When there was no Hogwarts Express, surrounded by crowds of children and parents, platform nine and three-quarters looked very strange. They sat on a bench with their trunks, staring at the railroad.
"So?" Hermione asked. "How exactly are we going to get to Hogwarts? There are three of us, three trunks, and only one broom to carry it all. Besides, this is going to take many hours. And if we walk on foot – days. We could have just as well stayed at your house and waited till the end of the holidays."
"Oh – well – eh," Ron began. "I should have taken my Shooting Star with me. I wouldn't have used it at school..." then he cut off, glancing at Harry's Nimbus. He probably realized that a Shooting Star would have had no chance keeping up with it.
The sky darkened slowly but steadily. It was cloudy, and without the stars and the moon the platform began to look really creepy. The soup, the ragout and the Chocolate Frogs at the Burrow were a long time ago, and even Hermione felt her stomach growl.
"Maybe we should go into the Muggle world and find a cafe?" Ron suggested. "I have some money."
"You two have Sickles and Knuts," Hermione said. "I have some Muggle money, enough, I think, for a supper in a not very expensive cafe – but what should we do next? We can come to my house, of course, Mom and Dad will be happy – but they surely won't let us go to Hogwarts before the holidays' end."
"It's dark," Harry complained. "We must decide what to do."
Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound coming from below. With a start, all three snatched their wands and pointed to where the sound's source approximately was. A Lumos whispered in unison – and the wands lit up with shining silvery blue light, only to reveal... Ron's rat.
"Scabbers!" Ron cringed and grabbed the runaway. "What are you doing, sneaking around on your own?"
"We have broken the restriction on Underage Magic," Hermione whispered anxiously. "Now the Ministry will get us, and at best watch us closely until the start of the term."
"Well, since we've already done it, there's no point in turning off the light," said Harry. "It's much better than sitting in the night like this. Look how bright and merry everything looks!"
Hermione, ready to curse herself for breaking the main rule and thinking on what Professor McGonagall would say, turned around and said:
"Just for you to know, it's not only because of our wands."
Indeed, a large shiny silvery-blue badger burst out of the wall, leaving a trail of light behind it. It ran happily to the trio, and was soon followed by a blond-haired witch in a thick coat. There it comes, thought Hermione unhappily. Now she knew she was mad ever to agree to this adventure. Not only were they on the platform where they had no business to be without the Hogwarts Express, but they also used the charm. All three of them. Professor McGonagall will be furious! What if she cancels my Liquid Transfiguration lessons she has promised? I've been looking forward to them since September, and now – because of Harry, Ron, and Ron's stupid rat...
"Well?" the stranger asked. "Breaking the Decree on Underage Magic, aren't we? You're lucky I got to you first."
"It was the rat," Ron said. "My pet rat. It scared us."
"Very nice. Then, what were you doing here?"
"Just went to see what it looks like – without the train," said Harry. "We told Ron's brothers we are going to visit Hermione's parents, but we went here instead."
The young woman tsk'ed at that:
"Alright, in that case, let's go. I will take you to the Leaky Cauldron. You must be Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ronald Weasley – am I right?"
"How did you guess?" Ron gave her a suspicious look.
"No one can confuse Harry Potter with anyone else," she smiled. "You are red-haired enough for me to recognize you as the youngest Weasley – I don't remember you from my school times at Hogwarts, but I've seen all your brothers – I only had N.E.W.T.s the year before last."
That lifted some weight from Hermione's heart. A witch who had recently been a student herself wouldn't punish them too harshly.
"And Hermione's not a very common name," their new acquaintance continued. "I thought you, girl, must be the Hermione Granger Professor McGonagall has praised so much."
At these words, it dawned on Hermione:
"You must be – are you Diana Greengrass Professor McGonagall spoke to Seamus about?"
"Right," Diana nodded cheerfully. "Don't worry, I won't complain to her. If you don't used any more magic, that is. I may be a future Auror and a postgraduate at the Ministry, but I was quite the rule-breaker myself at Hogwarts."
Diana's badger faded into thin air, as they walked from the platform back onto the Muggle station. Harry stared at the place where the animal had been:
"Sorry – Miss Greengrass – your pet..."
