Chapter - 49

Potter was lying on the floor with his arms and legs tied with a rope. In front of him was Quirrell, examining the mirror without paying any attention to the wriggling Potter on the floor.

"Where can it be? This mirror is surely the key to find the stone, but how?" Quirrell muttered to himself as he circled around the mirror, constantly tapping it.

Alex knew things were going to be nasty pretty soon. He took out a parchment, quill and ink from his storage pouch and placed them on the floor as quietly as possible. Soon he busied himself into writing something on the parchment.

Erebus too jumped from his head and sat beside, watching him write without making a sound.

Pretty soon, Alex was done writing the letter. He tore a piece off his robe and tied the letter around Erebus's neck. Then he whispered, " Erebus, I need you to leave this place immediately. Since you won't be able to enter the dormitory, go and find Professor Snape and hand this letter over to him. He will know what to do next. My life is in your hands..." Alex paused when he looked at Erebus, then continued, "Well in your paws. Off you go, buddy".

Alex felt somewhat dumb talking to his kneazle, but many incidents in the past have suggested that Erebus understood his intentions and would appear in front of him whenever he needed someone to rely on. And as Alex expected, Erebus nodded slightly and dashed off the chamber.

"Ahh!" when Alex was distracted, he heard Potter cry out in pain. When he looked in their direction, he saw Quirrell with his wand in his hand and Potter high in the air. And with a flick of his wand, Potter came crashing down and smashed on the ground, "Ahhh!" Potter cried out again.

'This is still not out of hand, is it? There is no need for me to jump in yet, right?' Alex thought to himself. A few broken bones were nothing a big boy like Potter can't handle.

"Tell me, where will I find the stone? I can see it in my hands, but why is it that I can't have it?" Quirrell asked as he continued thrashing Potter.

Looking at the deranged appearance of Potter, Alex was about to take action but stopped when he heard a weak voice, "Use the boy... the boy".

Hearing the voice, Quirrell stopped his trashing, grabbed Potter by his hair and dragged him to the mirror, " Look in the mirror and tell me what you see."

Potter's face was all bruised up because of the beating he took. He slowly opened his swelled up eyes and looked in the mirror.

"Tell me, what do you see?" Quirrell asked as he kicked Potter in his guts.

But this time, Potter did not reply. He did not even flinch after being kicked. He kept on staring in the mirror with dead eyes as if his consciousness was being sucked by the mirror.

Alex noticed this, hiding behind the pillar, but Quirrell did not. He continued to kick Potter as he asked the same question over and over again. Finally, one of the kick snapped Potter back to the real world.

He was in pain, but more than that, he looked muddleheaded.

"Tell me, what did you see, Potter?" Quirrell grabbed him by his collar and made him stand.

"I saw shaking hands with Dumbledore," Potter said. "I have won the house cup for Gryffindor." Potter continued.

Annoyed by Potter's response, Quirrell kicked him away, "Useless".

"The boy lies... He lies..." Alex again heard a weak voice coming from somewhere in the direction of Quirrell.

"What?" Quirrell cried out in shock after hearing that voice. He grabbed Potter, untied his arms and legs and made him stand in front of the mirror.

"Potter, you better look in the mirror carefully and tell me truthfully what you see. Otherwise, what you will have to bear, will be far too torturous than that striking pain in your scar."

Hearing Quirrell talk about his scar, Potter turned his head towards the mirror. This time he continued to look at the mirror for some time. Alex continued to observe Potter from the shadows. He also saw Potter rub his pocket for a while before withdrawing his hand.

'Does he have some tricks left?' Alex thought, ' He better have a couple of good ones. Otherwise, we won't be going home in one piece today.'

"What do you see, tell me?" Quirrell asked.

Potter thought for a second before stammering, "I... I... see myself..."

Potter could not complete, "Let me speak to him," The weak voice rang out in the chamber again.

"But master, you are still too weak." Quirrell turned to the sides and said humbly.

"I have strength, enough... for this..."

Hearing the voice, Quirrell did not argue anymore. Slowly he began to unwrap his turban. With each knot he undid, an invisible pressure engulfed the chamber and kept on increasing. Alex, who was far away, could not move, and it became difficult for him to breathe. Potter was the worst hit by this pressure. He knelt in front of Quirrell as he clutched his neck with his hands, trying his hardest to breathe.

Finally, the turban fell away. Quirrell’s head looked strangely small without it. Then he turned slowly on the spot. Where there should have been a back to Quirrell’s head, there was a face, the most terrible face anyone could have ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

“Harry Potter...” the face whispered.

Harry stood where he was, looking at the face with fear evident on his face, “See what I have become?” the face said. “Mere shadow and vapour.... I have a form only when I can share another’s body... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds...Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks...you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the forest...and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own.... Now...why don’t you give me that Stone in your pocket?”

