star shopping ✰ d.m.

CHAPTER TEN

When she came back to Hogwarts after the Christmas holidays, Hermione was annoyed and frustrated to hear that neither Harry nor Arabella had found anything about Nicholas Flamel, even after Harry had looked in the Restricted Section after dark using his new Invisibility Cloak. So, the first chance they got, she dragged both of them plus Ron to the library to search some more.

"I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I be so stupid?" said Hermione, dropping a rather large and weathered book onto the table where Harry, Ron, and Arabella sat. "I checked this out weeks ago for a bit of light reading."

"This is light?" Ron asked, seeing the size of the book.

Hermione glared at him before opening the book and reading. "'Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone.'"

"The what?" Harry and Ron asked.

"Honestly, don't you two read? 'The Sorcerer's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It'll transform any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life which will make the drinker immortal.'"

"Immortal?" asked Ron.

"It means you'll never die."

"I know what it means!"

"Then don't ask stupid questions," said Arabella.

Before Ron could say anything, Harry shushed them both so Hermione could keep reading.

"'The only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist who last year celebrated his 665th birthday.' That's what Fluffy's guarding on the third floor. That's what's under the trapdoor. The Sorcerer's Stone."

To get more information, the four of them decided to visit Hagrid, but knew it best to visit at night so Snape wouldn't find out about it. So instead of going back to Gryffindor Tower after dinner, they went out to Hagrid's hut.

"Oh, hello," said Hagrid when he opened his door to see them there. "Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today." He tried to shut the door on them, but their words stopped him.

"We know about the Sorcerer's Stone," they said.

"Oh." He let them in and they sat down in the chairs he had.

"We think Snape's trying to steal it," said Harry.

"Snape? Blimey, you're not still on about him, are you?"

"Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone, we just don't know why."

"Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone. He's not about to steal it."

"What?"

"You heard. Right, come on, now. I'm a bit preoccupied today."

"But wouldn't that make the perfect cover?" Arabella pointed out. "If he's one of the teacher's protecting it, no one would think him of stealing it, would they?"

"Wait a minute," Harry spoke. "'One of the teachers'?"

"Of course!" Hermione said. "There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments."