Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter only Leo and Fawn
Hey guys, just a quick message before the chapter. I'm starting a discord for this book for questions or just general discussion. This is the link, looking forward to talking to you guys: /SgzQr4VuGe
"Chapter 13 Nicolas Flamel," read Sirius.
"Finally, you're going to find out how Nicolas Flamel is," Fawn said.
Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays the invisibility cloak stayed folded at the bottom of his trunk.
"That's a relief," Lily sighed.
"But boring," James whined. "You can explore the whole castle without anyone even knowing."
Harry wished he could forget what he'd seen in the mirror as easily, but he couldn't. He started having nightmares. Over and over again he dreamed about his parents disappearing in a flash of green light, while a high voice crackled with laughter.
Lily tightened her hold on Harry slightly, as if to protect him from any nightmares he might have.
"You see, Dumbledore was right, that mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Harry told him about these dreams.
Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view of things. She was torn between horror at the idea of Harry being out of bed, roaming the school three nights in a row ('If Filch had caught you!'), and disappointed that he hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.
"You need to pick a side," Remus laughed as Hermione blushed slightly.
Leo, on the other hand, took a different view of things again.
"Of course, he did," Fawn giggled.
He was proud of Harry deciding to roam around the corridors after hours, said he only wished he stayed at Hogwarts so he could have joined him. The only thing was that he didn't want anything to do with was the Mirror of Erised.
"The mirror gives me the creeps," Leo admitted.
He was also disappointed to tell them that his family didn't know who Nicolas Flamel was, but he was excited to show them some of the jinxes his cousin had taught him over break.
The four friends from the future laughed as they remembered their time in empty classrooms practicing the jinxes Leo had learnt. Leo taught them to Jelly-Leg Jinx and it was hilarious to see who could stay standing the longest with extremely unstable legs.
They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks.
"Just look at your chocolate frog card!" Sirius groaned; it was frustrating knowing something when the people you are reading about don't know it.
Harry had even less time than the other three, because Quidditch practice had started again.
"Yes!" James cheered.
Wood was working the team harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasleys complained that Wood was becoming fanatic, but Harry was on Wood's side.
"Good boy! Quidditch is the most important thing!" James praised.
"What about his school work?" Lily asked.
"What about it?" asked James confused.
Lily just huffed and rolled her eyes.
If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the house championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanted to win, Harry found that he had fewer nightmares when he was tired out after training.
"Is it because of the mirror?" Lily asked concerned.
"I think so," Harry said, he wasn't too sure but that was his best guess.
Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just gotten very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall of their brooms.
"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lost us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points of Gryffindor!"
"Snivellus?" James roared in outrage. "He doesn't know a thing about Quidditch! Not only that but he's going to go out of his way to foul Gryffindor for nothing!"
"Get someone who actually knows what they're doing!" Sirius snapped, just as angry as James was.
George Weasley really did fall off his broom at these words.
"Snape's refereeing?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He'd not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin."
"Exactly my point!" James grumbled.
"Why would you even want to referee?" Regulus asked his fellow Slytherin but he was just ignored, it seems that since Regulus has been getting on better with his brother and his friends that Snape didn't want to talk to him anymore, Regulus found that he didn't really care.
The rest of the team landed next to George to complain, too.
"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We've just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excise to pick on us."
"Like that will happen," Remus sniffed.
Which was all very well, Harry thought, but he had another reason for not wanted Snape near him while he was playing Quidditch…
"You do anything to my son and they won't find your pieces!" James threatened.
"Mr Potter!" Professor McGonagall snapped but James just huffed and sat back.
The rest of the team hung back to talk to one another as usual at the end of practice, but Harry headed straight back to the Gryffindor common room, where he found Ron and Hermione playing chess, Leo was relaxing on a couch next to them reading a book on his crossed legs. Chess was the only think Hermione ever lost at, something Harry, Leo and Ron thought was very good for her.
"It's not good to be the best at everything," Leo said wisely.
"You're just annoyed that I beat you in our NEWTS," Hermione sassed.
"Rude," joked Leo.
"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to Leo on the couch, "I need to concen-" He caught sight of Harry's face. "What's the matter with you? You look terrible."
