Professor Potter Chapter 28 Resurrection
Harry was being dragged backwards by an unknown set of hands. He was mostly paralyzed and could not turn his head and see who it was. All he could see, directly in front of him through a blur of vision caused by his lack of glasses, was an elongated view of the cave he had been held prisoner in for the past several hours. Then suddenly the movement stopped and just as suddenly Winston Stone and his chair reappeared in front of him.
Directly behind the chair was Ron, holding onto Winston's shoulders, looking at Harry with wide eyes. Ron's hair and clothing looked a bit damp. Then he felt someone's breath on his neck and soft, warm lips were kissing his cheek.
"Oh, Harry!" Hermione was saying as she hugged him. He had been rescued. But they were still in the cave, everything was as it was, except his two friends were there. He found he could speak again.
"Hermione! Ron! How…what's going on?"
"Here and There Room, mate," said Ron as he pulled out his wand, getting ready to use it to cut the ropes holding Winston to the chair.
"Stop!" Harry yelled at him, his voice horse. "Imperius Curse! His brother!"
Ron froze and then Harry felt his bindings fall away as Hermione got to work with her wand. But Harry still couldn't move the rest of his body.
"Paralysis spell," he told Hermione and she understood and waved her wand and then Harry was finally free and he stood, his legs weak and unsteady after hours in the chair.
Hermione looked at Harry, her face full of worry. "Call Kreacher! We've got to go and tell the staff we've saved you!"
"Where? What's going on? Where's Wallace Stone?"
"We thought he'd be in the cave with you," Ron said in confusion, looking around the cave. "Hagrid told us you guys were attacked by someone that looked like Dumbledore's brother."
Harry felt dizzy, felt as if the whole world had lurched under his feet. "Hagrid…he's alive?" he asked in a weak voice.
"Mostly," said Hermione and then she understood why he asked and her face looked stricken. "Oh, God! You thought he was dead? But…no! Harry, no, he's fine! He came stumbling into Ron's shop about thirty minutes ago,…"
But then as she said the word's "Ron's shop" the whole scene whirled and they were in the shop.
Hagrid was sitting on the floor by the counter, looking dazed, his hair and beard and clothing very wet, as Joanna and Madam Pomfrey were tending him, Madam Pomfrey handing him a large goblet of something, which Hagrid started to drink.
Harry felt his heart burst in joy as he saw his big friend alive. "Hargid!" he shouted but of course he couldn't hear him. Harry wanted to run to hug him but Hermione grabbed his arm and stopped him. "He can't see us," she reminded him.
"He's alive," Harry said, his voice trembling. "Winston said he was dead."
"Maybe he did look it," said Ron. "But he wasn't."
Hagrid finished the goblet and handed it back to Madam Pomfrey. "Thanks, got to get goin', Harry needs me." But as he tried to stand he couldn't and fell back to the floor with a mighty thud.
"You're going nowhere except the hospital wing," said Madam Pomfrey. "If I can get you there and find a bed big enough for you."
Hagrid said nothing and Harry knew he had to be very ill not to protest. As Madam Pomfrey and Joanna fussed over Hagrid, Harry turned to Ron and Hermione. "Tell me everything, but don't mention any places."
"Right," said Ron. "About half hour ago, Hagrid came stumbling in…here…covered in snow, babbling about how you were attacked by someone looking like Aberforth…"
"It was Wallace Stone, using Polyjuice potion," Harry quietly said.
"We figured that's what it was," Hermione replied. "Knowing his track record."
"Yeah," Ron said and he continued the story. "Well, Hagrid said he got hit by a spell and everything went black. He woke up…and was covered in falling snow, it's almost a blizzard…and …he tried to find you and tried to find the entrance to the …place…but he couldn't find either. Took him almost an hour to get back here he was so weak."
Hermione jumped in, Harry sensing her impatience as Ron told the story. "Ron ran to the…to find help…while Joanna looked after Hagrid. Ron found McGonagall first and she and Flitwick and Sprout have gone to try to save you. And she sent Madam Pomfrey to look after Hagrid and she sent a message to the Aurors."
"Then I found Hermione up by the place she was going to meet Ginny." Ron said next.
"And I figured they couldn't get in the place they had you since Hagrid couldn't find the entrance so Ron and I came to the Here and There Room and well, here we are."
But Harry wasn't listening to her anymore and had only one question on his mind. "Where's Ginny?"
Hermione looked in worry to Ron and Harry sensed something was wrong. "She…was by the place you told her to be," said Hermione. "But now…we don't know where she is. I saw her when I came first came back. She was on her way to get the key to the Here and There Room but then I told her I would do it and she could go back and wait by that room, but …when I got the key and came back…she was gone."
"Gone? Maybe into the room?" Harry asked.
Hermione nodded. "We think so. I couldn't get in no matter what I tried, so someone is definitely in there. Ron found me outside, trying to think of a way to get in."
"I bet she found Snape," said Ron, getting angry. "If that git did…"
"Make sense, Ronald, please!" said Hermione in a sharp tone. "How could Snape do anything, he's a ghost."
"It's not Snape I'm worried about," said Harry. "In fact Ginny might be safer in that room. It's Wallace Stone. He's somewhere, in Hogwarts…
And then as he forgot his own warning and said the name of the school the scene whirled again and they were outside, along with Winston still in his chair, and it was snowing heavily, with a sharp wind blowing, and they were freezing and then before anyone could speak the scene whirled again and they were in what looked like hotel room.
"What….where?" Harry asked, looking around in confusion, disoriented by all the changes that had happened in the last few minutes.
