Chapter 4

Hermione arrived back a day before term started. After that I 'just so happened' to find the book that mentions Nicolas Flamel. I brought it into the common room and we all sat in a corner to talk. "Look, it says here that Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosophers stone. That must be what Fluffy is guarding." I said. Hermione gasped.

"Whats the Philosopher stone?" Ron asked.

"The Philosopher Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. The only stone currently in existence belongs to the alchemist, Nicolas Flamel, who just celebrated his six hundred and sixty fifth birthday." I read from the book.

"That makes sense. Fluffy must be guarding the stone." Said Harry. Ron and Hermione nodded.

"But something that valuable must have other things protecting it. Like enchantments and traps." Hermione said.

"Yeah. I mean, a stone that makes gold and stops people from dying. Who wouldn't want that." Harry said.

"We should go talk to Hagrid about it. He must know what else is guarding it." I suggested.

"Agreed." Hermione said while Ron and Harry nodded.

...

But they didn't end up going to Hagrid's. Oliver Wood was pushing Harry and the Quidditch team hard. Apparently, Snape was refereeing the next Quidditch match - Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. Everyone knew Snape would be biased against Gryffindor. Wood was in a state of panic. So was Hermione.

"You shouldn't play." She told Harry.

"Say you're ill." Ron said.

"Pretend to break your leg." Hermione suggested.

"Really break your leg." Said Ron.

"I can't," Harry told them. "There isn't a reserve seeker. If I back out Gryffindor can't play."

"Also, Dumbledore will probably be there after what happened last time." I said. "He won't let anything happen to you."

At that moment, Neville toppled through the portrait hole head first. He had been hit with a leg locker curse. Everyone except me and Hermione started laughing at him. I got up and walked over to help him up. "What happened?" I asked even though I already knew. Hermione performed the counter curse and lead him over to sit with us.

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

"Go to professor McGonagall!" Hermione exclaimed angrily. "Report him!" Neville shook his head.

"I don't want more trouble." Neville mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him Neville!" Ron told him. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no 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, already did that." Neville told him.

"That's not true!" I practically yelled. "The sorting hat wouldn't of put you in Gryffindor if you didn't belong here. You are brave. You just lack confidence. You're a great Gryffindor. You're good at Herbology and Dueling. You're worth ten of Malfoy!" I insisted. I wanted to tell him how great he was in the battle of Hogwarts and how he killed Voldemort's snake, but I couldn't for obvious reasons. Neville was blushing by the end of my little rant.

"Th - thanks." He stuttered. I guess that would have seemed a bit weird, since Neville didn't actually know me, but I always had a soft spot for Neville when I was reading the books. He clambered up the stairs with a smile on his face.

...

Finally it was time for the Quidditch match. Hermione and Ron were hugging and saying good bye to Harry, over and over outside the changing room like they would never see him again. Do they really think that Snape would be stupid enough to try and kill Harry in front of most of the students, the staff and Dumbledore. Quirrell was stupid enough to try it the first time. What was the point of that? If Harry did actually fall of his broom one of the teachers could have easily stopped his descent.

After Hermione hugged Harry for the fourth time I got frustrated. "Guys he's not going to die!" I insisted. "Come on lets go to the stands." Reluctantly Hermione and Ron followed me to the stands and we took our seats next to Neville to wait for the game to start.

"I've never seen Snape look so mean." Ron said. He had been watching him. "Look their off - Ouch!" Malfoy had poked Ron in the back of the head.

"Oh, sorry Weasley. Didn't see you there." Malfoy said. He grinned broadly at his goons, Crabbe and Goyle. "I wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer. Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George had hit a Bludger at him. I rolled my eyes at Hermione, who had her all her fingers crossed in her lap. She was squinting at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the snitch.

"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, while Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no apparent reason. "It's people they feel sorry for. You see there's Potter, who has got no parents. Then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money. You should be on the team Neville, you've got no brains." Neville turned around to look at Malfoy.

"I'm worth ten of you." He said to him.

Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to 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." Malfoy said.

"Neville's right." I said. "You're nothing but a mean prat, who hides behind his thick headed body guards. Also, the reason you hate Harry so much in the first place is because he rejected your friendship the first time he met you. It didn't even take Harry two minutes to know that you weren't worth his time." Malfoy grew red in the face.

"No one asked you, filthy little mudblood." He spat. Neville and Ron gasped but I was unfazed.

"How original, Malfoy." I said turning back to the game. Harry had just gone into a spectacular dive that made the crowed gasp and cheer. Hermione stood up. Her crossed fingers were now in her mouth as she watched Harry go.

"You're in luck Weasley, Potter has obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Said Malfoy. Ron snapped around and lifted his fist to punch Malfoy in the face but I caught his hand. "Don't Ron. He's not worth it." I said. Ron reluctantly put his hand down.

"What's the matter Weasley. Too scared." Malfoy laughed. Why can't the idiot just leave well enough alone.

"Actually I changed my mind." I said as I pulled out my wand and pointed it at Malfoy's annoying face. "Locomotor Wibbly!" I said. Malfoy's legs started shaking like jelly and he toppled over. Ron and Neville laughed at him as he tried to get up only to fall again. "That was so worth it." At that moment Harry caught the snitch. It was amazing. He had done it in five minutes!

Once the cheering died down Harry went to the changing room. Ron, Hermione and I, started walking up to the Gryffindor common room where we had previously arranged to meet him after the match.

...

Harry still hadn't shown up and Hermione was about to throw a fit. It shouldn't take him that long to shower and change. Ron was too concerned with celebrating to worry about Harry. I however, knew that he was currently ease dropping on Quirrell and Snape outside the Forbidden Forest and I knew he'd be back soon.

At that moment Harry walked into the common room. "Harry, where have you been?!" Hermione squeaked.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "That was a great catch. I don't know if anyone has ever caught the snitch five minutes in a Hogwarts before. It was amazing. You showed Snape. Did you see the look on his slimy fa-"

"Never mind that now!" Harry interrupted him. "I need to tell you guys something in private."

We went up to Harry and Ron's empty dorm room so no one could over here. "I over heard Snape and Quirrell talking on the edge of the Forbidden Forest." Harry told them.

"What were they saying?" Ron asked.

"I was quite far away so I didn't hear all of it, but this is what I did hear." He said.

""... d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..." That was Quirrell.

Then Snape said, "Oh, I thought we'd keep this private. Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher Stone, after all. Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I -"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell,"

"I-I don't know what you
"You know perfectly well what I mean." Then an Owl hooted so I missed some of Snape's sentence: "- your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't -"

"Very well, we'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie." And that was it" Harry finished.

"So we were right." Hermione said, "Fluffy is guarding the Philosopher Stone."

"What I don't get is why Dumbledore decided to put a dark-wizard-magnet in a school full of children." I said.

"He knows what he's doing." Hermione insisted.

"So Snape must have been trying to get Quirrell to help him steal the stone." Ron said, getting us back on track.

"Or," I began, "Maybe Quirrell is trying to steal it and Snape is trying to make him admit it."

"Will you stop with Quirrell already." Ron argued, "The guy is a wuss. It's got to be Snape."

"Quirrell could just be acting." I tried, but I could see that I would need Quirrell's signed confession before I could convince any of them. They all had their sights set on Snape. Even Hermione.

...