Speaking quietly so that no one else would hear, Harry told the other three about Snapes sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee.
"Don't play," said Hermione at once.
"He can't not play," James protested.
"Say you're ill," said Ron.
"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested.
"Really break your leg," said Ron.
"That's a bit excessive," said Narcissa.
"I'll break it for you" said Leo, not even looking up from his creature book.
"Why are you so violent?" Remus asked.
"I don't know what you mean," said Leo with an innocent smile.
"I can't," said Harry. "There isn't a reserve, Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all."
At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he had managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recognized at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way to the Gryffindor tower.
"Poor Neville," said Lily sympathetically.
"It's always that boy, isn't it?" Andromeda sighed.
Everyone fell over laughing expect Hermione, who leapt up and performed the counter curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling. "What happened?" Hermione asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry, Leo and Ron.
"Malfoy," said Neville shaking. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."
"Of course, it was Malfoy, the little brat," Sirius growled.
"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"
"Do you want to me to something about him?" Leo asked, concerned about his clumsy friend.
"You just want an excuse to fight him, don't you?" Fawn asked the white-haired boy.
"I don't need an excuse to punch Malfoy but Neville doesn't like fighting," Leo shrugged.
Neville shook his head.
"I don't want more trouble," he mumbled.
"You're got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier."
"You could have said that in a nicer way," Peter frowned.
Ron winced but didn't argue, he knew that it came out wrong as soon as he heard what he said.
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that," Neville choked out.
"I did not mean that at all," Ron denied, Neville was as much a Gryffindor as everyone else, maybe even more.
"Gryffindor isn't just about being brave, Neville, chivalry and determination also make up us lions. The number of times you've been knocked down and gotten back up shows a lot of determination if you asked me. You don't need to be brave to a Gryffindor," said Leo with a proud grin as Neville gave a watery sort of chuckle.
"Aw Leo, that is so sweet," Lily gushed as Fawn hugged her son closer to her.
Leo blushed slightly at the praise and hug.
"Very well spoken, Mr Black," Professor McGonagall said proudly.
Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it to Neville, who looked as though he might cry from what Leo had said to him.
"I meant every word," Leo whispered to himself but Fawn and Sirius still heard him and they beamed at their son proudly. They were so happy that their future son was so kind to his friends.
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," Harry said. "The sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin."
"There's nothing wrong with being in Slytherin," Andromeda said offended.
"You're right," Harry admitted. "There are rotten eggs in every house." It took all his will power not to look at Peter in that moment.
Neville's lip twitched into a slightly bigger smile as he unwrapped the frog.
"Thanks, Leo, Harry… I think I'll go to bed… D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"
As Neville walked away, Harry looked at the Famous Wizard card.
"Dumbledore again," he said. "He was the first one I ever- "
He gasped. He stared at the back of the card. Then he looked up at Ron, Leo and Hermione.
"Finally found Nicolas Flamel, have you?" James sniggered.
"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel! I told you I'd read the name somewhere before, I read it on the train coming here- listen to this: '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'!"
Hermione jumped to her feet. She hadn't looked so excited since they'd gotten back the marks for their very first piece of homework.
"You're getting a book, aren't you?" Regulus chuckled as Hermione blushed brightly.
"Stay there!" she said, and she sprinted up the stairs to the girls' dormitories. Harry, Leo and Ron barely had time to exchange mystified looks before she was dashing back, an enormous old book in her arms.
"I never thought to look in here!" she whispered excitedly. "I got this out of the library weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"That's what you call light?" Fawn gasped.
"For Hermione? Yes," Ginny giggled.
"Light?" said Ron, but Hermione told him to be quiet until she'd looked something up, and started flicking frantically through the pages, muttering to herself.
At last, she found what she was looking for.
"I knew it! I knew it!"
"Are we allowed to speak yet?" said Ron grumpily. Hermione ignored him,
"Nicolas Flamel!" said whispered dramatically, "is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!"
"You were right, Lily, Remus!" James said proudly.
"Of course we were," Remus scoffed.
This didn't have quite the effect she'd expected.
"The what?" said Harry, Leo and Ron.
