Ronald Weasley was certainly displeased with the punishment he received for his confrontation with Hermione. The two weeks of detentions with Filch, along with the deduction of thirty points from Gryffindor—effectively undoing all the credit earned by Harry and Neville for their victory over the troll—were hard enough to swallow. However, the worst consequence was the howler from his irate mother, sent following a letter from Professor McGonagall. Ron seethed at the bushy-haired witch and her new friends, feeling humiliated in front of the entire school, but a fierce glare from McGonagall reminded him that acting on his anger would be unwise. Thus, the redhead opted to alternate between ignoring the "golden trio" in the presence of professors and throwing insults at them when he was alone. Yet, Harry, Hermione, and Neville seemed largely unfazed as long as he didn't confront them directly.
~/ *** \~
As November rolled in and the first Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Slytherin approached, Oliver Wood became even more of a fanatic about training than usual. Harry and the rest of the Gryffindor team found themselves on the pitch at least three times a week, and often more, whenever Oliver could secure the space.
On Tuesday, November 12, training extended until just an hour before curfew. After a quick shower and a change into his regular clothes, Harry hurried back to the Gryffindor common room. However, as he passed through the corridors on the fourth floor, he overheard Professors Snape and Quirrell engaged in a heated argument. Curious, and noting how timid Quirrell sounded, Harry decided to eavesdrop.
"So, no luck then?" Snape asked.
"N-No," stuttered Quirrell. "Getting past that dog is not something we can do without alerting the headmaster, as far as I know."
"Then the stone is beyond your reach until you can figure that out," Snape concluded. Although Harry didn't understand what stone they were discussing, he inferred that it was something quite valuable, possibly the same item that had been attempted to be stolen from Gringotts during his first visit to Diagon Alley. Realizing he should stop eavesdropping, Harry hurried to the common room, the last thing he caught from their discussion being Quirrell's reluctant agreement with Snape.
Though Harry couldn't piece together the larger context of their conversation, he speculated about who the 'criminal' might be. Despite his disdain for Snape, he couldn't see the Potions Master as the main suspect; after all, Snape had been at Hogwarts for years, while Quirrell was new this year—the same year the stone had been brought to the castle. Plus, Quirrell was present during the attempted robbery, raising even more suspicion.
Without solid proof, accusing a professor—even one he disliked—was reckless and potentially dangerous. Still, Harry felt compelled to investigate further. He needed more information on this mysterious stone, which was likely both powerful and valuable, given that someone had broken into Gringotts to access it. He thought about asking one of his friends. Hermione wouldn't likely know much since she was buried in books, and Neville would only have limited knowledge given his focus on Herbology. That left only Draconica, and perhaps his Quidditch teammates if she didn't have the answers he needed. But he would approach Draconica first, in private.
~/ *** \~
The following morning, during their double Defense Against the Dark Arts period, Harry discreetly sent Draconica a message expressing his desire to meet her in the library after lunch. She didn't respond in writing but nodded to indicate she would be there. After DADA, he quickly made his way to the Great Hall for lunch, hoping to secure a private table in the library for their discussion. Draconica joined him soon after.
"I assume you have something to discuss, Potter," she stated coolly, though there was a hint of familiarity despite their houses being rivals.
"Indeed," Harry replied. "I need some information on a specific topic that isn't well covered in the library, and I thought you might be the best person to ask." Draconica folded her hands and regarded him thoughtfully.
"You do realize you'll owe me a favor in return?" she asked. Harry nodded, even though he thought this Slytherin principle of quid pro quo was excessive—surely, altruism had its place.
"What do you want in exchange?" he inquired.
"While it's rare for our houses to align, we both know Professor Quirrell isn't teaching us anything valuable. I'm aware you're doing some self-study in DADA." Harry nodded, slightly surprised she even knew that. "I'd like to review your notes." She added, "This one time, of course." Harry agreed.
"What did you want to ask me about?" she prompted.
"Some older students were discussing magical stones, and I found the subject intriguing," he fabricated. Even if Draconica saw through the ruse, she didn't let on. "I found only books on precious stones as foci for wands or those used for warding in the library. I suspect there's more to magical stones than that." Draconica nodded.
"Indeed, those are common uses, but not exhaustive. Given that you're looking into general magical mineralogy rather than specific applications, let me share this…" She paused briefly. "All precious and semi-precious stones can serve as both foci and stores of magical energy. Materials like marble and granite work well in runic magic. There's also the bezoar, which isn't a true mineral but is still referred to as a stone. I suppose you remember its properties from Potions class." Harry nodded. "Lastly, there's the Philosopher's Stone, said to produce the Elixir of Life and turn any metal into gold. While its existence is unverified—Nicolas Flamel, its alleged creator, hasn't shown it to anyone—his and his wife's six-century-long lives make a strong case for its reality."
"Thanks! That was exactly what I was looking for," Harry said, pondering the implications. 'I highly doubt it's just an energy source hidden at Hogwarts. What's more likely is that the stone is the Philosopher's Stone…' "I'll bring you my notes during Astronomy class tonight," he added.
"See you then," she replied.
