CHAPTER SIX: RESCUING THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE

The school exams so came and went, during which time my scar constantly ached. It's amazing that I even got through my exams which my scar giving me tremendous headaches and half expecting Lord Voldemort to come charging into the exam room. Though I knew that was highly unlikely. Even though I hadn't met the guy, I was sure that he was pretty intelligent… at least that's how I perceived him from the way people spoke about him.

Anyway, our final exam was History of Magic. For one hour we sat answering questions about batty old wizards who had invented self-stirring cauldrons, and when the ghost of Professor Binns told us to put down our anti-cheating quills and roll up our parchment, I couldn't help but cheering with the rest of my classmates.

'That was far easier than I thought it would be,' said Hermione as we joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. 'I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager.'

Hermione always liked to go through our exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

'No more studying,' Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. 'You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet.'

I was currently frowning and rubbing my forehead.

'It's not that. My scar… it keeps burning. It's been burning since the beginning of the exam period. Between studying and my scar, they've given me a massive headache.' I growled, resisting the temptation to whack my head against a nearby tree. At first it might help, but then it'd probably make things worse.

'Go to Madam Pomfrey,' Hermione suggested.

'I'm not ill,' I said. 'I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming...'

'But she could get rid of your headache…'

'My headache will go as soon as my scar stops annoying me.' I said.

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

'Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once; he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.'

I nodded, but I couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something I'd forgotten to do, something important. At first I thought it was something to do with the exams, but now I wasn't so sure. I mean, the exams were now over, so shouldn't the feeling have disappeared now too?

Sighing, I watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent me letters. Hagrid would never betray Grandfather. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but - I suddenly jumped to me feet, startling Hermione slightly.

'Where're you going?' Ron asked sleepily.

'I've just thought of something,' I said, with a note of panic in my voice. 'We've got to go and see Hagrid, now.'

'Why?' panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up. She was looking a little worried as to my suddenly strange behaviour.

'Don't you think it's a bit odd,' I said, scrambling up the grassy slope, 'that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? How many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?'

'What are you talking about?' Ron asked. He was worried about my behaviour too.

I didn't answer as I flew across the grounds towards Hagrid's hut.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

'Hullo,' he said, smiling as we stopped in front of him. Ron and Hermione were panting again. 'Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?'

'Yes, please,' said Ron, but I cut him off.

'No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?'

'Dunno,' said Hagrid casually, 'he wouldn' take his cloak off.'

Ron, Hermione and I all looked stunned. Hagrid raised his eyebrows.

'It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up.'

'What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?' I asked casually so Hagrid wouldn't see what I was up to.

'Mighta come up,' said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. 'Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he

didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy...'

'And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?' I asked, trying to keep my voice calm as I dreaded the answer that was sure to come.

'Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep –'

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

'I shouldn'ta told yeh that!' he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?'

Ron, Hermione and I didn't speak to each other at all until we came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

'We've got to go to Gra - Dumbledore,' I said. 'Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Where's Dumbledore's office?'

Grandfather never told me where his office was and I didn't know anyone who had been to his office either. I looked over at Ron and Hermione, and judging by their faces, they didn't seem to know where his office was either.

'In that case, we'll just have to –'

'What are you three doing inside?'

The three of us looked around and saw Grandmother, carrying a large pile of books.

'We want to see Professor Dumbledore,' Hermione answered, after a moment's hesitation.

'See Professor Dumbledore?' Grandmother repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. Though when I thought about it, it probably was a little strange. 'Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once.'

'He's gone?' I said frantically. 'Now?'

'Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time –'

'But this is important.'

'Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter.'

I hesitated, wondering if I should tell her. In the end I decided to throw caution to the winds and tell her the reason. After all, she is my grandmother.

'It's about the Philosopher's Stone.'

Ron and Hermione looked at me with some surprise, compared to Grandmother. Whatever my grandmother had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

'How do you know -?' she spluttered.

'Professor, I think - I know - that Sn- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore.'

She eyed me with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

'Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow,' she said finally. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected.'

