The three walked down the stone stair case, scars burning as they approached the bottom.

When they finally had reached their destination, they were met by Quirell staring into the Mirror of Ersid.

"You!" they gasped.

The man with the turban turned and stared them strait in the eye.

"No it can't be" Harry said, taking a step forward.

He was about to approach him, but Mathew and Alfred pulled him back.

"Don't attack unless provoked." Mathew whispered to him.

"Don't forget the rules of war"

'Rules of war?' Harry thought. 'Since when are we at war?'

"Shut it!" the man yelled.

"I should have killed you two when I had the chance. Not that anything I would have done could succeed anyway, with the little fact that for some reason you can't die".

Harry ignored the last part, thinking he was referring to their luck.

"But it was Snape who tried to knock them off their brooms, wasn't it?" asked Harry.

"No it was me, and if his fire hadn't broken my eye contact it would have worked. It would have revealed their secret too, even with Snape muttering his little counter curse."

Harry was too shocked to even hear the part about the secret.

"But it was Snape!" pleaded Harry, more trying to convince himself than Quirrel.

"No my dear boy it wasn't, they should have figured that out on Halloween. Did you ever find who brought your backpacks up?"

The twin's eyes widened in realization, they never had figured that out.

At least, not until now.

"So you knew about who we were the entire time?"Alfred gasped, eyes widening in realization.

'Who they are?' thought Harry. 'What does that have to do with anything?'

"Of course we did. B-but n-no one w-would ever s-suspect l-little s-stuttering Quirell"

"So did you let the trolls in?" Harry asked, not believing what he was hearing.

"Yes, but sadly Snape wasn't fooled. The second those two were found he went up to the third floor to head me off".

'So maybe we acted a little more suspicious than we suspected' the twins thought to themselves.

"He knew I was after them the moment they arrived. Of course after the Halloween incident he never trusted me again. He wouldn't leave me alone. Little does he know I am never alone..."

"But why are you going after them?" asked Harry, his scar suddenly flaring up again.

Suddenly Quirrles smile got much bigger.

"You mean you haven't figured it out?"

Then he took out his wand and chanted a spell that had some rope on the ground tie Harry up.

"I think it is time you found out who your 'friends' are Mr. Potter, from the one with the most experience with the little brats."

Quirel looked like he was about to take off his hat, but a voice stopped him

"Not yet! Get back to what we came here for".

"Fine" the teacher grumbled, clearly displeased at having to wait to reveal the twins secret.

"Now" he said, turning back to the looking glass. "What does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the stone. But how do I get it?"

"Use the boys" an echoic voice came in, sounding like the wind.

"You two" He said pointing at the nations.

"Come here."

"You can't make us!" yelled Mathew.

Quirell rolled his eyes.

"He did say you two were quite the brats when you were younger. I guess some things you just don't grow out of even when you have a few hundred years."

Harry's eyes bulged out. 'Did he say hundred?'

But by now Harry was all but completely forgotten.

"Well you got part of that right" America said stepping in front of Canada.

"Some things you just don't grow out of. Just like you can't grow into bravery like we were born with. You can't just outgrow being a coward like yourself."

"Oh so I'm a coward now" Quirell smirked.

"That may just as well be, but I'm a coward who is good with a wand."

Then he chanted something on his wand and the twins were pulled forward in front of the mirror.

"Now" he said once they were glued in front of the mirror.

"Tell me, what do you see?"

Both had their eyes shut. They didn't want to look into the mirror again and face the fact that they had just as imperialistic a heart as the nations they seceded from.

Eventually Mathew, being the more optimistic between the two. (A fact that very few know. Most think Alfred is the hopeless optimist, but he really is just better at playing the part.) Opened his eyes and looked into the mirror.

Alfred a few seconds later, not wanting to meet his end without a fight, also opened up.

In the mirror they saw themselves smiling and pulling half of a red stone out of their pockets, then putting their fingers to their lips as if saying to be quiet.

