Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter

A/N: Words in bold italics are from Philosopher's Stone/Sorcerer's Stone.

The Burrow

Ginny sat in her room, playing with a few of her dolls. She was still thinking about what her Mum had said. Harry was betrothed to marry Daphne Greengrass. Ginny still couldn't believe that in the space of a few minutes all her dreams and hopes had been crushed. Ginny didn't want anyone else. She wanted Harry Potter, Hero of the wizarding world, and slayer of the He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Her mother had brought her up on all his stories and adventures. Ginny saw herself as the princess in the various stories and being rescued by Harry, racing across the wasteland on his white steed, slaying dragons and monsters that got in his way from rescuing her. She giggled as she dreamed about being rescued from her tower and being pulled up onto his mighty white horse. Harry then wrapped his arms around her. The giggles and sighs soon turned to growls, as she came back to reality; realizing all those dreams were now lost, Thanks to a certain bitch called Greengrass. She walked to her bed and started to read through a book her mum had given her. It was book of family spells and potions. One section seemed to catch her attention more than the rest, and that was the section on love potion. Of course she was too young to brew it at the moment, but when the time came, then she would brew it and feed it to Harry. Making him fall madly in love with her. She held the book to her chest then fell back onto the bed. Unknown to her someone was watching her from the outside.

"You think so Miss Weasley. Well we will see about that."

Hogwarts.

Harry was laid by the lake watching the giant squid playing, when he saw Penelope walking with some of her friends. He closed his eyes and did not notice that she had seen him and had broken off from her group to walk towards him. Harry was enjoying the sun when felt a shadow appear in front of him blocking the rays. He opened his eyes to see Penelope smiling at him. He sat up and offered her a seat next to him.

The fifth year Ravenclaw sat down next to her rescuer. Turning to Harry she began to speak to him.

"Lord Potter, I just want to say thank you for all you are doing here at Hogwarts. I have been coming here for five years and it is only this year that nothing seems boring. However, your changes have made a big improvement to the school in general. I also wanted to thank you personally for rescuing me last night. Had you not arrived or sent Peeves to help me, then I don't want to think what would have happened to me."

Harry noticed that the older girl was beginning to cry, so he did the only thing he could think of; he allowed her to rest her head on his shoulder. Of course he was getting some strange glares from the other students. The girls seem to be giggling to each other and pointing towards the both of them. However, the older boys seemed to glaring daggers at Harry for having one of the best looking fifth years crying on his shoulder. Harry decided to ignore them. The last thing he needed was stupid, jealous boys making something out of nothing. Harry waited till Penelope had finished crying; he then lifted her head and looked into her blue eyes and spoke gently.

"Penelope, you have nothing to be thankful for. I was just doing what anyone else would have done. Just to let you know I received a letter from the ministry saying I would have to attend the trial of the five boys as a witness. I am guessing you received the same letter?"

Penelope just nodded.

"Okay, well, I just wanted to let you know I will be sending my proxy orders to press for the highest penalty available for their crimes. I just hope this will serve as a warning to all those who think they can get away with such a cowardly, disgusting crime. Now if you'll excuse me I have to go meet Daphne."

Just before Harry stood up Penelope kissed him on the cheek.

"Thanks again Harry, and Daphne is one lucky girl to have you as an intended husband." With those last words she got up and ran over to her group. This left Harry blushing as he made his way to the library to meet up with Daphne and the other girls.

Headmaster's Office

Dumbledore looked out of his window on the scene that had just happened. It seemed Harry was going to be a bigger problem than he first thought. Suddenly the fire turned green and a stubby man walked out of the fire.

"Good afternoon, Albus."

Albus smiled. "Good afternoon Harris, tell me did you find out anything on the Greengrass' that I could use against them, to get custody of Harry?"

The stubby, little man pulled out a folder. "I am afraid not, Albus. They seem to be clean, not one offence against their name. I am still puzzled why you want me to try and dig up dirt on the Ancient house of Greengrass? After all, if I was ever discovered doing this, it would be my job on the line."

Dumbledore turned to Harris. "My reason are my own, after all you are being paid well and have the head of the Wizengamot in your corner. Even if you are caught then I will protect you. Now go back to the ministry and keep your ears open for any news regarding Lord Greengrass."

