Year One

Chapter Nine

Who is Nicolas Flamel?

After Halloween, Persephone found her and Hermione's duo quickly becoming a quartet. The four; Persephone, Hermione, Ron, and Harry, did their homework together. Usually they worked in the library, but sometimes the boys convinced them to go to the Gryffindor Common room. Even Persephone had to admit it was cozier. Although Ron, not wanting 'the enemy' to have their password, had Persephone turn around as he whispered it to the fat lady.

The night before Harry's first quidditch match they were doing their homework in the Gryffindor common room, but it was obvious he couldn't focus. Getting up, Harry told them he was going to ask Snape if he could have back the copy of Quidditch Through the Ages Snape confiscated earlier. Persephone, having felt his agitation all night offered to go with him.

"He's nicer to me than you." She reasoned, even if it was only marginally.

They made their way down to the staff room and knocked but after a few knocks with no answer Harry cracked open the door. They peered in and to their shock and horror they saw Snape and Filch alone in the staff room. Filch was handing Snape bandages to cover his bloody and mangled leg.

"Blasted thing," Snape was saying. "How are you supposed to keep your eyes on all three heads at once?"

Harry tried to shut the door quietly, but it was too late, Snape had seen them.

"POTTER!" Snape's face was twisted with fury as he dropped his robes quickly to hide his leg.

"We were just wondering if Harry could have his book back?" Persephone asked quickly, hoping to distract from the Professor's unfounded dislike of Harry. But it was useless.

"GET OUT! OUT!" Snape screamed.

They ran back up to Gryffindor Tower as fast as they could. Ron would be happy, Harry told the Fat Lady the password so quickly Persephone couldn't even tell what it was.

"Did you get it?" Ron asked as the pair joined them. They were both out of breath. "What's the matter?"

In a low whisper Harry told them what they had seen. "You know what this means?" He finished breathlessly. "He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween! That's where he was going when we saw him —he's after whatever it's guarding! And I'd bet my broomstick he was the one who let that troll in!"

"No— I don't think it was Snape." Persephone argued.

"You saw the same thing I did!" said Harry.

"Just because he's your head of house doesn't mean you can trust him," Ron added.

Persephone shook her head, "That's not why. I just don't think it's Snape."

"I'm with Persephone," Hermione spoke up, wide eyed, "Snape wouldn't do that. I know he's not very nice but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was trying to keep safe."

"Honestly, Hermione you think all teachers are saints or something," Ron snapped.

"If not Snape," Harry asked, "who do you think it is?"

"I think it's Quirrell. I feel something off every time I'm near him." Persephone replied.

"Quirrell!" Ron said, gobsmacked. "You think Stuttering Quirrell is trying to steal something from Dumbledore? I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape."

The next day was the big Gryffindor vs Slytherin Quidditch match. Persephone's whole dorm was abuzz with excitement as the girls dressed in their Slytherin colors, all except for Persephone.

"Not going to the game, Persie?" Daphne asked, wrapping a sparkly green and silver striped scarf around her neck. Persephone had opted for wearing neutral colors that day.

"I am, I'm just torn." She explained, "While I know I should support my house in the game, Harry's my friend. I want to support him too."

"House-traitor," Pansy coughed.

"It's just a game. Don't listen to her," Daphne said, "She's just jealous she doesn't have friends in other houses." Daphne draped one of Persephone's house scarves around her neck and fastened a Gryffindor pin, a gift from Hermione, onto it. "There. Why not support both?"

By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Persephone joined Ron, Hermione, Neville, and their housemates up in the top row. Hagrid joined them soon after. Persephone had to hand it to the wizards, Quidditch was more exciting than football. And while she felt embarrassed by some of her house's more aggressive tactics, Persephone cheered for both teams when they scored.

However, it became increasingly more obvious as the game went on that something was wrong with Harry's broom. Hermione suddenly grabbed on to Hagrids binoculars, searching the crowds until she landed on Professor Snape.

"I knew it," Hermione gasped. "Snape- Look." Ron grabbed the binoculars for himself.

"Let me see." Persephone took the binoculars from Ron, seeing Snape with his eyes fixed on Harry and muttering non-stop under his breath. She turned the binoculars to the right and saw Quirrell doing the same thing.

"Look—Quirrell is doing the same thing!"

"What does it mean?"

"One of them is jinxing the broom, the other might be trying to counter-jinx it."

"Which is which?"

"Impossible to say," Hermione started.

