptunia sat beside him and offered a chocolate frog.

Hagrid wiped his nose on 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 anxiously, and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle.

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

It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Neptunia opened her and it was full of pictures of her father, mother, Harry's parents and Uncle Sev. They were waving and smiling (Uncle Sev wasn't but he was waving.)

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

Neptunia hugged Hagrid as Harry remained quiet. But he understood.

---

When Harry and her walked into the Great Hall, Neptunia ignored everyone's whispers and stares. Her hair was in her Gryffindor colours and pixie cut. She knew, now, they would start talking good about her rather than be against her...for a little while at least.

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

"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. . .

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

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Neptunia sighed, Draco was going to be insufferable. She looked up to see him banging his goblet on the table. Yeah, she was right.

"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. Neptunia smirked, Oooh. This is gonna be good. She thought.

"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 Gryffindor house fifty points. "

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

At last there was silence 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; Harry strongly suspected she had burst into tears. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves -- they were a hundred points up.

"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 din was deafening. Everyone was yelling themselves hoarse and Neptunia's hair was flashing. Oh, Professor why couldn't you have given us atleast sixty-one points more. Then we could have won!

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 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. "

Ron, and Hermione stood up to yell and cheer as Neville, white with shock, disappeared under a pile of people hugging him. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before. Harry patted Neptunia' arms as she groaned and put her head down as soon as she finished her calculations.

Gryffindor was still at four hundred and twenty-two. While Slytherin was four hundred and seventy-two. Neptunia grit her teeth. UGH! Draco was gonna make so much fun of her.

Professor Dumbledore smiled and tilted his head, "But wait," Oh no. The room fell silent immediately, "It is one thing to pretend and it is another to pretend to protect and reassure the ones that we deeply care for. For this..." Professor Dumbledore paused, "I award sixty points to Ms. Neptunia Black."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might well have thought some sort of explosion had taken place, so loud was the noise that erupted from the Gryffindor table. Fred and George lifted Neptunia up and rested her upon their shoulders as she laughed. This was amazing! She thought.

Harry, still cheering, nudged Ron in the ribs and pointed at Malfoy, who couldn't have looked more stunned and 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 and Hufflepuff 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 became gold; the huge Slytherin serpent vanished and a towering Gryffindor lion took its place. Uncle Sev was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand with a horrible forced smile. She laughed as she caught his eye. She didn't mind his irritation. Things were alright after all. She was home.

---

When the results came around, Neptunia passed with flying colours! (She expected it really.) Neptunia performed charms to extend her backpack's size and put a lightweight charm on it as she packed everything into it.

Notes were handed out to remind them that magic wasn't allowed out and Fred sadly said from beside her that he wished that they would forget to give it to them She patted his arm in consolation.

Hagrid was there to take them down to the fleet of boats that sailed across the lake; they were boarding the Hogwarts Express; talking and laughing as the countryside became greener and tidier; eating Bettie Bott's Every Flavor Beans as they sped past Muggle towns; pulling off their wizard robes and putting on jackets and coats; pulling into platform nine and three-quarters at King's Cross Station.

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

"You gotta come over for the summer, the three of you." said Ron, "I'll send you guys an owl."

"Thanks," said Harry, "I'll need something to look forward to. " People jostled them as they moved forward toward the gateway back to the Muggle world. Some of them called:

"Later Potter! Bye Black!"

"See ya next year Black! Potter!"

"Bye Neptunia! Bye Harry!"

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

"Not where I'm going, I promise you," said Harry sharing a look with Neptunia.

Harry, Neptunia, Ron and Hermione passed through the gateway together. "There he is, Mom, there he is, look!"

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

"Harry Potter!" she squealed. "Look, Mom! 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. Neptunia came beside him, "Thanks once again for the Fudge and Sweater Mrs Wealey."

"Oh, it was nothing, dear. "

"Ready, are you?"

It was Uncle Vernon, still purple-faced, still mustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Harry, carrying an owl in a cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Aunt Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Harry.

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

"In a manner of speaking," said Uncle Vernon. "Hurry up, boy, we haven't got all day. " He walked away.

Harry hung back for a last word with Ron and Hermione. He knew that Neptunia would visit so he wasn't worried that much.

"See you over the summer, then. "

"Hope you have -- er -- a good holiday," said Hermione, looking uncertainly after Uncle Vernon, 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 with Dudley this summer. . ."

Soon after Harry left, Neptunia met Hermione's parents who were very nice. After they left, Neptunia started her walk to the subway. Neptunia was kind of sad but on the bright side, she would meet someone new. The Light Orphange's new caretaker. Hmmm, Neptunia thought. I wonder what she's like. Hope's are up.