The Art of Deception

Chapter 18

The next day, Harry awoke in the Hospital Wing with his arm bandaged. He reached for his glasses, blinking at the sight of cards and candy scattered across his bedside table. Aurelia was already awake, lying beside him with her arms crossed behind her head. She glanced over at him with a small smile as he sat up.

Dumbledore walked in with a soft chuckle, looking at the two of them. "Good afternoon, Potters. Ah, tokens from your admirers?" he said, nodding toward the piles of sweets and well-wishes.

"Admirers?" Harry asked, confused, while Aurelia lazily threw her hair back over her shoulder.

"Of course I have admirers," she said, a playful grin on her face.

Dumbledore chuckled again. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So, naturally, the whole school knows." He gave them both a knowing look. "Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs."

"Ron was here? Is he all right? What about Hermione?" Harry asked, his voice urgent.

"Fine. They're both just fine," Dumbledore answered with a reassuring smile.

Aurelia raised an eyebrow. "And Theo and Daphne?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Mad at you, I presume. But well, that's to be expected."

Aurelia smiled, clearly relieved. "I can live with that."

Harry's expression turned serious. "But what happened to the Stone?"

Dumbledore's smile faded slightly. "Relax, dear boy. The Stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around."

"But then, Flamel... he'll die, won't he?" Aurelia said, her voice soft with realization.

Dumbledore nodded, sitting on the bed next to Harry. "He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die."

Harry looked down, the weight of it sinking in. "How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next..."

Dumbledore smiled, eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "Ah, you see, only a person who wanted to find the Stone, find it, but not use it, would be able to get it. That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you and me, that is saying something."

Aurelia raised an eyebrow. "So, basically, you set it up so only someone who didn't want to use the Stone could get it?"

"Precisely," Dumbledore said with a wink.

Harry blinked, his thoughts racing. "Does that mean, with the Stone gone, that Voldemort can never come back?"

Aurelia shook her head. "I don't think so."

Dumbledore sighed, his expression turning more serious. "Ah, I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return. Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bear to have you touch him?"

Harry shook his head. "No."

"It was because of your mother," Dumbledore said softly. "She sacrificed herself for you two. And that kind of act leaves a mark."

Harry instinctively touched his scar, confused.

"No, no," Dumbledore said, shaking his head gently. "This kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skin."

Aurelia grinned mischievously. "I almost wish I got a mark, so I could hurt my evil teachers with it."

Dumbledore chuckled. "Ah, if only it were that simple."