As it turned out, it was very difficult to get an audience with the headmaster. The first challenge, the boys soon found out, was finding out exactly where the headmaster's office was. Its location did not seem to be common knowledge amongst the student body, for not many of them had cause to visit that office. That either spoke to the fact that the Hogwarts student body was very well behaved (so they never were called to the office) or the fact that Dumbledore was an especially lenient headmaster when it came to school day misbehaviors, which in Harry's opinion, seemed much more likely.
Having only ever seen Professor Dumbledore from afar, Harry had to admit a certain level of trepidation about trying to visit him. After all, he would not just be visiting the headmaster, but visiting the headmaster and accusing one of his staff of being a Death Eater and trying to steal the Sorcerer's Stone, an object Harry was supposed to know nothing about. Taking all of those factors into account, Dean had declared that walking into Dumbledore's office would get them detention for sure. But Harry was determined. He had information that one of the teachers at his school was trying to steal an incredibly powerful magical artifact for nefarious purposes. He was only eleven. He couldn't do anything about Snape, but Dumbledore could.
In between casually asking upperclassmen the location of Dumbledore's office and futilely tailing teachers, Harry found time to return Hermione Granger's book to her.
"Here you go, Hermione." Harry said, handing the book to her one day during breakfast. Hermione was sitting on one end of the Ravenclaw table, eating alone. Though there were other Ravenclaw first years at the table, no one seemed interested in eating with her.
She looked very pleased as Harry handed her the book. "Thank you." She smiled up at him and turned a very bright shade of pink when he smiled back.
"You're welcome." Harry said. He was feeling much more generous since he had found out what Snape was getting up to, and Hermione had helped him. Seeing her sit alone made his stomach clench uncomfortably.
"Why are you sitting by yourself?" Harry asked.
Hermione frowned and looked down at her newly returned book. "Um, no one wants to sit with me," She said. "They think I'm annoying, I think." She smiled up at Harry, "But it's ok! I don't really have time for a lot of friends. I'm really busy with classes. I think if I had more free time, people would get to know me better, but I have a future to prepare for!" her smile became a little forced, "I don't really have time for friends." She repeated.
Harry just looked at her, "You're smart. Not annoying." He said. Hermione seemed to light up, and Harry went back to his breakfast feeling just a little bit better about the Ravenclaw who nobody liked.
The problem of how to find Dumbledore's office occupied much of the boy's time for the next month. It seemed no matter what they tried, they could never quite find out where the blasted office was located.
"I swear, it's like it doesn't exist!" Dean said after a partially long day of searching.
The boys avoided asking teachers directly. Harry assumed that if they did, it would prompt the question 'Why do you want to know?' Harry thought that a teacher might not be so understanding about their mission. It was better to tell Dumbledore directly. And so, the boys searched. Just when it seemed like they weren't going to ever find it, the answer dropped right on their laps. Surprisingly, it was Seamus who came back to the common room one evening in early March with some good news.
"I finally did it!" he said, slamming his books down at the table in front of his friends.
"Did what, Seamus?" Dean asked tiredly.
"I found out where 'is office is!"
Harry sat up very quickly, "Where Dumbledore's office is?"
"Yeah, mate!" Seamus smiled.
"How did you manage that?" asked Dean.
"I 'ad another accident in Transfiguration today-" Seamus started.
"We know, we were there." Ron cut in.
Seamus ignored him, "and when McGonagall pulled me out again she took me by the ear and marched me by this big ol' gargoyle and said that if I didn't practice my spells more she'd tell Professor Dumbledore that she'd recommend that I repeat fis' year!"
Harry jumped up and grabbed Seamus around the shoulders, "Seamus you're brilliant!"
"Thanks, mate." Seamus grinned.
"So now we know where Dumbledore's office is," Dean said, once they had all settled down a bit, "But how do we get in."
"There's some sort of password." Seamus said, taking a seat beside Ron, "McGonagall told me when she was taking me past it."
"And I suppose you can't just ask the gargoyle for the password." Dean mused.
"I don't reckon you can." Said Ron. Dean shot him a look.
"I'm sure we'll figure it out." Harry said. He was feeling quite a bit more cheery after Seamus' revelation. He was quite sure that figuring out the password to the headmaster's office would be just as simple as finding out where it was. He quite forgot that finding out where Dumbledore's office was had not been easy at all.
The mystery of Dumbledore's office password was the foursome's sole focus from then on. There was little urgency to their quest. Harry kept a close eye on Snape for sudden upticks in mood, but he remained just as sullen and bad-tempered as ever. Often on their lunch breaks or in between classes the boys would take guesses as to what the password could be.
"I could get you the password." A shy voice said.
Hermione Granger emerged from behind a bookshelf, A History of Magic clutched under one arm. She looked nervous, bouncing from one foot to the other as she stood before the four boys.
"What do you want Granger?" Ron asked.
"I-I heard what you were talking about." Hermione flushed, looking down. Then, seeming to regain her confidence, she looked back up and locked eyes with Harry, "And I know how to get the password to Dumbledore's office."
"How do you know it?" Dean asked, sounding genuinely curious.
