Waking up in the infirmary was no surprise. The troll had dealt quite the blow and my moving about in an attempt to help the bumbling Gryffindors only aggravated my injuries. Madam Pomfrey wanted to be the first to have a go at scolding me but upon waking she merely huffed, pointed her nose in the air, and muttered that I had a visitor. McGonagall apparently, would have the first round and I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

"What the devil were you thinking?" She spat harshly once seated at my bedside. "Of all the ridiculous things I've seen you do—"

"Are the students okay?" I cut her off, peeking open an eye tiredly.

She frowned, silently staring back at me before letting out a sigh and calming down. "All three students are physically fine. I can only assume how they might be feeling after having seen your injuries, however."

Madam Pomfrey had overheard and spoke up from where she was preparing my pain medication. "Several broken ribs, bruised internal organs, a gash across one arm, and a torn ACL in your knee. Oh, and let us not mention the malnutrition, sleep deprivation, and obvious lack of self-care when running about the castle chasing trolls of all things!"

I was too exhausted to argue with her and didn't want the trio to be in any more trouble than they already were. It was apparent that at least one of them was there by accident (the young witch) and the other two had rushed to find her in their concern. While they failed to run when I told them to, they still ended up helping me and it was my own fault that I had ended up injured in the first place.

"Apologies," I muttered, getting another glare from Madam Pomfrey as McGonagall pressed her fingers to her eyes.

"This is not something a mere apology can fix, Farlan. Three students were put at risk, a troll was let loose in the castle dungeons, and you were nearly killed had those students not happened upon some luck. What were you doing down there? You should have been attending the feast."

"I don't know."

She shot me an annoyed look but I knew I was more likely to get in trouble with Madam Pomfrey over this than her.

"I don't remember. I was in the dungeon with an arm full of books. How I got there, why, where the books came from, I can't recall. It's… been a long week."

Her scowl shifted to something more concerning and her gaze snapped over to Madam Pomfrey who was abruptly at my side with her wand out.

"Has this occurred before?" She questioned, going fully into healer mode. "How much sleep have you been getting? Headaches? Are you eating properly?" She paused for half a second with a semi-knowing gaze. "Have you been outside for more than a few minutes?"

She's not going to like this… "Hasn't happened before now that I can recall. I haven't been sleeping well. Headaches are frequent, especially with legilimency. I do attempt to eat at meals but occasionally lose track of time, and… it's cold outside."

The look on her face made the chilly October weather look like a summer vacation and I pointedly kept my gaze firmly in the other direction. Her hand dropped my wrist and she walked calmly back to where she had been preparing medication as she spoke sharply.

"I will make you a schedule that you will keep after speaking with the headmaster about significantly limiting your studies."

I opened my mouth to protest but she gave me no chance.

"All movements will be monitored as needed and I will hear nothing of it from you after this incident Mr. Daggrow. Is that understood?"

Things had gone too far this time and begrudgingly, I bowed my head. "Yes, ma'am."

She huffed and then placed three vials on my bedside table along with a tray holding a bowl and cup. "Green vial for pain. Clear for healing. Black for sleep and all the food best be gone by the time I return."

I nodded and she scuttled off, drawing the curtains closed to leave McGonagall and me some privacy. I took the healing potion first and left the other two for now, moving the food tray over so I could occupy my hands while McGonagall continued her scolding. Though, she appeared to have calmed significantly since the start.

"I wouldn't have expected you to get caught unawares by a troll," she hummed, watching me eat my stew as fast as my injuries would allow. "Given your experience with creatures."

"It's been over two years since I got here," I explained idly, not lifting my gaze from my meal. "Hogwarts is… peaceful. I let my guard down which was a mistake I won't make again. The blacking out was not helping matters, obviously."

She was quiet for a moment. "Do you truly not care about your own health?"

I stopped eating, staring down into my bowl and wondering deep down if that was the root of it all. All the danger I never bothered to care about, the blood-letting that went too far, the years I spent mourning my mother back in school that only seemed to weigh me down more. Did I just not care about dying? No. That couldn't be it. The troll was one thing but if I hadn't cared then why would I come to Hogwarts when I was attacked with Magnus? Why would I stay instead of running off on my own? Why would I bother continuing to study and make progress on things I enjoyed if I was just going to rush off to my death?

I must have been silent for longer than I thought. McGonagall was tense with worry and was about ready to say something if I hadn't managed to find what might be the only possible reasoning behind my carelessness.

"I… don't really know what I'm doing."

She twitched slightly, withdrawing a hand that had started to reach out, as I looked over at her.

