Hey I'm back! Thanks for the Reviews!

As promised, surprisingly fast, the next part of the Stone Battle. In it, Harry gets her chance to shine, if only for a minute, a HUGE infodump, an unexpected meeting, and the moment you've been waiting for, which'll be in depth next chap.

That said,

As Always,

Enjoy!

(TNPS)

Professor Minerva McGonagall had been seated at her desk for the past twenty minutes, debating on what to do. When Harry, Nanoha and their friends had come demanding to speak to Dumbledore, she had tried to keep them away since Dumbledore had other things to do besides look after students.

Then Nanoha Takamachi, who had struck McGonagall as rather laid back, unless you pissed her off of course as some found out the hard way, had demanded that McGonagall call the Headmaster back. Then Harry had dropped a real bomb by mentioning the Philosopher's Stone. Still, McGonagall was very confident in the Stone's protections, and had tried to reassure them when Nanoha had delivered the proverbial coup de grâce with that code.

TVB CODE: Echo Two Niner Gamma Charlie Yankee One Zero Delta. A code given to Minerva by Dumbledore just in case, it was basically a 'drop everything assist me' code. One only used by the Bodyguards of the Vampire Royal Family.

Needless to say, it had thrown the Transfiguration professor for a loop. How does one so young even know of that code? Must less able to use it? But Nanoha had spoken with such conviction, such honestly, that McGonagall was certain that the eleven year old did have the authority.

It also certainly explained Nanoha's and Fate's behavior and skills. McGonagall nodded to herself. Yes, she was better off actually listening to her students for a change. Opening a drawer of her desk she brought out a small, rectangular silver framed hand mirror that James, Sirius, Remus, and Peter had made for the Order. "Albus Dumbledore," she ordered. White smoke swirled, before revealing the old face of the Headmaster. "Albus, you need to return immediately."

"Minerva, I've only just arrived at the Ministry. Surely whatever is happening..."

"Harry and Nanoha and their friends came to me to tell me of a threat to the Philosopher's Stone," McGonagall interrupted, "Nanoha specifically asked that I call you back."

"Now Minerva," Dumbledore said gently, "Surely the protections..."

"She used the code Albus," McGonagall nearly shouted, "She slammed her hand on my desk, denting it I might add, and said 'TVB CODE: Echo. Two. Niner. Gamma. Charlie. Yankee. One. Zero. Delta'," McGonagall finished, emphasising each word of the code.

Albus was shocked for the first time in years. "You are certain," he asked hesitantly.

McGonagall's eyes narrowed in irritation. "I know what I heard, Albus," she said harshly. "Nanoha, and her sister Fate apparently, are bloody BODYGUARDS for Vampire ROYALTY," McGonagall practically screamed, "I know of only one bodyguard that's completely human, and that was from five years ago during the Hunters' attempted assassination."

"The White Devil," Dumbledore breathed in awe, "the most dangerous of them all. If that's the case then Fate would be the recently revealed Speed Demon. That certainly explains a few things," he said thoughtfully.

"Yes, and you had best get that bloody arse of yours back here, before we have a bloody bloodbath on our hands."

Albus nodded. "Understood, I'll inform Cornelius something has come up and will floo back immediately."

"Good," McGonagall said with a sharp nod. "I only hope Nanoha will leave something left of whoever is after the Stone."

Albus chuckled. "Don't worry so much Minerva, I am quite sure the Stone is in good hands. Besides, Nanoha does not seem the type to kill as a first resort."

(TNPS)

"I challenge you to a duel," Nanoha repeated, a hard look in her eye, "With the Philosopher's Stone as the prize."

"I see," Quirrell stated. "Terms?"

"No magic, just pure skill." Nanoha replied, "I win, you give yourselves up. You win, I'll give you the stone without fuss."

Quirrell thought for a moment, then nodded. "Very well then. But first..." With a flick of his wand, Quirrell summon Nanoha's watch, causing her to feel a momentary sting as the band tore itself from her wrist, catching the accessory in his own outstretched hand. The sting immediately subsided as her healing factor kicked in.

"What was that for," Nanoha demanded, rubbing her wrist to disguise that it had healed.

Quirrell smirked. "So you can't use it to increase your strength of course."

Nanoha's eyes widened. Did they really think...

