After exchanging lots of knowledge about dragon training and care techniques, Adrian changed tactics and suggested that raising the temperature might speed up the egg's hatching process.
As soon as Adrian finished speaking, he moved toward the fireplace as if to add more wood and make the flames higher, but Hagrid quickly stopped this reckless idea.
"Absolutely not! Any hotter and you'll cook the poor thing," Hagrid protested.
I'm here specifically for the dragon, Adrian thought silently, but he noticed Hermione's suspicious glance and decided to redirect the conversation.
"Hagrid, how exactly did you get this dragon egg?"
"Won it fair and square, I did!" Hagrid's massive face beamed with pride. "Got it just the other day playing cards with a stranger at the pub. Honestly, the fellow seemed rather eager to get rid of it."
"What did this person look like? Was he interested in Fluffy?" Hermione asked, suddenly alert to what this meant.
"Well, now that you mention it... but anyone would be curious about a three-headed dog, wouldn't they? Not exactly common, that." Hagrid tried to recall the encounter.
"I'd had a few drinks and told him that Fluffy's got a weakness for music, play him a tune and he'll fall right asleep," Hagrid said proudly.
The moment the words left his mouth, Hagrid realized he'd revealed something he absolutely shouldn't have.
"Who was this person?" Harry demanded urgently.
Hagrid finally understood how serious this was and struggled to remember. "I don't rightly know. Wore a black cloak, couldn't see his face clearly. And I'd been drinking, like I said. Only thing I remember was his voice, hoarse it was, not quite natural-sounding."
"That's definitely Snape, or maybe Quirrell," Ron declared, more convinced than ever that their earlier corridor theory had been correct.
"Does this connect to that Nicolas Flamel you mentioned before?" Harry guessed, then asked directly, "Hagrid, can you tell us what's hidden under that trapdoor?"
Hermione stared at Hagrid expectantly. She'd spent days searching the Hogwarts library, going through records of notable figures from the past two centuries, but had found no mention of Nicolas Flamel anywhere.
This time, Hagrid absolutely refused to reveal any relevant information, insisting this wasn't their concern and that he'd report his mistake to Dumbledore, even if it meant punishment.
"It's the Philosopher's Stone," Adrian said suddenly, breaking his long silence.
"How did you know it was the Philosopher's Stone?" Hagrid gasped in shock. He certainly hadn't mentioned that detail.
However, Hagrid didn't realize his reaction had just confirmed the truth of Adrian's statement.
"The Philosopher's Stone? What is it? What does it do? How did you know, Adrian?" Harry asked rapidly.
"I came across the information while researching professor backgrounds for the wizard chess set. Harry, do you remember the last line on your Dumbledore Chocolate Frog card? It mentioned his work with his partner Nicolas Flamel in alchemy. The Philosopher's Stone was created by the famous alchemist Nicolas Flamel," Adrian explained methodically.
Since Harry and the others had already learned Fluffy's secret from Hagrid, Adrian saw no reason to hide information about the Stone, Harry would discover it in a few days anyway.
"As for its function, the Philosopher's Stone can turn any metal into pure gold, and it can also create the Elixir of Life, granting immortality to whoever drinks it. Its creator, Nicolas Flamel, is over six hundred years old."
Adrian felt a pang of envy as he spoke. Here was an object that could grant eternal life, and he couldn't understand what mindset would lead Flamel to eventually destroy such a thing.
If Adrian hadn't understood that the Philosopher's Stone was deliberately placed bait under Dumbledore's constant surveillance, he might have been tempted to attempt theft himself.
Adrian felt this way, so it was hardly surprising that Harry and the others, hearing about the Stone's incredible powers for the first time, were completely fascinated.
Turning base metals to gold meant unlimited wealth. The Elixir of Life offered immortality. Having the Philosopher's Stone essentially meant having everything one could ever desire.
"No wonder Snape or Professor Quirrell would risk everything to get their hands on it. A stone that creates gold, who could resist such temptation?" Ron sighed admiringly.
Fortunately, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were only eleven or twelve years old. The concept of immortality wasn't particularly appealing yet except for Ron, who was already fantasizing about using the Stone to solve his family's financial problems. Neither Harry nor Hermione showed much personal interest in having it.
"Listen carefully, the Philosopher's Stone is none of your concern. Dumbledore will handle everything," Hagrid interrupted their discussion with a stern reminder.
Adrian nodded in agreement. Even though the protective obstacles set up by the professors were rather like elaborate games, effective enough against Hogwarts students but completely useless against powerful adult wizards, Dumbledore's enchantment on the Mirror of Erised remained formidable. Only someone who wanted to find the Stone but not use it, someone capable of restraining their deepest desires, could retrieve the treasure hidden within the Mirror.
In other words, even if Quirrell and Voldemort spent days and nights trying, even if they shattered the Mirror of Erised completely, they still wouldn't get what they sought without the right mindset.
Unfortunately, Adrian knew that Harry and Ron remained unaware of these protective measures. They only understood that the Philosopher's Stone hidden under the trapdoor might be stolen by villains at any moment, and felt compelled to act.
In the end, Hermione proposed going to Professor Dumbledore, explaining everything they'd learned, and letting the Headmaster decide how to proceed.
Adrian had originally planned to be a passive observer, listening to their discussion without getting involved, but the more he heard, the more alarmed he became.
Visit the Headmaster's office to find Dumbledore?
Absolutely not, he definitely didn't want that encounter.
"I think there might have been something wrong with that cake I ate at lunch," Adrian's expression suddenly changed as he clutched his stomach dramatically.
Unfortunately, before Adrian could fully display his acting skills, the enthusiastic Harry and Ron grabbed his arms and began dragging him along.
This concerned the Philosopher's Stone and potentially affected the entire school's safety. A stomachache would simply have to wait.