Chapter Eleven: The Love of a Library
BananaCarrot-Five
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Harry Potter is owned by Warner Bros. Entertainment and J.K. Rowling.
Author's Note: I tried a different approach to writing this chapter. Also, some of the dates I use in this chapter aren't Canon dates. I tried to use a reasonable timeframe, but alas, we as a species are not perfect.
Thank you to Andromeda1, who beta'd this chapter for me!
March 1, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
From the Journal of H. J. G.
March 1, 1992
I cannot believe that I have been searching the Library for three months with no results! I know I found the stuff on the dog, but that doesn't exactly help us at all! I need to know who Nicholas Flamel is. This has been eating at me since November. My love for books and my love for the Library have not been helping me.
I have been unraveling since February, since Harry's game. I know Harry and Neville have noticed, they would be stupid not to. I've distracted myself by starting a small coloured drawing of the Library. A month in, and I am not happy. The 8 ½ x 11 sheet of paper isn't even fully finished.
I think that is what really is stressing me out. My drawing, the Library, school, family. This whole mystery of the Third Floor Corridor. Exams are right around the corner, and I've almost finished the review. My Dicta-Quill will be happy soon enough. One thing tops it all, though. Harry. He is harder to read than anyone else I know! He is different, closed off, quiet. He has mood swings, he gets angry sometimes, he caves in, and he changes.
Especially after Holiday. He was different. Then he told me and Neville about that Mirror. That's also about the same time when our Professors began assigning us more and more assignments to complete. I love those boys. They do their work and then ask me to look it over. Both of them smile happily when I like it, which is almost always too.
Life at Hogwarts is different. It is much better than Crawley Primary. I have friends, and I am having fun, despite everything else that is going on in my life. I'll be going home next month to visit my parents for Easter. I don't know how Harry and Neville would react, but Harry has been without us before, so maybe.
Until next time.
Hermione smiled as she looked at her entry. She finally got around to writing entries into the third section of her journal, her Christmas gift from Harry. She was still fascinated how a quill could write without ink, however Harry had remained tight-lipped with a smile on his face every time she asked and had pouted over it.
Speaking of Harry, she did eventually explain Leap Day to them, and she giggled when both boy's faces turned to slight confusion, and then to realization. That had been a happy moment for the trio.
Classes were tomorrow, and with it, more work to do.
\-0-0-/
March 2, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hermione awoke to find Crookshanks cuddled up in her arms. She sat up and stretched her arms. Looking out the window, she saw that the larger snow drifts had finally melted away, and that included Harry's Igloo. Winter had finally departed, and Spring was pushing hard to be let in.
There were pluses to this, of course. Flying classes were no longer difficult, as she and many others were always bundled up when they were flying. Harry also didn't have to practice in cold temperatures. Well, colder temperatures for Quidditch practice. Screaming at Oliver about his obsession with Quidditch worked for a while, but not lately.
Katie and Oliver really were an item. It's crazy to think that, considering Katie is only a Second-Year and Oliver was already a Fifth-Year. Ah, it isn't good to judge.
You know that far too well, Hermione.
She shrugged uncomfortably as shivers travelled down her spine.
Putting her attention back onto Crookshanks, she smiled happily and hopped out of bed. Parvati shifted but didn't awake. After changing into her robes, she opened her book to the end of the section of the different Minister's biographies, ending with former Minister of Magic Millicent Bagnold.
This book was her break from research on Nicholas Flamel. British Magical History fascinated her. She had to bring the book to Madam Pince yesterday, but other than that, the book remained in her dorm and in the Common Room.
She greeted Harry and Neville in the Common Room about an hour later and the Trio went to breakfast chatting about assignments or papers. She was thinking about something else, though.
Classes were about average. She used her notebook for her notes, and in the final section, she decided to write down all the things they had learned this year, in terms of the mystery. She hoped that, with everything written in front of her, something would pop up that she would find that would answer all their questions.
