A/N - After a long time, I'm able to publish a new chapter. I had some problems, and finally everything is back to order. I hope the delay was worth it!

Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction using characters, and some of the storyline, from the Harry Potter world, which is trademarked by J. K. Rowling. (I may use some of the author's descriptions/ wording from the books, but I have no intention of stealing anything! It's definitely clear for me that J. owns the rights for the Harry Potter books. )

I am grateful to Ms. Rowling for her wonderful stories about Hogwarts, for without her books, my story would not exist.

**I would like to thank my Beta- Sprinkles888 for editing my chapters.**

Chapter #9-Lucas Samuel Bennet

Christmas was over, and Sophie and Harry had barely talked since the incident with the mirror. Harry would throw some looks at her, but nothing more.

Sophie shared the story of that night with Haley, and Haley said that maybe the mirror showed your deepest desire.

"How would you know?" Sophie wasn't sure.

"Well, you say that Harry saw his entirely family. That's probably because he had never saw them, you know. I don't think he's very happy with his aunt and uncle." Haley said. "And you, well, all this time you've been thinking about your parents. It seems like you really want to know what happened to your mother. I believe that was what the mirror showed you." Haley finished with a serious face.

Sophie thought about it. It was true. She really wanted to discover how her mother died. Not knowing really bothered her. But . . . if the mirror was true, there was that man in the mirror to think about. That definitely wasn't Lucas from the photo album. Great for her, another mysterious man.

While both Haley and Sophie were sitting in the common room, Neville showed up. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the leg-locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to the Gryffindor tower.

Sophie and Haley burst out laughing. Poor Neville, Sophie thought. Hermione leaped up and performed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Hermione asked, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron. Sophie listened with interest.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on." Sophie hated Malfoy so much.

"Oh, for god's sake, Neville, why are you letting him treat you like that?" Sophie almost shouted.

"Neville, you really should report him to Professor McGonagall." Hermione remarked. Neville shook his head.

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

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's not reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked. Harry was kind to give Neville a chocolate frog from his pocket.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."

Sophie smiled at Neville. "Harry's right!" She said.

While Haley decided to stay in the common room, Sophie went to bed. She was nearly asleep when Haley came into the room.

"Sophie!" She called and sat on Sophie's bed.

"What?" Sophie asked her sleepily.

"I just heard them!" She smiled.

"Why are you always listening to them?" Sophie asked.

"First, you listen to them too sometimes; second, I told you I won't rest until I knew what was going around, and now I've figured it out. Hogwarts is hiding the philosopher's stone on the third floor." Haley said.

"What?" Sophie now changed her position and sat. "What is the philosopher's stone?"

"One of the ancient alchemy study of alchemy is the philosopher's stone. It can transform any metal into pure gold, and produce the elixir of life." Haley said.

Sophie thought for a second.

"Do you know who would want that kind of stuff?" Haley asked rhetorically, "You-Know-Who. He would like that kind of thing, right? It could bring him back. That's not good at all."

"Do you think he will come back?" Sophie questioned as she fingered her necklace.

"It seems so." Haley said. "And it seems like someone is after it. I heard Harry, Ron and Hermione talking about Snape wanting it." Haley said.

"I don't care much about what they said." Sophie took off the necklace from her neck. A wave of coldness filled her body in a sudden. "I'm going tomorrow to professor McGonagall, and give her my necklace for examination." Sophie exclaimed.

Haley raised an eyebrow. "Why?" she asked.

"You just said that You Know Who could come back. What if he already came back and put a curse on this necklace?" Sophie asked. "He wanted my parents dead. What if he wants me dead too?" Sophie said making Haley open her eyes wide.

The next morning, after Transfiguration, Sophie went to Professor McGonagall. She gave her an odd look.

"How can I help you Miss Farrell?" She asked her.

"Umm, professor, I got a present from an unidentified person on Christmas. I'm not sure if it's safe. Can I ask for someone to give a look at it?" Sophie asked her.

