HP:MoR Parseltongue

All HPMOR parseltongue v1

This is a list of paragraphs which appear to contain parseltongue (multiple occurrences of "ss" in italics) in HP:MoR. It has been manually pruned for the false positives I could find at a glance, and should contain most (if not all) parseltongue spoken in all of HP:MoR.

Everything within <em></em> tags is italics.


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CHAPTER 12
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Harry was still trying to process everything that had happened
during the Incident with the Sorting Hat. Not the least of which
was what had happened the instant Harry had lifted the Hat off his
head; in that moment, he'd heard a tiny whisper as though from
nowhere, something that sounded oddly like English and a hiss at
the same time, something that had said, "<em>Ssalutations from
Sslytherin to Sslytherin: if you would sseek my ssecretss, sspeak
to my ssnake."</em>


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CHAPTER 47
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"<em>Hsssss ssss sshsshssss,</em>" said Harry.


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CHAPTER 49
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"<em>Sso,</em>" hissed the snake. "<em>You sspeak, I hear. I
sspeak, you hear?</em>"

"<em>Obvioussly,</em>" hissed the snake. "<em>Thirty-sseven
ruless, number thirty-four: Become Animaguss. All ssensible people
do, if can. Thuss,</em> <em>very rare.</em>" The snake's eyes were
flat surfaces ensconced within dark pits, sharp black pupils in
dark gray fields. "<em>This iss mosst ssecure way to sspeak. You
ssee? No otherss undersstand uss.</em>"

"<em>Not unlesss heir of Sslytherin willss.</em>" The snake gave
a series of short hisses which Harry's brain translated as sardonic
laughter. "<em>Sslytherin not sstupid. Ssnake Animaguss not ssame
as Parsselmouth. Would be huge flaw in sscheme.</em>"

"<em>I am not regisstered,</em>" hissed the snake. The dark pits
of its eyes stared at Harry. "<em>Animaguss musst be regisstered.
Penalty is two yearss imprissonment. Will you keep my ssecret,
boy?</em>"

The snake seemed to hold still, as though in shock, and then
began to sway again. "<em>We come here next in sseven dayss. Bring
cloak to passs unsseen, bring hourglasss to move through time
-</em>"

Again the series of short quick hisses that translated as
sardonic laughter. "<em>You arrive in my firsst classs while sstill
in other classs, sstrike down enemy with pie, two ballss of memory
-</em>"

"<em>Hourglasss is resstricted,</em>" Harry said. "<em>Cannot
usse until ninth hour.</em>"

The snake twitched its head, a snakish nod. "<em>Many
resstrictionss. Locked to your usse only, cannot be sstolen. Cannot
transsport other humanss. But ssnake carried in pouch, I ssuspect
will go with. Think posssible to hold hourglasss motionlesss within
sshell, without dissturbing wardss, while you turn sshell around
it. We will tesst in sseven dayss. Will not sspeak of planss beyond
thiss. You ssay nothing, to no one. Give no ssign of expectancy,
none. Undersstand?</em>"

"<em>Ansswer in sspeech.</em>"

"<em>Yess. But,"</em> Harry gave a wobbling rasp that was how
his mind had translated a hesitant 'Ahhh' into snakish, "<em>I do
not promisse to do whatever thiss iss, you have not ssaid
-</em>"

The snake performed a shiver that Harry's mind translated as a
severe glare. "<em>Of coursse not. Will disscusss sspecificss at
next meeting.</em>"


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CHAPTER 51
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- hissed, "<em>Hungry, boy? Eat your fill sswiftly, we sshall
need both sstrength and time.</em>"

The snake watched him for a moment, with those flat eyes, and
then hissed, "<em>Do not wissh to explain here. Prefer to be
elssewhere firsst. Need to leave unobsserved, without ssign we have
ever departed room.</em>"

"<em>Yess. Do you trusst me that much, boy? Think before
ansswer. I will have important requesst of you, which requiress
trusst; if ssay no regardlesss, then ssay no now.</em>"


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CHAPTER 52
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"<em>Casst your Patronuss,</em>" hissed a snake from the floor,
looking more discolored than green in the dim orange light.

And then, "<em>It iss sstable,</em>" Harry hissed, and began
feeding his broomstick into his pouch. His wand stayed in his hand,
and a slight, sustainable flow from him replaced the slight losses
from his Patronus.


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CHAPTER 53
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<em>"Ssay ssomething in Parsseltongue,"</em> hissed the
snake.

Harry's face turned to the snake, to make it clear that he was
addressing it, and hissed, "<em>One two three four five ssix sseven
eight nine ten.</em>"

"<em>Yess,</em>" hissed the snake, "<em>but do not
underesstimate her, sshe wass the deadliesst of warriorss.</em>"
The green head dipped in warning. "<em>One would be wisse to fear
me, boy, even were I sstarved and nine-tenthss dead; be wary of
her, allow no ssingle flaw in your pretensse.</em>"


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CHAPTER 58
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<em>"What wass... that noisse?</em>"

"<em>Teacher?</em>" came the weak, confused hiss. "<em>Where
iss thiss?</em>

"<em>Prisson,</em>" Harry hissed, "<em>the prisson with
life-eaterss, we were to resscue a woman, you and I. You tried to
sslay the protector man, I blocked your killing cursse, there was a
ressonance between uss... you fell unconssciouss, I had to defeat
the protector man mysself... my guardian Charm wass disspelled, the
life-eaterss could tell the protectorss that the woman had
esscaped. There iss ssomeone here who can ssensse my guardian
Charm, probably the sschoolmasster... so had to disspell my
guardian Charm, find different way to hide you and the woman from
life-eaterss without guardian Charm, learn to protect mysself
without guardian Charm, sscare off life-eaterss without guardian
Charm, then devisse new esscape plan for you and the woman, and
finally, cut hole in thick metal wall of prisson even though I am
only firsst-year sstudent. No time to explain, you musst go now. If
we never meet again, teacher, then I was glad to know you for a
time, even though you are probably evil. It iss good to have the
chance to ssay thiss much: Goodbye.</em>"

