Chapter 20: The Face of Voldemort
Leila was as white as a ghost as she walked into the Slytherin dungeon. Her plan with the Gryffindors terrified her. Purposely going through the trapdoor into unforeseeable danger didn't sit very well with her. No, in fact it made her anxious. But the worst part of all, she couldn't tell her friends about it. She knew what would happen if she told the Slytherins about the plan. Someone would go running to Snape and it would all be for naught. This was one secret she had to keep to herself. Which seemed strange. This last year she had kept more secrets from Harry than her Slytherin Housemates, but now she had a secret to keep from them.
So, as she walked down the steps into the common room, she attempted to calm herself enough so that her friends wouldn't realise that something was up. One of the advantages of being a Slytherin was that facades didn't come with too much difficulty. She closed her eyes and slowly took a deep breath before she approached her friends who were lounging on the sofas and arm chairs.
"What did the bloody Gryffindors want?" Theo asked.
"You know, I'm still not really sure," Leila scoffed. "Although, I'm fairly certain whatever it was, was just a cover up for Granger to suss-out how my exams went. Thankfully, I'm not stupid enough to fall for that."
"Unbelievable," Daphne said rolling her eyes before patting the seat beside her. "And of course your brother just went along with it."
Leila sat down beside Daphne. "I don't think Harry knew what she wanted."
Daphne scoffed. "Well, he should have. She is his friend after all."
The Potter girl leant her head back against the sofa and folded her arms across her chest. She shifted somewhat uncomfortably before she said, "I think I'm gonna give him the benefit of the doubt on this one. Harry and I are in a pretty good spot right now, at least compared to most of the year, and I wanna keep it that way going into summer. I mean, we're going to be stuck together all summer...probably in the same room."
No one argued her on that point. So, Leila was glad when Theo changed the topic of conversation back to the History of Magic exam they had taken earlier that day. Leila remained rather silent on the topic though. Her thoughts once again wandered back to the plan. While her insides screamed for her to forget the plan, the stubborn part of her refused to give Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger the satisfaction.
While dinner was a rather glorious affair for most, Leila was rather sombre and lost in thought as she picked at the meal in front of her. And Draco took notice. From across the Slytherin table, he poked her with the butt-end of his fork and called her name. "Leila. Leila. Leeiillaa."
Reluctantly, Leila glanced his way. "What?" she groaned.
"You're awfully quiet this evening," Draco pointed out.
Leila looked at him in annoyance. While she was still angry at him about the whole running away and leaving her to die in detention incident, she didn't have the energy to argue with him right now. No, she needed to conserve her energy for the untimely death she was likely to endure later. So, just nodded her head.
"Tired?" he asked, his tone changing, almost sounding sympathetic. Leila just nodded her head again. Draco then nodded his too. "Me too. I'm glad exams are over." He offered her a rare soft smile before Blaise Zabini elbowed him. Then he went back to his usual annoying self, which Leila proceeded to ignore.
By the time dinner was over, Leila practically had talked herself out of going with the Gryffindors. She looked for her brother to tell him as much, but he wasn't there. He must've already left with Ron and Granger, probably trying to formulate a plan. For a moment, her heartbeat quickened. Her only other option to backout was to not show up. And as good as that sounded, she couldn't do that to Harry. Not again. Not after everything they'd been through and finally gotten sorted it.
Well, sorted out enough for eleven-year-olds. One must remember that eleven-year-olds don't always fully deal with situations and sometimes just choose to move on with life far more frequently than most grown adults. This is neither to their credit nor their fault. It just is.
Not wanting to raise too many suspicions, Leila went to bed a little early, claiming exhaustion. No one argued with her on the matter, so she crawled into bed still fully clothed and cuddled with Roman. She never did fall asleep, but when the other girls finally came in, she pretended to be asleep. Leila was too uneasy to actually sleep as thoughts and doubts swirled through her mind. But petting a purring Roman kept her calm.
When the time finally came for her to leave, Leila's legs felt like jelly as she walked toward the door. Roman followed after her meowing for attention. She tried to shoo him away, but he wasn't having any of it. Leila bit her bottom lip examining her dormitory before looking down at her cat. She knew that he would only keep meowing, which would wake her roommates, which would lead them finding her out of bed. So, she opened the door a crack and allowed the little black fuzzball to escape. Besides, he wouldn't go any farther than the common room.
Leila's heartbeat began to quicken as she exited the Slytherin dungeon and walked out into the dimly lit corridor. She glanced around the corridor for her brother, but she couldn't see him. He had promised to meet her. Immediately her thoughts jumped to the worst conclusion: he was standing her up again. He was standing her up to sneak through the trapdoor with Granger and Ron...and without her. She was in disbelief that he was doing this again. She really should have known better.
But Leila jumped to her conclusion too soon because a familiar voice whispered her name. "Leila." It was Harry's voice, that she was certain of. She quickly turned around, causing the end of her ponytail to slap her in the face. For a moment she spluttered, removing the hair from her mouth. This gave Harry enough time to run down the corridor toward her, panting for breath.
"Sorry," Harry wheezed when he approached his sister. "We ran into a little issue. Neville actually decided to stand up for himself and the bloody wrong time."
Leila folded her arms across her chest. "I thought you forgot about me again."
"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry?" Harry asked rather pointedly. His sister's bottom lip jutted out a bit, but she said nothing. But they had to get moving, so Harry grabbed his sister's hand and together they headed toward their rendezvous point with Ron and Hermione on the third floor.
The Potter twins were careful to stay tight to the wall as they ascended the castle stairs. The last thing they needed was to get caught on tonight of all nights. Not with the Philosopher's Stone in such peril. The higher they ascended the more Leila's stomach seemed to flip and knot in anxiousness. It got to the point, where she felt like she could feel her stomach in her throat. She felt like she was going to vomit.
Leila let go of her brother's hand and came to a sudden stop. She closed her eyes to stop her world from spinning. Perhaps, she shouldn't have agreed to this. Without even opening her eyes, Leila knew that her brother was watching her. Slowly, she exhaled and then opened her eyes to meet his. Harry looked at her sympathetically. Leila opened her mouth to say something, but instead, vomit crept into her mouth. She turned and heaved the contents of her stomach onto the floor. Harry held onto her ponytail with one hand and rested his other gently on her shoulder.
When she was done retching, she slowly stood up and wiped her mouth. "Filch is gonna love me," Leila whispered rather sarcastically.
