A/N: I live. Sorry for taking so long to get to work on this one, fell into a slump in which I couldn't find the motivation to get to work on this chapter, and I had needed a break to play some video games. Really I just needed a break to remind myself of who I was, and that I have to always do that lest I become someone that is the culmination of everything I stand against. So, after a long period of having nothing, I am back and ready to get typing! Hope you enjoy this one, it's going to be a long one.

Chapter 12 – The Philosopher's Stone

(Harry's P.O.V)

Harry, you must wake now. You're going to be busy today.

"Five more minutes."

Get your arse out of bed. You don't want the stone to be stolen, do you?

"I hate you. Can't you just for once be on my side and give me a break? All this 'hero-ing' is messing up my sleep schedule." I attempt to get out of bed, but I end up falling flat on my face, landing with a thud on the cold, hard floor. As I said, my sleep schedule is officially buggered. "I blame you for this."

You can blame me, but it wouldn't be fair to. I guess I should tell you that it is already eleven. You've slept almost all of your morning away.

"What?! Why didn't you wake me sooner?"

I tried. I succeeded. You had an entire conversation with me. Then, as I was leaving your mind to attend to my own business, you passed out. Again. If you don't stay awake this time, I'm going to be giving you a little motivation to get your arse in gear. And as a fair warning, it's going to hurt, and you'll be in need of some new trousers.

"Alright, I'm getting up, calm your britches. Is there a way I can give my schedule a quick little reset? I would like to sleep like a normal human being."

Lucky for you, how you sleep is quite typical of people your age. So you are sleeping like a regular person.

"Is everything an argument with you?"

Absolutely not. I do not gain satisfaction by being a nuisance. I just like to watch you get more and more frustrated having to put up with me.

"So you do like being a nuisance. If you were here, I would give you a really tight hug. Totally not around your neck."

And I would burn a whole through your face. Two can play this game.

"Stubborn bird. I do appreciate you. But I would appreciate you even more if you could stop being such a pain and be a little more helpful. Like, give me a pizza. That would very easily put you in a solid place in my heart."

If you want help, just ask.

In a puff of smoke, a beautifully cooked pizza with golden cheese, perfectly browned sausage, and steaming pepperoni appears on my bed.

You are welcome.

"And what do you know, I will never threaten to hurt you again. Keep bringing me food like this, and I will love you forever."

Technically, you don't have 'forever.' But I do appreciate the sentiment. It's been too long since I've heard that, and it helps coming from the one I'm bonded to until you die.

"Mate, you're ruining the mood with your talk of my inevitable demise."

It's what I do. I won't sugar-coat it. I'll give it to you straight, and leave you to choose what to do with the information.

Just then, Draco barged into my room, fury painted across his stern face. He grabbed my arm, and hauled me off the floor. "Get up. You've got a game to win today, and then we've got to work on saving the school. Stop being lazy. The game is going to start in an hour." Before I had a chance to respond, he stalked out of the room, possibly to go find Ron.

"Well then. That just happened." I mumble to myself, stumbling over to the dresser.

Sorry to tell you, but everyone has been annoyed with you today. You shouldn't have spent so much time dreading today last night. Maybe then you would have gotten up earlier. The girl is particularly pissed. She missed getting to eat with her best friend.

"Piss off." I pull my jersey up over my sweater, and pull my pants over my long-johns. I run to the lavatory and splash some freezing water on my face, allowing the shock to give me a quick head start on waking.

I groggily stumble my way back to my room, and scarf down a couple slices of the still-steaming pizza on my bed. I do some jumping jacks and push-ups to get my blood flowing, and then head down the stairs with the pizza, intending to give some to my friends.

I spot them in a corner, talking amongst themselves, clearing not noticing me entering the room. I walk over, wiping the remnants of sleep from my face before speaking up. "Anyone want some pizza? I have some extra."

Hermione whips around, glaring at me. She stomps over and slaps me. Fair. But then she took the pizza from me, and walked back to her seat.

"Alright, that was fair. Sorry I slept so late, I had a bugger of a night. Too much thinking." I scratch the back of my head, hoping that I can defuse the tension. I can feel all the stares of too interested people on our group, and I wish I could put up a curtain. "Wait, Aventance, is there a spell for putting up a curtain? There is way too many eyes on us right now, and I am feeling really uncomfortable from it."

There is, but right now you have more pressing matters. Such as getting down the pitch and discussing strategy with your team. Or have your forgotten?

"Well look, I've got to get down to the Quidditch pitch. Need to get ready for the big game. Enjoy the pizza mates." I leave them eating the pizza, some giving me glances as to why I had a still hot pizza with me, but some, Ron, were too busy appreciating the cheesy goodness.

I walk the solemn halls alone, collecting my thoughts and pumping motivation into my system, getting myself ready to really do amazing and get the cup for our house. I can only imagine the other houses faces when the brand new house comes in with the win. Maybe then the others will take our house as seriously as the others. I know that people look at our house with a lot of scepticism, since we were only introduced just this year, and took away from what everyone was already familiar with, having only four houses instead of the current five.