"<em>Sstop!</em>" said the snake. Its voice was stronger now.
"<em>Sstop, sstop, sstop! What do you mean, goodbye?</em>"

"<em>Esscape plan iss rissky,</em>" said Harry. "<em>My life iss
not at sstake, only yourss and herss. Sso I am sstaying, turning
mysself in -</em>"

"<em>No longer trusst you,</em>" Harry said simply. "<em>Not
ssince you tried to sslay the protector man.</em>"

And the snake hissed, "<em>I did not sseek to sslay the
protector man! Are you fool, boy? Sslaying him would not make
ssensse, evil or no!</em>"

The snake's hiss was now more furious than anything Harry had
ever heard from the human Professor Quirrell. "<em>Sslay him? Had I
ssought to sslay him he would have been dead within ssecondss, fool
boy, he wass no match for me! I ssought to ssubdue, to dominate,
force him to drop sshieldss upon hiss mind, needed to read him, to
know who awaited hiss reply, learn detailss for memory sspell
-"</em>

"<em>You casst killing cursse!</em>"

"<em>Wass hiss life worth sso little? What if he did not
dodge?</em>"

"<em>Witlesss dunce of a plotter,</em>" hissed the snake, so
angrily that the hisses seemed to overlap and slither over each
other's tails, "<em>clever imbecile, cunning idiot, fool of an
untrained Sslytherin, your missplaced misstrust hass ruined
-"</em>

"<em>Thiss iss not a fair time to argue,</em>" Harry observed
mildly. The surge of relief trying to flood through him was
canceled by the increased tension. "<em>Ssince I cannot get angry
at you properly, without opening mysself to life-eaterss. Musst
russh, ssomeone may have heard noisse -"</em>

There were a few short hisses, the snakish equivalent of a bark
of surprised laughter, and then, snapped commands. "<em>Tell woman
to look away, casst sspell of ssilence, sset guardian Charm outside
door. Will transsform mysself, make few sswift improvementss to
your invention, give woman emergency potion sso sshe can sshield
uss, transsform back before you disspell Charm. Plan will be
ssafer, then.</em>"

"<em>And am I to believe,</em>" Harry hissed, <em>"that healer
for woman truly awaitss uss?</em>"

"<em>Usse ssensse, boy! Ssupposse I am evil. To end usse of you
here iss obvioussly not what I planned. Misssion iss target of
opportunity, invented after ssaw your guardian Charm, whole affair
meant to be unnoticed, hid when left eating-place. Obvioussly you
will ssee persson pretending to be healer on arrival! Go back to
eating-place afterward, original plan carriess on
undissturbed!</em>"

"<em>Sso,</em>" Harry hissed, "<em>what iss your plan for me,
precissely?</em>"

"<em>You ssaid no time,</em>" came the snake's hiss, "<em>but
plan iss for you to rule country, obvioussly, even your young noble
friend hass undersstood that by now, assk him on return if you
wissh. Will ssay no more now, iss time to fly, not
sspeak.</em>"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 59
----------------------------------------------------------------------

After that, once Harry could hear himself think again, when
there was only the howling wind from their ridiculous speed, and
Harry's enchantment-assisted fingers gripping the broomstick were
merely resisting the decelerating drag of moving way faster than
terminal velocity, <em>that</em> was when Harry actually thought
all that stuff about Newtonian mechanics and Aristotelian physics
and broomsticks and rocketry and the importance of curiosity and
how he was never going to do anything this Gryffindor ever again or
at least not until after he learned the Dark Lord's secret of
immortality and <em>why</em> had he listened to Professor Quirinus
"<em>I asssure you, boy, I would not attempt thisss if I did not
anticipate my own ssurvival</em>" Quirrell instead of Professor
Michael "Son, if you try anything to do with rockets on your own, I
mean <em>anything whatsoever</em> without a trained professonal
watching, you will die and that will make Mum sad"
Verres-Evans.

Harry's mind remembered then, the Pepper-Up potion came at a
cost; Bellatrix would <em>ssleep for a conssiderable time,</em>
Professor Quirrell had said.


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CHAPTER 65
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"<em>Sso,</em>" hissed the venomous creature. "<em>What did you
wissh to ssay?</em>"

And Harry hissed, "<em>Sschoolmasster thinkss that woman'ss
former Lord iss the one who sstole her from prisson</em>."

