Chapter 23

After being shown how to extract a memory using the Penseive and practicing it for a few tries, I finally managed to get the process down. It took me around forty-five minutes to figure out, but I eventually managed it and proved to Professor Sinistra's satisfaction that I had killed that troll, though I'd done so with a little help from Harry. The Plan, however, had been mine, as had been the first half of implementation, which gave me a better claim on the body, and Harry hadn't put a claim forward at any rate.

By the time we had finished, Professor Sinistra had already butchered the Tebo using a specialized set of tools that she had apparently gotten enruned and enchanted to work autonomously. The hide was automatically tanned using an alchemical oil that also treated it as it was applied, providing a full skin of Tebo Leather along with the batch of bones that were similarly dried with an alchemical powder.

"I am very much interested in how to make those substances, Professor." I remarked.

"They aren't taught at Hogwarts, but at the Venetian Alchemy Academy. Perhaps I'll show you how if you continue to impress as you did this evening." Was all that Professor Sinistra said on the matter.

"Indeed, Aurora. However, I do believe young Mister Zabini has stayed up long enough this evening." Came the wizened voice of Headmaster Dumbledore.

I turned around from the Pensieve to see the form of Headmaster Dumbledore, looking slightly winded from an evening of troubleshooting, entering his office via the Carved Oaken Doors. He may have looked like he'd been engaged in an hours-long battle with various deadly magical beasts, but he carried himself with enough vigor that you could believe he was nowhere near exhausted. The benefits of being the most powerful Wizard in Britain, I supposed.

"Headmaster, you're back. Can I assume the chaos of the Magical Beasts has been dealt with, then?" Questioned Professor Sinistra.

"It has. I believe the only Beast yet unaccounted for is the Runespoor. Hagrid is on his way to collect it now, as it apparently decided to curl up in the Muggle Studies showroom around the Muggle Steam Boiler. I suppose that is fair dues, as it is quite warm." Nodded Dumbledore.

"Hagrid?" Queried Professor Sinistra.

"Who else has Hagrid's experience with Magical Creatures? Silvanus is too old to take the field, you know." Asked Dumbledore.

"I suppose that makes sense. Apologies for the stain on the floor, I just finished butchering the Tebo. Young Mister Zabini helped me to slay it. It's unfortunate, but it charged us and one of its tusks managed to cut Mister Zabini on the leg." Apologized Professor Sinistra.

"So I see. Between the gash on his leg and the dislocated shoulder, I daresay Mister Zabini is in for a few days of stay in the Infirmary." Remarked Dumbledore.

"Dislocation? You mean it's not broken?" I questioned.

"Indeed not. I've spent enough time at War to recognize the difference. It may be painful, you might not be able to move it, but it is not broken. Bruised perhaps, and dislocated, but not broken. A few healing spells and a day or two of bedrest ought to fix you up good as new." Responded Dumbledore.

"That's a relief." I sighed.

"Quite. I've also spoken to Bathsheda who was in the midst of butchering a Mountain Troll, she told me that Mister Zabini claimed he slew it himself, a claim backed by none other than Harry Potter." Mused Dumbledore.

"Harry helped, but it was my plan and I did the first half of the plan myself. There's a memory in the Pensieve over there of the fight if you want to check." I insisted.

"Oh, I do not believe that will be necessary. I am curious, though, Mister Zabini, what you were doing with Misters Potter and Weasley out of your common rooms?" Queried Dumbledore.

"Millie wasn't at the feast. She's my friend, Headmaster, so I went looking for her. Potter and Weasley owed me from a prior good turn I did them, so I called in their marker to help me out. Good thing too, the Trolls had cornered Millie by the time we'd arrived and she had already broken her arm." I answered.

"Commendable. Loyalty to one's friends is oft a rare talent in these times and it heartens me to see such things blossom even in Slytherin, a house known for producing somewhat cutthroat politicians. I do have one last question for you before sending you on your way to the Hospital Wing, however." Intoned Dumbledore.

"Very well. It isn't as if I'm in a position to not answer." I shrugged, wincing as the motion jostled my dislocated arm.

"What did you feel when you slew the Mountain Troll?" Asked Professor Dumbledore.

"Feel? I suppose I was determined, Professor." I offered.

"Explain please." Pressed Dumbledore.

"Well, I was determined not to let the Troll hurt any of my friends anymore. Euergetism is a concept that my family is familiar with. Daphne called it Noblesse Oblige, I led Harry and Ron into the fight to save Millie, it was my responsibility to see they got out without getting hurt more." I explained.

"Is that all it was? Responsibility?" Questioned Dumbledore.

"Well, I suppose I've gotten a bit closer with Harry and Ron than I was at the start of term. I might even call them Mates." I admitted.

"I see. Well, I think then, that all there is left to do this evening is deliberate over what caused this and what rewards ought to be given, if any, to students who decided to take matters into their own hands." Nodded Dumbledore.

