When term started I was back to learning new spells as they looked for books for ten minutes during break. Harry had started going to Quidditch practice again so had less free time.
He had told me about the Mirror of Erised and I knew straight away that I would want my family to be a family and not be obsessed with Slytherin and their pureblood mania. I was already 11 and had a regret, I wish that I had followed my heart and joined Gryffindor. Now that I think about it, it's a bit ironic, I was too afraid to go into Gryffindor, for the consequences that followed would've been disastrous.
I was watching their practice, I watched everyone's practice, then Harry found out Sev was refereeing the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff match. I tried to explain to him that Sev wasn't trying to kill him but Harry was worried.
After we came back from the pitch I cast a Disillusion charm on myself and followed Harry into Gryffindor common room, he told them the news.
"Don't play." Hermione said.
"Say you're ill." Ron said.
"Pretend to break your leg."
"Really break your leg." Oh, for goodness sake!
"I can't, there isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all." Harry said.
Suddenly Neville toppled into the room; his legs had been curse by the Leg-locker curse. Everyone started laughing; I thought houses were meant to look out for their fellow people. I guess Slytherin does have its pros.
'Mione sprang up and performed the counter-curse. "What happened?"
"Malfoy. I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on." He had already gone back to his ways. When I was looking for Flamel in my library he picked up this book and spent ages looking through it. Poor Nev.
"Go to Professor McGonagall! Report him!" Hermione urged.
Nev shook his head "I don't want more trouble."
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville! He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." Ron said.
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor. Malfoy's already done that." He choked. I wanted to go and hug him, but I couldn't blow my cover. I'm going to kill my brother.
Harry pulled out a chocolate frog and gave it to Neville who was close to tears.
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy. The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." Great Harry is the only person who knows that I'm here, just rub it in mate, but I forgave him when Neville gave a weak smile.
"Thanks, Harry... I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?" He said at last.
Harry looked at the card and said "Dumbledore again. He was the first one I ever –" He gasped and flipped the card over. "I found him! I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here – listen to this: 'Professor Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel.'!"
Hermione jumped "Stay there!" She ran up to what I guess is the girls dormitories and came back with a humongous book. "I never thought to look in here! I got this out of the Library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"Light?" Ron said, 'Mione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up. She frantically looked through the pages.
"I knew it! I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to speak yet?" Ron said.
Hermione ignored him. "Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"
My eyes widen and I put a hand over my mouth to stop me from gasping, of course Hermione couldn't see me, and Harry and Ron's reactions did not have quite the effect she was hoping for.
"The what?" They said.
"Oh, honestly, don't you two read? Look – read that, there." She pushed the book towards them.
When they finished she said "See? The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it. That's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"
"A stone that makes gold and stops you ever dying! No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it!" Harry said.
"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry. He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?" Ron said. People don't give Ron enough credit, He is actually quite smart but I guess next to The Chosen One and Hermione he looks stupid.
The next morning Harry told me that he'd decided to play in the next match, 'Mione was still worried though.
As the match drew nearer Harry became more nervous, as much as I wanted Harry to be happy, I really wanted Slytherin to win the house Championship, it was still my house.
Ron and Hermione wished him good luck, and hoped he would still be alive after the match. When I wished him good luck, I also expressed my opinion that Sev wasn't trying to kill him, whatever he thought, and I was still rooting for Slytherin overall.
Draco and his goons had gone over to taunt the Gryffindors, so I left my usual Quidditch group (Blaise and Theo) and sat in front of my twin (AKA next to Neville).
Draco said "You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team? It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money – you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."
Neville turned red and turned to face Draco "I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy!"
Draco and the goons laughed. Ron who didn't take his eyes off the game said "You tell him, Neville."
"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." Draco said.
"I'm warning you, Malfoy – one more word –"
"Ron! Harry –" Hermione said.
"What? Where?"
Harry had gone into a dive, gasps and cheers came from the crowd. Hermione stood up and crossed her fingers in her mouth. Harry streaked to the ground like a bullet.
"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Draco said.
Ron dived at Draco. They were wrestling on the ground, Neville hesitated and started to climb over his seat to help.
I stopped him with a hand on his chest "No, Neville, you'll get hurt." I said.
He clambered over anyway and got pummelled by the goons.
Okay, Slytherins were brave, but not stupid. Gryffindors are so reckless.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed leaping in the air. He was shooting straight at Sev, who moved out of the way just in time. He pulled out of the dive, his arm raised holding the snitch.
"WOO HOO!" I screamed at the top of my voice. The stands had erupted into cheers, the snitch had never been caught so quickly!
"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry won! We won! Gryffindor are in the lead!" Hermione shrieked jumping up and down and hugging Parvati Patil. I laughed and turned to the squabbling group.
I waved my wand and Ron and Draco came apart. I pulled Ron over the chairs and held him back while I did the same to the goons and Neville. Draco wiped away some blood and spat on the ground, he had a black eye. The unhurt goons walked away after him.
"Vulnera Sanentur" I said and healing the gash on Ron's cheek. "Episkey." His split lip healed as well. I turned to Neville who already had bruises forming. "Resolvo Sugillo." All his bruises faded away slowly. "You Gryffindors are so reckless." I said.
"I feel – bit – sleepy." Neville fainted onto the ground.
I sighed. "Let's take him to the hospital wing." Ron said.
"Wingardium Leviosa" I said and his floating body followed us to the Hospital Wing.
We walked up the stairs, Hermione and Ron were ecstatic about Gryffindor winning. Harry caught up with us and Hermione squeaked "Harry, where have you been?"
"We won! You won! We won! And I gave Malfoy a black eye and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be alright – talk about showing Slytherin – sorry Nash. Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens." Ron said loudly.
"Never mind that now. Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you here this..."
Harry found a room, checked it for Peeves, shut the door and told us what he'd saw.
"So we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus-pocus' – I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell which Snape needs to break through – " Harry said.
"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" Hermione said.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday." Ron said.
I still backed up Sev, he's family, but things were looking bad for him. He wasn't the best at being nice to people, he definitely had something against Harry and Gryffindor. He was loyal to Slytherin, that's all. I had to think of him in a better light, because, well, he's a better father figure than my own Father is.