Flurry took flight, diving and soaring amid the many other flying things. She laughed as she dodged brooms and inspected keys. "We just have to find the right one, right?"

"Yeah!" Harry shouted after her. "But which is the right one?!"

Ron grabbed onto a broom and settled into place atop it. "I guess we'll figure that out. Take this, Hermione."

She caught the one he tossed her way and soon they were all searching the room. Harry floated with his own magic as he looked from key to key. But then, something odd caught his attention. There was a key without wings, but it moved as if it had them. It sailed on with purpose. He pointed towards it. "There!"

Flurry sped towards the key, weaving her way around to grasp it in her magic. It dodged and weaved, but she snatched it and held it still. "Got it!" She landed daintily with a laugh. "One room down!"

Ron sat down on a chair with a heavy sigh. "I feel so exhausted already. How much farther do you think this will go?"

"Be careful about that!" Harry landed next to Ron. Thankfully, the chair wasn't ensorcelled to attack them, as far as they could tell.

Hermione waved it away as she got off her broom. "We made it. Let's rest for a moment before we tackle the next one."

They settled near one another, taking a soft breath amid the flying keys. Flurry's eyes were on a door. "Think the key goes in there?"

Ron looked to where she pointed, smiling at the sight of the next room. "Probably." He stood up with a groan. "Alright, I think we're all set now. Which of us has the key?"

Flurry held it up. "That'd be me." She pushed the door open, and together they entered the next room.

Before them spread an immense chess board. Occupying that board were equally large playing pieces, each looking like a little knight, bishop, or foot soldier, ready to march into battle. Ron whistled softly at the sight of them. "Core. I didn't expect that."

Harry craned his neck left and right as he looked about the board. "I was never all that good at magic chess, I admit." He rubbed his chin in thought. "If we have to play this game, it's going to be hard. But if we want to win, I think we should..."

Ron was already calling out the first move. "We got this. Let's win this game and get on through!"

Hermione tapped her fingers against her hip as she looked from one side of the board to the other. "The important thing is getting Snape. Get 'em, Ron!"

The massive game went on, but Ron did not fight alone. He had his friends calling out moves when a good one came to them. Pieces were taken and lost, bits of stone flying when they were destroyed. Ron shook as he waited for his turn.

"Pawn to E5." Hermione pointed towards a piece to the far left. "This'll keep that bishop at bay."

"On it." He rode a piece as it slowly advanced across the field. "We got this!"

But the next call did not come so easily. A piece moved towards his queen and he shouted for Harry to act. Harry hesitated. What move would do anything?

Ron played a daring move, sacrificing himself for the chance to take the enemy king. He was sent flying, unconscious by the time he hit the ground. The way forward was open, but they were down a person.

Flurry looked between the exit and Ron. "Will he be safe?"

Hermione crouched by Ron's side. "I think he will. The game is over." She shook him gently. "He looks like he's sleeping."

So they let him lay where he was, and pushed on, knowing that time was of the essence.

The next room was Professor Quirrel's, but there wasn't much interesting there but a knocked-out troll spread on the floor. Harry scowled at it. "That might have been a guard, and someone's already taken it out. We'd better hurry up."

Flurry peered around the edges of the room. "Where are you going to go, Snape?" She squinted in thought. "He wouldn't get all the way here without help. Maybe not even past the troll."

Harry didn't look nearly as sure of that. "Snape's a powerful wizard. He could get a lot of things done. Let's stay on our guard, okay?"

With shared nods, they pressed forward to what was Snape's own room. Hanging on the wall were six potions. All glowed with strange light, different colors shimmering across them. Ron shook his head. "Hey, a note." He pointed to where some instructions were posted.

Reading over them, it became clear how it worked. Two of the potions had a powerful liquor, one would let them move forward, and another would put them back at the start. The remaining three were poison. The note had clues as to which could be which. Hermione frowned at the note. "Of course. There's no way we can figure this out without being foolish enough to take a chance. This is a logical puzzle, not a magic one."

Harry gestured for Flurry to come closer. "Could you check the bottles? If anyone knows the difference between them, it'd be you."

Flurry went over to each in turn, sniffing and checking. "Why do you think I'm the one?" She rolled her eyes, but smirked knowingly at the end. "You're catching on. Leave it to sis!" She put two potions aside. "Strong drinks that'll knock you loopy." She stepped to another bottle. "This is poison. But this one?" She held out a final bottle. "This one smells of blood and candy."

Hermione was figuring through the instructions. "Blood? That should, mmm." She scanned the instructions. "What's the other one smell like?"

"Death," said Flurry bluntly.

Harry pointed at the directions again. "Just as I thought." He poked Flurry with his snout. "Your sniffer's great, Sis."

"Death, candy." She scratched at the pad with her notes. "I think the candy one will send you back, and the death one, forward."

Harry nodded. "Alright. Hermione, this is my plan. Grab Ron from the last room, take the candy and get him to safety. Flurry and I will go forward and stop Snape. Okay?"

Hermione gave him a gentle hug. "Okay. Good luck, Harry." She headed back to the previous room, collected Ron, and came back out. With a sip, she vanished from sight, hopefully back at the start of the trip safely.

Flurry grabbed the other one. "Hope it doesn't taste as bad as it smells." She stuck out her tongue. "Because it already smells awful."

"Ready, Flurry?" Harry tilted his head at her.

"Yes!" She tossed the potion back with a loud gulp. Harry followed suit, coughing and gagging on the acrid flavor of blood and death.

