Chapter V The Mystery behind the Stone
Nov 1, 1991
It seems I don't need my plan to begin training Harry. Last night someone let a troll into the castle I believe as a diversion to attempt to steal the stone. I had suspected there would be some type of diversion if an attempt were made, and I instructed Professor Snape to disregard any diversion and meet me in the third floor corridor to prevent the actual penetration of the vault area.
On the way to the third floor I spotted Harry and Ron slip away from the rest of the Gryffindor students who were by my instructions on the way to their common room on the seventh floor. When Percy Weasley the Gryffindor prefect failed to notice them leave I decided Professor Snape could handle any problem by himself and with a troll loose I should see to Harry's safety. I disillusioned myself and followed the boys.
It turned out they knew Miss Granger had been in the girl's loo and she didn't know about the troll. They felt her safety came before their own. I am not sure if this is an act of bravery or stupidity; but I give them the benefit of the doubt and call it bravery. As they entered the girl's loo to get her they found the troll there already. I heard Miss Granger scream and rushed in to find Harry and Ron attacking the troll. As I raised my wand to stop the troll,
Harry ran and jumped onto the troll's back. I think he was attempting to cast a spell but as he waved it his wand hit the troll's nose and went up one nostril. As the troll grabbed Harry, Ron preformed a marvelous levitation spell for a first year student and floated the troll's club up in the air dropping it on the troll's head. Knocked out, the troll fell over unconscious.
No sooner was the troll down then Professors McGonagall, Snape, and Quirrell
entered the room. I replaced my wand and decided there was no reason to reveal myself. I allowed Professor McGonagall to handle the situation and I followed Professor Snape into the hall where I was able to tell him to meet me in my office.
He told me of Professor Quirrell arriving in the third floor corridor at the trap door just seconds after he himself got there. Quirrell claimed he thought the troll might be a diversion and he to want to see the stone was safe. He is one of the Professors I asked to contribute a charm to protect the stone and his story could be true; but he was the one who discovered the troll and when we left the great hall he was in a dead faint on the floor. It was certainly a quick recovery to come out of a dead faint and almost beat Professor Snape to the trap door when Snape ran directly there.
I have asked Professor Snape to keep an eye on Quirrell just in case he is involved in the attempt to steal the stone. If so he already knows how to get past his own charm and that would make getting to the stone easier for him. I think I will give some thought to adding more protections around the stone.
Headmaster APWBD
Nov 5, 1991
Professor Snape told me Harry suspects him of trying to steal the stone. On the night of the troll incursion Snape was bitten by Fluffy when he entered the third floor corridor to guard the entrance. Yesterday while he was checking the wound in the staff room Harry came in and saw the bite on Snape's leg. Later Snape overheard Harry telling Ron and Hermione about his suspicions. This is good for my training scheme. Harry is interested and investigating the situation without me having given him my first clue.
I wasn't counting on him getting help from Ron and Hermione but there is strength in numbers and if they prove loyal to Harry they may be of great help to him in the future. My sources tell me Miss Granger is the best student in her year and though muggle born is more advanced than many second year students, I hope her talents rub off on Harry.
Headmaster APWBD
Nov 7, 1991
Harry's first Quidditch match did not go without a problem. Although he caught the snitch and Gryffindor won the match he had trouble with his broom. In the middle of the match his broom began acting erratically. Someone was hexing it in an attempt to knock Harry off. Professor Snape tried a counter jinx but was interrupted by his cloak catching fire.
It seems Miss Granger is as quick witted as I could hope. When the broom began to buck she spotted Snape doing his counter jinx and because Harry had told her of his suspicions she assumed Snape was jinxing the broom. She ran to where he was sitting and surreptitiously set the fire on Snape's cloak. I seem to be the only one who saw her.
The broom returned to normal and I suspect Quirrell, who was just behind Snape in the stands and was knocked over by Hermione as she tried to get to Snape, was actually the one jinxing Harry's broom. I will have to check on him. This is the second time in a week he had suspicion cast on him.
Headmaster APWBD
Nov 8, 1991
Hagrid reported, as I had arranged, that he had dropped my first clue to Harry about the Sorcerer's Stone. After the Quidditch match he invited Harry, Ron and Hermione for one of his tea sessions. They were talking about Snape jinxing Harry's broom and how they suspected Snape of trying to steal whatever the three headed dog was guarding. Hagrid nicely let slip that Fluffy was his dog and he lent Fluffy to me to guard something that was top secret and none of their business.
