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Aurora Areli
THE DAY BEFORE THE term started, I was back at Hogwarts with Harry, Hermione, and Ron. When the boys told us about the Invisibility Cloak, the Restricted Section, and the Mirror of Erised, Hermione instantly lectured them about being out of bed after curfew and not finding anything about Nicolas Flamel.
I was more surprised than anything, but that surprise turned to worry when Harry told us about the nightmares he'd been having after visiting the Mirror.
"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron.
Harry told us he was still sure that he'd read Flamel's name somewhere before, but despite that, the four of us were nearly to the point of giving up on trying to find him anywhere in a book.
We kept persevering, though, spending the ten minutes in between classes skimming through books anyway. Harry had even less time than the rest of us, because Quidditch had started again.
One evening, I was in the common room with Hermione and Ron (who were playing chess) thinking about how if Flamel was so important, why wasn't he in any of the recent books about famous wizards?
Unless he was over a hundred years old, which wasn't uncommon in the wizarding world, but even then he would still be working in the twentieth century, so that didn't make any sense.
I was pulled from my thoughts by a sullen looking Harry Potter plopping next to me on the couch. I looked at him questioningly, but Ron spoke up before I could say anything.
"Don't talk to me for a moment," he said, "I need to concen–" apparently, I wasn't the only person to notice Harry's glum expression. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."
Speaking in a hushed tone, Harry told us about how Snape would be refereeing at the next Quidditch match.
"Don't play," I said promptly. Though I wasn't sure whether or not Snape or Quirrell were after Harry, it was good not to take any chances.
"Say you're ill," said Ron.
"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.
"Really break your leg," Ron said.
"Ron!" I exclaimed, horrified.
"I can't," said Harry woefully. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."
At that moment, Neville toppled into the common room. I had no idea how he had managed to get all the way up to Gryffindor tower on his own, because his legs had been stuck together with what I recognized as the Leg-Locker Curse.
Everyone was laughing except for Hermione and I. She leapt up immediately to perform the countercurse. I also stood to help a trembling Neville to his feet.
