Chapter 9: Year one: Voldemort and Courage
Aileen wasn't quite sure how she managed to sit through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to be returning to his full strength. This distraction on top of her Dyslexia, poor eyesight and ADHD, meant it was a surprise she managed to sit through each exam.
But the days, and exams, crept by and Fluffy remained alive and well behind his locked door on the third floor. Apollo was at full strength, as it was sweltering hot during the days as they sat in the large classroom assigned for exams (the Great Hall was used for the OWL and NEWT students).
They weren't allowed to use their own quills for the exams, instead they were given one that had been bewitched with anti-cheating spells. According to Fred and George – who had a student in their year who tried cheating – it took whatever the student did to cheat and turned it on them. The student in their year had written the answers with invisible ink on his arm, and so his answers were invisible to everyone but himself.
After the written exams, there were the practical parts of the exams.
Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. Aileen still wasn't sure why they needed to know that charm, the wand movements weren't even precise. She figured that Flitwick was looking for something specific during their exam – perhaps it was control? – but his reasoning wasn't known to the students.
Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox — points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers or other mouse like traits. This exam at least made sense, since McGonagall was testing the student's visualisation and control, which would be very important as they advanced through the years in transfiguration.
Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion (which Aileen was sure he did on purpose).Aileen was sure that she got most of the potion right, although it may have been a bit too runny because she couldn't remember how many times she needed to stir it. However, her potion came out a lot better than Ron's which was the wrong colour and consistence.
Aileen did the best she could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in her forehead, which had been bothering her ever since her trip into the forest. Neville thought Aileen had a bad case of exam nerves because Aileen couldn't sleep (Hermione had discussed her worry about Aileen's sleeping habits with Ron and Neville in the hopes that one of them might have a way of helping) but the truth was that Aileen kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it as well as the snake face that actually belonged to Voldemort the night he murdered her spent most nights sat on the windowsill in the common room reading through her notes just so she did not wake up during the night to vomit what she had eaten the day before because she needed to get her energy from somewhere.
Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Aileen had seen in the forest, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron, Neville and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Aileen. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what anyone else might be up to.
It was a stark reminder as to how much more mature she was compared to her had been ignoring the fact that she felt older than her friend's during the school year, because Hermione regularly showed maturity when talking about her work, but now that differences in their childhoods was really starting to show itself in the way they responded to the situations and knowledge of life.
Their very last exam of the year was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. Aileen was glad she had read more history texts books then the one they were given on their book list since Binns only went on about Goblin Rebellions and that was the only thing in the book he quoted from. The exam, however only had five questions on the Goblin Rebellions, the rest was on wizarding history.
When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Aileen couldn't help cheering with the rest even if she did not jump up on the table and do a jig like Seamus.
"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."
Hermione always tried to talk about her exams after finishing, but Ron made a comment about how it made him feel ill, because he normally hadn't written the same answer to whatever question Hermione was talking about. So Aileen generally distracted them. Today, she led them outside since the sun was still shinning and it was pleasantly warm.
They wondered over to their normal tree down by the lake and flopped down. Ron was stretched on the grass with Aileen, while Hermione sat against the trunk of the tree. From her place on the slight incline, leading down the bank, Aileen could see the twins and Lee tickling the tentacles of the giant squid. It had been floating along the surface of the lake, basking in the warm shallows, but it was now playing some kind of game with the twins by hiding and then trying to reach out and grab them before they could tickle him.
"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, "You could look more cheerful, Aileen, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."
Aileen was rubbing her forehead,another stab of pain having distracted her from the amusing view in front of her.
"I wish I knew what this means!" shesighed in frustration. "My scar keeps hurting — it's happened before, but never as often as this."
"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested, something she knew Aileen wouldn't do unless she was greatly injured because she didn't want anyone finding out about her home life until she knew why she was placed with the Dursleys. It was one of the reasons why she was learning how to heal and use different medicinal herbs outside of potions.
"I'm not ill," saidAileen with conviction. "l think it's a warning…it means danger's coming…" Aileen decided not to mention Voldemort since they were outside and there was a chance of their voices carrying in the wind.
Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot and relieved the exams were over.
"Aileen, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."
Although Aileen agreed that Hagrid wouldn't willingly or knowingly give away that knowledge, there was just that feeling in the pit of her stomach. Like she was forgetting something, something important.
When she tried to explain thisto her friends Hermione dismissed her by reminding her of the time she had woken up and started going through her transfiguration notes despite having already sat that exam. But Aileen knew that wasn't the reason for her unsettled feeling.
She watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent her letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy… never… but… Aileen suddenly jumped to her feet.
"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.
"I've just thought of something," said Aileen. She had turnedfour shades paler then she normallywas with her sudden realisation. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now." She took off at a fast sprint.
"Why?" panted Hermione, struggling to keep upsince she didn't have the practise at running that Aileen did.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Aileen not remotely out of breath as she set their pace across the grounds "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? And considering how expensive they are, how many people would willingly give them away over a card game? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I realise this before? I knew there was something suspicious about the guy Hagrid mentioned.'" Aileen growled the last part to herself.
"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Aileen, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer since they would soon be getting their answers from Hagrid.
Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.
"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"
"Yes, please," said Ron panting after their sprint to Hagrid's hut, but Aileen cut him offnot even slightly winded.
"No sorry, but we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"
"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off." He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head — that's one of the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."
Aileen sank down next to the bowl of peas, shocked that Hagrid would talk to a stranger when he didn't know what they looked like or even their name. And besides, what dragon dealer didn't want money?
"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Aileen prayed he hadn't.
"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah…he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here…He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after…so I told him…an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon…an' then…I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks… Let's see…yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted…but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home…So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy…"
"And did he — did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Aileen asked, trying to keep her voice calm even if her panic was mounting.
"Well — yeah — how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-" Hagrid suddenly looked horrified. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey — where're yeh goin'?"
Aileen, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.
"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Aileen. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either him," Aileen decided not to use names of teachers while inside theschool, "or Voldemort under that cloak — it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"
They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him – not even the twins.
"We'll just have to —" Aileen began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.
"What are you three doing inside?" It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.
"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione rather bravely.
"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"
Aileenswallowed, "It very important, it's well..."she hesitated. "It's sort of secret," she said, but she wished at once she hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.
"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."
"He's gone?" said Aileen frantically. "Now?"
"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time – "
"But this is important." Aileen insisted shocked that the one time they needed Dumbledore the most he was not even on school grounds.
