The Boy: Brandon Dursely

Chapter 29: The Restricted Section and the Philosopher's Stone

The next few days, Harry tried to find time to catch up on his Professor Snape. But the man was so caught up with whatever it was that involved late night meetings with the Headmaster. The rest of the teaching staff actually was, too. The teachers didn't give detention that much, Harry noticed. They did not even give that much load of a homework and while it was a cause for student celebration, Harry couldn't help but feel disappointed as to how the resuming of Term was turning.

First, books about the Philosopher's Stone weren't giving suffucient information. What it was, what it does- all of it were missing from the Tomes. It frustrated Harry to no end. Harry tried to play by it as clean as he could; asking Upper Years, asking Snape. It didn't work. The Upper Years were mostly either too caught up with Academics (the Final Examinations were nearing) or with flirting with each other (Valentine's Day was a frivolous affair) and kissing in the moonlight and sappy stuff. It made Harry wince. He had caught Helena Wellington and Iann Verona kissing and coming out from broom closets every now and then.

Asking Snape was proving to be a difficult task. The man was nowhere to be found.

Secondly, Harry was experiencing severe headaches and he had to go to the Infirmary every now and then. The test results requested by Snape as his guardian revealed he was fine. He had to grudgingly confess that he was having late night talks with his friends, and Snape tsked disapprovingly at him. He told him that he needed to stop that. Maybe, that was what was causing his headaches. Lack of sleep, Snape reminded him, was what caused him to faint in Charms. That was one of the longest interactions Harry had with his guardian. It did not help one bit.

Third, Snape did not approve of the Invisibility Cloak. His Professor said that it was not him who had given Harry the Cloak, and if he would have something to say about it, it was that giving an eleven year old such an artifact would only lead to trouble. Harry did his best to not answer back. It was his, after all. Someone found him worthy of such an artifact, why would Snape say otherwise? It lead tears to flow as he laid in his dorm room that night.

Lastly, the Cloak proved to be a temptation as it is. Since he did not find sufficient information on the Philosopher's Stone in books found in the General Section, Harry was finding it harder and harder to avoid the idea of sneaking in in the Restricted Section. He started to ask Upper Years once more, whether there was a way to have a pass upon that part of the Library. But they said that only fifth years and up with passes from teachers can do so. Harry took it off from his list immediately. He wasn't a fifth year, and Snape would in no way give him a pass.

So when he thought of the idea to use the Invisibility Cloak to get in the Restricted Section as he doodled during Transfiguration, it wouldn't get off his mind. It seems that it was the only way to do it. Besides, he thought it was brilliant.

Is it?

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It is, Harry decided as he crept through the Slytherin Dorms to the Restricted Section. He had spent five days observing Filch and two days deciding. Besides, Snape was nowhere to be found. He had timed it perfectly; between eleven to eleven thirty, since it was the time Filch would have his midnight snacks. His cat would go out of the grounds during that time, and Madame Pince wasn't around during those times, too. The thirty minute gap was enough for Harry to get the books he wanted.

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He casted a soft lumos as he walked through the aisles. The smell of parchment was overwhelming, as well as the Magic that vibrated against the rows and rows of books. They were mostly old books, books that had seen the best and worst of times. The spines of some were already falling apart due to constant usage. Harry shivered underneath the Cloak as he passed by the Dark Tomes, and was awed as he passed by the Elementals.