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Harry Potter belongs to J K Rowlings

4 – The Forbidden Forest

The weak light of January hardly filtered between the trees, casting faint shadows on the frozen forest ground. The other students were attending the first Quidditch match since classes resumed. Their clamour was totally stifled and Harry could hear only the animals and the rustle of the wind in the branches. Harry followed the path that led to the forest depths hidden under the invisibility cloak. He reached a wide clearing from which several trails started. This time, the boy chose to follow the one that led to the right.

Harry froze when he heard hoofs beating the ground. He leaned against a tree and carefully watched the forest around him. Centaurs appeared in the distance between the trees. The horde stopped for a moment before setting off at a gallop. Harry resumed his exploration. A little further the path split into two trails. Harry wondered what direction to follow when he heard a creak above his head. He raised his head sharply and saw eight eyes looking at him. The spider that was in the tree was gigantic. It was about the size of a big dog. Harry stepped to the side and scanned the nearby trees branches. There were many other spiders, just as huge, spinning their webs. Harry went back to the first clearing and followed another path. He walked a few more minutes and stopped in a new clearing. A little further, the forest stopped on the shore of the lake. Harry had just found the perfect place. It was bright and partially sheltered by the trees and he could not be seen from the castle. He pulled off his invisibility cloak, sat on a stump and took out his textbook on curses.

The sun was setting when Harry began heading towards the castle. He had just reached the wide clearing he had crossed earlier in the day when he saw a figure walking towards him. Harry froze and made sure his cloak was covering him completely. The figure stopped in the centre of the clearing. It was Professor Quirrell. He scanned his surroundings, anguish plain on his face. Harry was thinking of retreating and leaving the clearing unnoticed when a second figure appeared from between the trees. Harry recognized Professor Snape immediately. Snape came to his colleague's level in a few strides.

"Why d...did you w...want to meet me here, Severus?" spluttered Quirrell.

"I rather our exchange stay confidential," replied Snape coldly. "After all, students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone."

"Wh...what do y...you mean?" asked Quirrell, taking a step backwards.

"You know exactly what I mean Quirinus," said Snape, stepping forward. "Have you found a way to get past this monster without being killed?"

"But, Sev... Severus, I...," mumbled Quirrell, stepping back.

"I assure you, Quirrel, you don't want me to be your enemy," replied Snape, stepping forwards, his eyes threatening.

"I d... don't understand," stammered Quirell.

He stepped back again and startle when his back touched a tree trunk.

"So this is the game you want to play. We'll meet again, soon," snorted Snape. "And I hope you'll choose your side by then."

Snape turned and left the clearing, leaving Quirrell curled up against the tree trunk. Harry had heard the entire argument. So many questions were now clashing in his mind. His thoughts were interrupted when Professor Quirrell straightened up. He left the clearing staggering.

The next morning Harry quickly ate his breakfast. He watched Hermione at the Gryffindor table. She got up and walked towards the door. Harry did the same and came to meet her.

"Harry," said Hermione. "Where were you yesterday afternoon? I looked for you in the library and you weren't at dinner either."

"Come with me," he replied. "I have something to tell you."

He dragged her towards a deserted corridor and into an empty classroom. He closed the door behind them and sat down on one of the tables. Hermione sat next to him.

"So what did you want to tell me?" she asked.

"Yesterday I went to the forest," he began.

"All afternoon? But I thought one invisibility-potion gulp lasted only a few hours."

"I don't need the potion anymore."

Harry stood up and pulled the invisibility cloak from his bag.

"I got this for Christmas," he explained. "Apparently it belonged to my father."

"What is it?" she asked.

"An invisibility cloak," he replied, putting it on his shoulders.

Hermione stared at Harry's head that floated in the air. The boy removed the cloak and sat back down on the table. Hermione took the cloak between her fingers and carefully studied the fabric. Then her expression changed. She pursed her lips and looked at Harry suspiciously.

"Who gave it to you?" she asked.

"I don't know," replied Harry. "The card wasn't signed."

He pulled the card out of his bag and handed it to Hermione who grabbed it.

"Mmm... I'll go check the library," she said. "There may be a way to find out who sent it to you."

"I've already searched during the holidays," he retorted.

"And?"

Harry pulled a notebook from his bag, opened it on the page and handed it to Hermione.

