Clay Pinions
By Lochar
Disclaimer: Can't think of anything witty at the moment, so I don't own HP or Xenogears. Kay?
Chapter 15
"Come on." Hermione was dragging both the boys into the library. "I swear I know what book it is, and I know you don't want to look through every Alchemy book the library has."
Harry grinned. "Alright, we're hurrying."
They made it into the library, with Hermione sitting them at a table and telling them to stay there.
Ron looked at the shelves around them. "What do ya think she's gonna get?"
"Knowing Hermione? Probably the biggest book on Alchemy, and we'll have to look through it for him." Harry joked.
But true to his word, Hermione came back with a huge tome, and dropped it onto the table. It made a loud 'thump' and dust flew off the cover.
"Hermione… How in the world are we supposed to find anything in this?" Harry looked at the spine, reading the label. "'The Alchemic Concordance'? What in the world is in it?"
Hermione smiled at the two of them. "Just about everything created by alchemy, and who created it." Her smile widened when their jaws dropped. "And in reverse too. Every alchemist, and everything they ever created. Unfortunately, it doesn't show how to do alchemy. Help me get to the back of the book."
Harry and Ron helped her flip through the massive book, to the last quarter of it.
Hermione flipped through a few more pages, mumbling to herself. "Flamel… Flamel… Where are you?" She turned another page, and traced her finger down the list of names. "Ah, there you are!" She looked at his entry and read it to them.
"Nicholas Flamel. One of three known creators of the Philosopher's Stone. His Stone is the only known way to create the Elixir of Life, besides its ability to turn any metal into gold. Mr. Flamel is currently 650 years of age, along with his wife Perenelle." Hermione went quiet for a moment. "A way to create Elixir of Life? Huh? Is that what is being guarded?" She looked at Ron and Harry.
"Sounds like it. What's the 'Elixir of Life'?" Harry asked.
Ron shrugged. "Dunno, but it's probably in that book. Front of it too, I'm guessing."
Hermione nodded. "Help me get it back to the front." The three managed to get it back to the beginning of the book, and Hermione found the entry. "Elixir of Life - created by Nicholas Flamel. This elixir extends the life of the drinker for an unknown amount of time. As Mr. Flamel currently still must drink the Elixir, it is apparently not a permanent source of immortality."
"So you think that Snape's trying to become immortal?" Harry asked.
Ron nodded. "Greasy git. He wants to live forever to torment us, probably."
"Nah, can't be that." Harry argued. "He probably wants it for both things. Turning stuff into gold, and to be able to live forever." Harry looked thoughtful for a moment. "I'd hate to live forever though. All your friends would be gone eventually."
"But all that gold. Think of what you could do with it!" Ron's eyes were almost glazed over thinking of it.
"But what's the use of gold if you're lonely Ron? You'd have to watch your family and friends die around you!" Hermione's face was pale. "I'd rather never have the Elixir."
"Then we know why Snape wants it. With his sourpuss ways, he probably doesn't have any friends." Harry laughed a little.
"Alright, we know what's being guarded. So how do we keep Snape from getting it?" Ron looked between them. "It's not like the Professors are going to believe us if we tell them that we know what's behind that door, and that Snape is trying to steal it."
Hermione looked at him, puzzled. "Why do you think that? Wouldn't they at least want to make sure of it?"
"No." Harry shook his head. "The argument between the Headmaster and Snape that we heard made it sound like most of the teachers are helping to protect it. Snape included, I guess. No one is going to believe that someone protecting it wants to take it." He looked at them both. "So, we've gotta keep Snape away from that corridor. No matter what."
"Right." Ron and Hermione agreed. "No letting the greasy git get the stone." Ron added.
"Ron, don't talk about teachers like that." Hermione scolded him.
"Uhh, isn't this the teacher we just said was trying to steal that stone?"
Hermione's face reddened. "Oh. But we still need to respect him, otherwise he might suspect us?" She offered hesitantly.
"You can. He'd probably suspect me more if I was actually nice to him." Harry grinned. "I haven't shown Instructor Snape any respect at all."
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A week later found Harry sitting in the common room, bored. Ron had managed to get a detention with Filch, and Hermione was yet again in the library, going between looking up Flamel, Alchemy, and getting several months ahead on all of the homework. He'd quietly left the library after she'd gone ranting about not being able to find out anything of use about using Alchemy.