This of course got them going on the topic and he then warned them to mind their own business the thing being guarded was between me and Nicolas Flamel. Now they have my old friend's name I wonder how long it will take to trace him and figure out what the object is being guarded. I have prepared to give them another clue in a few weeks if they need it. Hagrid can be cleaver when necessary but I must avoid using him this way because people will catch on to it.
Headmaster APWBD
Dec 15, 1991
Madam Pince the librarian has reported Harry, Ron, and Hermione have been spending
many of their free hours trying to find information on Nicolas without success. I have an idea that may help. I have been holding James' invisibility cloak for ten years. It is time for me to give it to its rightful owner; Harry.
The three of them will be able to spent time in the library after hours without being seen. I don't want to make their search too easy; but I don't want them to give up either.
I will give it to Harry as a Christmas present, but anonymously. I don't want him to find out I am watching him and helping him. This is about him developing his strengths to face Voldemort not to become dependent on me for everything. Once he has the cloak I must warn the Fat Lady to report to me immediately if the door of Gryffindor common room opens and she doesn't see anybody.
Headmaster APWBD
Dec 26, 1991
The Fat Lady came to my office to tell me the door from Gryffindor common room opened after midnight but nobody came out. I disillusioned myself and headed to the library where Harry used the cloak to go to the restricted section just as I hoped. However Mr. Filch
heard him and he did not get a chance to find information on Nicolas. Instead in trying to avoid Mr. filch Harry went into a back corridor and he wandered into Professor Snape questioning Professor Quirrell. To avoid being heard again Harry slipped into the empty room where the Mirror of Erised is stored.
As is its function he saw in the mirror what he wanted most; his dead family. I will have to talk with Harry, because never having known his family I am sure he will want to return to the mirror repeatedly and I must give him a chance to reason out for himself what the mirror does. He must look to the future not to the past if he is to survive.
Headmaster APWBD
Dec 27, 1991
Harry returned the next night with Ron to let Ron see his relatives, I wanted to talk to Harry alone because I didn't know that much about Ron and I am not sure if he would tell others what he knew. When Ron didn't see Harry's family but saw what he himself wanted, and older version of himself as a greater success than his brothers, Harry was of course disappointed.
Headmaster APWBD
Dec 28, 1991
The Fat Lady reported Harry was out in his cloak for the third night in a row. Yesterday
he didn't try the library at all and I was sure tonight would be the same. He went straight to the Mirror of Erised and as he sat looking at his family I approached and spoke to him.
I asked if he knew what the mirror showed and with only a small hint he figured it out. I told him I was moving the mirror and he was not to go looking for it because dwelling on the past was not good. With his family dead he must look forward and he nodded in assent.
One good thing that came of this was I got an idea for another protection for the stone. Since I had to move the mirror I thought I could use it as a final test to reach the stone. I charmed it so the viewer who wanted the stone to use it could see what he wanted but could not get it. Only someone who wanted to reach the stone to keep it from being used would be able to get it. I then took the mirror to the vault where the stone was hidden and put it in place of the stone. Then I disillusioned the stone and charmed it into moving to the person who saw it in the mirror but didn't want to use it. Fairly clever I think.
Headmaster APWBD
Jan 15, 1992
Harry's next Quidditch match is coming up and I am concerned about his safety. Professor Snape volunteered to referee the match. That would place him close enough to overpower a hex coming from a greater distance and to act quickly if Harry did have a problem.
Headmaster APWBD
Jan 17, 1992
Harry, Ron, and Hermione figured out my clue about Nicolas Flamel and the Sorcerer's Stone. They are used to seeing the castle ghosts floating about in their semitransparent form and don't understand how really transparent a ghost can become. Sir Nicholas saw the three of them talking in the great hall when Neville approached with his legs locked looking for help to unbind them.
As they talked Harry got very excited so Sir Nicholas faded out and approached them without the three of them knowing he was there. Harry remembered seeing Nicolas Flamel's name on my chocolate frog card which reminded Hermione of a book she was reading. She ran to get the book and found the article on Nicolas Flamel and his Sorcerer's Stone. It took only a
few seconds to sort out that the stone must be what is being guarded. The only problem is they still believe Professor Snape is the thief after the stone.
I have been checking into Ron and Hermione and my sources tell me they have kept secret all of the things the three of them have done together. I will have to test their loyalty more extensively before trusting them totally but I believe for now they will make good companions for Harry in what he has to face. I only hope that at eleven no romantic attachments form to cause a problem. It will be bad enough for Harry at fifteen or sixteen to be distracted from concentrating on Voldemort. Two boys liking one girl is what caused the problem between Harry's father and Snape.
