A/N: This chapter title is dedicated to well, Nicholas.
Harry didn't visit the Mirror after that, because sure enough, a sign was now on the door that read: TEACHERS LOUNGE NO STUDENTS ALLOWED.
Now that Harry's Mirror gazing dreams had hit the lou, he had decided to spend the rest of his holiday playing with Ron on Virtual Quidditch. "You just pick the Tornados because they're the favorite to win this year," said Ron after his Cannons had lost to Harry again.
"No. I choose them because it annoys you," replied Harry. Before Harry knew it, the next term was only one day from starting, and Hermione had returned from home.
"So what did you find out about Nicholas Flamel?" she asked as soon as she got there.
"Uhh," said Harry
"We found out a lot about Ridicules Haybail," said Ron triumphantly.
"Well what did you find out about him," said Hermione folding her arms impatiently.
"Well," said Ron, "We found out that he wasn't in the library." Hermione looked like she was about to scream, but before she could another high, shrill, girly scream echoed through the halls. It didn't take long for Harry to recognize the screaming as Oliver Wood's.
He barreled down the hallway into Harry yelling, "Guess 'oo they made 'eferee?"
"Who?' asked Harry and Ron, at the same time (Hermione was still looking for a chance to scream.).
"Severus SnAApe!" he said, his voice cracking over the professor's last name. Harry's face drooped to the floor at the mention of the evil dictator's name.
"How could you forget about Nicholas Flamel!" yelled Hermione.
"Who cares about Hicolas Daysell? I can't believe this!" yelled Harry, sprinting up to the common room to grab his broom.
"Hey Hermione now that Harry's gone-"
"-We can go search for Flamel in the Library. Come on Ronald!"
It is so demeaning to be called Ronald, like Ronald McDonald; of course Ronald wouldn't know about that because he's a wizard.
Harry grabbed his broom and flew straight through the portrait hole, down a few staircases, until he was at the bottom floor, where a disgusted Filch stood in front of him.
"No ridin' broomsticks through the corridors," said Filch laughing. Harry decided that Quidditch practice was the most important thing in the world at the moment, and ran Filch through, who crashed into the House Points standings, shattering the Slytherin's meter. Harry flew through a window and burst toward the Quidditch Field. The air rushing through his hair was the greatest feeling in the world, the greatest feeling of freedom.
Ron however was having no such luck. "Ronald grab that little one over there," said Hermione as she pointed through the shelves. Ron grabbed a book and handed it to her. "Ronald, this is a children's book."
"It's three hundred pages," said Ron, undoubtedly in the presence of a mad woman.
"I mean that little book over there." She pointed again.
"Little" squeaked Ron as he removed a book that made his arms feel like they were going to snap.
Harry flew into the pitch, and began to chase after the Snitch while the rest of his team performed their drills. Harry flew around for at least twenty minutes, before he caught sight of the Snitch and made a dive for it.
"Harry LOOK OUT!" shouted Fred and George, but it was too late. One of their bludgers collided with the back of his head. Suddenly he was somewhere else.
"I got Dumbledore!"
"I got about six of him."
"He's picking his nose." Harry noticed that he was in the train compartment with Ron on the day they had met. He began to read the card to himself, "Albus Dumbledore is particularly famous for beatin' down the Dark Wizard Grindlewald, discovering that, yes indeed Dragon Blood tastes good as a vinaigrette, and his work with Nicholas Flamel in alchemy.
"Nicholas Flamel!" said Harry now back to playing Quidditch. His broom collided into the ground, and Harry was sent spiraling off.
"I don't really think that all of this is necessary," said Ron, as Hermione dropped book after book into Ron's arm.
"Shut up Ronald," she said testily.
"My name's Ron, like it or not, okay Hermy-ONE!" Hermione looked like she was on the verge of tears as she took the GARGANTUOUS book entitled: The Encyclopedia of Everything and smacked Ron right in the head.
Ron and Harry awoke right next to each other in the hospital.
"Nicholas Flamel!" said Harry who instantly began to eat some of the beans on his tray.
"Ow," said Ron.
"Ron, I found out who Nicholas Flamel is!"
"Ow," said Ron wincing.
Harry leapt off his hospital bed to see that his Nimbus was laid carefully next to his bed.
"Quidditch!" said Harry, remembering that the game was today, and throwing his beans to the floor.
"Ow," said Ron, as he tried to turn over. Harry grabbed his broom as Madam Pomfrey entered the room.
"What do you think you're doing?" she snapped.
