Rosabella's Point of View:
Hermione, my brothers and I came back the day before term started. I didn't have a chance to tell them I found out who Flamel was. Harry was telling us about the Invisibility Cloak he got for Christmas.
"You got a what?" I exclaimed, in awe.
And then he moved onto the mirror he found and what it showed him.
Hermione was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that he hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.
"That's fine. I know who he is. Uncle Remus told me." I said.
"Who is he?" The trio exclaimed, eagerly.
"He's an alchemist and an old friend of Dumbledore's. I also know what Fluffy's guarding. It's the Philosophers Stone. Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of it." I said quickly.
Hermione gasped and dashed up to our dormitory.
Harry, Ron and I stared after her.
". . .okay. . ." I said as I stared after Hermione.
"So, what's the Philosophers Stone?" Harry asked eagerly.
"Basically, it's this Stone that can turn any metal into pure gold and it makes the —" I started to explain but Hermione came back with an enormous old book in her arms.
"I never thought to look in here! I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading." Hermione whispered excitedly.
"Light ?" Ron said, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.
At last she found what she was looking for.
"I knew it! I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron said grumpily.
Hermione ignored him.
"Nicolas Flamel, is the only known maker of the Philosophers Stone!" Hermione whispered dramatically.
This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.
"Ro was just explaining what it was." Harry said.
"You don't you know what it is? Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look - read that, there." Hermione said and she pushed the book toward them.
I leaned forward to read it too, just incase Remus left anything out.
The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosophers 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 Philosophers 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? Ro's right! This has to be what the dog must be guarding, Flamel's Sorcerer'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!" Hermione said urgently.
"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying! No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it." Harry said.
"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry." Ron said and I nodded in agreement.
"He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" I said and the trio and I laughed, thrilled that we had finally solved the mystery.
Harry had a Quidditch practice pretty much every evening. Ron and Hermione were playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry, Ron and I thought was very good for her.
"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him,
"I need to concen - " Ron said and then I caught sight of Harry's face.
"What's the matter with you? You look terrible." I said.
Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the us about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.
"Don't play." I said at once.
"Say you're ill." Ron said.
"Pretend to break your leg." Hermione suggested.
"Really break your leg. I've done it multiple times. Best to do a clean break, it heals better that way." I said.
"How do you even know that?" Ron said.
"I fell out of a tree a lot growing up." I said.
"That explains so much." Ron said and I smacked him around the head.
"I can't back out. There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all." Harry said.
At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what I recognized at once as the Leg - Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor tower.
Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. I only giggled slightly.
Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.
"What happened?" I asked him as Hermione lead him over to sit with us.
"Malfoy. I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on." Neville said shakily.
"Go to Professor McGonagall! Report him!" Hermione urged Neville.
Neville shook his head.
"I don't want more trouble. Neville mumbled.
"I can take care of him. There's a few hexes of my own I've been wanting to practice." I said, smirking.
"Ro, haven't you got enough detentions?" Hermione insisted.
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville! He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." Ron said.
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that." Neville choked out.
Harry reached into the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." Harry said.
I couldn't help but smile at Harry. Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.
"Thanks, Harry . . . I think I'll go to bed . . . D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" Neville said and as Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.
"Dumbledore again. He was the first one I ever -" Harry said and then gasped.
We then discovered where Harry had first read about Flamel.
The next morning in Defense Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, I already knew. My brothers and I have read every book at least half the books in the library at Black Manor. Remus didn't know we knew how to treat werewolf bites and we didn't tell him because we didn't want him to think we were afraid of him.
Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosophers Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry seemed to remember about Snape and the coming match.
"I'm going to play. If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them... it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win." Harry said to us.
"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field." Hermione said.
The day of the Quidditch match we wished Harry luck. I stayedwith Ron and Hermione this time so I could help protect Harry if needed. We had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why we looked so grim and worried, or why we had both brought our wands to the match. Little did Harry know that I had been teaching Ron and Hermione how to cast the Leg-Locker Curse. I'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and we were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry.
"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis." I muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve.
"I know. Don't nag." Ron snapped.
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Snap at me again and I'll use it on you." I threatened and Ron looked at me warily, knowing I don't make a threat I won't follow through on.
We had no reason to worry though. Dumbledore had come to the match. I couldn't help but laugh gleefully. Snape won't dare hurt Harry infront of Dumbledore.
Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.
"I've never seen Snape look so mean." Ron told us.
"Look - they're off!" I said, loudly.
"Ouch!" Ron said.
Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head.
It was Malfoy.
"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy said and grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time?" Malfoy said smugly, with a side eye lok at me and I think I saw him puffing his chest out.
"He showed you up in our first flying lesson. He'd stay on at least double the time you would, Malfoy." I taunted him.
Malfoy's smug smile vanished and his eyes narrowed and they looked slightly confused as to why I was defending Harry.
"Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?" Malfoy said but his voice had a harder edge.
Ron didn't answer.
Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione, who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy said loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all.
"It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money - you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains." Malfoy sneered.
Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.
"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy." Neville stammered.
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said,
"You tell him, Neville." I said, not looking at him as I did not dare to take his eyes from the game.
"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." Malfoy said.
Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry.
"I'm warning you, Malfoy - one more word -" Ron said, but Malfoy wasn't listening.
"So, Rosabella, you, me, we should make it a thing." Malfoy said, arrogantly.
"No. I'd prefer Dragon pox." I spat at him as I watched the game intensely.
"What do you mean no?" Malfoy said furious.
"I mean, no! Do you want to hear it in French? Non!" I spat at him.
Ron chuckled and high fived me.
"Ron! Ro! Harry -" Hermione said suddenly.
"What? Where?" Ron and I said at the same time.
Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Hermione and I stood up, Hermione's crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.
"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Malfoy said.
Ron snapped.
Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione and I screamed, leaping onto our seats to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape - Hermione didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under our seats, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Goyle.
I had noticed but I could deal with Malfoy anyday.
Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches - the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his 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 so quickly.
"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" Hermione shrieked, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging me as I jumped with her.
Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, I saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped - then I saw Dumbledore move over to Harry and tap him on the shoulder. I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I did see Snape spit bitterly on the ground.
Charming.
We all hugged the team and they then went back into the changing rooms. Ron, Hermione and I waited for Harry in the common room but when the rest of the team was back and he wasn't we went looking for him. We found him near the Entrance Hall, looking shaken.
"Harry, where have you been ?" Hermione squeaked.
"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back.
"And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right - talk about showing Slytherin! I've waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party. Jay, Jame, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens." Ron said loudly.
"Never mind that now. Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this. . ." Harry said breathlessly.
I made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind us. Harry then told us what he'd seen and heard between Quirrell and Snape.
"So we were right, it is the Philosophers Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it." I exclaimed.
Harry nodded.
"Snape 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 apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti - Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through -" Harry said.
"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Hermione said in alarm.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron said.
"More like tomorrow." I groaned.