In this chapter, Mary will study Nicolas Flamel, hence the title.

Oh, and she'll play another game of Quidditch.

She did do well her first game, after all.

Perhaps she'll do well her second game.

It's a possibility, right?

Chapter 10: Flamel Out

Mary decided to do some research on Nicolas Flamel.

She figured that since Snape was possibly after the Sorcerer's Stone, she might as well study its possessor.

Perhaps the person trying to steal the stone was one of his enemies. Did Nicolas have enemies? She imagined that Dumbledore was not one of them.

Given the break-in at Gringotts, somebody was pretty determined to get that stone. There were dragons supposedly guarding some of the vaults, and given Nicolas's last name, his vault was probably not an exception.

Apparently, he had lived for hundreds of years. Also, he was not from Britain, but from France.

He was still an European wizard though.

Mary whistled. That was one long lifetime. Longer than her own and the Dursleys put together. Though wizards were known to give longer than Muggles. Perhaps because wizard health care was generally superior to theirs.

She doubted even Professor Dumbledore was that old…not that she would call him old. She respected her elders, so she didn't say things like that. And she was pretty sure that Hagrid respected them too.

However, Nicolas Flamel had seen many friends come and go. Armando Dippet included. Dipper had lived for over 300 years.

People simply could not live as long as he did.

"That's sad." spoke the girl.

She had lost loved ones herself…just a year after she was born.

Perhaps it wouldn't be such a big deal if the stone was stolen. Flamel probably didn't it want anymore anyway. She was starting to think that immortality was overrated.

Still, Dumbledore seemed determined to keep it safe.

She wished him good luck on that endeavor.

Hermione approached her.

"I didn't know that you liked reading." remarked the brunette.

"I figured I would learn about Nicolas Flamel." noted Mary.

"Oh really?" asked Hermione.

"Yeah…he seems like the oldest man ever." answered the girl who lived.

"He probably is." nodded Granger. She doubted that she would ever live for more than a century, let alone six of them.

"I wonder if he should be our history teacher." questioned Mary.

He seemed like the perfect man for the role. He was there to experience it!

"Maybe, but if the Sorcerer's Stone is taken, I don't think he'll be around much longer." noted Hermione.

His age was bound to catch up with him. What would happen then? Would he be reduced to dust? Or just a skeleton?

She wasn't sure.

It was a shame his life was in danger, since he and Dumbledore seemed to get along. She imagined the headmaster didn't want anything to happen to him.

"Oh, and I do like reading." answered the girl who lived.

"When did you start reading?" asked Granger. She learned how to read at an early age. But Mary might not have done the same.

"Well, my cousin Dudley wasn't reading all the books that his parents got him, so I started reading them instead. They decided to move me from the cupboard to Dudley's old bedroom. They got him a new one because he didn't like the spiders." explained Mary.

She had gotten some books beforehand, but they had never been doorstoppers. You could count on that.

Mary could also use Dudley's old computer, but she was forbidden to play Wizard 101.

"They made you sleep in a cupboard?" questioned Hermione.

Her parents never made her sleep in one of those.

"I guess they ran out of ideas as to where I could sleep. They weren't expecting my parents to meet their makers…" noted the girl.

Was anyone?

Did her parents meet J. K. Rowling? Or the Warner Bros?

She wasn't sure.

"I wish your foster parents would be more accepting of you." spoke Hermione. She knew her parents accepted that she was a witch, though they were a bit disappointed when she decided she wouldn't take a career as a dentist. She figured the Ministry of Magic might be a better fit for her.

Mary nodded.

Why did they have to insist on being normal?

Was it not better to be unique?

She liked to feel that she was special…which she was.

And they certainly seemed to think Dudley was special.

She decided to talk to Neville next. He was having a snack. A delicious ham sandwich.

With mayo.

He was also sitting alone. Seemed he felt like peace and quiet today. Which was kind of ironic given that Gryffindor was represented by a lion.

Mary sure hoped that people didn't mind sitting next to him.

"Did they…catch the people who attacked your parents?" asked the girl.

She sure hoped they did.

They basically ruined Longbottom's life. And she certainly didn't want them on the streets. Unless maybe they were living ON the streets.

"Luckily, they did." answered Neville.

