Chapter 24- Beginning of the End.
Harry managed to stay the entire Easter Break with his family, Sirius was on call for a portion of it but he managed to get time off. Cora had increasingly become more like a sister to him than anyone else ever had. The remaining days went by peacefully as well, Hagrid did mention that Charlie's friends showed up to take the Dragon egg. When Harry asked if everything was alright the giant man commented about something killing Unicorns, draining their blood. Very few creatures would harm a Unicorn, killing something as pure normally destroys the killers soul.
However the blood of a Unicorn can grant life even if you were an inch from death, the second it touched your lips though. That was the moment your soul would shatter.
Being that Unicorns were incredibly fast, even a Werewolf couldn't catch on if it tried. That begged the question of what was killing those Unicorns.
The End of Year examines go off smoothly, though Harry did have a slight advantage being Ginny would add her two cents here and there. DADA, Charms and Potions he knew were his strongest subjects. Transfiguration and Herbology came in as middle ground and of course History and Astronomy were his least favorite. He was still confident in his first of the year spot, though he knew King had a lot more time on his hands.
The group normally relaxed outside being it was a nice day, all but the Slytherin's and Nym. The situation still pissed him off, Parkinson tossed a firecracker into Nym's caldron during the potions exam when she wasn't looking. The result ended with Nym in the infirmary, from burns and boils.
Snap did do something surprising though, he gave Parkinson detention and removed fifty points from his own house. He had seen the event but didn't have the time to protect his student, Parkinson was removed from the test as well.
Pansy Parkinson was basically the female counterpart to Draco, she loved to pick on anyone who wasn't Slytherin; Pure-Blooded or Not. During what few of the House Ball's he was able to go to, he met her a few times; he thought she looked like a pug when they were nine and now.
"Harry!" A voice called out as the small group of three and a half walked. Harry, Christian, Hermione and Ginny; who was half being she could only observe.
Harry glanced over his shoulder, Daphne was running towards him 'She never runs, hates physical exertion.' He commented.
'Must be important….like Dumbledore?' Ginny sent back.
"You okay?" Harry asked calmly, giving Daphne a second to breathe 'Possible'
Daphne nodded, taking in shallow breaths for a moment "You remember how you asked me to look out for Dumbledore?" She asked when she could breathe.
Harry nodded slowly.
"He's gone, the Wizengamot are in session." She said softly.
Harry bit back a curse "He's going for the stone then, we can't wait for tonight." He said starting to pace.
"We'll have to." Christian deadpanned, stuffing his hands into his pants pockets "Flich is nearly always on watch, most students are trying to sneak a peek at what it could be." He explained with a small shrug.
Hermione frowned "What we should do is tell a professor." She said with a glare at the two boys.
Harry nodded wondering which professor would even listen to him "We'll go to McGonagall first, Daphne can you tell Snape I need to ask him something in his office?"
The Slytherin nodded "I can do that, good luck you guys." She said walking back to the dungeons.
XX~XX~XX~XX
"Professor McGonagall." Harry said entering her office, with Hermione following tail. Christian didn't feel up to talking about the stone or explain why he was wearing gloves; in 80 degree weather.
"Yes Mr. Potter, Miss. Granger?" She asked looking over her glasses and papers.
"Is it true Dumbledore's gone?"
McGonagall rose a brow but nodded anyway "Yes…He is not expected back until tomorrow at the earliest. Why?"
"We know about the Stone." Harry said casually, crossing his arms and relaxing his shoulders.
The Older Teacher's head nearly snapped off at the speed she looked at him "How do you?" She started then removed her glasses and rubbed her eyes "You are too much like your father for your own good."
"Noted." Harry said with a sigh "I believe Professor Quirrell is going to try to remove the Stone."
"Do you have proof of this?"
"He was the one who let the Troll in."
"What do you mean?"
"While the students were being sent back to their dorms; aside from Slytherin. All the Professors followed Dumbledore to the Dungeons, correct?" Harry asked with a raised brow, his face emotionless.
