A/N: ScoobyDoo!AU for the Mystery genre prompt. I'm basing this off the 1969 original episodes, btw... which I think might be a little different to the modern ones?

Thank you so much to Lizzie (TheNextFolchart) for giving me the idea!

Word count is 3050 in Microsoft Word, excluding A/N.

Extra prompts:

3. (Opening sentence) time was running out
4. (Word) chasing
7. (Spell) Reducio
12. (Word) keyhole
14. (gemstone) Topaz

Time was running out. Colin could hear the creature tear through the trees to his left, violently cutting through the Forbidden Forest while Colin could barely keep from falling over on the clear path ahead of him. Just ahead, he could make out the lights of Hogwarts.

Why had he come into the Forbidden Forest? He hadn't even found the unicorn he had been so hoping to photograph. Instead, he had found... this.

The only warning Colin had was a bone-chilling snarl, and then the creature was on him. He flailed, twisting in the creature's claws until he was facing it, scratching futilely at its face. He tripped and fell backward onto the hard ground.

There was a flash of light, and the creature cried out in pain. The last thing Colin saw before he passed out was the glowing red eyes of a snake, right where he thought a tail should be.

"Ron, must you do that here?" Hermione asked, throwing the redhead a withering look.

"Whaddya mean, 'Mione?" Ron replied with a grin. "Car sandwiches are the best sandwiches to have." He threw two pieces of bread into the air and squirted the bottle of mustard straight up so it landed in the middle.

Before it could all come crashing down to make a complete mess of the back seat, a large black dog burst up from where he had been lying on Ron's feet and snapped the bread and mustard up in one gulp. Both boy and dog burst out laughing, which was rather disconcerting if you had never heard Snuffles laugh before.

"Will we be there soon?" Cho asked from the front seat.

"Not far now, gang," Harry said. "We should be at the camping ground before sunset."

"Just enough time for a quick snack before dinner, isn't that right, Snuffs?" Ron nudged Snuffles, who emphatically nodded his agreement before catching the slice of ham Ron threw into the air.

Cho looked out the window. "We should be flying over Hogwarts soon," she said wistfully. "I wonder what they're doing."

"Hold on," Ron held up a hand and closed his eyes. "I sense... roast chicken... steaming piles of potatoes... and custard tart."

Snuffles licked his lips.

Hermione suddenly looked up. "What's that sound?" she asked.

"What sound?" Harry asked.

"Oh, I hear it!" Cho said, turning to Harry. "A rumbling, popping kind of sound."

"Like an engine failing," Hermione suggested, pulling out her wand.

Snuffles' growl sounded suspiciously like the words "oh oh".

With a final splutter, the flying car went silent.

"Hold on tight," Harry muttered, reaching for his wand.

The car began to fall. Snuffles leaped onto Ron's lap and started howling.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" Harry and Hermione shouted over the din.

The car stuttered, but began to slow. In a few moments, they landed with a thump in front of the Forbidden Forest.

"You know, Snuffles," Hermione said drily. "We could really have used a strong adult wizard just then."

Snuffles sniggered.

The gang climbed out of the car and looked around.

"Well, that could have been worse," Harry noted cheerfully.

"Right," Cho said. "Should we find Professor McGonagall and see if she can help us fix the car?"

Harry ran his hand through his hair and eyed the car warily. "I'm not sure that we should mention the car," he remarked carefully. "Let's just say we were making a stop over and we've left our brooms in Hagrid's hut."

The car rolled silently backward into the trees. Fortunately, the colourful swirls and patterns that Luna had painted for them on the sides managed to hide it a little amongst the foliage.

"And waddya know, we're just in time for dinner!" Ron exclaimed with a grin.

Professor McGonagall handed over the photograph wordlessly.

"It's a Chimaera," Hermione said, pushing her glasses back onto her nose as she spoke.

"Mmmphs a kamumph?" Ron asked without relinquishing his mouthful of chicken leg.

"A Chimaera, Mr. Weasley, is a very dangerous creature," Professor McGonagall answered, taking a seat next to Harry at the Gryffindor table where they were eating dinner. "Poor Mr. Creevey was nearly mauled by one the other evening. He is fortunate to be recovering under Madame Pomfrey's care. However, if you truly have left your-" she paused, "brooms with Hagrid, I suggest you retrieve them quickly and do not venture near the forest. You do not wish to come across this creature."