"All these spells are supposed to find the sender or to find where a letter or a package comes from," he explained.

"Did they work?" she asked.

"No, the person who sent me the package must have thought that I could use these spells to find him. He cast other spells on the package to prevent them from working."

"So you've already "used it well", your cloak? said Hermione, handing Harry the card and the notebook.

Harry then told her what he saw in the forest and finished his story with the argument he had caught between the two teachers.

"The Philosopher's Stone," said Hermione thoughtfully. "Do you think that's what's ...

"Under the trap door, guarded by the Cerberus," interrupted Harry. "Yes, I think it's the Philosopher's Stone."

"And Professor Snape wants to force Professor Quirrell to get the Stone? Maybe we should warn Dumbledore?"

"No, we have no proof, and we shouldn't know about the Stone. And Dumbledore will want to know how I know about it. I don't want him to know that I've got a cloak that allows me to walk unseen in the castle, or that I was in the forest, let alone what I was doing there," he explained.

"And what were you doing?"

"I found a place where I could practise some spells."

"But I thought we were practising spells together?" pouted Hermione.

"These spells aren't in the Hogwarts curriculum," said Harry.

"Oh…"

"But you can join me next time and we can practise together."

Harry knew it was risky to reveal so much, but he trusted Hermione. He knew full well that training with someone would allow him to progress faster. He also wanted to practise duelling and he was sure Hermione could quickly become a formidable partner.

"All right," said Hermione with a grin.

"I'd like to brew that potion," said Hermione, her nose still buried in the book. "It's a basic healing potion for small wounds and bruises. I think it could come handy if we want to practice duelling. That way we won't have to go see Madam Pomfrey if we get hurt. I think I have all the ingredients."

She and Harry were sitting at one of the library tables. They were waiting for Terry and Padma to join them so they could do their homework together.

"Oh no," continued Hermione. "I don't have any armadillo bile left."

"I do," said Harry. "I'll bring it to you."

"Thanks, Harry, do you have any moon-crocus petals too?"

"No, but we saw some moon-crocus in the forest last time we went there."

"But the flowers must be picked up in the moonlight."

"We'll harvest them tonight then."

"Tonight? I don't think it's a good idea."

"Don't worry, we'll be together. I'll keep watch while you pick up the flowers."

"Okay, let's meet outside Gryffindor Tower tonight at ten."

At ten o'clock, Harry, hidden under the invisibility cloak, stopped in front of the Fat Lady's portrait. He didn't have to wait for long. The painting swung open and Hermione's head appeared in the opening.

"I'm here," said Harry, uncovering his head.

Hermione grinned and walked over to him. The boy covered them both with his cloak. They left the castle and crossed the moonlight-lit lawn that stretched out in front of the school. They went around Hagrid's hut and stopped. The forest was black and silent before them.

"The vegetation's dense in this season," whispered Hermione. "We'd be able to light our wands in a few meters without being seen."

"Let's go," said Harry.

They followed the trail and after walking about fifty meters, they slipped their wands out from under the cloak.

"Lumos," they said in unison.

The end of their wands lit up and a bright light showed them the path that lay in front of them. Shortly before reaching the clearing, Hermione stopped abruptly.

"Look," she whispered.

There was a small puddle of silvery liquid on the ground.

"Do you think it could be ...," began Hermione.

"Unicorn blood," finished Harry. "There must be a wounded unicorn not far from here."

"Let's hurry up then. The beast that injured the unicorn may still be around."

They reached the moonlight-bathed clearing and extinguished their wand. The flowers covered a small patch on one side. They diffused a faint pinkish glow and seemed to vibrate under the moonlight. Hermione came out from under the cloak and squatted next to the flowers. She filled a jar of petals while Harry was keeping watch. His gaze landed on a bright white lump on the other side of the clearing.

"I'm done," she whispered.

"Look over there," he muttered, lifting the cloak to allow Hermione to slip under the fabric.

"Let's have a look."

They approached the white and shining shape. It was a unicorn. It was dead, its side deeply slashed, and many silver blood splashes littered the ground. They heard a rustle from the depths of the forest and froze. There was another rustle like the sound of a cloak trailing on the ground. Then suddenly a hooded figure crawling into the moon-light clearing. Harry tightened his grip on his wand. The figure stopped above the animal gaping wound and began to drink its blood.