He poked the cheerily crackling fire with one of the iron pokers, rolling the log over and sending sparks up the chimney. He stood up and stretched. Might as well practice what Professor Maison was teaching yesterday morning.
Harry sat down and sunk into one of the overstuffed chairs. Closing his eyes, he drifted in the Void, watching his Chi. Need to learn very fine control before he'll teach me anything else. He channeled a bit of his Chi into his open hand, remembering what Maison had said next.
"You channel your Chi into your hands, but do you think of what you're channeling it into? Can you separate it into each finger, control it separately for each finger on your hand?"
Harry concentrated, drawing the Chi out of his palm, trying to leave the energy in just his fingers. The Chi in his palm pulled away from his pinky finger, and sweat broke out on Harry's forehead. His ring finger was next, and as soon as he managed to separate the Chi in his second finger from his palm, his concentration broke and all the Chi he had channeled drained away. He opened his eyes, breathing harder and panting slightly.
"This is gonna take me forever. I have to keep concentrating on breaking it up, but can't stop concentrating on the ones I already did."
Harry took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and kept trying.
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"Alright, it's the match between us and Hufflepuff. They're not a bad team, but they not great either. But don't let your guard down! With Snape refereeing the match, he's going to be looking for any reason to knock us out of the game, especially since we beat the Slytherins last game." Oliver said to the team, inside the changing room.
Harry groaned. "Oliver, don't remind me. I've been dreading this since I found out Snape is going to be the referee last week."
"Doesn't matter if I remind you or not Harry, it's going to happen. Best we can do is play a fair game and hope you catch the Snitch quickly. Not even he can dispute that."
"Trust me, I'm going to be trying my hardest to find it before Snape can find a reason to kick me off the field." He looked out towards the field. "I guess it's too much to hope he'll be unbiased, since we aren't playing the Slytherins?"
The twins laughed. "Harry, the only time Snape would ever be unbiased is…" Fred started, then paused. "Well, um. We're pretty sure there's a time he would be; can we get back to you on that?"
"Alright team, it's time to get out there." Oliver interrupted them. "Let's go and win. Harry, get that Snitch as fast as you can."
Harry nodded, and they all mounted up and flew out.
"Ladies and Gentleman, this is your commentator, Lee Jordan. Today's match is Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff, with guest referee Professor Snape. Will we see an even hand here today, or will Snape's legendary hate of Gryffindor shine through?"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry Professor. Anyways, here comes the team. Lead by Keeper and Captain Oliver Wood, it's the Gryffindors! And from the other side of the field we have the Hufflepuffs, led by Chaser and Captain Darik Summersby."
As Harry flew out over the pitch, he saw Snape staring at him. Sinking into the Void, Harry wrapped his magic around the broom echo in his mind, determined to not let anyone mess with his broom again. He watched Snape turn from him to throw the Quaffle up -starting the match-, then he starting looking for the released Snitch, hoping to end the match quickly. He ignored Jordan's comments, putting all his concentration on keeping the magically wrapped broom in his hands, and finding the Snitch.
He was startled out of his search only minutes later when Snape blew the whistle, signaling a foul against the Gryffindors. The Hufflepuff who took the shot did so half-heartedly for some reason, as Harry watched. Oliver easily caught the Quaffle and tossed it back into play. Harry resumed his search.
He dodged a Bludger sent his way and Fred flew up behind it, smacking it back down towards the Hufflepuff team, causing it to closely pass by Harry. The whistle blew again. He looked down at Snape.
"Mr. Weasley. No attempting to hit the Bludgers at your own teammates. Penalty to Hufflepuff." Snape looked up at a silently fuming Fred and Harry.
WHAT? That can't be a rule, I've never heard of it. The Hufflepuff captain took the shot, seeming to toss it directly at Oliver. After a moment of play, he called a timeout. The Gryffindors floated in the sky, while the Hufflepuffs huddled around their goal posts. Summersby looked up, and motioned to the Gryffindors to come over.
Flying over, they joined the Hufflepuffs in their quickly ending meeting.
"Alright, as we can easily tell, Professor Snape isn't going to be playing very fair this game." Summersby started. "Here's my suggestion. Any penalty shots we get, unless we can actually tell it was a penalty, we're just going to toss at you Oliver, ok?" Oliver nodded, confused. "It's one thing to have a fun game, but he's trying to ruin you guys. Granted, we're not the best team, but we should be playing fairly, right?" All the Hufflepuffs nodded, followed by the Gryffindors. "So, if we accidentally actually foul you, we'll open up our Keeper to you, allowing you a shot just like a penalty, even if the referee doesn't call it."
