And just like that, Christmas season had come and gone, and classes had resumed. Kellen had been given the green-light to resume Quidditch practice, much to Oliver Wood's relief. Gryffindor had fallen to fourth place in the Quidditch Cup standings with a depleted roster, and Oliver figured a lineup change was needed.
Gryffindor had an upcoming match against Hufflepuff, and to Gryffindor's chagrin, Professor Snape was appointed to be the game's referee!
During practice, Oliver took Kellen aside and explained his intended change of tactic. "Kellen, I need you to start as Seeker against Hufflepuff. I know it's short-notice, but desperate times call for desperate measures. Are you ready?" he asked.
"I suppose, Oliver. It's definitely a bit outside my comfort zone, as I just started practicing again a few days ago and haven't really spent any time practicing except as Keeper."
Oliver smiled at Kellen. "I believe in you, Kellen. Our regular Seeker, Ambrose Fulbright, will be out of action for at least a couple of weeks, and you're the only one I feel confident that can fill in without too much of a drop off. You have a good nose for the Golden Snitch. All of Gryffindor is counting on you."
Kellen grinned. "I'll do it, Oliver. I appreciate the vote of confidence."
Oliver arched an eyebrow. "One tiny little detail you should be aware of... Snape is officiating this match, so get that Snitch quickly. I don't want this one to drag on any longer than necessary."
Kellen felt sick to his stomach upon hearing that tidbit.
In the meantime, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were still trying to find out what they could about Nicolas Flamel or Roger Bacon. Unfortunately, everything about Flamel lead to nothing but dead-ends, so Hermione decided to try a different approach and see what she could find out about Bacon.
She spent what free time she could in the library, and thankfully, information on Bacon was available in the regular section of the library. She found a couple of old tomes on Bacon and voraciously read every detail she could find on the old alchemist.
Late one evening, at about half past eight o'clock, she yawned as she flipped through the pages of a dusty old text called On the Wonderful Powers of Art and Nature. She read some interesting, yet irrelevant information on his introduction of gunpowder to Medieval Europe, but perhaps two-thirds the way through the tome, she found a most interesting passage:
"...such an object would make gunpowder or flying machines seem like children's toys. If craftable, it could make the poorest peasant richer than ten kings. If craftable, it could inject a leper carrying a hundred boils with renewed energy and vitality. This, of course, is but a taste of the power of the Philosopher's Stone..."
"That's it!" Hermione yelped, momentarily forgetting that she was in a library. She quickly dog-eared the page and closed the book.
"Shhh!" admonished Madam Pince.
Kellen was on to something with this Bacon person, Hermione thought to herself.
As the book was not restricted, Hermione was free to check it out without written permission from faculty, so she took the book to the front desk, and the practically skipped to the Gryffindor common room to show her friends.
It was nearly nine by the time Hermione returned to the Gryffindor common room. Only Harry and Ron were there to greet her.
"Hiya, you two. Where's Kellen?" she asked.
"He grabbed a shower and he went to bed a few minutes ago," Ron explained. "Rough day of quidditch practice."
"That's too bad, because I think I found something of note," Hermione replied.
"So you found out something on Flamel?" Harry asked.
"Not exactly," Hermione replied. "Remember when Kellen brought up Bacon the night we got back from Christmas break?"
Harry arched an eyebrow. "Yeah, what about him?"
Hermione opened up the tome she borrowed from the library. "Here, read this," she said, pointing at the same passage she read in the library earlier.
"Philosopher's stone?" Harry asked. "I don't get it."
Hermione groaned. "Of course you dolts don't get it." She shook her head in frustration. "One of you needs to wake Kellen up. He can explain it better than I can."
Ron left the common room to get Kellen. A minute later, a very groggy and somewhat grumpy Kellen emerged with Ron in the common room.
"Okay, you guys. This'd better be important," he said with a yawn.
Hermione showed Kellen the passage that she saved.