I just wonder what are team is considering for a strategy. I know that Oliver is taking this extremely seriously, as are Fred and George. Katie is not as serious, but is still working hard. Then the other two, both of whom I have yet to learn their names, are good but would rather be anywhere else. They'll try hard, of course, but will try less the further ahead we get. I hate those people.

I enter the Grand Staircase, and begin making my way down, navigating the constantly moving stairs. I wonder if my friends will show, since a lot of them are mad at me for not showing for breakfast. It seems to be a really ridiculous thing to be upset about, but I can't force them to love me. I just hope Hermione forgives me. I don't want her to feel as mad as she is now. Is it an overreaction on her part. Maybe. But I did end up abandoning her during lunch, and she is always the most comfortable when she is around me. So maybe that was why she was so upset. I'll make it up to her. Somehow.

I walk down the hallway, and I keep my thoughts flowing. I think about Via back home. I know that she will be happy with Mum and Dad. And Uncle Moony and Padfoot as well. With how tight a hug she gave them when I first met her, there is no way that she could not love them. I just wonder how she is doing. I'll have to write her some point soon. I miss her.

I walk out of the castle, and I wrap my arms tightly around my body. I'm glad I wore a sweater coming out here. It was really chilly this morning. I continue my walk down. I let my mind wander, and it ends up on Ginny. Of course. As if this doesn't happen every night. I try to push her out, because I already know how I feel about her, but my head won't abandon the thought. So I let it play. I think of her hair that moves and glows like fire, the eyes that reflect an intensity that isn't usually found in someone of her age. She certainly is cute.

I enter the Emrys tent, to see my team waiting. "Sorry I didn't get up earlier, I had little sleep last night. I was thinking of the match, and how to win." It wasn't a lie. I had been thinking of the match. But more of that time was spent thinking how I would handle getting the stone.

"It's fine, the lead we have is going to give us an advantage in this game through points." Oliver says absently, not bothering to look up from the table with our strategy laid out on it. "Alright, most of us here are familiar with how the game works for the final match, but for the newcomer and for the fact that our house caused us to have to rework the rules, I'll tell you how this will work. Each house will be competing in this final match of the season. The house with the lowest amount of points will go twice, giving them an opportunity to catch up and possibly get fourth place, or move up higher depending on what the scores are. Harry, you've really set us a good mark. Don't mess this up for us, alright? When we win will determine if our spot is guaranteed or not. Harry, don't grab the snitch until we are at least fifty points ahead, got it? We'll need that lead in order to get the most points out of it to make certain that no one can catch up." He looks over to see that I acknowledged his comment. Then he moved on to the team strategy.

"Alright, beaters. Let's use the bats to help move the quaffle around to our chasers. That way it will keep moving and we can quickly get that lead, so that we can end this game. Try to distract the enemy keeper by tossing the bludger at them, causing them to think it's the quaffle. Distraction may be our best bet against the Ravenclaws. Chasers, really focus on getting the ball. Maybe distract the others through a race or something around the enemy. I spoke to Angelina about this, and she observed through the way the Ravenclaws play is highly dictated beforehand. So try to be unpredictable. Katie,

I'm going to rely on you. You two, do what you do best. Fred, George. Cause some chaos. But don't be predictable. Harry, keep an eye out. I'll stop the balls from coming into the goal."

All I can hear are shouts. My blood is pumping. Wood taps me on the shoulder, signalling that we are about to go out and compete in the biggest game of the season. I mount my broom, and wait for the wall to fade, and for the sun to start blaring down on us. I steady my breathing. I clear my head of nothing but the game and the strategy. Four more seconds. I glance ahead. The wall vanishes, and we are released out onto the field. We do the customary swing around the pitch, and all gather in a half-circle above the box, with myself above my team. I face the enemy, and stare at the Ravenclaw seeker, a girl named Cho Chang. She's someone that I don't know, but from how I've played her before that she tends to be very analytical, and has shown skill in having a tiny hint as to where the ball would move next. Which is really annoying.

Madam Hooch reminds us of the rules, releases the snitch, then the bludgers, and tosses up the quaffle, signalling the beginning of the match. Instantly, Katie swoops into action and grabs the ball, zooming off towards the enemy hoops. Lee Jordan begins his commentating of the match itself, still somehow dragging Angelina into the commentary despite the fact she isn't on our team, let along in our house.

Katie scores, giving us ten points early on. I keep glancing throughout the sky, trying to spy the snitch. The enemy team loses the ball due to George sending it flying out of their hand and into one of our chasers. Fred bats a bludger to one of the goals, and causes the Ravenclaw keeper to go after it, allowing us plenty of room to score another ten points. Only thirty more till I can catch the snitch.

Ravenclaw gets a shot off on us, causing us to only be ahead by ten once more. I glance to Oliver, and see that he is cursing himself out for letting it go through. Katie has the ball once more, and takes a dive, skimming along the grass before quickly pulling up and tossing the ball at an angle that wouldn't have a chance for the team to be prepared for. We're back to our twenty lead. Ravenclaw tries to get another shot off, but the ball is intercepted by one of our chasers. She steals Fred's bat, and fakes out the keeper to go to a different one, before quickly scoring. She tosses it back to Fred, who looks a mix of disappointed and jealous. Thirty ahead now.