"Headmaster?" I queried.

"Yes, Mister Zabini?" Asked Dumbledore.

"I don't think this was an accident. Forest Trolls and Mountain Trolls do not work together unless there's an outside force making them. They don't group all their tribes and subspecies under the same umbrella like we do with people. They aren't quite sentient enough to realize they're the same general species. I think someone directed them to cause chaos and not fall to infighting. Possibly with the Imperio, possibly with the Mind Arts. If it's the latter, they're a lot better with the Mind Arts than I am, at least in terms of skill." I advised.

"I see. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, My Boy. I had my suspicions, of course, but it's nice to see them corroborated. I think, however, that a trip to Madame Pomfrey's is in order. Septima, would you please escort Young Blaze to the Hospital Wing?" Nodded Dumbledore.

"Of course. Come along, Mister Zabini. The House Elves will deliver your spoils to your dormitory while you heal." Ordered Professor Sinistra.

As I followed her out of the Headmaster's Office, I noticed Dumbledore giving me a considering look before nodding once and sitting down at his desk. Then we were out of the door and making our way towards the Hospital Wing. When we arrived, I spotted Millie in a bed with her arm in a sling as Skele-Gro did its job, attested to by the empty bottle on the nightstand next to the bed. She was asleep, but alive and healing. That was good, it meant that I had done what I'd set out to do.

Then Madame Pomfrey took over, force-feeding me a Limb-Straightening Potion to fix my dislocated arm, and casting a pair of spells on my leg. The first was a Purgare Vulnus to purify the wound of any potential germs, and the second was a Sutura Vulnus Spell, which was a more powerful version of the Episkey Spell that I knew. She finished my treatment by wiping the site of the cut down with Essence of Dittany, bandaging my leg, and putting my arm in a sling. Then she went over and cast Episkey on the various smaller cuts, bruises, and scrapes I picked up before she forced me into a bed next to Millie's.

"You are to stay there for a full thirty-six hours while the potions do their work. I'll know if you try to leave early, so don't." Warned Madame Pomfrey.

I knew better than to argue with a doctor about my treatment and health, so I lay there and cracked open the Craftsman's Tradition, retrieving it from my Mokeskin Pouch and reading up on items and potions that I could use Tebo or Troll parts to make. After being forced into bed for thirty-six hours, I was definitely interested in the Potions of Regeneration that used Troll Blood as their base. The Book warned me that they tasted foul, but that was a small price to pay for what was effectively a short-duration Wolverine-style healing factor.

Eventually, however, I drifted off to sleep, putting the book back in my pouch. Fortunately, my dreams were untroubled by portents of doom and instead, I found myself dreaming a normal, if nonsensical, dream about sailing to a place called Candied Island. It allowed me to practice my lucid dreaming skills via the Mind Arts. I don't think we would have found Candied Island without that, the Captain whose ship I was on was sort of an idiot.

Unfortunately, just as I was about to take my first sip from the Lemonade Sea that was near the Island, I was woken up. Apparently, I'd been asleep for twenty-four of those thirty-six hours and it was now ten at night on November First. I was given a follow-up inspection by Madame Pomfrey, and food courtesy of the House Elves, before being allowed to drift off back to sleep. Apparently, I was healing ahead of schedule and would be able to return to my normal routine in time for breakfast in the morning.

The next morning, true to form, I was kicked out of my bed at nine in the morning by Madame Pomfrey in favor of Neville, who had apparently broken his leg doing something involving Exploding Snap and needed the bed more than I did. I was just happy to return to my usual schedule.

I returned to my dorm to shower and change, finding the reagents from the rendered down Tebo and Troll Parts had been delivered and placed in my family trunk while I'd slept. That made me even more happy since it opened up tons of possibilities for crafting and rituals. Not only that, but I'd earned another hundred Silver Points in the House Rankings from how things had gone. I was honestly thrilled with how Halloween had turned out.

Had I known that Magnus Gamp would be doubling my training to make up for missing out on Monday, I probably wouldn't have been so glad to leave. . .

XXXX

Harry and Ron had come down to Breakfast on the Morning of November First, waiting to hear what had happened to Blaise and Millie. Unfortunately, neither of the two Slytherins was at breakfast, though asking Daphne Greengrass where they were had only gotten them both a look, likely because it had been Ron who asked and he'd done so in his usual way. That is to say, he'd marched up to the Slytherin Table and bluntly asked where the two were. Daphne had made a snide comment about the lack of tact, and soon, Harry was dragging Ron away from the Slytherin Table to avoid an argument. Harry loved Ron, really, he was his best mate, after all, but sometimes he really could put his foot in his mouth.

"I heard you two were asking about Blaise and Millie?" Came a voice from their right as Harry and Ron made their way back to the Gryffindor Table.

