"Nicholas Flamel?" Hermione gasped at the portrait of Dumbledore who gave her a sad smile.

"But I thought he died when the stone was destroyed." Ginny said confused.

"He had enough of elixir to last him and his wife a few years." McGonagal said to them before turning to Dumbledore. "I'm sorry Albus."

"Whatever for,Minerva?" Dumbledore asked her kindly.

"For not coming to you sooner." She replied. "Nicholas came to see me soon after the war ended and just before the school term started. He had just come out of hiding and wanted to meet with you."

"It seems he had not yet heard of your passing and he took the news rather badly." She said.

"What did he say?" Dumbledore asked.

"He said something about more time. But it could only be discussed with you." McGonagall continued.  "He returned to Hogwarts the night, the school term began and demanded an audience with Potter. I declined because of the state he was in and because I thought it would be best to allow Potter to continue his education without any more distractions."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Minerva." Dumbledore said. "The situation is quiet understandable..... although I would have preferred to let Harry decide for himself. I think he has earned that right."

McGonagall nodded looking very upset.

"Did he try to make contact since?" Dumbledore asked.

"Come to think of it, yes! Slughorn invited him to the Hallowe'en feast but he did not come." McGonagall said a sudden realisation dawning on her.

"What do we do then, professor?" Dumbledore asked, peering at her over his half mooned spectacles.

McGonagal straightened up and turned to the other portraits who were all listening intently.

"Headmasters. We need you to find out if there are any students out of bed, anyone at all, and I must be notified immediately." McGonagall commanded in a strong voice.

"Professor, if you would be so kind as to inform Mr. Flitch of our current situation." She added to the portrait of Professor Dimplet, who nodded and slid out of his portrait immediately.

"Severus." She continued turning to the dark portrait near corner. Nobody noticed Snape watching them silently from there. "Could you check on Horace. The party was his idea after all."

Snape nodded and left his portrait without a word.

McGonagall then turned to another portrait. "Everard, could you bring the minister to us?"

"If Nicholas wants more time to live, he might be planning to make another philosopher's stone and we can't let that happen." McGonagall finished. The air in the room was suddenly lighter as the morning sun rays poured through the window and filled the office.

Dumbledore beamed at McGonagall in pride, watching her take charge of the situation.

*******

Harry had fought against the death eater who was dragging him out of the room and into the corridor but failed as he was slammed against the wall.

The force took the wind out of him and he crashed on the ground, gasping.

Harry struggled to a more comfortable position and started at the door in horror.

Suddenly there were screams. It was Ron!

Panicking, Harry struggled to his feet but was immediately knocked to the ground by the death eater.

"Stop it! Stop!" Harry shouted. "What do you want??"

"Quiet down!" The death eater hissed at him.

"Perriwand." The other death eater whispered to his friend. "He seems fine!"

Perriwand looked down at Harry, suddenly realising what was wrong.

"We have to tell the master." Perriwand said.

"Or, we could round up the others and finish what we started." The other death eater suggested.

"Fat load good that would do without that boy." Perriwand said eyeing the door.

Harry was listening hard, trying to understand what they were talking about. The only consolation was that something they tried did not work so far.

Harry suddenly realised that he had tears in his eyes. He blinked his eyes quickly to push them back.

Suddenly the door opened and a pair of dirty boots came into view.

"Master-" the death eaters began.

"Silence!" He demanded and they fell silent.

"So this is the boy, the boy who lived, the chosen one." The master said looking at Harry carefully.

Harry wasn't listening. He could see the unconscious form of Ron, lying in the ground. He felt a surge of rage inside.

"You failed the task I had given you." The master told his death eaters who dropped their heads in shame. "Put him in the room and then go find the others. I want this finished tonight."

"Y-yes sir." They said and tossed Harry into the room with Ron before they disapparated.

"Ron!" Harry said, crawling to Ron, his ropes now loosening. He could see Ron's eyes open but he lay there breathing hard.

"What do you want from him?" Harry shouted at the master.

The master did not reply, simply staring at Harry and Ron on the ground.

"Who are you?" Harry asked finally. This seemed to be something the master was willing to answer.

"Yes, I suppose you wouldn't recognise me." He said as a big grin stretched across his deformed face.

Harry frowned.

"I'm sure Dumbledore mentioned me." He continued. "He gave me some advice before he died, I will never forget that and I intend to follow his advise."

"Dumbledore was one of the greatest wizards in the world, we were friends and I looked up to him for years! But it's not until someone dies that the lies and secrets get uncovered and the truth is laid bare."

Harry struggled with his bindings as he let the master talk.

"I suppose I was too naive to think we could be anything but competitors. But who would know better than Harry Potter?" He said turning to Harry who stopped struggling immediately.

"Where are my manners." The master said waving his wand and the ropes vanished. "Have a seat Mr.Potter."

Harry got to his feet shaking but he did not sit down.

"Who are you?" He repeated.

"Someone who shares the same enemy as you." The master said.

"My enemy is dead." Harry said with a frown.

"Of course! I should have realised you were thinking of Lord Voldemort. After all I did take in his most loyal supporters even though some are completely useless." The master laughed. "Perhaps you know that even Voldemort feared someone."

"Dumbledore." Harry said. "But Dumbledore is not my enemy."

"Then you don't know the truth!" The master said, his smile vanishing, his dark eyes bored into Harry's green eyes as though trying to figure out if he was lying.

"Been reading Rita Skeeter have we?" Harry with a disgusted laugh.

"Skeeter only confirmed my theories about Dumbledore." The master said still eyeing Harry closely. "I knew Dumbledore long before you did, hell, I even knew Dumbledore before Gellert Grindelwald."

Harry stared in shock. He ignored how irritated he felt by this revelation. He thought Dumbledore's secrets were over....especially after Grindelwald.

"If your grief is against Dumbledore, what do you want with my friend." Harry asked.

The master laughed. "How else would I make a philosophers stone?"

"What?" Harry gasped.

"Chosen one." The master spat. "You are not half as powerful as I was at your age."

"You created the Philosophers stone?" Harry gasped.

"Dumbledore sentenced me to death by giving up my greatest creation, because I was more powerful than he." He said, his disfigured face scrunched up in anger. "Never again will I let anyone convince of that again."

Harry opened and closed his mouth in disbelief. "Are you .....Nicholas Flamel?"

"I was called that in my former life, now I am known just as "The Master". He said walking towards Harry and stopping right in front of him. "It commands respect.... just a little something I learnt from the Dark Lord."

Harry did it reply. He did not break eye contact with Flamel either.

"I will rise in power again with your help and the help of the entire Weasley family." Nicholas Flamel continued. "Oh and the muggle born, Granger, too....."

"No!" Harry said, momentarily distracted. He spotter his wand and Ron's wand on the table behind  Flamel.

"No?" Flamel laughed. "You think I am asking? This is me telling you your fate and the fate of you friends."

"But you don't have to kill innocent people!" Harry said.

"You are right." Flamel said "But I choose you all very carefully."

"Why?" Harry asked but before Flamel could reply the door bursted open and a group of death eaters came in, followed by Draco Malfoy.

*******

Draco Malfoy with the death eaters again?!?! This does not sound good.... 😕

Nicholas Flamel is dying and wants to make a new philosopher's stone to continue living, inspite of agreeing with Dumbledore about how dangerous it was and how it needed to be destroyed. Why did he change his mind?

Will he succeed and what would be the price for everlasting life?

How do you like the concept so far? There is still a lot to be revealed about the connection between the Philosopher's stone and Salem Witchcraft..... so keep reading ;)

Vote. Comment. Follow.
<3<3