SnitchSeeker.com - View Single Post - Lesson: History of Magic: Nicolas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone

AlwaysSnapesGirl · 01-28-2026, 06:20 AM

Text Cut: Replies

Quote:

Originally Posted by squidnie

Cat was scribbling notes and thinking over the question in her own head, but wasn't clear enough on her own opinion to raise her hand and share it. It seemed to her that it depended on a person's definition of enough. Voldemort didn't get the stone, did he? So it was an objective success. Still, it was apparently a close call and some (including Cat, probably) would call that not enough.

Anyway. Moving on.

Cat raised her hand. "I guess it's impossible to know until given the opportunity, isn't it?" She frowned slightly. "But, I think I wouldn't do it. I'm only twelve, you know? And twelve years isn't enough to know what life is really like. I think I'd like to get a bit more experience before making a decision like that. Plus, it doesn't keep your body young, right?" She made a face, which hopefully clearly communicated where her thought process was going with that. Old people were gross.

Vashti nodded. "That's correct. The Flamels' bodies continued to age through the years." The Elixir of Life was not also an Elixir of Eternal Youth, after all. "And it's very wise to know when to hold off on such a big decision as that. Gaining more information and experience beforehand is a smart decision." It was certainly not a decision to make lightly or to rush into headlong.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie

Nyle didn't raise his hand this time, but the question did settle like damp soil after rain.

It felt unfair at times to judge the past with future clarity. Hindsight had a way of making everything look obvious, neat, inevitable, when in reality it never was. Though, he supposed, this was the very point of studying history in the first place. Of course some of the protections seemed excessive now. Of course the Mirror of Erised looked like the linchpin in retrospect. But that was only because it worked... because the worst outcome hadn't come to pass.

At the time, he was sure every enchantment had felt necessary. Not just to stop Voldemort, but to slow anyone who maybe had figured out the Stone's whereabouts and wanted to try their hand at taking it. It was easy, generations later, to say the Mirror alone would have been enough. But what if it hadn't been? What if they'd trusted in one elegant solution and been wrong? Plants didn't grow with a single defense, after all. Thorns, toxins, bitter sap, camouflage... maybe the Stone had been treated the same way. Not because Dumbledore lacked faith in the Mirror, but because no one sensible bet everything on a single root holding the tree upright. And if anything, Nyle thought, it was kinder to be overly careful than to gamble the world on the hope that you'd judged every heart correctly.

Which was to say that, ultimately, he would have agreed with his classmates who had shared ― had he been able to pay attention to their words over his own thoughts.

He attention refocused as his Head of House delved into a bit more, er, history and then posed yet another though provoking question. He pursed his lips, turning his head as the younger Ravenclaw beside him spoke and couldn't help the soft chuckle her response induced.

That was certainly a relatable thought, only 12 ― well, in his case not 12 but on the cusp of 16.

"If I’m honest," he begam, "I shouldn't take it." He glanced down at his hands, thumbs worrying at each other before he continued. The choice of shouldn't being very purposeful. "I think wanting more time is natural. Wanting to stay, to learn, to keep the people you love close a little longer. I don't think that impulse is wrong." His eyes lifted again and resisted looking around the classroom. "But I also think there’s a difference between extending a life and avoiding its ending altogether... the meaning comes from knowing there's a limit." His shoulders rose in a small shrug. "So maybe I'd take it if it was meant to finish something that truly mattered. But―" he shook his head, he'd hardly be inclined to take it for such heroic reasons, "I don't think should...and I am not confident that I am not to lose sight of when enough is enough."

Vashti did note the use of "shouldn't" as opposed to "wouldn't." An interesting, telling distinction.

"There is wisdom in understanding one's motives for taking it, whether out of altruistic and intellectual desires versus avoidance and fear. I'm sure the Flamels wrestled with all of these thoughts at various points throughout their life too." They were all very human emotions: the curiosity, the fear, the heroism, the anxiety.

Quote:

Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19

Yes, true. There had been some small amount of fire involved. Boring. Fiendfyre would have been more impressive and grand, no? And Amstern was further correct when she said that it would be helpful to evaluate things of the past. If those observations were put to good use, then current and future plans would only work out for the better. Whatever the reason or reasons for the plan succeeding, and the Stone not falling into the bad guys’ hands, it had all been a good thing. Even if it had only served to delay Voldemort’s inevitable return.

Harvey knew the answer to this question. Even before it had been posed to them, he knew what he would have done. “I’d want to take the Elixir,’’ the Ravenclaw volunteered when the Professor called on him, and not caring if anyone judged him for his choice. “Not because I’m afraid of dying or anything like that. Simply because I’d want to experience life for as long as I can.” The good, the bad, the in between. All that jazz. “But he also has a point.” Harv casually tilted his chin in Nyle’s direction. “One should know the limit, and I know I’d get that vibe when it’s time to stop taking the Elixir.” Because he didn’t want to go on living forever.

