I know it's been a long time. Well, Exams over. Now I have a lot free time. *Waving hands in save me motion*
"Alright, you three. No more stupidity." Max said. "And no more searching for trouble alright?"
"Yes, Mom/Max." Elizabeth, Harry and Hermione chorused, before closing the windows.
"So what are we going to do?" Hermione asked.
"Uh." Harry said, thoughtfully. "Go to castle, go to classes..."
"Harry, I think she means Flamel." Liz said, poking him in the side.
"Of course, I meant Flamel." Hermione said like it should have been obvious.
"Hermione, I love your thirst for knowledge, but perhaps you can stop for a day?" Harry said.
"Do you really want to let Professor Snape take whatever that Professor Dumbledore is protecting?"
"Voldemort won't take anything." Harry said. "Anyways, Hermione, this should be easy for a first-gen."
"What do you mean?" Liz asked, huffing. "I'll let you know, Harrison James Potter, I am a Half Blood, raised magically- "
"No. I what I meant was that for someone who reads so much, this should have been obvious." He said.
"Who is it?" Hermione asked, impatiently.
"I have two words for you: Philosopher's Stone." Harry said, as he was declaring something, like a magician revealing a big secret. Liz was still confused, while Harry could see the gears turning in Hermione's head, when her eyes widened in realization.
"I never thought of it that way." She admitted, berating herself.
"Guys, mind filling the clueless idiot here?" Liz asked.
"'Mione, first it's not your fault." Harry said, trying to calm her down. "Forgive me if I was trying to make look like you were stupid."
"Not, your fault, Harry." Hermione said.
"Well?" Liz said, impatiently.
Harry leaned back, letting Hermione go into one of her long rants. "In the muggle world, Nicholas Flamel is considered a fiction, but all that is known is that he was born in the year 1330, worked as a bookseller, until his hands fell on a book that spoke of changing normal coal into gold, lead into silver, and you could brew immortality. After that there is nothing much on the muggle side, apart from rumors, there wasn't much to go on. Even now, if you went to dig his grave, all you will find are stones filled to the brim. But then there is the magical world to consider. Here." She opened the relevant page.
Elizabeth scanned through the page, soaking in the information.
"So Dumbledore's hiding the Stone in the Castle?!" Liz asked, buffering on anger, shock and surprise. "Why?"
"That is the million-dollar question, Liz. Why indeed?" Harry asked. "But all we have to do Is to wait for the opportune moment."
(Line Break)
"Mr. Potter, Headmaster Dumbledore would like to meet you in his office." Professor McGonagall stood behind him as he was eating his return feast.
"Thank you, Professor." Harry said respectfully, while sending a glare behind her back.
"What does the old coot want now?" Liz asked.
"Elizabeth Dorea Black!" Hermione said, admonishing the girl.
"I'll deal with it, Hermione." Harry said, placing a calming hand in her shoulder. "Trust me."
Hermione huffed. Harry went with the Deputy Headmistress to the office, giving the password 'Sherbet Lemon'.
Harry had been in Dumbledore's office a couple of times but this was the first time he had been in his office alone. In the center stood a table, rows of bookshelf, stood behind it. On the left side of the table stood a perch where a golden feathered bird stood and regarding him quite interestingly.
How did a Phoenix bond with such a man? Thought Harry as he stroked his plumage. Behind the phoenix stood a tall mirror which showed only Harry.
Harry walked close to the mirror. A closer inspection of the scratching showed 'Erised stra ehru oyt ube cafru oyt on whosi' on the top. In the reflection, Harry himself wasn't alone. A red haired woman with his own emerald green eyes, placed her hand on his right shoulder, while the man standing behind his left shoulder had his own face, he had Harry's messy unkempt hair, which never settled.
"Ah, I see you found the mirror of Erised." Dumbledore was entering through the door of his office.
"Yes, Sir." Harry said. "Why did you wish to see me Sir?" Harry asked.
"Well, Harry, I was concerned for you." Albus said.
"Mr. Potter will suffice, Headmaster." Harry said. "Concerned you say, Professor? And what would that concern be to have you break into my Godfather's place in the middle of the night on Christmas Eve?"
"Your safety, Harry." Albus said, like it should have been obvious.
"My safety is my own concern." Harry said. "And I believe, I told you to call me Mr. Potter."
"Mr. Potter, I specifically told you that The Blacks were supporting Lord Voldemort." Albus said gravelly. "You should keep yourself away from the Dark Families."
"That is my own concern who I side with Professor Dumbledore." Harry said. "Leave me to my own matters." With that Harry dismissed himself without waiting for Albus 'To-Many-Names' Dumbledore tried his customary Legilimency probe.
That was close. I really need support in there without giving up Mom's position. Harry thought. Mom?
Sure Harry, thought they spoke a few minutes in the privacy of the bed curtains every day, but was she really his Mom? His heart had become a cold place when he realized that's what he wanted. What would Lily think? Was the only thought running through his head as he walked back to his own common room.
"Well?"