"Oh, so you took my advice and researched Bacon. Good job," he said sleepily. "To my knowledge, he never created or discovered the stone, but it was certainly the most meaningful project he undertook. He most definitely laid the groundwork."
"No, his efforts fell short, but I can say with a high degree of confidence that Flamel picked up where Bacon left off, and succeeded where Bacon did not," surmised Hermione. "Fluffy surely would be guarding something much more valuable than gunpowder or a flying machine."
She then looked at Kellen. "So let me get this straight, Kellen. I spent hours and hours in the library, researching Flamel and Bacon - while Harry and Ron sat and twiddled their thumbs, and you're off beating your bludger - when you ALREADY KNEW EVERYTHING I READ?"
"I didn't really give much credence to the existence of the stone," Kellen protested. "It's a pipe dream, even in the wizarding world."
"You're impossible sometimes." Hermione put the palm of her hand over her eyes. "I swear, Robert, I could just punch you right now."
Kellen did everything in his power not to laugh. "You're kind of cute when you're flustered, Hermione," he said with a grin.
BAP!
Hermione socked Kellen on the lip, causing it to swell a bit.
"Gee, thanks," Kellen said sardonically. "If that's the way you're going to be, I'm going back to bed. Good night." He turned around and headed back to his dormitory room.
The next morning, Kellen sat with his cousin Desiree at the Ravenclaw table for breakfast.
"Oh, hiya cuz," Desiree greeted cheerily. She arched an eyebrow. "You've got a bit of a fat lip there. What happened?"
"Incident at quidditch practice," Kellen lied. He didn't want to tell Desiree that the fat lip was courtesy of Hermione.
"Gotcha," Desiree replied. "I'm surprised you're over here this morning. Where's Hermione?"
"At the Gryffindor table," Kellen replied causally. "And it's been a good while since I had breakfast with you at the Ravenclaw table. It's kind of nice, just you and me."
"Fair enough," murmured Desiree just before she bit into her waffles.
A few moments later, the school owls arrived to deliver post. Imogen had no trouble finding Kellen, and had a very special package for Kellen. It was long and wrapped in brown paper.
"What's this?" Kellen thought. "This kind of looks like a broomstick..." He carefully unwrapped the packaging. "No way... it's a Nimbus 2000!"
"You got a Nimbus 2000?" Desiree asked. "That's top of the line!" She smiled at Kellen. "Are you playing against Hufflepuff this coming weekend?"
Kellen nodded. "Normally I play Keeper, but Fulbright is out for a while, so I'm filling in at Seeker. Wish me luck, 'Ree!"
"Good luck, cuz," Desiree replied. "Not that you'll likely need it."
"I think I will, actually," countered Kellen. "Snape's officiating."
"Now why in the world is he officiating?" Desiree said in disbelief. "That's not good news at all... for either team."
Kellen shrugged. "Beats me," he said. "No pun intended."
Class was awkward for Kellen and Hermione that day. Hermione didn't utter a single syllable to Kellen, and Kellen was all too happy to give her all the space she needed.
At the end of Transfiguration, Professor McGonagall pulled Kellen aside.
"Hello, dear," she trilled. "Is everything all right between you and Miss Granger? You two have hardly spoken a word to each other this morning."
Kellen shook his head. "We had a bit of an argument last night, I'm afraid. Over something stupid, too."
"I'm sorry to hear that," the professor replied. "Normally her face lights up whenever she's with you, but this morning she had a scowl that could scare a banshee."
"I know," Kellen said. "I don't like it when she's upset with me. I'm only trying to give her whatever space she needs."
"And sometimes that's all you can do, young man."
Kellen nodded. "I suppose... can you keep a secret?"
Professor McGonagall chuckled. "That depends on what kind of secret it is."
Kellen lowered his voice to barely above a whisper. "I'm... falling in love with her." A tear trickled down his cheek.
Professor McGonagall's jaw dropped in shock, but then she smiled at Kellen. "You're not quite twelve... those are some very strong feelings for a first-year student. But I suppose I can empathize - she is a terrific young lady."