"A very understandable reason." Vashti nodded. It was natural to want to experience as much of life as possible. She imagined that was one of the reasons Nicolas and Perenelle had done it, and continued to take it for hundreds of years. "And finding a limit, just like the Flamels did, is also important to decide on."

"Thank you for sharing such thoughtful answers." Vashti's smile was warm. "It might be difficult to imagine yourself in the same position as someone like Nicolas Flamel, but I find it's a worthwhile exercise to find greater understanding of another person and the decisions they made." And that was important not only in studying people of the past, but present-day people as well.

"But that's enough discussion for now. Next, we'll be moving on to an activity. I have set up a smaller version of two of the obstacles that were used to protect the stone here at Hogwarts: the potion room and the chess room. In the potion room, you'll be solving the riddle to find the correct one to drink in order to leave the room - but don't worry, the ones that are incorrect are harmless." There would be no risk of poisoning here. "And for the chess room, you won't have to complete an entire chess board. The board will already be set up in a nearly-endgame position. Your task is to figure out the final move you need to make in order to checkmate the opposing side."

With a flick of her wand, a door appeared to the right of the blackboard on the front wall. "Some of you will encounter the potion room first, and others will find the chess room first, but once you complete that first task, you'll continue on to the other one." So everyone would get a chance to attempt each one, just not in the same order. "And you may work alone or with a partner, if you wish.

"If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, queue up in front of the door once you're ready, and when you step through, you may begin."

---

OOC: Thank you for your patience as this took longer to post than expected

Once your character is ready to begin, you can assume it's their turn and have them walk through the door. But please do not RP which room they enter or the outcomes of trying a potion or commanding a chess piece to move; The Narrator will be around to set up the scene and reveal any results

If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out by VM/PM

This activity will be open until some time around 7:00 PM EST (GMT -5) on January 31.