'But Professor –'

'Potter, I know what I'm talking about,' she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. 'I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine.' She then walked off, looking at us suspiciously.

'It's tonight,' I said, once I was sure Grandmother was out of earshot. We didn't bother to go outside like she suggested. 'Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note; I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up.'

'But what can we –'

Hermione gasped. Ron and I whipped around. Snape was standing there.

'Good afternoon,' he said smoothly.

We stared at him. Had he heard what we had been saying?

'You shouldn't be inside on a day like this,' he said, with an odd, twisted smile and a knowing gleam in his cold, black eyes.

'We were -' I began, without any idea what I was going to say.

'You want to be more careful,' Snape said warningly. 'Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?'

I blushed and lead the way outside, well aware of Snape's eyes watching me. Once outside on the stone steps, I turned to the others, after making sure that Snape was nowhere in sight and out of hearing range.

'Well, that's it then, isn't it?'

The other two stared at me, probably wondering what I was on about.

'I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first… tonight.'

'You're mad!' said Ron.

'You can't!' said Hermione. 'After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!'

'I don't care!' I said stubbornly. 'If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort will return. And that's the last thing I want to happen. Besides, Voldemort wants me dead, remember? He made that perfectly clear when he tried to kill me in the forest. Which means I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?'

I glared at them just to empathise my point.

'You're right Harry,' said Hermione in a small voice.

'I'll use the invisibility cloak,' I said, more to myself than to my friends.

'But will it cover all three of us?' said Ron.

'All - all three of us?'

'Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?'

'Of course not,' said Hermione briskly. 'How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books; there might be something useful...'

'But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too.'

'Not if I can help it,' said Hermione grimly. 'Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve per cent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that.'

After dinner the three of us sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered us; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to us anyway. We still weren't forgiven for all the points we lost. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Ron and I didn't talk much. Both of us were thinking about what we were about to do. Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

'Better get the cloak,' Ron muttered, as Lee finally left, stretching and yawning.

I quietly ran upstairs to our dark dormitory. I pulled out the cloak and then my eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given me for Christmas. I pocketed it to use on Fluffy - I didn't feel much like singing. Plus, I thought that my singing would more likely make it cry then put it to sleep. I ran back down to the common room.

'We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own –'

'What are you doing?' said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

'Nothing, Neville, nothing,' I said, hurriedly putting the cloak behind my back.

Neville stared at our guilty faces. He wasn't convinced.

'You're going out again,' he said, hitting the nail straight on the head.

'No, no, no,' said Hermione. 'No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?'

I looked at the grandfather clock by the door. We couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

'You can't go out,' said Neville, 'you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble.'

'You don't understand,' I said desperately, 'this is important.'

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

'I won't let you do it,' he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. 'I'll - I'll fight you!'

'Neville,' Ron exploded, 'get away from that hole and don't be an idiot –'

'Don't you call me an idiot!' said Neville. 'I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!'

'Yes, but not to us,' said Ron in exasperation. 'Neville, you don't know what you're doing.'

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

'Go on then, try and hit me!' said Neville, raising his fists. 'I'm ready!'

I stepped forward and Neville eyed me warily.

'Neville,' I said, 'I'm really, really sorry about this.'

I raised her wand

'Petrificus Totalus!' I cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

'What've you done to him?' Ron whispered, looking at me as though I had grown another head.

'It's the full Body-Bind,' I said miserably. 'Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry.'

'I can't believe you know how to do a full Body-Bind.' said an amazed Hermione.

'You're not the only one who remembers spells.' I said quietly, leading the way out of the common room.

-THE UNMASKED MYSTERY-

When we reached the third-floor corridor, we saw that the door was already ajar.

'Well, there you are,' I said quietly, 'Snape's already got past Fluffy.'

Underneath the cloak, I turned to the other two.

'If you want to go back, I won't blame you. You can take the cloak, I won't need it now.'

'Don't be stupid,' said Ron.

'We're coming,' said Hermione.

I pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

'What's that at its feet?' Hermione whispered.

