𝐋𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐒𝐡𝐨𝐫𝐭 ✓

𝟐𝟎

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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."