Chapter 102

Whilst pretending to be sympathetic, he started using this new found knowledge to craft the beginnings of his plan.

He felt a small tear fall onto the diary as the little girl finished telling Tom all about her family's hardships.

Thank you for letting me tell you all this Tom. I just miss home so much and I'm so alone here. I haven't ever had a chance to tell somebody about all this.

With a small metaphysical smirk, he decided that he'd delay possessing the girl until he was out of the school and away from Dumbledore. Meanwhile, he'd solidify his presence in her life and slowly siphon magic from her. Her young magical core would be ideal for this.

With that thought in mind, he wrote her a reply.

'Don't you worry Lisa. You have me now to be your friend, you can tell me anything. Don't you worry.'

Harry's receiver earpiece hadn't activated in months. He had taken to wearing it day in and day out, so much so that he never actually took it out, always keeping an ear out for any sounds of the door opening in the third-floor corridor.

Nothing came.

Which was one of the reasons why, with the exams over, Harry had for once dropped his constant vigilance and gone to sleep, intending to not wake up until late in the morning the next day.

To his surprise, his eyes opened at a bit after midnight, when something started buzzing repeatedly in his ears.

Eyes wide open and alert, he swiftly pulled the bed curtains close and silenced them, before pulling out his wand. "Sonorus" he cast at the receiver, and desperately listened to whatever had activated his Spy Bug.

There was the signature tap of boots that echoed through the receiver whenever somebody came towards the third floor corridor. Then a voice came.

"We're here."

It was Quirrell! And there wasn't a single ounce of stutter in his voice.

That surely meant that whoever he was speaking to must be his accomplice, someone who knew about his fake persona. With that thought, Harry listened even more carefully. This accomplice was someone who he'd have to be wary of.

But what came through wasn't a voice. It was a sibilant hiss, one that sent chills down Harry's spine."Are we ready to test the half giant's words?"

"We are. Will a harp do?" Quirrell replied, his tone polite.

"It will" The hiss replied.

'Whoever is talking must be disguising his voice' Harry thought, 'There is no way that's someone's real voice.'

The tunes of a harp floated through the receiver, pulling Harry out of his musings. With a start Harry realized that they were testing whether Hagrid's information about Fluffy was correct or not. They weren't stealing the stone today. Some part of him relaxed slightly as he heard the snores of the three-headed dog. The stone was safe. Dumbledore's presence must have stopped them from trying.

"It's true. The beast is vulnerable to music. All we have left to do is find out what Severus has done. Are you sure you don't want to reveal yourself to him my Lord?"

Harry froze. 'My Lord…' The man Quirrell was talking to wasn't his accomplice. It was his master! It was the Dark Lord!

"His loyalties are in doubt Quirinus. He could just as well turn me in to curry favor with Dumbledore. No…only you I can trust fully."

"It's an honor my Lord."

"As it should be," came the haughty reply, "Did you make sure that no one will...interfere?"

"Of course. Dumbledore will be out for his Wizengamot duties for at least an hour. Not enough to get the stone, but enough to keep him unaware of our testing of his traps. The Stone will be yours soon my Lord."

"Indeed. You shall gain a place of true honor in my ranks for your contribution."

"Thank you my Lord…you are most gracious."

There was some more shuffling while Harry pondered what he'd just heard. Dumbledore was out, though luckily not for long, so Quirrell couldn't steal the stone tonight. But there was a bigger problem! Voldemort was in the school! How was he going to protect his friends from him.

"Let us leave now my Lord." came Quirrell's voice as he shut off the harp and closed the door. There was some rustling sound as Quirrell vanished the harp and got ready to leave. Harry felt curious for a second as to why he was hearing only one set of footsteps.

"Stop" said Voldemort's voice suddenly as Harry was about to shut off the receiver, "Towards your right Quirinus. On the roof. What is that?"

Harry froze.

Suddenly all the sounds of movement coming from the receiver stopped. It was all quiet for a moment before Quirrell spoke. "Accio."

The earpiece filled with a whooshing sound before suddenly the hissing voice filled Harry's ear. Much louder than before.

"What is it Quirinus? Tell me"

"It appears to be some sort of listening device my Lord…do you think Dumbledore…Could it be his?"

"Damn it! I should have expected this!" Voldemort said angrily, "MOVE Quirinus! We do not have much time before Dumbledore arrives! We need to take the stone before he gets here! Not even I can take him on in this form! GO!"

"Don't worry, I'll move as fast as I can. Sleep and rest master. Preserve your energy. I will wake you when we get the stone."

With a sharp crackling sound that indicated that Quirrell had crushed the Spy Bug, the receiver fell silent.

"DAMN IT!" yelled Harry in frustration, waking Hedwig with a start.