*IMPORTANT AUTHOR'S NOTE* J.K. Rowling owns Harry Potter and the potion riddle.
1. Warning!! There will be mentions of religious beliefs right off the bat of this chapter! I hope that because we are from all over the world and because of the support I've seen, that everyone will be respectful of all types of religious or non religious beliefs whether Christian, Atheist, part of the countless other religions in this world, still figuring it out, or somewhere in between. Our beliefs, culture, skin tone, gender, who we love, ethnicity, dreams, etc. are part of who we are. They make us one of kind; unique. If I read any type of disrespectful or hurtful comments, I will not hesitate to report you.
2. On a lighter note, I'm sorry once again for the chapters mix up. If any of my old readers have found this book again, then you have prevented my biggest nightmare from coming true. Please comment. It's all I ever wish when I write these chapters. Also, let me know if I've missed any of Harry's titles or said the line of succession wrong. By the way, when I say 2nd or 3rd in line, I mean that Harry is still the heir. There's just an older generation ahead of him. Like Ravenclaw, Harry's grandmother is the current lady. Lilly is in line before him therefore making him second in line. I hope this clears up any confusion.
3. I am planning on there being two more chapters to wrap up first year as the second semester will not be as eventful. You should know that my plans for the summer and September 1st, well I'm looking forward to writing them. Let me know if you want to see anything for the rest of first year no matter the scenario, and I will see if I can make it happen.
4. As always, comment and vote!
If Harry is being honest with himself, Yule is the only holiday he intends to celebrate at school. Samhain used to consist of a celebration of their identity as magical beings and providing thanks to Lady Magic and Hecate for their gifts. Instead, Samhain has transformed into Halloween the muggle way, and their culture is slowly being forgotten. Plus, why would Harry want to celebrate and feast on the day he becomes The-Boy-Who-Lived? Valentine's Day seems silly to the first year, but perhaps, in a few years he will come to appreciate it. Don't even get Harry started on his birthday. Not only is it in the summer, but other than his first birthday, there has never been any celebration or cake. His eleventh birthday, minus the letter from Hogwarts, had consisted of a pair of rolled up stockings that once belonged to Dudley surprisingly clean, a whack from Dudley's Smelting stick, a piece of moldy old bread that Dudley had joked was the closest thing he would get to a cake, a slightly smaller chore list from Petunia, and a rant of how grateful Harry should be that they took him in from Vernon. At least the Dursleys remember his birthday, despite it being so terrible. Unlike certain Weasleys who have previously forgotten Percy's birthday before due to the hum of their busy lives. Like that's a valid excuse.
Easter, on the other hand, is only celebrated by Christian muggle-borns, and half-bloods and purebloods with a mix of Christian and magical beliefs. Many other holidays from other religions have been celebrated as well, but Harry knows it is wrong to intrude. Not sure what he identifies as, the first year settles for respecting everyone's religious beliefs as he feels is the right thing to do, and if others feel comfortable sharing, Harry would kindly inquire about their religion and/or beliefs. Through this Harry finds that Aaliyah is a believer of the Wizarding religion honoring Lady Magic and Hecate. Helena, on the other hand, follows the Druid's beliefs to a certain point, Hermione considers herself an Atheist, and Neville shares the mix of Christian and Wizarding religions.
Yule, like all other magical holidays, has been changed to fit that of the muggle standards by Albus Dumbledore in order to make the Muggle-Borns more comfortable in the wizarding world. Sharing his opinions with his friends, Harry has found that many support his thinkings. If the muggle-borns want to celebrate their holidays, who are they to stop them? That doesn't mean the wizarding world should be forced to give up their traditions, beliefs, and holidays, especially since it is their world the Muggle-Borns are coming into. Like mentioned before, many of the half-bloods try to celebrate a mix of both muggle and magical culture, and a lot of pure bloods and half-bloods have a mix of religious or non-religious beliefs. Why can't they?
Content with the knowledge that Dumbles can do little to stop the students from celebrating their own traditions over break, Harry heads down to the Great Hall on the first day of New Year's break (from Britain's point of view) intent to celebrate his own and get the other students staying to challenge Dumbledore's thinking as well. As it turns out, only a few children have decided to stay over break. Starting from right to left, Harry scans the house tables. The Hufflepuff table only has two students; Aaliyah and Neville. One is reading a book on Potions, the other Herboldgy. A true test to their Hufflepuff spirt, Neville had asked their grandmother if they could stay at Hogwarts with their friends over break. Through Aaliyah jokes, Neville didn't want to miss any action. At the Gryffindor table, 4 out of the seven Weasley siblings sit. Due to Ron's bragging, the Slytherin is well aware that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley decided to spend this Yule with their second eldest child Charlie in Romania. Disapprovingly, he notes that Percy is far away from his three brothers sitting at the other end of the table. Ravenclaw is next. Besides Helena who scribbles in a notebook, only a 3rd year Ravenclaw Terry Boot is there as well, Hermione having left earlier today. Finally, Slytherin where Harry admits to getting the biggest shock of his life.
At the Slytherin table, ACTUALLY acting civil and friendly, Aurelia sits in deep conversation with DRACO MALFOY! Yes, you read that right. Not only is Draco not acting disgusted towards a supposed "Muggleborn," he actually seems to be enjoyed the conversation with Harry's aunt. And did Draco just laugh at a joke Audrey sprouted?! Shaking his head, convinced that this is a nightmare and he will wake up soon, Harry slowly walks over to the Slytherin Table aware at Dumbledore's stare burning his back.
"Hanging out with Muggleborns now, are we Malfoy?" Harry asks the first thing that comes to his mind.
His dislike for Harry comes through clear as Draco sneers, "None of your business Potter."
