TEN– Through the Trapdoor, The Man with Two Faces

Dumbledore

McGonagall

Sprout

Fltiwick

Snape

Quirrell

Potter, Weasley, and Granger know about the Stone!

You're surprised with all the slinking around they do?

This is serious, Severus, and it puts quite a hole in your theory about one of us letting the troll in OR killing off unicorns. If first years can figure it out, we haven't done our jobs properly at all!

Well be quick about getting word to Albus!

I've already sent off my owl, but who knows what kind of good that will do? Keep an eye out for the three of them; I don't trust they won't do something stupid.

Stupidity is their greatest strength, Minerva!

I'm giving you full permission to breathe down their necks, Severus! Enjoy it. We all need to keep track of where they're going!

And just where will you be, Minerva?

Where they'll probably go next, if they know as much as I think they do.

Don't get eaten by that monster. That would not be particularly pleasant to explain.

I'm not going to go IN, Pomona. …Not unless I hear ferocious snarling, snapping, and chomping.

To make you happy, Minerva, I haven't seen any of the three of your little darlings you asked us to keep an eye out for.

That's because I saw them first!

What? You mean they were on the third floor?

Yes! Well, Potter and Weasley were, I'm not sure where Granger was.

She was outside the staffroom with the utterly ridiculous excuse of needing to speak with Filius.

What do they think is going to happen? Do they really think that –

Clearly, Minerva, they think that someone is going to try to get to the Stone, and they think they can stop it.

That's preposterous! They can't possibly think that they'll ward off whoever might be clever enough to get to the Stone in the first place!

They don't know what's protecting the Stone, Quinirius! That's one of the things that makes it so dangerous they're hovering around the third floor so much. I don't know how to get past Hagrid's cerberus. They can't possibly, and there's a head for each one of them!

Calm down, calm down! Albus will be back tomorrow and we'll let him sort this all out.

Here, here! The only thing us getting excited will do is excite the students, and that will bring about no good whatsoever.

You're right. I still think I'd better check up on them and make sure they stay in their dormitories tonight, at least.

I think that's a fantastic idea! Surely they've realized that if there was anyone attempting to get to the Stone, the night Dumbledore was gone would be the perfect opportunity.

It would be, wouldn't it?

I can't find them!

What? Can't find who? What are you waking me up for?

Potter, Weasley, and Granger! They're not in their rooms. I went through the entire castle, and I can't find them!

Now, now, keep calm! Maybe you just didn't cross paths with them.

No, no! I had Nick and the Fat Friar helping me, they didn't see them either. Oh, no! They can't possibly have been that stupid! Where are they?

Come on, now. All of us will look.

Sure, we will. Then when we find them, you can dock a hundred fifty points from them each and all will be well. Alright, Minerva?

Where's Quirrell?

We can't find three students who know about the Stone and you're worried about Quirrell? He's a full grown man, I think he can handle himself!

That's exactly why I want to find him.

NO! NO! NO! The door is OPEN!

What do you mean? You can't mean that! No one's opened that door!

It's open! I'm telling you it's open!

Don't panic just yet! That doesn't mean anything! We'll have one last look around the castle and THEN we'll start to panic.

Look for Quirrell, first.

I'll do no such thing! I'm finding my students!

If you want to find them alive you'll help me find Quirrell!

Why, Severus?

Because he's the one that let the damned troll in, and he's the one that was out after unicorns!

YOU KNEW AND YOU DIDN'T TELL US?

I tried to warn you! You didn't listen, any of you! And now look where it's gotten us!

That doesn't matter now! What matters is that we find them, all of them! Wake everyone else up! Look everywhere! They HAVE to be found! Oh, no! What have we DONE?

Author's Note

The plot thickens. :)

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