Chapter 6
Soon enough the holidays were over and Hermione came back to Hogwarts with the rest of the students. The bushy haired witch was dejected to learn that Harry and Ron had made no progress regarding Nicolas Flamel. They were in the room of requirement when Angela handed them a chocolate frog card.
"Dumbledore's card? Why are you giving me this Eli?" asked Harry, completely puzzled.
She let out a small laugh, "Read it Ry'."
He started reading out loud "Considered by many 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," his eyes lit up "and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel."
"Blimey, it was right under our nose all this time." swore Ron.
"So we know Flamel is an alchemist, then what?" asked Harry.
Angela sat more comfortably in her beanbag and replied "Hermione could probably find it in one of her light reading books but Flamel created the Philosopher's stone. He's over 600 years old along with his wife. The Stone grants the Elixir of Life and the ability to turn any metal into gold. So basically eternal life and wealth."
"Yes, Fluffy guarding the Stone would definitely make sense!" exclaimed Hermione.
"Fluffy is not the only obstacle, each professor from the main courses added their own defenses." added the slytherin with a shrug.
"So McGonagall, Sprout, Snape, Flitwick and Quirrell?"
"Probably along with a final protection from Dumbledore himself." She nodded.
"But who would want to steal the Stone?" asked Harry.
"Who would need it?" she shot back.
There was a moment of silence before Harry's eyes widened.
"Voldemort" he blurted out.
"Mate, You-know-who is dead, you defeated him, remember?" said Ron, flinching when Harry said the name.
Angela snorted "MoldyShort ain't dead Ron. Not completely, it takes more than this to get rid of him unfortunately."
"So I'm right, it's really Voldemort who is after the Stone? But he can't get inside Hogwarts can he?"
The dark haired girl took a moment to think about what to tell them. "He doesn't have a body of his own so technically he is limited in what he can and can't do, he needs someone else to do it for him."
"Then who would steal the Stone for him?"
"Snape!" Blurted Ron before yelping when a stinging hex shot from Angela's wand.
"Cousin Severus was a spy, he wouldn't want to resurrect MoldyShorts. Hell I'm willing to swear on my magic that it's not him. He may look the part but he isn't really a bad person."
Harry nodded along after a bit of consideration, remembering seeing Angela hug the man and the obvious fondness he had for the girl.
"I don't trust professor Snape but I trust you and professor Dumbledore, Angie. Said Hermione, earning a hug from the other girl.
"Thank you Hermy, it means a lot!"
"Do you know who is going to try to give him the Stone Eli?"
Harry was looking at her and in front of his green eyes she couldn't lie. Her hair turned a dull gray as she nodded slowly.
"I know who it is but I promised not to tell you, Dumbledore and cousin Severus already know or at least suspect it for the Headmaster." She lowered her eyes and mumbled "I'm sorry." unable to look any of them in the eyes.
"Is that person a danger for the students?" demanded Hermione.
Angela shook her head immediately. "No, they only want the Stone, as long as no one tries to stop them, everyone else is safe. Plus they wouldn't do anything under Dumbledore's nose."
"So if professor Dumbledore ever leaves we just need to make sure that no one gets to the stone."
The other three nodded, it seemed like a plan to them.
oOoOo
For the upcoming Gryffindor vs Hufflepuff match, Hermione and Angela had taught Harry how to use the spell "Impervious" in case it was raining that day. Snape being the one to be the referee for that match, Harry had been quite nervous but Angela had slipped him some calming draught laced juice here and there, mindful of the quantities.
After he won the match, Harry had followed the potion professor and overheard him warning Quirrell. A lightbulb lit up in his head. Snape knew who was Voldemort's servant and now he was threatening the defense professor. There was only one conclusion to make and Harry flew back as fast as he could, looking for Angela. Eventually, he got out of her that it was indeed Quirrell while grumbling about eavesdropping brothers and careless cousins under her breath.
In the following weeks, Hermione and Angela had been planning revision for the end of term exams while Ron and Harry kept an eye on Quirrell who seemed to be losing weight and colors as the days went. The teachers seemed to agree with the girls because they were soon submerged in homework. It was during one of their library study sessions that they saw Hagrid acting all suspicious in the dragon section.
"I hope you gave up on Nicolas Flamel." told them the gatekeeper.