"Oh yes," Quirrell said playfully, mistaking Nanoha's surprise as confirmation, putting his wand in his pocket to twirl the watch in his figures, looking it over, "I saw you use it during your first Quidditch match just before you hit that bludger into the box; excellent shot by the way," he praised, "had nearly everyone fooled that you actually missed. I also saw you use it in every match since then, and just five minutes ago when you fought my troll.

"An artifact that gives one such strength," he held the electronic up to his eye appreciatively, "would be much more use to my Master."

"Excellent, my servant," Voldemorte hissed appreciatively.

The sound of Nanoha giggling as she realised they did indeed think what she thought they were thinking(A.N. I think) broke the two out of their triumph.

"What is so funny," Voldemorte demanded.

"You are," Nanoha laughed, closing her eyes, "that watch was not to give me power." Her eyes snapped open, dark amethyst pools blazing as if with inner fire. "It was to take it away."

Hemp burst in all directions as Nanoha snapped the ropes like so much wet tissue and leaped at Quirrell, drawing her blade from the depths of her hood and bringing it down on his head in an overhead lunge all in one smooth motion.

Quirrell reflexively drew his rapier, bracing the blade with both hands.

CLANG! The sound of metal striking metal echoed loudly throughout the chamber, Quirrell being forced to the ground by Nanoha's blow.

Before Quirrell could recover Nanoha jumped back to where Harry was standing and snapped her friend's bonds with a quick tug.

"Do not interfere Harry," Nanoha ordered. She then turned to look at Quirrell, who was just getting back to his feet.

Quirrell was in shock as he saw her sword, which was still in its scabbard: It was three feet long from tip to pommel. The scabbard was a stark white except for a small break where his sword had bit through, with two pink straps wrapped in an X shape around the circular, two inch wide gold crossguard preventing the blade from being drawn. Between the straps on the scabbard just below the guard was a pink star. The six inch long handle was wrapped in white leather, and quilted with pink thread, but in the shape of five pointed stars rather than the usual squares. The pommel was a thin, quarter inch wide piece of gold that was topped with a star shaped ruby.

What caught his eye was the swirling nimbus of pink light that shown through the cut in the scabbard.

Nanoha meanwhile, was staring at Quirrell's own blade in anger. It was a simple rapier with a thin three foot blade, and a simple bell guard and bottle pommel, but what drew her ire was the color of the blade: a deep, blackish red, the color of dried blood.

With her sword's scabbard damaged, and the sight of Quirrell's own blade, Nanoha flicked her wrist, making the straps tear apart as the scabbard flew off, revealing a brilliant iridescent pink blade that seemed to glow with inner light.

"That's a Vampire sword," Quirrell observed in dull shock.

"Yes," Nanoha spat with more venom than anyone present had ever heard, "And you are a HUNTER."

The three could practically hear the curse on the last word. "I was," Quirrell admitted, "Until they ordered us to kill the Royals."

Nanoha's anger softened at that, hearing the truth in his words. "I know what they did," she said harshly, "I was there. That's where I got this," she held up her sword, "Where I was forced to take up a fallen weapon to defend my friends."

Quirrell's eyebrows rose. "And you're fully human?"

Nanoha nodded curtly.

Quirrell winced, and for the first time, he felt fear.

"What is it," Voldemorte hissed.

"Master," Quirrell said hesitantly, "I was a Vampire Hunter before you found me."

"I know," Voldemorte rasped exasperated, "Get to the point."

"My point is," Quirrell elaborated, "Vampire Blades are bonded only to the wielder, and only Vampires; or at least, it was assumed so. Five years ago, the Hunters led an assault on the Royal Family stronghold in Japan. Five hundred went in and took the vampires by surprise. Just as victory was assured, a little human girl took up a fallen sword, and fighting with speed and strength on par with the oldest of vampires completely slaughtered them. She went on to guard the youngest princess and joined with the Takamachi Guild, and is single handedly responsible for each of their successes over the last five years. A girl said to wield a pink blade and garbbed like a schoolgirl."

Obligingly, Nanoha unbuttoned her coat and took it off, revealing on outfit reminiscent of her elementary uniform: it was a white dress that hung down to the middle of her knees, with a pink one inch thick line three inches from the hem. She also wore a thick white sailor jacket with pink trim and a red bow, with a pink pocket on the right breast. It was only Quirrell's sharp eye that discerned that the fabric was a little too thick, indicating a hidden breastplate.