"Oh, honestly, don't you three read? Look- read that, there."
"I'll have you know that I am always reading!" Leo said grasping his chest dramatically.
"Creature books don't count," Ginny said, grinning at Leo's offended look.
She pushed the book toward them, and Harry, Leo and Ron read: the ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers. The stone will transform any metal into pure gold. It also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.
"Which would you rather, infinite gold or immortality?" Sirius asked.
"Immortality," said James and Leo at the same time.
"Gold," Harry, Remus, and Peter said.
The five looked at each other weirdly.
"Why be rich when you can live forever? You'll end up rich anyway," James scoffed.
"Why live forever if you're rich?" Remus said.
"We are not having this discussion right now!" Lily snapped, stopping the five from getting into an argument that would just end up going in circles.
There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicolas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera lover. Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet like Devon with his wife, Perenelle six hundred and fifty-eight).
"That is so old," Peter said shocked, he figured that Nicolas Flamel was old but not that old.
"See?" said Hermione, when Harry, Leo and Ron had finished. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because their friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts!"
"A stone that makes gold and stops you from ever dying!" said Harry. "No wonder Snape's after it! Anyone would want it."
"And no wonder we couldn't find Flamel in the Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry," said Ron. "He's not exactly recent if he's six hundred and sixty-five, is he?"
"And I was right about it being a stone!" said Leo proudly, making the three chuckle.
Everyone chuckled as Leo beamed at everyone.
The next morning in Defence Against the Dark Arts, while coping down different ways of treating werewolf bites, Harry, Leo and Ron were still discussing what they'd do with a Philosopher's Stone if they had one. It wasn't until Ron said he'd buy his own Quidditch team that Harry remembered about Snape and the coming match.
"Please tell me your playing!" James pleaded. "You don't need to be afraid of slimy Snivellus!"
Snape scoffed to himself, he was glad that Potter's brat was scared of him, it was the smartest decision he'll ever make in his life.
"I'm going to play," he told Ron, Leo and Hermione. "If I don't, all the Slytherins will think I'm just too scared to face Snape. I'll show them… it'll really wipe the smiles off their faces if we win."
"Good boy!" James praised.
"Just as long as we're not wiping you off the field," said Hermione.
As the match drew nearer, however, Harry became more and more nervous, whatever he told Leo, Ron and Hermione. The rest of the team wasn't too calm, either. The idea of overtaking Slytherin in the house championship was wonderful, no one had done it for seven years, but would they be allowed to, with such a biased referee.
"I still don't see why you would want to referee Quidditch, you don't even like it that much," Regulus said with a frown but Snape just rolled his eyes and ignored him again.
Harry didn't know whether he was imagining it or not, but he seemed to keep running into Snape wherever he went.
At times, he even wondered whether Snape was following him, trying to catch him on his own, not the Leo would let that happen it seems, he noticed that Snape seemed to be popping up more and more lately.
"Now you're stalking my son," James scoffed.
"Way to be creepy," Sirius added.
"That's enough!" snapped Professor McGonagall.
"I'm just glad that Leo's looking around out for Harry," Fawn sighed.
Potions lessons were turning into a sort of weekly torture, Snape was so horrible to Harry and Leo.
"Leave our kids alone! They haven't done anything to you!" Sirius said angrily, he was getting very annoyed that Snape thought it was okay to bully a bunch of kids have haven't done anything to him.
Could Snape possibly know they'd found out about the Philosopher's Stone? Harry didn't see how he could- yet he sometimes had a horrible feeling that Snape could read minds.
"You don't use that on kids, do you?" Lily asked shocked.
"Use what?" James asked at once, if Snape was doing something to his son he needed to know.
"I wouldn't use it on a kid," Snape reassured Lily but Lily found she didn't believe him.
"What was he using?" James asked again not believing Snape.
"It doesn't matter, he's not doing it so don't worry about it," Lily said soothingly. She would keep Severus's secret until either it was revealed in the books or he used it on her son or the others.
Harry knew, when they wished him good luck outside the locker rooms the next afternoon, Leo, Ron and Hermione were wondering whether they'd see him alive again. This wasn't what you'd call comforting.