McGonagall boar her eyes into him and nodded slowly "We didn't know what type of Troll we were dealing with." She said calmly.
"All the Professors but Quirrell? Then during that Snape branched off, even though he knows the Dungeons the best."
McGonagall nodded her head "I understand what you are trying to get at, Mr. Potter; however that Stone is under the best Enchantments we can think of." She spoke calmly, but her voice was dripping with self-doubt.
"What about someone who could break into Gringotts?"
"Surely you can't be blaming him of that too?"
"Aunt Minnie you need to believe me on this." He said in a pleading voice.
"Harry, Please." McGonagall said softly "Let this go, Quirinus is a good Professor; though he might be a coward, I do not think he is to blame here."
Harry scowled, biting his tongue "Thank you for your time, Auntie." He said softly, turning on his heel and storming off.
XX~XX~XX~XX
"You believe me right Sir?" Harry asked Snape after he was done explaining all the observations and intel he had gathered over the year.
"I do, however Quirinus will not attempt the Stone with I around either." Snape said taking a small drink of his tea.
"I think he's going to try it tonight."
"What makes you say that?"
"Dumbledore is out."
Snape rubbed his chin lightly "Interesting, let me handle this Mr. Potter." He said standing up slowly "Thank you for informing me of this."
Harry nodded, standing up from the stool and walking to the door.
Snape didn't say anything else but Harry could hear him pulling a glasses clinking together.
"How did the Bat take it?" Christian asked once they were outside the Dungeons.
Harry shrugged "I trust Snape, I still think we should check it out tonight." He said firmly.
"How will we check it?" Hermione questioned.
"Quirrell will need to put Fluffy to sleep, or He'll drug him."
"So you want us to check if Fluffy is out cold?"
Harry nodded calmly, glancing around and twisting a candle stick, opening a passage.
"What if that beast is out cold then?" Hermione questioned.
"We'll bring four people with us, Daphne, You two and me." He said casually walking through the dark passage "That gives us enough room to get someone to inform a Professor."
"I'll do it." Hermione volunteered. "I think the Professors will believe me over you two anyway."
Harry rolled his eyes, he wanted to tell Nym but she was in the Medical wing and would freak out. In truth he wanted to do this anyway, Alice told him that this was a test and he aimed to beat it.
XX~XX~XX~XX
'You're insane.'
'You're jealous that you can't be here.' Harry deadpanned.
He could feel Ginny just huff, he glanced at his friends. They had gotten out pass the portrait using his Cloak. They met up with Daphne on the third floor, the girl could vanish without a cloak too; so long as she kept to the shadows.
"Are we sure about this?" Daphne questioned.
Harry nodded, without another word he stuffed the cloak into his pocket and whispered the unlocking charm. Glancing inside, a harp was playing a slow song and Fluffy was sleeping blissfully.
"Fluffy is off in dream world." He said dully looking over at Hermione.
Hermione nodded wrapping her arms around Harry's shoulders and then the same to Christian "Be safe, I'll get Snape." She said quickly running off.
Harry walked into the room, the harp still played gently "Last chance." He said looking over at the other two, Christian smirked and Daphne just rolled her eyes. "Figured as much."
Christian opened the trapdoor, and glanced down into the inky blackness "This is pitch black…how do you think Quirrell got through?"
Harry shrugged "Take it on faith?"
"I'll go first, less likely to break than you two." The American said casually, before dropping himself into the darkness. After a few seconds he called back up "Guys! Get the hell down here!"
Harry looked at Daphne, she rolled her eyes and dropped in screaming the entire way down. Harry jumped in next, letting the trap door fall over sealing them in. He fell for a few seconds before landing with a large thud.
'Are you dead?' Ginny whispered to him, fear laced in her words.
'No.' He answered back automatically, feeling around "What is this?" It was soft but vine like and started to wrap around him. In the limited light he could see, Christian and Daphne pulling at the vines. Harry acting fast pulled out his wand "Blue Bell Flames" Slytherin's voice hissed in his ear.
