Involved

The dinner was comfortable, even if the conversation was a bit one-sided as Amos Diggory finished up his collection of stories from the months spent separated from his son: "And while I was busy at the Ministry, what did you get up to at Hogwarts? Did you manage to make some friends?"

His son raised his eyes from his now empty plate with an amused tilt of his lips: "I had wondered when you'd get around to ask me about that.", he dabbed at his mouth with a napkin before he needled his old man as he had grown to enjoy, "Most parents are concerned about the studies of their children first."

Cheeky kid. Amos Diggory made a placating gesture with his hands as he regarded his only son: for all of his academic success, his slightly scatter-brained and dismissive nature when it came to interacting with anything that didn't immediately catch his attention had left him as something of a loner, a characteristic that Ravenclaw House wasn't exactly infamous for fighting: "You never had problems with your studies, and besides commenting on a few bright students, you never talked to me about any friends you might have made, why, I even thought about bodily dragging you to the Weasley in the hope you'd bond with one of the children there!"

That his son hadn't ended up in Hufflepuff like his parents had somewhat unsettled Amos, back in Cedric's first year, after all, Diggory Snr. was very much aware of how important true friends could be, and the loyalty that so easily blossomed in Helga's House was a commodity hard to come by later in life. There was a strength to the ties forged in a person's formative years that was rarely matched in what could be found in adulthood.

"On the topic of my studies," Cedric spoke unhurriedly and ignored the pointed stare of his father, "I've obtained McGonagall's permission to start studying to become an Animagus."

The annoyance that appeared in Diggory Snr. at Cedric's open obfuscation disappeared in face of the extraordinary news.

"That's my boy!" he rose from his seat with a wide smile on his features, and if his portly frame bounced against the edge of the table in his haste to reach his son, it wasn't mentioned by anyone: "You never mentioned it interested you, but is very advanced indeed! And you say Professor McGonagall agreed to let you try?"

Cedric smiled sheepishly while he accepted the congratulatory hug from his father, speaking on his shoulder as he tried to make it pass as something unimportant: "She agreed to let me start studying for it, and I'll never be able to try before next year at the earliest."

"It's still a great achievement, we'll have to celebrate properly!" the older man shook his head as pride exuded from his very skin. "But you still haven't told me about any friends you might have made." Amos was proud of his boy, how could he not? But the worry of a father could not be deviated by the capable deflections of his son: "That muggle-born girl was a bit young, but surely..."

"Yes," Cedric's pointed tone interrupted his father: "I've made friends, as you say. And incidentally, I made them because of my studies..."

As the young Ravenclaw spoke with a faint smile on his features, his gaze slightly absent while he recalled the events that led to the unexpected forming of his 'Study Group', Amos couldn't help but feel a weight lift from his shoulders, and he let out a subdued laugh to not interrupt his son's recounting.

Even if Cedric would never admit it out loud, his father knew that he too felt better now that he wasn't as alone as before. Maybe a present is in order?

The Winter Hols came to an end, and in a couple of months, Hogwarts' rhythm claimed me once more: as it often happened I found myself in the Library with only Penelope as a company. Only because I had a stable Study Group that counted Hermione and the Weasley Twins, it didn't mean that the first year no longer was involved with the Potter-plot, nor that Fred and George spent any time more than necessary working on actual schoolwork.

She had been somewhat reticent when it came to needling her Weasley twin about studies, as at the start she had only felt that it would waste her time: but if there was something that you could count on, was that Fred and George could be absolutely brilliant when necessary, and that had mellowed her out considerably.

"So you've already studied the contingencies..." she whispered just loud enough to be heard and with an insistence great enough that stopped me from ignoring her.

"Yes." I huffed with a tinge of annoyance, "Yes, I've already studied those, but if I spend all of my free time explaining at I've done I'll never actually finish!"

Her cheeks tinged pink with embarrassment while she tucked a strand of blond hair behind an ear: "Sorry, you're right, it's just so interesting!"

