So, here is the last chapter for Year One. I'm working on a summer chapter and the beginning of Year two. Shouldn't take too long to update.
I would like to address some concerns about what is and is not canon in this story. First, this is fanfiction and canon deviation is generally expected. Second, there's some concern that it's too much in canon. I am going to be straying more as I go along. I'm being cautious at this point to make sure to avoid plot holes and I'd really like to avoid butchering this. I greatly appreciate the input and wonderful support. You guys are fantastic.
"Professor Dumbledore isn't here."
Harry stared at Percy Weasley in stunned disbelief. They'd been grateful to run into a prefect on their way to Dumbledore's office, though they would have preferred that it hadn't been Percy. But Percy's announcement had made their disappointment even greater.
"Where is he?" Ron asked his brother impatiently.
"He received an urgent message from the ministry," Percy said pompously. "The headmaster is a very important man. He left for London and will likely return tomorrow. What do you need?" he asked, looking the first years over expectantly.
"Er- Nothing," Ron replied, eager to get away from Prefect Percy.
"Do stay out of trouble," Percy sighed.
"Stupid Percy," Ron muttered once they were far enough away. "What do we do now?"
"We stop Snape, or whoever," Harry said glancing at Draco. "We've got to move fast."
Blaise groaned but followed the group as they reached through the halls and up stairs to the third floor. They halted when they found the door to the forbidden corridor was ajar. They could see a harp resting silently on the floor. Fluffy was awake and pacing agitatedly, his huge paws thudding on the floor.
"Someone used the harp to get past Fluffy," Hermione whispered. "I don't know a spell to make the harp play, so how do we get through?"
They exchanged anxious looks. They had learned a lot of spells, but none that would help them against a three-headed dog.
"Draco sings," Harry said suddenly.
"I do not!" Draco squeaked, his face flushing.
"Yes you do," Harry retorted. "You sing to yourself all the time. It's nice," Harry assured him, feeling bad for embarrassing the blond.
"That should work," Hermione said with a nod, unconcerned about Draco's discomfort.
"Wait," Blaise said. "What's the plan here? You can't just run in there."
"We don't have a choice," Harry insisted. "Someone already has a headstart. Voldemort can't be allowed to get the Sorcerer's Stone. We can't let that happen." He sighed and thought quickly. "Blaise, I want you to go get help. Draco, after you put Fluffy to sleep, you help Blaise."
"I'm not leaving you," Draco stated incredulously. How could Harry want to take Ron and Hermione but leave Draco behind?
Harry sighed, his expression pained. "Draco, your father will be furious when he finds out you're involved," Harry said quietly. "You can help by getting the professors back here to help us. Please," he added softly. Draco's expression broke Harry's heart, but he was relieved when Draco nodded.
The pushed the door further open, wincing as Fluffy growled viciously. Draco hesitated for only a moment before he began singing a lullaby, his voice soft and sweet. Fluffy's eyelids drooped and he stretched out on the floor, his three mouths opening wide to yawn.
Harry pulled open the trapdoor and sat down to slide through the opening. He bit his lip as Draco's voice trembled for a moment. Harry took a deep breath and dropped through the hole and onto something that wasn't as hard as he'd expected.
Hermione and Ron followed, relieved that the drop wasn't too far. The relief was short lived as vines began to wrap themselves around the three students. They'd fallen right into Devil's Snare.
Hermione freed them from the plant by conjuring bluebell flames. The plant shrank away from the warmth and light, allowing the students to hurry to the only door in the room.
They rushed through and found themselves in a chamber with a very high ceiling and strange creatures flying around above them. Resting against one wall, was a broomstick.
"They're keys," Harry said, squinting upward. "Keys with wings."
"So... we need to catch one to get through the door?" Hermione suggested, eyeing the broom warily.
"I can do that," Harry said, striding toward the broom.
"Look for one that's old fashioned," Ron said helpfully. "Probably silver like the handle."