One thing she noticed immediately in Potions class was that Professor Snape was very agitated. She noticed this because instead of simply insulting Harry, he quite literally screamed at him and vanished his potion, while deducting twenty points for negligence.
She began to understand why Harry suspected Professor Snape, however it didn't answer another ten questions that popped into her head immediately after. Hermione sighed. She had to stop overthinking everything.
March 3, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Herbology was her first class today, and Harry had convinced her to eat a Chocolate Frog as an after-breakfast snack. His case? She looked like she needed energy. Hermione reluctantly accepted the frog and ate it slowly, finishing it when Professor Sprout entered the Greenhouse.
Because they had their exam last Friday, Professor Sprout was introducing their next plant the class would be studying: Devil's Snare.
Devil's Snare was an interesting plant, to say the least. For starters, Professor Sprout had darkened the Greenhouse before releasing the Snare into an enlarged clear box.
Hermione, as well as the rest of the class, focused intently on the small plant as Professor Sprout started to lecture on the plant itself. She caught her Professor state that Devil's Snare hated sunlight, hence why they were in a darkened Greenhouse. Thankfully, Harry had the foresight to set his Quill to work, so that none of them would be left behind when she would inevitably pick at their notes for her end-of-year review.
It was times like this she appreciated Harry's spellwork.
March 4, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Quidditch, Quidditch, Quidditch. Even though Harry had told her and Neville that they didn't have to show for their practices, they did anyways. Hermione had started to bring her journal with her, constantly flipping pages and scanning them while Neville, next to her, would look over with a puzzled expression on his face.
What we know – Revised March 2, 1992 at 22:17
September 7, 1991 – We find the Three-Headed Dog in the Third Floor Corridor
October 31, 1991 – Harry and Neville save me from a troll
She didn't technically have to add that in, but with everything that happened, plus Harry's paranoia and insistence, she added it in anyways.
November 2, 1991 – Professor Snape tries to kill Harry during the Quidditch Match
November 3, 1991 – We visit Hagrid and he let slip that the thing that is in the School is about Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel.
January 31, 1992 – I finally figure out that the three headed dog is a Cerebus, a mythological guard dog to the Underworld. This took way too long to learn.
February 2, 1992 – To add to Harry's Professor Snape theory, he overhears a secret conversation between him and Professor Quirrell. According to Harry, Professor Snape was threatening Professor Quirrell.
March 2, 1992 – Professor Snape yelled and failed Harry in Potions. He hasn't gotten this angry at Harry since the first day of classes, when Harry talked back to him.
Hermione sighed angrily. Everything pointed to Professor Snape being at fault, but nothing could be proven or made sense. It was infuriating, to say the least. However, she couldn't think much more on it as Harry flew out and over to them, waving his hellos.
March 7, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hermione was falling asleep in the Library. She had been working for six hours straight, while Harry, Ron, and Neville had agreed to rotate playing against each other in Wizard's Chess after watching Hufflepuff destroy Slytherin in Quidditch.
What Harry still saw in Ron these days she would never understand. As far as she was concerned, Ron was an idiotic git who insulted her on Halloween, almost leading to her, Harry, and Neville's deaths later that night. Apparently, he was civil nowadays, but until he gave her a sincere, unfiltered apology she would ignore him.
She had been in the Library looking for any connection between Nicholas Flamel and the Cerebus. Unfortunately, as she only had about two pages of information on the Cerebus and nothing on Flamel, she ended up trying to connect dots that even she knew probably didn't exist.
She blew a lone strand of hair out of her sight and sighed angrily. Harry and Neville didn't want to work with her in the Library because neither boy wanted to repeat the weeks of dead progress they had looking for information on the Cerebus (The Three-Headed dog). She didn't blame them, though.
It was her fault in the end for pushing them past their limits. Neither boy had cracked under the pressure she had put on them because she was their friend. With the lone exception towards the end when Neville had a bout of anger, both willingly helped her.
If she could find something that would help them find the information they so desperately wanted, maybe she could entice them to return. However, making no progress on her own, Hermione dropped her head on the book and closed her eyes, mentally and physically exhausted.
