Chapter 6
It didn't dawn on the trio that they ruined any chance Gryffindor had had on winning the House cup. Realization hit them when they saw Rose in the common room. The trio left her in the dark once again, none of them had the guts to tell her. She didn't look at the trio when they entered. She gave them a distant nod before getting comfortable on the sofa. Heading to the staircase, they could hear her huffing for air with a lonely look plastered on her face. She seemed almost out of breath, did she wake up from a bad dream? Rose wasn't a girl who would talk about her feelings, her go-to response being 'I'm okay' with a bright smile was what made everyone think she was okay.
Deep down was she really okay?
No one knew . . . not even herself.
Morning came about, the story got around about how the famous Harry Potter along with his best friends, lost a hundred and fifty points overnight. From being the Hero of his Quidditch matches, Harry became the most hated. Slytherins were thanking him while the other houses, including his own, couldn't even look at him. Everyone was looking forward to seeing the House cup being taken from Slytherin.
While the story circulated the school, Ron sent a letter to Charlie regarding the illegal Norbert. Unknowing to Ron, Professor Dumbledore had already contacted Charlie Weasley about the concerning matter.
It was decided that Norbert would be sent to Romania.
Rose was unaware of the story circulating but she found it odd her teammates were calling Harry 'the Seeker' during practice.
She whistled to get the twins' attention.
"Don't tell me you don't know Rose," Fred mocked. Rose could only tilt her head at his accusation.
"She doesn't know," George said shocked.
"What did I miss now?"
"Last night Harry, Hermione and Ron snuck out-"
"And got caught-"
"Fifty points each, totally to-"
"A hundred and fifty points lost overnight." Rose had gotten used to the twin's way of explanation. She found it rather joyful, her eyes did not.
"I'm surprised you weren't with them, Rose."
"I'm more surprised you didn't know about this Rose," George said before his brother and he went back to concentrating on practice, leaving Rose to her thoughts.
"Sneaking at night, maybe they didn't tell me because I was in the dormitory or…is it because I can't talk?"
"Rose! Pay attention!" Wood shouted, stopping Rose from thinking any further. She never got to process what she thought.
Rose wasn't able to communicate to Harry much given she couldn't carry her blackboard around when flying.
But even if she would talk, what would she say?
Rose noticed Hermione being quiet in class, something that made Rose feel out of place.
Harry, Ron and Hermione kept to themselves studying for the upcoming exams. Rose joined them, it wasn't as pleasant as she thought it'd be.
"I'd prefer if it was just me who's quiet."
Then again, remembering ingredients to complicated potions and memorizing dates of magical discoveries wasn't anyone's cup of studying.
Days later, notes were delivered to the trio during breakfast regarding their detention.
The day went by fast and now they were currently following Filch outside. It didn't take the trio long to figure out they were serving detention with Hagrid. It wouldn't be so bad. But then again, Malfoy was with them.
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again…If you ask me, hard work and pain are the best teachers. A pity they let the old punishments die out…hang you by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screams." You could hear Malfoy's gulp a mile away. "Right, you'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest." Filch stops walking as he sees Hagrid with a crossbow, sniffling. "Oh, good, God, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?
"Norbert's gone." He said sniffling. "Dumbledore sent him to Romania to live in a colony."
"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind." Hermione said, trying to sound uplifting.
"Yeh, but what if he don' like Romania? Wha' if the other dragons are mean ter him? He's only a baby, after all."
Filch rolls his eyes, "Oh for God's sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all."
"The forest!" Malfoy said alarmed. "I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed! And there are-" A distant howl disrupted his speech, "Werewolves!" He remarks. Suddenly, he felt a cold air on his neck, "AHHH!" He moved away, ending up near Filch. Realizing what he did, he moved away from Filch making him stumble onto the ground.
Everyone laughed, Malfoy shot up, covering his beck with his hand, "Who did that?" She whistled, making herself known. While the others were focused on Hagrid, they didn't notice Rose creep up to Malfoy, who blew on his neck. "Baby Gryffindor? What are you doing here?" To others, that nickname would seem odd, but it's a name Rose has gotten used to. For some reason, Malfoy stuck with it, not that she minded. No one knew what his group was saying to her, but it did make them seem close given the name wasn't insulting.
"Well," Hagrid coughs, "Professor McGonagall brought her here, somethin' about always sleepin' in the library." Rose sheepishly nods as she holds onto his coat. "Righ'. Let's go!"
No one questioned it as sleeping in the library was what Rose is known for, but Hermione found it off. "Wasn't Prissy meant to be here?"
The students stayed with Hagrid as Filch walked off. Hagrid walked through the forest with Rose by his side, the other four students behind them.