After a few moments of looking, Harry spotted a key matching Ron's description. One of its wings was bent from being caught and jammed into a keyhole.
Harry mounted the broom and took off after the key as it struggled to fly. The other keys seemed to become more aggressive, pelting toward Harry and making it difficult to see.
Harry managed to snatch the silver key out of the air and swooped low to throw it at Ron. Ron caught the key and shoved it through the door's keyhole before twisting the knob and throwing the door open. He rushed into the next room and Hermione followed hastily.
Ron held the door open, ready to slam it closed after Harry. The other demented keys were chasing after Harry, their wings fluttering madly.
Harry leaned forward on the broom, urging it to go faster. He sped through the door and heard the loud thud of Ron slamming the door. Harry landed and tossed the broom aside, panting slightly. He glanced around the room, freezing at the sight of what seemed to be a giant chess board.
"We've got to play across the room," Ron said, hid gaze sweeping the board calculatingly. He briskly directed Harry and Hermione to replace to of the black chess pieces before selecting a knight for himself.
Harry watched and listened as Ron gave orders to the moving chess pieces. It was brutal. Pieces were smashed to bits by the other side before being sent off the board. Ron was careful to keep Harry and Hermione from getting crushed. Harry had learned to play from Ron but Harry was terrible at chess.
Harry felt as if his stomach had such to his feet when he realized what the set up of the board indicated. Their chance of winning the game rested with Ron sacrificing himself.
"No," Harry said, panic filling his mind.
"I've got to," Ron said, knowing that Harry understood what would happen. "The white queen will take me, and then you're free to get the king."
"There's got to be another way!" Hermione cried frantically.
"There's no time! Harry's got to get to the stone before Snape does," Ron insisted. "This is how we've got to do it."
Ron made his move and then waited anxiously as the white queen slid toward him. It stopped and lifted its arms and bashed Ron on the head with the hilt if its sword. Ron crumbled to the ground.
Harry shouted to stop Hermione from leaving the square she occupied. Harry took a deep breath and moved across four squares diagonally. "Checkmate," he said clearly. The white king tossed his crown at Harry's feet. They'd won.
Hermione rushed over to Ron's side. She looked him over anxiously. "He's breathing," she sighed in relief. "We should keep going. Blaise and Draco will send someone in."
The next room contained a troll, but it was lying unconscious on the ground. Someone had clearly already taken care of it. It was a good thing too. It was a bit bigger than they last troll they'd encountered and the stench was truly wretched.
Harry and Hermione hurried through the next door. Black flames erupted before them, blocking the way forward. Purple flames sprang up behind them, preventing them from going back. "And we're trapped," Harry sighed.
In front of them sat a table with seven potion bottles in varying shapes and sizes. Next to the potions was a sheet of parchment. Hermione eyed the row of potions before picking up the parchment. Harry pressed close to read the parchment with her.
Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind.
Two of us would help you, whichever you would find.
One among us seven will let you move ahead.
Another will transport the drinker back instead.
Two among our number hold only nettle wine.
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose unless you wish to stay here forevermore.
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf not giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
"What?" Harry asked blankly.
"It's a puzzle," Hermione said, a relieved smile lighting up her face. "Everything we need to know is right here."
She read over the paper several times. Then she started muttering to herself as she walked up and down the line of bottles, pointing at them. After a few moments, she turned to Harry. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire."
Harry nodded, picking up the bottle. "There's only enough for one of us," he murmured. "Which one will take you back through the purple fire?"
Hermione pointed to a rounded bottle toward the right side.
"You drink that one," Harry said. "Go back to Ron and hopefully the professors will get their quickly."
Hermione hugged Harry tightly. "Be careful Harry," she said softly, her throat tight with emotion. She drank from the round bottle, shuddering at the icy coldness of it, and then walked right through the purple flames.