'Looks like a harp,' said Ron. 'Snape must have left it there.'

'It must wake up the moment you stop playing,' I said. 'Well, here goes...'

I put Hagrid's flute to my lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. I hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

'Keep playing,' Ron warned me as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. We could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. 'I think we'll be able to pull the door open,' said Ron, peering over the dog's back. 'Want to go first, Hermione?'

'No, I don't!'

'All right.' Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

'What can you see?' Hermione said anxiously.

'Nothing - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop.'

I waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at myself. I was still playing the flute.

'You want to go first? Are you sure?' said Ron. 'I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep.'

I handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep. I climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom. I lowered myself through the hole until I was hanging on by my fingertips. Then I looked up at Ron and said, 'If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?'

'Right,' said Ron.

'See you in a minute, I hope...'

And I let go. Cold, damp air rushed past me as I fell down, down, down and - FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump I landed on something soft. I sat up and looked around, as my eyes adjusted to the gloom. I was sitting on some sort of plant.

'It's okay!' I called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, 'it's a soft landing, so you can jump!'

Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to me.

'What's this stuff?' were his first words.

'Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!'

The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on my other side.

'We must be miles under the school,' she said.

'Lucky this plant thing's here, really,' said Ron.

'Lucky!' shrieked Hermione. 'Look at you both!'

She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Ron and I, our legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without us noticing. Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two of us fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around us.

'Stop moving!' Hermione ordered them. 'I know what this is - it's Devil's Snare!'

'Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help,' snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

'Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!' said Hermione.

'Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!' I gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around my chest.

'Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? – it likes the dark and the damp…'

'So light a fire!' I choked.

'Yes - of course - but there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

Ron and I looked at her, hardly believing our ears.

'HAVE YOU GONE MAD?' Ron bellowed. 'ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?'

'Oh, right!' said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, Ron and I felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from our bodies, and we were able to pull free.

'Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione,' I said as I joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off my face.

'Yeah,' said Ron, 'and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood, honestly.'

'This way,' I said, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward, which prevented any arguments.

All we could hear apart from our footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and I was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, I remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon - Norbert had been bad enough...

'Can you hear something?' Ron whispered.

I listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

'Do you think it's a ghost?'

'I don't know... sounds like wings to me. Besides, I doubt any ghosts could harm us.' I said, walking forward cautiously. 'There's light ahead - I can see something moving.'

We reached the end of the passageway and saw before us a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above us. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

'Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?' said Ron.

'Probably,' I said. 'They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run.'

I sprinted across the room. I expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at me any second, but nothing happened. I reached the door untouched. I pulled the handle, but it was locked. The other two followed me. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

'Now what?' said Ron.

'These birds... they can't be here just for decoration,' said Hermione.

We watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering - glittering?

'They're not birds!' I said suddenly. 'They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean...' I looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. '... yes - look! A broomstick! One of us had got to catch the key to the door!'

'But there are hundreds of them!'

Ron examined the lock on the door.

'We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one - probably silver, like the handle.'

I turned my gaze upwards. It was not for nothing, that I was the youngest Seeker in a century. I had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's of just standing there, I noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.

'There! I see it! The one with the broken wing!' I pointed to the key I was talking about, before looking down at the broom suspiciously.

'What's wrong, Harry?' Hermione asked, noticing the suspicious and slightly worried look I had on my face.

'It's too simple.'

'Oh, go on, Harry.' Ron said impatiently. 'If Snape can catch it on that old broom stick, I think you can. You're the youngest seeker of the century.'

I nodded my head and went over to the broom. Ron was right. Besides, I was probably over thinking it. Just because I found it simple didn't mean that everyone else would. They'd probably have difficulty figuring out what key to use, finding it and then catching it too.

There's nothing to worry about, I told myself as I reached for the broom.

The minute I grabbed hold of the broom I heard an angry buzzing sound and looked up in time to see the vast majority of keys coming flying start at me, like darts. I hurriedly hoped on the broom and took off, angrily swiping at the attacking keys around me. Who'd have thought that keys could be so violent?

