“Harry why did you say those things to Professor McGonagall?” Hermione asked as they entered the hallway that led to the library.

“Because they're true. Draco Malfoy didn't get any detention after he attacked you in the Entrance Hall that time.” Harry said. “I cleaned with Filch all that next week when I didn't have to, remember?”

Hermione took in a quick breath. “I didn't realize...”

“No one did.” Harry said. “He got away with it and wasn't punished at all.”

“Is that why we waited at the top of the stairs?” Hermione asked and they stopped walking at the entrance to the library. “You wanted to see what would happen?”

Harry nodded. “We both know how hard Neville's been working and I wanted to see if he could use his dad's wand properly.”

“Well, he did.” Hermione said with a smile. “His Incarcerous spell was perfect.”

“The quick flash of Lumos Maxima that he focused on the Slytherins was brilliant, too.” Harry said. “It definitely stopped them from casting defensive spells or even dodging.”

“You have to try that during your next lesson with Madam Bones.” Hermione suggested.

“I think I would rather have fun and not temporary blind Susan during a duel, thanks.” Harry chuckled. “I'll tell Amelia about the technique, though. She could use it almost like a pre-stun stunner for training her Aurors.”

“You mean like a warning?” Hermione asked.

“Yes, especially if they cast it soundlessly like Neville did.”

“Your trick to learn silent casting is wonderful.” Hermione said.

“Neville's Gran didn't even notice that he didn't say anything.” Harry smiled.

“She looked really happy when they left.” Hermione said as she opened the library door. “Even though Neville said that she was almost as stern with him as Professor Snape is.”

Harry nodded and didn't wonder if Neville's home life was as bad as his was. It wasn't even close. He also had a ton of relatives that were still alive. It was the first Harry had heard of Neville's parents, though.

“His parents must be on the fourth floor of St. Mungo's.” Harry whispered as they entered the library and nodded at Madam Pince. “It's for the long term care patients.”

“Oh, no.” Hermione whispered, sadly. “Malfoy said they were vegetables and couldn't care for themselves.”

Harry nodded. “Something really bad must have happened to them if magic can't heal them.” He whispered. “The healers are supposed to be miracle workers, after all.”

Hermione silently agreed and took out the spell list. She pointed her wand at a book on a high shelf and the book slid out and floated down to them. “Do you want to get them all or do them individually?”

“How many did you find?” Harry asked.

“Six of them. I'm pretty sure they won't be as complicated as the Geminio spell.” Hermione responded.

“Then we'll gather them up and I'll make one copy of each, then do the technique.” Harry whispered.

“This would be so much easier if they weren't spread out all over the place.” Hermione whispered back. “It's like they wrote out an entire book for a single spell.”

Harry held in his laugh. “I just copied five books about magical gems. Believe me, Hermione. They can write books about anything.”

Hermione had to smile at that and they gathered up the books they needed. They chose a table at the back of the library and quickly found the spells they wanted to copy out. They were what Hermione believed to be essential spells, ones they would need for most of their lives, especially if they wanted to survive anything that happened. Harry copied them out and read through them.

Inanimatus Conjurus to make chairs, tables, and different things appear out of thin air. Deprimo was an upgrade to Bombarda and didn't have the same recoil, it also had a much larger area of effect. The Disillusionment Charm, Invisibilia Deflectus, to make anything it is cast on to assume the colors of whatever they are in front of, almost like a chameleon only much better. Aqua Eructo, that shoots a jet of water like a fire hose and can be controlled by the caster. The Disarming Charm, Expelliarmus, used in duels to great effect. Surgito, which removes enchantments and spells from objects.

“I was tempted to add the Portus spell that creates portkeys to that.” Hermione whispered. “It's been restricted from use by the Ministry, though.”

“Why?” Harry asked, curious.

“I think they want to regulate travel.” Hermione responded.

“That doesn't make sense.” Harry whispered back. “Wizards can apparate anywhere they want. Why would they restrict portkeys?”

Hermione shrugged. “Hold on, I'll go get it and we can check.”

Harry waited for a couple of minutes and she came back with a thin book. “What's that?”

“A list of Ministry restricted spells.” Hermione said and sat down. “I swear, they are hundreds of years behind the times with the stupid things they have on this list.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked, a little concerned.

“Mummy animation, banned hieroglyph etchings, and even flea breeding restrictions.” Hermione said and opened the book to the 'P' section and found the spell. “Ah, I see. Apparently, you can take any number of people with a portkey, as long as they are touching it.”

Harry shook his head. “You can do that with apparating, too.”

“Like I said. Some of it is stupid and outdated; but, a lot of it isn't.” Hermione said. “The three Unforgivable Curses are in this, as is Animagus transformations and intentionally infecting people to become werewolves or converting them to vampires.”

“Those are good things to have banned.” Harry said. “Can I see it?” He asked and she handed it over. He quickly flipped to the 'U' section and saw the page with the three Unforgivable Curses. Imperio, or control of another's mind and body. Crucio, or the torture curse.

Harry read the descriptions and was very glad that no one was allowed to perform them... then he read the last one.

Avada Kedavra. The Killing Curse.

The telltale bright green light of the spell is distinguishable from all other spells. If you see this light, it is the last light you ever see. Harry read, then suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his head and closed his eyes.

A short scene played in his mind and he saw a flash of green light and heard a woman's scream, then he had a wand in his face and a jet of bright green light hit him. His body jerked in reaction, then he realized he hadn't died.

Harry felt someone hugging him and he opened his eyes to see that Hermione had her arms wrapped around his neck. “Hermione.”