Kellen sighed. "A while back, she told me she was falling in love with me as well. I wasn't sure how I felt then, but it's clear as day now. I know I should have no business thinking about forever love as a firstie, but I've never felt this way about a girl before. I don't know what I'm supposed to do. I don't think burying them is the answer." His cheeks flushed deep pink. "She gets me, you know? And I get her."
Professor McGonagall nodded. "Just give it time, Mister Grimseth. She'll come around. Oh, and I take it you found your gift for your upcoming match against Hufflepuff?"
Kellen's face brightened immediately. "Yes - the Nimbus 2000? I got that this morning. Thank you so much! I'll put it to good use for sure."
"You're welcome, young man," chuckled Professor McGonagall. "I heard that Wood is putting you in at Seeker as a last-minute substitution. I know you're not training specially to be a Seeker, but Wood says you're too good to be kept off the field. A jack-of-all-trades, so to speak. I know that wasn't quite what you signed up for, but from what I gather, you're open-minded enough to be inserted at any position as needed."
"Thanks again, Professor. I'll need to make my way to my next class. I hope she'll want to talk to me again soon. I miss her."
The rest of the day was quiet and uneventful. Kellen again hung out with Desiree at the Ravenclaw table, which Desiree thought was a little strange, but she didn't ask questions and enjoyed another quiet meal with her cousin.
The next class was Potions, and to their mutual shock, Kellen was partnered with Malfoy.
To Kellen, it might actually be easier to get Malfoy to talk than Hermione.
"Hey, Draco," Kellen greeted sincerely.
"Yeah, outlander?" Draco replied nonchalantly.
"I think it's time we had a little chat," Kellen said as he plopped some bezoars into a vial. "Maybe get to know each other a little better."
Malfoy merely shrugged.
"Do I frighten you?" Kellen asked. "It's not a trick question, just answer it sincerely."
Malfoy sighed. "Yes. Are you satisfied?"
Kellen shook his head 'no'. "There's no need to be. I'm not out to get you, I never was. And on that note, I have another question."
"Make it quick," Malfoy snapped as he shook the mixture.
"Does your father intimidate you?"
Malfoy blinked. "That, Grimseth, is none of your business."
Kellen shrugged. "Maybe it is, and maybe it isn't, but from what I gather, he doesn't go easy on you. I've also heard from some of your fellow Serpents that you might be transferring to Durmstrang next term."
Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "You're getting your nose in affairs that don't pertain to you. I'd leave well enough alone if I were you."
"I'm not your enemy, Draco," Kellen insisted. "Please don't treat me like one."
Malfoy nodded. "Yes, it's true I'm going to Durmstrang next year. And... the thought of me going there scares the mess out of me. I don't know anyone there, and it's so far away from everything I've ever known."
"It's no different than the leap of faith I took to come to Hogwarts," Kellen replied. "I could have stayed stateside, but I wanted a challenge. And honestly it was the best decision I've made. I have friends in several houses - including Slytherin - and I wouldn't trade them for anything in the world."
"That's easy for you to say, you've got a ton of friends," Draco countered.
"Not really," Kellen replied. "I had a hard time making friends in Minnesota. I don't really have all that many here, either."
Draco gestured with his head. "I, uh, noticed you and Granger aren't talking much today."
Kellen nodded. "We had a bit of an argument last night."
"That's too bad, she really likes you," Draco said sincerely. "She's not bad, for a mud... err, Muggle-born."
"She's amazing," Kellen corrected. "That's what makes it especially hurtful when she's upset with me."
"You're a lucky bloke," Draco said. "Pansy and Daphne never looked at me the way Granger looks at you."
Kellen knew the exact reason why, but wisely kept his mouth shut.
Before they knew it, Potions was over.
"That went better than expected, Draco. You weren't a half bad partner," Kellen said.
"You weren't half bad yourself, Grimseth," Draco replied with a smirk.