CHAPTER 19
|QUIRRELL|
The scene opens up with the view of the inside of the Ministry. The floor was cracked and the walls were torn down. The rubble was scattered throughout the entire place.
"My goodness!" The Minister of Magic said at the sight of the ministry.
"They really blew it all up." Amelia Bones said.
In the distance were several wizards who were all coughing and limping about. They were seen moving toward a floo network that seemed to still work. As they kept moving they stopped when they heard boom sound and a mixture of red light and dark shadows broke in from about the ceiling.
"That's not something you see everyday." One of the first years said
The wizards ducked for cover as the red and black colors hit the floor and kept moving, breaking several pillars on their way. The red and black finally managed to break away from each other and red pushed the black away.
The black shadow shifted and shaped out Voldemort just as the red turned into Cathy. While Cathy looked relatively fine, the dark lord had cuts and bloods scattered throughout his being.
"You filthy witch!" Voldemort spat out at her.
Cathy walked towards the Dark Lord as her hands glowed red. "That's me."
Cathy threw her hands forward and blasted a streak of red Chaos magic out. Voldemort met her magic with a green streak of his own. The shock wave from when those two spells met was so strong that it cracked the floor.
"Can you imagine being there for this fight?" Gideon asked his twin.
"I'm good here." Fabian answered.
The red pressed onward and began to overpower the green spell from Voldemort. So Cathy pressed her magic so much that the Dark Lord was pushed further back until he was barely able to keep Cathy’s chaos magic at bay.
As the Dark Lord continued to defend himself his eyes twitched to the side. Behind Cathy on her left were several wounded and defenseless wizards hiding behind some rubble.
"Uh-oh." Arthur's son Bill commented.
Voldemort, with much effort, somehow managed to push his and Cathy’s magic to the side. In a split second before Cathy could see what he was aiming at, Voldemort shot a single killing curse.
The scene moved at slow motion as the killing curse moved straight toward an elderly wizard. Cathy's eyes widened in horror as she caught on to what was happening. She stretched out her hand and blasted red chaos magic at the green streak.
"Oh no that man!" Alice cried out.
"That's cheating!" Frank declared.
Miraculously, Cathy’s chaos magic somehow managed to catch up and intercept the killing curse and nullified it before it could hurt anyone.
"Oh thank god " Mary sighed in relief.
Cathy turned back to face Voldemort only for the Dark Lord to shoot a line of purple magic at the ceiling. The stone above them cracked and fell down. Cathy quickly raised her hands and stopped the rubble from collapsing on her and the injuried wizards.
Cathy pressed her feet hard against the ground as she gritted her teeth and focused on keeping the collapsed ceiling from crushing them.
"That's just playing dirty." Cathy said sounding cross.
The dark lord laughed darkly at the sight of Cathy struggling to keep everyone alive.
"Son of a bitch!" Fleamont cursed.
"All that talent," the dark lord shouted, his voice echoing, "all that power and in the end this is what you're reduced to. Canon fodder."
Cathy didn't reply but simply focused on not dropping the ceiling.
"Did you really think that you'd be able to stop me?" Voldemort looked at her with a wicked smile. "In the end, you just going to be one of the many that I have to step over to achieve greatness."
"It truly is a pity that things have to end like this Catherine." Voldemort looked at his wand and looked back at her. "But alas, I hope you take pleasure in the thought that after I'm done with you, Regulus Black and you brother will be the very next people I'll meet."
"Bastard!" Orion said surprising several people for speaking against the Dark Lord.
Cathy looked at the dark lord in anger.
"I do enjoy battling wizards that are fuelled by rage and grief. It's just far more entertaining." Voldemort raised his wand and pointed it at Cathy. "Avada Kadava!"
"Oh god!" Euphemia shrieked.
The green streak zapped out of Voldemort’s wand and before it could reach her, Cathy managed to conjure a shield around herself to protect herself and everyone behind her.
As the camera zooms in on the bright lights of where Cathy's and Voldemort’s magic connect, the image fades away to the image of a torch lighting up the final chamber where Harry came to.
The room was large and only contained the set of stairs that led to a mirror where another individual was. He was standing in front of a very large mirror with a puzzled expression until he caught sight of Harry on the mirrors reflection.
"No way!" James exclaimed.
"I think someone owes you an apology." Cathy whispered to Severus.
"Doubt I'll get it in this lifetime." Severus whispered back.
"You?" Harry looked completely lost at the sight of Professor Quirrell standing in front of the mirror. The DADA professor just turned around and faced Harry. "No, it can't be. Snape, he was the--"
"It was the stutterer!" Sirius said incredulously.
"Talk about a plot twist." Cathy commented as she sipped her drink through a straw.
"Yes, he does seem the type, doesn't he?" Quirrell spoke, his usual stutter was replaced by an icy cold tone. "Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor, stuttering Professor Quirrell?"
"So rude to impersonate someone suffering from a stutter." Lily said.
"But that day, during the Quidditch match, Snape tried to kill me." Harry tried.
"No, dear boy. I tried to kill you!" Quirrell shouted in annoyance. "If Snape's cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact l would have succeeded. Even with Snape muttering his countercurse."
"Oh!" Several people in the audience echoed as they began to understand what was happening.
"Snape was trying to save me?" Harry slowly realized.
"Is it odd that I find that more strange than Quirrell being the dark lords servant?" Regulus whispered to Cathy.
Cathy thought for a moment before answering. "Nope."
"I knew you were a danger to me, especially after Halloween." Quirrell continued.
"Then you let the troll in!"
"Very good, Potter, yes." Quirrell said in a mocking tone. "I have a special gift with trolls. Snape, unfortunately, wasn't fooled. While everyone ran about, he went to the third floor to head me off. He, of course, never trusted me again."