I closed the book I was studying and stretched on my chair, feeling the muscles of my back strain gloriously for a moment before I fully gave up on my planned schedule for the day. Since Penelope had more or less barged into my personal bubble of isolation after the Troll debacle, she had proved a difficult companion to cast aside. Not that I'd want to.

"Are you sure you don't want to try to become an Animagus?" I asked her, "I'm sure that McGonagall would at least consider it."

"Professor McGonagall." the Ravenclaw prefect corrected me distractedly before scrunching her nose in distaste: "I don't care much about becoming an animal, if I'm being honest, and the whole thing looks like a lot of effort for very little gain. I mean, it'd be cool, I guess, but even the professor doesn't gain much from it, does she?"

"Yet you insist on skimming all of my notes on the tomes McGonagall assigned me." I retorted as I stood from my chair and leaned against the nearest shelf, my hands casually taking notice of the ancient wood's grain.

"I already told you it's a fascinating topic." she shrugged uncaringly, "I mean, all the books seem to agree on the fact that somewhat the animal represents some part of the wizard's character, but... it's all symbolic, isn't it?"

I quirked an eyebrow at the strange direction her reasoning took and gestured for her to go ahead, an invitation that she took with glee: "Well, think about it: lions aren't actually proud, snakes aren't cunning, and eagles aren't truly noble. The firsts are mammals that are extremely good at defending their territory and the latter are birds, which... well."

"If it has a beak and wings, it's stupid." I summed up one of the truths of the muggle animal kingdom, "Well, excepts crows, those are as clever as a three years old human."

But her objection did deserve consideration: yes, some species of animals tended to have some characteristics in their behavior that were more or less supported by local folklore of some kind. Pettigrew is a rat, and he betrayed the Potters, Sirius a dog, and he's loyal, I guess?

"How much does McGonagall feel catty to you?" I actually asked out loud while I made a mental note about planning out how to deal with Pettigrew.

Penelope snorted and brought a hand to cover her mouth: "That's not what I meant!"

I shook my head to reassure her while I fished out a small bundle of notes that tangentially referenced her question: "If you mess up the transformation, even in a minor way, there can be some bleed-over from the animal you'd turn into, and that's one of the more subtle signs that you aren't a true master of the transformation... something like 'you can be the animal, but you can no longer be fully you'."

"That's not what I was curious about." Penelope looked at me pointedly, as if I had purposefully tried to divert the conversation, she almost pouted at the absence of a ready answer for the actually oblique inquiry that she had offered. but the bound notes in her hands soon grabbed her full focus.

"I'll ask McGonagall if one of the dozen books I still have to study doesn't address this topic." I could only imagine the tongue-lashing she'd give if I went to her with questions before I had worked through all her assignments. It'd be like pretending to have her at my beck and call for the extracurricular project that I had to almost beg for.

If that wouldn't be taken as a sign of my 'lacking dedication', I don't know what will. I rolled my shoulders and prepared to dive once more into the many tomes that had been written about the Animagus transformation, when I caught a familiar bushy head guiding a duo of first years towards my position.

Without alerting Penelope, which was thankfully engrossed once more in the books on her lap, I strolled to meet Hermione and her two tag along: "Hello, what brings you three in this neck of the woods?"

Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley exchanged an uneasy glance behind their female friend before muttering out a half-hearted greeting, while Hermione fidgeted for a moment before immediately getting to the point: "Could you suggest any books about dragons?"

Oh, Christ, I had actually completely forgotten about this part. Apparently, we were already at the point in which Hagrid received a dragon's egg from a mysterious fellow in exchange for extremely sensitive information about Fluffy: "It's quite the broad topic." I stalled for time while my brain went into overdrive as I also considered how utterly terrifying it was that Charlie Weasley &friends would be able to simply fly into the castle one night and to leave with none being the wiser.

If Charlie Weasley and a group of Dragon Handlers can do it, so can any ill-intentioned wizard or witch that happens nearby. I held back a frown as I actually considered the insane danger that any adult could represent with the ease allowed for what amounted to breaking and entering into a school full of minors.