"We'd knew we'd see you again, just maybe not in one piece," Ron chuckled.
"Thanks Ron," Harry said sarcastically making everyone laugh.
Harry hardly heard a word of Wood's pep talk as he pulled on his Quidditch robes and picked up his Nimbus Two Thousand.
Leo, Ron and Hermione, meanwhile, had found a place in the stands next to Neville, who couldn't understand why they looked so grim and worried, or why that had both brought their wands to the match.
"Harry Potter protection squad!" Ginny giggled making everyone laugh again as Leo, Ron, and Hermione blushed.
Little did Harry know was that Leo had taught Ron and Hermione the Leg-Locker Curse and they'd been secretly practicing. They'd gotten the idea from Malfoy using it on Neville, and were ready to use it on Snape if he showed any sign of wanted to hurt Harry, Leo seemed almost eager to use the curse on Snape.
"Of course you are," Fawn rolled her eyes fondly.
"Any excuse to curse a git," Leo said proudly.
"Now, don't forget, it's Locomotor Mortis," Hermione muttered as Ron slipped his wand up his sleeve, knowing the Leo knew it perfectly.
"I know,' Ron snapped. 'Don't nag." This got an elbow in the side from Leo.
"Hermione Granger protection squad, one man edition!" Ron grinned.
Hermione and Leo both blushed again as everyone laughed.
Back in the locker room, Wood had taken Harry aside.
"Don't want to pressure you, Potter, but if we ever need an early capture of the Snitch it's now. Finish the game before Snape can favour Hufflepuff too much."
"You can't favour one team if your refereeing! That it so unfair!" Andromeda stated.
"The whole school's out there!" said Fred Weasley, peering out of the door. "Even- blimey- Dumbledore's come to watch!"
"If Dumbledore's there then Snape will have to referee fairly," Narcissa said happily.
Harry's heart did a somersault.
"Dumbledore?" he said, dashing to the door to make sure. Fred was right. There was no mistaking that silver beard.
Harry could have laughed out loud with relief. He was safe. There was simply no way that Snape would dare to try and hurt him if Dumbledore was watching.
Perhaps that was why Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched onto the field, something that Ron noticed, too.
"Aw can't bully a bunch of kids anymore? How sad," Sirius pouted at Snape.
"Show off, Black," Snape snapped.
"I've never seen Snape look so mean," he told Hermione. "Look- they're off. Ouch!"
Someone had poked Ron in the back of the head. It was Malfoy.
"Great, here we go," Peter rolled his eyes.
"Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn't see you there."
Malfoy grinned broadly at Crabbe and Goyle.
"Wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time? Anyone want to bet? What about you, Weasley?"
"Why can' he jus' sit down an' enjoy ter game," Hagrid said gruffly.
Everyone was a little surprised to hear Hagrid say that, he usually didn't have a bad thing to say about anyone.
"Every Hagrid doesn't like the little brat," Remus said amused as Hagrid blushed slightly.
Ron didn't answer; Snape had just awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because George Weasley hit a Bludger at him.
"Should have knocked him off his broom," James grumbled quietly to himself. He could feel Professor McGonagall glaring at him just waiting for him to say something about Snape.
Hermione who had all her fingers crossed in her lap, was squinting fixedly at Harry, who was circling the game like a hawk, looking for the Snitch.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" said Malfoy loudly a few minutes later, as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no reason at all. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasleys who've got no money- you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."
"You rotten little brat!" Remus growled. He got along very well with Frank Longbottom and he hated that Malfoy was such a bully to their son.
"Why did he have to go out of his way to sit near you guys just so he could cause trouble, it's pathetic," said Lily, she was quickly getting fed up with the Malfoy boy.
"I am so sorry," Narcissa said ashamed.
Neville went bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.
"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," he stammered.
"Good boy, Neville! You tell him!" James cheered.
Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle howled with laughter, but Ron, still not daring to take his eyes from the game, said, "You tell him, Neville."
"I guess Slytherin choose their players by how little brain cells they have, surprised you're not on the team, Malfoy, since you only have the one, with those terrible insults," Leo sneered at the blonde.