Harris bowed then threw some floo powder into the fire and vanished. Once he had left Albus picked up one of the silver devices on his shelf and threw it against one of the walls. The sorting hat looked at the headmaster disgusted. However, his familiar just sang a sad song, wondering when his master started to stroll down the path of darkness.

Three weeks later

Library

The four friends were sitting at a small circular table going over there notes from Potions in preparation for end of term exams. Snape, after Harry's speech, seemed to lighten up on the students. Hermione was going over all of their assignment to make sure that the information was to Snape's liking. It really wasn't necessary, but the bushy haired brunette just wanted to edit their work.

As Hermione finished up on the last essay Harry was looking at a book from the Greengrass library about magical historical figures and one person's deeds seemed to slap him in the face. The deeds of one Nicholas Flamel screamed for his attention. The man was the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone: an instrument that could turn any metal into pure gold, cure any ailment, and create an elixir that could stop a person from aging. If the dark figure he saw in the forest was in the castle it would be something like this that it would be after.

"Guys, I think we need to go to third floor corridor tonight." Harry said quietly. His voice carried more than its fair share of fear and trepidation.

"What is wrong, love?" Daphne asked looking over his shoulder.

"If what I fear is true then Dumbledore has stored a great historical artifact in the castle that would lure Voldemort here for it and, from the looks of it, me." He added the last part after he considered what Death had told him all those weeks ago. Dumbledore had not said a word to him after the incident with Miss Clearwater, but the old man seemed to harbor a disdain for him.

"Harry, it is against the rules to go on the third floor, and didn't you hear what Dumbledore said about it? It's dangerous." Hermione was a steadfast about the rules while normally that was a good thing, but now was not the time to follow the rules.

"Hermione just read this and see if you want Dumbledore or Quirrell next to this thing." Harry slid the book over to her. He watched as she read the section on Flamel, and the look of horror on her face told the story.

Harry had been teaching Hermione Occlumency for a few weeks now. He had tested her shields a few days ago and could see that someone had been trying to break through them, if wasn't him so that only left two suspects. While Harry had been teaching Hermione Occlumency he had been learning its opposite, and could now enter most people's minds. However unlike Dumbledore and Snape, he asked permission beforehand. Harry could guess what information they had both been after. He then noticed Hermione bite her bottom lip, after she had finished reading the passage Harry pointed out.

"So will you be outside of Gryffindor tower tonight?" Harry asked after Hermione read the information from the book.

"Yes." Hermione conceded Harry's point after thinking of the impact the stone would have.

Later that night

Harry and company were making their way down third floor corridor. He had discussed with his friends under a privacy ward what they were going to do about the three headed dog. His initial thought was to stun the poor beast into submission, but Daphne thought they should give the old adage "music soothes the soul of the savage beast" a try. Harry was willing to try anything once, but he told them to float and activate the thing outside the room. He also suggested that they stand behind him in case the beast wasn't subdued. He didn't want to kill the thing, but if it threatened Daphne he was prepared to tear the thing apart.

Once outside the door Tracey took out her miniaturized piano, and enchanted it to play a really long waltz. Harry put a silencing charm up in the area to divert the attention of Filch. Hermione unlocked the door and everyone held their breath, and hoped for the best. Once Harry could see the thing the dog seemed to be yawning and lowering its heads. After they were certain the thing was asleep they moved into the room.

Harry, Daphne, and Hermione moved the paw that was blocking the trapdoor. Once the door was open the four of them looked down the hole. It seemed as if it was cloaked in darkness.

"Well, Harry, this looks like your first challenge." Daphne said in a sweet tone of voice.

"What do you mean, my love?" Harry looked up from the dark hole to look at Daphne.

"We are girls," she gestured to herself and the other two females in the room. "…and since you are a boy you get to be the brave soul who goes first."

Harry looked at his other two friends, and the looks on their faces the other two girls were in agreement with her. Harry let out a sigh of defeat. He looked back down the hole and hoped it didn't go down that far.

Harry nervously made his way to the edge of the hole, before lowering himself down into it.