Ravenclaw takes the ball and gets it trading between their chasers. It moves in perfect synchronization, never landing on the same person for more than a second, and following no pattern that would enable for a quick steal. They end up scoring, and the ball moves back to us. Only twenty. I keep my eye on the field, trying to eye the snitch. I turn back to see a bludger heading for my face, and I toss myself into a spin, dipping underneath as the ball just reaches where my head had been a second ago.

Katie runs the ball through the goal, quickly diverting her path back towards our goal, ready to intercept any ball coming at ours. Fred bats a ball towards the Ravenclaws, hitting the quaffle out of the air, giving it to one of our chasers. I spot the snitch flying beside Oliver, and quickly divert my gaze. No reason to give the Ravenclaw seeker any reason to believe I've found the snitch. I look just in time to see us score another goal. Only ten points now and I can start chasing after it. Now I'm balancing between monitoring where our ball is, and keeping an eye on the snitch flying around the pitch. I notice it come close to Cho, but then quickly move away again.

Oliver calls over Fred and George, and soon the twins are flying off in separate directions, tagging each bludger and sending them flying in the direction of the goal, intending on distracting the enemy keeper. Unfortunately, they seemed to have learned from the last time, and they didn't keep worrying about them. The only times they would move is in when one of the twins accidentally hit it too close, or if the bludger decided on trying to attack them.

I notice the quaffle flying toward my face, so I quickly alternate my stance so that the ball bounces off of my broom and into Katie's hands. She dodges through the oncoming team, and she gets the ball through the goal with only a centimetre between the ball and the keeper. I quickly scan the pitch, and see my goal. The little ball of gold that can end the game and secure us a victory and the Quidditch Cup.

I blast off in that direction, and the enemy seeker follows, realizing I have spotted the snitch. I duck under an incoming chaser, and dive down to the floor of the pitch. The ball is racing down among the grass, essentially touching the floor. I can feel the wind rushing through my hair, and blocking out my sound. All I feel is the moment. I can feel the other seeker catching my draft, so I start manoeuvring in a way that will not enable him to catch up. This isn't something I can risk, I need to catch this snitch while I have the chance. Oliver is counting on me.

I spin so that I am flying upside down, and pushing up and down so that I can start catching up without banging my head off the ground and losing my balance and my broom. I catch up. Just as my hand clasps itself around the snitch, an announcement was made. "Another ten points to Ravenclaw!". I spin myself upright, and proceed to fall off due to blood rushing out of my head and back to the rest of my body.

"Harry Potter has caught the snitch! Emrys wins!" Lee Jordan shouts for all to hear, signalling our victory. But to us it was a loss. Because now we don't have a secure victory, and can lose the tournament because of my mistake. I sit upright, and let the snitch fly by my side. It's my third one I've caught this year, and yet it still feels like a huge loss. My team still comes over and congratulates me, despite the fact that we all know that our team is danger now of losing that top spot.

I sit down in the section dedicated to players, and watch the rest of the four games unfold. First after us are Slytherin and Gryffindor, and sure enough Lee starts stating his admiration of Angelina during the duration of the game, each one preceding a bellowing Professor McGonagall yelling at him for not following proper commentating procedures. But everyone knows it's just a show. She loves that he makes the games even more interesting by adding his own insights, but she would also appreciate if he would stop flirting with Angelina. Slytherin wins, scoring enough to take our spot. But Hufflepuff still has yet to compete, and can take over Ravenclaw's position.

We have a fifteen minute break in between matches, giving Gryffindor a chance to rest and come up with a new strategy in order to compete against their new opponent. I talk to the twins during this free period, discussing the best teams. Pride of Portree are the best. Easily. They say the Chudley Cannons are better, but what do they know.

Gryffindor and Hufflepuff fly out onto the pitch, and get themselves ready for another match. They begin, and I watch Gryffindor take the offensive pretty quickly, hoping to take fourth from Hufflepuff. Hufflepuff takes the defensive, trying to counteract Gryffindor. I watch intrigued seeing as how Hufflepuff, the mellowest house when it comes to Quidditch, really be fierce with their playing. I notice the seeker for the badgers, a man named Cedric Diggory, seem to be trying to find the snitch as quickly as possible. No one has scored, so if he manages to end this quickly than there is no chance that Gryffindor can catch up and take their place.

The snitch in plays flies past my face, and there is Cedric in hot pursuit like a golden retriever chasing after a rabbit. The Hufflepuff golden boy catches the snitch, and comes to an easy landing on the ground, where many of his friends come running up from the stands to congratulate him on his victory. I walk down onto the field with the rest of my team and the other houses, as the winner of the cup will be announced shortly, after the new scores are added together.

I scan the crowd, noticing Hermione quickly avert her gaze and pretending that she had been talking to Neville the entire time. I look down at the floor, not bothering to look to my friends while waiting. I feel a swell of pain, raising up through my chest out of my mouth. I gasp, not maintaining the control over my emotions I thought I had. I glance around me, checking to see if anyone had noticed my audible gasp. Thankfully everyone was talking too loudly for me to be heard.

