Nicolas Flamel inspired a character in J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
In the novel, Nicolas Flamel is a real historical figure portrayed as the creator of the Philosopher’s Stone. The stone produces the Elixir of Life, allowing Flamel and his wife, Perenelle, to live for centuries. Harry learns about Flamel through information connected with Hogwarts and Albus Dumbledore.
The historical Flamel was a 14th- and 15th-century French scribe and manuscript seller. Later legends claimed that he had discovered the secret of alchemy and achieved immortality, although historians have found no reliable evidence that he was an alchemist or made the stone.
Rowling used this existing legend as a bridge between real history and fantasy. The fictional Flamel eventually agrees to destroy the stone, accepting that he and Perenelle will die when their remaining supply of the Elixir runs out.