"Already knew who he was, Hagrid, and already told them. We know what Fluffy is guarding."
"Shhhh!" The half giant shushed her harshly before lowering himself toward them. "Not here, come visit me later. I'm not promising anything but stop talking about it, you're not supposed to know! People will think I'm the one who told you!"
The four nodded and saluted him as he left the library, books in his hand.
Barely an hour later they were in front of his hut, ready to knock on the door. Hagrid let them enter in what was best described as a furnace with how hot it was to Hermione's flattery, Hagrid confirmed what Angela had said about the professors guarding the Stone. The gatekeeper was bragging of being the only one to know how to go past Fluffy when Ron pointed out the egg in the fireplace. The quartet attempted to talk him out of keeping a dragon but there was nothing to be done, the half-giant would not let go of the egg. Angela expected that result but she was still disappointed. It meant that there would be no escaping detention in the Forbidden Forest unless a miracle happened.
A few days later they received a note from Hagrid saying "It's hatching.". Of course Ron wanted to go right away but the other three convinced him to go after their first lesson block. When they arrived, the hatchling was almost out. Angela couldn't help but squeal as her hair turned a bright pink shade. She loved reptiles and a baby dragon was absolutely adorable in her book. Hagrid tried to pet it but the little dragon growled at him and showed its tiny fangs.
"Look at him, he recognises his mommy!" cheered the half-giant.
"Actually it's a she, Hagrid." interrupted Angela who was still as excited about the little creature.
"Oh, my bad, my bad…" before he had the time to say anything else he jumped on his feet and closed the curtains hastily.
"Hagrid, what's wrong?" asked Hermione, confused.
"Someone saw us, a boy, he's going back to the castle."
Harry ran to the door but Angela already knew what had happened. Her hair changed from pink to gray.
"I'm sorry, Dray must have followed me…" she apologized in a whisper.
"It's not your fault Eli! Malfoy is a prat, he would have followed us even without you!" Harry reassured her, giving her a side hug for comfort.
During the next few days Draco's knowing grin made the Trio anxious until Angela would cuff him on the back of his head. The blond would look contrit under the girl's glower. There was no doubt to them that he would have already prattled about the dragon if Angela wasn't here to stop him. The four tried unsuccessfully to get Hagrid to release or send away Adalinda but the dragon was getting big enough to do some serious damage. After Ron got bitten Angela convinced them to ask Severus to help them get the dragon to Charlie Weasley. They wrote to Ron's brother and with Dumbledore's intervention along with the potion master they managed to retrieve Adalinda from a heartbroken Hagrid. Draco looked sullen and gave the cold shoulder to Angela for a few days when he found out that the dragon was no longer there and the gatekeeper wasn't in trouble.
oOoOo
After the dragon everything was back to calm and they focused on their end of term exams. Ron was unhappy about that but they hadn't much choice in the matter. Thankfully Hermione and Angela's revision plan helped them to pass the exams without being too worried about their results. The only issue was Harry's steady headache that refused to leave him, a warning of Voldemort's proximity. When the boy brought up his concerns, Angela half-admitted that it was because the dark lord was preparing to strike. She just couldn't lie to him no matter what.
When he told them he wanted to go visit Hagrid, the slytherin girl shook her head.
"No need to visit him, he told the one who gave him the dragon how to go past Fluffy. The key is music. Remember how I put it to sleep when we faced him?"
They tried going to professor McGonagall since they couldn't find the Headmaster but the stern witch dismissed them quickly and informed them that Dumbledore wasn't even in the castle, making Angela growl under her breath. She could understand the professor was busy but dismissing worried students was definitely not the way to go, especially for a matter that serious.
They went out to enjoy the sun and plan how they would go that evening to fetch the stone before Quirrell. The Trio would use the invisibility cloak while Angela would sneak out of the dungeon to Severus's quarter. They would go ahead and she would bring the professor with her as a support and to keep them out of trouble. They spent that afternoon practicing Lumos Solem after the slytherin told them they would need the spell for the first obstacle.
That evening the Golden Trio sat on their own and waited for the common room to empty before they went with the plan. They had to stun Neville but they had no other choice as the stubborn boy was determined to not let them go after their last adventure when they first met the cerberus.