"Your attention please! Your attention please! We have the results of this year's Inter-House Quidditch Cup!" Everyone quiets down at the sound of McGonagall's voice, made louder by a Amplifying Charm.

"In last place, with 127 points, is Gryffindor!" People respectfully gave applause, even though that was pretty terrible. "In fourth place, with 162 points, is Hufflepuff!" Again, more applause. "In third place, with 201 points, is Ravenclaw!" The applause begins to grow progressively louder as we approach the top spots. "In second place, with 243 points, is Emrys!" Around the pitch, I hear massive swellings in the amount of people giving their all in clapping. I look down, defeated. We were so close. "And in first place, with 245 points, is Slytherin!" The pitch reverberates with applause, but with noticeably lower enthusiasm.

I sneak into the back of the crowd, and leave the pitch before the other students are able to leave. I drop my broom of, and head back to the dorm room, quickly chucking off my jersey and pants, changing into a pair of jeans since we are not required to dress to code for this day. I fix my hair, and sit down at my desk with a piece of parchment.

'Dear Via, I'm sorry I didn't write much between now and Christmas break. School got in the way, and I didn't really get any chance to do sit down and write. I don't expect you to forgive me, as I don't deserve it. I hope you've had a good time at home. I'm going to assume you have, as you fit in instantly as soon as you entered through the doors, and you have an amazing relationship with those that raised me.

I'm going to try to catch you up on everything that has happened recently. You remember how I told you about Aventance? Well, Ron got his own familiar. It's called an Asgardian Elder, and he named it Balder. This caused him to become the new Lord Pendragon. I learned of how someone is going to try to steal the Philosopher's Stone. I'm going to try to stop it from being taken tonight. I slept through most of today, and something happened to cause them to be upset with me. I caught the snitch in the final games of the season, but I couldn't win the tournament. It was a difference of two points.

That honestly caused me to really hate myself. I was so close. So bloody close. And I buggered it. I know the team is disappointed in me. If only I had caught the snitch one second before they had scored, the tournament would have been won. I was so close, and I messed up. I can't help but feel like everyone hates me.

But I'll be fine. I don't want you to be worrying about me. I can't wait for the year to end. I need a vacation. I know this letter is really brief, but supper is about to start and I'll need to save all my energy. Don't get into trouble while I'm not there. Love, Harry.'

I set down my quill, and fix myself up one last time before I head downstairs. I here a knocking at the window, and I see Ron's familiar clicking against the window. I set down all my stuff and walk over. Unlatching the window, I open it and Balder instantly zips in and lands on my head, his four paws already developing wicked scythes for claws. Need to tell Ron to fix that.

"Aventance, I don't know what to do. It's claws are digging into my scalp."

Hold on. I'll fix this.

Suddenly, in a burst of fire, Aventance shows up, startling the little dragon and causing it to fall. I catch it in my hand, and let it get it's balance. It bites my thumb, and then flies back out of the window. Shaking my head in disbelief, I walk over and comb back Aventance's feathers. "Our life is complicated, huh?"

Indeed. I've got some more business to attend, and you've got food waiting for you.

In a burst of silver light, he disappears from the room, leaving me along once again. I latch the window, re-comb my hair AGAIN, and then I walk down to eat. I catch up to the group, but I decide not to announce myself.

"Where is he? I'm getting worried about him." Neville asks, and I see him wringing his hands. "Do you really think he would walk ahead?"

"After this morning, probably." Dreki states, his thoughts manifesting themselves in the form of words. "He look rather hurt how you acted, 'Mione."

"Well. He didn't eat. And I had something really important to tell him, but he wasn't there." She huffs, thinking her reasons were completely obvious.

"If it was so important, then why didn't you tell one of us? We could have done just as well as he with listening, you know." Ron huffs at her. Clearly he took that personally.

"Maybe, but he already knows some things about me that would help him understand. And I'm a lot more comfortable with him than you guys. No offence, but that's just how it is."

"It's alright. I hope you found a way to deal with it." Neville smiles at her. I can't help but smile as well, because I appreciate his kindness.

But I'm also acutely aware of what she said. She needed me. And I wasn't there. I make a mental note to ask her after today is over with. Maybe it will still be as important then as it was this morning. We enter the hall, and instead of eating with the others, I decide to eat where Dreki used to before he started eating with us. I grab a plate, fill it with a chicken breast with mashed potatoes drizzled with brown gravy, and grab an apple to go with.

I sit down, scarfing down my meal quickly, and head back up with my apple. I know it's going to annoy them more, but I need to make sure that we are going to have everything we need. Have supplies ready to go down by the time they come back up. Realizing how much time we have left, I decide to explore the common room for a little. I've never really done anything in this space, as I've always gone to my room.

I decide to walk around clockwise around the room, getting to truly understand the area I'm living in. Many of the walls are hidden by bookcases and books aplenty. But you have neat decorations placed in front of each window, such as a bust of Merlin, a painting depicting the building of Hogwarts, each of the founders placing and building the walls at the same time, wands held aloft as bricks are seen being laid out. On the right of the door is a framed sword. According to the label beneath, this was the sword initially used to induct him into the Knights of the Round Table, as Excalibur hadn't been found yet. And the last remaining stand is empty. According to the sign, it was supposed to be his famed hat, but it was being held in the Headmaster's office because they had no way of determining who went to what house.

