Disclaimer:
I do not own Harry Potter. Obviously...
Summary:
Ever since first year, Harry's had a problem.. He's just to darn photogenic and no matter what he seems to do there's always a photo the next day in the newspaper calling him the next merlin.
This fic is slightly Au and will get increasing Au as the story progresses.
Chapter 8 The Philosopher's Stone
Harry Potter was exhausted. The last few months at Hogwarts had been absolutely packed. Between the forbidden forest incident, quidditch, the continuing search for Nicholas Flamel, responding to his seemingly never-ending correspondence and of course studying for the final exams next week, Harry barley felt like he had enough time to sleep.
After trying to reread the same line in his transfiguration textbook for the third time he decided that he had enough for the day. He stood from the library table giving a great big yawn and stretch. Hermione who was the only one other then him still studying in the dark corner of the library looked up surprised.
"Where are you going Harry?" she asked confused. She glanced to the clock above Madam Princes desk and continued "We still have 17 minutes before closing time!" she said this with a slightly manic look in her tired eyes.
'Poor Hermione' Harry thought concernedly, taking in the bags under her eyes and her hair that was even more frizzled and messy then normal. She was probably as tired or even more so than himself and with out her Harry wasn't sure what he would have done these past few months.
Whenever Harry was drowned in correspondence, she was there to help sort through it, whenever he wasn't sure how to respond to questions or letters from papers, magazines, or important people like the minister of magic she was always there to help compose and edit his letters. Heck when he was really swamped, she even would help write many of his letters.
As if that wasn't helpful enough, she was always there updating and changing their study guides and every time Harry missed a study group for quidditch practice she was always happy to stay up late in the common room to go over everything he had missed.
She really was a life saver, even if she could go a little overboard sometimes and was still a little too bossy for some people's tastes. However, if she kept going like this she was going to burn out before the exams even begun.
Realizing that he hadn't responded yet he said, "I'm to tired to focus anymore Hermione, I think I need to go to bed." glancing over at her tired appearance he then continued "I think you need to as well."
"Oh, but Harry I can't! I've still got to reread the final three chapters and practice my spell pronunciation and that's not even to mention all th-" deciding to cut off Hermione's increasingly panic-stricken voice Harry reached over and gave her a half hug over the shoulder muffling her surprised squeak into his own shoulder.
After a few seconds he released her and looked her in the eye and spoke firmly. "Hermione Granger, I know for a fact you have already read that book a minimum of three times from cover to cover." She looked like she was going to interject but he continued "Your spell pronunciation is flawless, Flitwick said so himself, several times in fact, and I know McGonagall has already called you the brightest witch of our generation."
Embarrassed by the sudden praise but still not convinced to finish her studying for the evening Hermione tried to speak saying "B-but..." waving her hand at her many textbooks splayed across the library table as if that explained everything.
"But nothing, if anything if you keep trying to force it more, you're going to do worse from exhaustion. Relax your going to do excellent. I know it." He smiled at her reassuringly.
He could tell she wanted to give in, but being her stubborn self, she couldn't help but try to give one last excuse.
As she puffed herself up to give a lecture, Harry pulled out his now familiar trick. He reached over and gave her arm a light pinch, as he often did whenever she started to get too bossy with other classmates or lecture them too much. A reminder he had to often give her, so she didn't scare away her new friends.
At this reminder Hermione gave an embarrassed pout and finally relaxed back in her chair clearly having conceded. Happy that he had finally convinced her, he decided to celebrate with a bit of cholate he had packed in his bag. He reached in and pulled out a chocolate frog box, he carefully opened it and caught the enchanted cholate before it could escape. He broke it into two and handed Hermione the other half who smiled and bit into it. As Harry was about to bite into his own piece, he looked at the card and gasped!
It was not the face of Albus Dumbledore that surprised him but rather the words on the other side of it.
"-and his work on alchemy with his partner Nicholas Flamel."
