Harry Potter 01 - Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

only used the horn and tail-hair in Potions.’
    ‘That is because it is a monstrous thing, to slay a unicorn,’ said Firenze. ‘Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself and you will have but a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips.’
    Harry stared at the back of Firenze’s head, which was dappled silver in the moonlight.
    ‘But who’d be that desperate?’ he wondered aloud. ‘If you’re going to be cursed for ever, death’s better, isn’t it?’
    ‘It is,’ Firenze agreed, ‘unless all you need is to stay alive long enough to drink something else – something that will bring you back to full strength and power – something that will mean you can never die. Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?’
    ‘The Philosopher’s Stone! Of course – the Elixir of Life! But I don’t understand who –’
    ‘Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?’
    It was as though an iron fist had clenched suddenly around Harry’s heart. Over the rustling of the trees, he seemed to hear once more what Hagrid had told him on the night they had met: ‘Some say he died. Codswallop, in my opinion. Dunno if he had enough human left in him to die.’
    ‘Do you mean,’ Harry croaked, ‘that was Vol –’
    ‘Harry! Harry, are you all right?’
    Hermione was running towards them down the path, Hagrid puffing along behind her.
    ‘I’m fine,’ said Harry, hardly knowing what he was saying. ‘The unicorn’s dead, Hagrid, it’s in that clearing back there.’
    ‘This is where I leave you,’ Firenze murmured as Hagrid hurried off to examine the unicorn. ‘You are safe now.’
    Harry slid off his back.
    ‘Good luck, Harry Potter,’ said Firenze. ‘The planets have been read wrongly before now, even by centaurs. I hope this is one of those times.’
    He turned and cantered back into the depths of the Forest, leaving Harry shivering behind him.
    *
    Ron had fallen asleep in the dark common room, waiting for them to return. He shouted something about Quidditch fouls when Harry roughly shook him awake. In a matter of seconds, though, he was wide-eyed as Harry began to tell him and Hermione what had happened in the Forest.
    Harry couldn’t sit down. He paced up and down in front of the fire. He was still shaking.
    ‘Snape wants the stone for Voldemort … and Voldemort’s waiting in the Forest … and all this time we thought Snape just wanted to get rich …’
    ‘Stop saying the name!’ said Ron in a terrified whisper, as if he thought Voldemort could hear them.
    Harry wasn’t listening.
    ‘Firenze saved me, but he shouldn’t have done … Bane was furious … he was talking about interfering with what the planets say is going to happen … They must show that Voldemort’s coming back … Bane thinks Firenze should have let Voldemort kill me … I suppose that’s written in the stars as well.’
    ‘Will you stop saying the name!’ Ron hissed.
    ‘So all I’ve got to wait for now is Snape to steal the Stone,’ Harry went on feverishly, ‘then Voldemort will be able to come and finish me off … Well, I suppose Bane’ll be happy.’
    Hermione looked very frightened, but she had a word of comfort.
    ‘Harry, everyone says Dumbledore’s the only one You-Know-Who was ever afraid of. With Dumbledore around, You-Know-Who won’t touch you. Anyway, who says the centaurs are right? It sounds like fortune-telling to me, and Professor McGonagall says that’s a very imprecise branch of magic.’
    The sky had turned light before they stopped talking. They went to bed exhausted, their throats sore. But the night’s surprises weren’t over.
    When Harry pulled back his sheets, he found his Invisibility Cloak folded neatly underneath them. There was a note pinned to it:
     
    Just in case.

 
     
— CHAPTER SIXTEEN —
     
Through the Trapdoor
    In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.
    It was swelteringly hot, especially in the