Chapter 3:

I asked Dumbledore, "I assume the Philosopher's Stone was a trap. Is there any reason to maintain it now with Quirrell gone?" Dumbledore replied, "Yes. Someone will still be there for it, and for some it will be a learning experience."

I was completely surprised. "You want Harry Potter to blunder into it and solve the puzzle to prepare him for future confrontations with Voldemort?" Dumbledore laughed and said, "Very good Mr. Picard, I'd give points to your house, but that wouldn't be very circumspect of me. Without mind reading you could figure that out. And I can see you have many more questions about my actions past and future, but just as you cannot reveal all your information to me, there are things I cannot reveal also."

The next day was potions class. Since I didn't mention it before, yes Snape was identical to Alan Rickman, and yes I was tempted to say to him, "By Grabthar's Hammer, by the Sons of Warvan, you shall be avenged", but no-one in this universe would get the joke.

Snape started with "Today you will learn to brew the Wiggenweld Potion. It is a powerful healing potion that can be used to heal injuries, or reverse the effects of a Sleeping Draught." I could not bring myself to follow Snape's directions, when I knew my traditional Picard family formula was better. The last infusion of salamander blood is combined with aged red wine and then the lionfish spines are added at the exact moment the potion turns red. When I brought it up, Snape, sniffed it, and said, "Explain to the class Mr. Picard why you added red wine before the lionfish spines, but first take this knife, cut your left hand, then take your potion." I did so, and the wound started visibly healing. "This is the formulation which was used on Briar Rose, also known as Sleeping Beauty." Snape said, "Passable."

Later at the Ravenclaw table, I told them about how my family traditionally sold potions to wizards and wine to both muggles and wizards.

The Ravenclaw's common room is in effect a study group, with notes and research materials from prior years classes. We are encouraged to add to the notes, with a committee of older year students deciding which are added to the permanent condensed notes. They asked me to add to those, the potion modifications that Snape actually saw and found acceptable.

I started a group of those Ravenclaws that I knew would be part of Dumbledore's army in the Harry Potter canon. Those would be Padma Patil, Terry Boot, Michael Corner, and Anthony Goldstein. I also started teaching them the mind arts.

Dumbledore and I started a weekly meeting, but at varied times and days to not be so noticeable. Dumbledore said, "You saw how I determined that you scanned the lemon drop sweet even though you have full occlumency. There are tells. Are you familiar with the game of poker, popular among American muggles?"

I replied, "Familiar, but I never learned it well." Dumbledore continued, "You should, and you should teach it to the group you have gathered in Ravenclaw. It provides excellent skills in non-magical mind arts."

"I am still looking for a replacement defense against dark arts professor this year. I don't want the role for more than a few weeks. As you know the position is cursed and whoever has that will not last until next year. Next year I am going to hire Gilderoy Lockhart, and convince him to come here to be associated with the fame of Harry Potter. I am sure he will show his great abilities."

I said, "This is another test for me, isn't it? To figure out why you would hire him, with a hint in your statement. You always knew he was a fraud, but could never prove it. He stole the memories of people you knew and you want him stopped. Your plan for next year is that Harry Potter will get into an adventure, which Lockhart will help with, with the intention of claiming the credit. Harry Potter, or if necessary yourself, will stop him from obliviating Harry Potter. You'll make sure that Harry Potter is very skilled at the Expelliarmus spell. Also the curse on the position will cause something to go wrong."

In the Main Hall, I saw Draco Malfoy challenge Harry Potter to a duel, exactly like in canon. If I was a Gryffindor, I'd get in the middle of it and point out that the name Malfoy is French for "bad faith", and duel myself. Which reminded me, that I should start learning dueling skills with my Ravenclaw group, since, while I am not seeking duels, duels could always seek me.

If the rest of the night went like canon they'd discover the giant three headed dog and start to understand that it was guarding an important object that Hagrid removed from Gringotts bank while with Harry Potter and that it involved Nicolas Flamel, again due to information that Hagrid apparently accidentally let on. This all had a purpose, which I didn't want to interfere with.

What would have to diverge from canon, is with Quirrell gone there wouldn't be a troll for the trio to fight.

At my next meeting with Dumbledore, I was saying how there needs to be someone to try to steal the stone, which Harry Potter and friends can stop. Dumbledore said, "There already is a plot afoot, with a son of a Death Eater, and no, not the one you are thinking of, getting ready to make the attempt."

I said, "Speaking of Draco, you went through a lot of effort to let him redeem himself in the original history. Why is that?" Dumbledore chuckled and said, "Did I really? While I am pleased he, in that history, availed himself of his opportunity for redemption, can you think of another reason for what I did?"

I thought about it and answered, "The Elder wand. You know how it transfers loyalty, but most wizards, including Voldemort, and from what information he could get from Ollivander, did not. That was Draco's role, to cause a wand failure which was one of the only ways to both kill Voldemort and save Harry Potter."

I said, "Since we are no longer following the original timeline, I think we need a stronger supporting army. I would like to branch out my club, to as many of the original members of Dumbledore's army that I can remember, and together learn combat skills. I can start with Parvati Patel and her friend Lavender Brown, both Gryffindors. Another would be Hermione Granger. She is more Ravenclaw than many Ravenclaws, but I understand that she is being pushed into situations to develop her latent bravery, and maybe that is what the hat had in mind in sorting her in Gryffindor."

Dumbledore said, "That would be a good endeavor, and I'm sure you could also find some Hufflepuffs. I can find a way to form Professor Flitwick's dueling club, for first years, in a way that will be unappealing to Slytherins."