บท 117: Chapter 114

He blinked. He blinked again. Was he dead? If so, Afterlife looked oddly like the Hogwarts hospital wing. He looked around, only to find Albus Dumbledore slumped over a cushioned chair, eyes closed. Without his wrinkled smile and the twinkling eyes on his face, Harry couldn't help but think that he looked strangely older when he was asleep.

Suddenly,

Ping!

A bunch of screens popped into existence right in front of him.

A bit annoyed, he pushed all the screens to the side for later and was about to say something to wake Dumbledore when suddenly, something caught in his throat and he started coughing loudly.

An old wizened hand handed him a glass of water, which he downed as soon as he could.

"Good afternoon, Harry," said Dumbledore as he took back the glass and pulled out a small vial holding a golden viscous liquid. He offered it to Harry. "For the sore throat."

Harry took the vial. "What potion is this sir?" he asked in his scratchy voice.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Just honey, Harry. I usually find it to be soothing the throat after long hours of talking in the Wizengamot."

Feeling a little stupid, he downed the honey, instantly feeling better in his throat.

Harry looked around him. He was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to him was a table piled high with what looked like half a candy shop.

"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming. "What happened down there in between you, Professor Quirrell and Miss Granger is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows about most of it. 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. Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, she has been extremely worried."

Harry's eyes widened. "Sir! Hermione! The ward!"

"She is well. Madam Pomfrey is very good at what she does."

A loud trill interrupted their conversation. Harry turned and looked at the window behind him. Hedwig and Fawkes were perched on the sill. Harry was shocked to see her out in front of Dumbledore.

Dumbledore must have interpreted the shock on Harry's face incorrectly, because he said, "She's chosen you for a partner Harry. She followed Fawkes here from the forest and has been helping you with her tears since. She looks to be pretty young, but undoubtedly will be a worthy partner to you. It is a great honor to be chosen by a phoenix. Although after what you did in that chamber, latching onto that ward of your own free will to break that powerful a ward, just to save your friend…I can honestly say she could not have chosen a more worthy partner."

Harry was elated. Hedwig had solved the issue of her being a secret by herself! He was so proud of her!

He turned back to Dumbledore, who was still talking.

"I remember seeing her flying into your window in the Ravenclaw tower once. She must have been considering you for being her partner for quite a long time. Fawkes tells me she likes to go by Hedwig."

Harry hesitated a second before asking something "Sir…why were the traps protecting the stone so easy? Surely they weren't going to stop any thief?"

Dumbledore took a deep breath. "A good friend told me to tell you the truth," he looked at Fawkes," And that is what I shall do. I have done you a great disservice Harry. I've doubted you. Thought you corrupted by Lord Voldemort's essence. Most of the traps were tests for you Harry. I'm afraid to say that after seeing your shields, I was afraid…afraid of having another Lord Voldemort pass through Hogwart's halls. And so I became blind in suspicion and fear, not noticing the changes in Quirinus…not noticing Lord Voldemort…near my students."

Dumbledore buried his head in his hands, continuing to speak.

"I will not ask for your forgiveness Harry. That would be too much to ask for. I would instead ask you to believe that I will do my best to one day earn it."

Harry didn't know how to feel. On one hand, he had been manipulated, and on the other hand, he had a strong feeling that Dumbledore was being sincere.

Taking a deep breath, Harry said, "It's…it's alright headmaster. Your heart was in the right place. Just…try not to do it again."

There was a few moments of silence.

"What happened to the stone Professor?"

Dumbledore looked up, smiling a bit. "Didn't I tell you? It's been destroyed. "

"Destroyed?" said Harry blankly, "But Nicholas Flamel-"

"Oh, you know about Nicholas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You did do the thing properly, didn't you? Well, Nicholas 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, then they will die."

Dumbledore smiled at the look of incredulousness on Harry's face.

"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."

Harry dropped that subject and moved on to the next one, "And Voldemort…I saw him escape through the walls in the chamber…He isn't gone is he?"

"I'm glad you've taken to using his name Harry," Dumbledore said out of the blue.

"I saw what he was…in that chamber. I've just decided not to give that thing power over me."

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled. "Very well put indeed. And as for Voldemort, no, Harry, he is not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share…not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. Nevertheless, Harry, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time…and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."

There was another short silence. This time, Dumbledore broke it.

"Now, enough questions. I've wanted to ask you, how do you like the contact lenses Madam Pomfrey had me buy for you?

"Contact lenses?" Harry said, suddenly realizing he hadn't even been wearing his glasses all this time, and had been able to see perfectly clearly!

"Why yes. Hadn't you noticed? They're a new thing these days, but Madam Pomfrey insisted you needed them, what with your glasses being too out of prescription."

Contacts. Huh. So that was why he could see everything much clearer than ever before.

"Thank you, Professor. They're great."

Dumbledore waved away his thanks. "Think nothing of it. Now rest. We'll be expecting you at Great Hall at dinner tomorrow." He stood, banishing the chair with a wave of his hand.