"The White Devil," Quirrell breathed.

Nanoha nodded, "Indeed, though since you truly were not a part of the Coup, the only anger I bear is for what you are attempting at this moment." She quirked an eyebrow. "I do not suppose you would care to surrender?"

Quirrell shook his head. "You have your job, I have mine. Besides," he grinned, "I always wondered how I would fair against the Wielder of the Pink Blade."

Nanoha nodded. "In that case, Quirinus Quirrell," her left wrist snapped out to her side, and her pink and white limiter flew and wrapped around it, automatically matching her strength to Quirrell's own, "On the authority invested in me as Bodyguard to the Tsukimura's, by the treaty between the King of the True Clan and the Hunters, I place you under arrest, pending the outcome of this duel.

"No magic, no Vampire Abilities save what puts us on equal footing."

"Understood, but why limit yourself," Quirrell asked warily

Nanoha smiled ruefully, "I have already had my fill of strength."

"I see," Quirrell said, bringing his rapier up in his left hand, "Let's get started then."

Nanoha nodded, bring her sword up in a guard in a right handed grip. "Yes," she clipped, "Let's."

At that, the two rushed each other, their swords clashing together with a load clang. The two clashed with strokes that Harry could barely follow, the two smoothly transitioning from horizontal strokes to vertical to lunges, each either blocked, dodged, or parried.

After awhile, Quirrell spoke as he lunged, "You're not bad."

Nanoha turned to the side, knocking the blade aside before twisting her body to strike horizontally. "Have to be to take out five hundred Hunters."

Quirrell smiled as he hastily blocked her strikes. "I have to admit, you are better than me."

"Then why are you smiling," Nanoha asked, pressing her attack.

"Because I know something you do not," he hastily replied as he desperately blocked.

"What," Nanoha asked feigning curiosity.

Quirrell smirked. "I am not left handed." Quirrell switched hands, and it was Nanoha's turn to retreat as Quirrell became faster, more precise, until Nanoha slowly began to give ground.

Limited as she was, Nanoha was barely keeping up.

"You are very good," she praised as she desperately blocked several quick slashes.

"Aught to be after thirty years." Quirrell said.

"But I know something that no one in this room knows about, though Harry at least has some idea." Nanoha said.

"What's that," Quirrell asked, twisting Nanoha's sword out of her grip and sending it into the air.

Nanoha grinned. "I." She flipped over Quirrell, "Am not," as she slid to a stop in a low crouch, her left arm snapped out, the sword falling into it. "Right-handed."

She sprang forward, and the battle was finally joined. Nanoha struck and struck, delving deeper into the flow as she struck harder and harder.

Finally, Nanoha caught his blade on her own and looped it around so that he over balanced. Automatically, she brought her sword back and started to lunge, only to look at Quirrell's face. His eyes were wide, glistening with fear. For a brief second, Nanoha saw flash of Vita's and Signum's horror struck faces at the hospital. "No!" Screaming, she immediately checked herself. Before she could recover, Quirrell stabbed his rapier into her left armpit.

The enchanted sword pierced through Nanoha's clothes, nicking her artery.

"Nanoha," Harry screamed in anger, hands balling into fists.

Tears streaming from her eyes, Nanoha collasped in pain, holding her hand to try to stem the flow of blood that was staining her white clothes as it pooled beneath her.

Quirrell stood over her, sword dripping with her blood. "Our bargain?"

Nodding, Nanoha shakingly reached into her pocket to pull out the Stone. No sooner did her hand wrap around the gem then Harry screamed "Expulso!"

The blue bolt smashed into Quirrell, knocking him away. "Idiot girl!" Quirrell spat as he took out his wand, "I was going to use the Stone to save her life!"

Harry blinked. "What do you mean," she gasped.

At that moment, Nanoha breathed her last.

"I cut her artery! She's dead now!"

Harry bent down to look at Nanoha, and saw her eyes were open, but now empty of life, her blood a pool beneath her.

Harry screamed in rage. "YOU BASTARD!" She let loose a stream of curses as fast as she could, ranging from the blue Exploding Curse to the deadly yellow Cutting Curse. Quirrell dodged and returned fire, forcing Harry to dodge as well. Despite the years of difference in age, Harry had been trained for the past year by one of the world's, and space's, greatest fighters, so the two were pretty evenly matched.

