Philosopher's Stone
Appearance: A blood-red stone, small enough to easily
fit into someone's pocket.
Function: Transforms any metal into gold and also produces
the Elixir of Life, which makes the drinker immortal for as long as they continue
to take it.
How to Use: Unknown. The Philosopher's Stone acts like
any other small rock when it is undisturbed - it does nothing. Hence some
process must be required to turn metals into gold and to produce the Elixir
of Life, but the details of this are a mystery.
Notes: The ancient art of alchemy is used to create the Philosopher's
Stone. Once the stone has been created, it can be used to turn metals into
gold or produce the Elixir of Life. There have been many reports of Philosopher's
Stones having been created in history, but in recent times the only stone
known to have existed belonged to Nicolas Flamel, a noted French opera-lover,
alchemist and friend of Albus Dumbledore. Flamel and his wife Perenelle used
the stone to live to an age of over 650 years. In 1991 it became clear that
Lord Voldemort was attempting to gain the stone and various attempts were
made to conceal it. When it became clear that there was still a significant
risk of the Dark Lord getting his hands on his target, Flamel destroyed it
and therefore died shortly afterwards.
There are therefore no remaining Philosopher's Stones known
to be in existence. The alchemical secret of their creation is likely to live
on with Dumbledore, however, who worked with Flamel in this area during the
1900s.
An account of the life of the real Nicolas Flamel and the legend
of the Philosopher's Stone can be found
here.
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