"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"
'Everything's more important than the Ministry of Magic as far as I can tell,' Aileen thought viciously. "Look," said Aileen, throwing caution to the winds as, for the first time in a long time, she decided to place trust in an adult,"Professor — it's about the Philosopher's Stone —"
Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up. "How do you know —?" she spluttered.
"It doesn't matter, right now. Professor, I think —no - I know — that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore or at least get him to come back to the school before tonight."
McGonagall eyed her with a mixture of shock and suspicionnot seeming to care that they were pleading with her to help protect something that was keeping a man and his wife alive. "Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."
"But Professor —"Aileen argued for she knew that if they had found a way around the first trap without trying and the person after the stone was involved in setting up the protections, the stone was not protected at all.
"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."
"LISTEN TO ME!" Aileen finally snapped, grabbing the professor and pulling her into a classroom so that no one could hear what was being said. Ron and Hermione didn't follow, instead they kept a look out in the corridor. They had seen Aileen loose her temper ones before, and Hermione had seen her argue with McGonagall and win. They weren't going to interfere with this. "If the three of us could figure out that you need to play music to get past fluffy and that you, Sprout, Flitwick, Quirrell and Snape all set up protections around the stone do you honestly think that a fully trained wizard – probably a member of staff – couldn't have figured that out as well? They have already made one attempt on the stone during the Halloween Feat, why do you think that the troll was let into the school?" Aileen glared at Professor McGonagall absolutely furious.
With her piece said she turned and left the shocked professor in the classroom. Hopefully, her words would have been enough to get the stubborn lion thinking about what has been happening during the year and she would endeavour to alert the headmaster or try and protect the stone. However, she couldn't leave this to chance, she had to come up with a way of ensuring that Quirrell didn't get his hands on the stone, because she didn't want to live in a world which was at war with Voldemort.
"It's tonight," said Aileen said once they had gotten quite a distance away from McGonagall. Her friend's didn't say anything about how she had spoken with McGonagall, recognising that now wasn't the time. "They're going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."
"But what can we —" Hermione gasped. Aileen, whose instincts were going haywire, had already stiffened slightly,and Ron wheeled round. Snape was standing there.
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly. They stared at him. This was the first time he had spoken too Aileen without sneering, she realised absentmindedly while the majority of her was just wondering how much Snape had overheard before she felt his presence. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said.
"We werejust having a word with professor McGonagall." Aileen said motioning back down the corridor.
"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"
Aileen refused to be embarrassed, they had done what was right by their friend and had been punished more than enough for it. They turned to go outsideso that they could talk further, but Snape called them back.
"Be warned, Potter - any more night time wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you." He strode off in the direction of the staffroom. Out on the stone steps were she was sure no one could sneak up on them and they would not be overheard, Aileen turned to the others.
"Right, here's what we've got to do," she whispered. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape — wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."
"Why me?" Hermione asked annoyed.
"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen bwrong…"
"And if McGonagall sees me again I'm pretty sure she'll kill me." Aileen added.
Hermione sighed but agreed to go and watch out for Snape.
"And you'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor make sure no one enters," Aileen told Ron.
"What about you?" Ron asked.
"I'm going to write a letter to Dumbledore, hopefully Hedwig can find him in time."
When Aileen returned the common room she found Ron there. Apparently McGonagall had found him and threatened to take was furious. How could she just ignore the fact that three students were asking about the protection around a stone they weren't supposed to know about? That alone should have had her checking or increasing the protection around the stone, not shouting at the students who were showing concern for the schools safety without even asking how they knew about it or who they believed to be after the stone.
Then the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.
"I'm sorry, Aileen!" she wailedgetting annoyed looks from the fifth and seventh year students who still had a week of exams left. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went." she finished quieter now as she took a seat next to Aileen.
"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Aileen saidas she felt her stomach tighten painfully. The other two stared at her in confused shock. She was paler then normal and her eyes had hardened to emeralds that where glitteringin the firelight. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."
"You're mad!" said Ron.
"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"
"SO WHAT" Aileen said fiercely, and yet quietly, aware of the other students still in the common room. "Don't you understand? If whoever's after the stonegets hold of it, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone? Ron, according to the purebloods your family has been classed as blood-traitors. And Hermione, not only are you a muggle born but you're a smart muggleborn. They'll come for you both. You and your families, if Voldemort comes back. If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me!" She glared at them as she tried to get her point across, ignoring the fact that this was the second rant she'd had today: this school was no good on her temper.
"You're right Aileen," said Hermione in a small voice.
"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Aileen. "It's just lucky I got it back."
"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.
Aileen closed her eyes as her mind rebelled at the thought of them accompanying her – she did not want her first, and best friends, to get hurt or worse killed. "Yes it will cover us all." She said softly, she knew they would come with her weather she liked it or not.
After dinner the three of them sat nervously in front of the common room fire like normal – Hermione had said they should sit separately but Aileen told her that that would look bothered them; most of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Aileen any more, after all,although they had warmed up to Hermione, Neville and Ron after her rant. Neville had gone to bed early now that the stress exams were over.
Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break or get around. Aileen and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do although Aileen was flicking through her potions book barely taking in what she was reading.
Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.
"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning.
Aileen silentlyran upstairs to her dark dormitory. She carefullypulled out the cloak and then her eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given her for Christmas. She pocketed it to use on Fluffy — she didn't feel much like singing. She silentlyran back down to the common room.
"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us – if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own —"
"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.
"Neville, we tried to warn the teachers but they won't listen. So we're going to buy some time for Professor Dumbledore to arrive." Aileen spoke quickly before the other two could say anything.
"The Philosopher's stone, someone's going to try and take it?" he asked; Aileen had kept him up to date on everything after he went to find them the night they got Norbert out of the school. She didn't want a repeated of what happened that night to happen again.
"Yeah, we tried telling Professor McGonagall but she wouldn't listen. Please Nev, let us go. We don't have much time."
"Be careful," Neville finally said, stepping aside to let them past.
"Thank you," Aileen kissed his cheek and then led the others out into the corridor where she pulled the clock over them.
In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs Norris skulking near the top.
"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Aileen's ear, but Aileen shook her head.
As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs Norris turned her lamp like eyes on them, but didn't do anything. The rest of the journey went without any encounters until they reached the staircase of the third floor. There they found Peeves, bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip. Aileen was glad he wasn't doing it at the top of the staircase because that would cause some injuries.
"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting in there general direction. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."
