All I Have Left

Chapter Twelve

The next day I was walking to the Great Hall when someone grabbed my arm and pulled me under the staircase.

"Lila, we have some information to tell you." It was Ronald. But we weren't alone, Harry and Hermione were there too. They were looking at me with eager eyes.

"Well, go on then." I say to him. They all exchange glances and Hermione steps forward and Harry pulls out a card from his pocket. It was one of the cards you get from chocolate frogs. I study the card and make a confused face.

"Dumbledore bowling?" I ask him. He rolls his eyes and flips the card over. I start to read aloud. "Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard, Grindelwald, for the discovery of his twelve uses of Dragon's blood...and his work on alchemy...with his partner Nicholas Flamel."

I stop reading and look up at the three of them with wide eyes.

"Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's stone. I read that in a book I checked out months ago." I say. Hermione looks at Ronald and nods.

"See, I told you she'd know. You know what the Sorcerer's stone is, right?" She asks me. I nod.

"Yes. It transforms metal into gold and produces the Elixer of Life, which makes the drinker...immortal." I say. My eyes go wide, shocked that I remembered this just now and didn't think of it before.

"Oh my god. That's what Fluffy is guarding, isn't it?" I ask them all. They nod, and I put my hand over my mouth. "So Flamel knows someone is after it, so he gave it to Dumbledore to keep safe. But he didn't realize that the person that's after it is at Hogwarts!" I confirm. They all nod, and Hermione smiles.

"I knew you'd figure it out, as soon as we showed you the card." Hermione says. I smile, but then make a confused face.

"But, if Snape wants an immortal stone, then why would he try to kill you at the Quidditch pitch?" I ask them all. They shrug.

"That's what we're trying to figure out. We're going to Hagrid's hut, want to come?" Harry asks. I nod quickly as we all make our way to Hagrid's hut.

~

When we arrive, we all follow Harry down the rocky steps as he knocks on Hagrid's door. When Hagrid answers, he makes an uneasy face.

"Oh, hello. Er...not to be rude but I'm not really fit to entertain right about-" Hagrid starts, but Harry interrupts.

"-we know about the Sorcerer's stone." Harry says. Hagrid makes an immediate face of worry, and I look at Ronald for reassurance, but he looks at me and just shrugs.

We stayed there until nighttime, explaining our theories and telling Hagrid what we know.

"Snape! Blimey, yer not still on about him, are ya?" Hagrid asks us. We nod.

"Hagrid, we know he's after the stone. We just...don't know why." Harry explains. Hagrid shakes his head.

Hagrid's hut was ginormous, everything was oversized, being that Hagrid is a giant. Even Hagrid's dog is oversized, Fangs.

"Harry, Snape was one of the teachers in on protectin' the stone. He's not about ter steal it." Hagrid explains in denial.

"What?" Harry asks, confused.

"Yeh heard me: Snape is one of the teachers protectin' the stone. Now as I said, I'm a bit preoccupied at the moment-"

"Wait a minute. One of the teachers?" Harry asks, still confused.

"Of course! There are other things defending the stone, aren't there? Like enchantments, spells..." I say, Hagrid cutting me off. Hermione nods in agreement.