Thank you, to everyone who has read this story so far and to everyone who took a minute to review! Thank you, Raven 2090, Ivan the Great,

Harry Potter and the Trip to the Past

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Chapter – 14

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Snape set off almost at a run and he was halfway to Dumbledore's office when he saw Dumbledore looking extremely agitated and coming swiftly almost at a run, just like him. "Ah! Severus, the protections have been breeched around the Stone. Come with me." Dumbledore said, not even noticing that Snape too, was equally agitated and was heading towards his office.

Snape stopped abruptly and then ran with him, wanting to see the state of Quirrell, after Voldemort had finished with him. He suppressed a small shiver as he thought of all that the Dark Lord could have done to Quirrell, even in his sprit form. Dumbledore and Snape ran to the third floor corridor and they missed McGonagall and the other terrified first years who were just reaching the gargoyle to go up to the Headmaster's office.

Dumbledore and Snape reached the door and Dumbledore opened it and flicked his wand and there was soft music starting to play and Snape going inside saw Fluffy asleep on the floor. He was against his will very impressed by Harry's working of the wards. Harry had removed the Stone, placed a false Stone and replaced the wards once again and Dumbledore never knew and here Quirrell had alerted Dumbledore, the moment he had breached the wards.

They fell through the trap door and Dumbledore made a complicated twist of his wand with some silent spell and all the challenges set by the professors vanished and Dumbledore and Snape ran through, to the room where the Stone was placed.

The Stone was lying on the floor to one side and Quirrell lay very dead on the floor. There was blood from his ears, eyes, nose and mouth indicating he had been tortured. His face was horribly contorted and he looked to be in terrible anguish as he died.

Snape and Harry had placed no spells to torture Quirrell and knowing this to be the work of the Dark Lord, Snape shuddered visibly, thinking about the torture Voldemort would have subjected him to before he died. They, Harry and Snape had set spells only for the capture of Quirrell, knowing full well that he would die when the possession would come to an end. But Voldemort had become angry because the Stone was false and he had punished Quirrell terribly.

Dumbledore bent down and looked deeply at Quirrell and then sighed heavily at the waste of yet another life because of Voldemort. Then he summoned the Stone and suddenly stiffened. "Severus this is not the Stone."

"What!" Snape exclaimed. The Stone they had conjured was exactly like the original and Snape wanted to know how Dumbledore found out so quickly.

"The Stone would hum a little with my magic Severus." Dumbledore said sombrely. "Quirrell is dead and the Stone is gone." Dumbledore looked very worried. Dumbledore spent some ore time there looking at everything very closely and unable to find anything, another thing Snape was impressed with, Harry's skill in working the wards so successfully that he could remove the original safely. Dumbledore was unable to find anything from his inspection and that showed Snape how good Harry was.

They went up and Snape turned to Dumbledore as they walked up to his office. "I have something about Potter and this Stone and Quirrell business to tell you. I was coming to meet you about this when I saw you and decided to see Quirrell for myself."

The seriousness of Snape's tone and exactly what he had expressed made Dumbledore stop in his tracks and turn to Snape. "Severus," he said urgently his eyes piercing Snape, "What happened? And how is Harry?"

"Potter is fine and I will not say anything more until we reach your office." Snape said and looked around. Dumbledore saw the look of fear on Snape's face and noticed for the first time how dishevelled and different Snape looked. He did not say a word more but simply walked quickly to his office.

They went up silently and Dumbledore saw Snape cast the sprit spell on the staircase and frowned. Then they were entering the office when Dumbledore saw McGonagall and the first years who, were with her apparently.

"Oh professor good you are here." She said and then she saw Snape and her eyes widened. "Where were you all this while?"

"With me Minerva." Dumbledore went to his chair and flicked his wand and chairs appeared for everyone.

"Yes what may I do for them Minerva. They are with you, I presume?" he asked and then looking at Snape, "I have something of importance to…,"

"They were there Albus." McGonagall burst out unable to keep her professional façade. Dumbledore drew his breath in sharply. "What? Where?" he asked looking at Snape. Snape spoke slowly.

"They were standing by the door Albus. I was patrolling the corridor and had gone to the end and was coming back when I saw them by the door. All of them with Potter." The whole first years shuddered and Hermione and Pansy were still crying.

"I went near them and told them off and they told me that they saw Quirrell come in looking very suspicious and they had followed him. I told all of them to get out when Potter suddenly screamed and fell to his knees, clutching his forehead. And a second later," Snape shuddered. "The Dark Lord's sprit came swirling out of the closed door and entered Potter. I will tell you the rest when the children are not here. It is not appropriate for them."

