Chapter 58 - Ch. 58 Ones D.e.s.i.r.es

With the Golden trio being completely sure Snape is the one trying to steal the stone, i decided to do a little checking up on it myself. I wanted to see the defenses a bunch of first years could get through and if Dumbledore actually got the mirror to act like he said it did, or if it was just to boost Harry's confidence like most of his plans this year.

So one night, as winter was ending and the warming breezes of spring blew on the castle grounds, I made my way to the room of 'certain death'. Still a horrendous decision to basically taunt the students into checking the place out.

As I reached the door, hidden by my perfect combo of disillusionment, scent removal and sound blocking, with my map and my senses activated just in case, I check for sensory charms around the door. Not surprisingly, Dumbledore had left an alarm charm to let him know who goes into the room and give him an image of said intruder. Snape had his own on there too, still a paranoid and distrustful individual.

I couldn't just break the spells since that would obviously alert them that someone else is trying to get in. So I use my wand to delicately form a 'hole' in the spells, using it to temporarily lift them up like a curtain without breaking them, allowing me to step in without alerting anyone.

As I closed the door, a very loud growling could be heard from behind me. I simply smile at the sound. I turn around after checking if any other spells were present to detect anyone and remove my concealment.

"Hey Fluffy it's been a while since I played with you. You poor thing, getting locked up in the castle all year." I said in a happy voice to the giant three-headed dog in front of me. That got me a growl as it recognized me but stayed near the trapdoor.

"Oh don't be like that. I brought your favorite~" I say as I reach into my bottomless pouch, making his ears perk up a bit at my words and drooling a bit more.

"That's right, got my hands on dragon steaks!" I say as I pull out the very big piece of meat, almost immediately making the Cerberus stick out it's tongues and wag it's tail, getting me a chuckle. It's not like I wasn't going to be prepared since I know the dog and the rest of the defenses.

"Here you go buddy! I've got one for each of your mouths." I announce as I threw two more slabs of dragon meat to the giant dog. And while he is eat happily, I take out the harp I brought in my pouch and enchant it to play his favorite lullaby. I have to get past him but I still like the biggest puppy in existence, so favorite food and song.

He passes out with a satisfied expression on all three of his faces and i jump down the hatch, landing into the devil snare. Easy as well for me, but I don't have any of this plant in my personal gardens, so I just took some to transplant later as I light up the room.

I make it to Flitwick's room of keys and with a quick animagus transformation into my golden eagle form, I catch the key and head to the next trial. No way I'm touching that suspicious broom.

For McGonagall'a giant chess board, I started the game and just destroyed the ennemies entire side of the board, effectively making it so they can't play and winning. Who said I had to act like a weak first year and play fair? F.u.c.k that.

Quirrellmorts trial was with a troll protecting the door. I just concealed myself as soon as i smelt that horrible odor and snuck past the sleeping idiot. I mean seriously, it's a troll. If it's got nothing to do and gets feed plenty it'll just sleep and shit. It's a horrible choice for protecting anything. Hell! The thing will probably forget or not know it's protecting anything.

It was now time for the last test before Dumbledore's, Snape's. He used potions knowledge and logic to really stump any wizards trying to get in. Logic being the single biggest thing lacking in this side of the world. They are simply so used to magic being able to make anything a possibility that they don't question things or try to find logical explanations, simply accepting it. But to someone like me who can deconstruct spells at speeds beyond anyone I can think of, not even sure the headmaster could compete with me in Arithmancy, breaking down his fire was simple. So I just make a temporary hole for me to walk through.

And with that, I arrived at Dumbledore's test. He supposedly enchanted the mirror to give the stone to those who knew of it, but didn't want to use it, effective blocking volderell from getting it. But this got me thinking.

'I know of the stone, but do I want to use it? Even on an unconscious level, do I have an urge or d.e.s.i.r.e to use such a tool?' I ask myself in silent contemplation.

'Thinking about it step by step, I don't think I want to.' Was my answer to myself.

'Money is something I'm making and spending constantly, but I'm making so much and it'll only keep increasing in the future as my businesses gain more renown. So the metal to gold isn't really an interesting thing for me. At most it would be useful for me to trade with goblins. And it's second selling point being the elixir of life is a grey area for me. I'm not even sure how long my life span even is at the moment. My first thoughts on the subject would be that I would have a reduced one due the the intense burdens of the rituals I had been through. But then i bonded with Sol in such depths that our lives were intertwined. I know that if I die, she will follow. But I don't know if she has a similar effect on me and she's an immortal bird. I don't know if she'll increase my life span with her unending life force. Or I'll gain the ability to somehow flame myself back into a baby when I'm dying. Or if nothing changes at all. But at the very least, even if nothing's changed, I'm 14 and I'm really not interested in simply not dying when I get old. I get not wanting to die and living for longer, but I'm not interested in living as an old man for 500 years.' I thought, going through the points of interest for most people.

'Leaving me with only studying the principles of the stone to attract me. I will admit I have some curiosity towards an alchemically created stone, capable of ignoring basic laws of exchange and can create a liquid to extend life. It would be interesting to say the least. But do I really want to?' I thought to myself over and over until my answer came.

'No. This could be used as a reference point, but I do not want it. If I ever have a stone, it shall be one I made through my own hands and skills. This has nothing to do with what I could gain. This would hurt my pride in myself and my abilities if I try and take Flamel's work and use it for myself.' I concluded.

And so I step forward and place myself in front of the mirror.

'I show not your face, but your heart's d.e.s.i.r.e huh. Let's see what I've got.' I think to myself.

What I saw had nothing to do with the stone. I saw myself in a vastly different wizard community. In a time when they embraced the usefulness of the world around them and jumped off of it to head even higher. I see people driven to understand the world like never before. I see people burning with d.e.s.i.r.e to learn. Hogwarts once again becoming a true bastion of learning and child development. Creatures and non-humans living in peace and chatting with witches and wizards in an grand exchange of culture and knowledge. Then the scenes fade. I see an older me. I am taller and more m.a.t.u.r.e, with a well tailored suit showing my well chiseled body, my hair in a loose ponytail to control it, no glasses covering my burning eyes. I had a gentle expression as I watched two young children, one girl and boy with ash colored hair running around a wondrous looking Diagon Alley. But I noticed I wasn't alone, as I walked arm in arm with an elegant woman, wearing a light green robe which couldn't hide her curves, letting hints at her physical endowments come through, with jet-black hair hair loose over her shoulders and deep green eyes looking tenderly at the children as well.

But suddenly the images stopped and I felt something in my hand.

'Damn, that is a tempting mirror. But I'm thankful I could experience it. There's a lot to gain from knowing ones d.e.s.i.r.es and it looks like I've got some pretty grand ones all around, but I'm glad I didn't seem to have any hidden d.e.s.i.r.es for domination. On the other hand, the headmaster is really a genius when it comes to this stuff.' I think to myself with a sigh of relief and reluctance.'

I look at the red stone in my hand and feel a tug of temptation again, but it was only that. I then analyze how Dumbledore's intent defense worked and found it was a brilliant application of the intent warding, the same one I put around the Exchange.

Taking a few notes to compare and maybe use later, i put the stone back in the mirror and walk away.

I quickly make my way through the trials in reverse and reach where Fluffy is still in a happy dream land, with his tail wagging in his sleep.

I then decide to set up my own protection under the cover of Snape and Dumbledore's. This is effectively letting me have a subtle means of tracking anyone coming in the room, as anyone who'd notice the spells would focus on the other two and miss my own thinking it wasn't important or dangerous.