Chapter 17: Through the Trapdoor
“Hangon,” Draco said, glancing at the note again.
He had joined Harry, Ron, and Hermione in the chambers below Fluffy’s feet- and, unfortunately, had yet to be of much use to the team. Harry’s Quidditch skills had come in handy, and Hermione’s Herbology as well. Draco hadn’t been captured by the plant, as when he’d been third to land, he’d lit his wand right away- then yanked himself away from it. He, however, hadn’t been able to identify it as Hermione had. Even Ron had sacrificed himself in the chess room, allowing Harry, Hermione, and himself to continue forwards.
He did find it interesting that Harry was still Harry, rather than Hailey- but hadn’t said anything about it.
Harry looked back at him, holding the smallest bottle from the row. “Hmm?”
“We know someone else came through here, right?” he asked, looking up at them.
Hermione tilted her head, scanning the row once again. “Yes… Yes, that’s interesting.”
Harry tilted his head as well. “What?”
“They’re all full,” Hermione told him. “That means… Either whoever came through before didn’t drink from them, or they’ve been refilled.”
“Which suggests they refill themselves, doesn’t it?” Draco muttered. “Which means…” He looked at Hermione, then at Harry. “Once you go through, we’ll see if we can get it to replenish- and if we can, we’ll follow.”
Harry sighed. “Alright then,” he muttered, swallowed it, shuddered, put it down, and marched through the black fire.
“So you are Voldemort,” were Harry’s first words upon passing through the black fire.
Professor Quirrell turned to look at him, his expression a mixture of surprise and confusion. “You… No, I am not the Dark Lord.”
Harry rolled his eyes. “You know what I mean. His vessel, his… servant.” He made it an obscenity.
Quirrell studied him for a couple seconds. “Yes,” he said eventually. “I wondered whether I’d be meeting you here tonight, Potter.”
Harry shrugged. “Well I would have thought it was pretty obvious,” he told Quirrell. “I mean, it’s not like I’d just let Voldemort come back,” he stated.
Quirrell stiffened. “Do not speak the Dark Lord’s name,” he commanded.
“Voldemort,” Harry barked right back at him. “It’s a word, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
He snarled, then snapped his fingers. Ropes sprang out of nowhere, binding Harry’s wrists to his sides and his ankles together. “You’re too nosy to live,” he told Harry. “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.”
Harry raised his eyebrows. “You mean you let the troll in?” he asked.
“Certainly. I have special gifts 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, Snape headed straight up to the third floor corridor 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 Snape’s leg off properly! Now, wait quietly, I need to examine this interesting mirror.”
Harry blinked. The Mirror of Erised was standing behind Quirrell- but it was positioned such that Harry couldn’t see straight into it. He was at least mildly curious if it would show him something related to the Stone, or just his family again, if he did get in front of it- but when he tried moving to take a peek, he only managed to trip and fall on the hard stone.
“Use the boy. Use the boy.”
Draco glanced around, searching for the speaker, but didn’t see anyone. It certainly didn’t sound like Quirrell’s voice, and it definitely wasn’t Harry- but it was the first words he heard after passing through the fire. His and Hermione’s third theory about the potions had been correct- they refilled themselves whenever the room was empty, so double-crossing the purple fire was all it took.
“Yes- Come here, Boy,” Quirrell commanded, clapping his hands. “Come look in the mirror and tell me what you see.”
Draco glanced down, at where it looked like Harry had just been unbound, and grinned briefly to himself, before deliberately misinterpreting who the instruction had been intended for.
“Sure, I can do that,” he stated, as he started marching towards the line-of-sight of the mirror. “It’s only the Mirror of Erised, after all.”
Quirrell spun around to glare at him- and he could see the temptation to fling magic at him warring with the knowledge he’d already displayed on the subject. The man scowled, and seemed to settle for a question. “What does it do?” he asked- demanded, really.
“Don’t tell him, Alastor!” Harry said.
Draco shrugged. “I don’t see how it can hurt,” he said. “I mean, simply put, that mirror is a red herring.” He glanced up at Quirrell. “In other words, it shows you what you want to see. Meaning, if you want to use the Stone, you’ll see yourself using it.” He stopped in front of the glass, gazing into it at his reflection- his perplexing reflection. “And if you want to find the stone, you’ll see yourself finding it- probably somewhere inane, though, where it most assuredly is not.” As he watched, his reflection put a blood red stone back into its pocket… and he felt the real Stone land in his real pocket. He knew Voldemort was a legilimens, though, and he was a pretty good occlumens himself.