"Peeves," she said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."
Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake — I didn't see you — of course I didn't, you're invisible — forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."
"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Aileen. "Stay away from this place tonight."
"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." And he scooted off.
"BloodyBrilliant, Aileen!" whispered Ronwhile Aileen rubbed her throat: it always hurt to try and impersonate someone with a deep gravelly voice like the Baron's.
A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor — and the door was already ajar.
"Well, there you are," Aileen said quietly, "They've already got past Fluffy."
Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Aileen turned to the other two.
"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," she said praying that they would. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."
"Don't be stupid," said Ron.
"We're coming," said Hermione.
Aileen sighed, nodding her assent before pushing the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.
"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.
"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."
Aileen raised an eyebrow at that, Professor Snape had the fingers for the violin or the piano, not the harp."It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Aileen.
She put Hagrid's flute to her lips and blew. It was an old lullaby she had heard once, andfrom the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Aileen hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased — it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
"Keep playing," Ron warned Aileen as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor; Aileen used her free hand to place the cloak in her pocket, she didn't want to leave it behind again. She was lucky it was returned to her the first time, she doubted it would be returned again. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they moved closer.
"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"
"No, I don't!" Hermione snapped, as she tried to stay as far from the heads as she could.
"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.
"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.
"Nothing — just black — there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."
Aileen, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at herself forshe was used to falling from a height and could land in such a way as to not hurt herself if there was nothing down there unless the drop was more than the equal of three stories.
"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."
Aileen handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play the C and D notes alternatively on the flute, it fell back into its deep sleep. Aileen climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.
She lowered herself through the hole until she was hanging on by her fingertips. Then she looked up at Ron and said,
"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Wait for Dumbledore, right?"
"Right," said Ron.
"I'll call up to youin a minute…" And Aileen let go. Cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down, down, down and —
There was a flump sound for barely a second before she rolled, absorbing the impact so that she did not break her ankles or knees.She crouched were she stopped and felt around, her eyes not yetused to the gloom. It felt as though she was on some sort of plant.
"It's okay!" she called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!" Aileen cast a cushioning charm in the area they would land just in case.
Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled a foot too Aileen's left.
"What's this stuff?" were his first words.
"Some sort of plant, I guess. Come on, Hermione!" Aileen called as her eyes started to adjust allowing her to see the vines that covered the floor – she did not recognise the plant.
The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Ron's other side.
"We must be miles under the school," she said.
"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.
"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"
She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Ron his legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing. Aileen was in a slightly worse predicament since the vines had bound her legs and hips in a tight grip stopping her from moving her lower half. Aileen cursed the Dursley since she had not felt any pain from the tight grip the vines had on her until someone had pointed it out to her.
Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.
"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"
"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his chest. Ignoring the vines that were now tightly around her chest and cutting off her oxygen, Aileen attempted to move her left leg so she could get her wand or dagger from the holsters she had around her thigh (she was the only one not in school uniform).
"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.
"Fire, Hermione, fire," Aileen gasped, trying to relax her upper body as she continued trying to get her wand.
"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare…what did Professor Sprout say? — it likes the dark and the damp." Hermione continued having not heard her.
"Light a fire!"Aileen chokedjust that bit louder.
"Yes — of course — but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.
"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowedas the vines tried to pin his arms down. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"
"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two prisoners felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.
"Lucky you pay attentionand remember everything fromHerbology, Hermione,"said Aileen as she joined her by the wall, wiping the blood from her hip so that they did not notice it.
"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Aileen doesn't lose her head in a crisis — 'there's no wood,' honestly."
"This way," said Aileen before Hermione could reply, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.
The passageway led to an open room where they discovered a group of what, at first sight, appeared to be glittering birds, but turned out to be keys. Hermione attempted the Alohomora charm, but it didn't unlock this door. Instead, they were forced to use the provided broomsticks to get the key. If it hadn't been for Ron narrowing their search down, they could have been there all night before Aileen found the key that fit the lock.
The next chamber was dark, but after they stepped forward into the room the light flared from the candles. Aileen assumed that they must have triggered a trip wire of some sort. This room held a giant, animated, chess set which they had to face and beat to get to the doors on the other side of the room. It was Ron who determined that they had to play their way across the board, and take the place of three of the pieces. Aileen was the bishop, Hermione the castle and Ron the knight. Ron was the one directing them across the board, because he was still the raining chess champion in Gryffindor.
Despite having confidence in Ron's chess skill, Aileen was greatly worried about his place as the knight. In 40% of the games Ron ended up sacrificing his knight after using it to decimate the other side. It was his favourite piece. She prayed this was one of those games where he didn't end up losing the knight – because if this was like wizarding chess the impact could injure him (she refused to think that it could do worse than that).
The game turned out to be like real wizard's chess when they lost a pawn. It was hit and destroyed before being dragged off the board to lie silent. Soon, either side of the board started looking like a chess grave yard as each side continued loosing pieces.
"We're nearly there," Ron muttered nearly thirty minutes into the game. "Let me think — let me think…"
The white queen turned her blank face toward him and Aileen's heart sank as her eyes flickered across the board taking in all and any moves she could see.
"Yes…" said Ron softly, "It's the only way…I've got to be taken."
"NO!" Aileen and Hermione shouted.
"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me — that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Aileen!"
"But —" Hermione tried to interrupt.
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"
"Ron, she could kill you; move the castle to distract the queen." Aileen implored.
"We don't have the time to do that, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!" A heavy silence fell between them before Aileen pointed her wand at the queen and cast a cushioning charm on her arms in the hopes of lessening the impact. This was the first time she had ever cast the spell, she had read about it in one of her books, so she hoped that she had done it right. Although she had cast it on the plant, she had no way of knowing if it worked because the plant could have been enough to reduce the impact enough to prevent injury.
"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go — now, don't hang around once you've won."
He ordered the night forward into its new position, which threatened the king by placing him in check. However, the white queen moved as she had so many times before to take down the threat. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and the impact sent Ron crashing to the floor. Hermione screen from her square, but she was frozen in her place from the shock.
Aileen took a fortifying breath, trying not to look at her friend's limp and unconscious body, as she took three steps to the left. Blocking the king's only escape. Sensing that it had been defeated, the king threw his crown down at Aileen's feet.
The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. Aileen ran to Ron side for a second to make sure he was not hurt too bad. It seemed the cushioning charm worked to an extent, because Ron suffered from a slight concussion, and he'll wake with a headache, but he would be fine. They couldn't carry him with them into the next part because he was now a liability, so she bundled her jacket under his head in order to support his neck. With that done, she grabbed Hermione's arm and led them through the now unblocked door.
