Chapter 28

Monday, November 25, 1991-The Great Hall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland

"Ah, Quirinus," Dumbledore said just before the stuttering professor left breakfast, "would you please come to my office after your classes are over?"

"W-w-what time, Headmaster?" Quirrell asked.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows. "I believe you're finished at four o'clock?"

"Y-y-yes, Headmaster. I-I-I'll see you then."

Quirrell walked out of the Great Hall as fast as he could without arousing suspicion. He ducked into the nearest empty classroom and closed the door behind him just before he was brought to his knees with pain.

"You fool!" his Master hissed. "He suspects you."

The pain let up so that Quirrell could reply, "I'm sorry, Master."

"Tonight," his Master told him. "It must be tonight."

"Please…" Quirrell foolishly whispered.

He sobbed as his Master punished his weakness.

"Tonight!"

Monday, November 25, 1991-The Library, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland

Patricia rubbed her forehead as she stared at the Ancient Runes essay she should have been more than halfway done writing since it was due on Friday. Their textbook had a list of reasons why Runes and Blood Magic should never, ever be mixed, ever, but no matter how many times she read over it the words just went flying over her head. Maybe that was a side effect of the prophecy she'd apparently given in the middle of Charms (whose contents no one had bothered to tell her) or maybe worrying about Harry was more difficult than she'd thought it would be.

The prophecy was predicting that a wizard in Australia would soon write a chart-topping song called Basilisks that would show itself to be a weakness of the titular magical creature, in case you were wondering.

"Patricia!"

Patricia looked up from her work and turned her head so fast that Grace, who was sitting beside her, wasn't able to avoid being hit in the face by her hair. "Harry! What's wrong?"

"Ow," Grace said flatly, not looking up from her Potions textbook.

"Shhhh!" Madam Pince said from the circulation desk.

Harry blinked, owl-like behind his glasses. "Why would something be wrong?" he asked as Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley caught up to him.

"You were nearly killed on Saturday," Grace reminded him, still not looking up from her Potions textbook.

Harry blinked again. "That's not what—Do you know anything about Nicholas Flamel?"

That question was enough to make Grace momentarily forget that they had Potions in an hour. She looked at the three first-year Gryffindors with complete and utter surprise.

"You don't know about Nicholas Flamel?" she asked, shocked. "How do you not know about Nicholas Flamel? He's only the most famous alchemist ever!"

"Shhhh!" Madam Pince said.

"He's an alchemist?" Hermione asked.

"Yes!" Grace exclaimed, quieter than she had spoken before.

"He's also Grace's current idol," Patricia added.

"He's the only known creator of the Philosopher's Stone," Grace said. "How can you not idolize that?"

The three Gryffindors looked at each other. "What's the Philosopher's Stone?" Ron asked.

"You haven't heard of the Philosopher's Stone!"

"Shhh!" Madam Pince said, glaring at Grace.

Grace shrank down in her seat and went back to reading over the potion they had to make that day.

"The Philosopher's Stone is an artifact that creates gold and the Elixir of Life," Patricia whispered. "Basically it makes its owner rich and immortal."

"Cool," Ron said.

"Thanks," Harry said.

The three Gryffindors went back through the stacks, presumably returning to their table.

Patricia looked at Grace. "I don't remember learning about Nicholas Flamel in first year."

"We didn't," Grace said, her eyes zipping across the pages of her textbook.

"Then why do they need to know about him?"

Grace shrugged. "Extra reading?"

"They're Gryffindors, not Ravenclaws."

Grace shrugged again. "Maybe they're exceptions."

From what Patricia remembered of Ron Weasley, in all the times she'd visited the Burrow, he never showed any indication of willingly picking up a book for reasons other than schoolwork. She had thought that Hermione would be in Ravenclaw when she met her though. Maybe she was the exception and the boys were just getting dragged along for the ride. But that didn't explain why Harry had been in such a rush to ask their question that he'd risked evoking the wrath of Madam Pince for running in the library.

