A/N I do not own Harry Potter.

So this will somewhat be a short chapter for now. I might come back and reconstruct it like I did chapter 2, but for now let's call this a "filler" So now I can start working on chapter four which will be a full chapter on the summer fun at Malfoy Manor

Enjoy!

Chapter 3

Recruitment

Harry was too glad all the Holidays were over. He never wants to spend another moment alone in the castle. He was happy when the rest of Slytherin came back from their break and everyone had started classes again. Harry sat in the back in Transfiguration in the two weeks preceding the summer break, getting ready to take the end-of-year exams.

He had his elbow rested on the desk and his chin rested in the palm of his hand. Already finished with his exam, he pulled his blank parchment closer and pulled his quill out of the ink bottle and wrote a short note, then crumbled it up into a ball and tossed it down, effectively hitting the cinnamon haired girl in the back of the head.

She turned and arched a brow when Harry motioned for her to look down. She averted her eyes to the ground and saw what hit her, picking it up gingerly she turned back around to the front and opened it:

Granger,

I need to speak to you in regards to 'fluffy' meet me outside on the bridge after class. I have new information.

Harry

After class was over, the two did indeed meet up on the grounds

"What is this all about Potter?" she asked indignantly

Harry walked with her silently for a while, only after he knew they were clearly out of earshot from anyone, he told her everything Theo told him about Nicholas Flamel

"So…so maybe that's what Fluffy is guarding up on the third floor!"

"I came to the same conclusion. I can see why anyone would want it. Professor Snape was wounded that day, with the troll…"

"Snape? Hmm… Maybe he tried to get past Fluffy!" Hermione concluded as they both turned to head back up to the castle

"I was thinking the same. I know he is my head of house but… something is a bit off with him. I think we ought to go-"

"What! Us! No, no. It's against the rules!" Hermione said, terrified of the thought

"Well I don't see how anyone else-"

"No!"

"Fine, we'll do it your way. We will tell Dumbledore. Come on."

Harry grasped Hermione's arm, drug her through the grounds, and up into the castle, all the way up to Dumbledore's office before Hermione could smack his hand away.

"Potter, Granger, what are you two doing up here?" Professor McGonagall halted as she had been coming down the stairs to the Headmaster's office

"Professor, we need to speak to Professor Dumbledore quickly!" Harry said breathlessly.

McGonagall arched a brow "I'm sorry Potter. Dumbledore has just left on ministry business. He will not be returning to the castle for a while." She eyed them both, wondering what a Gryffindor and a Slytherin are doing together

"He's gone?" Harry sighed heavily

"What in the world would be more important to Dumbledore than the business he has with the ministry Potter?" McGonagall said annoyance in her voice

"Look Professor-." Hermione began "It's about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

The papers and books the Professor was holding slipped out of her hands, as she had not attempted to pick them up, her eyes widened

"H-how d-do you know about that?" She spluttered

"I- know someone is going to try and steal it Professor, we need to talk to Dumbledore! "

"Potter, Granger, listen to me well. No one can steal it, it is safe underneath this school, and the teachers and I are protecting it. Now unless one of us goes down there, it cannot be stolen. Now out."

Hermione and Harry couldn't argue with a teacher so defeated as they were, they made for the entrance hall

"Oi what are you doing with him Mione?" Ron walked up to them, glaring at Harry

"I can see whom I like Ronald." She replied dismally

"But-"

"Granger, let's go visit Hagrid" Harry interjected

To Harry's dismay, Ron followed them down to the hut bordering the Forbidden Forest.

"Hagrid!"

"Oi Harry! How 're yeh?"

"Hagrid, I wondered… You have a good relationship with creatures?"

"O' Course Harry. Just a while back, I won me a dragon's egg! From a sorta shadowy man. O' Norbert" Hagrid sniffed

"Well what was said?" Harry asked impatiently

"He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I looked after… So I told him…. An' I said After Fluffy; a Dragon would be easy…"

"And did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm and devoid of emotions, as per Slytherin standards

""Well- yeah- how many three headed dog d'yeh meet? So I told 'em, Fluffy's a piece of cake, if yeh know how to calm him. Jus play em a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

Hagrid's eyes widened and glazed over

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that" He blurted "Forget I said it- Oi where're yeh goin'?"

