The Iron Sole Alchemist Goes to Hogwarts (Chapter 12) The Elixir of Life
by Howlin
(Disclaimer: I don't own any rights to any of the universes, places, or characters, and only claim the protagonist, Sloth, and Loki as my own creation. This is fan fiction, and I don't profit from it. Please don't sue me.)
Dumbledore arrived in the Hogwarts infirmary shortly after Sloth and I had explained what happened to Harry and he'd been put in bed for observation.
"Is anyone else hurt?" asked Dumbledore as he looked Harry up and down.
"Ron took a nasty blow to the head from the chess set, but he's already been patched up," I told him.
"Harry just collapsed after driving Voldemort's spirit out of my body," said Sloth with concern. "Madam Pomfrey can't wake him up and alchemy's useless if we don't know what's wrong with him. What happened to Harry?"
"I can't be certain," Dumbledore admitted, "but the two of you have heard the story of how Voldemort tried to kill Harry as a baby?"
We nodded.
"I believe that whatever happened that night forged a connection between the two of them. While Voldemort assaulted both of your minds, your occlumency training helped you weather the blow. I believe when Harry touched Voldemort's current host, he was open to a similar form of attack."
"You knew Voldemort was here," I accused Dumbledore. "Why didn't you teach him to protect his mind with occlumency?"
"Because I didn't believe you would drag him into danger," replied Dumbledore. "That is a bit unfair, yes? We both believed we could protect Harry. I didn't anticipate all of you needing to rush to protect the Stones. I intended to deal with it myself when he made his move. We both underestimated the danger."
"What was your plan?" I asked after a long moment, with no further accusation in my voice. "The security you set up for the Stones was laughable. Enchanted to fly around or no, you don't leave the key to a lock just outside the door. And then there were the potions with the right one written down right next to them."
A twinkle returned to the old man's eye as he said, "Yes, the corridor was so simple a handful of first years could navigate it. Tell me, did Voldemort read the note to figure out the potions?"
"No," I said. "He just drank them all."
"The tests were easy for you because you weren't who we were trying to stop," explained Dumbledore. "Lord Voldemort was a powerful wizard, but at least as of the time of his disappearance, he was still only human. He had strengths and weaknesses just like we all do. Far too many people, with this 'You-Know-Who' nonsense have forgotten he was a man, not some embodiment of fundamental evil."
"You mean he was bad enough at herbology that he wouldn't recognize Devil's Snare?" asked Sloth incredulously.
"I expect he's spent all year confronted with his own shortcomings as he worked out how to reach the mirror. My hope was that he would go through all that, then be stopped by the mirror until I could arrive and confront him."
"How did Harry get the Stones?" I asked.
"Ah, I'm quite proud of that one," said Dumbledore beaming. "I enchanted the mirror such that only one who wanted to find the Stones, but not use them would be able to get them. Otherwise, they'd just see themselves making gold or drinking the Elixer of Life."
"The Elixir!" I realized with a start. "Do you think that would help Harry? It's supposed to cure any ailment in addition to extending the drinker's lifespan indefinitely with regular use, right?"
"Perhaps," mused Dumbledore. "In any event, I can't see how it would do him any harm. It would be fitting, I think, for that to be the Stone's last use."
"Last use?" I asked.
"As I said, we have underestimated our enemy. If we are to close this means of resurrection to him, the Philosopher's Stones must be destroyed."
"I don't see how that's your call to make, Dumbledore. For either Stone," I said, putting a hand reflexively over my pocket.
"I have no intention of forcing the matter," said Dumbledore pleasantly. "I merely intend to speak with the Flamels about my concerns."
"Destroying the Stone would be a waste," I said firmly. "It would make the price paid to create it meaningless."
Dumbledore sighed. "And I am to believe it was a high price indeed that both you and Master Flamel have paid."
"Thousands of human lives must be sacrificed to forge a Stone," I said.
"Which would explain where the Elixir gets the life to grant its drinker," said Dumbledore sadly. "I had long suspected there was a darker cost to the Philosopher's Stone's gifts than I knew. It seems to be a law of the universe that seeking eternal life comes with such costs."
Sloth took my hand and squeezed it as I went on, my vision starting to blur from tears. "My Stone was made from people being targeted at ground zero of a nuclear bombing. Your world has nuclear weapons, right? Well, I made the call that more lives would be saved letting the bomb drop and hopefully ending the war than by stopping it and letting the fighting continue. I made this Philosopher's Stone from their lives so that the entire business would be less of a waste."
"I can only hope my old friend had similar reasons," said Dumbledore, putting his hand on my shoulder. "It must be very heavy."
"One more question," said Sloth as Dumbledore turned to leave. "What is it about Harry that let him drive out Voldemort's spirit? Why does his touch burn Voldemort's hosts?"