"Well, I don't know it." Hermione said slowly, "Not yet. But I spend a lot of time in the teacher's lounge. I bet some of them know it. I could find out what it is, and then give it to you."
"Why would you do that?" Harry asked. He had always gotten the impression that Hermione was a stickler for the rules.
The Ravenclaw shrugged, "I don't know. I just want to help, I guess." Her eyes flicked to Harry.
"Don't you want to know what we want it for?" Ron asked pointedly.
Hermione shook her head, "I don't need to know. I'll just get it for you, ok?" she seemed to lose her nerve all at once and, as quick as she had appeared, she was gone.
When she had disappeared, Dean turned to Harry.
"Do you think we can trust her?"
Harry shrugged. He was wondering the same thing.
As it turned out, they needn't have wondered. Not two days later at breakfast, Fidelius slunk up to Harry for his morning bacon with a note attached to his collar.
Harry opened the note.
The password is Lemon Drops
The note was written in very neat handwriting. Harry glanced at the Ravenclaw table, but Hermione wasn't there.
"Do you think that really is the password?" Ron asked, who had been reading over Harry's shoulder.
Harry sighed, "Only one way to find out, isn't there?"
At lunchtime, instead of going to the Great Hall, the boys made their way to the second floor, where the massive gargoyle stood guard.
Clutching the note in his hand, Harry stood in front of the gargoyle and said in his most firm voice, "Lemon drops."
The gargoyle shuttered, and then slowly turned to revel a circular staircase. Looking at one another, the boys stepped onto the staircase, and began to climb. Harry heard the wall thud closed behind them. They rose upward in circles, higher and higher, until at last, slightly dizzy, Harry saw a gleaming oak door ahead, with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. They were finally there. Dumbledore was just a few feet away.
"Blimey." Seamus whispered.
"Go on, Harry." Urged Dean.
Harry took a deep breath, and then knocked on the shiny, oak door.
"Come in." a kindly voice said, and Harry pushed the door open.
All four boys gasped. They had stepped into a large and beautiful circular room, full of funny little trinkets. A number of curious silver instruments stood on spindle-legged tables, whirring and emitting little puffs of smoke. The walls were covered with portraits of old headmasters and headmistresses, all of whom were snoozing gently in their frames. There was also an enormous, claw-footed desk, and, sitting on a shelf behind it, a shabby, tattered wizard's hat - the Sorting Hat. And, sitting behind the desk, looking as calm and serene as ever, sat the man himself, Albus Dumbledore.
He surveyed the first years over his horn-rimmed glasses with a kind of amused curiosity that made Harry feel warm and cautious at the same time.
"Hello, Professor." He said, mustering all his courage and stepping forward, "We've come to see you."
"Yes, I can see that." Professor Dumbledore chuckled, "And it must have taken a great effort on your behalf, which begs the question-what do I owe the pleasure of your unexpected company?"
Now that he was in front of the man himself, Harry hesitated. How was he supposed to start? How does one go about accusing their Potions instructor of treachery? Harry didn't know.
Dumbledore was still looking at him over his spectacles, and Harry began to feel very much that he was somewhat on display. Swallowing, he turned towards Dumbledore.
"Sir, I think-I mean…I know…" Harry swallowed again, took a deep breath and started over, "Sir, I think Professor Snape is trying to get the Sorcerer's Stone."
Dumbledore said nothing for quite a long time. Harry felt Dean shift restlessly beside him. Dumbledore was giving Harry a searching look. His twinkling light- blue gaze made Harry feel as though he were being X-rayed. It was a very uncomfortable feeling.
Finally, Dumbledore spoke, "I will not ask how you boys came to know about the existence of the Sorcerer's Stone, nor its location. Some things are better left to the imagination, particularly when the answer surly involves the violation of several school rules. But I can assure you, without a doubt that Professor Snape is not trying to get the stone, nor use it."
"But Sir," Harry protested, feeling himself becoming frustrated, "I saw Professor Snape's leg! He was bitten by the three-headed dog guarding the stone!"
Dumbledore closed his eyes, briefly, and then opened them, "That may be true," he said calmly, "But the fact remains that Severus Snape is not trying to steal the stone."
Harry felt his face flushing. Dumbledore's calm dismissal of his months of sleuthing and effort infuriated him.
"Sir-"
Dumbledore raised one, veined hand, cutting him off, "Harry I can assure you that Professor Snape has nothing but the best interests of this school and its students in mind. Whatever you saw can be easily explained. You must trust that what I am telling you is the truth."
Harry snapped his mouth closed. He could tell when an argument was lost.
"Further, I must urge you in the strongest possible terms not to pursue this matter any further." Professor Dumbledore said, looking at them pointedly down his thin, crooked nose. Harry could feel Seamus trembling at his side, "You have your studies, and you should attend to them."
Harry stood there, stunned. He couldn't believe that Albus Dumbledore, supposedly the smartest wizard in Britain, would dismiss him so utterly.
Dean was not so stunned. Without further ado he seized Harry's arm and dragged him towards the office door.
"Thank you for listening to us, Professor!" he called over his shoulder as he all but pushed his friends down the stairs.
"Yeah, thanks!" Ron called.
Dumbledore smiled after them, "You are welcome."
The oak door slammed closed behind them.