01-28-2026, 06:20 AM	#21 (permalink)
AlwaysSnapesGirl Charing Cross Rd. Mod St. Mungo's Mod Niffler Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Narnia Posts: 20,214 Hogwarts RPG Name: Vashti Amstern Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Edmund Edgecombe Graduated Hogwarts RPG Name: Zephyr Amstern Ravenclaw Sixth Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Nathaniel Hensley Slytherin Seventh Year Hogwarts RPG Name: Felicity Aurorae Gryffindor Seventh Year x7 x1	Baguette \| there is no D in my name \| TRAITORclaw \| Queenie of Narnia Text Cut: Replies Quote: Originally Posted by squidnie Cat was scribbling notes and thinking over the question in her own head, but wasn't clear enough on her own opinion to raise her hand and share it. It seemed to her that it depended on a person's definition of enough. Voldemort didn't get the stone, did he? So it was an objective success. Still, it was apparently a close call and some (including Cat, probably) would call that not enough. Anyway. Moving on. Cat raised her hand. "I guess it's impossible to know until given the opportunity, isn't it?" She frowned slightly. "But, I think I wouldn't do it. I'm only twelve, you know? And twelve years isn't enough to know what life is really like. I think I'd like to get a bit more experience before making a decision like that. Plus, it doesn't keep your body young, right?" She made a face, which hopefully clearly communicated where her thought process was going with that. Old people were gross. Vashti nodded. "That's correct. The Flamels' bodies continued to age through the years." The Elixir of Life was not also an Elixir of Eternal Youth, after all. "And it's very wise to know when to hold off on such a big decision as that. Gaining more information and experience beforehand is a smart decision." It was certainly not a decision to make lightly or to rush into headlong. Quote: Originally Posted by sweetpinkpixie Nyle didn't raise his hand this time, but the question did settle like damp soil after rain. It felt unfair at times to judge the past with future clarity. Hindsight had a way of making everything look obvious, neat, inevitable, when in reality it never was. Though, he supposed, this was the very point of studying history in the first place. Of course some of the protections seemed excessive now. Of course the Mirror of Erised looked like the linchpin in retrospect. But that was only because it worked... because the worst outcome hadn't come to pass. At the time, he was sure every enchantment had felt necessary. Not just to stop Voldemort, but to slow anyone who maybe had figured out the Stone's whereabouts and wanted to try their hand at taking it. It was easy, generations later, to say the Mirror alone would have been enough. But what if it hadn't been? What if they'd trusted in one elegant solution and been wrong? Plants didn't grow with a single defense, after all. Thorns, toxins, bitter sap, camouflage... maybe the Stone had been treated the same way. Not because Dumbledore lacked faith in the Mirror, but because no one sensible bet everything on a single root holding the tree upright. And if anything, Nyle thought, it was kinder to be overly careful than to gamble the world on the hope that you'd judged every heart correctly. Which was to say that, ultimately, he would have agreed with his classmates who had shared ― had he been able to pay attention to their words over his own thoughts. He attention refocused as his Head of House delved into a bit more, er, history and then posed yet another though provoking question. He pursed his lips, turning his head as the younger Ravenclaw beside him spoke and couldn't help the soft chuckle her response induced. That was certainly a relatable thought, only 12 ― well, in his case not 12 but on the cusp of 16. "If I’m honest," he begam, "I shouldn't take it." He glanced down at his hands, thumbs worrying at each other before he continued. The choice of shouldn't being very purposeful. "I think wanting more time is natural. Wanting to stay, to learn, to keep the people you love close a little longer. I don't think that impulse is wrong." His eyes lifted again and resisted looking around the classroom. "But I also think there’s a difference between extending a life and avoiding its ending altogether... the meaning comes from knowing there's a limit." His shoulders rose in a small shrug. "So maybe I'd take it if it was meant to finish something that truly mattered. But―" he shook his head, he'd hardly be inclined to take it for such heroic reasons, "I don't think should...and I am not confident that I am not to lose sight of when enough is enough." Vashti did note the use of "shouldn't" as opposed to "wouldn't." An interesting, telling distinction. "There is wisdom in understanding one's motives for taking it, whether out of altruistic and intellectual desires versus avoidance and fear. I'm sure the Flamels wrestled with all of these thoughts at various points throughout their life too." They were all very human emotions: the curiosity, the fear, the heroism, the anxiety. Quote: Originally Posted by FearlessLeader19 Yes, true. There had been some small amount of fire involved. Boring. Fiendfyre would have been more impressive and grand, no? And Amstern was further correct when she said that it would be helpful to evaluate things of the past. If those observations were put to good use, then current and future plans would only work out for the better. Whatever the reason or reasons for the plan succeeding, and the Stone not falling into the bad guys’ hands, it had all been a good thing. Even if it had only served to delay Voldemort’s inevitable return. Harvey knew the answer to this question. Even before it had been posed to them, he knew what he would have done. “I’d want to take the Elixir,’’ the Ravenclaw volunteered when the Professor called on him, and not caring if anyone judged him for his choice. “Not because I’m afraid of dying or anything like that. Simply because I’d want to experience life for as long as I can.” The good, the bad, the in between. All that jazz. “But he also has a point.” Harv casually tilted his chin in Nyle’s direction. “One should know the limit, and I know I’d get that vibe when it’s time to stop taking the Elixir.” Because he didn’t want to go on living forever. "A very understandable reason." Vashti nodded. It was natural to want to experience as much of life as possible. She imagined that was one of the reasons Nicolas and Perenelle had done it, and continued to take it for hundreds of years. "And finding a limit, just like the Flamels did, is also important to decide on." "Thank you for sharing such thoughtful answers." Vashti's smile was warm. "It might be difficult to imagine yourself in the same position as someone like Nicolas Flamel, but I find it's a worthwhile exercise to find greater understanding of another person and the decisions they made." And that was important not only in studying people of the past, but present-day people as well. "But that's enough discussion for now. Next, we'll be moving on to an activity. I have set up a smaller version of two of the obstacles that were used to protect the stone here at Hogwarts: the potion room and the chess room. In the potion room, you'll be solving the riddle to find the correct one to drink in order to leave the room - but don't worry, the ones that are incorrect are harmless." There would be no risk of poisoning here. "And for the chess room, you won't have to complete an entire chess board. The board will already be set up in a nearly-endgame position. Your task is to figure out the final move you need to make in order to checkmate the opposing side." With a flick of her wand, a door appeared to the right of the blackboard on the front wall. "Some of you will encounter the potion room first, and others will find the chess room first, but once you complete that first task, you'll continue on to the other one." So everyone would get a chance to attempt each one, just not in the same order. "And you may work alone or with a partner, if you wish. "If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, queue up in front of the door once you're ready, and when you step through, you may begin." --- OOC: Thank you for your patience as this took longer to post than expected Once your character is ready to begin, you can assume it's their turn and have them walk through the door. But please do not RP which room they enter or the outcomes of trying a potion or commanding a chess piece to move; The Narrator will be around to set up the scene and reveal any results If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out by VM/PM This activity will be open until some time around 7:00 PM EST (GMT -5) on January 31. __________________ if we fall, we will fall together; and when we rise, we will rise together__________________♥♥♥♥ together we are dangerous; together with our differences; together we are bolder, braver, stronger