Well, this wasn't making her head feel any less fuzzy.

Patricia sighed and pulled out her tarot cards. Shuffling the deck, she thought, "What is Harry up to?"

She laid down three cards on top of her unfinished essay. They were the Magician, upside down, the three of wands, upright, and Death, upside down.

Oh dear.

Monday, November 25, 1991-Gryffindor Common Room, Gryffindor Tower, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland

The trio of firsties whispering by the fireplace wouldn't have worried Fred, George and Lee at all if that trio hadn't had Harry Potter in it. As Harry Potter was involved, as well as Fred and George's youngest brother, the eavesdropping that the third-year boys were doing was totally and utterly justified.

"It's going to happen tonight," Harry insisted.

"Harry, just because your scar has been hurting," Hermione Granger began.

"It's a warning!" Harry interrupted. "Like, like a prophecy! I know that Snape is going to steal the Stone tonight."

Fred, George and Lee briefly looked at each other. That didn't sound good.

"Then we should tell a teacher," Hermione hissed, "Professor McGonagall or the Headmaster."

This Stone being stolen was something to tell Dumbledore about? That was definitely bad, especially since he didn't appear to be in the castle at the moment.

Dumbledore didn't normally miss dinner.

"And get Hagrid in trouble?" Ron said. "Or Stimpson and, and, that other Ravenclaw girl?"

And now Patricia was involved. Fantastic.

"We can just say we figured it out on our own," Hermione said. "They'll have to at least check up on it. And Snape couldn't get past the dog on Halloween, who's to say he's figured it out now."

She wasn't talking about the giant three-headed dog in the forbidden corridor, right? There was no way that anyone would be mad enough to try to get past that beast. Although, Snape was limping after Halloween…

"My scar—"

It was Hermione's turn to interrupt. "You should get it looked at by Madam Pomfrey."

"Harry, we could just tell McGonagall," Ron admitted. "She's our Head of House; it's her job to take care of this sort of stuff. Trust me. Percy's gone on about it enough times."

Harry frowned. "Fine, let's go find McGonagall."

The three first-years got up and hurried out the portrait hole. Fred, George and Lee stopped pretending to read their textbooks.

"That didn't sound good," Lee said.

"Obviously," Fred and George said.

"I have a feeling we should keep a close eye on the map tonight," George whispered.

"And we should let the girls know about what's going on," Fred added.

"What is going on?" Lee asked.

Fred and George shook their heads. "No idea."

Monday, November 25, 1991- Ravenclaw third-year girls' dormitory, Ravenclaw Tower, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Somewhere in Scotland

"The parchment's going off again," Violet said with a yawn.

Fred, George and Lee had written to them about an hour before curfew, telling them what they had overheard Harry Potter and his friends talking about in the common room. It only took a few minutes, and a lot of rambling from Grace, for the seven of them to figure out that the Stone that the first-years had been talking about was Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone and that it was hidden in the castle, guarded by the giant three-headed dog that the twins had found. Apparently, Harry thought that Professor Snape was out to steal it and was going to do so that night.

Like they needed Harry getting into more trouble with Quirrell already out to get him.

Patricia had ordered in all capital letters for Lee, George and Fred not to let Harry and his friends out of their sight, something that the boys were thankfully planning to do anyway. Actually, they were planning on camping out in the Gryffindor common room so that the three first-years couldn't get past them.

"I've got it," Noe said.

She picked up the glowing sheet of parchment sitting on Patricia's bedside table and read what was being written on it. Her eyes grew wide. She jumped off her own bed onto Patricia's and starting shaking the other girl frantically. After sending Benvolio off with a panicked letter to her adopted father, Patricia had passed out on top of her blankets in her robes with an enthusiasm that was usually reserved for putting her in the Hospital Wing.

"Wake up, wake up, wake up!"

Patricia groaned and slowly opened her eyes. "Whatsthematter?"

"Harry's gone after Snape!"

Patricia was immediately wide awake. She grabbed the parchment from Noe and read what Lee had scribbled down.

