Disclaimer: Harry Potter and friends belong to J.K. Rowling. I make no money from this story.
**Any print in italics is quoted directly from J.K. Rowling. I will note which book it was taken from at the bottom of the chapter.**
WARNING: THIS STORY WILL BE RATED M FOR FUTURE CHAPTERS.
A/N: Sorry my faithful readers for missing a week, in return I promise to post 2 chapters. Here is the next one.
Please, if you see any glaring grammar errors, please let me know so I can correct them.
-Cosmyk
Chapter 6:
"I can't believe I didn't think of it before," Herman said as he dropped a huge tome on the table in front of Harriet and Rhonda. It landed with a loud *THUNK*, causing Madam Pince to glare at them from across the room.
"I checked it out of the library before the break for a bit of light reading," he said.
Rhonda goggled at him. "Light reading?" her voice was incredulous.
To his credit, Herman ignored the comment.
"It's all right here. 'Among his other accomplishments, Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Sorcerer's Stone, an object that is said to be the source of the elixir of life which will make the drinker immortal," he read.
"So that's what the Dog is guarding," Harry whispered.
"That must be why Snape let the troll in the Dungeons on Halloween. He must have been limping because he tried to get past that Three-headed dog." Rhonda whispered back.
"I told you, I don't think it is Professor Snape, I think it must be Professor Quirrel who is after the stone. I told you the guy creeps me out." Harriet replied fiercely.
"Snape was jinxing your broom during the match. We saw him. He was staring straight at your broom and his lips were moving. Your broom didn't settle down until I set his robes on fire. Also, why would he have been bitten by that dog if he wasn't trying to steal the stone?" Herman asked, his brow furrowed in frustration. Harriet could tell he was convinced Snape was the guilty party.
"I wonder what Hagrid is up to?" Harriet mused, watching the big man attempting to slip out of the library with a large book behind his back.
Herman looked over at him and frowned. "He's probably trying to find information on some forbidden animal. I've heard whispers that he has a fondness for strange creatures.
As Hagrid moved past their table, he spoke up again. "Hey Hagrid, what do you have there?" He asked, gesturing at the book.
Startled, Hagrid dropped the book. A quick glance at the book revealed the title: Dragon Breeding for Pleasure & Profit by Bin Skalded.
Hagrid scooped up the book and hastily tucked it inside his mole-skin coat. "Er, I'm jus' checkin' it out fer a friend," he stammered. His gaze turned to Harriet. "I've bin meanin' to tell yuh, I knew yer parents, Harriet. If yuh ever want tuh come have tea wif me, I'd be happy ter tell yuh 'bout them." He glanced around the table, "yer friends are welcome tuh come to."
Harriet smiled up thoughtfully at him. "That's very thoughtful Hagrid, we'd love to. We'll be by this afternoon after classes if you aren't busy."
"Nope, not busy, see yuh then." Hagrid whispered. He hastily slipped out of the library, unnoticed by Madame Pince who was currently in the process of scolding a second-year Slytherin for damaging a book.
"Why did you agree to have tea with him?" Herman asked, puzzled.
"There are two reasons. First, he seems to be fascinated with magical creatures so he might know more about that dog, and second, it might be nice to hear someone else's point of view about my parents. The only person who's told me anything about them is Uncle Toby and he admits he might be a bit biased concerning my dad as they never got along very well." Harriet replied, frowning.
"I hope he's not thinking of breeding dragons," Rhonda whispered, "that's highly illegal."
"Well, if he is, we will just have to try and convince him it is a bad idea, he seems rather harmless, I know Neville Longbottom sometimes takes tea with him." Herman whispered.
The conversation slowly turned back to homework. Rhonda kept plying Herman with questions about the Herbology assignment she was working on. Harriet chewed on the feather of her quill as she thought about what to put in her potions essay. Finally, frustrated, she closed the book she was studying and stood up.
"What's wrong?" Rhonda asked.
"I can't concentrate right now," it was a half-truth, but she worried about telling them the real truth, "I think I'll go write to Uncle Toby. He should be back from his business trip now." She loaded her bag and slipped out of the library.
Dear Uncle Toby,
I hope you had a good business trip. School is fun, I am really learning a lot. I wish I could invite my friends over this summer, but I know your work schedule won't permit it. Did you get your Christmas present? My friends are worried that my potions professor is trying to kill me, but I don't think he is. He may be very strict and a bit biased towards the Slytherins – oh, that's one of the Hogwarts houses, by the way, but I don't think he means me any harm, he is a professor after all. My Defense teacher is a coward and rather creepy though. He wears a huge garlic-scented turban and stutters. We aren't really learning much in his class. Sometimes when I'm in his class or in the great hall my scar will start to hurt. I've gone to the nurse, but she thinks I am studying too hard. My friends and I are going to meet Mr. Hagrid for tea today. He is the grounds-keeper and really into animals. We want to ask him about a three-headed dog we encountered the other day. You would probably get a kick out of seeing one of those. The thing was huge, at least ten-feet tall. It looked almost like the picture of the Cerberus you showed me in that Greek Mythology book a couple of years ago. Anyway, I better go, potions class starts in a few minutes and Professor Snape will dock points if I am late.
Love,
Harriet
Harriet read over the letter carefully and satisfied with the way things were worded, she sealed the parchment, pressing the amulet she wore around her neck to it to seal it. Now her uncle would be the only person who could open the letter. She knew she wasn't supposed to be writing to him, but she felt he needed to know what was going on in the school.
Grabbing her book bag, she headed to the owlery to send her letter.
A/N: Because Hagrid wasn't the one to take her to Diagon Alley, Harriet hasn't become friends with him yet. Also, the amulet isn't a port-key or anything else like that. It has only one function, to make things untraceable. That is why she pressed it to the letter. If anyone is tracking her mail, they won't be able to find its destination or origin. It is also one of the reasons Dumbledore was unable to track her after she disappeared from Potter Cottage.
