Harry and Abby stepped through the last door. There was already someone there- but it wasn't Snape-it wasn't even Voldemort.
Standing in the middle of the room, was Quirrell.
"You"! Harry and Abby gaped together. Quirrell smiled, his face wasn't twitching like it usually did.
"Yes, me". He said calmly, not stuttering.
"But we thought-Snape-." Harry stuttered.
"Yes, he does seem like the type doesn't he? Next to him who would suspect p-poor, st-stuttering P-P-Professor Quirrell"? Harry and Abby stood in shock.
"But Snape tried to kill us"! Abby said.
"No, no dear children, I tried to kill you. And trust me, if Serverus's cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact I would have succeeded. Even with Snape muttering his little countercurse". Quirrell looked positively mad.
"Snape was trying to save us".
"Yes, and after your little show on Halloween, Snape suspected me instantly-."
"You let the troll"?
"While everyone was hurrying around looking for it Snape left for the third floor corridor to head me off. He even got himself bitten". Quirrell paused, as if he was remembering it all. "He left me alone after that. But he doesn't understand, I'm never alone…..now how does this mirror work"? That's when Harry and Abby noticed that Quirrell was standing in front of the Mirror of Erised. They were still in shock, Snape was trying to stop Quirrell. As impossible as it seems, there stood Quirrell, walking around the mirror muttering to himself.
"I see the Stone…..I'm presenting it to my master…..but how do I get it"? He asked frustrated. Then to Harry and Abby's horror, someone answered.
"Use the children".
Quirrell whirled around, he had a dangerous look in his eyes.
"Come here Potters, NOW"!
Harry grabbed Abby's hand and walked toward Quirrell and the mirror, Quirrell moved out of their way and they stepped up to it. They shared a look before turning to face the mirror.
They saw there reflections, scratched and in Harry's case, pale looking at first. Then suddenly their reflections smiled at them. Harry's reflection put his hand that wasn't holding Abby's hand into his pocket and pulled out a blood red stone. Their reflections winked at them before placing the stone inbetween their hands that held tight to each other. Suddenly their was something inbetween Harry and Abby's hand, they had gotten the stone.
"Well", Quirrell said impatiently. "What do you see"? Harry looked at Abby, she rolled her eyes.
"We're shaking hands with Dumbledore". She said. "We've just won the house cup". It was one of the best lies she'd come up with.
"She lies". The voice said suddenly.
"Tell me the truth! WHAT DO YOU SEE"! Quirrell yelled. The voice spoke again,
"Let me speak to them".
"Master you are not strong enough"! Quirrell said suddenly becoming very interesting in his fingers.
"I have strength enough for this". Harry and Abby watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. Abby instantly backed away, pulling Harry with her. Finally the turban fell to the floor, and then slowly he turned around. Abby's free hand flew up to her mouth so she could suppress a scream, Harry could only stare in horror. Where the back of Quirrell's head should have been was a face. The most terrible face Harry and Abby had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.
"Harry and Abby Potter…..". It whispered. Abby backed up once again but didn't have to pull Harry this time. "See what I have become? See what I must do to survive? But with the Elixir of life, I will be able to create my own body…..Now….give me the Stone you're holding inbetween your hands". Still holding the Stone between their hands Harry and Abby backed up more, they turned and headed for the door back.
"Stop them"! The voice yelled. Quirrell snapped his fingers and fire appeared all around the border of the room, blocking their way out. "I could bring them back you know…I could bring your parents back, Harry, Abby…..you would be able to live with them again…if you just give me the STONE"!
"YOU LIAR"! Harry and Abby yelled together.
"SEIZE THEM"! Quirrell leaped forward and tackled Harry and Abby to the ground. His hands enclosed around their throats and squeezed, Harry and Abby held the Stone tighter between their hands before they used their free hands to grasp Quirrell's hands. There was a hissing noise and Quirrell recoiled in pain. His hands were turning to ash before his eyes,
"What is this magic"? He asked, Harry and Abby were busy looking at their own hands, they had temporarily dropped the Stone inbetween them to examine their hands.
