*SNORE*
The sound of Fluffy's snores was almost a physical force. Scratch that, it was a physical force.
"So… we are going to put this thing to sleep by music?" Amber asked.
"Yes. And then I'm going in."
"I'll come too!"
"And you couldn't get us to not come with a three headed dog!"
"Ron, there is one of those!"
"Oh, sorry." Amber stepped forward. She closed her eyes, and began to hum. It was relatively quiet at first, before becoming gradually louder. Eventually, it reached sufficient volume to be heard over Fluffy's growls and started to put the beast to sleep.
"Amber, what song is that? I've never heard that before…" Hermione asked. Amber, naturally, couldn't answer. I stepped forward, shifting Fluffy's paw to uncover the trapdoor underneath. I unlocked the door, and jumped in. A loud thud, followed by two more of decreasingly lower pitches, meant that Ron, Hermione, and Amber followed in quick succession, in that order.
"Lucky this plant is here. Otherwise we might have fallen to our dooms." Amber smiled, nudging the plant.
"Amber! I thought you were the practical one! This is Devil's Snare!" Hermione struggled up to the walls; in shock that the others were too far gone to try to follow suit.
"Really, Hermione? Great! So we did fall to our dooms. If only Darion were here… he'd set this thing alight no problem!"
"AMBER! ARE YOU INSANE?" I roared. Amber reached for her wand, but Hermione got there first.
"Incendio Hydrolentus!" casted Hermione. Her trademark bluebell flames issued from her wand, alighting in the exact centre of me, Ron and Amber. The Devil's Snare recoiled, allowing us our freedom.
"Thanks, Hermione. That's why I keep you around."
The next room was decorated with birds of some description. We tried to make our way across the room without attracting their attention. But the effort was futile. There was simply no getting past the door at the other end.
I turned from the door in frustration. The ceiling caught my attention. Or rather, the birds. Birds didn't… sparkle…
"Those aren't birds! I'd bet that those are keys of some sort. There has to be some key in there that'll unlock that door."
"Perfect spotting, Harry!"
"But how do we get up there? Harry, no offence mate, but you're not getting up there." Hermione wandered around the room. She emerged from behind a pillar to hold out a broomstick.
"Now you're getting up there." I kicked from the ground, and combed the objects.
"They're literal keys. What kind am I looking for?"
"The doorknob is old, silver, and a touch rusty. Any keys that match that description?" I combed the swarm.
"Yep. And I'm about to catch it," I told Ron, catching the key. I dived down, and passed the key to Amber, the nearest one to the door. She shoved the key in the lock, opening the door and allowing us passage.
The next room was full of towering statues. Due to the semi-darkness, none of us could make out what the statues were of.
"The door! It's right over there!" Hermione called, pointing.
"I dunno… it seems all too easy… Lumos!" Amber waved her wand around the room. Ron took vast interest in the statues in the now lit room, but no one else recognized any sort of challenge. Ron took a step towards a statue, and pressed his hand to it. It sprung to life.
"Oh, Mr Statue, sir, what exactly would this puzzle be?" Ron asked. The statue gave a sweeping gesture, and the room lit up much better than Amber's Lumos did. Ron finally recognized the room.
"It's a chessboard."
"Does anyone here know how to win chess?"
"Do dragons lay eggs? OK, Hermione, you take the queenside castle. Harry, the nearer bishop. Amber, you can be the queen. And I'll be a knight." We hopped onto the dedicated pieces. A lump rose in my throat. Next to me, Amber whispered the same doubt I had.
"What if we lose? What if we get taken?"
Chess, to the undedicated, is a very boring game to be narrated. I'll just fast forward to the game's climax, if that's OK with you. Three, two, one…
Ron drummed his fingers on the horse's mane. He observed the board, looking for an opening. Both queens' faces turned to him.
"That's it! I've got to be taken!" Ron said.
"RON! NO! THERE MUST BE ANOTHER WAY!"
"That's chess, Hermione. You have to make sacrifices. I don't like this anymore than you do, but it's the only way. Harry, once I make my move, the queen will make hers. When I do, move to G5. You'll checkmate the king." I nodded. In perhaps the most badass way of calling your move:
"Knight to H3." The knight's movements were painfully slow. Since all three of us were in the middle of the board, we could just watch as the queen took deliberate steps towards Ron. She unsheathed her blade.