"Ignem Constringitur!"He growled out, the blue fire instantly spread from the tip of his wand. The vines actually let out a screech as they pulled away from him, with a small flick he sent a wave of fire at Daphne and then to Christian.
With the vines gone, Christian stood up then helped Daphne "Devils snare." He said dully.
Harry nodded "My thoughts too." He said looking around "Wonder how Quirrell got passed it…."
Daphne rolled her eyes "Wither you like him or not, he was very good at theory." She said, brushing a bit of her hair off her shoulder.
Christian shrugged lightly "Let's go."
Harry nodded, following his friends. After a few seconds of walking they came upon a large door, it was much like every other door in Hogwarts. Daphne gripped the handle but it refused to turn.
"Is it locked?" Christian asked.
"Of course I'm locked." The door chimed.
"Can we pass?" Harry asked simply, a lot of doors did this. Some of them were even just walls acting like doors.
"Only if you can answer the riddle!" The door spoke in a giddy voice.
Daphne looked bored, Christian slammed his head onto the door and Harry smirked.
"Riddle me this!" The door chimed "What runs smoother than any rhyme; loves to fall but cannot climb?"
Harry scratched the back of his head and answered after a minute of thought "Water." Daphne said with a calm grace.
The door clicked open, it wasn't a very wide room but it was very tall. In the center was a short broom, one used for tight corners and turns; why was it here? Daphne pulled out her wand "Alohomora." She hissed clearly, the knob didn't move.
Harry glanced to the ceiling, it was full of birds? He narrowed his vision, no these were keys. Why have all the keys? One was needed to open the door, it was obvious that Quirrell had gotten this far. So he had to of caught the key.
"Harry we ne-"Christian started but didn't get the chance to finish, Harry mounted the broom and shot to the sky. The keys turned on him instantly, trying to attack or knock him off. However Harry was like lightning, all they saw was a small black blur as he flew.
"Wow." Daphne said with a small gazing look in her eyes.
Christian frowned and little but nodded "You're telling me." He muttered.
"Christian!" Harry shouted, diving down near them. Christian was able to catch was ever he threw at them. The American opened his fist to find a broken winged key, it was large and brass; like the door.
Without another thought Christian stuck into the key hole and twisted; a slight click rang through the air. "Potter!" Christian yelled, as he opened the door.
The two blonds dived into the room, as Harry whipped passed; Christian kicked the door shut with a small grin. The sound of keys pounding on the wood could now be heard.
This room was different, it was dark and had a purple lighting too it. The light shined onto a wall, it was covered in symbols and runes. "Damn." Harry cursed, looking at the runes. "Christian, can you read them?"
Christian frowned, moving to get a better look. "Lumos" Daphne whispered for him, holding up her wand.
Christian studied the runes for a few minutes, then bit onto his thumb drawing blood "Hope this works." He muttered, rubbing his blooded thumb onto a rune. A small section of the wall fell over, then he rubbed it along another rune.
This time a corner of the floor fell, he got the rune wrong.
Christian looked over and growled "What the hell, is this the Goonies!?" He asked more to himself and started to swipe at more runes; he was draining a lot of blood.
After a few minutes, most of the floor was gone but the wall had fallen; however the way across was over a trench. Harry frowned looking at the old broom in his hands, it would likely carry him and one other.
Christian tore a piece of his shirt off and wrapped his hand, looking up at Harry "Take Daph with you, she'll be more help than me." He said casually, knowing full well this was the only part he could have helped with and "I'm too heavy for both of us, on that."
Daphne looked like she was going to argue, Christian shook his head to silence her. Harry gave his friend a pat on the shoulder and nodded to him.
Harry jumped onto the broom, Daphne slid on behind him and he kicked off, hovering over the gap. The two of them waved at him, Christian gave a small wave back.
