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"I see you received a letter from Sirius. He wrote to me too, and you both now have permission to leave school on Friday. I also received a letter from an old friend this morning, it solved a mystery I was intending to speak to you both about. Getting past all the traps to remove the item, without me knowing anything about it, is quite the achievement. Then tracking down Nicolas and returning that item is outstanding work. I don't suppose you would care to tell me how you managed it?"

A smiling Hermione gave him an answer. "We had a little help, who took twenty seconds to bring the stone to us…"

With that they headed off to their first class, leaving a stunned headmaster behind. They were barely through the doors though when Dumbledore broke into loud laughter.

Albus certainly considered himself an intelligent wizard, and had just deciphered Hermione's 'little help' clue. Having the stone brought to them indicated someone else was involved. The time scale she mentioned, along with the use of the word little, pointed Albus in the right direction. Only a house elf, one who'd been given unrestricted access to the castle, could hope to accomplish the task in anything like that timeframe. It would certainly pass his own test when faced with the mirror. The elf would want the stone, but never even think about using it for itself.

What had Albus laughing was the sheer simplicity and audacity of the plan, alongside the knowledge this was a method that wouldn't even have occurred to Voldemort. He treated all sentient magical beings an nothing more than vermin, creatures that were beneath him. He would never trust a house elf with something of this importance.

He also thought this was Hermione's way of showing Albus they trusted him, by releasing a little more information. Now having time to digest the problem both had found themselves faced with, he still couldn't come up with a better solution than the one they hoped to use. They, and the stone, were safe in Gryffindor tower while Amelia and her aurors would have tackled a possessed Quirrell. It was only Mister Weasley's untimely intervention that saw their plan needing last minute changes. Albus knew he and Minerva would have to deal with that unpleasant situation soon, but not before Saturday. He would have to wear his own award at this inauguration of the two newest members to this rather exclusive club. He would enjoy Saturday, and celebrate everyone coming out of there alive, before facing a trip to the Burrow.

http://www.fanfiction.net/s/11033616/16/