*SMASH*
Hermione's scream was unheard over the cacophony of the knight falling into pieces, Ron being trapped under the rubble.
"Bishop to G5," I called. The bishop moved to the space. The opposing king's sword dropped to my feet. Abandoning restraint, Hermione leaped off the castle and ran to Ron's side.
"Ron! RON! Are you OK? Say something! Anything!" Hermione's panicked shouts were painful. Amber dropped a comforting arm on her shoulder.
"Hermione, if it's too painful for you, you can stay here with Ron."
"I'd appreciate that. Thanks for your thoughtfulness…"
"Amber, you coming or staying?"
"I'm coming with you."
"Knew you'd say that… somehow."
After skipping the room afterwards, which contained only a knocked-out troll, we emerged in a very peaceful room. It was sort of like… well, it had a sophisticated charm. The reminder we were in a puzzle to get to the next room were the two fires that sprung up once we left the doormat. The fire nearest to us was a vivid purple. The one opposite was jet black.
"Now what? What is it that we must accomplish to get past… or even out?"
"Let me think, Harry…" Amber inspected the table lain before us. I noted it too, as it was the only feature in the room. It was long, with seven bottles of varied shapes and sizes along the row. Amber spotted a piece of parchment on the table, and read it aloud.
Danger lies before you,
While safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you,
Whichever you will 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 search, 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 want to move onwards, neither is your friend;
Third, as you can clearly see, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
And finally, the second on the left and second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
Amber looked up, grinning with glee. I didn't see why.
"What is it?"
"This isn't a magic barrier… it's a logic gate. A true 'puzzle'. A lot of wizards haven't an ounce of logic: They'd be stuck here forever!"
"But so will we, wouldn't we?"
"Harry, logic was my favourite Muggle subject. I know my way around a puzzle like this." Amber took out a spare bit of parchment, and drew up a table. She placed symbols in each box.
"Found it. That bottle should take you forward, to the Stone." She indicated the smallest bottle.
"That's hardly one swallow…" I said, resigned. "Well, which is the bottle that would take you back?" Amber indicated the rounded potion at one end. I reached for it.
"No, Harry!" Amber said.
"What? Did you make an error?"
"No… I want you to go forward."
"What? But you're the better mage!"
"Me? Cleverness and ingenuity? No. There are more important things. Friendship… bravery… and Harry, be careful." Amber took a step forward.
"Wait, what?" I got out, before Amber pulled me into a kiss. She released me, smiling.
"Well… here goes." I took a sip from the bottle.
"I got it right, didn't I?"
"Yes… it's like ice."
"Then get in before it wears off!" I did so.
I was shocked to see who and what was here. In the room's centre was the Mirror of Erised. In front of it was
"YOU!" I roared.
"Me." Quirrell stated.
"But… Snape…"
"Ah, yes, Potter… Professor Snape. Wandering the halls of the castle like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who could possibly suspect p-p-p-p-poor st-st-st-st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"
"It can't be… Snape tried to kill me…"
"No, no, my dear boy. I tried to kill you. And I would have succeeded, had that good-for-nothing Granger girl not knocked me over on her way to sabotage Snape muttering his little counter curse!"
"Snape… wanted to save me?"
"Yes, he did. Now, be quiet, boy, while I examine this mysterious mirror. It holds the key to getting the Stone… but how do I get it?" Quirrell's question was rhetorical, but he received an answer.
Use the boy…
"COME HERE, POTTER!" I walked up to the mirror, wandering what I'd see in the mirror. Previously, it had been me with my family, up to and including my long lost sister, but Amber's kiss still had me a little confused.
"Well, Potter… what is your heart's desire? What does the Mirror reflect?" I gazed into it. There was a Harry Potter staring right back at me. He winked, and I saw, from behind Professor Quirrell, Amber emerge. She smiled at me, and kissed Harry on the cheek. She pulled from her pocket what appeared to be the Philosopher's Stone. She beamed, and gave it to Harry. Harry then put it in his pocket. Somehow, something heavy landed in my pocket.
I have the Stone!
"Tell me, Harry? What did you just see?" I had to get away. I decided on the truth… or at least a part of it.
"I saw Amber kissing me. She seemed very happy." Quirrell slowly nodded, and I began my escape.
He lies… He conceals…
"Tell the TRUTH! The WHOLE truth."
"Amber… also gave me the Philosopher's Stone. She must know where to find it."