Harry looked up to see The Fat Lady looking at him. "Licorice." Harry said the password, entering the common room where Ron, Neville, Hermione, Liz were sitting in their usual places by the fireplace.
"So what did he want?" Liz asked.
"The usual." Harry said, completely avoiding the topic. "Don't worry about it."
Liz could only nod as Harry took his place between Neville and Hermione. Besides Hermione sat Liz, while Ron took his place beside Neville, the displeasure clear in his eyes.
(Line Break)
Soon the castle had settled into its after holiday atmosphere of assignments, lectures, pranks and pop quizzes.
Harry, Hermione and Liz, were walking around the castle when they observed the smoke coming out of Hagrid's cottage.
"What is Hagrid doing n there exactly?" Harry asked.
"I don't care as long as it isn't related to a dangerous beast." Liz muttered, shivering. She still hadn't forgotten about the three headed dog.
"We still have to check." Said Hermione the ever curious girl.
Hermione and Liz stood at the door while Harry knocked on the door. "Hagrid, everything alright in there?" He had knocked thrice before Hagrid opened the door.
"'Ey there Harry." Hagrid said, completely opening the door. "Down, Fang."
"Hagrid, what's with so much heat?" Harry asked coughing,
"That's what you need." Hagrid said. "I have been reading about dragon eggs."
Harry who had been coughing immediately looked at the fireplace, where a stove was cradling a giant egg, a huge roaring fire being stoked underneath it.
"A dragon egg." Hermione's voice filtered through the smoke. "Hagrid you do realize you live in a wooden cabin?"
Hagrid wore his gloves before he picked out the egg from the stove and put it gently on the table. "Isn't it beautiful?" Hagrid chuckled.
"Yes, it is, Hagrid." Harry said. "But this is a school, Hagrid. You need to let it go before it... cracks." He muttered the last word as the telltale cracks appeared on the shell of the egg.
The trio watched in wonder and fear as a head poked through the shell spewing puffs of smoke. Harry took out his glasses and rubbed the bridge between his eyes, before his eyes were caught by a movement at the window. All he saw was a flash of blonde hair running back to the castle. "Damn."
"Language, Harry." Hermione chided Harry.
"English, Hermione." Harry, said playfully back. "But Malfoy saw us." He said seriously.
"That is not good." Hermione and Liz said simultaneously.
They exited away from the cabin, muttering quick goodbyes, they quickly walked back before that pampered brat spoke to his stupid Head of House.
"So who are we going to tell?" Harry muttered. They paced around the common room. "Weasley!" He exclaimed.
"Why are we going to talk to Ron?" Liz asked, disgusted, watching the boy who was sleeping in the corner, snoring loudly.
"Not Ron." Harry said, exasperated. "Fred! George! Which of your Brother works in the dragon enclosure?" they asked the pair who were currently playing a game of Wizard's chess.
"That would be Charlie, Harry." Fred said.
"Why?" George asked.
"Well, ask him to get that stupid Norwegian Ridgeback away from Hagrid." Harry said. "That Half Giant just went through the entire birthing process for a bloody dragon!"
"I'll see what I can do." Fred said. "George?"
"I thought You were George?" The other twin asked.
"We don't have time guys." Harry said, pointedly. And then he smiled. He whispered something in their ears, and stepped back grinning.
"How..."
"Did..."
"You..."
"Know?" They asked dumbstruck.
"Trade secret." He said, mystically. "Now. Deal?" They nodded before running away.
"What did you tell them?" Liz asked. The only thing that would see the twins gob smacked would be if anyone pulled an awesome prank told them they just met some called the 'Marauders' they would be talking about.
"Oh nothing." Harry said, smirking. "At it got the ball rolling."
(Line Break)
It was a week later, the three spotted a red headed accompanied by Fred, George and a couple of burly guys dragging a crate out of the hut.
"Well, that's the matter taken care of." Harry said. "Now let's see Snape."
It was lunch time where Snape was fuming, one could actual imagine a real smoke pouring out of his ears.
"What did you do to Snape?" Li asked, curious. Very few things apart from Harry, Liz, Fred and George could bring Snape to such anger.
"Well, I had myself bit ill with George's help, then went to Madam Pomfrey were Malfoy had come to take one of my books, containing a letter that would place me at the Astronomy tower two days ago." Harry chuckled. "Looks like Draco called Filch, as predicted, and when I didn't show up, Filch called Snape and this is the result."
"Harry, isn't this going a bit far?" Hermione said, worried.
"Mione, Draco is nothing but an, pardon my French, ass born with a silver spoon stuffed up his ass so high he might as well... I need to think up better analogies." He grumbled.
"It is true." Liz said. "I may not know what you said, but his Father has always been treating my mother like we were nothing more than scum. At Least Aunt Cissa treats us with respect."
Hermione rolled her eyes at the attempt. "That doesn't mean you have the right to prank him."
"I know." Harry said. "We have bigger things to think through, remember?"
"What?" Hermione asked.
"Exams, Hermione." Harry said, like she had uttered a swear word
Her eyes widened in panic as she got up and ran to the library, followed by a chucking Harry and laughing Elizabeth.
