24 Chapter Twenty-Three

The exams were tough. On the plus side, I had apparently become such a know and notorious entity when it came to transfiguration that the mouse I had to turn into a snuffbox was left on a desk in the middle of the room, with Professor McGonagall in the far distance. I looked at the professor with an awkward expression, tapped the mouse, and watched it become a snuffbox.

There were actual tears in McGonagall's eyes at the sight of the snuffbox. "Outstanding, Mister Umbrus," she said. "I knew you could do it."

I smiled back, "Professor," I said amiably, "Do you think I could get extra credits if I transformed a fish in a swarm of swords?"

I walked out of there with fifteen points for Ravenclaw, a sword at my hip and a catchy tune whistled from my throat.

Charms had me make a pineapple dance, and Professor Flitwick had little to say to it, since I hadn't given him any particular problems with his curriculum. "Professor," I said amiably, my smile shining brightly like the saint child that was promised, "I've been practicing a musical charm, do you think I could get extra credits for it?"

I walked out with thirty points for Ravenclaw after playing the Hall of the Mountain King, thematically chosen and strangely appropriate.

Defense Against the Dark Arts was a written test, while Potions was about brewing a forgetfulness potion. I didn't dare try to get extra points with either of them; I was no fool. Astronomy and History of Magic, instead, were probably two exams I had taken less than Outstanding on. I just didn't care enough for them to study the subject; I did the homework, made an effort to memorize some important things, but that was all.

Herbology I aced the written portion, and professor Sprout gave me extra points out of her kind heart once she saw the mastery I had over the Bubblehead and the Incendio charms.

All in all, I wouldn't be kept back a year.

Thus, I eagerly went about minding my own business until two days before the end of the term feast. That was when things happened in a quick blur. Headmaster Dumbledore was called away on an urgent manner, and since I had been coming every now and then to his office, I pretty much intercepted Minerva McGonagall telling the trio off. I briefly glanced at Hermione, and shook my head ever so wildly.

She could have come by to say hi at least once, but I reckoned she was just too shy around strangers, or perhaps she had no clue on where to find me. I was for most of the time hidden away in the Room of Requirements, and when I wasn't there then I was fishing by the lake. Our schedules were probably conflicting. Still, I wished her all the best in her endeavors.

That night, I stayed awake within the Ravenclaw's common room. It was ludicrous, but I couldn't catch a wink of sleep.

This wasn't like shifting a pebble and getting a typhoon in America, I hoped. I sipped a warm cup of coffee, and waited patiently. It was ironic, but as the clock marked the second hour of the next day's morning, a surprising visitor made its way into the common room.

Headmaster Dumbledore looked tired, but still his eyes caught mine and I grinned back at him. "Hello Headmaster," I said amiably. "Would you like a cup of coffee?" I gestured to the thermos by my side, and the empty cup nearby. The Prefects hadn't bothered me when I set up shop. Inside the Common Room, you could stay awake as much as you wanted provided you didn't make any noise. It wasn't uncommon for some students to remain stuck in reading books throughout the night.

"Mister Umbrus, the house elves told me you were awake," he said with a tired sigh, "Staying up so late will harm your growth." He neared, and took a seat on the nearby armchair. His old hand grabbed the thermos, and he poured himself a cup too. "I fancy tea more, but sometimes I do find myself in need of something slightly stronger."

"Unfortunately I couldn't convince the house elves to let me bring up some sherry," I said. "They won't give minors alcohol."

"Considering how they shouldn't be at the service of the students of Hogwarts like that to begin with, I find myself wondering what sort of orders they are following," the Headmaster mused, taking a sip. The fireplace had long since stopped crackling, and the moon peaked in from beyond the tower's windows. "Mister Umbrus, may I ask what your intentions are?"

