Chapter 85: 85 The Philosopher’s Stone

Bokuboy

“...harry...” A soft voice whispered.

“Ugh.” Harry turned slightly and hugged his nest of blankets tighter. It was a bit firmer than he remembered.

“...harry...” The voice whispered again.

“Tired.” Harry whispered as he reached out for the timepiece he usually left at his bedside. He touched it and instead of the alarm stopping, there was a gasp. Hold on... there wasn't... any beeping. He thought lazily and hugged his blankets again.

“Harry!” Hermione said in a normal voice.

Harry jolted awake and blinked his eyes. It took him a few moments to realize that he wasn't in his bed like he thought he was and he could see Hermione's red face that was right next to his.

“Where...” Harry looked around and saw that he was in one of the large comfy chairs in the Griffindor Tower common room. He also had his arms wrapped tightly around Hermione. “I'm sorry, Hermione. I thought I was in bed.” He said and eased his tight hold on her.

“That's okay, Harry. I liked...” Hermione started to say and her face went even redder. “Forget it.” She said and pointed. “Someone very important is here to see you.”

“Me?” Harry asked and turned to look where she pointed. He took in a sharp breath when he saw who it was. He had stared at the man's picture in the book while he studied the procedures to use the stone. He let Hermione go and he didn't even ask why his privacy curtain spell was missing.

“Hello, Mister Potter.” Nicolas said and nodded at Hermione. “I am terribly sorry for interrupting your much needed nap.”

“It's okay.” Harry said and extracted himself from beside Hermione and stood up from the chair. Just like Hermione, he felt the immediate loss of all that comforting warmth.

“I believe that you and I have a lot to discuss.” Nicolas said. “Would you know a good place to do that?”

Harry nodded and waved at the dorm room stairs. “My bed is at the top of the stairs.”

Nicolas chuckled and the sound rattled in his chest. “More stairs.”

“I know.” Harry said with a smile and walked over to him.

“If I could borrow your shoulder, I should be able to manage.” Nicolas said and Harry nodded. The ancient man put a hand on Harry's shoulder from behind and Harry walked up the steps at a slow pace.

Harry felt both the weight and the absence of weight in the hand on his shoulder. “Can I ask you why you're like this?”

Nicolas chuckled as they entered the dorm at the top of the stairs. Before he could speak however, another curtain appeared and silence was cast on it.

“Ron's on Neville's bed, reading.” Harry said and moved his trunk off of his bed.

Nicolas looked at the nest of blankets and at Harry.

“I always sleep like that.” Harry said and pushed the blankets out of the way.

“I suppose that explains your herculean grip on the girl downstairs.” Nicolas said with a smile as he sat.

“What's hurc... herk...” Harry struggled with repeating the word.

“Herculean or Her-cue-lee-ann. It means massive strength.” Nicolas clarified for him.

Harry's face flushed red as he sat.

“It's all right, Mister Potter. What's the girl's name?”

“Hermione. Hermione Granger.”

“Miss Granger didn't mind you doing that, so you shouldn't, either.” Nicolas said. “Now, as for me, the healing properties of the stone are not a restorative in the sense that it will give someone eternal youth.”

“The book said it lets you live forever.” Harry said.

Nicolas waved at himself. “Like this. It extends your life, so you continue to age... and age... and age.”

“But... but...” Harry bent down and opened his trunk. He picked up the small version of the book and sat on the bed again. He flipped through the pages until he found the right section. “It says right here that the stone will heal any ailment, with proper meditation and concentration.”

“Ah, yes.” Nicolas said. “It's too bad that age is not an ailment.”

Harry opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. “It's not? I thought... well...”

“It is debilitating, yes. Unfortunately, it's not something that can be healed.” Nicolas chuckled. “Even I, the famous alchemist, haven't found the fabled fountain of youth... or a similar elixir.”

Harry looked down at his hands holding the book and smiled. “I think you need to visit Madam Primpernelle in Diagon Alley.”

“Why?” Nicolas asked.

“She might not be able to do anything for your old age, but your looks? She's an expert!” Harry said. “She even made me regrow my skin!”

Nicolas looked at the boy closely. He saw the skin was completely blemish free. Not a mark or spot was on its surface anywhere. He briefly touched the boy's hand and felt the smooth surface.

“I believe the temptation to make myself handsome again must be resisted.” Nicolas said with a self-depreciating smile. “I wouldn't survive my wife's amorous advances.”

Harry was a little confused for a few moments.

“She would hug me harder than you hugged Miss Granger.” Nicolas said.

“Oh. I guess that would be bad for you.” Harry said.

“Not that it matters, anyway. I don't have much Elixir of Life left.” Nicolas said.

“I've got some if you want it.” Harry said. “Just a second.” He climbed down into the trunk and picked up the cauldron sized crystal vial and shakily climbed the ladder again. “I made a batch... to test the stone... to make sure... it worked.”

Nicolas helped him with the heavy load when Harry reached the top of the ladder and they put the heavy thing on the bed. “Why is the vial this big?”

