CHAPTER TEN: NICOLAS FLAMEL
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WHEN ALEX RETURNED to Hogwarts she was beyond happy to be away from her family. Every second around them was like pure torture, especially after she wasn't a Slytherin. Lucius was the worst of them all, he belittled her for every little thing she did, and Narcissa and Draco just watched. It was like walking on glass around him. She was constantly reminded how much her mother and father would be disappointed in her.

The only peaceful place in Hogwarts was under a small tree. She leaned her back up against the trunk. Winter was slowly beginning to fade away, although there was still snow on the ground.

She heard footsteps in the snow behind her and she turned her head. "Oh, Neville, hey." She greeted quietly as she stood up.

He looked at her. "Hey Alex, what are you doing out here?" He asked. "It's kinda chilly."

"Just needed somewhere quiet." She told him. "Did you need something?"

He shook his head. "No- I just wanted to make sure you were alright. I saw you leave the Great Hall."

She nodded. "I'm okay, thank you."

-

Not even a week later, Alex was already roped into the mess with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Only because she accidentally came across them in the library one day. Now she spent a too much time there, trying to help them find something on Nicolas Flamel. She flipped through the same textbooks she had been for the past couple of days.

She groaned as she looked up at Ron and Harry, Hermione was back looking for books on the shelves. "Can I go?" She asked.

Ron looked up at her. "Only if I can go with you." He said, resting his head on his hand.

Hermione came back, seemingly an idea in her head. "I had you looking in the wrong section, how could I be so stupid?" She said slamming a book onto the table. "I checked this out weeks ago, a bit of light reading."

"This... is light?" Ron asked.

She glared at him and started flipping through the pages. "Of course! Here it is! Nicolas Flamel is the only known maker of the philosophers stone."

"The what?" The other three asked in unison.

"Honestly, don't you three read?" She asked, they exchanged glances before looking back at Hermione. "The philosophers stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It'll transform any metal into pure gold and produce the elixir of life, making the drinker immortal."

"Immortal?" Ron questioned.

"It means you'll never die." She explained.

"I know what it means!" Ron said, with an offended tone.

"Shh," Alex mumbled.

Hermione continued, "The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicolas Flamel, an alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday. That's what Fluffy is guarding! That's what's under the trap door. The Philosopher Stone."

The other three exchanged glances as the dots connected in their heads.

-

Later that day, Alex sat in the Great Hall, Tianna chatting with her. She wasn't paying much attention. She wanted to know what Harry, Ron, and Hermione's next plan was, now that they knew what they knew about the philosopher stone.

"Alex," Tianna said.

She snapped back into reality. "Hm?"

"Um, are you okay?" She asked.

She nodded. "Yeah sorry, I'm just tired, I didn't get much sleep last night."

She shrugged. "Okay, whatever you say."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She questioned, putting her elbows on the table.

"You've been acting weird, ever since we got back from break." She said. "That's all. Just double time in the library, with Ron and his friends."

"Just studying, nothing big." She lied.

"Since when did that Weasley wanna study? Same with Harry." She pointed out. "I'd believe you if you said it was Hermione, but those two no way. Is this about that three-headed dog you told me about?"

"Fluffy?"

"It has a name?" Alex's hand flew up to her mouth, realizing what she said. She slowly shook her head and Tianna let out a chuckle. "So it is?"

She nodded slowly. "Yeah well, I mentioned the trap door, Hermione thinks it's guarding this stone... or something." She said. "Hagrid accidentally mentioned one thing to them and they went research crazy and I got dragged in."

She stared at her, the look of disbelief on her face and Alex realized how crazy she sounded. "Well-"

"I know it sounds crazy." She said, Tianna just nodded in agreement. "I don't really know a ton about it, I just know what they told me and what I researched with them. I kinda wish I didn't get involved."

-

Later that night, in the utmost darkness, when everyone had already gone to bed, Alex snuck out for Hagrid's hut with Ron, Harry, and Hermione.

