Regulus Jackson and The Philosopher's Stone

After our victory celebrations in the Slytherin common room, the rush of adrenaline still lingered, but my mind was already elsewhere. The Philosopher’s Stone, hidden here, at Hogwarts. It didn’t make sense. Why would such a powerful artifact be stored in a school?

Once I was ready, I found the others waiting in the library. We gathered quietly, exchanging determined glances. Something needed to be done. We had questions, and Hagrid seemed like the best person to help us piece things together.

With purposeful strides, we made our way across the castle grounds and found Hagrid by the Forbidden Forest, feeding some creatures.

─ Hagrid! ─ Noelle called out, stepping forward.

Hagrid turned, a bit startled, but his expression softened when he saw us. ─ Oh, it’s yeh lot again. What’s the trouble now? ─

─ We need to know more about the Philosopher’s Stone, ─ I said directly, not wasting any time. ─ Why is it being hidden here? At Hogwarts, of all places? ─

Hagrid froze for a moment, clearly conflicted. ─ Ah… well, that’s… I told yeh before, I shouldn’t be talkin’ ‘bout this. ─

─ Hagrid, please, ─ Noelle insisted. ─ We’re just trying to understand why it’s so important. Why hide it here if it’s so dangerous? ─

Hagrid sighed deeply, his eyes flicking nervously between us. ─ Look, Hogwarts is the safest place in the world, alrigh’? That’s why the Stone’s been brought here. Only Dumbledore an’ a few others know the details, an’ that’s how it should stay. ─

─ But why not hide it somewhere no one could find? ─ I pressed. ─ A place far away from any students? Why Hogwarts? ─

Hagrid scratched his head, looking thoroughly uncomfortable. ─ It’s not jus' Hogwarts protectin’ the Stone, yeh know… there’s more to it. Yeh think it’s just Fluffy guardin’ it? Well, think again. ─

Our group exchanged glances. Barty raised an eyebrow. ─ So… you’re saying there’s more than just that giant three-headed dog? ─

Hagrid’s eyes widened, realizing he’d said too much. ─ Ah… look, I really shouldn’t’ve said tha’… ─

─ What do you mean by ‘more’? ─ Noelle asked, her tone sharp.

Hagrid shifted his weight uneasily, avoiding our gaze. ─ All I’m sayin’ is, there’s more protections in place. Yeh can’t jus’ waltz in an’ take it, alrigh’? There’s… things… powerful enchantments, challenges… only someone who’s got no business with it would be able to pass ‘em. ─

─ So, it’s like a series of obstacles? ─ Noelle said, piecing it together. ─ Magical challenges that you’d have to get through to reach the Stone? ─

─ Tha’s ‘bout the size of it, ─ Hagrid muttered, looking as though he wished he were anywhere but here. ─ Dumbledore set up some of the protections himself, along with a few others… professors… But tha’s all I’m sayin’! No more questions, alrigh’? ─

─ But Hagrid, ─ Emily interjected, ─ If someone were to try and steal it, would they even stand a chance with all those protections? ─

Hagrid looked grim. ─ Aye, well… I s’pose tha’s the idea, isn’ it? Only the cleverest or the most determined could even come close, but… Look, yeh shouldn’t be worryin’ ‘bout this! It’s not fer yeh lot to be pokin’ yer noses into! ─

─ But we already are, ─ Emily pointed out. ─ And now we know about the enchantments… we just want to make sure it’s safe. ─

Hagrid’s face softened, but he was clearly tryin’ to steer us away. ─ Listen, it’s safe as can be, alrigh’? Dumbledore’s got it all under control. Yeh don’t need to worry. ─

Pandora gave a soft chuckle. ─ Somehow, I doubt that. ─

Hagrid huffed. ─ Look, there’s powerful magic protectin’ it, more’n yeh can imagine. Jus’ stay out of it, alrigh’? It’s not fer yeh to be meddlin’ with. ─

─ Hagrid, please, we’re only asking because- ─ I started.

