𓏲 . THE BOY WHO LIVED . .៹♡
                                           CHAPTER FOURTEEN
                                    ─── END OF THE YEAR

Charlus woke up an hour later than Harry. Blinking light greeted him as he opened his eyes again. When he blinked a few times, the light brown-haired boy realized that he was lying on a bed in the hospital wing.

Charlus pushed himself up and looked to the bed beside him to see Harry putting on his round glasses. In front of them, he saw a table that looked like a market stall full of presents and candy from several people. He smiled widely at the sight in front of them.

Charlus and Harry looked towards the hospital door when they heard footsteps and saw Dumbledore come in with a smile and approach their beds. "Good afternoon, Charlus,Harry." he greeted the two boys.

Charlus and Harry stared at the professor for a few seconds before they looked back at the table with the presents and candy. "Ah. Tokens from your admirers." Dumbledore said, beaming.

"Admirers?" the two boys asked at the same time, and looked at the older man  in confusion. "What happened down at the dungeons is between you two and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret. So naturally, the whole school knows." he explained to them and the boys smiled slightly.

"Ah, I see that your friend Ronald has saved you trouble of opening your chocolate frogs." Dumbledore remarked with a small smile as he glanced over at the empty chocolate frog boxes which were scattered on the table.

 "Ron was here? Is he all right?" Harry asked with a mixture of concern and hope in his voice. "What about Hermione and Alistair?" "Fine." he assured the two boys. "They're all just fine."

The two boys smiled with relief when they heard that their friends were all right, but they stopped smiling when they remembered something.

"What happened to the stone?" Charlus asked. "Relax, my boy." the older man began to answer him. "The stone has been destroyed. My friend Nicholas and I had a little chat and agreed it was best all around."

   At this, the two boys exchanged a surprised look. "Destroyed?" Charlus  repeated in disbelief. "But then, Flamel.. he'll die, won't he?" Harry then asked with concern.  "He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. " Dumbledore began to say somewhat sadly while he slowly moved around Harry's bed and sat down next to him on the edge. "But yes, he will die."

"How is it I got the stone, sir? " Charlus then asked him. "One minute, I was staring in the mirror, and the next-" "Uh you see, only a person who wanted to find the stone, find it but not use would be able to get it." he explained to them before he leaned down closer to their faces. "That is one of my more brilliant ideas. And between you two and me that is saying something."

Dumbledore and Charlus laughed little at this while Harry  took a moment to process everything the older man said. After a minute or two, he  spoke hopefully, "Does that mean, with the stone gone, that is, that Voldemort can never come back?" "I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return." he answered him with a heavy heart.

The two boys  looked down as they were shocked for a moment that Voldemort still had a chance to return.

"Charlus, Harry, do you know why Professor Quirrell couldn't bare to have you touch him?" Dumbledore asked the two boys, who immediately shook their heads in response. "It was because of your mother. She sacrificed herself for you two and that kind of act, leaves a mark."

The twins reached out their hands to touch the scars on their foreheads, because they thought that was what he meant, but the headmaster shook his head. "No no, this kind of mark cannot be seen. It lives in your very skins." "What is it?" they asked him curiously.

"Love, Charlus,Harry. Love." he replied to them softly as he gave Harry a pat on the head and ruffled Charlus' hair into a mess before he stood up from the bed. "Ah. Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans." he exclaimed as he looked at the presents and candy for Charlus and Harry. "I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit-flavored 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 like the way you think, Professor." Charlus said and laughed a little. The older man smiled at him before he pulled out a bean. Then he popped it into his mouth. Shortly afterwards, he choked it out again before he said, " Alas! Ear wax!"

The two boys grinned, and watched Dumbledore as he made his way out of the hospital wing. They waited until the headmaster was out of sight before they raised their voices and shouted in unison, "Madam Pomfrey!"

Hurried footsteps echoed through the room, and shortly afterwards the older, worried woman appeared with her typical stern but caring expression. "Oh yes, my dears? Are you feeling ill?" she asked with a hint of concern in her voice as she looked at the two boys scrutinizingly.

The boys exchanged a quick glance before Harry shook his head.  "Not at all. We're fine." he assured her, while Charlus nodded eagerly. "Actually, we were wondering if we could go?"