"See you in a minute, I hope." Harry then let go and started to fall. However, he suddenly found his fall cushioned by something. It was pitch black in the room and the only light he could see was coming from the hole he had just climbed down.

"It's okay." Just as Harry had given the all clear he suddenly felt himself move. It was then he found himself fighting against various vines trying to ensnare him. "Scratch that, it's not okay!" However it was too late the others had already began to follow him down.

Daphne arrived first, then Tracey, and finally Hermione. Once they were all down there Harry warned them he was going to turn on some lights. As soon as he did the floor they had been standing on gave way, and just as Harry was thinking he had doomed them all they landed on another floor.

"What the hell was that thing?" Tracey asked in bewilderment.

"It must have been Devil's Snare." Hermione said. She looked over at Harry. "Good thing you found the lights Harry."

"Yeah I'll say that was bloody brilliant." Tracey said.

"Tracey!" the other two girls said as one. "Don't you dare use that phrase, that's what the redhead garbage bin says." Hermione shuddered in disgust.

Harry cast a small globe of light to float just above where the Devil's Snare once was. "I don't want that thing blocking our exit." He looked down the corridor. "Come on guys let's keep moving."

As they moved down the corridor they could hear the steady drip of water. They suddenly found the path seemed to slant downwards. They could hear the sound of the wind whistling. Harry thought this was most odd, as there was no wind down here. Their progress was suddenly stopped by a huge wooden door.

"Can you hear something?" Hermione asked.

Harry listened, and put his ear to the door. The noise was definitely coming from this room. Harry turned to the others giving them a confused look. "Almost sounds like wings." Harry then opened the door and walked in followed by the other three.

The room had a very high ceiling. Harry then looked up to see what looked like hundreds of small birds flying around the room. These birds didn't look right to Harry. He could place his finger on it, but nothing about this looked right to him. In one corner there were two brooms, and at the other end of the room was an old door that Tracey and Hermione were trying to open. When it seemed like they were having no success he once again turned back to the birds. When one came close enough for him to get a better look at his eyes went wide. These things were not birds; they were keys!

"What does the lock look like, girls?" He asked in a hurried expression.

"It's old and rusted, why do you ask?" Hermione retorted.

"These things aren't birds. Look, they're keys." He said as he walked over to look at the lock. It was old and rusted like Hermione said. It looked more like a prison lock than a modern day door lock. Without waiting for the girls to ask what he was doing he turned into a peregrine falcon and took to the air. He started flying through the "flock" of keys looking for an old rusted key. It took him several passes and who knows how many minutes to find the stupid thing, but when he did he jetted after the thing, and being the fastest member of animal kingdom helped. The down side to this is he had to catch the bloody thing with his talons and hope it didn't break free when he landed.

After landing on Daphne's shoulder he stuck out the leg that was holding the key.

"Good, birdie." Daphne said as she patted Harry on the head.

Harry just shook his head. Once he returned to normal they walked through newly open door. The next two puzzles were easy. One being a massive game of wizard chess; the one after that was meaningless seeing as it was a dead troll. The one that followed that was a potion test designed to leave room for only one person to proceed. Once inside the final room Harry found himself standing in front of a mirror. Once there he felt a weight grow in his pocket. He felt inside it and found that he now held the thing that the old coot had hidden, and thus endangering the entire school.

Once he returned to his friends at the entrance of the foolish security system he found them standing around the body of their DADA teacher Professor Quirrell.

"What happened?" He asked the frightened girls.

"We were waiting for you when we heard this screaming." Hermione pointed to the still bleeding head of Quirrell. "We stepped aside thinking it was Dumbledore, and then he collided with the ground and well…" She started to sob.

Harry went and checked his pulse. He had none. Harry let out a soft sigh. "Come on, girls, there is nothing we can do for him, and if we take him to Pomfrey Dumbles will know what we've done." When Hermione looked at him Harry clarified. "I will get one of the house elves to tell the old man where to find this fool."

With that Harry told the girls to hold on to one another, and he turned into a phoenix and proceeded to carry them out of this "high security vault." He would also write a letter telling Mr Flamel where to pick up his stone. It would make for an interesting Christmas visitor that's for sure.

Big Thank you to HowlnMadHowie for proof reading this chapter.