The Stone

Chapter Twenty-Two

So I know that I said that the last update would be the last for today but I can't sleep so...

I've already made the cover for the next book, make sure you read until the end to see it! 

Enjoy! 

(INSOMNIA SUCKS)

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Dumbledore had convinced Harry not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again which made Bella thankful. For the rest of the Christmas holidays, the Cloak stayed folded at the bottom of his trunk. Bella wished she could just wipe out what she had seen in the Mirror from her mind but she couldn't. And now, it was coming to her in her dreams. Her and Harry all snuggled up...happy...in love... She was finding it hard to even look Harry in the eye without blushing.

"You see, Dumbledore was right, that Mirror could drive you mad," said Ron, when Harry repeated to him what Dumbledore had said. 

Hermione, who came back the day before term started, took a different view on things. She was torn between horror at the idea of them being out of bed, roaming the school ("If Filch had caught you!") and disappointment that they hadn't at least found out who Nicolas Flamel was.

They had almost given up hope of ever finding Flamel in a library book, even though Harry was still sure he'd read the name somewhere. Once term had started, they were back to skimming through books for ten minutes during their breaks. Bella and Harry had even less time than the other two, because Quidditch practice had started again.

Wood was working the term harder than ever. Even the endless rain that had replaced the snow couldn't dampen his spirits. The Weasley's complained that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but Bella and Harry were on Wood's side. If they won their next match, against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the House Championship for the first time in seven years. Quite apart from wanting to win, Bella found that she had fewer dreams with Harry in when she was tired out after training. 

Then, during one particularly wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news. He'd just got very angry with the Weasleys, who kept dive-bombing each other and pretending to fall off their brooms. 

"Will you stop messing around!" he yelled. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"

George really did fall off his broom at these words. 

"Snape's referring?" he spluttered through a mouthful of mud. "When's he ever refereed a Quidditch match? He's not going to be fair if we might overtake Slytherin"

The rest of the team, including Bella, landed next to George and started to complain too. 

"I'm out," Bella holds her hands up in the air, "If he's refereeing, then we have no chance. It won't be a fair game. Everyone knows he hates Gryffindor"

Everyone agreed with her and Wood glared at her as if to say 'so help me, if you walk out...'

"It's not my fault," said Wood. "We just got to make sure we play a clean game, so Snape hasn't got an excuse to pick on us."

Which was all very well, but as Bella and Harry shared a glance, they both could tell they were thinking the same thing. They had other reasons for not wanting Snape near them whilst they were playing Quidditch...

The rest of the team hung back to talk to each other as usual at the end of practice, but Harry and Bella headed straight to the Gryffindor common room, where they found Ron and Hermione playing chess. Chess was the only thing Hermione ever lost at, something that Harry, Bella, and Ron thought was very good for her.

"Don't talk to me for a moment," said Ron when Harry sat down next to him, Bella sat next to Hermione. "I need to concen-" He caught the sight of their faces. "What's the matter with you both? You look terrible."

Speaking quietly so no one else would hear, Harry told the other two about Snape's sudden, sinister desire to be a Quidditch referee, Bella nodded agreeing with what he was saying. 

"Don't play," said Hermione at once.

"Say you're ill," said Ron. 

"Pretend to break your leg," Hermione suggested

"Really break your leg," said Ron.

"I can't" Harry grumbled at the same time Bella had said: 

"He can't"

"There isn't a reserve Seeker. If I back out, Gryffindor can't play at all" Harry told them.

At that moment Neville toppled into the common room. How he managed to climb through the portrait hole was anyone's guess, because his legs had been stuck together with what they recongised at once as the Leg-Locker Curse. He must have had to bunny hop all the way up to Gryffindor Tower. 

Everyone fell about laughing except Hermione, who lept up and performed the counter-curse. Neville's legs sprang apart and he got to his feet, trembling.

"What happened?" Bella asked him, leading him over to sit with Harry and Ron. 

"Malfoy," said Neville shakily. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practise that on"

"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Hermione urged Neville. "Report him!"

Neville shook his head. 

"I don't want no more trouble," he mumbled. 

"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" said Ron. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier"

"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor, Malfoy's already done that" Neville choked.

Harry felt in the pocket of his robes and pulled out a Chocolate Frog, the very last one from the box from Hermione had given him for Christmas. He gave it Neville, who looked as though he might cry.

"You're worth twelve of Malfoy," said Harry. "The Sorting Hat chose you for Gryffindor, didn't it? And where's Malfoy? In stinking Slytherin"

Neville's lips twitched in a weak smile as he unwrapped the Frog.

"Thanks, Harry...I think I'll go to bed... D'you want the card, you collect them, don't you?"

As Neville walked away Harry looked at the Famous Wizard Card. 

"Dumbledore again," he said. "He was the first one I ever-"

He then gasped, staring at the back of the card before looking up at Bella, Hermione and Ron with a grin on his face. 

"I've found him!" he whispered. "I've found Flamel!"

*********

The cover for the next book:

Not great, but hey, it's 3:32 am so it's going to be crappy. I might change it later on. Anyway, I'm deffo gonna try and get some sleep. Maybe a glass of warm milk will help...

Night and god-bless <3