Running

Chapter 15

"We need to get rid of that stone before exams start or we'll be way too busy to even try," Hermione had a very determined look to her. Once again they were sitting in the Room of Requirement, a cafe this time overlooking some European skyline. The specific location didn't matter, just that it was nice to look at.

Harry raised his mug to his mouth, "Hermione, you already know the exams are going to be a breeze, it's first year." He took a sip of his drink, a pistachio hot chocolate, "But I suppose you're right, we should get rid of the stone while we can."

That night they both snuck into the common room and lit the fireplace. Last time, Harry remembered that the stone had been destroyed in the flaming room Harry had first met Voldemort. Though they couldn't be exactly sure of how the stone had met its end, melting it didn't seem like a bad choice. They patiently waited for the flames to grow to a low blaze before throwing the stone in. The fire engulfed the stone; it was completely out of their sight.

"Well, that was easy." Harry yawned, and they both went back to bed.

It was now Monday, the last Monday before the exams and the first years were sat under the simpering stare of Professor Quirell. He had raised their revision much slower over the past few weeks than the other teachers but he grilled them about the exams all the same.

"R-r-remember children, t-these exams are v-very important for your work n-next ye-" Something caught Quirell's eye, a red glint in the hand of a red-haired child. Ronald was holding the small ruby, showing it off to everyone but Harry. He had a new plan. Make Harry Potter as jealous as possible about not being the friend of Ronald Weasley, then Harry Potter would dump the freak and they could be friends forever. He had found the weird stone in the fireplace as he had rushed down for breakfast. It sparked Ronald's brilliant plan that would surely nab him the Boy-Who-Lived before the holidays started. He hadn't shown troll-face either, she wasn't worthy. Unfortunately, his plan wasn't going very well. Apparently, when people are constantly surrounded by magic, small gemstones don't mean much anymore. Eventually, Ronald grew tired of holding the stone, he placed it in his bag but would be sure to bring it out at lunch and dinner.

Quirell watched greedily as the young boy placed the precious stone back into his bag. The Dark Lord knew his next step.

"Hey, Harry!" Ron called cheerily to his friend as he entered the Great Hall for lunch, "Look what I have!"

Look Harry did, as did Hermione and behind them Professor Quirell and the whole staff table, all of them with their jaws touching the floor. Where did he get that? and How on earth did he get past our system? Could be heard flitting around the staff table. "Mr Weasley!" Professor McGonagall called, "My office. Now."

Confused Ronald stuffed the stone in his pocket and trudged after the old professor. He was missing his dinner, and for what? Because he spoke a little loudly in the Great Hall? Everyone is talking at that time, not just Ronald.

"Alright, whatever," Ron said as soon as they were in the professor's office, "I'm sorry for shouting across the Great Hall. Can I go back to my dinner now?"

McGonagall looked incredulously at him; could he honestly not see that he held great power in his pockets, or that he could have made any number of potentially very dangerous people very aware of the very unsafe position the stone was in? This was happening at the worst possible time, students were preparing for exams, teachers were preparing for them too, everyone would be too distracted to keep an eye on the stone. And how did a child like Ronald Weasley, whose grades were less than average manage to get through the obstacles that the professors of Hogwarts had set up? Of course, they all knew the defence system wasn't as high quality as it could have been, but as always Albus had been very vague about why this stone needed protection and from whom. She had heard of the Philosopher's Stone and knew what it could do; despite the Headmaster's vagueness, it was fairly obvious that in the wrong hands, many problems could arise for the Wizarding World.