Chapter 67: 67 The Quest

Hermione had been right. Only Harry and herself had finished the complete potion. Not only that, it looked the same as the description. They labelled them and put their names on them, then brought them up to the desk before Professor Snape asked the rest of the class to do it. Neither of them expected him to award them points for it, though. He wasn't that kind of teacher.

Severus was surprised when Harry once again took out a crystal vial, enlarged it, and poured in all of the created potion. Harry shrunk and pocketed it and asked Hermione in a whisper if she was going to do it, too. She shook her head, so he shrugged and waved his wand to pack everything. He helped Hermione and Neville after that and added their things to his trunk.

“I wonder what kind of grade I'll get.” Neville asked as the three of them left the classroom ahead of everyone else.

“Don't get your hopes up.” Harry warned. “Even though we all did well, it depends on how Snape feels.”

“He was extra quiet today.” Hermione observed. “Do you think it really was because of the basilisk?”

“You know what he's like.” Harry said and had to smile. “How would he react to reporters hounding him for an interview?”

Hermione smiled back. “Poorly.”

“What about the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?” Neville asked as Harry held open a tapestry for them to duck behind. “He seemed really happy.”

“McGonagall was really happy, too.” Hermione said and walked up the stairs. “It's probably relief that they defeated such a dangerous creature.”

“How old was it again? Nine hundred or something?” Harry asked.

“At least that.” Hermione said. “According to the legend, it's been here since just before Salazar Slytherin himself left the school.”

“Wow.” Neville said. “I wonder how big it would have gotten after all this time.”

They stopped at a door and Harry did the knock knock joke. It opened and they went through.

“I wonder if it's been moving around inside the castle since then.” Hermione said.

“I think we would have heard or seen something huge moving around inside the walls.” Harry said, then remembered his own silence spell. “Could a creature cast magic?”

“I don't think so.” Hermione said as they stepped out onto the floor with the portrait of the Fat Lady. “It probably had tons of innate abilities.”

“Wow.” Neville said. “Imagine a silent giant snake that can kill you with just a look.”

“No, thanks!” Hermione laughed. “I'm having a difficult enough time just imagining Professor Snape giving us a passing grade!”

Harry and Neville laughed, too. Harry gave them their things and they brought them to their rooms, dropped them off, and went back down to the common room.

“Have you had any luck with those spells Madam Bones gave you?” Hermione asked Harry as the three of them sat down next to the fireplace.

“I've tried the Bombarda spell already and I've almost got it aimed properly.” Harry said. “I'll be working on Stupefy after supper.”

“I can't believe you get to learn under the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.” Neville said. “My gran would kill to get me a chance like that!”

Harry nodded. “Susan's pretty excited about it and she lives with her.”

Hermione nodded as well. “She said it's a great honor because her aunt never takes on students.” She said. “It's too bad you couldn't invite us along.”

Harry took a deep breath and let it out. “I'm not going to push my luck by trying to drag you along.”

“We wouldn't ask you to.” Neville said.

Hermione nodded again. “Neville's right. We won't potentially ruin such a great opportunity for you.”

“Thanks.” Harry said and then leaned forward. “That doesn't mean I can't tell you what we do.”

Hermione took in a sharp breath. “Harry! You could teach us!”

“I'm not a...” Harry stopped when he saw Hermione's mouth opened to counter his words. “Dammit, I guess I am.”

Hermione chuckled. “I won't ask for the spells or how to cast them properly, not until you master them like you've done with all the others in your spell book.”

“I guess that's fair...” Harry paused as the door to the Griffindor Tower opened and the students they had left in the basement came in. He saw surprise on a lot of their faces, especially Ron's. “...and I'll do my best to help as much as I can.” He finished in a whisper as several of the girls sat down nearby and chatted loudly.

“We've got half an hour before the Great Hall is open for supper.” Hermione said.

“Which is too short of a time to do much of anything.” Harry said. “We would barely get started and then have to stop.”

“Reading?” Hermione suggested.

“Or... maybe...” Harry said and started to smile.

“I know that smile.” Hermione chuckled. “Do you think we'll get one?”

“As long as I'm not near when they appear.” Harry said.

“Where should we set up?” Neville asked, eager to get to it.

“Definitely on the third floor corridor.” Hermione said. “Ever since Harry got rid of that pesky ghost that haunted the bathroom, it's become a popular spot for them to pass by according to Lavender.”

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“Remind me to thank her if we catch a couple of them.” Harry said and Hermione and Neville nodded, then they left the common room on a mission.

Neville was pretty much a non-entity to them, unlike Harry and Hermione, so when they reached that floor, Harry and Hermione hid and Neville was the observer and hopefully, the immobilizer.

“I've been practising the spells and I can do both Immobulus and Accio.” Neville said.