Then they heard hoof beats coming from the depths of the forest. As they got closer, the figure looked up and scanned the clearing. As it looked through Harry, the boy was struck by an intense pain coming from his scar. He groaned and fell to his knees. Hermione firmly held the cloak around them and squatted at his side. An arrow whistled above their heads and struck a tree, missing the hooded figure. It turned around hurriedly and disappeared between the trees. A group of centaurs crossed the clearing at a gallop. New arrows whistled and the centaurs followed the hooded figure between the trees. One of the centaurs stayed behind and leaned over the dead unicorn. Harry and Hermione did not dare to move. The centaur sniffed and turned towards them.

"Who's there?" he asked getting closer. "I can smell you."

Hermione slipped from under the cloak and stood up. Harry did the same. Now centaur could see them. He glanced at them.

"The forest isn't safe right now, Harry Potter," he said, staring at the boy's scar. "You should both go back to the castle."

"What was this thing?" asked Harry.

"Do you know what's hidden in the school in this very moment?" said the centaur.

"The Philosopher's Stone," replied Harry.

"And do you know what it's used for?"

"It can turn the metals to gold and it can be used to brew the Elixir of Life," answered Hermione hurriedly.

"Exactly," replied the centaur. "Who, do you think, has spent years hidden in the shadows, waiting for an opportunity to regain his strength and power?"

"Voldemort," replied Harry.

"This thing was You-Know-Who?" asked Hermione.

"Or what's left of him," continued Harry.

"You should go back, I'll walk you to the edge," said the centaur.

A week had passed and Harry was unable to focus during class. The only thing he could think about was his meeting with Voldemort in the forest. He was heading distractedly towards the library when he saw Hermione walking towards him with a resolved step. She stopped in front of him with her hands on her hips.

"Harry, we need to talk," she said bossily.

"About what?" he asked.

"About what happened in the forest," she muttered.

"I…"

"You haven't been yourself since that night. Terry also noticed it."

"Ok ..." he sighed.

They left the castle and walked to the shore of the lake. They sat on a rock.

"So… ?" urged Hermione.

" I've been thinking about it for over a week now," said Harry, "I've turned the problem around, and there's something that doesn't make sense to me."

"And what's that ?"

"According to the centaur, this thing was Voldemort. I understand what he was doing there: he needs to drink unicorn blood to survive until he can get the Stone. In all the books I read, it was clearly stated that his body was destroyed the night I defeated him. Which means that this thing had to be his mind or his soul and he needs the Elixir of Life to create a new body."

"But?"

"But if he doesn't have a body, how is he going to get his hands on the Stone. And then I thought back to the argument between Snape and Quirrell."

"Do you still think Professor Snape wants to force Quirrell to steal the Stone?

"Yes, but before I thought Snape wanted the stone for himself. But now I think he wants the Stone so he can give it to Voldemort.

"I don't know, Harry..."

They watched the lake for a few moments.

"I've got a question," said Hermione finally. "That night in the forest, when You-Know-Who looked at us, you..."

"It was my scar," interrupted Harry. "It started hurting me the moment he looked our way. And that's another thing I don't understand. I spent ten years without any trouble and as soon as I got here my scar starts hurting me."

"And you think You-Know-Who would trigger the pain of your scar?"

"I ... no, that's not what I meant. Well, I don't know ... I meant here at Hogwarts, not here in the forest."

"So it's not the first time your scar hurts?" she asked.

"No, it isn't," replied Harry. "The first time was at dinner on the first day while I was watching Snape, and the second time was while I met Quirrell in a corridor. But I can't see any connection between all these situations."

"Mmh ... So your scar hurts in the presence of Professor Snape, then of Professor Quirrell, and finally of You-Know-Who."

"Hold on! No, twice in the presence of Professor Quirrell! At dinner, Quirrell was sitting next to Snape."

"So twice in the presence of Professor Quirrell. You realize it makes him our main suspect."

"Yes I know, and I can't believe it, he is afraid of his shadow."

"Exactly, that makes him the perfect victim," said Hermione.

"But of course!" exclaimed Harry. "Voldemort could very well force him, or bewitch him, or something like that."

"But we've got no proof."

