The Mirror of Erised?
Hermione suddenly understood.
If she hadn't known Dumbledore would eventually hide the Philosopher's Stone in this mirror, she would have almost forgotten it existed.
The inscription above the mirror looked like utter nonsense, but that was simply because it was being read the wrong way.
The correct way to read it was backward.
"I show not your reflection, but your heart's desire."
Hermione looked into the mirror.
After a moment of silence, she was about to leave when a voice came from behind her.
"I imagine someone as clever as you has already worked out what it does."
Hermione's expression shifted slightly. She hadn't noticed anyone behind her at all.
When did he... Her gaze grew wary as she slowly turned around.
An old man with white hair and a white beard stood behind her, watching her quietly.
"Headmaster Dumbledore."
Hermione gave a slight bow and quickly composed herself. "What an extraordinary mirror. It can actually show people what they want most."
Dumbledore nodded. "Indeed. That's why it shouldn't be left out in the open. Children without sufficient resolve could easily lose themselves in false fantasies."
"So, my child, could you tell me what you saw in it?"
Hermione smiled. "I saw myself going home. I suppose I've been away too long and want to go back."
Dumbledore studied her with his penetrating gaze for a while before saying slowly:
"Hogwarts' rules aren't quite that strict. Taking leave occasionally is perfectly acceptable, and London isn't very far away."
Hermione smiled without answering.
After a while, she asked another question:
"What about you, Headmaster? What did you see in the mirror?"
"Me?" Dumbledore smiled too. "I saw myself holding a pair of thick woolen socks."
Hermione nodded. "It must have been quite cold lately, then. Even your feet are freezing."
Dumbledore's expression briefly froze.
Then he changed the subject:
"Actually, if you want to read, you can apply directly to the professors. There's no need to sneak in with Harry's Invisibility Cloak. Hogwarts doesn't obstruct those who seek knowledge. The Restricted Section is merely there to protect people who cannot resist the lure of certain forbidden knowledge."
"Oh? You think I can resist temptation?"
Hermione was a little surprised. Dumbledore seemed to have quite a bit of faith in her.
"I believe you can," Dumbledore said.
"No, rather than resisting temptation, I actually prefer subduing it."
"...?"
Looking at the somewhat bewildered Dumbledore, Hermione suddenly said:
"Harry asked me about Nicolas Flamel a few days ago. He wanted to know what famous alchemical creations Nicolas Flamel had made. I didn't tell him."
"So you've worked it out." Dumbledore nodded, sounding unsurprised.
Hermione shrugged. "Simple deduction."
"That's all right. If he asks again, you can tell him outright." Dumbledore turned to leave, then remembered something before he went. "Oh, and don't skip classes too often. Although most of those lessons are probably useless to you now, if you lose too many points, it'll be difficult for me to make up for it for Gryffindor."
With that, he disappeared at the end of the staircase.
Hermione: "..."
Fine, fine. Not even pretending anymore, huh.
You're something else.
But in that case... everything really had been arranged from the start.
The Gryffindor boys' dormitory.
"The Philosopher's Stone! So it was the Philosopher's Stone!"
Harry excitedly held up a book and told Ron, "The thing Gringotts was keeping was the Philosopher's Stone. Dumbledore later moved it to the Restricted Area on Hogwarts' fourth floor."
He had discovered the truth after all.
"So?" Ron looked confused.
"The Philosopher's Stone can make the Elixir of Life. Only someone close to death would desperately need it. The culprit drinking unicorn blood is Voldemort!" Harry the great detective declared.
"So Snape must be trying to steal it to keep Voldemort alive. He deliberately let the troll out that day so he could steal the Philosopher's Stone."
Although this deduction had plenty of holes, Ron clearly wasn't capable of spotting them. He was convinced on the spot.
"We have to stop him!"
Ron looked conflicted. "Isn't this a little... I mean, is something this big really something two first-years like us can handle?"
"How about... we tell a teacher?"
He had already learned Hermione's signature move.
Harry thought it over and nodded. "All right. Let's find Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore!"
Ten minutes later.
The two returned to their dormitory with their heads hanging.
"What do we do? Dumbledore's away, and Professor McGonagall didn't believe us. Snape must have fooled them. He's definitely going to steal the Philosopher's Stone tonight. We can't let him get away with it!"
"We'll act tonight! We'll stop his plot ourselves!"
Harry made up his mind.
Ron glanced at Harry and forced a strained smile. "Do you really think the two of us can pull it off?"
At that, Harry deflated, looking dejected.
"How about... we find someone to help?" Ron thought of calling in backup.
"But who else would believe us and have the ability to... wait!"
At that thought, their eyes lit up at the same time.
"Hermione!"
The amazing Hermione!
Seriously, do you have Voldemort PTSD? Why does everything have to lead back to Voldemort?
Plenty of people want to live forever. Hell, even I do.
Listening to Harry's deduction, which was riddled with holes, Hermione was rather speechless.
Still, he really had stumbled onto the right answer this time.
"So, how do you know it's Snape..." Hermione gave him a sidelong look.
Poor guy, taking the blame for this.
"I..." Harry suddenly raised his head and said stubbornly, "I just know."
"You..." Only after a full twenty seconds of silence did Hermione continue, "just... know."
Fine.
What else was there to say?
After all, nighttime excursions around Hogwarts had long since become a regular activity for the three of them.
Off they went!
Under cover of darkness, the three sneaked toward the Restricted Area on the fourth floor.
Hermione didn't want to squeeze under one Invisibility Cloak with the other two, so she stayed outside it and cast the Disillusionment Charm on herself.
"Alohomora!"
At the entrance to the room in the Restricted Area, Hermione unlocked the door without another word.
The first stage's guardian, Fluffy, was sleeping soundly, with a harp playing itself beside him.
"Oh no, Snape's already been through!" Harry said anxiously. "Hagrid told me the way to deal with a three-headed dog is music!"
"We..."
Harry was about to continue, but Hermione charged ahead, jabbed a syringe into the three-headed dog's neck, then lifted the trapdoor and jumped straight down.
"ROAR!!!"
The pain instantly woke the three-headed dog, who glared viciously at Harry and Ron.
Wait, Hermione, you-!
Couldn't you give us a warning before pulling aggro?!
Terrified, the two scrambled desperately and finally jumped in after her at the last possible moment.
First stage, cleared.
"Lumos!"
As she fell, Hermione casually cast a light spell below.
Stimulated by the light, the Devil's Snare recoiled completely, and the three landed directly on the ground without any obstruction.
Second stage, cleared.
They continued farther in and reached a cavern.
Winged keys fluttered through the air overhead. A Broomstick hovered above the floor, and a locked door stood nearby.
"One of these keys must open that door. I guess this stage wants us to ride the Broomstick and catch the one at the very top..."
Before Harry could finish his analysis, a spell interrupted him.
"Leviosa!"
A rope floated up from Hermione's hand. Under her control, it twisted like a little snake, darted through the swarm of keys, and tied up the target key, bringing it down.
Hermione took the key, opened the door, and strode through.
Third stage, cleared.
Three stages, twelve seconds in total.
Like she was fucking coming home.
Before you continue