"We'll have to interrupt them both," Persephone finished.

Hermione and Persephone fought their way across to the stand where Snape and Quirrell stood. They raced along the row behind them, Hermione taking Snape and Persephone taking Quirrell. Crouching down the girls nodded at each other.

Persephone sent a powerful gust of wind to knock Quirrell over, breaking whatever spell he was doing, and scrambled back down the row. Hermione was close behind, leaving Professor Snape's still smoking robes in her wake. They made it back to their places in time to watch Harry catch the snitch with his mouth.

After the game the four friends went to Hagrid's hut for a cup of strong tea.

"It was Snape," Ron was explaining to Harry.

"We don't know that for sure," Persephone interjected, "it could have been Quirrell.

"We saw him." Ron continued. He just couldn't believe that it was anyone but Snape. "He was cursing your broomstick, muttering, he wouldn't take his eyes off you."

"Rubbish," said Hagrid, "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"

Harry told Hagrid everything they thought they knew so far about someone trying to get past Fluffy at Hallowe'en, and suspecting Snape as the culprit. Hagrid, surprised that they knew about the three-headed dog, almost let slip what it was guarding. They tried to get Hagrid to tell them, but he wasn't going to budge. That is, until he had enough of Harry, Ron, and Hermione blaming Snape.

"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don' know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now, listen to me, all of yeh - yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel -" Hagrid stopped talking immediately, upset with himself, but it didn't matter now. They had a name to look for: Nicolas Flamel.

Christmas was coming. Persephone was excited for the coming holidays. It would be a welcomed break from the hunt for Nicolas Flamel. Ever since they had a name, Persephone and her friends had spent all their free time looking for any information on Flamel, but so far they had found nothing.

"My mother always throws a big christmas party, I could ask her to invite your family if you want." Persephone was telling Hermione, one Potions class, "You could even meet my sister! She's older, and a muggle, but she's brilliant."

"I do feel so sorry," said Draco Malfoy, loudly, as if anyone was talking to him,"for all those people who have to stay at Hogwarts for Christmas because they're not wanted at home." It was obvious he was talking about Harry.

"Well, it's a good thing then that Hogwarts welcomes all witches and wizards, to be their new home." Persephone replied, "They're all wanted here." She caught Harry's eye as she said this and they shared a knowing smile.

When they left the dungeons at the end of Potions, they found Hagrid blocking the path with a large fir tree. It was always pleasant to run into Hagrid, but soon Malfoy was there and because he couldn't seem to give up an opportunity to insult someone, made fun of Ron's family, again. Except this time, Ron lashed out, grabbing Draco by the front of his robes.

"Ronald!" Persephone yelled, separating the two boys. But it was too late, Snape, who was coming up, had already seen. Hagrid tried to stick up for Ron, but Snape didn't falter in taking points away from Gryffindor.

"I'll get him," said Ron, grinding his teeth at Malfoy's back, "one of these days, I'll get him-"

"I hate them both," said Harry, "Malfoy and Snape."

"You shouldn't say such things." Persephone said, "Hate only breeds more hate. Besides, it's nearly Christmas! It's time to be cheery!"

"Persie's righ,'" said Hagrid. "Tell yeh what, come an' see the Great Hall, looks a treat."

Persephone bid farewell to Hermione at King's Cross, Hermione's parents were already waiting for her between platforms 9 and 10. Persephone was looking around for her mother or one of their regular drivers when someone hugged her from behind.

"Hey, Sprout," said a familiar voice.

"Lara!" Persephone exclaimed, turning to give her sister a proper hug. Lara Croft was sixteen years old, she had light brown hair, sun-kissed skin, and Persephone's complete adoration. To Persephone, Lara was the epitome of cool: intelligent and daring.

"I feel like I haven't seen you in ages. What's it like at your new school?"

Persephone, heeding Magnus' words to keep her family unaware of magic, but not wanting to lie to her sister replied, "It's neat."

"That's all? We're apart for months and all I get is 'it's neat?'"

"Well, I told you everything important in the letters." Well everything that didn't' involve magic, Persephone thought.

Back home at the manor, Persephone went alone to the garden. She knew Rose, Mari and Peri wouldn't be around, Magnus had explained to her once that since they were summer fairies they didn't come out much during the winter.

"Magnus!" Persephone called, entering the cottage. The front room was a bigger mess than the first time Persephone had been there. There were so many cloaks, books, and trinkets, strewn about that Persephone couldn't even see the floor. "Magnus!"