When the two entered the next area, Christian sat down leaning against the wall "Wonder how long I'll have to wait." He said with a small shrug, closing his eyes and starting to hum "Don't think me unkind, words are hard to find. The only cheques I've left unsigned, from the banks of chaos in my mind and when their eloquence escapes me, their logic ties me up and rapes me." He paused for a moment "De do do do, de da da da, Is all I want to say to you, De do do do…"
XX~XX~XX~XX
The first thing they noticed when they entered the next room, was the smell. It was revolting, Harry had smelled this before, Daphne was on the verge of vomiting and he suddenly wished he brought Christian instead.
The gap was far too large for him to throw the broom and neither of them were that skilled with levitation; other than going up or down.
However they found the large mountain Troll on the floor with a large welt on its head. "We're lucky." Harry said with a small sigh, stepping over the Troll. Daphne in tow.
They left that room only to enter into a small closet like room, then a blue fire spawned behind them and a black one roared in front of the next door. Only a table with seven potion bottles and a slip of parchment stood in the room.
Daphne picked up the parchment, Harry reached for one of the viles; she slapped his hand "Don't."
Harry rubbed his hand before nodding.
"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 forevermore; to help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly the poison tries to hide, you will always find some on nettle wine's left side, second, different are those who stand at either end, but if you would move onward, neither is your friend; Third as you see clearly, all are different size, neither dwarf nor giant hold 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 read with a small glare at the parchment then the bottles.
"If Quirrell didn't change the order around….." She muttered pointing to the first bottle "That one is poison…."
It took her another few minutes before she gave him a small potion and she held onto a larger bottle "That only has enough to get you through the flames, I'll head back and see what's taking Hermione so long."
Harry nodded "Good luck."
"That." She said giving him a small hug "Is my line, Potter."
Harry just grinned 'You sure she gave you the right one?' Ginny asked.
'Positive.'
With that he took a drink of the potion and stepped through the flames; it felt cold and almost ticklish. Daphne had done the same, he closed the door behind him and walked forward along a hallway.
Harry pressed his finger to the gem stone on his wrist "Salazar Slytherin." He whispered, the shade spawned from his magic; walking along side him.
"Beware, this was not an original part of the school; they must have added to it." The shade whispered.
Harry nodded "Understood, what do you think will be next?"
"Honestly?" Harry nodded again "Haven't the slightest clue."
The Potter frowned, closing his eyes for a moment before opening them as he walked through an archway. It was a large room, in the center sat a familiar looking mirror; something he wasn't really happy to see again.
Off in the corner Quirrell walked forward "So Dumbledore sent a child."
"I'm not here for Dumbledore; I'm here because it's what's right." Harry said leaning forward on his right foot "You can't take what is not yours."
Quirrell laughed, it was cold and seemed to echo "You don't understand, Potter." He hissed "I don't want the stone for myself, I want it for my master!"
That caused Harry to look confused, he took a step back "Where do you think you're going." Wordlessly flames surrounded the room; cutting his escape. "Now, be quiet while I figure this out."
Quirrell silently bound Harry in rope; the Shade of Slytherin looked at Quirrell with interest "He's here." He whispered to Harry "Voldemort is here."
Harry's eyes widened, he looked right at the only other person in the room. The Defense Professor had started to mumble to himself.
Then like a Death whisper "Use the Boy" It whispered, Quirrell turned "Come here Potter!"
Harry frowned and was about to reject when the rope pulled him forward; making him fall down the steps. When he landed the rope pulled again making him stand, then the rope was banished.
"What do you see?"
Harry looked at the Mirror for a few seconds; He saw his parents, alive once more. "What do you think I see?" He snapped with venom.
Quirrell looked like he was about to strike Harry, but Harry merely turned back to the mirror; this time he saw himself holding the stone. He was tossing it up like a small ball or a normal rock; before giving a wink and stuffing it into his pocket.
Harry felt the weight inside of his right pocket; the same one the mirror used.
"Tell me!"