"We'll finish eating and be on our way, Professor," Harry assured her.

Professor McGonagall gave him a piercing look. "I'm sure you will," she said drily, and stood up. "You know where to find me should you need anything further." She left them at the table.

"Look gang, we've got another mystery to solve," Hermione gushed, waving the photograph in front of the others. "We should check it out now, while it could be sleeping."

Cho, Harry and Hermione stood up.

"Of course we should check it out now," Ron muttered to Snuffles as the others left. "Why wouldn't we check it out in the middle of the night, when it's dark and spooky? Makes perfect sense to me."

They walked quickly back to the forest, Ron and Snuffles trailing behind.

"Alright, will we try the same path Colin took?" Harry asked.

"Good idea, Harry," Ron agreed brightly. "You guys go the way he went in, and we'll go the way he went out." Ron and Snuffles turned immediately and started heading back to the castle, while the other three entered the forest.

"You know, Snuffs, we might even be able to sneak an extra dessert," Ron said, licking his lips.

Something moved in the darkness in front of them. A low growl sounded in the night.

"Tell me that was you, Snuffs," Ron pleaded, his voice shaky.

Snuffles shook his head with a whimper.

"Hey guys, wait up!" Ron yelped as the pair of them turned and ran into the forest.

After they had been walking for some time, Cho stopped and pointed into the distance off the path. "What's that in the middle of those trees?"

"It looks like a wooden shack," Hermione replied. "But what would a shack be doing out here?"

"We'd better find out," Harry said, leading them over to the wooden structure. "It might be a clue."

The door opened with a push. Inside was a small room furnished with nothing but a broken table and a cupboard in the corner.

Cho wrinkled her nose. "I don't think it's a clue."

"And I don't think we're going to find anything by searching together," Hermione added. "We should split up."

Harry nodded. "Ron, you and Snuffles keep looking up the path. The girls and I will check out the area and see if there is anything more hidden in the trees."

The three of them left the shack. Ron gave Snuffles a glance. "Well, there's no use being scared on an empty stomach, right Snuffs?" He walked over to the cupboard. "With any luck, whoever used this hideout left some snacks behind."

Snuffles put his nose to the ground and sniffed his way over to the broken table. Sniffing carefully, he pushed past the half of the table top that was broken and leaning against the wall. His nose hit something that smelled excellent. Lifting his head to make sure Ron wasn't watching, he very carefully nudged open the lid of the box. His eyes widened. Quick as a flash, he wolfed down the pie sitting inside.

Ron pulled on the door. It stuck fast and wouldn't open. Ron scratched his chin. "Well, there's only one reason I'd lock a cupboard in the middle of nowhere!" He took out his wand. "Alohamora!"

The cupboard stayed shut. Snuffles wuffed in encouragement, before quickly scoffing the apple that had been next to the pie.

Ron grabbed the handle and pulled, leaning back so his full weight was tugging on the door. The handle snapped and sent him spiralling back into Snuffles.

Snuffles yelped.

"Sorry, Snuffs," Ron apologised, giving him a pat. "You were just sitting there minding your own business, and you still got clobbered."

Snuffles barked indignantly. Ron walked back to the cupboard. "Now we'll never know what's inside," he said sadly. "Unless-" he leaned over and pressed his eye to the keyhole. "Reckon you can get me a little more light in here, Snuffs?"

A bright light, crackling like a fire, burst into the room somewhere behind Ron.

"That's better!" Ron exclaimed, squinting into the hole. "Hey, this isn't a cupboard!" Ron felt Snuffles tap his shoulder, but brushed him off. "This is, like, a whole extra room hidden as a cupboard. And what a surprise, it's filled with spooky jars and cauldrons." Snuffles tapped more insistently. "Good thinking, Snuffs. Let's get out of here and tell the others." Ron turned away from the keyhole to see Snuffles standing very still, his paw resting on Ron's shoulder.

Ron turned around.

"Yikes!" he yelped as the Chimaera leaped forward. Ron grabbed Snuffles and they jumped over the flaming table and out the door.