There was a loud racket from one of the offshoot rooms and then Magnus appeared in a crack, the items that once covered where he stood flying off in different directions of the house in a loud cacophony of crashes.

"Sorry about that," he said, dusting himself off, "This time a year's a busy time for me, you understand."

"Don't tell me you're Father Christmas too."

"Well…" He grinned mischievously.

"Liar." Persephone smiled. "Speaking of Christmas. I was hoping you could take me shopping."

"Isn't that what mother's are for?"

"Yes, but mine can't take me to that magical market so I can get magical gifts for my new magical friends."

"Don't use the word magical so much, it makes it sound cheap."

The next day Magnus took her to Diagon Alley where Persephone found presents for her friends at school. For Hermione, Persephone bought a personalized grimoire, enchanted, like the one she owned herself, to never run out of pages. Persephone's own grimoire was something Hermione had admired during one of their many study sessions. She found a signed copy of Quidditch Through the Ages, for Harry since Snape never returned the library's copy to him. For Ron, she picked out a novelty wizards chess set, wizards vs trolls, which she thought was very clever. She even bought something for Neville as well, fudge and an enchanted warming rock for Trevor. She had already bought a bottle of muggle perfume for Daphne, at her request.

Ophelia put on a grand Christmas party in the Croft Mansion Ballroom each year, but this year Persephone thought it could even rival the Hogwarts Great Hall in grandeur. Persephone wore a golden dress, her hair was tied back with a big red bow. She stood next to her mother and sister, greeting the guests as they came in when she saw a familiar head of bushy hair followed by two awed and confused adults.

"Hermione!" Persephone exclaimed, hugging her friend.

Hermione held a neatly wrapped package, bestowing it to Persephone she said, "I brought this for you. Merry Christmas."

"Thank you. I have something for you as well. Remind me to fetch it before you leave."

Persephone introduced Hermione and her parents to Ophelia and Lara. She had reminded her schoolmate that her family didn't know anything about magic, but she didn't foresee it being too much of a problem since Hermione's parents were muggles as well.

"Have you asked Magnus about Nicolas Flamel?"

"Not yet, he said he was too busy to being Father Christmas."

"What?"

"He's not really, I'm sure. He just likes messing with me. But he has been avoiding the question."

"Is that odd behavior for him?" Hermione asked.

Persephone shrugged.

"Not really," she said. "He rarely answers my questions directly."

It was a few hours later when Hermione nearly choked on her drink.

"Is that Draco Malfoy?" She said.

Persephone turned to see the late arrivals, Lucius and Draco Malfoy, standing in her ballroom.

"Who's Draco Malfoy?" Lara asked, craning her neck to view the boy, "Is he a boy from school? You never mentioned him. Do you have a crush?"

"Ew, no. He's a bully from school. I don't understand what he's doing here." It actually really worried her that the Malfoys were in her home.

Persephone walked up to the Malfoys, the most polite smile plastered on her face.

"You clean up well," Draco said as she approached. There was an unsaid insult there that she didn't miss, 'for a muggle-born' or 'for a mudblood.' "I'm almost impressed, Croft. Who knew muggles could do so well for themselves."

"I'm not about to play my house is bigger than your house." Persephone said dismissively. "Mr Malfoy," She greeted, "What Do we owe the pleasure?"

"I have business with Ophelia Croft. Nothing that concerns you, child."

"Persephone! I see you've met our guests. I hope she hasn't bothered you too much. Please, let us meet in the library, we'll have more privacy there."

"May I come too, mother."

"No, this an adults only conversation."

"But if this about father's business, don't Lara and I have a right to know? We are going to own the majority of the business when we come of age."

"Yes, well for you that age is far away. Why don't you be a dear and entertain Mr Malfoy's son, while we talk?" Ophelia walked off with Mr Malfoy.

"What are you and your father doing here?" Persephone asked. "I'd think the Malfoys would consider themselves too good to deal in muggle business."

"I don't see why Father would bother associating with muggles either, but business is business."

"Yes, well, I don't trust it and if your father hurts my family in any way, I do urge you both to remember one important fact."

"Which is?"

"I'm a Slytherin too." With That Persephone walked back to where Lara and Hermione were standing

Hermione and Persephone came back a day before term started, meeting up with the boys in their common room. They were both horrified by Harry's story of the Mirror of Erised for very different reasons. To Hermione it meant he was roaming the halls after curfew. Persephone was more bothered by the mirror itself, about what she might see if she looked into its reflection.