"Never really had a clue. My mother passed while I was here in my first year. I was orphaned and had nothing left but Hogwarts. After that, I didn't know what to do. Muggle job or anything I could get in Knockturn Alley. I didn't have good results on my Owls and Newts with what happened so there wasn't much option. Magnus… Abraham was the first person to see something I could do. He gave me a purpose and then that was gone too. Now I'm here and… I don't know. I want to be useful, I guess. I'm only good at a few things so I study them as best I can. It's just easy for me to forget about everything else sometimes."

She didn't speak and I hesitantly went back to eating.

"Sorry. Not sure if that makes a whole lot of sense," I offered poorly. "It's not that I don't care, I just… don't pay it enough attention. I forget because that's not my purpose."

"Living is a purpose," she said quietly, drawing my gaze to hers. "You cannot be useful to others if you're not caring for yourself. If you… If you die because of something like this, then your research will be useless. Your purpose will have died with you, Farlan."

I lowered my spoon, brows furrowed and glancing back down in thought.

"That's not to say that I care more about your research purposes than you. However, your living will provide you with more opportunities to have more purposes. More chances to help people, to make connections, to properly live. Then, those people will help in furthering your research, your dreams, and your opportunities. You need to take time to see things outside your studies, Farlan. You need to care about yourself, your surroundings, and the people within them." She stood with a soft sigh. "After all, you have influenced these students far more than you know. It would be a shame if they lost you before seeing what you are capable of teaching them."

I wasn't sure what she meant by the "teaching" part. I was just an apprentice which—as many students had rumored—was just my running around doing chores for the professors. My research studies were all I had going for me, and none of the students knew much about them. I didn't "teach" anyone and I continued to question what she'd meant when I was excused from the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey had been true to her word and after a summoning to the headmaster's office—the man thoroughly amused by the whole thing—I had been given a loose schedule and had designated people assigned to keep me from overworking and to ensure I took proper care of myself. Hagrid would escort me to and from my shed for meals and my runic charms were to be adjusted to ensure he could enter my shed to do so. Kettleburn would escort me from his lessons back to the castle where McGonagall would take over escorting me. Other professors were also informed and on standby should something occur needing her to be replaced.

I didn't care for the restricted times I was allowed to study runes or legilimency but Dumbledore said that once I recovered and was able to prove I could care for myself without escorts, they would be released and I could return to my own scheduling. Should I relapse into my old habits, the restrictions will return and grow more severe. I was stuck in a trap of my own making and had no choice but to accept.

It wasn't until I had left and was limping my way through the halls for lunch that I had been caught by the students. The Gryffindor trio ran toward me, startling me a bit as they stopped before me.

"Mr. Daggrow!"

"How are you feeling?"

"I didn't expect Madam Pomfrey to release you so soon!"

It was strange to have them rush up and start talking all at once. I wasn't sure what to do and shuffled a bit, leaning on the cane I was to use until the week's worth of healing for my knee was finished. The trio went quiet, looking at me for answers before the girl took a small step forward, wringing her hands and staring at the floor for a moment.

"I-I… I just wanted to thank you, sir, for helping me," she said, lifting her gaze. "I know you told me to run but I-I wouldn't have! Really! E-Even of it was a troll. I wouldn't have left you."

That confused me even more. A first-year wasn't capable of handling a troll at all and her saying she'd basically do it again, only made me feel more awkward.

"Us neither," Harry declared, elbowing Ron who had been awkwardly eyeing the Grim beside me before he turned to me and nodded.

"Yeah, even if you are a bit weird."

"Ron!" The girl hissed in scolding.

"I…" I eyed them as they eagerly awaited what I had to say. "I really don't understand you Gryffindor types."

They all kind of sagged as I went on.

"It was a mountain troll in an enclosed space. Even fully trained wizards can't deal with them out in the open and—while I have more experience than most—it is always better to retreat and bring reinforcements when dealing with something of that caliber. A trio of first-years armed with nothing more than a levitation charm fighting a troll is just—"

"Ridiculous?" Harry finished with an awkward smile and I slowly nodded, curious why he wasn't offended by my light scolding.

"Yes… quite a bit."

"But we did it," Ron said, nodding to the girl. "Saved Hermione and you."

I shifted again, glancing toward where we'd been headed. I need to monitor the students for lunch. "If we are to talk more—"

"Can we?" The girl asked. "They said you were good at Ancient Runes."

A trickle of curiosity rolled through me at a first-year being eager to hear about runes, and I gripped my cane a bit tighter as I finished what I had been saying.

