The Stone's Philosopher
Chapter One
A slight noise whispered, almost as if air was being quickly displaced, and a man appeared, seemingly from nowhere. He swivelled on his heels round in a complete circle with his arms outstretched, looking for hidden dangers. After a few moments, he lowered his arms and the rather tall man visibly relaxed. He started up a lane that branched from the road on which he currently stood, moving along at a brisk pace for several minutes. Intermittently, he would check every direction for dangers and to make sure that he wasn't being followed.
For no apparent reason, the man stopped walking. He glanced out over the open fields that lay ahead and jumped slightly as a second man shimmered into existence. The new arrival, shorter than the first man by at least a head, removed a piece of paper from a pocket and showed it to the other. After he had noted it had been viewed, he screwed the parchment up, and then with a flick of a wrist, it burst into flames and was reduced to ash within seconds.
The taller redheaded man looked ahead where the fields had been and now saw a rather ornate gate that was surrounded by a large wall as far as his eyes could see in the darkness. Beyond the gate he could just make out a manor house in the distance.
"Shall we go?" asked the shorter of the two, as his hazel eyes searched the redheaded man's face.
"By all means, lead the way," he replied
"We can talk on the way once we are inside," the second man said quietly, as he brushed some of his dark hair out of his face.
He pulled the gate open just enough for them to get inside the grounds, then quickly shut it, muttering a few words under his breath. When satisfied, he set out towards the building in the distance.
"Why a Fidelius Charm, James?" Arthur enquired, as they started down a long drive bordered by bushes on both sides. "It looks like the place is in total ruins."
The shorter of the two men turned his head towards the questioner. "Most of it is, though a cottage has survived, which is where we are heading." The man shook his head and his voice took on an angry edge. "My mother died just one day after my father. Two days later Death Eaters decided to have some fun with the house. I don't think Voldemort dare…"
At the mention of the Dark Lord's name, Arthur Weasley shuddered, as he did every time he heard it. He couldn't understand how people could speak his name without fear, especially with seeing the damage that he could cause all around them.
James sighed before carrying on speaking, "It's just a name Arthur, nothing to be frightened of. It's not as though you can be tracked by just speaking it. As I was saying, I don't think he would dare to attack my parents while they were alive. They had too much support and too many friends in the pure-blood community, though that faded a little when I married Lily. You can imagine how well that went down, an old pure-blood family that went back over 13 generations. The Prophet said that the attack was perpetuated by Muggle-borns, yet more propaganda. When we got here, the Dark Mark hung right over the centre of the Abbey."
As James said this, he felt moisture forming in the corner of his eyes and one cheek was becoming tear-stained, even after a few years this hurt him. His parents were kind people. This house, their house — he never thought of it as his, it would always be theirs — was in ruins and it was his fault. Not that he regretted Lily. How could he, when Harry was the result? Because he had married a Muggle-born, they had come after the Abbey. The only saving grace was that it hadn't happened while they were still alive.
Both men looked towards the large manor house, still quite a distance away. In the dark, the damage didn't look quite as extensive as it would in daylight.
"Back to your original question," James said, as he recovered his composure. "The charm is in place because I didn't want any more damage. After the war I hope to rebuild. Not for me, Lily and I are happy in our cottage on the other side of town, but perhaps for Harry. He'll need somewhere to live."
James shot a quick glance at Arthur. "Well, Harry and his wife."
Arthur smiled to himself at this aside, and they continued down the road in silence for a while. James became lost in old childhood memories, while Arthur took in what he could see of the grounds.
A good ten minutes passed before they reached an old cottage that was located a good half a mile away from the house. James pointed his wand at the door in front of them, whilst still walking towards it. The door swung open to allow them access to a very disused kitchen.
"Welcome to the 'Gatekeeper's Cottage,' please sit and be comfortable," James said in a mock-posh voice, totally different from his usual Devonian accent.