"It's not a pet," Diana chuckled as she led them to her Mercedes. "It's a Patronus, something created by a very powerful charm and used to repel dangerous Dark spells and creatures. Or – in some cases – lead you in the simple dark when you're searching, for example, for a bunch of troublemakers. It disappears when you have no further need of it."
"Why does it take the form of a badger?" Hermione asked with piqued interest. "Is it because you were a Hufflepuff?"
This question, she guessed, hit a tender spot. Diana's warm smile disappeared, her mouth thinned, and on the whole she wore the same stern expression as Professor McGonagall when angry.
"I was in Slytherin, Miss Granger, and please refrain from personal questions."
In silence they drove further, until the car slowed down in front of the Leaky Cauldron. Seamus Finnigan was sitting inside, having tea with Every Flavor Beans.
"Oh, hi!" he said. "So you are here too?"
"It appears that your friends decided to explore London by themselves," said Diana. "Fortunately I caught up with them before the rest of the Ministry did. Tom! Three rooms for Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, and Miss Granger!"
Their trunks were moved into the new rooms, while Diana ordered a good meal for all of them – Ron let it slip that they were very hungry.
"So, would you like to stay here or are you going to Miss Granger's parents?" Diana wanted to know.
"I think we'll stay in the Cauldron," Hermione said. "Mom and Dad don't know that we're here, I told them I was going to be with the Weasleys for the rest of the holidays."
"I see, you don't want to ruin your good-girl reputation," the woman winked. "They won't be too pleased to learn you've been sneaking around magic London on your own. Fine, you stay, and I will personally make sure you won't use your wands until back at Hogwarts."
Hermione sighed with relief.
"What? Oh, you only used Lumos, and without any Muggles around, it's nothing dangerous. For the first time, the Ministry always issues an official warning, nothing more. I've signalled my elders that I have warned you, so it's all settled. I'll tell Professor McGonagall you decided to visit Mr. Finnigan – you're in the same House, right?"
"When it comes to Ron and me, in the same dorm," Harry nodded.
"Okay. Now, enjoy your supper, I am going. There's still quite a drive to my hotel."
As Diana left, Hermione said in surprise:
"She's not staying herself? But the Leaky Cauldron is the cheapest and most comfortable accommodation around."
"She's a Greengrass, they have loads of money," Ron said bitterly. "She can allow herself to stay at the Sword of Camelot or at the Dragon's Tail."
"No, it's not that," said Seamus. "I saw her being disowned by her family the other day, and she's staying at a Muggle hotel."
Harry and Hermione took the fact calmly – what did it matter for them where the Auror in training stayed? – but Ron, with his knowledge of some of the pure-bloods, was astonished:
"You don't say! A Slytherin! A pure-blood! At a Muggle hotel! Disowned! That sounds like one of the novels Mom likes to read."
"Yeah, I myself was shocked when I witnessed it all. But well – there's bound to be at least one good Slytherin, or the whole House would've been closed long ago."
Ron had no choice but to agree.
The classroom of Defense Against the Dark Arts was empty, save for Quirinus Quirrell himself, who was sitting at his desk unhappily, clutching his bowed head in his hands, as if he had a violent attack of headache. The reality, however, was much worse.
Get to the Stone... Get to the Stone... Let that oaf tell you how to get past the cerberus...
"I can't!" he groaned. "I can't! I'm too weak!"
You know how to deal with the plant?
"Sprout wasn't our Head for nothing!"
You will manage the troll yourself, of course... The keys? Can you catch one? Do you fly?
"I... I was a reserve Beater in my fourth year..."
The chessmen you can beat... With the potions, I will help you... What's the trouble?..
"It w-w-was Christmas D-D-Day n-not l-long ago," Quirrell stuttered like he did in class.
So what? You wanted me to bake you a pudding?..
"I didn't want to stay at Hogwarts."
Even if that idiot ghost wasn't so nosy and didn't get herself in trouble... you have to keep an eye on the Stone...
"But I always... I always..."
Three times it had been, judging by what you told me – and you say "always"?.. Besides, you missed the one last year...
Quirrell replied nothing to this, just let out a heavy, tired sigh. The creature speaking with him seemed to have a bit of mercy – or just needed to keep him from getting cold feet.
When I revive myself and take the power...
"It will be soon," Quirrell said dutifully.
You know as well as I do that I will spare all pure-bloods... regardless of their allegiance... and you can have your woman... If you remain my faithful servant... no one will dare to accuse you of half-blood status again...
