Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Professor Lockhart arrive, covered in grime and blood, at Professor McGonagall's office.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley throw their arms around Ginny.
Professor Dumbledore is also standing by, as is Professor McGonagall.
Harry places the Sorting Hat, the ruby-covered sword, and Riddle's destroyed diary on Professor McGonagall's desk.
Then he explains everything that has happened.
Ginny confesses that she's been writing in Riddle's diary all year.
Mr. Weasley asks her, "Haven't I taught you anything? What have I always told you? Never trust anything that can think for itself if you can't see where it keeps its brain" (18.21).
Professor Dumbledore sends Ginny to the Hospital Wing to recover.
Professor Dumbledore turns to Professor McGonagall: "You know, Minerva […] I think all this merits a good feast. Might I ask you to go and alert the kitchens?" (18.28).
Ron explains to Professor Dumbledore about Professor Lockhart's total amnesia.
Professor Dumbledore asks Ron to bring Professor Lockhart to the Hospital Wing, too.
So, Harry is left alone with Professor Dumbledore.
Harry finally admits what's bothering him: "Riddle said I'm like him. Strange likenesses, he said" (18.51).
Professor Dumbledore tells Harry that, when Voldemort tried to kill him as a baby, he left Harry with some of his skills (Parseltongue, for example).
Harry chose to be in Gryffindor, though, which makes him very different from Voldemort.
The fact that Harry could draw this ruby-encrusted sword from the Sorting Hat is proof enough that Harry is a true Gryffindor.
After all, the sword belonged to Godric Gryffindor.
Lucius Malfoy appears at Professor McGonagall's office, seething with fury. Dobby is hiding behind him.
Lucius demands to know why Professor Dumbledore has come back.
Professor Dumbledore tells him, "the other eleven governors contacted me today […] They seemed to think I was the best man for the job after all. Very strange tales they told me, too…Several of them seemed to think that you had threatened to curse their families if they didn't agree to suspend me in the first place" (18.73)
Lucius goes pale with rage.
Professor Dumbledore shows him the diary that had contained Lord Voldemort.
Professor Dumbledore points out that, if Harry and Ron hadn't found the diary, Ginny might have taken all the blame herself.
Then what might have happened?
He continues, "Imagine the effect on Arthur Weasley and his Muggle Protection Act, if his own daughter was discovered attacking and killing Muggle-borns" (18.84).
Thanks to some signaling from Dobby, Harry suddenly realizes that it must have been Lucius who slipped Ginny the diary during that fight at Flourish and Blotts at the beginning of the year.