Chapter 59

                                    

                                          
Bellatrix stood at the end of the boys bed, watching him as he slept. He was going to be alright. Her heart sank when he collapsed to the floor but Poppy had insisted he would be fine. It was just shock with what happened the nurse said. 
All types of chocolate and sweets lay waiting for the boy when he woke up along with cards and the odd flower. Albus Dumbledore appears by the door, his eyes lingering on the woman for a moment.
"What happened down there Bella?" Dumbledore came to stand beside the woman, his eyes focused on the sleepy boy. Bellatrix remained silent. Dumbledore had a warning before hand from Minerva not to go pushing Bellatrix into speaking. Not that he would anyway, he's seen her in a bad mood and he didn't particularly feel like being on the end of that, not to mention Minerva was absolutely vicious when she started. She had a tongue that would cut through an iron wall when she started. 
The ancient man just tapped her shoulder and stood silently beside her until she decided to leave.
A while later Harry began to stir and the first thing he noticed was the headmaster eating something.
Albus threw the empty wrapper of the chocolate frog back on the desk before realising Harry had started to come around. He quickly rubbed the chocolate in his robe and tried to chew as fast as he could before approaching the boy.
"Good afternoon, Harry. Ah. Tokens from your admirers?" He smiles glancing at the gifts on the table.
"Admirers?"
"What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows." He smiles then glances at the estén chocolate.
"Ah, I see your friend Ronald has saved you the trouble of opening your Chocolate Frogs." He lied through his teeth, knowing full well he was the culprit.
"Ron was here? Is he all right? What about Hermione?" Harry sat up eagerly.
"Fine. They're both just fine." They old wizard smiles.
"But, what happened to the Stone?"
"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 Flamel, he'll die, won't he?" Harry asks, slight sadness evident in his voice.
The old man huffs as he sat on Harry's bed.
"He has enough Elixir to set his affairs in order. But yes, he will die."
Harry remained silent for a moment then he remembered the stone and it somehow being in his pocket.
"How is it I got the Stone, sir? One minute I was staring in the mirror, and the next..."
"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 thats saying something." The man smiles and so does Harry.
"Does that mean, with the Stone gone, I mean, that Voldemort can never come back?"
"Ah, I'm afraid there are ways in which he can return. " the man responds and Harry sighs. 
"Do you know what happened down there Harry?" 
He thought about what happened in that room, and the cat that once again saved him. She told him never to mention her to anyone, and he intended to keep her a secret just like she wanted. The boy shakes his head.
The man sighs,
"You're very lucky to be alive Harry, though I don't think luck has anything to do with it...you have something much stronger than luck on your side." The man smiles tapping his shoulder.
***
A while later in Dumbledores office stood three of his most trusted teachers. He sat in his chair and began the short meeting, he informed them on the boys health and then began discussing the wards.
"I told you the dog wouldn't be a good idea." Minerva crosses her arms.
"The dog was the least of our problems, the one we counted on the most backfired. Which reminds me, you need to brush up on your chess skills." Bella said to the woman beside her.
"Me? Your the one who set the ward and got defeated by three children." Minerva shot back.
"I did no such thing, my chess skills are exceptional I have you know. I thought yours were too but ah well I can't be right about everything." Bellatrix shrugs. Minerva Narrows her brows, this woman was pushing it.
"I told Dumbledore to ask you to set the wards, just because you did a lousy job don't go blaming me." Minerva folds her arms. 
"Please, I told Dumbledore to ask you to set the wards-" Bella stops her sentence realising where they had both gone wrong. Minerva caught on and both woman glanced at the old man in his chair sucking on a lemon drop.
"Albus, do you have something to say?" Minerva arches her brow.
"Well I knew how busy you two were so I thought I'd do it for you." He smiles a small twinkle in his eye.
"And that explains it all." Bellatrix rolls her eyes.
Minerva sighs, "If you want things done you have to do it yourself."