Then they winked and slid it back in.

Each realized that their pocket did suddenly seem a little heavier.

"What is it? What do you see" the man called out.

Knowing that if he got his hands on the stone, the two could kiss any hope of spending their (very, very long) lives not locked in a basement, two decided to lie.

"I see us standing at the head of the world meeting center. Everywhere around is the NORAD flag, and everyone is wearing the uniform we designed."

While Alfred was talking, Mathew had the best slightly Psychotic, yet dreamy look one could have.

His country, like America, isn't known for acting for nothing.

"And England and France" America continued. "They are standing next to us, smiling proud. Even Russia looks happy to be a part of the Manifest Empire."

'That's what the two saw in the mirror!' gasped Harry in his head. 'Wait, why would they see their country's running the world? Also why bring up France and England. It's almost as if they think the countries are real people. Unless… '

"They are they are the 'Life Force of North America'!" he shouted in realization.

All three turned towards him and Harry could tell by the look on the two's faces he got it right.

"They represent the North American countries. Alfred is America and Mathew is Canada."

They all stood in dead air until Quirell started clapping.

"Bravo Potter, Bravo. I was sure it was going to be the girl who figured it out first, but you're a lot smarter than I thought."

Suddenly it all connected to him.

Voldemort attacked the twins because they could use the stone.

He knew from some further research that even without the stone the 'life force' (Which he now understood was the twins ) could be harnessed in so many different ways to create eternal life.

That is why Alfred could punch through walls, and Mathew could disappear.

They were the personifications of countries.

And in all likelihood so were Arthur, or England as he guessed, and Francis or France (didn't even bother to change the first four letters, really?).

That Italian he had heard about in snide comments when someone was being cowardly, that Japanese kid that is Alfred's best friend.

All countries!

Although that doesn't explain Gilbert that insists he's a Prussian that Alfred always talks about, since Prussia is no longer a country.

So that's how they have so many international friends, and the meetings that Arthur/England always mentioned.

That also explained their extreme stereotypes.

Alfred/America with his guns, freedom, Burger obsession and ridiculously loud personality.

Mathew/Canada with his quiet taste, Maple syrup and scary hockey abilities.

They represent the country and their stereotype.

"The personifications of a country" he whispered to himself. "And no one even noticed".

Alfred mouthed "I'm so sorry" to Harry before turning back around.

While Harry was lost in thought, the rest continued.

"Let me speak to them" the same ghostly voice as before called out.

"But master you are not strong enough" Quirell reasoned.

"I have strength enough for this. Besides you weren't so reluctant to before, were you?" the voice retorted in a way that would have been humorous if it had not been so terrifying.

Reluctantly agreeing, slowly Quirrel unwrapped the turban on his head and turned.

On the back of his head was a face.

The face that had been hidden under the black cloak so many years again.

The face of the dark lord.

The boys were two seconds from bursting out the door, until they remembered Harry still tied up in the corner.

'We were responsible for his parent's death; we will not be responsible for his' they thought.

They may have however only come to this conclusion after forcing themselves not to think about how if they left him here to die their cover would be safe.

"Hello good friends, it's been so long since we last met".

Canada and America backed up.

The man who had haunted them for hundreds of years was back.

"America, Canada, we meet again. Wow you look so different. But I am guessing your that desires have not changed with age. Still stuck in your Manifest destiny days aren't you America? And in your days of fire Canada?"

The boys winced. How had he known?

"But just to be sure that it's you and not just another pair of power hungry twins".

Quirell lifted his wand and chanted out a spell too complicated for the two to even attempt to process.

Suddenly a bright purple light shot out and they noticed everything was suddenly a little bigger.

When they looked down they noticed the were in the white robes (definitely not dresses. America will defend that fact until the day he dies) they wore as children.

They also looked up and noticed that their glasses were gone.

They could see fine without them, so everything was still perfectly clear.

They wore those for a different reason.

But that's a story for another time.