"First place I could think of," said Hermione, looking away a bit shyly.
"I know this room," Ron said with a knowing look to Hermione.
"Oh," said Harry, understanding, but then shook his head as if remembering there were more important things to discuss. "Stone is disguised as me up at the place we just left."
That surprised them. "As you?" Ron said in awed shock. "Bloody hell!"
"Why did he disguise himself as you?" Hermione asked with worry.
"He could go anywhere, do anything, cause no one would question Harry," Ron said right away.
"Exactly," said Harry. "But...he's after the Elder Wand."
Hermione looked puzzled. "How does he know about the Elder Wand…unless…" She suddenly stepped back and brandished her wand at Harry.
"Are you mental?" Ron shouted at her.
"He's cursed!" she shouted back immediately and then before she could cast a spell Harry swiftly explained.
"Truth serum!" he shouted. "Not the Imperius Curse. I…I told him everything."
Hermione looked a bit suspicious and then lowered her wand. Suddenly her eyes widened and she looked in shock at Harry. "When you say everything…you mean…everything?"
Harry just nodded and Ron looked even more befuddled. "Is it made?" Hermione asked in a weak voice, almost not daring to voice her thoughts.
"Yes," said Harry quietly.
"What the hell are you two on about?" Ron almost shouted, clearly frustrated by his friends sharing some sort of symbiotic communication while he was left in the dark.
"The potion," Hermione told him. "Harry told Stone what it was…and Stone made it."
"You didn't?" Ron said to Harry as if that was impossible.
"Veritaserum," said Harry with a defeated look on his face and Ron just sighed and cursed loudly.
"Not your fault," said Hermione in an understanding tone.
"He already knew it was Polyjuice potion," Harry explained. "Winston figured that much out. But the warning…they thought it was a spell like we did."
"He had a copy of the potion, didn't he?" Hermione asked and again Harry nodded.
"What happened when he made the potion?" Ron asked.
Harry explained what he saw. "And…he has some of Voldemort's blood."
Hermione gasped and Ron cursed again. "He could be Voldemort already!" Ron shouted.
"No," said Harry. "He wants to be rewarded for his services. He wants to stay whole, as himself. He was going to look for someone to take it…convince them…disguised as me."
Hermione was about to ask a question when the hotel room door opened and a maid came in.
"Time to get Kreacher," said Harry. "And get out of this room. Then we have to tell McGonagall what's happening, find Ginny, and get the Elder Wand from McGonagall's office before…."
But Harry never finished that thought. The room swirled and for the first time since they had been using the Here and There Room it took them to part of Hogwarts, inside the school instead of outside of it. They landed in the middle of McGonagall's office.
As they all looked at each other in confusion, the portraits on the walls began to shout out to each other and at Harry and his group.
"Thief!" shouted Professor Black's portrait, pointing to Harry.
"What?" Harry asked in confusion. "I'm…wait. Can you see us?"
"Of course," said an old headmistress. "We can see you three and a poor lad tied to a chair. You just appeared here. And how did you do that? No one can Apparate inside of Hogwarts."
Then on a far wall, one of the oldest portraits in the room spoke. He was a very old wizard, and his portrait was one Harry had never seen move or heard speak before. "Professor Rostock, at your service," he said as a way of introduction. "I believe Mr. Potter and his friends have found the Here and There Room."
"Oh, yes," said Professor Black. "We heard all about that room when Potter explained to Professor McGonagall what he was up to. You must have been asleep Rostock. As usual."
"Even if I was," said Rostock, in some indignation. "I already know about the room. In my day all the heads of the school knew about the room and its power."
"What power?" asked Hermione. "The room takes you anywhere you want to go…but not inside the castle."
"True, except for one place," said Professor Rostock. "The head of the school's office. And you can go back to the room from here also. They are connected."
"How?" asked Ron before anyone else could.
"Just say the name of the room and it will take you back," Rostock told them.
"And why have we or Dumbledore or McGonagall never known of this power?" Professor Black asked in rising indignation.
"It was a long time ago," said Rostock. "And you never asked!"
Harry later swore he thought Professor Black mutter 'old git' under his breath. But then he knew who to ask about what was going on. Harry turned to look at Dumbledore's portrait and got a nasty shock. "Oh, God," he said aloud and Ron and Hermione also turned to look at it and gasped.
Dumbledore's portrait was slashed several times and the portrait was no longer life like, the ruined image of Dumbledore still in his chair, but unmoving and not even to seem like he was sleeping.
"What happened?" Harry asked immediately after there was a moment of silence.
"Oh, what happened, he asks, when he very well knows what happened," said Professor Black in anger. "Came in here all proud and went straight to Dumbledore's portrait and tried to move it. But you couldn't so you got mad and demanded he open and he said no so you slashed him with your wand! Thief! After the Elder Wand, weren't you?"
"It wasn't him!" Hermione shouted, suddenly understanding. "It was someone using Polyjuice potion disguised as Harry."
"That's why he wouldn't open" said Professor Dippet. "Dumbledore knew it wasn't really you."
Harry looked at the portrait of Dumbledore and then reached out and touched it. As his hands pulled, the portrait sprang open. Behind it was the secret cubby hole.
The Elder Wand was still there.
Harry felt drawn to it, felt a surge of energy flood through his body, and then he picked it up and once more got the electric shock he had felt that night by the side of Dumbledore's tomb.
"The Elder Wand," Ron said in awe and Harry could see even Hermione was stuck by the significance of this event. Then she seemed to come out of her daze and turned to the portraits.
