With the trio wanting to find out answers to the mystery that faced them, they took the obvious course of action - they paid a visit to Hagrid. The half giant was notorious for his loose lips so they had hoped to use that to their advantage. With Harry confused about the grubby package they'd picked up at Gringotts and the troll still clear in everyone's mind, they fully believed that the odd goings on were connected. Dumbledore had played it off during the feast that morning, explaining that it had simply been searching for some much needed warmth as the coldness descended upon the highlands. As he had gone on at length about their efforts to deal with it humanely, helping it back to its natural habitat, the three of them had stopped listening, certain that it was all a clever cover up. Hagrid had defended the headmaster passionately when they brought up their concerns but a slip of the tongue, mentioning the name Nicolas Flamel, had been the bit of information they had been searching for. It was, finally, something to go on.

At the mention of the name, Matthew's eyes had lit up in recognition, though he hadn't said anything in front of the groundskeeper. There was no need to have him worrying about their investigation when there was no chance he would be able to stop them. It had taken all of Hermione's strength to hold in her queries after seeing his visible reaction and, once they were suitably far enough from the hut after politely bringing the evening to a close, she was all over him, bombarding him with questions. She was speaking so fast that it was a miracle her mouth was able to keep up. For the first time, Matthew wasn't hesitant to divulge information, telling them that Flamel was a famous alchemist, his greatest achievement being the creation of the fabled Philosopher's Stone. His claim that he had read it all in a book seemed far too easy in Hermione's eyes, making her ask to see this book, but Harry's shout of triumph had promptly saved Matthew from a continued interrogation. Harry was piecing everything together, his mind whirring, and he was more than sure that the package he'd seen contained the stone. He was willing to eat the Sorting Hat if he was wrong.

"The Philosopher's Stone has got to be here at Hogwarts," he was saying as they sat in a secluded corner in the Gryffindor common room. "I just don't know why Flamel would give the stone to Dumbledore."

"Hogwarts is a pretty big place if you haven't noticed," Matthew remarked with his typically dry tone. "You could search for years and never find it. It's even safer than Gringotts."

Hermione let out a small gasp and ran off, causing the two boys to share a confused look. She came back a few moments later carrying a heavy tome, slamming it down on the table. People nearby enjoying a game of wizard's chess glared at her for the disturbance. "I can't believe I forgot I read this." She flicked through the pages before pointing at the one she'd wanted. "Look, it says here that the two are good friends. No wonder Nicolas Flamel trusted him. And it goes into detail about his accomplishments, exactly like Matthew said." She sent him an apologetic look, silently saying sorry for her earlier suspicions. She just constantly found herself on high alert around him, waiting for more clues to appear that would unravel the enigma that he was. Matthew inclined his head toward her, putting the minor incident behind them, which she was relieved about.

"So we're agreed it's at Hogwarts," Harry pressed on. "And whoever is searching for it must have been behind the troll. To distract everyone whilst they looked around."

"Maybe we just need to trust Professor Dumbledore and the rest of the staff," Hermione recommended. "It shouldn't be up to three kids to deal with this. We should just focus on our lessons like everyone else. We do have exams at the end of the year. I couldn't imagine how awful I'd feel if I failed them."

"There are more important things than classes and tests," Harry shot back, causing Hermione to gasp at such blasphemy. "How are we supposed to concentrate, knowing that the school could be in danger? There's no telling what power this stone holds."

"Eternal life," Matthew murmured, looking at the page in front of them but it was clear that he was speaking from memory. "If you have the stone, you'll have years beyond your normal capacity. And it can turn any metal into gold, which isn't too shabby. If it was to get into the wrong hands…" He shuddered at the prospect.

"And I'm sure whoever is trying to get it is the 'wrong hands'. So...we need to get to it first."