Voldemort gave a sickly smile and laughed.

"Just like I remember you two. Tell me now, did you miss me?"

"Stay away from us" Canada yelled.

"I don't think so" and he took a step closer.

Thankfully blinded by fury instead of fright, America was still able to keep a (kind of) clear head.

"Now why would we miss you? Look at you now. You're nothing but a mere parasite, living off another." He spat.

"You are right" Voldemort hissed. "Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own."

Then he looked towards the boys pockets, sewn into the gowns.

"But there is a thing that can and it conveniently lies in your pockets".

Seeing as an opportunity to gain some bargaining rights Alfred said, "We might consider bargaining with you… If you change us back to our old selves."

Smirking Voldemort had Quirell raise his arm.

"You always were a great negotiator Mr. America."

Then he shouted the same incantation as before and the two were full grown again.

Harry looked shocked. They looked to be about in their late teens.

Barely even nineteen.

He wasn't sure whether he was shocked because he only knew them as eleven year olds, or because he thought a thousand-something year old would look, he doesn't know… Older than a high school senior. Maybe some grey hair, some wrinkles, something!

"Thank you" Mathew smiled. "Now as you were saying".

Harry was also marveled at how calm they looked.

Now that he knew they were nations, he guessed that all of the militaristic habits were from training and war, but staring straight at a man who had tried to kidnap you since childhood, had to be Just as bad, if not worse, than staring into the face of a gun?

And he was right, the two were terrified, but if the years of training, war, kidnapping, torture and other unbelievable cruelty had taught them anything, it was that fear solved nothing.

Better to go down with the enemy than surrender.

Although there was also another option that had worked to win wars in the past, let them live to fight another day.

And this time it wasn't an excuse to run from ghosts.

Putting his secret service training to good use, he soundlessly fished his Swiss Army knife out of his pocket and kicked it over to Harry.

Harry immediately saw it and used it to begin filing away at the bonds that were holding him.

Canada was stalling Voldemort with pointless questions while this all was happening.

A few agonizing minutes later, Harry at freed himself from the rope and Alfred signed to Mathew to run.

So they quickly turned and tried to flee.

But suddenly a large wall of fire blocked their path.

Harry, who did not have the same balance as the two war tested teens, stopped and toppled backwards, hitting his head against the hard stone, knocking him out cold.

"Harry!" Canada yelled kneeling down beside him.

"Oh relax, he's not dead" Quirell said statically.

Alfred looked up, Canada's beloved fire clear in his eyes.

"What is wrong with you!" he screamed.

"Just let us go he's hurt".

"But why should I?" Voldemort lazily retorted. "Why should I let the two people I have been hunting for my entire life, go so easily?"

Both twins were now about to rage.

They were not something to be owned, they were people, they were NATIONS, they had gone through hell and back and were not about to be so easily taken down.

"So its war you want" Mathew growled dangerously.

"Because we would be more than happy to grant that request."

Voldemort smirk got even wider.

"Why fight when we could join forces. I know I could capture you but it would mean nothing if you were not willing. I could starve you and torture you, but that's all the same song and dance for you, isn't it? No, to get what I want you two would have to comply, so why don't you just join me."

"Never!" they both screamed, huddled protectively over Harry.

"Bravery" Voldemort laughed. "It always has been your strong suit."

"Tell me" he continued. "Would you like to see your mirror fantasy come to life? An entire world cloaked in stars, stripes and maple leafs. All who ever opposed and oppressed you, bowing at your feet. Your darkest imperialistic wishes come to life."

The boys hated themselves for not feeling disgusted by what he was saying, but it just sounded so… they can't even describe it.

"I see I've peaked your interest now" he smirked.

"Together, we can make that a reality. I get the magic world and you get the mortal".

"All I ask is for something in return."

They looked at their pockets.

They hated themselves for it, but it would be a dream come true.

Their darkest, most desperate fantasy that all nations have.

A fantasy to rule the world.