"That is two questions," corrected the school headmaster. "Harry's mother gave up her life to protect him from Voldemort. Old, deep magic indeed. His mother's love for him still lingers long after she's gone. I believe that is what saved him on the day Voldemort's power broke, and it continues to protect him even now."
"I should brew the Elixir," I said after Dumbledore had gone.
"I'll stay with Harry, in case he wakes up," said Sloth.
The Quidditch field was in use for the Ravenclaw versus Gryffindor game. Without their star seeker, Gryffindor didn't stand a chance. It didn't seem fair winning this way. Unable to get to my private lab, I headed down to the potions classroom in the dungeons to brew the Elixir of Life for Harry.
I found Snape there grading papers. He really wasn't a fan of Quidditch.
"Mister Oren, I'm not giving out exam grades early. You'll have to wait like everyone else."
"I'm not here for that, Professor Snape. I just wanted to sue the work space to brew something to help Harry. You have heard what happened?"
"Miss Granger and Mister Weasley have been spreading the story through half the school since before it was even over," commented Snape with annoyance. "What are you planning to brew?"
I produced the Philosopher's Stone from my pocket and said, "The Elixir of Life."
"Should I ask why the Headmaster hasn't confiscated that from you already, Oren?"
"He needs to talk to the Flamels about what to do with the Stone after this. He's letting me try this to see if it'll revive Harry from his coma."
"Just be sure you pay attention to the brewing directions. The last thing Potter needs right now is a misbrewed elixir from an overconfident first year."
"Would you supervise, Professor?" I asked. "Make sure I don't mess it up?"
"I haven't the time to hold your hand through everything," he snapped. "Brew your elixir and I'll look it over when it's done so you don't poison the boy."
As I worked, I said, "I'm sorry we suspected you of being the one trying to steal the Stone. And I'm sorry we suspected you of trying to murder Harry." Snape snorted and didn't look up from his papers. "Quirrell said you've been saving Harry's life all year. We misjudged you. We should have listened to Hagrid when he stuck up for you."
After that there was only the sound of the scratching of Snape's quill and the simmering of my cauldron. When the liquid had taken on the same blood red color as the Stone itself, I brought by cauldron up to Professor Snape to examine.
"This is the first opportunity I've had to examine the Elixir of Life in person," admitted Snape. "The color and consistency are as they should be. I sincerely hope you appreciate the privileged you've been given, being allowed to make this potion. Now, go give it to Potter."
On the way back to the infirmary, I found Ron and Hermione. They had Loki with them, who bounded over to me excitedly.
"Is that what I think it is?" asked Hermione, indicating the bottle I was carrying.
"It's for Harry," I said. "It's supposed to be able to cure anything, so I'm hoping it'll bring him around."
"Let's go," insisted Ron.
As we walked, they explained that after they'd left the potion room, they'd encountered Dumbledore in the corridor. He'd rushed down when he heard Harry was still down there. Ron had kept ahold of Harry's invisibility cloak, which proved necessary when Madam Pomfrey declared that there were too many of us to visit Harry together.
The others snuck in and I gave Harry the Elixir of Life. Immediately, he stirred and began to come around.
"The Stones! Voldemort!" said Harry when he came to.
"It's okay," I said. "The Stones are both safe and Voldemort fled after you drove him out of Sloth.
Harry relaxed then looked at his surroundings. "How long have I been here?"
"All day," said Ron. "You missed the Quidditch match with Ravenclaw. We got slammed without you."
"We were all worried about you," said Hermione.
"I wanted to thank you," said Sloth. "You got hurt trying to save me."
"It sounds like it all turned out okay," said Harry dismissively.
"Get some rest, mate," said Ron. "You want to get well enough that Madam Pomfrey'll let you go to the end of year feast. Slytherin won, of course, but the food'll be good."
A few days later, Dumbledore approached Sloth and I while we were assigning Ron his alchemy homework for over the summer. We'd be starting elemental transmutation next year if he'd fully mastered manipulating chemical composition by then.
"I've returned form speaking with the Flamels," he said. "They ahve agreed that with the threat of Voldemort returning, the Philosopher's Stone must be destroyed."
"What?" asked Ron. "Flamel's just going to die?"
"The Flamels have enough Elixir stored to set their affairs in order and then, yes, they will die. To one as young as you, I'm sure it seems incredible, but to Nicolas and Perenell, it really is like going to bed after a very, very long day. After all, to the well organized mind, death is but the next great adventure.
"You know, the Stone is really not such a wonderful thing. As much money and life as you could want. The two things most human beings would choose above all. The trouble is, humans do have a knack for choosing precisely those things that are worst for them."
