Ever since Harry came to Hogwarts, he seemed to have turned his face from the entire Slytherin House.
The closest interaction he had with anyone from our house was with me- a mere nod in passing, and even that was rare.
It wasn't that he meant to be dismissive, but his avoidance, combined with his fame, often came off as arrogance.
And trust me, "fame" hardly does justice to his renown. His name was known to every witch and wizard, his story, incredible even for the magic society– a child who survived the Dark Lord's attack and eventually played a part in his downfall. It was unprecedented, to say the least.
SCRIBBLE SCRIBBLE
The Slytherin group delved into our assignments, I found myself particularly engrossed in the potion assignment, scribbling away with extra interest in my favoured subject.
COUGH COUGH
However, my focus was interrupted by a cough, and I turned to see Hermione standing beside me, while Harry and Ron looked as though they'd rather be anywhere else.
Hermione could be described as a classmate, teetering on the boundary of friendship due to our occasional sharing of seats. With her characteristic social ineptitude, she bluntly stated, "I need your help with something."
SIGH
I could practically feel the Slytherins around us bursting a vein at the breach of social conduct. When you've been drilled with proper etiquette since you can remember, any deviation feels like a personal offence. Of course, if you're powerful or older, those things tend to be mere add-ons to them. Just look at Dumbledore for example. But he's the only example I know of, so it's not much of a point.
So, I merely raised an eyebrow and gestured for her to take a seat, noting the available space at our table. Contrary to the objections raging in the minds of my fellow Slytherins, Hermione simply took the seat without hesitation. Harry and Ron, looking somewhat awkward, followed suit.
THUD
And so, there we were – an unusual sight indeed – members of Gryffindor and Slytherin seated together at a table, an occurrence seen only once in a blue moon.
Yes, there have been incidents with Blue Moon in the past.
"AHEM"
Hermione wasted no time in getting to the point. "Do you know anything about a wizard named Nicholas Flamel?"
The smiling faces of others made me realise that she had been asking me for some time.
Initially, I had expected Nicolas Flamel to be a household name, revered by wizards and witches alike. After all, he was the creator and guardian of the legendary Philosopher's Stone. But to my surprise, his fame seemed confined to older circles of society, known only to those who had heard whispers of the immortal wizard.
Hardly befitting the stature of someone who possessed such a known way to eternal life.
With a sigh, I asked Hermione, "Where did you search for his name?"
Hermione proceeded to list every history book and major Daily Prophet article published in the last century, even delving back beyond Dumbledore's time. It became evident that, except for me, none of those at the table had any inkling about Flamel.
The last official mention of him in history books was during a visit to Grindelwald's army after the Dark Lord's devastating attack on Paris.
Since then, he had vanished from public view. The only article published in this century regarding him was about his supposed death at the hands of Grindelwald.
However, given Flamel's history of deaths, it was entirely plausible that he had once again slipped into obscurity. Perhaps he had orchestrated the containment of his information. It would be quite the logical move.
"So, what is your payment?" I teased Hermione. "After all, such rare information is not easily given."
After a moment's thought, Hermione replied, "What do you want?"
Sigh, this girl has no regard for teasing. So boring.
I decided to satisfy my curiosity. "Who leaked his name? After all, matters related to the Forbidden Corridor were kept confidential for a reason."
The trio blushed guiltily, their discomfort was easy to see.
My year-long punishment for the corridor incident had become the stuff of legend, even earning me the respect of the mischievous Weasley twins, who had bowed to me in the Great Hall.
Mildly surprised by my deduction, Hermione confirmed, "It was overheard by Harry when Filch was talking."
Chuckling at Dumbledore's clever manoeuvre,
I glanced at the trio before divulging the answer, trusting in the discretion of my Slytherin companions. They had kept my secret of wandless casting until my reveal, proof of the Slytherin loyalty.
I can count on them to hide to info for their use. Now childish or accidental reveals.
Yet, I couldn't shake the nagging doubt about how far the knowledge of my abilities had spread within Hogwarts.
Suppressing my amusement, I addressed Hermione's doubts while locking eyes with Ron. "You've been searching in the wrong places. What you need to do is delve into history books spanning centuries or perhaps even a storybook. Although, there may be a self-updating history book endorsed by Flamel himself – one of three copies in existence."
As I delivered the final piece of information, Ron paled, realizing the potential bedtime stories about Flamel's exploits. Catherine let out a small gasp, clearly realizing the same revelation.
"Nicholas Flamel," I concluded, "commonly known as the greatest alchemist, the immortal wizard. He should be around 690 years old now. His proudest achievement? The Philosopher's Stone – a miracle made solid, capable of brewing the elixir of life and transmuting base metals into gold. Essentially, it defies the foundational rules of alchemy."
SLAM
Hermonie sprang to her feet with excitement, and I kindly helped her by wandlessly pulling the chair aside for her. Despite my assistance, she didn't thank me and left as she was too eager to delve into the history section to acknowledge my feat.
Ron scrambled to follow behind her, while I noticed Harry lingering behind.
"What's the problem, Harry?" I inquired.
He shook his head and replied, "Nothing. I just wanted to thank you for your help in the Forbidden Corridor."
I smirked and said, "No worries. Though I'll have that duel with you one day, Harry."
He nodded in acknowledgement before slipping away, his thin frame disappearing into the bookshelves.
Daphne looked at me expectantly, while Tracey elaborated, "Is it wise to say such things to them? Have you ever considered the trouble such words could bring?"
I chuckled again, wondering how many times I had burst out laughing today. "No worries," I reassured them. "There's more going on in the background than you realize. I'll revisit this topic in a few years, and by then, you'll easily understand the answer."
After all, nobody in their right mind could conceive of using one of magic's wonders as part of an elaborate test.
Man, Dumbledore's mind is one exciting place.
I changed the subject, stating, "Besides, it's not like I'll be involved with Potter anytime soon."
---Later in the night---
I observed the Golden Trio, along with Draco, being punished with 50 points each and detention with Hagrid for trespassing into the corridor. Detention by Severus Snape.
I decided I would pay a visit to Dumbledore after tonight. While the others remained unaware of his test, I knew better.
"I know it. Snape must be there to steal the philosopher's stone. He must be after the endless gold."
I sighed upon hearing the heated arguments from Harry and Ron. Draco, angered by an insult directed at his godfather, retorted, "Not everyone is begging on the streets like you and your people, Weasley."
Hagrid intervened, displaying his strength by pulling both sides apart with ease.
SMACK
I clapped on their shoulders and addressed them, "Stop these childish insults, guys. Rising to every provocation like children. You have wands, so act like it."
[In the wizarding world, possessing a wand symbolises the transition from magical puberty to magical maturity. It was a common term used to urge individuals to take responsibility for their actions.]
Hermonie, perhaps irritated by the presence of her bully, Draco, my pseudo-friend, responded by shouting, "You have no idea what it's like to be insulted simply for the circumstances of your birth."
Draco's instinctive need to retaliate came forward, "He's a Muggleborn too, but a thousand times better" though it seemed more out of instinct and a desire to assert dominance than genuine belief.
I could see that in a week from now, the whispers and murmurs spreading throughout Hogwarts. It was only a matter of time before everyone knew about the information.
While the Gryffindor trio seemed surprised by the information, I braced myself for what was to come.
Unlike my daily forays into the forests, I know today is different.
Coupled with Harry's presence, I anticipated encounters with both a Unicorn and a Dark Lord. Each of these encounters was said to be a once-in-a-lifetime experience, albeit vastly different.
One is coveted even in dreams, while the other is plagued by daytime nightmares.