Dumbledore was shocked. The protections were not effective was the one thought that kept going around in his head again and again.

"Do you have anything to add?" he asked them and all of them shook their heads. "Then you may leave and please go back to your common rooms and stay there today."

All of them left at once, relieved to go.

The moment the first years left, McGonagall and Dumbledore looked anxiously at Snape who was now slightly shaking. "The Dark Lord entered Potter, Dumbledore and Potter screamed once more and then he opened his eyes, only they were blood red now."

"What!!!" both Dumbledore and McGonagall exclaimed at the same time. Though McGonagall had heard it from the other first years this was confirmation that Harry was possessed by Voldemort.

Snape nodded his eyes haunted, "Yes and he called out to me. 'Severus' he said in that cold voice of his and turned around and stunned all the others and then he said 'kill the boy'. I needed to do obey his commands and at the same time I needed to get him out of Potter and Dumbledore, I was never so helpless in my life. I deliberately dropped my wand again and slowly picked up the wand and was about to cast the exorcism spell, waiting until that last minute.

"That second the Dark Lord suddenly came screaming from Potter and left. I took Potter in my arms and ran to the infirmary and placed him on a bed and used the Dark Arts and Blood Magic to create wards with my blood so that not even Pomfrey would be able to access Potter without my presence. I also placed a monitoring charm and a ward to repel sprits. Dumbledore, Lily Potter's protections don't seem to work."

Snape was trembling with fear by the time he had finished speaking and his eyes were wide and terrified. McGonagall was also very scared, but Dumbledore was the most worried. This showed that Voldemort could possess Harry but Lily's sacrifice had saved Harry but not before he was severely hurt. Snape was terrified and Dumbledore had not seen that look on his face since that day when Snape had come running to him to inform him about Voldemort attacks on the Potters and to surrender to him.

And Voldemort had asked Snape to kill Harry. It was a blessing that Harry had managed to throw Voldemort out. Dumbledore frowned at that point. How did Harry throw Voldemort out? How could he?

"How did Harry throw out Voldemort?" Dumbledore asked Snape. Snape blinked and then frowned thinking very quickly for an answer. He could not come up with one. "I don't know." He said helplessly looking at Dumbledore, showing his frustration at not knowing so many things. They sat there silently for sometime

"Someone in the School has stolen the Stone Minerva." Dumbledore told her and she gasped, clutching her chest as though it would burst.

"You-Know-Who?" she managed to ask her throat very tight.

"No. I don't think so. Severus?" Dumbledore turned to Snape who nodded thoughtfully.

"I also do not think so. The Dark Lord was enraged and the way Quirrell died and he way the Stone was carelessly thrown to one side shows that the Dark Lord also knew this was the false Stone. That was why he was so angry and being inside Potter did not help much." Snape shuddered slightly; he could not help it.

They sat there for some time and then stood up collectively to see Harry who was still behind wards and unconscious. They walked silently to the infirmary and looked at the still sleeping Harry and checked him for any residue of dark magic once Snape removed his wards, and Dumbledore stepped back relieved. Harry had no residue dark magic and his scar that he received through the rebounded killing curse all those years back was also the same as it had been when Dumbledore had checked it before he had placed Harry with the Dursleys.

Dumbledore called for Poppy and told her that Harry would be under his wards from now on. "I will key you in Poppy and you will be able to medicate him. And," he smiled seeing her glare at Snape who did not even bother to respond, "Severus was correct in placing wards around the young Potter. Quirrell was possessed and the sprit inside him had tried to attack Harry. That was why Severus placed the wards."

Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall left the infirmary leaving a peacefully sleeping Harry and went to the third floor corridor once more. Dumbledore had the stone with him and right from the moment they entered the inner room where the Stone had been, Dumbledore started scrutiny of the wards more carefully. McGonagall and Snape assisted him but none were able to find any place where the wards had been breached.

"Someone has worked around my wards." Dumbledore said his eyes almost turned inside with deep thought as he ran through all persons he knew who were experts in warding. And he could find no one who would be able come unnoticed into Hogwarts and dismantle all the other security measures and kill the troll and then work around his wards, remove the Stone and then place the wards once again.

That was the work of a master and he, Dumbledore was at a loss to know who did this and went off with the Stone.

Snape and McGonagall looked at each other. "Who could have?" they asked simultaneously.

"I do not know and it is worrying me." Dumbledore replied, his face in an uncharacteristic frown.

"Did you not have a tracking charm on the Stone?" Snape asked him as they walked back. Dumbledore nodded his head. "Yes I did Severus, but the charms are not working. I had a tracking charm as well as a location charm, but both were placed on the false Stone very expertly, if I may say so, and they broke when Voldemort took the false Stone through Quirrell."