He smiled, and looked over at Quirrell- just in time to see Hermione emerge from the black fire through the corner of his eye. “And I suppose the strangest thing about it is that whenever I look into it, a girl looks back out at me.”
“A girl?” Quirrell demanded.
He nodded, looking back at the mirror to watch her wave at him. “Yup. No idea where she came from, though. Especially with that hair.” He laughed.
Quirrell snarled. “Get out of the way,” he barked. “Potter! Get over here!”
They complied, and Harry looked into the mirror. Draco distinctly noticed his eyes track something up, and back down, in the glass.
“Well?” Quirrell demanded. “What do you see?”
“I’m finding the Stone,” Harry told him, slowly. “In… In my pocket. Where, of course, it most assuredly isn’t.” He chuckled, glancing sideways at Draco- then stepped sideways, out from between Quirrell and the Mirror.
In the background, Hermione raised her wand. “Locomotor Mor-!” she cried.
Quirrell was faster. “Stupefy!” His spell struck her mid-incantation, and she collapsed straight to the ground.
Draco stepped backwards, drawing his own wand- but a lash of Quirrell’s threw it right out of his hands, ropes springing out of the air to bind him up. He tripped, and fell, painfully, on the stone.
Harry tried to make a run for it, but Quirrell lunged and clamped his hands around his neck.
It was… interesting. Harry instantly phased into Hailey and let out a shriek of pain- but she wasn’t the only one. Quirrell cried out in pain as well, and released her- moments before jumping on top of her, where she had fallen, and pinning her to the ground with his knees.
He stared at his hands for a second in bewilderment, then looked down at Hailey again. She had been clutching at her forehead, but had started watching him- and angry boils had sprung up all over his hands.
Quirrell reached down to strangle her.
She screamed- and her hands shot up, thrusting themselves against his face.
Quirrell let out a scream of his own as he recoiled- but remained on top of her as he pulled his face out of her reach. He quickly looked back down, while she was still recovering… then seized her wrists and smashed them against her neck.
She choked, struggling- and Quirrell yelled in combined pain and triumph.
Finally, Hailey stopped struggling… and when Quirrell drew his hands back like he’d been burned- which, judging by the boils that had sprung up wherever they touched, he had been- her arms fell limply to the ground.
Quirrell, breathing deeply, started to draw his wand- then froze, and looked towards Draco.
Draco flinched- realizing, a second too late, that the Stone had fallen out of his pocket, and was in clear view on the floor.
Quirrell abandoned Hailey- whose hair, Draco noticed, and turned red- and rose to step slowly, triumphantly, towards him. He bent down, reaching for the Stone, then-
“Accio!”
The stone shot suddenly right out from under Quirrell’s grasping hand, racing across the chamber before it clattered against the opposite wall. Quirrell whirled in place, drawing his wand to identify his new enemy- and Draco looked past him as well.
There were two people standing over Hailey. One a man, who looked almost exactly like Harry did, with the exception that he didn’t have Harry’s green eyes- and the other a woman, who looked exactly like Hailey did, complete with the red hair. They were both ghosts, but both had their ghostly wands out. Draco had to wonder who had summoned the Stone, since ghosts couldn’t do magic.
Quirrell snarled, and raised his wand. “Avada Kedavra,” he snarled. The bolt of green light… passed straight through the man, and blew a hole in the opposite wall, about six feet away from where the Stone had come to rest against Hermione’s chest.
The man raised his eyebrow. “Did you really think that would work?” he asked. “You’ve already killed us, Voldemort.”
The woman regarded Quirrell calmly. “You failed to kill our daughter once,” she told him. “And you will fail once more.”
“She’s already dead,” Quirrell told them.
She smiled. “No, she’s not.” She stepped over Hailey. “She’s only left the fighting to us.” She swung her wand down and pointed it behind her. “Rennervate.”
Across the room, Draco saw Hermione take a sudden breath, eyes flashing open.
Draco stared. They must have been Hailey’s parents- yet they were ghosts, when they hadn’t even left ghosts- and ghosts couldn’t use magic, either! What was going on?
