(Y/N), Hermione, and Ron had just escaped the third-floor corridors when they had to go their separate ways. Hermione took Ron first thing to the hospital wing while (Y/N) went to the owlery, just as Harry advised. However, she didn't need to go that far, for she met Dumbledore at the entrance hall.

"Professor Dumbledore!" She called, struggling to catch her breath. "Harry--"

"He's gone after him, hasn't he?"

And before (Y/N) could confirm, or even question what he'd said, Dumbledore rushed off towards the third floor.

She thought of following after him, but (Y/N) knew that she shouldn't. So instead, she went back to the hospital wing, where Ron was just starting to wake. (Y/N) filled him and Hermione in on what she and Harry found and told them about her run-in with their headmaster. By the time she finished everything, Dumbledore was already coming to the hospital wing, with poor Harry, who was knocked out cold.

"Harry!" Hermione cried.

She and (Y/N) rushed to his bedside, and even Ron darted to his side to see.

Harry's face was riddled with cuts that weren't there when they said goodbye. (Y/N) had hundreds of questions, but one jumped from her mouth before she could stop it. "Will he be alright?"

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes crinkled behind his golden half-moon glasses. "I'm sure he will be. After all, Madam Pomfrey is well seasoned in her craft. And, with friends like you looking out for him," His eyes fell warmly on the three first years. "I'm sure it's only a matter of time."

"But, Professor," Said Hermione. "What happened down in that corridor?"

And so, Dumbledore explained how Harry bravely faced the professor behind the door, who was Quirrell, of all people. Harry managed to recover and protect the Philosopher's Stone, not just from Professor Quirrell, but from Lord Voldemort himself. By the time Dumbledore arrived, he said, there was nothing left of their Defense Against the Dark Arts professor but his robes, there were no traces left of the Dark Lord, and Harry lay unconscious, but ultimately unharmed.

"Wow," (Y/N) whispered.

"So, you mean to say, after all that, it was Quirrell?" Ron questioned. "We thought it was Snape!"

"What will happen to the stone?" Asked Hermione.

"The stone has been destroyed."

"Destroyed?" (Y/N) repeated. "But what does that mean for Nicolas Flamel? And his wife? They'll die won't they?"

"They have enough Elixir to set their affairs in order, but yes," Dumbledore nodded. "They will die."

(Y/N) didn't know how he could speak about it so casually. She thought it was awful. After all, they had no part in the happenings of that year, so why did they have to be punished for it?

Dumbledore smiled at the astonishment on the first year's faces. "I'm sure for someone as young as you, it seems incredible, but for Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all," He clasped an assuring hand on (Y/N)'s shoulder, gazing at her with his kind eyes. "To the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.

"Now," Dumbledore continued. "If I'm not mistaken, I believe a wonderful breakfast has been put together to celebrate your finishing of end of the year exams."

"Is that what I smell?" Ron grinned. "I thought I was only imagining it."

(Y/N) was starving, herself, but even as Hermione and Ron started toward the door, the idea of a feast on their minds, she hesitated.

"Professor," She said. "He will be alright, won't he?"

Behind his silver beard, she could see his lips curl upwards. "He's well cared for, Miss (L/N). There is no need to worry,"

But for the next few days, all (Y/N) could do was worry. Harry was still comatose and every time she, Ron, and Hermione visited him, all he would do was sleep the whole way through. She'd hoped, each time, that he would wake and see them and tell them everything all over again.

As rumor started to spread around the school about Harry Potter and the other first years he was with, (Y/N) found many more people trying to talk to her. Those who turned on her weeks ago were quick to praise her for her bravery, and even students she'd never seen would clasp her on the back in passing and thank her for a job well done.

Test scores came back, and as expected, (Y/N) passed potions with the best marks. Hermione was frustrated, even though she didn't want to admit it, but to make up for it, she

still managed to score higher on everything else. Overall, (Y/N) did well enough, and Ron got good marks, too. They hoped Goyle, who was just as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he'd, unfortunately, passed, too. It was as Ron said, you can't have everything in life.