"What if he's —?"
"He'll be all right, only a slight concussion" Aileen reassured Hermione. Her friends were like her siblings, and she didn't want them to be placed in danger. But it had been their choice and loyalty that had led them down the rabbit whole. She had done what she could for Ron, now they needed to focus otherwise they could get hurt. "What do you reckon's next?"
"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's."
"And Headmaster Dumbledore's trap, he would have done the last one." Aileen added as she realised that they had never mentioned the man placing a protection.
The next door led to a chamber which was filled with a foul stench – a stench the girls recognised. The room contained a troll, but it was bigger than the one that had been set loose during Halloween. Aileen covered her nose and tried not to gag, not just from the smell of the troll but from the blood pouring from its head wound. It seemed that Quirrell had killed the troll to get passed it instead of just knocking it out like they had done with the one on Halloween.
"Come on," Aileen dragged a shocked Hermione through to the next room.
They had barely stepped into the next room when a wall of fire blocked the door they came through and the one in front of them. The one going back was purple, the one going forward was black. Aileen had never heard of purple or black fire before, but she assumed they were more dangerous than normal fire. The line of seven bottles of different shapes sat innocently on the desk next to a roll of parchment. It seemed that Snape had gone with simple and deadly.
"Look!" Hermione seized the parchment that Aileen had noted from the table; to reduce the time spent in the room Aileen motioned for Hermione to read it aloud.
Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
Which meant one potion led them back and another led them forward. The use of 'danger lies before you' was Snape's way of warning the intruder that they should turn back. It makes sense, because Aileen knew that a few of the student's would think this a test, and if they made it this far and read these words, there is a chance some would take it to heart and turn around. Especially, if it was a Slytherin who made it this far because they would instantly recognise Snape's hand writing and take the out while they could.
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.
So there is one forward, one back, two safe false and three poisons.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
Hermione smiled in relief when she had finished. She was someone who depended heavily on logic, so to come across a logic puzzle placed her in her element as opposed to most wizards who turned their back on logic because they didn't want to see the logic behind magic.
"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic — it's logic — a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."
Hermione spent nearly a minute walking up and down in front of the bottles, muttering to herself. Aileen stepped back and let her work since Hermione was much better at these puzzles then her. And working on something so simple seemed to distract her from the situation they were in and calm her down.
"Got it," Hermione announced confidently. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire — toward the Stone."
Aileen looked at the tiny bottle. "There's only enough there for one of us," Aileen observed thoughtfully. "That's hardly one swallow."
They looked at each other.
"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"
Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.
"You drink that," said Aileen. "No, listen," Aileen said cutting of whatever protest she was about to make, "get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy — go straight to the Hospital Wing. If you see Dumbledore tell him to hurry up. I might be able to hold them off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."
"But Aileen — what if You-Know-Who's with him?"
"Well — I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Aileen, pointing at her scar. "I might get lucky again."
Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Aileen and threw her arms around her.
Aileen stiffened in shock. Although she had hugged others in comfort, this was the first time someone else was initiating a hug with her."Hermione?"
"Aileen — you're a great witch, you know."
"I'm not as good as you," Aileen disagreed as she stepped back.
"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things — friendship and bravery and — oh Aileen —be careful!"
"You drink first," said Aileen. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?" she didn't want her hurt as well.
"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.
"It's not poison?" said Aileen anxiously.
"No — but it's like ice."
"Quick, go, before it wears off."
"Good luck — take care."
"GO!" Aileen ordered sharply before she could continue talking.
Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.
Aileen took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. She turned to face the black flames. She was the daughter of Poseidon. It was her duty – as it was the duty of all children of the gods – to protect and do what was right. No matter how scared they may be, they must always step up and do what is right. And right now, stopping Voldemort from getting his hand on the stone was what is right. No matter how scared and untrained she was. She was not afraid of death – as long as her death meant something in the end – she would face it without regret.
"Here I come," she said, and she drained the little bottle in one gulp.
It was indeed as though ice was flooding her body. She put the bottle down and walked forward; she braced herself, saw the black flames licking her body, but couldn't feel them — for a moment she could see nothing but dark fire — then she was on the other side, in the last chamber.
There was already someone there — much to her relief it wasn't Snape.
"Quirrell"Aileen greeted, trying to sound confident. She wasrelieved it wasn't Snape – who was a brilliant duellist according to his records – and angry at this man who had played the school for a fool.
Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all. "Potter" he returned calmly. "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here.'"
"But we thought that Snape —"Aileen said in the hopes of keeping the man talking and stopping him from focusing on why he was down there until Dumbledore could arrive; he must have retrieved her owl by now, and if not then he would have surely noticed that something was wrong and he wasn't needed at the ministry.
"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. "Yes, Severus does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell? It wasIwhotried to kill youthe day of your first Quidditch match. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Snape hadn't been muttering a counter-curse, trying to save you."
"Snape was trying to save me?" Aileen already new this but she needed the other to continue talking; besides, it was nice to know that Snape's hate façade, was just that – a façade.
"Of course," said Quirrell coolly. "Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really…he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Snape was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he didmake himself unpopular… and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight."
Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air but Aileen's years of fighting monsters and her training, meant that she was able to dodge. She raised her wand and shot a stunning spell at him.
Quirrell batted it aside with his wand and before Aileen could cast another spell she was wrapped tightly in robes, her arms pinned to her side and her wand on the floor. To stop herself from falling face first Aileen fell to her knees. Once she had stopped moving the rope tightened its grip on her and she let out a silent gasp of pain as she felt it digging into her skin and crushing her bones. Quirrell had cast the binding spell without his wand or words – how powerful was the man who had played the school for a fool?
"You're too nosy to live, Potter. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone."
"Youlet the troll in?" she asked, pushing back her pain, to keep the man talking and not focusing on the mirror that was stood in front of him.
"Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls — you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off — and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly. Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror."
Aileen cursed silently as Quirrell turned his attention tothe Mirror of Erised.
"This mirror is the key to finding the Stone," Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. "Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this…but he's in London…I'll be far away by the time he gets back…"
All Aileen could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror – she needed to buy some time for Hermione and Ron had surely left the third floor by now and Dumbledore must be on his way back.
"I saw you and Snape in the forest —" she blurted out in the hopes of shocking Quirrell.