Quirrell raised his wand to point at Hermione, but-
“Expelliarmus,” James Potter barked, and Quirrell’s wand shot out of his hand mid-incantation.
Lily stepped right up to Quirrell… then slapped him across the face, sending him pirouetting off to the side before crashing to the floor. “Come out, Voldemort,” she commanded. “Face us yourself.”
A flash of light crossed the room from Hermione, and struck Draco square in the chest. He was frightened for a moment- but then the ropes binding him fell away, and he scrambled to his feet, snatching up his wand. Then he felt the first warning from his form spell- he had about five minutes to shift back before the spell would collapse and knock him out for a few hours. He wrinkled his nose, and let it fall away, becoming himself once again. The Potters didn’t show even a hint of surprise at the change.
Quirrell scrambled backwards, fear in his eyes- and Draco was astounded to see a massive, slap-shaped blister on the side of his face.
Very suddenly, a ghostly phantom burst from Quirrell’s turban and whisked out of the chamber, through the fire.
“Impedimenta!” James barked, whirling- but he was too late. “Coward,” he snarled after it.
Meanwhile, Quirrell collapsed, falling onto his back, and let out a piteous moan.
The Potters ignored him. Lily walked back over to Hailey, while James looked at Draco and Hermione. “Are you two alright?” he asked.
They nodded.
He gave a short nod. “Good. Watch Quirrell for me, will you? Voldemort has left him to die, but he’s still got a few minutes left.” He turned to Lily. “How’s Hailey?”
Lily looked up, from where she had crouched next to Hailey. “She’ll be okay,” she muttered. “He stopped choking her when she passed out, so she’s still alive.” She looked back down at Hailey. “I’m… I’m more worried about that.” She pointed at Hailey’s scar, which was bleeding slightly. “I wish she had allowed him to try the Killing Curse- would have cleaned that right out. But as it is…” She shook her head. “It’s going to be a few days.”
James crouched down next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders. “At least she survived,” he stated.
She nodded. “At least she survived,” she agreed.
Very suddenly, Dumbledore burst through the black fire, wand raised.
“Professor Dumbledore,” James greeted, looking up and rising to his feet.
Dumbledore blinked, taking in the scene before him. “What the-?” he began.
Hermione giggled.
James merely smiled. “Voldemort has already fled,” he informed Dumbledore. “He’s left Quirrell to die.” He pointed towards Quirrell, whose breathing was dying out very quickly.
Stats
Page generated in 0.026 seconds
Total duration
1,054 users online
319,941 hits today, 1,872,792 yesterday
FIMFiction
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Fanfiction
Designed and coded by knighty & Xaquseg - © 2011-2024
Follow & Support Us
Support us
SubStar
Chat!
Discord
Follow us
Twitter
MLP: Friendship is Magic® - © 2024 Hasbro Inc.®
Fimfiction is in no way affiliated with or endorsed by Hasbro Inc.®
...must...know...more!!!!
10947268
Agreed
10947268
I kinda hate to say it, but I hafta ask, about what in particular?
So they bound themselves to her so well they can call on her magic, which probably contains their own magic
Wut. That's very, very different, and I'm very, very curious now
OK, for all the HP fanfic I've read, I've never seen anything like what you just did with James and Lily and I'm really looking forward to seeing where you go with this.
Well this a bit curious.
10947327
How are James and Lily there?! And what are they?
10947268
Jup, exactly ...give ... us ... more !!!!!!
;)
Nice. Is it bad that I hope this means Hailey will have to spend awhile as Harry. Also Lily said:
Does that mean that Voldemort's hidden essence will be gone in a few days? Hope so. Then again I also hope Hailey moves into the girls dorm permanently, so eh.
Is Hailey about to realize Alastor is Draco?
10947426
Yeah, Lily’s statement was a bit cryptic and out of context, wasn’t it?
Why do you hope it means she has to stay as Harry for a while…?
10947475
I meant stay awhile as Hailey. Mostly because i really want two things, a permanent girl Hailey, which probably won't happen, but also a Hailey sleeping in the girls dorm while cuddled up with Hermione, and not turning back, which might happen if she stays Hailey for awhile.