"What kind of present is it?" Professor McGonagall asked. Sophie took out the necklace of her pocket, with the unidentified letter.

"And why do you think it is dangerous?" Professor McGonagall asked.

"Because it is written in the note that it was found by my mother when she died." Sophie said. It probably made some sense, as Professor McGonagall took it straight away.

"I'll ask Professor Dumbledore if he can give it a look." She said.

"Thank you, Professor." Sophie thanked her and left the class.

The days were flying quickly, and Sophie's homework was piled up. She had no time to rest, and she and Haley had no time to talk before bed because they were so busy with their work.

A week after Sophie gave Professor McGonagall her necklace, she got it back after Transfiguration.

"The necklace was checked. It's not dangerous at all. You are actually lucky to have it, from what I understood from Dumbledore, this is an amulet." She said with a smile. "I'd say whoever sent you the necklace would rather see you alive than dead." She said.

Sophie happily fastened her necklace back around her neck. The warm feeling in her body made her feel better than ever.

The week passed quickly, soon it was Sunday, and she went on a walk with Haley outside by the lake. They sat on the grass and talked.

"I don't understand – if the person who sent me that necklace wanted me safe, why wouldn't he want me to know who he is?" Sophie asked.

"Who said it's he? Maybe it's she. And I think that maybe it doesn't matter much. After all, they sent you a gift, and a useful one – an amulet." Haley said.

Sophie was kept busy with her homework and studying for tests, nothing came to bother her much the next few weeks. She felt better than ever, and in a strange way, she had fun studying.

One day, Sophie was reading alone in the library. Haley was out trying to figure what Harry was up to, but Sophie had decided that her grades were more important than following Harry around, and to Haley's disappointment she chose to go to the library. She kept opening books, and at some point she decided it was a waste. She could remember things with a blink of an eye, without any effort. On her table were a few books, some of them still closed.

Sophie got up from her chair and put her stuff into her bag. When she moved, one of the books fell open and revealed something that made her jaw drop with surprise.

There on the page that fell open, was a large picture of none other than that mysterious Lucas from her photo album and from the picture sent to her the day she started at Hogwarts. Sophie picked up the book gently and read what was written under the picture.

Lucas Samuel Bennet. (28 April 1960-18 December 1979)

Sophie flipped to the next page to see if anything was written about him.

Lucas Samuel Bennet was a wizard largely known for his contributions to Potions. He was the first to combine elements of the muggle sciences to the magical world.Many wizards were against this unnatural combination, and protested against his work, eventually banning his attempts.

Around November 1979, Bennet disappeared from the magical world. His location was unknown, and it seemed he left Britain. A month later, his body was discovered on a muggle road, and he was taken to a proper burial.

Sophie flipped the page back and forward, looking for more information about him, and found there was nothing more. She placed her fingers on the page and looked on the cover of the book. "Potions revelations through time. By Herbert Flud".

Sophie wasn't satisfied at all. Finally, she found something about the person she had seen first in her photo album, and that's all they had on him! Disappointed from the lack of information, she left the library.

Another Quidditch match passed with Gryffindor winning, and a nice mood hung around the Gryffindor common room. Sophie and Haley were sitting with everybody and having fun. The Weasley twins somehow brought some cakes from the kitchen, and it was nice to relax and celebrate the win.

Easter holiday was getting closer and Sophie really wanted it to come, so she could finally go home. Haley was the same way.

However, as soon as it came, Sophie knew there would not be much fun during the vacation, since the teachers gave them mountains of homework.

Back at home, no one there was happier than Sophie was. Matilda picked her up from King's Cross station, and Sophie hugged her so tightly, she started to choke.

"Sophie…" Matilda wheezed. Sophie let her go and both headed back home.

At the house, Emily and Nathan jumped on her with hugs and kisses.

"It's good to be home." Sophie said happily.

"Do you want to eat something sweetie?" Matilda asked.

"Yeah, I'm starving!" Sophie said. After all, it was late in the evening, and she had not eaten any dinner.

