The Shadow of a Soul

Neville shook his head in disbelief. "Merlin, he really did pick a perfect time, then - Dumbledore's the only wizard You-know-who ever feared, and with him distracted and away..."

"Exactly", Harry said darkly. "You can see why I'm a bit mad right now."

"We need to warn someone", Hermione muttered. "Someone needs to know."

Harry snorted. "And who? Professor McGonagall? You both saw just how well she reacted when I tried to warn her about the Quirrell, and something tells me that she won't react much better when I present her the idea that Voldemort - oh, come on, seriously?! - is pulling his strings."

Neville still shook in fear, both from hearing the name and at the very idea that Voldemort was in the castle with no one to stop him. "But what else can we do?", he asked.

'Well', Tom said, 'we could always try to strike first.'

'You mean we should try to steal the Stone ourselves? Didn't you agree that this was a bad idea?', Harry asked.

'Do you see another choice?', Tom responded. 'We'd only be able to delay Quirrell right now, and that's if Minnie or other teachers don't interfere. One way or another, he'll try to make his move today, or more likely, tonight.' 

'Why tonight?' 

'Because there's less of a chance that anyone will interfere or delay him in whatever way', Tom grimly stated. 'Bloody hell, I wish we could keep track of that scumbag somehow.'

'Can't we try to access the Hogwarts Wards?', Harry asked.

'The only place I know where we can do that is in the headmaster's office', Tom answered. 'There are others, that much I know, but unfortunately, those memories are too damaged, and we don't have the time to run through the entire castle to try and find these places. No, we have to trust that Quirrell will think the same way I would, and will only strike at night.'

"Harry?", Hermione asked cautiously. "Are you... are you talking to Tom again?"

Harry blushed a bit. "Yeah, sorry - he says that Quirrell will likely wait until nighttime to try and steal the Stone, but that we won't be able to track him without breaking into Dumbledore's office. And", he cringed a bit, "that we should try to steal the Stone ourselves, to prevent Quirrell from doing it."

"Is he mad?!", Neville squeaked. "He doesn't know what is in place to protect it! It's... we could die if we do that!"

Hermione shook her head. "Harry, this is a crazy idea", she said. "We can't just go after the Philosopher's Stone, we could get in serious trouble. We could get expelled if we get caught!"

Harry let out a frustrated groan. "I get it", he said. "But if Quirrell gets the Stone, Voldemort gets it in the end. And then, he'll be able to get his power back, and become even stronger, and then... my parents won't be his last victims." He shook his head. "I won't allow that. I... I won't. I'll go in this night, under the cloak, and..." He took a deep breath, and then another.

'And then we'll end Voldemort for good', Tom coldly added. 

"You're right", Hermione quietly said. "I... I'll go with you. We can both fit under the cloak, after all."

Neville opened and closed his mouth a few times, seemingly gathering his courage. "Do... do you think we can all fit under the cloak? I'm... I'm going as well."

"Are you sure?", Harry asked both of his friends. "It's... it is dangerous, and we could get in trouble, Hermione's right on that."

Neville nodded vigorously. "You're not the only one who lost family to You-know... to Vol... to V-Voldemort and his followers", he said, swallowing hard. "My parents were... their minds were broken by his most loyal Death Eaters, and my grandfather was killed by him. I... I owe it to them to try and stop him from coming back. Besides, you're one of my best friends, and what kind of Gryffindor would I be if I let you go alone?"

"Besides, you might need help", Hermione added. "Whatever security is in place to guard the Stone, it is likely to be formidable, and four minds might find more solutions for problems than two."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief. "Thank you", he said. "But... please be careful, alright? I don't want any of you to get hurt."

"Well, we don't want you to get hurt, either", Hermione replied. "So, you be careful as well."

'You know, I could make a joke about Gryffindors being unaware of what being careful even means, but something tells me this would be inappropriate right now', Tom commented.

'Yes, that something is me', Harry scolded, though he did grin. 'Besides, who got his sould blasted to pieces and bonded to some kid again?'