March 8, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
From the Journal of H. J. G.
March 8, 1992
Harry found me last night before the Feast. It was awkward, he was trying to wake me up without shocking me, and what he ended up doing was that he took the book my head called a pillow and slowly pulled it out from under me. That woke me up.
Anticlimactic, huh? Well, I don't plan these things. We got to the Feast, and there Neville told me about how he had beaten both Harry and Ron most times at chess, even as Ron continued to claim his dominance over the game.
It's fine. It got me to relax a bit, and that night I read more of the book. I've started the third section, and it's titled "Notable Wizards and Witches through Time." This is the longest section, I checked, about 850 pages, but it'll keep me preoccupied from everything else going on.
If I get through that quick enough, I'll start on the last section, titled "Interesting and unusual magical facts."
It's crazy that I'm only halfway through this encyclopedia of magic. I think I want to read older versions of it too.
On to today. Finally. I started to write up the notes for Herbology; Devil's Snare, into the review packet I'm creating. I'm slightly concerned as the review, at this point, is already 85 pages long. However, this is everything we've been learning all year, and me and notes love each other, too. I gave the boys a sneak peek at the review, and while I saw both of their faces pale slightly, Harry smiled at me and said thanks!
Harry is too noble for his good. Anyways, me working on the review made me re-visit my drawing, and I got some more of it done. I'm using my coloured pencils as I've let Becca at my paint so that she could paint her drawings. I have a feeling Lavender and Kelly want to join in too, but I can't be sure, to be honest. I'll probably ask them after Easter.
Speaking about Easter, I asked Harry to borrow Hedwig and he said yes, so I wrote up a letter that Mum and Dad should be getting tonight or tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get my response soon! Hedwig has to come back after 2 days though; it says so in Hogwarts: A History. Then again, Hedwig is amazing at mail deliveries anyways.
I will write in you again soon, Journal. I just need something else to write about. I swear I'm going to be mistaken for an author one day with the amount of stuff I've written down this year, but oh well. More things from Primary that has spilled over into here.
March 10, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Dear Pumpkin!
Me and your father are so excited to know that you will come home for Easter. Auntie Mariella is just dying to see you! However, you can't bring Crooks with you, as we'll be going to visit them, and you know that Uncle Toby is allergic to cats.
Thank Harry for letting you use his owl. Part of me wishes we could have our own owl too…
We'll see you in a month!
Love, Mum and Dad
Hermione fed the affectionate bird a few strips of bacon before Hedwig flew over and nuzzled into Harry's shoulder. She smiled at how much Hedwig loved Harry.
The Express would leave for London for Easter Break on April 11, which gave her just over a month to figure out anything else on Nicholas Flamel that she could. After all, come May, she would have her reviews as finished as she could get it and she would start tutoring Harry and Neville through the material to ensure they passed their finals.
\-0-0-/
March 11, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Hermione and Neville were at the Quidditch Pitch, and she noticed that Neville had taken interest to her as she had started to carry her massive book around with her whenever they were at the Pitch for Harry's practices.
It wasn't difficult to spot, using her peripheral vision, she noticed Neville staring at her more often than not. She, more than anyone, knew just what was happening to her. Instead of ranting to Neville, Hermione closed her book and pulled out her journal and began writing.
From the Journal of H. J. G.
March 11, 1992
I hate how revealing I am sometimes. I also hate that I'm able to notice when others are concerned about me. Neville is worried about me but never asks me about it. I'm afraid I caused it. Harry doesn't ask me much about how the research is doing, and Neville is following suit.
Am I pushing myself away from Harry and Neville? Are my actions unattractive to them? Do they not want to spend time with me? What do I have to do? I can't stop researching-
"Yes, you can."
She whipped her head ninety degrees to look at Neville, who winced.
"You don't have to research all the time. Relax a bit. Play Wizard's Chess with me and Harry. Or do more paintings or something. Harry's taken on the flute. I've decided to take Ron on for Wizard's Chess."
