*47

Unbelievable!

Gold coins in the air!

Ancient magic!

Unexpectedly, after searching for ancient magic all semester, Hermione stumbled upon clues here and successfully uncovered one!

Sacrifice... Hermione looked at the description in the magic book, piecing together the concept.

She knew that Harry carried his mother Lily's magic, known as "love," within him, though Voldemort had yet to comprehend it. This gave her absolute confidence in driving Voldemort away on the spot.

With the magical protection of "love," until Harry reached adulthood, any harm from Voldemort couldn't kill him. Instead, it would backfire severely on Voldemort.

A perfect protective charm.

But it was indeed ancient magic... Hermione mused.

Long ago, Hermione speculated about the nature of "love" magic.

Dumbledore told Harry it was called "love" to help him understand and calm his emotions. In truth, it was a form of ancient magic.

When Voldemort attempted to kill Harry that fateful night, the powerful emotions protecting Harry activated the "sacrifice" magic, rebounding the Killing Curse.

Hermione was certain Lily had encountered ancient magic in her youth; otherwise, many willing to sacrifice for love would have triggered no such protection.

However, this magic's effect... It didn't work for her at all!

Who would willingly use it?!

She sought ancient magic, not sentimental magic!

Nonetheless, today marked a promising beginning.

Glancing at the unconscious Harry, Hermione stepped forward to claim the Philosopher's Stone.

As expected, the magic book responded once more.

[Oddity]

[Philosopher's Stone: Alchemical Material]

[Function: Through alchemy, it can produce an elixir, turn any metal into pure gold, and replace most alchemical materials.]

The Philosopher's Stone granted immortality, allowing Nicolas Flamel to live for centuries.

But it was only immortality, not invincibility, and there was no "I'm invincible" moment. Just look at how aged Nicolas Flamel was.

For Hermione at this stage, it wasn't particularly useful.

Turning metal into gold would only crash the gold market.

Would she need to turn the U.S. Treasury's gold reserves into pure gold?

What intrigued Hermione was the third feature: substituting alchemical materials.

The Philosopher's Stone was an all-powerful substance. In alchemy, it could replace nearly any material.

For instance, Hermione knew how to make Invisibility Cloaks but lacked the necessary materials. With the Philosopher's Stone, she could substitute it for rare or crucial materials, though it would consume some of its energy. This greatly eased production and eliminated material concerns.

It was tailor-made for alchemists!

No wonder Nicolas Flamel became the greatest alchemist after creating it. While his talent was undeniable, the Philosopher's Stone's assistance was even more vital.

As Hermione tucked the Philosopher's Stone into the book and prepared to leave, a familiar voice spoke beside her.

"Good evening, Miss Granger."

The voice was calm and soothing, carrying a magical tranquility.

Hermione wasn't surprised to see Dumbledore suddenly appear.

She suspected Dumbledore was fully aware of the entire Philosopher's Stone affair.

From the outset, when he retrieved the Stone from Gringotts early, he must have known someone would try to steal it; otherwise, it made no sense.

Later, he set up childish obstacles at Hogwarts, merely to lure them in.

Otherwise, he could have kept it himself or destroyed it; nothing was safer.

If he hadn't initially suspected Quirrell, Snape would have informed him after the troll incident.

Hermione doubted that Voldemort, in this state, could hide from Dumbledore for so long.

Delaying his capture of Quirrell was a strategic move to encourage the attempt and to groom Harry, the prophesied hero.

All for Harry's benefit.

As expected, Harry resisted the Philosopher's Stone's temptation, wanting it only to thwart Voldemort.

But... Harry resisted, while she did not!

If she hadn't needed Harry to carry the burden and confront Voldemort, she would have acted sooner.

"Good evening, Headmaster Dumbledore."

Hermione returned a polite nod, a faint smile on her face.

"I realize we broke school rules by entering the forbidden area, but Harry uncovered Voldemort's plot. As his friend, I accompanied him to prevent any mishaps."

In summary: It's not my fault.

Smooth deflection.

Indeed, until tonight, Hermione hadn't set foot in the fourth-floor restricted area. She hadn't actively investigated or shown interest. Harry uncovered the plot and invited her. To any observer, she was drawn in.

As for the Philosopher's Stone, she never mentioned it.

Dumbledore smiled, giving her a meaningful look, and said, "No need to explain. As for the Philosopher's Stone..."

Here it comes!

Hermione's eyes flickered slightly.

She was ready. If asked about the Philosopher's Stone, she'd say she was interested in alchemy and dreamed of becoming an alchemist like Nicolas Flamel. She'd feign innocence and plead her case.

After all, her thirst for knowledge was known throughout Hogwarts, and openly admitting her intent to use the Philosopher's Stone was no big deal.

Purely academic.

And she'd made such a significant contribution tonight, risking her life for Hogwarts' safety and the wizarding world's peace. How just and noble. How could he deny her request?

But Dumbledore's next words surprised Hermione.

"The Philosopher's Stone is yours."

"Excuse me?"

Hermione blinked, puzzled by Dumbledore's response.

Was he saying that even if she hadn't come tonight, he would have given her the Stone?

Did she labor in vain?

Could treasure truly fall from the sky?

But why?

Was their relationship that close?

Hermione had avoided Dumbledore since starting school, not wanting any entanglements. He hadn't shown special interest since her arrival.

They hadn't exchanged more than ten words.

If Professor McGonagall had said it, she'd understand, but Dumbledore...

If she didn't know Dumbledore's character, she'd think he was trying to bribe her.

Little Hermione shuddered.

Ignoring her wary expression, Dumbledore took a worn notebook from his pocket and handed it to her.

"These are Nicolas Flamel's alchemy notes. He asked me to pass them on to you."