Soon though, Harry's luck ran out, a sickly yellow cutting curse slicing the side of her ankle. Harry screamed, collapsing as her Achilles tendon was cut, then was blasted back by an Expulso curse, Nanoha's body between Harry and Quirrell.

Elsewhere:

Nanoha's eyes opened, only to see only a formless, blood red field.

"Wah, where am I? How did I get here?" Nanoha's voice echoed in the formless red void.

{I would like to know as well,} a sibilant voiced hissed.

Nanoha whirled around, only to stifle a scream had the sight of an enormous pink dragon. It had to be at a hundred feet long from snout to tail, with thick, white, jagged spikes, the tallest matching Nanoha in height, the shortest being about six inches stretching down its back. A crown of nine white blunt horns of varying length adorned its horse like head, ranging from nine inches in the center to three inches on the end. It was supported on four, heavy sinewy limbs twice Nanoha's size, each ending in five tick fingers with razor sharp white claws.

It was the dragon's eyes however, that calmed Nanoha: twin, slitted pools the size of dinner plates the same color as Nanoha's eyes. Eyes filled with such kindness, that Nanoha was immediately calmed.

Remembering her manners with dragons, Nanoha placed her hands at her sides, bowing politely. {Apologies, Great One,} Nanoha replied in parseltongue, {You startled me.}

The dragon smiled, revealing rows of pointed white teeth. {Nice to know I still got it,} she said ruefully, {I am Starlight.}

Nanoha's eyebrows raised. {The Great Dragon? I own a wand with one of your heartstrings. My sister Fate owns another one. I am Takamachi Nanoha.}

{Interesting,} Starlight mused, {I gave three strings.} She blinked. {Wait, Takamachi as in Yoshika Takamachi?} she asked, using the western sequence to avoid confusion.

Nanoha blinked, mouth opening a little in surprise, not only that there was a third wand with Starlight's heartstring out there, but also remembering that her mother and Shiro were distant cousins. {My mother's great-great-great-great-great grandmother? How do you know her?}

Starlight smiled sadly. {We were friends once upon a time. She saved my life, after which I gave her my blessing to save hers.}

Nanoha became curious. {Blessing?}

Starlight nodded. {A blessing can only be done by one of the Five Great Beasts of Legend, granting a human great intelligence and power depending on which one it is. The Five Beasts are the Phoenix, Unicorn, Centaur, Sphinx, and, of course, a Dragon.

{Millennia ago, when the first humans walked the Earth, the Five Leaders of the Clans saw great potential in the humans, and so decided to test them. They each put themselves in danger, and each time, a human stepped in to save them.

{The Phoenix granted hers great charisma and healing abilities, the Unicorn great magic power, the Centaur psychic powers and hunting prowess, the Sphinx great wisdom. The Dragon, who was my father, granted increased physical strength, toughness, a healing factor, some magic, and immunity to fire.

{These Five, called the Chosen, passed down their abilities to their offspring. Though the abilities lessen with each generation, sometimes there is enough concentration that some possess greater abilities then others, which is where the great athletes, warriors, and great minds come from.}

Nanoha nodded in understanding. {So that is where my abilities come from,} she mused.

Starlight shook her head, the mage. {Actually no. I do not sense a blessing on you, but you possess power on par with a Chosen.}

{How is that possible,} Nanoha asked thoughtfully. Then, she remembered that her father had a wand made from Starlight's father's heartstring. {Wait, my father had a wand made from your father's heartstring,} she mused, looking up at Starlight, {Is it possible that the one your father blessed was his ancestor?}

Starlight nodded thoughtfully. {Indeed, that would explain a few things, since his gifts would have increased what you received from your mother.}

{She can do what,} Starlight thought for a moment thinking about what Nanoha had told her about Yoshika, {six hundred pounds?}

Nanoha nodded. {Yes, but now I have a question or two. For one thing, how am I talking to you if you are dead, and two, where am I in the first place?}

Starlight chuckled. {Both questions have basically the same answer. Where you are, is basically my heartstone, a stone forged from a dragon's blood if they so choose. It contains a dragon's essence, and we can return to it from the afterlife if we so choose. I made it so that I could be with my father and friends and still be able to return here in some form or another. Nick, who I asked to keep it safe, named it the Philosopher's Stone to hide its true origin and purpose.