"Get outta the way Poppy!" Harry mounted is broom and unfortunately was forced to run old Poppy Pomfrey through. It was easy to get through the rest of the castle, because everybody was at the game.
"Okay, e'ryone. Since –eh- Potter –uh- i'n't here –uh- Angelina youre –eh- seeker and –eh- Lee Jordan is –uh- replacing you as cha-cha-cha-chaser. Look I know the odds are 'gainst us, and I know 'at Fred and George are a bunch of idiots for injuring our star seek'r." Fred and George looked the other way. "But I think 'at even Lee 'an score on 'at fat Hufflepuff keeper." Lee looked offended at that comment. But, soon Harry had flown into the tent on his broom, and the team seemed to be rejuvenated with happiness. Everyone was happy except for Lee who now saw that his hopes at Quidditch fame had been crushed.
"Potter's back! Potter's back! We're gonna win." shouted the twins. Harry laughed at the display of emotion that everyone was showing him. Then something from the corner caught his eye. Quirrell was walking back down the field as Snape gathered the Quidditch trunk and walked toward the middle of the field. He was whistling with his thumbs behind his back, and Harry was wondering if he ever changed clothes.
Get 'o'er here Potter!" said Wood, as Harry stepped back into the huddle. "Now do exactly what you did last time and there's no reason that Snape and the Hufflepuffs should beat us! I'll make sure I get through the match this time." Wood spun his marker board where he had drawn: TRY TO WIN, with a sharpie. Then the marker board spun around a second time and smacked Wood on the back of his head, knocking him out cold.
"We knew it would happen eventually," said Angelina, as she went out to the field to represent team captain.
The stadium shook with excitement as Snape proved the focal point of the picture. His black décor seemed to kill off the greenery of the field. Dumbledore was waving his beard at Harry. Harry could only smile and look away.
"Shake hands," Snape's lips curled.
"How'd he get to be ref anyway?" asked Harry.
"I heard he pushed Hooche off the tower, and naturally since he was Sportsman of the Year he was the new ref," said Fred, who was mounting his broom.
"Ready. Set. Go," said Snape very unenthusiastically, and threw the Quaffle to a chaser on the Hufflepuff team. Snape looked like he wasn't built for a broom as he took off, nearly biting the dust.
Harry hovered around the Stadium looking for a glimpse of gold. By the time Harry had circled the field twice, Gryffindor was leading eighty to zero, despite the ejections of Fred and George, who had apparently hit a bludger away from Katie as she tried to score, that had smacked Snape in his nose. Harry noticed that Quirrell had flinched at the sight of Snape's broken nose. Then Harry saw it, the glimpse of gold he was looking for, and rushed straight for it a Hufflepuff seeker in hot pursuit, ready to hand Harry a cupcake if he had to. Harry was inches away from the Snitch when a whistle blew.
"-Eh- Potter's breaking the speed limit," said Snape sneering, "free shot for Hufflepuff."
"There's no rule for speeding," said Harry, but he was desperately trying to search for the Snitch as Hufflepuff took the free shot. It turned out that the Hufflepuff chaser missed the goal even without Oliver there to defend it. But then Harry noticed the snitch again, and rushed off. As he neared it, he turned around to see that a bludger was rushing toward his head. He ducked and the bludger slammed into the Slytherin tower, in a giant explosion.
"An explosive bludger!" yelled Jordan through his magical microphone, "Haven't seen one of those since Charlie Weasley had to get his arm put back on! Sorry Professor!" he said to McGonagall who was staring at him angrily. "And look at all the Slytherins who are falling! HAHA! TO THEIR DOOM!"
"Bubilicas Miracaspectasavicure!" said Dumbledore.
"Oh, look Dumbledore saved them. Dang it! Sorry Professor!" Harry took another dive, and before Snape could blow his whistle, Harry had the Snitch corralled in his palm. "HARRY POTTER CAUGHT THE SNITCH! GRYFFINDOR WINS TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY TO ZERO! YEAH! WE'RE NUMBER ONE!"
Snape landed his broom, sad and defeated. "I can't believe I tried to help Hufflepuff and they couldn't even score."
Harry relaxed in the Common Room, as he and Ron filled Hermione in about everything that had gone on during Christmas and Harry's newfound knowledge of Nicholas Flamel. "Well then you'll have to go check the restricted section for any books on alchemy."
Harry stared at her.
"With your Invisibility Cloak."
"I'm tired Hermione-"
"GO NOW! OR I'LL NEVER HELP YOU ON YOUR HOMEWORK AGAIN!"
"You better help her mate," said Ron.