"You don't have to come, Leils," Harry told his sister. "You can go back to your dormitory if you want. I won't think any less of you."
"Yes you will," Leila groaned before trying to swish her mouth out with spit. "Besides, even if you won't, Granger and Weasley will. I'm not going to give them the satisfaction of knowing that I'm not there. I'm not about to let Granger..."
Harry cupped his hand over Leila's mouth. "I get it," he groaned. "But don't stay just because you want to get back at Hermione. If for any reason you can't handle it, you have my permission to go. Got it?"
Leila nodded her head. While she understood that Harry's words were meant to soothe her conscience, they just fanned the flames of her feelings of inadequacy. Which made her want to stay all the more, just out of spite. Her emotions were terribly contradicting at times. She took a deep breath and then grabbed her brother's hand again. They then continued their ascent to the third floor.
When they arrived at the third-floor corridor, Leila scanned the area for Weasley and Granger, but she couldn't spot them. Suddenly, Ron Weasley's head appeared out of nowhere and Leila had to cover her mouth with her hands to keep from screaming. After a few seconds, when she was a little calmer, she glanced at her brother. "You never told me you got the Cloak back," she whispered.
Harry rolled his eyes. "That's because I found it on my bed this afternoon when I got back after talking to you. There really hasn't been a good time to tell you since I found it, now has there?" This time it was Leila who rolled her eyes.
Ron quickly motioned for them both to get under the Cloak. So, Harry and Leila did as they were told. Good thing too, because seconds later, Peeves rounded the corner. He must have heard their feet move from trying to situate themselves because he called, "Who goes there?"
The four first years, under the Invisibility Cloak, froze. They had come so close only to be thwarted by a pest like Peeves. Leila clung to Harry's arm as she tried to focus on how to get past Peeves. "Should call Filch, I should," Peeves taunted. "'Specially if there's somethin' a-creepin' unseen."
Leila closed her eyes to focus better, to block the outside world from her thoughts. She remembered overhearing the older Slytherins in the common room talking about Peeves. There was only one person who was able to set Peeves straight. But who was it?
"We're doomed!" Ron whimpered in Leila's ear, because of the way they were situated under the Cloak.
But Leila shook her head and whispered, "The Bloody Baron."
"He's the last thing we need right now," Ron groaned.
Leila rolled her eyes. "No, he happens to be the only one whom Peeves listens to."
"Well, we don't exactly have time to find him, now do we?" Granger retorted.
Really? Leila thought as she turned back and looked at Granger rather incredulously. She shook her head. Did none of them see their way out? She slowly exhaled and prepared to save their arses. Leila cleared her throat. "Peeves!" she said in a hoarse, low voice.
A hand reached out to cover her mouth, but she quickly slapped it away. Clearly, no one was catching onto her plan. "Peeves! You will answer when the Bloody Baron calls you!" Leila called a little louder this time in the same deep, hoarse voice. It was then that the three Gryffindors figured out what Leila was doing.
"So-so sorry your bloodiness," Peeves stammered, turning around in circles with his face hidden behind his hands. It was clear he was looking for the Bloody Baron while trying not to see him at the exact same time. "My mistake-my mistake. Please forgives old Peevesies for this little joke." Leila remained quiet with her eyes on Peeves for a moment. It was almost enjoyable watching the poltergeist squirm. Ron nudged Leila in the arm after she had been quiet a little too long.
"Now, Peeves, I have business in this part of the castle tonight," Leila pretending to be the Bloody Baron continued. "I don't want you interfering...again. So, stay away. I think we both remember the last time…"
Peeves squealed and his face with his hands. "Yes-very well, your bloodiness. Peevesies remembers a little too well," he said as he rubbed at his bottom. "Peevesies will leave now, your bloodiness. Peeves hope-hopes your business goes well. Peeves will not bother. No, he will not." The poltergeist quickly zoomed away in the opposite direction of the first year quartet.
The group stood there frozen for a moment until they were sure that Peeves couldn't hear them. Then Leila bent over and started to cough. She grasped at her throat, which was quite sore from talking so low. Harry gently patted his sister's back. But it was Ron that shocked her. "That...was...brilliant!" Ron gasped in shock.
Leila shook her head. "Glad someone approves," she said, her voice still sounding rather hoarse. "I just don't know that I'm going to be able to talk for the next week though."
"Good thing practicals are done then, huh?"
Leila glanced back at Ron quizzically before she slowly gave a nod of her head. He was acting quite odd, but she was sure that when this was over everything would go back to normal once again.
"C'mon," Harry whispered. "We don't know how much time we have left."
The quartet looked at each other. Harry was right. So, they walked silently under the Invisibility Cloak until they reached the door they had accidentally gone through months ago. As they came to a stop, Ron accidentally trampled on both Leila's and Granger's feet. Both girls shared an annoyed groan when Granger pulled out her wand to unlock the door. "It's right in front of me," Leila whispered pulling out her wand. "I got it."
"I don't care which one of you does it, just someone open the bloody thing," Ron mumbled.
The Potter girl held up a hand for Granger to give her a moment. Leila then whispered "Alohamora!" There was a small click and the door unlocked. She reached for the door handle when Harry reached out and grabbed her hand to stop her.
"If any of you want to go back now, I won't blame you...any of you," Harry whispered glancing specifically at his sister. "You're more than welcome to take the Invisibility Cloak and go return to your dormitory." For a moment, Leila seriously considered taking Harry up on his offer, but before she could say anything Ron immediately reacted.
"Don't be stupid mate," Ron responded. "We've made it this far, haven't we?"
"Ron's right, Harry," Granger piped in. "We're coming."
Harry then glanced at his sister. "Leila?" he asked.
For a moment, Leila panicked. She really wished that one of the others would have wanted to go back because then she would have conveniently volunteered to go back with them...so that they didn't lose the Cloak or some lame excuse like that. But no, she couldn't back out now. Not without looking completely mental in front of the two people she refused to look weak in front of.
"Leila?" Harry whispered repeating his sister's name.
"What they said, I guess," Leila responded barely loud enough for Harry to hear.
Harry arched an eyebrow at her. "You're sure?" he asked.
Leila gave her brother a curt nod but refused to make eye contact with him, lest he discover her true feelings and thoughts on the situation.