Everyone agreeing, they all flew out and resumed their positions. The game resumed, and was enjoyed by both teams, as they only partially paid attention to Snape, following the rule of his calls, but not actually taking any penalty points. Harry stopped for a moment to listen to Jordan.
"Ladies, gentlemen, and Slytherins-"
"Jordan…"
"Yes Professor. Anyways, the two teams seemed to have had an impromptu joint meeting, and have actually seemed to have tied our guest referee's hands up, not taking any of his given penalty shots seriously. The score stands at 90-40 with Gryffindor in the lead… Wait a moment; it seems Gryffindor Seeker Harry Potter has seen the Snitch. Try to catch it without falling this time, Harry!"
Harry had seen the Snitch, and was currently diving towards the goal posts of the Hufflepuff team. His opposite had also seen it, and they were neck to neck racing towards the goal posts. Harry managed to pull ahead slightly and grabbed the Snitch. Quickly pulling up so he didn't hit the stadium, he held it aloft. Snape seemed to stare at it for a moment, looking to the Hufflepuff Chasers who were motionless in the air, before turning back to Harry. He nodded grudgingly.
"Gryffindor wins, 240-50! Gryffindor wins!"
Harry flew to Snape and handed the Snitch over before flying back to the Hufflepuff Seeker. He shook his hand. "Good game."
The other Seeker nodded. "You too. And thanks for not being an arse about it."
Harry shook his head. "Never. Especially after you guys refused to take Snape's stupid penalties."
Both boys shook hands again, then flew off to their respective teams.
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"You know Harry, you're being awfully paranoid." Hermione laughed as she watched Harry darting through the halls, trying his best to quickly get to their next class.
"Snape's going to want revenge against me, and I'm not giving him the chance to track me down outside of class." He replied, once they had gotten to the Transfiguration classroom. "Potions tomorrow is going to be bad enough."
"If he wants to get you tomorrow, there's not much you can do about it mate." Ron remarked.
"Don't remind me."
"Alright class, quiet down. Today we're going to be working with your needles again." Professor McGonagall said, addressing the whole classroom.
Several students looked up, and Hermione looked puzzled.
"We're not turning the needles into matches, the way you turned the matches to needles. Instead, you're going to be reversing your transfiguration of the needles back into the same match they were." She passed out a bunch of needles. "These are the needles that your class changed. You're going to learn to turn them back into matches again, allowing them to follow their path of original transfiguration back into matches."
"Huh?" Ron, along with a good part of the class was confused.
"Really Ron, what Professor McGonagall is saying is we're turning the needles back into the matches they were to begin with, by making them go backwards of how we turned them into needles." Hermione lectured them.
"Very good Ms. Granger." Hermione beamed at the praise, as McGonagall passed out the needles. "If you need any help class, feel free to ask me to come over. Also, you may find it easier if you trade a needle for one of your partners. As you are not getting your exact needles back, you may encounter difficulties on the occasional needle from one of your classmates."
By three fourths of the way through the class, everyone had managed to change the needles back into matches, with the exception of a small group of needles, just enough for one student.
"Professor McGonagall?" Hermione spoke up. "Did you perhaps give us regular needles also? We can't get these to turn back."
McGonagall walked over. "I don't think I did Ms. Granger." She tapped the needles with her wand. "Hmm. No, they are transfigured needles, but for some reason very strongly done." She looked up at the class. "Alright class, ten points to the student who manages to change these back. I suppose I must have added a third or fourth year student's practice needles in."
The class took turns trying to un-transform the needles, but no one got even one of them to change. Harry sat back, waiting with Ron and Hermione at the end of the group for their turns. Ron's turn came, and he walked up to them. Tapping them with his wand, and then waving it over the needles. Only a single one rolled over, but none changed back. Ron glared at the needles, then stomped off, letting Hermione have a chance.
Hermione closed her eyes, holding her wand on a single needle. She concentrated hard, sweat starting to bead on her forehead, before lifting her wand and tapping the needle again. Slowly, the needle wavered and turned back into a match. She opened her eyes and looked to Professor McGonagall.
"Two points for the first one, Ms. Granger. There's still four more to go."
Hermione shook her head. "I can't Professor. Just doing one of them was really tiring." McGonagall nodded, and Hermione sat back down at her desk.
