Harry met the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel when he visited Neumont Gard Castle during the Christmas of his fifth year.The Grindelwalds were friends of the Flamels, which was why Vivi had taken him to visit them that Christmas.
Harry was deeply impressed with them; after all, it was rare to see someone as frail and emaciated as Nicolas Flamel.
While Harry was lost in thought, Hermione suddenly stomped her foot.
"I know!"
"What do you know?" asked Ron.
"Snape was trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone!" Hermione whispered. "That's why he was bitten on the leg by Fluffy! Maybe he let the troll in to create a distraction, then ran to where the Stone was kept and got bitten by Fluffy! That must be it!"
Harry, thinking along with Hermione, realized it could be true.
"But why would he do that?" asked Ron. "He's a Potions Master, isn't he? Would he even need it?"
"Exactly because he's a Potions Master is why he wants it!" Hermione said with conviction. "I've never found a recipe for the Elixir of Immortality in any Potions book. Believe me, a mad scientist would have a hard time resisting such a temptation."
"But Snape is a Potions teacher, not a scientist," Ron countered.
"You should have attended Snape's first class. He said that Potions is an exact science," Hermione explained.
Ron remembered that Snape had indeed said that.
"Well, maybe it is," he conceded.
"Harry, what do you think?" asked Hermione.
Harry frowned, not answering her directly, and said only, "So the question is: where exactly is Fluffy?"
"Where?" asked Ron, surprised. "You don't mean you want to help the school protect the Philosopher's Stone, do you?"
Harry thought to himself: Of course I want to help protect it. After all, I hope to speak with Mr. Flamel and see if I can borrow the Stone.
Since discovering what it was, Harry's focus had shifted entirely to the Stone.
Perhaps the emphasis shouldn't be on the Headmaster; the Stone belonged to Mr. Flamel, who was a friend of the old Grindelwald.
"Of course I'm a Hogwarts student," Harry declared confidently.
Children Ron's age were still in the phase of imagining themselves as superheroes.
Hearing Harry, Ron immediately smiled in agreement: "Cool! Take me with you!"
"We absolutely need to take Hermione; we can't go without her," he added.
"I'll go," Hermione rolled her eyes, "to stop you from killing each other."
As December approached, the weather grew colder.
The first snow of 1991 finally fell on December 2nd.
Besides attending classes, the three of them practiced spells in the Room of Requirement and researched possible locations for Fluffy.
Harry had no idea; even after living in the castle for six years, he couldn't claim to know all its secrets.
Even the Chamber of Secrets had been explored, thanks to Veratia.
Cassandra's expression darkened even more because of this—though she rarely showed a pleasant look.
Walking along the road, Harry cheerfully discussed dinner plans with Ron and Seamus when a furious roar came from behind.
"You need to apologize to her, Parkinson!"
It was Hermione.
Harry and the others stopped and turned to see Hermione standing in front of Pansy Parkinson from Slytherin, like an enraged lioness.
Not far away, Lavender Brown, her dorm mate, was frantically picking up books scattered on the ground.
"Why?" Pansy Parkinson asked coldly.
"You bumped into Lavender! You need to apologize!" Hermione snapped.
"Leave it, Hermione, leave it," Lavender whispered, tugging on Hermione's sleeve to calm the situation.
"She did it on purpose!" Hermione hissed. "Just because you pointed out her mistake in class!"
"Leave it," Lavender repeated softly.
A crowd quickly gathered, all watching to see what would happen.
Pansy sneered and patted the blonde beside her.
"Let's go, Daphne."
"Stop right there!" Hermione roared.
Pansy's expression turned cold.
"So, what do you want, meddling mudblood?"
"Pansy…" Daphne Greengrass cautiously pulled her back. "How could you say that?"
"Hmph." Pansy sneered. "A mudblood like you doesn't deserve to be in the same school as me…"
Hermione drew her wand.
"Ah, you dare point a wand at me?" Pansy mocked. "Don't think you're important just because you got a few extra points in class, mudblood. You'll soon see the difference between you and a pure-blood wizard!"
Pansy also drew her wand.
"Expelliarmus!" Hermione cast the spell, making Pansy's wand spin out of her hand.
"Scourgify!" she added, combining another spell.
Pansy, affected by the spell, knelt on the ground, spitting pink bubbles. She tried to curse, but the bubbles made her gag.
"Your mouth is filthy, Parkinson," Hermione said coldly. "Consider this a lesson!"
"Hermione!" Ron shouted.
Hermione felt the spell Daphne had cast. She ducked swiftly, avoiding it, and grabbed Daphne's wand from her hand.
"Anyone else?" Hermione lifted her chin.
Marcus Flint stepped forward with a malicious grin, followed by several older students.
When older boys advanced, the situation shifted quickly. Harry and Ron raised their wands, positioning themselves in front of Hermione.
Neville and Seamus did the same; though their hands trembled slightly, they stood resolutely to protect her.
"Potter!" Marcus shouted, sending a red-orange spell toward Harry.
He had stepped forward deliberately, not to attack Hermione, but to lure Harry from behind.
Marcus knew Harry and Hermione were close; he wouldn't stand by while the older students picked on a mudblood.
He had held a grudge since the Quidditch collision.
Having just been released from the hospital a few days ago, he had been planning his revenge.
Normally, provoking first-years was unjustifiable and frowned upon, but now the opportunity was unique: older students defending first-years from their own house, causing a small chaos… what a delight!
As Snape once said: "You are here to learn the subtle science and precise art of potion-making."
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