Arthur pulled out a chair from underneath the large pine table and sat down as his host put the kettle on the stove.
"We keep a kettle here as sometimes, like now, this place is used for meetings. I'm not meant to leave home but Albus can't get here so it's a safe haven for me." James talked as he busied himself round the kitchen, collecting a couple of mugs, some coffee and milk, and as soon as a whistle emanated from the kettle, he poured two large coffees. "Sugar, Arthur?" James enquired.
After receiving a shake of the head from his guest, James sat opposite him and slid one of the cups towards Arthur.
"James, you said that you are not meant to leave home, but this is the second time I know of." Arthur quickly added, "Not that we aren't grateful for the first time. Molly hasn't been able to keep herself away from hugging her bothers. If you hadn't turned up, Dolohov and the other four would surely have killed Gideon and Fabian."
James just smiled. "I wanted to get out of the house. Sirius brought the news and Lily was with Harry." The smile dropped and he sighed before continuing. "Unfortunately, it won't be happening again. Albus wanted to borrow my Invisibility Cloak."
The older man frowned. "Why would Dumbledore need an Invisibility Cloak? As he reminds us, he doesn't need a cloak to become invisible. Did someone else need to borrow it? After all, if you're in hiding with Lily and young Harry, I expect that he believes that you have no use to for it."
"I have my suspicions, as obviously does he, but nothing concrete. I don't think it is meant for anyone else though," James said.
Arthur reached into his cloak and pulled out a small bag. He pulled the string open and removed something that looked to be the size of a coat button.
"Molly sent these pies for you. It's the best way she can think of to thank you for everything you have done for her brothers. There's everything from chicken pie to a treacle tart." Arthur put the shrunken pie back into the bag and retightened the string before passing the bag to James.
"Wonderful!" James exclaimed. "I'm sure Lily will be very grateful, as am I. Please thank her for me when you get back this evening. Harry may be just over one year old, but he already has found a fondness for treacle tart."
James slipped the bag into his pocket and removed, at the same time, a copy of a paper he had been carrying.
"I take it you received the Patronus message and removed your family from The Burrow?" James asked.
He received a nod of affirmation in reply. James drummed his fingers on the table, unsure of how exactly to continue the conversation.
Sensing this, Arthur decided to take the lead. "The message only had the codeword that Gideon and Fabian had told us to look out for and 'Ministry coming for youngest, leave now, head to Fabian's home.' It wasn't easy but we got everyone out within three minutes. Who has a large Grim-like Patronus, anyway?"
"That would be Sirius Black. He was at the Ministry when one of the Order spotted him and passed on the information within a minute of the Wizengamot session finishing. Sirius Apparated back home and sent the Patronus message right away." James then picked up the paper and gave it to Arthur.
"What am I looking for?" he enquired
"Oh, you'll spot it right away. It's the front page headline," replied James
Arthur looked down and started reading, in seconds his look had gone from inquisitiveness to dread. The headline hadn't been hard to miss; it took up the entire width of the front page.
PURE-BLOOD MARRIAGE REGISTRY DEPARTMENT FORMED
In a brave and much needed move the Ministry of Magic today formed the new Pure-blood Marriage Registry Department. A statement released on behalf of Minister Bagnold stated, 'It is the aim of the Pure-blood Registry Department, or the P.M.R., to help pure-blood families with only one child to find a bride, or husband, for their offspring no matter their age for the protection of the most longstanding pure-blood families. It would be a disaster to the wizarding world if these ancient and noble families were to die out.
By Ministry decree number four hundred and sixteen, all children and their parents so listed must attend an interview as soon as possible. This decree will also apply to certain worthy half-blood families with only one child. Failure to report when requested or to refuse admittance when visited by members of the P.M.R. will result in arrest and the removal of the child to be placed in the guardianship of their future spouse. People with the knowledge of the whereabouts of the absconders or citizens harbouring people requested for interviews are also liable for arrest.