"<em>He believess that one iss alive?</em>" the snake finally
said. The divided, two-pronged tongue flickered rapidly from side
to side, sardonic snakish laughter. "<em>Ssomehow I am not
ssurprissed.</em>"

"<em>Yess,</em>" Harry hissed dryly, "<em>very amussing, I am
ssure. Except now am sstuck in Hogwartss for next ssix years, for
ssafety! I have decided that I will, indeed, sseek power; and
confinement iss not helpful for that. Musst convince sschoolmasster
that Dark Lord iss not yet awakened, that esscape was work of ssome
other power -</em>"

Again the rapid flickering of the snake's tongue; the snakish
laughter was stronger, dryer, this time. "<em>Amateur
foolisshnesss.</em>"

"<em>You ssee misstake, think of undoing, ssetting time back to
sstart. Yet not even with hourglasss can time be undone. Musst move
forward insstead. You think of convincing otherss they are
misstaken. Far eassier to convince them they are right. Sso
conssider, boy: what new happensstance would make schoolmasster
decide you were ssafe once more, ssimultaneoussly advance your
other agendass?"</em>

"<em>Iss it not obviouss?</em>" hissed the snake. Again the
tongue flickered sardonic laughter. "<em>To free yoursself, to gain
power in Britain, you musst again be sseen to defeat the Dark
Lord.</em>"

"<em>Sso,</em>" Harry said finally. "<em>Let uss be clear on
what iss propossed. You ssuggesst that we sset up imposstor to
imperssonate Dark Lord."</em>

"<em>Ssomething like that.</em> <em>Woman we resscued will
cooperate, sshould be mosst convincing when sshe iss sseen at hiss
sside.</em>" More sardonic tongue-flickering. "<em>You are
kidnapped from Hogwartss to public location, many witnesssess,
wardss keep out protectorss. Dark Lord announcess that he hass at
long lasst regained physical form, after wandering as sspirit for
yearss; ssayss that he hass gained sstill greater power, not even
you can sstop him now. Offerss to let you duel. You casst guardian
Charm, Dark Lord laughss at you, ssayss he iss not life-eater.
Casstss Killing Cursse at you, you block, watcherss ssee Dark Lord
explode -"</em>

"<em>Casst Killing Cursse?</em>" Harry hissed in incredulity.
"<em>At me? Again? Ssecond time? Nobody will believe Dark Lord
could posssibly be that sstupid -</em>"

"<em>You and I are only two people in country who would notice
that,</em>" hissed the snake. "<em>Trusst me on thiss,
boy.</em>"

"<em>What if there iss third, ssomeday?</em>"

The snake swayed thoughtfully. "<em>Could write different
sscript for play, if you wissh. Whatever sscenario, sshould leave
open posssibility Dark Lord might return yet again - nation musst
think they are sstill dependent on you to protect them.</em>"

"<em>Will think about it,</em>" hissed Harry. "<em>Will not
ansswer right away, thiss time, will enumerate risskss and
benefitss firsst -</em>"

"<em>Undersstood,</em>" hissed the snake. "<em>But remember
thiss, boy, other eventss proceed without you. Hessitation iss
alwayss eassy, rarely usseful."</em>


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 66
----------------------------------------------------------------------

<em>Hessitation iss alwayss eassy, rarely usseful.</em>

For a moment the dark pitted eyes seemed to gleam blackly, for a
moment the scaled mouth gaped to expose the fangs. "<em>Think you
have learned wrong lessson, boy, from previouss failure. My planss
are not in habit of failing, and lasst one would have gone
flawlesssly, but for your own foolisshnesss. Correct lessson iss to
follow ssteps laid down for you by older and wisser Sslytherin,
tame your wild impulssess."</em>

"<em>Lessson I learned is not to try plotss that would make
girl-child friend think I am evil or boy-child friend think I am
sstupid,</em>" Harry snapped back. He'd been planning a more
temporizing response than that, but somehow the words had just
slipped out.

The <em>sssss</em>-ing sound that came from the snake was not
heard by Harry as words, only as pure fury. A moment later,
"<em>You told them -</em>"

"<em>Of coursse not! But know what they would ssay.</em>"

"<em>You sserioussly care what thosse two think?</em>" came the
snake's final hiss. "<em>True younglingss thosse two are, not like
you. Could not weigh adult matterss.</em>"

"<em>Might have done better than me,</em>" Harry hissed.
"<em>Boy-child friend would have assked after ssecret motivess
before asssenting to resscue woman -</em>"

"<em>Glad you undersstand that now,</em>" the snake hissed
coldly. "<em>Alwayss assk after other'ss advantage. Next learn to
alwayss assk after your own. If my plan iss not to your tasste,
what iss yours?</em>"

"<em>If necesssary - sstay at sschool ssix yearss and sstudy.
Hogwartss sseemss fine place to dwell. Bookss, friendss, sstrange
but tassty food.</em>" Harry wanted to chuckle, but there wasn't
any gesture in Parseltongue for the kind of laughter he wanted to
express.

The pits of the snake's eyes seemed almost black. "<em>Eassy to
ssay that now. Ssuch as you and I, we do not tolerate
imprissonment. You will losse patience long before sseventh year,
perhapss before end of thiss one. I sshall plan
accordingly.</em>"


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CHAPTER 102
----------------------------------------------------------------------

<em>That magic gives their existence a weight of meaning which
no mere animal could possess... to slay something innocent to save
oneself, that is a very grave sin.</em> Those two phrases, from
Professor McGonagall, from the centaur, had both run through
Harry's mind, over and over as the white unicorn had yawned, laid
down on the ground, and closed its eyes for what would be the last
time. The Transfiguration had lasted an hour, and Harry's eyes had
watered repeatedly as he worked. The unicorn's death might not have
come then, but it would come soon enough, and it was foreign to
Harry's nature to try to refuse responsibility of any kind. Harry
would just have to hope that, if you didn't kill the unicorn to
save yourself, if you did it to help a friend, it would be
acceptable in the end.