Not questioning her any further, Harry reached out and twisted the doorknob, opening the door. It slowly creaked open and the three Gryffindors and one Slytherin pushed themselves inside. They were sure to quickly shut the door behind them. For a moment, they remained pressed against the door, remembering their last welcome to the room, but all four of them were shocked to find Fluffy laying down on the floor and not madly barking. Instead, there was an oddly calming tune being strummed.
Ron moved to take a step forward, but Leila and Harry held him back. "Hang on, he's-he's snoring," the Weasley boy observed as low rumbled emitted from the large creature in front of them.
Granger poked her head out from behind Harry's shoulders. She then pointed to the corner of the room where a harp stood, the strings magically being plucked. "Hagrid said that music calms Fluffy to sleep, remember?" Granger said.
"If the harp's playing, then that means Snape's already been here and put a spell on it," Harry groaned.
"You probably also could have guessed that from the open trapdoor too," Leila said pointing at the ground, several inches from one of Fluffy's paws.
Harry groaned again before he ripped the Invisibility Cloak off the quartet. He muttered to himself as he quickly rolled the tight and then stuffed it in his back jeans' pocket. Harry then motioned for Hermione, Leila, and Ron to follow him. The four first years drew closer to the trapdoor...and Fluffy. They all stopped and gathered around the trapdoor and looked down inside. They couldn't see anything except darkness. Whatever was down there was going to remain a secret until they went down there.
While Leila wasn't thrilled about plunging into the unknown darkness, at least darkness wasn't one of her irrational fears. She knew she had plenty of those, but darkness wasn't one of them. Years of living in the cupboard under the stairs made that a non-issue. But plenty of her other fears could be lurking below.
Fluffy snored and then exhaled warm air onto the children. "Ugh, doggy breath," Ron groaned. Just then drool dripped from Fluffy's mouth and onto Ron's jumper. "Ugh...and he drooled on me. Disgusting." Ron attempted to wipe the huge glob of drool from his shoulder, but the goop only seemed to stick to his sweater. While Leila thought it was disgusting, at least Ron's faces were humorous.
"Alright, listen up," Harry said glancing between Hermione, Leila, and Ron. Ron stopped picking at the slobber and wiped his hand against his jeans before he made eye contact with Harry. "I'll go first," Harry told them. "Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens or I don't give you a sign, you get yourselves out. Got it?"
Leila, Hermione, and Ron all nodded their heads. Harry nodded his in return before he looked around the room rather curiously. "Hang on. Does it seem a bit quiet to you?" he asked.
The four listened carefully for a moment when Granger gasped and pointed at the harp in the corner. "It stopped playing!" the know-it-all Gryffindor stated, her arm quivering slightly.
Another glob of drool fell on Ron. This one fell on his head and ran down his face. He spluttered as he wiped the goop from his face so that he could breathe properly. And before anyone could tell Ron otherwise, he complained rather loudly, "Ugh! Yuck! He did it again!"
Fluffy then opened one eye and looked directly at Leila. Her eyes widened as a low snarl escaped Fluffy's mouth as one of his paws covered the trapdoor, blocking it. She slowly backed up toward her brother. "What now?" Leila asked.
"The harp!" Hermione said pointing at the object. "One of us has got to play it."
"No one will make it there before becoming puppy chow," Ron groaned backing into the group, still covered in drool as Fluffy stood and began to bark.
"Granger, you know the spell to make it play?" Leila asked.
Granger paused for a moment, unsure of whether or not to admit the truth to Leila. But she eventually spluttered, after Harry's insistence, "No. You?"
Leila shook her head. "Nope!"
"We're doomed!' Ron squeaked.
For a moment, Leila thought Ron was right. She grabbed hold of her brother's arm and buried her face against his sleeve. If she was going to die by being attacked by a vicious three-headed dog, there wasn't anyone she'd rather die with. But then Harry whispered in her ear. "Leila, sing. Sing. You know I can't, but you can."
She slowly raised her head. Harry was right. She could sing. Singing was music, right? So Leila began to hum the first song that popped into her head: Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. She had learned it at Muggle primary school. Fluffy immediately stopped barking and started listening to Leila's humming. Harry gave her a nudge and nodded for her to go for it.
"Here we go round the mulberry bush. The mulberry bush, the mulberry bush. Here we go round the mulberry bush. So early in the morning," Leila sang somewhat timidly as Fluffy slowly circled three times before he lay down. But her tone was clear and the notes were right on pitch. Leila then started on verse two about baling hay, her voice gaining a little more confidence.
"What's she doing?" Ron asked curiously.
Granger rolled her eyes. "She's singing, Ron," she said rather knowingly.
"I can hear that Hermione," Ron retorted.
"She's saving our arses, that's what," Harry grunted as he pushed Fluffy's paw off the trapdoor while Leila started on the third verse about feeding the chicks. After a few shoves, Fluffy's paw was off the entrance. "Alright, I'll go first. Hermione, you'll go next…"
Hermione shook her head. "No. No way," the know-it-all stammered.
As Leila started the next verse about sweeping the porch, she couldn't help but glance at Granger curiously. From the looks of it, Granger was just as scared as she was and for some reason, that made Leila feel better. But Leila just continued to sing as Fluffy's eyelids drooped shut.
"Fine," Harry groaned. "First me, then Ron, then Hermione, and last Leila."
Leila stopped singing. "Hang on. What? Why do I have to go last?" she questioned Harry with her hands planted on her hips. Fluffy's left eye opened and he began to growl.
"That's what!" Harry shouted pointing at Fluffy. "Leila! Sing!"
With her eyes wide, Leila quickly started in on the verse about painting the fence. 'This is the way we paint the fence. Paint the fence, paint the fence. This is the way we paint the fence. So early Thursday morning."
While Leila had been distracted with singing, Harry had jumped through the trapdoor. Seconds after he disappeared into the darkness, he called that it was safe for them to come down. Ron nodded toward Hermione and Leila before he jumped down the hole and plunged into the darkness.
Leila moved onto the next verse about grooming the horse as Granger stood frozen near the trap door. Even with Harry and Ron's encouragements that it was safe for her to jump, the know-it-all remained frozen. Leila had never seen the girl lacking such confidence before, so she slowly crept beside the girl as she continued to sing. Then without warning, Leila gave Granger a proper shove knowing full-well that it was one of the few times where it was necessary and proper to do so.
