Healer Pomfrey,

Thankyou for contacting me. I had my doubts that Albus could protect the Stone better than the goblins but since the vault it was in was broken into the day after Albus had had it removed, I left him to it. I see now that that was either luck on his part or he orchestrated that break-in to reassure me.

Albus appears to have either lost his common sense or be playing a very dangerous game with an item that, in the wrong hands, could be extremely bad for us all. Telling a group of children not go near something is the best way to get them there - we all know that.

I think this reaction from your nephew was what he was aiming for. I will not be upset with Harry for not going after the Stone, rather I would be upset with him if he did. It is not a thing that an eleven year old should handle.

Be rest assured I will give Albus a piece of my mind when I come to the castle to retrieve the Stone. I no longer see him as adequate to guard it. Unfortunately I am in the midst of a rather complicated brewing procedure and so I cannot come for another six days. I hope you can keep the Stone and the students safe until then.

If you could pass on the enclosed letter to Severus Snape, I would be most appreciative.

Regards

Nicolas Flamel
Alchemy Master

Poppy read the letter three times. It was almost as good as she could get. She would tell Harry about what Flamel had said when she next saw him. The Master Alchemist must have also taken the points about Voldemort being in the castle to heart if he had written to Severus, another good thing.

Seeing as she had no patients currently and she was fairly sure that Severus was free now, she would go and see him, give him his letter and discuss the best ways of keeping the school intact over the next week.

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Severus heard a knock on his office door.

"Why does no-one ever realise that a locked door means no entry?" he muttered to himself before getting up to berate the student who had disturbed him. It had to be a Slytherin, no-one else would dare.

He pulled open the door with his finest scowl on his face. "Don't you understand the concept of office hours?" he snapped.

"Since when have you had office hours Severus?" The amusement in Poppy's voice matched that on her face. "I didn't think you cared for anyone who wasn't a Potions genius?" The smirk that followed that comment was almost audible.

Severus turned bright red. Normally his colleagues flooed him, not knocked on his door!

"I am Slytherin Head of House, I am perfectly allowed to let my students ask me questions." Snape retorted with a glare. He stood to one side and allowed Poppy to enter. "What do you want from me this time? Has the golden boy complained about me?"

Poppy chuckled. "Honestly Severus why must you always think the worst of everything? I just came for a chat, and while it involves Harry, he has had nothing but good things to say about his lessons with you."

"Why did you have to knock on my office door then? Why didn't you floo?" Severus's irritation didn't seem to be waning.

"I did not wish to trust carrying these letters through the floo. Are you alright Severus? You're not normally this irritable for so long."

Severus's eyes caught Poppy's hand going to her robes as if she was just dying to get out her wand and cast a diagnostic on him.

"Apologies Poppy. Marking work from incompetent students can do that. Would you care to come through to my quarters for tea?" His voice and posture was apologetic. He may be feeling irritable and slightly under the weather but he'd be damned if he let the mothering medi-witch know that.

"That would be lovely Severus, thankyou."

Sat in his living room watching him pour out the tea gave Poppy some more time to visually examine him. His face was flushed and his eyes bright.

"Severus you don't look well. May I check on you?"

"Poppy, it's just stress from marking. It happens quite often. Let's have our tea and discuss what you wanted."

Poppy sighed. "Very well Severus, if you insist. You know of Harry's nightmare and that I sent a letter to Nicolas Flamel because of it. He sent me one back today, well two actually and he asked me to pass this on to you." She passed him both her letter and the one addressed to him.

Severus quickly scanned the covering letter to Poppy and then opened his own. There were grunts of approval and a few of surprise as he read. Towards the end Severus let out a burst of laughter.

"Well? What does he say?"

"He agrees that the Headmaster probably brought the Stone into the castle when he realised Quirrell was more than he appeared and the boy-who-lived would be starting; whether to draw out the Dark Lord, to test Harry or both he is unsure. He also thinks that the Stone should be removed at the earliest opportunity but neither Quirrell nor Albus told. Then when he comes to collect it to find it "not there" he has even more grounds to berate Albus for his incomptence! I'm sure only the Headmaster's mentor would get away with that!"

"That's all well and good Severus, but do you know what's actually guarding the Stone? I also demand that you take an emergency portkey with you."

Poppy knew that Severus would make sure it was he who retrieved the stone, whether she allowed him or denied him. It was an argument she could not win - she knew the man too well, but she could at least protect him that much.

The two glared at each other for several long moments, each daring the other to defy them, before Snape spoke again.

"Well there's the Cerberus, Devil's Snare, a room full of flying, attacking keys that you have to find exactly the right one of, a giant sized chessboard with animate pieces, a troll, a potions puzzle, a rune maze and then the Mirror of Erised. I think that's the lot."

"Severus how do you know all that?" Poppy was shocked.

"Well my memory isn't that bad and I had the same idea as Master Flamel. Remove the Stone and don't tell anyone. Yesterday wasn't far enough ago for me to forget yet!"

"You went on your own? Without knowing what was there or telling anyone?"

"A first year could have got past those defences Poppy, we all know who Albus set them up for. The runes and potions puzzle might have slowed any first year down but I doubt there would be fewer than three going if they had heard anything about it being stolen - Albus leaving for an emergency in the Ministry would set the alarm bells ringing of a certain Miss Granger don't you think?"

Poppy was quietly seething as Severus set out his case for why he had not told anyone he was going. She was annoyed at the lack of concern Severus showed to his own welfare but the majority of her ire was directed at a certain aged, bearded wizard who had set up this ruse of "protection" just to test her nephew.

"I take it it you were successful then?" she asked.