Headmaster APWBD
Feb 1, 1992
I decided to attend the Quidditch match today as extra protection in case somebody tried to attack Harry again. Harry caught the snitch in record time so nobody had time to jinx him. After the match Professor Snape told me he was going to question Professor Quirrell again to let him know he was being watched in case he considered another attempt on the stone.
Later Snape told me Quirrell denied knowing about or doing anything to steal the stone.
Harry however saw the two professors going into the woods and Professor Snape caught a glimpse of Harry on his broom listening to the two of them talk. Snape is angry, in his own words, "about Harry getting away with sneaking around and spying on people like his father did". I will have to give Harry some training in how to avoid being seen when I think he is old enough not to need me and my castle spy ring to monitor his safety all the time.
I again asked Snape to be calm. Harry investigating the stone is part of my plan to train him to face Voldemort someday. Snape insisted the Harry is mediocre at magic and will stand no chance against Voldemort.
Headmaster APWBD
Feb 28, 1992
Nothing has happened in the last month. No attempt on the stone, and no action by Harry. I guess I will have to give him another clue. The end of winter term is near then Easter Break. I will set my next clue to start after Easter.
Headmaster APWBD
Apr 8, 1992
Hagrid is up to something and Harry, Ron, and Hermione are in on it with him. Madam Pince reported the three were seen talking to Hagrid in the library while Hagrid was looking for books on the care of dragons. I must check this out before starting Harry on the next stone clue. I know Hagrid has a fixation with monstrous creatures but I hope he has not acquired a dragon somewhere. If so I will have to see it doesn't stay where it may harm the children.
Headmaster APWBD
Apr 12, 1992
Hagrid does indeed have a dragon egg and Harry, Ron, and Hermione know. It will have to go before I start them back investigating the stone.
Headmaster APWBD
Apr 18, 1992
The three of them are helping Hagrid feed the dragon. Soon it will be too large for the children to be near it safely so I must get rid of it soon without letting them know I am watching their every move. I need a plan quickly.
Headmaster APWBD
Apr 25
Ron was bitten by the dragon and its poisonous bite will have to be treated. If he doesn't go to Madam Pomfrey soon I will have to force him which will expose the fact that I am watching them. I have told Madam Pomfrey if he comes to the hospital wing not to make a fuss about a dragon bite; simply treat him without letting on you know what the bite came from.
Headmaster APWBD
Apr 28, 1992
Good news, Ron showed up for treatment telling Madam Pomfrey it was a dog bite. Also I don't have to get rid of the dragon and let Harry know I am watching him. Harry, Ron, and Hermione have convinced Hagrid to send the dragon he named Norbert to Romania where Ron's older brother Charlie is studying dragons in a wild colony based deep in the woods. It must have taken some real persuasion on their part to get Hagrid to let his beloved dragon go.
Headmaster APWBD
May 1, 1992
Harry and Hermione got rid of Norbert. Hagrid crated the dragon up with a harness and Harry and Hermione carried the crate under the invisibility cloak to the astronomy tower. There some of Charlie's friends met them and flew Norbert to Romania. The bad news is Draco Malfoy somehow found out about it. Draco tried to catch Harry breaking the rules and was caught himself by Professor McGonagall. Harry and Hermione in their excitement of getting rid of Norbert left the invisibility cloak in the astronomy tower and were caught by Mr. Filch on the way back to Gryffindor tower. Then Neville showed up to warn Harry about Malfoy, and he was also caught. Luckily Ron was still in the hospital with the dragon bite and is the only one it seems that won't be punished. I cannot excuse them so I have arranged their punishment to fit in with my next clue.
Unicorns in the dark forest are being killed for their blood which is a powerful medicine for almost all serious conditions. I believe Voldemort is hiding in the dark forest living on the unicorn blood while he has Professor Quirrell steal the stone which will fully restore him. Harry and Hermione will help Hagrid look for an injured unicorn and thus learn who is behind the attempt to steal the stone. Malfoy and Neville must go with them but they should not interfere.
I have asked Firenze, a centaur acquaintance of mine to "accidently" meet Harry while
in the woods and tell him about unicorn blood and who might want to use it to keep alive. The centaurs are not exactly friendly to me but they know I never lied to them or tried to fool them
into revealing their secrets. Firenze knows the most about Harry's story. Compared to the other centaurs he trusts humans more and agreed to help me. If this clue doesn't get Harry to go after the stone himself to keep it from Voldemort then Snape is correct; he will never have the courage to be able to defeat Voldemort
Headmaster APWBD
May 9, 1992
My plan did not quite work out perfectly but I am not sure if it worked better or worse than I intended. While Harry was in the dark woods he ran into Voldemort feeding on unicorn blood. Voldemort must be really weak because when he went after Harry, Firenze arrived and Voldemort instantly retreated. If he were anywhere near his normal power a centaur certainly would not have scared him away.