"Then, perhaps we might continue in the Great Hall? I am supposed to be monitoring students."

They readily agreed and as we walked I felt rather strangely like a mother duckling leading her children to a pond. I wasn't used to students being proactive when dealing with me and their friendliness was strange. I hoped that once we entered the hall they would have dispersed without thought but they followed me to the head of the Gryffindor table and sat with me as food appeared.

"You are okay though, right?" The girl—Hermione Granger—asked, eyeing my cane that I laid beside the Grim at my feet. "You looked really bad when the professors took you to Madam Pomfrey."

"Most injuries I sustained were healed quickly. My knee is one that requires more healing," I explained. "It was my own fault for being careless about my health and my safety while at Hogwarts."

"I mean, no one expected a troll to just go walking in," Ron pointed out, jabbing at a piece of meat on his plate. "How did it get there anyway? Do you know?"

I shook my head, having a slight idea but nothing concrete and definitely not something I should explain to them. "The professors are looking into it, not me, and if they told me I wouldn't be allowed to explain to you."

Ron wrinkled his nose in annoyance but didn't push the issue. Harry, though, was curious about other things.

"Why were you in the dungeons, Mr. Daggrow? I thought all the professors would have been at the feast."

"Lost track of time," I said simply, knowing that much to be true, whether I remembered why I'd been carrying books or not. "I was rather busy at the time."

"You said previous experience before," Hermione pointed out. "Have you worked with trolls before?"

I shook my head. "Not trolls but magical creatures, yes. Many just as dangerous if not more so. I have studied trolls through books though, which would have been beneficial had I not been concussed from the start." I frowned again at the reminder of my negligence.

"I thought you studied Ancient Runes."

"I do, mainly, but my previous job was with magical creatures. I was not fit for other employment after graduating Hogwarts due to some… circumstances."

They must have noticed I hadn't wanted to speak of said circumstances and Harry changed the topic.

"What house were you in? Not a Gryffindor, given what you said before."

"Ravenclaw," I answered easily enough. "A poor one at that, given my grades for my Owls and Newts." I saw his confusion and explained. "Your tests as fifth years to prepare you for future careers."

"But I've heard your runic charms are amazing!" Hermione argued, drawing a slight flush of embarrassment to my cheeks at the praise.

I ducked my head slightly. "You've been talking to the twins…"

They were the only students to sing my praises to others.

"We were just curious," Harry offered. "They called you a genius."

I shook my head. "N-No, no. I'm not. I-I just study runes and creatures. Anyone could do it if they applied themselves."

"But wouldn't you get an amazing job if you used what you're good at? Why would you hide it?" Hermione asked and I reached a hand up to rub at my neck.

"I-I didn't know I had talent in runes until after. I chose easy electives due to the recommendations my head of house provided. I-I wasn't in the right mindset to apply myself so thoroughly. Many things were happening at the time."

"Oh yeah," Ron chimed in. "The war was really bad then, right? What with You-Know-Who and everything? My brothers Bill and Charlie were here during that. Told us a little bit as kids. Bad stuff. Did you know them?"

I shrugged, hoping to drift away from the topic of war. "I was distracted often. I rarely noticed others unless they spoke to me actively."

"So about the same as now, yeah?"

"Ron," Hermione scolded him again before offering me a sympathetic smile. "Well, maybe you'll remember something about them later."

"Or my parents," Harry agreed. "Lily Evans and James Potter. I don't know much about them but… but if you happen to think of anything, I'd appreciate it. They passed when I was young, though you probably knew that."

I did, though I had forgotten that the Boy Who Lived was also the orphaned boy in front of me. I wracked my mind for a bit to see if there was anything about those names that rang a bell and there was, but not enough to be of use when I couldn't focus on the memories properly in the chatter of the Great Hall. I made a mental note to look into it later and instead got dragged into a welcome conversation with Hermione about Ancient Runes.

The other two went into a conversation about Quidditch—a sport I had never bothered to get into—while I explained some of the basics of runic spells to Hermione. Unlike the twins, who attempted to pay attention but always got distracted before the end, Hermione was eager to soak in every word. She asked questions and offered thoughts and theories of her own even without the extensive knowledge I had. By the end of the meal I had written up a few book titles for her to look into at the library (signing off on one that she would need from the restricted section) and offered her a few samples I had on me.