Aurelia, glancing between Draco and Harry smiles in amusement much to their confusion. "Oh, that's right. You don't know," she remarks interrupting their glaring contest. Audrey's voice holds glee and joy as if about to tell the boys a secret that will end with her laughing. And that's exactly what happens. "Draco, Harry stop," she tells them, her voice taking on a rather serious approach with authority present in her tone. "We are all allies here."
"Why would we be allies with The-Boy-Who-Lived?" Draco spats full of hatred and disbelief.
So, the rumors are true, Harry muses coming to a conclusion.
Audrey ventures, "Why don't we continue this conversation away from prying ears in private?" She isn't sure how long her privacy and anti-ease-dropping wards will hold, and she knows for sure it will not be long before people realize they cannot hear the normal insults from the Malfoy and Potter heirs.
Harry sends a confused look towards Aurelia, so she subtly points her head towards the teacher's table. Realization dawns on his face. Draco, meanwhile is conflicted. The less he interacts with Potter the better, but Malfoy also shudders to think of what would happen if he disobeys an obvious command from his father's lord's daughter. And so, though it pains himself to do so, Draco nods his head in respect towards Audrey.
"We'll leave at different times, but we'll meet in the Artefact Room. No one but Hagrid goes in there anymore," she tells the boys before gesturing for Draco to leave first. Once he leaves, Harry can feel a starch decrease of magic near their table. Audrey must have taken down her privacy and anti-ease-dropping wards.
5 minutes later Aurelia leaves and Harry joins her. They separate once outside the Great Hall to avoid suspicion, but both make their way towards the Artefact Room. They slip inside to see the Malfoy heir pacing, his normally gelled back platinum hair sticking up in all directions, a sure sign that he's been tousling his hair in nervousness.
"Draco," Audrey addresses him. He jumps before composing himself back to his normal facade. Harry desperately tries to sallow back a laugh.
It doesn't work. Malfoy attempts to give his coldest glare possible now that he's returned to his usual stoic pureblood mask. Audrey, completly ignoring the boys, places the locking charm on the door, puts up anti-ease dropping wards, and a complicated notice me not charm. Both first years turn to look at Audrey stunned. They don't learn how to complete a notice me not charm until the very end of fifth year much less unspoken magic that not many can learn. Once again ignoring the obvious on slot of questions that are sure to come from the Malfoy heir, she tells him, "My mother taught me it." Technically, Tom taught it to her, but Draco doesn't know Voldemort is still alive and with his family.
"So it's true then," Harry repeats an earlier thought. "Lucius Malfoy is a willing death eater."
Draco's eyes widen commercially as expected before settling in deep fury. "How dare you!" He screeches. Just before he is about to curse The-Boy-Who-Lived, Aurelia steps in muttering a quick, "Expelliarmus," plucking Draco's wand out of the air before it can clatter to the ground.
Halfway between amusement and frustration but leaning towards the latter, Audrey tells Harry that, "Not a good place to start Potter."
"Oh, so now I'm Potter?" He remarks back.
"For the time being, yes. Listen, Draco. I know it's hard to believe, but Harry's on our side. He's one of us...A loyal death eater."
"Why in Merlin's Beard would Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived be a death eater?!"
Taking a deep breath to calm his frazzled nerves, Harry tells the truth. "Because my parents are."
"Are?" Draco asks still disbelieving. Not a thing gets past him.
Audrey shares a glance towards Harry. Even though the Potter Heir is shaking his head frantically, she tells the Malfoy Heir anyway.
She tells him, "Draco Malfoy, heir to the ancient and noble house of Malfoy and spare to the ancient and noble house of Black, meet my Nephew Harry Potter, Heir to the Noble house of Potter, Heir to the most ancient and noblest house of Peverell, Heir to the ancient and noble house of Black, 4th in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Gryffindor, 2nd in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Ravenclaw, 2nd in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Ambrosius, 2nd in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Slytherin, 2nd in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Hufflepuff, 3rd in line to the most ancient and noblest house of Le-Fey, 3rd in line to the ancient and noble house in Germany of Grindelwald, and 2nd in line to the house of Riddle in this current timeline not including the children of the founders here. He's the grandson of my father Voldemort from my sister's side and the great-grandson of Gellert Grindelwald from his father. "
"I think you broke him," Harry whispers furiously towards Aurelia.
It certainly seems so. Draco brings a whole new meaning to the saying "my jaw hits the floor" his mouth gaping like a fish, his eyes bulging out of his head. Somehow, his already pale skin has paled drastically in shades so much that his veins stick out like animated water or the darkest blue of Helena's eyes. Malfoy sways ever so slightly on his feet giving the impression that he might faint. With a flick of her wrist, Audrey sends a chair towards Draco that stops after it hits Draco's legs causing him to sit. Draco makes no movement or acknowledgement still in the same position, but Harry has no doubt his brain is working 5 times as fast as normal trying to make sense of everything.
"Shouldn't we oblivate him?" Harry asks not bothering to whisper.
Aurelia shots back a furious look telling Harry in a slightly confused but mostly frustrated tone that "What?! No! Why?"
A new wave of fury rolls over Harry. "Because he's practically my 'enemy!"' He all but shouts.
The eldest Slytherin sighs. "Think Harry! Use that brain of yours. I know you got one." At Harry's still confused look, she soldiers on. "Look. Dumbledore wants you two to be 'enemies!' That way it will fuel your hate for Slytherins and make you feel alone in your own house. But, Draco already knows most of the truth. He's known that I am the daughter of the Dark Lord since you two started school. The only thing he has to come around to is that I am actually sisters with Lilly Potter, they're alive and the whole Boy-Who-Lived thing is a Dark Wizard!"
