Summary; sequel to AVLP, very much AU as it's a crossover. Hakkai, Sanzo, Goku and Gojyo, or Harry, Indigo, Neville and Ron are on their way to Hogwarts! Poor Hogwarts, you really weren't prepared for these boys, or their friends…

The Showdown

Harry woke the second that Hazel touched his bed. Not that he had been really asleep, just drifting in the pleasant warm gray space between sleeping and waking.

But it had been nice, and he frowned at the silver haired boy, right up until he noticed the worried expression. When he did he sat up and set about finding out what had happened this time. "What is it?"

"Hagrid told the guy he won Norbert off of how to get past the Cerberus, who is apparently named Fluffy."

Harry hissed and rolled off the bed, rummaging for clothes with one hand and tugging off his pyjama top with the other. "What time is it? Is anyone else up yet?"

"It's 12:45. I think I saw Neville heading towards the kitchen, but I can't be certain that it was actually him."

"It probably was, nothing keeps that boy down for long." Harry pulled on his favourite t-shirt, the deep green with 'Smile, it worries people' written on it in white and his most comfortable jeans.

"Could you-"

"Susan went after him and will take Neville to the library once she's found him. Dean has gone to give Ron and Jackie a poke." Hazel smiled brightly at Harry's startled expression. "We anticipated your orders sir. You'll be going to see Indigo now, I take it?"

"Um, yes. Why are you calling me sir?"

"Because I haven't worked out if you're a captain or a lieutenant yet," was the cheerful reply. "Off you go. I'll go and see if I can't find Hermione. And I feel I should tell you that you have very elegant shoulder blades."

"Thank you… I think…"
xxxxxxx
This time Harry didn't need to highjack anyone to get into the Slytherin dorms. He was recognized by a 2nd year who took one look at his determined expression and opened the door for him, while telling him tartly that it would save everyone a lot of trouble if he'd just get Indigo to tell him the password and stop all this nonsense. Harry had smiled politely, and pointed out that he was friends with the Weasley twins, and Slytherin may not survive if they got lose in their dorm.

The 2nd year shuddered and retracted her statement.

This time Harry didn't need to risk life and general embarrassment to wake Indigo up. The hangings were opened from the inside and Indigo, rather tousled and with dark bags under his eyes, beckoned Harry to join him on the bed.

"I sensed you from the common room. You woke me up." Indigo tipped his head and frowned slightly. "Hagrid did something stupid didn't he?"

"Yes. Hazel, Dean and Susan went to visit, and it turns out he is truly incapable of keeping a secret. The Cerberus can no longer be considered an effective guard."

"Damn." Indigo sighed. "I'll try a remote reading on Quirrell and Dumbledore. Sit still and be quiet."
Harry did so. Indigo took the lotus position, rested his hands on his knees and evened out his breathing as he seemed to meditate. When he spook next his voice had a strange, singsong quality.

"They know how, the way is cleared. They move tonight, to take the Stone, to resurrect the darkling. Dumbledore will do nothing. He wishes for you to be his weapon; he leaves the fight to you." He shuddered and slumped slightly before opening his eyes. "If you go after Quirrell I can't help you. I'm still too weak to be of any use."

"Ah… Indigo, can you see the future?"

"No, I see people. I see people very, very clearly, and that is enough. Most people are very predictable when you get down to it."

"I see. I will fight, I think. I need to know more."

"See? Predictable. You'll need Ron, and I would advise taking Susan or Hermione along as well. A moment." Indigo leaned over to his chest of draws, and after a few moments rummaging produced a knife in an engraved sheave. "This will turn anything, or anyone the size of an average adult male, to ash. You can't recharge it, your power is too different from mine, so you won't be able to use it more than twice."

"You think I'm going to need to get rid of a body?"

"Yes. Just stab and the spells will kick in automatically, the closer to center of the body the faster it will kill. Need I tell you to be careful with this?"

"No."

"Well I'm doing it anyway. Stabilizing it was hard and the runes take ages to engrave. Bring it back in good shape or there will be trouble."

"Understood," said Harry, who had heard the underlying message and really did understand. "I'll do my best."

"Good. Now shoo, I need more sleep."

