To Save the Stone

The figure turned around to reveal not Professor Snape but Professor Quirrel. He gave Harry a sadistic smile, making Harry back up a pace or two.

"Yes. Not who you were expecting," the professor asked.

"But…I thought…Snape…" Harry babbled.

"Yes…he tried everything he could to stop me," Quirrel hissed.

"Even muttering his little counter curses during the Quidditch match…I would have succeeded if his robes hadn't caught fire," he spat.

"But you see…who would ever suspect p-poor s-stuttering Professor Quirrel?" he said, adopting the lisp he'd used for so long. Harry could still feel the aching in his scar. It wasn't intense since Quirrel turned around but it was still bothersome. It was then that Harry noticed the mirror was standing not far from him. So that was where Dumbledore had put it.

"Bring the boy to me," a voice rasped. Harry looked around to find the source but no one else was there.

"Come here," Quirrel demanded. Despite his better judgment, Harry felt his legs moving forward until he was standing next to Quirrel.

"I can see it…I can see myself holding the stone…but I cannot get it," he told the boy. Harry felt a shiver run up his spine.

"I…I don't know how," Harry mumbled.

"Let me see him," the voice hissed.

"Master…you are weak still…" Quirrel protested.

"I am strong enough for this," the voice ordered. Quirrel took a step back and slowly began to unwind the fabric of the turban. The smell was even more unpleasant than usual and Harry cringed when the fabric fell away, revealing a face on the back of Quirrel's head. Something deep down in Harry knew who it was…what it was.

'Harry Potter," Voldemort spoke with a grin.

"Look in the mirror," the second head ordered of the boy. Harry could feel the pain in his head growing stronger as Voldemort looked at him. Harry slowly turned towards the mirror. He saw his reflection but unlike the other times he'd seen the mirror, his parents did not appear. Instead he saw himself holding a red colored stone. He slid it into his pocket and smiled. The real Harry felt the bulge in his pocket and did his best to hide his surprise.

"What do you see?" Quirrel asked.

"Um…I see…myself…holding the house cup. Gryffindor has won. Lots of people are cheering," Harry lied, trying to make it sound convincing. He didn't look away from the mirror so he hoped Quirrel bought his lie.

"He's lying!" Voldemort screamed, making Harry's head pulsate wildly. Harry tried to sprint towards the exit but fire sprung up, blocking his way.

"Give me the stone, Harry," Voldemort rasped out.

"Never," Harry shouted.

Far from the room, Hermione and Irlynn were supporting a semi-conscious Ron. They'd made it back to the main corridor and were on their way to the Hospital Wing. On their way they were intercepted by Professor McGonagall and Dumbledore.

"What happened?" Minerva demanded.

"Harry…he's down in a room…someone is after the stone," Hermione answered, trying to support Ron's weight.

"He told us to leave," Irlynn added, seeing the question burning in McGonagall's eyes.

"Come on. Let's get Mr. Weasley to the Hospital Wing," she said, helping the girls to support him. Dumbledore watched them go and just as he turned around, was met by Snape.

"Quirrel is after the stone," Severus hissed.

"I know that, Severus. Thank you. Let us both hope that Mr. Potter can outwit him," Albus said.

"You trust an eleven-year-old boy to defeat a grown wizard?" Snape roared.

"I have faith in him, Severus," Dumbledore replied. Snape just gave a scowl but rushed off in another direction.

Back down in the room, Harry was still trying to inch away from Quirrel. Voldemort had ordered him to get Harry. Harry stumbled over his own feet and landed hard on his wrist. He could feel it break. Quirrel bent down and wrapped a hand around Harry's throat. Harry choked, trying to get air to his lungs but it was becoming increasingly more difficult until he reached up with his good hand and pried the professor's hand away. In shock, Quirrel jumped back and watched his hand turned to dust.

"What…what is happening?" he croaked out. Harry stared in fear at what he had done. How had he done that? He didn't mean to do anything like that. He just wanted Quirrel to stop choking him.

