Chereads / HP : The Chronicles / Chapter 47 - Chapter 47 : Exploring the Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 47 - Chapter 47 : Exploring the Philosopher's Stone

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"I didn't think I would." Severus muttered under his breath with a smile. The roast did live up to its reputation, as expected, and five o'clock found the two wizards well rested and well fed. They stood in front of the lit fireplace and shared one last look before stepping into the flames, concealing charms in place.

"Flamel castle," Severus called with a clear voice and the world started spinning. The next time Harry opened his eyes, he found himself in a completely different hall, but unmistakably in castle; an old woman dressed in green robes moved to greet them.

"Good evening, young men!" She stated in a warm voice. Harry smiled winningly at her and she returned the smile. "I'm Perenelle and you must be Severus and Harry, if my husband has informed me correctly."

"Indeed we are." Severus offered. "It's an honor to meet you, Mrs. Flamel."

"Perenelle." She corrected him with a smile. "Nicholas will be with us shortly; he seems to have forgotten himself in his laboratory again." She stated shaking her head affectionately; Severus guessed it was a very common occurrence in the Flamel residence. "Please follow me to the living room." They did just that while Perenelle explained how her husband seemed to lose touch of time when getting new equipment for his lab.

"Not unlike someone I know." Harry stated as he turned to look at a smiling Severus with a smile.

"Men of intellect!" Perenelle exclaimed with a smile. "They all are the same deep down." They reached the living room and sat down, Perenelle serving them tea with a load of shortbread cookies eyeing their seemingly too skinny frames with an appraising eye. That was the time Nicholas chose to appear, running in from a corridor in great haste.

"Forgive me for my tardiness." Nicholas exclaimed as he walked towards them. Severus and Harry rose to greet him. "I was studying a new scroll and I was certain I had one more hour before five!" Harry smiled as Nicholas patted him on his back.

"Apparently Severus here has the same issue." Perenelle informed him with a knowing look, making the potions master blush a faint pink.

"Guilty as charged madam!" Severus exclaimed, making them laugh; after some light conversation, Perenelle offered to take Severus to the greenhouses of the castle where a great variety of rare specimens thrived after Nicholas showed them his lab. The two wizards skipped to the lab in joy as Nicholas explained where exactly the castle was situated; apparently, they had landed themselves in Northern Ireland. They walked towards what seemed to be the dungeons, much to Severus's surprise.

"Metallurgy is a great part of alchemy you understand." Nicholas offered observing Severus' expression; there it was again, he thought. That detail that seemed slightly off. "As it is, it makes no sense to keep my lab above ground; it would be completely inconvenient. So, I separate my time spent for my studies between the lab and the astronomy observatory I keep at the highest tower."

"You need to forge metal in alchemy?" Harry asked intrigued.

"If you do your job right, there comes a time when forging metal becomes a necessity." Nicholas agreed, looking at Harry. Intelligent, he thought as he studied Harry's furrowed brow. And a mystery. They walked to the lab casually conversing. Nicholas smiled at their expectant faces before pushing the door open; they held their breath and entered the room. They exhaled simultaneously.

The room was wide and filled with all shorts of equipment; vials and metallic mechanisms were strategically place around the room. A library filled with scrolls and vials of colorful liquids covered the greater part of the back wall but that wasn't what caught Harry's eye; the ceiling of the room was covered in what appeared to be a system of chains, pulleys and hooks, created to lead something from the great fireplace in the corner to the middle of the room where a great, stone built, round well was found. On closer inspection, the green eyed wizard realized it wasn't a well at all; the walls were too short, only reaching his waist and it was too shallow, the bottom on the same level with the floor. It was more of a grand basin, if nothing else.

"Wow!" Harry stated with sparkling eyes.

"Best compliment I ever got for my lab." Nicholas commended seriously, making Harry blush lightly and Severus smile knowingly. Perenelle appeared then and offered to show Severus to the greenhouses; the potions master was overjoyed in the prospect. Perenelle Flamel was known for her affinity in Herbology and she had had six centuries to gather her collection. He left a slightly fidgeting Harry behind with a very excited Nicholas. "So, Harry, what do you think of my lab?"

"It's…" Harry tried to find the proper words. "It's different." He stated after some thought. "I haven't seen how it works so that's all I can think about." He offered as an explanation.

"An honest answer." Nicholas said smiling. "And since you're being honest, tell me, has Severus informed you about my work?" Harry blushed yet again.

"He did. I had no idea of who you were before." He bowed his head in shame, stirring a laugh from the old wizard.

"That's understandable, Harry! You're only eight after all." Nicholas reassured him. "So, what did Severus tell you about my work exactly?" Harry looked at him confused.

"He said that you're a famous alchemist and the sole known creator of the Philosopher's Stone." Harry stated matter-of-factly.

"I see." Nicholas stated as he walked around the room. "And what do you think about it?" Harry's green eyes locked with his brown ones in surprise.

"What do I think about what?" Harry asked confused. "About your work?"

"Yes and no. Let me rephrase my question; what do you think about the Philosopher's Stone in particular?" That was an unexpected question, Harry thought. What did he think about the philosopher's stone? He hadn't much considered what it stood for. Severus had just repeated what he already knew; it was a Stone that gifted the user the ability to create as much gold as he would ever want and produce the elixir of life. Grant him eternal life, as the potions master had put it. Harry pondered on that fact as Nicholas regarded him carefully; the alchemist could almost see the gears turning in the boy's head.

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