"We'll find some."

"Maybe we'll find some proof in his office," said Hermione.

"Are you talking about going through his stuff in his office?" asked Harry astounded.

"Exactly."

"But it's too risky. Imagine you get caught!"

"I'll go at dinner time."

"It's a bad idea," said Harry.

"Do you have a better idea?" asked Hermione.

"No..."

"So tonight, dinner time."

"Ok, but I'm coming with you. I'll bring the cloak."

Harry and Hermione stopped at the door of the defence room. All the students were in the Great Hall for dinner. They entered the classroom and reached the door leading to Professor Quirrell's office.

"Alohomora," muttered Hermione.

There was a click and the door opened. They did not know where to start looking so they started with the desk. There must have been something that could prove that Quirrell wanted to steal the stone or that Voldemort was forcing him to do so. They had opened all the drawers in the office and were about to search the bookcase when Hermione eyed at her watch.

"Dinner's nearly over," she said.

"Did you find something?" he asked

"No nothing. You?"

"Just some notebooks where he wrote about his trip to Albania, but nothing more."

"We'd better go."

"Give me a few more minutes."

"I'm going to keep watch in the corridor," she suggested.

"All right," he replied, taking the invisibility cloak out of his pocket. "If in ten minutes I haven't found anything, I'll come to you."

Hermione grabbed the cloak and disappeared. Harry flipped through a few notebooks. He did not know how much time had passed when he heard the classroom door slam. He froze. Had Quirrell finished dinner? Where was Hermione? He quickly put away the notebooks and rushed to the office door. He stopped just before colliding with Professor Quirrell.

"Potter, what are you doing here?" he asked.

"Good evening Professor, I ... I had a question about our last essay," said Harry hastily.

"Really Potter?"

And it was then that Harry was struck by the difference in the Professor's speech.

"But you don't stutter anymore!" exclaimed Harry. "So it's you! I knew it!"

Quirrell did not answer. He just came further inside the room. He waved his hand and the door slammed shut. Harry heard the lock coming into place.

"Knew what, Potter?" asked the Professor.

"You want to steal the stone and give it to Voldemort," said Harry.

"You're far too curious, Potter, and far too smart for your own good."

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprung out of nowhere and tied up Harry.

"You'll not live long, Potter," threatened Quirrell. "My Master will be delighted when I'd kill you."

"I'll kill you before you can go back to him!" spat Harry coldly.

"Really, and how would you manage that?"

At that moment, Harry heard a whisper from behind the teacher. In an instant Quirell's sleeve caught fire. The flames rose quickly up to his arm and he screamed in pain. Harry saw the tip of a wand that floating in the air and being pointed to him.

"Finite incantatem," said Hermione's voice.

The strings that tied Harry up disappeared instantly and the boy grabbed his wand. But Quirrell had managed to extinguish the flames already. He rushed to Hermione and grabbed the invisibility cloak. It slipped and unveiled the girl who pointed her wand at the teacher. But she was not quick enough and Quirrell hit her violently with the back of his hand. Hermione collapsed to the floor.

"You'll pay for that," roared Harry. "Nervos glaciare!"

The curse hit Quirrell in the leg. He fell heavily to the ground writhing in pain. Harry pointed his wand at the teacher's throat and prepared his new curse when ...

"Tell me, Harry, where did you learn that curse?"

Harry's blood froze. The voice was cold and seemed to come from Quirrell but he had not spoken. This second of inattention on Harry's part was enough. Quirrell snapped his fingers and the boy's wand flew from his hand to his teacher's. He snapped his fingers again and Hermione's wand, which lay on the floor, flew in his hand.

"My Master asked you a question, Potter," said Quirrell. "Answer him."

"Voldemort is here?" asked Harry.

"Of course, my Master never leaves me."

"Let me talk to the boy," said the voice.

"But, Master, you're still weak..." moaned Quirrell.

"Don't contradict me, Quirinus," continued the voice.

The professor straightened and began undoing his turban with his valid arm. Harry was like petrified. The turban fell to the ground and Quirrell turned on his heels. In place of his skull, a face faced Harry. The face had red eyes and two slits instead of nostrils.

"Tell me Harry, was this the first time you cursed someone?" Voldemort asked.

But Harry was silent. He had to find a way out of this place.