He hated to imagine what would happen if nobody did anything about them.

The Gryffindor boy imagined that some Death Eaters were out there…but the four Death Eaters that tortured his parents were definitely not.

They were sentenced to life in Azkaban.

"I take it that's where dark wizards go?" asked Mary.

Neville nodded.

It was where they belonged.

The Gryffindor boy was happy that his parents' torturers had been sent to Azkaban. And that they would never be released, either. Who would want to bust THEM out?

Still, it didn't change the fact that his parents would be in the hospital for the rest of their lives. They didn't even seem to recognize him.

Should he consider joining the Order of the Phoenix someday? Perhaps his parents would want that. Though they probably didn't remember being part of the group.

Fred and George had some bad news for the rest of the team.

Severus Snape was going to be the referee.

They were not happy to hear that.

"Not Severus Snape…" complained Angelina.

She knew that Fred and George were considered by Snape to be his worst students. And that was saying a lot. Some luck they were playing on their team.

No doubt he would act in a biased manner, which would interfere with their chances of winning and earning points for Gryffindor. Though it would be worse if they were playing against Slytherin for the second time in a row.

At least they likely didn't have to worry about the Hufflepuffs playing dirty. That was not something Hufflepuffs were known to do.

Mary wondered if she should apply a potion that would protect the broom from jinxes.

It might be a good idea.

But when the game started, nothing happened.

It looked as if her lucky day.

She hadn't caught the snitch yet, so she wasn't sure.

Unfortunately, Fred and George caused their team to suffer a penalty shot.

Why? Because they sent a Bludger a bit too close to the referee.

They insisted it was an accident. They weren't trying to troll Snape, like they so often did.

Though to be honest, Katie was expecting Snape to disqualify them and have Hufflepuff win by default.

Mary wondered where the Snitch was.

It seemed it was hiding.

Suddenly, she heard the sound of fluttering.

"Is that a butterfly?" asked the girl.

She discovered the snitch was resting on her head.

"Well, thank goodness it didn't end up in my mouth this time." remarked Mary. Not that it was a bad flavor. She was just worried she would choke.

"I don't believe it! It's been less than five minutes!" exclaimed Oliver Wood.

"Wow. That is what I call beginner's luck." spoke the girl.

"Congratulations, Mary!" exclaimed Cedric.

He shook Mary's hand.

"He's hot." thought the girl.

It was a bit of a shame they weren't in the same house. But it was possible for two houses to mingle.

As before, she was applauded for what she had done.

And oddly enough, Snape did not accuse her of cheating.

But after Quidditch was over, Mary witnessed something disturbing.

Apparently, Snape was asking Quirrell advice as to how to get past a three-headed dog.

"Why does Hagrid keep such things?" asked Severus.

"I don't know!" answered the Ravenclaw.

"And why does he call him Fluffy?" questioned Snape.

"I don't k-k-know either!" exclaimed the former Muggle Studies teacher.

"What are his weaknesses? I don't have all day." said Snape.

"W-w-well, he d-d-doesn't like loud noises." remarked the man with the turban.

They had sensitive ears.

"Anything else?" asked the potions master.

"Chocolate f-f-frogs will k-k-kill him." continued Quirrell.

"I imagine that they will." answered the Slytherin. A three-headed dog was still a dog.

Though no fleas would dare approach such a scary canine.

The company was making non-magical chocolate frogs so that animals didn't eat them. There were animal lovers working there…who may or may not be friends with Hagrid.

Suddenly, Snape saw Mary.

She gasped.

It looked like she was caught.

"Don't worry. Quirrell and I were just having a little chat. Weren't we, Quirrell?" assured Snape.

"Y-y-yes! Of c-c-course!" exclaimed Quirrell.

He didn't want to contradict Severus. Not at all.

For some strange reason, Mary heard a strange voice asking her why she didn't choose Slytherin when she had the chance. Apparently, it was for wizards and witches who wanted to be powerful.

It was coming from the turban that Quirrell was wearing, which was appropriate considering it reminded her of the Sorting Hat.

"I sure hope Quirrell isn't planning to betray Dumbledore." thought Mary. Dumbledore trusted him. And she wasn't sure who the next Defense against the Dark Arts would be if Quirinus Quirrell was sacked. She needed a good teacher if she wanted to defend herself from Death Eaters.