Hermione looked shocked. "How much did you see?"
Neville looked down slightly. "All of it."
Groaning, Hermione started to tear up. Neville, seeing this, quickly added that he wouldn't tell anyone about it and that he was sorry.
She shook her head. "Sorry, Neville. It isn't you. I just need some time."
Hermione could feel Neville's sad eyes follow her as she picked up the encyclopedia and her journal and walked out from her seat.
\-0-0-/
She wanted to kick herself. How could she be so stupid?! Harry hadn't said a word since he and Neville had met her an hour later in the Great Hall. In fact, he hadn't said a word or done anything out of the ordinary through any of their classes. He didn't even say "goodnight" to her when the Trio departed to their dorms after Astronomy.
Flopping on her bed and angrily sighing, she continued her entry.
Oh, I messed up big time. Neville read what I wrote and everything went downhill. Harry hasn't talked to me today, and I'm really scared that Neville did tell him. Of anything, Harry deserved to know. I just hope he'll talk to me soon. I really miss him. And I miss Neville too. Hell, I miss smiling with them. Too many bad memories start to seep in and it's worrying me.
I caused it though. Why do I do this? I just want to figure out this whole Nicholas Flamel thing and be done with it! Harry and Neville might have given up, but that isn't going to stop me.
I can at least say that the encyclopedia that I am reading is keeping me calm when I have long days in the Library. It turns out that there is a whole branch of these books for each release. There is a footnote for each person's biography in the encyclopedia, and it is absolutely fascinating. I wonder if the Library has said biographies on the different wizards and witches listed.
When I learn more, I will write them here.
\-0-0-/
March 14, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
From the Journal of H. J. G
March 14, 1992
It's been four days since Harry spoke to me. Neville says that Harry is dealing with his own issues now, and for his sake I'm not pushing it. From what I've seen, I think it has to do with Ron. I'm not entirely sure, but it's only what I've heard from Parvati and Lavender's snippets of conversations.
Today is Pi day. It's a math day, for math people. Pi is the exact value, that when multiplied by the diameter of a circle, gives the exact circumference (perimeter) of a circle. I love Miss Penny. She got me into it. Anyways, I'm going to use today as an icebreaker to talk to Harry again. It has become painfully slow throughout the past few days to deal with both schoolwork and not talking to Harry. It's hurting me, and I think it's hurting him too.
If anything from what he's told me of his childhood is true, then I've been a literal douchebag to him the past week. Anyways, Lunch is soon, I haven't found anything on anything, my review is behind because I can't focus on anything else, and Easter Break is starting to show it's colours.
Wish me luck. I do value Harry and Neville's friendship, and it has been a lonely four days without either of them accompanying me often. Even the drawing that he drew a few weeks ago isn't cheering me up.
Hermione entered the Great Hall and saw Harry eating silently at the Gryffindor table. She sat down next to him and made it her goal to get him to talk.
"Do you know what today is?" She started happily, unsurprised when Harry didn't immediately respond.
"March 14," she answered, still not hearing anything from Harry.
"What about March 14?" Harry finally responded. After a few seconds, he shrugged. "I dunno, Hermione. Tell me."
Inside, Hermione was scared and excited. Here goes…
"Today's Pi day, Harry!"
"Pie day?" Harry turned his head questionably.
"No, Pi day! It's a day that math geeks love! Yes, we associate it with pie, but it's a circle thing. Its an infinitely long number that multiplies to give the exact length of the perimeter of a circle!"
Harry looked blankly at her for a few seconds, the sighed and smiled a little bit.
"Pi day, huh? Well, I want my pie."
She giggled slightly and relaxed. "I'm sorry."
Harry visibly sighed. "It's fine. It's just been a rough few days. Ron noticed Wednesday that we weren't talking and was grilling me, in a bad way. I kind of clammed up after that. So, I'm sorry."
Hermione stuck out her hand. Harry chuckled and took it. Neville ran in, panting.
"Just… escaped… Filch… Hungry!" Neville then plopped himself down and started eating.
