Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction written without expectation of monetary or material gain. The rights to the characters are retained by J. K. Rowling and Bloomsbury Books and Scholastic Press.
The Janus Order
Chapter 10
Harry sat on a hard wooden bench with his back pressed against the cold stone wall. His eyes were closed but he was listening to Dumbledore explain to Hermione how He had devised the series of enchantments and impediments to protect the philosopher's stone some months ago.
"Rumours had come to me that Voldemort and his Death Eaters would make an attempt to steal my friend Nicholas Flamel's philosopher's stone which is the only one currently in existence," Dumbledore told the wide eyed girl. "I placed it in the care of Gringott's until our preparations here were complete. An attempt was made to steal the stone from the bank the very day we removed it to here."
"Just hours after I picked it up, in fact," Hagrid added. The huge man was crouched in a corner yet his head still brushed the ceiling. He smelled of grass, earth, game, and forest; aromas that brought a nostalgic smile to Harry's face as he thought of the Flying B ranch.
"The staff and I created a series of obstacles, each one in the area of our expertise, between the third floor corridor and the chamber where the stone now rests," Dumbledore continued.
"Except you failed to mention the existence of a back way in," Professor Flitwick said a bit sharply from his place at Harry's side.
"I know, dear friends," Dumbledore replied forlornly. "I feared that amongst us was a traitor. It broke my heart to suspect any of you but, as Professor Quirrell actions have demonstrated, it was the right decision."
"I didn't even know about it, Filius," Professor McGonagall said.
Hermione saw that the transfiguration professor's words dispelled any lingering hurt feelings among her colleagues. Hermione guessed that the staff knew that the relationship between the Headmaster and Minerva McGonagall was somewhat more then strictly professional and if she didn't know either, there was no reason to feel slighted.
"What protects the stone then?" Hermione asked.
"First, Hagrid here provided a giant three headed dog to guard the entrance," Dumbledore began. "If we could have waited a few more months he would have provided something a little more interesting for us."
That brought laughter from the adults in the room although Hermione and Harry didn't see where the humour was. Hagrid laughed with the rest of them but what little skin that anyone could see on his face turned a bright pink.
"If, by chance or skill, one gets by Fluffy," Dumbledore started again.
"Excuse me, Fluffy?" Hermione interrupted.
"Well, a dog's gotta have a name, don't he?" Hagrid said.
"Then our intruder will have to navigate through a patch of Devil's snare that Professor Sprout grew at the bottom of the shaft below the trapdoor," Dumbledore continued as if he hadn't been interrupted.
Professor Sprout nodded her head in acknowledgement of her contribution to the stone's defense. She sat on a bench opposite of Harry and the charms professor. Professor McGonagall was with her.
"After that, our burglar would have to find the right key out of hundreds that Professor Flitwick has charmed to fly," the headmaster said. "Which would lead into a room where Minerva has enchanted a giant chess set that is designed to prevent anyone from crossing the room unless they defeat the defenders in a match. Beyond that Professor Snape has set up a logic puzzle with seven bottles of liquid."
"What sort of puzzle is it?" Hermione asked.
"Quite a cunning one if you ask me," Dumbledore replied. "When one steps before the table, they are trapped by walls of flame that can't be crossed using a freeze flame spell. You have to choose one of the bottles and drink it based on a riddle that Professor Snape left on the table. Some bottles contain wine, others poison. One bottle's contents will allow you to move back from where you came and the one bottle will allow you to move forward where you get to met a mountain troll, Professor Quirrell's contribution to the protections. If one is still alive, he gets into the chamber next to us where I have hid the stone in a magic mirror."
"It's a good thing to have built this room," Hermione said. "Otherwise you couldn't have followed the burglar into the chamber."
"How's that?" Professor McGonagall asked.
"Well, if only one bottle has the necessary solution to allow you to pass forward through the flames, the burglar would have drunk it before you arrived," Hermione answered. "You would be trapped in the flames unless you guessed which bottle had the solution to let you go backwards."
"Clever girl," Professor Sprout said.
"Thank you," Hermione said. "But how did you know that tonight was the night that the attempt would be made to steal the stone?"