“I can't shrink it.” Harry said. “I tried a couple of times and nothing happens.”

Nicolas frowned. “The engorgement charm wearing off should make it return to normal size.”

“My spells last a long time.” Harry said, not a hint of bragging in his voice. “I read the stories in the book again and I think the potion is keeping the spell active.”

“Now that is an interesting hypothesis.” Nicolas said. “The life extending properties of the potion is keeping the container itself like new.”

“I made the vial into crystal and unbreakable before adding the potion, too.” Harry said.

Nicolas looked at him with an appraising eye, then he dug into his coat and pulled out Harry's letter. “When did you send this?”

“Really early this morning.” Harry said. “I'm glad Hedwig made it all the way to you.”

“As am I.” Nicolas said. “She refused to portkey here with me and took off before I could ask her why. Do you know?”

“She loves flying.” Harry said with a shrug. “We even race after flying lessons.”

Nicolas nodded, as if that was a valid reason to fly back to England from France. “Your letter doesn't say how you came to be in possession of my stone.”

“It doesn't matter.” Harry said.

“Are you sure?” Nicolas asked and stared at him.

“I know that look.” Harry said and stared back into his eyes. “If you want to know if I used it, I did.”

Nicolas took in a sharp breath when he saw the memories in Harry's mind. “You used it, knowing the risks.” He said, shocked. “Three times.”

Harry nodded.

“You could have lost your magic ability if anything went wrong.” Nicolas repeated the same warning that Hermione had given him.

“I had to try.” Harry said and he described his godfather and what he went through.

“What of the Longbottoms?” Nicolas asked.

“Neville lost his parents just like I lost mine.” Harry said. “Only, his were still alive. Once I discovered what the stone was and looked up how to use it, I had to try and get them back.”

Nicolas stared at Harry for several minutes and all he could get from him was how happy he was that they were healed, even though he hadn't seen the Longbottoms awake.

“Why do you think it worked?” Nicolas asked.

Harry shrugged again. “I just know it did. I think I felt it through the stone, too.”

Nicolas let a smile appear on his face and stopped his scrutiny of the boy. “Well, since you were successful, I think I can tell you the secret of the stone's use.”

“There's a secret?” Harry asked. “The book...”

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“I wrote that decades ago.” Nicolas said and waved it away. “I assume you used the Geminio spell?”

Harry nodded. “Some of the original books I copied can't be shrunk.”

“They are spelled to not be shrunk and easily stolen.” Nicolas said.

“So that's why!” Harry said and Nicolas chuckled.

“It's so simple, isn't it? Once you know something, it makes other things easier to understand.” Nicolas said. “Which brings me right back to the secret of the stone.”

Harry listened intently and waited. He had used it without knowing the secret and it still worked.

“The use has to be selfless.” Nicolas said and he saw that Harry didn't understand. “You need to use it for others and not for yourself.”

Harry wasn't sure what to say to that, especially since he thought he had been a bit selfish healing his godfather.

Nicolas chuckled. “No, dear boy. You still didn't do that for yourself, since you don't know what could become of that relationship in the future. You healed him because you knew he needed it. It's the same with Neville's parents. You healed them for him and not for yourself.”

Harry thought about testing the stone by making the potion.

“Again, not for yourself. You didn't once think to yourself that you wanted to live forever, did you?”

“No.” Harry said. “It seems like a lot of work, especially since you didn't put in the book when you're supposed to take it or how often.”

Nicolas laughed. “I wasn't going to give all of the secrets away.”

Harry put the book into his trunk on the top shelf and then sat on the bed. “You're not angry at me for using it?”

“I would have been if you had run around and tried changing everything into gold.” Nicolas said with a knowing smile and Harry's face flushed red.

“It's all right, Mister Potter. You might have made six solid gold cauldrons; but, you still didn't do it for yourself, especially since you didn't know that it makes enhanced potions.”

Harry relaxed at his words. “You can call me Harry.”

“I would be honored to consider you a friend, Harry.” Nicolas said as reached out and touched his shoulder. “You can call me Old Fogey or That Bag Of Bones.”

Harry widened his eyes for a second, then he burst out laughing. Nicolas joined in and the two of them sat there for several minutes as they shared both humor and laughter.

“On second thought, you should probably call me Nicolas.”

Harry smiled and nodded.

“Now my friend, if I could bother you for a while, would you mind making me some potion?” Nicolas asked.

“Maybe.” Harry said. “Does a refilling charm work on it?”

Nicolas pat his shoulder. “I'm glad you're thinking about how to do things.” He said. “Unfortunately, it needs the infusion from the stone directly to maintain itself.”

Harry nodded and looked down into his trunk. He saw his original pewter cauldron and let a smile grow on his face. “I have an idea.”

Nicolas gave Harry an incredulous look for a moment, then laughed. “My boy, you are a wonder!”