Showing Hermione, she also quickly gasped before shooting up from the table and all but charging towards the alchemy section of the library.
"We have to stop Snape," Harry thought grimly as the golden trio approached the third-floor corridor under the invisibility cloak. After their discovery that it was likely the philosopher's stone being kept on the third floor, Hermione had rightly pointed out that Voldemort or Snape wouldn't make a move as long a Headmaster Dumbledore was around and keeping his eye on things.
Still Harry didn't know how he had made it through his final exams while half expecting Voldemort or Snape to come around any corner or snatch the stone at any time.
It wasn't until they had finished their last exam early in the morning that they learned Dumbledore had left the castle to attend important business at the ministry.
All three of them had locked eyes at that and immediately went to Professor McGonagall to warn her. Unfourtuetly, she did not believe them and forbade them from going anywhere near the corridor or telling anyone else.
Harry knew he couldn't listen though, if Snape and/or Voldemort got their hand on the stone he would come back. What did any punishment at school compare to the return of a dark lord who would likely kill them all anyway?
It was this that lead the three of them to rush to the tower in the late morning to collect the cloak and a few items and then make their way to third floor corridor under the cloak.
After arriving at the door Hermione unlocked it once again and they entered. A harp was charmed to automatically play itself in the corner and Fluffy was still sleeping. Upon them stepping into the room however the harp abruptly stopped playing and Fluffy began to wake. A trap!
Harry though was ready, he pulled out Hagrid's flute and began playing a tune. While he wasn't very good the magical properties seem to do the trick as the giant dog once again slumped down into sleep.
They quickly approached the already open trap door and after a cursory search into the darkness below Ron proved his Gryffindor courage by being the first to jump down.
The devil's snare was gross but luckily Harry kept his cool and was able to free them with summoned fire. Thank goodness Hermione had him study herbology so thoroughly.
As they entered the next room, they all gasped, hundreds, if not a thousand bronze keys with wings were flying around the room at high speeds. In front of this challenge lay several brooms. As Harry observed the many keys he saw one that was a shiny gold color.
Harry knew it would be up to him to catch the key. As he approached the broom, he opened his mouth and said "Okay I will try and catch the K-" suddenly something hard and metallic flew into his mouth and clogged his airway, collapsing to his knees in shock, Harry began to cough and wretch before spitting up a shiny gold key into his hands.
His two friends looked at him shocked before Ron spoke.
"Bloody hell Harry stop trying to swallow the damn things, you have hands!" He said much to Harry's chagrin.
The next room turned out to be a giant chess game where they all had to be pieces in the game. Ron took command as he was easily the best chess player. The game went on for a while until Ron was forced to sacrifice himself.
Hermione screamed as the black queen smashed Ron's horse and dragged him off unconscious to the side of the board. Harry had to remind her not to move so as not to make Ron's sacrifice useless.
After checkmating the opponent and one last look at the hopefully okay Ron, they continued on to the next trial.
The stench in the room was nearly unbearable, but luckily the familiar looking troll was unconscious in the corner. Hermione and Harry quickly made their way to the next door, immensely grateful not to fight the troll.
The next chamber they walked into had a simple table with multiple potion bottles and a note with a riddle. The door leading to the next chamber was covered in fire and according to the note only one potion would allow you to pass unharmed.
"Brilliant," said Hermione her eyes lighting up with joy as she read. "If there's one thing, I've learned about the wizarding world, it's that your average wizard doesn't have an ounce of logic in their entire body!"
After a few minutes she had picked out the safe bottle, but it also happened to be the smallest bottle. There would barley be enough potion for a single gulp, almost certainly not enough for the two of them.
It seems Hermione also understood the dilemma and turned to Harry with worried and even a watery look in her brown eyes.
"Go back and get Ron," Harry said firmly steeling himself despite the fear he felt bubbling from his stomach.
