"Leaving aside 'why' you were out late enough to feel the need to hide from Mr. Filch, I think I'm starting to get a better picture of what has happened," Professor McGonagall said with a pinched expression.
She then looked out over the ten First-Years in her house. "And you all found this out?"
"Well, no, just me, Harry, Ron, and Neville," Hermione replied. "The rest only found out when the eavesdropped on us talking about somebody leaving behind a magical instrument in Fluffy's room to put him to sleep."
This time it was the rest of the First-Years' turn to look betrayed at Hermione for ratting them out. She turned her head and stuck her tongue out at them, which had Ron burst into laughter at the deed.
His laughter died immediately as their Head of House leveled a stern, unimpressed frown his way, and the red-head instantly shut up.
"A magical instrument, you say?" she asked, and this time Harry was the one to speak up.
"I got a bad feeling, and asked Sweepy – he's one of the House Elves – to check on the corridor for me. He found the enchanted object, and a curse."
"A curse?" McGonagall demanded, sitting upright.
"Yes. Sweepy said, uh, that Hogwarts wasn't happy with it, but couldn't do anything about it until I'd pointed it out to the House Elves," Harry admitted, which earned some odd looks from the rest, but eventually McGonagall decided to put that aside for the moment and focus on the bigger problem. Namely, the curse.
"And you think someone is trying to steal the stone right now?"
"Yes," Harry said with firm nod. "I sent the headmaster a letter via owl, but I don't know if he'll get it in time."
He then paused before adding, "Ah, it was Lavender's idea to come tell you, by the way. So, uh, please don't punish us for entering your office without knocking?"
McGonagall nodded absentmindedly, too busy pulling out her wand to check the wards. As Deputy Headmistress, it was her duty to protect the school while the headmaster was away, and she had the authority to check the castle's wards to do so.
Whatever she saw as she stared off into space while looking at things none of the First-Years could see did not make her happy, and her scowl deepened.
"Bloody hell," she swore, before shouting, "EMERGENCY! ALL PROFESSORS, TO THE GREAT HALL! ALL STUDENTS, RETURN TO YOUR DORMS! NOW! THE CASTLE HAS BEEN BREACHED! I REPEAT! THE CASTLE HAS BEEN BREACHED!"
Her voice boomed through the office, and was magically carried throughout the castle to the other rooms and hallways, and it made the First-Years jump in shock to hear it. McGonagall didn't notice their discomfort as she then turned to them with an urgent look in her eyes.
"Students, please return to the Gryffindor tower, and do not leave it! I will be activating lockdown measures to seal the castle, so get back there now!"
"Yes, Professor!" they all chorused as one, and together they took off running out of her office.
However, halfway there, Harry froze as his scar began to tingle and burn, and he let out a confused cry of pain, much to the surprise of his companions who all stopped and looked at him in worry.
"Harry?" Padma asked nervously.
"Something… something's coming!" Harry cried out as he clutched at his head, trying to get the squeezing pain to leave him.
And then, a moment later, they heard it. The sound of footsteps running down the corridor towards them.
Looking up, Harry let out a strangled gasp, and he saw a figure in a tattered robe barreling down the hall towards them.
As he got closer, it was clear to see that it was Professor Quirrell running towards them, except something was deathly wrong, and Harry's scar was burning with pain in response as the man came to an abrupt halt in front of them, as surprised as they were to see him.
It wasn't just the fact that Quirrell had what could only be the Mirror of Erised floating beside him, nor was it the fact that a stench of rot emanated from him. Or rather, from his turban, that made Harry's skin crawl.
No, what caused the pain and sense of wrongness were the red, glowing eyes full of madness and hate. That was what truly terrified Harry and sent a cold shiver down his spine.
To the man's credit, Professor Quirrell only stood there and stared at the ten First-Years in bewilderment for a couple seconds before his eyes alighted on Harry, and a sickening cross between a leer and a scowl smeared itself across the man's face.
"You're coming with me," the Defense professor snarled, glaring at the terrified children as he tried to reach out and grab Harry's wrist.
"You caused me to delay my plans by a whole week thanks to your meddling and those damned House Elves keeping an eye on everything," Quirrell growled in annoyance. "And then you went and somehow found out what I was doing despite the curse I used to blind the gaze of Hogwarts itself?! I need a hostage to make my escape, and who better than the Boy Who Lived?!"
...
....
Join my P*atreon for 100 premium chapters ahead of the public release.
Link: pa*treon.com/MysticVerse (Remove the *)
Free members also get 2 advanced chapters for free.