"Actually my aura is grey," Harry says quietly scared of getting his aunt angry.
"Doesn't matter! And before you ask how Draco know all this, Abraxas Malfoy, Draco's grandfather, is Dad's best friend. Dad's godson is Lucius. You know that technically makes you and Draco first god-cousins. Speaking of which..."
Aurelia marches over to Draco's chair with a passive expression. She reaches out a single finger and causally pushes the chair over, the boy falling to the ground.
"What?!?" Draco shouts at anger spurring him out of his shocked state. At Audrey's 'Really' look, he starts to mutter, "That can't be true. I mean it makes a little bit of sense, but I don't believe it!"
"Believe it," Harry says from his place against the wall.
"I need to write a letter to my parents," Draco continues rushing out of the room clearly flustered.
"Should we worry about that," Harry asks referring to Draco now knowing the truth.
"Nah," Aurelia responds. "He would't dare go against the Dark Lord. Not to mention the terms of The Godfather bond forbid it, and even if it didn't, you own more than three quarters of the Wizengmant, or were you not listening to my list of your titles."
*****
Later that night, crowded around the Hufflepuff Common Room's fire, with mugs of steaming hot coca in their hands, the friends sit discussing the Philosopher's Stone and their plans. Hermione has gone home for the holidays, so this makes the perfect time to talk about it, as she had previously stated that she wanted nothing to do with this. Percy and Audrey have joined as well having snuck in to the common room via secret passageways and the help of Helena and Aaliyah. Draco, only having joined today, is not present either still wrapping his head around the whole truth. A sting of guilt stirs in Harry's stomach when he remembers that his enemy had learned the truth before two of his closest friends.
Aaliyah currently perched on the back of the couch tells the group that "I was talking with Hagrid today, and well I wouldn't be fit to call myself the daughter of Salazar Slytherin if I couldn't get information out of a man who can not keep secrets at all."
"What did you find out?" Harry asks suddenly excited at the prospect of finding the stone and getting it out of Dumbledore's clutches.
"There are many traps guarding the Philosopher's stone, each one created by a teacher, but able to get past by talented students of their passion no matter their age. I also learned from Quirrell who's a Death Eater that"
"Quirrell's a WHAT?! We have a Death Eater as our teacher, and how are you all so calm about this?!" Neville yells in fear only getting more confused at the expectant faces of the others around him.
"Oh, Right," Aaliyah mutters apologetically realizing her slip. "Yes Neville, Professor Quirrell is a Death Eater, but that doesn't matter right now." Off to the side Neville mutters to themself, "It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter we have a Death Eater as a teacher. It bloody well does!"
"What matters is that I learned from him that each teacher based their trap or challenge off a passion of theirs. When I asked what his trap was, after some clever cunningness and manipulation, he told me it's the troll from Samhain. Also, apparently McGonagall's trap involves chess."
Percy groans from his place on the armchair that he shares with Audrey. The two may now only be best mates, but Harry will kill himself if the two don't end up together. Ignoring Percy's groan, Harry asks himself and everyone that "Who do we know that is a chess prodigy and would be willing to help us?"
Percy speaks up. "Well, I know one person who is brilliant at chess, but he probably won't help us. My brother Ron may be the only person in all of Hogwarts that can beat Professor Mcgnagall."
Everyone lets out a collective groan. They can all imagine how that would go.
"Actually," Audrey ventures. "Percy is pretty good at chess. You've gone against your brother how many times? And you're brilliant at Transformation. If anyone could go against Mcgnagall, it would be you, and no one would suspect you thanks to your reputation. I mean, what's the worst that could happen?"
"We could die or get expelled," Percy deadpans. A pregnant silence fills the air.
"Anyway" Aaliyah ends the silence dragging out the word. "Neville is amazing at Herboldgy, so I'm guessing you'll be our Sprout person." They nod. "Great. Thanks. I'm obviously our potions expert, Helena is the future Magizoologist of the group, so I'm leaving the Cerberus to you."
"His name is Fluffy," Helena comments quietly.
"Right. Harry you have Professor Flitwick and Madam Hooch. I found out they combined their traps, so it probably has something to do with Quidditch. We've already defeated the troll once. Percy is on chess duty, and Audrey you'll be on backup in case anything goes wrong. If the plan goes horribly wrong please call on Alessandra."
"Who's Alessandra?" Helena asks curious abut something she doesn't know about Hogwarts.
"I'll tell you later. Everyone understand the plan?"
"That was a plan?" Neville asks unsurely.
"It's as close as you're going to get to one. We should do it on Yule. That gives everyone a bit of time to figure everything out. Oh, and Harry bring the invisibility cloak."
"How did you find out about that?"
"Helena's father created the elder wand. Our Aunt Morgana created the Resurrection stone. Put the pieces together."
*****
It was Yule morning, and all through the castle, many creatures were stirring, but none were a mouse. But near the third door corridor, 6 friends stood ready, wands positioned, and faces determined. With a simple alohamora, they slip inside, and while walking down the hallway, Helena begins to play beautiful music on her flute. Gingerly, Neville touches the door scared out of their wits. "We'll be alright Neville," Aaliyah whispers. Taking the longest breath of their life, the Longbottom heir grasps the handle once again, and trying not to think about what is going to happen to them, they swing the door open wide.
Inside the room, the previously terrifying Cerberus is sleeping dog drool drooling down their 3 heads. It eyes are loosely shut tight, but of course, they fell asleep on top of the trap door.
"When is it ever easy for us," Aurelia mutters exasperatedly before performing the levitation charm quietly and slowly moving the Cerberus's paws away from the trap door as to not wake him. Through this all, Helena keeps playing her flute, and Fluffy keeps sleeping soundly. Once the trap door is accessible, the group quietly makes their way over to the door crowding around it.
