Harrius Potter et Philosophi Lapis

Hermione’s lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

“Hermione!”

“Harry—you’re a great wizard, you know.”

“I’m not as good as you,” said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

“Me!” said Hermione. “Books! And cleverness! There are more important things—friendship and bravery and—oh Harry— be careful!”

“Brilliant,”said Hermione. “This isn’t magic—it’s logic—a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven’t got an ounce of logic, they’d be stuck in here forever.”

“Yes…” said Ron softly, “It’s the only way… I’ve got to be taken.”

“NO!” Harry and Hermione shouted.

“That’s chess!” snapped Ron. “You’ve got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she’ll take me—that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!”

“But—”

“Do you want to stop Snape or not?”

“Ron—”

“Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll already have the Stone!”

There was no alternative.

“These birds… they can’t be here just for decoration,” said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering— glittering?

“They’re not birds!” Harry said suddenly. “They’re keys!Winged keys—look carefully. So that must mean…”

He put Hagrid’s flute to his lips and blew. It wasn’t really a tune, but from the first note the beast’s eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog’s growls ceased—it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

“You’re right, Harry,” said Hermione in a small voice.

“I’ll use the Invisibility Cloak,” said Harry. “It’s just lucky I got it back.”

“But will it cover all three of us?” said Ron.

“All—all three of us?”

“Oh, come off it, you don’t think we’d let you go alone?”

“Of course not,” said Hermione briskly. “How do you think you’d get to the Stone without us?"

“Can you think of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?”

Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he’d found something he could do without being taught—this was easy, this was wonderful.

For your information, Potter, asphodel and wormwood make a sleeping potion so powerful it is known as the Draught of Living Death. A bezoar is a stone taken from the stomach of a goat and it will save you from most poisons. As for monkshood and wolfsbane, they are the same plant, which also goes by the name of aconite.