"So, you think Snape's target is the Philosopher's Stone?" Ryze asked, looking at Hermione, who appeared somewhat agitated. His tone remained calm and steady, in stark contrast to her unease.
"Who else could it be?" Hermione lowered her voice, as though afraid someone might overhear them. She leaned closer, trying to prompt Ryze to recall something important. "Do you remember what he said during the very first Potions class?"
Her expression tightened slightly as she continued, "He said he could teach us how to 'bottle fame, brew glory, and even put a stopper in death.' At the time, I thought it was just exaggerated rhetoric—something meant to impress or intimidate us. But now…" She hesitated, then added more firmly, "Doesn't 'stopping death' sound like a reference to the Elixir of Life made from the Philosopher's Stone?"
Ryze didn't interrupt, allowing her to finish.
"I even asked some older students," Hermione went on, her voice growing more confident as she laid out her reasoning. "They told me Snape never said anything like that in previous years. Not last year, not the year before. This was completely new."
She paused briefly before continuing, clearly building toward her conclusion. "And I read in a book that the Elixir of Life made from the Philosopher's Stone is the only one with a proven, living user. Nicolas Flamel has lived since the fourteenth century—and he's still alive!"
Her eyes widened slightly as she emphasized her point. "No other so-called 'Elixir of Life' has allowed anyone to live beyond three hundred years. So if what Snape said is true, then he would definitely want the Philosopher's Stone—the only one in the world—to create the real Elixir of Life."
Hermione's frustration became more evident as she spoke. "We already told Hagrid about all of this, but he trusts Dumbledore too much. He simply refuses to believe that anyone among the professors could be a bad person. If I had known earlier, I would have made him pay closer attention to what Snape was doing during the match."
It was clear that Hermione's suspicions had intensified after the Quidditch match that afternoon. She now viewed Snape's earlier words not as dramatic flair, but as incriminating evidence.
Ryze listened quietly, his expression thoughtful. In truth, he believed Snape's opening speech had been intended more as a warning—perhaps even a calculated attempt to intimidate the first-year students. Snape had also declared that there would be "no foolish wand-waving" in his class, yet as the lessons progressed, Ryze had discovered that wands were, in fact, essential to advanced potion-making.
Certain potions required precise magical infusion, which could only be achieved with careful wand control. Some brewing processes even concluded with specific wand movements to stabilize or enhance the final product.
Given Snape's expertise and position, it was entirely possible that he had studied the Philosopher's Stone alongside Dumbledore before the term began. He might even understand the method of producing the Elixir of Life—at least in theory. If so, his earlier words might not have been empty boasting, but a subtle statement of capability.
Of course, Snape likely never imagined that a group of first-year students would interpret that speech as evidence of criminal intent.
After finishing her explanation, Hermione looked up at Ryze, her brown eyes filled with urgency. "Ryze, what do you think we should do? We can't just stand by and let him succeed, can we?"
Ryze remained silent for a moment, carefully considering her words.
"Hermione, calm down," he said softly.
His tone had an immediate effect. Hermione's tension eased, if only slightly, and she took a steadying breath.
"There's a fundamental problem with your reasoning," Ryze continued. "You're combining two suspicions that don't entirely align. On one hand, you think Snape is trying to kill Harry. On the other, you think he's planning to steal the Philosopher's Stone."
He raised a finger, emphasizing his point. "If Snape truly intended to steal the Stone and had been planning it for months, then targeting Harry—especially in such a noticeable way—would only increase the risk of exposing himself. That would be counterproductive."
Hermione frowned, clearly processing his logic. She didn't know about Snape's past as a Death Eater, so she lacked that context. Still, Ryze's argument made sense.
"More importantly," Ryze continued, raising four fingers this time, "we have to face a simple fact. If Snape really is planning something this serious, then the three of you—or even the four of us together—have no realistic chance of stopping him."
Hermione's shoulders slumped slightly. She knew he was right, even if she didn't want to admit it.
"Then what are we supposed to do?" she asked quietly. "Just watch him?"
Ryze's expression softened. "Of course not. Haven't you already dealt with something similar before? Think back to the Halloween Feast. What did you do then?"
Hermione froze for a moment, then her eyes lit up with realization. "You mean… go to Professor McGonagall?"
She hesitated, doubt creeping back into her voice. "But we're only first-years. Would she really believe us?"
"Then don't stop there," Ryze replied calmly. "Write directly to Headmaster Dumbledore."
Hermione blinked, surprised.
"You've already gathered quite a bit of information," Ryze continued. "You know about Nicolas Flamel and the existence of the Philosopher's Stone. You've observed Snape's suspicious behavior. You even have your own analysis. Put all of that into a letter—clearly and logically—and send it to Dumbledore."
He paused briefly before adding, "When we first started school, Penelope told us something interesting. Last month, Michael and Terry convinced Seamus to write to Dumbledore suggesting that Hogwarts install something like a Muggle escalator in the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw towers."
Hermione looked at him, stunned.
"About a week later," Ryze continued, "they actually received a reply. Dumbledore said he agreed that escalators were convenient, but the castle's magical structure made such large-scale modifications extremely difficult—even for him. He also mentioned he would discuss the idea with the Board of Governors."
Hermione stared at Ryze, momentarily speechless.
On one hand, she had never considered such a straightforward approach—essentially escalating the issue to authority. On the other hand, she was astonished that Dumbledore would take a student's suggestion seriously enough to respond in detail.
"Write to the Headmaster…" she murmured.
The more she thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed. It was certainly more effective than a handful of first-year students trying to handle the situation on their own.
"You're right," she said finally, her voice regaining confidence. "I should have thought of this sooner. Hagrid trusts Snape because Dumbledore trusts him. If Dumbledore knows what's been happening, he might take precautions."
Ryze nodded. "Exactly. Just make sure you present the facts clearly. Don't accuse Snape outright. Describe what you've seen, what you've heard, and what you suspect. Let Dumbledore draw his own conclusions."
Hermione nodded quickly, already turning to leave. Her mind was clearly racing as she began organizing the contents of her letter.
Before she could go, Ryze reached out and lightly patted her shoulder. Then, almost as an afterthought, he performed a simple divination.
After a brief moment, he said, "I don't sense any ill omens surrounding you. You should be fine."
Hermione gave him a grateful look.
"But remember," Ryze added, his tone becoming slightly more serious, "if Dumbledore receives your letter and still takes no action, there are only two possibilities. Either Snape is completely innocent… or everything that's happening is part of the Headmaster's own arrangement."
He emphasized the words "intentional arrangement," but Hermione didn't fully grasp the implication.
To her, it simply meant that Dumbledore might already be aware of the situation.
"Thank you, Ryze," she said sincerely.
With that, she turned and hurried off toward the common room, already planning how to compose her letter.
Ryze watched her leave, his expression thoughtful.
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