─ No! ─ Hagrid cut me off, raising his hand. ─ I’ve already said too much! I… I shouldn’t’ve even mentioned it, this is between Dumbledore and Mr.Nicholas Flamel. Forget I said anythin’. ─

The weight of his words hung in the air. He clearly didn’t want to divulge any more information, but he had already confirmed more than enough. The Stone was being heavily protected, by more than just a monstrous dog. Magical challenges, set by professors… and someone named Nicolas Flamel.

Hagrid turned to leave, clearly flustered. ─ I gotta go. Jus’ don’t go lookin’ fer trouble, alrigh’? Leave it be. ─

With that, he quickly made his way back to his hut, leavin’ us standin’ there, exchanging looks.

─ Well, that was… revealing, ─ Barty muttered, shaking his head.

─ So, it’s not just Fluffy, ─ Pandora said, thoughtful. ─ There’s more layers to this. ─

─ Flamel… ─ I repeated. ─ Who is he? And why is the Stone tied to him? ─

─ That’s what we need to find out, ─ Noelle said firmly. ─ Hagrid’s right, we’ve stumbled onto something big. And if it’s that well-protected, it means someone, somewhere, is after it. ─

─ We need to do more research, ─ Lucien added, his voice low. ─ There’s more to this than just a few enchantments. ─

As we made our way back to the castle, the mystery surrounding the Philosopher’s Stone deepened. Whatever was hidden within those challenges, one thing was certain: we weren’t going to let it go easily.

After the discovery about Nicolas Flamel, our group remained obsessed with figuring out the mystery surrounding the Philosopher's Stone. We spent hours in the library, digging through volumes and hidden texts. Each clue we unearthed only heightened our curiosity, and the impending arrival of Christmas didn’t distract us from our mission, until it was time for some of our group to depart for the Yule holiday.

Noelle and Iyon were the last to bid farewell, approaching us in the Great Hall with their trunks in tow, ready to head back home for the celebrations.

─ Don’t forget to keep looking into Flamel, ─ Noelle reminded us, a slight smirk playing on her lips. ─ You still haven’t checked the Restricted Section. ─

Lucien rolled his eyes dramatically. ─ We've searched almost the entire library, Noelle. What more could there be? ─

Noelle gave a mischievous grin. ─ Exactly. Almost. The Restricted Section remains untouched. ─ With a playful wink, she turned on her heel, Iyon following after her.

Lucien watched her go with a mix of admiration and exasperation. ─ She's definitely picked up some bad habits hanging around you, ─ he said, looking at Cardan.

Cardan feigned offense. ─ Me? A bad influence? She’s the one sneaking into the Restricted Section! ─

We all laughed, and after a final round of goodbyes, Noelle and Iyon left for the train station. It was strange

The day after Noelle and Iyon left, I woke up lazily, enjoying the rare luxury of having no classes. Most of the students had gone home for the holidays, so the castle felt oddly quiet. After throwing on a pair of slippers and shrugging into my robes, I made my way down to the Slytherin common room, still half-asleep.

When I arrived, I saw Barty and Lucien sitting near the Christmas tree they had helped decorate. Though none of the purebloods really celebrated Christmas, they still participated in the decoration for Severus and Lily, who spent a lot of time with us.

─ Good Yule and a Merry Christmas. ─ I greeted them.

Barty gestured toward a pile of presents under the tree. ─ The others sent us presents from home. You might want to check yours. ─

I sat down beside Lucien, feeling more awake now as I tore open a package from my mum and Perce. We chatted and laughed as we opened our presents, enjoying the warmth of the common room and the small comforts of friendship.

Later that evening, I found myself wandering back to the library. The lingering thoughts of Nicolas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone were pulling at my mind again, like an unsolved puzzle I couldn’t resist. I made my way straight to the Restricted Section, determined to at least try my luck again. Maybe Noelle had been onto something.

When I reached the gate to the section, I fiddled with the lock, hoping to somehow get it open. But the noise attracted unwanted attention and someone was approaching. My heart sank as I heard the unmistakable shuffling footsteps of Filch. Quickly, I ducked behind a nearby bookshelf, just as the lantern I had brought with me slipped from my hand and shattered on the floor with a loud crash.

─ Who's there? ─ Filch’s raspy voice echoed through the aisles.

