Those were good questions, and Mo mused over them as his classmates answered. It was hard to think critically when he was still feeling a bit winded from the climb down to the classroom, but he was almost back at equilibrium. Certainly he could jump into the conversation.

"For your first question, Professor, while I don't think that the Dark Lord was the first Dark wizard to seek immortality, I do believe that most Dark wizards seek power, money, and influence primarily. Flamel's work doesn't seem to be widely known, considering how hard it was for students in the 1990's to learn anything about him, and it certainly isn't the quick and easy way to get power or influence. Even in his first rising, the Dark Lord sought immortality through crazy spells and horcruxes... it wasn't until those had been exhausted that he fell back on the Philosopher's Stone. I just can't imagine anyone had ever pursued it as hard or as long as he did, and it was only when he got very close that the decision was made to take it completely out of his reach. Forever." Everyone knew Voldemort wanted to live forever even during his first rising, but it wasn't like they went around destroying the stone then, even if it would have been very attractive to the wizard.

Now what was that second question? Mo's forehead wrinkled as he tried to recall. "Oh, and for your second question... it seems like almost anyone clever enough and patient enough could have made it past those obstacles. If you really want to protect something, you hide it and make it so that only you know where it is and how to get at it, rather than making it something that everyone has a hand in protecting. My theory is that Dumbledore, knowing someone was coming after the Philosopher's Stone, was setting a trap. He was trying to draw out the thief, and what better way than through an elaborate ruse?" It just so happened that several students were caught in that trap too.