Chapter 11: - Nicolas Flamel
Hermione returned the day before term started and landed Kari and Yugi in trouble with their yamis when she started yelling at them for being out of bed, roaming the school four nights in a row. She was torn between horror that the three of them had broken the rules and disappointment that they hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.
They had given up hope of ever finding Nicolas Flamel in any library book, even though Harry was sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term started they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks, though Harry had even less time then the others, because Quidditch practise had started again.
Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow didn't dampen his spirits.
The group were sat in the Great Hall, duelling, talking and eating all their chocolate frogs as a very soggy Harry returned from Quidditch practise with a face like thunder. "What's wrong, Harry?" Ombre asked, looking up from her duel with Yami. "You look pissed off."
In a low voice Harry told the group about what he'd heard at Quidditch practise. The Professor Snape would be refereeing the next match.
"But that's not fair!" Kari growled, "He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin!"
"Don't play." Yugi said, worried.
"Say you're ill." Yami said, taking his eyes off the duel.
"Pretend to break your leg." Ombre and Hermione suggested at the same time.
"Really break your leg." Joey suggested, earning him an odd look from the entire group.
"I can't," Harry groaned, "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all." At that moment Neville toppled onto the their bench, knocking Yugi, who knocked their pile of chocolate frog cards all over the floor, with a couple landing under the Ravenclaw table where Kaiba was working on his laptop again, finally having worked out what spell Kari had been using to get his laptop to work inside Hogwarts.
Hermione quickly worked out that someone had used the Leg-Locker curse on Neville and leapt up and preformed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he apologised to Yugi who was hunting for the last few chocolate frog cards. Kaiba picked the last one up, it was of Professor Dumbledore. He read it and smirked, he wasn't going to help the dweeb brigade too much, he knew who Nicolas Flamel was, but this would be a hint.
Yugi smiled as Kaiba passed him the card, text up, and Yugi gaped at it. Kaiba smirked at Yami and left the hall with his laptop. "I found him!" Yugi gasped, "I've found Flamel! Well Kaiba found him actually; listen to this…Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his friend Nicolas Flamel."
Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd got back their marks for their very first piece of homework.
"Stay here!" She said and sprinted out the door. A couple of minutes and a few turns later she was back, an enormous book in her arms and completely out of breath. "I never thought to look in here! I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"Light?" Yami asked as the book landed on the table with a heavy thud. Kari and Neville were deep in conversation, and Neville looked up happily eating Kari's last chocolate frog and left them to it. Yami was getting scolded for talking while Hermione was looking for something within the light? book.
She found what she was looking for, "I knew it! I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to talk yet?" Yami asked, slightly annoyed. Hermione ignored him.
"Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's stone."
"I've heard of that, though I don't think I ever saw one." Ombre said thoughtfully, losing the duel by decking out. "It will turn any base metal to gold and produces the Elixir of Life, while will make the drinker immortal." Hermione nodded.
"The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opra-lover. Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year…" Yugi trailed of from reading what was is the book, stunned.
"That must be what the dog is guarding." Harry said, as they packed their stuff away and made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room.
Kari nodded, "By the way guys, beware Malfoy and Bakura, apparently they're the ones who hexed Neville."
Harry knew, when the group wished him luck for the match at the changing rooms a week later, that they were worried about him, it wasn't comforting, except for the fact they all had their wands and the Millennium Items were here too, to help should anything go wrong. Harry barely heard Woods pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus 2000.
Meanwhile the group had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who wondered why they all looked so grim, and couldn't understand why they'd all brought their wands to the match or why Yugi, Yami, Kari and Ombre's robes were lumpy. They were each carrying a Millennium Item, with Yami holding the Millennium Rod as well.
Harry nearly shouted for joy when he realised Professor Dumbledore was in the stands, Snape wouldn't dare try anything with the headmaster there. Maybe that was why Snape was so angry when the teams walked onto the pitch, something Ron noticed too.