"Who's going to" Harry starts but Percy interrupts.
"I can," He says before jumping into the looming darkness.
"Why would he," Aaliyah asks in a astonished and confused whisper.
"He's a Gryffindor," Audrey answers the question shrugging her shoulders. "Who's next?"
Neville gulps, but everyone is surprised when they take a step forward and before anyone can say a word, they jump. "It's Devil Snare!" They call up.
"I can't believe I'm doing this, but see ya," Aurelia tells the group before jumping as well.
"What she said," Aaliyah.
With a desperate glance, Harry looks towards Helena. She taps her flute then positions her head towards the trap door. She has to be last or the Cerberus will wake up. Closing his eyes and trying to steady his breathing, he jumps!
For a fleeting second, Harry feels like he's flying moving straight through the air. Then, that second is over and he's dropping and dropping his stomach lost long before. It takes everything in himself for him not to scream as he continues to drop. If he hits hard floor, he'll surely die is the thought that occupy his brain! It doesn't help that the fall is completely pitch black bringing back memories of the wizarding bank and long nights spent in the cupboard under the stairs.
Suddenly, it all stops with a jolt and his stomach is back where it belongs. He lands on something squishy and for a minute he thinks the sound is his body splattering all over the floor. He's dead, and he must not have felt the impact, because he died on impact.
"Harry!" A voice calls. Neville. But they survived the fall. How can Harry hear him unless...The-Boy-Who-Lived opens his eyes. "I survived?" He asks in shock.
"Of course you survived dork," Aaliyah calls from somewhere nearby. The chamber they are in is still dimly lit, but Harry can make out the outline of everyone's bodies. Around this time, Helena lands and she drops her flute upon impact. The flute begins to sink among the many vines they landed in. "Dang it. That was our way out," Helena curses. That's when Harry realizes the vines they have landed in, the Devil Snare, is curling around them slowly but picking up speed tightening around everyone and crawling up themselves. The others start struggling to free themselves.
"Stop!" Neville commands forcefully. "Struggling will only make the Devil Snare kill you faster!"
"Great Pep talk Nev!" Aaliyah calls sarcastically.
"Stop struggling!" Neville calls again. "You'll slip through the Devil Snare and to the bottom if you just relax. And if you can't do that, fire is deadly to Devil Snare!"
"Well, why didn't you say so!"
Parts of the group allow themselves to relax following Neville's instructions. Read:Harry, Neville, Percy and Aaliyah. The others start shouting the fire charm "Incendio" and begin to slip through as well. Harry begins to feel himself sink. The Devil Snare loosens it's grip and pull away from his body. Soon, Harry's neck is the only thing on top of the vines. "I sure hope you're right Nev," Harry says before The-Boy-Who-Lived disappears.
For a while, it is almost like he is inside a body of water quickly rushing to the bottom in a way that a person would if they jumped into that body of water. The vines of Devil Snare cover his view of the surface, of all light, and Harry starts to wonder if Neville's wrong, if he'll suffocate underneath this horrid Devil Snare. Then, towards what must be the bottom, the vines untangle themselves from each other leaving a hole for Harry to fall through. And fall through he does, screaming down the few feet, and this time he lands on his back, breath knocked out of him, hard.
*****
The next room is brightly lit, a stark contrast from the last. As Harry's eyes adjust, he notices the room they are in has no celling they can see, probably stretching up all the way to the trap door. Zipping around them are all types of keys each with a pair of wings attached. At the far end of the room is a door that may actually be bigger than Hagrid, made out of solid red birch wood, and a handle big enough to be a boat. Squinting closer, a tiny keyhole in the door makes its presence known. Compared to the rest of the door, it could easily be overlooked due to the size that it may fit a house key, and Harry has to point out his observation to the rest of the group. Battered and old, what looks like an original cleansweep stands near the entrance.
"This must be Flitwitch and Hooch's trap," Harry tells the group stating the obvious. Luckily, no one responds back with a sassy comment too fixated on the challenge ahead. A pit of nerves begins to settle in his stomach as he watches the keys fly around as smart, fast, and cocky as Snitches.
"How are we going to get the right key?" Neville asks stating yet again another obvious observation.
"I think that's what the broom is here for," Helena answers incredulously already beginning to think of this mission as a nightmare and quickly loosing hope.
Neville looks at it in disgust and distrustfully. They asks with a small spark of hope at Harry that "Can you summon your own broom?"
Everyone turns towards Aaliyah knowing she can summon anything in her sleep and remembering the impressive show she pulled off at Quidditch trials. She gives a dramatic sigh before pulling out her wand and completing the 4th year summing charm "Accio" and adding on "Harry's Nimbus 2,000." Nothing happens. She tries again. "Accio correct key." Once again, nothing.
Helena gives a sad smile as she explains, "There must be powerful wards on this room, perhaps the whole series of tests, to stop people from summoning things. This must be Hooch's part of the test. To make sure you have to get the key on that broom."
"Wonderful," Aaliyah buts in sarcastically. "We have to find the correct key out of thousands, that might I add are acting like Snitches, on a rickety old broom that looks like if you set a feather on it, it will collapse and was designed to go at a snail's pace!"
"How are we even going to know what key is the right one?" Neville asks once Aaliyah is done with her sarcastic rant. In a frustrated manner, she points her palm at them as if to say, 'See! This proves my point.'
Percy's eyes light up. "The locator charm!" He shouts remembering a charm they are set to lean in 6th year. (Author note: I have no idea what year they learn this charm or how it works. I apologize that I probably got this wrong.)