Sophie told them everything about Hogwarts, and about Haley before she was sent her off to bed.

The next day Beatrice visited Sophie's room. Sophie was reading from her History of Magic book.

"How are you doing?" She asked Sophie, and sat next to her. Sophie closed her book and set it aside.

"I'm fine." Sophie said and started telling her what she had told Matilda, Nathan and Emily last night.

"How was it for you at Hogwarts?" Sophie asked Beatrice. Beatrice laughed.

"Hogwarts was fascinating." She said. "Henry was always fooling around. Not like James Potter, and his friends, but he did made lots of trouble. "

"You went to school with Harry's parents?" Sophie asked with amusement.

"Yes, of course. We were the same age, after all" She said. "But I wasn't that close to Lily." She said. "Rachel was friendly; I was a pain to everybody." Beatrice laughed.

"Why?" Sophie questioned.

"Because I have a habit of telling what I think about everyone." She said.

"I hated James for bullying Snape, I got angry at Henry for fooling around, and Rachel and I were constantly arguing." She said.

"And Lucas?" Sophie asked. Beatrice jumped with surprise as she heard his name.

"Why are you interested about him?" Beatrice asked.

"Because he's all over my photo album." Sophie said reaching for it. She gave it to her to look at.

Beatrice looked at the photos for a while. Then after closing it, she took a deep breath and blinked away a few tears in her eyes.

"He was Henry's best friend." She started to explain. "They were always together, like twins." She laughed as she recalled. "Both good looking, clever, both real jokers." She said. "And in fourth year, he asked me out for the first time and I said yes." She smiled. "We had the most beautiful years together, until we graduated Hogwarts." Suddenly her face turned dark. "He started getting into things he shouldn't, and got himself killed." She said.

"What do you mean, getting into things he shouldn't?" Sophie asked with interest.

"There are things you can't get out of." She said. "He was clever, yes, but he thought he could join You Know Who's supporters and not get caught. Like being in disguise, but it didn't work. He was caught, and got killed." She said. Sophie got quiet.

"I found a book in the library about him." Sophie said.

"Really?" Beatrice asked.

"Yes, something about him being the first one to combine muggle science with potions." Sophie told her.

"Oh," Beatrice laughed. "Yes, the entire wizard world laughed at him about it, some even hated him for that." She said. Sophie leaned to her so she could be closer. Her necklace fell out of her shirt. Beatrice noticed it.

"Where is that from?" Suddenly Beatrice's expression turned suspicious.

"I got it as a present, on Christmas." Sophie said.

"Who sent you that?" Beatrice continued asking.

"There was a note, with no name." Sophie said, a bit afraid now. Beatrice's expression was very dark, and Sophie did not like it at all.

"Do you still have it?" She asked. Sophie took it out of her bag, handing to her. Beatrice gave a look. "It can't be…" She whispered with wide eyes.

"What?" Sophie asked.

"I have to go!" Beatrice jumped from Sophie's bed. Sophie got up too.

"Beatrice, is everything okay?" Sophie asked.

"No!" She answered her. "I must go!" She ran to the living room.

Matilda was sitting there with Nathan. He was half-asleep, and she was eating a chocolate egg.

"Bea, are you alright?" Matilda asked, as Beatrice burst into the living room.

"I need to check on something." She said heading to the fire, throwing Floo powder in it. "Sophie!" She said before leaving and looked in her eyes. "I'll write to you as soon as possible. If I don't write to you until you go back to Hogwarts, you must inform Professor Dumbledore." She said. Sophie was confused. "Tell him in these words: 'I found the loophole!'" She said. "Do you understand?'' She asked.

"What loophole?" Sophie asked Beatrice. "Why? Beatrice!" Sophie was confused.

"Just do as I say!" She said. Then she stepped into the fire and called out loudly: "BENNET MANSION!" and disappeared.

"Did she just say Bennet Mansion?" Matilda jumped. Sophie now looked on Matilda. Sophie didn't answer. "I can't believe it; no one visited this place for years. What is she going to look for there?" Matilda asked.