"Where did the imposter go?" Hermione was asking the portraits as Harry also turned around.
"Fled, when he couldn't open it," said Professor Dippet. "I suppose our shouts of indignation got to him."
"Did he say anything, anything at all?" Harry asked.
"Something about his master," said the old headmistress. "Whatever that means. But that was more than an hour ago."
"Time to go," said Harry with a worried look to Ron and Hermione. "But we might need some help to make things move faster. KREACHER!"
In a moment the old house-elf appeared in the office. He immediately bowed low. "Master Harry. How may I serve you?"
"Take us to my quarters."
In an instance they were back in Harry's quarters, including Stone in his chair.
Harry started changing his clothing to his own clothing, grabbing a pair of blue jeans and a sweater as Hermione lit the lamps. "What's the plan?" Ron asked.
"We'll leave Winston here. As he is," said Harry. He looked at Winston. "I know you can hear me and I know you've been cursed, but we can't do anything about that. Only your brother can release you. Sorry, but we can't trust you. I know it was you who attacked me from behind while Wallace attacked Hargid outside of the cave." Winston's eyes blinked rapidly and Harry wondered if he was trying to talk but no words came out of his mouth. He turned back to Ron and Hermione. "They've been living there for weeks. That's why no one could find them."
"Of course!" said Hermione suddenly. "When Winston came back to the school with his memory wiped, his robes and shoes were muddy. It had been raining, and he got mud from walking up by the cave. Wallace must have been hiding out there since we chased him from the Shrieking Shack!"
"Makes sense," said Ron and Harry could not disagree.
"The question now is where is Wallace Stone?" Harry asked. "And we've got to find Ginny!"
"I'll go tell the Professors what happened," said Hermione.
"No!" Harry said suddenly, as he finished pulling on a fresh sweater. He turned to Kreacher who had been standing there the whole time not saying a word. "Kreacher, the caves outside of Hogsmeade, do you know where they are?"
"No, Master," said Kreacher. "Kreacher has never been there." He looked a little indignant as if walking around in some cave was beneath a house-elf of the noble house of Black.
"I'll go with him," said Ron. "You two find Stone, but don't tackle him till I get back with the professors and Aurors!"
"We won't," said Harry as he finished pulling on his trainers. "Be quick."
"I will," said Ron and then he looked to Hermione. "Just…be careful."
She nodded and then came at him in a rush, hugging him and saying quietly. "I love you."
"You know I do too," said Ron as he kissed her quickly. If it hadn't been such a dangerous time Harry would have felt embarrassed by this display of affection between his two friends. But all he could think of was he hoped to find Ginny to tell her the same thing.
Ron and Hermione broke apart and then Ron held out his hand to Kreacher, who took it, Ron's eyes not leaving Hermione's face the whole time, and then suddenly they were gone, Disapparated.
Hermione sighed heavily and then looked at Harry. "Where do we begin?"
"The map," said Harry. "Where is it?"
"Ginny has it," she replied in frustration. "And your invisibility cloak."
"Rats," said Harry in equal frustration. "I guess we have no choice but to look the old fashion way."
Harry grabbed his spare glasses that could look through walls and then they left his quarters and after a short walk were suddenly in the midst of many students. It was the Slytherins and they were heading toward the Great Hall.
"The feast," said Hermione. "It's about to begin." As they came to the main doors and staircase nearby the Great Hall more students were arriving from the other three houses. The hall way was crowded so at first they didn't notice Ron coming through the front doors, snow covering his hair and shoulders, accompanied by Kreacher and professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Sprout. All of them had snow on their clothes and hair. Hermione spotted them first.
"Harry! Ron's back!"
"That was fast," Harry said.
"No better way to travel than by house-elf," Ron said as Hermione beamed at him, and then scowled a bit at his comment as she started brushing snow off his hair. Then Professor Sprout just flourished her wand and the snow was removed from all of them in an instant.
"Professor Potter!' McGonagall shouted to Harry as she made her way through the crowd. "What on Earth is happening?" The she lowered her voice. "Weasley said Stone is up here disguised as you?"
"Yes, Professor, but we don't know where he is. What happened at the cave?"
"We couldn't get in," said Sprout.
"It has many magical protections on it," said Flitwick. "But it seems you have already been rescued."
"Thanks to these two," Harry said. "Where's Hagrid?"
"Still at the shop," said Ron. "He's alright."
"The Aurors should be here soon," said McGonagall. "Stone must be still in the school. We have to barricade it so no one can leave. Then we can find him."
"I'll take care of that," said Flitwick, drawing out his wand and heading outside again.
"All of the students are soon going to be in the Great Hall, Minerva," said Professor Sprout. "Perhaps we should let the feast go on while we search the school."
"Wait," said Harry. "We have another problem. Stone has the potion…and some of Voldemort's blood."
"Merlin's beard!" McGonagall exclaimed while Professor Sprout looked utterly confused.
"Potion? Blood?" she said in surprise. "What is going on indeed?"
"There is no time to explain," said McGonagall. "Suffice to say all of the students and staff are in danger. Let them enter the hall and let the feast begin so we know where everyone is at least."
"We should count the students also," said Hermione. "Stone needs someone for the transformation and if he is disguised as Harry he may have already taken a student prisoner."
"Right you are," said McGonagall. "Once they are all inside, check your houses and make sure all the students are there. Professor Sprout, you check your house, Potter and Granger check Gryffindor, Professor Flitwick can check Ravenclaw when he gets back and…where's Horace?"