Granger squealed as she plummeted into the darkness. That left only Leila there, still singing Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush. She transitioned to the verse about milking the cows when she heard Harry calling her name, but Leila's eyes caught sight of the door back to the third-floor corridor. If she kept singing, she could easily make it back to safety. They didn't really need her down there, did they? Granger and Weasley were already down there with him and Harry had said that she could back-out when she needed to. And in that moment, she wanted nothing more than to save herself from the unknown.
"Harry," Leila called down the hole. "I think I'm gonna go…" With that Leila turned but tripped over her own feet. She lost her balance and sent herself accidentally tumbling into the darkness. Screaming the entire way down.
FLUMP.
When Leila finally caught her breath, she found that she had landed on something rather strange. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't exactly soft either. As her eyes adjusted to the lack of light, she noticed roots and leaves, maybe branches. Whatever it was, was definitely plant-like and Harry, Ron, and Granger were covered in the stuff. Leila moved to crawl to them when the plant wrapped itself around her legs, trapping her so that she now lay facedown in the stuff. She squealed for a moment, before she forced herself to focus on her breathing to calm herself. Although, it really wasn't working because she tried to tug her foot away, but the plant's grip on her only tightened. "Don't panic. Don't panic. Don't panic," Leila whispered to herself.
Granger looked at Harry who looked worriedly at his sister, but could do nothing to help her. The know-it-all Gryffindor rolled her eyes, knowing that she was going to regret what she was about to do. "Leila, look at the leaves. They're from the Herbology practical. It's Devil's Snare."
Leila took one of the leaves in her hand and looked at it before she looked back at Granger and nodded her head.
"You know what that means, right?" Granger questioned. "You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster."
Ron looked at Hermione in disbelief. "Kill us faster?" he groaned. "Oh, now I can relax." But his words were spoken in sarcasm. Instead, Ron began to struggle more and more against the plant wrapped around him.
But Leila, knowing that Herbology was her weakest subject, trusted Hermione...just this once. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. She didn't move The was a rustling sound and then both Harry and Ron shouted, "Hermione!"
Leila opened her eyes to see that Granger had disappeared and she began to tremble and fight the plant. And for a brief moment, despite however much, she loathed the girl, she actually felt slightly worried about her. But thankfully that didn't last long because Granger called up to them from down below. "I said to relax!" the Gryffindor girl groaned. "Clearly none of you were listening!"
"My hearing's just fine, Hermione," Ron growled as he struggled against the plants. "But in case you haven't noticed, we're being strangled to death by a plant!"
"Just do as I say!" Granger ordered.
"Hermione, where are you?" Harry hollered.
"Just trust me!"
The Potter twins looked at each other. Harry nodded his head and then Leila nodded hers. They both closed their eyes. Seconds later, Harry disappeared and Leila felt herself beginning to sink lower and lower. The Potter girl held her breath as her heart beat faster and faster, which made it rather difficult to relax. Ron's screams weren't helping matters either.
But suddenly, she didn't feel anything beneath her anymore. Instead, she felt herself go into a freefall through the air. She opened her eyes just in time to see that she was going to belly-flop onto the hard stone floor. Seconds before impact, she covered her face with her arms and then smashed into the floor. Leila groaned from the hard landing as Harry walked over and helped his sister onto her feet. "You couldn't have warned me about that?" Leila moaned.
Granger shrugged her shoulders. "You couldn't have warned me before you pushed me down the trapdoor?" the Gryffindor girl retorted.
"You pushed her?" Harry asked, looking at his sister rather disappointedly.
But Leila just rolled her eyes and ignored her brother's glances as Ron's screams echoed through the chamber. Leila covered her ears before she groaned, "We've got to do something about Weasley."
"But what? He's not relaxing, is he? If anything I thought you'd be the one to fight me." Granger gestured to Leila before she shook her head.
Leila rolled her eyes again. "Well, I'm full of surprises. Like this...SHUT UP RON OR I'M GONNA KILL YOU!" Surprisingly, that worked. Leila looked rather pleased with herself as Ron's screams had stopped, but he must still be fighting the plant because he hadn't fallen through yet.
Granger began to pace the floor and after a few seconds, Ron's screams started up again. So much for that, thought Leila. They were in need of a new solution...and quick. Before the Devil's Snare killed Ron. Leila knew Herbology was her weak subject and so she was already psyching herself out. Just like Granger had helped her...she would help Granger...and then they'd be even. "Okay, pretend this is a quiz," Leila said looking at Granger. "What are the weaknesses of Devil's Snare?"
Granger slowly exhaled as she looked at Leila. "Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare. Deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun! That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight!" Granger pulled her wand out of her robes and pointed it at the Devil's Snare. Using the incantation Lumos Solem, a light perforated the darkness and caused the Devil's Snare to shrivel.
Seconds later, Ron was screaming once again, but not because he was being eaten by a giant plant, but because he free-falling through the air. Ron landed much like Leila did on the ground which made him groan in pain. Leila sighed and walked over to him and reached out a hand to help him up. He looked at her rather hesitantly with his hand hovering over hers. "You're not really gonna kill me, are you?"
Leila rolled her eyes and gripped her hand on his before she helped pull him up. "Looks like you'll just have to wait and see, won't you?" she retorted one the boy was firmly on his feet. He just looked at her for a moment before he walked toward Harry. Leila rolled her eyes, not even a thank you for helping him up. Harry must have noticed her reaction because he looked at his sister and mouthed thank you to her.
Ron stretched his arms out and then brushed the dirt from his jumper. "Phew! Lucky we didn't panic!" he announced.
"Really?" Leila scoffed. "We?" But Harry nudged Leila's side with his elbow, which was her cue to stop. Leila rolled her eyes before she glanced up. There was nowhere for her to go but to continue with the rest of them. She'd never be able to get out of this mess on her own.
So, Harry led them down a corridor. The further they walked down it, the louder a strange sound seemed to grow. Terrified of what else could possibly be down there with them, Leila made sure she stayed between the wall and her brother as they walked. She didn't want to chance it. Sadly, staying with the Gryffindors was her best option at staying alive right now.
The quartet came to a stop outside an old wooden door. "Do you hear something?" Hermione asked curiously.
"Only the entire walk down here," Leila commented rather sarcastically which earned her a glare from her brother. "Sorry," the Potter girl muttered.
"Maybe it's a ghost," Harry suggested.