“That's great, Neville.” Harry said. “Just be careful. If there's more than one, the Immobulus spell will work on them. Accio won't.”

“I got it.” Neville said.

“Yes, you do.” Hermione said. “Good luck.”

Neville nodded and went out into the hallway and walked down it. He didn't try to go into the bathroom, since it had been officially reopened for girls to use without fear of a ghost bothering them. He didn't have to wait long for their first customer. It was just some odd looking ghost of a man. He completely ignored Neville as he floated down the hallway and went towards the bathroom. As soon as he passed, Neville turned and cast the immobilizing spell.

“I got one!” Neville said and Harry popped out for a moment and used Accio to pull the ghost towards him and into their hiding spot, cast Silencio on it, and Hermione used the exorcising spell to remove the unholy existence from the world.

Hermione let out a sigh as the thing disappeared and she smiled at Harry. “You don't know how much this means to me.”

“Yes, I do.” Harry reached out and took her hand. “We don't have to be afraid of ghosts anymore.”

“Two more.” Neville said.

Harry and Hermione smiled and got to work.

*

Suppertime started in the Great Hall and Albus Dumbledore sat at his place at the table as he waited for as many students as possible to come in to eat. Once there were enough of them, he took a moment to collect himself before he stood up. He couldn't believe that he was resorting to this. It was pretty much a last ditch effort to find the thing.

“I would like to make an announcement before the food appears.” Albus said as he raised his hands. “It has recently come to my attention that a precious item has gone missing.”

Loud murmurs and whispered conversations greeted his words.

“It is only a small bundle, about this big.” Albus said and made the approximate size with his hands. “It is the size of the average palm and is wrapped in brown cloth to protect it.”

More murmurs were heard.

“I am offering a reward to anyone who finds it.” Albus said and the chatter increased to almost normal conversation levels. “One hundred galleons for its safe return.”

More than half of the students let out loud exclamations and stood up to leave, so they could start searching.

“Now, now. Don't be hasty.” Albus said. “Please sit. I don't want you to make messes or ransack the castle looking for it. I am only making this offer in case someone has found it or knows where it is.”

The students sat down and the talk continued. A lot of them wanted those one hundred galleons.

“No one?” Albus asked and looked at everyone. “Has no one seen it?”

“What is it?” One of the Slytherin students asked.

“It is just a red crystal that I have misplaced.” Albus said with a smile. “It is owned by a family friend and I need it back.”

“A red crystal worth a hundred galleons?” Someone else asked. “Are you nuts?”

Albus chuckled. “I didn't say that was what it was worth. That's just what I'm generously willing to pay to have a sentimental item returned to me.”

“If it's so important, why not two hundred galleons?” Another Slytherin student asked.

Albus focused on the boy and all he caught from him was greed and a way to make a lot of gold fast. “I'll warn you all now that I won't accept fakes. I know what the item looks like and anyone trying to trick me will get detention for a month.”

Nearly all discussion faded away and Albus had to smile.

“I will also reward any information leading to the item being found.” Albus said and the conversations started up again. “I'll also warn you that any lying will get you a week's detention.”

The sound of talking didn't lessen at his words.

“With that out of the way, tuck in!” Albus said and waved his hands as the tables were filled with food. He sat down and picked at his own meal as he very carefully looked at each and every student to try and find anyone that had any idea where the Philosopher's Stone was.

*

Harry did his best to keep his mind going over the potion they had brewed and didn't let anything else enter his mind. He had known that whatever it was that Hagrid had taken from the bank that day was important. The headmaster was offering a hundred galleons for its return, which meant it was worth a lot more than that, despite his claim that it was just a crystal.

It actually surprised Harry that it had taken the old man this long to discover that it was missing. If it really was so important, why would he trust that huge man with it? It didn't make sense. He pushed the thought aside and remembered the proper dicing of some of the ingredients in the potion. He fought his desire to get up and leave, just so he could get away from the scrutiny, and sat there for nearly twenty minutes as he ate and kept the potion at the forefront of his mind.

“I need to go practice.” Harry said as several other students stood up, then he, Hermione, and Neville stood up as well and left the Great Hall.

Harry didn't feel relief until he was several floors away and inside an empty classroom. He conjured up a target for him to practice the Stupify spell and took out his notes. He reminded himself of the spell and the form of the wand movement, then concentrated.

“Stupefy!” Harry said and a small blast of reddish magic shot out of his wand and nearly hit the center of the target. There was no blowback from the spell, so he didn't have to try and adjust his aim. He smiled and kept casting the spell, over and over, then he used his knowledge of charging up his wand beforehand and made the spell that much more powerful, after he had cast Silencio on himself and the target.

Harry worked hard over the next three hours and it kept his mind from wandering to the inside of his trunk and the small wrapped bundle, the size of a palm, that sat on the bookshelf.

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