Though considering how much he stuttered, maybe he wasn't the best teacher.

She hoped that Snape wasn't planning to betray Dumbledore either. The evidence was kind of stacked against him though. Was he not bitten three times by the same dog? He would also likely know about the elixir of life given his fancy title of potions master.

However, nobody had attempted to do anything to hurt her this game of Quidditch (even though Snape was the referee), so that was evidence FOR him.

Having said that, there may have been a justification. He may have been worried he would be caught red handed and thrown out of Hogwarts. It wouldn't be unlike what happened to Hagrid.

He didn't attack her when he saw her though. He could have been worried that Quirrell would tell Dumbledore…but perhaps he could be sworn to silence.

Either way, perhaps she should warn Hagrid that somebody was trying to get past Fluffy. Perhaps Snape figured that he could take the Sorcerer's Stone so that he could get rich.

Though if he was looking for happiness (which he probably was), money wasn't the answer.

Hagrid wouldn't want anything happening to his pet, would he? His giant heart would break.

His pets did seem kind of dangerous though.

Perhaps Dumbledore should talk to him about what a good pet was and what wasn't.

He knew that he used to own an Acromantula…an arachnid that lived in the Forbidden Forest. Before it found its way back into the wild.

It was better safe than sorry.

On the way there, she noticed Fang.

It seemed he was a guard dog of some kind.

He didn't have three heads like Fluffy did, but his size was kind of unnerving.

As soon as he saw Mary, he let out a bark.

"Easy there, boy!" exclaimed the girl.

Fang looked at her curiously.

"I'm a friend of Hagrid." explained Mary.

He started licking her in the face.

"Hahahahahaha! That tickles!" exclaimed the girl.

"I see ye befriended Fang." remarked Hagrid.

"I told him I was a friend of yours." explained Mary.

"Smart choice." answered the man.

"Anyways, I need to talk to you about something." spoke the girl.

"I'm a bit busy right now. Somethin' is attackin' the unicorns in the Forbidden Forest, and I don't like it." explained Hagrid.

"That's horrible! Those poor unicorns!" exclaimed Mary.

"I know. Fine creatures, they are. I can't think of anyone who would want to hurt 'em." remarked Rubeus.

"Would you like some help finding out who did it?" asked the girl.

"Are ye sure? It's dangerous in the Forbidden Forest." explained Hagrid.

It was dark there too.

He'd hate it if anything happened to Mary.

Though for whatever reason, the unicorns still seemed to be safe in there. Up until recently.

"Yeah, but I don't want anything happening to the unicorns." noted Mary.

She had played with one as a kid.

However, she had traded it to Dudley for a plain old horse plushie…at Petunia's insistence.

And yeah, Dudley didn't like having a girl's toy.

It was ironic that she had found out they were real.

"By the way, I need to warn you about something. Your dog is in danger." remarked Mary.

"Fang?" asked Hagrid.

"No, your other dog. Fluffy." explained the girl with the lightning shaped scar.

"What?! How did ye know about him?" asked Rubeus.

He sure hoped the Sorcerer's Stone's security hadn't been compromised.

Nicolas Flamel was counting on Albus Dumbledore to keep it safe.

"I might have encountered him once. My sense of direction is a bit off." explained Mary.

Also, Hogwarts was HUGE! So huge it put Fluffy himself to shame.

"Who would want ter hurt Fluffy?" questioned the half giant.

"It might be Snape. He was bitten by him…because he called his mother a cat." spoke Mary.

"A cat? Tha' seems unusually juvenile for him." remarked Hagrid.

"I guess it kind of is." explained the girl.

Perhaps he should go check on Fluffy to see if he was alright.

"So, when are you going into the Forbidden Forest again?" asked Mary.

"Eleven o'clock." explained Hagrid.

Mary's bravery was nothing short of impressive.

She wrote that down.

Hopefully she could save those unicorns from whatever was troubling them.

Hopefully Fluffy will stay safe. Hagrid would be very upset if anything happened to him. Though perhaps Snape wants the dog to be neutered. Good luck with that.

Fluffy isn't the only one who has weaknesses though. Keep that in mind.