They walked along a path until Rose stopped and whistled for attention. She points at a puddle of silver fluid which Hagrid takes and smears it with his fingers.
Harry peered around, "Hagrid, what's that?"
"What we're here fer. See tha'?" He shows them the silver fluid. "That's unicorn's blood, I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's bin injured badly by somethin'. So it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me."
"Okay," Ron whispered, walking to Hagrid as Hermione followed.
"And Harry you'll go with Rose and Malfoy."
The duo nods while Malfoy grimaces. "Okay, then I get Fang!"
"All right, but I warn yeh, he's a bloody coward," Fang whines. "Prissy would've been a better option if she were here."
They parted ways and went to their designated group. The forest was dark and quiet. Rose took lead and the boys followed behind. Even though Draco was holding the lantern behind her, she could see as if it were daytime.
They were heading to the heart of the forest, Rose seemed to be on something but they couldn't tell what. It didn't help that she left her blackboard wither books.
"You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff!" Rose rolled her eyes.
Harry smirked, "If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared."
"Me? Scared, Potter?" He scoffs. A howl was heard from afar which made Rose slow down her pace. "Did you hear that? Come on, Fang." He pulls the leash and walks faster. They keep walking until Rose stops walking into a clearing. Fang stand by Rose and starts growling.
"What is it, Fang?" Harry asks as he stands next to Rose. He looks at the direction Rose is staring at.
A cloaked figure is crouched over a dead unicorn. A beautiful creature, the light from the moon, showing all the features. The figure drinking its' blood raises its head with unicorn blood dripping from its mouth.
Straight away, Harry gasped, feeling pain on his forehead as if his scar was on fire.
"Ahhh!" Draco ran in pure fear with Fang on his tail.
The cloaked figure advances towards Harry. Harry, caught up with his burning scar, staggers backwards and falls. As the figure gets closer, Rose blocks its way.
"Get away Rose!" Rose stands her ground making a sounds almost like growling.
Suddenly there is a sound of Hooves, a figure leaps over the duo, landing between them and the hooded figure. The cloaked figure retreats, flying away.
The leaping figure was no other than a centaur. After a moment, the centaur turned and looked at Rose, who seemed calm.
"I thought Bane and Ronan were joking. Rose, what are you doing here?" Rose smiles in response. "The woods are not safe, Rose. How many times do we have to take you back to Hagrid?" Rose moved aside before the centaur could tell her off any longer, to reveal her friend, who was still on the ground.
"Harry Potter, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at the time. Especially for you."
Rose gives Harry a hand and he gets up. "Thanks," he gestures to Rose before looking at the centaur. "What was that thing you saved us from?"
"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price. You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life. A cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
"But who would choose such a life?"
"Can you think of no one?"
"Do you mean to say…that thing that killed the unicorn, which was drinking its blood . . . that was Voldemort?"
"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
"The Philosopher's stone."
Dog barks were heard. Soon Fang came with Hagrid and the rest of them right behind.
"Harry! Rose!" Hermione exclaims.
"'Ello there, Firenze. I see yer've met our young Mr Potter, you all right there, Harry?" He nods before looking at Firenze.
"Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck. Rose, I hope to not see you again anytime soon." Rose pouts as Firenze galloped away.
"What did he mean?" Harry thought as he looked at Rose.
Detention was over and the four of them say by the fireplace in the common room.
"You mean, You-Know-Who's out there right now in the forest?" Rose could feel the hair on her arms stand up at Hermione's words.
"But he's weak," doing his best to not make it sound like it's a serious matter. He's living off the unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself, he wants the stone for Voldemort," hair from Rose's neck stood up at the name, his name. "With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll…he'll come back."
"I dislike that name very much."
Ron gulped. "And to think, I've been worrying about my Potions final!"
Rose noticed Hermione deep in thought, she patted her shoulder. Hermione gave a quick smile, "We're forgetting one thing." They all looked at her. "Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?"
Rose clicked her fingers at Hermione, as a light bulb lit in her head.
"Of course!"
The boys just shrugged.
"Honesty." Rose sighed, she whistled for attention. She made a triangle with her hands above her head before moving her hand around her chin, like she was stroking something they couldn't see. Hermione smirked, knowing what Rose was doing.
Harry was the first to take a guess, "D-Dumbledore?" Rose nodded.
"As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." Harry smiled a little at her words.
End of year exams was finally over. Rose and Hermione didn't worry about their results compared to the boys. Though Rose was concerned with one of her practical exams, Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, it seems the Professor was expecting a lot from her, but she did her best turning a mouse into a pretty snuffbox.
The trio were walking through the courtyard when Harry's scar started to burn.
"It's happened before," Hermione observes.