"I've never seen Snape look so mean," He told Joey, "Look their off – OUCH!" Someone had elbowed Ron in the back of the head, it was Malfoy.
"Oh sorry Weasley, didn't see you there." Mouthboy grinned broadly at Bakura who smirked evilly. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone wanna take a bet? What about you Weasley? Wheeler?"
Neither boy answered, Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because Fred had hit a bludger at him. Hermione was keeping her eyes on Harry while they others were keeping an eye on the game in general. Harry was circling like a hawk looking for the snitch.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Said Bakura loudly after a few minutes, as Snape gave Hufflepuff a penalty for no reason other then he could. "It's people they feel sorry for. See there's Potter, who's got no parents, then theirs the Weasleys who have no money – you should be on the team Longbottom, you've got no brains."
"I'm worth twelve of you Malfoy!" Neville stammered. Malfoy, Bakura, Crabbe and Goyle burst out laughing, but Joey, who wasn't taking his eyes of the game, said, "You tell them Neville."
"Come off it Wheeler, if brains were gold both you and Longbottom would be poorer then Weasley and that's saying something."
At this point Yami had to grab a hold of Joey to stop him from attacking Malfoy, while Ron's nerves were stretched to breaking point with anxiety about Harry. "I'm warning you Malfoy – one more word…"
"Ron! Joey!" Hermione said sharply, "Harry…!"
"What where?"
Harry had suddenly dived, drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd. "You're in luck Weasley, Potter has obviously spotted some money on the ground." Said Malfoy.
Ron snapped and Joey escaped Yami's grasp. Before Malfoy and Bakura knew what hit them, the two boys were on top of them, wrestling them to the ground. Neville froze for a minute and then clambered over the back to help.
Hermione was lost in the match, yelling "Come on Harry!" as he sped at Snape. She didn't notice the fighting behind her, or notice Kari join in to help Neville against Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry sped past Snape who only saw a scarlet blur, and pulled up, arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught s quickly.
"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The games over! Harry's won! Gryffindor are in the lead!" Shieked Hermione, deafening Ombre and hugging the yami who was wondering if she should pull her hikari off of Crabbe.
Harry walked back from the changing rooms on his own, taking his broom over to the shed. He couldn't remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of. The evening air never smelt so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, replying the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur. He leant against the shed and looked up at Hogwarts, with it's windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape.
Speaking of Snape…
A hooded figure came swiftly down from the castle. He recognised the prowling walk as Snape's. But what was he doing down here with everyone in the castle at dinner? Harry jumped back on his broomstick and took off, following Snape above the trees, he landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree and listened to Snape and…
"…d…don't know why you wanted t…t…to meet here of all p…places, Severus…" Professor Quirrell stammered.
"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," Said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about he Philosopher's stone after all." Quirrell mumbled something that Harry couldn't hear, but Snape interrupted him.
"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"
"B…b..but Severus, I…"
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell."
"I…I don't know what you…"
"You know exactly well what I mean." An owl hooted loudly causing Harry to nearly fall out of the tree, he steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, "…your little bit of Hocus Pocus. I'm waiting."
"B…but I d…d…don't…"
"Very well, we'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time do decide where your loyalties lie." He threw the cloak over his head and headed back the way he'd come. It was almost dark now but Harry could see Professor Quirrell, standing as if petrified.
"Harry, where have you been?" Squeaked Hermione.
"We won! You won! We won!" Shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Joey gave Bakura one, and Neville and Kari took on Crabbe and Goyle…Neville's out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be alright – talk about showing Slytherin!"
Kari smiled as they reached the main doors, "Everyone's waiting for you in the Gryffindor common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole cakes and stuff from the kitchen."
"Never mind that now." Harry said, "Let's find an empty room, you wait till you hear this…"
He made sure Peeves wasn't inside the room before he shut the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.
"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to steal it. He asked if Quirrell knew how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' – I reckon there are other things guarding the stone except from Fluffy. Enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-dark arts spell which Snape needs to break through…"
"So you're saying the stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Yugi said, with alarm.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Said Yami.