"Dumbledore, the most powerful wizard ever , will have hidden it. How are we supposed to find it? And what would we do if we managed to pull it off? Go up to him and tell him we've stolen a precious artefact, all because of a hunch ? It's all well and good getting engrossed in a mystery but it's all speculation so far. He'd laugh us out of Hogwarts if we laid down the proof we currently have."

"I haven't thought that far ahead yet," Harry admitted sheepishly. "But this is the right thing to do. Dumbledore might not know it's under threat."

"Then why don't we just go and tell him?" Hermione suggested pointedly. "Or Professor McGonagall? I'm sure she knows about it too. They might choose to move it again if we raise our concerns."

"And then it would be exposed. Dumbledore doing something would only force whoever is behind this to act sooner. No, for now...we do this alone. At least until we have more details. We don't even have a clue about who would want it." Harry paused for a moment, scratching his head. "I'd put a Galleon on it being Snape. He'd love to live forever so he could torment kids for centuries."

" Professor Snape would never go behind the headmaster's back. You just don't like him because he picks on you, as well as the entirety of Gryffindor."

"I wouldn't put it past him," Matthew concurred with Harry. "But I don't think he'd be as obvious as bringing a troll into the school. Slytherins are a lot more cunning than that."

"Let's just forget about the who for now and focus on the where ," Harry said, quite put out that neither of them had followed his line of thinking when it came to the Potions Master. "If you had to hide something, what would be the best place? Dumbledore's office? Bury it in the ground by Hagrid's pumpkin patch?"

Matthew clicked his fingers. "You'd put it in the one place everyone knows not to go. The third floor corridor."

"Isn't that a little obvious?" Hermione put forward with a frown of disapproval. "Professor Dumbledore would have kept it quiet, not mention it in the first feast of the year."

"Yes, but that's the brilliance of it, don't you see? It is obvious because he wants it to be obvious! Tell everyone it's out of bounds and then see who chooses to go up there. Then you have your culprit. It's the quickest way to draw this person out."

"The fact that Gringotts had a break in would tell him that someone is after it, I suppose," Harry said. "But isn't it a bit risky, tempting fate like that?"

"I'd do it. And Dumbledore isn't going to be afraid of anyone. As long as he's here, the person probably won't show themselves because they know they'll inevitably lose."

"He said that the professors took the troll back to its natural habitat last night," Hermione pointed out. "Meaning he wasn't here all evening. What if it's already been taken?" She asked the question with a little squeak, dreading to consider that possibility.

"Surely that confirms the need to go and check for ourselves. It's basically our duty now. At least, that's what we'll say if we get caught to defend ourselves."

"You don't think we'll get caught, do you?" Hermione's face was incredibly pale as she spoke.

"Not if we're clever," Harry answered. "We'd just need to act when everyone's attention is drawn away."

"I'm not getting another troll," Matthew said sarcastically. "The mess they make is unbelievable."

Harry stood up, his chair scraping against the floor as he rushed over to the noticeboard. When he returned, he had a flyer in his hand, putting it down on the table between them. "The first quidditch game of the year is tomorrow. You said it yourself, everyone is obsessed with it here. If they're all watching that…"

"Then we'd have the entire school to ourselves. Why, Mister Potter...I believe you're starting to think like me."

"That's what I'm worried about," Hermione grumbled, her head in her hands.

xxxxxxxxxx

Early the next morning, full of excited determination, Harry found Matthew in his usual spot in the common room. He was always the first to rise in their dorm, probably in the entire House, whether it was a school day or the weekend. Harry had wondered at times whether the boy actually slept or just stayed up all night, enjoying the peace and quiet. Something had been playing on his mind concerning his solitary male friend since they'd spoken the previous evening, something that Harry had no idea how he'd approach.