I held my breath, remaining absolutely still as he passed by. The seconds felt like hours. Once his footsteps faded, I dashed out of the library as quietly as I could, feeling my heart pound in my chest. Back in the safety of the common room, I collapsed onto my bed, pulling the covers over my head. It took a while, but eventually, I managed to calm down and fall asleep.

A few days passed, and soon, the new year came and went. One afternoon, I sat in the library with Emily, Pandora, Noelle, and Lucien still searching for more clues about Nicolas Flamel. Noelle, who had been flipping through a large tome, suddenly slammed it down on the table with a loud thud, startling us all.

─ I’m such an idiot! ─ she exclaimed. ─ I sent you looking in the wrong place. I’ve had this book for days just for distraction, and I didn’t even realize it had the answer. ─

Emily looked over, half-amused. ─ If that’s what you call 'distracting' yourself, I’d hate to see what you call work, ─ She quipped, earning a glare from Noelle.

She ignored him and flipped to a specific page. ─ Here it is, ‘Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher’s Stone, a legendary object that turns any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, granting immortality to the drinker.' ─

We all stared at the page, taking in the information. Finally, we had answers. After hours of searching, the key to the mystery had been sitting right under our noses the whole time.

─ We should tell the others, ─ Pandora said, her voice filled with excitement.

We spent the rest of the day discussing our plans and eventually agreed that three of us should go to Hagrid to try and get more information. It was decided that Pandora, Noelle, and I would be the ones to speak with him.

That evening we told the others we’d be back soon and headed to the dormitory to grab some fresh clothes and take a quick shower. After I finished, I found Pandora and Noelle waiting for me in the common room. We exchanged a few pleasantries before setting off toward Hagrid’s hut.

When we knocked on the door, Hagrid opened it with a wide grin. ─ Ah, you lot! Come in, come in! Yer just in time! ─ He gestured for us to enter, and we stepped inside, immediately catching sight of a large cauldron bubbling over the fire.

Hagrid hurried over to it, putting on thick gloves before lifting something from the cauldron. As he turned around, we saw it, a massive, glistening egg. ─ Got me a dragon egg! ─ Hagrid beamed, though he winced slightly as the heat radiated through the gloves. Pandora leaned in closer, her curiosity evident.

─ Is that… a dragon egg? ─ She whispered, her voice barely containing her excitement.

Hagrid chuckled, a little awkwardly. ─ Yeh’ll see soon 'nuff. Jes' don' tell anyone 'bout it, alright? ─

Noelle raised an eyebrow, folding her arms. ─ Don't worry, Hagrid, we won’t say a word. Right, Regulus? ─ She nudged me with her elbow.

Before I could respond, the door to Hagrid’s hut creaked open. In strolled Potter, Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew, all of them wearing smirks like they owned the place.

─ Well, well, well, ─ James started, eyeing us with a sly grin. ─ What do we have here? A little Slytherin-Gryffindor gathering, is it? ─

Noelle's face tightened as she turned to face them. ─ What are you doing here, Potter? ─

Sirius crossed his arms, throwing a glance at her. ─ Shouldn’t we be asking you the same thing, Macmillan? ─

I clenched my jaw, ignoring his jab. ─ What do you want, Black? ─

Remus stepped forward, always the calm one, though there was an edge to his voice. ─ We heard voices on the way back from the castle and thought we'd see what was going on. And looks like we stumbled on something… interesting. ─

Noelle narrowed her eyes at them. ─ You heard voices all the way from the castle? Convenient. ─

─ Convenient, ─ Sirius echoed mockingly. ─ Come on, Macmillan. Don’t be such a stick in the mud. It’s just a little… curiosity. ─

Hagrid let out a nervous cough, clearly uncomfortable with the tension. ─ Erm… maybe yeh lot should be headin’ back to yer dorms now. It’s gettin’ late. ─

Noelle looked ready to snap at them, but I placed a hand on her arm, shaking my head. ─ Let’s just go, ─ I muttered

But James, never one to back down, took a step closer to me. ─ Oh, come on, Jackson, don’t tell me you’re running away already. ─

─ Potter, just leave us alone, ─ Noelle snapped. ─ We’re not here to mess with you. ─

Peter, who had been silent up to this point, let out a snide laugh. ─ Not here to mess with us? Sure looks like you’re up to something sneaky. ─

Just then a crack echoed. We stood in Hagrid's cramped hut, all of us watching intently as the massive egg in the middle of the table started to shake. There was a low, cracking sound as a hairline fracture appeared across the surface. Pandora’s eyes widened in awe, and even Noelle, who usually kept her cool, seemed a bit intrigued.

