AN: So, I'm pretty confident that I'm going to jump ahead to the fourth year after I finish with this. Anyways I hope anyone who reads this chapter enjoys it.

Nicolas Flamel

Selena was very glad when Terry returned from Winter Holiday. Harry and Ron were fine company, but she could only play chess so many times. The first thing they did was head to the library to catch up on some studying. Neither of them wanted to do it, but David had advised them to brush up so that they would be ready to go back to class.

"Mum got David a new owl! You know what I got?"

"What'd ya get?"

"A new pair of gloves! You know, since I burnt holes in David's old ones in Potions."

"Terry, my Aunt and Uncle gave me a sock one year- not a pair though, just the one sock. At least you've got a nice new set of gloves."

"Wha-" Terry's question was cut off by an irritating and familiar sound. "Now that's something I haven't missed."

"Me neither," Selena agreed.

They passed the Transfiguration classroom to find Malfoy laughing loudly and pointing at Neville Longbottom who was awkwardly hopping away. "Like my leg locking jinx, Potter?" He raised an eyebrow in her direction.

She and Terry pushed past Malfoy who wouldn't dare jinx either of them. Selena had no qualms about tattling on him and Terry had David who was obviously much more advanced than a first-year like Malfoy. They sat down at one of the long tables and began quizzing each other on the Charms they had covered so far.

They went on like this for several minutes but stopped when a very out of breath Hermione Granger dropped a book down in front of them. "We... found... him!" she wheezed.

"Did you run here?" Terry asked.

"Where?" Selena asked simultaneously.

"Harry found him on Dumbledore's chocolate frog card. Then I remembered where I'd read it! In here." She said excitedly, turning the book's pages. She stopped, turned the book towards them so they could read, and pointed at the paragraph in question.

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, 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. There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist, and opera-lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"That's what Fluffy is guarding!"

"Well, it makes sense that Dumbledore would want to hide it, but why would Snape want it?" Selena mused.

"Hold on a moment. What is going on?" Terry asked a look of pure confusion adorning his face.

Selena and Hermione looked at each other and then at him. "Terry, think you can keep a secret?" Selena questioned quietly.

Terry nodded eagerly.

"I don't know if I believe him…" Selena said suspiciously. "Do you believe him, Hermione?"

"Oh, I don't know…"

She had to build Terry's curiosity. If he wanted to know badly enough then he would be more likely to keep the secret. "Oh come on, I won't tell!" He pleaded.

"You know Hermione, I think I've got to head off to the bathroom. Wanna come?" Selena asked, packing her books away and slipping her bag over her shoulder.

"Sure, let's go," She replied.

"If you don't tell me right now, I'll tell David you're up to something." Terry threatened.

"Oh fine, but we can't talk about it here. I'll tell you back in the common room."

She and Hermione hurried out of the library to the most empty bathroom they could find. They dreaded it but knew that Moaning Myrtle's bathroom would be the safest. No one wanted to use the toilet while listening to the high pitched wailing of Myrtle. She was the ghost of a Hogwarts student. Her hair was in braided pigtails and her eyes were framed with thin-rimmed glasses. Many years ago, before she had died, students bullied her for these things. Selena felt bad for her, but she was always so accusatory.

"Hullo Myrtle," She greeted as soon as they entered. She figured kindness would keep Myrtle away. She tended to be distrusting of anyone with seemingly good intentions.

Myrtle did not reply but simply continued sulking in her stall.

"What are we going to tell him?" Hermione asked in a panicked voice.

"I was hoping you had an idea," Selena sighed.

Hermione shook her head.

"I guess I could tell him the truth, but as little of it as possible."

"Do you trust him?" Hermione asked incredulously. "He threatened to tell his brother."

"I don't think he meant it. He just wants to know." Selena shrugged.

Back in the common room, Selena found Terry sitting in an armchair facing the door. A small smile spread across his face. Selena rolled her eyes and sat down on the blue velvet sofa. She patted on the seat next to her and waved him over. There was no one in the common room at this time of day, but she still had to be careful.

"Okay, ask me whatever you want to know." She whispered.

"What does Snape have to do with the Elixir of Life?"

