Chapter 20: The Stone

The Philosopher's Stone is a subject that deeply resonates with all wizards who come to know of its existence, seldom leaving them indifferent. While the lure of gold is secondary, the prospect of achieving immortality through the Stone is undeniably captivating.

Immortality is a temptation few can resist. What's more, two individuals—Nicolas Flamel and his wife Perenelle—have managed to live well beyond 600 years, a testament to the Stone's purported powers.

Young wizards like Harry often fail to contemplate the nature of those who dare to pursue the Philosopher's Stone. Not to mention, attempting to steal the Stone from Hogwarts, right under the vigilant gaze of Dumbledore—can these individuals truly comprehend the dangers involved? They seem to disregard the hazards or remain oblivious to them.

"So, under these circumstances, your intention is to safeguard the Philosopher's Stone from one or more exceedingly dangerous wizards? Is my understanding accurate?" Salim reclined in his chair, crossed his legs, and swayed.

He seemed convinced that the theft of the Philosopher's Stone was a distant possibility. "Do you grasp the gravity of the situation? If you are inclined to meet your demise, do so on your own, without dragging others into your folly."

Salim's words left Harry and Ron utterly bewildered. Salim had made it clear that their perception of themselves as the final line of defence for the Philosopher's Stone was merely an illusion. This realization was a tough pill to swallow for both of them.

"Now that you are aware of the existence of the Council of Elders, do you genuinely believe that they would overlook matters involving the Philosopher's Stone?" Salim posed a thought-provoking question.

"While I can't claim to be an expert on the Philosopher's Stone, I am considerably more informed than you. My great-great-grandfather is alive and well, contributing to the development of the European wizarding world."

Salim was taken aback upon discovering that his own great-great-grandfather was still alive. "Great-great-grandfather" referred to one's grandfather's grandfather—two generations senior to Dumbledore.

"In addition, since the Philosopher's Stone surfaced, how many have contemplated it? Have any succeeded?"

"Grindelwald and Voldemort, even at the height of their power, never entertained the notion of meddling with the Philosopher's Stone. Why, you might ask? It's a question that warrants careful consideration and pertains to certain... obscure factors.

Yet, here we have one or more wizards scheming within Hogwarts, right under Dumbledore's nose. Do you genuinely believe that young wizards who struggle to master even the Disarming Charm are equipped for such a task?" Salim's smile persisted as he spoke.

The satisfaction of besting others was undeniably appealing to him, to the point where he questioned whether there was an element of twistedness within those who remained at Skull.

"Alright, if you are set on engaging in this treasure-guarding endeavour, go right ahead. Rest assured, there will be individuals overseeing the situation on your behalf," Salim waved dismissively. "As long as you don't seriously entertain the idea of toying with the Philosopher's Stone."

Admittedly, Salim harbours a hint of curiosity regarding the concept of immortality associated with the Philosopher's Stone. However, upon gaining a deeper understanding of the Stone's nature, he promptly suppressed this curiosity.

As he had advised the treasure-guarding team earlier, the Council of Elders, who held dominion over the entirety of Europa, could hardly afford to overlook the Philosopher's Stone.

Indeed, the proponents of the Philosopher's Stone concept were never able to realize their ambitions. However, the proponents were far from ordinary individuals.

The Presbyterians constituted an expansive, globally influential organization, with its strongest influence rooted in Europe—the very region where the Presbyterian Church originated.

Upon the emergence of the Philosopher's Stone, news that this diminutive crimson gem held the potential for eternal life led countless wizards and other entities to attempt coercion, in hopes of obtaining the stone's magical properties from Nicolas Flamel.

Yet, their endeavours were nothing short of folly. Even locating him was a rare feat, and even if one managed to breach the threshold of Flamel's abode, the outcome was inevitable—confronting a master alchemist was tantamount to embracing defeat.

Eventually, Nicolas Flamel surrendered the Philosopher's Stone. Whether this was due to pressure or cooperation remains a point of contention. Regardless, Nicolas Flamel, an elderly figure, aligned himself with the Presbyterian Church. His status within the Church was uniquely esteemed, given that many within the Church owed their prolonged lives to the Stone's blessings.

With the Council of Elders backing him, who would dare harbour designs for the Philosopher's Stone? Not to mention Nicolas's own measures to safeguard his existence.

Ever since aligning himself with the Council, his personal safety had become a paramount concern for them. An elite cadre of wizards remained stationed at Nicolas Flamel's residence, year-round. Whether this presence was for protection or surveillance was open to interpretation.

The creation of each Philosopher's Stone was meticulously documented by the Council of Elders. Assignments were made regarding its utilization, alongside the allocation of teams responsible for its safeguarding. The process bore a semblance to armoured vehicle logistics, with each occurrence following stringent protocols.