Once the P.M.R. has decided on a pairing, one family will be chosen to raise both the children and they will be instructed in the old ways and how to be a benefit to society and how to advance our wonderful unique culture.'
Reaction to the formation of the P.M.R. has been universally positive. Lucius Malfoy, 27, had this to say, "We welcome this decree as it will preserve…"
Continued Page 2, for a full list of families to be interviewed turn to Page 7
"This is an outrage! Universally accepted, whom did they talk to! Malfoy! Parkinson! Why couldn't Dumbledore put a stop to this?" Arthur would have continued with his questions, but James held up his hand.
"This is the reason why you needed to get out of your home. Arthur, they were coming for you. Word has it that your daughter, Ginny I believe, is to be given to the young Malfoy, whose name escapes me at the moment, then she will be forced to live there with him. We believe, or rather we know, the reason for this is to try and control Molly's brothers. Every member of the Order that has only one child is on the list, and I know that neither you nor Molly are members, but they are intending to subvert as many of us as they can. They are going to try and control us by taking our children. The trouble is that this is only their secondary aim, even though it's looking effective."
James had a stricken look on his face; he obviously didn't want to divulge what he knew he had to.
"It's Harry. Their main aim is my son, Arthur," James admitted quietly, his pain evident.
"Why on earth would they want a young child, apart to control you?" Arthur asked.
James rubbed his hands up and down his face before folding his arms and looking the other man directly in the eye. "I'll tell you what I know. It's only fair for what I need to ask."
"Voldemort wants Harry." James stated simply, as he ignored Arthur's shudder. "There was a prophecy made. Don't ask what it said exactly, because I have never been told anything apart from the first line, despite asking several times. All I know is that it stated that a child would be born who would be the only one who could defeat him. It appears that Harry wasn't the only one it could be, but You-Know-Who thinks it will be him. To be safe, the other child who it could be is also in hiding. According to Albus, the Order's spy has informed him it's Harry."
Arthur was shocked; the look on his face was enough to confirm this. He looked directly at James, as if searching the other man's soul for answers. After a minute, and obviously finding only the truth there, he looked away.
"What do you suggest we do? It's not as if we can hide away for the rest of our lives. They're going to find us eventually. Someone is bound to slip up. They'll arrest someone connected with us," Arthur said, in what James thought was a rather defeatist tone.
"I know this isn't your fight," James replied. "With six kids…"
"It's seven," Arthur interrupted. "Six boys and one girl."
"Right, seven kids. Somehow we need to negate the effects of this so-called Pure-Blood Registry Department. Lily and myself, we've discussed every aspect and what it means. It's not just Harry that is in trouble, but all our friends. Even Albus could be arrested when he returns from the I.C.W. meeting that was mysteriously called hours before the Wizengamot decided to bring in this new decree." Up to this point James had looked Arthur in the eye, now he was looking anywhere but.
"Er, well what we think is best is that if your daughter and our son got, er, well, m-married." James stuttered the last words out and sat back, waiting for the fireworks that were bound to erupt.
The explosion that James waited for didn't arrive. Instead Arthur took a sip of his coffee and sat quietly for a period, which to James, seemed to stretch into infinity. Where a few seconds ago, he could hear the general noises of night time outside the small cottage, now there was silence. It appeared even owls were waiting to hear how the Weasley patriarch was going to answer.
When he decided to reply, it was in a quiet voice. "Fabian suggested the same thing. I'm not sure, and I would dread to think what Molly's reaction would be." He peered at James over his glasses. "Tell me your and Lily's take on it so I can better judge the situation and take something back home to discuss with Molly."
James, heartened by the fact there had not been an outright rejection of his proposal, decided to seize the opportunity to put forward the reasons Lily and he had discussed. "Firstly, we need to keep them safe. We know that Volde… He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named wants Harry dead, and we know that Malfoy wants your daughter. That would be one reason. Fabian and Gideon always tell everybody what a wonderful family you are, how much you sacrifice. You're a pure-blood family on the list, and Harry is listed as a 'worthy' half-blood, which makes the match possible."
