Chapter 37

Sunday the first of March saw me meeting up with Harry and Ron in the Hogwarts Library. Ron looked like he was only here at all this early on a Sunday grudgingly while Harry seemed to be a lot more enthused with the meeting. I had arrived first and cracked open the book that the Patil Twins had gotten me on Rasayana Alchemy. It was a fascinating read, the different perspective compared to the Western Alchemy that I was being taught by Magnus Gamp was extremely interesting. It definitely filled in the gaps in my knowledge from the two formulae that I'd picked up at the Cross-House Study Group last night. Of course, I didn't have time to go through much more than the introductory chapter on basic practices and rules before Harry and Ron arrived. Soon enough, they'd sat down and we could get to the reason for us to be having this meeting.

"All right, so I think I need to hear what exactly you two have gotten yourselves into from the beginning." I insisted.

"Right, well, it all started on Christmas. See I'd gotten an invisibility cloak as a present and decided to go exploring while Filch couldn't catch me." Began Harry.

"And you decided to snoop around the Third Floor Corridor?" I questioned.

"No, that was an accident. I went up the Grand Staircase to dodge Peeves and it wound up moving me over to the Third Floor Corridor. I figured there wouldn't be a better time to poke around than when I had an invisibility cloak and decided to try my luck." Responded Harry.

"Once again this school proves it's more dangerous than it should be." I muttered under my breath.

"What was that?" Queried Ron.

"Nothing, never mind." I brushed off.

"Anyway, that's where I found Fluffy. He was lying down with one paw on a trapdoor. I figured that discretion was the better part of valor there and left after spotting him." Cut in Harry.

"Fluffy?" I asked.

"What? That's his name!" Grumbled Ron.

"All right, we'll put a pin on that. How did Nicholas Flamel come up?" I questioned.

"Hagrid, how else?" Queried Ron.

"I don't know, that's why I asked, Ron." I sighed.

"Harry got an invitation to Tea with Hagrid and I came along. Hagrid let slip that Mister Flamel had lent Dumbledore something but changed the subject soon after." Explained Ron.

"And from there, you asked me about it last night?" I asked.

"Bang on." Confirmed Harry.

"Right. So, here's what I know about Cerberuses. They've been used as tomb and treasure guards by Greek Wizards for thousands of years and can bite a troll in half with each of their jaws. Their hides are extremely magic-resistant too, almost as much as dragonhide. You can cast at one all day long and the magic would wash off nine times out of ten." I informed.

"So how do you get past one?" Questioned Ron.

"Traditionally by playing a stringed instrument. Music puts them to sleep. Of course, if you don't mind sacrificing a side of beef or pork, you can always use the drugged meat ploy." I answered.

"Drugged meat ploy, what's that?" Queried Harry.

"You take a side of beef or half a slaughtered pig and dope it up with a powerful sleeping draught. Then you place the drugged meat where the Cerberus can get at it. They eat the meat and the potion knocks them out. Draught of Living Death is preferred since it gives you time to get in and out." I responded.

"I don't think any of us can play a stringed instrument or brew the Draught of Living Death, can you?" Asked Harry.

"Not me, Mate." Refuted Ron.

"Nor I, however, we won't have to, assuming you do want to go after the Stone?" I questioned.

"How do you mean?" Demanded Ron.

"Dervish and Banges in Hogsmeade sells self-playing magical instruments. I can pick one up to use." I offered.

"Great." Grinned Harry.

"Just be warned. I doubt this Fluffy is going to be the only challenge to getting the stone." I warned.

"Oh? What else do you reckon is down there?" Queried Ron.

"Well, I overheard Professor Babbling and Professor Sinistra talking about having to set up rooms in the undercroft for Dumbledore's Project, so I'd bet that the Professors and Staff are also in on things." I lied.

For some reason, my Meta-Lock actually allowed me to talk about this. As Harry and Ron thought on that, talking between themselves, I grabbed a bit of scratch parchment and dipped a quill in ink, trying to write out that Quirrel was possessed by Voldemort. Unfortunately, as I tried to do that, the ink in the quill welled up and blotted over my writing, turning it to nothing but inkspots on parchment. With a small frown, I wondered why I could share information about the challenges, but not about Quirrelmort? There didn't seem to be any logical reason that I was able to share one and unable to share the other except for narrative causality. Was that how my Meta-Knowledge worked? That my Meta-Lock Drawback would only allow me to share information about the plot when it was dramatically appropriate to do so? That was good to know for future reference, at least.

"All right, Ron and I have come to a decision." Spoke up Harry, drawing my thoughts away from the workings of my Meta-Lock Drawback.

"Which is?" I asked.

"We might need a fourth person." Answered Harry.