"I'm going. One last question though. Am I a captain or a lieutenant?"
Indigo paused in remaking his nest of bedding to give Harry a look that said loud and clear what an utterly bizarre question that was.

"That's what I thought," said Harry, nodding. "Sleep well."

"Uh-huh. Random boy."

Harry smiled, closed the hangings and left.
Xxxxxx

Most of the group who were awake and not locked up somewhere had gathered in the library. This was a larger group then expected as not only had Jackie, Ron and Neville come, but so had a rather dozy Tracy and Flare and Hannah had turned up. Susan had filled them in on the situation before Harry arrived.

"No Indigo?" asked Jackie, "He seems to have a habit of sleeping through emergency meetings."

"True. He did a remote reading, however, and I have slightly worrying news."

Neville's head hit the table with a thud. "Tha' bad guys know."

It wasn't a question, but Harry confirmed it anyway. "Yes, they do."

"Do we know when they move in?" asked Dean, rubbing his eyes. "Can we get there first and stop them?"

"We could get to the Stone first, but we'd have to knock Quirrell out and tie him up to really stop him," said Hazel "Which would be amusing, but troublesome."

"It would lead to a lot of tricky questions," said Tracy, who had been dozing with her head on Hermione's shoulder. "Then we'd have to tell them we'd done it based on the word of a pre-teen empath, which wouldn't go down well. Especially as that empath is Indigo Malfoy."

"What's wrong with Indigo?" asked Hermione, absently playing with Tracy's hair. "He's generally quite accurate, isn't he?"

"He's a Malfoy," said Tracy, shrugging slightly. "He's Lord Malfoy, to be precise. No-one trusts the heads of the Malfoy family; the assumption is they killed their relatives to get the job."

"Oh." Hermione considered this for a moment. "Did he?"

"Nah," said Flare, "His mother did it for him."

"No she didn't," said Harry, who had gotten the story from Indigo some years ago.

Flare snorted. "He wasn't stuck by lightning, Harry, the body was inside."

"And short a hand, and most of the arm it was connected to," pointed out Harry tartly. "Why do you refuse to consider the possibility that Indigo electrocuted him?"

"He was a year old Harry. I've known this boy since he was 3, okay? He makes things explode or catch fire, sometimes things float, including Miranda on one occasion. But he never played with lightning, and as such cannot have electrocuted his father."

Flare looked stubborn. Harry shook his head despairingly. "You underestimate his temper, and we have lost the plot. Why are we even talking about this?"

"Because no-one trusts Malfoys and high jacking Quirrell is not an option," said Susan. "I take it we are going after the Stone ourselves then?"

"Hiding it somewhere less obvious would be a good idea," agreed Hannah. "Dean, how do you having an extremely valuable magical artefact in your sock draw?"

"Why my sock draw?"

"Because no-one would think to look for it there! Stop rubbing your eyes, it's bad for them."

"The colours are giving me a head ache!"

"Shut them off then," said Jackie tartly.

"But-"

"Now!"

Dean blinked. "I really need to learn how to do that without someone snapping at me first."

"There's gotta be a book on it somewhere," muttered Neville, not raising his head. "Ya just gotta find it."

"Okay, before we all wander off to find these books, who is going after the funky rock?" asked Flare, pausing the drift towards the book shelves and the slide into research mode. "And at what time?"

"Susan, Ron Yuki, if she turns up and I are going. If that's alright with them," said Harry firmly. "Don't argue, Jackie, you are far too noticeable. When you vanish, people worry."

Jackie closed his mouth and glowered.

"I hate it when people do that."

"Susan, if you have something soothing in your D collection please bring it, and your player along."

"I shall. When and where?"

"10 past 9, outside Fluffy's corridor. 5 minute grace period and anyone who isn't there by ¼ past is left behind."

"Aye sir," said Susan while Ron just nodded. "Meeting over?"

"Yes. If anyone sees Yuki-"

"We know," cooed Hazel, who was headed to the shelves at high speeds. "Go and get some sleep, you used a lot of magic this morning."

"We're goin'," said Ron. "You headed back to bed Tracy?"

"No, I'm awake now. Shoo."

They shooed, but Ron had a question to ask before they parted ways. "Harry why did Sue call you sir?"