It was when Hermione was asking if they had found out anything about Nicolas Flamel that Persephone remembered what she had finally found out from Magnus. Even after all her bugging, he never actually told her, he just had her sort books on alchemy. It was there she came across the name.

"Nicolas Flamel is an alchemist." She told her friends.

Hermione jumped up excitedly, "Stay there!" she said and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories, coming back down soon after with an enormous old book in her arms. Hermione flipped rapidly through the pages until she found what she was looking for.

"Nicolas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

"That must be what they're guarding!" Persephone said, equally as excited, "It makes sense."

"Am I the only one who doesn't know what the Philosopher's Stone is?" Ron asked, but by the equally confused look on Harry's face he wasn't alone.

"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look—read that, there." Hermione pointed to a passage in the book that read that the Philosopher's stone could transform any metal into pure gold and produce the Elixir of Life.

The boys suddenly became just as excited as the girls, agreeing that the Stone must be it and the three Gryffindors began daydreaming about what they would do if that had such power for themselves. Persephone, however, stayed silent. She didn't need the stone for such power, she was fairly certain she already it.

With Exams coming up Neville had asked Persephone to tutor him in Potions. She had offered for him to join her and the others, but he didn't want to study around so many people.

"Harry and Ron might be distracting," he had said.

After an hour of reviewing and Persephone helping with his Potions essay, they walked out of the library together when they heard a familiar cold drawl.

"Oh, look," Draco said, Crabbe and Goyle right behind him, "How sweet. Was this the first date? Fitting. You were both sorted into the wrong houses."

"Actually, we were just studying." Persephone said, "Perhaps you'd like to join us next time. I don't image you've had much time for it. What with all the bullying."

"I don't have any problem with my studies," Draco said, "In fact, you've come along at the perfect time, I've been wanting to practice this spell on someone."

"Malfoy, don't you dare!"

"Locomotor Mortis!" A purple light flashed from Draco's wand and in the next moment Neville had fallen to the ground, his legs stuck together in the leg-locker curse. Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle laughed as they passed.

Persephone performed the counter-jinx quickly. Neville's legs sprang apart and he picked himself up. "Are you alright, Neville?" She asked.

"Nothing's bruised but my ego." Neville sniffed, dusting himself off.

"We should tell someone," Persephone suggested, "Report him to Professor McGonagall."

Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville." Persephone said, "You can't just let him keep walking all over you."

"Malfoy's right. I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor," Neville choked.

"No he's not!" Persephone insisted, "Malfoy is wrong. There's a lion inside you Neville, I know it, you just have to let it out."

There was a lot of tension riding on the Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff Quidditch match. For starters, if Gryffindor won it meant they had succeeded in overtaking the House Championship from Slytherin for the first time in seven years. Secondly, Snape was going to be the referee, which already meant Gryffindor was going to be at a disadvantage, but Persephone's friends were also convinced he had it out for Harry's life. She thought it was a ridiculous accusation, but only Hagrid seemed to agree with her, which is why she stopped saying anything even when Hermione and Ron spent all that time practicing the leg-locker curse just in case.

Persephone was determined to enjoy the match, cheering on her friend, but Draco Malfoy was making that very difficult for everyone. He started off poking jabs at Harry, and then added the Weasley's and Neville into the mix as well. Ron, who was sitting beside her, tried his best to ignore him, he really did and Neville, who sat on Persephone's other side, was actually standing up for himself.

But soon 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.

"Stop it, all of you!" Persephone said, annoyed. She put up a shield to protect Neville from being pummelled by both Crabbe and Goyle. Then she pulled Ron away from Draco. "You're all acting barbaric."

"He hit me!" Draco cried, but it was muffled by the roars of the cheering crowd. Apparently, the Gryffindor Team had won.

"Why must you always take things so far? Now go, while you can still maintain some sort of dignity."

Draco scoffed, but he, Crabbe and Goyle walked away without another word.

"Oh Neville, look at you." Persephone crouched down where Neville was still sitting on the ground, groaning in pain, several nasty bruises already forming. A small light shined from Persephone's hands, she placed it on Neville's cheek where the darkest bruise was. It started healing, as well as the other dark spots littering Neville's skin, until it disappeared completely. When they were all gone, Persephone released her hands.

"Are you okay?" She asked, helping the boy up.

"Yeah, I think so. Thanks," Neville said, "How'd you do that?"

"I don't know." She said, " I just didn't like seeing you hurt."