"Enjoy your evening," Harry said, lost in thought. 'I do suspect it's the Philosopher's Stone, but more research is needed before I decide on a course of action… It's peculiar that Flamel would entrust his stone to Hogwarts when it was safe in his residence for centuries… Likely, the stone here is a fake, though it must be quite powerful to deceive the headmaster…' Harry mulled over the Philosopher's Stone while making his way back to Gryffindor Tower.
~/ *** \~
Finally, Saturday, November 23 arrived, marking the first Quidditch match of the season after lunch. Naturally, Oliver Wood wouldn't let his team rest that morning; he had called a team meeting at 9 AM to strategize for the match. Harry doubted anyone was truly focused during the three-hour briefing.
When lunchtime rolled around, Harry felt so anxious about the match that he had to force himself to eat. He noticed Katie was struggling as well. Eventually, the time came, and Oliver led the team to the locker rooms, though many members had hardly eaten. There was another briefing, but once again, Wood's words seemed to drift over the players' heads.
At ten minutes to two in the afternoon, Madam Hooch summoned both teams to the pitch. Harry hardly registered the announcements made by third-year Lee or Professor McGonagall's reprimands about bias against Slytherin. Madam Hooch had the captains shake hands—each trying to crush the other's grip—before releasing the balls from the chest. Ultimately, she tossed the quaffle into the air, blowing her whistle to signal the start of the match.
Harry focused completely on his task to catch the Snitch, tuning out everything around him except for Lee's enthusiastic comments announcing Gryffindor's points. After what felt like forever, he finally spotted a glimmer of gold hovering near one of the stands. Acting on instinct, he shot after the Snitch, and the Slytherin seeker followed suit, utilizing a strategy of trailing Harry rather than seeking the ball himself.
In a strategic move, Harry began to weave through the stands, attempting to lose the other seeker while keeping his eyes fixed on the elusive Snitch. Suddenly, he lost control of his broom, which began jerking erratically beneath him. Focused on not falling, he disregarded the world around him, including the Snitch. Fortunately, his pursuer had missed it as well. The broom continued its wild motions until it suddenly veered toward a support beam, using it as leverage to throw Harry back onto the broom.
For another fifteen seconds, the broom repeated its chaotic behavior before finally halting, allowing Harry to regain control. Looking around, he realized both teams and Madam Hooch were now gathered on the ground. He glided down and landed next to Wood.
"Are you okay, Harry?" Oliver asked as he dismounted.
"Glad you finally decided to join us," the Weasley twins quipped in unison, their concern cloaked in mockery.
"I'm fine," Harry replied. "A bit shaken, but alright." Madam Hooch instructed him to hand over his broom for inspection. After conducting a few diagnostics, she remarked, "Hm... Enhancements are in order. So, it seems there was outside interference." She repeated the diagnostics, confirming that everything appeared normal. "We'll continue the match, but should anything else happen, we'll halt proceedings to address potential sabotage. We can't have anyone jeopardizing players' safety." Both teams agreed. "Back on your brooms! The match resumes."
As the players took to the air, Harry spent the next twenty minutes scouring the pitch for the Snitch, which seemed determined to play hide-and-seek. Meanwhile, the Slytherin seeker continued to shadow him, hoping to outmaneuver Harry once the Snitch revealed itself. Growing increasingly frustrated, Harry decided to execute advanced maneuvers to shake off his pursuer.
Eventually, his efforts paid off, and he spotted a flash of gold near Slytherin's loops. Harry surged toward it with all the speed his Cleansweep Six could muster. The Slytherin seeker followed closely, but Harry had the edge due to his proximity to the Snitch. Just as he was about to capture it, a rogue Bludger appeared, forcing him to veer off course and giving his opponent a slight advantage. The Bludger targeted Harry again, but he skillfully dodged it, inadvertently sending it crashing into the Slytherin seeker instead. This gave Harry the space he needed to maneuver around Slytherin players and, with a few more close calls, grab the Snitch, securing a victory for Gryffindor with a score of 310 to 90.
The celebration in Gryffindor Tower went on long into the night, continuing until Professor McGonagall had to shush her exuberant lions. Harry, as the match's star, was encouraged to stay up, and he didn't mind at all as the Weasley twins produced a stash of butterbeer and firewhiskey to keep the spirits high.
Exhausted yet utterly satisfied after the exhilarating match and the subsequent festivities, Harry finally collapsed into bed, content with himself and the excitement of the evening.
~/ *** \~
On the following Monday morning, Harry received a response to the letter he'd sent to the Ministry of Magic Archives regarding his "official" name. Opening the envelope, he read through the formal, dry language of the letter and noted the Ministry employee's surprise at his inquiry. When he reached the part detailing his official name, he skimmed it closely: "Hadrian James Potter." It also mentioned his status as the scion of an ancient house, among other titles. A smile crept onto Harry's face as he folded the letter and tucked it into his bag, vowing to dispose of it discreetly; such information could be dangerous in the wrong hands. With that resolved, he returned to his breakfast, contemplating how best to prepare for his upcoming History of Magic lesson.