Just like a minute ago, everyone turns towards Aaliyah and Helena. The Ravenclaw shakes her head while the Hufflepuff tells the group, "I have no idea how to perform that charm."
"What?!?" Harry yells exasperated. "You two have been trained advanced since you were 5 by the founders themselves! How is it that the one spell, the one spell, we need you don't know!!"
"It wasn't created 1,000 years ago!" Helena shouts back.
Suddenly, Aurelia steps forward, a smug and cocky smirk on her face, one that many have seen on Lord Voldemort before he is about to perform an impressive bit of magic. Something that is so out of place in the current moment. "Step aside," she says confidently before stretching out her arms and cracking her neck. She pulls out her wand, points it at the keys fluttering around, and closes her eyes. A moment later, they fly open and a lavender jet of light comes out of her wand bouncing off each key in nano-seconds before landing on a small key in the back that now glows a dark rich purple. She turns back to the group, her grin never leaving her face and her eyes sparkling along with it.
"How did you"-Aaliyah starts in awe but gets interrupted by Neville.
"You just completed unspoken magic!" They exclaim in happiness and in awe of her power.
Percy continues in a shocked tone. "You did the locator charm, something we aren't going to learn until next year, and in unspoken magic that we don't even start to learn until seventh year!! How?!?"
"I don't know how to pronounce the incantation out loud." Audrey then turns towards Harry. "I believe its now your turn Harry."
"Right," he mutters walking quickly towards the broom. Surprisingly, it doesn't disintegrate when he mounts it, and it doesn't crawl at a snail's pace like most old Cleansweeps do. Don't get me wrong, it's still slow, but at least he has a fighting chance. Harry has captured many snitches over the semester, being the youngest seeker in a century, but never has he had to dodge around thousands of other ones to get to a particular one. Taking a deep breath that almost represents a gulp, he leans forward and plunges into the deep array of keys. The other buzz around at remarkable speeds, but Harry pays them no mind. The one glowing a dark purple flys upward out of the fray and levels out. Harry speeds after it only getting hit by the wings of other keys about 20 times. Once at the same height as the key, he chases after it, going around the room for at least ten minutes. Many times he gets close enough only for it to maneuver out of his grasp inches away and changes direction immediately. Finally, it stops at the same summit they started at with Harry about two feet below. Realizing what the key it about to do, he stops ignoring the protest of his friends who now stand near the door, and waits. He's soon rewarded when after a second it dives towards the ground narrowly missing Harry's hand as he reaches out to grab it as it falls by him. Descending into a downward spiral, the key stands no chance. Much like his first Quidditch game where he showed off some Gryffindor bravery, the Slytherin continues falling even as the cement ground gets closer.
"Closer, closer, juts a few more inches," he mutters his hand reaching out towards his prize. "Got it," he screams his hand clasping onto the cool bronze of the key. That happiness soon turns to fear as he realizes how close the ground is now. He also knows that cleansweeps have horrible stopping mechanisms, especially one as old as this one. Knowing he will not be able to stop before crashing to the ground, he jumps! The-Boy-Who-Lived ends on his feet, but the impact sends him sprawling across the floor. "Ow!" He exclaims in annoyance and pain.
"Why does everyone of these challenges end up with me laying on my back?" He asks accepting the hand given to him before placing the blasted key in the lock and turning it.
*****
The troll is taken care of, and after the same spells used in the previous encounter by the girls and some gasps from those who hadn't witness their unimaginable level of power before, they're on their way.
*****
The third room is the dreariest of them all only illuminated by torches of fire lining the walls and shining their eerie presence on a life size chess board complete with pieces taller than Hagrid and over 50 feet taller than the children standing before them. Percy gulps knowing this is his challenge to take care of.
"You'll be fine Perc," Audrey tells him slipping her hand into her best mate's and giving it a squeeze.
"I sure hope you're right," he responds back trying to steady his breathing. "Alright. Knight to F4. Let's begin the game."
Throughout the close game, the gang stands near the entrance, their eyes following every move and calculating how to win. (Author's note: I never understood why the golden trio had to be on top of the chess pieces. Can someone please explain this to me?) After what feels like an eternity, but is really only an hour, scattered remains of the chess pieces lay hazardously around. With only a few pieces left on both sides, Percy exclaims in relief and joy when he figures out the perfect trap for him to win. He maneuvers the black knight to the edge of the board, and falling into the perfect trap, the white queen smashes the knight to pieces, debris falling from the sky like a volcano erupting. Ignoring the cry's of protest, annoyance, and hopelessness from his friends that frankly don't understand what just happened, Percy Weasley the forgotten, black sheep, and bullied Weasley, runs across the board and announces in a smug tone like he's waited all his life for this, "Checkmate!" In what could have been revenge or a pathetic last ditch effort, the White King drops his sword. It swoops through the air but almost crashes into Percy as it lands almost killing and cutting him in half. Percy dodges at the last moment watching the sword crash to the ground with an accomplished smug smile and to the sighs of relief from the others.
*****
The second to last challenge or trap is completed in a large oval chamber halfway split by magical flames that only a potion will work on. A wooden table stands a good enough ways away from to not catch fire, but still close, and it holds 7 different canisters holding six different potions. A slip of parchment in Snape's handwriting is placed partly under the closest potion. Picking it up, Harry reads the riddle aloud, "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 for evermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the potion 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 onwards 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'm confused." He turns towards Aurelia with a sly grin. She can already hear the teasing that is sure to come. "Hey Aurelia, what's the answer to this, Riddle?"
"Cheesy and that was a horrible joke Harry," she replies. He shrugs.
