Dumbledore had convinced Harry and Selena not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of Harry's trunk. They wished that they could forget what they'd seen in the mirror as easily, but they couldn't. They started having nightmares.

Over and over again they dreamed about their parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice cackled with laughter. It was as if history had repeated itself like the Watership Down incident. "You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when the twins told him and Adeline about these dreams.

Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry and Selena being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ("If Filch had caught you!"), and disappointment that they hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was. They were almost close to giving up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though the twins were certain they'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Harry had less time than the other three, because Quidditch practice had started again.

Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Harry found that he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training. The same however, could not be said for Selena, though she found comfort in her evening telekinesis practices, she refused to tell Harry about Draco being her coach.

Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms.

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.

"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us." Which was all very well, thought Harry, but he had another reason for not wanting Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch…

The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found, Ron and Hermione playing chess, Selena watching in amusement. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something Harry and Ron thought was very good for her. "Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, "I need to concen –"

He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other three about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron.

"Pretend to break your leg," Selena suggested.

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"Ron!" Selena scolded.

"Selena's right, I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower.

Everyone fell over laughing except Hermione, who leapt up and performed the countercurse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry, Ron and Selena.

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."

Selena stared at Neville in shock. She couldn't believe that Draco had done something like that. "You need to go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. Neville shook his head. "I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that,"

"We're not saying that," Selena added. Harry felt in his pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin." Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the frog.

"Thanks, Harry… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you and Selena collect them, don't you?"

As Neville walked away, Ron gave Selena a dirty look. "You really sure you want to mix with Malfoy's kind again Selena, look what he's done to Neville."

Selena gapped at Ron. "His kind?! All have you know, Draco's not as mean as you think."

"Not when your around him. Why do you keep treating Malfoy like a Saint? Why do you keep hanging around him?"

"Because he's my friend!"

"Ugh, Selena I don't understand why you would want to be friends with a bully, when you hate Veronica with a burning passion."

"Because nobody is born evil!" she snapped, silencing Ron, who's red contorted into one of shock.

"I know that Slytherins are supposed to be evil and manipulative monsters, but is that really a reason to label someone as being a villain, especially when you have no idea about why they behave like that? I mean, look at Veronica, she's a bully but she's in Ravenclaw, not in Slytherin?" she said, pausing for a bit.

Ron stared at her in astonishment as she continued.

"Everyone has a reason for their behaviour being the way it is. Veronica was raised as a winner in many competitions, so she's grown up thinking she's on top of everyone. Draco grew up an only child, isolated from everyone, so don't expect him to act like a social butterfly on the first try. I'm friends with Draco because I believe that deep down there is a decent person and he has shown it before. People only bully others because they likely have a difficult life at home or elsewhere, and right now Ron, you're just being the bigger person."

Ron, Hermione and Harry stared at her in shock. Ron tried to come up with something to say against her, but failed.

Hermione spoke up. "Selena's got a point, Ron."

"B-But Malfoy cursed Neville." Ron argued.

Selena shook her head. "I don't like that he did that either Ron, I'll talk to him tomorrow and ask him if he could apologize to Neville."

"Good, he listens to you Selena." Harry said, finally looking at the Famous Wizard Card. "Dumbledore again," he said, "Now Selena and I have one each-"

He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron, Hermione and Selena. "I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I knew we had read the name somewhere, we read it on the train coming here – listen to this: 'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discover of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and for his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel!"

Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.

"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry, Ron and Selena barely had time to exchange mystified looks before Hermione was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.

"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.

At last she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it! I knew it!"

"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him. "Nicholas Flamel," she whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"

This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.

"The what?" said Harry and Ron.

Selena just looked confused.

"Oh, honestly, don't you three read? Look – read that, there."

She pushed the book toward them, and Harry, Ron and Selena read:

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Phliosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.

There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, a noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr. Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenelle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?" said Hermione, when Harry, Ron and Selena had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Phliosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"

"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it!"

"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in that Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"

The next morning in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while copying down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.

