Chapter 144: Chapter 144: "Saving Gryffindor Troublemakers Part - 1"
As Harry made his way back to the Ravenclaw Tower, relieved after successfully completing his mission, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The tense days of keeping a close eye on Quirrel were finally over.
However, his sense of accomplishment was quickly overshadowed by an urgent problem. Barely inside the Ravenclaw tower corridor, Harry was met by Neville Longbottom, who was visibly anxious and agitated. Neville was pacing near the entrance, looking both excited and worried.
"Harry, there you are!" Neville exclaimed, rushing over. "I've been searching for someone to get you, but finding you here is perfect. We need to hurry—Charles and the others are in serious trouble!"
Harry's expression turned serious. "What happened? Where are they?" he asked, puzzled about any remaining dangers now that Quirrell was no longer a threat.
"They went to the third-floor corridor—to stop Professor Snape from taking the Philosopher's Stone," Neville blurted out, his words rushing out.
Harry paused, trying to make sense of the situation. Despite having neutralized the immediate threat to the Philosopher's Stone himself, Charles and the others had rushed headlong into those dangerous obstacles, operating under the belief that the stone was still at risk.
"Why didn't they talk to a professor first?" Harry questioned, his voice tinged with frustration thinking of the canon events somehow repeating themselves. "If they really believed Snape was after the stone, how did they think they could handle him by themselves?"
Neville looked visibly upset, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I tried to stop them," he confessed, his cheeks reddening at the memory. "Hermione surprised me and stunned me before I could do anything effective. If not for that, I might have been able to hold them back."
He continued, his voice shaky, "After I recovered, I looked for Professor McGonagall to inform her, but she wasn't in her office. I didn't know what to do next, so I came looking for you. Harry, I'm really worried; they could be in serious trouble."
Harry, realizing the seriousness of the situation, paused to consider the potential dangers facing the golden trio. He remembered the sequence of events that led the canon trio to believe the stone was under threat: Dumbledore's absence from the castle and the sight of a harp playing to a sleeping Fluffy, which they interpreted as evidence that someone was attempting to steal the stone.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Harry suddenly remembered Quirrel's harp he had left playing in Fluffy's chamber. This, he realized, would certainly convince Charles and his sidekicks that someone had indeed passed that way, potentially leading them to think the stone was in some real danger of getting stolen. They could also get past Fluffy using the harp's music.
However, with Quirrell going through the traps before them, Harry believed their chances of getting to the final room were slim. One major obstacle remained—the troll. Harry knew that the three first years stood no chance against such a huge troll and reasoned that they would likely halt their advance upon encountering it. Yet, he felt compelled to ensure their safety. Despite his differences with Charles, he had no desire to see anyone die.
With a sense of urgency, Harry turned to Neville. "Alright, lead the way, Neville. We need to get there fast."
Neville nodded, his face marked by concern and determination. Together, they rushed out of the tower, their steps quickening as they headed toward the forbidden corridor, each moment critical in preventing a potential disaster.
At the entrance to the forbidden corridor, Harry confidently walked in, aware that he didn't need to be cautious about any alert wards this time; he was acting openly.
As they entered the dimly lit room, Harry and Neville barely had time to adjust their eyes when Fluffy, the formidable three-headed dog, leaped towards them, growling ferociously. Caught off guard and unable to dodge with Neville by his side, Harry opted for a direct approach. He raised his arm and firmly smacked down on the middle head of the dog.
This action momentarily silenced the growling from one head, but the other two heads continued their aggressive stance. Without hesitation, Harry delivered the same firm smack to the remaining heads. The impact was enough to subdue them; recognizing the threat of Harry's raised fist again, they backed down, not wanting to receive another blow.
Lesson learned, Fluffy retreated to a corner of the room, whimpering. Harry had been careful not to use too much force; he knew he could have seriously hurt the dog if he hadn't held back. Reflecting on how well-behaved Fluffy had been during his last visit, Harry decided against further action.
Though he noticed the broken harp that when fixed could have soothed the dog, he preferred the direct approach. It was not only more enjoyable for him but also effectively got the job done.
With a gesture to Neville to follow, they moved forward. Neville, wide-eyed, trailed behind Harry, deeply impressed and a bit frightened by Harry's ability to handle such a fearsome creature with his bare hands. He silently vowed never to cross Harry; the consequences of angering him seemed too daunting to consider.
Reaching the trap door, Harry confidently lifted it, revealing a pitch-black space below.
"Jump right in," Harry said, with a hint of a smirk.
Neville hesitated, his nerves frayed, but bolstered by a surge of Gryffindor bravery and Harry's encouraging look, he leaped into the darkness. Harry watched with amusement before following closely behind.
After falling down the trapdoor into the pitch dark below, Harry landed gently, immediately noticing Neville caught in the grip of Devil's Snare. Seeing an opportunity for a teaching moment—since they weren't in immediate danger—Harry decided to guide Neville rather than simply rescue him.
"Stop flailing around, Neville," Harry instructed calmly. "Think about what kind of plant has ensnared you and what you need to do to escape."
