The Eighth Weasley

Chapter 12 - The Philosopher's Stone

"Hi Hedwig," said Harry, as his owl flew to sit right next to him at the Gryffindor table. 
He, Ron and Hermione were looking through their chocolate frogs cards for anything on Nicholas Flamel, while Hermione was studying.

"Look at you, playing with your cards. Pathetic!" remarked Hermione at Harry and Ron, "We've got final exams coming up soon."
"I'm ready," said Ron confidently, "Ask me any question."
Harry and Y/N exchanged a knowing look.
"Alright," said Hermione, "What are the three most crucial ingredients in a forgetfulness potion?"

"I forgot," said Ron.
"And what, may I ask, do you plan to do if this comes up in the final exam?"
"Copy off you."
"No, you won't!"
Harry and Y/N were amused at the bickering.

"Besides," continued Hermione, "according to Professor McGonagall, we're to be given special quills bewitched with an anti-cheating spell."
"That's insulting!" exclaimed Ron, turning to Harry and Y/N, "It's as if they don't trust us!"
Harry and Y/N feigned hurt expressions mockingly and giggled.

Just then, Neville came hopping into the Great Hall.
"Leg-locker curse?" said Ron.
"Malfoy." said Harry simply.
At this, Y/N turned to the Slytherin table, where she saw Malfoy sitting with his new best mate - none other than Edmund Pevensie. 

Maybe Y/N was wrong. Maybe her first impression of Edmund was all an act. He didn't seem to have any friends at the start of the year. Maybe that's why he had been so nice to her; to gain a friend. But now that he had plenty of those, it seemed he didn't need a Weasley sticking around. Y/N couldn't help but feel quite hurt. Then again, the boy was in Slytherin for a reason. What did she expect?

"I'll do the counter-curse!" said Seamus, standing up and brining Y/N back to the present conversation.
"No, that's all I need!" responded Neville, "You to set my bloody kneecaps on fire!"
Seamus looked quite offended by that statement and said, "I don't appreciate the insinuation, Longbottom! Besides, if anyone cared to notice, my eyebrows have completely grown back!"
Seamus stormed off, revealing a large, bald patch at the back of his head, at which the others giggled. The poor boy was still recovering from his attempt at trying to turn water into rum.

"I found him!" exclaimed Harry, all of a sudden.
Ron took the card from Harry and read, "Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel!"

"I knew the name sounded familiar," said Harry, "I'd read it on the train that day!"
"Follow me!" gasped Hermione, shuffling out of her seat.

**********

"I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I be so stupid?" said Hermione, before dropping down a large book on the table in front of Harry, Ron and Y/N.
The four of them were now sat at a table in the library.
Hermione sat down next to Y/N, across from Harry and Ron, before continuing, "I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"This is light?" said Ron, earning a glare from Hermione.

The bushy-haired girl flipped through the book, until she gasped, landing her finger on a page, "Of course! Here it is. Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone."
"The what?" Harry, Ron and Y/N asked in unison.
"Honestly, don't you three read?" said Hermione, "The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It can transform any metal into pure gold, and produces the elixir of life, which will make the drinker immortal."

"Immortal?" asked Ron.
"It means you'll never die," said Hermione.
"I know what it means!" retorted Ron, before Harry and Y/N shushed him.
Hermione continued reading, "The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist, who, last year, celebrated his 665th birthday."
Y/N's eyes widened, as she came to a conclusion, "That must be what Fluffy's guarding on the third floor! That's what's under the trapdoor - the Philosopher's Stone."

**********

The four young Gryffindors scampered across the grass, headed to Hagrid's hut. It was late at night, and the ground was completely quiet. Harry knocked on Hagrid's door, which was shortly answered.
"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed.
"Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today," said Hagrid, rather quickly.
"We know about the Philosopher's Stone!" said the four children, just before Hagrid could shut the door on them.
"Oh," was all Hagrid replied with.

"We think Snape's trying to steal it," said Harry.
"Snape? Blimey, you're not still on about him, are ya?"
"Hagrid, we know he's after the stone," insisted Harry, "We just don't know why."
"Snape is one of the teachers protecting the stone," explained Hagrid, "He's not about to steal it."
"What?"
"You heard. Right, come on, now. I'm a bit preoccupied today."

"Wait a minute, one of the teachers?" asked Harry.
"Of course! There are other things defending the stone, aren't there?" said Hermione, "Spells, enchantments."
"That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me," said Hagrid, "Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Ain't a soul knows how - except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I should not have told you that."

Suddenly, the pot hanging above the fireplace behind Hagrid began to rattle. Hagrid took out a large, spherical object from the pot and rushed to the table, where he placed it.
"Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" asked Harry.
"That? It's a- It's um..." Hagrid stuttered.
"I know what that is!" exclaimed Y/N, "But, Hagrid, how did you get one?"
"I won it," said Hagrid proudly, "off a stranger I met down at the pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact."

The object produced a cracking noise, at which Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped backwards in puzzlement, while Y/N leaned forward in awe. Suddenly, fragments of the object splattered in every direction, and everyone shielded their eyes. And out came the fragile wing of a baby dragon. It stretched its limbs and cooed, looking around.
"Is that... a dragon?" asked Hermione.
Usually, Y/N would respond snarkily, but she was too amazed, and said instead, "That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback. Our brother, Charlie, works with these in Romania."

"Isn't he beautiful? Oh, bless him. Look, he knows his mummy." said Hagrid, looking close to tears, "Hello, Norbert."
"Norbert?" said Harry.
"Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?"
The children chuckled, as Hagrid tickled Norbert under the chin. But Norbert sneezed, letting out his flamy breath onto Hagrid's beard. Luckily for Hagrid, he was able to put out the sparks easily.
"Oh, well, he'll have to be trained up a bit, of course," said Hagrid.

Suddenly, there was a screech from outside the hut.
Hagrid squinted at the window and asked, "Who's that?"
A familiar head of slicked-back, blonde hair quickly vanished, and a messy brunette followed.

"Malfoy," said Harry.
"And Edmund," sighed Y/N.
"Oh dear," said Hagrid.