Let us speak… face to face…
"Master, you are not strong enough. If Granger arrives…"
I have strength enough for this…
Professor Quirrell turned to face me. He slowly unravelled his ever-present turban, and let it drop to the ground. Reflected in the mirror was perhaps the most disgusting thing I had ever seen.
"Voldemort…"
Yes… see what I have become… see what I must do to survive… a mere shadow… living off others… but not for long… give me the Stone that lies in your pocket…
He knew. He knew.
Don't be a fool… Give me the Stone, and we can do extraordinary things… that Granger girl you mentioned… your parents… they would be yours for the asking… just give me the Stone…
"NEVER!"
Hahaha… Bravery… your parents had it too… they died trying to shield you… now give me the Stone… unless you want them to have died in vain…
I turned and ran, hoping to get the Stone out of Voldemort's grasp. Quirrell snapped his fingers, and the door was blocked. Escape was no longer an option. I turned back to face Voldemort. He was upon me, and was inches away from the Stone. I grabbed Quirrell's wrist.
"AHHH!" Somehow, my mere grip was causing him immense pain.
What now, imbecile?
"My hands… my hands…"
Then kill him, fool, and be done!
Quirrell raised his wand, but I pressed my hands to his face. Quirrell failed to panic nearly as much, and shoved me away. Strained from the effort, I fell to the ground, knowing I had failed.
Where might I me? There was only the vaguest hint at my surroundings: a golden pinprick of light. I blinked a couple of times. Dumbledore came into focus, as did Amber.
"Sir! I'm sorry! Voldemort got the Stone! I failed! Amber, please forgive me!"
"Calm down, Harry. Voldemort did not get the Stone."
"Of course he didn't! I'm worried about Voldemort here!"
"Enough, Harry. Your young flower is correct. Voldemort does not have the Stone."
"But sir, I collapsed. The door was blocked and no one was in the room but him. How could he not have the Stone?"
"Well…"
"Amber?"
"Harry, I wasn't trying to go behind your back. But just before I drank the backwards potion, I heard you argue with Quirrell. I… eavesdropped long enough to hear Voldemort. Apparently, I could enter the room quiet enough for no one to notice. When you collapsed, I… killed Quirrell. A dark fog got away. I take it that was Voldemort?"
"Yes, Amber. That was Voldemort. Or at least, what remains of him. But enough about Voldemort. Let's consume these excellent treats given to you by the student body."
"But sir, the Stone…"
"Failed to distract you. Ah well. What is it you'd like to know? I shall of course, offer only the truth. Should I feel that the question is not on the grounds for you to hear, I shall tell you so. I shall not, of course, lie."
"Well… what happened to the Stone?"
"Me and Nicholas had a nice chat, and agreed it was for the best if it were destroyed. Unlimited supplies of gold and life! The two things humans desire above all else! Naturally, humans desire precisely what is wrong for them…"
"And… Voldemort mentioned that my parents died trying to shield me… why would Voldemort want me dead?"
"Alas, Harry, a question I may not answer. The truth is a harsh mistress, and this question has an answer that you are not ready to hear. In time… you shall hear it eventually."
"And one more…"
"Just the one?"
"Just the one. How did I get the Stone from the Mirror?"
"I'm glad that was the question. It was one of my more brilliant ideas. Only someone who wanted the Stone found, but not used, could lay claim to it. Very well, I shall take leave. Unless… I sense, Harry, that there was something else?"
"Well… when I got the Stone, it was Amber who gave it to me in the Mirror. Did that… mean anything?" Dumbledore gave a meaningful glance at Amber.
"As to that, I cannot be sure. I suspect that, deep down, you wanted her to find the Stone. Maybe to better defend it? We can never know. Come, Amber. Leave Harry to his food. Darion and Hermione miss you very much." The two left the room, leaving me very conflicted. Did I really want Amber's company? Or did I prefer it when she left me be? Both extremes had their flaws.
After saying I was done with the Philosopher's Stone portion of events, I realised it wouldn't be fitting if I didn't have the book's climax. And plus, the Amber*Harry fluff is kind of necessary to mention, because it is a big part of later stories, and it's better to show this happen rather than mention it in passing.
And yes, this is over two thousand five hundred words. For the ending. Of the shortest book. If I went with Plan A and wrote the entire book into this story, there'd be no updates for it.
Is it wrong that I was only a few lines shy of having the poem in this story memorized?
Neither can live while the other... survives.