What to do with the stone

[Grey Wolf <greywolf1@jazzfree.com>]

No: HPFGUIDX 51251

Ginger wrote:
> 
> So (finally) to my point:  What did Harry intend to do with the stone 
> after he got it?  He went down to get it assuming that he was keeping 
> it from Snape rather than Quirrel, but the end recipient would have 
> been the same.  
>
> How on earth did he think that getting it *away* from the 
> protection would keep it safer?
> 
> It never occured to me.  That's what I love about this site.
> Ginger

There are two main ways of protecting something, Ginger. One is to put 
it somewhere were it is safe, and sorrounded by as many defenses as you 
can. For example, you've got the biggest diamond on Earth, so you put 
it in a safe, dig a hole and throw the safe in, fill the whole with 
cement, build a castle around it, etc. Of course, f you want to be able 
to *see* the diamond from time to time, there will always be a big 
gaping hole in the defenses - a whole called "doors" that allows you to 
traspass them. This is the basic method that was used in the books to 
protect the PS.

The second method is to hide the object. As long as only you know where 
it is, the thing it safe. The problem tends to be that if someone wants 
to steal your diamond, he might outguess you and find it. Where does 
that take us? Harry wanted to use this method. If he had managed to get 
hold of the stone, and run away, he would've hidden it in his bedroom, 
somewhere. It wouldn't be as safe as in the mirror, but Harry didn't 
know that - he only knew that the thief had learnt how to pass all the 
defenses, and thus that the stone was ready to be picked (as soon as 
Dumbledore got out of the way, that is). And,faced with that situation, 
the stone would certainly be safer in his possesion. Not much more, but 
every little thing helps. And after all, he didn't have to hide it 
forever, only until Dumbledore came back.

Hope that helps,

Grey Wolf