"Yeah. If you're right about the professors and staff, that's at least ten challenges. We're good, but we're not that good. Not yet." Affirmed Ron.

"What about Daphne?" I questioned.

"I dunno, Blaise. Wouldn't you rather have a bloke down there?" Queried Ron.

"Daphne's more than qualified, Ron." I frowned.

"Still. You know how girls can be around danger." Pressed Ron.

"Don't let Daphne hear you say that, she'll hex you into next week." I cautioned.

"She can do that?" Asked Harry.

"I wouldn't put it past her. If she can't, she can always go to Hermione to figure it out." I shrugged.

"True. Hermione's brain is scary." Acknowledged Harry.

"Do you really want that, Ron? Daphne's sense of vengeance backed by Hermione's smarts, all pointed toward you?" I pressed.

Ron went pale at that as he just shook his head no while saying, "Right, forget I mentioned it."

"Probably for the best. I'll talk with Daphne after dinner about it. Give me a couple of days to grab a Self-Playing Violin from Dervish and Banges. Meet back here on Friday?" I questioned.

"When on Friday? We have double potions and you have tutoring?" Queried Harry.

"Good point. Saturday then. We'll duck out of Study Group an hour early." I tried.

"Right." Nodded Ron.

"Just one question. How are you gonna get to Hogsmeade? First Year's aren't allowed to leave the castle." Asked Harry.

"Harry, Mate, did you forget you aren't the only one with an invisibility cloak?" I grinned.

And on that note, we ended the meeting. The rest of Sunday passed as normal for me, with me spending time doing my solo training. When dinner time came around I headed down to the Great Hall and ate my fill quickly. Tonight's meal was largely a potato chowder with peas and crusty bread. I ate two servings happily and washed it all down with a Goblin Juice Cola. Then, I waited for Daphne to finish her own dinner while I chatted with Millie and Tracey. Millie was talkative as ever, of course, but Tracey had her nose buried in a book. My eyes were drawn to the cover, something Millie must have noticed because she nudged Tracey with her elbow, drawing the dark-haired Halfblood out of her reading to glare at her.

"What are you reading?" I questioned.

"Oh. It's something I picked up at the Hogwarts Library. Battle Transfiguration and You by Major Palmer Morris of the American Wizarding Expeditionary Force during Grindelwald's War. Apparently, he was the foremost expert in the War and even Headmaster Dumbledore asked him for pointers." Explained Tracey.

"Battlefield Transfiguration? Isn't that kind of advanced?" Queried Millie.

"It is, but that's just a reason to learn the basics early." Shrugged Tracey.

"Good for you." I nodded.

"Yeah. Maybe when you've got it down you can teach the rest of us." Concurred Millie.

"Maybe. It's still pretty technical." Frowned Tracey.

"Can't be worse than the exercises my Grandad has me doing." Frowned Millie.

"You mean the running he's had you doing?" Asked Tracey.

"Yeah, every other morning I'm supposed to do laps around the black lake and try and beat my previous time. Speed is essential for a duelist, he says." Confirmed Millie.

"Is that what that was? I thought you'd just taken up a hobby." I remarked.

"Running isn't a Hobby, Blaise. It's miserable." Groused Millie.

"Still, I'd listen to your Grandad on this." Insisted Tracey.

"Yeah, he knows his stuff when it comes to dueling." I agreed.

The conversation lapsed after that, with Millie muttering under her breath about how much she hates running while Tracey went back to reading her book on Battlefield Transfiguration. More power to her on that front, as Battlefield Transfiguration was one of the only surefire ways to deflect the Killing Curse. Sure, your transfigured shield would get blown up in the process, but better that than instant death. Regardless, Daphne was soon finishing up her dinner and I caught her eye as she set her soup spoon to one side. A pair of mutual nods ensued, followed by me getting up and making my way over to an alcove near one of the banners of the Great Hall. Daphne followed me over a short while later, just to be sure that Malfoy or someone similar hadn't snuck up on me while I stood there.

"All right, you wanted to talk." Opened Daphne, speaking quietly.

"I did. Harry, Ron, and I need a fourth person for something Saturday that we'll be leaving the Cross-House Study Group early for. Naturally, I thought of you." I answered, similarly quietly.

"Naturally. This would be Harry Potter and Ron Weasley?" Questioned Daphne.

"It would. I hope you don't mind?" I queried.

"Far from it, but I'd like to know just what I'm getting myself into here." Responded Daphne.

"What do you know about the Philosophers' Stone?" I asked.

"Blaise, my Mother and Father are a Mistress of Alchemy and a Potions Master, respectively. I should hope I know about the Philosophers' Stone. Why are you asking if I know about the Philosophers' Stone?" Questioned Daphne.