"Take him back out and signal the teacher's, even if they don't believe the stones under threat, they will come to get me, and they may be able to stop Snape. I'll do my best to stall him for as long as I can."
Hermione tried to say something, but her mouth worked aimlessly before she decided to throw herself at Harry in a great big crushing hug.
After Harry hugged back for a few moments she stepped back and spoke.
"You'll be okay Harry, you're a great wizard, you really are" she responded sounding more and more firm as she spoke.
"Not as good as you Hermione," Harry responded still uncomfortable with honest praise despite all of his recent found fame.
"Heh me? Books cleverness, there are more important things, friendship, bravery..." she trailed off before offering one last comment "Harry please be careful" she squeezed his forearm and then quickly turned and hurried off through the exit towards Ron and hopefully some reinforcements.
Harry turned towards the final door wreathed in fire. He looked down at the potion that would either be a deadly poison or a potion that would allow him to cross through the flames unharmed. Harry knew he trusted Hermione though and quickly swallowed down the awful tasting potion. He felt the most unusual sensation of ice slithering through his veins. After a moment he took one last breath and steeled his courage before stepping through the flames.
Dumbledore had just arrived at the ministry when he felt his ward around the final chamber trigger. It seems that Quirrell had finally made his bid for the stone. After confirming that the emergency message he had received was indeed fake, he quickly remounted his broom and began making his way back. He wasn't worried that Quirrell would get the stone, his enchantments would see to that, but he did need to make sure he caught him before he escaped.
As he continued his flight back, he suddenly felt the ward trigger again. It seems another had entered the chamber... and if his suspicions were correct, it was likely young Harry. quickly he landed his broom in a field and apparated to Hogsmeade. He had to hurry.
Harry stood in the final chamber shocked, he was locked in conjured magical chains as not Snape, but Professor Quirrell began to monologue.
"Oh, Severus does seem the type doesn't he," the now confident Professor laughed. "For who would expect P-poor P-pathetic S-stuttering professor Q-Quirrell," he mocked.
Hoping to stall for time and get some answers Harry played for time.
"But the troll," he asked confused.
"It was I who let the troll loose on Halloween as a distraction!" He said triumphantly. "I even directed it right up to the girl's bathroom so that it would kill you. A shame it was too stupid to finish the job."
"But what about the quidditch game?" he asked confused "Snape was cursing me!"
"No, I was cursing you! If it hadn't been for Snape's pathetic counter curse I would have knocked you off your broom! It would have looked like an accident and Dumbledore would have been blamed for letting a first year compete!
Continuing his monologue even without Harry's input he lectured.
I even tried to kill you with that damn Christmas tree! It would have been perfect, and I could have pinned your death on that bumbling oaf Hagrid! But you survived again!" he grunted out annoyed
"You're the one who gave Hagrid the dragon egg too!" Harry said.
"Oh yes" he smirked nastily, "I collected it when I was in Albania, I knew it would be useful some how. It proved the perfect bargaining chip to get that fool to confess the information I needed."
Hoping to keep stalling for time Harry then asked.
"I suppose you were the cloaked figure in the forest as well?"
Quirrell scowled as he spoke.
"Yes, I had to drink the unicorn's blood for my master to gain more strength. If it hadn't been for that bloody beast intervening, I would have had that unicorn's blood and killed you where you lay!"
As Harry realized the enormity of Quirrell's actions across his first year at Hogwarts he came to a sudden stunning realization.
"Wait a minute, it was your fault!" Harry shouted, much to Quirrell's confusion.
"What are you blabbering about you foolish boy?" he asked.
"The troll, the quidditch game, the tree, the dragon and the forest! None of that would have happened if it wasn't for you!"
"Your point?" He mocked with a raised eyebrow.
"The papers, the magazines, the god damn bloody pictures! all of it was your fault!"
Hermione was trying not to panic as she dragged Ron from the chess room. She tried to wake him up, but he remained stubbornly unconscious, and the big purple bruise on his head easily spoke for why he wasn't getting up.