Dumbledore chuckled mirthlessly. "I received an "urgent" owl late this morning directing me to come to the Ministry of Magic immediately on a matter of great importance. As you are aware, figures in portraits can move from painting to painting within a building. You may not know, however, with portraits of the same individual, whoever has been painted can travel from one portrait to another portrait of himself over great distances. There are some in my office that can travel nearly instantaneously to the Ministry building. It was very easy to verify that I hadn't been summoned to the Ministry so I knew that the game was afoot. I merely announced to the staff that I was leaving for London and then hid out for a few hours."
"Sir, am I wrong in thinking that all of this isn't to protect the stone but to lure Voldemort or his henchmen in?" Harry asked. "I mean, if protecting the stone was what you wanted to do, it would have been easier just to keep it on your person and hire some bodyguards. After all you are the most powerful wizard in the world according to everybody."
"Clever boy," Dumbledore laughed but quickly stopped at when Professor Snape, who was peering into the stone's chamber through a small opening in the wall, frantically waved his hand. Dumbledore took Snape's place at the spy hole as McGonagall doused the lights. Everyone stood taking care to make no noise.
Dumbledore waited a few minutes before he stepped back. He drew a large circle with his wand and the wall disappeared. The staff rushed into the room and quickly spread out in an extended crescent blocking Professor Quirrell from the doorway from which he had entered the chamber. Hagrid stepped just inside of the chamber and stretched to his full height. He stood before the exit like Gibraltar. Hermione and Harry peered into the chamber from behind him.
"Ah, Headmaster," Professor Quirrell began. "It isn't as it appears."
"It appears that you forgot your stutter, Quirrell," Snape snarled. "I tried to warn you not to fall into the clutches of the Dark Lord."
"It seems that I had a traitor of my own for all these years," said a voice from within Quirrell's turban.
"Your reign of terror is over with, Voldemort," Dumbledore said in a voice like granite. "Within these walls you choose to walk in darkness all those many years ago; perhaps it only proper that you die here."
An unearthly wail tore from Quirrell's throat but was quickly silenced as his head exploded. His lifeless body toppled limply to the ground. Like a wraith, Voldemort departed from the used up husk of his host scattering the bloody tattered remnants of the destroyed turban as he rose and expanded. Scarlet eyes burned in a waxen face that floated in cloud of gray mist.
"You were never my equal, Dumbledore," Voldemort said gravelly. "Even with this pitiful array of talent and that overgrown oaf, I tower above you. You never drew breath on the day you could defeat me."
Harry stepped around Hagrid and eluded the gamekeeper's desperate grab for him. He stopped just below the phantasm. "I, on the other hand, have drawn breath on such a day."
"Fool!" Voldemort snarled. "It is my destiny to kill you as I did your parents."
Harry stretched his arms out at shoulder level, his palms open and facing outward. "Here, I am," he said serenely.
"Harry, NO!" Dumbledore shouted.
With a loud howl of triumph, Voldemort dove into Harry's chest. As the Dark Lord plunged into him, Harry fell to his knees and crossed his arms over his chest, each hand on the opposite shoulder. Hermione screamed and everyone rushed forward only to be repulsed by an invisible barrier.
They could only watch helplessly as large lumps appeared and disappeared on Harry's body. His black hair turned completely white before their eyes yet no sound passed Harry's lips. He began to convulse, every muscle jerked. He leaped to his feet as if he were a marionette in the hands of an incompetent puppeteer. Harry's eyes burned with a crimson light as he lurched drunkenly forward.
He stopped moving when his eyes fell on Hermione. Tears were pouring down her faces as her hands were pressed against the barrier. For the longest moment, he stared at her than, wordless, Harry collapsed at her feet; blood flowing from his nose and mouth.
Hermione dropped to her knees and tenderly cradled his head. Unmindful of the blood that was staining her clothes; she lovingly pushed the hair from his face. His forehead was smooth. The jagged scar that had defined him as the Boy Who Lived was no longer there. It was as if it never had been.
Harry's eyes flicked opened. He saw Hermione's face above him. He tried to wipe the tears from her cheek but managed only the briefest of touches.
"He's gone," Harry whispered hoarsely as he attempted to smile. Then he closed his eyes.
