Stone Thief (Edited)

Another month soon passed and things were coming along nicely. Unfortunately for Narcissa, Malfoy opted to stay with his father and was declared illegitimate by Andromeda. All three Black sisters were once again reunited after Bellatrix's release and Narcissa began to cheer up.

While Bellatrix was getting all of the necessary treatment and going through the ropes to become Lady Lestrange of the House of Lestrange after her husband's untimely demise by beheading. Such a strange thing to happen in Azkaban. But what's done is done. Bellatrix was also questioned about the Longbottoms. She told Madam Bones that she had placed a blood seal on them to save them from her husband. It put their bodies in a state of near-death. If they seemed dead her husband would stop commanding her to torture them. The near-death state also tricked the wards and sent a signal to the Ministry which led to Bellatrix's capture.

When Agusta and Neville got wind of her explanation, the didn't know whether to kill her or kowtow and give thanks for a million years. now all they had to do was wait until Bellatrix was strong enough to remove the blood seal.

On the other hand, Andromeda was getting both the House of Black and Lestrange in good financial standing. After a month of hard work, Tiberius sent the very expensive present and told them it was a gift as ladies of Rosier. By the time Christmas rolled around both houses were excellent financial standing with Gringotts. In return, Bellatrix sent the cup of Helga Hufflepuff and thank you letter to Tiberius. As it was an illegally held artifact, it was better to be used as repayment than to attempt to sale it and get put back in Azkaban. Though the cup felt extremely dark and twisted he placed in the Emrys vault for a later date and thought nothing of it.

Halfway through December, Arcturus Black passed away and was given an exquisite funeral. At Hogwarts, Hermione was studying like a madwoman and was startled when Tiberius surprised her.

"I didn't mean to spook you, Hermione. What are you studying?" he asked

"I'm trying to find information on Nicholas Flamel." Tiberius knew who she was talking about but first wanted to know why she was looking for information about him. Hermione then told him about the three headed dog on the third floor. They had noticed it sitting on the trap door and found out that it was protecting something that was related to Nicholas Flamel.

"Ron thinks Snape's trying to steal it, but Harry doesn't think so. They started fighting and friendship went caput" Hermione finished

Tiberius then 'helped' Hermione research as the two chatted about their plans for the holiday.

_________________________________________________________________________________________

June 1st 1991

For the past months, Tiberius had been pretty focused on school and house business. Mostly recreating family trees and setting up for international ventures. Besides his morning meets with Hermione. He had mostly been going through days in isolation with his paperwork, wand, and the books that he got from his vault and restricted section.

He had finally made it to the point where his mind was ready to start working on occlumency. The book on mental arts had a potion that strengthened the mind and expanded consciousness. The potion was also a potion that helped with astral projection. he could now travel along the astral plain and read while he slept but that was only the bare minimum of what he could do if he kept practicing. But he did manage to nearly complete all of the books in the Shafiq-Rosier Library.

It was on this night that he saw Neville, Hermione, and Harry sneak out of the Gryffindor tower, Again. The three had been adamant about the mystery of the third floor and had been sneaking out for the past months.

Packing up his things, Tiberius then returned to his physical body. He got dressed and followed them. His wand pointed him to the 3rd floor Corridor. Which he should have guessed. When he entered the three-headed hound was awake and mean. Tiberius banished the hound and then twirled his wand in a spiral "Sanguis Concrescat."

When the charm hit the hound, its blood rapidly slowed and clotted and triggering a heart attack. Tiberius then jumped down the trap door landing in an empty room covered in ash. Walking into the next room, it was filled with flying keys and the master seemed to already have been taken. Flourishing his wand, Tiberius blasted the door off its hinges with a blasting curse, the keys then turned to attack. "Liberum Supernatet" he muttered and the keys slowed and floated around the room like they were in a zero-gravity chamber.

Walking through the door, he finds an unconscious Neville on a massive chessboard and begins to worry about Hermione. Picking up the pace, he walks deeper into the corridor and found another door wide open and Hermione standing at a table of potions.

"Hermione!" he called out startling her again, "What in the fuck sake is going on?"