At least he was still breathing, she assured herself as she made it to the key room. As much as she disliked flying, she knew she would have to use the broom to get up and out of the trap door with Ron. With great effort she was able to lift Ron so that he was lying over the broom handle. She mounted the broom as well and did her best to balance Ron on it as they very slowly rode the broom into the devil's snare chamber and up through the trap door.
It was only then that she realized her mistake as she came face to face with a very much awake Cerberus. Leaning forward and pushing her broom with all it's might they just barely dodged several snaps from the beast's jaws as they slammed into the unlocked doors and were sent sprawling out into the third-floor corridor.
It took Hermione a moment to gain her bearings as she painfully got up. Feeling what would definitely be some nasty bruises along her side. She quickly strode over to Ron and cast the levitation charm on him and began marching down the hall desperately looking for a teacher for help.
Still in shock from the days many revelations, Harry stood facing the mirror, frozen in place. Quirrell and as was now revealed Voldemort were forcing him to look into the mirror. Even as his scar ached, Harry couldn't look away. He had to stop Voldemort from getting the stone, nothing else mattered.
As he looked at his own terrified visage in the mirror, still half expecting to see his parents reflected back. He instead saw his doppelganger suddenly smile and reach into it's pocket. The Harry in the mirror then lifted a small beautiful red stone from out of it's pocket and with a smile then replace the stone into the same pocket. As it did so Harry felt a sudden weight in his own pocket. He had the philosopher's stone!
"What do you see!?" Quirrell thundered from behind him. "Tell me now!"
Knowing he had to lie to save the stone and remembering what Ron had seen he spoke.
"I see myself holding the quidditch and house cups and Dumbledore is shaking my hand."
Annoyed Quirrell grumbled about being useless before shoving Harry aside.
Harry suddenly free from his magical bonds fell into a heap on the stone floor. He quietly crawled away and towards the exit. He had to get out of here.
Unfortunately, he forgot that Quirrell literally had eyes in the back of his head in the from of Voldemort's horrible visage.
"He lies," Voldemort said as Harry felt his stomach twist in terror, "He has the stone, kill him! Bring me the stone!" Voldemort all but hissed.
Turning with apparent rage on his face at being deceived, Quirrell all but roared "COME HERE POTTER!"
Harry decided that probably wasn't the best of ideas and jumped to his feet and bolted for the exit but as he approached the exit door the fire suddenly grew several times in size and based on the amount of heat he felt coming off of it he knew he would not be getting out that way.
'I'm trapped' Harry thought helplessly as he turned to Quirrell who all but charged in his direction. Unable to escape and with his adrenaline spiking, Harry's flight or fight instincts triggered. Since flight was clearly out of the option he had to fight if he was going to live and keep the stone safe.
Turning suddenly on the last stair to face the approaching Quirrell, Harry charged down and leapt at him.
Tackling the unsuspecting man in the chest he managed to unbalance him, and they both fell into a heap on the floor in a wrestle. Sadly, Harry was much smaller and weaker than the fully grown man, who quickly rolled on top of Harry and reached out to choke him.
However, much to both of their shock when his hand's wrapped around Harry's throat they began to burn and blister. Quickly he let go and screamed "My hands master they burn!"
Thinking quickly and taking advantage of Quirrell's distraction he lashed out with his foot and kicked the man in the groin.
Quirrell screamed again and rolled off of Harry even as Voldemort continued to scream at Quirrell to kill the boy!
Harry rolled over and before he could even register that his touch was painful to the man, he saw the professor reach for his wand. Harry was unsure if he could reach him to stop him from casting a curse and so bolted towards the mirror, hoping to take cover behind it. As he dived behind the mirror, he saw Quirrell stand up with his wand, face twisted in rage and pain.
Pointing his wand with shaky burned hands towards the mirror, he all but screamed "Bombarda Maxima!"
