"We should go back in," Harry said, touching down onto the grass beside Draco. Blaise landed beside Harry a second later on an old Comet that he'd borrowed off of a second year.

"One more round," Draco said, holding a hand out to Blaise. Blaise handed the broom and a large branch, and pulled out his wand.

"It's getting late," Harry insisted.

"Don't worry so much," Draco said. "Alright, Blaise. Let's go." Draco kicked off from the ground, stopping several yards above the pair to look down at Harry. "Come on, then."

Harry conceded and kicked off from the ground, nodding at Blaise when he was a bit higher up that Draco. Blaise muttered a spell under his breath. A pinecone that Draco had enlarged earlier to the size of a basketball flew up into the air. Harry's eyes were still searching around for the small acorn that Draco had enchanted hours ago, though. He could see it just in front of one of the goalposts.

Just as he was flying towards it, he saw movement out of the corner of his eye. Harry turned to see Draco swing his branch at the pinecone, rocketing the object towards him. Harry dived and spun out of the way. He looked back towards the goalposts, but the acorn was gone.

This kind of training had been Draco's idea, since they weren't allowed to use the actual Quidditch balls outside of practice. They had started a little over two hours ago, with Draco and Blaise switching positions each time that harry caught the acorn.

As much as Harry hated the regimen, he had to admit it helped him fly better. It was only about a week ago that he'd returned to the Common Room after practice, barely able to move from being hit by the Bludger so many times. Now he only had one or two bruises from the impacts, and none that hurt too badly. Not that Harry would admit to Draco that this practice was a good idea. He had a sneaking suspicion that Draco took a bit too much pleasure in pelting him with pinecones. Any kind of encouragement would not bode well for Harry.

The one round that Draco had insisted on turned into four, and it was well past curfew before the three made their way back towards the castle.

"Quiet," Harry whispered. He glanced just inside the door, breathing out a relieved breath when no one was standing guard there. He walked inside, carefully gesturing for Draco and Blaise to follow him. When he turned back around, he froze.

Two pinpricks of light were shining out from the shadows near the door to the dungeons. "Is that—"

"It's Mrs. Norris," Draco whispered urgently. Sure enough, the cat jumped out from the shadows and meowed almost teasingly at them.

"Mrs. Norris?" a rough old voice called from somewhere just beyond the cat.

"He's coming up from the dungeons," Blaise whispered. Harry felt a hand grab the arm of his robes, and then he was being jerked backwards. "Come on!"

Harry turned around, jogging after Draco and Blaise as they raced up the stairs. Harry wasn't sure how long they ran for, or how many flights up they were.

"In here," Blaise said, reaching for a door. He cursed when it was locked and pulled out his wand.

"Stupid," Draco muttered under his breath, shoving Blaise aside. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at the door. "Alohomora," he said. Harry heard a click, and Draco opened the door, ushering them both inside.

"How'd you do that?" Harry asked, still looking at the door. He turned around when he didn't hear an answer. Harry stumbled a step back, his eyes wide. A giant dog with three heads was standing in the middle of the room, seeming just as shocked to see the three boys. The dog got over it's shock faster, though, and started growling, each head leaning towards one of the Slytherins.

"Out!" Blaise yelled. "Open the bloody door! Filch is better than this thing." With all three of them scrambling for the doorknob, it took a few moments before Harry pushed their hands away and was able to open the door. Trying to get out of the room as quickly as possible, they ended up falling to the floor in a pile on the landing outside.

"What was that thing?" Blaise asked, breathing hard and still staring at the door in fear. Harry just shook his head in disbelief.

"Some security system," Draco muttered in shock. "Whatever's there must be bloody important."

"What are you going on about?" Harry asked, looking at Draco as though he'd lost his mind. Honestly. They'd almost their heads taken off by a giant dog that frankly didn't need any more heads. And Draco was going about it guarding something. And he was supposed to be the smart one. Idiot.

"You didn't see what it was standing on?" Draco asked, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Why, did it have twelve feet?" Blaise asked sarcastically. "Because in case you didn't notice, it had a couple too many heads."

"It was standing on a trap door," Draco said. He was looking back at the door as though it were a puzzle he couldn't quite figure out.

Harry leaned back against the banister behind him, wondering if that was part of being a wizard. Not being shocked by these kinds of things. If he'd grown up around it… No, actually it would still be terrifying.

"Hey, Harry," Draco started, finally tearing his eyes away from the door to look at Harry. "What was it you said about that break-in at Gringott's?"

"Um, it was the same vault Hagrid and I went to," Harry said, not entirely sure what Draco was getting at.

"Yeah, and Hagrid said Hogwarts was a safer place, right?" Draco asked.

Harry raised his eyebrows, finally piecing it together. He looked back at the door. "You think that dog's guarding whatever Hagrid took from the vault?"

"Why not?" Draco asked.

"Look, guys," Blaise interrupted. "Brilliant and everything, but we need to get back before Filch catches us. I'd rather deal with that dog than my parents if I get expelled."