I go back to the painting, and I notice a weird etch in the frame. I shrug my shoulders, having no idea as to what it means. I pick up a random book off the shelf, and start doing some light reading while waiting for them to get back.

Half and hour later, my friends enter the common room. I wave at them, and beckon them to walk over. "How soon until the next person walks in?" I ask them, because I need to know if I can say what I need right now, or if it will have to be taken upstairs.

"About ten minutes." Dreki crosses his arms, taking a step back to examine us.

"Alright. Well, how soon can we get downstairs? We can pretend that we left something in the Great Hall."

"Actually, I can't. I'm going to be busy for a time. I can't fail these exams." Neville shuffles on his feet, feeling awkward. I can't help but feel the same. We had already talked about this last night, and everyone said they would be able to help.

"Couldn't you study all of tomorrow? The tests aren't until two days time."

"Well, I mean yeah. But I can't afford to miss it. I know I said I'd help, but I can't make it. These tests are more important to me than this stone. If it's just Snape, then what is he going to do? Make his classes even more insufferable for those in future generations?" He waves bye towards me, departing from the room up the stairs.

"Ron? What about you? Are you still in?" I ask. Just great.

"Harry, if you were there in the morning, and had bothered to sit with us, then you would know I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed." And with that he leaves as well, heading to his own room.

"Dreki?"

"I'm sorry mate, but I haven't got the time. I need to study, and catch up on homework. You know I missed a day." He bothers a sad smile, and walks upstairs to his own room.

"And you? Are you able to come, Hermione?" At this point I'm barely managing my disappointment, a lacklustre smile plastered across my face haphazardly.

"We need to talk first before I'll even consider helping you." She crosses her arms, not leaving any chance for her to budge.

"Alright. Where do you want to hold this talk? Down here, or in your or my room?" I scratch out that mental note I made myself. I guess I'm having this conversation now.

"My room." She grabs my wrist and drags me up the stairs towards the girls' dorms. I look back at the archway that surrounds the entrance to the stairway. I thought there was an enchantment that prevented boys from coming up here, as was vice versa for the boy's stairway.

She pulls me down the same distance it takes to reach my own room, and chucks me in before entering herself. Her room is a brilliant shade of lavender, with white cascading irregularly through the wallpaper. Many swirls accompany the walls, and intermixed with that is golden leaves strewn about the silver lines, forming a beautiful image of what can be imagined as a plant with qualities of a vine, and a tree during autumn. Her four-poster bed has the same drapes as mine, except the colours are inverted.

Over at her work area is a mess. Not in the literal sense of the word, but closer to that of many clutter items are around the desk. She has a wall of books against the back, an open one laying flat, and another open one sitting up straight. On the floor are more books. She has a mug of pencils and quills sitting on the one open area available, and a picture of her smiling family, all together.

On top of her dresser is a vial of perfume, some deodorant, and a little box meant to store a ring and a necklace. What appears to be her journal is also resting out on top, decorated with images of the wizarding world. Above the dresser is a mirror, and attached to it is a checklist.

She grabs her journal and plops down on the bed with a sigh. She looks over at me and doesn't say a word. I give her a bewildered look, and she returns with an exasperated look. I shrug my shoulders, not understanding what I'm supposed to be do, and she pats the spot beside her bed. I struggle to move over, and uncertainly sit down beside her.

A house-elf apparates in the room, and addresses Hermione. "Ms. Granger, boys are not allowed in this section of the dorm. I'm afraid I'm going to ask you to escort Mr. Potter here outside and back to the common room."

"But he passed the gate! Shouldn't that be a good indicator of his motives?" She speaks to the elf as if she has spoken with him before. Or is it a her? I can't tell. I've never really met too many house-elves to tell the difference.

"I suppose that could be. But rules are rules."

"Please? Could you overlook this one infraction just this once? What I need to tell him is extremely important and I can't keep moving without talking about it." She begins pleading with the elf, who is already beginning to relent.

"I do believe I saw nothing. Have a wonderful day, Ms. Granger, as to you as well, Mr. Potter." He winks, and then disapparates out of her room.

"Sorry about that. He is a stickler to the rules. Harry, you really upset me this morning. I was in a desperate need to speak with you, but you weren't there. And so I went the day without anyone to talk about my issue with because you kept avoiding me. I would have forgiven you easier if you had at least walked back to the school with me after the matches. But you didn't.

"I waited to see if I could catch you before we headed down to supper, but you never came down. I didn't see you in the Great Hall. And when I come back up I see that only then have you left your room, for who knows how long. And now you expect me to pretend that didn't happen? I'm not just going to treat me like that. You're my best friend, and the only close friend I've ever had that I felt I could talk to. But then you went and abandoned me to my thoughts. That hurt. You know understand how badly that hurt me?"

