Harry put down his quill he was now officially done with his first year of Hogwarts. He really hoped Quirrell wasn't the defense teacher next year. Harry was 99 percent sure, the creepy stuttering man was behind the headaches and the work his pendant did every time he went to Defense. He had learn way more defense from Will and Dan than from the bumbling idiot Dumbledore hired. Sometimes Harry and the other Slytherins joked that Dumbledore hired such losers because he didn't want anyone to be good enough to challenge his position. Harry was in a comfortable place. About half his house seemed to like him, even some of the kids that had families of the bigoted pureblood type. Marcus and the rest of the Quidditch team had encouraged him to join them next year.
An hour later Harry waited in the classroom he and Neville used for training all year. Neville was supposed to join him for a celebratory tea. It wasn't like Neville to be late. Where was he? Harry used the map. What in heavens name was Neville doing near the third floor corridor with Quirrell?
Harry called "Sid."
"Yes master?"
"Get my bokken from my trunk and the sheath of shuriken."
Harry had transfigured a sheath of six throwing stars. It was probably illegal but as far as Harry was concerned when dealing with enemies keeping them far away was preferable. The stars would give him the option of distance. The elf popped back with the requested items. "Thanks."
Harry slipped through the hallways checking his map for both movement from Neville and Quirrell and for those that would spy on him. Dumbledore, who he would have been half tempted to go to, to say "you made this problem now solve it," wasn't even in the castle. The old sour tabby was hiding in her office. And his head of house wouldn't give a crap because Neville was a hated lion. He approached the third floor with caution. When he reached the infamous door he checked the map one more time. Yes, Neville was here right next to Quirrell. Harry cleared the map.
" Alohomora "
"So the famous boy hero joins us."
Neville was tied and gagged he had bruises to show he'd tried to put up a fight and Quirrell held his wand to Neville's nape there was a glow indicating a held spell.
"What do you want Quirrell?"
"Oh I think you know."
"The stone."
Quirrell's lips tipped upward. "And Albus thought his little trap didn't interest you. I should have guessed that as a snake you would be canny enough to figure out it was a test. I'd be interested to see if you can pass them and to know the answer to Albus' question."
"Why? Why drag Neville and I into this? Why not just go get it yourself?"
"I already tried that. Something at the end eludes me, since this scenario was designed to test you. I figure you're my solution. And he," Quirrell pushed his wand into Neville's neck. "is my means of forcing you to do as I want."
Harry grimaced. Quirrell had indeed found the one thing Harry could think of that would make him cooperate.
"Fine." Harry glanced at the sleeping cerebus. "Thanks for the music. Since music soothes the savage beast." He moved to the trapdoor. "Care to clue me in about what's next?"
"No, you have an hour and a half, Potter to get back with the stone or he dies. And I'll figure out some other way to get the stone for my master. Tick-tock."
Harry grimaced. 'Crap.' He lowered himself through the trapdoor in a reverse chin-up. It was disquieting to hang suspended in the dark. He let go with one hand and grabbed his wand from where he tucked it behind his ear before going through the trapdoor. " Lumos " A large plant shrank away from the light. Harry recognized Devil"s Snare. " Solaris " he called out a brighter warmer version of the light spell. As soon as the plant left him a clear space on land he let go and dropped to the floor. He moved to the next barrier. A locked door Harry eye the flock of what he thought was birds and realized they were keys. He noted there were broomsticks near by but that would take a while. He looked carefully at the lock then looked at the keys, looking for the one that matched.
Finally he spotted it, "Accio antique silver key bird with damaged wing!" The bird fluttered ineffectually against the summoning spell. Harry got it in the lock and opened the door. Beyond which was a chess board.
Harry frowned, after he verified that he would have to play his way across. Then he took the role of the black king. He really wished he knew more spells instead of having to play his way across. It took him thirty five minutes to put the white king in checkmate. As he opened the door to the next room it was painfully obvious what was in the room thankfully it was also out cold. Harry hurried past the knocked out troll, he had only forty minutes left.
The next room he reasoned must be Snape's, he was shocked when flames leaped up behind him after crossing the threshold. "Fabulous." He approached the table and it's seven bottles and a paper with a riddle on 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 hidden 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 tried to hide you will always find some on nettle wine's left side; second different are those that 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 inside; Fourth the second left and the second right are twins once you taste them though different at first sight. *
Harry shrugged might as well try the easy way first. "Accio forward potion." Nothing happened. He couldn't be that lucky twice. He read through the clues again. Logic okay he could do this. He went through the clues twice more then he grabbed the smallest bottle. He drank it and moved through the flames towards the next door. He entered a large room with a mirror in the center. Across the top were letters: Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on wohsi. Harry read through the letters three more times to figure out what they meant. He and Dudley had played around with codes starting when they were seven, sensei had introduced Harry to the concepts of code breaking and Harry had played with it one of the simplest codes… Wait mirror, mirror writing. I show not your face but your heart's desire. Okay there was only one door from this room which meant the stone was in this room Harry would bet it was somehow hidden by the mirror. No wonder Quirrell had so much trouble.
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