Chapter 88 : Shadows of Resolve

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The Devil's Snare was self-explanatory, even if most of the evidence of what had happened there was covered up by the burn marks Dumbledore himself caused in the room while trying to reach Adrian. That was lucky, Severus pondered. They had used the broomsticks and the correct key to get through, even if Flitwick did say that somebody tried an Alohamora spell on the lock. Minerva was still in denial that twelve year olds could win against her enchanted chessboard but Severus reminded her that they had gone through his trial just as easily. His greatest shock came when he entered the chamber where the Stone had been hidden. There was that mirror Harry had told him about and Severus made a point of not looking into it; he already knew what he wanted the most; seeing it might have been too much. But it wasn't the mirror that caught his attention.

The far wall of the chamber was scorched, the golden-beige coloured stones that composed the rest of the room turned black. Another blackened circular mark was on the floor, its diameter close to ten, maybe eleven feet. And in the middle of the circle lay something that looked like it had once been the owner of the purple cloth -that had once been a turban- lying in front of the mirror. Severus could see why Harry was so scared when he walked into his office. Whatever spell he had used, it had been powerful; it was a wonder how he had managed to cast it, control it and then walk -let alone run as he suspected the boy had done- all these floors down to his office. It was serious spellwork and it normally should have taken a great toll on his strength at his age. Then again, Harry had never done things normally.

"Did Adrian do that?" Pomona gasped. No, as a matter of fact he didn't, Severus thought behind his Occlumency walls; not that he believed Dumbledore would try something in his state of shock, but it never hurt to be cautious.

"Yes, he did." Dumbledore affirmed. Severus glanced at the burned stones and the remains of the man that had tried to kill Adrian Potter and wished -for the hundredth time that night- that he had been able to deal with him instead of Harry.

He was deep in thought when he returned to his office at the break of dawn and almost collided with Harry as the boy exited his office, the note he had written him in hand. The boy looked at him expectantly.

"How's Adrian?" He asked his eyes wide with worry. "Has he come around yet?"

"He was still out when I left the infirmary; he got himself a rather nasty bump on the head but Madam Pomfrey is certain he will be fine in the morning. He should be up any time now." Harry sighed in relief and Severus opened the door to his office so they could talk uninterrupted for a while.

"I had figured he would have hit his head; he fell on the floor rather hard after Quirrell cast a stunner on him…" The boy's green eyes turned to the floor as he mentioned Quirrell's name.

"If you hadn't done what you did Harry, your brother wouldn't be waking up." The potions master reminded him. He quickly explained what he had told his parents had happened and they worked on Harry's story for a while. Half an hour later, the boy got ready to visit his brother.

"And, Sev?" He asked turning back from the door.

"Yes, Harry?"

"Thanks; I kind of lost it back there." Harry admitted.

"Considering everything Harry, you handled it great." Harry nodded. "Just enjoy being alive, Harry, and having your brother alive too. Go see him; I have a letter to write for both of us; we have to inform Nicholas."

"I will try to enjoy myself; say 'hi' to Nicholas from me." Harry entered the infirmary only to be enveloped in his mother arms; he listened to the formal version of what had happened last night and he offered the story they had come up with Severus. He had woken up for some water and didn't find Adrian and Ron in their beds; he found Neville paralyzed on the floor and he ran to inform Severus afraid of the worst as he had heard his brother talk about what exactly lay behind the locked door in the forbidden corridor. His story was easily accepted.

Adrian woke up sometime after eleven, Ron having woken up two hours prior. He explained what had happened from his side, how he found out about the Stone -Harry pretended to be surprised, not quite successfully as he was still quite shocked himself. Thankfully, nobody paid him any attention at the moment- and why he had gone after it.

"And when we heard professor Dumbledore was out of the school we knew that…" Professor McGonagall was the one that cut Adrian's narration short, blowing her nose loudly in her -very much plaid- handkerchief.

"They came to me and I told them that the Stone was safe!" Everybody looked at her in shock, not being used into such outbursts from the strict professor. Harry, who had come to understand how much guilt can weigh on you, decided to speak.

"You couldn't have known, professor." Everybody turned to look at him, the shock transferring from the crying Transfiguration teacher to her green-eyed student. "The headmaster himself didn't suspect anything and left the school; how could you know?"

"He's right, Minnie." Sirius seconded. "You had no way of knowing." It was a mark of how disturbed Minerva was as she didn't tell him off for the nickname. They talked a bit more, along with the Weasleys and Hermione when the matter turned to more school orientated matters. The Headmaster informed them that rumors had started flying across the school already and how a few members of the Slytherin House -Malfoy, Ron muttered under his breath- had tried wrecking havoc claiming Adrian was so severely injured, he had to be transferred to St. Mango's.

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