"I don't know, but I'm worried."
xxxxxxxx
9:15 Everyone was there, even Yuki, and they were all wearing dark colours and shoes they could run in.

Yuki opened the door, to show a sleeping Fluffy and a harp that was playing itself.

"We're late. Better move fast."

She and Ron hurried over and pushed Fluffy's paw of the trapdoor before pulling it open. The space below was pitch black. A whispered lumos showed a plant, and the 4 of them jumped. The harp stopped playing a few seconds later.

"Anyone know what kind of plant this is?" asked Ron.

"The kind that grabs you with big snaky tendrils," replied Susan drily. "Stay still."

They did, and had dropped through the plant layer within seconds.

"That was disquietingly easy," commented Harry, brushing a leaf off his shirt. "This way."

The next room was full of flying keys. Yuki ignored them in favour of examining the door. "Locked, and the basic spells aren't working. I expect the key is in that long somewhere. It'll be big, probably silver like the handle."

"I see one with a bent wing," said Harry, pointing. "That one. It fits the bill."

"And there are brooms, and you, Harry-boy, are a seeker," said Susan, eyes glittering darkly. "This is far too convenient."

"Bloody Dumbledore," muttered Ron, his eyes fixed on the necessary key. "He has a lot to answer for. Harry, go stand about there, would you?"

A few seconds later the key fell from the air and into Harry's waiting hands. They were through to the next room.

"Air pressure, I take it?" asked Harry idly as he viewed the giant chess set.

"Ya can't fly without it." Ron tossed him a smirk. "Yuki, come back here, it won't be that simple."
Yuki's path to the door opposite them was blocked by a sword wielding pawn. She sighed and returned to their side of the board.

"Again, this is far too easy. I'll be a bishop, Harry, you take the other, Susan, rook. Where are you headed Ron?"

"I'm gonna be a knight."

The game proceeded. Ron gave orders and everyone else did as they were told and tried to keep up. "Yuki, next move you take the king."

"You are not doing what I think you're doing!" hissed Yuki, furious

"Oh yes I am!"

Susan shut her eyes as Ron was taken by the opposing Queen. But she made no move to leave her square until after checkmate was declared. Then she bolted. "Pulse is steady, as is breathing, probably has a concussion." She sighed. "I'll take him to Madame Pomfrey. You two keep going."

"I can fix it." said Harry, moving over only to back away under Susan's glare.

"You need the power to deal with Quirrell. It's not that bad, now go!"

Harry blinked. Yuki smirked. "The Bones women, solid steel, all of them. Come on Harry."

"Yes ma'am."

xxxxxxxx

The next room contained a troll. A very big, very stinky troll that was, fortunately, dead to the world.

The room after that, however, held a table with potions on it, and when they were several feet inside the doorways were blocked by fire.

"Nice ward," said Yuki. "It looks like something Indigo would come up with. Flashy, but dangerous."

"It may be one of his designs," said Harry, handing Yuki the parchment and inspecting the potions. "This must be Professor Snape's work, and he could have swiped a ward Indigo was working on. What does nettle wine smell like?"

"I don't know. Why not just drink the tiny one, seeing as its half empty and there are no corpses?"

"I'd like to be able to get out again, wouldn't you?"

"Point taken." Yuki gazed pensively at the small bottle. "There's only enough for one person."

"Yes."

"I'll try to find a trustworthy teacher," she said, sighing. "And if I see Dumbles I'll kick him in the shins and leg it. Try not to lose any important limbs."

"I'm slightly surprised at the lack of argument," said Harry, handing her a potion. "This is a variant on the flare retardant potion."

"You have Indigo's ash knife," stated Yuki in dry tones. "I don't think you realize quite how much that means, but I do and I trust his judgment."

"So much for the Notice-Me-Not charm."

They drank their respective potions, nodded to each other and went to get on with their tasks.

xxxxxxxx

Quirrell was facing the Mirror of Erised. He was very still and his energies were shifting strangely.

Harry approached as silently as he could, planning to just stab the man in the back and be done with it, but Quirrell turned and faced him before he was in range.

"Hello Potter. Expecting someone else?"

"No, actually. You were rather obvious."