"And you know Occlumency," continued Voldemort. "I'm impressed. Who taught you?"

Harry remained silent. There was a movement on the side and Harry saw Hermione regain consciousness. She straightened up and when her eyes landed on the teacher, she screamed.

"Silence!" yelled Voldemort.

Hermione snapped her mouth shut, her eyes filled with terror. Voldemort then turned his attention back to Harry.

"So you don't want to answer me. You have so much potential, Harry, and such abilities shouldn't be ruined. Join me. We'll start by securing the Philosopher's Stone and we'll get gold and eternal life out of it. I'll teach you forgotten magical skills that you won't learn anywhere else. I'll give you knowledge and we both know that knowledge is power."

"I don't want gold, and I don't need you to teach me," replied Harry.

"I'd teach you to bring your parents back. Don't you want your parents back?"

"I'm not stupid, I know it's impossible to really bring them back."

"Well, too bad for you, Harry. If you don't want to join me, you'll end up like your parents. Quirinus, kill them, and kill the Mudblood first."

"No!" yelled Harry as he rushed to the Professor.

But Quirrell waved his hand and Harry was thrown back and hit the desk. Quirrell limped to Hermione. She tried to flee but he grabbed her by the hair and she screamed. Harry ignored the pain and got up. He rushed to Quirrell and threw himself on him. The Professor let go of Hermione and grabbed Harry by the throat. The boy was struck with a sharp pain coming from his scar. Then Quirrell released his grip. The Professor cried in pain and watched his hands cover with blisters.

"Kill them," ordered Voldemort again.

Quirrell tackled Harry and they both fell to the ground. Harry tried to pull himself away and his hand touched the professor's face. Quirrell yelled when his cheek started getting covered with blisters. Hermione took advantage of that moment to grab him by the collar and separate him from Harry. The boy managed to get up and he knocked Quirrell back to the floor. He threw himself on him and covered the professor's face with his hands.

"Hermione, help me!" called Harry as Quirrell screamed and struggled.

Hermione leaned on Quirrell's shoulders trying to keep him still. The professor's face was quickly getting covered with blisters. The smell of burning flesh was spreading through the room. Harry was blinded by the pain. The only thing he could hear was Quirrell's death rattles followed by the sound of broken glass. Then silence fell and the pain went away.

Harry pulled away from the teacher and rolled on the floor. He ran his hands over his face and slowly opened his eyes. Hermione had not moved. She was still holding Quirrell to the floor or what was left of him. Where the teacher had been, there was only a charred corpse. Harry came closer and she took her eyes off the corpse.

"Harry, what have we done?" she said in a trembling voice. "We killed a professor."

"Have we managed to kill Voldemort?" He asked.

"No, he ran away," she said weakly, looking at the broken window. "He escaped through the window."

Harry stood up and looked out the window. Of course, there was no trace of Voldemort.

"Come on," said Harry, offering his hand to Hermione. "We have to leave."

She grabbed his hand and he helped her to her feet. Harry then picked up their wands that had rolled on the ground, then the Invisibility Cloak.

"What shall we do now?" asked Hermione.

But Harry did not have time to answer. The office door was blasted open and Professor Dumbledore rushed into the office.

"Mr Potter, Miss Granger, what happened here?" asked Dumbledore.

"Professor Quirrell was possessed by Voldemort and he tried to kill us," answered Harry coldly, looking down at his feet.

"He's telling the truth," added Hermione. "We know about the Philosopher's Stone and we know that Professor Quirrell was trying to steal it so that You-Know-Who could use it. But don't punish Harry, it was my idea to come to the Professor's office."

"Don't worry, there won't be any punishment," said Dumbledore. "What happened to Professor Quirrell?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," replied Harry hurriedly. "When Professor Quirrell grabbed me, his hands started to burn."

"You must believe him, Professor, Harry didn't burn him with a curse," said Hermione.

"Don't worry Miss Granger, I believe, Mr Potter," said Dumbledore softly. "And I don't think he cast any curses. Come with me now, I'll take you both to the hospital wing."

Madame Pomfrey let them leave the hospital wing the next day at noon. Hermione had already left and Harry was finishing getting dressed. He was walking towards the door when Professor Dumbledore came in.