"Harry…join me…just give me the stone and everything will be alright. Don't you want that?" Voldemort's voice asked. Harry's eyes caught sight of the mirror as his parents' images appeared.

"With the stone…we can bring back your parents," he continued.

"No!" Harry shouted, trying to get up and run for the stairs again.

"Stop him!" Voldemort roared. Reluctantly, Quirrel gave chase but Harry was ready for him this time. He caught the Professor with his good hand and pressed his hand against the man's face. Quirrel let out a pained cry as his entire body began to turn to stone. Harry took that as his cue to run for it. He heard the man's pained sobs and wails as he turned to dust. Then it all went silent except for the roar of the flames that surrounded him. Then in a sudden burst, as if a window had been opened on a windy day, a gust knocked Harry down. He opened his eyes just enough to see Voldemort's spirit flying over him and out of the room. Before Harry lost consciousness he caught sight of the stone, glittering blood red in the flames.

After making sure Hermione, Ron and Irlynn were alright, Dumbledore, accompanied by Snape, made their way down to the room. Snape quickly put out the fire and Albus rushed to Harry's side.

"He's alive," he breathed.

"I do not believe we can say the same for Quirrel," Snape sneered, pointing to the pile of dusty clothes. Harry gave a groan as Dumbledore picked him up.

"Severus, would you be so kind as to take him to the Hospital Wing?" Dumbledore asked. With a grunt and scowl, Snape took Harry's body and carried him out of the room. Dumbledore bent down and picked up the stone, sticking it in his pocket. He knew that Harry would have questions when he awoke and Albus certainly had questions of his own. Solemnly, he made his way back to his office. He knew Poppy would let him know when Harry was awake and well enough to talk. Severus arrived at the Hospital Wing and his entrance received gasps from both Hermione and Irlynn.

"Is he ok?" Irlynn begged as Snape laid Harry down on a bed.

"He will survive," Snape said, sounding unhappy about the prospect. Minerva caught his tone and gave him a disapproving look.

"You two should return to your dormitories. I believe Mr. Weasley will be joining you in the morning," Minerva said.

"Are you sure that Harry is ok? I mean he looks really pale and he's not breathing well," Irlynn pressed.

"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey will take care of him," McGonagall assured the girl. So together, Hermione and Irlynn walked away. Minerva looked to Severus and shook her head.

"IS there something you would like to say, Minerva?" h e asked.

"You didn't have to sound so upset about Harry surviving," she scolded.

"The boy was foolish…thinking he could take on a grown wizard. He barely pays attention in class. It's a wonder he knows anything," Snape drawled.

"He obviously learned something," she quipped. She looked at him and gave him a glare of her own.

"You will not take points from him or his friends. What they did tonight deserves a reward. Not punishment," she said before he could say anything more.

"I said nothing," he muttered. They stayed silent for a moment or two before she spoke again.

"Where is Quirrel?" she asked.

"No longer with us," Severus replied and walked away. Moments later, Irlynn stuck her head back through the doorway.

"Do you still need to talk to Harry and I?" she asked.

"When he is well enough," she said. Irlynn nodded and waked away again. She caught up with Hermione and they walked together.

"That was scary. I wonder what happened," Hermione breathed.

"I bet Harry will tell us when he wakes up," Irlynn said. Hermione just nodded her head in agreement.

"I could sleep for a day," Irlynn yawned. They parted at the Ravenclaw Tower entrance and both girls promptly collapsed in bed.

High above them, Dumbledore stood before a dying fire. He'd just had a discussion with a close friend, Nicholas Flammel.

"I wish it could have ended differently," Albus mumbled as he set the stone on his desk. With a flourish of his wand, the stone smashed into thousands of grain sized pieces. She swept them up and tossed them in the fire. Nicolas would certainly have to get his affairs in order in the next few months but it was safer if the stone was no longer in existence. It would deter Voldemort from regaining what he had lost. But for now, Harry, and the Wizarding World, would be safe again.