Our research was unfortunately in vain because we only had suspicions, but no evidence to support them.
Hermione came back to us, saying that Harry and Ron didn't believe her and were convinced that Professor Snape was the culprit because he had tried to pass the Cerberus in the forbidden corridor on Halloween.
I find it hard to believe, but apparently, Harry and Ron overheard a conversation between Filch and Snape, where they mentioned the Cerberus while Filch was treating Snape's injured leg.
The evidence seems pretty damning, but I'm sure there's a reason Snape had to enter the forbidden corridor.
After talking to us, Hermione went to the library without saying a word. I'm proud that she continues to study, even though she's already the top student in her year.
Time passed, and I noticed that Hermione was spending far too much time in the library. I often saw her coming back with books about the greatest sorcerers of that era, excellent books on various topics, and others that seemed as if she were searching for someone specific.
Before the Christmas holidays, I finally asked her who she was looking for.
"I'm trying to find out who Nicolas Flamel is."
"Oh, that's all? It's very easy. You must know that he isn't from our era; he is one of the greatest alchemists in the wizarding world. His most famous discovery was the creation of the Philosopher's Stone, even though it has some flaws."
She looked at me with wide eyes before rushing off, thanking me.
"Why did she want to know who Nicolas Flamel was?"
"In my opinion, it has something to do with the forbidden corridor. She might have come across the name while she and her friends were suspicious of Professor Snape."
Mary looked at me with eyes full of curiosity, wondering what I was going to say.
"There's no real point in knowing that it's probably the Philosopher's Stone in the forbidden corridor, and that there are certainly other enchantments protecting it besides the Cerberus."
She seemed disappointed but understood my point of view.
I went to Hagrid's cabin because I wanted to learn more about this breed of dog, as he surely must know.
He even looked at me with a suspicious expression, but I explained that my brother had gotten lost, encountered the Cerberus, and told me about it. I pretended to want to know more about my suspicions regarding its presence at the school.
This conversation was very informative because the Cerberus is not a creature you see often.
I wasn't surprised by the astronomical amount of food the Cerberus required. One of the things that intrigued me was whether, if one ate his head, others would not have to. Or, if one head slept, the others would need rest? And if one head died, what would happen to the other two?
Unfortunately, Hagrid didn't know the answer, but he had already taught me so much that it wasn't a big deal. I thanked him, promising to bring a cake next time, probably around Christmas.
The holidays arrived, and as usual, many people left, even Hermione. I could see Ron and Harry playing wizard chess, and they weren't planning to leave. Watching Ron boast about his victory made Harry want to knock down his pride by challenging him.
It didn't take me three minutes to win, leaving Ron with a frustrated expression.
"You're evil sometimes," Mary said with a smile.
"I hate when someone is proud just because they think they're better than others."
"You just did the same thing."
"I was teaching him a lesson. Why should I be proud when my abilities feel like a curse?"
There was nothing more to say, and we headed to the Room of Requirement.