"He wasn't with you?" Harry asked.
"No," said Sprout. "I haven't seen him all day."
"Where could he have gone? The feast is about to begin and he's never one to miss a grand meal. And we need him," said McGonagall, looking around trying to spot Slughorn. "Oh, he'll turn up, he always does. Come, let's get the students in the hall." She looked to the crowds of students. "Come along everyone, time for the feast," she shouted in a cheery way, trying to make it seem like all was well.
The students were crowding by the door, entering the Great Hall, McGonagall and Sprout and some newly arrived professors shepherding them in. Harry pulled Hermione and Ron aside for a private chat in the corridor leading to his quarters, out of earshot of everyone.
"I know where Slughorn is," said Harry once they were relatively alone. "The Room of Requirement."
"What in the blazes would he be doing there?" asked Ron.
"Harry, you can't mean…really?" Hermione said in surprise.
"He's in there with Snape and Ginny," Harry answered. "It's the only thing that makes sense. He's the one who took the book and feather."
"Why would he do that?" Hermione asked in a very skeptical way, not ready to believe Harry.
"Yeah, mate, sounds a bit far-fetched," Ron chimed in.
"Slughorn is greedy," Harry explained. "I know that sounds harsh, but we all know it's true and he wasn't put in Slytherin because he's a fountain of virtue. If Snape told him about the book, he'd go for it, especially if Snape made it sound like there was nothing dangerous about it and I was going to destroyed it anyway, which I was. Snape probable got him to promise to make the potion in exchanged for the book."
"Why would he make the potion, Harry?" Hermione asked. "He must know it's to resurrect your mother because the hairs are…gone… Oh!'
"See?" said Harry, eyebrows raised.
"Will you two stop doing that!" Ron almost shouted in frustration.
"Harry's mother," said Hermione to Ron. "She was Slughorn's favorite student and he…he told Riddle about the Horcruxes. Maybe he thinks he is also to blame for her death or at least for Voldemort's survival. I think Harry might be right."
"What are you saying?" Ron asked, still perplexed. "What's all this got to do with Ginny?"
"She's trying to stop them," said Harry. "She must have seen Snape or Slughorn going into the Room of Requirement and followed them in there!"
"That was hours ago," said Hermione. "She can't have been in there that long."
"Not unless she's in trouble," Harry said in fear. "I'm going up there now to get her out of that room!"
"Right," said Ron. "That's a plan. Better than standing around here. Come on!"
He started toward the stairway toward the upper floors and they followed quickly. As they passed the entrance to the Great Hall they saw Kreacher standing there, all alone, all of the students now in the hall with the professors.
"Kreacher!" Harry shouted to him. "Come with us, we need your help!"
"Of course, Master Harry," Kreacher said. "Kreacher lives to serve the house of Potter."
"Still not noble, eh?" asked Ron as Kreacher walked over to them and they started up the stairs.
"A family must be distinguished and its members have done great deeds to become noble," Kreacher said to Ron. "So there will never be a noble house of Weasley, I assure you."
"Little git!" Ron said in anger.
"Stop fighting with him!" Hermione shouted at her boyfriend. "We need his help!" Then she turned to Kreacher. "Kreacher, can you get into the Room of Requirement?"
"Kreacher knows not what room Miss Granger is speaking of."
"Ah…its sometimes called the Come and Go Room," said Harry. "That's what Dobby called it."
"Yes, Kreacher knows this room," said the old house-elf. "It is where one can get help when one is in need. But if someone is already in there it cannot be entered unless one knows what the room has been turned into already."
"That's right!' said Harry as they reached the third floor and kept going, the school eerily silent as everyone was at the feast. "When Malfoy was using the room to fix the vanishing cabinet, Professor Trelawney went in to hide her sherry bottles and he threw her out. The only reason she got in was because she was trying to hide something and Malfoy was in the room with all of the hidden things from over the centuries."
"But what should we think of?" asked Ron. "A room where a git of a ghost can hide?"
"Don't know," said Hermione as she walked faster to keep up with the long strides of Ron. "But…what about the Hogs Head? The secret passage we used during the battle!"
But Harry dumped cold water on her idea. "Won't work. That passage only existed because Neville asked the room to find him a way to get food. It has to be made from inside the room, so there is no way we can do that."
No one had any more ideas and they were silent as they walked. Hermione and Kreacher and Harry were having trouble keeping up with Ron who was determinedly taking long strides to reach the seventh floor in a hurry. "Ron, slow down," Hermione said as she huffed for breath.
"There's no time!" he said as he continued walking.
"Wait!" said Harry. "How stupid are we! Kreacher, please take us to the seventh floor where the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy is."
"Of course, Master," said Kreacher and he held out his hands, a bit reluctantly to Ron. They took his hands and in an instant they were by the Room of Requirement wall.
"Now what?" said Ron.
"I don't know," said Hermione in frustration. "I've already spent over an hour here earlier today trying to get in. You give it a go."
"Right," said Ron. He then walked by the wall three times fast, looked up hopefully but nothing had happened.
"What did you think of?" Harry asked.
"The room where my sister was at," Ron answered and Hermione just sighed.
"I tried that already."
"What? She's not your sister," Ron said in a smug sort of way. "So of course it wouldn't work."
"I didn't think 'sister', I thought 'Ginny Weasley'," Hermione shot back in anger. In love and still fighting, thought Harry. Oh, brother.
"It won't work if you think of a name," said Harry. "Sixth year I kept thinking of Malfoy's name over and over and nothing worked." He looked to Kreacher, "Any ideas?"