"Because it's here in the school, of course." I informed.

"What? Where?" Queried Daphne, raising her voice above the hushed tones we'd been using slightly.

"Keep your voice down." I chided, more quietly.

"Right, Sorry." Muttered Daphne, lowering her voice again.

"Yes, well, as to where that would be the Third Floor Corridor." I responded to her initial question.

"Of course, and Harry and Ron want to try to get hold of it, do they?" Asked Daphne.

"And myself, of course." I agreed.

"Why am I not surprised? I expected this of them, but not you too." Intoned Daphne.

"Think about it, Daphne. The Elixir of Life could cure Astoria's Bloodline Curse." I pressed.

"I know that, but what about expulsion? Headmaster Dumbledore forbade us all from going there for a reason. There are other ways to cure a Bloodline Curse that aren't so risky." Insisted Daphne.

"Actually, Dumbledore never actually forbade going into the corridor, he just implied it would lead to a painful death. Everyone just read into that statement that it meant the Corridor was forbidden." I reminded.

"Huh. . .you know, now that you mention it, I think you're right." Blinked Daphne.

"I know. That was a pretty Slytherin move for a Gryffindor. So, what do you say? Are you with us?" I questioned.

"I dunno, what about the painful death?" Queried Daphne.

"It should be fine. We're working out the angles." I placated.

"All right. Fair enough. Saturday night?" Asked Daphne.

"Yeah." I nodded.

"Then I suppose I can humor you." Sniffed Daphne, back to her usual Princess-like, facade.

"Good, I'll see you there." I intoned.

Then I headed back to the Slytherin Common Room to finish out my Sunday. Tomorrow would be my first tutoring session of March and I had a few things I wanted to Ask Magnus Gamp about Futhark Runes, Arthmancy, and Constellations, just to shore up knowledge ahead of the new trials for Runes, Arithmancy, and Astronomy. Then I would be wrapping myself in the Zabini Family Concealment Cloak and heading for the hidden passage to Hogsmeade so I could buy a Self-playing Violin to use on Fluffy. Otherwise, it would largely be a normal week of tutoring, classes, clubs, and self-study. My hope was that nobody would pick up on what I was doing with Harry, Ron, and now Daphne if I pretended like I was just going through a normal week.

If we could grab the Stone undetected, then Quirrelmort would effectively be going after a trap with no bait, which means that Dumbledore and Company would get a hold of him without there being any danger at all of the Stone falling into enemy hands because Quirrelmort wouldn't know that the Stone was already gone. I figured I could lean on my Occlumency to put up a supernatural poker face and the Sight to avoid potential complications before they happened. If all went well, then the plot of this year would be effectively solved and I could go after the Metamorphing Mandragora at my leisure without having to worry about the Stone or Quirrelmort.

As it would turn out, however, things would not go nearly as smoothly as I would have hoped on that front. They never did, it was just a sad fact of life that I was cursed to live in interesting times. I wouldn't find that out until Saturday's attempt on the Stone, however. For now, I simply made my plans, drank my Bluemoon Grass Elixir, and headed off to sleep. Once again, my Dreams were untroubled, making me think that I had nothing to worry about from Quirrelmort. When I woke the next morning to start my week, it would be with a sense of optimism. After all, the Endgame of First Year was finally underway.

And I was determined to come out on top. . .

XXXX

AN: All right, so here we see the planning for the Protagonist Team's run at the Philosophers' Stone. This time, because Hermione is in Ravenclaw, she's less involved in things. Blaise, meanwhile, was voluntold by Harry and Ron, and Voluntold Daphne in turn, turning the Trio into a Quartet this time around. At the same time, this is all happening a few months earlier than in Canon, owing to the altered timeline of events. That leaves the trip to the overgrown greenhouse to grab the Metamorphing Mandragora as taking place when the attempt on the stone would have taken place in canon.

Daphne being involved is actually a critical part of Blaise's plan. See, because the Mirror of Erised will only give up the stone if you intend to use it for yourself, Blaise figured that intending to use it to produce enough Elixir of Life to cure Daphne and Astoria's Bloodline Curse would bypass that since Blaise isn't the beneficiary of using the Stone that way. It's not just a way to get the Stone, of course, it's also a way to be a good friend. That by itself is something that will prove to Dumbledore that Blaise is on the right path. At least for the time being. After all, Dumbledore sees a lot of his Old Friend Gellert in Blaise at times. Expect a summons to the Headmaster's Office when all is said and done.

At any rate, the next chapter will be the final week leading up to the attempt on the Stone, including the trip to Hogsmeade under the cover of the Zabini Family Concealment Cloak.

Stay tuned. . .