Chapter 52
Chapter : Shadows and Stone
Alex McKinnon’s POV
The chaos of Halloween night provided the perfect distraction. With everyone focused on Voldemort’s ghostly reappearance and the chaos that had followed, I had the opportunity I needed. While the professors and Aurors were swarming around Quirrell and interrogating students, I slipped away unnoticed. My destination? The third-floor corridor—the one Dumbledore had warned the students about at the start of term, concealing the Philosopher’s Stone.
I knew what awaited me—Fluffy, the enchanted three-headed dog, and a series of traps set by some of the most powerful witches and wizards at Hogwarts. Each one designed to stop anyone from getting close to the Stone. But after studying them and the spells surrounding the corridor, I was confident I could handle it. If I moved quickly, I’d have about an hour to work my way through and retrieve the Stone.
Slipping past the enchanted staircase, I reached the entrance to the forbidden corridor, casting a silencing charm around my footsteps as I approached. The distant growl of Fluffy echoed down the stone walls as I reached for the enchanted harp that Quirrell had likely left behind, still gently playing. I smiled grimly. How convenient.
With a deep breath, I stepped into the dark corridor and began my descent into the series of traps, my mind calculating every move. Time was of the essence.
---
Harry Potter’s POV
Freaking hell. Voldemort was alive.
It was one thing to hear rumors, to read books about his possible survival, but to actually see him—his ghostly face emerging from the back of Quirrell’s head—was another. It was as though all the nightmares I’d ever had had come to life in one single, horrifying moment.
But the thing that kept gnawing at me was Alex. Why had he taken me to check on Quirrell? Did he know about Voldemort all along? And if he did, why wouldn’t he tell me? The questions swirled in my mind like a storm, making it impossible to focus on anything else.
As the professors urged us all back to the dormitories, I couldn’t help but notice that Alex wasn’t with Ravenclaw. He wasn’t with anyone.
Where did he go?
I turned to Ron and Hermione as we made our way toward the Gryffindor Tower. “I need to find Alex,” I whispered urgently. “I don’t know if that troll was real or just some sort of distraction, but after everything that’s happened, I need to know if he’s alright.”
Ron and Hermione exchanged uncertain glances but followed me as I veered off the path toward the second floor, moving through the castle’s shadowed halls. My mind raced as I tried to figure out where Alex could have gone.
Suddenly, we heard a commotion up ahead. Two Slytherin girls—Tracy Davis and Daphne Greengrass—came running towards us, their faces pale and frightened. Tracy was crying, her tears streaking her face as she gasped, “Run! The troll!”
I barely had time to register her words before I caught the stench of the creature—the heavy, foul smell that clung to the air. And then I saw it. The massive Mountain Troll, its hulking figure looming in the dim light of the corridor, its crude wooden club raised high, ready to crush the girls.
My heart pounded in my chest. There was no time to think. “Protego!” I shouted, casting the shield charm between the girls and the troll just as it brought its club down with a thunderous crash. My shield flickered, absorbing most of the impact, but the troll’s strength was immense.
“**Ron, use Wingardium Leviosa on the club! Now!” I yelled.
Ron, clearly rattled, pointed his wand toward the troll’s weapon. “Wingardium Leviosa!” he cried, but the spell barely lifted the club. His focus wavered. The troll roared, shaking its massive head as it swung its arm wildly.
Before I could panic, Hermione, ever the quick thinker, took charge. “Wingardium Leviosa!” she said firmly, her wand pointing at the club with precision.
The troll’s club shot up into the air and slammed down on its head with a sickening thud, knocking the creature out cold. The troll toppled over, unconscious, its massive body shaking the floor as it fell.
Tracy and Daphne, now safe, slumped against the wall, trembling with relief.
“Are you alright?” Hermione asked, her voice trembling slightly as she glanced at the two Slytherin girls.
Daphne, still catching her breath, nodded slowly. “Yeah, thanks… you really saved us.”
The girls explained that they had been wandering near the dungeons when they came across the troll. Daphne claimed they had been feeling homesick, and Tracy had been keeping her company when they got caught in the chaos.
Just as we began to process what had just happened, the professors arrived, led by McGonagall and Snape, followed closely by Dumbledore. Their faces were a mixture of shock and relief as they took in the sight of the knocked-out troll and the four students.
“What are you all doing here?” McGonagall demanded, her voice sharp with concern.
Daphne quickly covered for us, her Slytherin composure kicking in. “We were out late, Professor, and we ran into the troll. Harry and his friends saved us.”
I nodded, trying to stay as calm as possible, but my mind was racing. Where was Alex?
As the professors escorted us back to our dormitories, the mystery only deepened. What had Alex been doing during all this chaos, and why had he disappeared?
---
Alex McKinnon’s POV
The Devil's Snare recoiled under my heat spell, letting me pass into the next chamber. So far, so good. The traps were intricate, designed to stop most students from progressing, but with all my preparation, I had been able to navigate them swiftly.
But this wasn’t just a game. I knew that. The stakes were higher now that Voldemort was involved. I had to secure the Philosopher’s Stone before Quirrellmort could.
Moving forward, I entered the chessboard chamber, where I recalled the pieces would attack anyone trying to cross without playing the game. I bypassed this too with a transfiguration spell, turning the largest pieces into harmless sculptures.
I checked my watch—still time. If I could just get to the Stone before anyone else…
But there was one more obstacle ahead. I braced myself, knowing I was about to face the final challenge. Would I make it in time, or would my plans unravel as the events of Halloween continued to spiral?
---
Harry Potter’s POV
As we made our way back to the dorms, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right. Alex was missing, and now there was a troll in the castle—a real one. The professors were distracted, and I couldn’t help but wonder if Alex had something to do with it.
But then again, why wouldn’t he tell me?