Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this story.
**Any print in italics is quoted directly from J.K. Rowling. I will note which book it was taken from at the bottom of the chapter.**
WARNING: THIS STORY WILL BE RATED M FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS.
-Please note that anything in Italics is probably directly quoted from one of the books, I will try to site books and page numbers when I can.-
***Gender Changes will not be italicized as they are not part of the book. For example, if I change something from him to her or her to him I won't italicize. Also please keep in mind that the further we go into the series, the less dialogue I will use from the books. After all, Harry is a girl and is going to say and react to some things differently than she would if she were a boy.
Chapter 4:
"I think something weird is going on in this school," Herman whispered to Harry and Rhonda as they sat working on their potions essays in the Gryffindor Common Room. "Eh, what's that?" Rhonda asked, glancing up from the scratched and scribbled parchment in front of her. Herman eyed the parchment with a look of disgust and a sigh. He knew he was going to have to re-do it before Rhonda turned it in. Realizing they were waiting expectantly for him to get to the point, Herman focused on the topic at hand.
"Well, so many strange things are happening in this school. The troll, the 3-headed dog," he ticked off, referring to the dog they had encountered in the third-floor corridor while trying to outrun Mrs. Norris. "There is also the fact that Harry's broom was jinxed in the first Quidditch match, and then there was something I overheard Professor Snape and Professor McGonagall talking about the other day." He smiled as he realized he now had both girls' undivided attention.
"Go on," Harry said.
"I think they are all connected. I heard Professor McGonagall tell Professor Snape that it was dangerous to hide something so important in a school and that she thought Professor Dumbledore should talk to Mr. Flamel about destroying it. I never did get to hear what it was that is hidden in the school, but Professor Snape seemed to agree that hiding it here was a bad idea," Herman explained.
"So," Rhonda concluded, "whatever it is they are hiding in the school belongs to a Mr. Flamel and is very important."
"Flamel, Flamel, why does that name seem so familiar?" Harry mumbled. She knew the answer was right in front of her, she just couldn't see it.
"I don't know, it seems familiar to me too," Herman whispered. "I know I've read about a Flamel before. I can't remember his first name, but he was someone important."
Harry sighed. "Well, I don't have time to research him right now, I have two feet of parchment due to Professor Snape I have to get finished tonight. We all do."
"Right. Mine's already done," Herman replied, "I finished it last weekend." He reached for Rhonda's essay. "Here, let me see that."
Harriet rolled her eyes. Rhonda was never going to learn how to do it if Herman kept doing it for her, but Herman didn't have the patience to teach and so often re-wrote it or coached her on how to re-write it. She looked down at her own nearly finished essay. She had been surprised on the first day of class at the methods her uncle used to teach his potions classes, but had since come to realize that attention to instructions and details was tantamount to creating a good potion. That is why her uncle never coddled any of his students. She did think he should be more patient and explain things a bit more simply to some people, like the Longbottom boy, but she wasn't about tell him how to teach his class. She had taken to helping her friends outside of class when they had questions, though. She scribbled down a few more details about how doxy eggs were used in potions before rolling up the parchment and setting it aside.
The search for Flamel was forgotten about for a while as quidditch and lessons began to take precedence in preparation for the Winter Holiday. Harry and Rhonda were both staying behind this year for Christmas as Rhonda's parents had decided to visit their elder daughter, Charlene in Romania. Harry was staying behind because Professor Snape was elected as a supposedly unattached teacher to stay behind and supervise the students who remained at school over the holidays. Harry used the excuse to her friends and teachers that Uncle Toby had to go to America on business over the holidays so she would have to stay at Hogwarts.
It was Christmas Eve before the subject of Mr. Flamel came up again.
"How are we going to get into the Restricted Section to look up Mr. Flamel?" Rhonda asked.
"I don't know. We don't dare ask Professor McGonagall, she'd want to know why we wanted the restricted section and she'd watch us like a hawk for the rest of the year," Harry replied.
"Yeah, and if we try to sneak in there, either Madame Pince or Filch is likely to catch us," Rhonda's voice was despondent.
"We'll just have to hope that Herman finds something."
"Yeah," Rhonda switched off the light. "G'night, Harry."
"Night."
"Wake up Harriet, we've got presents." Rhonda's enthusiastic shriek had Harriet burying her head under her pillow.
"Rhonda, it's too early!"
"It's never too early for presents; come on, get up." Rhonda whipped the blankets off the bed and Harriet shivered in the cool air.
"Fine, I'm up." She brushed ebony strands from her face and grabbed her glasses. Her eyes widened. "Blimey, I've never had so many presents before."
There were several packages piled at the foot of her bed instead of the three she normally got. She grabbed the first one and ripped it open enthusiastically. Inside was a soft green sweater with a large gold 'H' on the front.
"I see mom sent you a Weasley Sweater." Rhonda held up a similar sweater in Gryffindor Colors with a large orange 'R' on the front.
"Wow. Your mom's great." Harriet grinned, pulling the sweater over her head. It was a little baggy, but very soft and warm. She reached out for the next present. It was hard and book shaped. Rhonda glanced at it. "What do you want to bet that's from Herman?"
"No deal. It's from my cousin, Dora." She ripped the paper off. Inside was a small but thick book titled "Defensive Spells for Beginners by Milly Bones – Pocket Edition." She rolled her eyes and tossed the book on the bed. Her cousin Dora had just entered the Auror training program and was obsessive about safety. Harriet turned her attention to the next package which was thin and oddly shaped. She pulled it open and gasped. Out fell a cloak made of silvery material and a letter. She opened the letter first.
"Your father left this in my care. Use it well." It was unsigned. Harry put it on over her shoulders and gasped. "Rhonda."
Rhonda turned and looked at Harry who was standing in front of the mirror. Her entire body save for her head had disappeared. "Blimey, I know what that is, that's an invisibility cloak. Who sent you an invisibility cloak?"
"I don't know. Here's the letter." She handed it to Rhonda.
"Merlin," Rhonda breathed out.
There was another box of magical sweets from the Tonkses and a book on Animagus transformations from Uncle Toby that was disguised to look like a book about muggle wildlife. The last gift was from Herman, but it looked too big to be a book. She ripped it open. Out tumbled a muggle Christmas card and a box of Chocolate Frogs. She turned to see Rhonda holding an identical box. Both girls squealed "CHOCOLATE!" and dove in. It wasn't until Harriet opened package and the chocolate frog card fell out that it hit her. "Flamel, Nicholas Flamel."
"Huh?" Rhonda grunted, her mouth full of chocolate.
Harry picked up the card. It was another Albus Dumbledore card. "Here it is, I knew I'd read about Flamel somewhere," She cleared her throat.
"Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of Dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling."
"Alchemy? Is that where they turn lead into gold?" Rhonda's interest was piqued.
"The original goal was to find the secret to eternal youth. Now we know what section to look in."
"If it isn't there, you can always sneak down with your cloak and check the restricted section."
"Hey, that's true isn't it?" Harry grinned. "Happy Christmas Rhonda."
"Happy Christmas Harry."
A/N: Thank you to all of my loyal readers. Questions, comments, suggestions and helpful feedback are all welcome. I hope this helps explain how they got involved in the search for Nicholas Flamel without Harry having gone to her vault with Hagrid.