They had given up hope of ever finding Nicolas Flamel in any library book, even though Harry was sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term started they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks, though Harry had even less time then the others, because Quidditch practise had started again.
Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow didn't dampen his spirits.
The group were sat in the Great Hall, duelling, talking and eating all their chocolate frogs as a very soggy Harry returned from Quidditch practise with a face like thunder. "What's wrong, Harry?" Ombre asked, looking up from her duel with Yami. "You look pissed off."
In a low voice Harry told the group about what he'd heard at Quidditch practise. The Professor Snape would be refereeing the next match.
"But that's not fair!" Kari growled, "He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin!"
"Don't play." Yugi said, worried.
"Say you're ill." Yami said, taking his eyes off the duel.
"Pretend to break your leg." Ombre and Hermione suggested at the same time.
"Really break your leg." Joey suggested, earning him an odd look from the entire group.
"I can't," Harry groaned, "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all." At that moment Neville toppled onto the their bench, knocking Yugi, who knocked their pile of chocolate frog cards all over the floor, with a couple landing under the Ravenclaw table where Kaiba was working on his laptop again, finally having worked out what spell Kari had been using to get his laptop to work inside Hogwarts.
Hermione quickly worked out that someone had used the Leg-Locker curse on Neville and leapt up and preformed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he apologised to Yugi who was hunting for the last few chocolate frog cards. Kaiba picked the last one up, it was of Professor Dumbledore. He read it and smirked, he wasn't going to help the dweeb brigade too much, he knew who Nicolas Flamel was, but this would be a hint.
Yugi smiled as Kaiba passed him the card, text up, and Yugi gaped at it. Kaiba smirked at Yami and left the hall with his laptop. "I found him!" Yugi gasped, "I've found Flamel! Well Kaiba found him actually; listen to this…Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for his discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his friend Nicolas Flamel."
Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd got back their marks for their very first piece of homework.
"Stay here!" She said and sprinted out the door. A couple of minutes and a few turns later she was back, an enormous book in her arms and completely out of breath. "I never thought to look in here! I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"Light?" Yami asked as the book landed on the table with a heavy thud. Kari and Neville were deep in conversation, and Neville looked up happily eating Kari's last chocolate frog and left them to it. Yami was getting scolded for talking while Hermione was looking for something within the light? book.
She found what she was looking for, "I knew it! I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to talk yet?" Yami asked, slightly annoyed. Hermione ignored him.
"Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's stone."
"I've heard of that, though I don't think I ever saw one." Ombre said thoughtfully, losing the duel by decking out. "It will turn any base metal to gold and produces the Elixir of Life, while will make the drinker immortal." Hermione nodded.
"The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opra-lover. Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year…" Yugi trailed of from reading what was is the book, stunned.
"That must be what the dog is guarding." Harry said, as they packed their stuff away and made their way to the Gryffindor Common Room.
Kari nodded, "By the way guys, beware Malfoy and Bakura, apparently they're the ones who hexed Neville."
Harry knew, when the group wished him luck for the match at the changing rooms a week later, that they were worried about him, it wasn't comforting, except for the fact they all had their wands and the Millennium Items were here too, to help should anything go wrong. Harry barely heard Woods pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus 2000.
Meanwhile the group had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who wondered why they all looked so grim, and couldn't understand why they'd all brought their wands to the match or why Yugi, Yami, Kari and Ombre's robes were lumpy. They were each carrying a Millennium Item, with Yami holding the Millennium Rod as well.
Harry nearly shouted for joy when he realised Professor Dumbledore was in the stands, Snape wouldn't dare try anything with the headmaster there. Maybe that was why Snape was so angry when the teams walked onto the pitch, something Ron noticed too.
"I've never seen Snape look so mean," He told Joey, "Look their off – OUCH!" Someone had elbowed Ron in the back of the head, it was Malfoy.