The Chimaera roared, more fire spewing from its mouth, and gave chase. They sprinted through the forest, leaping over rotting logs and ducking beneath branches in the direction they thought Harry, Hermione and Cho had gone.

"This isn't working, Snuffs. I think we'd better make like a tree!" Ron yelled.

Grabbing Snuffles by the scruff, Ron launched himself at the nearest branch. Snuffles gave a giant kick into Ron's backside as they nearly fell short, and together they just landed on the branch in time. In unison, they quickly snapped off the leafiest twigs they could find and held them over their faces.

Beneath them, the creature stalked into view. In the darkness, all they could see was a sturdy body with three heads: a goat, a lion, and a dragon. As it ran past, the snake that was the creature's tail hissed menacingly into the night.

"How do you think Ron and Snuffles are doing?" Cho asked as they walked deeper into the forest.

"Probably as uneventful as us," Harry said. "I think we're going to need to stumble on the Chimaera's hideout if we want to find anything useful."

"You mean like that cave over there?" Cho suggested, pointing at a large pile of boulders covered in moss.

"What a stroke of luck." Harry grinned brightly.

They quickly made their way over to the cave and crept inside. With a muttered "lumos" from Hermione, they could see well enough to note that the cave stretched back far deeper than it looked from the outside. Keeping quiet, they crept down the tunnel, which soon widened into a space big enough to be a room. Harry pointed quietly at scorch marks on the walls. The Chimaera had been here.

"Ouch!" Cho uttered suddenly, lurching forward.

"What is it?" Harry asked, catching her as she fell.

"I tripped on something," Cho murmured, rubbing her ankle. "There, on the ground."

The wand-light flickered over something yellow on the ground. Hermione bent down and picked it up.

"It's a topaz," she told them. "And look, there are more of them." She held up her wand toward a trail of gems that were spilling out of a small wooden box.

"Why would a Chimaera need a chest of gems?" Harry asked.

A noise like a banshee suddenly echoed through the cave. Harry, Hermione and Cho scrambled back out of the way, just as Ron and Snuffles ran through.

"Ssh!" Harry shushed them. "You'll wake the Chimaera."

"I don't think that's going to be a problem," Ron wheezed, with Snuffles nodding beside him. "He's already awake. And he's feeling peckish. Run!"

A roar came down the tunnel. The gang jumped and started to run deeper into the cave.

"The tunnel's curving back now," Hermione panted as they ran. "It's got to be coming close to that shack. Maybe it pops out near there."

Suddenly, Cho gave a scream and disappeared.

"Well, fancy that," Ron said indignantly as they screeched to a halt. "Taking off while a Chimaera is chasing us."

"It looks like a trapdoor," Harry mused, waving his wand over the concealed wooden opening. "What do you think? Do we try it?"

Snuffles barked and jumped onto the door. It swung open and shut smoothly, with barely a thud. The others followed and slid immediately into a long tunnel.

After several long minutes, they emerged in a darkened room with a singular door.

"Judging from our position, I'd say we were underneath that shack right now," Harry guessed, looking up.

"With our luck, we're probably just beneath that creepy potions lab," Ron moaned.

"The what?" Hermione asked.

In the corner, something moved.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione yelled, aiming her wand at the noise.

They heard a small squeak, and then something fell over.

"Right," said Harry, striding forward. "Let's see what we've got." He pulled the figure up and paused, blinking in surprise. "A house elf?!" He waved his wand and unfroze the terrified elf.

"Hoddy is sorry she fell over!" the house elf squeaked. "Hoddy promises it won't happen again. If kind master would only let her go, she would be able to slam her fingers in the door to make sure she doesn't forget."

"Oh, Hoddy, don't do that!" Hermione pleaded, rushing over. "It was my fault. What are you doing down here?"

"Hey, look, Snuffs!" Ron interrupted. "Quail eggs. I haven't had those in years. Do you reckon they're already boiled?" He reached over to grab a handful from the bench in front of Hoddy.

"No!" Hoddy cried. "Master musn't!"

As Hoddy reached out, a small hole in the ceiling popped open. A large object rolled through and down a chute the gang hadn't noticed before. It bumped softly against the velvet block at one end of the bench and came to a stop.

