I mean this in the best way, when do y'all sleep?

Edit: Okay I'm not gonna post at 4 am anymore. I knew I was forgetting something. I said it like sixteen times!

Warning: my best attempt at body horror

-/+

Harry wasn't expecting puzzles so hard that they couldn't get through them but he did expect it to be a little harder than a poem about werewolves. He didn't expect traps so dangerous that they would instantly kill them but a bunch of vines just seemed normal and insufficient. He did expect a couple of wards to disable—a waste of research if you ask him—or maybe something more difficult than catching a key and opening a door. Though that did get his blood pumping something fierce. He loved flying so he would recommend that one for anyone.

He wouldn't call it disappointing but, well.

To top it off, he was losing his friends.

Ron sacrificed himself in chess.

Pansy offered herself up to the riddle.

And now he was losing Hermione.

"I don't think more than one person can go on," Hermione shrugged, pointing to the bottle that she was sure was the right one. Harry frowned at the potions sat before them. There was only one bottle and once it was touched there was (probably) the final scene but Harry wanted a group adventure with all his friends.

"What if we grab it at the same time?" Harry suggested. Hermione frowned, opened her mouth, closed it then smiled. Harry was so odd to her. Despite going to various public and private schools, Hermione didn't interact with many kids her age. Or kids of any age really. They thought she was too smart or her hair too big or her skin too dark or her teeth were too big. They teased her if they didn't ignore her. She thought Hogwarts was going to be the same—it was the same for a while. Even with Pansy as her friend, there were times they were away from each other and those were times they were both in trouble. Yes, both. Pansy had to think she was stupid to not know their friendship had some sort of backlash against her. She was a muggleborn, not a blind and deaf rock.

But Harry?

"Are you sure you weren't supposed to be a Hufflepuff?" Hermione half laughed. She didn't really believe in the House system, not really but if there was someone who belonged in yellow, it might just be Harry.

Harry was like a beaming sun and he wanted to share his warmth.

"I thought that's where I was gonna go," Harry grinned, "but I'm not all rainbows and friendship. What if there's a hard puzzle after this?"

Hermione rolled her eyes. Harry was not a good liar. Not that he couldn't lie, he just wasn't good at it as far as she could tell. This was totally a rainbow and friendship thing. He was upset each time they lost someone, thinking of ways to get them back before the end but it just didn't work like that. Why was Harry such a nice boy? She had to agree with Pansy, it was absolutely sickening.

"We'll see you again, when this is all over," Hermione promised then she found herself pushing back a yawn, "besides I'm sleepy. All this running around is new to me."

"Fine, fine but if it's something really cool I'm not sharing with you guys," Harry stuck out his tongue childishly. Hermione laughed and went for one of the other bottles, knowing it would cast her somewhere outside of the maze. She gave Harry one last wave.

Harry sighed in the now empty room. Well, it was fun up until here. Let's get to the rest. He grabbed the correct potion and a door revealed itself.

The room was huge, unnecessarily huge to be so empty. As he made his way down the stairs and towards the obvious display, one by one pillars of fire appeared, lighting his way.

It was all very dramatic but also unsettlingly underwhelming.

Maybe they could have the Halloween party here next year? They would make the puzzles less difficult so that they wouldn't be tired once they arrived but this area was perfect! He wondered if this was where Hogwarts kept all their important stuff but he doubted it.

Especially since the display was empty.

Harry did a double take.

Yup, another look and it was still nothing there.

Harry poked himself in the forehead scar.

Did the thief already get it? Was there nothing here to begin with? Well, it would greatly help if he knew what was even supposed to be here. It was enough for a thief to want it but people were known to want the pettiest of trinkets. Or maybe it would help if he knew who wanted it.

Harry plopped down next to the display and let out a disappointed sigh. He'd sit here for a couple more minutes before heading back up. There was a door on the other side of the mirror… mirror?

He felt something stir in his gut, cold and sharp. No, no. No need to stir. It was just a mirror, a coincidence mirror. How did Harry not know if a solitary mirror wasn't supposed to be in every mystery room? Harry scrambled to his feet and rushed to the mirror, praying for what? That it was just a regular, not magical mirror? Or maybe a mirror that showed him what a handsome man he was going to be?

"No," Harry groaned, pressing his hands into his eyes. Of course, it was Severus he saw in the mirror. Of course, of course, of course! He removed his hands and smiled ruefully, relief replacing the cold feeling he had gotten. There Severus was, fiddling with his pretty red rock and his potions. Well, now Harry knew where to find him so he would head over there and spend the rest of the night helping with potions and practicing the snake language.

"Whaaattt dooo you seeee?"