"Yes," said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. "He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me — as though he could, when I had the Dark Lord on my side…"
Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it. "I see the Stone…I'm presenting it to my master…but where is it?"
Aileen struggled against the ropes binding her, trying to twist her wrist enough to reach her dagger. She had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.
"But Snape always seemed to hate me so much."
"Oh, he does," said Quirrell casually, "heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead."
"But I heard you a few days ago, sobbing – you were being threatened…"
For the first time, a spasm of fear flitted across Quirrell's face. "Sometimes," he said, "I find it hard to follow my master's instructions — he is a great wizard and I am weak —"
"You didn't used to be week." Aileen snapped at the man. "And how did Voldemort get into the classroom with you?"
"He is with me wherever I go," said Quirrell quietly. "I met him when I travelled around the world. A foolish young man I was then, full of ridiculous ideas about good and evil. Lord Voldemort showed me how wrong I was. There is no good and evil, there is only power, and those too weak to seek it… Since then, I have served him faithfully, although I have let him down many times. He has had to be very hard on me." Quirrell shivered suddenly. "He does not forgive mistakes easily. When I failed to steal the stone from Gringotts, he was most displeased. He punished me…decided he would have to keep a closer watch on me…" Quirrell's voice trailed away.
Quirrell cursed under his breath. "I don't understand…is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?"
Aileen's mind was racing. What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, she thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it — which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realising what I'm up to?She triedto break free again but the rope was too tight and it was starting to shift to stop her wrist from moving at all. Quirrell appeared toignore her.
He was still talking to himself. "What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!"
And to Aileen's horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.
"Use the girl…Use the girl…"
Quirrell rounded on Aileen. "Yes — Potter — come here."
He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding Aileen fell off. Aileen got slowly to her feet, discreetly grabbing her wand from where it had fallen when the ropes had grabbed her.
"Come here," Quirrell repeated. "Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."
Aileen walked toward him not yet daring to raise her wand.I must lie, she thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.
Quirrell moved close behind her. Aileen stiffened at how close to her he got. If he got any closer than he already was she would freak, and attack. The smell that hung around the man's turban was also not helping her control her emotions since it was clouding her mind and making her feel ill.
She closed her eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again. She saw her reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at her. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket — and as it did so, Aileen felt something heavy drop into her real pocket. Somehow — incredibly — she'd gotten the Stone.
"Well?" said Quirrell impatiently. "What do you see?"
Aileen screwed up her courage, praying to her father that she'd make it out alive.
"I see my family; they are stood around me smiling proudly as Dumbledore shakes my hand: I've graduated Hogwarts with one of the highest grades and I have the head-girl badge pinned to my chest." Aileen told a half lie – the best of lies.
Quirrell cursed again. "Get out of the way," he said, forcefully pushing her to the floor.
As she hit the ground she felt the Philosopher's Stone against her leg. Dare she make a break for it? She tightened her grip on her wand as she got back to her feet. But she hadn't moved five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.
"She lies…She lies…"
"Potter, come back here!" Quirrell shouted. "Tell me the truth! What did you see?"
The high voice spoke again. "Let me speak to her…face-to-face…"
"Master, you are not strong enough!"
"I have strength enough…for this…"
Aileen felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting her to the spot as she finally recognised the voice coming from Quirrell's turban. She couldn't move a muscle; she watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. Aileen would have screamed, but she couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Aileen had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.
"Aileen Potter…" it whispered.
Aileen's legs felt like led but she took a single step back as she raised her wand. She didn't know any spells that could help her now but she was determined to buy as much time as she could for Dumbledore to get there.
"See what I have become?" the face said. "Mere shadow and vapour…I have form only when I can share another's body…but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks…you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest…and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own…Now…why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"
So he knew, he was able to see into Aileen's mind when she looked in the mirror. Shetook another stepbackwardas she held her wand steady despite her trembling body.
"Don't be a fool," snarled the face. "Better save your own life and join me…We could rule this world together, you would be my equal, my queen. I will give you anything, everything."
"I will never join you." Aileen snapped, her eyes hard.
"Then you'll meet the same end as your parents…They died begging me for mercy…"
"LIAR!" Aileen snapped suddenly: she never did like people insulting her parents.
Quirrell was walking backward at her, so that Voldemort could still see her. For every step forward Quirrell took, Aileen stepped back. The evil face was now smiling.
"How touching…" it hissed. "I always value bravery…Yes, girl, your parents were brave…I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight…but your mother needn't have died…she was trying to protect you…Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain."
"NEVER!" Aileen shouted as she shifted her stance so her right side was furthest from Quirrell. She was getting close to the chamber wall and would not be able to step back anymore.
"SEIZE HER!" Voldemort screamed, when Aileen made a move towards the door.
Aileen felt Quirrell's hand close on her wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Aileen's scar; her head felt as though it was about to split in two. Ignoring the pain Aileen span round, kicking her leg up and forcing Quirrell to let go of her.
"Confringo," Aileen fired off the first spell.
But he shielded and fired a sickly yellow spell at her. Aileen dodged, not daring to shield for fear that it would not be strong enough to stop the curse. Then it began: spells being fired back and forward by the both of them. Aileen was extremely limited in what she could cast due to her lack of magical education while her opponent had the combined knowledge of Quirrell and Voldemort.
The Chamber was mostly destroyed by the time Aileen made a mistake. Voldemort fired a blasting curse that she dodged but she had gotten too close to the wall. The explosion sent her flying to the floor, her wand leaving her hand. Shaking her head in an attempt to clear it she went to draw her dagger but Quirrell was suddenly on top of her.
Quirrell wrapped both hands around Aileen's neck. Aileen's scar was almost blinding her with painas her airway was cut off and her mind was filled with the memory of Vernon straddling her. She viciously pushed the memory away as she grabbed Quirrell's wrist with her right hand and tried loosening his grip. Using her left arm (which had broken upon impact with the ground) she reached for her wand that lay just out of her reach, gritting her teeth at the pain such an action sent through her. Through her darkening vision she could see and hearQuirrell howling in agony.
"Master, I cannot hold her — my hands — my hands!"
And Quirrell, though pinning Aileen to the ground with his knees, let go of her neck but reapplied the pressure with his arms that were covered by his shirt as hestared, bewildered, at his own palms — Aileen could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.
"Then kill her, fool, and be done!" screeched Voldemort.
Quirrell raised his wand to perform a deadly curse, but Aileen abandoned her wand and by instinct reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face —
"AAAARGH!"