Harry and Hermione ran, followed closely by a very lost Ronald.

"He knows how to get in. I have to go tonight."

"Alright Harry, Alright! However, I am going too. I'll meet you in the third floor girl's lavatory at ten past nine." Hermione agreed, now completely out of breath and leaning her hands on her knees breathing heavily.

"What are you two on about?" Came Ron's breathless inquiry

Hermione spun around, forgetting he was with them for a moment

"We're going back to Fluffy." She replied "Tonight."

"You two are mental!" was his answer

"I know Ronald but the stone must not be stolen!" Hermione gasped

"Stone?" Ron shook his head

"Oh come on, I'll tell you in the commons. Harry, remember third floor, ten past nine."

Then she and the red head disappeared over the hill, leaving Harry alone with his thoughts.

~ ~ oo ~ ~

At eight fifty-eight, Harry dawned his cloak and crept put of the dorms and out into the corridor beyond the snake and sword portrait hiding the Slytherin house. A creak came from behind him, he turned quickly to see Daphne Greengrass standing behind him

"Daphne what are you doing out of bed?" Harry whispered urgently

"I want to go with you. Please" she begged

"Fine here under the cloak"

She slipped under his cloak and together the two of them walked up to the third floor. Harry had filled her in on what he was doing and whom he was going to be meeting when they get to where they are going. She nodded in response

"Then you're going to need me. If the teachers are the ones guarding it, then they will have plenty of spells protecting it."

They took the swinging stairs up to the third floor and halted immediately. A dull light shined on the wall near them, Harry shoved Daphne against the wall then flattened himself beside her.

"Who's there?" Came a voice

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

Harry rolled his eyes, as if he was actually going to say 'Hey we're right here, put us in detention', Harry covered his mouth to hide his deep breaths when the person that the detached voice owned came into sight and was inching forward towards Harry.

As the prefect came closer, Daphne followed Harry as he sidestepped, pressed hard against the wall, and crept ever so slowly away from the person and the light. Harry and Daphne tore down the corridor as soon as he was far enough away and smacked into something hard

"Oi"

"Weasley?" Harry whispered, "What in the world are you doing here?" He demanded

Ron looked surprised, looking around the corridor for the detached voice. Harry snorted then removed the hood of his invisibility cloak.

"What!" he half whispered half yelled, that's an invisibility cloak," he said excitedly, forgetting for a moment that he and Harry were not friends

"Where did you-"

"My father…" Harry said softly

As if Ron just realized whom he was talking to, He immediately stiffed his shoulders and contorted his face with disgust. "I'm going down there with you. I'm not leaving Hermione's life in the hands of two bloody Slytherin," Ron snapped angrily, noticing the blonde standing beside Harry.

"Fine, get in." Harry shoved Ron into the girl's lavatory and walked in himself. A sense of relief washed over him as he came around the corner and the cinnamon bushy haired girl turned and smiled, though it was instantly removed from her face when she saw who else was there

"Ronald, you're not supposed to be here," she said indignantly

"I'm not leaving you alone with a Slytherin," Ron snapped, looking away in anger

"Shh there is a Prefect on this floor." Harry shushed

"Right, who are you?" She pointed at the blonde-haired girl

"Oh, this is Daphne Greengrass. She's coming with us." Harry explained

"Okay… Well what's the plan?" Hermione questioned

"Right, so we are all clear, this-" Harry held out the silvery material "-Is an invisibility cloak. We're all going to get under it and walk up to the fifth floor." He explained

Ron rolled his eyes, Hermione, just recovering from being told about the cloak nodded, and Daphne smiled. Harry threw the cloak on the four of them and looked down to make sure their feet were hidden.

"Right let's go."

They walked together up the corridor and over to the door hiding Fluffy. Hermione raised her wand and whispered "Alohomora"

The lock clicked and they opened the door quietly and stepped in. Harry removed the cloak and stuffed it in the inside pocket of his robes and turned to face the three headed dog. Daphne parted her lips to scream when Harry swiftly covered her mouth with his hand

"Shhh" he whispered

"It- It's asleep." Hermione replied

Harry looked over, a white harp sat in the far corner and playing a soothing melody on its own.