Harry got the story of unicorn blood from Firenze and knows for sure it is Voldemort that wants the stone to return to power. Now will he have the courage to try and stop Voldemort or not.
Headmaster APWBD
May 15, 1992
A house elf cleaning in Gryffindor tower reported Harry told Ron and Hermione the story he got from Firenze but the three of them now think Professor Snape is trying to steal the stone for Voldemort. Hermione also convinced Harry that he was safe because I am there to protect him. I must now fool Harry into thinking I am away so he will have to act on his own and I will know if he has the courage needed to destroy Voldemort.
Headmaster APWBD
May 28, 1992
I have worked out my plan but will wait until exams are over since Harry, Ron, and Hermione are students and do have to pass their first year. My sources tell me Harry thinks the stone is safe where it is because Professor Snape does not know how to get past Fluffy and Professor's Quirrell's spell. Actually Quirrell, who is the real thief, has discovered how to get through all the protections but with both Snape and me watching he has not made the attempt.
When I let Harry know I am away from the castle Quirrell will hear it also and I believe he will
make his move. I of course will not really be gone; I will be disillusioned and watching Harry to insure his safety but I hope I will not have to act and let Harry know I was there all along.
I am guessing that Voldemort will not let Quirrell get the stone by himself since he trusts nobody. If I can get Voldemort to show up in his weakened state I may be able to capture or eliminate him before he can find another way to regain power. This will eliminate the need for Harry to face him; but if the prophecy is true only Harry can destroy Voldemort. I must try however because stopping Voldemort is the most important thing. It is why I did not stopped Quirrell when I first got proof he was the thief.
Headmaster APWBD
June 15, 1992
After the last exam was finished I asked Hagrid to invite Harry, Ron, and Hermione to a tea session and confess that he let slip how to get by fluffy. This should make Harry come to tell me the stone is no longer safe. I have instructed Professor McGonagall to tell Harry I have left to go to the Ministry of Magic and I will not return until tomorrow. I will wait for the Fat Lady to let me know Harry has gone out under his invisibility cloak and follow him. By that time Quirrell should be at the Mirror of Erised because he will not have to wait until the castle is empty to move about like Harry must.
Headmaster APWBD
June 16, 1992
Again my plan did not work as planed but turned out well never the less. Harry approached Hagrid on his own and asked if anyone had questioned him about Fluffy. Hagrid let Harry know he let slip the secret of passing Fluffy to the stranger that gave him the dragon egg. The three children went to tell me, and Professor McGonagall informed them I was away. I waited and the Fat Lady came around midnight to tell me someone invisible had gone out from Gryffindor tower. I was ready and I waited near Fluffy for Harry to arrive. Harry did not come alone; Ron and Hermione were with him. Because they were willing to walk into danger to help their friend I am sure now of their courage and loyalty to Harry. I will include them in and future training to face Voldemort along with Harry.
I followed them through the series of spells and charms staying invisible. They brought a flute for music to put Fluffy asleep while they went through the trap door. Madam Sprout's devil's snare began to wrap around them but Hermione produced a fire to repel it allowing
them to escape to the key room. Professor Flitwick's charmed flying keys did not slow them down. Harry's skill on a broom allowed them to catch the needed key and pass on to Professor McGonagall's enchanted chess set.
Here I was worried. I did not know if they had the chess skill to win a match but Ron is apparently quite a chess player. He was able to win the match by sacrificing himself to let Harry checkmate the king. He did not hesitate to do so taking the chance he could be seriously hurt or even killed in order to allow Harry to go on. He did not know that Professor McGonagall had the chess men set not to kill but just strike hard enough to incapacitate the thief. With Ron knocked unconscious Harry and Hermione checked to see he was okay and left him to continue on. They made a hard choice because they knew the importance of stopping Voldemort.
Quirrell had knocked out the troll in his own area so they just passed through to Professor Snape's logic puzzle. Again I was not sure if they could solve the riddle but Hermione took only a moment to get the answer which most adult witches and wizards would never solve. Here Harry realized he would be outclassed by Professor Snape who Harry still thought was waiting. He sent Hermione back to send a message to me to hurry and help. This is good; Harry had the courage to go on alone but the wisdom and humility to know he needed help.
