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

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"<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>"

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CHAPTER 59

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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

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"<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>

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CHAPTER 66

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<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

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<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>

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CHAPTER 105

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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>"

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CHAPTER 106

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Harry looked back. "<em>Wass sseriouss,</em>" hissed Harry.

"<em>Would have done ssame if came by mysself.</em>"

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CHAPTER 107

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"<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>"

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CHAPTER 108

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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?"

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CHAPTER 109

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"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.

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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>"

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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.

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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