The rest of the day passed in a frenzy; Harry, Hermione and Neville spent most of it speculating what could possibly be guarding the Stone besides Fluffy, and researching on how to counter it. Unfortunately, their spellbooks offered very little, even their DADA textbooks; fortunately, Tom was very, very knowledgable when it came to magical traps and how to disable them, and on the subject of fancy spells used to counter all sorts of nasty spell traps.

Still, when night fell, Harry began to feel the full magnitude of what they were about to attempt, and just how much could go wrong, not just for him, but also for his friends. Expulsion aside, if Voldemort or Quirrell managed to hurt Hermione or Neville... he'd never be able to forgive himself if that happened.

'Don't let these doubts in', Tom chastised. 'They'll nag away at your conviction if you let them. You have made your decision, as have they, and now, it's time to see it through.'

'Easier said than done', Harry grumbled as he pulled out the cloak and silently headed down into the Common Room, where Hermione and Neville were waiting already, trying (and failing) to look like they weren't about to try and steal a priceless magical artifact. 

"Are you ready?", Harry quietly asked, trying to make himself seem more secure. Both nodded in response, and Harry unfolded the cloak for them to slip under.

The path to the third floor corridor was unguarded, thankfully, except Mrs. Norris lurking around and Peeves getting a bit too curious. The first was easily bypassed, the second was led to believe that it was the Bloody Baron passing through.

'Never would've thought of that', Tom commented, rather impressed. 'Wish I'd come up with this in '41, would've saved me some trouble...'

'You're gonna have to tell me your stories someday', Harry said with a grin. 'Sounds like your school days were fun.'

'I'd say this depends on your definition of fun, but I'm inclined to agree nontheless.'

Eventually, they reached the door to the corridor, and, one quick spell detection being cast later, found themselves in front of Fluffy, who was fortunately sleeping, curtesy of an enchanted harp playing a lullaby, and in front of the now open trapdoor. 

"Well, that's him taken care of", Harry observed. "So... through the trapdoor?"

"Wait", Neville whispered. "Do you hear that rustling?" He signaled for them to halt as he tiptoed towards the open hatch and, after a few unsuccessful tries, lit his wand to peek down. 

"Devil's Snare", he said. "We need light and warmth to scare it off - preferably fire."

Hermione nodded. "Wait here", she replied quietly and headed towards the hatch herself, pointed her wand downwards and whispered: "Frigus Ignis", sending Bluebell Flames downwards. The effects were immediate, and the plant screeched in pain, and Harry saw dark shapes, illuminated by the flames, retreat backwards, away from the light and warmth.

Unfortunately, the sceeching had the side effect of waking up Fluffy, who was not at all happy to find three firsties in his room. Fortunately, they were able to quickly jump through the hatch and escape the consequences of that particular infraction, and ran towards the first door they could find, lest the Devil's Snare get any ideas of its own.

'Well, that was rather easy', Tom remarked. 'Good thing Neville's passionate about plants, and that Hermione picked up on that spell.'

'Here's hoping the rest is just as easy', Harry muttered.

'Part of me hopes not, in truth - and that Quirrell fell victim to something even more nasty than the Devil's Snare.' 

The corridor they now found themselves in was long, and dark, and aside from their footsteps dead silent - fortunately, they were able to chitchat to keep their minds from wandering too far. At least, they did so until they heard flapping in the distance, a sound that strongly resembled flying birds.

"Do you think we have to hunt owls in the next room?", Neville asked.

'I hope it's not pigeons', Tom muttered darkly. 'If I see one more of those bloody pests...'

Alas, it was neither owls nor pigeons - it was flying keys, as Tom noted. 'Quite marvelous charmwork', he noted. 'And slightly less annoying than pigeons.'

Hermione, naturally, first attempted to open the next door with the Unlocking Charm, and frowned when that failed. "I think we need one of the keys flying up there", she observed. "But how..."

"There's a bunch of brooms there", Neville noticed. 

'Oh no', Tom sighed. 'Just... find the proper key fast before you get any ideas.'

'Well, which one is the proper key?', Harry asked with a grin. 

'Old, silver, big - I mean it, be fast about it.'

