The flickering light of the fireplace cast long shadows across the stone walls of the Room of Requirement. Harry and Hermione sat cross-legged on the floor, parchment spread out before them, each filled with hastily scribbled notes about the future. The enormity of their task pressed down on them—every decision they made from this moment on could ripple across time.
Hermione tapped her quill against her chin, deep in thought. "The Philosopher's Stone is the first major event we'll need to deal with," she murmured. "If we stop Quirrell early, we could prevent Voldemort from getting close to it."
Harry frowned. "But do we want to stop him now? Dumbledore used the Stone to lure Voldemort out of hiding and confirm he was still active. If we remove it from play too soon, we might just delay the inevitable."
Hermione sighed, running a hand through her hair. "True. But we can't let things play out exactly the same way either. What if we prevent Quirrell from getting the Stone at all? If we keep it safe, we won't have to deal with him trying to steal it."
Harry nodded slowly. "That could work. But we need to be careful about how we interfere. If we do something too drastic, Dumbledore might notice."
Hermione smirked. "Might? Harry, this is Dumbledore we're talking about. He'll know something's off eventually. The key is making sure we stay under his radar for as long as possible."
Harry leaned back against the couch, exhaling. "Alright. So, first, we watch Quirrell, find out when he makes his move, and stop him before he gets to the Stone. Anything else we need to handle immediately?"
Hermione hesitated, then said quietly, "Snape."
Harry blinked. "Snape?"
Hermione nodded. "I know he was on our side in the end, but his loyalty to Dumbledore doesn't mean he won't be a problem for us. He'll notice things, and if we're not careful, he might start asking questions."
Harry thought about the cold, sharp-eyed professor. Snape had spent years protecting him, but he had also been ruthless, suspicious, and entirely too clever for his own good. "You're right," he admitted. "We'll have to be careful around him."
A loud growl interrupted their conversation.
Hermione clutched her stomach, cheeks flushing with embarrassment. "I suppose we should also figure out how to get food."
Harry chuckled. "The kitchens. We know where they are now. We can sneak in when we need to."
Hermione nodded, then looked toward the door. "In the meantime, we should start acting like normal first-years. That means attending classes, pretending we don't know things we actually do, and keeping a low profile."
Harry smirked. "You mean you have to pretend not to know everything already?"
Hermione rolled her eyes but smiled. "Exactly."
They packed up their notes and left the Room of Requirement, stepping out into the dimly lit corridor. As they made their way back toward Gryffindor Tower, Hermione whispered, "Tomorrow, we blend in. But soon, we make our first move."
Harry glanced at her, determination shining in her eyes.
Their second chance had begun.
AN: A bit of a shorter chapter this time as I was busy with irl stuff. But hopefully next chapter will be longer. Thanks to all those who have written a review as it gladdens me that people are interested in this project of mine. See you next week !