"Well, we wondered how did the dragon handlers manage to transport those without anyone noticing!" the quick way in which the Gryffindor witch spoke hinted heavily at the kind of bullshit she was trying to sell me, but I was kind of busy figuring out just how in the nine hells some of the stuff Harry got up to had any hope of success.

Then again, I blinked as I realized what was more likely, Dumbledore is probably in on it. It would fit with the pattern of grooming Harry Potter to always act on his own to right an injustice: first, the invisibility cloak to give him a way to move unseen as if that was something that an eleven years old kid would need, then arranging for him to be able to help his friend Hagrid getting away with his hatching of a dragon, and readying the traps to the Stone so that he'd be able to confront Quirrel. He's already preparing him to seek out solutions on his own, it's the same thing he'll do with the time-turner!

The fact that Hermione came to me for help, despite the reticence of the two other eleven years old wizards, was a big warning sign that I'd likely end up on Dumbledore's radar. As if I wasn't already on it after the trouble with the troll.

"Well, I wouldn't know anything about that." I tilted my head, pretending to ignore the relief of Potter and Weasley while Granger's shoulders slumped slightly, "But my father does work for the Department of Care and Control of Magical Creatures, shall I write him a letter then get back at you?"

Also, he mentioned a reward for my success in gaining McGonagall's approval to become an Animagus, so I can probably ask him to keep the dragon as our family's property. I had no idea of what could I use a dragon for: but they were insanely powerful magical creatures, and they could be controlled somewhat, even if I kind of despised the proven and true Gringott's method.

"Oh, that would be fantastic!" Hermione chirped with an uncharacteristic glee, "And... um, changing topic, have you ever heard of a certain Flamel?"

I really don't want to get involved with this part of their adventures. I hid a grimace as I stared at the three kids in front of me. Children that had less than a year of magical studies under their belt: Harry's luck, Hermione's extraordinary mind, and the comic relief and steady support brought by Ron. And I'm supposed to let them risk their life willy-nilly?

I wanted to hit myself so hard at that moment, but staring into the hopeful eyes of Hermione in particular, I caved in: "The greatest Alchemist that this world has ever seen, mentor to Albus Dumbledore, and creator of the infamous philosopher's stone."

I studiously ignored the widening of their eyes and the sudden realization that washed over their faces as I turned back towards my table, where Penelope was still blissfully ignorant about what had just happened.

Once again, I was reminded of just how young and virtually hopeless in a fight the three children were. At this point, I might simply take the entire Mirror and stove it somewhere safe, sparing me the stress of risking a confrontation with Quirrel.

I still wanted to smash my own head against a stone wall.

AN

I appreciate that some of you noticed the effort I'm making on this fic in particular about having the characters' interactions push forward the plot: it's something that I'm attempting on the down-low with Meddling Giant, but admittedly in that fic Magic itself is the main engine for the story.

These first few chapters feel a bit disconnected to me, but given the massive jumps between relevant moments without the inter-character bonds (that I've just set up with this and the previous chapter) that would instead keep them together, while the proper plot of the Philosopher Stone has yet to start, somewhat I expected it.

In this chapter, I've added Amos Diggory to the story, as it could be easily relevant emotionally, both now and later down the line. I tried to make the exchange meaningful while keeping it short enough: did I manage it? (THIS PART IS VERY IMPORTANT, I'D LIKE A FEEDBACK HERE!)

Also, as the title pointed out, the MC gets drawn in the main storyline without fully realizing the implications that will follow: for the Ravenclaw-SI, Hermione was simply too much of a raw-diamond to leave alone, and at least in his mind, there will be time to avoid the Potter-plot later.

And yeah, I kind of wanted to address the utter insanity that is Charlie Weasley &friends being able to simply fly in and out of the castle: it's probably a simple oversight on Rowling's part, as Harry Potter is a children' book and security measures for underaged kids aren't really taken into account.

Opinions, hopes?