Hearing Harry's composed voice helped Neville to calm down. He recalled his Herbology lessons. "It's Devil's Snare! It shrinks away from sunlight if I remember correctly."
"Exactly," Harry affirmed. "Now, show me how you'd handle it. The spell you need is 'Lumos Solem.' Focus your intent—it's crucial in spell casting. We need to hurry; your friends might be in trouble."
Despite his nerves, Neville was motivated by the thought of his friends in danger. He took a deep breath, raised his wand, and firmly cast, "Lumos Solem." A brilliant blue light burst from his wand, hitting the plants.
Harry watched with a small smile as the Devil's Snare recoiled and withered under the intense light, freeing them both. Neville's successful spell not only cleared their path but also boosted his confidence.
After they left the room with the Devil's Snare, Harry noticed blood drops leading into the next area, indicating that the trio hadn't escaped from Fluffy unscathed. Clearly, one of them had been injured.
"Someone's hurt, Neville. We need to move fast," Harry urged, quickening his pace.
They rushed into the next room, which had drastically changed from Harry's last visit. The flying keys and brooms that once filled the air were now absent, their remnants scattered and embedded in the door leading out.
Harry opened the door and stepped through, followed closely by Neville. In the chess room, they found Ron lying unconscious on the floor. Neville, alarmed, ran to his side, calling his name.
Harry approached and examined Ron. He found a wound on Ron's leg, roughly bandaged with torn cloth—this was clearly where Fluffy had injured him. Other than his leg, Ron seemed fine. He had likely fainted from the exhaustion, pain, and blood loss.
Harry carefully replaced the makeshift bandage with proper first aid to stabilize the wound. Knowing they couldn't delay, he urged Neville to keep moving. They didn't have the luxury of time to fully heal Ron with magic. The rest of the work was left for Madam Pomphrey.
Harry was particularly concerned about the next obstacle: a fully grown troll that was now even more of a threat since Charles and Hermione would have to face it without Ron's help.
As Harry stepped into the troll room, the silence unsettled him. It was not a good sign. He quickened his pace, with Neville trailing behind, puzzled by the sudden change in Harry's demeanor.
Inside, they were greeted by the sight of a massive troll lying unconscious on the floor. Relieved, Harry deduced that it had been subdued by the duo, likely with the levitation charm like in the canon based on the troll's position and the club that lay discarded nearby. This clever feat by Charles and Hermione was impressive enough to earn Harry's silent commendation.
Neville, wide-eyed, turned to Harry. "Is that a troll? How did Charles and Hermione manage to get past it? It's enormous!"
Harry explained, "They probably used a simple first-year spell, the levitation spell, to knock it out. Want to try waking it up and testing that theory yourself?"
Neville quickly shook his head, "No, thanks. Maybe some other time. We should keep going, Charles and Hermione might still need our help."
Amused by Neville's response, Harry agreed, and they continued onward. Just as they were about to leave the room, a noise echoed from behind them, snapping them to attention. Both spun around, wands at the ready, prepared for whatever might come next.
Chapter 145: Chapter 145: "Saving Gryffindor Troublemakers Part - 2"
Emerging from the shadows, Dumbledore appeared, his robes gleaming in the dim light of the corridor. Harry wasn't entirely surprised to see him; part of him wondered if Dumbledore had been here all along, perhaps even aiding the trio in their confrontation with the troll.
Dumbledore's voice broke the silence, stern yet calm. "What are you two doing in this forbidden corridor? It is hours past curfew. I need a good explanation."
Harry responded promptly, "Neville was concerned about his friends. He heard they'd rushed here and was worried about their safety. We came to make sure they were alright and to persuade them to return."
Dumbledore's expression remained serious. "Why did you not seek out a professor? This area is clearly not safe for students, as evidenced by the presence of that troll."
Harry was ready with his reply. "I can explain our reasons later, but right now, I don't think the first years can afford to wait for us to sort this out."
Dumbledore nodded, understanding the urgency. "I agree, Mr. Potter. Let's hurry and find them."
Harry and Neville hurriedly followed Dumbledore into the next room, where they found Hermione unconscious on the floor. Dumbledore immediately attended to her, assessing her injuries which included a broken arm and multiple bruises. Harry watched as Dumbledore carefully cast several stasis spells to stabilize Hermione, ensuring her condition wouldn't deteriorate.
Without wasting any time, Dumbledore dispelled the enchantments that formed Snape's challenge with a swift gesture of his wand, clearing the way forward. Harry and Neville quickly followed him into the next chamber.
Inside, they came upon Charles Potter, who was sitting in front of the Mirror of Erised, seemingly captivated by his own reflection. Upon closer inspection, Harry noticed Charles was also significantly injured, mirroring Hermione's condition. He had a broken ankle, and several keys from the flying key challenge were embedded in his back, indicating a rough encounter.
These injuries, while severe, were not beyond magical healing, but they clearly caused Charles a great deal of pain. Harry could only imagine the ordeal they must have endured to get this far, especially with their low level of training.