"There is... <em>there iss a ritual, I heard of from the
sschoolmasster, by which he thinkss the Dark Lord might have lived
on. It iss called -"</em> and Harry stopped, as he realized that he
did know how to say the word in Parseltongue. "<em>Horcrux. It
requiress a death, I have heard. But if you are dying in any casse,
you might try to adapt the ritual, even at great rissk for the new
sspell, sso that it can be done with a different ssacrifice. It
would change the whole world, if you ssucceed - though I don't know
anything about the sspell - the sschoolmasster thought it tore off
a piece of ssoul, though I don't ssee how that could be true
-"</em>

The snake was hissing laughter, strange sharp laughter, almost
hysterical. "<em>You tell me of that sspell? Me? You musst learn
more caution in the future, boy. But it matterss not. I learned of
the horcrux sspell ssince long ago. It iss meaninglesss."</em>

"<em>Would be pointlesss sspell from beginning, if ssoulss
exissted.</em> <em>Tear piece of ssoul? That iss lie. Missdirection
to hide true ssecret. Only one who doess not believe in common
liess will reasson further, ssee beneath obsscuration, realisse how
to casst sspell. Required murder iss not ssacrificial ritual at
all. Ssudden death ssometimes makess ghosst, if magic burssts and
imprintss on nearby thing. Horcrux sspell channelss death-bursst
through casster, createss your own ghosst insstead of victim'ss,
imprintss ghosst in sspecial device. Ssecond victim pickss up
horcrux device, device imprintss your memoriess into them. But only
memoriess from time horcrux device wass made. You ssee
flaw?"</em>

The burning sensation was back in Harry's throat. "<em>No
continuity of -</em>" there wasn't a snake word for consciousness
"- <em>sself, you would go on thinking after making the horcrux,
then sself with new memoriess diess and iss not resstored
-"</em>

<em>"Yess, you do ssee. Alsso Merlin'ss Interdict preventss
powerful sspells from passing through ssuch a device, ssince it iss
not truly alive. Dark Wizardss who think to return thuss are
weaker, eassily disspatched. None have perssissted long by ssuch
meanss. Perssonalitiess change, mix with victim'ss. Death iss not
truly gainssaid. Real sself is losst, as you ssay. Not to my
pressent tasste. Admit I conssidered it, long ago."</em>

"<em>I learned how the Killing Cursse workss. Requiress true
hate to casst, not much hate, but musst want target dead, they
ssay. In prisson with life-eaterss, you casst Killing Cursse at
guard - ssaid you did not want him dead - wass that lie? Here, now,
at thiss disstance - you may sspeak truth - even if you fear it
reflectss poorly on you - it sshould not matter now, teacher. I
wissh to know. Musst know. Will not abandon you, either
way."</em>

The Defense Professor chuckled wetly. "Good. You are...
learning. So you see..." A pause of transformation. "<em>I did not
wissh guard dead, after all. Casst Killing Cursse, but not with
hate.</em>" And then a man.

<em>"The Philossopher'ss Sstone,</em>" hissed the snake.

<em>"I read of it in a book,"</em> Harry hissed. <em>"Concluded
it wass obviouss myth. No reason why ssame device would provide
immortality and endlesss gold. Not unlesss ssomeone wass jusst
inventing happy sstoriess. Not to mention, every ssane persson
sshould have been ressearching wayss to make more Sstoness, or
kidnapping maker to produce. Thought of you sspecifically,
teacher."</em>

A hissing of cold laughter. <em>"Reassoning iss wisse, but not
wisse enough. Like with horcrux sspell, abssurdity hidess true
ssecret. True Sstone iss not what that legend ssayss. True power
iss not what sstoriess claim. Sstone's ssuppossed maker wass not
one who made it. One who holdss it now, wass not born to name now
ussed. Yet Sstone iss powerful healing device in truth. Have you
heard it sspoken of?"</em>

<em>"One who holdss Sstone iss repossitory of much lore. Taught
sschoolmasster many ssecretss. Sschoolmasster hass ssaid nothing of
Sstone'ss holder, nothing of Sstone? No hintss?"</em>

<em>"Could assk sschoolmasster -"</em>

<em>"No! Do not assk him, boy. He would not take quesstion
well."</em>

<em>"Sschoolmasster doess not believe that, would not believe
that. Too many have ssought Sstone, or ssought holder's lore. Do
not assk. Musst not assk. Do not try to obtain Sstone yoursself. I
forbid."</em>


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 105
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry swallowed. Snakes can't lie. "<em>Two pluss two equalss
four.</em>" Harry had tried to say that two plus two equalled
three, and the word <em>four</em> had slipped out instead.

"Good. When Salazar Slytherin invoked the Parselmouth curse upon
himself and all his children, his true plan was to ensure his
descendants could trust one another's words, whatever plots they
wove against outsiders." Professor Quirrell had adopted his
lecturing pose from Battle Magic, like someone putting on a
well-worn mask, but the gun remained pointed in his hand.
"Occlumency cannot fool the Parselmouth curse as it can fool
Veritaserum, and you may put that to the trial also. Now listen
well. <em>Come with me, promisse your besst aid in getting Sstone,
and I sshall leave thesse children behind unharmed. Hosstagess are
real, hundredss of sstudentss die tonight unlesss I sstop eventss
already sset in motion. Will sspare hosstagess if I obtain Sstone
ssuccessfully.</em> And mark also this, mark it well: <em>I cannot
be truly sslain by any means known to me, and lossing Sstone will
not sstop me from returning, nor sspare you or yourss my
wrath.</em> Any impetuous act you are contemplating cannot win the
game for you, boy. I do credit your ability to annoy me, and
suggest you avoid doing so."