Matthew had his glasses on as he read from a small book. He and Hermione were always reading. Occasionally, Harry would wonder what it would have been like to have friends who just played games, such as some of the other kids who were always engrossed in battles in wizard's chess and gobstones. He had heard plenty of people say that they were the boring pair in Gryffindor and that he could do much better, which typically had the result of Harry feeling more defensive of his friends. He guessed he enjoyed this life. He managed to get his homework done and to a good standard thanks to their assistance. And it wasn't as if they didn't have fun too. Some of the stories Matthew came out with were completely ridiculous, even when he claimed they were all true. Even Hermione had come out of her shell since her early days at Hogwarts, revealing that she had a wicked sense of humour hidden behind her wall of intelligence. And, after all, they were planning to sneak around the school - what could be more fun that?

Matthew looked over his glasses as Harry approached. Whenever his stare was turned on him, it was a strange sensation. It always felt as if he were sizing you up, analysing you. It never felt like a young boy was looking at you. He had old eyes, Harry had determined at some point over the few months they'd been together. But the way his eyes would dance with delight when speaking, his arms gesticulating all over the place, made him seem younger once more. He was always contradictory like that. Harry got the impression that he preferred it that way.

"I don't think you've gotten up this early on a Saturday since we arrived here," Matthew remarked with a smirk. "You must be excited."

Harry took a seat next to him, twiddling with his thumbs. He absentmindedly nodded his head, though he hadn't listened properly to the statement. "Can I ask you something?"

"I think you're going to anyway...so…"

"Did you really read all that stuff about Nicolas Flamel?" He blurted out the question, rushing his words to make it end faster. It was out in the open now, no going back. "I mean...you knew about the stone...all the details...way before Hermione brought that book out. I wouldn't think it's something that you would have memorised unless it served a purpose."

"I'm allowed to have a passing interest in the subject." He should have sounded defensive but his demeanour was as calm and relaxed as ever. He was smiling too, highlighting how he wasn't taking this seriously.

"It's a weird interest to have. And a bit of a coincidence."

Matthew arched an eyebrow. "Did Hermione put you up to this?"

Harry was genuinely confused by that response. "No...why would she?"

"It doesn't matter." He'd taken off his glasses now and Harry was being subjected to the full force of his enigmatic gaze. "What are you really asking, Harry? Do you think I had something to do with the troll? Do you think I'm the one who wants the stone?"

"You did vanish for a while when the troll was loose," Harry pointed out, almost nervously. He hated himself for saying it, seeing the wounded expression on Matthew's face. It was possibly the first sign of weakness he had ever shown in front of him.

"I thought we'd dealt with that. Harry...I'm a first-year, just like you. What do you think I'm capable of?"

"I don't know," he said with a sigh. "More than you let on."

"Can I ask you a question?" He paused when Harry nodded his head. "Do you trust me? Is this just a result of you being paranoid over the Philosopher's Stone?"

Harry thought about it for a second. "You're my friend. I have no doubts about that. But...sometimes...I feel like I don't know you. I know there's so much more to learn about you...and I'm worried what that might be." He could barely look at him now. "I've never...been in this position before. You know, having a friend to rely on. And I'm scared that it'll turn out to be a trick. You'll be a trick, Hermione will be a trick, me being here at Hogwarts will be a trick. I don't think I'd be able to cope if that was the case."

"You deserve to be here, Harry. No one is going to take that from you and they'd have to go through me if they wanted to try. And they wouldn't want to mess with Hermione either, with the spells she's no doubt already taught herself. Do you understand?" Once again, Harry nodded his head, which was feeling a lot less burdened than it had been a moment ago. "As for the stone...the last thing I want is eternal life. And I really don't have much need for money. So hopefully that eases your concern."

"I'm sorry," Harry murmured. Was he doing his best to ruin this friendship? Had the years of verbal abuse by the Dursleys made him believe he wasn't worthy of this?

"Don't be. I'd much rather you tell me this instead of holding it in. You might explode. And if the Harry Potter were to explode...well, I don't know what we'd do."

