Chapter 26
Mirrors and Miracles
Severus tore down the halls of Hogwarts, armed with only his wand, a potion flask, and a photograph.
"Severus Snape! Where are you going?"
When he heard Minerva's voice calling after him, his first instinct was to ignore it and run faster. A tiny voice in his head, however- one that recognized Minerva for the friend and ally she truly was- was the only thing that stopped him.
You need information. You may need help.
"Minerva," he said, spinning around and halting so abruptly that Minerva skidded to a stop behind him. "Do you know- is Potter in his dorm?"
"I sent him there earlier this evening, Severus. He and his friends were in quite a state, thinking that you were after the stone- can you believe it?"
"Where is the headmaster?"
"He had some call from Fudge earlier this afternoon, so he's on his way to the ministry. Severus, what is…"
"When was the last time you saw Quirrel?"
"This morning, at breakfast. He's been busy with exams all day, to be sure."
It was the end of the year, Dumbledore was conveniently absent, and Harry had, no doubt, figured out how to get past all of the obstacles surrounding the philosopher's stone. The trap was set, and Harry was going to be caught.
"Check where he is, Minerva. Ask a portrait."
Minerva looked around the hallway until she spotted a picture of a lady all in violet. "Excuse me," she said, striding toward the portrait. "Can you ask the pink lady if Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, or Hermione Granger have left Gryffindor tower?"
The lady curtseyed and danced from the frame, and then returned in very short order.
"All three left thirty minutes ago, my good woman," she said with a curtsey.
"Come with me, Minerva," Severus said, taking her by the arm. "The boy is trying to protect the stone himself."
"He is in his first year!" Minerva protested as they ran. "Surely the boy wouldn't be that reckless."
"The troll in the washroom? The forbidden forest?" Severus replied.
"Nevermind," Minerva ground out through gritted teeth.
When Severus reached the third-floor corridor, he was completely unsurprised to find it had been breached. "Fluffy" was snoozing peacefully, the devil's snare was completely shriveled, the keys were in disarray…
"Oh my word! Miss Granger- what has happened?"
Miss Granger was, indeed, kneeling amongst ceramic rubble strewn across a chessboard, kneeling next to an injured redhead.
"He won the game, but he's been injured, you see," Hermione said in a quivering voice. "Harry went ahead; there was only enough potion for one of us to get past the fire."
"Minerva, take them to the infirmary," Severus said.
'But what about-"
"I will protect Potter."
Minerva sighed. "Very well." She waved her wand, and Weasley's body lifted gently into the air. The boy shook his head slightly, as though dazed, and then squinted at Severus.
"If Snape is here, then who is in there?" he said groggily.
Severus wasted no time responding. He downed the contents of his potions bottle and dashed through the flame that guarded the last room.
There, Severus Snape was met with a grotesque sight.
Professor Quirrel stood at the center of the room, next to the Mirror of Erised. His turban had been removed, and looking out of the back of his head – seeming to stretch and strain at the tight skin of Quirrel's scalp- was the familiar face of the Dark Lord, Voldemort.
"Severus, my trusted servant," Voldemort said. "Perhaps you can solve this riddle. A certain artefact was guarded here, inside the mirror which shows what we desire, but it seems to be missing."
"My Lord," Severus said, kneeling, "I believe I know the answer."
Severus reached slowly for his wand. "If I may-"
Voldemort nodded, so Severus drew his wand, and incanted, "accio philosopher's stone."
There was a slight shimmer in the air, and the stone seemed to materialize, finding its way to Severus's hand. He heard Harry cry out, "No!" from where he stood, invisible, near the door.
"Not so fast, child!" Voldemort said, and the doors shut behind him, blocking Harry in. "Can you believe it, Quirrel? The child took it from the mirror under our very noses. His invisibility charm must be very powerful, indeed."
"I saw no sign of unusual power from the boy all year," Quirrel replied.
Severus did not reply- he only prayed that Harry stayed hidden long enough for him to finish his task.
Severus knelt and held up the stone. "Here it is, my Lord."
"No!" Harry cried again, and he became visible as he dropped the cloak. Voldemort, however, disregarded the boy entirely- his unnatural eyes gleamed in the torchlight as he stared at his prize.
"Excellent. Quirrel! take the stone."
"At once, my Lord," Quirrel said. He spun around and reached out, snatching the precious object from Severus's hand.
As soon as he touched the stone, Quirrel's hand began to burn. His and the Dark Lord's screams blended into a horrible cachophany. Quirrel dropped the stone, but his arm, shoulder, torso, head- his entire body continued to smolder. Soon, nothing was left of the unnatural duo but a pile of dust.