The voice grew silent. Quirrell put on his turban back and made himself a glass of cold water. I had promised her, he thought miserably. When I was forced to leave, I promised her that I'd come again this Christmas, to our usual meeting place. He was sure that his master would spare her anyway as she was a pure-blood with faultless heredity, and that he'd be allowed to have her (if he didn't let his master down) – but would she want it? She was headstrong enough to defy her family, one of the most influential clans in wizarding England, why wouldn't she defy his master's orders too if she felt like it? She will understand, he told himself. She said she loves me no matter what.
Shut up...
The Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher almost dropped the glass.
"Master?.."
I have no interest in your weak wails... You'd better think about the Stone...
Quirrell shivered and gulped down the rest of the water. It hardly helped. If Snape hadn't been so suspicious of him, he'd have gone to him and asked for some potion for the nerves. I'm not in control even of my own thoughts anymore... I am so very, very weak, unworthy of serving the master.
If you don't make yourself useful, Quirinus Quirrell, I might change my mind... Half-bloods are indeed much, much below the pure-blood ones... I might even think again about sparing you after getting a new body...
"No!" Quirrell yelled, frightened. Focus, focus. The Stone, the Stone. The Philosopher's Stone. Focus.
The door opened, and Pomona Sprout looked inside:
"Everything all right, Quirinus?"
"Y-y-yes, Pr-professor S-Sprout," he hastily assured her. "I j-j-just ac-c-cidentally sp-spilled th-the w-w-water on m-my r-r-robes."
"Oh," Pomona smiled. "I thought I heard you yelling as if someone's trying to jinx you."
"N-n-no, it's all f-f-fine h-h-here..."
After looking at him doubtfully again, she closed the door. Quirrell sank into the chair, biting his lip to stop groaning with pain.
The boy... Watch out... If an opportunity presents itself once more...
"I almost threw him off that time!" Quirrell whispered. "If it wasn't for Snape's countercurse and the girl who stumbled over me..."
That girl has more brains than you... you should have arranged Severus's absence somehow...
Quirrell physically had to grimace to prevent himself from thinking about his master in a way that wouldn't be tolerated. It was all very easy for him, hiding inside the turban and giving orders! He didn't have that awful Severus Snape trying to use Legilimency on him! He didn't have to watch over a ghost who had a different reaction to the Killing Curse that living beings! He didn't have to worry about her...
One more thought of her, you fool, and you are dead.
"Yes, master," Quirrell said hurriedly.
"We can say goodbye to the plan," Harry said as soon as they gathered in his room, out of Seamus Finnigan's earshot. "This Miss Greengrass will watch us."
"And another use of underage magic will get us expelled," Hermione said firmly. Ron snickered:
"You sound like it's worse than Dark magic."
Hermione blushed, but sensed that it was quite true. She was afraid of Dark magic – very afraid of Dark magic – but subconsciously she believed that it could be dealt with. Eventually. But getting expelled? That was something from her worst nightmares, something that would end her life.
"I'll try to think about it – maybe we'll figure out another way," Harry said hesitantly.
But in the morning, they still had no ideas. Seamus slept late, and only the three of them gathered for breakfast.
"If they caught him, it would be announced," Hermione said. "Professor McGonagall will of course tell us when the school is safe..."
"That's the worst!" Harry smashed his fist on the table. "We're sitting here and doing nothing, and meanwhile Quirrell will shoot Unforgivables at the whole of Hogwarts..."
"What did you say?" another voice intruded, and Diana Greengrass came inside, taking off her coat.
"Erm," Harry tried to look as if they were discussing Chocolate Frog cards, but their guilty looks couldn't deceive an Auror – even a future Auror.
"You were talking nonsense, as I recall," Diana said as she joined them at their table. "Something about Professor Quirrell shooting Unforgivables."
All of a sudden, an idea came to Hermione. Why not confess everything to Miss Greengrass? She's young enough to take them seriously, but experienced enough to be able to help. Feeling a surge of bravery, she blurted out the whole story – the Gringotts break-in, the Quidditch match, the Grey Lady being cursed, and their suspicions. Diana listened quietly, but went very white:
"There – there must be some mistake," she said. "Quiri... Professor Quirrell is not a Dark wizard. It can't be."
