Disclaimer: I obviously don't own the idea of Harry Potter or any of the money making forms of it.
Again a thanks to my beta, Throckmorton.
Book 1 – Part 7: Busy Halloween
"Harry, could you pass the bowl of potatoes?" Fred asked.
He did so, pumpkins and Halloween decorations all over the Great Hall.
They had fallen into a nice routine, and with Harry's Quidditch practices, his friends would take any homework and do it there. Harry had grown accustomed to the rising memories and feelings, and took them as they came. They were occasionally helpful, since they sometimes gave a review or a preview of lesson topics. They had also proven their usefulness in giving him a feel for who most everyone was, or at least who their families were. And as for the more violent memories, he stomached those the best he could, often having to privately center himself before going into any classroom with the Slytherins.
"So, have you guys heard what happened?" George asked, leaning in.
"What?" Ron asked, obviously curious.
"Do you see Draco anywhere?" Fred asked slyly.
Harry glanced at the Slytherin table and found that Crabbe and Goyle were without their leader.
"Where is he?" Harry asked.
"Well, apparently, Marcus Flint had suggested doing something to you, Harry—"
"And Draco said something like he'd rather not waste his time with something that—"
"Trivial. Flint then accused Draco of having no nerve and he is shaming the Malfoy name, and—"
"Draco has now been avoiding most of the other Slytherins," George finished.
"I saw him in the bathroom. Before he knew I was there, he had been pacing, muttering under his breath," Fred said.
Harry and his friends glanced at each other, their eyebrows rising slightly.
"Why do you think he would do that?" Ron asked. "Though, our run-ins with him recently have been short and less troublesome, now that I think about it."
Ron was right, things had seemed to have at least leveled out. There was this odd understanding between Harry and Draco now, ever since Harry's seriously direct statements to him weeks prior during the Shooting Star incident.
Harry had also been making sure he always somehow acknowledged Draco and his buddies when they came around, usually by a short, respectful nod, which Draco and his companions surprisingly returned.
For right now, their understanding involved something along the lines of: show me no reason to trouble you, and I will do the same.
Harry zeroed in on his plate, thinking, as he suddenly got the urge to look up at the High Table.
Quirrell…where's Quirrell? Harry asked himself.Suddenly, Professor Quirrell came bolting through the doors and ran up to Dumbledore.
"TROLL!—in the Dungeons—thought you ought to know…" he puffed, before promptly fainting.
Dumbledore immediately took control of the panicked students, issuing orders.
In a matter of seconds, they were all on their way to their dormitories.
"How could a troll get in?" Harry asked, following the rest of the Gryffindors.
"Don't ask me, they're supposed to be really stupid," Ron said.
"Maybe Peeves let it in for a Halloween joke," Hermione suggested.
"I wouldn't put it past him," Neville said.
Harry suddenly stopped and grabbed Ron and Neville's arms, Hermione nearly bumping into him from behind.
"I've just thought—Draco."
"What about him?"
"He doesn't know about the troll, he's probably still in the bathroom."
"You cannot be serious, Harry," Ron said, but knew he was.
"Come on," he said, leading them back the way they came, blending in with the other scurrying students before hurrying off to a deserted side corridor and to the boys' restroom.
Stopping, they peeked around the corner, having heard something hard and solid being dragged across the floor a ways down the corridor as they saw a troll exit the girls' bathroom, go down the hall, and enter the boys'.
"Oh, no," Harry breathed as they ran forward.
"Wands out," Harry ordered, just as they heard a loud CRASH and a blood-curdling scream.
Malfoy.
They charged into the bathroom, Hermione ignoring the boys' sign on the door and joining them.
Harry was first, closely followed by Ron and Neville, and then Hermione.
The bathroom was very long, easily fitting over a dozen stalls on the right wall, sinks lining the other. The troll was in the middle, facing the ruined stalls he had just destroyed with his club, wood and porcelain everywhere, water quickly joining the rubble.
Draco was squirming on the floor several yards in front of them, his leg in a not-so-cool position. Harry quickly assumed Draco had tried to hide in one of the now destroyed stalls, and had gotten hit in the leg, and had been flung up and to the floor.
"Rictusempra!" Harry shouted as the troll turned towards them, raising its club.
The troll giggled a little, and took a step back.
Harry gave a quick look to the others.
"Rictusempra!" the four of them shouted together, hitting the troll and causing it to go into fits of laughter, making it take several strides back towards the back wall, adding a much more comfortable distance between them.