{Not only can it perform the functions of the actual Philosopher's Stone, but also a third function, that has to do with why and how you are here.}

She looked gravely at Nanoha, {You see, Nanoha, the only way you could actually meet with me here, rather than just speak, is if you are dead.}

Nanoha's mouth dropped open in shock. {You must be mistaken,} she said half harshly, half crying tears streaming down her face.

Starlight smiled assuringly. {Don't worry, there's a way you can live again, but at a price.}

Nanoha looked at her. {What is it?}

{I can merge my heartstone with you. It will turn you into a Chosen, as well as giving you some extra perks, which basically amounts to where mankind got their inspiration for the succubus.}

At Nanoha's blush, wide eyed look Starlight added, {You won't need intercourse to live though you can get strength from it. It will also increase your strength beyond that of a normal Chosen, and you will be able to heal and change people's bodies, and also control and read minds.}

Nanoha winced at the last part, and resolved to never do that. {OK,} she said after a moment, {What about Flamel-san? If your heartstone is destroyed...}

{He and Perenel have already decided to bid this world goodbye,} Starlight said sadly. {It's why my Stone was given to Dumbledore in the first place.}

Starlight looked Nanoha in the eye. {My heartstone will also allow you to help the ones you care about, and will fully heal your core.}

Nanoha's eyes widened. 'At last!'

A look of determination set on her face, Nanoha nodded. {I accept. And thank you,} she said gratefully.

Starlight smiled. {Thank you, Nanoha Takamachi.} The dragon touched the middle of Nanoha's forehead with her snout. {Receive my heart, my blessing, and become my kin.}

Red engulfed Nanoha's vision, only to clear a moment later, revealing that Nanoha was back in the mirror room, and Harry having engaged Quirrell.

Immediately, Fate's worried voice rang in her skull. "Nanoha, ARE YOU THERE!"

"I'm fine, Fate," Nanoha assured her, "Can you tone it down a little? You just gave me a headache."

"You DIED, Nanoha," Fate retorted angrily, though more softly as Harry tucked into a roll, firing curses. "I would hardly call that 'fine'."

"Only for a little bit," Nanoha downplayed as Quirrell shielded himself, "Besides, that was a good thing. I got sucked into the Philosopher's Stone. Turns out, it's actually a conduit that Starlight the Dragon can use to interact with this world from the Afterlife. To make a long story short, she turned me into a succubus to bring me back. And get this, there's another wand with her heartstring."

"Meaning Alicia..." Fate thought in happiness.

"Will definitely be OK," Nanoha supplied, "I'll heal her myself as soon as we get back."

"Thank you," Fate said happily. "What's the situation?"

"Harry's fighting Quirrell, who is giving a good account of herself considering that Quirrell was a Hun..."

A sudden scream drew Nanoha's attention, before Harry went flying above her.

Unseen, Nanoha's eyes narrowed as Quirrell's wand raised.

"You fought well Potter," Voldemorte rasped praisingly, "if this is how you were like after a mere seven months of training, it would have been an honor to meet you on the battlefield.

"But," he said flippantly, "unfortunately, I do not have the luxury of leaving a potential threat fester."

"Kill them!" he ordered loudly.

"WAIT!," Harry pleaded making Quirrell pause.

"What is it," the professor asked.

"Don't I get any final words," Harry asked simply.

Quirrell and Voldemorte, blinked, and then nodded. "What do you have to say," Voldemorte rasped.

Harry looked Quirrell in the eyes. "Raging Heart, Oh Nay Guy."

Nanoha's eyes widened. "Fate, Code Pink, repeat Code Pink!"

Addressing her Device friend she said, "Raging Heart, Onegai?"

"Of course Master," the faithful Device replied, "Renew Contract?"

Nanoha smiled. "Why not? Say it with me like Bardiche did with Fate to conceal my identity. Oh, and start with Dimentional Transfer. It'll seem like I teleported in, that way."

"Afirmative. Preparing Contract Renewal. Reinitializing vocal processor."

After a moment, the Device eagerly said three words, "Standby, Ready."

Quirrell's, Voldemorte's and Harry's eyes raised when as if in response to Harry's words...

The world turned pink.

(TNPS)

Stay tuned for "Return of the White Devil"!

See ya next time!