When Angela and Severus reached the trapdoor, Severus charming the harp to keep playing so that Fluffy wouldn't wake up, Harry and Hermione were solving the potion master's puzzle. Angela jumped along the potion master, her arms wrapped around him due to her fear of heights. Free falling wasn't exactly something she enjoyed. They both kept still and relaxed in the Devil's snare's grasp, falling through easily.
The room with the keys had the door still open so they went ahead and Severus conjured a stretcher for Ron at the same time Hermione came back.
"Hermy! Harry went ahead?"
"Angie! Professor Snape! Yes, Harry went ahead on his own, please professor you have to help him, he's probably facing You-Know-Who alone!" The bushy haired witch was completely panicked.
"Calm down Miss Granger, I will take care of Mr Potter. You two wait for me here, do not move from this spot." sneered the potion professor.
"Wait cousin Severus! You can't go like that! Harry will win but Voldemort's wraith must not see you or else when he manages to come back he won't trust you and will kill you!" protested vehemently Angela, taking place in front of the door to go further with a determined glint in her eyes.
"Move aside brat, I am the adult, I know what I can and cannot do. It is not your role to try and protect me Angela."
But not even Severus's glare made her move. She stood stubbornly and defiantly. "I won't let you go, I don't care. I swore I would save you so I'm not letting you throw away your life. Harry will be victorious and unharmed thanks to Lily's protection!"
"Angela, if you do not move I will give you detention everyday until the end of the term."
"Try me."
She refused to budge so the potion professor had to stupefy her, catching her before she hit the ground. He put her on a stretcher next to Ron.
"Miss Granger, you are to keep an eye on both of them until my return with your friend, do not attempt anything stupid."
Hermione could only nod, shocked by Angela's display of defiance toward a professor. Fortunately for the slytherin, she had stalled long enough for Harry to defeat the wraith. When Snape arrived in the room, Harry was on his knees in front of a pile of clothes and ashes, his hands covered in blisters. The potion master caught him before he could faint and carried him back to the other three. He unstupefied Angela and looked at her sternly.
"Can I trust you to obey me now?" he drawled.
"Cousin Severus, did he see you!? Why did you go!? Oh my god we're so screwed, I shouldn't have brought you here…" Angela was quickly working herself into a panic until the professor handed her a calming draught that she gulped, apologizing quietly for the scene.
After Severus reassured his panicked younger cousin, they left and went to the hospital wing, everyone getting checked up by a fussing Madam Pomfrey, even Angela who wasn't injured. They ended up staying the night and the potion professor had sent a patronus to Albus who came to visit as soon as he could, the next morning.
"Professor! What happened to the Stone, is it safe?" Of course the Stone was Harry's first worry and thus his first question.
"The Stone has been destroyed, my boy. No one will be able to use it ever again."
Harry blanched and took Angela's hand to reassure himself. "But professor, if the Stone has been destroyed then what will happen to the Flamels? Don't they need the Stone to stay alive?"
The Headmaster looked at the boy kindly. "I have talked with Nicolas and we both decided it was for the best. Fear not, they have enough elixir to get their affairs in order before leaving for their next grand adventure."
The boy looked down on his hand and whispered his next question "How about Voldemort? What happened to him?"
Angela exchanged a look with Albus and the old man nodded so she took over. "Thanks to old magic created by your mother's willing sacrifice to protect you, MoldyShort can't touch you, Ry'. I think you noticed that direct contact must have hurt him and forced him to flee from Quirrell's head." She paused and squeezed his hand gently. "Quirrell was already half-dead due to the possession, he didn't survive MoldyShort leaving him. As for the wraith… MoldyShort is weakened once more but still alive. You managed to stop his plan so he will need a new one before we hear from him again."
"It's not the last time I will fight him."
It wasn't a question, Harry recognised that he would be facing the dark lord again for he would never let go of him after he successfully defeated him twice.
The slytherin nodded "It's not, but you won't face him alone. And we'll make sure to be better prepared next time."
The gryffindor leaned against her side, whispering a quiet thank you to his sister that she brushed off as the headmaster left the hospital wing. Once they were only the four of them once more, Harry confronted her.
"You knew."