Ron eyed the club before yelling, "Wingardium Leviousa!"
The club flew up, but having come from the shaking hand of its owner, the club went careening off to the side to hit and smash a toilet.
"Come on, let's get Draco out of here!" Harry shouted, running forward, the troll's giggling fit slowly subsiding as he leaned against the back wall and stall.
Ron took Draco's left arm, and as Harry was about to take his right, the troll suddenly roared.
"Rictusempra!" Neville and Hermione shouted together, but from either anger or troll adrenaline, it had no effect at all.
The troll faced them, its eyes setting on them dangerously.
"Get Draco out!" Harry boomed as he took two strides forward, stepping between Draco and the now advancing troll.
The troll moved forward at an alarming speed, and its face was terrifying as Neville took Draco's right arm and pulled with Ron. All the while, the troll's footsteps shook the floor, and Draco's pain filled cries barely registered as they began dragging him back.
The troll was just a few feet away, its fists clenched, when Harry thrust his wand forward and shouted the first spell that came into his head, putting as much power as he could behind it.
"ARDESCO!"
A flash of blinding red light filled the whole room as something huge shot out of Harry's wand. The solid mass of flames and magic hit the troll directly on its chest.
BANG!!!
The moment it hit, it exploded, whamming the troll back—hard.
The troll flew back and slammed into the back wall with such a force, the small windows near the ceiling cracked, mirrors shattered, and the floor trembled.
Ron and Neville stopped pulling Draco, seeing what Harry had just done, the whole front of the troll now charred, blackened, and burned, a circle nearly engraved into it where the spell had struck.
Hermione went forward, Draco in shock and pain.
Kneeling beside his broken leg, she aimed her wand.
"This will help with the pain," she said, waving the wand over his leg as she whispered, "Indolentia."
Draco exhaled slowly as the pain subsided a great deal, Ron and Neville now easing him completely back to the floor as they all looked to Harry.
Harry turned slightly, his right side facing them, the tip of his wand smoking slightly.
"Let's get him to the hospital wing," Harry said, breaking the silence.
Hermione stood up, giving a nod, and waved her wand again, "Mobilicorpus."
At that, Draco floated up, like he was on an invisible stretcher, just as the bathroom door burst open, several Professors charging in.
- - -
Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Quirrell ran down the hall, hearing the roars and then a BANG from the boys' bathroom that shook the whole hall.
Barging into the room, ready for a fight, they found what they least expected.
The smell of burned flesh and hair assaulted their noses as their eyes settled upon the ruined bathroom. The troll's club was in a partly shattered toilet, and wood and water was everywhere. Several of the mirrors over the sinks were broken, especially the mirrors closer to the far wall where a motionless Mountain Troll now was.
They paused, taking in three Gryffindors around a levitated, injured Slytherin, another Gryffindor standing between that group of students and a troll beyond help.
The Professors were utterly dumbfounded as most of the students turned to face them, Draco trying to.
Harry turned around completely, looking to each professor.
Flitwick was staring at Harry, glancing at his still smoking wand tip, the troll's body beyond it.
McGonagall pursed her lips into a fine white line. Ron gulped, thinking they were in big trouble.
Snape looked murderous, probably wondering how one from his house had gotten into this, and why he was the only one hurt.
Dumbledore looked calm and collected, but his eyes were calculating, and had a flicker of astonishment and surprise.
Harry then looked beyond Dumbledore, and to Quirrell.
He met Quirrell's eyes, and suddenly got the feeling that Quirrell was trying to somehow look into him.
Harry must have panicked as he focused his mind, because a quick stab of pain jabbed his scar for a split second as a solid image came into his mind, different than the memories, but unnervingly similar.
A red stone.
The picture was there and gone the next, causing him to nearly sway on his feet.
"Severus, take Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing," Dumbledore said suddenly, stepping forward and going to Harry.
"Yes, Head Master," Snape said, swiftly going to Draco—Neville, Hermione, and Ron stepping back.
"Professor, I performed the Pain Relief Charm, Indolentia, on him," Hermione said, wincing a little as she looked back at Draco's leg.
"Thank you for informing us of that," Professor Flitwick squeaked, surprised a first year had performed such a spell, but then went back to wondering what spell Potter had used against the troll to cause that. Definitely a spell beyond a first year.
"I will be sure to tell Madam Pomfrey, Ms. Granger," Snape stated flatly, leaving the room with Draco.
