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.