Harry, Ron and Granger left common room. Petrified Fred and Lee.-George

George and I going after them. Lee going to get McGonagall. - Fred

Then there was a blot of ink, followed by a message from Fred.

How do you get past a three headed dog?-Fred

"Merlin's beard!" Patricia shouted, waking Violet and Grace.

"Whatsthematter?" Grace asked.

Noe filled the other two in on what was going on while Patricia scrambled for a quill to write a reply.

GET HARRY AND THE OTHERS OUT OF THERE!-Patricia

Can't Trapped-F

Play music-Patricia

A few nerve-wracking moments later, more words appeared on the parchment.

Fred's singing. It's fallen asleep.-George

Patricia breathed a sigh of relief. Thank Morgana. She hadn't been sure that would work. Assuming they all lived through this and none of them were expelled she would have to make Fred and George take back all the times they had teased her for reading Muggle books.

"What's the plan?" Grace asked.

Patricia looked up from the parchment and saw that all three of her roommates were looking at her.

"We…need to go get teachers. Now."

They all jumped up and scrambled to pull on shoes and dressing gowns before running down the stairs to the common room. There they stopped and Patricia turned to her friends.

"We're going out after curfew. If any of you don't want to risk getting expelled…"

"We're with you," Grace said fiercely.

"Though…maybe we should get a prefect?" Violet suggested.

"Good idea," Patricia said. "Violet, Noe, go wake up Penelope. Grace, we'll go get…Professor Babbling. She's closest."

Babbling also was the only professor who Patricia knew for sure where they would be. Flitwick was patrolling and Lee was already going to get McGonagall. Professor Dumbledore had been conspicuously absent at dinner.

That couldn't have been a good thing.

The four of them split up, Violet and Noe running back up the stairs to the sixth-year girls' dorm and Patricia and Grace darting out of the common room door.

By some miracle they didn't run into Filch, Mrs Norris or any of the ghosts on the way to Professor Babbling's rooms. Both girls had memorized the basic professor's rounds a while back (that came with the nighttime wanderings needed for many pranks that they inevitably got talked into) so they knew that there weren't any teachers near them just yet.

Professor Babbling's rooms were on the sixth floor near her office and were guarded by a painting of a unicorn with its foal. The little golden foal hid behind its mother when Patricia and Grace came running towards them.

"We…need…to…see…Professor…Babbling," Patricia told the unicorn as she tried to catch her breath after running through the hallways and up and down three flights of stairs.

The white unicorn tilted her head. "Students should be in bed," she said, and yes, hearing a unicorn talk was weird.

"It's an emergency!" Grace told her.

The unicorn hemmed and hawed, but quickly nudged her foal out of the painting to wake Professor Babbling.

Another message spilled out on the parchment in Patricia's hand while they were waiting.

Nearly got strangled by Devil's Snare.-Fred

Patricia showed the message to Grace, who shook her head in amazement.

"Devil's Snare? I'd think Venomous Tentacula at least. It's the Philosopher's Stone!"

Patricia thought that whatever traps the Gryffindors were going through didn't need to be any more difficult, but that was just her opinion.

The unicorn painting swung into the room beyond. Professor Babbling stood inside the frame, her wand in her hand. She relaxed slightly when she saw that Patricia and Grace were waiting for her, but only slightly.

"What's wrong, girls?"

Patricia and Grace both started talking at the same time, trying to explain what was going on. It was a frantic, nonlinear explanation, but Professor Babbling managed to get the gist.

"Do you know where they are now?" she asked.

Patricia looked down at the parchment she was holding. "Fred's saying something about bouncing doorknobs."

"Doorknobs…That'll be Flitwick's obstacle," Professor Babbling murmured. "Next is Quirrell's and then…Merlin's beard! The troll!"

"Troll?" Patricia and Grace exclaimed.

The painting swung shut behind Professor Babbling as she took off running down the hallway, her wand lit brightly. Grace and Patricia looked at each other for a split second before they went running after her.