AN: With nothing to do because of Coronavirus, I had time to write another one. Tell me what y'all think.

Chapter 4:

Harry was going to scream. He really was.

It seemed that no matter where he went he was being watched. Ever since he had gotten out of the Hospital Wing, he could feel the teachers watching him like a hawk. Whether that was to make sure he didn't disappear again or because they were worried he didn't know. But Flitwick and Sprout had stopped him after class four separate times to have "a quick chat".

But that wasn't the worst part.

Ever since he had woken up, he had had a shadow. No matter where he went, Hermione was only a few steps behind him. At meals, in class, in the Common Room, she always right there beside him. When he went up at night to his dorm she was sitting on the couch and she waiting by Portrait Hole when he went down for breakfast. Harry idly wondered if she ever actually slept.

Now normally he wouldn't mind this terribly. Hermione was one of his best friends, and he had missed her terribly when she had been petrified but it was getting to the point when the only time where he was truly alone was when he went to toilet.

A man was entitled to be by himself for at least five minutes wasn't he?

As if on cue, less than ten minutes after he had settled into the library she came wandering in through the door. To her credit, she made a big show of looking around for a table before seeing him and hurrying over.

"Hi, how are you?" she said brightly as if she hadn't just seen him at dinner fifteen minutes ago.

"Another night in the library huh?" he said conversationally

She look at him as if he were daft "You and books? Where else would I be?" she asked cheekily

Harry gave her a small smile before returning to his mountain of books. For the past week he, and therefore she, had spent every night in the library after dinner. Harry was desperately searching for any mention of these Infinity Stones, just to prove that what happened after Chamber wasn't a mad coma dream.

Over the past few days he had torn through books on Charms, Transfiguration, Astronomy, Wand Lore, and Wizarding History. Nothing. Not even a brief mention of the damn things. He had been hoping to come up with new information before the train left for summer, but with two days to go he was starting to lose hope.

He couldn't even go retrieve the journal from Hagrid's hut because he was constantly being watched and followed and it would raise too many questions.

With a sigh, he picked up a dense book on experimental growth potions and began to read

Several books later, Harry looked up from a shockingly boring chapter on exotic venoms to find that it was ten minutes to closing time. The books in his pile began to move and place themselves back on the shelf.

"Great, another night wasted" he muttered to himself "I'm starting to think they really don't exist"

Hermione gave him a funny look "What doesn't exist?"

Harry waved her off and picked up the final book that was still in front of him. It was titled Obscure Myths and Legends from the Ancient Past. It was a book on wizarding mythology that he had picked up for variety.

Ignoring the pointed glare of Madam Pince, Harry picked up the book and began to idly scan the table of contents.

As expected there were large sections on Merlin, the Founders of Hogwarts, and Medieval society but nothing he thought was important. He was about to toss the book on the pile when he spotted it at the very end of the book.

The Founder's Greatest Secret?: What are the Infinity Stones?

Harry's heart skipped several beats. Here was the information he was seeking and it was in the last place he would have expected!

He quickly gathered his things and walked with Hermione over to check out the book. Madam Pince spent a full minute checking for any kind of damage or fraud with the book before reluctantly stamping it and handing it over.

Hermione was waiting in the corridor. "Did you jinx the book?" she asked sarcastically as they started back to Gryffindor Tower.

"I think she has fun with the stamps?" Harry said seriously before giving her a huge grin. They both burst into giggles as they clambered through the portrait hole.

The Common Room was mostly empty as Harry bid Hermione goodnight and climbed to his dormitory, book tucked under one arm.

He made small talk with Neville and Ron as he readied himself for bed. Like Hermione, Ron had also seemed to be extra careful around Harry since the Chamber but hadn't taken to following him everywhere. For this, Harry was grateful.

Bidding the other guys goodnight, Harry drew the curtains around his four poster.

Now he was finally, FINALLY alone and he could focus.

He opened the book to the proper page and began to read:

The Founder's Greatest Secret: What are the Infinity Stones

There are many myths and legends about the Founders of Hogwarts but one of the strangest concerns the Infinity Stones. The legend is as follows:

Shortly after the founding of Hogwarts, the founders came across a visitor from another world. This visitor's name and race has been lost to history. This visitor came as an emissary of peace but soon died after it arrived.

Before it died, this being passed on artifacts of great power to the founders. These artifacts, known as the Infinity Stones, could control the very fabric of nature and reality. These artifacts were directly responsible for the noted increase in power that the founder displayed after the founding of Hogwarts.

No evidence of the stones or a being from another world has ever been recorded.

That was it. Less than two pages of information at the back of some obscure book, but it was like a gold mine for Harry.

Here was proof that he wasn't crazy, that someone else knew about the Infinity Stones.

