Hedwig

Harry slowly came to awareness, his eyes fluttered open slightly before shutting at the intense bright light. Something was shimmering above him, a blurred image of an angel. He tried to sit up to get a better look but his body felt too heavy. Perhaps he was dreaming.

He blinked, adjusting to the light. It wasn't an angel, it was Lucius Malfoy. His long white hair surrounded by light giving the image of a halo. Harry blushed slightly as his glasses where pushed onto his nose and he was helped into a sitting position, Draco would never let him forget it if he found out Harry had compared Lord Malfoy to an angel.

"Mr. Malfoy." Harry rasped, his throat dry.

Lucius passed Harry a glass of water and sat back, giving the young boy time to look around and get his bearings. He was in the infirmary.

"How are you feeling Mr. Potter?"

"Err...fine." Harry hesitated, trying to recall what had happened. "How long have I been here?"

"Three days, you gave young Draco and Rose quite a fright." Lucius tensed and Harry jumped as the headmaster walked over and sat on the edge of the bed, opposite Lucius.

"Sir...what...Voldemort he..." Harry stammered. He gave the impression that the thought of being chased and cursed by Lord Voldemort panicked him when really it was the headmaster's presence that caused him worry.

"Don't worry my dear boy" Dumbledore's eyes twinkled, "Voldemort has fled the school, you are lucky he was not at full power otherwise you may have been killed."

"And Draco and Rose?" Harry couldn't see his friends anywhere.

"Merely knocked out, there were released yesterday." Dumbledore patted Harry's hand in a reassuring manner, "Well my boy, I shall leave you to rest for the time being. I believe Lucius here has a present for you." The headmaster stood and made his way out of the infirmary, humming as he walked, Lucius glaring at the retreating back.

"It was meant to be a surprise." He said grumpily.

"What was sir?"

Lucius reached round being his back and revealed a cage which held a beautiful snowy owl. "She is for you, so you may keep in contact with you friends during the holidays."

Harry gaped openly, "Really? For me? I can't..."

"Harry, what have we talked about concerning gifts?"

Harry looked down at his hands, "It's rude to not accept them." He muttered embarrassed at his rashness.

Lucius smiled at the young boy and ruffled his hair, causing Harry to look up in shock and wonder. "She is yours to name little one."

"Thank you!" Harry grinned and opened the cage door to allow the owl to hop onto his arm, "I'm going to call her Hedwig, I read it in one of my books." He declared happily stroking the soft feathers that adorned the owls' breast.

Lucius smiled, "I shall leave you to rest and I think your new friend would appreciate a fly outside. No doubt Draco and Rose will be along to see you later."

Harry nodded tiredly and snuggled into his pillows, watching as Hedwig swooped once round the room before disappearing through an open window.

It was two days later that Harry was finally allowed to leave the infirmary. Once he was out of the door he spread his arms wide open and ran forwards shouting "I'm freeeee!" Draco and Rose were caught between amusement and disapproval.

It wasn't that he'd been bored during his stay under Madam Pompfrey's care; he'd had visits from all his friends including Neville and Terry. Also, the headmaster had stopped by once more, to ask about the stone. Harry had wondered why he didn't say anything before but he supposed Lucius wasn't supposed to know the whole story.

xxxx - Flashback - xxxx

"Harry, my boy!" Dumbledore strode over to Harry's bed, disturbing not only Harry's reading but also startling Hedwig who had fallen asleep, with a disapproving hiss she turned her back on the old man and tucked her head under her wing. Harry smiled fondly at his new familiar before eyeing the headmaster warily.

"I wanted to talk to you some more about your little adventure."

"We tried to contact a teacher but..." Dumbledore held up a hand, "That's quite alright. I am not here to tell you off, you behaved admirably. You displayed Gryffindor bravery your parents would have been proud of."

Harry would've appreciated the sentiment if it wasn't said so patronisingly, he was almost twelve, not five!

"No, I wanted to ask you about the stone."

Harry frowned, not looking directly into the headmasters eyes; Lucius had warned him about that. "Stone? I thought you had it?"

The twinkle that seemed to always infest the headmasters eyes flickered momentarily in what Harry assumed was slight panic. "I'm afraid that is not the case, did you not retrieve the stone from the mirror?"