At this point James paused, his face as serious as it had ever been. "Arthur, I want my child to be safe. We have taken every precaution we can so far and they still come after us. This time it's not just us they are after; it's you as well. It's our families. It's our friends. It's our way of life. It's everything we hold dear. Our kids may hate us for this when they grow up and understand what has been suggested this evening. I don't know about you, but I'm okay with that because it means they would be alive and safe and able to hate us."
A wry smile appeared on Arthur Weasley's face. "That's the best argument you could have given me. They would be alive and safe. I guess even Molly couldn't argue with that. You do realise though, that this would have to be binding; any get-out clauses and the Ministry would come after us. Are you okay with that?"
"Yes," James answered. "We understand that. Lily wants everything done properly and in the old way. You understand what that means?"
"I guessed that you would make that part of the agreement. I won't be mentioning that to Molly. If we do this, it isn't because of money. It's the safety of the children that matters."
"If your wife agrees, then there is only one more thing to discuss. We need someone to perform the ritual. It can't be Albus. Firstly, he's away, and secondly, I fear he would never agree. It can't be anyone connected to the Ministry, which doesn't leave us many options, unless you have any suggestions." James gave Arthur a questioning look, not expecting a reply in the affirmative. He was surprised when a flash of delight shot through the other man's face.
"Yes! I know just the person. He has performed this ritual and others before, as has his wife. They live here in Devon. I helped him out of a sticky situation a few years ago regarding an enchanted wheelbarrow. After I have discussed the matter with Molly and her brothers, I will visit him."
James smiled. "Well, it looks like we have discussed all we need to this evening. We should return to our families so I can bring Lily up to date and you can talk with your wife. You can Apparate from here, Arthur. You just can't enter the wards that way."
James dug in his pocket for an old cigarette lighter. "Here, this Portkey will bring you here. Shall we say three nights from now at eight o'clock? If your wife refuses, come anyway. If she agrees, bring her, your daughter, this man to perform the ritual, as long as you trust him, and whoever else is needed."
James passed the lighter over, and Arthur placed it in the pocket that had held the shrunken pies. He stood, held out his hand, which James shook, gave a weak smile and was gone.
The owner of the cottage placed the cups in the sink, used his wand to clean everything in the kitchen, and followed the redheaded man a few minutes later to return to his wife and son.
Three days passed, each slightly cooler than the one before as August wore on and a slight autumnal chill was felt in the air. Just as a clock on the kitchen wall struck the third out of eight chimes for the second time today, three people appeared.
"Good, they're not here yet," the red-haired woman said. "Consider yourself lucky James, if they had been here the blame would have been all yours."
She placed a carrying cot that contained her one-year-old son on the same table where the events that should hopefully take place tonight had been planned.
"He's still asleep. I have no idea how he can whilst travelling by Portkey. Even after all these years, it worries me. Anyway, I'll go put a pot of tea on. We may as well be prepared for when Arthur and hopefully the rest get here. Do you know how many are coming if they agree?"
Lily stepped over to the sink and picked up the kettle without waiting for James to answer. When worried or nervous, she had to keep moving and she hadn't been this nervous or this worried for a long time, If they said no, it would cause so many extra problems, and they had enough to be going along with already.
"Arthur and Molly, plus Ginny and whoever he has to perform the ritual. He seemed rather happy that he knew this person. I just hope we can trust him. Are you sure we shouldn't have him make an Unbreakable Vow?"
This argument had been going on ever since James had returned home three days prior. Once again Lily took a patient tone with him. "Yes James, I'm sure. Arthur seems to trust him and we should trust his judgment."
At that moment a small blue light appeared. As it grew larger, they could see four people come closer; a second later the four seemed to step out of the centre of the light and into the kitchen. The light then fell in on itself and disappeared.
