The Potter Clan's Vengeance

Chapter 19 : Afternath & end of the year

Chapter 19

"Wh-where-where am I?" asked Thomas trying to sit up on the bed on which he currently lay.

"Good afternoon, Thomas," said Dumbledore. Thomas stared at him.

Then he remembered: "Sir! The Stone! It was Quirrell! He's got the Stone! Sir, quick -"

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

"Then who does? Sir, I -"

"Thomas, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out. Thomas swallowed and looked around him. He realized he must be in the hospital wing. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him 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 and Miss Granger 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. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I-"

"Take it from me?" asked Thomas cutting Dumbledore off. "I never had the stone in the first place, sir. Quirrel was asking me where it was, and then he opened his turban and Voldemort was there trying to tell me where the stone was. But I never had the stone!"

Dumbledore waited patiently for Thomas to finish before he spoke. "You always had the stone my dear boy. In fact, when I found you sprawled upon the ground you had pieces of the destroyed stone around you."

"Destroyed?" said Thomas 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 lied smoothly, smiling at the look of amazement on Thomas's face. This was a lie of course, but Thomas didn't need to know. This needed to be humbling for him and he needed to grasp the concept of death properly "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." Thomas lay there, lost for words. Dumbledore hummed a little and smiled at the ceiling.

"Sir?" said Thomas. "How did I get the Stone from wherever it was?"

"Thomas?" asked Dumbledore cautiously, "how much do you remember?"

"Not much Professor," admitted Thomas uneasily. "I remember Quirrel tying me up and Voldemort asking me for the stone. Once he realised I didn't have it he told Quirrel to kill me. Quirrel was just about to grab my hand when suddenly everything went black."

"I feared as much," said Dumbledore sadly, but inside he was beaming. He didn't know what had actually happened but he could now twist things for his own use. "Whilst Quirrel had restrained you, I'm sure you saw the ball that hung in the air?" asked Dumbledore and Thomas nodded, almost hesitantly. "That ball 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 the stone from inside the ball, otherwise they'd just be stood there until they got bored or died. My brain surprises even me sometimes..." lied Dumbledore again. The orb had been specifically designed so that only Thomas and himself could get the stone from inside it. Of course Thomas would want to use the stone, but something like this would convince the boy he had heart and would further cement him onto Dumbledore's side.