"Jesus!" Harry jerked, nearly slamming his face into the mirror. He didn't expect someone to be down here, his heart nearly jumped out of his chest for Christ's sake. Did no one have creepy room etiquette? He turned around and, upon seeing Professor Quirrell, he let out a sigh, "Called it."

"Hello, dear Harry," the man smiled at him. There was something very wrong with his face, literally. It was bubbling oddly at the right cheek and drooping at the left eye. One eye was becoming red and staring directly at him while the other, brown eye roamed around the room, completely independent. His teeth seemed to be rotting, black and shiny but also sharp and tough looking. He smiled wider the longer Harry stared.

"Stop that! You're ugly and creepy!" Harry snapped, shuddering at the black smile. The man jerked at the words, thankfully no longer showing off those teeth.

"I… it's just temporary," Professor Quirrell reached up, pressing into his face. His face went through several emotions upon feeling his deformities, did the man even know what he looked like? Harry felt bad despite himself, it couldn't be easy being… whatever he was. A monster, a man, a man possessed by a monster, a monster wearing a man's face. It looked so painful being whatever he was, he wondered if there was any way to help the man.

No, Harry! The Gryffindor reminded himself that this, this thing tried to literally murder him! But he just couldn't stop feeling bad for him especially when he was feeling all over his face and showing obvious distress. And talking to himself. No, not to himself. Harry could hear it too. Where was it coming from? Harry looked all around but he couldn't find it.

"Do you hear that? Sounds like time to leave," Harry muttered, edging towards the door. Harry had excellent hearing so he was retreating.

"My master graced me with a great responsibility. An honor. Tell me what you see and I will make your death so painless. Please?" Not a word fumbled. Harry almost laughed. He just realized that the man hadn't stuttered not once since he got in here. He didn't mean to notice it, he didn't mean to laugh out loud either but seriously? Was the man only confident and sure when threatening a little kid? Harry pulled out his Christmas potion and took a swig, making a face as it gave him light little shocks going down.

"You're Voldemort, right? In a mask?" Harry lowered his wand into his grip.

"I carry him, I—." Quirrell reached up and started to undo his turban but that was all Harry needed to hear. He shot off a bolt of lightning that slammed into the unsuspecting monster's chest and sent him flying back up the stairs. The smell of charred flesh filled the room causing Harry to curl his nose in disgust and faced the mirror. If this thing was going to show off where his brother was, well, he just had to destroy it. Harry scrambled back until he reached the display then sent a powerful bolt to the mirror. Somewhere in the back of his mind Harry wondered how much trouble he was going to get into for destroying it. There was no reviving it especially not after he sent a second bolt at the huge chunk that had fallen, clearly displaying his precious twin. Well, it was worth every bit of trouble.

"NOOOOOOOOO!"

And that was his que.

"WHERE! IS! IT!"

Run.

Harry told himself to run, to not look at whatever was talking because that wasn't Quirrell, it couldn't be after taking a bolt to the chest. Severus had warned him that it could kill a grown elephant and make short work of their friends so he had to be careful. Harry swallowed and slowly, slowly turned.

Quirrell was standing but it was wrong. Like strings at the joints of a puppet. And he was facing away, back arching backwards as his turban slowly slipped off. Run. He definitely should run. The man's head slowly raised, revealing the bright, crazed red yes. There was a snapping, cracking and the man was reaching towards him. Harry screamed.

Arms. Did NOT. Go. That. Way!

The man took one crooked, unnatural, jagged step and that was all Harry got to see before he turned on his heel and ran.

His first thought was Severus, it was natural and it was stupid! He wasn't sure how close Severus was to finishing his potion or if it was the exact potion that mad man wanted but he knew that that freak wanted his Severus and that stupid rock. Harry looked back and another scream tore itself from his throat.

He could fly!

Voldemort could FLY!

Harry threw himself to the ground, the monster flying over his head, his nasty, stretched fingers grazing his hair. He scrambled to his feet and backtracked to go down a different hallway. If he wasn't going crazy then he just had to get down this hall, turn down another and then it'll be the stairs. From there he just had to get to the Headmaster's office.

Easy.

Yeah, really easy.

Harry could already see how he would be laughing about this in a couple hours with his brother. He thought maybe it could just be the two of them at first then they'd invite their friends for some hot chocolate and marshmallows.

He fumbled clumsily for his bag, knocking out a dozen other things but successfully yanking out his Invisibility Cloak. His shoes came off next, thrown with the stuff he'd gather for their adventure then he came to a stop, crouching close to the wall.

Calm down.

Calm down.

Harry thought of that hot chocolate and the warmth of the fire. He thought of their friends, all so different from each other (though he insisted Severus had the weirder friends) but still able to coexist with each other. He thought about their finals—this would be his first finals.

This was just his first year.

He couldn't die.

