Lost and Found (Drarry)

Part 20

Parseltongue- Harry speaking ; snakes speaking

'mind talking/ communicating'

**************

"Nicholas Flamel is a well-known alchemist and only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone, a legendary substance with incredible powers."

"Ahh...," Harry muttered. "I remember there being a chocolate card where he was mentioned; with Dumbledore, I think?"

"That is true," Neville piped up. He showed them that card he recently gained. Totally irrelevant how there were bits of chocolate around his face.

"Considered by many to be the greatest wizard of modern times, Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of Dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicolas Flamel. Professor Dumbledore enjoys chamber music and tenpin bowling."

"He is also famous for creating the Elixir of Life using the stone. He is still alive to this day..."

"So basically this guy is over 600. Good to know," Harry mumbled. He took the book out of Draco's hands and flipped through it.

"So now we know that the Sorcerer's Stone is what is being hidden in this school," Hermione mused.

"Well, Dumbledore is even more of a nutcase than I thought."

"Why is that-"

"-little blondie." Draco scowled at the twins while they cackled in mirth.

"Well, if we use our brains, the stone is hidden here. In a castle filled with students. With them saying to not go near the third-floor corridor or they will die a painful death. And guess what students are going to do?"

"Find out what's behind the third-floor corridor," everyone answered simultaneously.

"Which is being guarded by a Cerberus," Hermione went on.

"But, if there was a way to get past it, then what?" Neville asked.

"Then they will go through the trap door," Draco said.

"I wonder what's under the trapdoor. Who wants it? Why would men with so much intelligence place it in such an insecure place?" Hermione kept rambling on, ignoring everyone around her. Finally Fred set off a mini explosion near her. Hermione screamed and jumped a foot away, breathing heavily.

"What was that for?!" she yelled.

"Shh!" Madame Pince, the librarian whispered. She glared at the group then turned back to her work.

"Sorry Mione," Fred chuckled. "I was just trying to get your attention." Said girl huffed and turned the other way.
"Anyways," Harry tried hard to keep the smile off his face. "We should go. It's better we keep this to ourselves for now though. And stay away from it." Sicily crawled out of his sleeves and wrapped around his shoulders.

"But-" Hermione looked confused and heart-broken.

Harry cut her off. "I know you really want to solve this mystery, and notify an adult. But they probably know what's going on and why put ourselves in unnecessary danger?"

Hermione deflated, logic winning over.

"Instead, how about you help me with Transfiguration?"

The mystery temporarily forgotten, the rest of their free time was spent reviewing their schoolwork.

***

Even though Harry had stored the mystery in the back of his mind, some pieces were still floating around. How the school got hold of a Cerberus was a puzzle itself. And Nicholas Flamel was a few centuries old, he and his wife have gone through many things. There is a highly unlikely chance the stone was kept safe all this time without at least one or two getting their hands on it. Mr. Flamel knew how the stone was made; why couldn't they destroy and make a new one? And even if the stone survived all this time, why hide it in a school? So what if it was said to be the safest place in the world. It was still full of children. Who would protect them if someone actually broke in? Just on his birthday someone broke into Gringotts, which was supposedly the second safest. Nothing is impossible.

Yea, now the mystery wasn't last on his agenda. The more Harry thought about it, the more puzzled he became. The chocolate frog card has mentioned Professor Dumbledore and Flamel working together. It could be possible they were (or still are) close friends. Yet it still wasn't a valid reason as to why the stone would be kept at Hogwarts. To Nicholas, Dumbledore must be a child, and as anyone knows, ensuring a child with an important object was dangerous. Especially someone like Dumbledore.

Even thinking of the man's name brought a frown on Harry's face. Their last encounter and how the headmaster acted made it seem the old man was too pushy into other people's business, especially his. He had too many titles, and a politician and headmaster did not bode well together. It made every hair one his arms stand straight and his gut do somersaults. Though Harry could not prove it, he was certain Dumbledore was watching him. But why though? Why was he so interested in Harry specifically? Sure he was famous, but no one actually told him for what. Plus, dealing with people like Vernon and some of his colleagues made Harry wary of political men.

Deciding all this wasn't worth a headache, Harry cleared his head and started walking again. A better topic to focus on was animagus. Every time Professor McGonagall turned into a cat, he would be in awe. Of course, he had seen his father and uncles turn into animals, especially Peter recently, but something about the way a human body would shift into an animal was fascinating. Another bonus was a person becoming basically their spirit animal. Harry wondered what he would become if he tried.

'Certainly not a pig,' Sicily hissed, lazily flicking her tail. Harry jumped in surprise. He had forgotten to direct his last thoughts to his mind, and Sicily heard his fascination with animagus. He snorted at her words.

'That's Dudley's job. I can't be so rude and take the only thing he's good at away.'

The snake gave what was the equivalent of a snake laughing and snuggled her head against his neck.

'Being a ssspoiled pig to be exact.'

On that happy note, Harry grinned and ran in the hallway, ready to meet his favorite professor and perhaps talk about Minnie the cat.