That made him laugh, which broke the tension that had been surrounding them. Harry knew that it was a silly thing to think - there was no way that someone his age could be the mastermind behind such an elaborate scheme. He guessed that he had seen so much weird stuff in the magical world already, his mind was wanting him to think that the improbable was normal. Thankfully, Matthew had taken it well, otherwise he would have been without the first friend he'd ever made. And Hermione would probably side with him too in this hypothetical situation because of his own behaviour.

By now, most people were emerging from their slumber, though few showed any tiredness. They were all prepared for the big quidditch game of the year, Gryffindor against Slytherin, the old derby. Ron Weasley had spoken about nothing else into the early hours as he theorised what tactics their House would use to combat the skill and pace of their rivals. His concerns had mainly stemmed from the fact that Gryffindor's seeker was the worst of a bad bunch, a fourth-year boy who no one would call 'athletic'. At this point, however, Harry had tuned out, bored by all the analysis. He'd wanted to shout at them for thinking about something so apparently mundane when someone was likely trying to attack Hogwarts, but had remembered that that was probably best kept as a secret for the time being. And, he had to admit, it was nice to see the school slightly more relaxed than usual, with the focus turned away from the typical grind of schoolwork. There had been a close call between Draco Malfoy and Ron, with the former insulting his twin brothers (they were the current beaters - a position Harry did not understand), before Professor McGonagall had appeared as stealthily as the cat she was. More importantly, it took attention away from him, which was always a blessing with how often he still caught people staring at him. And a lack of attention was exactly what they needed today to have any chance of finding the stone's hiding place.

In amongst the crowd coming down the stairs, Hermione appeared, heading in their direction once she spotted them. Standing in front of the table, she scrutinised their expressions, looking for something (they didn't know what). The pair were growing slightly uncomfortable under her gaze, though Matthew was also seemingly finding some enjoyment in her peculiar behaviour since he had a smile on his face.

"So we're really doing this," she eventually said, worry lines creasing her brow. "I was hoping that, having slept on it, you might have changed your mind."

"How could we not do this?" Harry asked in stunned disbelief. "The school needs us!" He wasn't going to say it but he was also looking forward to going on an adventure.

"We could get caught. What if some of the staff choose to stay away from the game and find us snooping around a restricted area. Then we get put in detention or…" She took a big gulp, finding it difficult to say the next bit. "They might even expel us if it's as serious a situation as we think."

"You don't have to come," Matthew told her gently, taking her hand and slowly guiding her towards a seat. "If you want, you can sit this out. We won't think any less of you. It's probably for the best. We have no idea of the dangers we'll end up facing." He saw her face blanche at that and winced. "I shouldn't have said that. I realise that now."

"We're just searching," Harry argued. "That won't be dangerous. Unless we annoy Filch or his cat."

"If we find where the Philosopher's Stone is, then we're going to also find the protections guarding it. I doubt Dumbledore would go small with the defences. Again...probably shouldn't have mentioned that."

"You both want to do this," Hermione noted, not saying it as a question because she already knew the answer. "I don't think I'd be able to live with myself if I let you go on your own and something bad was to happen to you. No, you could do with my help. That's what I'm telling myself anyway."

"Admit it Hermione...you're also a little bit excited and intrigued." Matthew was giving her a look she defined as devilish and mischievous. She'd seen it a few times already and, though she wouldn't say it to him (there was no knowing how smug he'd be if she did), she liked it. "You're like me and Harry more than you care to admit."

"Or maybe you're just bad influences, corrupting my sense of morality," she challenged, which only made him smile wider.