Eh, I don't know what to think about the force ghosts
Hm it’s getting pretty disjointed, and a lot of things are written as if the reader has a LOT MORE background information, there is also a somewhat marysueish feel on all the characters…
10947243
not much better. honestly...
I like the way this played out better than the original. Well done.
10947354
Oh, wouldn't Dumbledore like to know...
10947705
Yes, the assumption is that you're not using my story to learn about either Harry Potter or My Little Pony, and have at least a passing familiarity with both.
That said, you'll notice most of the Mary Sueing here wasn't actually the Golden Set, but Quirrell... and Hailey's immortal guardians, of course. They basically curbstomped him. Don't worry, for as much as I liked working with them, they aren't 'regular' characters, and will only appear in certain situations. That said, I've already found another point- not yet written- where they will probably appear... and be somewhat less useful, too.
10947757
"Catch the Snitch or die trying."
It might be a paraphrase, but that's what Wood told Harry when the rogue bludger came around in second year. Wood shows at several points in canon that he cares first about winning Quidditch, then for the livelihood of his players. It's not necessarily a good thing, no... but it does let me characterize him better, and otherwise expose events such as that- reasons for other actions he might take to drive background events like Quidditch matches.
If anything, my version of him is actually MORE sensitive than the one in canon... Canon Wood never had to deal with a near-death player, but he very much was a "Broken arm? Boneless arm? Who cares, we won!" type of guy. Oh yes, and a "So what if there was another attack? We have to play for the cup!" (End of CoS)... which sets the stage for a "someone was petrified, we're all in mortal danger, BUT I PLAY QUIDDITCH" attitude. Here, he's asking Madam Pomfrey not if she'll be awake and able to leave the Hospital Wing, or even if she'll be able to play, but if she'll be fit to play- which shows an almost shocking amount of concern for her well-being (for him, at least).
Interesting to hear James & Lily referred to Hailey (she) rather Harry (he). So Hermione's theory that part of Harry/Hailey's parents' actual soul actually in his/her body was most likely correct. That's why they knew everything that has happened so far. This sounds more like a persona... I guess.
10947952
agreed.
10947945
Yea… but there has been SO MANY changes to canon that it’s not so straightforward to stay on point… I mean here we jump from Harry/Hailey being tapped as Head Student Instructor in DADA and Lyra having to sort out an injured chaser to having the main trio (plus one) going after Quirrel…
That presuppose that they are doing more or less the same things… but just a PinkieHermione puts that in serious jeopardy, add in ALL the other things they have been doing and the canon story is quite shaken off.
10947923
I bet the Equestrians know something
10948263
Yes... Unless, of course, most of things are going canon-similar. Yes, we did jump from Christmas to here, where that Quidditch match they're referring to actually takes place after this sequence... but admittedly, nothing really happened in canon over that same period, either. Well, except Norbert, but that one was close enough to canon I thought it was best covered as a detail of one of Bonbon's many reports. Which it was- if you recall, Bonbon revealed that not only was Ron bitten, but Hermione was too, so Alastor helped Hailey... and reminded her of the Invisibility Cloak. Events which handily precluded the unicorn scene, the only other canon event between chap. 15 & 16. So here we are, already at the end of the year.
10948292
I bet they don't... I know someone that might discover something, though.
10948386
Ooh
10948385
Yes… but the changes introduced (a metric fu*kton of ponies in human garb) would change so many things and have so many OTHER thing happens that… it’s not plausible to just gloss over everything like that… there is no introduction to the quartet getting into investigating Quirrel/Snape and going into the forbidden corridor. It’s rushed.
Not only does it feel rushed, but ... well, the disadvantage of reading multiple Harry Potter/Equestria crossovers at once. I kept asking myself, what happened to the rest of Harry's herd, and the CMC in particular.
...
I just had to go back and recheck. That's not this story. Heck, this is the only hogwarts crossover I've read so far where the CMC is (mostly) not involved and cannon is not completely derailed by now. In fact, I only found one reference to Sweetie's potion/kitchen disaster.
But yea, it feels rushed.
10995438
Also, computerneek's hp/fim crossovers usually have the same theme, but with slightly different circumstances. In the last one I read, it was Lyra doing the experiments on Malfoy instead of Hermione. He also turned into Silversong, though I'm not sure if she will make an appearance. What Draco sees in the mirror may be foreshadowing.