Frog prince

Seven

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Snape was the most logical choice. At the beginning of the year he had mentioned something about halting death ─ now that wasn't what she wanted, no matter how useful it could be it would more be like a last resort ─ Hariel just wanted something that can keep her young. If temporarily. Just until she get the Konoha thing sorted out. And it wasn't like she would need it immediately, from how things looked, she was still younger than Minato ─ if she had to guess he was at least three or four years older than her... he kind of looked as old as Forge, Gred, and Prefect Weasley without the height. So she still had time.

Now to broach the subject.

Hariel raised her arm in class, causing the Slytherins to snicker ─ Draco being the most vocal ─ and causing the Gryffindors to cringe at losing pointes. But mostly it was Hermione that was a little upset about it, because even though Hermione respected her pursuit of knowledge and interested about magic ─ no matter the subject ─ Hermione did not like it when Hariel disturbed class.

There was a right time and place, Hariel could practically hear Hermione saying that to her. But this was important.

"Hariel Potter, resident Gryffindor Princess." Professor Snape drawled, "What do you think we should actually talk about today in class?"

Hariel couldn't help but like Professor Snape. He was the only one in the whole Hogwarts school that ever called her a princess. Now she didn't really like to broadcast her little girl dreams of being a princess to everyone, and she knew that she wasn't really one officially ─ she was just some accidental saviour to the whole magical world ─ but it was nice to have someone just recognize her to be one. And she never really had a nickname aside from freak. So sarcastically being called a princess was actually very nice for her.

But on to the mission.

"Professor Snape ─" Hariel wasn't allowed to finish.

"Ten points from Gryffindor." Professor Snape looked at her in that cruel way that he always only ever had for Gryffindor.

"But I didn't─"

"Another twenty points." Professor Snape added. "Did you want to make a record Miss Potter?"

Hariel didn't know what made her do it. It could be because she was utterly upset at having been unfairly treated, and having the points deducted for no reason when she was seriously curious about Potions and wanted to learn more about it, even if she was a little narrow minded regarding the teaching.

So in part vexation, part retribution and part mischief Hariel did what she did. "What happened to Princess Potter?"

Hence why Hariel found herself after finishing her dinner, spending her time cleaning everyone's cauldrons, and she means everyone; from year one to year seven double potions, yes, Hariel had to clean them all by hand for the foreseeable future.

But the plus side. She had Professor Snape's undivided attention.

"Professor?"

"What do you not understand about doing your job in silence Miss Potter?"

"I just had a question about Potions."

"Undoubtedly."

Hariel pursed her lips at the comment, and tried very hard to not make a snide comment in return. She did not have time for arguments. Straight to the point, and this man was making it slightly difficult, so she just had to blurt it out. "How do I stop aging?"

Professor Snape stopped what he was doing and Hariel couldn't help but notice that her question might have caused this dark atmosphere that now permeated the room ─ and Professor Snape's expression which was more doom and gloom than ever before.

"What brings this about?"

"I was just wondering."

"Why are you interested in dark magic?"

"I didn't know it was dark. I thought it was part of the curriculum ─ you mentioned it first." Hariel remembered him saying at the beginning of term that he had the ability of teaching them how to stop death. He didn't mention about it being dark magic then.

"Miss Potter. Staying young. Stopping death. They are dark magic, you will not be learning it, you will not be brewing it, and if I hear you even think about pursuing this I will report you to the Headmaster." With that Professor Snape looked at her with those dark eyes of his that never looked crueler. "You are dismissed."

Hariel stood there a minute longer, trying to process exactly what had happened; apparently, Professor Snape is a liar and probably was just going through bravado at the beginning of term to make himself seem much cooler by telling them he could teach them to stop death; and secondly, she was dismissed from detention before it could really get started.

So even though it was once again shown to her that her teachers were useless when it came to the useful things about magic, Hariel was still pleased because she at least escaped punishment and would now be free to pursue other venues. She really did not have time to waste on useless things. Literally did not have time to waste on things.

"Did you hear the news Hariel?" Ron was showing a lot of food in his mouth as he spoke to her.

Hariel stopped herself from making a face. "I just served a bit of detention, so no I don't know what is happening in the world."

"There was something stolen from the Gringotts bank, a stone they said."

"A stone? Who would steal that?" Hariel shook her head at the queerness of the wizarding world ─ putting a stone in a bank. Why? What stone was that important? Diamonds? You can buy that anywhere, and apparently she herself could buy herself plenty anytime.

"Well rumor has it, that the Philosopher stone was what was in that vault." Hermione didn't have any qualms of making a face when Ron faced her way with food splattered around his lips. But she was much better, at least she was no longer making rude comments about it.

"Philosopher stone?" It sounded familiar to Hariel.

"Nicolas Flamel made the Philosopher stone, it has the ability to grant life and to keep people from dying forever, he had created the Elixir of Life with the use of the Philosopher stone." Hermione said between bites of her dinner.

Hariel really, really liked Hermione. She was the best of friend a girl could ever ask for. "Have I told you I loved you?"

Hermione spluttered, choking on her own food at Hariel's announcement. "Hariel, you shouldn't say those things when I have food in my mouth. It's a hazard."

"I'm just appreciating your friendship. You just made my day. I will say I love you till the end of time." Hariel didn't mind that there were people around them staring ─ they always stared, so it didn't really matter to her.

Philosophers Stone.

Now where is it?