Link of Hogwarts

Eleven

Link was alone.

The friends had tried to warn the only adult they had thought would take them seriously when they heard that the Headmaster had left about their suspicion of possible heist taking advantage of his lack of presence, but McGonagall had brushed them aside though she told them to be quiet about the Philosopher's Stone. Not even the information that Hagrid may or may not have leaked information to the thief or thieves about the way to get past his pet Fluffy (Ron pulled a face when he heard the name, "Who name a giant three headed dog Fluffy?!" to which Link answered, "Hagrid?") would convince her.

So they spent the rest of the day trying to keep track of either professor, Link having insisted on keeping an eye on Quirrell to their confusion, but because of classes it was a nigh impossible thing to do. Ron grumbled during lunch break, "I wish I have a map that show me where everyone is exactly!"

Link looked at him, "Why not make one then?"

Neville nodded, "That's an idea,"

By night, Hermione grew restless when she saw the Headmaster not at dinner. She shared a look with her friends, "What now?"

So the group had decided to follow the thief through the trapdoor, Link's oddly nimble fingers in playing the left behind enchanted harp sent Fluffy into a coma after the third tune. Neville got them out of the Devil's Snare plant, blessed his flora knowledge. Ron got the key with his flying skill as well as his chess skill. Unfortunately he was taken out by the chess due to concussion from sacrificing himself so Link can checkmate the opponent's King piece. Neville turned back to get help. Hermione thanked all that's hallowed that Link and her didn't have to fight the positively dead and larger mountain troll in the next room but the next test had her turn back to company Ron since it only allowed one person to past.

So now Link stared at Quirrell's turban as he mumbled to himself in front of the familiar mirror. Quirrel sneered at him when he asked about Snape, "Of course, he made the perfect cannon fodder. With a person like that around, no one would suspect poor, scared P-P-Prof Q-Q-Q-Quirrell!"

Before Link could do anything, Quirrell had him tied up and pulled to his side. He then ignored the struggling boy as he continued to mutter to himself in desperation, "Now...how do I get the stone? I can see that I'm holding it but how do I get it out?!"

A chilling disembodied voice answered him and Link paused in his struggling like a mouse before predator, "The boy...use the boy..."

Quirrell turned to the quiet boy and pulled him closer to the mirror with his talon-like fingers that dug painfully into his shoulder, "Stand here!"

Link stared at his mirror that stood tall with an immovable face. She stood there behind him, floating and cradling a crimson stone. His parents both stood beside him. She opened her verdant eyes and offered him the Philosopher's Stone, tempting him. But the mirror Link simply closed his eyes, refusing the offer. Link understood then, that just as he stand guard over her he will stand guard over the Stone. Thus his reflection remained a sentinel over his heart's desire.

Quirrell's sharp voice broke him from his trance of studying the way the golden light illuminate her, "Well? What do you see?!"

Link gave a somber answer, "My greatest regret,"

Quirrell stopped, confused. He was sure that the mirror showed one's greatest desire, not their greatest regret. As he was struck dumb by the confession, the same voice hissed, "Let me speak to him...face to face..."

"Master, you are not strong enough!"

"I am strong enough...for this..."

As Quirrell unravel his turban, Link stood passive. A part of him knew then that the Headmaster would not have made getting the stone that easily. A painful reminder that his meddling lead to worse consequences. A cathedral, three gemstones in gilded frames of gold, a door, a familiar sword and...waiting...a long, long time of waiting...only to be greeted by destruction and hopelessness.

It was repeating. If Link had not rejected the stone offered by Her, he might have taken it out and allowed Quirrell to wrestle the stone from his hands. However he did reject the illusion, insisting on standing guard over accepting the treasure. It was the reason that Voldemort, who had lived in Quirrell's head like a parasite, tried to turn Link to his side by attempting to manipulate his kind heart to his cause.

"Harry Potter..." The ghastly face on the back of Quirrell's head sneered at him. Crimson eyes on chalk white skin glared at him, nose slit like Lizalfos and mouth baring hostility as the murderer of his family faced him, "See what I have become? Mere shadow and vapor...I have form only when I can share another's body...there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds,"

Link stared at Quirrell; eyes belied both pity and disgust for what the man have become. Voldemort continued, "Unicorn blood has strengthened me, these past weeks...you saw faithful Quirrell drinking it for me in the Forest...once I have my own Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own," He used Quirrell's hand to reach to Link, "Now why don't you help me get the Stone?"

Link glared at him as his answer. Voldemort jeered, "Don't be a fool," He snarled, "Better save your own life and join me...or you'll meet the same end as your parents...they died begging me for mercy,"

Link finally shrugged off the ropes binding him and pointed his holly wand at the twisted creature before him in an act of defiance. Voldemort stared at the quiet child, a garish smile spreading across the corpse-like face, "How touching..." He crooned sickeningly, "I always value bravery...yes, boy, your parents were brave...I killed your father first and he put up a courageous fight...but your mother needn't have died...she was trying to protect you...now help me get the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain,"

Link roared out a fierce battle cry as he lunged forward in refusal. Voldemort cried out to his slave, "SEIZE HIM!" The next few moments were a blur of actions and reactions as Link danced around Quirrell's curses, jinxes and hexes. All along, Voldemort's cry of capturing him turned into ending him echoed as the background noise to their battle. At one point, Quirrell lost his wand and so in confidence of his larger size, reached out to grab Link. It was a grave mistake on the man's part.

Quirrell's hand brushed Link's left hand and golden light with emerald glow lashed out, making the man cry in pain as he witness his hand slowly blistered and turn to charcoal before his eyes. Link saw what happened and made a decision that no children should made; he reach toward his teacher's neck and grasped the man's throat even as he howled and thrashed in pain until his life burn out of him.

Breathing heavily, Link stood up and stared at the man he just killed. Gulping down saliva to try and wet his dried throat, he walked toward the Mirror. However, the fine hair of his neck raised and he turned, wand at the ready as he used raw magic to put up a shield before him as a writhing grey wraith that was Voldemort rushed at him in fury. Behind him, the mirror cracked and shattered in pieces from the impact of Voldemort's mad escape.

"'Link/Harry!'"

When Albus finally reached the room where the Mirror was placed he saw Link standing before the Mirror a silent sentinel, wand drawn and pointed at an invisible enemy. However, his eyes landed at the direction the wand was pointed and saw Quirrell's corpse; head detached viciously from his body. Realizing what it meant, Albus rushed towards his student and called out, "Link, child?"

It was only when he reached him that he realized that Link had fallen unconscious standing up and on guard. As he cradled the unconscious child down, he noticed that the part of the Mirror that was protected from the spider webs of cracks was only those that was directly behind Link. Within, Albus saw his own image winking at him and the weight of the Stone settled in his pocket in turn...