"Fool, just get the Stone"! What Quirrell planned on using to pick up the Stone, Harry and Abby had no idea, seeing as how his hands were gone. But he stumbled toward them none the less. Together, Harry and Abby stood and pressed their hands to his face. Quirrell screamed in pain as their hands seemed burn him, they pushed him away and his face turned to ash. But still he tried to walk toward them, only to take a few steps before crumbling to bits. Breathing heavily they walked back over to the Stone, Harry picked it up and they looked at it. But Abby was the first to hear the low moan that came from behind them, she whirled around grabbing Harry's hand and putting the stone between them once more. A flying puff of smoke that had Voldemorts' face was rushing toward them screaming. It spread its arms wide to make sure it went through both Harry and Abby, they screamed too and fell backwards on to the steps. Everything went black but one thing they knew for sure, they still had the Stone clutched between their hands.
Harry was the first to wake, he only woke because he felt something wiggle closer into his side and their was also something heavy on his chest. Frowning Harry opened his eyes and looked to his right and down. It was Abby, her hand was bandaged and her face had a few scratches but other than that she seemed fine. Suddenly her eyes opened, she blinked at him before giving him a small smile which he returned.
"Good afternoon, Harry, Abby". They both sat up and saw Dumbledore sitting in a chair on their right. At first they could only stare before they remembered and began to speak at the same time.
"Sir! The Stone"!
"It was Quirrell, he got the Stone"!
"Voldemort's got the Stone"!
"Sir Quick-!"
"Calm yourselves you two. Neither Quirrell, nor Voldemort have the Stone". Dumbledore said calmly.
"But then who does? Sir we-."
"Harry, Abby, please relax, or Madam Pomfrey will have me thrown out". Harry and Abby looked around, Abby already knew they were in the hospital wing so her eyes went straight to the table at the end of the bed that was piled high with what looked like half a candy store.
"Tokens from your friends and admirers". Dumbledore explained. "What happen down in the dungeons between the two of you and Professor Quirrell is a complete secret, so, naturally, the whole school knows. I believe your friends Misters Fred and George Weasley were responsible for trying to send you a toilet seat. (Abby shook her head) No doubt they thought it would amuse you both. Madam Pomfrey, however, felt it might not be very hygienic and confiscated it". Again Abby shook her head.
"How long have we been in here"? Harry asked.
"Three days. Mr. Ronald Weasley and Miss Hermione Granger will be most relieved you both have come around, they have been extremely worried".
"But sir, what about the Stone"? Abby asked.
"The Stone….has been destroyed". Abby and Harry's eyes widened.
"But sir, with it destroyed, that means Nicholas Flamel and his wife, they'll die won't they"? Harry asked.
"Ah, they have enough Elixir to set their affairs in order, but yes they will die".
"Sir, with the Stone gone. Does that mean Voldemort can never come back"? Abby asked, Harry looked up at Dumbledore hopefully.
"Ah, I'm afraid there are was he can come back". Dumbledore said sadly.
"Sir, why could touch us"? Abby asked.
"Your mothers died to save you, both of them. If there is one thing Voldemort can not understand, it is love. He didn't realize that love as powerful as your mothers were for the two of you leaves a mark of its own". Harry and Abby pointed to their scars. "No not a visible mark can't not be seen, it exist inside our very body".
"Just one more thing sir". Harry started.
"How did we get the Stone out of the mirror"? Abby asked.
"It's one of my more brilliant ideas and between me and you, that's saying something. You see only the person who wanted to find the Stone but not use it, would be able to get it. Now I suggest you start to enjoy these sweets! Ah! Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans! I was most unfortunate in my youth to come across a vomit flavored one, and since then I'm afraid I've lost my liking for them. I think it'd be safe…..with a nice toffee, don't you"? Harry and Abby grinned as Dumbledore tried to decide whether or not to take one of the beans. Finally he popped a light golden brown one into his mouth.
"Alas! Ear wax"! Abby giggled.
The next night Harry and Abby headed for the Great Hall by themselves, they had been held up by Madam Pomfrey fussing about Abby's bandaged hand. So the Great Hall was already full. It was decked out in Slytherins colors to celebrate them winning the house cup for the seventh Year in a row. When Harry and Abby walked in there was a sudden rush of silence, they slipped into the seats between Ron and Hermione and tried to ignore the fact that people were standing up to look at them. The twins sat across from them and they gave Harry and Abby a reassuring grin. Fortunately Dumbledore stood and called for silence as babble began to out break as soon as Harry and Abby sat down.