She chuckled darkly, her hair falling in front of her lowered face. "Of course I knew. I knew he would act at that moment. I knew Ron would get slightly injured facing the Chess board. I knew you would face him there. I knew you would get the Stone. I knew you would win and defeat him with only minor injuries. I knew Dumbledore would destroy the Stone. I knew it all right from the start…"
"Why didn't you say anything? I deserve to know! I could have trained harder to be able to face him! We could have made sure Ron didn't get injured!"
"What good would it have done to know? No amount of training could have prepared you to fight him at 11, Ry'!" she shot back. "That man has over fifty years of experience behind him, your only hope was your mother's protection! As for Ron, I'm sorry but I don't see how we could have prevented his injury unless you can predict a full chess game…"
She paused and brought her knees to her chest, laying her head on top of them. "I'm scared Ry'. The future I know is a future where you go through incredible ordeals but you manage to exit them victorious and alive. What if I say something I shouldn't and I put you in danger in my selfish wish to see those ordeals being easier for you? What if you died because I couldn't keep my trap shut? I know one future, but each decision taken creates a new possibility, a new future that I know nothing of and it's scaring me because I don't want to lose my one and only brother!"
By the time she was finished, tears were falling freely on her face, her hair changing between gray and dark green, torn between fear and guilt. The three gryffindors embraced her, whispering sweet reassurance to her that everything would be alright. They might not like the fact that she didn't share her knowledge but they could understand her dilemma.
oOoOo
After one last exam from Madam Pomfrey, the four of them were allowed to leave the hospital wing to join the Great Hall for the end-of-year feast. They split once they penetrated the Slytherin themed hall, each going to their table, Angela joining Draco who berated her for worrying him, making her chuckle and give him a brief hug that only embarrassed the poor boy.
Dumbledore chose that moment to start talking "Another year gone!" he said cheerfully. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were... you have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts."
He paused to smile at them. "It is now time to award the House Cup! In fourth place with 352 points : Hufflepuff! In third place with 426 points : Ravenclaw! In second place with 462 points : Gryffindor! And in first place with 472 points : Slytherin!"
The Slytherin table became loud with applause and victory shouts although Harry noticed Angela shaking her head and preventing Draco from celebrating already.
"Yes, yes, Slytherin, very good." resumed Dumbledore "However, recent events must be taken into account. And I have a few last-minute points to award."
That single sentence reduced the green and silver table to silence.
"I have some last minute points to award, let's start with Mr. Ronald Weasley, for the best-played game of chess that Hogwarts has seen these many years, 50 points."
Ron flushed while the Gryffindor table cheered loudly.
"To Miss Hermione Granger, for the cool use of intellect while others were in grave peril, 50 points."
Hermione had hidden her face to hide the tears of joy while Gryffindors cheered once more.
The silence came back when the Headmaster opened his mouth "To Mr. Harry Potter, for pure nerve and outstanding courage. I award Gryffindor house 60 points."
The Gryffindor table was celebrating loudly, they were far in front of Slytherin and the Headmaster didn't seem to be done yet.
"It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to your enemies, but a great deal more to stand up to your friends. I award 10 points to Neville Longbottom."
His gaze went back to the slytherin table and he nodded to Angela.
"Finally, to Miss Angela Schiffer, for the ability to keep calm and know when to rely on the help of someone more experienced as well as unwaverable loyalty, I award 50 points to Slytherin! Now, assuming that my calculations are correct I believe that a change of decoration is in order."
The final score was 522 to 632 in favor of Gryffindor, the Headmaster waved his wand and all the green and silver was replaced by red and gold under the thunderous applause of the lion's table. Angela had to shake Draco out of his stupor, the blond boy pale and stiff at the defeat of his house.
Their end-of-term exams' results arrived the next day and the four were happy that they all did well. Harry was especially surprised about his EE in potion and thanked profusely Angela for her help during the school year. Hermione had the best result but the slytherin girl wasn't too far behind as she complained that she had been the one fronting during the transfiguration exam and that Nox would have gotten an O for sure unlike her EE.
The train ride home was filled with promises to write and visit each other, Angela swearing to Harry that she would come to see him at the Dursley at some point and to send him Morte as often as she could. She warned him that if he saw any weird creature, to agree to what they were asking to placate them even if he had to lie and to not worry if he didn't receive letters before his birthday. When Harry asked if it was her knowledge about the future, she just nodded and made sure to tell him how much she cared for him and to not believe for a second that she would ever give up on him.