Sure enough, Harry took the least rickity broom and took off to look for the key in question. Sure enough, he found it fast enough, there was one slight problem.

'Merlin and Morgana, that bloody thing is far too quick - no, don't you dare speed up, this isn't your Nimbus!'

'You're right, bad idea', Harry admitted when he felt the broom shake under him. "Hey, a little help here?", he asked. 

"I am so going to regret this", Hermione muttered as she reached for another broom, while Neville muttered the steps Madam Hooch had outlined in their first Flying lesson. 

Still, while neither of his two friends were great at flying, they managed to encircle the key in question, allowing Harry to grab it - though not without nearly crashing into a wall. Tom, needless to say, was not pleased. 

'Next time', he fumed after a major tirade of angry curses, 'avoid the bloody wall!'

The next room was even more of a surprise - namely, the floor consisted of a lifesized chess board.

"Well, that's... unexpected", Hermione observed. "Do you suppose we have to play our way through?"

Neville groaned at the prospect. "I wish Ron were here", he muttered. "He'd love this obstacle here."

'Can't believe I'm saying this, but the idiot might be of some use here', Tom darkly agreed. 'Hang on, can you let me try something?'

'Ah, what are you going to do?', Harry cautiously asked. 

'I want to check if the locking mechanism of the door in the back is tied to the chess board. Spell's quite complicated, though, so it'd be better if I did the deed.'

Harry shrugged. 'Alright, have at it.'

Sure enough, control of Harry's body passed to Tom, and after muttering a painful incantation, back to Harry.

"Good Lord, this looked painful - are you alright, Harry?", Hermione asked.

"Yeah, thanks - Tom said he wanted to check if the lock is tied to the board", he explained. 

"And?", she asked.

'It isn't, which is surprising', Tom grumbled. 'Unless I missed something, we should be able to open the door without issue.'

Harry naturally relayed Tom's findings to his friends, who did find one issue Tom had missed.

"How are we gonna get across the room unless we play?", Neville asked.

Harry grinned. "Well, we fly", he said. "The brooms ought to carry us across the room, after all."

'And here I hoped we were done with flying those death traps', Tom muttered. 'Are you even able to fly a straight line?'

'Not if you keep talking like that', Harry replied as he rolled his eyes. 

Fortunately, if the chess pieces were animated (which they very likely were), they did not detect the three brooms flying overhead and landing just behind the board. As it turned out, Tom had been right, and the door was easily unlocked after Harry cast an Unlocking Charm. 'Makes me wonder how Quirrell bypassed it all', he wondered.

'Could be he or Voldemort levitated himself', Tom mused. 'I somewhat doubt he took the time to play chess, at any rate. Now, what is next?'

The first thing Harry, Hermione and Neville noticed upon opening the door was a ghastly stench, one which Harry and Hermione knew all too well. "They wouldn't", Hermione whispered. "They... this can't be."

"When did adults ever make sensible decisions?", Harry muttered darkly and drew his wand. 'Tom, any spells to combat trolls that aren't that curse?' 

'That curse is the best option', Tom grumbled. 'But-- oh, nevermind.'

As it turned out, the source of the stench - a troll even larger than the one Harry had fought in the bathroom - was quite dead, as was proven by the fact that part of his head was caved in. 

"Okay", Hermione said as she breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay, it's dead. It's dead." She took a few deep breaths as she stepped past the corpse. "You know, they don't seem all that frightening when I'm this close."

"Except for the stench", Neville grumbled. "Let's just keep moving, please?"

The next room was far more ominous, not least because of the dark flames that encased it, essentially trapping them inside. 'Well, I think I know who is behind this obstacle', Tom muttered.

'Snape?', Harry guessed.

'Yes, I believe so. I suspect that the other rooms were done by Pomona, Flitwick, Minnie, and Quirrell in that specific order - plus Hagrid providing Fluffy', he explained.

An uneasy knot formed in Harry's stomach. 'No wonder McGonagall was so unwilling to listen. If Quirrell designed one of the obstacles to guard the Stone... it's the perfect cover.'