"I'm reasonably sure that the actions of those three will result in points, given rather than taken," I said. "And I approve of the idea of letting young children throw themselves into the grinder of war and rewarding them for it," I chuckled as I said that, clearly not serious at all. "But Headmaster, fairness would thus have you award those same number of points to the one person who did it all by himself, and who in the end kept the stone out of someone's, a really evil someone's, hands."

"The wits of the Ravenclaws are incredible indeed," Headmaster Dumbledore said. "You would not have been allowed to take the stone if you thought about using it for your personal gain. Thus, you did it for the good of your House." His eyes twinkled. "What worrisome student you are, Mister Umbrus."

"I'd rather call myself the least worrisome student," I continued, "You'll walk out of here with the stone, whether or not I get the points," I shrugged. "If I ever want a philosopher's stone, I'll retrace Nicholas Flamel's step and brew one myself, seeking the ingredients out. That's what I'd do." I took a longer sip of my coffee. "But concerning my desire to see the House Cup tradition destroyed...since all changes must come gradually, I had a different suggestion to make."

Headmaster Dumbledore listened to my suggestion, and then gave it a gentle nod. He walked out of there with the Philosopher's stone, my word kept.

When the feast for the end of the year began, the decorations Slytherin-like, Dumbledore took the word.

"Yes, yes well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin, however recent events must be taken into account, and I have a few last minute points to award." As soon as he said that, silence fell in the large dining hall. "To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect when others were in great peril, fifty points." He spoke, and the Gryffindors turned to look at the girl in question, cheering her on. They knew what had happened, since everyone knew. It was a secret, thus everyone knew that. What they didn't know, the real secret, was what Dumbledore and I had talked about.

"Second to mister Ronald Weasley, for the best played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, fifty points." The cheers from the Gryffindors grew. The point difference was diminishing. "And third to mister Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor House sixty points."

The whispers grew in a cacophony. It was a tie. It was a tie with Slytherin. I remained silent, my fingers crossed as my chin rested on my palm.

"And finally, it takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends, I award ten points to mister Neville Longbottom."

The cheers became a chant. Gryffindor had won. They had won the House Cup.

Or so they believed. I could imagine the vinyl scratch come to an abrupt hard as Dumbledore raised both hands, quieting everyone down.

"However," the Headmaster said. "The Philosopher's Stone was indeed stolen," the murmurs began erratic. Every single student's eyes widened in disbelief. "Demonstrating wits, wisdom, and an incredible amount of knowledge of every single field of magic, as well as cold logic, a single student stole the Stone. He did so with deft hand, with courageous bravery, with a wisdom beyond that of his peers and through a hard work seldom seen in a student. And then, he gave it back." The murmurs had died out.

"He returned the Philosopher's Stone. Having known it would be stolen, he stole it first. This does not diminish the work of the Gryffindors, but such an act must be equally rewarded. Yet," Dumbledore raised an index finger, "He did not wish to give points only to his House. Altruistically, or perhaps wishing to hide his identity, he asked for all houses to be awarded a differing amount of points. Thus...to Slytherin, ten points."

The students looked at one another. Shocked.

"To Ravenclaw, fifty-six points," now it was the turn of my House to be traumatized.

"To Hufflepuff, one hundred and thirty points," and with those final words said, the decorations of the dining hall shifted at the twitch of his wand. "This year, there is no loser for the House Cup, for all houses have won it."

He smiled. "That is what someone, incarnating the best traits of all Houses, picked as his reward."

He began to slowly clap. "And I think, we should all do well to thank such a person."

The professors were muted from shock, but soon joined in the clapping. I clapped too. All students clapped, while whispers on whom it could have been grew and multiplied. I, in the meantime, let it be. Everyone's cheers were muted, but on the positive side, it took a Gemini charm to get four identical House Cups.

The train ride that would bring me to my summer holiday in a muggle orphanage would come to pass, and afterwards, a couple of months of boredom without magic would happen.

However the face reflected in the mirror of the train looked back at me, and it had the most infectious grin of them all.

For I was Shade Umbrus...

...the incredibly Trollish Ravenclaw.