Hermione tensed and then explained, " We have to get in there and save Harry. Someone wants to use the philosopher's stone to resurrect Voldemort. But I can't get through the flames and there was only one potion to go forward" her voice went high pitch and gestures towards a hall filled with black fire.

"Stay here or I'll punish you twice as long as I already plan to when I get back. if someone other than Harry or myself comes through, use the curse I taught you" Tiberius walked forward and Hermione blushed.

Tiberius moved his wand and said "Galcius".

He held his wand out and blizzard forze the fire. He did a slow jug as the fire only frozen for so long. And it took a moment for the fire to freeze, to begin with.

When he finally entered the next room. Harry was fighting Professor Quirrell. Changing to his second wand. Tiberius used a knockback jinx to send Harry flying and immediately fired the killing curse at Professor Quirrell who was taken by surprise. A great cloud of black smoke erupted from Quirrell's body. "Voldemort..." he muttered as he saw the smoke morph into a face, the smoke then turned to attack Tiberius but he quickly cast a protection charm and Voldemort fled.

Looking at unconscious Harry, Tiberius saw a blood-red stone lying next to his body. "Noksby.." he called and a house-elf appeared. "Take that stone and hide it in the manor. And do not leave the manor until I return. And tell no one about this. Now go." he commanded

The house-elf vanished with the stone and Tiberius left the room and returned to find Hermione still standing in front of the potions table.

"Tiberius! Where's Harry? " she asked looking around frantically

"Mione, look at me. I need you to swear that I just got here and never went through the fire after Harry. Okay?"

"But why would I --"

"Hermione, this is very important. If you're my friend and you want me to live. You will keep this a secret. And I promise you, that Harry is safe. But I need to know that I can trust you."

Hermione slapped him "How could you say something like that to me? Of course, I'm your friend and I will never want to see you get hurt, Tiberius." Hermione stopped and looked sad, " I thought you did trust me, I mean. I- I trust you with my life. Iv'e never had a better friend that's cared for me as much as you do. How can you not trust me, Tiberius?"

Tiberius put on a weak smile "Because you're so good, Hermione. You're the very best. Better than anyone I've ever met. And your also Harry's friend. And to lie for me is to betray him. I'm sorry, but you have to choose now before the professors come. "

"Is that how you really feel, Ti--"

"Miss Granger! Lord Emrys! where is Harry Potter?" McGonagall Appeared from the purple fire followed by Snape and Dumbledore

"Professor he's--" Tiberius was swiftly cut off by Hermione

"On the other side of the black fire. I was positive that his potion was safe. And I think this is the potion to get back" she held up the bottle in her hand. "But there's only one. If either of us leaves, it's a possibility that one of us will have face You-Know-Who alone. So we decided to wait here for Harry since Neville is safely behind the purple fire and You-Know-who will have to go through us to get to him. I originally planned to return but I didn't expect for Tiberius to follow me down here but when he showed up. I just couldn't leave him. So we decided to wait for Harry together." explained Hermione

"Miss Granger! You allowed Mr. Potter--"

"She didn't allow anything. Or do you prefer it was her that went through the fire instead? There was one potion and Harry made his choice. Harry is strong and I know he will be back. Now I suggest you go in after him just in case we're wrong. " Tiberius interrupted her.

McGonagall then shot off extinguishing the fire and walking to the next room. Snape and Dumbledore followed. Tiberius watched them leave. Hermione silently took his hand into hers and they walked back through the hallway that led to Neville. The professor had extinguished the fire when the arrived.

"Thank you, Hermione," he said quietly. She squeezed his hand in turn and said, "Just like when you killed the troll. Lying doesn't feel like a sin when it's for you. You just might be a bad influence on me, Rius." she giggled

________________________________________________________________________________

The professors were standing over Professor Quirrell's dead body with a recently awakened Potter.

"I don't know what happened professor. One moment I was fighting and the next moment was hurled against the wall. I saw a green flash as I lost consciousness, that's all I remember."