"I'm going to play," he told Ron, Hermione and Selena. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them…it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."

"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.

Draco was already waiting at the spot under the oak tree for Selena to arrive that evening. He grinned as he saw a head of ember red hair approach the tree. "Hey, ready to get started?" he asked her.

Selena looked up from the ground, a sign that she had heard him, but Draco frowned when he saw the expression on her face. "What's wrong? Is everything okay?"

"Everything's fine, Draco." She said.

"Well, come on then. I've picked up some bigger rocks to lift up." Draco said, nodding his head towards a pile of brick-sized rocks.

Selena continued to frown. At that moment, telekinesis practice wasn't even on her mind.

"Actually Draco, I need to talk to you."

Draco looked back at her, surprised, but not complaining. "Okay, what about?"

"It's about Neville," as soon as she said Neville's name, Draco's grin slowly disappeared. "last night, he came into the common room under the Leg-Locker curse, saying that you were the one who cursed him. Was it you?"

"I-I-I uh…" Draco stammered. "…umm…"

Selena didn't even need words to get an answer. She shook her head in disappointment. "Oh Draco, why would you do that?"

"I didn't think I was doing anything wrong?!"

"But you were. What you did was very wrong, Neville was almost crying when he told us."

"What do you want me to do then?"

"I want you to apologise to Neville,"

Draco blinked. "Apologise? To Longbottom? Selena that's crazy!"

"And you're just a Malfoy," Selena said with her arms crossed. "My friends think I'm crazy for being your friend and in situations like this, I wonder if they're right. I don't see any reason to not apologise for what you did when it's the right thing to do. I don't want to have a bully for a friend."

Draco gave her an astonished look. "Then…why? Why are you still my friend? Even after everything I've done?"

Selena sighed and sat down next to Draco, fixing his tie for him. "Because I believe there's something good in you Draco. I don't believe that you are the big, bad, Slytherin everyone says you are. I just don't understand why you keep it up?"

"Because…I…" he sighed and turned away. "it's personal…"

Selena looked at him, surprised. "Personal?"

"Yeah, I can't tell you why I act like I do," he said.

Selena nodded her head. "Okay then, but you have to promise me that you'll apologise to Neville in some way, write him a letter or something. Try to be a better person, because I know you can be."

Draco felt a strange feeling in his stomach. Maybe it was nerves. Maybe he didn't eat as much as he thought at dinner, but the feeling wasn't painful or anything. It was rather pleasant. "That was the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me," he murmured.

Selena looked up at him. "Promise that you'll try to be a better person?" she asked him. "for me…" she gazed up at him with pleading eyes.

Draco smiled. "I promise, Moonlight."

Draco then did something he never imagined he'd do in his life. He wrapped his arm around Selena and pulled her closer so her head was resting just below his chin against his chest. When he looked down at her, her beautiful red waves tickled his nose. Selena smiled as her heart started beating faster to the rhythm of his own.

As the match drew nearer, Harry became more and more nervous, whatever he told anyone who asked. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such biased referee?

Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to keep running into Snape wherever he went. At times, he even wondered whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own. Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to Harry. Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could – yet he sometimes had the horrible feeling that Snape could read minds like he and Selena could.

Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, that Ron, Hermione and especially Selena were wondering whether they'd see him alive again. It wasn't exactly comforting. Harry hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand.

Ron, Hermione and Selena, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why Ron and Hermione had brought their wands to the match.

Little did Harry know that Ron and Hermione had secretly been practicing the Leg-Locker Curse. They'd gotten the idea from Draco using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanting to hurt Harry. "Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve. "I know," Ron snapped. "Don't nag."

Selena rolled her eyes. "I think the two of you are over-reacting. Look – even Dumbledore's come to watch,"

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. "Dumbledore?"

Selena pointed up at the stands and they followed her finger. There was no mistaking that silver beard.

Hermione breathed a sigh of relief that Harry was safe. Even Snape wouldn't dare do anything with Dumbledore watching.

