"Talking"

"Thoughts"

"Spells"

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

For the first time in a long-time Harry was generally intrigued, and nothing in Tom's memories could help him with the puzzle he was facing. Two days before he was to leave Hogwarts for the winter he received an envelope from Gringotts containing a letter and a ribbon. The letter explained the ribbon was a portkey that would activate at noon on December eighteenth, Harry immediately went to the bank for answers. "Lord Potter-Black." Goldtooth said as Harry was brought into his office. "I hope we find you well and your enemies dead."

"And I hope your enemies die slow deaths." Harry pulled out the letter that came with the ribbon. "I was hoping you could tell me who sent this to me and why?"

Goldtooth frowned and shook his head. "Unfortunately I can say nothing Lord Potter-Black, even I do not know who sent it." That surprised Harry. "All I know is that it comes from a trusted person by Gringotts."

"How much would it cost me to find out who before the portkey is activated?" Harry hoped it wouldn't be too steep.

"I anticipated your request and I was met with the most shocking answer I have ever heard from Gringotts." Goldtooth looked Harry right in the eyes. "No price will be accepted."

"What?" Harry said in shock, Goblins always had a price or at least everyone was told that. "How is that possible?"

"Whoever sent that portkey is so favored that they can ask the Director himself for favors that we will not reveal." Goldtooth informed him. "It is rare and before you ask no we are not informed who those few are." Harry walked and dropped into a chair, stunned by the answers. "However, you have recently brought in a good amount of gold and your future plans will bring in more. We would not allow anyone to affect that flow of gold until we truly see how fruitful it truly is."

Harry absorbed the information. "So you believe whoever this is." He held up the letter. "Has no ill intent or at least must let me live through this meeting unless they wish to face the Goblins wrath?"

"I do." Goldtooth answered with a nod. "I do not say be carless but I am sure you will come back alive."

Harry drummed his fingers on the armrest, he wasn't used to being the one in the dark in situations like this. He could of course ignore the portkey, though he knew he would be constantly looking over his shoulder all of next year. Harry sighed as he came to the obvious answer. "Thank you for your time Goldtooth." Harry said as he stood. "And please if I do die because of this inform Dumbledore and Sirius Black who was the culprit."

Goldtooth grinned. "Only after myself and Ripjaw have a discussion over our disappointment in future earning with the culprit."

That made Harry feel a bit better and he smile. "May anyone who cross you quake in their sleep." Harry said as he turned to leave.

"I hope all of your ventures bring in a mountain of gold Lord Potter-Black." Goldtooth called out behind Harry.

Harry dropped to his hands and knees as he arrived via portkey to his destination, he was getting slightly better at magical traveling. Harry quickly stood and inspected his surroundings, he was in a foyer much like his home had. The room was all white marble with gold trim that shined in the light from floating candles similar to Hogwarts, green wallpaper covered the walls with gold flordali's patterned across it. A door on the right opened and a house elf, in a green robe, walked through. It suddenly started speaking what sounded like French to him. "At least I have a small idea of where I am."

The elf's eyes widened and it touched a pendant it was wearing. "I sorry, Rosie forgets she must uses neckylace to speak to others." She said with a bow. "If Lord Harry Potters-Blacks would follow mes." She turned back to the door, Harry followed and wasn't surprised to see the hallway was in a similar style to the foyer. After a second of walking the elf brought Harry to a door and led him inside. "Master, Misteres I bring's him." Rosie called out.

The room was completely closed off, its style was similar to the rest of the house he'd seen. A fireplace was built into the wall right across from the door, in the middle of the room was a small round table with three chairs around it. Two were seated next to each other, one occupied by a woman while a man stood at the fireplace. The final chair was waiting on the other side of the table, Harry looked at the woman as she said something in French and the elf nodded before popping away.

She was an older woman, judging by the wrinkles on her face, and Harry guessed around one hundred or so in age. Her black hair had a bit of grey in it but by how neatly it was Harry guessed she purposefully left it in. Her outfit was elegant and reflected the green and gold scheme of the house.

The man moved towards the table, he two wore green and gold trimmed robes but his hair was completely white. It was well styled and looked like Lucius Malfoys hair in all but color. "Lord Potter-Black thank you for coming." He held his hand out to Harry. "Nicholas Flamel." Harry's eyes shot open in surprise as Nicholas shook his hand. "And my lovely wife Perenelle."

"A pleasure Lord Potter-Black." Perenelle said with a nod to Harry.

"Come have a seat." Nicholas said and gentle pushed Harry to the chair before moving to his own. "You must be quite curious as to why I have asked to meet under such secret means?"

"It had crossed my mind." Harry replied as he sat.

"Easily answered." Nicholas said as he sat down. "I would like my stone back please."

A heavy pause filled the room. "Stone?" Harry asked.

Perenelle chuckled. "Come now Lord Potter-Black we are not angry, we simply would like back our property."

"I am not sure I understand what we are talking about." Harry replied, his mind racing to figure out how they could have tied the stone to him.

Nicholas sighed. "Must we really play this game Lord Potter-Black?" He asked, Harry looked at him and Nicholas nodded. "Very well, when Albus reported my stone had been stolen I of course asked by who. He claimed to have no knowledge of who and thus we began our game of questions."

"We made him give us all his memories of events around his little maze and we noticed you were the only one to venture into this maze." Perenelle said.

"I did so with the Weasley twins, Fred and George but we turned back once we say the cave troll." Harry shot back.

"And of course its impossible for an intelligent young man like yourself to return alone and sneak past the troll." Nicholas said with mirth. "Albus might have over looked it but I noticed the fish bones and chunks left after his first visit. Which also appeared when the mirror holding my stone was stolen."