Snape was so relieved in his mind the Stone was safe from the Dark Lord and he was silent, waiting for Dumbledore or McGonagall to say something. But no one had anything to say and after sitting there for some time Snape slowly got to his feet. "What should I do Dumbledore? The Dark Lord now knows I am still here, and I only hope and pray he still thinks I am with him."

Dumbledore smiled at Snape. "He will, Severus. You have been very fortunate. The way you acted would have made Voldemort believe that you are still a death eater."

They parted on that note and Dumbledore sent word once more to Sirius and Remus who came running and sat with Harry. Sirius scowled when Hermione and Neville told him about how Snape had scooped Harry in his arms and had run to the infirmary and placed him under safe wards not even trusting Pomfrey. Dumbledore had not explained in such detail and Sirius was alarmed at the urgency Snape had exhibited. He had shuddered when Dumbledore told him about whom it had been who had tried to possess and destroy Harry.

"So the protections don't hold. That's one good thing that came out of this mess, I feel. Harry need not go back to the Dursleys, ever." Sirius told him.

"He cannot go back there Sirius." Dumbledore agreed. "I will come to Grimmauld Place and place more wards and I believe Harry should be safe there."

That was final and decided and Harry, when he woke up two days later, was thrilled with the news. The possession of Harry by Voldemort was almost like it had been in the Department of Mysteries where Harry's love for Sirius had driven out Voldemort, who after that never tried to possess Harry or link to his mind.

This time too, Harry had thought of Sirius and his love for Harry, his fierce protection and had brought out the love he had felt for his kids and Ginny and Voldemort had screeched out, unable to stay inside of Harry's head a minute longer.

"I think this is the best news ever Sirius." Harry declared after he had heard that he never needed to go back to the Dursleys and his home would permanently be No.12, Grimmauld Place.

"I think so too kid." Sirius had grinned, his wide smile almost splitting his face into two.

Harry did not use the train but flooed back to Grimmauld Place for the summer. "What are you going to do for the summer Harry?"

"Laze around." Harry replied promptly. All of them laughed and Sirius shooed Harry to his room to lie down until lunch.

Harry had met his friends in the morning that day and even Malfoy, Blaise and Pansy had come to see him. Sirius had frowned at Malfoy and the other Slytherins but Harry had greeted all of them with enthusiasm. They came along with the Gryffindors; Hermione, Neville, Ron, Dean, Seamus and the twins and Lee Johnson.

All of them had a hilarious half hour before they left with many promises to write and keep in touch. Sirius had tackled Harry about being so openly friendly with Malfoy.

"Harry this is not right. Malfoy is evil and I really do not think any Slytherin is good." Sirius told him frowning in concern.

Harry sighed and smiled. "This is very personal for me Sirius. Ron keeps telling me everyone in Slytherin is bad, and everyone whose parents, brothers and sisters are death eaters are also evil. I asked him then if I should run away from you. He spluttered and stammered but he would not change his views. So I told him, dark families or dark parents or dark creatures do not mean evil kids. That's why I go out of my way to be friends with the Slytherins. And so far no one there has tried to harm me. Malfoy in fact came to me and told me that no one from their House was responsible for the broom, only for the bludger and he has stopped calling Hermione a mudblood too, because I told him I will fight him because my mother was one."

Harry took a deep breath after he finished and looked at Sirius. He was gaping along with Remus at Harry's sensitivity and maturity. While he was very proud, Sirius was also very worried and he really could not find anything to say at all. So kept silent but was planning to keep a close watch on the Malfoys and the other Slytherins.

After he reached Grimmauld Place, Harry emerged from his room only at lunch. Sirius and Remus were already there with an appetizing aroma rising from the table. Sirius had not allowed Dumbledore to ask Harry anything about what had happened outside the third floor corridor until he was sure Harry was alright. He had been very firm and he promised Dumbledore he would invite him and McGonagall who was Harry's Head of House and who knew about what had happened to Quirrell and Harry. Dumbledore, Harry learned had not announced anything about Quirrell at all, at the leaving feast.

And Harry also learnt that Slytherin had won the cup this year instead of Gryffindor. Harry was thinking about all this as he came down and sat for lunch. "How are you Harry?" Sirius asked and Harry smiled tiredly.

"Very tired. I feel so exhausted. When Voldemort came into me he was beating into my brain, Sirius. He was screaming into my head and telling me that he would kill me. I thought I was going to die and I simply thought of you and Remus and the kindness and love you gave me and suddenly Voldemort screeched very loudly in my head and then I fainted." Harry told them, filling his plate.