Aaliyah steps forward. Her brows set in concentration, she scans the riddle once more before getting to work using process of elimination muttering all the way. "Okay, so the potions on the second parts of the line are obviously nettle wine." She pulls them out of the line and checks smirking when she can immediately tell they are wine. "To the left is obviously poison and since both nettle wines have a potion to the left, it must be these." She holds up the potion third to the end of the line if going from left to right. "Yes, it's Venomous Tentacula. Figures." She removes that from the line as well. "Now, the end ones are supposedly different. Different how?" She picks them both up and opens the cork. She laughs after a brief glance at the contexts, and she pushes the one on the end to the right into Percy's hands. Everyone looks at her confusedly. She exclaims that "The first potion is poison as solved by the riddle, but this one," she taps the one in Percy's arms, "is a teleportation potion. It was used before apparition was invented, but has become very rare as not many make it. The only use for it would be in anti-apparition situations like this. Because people barely use it, potion masters have stopped making it centuries ago, and what was a potion that almost everyone could make became one of the rarest and hardest potions to brew as time made the recipe forgotten. It was already pretty rare back one thousand years ago when Dad taught me it. I guess I should be giving Snape more credit." She grabs the last two bottles, unscrews the corks just to be sure, but after a brief glance just like before, she sets the yellow medium size canister back on the table while absently holding out the blue one for someone to take. Harry does, stepping forward to clasp the bottle and asks if "Is the correct one?"
Aaliyah nods telling him in a cocky tone that holds sarcasm, "Well, it won't kill you, its not poison, and its definitely not the potion that sends a person back, so yes, Harry that is a fire protection potion." Then, her voice changes to genuine curiosity. "Will we be using the teleportation potion?" She asks.
"I think we have to," voices Helena her eyes starring into the flames as if daring them to burn her. "Unless, of course, we want Fluffy to try to hurt us all. I can go back and get my other instruments to play, so Fluffy will start sleeping again. Plus, i'm probably your best chance in case the potion transports me back to the chamber with the trap door. I've been learning about magical creatures since I was a little girl, and i've been fascinated with Newt Scamander, since I arrived here much like," the Ravenclaw nods in Percy's direction "Your brother Charlie now that I think I about it."
"So it's decided then?" At everyone's nods, Aaliyah continues. "Helena will head back and Harry will venture on alone. We'll be here in case you need us Harry."
Percy hands the potion over to Helena who takes a large gulp with no hesitation. Though only the daughter of Slytherin and Hufflepuff notices her, as she had grown up with Helena all her life, slight shake as she tips the potion back or the quick glance she gives Aaliyah, her eyes wide with fear. In any normal occasion, Aaliyah would have huffed in annoyance at Helena's blatant distrust of her potion skills, but this is life or death. She's bound to worry at least a little at the possibilities, no matter how slim they are. Helena starts to shimmer white around her edges before slowly fading out to the astonishment of the others.
"Well, at least one is the correct potion," Neville tells the group.
Now, its Harry's turn. He slowly unscrews the top trying to not show fear or hesitation in Aaliyah's potion skills as he would never hear the end of it. Hoping to squash the growing numbness of fear inside his stomach crashing around like an angry sea, he shakes his head. He can do this. He's Lilly and James Potter's son for Merlin's sake! He's already survived death once. What does he have to fear of? His face sets in a determined line as he gulps the potion down barely registering the bitter taste before striding towards the flames. With a deep breath and the intakes of others from those around him, he plunges through............and doesn't feel any heat. He can tell he's in the flames, he can feel the smoke cloud his eyes and tears threatening to defend the eyes from the invasion. He can see the bright orange flames lick every inch of his body, he should be on fire right now in a way that his body is burning up, but he's not! The relief is so palpable that Harry has to resist the urge to sigh in relief and yell in victory. Instead, he takes a few steps forward and walks out of the flames. Into the finial challenge alone he goes.
*****
The second part of the chamber is made out of some sort of stone, perhaps cement, and the celling curves upward into an oval, looking like the top half of a sphere. With the flames at his back, they give off the only light tempting Harry to consider using "Lumos" to light his way. He stands on a platform next to the flames where a few steps away, five steps lead down to the rest of the room. But the true attraction of the chamber is the mirror that stands in the center. Not only is the mirror being the only object in the room undeniably strange, but the mirror itself, resting in what had once been blinding gold and some other material is slightly weathered after, at least, centuries of use and dust that comes from age lines the outside. It reaches up like a normal wall-size mirror but at the top where it curves, it splits into three triangles, probably carved from the same block of gold, gives off the impression of mini towers. The glass however is not tarnished by age. Instead, it's single cut is absent from a single speck of dust and gleams as if it had just been placed there today. At the top, carved in the gold, is a strange bout of letters grouped like words but randomized. Something almost magnetic, inside him awakens pulling Harry towards the oddity.
"Harry? What's going on in there?" A voice asks, muffled by the flames so much so that Harry can not understand who had spoken.
"Uh," He stumbles. "There's a mirror here." Then, he hesitates for a second before adding on, "The mirror is a bit strange actually. It's obviously an antique, but it looks completly new, even if it's made out of gold. Guessing from the amount of dust festering inside, not even an anti-aging charm would last this long. Some groupings of letters almost like words are carved into it, but they don't make any sense." The-Boy-Who-Lived may not be able to hear it, but he knows his friends well enough that he can practically imagine their confused mutterings right about now.
Someone else asks him if "Could the wording be in a different language?" Still muffled by the fire, Harry can not figure out who the second voice belongs to, but he can tell it's different than the first.
"No," he responds. "The letters are completely random. The second group is stra."
"Perhaps backwards then?"