Both James and Lily couldn't help themselves and sighed with relief that they had come. The group of four was in fact five. Molly Weasley, redheaded just like Lily but shorter, held a baby in her arms, a young girl with small tufts of hair, brighter than her mother's. Her husband stood next to her, tallest of the group by far, and behind them stood an older couple. James was never great with guessing people's ages, but he had them marked down as mid-sixties.
Lily smiled at the new arrivals. "Thank you for coming. I take it you have agreed, no matter how much I wish we didn't have to do this."
Molly Weasley looked troubled but smiled at the other redheaded witch. "Yes, we discussed it every way we could think of. We took advice from Fabian and Gideon, without divulging too much." She gave a knowing look at James, who nodded back his understanding that she meant the Prophecy.
Arthur cleared his throat. "James, Lily may I introduce Nicholas and Perenelle Flamel? They have consented to perform the ritual for us."
James looked in shock at the couple. Obviously his thought about them being in their mid-sixties was off by some way. It was hard for anyone to grow up in a pure-blood family and not know the history of these two great people. Alchemist, Leader of the Light, and teacher of many of the finest wizards in history, though he had taken on only one apprentice in his lifetime, Albus Dumbledore. Then there was his wife. Rumour had it that it had not been Nicholas alone who had created the stone; his wife had played a big part too. She was known in the past as one of the fiercest duellers in the world, yet was as welcoming as a warm fire in the middle of the storm.
"Welcome," James said, as he and Lily shook the offered hands.
"Thank you," said Perenelle. "It is an honour to perform such a sacred ritual. You may not know this, James, but I performed the same ritual on your parents that we will be performing this evening. They were a little older, of course, but still. I remember just after you were born; your mother was so proud. You came so late in life, a miracle in fact."
James didn't know what to say to this, so he just smiled, as his face turned a shade of red not too dissimilar from his wife's hair. The Flamels smiled at James' reaction and began preparations for the ritual.
As Nicholas walked around the corner, his eyes were first drawn to the devastation in front of him. Seconds later, his eyes moved to a tall man wearing dark blue robes.
"Three months," he said to himself. "Just three months ago, they were happy." He bowed his head for a moment before he continued walking.
Nicholas closed the distance quickly, all the time noticing more about the damage in front of him. The right corner of the top floor appeared to have caved in, the front door had been blasted off its hinges and now laid flat, covering half the path, and all the windows in the house had been shattered. What he noticed most of all, though, was the deathly silence, as if the house knew that nothing inside lived and it would have been disrespectful for even a creak to be heard this evening.
Nicholas reached the man in front of him and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder.
"I take it that the events foretold have come to pass?" he asked, giving the man's shoulder a squeeze before removing his hand and taking a position standing next to him.
Albus Dumbledore turned his head slightly, sighed and nodded
"As I and obviously you knew it would. How did you know, Nicholas?" questioned Albus
"You think you are the only one who fills his desk with instruments that bemuse visitors? Please try to remember where you learned most of your tricks." Despite the serious situation that had unfolded, Nicholas Flamel gave a small chuckle. "How quickly you forget."
The chuckle disappeared, almost as quickly as it had come. "Where is young Harry?" he asked the headmaster.
Reluctance flashed in Dumbledore's eyes, but it disappeared so quickly that anyone apart from a Flamel would never have seen it, a hesitation so slight it may never have happened passed before he answered. "Hagrid, my gamekeeper, has taken him to Bathilda Bagshot, just for the night. I intend to move him tomorrow evening after I have made arrangements. Harry was lucky. Sirius Black turned up, but Hagrid refused to hand the young Potter over. Sirius was the Potters' Secret Keeper and wanted to take Harry. I knew there was a traitor; I find it hard to believe it was he. I thought it was — well, someone else."
Silence descended over the two wizards, and they both turned again to face the house, lost in thought. One focused on what needed to be done this evening to keep a young boy safe, whilst the other contemplated how best to prepare the young boy for the trials ahead.