"Fine and good," said Professor Quirrell. "Now come with me,
help me to obtain the Stone, and I will resurrect Hermione Granger
on your behalf. Her death has had unfortunate effects on you, and I
would not mind undoing them. That, as I understand you, is your
greatest desire. I have done you many kindnesses, and I would not
mind doing you this one more." A blank-eyed Professor Sprout had
now risen from the ground and was pointing her own wand at Harry.
"<em>Help me obtain Sstone of Transsfiguration, and I sshall try my
hardesst to ressurrect your girl-child friend to true and lassting
life. That ssaid, boy, I am sswiftly running out of patience with
you, and you sshall not like what comess next.</em>" This last line
was hissed out in a voice that conveyed the impression of a snake
rearing its head to strike.

<em>"Agreed,</em>" hissed Professor Quirrell. "<em>Help me, and
you sshall have ansswerss to your quesstions, sso long ass they are
about passt eventss, and not my planss for the future. I do not
intend to raisse my hand or magic againsst you in future, sso long
ass you do not raisse your hand or magic againsst me. Sshall kill
none within sschool groundss for a week, unlesss I musst. Now
promisse that you will not attempt to warn againsst me or esscape.
Promisse to put forth your own besst efforts toward helping me to
obtain the Sstone. And your girl-child friend sshall be revived by
me, to true life and health; nor sshall me or mine ever sseek to
harm her.</em>" A twisted smile. "<em>Promisse, boy, and the
bargain will be sstruck."</em>

"<em>I sshall help you obtain the Sstone... I cannot promisse I
will usse my besst efforts, my heart will not be in it, I fear. I
intend to try. Sshall not do anything I think will annoy you to no
good end. Sshall call no help if I expect them to be killed by you
or for hosstagess to die. I'm ssorry, teacher, but it iss besst I
can do."</em> Harry's mind was settling, composing itself, as the
decision was made. He would stay with Professor Quirrell, go with
him to get the Stone, save the student hostages, and... and... and
Harry didn't know, except that he'd go on thinking.

"You actually are sorry about that?" Professor Quirrell looked
amused. "I suppose it shall have to do. Then keep two other things
in mind: <em>I have plan to sstop even sschoolmasster, if he
appearss before uss.</em> And also this: I will occasionally ask
you to say in Parseltongue whether you have betrayed me. <em>The
bargain is sstruck.</em>"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 106
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Harry looked back. "<em>Wass sseriouss,</em>" hissed Harry.
"<em>Would have done ssame if came by mysself.</em>"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 107
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"<em>Do not ssensse life-eaterss.</em>"

"<em>Wass honesst. Not trick.</em>"

"<em>Life-eaterss cannot desstroy me, I think,</em>" hissed
Professor Quirrell. "<em>And I will ssimply abandon thiss body if
they approach too closse. Sshall return sswiftly thiss time, and
then there will be no sstopping me. Will torture your parentss for
yearss, to punissh you for balking me. Hundredss of hosstage
sstudentss die, including thosse you call friendss. Now I assk
again. Will you usse power over life-eaterss to protect me, if
life-eaterss come?</em>"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 108
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Professor Quirrell was smiling evilly. "<em>Your guesss iss
right, boy, for all the good it doess you.</em>"

"<em>Tell me, teacher,</em>" Harry hissed, "<em>would
desstroying thosse five anchors sslay you?</em>"

"<em>Why do you assk?</em>" hissed the Defense Professor, with
a lilt to the hiss that Parseltongue translated as snakish
amusement. "<em>Do you ssusspect that ansswer is no?</em>"

<em>"Your ssusspicion iss right, boy. Desstroying thosse five
would not render me mortal.</em>"

"<em>Would not ordinarily ssay, but iss clear you have already
guesssed."</em> The Defense Professor's smile widened. <em>"Ansswer
iss that I do not know. Sstopped counting ssomewhere around one
hundred and sseven. Ssimply made a habit of it each time I murdered
ssomeone in private.</em>"

<em>"Great creation maintainss life and magic within devicess
created by ssacrificing life and magic of otherss.</em>" Again that
hissing snake laughter. "<em>Liked falsse desscription of
previousss horcrux sspell sso much, sso dissappointed when
realissed truth of it, thoughtss of improved verssion came out in
that sshape."</em>

"<em>Yess. I sshall return sswiftly, if thiss body iss killed.
Will be greatly annoyed, and vengeful.</em> I am telling you this,
boy, so that you do not try anything stupid."

After a time Professor Quirrell picked up the next Potions
ingredient, a strand of what looked like unicorn hair. "I tell you
this as a caution," said Professor Quirrell. "Do not expect me to
be delayed another nine years, if you somehow destroy this body of
mine. I set horcruxes in better places at once, and now even that
is unnecessary. Thanks to you, I learned where to find the
Resurrection Stone. The Resurrection Stone does not bring back the
dead, of course; but it holds a more ancient magic than my own for
projecting the seeming of a spirit. And since I am one who has
defeated death, Cadmus's Hallow acknowledged me its master, and
answered all my will. I have now incorporated it into my great
creation." Professor Quirrell smiled slightly. "I had many years
earlier considered making that device a horcrux, but decided
against it at the time, since I realized that the ring had magic of
unknown nature... ah, such ironies does life play upon us. But I
digress. <em>You</em>, boy, you brought that about, you freed my
spirit to fly where it pleases and seduce the most opportune
victim, by being too casual with your secrets. It is a catastrophe
for any who oppose me, and you wrought it with one finger drawing
wetness on a tea-saucer. This world will be a safer place for all,
if you learn the rectitude that wizardborns absorb in childhood.
<em>And all thiss that I have jusst said iss the truth.</em>"

"<em>None of it iss known to me to be falsse,</em>" said
Professor Quirrell. "Telling a tale implies filling in certain
gaps; I was not present to observe when Perenelle seduced Baba
Yaga. <em>The bassicss sshould be mosstly correct, I
think.</em>"

Without taking his eyes from the cauldron, Professor Quirrell
drew a folded parchment from within his robes, hissed at it
<em>"Sshow our ssurroundingss</em>", and tossed the folded
parchment toward Harry. It cut unerringly through the air, an
increase of doom breathing on Harry's senses as it moved toward
him, and then it fluttered gently to Harry's feet.