But Ron shook his head before he cupped his hands around his ear and pressed against the door. "I don't think so, mate," Ron started. He bit his bottom lip for a moment and squinted his eyes, listening carefully to whatever was on the other side of the door. "It sounds like wings."
"If Hagrid put another bloody creature..." Leila started. But before Leila could finish her statement, Ron opened the door. They paused for a moment, but when nothing attempted to attack them they walked into the room, with Ron leading the way.
Inside, were brightly coloured jewelled birds flying about freely. Leila reached up to touch one, but if flew a little beyond her reach. Thankfully, Harry managed to get his hands around it. He brought it down for Leila to see, but when he opened his hand it flew back above their reach.
"Curious," Granger stated attempting to touch one, but it flew higher before she could touch it. "I've never seen birds like this before."
"That's because they're not birds," Harry responded.
"They're keys," Leila said in amazement. "It's a charm. Probably Flitwick, I'm guessing."
"Meaning I have to be sure to thank Professor Sprout for nearly dying back there," Ron muttered sarcastically.
"And let's not forget about Hagrid and Fluffy,' Leila added.
"How could anyone possibly forget about them?" Ron groaned which made Leila softly smile. If she wasn't in grave peril, she almost would say that she was enjoying herself.
Granger huffed as she folded her arms across her chest. "Who cares which professor did what. I want to know, what are the keys for?"
Harry was the one with the answer. "I'll be that one of them fits that door over there." Harry pointed across the room at another old wooden door, that most of them had missed.
Ron was the first to run over to the door, nearly running into an old broom that hovered midair. The Weasley boy jiggled the handle of the door. "It's locked!" he called to them before he pulled his wand out and shouted, "Alohamora!" But nothing happened. Ron jiggled the handle again. "Damn. It's still locked. It was worth a shot though."
Leila shook her head as she approached the door. "Why didn't they use that spell on the first door?" she groaned referring to the lock which Alohamora wasn't effective. "But no, they had to use a spell that all first years learn. They were just asking for someone to find Fluffy that way."
"Never mind their methods," Granger stated. "We've got to figure out which key will open that door." She glanced upwards and shook her head. "There's got to be thousands of them flying around up there."
Ron got down on his knee and examined the lock. "I think we're looking for a big old fashioned one," Ron said. "Probably about this big and rusty like this handle."
Each member of the quartet glanced upward toward the vaulted ceiling and the shimmering keys overhead. Leila could hardly keep track of the ones she attempted to rule out. They always seemed to come back into her viewpoint and then she was never sure if she had already ruled them out or not. Thankfully, Harry, with his Seeker-like reflexes and eyesight spotted it. They key hobbled about a bit as it flew due to its broken wing.
Ron motioned for Harry to walk to the broom. He did, but he shook his head. "It's too simple," Harry offered. "None of the other ones were this simple to figure out."
"Well, technically the Devil's Snare was," Granger retorted knowingly before throwing a somewhat shady glance toward Ron.
Ron rolled his eyes and ignored Hermione. "Oh, go on, Harry," he groaned. "If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest Seeker in a century!"
While Ron's words didn't sit well with Leila, she simply folded her arms across her chest defensively as Harry mounted the broom. He was barely atop the broom when the keys began to scatter much faster throughout the room. For a brief moment, Leila had been jealous that Harry was the one to ride the broom, but with the keys moving so quickly, she realised that he was the one for the job.
Harry zoomed through the air, weaving his way through keys that seemed like they were trying to attack him. His Seeker skills were definitely to his benefit as it made it easier for him to focus on getting the one key they needed. Without meaning to, Leila found herself grasping onto Ron's arm as they both watched overhead. He glanced at her and then she glanced at him before she quickly removed her hands. They watched as Harry pushed himself into a standing position on the broom, just like he had done at the Gryffindor versus Slytherin match. Leila knew how close he had been to getting hurt last time, so she covered her face with her hands not wanting to look.
Seconds later, Ron shouted, "He got it! He got it!"
Leila opened her eyes to see Harry flying toward her. He nodded at her and then tossed her the key. Quickly, she put the key in the lock and twisted it. There was a faint clicking sound and then they were able to push the door open. Ron, Granger, and Leila quickly ran inside and ducked as Harry flew into the room before Granger shut the door behind them. Harry crash landed to the ground with a grin on his face. Leila helped her brother to his feet and then gave him a playful smack for nearly scaring her to death...again.
The new room was dark. But once they walked further into it, the torches lit and spilled a dim light into the cavernous room. Only, it wasn't a normal looking room. It was actually quite strange and unwelcoming. Broken shards were scattered along the perimeter of the room and giant figures loomed across the room. Leila was sure to stay close to Harry's side. "I don't like the look of this. I don't like this at all," Granger muttered as they drew closer to the statues.
"As much as I hate to admit it, I agree with her," Leila whispered to her brother.
Harry looked at his sister and shook his head before they came to a stop. He scrutinised their surroundings. "So, where are we?" he asked. "A graveyard?"
Ron glanced around the room quizzically, with squinted eyes for a moment before he gasped. "This is no graveyard, mate. It's a chessboard!"
Keeping that that in mind, Leila looked around the room. Suddenly, the room made more sense. They were going to have to play their way across the room where the other stood. "McGonagall," Leila muttered to herself before she looked at Ron. He likely had the most Wizards' Chess experience out of all the of them combined. So he took charge.
"Harry, you take the empty bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the queen-side castle. Leila, you and I will be knights," Ron ordered.
Leila looked at the pieces rather quizzically before she said, 'That's one of the horsey things, right?"
Ron groaned as he face-palmed his forehead. "Horsey things? You've got to be kidding me."
"Just point me where you want me," Leila said rather timidly. After a long and drawn-out sigh, Ron pointed Leila to the potion where he wanted her. He and Harry walked over and helped Leila on her horsey thing. She was somewhat proud that she was right about which piece she was playing...even if she had used the wrong terminology. The one time she had played Malfoy, she had called her horsey thing Dwight, just to annoy him.
Ron jumped onto his horsey thing. The four first years then stood there waiting for what was going to happen next. White always made their move first, so the opposing side's piece moved up the board toward them. "You don't suppose this is quite like real Wizard's Chess, do you?" Granger asked.
The quartet looked to each other, unsure. "There's one way to find out," Leila offered.
Ron sighed, "She's right." He then pondered for a moment which piece was least valuable to him before he shouted, "You there! D-5!"