She stops talking, and soon silence consumes the room, as I'm left to dwell at what she had said. I guess I hadn't really thought about it. All I had been thinking of was how badly it hurt that she slapped me, when I had tried to apologize. And how badly that left everyone else in the group about how I had not shown. But she didn't even try to hear me out. I even brought pizza. I shouldn't be the one to be entirely blamed.

I try to blurt out an excuse, but I feel a well of magic plug my throat, preventing me from saying it. I try again, and it doesn't work. Bloody hell, what is happening to me? "Hermione?"

She raises an eyebrow at me. "Yeah?"

I try to blurt out a different excuse, and again that well of magic plugs my throat. All I can hear in my head is more mature thoughts than I should be having at this age. All sense of that childish reasoning abandons me, and I'm left with the reality of the situation. I hurt her because of my own selfishness, and that created a rift in our relationship. So it was my decision to try to bridge the gap, or to turn around and not look back by walking out. And there is no way in hell I'm leaving my best friend.

"I'm sorry. For all of today. From the not waking up on time in order to hear your concern, and from avoiding you and the others all day. That wasn't the right thing to do. But I ask that you understand my reasoning for my actions. I know, no matter how many excuses I give, it doesn't mean I'm deserving of forgiveness. That was one lesson my mum drilled into my head. But as my best friend, you deserve to know why I acted the way I did.

"I had hurt me deeply when you slapped me this morning, when I had tried to apologize for oversleeping. I had thought that you didn't want to be my friend any more. Mum has a famous temper in the house, and when she is angry I give her time to process her thoughts. Because if she hasn't calmed down and I try talking to her, all it does it escalate the situation more than it needs to. So I had wanted to give you space so you could deal with your emotions that had been clearly flaring up at the time. And when I was ready to talk to you again, I wasn't sure if the others wanted to see me either. So I gave everyone their space, but clearly that wasn't the right thing to do. I'm sorry for making you go through whatever it is that was bothering you all day without anyone." I look at her, showing her that I truly mean what I said. I am sorry for my actions.

I hear her try to speak, but all of a sudden she chokes back on it. Then she chokes again. And again. Then she relents to the same force that afflicted me. "I'm sorry about slapping you. I guess you're right. I had needed time to cool down. It wasn't mature of me. Can we just put this behind us?"

I grab her hand, and give a squeeze. "Of course. But, I think there is something we need to clear up."

"Like what?"

"Do you still need to talk about this morning?"

She chuckles to herself, and pulls me into a hug. "This is why you're my best friend." She sighs, and begins telling me about her nightmare. "So, in it I couldn't see anything. It was so dark that nothing would show. I think I was in the Forbidden Forest, because I recognized the large trees through the faint moonlight breaching the top layer of the trees. And all I can feel is pain. It feels like my bones were breaking under immense pressure. It felt like daggers were sinking into my skin, ripping and tearing at myself. And my head. I felt like everything became so much more into focus, like someone put a triple magnifier on every one of my senses. I had such a clarity that is was overwhelming. Everything just... became more real than it had ever been." She chokes down a sob, but it breaches the surface and consumes her. I pull her into my arms to comfort her, and she convulses with heavy sobs.

"Hey, hey. It's going to be okay. It's going to be okay. It was just a bad dream, that's all. It's just a bad dream." I rub her back, and murmur soothing words into her ear, attempting to calm her down.

"It was more than that, Harry. It was so much more than just a bad dream. I've had nightmares before, and this was not that. It felt all so real. Too real for something that was simply a projection of my head. I woke up this morning with portions of my skin being heavily irritated and bruised. Do you want to see what I mean?"

"Um, sure. I don't see how they could be as bad as you said they are."

She lifts up her shirt some, and on her abdomen there is indeed heavily irritated and bruised skin, but no marks. She pulls her shirt back down, and pulls off one shoulder to show yet more irritated skin. "Bad, isn't it?" She pulls her shirt back up over her shoulder.

"Did you go to Madam Pomfrey?"

"No. I didn't know how I would explain it. So I've just let it exist and pretended nothing happened." Her voice breaks, and I grab her hand to steady her. She glances at me, and smiles. "Thanks for listening. But we better get going. Go grab your cloak. I need to gather things that will be important." She shoves me off the bed playfully, and I laugh along side her.

"Just you wait. I'm going to get you back one of these days."

As I leave her room, she calls back. "I'm sure you will!"

We crack open the door to where Fluffy is, and lightly close it behind us. We dump the cloak, and I fold it and put it back into my pocket. There is a harp sitting there by itself playing music.

"What is with the harp?" Hermione whispers to me as we creep further into the room.

"It's meant to calm Fluffy. Although it really isn't necessary. Maybe it's just me, but all you have to do is state your intent and he will become a puppy. I've done it before." I move over to Fluffy's paw, which is covering the trap door we need to use to get down to the actual vault. I try to shove it off the side, but it won't budge.

I glance over at Hermione. "A little help here, please?" I turn back before I can see her answer, and soon she is by the paw. We give it a shove, and soon the trapdoor is uncovered. I undo the latch, and lift it up. "Alright, as soon as we jump there will be many trials for us to face. But we can't let ourselves lose our minds. We need to focus, and remain calm. Who knows what kinds of trials there are down there waiting for someone to enter their trap."

