A/N – There is dialogue from Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone in this chappie.

Chapter Thirty-Six – The Sorcerer's Stone

October 1991

"Looking through the book again?" asked Albus gently.

Minerva looked up guiltily. She had plenty of other things that she should be doing. But this one task seemed impossible to let go…

"I'm sure I've missed something, Albus," said Minerva. She closed the book gently and lay her hand on top. "My granddaughter's name is in this book. I just need to find it."

A granddaughter. Minerva scarcely believed it. She had been looking for a boy all this time.

"Do you think perhaps Hermione Gran-"

"No, Minerva," said Albus. "Hermione just turned twelve years old."

"But Albus," said Minerva quickly, "she's small for her age and her eyes are just like my brothers!"

Albus walked over to her and put his hands on either side of her face. "It doesn't work like that."

"Perhaps Netta gave her an aging potion,' said Minerva, warming up to the idea. "Netta's skilled enough in potions. The book could have thought Hermione was older than she is."

"Minerva, I'm not saying the book couldn't be fooled. But you're talking of a difference of eighteen months," said Albus seriously. "Six months, possibly, but not eighteen."

She searched his eyes for some kind of hope, some sign that it was possible that Hermione could be her granddaughter. But all she saw was concern.

"You think I should stop, don't you?" asked Minerva.

"I think you'll end up breaking your heart, Minerva," said Albus softly. "What if you do figure out who she is? Then what? Do you tell her? What if her adopted parents don't want you involved in her life? And worse, what if you're wrong?"

Minerva nodded. She was willing to stop looking for now. Besides, she was at a dead end. Albus was right. Too many people could be hurt if she made a mistake.

If no aging potion was used, her granddaughter would start at Hogwarts in two years time.

She would wait.

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"Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know."

Minerva had snapped to attention the moment that she saw Quirrell enter the Great Hall at a sprint. He had been so nervous this year, especially since Albus named him the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher.

But she couldn't imagine that he would lie about such a thing. Minerva stood up, waiting for Albus' instructions. First, he needed to calm the students, whom had gone into an uproar.

Moments later, Minerva was leading a group of professors down to the dungeons. Her wand was out and she was completely at alert. After a few minutes of roaming the dungeons, there was no sign of a troll.

"I don't hear anything," squeaked Flitwick.

"I think the word you're looking for is smell," chuckled Pomona Sprout.

"Keep searching," instructed Minerva. "I'm going to go upstairs for a moment. Take care of the troll if you find it." Minerva had complete confidence in her fellow professors. She knew without question that if they stumbled across the troll, they would handle the task admirably.

Minerva just reached the top of the stairs when she heard a loud thud ringing through the corridors. She followed the sound and as she turned the corner, literally almost ran into Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell.

"Come with me," she snapped, not even wondering why they hadn't been in the dungeons with the rest of the professors.

The noises were coming from the first floor girl's toilet. The professors moved quickly into the bathroom. Minerva scarcely could believe the scene in front of her.

The troll was lying on the floor, whether dead or unconscious, she did not know. Standing over it was Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter.

As soon as Minerva started questioning them, a guilty look spread over all of their faces. Hermione was obviously lying. But why?

She ordered the three first year students up to their dormitory. The moment they left the bathroom, Snape said, "Miss Granger was telling a falsehood, no doubt to protect the hero of Gryffindor. Perhaps if you were to give him detention-"

"Don't tell me how to run my own house, Snape," Minerva snapped. She knew she shouldn't stoop to yelling at him, but really, the man could be infuriating at times.

"I'm only offering suggestions, Minerva," said Snape smoothly.

She turned her attentions to Professor Quirrell, who was still staring at the troll in shock. "Quirrell, I believe this is your matter of expertise. Call the Ministry and have someone come up and get rid of this monster."

"B-B-But-"

"Now, Quirrell," Minerva said wearily. The troll then made a loud snore, letting Minerva know that it wasn't dead. "Before it wakes up."

Minerva then went to find Albus to inform him that everything was fine with the troll. With the students all in their common room, perhaps they could have their own private Halloween celebration.

But when Minerva stepped into Albus' office, all thoughts of celebration left her head. He was in, what she had come to know as worried pose, sitting at his desk.

"Ahh, Minerva," he said as she sat down across from him. "News of the troll?"

She smiled. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"You underestimate me, love," said Albus with a smile. "I have learned that anything is possible here at Hogwarts. However…we have a matter of more pressing concern on our hands…

"We need to rework the security measures protecting the Stone."

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November 1991

Minerva's eyes raked the sky looking for some sign of the snitch. For the millionth time since she placed Potter on the quidditch team, she asked herself if it was the right decision. He's only flied for six weeks. However, Minerva had watched a few of the practices, and realized that he was an absolute natural on a broom.

"What an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too-"

"JORDAN!" Minerva yelled. She had warned him a number of times to keep the commentary on the match and not about the three Gryffindor chasers.

"Sorry, Professor."

He smiled, giving Minerva a hapless shrug as he continued on. She fumed, all focus on the snitch gone. She'd have to pay more attention to Jordan than the match.

She started thinking about how all she wanted to do was wipe that smug expression Snape always got when they talked about quidditch off of his face. Minerva was quite pleased with the team this year. Only two new players; the rest had been on the team last year. A little older, perhaps even a little wiser…

Minerva glanced across at Snape, who wasn't watching the match, instead had his eyes focused on Potter. She glanced up at Potter, who was having a hard time controlling his broomstick. Then she realized. Snape was jinxing him! The lowlife was trying to ruin Gryffindor's chances for the Quidditch Cup by jinxing her seeker!

