Harry Potter & the Philosopher's Stone: Take Two
by MysticSong1978
Disclaimer: I own nothing but the plot switch and any original characters I may add into the mix as I deem necessary. Everything else belongs to J.K. Rowling. Should any other literary references be used, they will be so noted at that point.
Dialogue is in double quotes ("") and Thoughts are in single quotes ('').
Original Author's Note
When HPPS2 is complete, you can expect to see HPCoS2 at some point, but no promises for when*. Once summer starts (I work in a school) I will be out of town (Buffalo, NY) and out of the country (Harry Potter tour in England and Scotland!) quite a bit of the summer. That does not mean I will not write when I can, but I cannot make any promises to regularity of posting. I do plan to write a fair bit of CoS2 before I start posting.
I hope you all like the chapter. I was going to make this one big one and wrap it up but since it has been over a month, I am going to split it into two bits instead.
Thank you for all the kind reviews and especially to: Sukera, my 200th reviewer!
Love, MysticSong1978
*HPCoS2 is finally, once again, being worked on and edited, as of January 2017!
Harry and Blaise first thought that things simply could not get worse. They had been so distracted in seeing Norbert off safely that they had left the cloak where they had dropped it when they helped Charlie get the travel box ready for flight.
Filch, the detested caretaker and his creepy cat, Mrs. Norris, were at the bottom of the stairs . . . as if they had been tipped off and were waiting for them. Harry swallowed nervously.
"Come with me," Filch intoned.
Harry and Blaise glanced at each other nervously and stepped forward to follow Filch down the hallway. He led them to the office of the Deputy Headmistress. Blaise raised an eyebrow at Harry in confusion. Why would Filch take them to see Professor McGonagall instead of their own Head of House?
Their unvoiced question was answered when they entered her office to find a distraught Neville Longbottom and a smug Millicent Bulstrode.
Filch grinned at the two boys, his demented smile growing wider as he exited the office. The door closed behind him to reveal an extremely displeased looking Professor Snape. He pointed at the remaining couch.
"Sit." His tone brooked no argument from either boy. They sat, hands together, heads down, sweat running rivulets under their suddenly ill-fitting uniforms.
Professor McGonagall began. "Tonight I found Miss Bulstrode wandering the halls. When I caught her, she gave me this story that you were coming with a dragon. I have already deducted twenty points from Slytherin for her nighttime wanderings and Professor Snape has assigned her detention. On my way back to my office I ran into Mr. Longbottom who had snuck out of Gryffindor Tower against the protests of Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley in attempt to warn you about the very thing he was doing – sneaking out at night. It would seem that you fed Miss Bulstrode this ridiculous story and Merlin only knows how you dragged Mr. Longbottom into believing it as well –"
Neville looked at Harry, horrified, and Harry tried to convey silently that he had not intended to set anyone up. Blaise too looked at Neville apologetically as he realized Neville had not been aware of the full extent of the plans to rid Hagrid of Norbert. Poor Neville had been making up a test when the final plans came together and no one had apparently filled him in. Now the poor boy thought his friends had set him up. They would have to correct that assumption as soon as possible.
Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape had seen the looks between the boys and knew that whatever the truth of the matter may be, they were certainly all guilty of something. Professor Snape was displeased to see more and more Gryffindor behaviours surface in Potter and that he had included Zabini in his extra-curricular adventure did not sit well with the dour man. He frowned at them; a look so severe it needed no words to convey his disappointment.
But words followed.
"I will be deducting 30 points from each of you as well as a shared detention with Miss Bulstrode."
Before either boy could respond, Professor McGonagall added her own mark. "Mr. Longbottom will join you three in that detention and will have twenty-five points taken from Gryffindor. I am completely ashamed of you four. We had better not catch out of bed again this year without a very good reason." Bulstrode smirked.
Professor Snape frowned. "That means, Miss Bulstrode, one that Professor McGonagall or I would consider a valid one. I believe my briefing of first years at the beginning of this school year should clarify that for you. If you have forgotten, one of the older students would be glad to reiterate it for you; I shall not be wasting my time on poor memories." He paused.
"Now get to bed, all of you."
When the unlucky students had cleared out, Professor Snape raised an eyebrow at the Deputy Headmistress. "Twenty-five points from your cub but only twenty from Bulstrode?"
The older woman sighed. "He managed to petrify Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger in his desire to escape the Tower and speak with Mr. Potter."
Professor Snape smirked. Apparently, the boy was not a complete dunderhead in all areas of magic.
Neville, Blaise, and Harry spent a restless night in their respective beds. No one knew, nor cared, what Bulstrode was feeling about this rapid turn of events. Blaise desperately hoped that Neville would believe the truth whenever the group next got together. The poor boy was so shy and sweet, it must have cost him all his nerves to go up against his friends the way he did to risk being out of bed so late in order to warn his two Slytherin friends. Who would have thought he had it in him?