Sirius listened to this with amazement and felt so humbled and not knowing how to react he bent down and started eating. "When shall we call the Headmaster, Harry?" Remus asked after some time.

"Anytime Remus. The sooner the better and I can tell him everything while it is still fresh in my mind." Harry told them as he got up to keep the plates in the sink. Remus was right behind him, shooing him away and tackled the dished with a flick of his wand.

Sirius was still very quiet and Remus cleared his throat and said, "Perhaps, we can invite them for lunch tomorrow."

"Them?" Harry asked. "Who else is coming?" wondering if Sirius had also asked for Snape. Though that would be a miracle of the highest order, Harry thought with a smile to himself.

"Well McGonagall also wanted to come." Remus told him.

"Can you invite Snape also?" Harry asked him. Sirius turned incredulous eyes to him and spoke for the first time after Harry had told him how he had got rid of Voldemort's sprit from his head.

"Whatever for Harry? You want the greasy git to come and defile our home? No way." Sirius said adamantly, scowling at the very thought of Snape stepping into his house.

"Because I want to thank him personally. He took me into his arms and ran to the infirmary and saved my life Sirius. Surely I should thank him. Please call him too."

Sirius scowled even more and Remus intervened just in case Sirius would say something he would regret later. "Why not Harry? That is an admirable thought." And glared slightly at Sirius when he started to protest.

So that was decided and Remus flooed to Hogwarts and spoke to Dumbledore and asked him to come along with McGonagall and Snape. Dumbledore was astonished at an invitation for Snape and frowned when he heard Harry's words. They were too mature. But then, he was slowly realizing that Harry was not a normal person.

Dumbledore agreed to come over for lunch the next day along with McGonagall and Snape whom he was sure would be able to come and Remus left to come back to Grimmauld Place with the news that all three professors would come over for lunch the next day.

Sirius scowled all through that day and sat silently sullen. Harry tried to drag him into conversations but left it as a bad job a little while later. Remus kept glaring at Sirius and all three of them were pretty silent the whole day. Harry escaped to his bedroom as soon as possible and was asleep very soon.

He woke up early, the next morning and went down to find Sirius and Remus already up. Harry greeted both of them and sat down and looked at Sirius. "If you feel very badly Sirius then tell Dumbledore not to bring Snape. I never meant to hurt you." Harry said softly.

Sirius, who had mumbled back when Harry had greeted him with a cheery good morning, looked up startled at this. He saw Harry looking anxiously at him and flushed with shame.

"Hey! It is no trouble Harry. It is just that I really, really dislike the greasy git." Sirius told him and cheered up visibly trying to put Harry at ease.

"Sorry Sirius. I seem to keep going against you." Harry said in a small voice. "I like Snape."

There was an uncomfortable silence after that statement and Sirius cleared his throat many times. Harry for his part wanted to be able to be accessible to Snape whenever he felt it was necessary to meet him for their work and Harry felt this was the best way to put it. By looking as if he was admiring Snape. And he could shock a lot of people on the way then so be it, Harry thought grinning. And he grinned even more widely when he thought of how Snape would take this. He would probably retch and take points from Gryffindor for impertinence and be even more horrible thinking he had gone soft.

Then again, he might think this was Harry beginning to get back at him for the all the unknown things of Harry's other life. Both were attractive in Harry's opinion and he waited eagerly for Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape to arrive.

They came promptly at lunch and Sirius greeted Dumbledore and McGonagall with a smile and Snape with a scowl. Snape curled his lips in disdain at Sirius and smirked when Sirius snarled. Luckily Remus intervened and placing a calming hand on Snape, he led Sirius away and smiled pleasantly at Snape.

Snape sneered at Remus in return and went to stand alongside McGonagall. His eyes roved around and found Harry and his eyes narrowed as he looked at Harry.

Harry was beaming and he came forward and hugged Snape briefly and stepped back laughing his head off inside. "Thank you so much sir. Sirius and the others told me that you saved my life. Thank you sir."

There was no answer. Snape was flabbergasted and looked as if he wanted to runaway. Sirius had staggered and he abruptly sat down unable to believe what he was seeing. Remus was shocked that someone could hug Snape and still be alive. That was surely the miracle of the century. It now took precedence even over Harry surviving the killing curse.

McGonagall looked shocked as well, her mouth open very unattractively and Dumbledore was trying hard not to laugh seeing the various expressions of those in that room. Harry was beaming looking at Snape very proudly. Snape was looking horrified and Dumbledore bit his lips once again. Sirius was looking as if the bottom had fallen out of his world and Remus was trying not to look as if he was shocked. McGonagall mouth was still open and Dumbledore smiled gently, his blue eyes telling those who knew him well, that this was one of the moments he would treasure for life.