"Master is asking Kreacher to open the room, but Kreacher does not know how if someone is already inside."
"Just a minute," said Hermione. "Maybe no one is inside now. I haven't been up here for a while."
She swiftly walked in front of the wall three times and suddenly Ron gave a shout.
"You did it!" The door was there. But Hermione didn't seem as enthusiastic, nor was Harry.
As soon as they opened the door they understood what had happened. Ginny was not there. Nobody was. In fact the room was empty except for a big easy chair, a lamp, and many bookcases full of books.
"I just thought of a place to do some light reading," said Hermione, slightly embarrassed.
"Light reading, she says," Ron mumbled in an aside to Harry as they looked around the room. But Harry was in no mood for jokes.
"Where can she be?" he said in frustration. "I wish I had never given her the map!"
"Let's go," said Hermione. They left and went down the corridor in the direction of the Here and There Room. As they rounded the corner, they suddenly heard a voice coming from back where they had just come.
"That's alright, just over here," said the voice and Ron and Hermione's eyes got wide and they were staring at Harry in shock.
"It's you!" whispered Hermione.
"What?" Harry asked, also quietly. "What do you mean?"
"It's your voice!" Ron said. "It's Stone!"
They stopped and listened again and then they heard it, a little louder now. "The door should be here. Once we get inside we can have fun for a bit and then go back to the feast, okay? You'll love this. Just take a moment to open it."
"Okay, Professor," said another voice, a girl's voice, a young sounding girl.
"He's got someone!' said Harry and then he was running toward the voice, before they could make a plan, before they could discuss anything, he was flying toward the sound, toward where the Room of Requirement was, scared that some poor innocent was about to be harmed because they thought they were talking to him. Ron and Hermione were one step behind him. Unseen to any of them, but heard by all, Kreacher had disappeared with his customary loud crack.
"What was that?" said the Harry sounding voice. And then Harry, the real Harry, rounded the corner and there he was, Wallace Stone, still disguised by Polyjuice potion to look like Harry, standing by the wall where the entrance to the Room of Requirement was located, but the door had not yet appeared.
Stone had a student alright and Harry's heart skipped a beat as he saw it was a first year, young Matilda Curtis of Ravenclaw. She was in her robes, dressed for the feast, and she looked like she was unharmed and enjoying herself. But she didn't know that a monster had her, a monster with a vicious plan for taking her life.
"STONE!" Harry yelled and then the Elder Wand was out and up but before he could even think to cast a spell Stone had ducked behind Matilda and had her by the waist with his left arm, his wand in his right hand pointing at her head.
"One step Potter ! Just one step and its over!"
Matilda was utterly confused and shocked. "Professor?" she said looking toward Harry and then Ron and Hermione as they came to a screeching halt beside him, wands up and out.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione shouted but Stone blocked it and as Ron yelled "Stupefy!" he blocked that as well.
"Stop!" said Harry to his friends and they stopped but still held their wands up.
"Smart call, Potter," said Stone, his wand by Matilda's head.
Matilda started to cry. "Professor, what's happening!"
"It's okay Matilda," said Harry. "Don't worry, we'll get you out of here, everything is going to be all right. He's not me, I'm the real Harry Potter. He tricked you."
"Let her go Stone!" Ron growled, his face contorted in rage.
"You'll never get out of here," said Hermione, equally angry but trying to control her temper. "That noise you heard was Harry's house-elf, going to get help. The staff will be here soon, the Aurors are on their way. You're finished. Give up. Maybe you'll only get life in Azkaban."
That was a mistake, Harry knew right away. "Only life in Azkaban?" Stone said in a mocking voice, disturbing sounding as it was Harry's voice. "That's a death sentence and you know it. Now, Potter, show me where that Here and There Room is or I start doing harm."
"The Room of Requirement is right behind you," said Harry, fighting for time for Kreacher to get back with help. "You know what it is, you were looking for it. It will do as a hiding place."
"Funny thing about that room is it doesn't have any food or a way out except by this door," Stone said. "But you said that other room you can take whatever you want and there is only one way in, with that key. Give it to me."
"Don't have it," said Harry, which was true.
Stone pressed his wand against Matilda's cheek. "I'm warning you Potter!" Matilda's face was streaked with tears and she sobbed uncontrollably. "Quiet girl!" Stone shrieked at her.
"I have the key," Hermione said and Ron just groaned and she gave him a dirty look. Hermione took the key from her pocket. "But I'll only give it to you if you take me hostage and let the girl go."
"NO!" said Ron right away, his face in shock as he looked at Hermione and then back to Stone. "I'll go, take me!"
"How sweet love is. But it's Potter or nobody!" said Stone, looking demented, his face and eyes wild, making his disguise of Harry Potter seem truly as mad as everyone had often said he was.
"Alright," said Harry. He pointed back the way they had just came from. "The room is down here."
"Get the key."
Harry took the key from Hermione's hand. She gave him a desperate look and he just mouthed the word 'time' and she understood.
"Drop your wand," said Stone and then Harry did as he was told and Harry was glad because he believed Stone did not recognize it. "Wait! Pick it up!"
With a sigh he could not control Harry knew Stone knew what it was. Harry bent over and picked up the Elder Wand. "That was Dumbledore's wand!" said Stone in awe. "The Elder Wand! Put it in your pocket."
