Title: The Philosopher's Formula

Disclaimer: In case you have been living in a cave on mars with your fingers in your ears for the last ten years or so; JK Rowling owns Harry Potter and all terms and characters associated with the fandom. I only own the story, some characterisations and an occasional OC, I try to limit them as much as possible. Song lyrics which may crop up now and then will be attributed as appropriate.

Summary: The prequel to Twists in the road, the story of just how the Dark Trio and Nott got their hands on the formula, expect this oen to come less quickly than the other two I have going.

Warnings: Rated M because I don't trust myself, expect bad language at the minimum, violence, substance abuse, sexual scenes may turn up, but I'm not promising anything.

A/N: If you are thinking about suggesting that I stole this idea from JK Rowling, then I REALLY wouldn't. As anyone who was with me during the original story will be able to tell you, I had this idea MONTHS before Deathly Hallows came out.

For Sugar and all those crazy enough to actually be interested in this trilogy.

Chapter 1

"Listen to the wind blow
Watch the sun rise

Run in the shadows
Damn your love
Damn your lies

And if
You don't love me now
You will never love me again
I can still hear you saying
You would never break the chain "

Tantric - The Chain

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Theodore Nott smiled to himself as he locked the door to the Hogsmeade branch of Snelson, Bolton and Bobbin, he hadn't been looking for anything in particular to break the chain of monotonous tasks he was reluctantly doing as the lawyers office boy. In fact, he had assumed that archiving old will's and testimonials would be the most boring job one could posses baring serving drinks in the Hog's head. But when he had come across something he never thought would ever be a source of interest, he quite dramatically changed his opinion.

Most of the will's in the office read like; 'I Philippa Calvin being of sound mind and body do hereby leave my collection of porcelain cats to Samuel Sniggins…' So it had come to him as a slight shock when the words; formula and Philosopher's stone, had jumped out from the page at him. He had done a double take and then carefully re-read the page. It definitely said that, checking the heading at the top he read the name Nicolas Flamel, something in the back of his memory tugged but he wasn't going to think about that right then, all he could think of was what he could achieve if he could construct his own stone, he shook his head with a laugh. There was no way he could get inside Gringott's on his own and retrieve such a thing. But maybe if he planned things out, he could find a way.

It didn't seem to take as long as it usually did to trudge the walk all the way from Hogsmeade high street to the castle entrance, maybe it was because his brain was already swimming with ideas, the things he could do if only. He was slightly more sensible than to attempt such a foolhardy thing on his own though. Maybe inspiration would hit him if he tried one of the 'think clear' potions he's been working on for his NEWT's, although he still hadn't tested them, there would be two unknowing volunteer's waiting in his dorm room if they were drunk enough. And know Malfoy and Zabini, chances were good.

Nott opened the door to the boy's dorm room, he wasn't surprised to see that the two minions were sound asleep in their bed's, the sound of snoring however unheard because of the silencing charm which had been placed there at the insistence of the other three occupants. Malfoy and Zabini however were wide awake and seemingly enjoyed a bottle or three by the look's of the empties, of Ogden's firewhiskey and playing what appeared to be some sort of card game.

Blaise looked at him as he entered the room, just briefly before laying the two of spades onto the pile of card's between the two boys and saying. "Pick up two mate, you really suck at this game." Both of them smirked at one another and Draco looked at Nott with a gleam in his eye, like someone had just bequeathed him a life times supply of firewhiskey, which could only mean he had come up with yet another way of mentally torturing the Slytherin loner.

"Joining us for a drink Nott? Game of Jacks, two's and eights?"

Nott smirked to himself why not, he needed to get his mind of the formula which seemed to be haunting his thought's if he could just get his hands on it. "You know Malfoy, I think I will." As Nott moved across the room to sit the end of Zabini's bed, he noted to himself that Draco could not look more shocked if he had donned a pink tutu and started dancing the fandango. Nott picked up a discarded glass, after half a bottle, the other two normally gave up on such things as glasses and he filled it with a good quantity of red coloured liquid from the bottle which was being held to out to him by jaw dropped Blaise.

"So, how do you play this game then?"

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Author's Notes:

I know this is shockingly short for a first chapter, but fear not, the next chapter will not be as such. I have a plan, it's not particularly cunning, but it is a plan non the less.

Please R&R. If you haven't read Twist's in the road and have come across this story, then please have a look at my page and read it, as this is a prequel but it might make more sense reading the other story first.