"What about the stone, my boy. Do you have the stone?" Dumbledore asked him

"Yes, it's right--" Harry checked his pockets and the stone was nowhere to be found. The professors began to worry. And Dumbledore's heart started to beat at the speed of a runaway train. Pulling out his wand, he altered Harry's memories and put the boy to sleep

"Albus! How dare you treat a student in such a manner!" McGonagall lashed out

"Minerva, it's the only way. If anyone finds out the stone is missing. The french ministry and ours will investigate. Voldemort's status will be made public, fear will take hold, and most importantly it will put young Harry here in a lot of danger." he explained "Trust me. The boy must think he defeated Voldemort and the stone is destroyed. This will give him more confidence and aid in his growth. I will reach out to Nicholas and we will handle the missing stone situation."

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At the Hogwarts Express, four Gryffindor students stood around each other with sad faces.

"Look, Potter, I know we haven't done much bonding this year. But if you need anything, you write to me. And if you ever want to act on Neville's advice. We can help you get free of those God awful people." Said Tiberius

"And you can just call me, Harry. It is no problem for me to visit or you I. My parents won't mind at all" added Hermione

Harry smiled, "Thank you guys, really. I don't know how this year would have gone if I hadn't met you three."

"Haha it would have sucked," said Tiberius and the group chuckled, " Oh, and Neville if you come back next year with your father's wand. I will snap it. Bring out your inner lion and demand to be taking to Ollivanders. You're not disrespecting his memory by getting a new wand. Besides, he'll be needing it back shortly, anyway…"

Neville chuckled, "Grams has already planned for us to go when I get home. And she also said, Thank you. She never realized how much damage it was doing, she just assumed that I had little magic because I awoke at 5 while most Longbottoms awaken at 3 years of age."

"Well, tell her you'll be a phenomenal wizard with the power you're storing." Tiberius wore a toothy grin and pulled Neville into a hug and then Hermione and Harry joined in before everyone went their separate ways.

Sometime later, as Hermione was standing at her car with her parents. Tiberius appeared in a pop alongside his house elf.

"It took you long enough. I've been waiting for an awfully long time" Hermione complained

"It's only been about five minutes...Well, aren't you going to introduce me?" asked Tiberius

Hermione got a bit panicky and rambled through the introduction.

"It's a pleasure meeting you both, Mr. and Mrs. Granger."

"Likewise, Tiberius. So, Hermione has told us that you want her to stay with you over the summer. Or you with us. May I ask why this is so important."

"Simple, Hermione is a mudblood."

The Grangers gasped and Hermione just looked a bit upset but was already warned of Tiberius choice of words in advance

"You will not refer to our daughter that way. And frankly,--"

"Oh stop it. Hermione is a mudblood and as there are pureblood supremacists. She will always be of filthy blood. The best she can do is learn to protect herself, learn and climb her way to positions of power and command respect. But she will never stop being a first-generation witch. And in these young precious years. I apologize, but you, Mr. and Mrs. Granger are her greatest hindrances. Non-magical parents mean no summer magic, no practice, and she stagnates until the next academic year"

The grangers began to see his point and realized that Tiberius had their daughter's wellbeing at heart.

"Mum, Dad. I really do miss you. Alot. But a witch is what I am. Tiberius prefers sorceress but the point is, I am apart of wizardkind whether people like it or not. I will not let them bully me. Being the best is my only option, power is a must. So, will you take me out of Hogwarts and keep me away from magic or will you let me go with my bestfriend and allow me to work to become stronger?"

The Grangers sighed. They knew there were things they were no longer able to give their little girl. Dan Granger held on to his wife and said, " We can take the summer off. We know that we can't give you everything a young witch needs growing up. But we're still your parents and if that means staying with you in the wizarding world so that you can practice magic freely. Then that's what we'll do."

"Dad! Y-you can't just cancel your appointments.."

"Oh of course. But next summer, if Tiberius' parents would allow us. I'd like to stay with you for the summer in the wizarding world. They can supervise your magic use and we can spend time with you. " he replied with a warm smile and his wife snatched Hermione up with tears in her eyes, pulling her into a tight hug.

Hermione returned the hug and said, "I'm going to be okay, mum. I'll write to you every day and visit on the weekends. I promise I'll be okay. " Hermione began to cry herself. Dan then wrapped his arms around both his girls.

Tiberius cleared his throat loudly, "If you happen to get a few days off, you can also let Hermione know. And a place at Shafiq Manor will be arranged for you. And if it's any consolation. You're both doing the right thing."