Only A Boy

Leaving Wool's Orphanage

Professor Snape reappeared outside of Hogsmeade with a crack that resounded through the summer evening. The barrier of the castle was just a few strides before him, but it was times like this that he wished he could apparate directly into the Headmaster's office. The Philosopher's Stone burned in his pocket. He didn't need the constant reminder at the back of his mind that this was how the Dark Lord could return to his corporeal form.

The double agent seriously questioned the wisdom in sending him.

Black robes a batwing in his stride, he scaled the path up to the castle. Up the marble steps and through the entrance hall, up some stairs and down a corridor—until he finally reached the stone gargoyle guarding the passage to Dumbledore office.

He took a moment to regain his breath. "Lemon drop," he spat at the crude hewn carving. Dumbledore's sweet tooth was something he would never understand—particularly when it came to muggle candies.

The gargoyle sprung to life and stepped aside, allowing Snape to slip past and scaled the spiral staircase, arriving in front of the door in a billow of black cloth. He knocked.

"Come in." He opened the door. "Ah, Severus! Not a moment too soon."

Snape hardly spared the office a second glance, far too used to all the strange contraptions that adorned its walls and many tables. Albus Dumbledore stood by a bookshelf behind his desk, apparently adding a few volumes to his collection – or else putting away all the books he had hidden in his bedchamber. He set down the three books he cradled in his arms on his desk when he saw Snape, crossing over to his desk with an urgent glint in his eye.

Something must have happened.

Snape withdrew the ruby red stone from his pocket. "I believe this has a more suitable location."

Dumbledore nodded and gestured to the desk. Snape placed the stone upon it before taking a step back, relieved that it was no longer in his possession. The blood-coloured gem glinted innocently in the lamplight, as though trying to tempt him. As if he would ever fall for its charms.

"Indeed, I'll inform Nicolas of its arrival as soon as we're finished here." Dumbledore took a seat behind his desk. He rummaged in a drawer for a moment, and then withdrew a letter. "Earlier today I received this from Gringotts Bank," he said holding it up for Snape to see the crest. "It seems I was quite right in having you withdraw it today instead of waiting until next week. The vault was breached only a few hours after you retrieved the Stone."

Snape felt his throat tighten. "So the alchemist wasn't just being paranoid."

"No, I'm afraid not. He and I have talked long into the night in regards to this matter, but today I feel that our suspicions are confirmed."

"How?" Snape frowned. "According to you, the Dark Lord should be wandering some forest in Albania, alone and formless."

"Should be does not always directly translate to what is. The evidence speaks for itself and we would be ill-advised to ignore it."

Snape was silent for a moment. "Then... he'll try to come here next."

"Indeed. I feel that his desperation for the Stone may push him even here."

Snape pinched the bridge of his nose. As if he didn't have enough to worry about this term. The Dark Lord should have just died all those years ago. He had nursed a faint hope that the Potters had managed to put him down for good, but no. Their little suicide mission had put a pause to the war, not stopped it completely.

"Hogwarts," the Potions Master began icily, "is a school, not a bank. We don't have safety deposit boxes or vaults to guard treasure. How exactly do you propose we protect the Stone?"