Harry gazed at the parchment, an unpleasant chill coming over
him. It was one thing to hear Lord Voldemort claim that your name
was Tom Riddle; it was another thing to find that Hogwarts's magic
agreed. "<em>Did you tamper with thiss map to achieve thiss
ressult, or did it appear before you by ssurprisse?"</em>

<em>"Wass ssurprisse,</em>" replied Professor Quirrell, with an
overtone of hissing laughter. "<em>No trickss.</em>"

"<em>Not sso far ass I know,</em>" hissed Harry.

"Fascinating," said Professor Quirrell. "You may be interested
to know this as well: <em>Potionss-maker had to work in ssecret
because hiss plot oppossed sschoolmasster's plot.</em>"

"Oh, a fair number, but not many more that concern you, not that
I can think of offhand. The true reason I demanded to try to teach
the Patronus Charm to first-years was to bring a Dementor before
your own person, and then I arranged for your wand to fall where
the Dementor could continue to drain you through it. <em>Wass no
malice in it, only hopess that you would recover ssome of your true
memoriess.</em> That was also why I arranged for certain witches to
pull you down from the air during your rooftop episode, so I could
appear to save your life; just in case any suspicion fell on me
during the Dementor incident I had scheduled for shortly after.
<em>Alsso no malice there.</em> I arranged some of the attacks on
Miss Granger's group, so that the attacks could be defeated; I do
rather dislike bullies. <em>Think that iss all ssecret plotss
concerning you from thiss sschool-year, unless I have forgotten
ssomething.</em>"

"<em>Not valuess difference. True misstake, given your goalss.
Will you hurt me, if I act the part of the teacher toward you, and
teach lessson? Or if misstake is ssimple and obviousss, and makess
you feel sstupid?"</em>

"<em>No,</em>" hissed Professor Quirrell. "<em>Not if lessson
iss true.</em>"

Harry swallowed a lump in his throat. "<em>There wass way for
you to tesst your horcrux ssysstem without dying.</em> The general
lesson is important. Do you see it now?"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 109
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Read them anyway. <em>Iss not dangerouss.</em>"

<em>"Do you undersstand what wordss mean, boy?"</em>

Finally Professor Quirrell sighed. "I have outwitted myself, I
fear. Neither you nor I dare be reflected in this Mirror. I suppose
I must command Professor Sprout to undo my Obliviations of Mr. Nott
and Miss Greengrass... You see, the other great difficulty of the
Mirror is that the rule by which it treats those reflected will
disregard external forces, such as False Memories or a Confundus
Charm. The Mirror reflects only those forces arising from within
the person themselves, the states of mind they arrive at through
their own choices; so it is said in several places. That is why I
had Mr. Nott and Miss Greengrass, believing different stories about
why the Stone's extraction was necessary, ready to appear before
this Mirror." Professor Quirrell rubbed at the bridge of his nose.
"I constructed other stories for other students, ready for me to
set into motion with the chosen trigger... but as this day
approached, I began to feel pessimistic about the project. Such as
Nott and Greengrass still seem worth trying, if we cannot think of
something better. But I wonder if Dumbledore has tried to construct
this puzzle to specifically resist Voldemort's cunning. I wonder if
he might have succeeded. If you devise an alternative plan which I
approve enough to try, <em>I promisse that whatever pawn I ssend
forth sshall not be harmed by me, then or ever; nor do I expect to
break that promisse</em>. And I remind you again of the hostages I
hold to my failure, both Miss Granger and all the others."

"<em>My mind that you assked to devisse sstrategy may perhapss
have been influenced by ssuch an intent - who knowss? Knew you
would be ssusspiciouss, assk thiss very question. Decission is up
to you, teacher. I know nothing you do not know, about whether
thiss iss likely to trap you. Do not call it betrayal by me if you
choosse thiss for yoursself, and it failss.</em>" Harry felt a
strong impulse to smile, and suppressed it.

Harry put on the Cloak of Invisibility, at Professor Quirrell's
orders, to <em>sstop the man who sshall believe himsself to be
sschoolmasster from sseeing you,</em> as Professor Quirrell said in
Parseltongue.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 111
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Ahahahaha! Why, yes, little child, you were always along on
this adventure as my hostage, it was your whole purpose in being
here. Ha, hahahaha! You are decades too young to play this game
against the real Tom Riddle, child." The Dark Lord drew back the
hood of the Cloak, his head becoming visible, and began to remove
the rest of the Cloak. "And now, boy, <em>you have helped me, yess
indeed, and so it iss time to ressurrect your girl-child friend. To
keep promisse.</em>" The Dark Lord's smile was cold, cold indeed.
"I suppose you have doubts? Mark well, I could kill you this
instant, for there is no longer a Headmaster of Hogwarts to be
informed of it. Doubt me all you wish, but remember that." The hand
was once more holding the gun. "Now come along, foolish child."