Sirius roared with laughter, he was so proud of his son for his quick-witted remarks, he obviously got the trait from him.
Malfoy sneered back at Leo before turning away from him. "Longbottom, if brains were gold, you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something."
Ron's nerves were already stretched to the breaking point with anxiety about Harry.
"I'm warning you, Malfoy- one more word- "
"Leo! Ron!" said Hermione suddenly, "Harry- "
"Have you seen the Snitch?" James asked excitedly.
"I did," Harry grinned.
Harry had suddenly gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasped and cheers from the crowd. Hermione stood up, her crossed fingers in her mouth, as Harry streaked toward the ground like a bullet.
"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" said Malfoy.
"Merlin, will he ever not ruin a good moment!" Remus whined.
"Nope," Ron said.
Ron snapped. Before Malfoy knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help. Leo didn't wait even a second and joined the fight, helping Neville fight off Crabbe and Goyle.
"Kick his ass boys!" James and Sirius cheered.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping onto her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape- she didn't even notice Malfoy and Ron rolling around under her seat, or the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Leo, Crabbe, Goyle. Leo had managed to get Goyle into a head lock and was not letting go.
"I love how oblivious you are to the boys right now," Ginny giggled.
"That's my boy!" Sirius whistled as a picture of Leo holding Goyle in a head lock was shown on the screen.
It goes to show just how strong Leo was physically when it was shown that Goyle was at least twice as wide as Leo and a good head taller then them as well but he was still able to get him into a headlock and wasn't struggling to hold on.
Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by inches- the next second, Harry had pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch clasped in his hand.
James, Sirius and Regulus all jumped out of their chairs to cheer. After a moment Regulus paused, he didn't even think before jumping to celebrate with his brother and his best friend, it was a great feeling as Sirius and James both turned to him and beam, pulling him into their direction to continue to cheer with them.
After a moment Professor McGonagall was able to get the three to sit down again, with a small smile on her face the whole time.
Regulus hesitated for a moment before gingerly sitting next to Sirius, who threw his arm around his little brother with a wide smile.
The stands erupted; it had to be a record, no one could even remember the Snitch being caught so quickly.
"That's my son!" Lily beamed with pride.
Harry grinned at his mum, he loved to hear her say that.
"Ron! Leo! Ron! Where are you? The game's over! Harry's won! We've won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down on her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.
Everyone laughed at how happy Hermione was acting, it was good to see her out of her bookworm, perfect student mode and more relaxed.
Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. He couldn't believe it. He'd done it- the game was over; it had barely lasted five minutes. As Gryffindors came spilling onto the field, he saw Snape land nearby, white-faced and tight-lipped- then Harry felt a hand on his shoulder and looked into Dumbledore's smiling face.
"Well done," said Dumbledore quietly, so that only Harry could hear. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror… been keeping busy… excellent…"
"I had completely forgotten about the mirror in that moment," Harry admitted.
"Good," James and Lily said.
Snape spat bitterly on the ground.
"That's disgusting," Narcissa sneered.
Harry left the locker room alone sometime later, to take his Nimbus Two Thousand back to the broom shed. He couldn't ever remember feeling happier. He'd really done something to be proud of now- no one could say he was just a famous name any more. The evening air had never smelled so sweet. He walked over the damp grass, reliving the last hour in his head, which was a happy blur: Gryffindors running to lift him onto their shoulders; Ron and Hermione in the distance, jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed. Leo was grinning widely at him with a spilt lip, the grin made Harry's stomach twist slightly.
"One of the best feelings!" James sighed dreamily.
"What? Being lifted onto people's shoulders to your stomach twisting?" Andromeda asked confused.
"Being lifted up onto everyone's shoulders," James grinned sheepishly. "But the feel of a crush is a pretty good feel as well."
Harry blushed when James said that, he didn't realise that he had started to crush on Leo at point, he thought it started when they went to face Quirrell.
"You had a crush on me at that point?" Leo asked with a teasing grin. "That's gross."
"Shut up," Harry groaned as Leo laughed loudly. "Wait, did you tell me before that started to get a crush on my when we first met Fluffy? That's before I got a crush on you."
Leo grinned widely, "I don't know what you're talking about, this has never come up in a conversation before."