If the stones were really as powerful as the book claimed, it made sense why someone as powerful as Salazar Slytherin would think they needed to be hidden away.

One thing was for sure Harry thought as he drifted off to sleep. "Tomorrow I need to get that journal."

The next night after dinner, Harry saw his chance.

Hermione went to bed early complaining of a headache and chills.

He walked with her back to the tower and made sure to see her off safely to her dorm. Once she was up the stairs, Harry sprinted up the stairs waving off an offer of chess from Ron.

After making sure his dorm was empty, Harry grabbed his invisibility cloak and crept down the stairs.

The Common Room was nearly deserted as he crept past the dying fire and a few stragglers trying to enjoy their last night with their friends.

He slunk out of the Portrait Hole and down to the Grand Staircase. With tonight being the last night of the year, security was surprisingly lax. This was going to a quick jaunt down and back.

Of course, things in the life of Harry Potter can never be that easy.

As Harry rounded the last corner to the top of the Grand Staircase, he was stopped short by what he saw.

Floating in the middle of the Entrance Hall was the largest gathering of ghosts he had ever seen. He doubted he, or any living person, had ever seen this many ghosts at once. It looked as though every ghost in the castle had gathered in a loose ring around the middle of the Entrance Hall. Just looking around he could see Nick, Myrtle, the Gray Lady and even an unusually subdued looking Peeves.

The ghost closest to Harry, the Bloody Baron, was speaking: "…and now we call to order the 712th Official Council of the Hogwarts Ghosts and Spirits." A loud gavel sound echoed from behind the Baron, nearly startling Harry down the stairs. "Now we our first speaker has the floor. Friar, if you will?"

Another ghost melted out of the mass and came to rest in the middle of the circle. It was the Fat Friar, the Hufflepuff house ghost.

"Yes well, the purpose of this meeting is to discuss the safety of the living in the castle. Over the past two years, the castle and its inhabitants have come under mortal danger twice. It is only due to the actions of students, or rather student, that the castle has remained open. We cannot rely on the actions of Mr. Potter forever, nor should we force him to save the school every year."

Hearing his own name jolted Harry back into action, and reminded him that he probably shouldn't be listening to this. He carefully began to inch his way towards the front door.

Overhead, the Friar was still speaking "We as ghosts have a duty to this school…"

The Friar was cut off by a loud horse neigh. From across the circle, emerged a group of ghostly knights riding flickering horses. They all had their heads underneath one arm.

What appeared to be their leader, a ghost in gleaming armor with blood staining his front, spoke: "What duty do we have as ghosts Friar? Tell me how being dead magically gives us some mountain of responsibility to the living?"

The Friar bristled "Just because the Headless Hunt is a bunch of drunkards who would rather play head polo than keep the castle open doesn't mean the rest of us are!"

The knight raised its arm "Peace Friar. I'm just asking what responsibility we owe the living?" He turned to the crowd. "Why should the living even be here?! We should be the sole inhabitants of the castle!"

The crowd of ghosts gave a cheer. "You see Friar we do not all agree with your goals and your plans. In fact you can stick your plans…" The knight was cut off by another gavel blast from the Baron.

"The Friar has the floor. Sir Patrick, sit down before we banish you from these proceedings!"

"Of course, your eminence" the knight said mockingly to jeers from his supporters.

Harry was so caught up in listening to the meeting that he didn't look where he was going. He tripped over a rough patch of floor and went sprawling with a muffled thump.

Every head in the hall snapped around to stare at the sound.

Harry froze, still sprawled on the ground.

"It appears we have a… guest" The Baron said with a voice colder than the Arctic.

Harry began to inch ever so slowly towards the door. The Gray Lady floated over to where he had been and felt around. She looked at the Baron and shook her head.

"False alarm then. Now onto our second speaker…"

Harry was so close to the door. He didn't know what the ghosts would do if they caught him, but it probably wouldn't be pleasant. Fifteen feet, ten feet, five feet, almost there…

When he could reach out and touch the door, Harry jumped to his feet. He threw it open with an almighty bang and sprinted into the night.

He risked a glance over his shoulder, and saw that the Entrance Hall was completely empty. Not a single sign that the meeting of ghosts had ever existed.

"Meeting adjourned I guess" thought Harry.

Moonlight draped over the ground as he approached Hagrid's cottage. He could hear the deep snores of the giant man and his dog from outside as he crouched in the pumpkin patch.

The forest was unusually still, as it were carved from stone. Nothing stirred in the late June air, not even insects.

Harry quickly found the loose brick, pulled it free and reached inside the opening.

He seized the leather bound journal, pulled it free and placed it in the pocket of his robes.

With his prize secured, he replaced the brick and started to make his way back to the castle.

This was going to be an interesting summer.