Eric settled in quickly with his new house. Initially, he tried to just blend in with the scenery. However, the Ravenclaws seemed to go out of their way to welcome him – sorting ended up light for them again this year, and it was nice to have another strong student. As the others got to know him, he began to gain popularity for his ability to describe the rules of magic that were simpler than the instructors.

It didn't take long for him to gain noteriety among the first years. Eventually, he just took up camping out in the courtyard in an ever expanding circle of students discussing the classes they'd just been through. Although nobody ever set a rule, the group primarily consisted of Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. As much as they never admitted it, Gryffindors and Slytherins had one thing in common: neither of them liked to ask for help. There were two exceptions, though.

Seamus Finnigan very much wanted to stop setting things on fire. Unfortunately, Seamus' abilities suffered from wild flares – a rare problem, but most often seen in mixed upbringings like Seamus, suggesting that they were based in his two natures fighting each other. It took three months of dilligent practice to get his casting under control, and another month of research into the problem before they determined that his problem was in his head. The risk would always be with him as long as he kept looking at himself as a "half and half", rather than just a whole person.

Neville Longbottom also joined the circle for a while, happier than most that Eric had changed houses. It didn't take him long to build his confidence enough to get basic casting down, and best of all – with Eric in Ravenclaw, there was nothing wrong with him spending time with Neville on the weekends teaching him how to fly.

The remainer of the year passed quietly enough for Eric, if not for everyone else. Rumors kept buzzing about Harry Potter, but Eric didn't care anymore. He was well into intermediate transformations, his circle of friends were growing, and being a student at Hogwarts was finally getting to be what it was supposed to.

Things had gotten so quiet, in fact, that he was stunned to receive another summons from the Headmaster. He couldn't imagine what it was about. After climbing the steps behind the gargoyle, he found the professor sitting at a small round table across from a man who could be his twin. Between the two of them was a small, round, blood red stone resting on top of a drawing he thought long since destroyed: his algorythim for the Philosopher's Stone.

"Ah, there you are. Eric Sable, this is Nicholas Flamel. Nicholas, I would like to present one of our brightest students."

Flamel rose slightly to shake Eric's hand. "Albus has been telling me much about you. It's been quite a year for you, hasn't it?" Eric simply nodded speechlessly. "I believe this was taken from you a while back. The basic work was excellent, but I've taken the liberty of filling in some of the missing details. Come have a look."

Eric was stunned. Here he was, a first year student, discussing intricate enchantments with the greatest alchemist alive. What's more, Flamel seemed even more taken with Eric, and extremely impressed with the work he had begun. True, most of the markings on the algorithym were made by Flamel now, but they wove in and out of his original work flawlessly, and there were no revisions to the core symbols. Eric had gotten the patterns right. As their conversations continued, Eric discovered that his conclusions were correct as well – the stone needed a wealth of maintenance in order to hold it's properties.

Dumbledore sat back watching the two of them, resembling a proud grandfather. When they had finally finished, he turned to Eric. "Now that you see how close you came to the truth, let me ask you: have you heard the rumors surrounding Harry Potter, Professor Quirrel, and the basement of our school?"

"Yes sir." Eric pointed to the stone. "Is that it, then?"

"Indeed it is. Do you now understand how much danger you were in? What if you found Dark Arts as tedious as Transfiguration? What do you think Quirrel would have done if he found you working on this?"

Knowing what had happened, Eric figured Quirrel probably would have helped him along for a while, until he got close enough to be useful. He suddenly shivered at the prospect of what could have happened next.

Dumbledore continued. "I see you've come upon it. Do you see what the presence of such a powerful item has done to our school? Three students injured, an instructor lost, so much effort put into the safe keeping of the stone, only to have every defense fail. We were all in terrible danger for a while, all of us. With that in mind, do you think it is wise to maintain the stone?"

Eric sat silently. He knew what Dumbledore wanted, he even felt that the headmaster was right. However, Flamel was sitting right next to him. He had been so nice, so pleasant to talk with that Eric didn't want to say anything that would possibly offend him.

However, Flamel just smiled and nodded. "Speak up my boy, we're anxious to know what you think."

Eric gulped. "Well, sir, as much as the stone's capable of, it doesn't look like it's a good idea to keep it around. Since both Gringotts and Hogwarts have been breached, there doesn't seem to be anywhere it can stay where it couldn't be stolen."

Dumbledore smiled. "The power available does not create value. Are we all agreed, then?" Eric sat confused while Dumbledore looked about. Flamel nodded to his partner. "Very well: the stone must be destroyed. Eric – what would you consider to be the best method for ridding ourselves of the stone once and for all?"

"Me, sir? Wouldn't Mister Flamel know better?"

"Eric, we are about to remove a valuable tool from our midst. It can prove useful one last time by providing an opportunity for a student to learn. Now, how should we destroy it?"

Eric thought for only a moment. "Well, it's easy enough to do. Simply use it for a transformation without preparing it. The result should throw the enchantments out of balance and break the stone from within. It has to be a reasonably powerful transformation, though. Anything less could leave a reminant that might be restored."

"Very good, very good indeed. In fact, I have just the thing in mind. If you will come into my study, and bring the stone please?"

On a granite table was a small stand, in which Eric was directed to place the stone. Across from it was a large bundled stack, wrapped in brown paper. Dumbledore handed Eric a scroll. "These are my Christmas presents from last year. I have looked through them, and have decided that they would be most suitable for our needs. Now then; these are the directions I wish you to follow. Cast the spell through the stone and everything should turn out just fine."

Eric read through the directions, then read them again, and again before turning to Dumbledore. "You're kidding, right?"

"My boy, I have never been more serious."

Eric read the enchantment over and over until he knew he had the words down perfectly. He drew his wand, focused his thoughts, and for two minutes recited the enchantment, vaporous light streaming out of his wand into the stone, which replied by sending out a crimson beam into the stacked bundle, causing it to warp and shift.

At length the spell was finished. The stone was now a grey lump on the stand that, when tapped, turned to a soft powder like a burned out charcoal briquette. The greatest accomplishment any alchemist could hope for was completely disintegrated. Dumbledore and Flamel rested a hand on each of Eric's shoulders, reassuring him that this was, indeed, for the best.

As for the bundled stack, it had been irrevokably transformed into forty pairs of wollen socks, bearing the most gaudy and ill-patterned colors one could ever imagine; with no two alike.