I was eventually able to catch the key and the moment I a short distance off the ground, I jumped off the broom and the keys stopped attacking me. There must have been some sort of spell on the broom to make the keys attack whoever touched it.

I ran to the door, the key struggling in my hand, and rammed it into the lock and turned – it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

-THE UNMASKED MYSTERY-

The next chamber was so dark we couldn't see anything at all, but as we stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. We were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than we were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces.

'Now what do we do?' Hermione whispered.

'It's obvious, isn't it?' said Ron. 'We've got to play our way across the room.'

Behind the white pieces we could see another door.

'How?' said Hermione nervously.

'I think,' said Ron, 'we're going to have to be chessmen.'

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

'Do we - er - have to join you to get across?' The black knight nodded. Ron turned to Hermione and me.

'This needs thinking about he said. I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces...'

Hermione and I stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, 'Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess –'

'We're not offended,' I said quickly. 'Just tell us what to do.'

'Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you take the stop of the queen side rook.'

'What about you?'

'I'm going to be a knight,' said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Hermione, Ron, and I took.

'White always plays first in chess,' said Ron, peering across the board.

'Yes... look...'

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. My knees were trembling. What if they lost? And it was then that a thought hit me. Was this going to be like real wizards chess? I soon got my answer when our other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

'Had to let that happen,' said Ron, looking shaken. 'Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.'

Every time one of our men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Hermione and I were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

'We're nearly there,' he muttered suddenly. 'Let me think let me think...'

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

'Yes...' said Ron softly. 'It's the only way... I've got to be taken.'

'NO!' Hermione and I shouted.

'That's chess!' snapped Ron. 'You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!'

'But –'

'Do you want to stop Snape or not?'

'Ron –'

'Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!'

There was no alternative.

'Ready?" Ron called his face pale but determined. 'Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won.'

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor - Hermione screamed but stayed on her square - the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, I moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at my feet. We had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear.

However, we ignored what Ron said and hurried to his side. He was still breathing.

'Take care of Ron,' I told Hermione, not wanting to leave Ron on his own. 'Then send a message to Gra-Dumbledore. I think it best if I go on alone.' I looked over at the door which led on.

'You'll be okay, Harry.' Hermione said quietly, yet confidently. 'You're a great wizard. You really are.'

I blushed ever so slightly.

'Not as good as you.'

'Me? Books. Cleverness.' Hermione said with a slight laugh. 'There are more important things. Friendship and bravery. And Harry, just be careful.'

'I will.' I promised before heading towards the next door, well aware of Hermione's worried eyes watching me.

When I entered the next chamber, a disgusting smell filled their nostrils. I hurriedly covered my nose. Eyes watering, I saw, flat on the floor in front of me, a troll even larger than the one Ron and I had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

'I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one,' I muttered to myself as I stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "

I pulled open the next door. There was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

I knew that this had to be Snape's seeing as Sprout's was the Devil's Snare, Flitwick had to have charmed the keys, Grandmother's was the transfigured chess game and Quirrell's was the troll.

The moment I stepped over the threshold, a fire sprang up behind me in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. I was trapped.

Trying not to panic, I scanned the room to see if there was some clue as to what I was supposed to do. My eyes fell upon a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. I quickly picked it up and read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would 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 bidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, 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 would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

I let out a great sigh and smiled. Trust Snape to come up with something like this. It wasn't magic, but logic. A word puzzle. My fourth year primary school teacher use to give me word puzzles, since he knew I found it enjoyable and challenging. I read the paper several times. Then I walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to myself and pointing at them. A few minutes later, I found the bottle which would take me to the Stone.

Positive that the smallest bottle would take me towards the Stone, I picked it up and turned to face the black flames.

'Here I come,' I muttered, and I drained the little bottle in one gulp.

It felt as though ice was flooding my body. I put the bottle down and walked forward; bracing myself, saw the black flames licking my body, but couldn't feel them - for a moment I could see nothing but dark fire - then I was on the other side, in the last chamber.