"Ah, Harry, I see you've already recovered," he said. "I'd like to have a word with you before you join your classmates for lunch."

"Of course, Headmaster," replied Harry.

The boy went back to his bed. He took a deep breath to make sure his mind was closed and sat down. The Headmaster sat in a chair next to the bed.

"Miss Granger and you did very well last night," began Dumbledore.

"Not good enough," replied Harry. "Voldemort fled."

"You're very hard on yourself Harry. Yesterday evening, you both delayed Voldemort in his return to power."

"But that won't stop him, he'll keep looking for the Stone."

"Don't worry about the Stone, Harry. It will be moved to a place that even Voldemort won't find."

"But then he'll look for other ways to come back."

"Yes, he will. But you don't have to worry about it for now."

"And you're not going to punish us? Or denounce us to the Aurors? Even after what happened to Professor Quirrell?"

"No, Harry, I won't punish you and of course not, I won't tell the Aurors. You aren't responsible for Professor Quirrell's death."

"Professor, there's something I don't understand. When Professor Quirrell grabbed me..."

"Harry, when your mother died, she died to save your life. Voldemort has always been unable to understand love, and even more so the love of a mother willing to sacrifice herself to save her child. This love is so strong that it leaves a mark, an invisible mark but still, a mark, deep inside of you. Quirrell shared his soul with Voldemort and therefore he couldn't bear to touch you."

"Mmh, all right..."

"Yes, I know, you'd like more explanations and you'll keep thinking about what I just told you. If that weren't the case, the Sorting Hat wouldn't have put you in Ravenclaw. But, don't worry about this anymore, Harry. You're still young, you should think about having fun with your friends and studying. Lunch must be served now, I won't keep you any longer."

The following Sunday, Harry and Hermione were sitting on the edge of the lake. He had told her the conversation he had had with the Headmaster. Now they watched the clouds reflected on the surface of the lake silently.

"So you-Know-Who will come back?" said Hermione finally.

"You fought him, I think you can call him by his name now," replied Harry.

"So Voldemort will come back?"

"Yes, and next time I'll kill him. I'll be ready. He was right when he said that knowledge was power. I'll study more, practise more, and I'll be ready."

"We, Harry."

"What?"

"We'll study, we'll practise, and we'll be ready next time."

"I…"

"Oh, don't make that face, Harry! I'm not letting you face Voldemort alone. He also tried to kill me. I know very well what he thinks of people like me, and after what happened, I know he'll try to kill me again."

They remained for a moment watching the landscape in silence.

"Are you sure you want to help me defeat Voldemort?" asked Harry.

"Positive," replied Hermione. "And you won't be able to change my mind. So what's your plan?"

"The end-of-year exams are in less than a month, so for now, we study. Then we'll have a whole free week before going back home. I'll need your help to search the Restricted Section."

"What are we looking for?"

"First of all, I want to understand the whole story of my mother's sacrifice and Voldemort who can't touch me. If Dumbledore's right, I want to know how I can use that against Voldemort in the future. Then I want to know how he managed to not fully die and how he kept his soul on Earth."

"Okay, we'll do that."

"And if we can't find the answer in the Restricted Section, I'll have access to other books this summer."

"Where?" asked Hermione interested.

But Harry did not answer. He just looked at the surface of the lake.

"I know you're hiding things from me," said Hermione. "I told you that you could count on me. I won't betray your secrets."

"I know," said Harry. "I know I can trust you. That's not the problem."

"So what's the problem?"

"Have you started reading the Occlumency book I lent you?"

"So that's what worries you. Don't worry, I finished it and I started practising."

"You have to keep practising," said Harry. "And as long as you're not sure you can completely close your mind, you can't..."

"Keep eye contact for a long time," replied Hermione. "I know, you already told me."

"I know, but you have to be careful. Especially with Dumbledore and Snape."

"By the way, speaking of Snape, we still don't know what part he played in this story."

"He could have been an accomplice," said Harry.

"Or he could have wanted the Stone for himself," Hermione went on. "We don't know anything about him."

"I'll see what I can find out about him."

"Okay, but you still haven't told me how you'll have access to more books this summer."

"It's a long story."

"I've got the whole afternoon."

"I'll tell you but you have to come to visit me this summer. There is one place I'd like to show you and someone I'd like to introduce you to."