Dumbledore looked at Charles with concern and gently asked, "Charley, my dear boy, what are you doing here?"
Charles, snapped out of his daydream by Dumbledore's voice, replied, "Grandpa Dumbledore, it's good to see you. I tried to stop Snape from stealing the Philosopher's Stone. We faced many tough challenges and I got hurt a lot, but when we got here, there was no one. Just this mirror. Professor, what is special about this mirror? Why does it show me as the Minister of Magic and your successor? Everyone's cheering for me in the reflection. Does this mirror show what will happen in the future?"
Dumbledore replied in a calm and reassuring tone, "No, Charley, we'll talk about the mirror later. You're hurt right now. We need to get you and your friends to Madam Pomfrey. I want to hear everything about what happened today, but only after you've been taken care of."
Harry felt that Dumbledore didn't want to discuss things further because he and Neville were there. He chose to stay quiet, respecting their need to keep the conversation private. However, he was very surprised by how close their relationship was. Dumbledore truly treated Charles as his successor. Maybe it was because there was no Horcrux and Charles did not need to be martyred.
As Dumbledore tended to Charles's injuries, Harry, curious about Neville's reaction to the Mirror of Erised, guided him towards it. He was eager to see what deepest wishes the mirror would reflect for him.
Neville, gazing into the mirror, questioned Harry, "Does this mirror really show the future? I see myself surrounded by a happy family and lots of magical plants. It looks like I'm a Herbology Professor at Hogwarts."
Harry explained, "It doesn't show the future, Neville. It shows your deepest desires. The inscription on the mirror, read backward, says 'I show not your face but your heart's desire.' What you see is what you most wish for, not necessarily what will happen. But remember, just because it's a desire doesn't mean it can't become reality. You just need to work towards making it happen."
Dumbledore, overhearing their conversation, added, "Well said, Mr. Potter. The Mirror of Erised shows us nothing more or less than the deepest, most desperate desire of our hearts. However, be wary, as the mirror can neither speak the truth nor offer knowledge. Many men have wasted away before it, entranced by what they have seen, or driven mad, not knowing if what it shows is real or even possible."
As Dumbledore prepared to speak further, Neville suddenly gasped.
"Headmaster," Neville exclaimed, looking bewildered, "the reflection of me just put a red stone in my pocket, and now I actually feel something heavy in my pocket. What is happening?"
Harry was surprised at what had just happened. He had expected the replica stone he created to be in Charles's possession due to the enchantment on the mirror since Charles had been looking at the mirror for some time now. Observing Dumbledore's reaction, it was clear he was puzzled as well.
Dumbledore "I'm glad you asked me that. It was one of my more brilliant ideas, and between you and me, that's saying something. You see, only one who wanted to find the Stone -- find it, but not use it -- would be able to get it, otherwise they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking Elixir of Life. Even I am sometimes astonished by my own cleverness. However, I had anticipated that it would be Charles who ended up with the Stone."
Charles looked a bit embarrassed. "Honestly, Professor, I didn't see the Stone in the mirror. I was too caught up admiring my future achievements."
It was clear to Harry that Charles had hoped to keep the Stone for himself and why the enchantment did not work for him. Frankly, Harry understood the temptation—he wouldn't have minded keeping the real Stone himself.
Neville, oblivious to what the people around him were thinking, cheerfully handed over the stone to Dumbledore. Dumbledore inspected it briefly, sensing something was off but decided this wasn't the right moment for a thorough examination and tucked it into his robe.
"Let's not linger here any longer," Dumbledore declared. "We need to get all of you to the hospital wing for proper care."
With that, Dumbledore conjured charms to levitate Charles and they began to exit the room. Harry and Neville followed closely behind. As they moved, Hermione and Ron were also magically levitated and added to their procession.
Exiting the corridor, they were met by Professors McGonagall, Flitwick, and Snape, who had been gathered, likely alerted to the situation. Together, the group made their way toward the hospital wing, ready to attend to the student's injuries and debrief on the night's chaotic events.
In the hospital wing, Harry and Neville found themselves explaining everything to the professors. Neville shared how he had tried to prevent Charles, Hermione, and Ron from breaking school rules again and how he'd sought out Harry for help after failing to find Professor McGonagall.
Harry explained that because Neville had indicated the trio had been gone for quite some time, he was worried about their safety. He chose not to waste time looking for another professor, fearing the first years were in immediate danger.
Once the professors felt satisfied with their explanations, they allowed Harry and Neville to return to their dormitories. Meanwhile, Charles, Hermione, and Ron, still unconscious from their ordeal, were spared the interrogation for now as they recovered in the hospital wing.
Relieved to be back in his dorm, Harry was eager to share the second part of the night's events with his friends. The first part was going to be a secret shared only with his closest family to prepare them for the eventual return of Voldemort.
The rest of the night's events, however, seemed like a thrilling adventure story that Harry could safely share with his fellow students. He was excited to tell them about the various obstacles in the forbidden third-floor corridor, turning the adventure into a captivating tale for his friends, and providing them with some entertainment.
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