"Liar!" Hermione giggled.
Harry had reached the shed. He leaned against the wooden door and looked up at Hogwarts, with its windows glowing red in the setting sun. Gryffindor in the lead. He'd done it, he'd shown Snape…
And speaking of Snape…
A hooded figure came swiftly down the front steps of the castle. Clearly not wanted to be seen, it walked as fast as possible toward the forbidden forest. Harry's victory faded from his mind as he watched. He recognized the figure's prowling walk. Snape, sneaking into the forest while everyone else was at dinner- what was going on?
"What are you doing?" Remus asked suspiciously.
"How am I supposed to know?" Snape snapped.
Harry jumped back on his Nimbus Two Thousand and took off. Gliding silently over the castle he saw Snape enter the forest at a run. He followed.
"You are so suspicious," Narcissa commented.
The trees were so thick he couldn't see where Snape had gone. He flew in circles, lower and lower, brushing the top branches of trees until he heard voices. He glided toward them and landed noiselessly in a towering beech tree.
He climbed carefully along one of the branches, holding tight to his broomstick, trying to see through the leaves. Below, in a shadowy clearing, stood Snape, but he wasn't along. Quirrell was there, too. Harry couldn't make out the look on his face, but he was stuttering worse than ever. Harry strained to catch what they were saying.
"…d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus…"
"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape, his voice icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."
"Are you two conspiring to steal the stone together?" Fawn gasped, she thought it was Snape who wanted the stone and he'd do it alone, she never thought he'd have help.
"I don't want the stone!" Snape said defensively, but no one believed him.
Harry leaned forward. Quirrell was mumbling something. Snape interrupted him.
"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"
"Fluffy isn' beas'!" Hagrid growled.
"B-b-but Severus, I- "
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step toward him.
"Threatening the most pathetic person at Hogwarts? How low," James scoffed.
"I-I don't know what you- "
"You know perfectly well what I mean."
And owl hooted loudly, and Harry nearly fell out of the tree. He steadied himself in time to hear Snape say, "- your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."
"B-but I d-d-don't- "
"You say you don't want the stone but it really sounds you do," said Regulus.
"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."
"They won't be with you!" Remus said.
He threw his cloak over his head and strode out of the clearing. It was almost dark now, but Harry could see Quirrell, standing quite still as though he was petrified.
"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione squeaked.
"We won! You won! We won!" shouted Ron, thumping Harry on the back. "And I gave Malfoy a black eye, and Neville tried to take on Crabbe and Goyle singled handed! Well, until Leo jumped in and took on Goyle, he broke his nose and took out a few teeth! Neville's still out cold but Madam Pomfrey says he'll be all right- talk about showing Slytherin! Everyone's waiting for you in the common room, we're having a party, Fred and George stole some cakes and stuff from the kitchens. Leo went with them to find out how to get into the kitchens."
"I'm so proud of you," Sirius gushed. "Not only defending you friends but discovering the secrets of Hogwarts."
Leo laughed as Sirius pretended to wipe a tear away.
"Never mind that now," said Harry breathlessly. "Let's find an empty room, you wait 'til you hear this… I'll have to tell Leo later…"
He made sure Peeves wasn't inside before shutting the door behind them, then he told them what he'd seen and heard.
"So, we were right, it is the Philosopher's Stone, and Snape's trying to force Quirrell to help him get it. He asked if he knew how to get past Fluffy- and he said something about Quirrell's hocus pocus- I reckon there are other things guarding the stone apart from Fluffy, loads of enchantments, probably, and Quirrell would have done some anti-Dark Arts spell that Snape needs to break through- "
"If one of them is Professor McGonagall's then he's not getting past that," James said.
Harry exchanged looks with his friends but didn't say anything.
"'So, you mean the Stone's only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?" said Hermione in alarm.
"It'll be gone by next Tuesday," said Ron.
"Surprised it isn't gone already," Sirius said. "That's the end of the chapter, who's reading next?"
"I want to read again," Remus said taking the book from Sirius. "Chapter Fourteen: Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback. Merlin this chapter is about a dragon."
"It's Hagrid's," James said at once.