Harry drank from the small bottle and then walked straight for the black flames. When he stepped through to the next room, he froze in shock. There was Professor Quirrell in his purple turban. "You!" Harry gasped.
"I wondered if I'd be seeing you here, Potter," Quirrell said calmly.
"We thought Snape-"
Quirrell laughed. "Well, with Severus swooping around like an over-grown bat, who would suspect me?" he chuckled.
"But, he tried to kill me!" Harry argued, his brain struggling to comprehend what was happening.
"No, that was me," Quirrell corrected with a cruel smile. "Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over when she was rushing to set fire to Snape. She broke my eye contact. I would have succeeded before she could get there if Snape hadn't been muttering a countercurse to save you."
Harry instantly felt guilty. Snape had been protecting Harry. Harry wished that he'd listened to Draco about that.
"No matter," Quirrell went on dismissively. "I'll simply kill you tonight. His efforts were wasted." He snapped his fingers and ropes popped of thin Harry to wrap themselves around Harry. "Now you wait while I examine this mirror."
It was the Mirror of Erised. This was wear the mirror was relocated to? Surely that meant that it was helping to guard the stone.
"I see the Stone... I'm giving it to my master..." Quirrell murmured, eyeing the mirror. "But where is it? Is it inside the mirror? Should I break it?"
Harry's mind was racing. What he wanted more than anything was to find the stone before Quirrell did. So, if he looked into the mirror, he should be able to see himself finding it. Surely that was it.
"How does it work? Help me Master!" Quirrell cried out.
"Use the boy."
Harry shuddered at the high cold voice that seemed to come from Quirrell himself. He swallowed hard when Quirrell whirled around to face him.
"Come here Potter," Quirrell commanded. He clapped his hands together, making the ropes fall away from Harry. "Come look in the mirror and tell me what you see."
Harry approached the mirror, Quirrell keeping close behind him. Harry looked at his own reflection, staring back at him with wide frightened eyes. And then the reflection smirked and reached into its pocket. It pulled out a blood-red stone, winked and put the Stone back into its pocket. Harry felt something drop into his real pocket. He had gotten the Stone!
"What do you see?" Quirrell demanded.
"I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore. I've won the house cup," Harry lied swiftly.
"Get out of the way," Quirrell snarled, pushing Harry aside.
Harry gladly moved out of the way, wondering if he should try to run. And then that strange, cold voice returned. "He lies."
"Come back here and tell the truth!" Quirrell shouted at Harry.
"Let me speak to him," the voice said.
Quirrell reached up and unwrapped his turban, and turned away from Harry. Protruding from the back of his head was a second face that was chalky white. It had red eyes and two slits for a nose, like a snake.
"Harry Potter," the voice said.
Harry felt sick. This was Voldemort.
"So now you see what I've become," Voldemort said, his red eyes staring directly at Harry. "Reduced to a shadow of my former self. Faithful Quirrell has been drinking unicorn blood to sustain me. But I can't obtain a new body without an elixir produced from a certain Stone. A Stone which conveniently lies in your pocket."
Harry winced. So much for slipping the stone past Quirrell.
"Why don't you just hand over the stone?" Voldemort went on. "Better save your own life and join me. Otherwise you'll meet the same end as your parents. They died begging for their lives."
"Liar!" Harry snapped furiously.
Voldemort let out a high, wheezing laugh that made Harry's skin crawl. "Bravery," Voldemort sneered. "Fine. Yes, you're parents were brave. Your father fought bravely before he died. But your mother- She didn't have to die. She was only protecting you. Hand over the stone and join me, so her death will not be in vain."
"Never!" Harry shouted.
"Seize him!" Voldemort screamed.
Harry bolted for the black flames. He was nearly there when Quirrell caught hold of his wrist. There was a burning pain in Harry's forehead and he struggled to free himself. Quirrell released him, gasping in pain as his hand began to blister.
"Seize him you fool!" Voldemort shrieked again.
