Till Death do us Part

Mirror of Erised

We walked down a long staircase to an empty room with pillars dotted around it. A large mirror was in the middle of the room with a familiar man standing in front of it. My forehead hurt like always and I brought up one of my hands to rub it, Roger holding my other.

"Why are you here?" Roger stepped in front of me, confusion crossing his face. "I thought Ron said it was Snape?"

"Yes. He does seem the type, doesn't he? Next to me, who would suspect, 'p-p-poor s-stuttering Professor Quirrell?'" Well that is not creepy at all.

'Then you let in the troll that almost killed me and Hermione,' I added in shock.

"Very good Potter, yes. Snape, unfortunately, wasn't fooled. While everyone else was running to the dungeon, he went to the 3rd floor to head me off. He, of course, never trusted me again. He rarely left me alone." Quirell turned back to the mirror. Why was he monologuing? "But he doesn't understand. I'm never alone. Never. Now... What does this do? I see what I desire. I see myself holding the stone. But know do I get it?"

"Use the boy." We jumped out of our skin as a raspy voice came from nowhere.

"Come here, Potter, now!"

Shakingly, I approached the teacher, Roger hid behind me as he tried to pull me away from the dangerous situation.

"Tell me. What do you see?"

I turned to look in the mirror. At first I didn't see anything but slowly it swirled and change. I was standing on a hill with an impossibly old man I couldn't recognise. He held out a stone for me a sad smile on his face as he signed something. 'It's yours now. I can't cure you, but you can choose someone. One person to spend eternity with you.'

I could see me in the mirror hugging the old man as I shouted the red stone up to the moon. The other me held in close before putting it in my pocket and pulling the old man up, dancing with him.

My greatest desire. I always thought it was too die. I wanted to die... right? But here I was, happy as can be with living. With one other person by my side.

"What is it?! What do you see?!"

I jumped at Quirrell's voice. "I-I am dancing with an old friend." No point telling him a lie but I don't think it would be a good idea to tell him that I was just given the object he was looking for.

"He lies," the raspy voice whispers. I did not lie! I just didn't tell the truth.

"Tell me the truth! What did you see?!"

"Let me speak to him." No, do not let him speak to me.

"Master, you are not strong enough."

"I have strength enough for this."

Quirrell unwrapped his turban and on the side opposite his face was another face. It was creepy and looked a little like a snake. It streched out and faced me through the mirror.

"Harry Potter. We meet again."

'Do I know you?'

The face burst out laughing. Why was it so creepy?! "Yes, you do. I am Voldemort. You see what I have become? See what I must do to survive? Live off another. A mere parasite. Unicorn blood can sustain me, but it cannot give me a body of my own. But there is something that can. Something, that conveniently enough, lies in your pocket!"

'Hold the fang. One, I didn't see you before. Two, why would you want to survive. Three, I have nothing on me.' True to my word, I didn't have the philosopher's stone. 'I won't lie to you, weird face that grows on my defence teacher's head, I would love to have the philosopher's stone. But sadly, I do not.'

"You want the philosopher's stone?"

'Well, yeah.' I folded my hands behind my head, smirking. 'That way I wouldn't be alone for the rest of my etirenty.' 

Before either face could do anything, they noticed that Roger was trying to leave.

"Stop him!" Quirrell snapped his fingers, making the room erupted in fire. Roger was trapped. "So you have the stone. Don't be a fool! Why suffer a horrific death when you can join me and live?!"

"I will never give you the stone!" Roger stumbled back but tripped over the steps.

"Haha. Bravery, you're pretty tough for a Hufflepuff."

'Leave him alone!' I jumped in front of my friend, holding out my hands.

"You're brave too Harry. Tell me, would you like to see your mother and father again? Together, we can bring them back. All I ask for is something in return."

Mother and father? I wonder what they would have looked like. I turned to Roger, kneeling down and holding out my hand. 'Give me the stone Roger.'

"That's it, Harry. There is no good and evil. There is only power, and those too weak to seek it. Together, we'll do extraordinary things. Just give me the stone, Harry!"

'That's not my name!' I focused my magic around the stone and sent it far away.

"Kill him!"

Quirrell soared through the air and smashed me into the ground. One hand gripped on my throat, crushing me. I fell on the steps next to Roger. I strained and squeaked, I tried to grab his hand when something happened. Smoke rose up from under my hand as Quirrell screamed. He backed away from me as his hand crumbled into black ash.

"What is this magic?!" Quirrell stumbled back, looking at me in horror.

"Fool! Kill him!"

Looking at Roger I made my mind. I charge forward, placing my hands on Quirrell and watching him scream. I looked up at him, looking directly in his eyes. "My name is Slythist, I am a Hufflepuff at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and don't mess with my friends!" I pushed him away from me as he disintegrated into nothing but ash and dust.  I turned back to Roger, checking over him. 'Are you okay?!'

Roger nodded, holding his hand to his head. "Yeah... Sly! Look out!"

I turned just in time to watch a spooky misty cloud charge at me. I let out a scream as my mind went black and I accepted the void of sleep.

I wonder... Why did Voldemort fight so hard to stay alive when death is so much better?