The One who Saved Harry

Chapter Sixteen

Severus burst into the chamber, Hermione, Ron, and Draco right behind him. He saw the mirror, which had tipped over and broken. He saw flames surrounding the chamber. But none of this mattered, because on the steps, Quirrel and Harry lay. 

Harry appeared unconscious. Quirrel was choking the life out of him. 

Hermione screamed, and Quirrel looked up. A horrible sight met their eyes. 

His face was burned and bleeding. The skin appeared to be peeling off, some crumbling to ask. His turban was unravelling, revealing the face of Voldemort behind it, shrieking orders at Quirrel. 

Severus waved his wand and Quirrel was blasted backwards, off of Harry. Severus waved his wand again, and Quirrel was bound head to toe in thick, black cords. Severus magicked him onto a stretcher and scooped Harry into his arms. 

"We've got to get to the hospital wing." he said curtly. 

oOXOo

Harry woke slowly. He was first aware of the fact that he was very comfortable and warm. As he explored his surrounding, without opening his eyes, the memory of what had happened came back to him. He still didn't open his eyes.

The last thing he remembered before blacking out was Quirrel trying to strangle him. And, as far as he remembered, he had been succeeding. Pondering this, Harry reached a conclusion. 

He was dead. 

That would be why everything was so comfortable. He was in heaven. And the whispering voices of those around him would be those of his family, wouldn't they? Well, Lily and James. And probably his grandparents. 

"Is he alright?" a voice whispered. 

"He's been out for a long time." Another agreed. 

"He's got to wake up soon!" A third, rather hysterical, voice concluded. 

Those were Ron, Hermione's, and Draco's voices! Did this mean they were dead, too?

Harry opened his eyes. He appeared to be in the hospital wing. Not exactly what he thought heaven would look like, but how should he know? He'd never been there before, after all. 

Instantly, he was surrounded. Ron, Hermione, and Draco were closest. Severus was standing next to Dumbledore and Madam Pomfrey, a little further back. 

"Harry!" Hermione shrieked in that same, hysterical voice. "Are you alright? What happened? Why would you go without us? We thought you were dead! We-"

"Hermione!" Ron said sharply. "Let the man breath!" 

Harry grinned rather weakly. "Hey." 

His voice was pretty hoarse. It was barely a whisper, but he supposed that was to be expected when someone had just been trying to crush your windpipe. 

Severus stepped forward. "Harry, that was extremely foolish of you." 

"I know." Harry croaked. 

"Why would you go without us?" Hermione asked again, though in a calmer voice. 

Harry shrugged. "I didn't want to put you guys in danger." 

"You are extremely lucky that Quirrel did not get the Stone." Severus said sternly. 

Harry touched his pocket under the blankets. The Stone was still there. 

"Minerva is attempting to remove it from the mirror as we speak." Severus continued. 

"She won't be able to." Harry croaked. He wished they would stop talking; it hurt rather a lot to speak. 

"What do you mean?" Draco asked sharply. "Quirrel didn't get it, right?"