The Philosopher's Stone (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

A CHRISTMAS SURPRISE

Christmas was coming. One morning in mid-December, Hogwarts woke to find itself covered in several feet of snow. The lake froze solid and the Weasley twins were punished for bewitching several snowballs so that they followed Quirrell around, bouncing off the back of his turban. The few owls that managed to battle their way through the stormy sky to deliver mail had to be nursed back to health by Hagrid before they could fly off again.

Ria found that the snow didn't bother her. It felt cold but not uncomfortable so. She could have tried and experimented with snow powers but she was too caught up to bother.

Every since Hagrid had let slip about Nicolas Flamel, the four of them had been spending all of their spares time in the library. Ria still went to the forest regularly to work on wind. McGonagall had strictly forbidden her to try anything more this year in case she went too far and couldn't control whatever element she was working with.

"Professor Dumbledore wants you to explore as much as you can", she said with a shadow of disapproval on her strict face. "But I think it is reasonable to take it slow. You have seven years at Hogwarts and five elements to deal with. We have enough time", she concluded.

Back to the topic of Nicolas Flamel, the trouble was, it was very hard to know where to begin, not knowing what Flamel might have done to get himself into a book. He wasn't in Great Wizards of the Twentieth Century, or Notable Magical Names of Our Time ; he was missing, too, from Important Modern Magical Discoveries, and A Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. And then, of course, there was the sheer size of the library; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows.

Harry kept saying he'd read the name somewhere and so did Ria. But neither of them could remember where try came across it. Ria had even gone through the whole of Hogwarts a History, thinking she might have read it there.

When they left the last lesson before vacation, they found a large fir tree blocking the corridor ahead. Two enormous feet sticking out at the bottom and a loud puffing sound told them that Hagrid was behind it.

"Hi, Hagrid, want any help?" Ron asked, sticking his head through the branches.

"Nah, I'm all right, thanks, Ron."

"Would you mind moving out of the way?" came Malfoy's cold drawl from behind them. "Are you trying to earn some extra money, Weasley? Hoping to be gamekeeper yourself when you leave Hogwarts, I suppose -- that hut of Hagrid's must seem like a palace compared to what your family's used to."

"How did you ever manage to see Hagrid's hut, Blondy?", Ria said in a falsely shocked voice. "Didn't your parents poke your eyes out the minute you were born?"

Malfoy looked utterly confused but before he could do much Ron jumped at him. Just then Snape came down the stairs.

"WEASLEY!"

Ron let go of Blondy's robe.

"He was provoked, Professor Snape," said Hagrid, sticking his huge hairy face out from behind the tree. "Malfoy was insultin' his family."

"Be that as it may, fighting is against Hogwarts rules, Hagrid," said Snape silkily. "Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley, and be grateful it isn't more. Move along, all of you."

Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle pushed roughly past the tree, scattering needles everywhere and smirking.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him--"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"Come on, cheer up, it's nearly Christmas," said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come with me an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."