The day we met

Do the professors know something?

'So, what you're saying is that whole Hogwarts knows about the Stone?' Harry asks. I can see that this is too much for him. I try to comfort him, by putting my hand on his shoulder. He looks thankful to me. 

'All I'm saying is that at least the professors know more than we might think', Hermoine says. 'And why are you so sure?' Ron asks, 'I mean, if they know more about it, then why didn't they tell us?' 'Maybe because they didn't want to create chaos?' I suggest. Harry agrees. 'That's the point! Here, look!' Hermoine points at the book. 

We all look at the paragraph Hermoine pointed at. "After the Stone was destroyed, nobody ever spoke of it again, scared to talk past their mouth or for possible DeathEaters. But people are talking about a strange red stone, which is hidden at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry", they read. 

'What are you going to do now?' Ron asks. 'Well, there's definitely more than this two paragraphs, I mean, Hagrid said so. I'm suggesting that we're going to look for it,' Hermoine says. Harry looks surprised at her. 'Hermoine? Did someone hit you in your head? Are you sick?' he asks. Hermoine laughs sarcastic. 'I'm serious, Harry. I mean, if it's true that You-Know-Who's still alive, you're in danger!' Hermoine sounds kinda reared up. 'You are forgetting one thing, Hermoine: the Stone's destroyed,' Ron says simply. 'Do you really believe that Ron?' Hermoine asks. 'Yeah, do you?' Harry doubts, I can see it in his whole attitude. 

'Where are you thinking about, Harry?' I ask then. 'Maybe Hermoine's right. I've seen a lot of strange things in a short time, I wouldn't be surprised if that Stone's really here,' he answers. Hermoine's getting excited. 'So? What's it gonna be?' she asks. She looks at us, penetrating. 'I say: let's do it,' I say. Ron's still doubting. I look at Harry. He agrees too. 

Then Ron has made a decision: he joins too. But only because he doesn't need to follow the lessons then.

'Where do we start?' Ron asks the next day. 'We can ask the professors...' I suggest. Hermoine thinks about that. 'That could work. Nice thinking, Draco', she says. 'Okay. Well, we can't all go to the same professors. I mean, there are a lot of them at Hogwarts. And then it will take ages before we've asked them all,' Ron says. Hermoine thinks again. 'We can go in pairs...' Harry suddenly says. 'Great idea, Harry', Hermoine says. Harry and I look at each other. 

'And I already know who goes with who...' Hermoine adds. I grab Harry's hand. "His skin's so soft", I think. Harry looks at it and we both pull it away. 'Harry and Draco and Ron and me', I hear Hermoine saying. I don't say it out loud, but I'm happy that Hermoine has put us together.

'So, where do we go first?' I ask Harry. He has a piece of parchment in his hand and looks at it. 'Well, we have Dumbledore, McGonagall, Snape, Madam Hooch, and Flitwick', Harry says. 'If I remember correctly, both McGonagall and Snape don't have a lesson now,' I say. 'You're right, Draco. Let's go to them first,' Harry says and he's almost through the portrait entrance. I chuckle and follow him.

We arrive at the dungeons. We walk to the Potions classroom. Luckily, Snape's still there. We walk inside the classroom, Snape doesn't look up from his desk with paperwork. I cough. 'Yeah?' Snape says, with his usual uninterested voice. 'We Uhm... we wanted to ask you something... professor', Harry says. I can see that he's uncomfortable. Snape still doesn't look up. 'What do you know about the Philosopher's Stone, professor?' I ask. Snape doesn't answer. 

'Come one, Harry. We'll leave him alone than', I say and I pull Harry with me to the door. 'Why do you want to know that?' Snape asks then, still not looking up. We turn around. 

'Well, Hagrid told us about this and then Hermoine found some books about it...' Harry says. We look at each other. 'You know that this is a dangerous Stone, right?' Snape says. Harry grabs a piece of parchment and a feather. 'Dangerous? In what way, professor?' I ask. Snape sighs and shakes his head. 'Back in the days, when The Dark Lord was still an innocent kid, two men invented a Stone causes that you'd had an immortal life,' Snape says. 'Yeah... we already know that-' Snape interrupts Harry there. 'Do you wanna know what I know or what?' he asks snappy. We both nod heavily.