Perhaps that was why Snape looked so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Selena noticed, too.

"I've never seen Snape look so angry," she told Hermione. "Look – they're off. Ouch!"

Someone had poked Selena in the back of the head. It was Blackwood.

"Oh, sorry, Potterina, didn't see you there." Blackwood grinned broadly.

Selena bit the inside her cheek and ignored her.

"Wonder how long your brother's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want a bet? What about you, Weasley?"

Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley had hit a Bludger at him. Hermione and Selena, who had all their fingers crossed in their laps, were squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.

"You know what I think about the Gryffindor team?" said Blackwood loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's made up of people you would feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys, who've got no money – you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."

Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Blackwood. "I-I do have brains, Blackwood," he stammered.

Veronica howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell her, Neville."

"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."

Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry. "I'm warning you, Blackwood – one more word –"

"Ron!" said Selena suddenly, "Harry –"

"What? Where?"

Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Selena stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.

"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Blackwood.

Ron snapped. Before Veronica knew what was happening, Ron was on top of her, wrestling her to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help.

"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape, neither she nor Selena noticed the fight occurring behind them, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Ron and Veronica.

Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches – the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch.

The stands were erupted; it had to be a record, no one could ever remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.

"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on the spot and hugging Selena. Selena was then able to see the commotion behind her, and dove in to break up the fight.

Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it – the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped – then Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up into Dumbledore's smiling face. "Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror…been keeping busy…excellent…"

Snape spat bitterly on the ground.

Harry left the locker room alone some time later, to take his Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broomshed. He couldn't ever remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now – no one could say he was just a famous name anymore. The evening air had never smelled so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him onto their shoulders; Ron, Hermione and Selena in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering with a heavy nosebleed and Selena with a large bruise on her cheek.

Harry reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape…

And speaking of Snape…

A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanting to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner – what was going on?

Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He followed.

The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't alone. Quirrell was there, too. Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.

"…d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…"

"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice like ice. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Stone, after all."

Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him. "Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"

"B-b-but Severus, I –"

"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.

"I-I don't know what you –"

"You know perfectly well what I mean."

An owl hotted loudly, and Harry nearly fell off his broom. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, " – your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."

"B-but I d-d-don't –"

"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."

He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quiet still as though he was petrified.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.

"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Blackwood a black eye, and Neville tried to take her on single-handed! He's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be alright."

Selena chimed in, holding an ice pack to her face. "Then I when I went in to break up the fight, she karate kicked me in the face, but I broke her arm using my powers. She has no idea it was me! She thinks she broke it from a rough landing. I don't think we would've been that brave if we had known that Veronica is actually an Orange Belt in karate? But talk about giving that bitch her just desserts!"

"Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens."

"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty classroom, wait til you hear this…"

He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard. Of course, Selena didn't believe him. "Rubbish! I know you hate Snape and everything, but this really isn't the time to be making up stories."

"I didn't make it up! Peek at my memories if you don't believe me."

"Fine, I will." Selena closed her eyes and searched Harry's mind. Her eyes shot open and her face contorted into shock and confusion. Ron couldn't help but smile smugly. "Now you believe us that Snape's after the Stone."

"I-I-I…I don't…I can't…no…" stammered Selena. "…h-h-he wouldn't…he couldn't…"

Ron groaned. "Selena…there's no use in denying it. Snape's after the Stone, end of story."

"But he can't be! I refuse to believe it! What if you're just getting the wrong message?"

"I know what I saw Selena, Snape was trying to convince Quirrell to get information on how to get past Fluffy – and he said something about Quirrell's 'hocus pocus' – reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape need to break through –"

"So you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.

Selena shook her head. "I still don't believe that Snape is trying to steal it? What if it's someone else?"

"Who then? Who else would be trying to steal the Stone?" Hermione asked.

Selena said nothing.

"Regardless if Snape's trying to steal it or not, with Quirrell being the one keeping information on how to break through the spell, it'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.