They sat their classes in deep funks that week with the exception of Bulstrode who kept throwing the seven friends triumphant smirks. Harry wanted to wipe that gloating expression right off her face but Draco had advised him not to openly confront the girl; the walls had ears. Malfoy Senior was still blissfully unaware of the unlikely friendships his son had developed and Draco wished to keep it that way for as long as possible – for his safety and that of his friends.
Draco hoped that his parents would not learn through some 'well-meaning' Slytherin about the drop in the points for the Slytherin House. Gryffindor had decreased some too, and since they had routinely lost points in Potions, Slytherin and Gryffindor were now about equal, both Houses furious with the knowledge that Hufflepuff had more points.
Harry swore not to meddle in things that were none of his business in the future and strongly advised to his friends to do the same. He had had it with sneaking around and spying. Even the lure of his Father's Invisibility Cloak had lost its charm.
The seven were almost glad that exams were not far away; well, Hermione and Pansy were both bookworms already, but the other five were glad to have something else with which to occupy their thoughts. They worked late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients to complicated potions, learn charms and spells by heart, memorize the dates of the goblin rebellions; the names being impossible seeing as they all sounded the same: gibberish.
Then, about a week before exams were due to begin, Harry's new resolution not to interfere with anything was put to an unexpected test Walking back from the library on his own one afternoon, he heard somebody whimpering from a classroom up ahead. As he drew closer, he heard Quirrell's voice:
"No – no, not again, please, no –"
It sounded as though someone was threatening him. Harry moved closer.
"All right, all right," he heard Quirrell sob.
In the next second, Quirrell came hurrying out of the classroom, adjusting his turban. He was paler than Professor Snape was, and looked as though he were about to cry. He strode away, never noticing he was being watched. Harry waited until he was out of sight, and then peered into the classroom. It was empty, but a door stood ajar at the other end. Harry was halfway across the room when he remembered his vow to himself; but whom had the man been talking to? Harry was sure this had to do with the Philosopher's Stone; was there another traitor in the castle?
He went back to the library where Hermione and Pansy were testing Ron and Draco on Astronomy. At another table, Blaise and Neville were reviewing Herbology. Harry told them what he had learned.
"Bloody hell, I can't imagine who else would be helping that git!" exclaimed Ron, his ears tipped red; they clashed with his hair.
Pansy looked up at Harry. "Professor Snape hasn't indicated that he is suspicious of anyone besides Quirrell, has he, Harry?"
Harry shook his head. "Not that it would have really been his place to, even if we did find out that Quirrell was obviously up to no good."
"There's still Fluffy," Hermione said doubtfully. "How is he going to get past that beast?"
"Maybe he found a way without asking Hagrid; though Merlin knows Hagrid would let it slip without meaning to," Draco mused.
"Maybe there's a book somewhere in here, telling you how to get past Cerebus?" asked Neville.
Blaise quirked an eyebrow, a look reminiscent of his Head of House, at Neville; the expression on Blaise's face, however, did not appear to frighten the other boy as it did when Snape was leering at him in class. "What? I happen to enjoy mythology," replied Neville indignantly.
Blaise smiled and patted his friend's hand, leaning forward to whisper something in his ear that made Neville's cheeks turn pink.
Ron, oblivious as always, asked, "So, what shall we do, Harry?"
The light of adventure was kindling again in Ron's eyes, but Hermione answered before Harry could.
"Go to Dumbledore. That is what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves we'll be thrown out for sure."
"But we've got no proof!" said Harry, vehemently. "Quirrell's certainly not going to tell us who his cohort is; he covered up pretty well about the Halloween troll as near as I can tell. Whom do you think they will believe? It isn't exactly a secret that we hate him."
Hermione looked convinced but Ron did not.
"If we just poked around a little –"
"No," said Harry, flatly, "we've poked around enough and you know where it got us." He pulled a map of Saturn toward him and started studying its moons.
The following morning, notes were delivered to Harry, Blaise, Millicent and Neville. They were all the same.
Your detention will be served tonight at eleven o'clock. Meet Mr. Filch in the Entrance Hall.
Professor McGonagall
At ten minutes to eleven, the three friends headed towards the Entrance Hall from the Library. They met up with Bulstrode who looked quite put out at the whole thing; evidently, she had been trying to talk her way out of her detention but neither Snape nor McGonagall would have none of it. Thanks to her, McGonagall had docked another ten points from their house.
'Good job, idiot,' thought Harry sourly.
"Follow me," said Filch, an old battered lamp held in one hand. He seemed even more pleased than usual, which did nothing to allay Neville's anxiety. They discovered just why he was so pleased when he led them outside towards the Forbidden Forest; surely, nothing good would come of this.
