Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 20: Student-Teacher Conference

Minutes later...

To his mild surprise, Snape found Harry sitting in his usual chair in the Potions lab, softly banging his head against his desk. He sighed. "Mr. Potter. I don't believe that you have any detentions assigned to me, so I assume you have some information to share which you think is too vital to wait until Monday. Out with it."

The boy stopped banging his head but didn't lift it up from the desk. "Beneath the trap door guarded by Fluffy the Cerberus lay a series of rooms, each with a trap designed by one of the Hogwarts professors. Specifically and in order, by Sprout, Flitwick, McGongall, Quirrell, and yourself. And in the last room is Nicholas Flamel's fabled Philosopher's Stone which Professor Quirrell wants to steal." He finally raised his head and looked dully at Snape. "And The Git-Who-Lived knows all about it."

Snape shook his head in resignation and sat down at his desk. "How?"

"Hagrid. A few details from Theo that only hastened the inevitable, but mainly Hagrid. He. Just. Would. Not. Shut. Up! I'm surprised he's not up in the Astronomy Tower right now with a megaphone, blaring out the secret of how to get past the Cerberus!"

Snape leaned forward. "Did he ...?"

"No, but only because I made a big scene and stormed out in such a way that everyone followed me. I'm sure Jim and Ron will go back and get it out of him later. Mind you, I don't even see how getting past Fluffy is any big deal to begin with."

The Potions Master raised an eyebrow. "Indeed. So have you figured out the secret for neutralizing the Cerberus?"

"No, but unlike some people I could name, I'm not a powerful homicidal wizard who has infiltrated Hogwarts in order to steal the Philosopher's Stone. If I were, I'm pretty sure I would just use the Killing Curse on Fluffy and then get on with it."

"Ah, the direct approach. Unfortunately for us, Potter, the enemy is more knowledgeable than you. Hogwarts' wards would instantly detect a Killing Curse cast within the castle and alert not only every faculty member to the location where it was used, but also the DMLE. The beast is highly magic resistant, and no spell less potent than the Killing Curse would easily kill it. There is only one way to overcome the hellhound and reach the trapdoor without sounding the alarm and only Hagrid and the Headmaster know what it is."

"Have you considered Obliviating Hagrid?"

"One point deducted for your cheek, Potter. Do not mock the Hogwarts staff, not even Hagrid. We all have our roles to play."

"Well, I'm sorry, sir, but I'm a bit upset, as I have friends who I now feel are in genuine danger. I was willing to ignore the troll as a simple diversion that got out of hand, but Quirrell has just demonstrated his willingness to murder a student in front of several thousand witnesses. Granted, it was Jim Potter, but he's still a Hogwarts student. And while I may not care about the Git's fate, two of my best friends are caught up in his orbit and are potential victims if they get drawn into his ... adventures," Harry's voice dripped with contempt on the last word.

"You are not responsible for the fate of those who will not listen to your reasoned advice, Potter. If it is any comfort, that was a hard lesson for me to learn as well. Encourage your friends to avoid Quirrell and to resist being drawn into the Other Potter's foolishness. That is all you can reasonably hope to achieve."

"Sir, I might be more confident about this whole situation if I could see any sense to it. Why even hide the Stone in a school in the first place? I'm eleven and I can think of better protections for the Philosopher's Stone sticking in Hogwarts behind a gauntlet of traps."