Harry turned to see the Bushy-haired, bucktoothed, face of Hermione Granger from Ravenclaw staring at him and Ron. Harry decided he'd better take the reins in this conversation early because Ron and Hermione did not get on in the least. Before Ron could open his mouth and incite an argument, Harry spoke up.

"Yes, we helped Blaise and Millie out last night with some trolls and just wanted to know if they were all right." Clarified Harry.

"They're both in the Hospital Wing. Millie's arm was dislocated and her wrist had a compound fracture that required one of the bones to be vanished and replaced by Skele-Gro, plus a severe case of magical exhaustion and a number of cuts and bruises. She'll be in the Hospital Wing for five days while she heals. Blaise got off lighter, a gash to the leg from a Tebo Tusk and a bruised and dislocated arm, plus a few smaller cuts and scrapes. He'll be out tomorrow sometime." Informed Hermione.

"Thanks. We should visit." Mused Harry.

"Why? Let the Bloke sleep. I'd want that if it was me." Huffed Ron.

"I hate to agree with Ron Weasley, but Madame Pomfrey said Blaise has been asleep for about ten hours now and he's not showing any signs of waking up any time soon. It's like he's decided to just sleep through the whole recovery process." Admitted Hermione.

"See? Bloke probably hates hospitals. I know I do, that's why Mum sneaks me a sleeping draught every time I've had to go to Saint Mungo's for a Quidditch Incident or something." Nodded Ron.

"Not everyone's like you, Mate." Sighed Harry.

"Boys. If you want to visit, Daphne's planning a get-together once they're both out of the Hospital Wing." Sniffed Hermione, rolling her eyes.

"When and where?" Questioned Harry.

"The Cross-House Study Classroom, Sunday afternoon at half-past three." Answered Hermione.

"We'll be there." Insisted Ron.

"I'll let Daphne know you're coming. If you could get your brothers to supply a bit of food and drink from Hogsmeade, that'd be brilliant. Not Butterbeer or anything, but Blaise is a fan of Goblin Juice, and if they can get an assortment from Honeydukes, that'd be brilliant too. Daphne's set aside a fund for it." Opined Hermione.

"Will do. They just love sneaking out of the castle, though I'll be buggered if I know how they manage that." Grumbled Ron.

"Language, Ronald!" Hissed Hermione.

"Right, we'll let the twins know. We should get back to the Gryffindor Table." Insisted Harry.

And like that, he and Ron headed back to the Gryffindor Table. The rest of breakfast was taken up with trying to get the Twins' attention after whatever it was they were talking about with Lee Jordan had snowballed into a debate. Something about the Quodpot Finals in America? Regardless, they managed to do so just before breakfast ended and everyone had to go to class. Fred and George promised to talk to Daphne and see if they couldn't come to some sort of arrangement for smuggling in some things from Hogsmeade.

As breakfast ended, however, Headmaster Dumbledore stood up at the Staff Table and drew everyone's attention with a Sonorus-enhanced clearing of his throat. Then he began to go into a speech about what exactly had happened last night. Something about a fault in the containment mechanism of several of both Professor Kettleburn's Magical Creature Pens and the Dangerous Beast Containment Chamber that the various beasts used for demonstration purposes in Defense were stored in. Harry and Ron knew the truth, though. Last Night was no accident.

The Headmaster was covering that bit up, likely to help catch whoever did it. Harry and Ron's money was on Professor Snape, but Harry supposed it could be anyone. It's just that Snape was the type to try something like that. The man was practically a cartoon villain from one of Dudley's colorful Saturday morning American Imports he always had to have on the Telly, even if he wasn't paying attention to it. The Man liked to bully children, for Gods' sake!

However, then the Headmaster began awarding house points for various deeds of bravery, daring, and so on. Harry and Ron earned Gryffindor another fifty points, and the entire table burst out into applause. That finally allowed Gryffindor to pull ahead of Hufflepuff, though they still hadn't quite caught up to Ravenclaw, never mind Slytherin. Harry just enjoyed the sour look on Snape's face at that. Of course, it was ruined by Blase scoring Slytherin Seventy Points and Millie Scoring Slytherin Thirty for defeating a Trio of Bundimun. That put Slytherin even further ahead, equalizing the points that Harry and Ron had earned. One step forward, two steps back, it seemed.

However, there wasn't time to dwell on that, since they were all dismissed to class immediately afterward. Harry could only sigh at how that had all turned out. Slytherin had taken a commanding lead and it was unlikely they would catch up unless Gryffindor had a veritable run on the Quidditch Pitch this year. Harry frowned at that, as he recalled all the Friday Afternoon and Sunday Morning Practices that Oliver Wood, the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain, had them doing. Harry had gotten onto the team by virtue of showing off his flying skills at the start of October, but Wood's insistence on constant, hard, practice almost made him think it wasn't worth it. Regardless, Harry resolved to do his best at Saturday's opener against Slytherin. Who knows? Maybe they'd even beat Slytherin?

