Chapter Text
Harry felt horrible, it felt as if his entire body was on fire, yet cold at the same time. As he woke up in the infirmary, he opened his eyes and noticed the sunlight filtering in. He looked around and saw a small cart filled with cards and sweets. ‘What are these for’ he thought. Then his memories came rushing back to him as if a dam had broken.
The corridor, the trials, and worst of all, Him .
==========================================================================================
He remembered as he and his classmates Blaise Zabini and Theodore Nott, breached the locked door on the third floor corridor. They had stumbled upon the corridor after trying to save Neville, a Hufflepuff in their year, after he was goaded into a stupid duel by Ronald Weasely in the trophy room past curfew.
The Slytherin trio had dragged Neville away and hid in the locked room on the floor as Weasely was caught by Filch. Their joy was short lived however as they heard three distinct growls behind them. The guard dog, a massive cerberus, that they later learned was named Fluffy was the start of their mad adventure.
Then, on Halloween, the four boys noticed Professor Snape was wounded, his leg bleeding as if something had taken a bite out of it. The boys determined something was in the corridor worth protecting if Snape had to endure Fluffy's wrath to check if it was safe. Granted, that wasn’t their first concern that night as Snape berated the four for taking on a mountain troll in the girls bathroom. However, the look of gratitude on the face of Hermione Granger, a first year Ravenclaw girl who had been crying in the bathroom, was worth it.
After the Halloween debacle, Hermione joined their little group and they pooled their knowledge over the rest of the year. After many talks with Hagrid, the half-giant let slip enough information. Nicholas Flamel had entrusted the Philosopher’s Stone with Headmaster Dumbledore. They deduced that Professor Quirrell was acting strange their entire year after learning that his stutter, signature purple turban, and irrational fear of vampires was new from Terence Higgs, a third year Slytherin. Combined with the murders of the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest, Harry believed they had him found out. He genuinely believed Quirrell was dying after some horrendous encounter with vampires on his sabbatical that summer, and he was desperate enough to drink unicorn blood and brave the corridor to steal the Philosopher’s Stone to save his life.
Harry desperately wished he had been right.
The previous night the group made their way down the corridor, past a sleeping Fluffy was a pit full of Devil’s Snare. Neville had proved instrumental as he coached everyone on how to get past the plant. Blaise used an advanced charm, Accio , to catch the key in the next room, while Theodore helped everyone win the lifesize chess match. Hermione had solved the potions riddle and Harry had passed through the fire to go ahead and try to dissuade and stall Professor Quirrell while everyone else got help.
But it wasn’t Quirrell in the next room, the old Muggle Studies professor was long gone, instead, Harry was face to face with Him .
He revealed himself in front of the Mirror of Erised, the murderer of his parents, the reason he was forced to live at the Dursley’s, the reason he was alone. After being forced to look in the mirror, the Stone was magically placed in his pocket, and when he refused to hand it over, He made Quirrell’s body attack him. Harry felt cold dead hands around his throat as the life was being choked out of his body, but watched in horror and amazement as Quirrell’s body disintegrated before his eyes. Harry had run to grab the Stone, and even though he tripped as He puppeteered Quirrell’s body after him, he had it. Stone in hand he looked back and saw Quirrell’s body reduced to dust, but He was there, a floating, living shadow. With a horrific, inhuman scream He charged straight at him.
The last thing Harry remembered was excruciating pain as the shadow collided with him.
What Harry didn’t remember was the Stone dissolving in his hand as wisps of blue magic spiraled around him.
==========================================================================================
As the pain faded, Harry looked at the cart and began to read some of the cards. Pansy Parkinson had sent a floral card decorated with hearts and signed Get Well Soon! Love, Pansy and included a chocolate frog. Daphne Greengrass had also sent a card, although hers was predictably more reserved and polite. Lavender Brown, despite being in Gryffindor, also sent him a card with a box of Every Flavor Beans. Beside a plate of treacle tart was a massive card signed by Hermione, Neville, Theodore and Blaise. Nearly all of his Slytherin year mates, even Draco Malfoy , sent him some form of well wishes.
He was starting to get overwhelmed, he had never been given anything for free before the Cloak at Christmas, and he began to panic like he did over the holidays. He was paralyzed as he wracked his brain to deduce the hidden clauses and false promises. ‘Everything has a price, everything’ he thought. However, he wasn’t thinking for long as a snowy white missile collided with him.
“Hedwig! What are you doing here girl?” He exclaimed as he began to pet the snowy owl, a gift from Hagrid, the only gift he had ever received without fear of restitution. His first true friend. After a full minute of cuddling, Harry noticed a letter tied to Hedwig’s leg. As he untied the letter, he looked at the symbol on the parchment, and the wax seal, ‘Gringotts? I never knew the Goblins sent letters, but what do they want with me?’
Harry began to panic as he thought of every single thing he had done when he visited the Goblins with Hagrid. He feared he had insulted them somehow if they were willing to contact him for breaking some obscure law that deserved punishment. He didn’t notice as his finger accidentally brushed the seal on the letter. The seal began to glow a faint blue, and Harry’s world began to spin as he felt a harsh pull behind his navel.