"Someone has already been down here." Harry observed, looking around the room.

"I agree, come on before the thing wakes up." Hermione whispered, opening the trap door as quietly as she could.

Harry jumped down first, Daphne second, Hermione third, and reluctantly, Ron came last. The four of them landed with a soft FLUMP. Harry's eyes were not accustomed to the dark yet, he felt around and thought as though they may have landed on some sort of plant.

"Luckily this plant thing was here to soften the fall really." Ron said with a chuckle

"Lucky?" Hermione shrieked, "Look!"

Harry and Ron both looked down to see that their entire legs were bound by green tendrils from the plant. Both began to squirm and fidget at the same time.

"Don't move! This is Devil's snare! If you move, it'll only kill you faster!" Daphne cried

"Kill us faster! Oh ruddy great! Get us out of here!" Ron bellowed

"I'm trying!" Hermione cried, looking to Daphne for help

"Devil's snare, Devil's snare- Oh what did Sprout say… Ah! Devil's Snare, Devil's snare it's deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun, that's it!" She pointed her wand best she could at the plant and cried "Lumos Solem"

The plant recoiled with a tremendous cry and the four fell into the basement below

"Are you alright?" Daphne asked Harry as Hermione asked Ron

Both boys nodded, and stood up, dusting themselves off.

"This way"

They walked down a dark corridor, sloping down ever so often

"Do you hear something?" Ron whispered

Harry strained his ear forward listening. A soft rustling and clinking could be heard ahead of them.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" Daphne asked meekly

"I dunno- sounds like wings to me"

They reached the end of the passage and saw a light filtering in through a cracked open ancient wooden door. Harry opened it and gasped as they stepped into a brilliantly lit up cavern like chamber, its ceilings arching many ways above them. It was filled with tiny-jeweled winged birds fluttering around feebly.

Across the room was another large ancient wooden door, Harry crossed over and pulled the ring handle, but it would not budge. He raised his wand and pointed it at the door and said "Alohomora" then yanked again but to no avail.

The others followed and tried with no luck.

"Those aren't birds, they're keys!" Harry exclaimed, "We're looking for an ancient key, probably the same as the door lock."

"There!" Hermione cried pointing up at the ceiling arch farthest from them

"But how-" Harry noticed the brooms neatly tucked in the corner of the room

"Of course!" Harry raced over to the brooms and mounted one. He kicked off hard from the ground and soared into the air, rounding the chamber and climbing higher. Suddenly, every key in the room swooped down as one towards Harry

"HARRY LOOK OUT!" Hermione screamed

Harry glanced over his shoulder and sped up, climbing ever higher. He reached out for the large, ancient feebly winged key and grasped it tightly in his hands. The keys sliced here and there as they swooped by Harry but he knew if he stopped now they would injure him. Harry tossed the key down at Hermione and she quickly unlocked the door

"Harry, Hurry!" Daphne cried

Harry swooped around the room speedily and flew straight through the door as Hermione was closing it. Ron, Daphne and Hermione followed him through the next passage way and into a large seemingly bright room. Ron gasped this time.

"It's a chess board!" He exclaimed

The two other looked at each other and stepped out onto the board. They were behind the black chessmen. Facing them were the opponent, white chessmen and behind them, the next door that will take them forward

"Don't you see? We have to play our way out." Ron explained as he climbed on top of the black Knight, who instantly sprang to life.

"It was never meant for four…" Hermione whispered

Harry nodded

"Harry go take up Castle, You, Slytherin girl Bishop, over there" Ron pointed out the places

"Daphne" she snapped

"Right Daphne over there" He pointed again and the two obliged, stepping onto their assigned space. Hermione backed away back into the corridor to watch from a safe distance. Ron turned to face the white opponents with a determined look on his face.

"White always goes first"

The white pawn moved two spaces forward and Ron began his turn. The black chessmen followed Ron's orders and placed themselves where he told them to go.

"Harry- move three spaces diagonally to the right." He ordered. Hermione and Daphne shrieked when their other Knight was smashed by the White Queen and dragged off the board.

"Sorry, had to do it so you could take their Bishop. Go on Daphne, take it!"