"Hey Neville, can you guess what today is?" Hermione asked him…
Thankfully, we got back on speaking terms. Apparently, it was Ron that did the majority of it, but Neville did tell me after Harry had went to talk to Oliver that he was sad that I wasn't at his practice Wednesday morning. I still feel bad for that.
It'll be fine, though. We made up, and I'm happy about that. I'll keep doing research, but at the same time I'll try to spend more time with Harry and Neville, doing stuff like Chess or being with Harry while he learns the flute.
\-0-0-/
March 15, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Neville was in the Greenhouses with Professor Sprout, earning more points for Gryffindor, while Hermione and Harry were sitting against the stone wall that, two months prior, was where his igloo was.
Harry had been a bit reluctant at first to play his flute with Hermione sitting right next to him, but he eventually did play when she convinced him. Hearing him play, even though it wasn't really good, gave her memories of wanting to learn her own instrument, the violin.
She was in a school assembly when some musicians did a presentation of learning an instrument, and for some reason, the violin just stuck out to her. However, as it was several hundred pounds to buy, and her parents were still paying off the house, they weren't able to buy her a violin.
That is what got her into painting.
Playing the violin meant precise finger movements with the bow to get the correct notes out. Painting, to a degree, required precise hand and finger movements. So, as a joke when she was dared to paint as it was of "similar substance" to playing the violin when she was having a bit of a blind fit in Primary, she took it on head first and soon came to love it.
Hearing Harry play, as best as he could at that point, gave her the memories she had from Primary, the good ones, and decided to try to convince her parents to let her get a violin for her thirteenth birthday.
After Harry had played the same scale for about two hours, he clearly showed improvement and Hermione smiled at him for the accomplishment. She swore she heard him mutter "I hope it stays with me this time" but didn't understand it clearly.
Both kids found Neville in the Greenhouse, smiling and as excited as a kid on Christmas, happily in his element. They let him be, opting to try out Wizard's Chess against each other. It would have been a perfect afternoon had Ron not interjected halfway through, telling Harry off for moving a piece "wrong."
During the Feast, Professor Dumbledore had announced that the Hogwarts Express would be taking students to London for the Easter Holidays should they want to head home for the Holidays.
On top of that, he also announced a Hogsmeade weekend. The Weasley Twins grinned madly at this.
March 21, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
From the Journal of H. J. G
March 21, 1992
This was a wild week. I swear more happened this week than any before, with the exception of Halloween's week. I'll never forget that. Not ever. The week itself went by crazily fast. Between Harry, Neville, and studies, I didn't really have any time to do anything other than regular school stuff.
Anyways, Becca showed me her painting of my bunk and I was absolutely thrilled by it. Becca really was proud of it, and I hung it over her bunk using a mild Sticking Charm.
That brings me to my drawing. I finally finished it, with everything going on. I'm going to give it to Auntie Mariella when we visit her for Easter, though I'm going to show Harry and Neville first. I did promise them more drawings, after all.
The Twins were off to Hogsmeade today, and most of the Upper Years have warned us firsties about the Twin's… pranks. I am determined not to get pranked by them. Haven't been pranked yet, so one point to me!
I walked to the Great Hall for Lunch; Harry wanted to practice his flute alone. I don't blame him, though I am sad that he didn't want me with him. I think Neville was in the Library, doing research on a plant in the Greenhouse. I can only assume Devil's Snare, as that is what we are studying this month.
She met Harry and Neville at Lunch, and Harry brought along the last three Chocolate Frogs from Christmastime. It took a few minutes, but Harry convinced Hermione to eat a Frog with him and Neville.
Since Hermione wanted to get a head start on Exams, even though she promised herself that she wouldn't start until after Break, she started talking about it to the boys. Neville smiled and nodded as she spoke, however Harry's eyes were glued to the back of his Chocolate Frog card.
"Harry, what is it?"
Harry looked between Neville and Hermione before silently passing the card to her.