For a time, a heavy silence filled the air. Then Harry spoke.
"S- Snape," Harry gasped. "What…"
"Harry!" Severus's façade crumbled, and he rushed to the child. "Are you injured? Did he hurt you at all?"
Severus reached out to pull Harry into his arms, but Harry pulled away, out of Severus's reach. His green eyes were wide with fear.
"You knelt to him. You called him my Lord. You gave him the stone!" Harry said accusingly.
"And the stone destroyed him, as Dumbledore knew it would," Severus said calmly. He dropped his wand and held his hands out to show Harry that he meant no harm. "This room was a trap, designed to lure the Dark Lord to his doom. The stone is infused with your parents' blood- the same blood that protected you the night the Dark Lord attacked you at Godric's Hollow."
Harry's eyes narrowed. "How do I know I can trust you?"
Severus reached slowly into his pocket and took out the photograph.
"This is me, Lily, and James in Venice- the happiest time of my entire life," Severus said. "I loved them, Harry. I would never betray them, and even though I've been a real bastard, I would never betray you."
Harry reached out at took the photograph, studying it with hungry eyes.
At that moment, there was a banging on the door, as though someone were trying to get through.
"Harry- this is important. We need to hurry," Severus said, reaching for the stone. "Hold out your hand and repeat after me."
The door shook again, and this time it gave a little, showing just a crack of light before it sprang shut again.
Harry looked up from the photo, and his eyes went wide again as Severus picked up his wand.
"Please, trust me. Hold out your hand. "
*Bang* went the door, but still it held.
Harry held out his hand, but then drew it back again when Severus waved his wand, making a small cut.
"It's bleeding!" Harry cried.
"I'm sorry- it's for your parents. It's for them. Repeat after me- 'blood of my blood.'"
"Blo-"
*Bang*
"Hold out your hand, Harry. Say the words. 'Blood of my Blood."
"Blood of my blood," Harry repeated, stretching his hand out once more.
At that moment, the doors burst open, and Albus Dumbledore appeared just as Severus dropped the stone into Harry's hand.
Severus couldn't see what happened next. The room was flooded with light so bright he was blinded. He fell back, and a few moments later, when his vision cleared, Lily and James were standing next to the Mirror of Erised.
Lily and James, naked, confused, but very much alive, stared at the room around them as though in a daze.
Severus seemed to come to his senses first. He stood and flicked his wand, covering Lily and James with simple, white robes.
"Sev? Sev!" James cried, and then he rushed to Severus, throwing his arms around him. "Thank goodness- the Dark Lord. He's…"
And then James let go, looking around the room where the Dark Lord was nowhere to be found.
Lily blinked at the small boy who stood in front of her with a bewildered expression. "Who-"
"Mum!" Harry cried, and flung himself into her arms.
"Harry?" she said breathlessly. "But- you were a baby. How?"
"A decade has passed since that fateful night at Godric's Hollow," the authoritative voice of Albus Dumbledore flooded through the room. "Harry is a student now, here at Hogwarts."
"Harry?" James rushed to his son as well, pulling him into an embrace.
Lily, seeming to tear her eyes away from Harry with a great effort, looked up to Severus. "Sev! You are alive! I'd thought the Dark Lord killed you."
She opened her arms, and Sev rushed forward to her embrace. As Severus held Lily, warm and solid in his arms, it felt as though the crack in reality healed itself. His memories formed a single thread of continuity leading to this moment, with everything restored to its rightful place. Lily and James were, once more, by his side.
The crack in Severus's heart, which had been no less wide than reality's crack, began to mend itself, as well.
"It's ok. It's ok," he repeated. "You're alive, and I'm alive, too. Who told you that the Dark Lord killed me?"
"Guilty, as charged," Dumbledore said, his voice softer- almost penitent. "Your charm never would have worked, Lily, if you believed you could be brought back. You had to think that the secret of the stone died with you, for your sacrifice to take hold."
"Sacrifice? What sacrifice?" James said, still holding Harry in his arms.
"You knew," Lily whispered. "You knew everything, this whole time. You even gave me the book. How could I have been so stupid?"
James stood, as though to protest, but as soon as he let go of Harry, the boy sighed and swayed where he stood.
"Harry!" The adults all rushed to help the boy, but Dumbledore had the presence of mind to wave his wand, casting a simple diagnostic spell.
"The boy is exhausted," he said. "I think this conversation would be best continued in the hospital wing."