Madam Pomfrey looked at the two boys for a moment. Then her stern expression melted and she smiled warmly and reassuringly. "Oh, of course, my dears." she said before she turned on her heel and walked away to check on her other patients. Harry and Charlus looked after her for a moment before they got out of their hospital beds and walked out of the hospital wing.

As Charlus reached the Slytherin common room, he went upstairs to change into his Slytherin robes. "Come on." he muttered as he tried to adjust his tie as best he could. Running a hand through his light brown hair, Charlus decided he looked decent enough before  he left the  common room to meet Harry, who  waited for him  into his Gryffindor robes. "Are you ready?" he asked him. "Yes, I am." Charlus said, and together they made their way to the Great Hall.

The corridors were almost empty, most of the students went to the Great Hall for dinner. On their way there, Charlus saw Hermione, Alistair and Ron talking to each other on one of the staircases. He nudged Harry in the ribs and pointed at the three friends, who heard their footsteps and looked down at them.

"All right there, Ron?" Harry asked the ginger haired boy.  "All right." he replied with a nod. "You?"  "All right." the twins said at the same time and shrugged their shoulders with a small smile before Charlus turned to the bushy haired girl. "Hermione?" he asked her. "Never better." she replied and gave them a bright smile.

 "And what about you, Alistair?" Harry asked and looked at the black-haired boy. "Bloody amazing." he said and looked at his friends like they were the best thing that had ever happened to him. Which was actually the truth.

The twins smiled at the answer before Charlus put his arm over Harry's shoulder. Once again, the three Gryffindors and the both Slytherins stood in front of the Great Hall, just like the night of the sorting into their houses, only this time they smiled from their victory.

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The next couple of days went by in a blur and soon enough, the entire school gathered in the Great Hall for the term ending festivities. The Great Hall exuded an air of triumph as it was decked out in the Slytherin colors of green and silver to celebrate Slytherin's winning the house cup for the seventh year in a row. A huge banner with the majestic Slytherin serpent covered the wall behind the High Table, radiating the power and supremacy of the house.

Charlie of course sat at the Slytherin table with Alistair, but he smiled at Harry,Ron and Hermione who sat at the Gryffindor table. However, he turned forward as Dumbledore stood up and addressed the school.

"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully, and took a look around the room. "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...."

The boy and his brother and friends listened to the speech of the headmaster intently. It made them all wonder how the time in their first year at Hogwarts had flown by so quickly.

"Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in 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. " Dumbledore continued, announcing the House Cup winners.

A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Charlus and Alistair clapped and grinned at each other, and Draco Malfoy banged his goblet on the table. Charlus rolled his eyes at him as he continued to cheer. It was a sickening sight. How he hated that slicked haired git.

"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," Dumbledore said and clapped. "However, recent events must be taken into account."

The room went very still.  Charlus and Alistair's head shot up in the direction of Dumbledore, and at the same time, other Slytherin students stopped smiling. He wasn't talking about the Stone's rescue, was he?

"Ahem." Dumbledore began to say. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes... first — to Mr. Ronald Weasley... "

Harry grinned at Ron, who went instantly bright red in the face. The poor kid looked like a radish that had been lying on the beach in the sun for too long.

"...for his brave self-sacrifice and the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."

Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver.  Fred and George shook their brother as a way of congratulating him.  Even Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set." "He did." Alistair told Adrian and Matthew, who were sitting a couple of seats away. "We almost died but he was amazing!"

Dumbledore waited for everyone to silent down to continue, "Second . . . to Miss Hermione Granger . . . for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril, I award Gryffindor House fifty points."

Hermione buried her face in her arms; her  four friends strongly suspected she had burst into tears from how she proud she was of herself. Gryffindors up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up. Charlus and Alistair clapped for their friend.

"Third — to Mr. Alistair Black ..." Dumbledore called and Charlus saw that Alistair 's head shot up in the direction of Dumbledore, who simply smiled at him. "For remarkable conscientiousness in helping an injured friend, I award Slytherin House fifty points!"

The entire Slytherin table erupted in cheers at this news. Suddenly the black-haired boy was being hugged tightly and he couldn't help but smile proudly. "Good job." Charlus said as he placed his hand on his shoulder.

Dumbledore was waiting for them to stop congratulating Alistair patiently so he could continue. "Fourthly... to Mr. Harry and Charlus Potter." he said, and the room went deadly quiet once again as soon as he mentioned the boys who lived. "...for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor and Slytherin House sixty points."