Quirrell rolled off her, his face blistering, too, and then Aileen knew: Quirrell couldn't touch her bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — her only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse.
Aileen rolled to her knees andcaught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as she could.
Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Aileen off — the pain in Aileen's head was building — she couldn't see — she could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, "KILL HER! KILL HER!" and other voices, maybe in Aileen's own head, crying, "Aileen!" in worry.
She felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from her grasp. Her vision was obscured completely by darkness and her head was spinning as she fell on her side and into oblivion.
Something gold was glinting just above her.
She blinked.
It was a pair of glasses.
How strange.
She blinked again as she felt something being placed on her face. The smiling face of Albus Dumbledore swam into view above her.
"Good afternoon, Aileen," said Dumbledore.
"Sir, you made it," she said, her voice cracked and she winced slightly in pain. "Did you stop him? Is the stone safe?" she continued.
"Calm yourself, dear child, you are a little behind the times," said Dumbledore. "Quirrell does not have the Stone.'
"Ron? Hermione?" she asked worriedly, trying to sit up despite the pain and exhaustion causing threw her body.
"Aileen, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out." the Headmaster grabbed some pillows and rested them behind Aileen so that she could sit up straight without straining herself.
"Thanks," she murmured as she allowed her eyes to wander, taking in the blinding white hospital wing; she was lying in a bed with white linen sheets, and next to her was a table piled high with what looked like half the candy shop. She had never seen the world so clearly before. Reaching up she touched the glasses that now rested on her face.
"Tokens from your friends and admirers," said Dumbledore, beaming away as he motioned to the sweets. "What happened down in the dungeons between you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. No doubt they thought it would amuse you. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic, and confiscated it. Madam Pomfrey is also responsible for your glasses. When she was running her scans she discovered that your eyes were damage, and alas, we do not have the means to repair such damage in one so young, so we got these glasses made for you."
"How long have I been in here?" she asked as her memories started to fit into place.
"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Granger will be most relieved you have come round, they have been extremely worried."
"But sir, what happened to Quirrell andthe Stone —"
"I see you are not to be distracted. Very well, the Stone. Professor Quirrell did not manage to take it from you. I arrived in time to prevent that, although you were doing very well on your own, I must say."
"You got there?" Aileen asked remembering the voice she heard just before passing out. "You got my owl?"
"No sooner had I reached London than it became clear to me that the place I should be was the one I had just left. Your beautiful white owl arrived and your letter confirmed my suspicions. I arrived just in time to pull Quirrell off you."
"Sir why did you fly to London?" Aileen asked confused. She knew there were many means of travelling in the wizarding world and all of them were faster than flying.
"Alas, I was trying to delay my arrival at the ministry. Something I now deeply regret." Dumbledore admitted.
"You couldn't have known." Aileen tried to reassure the man who had said her name with such concern when he arrived in the camber. No one had ever said her name in such a way before.
"I feared I might be too late." Dumbledore said gravely.
"I couldn't have kept him off the Stone much longer –" Aileen said softly, so as to not hurt her throat any more.
"Not the Stone,my dear, you — the effort involved nearly killed you. For one terrible moment there, I was afraid it had. As for the Stone, it has been destroyed."
"Destroyed?" said Aileen blankly. "But your friend — Nicolas Flamel —"
"Oh, you know about Nicolas?" said Dumbledore, sounding quite delighted. "You diddo the thing properly, didn't you? I had thought you only went down there when you realised that the thing I was protecting was in trouble." He smiled sadly at having misjudged Aileen before he continued. "Well, Nicolas and I have had a little chat, and agreed it's all for the best."
"But that means he and his wife will die, won't they?"
"They have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die."
Dumbledore smiled softlyat the look of sadnesson Aileen's face.
"To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenelle, it really is like going to bed after a very, verylong day. After all, to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure. You know, the Stone was really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want! The two things most human beings would choose above all — the trouble is, humans do have a knack of choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
"Sir?" saidAileenafter she poured herself a drink of water with a shacking hand. "I've been thinking…sir — even if the Stone's gone, Vol-, I mean, You-Know-Who —"
"Call him Voldemort, Aileen. Always use the proper name for things. Fear of a name increases fear of the thing itself."
"Yes, sir." Aileen agreed pleased that she was not the only who said the man's name. "Well, Voldemort's going to try other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"
"No, Aileen, he has not. He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share…not being truly alive, he cannot be killed. He left Quirrell to die; he shows just as little mercy to his followers as his enemies. Nevertheless, Aileen, while you may only have delayed his return to power, it will merely take someone else who is prepared to fight what seems a losing battle next time — and if he is delayed again, and again, why, he may never return to power."
Aileen nodded, but stopped quickly, because it made her head and neckhurt.
They fell into a comfortable silence before Dumbledore pulled something from his pocket. Aileen recognised it at once as her dagger, causing her to stiffen slightly.
"When madam Pomfrey removed your wand holster, she also removed this. Would you like to explain why you are carrying a dagger round my dear?" he asked softly, no judgement in his voice.
"It was a gift. I am a first year, sir, so I don't know a lot of magic. What I do know is non-magical fighting – which includes the wielding of a dagger. After someone attempted to kill me on the Quidditch pitch I started wearing the dagger." Aileen answered.
"Who would you get such a thing from, my dear?" the headmaster asked handing the dagger back.
"An old friend, he was the one who introduced defence to me." Aileen answered, which was technically true since Poseidon gave her, her first sword.
"I will allow you to continue carrying the dagger as long as it is not used on students, or staff."
"That condition is more than fair, sir, thank you." Aileen said taking the dagger and strapping it to her thigh once more. She could see her wand on the bed side table but she preferred to actually have a weapon on her person.
They once again sat in silence, then she said, "Sir, there are some other things I'd like to know, if you can tell me…things I want to know the truth about…"
"The truth," Dumbledore sighed. "It is a beautiful and terrible thing, and should therefore be treated with great caution. However, I shall answer your questions unless I have a very good reason not to, in which case I beg you'll forgive me. I shall not, of course, lie."
"Well…Voldemort said that he only killed my mother because she tried to stop him from killing me. But why would he want to kill me in the first place?"
Dumbledore sighed very deeply this time.
"Alas, the first thing you ask me, I cannot tell you. Not today. Not now. You will know, one day…put it from your mind for now, Aileen. When you are older…I know you hate to hear this…when you are ready, you will know."