The chess piece, whose name Leila couldn't remember so she mentally called it Titus, moved to the spot where Ron had commanded it to go. It stopped in its square. Seconds later, an opposing chess piece moved and completely decimated their piece. Leila hid behind her horsey thing as the shards of their former team member exploded everywhere. When the dust settled, the four first years looked at each other with widened eyes and grim expressions on their faces.
"Yes Hermione," Ron said with a gulp. "I think this is gonna be...exactly like Wizard's Chess."
Leila shook her head. "We're doomed," she muttered to herself.
Thankfully, Ron had been thinking ahead when he sacrificed one of their pieces, because now Granger was open to take one of the opposing pieces which Ron called a bishop. Granger walked toward the bishop and it toppled over. She stepped over some of the shards before stepping into its square. She then looked back at Ron and nodded.
The game continued turn after turn. They lost several more pieces and the white pieces showed them absolutely no mercy, which completely made sense given that McGonagall had designed this task. Ron was quite impressive when it came to chess, he always seemed to be a step ahead, which was good for them, but Leila couldn't always keep up with the plan. But Ron always seemed steady and ready for whatever came next.
The game suddenly slowed down until it came to a standstill. The white queen turned to face Ron with her blank face. Ron looked back at them before he turned back and around and muttered to himself. "What's going on?" Granger asked.
Ron shook his head. "It's the only way," he said with a gulp. Ron then looked over his shoulder back at Harry. "You understand, right Harry?" Ron asked. "Once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then you'll be free to check the king."
Harry shook his head. "No!" he shouted. "Ron, no!"
"What is it, Harry?" Leila asked her brother, shouting from across the board.
"Ron's going to sacrifice himself."
Simultaneously, both Granger and Leila shouted, "NO!" They both immediately stopped when they realised the other was shouting the same thing before looking at each other in shock. After a moment of awkward eye contact, they both quickly looked away from each other. "Ron, we need you!" Granger added.
Ron shook his head. "Do you want to stop Snape from stealing the Stone or not?" he growled.
"There's got to be another way!" Leila offered, not understanding his willingness to sacrifice himself. But Ron just shook his head and turned forward on his knight. Leila buried her face against the neck of her knight. She couldn't watched what Ron was about to do. What he was willing to sacrifice for her brother. It was then that she realised that Ron had been a good friend to Harry all along. A complete prat to her, but a good friend to her brother.
"Check!" Ron's voice reverberated through the room.
Seconds later, his screams filled the air along with the sound of an explosion. Without looking, Leila knew the queen had taken him. Granger's screams echoed through the room, but Harry yelled for her to stay put. "We're still playing," he reminded Granger. "You'll waste a move and then she'll take Leila next."
At the mention of her name Leila whimpered, but refused to look up. She couldn't bring herself to look up and see whether or not Granger had moved. Instead, she lay there frozen against her chess piece expecting the inevitable. But it never came. Instead Harry confidently said, "Checkmate." Leila slowly raised her head to watch the king drop his crown at Harry's feet. He then looked back and called her name. "Leils?"
The Potter girl jumped off her piece and ran toward her brother. Without even asking, she quickly enveloped him in a hug. For a moment, Harry stood there breathing, taking it all in, hugging his sister back before he turned toward Ron. Granger knelt beside him where he lay on the floor unconscious. "Now what?" Harry asked.
Granger roughly wiped at her eyes. "Go on. I'll stay here with Ron and call for help. It's gotta be you two. That's the way it's supposed to be. I just know it."
"What about you?" Harry asked. "You're loads smarter than me."
"As much as I hate to admit it," Granger started glancing at Leila. "You've got a sister who's pretty clever. Besides, there are more important things than books and being smart...like friendship...or family." Hermione looked between Harry and Leila and nodded. "But Harry, please do be careful….and...and you too Leila." She then chuckled to herself and gave the Potter girl a soft smile. " I don't think I could keep a clear conscience knowing that I only won top marks because my competition is dead."
"Then let's hope I survive this, huh?" Leila said. "You-uh-you be careful too." Granger nodded her head. For a moment, Leila felt like this could be a moment, but she didn't want that. So, she said, "And Granger, none of this changes anything."
Granger chuckled to herself and shook her head. "Never thought it would."
Harry then grabbed his sister's hand and they raced toward the door. Leila wasn't sure about any of this. She really wasn't convinced that it should be her going deeper into the maze. She was terrified. Maybe she should have stayed back with Ron...after all, she was better on a broomstick than Granger. She could have easily ran and gotten some help. But Harry pushed her forward. There was no going back.
The Potter twins spotted another door at the end of a long corridor. A terrible odour intensified as they got closer and closer to the door. Once they were at the door, Harry stopped and listened through it. He narrowed his eyes in confusion and glanced at Leila. "I don't hear anything," he said. "You?" Leila pressed her ear against the door and then shook her head. Harry shrugged and opened the door.
The stench nearly knocked them off their feet. They pulled their shirts over their noses to help block out the pungent odor. In the middle of the floor lay a troll, even larger than the one from Halloween, but it was knocked-out cold with a giant lump on his head. Slowly, he had to drag Leila through the room. They had to climb over one of the troll's legs. Harry climbed up first and then helped Leila across. "I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry said matter-of-factly and Leila just numbly nodded her head.
That had been the easiest trial thus far, but only because someone had done it before them. Harry then opened the door to the next room. He attempted to pull Leila into the room after him, but she wouldn't budge. So, they remained on the outside of the door and Harry looked at his sister quizzically. "What?" he asked.
"Harry, I'm scared," Leila whimpered. "We've got to be almost there and I'm terrified."
"Me too," Harry offered.
Tears began to roll down her cheek. "No, I don't think you get it. I'm really scared. I'm terrified. I'm terrified that I can't do this. I can't do this. I mean, I want to...but I'm not brave like you, Harry. I'm just, I'm just me."
Harry rested his hands on his sister's shoulders. "I don't want to put pressure on you, but I'm pretty sure we've still got Snape's trial to get through. I can't do that without you."
"I want to help you. I do. But…"
Harry slid his hands down his back until his fingers found the Invisibility Cloak in his back pocket. He looked at his sister and softly smiled before he pulled it from his pocket. "If Snape finds us, he'll never see you coming...literally." He draped the Cloak around Leila's shoulders so that only her head was visible. "Now, c'mon." He reached his hand out which his sister accepted. Together they crossed the threshold into the next chamber.