ALBUS DUMBLEDORE
CURRENTLY HEADMASTER OF HOGWARTS
Considered by many the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark Wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and ten-pin bowling.
Hermione didn't spot it instantly, however after a second take, she too was shocked.
Nicholas Flamel! Nicholas Flamel! Finally! A sign that she needed to reinvigorate her passion for researching him. She now had something she could work with. Alchemy. The smile, not only on her face, but on Harry and Neville's faces, told them all they needed to know.
The Library was once again a haven for knowledge. It was here that Neville had a brilliant idea, and something Hermione should have done all the way back in November: Use her encyclopedia to look up Nicholas Flamel.
She quite literally sprinted to the Gryffindor Common Room, to where she pulled out the book from under her bed (making Crookshanks purr in anger at his pillow being taken again) and ran as fast as she and the book could go to the Library.
"How could I be so stupid? I checked this out months ago for some light reading, and I don't even think of to look in here!"
Slamming the book on the table made Neville squeak and Madam Pince look at the group with her "warning" eyes.
Hermione was flipping through chunks of the book, and it soon passed her small bookmark in the D's. Apparently, Dumbledore had a lot more than a simple page to himself.
After a few minutes, Hermione's eyes lit up.
"Here it is! Nicholas Flamel is the oldest wizard alive, aged 664, and is an Alchemy Master for the French Ministry of Magic!"
Harry's eyes looked hopeful. "What else?"
Hermione scanned the part of the page on Nicholas Flamel. "It says here this: 'In 1952, Nicholas Flamel and Albus P.W.B. Dumbledore began to work together on a project in the study of Alchemy.'"
Neville then smiled too. "And on Harry's card, it says that Dumbledore was Flamel's Alchemy partner!"
Hermione was smiling as wide as Hogwarts now. "Now I have to research Alchemy and figure out what those two did! Remember what Hagrid told us? Whatever it is, it's between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel!"
I loved seeing a smile on the boy's faces. Obviously, we spent the rest of the afternoon looking through Alchemy books. We found connections between Nicholas Flamel, Professor Dumbledore, and two usages for Dragon's Blood that dated to the 70s.
Everything that me and the boys have read points to the fact that this undisclosed secret had to do with Dragon's blood, as that is what the two wizards studied in their public time.
This begs another question: Why would Professor Snape want to steal a bottle of Dragon's Blood? Couldn't he just buy one from Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade? I voiced this to Harry and Neville in the Common Room after the Feast. Neville suggested that the bottle was a modified version of Dragons Blood, and Harry thought it was some form of new Potion, discovered using Dragon's Blood, that would let Professor Snape kill him.
After everything that has happened, I'm starting to agree with Harry. The Quidditch Match, the foul attitude, that weird conversation he had overhead between him and Professor Quirrell. I'm not going to openly agree with him though, not yet. Neville has been going nuts about this all evening; however, he isn't exactly on Professor Snape's good side either.
I'll be doing as much research on Dragon's Blood in the future, however with classes, Break, and Exams all around the corner, it'll be difficult. Also, I don't need to get on the bad side of Harry or Neville or let either of them get influenced or insulted by Ron.
Until again, Journal.
Hermione told her Quill that she was finished, and it disappeared as it always did. She was still amazed at how the notebook worked. There had to be over two hundred pages of notes, research and entries, yet the journal still gave the illusion of ninety pages and still weighed the same.
Sometimes, she wished that Harry was more open to hugs. That way, she could squeeze him tight with a happy smile on her face. Suddenly, the Remembrall from Neville, which was sitting on her nightstand, started emitting red smoke. She frantically searched her mind on to what she forgot.
"Purr!"
Oops. Crook's pillow was currently on her bed, and the half-kneazle wanted his pillow back. She giggled as she carefully placed the book to where Crooks would be happy. Satisfied, she laid back, popped a pillow over her face, and fell asleep with a smile on her face.
March 22, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry [CHECK THIS]
Hermione was once again in the Library, only this time, she knew what she was researching. She was researching Alchemy, and specifically what Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel researched during their time together.
