𝔞 𝔴𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞𝔫𝔡 𝔞 𝔴𝔦𝔱𝔠𝔥; 𝔥𝔞𝔯𝔯𝔶 𝔭𝔬𝔱𝔱𝔢𝔯

xvi. the truth sets you free.

MADAM Pomfrey, the nurse, was a kind-hearted yet firm individual. The trio had invested about fifteen minutes in persuading her to allow them to see Harry. They had observed Dumbledore departing with a beaming expression, a clear sign that Harry was finally awake after three days of unconsciousness.

"Just five minutes," Ron's voice pleaded.

"Absolutely not."

"You let Professor Dumbledore in..."

"Well, of course, that was the headmaster, quite different. You need rest."

"Well we're his best friends and we have been visiting everyday," Emmalina replied, trying to put on her best puppy dog expression.

"I am resting, look, lying down and everything. Oh, go on, Madam Pomfrey..." Harry chimed in. His voice made the trio exchange looks of content.

"Oh, very well," she said. "But five minutes only."

And she let the three in.

"Harry!"

Hermione looked ready to fling her arms around him again, but she didn't. Emmalina began to jump on the tips of her toes, a hand over her mouth to muffle her excited and happy squeals. "Thank god, you woke up. You had us worried sick." she expressed forcing herself to calm down when Harry gave her a weird look.

"Oh, Harry, we were sure you were going to -- Dumbledore was so worried--"

"The whole school's talking about it," said Ron. "What really happened?"

"Yeah, Dumbledore didn't tell us much."

Harry took in a long breath. "After we got separated, I was in a room. And to my surprise, it wasn't Snape. It was Quirrel." His eyes flickered between the three, watching them pay attention to him intently.  "And the stone was inside the Mirror of Erised but Quirell couldn't get it out."

Emmalina raised an eyebrow. "In the mirror of Erised? How could it be in it?"

"Yeah, Dumbledore told me. Only a person who wanted to find the stone but not use it could get it." Harry shrugged. "And then Quirrel tried to force me to get the stone out on the instruction of a voice. But it wasn't his. It was Voldemort's,"

The other three subconsciously edged closer to Harry.

"But I couldn't see him. It was only me and Quirrel. But I got the answer pretty quickly when Quirrel removed his turban. Voldemort's head was in the back of the turban."

Ron who had been flinching every time Harry mentioned You-Know-Who forgot to do so cause of the sheer shock he felt. Hermione and Emmalina gasped, their eyes wide. Harry jumped when Hermione let out an additional scream as she closed her eyes, probably imagining the whole thing vividly.

"And then Quirrel tried to force me to get the stone but I refused. The strange thing was that Quirrel couldn't touch me. It was almost like . . . my touch melted him away. It hurt him."

"What? How?" Hermione interrupted, her raised eyebrows almost disappearing into her hairline.

"Dunno. Dumbledore wouldn't tell me."

"And then?" Ron edged closer to Harry, blue eyes as wide as the full moon. 

"A heavy weight had settled into my pocket. Remember what I said about the stone? That's the reason the stone came to me. Quirrel was turning more and more violet so I flung myself on him so that he could. . . evaporate or whatever away. My scar was hurting so much that I lost consciousness and the last thing I remember was fighting Quirrel."