"Another Year gone"! Dumbledore said cheerfully. "Now as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand thus: In fourth place, Gryffindor with three hundred and twelve point, in third, Hufflepuff with three hundred and fifty two points, in second, Ravenclaw with four hundred and twenty six, and in first place, Slytherin with five hundred and thirty two". Only the Slytherin table broke out into cheers, everyone else barely made a sound as the placed on hand on top of the other.
"Yes, well done Slytherin, well done Slytherin, however, recent events must be taken into account". Dumbledore said. The room went very still and the Slytherins smiles faded a little.
"I have a few last minute points to award. First to Mr. Ronald Weasley". Dumbledore started. 'Me"? Ron mouthed. 'You'. Harry and Abby mouthed back. "For the best played game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many Years, fifty points". The Gryffindor cheers nearly raised the bewitched ceiling. Percy could be heard shouting over the others,
"My brother! My youngest brother got past McGonagall's giant chess set"! Then finally there was silence again,
"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of logic when others where in grave danger, I award fifty points". Hermione buried her face in her arms, Harry and Abby suspected she had burst into tears. The Gryffindors were beside themselves, they were a hundred points up.
"Third, to Mr. Harry and Miss Abby Potter, for pure love and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house, a hundred and twenty points". The Great Hall shook as cheers rang through the crowd, then together Abby and Hermione whispered,
"We're tied with Slytherin"!
"There are all kinds of courage". Dumbledore started once it got quiet. "It takes a great deal of courage to stand up to your enemy, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I therefore award Mr. Neville Longbottom, ten points". It sounded like an explosion had gone off in the Great Hall as everyone except the Slytherins cheered, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws cheered because they were glad Slytherin hadn't won. Neville had soon disappeared under all the people that ran to hug him.
"Which means that a change of decoration is in order". Dumbledore clapped his hands and all the Slytherin decorations turned to scarlet and gold colors instead of green and silver. "Gryffindor wins the house cup"! The cheers and screams where deafening. They had won the house cup.
But soon it was time to pack and get ready to leave for the summer holidays, not something Harry and Abby were looking forward to. Soon they were at the station packing all there luggage onto the train. Abby pulled on Harry's sleeve and pointed behind him, Hagrid was standing waiting. Smiling they made their way over to him,
"Didn't think you were gonna leave with out saying good bye now did yeh"? He asked. Harry and Abby smiled up at him, "Oh and I got sumthing for ya". Hagrid searched through his many pockets and brought out two books, he handed one to Harry and one to Abby. When they looked inside they both gasped, it was a scrap book, of their parents. Abby's had both sets in hers,
"Thanks Hagrid". They said together before hugging him.
"Oh if that dope of a cousin of yers, Dudley gives either of you any grief, you could always threaten him with a nice set of ears to go with that tail". Hagrid suggested.
"But Hagrid, we're not allowed to do magic outside of school, you know that". Harry said.
"I do, but your cousin don't now do he"? Hagrid asked.
"Alright, now go on". He said as the train start to move. Abby and Harry ran back to one of the doors where Hermione and Ron where waiting.
"It feels a bit strange to be going home doesn't it"? Hermione asked.
"We're not going home". Abby said as they climbed on.
"Not really". Harry replied following his sister. They both knew they'd be back in September, but that seemed so far away when they had to spend a whole summer with the Dursleys.
"You have to come and stay over the summer, all three of you". Ron said, Harry and Abby nodded. That would give them something to look forward to.
Well, that's it for my first story, I'm sorry it took so long, but my life has been hectic and I forgot about this story for a while. It may take a little while to get the Sequel up because I need to work out a few kinks in that. Also, don't forget to vote on my poll for a potential future story that I have up on profile page. I'm really disappointed in that poll right now as only five people have voted, so it would be a pretty clear winner if I ended it now, but I'm going to give it a while longer before ending that poll. I will likely end up writing both stories on that poll at some point, this is just to see which one you would rather have me start first.
I will do my best to try and get another chapter up for Alexis Potter and the Rise of the Marauders in the near future, but it may take me a while to get any good ideas for that story, so if it doesn't see an immediate update, that's why.
Please vote on my poll and thanks for reading my first story.