Squinting at the letters, Harry supposes the idea of it being backwards could be possible and it wouldn't be a waste of time to see if the grouping of letters mean anything as to what he's supposed to do. With a motion that in Dumbledore's perfect world, would be used by Tom Riddle next year to reveal his identity, Harry paints the letters backwards to find that they do, in fact, create an important sentence. He reads it aloud thoughtfully and loudly so his voice carries across the flames. "I show not your face, but your heart's desires."
A third person starts speaking then, her tone showering in amusement so much so that Harry can identify the other aspects of her voice. Aaliyah. She says, "The Mirror of Erised!! Of course! Helena's mother, my aunt, Rowena created the mirror shortly before we traveled through time. If you look at the mirror, straight on, it'll show you nothing but your heart's deepest desire something that most people aren't even aware of."
Now, entirely curious and shocked at the new discovery, Harry takes a tentative step forward into the mirror's view. For a second, he sees nothing. The, he takes a few more steps to the left so he is starring at the mirror head on as Aaliyah suggested. An image begins to form. The image is so eluding that if Harry didn't know that no one is standing near him, he would honestly been tricked into thinking they are. Staring back at him is his deepest desire, his family. This is only the second time Harry has seen his family that he remembers, the first time being in Diagon Alley. His parents are first, all glamours dropped. His mother's luscious red hair is replaced with her real hair color, brown almost black. Her eyes are the same blue shade as Aurelia and her mother Chelsea though Lilly's are mixed with her father's brown. Harry's father with the untamable black curls that Harry had inherited and his glasses perched on his hazel eyes. He is shocked to see that the boy standing next to Lily and James Potter, wearing clothes that actually fit him and are not a hand-me-down, undeniably happy, himself Harry realizes with a jolt, has the same brown mixed with blue eyes as his mother. It never occurred to Harry that me may have a glamour in place too to match the color of eyes his mother's glamour shows. Next to his parents is his grandparents Tom and Chelsea Riddle. Tom looks exactly as he did at Diagon Alley with the same hair as Lilly and brown eyes. He's breathtakingly handsome, and Harry knows that if the world knew what Lord Voldemort looked like, there would be girls and boys throwing himself at his feet. Chelsea is no different. She has curly black hair with naturally blond highlights that flows down her back and shimmering swirls of light blue eyes. The couple's hands are around a boy similar to Harry's age. He gathers this must be his Uncle Kayden, his mother and Aurelia's younger brother born a year after him. The boy has his grandmother Merope's black eyes and Chelsea's curly black hair. Harry can already tell the boy will be a Slytherin. There's just something about him. Audrey stands near her brother, starring at Harry with a wide smile on her face. She's holding hands with........Percy?!? Called it, he thinks! Harry's uncles Remus and Sirius are present to, holding each other in a lover's embrace. Uncle Peter stands between Lilly and James and Remus and Sirius. Three other people are there as well, but Harry doesn't have to meet them to know who they are. One is obviously Euphemia Potter with blond hair and blue eyes. The other two are Gellert Grindelwald with his signature blond almost white hair that Euphemia must have inherited and Ari Dumbledore looking as young as ever. Harry's friends are present too being Aaliyah, Helena, Neville, and Hermione.
Despite now knowing his deepest desire, and aware of his deep yearning for that life, so much so that is painful, anger makes a nest in the deepest pits of his stomach. What about the Philosopher's stone?! Did he and his mates really come all this way just so he could see his deepest desire?! If so, this has been a precious waste of time and near death experiences! Why, for the love of Merlin and all things magical, would Albus Dumbledore risk the lives of his students and go through all this trouble for a mirror?! A mirror made by Rowena Ravenclaw, but a mirror nonetheless! His mental rant over, Harry breathes out a breath of annoyance and anger. It wasn't like he was going to use the stone anyway! His family had more gold than he could imagine and the Dursleys would just take it away anyways. Plus, why would Harry want to be immortal at his age, forever a kid! He's 11 for Merlin sake! No thank you! All Harry wanted was to get the stone or whatever Dumbledore is hiding away from him. Harry has no doubt that whatever it is probably doesn't belong to him, and Harry is interested in getting it back to it's rightful owner. And it made sense that Dumbles is hiding the philosopher's stone. Tom had gotten letters from Nicholas stating that he was getting nervous of Dumbledore's want for the stone and feared him trying to take it away from him. The pouch in Gringotts was small enough to fit the stone, and you can't forget the extra security. Why? What was the point of edging on Harry's curiosity or the carefully dropped hits if he wasn't hiding anything worth knowing?! No, Dumbledore has to be hiding something else. He has to be up to something. The-Boy-Who-Lived refuses to believe this was all for nothing, that his mind is playing tricks on him, and that Dumbledore isn't up to some type of scheme. Anger only growing, Harry looks back at the mirror and is surprised to see that the image had changed. Did my deepest desire change that quickly because of bout of rage, he thinks quickly. Is it really that easy?
Because staring back at him, his mirror reflection with his brown and blue eyes, is holding Dumbledore's prize possession, the greed of villain's existence, Harry's proof and reason for this perilous adventure; The Philosopher's Stone!
Mirror him holds up the glowing red rock, about the size of an average skipping stone, winks, and then places it in his pocket. Real Harry feels a pressure in his pant pocket indicating that something is inside it. Reaching in, Harry pulls out the stone much like his mirror self and stares at it amazed. Wow, he thinks! "I got it!" He screams back at the flames not bothering to clarify to his mates what exactly he's got. With one last wistful glance at the Mirror of Erised that now shows his family once again, he sets off running for the steps. While a bold Gryffindor would charge in once reaching the flames no questions asked, Harry is not a Gryffindor. Not sure if the potion is still activated he checks, feeling his magical core sensing for the signature of the potion. At receiving the conformation, The-Boy-Who-Lived plunges in smiling like crazy.