She was smart and dangerously so but I enjoyed the discussion and actually looked forward to what she may come up with on her own. She wanted a head start before picking electives in her third year and I would eagerly provide. That was probably when I realized what McGonagall had meant about teaching the students. Not just her but the twins, Harry, and even Ron would ask a question about things and I provided an explanation as best I could. I taught them what I knew and only did so because I had incidentally expanded my social circle to include them in it. It was strange and I hadn't exactly intended to do it but I wasn't repulsed by what occurred and it gave me more to think about.

What also gave me more to think about was the troll. It hadn't occurred to me initially why someone would release a troll in the dungeons. No student could have accomplished such a feat without outside help, and any outside help wouldn't be easy to use. Hogwarts was a fortress against such things, after all. This, however, meant that a professor inside was the issue. A traitor was tucked away inside but again, to what purpose? The answer came when I went to do my monthly restoration of the runic charms on the chains holding the three-headed dog.

He was eager again. Not only that but he had a scrap of a robe in his mouth that he easily offered up. I praised the beast either way and did my tasks before revealing it to Dumbledore. We agreed that the troll had been a distraction to allow someone to check the third floor unnoticed by the professors. He said the scrap wasn't a concern, however, as it came from someone he trusted to search out the culprit who was snooping. It made me uneasy that multiple people had attempted to deal with the dog—students and professors alike—but Dumbledore reassured me that what was hidden was safe and wouldn't add to my troubles so long as it stayed that way.

He was not well-versed in reassuring people, it seemed. Yet, I had no real say in how things were run here and begrudgingly kept the information to myself. It wouldn't do me any good to dwell on it as time went on. Or, well, worrying about it now wouldn't stop even more bad things from happening. And there was plenty more than a Halloween troll to worry about.

Hermione wasn't a very sporty person but when the first Quidditch game of the year came upon them she felt the need to support her new friends. They had tried to save her from a troll, after all, and while her covering for them made up for what they'd done, she still felt a bit indebted to them. That, and she did actually want some friends she could talk to between lessons. She knew she'd kind of screwed that up by being a bit over the top answering professors and trying to help, but they had forgiven her and she was trying to relax a bit more. It was in no way an easy thing to do when Ron hardly tried to do the work properly but at least Harry tried to understand and their easy-going attitudes were a welcome break from studying.

She'd been studying a lot lately too, given her being born of two muggle parents and suddenly thrown into the world of magic. Everything felt so new and wonderful, and she wanted to know how every bit of it worked. Any new information fueled her into studying and learning more than what was required of them. Ancient Runes were a prime example of that. She hadn't heard anything about them other than a few brief mentions in Hogwarts: A History but the descriptions were broad and almost added as an afterthought. Farlan's work in it was what drew her to them and she was surprised at how helpful the young apprentice was.

He'd come off as a bit strange at first. The witches and wizards were fearful of the Grim that followed him around, but she'd overheard a few others who were grateful for him. Older students who planned on using his help for their exams, the Weasley twins who had gotten his help in other things, and what she'd seen herself. There was him saving her from the troll, of course, but she'd seen him helping in the Care of Magical Creatures and how he took care of the various beasts. She'd spotted him muttering under his breath in the library as he skimmed through books, marking titles down for later, and pointing lost students to anything they might need. He was awkward, obviously, but kind and patient in a way she'd only seen from a few other adults in the castle. It was why she'd felt more than comfortable asking him about his studies and she was grateful she did.

The man was passionate about them and not only gave her books to look at but also permission for a restricted book, a few scraps of runes he'd made himself, and gave her a far better explanation of their properties than any of the books she'd read. She would certainly take the class in her later years and planned on continuing to visit him for more information and ideas. Runes wouldn't be the only thing she'd look to him for either. If what the twins said was true, then the man would offer his help whenever possible with perhaps anything that was requested of him. They claimed it was because of his position as an apprentice and assistant to the professors but Hermione sometimes wondered if it was just because he was lonely and wanted the company, but wasn't sure how to go about getting it.

Of course, there would obviously be things he wouldn't and couldn't talk about. He had his project with Dumbledore that Harry and Ron had told her about, and she wondered if it had anything to do with the three-headed dog they'd run into on the third floor. He worked with creatures anyway, so perhaps he was involved there. Yet, when she mentioned to the boys about talking to him about what was there or what might be happening, they refused; concerned it would get them into trouble. She didn't think so and with the troll incident and Harry's information that Snape has been bitten by the dog, she was starting to wonder if talking to the apprentice might give them the answers they were looking for if they simply asked. The worst that could happen would be him saying he couldn't tell them because of Dumbledore's restrictions. She didn't believe that he would punish them for their curiosity as the other two did.