'Pocket?' Alex's gaze fell on the pocket he had seen Potter rub a while back. 'So that was it.'

Hearing the face, Potter stumbled backwards.

“Don’t be a fool,” snarled the face. “Better save your own life and join me...or you’ll meet the same end as your parents...They died begging me for mercy...”

“LIAR!” Harry shouted suddenly. Quirrell was walking with his back towards him so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.

How touching...” it hissed. “I always value bravery.... Yes, boy, your parents were brave...I killed your father first, and he put up a courageous fight...but your mother needn’t have died...she was trying to protect you...Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.”

Hearing the face, which Alex has recognised most likely to be Voldemort, he was reminded of his parents. His father fought alone while his mother ensured their safe escape. He does not even know their fate, whether they were able to escape or not.

"Never!" Alex heard Potter yell.

Hearing Potter's cry, Alex was stumped. That boy no older than him is standing his ground in front of one of the most feared men in the wizarding world.

'Why? Just to honour his parents, who are long dead?'. A lump formed in his throat, 'If only he was stronger, he could have fought alongside his parents. He would not have escaped like a coward and let his parents fend off for themselves. If only if he...' Alex was interrupted in his thoughts by yet another painful cry from Potter.

Quirrell was thrashing Potter yet again. Now Alex could not wait any longer. With his hood on, he dashed out from behind the pillar.

"Incendio... Incendio... Incendio..." Alex yelled out multiple times in a short period, and fire burst all around Quirrell.

Quirrell was taken back by the sudden arrival of an uninvited guest and the flames around him. To avoid the fire he instinctively covered himself with his robes.

Seeing that there was a window for escape, Alex secretly cast another spell, "Fumos". Smoke began to fill the room, but the rate at which it was filling this large chamber, was of no use. Since they already have the stone, all he needed to do was grab Potter and leave the chamber.

"Wait a minute." Seeing the fire around Quirrell, Alex thought of something.

"Aqua Eructo," and with the flick of his wand, water fell from thin air.

'Hiss... Hiss..." As soon as the water came in contact with the fire, it evaporated, and the steam engulfed the chamber in a matter of seconds. It was simple science. Alex could not help praise himself. With the smoke already filling the chamber slowly and the steam all around, it provided the perfect cover for their escape.

Alex grabbed Potter, who was beside him and made a run in the general direction, he remembered the entrance to the chamber was in.

"Don't let them escape... " The voice was heard again, but it did not sound weak this time, instead, it was filled with rage, "Block the entrance."

"Yes, master," Quirrell's voice was heard from somewhere in the mist, "Reducto", a blazing blue light flashed past Alex, who was climbing the stairs, with Potter on his shoulders.

"Boom," Alex heard a loud, deafening sound, and by the time he was in front of the entrance, there was no entrance to be seen. The entrance was blocked with debris. But what ran chills down his spine was the blood seeping through the cut left behind by the spell which brushed past his neck. An inch to the right, up or down and he would have been a goner.

'Am I that lucky?' Alex did not believe it. Then he thought of Potter on his shoulder, 'Maybe it's his luck that saved me.'

It was a genuine conclusion. Potter came all the way to this chamber because of Ron and Hermione. Wasn't it just his good luck that he survived all those incidents throughout the year? Every time he was in a crisis, someone saved him, be it Professor Snape, Dumbledore or even Alex. All these things happened, but his luck seemed to have never run out.

"Turbunis," and with a woosh, the smoke and steam around Quirell blew away. Quirrell slowly climbed up the stairs towards the entrance, and when Alex was in sight, he stopped.

"Who are you?" Quirrell asked. He had his wand in his hand, ready to attack any time.

Alex did not know what to say. He came here with just one thought in his mind, save Potter and run away. He had no idea how to converse with the master and servant duo in front of him.

After a moment of thinking, he replied, " I am just a servant, running some errands."

"Who is your master?" Quirrell asked.

"Can't say".

"What is your relation with Potter?"

"Nothing."

"Why do you want to save him then?"

"Just running an errand."

Quirrell was irked by the replies of the hooded guy in front of him. 'Just an errand?"

"Why don't you join me, boy? I see great potential in you?" This time it was Voldemort who talked.

"What will I get in return?" Alex asked.

"When I am back, the world will grovel beneath me. And you, as a loyal servant of mine, can go rampant, and no one can stop you." Though he was just a fragment of soul, the arrogance he displayed was uncanny.

"Will I get gold?"

"Yes."

"Mansion?"

"You can have anything you want."

"Can I have my own soccer team?"

"You can... wait, what is that?"

"You don't know? Never mind, let's tone it down a bit. What about a car?"

"What is that?"

"You don't even know that? And you call yourself all-powerful?"