"These are Chimaera eggs," Hoddy said in a hushed whisper. "And Hoddy has been charged with preparing them for travel," she added proudly. As they watched, Hoddy waved her hand and muttered "reducio". The egg slowly shrank until it was the size of the eggs on the table.

Hermione frowned. "Chimaera eggs are Class A Non-Tradeable Materials because they're incredibly volatile," she told them quietly, while Hoddy carefully placed the shrunken egg with the rest. "It's not possible for them to be shrunk like that without the risk of explosion. Someone must be creating these eggs."

"Why would a Chimaera need fake eggs?" Cho asked.

"Maybe it didn't want the real eggs to feel lonely," Ron suggested.

"Or maybe it doesn't matter and we should run, right about now!" Harry shouted, pointing at the Chimaera standing behind them at the base of the tunnel.

Hermione grabbed Hoddy as Cho pulled open the door, and they all ran out and up the stairs behind it. They could hear the Chimaera hot on their trail as they burst through into the potions lab Ron had seen from the keyhole.

It was larger than it had appeared, with several delicate apparatuses balanced on benches and window sills. In the middle, a large cauldron sat with bright crimson liquid simmering inside. Above the cauldron, a strange glass object appeared to be collecting condensation from the cauldron until the liquid congealed into a large ball and dropped down, to be caught by a net fastened halfway between the cauldron and the glass.

"The eggs!" Hermione cried, pointing to one of the balls as it dropped into the net, growing bigger as they watched.

"Not now, 'Mione," Ron yelped as he ran past. "Or these eggs are gonna be fried!"

Ron reached the door and yanked it. "It's locked from this side too! Like, who does that?!"

Harry turned as the Chimaera burst into the room. It twitched, and just as it leaped, he aimed his wand at the net. It swung down from the ceiling and tangled in the Chimaera's goat horns. The creature twisted and tumbled with a pathetic bleating.

Hermione shook her head slowly. "That was too easy," she muttered.

A loud pounding sounded on the other side of the cupboard door. The door flew off its hinges and Professor McGonagall strode through, accompanied by Professor Slughorn. They paused and took a step back when they saw the Chimaera.

"It's alright, Professors," Hermione said, stepping forward. "A real Chimaera couldn't be caught like this. Let's see who it really is." She waved her wand. "Finite Incantatem."

The lion and dragon heads faded, while the snake shrunk in on itself with a pop. They were left with a very sad looking goat on the floor.

Snuffles stepped forward and sniffed the goat with a low growl.

"Do I need to make you come out?" Hermione asked sternly.

The goat shook its head and stood up. After a small pause, the goat shifted and they were suddenly looking at a rather disgruntled wizard.

"Aberforth!" McGonagall exclaimed in surprise. "What on earth are you doing?"

"I think I can answer that," Harry replied, stepping forward. "Chimaera eggs fetch a good price on the black market, don't they, Aberforth? Galleons, gems, the lot."

"And it's far too dangerous to traffic the real ones," Hermione added. "But of course, people would be naturally suspicious of someone coming into possession of a large number of Chimaera eggs."

"Unless there was a known Chimaera in the area," Harry finished while Aberforth stared sullenly forward.

"When did you become so good at potions, Aberforth?" McGonagall asked, raising an eyebrow as she looked at the potions lab.

"He didn't," Hermione said, reaching forward and grabbing Professor Slughorn as he tried to sneak back out the door. "Why else do you think Professor Slughorn volunteered to come and rescue us with you?"

"Volunteered?" Slughorn muttered, his eyes darting around the room. "Preposterous. Can't have known that. Surely. Professor McGonagall asked me, and quite rightly since you would have gotten yourselves killed. Nasty business, don't you think, Professor?"

Professor McGonagall pursed her lips before quickly waving her wand. Ropes snapped around Slughorn and Aberforth, suspending them in mid-air. "Nasty business, indeed," she agreed tightly.

"And we would have gotten away with it too," Aberforth spat, "if it weren't for you meddling kids."

A/N: I went with the HP wiki spelling of Chimaera as well, even though it doesn't seem to be the common spelling...