Chapter Ten
"Is he okay?" Ember's lower lip was starting to hurt and she could faintly taste copper as she nibbled on it once again, eyeing her fallen friend. They had made it through most of the traps the Professors had set until they reached a giant chessboard. Ron had been ecstatic as they played, falling into his realm, determined to beat it. She and Hermione kept quiet, following his every order until he was ready for a sacrifice. Despite their cries of stopping, Ron was thrown from his knight's steed to the ground below as huge chunks of stone exploded from the queen's strike, most missing him while a few pieces seemed to try crushing him to dust, much like the other pieces that had fallen before. Ember had quickly finished the game as dictated by the downed redhead and rushed to his side.
Hermione had reached him first, slender fingers shaking as she searched for a pulse, "He's alive." They sighed in relief, watching his chest move up and down with each slow breath. "We'll hurry on and hope there's no more traps. He will need to the infirmary soon. We can't leave him to long."
"You stay behind, I'll go ahead." Ember didn't want Ron to be hurt more than he was.
But Hermione was stubborn, "No, Ember, we don't know whose trap is up next. We haven't seen anything from the Headmaster yet. You'll need my help and then I'll hurry back and hope that help will come, if not I will try working my way back."
Ember knew she couldn't change Hermione's mind. Both of her friends were very stubborn, as much as she. Instead of fighting, she gave in and took a deep breath as both girls glanced one last time at an unconscious Ron before stepping through the now cleared door.
It slammed shut; cutting off sight to what had followed moments later.
"Oh!" Several Professors froze at the sight of crumbled transfigured chess pieces scattered about a very still Ron Weasley. "Oh, Molly will not be pleased." Minerva hurried to her student's side, at least hoping for good news. She released a pent up breath as she felt a steady pulse, "He's okay. We need to get him to Poppy soon though."
Albus nodded at his Deputy as blue eyes took in the damage. One side was quite pleased that Ember Potter was standing up to her role as savior while the other side wondered how three First Years beat very experienced Masters of their chosen profession. "We must move on."
"Professors!" A stunned but relieved Hermione froze as she re-entered the door to find help for Ron.
"Miss Granger!" Said student flushed with embarrassment and shame, head hung low at the sharp tone. She was also wondering if they had come to the right conclusion if Snape was yelling at her. Or was he really good at his job?
"Where is Miss Potter?"
"She went ahead?" Dark brows raised at the question making her feel stupid. She hadn't meant to question where her other friend was when she knew. She blinked rapidly as the Headmaster hurried to the door, faster than his age would have led someone to believe, but what really worried her was Snape following him, "Uh, Sir?"
Dumbledore glanced back, giving calm orders, "You will follow Professor McGonagall to the infirmary. Madame Pomfrey will heal you of your injuries as well as Mister Weasley's. You will both wait there for my return." Then he winked with a half smile, "I'm sure Miss Potter will be fine."
Hermione nodded with fear in her eyes despite his reassurances as she turned to follow her Head of House and a floating Ron. Brown eyes looked back hoping against hope that they were wrong. Even if we are, I doubt he can stand up to the Headmaster. With that thought, she could relax and concentrate on making sure Ron was better by the time Ember returned.
Albus waited until the small group had disappeared from his sight before opening the door,
"Sir?"
"We must hurry, Severus."
Said Professor simply nodded as he swept to the end table with various shaped vials, looking for one in particular. "It seems Miss Granger aided Miss Potter in going ahead before returning." He stepped back after swiftly replacing the still full vials among his robes as the Headmaster began to slowly unravel the various wards blocking them from the Potter girl. He knew it would have saved time just to rip them down but that could be detrimental to the girl's health if they should alert whoever was in that same room with her.
And Ember wasn't alone.
"Professor Quirrell!"
The supposed stuttering Defense Master turned from his mutterings to smirk at a stunned witch, clearly speaking, "Ah, Potter, welcome."
