~24~ PHILOSOPHER STONE III

Hermione knocked on the door and entered after hearing voice.

"Ms Granger! What a nice surprise. What can I do for you?" Professor Flitwick asked slightly surprised to see one of the best students from the first year.

"Professor, I've something to tell you but I'm not sure if you'll believe me or not"

"No problem. Tell me although I can't promise to help if it's something beyond my authority." He encouraged her while sipping his tea and invited her to join him.

"Thank you, professor. At first, I wanted to talk to professor McGonagall because she is vice-headmaster but she was too busy and I couldn't find her. After I thought about it I decided to come here because you are our house head" Hermione began to explain her circumstances as she was pouring a cup of tea herself. After stopping to give him a chance to think she continued.

"A few days ago Harry dreamed. It was not a normal dream. He saw *cough* someone trying to steal a stone standing in front of the mirror of erised" She told him about man mumbling about a stone of unknown source and trying to break free of mirror's defences.

"Ah! Is it true?" He asked jumping from his chair causing it to drop.

"Yes. Harry said that he didn't see the face of the man but he nearly succeeds in his tries. Harry said he dreamed the same one for the fourth time and can't sleep peacefully." Hermione acted as if she was conveying Harry's worries but in fact, it was just an excuse to warn them.

"Thank you, Ms Granger. I appreciate your help. Tell Mr Potter my thanks as well. Now that you told me about it I think you have nothing to worry about. I will notify professor McGonagall and if possible headmaster too. " Professor Flitwick tried to be sound everything is underfoot but the sweat on his forehand gave him away.

Hermione left the room as if she was unaware of his panic and returned her room. What she didn't tell Professor Flitwick was that professor McGonagall was so busy that she didn't even listen to her before sending her away. Hermione wasn't sure why she was house head as well as vice headmaster. She was also a professor attending classes and had other duties. It was as if she was acting as a headmaster instead of Dumbledore. He was only sitting on the chair and giving his duties to others. It was a disadvantage for McGonagall because she can't concentrate everything at the same time neglecting her duties while helping headmaster.

She used to notice me not charms and "silenco" reducing sense and sounds while waiting for professors to enter the chamber. Professor Flitwick kept his words and spoke to professor McGonagall. They went to the chamber with professor Snape and professor Quirrell therefore she returned her room before they notice her in the forbidden corridor.

After the courses, professor Flitwick summoned her told her everything was okay and there was no problem with the mirror. They also discussed about the mirror and someone who wished to use the stone can't retrieve it and if he forces his way the mirror would break before it. 'Oh, sh*t' Hermione was alarmed when she heard they discussed the secret of the mirror.

Because that means that Quirrell also learned about it and in the morning Headmaster went on the broom and won't return before submitting and Quirrell has two free days to act. Even if they didn't tell him the way to extract the stone directly, the professor was clever not to mention dark lord. *sigh* She knew something was fishy but she had to poke the hornet's nest.

She asked invisibly cloak from Harry and sneaked out during midnight and chanted some spells to hide her presence to be not found. She passed Fluffy without music because it couldn't see her and it was night and the dog was sleeping soundly.

She passed devil snare easily and went to the room of flying keys. She was unlucky because she couldn't use magic except flying so she had to fly on the broom while keys were trying to kill her. After catching the key she hurriedly opened the door. Keys left her alone when she jumped from the broom and returned to the ceiling. She passed chessmen after playing chess and exploding the final piece not giving it a chance to hurt her. She was invisible so troll wasn't aware of her presence and she arrived the room of riddle and potions. She didn't take risk of being found so she drank her potion and passed the room full of fire while feeling frozen. One second she felt she would freeze while in another she felt melting until passing the room and lasting effect of potion passed.

She arrived her target room. She saw the mirror at the corner of the room but didn't dare to stand in front of it. She saw it once and it was enough for her. She walked behind the mirror and tried to destroy it, unfortunately, she couldn't. The enchantments was too strong for her. Hermione was strong, yes but not enough to destroy the mirror. She stopped and waited for professor Quirrell. He had two chances and Hermione had a fifty per cent chance.

After waiting for hours she heard a sound. She was prepared. She cleared her mind and silenced the voices and with the cloak, her presence was so thin that they couldn't find her if they didn't survey the room in detail or with her in mind. But what did surprise her was that Harry was lying next to Quirrell within his pyjamas and not waking up as Quirrell was trying to find a way to take the stone.