It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 9: Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone

Dear Harry,

Thanks, I needed that advice. It didn't exactly work, though. At dinner yesterday I tried to talk to my parents about school, but my dad told me not to say anything at all about magic. When he said that, my mum went really pale and looked like she was going to be sick.

I'm not sure I like the sound of that Exploding Snap game, it does sound a bit, well, explosive. I'm glad that you're all having a great time back at school, and that Fred and George are keeping the Christmas cheer going strong. All the snow that was left here yesterday is gone. It's snowing a little bit now, although it doesn't look like it's going to settle much. No white Christmas for me this year, then. Hopefully you'll still have some left when I get back.

I've been thinking quite a lot about Nicholas Flamel (I can't find him anywhere in my books) and that his links to Dumbledore have got to mean something, surely. It's all got to tie together somehow. So, if you're still trying to remember where you've seen his name before, think of Dumbledore and perhaps that will help. Have you read something about Dumbledore somewhere that had Flamel's name in it? Have you seen Flamel's name around school anywhere? I'm sure that Ron wouldn't like to keep searching in the library, so I suppose you could give up on looking through books. Besides, you probably would have found him by now if he was in there.

No, two weeks isn't particularly long, but it really does feel like it. I would give anything to go and spend Christmas at Hogwarts with you instead. I may try to persuade my parents to let me stay next year, although that may need to wait until the summer.

See you soon,

Hermione.

Dear Hermione,

I'm really sorry. I'm still convinced that your parents just need some time to come to terms with the fact that you're a witch. It was probably easy for them to forget it all when you weren't there with them for so long. What happened when you got your letter? What did they say? Did they seem okay with it or were they like they are now?

Don't judge Exploding Snap by its name, it's loads of fun, honestly! Well, Ron singed the edge of one of his eyebrows yesterday, but the twins fixed that before Percy could see. So, other than a few minor safety issues, it really is alright. Ron also taught me how to play Wizard's Chess. It's pretty much the same as regular chess, except the pieces are all little people with weapons. They get to know their owners quite well, so Ron was amazing because he's had his pieces since he was little, but I had to use some of Seamus' old ones that he had given to Ron once. They hated me. Every time I tried to move one, another one would yell at me. They'd tell me not to move to that square, or to move a different piece to somewhere else. They really confused me.

When one piece takes another, it lifts its sword up and swings it down. As soon as the sword hits a piece, that piece smashes apart. It's completely barbaric, but it is quite enjoyable. In the end, George (I think) took over for me; I think they all felt sorry for me because of how badly I was losing. Oops!

I've been thinking a lot about this Flamel bloke too, and I still can't imagine where I could have read his name before. I think you're along the right lines with his links to Dumbledore, I just can't think of anywhere that I might have read something about him.

You're right about Ron not wanting to go back to the library too. I asked him and he said he hated that place now that we've spent so much time in it reading. We've searched everywhere in there so many times we could probably recite half of the books there in order. That is, if we wanted to, which we really don't.