第十九章（24分 1965字）

Chapter 19. The Final Chapter. Dobby's Reward.

Fox takes Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Lockhart down the corridors until they are standing in front of Professor McGonagall's office. Harry knocks and pushes the door open.

"Jenny!" cries Mrs. Weasley. She has been waiting for news about her daughter. Mr. Weasley hugs his daughter tightly. Dumbledore is in the office, too. Fox flies past Harry and lands on Dumbledore's shoulder.

"You saved her! You saved her! How did you do it?" cries Mrs. Weasley. Mrs. Weasley hugs Ron and Harry. "I think we would all like to know what happened," says Professor McGonagall.

Mrs. Weasley finally lets Harry go. He walks over to McGonagall's desk. He places the sorting hat, the beautiful sword, and the diary on the desk. Then he tells everyone about everything that happened in the Chamber of Secrets.

But Harry does not say anything about Ginny, and how she wrote to Tom in the diary. The diary is destroyed now. There is no way to show how Tom Riddle controlled Ginny. But Dumbledore is looking at Harry with a strange smile.

"I would like to know," he says, "how Lord Voldemort managed to control Ginny. I know he is far from here, hiding in the forests of Albania." Harry is very relieved. Dumbledore understands that it is not Ginny's fault. "It was this diary," says Harry. "It was Tom's diary from when he was at the school. He wrote in it to leave a memory of himself." Dumbledore picks up the diary. "Brilliant," he says quietly. "Tom Riddle was one of the most brilliant students ever. But very few people know that Lord Voldemort was Tom Riddle. I taught him myself. Fifty years ago at Hogwarts, he disappeared after leaving the school. He travelled the world to learn all of the dark arts. It changed him physically and magically."

"But what does the diary have to do with Ginny?" asks Mrs. Weasley. "I was writing in it and Tom wrote back to me all year," says Ginny as she cries. "Where did you get the diary?" asks Ginny's mother. "I found it after we went to the bookstore," says Ginny. "It was together with the books you gave me, Mum." "Ginny," says Dumbledore kindly. "Do not worry. It is not your fault. Voldemort has more power than you can imagine. But I think you should go to the hospital building. Let Madame Pomfrey look at you. You should go. You should rest. You will not be punished."

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley and Ron leave the room with Ginny. They take her to the hospital building.

"Professor McGonagall," continues Dumbledore, "would you mind taking Professor Lockhart to the hospital building too, please? Perhaps Madame Pomfrey can... Reverse his memory charm." As McGonagall is taking Lockhart out of the room, Lockhart asks, confused, "I'm a professor. Who could believe it?"

Hmm. Just before they leave, Dumbledore says one more thing. "And Professor McGonagall, I think Hogwarts deserves a celebration. Celebration? Don't you? Go to the kitchens after and ask them to prepare a feast for all the children." Professor McGonagall smiles. The door closes behind them. Dumbledore and Harry are alone now.

"I remember saying that I would have to expel you if you broke the rules again." Harry feels like he will cry in desperation. But in this case, Dumbledore begins to smile. "I am glad that you broke the rules. Congratulations. I am awarding 200 points to you, Harry Potter, and 200 points to... Ron, for Gryffindor." Harry cannot believe his ears.

"I want to thank you, Harry," continues Dumbledore. "You showed me great loyalty in the chamber. Fox responded to your feeling of loyalty to me and to the school." Fox the Phoenix screeches loudly. "I'm sorry you had to meet Tom Riddle."

"Professor Dumbledore," asks Harry, "Riddle said that I was like him. He said we were similar." "Did he say that?" says Dumbledore. "What do you think, Harry?" "I don't think I'm like him at all," answers Harry. "I'm in Gryffindor. I'm..." Harry stops talking. "Professor," he continues after a moment, "the Sorting Hat told me I could do well in Slytherin. And everyone thought I was the heir to Slytherin, because I speak Parseltongue."

"Do you know why you speak Parseltongue, Harry?" asks Dumbledore. "When Voldemort attacked you and Harry... When Voldemort attacked you and your family, he transferred some of his powers into you. I do not think he wanted to do that, but that is what happened. So I have some of Voldemort's powers," continues Harry. "I should be in Slytherin."

"You must understand something, Harry," says Dumbledore. "You have many qualities that Salazar Slytherin prefers in his students. Intelligence, determination, and you like to ignore the rules." He smiles at Harry. "But the Sorting Hat put you in Gryffindor because you asked it to. That is what makes you different from Tom Riddle. Harry, it is the choices we make that show who we really are. It is much more than your skills and abilities. It is your character."