"Do tell," said Quirrell, scowling heavily.

"Well, just to start with, your stutter is inconsistent…"

Soft, hissing laughter filled the room. "Sharp boy. I will speak to him, Quirrell, face to face."

"Master, you are not strong enough…" Quirrell looked worried, and then pained.

"Obey me, you fool!"

The turban was removed, and Quirrell turned to show a snake-like, red eyed face with no nose on the back of his head.

Harry remembered those eyes.

"Hello Voldemort. I was under the impression that you were dead. Silly, isn't it?"

Voldemort smiled. It was moderately horrifying. "Brave boy, to look on me without fear. How did you end up a Ravenclaw? Gryffindor seems more the place for you."

"I will lie, cheat, steal and destroy things for really good books. And I will sell my soul for an internet connection, I miss Google dammit!"

"Strange child. Come closer Potter, let me see you better."

Harry moved closer, only just out of range now. The two faces thing was unexpected, and could prove extremely troublesome. Fortunately Voldemort seemed more then a little amused by the 'crazy and fearless Ravenclaw' act.

"You look rather like your mother, you know. She was brave as well, never once begged for her life. I respected that. It was a shame to kill her."

"Then why did you do it?"

"A prophecy, child. One of us must die for the other to live."

"You believe in prophecy?" asked Harry, moving a little closer.

"We are chained by it."

"You should watch Star Wars sometime," commented Harry, getting balanced and wrapping his fingers around the handle of the knife. "You may find it, interesting."

He lunged. The blade slid easily between ribs, and struck in, or near, Quirrell's heart.

Voldemort looked surprised, and Quirrell made a noise of intense pain. He stumbled forwards, the knife still in his back, and hit the mirror hard enough to break it. Ashes seemed to be falling from his mouth. "It's destroying his internal organs. Turning them to ash and dust." Voldemort sounded oddly calm. "You're a heartless thing, to use that."

"I prefer practical, thank you."

The hissing laugh came once more. "I rather like you, and I would like to meet the maker of this weapon. It's singularly horrible. There will be nothing left but dust soon."

"That's kind of the point." Harry tipped his head slightly. "You're very calm for someone whose about to die, again. What's your secret?"

"Work it out, ice cold little raven. I'll be seeing you."

The head became a handful of ash, and the blade hit the ground with a sharp clang. But Voldemort's chi did not fade, and Harry backed off slightly.

Black mist shot up from the ash, formed into Voldemort's face and rushed at Harry.

Instincts demanded that a force field be raised, and Voldemort swerved away from the energy wall and departed. His laughter trailed behind him eerily.

Harry shuddered, grabbed the ash knife, glanced once into the broken Mirror of Erised, and fled.

It wasn't until later, when he had returned to the Ravenclaw dorms, that Harry noticed the blood red stone in this pocket, which he knew he hadn't put there and which practically sung with power.
Harry hid the Philosophers Stone in a pair of his socks, and put them back in the draw with all the rest of his underwear.

xxxxxxxxxx

In Gryffindor tower Dean screamed in pain and clutched his head as blood slid from his eyes. After a few moments of this Fred and George carried him the Hospital Wing.

In Slytherin's dungeons Marcus Flint did the same for Indigo, as the blond made tiny noises of agony and curled up in such a way that the small streams of blood coming from his ears formed tiny red rivers across his cheeks.

xxxxxxxxx

Albus Dumbledore reached the Mirror of Erised 30 minutes after the alarm on the Potions room announced that Harry had just left it.

There had been three broomsticks outside Fluffy's corridor and he had seen no children on the way here. Presumably the trio Harry had taken with him had used them to escape, unthinking of how Harry was to follow them. Perhaps they planned to return for him with a teacher.

But the mirror was broken, there was a pile of ash at its base and Harry was nowhere to be seen.

Dumbledore scowled. Harry must have broken the mirror to prevent Voldemort from retrieving the stone. Retrieving it may not be possible any longer. Damn, why could the boy not do as he was meant to?

"One way or the other, Harry Potter, you will do as I wish. I think a summer with the Dursleys will be suitable punishment for your taking my immortality from me."

This decided he went to arrange it.

Next time: Tying Threads and Going Home