Quirrell knocked Harry down, pinning him down and wrapping his hands around Harry's throat. Harry pulled at Quirrell's hands, gasping in shock when Quirrrell howled in pain. Harry could see that his hands looked red and raw.
"My hands," Quirrell groaned, backing away from Harry. "I can't keep hold of him."
"Then just kill him!" Voldemort screamed furiously.
Harry's widened with understanding. For whatever reason, Quirrell couldn't bare to touch Harry's skin. He lurched to his feet and rushed at Quirrell to grab his face. When Quirrell jerked back, Harry seized his arm and held on.
Harry felt like his head was going to split in two. But he knew he couldn't let go. He held on while Quirrell thrashed and screamed. Harry's vision began fading and he thought he could hear someone screaming his name as his world went dark.
Harry groaned and opened his eyes. He jumped a little when he found Dumbledore leaning over him. "Professor!" he gasped. "Quirrell's got the stone. You've got-"
"Calm yourself Harry," Dumbledore said, "or Madam Pomfrey is going to kick me out."
"What happened?" Harry asked. "I was trying to keep Quirrell from getting the stone. "
"I'm aware," Dumbledore nodded. "Quirrell did not manage to get the stone from you. I got back to the school and encountered Minerva who let me know that you'd sent your friends out for help. I arrived just in time to pull him off of you. I feared I might be too late."
"You nearly were. I couldn't have kept him off the stone much longer," Harry said.
"Not for the stone, for you," Dumbledore corrected. "The effort involved nearly killed you. For a moment, I thought it had. I'm so very glad that you're alright. As for the stone, it has been destroyed."
"But, your friend- Nicholas Flamel... He'll die."
"He and his wife have enough elixir to set their affairs in order," Dumbledore said. "Then yes, they will die. They agree that it's for the best."
Harry nodded thoughtfully. "Sir, why could Quirrell touch me?" he asked.
"Your mother died to save you," Dumbledore said softly. "Voldemort doesn't understand love. A love as powerful as powerful as your mother's leaves its own mark. Your mother loved you so deeply that, even though she is gone, it still gives you some protection. Quirrell, full of hated, greed and ambition, sharing his soul with Voldemort, could not touch you for this reason. It was agony for him to touch someone marked by something so good."
Harry sniffled and rubbed at his damp eyes. Dumbledore turned to inspect the piles of sweets and gifts next to the bed while Harry composed himself.
"How did I get the stone?" Harry asked once he was sure that his voice was steady.
"It was one of my more brilliant ideas," Dumbledore responded, his expression delighted. "Only someone who wanted to find the stone- find it, but not use it- would be able to get it."
Harry smiled. "Very clever," he said.
"I certainly thought so," Dumbledore agreed.
Before Harry could ask any more questions, the doors to the hospital wing burst open. McGonagall rushed into the room followed by Remus. In the next moment, Harry was engulfed in a hug with his two guardians.
"Thank Merlin," Remus muttered, cupping Harry's face and kissing his forehead.
"You gave us quite a scare," McGonagall said, her hands shaking slightly. "Draco Malfoy was nearly hysterical when he told me that you'd gone after the stone."
"I'm sorry I worried you," Harry said, his heart aching as he understood how much his Minnie and Moony loved him. "I love you," he said softly, hugging them both.
"We love you too Pup," Remus said wetly. "So much." Minerva nodded, stroking Harry's hair.
"Mr. Potter needs his rest," Madam Pomfrey said tersely, interrupting their moment.
"Poppy, perhaps we could allow Harry to see his friends first," Dumbledore suggested. "Just for a few moments. "Mr. Malfoy is likely to make trouble for everyone until he sees Harry for himself."
Madam Pomfrey sighed. "Five minutes," she said sternly.
A moment later Dumbledore ushered Draco, Ron, Hermine and Blaise into the infirmary. They crowded around the bed looking relieved. McGonagall and Remus backed away to give them space.