Harry was confused by that command but did as he was told. Then Stone looked to Ron and Hermione. "Now I know no one can get in that room. And I know this is the only key. They've barricaded me from leaving the school, so I'll stay there as long as it takes to figure a way out even if it takes years. Better than Azkaban by a long shot. Potter is staying with me for insurance. Now you two are going to bugger off. Right now. So piss off before I decide to kill someone!"
"Like hell!" said Ron.
Ron and Hermione still had their wands in their hands and had no intention of leaving. Harry had hoped Kreacher had gotten help by now but no one was coming. Matilda was a mess, her sobs starting up again and Harry knew this could go bad if they started to fight again.
He looked at his friends. "I'll be alright."
"He's going to use you…to make him," Hermione said, a catch in her voice.
"Better me than anyone else," said Harry with a false bravado he did not feel at all. He was utterly terrified but could not show it.
"Enough!" Stone shouted. "Get over here, Potter."
Harry came to his side. "Now go!" Stone shouted to Ron and Hermione.
"I'll be back," said Ron to Stone in a low growl. "And you'll be dead!"
Stone ignored him and started moving Harry and Matilda down the hall.
"Wait!" Hermione said in anger. "Let her go!"
Stone shook his head. "When the room is open, I'll let her go."
Hermione had no choice but to listen to him. Stone was a killer and he was desparate and had no qualms about hurting anyone. Slowly she took Ron's arm and then gently pulled him back. As they retreated down the hall they never took their eyes off of the strange trio that now shuffled awkwardly along the corridor toward the Here and There Room, two Harry Potters and a little crying girl. Soon the two parties were out of sight of each other.
Harry knew Ron and Hermione were just around the corner, waiting for something to happen.
"This is the place," Harry said. He took the key and placed it on the right stone and the key glowed blue and then the wall opened up.
"Remarkable," said Stone.
"It closes fast," said Harry quickly. "Let her go!"
"No," said Stone. "I promised myself that my master would kill you so I still…."
As he ranted, Harry grabbed and pushed Matilda away from them, out into the corridor where she fell with a gasp. Harry tried to push Stone into the room by himself but Stone grabbed Harry by the shoulders and leaped into the room, both of them falling down to the ground of what now turned into Sirius' old cave. Matilda screamed and Harry heard Ron and Hermione's running footsteps. Harry struggled to get to his feet, but Stone knocked him down, much stronger than Harry was, perhaps fueled by rage. He yanked the Elder Wand from Harry's pocket and then rolled off of him, his eyes lit up in triumph. Harry saw his chance, and pitched the key toward the now closing archway. But he was too late, as the key hit a brick and bounced back into the room.
"KREACHER!' Harry screamed and then in an instant the old house elf was there with a loud crack. He snapped his fingers and his ball of light appeared but that was his undoing. Before Harry could grasp his hands, Stone saw what was going on and screamed "Stupefy!" striking Kreacher square in the back. The old house elf was propelled across the cave and struck the far wall and fell to the ground, unconscious.
Harry's mind worked overtime. He knew what this room could do. Stone did too but Harry had the experience. He thought through a dozen thoughts in a second and the world whirled and spun as they went from the Burrow to Privet Drive, to Godric's Hollow to Shell Cottage, the obstacle course in Scotland, the Ministry Auror office, the 10th Floor Club, King's Cross Station and many more places Harry had been to. Stone was unbalanced, off guard, and disoriented, shouting and flailing in confusion. It was also a bit confusing for Harry watching Stone disguised as himself.
"Stop it! Stop it! Take me to my parents' house!" and then the room whirled and they were in his parents' dining room but Harry just as quickly thought of the Forest in Dean where he had gotten the sword in the pond with Ron's help and then more places in quick successes. As the scenes whirled Harry stood in the midst of the storm and Stone was buffeted and off balance and flailing like a madman. Into the whirlwind he shouted to Stone.
"I'll never stop! Give up! It's over! You can't win!"
Stone tried to shoot spells at him but Harry ducked and weaved and the room whirled and Stone missed and then he fell. Harry tried to leap at him to get a wand from him but as he did so the room stopped spinning and Stone was up again and Harry immediately knew he had to get a wand, and the only place he could think of was Diagon Alley and Ollivander's wand shop.
In an instant they were in the shop and everything stopped spinning. The shop was closed, and it was dark and through the windows came a barely muted light, daylight dying in London early this time of year. Harry had his special glasses on and could see clearly. He ducked behind a shelf of wands as Stone bounced against the counter and fell to the floor once more. Harry ripped open a box and grabbed the first wand he laid his hands on. It felt good, not perfect but good enough and he stepped around the shelf and yelled "Petrificus Totalus!". Why not the Killing Curse, he didn't know, but just yelled the first thing that came to mind.
It didn't work. Stone blocked it and then they were both up, on their feet in the middle of the empty wand shop, flinging spells back and forth, not saying a word, all done non-verbally, and they were not an equal match. Stone was faster, much faster, and if he hadn't been so disoriented he would have won. Harry barely kept up with him. He ducked and weaved, running behind shelves, leaping aside as a spell flew past, blocking another. Once, as he ducked, he got a small shock as he saw Kreacher lying in a corner. Then another spell barely missed him and he was back in the fight. The spells were striking against things harmlessly, spells fired in the room unable to affect things outside of the room. To Harry's surprise Stone was not using the Killing Curse but then Harry knew why. He needed Harry to become Voldemort.
"You can't win, Potter!" Stone shouted. "I'm faster and better and you know it."
Then Stone pulled out the Elder Wand and Harry knew this was it so his mind whirled once more. He took them to Piccadilly Circus in London in the middle of the street. Suddenly they were in the midst of heavy traffic as cars, trucks, taxis and buses sped by them. Harry knew they would miss and they did, magically going off course or bending around Harry's body. But Stone didn't know that and he was terrified, unused to all of the Muggle machines and noise.