<em>Problem two,</em> said Gryffindor. <em>Harry Potter isn't
missing, he's right there at the Quidditch match where everyone can
see him. Professor Quirrell thought of that too, it's part of why
he sent that fake note. Problem three. I don't think Mad-Eye Moody
and an Auror squad can beat the Dark Lord, and certainly not before
he kills us. I'm not sure the entire DMLE can beat the Dark Lord if
he's fighting seriously and Dumbledore is gone. Problem four. The
Quidditch match was not disrupted, that's probably the only reason
why Professor Quirrell was willing to try something as complicated
as bringing us along on this trip in the first place.</em>

<em>The Dark Lord can just throw away his wand,</em> droned
Ravenclaw. <em>Professor Quirrell can turn into his Animagus form.
Even if he dies the Dark Lord will possess someone else and return,
and then torture our parents, to punish us.</em>

"This," said the Dark Lord in Professor Quirrell's cadences, "is
a workspace I made for myself, convenient to either Hogwarts or
Hogsmeade." The Dark Lord flourished a hand at the altar. "That is
where Miss Granger shall revive, and also where I shall be reborn
into my true body. I shall remake myself first, of course.
<em>Magicss to revive girl-child eassier with true body.</em>" A
strange snakish laughter accompanied these words. "<em>Resst
asssured that though ssome asspects of girl-child'ss ressurrection
sshall be what otherss conssider Dark, girl-child will not be
harmed or made ugly by it. Sshall sstill look like hersself, mind
sshall be her own, nor sshall I or mine harm her after."</em>

"<em>To resstore to you girl-child friend'ss counssel and
resstraint. To make ssure sshe iss part of the world for you to
care about. That, boy, iss truly the greater part of the reasson I
am doing thiss deed.</em>" Again snakish laughter accompanied these
words, conveying sardonic awareness of some vast irony.

"<em>There iss an obsstacle,</em>" hissed Voldemort.

"<em>Girl'ss body iss resstored. Ssubstance iss repaired. But
not magic, or life... thiss iss body of dead Muggle."</em>
Voldemort turned from the altar, began to pace. "The full ritual
would solve this. But that would require time... time and the blood
of Granger's enemy, and I do not think Draco Malfoy still
qualifies, nor can I take my own blood unwillingly... foolish."
Voldemort's voice was a lower hiss. "Foolish, I should have
foreseen this, and prepared. Her brain might awaken with an
electrical shock, I know that much of Muggle medicine... but would
her magic return to her? That I do not know, and I suspect if she
awakens as a Muggle she will be a Muggle forever. Still, I can
think of nothing better." The Dark Lord raised his wand -

"<em>Think I have ssomething that might work,</em>" Harry
hissed. "<em>Needss wand. Have no intentionss to usse it againsst
you.</em>" Harry said nothing about expecting his intentions
wouldn't change; he'd simply blurted out the idea fast enough that
he hadn't formed any specific intentions yet.

"Interesting," said the cold high voice. "Your Patronus draws
upon your life as well as your magic... I guessed that much, for it
was too powerful for a first-year to fuel with magic alone. And yet
there must be more to the puzzle, since not just any life-fueled
spell would have done... was your happy thought the image of her
returning to life? Was that all it took?" Lord Voldemort was again
toying with his wand, a dark interest in those red-slitted eyes. "I
suspect I will feel quite stupid when I finally comprehend that
spell, someday in my eternity. Now step away from the girl.
<em>There iss more work I intend to do, to give her besst chance of
continued life.</em>"

Another obelisk turned, lay flat upon the ground. "<em>There iss
old, losst ritual to ssacrifice magical creature, transsfer magical
nature to ssubject. Limitationss are great. Transsfer iss
temporary, only few hourss. Ssubject ssometimess diess when
transsfer wearss off. But Sstone will make permanent.</em>"

Voldemort's mouth was stretched in a wide smile; it looked
<em>horrible</em> on him, like his face had too many teeth.
<em>"Sshall ssacrifice my fallback weapon, and girl-child sshall
gain troll'ss power of regeneration. Transsfiguration ssicknesss
iss nothing before that, if perchance it wass not fixed by
previouss ritual. And no knife sshall sslay girl-child, nor cutting
cursse, nor ssicknesss take her.</em>"

"<em>Have not the tiniesst intention of letting girl-child die
again, after going to ssuch lengthss to ressurrect her."</em>

"<em>Power of unicorn'ss blood to presserve life makess
excellent combination with troll'ss healing. Only Fiendfyre and
Killing Cursse sshall girl-child fear, from thiss day."</em> A
flicker of snakish laughter. "<em>Bessidess, had sspare unicorn
left over, might ass well usse."</em>

"<em>That iss only when power of unicorn'ss blood iss sstolen by
another. Thiss sspell will make power of unicorn belong insside
girl-child, ass if sshe wass alwayss born that way."</em>

"<em>Diary wass exactly what it sseemed, a gift meant to sseduce
you to my sside.</em>" Voldemort made intricate gestures in the air
with his wand, not even looking at what his hand was doing, as he
held the diary in his other hand. For a moment Harry thought he
could see a trail of darkness in the air, but the moonlight was too
faint for certainty. "And now, my dear boy," Voldemort's high voice
was laced with grim amusement, as his wand briefly tapped Hermione
Granger's forehead with a casual gesture, "I make this diary into a
far more precious gift, a sign of how much wisdom I have learned
from you. For I would never want you to be deprived of Hermione
Granger's counsel and restraint, not ever while the stars yet live.
<em>Avadakedavra.</em>"


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 112
----------------------------------------------------------------------

"My curse thinks differently. That is the puzzle piece that you
missed. Did you think I would leave the peace between us to mere
fortune? Before I created you, I invoked a curse upon myself and
all other Tom Riddles who would descend from me. A curse to enforce
that none of us would threaten the others' immortality, so long as
the other made no attempt upon our own. Typical of that ridiculous
fiasco, the curse seems to have ended up binding me, but taking no
hold upon the infant with his self so lost." A low, lethal chuckle.
"<em>But you tried to end my true life jusst then, sstupid child.
Now cursse iss lifted, and I may kill you any time I
wissh.</em>"

