The Boy Who Couldn't See: Year 1

Nicolas Flamel

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron says.

"Nicolas Flamel," she ignores Ron, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

"The what?" Harry and Ron say.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Read that."

Ron reads it quietly for Harry.

"The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The Stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight)."

"See?" Hermione says. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying," Harry mumbles. "No wonder Snape's after it, anyone would want it."

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," Ron says. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

For the rest of the next day, Harry and Ron try to come up with the most ridiculous ideas of what they'd do if they had the Stone. When Ron says he'd buy his own Quidditch team, Harry suddenly remembers the upcoming Quidditch match and Snape. He declares that he's going to play just to see the looks on the Slytherins' faces when they win. This earns a laugh from the two.

As the weeks pass by, though, Harry becomes increasingly nervous, despite what he said before. Even worse is the fact that he continues to run into Snape, almost as if the man is following him! And Potions is torture! Harry, not wanting to get a detention and have to miss Quidditch practice, has stopped arguing with Snape about things for the time being and that's more torture than enduring Snape's insults and biased point-taking. Harry was never allowed to fight with the Dursleys because he knew he'd just earn himself a beating from Dudley or a week without food but here at Hogwarts, that's not a threat looming over Harry's head anymore. If he wasn't so concerned with what Wood (And Angelina Johnson, considering she's become just as much an older sister as the twins have become older brothers to Harry) would say if he missed a practice because of detention or lost them too many points to where winning wouldn't put them in first place, he would definitely be giving Snape a piece of his mind every Friday. After Quidditch season ends, he'll definitely start. He'll just earn the lost points back in Charms and Transfiguration anyway.

Finally, the match rolls around. Harry is so nervous that he barely hears a word of Wood's pep talk.

Before they head out, Wood pulls Harry aside.

"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."

"The whole school's out there!" Fred says. "Even — blimey — Dumbledore's come to watch!"

"Dumbledore?" Harry says, pure relief in his voice. With Dumbledore watching, Snape can't do anything to hurt Harry without the risk of Dumbledore seeing.

They march onto the field and soon, they're in the sky. Harry flies high, straining his ears for the Snitch and simultaneously listening to Lee Lordan, just in case he spots the Snitch and gives Harry a hint as to where to fly. Hufflepuff gets a penalty after George hits a Bludger in Snape's direction, which is surprisingly fair. The next penalty, though, is for seemingly no reason at all and Harry's previous hope of a fair game goes down the drain very quickly.

It happens very quickly. A fluttering by his ear one second and then he's diving the next. Lee starts yelling and Professor McGonagall attempts to get him to focus and not take sides. Cedric Diggory, the fourth year Hufflepuff Seeker, doesn't join Harry in the dive.

Harry stretches his hand out and grins when his fingers clasp around the Snitch. He pulls his broom up and out of the dive, holding his hand high. The stands erupt in cheers, even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff join in, happy to see Slytherin being taken over.

Harry jumps off his broom in disbelief. The game hadn't even lasted five minutes!

Harry leaves the locker room later, Ron at his side telling him about the fight he and Malfoy had and how Neville took Crabbe and Goyle -- finally! The other name! -- on all by himself. Hermione is in the hospital wing with Neville because he hadn't won, by all means, but he still did it! Ron's nose had stopped bleeding a little while ago and he had cleaned up in the locker room, boasting to his brothers about winning a fight and giving Malfoy a black eye. Harry doesn't think he's ever heard the twins sound so proud -- they sounded more proud of Ron than they were of Harry just minutes before for putting Gryffindor in the lead. Ron, clearly, is delighted by this fact.

As Harry opens the door of the broomshed, Ron suddenly gasps.

"Harry -- Snape's headed for the Forbidden Forest."

The victory of both the fight with Malfoy and the Quidditch match fades from their minds. Ron hops on Harry's Nimbus Two Thousand and Harry does too, letting Ron fly them in the same direction as Snape. Ron is a good flyer, not surprisingly, and Harry makes a mental note to compliment him later.

Ron flies them in circles over the forest before Harry points out some voices and Ron quickly flies toward them. They land silently in a tree and Harry listens while Ron tries to see through the branches.

"...d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..." Professor Quirrell's trembling voice says.

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," Snape says coldly. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."

Harry leans forward, trying to hear better. Professor Quirrell is mumbling something but Snape interrupts 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," Snape says.

"I-I don't know what you —"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

An owl hoots loudly, and Harry jumps, nearly falling out of the tree. He steadies himself just in time to hear Snape say, "— your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't —"

"Very well," Snape interrupts again. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

Later, Harry and Ron can barely concern themselves with the party. They pull Hermione into an empty classroom and tell her all about what they heard -- and saw, because apparently Professor Quirrell had looked very terrified.

When Harry mentions how Professor Quirrell seems to know how to get past Fluffy but Snape doesn't, Hermione interrupts him.

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?"

This dawns on both Harry and Ron.

"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," Ron sighs.