"Who else, then?" Harry cried. "You have been at Hogwarts for seven years – you must have some opinion! Snape?"
"Professor Snape," she corrected him, some color returning to her cheeks. "If I may remind you, I was in his House, and he's absolutely wonderful to us. And no, you're wrong, the Slytherins don't secretly practice Dark spells in the dungeons. As for your question, Mr. Potter, there is no teacher at Hogwarts I can accuse of such a crime."
"It must be Professor Quirrell," Harry pressed on. "He behaves odd. Stutters all the time. L-l-like th-th-this."
"Are you sure?" Diana whispered. "What – what is – why is he teaching Defense then?"
"That's what interests us! He says he had an unpleasant encounter with vampires somewhere, and now he stammers and is paranoid."
"It doesn't sound like him – doesn't sound like him at all," the young Auror murmured, more to herself than to the children. "I must go to Hogwarts. Immediately."
"You will?" Hermione exclaimed gratefully.
"Of – of course," Diana swallowed. "I will tell Mr. Moody that I need – to – go away – and he'll assign someone else to watch over you. I will Apparate to Hogsmeade in the evening. It – I – I can – I hope I can find out what Quirinus is up to."
She stood up abruptly and stormed out.
"She went almost as nervous as Quirrell himself," Ron said disapprovingly. "Who's to say she's good for the job?"
"She is training as an Auror, Ron, which means she's certainly better than either of us. By the way," Hermione said. "Have you noticed? She called Professor Quirrell by name. She must know him."
"Of course she knows him!" said Harry. "She must have studied under him – she is obviously an expert on Muggle life, with her car and clothing, and he was teaching Muggle Studies when she was at Hogwarts."
"Do we speak of our professors as of 'Minerva' or 'Severus' or 'Pomona'?" Hermione chuckled. "No, no, she must know him better than as a student."
But Harry wasn't listening. He was lost in thoughts about something else.
"Harry?"
"That's our chance!" he cried. "Miss Greengrass has left to tell that Moody of theirs about her going away. It is bound to take some time – he'll have to listen to her, grant her leave, then find someone to replace her as our guard... We have an hour, I think, if not more, to sneak away to Hogwarts ourselves!"
"Now, I am taking no further part in this foolishness!" Hermione snapped. "Thanks to your ideas, I have received a warning from the Ministry. If you want to be expelled, go ahead, sneak away to Gringotts for all I care."
"But Hermione! That Philosopher's Stone..."
"...will be retrieved by Miss Greengrass or some other experienced wizard."
She couldn't believe the boys wanted to proceed with their madness. How could they? I'll look at you two when you get thrown out of the school!
Their argument had to be put off at the moment, though, as Seamus came down the stairway, yawning:
"Morning! Want a game of Exploding Snap?"
"Why do you need a day off, Miss Greengrass?" Mad-Eye Moody barked, both his normal and his magical eye staring at his student. "You can't waste time if you truly want your training!"
"I need to see my Muggle friends."
Calm, relaxed, looking straight into the eye. But the senior Auror wasn't deceived by the tricks he taught her himself.
"Do you want me to use Veritaserum?"
He won't, he won't, she tried to convince herself. Veritaserum is too precious, and it takes very long to brew it. They need it for criminals.
"I gave you a day off at Christmas at your request, and even then, if not for Professor McGonagall, I would have hesitated," he said. "Do you think you have your holidays like at school? Do you maybe think criminals have holidays too? How many times do I have to remind you about CONSTANT VIGILANCE?!"
"Thank you, sir, I remember all about it. But it's urgent."
Does he have secret skills in Legilimency? I hope he doesn't. Anyway, I should prepare myself... Diana's Defense teacher in her seventh year told them a little about Legilimency and Occlumency, and at her insistence Professor Snape gave her several practical lessons. She was in no way a skilled Occlumens, but better than nothing, at least.
"Something to do with Hogwarts, right?"
"Y-you know?" she whispered.
"Do you think Dumbledore didn't inform me of the situation? The moment it worsens, I will despatch Aurors."
"But it's already terrible!"
"Miss Greengrass, Hogwarts professors are more skilled than you are. Believe me, had I an endless supply of newbies, I would have sent you, if you so insist – nothing is better than practice. But there are too few of you, and I can't risk green youths dying from Unforgivables."
"Sir..."