"Not like this."
"Perhaps you should see Madam Pomfrey," Ron stated.
"I think it's a warning. It means danger's coming…Uhh!" he starts to rub his scar until someone catches his eye. "Oh, of course!" Harry takes off with Hermione and Ron behind him.
"What is it?" Hermione asks.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one?" They reach Hagrid's hut, seeing him playing the flute.
"I mean, how many people wander around with a dragon egg in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?" They stood in front of Hagrid. "Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?"
He stopped playing to answer. "I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."
"But you both must have talked."
"Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. Rose asked me the same question."
"Rose did?" Hermione interrupted.
"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" said Harry, staying on topic.
"Well, of course, he was interested in Fluffy! Ow often do yeh come across a three-headeed dog?
How often do yeh come across a three-headed dog? But I told him. 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him, Take Fluffy for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep."
The trio gasp.
"I should'n'ta told yeh that. Forget I said it! Hey – Where're yeh goin'?" The trio took off, leaving a flustered Hagrid behind.
The trio dash off to Professor McGonagall's classroom, passing by ghosts to get to her desk.
"We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" Harry said, huffing air.
"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London."
"He's gone? Now? But this is important! It about. . ." He hesitated, "the Philosopher stone!"
"How did you know?" She said shocked. "Did Rose tell you?"
"Rose? She didn't Professor, I think I know – that Sn—that someone's going to try and steal the stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."
McGonagall eyes him with both shock and suspicion. "Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow." She said finally. "If Rose didn't tell you about the stone, I don't know how you three found out about it, but rest assured, it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly." She waited for them to leave before continuing with her work.
After leaving the classroom the trio did have a slight confrontation with Professor Snape.
Hermione and Ron were getting worried.
"What do we do?" Hermione asks.
"We go down the trapdoor. Tonight." Harry replied as they made their way to the Gryffindor common room.
There, they see Rose reading a book.
Hermione walks to her. "What are you doing?"
"Trying to find a spell to put Fluffy to sleep." She wrote.
"Those type of spells are too advance for first years," she pointed out.
Rise sighed and closed the book. "Last resort," she wrote while holding a flute. The trio grinned.
Night-time soon arrived, the four of them, descending the stairs. They walked across the floor until they heard croaking.
Harry looked around until he spotted a frog. "Trevor."
"Trevor shh!" Ron whisper-yelled, "Go, you shouldn't be here!"
"Neither should you," Neville said turning his chair. "You're sneaking out again, aren't you?"
"Now Neville, listen. We were-"
"No!" He interrupted Harry. He stood up to face them, "You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I'll fight you." He clenched his hands into fists, getting into a boxing stance.
"Neville," Hermione said, standing beside Harry. "I'm really, really sorry about this." She takes out her wand. "Petrificus Totalis!" pointing it at Neville. His arms snapped to his sides as his legs closed together making him fall back.
"What did you do to him?" Harry whispered.
"It's the full body-bind."
Ron gulped, "You're a little scary sometimes…you know that? Brilliant, but scary."
They turned and looked at Rose.
"What now?"
"You need to stay back," Hermione said quickly.
"My cloak can't fit all of us and I won't risk you getting in trouble," Harry said. They all looked at her, waiting for her reaction.
She nodded.
"Thank you," said Harry.
"It's for your own good, you know," Ron said before leaving.
Was she going to listen to them and stay behind?
No.
Three students under one invisibility cloak wasn't as easy as the first-years thought. Stepping on each other's foot was the least of their problems. Though their journey to the trapdoor was eventful, Harry pretending to be Bloody Baron, scaring Peeves away. They couldn't afford getting caught, they didn't know the school like the back of their hand yet.
It was Hermione's turn to play the flute, Harry and Ron went down the trapdoor, now all who was left was Hermione. The harp stopped playing the moment the trip opened the door, they were lucky they had a flute to put Fluffy to sleep.
Hermione knew there was a small opening to get down the trapdoor and making Fluffy stay asleep. Just passing the flute to the next person woke them up. The longer she procrastinated on jumping in the trapdoor, the longer she played.
Suddenly she heard the harp being played and looked to see Rose playing it. Rose gestured with her eyes the trapdoor, Hermione took the hint, placing the flute on the floor and jumping in the trapdoor.
Rose continued to play until she saw a beam of light shoot out of the trapdoor.
"They got through the Devil's Snare." She could hear their conversation.
"Whew, Lucky we didn't panic," Ron said.
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Harry deadpanned.
Rose rolled her eyes as she stopped playing. She quickly got to the door and turned to see Fluffy. She tilted her head at him, they copied her.
No barking.
No growling.
Just staring.
"Huh."