"I have already faced him three times and I do not doubt I will face him again, Headmaster, please do not keep this information from me for too many years."Aileensaid for sheknew it would be no good to Headmaster nodded but she noticed that his eyes were sad and his shoulders slumped slightly as though he was carrying a great burden.
"Why couldn't Quirrell touch me?" Aileen asked softly, aware she was talking about a man she had just had a hand in killing.
"Your mother died to save you. If there is one thing Voldemort cannot understand, it is love. He didn't realise that love as powerful as your mother's for you leaves its own mark. Not a scar, no visible sign…to have been loved so deeply, even though the person who loved us is gone, will give us some protection forever. It is in your very skin. Quirrell, full of hatred, greed, and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony to touch a person marked by something so good."
Dumbledore now became very interested in a bird out on the windowsill, which gave Aileen time to dry her eyes because at the mention of how much her mother loved her she had tears in her eyes.
When she had found her voice again, Aileen said, "And the invisibility cloak — where you the one who sent it to me?"
"Ah — your father happened to leave it in my possession, and I thought you might like it." Dumbledore's eyes twinkled "Useful things…your father used it mainly for sneaking off to the kitchens to steal food when he was here."
"And there's something else…" Aileen said unsure on how to ask her next question.
"Fire away."
"Quirrell said professor Snape, he hates me because he hated my father. Is that true?"
"Well, they did rather detest each other. Not unlike yourself and Mr Malfoy. And then, your father did something professor Snape could never forgive."
"What?" Aileen asked hopping her father did not do anything to hurt Snape.
"He saved his life."
"What?" Aileen blinked in shock that was in the completely opposite direction to which her mind had gone.
"Yes…" said Dumbledore dreamily. "Funny, the way people's minds work, isn't it? Professor Snape couldn't bear being in your father's debt…I do believe he worked so hard to protect you this year because he felt that would make him and your father even. Then he could go back to hating your father's memory in peace…"
Aileentried to understand this but her thoughts were already going in circles and her headache was returning with a vengeance so she stoppedand put it down as something to think through at a later date.
"And sir, there's one more thing…"
"Just the one?" Dumbledore asked in amusement.
"How did I get the Stone out of the mirror?"
"Ah, now, I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to findthe Stone — find it, but not use it — would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. My brain surprises even me sometimes…Now, enough questions. I suggest you make a start on these sweets. Ah! Bettie Bott's Every Flavour Beans! I was unfortunate enough in my youth to come across a vomit flavoured one, and since then I'm afraid I've rather lost my liking for them — but I think I'll be safe with a nice toffee, don't you?"
He smiled and popped the golden-brown bean into his mouth. Then he choked and said, "Alas! Ear wax!"
Madam Pomfrey, the nurse, was a nice and kind woman, but was very strict when it came to her patients.
"Just five minutes," Aileenpleaded after she drank the potion she needed to help take down the swelling still present around her throat.
"Absolutely not."
"You let Professor Dumbledore in…"
"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."
"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey please…"
"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."
And she let Ron and Hermione in.
"Aileen!"
Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around her again, but Aileen was glad she held herself in as her head and throat were still very sore and Aileen doubted she could handle the jostling.
"Oh, Aileen, we were sure you were going to — Dumbledore was so worried —"
"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"
It was one of those rare occasions when the true story is even more strange and exciting than the wild rumours. Aileen told them nearly everything: Quirrell, the mirror, the Stone and Voldemort. Ron and Hermione were a very good audience; they gasped in all the right places, and when Aileen told them what was under Quirrell's turban, Hermione screamed out loud.
"So the Stone's gone?" said Ron finally. "Flamel's just going to die?"
"Dumbledore said that 'to the well-organized mind, death is but the next great adventure'. Mr Flamel and Mrs Flamel have agreed to the destruction of their stone."
"I always said he was off his rocker," said Ron, looking quite impressed at how crazy his hero was.
"So what happened to you two?" said Aileen.
"Well, I got back all right," said Hermione. "I brought Ron round — that took a while — and we were dashing up to the entrance hall to wait for Dumbledore — he already knew — he just said, 'Aileen's gone after him, hasn't she?' and hurtled off to the third floor. A letter clutched in his hand."
"D'you think he meant you to do it?" said Ron. "Sending you your father's cloak and everything?"
"Well," Hermione exploded, "if he did — I mean to say that's terrible — you could have been killed."
"I don't think he wanted me to go down there, but he was not surprised that I did. I think he ..." Aileen paused to think of her next words, "... cares too much about me and his other students to allow them into a dangerous situation. He's a funny man, Dumbledore. I think he sort of wanted to give me a chance. I think he knows more or less everything that goes on here, you know what with the portraits, ghost and house elves. I reckon he had a pretty good idea we were going to try, and instead of stopping us from researching, he just taught us enough to help us survive just in case we did go down and he was unable to stop us. I don't think it was an accident he let me find out how the mirror worked. It's almost like he thought I had the right to face Voldemort if I could…" Aileen trailed of in thought.
"Yeah, Dumbledore's off his rocker, all right," said Ron proudly. "Listen, you've got to be up for the end-of-year feast tomorrow. The points are all in and Slytherin won, of course — you missed the last Quidditch match, we were steamrollered by Ravenclaw without you -" Aileen reminded herself to speak with Oliver about getting a reserve seeker, "but the food will be good.'
At that moment, Madam Pomfrey bustled over. "You've had nearly fifteen minutes, now OUT!" she said firmly.
After a good night's sleep, Aileen felt nearly back to normal.
"I want to go to the feast," she pleaded to Madam Pomfrey as she straightened her many candy boxes. She couldn't standing being in the hospital wing longer than absolutely necessary. It was too white and smelled of cleaning fluids. It reminded her of all the times she had to use bleach to clean the kitchen or dining room under Petunia's watchful eye and without gloves. "I can go, can't I?"
"Professor Dumbledore says you are to be allowed to go," she said stiffly, as though in her opinion Professor Dumbledore didn't realize how risky feasts could be. "And you have another visitor."
"Who is it?" Aileen asked confused.
Hagrid sidled through the door as she spoke. As usual when he was indoors, Hagrid looked too big to be allowed. He sat down next to Aileen, took one look at her, and burst into tears.
"It's — all — my — ruddy — fault!" he sobbed, his face in his hands. 'I told the evil git how ter get past Fluffy! I told him! It was the only thing he didn't know, an' I told him! Yeh could've died! All fer a dragon egg! I'll never drink again! I should be chucked out an' made ter live as a Muggle!"