"Expelliarmus!' Harry shouted and Stone wasn't ready. The Elder Wand flew from his hand and Harry caught it in midair. He dropped the other wand, and then all of a sudden they were in a forest, with snow on the ground and Harry knew Stone's mind had done this. He was learning. Harry ducked just in time as a spell blasted against but did not harm a tree trunk above his head. He brandished the Elder Wand and felt it surge in his hand, but having the world's most powerful wand did not make him any faster and then a spell came blasting at his feet and he was thrown in the air and landed behind some bushes.
"I've got you now!" Stone yelled in triumph and then Harry thought of a stone wall to protect him, between him and Stone, and suddenly a wall was there and Harry was in a room, all alone, except for Kreacher still lying unconscious by one wall.
"What madness is this?" Stone shouted from the other side. There was a wooden door, and Harry yanked it open and there was Stone right in front of him, in a corridor, surprise on his face, and he was so close Harry just reached out and punched him in the face as hard as he could. In fact, he was punching himself, as Stone still looked like Harry Potter.
It hurt his hand so much Harry wished he had never done it but it also felt so good to let out some his rage he was glad he did. Stone's glasses fell off, his eyes went unfocused, and he slid to the floor, out cold. Harry immediately took his wand off of him.
"That's that," said Harry. "Now time to go." He turned to Kreacher and bent over the old house-elf. He was still breathing and Harry gently shook him.
"Kreacher? Kreacher? Wake up! We have to go! I beat Stone. It's all over!"
"No, its not," came a voice from behind him and Harry turned and saw that the real Wallace Stone was emerging from under the Harry Potter disguise. The Polyjuice potion was wearing off and the demented eyes of Wallace Stone were glaring at him. Stone was still on the floor of the strange building. "I win," he said and then he had a flask to his lips, and for an instance Harry though it was just Polyjuice potion. The he saw the color of the liquid. It was reddish gold.
"NOOOOO!" Harry shouted but it was too late. Stone had taken a large gulp. Harry had the Elder Wand up and now the Killing Curse formed in his mind but suddenly Stone's body was picked up off the floor. His back arched and then he spun in the narrow space, light emitting from his body, a reddish golden light as bright as the Sun, so bright Harry was blinded by it. Then a force burst from the body and Harry was flung back on the floor beside Kreacher.
How long he lay there in a daze he did not know. Then Harry felt a hand slapping his face.
"Get up," said a familiar, terrifying voice. "Get up and fight me, Potter."
Harry looked up and his heart froze. Standing above him was…Tom Riddle. An older version of the Tom Riddle Harry had seen in the Pensive, but none the less, it was Tom Riddle, with his jet black hair, his handsome features, with none of the snake-like qualities Voldemort had had.
"Bloody hell," was all Harry could say, in a weak and agonizing voice. His hand went to his scar but it wasn't hurting. The connection was broken for good.
"Quite impressive, isn't?" said Riddle. "I am whole again, better than I was in fact." Then he looked at his body, still wearing the clothes Stone had been wearing, Harry's clothes. They looked a little small for Riddle, who had been a bit taller than Harry. Then Harry saw Riddle had both Stone's wand and the Elder Wand in his hands. With a wave of Stone's wand his clothing changed and in an instant he was wearing his more comfortable grey robes.
"Ah, that's better."
Harry sat up and looked at Riddle in shock. What fresh madness was this? Riddle, not Voldemort? But he had to be cool. He was still alive, and Riddle had asked him to fight him. This wasn't over yet. "Hello, Tom."
"Tom," said Riddle in distain. "Dumbledore always called me that name. My detested Muggle name from my detested Muggle father. And now I am back the way I used to be before I made my…." He stopped, looked to Harry, then smiled in his evil way. "But of course you know about my Horcruxes. You destroyed them after all. But enough reminiscing. Tell me what has been going on. Where are we, who's body have I taken over, and why are you here?"
Time, Harry needed time, time for Kreacher to wake up, time for someone to figure how to get in here, time for him to find a way to kill Tom Riddle…this time for good.
Harry slowly got to his feet and Riddle backed away, the room small, keeping Stone's wand up. Harry had no wand but Riddle treated him as a threat. Yet he did not paralyze him or otherwise secure him.
"Wallace Stone," Harry said and then Riddle nodded. "That's whose body you are in. It's a long story."
"Stone," said Riddle. "A last gasp chance in case…well, in case you did what you did. Stone. His sacrifice will be long remembered. A worthy servant for his Lord. Better than most others. And how are my minions these days?"
"Dead or in Azkaban."
"Pity," said Riddle. "I shall have to start over. And where are we now?"
"Castle, outside of Edinburgh…" Harry started to lie, but then the room whirled and they were really at a castle, standing on a tower, flat, and empty, rounded and surrounded by battlements. Kreacher was still lying nearby. Riddle was thrown off balance by the sudden change but easily recovered.
"Strange," he said. "You said the name of a place and we went there. I believe you have found the Here and There Room."
That took Harry by surprise. "You knew about it?"
"Just rumors, from a book written a long time ago. So we are in Hogwarts and…let me see…Stone and you were fighting…You were trying to stop him…and you have involved a house elf in some way…oh, that's Kreacher, the Black family house elf. He helped me hide my locket. He belongs to you now, correct?"