"That was very nice of you Harry." Dumbledore said his voice slightly shaky, only slightly but Snape turned to him and glared at him. Dumbledore looked very innocently at him, though his eyes were now screaming with laughter. Snape scowled, "Well Potter is okay and so I think I will leave." He said in a much strangled voice, glaring at Harry, his eyes promising retribution later.

Harry smiled innocently and protested at once. "But sir, please stay." And looked pleadingly at Sirius and Remus and for good measure at McGonagall who simply recoiled and at Dumbledore who just could not help it and grinned widely at Harry.

"Of course Severus will stay." And made Sirius, who had looked up in hope that maybe Snape would leave, plunge into helplessness of being unable to fight Snape because of Harry and tried to stand up and look normal.

Everyone was looking awkwardly at each other except Harry who was smiling, Dumbledore who was grinning and Snape who was doing an admirable combination of scowling and snarling and daring anyone to say a word.

Dumbledore clapped his hands when the silence threatened to get oppressive and beamed at everyone. "May we sit down Sirius?" he asked softly and Sirius jumped up flushing at his lack of manners and went to work, getting the drinks and a butterbeer for Harry. Snape declined to have anything; he was probably suspicious that Sirius might have poisoned it even though Dumbledore and McGonagall were also having the elf made red wine from the same bottle.

Dumbledore's eyes twinkled like mad and he was beginning to like Harry more and more, he felt. Harry was smart, intelligent and he would bet his last Knut that Harry had hugged Snape just for the reactions of all of them. There was something he could not put his hand on Harry just now, but he knew it would come. In the meantime, he felt very privileged to witness what had happened today. It really showed how mature Snape had become. A few years ago this would have merited a crucio at the very least, if not a killing curse.

Dumbledore unfortunately snorted as he visualized grateful children hugging a hero Snape and pulled his wine through his nose. Everyone looked as he struggled with himself not saying a word. Snape especially was flushed with rage. Dumbledore himself was startled. It was many decades since he had lost control like this.

"I am sorry." He said solemnly. No one answered and Sirius stood up and led all of them to come into the kitchen feeling the sooner he could pile them with food, the sooner they could leave.

All of sat down quietly, the atmosphere having the look of a funeral rather than anything else and ate silently. Only Dumbledore and Harry attempted at any conversation and soon they too fell silent. Snape was very careful with his food, generally taking anything only after Dumbledore or McGonagall had helped themselves, and the dishes they did not touch, he also did not touch.

They finished the meal in record time, Snape finishing first. Then all of them trooped out into the drawing room and sat there and Dumbledore cleared his throat. "Harry," he said and his voice became serious, "can you tell us what happened in the third floor corridor?"

Harry nodded. "Yes sir. We noticed Quirrell," Harry shuddered and Sirius came closer and put his arm protectively around Harry and squeezed his shoulder. Harry smiled his thanks to Sirius and turned to Dumbledore who was looking at him, his blue eyes piercing through him.

"We followed Quirrell and found that he had gone into the forbidden room and we were debating what to do when this thing came out and suddenly entered me." Sirius held him more closely and Remus moved closer to Harry on his other side. He three professors were listening raptly.

"The feeling was horrible. Harry now shuddered genuinely, his eyes darkening in remembered fear. "It went into my head and was screaming inside me and I felt that my head would burst." Harry's voice was very low and everyone was straining to hear. "I knew I would die in a few seconds and I thought of Sirius and Remus who took me in and gave me so much love and suddenly sir, the thing screamed louder and pushed out of my head and then I don't remember sir."

Harry cuddled into Sirius, his hug comforting him. Voldemort had been truly terrible and Harry never wanted to repeat this ever again.

The others were silent for a few minutes and then Dumbledore stood up and following his example Snape and McGonagall stood up too. "Take rest Harry and thank you for telling us what happened. Enjoy your holidays and we shall see you on the 1st of September. Good by Harry. Sirius, Remus."

Dumbledore moved towards the floo and Sirius stood up with Harry still leaning into him and they saw the Hogwarts professors off and then all of them truly relaxed.

Sirius forgot the anger he had before, he forgot the brief spasm of jealousy that almost made him want to hex Snape truly badly when Harry had hugged him and he forgot the awkwardness of the lunch he hosted. All he was concerned about now was that Harry needed his comfort and the whole day Harry read from his books and Sirius sat by him, holding him and comforting him.

End of Chapter – 14

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