That was probably why she'd been a bit distracted at the Quidditch game. She'd been eyeing Farlan as he sat beside McGonagall. The woman was busy scolding the commentator on the game for his biased reports of what was happening, but Farlan was muttering under his breath and toying with something in his hands. She couldn't see what it was but saw him occasionally scribbling something down on a parchment on the bench to his side. She wouldn't be surprised if he was studying during the game. Much like her, he didn't seem the type to be into sports.

"Budge up there. Move along," came the deep voice of Hagrid as he squeezed past students to join her and Ron where they were standing, offering them a smile when they greeted him. "Been watchin' from me hut. But it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?" He commented, bringing up his binoculars to watch what was happening and drawing Hermione's gaze to the students flying around.

Harry hadn't had much to do yet and was just staying out of the way until he appeared to have spotted something. He dove quickly and then ended up getting fouled by a Slytherin flyer. The game continued but then, people started to notice something was wrong. Harry's broom was acting strangely and people weren't quite sure what was happening.

"Did something happen to it when Flint blocked him?" Seamus, another Gryffindor, questioned but Hagrid shook his head.

"Can't have. Can't nothing interfere with a broomstick except powerful dark magic. No kid could do that to a Nimbus Two Thousand."

Hermione's blood went cold at that, remembering Harry's reservations about a certain professor and she hastily took Hagrid's binoculars and began searching the crowd until she found what she was looking for.

"I knew it. Snape. Look," she said, passing them to Ron who spotted the professor muttering under his breath while staring pointedly at Harry in the sky. "He's doing something. Jinxing the broom."

"What should we do?" Ron asked, not knowing what they could do to stop a professor from casting advanced magic.

"Leave it to me," she said confidently, not waiting for him to try and stop her as she worked her way across the stands.

She was in such a hurry she didn't even apologize to Professor Quirrell, who had gotten shoved headfirst into the next row before she crouched behind Snape and set his robes on fire. It was a small one, but it did its job and once he was distracted she scooped it off him into a glass jar and rushed off. She hadn't wanted to get spotted after all and taking a look out at the Quidditch pitch showed her it had worked and in the process, Harry had managed to catch the snitch. He'd caught it in his mouth which was a bit gross, but it wasn't against the rules and he'd won the first game. As soon as the game had ended, however, things were not as cheerful.

The trio had gone to Hagrid's afterward where Hermione and Ron were eager to tell Harry what they'd seen. They hadn't expected Farlan to interrupt before they could though. The apprentice had walked in without knocking, hands caked in dirt, and immediately looking rather flustered when he realized he'd interrupted.

"Ah… Apologies. Should I…" He glanced around sheepishly, pointing behind him. "…come back?"

"Nonsense," Hagrid grumbled, practically dragging the young man inside and shoving him into a chair. "Headmaster sent ya, didn't he?"

Farlan glanced at the trio of curious students but as Hermione expected, he didn't seem to mind sharing what he'd been assigned. "Yes. My restrictions are still in place even with the extra work."

"Restrictions?" Hermione questioned, making a Farlan sigh lightly as Hagrid huffed, shoving a thumb at the man as he went to make another mug of tea.

"He's not takin' care of himself so he needs escorting places. People makin' sure he's eating and the like. He'll run himself into the ground otherwise."

"I lose track of time," Farlan muttered, accepting the mug to warm his hands before Hagrid offered him a wet rag to clean them with.

"And the grounds?"

Farlan shook his head. "No tampering and I've put wards in place to ensure it will not happen again."

Hagrid nodded as Hermione understood.

"You were trying to find out what happened to Harry's broom."

Farlan nodded, eyeing the group and giving Harry a pointed look. "Yes, though I would like to request a look at your broom as well. Tampering with the charms on a broom is difficult but not impossible if you know what you are doing. I could add runic charms as well if you'd like, though that would require more work… and carving into the wood."

"What!" Ron half screeched, given how finely crafted the broom was.

"If you would like. It is simply an offer. I am… unsure what other runic charms I might be capable of without carving them directly into the broom handle. If you would rather not, that is fine too."

Before Harry could even say anything, Ron was again speaking up.

"But it wasn't the broom that was broken! Hermione and I saw Snape cursing his broomstick. He wouldn't take his eyes off him."

Farlan frowned but his eyes were alight with intrigue. "Verbal curses require a lot of finesse, especially without a wand. No mere wizard would be able to continuously speak a verbal curse without the full intent of killing whoever was riding. The fact that the broom was still in the air means—" His eyes brightened, an unexpected solution coming to him. "There was a struggle."