"That's my last word!" he banged his walking stick on the desk. "Miss Greengrass, a proper task for you. Anterhurst, Evesham, suspected werewolves. Go!"
"Mr. Moody..."
"Anterhurst, Evesham! At once! You'll be accompanying a group from our Third Class Emergency Department!"
"But yet..."
"And if you aren't CONSTANTLY ON YOUR GUARD, don't blame me if you start to howl at the moon!" with a pop, Alastor Moody Disapparated, leaving a confused and crestfallen Diana Greengrass.
No, I can't leave like that. I need to know what's the matter.
She rushed home – Christmas was past, so she checked out of the hotel early in the morning – and hastily wrote a letter, which she addressed to Prof. Quirrell, Hogwarts. Her eagle-owl Elfric looked at her knowingly.
"Come on, Elfric," she said. "You know Quirinus well, you'll find him."
The owl hooted affectionately.
"Return here, and only here. I'm now disowned anyway, so Greengrass House is no longer your home."
She was sure there was a guilty look in his golden eyes. Owls do understand us better than we give them credit for, Diana mused, watching Elfric float out of the window with the letter attached to his leg. If Elfric felt guilty, it was for a good reason – it was his mistake that led to them being discovered. He brought a letter from Quirinus to Greengrass House and was careless enough to enter through the living room window. Seeing the Hogwarts sigil on the envelope, Titus Greengrass thought it was some official business that needed a parent's attention – and opened it.
The following scenes were something Diana would have loved to forget. If I ever get myself locked up in Azkaban, I know what I will be forced to think of. Her father forced her to swallow Veritaserum, she tried to bite off her tongue, but knew better all the time – this truth potion couldn't be fought. Mother had a hysterical breakdown, and Father flew to Hogwarts at once, taking Diana with him. Before her eyes he tried to kill Quirinus, only stopped by a timely Expelliarmus from Snape. Professor Dumbledore came to help, and he managed to save Quirinus from death or imprisonment in Azkaban. Technically, the worst he got was a forced sabbatical, "to let the rumor die down", as Dumbledore said.
But Dumbledore's influence didn't spread to the Greengrass family.
"You are – never – to – see – this – Mudblood – again," Titus Greengrass hissed that evening. "This – year – we – will – oversee – your – training."
"And then you'll be married to Arnold," said Amelia Greengrass in what she believed to be a soothing tone.
During that year, Diana's only consolation was Quirinus's last promise to come back after the sabbatical and meet her on Christmas Day of 1991, at the Russell Square Hotel. She had a nice time, however, ruining her wedding day – Arnold Umbridge made such a good toad, very much like his awful aunt Dolores. Professor McGonagall should have given me O instead of E for my Transfiguration N.E.W.T.
Alastor Moody, whatever his faults were, was impressed and refused to stop Diana's training.
"You are Titus Greengrass, huh?" he asked. "Tell me, then! How many criminals did you catch with your bare hands?" and he demonstrated his own hands in such a way that one could think he wanted to strangle Mr. Greengrass. That's how Diana still stayed under Moody's tutelage.
"Serves young Arnold right," he commented. "That's what happens when you don't have CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
The months passed quickly, until Christmas arrived. And went. No one but Diana herself came to the Russell Square Hotel. He must have found himself another, she thought bitterly. Someone whose parents aren't obsessed with these medieval traditions. Someone cleverer...
But then there were these first years, telling her how Quirinus has changed. Oh no, maybe it's far worse. What if he had been influenced by Dark magic? What if – he's under the Imperius Curse?
At the thought, Diana regretted her rashness in sending the letter. So much for Moody's CONSTANT VIGILANCE... With the Aurors she was assigned to work with, she Apparated to Evesham, still hoping that Dumbledore will find out whatever's going at his dear school and whatever has happened to her dear Quirinus.
Moody came to see their group off at the last moment, to inform her that Tonks will take her place in watching over the Hogwarts students. At least I needn't worry about that. There are nice children, but in my present state I have no mood to deal with them. Especially that Miss Granger, with her questions. How quickly she figured that my Patronus was the badger of Hufflepuff! Merlin's beard, thankfully she doesn't and won't ever know everything necessary to come close to the truth. Not that I have to worry – after my little joke involving Arnold, there is a definite enough opinion of me in the wizarding world. But I don't want anyone to get the wrong idea of Quirinus.