Harry suddenly did not feel good, and felt even worse as he looked back up to Quirrell, part of him hoping that garlicky man would just disappear.
He was getting a headache, as if someone was chiseling away up there, and he couldn't help but lifting his left hand up to his head.
He then realized Dumbledore was beside him, feeling his hand on his shoulder.
"I think it best you four come with me to talk in a less distracting atmosphere," he said. "Minerva, make the rounds of the Dormitories, tell everyone the threat has been handled. Professor Flitwick, Professor Quirrell, you may go, I'm sure there are things you need to have done for your classes. And don't worry Professor Quirrell, that troll is not going to be getting up again," he said.
Quirrell nodded uncertainly before turning and leaving, as if thankful he had been dismissed.
Flitwick gave one last glance at the Gryiffindors, his eyes resting back on Harry for a moment before giving Dumbledore a nod and leaving behind Quirrell.
McGonagall exhaled, her lips still thin as she too left.
The moment the door closed behind them, Harry felt the pounding in his head fade and his suspicions of Quirrell rise.
He released a breath he didn't even know he had been holding as he was guided out by Dumbledore—Ron, Hermione, and Neville joining them.
The journey to the Head Master's office went by fast, and the trip up the spiral staircase whirled by. They entered his office, seeing the odd gizmos and strange objects all over the place.
Ron looked over at Harry as they sat down, Dumbledore calling forth extra chairs for Neville and Hermione.
"Well, I must say finding the four of you victorious over a fully grown Mountain Troll was a nice surprise. I'm curious, how did all of this happen?" he asked, his eyes twinkling as he looked at them all.
"Well, sir, we had heard rumors that Malfoy was having trouble within his house, and that he was in the boys' bathroom, avoiding certain Slytherins," Ron began.
"Yeah, and then when we were all heading to the dormitories after Professor Quirrell warned about the troll, Harry said—" Neville continued, being cutoff by Hermione.
"That Draco must still be in the restroom, and that we needed to warn him because he didn't know about the troll—"
"And then we saw the troll leaving the girls' bathroom and go into the boys'," Ron continued. "And then Harry said to get our wands out, and we ran in."
They continued to tell what happened, but when it came to the part where Harry blasted the troll, they all fell silent, suddenly realizing Harry had yet to say anything.
"Harry?" Ron asked, finding Harry resting his elbow on the arm rest, and pressing two fingers on his scar, looking very focused.
Harry's scar was tingling with the same pins-and-needles one feels after a limb falls asleep, his mind showing glimpses of something odd.
A forest, dark and lush, was before him, shadows and figures moving before him. Finally, after searching for what felt far too long, his eyes rested upon something beyond the brush.
A Unicorn…
Harry was suddenly knocked out of it by a firm hand on his shoulder, Ron's hand."Hey, Harry, you still with us?" he asked, playfully.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm here," he said, trying to sound convincing, more for himself than for the others.
Dumbledore's eyes rested on him for a moment, Harry couldn't place the emotion that passed through them.
"Harry, what spell did you use?" Dumbledore asked.
"Ardesco," he answered shyly, catching Hermione's eyes widen in astonishment, bewilderment, and surprise, all at the same time.
Dumbledore's eyebrows, however, only went up ever so slightly.
"That's a very advanced spell, Harry; where did you learn it?"
"I don't know, in a book somewhere I guess. All I did was yell out the first offensive spell that came into my head, and put everything I could behind it. I was defending my friends, so at the time it was an easy thing to do, it was that or get clobbered by a smelly monster," Harry said simply, his head clearing.
"I see, and I'm glad you did, as I am sure your friends and Mr. Malfoy are as well," Dumbledore said.
"Can we visit Draco?" Harry asked suddenly.
That, for some reason seemed to surprise Dumbledore more than the use of that spell, but he nodded.
"I'm sure Madam Pomfrey would allow people to visit him tomorrow," he said, before looking to the others. "Because of the four of your actions, I award fifty points to Gryffindor for coming to the aid of another student."
This resulted all four Gryffindors to breakout into full grins.
"Thanks, sir," Ron said.
Dumbledore gave a half smile before speaking again. "The three of you may go to your dorms, I have some things I must discuss with Harry."
Hermione, Neville, and Ron stood up.
"You can wait for Harry in the Gryffindor Common Room if you wish," he added, seeing Harry's friends hesitate.
"Alright. Goodnight, Professor," they said, leaving, the door shutting behind them.