"Sorry?" Harry asked; the trio and Hagrid not following his logic.

"Verbal spells require a very specific amount of intent. A high amount. Wanting to just trip someone walking down the street isn't enough. To perform a verbal curse—or any curse, for that matter—one must have intent and not one that simply stops with a petty trick. Whoever was using this curse was attempting to completely throw you off your broom and kill you. The task would have taken only moments but someone else must have noticed and was using a counter curse. It would explain you being in the air for so long and the lack of magical evidence on the pitch itself."

"Someone was trying to kill him?" Hermione questioned, a bit pale and Farlan fidgeted, having forgotten he was speaking with students and first-years at that.

"Not someone," Ron interjected. "Snape! We saw him!"

"Rubbish. Why would Snape do something like that?" Hagrid countered as Farlan hesitantly hummed.

"It's possible he was doing the counter curse. We have no way of knowing for certain without hearing the words themselves." He glanced at Harry. "Though my offer still stands for checking your broom. I cannot and refuse to alter its capabilities but I can at least ensure it won't be tampered with."

Harry tucked that offer aside for now, deciding that perhaps speaking up now would be useful for some information. "I found out something about him, about Snape. He tried to get past that three-headed dog on Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding. "

"That was you," Farlan breathed as Hagrid paled.

"How do you know about Fluffy?"

"Fluffy?" Harry questioned.

"Yeah. He's mine. Bought him off a Greek chappie I met in the pub last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the—"

Farlan shot him a pointed look and he hastily cut himself off as the apprentice spoke. "What is in there is something for Dumbledore to discuss. The professors are only tasked with the wards to prevent its loss," he explained, which was more to go off of than what the students had before. "Snape being one of them. He would have no need to sneak past the dog to steal it. It's of no use to him anyway."

"What is it?" Hermione asked, hoping he would let it slip but he shook his head.

"I am not allowed to speak of it until it is out of our hands, as I told the twins. I assume you were the students Filch was tipped off to a few months ago?"

They all looked a bit sheepish and Farlan sighed, waving a hand as he sipped his tea.

"I do not want to know why you were there and I won't ask. You obviously stumbled in without knowing and it is Dumbledore's problem now, given I warned him repeatedly about finding who the intruders were. I did warn him you lot were stubborn and nosy."

"Sorry," Harry offered with a half grimace of a smile, knowing he wasn't sincere and Farlan knowing as well.

"But I know jinxes," Hermione pressed. "I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"

"The same for counter curses," Farlan shrugged, not seeming concerned when it came to Snape. "While I understand the grievances with Snape and his favoritism, I have been told he is reliable by the headmaster and is himself, investigating who the intruder could be."

"Farlan," Hagrid warned, feeling he was giving away too much.

"What? There is nothing they can do with that information, Hagrid, other than clear their suspicions of Professor Snape and have the comfort of knowing that he and Dumbledore are investigating who might be trying to steal what is being kept. You were the one who nearly told them what it was."

Hagrid huffed, rarely having to deal with Farlan's more stubborn side but still having been witness to it a few times given his new restrictions. It didn't make dealing with him any easier but it was almost pleasant to see something other than exhaustion and the occasional pique of curiosity from him. He was carrying enough weight on his shoulders as it was. His opening up was fine… so long as he wasn't giving away forbidden information to students.

"I would have told them nothing. What Fluffy is guarding is between Professor Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel—"

"Aha!" Harry grinned as Farlan slapped a hand to his face. "So there's someone called Nicholas Flamel involved, is there?"

Hagrid was furious with himself for that slip-up and flushed red in embarrassment as Farlan stood and waved the kids toward the door.

"Yes, well, I think that's enough coercion for now. Best go back to the castle before he spills everything. Go. I do believe it will be lunch soon."

The trio were reluctant to go but soon gave in, knowing they couldn't argue when Hagrid was now bowing his head and muttering under his breath about being stupid. So, they stepped outside to head for the castle—Farlan giving Harry a time and place to deposit his broom if he wanted—and Hermione giving one last look back as he closed Hagrid's door; his eyes going uncharacteristically sharp before vanishing behind the wood.

After that, Hermione had spent her utmost effort in trying to track down Nicholas Flamel with little luck. They only had a little bit of time before the holidays and, after a small incident with Malfoy and his gang, they were brought into the Great Hall as decorations were being put up by Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall, and Farlan. The latter was fully focused on trailing his wand across some runes along the edge of the wall trimming, muttering under his breath and drawing Hermione's curiosity for a bit. She really wanted to know the tricks to runic charms but had yet to find time to discuss them with the man when her current studies were occupying her time.