"I see socks, hundreds of hundreds of socks." Harry said with a feral grin.
Quirrell was about to speak when a cold laugh was heard, it last only a second "Let me speak to him." The voice said calmly. "Master, you're not strong enough." Quirrell then winced "I have strength enough for this!"
The man nodded, grabbing the top of his turban before slowly pulling it off; Harry had taken a few steps back and then he saw it. A face in the back of the Professors head, it looked chalky and had blood red eyes.
"Hello Harry Potter. We…meet again"
"Voldemort." Harry growled.
The face looked surprised for a moment "You have bravery, much like your parents; we could bring them back you know…..All I would need is the stone." He said in a silky voice.
"He's lying, no spell can bring back the dead." Ginny muttered in his head, Harry could only nod at that.
"You see Harry…there is no Good or Evil….only power!"
Harry growled "No."
"What?"
"There is Good and there is Evil, Good is using the power to protect the Weak! Evil is making the Weak your slaves!" He shouted back at the Dark Lord.
"Give me the stone!"
"Never!"
"Kill him!"
With that Quirrell jumped forward landing on top of Harry, trying to strangle him. Then his scar burst into pain, it was like nothing he'd ever felt; he even heard Ginny screaming. Quirrell pulled one of his hands back, it was covered in burns and blisters.
Then it clicked, Quirrell had avoided touching him all year; at every turn. Harry got up on an elbow, getting low to ground as the man screamed "What magic is this!?" The boy jumped forward, with his hands in front.
He landed on Quirrell's face, his scar still on fire. After a few moments of extreme pain he saw Quirrell had begun to turn into ash. Stepping back the man tried to attack him again; only falling apart on the way.
Harry leaned on his knees, covered in ash and sweat; slowly he reached into his pocket and pulled out a ruby red stone. It wasn't a flawless stone but it was beautiful none the less.
While he was observing the stone, an ash cloud surrounded Quirrell and then lunged for Harry only to pass through him. It sent Harry to the floor and all he heard was a woman screaming his name. It wasn't Ginny, that much he could tell; he fought to stay awake, to not drift off.
His eyes closed for a second or two, then he was choking on a potion of sorts; gagging and looking around he saw Professor Snape looking at him with concern. He flexed his fingers, finding the stone still in his grasp. "What." He rasped rubbing his throat "Happened?"
"You tell me, Mr. Potter." Snape said sitting on the stairs, the older Wizard rubbed his eyes a little "Miss. Greengrass and Mr. Kidd have both been sent to the medical wing." He said in a calm voice "I had to break through my own enchantment."
Harry nodded, pulling the stone back into view; while Snape looked on at the mirror. They sat in silence for a little while before the Professor spoke up again "You see them…don't you?" He asked turning to the student. "Your parents?"
Harry smiled, he was close but it was a good cover for now "I do…with Remus and Sirius it was nice, but they were like Uncles….Nym and Andie were the only real female influence I had.."
"Which was why Miss. Tonks followed you here?" Snape asked, with a raised brow.
Harry looked shocked for a moment, then steeled himself behind a mask "How long?"
"Since her first week, clumsy, pink hair and a connection to you." Snape said dully "All the professors figured it out around the same time, she isn't abusing her knowledge so…Dumbledore let it slide."
Harry looked at the mirror, the stone forgotten for a moment as he searched his connection with Ginny. She was knocked out, or sleeping as he only got fragments of images and words; not that it bothered him. "What do you see, Sir?"
Snape sighed, his face becoming hardened "A friend I lost a long time ago." He stood up and reached down for Harry's arm. "Let's go."
The boy nodded, taking the man's arm and standing, clumsily he followed the Potions Professor out of the trap infested dungeon.
XX~XX~XX~XX
Hello, Hello. Sorry I haven't updated much; don't really have many excuses here other than Work and other things. So I hope everyone liked the chapter, as you can see; we're finally wrapping up the first year about a chapter left in the school year ~ See you soon 'Demon.'