'Which raises the question when Voldemort took the reigns - before or after designing these traps', Tom wondered. 'And when Dumbledore found out, if the old fool ever did.'

'We can wonder on that later, though', Harry decided. 'Let's focus on stopping them first.'

"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", Hermione read out aloud. "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 poison 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."

Neville groaned. "I hate Potions even more now", he complained. "Harry, does Tom have any clues?"

Hermione meanwhile was rather pleased. "Finally, something with actual logic - Snape is smart, most mages wouldn't be able to solve this."

"Yeah, logic is a rarity with them, it seems", Harry replied. "Trouble is, I'm not great with riddles, either." 

Neville squinted as he looked at the inscription. "Second left and second right are twins once you taste them... the second to the left is the red one, and the second to the right is the black one - so, they contain the same thing?"

"And neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides", Harry muttered. "Black's the largest, and if it contains the same as the red one, they're not the poisoned ones. Blue is the smallest, so that one's safe as well... I think black and red contain the nettle wine."

"So blue contains either the one to go forward or to go back", Hermione said. "Now, there's always poison on the left side of the nettle wine, so green and white account for two out of three. The second clue says that the opposite ends are different, so if white is poisoned, purple isn't, and since red and black contain the wine, purple can be either for the way forward or back."

'But neither is your friend if you seek to move onwards', Tom chimed in. 'Which leaves purple as the way back. And given that we know blue is safe to drink, it's the way forward, leaving yellow as the poison.' Harry naturally relayed this to the others, and they all sighed a sigh of relief at having solved the riddle. 

Neville squinted at the blue bottle. "It's not much, though", he said. "Only enough for one person."

Harry took a deep breath and nodded. "I... I think you two should drink the purple potion, go back, try to alert Dumbledore again", he said. "I'll drink the blue one and... try to stall Quirrell and Voldemort."

"Harry, this is... you can't...", Neville stuttered. 

"I have to", he said. "If he gets the Stone, all is lost. And besides, I got lucky once", he smirked, "and I have Tom on my side."

'Usually, I'd be flattered', Tom chimed up, 'but in this case, I am not entirely convinced my support is enough.'

'It has to be, though', Harry sighed. 

Tom sighed in turn. 'Yes, I suppose so.' 

Hermione meanwhile did not say a word for the longest time, though her lips kept trembling for the duration. Then, all of the sudden, she flung herself into his arms and hugged him.

'Oh my, quite the hug there', Tom joked. 'And how very overly friendly.'

'Tom? Not the time.'

Tom simply cackled in response.

Hermione, meanwhile, was far more emotional than Tom. "You're a great wizard, you know that, right?", she half-sobbed, half-laughed. 

"Sometimes", Harry said. "Though I wouldn't be much without you - either of you."

Neville shifted awkwardly on his feet. "Be careful, Harry", he asked. "I... I don't know what I'd... just be careful."

"I will be", Harry replied. "And I'll be back."

"You better be", Hermione said as she finally released him. "You better be back."

Harry watched as both his friends swallowed the purple potion and, after some brief discomfort left through the purple flames at the door leading back to the chess room. Then, swallowing his own fears down, he opened the blue bottle and swallowed the potion within. It felt as though ice was cruising through his veins, but the effects were less severe than he'd have thought.

'I'm blocking the worst of it', Tom said. 'But we better hurry.' 

Harry nodded and took a deep breath before he stepped through the black flames. It was an odd sensation, feeling them lick at him, but with none of the pain attached, and before he knew it, he reached for the door and opened it into a dark crypt. 

'He's here', he said as he spied Quirrell's turban. 'And there's that feeling again.'

'It's him', Tom confirmed, sounding truly scared for the first time. It wasn't a surprise, as Harry felt a surge of realization shoot through their minds.

'You mean, it's you', he corrected. 

Tom did not reply for a while. 'I swear I did not know', he finally admitted. 

'And I believe it - somewhat', Harry replied. 'Not like we can afford any discussions now. But once this is done... we need to talk.'

Tom gave a grim affirmative tone. 'Yes', he said. 'That we do.'