The next room didn't have Snape. It had Quirrel, much to their confusion. "Quirrel?! Where's Snape?!"

Quirrel laughed as he turned to face Harry. "Silly boy. Snape was trying to protect you. None would expect me to be here." He strode forward slowly, power gathering around his hands. "It has been amusing, playing teacher for so long. You should feel lucky, I imagine."

Off to the side, Harry noticed a familiar mirror, the one that let him see what he most wanted to see. Quirrel followed his gaze. "Ah, yes. That is the key to finding the stone."

"What are you doing here?" Harry edged around, trying to distract Quirrel from the stone.

Quirrel smirked at him. "I'm here to get the stone for my master Voldemort." He spread his arms out in an odd sort of welcome. "You may remember him."

Harry paled at the name. "The one who killed my parents and almost got me!"

"The very same!" Quirrel clapped his hands together.

Flurry advanced with a growl. "If you're so smart, why aren't you already getting the stone? Why are you even talking to us?"

Quirrel crossed his arms. "You have a point. Master, how do we proceed?"

A snake-like voice hissed quietly, for Quirrel's ears, "Use the boy. He is the key."

Quirrel's expression softened. "Very well." He gestured at the mirror. "Go on, take a look. Maybe you'll find the answer you seek."

Harry hesitated. He could not trust Quirrel's offer, but he couldn't ignore it either. With a deep breath, he turned to face the mirror. The reflection of him put up a hoof to their lips as if to be quiet. A stone floated over and fell into the reflection's front pocket. Harry felt something drop into his own pocket.

"What did you see?" Quirrel didn't sound very patient about it.

"Uh." Harry patted his pocket. "Just myself, and Dumbledoor. We were hoof to hand, and he was congratulating me. It was so nice. Why is this mirror here?"

Quirrel smirked at that. "It shows us what we want to see most in the world."

"He is lying," whispered the snake voice for Quirrel.

"Tell me what you really saw." Quirrel scowled at Harry, approaching. "Enough." He started to undo his turban. "I have grown tired of this game." With the turban removed, they could see that, rather than the back of his head, Quirrel had another face back there, dark and glaring. It was Voldemort's sneering visage.

Harry stepped back, breath caught in his throat. "Core!"

Flurry spread her wings as she stomped in place. "You won't have the stone!" She angled her horn, looking ready to blast him, but that turned into a defensive warding as Voldemort spat a death invocation in her direction. Their magic met with a brilliant flash and sparkle, repelling each other back and away from the other.

Harry and Quirrel dueled briefly, their wands colliding in a fit of sparks and blazes. Quirrel darted in close enough to grab Harry. "Hold still!" But touching Harry proved to be as painful as touching a flame and he wrenched his hand back with a hiss.

Flurry laughed at the sight. "Bro! Arnavon! Pretend you're Arnavon! Tsuki special attack!"

Harry nodded, leaping forward with his arms wide. "Bunny attack!" Quirrel, to his credit, got off another spell, but it went wild as he was tackled by a full-body hug from a unicorn. A loud sizzling hiss reached the air as Quirrel tried desperately to pry Harry loose. The pain wasn't entirely one way, but Harry was set on grabbing Quirrel as tightly as he could, channeling his inner tsuki.

Quirrel screamed in rage and agony as the curse wreaked havoc on him. "Get! Off!" He barely manages to peel Harry away just as things black out.

Harry woke up in a new place, laying on a soft bed in what looked like a hospital wing of some sort. "What happened?"

A nurse that had been nearby rushed over to him. "You're awake!" She called out into the hallway. "He's awake! Send word to Dumbledore!"

Dumbledore strode in as if he had been waiting just outside, or he had been coming at just the right time. "My boy, it seems you've had quite the eventful evening."

Harry groaned as he sat up. "I was fighting Quirrel." He rubbed at his head. "Snape, Snape was there."

Dumbledore settled next to Harry. "Snape was only trying to protect you. Your sister—"

As if summoned by her mention, Flurry flew in and casually landed on top of Harry, hooves on the bed all around him. "Brother! About time you woke up."

Dumbledore chuckled a little at that. "I assume you are also quite glad to see Harry safe and sound?"

Flurry nuzzled into Harry. "Duh. I am here to keep his stupid butt safe." She sat up, which also involved sinking onto him, pinning him. "How are you feeling?"

Harry squirmed a bit, trying to get free. "I'm okay. Just confused." He let out a slow breath. "How long have I been out?"

Dumbledore raised a finger. "You kept the stone safe, Harry. I'm very proud of you. Voldemort was driven out, leaving Quirrel to his fate. He'll be back, mind. He isn't destroyed, just pushed out of his safe little nest."

"We're not safe?" Harry fidgeted nervously.

Dumbledore tapped Harry's chest, "Not yet, no. But with time, we will be. You've kept us away from certain disaster for now though."

Flurry huffed a bit, pinning Harry more firmly to the bed. "That means my work is done here."

Dumbledore laughed at Flurry's question. "Well, the semester is almost over. When you return home, you are officially off-duty for the time, are you not?"

"Officially off-duty," said Flurry firmly. "I guess that means I'm going home." She squeezed him in a hug. "With my brother intact, great." She hopped to the floor, fluttering her wings. "Thanks."

Author's Note

A considerably large part of me wants to call this the end. It's basically the end of the actual book we're borrowing from. Objections?

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