"Did you hear that, Harry? We're influencing her. I'm going to take that as a compliment."

xxxxxxxxxx

It was very strange to be in the school when it wasn't full with other pupils. There was no jostling around, no rushed journeys to class. It was an opportunity to properly appreciate the finer details of Hogwarts, which Harry was ashamed to admit that he hadn't done so far. There was always something to do - lessons and homework especially - and then, when you had time to explore, you were always too tired to do so. In places, it was downright gorgeous, the carved stone arches and the vines running up the walls making it seem enchanted (Harry supposed that was a foolish thing to say given where he was). In other places, he had to admit it was rather creepy, especially with how many abandoned classrooms they stumbled across as they walked around. Matthew had poked his head inside one, stating that he was simply curious, before quickly slamming the door shut, his face ashen. He muttered something about how ghosts shouldn't be able to do that with one another but he wouldn't divulge any specifics, wanting to spare them from the horror.

Harry had never given much thought to the portraits either, barring the Fat Lady that controlled entrance to their common room, and he could have spent all day watching them move around, talking to one another, living their two-dimensional lives. He was told off for staring by one incredibly stern looking woman, which had reminded him to catch up with his friends before they disappeared out of view. Once caught up with them, he started asking Hermione about how the paintings could talk, knowing that she was always the person to go to when you needed information. Since she'd been brought up in the muggle world, where photos remained strictly still, she had inevitably been fascinated by the whole thing, reading any books she could find on the topic. Her lecture lasted a good fifteen minutes before Harry had the heart to stop her.

"A nice way of keeping a memory alive," Matthew murmured with a strange look in his eyes, before he shook his head and carried on walking.

They continued to stroll around, glancing beyond corners to make sure the coast was clear and always looking out for the pitter patter of Mrs Norris. It wasn't a crime to still be inside (it would be a strange rule if people were forced to watch quidditch) but they still felt like criminal masterminds. Hermione still wasn't too happy about that but the energy of the two boys was infectious. At one point, she had even grinned when Harry had placed his back firmly against the wall like he'd seen a spy do in one of the films Uncle Vernon liked (before he'd been spotted and ordered to go back into his closet), but she had quickly masked that to keep the impression up that she firmly disapproved of this behaviour.

The group hadn't come across anyone by the point they were travelling up the stairs to the fabled third floor. It seemed that quidditch was even more popular than they'd realised, which was a good thing for them. The corridor they found themselves on was small and unassuming, just like all the others they'd traversed on their way there. A few torches were lit, which seemed strange since it was meant to be out of bounds.

"Like I said, I get the sense that Dumbledore wants someone to come here," Matthew said after Harry raised that point.

"What if he's waiting for us," Hermione suggested worriedly. "He might not like quidditch. Or he might have expected someone to take advantage of the school being empty, just not realising it would be us . Then we'll get expelled and have to leave the wizarding world. I don't want that to happen!" She was hyperventilating and it took Matthew squeezing her hand to stop her from spiralling out of control.

"Hold on," Harry whispered. "I didn't even think of that. We realised that it's a great chance to get to the stone...so that means this mystery person could have as well!" He was scared now, constantly looking behind his back, fully expecting a shady figure to appear at any moment.

"You're both hypothesising about situations that probably won't happen," Matthew reminded them, though he didn't look as sure as he sounded. "That being said...have your wands out, just to be safe." His own appeared in his hand from nowhere in a blink of an eye, with Hermione thinking she had seen a soft glow of some kind just beforehand. She rubbed her eyes and, with there no longer being any light, assumed she had just been seeing things because of the pressure she was feeling.

There was nothing of any note along the corridor. No decorations, no portraits, no suits of armour. Nothing that made it distinct from the other twisting floors in Hogwarts. In actual fact, the bareness of it made it stand out more, as if someone had designed it purposefully to hide in plain sight. There were no classrooms either, no doors to check, which seemed pretty off considering it was a school. Why have an entire section of the building that served no purpose? Unless it had been created especially for this task. The lack of any discernible features made it easy for them to spot where their destination lay - a solid oak door was built into the wall at the very end of the corridor. It wasn't disguised, it wasn't hidden. It was clear for anyone who dared walk this path to see. And Harry wondered what defences were in place for someone to be so confident that they didn't need to conceal the entrance.