Luckily, Snape jumped up, breaking eye contact and therefore breaking the jinx. Her first thought was to go to Albus. But then she realized that there was no point bringing him into this. This would be between Snape and herself…

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Later that evening, Minerva was grading papers in the staff room. Albus had disappeared and she didn't feel like being alone in her bedchambers. There were some other professors doing the same thing, and it was agreed that later, once the students would be (or should be as Pomona pointed out) in bed that they would all go to the Three Broomsticks for a drink.

Snape was in the staff room as well. He normally didn't participate in groups like this, but there he was, sitting next to Quirrell.

An hour or so later, Pomona said that she couldn't wait any longer to have a drink. Slowly, the group of Minerva, Pomona, Flitwick, Sinistra, Snape and Quirrell walked through the brisk November air towards the Three Broomsticks.

As they made their way through the edge of town, Minerva took Snape by the elbow and took him away from the rest of the group.

"Trying to get me on my own, Minerva?" asked Snape with a sneer. "Tired of Albus after all these years?"

Minerva narrowed her eyes and glared at Snape. She was aware that he knew of the relationship between her and Albus. But he had never thrown it in her face before.

"I'm giving you a friendly warning," said Minerva, not sounding friendly at all. "If I ever catch you jinxing one of my quidditch players again, I will hex you faster than you'd ever believe possible."

She was pleased to see that Snape looked quite uncomfortable with the idea of her hexing him.

"You needn't worry, Minerva," said Snape after a moment's silence. "Your team isn't even worth jinxing."

He walked away, and Minerva got the feeling that there was something he wasn't telling her.

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December 1991

"So we'll work this backwards?" asked Minerva.

"We'll start by moving the Mirror of Erised. Then Severus' potions, followed by the troll Professor Quirrell so graciously provided," said Albus. Then winking at Minerva said, "Which leads us to your masterpiece, Flitwick's charms and Pomona's Devil's Snare."

Minerva pursed her lips together tightly. "I hate having the responsibility of that stone here," she said.

"It needs to be protected," said Albus lightly. "It simply can't remain in the wrong hands."

"I know," Minerva trailed off.

"Have you ever looked into the Mirror of Erised?" asked Albus.

Minerva shook her head. "I don't know what I'd see."

"Why don't you take a look?" Albus asked.

She thought it over. Did she really want to know the deepest desire of her heart? Slowly, she took a few steps and stood in front of the mirror.

Minerva saw herself sitting at a table playing cards with a woman and a young girl. She recognized the woman as Netta immediately. She couldn't see the young girl's face as her back was towards Minerva. She couldn't even tell what the hair color was through the mirror. All she could tell was the length of the girl's hair, which was quite long.

She couldn't look any further. Minerva forced herself to break eye contact with the mirror.

"Are you willing to share what you've seen?" asked Albus gently.

Minerva nodded and placed her hand to her mouth. It was hard to keep back the tears. "Netta, her daughter and I were a family," she said softly. "I wonder if that could ever happen."

Albus took her hand and gave it a squeeze. "You must never lose hope, Minerva."

"What do you see, Albus?" asked Minerva, curious to know Albus' heart's desire.

"You will laugh," said Albus, a smiling forming on his face. "I see myself with a pair of warm, woolen socks."

"You're teasing me," said Minerva. But she could tell from his face that he wasn't.

"If, in my life, all I had to be concerned with are my socks, my life would be very happy and peaceful indeed, Minerva," said Albus sadly. "Instead I have many other things to worry about and my socks are neglected. I believe I might even have a hole in the heel of one I'm wearing today."

He was as worried about the stone as she was.

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June 1992

"Minerva!" cried Albus. "Come with me now!"

She had been walking down the corridor when Albus arrived completely by surprise.

"I thought you were staying in London overnight," said Minerva, picking up her pace and following him.

"There's no time, Minerva," said Albus. "We need to check on the stone."

Minerva followed Albus in silence and they headed towards the third floor corridor. Fluffy was asleep, so they head down past the various enchantments that the professors of Hogwarts had provided. When they got to her chess set, Minerva cried out "Divello!"

The giant chess pieces knew only to accept instruction from her voice. Immediately, they sprang to life and allowed Albus and Minerva to pass.

When they got to the wall of fire, Albus took out a small phial from his robe. He took a swallow, handed the phial to Minerva, and headed through the fire. Minerva took a sip and followed Albus through the fire.

"Stupefy!" cried Albus, pointing his wand at a figure. It took a moment to realize that it was Quirrell of all people. She recognized the turban.

"Harry Potter!" said Minerva in shock. He was lying there, were Quirrell had been.

"Quickly, Minerva," said Albus. "Make a stretcher for Quirrell. I'll make one for Harry. We need to get them to the Hospital Wing."

As she made conjured the stretcher, Minerva heard a strange hissing noise coming from the corner. Albus heard the noise as well and pointed his wand towards the noise.

"Who's there?" he said, his voice imposing.

A sound, almost like laughter came from a visible cloud of grey mist. And before either Albus or Minerva had time to react, the mist was gone.

Minerva turned to look at Albus, who had a steely look on his face, looking angrier than she had ever seen him.

"Voldemort."

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A/N – divello – to tear apart, away