So Harry was forced to go prowling through the night in the restricted section. He searched through all the books, and grabbed a few on the Dark arts, but was unable to find the book that Hermione had requested. All the Alchemy books just talked about nasal allergy decimation draughts. But then Harry heard a sound which made him drop the lantern he was carrying; the sound of Filch.
"Someone's in here!" he yelled crazily, "You're gonna die!" Harry made a beeline for the exit, and didn't look back, which resulted in him coming face to face with Snape. He instantly retreated backwards to the wall, as Snape stood erect, like he was waiting for someone. After a few minutes Harry heard someone whistling, and Quirrell came around the corner, "Ah, eha-eha-eha- Seve-seve-seve-seve-rus-rus. N-n-n-n-n-n-nice tuh-tuh-tuh-to see yuh-yuh-yuh-you!"
"Shut up Quirell! You know what we're here for!" Snape said quietly, yet still deserving of an exclamation point.
"I-i-i-I-"
"I know that you did it at the Quidditch Match." Harry was having a hard time holding back his hospital beans. "You are wrecking my plans, and nothing will get in the way of my job." He wants what Fluffy is guarding, thought the very astute and ready to explode Harry. Quirrell looked like he was about to say something, but instead handed a tape to Snape. Snape grimaced and accepted it with loathing. "This is blood bribery," said Snape, about to turn before he heard a sickening explosion. Harry hadn't been able to keep it in (Those beans were a real killer.).
"Wuh-Why S-s-severus, I did-du-didn't know you were c-c-c-apable of prodoo-doo-doo-doocing a fuh-fuh-flattus."
"That wasn't me you idiot!" yelled Snape, "Someone else is here." Snape reached toward Harry, but stopped an inch short of his nose. Quirrell was frantically searching the walls for an intruder.
Suddenly Filch appeared from around the corner holding a shattered lantern, "Someone's out of bed," said Filch then repulsed by the smell, "Did someone gut a pheasant?"
"It-t-t-t smells lik-k-ke the hospit-spit-spit-al buh-buh-beans!" Harry rushed to exit and get back to the common room, accidentally running over Mrs. Norris.
"He's there!" yelled Filch, who was now running after Harry, but having to stop to help Mrs. Norris, which made Quirrell run into him, and Snap crash into him. A Portrait of an old hag droned at the entanglement of pursuers, "Cleanup on aisle four."
Snape shouted "This is all your fault Quirrell!"
"Ah! My nose!"
Harry whispered "Flatulence!" to the fat lady.
"Indeed." She pouted. "You may enter."
Harry leapt through the portrait hole, and put on his pajamas as fast as he ever had, before falling into his bed. Snuggled in his bed, Harry eyed the figure of McGonagall walking briskly to the portrait hole with a candle. Several voices ensued, most notably Snape's disparaging muttering and Quirrell's eccentric giggles. McGonagall searched the room, making sure each bed was occupied. After McGonagall had searched the beds for the missing person she was quite pleased that a Gryffindor had not broken the rules.
She then walked back to Harry's bed.
"Severus was almost sure it was you Potter, but I told him we needed to conduct a full investigation before taking points. I think he just has a personal vendetta against you."
"Ya think," whispered Harry to himself.
The next day was spent mostly in the library, where Hermione stored all the information on Nicholas Flamel on a computer.
"This isn't working," said Ron, "Why don't you just tweak it."
"What do you mean tweak it?" asked Hermione.
".wiz, the wizard search engine," said Ron.
"That's brilliant!" said Hermione as she searched for Nicholas Flamel. "Nicholas Flamel, inventor of the Wiz-Brush, no. Here it is! Nicholas Flamel, inventor of the Sorcerers Stone!" Hermione looked happier than Harry had ever seen her.
"What's the Sorcerer's Stone?" asked Ron.
"Don't you guys ever read?"
"Yes," said Harry. Hermione pulled out The Encyclopedia of Everything, and flipped a few billion pages.
"Not that!" said Ron.
"The Sorcerer's Stone produces gold and a liquid that allows the drinker to live longer. If someone had this they would be practically immortal."
"Wow," said Ron, "That girl over there is hot."
"I know what you mean," said Harry.
"Would you two shut up!" yelled Hermione now standing up, "That's what the dog is guarding!"
"So Snape wants the Stone!" said Harry.
"Yeah, that's why he was limping!" said Ron.
"But he has to get past Fluffy," said Harry.
"That means he's going to ask Hagrid," said Hermione.
"Great," said Ron, "we get to see what Hagrid's breeding in his house today!"