Chapter 91

"W-Well its m-more of a matter of if I can h-help you or not. I'm afraid I found s-something of yours j-just outside the school," said Quirrell before dipping his hand into one of his numerous pockets and pulling out something. He put it on the table between them.

It was a letter.

Not just any letter, Harry realised, noticing the handwriting on it. It was the same letter he'd sent to Amelia Bones this morning.

Harry immediately grabbed it and stuffed it into his pocket.

Quirrell took a sip of his wine, "I m-must admit t-to opening t-the le-letter Mr. Potter. I assure you, t-the stone is p-perfectly safe. Many great witches and wizards including m-myself have contributed to its p-protection. I m-must also say that I n-noted you have s-somehow gained an im-impression that some thief wants to s-steal the S-Stone. I must c-confess to have n-no idea what you were w-writing about. W-would you c-care to enlighten me?"

"I think you know exactly what I was writing about Professor," Harry said, his tone flat. He had been very clear about his suspicion of Quirrell in the letter.

Warning:Bloodlust detected!

"I d-don't," Another sip. Harry suddenly noticed that it wasn't wine in the goblet, but a silvery-white liquid.

Blood, Harry realized. Unicorn Blood.

"Of course should such a thief exist, it would definitely not be me. But I would imagine that he would be extremely displeased at your unnecessary interference, and would most definitely take steps to put you in check. Perhaps you should consider staying out of his way and hope that this would discourage him from…taking care of you," Quirrell's voice had lost all of his stutter and had gained a terrifyingly calm tenor.

"I'm not afraid," Harry said fiercely.

Quirrell took one last sip from his Goblet and vanished it with a wave of his hand, not acknowledging Harry's statement.

"Hogwarts is a place full of dangers Mr. Potter. Who knows what would happen if one of your friends suddenly made an explosive potion? Or even fall down one of the moving stairs? One must always strive to be…careful where they step…around here," he said simply, before he got up from his seat beside Harry and headed back towards the table Professor Sprout was sitting at.

Despite his light tone, Harry got the statement loud and clear. If he interfered, then everyone he held dear would face the consequences.

And there was nothing he could do about it.

Harry had spent most of the remaining time leading up to the New Year holed up in the tower, cursing himself for not sending Hedwig or asking Fawkes to deliver the letter.

Now he had put his friends at risk!

It took him quite a while to get back into form, deciding that worrying about it wouldn't do anybody any favors. He put the Stone out of his mind, and focused on other things. And meanwhile, a lot of the students had returned from their homes after celebrating Christmas to celebrate New Year with their friends.

Thus, on the evening of the New Year's Eve, Harry, dressed in his best robes and with Gamer's Mind on full blast, knocked on the familiar office door of Professor Severus Snape, who was supposed to be escorting him to the Malfoy Annual New Year's Ball.

To Harry's surprise, the door was opened not by Professor Snape but the familiar blonde haired Draco Malfoy. Harry nodded at him, receiving a nod back in return before being let into the office.

They were not alone.

Harry felt a bit stupid for not having guessed that there would be other children invited to the Ball.

In the center of the office stood Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode, clearly in the process of comparing nails and dresses. Theodore Nott and Blaise Zabini were standing off to the side, doing nothing in particular. Draco had gone over and was whispering something to Crabbe and Goyle. And finally, standing with Tracy Davis by the fireplace was infamous ice queen of Slytherin, Daphne Greengrass.

Harry was the only non-Slytherin in the room. He fingered the cufflinks he'd borrowed from Stephen, feeling a little bit out of place amongst the group. They were all very well dressed. And they were all looking at him with raised eyebrows. Clearly, his presence was a surprise to them.

"So what're you doing here Potter? I didn't think Malfoys had started inviting half-bloods to the Ball." Pansy Parkinson said snidely, looking to get a rise out of him.

Draco stayed quiet, although he did give Pansy the stink eye for the jab at the Malfoys, Theodore Nott sneered and the rest of the mostly Slytherin group started muttering to each other in whispers, looking through the corners of their eyes at Harry.

"Didn't you? That's nice Miss Parkinson." Harry said.

Ping!

Skill leveled up!

Taunt, Lv-2 (40%)

You can cause your opponent to lose their cool and do something stupid.

10% chance of working

Pansy looked completely thrown off at her insult being dismissed like a toddler's aimless ramblings. She was about to say something when suddenly the door banged open and Professor Snape strode in, his cape billowing around him of its own volition. Harry took a moment to wonder at how its mere existence seemed to be a flip of finger to the laws of physics. Maybe there was a charm for that.

"Silence!" the dark robed man snapped. A hush fell over the room. "Listen to your instructions carefully. You will all maintain a proper and appropriate demeanor all throughout the ball. The first thing you will do when you're out of that floo is that you will find your families and let them know you have arrived. Twenty minutes after the new year bell hits, you will all regroup near the fireplace and we will return back to Hogwarts. And remember. I will not have my evening spoiled by any of your mindless shenanigans. Is that understood?" Snape said, his voice severe.

"Yes Professor" came the reply from every one of them, including Harry.

"Good. Now line up," Snape said, passing a piece of paper and a handful of floo powder to each one of the students. "Now I assume most of you have gone through the Floo before with your families. If this is your first time flooing alone, listen carefully. Step into the fire and speak carefully. Try not to end up in the wrong grate. If I am forced to go and fetch you back I will be…most displeased."

Harry walked into the fireplace, ducking to avoid hitting the mantle. He stared through the green flames at the faces of the students getting ready to follow him through. Looking down at his hands at the floo address on the piece of paper Snape had given him, Harry clearly intoned the two words.

Malfoy Manor

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