There was already someone there - but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort. It was Quirrell.

'You!'

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

'Me,' he said calmly. 'I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here.'

'But I thought - Snape –'

'Severus?' Quirrell laughed, and it wasn't his usual quivering treble, either, but cold and sharp. 'Yes, he does seem the type, doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?'

I couldn't take it in. This couldn't be true, it couldn't.

'But Snape tried to kill me!'

'No, dear boy. I tried to kill you. If Severus' cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact, I would have succeeded. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. I'd have managed it before then if Severus hadn't been muttering a counter-curse, trying to save you.'

'Snape was trying to save me?'

'Of course,' said Quirrell coolly. 'Why do you think he wanted to referee your next match? He was trying to make sure I didn't do it again. Funny, really... he needn't have bothered. I couldn't do anything with Dumbledore watching. All the other teachers thought Severus was trying to stop Gryffindor from winning, he did make himself unpopular... and what a waste of time, when after all that, I'm going to kill you tonight.'

Quirrell snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of thin air and wrapped themselves tightly around me.

'You're too nosy to live, kid. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me coming to look at what was guarding the Stone.'

'You let the troll in?'

'Certainly. I have a special gift with trolls - you must have seen what I did to the one in the chamber back there? Unfortunately, while everyone else was running around looking for it, Severus, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off - and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Severus' leg off properly. Now, wait quietly. I need to examine this interesting mirror.

It was then that I realised that the Mirror of Erised was standing behind Quirrell.

'This mirror is the key to finding the Stone,' Quirrell murmured, tapping his way around the frame. 'Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this... but he's in London... I'll be far away by the time he gets back...'

All I could think of doing was to keep Quirrell talking and stop him from concentrating on the mirror.

'I saw you and Snape in the forest –' I blurted out.

'Yes,' said Quirrell idly, walking around the mirror to look at the back. 'He was on to me by that time, trying to find out how far I'd got. He suspected me all along. Tried to frighten me - as though he could, when I had Lord Voldemort on my side...'

Quirrell came back out from behind the mirror and stared hungrily into it.

'I see the Stone... I'm presenting it to my master... but where is it?'

I struggled against the ropes binding me, but they didn't give. So instead, I focused on distracting Quirrell. I had to keep Quirrell from giving his whole attention to the mirror.

'But Snape always seemed to hate me so much.'

'Oh, he does,' said Quirrell casually, 'heavens, yes. He was at Hogwarts with your father, didn't you know? They loathed each other. But he never wanted you dead.' Quirrell then cursed under his breath. 'I don't understand... is the Stone inside the mirror? Should I break it?'

My mind was racing.

What I want more than anything else in the world at the moment, I thought, is to find the Stone before Quirrell does. So if I look in the mirror, I should see myself finding it - which means I'll see where it's hidden! But how can I look without Quirrell realising what I'm up to?

I tried to edge to the left, to get in front of the glass without Quirrell noticing, but the ropes around my ankles were too tight: I tripped and fell over. Thankfully, Quirrell ignored me. He was still talking to himself.

'What does this mirror do? How does it work? Help me, Master!'

To my horror, a voice answered, and the voice seemed to come from Quirrell himself.

'Use the boy... Use the boy...'

Quirrell rounded on me.

'Yes - Potter - come here.'

He clapped his hands once, and the ropes binding me fell off. I slowly got to my feet.

'Come here,' Quirrell repeated. 'Look in the mirror and tell me what you see.'

I cautiously walked toward him.

I must lie, I thought desperately. I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.

Quirrell moved close behind me. I breathed in the funny smell that seemed to come from Quirrell's turban. I closed my eyes, stepped in front of the mirror, and opened them again. I saw my reflection, pale and scared-looking at first. But a moment later, the reflection smiled at me. It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone. It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket - and as it did so, I felt something heavy drop into my real pocket. Somehow - incredibly – I'd gotten the Stone.

'Well?' said Quirrell impatiently. 'What do you see?'

I screwed up my courage. I was a Gryffindor after all.