The door was locked, which didn't come as a surprise. Matthew tapped it with his knuckles a few times as if he were knocking, waiting for the person inside to let them in. If it was a person. Harry was silently grateful that no one answered.

"Hermione," Matthew said as he turned to her. "Do you want to unlock it?"

She looked surprised by that. "I'm sure you could do that easily."

"Yes, I'm sure I could. But I want you to do it."

He was testing her, she knew that. He wanted to see her magical capabilities, unrestricted by the usual classroom setting. Why he wanted to gauge her skills, that she didn't know. And she hated not knowing things. But what she hated more was missing an opportunity to prove herself.

She scrunched up her face in concentration, thinking back to the charm she had memorised after finding it in one of her books, and pointed her wand at the lock. " Alohomora ."

With a satisfying sound, the metal gear turned. They shared another look. It all seemed too simple. Hermione was ahead of schedule but, even still, the charm was taught in the first year. It all pointed, once more, to Dumbledore wanting to entice their enemies out into the open. Harry didn't really know the man, only the details he'd read in passing, and he hoped that he knew what he was doing.

It was Matthew who slowly opened the door, the hinges creaking. They didn't know what they had been expecting to find. A laser system that required ninja-like reflexes to pass. A soldier who could not be defeated. Perhaps the world's most complicated safe. None of them had anticipated to find a sleeping animal in there, its three heads resting on the cold floor as it snored loudly. Every so often, it would bare one set of teeth as it grumbled in its sleep, unveiling fangs that were as long as their arms. Its murky black fur almost made it blend in with the drab surroundings, a small dark room with a single window providing some light.

"Dog," Harry muttered because his brain couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Very big dog," Matthew agreed, equally as stunned.

The sound of the door opening had caused such a commotion (Harry was going to have some very strong words with whoever had forgotten to oil the hinges) that the gigantic creature had been disturbed from its slumber. One pair of eyes opened, freezing the three of them in place in fear, followed by another. The heads slowly lifted as the beast shook off the effects of sleep. The guttural growl that escaped from its throat was enough to make their bones turn to jelly.

"I think we should be going," Hermione recommended.

"What an excellent idea!" Matthew shoved them to the door, slamming it shut the second he was out, his cloak almost getting caught. With a practiced swish of his wand, the door hummed and sealed itself once more, the barks of the three-headed dog the only evidence that anything had changed. They were all panting. They hadn't been in there for more than a minute and yet it felt as if they had been trapped for centuries, doomed to become the creature's lunch.

"Who keeps a dog - if you can call it that - in the school?" Harry shouted. This place was even madder than he'd already realised.

"I feel quite sorry for it really," Hermione said. It was much easier to say that when you had a door between yourself and the beast in question. "Trapped inside there. It probably just wants to exercise like any normal dog."

"Which means it'll be suitably angry whenever someone comes across it," Matthew pointed out. "You'd want your guard dog to bite rather than lick. At least we know we found the right place."

"It was standing on a trap door," Hermione told them. "Did you not notice it?"

"I was pretty focused on not getting eaten. If that's the level of security Dumbledore has in place...this stone is more dangerous than I first thought." Harry could feel his body shaking.

"Should we go back inside?"

"Are you insane?" Hermione screeched.

"Only a little bit. Come on...we wanted to find the stone. It's close! So close I can smell it. Or that might just be what the dog produced."

"I think we've done enough for today," Harry said, edging away from the door. Funnily enough, his idea of adventure hadn't involved such terrifying danger. "I'm betting the quidditch will be over with soon. We should go to the library or something so people aren't too suspicious of our absence. And we could start figuring out what on earth that thing is and ways to get around its...massive...razor sharp...teeth."

"To think we've influenced Hermione to become more reckless and now you're actively wanting to read." Matthew patted him on the back, happy with that course of action. "I dread to think what you two will do to me."