Author’s Note
This fanfiction is based on “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” by J.K. Rowling. The Harry Potter series and the characters belong to J.K. Rowling. I earn no financial gain from this work.

“Albus Dumbledore and the Philosopher’s Stone” is based on the events of the first book in the Harry Potter series, from the perspectives of Albus Dumbledore.

The Troll in the Dungeon

Dumbledore was busy as usual with his multiple duties. There were very few cases at Wizengamot these days, and they were only minor ones, so his position as Chief Warlock didn’t keep him too much busy. International Confederation of Wizards had gone relatively silent after the downfall of Voldemort. The most taxing of his positions was the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Constant staff meetings, complaints, planning and so on. And he had his personal interests too – reading books, learning more about muggles (specially the sweets they ate), secretly following every games of Chudley Cannons. On top of that, he had one more thing to worry about this year – The Philosopher’s Stone. At least no one had attempted to steal it –yet.

Days were passing by at Hogwarts. Students didn’t see Dumbledore often, but it didn’t mean that he was unaware of things going on. He was looking over everything, and getting reports from teachers and staffs.

Filch, as always, wanted Dumbledore to banish Peeves from Hogwarts, and to allow him to chain and whip students for detention. Dumbledore, as always, declined. He also kept complaining about the Weasley twins and their pranks. And he also told about the time when he was sure someone was running in the forbidden third floor corridor and almost caught them, only for Peeves to interfere and thwart his attempt, and thus repeated his request to throw Peeves out.

Pince talked about how often one Miss Granger from Gryffindor first year visited the Library, how good her tastes in books are, how she handles every book with so much love and care as if they were some delicate living beings and how she hadn’t seen someone of that age so obsessed with books in a very long time.

McGonagall talked about how young Miss Granger from Gryffindor first year was successful to transfigure a matchstick into needle on the first lesson and that she hadn’t seen anyone do it so properly on the first attempt in a very long time.

Flitwick talked about how young Miss Granger from Gryffindor first year was successful to not only levitate a feather on the first lesson but help her classmates as well. He didn’t forget to mention that he hadn’t seen anyone do it so properly on the first attempt in a very long time.

Sprout talked about how young Miss Granger from Gryffindor first year was successful to identify all the parts of the plants shown in her first lesson, tell their magical properties and how to take care of them. She also appreciated the fact that she hadn’t seen anyone give such perfect answers on their first class in a very long time.

Dumbledore stopped Binns before he could talk about how Miss Grant handed in an excellent essay about goblin revolution, Mr. Perkins could never tell the difference between Emeric the Evil and Uric the Oddball, and Miss Pennyfeather always seemed to talk behind his back when he was teaching. After all, these were the students when Binns was still alive, and hearing those same reports year after year since he died had grown to be boring to the members of faculty who were still alive.

Quirrell talked about how one student from first year had answered his question perfectly and he was really impressed, but he admitted to have forgotten who the student was, their House, and what the question was.

And then, there was Snape. He began by complaining about having to teach a big bunch of dunderheads who hardly believe that Potions is magic as there is little foolish wand-waving involved. The dunderheads who don’t appreciate the subtle science and exact art of potion-making, who don’t understand the beauty of the softly simmering cauldron with its shimmering fumes, the delicate power of liquids that creep through human veins, bewitching the mind, ensnaring the senses… Then he went on to describe how talentless and vain the Potter brat was, how the irritating Granger girl always had to show off by answering what isn’t asked to her and how the fool Longbottom boy was a walking talking disaster that shouldn’t be let anywhere near potions unless you want him to explode everyone someday. And he finished off by explaining how the young Malfoy from Slytherin first year had a natural talent, how he was modest and charming, and that he would accomplish great things some day.

This Miss Granger seems quite intelligent from these reports. Her friendship should be valuable to Harry. He has already made a good friendship with the Weasley boy. That will provide him one loyal friend from a good family who knows everything about the traditions of the wizarding world. Now if he finds a friend with good brain, like this Miss Granger, it would assist him a lot in the fight against Voldemort. I must do something to ensure that Harry and Miss Granger become good friends. She is already in the same House as him, so it should be easier.

The meeting was adjourned because it was about to be time for the Halloween feast. Students and teachers were gathered in the Great Hall. It was the first feast of the year after the welcome feast. There were several decorations made in the Great Hall. Bats, candles, pumpkin and many other items. Students were seated in their house tables. Dumbledore was seating in the centre of the teacher’s row, in the Headmaster’s chair. Minerva was on her right, Severus on the left. All the teachers were lined in the row except Trelawney and Quirrell. Trelawney missing was no big deal as she rarely appeared in the Great Hall, but where could Quirrell have been ? Just as Dumbledore was having such thoughts, the DADA professor came running into the hall. His face looked very scared, and he reached Dumbledore’s chair and fell down stuttering, “Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know.”

Then he fainted.

There was an uproar. Every student was shouting and screaming. Dumbledore waved his wand and produced some purple firecrackers to grab everyone’s attention and calmed the situation.

“Prefects,” he rumbled, “lead your Houses to your dormitories immediately.”

His orders were followed in an instant. Every prefect started rounding up their students and leading them towards the dormitories at once. They were still terrified and some were screaming, and some were making guesses as to how a Troll could have entered inside Hogwarts. He heard someone’s theory that Peeves let it in as a Halloween joke, and considered that it was not completely unlikely. Maybe Filch’s demands of throwing Peeves out were not completely absurd.

As every student went out of the great hall into their house dorms, Dumbledore signaled his teachers to go looking for the troll and take care of it and make sure that no one was hurt. At the same time, a strange thought came to his mind. What if this was a distraction ? When every students were crawled up inside their dorms and every teachers searching for the troll, that would be a good opportunity to go after the Philosopher’s Stone. Dumbledore made a silent gesture to Snape to go towards the third floor corridor, and the former Death Eater understood at once.

Very soon, the troll was apprehended. How it was done was quite fascinating, according to Minerva’s report. Miss Granger had apparently believed she could tackle the troll by herself because she had read all about them. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley came looking for her, found her just in time and saved her when Potter stuck a wand in the troll’s nose and Weasley levitated the troll’s club and dropped it on its head, knocking it unconscious.

Dumbledore noticed that after the event with the troll, Miss Granger was always seen in the company of Harry and the young Weasley.

So they are friends now. And I didn’t even have to do anything.