"Wha…How…Why…" she couldn't get a full question out, stuttering three in one as she tried to figure out where they had gone wrong. Everything pointed the other way. She was so sure of her convictions. Stupid, stupid, should have listened to Mum. Lily always did say not to judge so quickly, though that lesson never seemed to work on James or Sirius, nor Ember until now.
He laughed shrilly, flinging out a hand, "Yes, Potter, who would suspect me with someone else with a dark past. But that is no matter now; you will give me what I desire. Come here, Potter!"
She struggled as magic forced her to obey, almost breaking free when the pressure became worse, "No!" Whatever he had done was guiding her to his side until he painfully gripped her left arm causing her to flinch as he jerked her before the same mirror she was forbidden to find again. "Let go!"
"Tell me what you see!"
Tears gathered in hazel eyes as she was shaken once more, forcing herself to look into the shiny silver surface. Her sight was blurred but she could make out the same vision as before except this time mirror Harry suddenly looked at her, smiling as he pulled a round red object from his right pocket, tossing it in the air. Her gasp of surprise was covered by her cry of pain when Quirrell dug his nails in further into bare skin, "I see nothing!"
"She lies." She flinched, hurrying away when he let go at the hissing tones. Hazel eyes jerked about, looking for the perpetrator, "Let me talk to her." She shivered as Quirrell gave her a chilly smile, turning around as he unwound the ugly purple turban from his head. She hissed herself in pain, clutching a hand to the side of her face, heated pain flaring through the scar as something pulsed in the back of his head. "We meet again, Potter."
She gasped, "You!"
"Yes, it is I, the greatest Dark Lord ever, forced to this abomination you see now. To survive I must possess a body but you contain something I desire. I must have the stone to regain my body and power. Give me the stone." She backed away, stumbling in her haste to keep his hands from reaching her, red eyes narrowed at her retreat, "There is nowhere for you to run, girl. You will give me the stone!"
"No." Her whispered word seemed to echo as his rage boiled and she ran. "Ah!" She cried out as flames danced before her, arms leaping up to protect her face from the scorching heat. She twirled only to find any possible exit going up in magical flames. Desperate, she yanked the stone out of her robes, holding it up to see it glimmering and sparkling in the light of flames.
"Get her!" She twisted to avoid Quirrell's lunge. With hope of freedom, she chucked the stone to the other side of the flames just as a large hand latched onto her once more, this time a darker energy flared through his touch. Both figures shrieked in pain. It seemed Voldemort hurt her more when he took control of his host but it seemed she hurt him just as much as he fell back, holding the burned hand that was now becoming ash. "What have you done, you stupid child!"
She snarled back at him and lunged forth. If Quirrell was not in control then she was determined to keep this spirit away as long as she can. She wasn't sure exactly what it was that was hurting Voldemort but she knew she wouldn't let him hurt her or her brother again, not while she was still breathing. Fueled by strong emotions, she felt a strange tingle travel down her arms as she wrapped them about the crying man's neck, pressing what bare skin she could against his before leaping back. She rushed for the dying flames, using the sparkling stone as guidance, as the wizard behind her crumbled to nothing, never noticing a shade rising from its recent prison until she turned after rescuing the stone. Her eyes widened in fear as it flew her way, throwing up her arms in an attempt to ward it off, "No!"
She was the one now to cry out as something cold slid through her physical body, burning along the link they shared. She fell backwards upon the stone steps as the shadow flew off to freedom, her hand loosening its grip as hazel eyes slid shut.
And there she laid, sprawled upon stone steps when her rescuer finally lifted the wards trapping her inside, neither wizard seeing the nearly invisible spirit as they hurried to her silent side.
Albus sighed with relief to find his student simply exhausted and not dead. He carefully lifted the stone from its resting place on a curled palm. "Nicholas will be relieved the stone is still safe. For now, we will take Miss Potter to the infirmary. I will clean up here later."