"How many days you got left until yer holidays?" Hagrid asked as he hauled the large fir tree over to the corner it was to be placed.

"Just one," Hermione answered, looking at Harry and Ron. "That reminds me. We have half an hour before lunch. We should be in the library."

"The library? Just before the holidays? Bit keen aren't ya?" Hagrid questioned as they stepped out.

"We're not working," Harry answered with a small smile. "Ever since you mentioned Nicholas Flamel, we've been trying to find out who he is."

"You, what?" Hagrid squeaked out, flustered. "Listen here. I told ya to drop it. It's nothing to ya what the dog's guarding."

"We just want to know who Nicholas Flamel is, that's all," Hermione pressed.

"Unless you'd like to tell us and save us the trouble?" Harry urged. "We must've been through hundreds of books already and we can't find him anywhere. Just give us a hint. I know I've read his name somewhere."

"You shouldn't be pressuring the groundskeeper like that," came a tired voice, drawing their gazes to Farlan as Hagrid let out a sigh of relief. "And looking in the library won't help much. Nicholas Flamel is French, not British, and rarely mentioned in texts, though he's well known in certain circles."

The trio's eyes lit up in eagerness for the new information but Hagrid let out a grumble.

"Yer not supposed ta be telling them things, Farlan."

"They're going to find out anyway," Farlan drawled, running a hand through his hair with a sigh. "But the books only mention his work in alchemy and the British were keen to not praise him too much. The politics around them are messy. Not worth looking into."

"But you know about him?" Hermione asked, curiously.

"I know a bit. Alchemy can be similar to runes in a way and charms. Just applied differently. I studied a little in search of solutions and theories that might work with runes."

"Yeah, I'm not really following," Ron muttered.

Farlan waved a hand tiredly. "I'm exhausted with Christmas preparations and don't have the time to discuss it further. If need be, come to my shed after break and I'll explain."

Hagrid went to protest but Farlan was called back into the Great Hall and he escaped the lecture Hagrid was going to give as the half-giant huffed.

"He's gonna get into trouble sayin' all these things. Now go. Leave it be and leave him be. He's got enough work as it is without you lot bothering him for things ya don't need ya know."

The trio headed off to search the library anyway but we're thrilled with their new information source.

"I told you," Hermione said eagerly. "Mr. Daggrow will tell us if we ask. Just like the twins said."

"It's nice of him," Harry agreed, though a bit hesitant. "You think Dumbledore would be upset with him for telling us though?"

"I don't think he'd say anything he shouldn't," Hermione offered. "He's smart, right? He wouldn't put us into any trouble."

"Yeah, right," Ron muttered, still uneasy about the man and his constant companion. "Anyone with a Grim following them around is definitely trouble."

Hermione rolled her eyes though, trusting that Farlan was better than everyone thought. Even if he is a bit weird.

I almost hadn't expected the trio of Gryffindors to knock on my shed door after the holidays but after a bit of waiting, that was exactly what they did. Harry was holding his broom as well, having not brought it when I had given him ample time to do so.

"You changed your mind," I noted and he nodded sheepishly.

"Snape is refereeing the next Quidditch match," he explained and I sighed lightly.

"I will insist again that he has nothing to do with things but I will inspect your broom anyway. Do you want the runic charms as well?"

Harry hesitated but nodded. "Yes. Whatever will help."

I nodded lightly, pushing the door open further and waving the group in behind me with a word of caution. "Don't touch anything. I have a system and the creatures are not all friendly."

The group stepped in with quiet gasps of surprise. It was messy as I had said. The small kitchenette was covered in dirty vials, bowls, mortars, and pestles. Paperwork was spread all over the table and my work desk as well as various buckets of stone, bone, and wood scattered about. Then, the cages with creatures squawked and hissed at the intruders. A pixie made faces at them from its cage and a bat glowered at them from its home. The Swooping Evil flew overhead, startling them as it landed on my shoulders and grumbled in my ear.

"No, you can't eat their brains," I informed it idly, ignoring their concerns as it huffed and continued to hang onto my skull like a leather hat; its beady eyes watching them hungrily. "Apologies. He has little in the way of manners."

"What is it?" Harry asked, uneasy but curious.

"A Swooping Evil. Unpleasant to meet and deal with but once they're attached they're little more than clingy, oversized bats." I pushed off a bundle of paperwork from my desk and placed a hand on it. "Broom."