"Indeed. It is currently very well warded in the top drawer of my desk. Only I may pick it up."

"Show me." That wasn't a request.

Severus got up, a little too fast, and had to steady himself on his chair for a second before moving on. Poppy obviously noticed but decided to keep quiet.

The Stone was a glorious ruby red colour and had flecks of pink visible throughout the translucent gem.

Poppy was speechless at its beauty. "May I use your floo? I think Minerva should see this. We have been asked to keep the castle safe until Master Flamel can come, she needs to know everything."

"Of course Poppy. I shall go and make some more tea."

Privately Severus was glad of an excuse to move rooms so that he could clear the tickle in his throat. Damn having such a cold spring. A pepper-up would clear everything up but that would be a dead giveaway that he wasn't feeling right and Poppy would pounce on that more than she had already. He'd faced the Dark Lord in a worse condition than this, he could handle the meddlesome medi-witch.

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Minerva had just finished her lesson when she was notified of an incoming floo call. That it was Poppy calling from Severus's floo meant only that the conversation would be Harry or Severus. As it was she was right on both counts.

"Good afternoon Poppy. Would you care to come through?"

"I would rather you come here if you don't mind Minerva. I have some sensitive business to discuss that the floo is not suitable for."

Minerva was in Snape's quarters ten seconds later. Poppy took advantage of Snape's continued absence to let her friend know about her worries.

"I wrote to Nicolas Flamel and have been discussing his response with Severus. Severus has already collected the Stone and it is much more protected now than it was by Albus. However I'm sure Severus has come down with something but he maintains it's just stress from marking and being his obstinate self he won't tell me anything. I wondered if you might try?"

"Of course Poppy. Although I doubt I'll have much more success."

Just then Snape re-entered carrying a tea tray. As they sat down Minerva noticed Poppy place a little cube on the table. It was glowing an ominous orange, almost red.

"Good afternoon Severus," Minerva greeted him. She would bet a lot of money that Poppy's Indicator was currently showing Severus's health.

"The stone is no longer in danger. It is warded so that only I can touch it. Neither the Dark Lord nor the Headmaster knows about this and Flamel will be in in six days to get it. Since you are Deputy Head, Poppy wished for you to know all the facts."

"Thankyou Severus. I take it you wish us to depart now that we all know?"

This made Severus look up in shock. That had to be a trap. Poppy was also eyeing the Scottish witch curiously. There was an awkward pause.

"Not at all Minerva, will you stay for tea?" Severus said eventually.

"Gladly."

Minerva took her cup from Severus and drank deeply. Severus knew how to make tea, she had always thought. She was startled by a deep coughing. Seeing a choking Severus she cast the airway relief spell and was treated to a look of gratitude from the dour man. The cube however was now glowing a deep red.

"Severus I think you could do with a glass of water. That airway spell isn't the most pleasant on the throat." Minerva said pointedly.

In the kitchen she turned to him. "What is the matter with you? Both of us can see you're not well and you can't have failed to miss Poppy's Indicator on the table. It doesn't take a genius to work out what deep red means. Pull yourself together Severus and just tell her or you'll find yourself on the receiving end of two witches' wands. You know Poppy always gets what she wants in the end, it's just a matter of how she achieves that end. Now drink." She handed him a glass with a glare.

The cube was fluctuating between red and orange when they returned.

"Poppy I believe Severus has some things he wants to tell you." Minerva glared at the younger wizard.

"I've got a cough from it being such a bloody cold spring. Accio Pepper-Up," he downed the vial in one. "Happy now?"

"Well considering that my Indicator is still glowing orange I would have to say no. Sit and do not move."

A glare and a drawn wand from Minerva made Severus wary so for once he did as he was told.

"Honestly Poppy, this is really not necessary for a cold that I have just taken Pepper-Up for."

"Severus Snape you do not care about your own health and well-being nearly enough. If this is what being a spy does to you I will make sure you stop as soon as I can. For now you have a chest infection which could lead to pneumonia, not "just a cold." Go to bed or I will levitate you through the halls on a stretcher. The choice is yours."

Minerva couldn't help but see traces of herself in that lecture and was smiling slightly by the end.

"It will go away on its own or with Pepper-Up Poppy. It has before and this time will be no different."

That was the wrong thing to say. Poppy fairly dragged him into his bedroom and stuck him to his bed. Lying flat on his back and unable to move a muscle he could do nothing as Poppy ran her wand expertly over his body. His glares were doing no good either and Minerva had silenced him the instant he had tried to protest.

"Let Poppy do her job Severus. I did warn you," was what she had said to him.

"You haven't done yourself too much damage Severus, although that's not to say you wouldn't have done. You need a lung repair potion and rest but you should be as good as new in a few days." She cancelled the spells but stood still blocking the door. "You do not have to stay in bed and fortunately it is Friday so you have no lessons. You are not to do anything strenuous this weekend - do you understand? No unnecessary walking and certainly no running or apparating."

"I am not a student Poppy" he snapped back. "I do not require you to tell me what I can and can't do. However" he held up a hand to placate the angry witches in front of him "if this gets me out of having to write lesson plans for Monday morning then I will acquiesce. Now, are you two satisfied?"

"Perfectly Severus, get well soon. We wouldn't want to disturb your rest!" Minerva smirked and Poppy smiled. "We shall leave by the floo. I imagine Poppy will be down to see you again tomorrow."

"Yes until tomorrow Severus. I shall send you a lung potion later - drink it!"

As the whoosh of the floo made sure the two witches had gone, Serverus let out a genuine smile. He had an entire weekend now to do with as he liked and providing neither of those two witches found out it could be anything at all. Knowing him it would probably be brewing.