Once they were both inside, purple flames shot up blocking the doorway behind them and black flames shot up blocking the doorway before them. Leila stopped in a panic and for a moment, she had trouble breathing. She closed her eyes and focused on her breathing. "Leila, come here, please!" Harry called to his sister.
Slowly, she walked toward the table with the Cloak dragging on the floor behind her as it draped over her shoulders. There were seven bottles lined up on a table as well as a scroll of paper lying next to them. Harry handed the scroll to his sister. "This is why I needed you."
Leila accepted the scroll. She unrolled it and read 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.
Leila's hand began to shake uncontrollably as the Cloak around her fell to the ground. Harry took his sister by the shoulders once again and looked into her eyes. "You need to tell me what it means, Leila. Can you figure that out for me?" She started at him blankly. "Leila, just look at me. Can you figure it out?" She exhaled a breath she had been holding before she weakly nodded her head.
"Seven bottles. One to go forward, one to go back, two nettle wines, and three poisons." she started rather weakly.
"Good, Leila. That's good." Harry then turned his sister so that she faced the table.
"The first clue says that the poison is always to the left of the nettle wine. The last clue says that the second left and second right are twins. The only liquid that has a twin is the nettle one. So...the first bottle is poison, the second bottle is wine, the fifth bottle is poison, and sixth bottle is wine."
Harry smiled at his sister. "Look at you. You're doing it. You got this, Leils. Keep going."
Leila slowly breathed again. "Alright, the second clue says that the bottles on the ends are different. We already know that one of them is poison. We've accounted for both of the wines. Meaning that the last bottle is one of the potions we're looking for. The clue also says that it won't help us going forward...meaning that the last bottle will help you get back."
"Good. Two left. You're almost there," Harry encouraged his sister.
"So, one of these is a poison and the other will help you for forward. Now for the third clue: neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides. Well, vial number three is the smallest of them all, meaning it can't hold poison and we've already figured out the backward potion and the nettle wines. Number three. It's number three Harry."
Harry quickly hugged his trembling sister. "You did great, Leils. I would never have figured that out without you." He grabbed potion number three and looked at the liquid inside. His brow furrowed. "There's barely enough left for one."
"You, Harry. It's gotta be you," Leila offered with a weak smile. "I'm not brave enough, but you are."
Harry sighed and reached for last potion to give to Leila so that she could head back the other direction. But just as he lifted it, the vial slipped from his sweaty hand and crashed to the floor., the liquid immediately disappearing. Leila's eyes widened as she saw her only hope of getting out smash in front of her. Harry opened his mouth to say something to her when the black flames suddenly disappeared. The Potter twins looked at each other in terror as a voice neither recognized hissed, "I know you're there, Harry Potter! Come here! Now!"
Leila opened her mouth to scream, but Harry quickly covered it with his hand. He shook his head and motioned her to be quiet with one finger. Leila gulped and then nodded her head. Harry then pointed at the Invisibility Cloak on the floor. "He knows I'm here. He didn't say anything about you," Harry whispered to her. "It's quite brilliant really. If he's still here, then he hasn't found the Stone yet. Snape won't know you're there. So, you can look for the Stone and I-I'll distract him."
Leila quickly shook her head. "Harry, no," she whispered. "I can't. You know I can't."
"Leila, it's the only way," Harry said bending up and picking up the Cloak. He gently placed it around his sister so that she was completely covered. "You can do this. You're braver than you think you are." Even though he could no longer see his sister, he knew that her eyes were tearing up beneath the Cloak. "Besides," he reassured her. "If for some reason you do freeze, he won't be able to see you. But I need you on this Leils. You and me. Remember? You and me against the world."
Harry then nodded his head and hoped beneath the Cloak that Leila was nodding hers. He then turned on his heel and headed for the door. Leila stood there for a moment. Clearly, Harry had more faith in her than she did and the last thing she wanted to do was let her brother down when he needed her most. So, she followed close behind him, trembling with every step she took.
As they entered the chamber, she heard her brother gasp. Poking her head out from behind the safety of her brother's back, she could see why he gasped. It wasn't Snape standing in front of them. No, it was Professor Quirrell. Leila quickly ran behind Harry again. Even though she knew she couldn't be seen, she still much preferred a barrier.
"You?" Harry scoffed. "N-no. It can't be. Snape-he-he was the one…"
Quirrell threw his head back and laughed. "He does seem to be the type, doesn't he?" Quirrell spoke, his tone clear and no hint of stutter in his voice. "Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-st-stuttering Professor Quirrell?"
Leila leaned against the wall and listened as Quirrell answered Harry's questions. The man admitted to jinxing Harry's broom on the Quidditch pitch...and that Snape had been trying to save him. Which was also why Snape wasn't to referee the next Gryffindor Quidditch match. It all made sense. Leila regretted letting Harry's judgment about Snape sway her. She should have stayed firm...then maybe, just maybe they wouldn't have been in their current situation.
Harry then changed the topic to the troll at Halloween. Quirrell admitted to setting it loose in the castle. Anger burned within her. She almost died because of that. Apparently it had been meant as a distraction, but Snape figured that out and beat Quirrell to the third floor. He had tried to get the Stone that night and since then, he had been biding his time. But the larger unknown was why. Why was Quirrell doing all of this?
Leila watched as Harry leaned forward pressing his hand against his scar. But she still stood against the wall underneath the Invisibility Cloak. She felt like her feet were made of lead...like she couldn't move even if she wanted to. Quirrell then ran his finger against the Mirror of Erised. "Now...what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the Stone and presenting it to my master. But how do I get it?" the man pondered. A hissing sound came from nowhere. Quirrell then cracked his neck and looked at Harry. "Come here, Potter."
Slowly, Harry walked toward Quirrell. Leila wanted to scream for him to stop, but she couldn't find her voice. Not to mention that she would give herself away. Quirrell directed Harry to look at the mirror. "Tell me, what do you see?"
For a moment, Harry glanced over his shoulder before he looked back at the mirror. He looked up at Quirrell and then back at the mirror. His unwillingness to answer right away angered Quirrell. "What is is? What do you see?" the man hissed.
Harry slid his hands into his pockets. "I-I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the House Cup."