It was fascinating to read about the twelve known usages for Dragon's Blood, however she was looking for the possibility of a thirteenth way. However, with books not helping her, she wanted to leave the Library.
Harry and Neville had joined her before her mind was made up, and the trio worked into the afternoon, working through Alchemy textbooks, Hermione even deciding to read through a different biography on Nicholas Flamel. While there were almost sixty pages on Flamel's life in her large book to begin with, she had only gotten through six before sleep claimed her for the night.
The connection between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel was overtaking the trio, and Harry ended up stopping the group, citing the feast. She admitted defeat, for today, and followed Harry and Neville to the Feast.
\-0-0-/
March 23, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Classes were rough, especially Potions. Professor Snape had stretched his ire onto her now, and it was intimidating. She didn't answer many questions and looked down when he glared at her. Harry patted her shoulder a few times and gave her an awkward smile.
"Now you know just what it's like to be me, I suppose."
Snape took five points from Harry for talking. Harry sighed in sadness. Hermione kept her mouth shut but gave Harry a reassuring smile in response.
\-0-0-/
April 11, 1992
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
Choosing to ignore Professor Sinistra's advice on sleeping tonight, Hermione and Becca were awake, well past midnight, packing their trunks for the Easter Holidays. The pair decided to stick together on the train tomorrow, and Hermione was simply relieved and excited about the shocking fact that she discovered in her book not four hours ago.
From the Journal of H. J. G.
April 11, 1992
First, let me say how much has happened in the past two weeks. We went from a dead end to a Chocolate Frog Card to Nicholas Flamel in a matter of hours. I don't particularly remember much, if I had to be honest, the past two weeks have been a bit of a blur. I'll recall what I remember, though.
Before that though, we all got a funny laugh, by courtesy of the Twins who charmed Percy's Prefect badge to read "Pompous Prefect Percy" on April 1. Percy hadn't realized why everyone was laughing at him until the evening feast, to which he gave a sour look to them while casting Finite Incantatem on his badge.
I started off researching Flamel and Professor Dumbledore's work, and we originally came up with the theory that there was a thirteenth usage for Dragon's Blood. We tossed it around for a few days before Harry noted that Flamel was already over 600 years old when he and Professor Dumbledore started working together.
While the boys researched Alchemy, I was pouring through the Nicholas Flamel biographies in the Library. With help from the Twins, I got more books when they went to Hogsmeade.
The thought of how Flamel stayed alive for over 600 years struck me as odd. I then came up with the theory that Professor Snape wanted whatever Flamel had to stay alive for 600 years.
When I finally got four more Flamel accounts, I read through them, and it finally hit me. You see, I was cross-checking the facts from one biography to my encyclopedia, and it was on page 1,847 where I found what Harry Neville and I have been fussing about all year:
Professor Snape was trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone, an artefact that Flamel used himself to expand his lifespan. It was now in Hogwarts, and most likely is right under where that dog is guarding. If so, that'll explain the limp Harry noticed that Professor Snape had after Halloween and why he was so uptight lately.
The boys don't know about my findings on the Philosopher's Stone yet, and I'll tell them tomorrow, before I leave. Hopefully they can figure more out in the two weeks I'll be on Holiday.
Part of me wants to stay at Hogwarts to help them figure it out in full, but It has been four years since I saw Uncle Toby and Aunt Mariella. Since Crooks can't come with because of Uncle Toby, Harry agreed to keep an eye on my cat while I'm on Holiday.
It'll be frustrating to leave when I'm so close to finding out this whole business with Harry and Neville, but I do want to see my relatives more than solving the mystery here at Hogwarts.
Until then.
Yawning, Hermione allowed sleep to overtake her. With the Express leaving at 11:00, she had to be up and out soon enough.
Author's Note: (again, sorry!) About halfway through writing this chapter, I got sick! It was mainly a sore throat, and I am basically better now! Sorry for the added time it took to get this chapter out!
BananaCarrot-Five