Rose closed the door behind her and slowly walked away, it wasn't easy, but Rose finally made it to the Owlery. Avoiding Peeves and Mrs Norris was more difficult than expected.
She looked around and saw owls all around. Given that owls don't know how to open doors, none of the windows had glass, making the place rather cold. Owls had feathers to cover themselves from the draft, but Rose didn't. She would've taken her cloak but given her being short for it, she wasn't going to let it drag owl droppings, something that covered the majority of the floor along with rodent skeletons . . . how comforting.
It didn't take her long to find her owl. Just look at the one hooting at her. Howler is quite the cheeky owl, always needing food in exchange for his services, preferably toast.
"Hope cold toast works."
Even though Rose has had Priscilla longer then she has had Howler, their relationship was strong but peculiar.
She approached Howler and gave him the letter. She then gave him the toast which he ate. She sighed in relief but noticed he wasn't moving.
"To Dumbledore," she gestured with her hands. Howler got the message but didn't move.
Her shoulders sank, "This is going to take longer than expected."
Sure enough, it did.
"For crying out oud Howler! Can you deliver the letter to Dumbledore please," she growled. Howler fluttered his wings in response.
She sighed. Out of nowhere, Hedwig comes and lands on her shoulder, nuzzling her.
"Why can't you be like Hedwig?"
Howler flies and lands on Rose's other shoulder.
"What am I? A tree?" Before long, Hedwig snatched the letter from Howler and began flying with Howler on her tail.
"I should've just asked Hedwig."
Heading back to the trapdoor took Rose three times as long. She felt like she was being watched but no one was there. Her nerves getting the best of her.
She dashed to the door and closed it, coming face to face with Fluffy. They did the most unexpected thing to her.
They whined.
She looked at the harp and it started playing. Fluffy slowly drifted, one head at a time.
It didn't take her long to reach the chessboard as the key were still in the keyhole and majority of the winged-keys were on the door.
As she slowly walked, she could hear chatter.
"Harry, it's you that has to go on. Not me, not me, not Hermione, you. Knight…to H-3." As Rose walked to the Chessboard she heard a crash, seeing Ron unconscious on the ground. Rose dashed towards Ron and checked his vitals.
"Don't move!" He told Hermione. "Don't forget, we're still playing." While they ended the game, Rose attended to Ron.
"Steady pulse."
"How is he?" she asked.
"He'll be okay," Rose wrote with her finger on the dusty ground. "Letter on the way."
"You went to the owlery?" Rose nodded.
"Take care of Ron, get help, Hermione. Rose and I will go on." The girls nodded.
"You're a great wizard, Harry and witch, Rose. Whatever is to come, you will be okay." The duo smiled and left Hermione with Ron.
Harry and Rose walked passed the inanimate chess pieces before standing in front of the door. Harry took a deep breath before pushing it. There, on the ground laid a knocked out troll, bigger than the trio battled during Halloween.
"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," he whispers while Rose nodded. She kept her nose scrunched up, the stench was powerful. She held onto Harry's sleeve as they quickly walked through to the next door, not looking back fearing it might wake up.
They closed the door and turned to see a table with different bottles, neatly placed in a line. Seven to be exact.
"Snape's . . . what do we have to do?" Rose whistles and points to a parchment. Out of the trio, Harry spoke to her as if she could verbally talk, it was refreshing.
As they approached the table, flames erupted all around them. Purple flames blocked the duo from going through the door they entered and black flames covering the door they needed to go through.
They read the paper in silence.
The seven bottles all contained something. Three were poison, two were wine, one would get you through the purple flame, and the other would get you through the black flame. The paper held hints as to which one was which. It was a puzzle…logic over magic. Something Rose knew Hermione would be good at.
Harry's face went grim, the words itself confused him. There was no way he could do it. He turned to Rose, who knew exactly what he was thinking.
Rose walked around the table, carefully looking and smelling the potions. She placed three bottles a step behind the line of bottles and placed two bottles in front.
Before Harry could ask, Rose picks up a bottle from the end of the line and brings it to her mouth.
"Rose!" She takes a sip and passes it to Harry. Harry looks at the bottle then at her, then back again before taking it. He finishes the content of the bottle, like ice flooding his body. He walks to Rose, who was standing in front of the black flames.
"You drank it so I couldn't make you go back." She whistled in response. She grabbed his robe and walked through the black flame.
It took a while before they got passed the fire. They saw a figure standing ahead, someone Harry wasn't expecting to see.
It was Quirrell.
"You?" Harry questions as Quirrell turned around smiling.
"I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here, Potter. But, I wasn't expecting you, Rose. Then again, no one expects you. You just came out of nowhere. I mean, you weren't even on the list of first years attending this year."