He wouldn't die.

Harry's breathing evened out and his heart quieted to a steady pound just as the monster rounded the corner. Voldemort sat his puppet on the ground, its feet clumsy on the ground then it (because that thing couldn't be a person) sniffed the air. It took big, deep gulps, stumbling clumsily across the stones like some sort of desperate, blind animal.

"I know you're here," was the terrifying hiss it let out.

"I can feel you." It clawed at the air.

"Annoying tick." It kicked the items Harry left.

He had to move, it was feeling along the way and swiping at the air so starting here was quickly becoming not an option. Harry eased as silently as he could, socked feet sliding no louder than a sigh across cold stone.

"Do you really think a mere child can defeat me?"

"To be squashed beneath my boot is all you deserve, it is all you are destined for."

Voldemort let out a frustrated grunt as the feet he controlled tripped on a loose stone, Harry taking the chance to break into a full run. Maybe they were connected, they had to be, because the monster let out a nasty, vibrating roar of anger as soon as he turned the corner.

It wasn't long before there was a strange noise behind him. Loud, fast slapping that sent a shiver of Not Right down his spine.

Don't look.

It was getting closer.

Don't look.

Loud. So loud.

Harry looked and could not hold back his immediate, shrill shriek.

Voldemort had twisted Quirrell's body until it bent completely forward, allowing him to run on all fours like a wild animal, head flopping gracelessly. Quirrell's pained brown eyes looked back at him, bloody mouth moving noiselessly and yet obviously alive.

"STOP THAT!" Harry demanded, his heart once again a deafening roar in his ears.

He wasn't going to die!

Harry pushed himself to run faster.

He turned the next corner, heart sinking at seeing the stairs. They were turning! Faster, he had to make it! Harry jumped and he heard Voldemort do the same but, at the last second, Harry let out another bolt of lightning, this one aimed at the floor right behind him, to propel across the gap.

An angry roar disappeared below him and he let out a howl of pain of his own. His knees and hands crashed into the stairs sending painful jolts up and down his limbs but he was scrambling up the stone, pushing all pain to the side. Despite the angry roar he heard, he needed to keep going. He hadn't forgotten that the thing could fly, after all.

His lungs were burning and practically begging for air by the time he saw salvation, the stone guard to Dumbledore's office. Harry thanked anyone he thought might be listening and doubled his efforts to make it. He could do it. He could—

"INSECT!" A heavy, disgusting body landed half way on his, knocking him onto the ground. His cloak was ripped away and Harry drove the heel of his palm into the monster's parody of a nose, feeling squishy, moist skin sink in followed by the crunch of cartilage. Voldemort reared back in surprise but Harry still couldn't get up so he drove his knee into the thing's side, aiming for a kidney, but it was ineffective. Useless struggles, somehow deafening loud and top quiet until Harry was panting and immobile. Something like blood dropped from the monster's nose but it was black and thick, landing on Harry's face in thick globs.

Disgusting! Harry wanted to say. Get off me! Let me go! Fuck off! You are hideous! Not even human anymore, nasty! Go harass someone your own size!

Please don't kill me.

"Where is it? Where is it?!" The monster hissed, ignorant to Harry's thoughts. "Look at me."

No.

Harry tried to guard his mind. If his mind had doors Harry put everything he could up against it. Couches, lamps, tables—he threw a box of tissue up there just to be safe. But it was all useless, like wet paper for Voldemort to tear through.

Harry screamed.

It hurt!

It hurt!

But still he tried.

-/+

"Seeevvvv I don't wanna study for this stupid test!" Harry threw down his pencil and flopped forward on his desk.

"Good for you. What's the next practice question?" Severus inquired, not even looking up from his book. Harry stuck his tongue out at the boy. Severus was the absolute worst when it came to test time, like an evil tyrant demanding good grades.

No! This isn't it.

Harry sat up straighter.

"Did you hear that Sev?" Harry frowned, looking around.

"Hear what?" They were outside. It was cold, his breath appearing in white clouds and his teeth chattering around the smile stretching his lips. Severus was in the middle of making a snowman, sorting through all the rocks he had for the mouth. Like every year he would settle on the roundest for the eyes and—

Where is it?

"That!" Harry shouted.

"Are you okay, Harry?" They were inside. Severus was standing above him, concern scrunching up his face. Harry opened his mouth to answer but all he could manage was a sad croak, his throat so, so itchy. And it was so hot. Ooh yeah, he got sick after spending all day with Mooki. The girl told him to go away or he'd catch her cold but, alas, he hadn't done that and now he was bed bound.

Well, there was one perk to it. Severus was the sort of worrywart that hovered, flitting around to keep busy but never straying far. He would silently anticipate any need of Harry's and keep constant watch over him.