Slowly, they reached into their pocket and pulled out the blood red stone.

"Yes that's it" the voice called out. "There is no empire that did not have to give up something."

The word empire struck them out.

"There is no empire that hasn't fallen, and that right there is the reason" America sighed.

"Rome" Canada added.

"Spain" America countered.

"Greece"

"France"

"Persia"

"China"

"Japan"

"Germania"

"Mongol"

"Ottoman"

They countered back and forth then looked at each other and said,

"British".

"No empire can last, because to conquer you give up freedom. And with no freedom the nation will crumble" America said.

"So I take you've made your choice" Voldemort spat.

"It's fine with me, I'll break you eventually. Get them!" he yelled.

Quirell lunged for the two and grabbed them by the arms, making sure to keep them from being able to touch.

The two tried to get out of his grasp, but Voldemort had trained Quirell on where to hold to stop their strength from working.

"What do you say now?" Voldemort smirked.

The two looked at each other and nodded.

"Bring on the fire, bring on the hell. Set everything ablaze so that no trace remains." They sang.

"Bring on the fire, bring on the hell…" they continued to chant, the fire walls growing bigger and wilder besides them.

Feeling the heat Quirell flinched and let go.

Despite having the dark lord living through him, he still has his human reflexes.

The he let go two were able to reach others hand and from it a purple light began to glow.

They reached towards Quirells hand and when they touched it went ablaze and he stumbled back into more fire.

Everything around him was fire, fire, fire.

The two walked up, their eyes both burning a flame.

The reached forward and chocked the man, his flesh searing with every touch.

"Bring on the fire; bring on the hell. Set everything ablaze until no trace remains".

He was being completely consumed by it, but neither boy was.

Looks like America and Canada are more alike than most people believe.

Or let themselves believe.

It was a complete inferno around them, and how Harry wasn't being burned alive was a true miracle in of its self.

They kept chanting and the man with the two faces collapsed into ash, leaving only behind a dark black coat.

Just like he had so many years ago.

Seeing the man, monster, ghost, whatever you may call it, dead on the floor, they stopped their chanting and the walls of fire tore down.

Only then did they remember something crucial.

Harry Potter.

They ran over to him and he was just starting to wake.

"America do you have any of the shrinking stuff left" Canada shouted.

America fished out a bottle from his left pocket.

The right pocket holds a medicine of a different kind, one he only uses in a different kind of emergency.

He popped it open and handed another one to Canada.

The each took a deep gulp and said the spell and they changed back into their twelve year old forms.

Thankfully, just like in Hollywood, just before Harry awoke.

When he did awake, he was greeted with a pounding headache.

"What happened?" he grumbled holding his head in his hands.

"We fought Voldemort and he attacked and you hit your head." Mathew answered, bending down to inspect his wounds.

"What about the stone?" Harry asked.

The two felt in their pockets and sure enough they each felt half of a red rock.

The pulled it out and connected the pieces, which instantly glued together.

The three stood for a moment heavily panting.

For The twins', one they just fought the man who had been trying to kidnap them since they were colonized.

And two they just found out they will not be hauled off in a insane asylum truck by men in white suits... again.

Harry because it was still well over the heat of Florida's hottest summers in the room.

The three stood and didn't notice the little pile of ash start to rise and swirl.

Then the ash formed a face, the one of the dark lord and launched towards the twins.

They thought they were going to get hit, but the ghost just went right through them and out the arch way and door.

The two tumbled back and then suddenly felt very tired.

Harry watched and dived to stop them from falling but was too late.

Their heads hit the concrete and they were out cold.

Not from the hit, that was nothing to them.

From the cold that surrounded them when he went through them.

He had sucked a little life out in that one valid dive.

Harry sat by them, knowing he couldn't carry them out and that Ron and Hermione would come for them eventually.

Eventually he also drifted to sleep.

He didn't need a blanket, the room was still sweltering.

But to the nations, it was cold as dry ice.