“It should work.” Harry said and went into the trunk to gather up the potion equipment he needed, piled it into the cauldron, then took the stone from its spot on the shelf. He closed the trunk and Nicolas followed him down the stairs.

“Harry? Is everything okay?” Hermione asked.

“Everything's great.” Harry said. “I'm just making something for Nicolas.”

Hermione heard the man's first name and not Mister Flamel, so she smiled and nodded.

Nicolas followed the boy out of the common room. “Harry, wait a moment.” He said as the portrait door shut. “Could you tell me the password to get inside?”

Harry turned and stared at him. “But... you were just...”

“If you can keep a secret, I stunned the door guardian.” Nicolas said.

Harry's mouth dropped open in surprise as he looked at the portrait of the fat lady and she was slumped in the chair in the background. “You can stun portraits?”

Nicolas chuckled. “I did it just as I was about to tell her the password.”

“It's Caput Draconis.” Harry said.

“Thank you.” Nicolas said. “I suggest you ask the portrait to change it when I leave.”

Harry thought about it, then shrugged.

Nicolas laughed and turned to the portrait to revive her. “It is Caput Draconis, dear lady.”

“That... is correct.” The Fat Lady said.

“Oh, look! The one I was looking for is already out.” Nicolas waved to Harry. “I am sorry for bothering you, madam.” He said and bowed his head to the portrait.

“It's quite all right.” The Fat Lady said.

Harry led Nicolas to a shortcut staircase and past the joke door, then down another set of stairs to the Entrance Hall.

“I knew I should have done an extensive map.” Nicolas whispered to himself, then shrugged. The delay getting to the tower had given Harry some extra nap time. They went outside and around the side of the castle. “Right here should suffice.” He said in a normal voice.

Harry put the cauldron down and took his things out of it, then he used the philosopher's stone to change the cauldron into solid gold.

He didn't even pause to prepare. Nicolas thought, surprised. What he didn't know was that Harry had been preparing the whole time they were walking.

Harry moved the cauldron out fairly far and flicked his wrist to take out his wand. “Engorgio Maxima!”

The cauldron was hit by the spell and instead of only doubling in size, it grew to eight times its size. It was now the size of a small car and Nicolas laughed at the thing.

“I'll handle the heating part.” Nicolas said and levitated the cauldron, formed wood underneath it, then started magical flames. He set the pot down and nodded to Harry.

Harry prepared a small amount of the ingredients, multiplied them, since they weren't magical and could easily be copied, and he added some of them to the pot. He used the advanced water making spell Aqua Eructo that produced a hose-like jet of water and used the full power spell. The giant cauldron filled up in only a couple of minutes.

“I can't believe we're doing it like this.” Nicolas said as the potion quickly reached the middle stage and Harry added the rest of the ingredients. “It never occurred to me to make the cauldron itself bigger.”

“I didn't think of it until I couldn't shrink the vial of potion.” Harry said. “Now you can keep the potion in the cauldron and...” He stopped talking and looked at Nicolas. “We forgot the big vial on my bed!”

Nicolas pat his shoulder again. “You can keep it in your trunk for a while.” He said and motioned to the ready cauldron. “Go ahead and finish the infusion of the stone.”

Harry took out the stone and closed his eyes. He made the stone glow as he shared his magic with it, then had to carefully reach up and dipped it into the potion. He felt through the stone as its magic filled the cauldron of potion. It took several minutes for the potion to finish and Harry felt the magic stop working.

“It's done.” Harry said and took the stone out. He carefully wiped it off and wrapped it back up into the brown cloth, then handed it over to Nicolas.

“You were never going to keep it, were you?” Nicolas asked.

“What for? I have tons of money and I don't want to live forever.” Harry said. “Using it to heal people I don't know or really care about is too dangerous, too.”

Nicolas stepped close and put his arms around him. “You don't know how happy I am that you were the one to find the stone.”

The hug was weak and the old man felt like Sirius did when he had just got out of wizard prison.

“Well, actually... I found it in Hagrid's pocket.” Harry admitted.

Nicolas stiffened for a moment, then he let out a rattling laugh. “Oh, that... that made my day, young man.” He said and let Harry go. “Thank you very much for that and for all of this potion.”

“I don't know how you're going to get it home.” Harry said.

“Quite easily, actually.” Nicolas said and took out a gold coin. “Portus.”

Harry watched as Nicolas used a Ministry restricted spell. “You can't apparate in and out of Hogwarts.”

“Portkeys bypass nearly all other enchantments and spells on a place.” Nicolas said.

“That makes more sense as to why the Ministry restricted its use, instead of regulating it.” Harry said.

“Only the British Ministry of Magic restricted it.” Nicolas corrected and then smiled. “It was very nice meeting you, Harry.”

Harry nodded and stepped back. He knew you needed to touch the coin to go along; but, it didn't hurt to be at a safe distance.

Nicolas pressed the coin to the side of the cauldron. “Goodbye.”

“Bye.” Harry said and then Nicolas, the car sized cauldron, and the potion disappeared.

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