The screams were deafening. Those who could add up while yelling knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points while Slytherin now had five hundred and eighty-two. There was no chance of Gryffindor winning the house cup.

Dumbledore raised his hand one final time. The room fell silent within an instance. "And finally..." he said with a smile. "There are all kinds of courage. 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."

Someone standing outside the Great Hall might as well have thought some sort of explosion had gone off. The noise that erupted from the Slytherin table was significantly loud. Charlus and Alistair stood up to yell and cheer as Neville went pale with shock. He had never won so much as a point for Gryffindor before.

"So, if my calculations are correct...." Dumbledore called over the storm of applause,for even some of the Gryffindos celebrated the victory of Slytherin. ".....Slytherin wins the house cup."

Professor McGonagall was shaking Professor Snape's hand, with a horrible, forced smile. Charlus laughed and gave Alistair a hug. "We did it! We did it!" he exclaimed and pulled away from him before he looked around. His eyes fell on Harry, Hermione and Ron, who clapped. They looked at him, and Charlus knew at once that they were happy for Alistair and him. That made Charlus grin. It seemed as though life would be back to normal next year, or as normal as it ever was at Hogwarts.

It was the best evening of  Charlus' life, better than winning at Quidditch, or Christmas, or knocking out mountain trolls... he would never, ever forget tonight.

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Charlus had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To his great surprise, he passed his exams with flying colors  while Harry,Alistair and Ron passed with good marks even though they barely studied. Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years.

Even Neville scraped through, his good Herbology mark making up for his abysmal Potions one. They had hoped that Goyle, who was almost as stupid as he was mean, might be thrown out, but he had passed, too. It was a shame, but you couldn't have everything in life.

Soon enough, their wardrobes were empty, their trunks were packed, Neville's toad was found lurking in a corner of the toilets, Phoenix had been put in his cage, and  notes were handed out to all students to warn them not to use magic over the holidays. And Hagrid was there to  take them down to the train platform.

They load their luggage onto the train. At that moment, Hagrid made a last call for the train , causing the five friends to wave goodbye. Then Hermione held the door open for her  friends to enter, but Charlus and Harry stopped for a moment and looked at Hagrid.

"Come on, Charlus, Harry." Alistair said to them, a little confused, as he was about to enter the Hogwarts Express himself. "One minute." Harry told him, before he and his brother walked over to Hagrid to say goodbye to him.

"Thought you two were leaving without saying goodbye, did you?" Hagrid said with a warm smile as they approached him. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out something that looked to be a photo album. "This is for the both of you." he said before he handed it to the oldest Potter, who took it.

Charlus carefully opened the first page of the photo album, and when Harry leaned over curiously to take a look, they saw a moving picture of their mother and father. James, with a wide smile, held baby Charlus lovingly in his arms, while Lily  held baby Harry lovingly in her arms. This got the twins happy, now they had something about their parents. "Thank you,Hagrid." Charlus said with a wide smile as he looked up at the giant.

Hagrid nodded  and held out his hand for them to shake. But when both of them took it, they pulled him into a hug. At first the giant flinched a little in surprise, but eventually he hugged them back.

When they broke from each other, Hagrid looked like he was about to cry, to which he wiped his eyes. "Ok, go on now." he said as he looked down at the boys. "Oh, but listen, Charlus,Harry. If that dolt of a cousin of yours, Dudley, gives you any grief, you can always, um... threaten him with a nice pair of ears to go with that tail of his."

Harry raised an eyebrow skeptically. "But Hagrid,we're not allowed to do magic away from Hogwarts. You know that." he told him, but Hagrid smirked and leaned down a little closer to the two of them. "I do." he confirmed and winked at them. "But your cousin don't, do he?"

The twins grinned at each other at the  teasing remark,, and with Hagrid nodding at them to signal them to get on the train, they ran back to their friends, who were waiting for them at the door. "It feels strange to be going home, doesn't it?" Hermione asked. "We're not going home." Harry replied and looked over at the giant castle. "Not really."

"No."  Charlus then said, and the others were surprised at the mischievous smile that was spreading over his face. "Not when they don't know we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with our cousin this summer."

━━ AUTHORS NOTE

And we're done the Philosopher's Stone! Thank god!

Hope you enjoyed it! If you did, don't forget to vote and share, and if you want, comment too ! I'd really appreciate it <3

Until next time, much love to you all.