Blaise, Harry, and Neville's spirits rose slightly when they realized they were veering away from the Forest and closer to Hagrid's cottage. Bulstrode simply frowned further; she regarded the sweet caretaker as a stupid, bumbling oaf that should be treated as even less than house elves.
Harry realized Filch was talking to them.
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, 'eh? Oh, yes – hard work and pain are the best teachers if you ask me . . . It is surely a pity that they let the old punishments die out . . . hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days . . . or weeks. I've got a few chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled just in case the Headmaster ever lets me use them. Right, here we are, and don't think of running off, it will be worse for you if do." He leered at them, showing crooked teeth, yellowed by age and Merlin only knows what else.
The moon was bright but clouds flitting across kept throwing them into inky blackness. As they drew closer to the Gamekeeper's hut, they heard a loud shout.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I want ter get started."
Neville's sniffling paused; if they were going to be working with Hagrid, it would not be so bad. His relief must have showed in his face because Filch said, "I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself with the oaf?" Bulstrode smirked. "Well, think again, it's into the Forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll all come out in one piece."
"Yeh've been lecturin' them, eh Filch? S'not your place. No wonder yeh were late with 'em." He gestured towards the foursome. "C'mon w'me, this will take awhile and we don't 'ave a lot of time."
Filch merely smirked in that loathsome way of his and schlepped back towards the castle.
"The forest?" squeaked Bulstrode, not sounding quite as frosty as usual. "But aren't there we-werewolves in there?"
"Yeh should 'ave thought of that before you disobeyed, Bulstrode," Hagrid said roughly, giving a wink to the other three. Perhaps he was aware of who had gotten in trouble and why and took over the detention because he would be fairer than someone else who would believe they had simply been sneaking about at night. Or, at least, they could hope he would be fairer – with the three of them at least; no sense wasting fairness on that chit Bulstrode.
"What are we going to be doing?" ventured Harry nervously.
Hagrid smiled at the young boy, but his eyes were sad. "Somethin's been killin' unicorns, Harry. We need to find out jus' what exactly."
Blaise gulped. "But what would – or could – be doing that, Hagrid? Wouldn't you have to be powerfully strong to kill a unicorn?"
Hagrid nodded sagely. "We'll be splittin' up into two groups. Neville and Millicent will come wi' me and you and Blaise and Fang can go the other way. Can yeh shoot up red warning sparks with yeh wands?"
The students nodded.
"Good. Yeh'll need to do that if you run into trouble and I'll come after yeh."
He directed Harry and Blaise down one path and set off with Neville and a rather querulous Bulstrode.
The darkened forest pushed the two boys closer together. Blaise held the lantern as he was a little taller, though the two were fairly evenly matched in size otherwise, and it cast a small but warming glow about them. Each boy wrapped their cloak around them – as much for warmth as for protection. The forest was eerily silent as if the creatures there knew that there something amongst them that was not natural.
As they rounded one bend, Blaise caught movement out of the corner of his eye and put up a hand to stop Harry. They watched in horror as some caped creature leaned over a fallen beast. Harry had never seen anything so beautiful and yet so sad. The unicorn had been a sublime, a radiant animal. Now it lay on the cold ground, legs out-stretched as if still in flight, mane and tail splayed out like silvery fingers Harry and Blaise stifled gasps as they saw the creature that had obviously taken the animal down, lean forward over it, and, begin to drink the unicorn's silvery blood in the manner of a vampire.
The boys started to back carefully away from the scene so that they could alert Hagrid when one of them stepped upon a twig. The small crack echoed loudly through the hushed woods, and the . . . thing looked up at them, face obscured, pointed fangs dripping silver.
They could not help but scream. As the creature eyed them, Harry felt his scar begin to burn with unimaginable pain. He dropped unceremoniously to the ground, hands on his forehead, writing in the dirt. Blaise dropped the lantern in his concern for Harry, casting them into unfathomable darkness.
The darkness brought panic. Blaise's heart raced in his chest, as he felt around for his small friend, ready to scoop him up and race back from whence they had come when the sound of hooves brought him to a stand still.
"Your wand," gasped Harry, pain breaking his voice, "use it for light!"
Blaise felt like smacking himself for his stupidity. He whipped out his wand instantly, casting Lumos! A soft orb of light surrounded them, and to their horror, they saw the dark creature had slid closer to them while they had been blinded. Something outside of the light from Blaise's wand had caused it to cease all movement, however, and Blaise looked up from where he was kneeling at Harry's side to see a centaur moving swiftly towards them.
The great beast stood, front hooves pawing the ground in rage, before he reared up and stamped in violent downwards arc towards the dark creature. It was gone in a flurry of skittered motion, and shortly after it was out of sight, Harry was able to sit up, drenched in sweat from his fit of agony.