"You're stalling." She smirks as I struggle to keep talking. Bloody hell, was I that obvious?

"Am not! If you think I'm stalling, how come you haven't jumped yet?" I demand of her.

"I haven't jumped because I need to ensure that you don't bail."

"It was my idea! Why would I bail?" Against my shoulder, I hear a gut-wrenching growl, and feel the hot breath of Fluffy waking up beside me. I push Hermione behind me, and stick out my right hand to the dog.

"Easy there Fluffy… we mean you no harm… nor do we want to steal the stone. In fact, we want to protect it. May we have permission to jump down and protect the thing you guard?"

In response, one of her heads rips off the trapdoor from it's hinges, and the one facing me growls in response. I'll take that as a maybe.

"Okay… you don't remember me. I'm Harry, remember? The boy who came and comforted the other boy that had came in here before I had? The one that was crying? That is my friend. Just like this is my friend behind me, and you are my friend as well… The person who made you fall asleep, the one who put that harp there? He isn't a friend. He intends on stealing the stone you have worked so hard to protect. We want to help you protect your treasure. May we have permission?" I remind myself to breathe, and take a couple breaths to steady my heart.

This time, instead of growling, she just glares at me and Hermione, obviously doubting my intentions.

Pet the dog, Harry. Trust me.

Holding out my hand, I begin to slowly approach the dog. "Harry, what are you doing? You're going to get your hand ripped off!" Hermione urgently whispers behind me, but I know what I'm doing. I trust my familiar. I can feel the hot air as it steams out of Fluffy's nose into the crisp air of the night. I stop in more than enough room for Fluffy to eat my clean, without having to move an inch. I place my hand on the dog's nose, and I feel my ring, long lying dormant… still lie dormant. So much for that theory.

But Fluffy stills calms down, and just as I had told Hermione a little after we walked into the room, she became a puppy. She rolled over onto her back, and her three heads all stuck out their tongues simultaneously. She began panting, and started inching closer to me, so that I may scratch her chins.

"Told you Fluffy is a big puppy," I say as I scratch the underside of one of her heads. "You just have to give it a little time."

"I don't care if you've done this before, that was not a risk worth taking. You could have been eaten!" She punches my shoulder, and gives me a look I have seen too often from my mother.

"Yeah, but now we have a friend and safe passage. Ladies first." I wave to the door. "Or we can go together because both of us don't really want to go down."

"Together." We both walk over to the hole, and interlocking fingers, we jump down.

We fall and fall and fall. After what seems like forever, we land in a dark room with a soft but firm cushion, with light arising from beneath us. I begin to feel something crawling over my skin, pulling tighter against my limbs, pinning me to where I sit. I flick my wand out from it's holder, and cast Lumos.

All around me, I see a very plant-like thing around me, it's own limbs slithering towards myself and Hermione, who is also being held captive by the plant. "Hermione, what is this plant? You're the one who pays attention in that class."

"It's the Devil's Snare! Just relax, and you will be free from it's grasp." She sighs heavily, I notice her body slack, and soon she is falling through the plant. I do the same thing she does, releasing every worry I have and allowing myself to live, and I find myself sitting on the floor beside Hermione. "Good job working under pressure."

She extends an arm, and I grab it to help myself up. "Thanks. We better get moving, don't know what else there could be ahead of us."

We walk through the door, and find ourselves faced with a broom, a collection of flying keys, and a locked door. I scan the crowd, and find a key that has a broken wing. I hop on the broom, and quickly grab it and land, which reset the keys. The only one to be left was the key I am holding. I insert it into the door, and myself and Hermione enter the next chamber.

The entire room is full of giant chess pieces. There are many broken on the sides of the board. Obviously Snape had already been here. Hermione speaks up. "Is this wizard's chess? What are we supposed to do. There are pieces missing."

I look across at the mayhem. So, we're supposed to play chess? Then why have a floor to the sides, if we are supposed to play the game. It doesn't make sense. If they had truly designed it to work with resetting, then why not have a pit that could have them fall down into. "We don't play. We walk around." And with that, I drag her with me as I step out onto the sides.

Nothing happens to us. I silently cheer, as I was only guessing. We walk around the entire board, and enter into the next chamber, skipping the entire room.

In the next chamber is an unconscious mountain troll. "I think I know why it passed out." I manage despite my constant gagging on the scent.

"It passed out from it's own stench?" Hermione responds, her voice sounding more like a wheeze.

"Bingo." We exit the large chamber, and enter into the next.

The next chamber is just a simple table, with different bottles lined up. Black flames burst into existence at the exit, and purple flames do the same with the entrance to this chamber. "We must have to match them. I wonder what order they go in."

"Check it out Harry. It's a riddle. Probably also stands as instructions." She begins to read the card aloud. "Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, Two of us will help you, whichever you would find, 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 hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore, 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 onwards 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."

She moves along the table, slightly muttering to herself the riddle while checking the different potions. I walk to the table as well, and I check the underside. Underneath are little notes tucked into the bars meant to hold the table steady. "Hermione, I figured it out!" I grab the notes in the order they appear, and pop back up above the table.

"I figured it out as well. Wait, what are those?"