Harry stood at the remaining four needles. Closing his eyes, he did as the Professor had suggested. Calling up a mental image of them in his mind, he blanked the needles out, focusing on removing the transfiguration, instead of changing it. He tapped the first one with his wand, and his eyes flew open, astonished. They've got my Chi on them! They must be the ones I changed that day I was really mad! His concentration broke, and the needle didn't so much as waver closer back to being a match.
Harry grinned at the needles slightly. I made you, I can unmake you. Harry closed his eyes again, and brought to mind his magical core. He split the energy in half, and then took a quarter of that half and channeled it into his wand. He could see the Chi that had been forced into a magical form, and he tapped the needle with his wand. Sliding the magic underneath the Chi, he pushed it until it broke, and opened his eyes. A plain brown matchstick sat under his wand.
"One down, three to go Mr. Potter." McGonagall said. Harry nodded and closed his eyes again.
Looking at the remaining energy he had to use, Harry was shocked to see some of the magical power he had used was already coming back, and that his core seemed to have a slight glow around it. He spun his mind's eye around his magical core, and saw the source of the glow. It was the minor Rune of Absorption he'd yanked into his core at the beginning of the year. It must be drawing magical energy quicker to recharge my core. Neat. Not bothering with watching the process anymore, Harry quickly channeled some more magic into his wand, and then at the needle, releasing the Chi that was holding the match in the needle's shape.
Harry opened his eyes, to see four matchsticks sitting on the table. McGonagall's eyebrows were raised. "The rest of the eight points to you, Mr. Potter. I'm surprised you were able to do it though."
"They were my needles, Professor." Harry shrugged. McGonagall nodded and dismissed the class.
-
That evening, Hermione and Ron both accosted Harry about the class.
"Harry, what did you mean they were your needles? And how did you easily change back four of them, when it wore me out to do just one?" Hermione's questions were shot out.
Ron's quickly followed. "And how in the world did you manage to change them enough to make McGonagall think a third or fourth year had done it?"
Harry opened his mouth for a second, closed it, and thought for a moment. "Hermione, they were my needles. That's probably why they were easier for me to undo the transfiguration on them, since I was the one to do it in the first place. And Ron?" He looked at his friend. "It was the class right after Snape was taking points left, right, and center from me for stupid things. I was really, really mad and pretty much just yelled at the matches to change and they did. It was that and I used some Chi doing it too."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully, but Ron kept going. "Bloody hell, you can do that with that Chi stuff?"
"I've got more Chi than I do magic, and it takes a lot of Chi to make it do something like magic. And to me, it's really easy to reverse. But I can sense where it's at, so that's probably why." Harry explained.
Ron nodded as well. "Can't wait until I can do something with it then."
-
Harry pushed the door open to the Potions classroom, only to hear an unfriendly and very unwanted voice ring out. "Potter, five points for being late!"
He stopped in the doorway, staring at Snape, then turned behind him to see several more Gryffindors and even a few Slytherins still waiting outside the classroom. "Uh, excuse me Instructor, but I made sure I was in here early."
"Five more points for backtalk, and another five for blocking the doorway. Move out of the way Potter!"
Harry quickly moved out of the way and got into his seat. Ron came in right behind him and sat down next to him. "Greasy git. You purposely came early to try to not get into trouble!" he whispered harshly.
Harry nodded slightly, focusing on Snape. "He's got it in for me, he'll do whatever he can to get me." He whispered back quietly.
A few minutes later, the rest of the class had trickled in and sat down. Snape stood in front of the class. "Alright dunderheads. I've been going back over your previous potions and made a discovery. Barely half of you could make our first potion, the boil cure. So, I'm going to put you all through a remedial lesson." Snape flicked his wand at the board, which spun around to show the instructions for the potion. "Maybe this time, all the dunderheads in the class won't mess it up." He glared at Neville, who gulped.
Snape's eyes turned towards the Slytherins. "I do wish I didn't have to waste the time of the students in this class who actually were able to make this potion, but I must maintain some degree of competence in my classroom."
Harry wrote down the directions, comparing it to the notes he had from the beginning of the school year when he had written down Snape's first directions. The only change this time was the emphasis on the porcupine quills after the potion was off of the fire. At least he's not trying to purposely mess us up. Ron quickly started gathering the components, while Harry started the fire and set their cauldron to boiling.