"I said, you can have anything you want. Now hand over Potter to me."

"Thanks, but no thanks," No need to drag the conversation anymore. Whatever the outcome, he has to fight his way out of this.

Alex did not give Voldemort and Quirrell time to react, " Incendio". A ball of fire flew towards Quirrell, who was facing his back towards him. But before it could reach him, it vanished.

"Insignificant skill, " Quirrell said as he turned towards Alex.

'This is going to be hard', Alex thought. Alex placed Potter on the floor and kicked him away. Alex did not have the time to think about where he was kicking Potter. Potter rolled down the stairs and stopped by the mirror.

'Ouch! that might have hurt' Alex could feel Potter's pain. But this was not the time to be courteous.

All this while, Alex did not take his eyes off of Quirell, ready for any surprise attack.

"Don't worry, you are no threat for me to launch a sneak attack," Quirrell said with a sneer.

"You can't be sure of that. We did exchange some pointers in the forbidden forest not too long ago. You didn't forget, did you?" Though Alex knew what Quirrell said was true, but hearing it even before they exchanged blows, hurt his ego.

"So it was you." Reminded of the day he was prevented from drinking the Unicorn's blood, Quirrell's rage exploded. He began to throw spells after spells at Alex without a moment.

Alex, like the other day, kept on dodging the spells thanks to his above-average physique. But what annoyed him was the fact that Quirrell was not chanting the spell, which made him fast and mysterious as he did not know what the next spell had stored for him.

Alex hid behind a large boulder. He regretted not practising the chantless magic. It was all because he had to babysit Potter. But he didn't even have the time to curse the half-dead guy.

'Okay, since I don't have the power, I need to use brains. And since Quirrell has someone else in his brain, he can't use his right now."

Quirrell also lost track of Alex amidst all the dust that was floating around because of his barrage of attacks.

"Aqua Eructo" Alex slowly poured water all around him and along the stairs towards the centre of the chamber.

"Come on out and face your doom. You can't avoid the inevitable." Quirrell's voice reverberated.

Alex picked up a stone and threw it away, "Will I get a last wish?"

"Boom!" Just as the stone hit the floor, Quirrell threw a destructive spell in that direction.

"Glacius" Alex whispered when he was sure that the water was sufficient.

With the freezing of the water, the temperature dropped, but Quirrell did not pay any heed to it, "What is your last wish, boy? If you give up now, I might think about fulfilling it."

Alex grabbed another piece of stone, "Let me think for a moment". Alex said, throwing the stone away, which met the same fate.

The dust was also beginning to settle. Now that the preparations were done, he could only leave everything in the hands of the almighty.

"Do you know what slip disc is?" Alex asked.

"What?"

"You will know soon enough". Alex pointed his wand at the ceiling right above Quirrell, " Reducto".

"You are nothing but tricks," Quirrell jumped to his side to avoid the debris falling, but just as his feet touched the floor, he slipped on the layer of ice and fell down the stairs with his bottom taking the brunt of each fall.

By the time he stopped beside Potter, he had almost lost his consciousness. Alex came out from behind the boulder, "And this is what is the cause of slip disc."

"Take the stone!" Finally, Voldemort said.

"Oh, crap!" Alex did not think Quirrell would go rolling down all the way to Potter.

Quirrell, who was in pain, slowly lifted his hand and grabbed Potter's arm. He tried to pull Potter towards him.

Alex was caught in his own trap. He could not just run all the way to them. He threw countless ' Incendio' spells, but the ice melted very slowly.

'Ah! fuck it,' Alex thought, 'I am young anyway' and with that, he followed behind Quirrell's footsteps.

Just as he reached the end of the stairs, the chamber filled with Quirrell's cries.

“Master, I cannot hold him... my hands... my hands!” And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms. Alex could see they looked burned, raw, red, and shiny.

Potter, too had woken up and was clutching his forehead in agony.

“Then kill him, fool, and be done!” screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse, but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell’s face — “AAAARGH!”

Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering, too, and then Potter must have known: Quirrell couldn’t touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain — his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him from doing a curse. Harry jumped to his feet, caught Quirrell by the arm, and hung on as tight as he could. Quirrell screamed and tried to throw Harry off.

Alex saw Potter faint grabbing onto Quirrell's arm. Quirrell finally managed to shake Potter off, but it was too late. Even though Alex did not know what was happening, Quirrell in front of him has soon turned into dust.

After there was nothing left of Quirrell, Alex got up to check on Potter, 'Looks like he is fine,' Alex was relieved that Potter was just unconscious from exhaustion.

"It's you... It's all because of you" Alex heard Voldemort's weak voice from behind him.

Just as he turned around to look, he saw a large face made of smoke enter his body, and everything in front of him turned dark.

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