"Sev," he managed to call out weekly. Like magic the boy was immediately by his side, shoving a straw between his lips and encouraging him to sip. He drank his fill, pulling his head away when Severus insisted he drink more. The redhead made a noise of disapproval but placed the glass on the nightstand where Harry could see his glasses.

That was weird.

Or was it?

Harry groaned loudly. He was so stupid, how did he forget something so important? Harry caught Severus's hand when the boy attempted to touch his forehead.

"Sev, I love you." He said firmly, looking deep into the brown eyes. Severus started but settled just as fast, a smile coming to his lips.

"Harry—."

"No, I just remembered. This isn't real. This is me trying to fight off Voldemort but I have to tell you that I love you and I'm sorry. I said I was going to live forever and I don't think I am. I said I was going to protect you like you protect me and I really, really don't think I can. Please Sev, please run. I don't know what else to do."

"Harry, you are being absolutely ridiculous," Severus laughed, pushing away his grabbing hands. The boy stood and started to tuck him back in, hands expertly wrangling his within the blanket.

"No, Severus! Please listen to me!" Harry pleaded, struggling against the sheets. He could feel it now. He could feel Voldemort cycling through distraction after distracting, crashing and ripping his way through Harry's mind.

Even this far back, it hurt. It hurt worse than anything he's ever felt. Worse than his broken bones. Worse than anything Uncle Vernon had ever done to them. Worse than anything before Severus. It resonated through his system causing his physical body to jerk and thrash. He could almost feel his wrist snapping as he smashed it into the stone ground.

"I am listening and what I hear is ridiculous," Severus snapped. A pale hand shot out to knock knuckles across his forehead. "When have I ever given the impression that I would run to save my own hide? When have I ever encouraged you to sacrifice yourself? Stop being foolish."

Voldemort was getting closer.

"No," Harry shook his head, "I can't do that to you. I just can't."

"This must be a very happy memory for you," Severus suddenly changed the subject, looking around for the first time. They were in their shared room of course. There were all sorts of games and books to distract him on the bed and Severus was idly throwing away any tissues Harry threw carelessly. "It's odd, have I ever told you what an odd boy you are?"

"Your favorite odd boy," Harry shot back automatically. Severus gave him a small smile and brushed his bangs back with a whisper of a touch. It took all his self control to not follow the hand, it wasn't real. This wasn't real.

"You hate being sick or stuck in the bed and yet you are both. Not only that but Aunt Petunia's chicken soup is flat," Severus sneered are the nearby bowl.

A startled guffaw burst out of him. Ooh yeah, he distinctly remembered that particular bowl being the flattest, most bland soup he's ever had. He accused Severus of trying to off him in the actual memory.

"But this is one of your happiest memories," Severus continued. Harry nodded, not sure where the boy was going. Of course this was a good memory. Despite being sick and helpless and in pain, he knew that, with Severus here, everything was going to be okay.

Oh.

"I don't want to…" Harry warbled wetly.

"Good for you. Now let him in."

-/+

This was it.

No more games.

Voldemort could sense it. He had broken the boy, tore through his pathetic barriers like they were nothing because they were nothing. He would give it to the stubborn nuisance, he was persistent. Hundreds upon hundreds of memories had assaulted his senses, over and over showing him the, the disgusting love Harry had for his Severus. It was horrific the way the boy fawned and slobbered over what was his. He refused to acknowledge any acts of recuperation from his Severus, it was just an elaborate act after all.

He stepped through the open doorway and found himself back at the beginning of this game of cat and mouse, right before he appeared.

Harry Potter scrambled towards the Mirror of Edris with a strange expression twisting the boy's face. Slowly, an image came into view, the image that he knew would reveal his precious stone.

What he got was even better.

There his precious Severus stood, brewing his immortality potion, philosopher's stone floating gently by him like the world's most beautiful fairy. Voldemort reached out and touched the mirror. Such a delightful, loyal subject.

"Wait for me," Voldemort commanded the memory. Slowly, he dragged his gaze away from his Severus and to the oh so great 'Chosen One'. He had adopted a stupid, stubborn look, green eyes narrowed despite his tears and chin tilted up. It would almost be cute if those poisonous orbs he vaguely remembered in the patches and wisps of anything other than dark anger and hunger. Nonetheless he smiled and gave the boy a pat on the head.

"You've lost, Harry Potter."

-/+

TBC

And I oop—!

I said I was posting too fast. For those that don't feel like reading alll that alll over again I just forgot to make Harry destroy the mirror. It's why Voldemort has to chase him and I was just like la dee da!

I hope you guys enjoyed (so sorry again). I absolutely adore each of you! Did I already use balm for my soul? Cause literally.

Stay safe!

See y'all soon!