"You've been out for three days," Blaise said. "Bit rude to keep us waiting like that."
Harry smiled tiredly. "Sorry about that," he laughed.
"We were all so worried," Hermione told him.
"So what really happened?" Ron asked.
Harry gave a brief description of his encounter. His friends looked horrified when they found out what had been under Professor Quirrell's turban. Draco remained silent while the others talked, choosing to listen and watch Harry's face.
"Draco?" Harry asked uncertainly. "Are you angry with me?"
Draco smiled slightly. "You'd certainly deserve it if I was," he said. "But right now I'm just glad you're alright. You've got to stop behaving like such a Gryffindor. It's bad for your health," he said, giving Harry a pointed look.
"Thank you for going to get help," Harry said. "Because of you, Professor Dumbledore got to me in time." He glanced at Blaise to include him.
"You certainly have an admirably dedicated group of friends," Dumbledore said. "In fact, I'm so very impressed with all of you, that I'm awarding fifty points to each of you."
The students grinned at this announcement. But it faded the next moment when Madam Pomfrey chased everyone out of the infirmary.
Harry fell asleep with a contented smile on his lips.
Despite the chaos, Harry had done very well on all his exams, including potions- thanks to Draco. Ron had not faired quite as well but his grades were good and he was pleased. Hermione had the best grades of all the first years and Draco had been a close second, which irritated him to know end.
The train ride home was rather pleasant. Ron and Draco still weren't especially fond of one another, but they managed to be mostly civil for Harry's sake.
Harry was excited to spend the summer with Remus, but it would be hard to not see his friends everyday. They all agreed to write often and visit if they could.
When they were nearly back at Kings Cross Station, Draco turned to Harry with a smile. "I've got a name for you," Draco said.
"We were going to agree on a name," Ron objected with a scowl. "You don't get to decide."
"But it's really good," Draco insisted. "It's a great name for Harry."
"What is it?" Blaise asked.
"Orion," Draco answered, obviously pleased with himself.
"Like the constellation?" Blaise asked.
"Right," Draco confirmed. "You can see it from all over the world and it's one of the most recognizable constellations in the sky. It's named after Orion the hunter in Greek mythology. Some people use the Orion constellation to locate other constellations."
"Draco is a constellation as well," Hermione noted.
"It's the perfect name then," Blaise laughed. "Whenever I'm looking Draco, I know I've just got to find Harry."
This made even Ron laugh. "Fine," Ron said, shaking his head in amusement. "Orion is a good name I suppose. Better than Salazar or Godric."
Harry rolled his eyes. It figured that one of the few things Draco and Ron agreed on would be in naming Harry like the family pet. But it wasn't so bad. He liked the meaning of the name. And Draco looked rather pleased with himself.
As the train pulled into the station, Draco turned and hugged Harry tightly. "I might not be able to do this once we get off the train," Draco murmured. "Father wouldn't approve of such a thing."
Harry didn't like to see the cool composure that Draco adopted as he stepped off the train, but he understood. The Malfoy heir had a reputation and an image of poise to uphold.
Even Blaise seemed to change once they got off the train. The teasing banter and ready smiles disappeared like vapor.
Blaise and Draco stopped to face Harry before approaching their families. "Enjoy your summer Potter," Blaise said coolly, shaking Harry hand politely.
"Try to stay out of trouble," Draco added, his expression neutral. And then he winked at Harry, a playful smile tugging at his lips.
"See you later Malfoy. Zabini." Harry nodded in farewell, doing his best to look serious and respectful. He could see Draco's parents watching them from a short distance away.
Harry said goodbye to Ron and Hermione and then turned to find Remus waiting for him. He hurried forward and hugged Remus tightly. "I missed you," Harry said, smiling brightly.
"Me too," Remus said with a happy sigh. It was hard to believe that Harry was done with his first year. It was hard to see his boy grow up, but Remus intended to savor every moment of it.