It wasn't until the third evening, right before the final feast of the year, when Fred and George told (Y/N) the news at dinner time. They'd tried to deliver Harry a toilet seat to cheer him up, but Madam Pomfrey confiscated it. (Y/N) was glad. She didn't see how that would cheer him up at all. They explained, before Madam Pomfrey kicked them out, Harry had just begun to sit up. So before the feast could properly start, (Y/N), Hermione, and Ron hurried to the hospital wing.

When Harry emerged, he was dressed in his robes. His cuts healed just enough to make them look less frightening and he looked plenty well-rested. (Y/N) supposed anyone would after sleeping for three days straight.

"Alright there, Ron?" Harry asked.

"Alright," Ron nodded. "You?"

He shrugged. "Alright," His eyes fell on (Y/N), and just about the brightest smile she'd ever seen graced his features. "(Y/N)?"

His smile was infectious, for she found herself grinning, too. "Just fine,"

"And Hermione?"

"Never better," She answered.

Together, they returned to the Great Hall and settled in for the feast. It was decorated floor to ceiling in Slytherin tapestries to celebrate their winning the House Cup for the seventh year in a row. (Y/N) just knew her Summer would be full of listening to Draco drone on and on about it.

McGonagall tapped her chalice three times to silence the students, and at once, the Great Hall fell under a hush.

"Another year, gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And now as I understand it, the House Cup needs awarding. And the points stand thus,"

(Y/N) tried to shrink away. Even if over half of the school regarded her as some sort of hero, it didn't change the fact that she was still embarrassed about costing Gryffindor so many points.

"In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve points!" The hall was scattered with unenthusiastic claps. "Third place, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty-two points! In second place, Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty-six points! And in first place, with four hundred and seventy-two points, Slytherin House!"

A thunderous roar of applause and cheer burst from the Slytherin table. (Y/N) could see Draco high fiving Crabbe and Goyle with too much delight. He could at least pretend to be sorry for her, she thought.

"Yes, yes! Well done Slytherin! Well done, Slytherin! However!" Dumbledore raised a finger high into the air. "Recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last-minute points to award." (Y/N) and Harry shared looks of equal excitement and hesitance. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the use of cool intellect while others were in great peril," Hermione looked mortified to be called to attention in front of the whole school. "Fifty points!"

The Gryffindor table erupted into excited shouts. However, Dumbledore wasn't quite finished. "Second, to Mr. Ronald Weasley,"

From across the table, Ron met Harry's eyes. "Me?" He looked just as thrilled as he was surprised.

"You!" Grinned Harry, looking just as pleased.

"For the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen in these many years, fifty points!"

Another wave of cheers from the Gryffindors. Dumbledore continued on. "And third, to Miss (Y/N) (L/N),"

From beside her, Seamus nudged her shoulder. "That's you!"

"For staying by her friend's side, even in the face of grave danger," From all the way at the head table, Dumbledore's twinkling eyes fell on her. "Fifty points!"

She laughed in joy as those around her whooped and hollered. Even the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs were getting worked up; their points were coming remarkably close to overcoming Slytherin, and everyone wanted to see them lose for once.

"And fourth," Dumbledore said. "To Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points!"

"We've beat Slytherin!" Hermione said over the cheers.

But even still, Dumbledore had more to say. "And finally, it takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up for your friends. I award ten points to Neville Longbottom!"

Neville looked more baffled than excited. As he processed it, along with the many people congratulating him, (Y/N) saw him begin to smile.

"Assuming that my calculations are correct, I believe that a change of decoration is in order!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together, and just like that, the banners of green and silver turned to red and gold. "Gryffindor wins the house cup!"

(Y/N) jumped out of her seat, screaming victoriously with all the other Gryffindors. Dean and Seamus jumped on either side of her, Percy Weasley clapped Harry on the back, and Fred and George told Ron they never doubted him for a moment. The Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws were cheering just as loudly, but the Slytherins remained quietly in their seats.

That evening, as (Y/N) settled in for the feast, she knew she'd finally found where she belonged, and it was right there at Hogwarts, surrounded by that family of her own.