James and Sirius, though, kept sneaking glances at us, their presence heavy with tension. It was almost like they couldn't resist throwing in a few jabs, even at a moment like this.

─ Never thought I’d see a Slytherin so fascinated by something that wasn’t gold, ─ Sirius muttered under his breath, his gaze flickering to Noelle with a smirk.

Noelle shot him a cold glare. ─ Says the Gryffindor whose family hoards it. ─

Before I could react, the egg gave another violent shake, and we all turned our attention back to it. The crack widened, pieces of shell falling away. Hagrid leaned in, his face glowing with excitement.

─ Almost there… ─ he whispered, his large hands twitching as though he was dying to help the creature inside.

A claw poked through the shell, then another. Slowly, a small, leathery wing emerged, followed by a head that was smoking slightly. It blinked up at us, its golden eyes filled with a fierce kind of intelligence. The baby dragon let out a tiny screech, stretching its wings, which were still wet from being inside the egg.

We all stared in awe, the tension in the room momentarily forgotten. Even James and Sirius fell silent.

─ Blimey… ─ Sirius breathed. ─ Is that…? ─

─ A Norwegian Ridgeback, ─ Hagrid said proudly. ─ Ain’t she a beaut? ─

Noelle smiled softly. ─ She's… she's amazing. ─

The dragon shook its wings again, letting out a small puff of smoke that made Noelle step back, wrinkling her nose. ─ Amazing, sure, but also… dangerous. ─

James, however, grinned widely, clearly impressed. ─ I’ve got to admit, this is… something else. ─

─ Thought you might say that, ─ Hagrid chuckled, clearly enjoying the reaction his dragon was getting.

I felt a strange kind of pride at being part of this moment, even if it was with the Marauders. But that thought was quickly interrupted as Sirius, unable to help himself, smirked and looked over at me. ─ Maybe you could name it Regulus. It seems like a proper Slytherin pet, after all. ─

I clenched my jaw, biting back a sharp retort, but Noelle wasn’t as patient.

─ Careful, Black ─ she said coolly. ─ The dragon might not take kindly to your snide comments. You’re not exactly her type of Gryffindor hero. ─

Sirius opened his mouth to snap back, but before he could say anything, the dragon let out another small screech, flapping its tiny wings. The table rattled, and for a moment, it seemed like it might take flight.

Everyone leaned in closer, watching as Hagrid gently nudged the dragon to calm it down.

─ You’ll have to be quiet, ─ Hagrid murmured, clearly worried. ─ Don’t want to wake the whole castle… ─

But just as the dragon settled again, the door creaked open and Noelle and I jumped in front of the dragon to hide her, and in walked none other than Professor McGonagall, her eyes narrowing as she took in the scene before her.

─ I should have known, ─ she said, her voice sharp enough to cut through the air. ─ What in Merlin's name is going on here? ─

We all froze, her face set in a hard frown. Her eyes darted between all of us before she crossed her arms.

─ Out of bounds after hours? ─ she said sharply, raising an eyebrow at us. ─ What a surprise to see the lot of you here. Care to explain yourselves? ─

James, trying to maintain his cool demeanor, opened his mouth, but McGonagall cut him off.

─ Save it, Potter. I don’t want to hear excuses. All of you will report for detention tomorrow night. No exceptions. ─ She shot a stern glance at Hagrid, who looked sheepish but said nothing.

Sirius scoffed. ─ Detention? With them? ─

─ You’ll be lucky if it’s just detention, ─ McGonagall snapped. ─ Tomorrow night. You’ll meet Hagrid for your assignment. Now back to your common rooms. All of you. ─

With no choice left, we all shuffled toward the door, shooting each other wary glances. As we exited, Sirius leaned in closer to me and whispered with a smirk, ─ This isn’t over, Jackson. ─

I shot him a cold look but kept walking. The last thing I wanted was to give him the satisfaction of getting under my skin.