Chapter 4
"I really hate Halloween. It is a stupid muggle holiday anyway." Draco complained as he and Harry walked towards the great hall. They stayed at the library late while doing homework. Harry rolled his eyes "I agree with you Draco but Hogwarts is also a school for muggle-borns. They need to enjoy their time here too." The blonde scowled in distaste "Hogwarts is a wizarding school…" Harry smelled something foul coming their way. 'Vain beast…terrible stink…troll…TROLL!' the shadows whispered among themselves. Draco yelped when he was pulled into a broom closet. "Harry! What in Merlin's name are you doing?" he snapped. A finger to his mouth prevented him from saying more and he was suddenly staring at Harry's sharp emeralds. Why was he so close? He was lost for words for a second then said "Harry I didn't know you felt that way. It's creepy." Harry only raised his eyebrow incredulously then his eyes darted to the closet door, ears twitching at the sounds outside. "There is a troll right outside. You will stay quiet and do as I say." He said. Draco nodded dumbly, not used to people talking down on him in a commanding tone.
He held his breath as a loud noise came past, the troll grunting and growling while dragging its massive club. Once it had passed Harry opened the door. "Stay here. Or better yet, go find some help." He said and swiftly disappeared in the troll's direction. Draco took a moment to gather himself then sprinted towards the great hall. The sight that met him wasn't very comforting. The students hurrying out of the great hall in a panicked manner and the professors were nowhere to be seen. He growled in frustration and ran back to where the troll went.
He took a right turn only to come to an empty classroom. The frustration mounted, it was the third time he got lost. "Where is he?" a loud roar alerted him. 'The troll.' He sprinted towards where the sound came from. A right turn later he stumbled on a large pool of blood within a girl's bathroom. The troll was lying on the ground in its own blood, eyes gauged out and a large hole in its chest. But what scared him more was the sight of Harry. "Merlin!" he exclaimed. The raven now resembled a drowned cat, only he was covered in blood. Lots of blood. It was in his hair, soaked in his clothes, his very skin was painted scarlet. The blonde ran to him, frightened. "Harry! Merlin Harry, are you alright? Why are you covered in blood, where did it come from? Harry!"
Harry was staring transfixed on the puddle of blood. All the blood that he had spilled. It looked so beautiful painting the floor. Seeing Draco waving his arms at him made his eyes narrow to slits. The blood would look even better soaking that blonde hair. 'It would be lovely.' It would be appetizing. Harry shook himself out of his haze, shocked by his own train of thought.
Draco's voice helped him focus "Harry, what happened to you? Are you hurt at all? Why aren't you answering me?" Harry shook his head "I'm fine." He stated. Draco stared at him in disbelief. Harry just flicked his wand and all the blood vanished. Draco's eyes widened. He hadn't even seen him draw his wand. "The blood is not mine but the troll's. I was a bit too late to save Granger though." He added casually. It was only then Draco noticed Hermione passed out under the sinks. "Is she…?" "No. She was knocked over by the troll's club. She probably has a concussion." He nodded.
"Come on, we have to leave before the professors find us here, with a dead troll and an injured student." Harry said. The blonde nodded and followed him out. As they split to their own dorms Harry was still worried about his episode earlier. He had just blanked out when he was fighting the troll. He reveled in the feeling when he ripped its heart out and crushed it in his hand. He truly enjoyed the thrill of the kill but it went too far when he thought about killing Draco. He had always been able to control his bloodlust but his control was slowly slipping. He could feel himself slowly losing his sanity every time he spilt blood. He genuinely like Draco and he did not want to hurt him. 'Lelita, you are not to put Draco's life in jeopardy at all. You hear me?' 'Are you sure master? You know you would enjoy it.' 'No! It is an order.' Lelita wilted 'Fine. I will not lust after your boyfriend.' 'Really?' Harry asked, rolling his eyes at the tease.
"I heard that the troll was brought in by Snape. The man is a dark wizard, everyone knows that!" Justin said. The students around him mumbled in agreement. Padma rolled her eyes "You guys seem to have something out for Snape. First he puts virgin girl's hearts in his potions, and then he is a dungeon bat and now this? Could you think straight for a second?" Harry silently agreed. In fact, all the people in this room were prejudiced in one way or the other.