Blaise helped him to his feet while the centaur examined the fallen unicorn. Without turning, he murmured, "You must leave the Forest, young Potter. It is not a safe place for you."
Blaise raised an eyebrow. "Hagrid brought us out here on detention . . . sir. Wouldn't it be dangerous for all of us, anyhow, with that thing roaming about?"
The centaur turned. "Yes," he answered, "but particularly dangerous for young Harry. Do you know, Harry, what unicorn blood is used for?"
Harry shook his head. "We only use the hair and horn in Potions."
"That is because it is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn," the centaur said in a grave voice. "They are truly pure creatures. Drinking a unicorn's blood will give you life, even if you are near death, but it will be a half life, a tortured life, for you have slain something innocent and used it for yourself."
"But who would want such a life? It seems death would be better," countered Blaise.
"Can you think of no one? No one at all to whom any life would be better than no life? Do you know what is hidden in Hogwarts at this very moment?"
"The Philosopher's Stone," murmured Harry.
"Do you know of no one who would risk the pained life from consuming the blood of an innocent if they had their sight on something that would be much more restorative?"
Harry inhaled deeply. "Do you mean that creature was Voldemort?"
Before the centaur could answer, the sound of hooves was heard again in the distance. "You two must leave this Forest now. Sit on my back and I will take you back to where it is safe."
Both boys climbed upon his broad back, feeling rather awkward. The centaur began a smooth, long-striding gait when two other centaurs came across their path.
"Firenze!" bellowed a dark haired centaur, "How dare you let yourself be used as a common horse! Siding with man!"
Firenze rose instantly into the air on his back feet, forcing the boys to grab hold tightly. "Do you know who this is? Do you know what is in our forest tonight? Harry Potter must be kept safe! You know what the constellations foretell, and yes, if it means siding with man than I shall do just that."
Firenze leapt forward suddenly, nearly knocking the boys together in a painful manner, and raced down the path back towards where Hagrid apparently was.
The centaur dropped them off gently, and leveled Hagrid with a stare. "Do not bring the students back, Hagrid, it is not safe for them, particularly for Mr. Potter. They came in close contact with what has been killing the unicorns, and it very nearly did in young Potter himself."
"Do yeh know what is here, then, Firenze?" asked Hagrid, shifting back and forth on his feet while Fang cowered behind him.
Firenze looked at each student, looked towards the sky, and said, "Mars is bright tonight."
"Yes," replied Hagrid, "I suppose it is, but do yeh know anything about what is goin' on?"
"Mars is bright tonight. Too bright, perhaps," said the centaur, before he turned and trotted back towards his companions.
Hagrid shook his head. "Ne'er and ne'er try to get anything useful from a centaur. Great beats, very noble, full o' honour, but heads in the clouds they are."
Harry was not sure what side of things Bulstrode fell on, although he could make a fair guess, and thus did not offer up any insight into the discussion he and Blaise had had with Firenze.
Hagrid pulled a large pocket watch from his vest and shook his head.
"I best be gettin' yeh back up to Hogwarts if yeh're goin' to have any sleep a'tall tonight. Mind yeh don't be getting' yerselves in trouble anytime soon."
Upon returning to their common room, Bulstrode gave them quite a disgusted look and hurried off to the girl's dorms. Blaise and Harry found Draco half-asleep on one of the divans and they gently shook him awake.
Blaise recounted their story with Harry providing further detail to what happened when he collapsed and just how awful the pain was.
Draco put a hand to his friend's face in a tender gesture of concern. "Do you want me to fetch a pain potion from Professor Snape?"
Harry shook his head. "I think I'll be fine now. The pain has receded a lot. But we need to be very careful and we need to tell Pansy, Neville, Ron and Hermione just what happened out there. I'm pretty sure that was Voldemort in the forest."
Draco winced at the dark wizard's name spoken so openly. That . . . man had cause horrific damage to Harry's family, to his life, yet he had not grown up knowing his name and thus did not fear to speak it.
"We should tell Professor Snape, too, about what happened."
Blaise nodded. "You're right, Draco. He definitely needs to know. I would not be too worried as long as you stay within Hogwarts' grounds though, Harry. My Father always said that the only person the Dark . . ." he glanced at Harry and forced the wizard's name between his lips . . . "Vol – Voldemort ever truly feared was Professor Dumbledore. As long as he is here you should be safe as houses."
Harry wore a grim expression but nodded at Blaise. "Tomorrow then, we will fill those who need to be in the know, in on what happened. For now we better get to bed."
Harry slowly got ready for slumber, stiff from the scare he had suffered in the Forbidden Forest, and did not notice what lay on his quilt until he climbed into bed.
His Invisibility Cloak with a note attached.
Just in case.
Updated 31 January 2017