Harry nodded truthfully. That was the think about lying, it was better to only twist the facts a little. "It fell into my pocket but the...Quirrel...well, Voldemort, kept coming at me and hit me with a spell..." Harry blinked crocodile tears out of his eyes and gripped the hem of his jumper in tight fists.

"It's ok child. I shall comb the area again, I do not believe Voldemort knew you had the stone otherwise he wouldn't have kept you alive." Harry frowned so Dumbledore rewarded him with a longer explanation. "Voldemort could not take the stone from the mirror himself. Only one who wants the stone, but does not wish to use it may be able to acquire it. One of my most brilliant ideas, if I do say so myself."

"Sir, why does Voldemort want me dead? I mean, why try and kill me eleven years ago?"

Dumbledore sighed heavily, "I'm afraid that is a subject for another day. You will know one day, when you are older. I know this will annoy a young mind like yours but when you are ready, you shall know."

Harry, although far from satisfied, saw there was no point in arguing and nodded in reluctant acceptance.

They were silent for a moment as Harry drew up his courage to ask the question that had been worrying him all year, "What about the Dursleys? Do I have to go back?"

Dumbledore turned to Harry as though he was startled by this change in questioning, "What do you mean my dear boy. Surely you are looking forward to seeing your relatives again; I noticed you did not return at Christmas."

Harry shook his head, "I don't want to go back sir, they...they neglect me sir." He couldn't quite find it in him to admit that it was in fact abuse not merely neglect.

To his utter surprise and horror Dumbledore chuckled, "I am sure after experiencing the attention from your peers this year it must seem rather lonely to return to the Muggle world but I assure you my child it is the safest place for you."

Harry, enraged that the headmaster would dismiss him so casually and suggest the fame of the boy-who-lived had developed a need for attention, fumed in silence and fought back tears of betrayal.

Harry was immensely relieved when the old man left; he threw himself back onto his pillows, covered his face with his arms and groaned. A summer with the Dursleys – excellent.

The Headmaster's office – end of term

Professor Dumbledore passed back and forth behind his desk. Earlier he had informed Harry, Rose, Draco and the teachers that the stone had been found and destroyed but behind closed doors the old man admitted to himself that the test he had cunningly set for his boy-saviour had failed. The boy had indeed shown his worth and faced Voldemort like a true Gryffindor but the stone had fallen into enemy hands. One could only hope Voldemort would never unlock the secrets of the philosophers' stone. After all, as a bodiless spirit what could he do?

Eventually the leaving feast started and as students chatted animatedly and the Slytherin table celebrated winning the house cup one little boy sat with his head in one hand morosely stirring his soup.

"Come on Harry, father will collect you after a couple of weeks and you can stay with us for the rest of the holiday." Draco tried to console his friend.

Harry hummed in agreement. "Harry, eat. You're too small." Rose loaded a plate full of food and shoved it in front of the raven-haired boy. "You know we'll write to you every day." She kept nudging Harry until he glared at her and picked up a fork. "I suppose." He said, mentally shaking himself, he had a brilliant year and had a lot to be proud of and to celebrate. He could feel sorry for himself later.

True enough, that evening after Draco and Rose had gone up to bed Harry sat in the common room, knees drawn up to his chest, staring at the dying fire. Sighing he unfolded himself and headed out into the corridor, of course he now knew about the wards of Slytherin after curfew but since he wanted to talk to Professor Snape it didn't really matter.

Half expecting his head of house to meet him half way Harry was surprised when he reached the office door and found it open. "Come in Harry."

"How did you know it was me Professor?" Harry stepped into the room anxiously.

Severus smiled when he saw the small boy twisting his robes in his hands, eyes fixed resolutely on the cold dungeon floor. "I thought I'd be seeing you tonight. Come here child." He gestured with one hand to encourage Harry to walk towards him.

Harry shuffled forwards, head still down, until he collided gently with the strong, reassuring, warm body of Severus Snape. "Sshhh, it won't be forever child. Lucius and I will ensure you get to Malfoy manner." Harry let out a sob he'd been holding in ever since the headmaster told him he had to return to his relatives. Severus hesitated slightly before wrapping his arms comfortingly round the eleven-year-old; whispering, "You may send that magnificent owl of yours to me if you wish. I'll be here, I'll always be here."

Review :D :D :D