"I swear to you, Snape had a nasty cut on his leg. If you ask me it was the Cerberus!" his sensitive hearing caught this statement two tables down. That sounded like Granger's voice. Weasley whispered "Hermione, are you even sure that the Philosopher's Stone is in the school?" "Yes, I'm sure! And Snape is out to get it!" So those two have caught on. Well, Granger has caught on. He wouldn't expect Weasley to see a mystery if it hit him on his freckled nose.
Dumbledore was looking a bit tense today as he did the past two weeks. He was giving Quirell suspicious glances subtly. Snape looked to be wound up to, glaring at everyone more than usual. Quirell was stuttering away with Flitwick obviously trying to ignore the suspicion around him. Harry scowled, sifting through the numerous disgusting scents coming off the man. Garlic, a number of healing potions, dirt and grime and finally decay. There was something about those that did not sit well with him. He took another long whiff and caught it for the first time. A dark scent filled with malice and hatred. It was not Quirell's but belonged to something clinging on him. A parasite. His eyes met Quirell' and the man gestured down at his plate. There was a note on his own empty plate. 'Meet me in my office after dinner.' It read.
Harry entered the DADA teacher's office silently. Quirel was pacing around his desk when he found him. The man stopped his pacing to stare at him in a serious way he never saw of him. "Mr. Potter I'm sure you are wondering why you are here." Harry brought his hands behind his back "Yes I was. Am I in trouble?" Quirell shook his head "No Mr. Potter but I'm afraid there is trouble in the school." "Oh? Is it perhaps the troll incident professor?" The man nodded "Yes. There is a precious object in the school that a dark wizard is looking for. I'm sure that is the reason the troll was let into the school. I have been trying to find it so I can protect it but I cannot find any leads."
Harry became confused "Sir, if there was an important artifact in the school don't you think the headmaster would know of it and protect it himself?" Annoyance crossed Quirell's face before he covered it up. "If he knew, yes." "Are you implying that professor Dumbledore does not know of this object?" "Very good Mr. Potter, you have spotted the obvious." Quirell said. "Professor Snape has been a hindrance in my quest to find the stone. I have reason to believe he is the one looking to gain its power." Harry raised an eyebrow. "Professor Snape? If so why haven't you reported all this to the headmaster? It would go a long way to protecting the…stone. What is so important about the 'stone' anyway?"
"Dumbledore trusts Snape and would do anything to protect him!" Quirell snapped angrily, startling Harry. "And the stone is only one of the most powerful magical artifacts that can grant immortality. The Philosopher's Stone." Ah, immortality. That is why Voldemort wanted the stone. "May I ask professor? Why are you telling me all this?" The man seemed to focus back on him with a hungry look in his eyes. "I want you to help me find it, Mr. Potter. You are a very smart boy and can see things I might not be able to. If you help me find the stone you will be rewarded greatly and be hailed even more as a hero, this time a hero of something you actually remember doing."
Harry almost laughed in Quirell's face but as it was he became curious. "I might know something. The third floor corridor. It has a Cerberus in it and it was protecting a hidden door under its foot the last time I saw it. It could be that the stone is in there. Maybe if you played a soothing melody for the Cerberus so you can get past the dog you can find the stone." He informed. Quirel looked pleased "Of course, the abandoned corridor. That will be all Mr. Potter. Thank you for the input." He said and almost threw Harry out of his office slamming the door in his face. Harry smirked. "You're welcome professor." and left.