"I think I might have a way to put the Stone permanently out of Voldemort's reach without making the forging itself a waste," I said. "It'll still mean no more Elixir of Life."
Dumbledore nodded. I took both Stones out of my pocket and handed Flamel's to Sloth. Together, we bit into our Philosopher's Stones and swallowed them.
"Well, I suppose that would qualify as destroyed," laughed Dumbledore, who was still chuckling as he left.
"He's mental," said Ron when Dumbledore had gone. "I didn't really just see you destroy two Philosopher's Stones, did I?"
"The Philosopher's Stone is a crutch for weak alchemists," I said. "It lets people perform miracles without putting in the work to really appreciate what they're doing. I don't agree with Dumbledore's value judgement. Infinite wealth and infinite life seem like fine things to me. Maybe they aren't everything, but they're not exactly mutually exclusive with the other good things in life. Do your homework over the summer, and next year I'll teach you to transmute the elements and make gold. Stick with it after that, and I'll teach you how to make yourself immortal. No Philosopher's Stone required."
"But still," said Ron. "I thought you needed it to get back to your world."
"The Gate we traveled to get to this world can be navigated without a Philosopher's Stone," said Sloth, "but time doesn't flow the same way between worlds. We theorized that the Stone could be used to control the time difference, but we haven't confirmed it. We hoped to use the Stone to let us return to our world shortly after we left, instead of maybe after everyone we ever knew is long dead."
"But using the Stone like that was never a sure thing," I said. "Being at this school has pushed me to try new things with alchemy, and learning what we can about this world's magic might let us find a more certain way to get back at a reasonable time."
Harry had been released form observation in the infirmary so he could attend the end of year feast in the Great Hall. The Hall was decorated in Slytherin colors and banners to celebrate their victory in the House Cup. Dumbledore rose for a speach.
"Another year gone, and I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into this delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were. You have the whole summer to start to get them nice and empty before next year starts."
Following that, Dumbledore read off the current tally of House points. As shown by the decorations, Slytherin had won.
"Yes, yes, well done, Slytherin," congratulated Dumbledore, "however recent events must be taken into account. Ahem. I have a few last minute points to dish out. Let me see, yes.
"Firstly, to Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best game of chess Hogwarts has seen in many years, I award Gryffindor fifty points.
"Second, to Miss Hermione Granger, for use of cool logic in the face of fire, I award Gryffindor house fifty points.
"Third, to Miss Nina Tucker, for an unfailing drive to protect others at great cost to herself, I aware Hufflepuff house fifty points.
"Fourth, to Mr. Marcus Oren, for an unflinching willingness to seek the truth and act when the time is right, I award Ravenclaw house fifty points.
"Fifthly, to Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage, I award Gryffindor house sixty points.
"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. I therefor award ten points to Mr. Neville Longbottom."
And just like that, Slytherin had gone from the top to the bottom. The Gryffindors were all cheering, and I was getting slaps on the back from my fellow Ravenclaws, we'd still been shunning me up to that point.
"Which means, we need a little change of decoration," said Dumbledore, who clapped his hands and magically changed the banners and colors from Slytherin to Gryffindor.
None of the Slytherins looked happy. Snape tried to be magnanimous and shake McGonagall's hand, but it was plain to everyone he was forcing it. Was there really any need for all the theatrics? Dumbledore could've awarded those points before the feast so the Slytherins wouldn't come in expecting victory only to see it snatched away suddenly and publicly. Sure, Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle were jerks, but that didn't mean a quarter of the school was evil.
Our marks came in the next day. I ranked second in the first years, just below Hermione. In most subjects, we were dead even, with the maximum points available, but my flying was bad enough that I'd just barely passed that course. Sloth did exceptionally well for this being her first real experience with this sort of education.
Our things were packed and transported back to the Hogwarts Express through the same mysterious method they'd gotten off the train by. An investigation to perhaps pursue next year. Meanwhile, we were loaded back on to the boats and carried across the lake to the waiting train. We'd all been given letters warning us not to use magic over the summer.
At the platform, we bid goodbye to our new friends. Ron promised to send an owl once he'd talked his parents into letting us come for a stay with his family in the summer. Sloth and I left the platform together.
"So, what do we do while we wait for Ron's owl?" asked Sloth.
"I figure we make a bunch of gold and open an account at Gringotts, visit a muggle library or two, and most importantly, find a place to get those swimming lessons we keep getting distracted from."
Author's comments:
This chapter represents the first of many times Dumbledore will be called out in the course of this story. It's as mild as it is because Sloth and Greed are still new to this world and haven't learned much about just how much of the current situation is Dumbledore's fault. That will escalate over time. Meanwhile, I hope you've enjoyed this trip through book one.