"So while nothing shows you have taken the stone we do not see people in the same way Albus does." Perenelle shook her head. "Poor boy always tries to see the best in people."

"So again may I please have my stone back?" His voice was a bit harder now. "And before you reply let me inform you that should you refuse I will bring down the full weight of my abilities. And I do not mean my magical abilities, when one lives for as long as we have we acquire friends, debts and favors like children your age collect cards from chocolate frogs." His eyes took a sharpness to them and Harry gulped.

Harry had met plenty of people with power in the Wizarding world but he did not for one second doubt Flamel's claims. When he had learned the mirror somehow held the Philosophers stone Harry had of course done research on it, so he knew just how long Nicholas Flamel had been around. That coupled with his many alchemic contributions to society Harry was sure he had several friends in high places. "I do not have it with me."

Nicholas smiled. "Thank you." He leaned back in his chair and smirked. "I must say though I will keep the memories of Albus discovering his mirror missing, the look on his face." He and his wife chuckled.

"May I ask why you would risk such a valuable object?" Harry had been wondering that for a long time.

Nicholas smiled big and chuckled. "Allow me to pose a question." Harry nodded. "First the average witch or wizard live to be around two hundred, depending on where you live. Now imagine that you are a genius and begin your research on a stone that can increase your natural life span. If you do so within those two hundred years would you make only one?" Perenelle giggled as Harry's eyes widened.

"You have more than one?" Harry asked. "Then why do you want the one I have back?"

"Because it's mine." Nicholas replied as if Harry were stupid. "And I will not be the one responsible for whatever someone might create using it."

"Then why give it to Dumbledore to try and lure in Voldemort?" Harry asked.

Perenelle clicked her tongue. "Albus did not inform us of his goals, has asked to borrow the stone to conduct research on some magical plants to increase their potency."

Harry cocked an eyebrow. "Then he knows you have more stones as well, he didn't seem so pleased to learn the stone was gone."

"Ah, that would be because if I lone a stone out the one who borrows it must put up heavy collateral in case of lose or destruction." Nicholas informed Harry. "Despite being older than him the boy has a far more impressive collection of books than we do."

"Did dear." Perenelle said, Nicholas chuckled and nodded.

"Of course." The man sighed. "So Lord Potter-Black what would you have done with the stone once you obtained it?"

Harry licked his lips. "I would have begun researching alchemy to see if I could create the elixir for longer life and possibly increased my family funds."

Nicholas and Perenelle nodded. "Thought as much." Nicholas replied. "And did I not have an understanding with the goblins to only use the stone to create gold in emergencies I might let you borrow it." He hummed and rubbed his chin. "Though if you begin your alchemy studies and show me you are responsible I might allow you to borrow a stone to create your own elixir."

"Really?" Harry asked carefully while Mrs. Flamel cocked an eyebrow. She than stared speaking in French to her husband. Her tone seemed suspicious while Nicholas stayed light and chuckled a bit between.

Finally Perenelle sighed. "Your curiosity will come back to bite you one of these days Nicholas."

"What is the point of living so long if we cannot stir things up a bit?" Nicholas asked before turning back to Harry. "As I said if you want the stone to make the elixir show me I can trust you not to create a mess with it."

Harry nodded, once back at Hogwarts he would start his research and see if it was worth spending his extra time on. Since there was no alchemy class at the school he would have to give up much of his free time. "How exactly am I supposed to get the stone to you?"

"Albus informed us of the trick to the mirror." Nicholas waved off the problem. "The stone can only be removed by someone who does not want to use it, I will be able to get it for I want it because it belongs to me. So, you just need to bring me the mirror and I can have my stone back."

"Very well." Harry replied. "I will have the goblins contact you as you did for me." Both Flamel's nodded as they stood.

"Excellent." Nicholas said. "I will see you out."

Harry nodded as he rose and followed Nicholas out, he was upset about the whole incident but considering who he was dealing with it was the best result. He did take a bit of solace in the fact that he might one day be able to use the stone for himself.

=================================== Malfoy Manor ===============================

Lucius Malfoy was not a man who was used to things going his way, the last year with Potter had been another reminder not everything could fall in his favor but he survived. When Bones decided to crack down on possible dark artifacts, using public sway from the island incidents, he hadn't been to worried because most were hidden in his vault. He did however have to get rid of the dairy left by the Dark Lord, which he had honestly forgotten about after his demise until he scoured for forgotten artifacts. The plan had been to hide it among the books in Flourish and Blotts and be done with it, of course when he spotted the rag tag family that was the Weasley's he knew a small alteration was in order.

The real problem was that nothing had happened, he figured that shrew of a wife Weasley had would have found it and Weasley would have turned it in like a good sap and take whatever punishment was dealt. Lucius wasn't sure what magics the diary held but he knew it couldn't be anything good, but so far he had heard nothing involving the redheaded child.

Draco had told him of the writing on the wall after the Halloween feast, a bit to dramatic for the small after effects it left but it was done by a child. He had hoped it was an after affect of the diaries magic but nothing else had happened since than so he brushed it off.

"I even had to talk to Weasley." Lucius thought with a scowl before he finished the fire whiskey in his hand. Drumming his fingers on the desk he tried to decide what his next step would be. "Perhaps I could send an anonymous tip to Bones about artifacts of a dark nature in Hogwarts." The blonde thought. "It would reveal the diray and shine a bad light on Dumbledore." He smirked at the last thought, even if other pureblood students got caught or punished it was a small price to pay for removing Dumbledore. He grabbed his cane and twisted his wand free before summoning a piece of parchment, ink and quill. He couldn't help but chuckle as he cast a spell on the quill so it would write what he dictated, making the note untraceable.