"Yes," said Harry. "Kreacher took Regulus Black back to the cave and he drank the water while Kreacher replaced the locket with a fake."
"Is that how it happened? Well, I care not for what happened to the Horcruxes, they are finished. I have only one life now, and I will not waste it on reminiscing about old times. I think I know enough now. Except one thing. How do I get out of here once I kill you?"
Harry gulped. Why should he tell him? But he needed more time. And he needed Kreacher.
"You can't Disapparate inside Hogwarts, Tom. But house elves can. You never did know much about them. That's why I brought him here, to take me out. But he won't help you if I am dead. I am his master now and he only answers to me."
Riddle said nothing but pointed Stone's wand at Harry and in an instant ropes flew from the wand and bound Harry tight. "So you don't try anything foolish," Riddle said. Then he pointed the wand at Kreacher. "Rennervate!"
Slowly Kreacher came out of his stupor. He slowly got to his feet, and then he lit his ball of light and took in the scene. He looked at Tom Riddle, blinked at him, but said nothing. Then he turned to Harry. "Master Harry, do you need my help?"
"Tell him, Potter," said Riddle. "Tell him I will kill you both in an instant if he does not help me."
"Kreacher," Harry said. "This is Tom Riddle."
Kreacher looked puzzled. "He also went by the name of Voldemort," said Harry.
"Lord," Riddle said, a bit put out. "Lord Voldemort if you please."
Kreacher's eyes went slightly wider. "The Dark Lord," he said and then, almost involuntarily Harry thought, he bowed his head slightly.
Oh, God, if Kreacher doesn't help him, he was lost. But Kreacher was his servant and he had to help him. He was bound by house-elf law and tradition. There was only one way to find out.
"Kreacher, I need you to do something."
"Of course, Master Harry."
"Master Harry," Riddle scoffed. "Oh, please, do go on."
"Kreacher," Harry said. "GET HELP!"
In an instant Kreacher was gone with a loud crack that was drown out when the spell Riddle had cast at him hit the stone floor of the castle tower with a louder bang.
"Now you will never get out," said Harry with some satisfaction.
"We'll see," said Riddle, getting angrier, but still maintaining his cool. "I did not achieve my former power without learning a trick or two." And then the ropes were off of Harry with a wave of the wand.
Then, to Harry's utter surprise, Riddle tossed the Elder Wand to him. Harry snatched it out of the air.
"Pity we have no witnesses like last time,' said Riddle. "But now I know I have to kill you to gain control of the Elder Wand. Then its ultimate power will be mine."
But Harry was not listening to him. He was not even thinking of changing the room to something else. He was forming a ball of hatred in his mind and a hot warm glow was flowing through him. The Elder Wand was in his hand and he was filled with its energy and he was flinging a spell at Riddle, his whole mind concentrating on the words "Avada Keda.." But then his whole body was engulfed in pain. He was flung back onto the castle tower stones and he knew it was the Cruciatus Curse. It felt like his skin was being flailed from his body.
"Do you know what agony I suffered in the time since I died?" said Riddle in a conversational tone as Harry writhed in pain on the stones. "I was in a state worse than death. I was a ball of flesh on the floor of a miserable room, with nothing but agony and misery to fill my world. I know you told me to feel remorse, but Potter, even now, knowing what I know, I still cannot feel remorse. I can only feel hatred, towards you, and now you will suffer before I finally kill you and claim my prize."
"Crucio!" screamed Riddle and Harry wished he could die. He was on fire, his bones were dipped in flames and his arms and legs were pulled from their sockets. He tried to think of a better place, of Ginny and her soft arms, or his friends, or his life and all the good things that had happened to him. As he thought on these things the room whirled and changed but the pain did not stop. But then through his pain he could only think of one place, one last place where he had been safe, had felt love and family and joy. He knew not why he thought of it but his mind drifted to when he was baby in Godric's Hollow.
Suddenly the whole scene shifted again and they were in the house, in the shattered room where Harry's mother had stood in front of him and had saved his life by giving up hers. It was night and it was cold. In an instant Riddle knew where they were and his nerve broke. This was the house, the very room where he had suffered his first defeat, the beginning of his long thirteen years of agony, and Harry could see it terrified him.
"October 31," Harry muttered, his pain decreasing slightly. Riddle looked at him. "Today….is…Halloween!" Harry said as loud as he could muster in his agony.
Riddle looked scared for an instant but then he calmed down and smiled. "You are alone, Harry Potter. And now you will die." He raised the wand and Harry knew this was it.
Then there was a shimmer of light and a voice, a voice Harry had only heard in the Pensive and in his nightmares when the Dementors had overwhelmed him, a voice he had wanted to hear for his whole life.
"GET AWAY FROM MY SON!" shouted Lily Potter.
Riddle looked up from Harry and his face was full of utter astonishment and terror. His wand was coming up but he was too late and he knew he was about to suffer death again. In an instant Harry saw that look in his eyes and then came the words.
"Avada Kedavra!" shouted Lily Potter and a blast of green light flew from a wand she held and hit Tom Riddle square in the chest. He was flung back and hit the floor of the demolished bedroom and then, in a dazzling display of light, Tom Riddle's body was picked up off the floor. It spun and light and energy emerged from it and blinded Harry through his tears and then it fell to the floor, now Wallace Stone once again. But he was dead, and his face was blank and staring, the eyes lifeless.
Then she was there, sitting beside him on the floor, holding him, and Harry's heart nearly broke in two and she was hugging him tight and saying calming words and Harry forgot everything and didn't care how or why it had happened and wished it could go on forever.