Salim's dissuasion centred on the preparation process for the Philosopher's Stone. Alchemy, in essence, revolved around transformation—the conversion of one substance into another. In the case of human existence, it was the consumption of life force that sustained life. The Philosopher's Stone, through its rejuvenating properties, sustained life by replenishing the user's vitality.

However, the quandary lay in the fact that life force could not be transmuted through alternative substances. This phenomenon paralleled Transfiguration—while a chair could be turned into a cake, consuming it wouldn't satiate hunger or provide nourishment.

This concept aligned with Gamp's Law of Elemental Transfiguration. Moreover, once the magical energy expended on the transfiguration waned, the cake would revert to its original form—a chair—with potentially dire consequences for the consumer.

Given vitality's resistance to transformation via other substances, the Philosopher's Stone's life-replenishing ability raised ethical concerns. The stone's essence, it seemed, lay in absorbing and converting the life force of other beings into a consumable form. This unveiled the true nature of the Philosopher's Stone's power.

Regarding the matter of vitality, the issue rests with Mr. Nicolas. We only need the results of his experiments. The elderly man has conducted countless trials, yet he remains unaware of the number of lives lost in these experiments. Eventually, the answer surfaced: human beings, or beings resembling humans, yield the best results.

Initially, Nicolas Flamel was merely a handicraft workshop. It later merged with the Presbyterian Church, effectively being acquired. You've been brought in to provide technical support, while the elders contribute production materials.

This transition has transformed the manual workshop into a more efficient setup, although it might be an exaggeration to label it as a complete assembly line. Nonetheless, the efficiency and yield have significantly improved compared to Nicolas Flamel's previous operations.

However, a challenge arises. While Nicolas Flamel could create the Philosopher's Stone independently and simply gather a few condemned prisoners from the prison, having the elders replicate this process faces a shortage of raw materials. Insufficient raw materials mean a lack of Sorcerer's Stones, which directly impacts certain individuals' survival. The question then becomes: How can a substantial amount of human-like vitality be obtained?

Historically, shortages of Sorcerer's Stone ingredients often led to outbreaks of war. Conversely, when materials were ample, conflicts subsided.

Salim does not view himself as virtuous. He acknowledges that for the sake of survival, life might often be pitted against life, similar to the consumption of various life forms. He reluctantly accepts this reality, even finding a grim pleasure in indulging in such practices.

However, the desire to persist and achieve survival through the use of the Sorcerer's Stone crosses a line Salim cannot accept.

He firmly believes that individuals can commit evil acts, yet they must still adhere to certain moral principles. To use a colloquial saying: One must have a moral compass to be considered truly human.

Yet, the present reality reveals that some wizards resort to "cannibalism" in their quest for survival.

Consider an overworked office employee exploited by ruthless capitalists. This could be deemed a form of "cannibalism" as well, albeit not as openly gruesome as the Philosopher's Stone process.

Upon learning about the Sorcerer's Stone, Salim resolves that he would never resort to it, even if faced with the impending scythe of death in old age.

"Very well, pursue your treasure-guarding endeavours," Salim dismisses the group, raising a hand. "Yet, I feel compelled to remind you once more: indulge in your games but abstain from the notion of the Philosopher's Stone. While its success might be unlikely, my warning stands."

While Salim has not personally witnessed the Philosopher's Stone, he speculates that Nicolas Flamel's Stone given to Dumbledore likely isn't the "full version" and can be used only sparingly. Despite Nicolas's uniqueness, the Council of Elders exercises strict control over the Philosopher's Stone. It's plausible that Nicolas gave Dumbledore a limited "version" of the stone, underscoring her position.

As Potter and Weasley's group exits the small classroom, Draco guides Neville to the adjacent room for the Disarming Charm practice. Salim, ensuring no one's around, retrieves the Marauder's Map obtained from Filch.

"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," Salim declares, his wand aimed at the map, uttering the password.

As names materialize on the once-blank parchment, lines form one after the other. Numerous Hogwarts locations are now accessible to Salim.

The moving names of "Harry Potter" catch Salim's eye, along with Draco and Neville's names marked outside a wall. Naturally, his own name and location are present too.

Yet, upon spotting his own name on the map, Salim tenses, muscles coiling.

"What in the world?!" Salim exclaims internally, his mind racing.

A peculiar anomaly occupies the spot where Salim's name should be on the map: a swirling inkblot, unsteadily attempting to form letters that continuously dissipate.

Furrowing his brow and flaring his nostrils, Salim grapples with confusion. He's unsure of the cause. While curses are possible, he dismisses the notion. He's merely an illegitimate child, insignificant enough that even his family wouldn't involve Hogwarts for his disposal, even if motivated by his elimination after he vanquished that bothersome ghost.

Deciding to study magical literature about the significance of names during his break, Salim aims to uncover the mystery plaguing his name.

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