Yes, the clues all fit.

The final days of the Holidays are passed in a fugue of paranoia. Everywhere you turn you think you see shadowy figures watching you. You spend some time in the library trying to find out who is the most likely candidates, but the periodical section could use serious updating. The teachers' backgrounds seem obscured. You had written and owl to Kingsley, but weren't expecting much.

Late, on the night before everyone was scheduled to return from Holiday you were sitting in the library staring at another pile of useless periodicals wondering what you could have missed. Flipping open your Reference Book, you look over your notes. What could you be missing?

There- Flamel. Christmas day Ron and Harry had talked about Nicolas Flamel, suspecting that he had something to do with the three-headed dog. You knew the name, you could barely remember from where, but you know you've heard it. Perhaps it was something you read in the Daily Prophet, or it was mentioned by Kingsley.

Sighing, and rubbing your face in your hands you look back over the stack of muggle books that Jennifer had given you, grabbing the top one of the stack you flip through it idly. Notre-Dame de Paris, by Victor Hugo. The book was surprisingly interesting for individuals who didn't have witchcraft. It added a strange sense of drama, and you wonder if maybe that's what it was like to be a muggle; little things making big changes.

Nicolas Flamel- the words leapt off of the page at you. Skimming the page you refresh your memory. Ah! Archdeacon Frollo was attempting to learn the secrets of alchemy from the writings of Nicolas Flamel. After checking the front cover you realize that the book was not only set in the 15th Century, but written in the 1830s. Which means whoever this Nicolas Flamel was, he had been around for a long time.

You close the book and scramble down into the common room. Scrambling along the shelves you look for it. You saw it the other day- there. Famous Persons of the Magickal World by Amatus Parson. Carefully lifting the timeworn book by its spine you begin to flip through the pages. The book is old, not an original, but it was published almost fifty years ago and was well-loved. Turning the pages to the F's you find the entry: Nicolas Flamel.

It seems that Flamel has been around for a long time, his entry is easily one of the longest in the book. It lists his lifespan as 1340-present. Which seems almost too ridiculous to be believed. He was born in France and has made significant advancements to the field of Alchemy.

• Probably why the name was familiar, one of the Family Portraits probably brought it up at some point.-

Flamel was apparently instrumental in stopping a major Dark Wizard from destroying Paris in the '20s, and had an extensive academic partnership with Albus Dumbledore. Among his many achievements you pick out his incredible advancements in alchemy, including a few of the "Laws of Gold" which were the "Natural Laws" of the alchemical world. Probably the most incredible of his achievements, however, was the fact that he was the only confirmed Alchemist to have ever synthesized a Philosopher's Stone. The Holy Grail of potions. That probably accounted for his incredible lifespan.

Jotting down some notes in your Reference Book, you smile. This was the breakthrough you needed. Dumbledore had to know of the three-headed dog, and if he knew Flamel. Well the Potter boy had reason to suspect Flamel was involved, and it fit circumstantially. Flamel had probably entrusted Dumbledore with his notes or some object of incredible value. That's why the Professors were nervous checking on it. After all something that could grant eternal life would be something that anyone would want yet alone a Dark Lord.

Oh Bloody Hell.

Your pulse quickens. That is why the Dark Lord's supporters were in the school. It wasn't just some random notes, it was the Stone! Dumbledore was a famous "meddler," according to the Gaunt family and you could see him getting involved in this. You clench your fists. Swallowing hard, your fear turning to indignation.

"He's supposed to be protecting us!" you growl. "Hogwarts is for the education of young wizards, not the personal ambitions of Dumbledore. The Enemy should be kept far from here- not tempted in!" Pacing through the common room, you mutter darkly to yourself trying to sort out what you assumed from what you knew. So dark was your demeanor, that when Rupert came back from the Great Hall he took one look at you and moved on to his room with neither taunt nor snide comment.

Finally you come to a decision. If Dumbledore wasn't going to care for the safety of his students then you'd have to look out for yourself. It was a drake eat drake world.

Such were your thoughts and feelings as the first few students began to trickle back from holidays the next day. Jennifer and Ezra return on the same carriage, and they are surprised at your dark mood.

"What's come over you?" Ezra asks, surprised. Jennifer looks concerned but says nothing.

"I've just had some bad news" you deflect.

"Bull." says Ezra harshly staring you dead in the eyes. You sigh and pull him into the far corner of the Common Room.

"Do you remember how Jennifer and I were looking into something?" You say. "An animal kept on the school grounds? Well I kept poking over the break, and I got a threatening letter." Ezra looks like he is about to laugh it off, but you stop him. "It bore the Mark." you say softly.

Ezra shudders as if the room had gotten cold, and Jennifer looks confused. "No," Ezra whispered. "you've got to be mistaken, how would they know?!"

"They're in the school, or close." you fume. "Dumbledore either can't keep them out or doesn't care, either way its bad."

"Is anyone going to explain what is going on?!" snaps Jennifer.

Ezra shakes his head, "I've got an Owl to send." He takes off in a measured pace to the room.

You sigh and begin to explain your Holiday to Jennifer. For her part Jennifer doesn't think that the teachers could possibly be risking students' lives willingly. The conversation goes on late into the evening and finally you yield.

"I am not saying that they definitely are deliberately putting students in danger Jen," you say using a nickname, she doesn't seem to mind. "But my experience with the politics of the Wizarding World leaves me more suspicious of it, that's all."

She sighs, and calls it a night, leaving you to brood in the Common Room.