After Hermione left Harry entered the final room to discover Quirrell waiting for him instead of Snape. Quirrell bragged about being the thief and gave Harry the true story. I was disappointed that Voldemort was not there and decided to wait and see what would happen.
Quirrell was stumped by the Mirror of Erised. He could see the stone in the mirror but did not know how to get it. Then I heard another voice say, "Use the boy." and I realized Voldemort was in the room somewhere. Quirrell responded by making Harry stand in front of the mirror demanding Harry tell what he saw. I knew Harry would not only see the stone but also get possession since he met the requirement of my charm; wanting to get the stone not to use it but to keep it from being used. He reacted quickly seeing himself with the stone in his pocked, then feeling it actually appear in the pocket, he lied to Quirrell saying he saw himself shaking hands with me. Possible thinking of me bolstered his courage.
Then came the voice again, "He lies…He lies" said Voldemort; and told Quirrell he wanted to speak to Harry on his own. Where was this voice coming from? Quirrell removed his turban and I saw Voldemort. He had taken possession of Quirrell's body and appeared as another face on the back of Quirrell's head. It shook me up to see it and I looked at Harry to see how he would react. He looked scared as he should; but still in control of himself. As
Voldemort told lies to Harry trying to persuade Harry to join him I waited to see what Harry would do. I did not believe Voldemort in this state could harm Harry on his own but I prepared for Quirrell to draw his wand and strike at Voldemort's orders.
Then Harry called Voldemort a liar and Voldemort realized he could not trick Harry into joining him. Voldemort told Harry how he had killed Harry's father then his mother and he would kill Harry if he didn't turn over the stone. Harry shouted. "Never!" and ran for the door. Such courage from an eleven year old; to refuse to cooperate when faced with death. I prepared to block the spell I expected Quirrell to cast trying to stop Harry; but instead Voldemort yelled for Quirrell to seize Harry and Quirrell acted instantly grabbing Harry.
When the Quirrell Voldemort combination touched him, Harry yelled in pain. Harry could not stand Voldemort touching him. But the Quirrell Voldemort body must have also felt pain. He let go of Harry and dropped to his knees. I could see blisters forming on Quirrell's hand. Voldemort yelled again and Quirrell got up and knocked Harry over. Sitting on him Quirrell put his hands around Harry's throat to choke him. But his hands blistered more and he couldn't hold Harry. Voldemort ordered Quirrell to kill Harry and as he drew his wand Harry grabbed Quirrell's face. Quirrell screamed in pain and rolled off Harry. Then Harry pulled himself up and grabbed Quirrell holding him to keep him from casting a spell.
Quirrell was not a big man but Harry was only eleven years old and in the long run no match for Quirrell. As I saw Harry start to black out from the pain I called his name, "Harry! Harry!" to let him know I was there to help. Quirrell was also on the point of blacking out from the pain of his blistered skin and I quickly pulled him away from Harry. As soon as I appeared Voldemort knew I meant to capture or kill him and he had no power to stop me, so he left Quirrell's body and like a wraith flew out the door escaping. Quirrell died as Voldemort left his body. I wish I could have questioned him for facts about Voldemort's powers and actions.
I got Harry up to the hospital wing as quickly as I could and Madam Pomfrey examined him and said he was seriously injured by his contact with Voldemort but would recover with a few days rest and some of her rejuvenation tonic.
Headmaster APWBD
June 18, 1992
Considering nobody was in the vault but Harry and me everyone seems to have a story about what happened. Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley told me their story and I listened as if I didn't already know. They spend as much time at Harry's bedside as Madam Pomfrey allowed.
Many others have sent Harry cards and gifts. I must prepare to tell Harry as much as I
dare about what happened; but I cannot tell him I was there to protect him the whole time. He must believe in himself. His own courage and resources are what he needs to survive in the future and I think this adventure will bolster these qualities. After all I may have set up the situation but he did handle things by himself, with only a little help from Ron and Hermione.
Headmaster APWBD
June 19, 1992
Harry is awake and we talked. He does not remember blacking out nor that I yelled to him at the last minute and I will not remind him. I think he is satisfied for now with what I explained about the relationship between him and Voldemort. In the coming years I will tell him more as he matures and I think he can handle things. The children will be heading home in two days and I have arranged protection for Harry on the train. Once he is back to his aunt's house my charm will protect him for the summer. I have asked Molly and Arthur Weasley to invite Harry over near the end of the summer and escort him to Diagon Alley to get his school supplies for next year and also see him safely onto the train back to school.
Headmaster APWBD