"Hagrid!" said Aileen reaching forward and gentle taking one of Hagrid's hands in her own "Hagrid, he'd have found out somehow, this is Voldemort we're talking about, he'd have found out even if you hadn't told him."
"Yeh could've died!" sobbed Hagrid. "An' don' say the name!"
"I've met him and I'm calling him by his name." Aileen said raising her right hand and gently lying it on Hagrid's furry cheek. He hiccupped, shocked from his crying fit by her actions. "Please cheer up, Hagrid, we saved the Stone, it's gone, he can't use it and I am perfectly fine. I promise."
Hagrid wiped his nose on the back of his hand and said, "That reminds me. I've got yeh a present."
"It's not a stoat sandwich, is it?" Aileenjoked with a smile and at last Hagrid gave a weak chuckle. It was one of the few pieces of food Aileen had actually eaten while at Hagrid's had it had resulted in her taking a trip to Hagrid's toilet in order to violently throw up. The other two hadn't had such a reaction to the sandwich, so they all assumed it was Aileen's stomach that rejected the food.
"Nah. Dumbledore gave me the day off yesterday ter fix it. 'course, he shoulda sacked me instead — anyway, got yeh this…"
It seemed to be a handsome, leather-covered book. Aileen opened it curiously. It was full of wizard photographs. Smiling and waving at her from every page were her mother and father. "Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos…knew yeh didn' have any…d'yeh like it?"
Aileencouldn't speak for a moment,so she just hugged the much larger man as best she could. "Could you, perhaps give me the names of the people who sent you the pictures. I would like to know the stories behind them?" Aileen asked hesitantly.
"Course I can." Hagrid agreed. "I'll 'ave the list for yah, tomorrow." Hagrid promised, glad that Aileen liked the gift.
Aileen had to suffer one final check-up, which meant she made her way down to the end-of-year-feat on her own. By the time she arrived at the Slytherin decorated Great Hall, it was full with students. Aileen guessed that she was probably the last one to arrive.
Ignoring the sudden hush that fell over the hall when she entered, Aileen headed to her spot between Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. As she took her seat the hall erupted into loud whispers as everyone started taking at once. The babble didn't last long because Dumbledore stood, and this action silenced the hall.
"Another year gone!" Dumbledore said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were…you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts… Now, as I understand it, the house cup here needs awarding, and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor, with three hundred and twelve points; in third, Hufflepuff, with three hundred and fifty-two; Ravenclaw has four hundred and twenty-six and Slytherin, four hundred and seventy-two."
A storm of cheering and stamping broke out from the Slytherin table. Aileen could see Draco Malfoy banging his goblet on the table.
"Yes, Yes, well done, Slytherin," said Dumbledore. "However, recent events must be taken into account."
The room went very still. The Slytherins' smiles faded a little.
"Ahem," said Dumbledore. "I have a few last-minute points to dish out. Let me see. Yes… First — to Mr Ronald Weasley…" Ron went purple in the face; he looked like a radish with a bad sunburn. "…for exemplary use of strategy and a daring sacrifice, I award Gryffindor house fifty points." Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling; the stars overhead seemed to quiver.
Percy could be heard telling the other prefects, "My brother, you know! My youngest brother! Got past McGonagall's giant chess set!"
At last there was silence again. "Second — to Miss Hermione Granger…for the use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points."
Hermione buried her face in her arms; Aileen strongly suspected she had burst into tears as she placed a calming hand on her arm. Aileen tried not to laugh at the pun, since Hermione had used logic to find the ice potion while faced with up and down the table were beside themselves — they were a hundred points up.
"Third — to Miss Aileen Potter…" said Dumbledore. The room went deadly quiet. "…for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points."
The din was deafening. Those who could add up while yelling themselves hoarse knew that Gryffindor now had four hundred and seventy-two points — exactly the same as Slytherin. They had tied for the house cup — but Aileen was not sure this was such a good thing. If Dumbledore was giving out points he should have given them before the feast instead of getting the Slytherins hopes up.
"Which means," Dumbledore called over the storm of applause, "we need a little change of decoration." He clapped his hands. In an instant, the green hangings where joined by scarlet. Professor Snape was shaking Professor McGonagall's hand, both with a forced smile.
Aileen had almost forgotten that the exam results were still to come, but come they did. To Aileen's surprise she had passed with very high marks, fifth highest in the year, and Ron had also passed with good marks as the tenth place in their year; Hermione, of course, had the best grades of the first years.
Three days after the end of year-feast (which didn't make sense to Aileen, since it wasn't the end of the year, it was the end of the final exams), everyone's trunk were packed. The Gryffindor's had gone on a hunt for Neville's toad, which had somehow made its way to the fourth year girl's toilets. The heads of houses handed their student's the slip of parchment reminding them that they aren't to do magic outside of school ("I always hope they'll forget to give us these," said Fred sadly as George gleefully set his piece of parchment alight).
Although the older years took the carriages down to Hogsmeade station, the first years were led back to the boats by Hagrid. Apparently it was tradition that the first years begin and end Hogwarts in the same fashion.
The train journey back to London was filled with jokes and games. Aileen shared some of the mound of sweets she still had from the hospital wings (she had only just finished the sweets brought on the first train journey and so hadn't touched the mound, figuring she could eat some during the holidays since they had a long sell-by date).
When they arrived at King's Cross, it took a while for everyone to get off the platform since there was close to half the school trying to cross the barrier onto the non-wizarding side. The guard would only let them through the barrier in small groups since he didn't want to alarm the non-magicals by the sudden swarm of people from nowhere.
"You must come and stay this summer," Ron offered as they were crossing the barrier, "both of you — I'll send you an owl."
"Thanks," said Aileen, "I'll need something to look forward to."
"Busy year?" Mrs Weasley asked when they finally made their way to her side.
"Very," said Aileen. "Thanks for the fudge and the sweater, Mrs Weasley." She said although she had already sent her a thank you note.
"Oh, it was nothing, dear."
"Ready, are you?" It was Vernon, still purple-faced, still moustached, still looking furious at the nerve of Aileen, carrying an empty owl cage in a station full of ordinary people. Behind him stood Petunia and Dudley, looking terrified at the very sight of Aileen and so many wizards.
"I'll see you guys in the summer." Aileen said, and with a finally wave she took off after the Dursleys.
Word Count: 14,549
Copied: 7,672
Edited: 12/02/2018