"Oh god, we're gonna get detention." Alex hissed under her breath, as they quickly walked to Hagrid's.

"Shh," Hermione told her as she carefully knocked on the door.

He opened the door and Harry spoke up almost instantly. "Hagrid."

"Oh hello." Hagrid greeted. "Sorry, don't mean ter be rude but I'm in no state ter entertain today." He told them as he began to shut the door.

"We know about the philosophers stone." The four of them said in unison.

Hagrid paused and sighed. "Oh." He finally let them inside.

"We think Snape is trying to steal it," Harry explained, as he sat down. Alex glanced around, it was small but cluttered.

"Snape? Yer not still on about him are yer?" Hagrid asked.

Harry sighed, with an almost annoyed tone to it. "Hagrid." He started to say, "We know he'd after the stone we just don't know why."

"Snape is one of the teachers protecting the stone," Hagrid explained. "He isn't trying to steal it."

"Are you sure?" Alex asked.

"What?" Harry questioned.

He nodded, "Yer heard me." He said. "Now cmon now, I'm a bit preoccupied today."

Harry looked up at him. "Wait a minute, one of the teachers?"

"Of course!" Hermione exclaimed in that high-pitched voice she got when she realized something. "There are other things guarding the stone aren't there?"

He nodded. "That's right. Waste of bloody time if you ask me." He admitted. "Ain't nobody gon' get past Fluffy. Ain't a soul knows how, except me and Dumbledore... I shouldn't have told you that."

Alex let out a small smile. "Can you tell us?"

"Yer aren't gonna get me to tell yer that now." He responded. Suddenly something started making noise inside Hagrid's cauldron.

"What is that?" Alex asked.

He reached into the pot, wincing from the pain. The four of them followed him as he set it on the table, circling around. "I know what that is!" Ron exclaimed. "Hagrid, how did you get one?"

"I won it, at the pub." He explained. Alex kept her eyes on it, still unsure of what it was. Once it started cracking, she knew instantly what it was; a dragon's egg.

"Is that a dragon?" Hermione asked.

Ron slowly shook his head, with an amazed look on his face. "That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback." He pointed out.

Alex twisted her face in confusion. "How do you know that?" She asked.

"My brother Charlie works with dragons." He explained.

"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked, with tears in his eyes as he admired the dragon. "Norbert."

"Norbert?" Harry questioned.

"Well, he has to have a name." Hagrid continued to pet the dragon until it started his beard on fire, Hagrid carefully patted it away. "I'll have to train him up a bit." Hagrid stared out the window. "Who's that?"

The four of them turned to look. It was Draco. "Malfoy!" Harry exclaimed.

Alex let out a sigh. "Uh oh, we're in trouble." She admitted, glancing at the other three. "I told you guys."

"Oh dear," Hagrid mumbled.

-

They made their way back to Hogwarts, walking the halls Ron was on about Hagrid and Norbert and how Draco knew. "Good evening," McGonagall said, appearing in front of them.

Alex paused in her steps, as the others did as well. Draco appeared behind her. "Professor-" Alex started to say.

However, McGonagall pulled them into her classroom. "Nothing, I repeat, nothing, gives a student the right to walk about the school at night." She told them. "Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken."

"50!" Harry exclaimed.

"Each." She finished. Harry still had his mouth widened in shock. "And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention."

Draco stepped forward. "Excuse me, professor, perhaps I heard you wrong, I thought you said the five of us?" Draco questioned.

Alex already had a grin on her face as McGonagall nodded. "No you heard me correctly Mr. Malfoy, You see as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention."

Alex covered her mouth to conceal her laughter, McGonagall glanced at her. "Something funny Miss Thornbury?" She asked.

She quickly shook her head. "No, sorry professor." She answered. She spotted Draco glare at her, but shockingly she didn't care.

authors note

i hope you enjoyed! love you all!