The game went on and on, Black chessmen littered the back wall more so than the white side. Ron realized then that the other two were in danger and decided to be taken. The Knight moved in front of the merciless White Queen, slowly.

"No Ron!" Hermione cried just as the White Queen lifted its sword and swiped the knight across its middle.

"Leave me, Go!" Ron bellowed as he was thrown back off the Knight, landing in a heap on the ground.

Harry stepped forward and checkmated the White King, the sword it's its hands fell before Harry. Hermione screamed and ran towards Harry

"Hermione, take one of the brooms in the flying key room and get Ron help, He needs it"

Hermione glared at the young Slytherin girl and nodded to Harry before returning to attempt to wake Ron

"Harry"

Harry stopped

"Be safe"

Harry nodded and grabbed Daphne's hand as they both ran down the next passage into a smaller room lit by small candles with a single table sitting in the middle of the room with seven different shaped vials with seven different colors of potions in them. Daphne walked up to the table and picked up a roll of parchment and unrolled it

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will 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 nor giant hold 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.

Daphne rolled up the parchment and blew out a breath

"Brilliant, it's a logical puzzle!" she said with a smile

"So what do we do?" Harry asked

"Give me a minute she replied, sitting on the floor and rereading the note several times muttering to herself

"Got it! The smallest bottle will take you forward the one at the end on the right side will take us back through the other way."

"There is hardly enough for two of us. You go back, take one of those brooms also, You know from the flying key chamber, and get out. Hurry"

Daphne nodded and obliged, gulping down her potion and walking back the way they came, through a shadowy purple flame. Harry drunk the other walked through the black veil covering the way forward. He took the flight of stairs down into an antechamber deep within Hogwarts, thinking he would find Snape there. Harry's heart flipped as he descended the last step into the chamber, he saw a man standing in front of the Mirror of Erised, and as Harry walked forward, he noticed the purple turban of Professor Quirrell.

"You"

Quirrell turned and smiled

"Me" he said calmly

"But I thought- Snape…"

"Severus?" Quirrell laughed, it was not his usual quivering but cold, and sharp. "Yes Severus does seem the type doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him who would have suspected p-p-poor, s-s-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell? He said snidely

Harry stared in disbelief, he could not understand.

"But Snape tried to kill me, at Quidditch!"

"No dear boy. It was I who tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidently knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few minutes and you would have been falling to your death! I would have managed it earlier if Snape hadn't been muttering those countercurses, trying to save you." Looking as though disgusted with Harry, He turned back to the mirror.

"This mirror is the key to finding the stone, but how do I get to it!" he muttered "I see myself presenting the stone to my master…"

Harry inched forward

"Use the boy!" Said a whispering cold voice, close to Harry

"Boy! Yes Potter come here!"

Harry gulped and came to him reluctantly and peered into the mirror. He saw himself holding the stone and placing it into his trouser pocket. Harry looked down at his own self and noticed his pocket now bulged out.

"What do you see!" Quirrell screeched

"I- I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore. I-I've won the house cup.

"He lies" came the whispering cold voice again

"Potter!"

Harry jumped and looked up at Quirrell

"Let me speak with the boy."

"Mater you are-"

"Now Quirrell"

"Yes master."

Quirrell turned his back toward Harry and unwrap his turban. When it fell away, Harry was stunned, jaw dropped. A face stood out on the back of Quirrell's head and began to speak.

Voldemort

"Harry I have known you would suffice in Slytherin. My boy, come to me," said the cold high pitched voice

Harry shook but moved closer to Voldemort

"Harry I see what it is you want. I can make it happen; I can bring your parents back if you would just give me the stone!"

"No" Harry's answer was barely above a whisper

"No? Harry, just imagine if you joined our ranks! The power you would have, the things you could do! No one would question you!"

"I-" Harry faltered, He knew better than to give him the stone, but to be in such power, power he was supposedly already supposed to have…

"I- I will not give you the stone. But- but maybe…" Harry shook his head

"You would join our ranks Harry?" Voldemort's cold laugh rang through the chamber.

"I-"

Quirrell lunged forward on his own accord and wrung his hands around Harry's neck then instantly pulled them away as if they were on fire.