"That's why his leg got bit." Remus said looking apologetic toward to Snape. "He was trying to stop Quirrell."
"He rarely left me alone. But he doesn't understand. I'm never alone. Never." Quirrell turned around ignoring Harry completely and focused on the mirror. "Now, what does this mirror do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the Stone. But how do I get it?"
"Use the boy." A rasping voice echoed throughout the room.
"The hell was that?" Fleamont enquired.
Quirrell turned at once to Harry. "Come here, Potter! Now!" Harry slowly walked toward Quirrell as if in a trance and stopped in front of the mirror. "Tell me, what do you see? Quirrell asked.
A strange thing happened as Harry looked at his reflection. The mirror version of himself moved his hand to his trouser pocket and pulled out a large red ruby. The reflection smiled and placed the stone back into his pocket.
"Weird." Peter murmured.
Harry gasped when he felt the weight of the philosopher's stone in his own pocket.
"No way." Evan Rosier said. "How?"
"What is it? What do you see?" Quirrell demanded.
"I'm shaking hands with Dumbledore." Harry lied. "I've won the house cup."
"He lies." The voice hissed again.
"Where's that coming from?" Fleamont asked again.
"Tell the truth! What do you see?" Quirrell looked like he was on the verge of killing Harry.
Harry backed away from Quirrell, taking several steps back. "Let me speak to him." The hissing voice spoke again.
"Master, you are not strong enough." Quirrell tried to warn.
"Could that be the Dark Lord?" Narcissa suggested.
"I have strength enough for this."
Quirrell resigned himself to the wishes of his master and his hands went up to the purple turban wrapped around his head. Harry took a few more steps back as the DADA professor took the turban off and revealed the hideous creature fused to him.
The entire audience erupted with shrieks of fear and exclamations. Several people either spat out their drinks or coughed out their popcorn.
At the back of Quirrell's head was the face of Voldemort. Except his mouth was larger and had small fangs in place of teeth. He stretched out his jaw and face as he address Harry through the mirror.
"That's the Dark Lord." Dumbledore said quietly as he too was surprised by the state he was reduced to.
"Harry Potter...we meet again."
"Voldemort."
"Yes." The dark lord hissed. "You see what I've become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another. A mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me but it cannot give me a body of my own."
"No one uttered a single word as they just watched the entire exchange.
Harry took more steps back and reached the first step of the stairs leading away from the mirror.
"But there is something that can." Voldemort smiled coldly. "Something that, conveniently enough, lies in your pocket."
"Run!" James broke the silence by yelling.
Harry immediately turned around and dashed for the exit.
"Stop him!" Voldemort commanded. Quirrell snapped his fingers and the corners of the chamber were lit up with flames blocking the way out completely.
"Don't be a fool." The Dark Lord told Harry who turned around to face him and Quirrell. "Why suffer an horrific death when you can join me and live?"
Harry shook his head. "Never!" He shouted.
"Bravery. Your parents had it too." Voldemort smiled. "Tell me, Harry would you like to see your mother and father again?" Harry’s eyes were attracted to the mirror where he saw his desire for his parents flash across the glass once again.
"Together we can bring them back. All I ask is for something in return." Harry reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the philosopher's stone.
"No." Euphemia whispered.
"That's it, Harry. There is no good and evil. There is only power and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the Stone!"
Harry watched the reflection of his parents smile at him and faded away. "You liar!"
Having no more patience to spare, Voldemort commanded Quirrell. "Kill him!"
Quirrell, without a moments hesitation, jumped to action. His steps were unsounded as he hovered over the steps and reached Harry within seconds.
Oh my god!" Marlene screeched.
Quirrell slammed down on Harry, his hand around the eleven-year-old boys' throat. The stone fell out of Harry's hand and stumbled a bit away from his hand. Harry tried to get hold of the stone but Quirrell's weight kept him pinned where he was.
Harry, now struggling to breathe, moved his hand away from the stone and tried to pry Quirrell's hand off his throat. Without reason, a steam emerged from the contact and Quirrell screamed in agony as he moved away from Harry.
"What was that?" Remus questioned.
"Was that fire magic?"
"No way he would have burnt his hands."
Harry sat up and examined his hands. Finding no scorch marks or evidence of burning, he turn to Quirrell and found the man looking at his hand in pain. The flesh had completely turned to a black crisp and began to crumble.
"That has to hurt." Sirius winched.
"What is this magic?" Quirrell whimpered in pain.
"Fool, get the stone!" Voldemort commanded.
Quirrell ignored his pain and moved to grab the philosopher's stone. Harry quickly sprung to his feet and slammed his palms against Quirrell's face. The man screamed once again and was pushed back until he hit the wall.
"I serious now, what is that?" Remus said.
"No I'm Sirius." Sirius said out of habit.
The scorched skin cracked and decayed spread. Quirrell, with his eyes and mouth permanently burnt close, still reached forward and tried to grab onto something.
He only made it two steps before he fell down and broke into dust and ash. The only thing that was left of him and Voldemort was Quirrell's clothes and the pile of ash surrounding it.
"What a way to go." Walburga commented.
"Indeed." Orion agreed with his wife.
Harry looked at his hands once again inspecting the skin and once again found himself unharmed. He turned his back on the pile of clothes and ash and went to the stone.
The young wizard bent down and picked up the stone unaware that the ashes behind him went beginning to flutter in the air. Harry turned around just as the ash had shaped itself into the form of a man.
"Harry turn around!" James shouted.
The ashes moved forward and shaped into the face of a man. The ashes was shouting in a deep voice and Harry screamed in fear and agony as the ashed phased right through him. Harry fell to the ground unconcious as the ashes flew out of the room.