“It's all right.” Hermione whispered in his ear and held him tightly. “You lived, Harry. Unlike everyone else that was hit by that curse, you lived.” She eased her hold on him to lean back and looked into his bright green eyes. “You're a miracle, Harry.”

“Hermione, I'm not. All I am is...” Harry tried to remind her of who he really was and she put a finger on his lips to stop him.

“If the evilest of wizards couldn't kill you when he tried, then there's nothing in this world that can.” Hermione said in a soft voice. She leaned in and gave his cheek a kiss, then she let him go. “We need to prepare you for everything, just in case someone out there doesn't believe the same things that I do.”

Harry's face was a little red and he couldn't speak. All he could do was nod.

“Good. Start copying those spells out again while I put the books back and fill my backup spell list.”

Harry raised his eyebrows at her and she smiled.

“Neville and I spent a lot of time searching for spells that could be useful. I cut them down for you to learn first and now I'll go looking for the rest.” Hermione said and waved her wand at the books to make the stack levitate. She walked away with a smile on her face and disappeared down an aisle.

Harry and Hermione worked until lunchtime and they put their books aside and asked the librarian to leave them on their table, because they would be back to study them after lunch. She agreed, as long as they agreed to wash their hands well. They left the library and were surprised to find a very happy Neville already sitting at the Griffindor table in the Great Hall.

“You won't believe this.” Neville said as they sat down across from him. “After I bought my new wand, which was awesome and shot sparks out and everything, Gran bought me ice cream!”

“Did you have to let Fortescue pick for you?” Harry asked.

“Yeah! How did you know?” Neville asked, surprised.

“I had to do the same thing when I went there over the summer.” Harry said. “How do you choose a flavor with all those weird names?” He chuckled. “What does Spider Web Surprise actually taste like? Who actually went through the trouble of tasting spider webs and then made it into ice cream?”

The others laughed and the food appeared for lunch. The three of them ate and Neville asked them how the spell research was going. Harry and Hermione filled him in. The other first years of Griffindor House were a little put out that they were working so hard on a Sunday and it wasn't even for school.

The three of them went to the library and continued their work. They kept working until Hermione had found all of the extra spells that she thought would be useful, nearly twenty of them, and Harry had written out the six spells that she had initially chosen, a dozen times each. They put all of the books back and left the library at suppertime, ate in the Great Hall, and then they went their separate ways.

Hermione had some light reading to do about the new spells and their applications, Neville wanted to practice with his new wand, and Harry wanted to read through the five gem books.

Harry entered the dorm room and hopped into his covered bed, closed the curtains, and cast the silence spell. He opened his trunk and took out the copy of the book on the Philosopher's Stone. He didn't want to be mind weary, so he cast the energize spell on himself and started to read. He was halfway through it before he found the spot where it actually told him what he needed to do to use the stone for its intended purposes.

Hermione's short description of changing any metal into gold, making the Elixir of Life to make someone immortal, and the healing aspect, were all true. In fact, the stone's powers were explained in detail and even examples were given of what it could do.

It's worth much, much more than a hundred galleons. Harry thought, because the stone's ability to change any metal into gold would make anyone absolutely rich. He was already rich, so that didn't interest him at all. He wrote down the simple chant and instructions anyway, just to try it later.

The Elixir of Life was intriguing, if only for the novelty. Having to drink it all the time to extend your life wasn't a good option, though. What happened if you forgot a day, or didn't take it in time? Would you wither and die right away, or live the rest of the life you would have had if you hadn't started drinking it? No, that was much too risky, even with the ease of the potion's creation.

What Harry was interested in was the healing properties. It was only a simple chant and you just held the stone to the sick person, just as if you were making gold from metal. The chant was different; but, the procedure was the same. Intent, concentration, and determination. A small amount of the Elixir of Life helped the recovery as well; but, it wasn't necessary. He sat back and stared at the book, stunned.

There was no way that it could be that easy to heal someone. Harry thought and copied out the instructions and the chant. There were so many spells that a healer needed to know to do their jobs, so how could a single object be more powerful than the most experienced healer?

He read on and muddled through all of the different iterations and the history of the stone, stories and fables based on its use and the results, and also who else had made one over the centuries. The last one, the one he now had in his possession, was made by the famous alchemist, Nicholas Flamel. It had his picture and he looked to be in his late hundreds, not unlike Headmaster Albus Dumbledore.

“Maybe that's what they have in common?” Harry asked himself and flipped the page to see Flamel's wife Perenelle. “They must be sharing the life extending potion and that's why he wants it back so badly.”

He flipped the pages back to the elixir's preparation of ingredients and brewing instructions, and it was even simpler than the Boil Cure he had made during his first Potions class. It amazed him that such a potion, that could extend someone's life, was so easy to make. There was actually no way to mess it up, it was that simple.

Not able to resist the temptation, Harry took out his potions equipment, set everything up properly with the philosopher's stone, and quickly made a cauldron full of the Elixir of Life in only ten minutes. It matched the picture, the description, and the odor. With his mind filled with disbelief, even though he just did it, he poured some into three crystal vials and then enlarged a vial and poured the rest of it inside. When he went to shrink it back down, it wouldn't work.

“Oops.” Harry said with a chuckle. He put the cauldron sized crystal vial of potion into his trunk with the three normal vials. He packed everything up and put it all away, including the copy of the book. He changed into his bed clothes and tucked himself into bed with a smile on his face. He only had to test the 'any metal into gold' part and then he would put his plan into action.