"He lies!" an unfamiliar and cold voice hissed. From beneath the Cloak, Leila's brow furrowed. Another voice? But to whom did the voice belong? She slowly moved her neck to look around the room, but she couldn't spot a fourth person. While she didn't recognize the voice, Quirrell did, but he demanded that Harry tell him the truth.
"Let me speak to him!" the voice hissed again. The timbre of the voice sent chills up Leila's spine. Something wasn't quite right about it. In fact there was something very, very wrong about it.
"Master, you are not strong enough," Quirrell begged. Leila attempted to look around the room again. Still, she could not find the person.
"I have strength enough for this," the voice stated. Leila then watched as Quirrell carefully unwrapped the turban atop his head. She found that a rather curious thing to do at a time such as this, but once the turban was removed she understood immediately.
Leila wanted to tear her eyes from the back of Professor Quirrell's head, but her eyes were drawn there. Drawn to the face where the back of Quirrell's head should be. The face was pale white, with red glaring eyes, and snake-like slits for nostrils. Both Potter twins knew exactly whom they were looking at, but only Harry breathed the cursed name; Voldemort.
The Potter girl placed a hand over her mouth to keep herself from screaming and giving away her position in the room. She wasn't going to be any help to Harry putting herself and him in danger. Especially now that she knew they were going up against one of the Darkest Wizards of all time...who was supposed to be dead.
Voldemort opened his mouth and stretched his face, a rather uncomfortable sight to behold. "Yes, Potter," he hissed coldly glaring at Harry. "See what I've become? See what I must do to survive? I must live off another...as a mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it can not give me a body of my own. But there is something that can. "Something that conveniently lies in her pocket."
Leila, still frozen beneath the Invisibility Cloak reached her hands into her jeans pockets. Sure enough, Voldemort was right. There was a stone, which hadn't been there before, in her right pocket. She had no clue how she had gotten the Philosopher's Stone, yet there it was. In her pocket.
"I know you're here, Leila Potter," Voldemort taunted. "You cannot hide from Lord Voldemort. Not even underneath an Invisibility Cloak."
He knew? How did he know?
"Of course I know," Voldemort chuckled. "Your deepest thoughts and your beating heart betray you. Now, Leila, you seem to be a sensible type. You are after all in my Hogwarts House. Slytherins look out for their own, do they not? Bring me the Stone and you will not suffer, I promise you."
"Don't listen to him, Leila!" Harry shouted. "He's lying!"
Leila breathed slowly. As tempting as the offer was to save her own skin, Harry was right. She knew better than to trust the very being that killed her parent. The very being that had nearly succeeded in killing her brother...and maybe even her.
"You could see them again, you know," Voldemort said rather gently. "Your parents. Together we can bring them back, Leila. You just need to give me the Stone. That is all I ask for in return...for reuniting your family once again."
"Leave her alone!" Harry shouted. "Leila's not stupid! She'll never do it! Never!"
Voldemort chuckled darkly. "Then maybe she needs to be persuaded." Quirrell stuck out his hand and without even touching Harry, Leila's brother flew backward and landed hard on the stairs. "Bring me the Stone or your brother dies!"
The next moments seemed to happen so quickly that they were almost like a blur whenever Leila tried to remember them. She watched as Quirrell lunged for her brother and pinned him against the stairs. Harry struggled beneath the grown man. Then something surged within Leila. She wasn't sure what it was, but whatever it was, was quite foreign and it caused her to fling the Invisibility Cloak from her body. She ran toward her brother screaming at the top of her lungs. Quirrell looked up just in time to see Leila's hands make contact with his face. Beneath her hands, painful blisters began to form on Quirrell's face.
The man swatted the Potter girl away from him, knocking Leila to the ground. She landed hard as she watched Quirrell back away from them screaming in pain. "What is this magic?" he hissed before he screamed in pain. Harry then started to clutch his scar and Leila froze again, unsure of what was happening, terrified by what her very hands had caused to happen.
Why had her hands caused that to happen to him? Was there some Dark Magic within her that she didn't know existed that had caused such a terrible thing to happen? Was there something wrong with her? Leila looked to her brother for some small amount of comfort, but when she glanced at him, he was no longer sitting there in pain. Rather, he was hurtling toward Quirrell with his hands stretched-out in front of him. Harry's hands connected with Quirrell. The longer Harry kept his hands on the man with two faces the more the man disintegrated and turned to dust. After a few moment, Quirrell was no more. He was nothing but a pile of clothing and dust.
For a moment, Leila looked at Harry in terror. She no longer wondered if there was something wrong with her...but if there was something wrong with them. But Harry looked at her reassuringly. "Leila," he said, gently called her.
Sensing that the worst of it was over, she ran over to her brother and hugged him tightly around the middle as she started to softly cry. This whole night had been a nightmare. All the tasks. Being wrong about Snape. You-Know-Who coming back and trying to kill them both. With each passing though, Leila sobbed harder into her brother's shirt and clung to him tighter and tighter until he had to gently push her away because the object in her pocket dug into his leg.
Having forgotten about it for a moment, Leila pulled the Philosopher's Stone from her pocket. The ruby stone felt large in her small hand. Harry grinned at the object and then at his sister. "It all worked out," he said and Leila hugged him again.
Neither Potter twin heard the rustling noise coming from behind them, they were too focused on having survived to pay much attention to the formation of dust in the air. But when Leila finally caught a glimpse of it in her eye, a blood-curdling scream escaped her lips. The dust formation was shaped exactly like the face on the back of Quirrell's head. Apparently, Voldemort wasn't quite finished with the Potter twins quite yet.
While he was no longer in his parasite form, he still had one final go at them. He shouted and hurtled his dust formation toward them, hoping to latch onto the stone, but Leila quickly hid the Stone beneath her shirt just before Voldemort's dust rushed toward them. While he was unsuccessful in latching onto the Stone he did manage to knock both the Potter twins unconscious as they fell hard against the stone steps, their worlds faded into darkness...down...down...down.
Author's Note: SURPRISE! I BET YOU WEREN'T EXPECTING TO SEE ME BACK SO SOON?! Me neither. Haha. But here it is! One more chapter of Philosopher's Stone! (I'll keep everything in one book, especially since I have too many stories for ya'll to go searching through) Thanks for everything! Thank you to everyone who reviewed! Ya'll mean the world to me. (I'm not gonna personally respond since I don't want people to feel left out since I'm doing such a quick update!) Thanks again! Love ya! See ya in the next chapter!