Harry saw the flash of light zip from the wand and past the mirror before hitting the wall behind Harry. the whole world went white, and a loud boom filled his ears.
It was a beautiful sunny day and now that exams were over students were relaxing all across the Hogwarts grounds. Some were milling about on the lawn or dipping their feet in the lake, others were playing games or relaxing in the court yards.
One particular group of third year students were taking pictures by the fountain in one of Hogwarts many courtyards, framing it so that their friends would have the fountain and Hogwarts castle in the background.
Just as the third-year girl took a picture of her friends waving by the fountain, a loud explosion was heard across the grounds.
As the girls in the picture startled and turned around to look at where the noise had come from, bits of rock, shattered masonry and dirt filled the air as the wall a floor above and behind them disintegrated in the explosion.
The girls by the fountain quickly ducked and ran for the cover of the courtyard arcade, however the photographer kept watching in shock as a loud cracking sound was heard even as the dust cleared.
With a now giant gaping hole in wall of Hogwarts the floor inside the now exposed chamber lacked support in that direction and began to collapse and slope towards the yard.
As the shocked student watched two figures came tumbling and rolling out of the exposed hole. They were lucky that the floor sloped so low and that their fall was only a single story. The decorative bushes below also seemed to break their fall.
Harry shook his head as his vision cleared and his ears slowly stopped ringing. He quickly realized he was lying on his back outside. It took a moment for him to remember what was happening, he shifted and realized he was tangled in a very broken bush.
As he rolled over and off the bush he quickly looked around and spotted an injured Professor Quirrell, limping towards something. Looking at where he was going, he saw the philosopher's stone on the ground near the fountain. It must have been blown free out of his pocket in the explosion.
Quickly Harry stood on his shaky legs and charged at Quirrell as fast as he could. As he approached from behind, he saw Quirrell bend down and pick up the stone in his hand letting off a short exhausted maniacal laugh before he turned towards Harry.
Seeing Harry quickly approaching he flourished his wand and tried to cast a spell, but Harry made it just in time. Not even thinking of what he was doing and just desperate to stop Quirrell, Harry leapt and punched Quirrell with all the might he could muster right into the mans face.
He felt only a moment of resistance and a light burning sensation when much to his shock Quirrell's head exploded into dust and the mans body collapsed to the ground before it too began to disintegrate.
In his rush to hit Quirrell and shock at the mans sudden demise Harry missed the multiple flashes of light coming from behind the now deceased man.
As Quirrell's disintegrating body hit the ground, a dark shade flew out from his body screaming in rage. Harry still shocked, watched as it flew a short lap around the courtyard before diving right at Harry's chest. As it passed through Harry's chest, he felt the most intense pain in his scar that he had ever felt and the whole world began to spin and go dark as he collapsed to the ground.
Authors note:
Hello everyone! I hope you have all had a great week. Here comes the latest chapter and with a fun little cliffhanger at the end for your enjoyment. Don't worry in next chapter we will get our headlines, reactions and wrap up to Harry's first year at Hogwarts. I can't believe we already finished first year and now second year will be on it's way soon. Very very excited for it with lots of fun little ideas.
For those who left comments about the unicorn, don't worry just like at the ending of some Marvel movies The unicorn shall return!
Speaking of comments here's my reply to some:
Arnie1701: looks like your foresight has proven true my friend, don't worry we will get our fun headlines with our wrap up chapter next week or so.
Stevem1: yes it is funny that Draco only made Harry more popular.
Higashiyama Sayuri's Devout: Just wait my friend, as stated above our saved unicorn foal shall return, he even has a nice identifiable scar on his neck. I had considered using him in the last chapter as the main photo but I needed the centaur one for a different plot point in the future.
Thanks so much to all the lovely comments and I look forward to reading more! Don't forget to follow and favorite as well as it's that kind of support that motivates me to write more!
Still no beta or editing volunteers so I apologize for any mistakes.
Stay magical!