They worked as quickly as they could; only slowing down for the timed elements of the potion. Once they were about halfway through, Harry felt something hit him in the back. Quickly turning around, he saw Malfoy sniggering with his partner, Pansy. He looked down, to find a bundle of porcupine quills at his feet. He looked at Ron, who looked at the quills as well. Ron picked them up, and then when Snape wasn't looking, hurled them back at Malfoy.
Malfoy caught them easily enough, and smirked at them, inclining his head as he pulled his cauldron off the fire and calmly added them to his potion. Harry narrowed his eyes at Malfoy, but quickly spun around as he heard Ron gasp.
The potion had sat too long on the fire, and while they'd been distracted, someone had tossed another bundle of quills into their cauldron. The potion inside was quickly turning into a green sludge and the telltale green smoke was starting to form. Harry slammed a lid down on top of the cauldron and yanked it off the fire. He spun around again, seeing Malfoy openly laughing at them.
"Sabotage." Harry's eyes narrowed and his magic jumped before he could grab hold of it. Malfoy's cauldron cracked, and the potion started leaking out of it.
"POTTER! Ten points for destruction of another student's property!" Snape, as always, appeared just in time to witness the destruction of the Slytherin boy's cauldron, but not in time to witness someone else destroying Harry's potion.
"You'd better not have messed up your potion as well, Potter." Snape stalked over to the two of them, noticing the lid on the cauldron. "Let's have a look see, shall we?" Ron grinned and backed up, and Harry smiled slightly as well before taking his own steps backwards.
Snape lifted the lid, only to be hit in the face with a huge cloud of green smoke, along with some of the potion jumping out. He staggered back, bellowing. "Potter, what in Merlin's name did you do!" He managed to make his way back to his desk, where he dipped his hand in the cauldron sitting there, coming out with the correct boil cure potion. He dabbed it on the boils already sprouting from his face, and then scooped a bit more out with a beaker, downing it. The boils vanished immediately.
"Twenty points from Gryffindor for the both of you. And detention for you Potter, I know this was your idea! But as I don't trust you around my classroom any more than I have to, you'll be serving it with Filch tomorrow tonight." Snape scowled at Harry, whom scowled right back.
Harry grabbed his bag, shoving his books and notes into it. "I'll go then Instructor, before you decide to take any more points from me." He stormed out of the potions lab.
"Twenty more points if you leave this classroom Potter!" was shouted as the door slammed shut.
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"Still wish that the Headmaster would allow me to use the chains as punishment." Filch was saying the next day, as he guided Harry to where he'd be doing his punishment. "But!" He spun around, glaring at Harry. "As it's not, you'll be polishing every suit of armor in this hallway." He handed Harry a rag and several large bottles of Muggle polish. "Without magic, or magical cleaners." He cackled, and turned back around. "Spick-and-span, Potter. I don't want any of the suits to have a single dull spot."
Harry nodded, sourly.
Twenty minutes later, Harry had managed to finish with a single suit of armor. He looked down the hallway. "Great, only nine more to go."
Another hour passed by, and then Harry heard a voice coming up the hallway. Just great, Malfoy. Betcha he's been looking for me, to rub it in my face. Harry bit his lip, determined to ignore the idiot.
"Ah, Potter." Malfoy looked at him, busily cleaning the suit of armor. "Ignoring me? Or is the Head of the Great Potter Family too busy being a common house-elf that he can't find the time to talk to his betters? Are you so broke that you can't afford a house-elf to do your work for you, or are you spreading out the Potter fortune to the Weasel and the Mudblood so they'll pretend to be your friends, so you don't have any money left?"
Harry ignored the taunts, and eventually Malfoy walked off, laughing to himself.
I think I'll ask Hermione if she knows what I can do as the 'Head of the Potter Family' to get back at the bleach blond…
So, that'll end the chapter. What do we think Hermione will find, if anything? And, gasp, I'm giving Harry Head of Family rights as a first year? He's too young you say? Stay tuned next chapter for my reasons.
Oh, and also. As the 20th is my b-day, getting this chapter out is my b-day present to myself. As a b-day present to me, could I get lots and lots of reviews? Purdy please?
Couple of notes. Nyeshet, DD was the one startled last chapter, as Harry sensed him before he could say anything to Harry. That threw him off a bit. Unicorn, as far as I know in canon, Harry didn't ask his family if he could come back. Here, Vernon still really has final say so, as Petunia doesn't work, and Vernon is fighting Harry however he can, even if it's through the "I won't go pick him up, he doesn't deserve presents, etc." things.
Beta'd by Dr. Gero, bless him for getting it done this quickly.