*****
Later................
After walking across the chess board and around the numerous pieces of damage, through the room with the keys swatting away the few that dare to fly down towards them, the group stares up at the Devil Snare. How they going to get out of this? Realizing this may be a problem, Aurelia showing off her Slytherin attributes grabbed the old cleansweep before from the other room.
"The broom can hold two people, so we might just have to do 4 trips," Aurelia summarizes.
"Still doesn't explain how we're going to get past the Devil Snare," Neville ventures.
"Sure it does," Percy responds. He points his wand up at the Devil Snare and cries, "Incendio!" A jet of fire emerges from the tip of his wand and burns away an inch of Devil Snare.
It's tedious work and must take at least ten minutes, but soon enough, the five have managed to burn away enough Devil Snare to create a tunnel to the top big enough for someone to fly through on a broom. Harry takes Aaliyah up first. Surprisingly, nothing happens with the vines. As it turns out, unlike the vines going to cover up the hole like most magical plants would, fire is deadly to Devil Snare essentially killing the few feet it touches. Once reaching the trap door a while later, Harry realizes how far they had truly fallen, the two hesitate. If Fluffy awakes when they exit the trap door chances are they will end up his Yule snack. Hoping that the door is so thick that it cancels all sound so they can't hear Fluffy's snoring or Helena's music, the transportation potion better have worked, Aaliyah crouches on top of the broom attempting a risky maneuver that if she falls will end with her instant death.
"Good luck," Harry mutters quietly not sure if Aaliyah hears it.
Her arms extends in a t-shape to help steady herself, her right foot directly in front of her left, Aaliyah slowly, gracefully rises up towards the trap door. In an attempt to lighten the sickening with fear mood, the Hufflepuff tells Harry that "It's a good thing it's not Helena up here. She's the second clumsiest person I know."
"Who's the first?" The Slytherin replies half curious half confused. Has she meet Helena? No one's more clumsy than her. Between Neville and Helena, one of these times, they'll either going to seriously injure themselves, seriously injure someone else, or get in big trouble because of it.
Aaliyah replies flatly but with a wolffish grin, "Her father. You think being the most powerful and respected magical being in the world, followed closely by the queen Morgana, Merlin would have better controlled over his clumsy self, but no."
She reaches slowly into her pocket for her wand. Clasping the wood in her hands, she takes a deep trying to be a calming breath. Now for the hard part.
Trying to distract herself from the possibility of falling, Aaliyah continues with her story. "I got countless stories about Uncle Merlin and his clumsiness that I can tell you later from just the 11 years of my life. Arthur definitely told Helena and I countless more from Uncle Merlin's time in Camelot."
Her wand now at eyes's height, and only shaking slightly, she gets to work unlocking the trap door that apparently automatically locks. Normally, Aaliyah would use wandless magic, but she wants her wand in her wands in case something happens with Fluffly. Luckily, that's not needed. After completing "alohamora", she carefully pulls open the trap door wincing at the squeak it gives. At only an inch open, what sounds like a roar greets the two promoting flinches from the two first years thinking Fluffy is about to attack. They slightly calm down when they realize it was a snore and not a roar. Out of the corner of her eye's, Aaliyah can make Helena's purple robes, and her fiddle currently playing talented music. She pushes the trap door open completely. Nodding to Harry, Aaliyah clasps the edge of the door so hard her knuckles turn white. Then, she slowly lifts her right foot letting out a breath she didn't know she was holding when the foot lands on solid ground. Quickly, she pulls herself up, and Harry flies back down. He completes this process 3 other times except now he flies inside the corridor before they get off. After all of them are safe and sound on solid ground, Fluffly still sleeping soundly, they close the trap door quietly, lock it, and scramble for the door. With the finial note of a powerful song by Helena's violin, the lock clicks shut.
Walking back to the Common Room, the Philosopher's Stone clinging to his pant's pocket, the last thing Harry wants is for his mind to wander and rant. Alas, that is what happens. His mind wanders to a few days ago when he revealed his identity to Draco. Guilt crawls ferociously when he sneaks a look at Neville. Harry had told his practically enemy the truth before two of his best friends. Shouldn't they know the truth? After all, Neville did just risk their life to help him. But weren't their parents part of Dumbles' Order of the Phoenix and tortured to insanity by one of Grandfather's Death Eaters? Doesn't that give Neville every reason to reveal the truth to the ministry and have Harry thrown in Azkaban? Then, another thought comes crashing on top. Neville had said that his great-grandfather had been a supporter of Grindelwald. Perhaps some of the dark magic traveled onto Neville? Plus, it is possible that Lilly told Alice Longbottom the truth being mates and all, but what good would that do them now? Harry supposes if Neville is against him, he could oblivate him, but there are ways to get past the block and resurface forgotten memories. Neville, however is a Hufflepuff. They are know for being kind, dedicated (what if they already knows and this is one big ploy), and loyal. But that loyalty could work both ways. Ugh, why is this so confusing?! His mind travels once again to the conformation with Malfoy. Technically, it had been Aurelia who had revealed the truth and she had told him that her parents trusted her to know when and who to reveal the truth to. After all, Helena and Aaliyah always knew and apparently Audrey had told Percy during their third year after a year of friendship. All in all, the only people Harry would tell be Hermione and Neville.
But is it worth it?
The though tumbles around in his brain for a few more steps. Harry sides up to Neville.
"Hey Neville?" Harry's voice comes out unsure and unconfident. Please, please let this be the right decision. Neville looks up at the sound of his voice from starring on ahead and into Harry's eyes. Harry continues in the same tone, "Can I talk to you? I have something to tell you."