Selena sighed deeply and began to explain what led them to suspect Snape. She told him how Snape confiscated Harry's quidditch book and how when he went to ask for it back he discovered that Snape had been bitten by Fluffy. She, begrudgingly, explained that Fluffy was a three-headed dog tasked with guarding the stone. Then, she told him about how Snape was the one bewitching Harry's broom during the quidditch match. Luckily Hermione had been able to distract him.

"Selena, this is mad," He whispered excitedly.

"I know it is," She replied nodding her head.

Two older students walked through the door interrupting their discussion. They conversed with each other loudly, clearly not caring who heard. "I can't believe Snape gave me a P on that last essay. He's impossible to please, I swear." A sandy-haired boy complained.

"I feel bad for Wood. Hufflepuff's got this one for sure. Snape's really got it in for Gryffindor." The taller, darker-haired one replied.

"Wonder why he's reffing…" That was the last either of them could hear before the older students disappeared up the stairs to the boys' dormitory.

"No way! Snape's refereeing the Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff quidditch match!" Terry said a worried expression growing on his face.

Selena pressed her mouth into a thin line.

Selena decided to sit with Ron and Hermione during the match. All three of them had learned the leg-locking jinx that Malfoy used on Neville in preparation for the match. She did not think they would actually use it against Snape, but Malfoy on the other hand…

"I've never seen Snape look so mean," Ron remarked. "Look – they're off. Ouch!"

Draco Malfoy knocked Ron in the head, "Oh, sorry Weasley, didn't see you there." Malfoy said, smirking.

Selena forcefully kept her eyes on the game. She couldn't let Malfoy distract her from keeping an eye on Harry.

After a few minutes of Snape favoring Hufflepuff Malfoy loudly drew attention to himself "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," That was it. Selena's attention was officially withdrawn from the match. She scowled darkly at him, crossing her arms over her chest, "then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money – you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville's face and ears blushed harshly. "I-I'm worth twelve of you." He retaliated.

Selena smiled brightly. It felt so good to hear Neville stand up for himself.

Malfoy and his cronies weren't insulted. In fact, they found it rather funny. The three of them laughed meanly.

Selena turned her eyes back toward the game after rolling them. Malfoy was not worth it. "Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron swiftly turned his gaze to Draco. "I'm warning you, Malfoy – one more word –"

"Ron!" Hermione hollered drawing his attention back to the game.

Harry suddenly swooped sharply toward the ground. The crowd gasped and cheered. Selena jumped up and down and hollered. Beside her, Hermione was bouncing around nervously chewing her nails.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Malfoy jeered.

That was it for Ron, he climbed over the seat and tackled Malfoy. Neville looked over at Selena and Hermione nervously before joining Ron. Selena once again turned her attention away from the game. Malfoy and Ron were wrestling below the seats and Neville was single-handedly fighting Crabbe and Goyle. "Come on, Neville!" Selena cheered. Crabbe's meaty fist pounded Neville's round face as Goyle's left leg kicked at him.

As much as Selena didn't want to get in trouble, she'd had enough. It was unfair for Neville to fight two people at once. She leaped over the seat and tapped a distracted Goyle on the shoulder. He wheeled around and swung his fat arm at her. She ducked, narrowly dodging it. She shot back up as soon as his arm returned to his side. Quickly and with a startling lack of thought, she punched him. Just as her fist connected with his nose the stands erupted in cheers. Selena looked back at the field as Goyle clutched at his face. Harry was standing on the ground holding the snitch a triumphant smile on this face.

Selena was incredibly nervous. No one had seen Harry since the game. Every couple of minutes during lunch she would peer over at the Gryffindor table. She finished her lunch and headed out of the Great Hall.

"Selena!" Harry called eagerly. "Wait right here." He instructed sprinting to the doors and entering the Great Hall. She stood there for a few minutes impatiently tapping her toes. After about five minutes he came running into the corridor with Ron and Hermione in hand.

She followed them to a random room that they probably shouldn't be in. Harry opened the door, checked to see if anyone was inside, and then motioned them to follow him. Harry breathlessly explained where he had been, "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 –"

Hermione cut him off, "So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?"

"It'll be gone by Tuesday," Ron sighed.

Selena felt strange about this. She didn't trust Snape or Quirrell. It was all awfully suspicious, but she didn't voice it because Hermione was certain. And Hermione was the smartest person she had ever met.