The very next day Harry was called into Dumbledore's office. There he found the old man sitting behind his desk with two chairs in front of it. The first chair was occupied by an irritated professor Snape and the other was empty, presumably for him. "Professor Dumbledore, professor Snape." He greeted them both in turn before turning to the headmaster "Is there a reason I am here?" Dumbledore smiled benignly at him. "Harry my boy. How have you been? I hope you are enjoying your time at Hogwarts." he said gesturing to the empty chair. Harry took it gratefully and sat carefully. "I love it here headmaster, Hogwarts is treating me well. I've been well too." "Good, I'm glad. Have you made any friends?" Dumbledore asked, being truly curious. 'That pathetic excuse for a wizard, stalling the intended subject. I bet he is trying to get your trust, the fool.' Harry ignored Lelita's words in favor of paying attention to the 'conversation'. "A few, yes. Headmaster I hope you did not call me here to discuss my friends." He inquired with a nervous expression. Snape still remained silent, observing the boy. The way he said that was completely well-meant without any spite or guilt, just curiosity and a good dose of nervousness.
Dumbledore sighed "Yes, you're right. There have been a few problems in the school. These incidents lately." Harry knew where this was going. "We suspect that you know who is behind all this." Harry became startled and offended "Why would you think that headmaster? I have done nothing wrong, have I?" "Of course not my boy. We are just worried for your safety." Dumbledore said calmly. Harry turned curious again. "How come?" The old man became grim. "After the defeat of Voldemort at your hand his followers have been vying for your blood and have been looking for a way to bring him back. Your safety is at risk because of the remaining death eaters. I'm afraid one of them is in the school as we speak." Harry's eyebrow rose "May I ask who?"
Snape answered with a sneer "Quirinus Quirell. And we know you have been with him for some time, what are you planning Potter?" Harry put on a shocked face "What?" Dumbledore gave Snape a reproachful look "Now, now professor Snape. Let's not jump to conclusions." He turned to Harry "Even so, yesterday you were seen going into Quirell's office. What did you discuss?" Harry twiddled his fingers anxiously, looking at nothing but his hands. "Harry?" He bit his lip "Promise you will not tell professor Quirell? Or anyone for that matter." Dumbledore smiled warmly "Of course Harry, I promise." Harry nodded. "Professor Quirell called me to talk about the troll episode. He said someone let it in to take something precious hidden in the school. He told me professor Snape was behind it all and has been blocking his efforts to get to this item so he could protect it."
The potions master looked outraged but held his tongue as Harry continued "I asked why he does not tell you headmaster and he said you trust professor Snape too much and would do anything to protect him." "For good reason Potter!" Snape snapped angrily. Harry scowled "I did not know that at the time, did I? I saw no reason to not believe him what with your reputation." Snape was about to retort scathingly when Dumbledore cut him off "Let's not fight, we need to solve this. Harry, what else did he tell you? Did he mention what this item is?" Harry nodded "Yes, he said it was the Sorcerer's Stone. He asked if I could help him find it and I told him about the third floor corridor and the Cerberus I saw there."
"You broke school rules Potter! Twenty points from Ravenclaw!" Snape said. Harry seethed, as expected "It's not like I pranced in there. The moving stair cases dumped me there and I was trapped. I got curious." Dumbledore placated them both again "Harry, is that all?" "No professor. The Cerberus seemed to be protecting something, a trapdoor. I suspect that the stone is under there somewhere. I told this to professor Quirel. I also told him how to get past the Cerberus." "And how would you know that?" Snape leered. Harry bit his tongue "Hagrid told me on one of my visits. We were discussing magical creatures at the time." Dumbledore nodded. "Then I'm afraid we are running out of time."
Harry looked incredulous "Headmaster are you implying that you really did not know all this?" Dumbledore shook his head. "I knew Harry, after all I am the one who put the stone there. I suspected that someone would want to steal it so I took it out of Gringotts where it was originally placed. I requested all the professors I trust to help me keep it safe. Professor Snape is one of them." Harry nodded. "Thank you for helping us Harry. For this you will receive a special award for services to the school." He said with a smile. Harry grinned back, elated at the news, ignoring the scathing glare Snape was throwing at him. "Thank you professor!" Dumbledore nodded and showed him out. "No, thank you Harry." No one saw the boy's face clear to one of indifference as he walked back to his dorms having set the perfect trap for Quirell. He had figured out why Quirell stank of decay and dark magic. He was currently hosting a parasite by the name of Voldemort. The dark lord was too weak to act on his own so he took a host to do the dirty work for him as he sought a way to come back among the living. Pity that boat has sailed.