Dumbledore reclined back in his chair, his eyes resting on the door for a moment before looking to Harry.
Harry fidgeted.
And then, Harry suddenly felt it, again, the same feeling he had gotten from Quirrell, only this time it was a little different.
It wasn't exactly intrusive, but it wasn't invited either. Harry reacted the same way he had all the times before. He centered, inwardly calming himself.
It stopped.
"Harry, do you know what Occlumency is?" Dumbledore asked after a moment.
"Occ-lumency, sir?" Harry asked, slowly meeting his eyes behind those half-mooned spectacles.
"It's a defense of the mind," Dumbledore answered.
"Sir, why are you telling me this?" Harry asked, not exactly following, but not being completely lost either.
"Harry, you know Occlumency, naturally is seems," he said, his voice revealing some of his curiosity and amazement.
"You mean, that's what I've been doing when I calm myself down?" Harry asked.
"It would seem so. Harry, when did you start doing this?" he asked.
"Well, I suppose I started doing it after I realized it calmed me down after…"
"Your dreams," Dumbledore provided.
"Yeah."
There was a short silence, before Harry spoke again.
"How do you know I can do, uh, Occlumency?" Harry asked.
"Because of my position, it is my responsibility to know the magic levels of my students. I don't go digging around or anything, that wouldn't be appropriate, obviously. I just graze over students occasionally."
"Oh."
"And I apologize, Harry. Just before I started this conversation with you, I did a little more than just 'graze' with you. I did so to confirm my suspicions, and they were confirmed when I didn't get past your defenses."
"Oh, well at least I'll know what's happening when I get that feeling again," Harry said, seeing the sincerity in Dumbledore's eyes.
"Have you felt that feeling before?" he asked.
"Yeah, a few times, but they were a little more…aggressive, I suppose; why?"
"Harry, I don't want to alarm you, but I think if I didn't warn you, it would be a serious risk. There is a threat a little too close for comfort at the moment, and I want you to come to me if you feel threatened, ever."
"Alright, sir. I will," Harry said, trying not to let the warning unnerve him.
"Harry, pardon my curiosity, but like a cat, it seems I cannot help it," he said as he pushed a little bowl of candy towards him and grabbed one for himself. "Lemon drop?"
"Thanks." Harry took one.
"But it seems your dreams are at least mildly serious."
"I'm sorry sir, I thought I had them under cont—"
Dumbledore cut him short by raising a hand.
"I'm not angry with you Harry, one does not have control over their dreams; if one did, I doubt you would be allowing yourself to have ones like those."
Harry said nothing, but waited.
"I'm glad you talked with Hagrid, and he has kept your secrets, so you have nothing to worry about there," he said with a smile.
"Do you want me to tell you?" Harry asked simply, his voice neutral.
Harry wasn't sure if he would tell him, but Hagrid seemed to trust him, and with Hagrid saying, 'Great man, Dumbledore,' all the time, there was no doubt he thought he was great too.
"Only if you want to, I'm not here to force you to do anything."
"Sir, don't take this the wrong way, but right now having Hagrid know is enough for me," Harry said after a moment of thought.
Dumbledore gave an understanding nod.
"Sir, does Hagrid know what happened?" he asked.
"Hmm, I'm sure McGonagall told him, but I'm sure he'd like to hear the full story from you," he said, his eyes twinkling.
Harry smiled, understanding that to be a dismissal of sorts, and departed.
- - -
Hagrid heard the knock at his door. It was dusk, and Hagrid had been told that Harry and his friends had been taken to the Head Master's office to talk about what had happened.
McGonagall had told him everything she could, Hagrid nearly begging to be told every detail, and asking if Harry and the others were alright.
"Potter used a powerful spell against that troll, Hagrid. I've never known of a first year doing anything like that, but he did it. There was still smoke coming from the tip of his wand when we arrived," she had said, before he went to dispose of the troll corpse.
Hagrid and Filch had gone into the destroyed bathroom. Some of the other Professors had helped with the clean up already, but the troll was still there.
Harry did that? Hagrid had thought, finding the large charred circle and all over burned troll. Even Filch looked surprised.
Hagrid got up from his chair and opened the door.
"Harry! Come on in!" he bellowed.
Harry went in, suddenly remembering that his friends were waiting for him in the Common Room. He decided to make this quick.
"Are yeh all alright?" Hagrid asked, sitting down across from him.
Harry nodded.