Severus flinched at the thought of the reunion that was to take place. He knew the students' parents would have been called, if they weren't already there. For now though he would satisfy his curiosity, "And him?"
Blue eyes joined onyx in staring at the ashy remains of the once renowned Defense Master Quintus Quirrell. "His punishment has been dealt. The Aurors shall be searching his belongings, perhaps to discover if he had any other plans."
***Infirmary—Days later***
Harry peered into the silent Hospital wing. He watched from the slightly opened doorway as Mum and Dad held a vigil over a still sleeping Ember's bedside. He said nothing, wanting not to bother them, when a hand rested heavily upon his shoulders, glancing up to find his Head of House sneering as he stared inside the room at James Potter. The wizard's voice belied his inner turmoil, calm and seemingly detached, "Are you not going in, Mister Potter?"
Harry didn't get a chance to answer when Sirius suddenly appeared, dragging him inside, "Harry, you finally arrived," sneering at the man behind the younger wizard. This time Harry was saved when Remus smacked the back of his friend's head, not pulling his strength, "Ow! Remus!"
"Leave my cub alone. If he wanted to come by, he would have on his own. He might have had something else more important to do." Sirius cowed beneath the angry amber glare, not wanting to challenge the wolf inside, even if the full moon had ended the night before.
"Oh, Harry, I'm so glad you are safe." Lily hugged her son to her side as she remained seating by her sleeping daughter. "I don't know what I would have done if you both were hurt."
Harry stayed with his family a little longer until Madame Pomfrey gently guided them out, herding them to dinner. She had alarms set should anything go wrong or if Ember would wake up. But that didn't stop the Headmaster from entering the room for one last look before dinner when she did slowly wake, taking care of the alarms himself.
"Where…"
"Ah, finally awake, are we?" Blue eyes twinkled as blurry hazel blinked rapidly to clear away the last vestiges of sleep. "You are in the infirmary, my dear girl."
"What happened?"
"Quite all right, Miss Potter?" He waited until she sat up, showing little of the magical exhaustion she had suffered almost days before. He reached over for a colorful card and a box of jelly beans, "Tokens from your esteemed friends, wishing you well I would presume. After all, your battle between Professor Quirrell and yourself was very secretive. Naturally, the entire school has learned of the battle."
She blinked at the amount of colorful items, stunned so many people would leave her anything. Then again, she was the savior stopping some Dark wizard from becoming even darker and threaten their peace. Then again, as well, she didn't really care as she only fought back to save herself and her brother from future harm. "Um, can I leave?"
He laughed at her shy embarrassment, "I do believe the Leaving Feast has started and nothing would be better than for everyone to see that you are quite well and awake. I shall inform the students of your return to the waking world."
She nodded, slowly moving from the bed when something occurred to her, "Wait!"
Dumbledore stopped just inside the doors, "The stone?"
"Ah, yes, the Philosopher's Stone has been destroyed by order of its creator. Nicholas has realized the danger of such an item." He held up a hand at her protest, "Do not fear, child, he has enough elixir left to organize his affairs."
"Thank you, Sir." She waited until he left to rush into the bathroom, well as quickly as her still healing body would allow her, to dress and find her worried friends. She had to know if Ron and Hermione were truly okay, even if they weren't in the infirmary. She knew she should have asked after them.
"You will see that they are well, Em."
She jumped with a muffled scream only to turn and find an amused Harry, "Harry!"
"You should really worry about Mum."
"Mum? Why would she be here?"
He eyed her, making her feel really small for asking such a dumb question. Of course, their mother would come the second she heard about the fight. "They were ushered to dinner. They were sitting at your side for the past few days now, not daring to leave until they were sure you would survive such an encounter." She squealed happily and limped off hurriedly to find and soothe their parents. He had double backed after slipping away from his family and now watched her rush towards the Great Hall. Only Hogwarts and her various non-living occupants heard him murmur, "No one notices the pallor of your skin or the feverish touch of magic. Slowly, drains away till the end is near. But very soon, they shall."