"Still a fool. If no further matters remained between us, I
would already have killed you." The dirt wall crumbled at another
gesture of the wand, and Voldemort moved smoothly back toward the
heap of items by the altar. The Dark Lord stretched out a hand, and
the diary of Roger Bacon flew to him. "<em>Thiss iss, indeed,
horcrux of girl-child, my ssuperior verssion.</em>" In his other
hand appeared a parchment. "<em>Thiss iss ritual for ressurrecting
her, if it musst be done again. Insstructionss are honesst, no
trapss. Remember that girl-child'ss sspirit cannot float free like
ghosst, Ressurrection Sstone iss my horcrux, not herss. Do not
losse her horcrux, or her sspirit may be trapped within it.</em>"
Voldemort reached down, picked up Harry's pouch, fed both the diary
and the parchment into it. "<em>Remember that, in casse something
goess wrong with next movess.</em>"

The Dark Lord was now regarding Harry with a grim look.
"<em>When girl-child died, wass in company of sschool'ss Sseer,
heard prophecy sspoken that you would become force of vasst
desstruction. You would become threat beyond imagination, beyond
apocalypsse. That iss why I went to ssuch lengthss to undo my
killing of girl-child, keep it undone."</em>

"<em>Dare not ssay sspecificss to you. Prophecy I heard of
mysself led me to fulfill it. Have not forgotten that
dissasster.</em>" Voldemort backed further away from Harry, red
slitted eyes fixed upon the Boy-Who-Lived, gun unwavering in the
left hand. "<em>All thiss, all I have done, iss to ssmassh that
desstiny at every point of intervention. If ssome fate makess me
fail in what comess next, idiot-child of foretold desstruction,
then you musst kill yoursself to ssave girl-child. Elsse all you
claim to value diess by your own hand.</em>"

"<em>Ssilence, fool. Remain ssilent unlesss given leave by me to
sspeak. Keep your wand pointed down and do not raisse it unlesss
told. Elsse you die upon the sspot, and mark that I ssaid that in
Parsseltongue."</em> Voldemort reached into the altar again.


----------------------------------------------------------------------
CHAPTER 113
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Voldemort laughed, a strange bitter laugh. When he spoke on his
high voice was precise. "Here is the oath's intent, Mr. Grim, Mr.
White, Harry Potter. Listen well and comprehend the Vow that must
be sworn, for its intent is also binding, and you three must share
an understanding of its meaning. You will swear, Harry Potter, not
to destroy the world, to take no risks when it comes to not
destroying the world. This Vow may <em>not</em> force you into any
positive action, on account of that, this Vow does not force your
hand to any stupidity. Do you understand that, Mr. Grim, Mr. White?
We are dealing with a prophecy of destruction. A <em>prophecy!</em>
They can fulfill themselves in twisted ways. We must be cautious
that this Vow itself does not bring that prophecy about. We dare
not let this Vow force Harry Potter to stand idly after some
disaster is already set in motion by his hand, because he must take
some lesser risk if he tries to stop it. Nor must the Vow force him
to choose a risk of truly vast destruction, over a certainty of
lesser destruction. But all Harry Potter's <em>foolishness,</em>"
Voldemort's voice climbed, "all his <em>recklessness,</em> all his
<em>grandiose schemes</em> and <em>good intentions</em> - he shall
not risk them leading to disaster! He shall not gamble with the
Earth's fate! No researches that might lead to catastrophe! No
unbinding of seals, no opening of gates!" Voldemort's voice lowered
again. "Unless this very Vow itself is somehow leading into the
destruction of the world, in which case, Harry Potter, you must
ignore it in that particular regard. You will <em>not</em> trust
yourself alone in making such a determination, you must confide
honestly and fully in your trusted friend, and see if that one
agrees. Such is this Vow's meaning and intent. It forces only such
acts as Harry Potter might choose himself, having learned that he
is a prophesied instrument of destruction. For the capacity for
choice must also exist, to be sacrificed. Do you understand, Mr.
White?"

"Useless, the lot of you," Voldemort said with bitter scorn.
"Now I shall ask Harry Potter one final question, and he is to
answer that question for my ears alone, in Parseltongue. Strike the
boy down at once if he answers with anything but hisses, if he
tries to speak one word of human speech." Then Voldemort hissed,
"<em>Power I know not, it wass ssaid that you would have. The
Muggle Artss I have now learned of from you, and I am already
sstudying them. Your power over life-eaterss musst be comprehended
for onesself, or sso you ssay. If there iss any other power you
posssesss, that I may come to have, tell me of it now. Elsse, I
intend to torment certain of thosse you care for. Ssome livess I
have already promissed you, but otherss I did not. Your mudblood
sservantss in your little army. Your preciouss parentss. All sshall
ssuffer for what will sseem to them like eternitiess; and then I
sshall ssend them, broken, into the life-eater prisson to remember
it, until they wasste and die. For each unknown power you tell me
how to masster, or other ssecret you tell me that I desire to know,
you may name one more of thosse to insstead be protected and
honored under my reign. Thiss alsso I promisse and intend to
keep.</em>" Voldemort's smiling expression now came through as if
it were a snake's gaping fangs, and the meaning that expression
bore among snakes, a promise that whoever beheld the teeth was to
be consumed by them. "<em>Wasste not time in thoughtss of esscape,
if you care for thosse oness. You have ssixty ssecondss to begin
telling me ssomething I wissh to know, and then your death
beginss."</em>