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Last of the Fae Chapter 40: Philosopher’s Stone Pt. 3
🕑 Added 2024-09-09 22:04:09 +0000 UTCStepping through the cursed black flames Thane blinked as he stared at the still troll corpse laid out in front of him, while there was no obvious sign of damage or injury Thane could feel an aura of death lingering around the body, a clear sign of dark magic.
Beyond the corpse sat the next pair of doors which were slightly askew and judging by the magical signature leaking in Thane knew that the philosopher’s stone waited just beyond the doors.
“Blimey you move fast.”
Thane glanced over his shoulder as Ron, Hermione and Harry stepped through the flames and joined him in the room, “This isn’t my handiwork, whoever you’re chasing got here first and is probably stealing the stone as we speak.”
“The person we’re chasing is Snape, and if you're worried about them taking the stone, why are we standing around here doing nothing?” Hermione asked and was about to brush past Thane when his hand shot out and grabbed her wrist, “Let go of me!”
“Before we bust down the doors with wands blazing, I need an oath from each of you,” Thane responded in an even tone and after Hermione stopped struggling he let go of her wrist, “If it is Snape I’ll need to use every facet of magic available to me some of which I rather keep a secret.”
“What are you going to use dark magic?” Ron asked in a snarky voice and Thane fixed him with a glare, “This isn’t a joke, I need all of you to swear an oath on your magic that you won’t reveal my secrets.”
“And if we don’t?” Harry asked as he met Thane’s emerald eyes without flinching.
“Then I’m afraid this is as far as the three of you go,” Thane replied with a steely voice that threatened the use of violence to resolve the problem at hand.
For a moment it seemed as if Thane and Trio would fight once more, when Harry let out a defeated sigh, “I swear on my magic that I won’t reveal any of your secrets.”
A pulse of mana rippled out of Harry and Thane felt the oath solidify.
“Harry, what are you doing?!” Ron exclaimed as he turned on his friend.
“There’s no time to bugger about, we need to get in there and stop Snape and as much as I hate to say it we need Thane’s help,” Harry replied with a frustrated sigh.
“I swear on my magic that I won’t reveal any of your secrets.”
“Hermione you too?” Ron asked as he spun to face Hermione who looked ill at the words that had just come out of her mouth, “Harry’s right Ron there’s no time to waste.”
Rone grit his teeth and spun to face Thane who lifted an eyebrow, “What will it be Weasley?”
---
‘Stupefy.’
A bolt of red light struck the pair of heavy wooden doors and on impact they exploded into a shower of fine wooden splinters that flew everywhere as Thane, Ron, Hermione and Harry stormed into the room with their wands at the ready.
As the debris cleared the scene before them was revealed, taking place with them standing atop a grand staircase that led to an open room with a central path leading to a grand mirror which was sat atop a raised dais. But the most eye-catching detail was the robed figure in front of the mirror that spun around as they entered and had everyone frowning in confusion and disappointment.
“No it can’t be,” Hermione muttered under her breath.
“Professor Quirrell?” Harry asked out loud and the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher smiled an expression absent of his usual uneasy and nervous demeanor.
“Hello Potter, bet you didn’t expect to find me here.” Quirrell asked with a malicious grin and a short bark of villainous laughter.
“We thought it was Snape all this time…but it was really you all along,” Ron replied in obvious shock and disbelief.
Quirrell sneered at the ginger, “Of course you didn’t, no one ever expects timid little Quirinus. But it served me well, after all no one expected or even suspected that I was the one who released a troll into the castle. In fact I would have been able to steal the Philosopher's stone that night if Snape hadn’t stopped me!”
“But why do you even want the stone?” Harry asked with wide eyes still recovering from the shock.
Quirrell opened his mouth to respond but at that moment a long hiss echoed through the room as a voice spoke from seemingly nowhere and everywhere at once, “Harry Potter, the Boy who lived. We meet again at long last!”
Harry Ron and Hermione’s eyes darted around the room trying to find the source of the voice while a nervous look flashed across Quirrell’s face, “Master, are you sure this is wise. You’ve barely recovered from…”
“Silence you fool!” The hissing voice roared and Quirrell flinched, “I am more than capable of facing a few meddling teenagers. Now reveal me!”
“Y-yes master,” Quirrell replied timidly as he reached up and undid his turban before slowly turning around displaying the grotesque face growing out the back of his head.
“What the bloody hell is that thing!?” Ron asked as he flinched from the horrific sight as Harry winced and reached up to grab at his scar.
“Fascinating, I’ve read about this but I never thought I would see it in person,” Thane commented as he stared at the sickening face in amazement, “And it makes perfect sense why Quirrell or should I say his master wants the philosopher's stone. Tell me how much agony are you in right now? I can’t imagine what it feels like, two souls occupying the same meat puppet.”
Ron and Hermione glanced at Thane, their confusion as plain as day, while the face on the back of Quirell’s head contoured in anger, “Silence you ignorant child! You know nothing!
Thane smirked before a predatory grin spread across his face, “I know more than you can possibly imagine…though I never expected to encounter the great Dark Lord Voldemort stuck to the back of my professor’s head.”
Silence echoed through the room, as every pair of eyes turned to look at Thane.
“Sorry mate, but for a second it sounded like you said that thing, is you know who.” Ron asked in disbelief as he pointed to the face which was currently growling most likely at Thane stealing its thunder.
“No need to get your hearing checked Ron, you heard correctly. Professor Quirrell is being possessed by a fragment of Voldemort’s soul, for quite some time it seems like judging by how much the Dark Lord has influenced his body.” Thane answered as he put away his wand, “Isn’t that right Quirrell?”
“Silence!” Voldemort roared as his amplified voice boomed out, “Once I regain my body every one of you will suffer at my hand and will experience years of agony before I allow your souls to pass on!”
“What are you doing Thane!?” Hermione hissed as she watched Thane put away his wand and a glint of fear appeared in her eyes , “Don’t you know what Voldemort is capable of, this is infinitely worse than fighting Snape.”
“It’s actually infinitely better,” Thane replied as he started to walk down the long staircase, “You see, it’s theorized that the soul is kinda like a blueprint, it remembers what you’re supposed to look like. That’s how healing magic works by the way, it uses your soul blueprint as a guide to properly restore any injuries.”
“That’s great and all but I don’t think now’s the time for a lecture!” Ron replied through gritted teeth as Thane continued to descend the stairs all while Voldemort’s face continued to stare at him angrily.
“So what happens,” Thane continued, ignoring Ron, “When two souls occupy the same body? Normally they would fight for dominance and snuff out the other but our professor was somehow convinced to act as a host delaying the process but clearly not stopping it entirely. So Voldemort hopes to use the Philosopher's stone to create a new body for his soul to possess before Quirrell’s body breaks down from trying to follow two different blueprints simultaneously.”
Thane’s explanation stopped just as he arrived in front of Voldemort, with only a few scant inches separating them, “You know I wondered why you didn’t use magic during our classes, but I guess even a simple light charm is hard with someone else’s mana running through your Pathways.”
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