Son of the Dark Lord

Chapter 30: The Truth

"I knew it! I knew you were helping him! I should never have trusted you!"
"Harry, please..."
"No! You want me dead too, don't you!"
"Not at all, Harry. Let me..."
"He tried to kill me!"
"I did not!" Professor Quirrell's voice had taken on that strange double tone again. It served to catch Harry's attention.
"Of course you did. Mia saw you at the match!"
"We were both trying to save you, Harry," said Professor Snape. "Dumbledore was trying to kill you. I took both my power and that of Quirinus to combat him. Miss Granger knocked me over into him when she set Quirinus on fire."
"Oh...why would Dumbledore try to kill me? I mean, obviously he's evil, but why me?"
"It's a long story, Harry. I don't think now is the time." Harry nodded accepting that, and went back to the topic at hand.
"Why are you stealing the stone? It's not yours; it's not for you to have."
"We need the stone, Harry. It will serve a glorious purpose."
"You still can't just take it! It belongs to Nicolas Flamel, not to you. I won't let you take it!"
"Harry, if you only knew the truth!"
"What truth?" The professor's looked to each other and sighed.
"The stone is for your father, Harry," said Professor Quirrell.
"Liar! My father is missing. Besides, he would not have you steal for him. He'd never result to such low actions!"
"Harry!" admonished Professor Snape. Suddenly a new voice spoke up. It was quiet and raspy, but they could all hear the power in it.
"Allow me to speak with him...face-to-face."
"You are not strong enough!" cried Professor Snape. Harry was busy looking for the sound of the voice.
"I have strength enough for this. Let me see him!" Harry gasped as Professor Quirrell began unwinding his turban. His head seemed oddly small without it. Slowly, at Professor Snape's nod, he turned so Harry could see the back of his head. Harry only just managed to stifle a scream. There, where there should have been hair and the back of Professor Quirrell's head was another face. Even more appalling, the second face began to speak.
"Harry, my son, look how you've grown. Urh, but that ghastly spell! Severus tells me you've met your mother and sister. How are they?"
"They're lonely. Mother misses you more than anything. If you're truly my father, why didn't you return to her? Why not assure her that you're well. She's been worried about you!" Harry could see the pained expression he had brought on with his questions.
"I have been weak! I would not wish for her to see me like this. It would cause her pain." Harry stared at the second face, unsure what to do.
"Prove to me you're my father! Mum said only Dumbledore and my father can remove the spell that hides my true appearance. So remove it!"
"Harry, that's hardly prudent..." started Professor Snape.
"Silence!" snarled the second face. "Harry, my son, is that truly what you want? Do you think it smart?"
"I don't want to look like the people who stole me, and I don't want to go back to the Dursleys."
"Very well. I can remove the spell, but to do so, I must have my own body. To regain my body, I need the Elixir." Harry nodded. "I need the Stone, Harry. Help me get it, son."
"How? How do we get it?" They all looked at each other. Harry sat on the floor and thought hard. Father needs the stone. If he has the stone he can get his body back. He can protect me. But how would Dumbledore have hidden it? Where is the stone?
A bright flash of light made Harry jump. In front of him stood Fawkes, holding a bag in his beak.
"Hello, Fawkes, you clever bird. Did I project that to you?"
Yes. I've missed you. Why have you not called me before?
I wasn't aware it worked like that.
Oh. I did forget to tell you, didn't I? Well, hurry on, open the bag. Harry did so. He pulled out a blood-red stone, some potions ingredients, a few bowls, and some robes.
"How is Dumbledore's familiar aware of what we need?" Fawkes let out a fearsome cry, causing Professor Snape to take a few steps back.
"He isn't Dumbledore's familiar, sir."
"Of course he is! He has been for years!" cried Professor Quirrell.
"Not really and not at all anymore. He's mine. He pretends to be Dumbledore's to protect me." The phoenix nuzzled Harry affectionately, and playfully nipped at his fingers.
I must go before the mad one realizes where I have gone. It would be prudent to perform this ceremony away from the Hogwarts grounds. Fear not, chosen one, he is your father, you are making the correct choice.
Thank you, Fawkes. Fawkes disappeared with another bright flash.
"You must leave immediately. Fawkes said you must perform the ceremony away from the castle. Go to my mother. She can help you with the ceremony."
"But Harry..."
"You need to go to her. She deserves it. So does Violet. I'll be home in a few days. For now, Professor Snape, I believe you came down here to help me when Hermione told you where I had gone?" The professor stared at him for a moment until he understood.
"Of course, I caught up to you, but it was, regrettably, too late to save the stone. Whoever it was had already gone."
"Indeed. Professor Quirrell, I suppose that means you'll have to make yourself scarce for a while. I am sorry."
"Not to worry. There are many places in the world I would like to see. That's how I met your father, Harry." Fawkes reappeared with another flash of light.
The mad one is going through the trapdoor as we speak. Your father must leave. Harry relayed the message, causing far more panic than expected. After all, it had taken him and his friends over half an hour to get through. The chess game, especially, had taken a while.
I can take them to safety. They need to hold my tail feathers.
Are my friends safe?
Yes, they made it out some time ago.
Thank you, Fawkes.
Of course. As they had spoken, Professor Snape had returned everything to the velvet bag Fawkes had brought the first time and handed it to Professor Quirrell. Fawkes then offered his tail feathers to Professor Quirrell who, after a quick glance at Harry, took hold of the proffered feathers. In another flash of light, they were gone.
"What was the hurry, Professor Snape?"
"Dumbledore can nullify all of the magic protecting the stone, he is the headmaster. Now, come here and act disappointed. Remember, you were unable to save the stone." Harry managed to school his features to an appropriate approximation of disappointment and allowed himself to be led out of the room. Professor Snape quickly disabled his fire magic. As Professor Snape pushed open the door to the next room, he started speaking.
"Be that as it may, Harry, it was very reckless of you. You had no way of knowing who or what you would come across. Because of the reasoning behind your actions, I will not remove points, but you will serve detention every night until you leave for summer holidays.
"But Professor..."
"No buts, Harry," Dumbledore spoke from his position just beyond the far door. "That is a very reasonable punishment. Many would call it lenient. You should be thankful Professor Snape did not remove points." Dumbledore looked to the Potions Master. "Severus, how did you..."
"Miss Granger found me to tell me where he had gone. I rushed down here without thinking. I feared for the boy's safety."
"Of course, as did I. And the stone?"
"I couldn't save it, Professor Dumbledore, I'm sorry, I tried, but I was too late. Whoever it was had already left."
"Harry, it's quite alright. You're just a student. It is certainly not your responsibility. Albus, I'm going to take him to his dormitory. It has been a long night."
"Oh, of course, Severus. Harry, I'd like to meet with you tomorrow morning."
"Yes, Sir." Harry followed Professor Snape out past the chessboard—now back to normal size—the key room—Harry saw the large pile of keys in the corner of the room—back past the pot that had held the devil's snare—well, it was more the size of a sandbox—and up through the trapdoor. An enchanted harp was playing a soothing tune, ensuring Fluffy remained asleep.
Professor Snape dropped him off at the entrance to the Slytherin common room with a reminder to practice Occluding and creating false memories before going to bed. Hermione, Vince, Greg, and Draco were all waiting in the common room.
"What happened, mate?"
"Harry! You're safe..."
"Did you save the stone?"
"Calm down, the lot of you, and I'll explain." Hermione had already apprised them of everything until she and Harry had parted ways. That's where Harry started. They made a very good audience, gasping, murmuring, and clapping where appropriate. Hermione was especially interested in Fawkes' help, asking many questions. Finally, at half three, they went to bed.