"Oh sorry Weasley, didn't see you there." Mouthboy grinned broadly at Bakura who smirked evilly. "Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone wanna take a bet? What about you Weasley? Wheeler?"
Neither boy answered, Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because Fred had hit a bludger at him. Hermione was keeping her eyes on Harry while they others were keeping an eye on the game in general. Harry was circling like a hawk looking for the snitch.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Said Bakura loudly after a few minutes, as Snape gave Hufflepuff a penalty for no reason other then he could. "It's people they feel sorry for. See there's Potter, who's got no parents, then theirs the Weasleys who have no money – you should be on the team Longbottom, you've got no brains."
"I'm worth twelve of you Malfoy!" Neville stammered. Malfoy, Bakura, Crabbe and Goyle burst out laughing, but Joey, who wasn't taking his eyes of the game, said, "You tell them Neville."
"Come off it Wheeler, if brains were gold both you and Longbottom would be poorer then Weasley and that's saying something."
At this point Yami had to grab a hold of Joey to stop him from attacking Malfoy, while Ron's nerves were stretched to breaking point with anxiety about Harry. "I'm warning you Malfoy – one more word…"
"Ron! Joey!" Hermione said sharply, "Harry…!"
"What where?"
Harry had suddenly dived, drawing gasps and cheers from the crowd. "You're in luck Weasley, Potter has obviously spotted some money on the ground." Said Malfoy.
Ron snapped and Joey escaped Yami's grasp. Before Malfoy and Bakura knew what hit them, the two boys were on top of them, wrestling them to the ground. Neville froze for a minute and then clambered over the back to help.
Hermione was lost in the match, yelling "Come on Harry!" as he sped at Snape. She didn't notice the fighting behind her, or notice Kari join in to help Neville against Crabbe and Goyle.
Harry sped past Snape who only saw a scarlet blur, and pulled up, arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught s quickly.
"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The games over! Harry's won! Gryffindor are in the lead!" Shieked Hermione, deafening Ombre and hugging the yami who was wondering if she should pull her hikari off of Crabbe.
Harry walked back from the changing rooms on his own, taking his broom over to the shed. He couldn't remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of. The evening air never smelt so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, replying the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur. He leant against the shed and looked up at Hogwarts, with it's windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape.
Speaking of Snape…
A hooded figure came swiftly down from the castle. He recognised the prowling walk as Snape's. But what was he doing down here with everyone in the castle at dinner? Harry jumped back on his broomstick and took off, following Snape above the trees, he landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree and listened to Snape and…
"…d…don't know why you wanted t…t…to meet here of all p…places, Severus…" Professor Quirrell stammered.
"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," Said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about he Philosopher's stone after all." Quirrell mumbled something that Harry couldn't hear, but Snape interrupted him.
"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"
"B…b..but Severus, I…"
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell."
"I…I don't know what you…"
"You know exactly well what I mean." An owl hooted loudly causing Harry to nearly fall out of the tree, he steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, "…your little bit of Hocus Pocus. I'm waiting."
"B…but I d…d…don't…"
"Very well, we'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time do decide where your loyalties lie." He threw the cloak over his head and headed back the way he'd come. It was almost dark now but Harry could see Professor Quirrell, standing as if petrified.
"Harry, where have you been?" Squeaked Hermione.
"We won! You won! We won!" Shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Joey gave Bakura one, and Neville and Kari took on Crabbe and Goyle…Neville's out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be alright – talk about showing Slytherin!"
Kari smiled as they reached the main doors, "Everyone's waiting for you in the Gryffindor common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole cakes and stuff from the kitchen."
"Never mind that now." Harry said, "Let's find an empty room, you wait till you hear this…"
He made sure Peeves wasn't inside the room before he shut the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.
"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to steal it. He asked if Quirrell knew how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' – I reckon there are other things guarding the stone except from Fluffy. Enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-dark arts spell which Snape needs to break through…"
"So you're saying the stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Yugi said, with alarm.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Said Yami.