Chapter 17

When we looked around the chamber we saw that someone was already there, but it wasn't Severus, I didn't need to look to know that it was Professor Quirrell. Harry and I clutched our foreheads in pain.

"You?" Gasped Harry.

I leaned over into his ear, "now might not be the right time to say this, but I told you so." I whispered.

"Me." Quirrell said. "Yes I was wondering if I should expect the two of you."

"But I thought Snape…" Harry began.

"Yes Severus does seem the type doesn't he? So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat. Next to him, who would have suspected p-p-p-poor stuttering p-p-Professor Quirrell."

"But Snape tried to kill me!" Harry said.

"No I tried to kill you. He was trying to save you." Told ya so. I said to myself. Quirrell snapped his fingers and ropes sprang from the ground tying Harry and I up, causing us to fall into a heap on the floor. Quirrell paced around us. "You're both too nosy to live. Scurrying around the school on Halloween like that, for all I knew you'd seen me look at what was guarding the stone."

"You let the troll in?" Harry asked. Geez Harry keep up. He's evil it's what evil wizards do.

"Certainly. I have special gift when it comes to trolls. Unfortunately while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off- and not only did my troll fail to beat you at death, that three headed dog couldn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off. Now both of you shut up while I examine this mirror." He walked away and Harry and I turned to see the mirror of Erised. "This mirror is my key to finding the stone. Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this. I see the stone. I'm presenting it to my master, but where is it?"

"Harry we have to keep him from focusing fully on that mirror." I whispered.

"Got it. But saw you a few days ago, you were crying, I thought Snape was threatening you…"

"Sometimes I find it hard to follow my master's commands, for he is a great wizard and I am weak."

"You mean he was there in the class room with you?" I asked.

"He is with me wherever I go." What I want most is to get the stone before Quirrell does. All I have to do is get a good look at that mirror. I thought. I could hear Quirrell talking to himself while I thought. Suddenly a low hiss cut through the chamber.

"Use the children." The hiss commanded. Quirrell rounded on us. "COME HERE!"

"We have to lie." I whispered to Harry as we approached the dark wizard.

"What do you see boy?" Harry stared into the mirror for a moment.

"I see Dumbledore. I'm shaking hands with him. Gryffindor has won the house cup."

"And you girl?"

"I see a field. I'm riding a horse, no, no, a broom."

"THEY LIE!" the hiss said. "LET ME SPEAK TO THEM FACE TO FACE."

"No master you are not strong enough!"

"I have strength enough for this!" Quirrell began to unwrap his turban, and it seemed that with each of his unwrappings, my headache grew worse. I gripped Harry's hand to stop myself from screaming. On the back of Quirrell's head there was a face. The skin around it was chalky white; there was no nose, and only red slits for eyes.

"See what I have become." The face said. "Mere shadow and vapor…I have form only when I share another's body…but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds…once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own...now, Alice why don't you give me that stone in your pocket." Bloody hell.

"NEVER!" I shouted.

"Seize her." Voldemort screamed. I ran almost blinded by the pain coming from my scar. I tossed the stone to Harry, who ran in the opposite direction. Quirrell chased after him, and Harry pushed him away. As soon as Harry touched him, Quirrell began to burn.

"DO IT AGAIN HARRY!" I yelled. He touched Quirrell on the face this time. I went over to aid Harry. Soon Quirrell's body fell to pieces in front of us. I remember black, falling into deep blackness.

I woke up to see Professor Dumbledore smiling over my bed. I started mumbling incoherently about the stone and Quirrell. Dumbledore just smiled.

"Relax Allison. Quirrell does not have the stone."

Harry stirred on the side of me. "Professor how long have we been out?"

"It was three days ago that Mr. Ronald Weasley and Mrs. Hermione Granger came to me. Your friends and family have been quite worried about the pair of you. I have also been worried but I think that know I will leave you to your friends." As Dumbledore left I looked to Harry. He smiled back, and repeated what he had said to me when we first met:

"I'm glad I don't have to do this alone."

The End