Harry handed it over and placed it on the desk as I took a seat and waved my wand, conjuring three stools for the group who hesitantly sat.

"Any luck on your Flamel problem?" I asked idly, clearing off my runes of debris to search the broom's charms first; running my wand over the carved runes in my desk with a murmured spell.

"No. We were hoping you might have a better idea," Hermione questioned. "The books relating to alchemy are in the restricted section."

"And you said you'd tell us anyway," Ron added, letting me know he hadn't been searching much at all.

"Tell me," I asked, satisfied that the broom was untampered and grabbing my carving tools from nearby to get to work improving the protection of the broom. "If you were to know what has been hidden and protected, what use would the information be to you? You cannot reach it and efforts to secure it have been doubled after the failed attempt." I glanced over at them. "Even if a traitor were to go after it, what could a group of nosy first-years do to stop them?"

Ron looked offended but it was simply a fact I was stating, nothing more. There was no insult hiding behind my words and while he couldn't see that, the other two could and shared a glance, uncertain of what to say. If there's anything to say. I sighed lightly and used my wand to pull a book off the shelf, dropping it on the table in front of them as it flipped to the page they needed.

"Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!" Hermione read, understanding immediately as the other two boys stared in confusion.

"The what?"

"Philosopher's Stone," I explained. "Nicholas Flamel was very well-versed in alchemy and apparently had a grudge against death. He created the Philosopher's Stone which can turn metal to gold and can create the Elixir of Life, making one seemingly immortal. He and his wife are over six hundred now I believe and none have been able to recreate their work."

"See?" Hermione chirped, pleased with the information. "The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone! I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the stone moved out of Gringotts!"

That caught my attention and I glanced over at them. "How did you make that connection?"

"There was a break in the day after I was brought in to get money," Harry explained. "Hagrid went with me and—"

"And undoubtedly gave something away about it being brought to Hogwarts, I assume," I sighed. "The damage was done long before you came to me for answers, obviously. Stubborn, nosy kids."

"Why'd you tell us then?" Ron questioned, annoyed by my insults.

"Because you were already looking into it and would have found out anyway. While I feel your reasoning—or lack thereof—is poor, knowing what is in there is hardly giving you anything to work with. It is protected by every professor in this school and wouldn't be given so easily. I have simply saved you the trouble of getting caught snooping where you shouldn't be. That, and Professor Snape isn't interested in immortality. It might sound nice but it is a curse more than anything. You shouldn't be biased just because he's a prick."

Ron snorted at that as Harry cracked a small smile.

"You don't like him either?"

"Mm. We have a mutual agreement to leave each other alone unless absolutely needed. He doesn't care for me being brought here and I don't care for his bias with the Slytherins when they're being threatening toward others. They were rarely kind while I was in school. More so than now but I don't dive into the politics of purebloods and as a half-blood, they never really cared for me."

"Did they pick on you too?"

"Not as much as others. They weren't particularly fond of the muggle-borns and I was often distracted by other things." I paused, frowning up at the ceiling lightly. "My school years were unfortunately not pleasant for other reasons." I glanced back down. "I was too quiet to get noticed more often than not. You'd be best not starting trouble with anyone. I am agreeable on most accounts but trouble-making is something I will not help you with if you go actively seeking it."

"What about my brothers?" Ron countered, earning a snort from me.

"They are pranksters causing harmless fun that interrupts the dullness and darkness of the castle." I gave the group a small smile. "I wish they were around when I was in school. We could have done with some of their cheer while You-Know-Who was causing trouble." I paused then, a blurred memory coming to mind. "Though, I feel there was a group of pranksters while I was in school. My memory of the time isn't great but perhaps your father was one of them. James, you said, right?"

Harry nodded, looking pleased to hear of him and as someone who had also lost their family at a young age, I sighed, handing back his finished broom.

"I will see what I can find in my things. My memory may not be great but there are a few places I can look if you wish to know more."

"Anything," Harry breathed, holding his broom close. "And thank you, for the broom and stuff."

I nodded, waving a hand at it. "It won't be an improvement on any of its abilities but it will prevent a repeat of the first Quidditch match. The runes will prevent verbal Dark Magic from affecting it but anything else and you will be vulnerable. I still haven't worked out the specifics of layering runic patterns and I doubt you want your entire broom carved into so I kept it simple. Now, leave poor Hagrid alone. He has enough work hauling me around."

The group smiled and gave me appreciative thanks as they left and I sighed, reaching up to scratch the head of the Swooping Evil latched onto me.

"They're going to get into all sorts of trouble I feel. What a mess."