In the end, the older of the two broke the silence. "What are your plans, Albus?" Pre-empting a reply that would be evasive, the Alchemist continued. "And don't give me any of your usual evasive rubbish. I trained you; I know how you think."
The corners of Dumbledore's lips twitched slightly. "You know me too well my old master, as you should." He sighed, giving himself a couple to seconds to compose an answer in his mind.
"His aunt, he shall be taken to his aunt. It is the best protection that he can be given. She was a charming young girl, you know. She wrote me a couple of the most wonderful letters. She wished to come to Hogwarts, impossible of course. I think Harry will be happy there as well as safe."
Nicholas didn't reply to this statement but instead asked another question. "And what of the Ministry? Bagnold will need to be told. Will you tell her the truth or your version of it?"
"I will tell her the facts of this evening. I see no reason to inform her of, shall we say, other aspects of Harry's life. You still have to tell me of your involvement. I find it hard to believe you were monitoring Harry just for something to do." As he said this, Albus checked his rather strange watch.
"When you reach my age, Albus, you are always trying to find something to do. However you are correct in this case. I know of the Prophecy, if not the entire wording and no, before you say anything, I do not wish to know what the entire troublesome thing says."
A sigh emanated from Dumbledore as he let out a breath. Not many people could fluster him, and the one standing next to him, along with his wife, were exceptions to that rule. "I am pleased to hear that; I don't think it is wise to share."
Nicholas turned to his former student. "Yet Albus, the sentence should be 'I don't think it is wise to share, yet.' You will and sooner than you want to. To answer your question, I am here to make sure our line continues in the correct fashion. The torch is always passed, as it was from me to you and as you will to Harry. I taught you Albus but I also failed you. Harry cannot be allowed to fail. We, and by we I mean Perenelle and myself, will help Harry and his chosen become who they must. I am here to make sure that you understand what we all must do. Tonight, make your plans, spin your web, as you are accustomed to doing, but above all keep the boy safe. Just remember that he is a boy and nobody's pawn or weapon. I will return home now. I am seeing Joseph early tomorrow. We will speak when it is foretold, Albus. Take care, my student."
Nicholas turned and walked away. He hadn't gone twenty paces before Albus called after him, "Voldemort is out there and he will return! You know this?"
He stopped and turned to face Dumbledore again. "I said I didn't know the complete wording but I know the start. For someone who has heard many over the years, it was obvious that there was more. The self-proclaimed Dark Lord should have realised this." With a wink, he turned on his heel and disappeared out of existence, just as he had in Muggle history many years ago.
Albus Dumbledore was left alone, staring down the darkened street, lit only by the half moon, since he had taken care of the other lights on his arrival. His mouth remained half-opened with new questions making their way around his already over- crowded brain.
As far as he had known, five people had been told the first part of the prophecy, and only he knew the entire contents. Of those five, two were dead as of this evening; one had, no doubt fled, in whatever form he had survived in, however he had done that, and the other was at Hogwarts waiting for news.
Nicholas had always been a man who could find things out. He was probably the most talented Legilimens alive today, maybe apart from his wife, and well they had had many centuries to practice.
As far as he knew, Nicholas had never met anyone to whom he had told the first line of the Prophecy. He knew his old teacher wouldn't spread the word, but someone had told him. How Nicolas had found out warranted further investigation. But not tonight. Tonight many other activities took precedence. He needed to inform the Minister, find Petunia Evans — she was probably married by now — and construct the wards on her current house that would keep Harry Potter safe for the next sixteen years.
With a last glance at the former home of the Potters, Albus Dumbledore finalised his course of action for this evening. His parting thought before Apparating to the Ministry of Magic was that Dark Lords were the bane of many a wizard's life, including his own. There had been a Dark Lord in his past that had changed the course of his life. It wasn't his, or for that matter, anyone's past that mattered now. What mattered was the future of Harry James Potter.