'I see myself standing with my parents.'

Quirrell cursed again.

'Get out of the way,' he said, shoving me aside, roughly. As I was pushed aside, I felt the Philosopher's Stone against my leg.

As I was debating whether I should make a break for it or not, a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

'He lies... He lies...'

'Potter, come back here!' Quirrell shouted. 'Tell me the truth! What did you just see?'

The high voice spoke again.

'Let me speak to him... face-to-face...'

'Master, you are not strong enough!'

'I have strength enough... for this...'

I felt as if Devil's Snare was rooting me to the spot. I couldn't move a muscle. Petrified, I watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban. The turban fell away. Quirrell's head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. I would have screamed, but I couldn't make a sound. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face I had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

'Harry...' it whispered.

I tried to take a step backward but my legs wouldn't move.

'See what I have become?' the face said. 'A mere shadow and vapour ... I have form only when I can share another's body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds... Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks... you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own... Now... why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?'

So he knew. The feeling suddenly surged back into me legs. I stumbled backward.

'Don't be a fool,' snarled the face. 'Better save your own life and join me... or you'll meet the same end as your parents... They died begging me for mercy...'

'LIAR!' I yelled suddenly, surprising even myself.

Quirrell was walking backwards towards him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling. I smile that would make babies cry and frightened me.

'How touching...' it hissed. 'I always value bravery... Yes, boy, your parents were brave... I killed your father first; and he put up a courageous fight... but your mother needn't have died... she was trying to protect you... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.'

'NEVER!'

I knew that my parents and grandparents would probably be ashamed if I gave the dark Lord the Stone. So, I sprang toward the flame door, but Voldemort screamed 'SEIZE HIM!' and the next second, I felt Quirrell's hand close on my wrist. At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across my scar; my head felt as though it was about to split in two; I yelled, struggling with all my might, and to my surprise, Quirrell let go of me. The pain in my head lessened - I looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone, and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers - they were blistering before our eyes. I couldn't understand why, but I had no time to ponder it, for Voldemort was screaming at Quirrell again.

'Seize him! SEIZE HIM!' shrieked Voldemort again, and Quirrell lunged, knocking me clean off my feet and landed on top of me, both hands around my neck - my scar was almost blinding me with pain, yet I could see and hear Quirrell howling in agony.

'Master, I cannot hold him - my hands - my hands!'

And Quirrell, though pinning me to the ground with his knees, let go of my neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms - I could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

'Then kill him, fool, and be done!' screeched Voldemort.

Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse but, by instinct, I reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face.

'AAAARGH!'

Quirrell rolled off me, his face blistering, too, and it was then that I realised that Quirrell couldn't touch my bare skin, at least not without suffering terrible pain. I knew that my only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. I jumped to my feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as I could.

It was then that a new pain entered my body and I knew at once what this pain was. It was the tremor; except it was more painful than ever before. It was that painful that I could prevent what was about to happen. As the tremor took place, turning me into a girl, I watched as Quirrell's eyes widened; and when he moved his head to let Voldemort see, I saw his eyes widen to with some sort of understanding, before a peculiar look crossed his face. A look I didn't like one bit.

Quirrell's screams became louder and he desperately tried to throw me off – the pain in my head was building - I couldn't see - I could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of, 'Stun her! Stun her!' and other voices, maybe in my own head, crying, 'Harry! Harry!'

I felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from my grasp and felt someone pick me up, before holding me tightly in their arms as the darkness took me.


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Written: 12 March 2012
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DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT CLAIM OWNERSHIP OVER THE ORIGINAL COPYRIGHTED MATERIAL IN THIS STORY. THIS IS A NON-PROFIT FANDUB CREATED BY FANS, FOR FANS. NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENT INTENDED. FAIR USE ONLY. I DO, HOWEVER, CLAIM SOME COPYRIGHT OVER HARRI SINCE SHE IS HALF BASED ON MY ORIGINAL VALKYRIE CHARACTER, PRINCESS HARRIETTA.