It couldn't be as hard as fighting trolls, after all. . .

XXXX

Quirinius Quirrel sat in his office, ruminating on how he had failed his Master. He'd paid for it, too, as his Dark master had haunted his dreams, tormenting him as surely as the pain in his leg from that accursed dog tormented him physically. Honestly, who uses a Cerberus in polite society as a Vault Guard in this day and age? It was almost like he was dealing with Goblins again!

'The Goblins may be pitiful, stunted, ugly, creatures, but they at least know their business, unlike some useless fools that call themselves my servants!' Hissed the Sibilant tones of Quirnius' Dark Master in his mind.

'Please Master, I did my best.' Pleaded Quirinius mentally.

'And that is the only reason you did not suffer worse last night! Be thankful that I have some capacity for leniency left and do better next time!' Ordered Quirinius' Master telepathically.

'I will, Master! I promise!' Vowed Quirinius in his thoughts.

The presence of his Dark Master receded from Quirinius' conscious mind as he went dormant once again. Quirinius knew that his next chance would likely be his last. However, he also knew now that the Cerberus wasn't likely to be the only unexpected challenge he faced in getting the Stone. He'd been told that there was a challenge for each of the professors in the Core Subjects taught at Hogwarts, but none of the Core Subjects Corresponded to a Cerberus. Care of Magical Creatures was an elective, but Quirinius doubted that Kettleburn was hale and hearty enough to wrangle a Cerberus.

"It had to have been Hagrid. The Groundskeeper must have gotten involved somehow." Frowned Quirinius to himself.

It didn't make sense. Hagrid wasn't a professor, he was a menial servant. A Half-Breed Giant kept around to do the sort of manual labor his sort was perfect for. It didn't make sense for such a person to be given the ability to add a challenge. What was next? That Pathetic Squib of a Caretaker? No, he was just a Glorified Hall Monitor. However, the same could have been said for Hagrid being a glorified Gardener. Perhaps Madame Pince, the Librarian would also have been invited to add something? Dumbledore most certainly would have added something of his own.

Quirinius would have to research his next attempt more thoroughly. He knew how to bypass most of the traps and puzzles from the other professors because he had been included in the planning process, but if Dumbledore had invited the non-teaching staff to add things, then it could be anything. Quirinius fortunately, already knew just how to bypass a Cerberus, the Beast could be lulled to sleep with music, but it was not knowing of the Beast's presence that had caused him to fail.

He would have to figure out what else had been added and how they could be bypassed. His very life would depend on it. He very much doubted his Master would consider sparing him a second time. Honestly, Quirinius was frankly shocked he had been allowed to live after his failure last night. His Master hadn't been as lucid as this in a long time, which made Quirinius think that the Dark Lord was growing in strength, something that seemed to be corroborated by the way the Dark Lord's essence had spread further around the back of his head.

At the start, it had simply been a mouth, but now, the slitted nostrils of the Dark Lord's snakelike nose had also emerged. Quirinius had no doubt that eyes were next. Every day that passed, the Dark Lord's possession grew stronger and if Quirinius did not steal the stone by the time that Hogwarts let out for the Summer Holidays, full possession was practically guaranteed. There was no other option but for Quirinius to do as his master commanded.

After all, if he did not, there would not be a Quirinius left come next year. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we see the aftermath of Halloween. I hope you guys all enjoyed this October series of Updates. I know I enjoyed writing them. Next week we'll finally move forward into November, but I had to do something with Halloween for Spooky Season.

Here we see not only how Blaise made out from Halloween, with a shitload of rare crafting materials and ritual reagents, an assload of Silver Points, and even more House Points for Slytherin, but also a bit about how things are going with the Stone and Voldemort, as well as a bit more of Harry and Ron getting closer with Blaise and Company.

I have a grand total of Ten Challenges planned for the Stone. Seven of them are the ones from the Book, while the remaining three are challenges put forward by a combination of Non-Teaching staff and Elective Professors working in groups of two. You'll see what I mean when we enter the part of the School Year after the Christmas Holidays.

On the Subject of Voldemort's Possession of Quirrel, the reason both of them want the Stone is different. Quirrel wants the stone because it can be used to transmute a body for Voldemort which will let Quirrel regain full control of his own body. Voldemort wants the Stone to transmute a body for himself that is more powerful than Quirrel's. Quirrel is, after all, not the most powerful of Wizards. Unfortunately for Quirrel, if he doesn't get the stone to transmute the body, then Voldemort will take full control of his instead. It's effectively a race against the clock for him.

At any rate, the next chapter will have us push into November in a Time-Skippy Chapter that amalgamates the second through fifth of November in the leadup to the Quidditch Game.

Stay tuned. . .