"Professor McGonagall told me what happened. Blimey, Harry, yeh took down a fully grown Mountain Troll!" he said, unable to hold in his excitement. "How'd yeh do it?"
"Well, that's part of the reason I came here tonight. I don't really know how I did it, I just shouted the first spell I could think of."
"Harry, McGonagall told me it was a high level spell, most adults would have trouble with a kind o' spell like that…"
"I know," he muttered. "But Hagrid, it was one of the spells I saw used against one of the Death Eaters in my dreams. I had that dream a long time ago, and just today remembered that I had dreamt it after I shouted that spell."
"So yer unknowingly learning them?" Hagrid asked.
"After seeing some of Riddle's earlier memories, I found myself pretty much instantly knowing how to do those spells he was trying, so I guess…"
"Did you tell Professor Dumbledore?" he asked.
"No."
"Well, I think if anything else happens, yeh should," Hagrid said.
"Okay, I will. I just, I don't know, just having you know is enough right now. Besides, I don't know how he would treat me after he knew. I don't want to be treated differently. I hate attention, and get more than enough already."
Hagrid chuckled. "Yeah, I suppose yer right."
"Professor Dumbledore also told me that I know Occlumency…" Harry said after a moment.
"Yer a Natural Occlumens? Crikey, yer full of surprises, Harry," Hagrid said.
Harry gave a half felt smile.
"That's a good thing, Harry. You-Know-…"
Harry raised an eyebrow.
"Fine, Vol-demort… was an expert Legilimens, one who can see into people's minds."
"Are there other Legilimens?" Harry asked suddenly.
"Yeah, sure. Dumbledore is one, and I'm sure Snape is as well, why?"
"I've just… a few times this year, I guess you could say, I've felt someone trying to look in my mind. I thought I was just being paranoid when it happened, or that a weird feeling from a memory was coming on."
"Do you get those often?" Hagrid asked, referring to the feeling of a memory coming on.
"Not a lot, but they've sort of told me who to watch out for, if you know what I mean."
"I do," Hagrid said.
Harry paused, going through his head if there was anything else, before remembering that there was.
"There's something else Hagrid, and it's probably nothing, but I think I should tell you, since I suppose it was a memory, of sorts…"
"Alright, Harry."
"When the Professors came in, and I looked at Quirrell…my scar hurt for a second and I got a picture of this red stone, but it only lasted for about a second. And then in the Head Master's office, I sort of zoned out for a moment, and I saw this dark forest, and a Unicorn behind some brush."
Harry paused, realizing how quiet it had suddenly gotten, before realizing Hagrid was very still and probably not breathing.
"Am I being ridiculous?" Harry asked, not sure how to take Hagrid's silence.
"No, no, yer not ridiculous. It's just…"
"Is it important?" Harry asked, slightly in disbelief.
"Very important, Harry. Don't tell anyone 'bout that stone, it's dangerous."
"Why?" Harry asked.
"That stone is powerful, a lot o' people would want to get their hands on it. If certain people knew you saw it, even in your head…"
"Alright, Hagrid, but what is it? The stone I mean?"
Hagrid sighed, and for a moment Harry thought he wasn't going to answer, but then he did.
"It's called the Sorcerer's Stone. It makes the Elixir of Life, which makes the drinker immortal.
"I only told yeh so yeh would understand why it must be kept secret; also, I know how yuh and yer friends are. Yeh lot would o'figured it out anyway. I'm just savin' yeh the trouble and savin' yeh from being found out."
Hagrid paused as Harry thought back to the day they went to Gringotts, and the small package Hagrid took. Harry gasped.
"You mean, that's the thing?—From Gringotts? Was—someone tried to steal it…"
"Yer very perceptive, Harry," Hagrid said, a mixture of pride and worry coming through his words. "Yeah."
Harry closed his eyes, shaking his head.
"Don't tell me that three headed dog is the one guarding it," Harry muttered.
"How do you know about Fluffy?!" Hagrid's eyes growing wide.
Harry would have laughed if it hadn't been so serious.
"Uh, we sort of stumbled onto it. Neville got sick from the stairs moving, and we needed to get off before he lost his dinner… We were going to try a different route. When we realized we were in the third floor corridor, we tried to leave, but then Mrs. Norris was blocking our path, and Filch was coming. We sort of panicked…"
"Oh. Well, I never liked that cat…"
- - -
A/N: For those of you who review, -thanks- each of you help me type faster. :)
And if any of you have questions, feel free to ask.
Next part: Erised