"The answers." I put down the cards as where they were placed, and sure enough there was a cheat sheet. "Third one is the one we need to progress. Last one is the one to retreat." I grab the third potion, and hand it to Hermione. "Drink up. You're the better wizard."

"There is only enough for one of us in order for the potion to take effect." She takes the bottle and pours it into my mouth. "Go. You know spells I've never even heard of, and have a lot of power behind it as well. So you need to go. I'll go and find Dumbledore . Or Professor Sinistra. You go hold them off." She grabs the seventh potion, drinks it in one go, and then dashes out through the purple flames.

"Alright. I guess it's all myself now. You've got this. No need to doubt yourself. She's right, we will need help." I steady myself, focusing on breathing. Without giving myself another moment of hesitation, I dash through the black flames. It feels like a flame directly from the depths of hell, but it also doesn't do any damage to myself. I enter what looks like a room stolen directly from Greek architecture, with many faded and even some crumbling columns. Many steps down stands Professor Quirrell, and in front of him is the Mirror of Erised. I walk down the stairs and stop before I hit the actual landing. "You!"

"Me. I wondered whether I would be meeting you here, Potter. Now, I know you are wondering as to why it isn't Snape standing here threatening you. So, to make this short and simple, the greasy rat doesn't trust me. After I tried to kill you during your first Quidditch match, and then the Halloween debacle, he wouldn't let me alone. But little does he know I'm never alone." He turns around, and the scare on my head begins to burn. "Now, be a good lad and tell me what this mirror does. I see what I desire. I see the stone in my hand. But how do I get it!"

A voice, detached and haunting, fills the room. "Use the boy." Quirrell whips around to face me. "Come here, boy!" I feel myself grabbed with an invisible hand, and I am pulled over to stand in front of the mirror. "Tell me. What do you see?" He asks me with an indescribable coldness.

"I see myself holding the Quidditch Cup. I'm shaking hands with the minister, and I'm receiving an award for excellence in Quidditch." Now, that's obviously a lie. What I do see is the stone being placed into my pocket. But no reason to let him know that.

Again, the same disembodied voice enters the room. "The boy is lying. Let me speak to him."

"Master, you are not strong enough."

"I am strong enough for this." Quirrell unwraps his head-wrap, and on the back of his head is the face of Voldemort. "Harry Potter... We meet again."

I take five steps back away from the mirror and Quirrell. "No. Padfoot told me you were dead."

"You see what I have been reduced to. A face on the back of a coward, leeching off the life force of this pathetic morsel, gorging myself on the blood of unicorns in order to sustain my life. However, there is something that can give me life. And, conveniently, it rests in your pocket!" Flames sprout around the entrances to the room, leaving me blocked off. "Don't be a fool. Join me, and you will be given power and recognition beyond your wildest dreams, Potter. All you have to do is give me the stone."

Does this fool really think I'm going to join him? Jeez, he is dumber than he looks. "Never!"

"Fine then. Kill him!"

Quirrell produces his wand. "Lanienis Perpetuum!" He slashes his wand across my torso, criss-crossing the lines repeatedly, back and forth across my chest.

I feel my blood quickly begin to rush out of the wounds. I gasp, and fall to the floor, grabbing at the wide open gashes across my chest to stop the blood flow. I feel myself begin to already lose consciousness as the blood keeps pouring out like a place called Niagara Falls. The blood – MY blood – begins seeping into the stone beneath me, and I collapse to the floor. "Please. Help." I gasp for breath, the pain unbearable. "You can have the stone. Just make the pain stop." I sob, grasping for life. With a shaky hand, I pull the Philosopher's stone out of my pocket with my left hand, and hold it up to Quirrell. "Have your bloody stone... Just make the pain stop... please..."

He smirks, and begins to strut up to me. Voldemort begins speaking once again. "Not so powerful now, eh Potter? Here I was thinking you would be a threat, and yet you went down without so much as a fight." Quirrell is extending his arm towards me to take the stone. Like hell he will. With my right hand, I grab onto his arm. My ring reveals itself, and a bright, pure white sprouts into existence.

The stone in my hand shatters, and all I can hear is pure agony from Quirrell as he bursts into flames. A black smoke leaves his body, and flies through my chest. Quirrell turns to ash, and the last thing I hear as I pass out is his screams mixed with my own. As my last moments of consciousness slip away from me, all I can think of his how I am going to die down here, all along, unable to call for help. I try to cry, but my throat is full of blood, and I begin to choke on it. I guess this is it then. And I lose consciousness.

A/N: Once again, I am so so sorry that I took so long to write and publish this newest chapter. I would give you reassurances as to when the next chapter will be released, but I simply can't say. Between my college courses, homework, and trying to maintain a relationship with my girlfriend, I have no idea when I will be able to get out the newest chapters. But at least now, with the end of this story arc, we can get into the more interesting chapters. Relationships will be furthered strengthened, the story will advance, new soul-bonds will be formed, and new elements will be introduced. I'm so excited to be releasing these new chapters, and I hope you guys are as excited as I am for the new chapters. I appreciate your patience with me, although I won't blame you if that patience is running thin.