In the meantime are Hermoine and Ron arrived at the Hospital Wing, where Madam Pomfrey is busy with drinks and medicines. Hermoine coughs softly. Madam Pomfrey looks irritated at the two. 'What do you want?' she asks. 'We wanted to ask you something...' Ron says. 'Is it about medicines or something?' Madam Pomfrey asks. Hermoine shakes her head. 'No, we, Uhm-' 'Then you can go. I'm very busy...' it is clear that she can't tolerate contradiction. 'Actually, it's about "immortality", madam', Ron says. 

That was a good move. Madam Pomfrey puts the medicines down and guides the two to her office. 'Good, what exactly do you wanna talk about, young Gryffindors?' Madam Pomfrey asks when she closed the door and sits in front of Hermoine and Ron.

Harry and I have arrived at McGonnagal's classroom. She's sitting behind her desk, she checks the submitted homework. Harry and I cough. She looks up, a little stressed. 'What's the matter Mr. Potter and Mr. Malfoy?' she asks with her usual strict voice. Harry and I swallow. 'What is the Philosopher's Stone, professor?' McGonagall looks at us. She doesn't respond. 

'Professor...?' I ask now. Harry and I both feel uncomfortable. 'How do you know about that Stone?' McGonnagal asks now. I swallow. 'Hermoine read something about a rare stone and then Hagrid accidentally told us about one that has the power to give the owner an immortal life,' I say. I've decided that it's best if we're just honest against her. 

McGonnagal sighs and puts her glasses further on her nose. 'Ah, I see...' she says. It's silent for a moment. 'You're only here because you're curious, right?' McGonagall looks penetrating at us, just like Hermoine always does. 

Harry and I nod. 'It's a long story that goes back to when Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel were just two teenagers. You two must promise me, that once I've told you this that you'll leave it the way it is, okay?' McGonagall still looks at us. Harry and I nod again. 'Alright then...' she says and she points to two chairs in front of her.

It's almost half a day later when Harry, Ron, Hermoine, and I finally arrive in the Commonroom. We take place in four of the chairs by the fireplace and we show our pieces of parchment. On Harry's and mine are the names of Snape, McGonagall, Flitwick, and Madam Hooch crossed out, we have already had them. The same goes for the names of the professors that Ron and Hermoine had. 'Why isn't only Dumbledore crossed out yet?' Hermoine asks. 'Because we couldn't find him,' I say. Hermoine nods. 

'He's probably busy. Let's go through what we've found,' she says. Harry and I show our parchments. There are keywords written behind every name of the professors. So has McGonnagal: "Dumbledore", "Nicholas Flamel" and "teenagers", and Snape has "dangerous". Ron and Hermoine show us their parchment. Behind Madam Pomfrey stands: "immortality is ridiculous". Harry points at that sentence. 'Why's that?' he asks. 'She doesn't believe in an immortal life. She believes that as long as you eat healthily and stay away from dangerous spells, you can live as long as you want, but even then it's not forever,' Hermoine explains.

'Basically, we've got nothing?' Ron says. Harry sighs. 'Well, I wouldn't say that... we know the opinions of the professors about the Stone and Immortality...' Hermoine says. I agree. 'And we've got a new name now: Nicholas Flamel', I say. 'I've read that name somewhere...' she says and she stands up and walks away without saying anything. Harry, Ron, and I look at each other, asking.

Hermoine's back soon. She carries a big book with her. She sweeps all of the parchment off the table and puts the book on it. Harry, Ron, and I look at it, surprised. Unbelievable. 'I knew I've read it somewhere!' Hermoine says and she opens the book. 

A paragraph is shaded: "Nicholas Flamel was a french wizard and famed alchemist who was the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with incredible powers. He was a close friend and partner with former Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. He owed his considerable age to the Elixer of Life, which was produced from the Stone, along with his wife Perenelle. He's now 690 years old, being one of the oldest wizards in history".