"Arrrgh"

He lunged again and Harry grabbed onto his arm and held fast. Sizzling could be heard from were Harry was touching Quirrell's skin

"No!" Voldemort screamed as Quirrell's body turned to ash in front of Harry.

~ ~ oo ~ ~

Harry awoke with a start in a bed with a white curtain drawled. He sat up and noticed Dumbledore sitting at the end of the bed

"Professor I-

"Harry I must ask you not to ask the question that has befallen your lips. It has been dealt with." Dumbledore popped a miniaturized lemon into his mouth

"Professor is being in Slytherin really where I was meant to be in?" Harry asked, he knew he had many questions but they could wait.

"I do believe, like I have said before, The Sorting Hat has placed you there for reasons that are unknown to me. So suffice to say, yes I do."

"May I ask one more question Professor?"

"Certainly Harry." Dumbledore replied, smiling

"Why did Quirrell burn when I touched him?"

"Ah. Your mother was killed trying to save your life. It has come to my attention; there is an ancient spell that is far more powerful than anything I have ever seen. This spell is bounded by love. Your mother giving her life to save yours has added a barrier between you and Voldemort. That is why you must stay with your aunt and uncle."

Harry moved to speak but closed his mouth almost as soon a she opened it

"Your mother's blood, your blood flows through your Aunt Petunia. As long as you still call her family, you are protected from Voldemort."

Dumbledore rose from the bed and walked solemnly out of the infirmary.

Harry was visited by Daphne after Dumbledore left. She had told him that when she got back into the chess room, Hermione hadn't been able to successfully wake the Weasley so they spent a good hour trying to get him awake and another hour trying to get him up on her broom because Granger is afraid of flying, it would have been worse with someone else with her.

Harry thanked Daphne for her help and asked her to promise not to tell anyone about what had happened down there.

She promised and skipped out of the infirmary.

A day gone by, Harry and Ron both were finally released just in time for the end-of-term feast. He entered the Great Hall and settled himself at the Slytherin table while Ron settled himself at Gryffindor.

"It has been a very interesting year here at Hogwarts. In light of the recent events, the end of term exams will be canceled."

The crowd roared in cheers until Dumbledore raised his hand for silence

"As it is, Gryffindor is in fourth place with three hundred and ninety-seven points. Ravenclaw in close third with four hundred and ten points. Hufflepuff is in second with Four hundred seventy-six points. In addition, First place goes to Slytherin with Five hundred and eighty-seven points! Well done, Slytherin!"

Dumbledore waved his hand and the banners around the hall turned green with the Slytherin house crest upon them. The food appeared on the table after Dumbledore sat down and everyone dove in hungrily.

The train ride home was much more joyous than the ride to Hogwarts for Harry. He now sat in the final compartment of the train with the rest of the Slytherins next to Daphne whom had attached herself to him as soon as the train started rolling out of the station.

"So Potter, my father, and I will meet you outside your home three weeks before start of term. Be ready I'll send an owl ahead of time." Draco was saying but Harry had barely heard him. He was still stunned to get an offer to stay at the Malfoy Manor before term begins each year. He was thrilled.

Harry turned as soon as he was off the train and hugged Daphne, whom had followed him off the train. She hugged him back and kissed his cheek

"You'll write won't you?" she asked taking his hand in hers

"Of course, every day if I can." Harry replied with a smile

"I'll be visiting Malfoy Manor soon with Astoria. Maybe you'll be there!" she said hopefull

y "I'll be there for my birthday, I'll invite you, your family seems chummy with the Malfoys?"

She nodded then squeezed his hand before kissing he cheek once more before skipping away to find her sister and parents.

"Potter" Draco called

Harry walked over to him and there did he finally, officially meet Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy. He had told them that he very much appreciated the offer to stay at their home half way through the summer, he told them it had to be better than living in a cabinet under the stairs at his aunt and uncles being starved every day, he was joking but Narcissa did not like the things he was saying. She scowled and glared over at the couple Harry had pointed out as his Uncle and Aunt. She shuffled over to them huffing and crossed her arms sternly while talking to his aunt and uncle.

"Your mum is a bit scary," Harry whispered to Draco

"Yes." He breathed

After Narcissa had a nice little chat, Harry said his goodbyes to the Malfoy family and left with his aunt and uncle.