It was nearing the end of the year. The last hurdle was now approaching, the final exams.

Sure, they didn't mean much the first year, but eventually, they would. Harry spent his extra time studying. On Tuesdays, he helped Neville. On Thursdays, he studied with a group of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs, some Slytherins joined too. On the other days, his extra training was exchanged for review and revision. It was tedious, all of that studying.

The written exams were quite easy. Especially after answering questions that the Founders had used on their exams when they taught as practice. The only downside was that the testing rooms were sweltering. It seemed to take its toll on many of the students, making them unable to focus. But, Harry had combatted it by using the meditation techniques he was taught in preparation for his animagus training that would take place over the summer holiday.

The practicals for Transfiguration and Charms were easy, true to the style of the classes. Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuff box, Harry hoped he would get extra points for making the snuffbox designed in cats that looked like her animagus form. Flitwick had them make a pineapple tap-dance across a desk.

Professor Quirrell seemed preoccupied during the exams, his eyes taking on a reddish hue, and his stutter seemed more forced. He twitched and shook so much, it affected his casting. He was unable to correctly assist and direct during his practical. Harry could tell that most of the other students were hoping that he would just grade the written portion. It wasn't like he had taught them much over the course of the year anyways.

As soon as Blaise Zabini, the last person to take the practical finished, he Quirrell quickly dismissed all of them and seemed to bolt out of his classroom once everyone had left.

Harry was heading outside with Artemis, both of them finally finishing their exams for the year when Azula appeared from one of the tunnels Salazar had put in as his design piece.

§Fishy! The weird hat man is going to the forbidden hall.§

§Quirrell? What's he doing there?§

§He smelled of fear, of prey. But also of predator§

Artemis had finally caught on to Harry's conversation with Azula, she waited until it seemed the conversation had come to an end when she asked, "What's wrong Harr?"

"Well...It's kinda a long story."

"I'm listening,"

"So, you know how Quirrell is kinda…"

"Weird? Crazy? Mad?"

"Exactly, I've had Azula keep an eye on him and he seems to be...up to something"

"What type of something?"

"Apparently, he's in the third-floor corridor, the one Dumbledore warned us against at the beginning of the year."

"Ok, so, what do we do?"

"We aren't going to do anything, you are going to go back to my room, and to the Den like I showed you and wait there."

"But, I want to help."

"NO!"

"WHY NOT! YOU WON'T BE ABLE TO STAND AGAINST A FULLY TRAINED WIZARD!"

"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GET HURT!" Harry's admission, made Arte freeze. She didn't want him to get hurt either.

"How about I go and tell Snape, you guys are friends...Right?"

"Yeah, thanks."

Harry and Azula made their way to one of the many secret passageways, quickly traveling to the third floor forbidden corridor.

He passed Fluffy, who seemed happy to just continue grooming itself, devil's snare, flying keys that were retrieved with a simple summoning spell, a large chess set, which let him pass after freezing it quite literally with a parseltongue spell, a troll which he called to sleep and a simple potions riddle, he came upon a large mirror.

The mirror seemed to just be a simple mirror until it it appeared, a young blonde girl, hair covering her face and distinguishing features seemed to be blurred, Freya, Azula, Artemis, and Vivianna. It almost hurt to see Vivianna after all this time, the one who gave him his powers almost four years ago. The Weasley twins were nearby, with Draco, and Neville. Two people stood in the far back, their faces too blurry to make out. One clearly had black hair and a leather jacket with his arm wrapped around the other, who was wearing a knitted jumper. Was this his family? If so, why weren't his parents there?

"Ah, Mr. Potter. I see you have found the mirror of Erised. Tell me, boy, what do you see?" Harry turned around quickly to see who it was. He had a feeling he already knew though, Quirrell.

He was right. Quirrell was definitely up to something. He noticed that the Professor didn't have his turban on anymore. Instead, a malformed face came out of the back of his head.

After a moment of silence, Harry finally responded, "Family. I see my family." He looked back at the mirror, his reflection was handed something by the blonde girl. He smiled and pocketed it. Harry felt the weight of something land in his pocket. It was a red stone, it looked almost like a ruby, enough history lessons and research told him that this was one of the few Alchemy Stones the Flamels had created.

"Let me speak to the boy Quirrell."

"Of course milord. Whatever you say, master."

"We meet again Harry Potter. The-Boy-Who-Lived. Do you see what you have reduced me too? A mere shade, unable to hold my true, original form. Now, If you give me the Stone, I promise you, we will bring your family back from the dead."

"Why can't I do it myself?" Harry wasn't stupid, he knew he held all the cards.

"You simply are not skilled enough for this incredible act of magick," Quirrelmort responded he seemed desperate to get the Stone.

He seemed to run out of patience, lunging towards the young boy, trying to tackle him to the ground. Quirrell cast spell after spell, trying to subdue the first-year. All Harry did was calmly dodge or cast a simple shield spell. Finally, he cast the parseltongue freezing spell onto Quirrelmort, saving only the front of Quirrell's face out of the ice. "That's the thing, I am the Founders Heir. I am the Apprentice of the Lady of the Lake. I AM THE GREY LORD." With that announcement, he touched his hand to Quirrell's face, using the powers granted to him as he became the Grey Lord, to judge Quirrell. It seemed to find him guilty, incinerating him.

As Quirrell died, Harry began to feel lightheaded, the room seemed to spin and grow darker.

He was in the Hospital Wing.

The bed he was laying in was fairly comfortable, but it had nothing on the beds at Agalope Cottage. The lights in the room seemed too artificial considering the whole of Hogwarts was led primarily by candles.

"Ah, Mr. Potter, it seems you have finally decided to grace us with your presence." It was Madame Pomfrey, the nurse. Harry noticed he wasn't alone, Artemis and Neville were in beds nearby, sleeping.

"Madam Pomfrey, are they okay?"

"Yes, Mr. Potter, just sleeping. Like you will be once I check you up." She began waving her wand in complex patterns. "It seems like you are in fact healing. You were dealing with a nasty case of depleted magick, whatever you did, sapped your core. I suggest not doing it until you have learned more magic and are older with a stronger core."

"Yes, ma'am."

"Good, now, get some sleep. I will wake you up later for lunch. I hate to say this but if you don't sleep, I'm going to keep you overnight again"

"Um..what's the date?"

"It's the second to last day of school, the eighteenth of June."

"Oh...Okay."

Harry was just able to make it to the Leaving Feast the next night. He was let out of the Hospital Wing after dinner the night before. He was able to quickly pack his things and get his summer work from Artemis, who slapped him upon learning what had happened that night. But, it was thanks to her that Snape had been able to retrieve Harry from the room and bring him to the Hospital Wing.

The Ravens won the House Cup for the first time in twenty-eight years!

The next morning, everyone headed to the train, saying their goodbyes and exchanging promises to keep in touch and meet over the summer.

Hey! I'd like to thank those who were here from the start, supporting me and the story. I am probably taking off a month to start the next in the series and continue some of my other works.