***

The next morning, (Y/N) and Hermione woke early with the rest of the students to prepare to go home. With the victory of the House Cup still fresh on their minds, leaving Hogwarts was only bittersweet.

Their trunks had been packed up the night before and were already loaded onto the train. The girls met up with Harry and Ron, and after Harry said goodbye to Hagrid, they boarded the Hogwarts Express to head home.

They talked and laughed as the countryside became greener, eating Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans and speeding past Muggle towns. They switched out their Hogwarts robes for jackets and coats, and then, all too soon, they were pulling into platform 9¾ at King's Cross Station.

(Y/N) got her trunk and Alcestis's cage from the train. A man stood by the ticket barrier, allowing pairs of twos and threes to pass through, as to not startle Muggles on the other side. As they waited in line for their turn, Ron said, "You must come and stay this summer! All of you! I'll send you an owl!"

As fun and exciting as that sounded, (Y/N) knew she would not be spending any time with the Weasleys, no matter how badly she wanted to. But an invitation, she thought, wouldn't hurt.

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

Soon it was their time to pass through to the Muggle world. (Y/N) and Hermione passed through first and then came Harry and Ron.

"There he is, Mum! There he is, look!" A little girl with red hair pulled on her mother's arm, pointing ahead at Harry.

Ron rolled his eyes like he was embarrassed. "That's Ginny," He told (Y/N) and Hermione. "She's just obsessed with Harry,"

"Harry Potter!" Ginny squealed. "Look, Mum, I can see--"

"Be quiet, Ginny!" Scolded a plump woman with flaming red hair. (Y/N) assumed it was Ron's mother. "And it's rude to point!"

When the group approached, Mrs. Weasley looked very surprised to see (Y/N) was among them, but she still smiled kindly nonetheless. "Busy year?" She asked.

"Very," Said Harry.

A large, purple-faced man approached, bearing a mustache that was doing nothing for him. He looked furious, but (Y/N) didn't know what for. Behind him stood a thin woman with an alarmingly long neck, and a large boy who looked terrified at the very sight of (Y/N) and her friends.

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

"In a manner of speaking," Answered the man.

So those were the Muggles who were so awful to Harry. (Y/N) wished she were allowed to use magic outside of school, for she would have loved to practice a few of her spells on that cousin of his.

"Hurry up, boy," Said Vernon Dursley. "We haven't got all day," And without waiting for Harry, he walked away.

Hermione looked uncertainly after Harry's uncle.. "I hope you have, er, a good holiday,"

"Oh, I will." Harry grinned. "They don't know I'm not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer."

They shared a laugh, exchanged goodbyes, and Harry started to go, but before he could get too far, (Y/N) called out to him.

"Harry," She started, unsure of what exactly she wanted to say. She knew that, whatever it was, she certainly didn't want to say goodbye. "You'll write this summer, won't you?"

"Loads," He answered, and (Y/N) felt herself smile. "If you want."

"She gave him a hug before he really went away. He smelled of the chocolate frogs they had on the train. "I'll see you next year," She said.

"Yeah," Harry managed. "Next year,"

Harry was a blushing mess when she pulled away, and she only hoped she didn't embarrass him too much in front of his family. Her face flushed, too, and before she could say anything more, Vernon Dursley called for Harry to hurry up.

"G-Goodbye, (Y/N)," Harry adjusted his grip on his trolley.

"Bye," She smiled, and with that, Harry turned to go.

"(Y/N),"

She recognized Narcissa's voice in an instant and whipped around to see her mother approaching with a kind smile. (Y/N) beamed up at her and ran to give her a hug and Narcissa laughed fondly at her actions.

"Hurry along, now," She said. "Draco and your father are waiting for us, and you know how impatient they are."

(Y/N) hurried to fetch her trolley, managed a subtle goodbye to Hermione and Ron, and fell in line with her godmother. Summer had only just begun, but (Y/N) was already anticipating her second year.

She only hoped it would be a bit quieter than her first.