Here's the next chapter!

Thanks to:

TwilightEclps - Thanks for the review.

The readers son - Glad you like the story and thanks for your review!

Raine44354 - I know! I had to have him at least a little nicer to Harry since he's going to end up with Snape's daughter...or else she'd not like her father anymore...I like the idea of a nicer Snape anyway. =D

GinnyLover14 - Like I said to Raine, I wanted to make Snape a little nicer (not like fullblown personality change). I'm also slowly but surely changing Draco's personality...I'm thinking about making it a Harry/Hikosu/Draco triangle with Draco having unrequited love or something.

Ella-Riella - Aww, thanks!

TheBeginingsEnd - Thanks for the review!

Chapter Nine

The Midnight Duel

Harry had never believed he would meet a boy he hated more than Dudley, but that was before he met Draco Malfoy. Hikosu, and Cael by extension, thought differently. The silver eyed girl could see through the act – Draco Malfoy was an innocent boy who was hurt by the rejection Harry had shown him on their arrival at Hogwarts. He had been raised by muggle and half-blood haters, so how was he to know any better?

The female Animalia thought that next term she would sit at the Slytherin table and get to know the little blond haired 'annoyance' – as dubbed by her best friend.

Still, first-year Griffindors only had Potions with the Slytherins, so Harry didn't have to put up with Draco that much. Or at least, they didn't until they spotted a notice pinned up in the Gryffindor common room that made them all groan. Flying lessons would be starting on Thursday – and Gryffindor and Slytherin would be learning together.

There was at least one major problem. Hikosu was afraid of heights.

"Typical," said Harry darkly. "Just what I always wanted. To make a fool of myself on a broomstick in front of Malfoy." He said, lightly stroking Hikosu's hair as they sat in the library.

He had been looking forward to learning to fly more than anything else.

At least you're not afraid of heights, Harry. I don't want to learn…period. The silver eyed girl sighed as she stretched out in the emerald eyed boy's lap.

"You don't know that you'll make a fool of yourself," said Ron reasonably. "Anyway, I know Malfoy's always going on about how good he is at Quidditch, but I bet that's all talk."

Draco certainly did talk about flying a lot. He complained loudly about first years never getting on the house Quidditch teams and told long, boastful stories that always seemed to end with him narrowly escaping Muggles in helicopters. He wasn't the only one, though: the way Seamus Finnigan told it, he'd spent most of his childhood zooming around the countryside on his broomstick.

Cael had assured the silver eyed Animalia over and over again that it was perfectly normal not to like flying. Not everyone was cut out for it, but she could find flying fun when she rode some sort of magical animal.

Even Ron would tell anyone who'd listen about the time he'd almost hit a hang glider on Charlie's old broom. Everyone from wizarding families talked about Quidditch constantly. Ron had already had a big argument with Dean Thomas, who shared their dormitory, about soccer. Ron couldn't see what was exciting about a game with only one ball where no one was allowed to fly. Harry had caught Ron prodding Dean's poster of West Ham soccer team, trying to make the players move.

Severus had done his best to reassure his daughter that she would only have to fly for the lesson and then, if she was still feeling down, he would teach her more about nonverbal magic. That had perked the young Animalia right up.

Neville had never been on a broomstick in his life, because his grandmother had never let him near one. Privately, Harry felt she'd had good reason, because Neville managed to have an extraordinary number of accidents even with both feet on the ground.

Hermione Granger was almost as nervous about flying as Neville was. This was something you couldn't learn by heart out of a book – not that she hadn't tried. At breakfast on Thursday she bored them all stupid with flying tips she'd gotten out of a library book called Quidditch Through the Ages. Hikosu had half a mind to tell Cael to bite her just to make her shut up, but, then again, she wasn't that cruel. Cael wouldn't have bitten her anyway.

Neville was hanging on to her every word, desperate for anything that might help him hang on to his broomstick later, but everyone else was pleased when Hermione's lecture was interrupted by the arrival of the mail.

Harry hadn't had a single letter since Hagrid's note, something that Malfoy had been quick to notice, of course. Malfoy's eagle owl was always bringing him packages of sweets from home, which he opened gloatingly at the Slytherin table.

A barn owl brought Neville a small package from his grandmother. He opened it excitedly and showed them a glass ball the size of a large marble, which seemed to be full of white smoke. Harry felt a small twinge of jealousy when Hikosu leaned over Neville's shoulder in curiosity. She had taken an interest in magical items ever since they had gone to Diagon Alley.

"It's a Remembrall!" he explained, a small blush dusting across his face. "Gran knows I forget things – this tells you if there's something you've forgotten to do. Look, you hold it tight like this and if it turns red – oh…" his face fell, because the Remembrall had suddenly glowed scarlet, "…you've forgotten something…"

The young Animalia let out a soundless giggle at the expression on Neville's face. Harry felt his stomach twinge again as his jealousy surfaced once again.

Neville was trying to remember what he'd forgotten when Draco Malfoy, who was passing the Gryffindor table, snatched the Remembrall out of his hand.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet. They were half hoping for a reason to fight Malfoy, but Professor McGonagall, who could spot trouble quicker than any teacher in the school, was there in a flash.

"What's going on?"

"Malfoy's got my Remembrall, Professor."

Scowling, Malfoy quickly dropped the Remembrall back on the table.

"Just looking," he said, and he sloped away with Crabbe and Goyle behind him.

At three-thirty that after noon, Harry, Ron, Hikosu, Cael, and the other Gryffindors hurried down the front steps onto the grounds for their first fling lesson. It was a clear, breezy day, and the grass rippled under their feet as they marched down the sloping lawns toward a smooth, flat lawn on the opposite side of the grounds to the forbidden forest, whose trees were swaying darkly in the distance.

The Slytherins were already there, and so were twenty broomsticks lying in neat lines on the ground. Harry had heard Fred and George Weasley complain about the school booms, saying that some of them started to vibrate if you flew to high, or always flew slightly to the left.

Their teacher, Madam Hooch, arrived. She had short, gray hair, and yellow eyes like a hawk.

"Well, what are you all waiting for?" she barked. "Everyone stand by a broomstick. Come on, hurry up."

Harry glanced down at his broom. It was old and some of the twigs stuck out at odd angles. Hikosu stood next to him; her broomstick didn't fare much better. There were scratches and scuffs all along the surface of the handle of the broom.

"Stick out your right hand over your broom," called Madam Hooch at the front, "and say 'UP!'"

"UP!" everyone shouted.

Harry's broom jumped into his hand at once, but it was one of the few that did. Hermione Granger's had simply rolled over on the ground, and Neville's hadn't moved at all. Perhaps brooms, like horses, could tell when you were afraid, thought Harry, sending the thought to the girl beside him. Her broom had twitched, as if sensing her nervousness. Of course, she did have to use nonverbal magic, so it was harder for her. There was a quaver in Neville's voice that said only too clearly that he wanted to keep his feet on the ground.

Madam Hooch then showed them how to mount their brooms without sliding off the end, and walked up and down the rows correcting their grips. Harry and Ron were delighted when she told Draco he'd been doing it wrong for years, but Hikosu just shot them and exasperated glare.

"Now, when I blow my whistle, you kick off from the ground, hard." Said Madam Hooch. "Keep your brooms steady, rise a few feet, and then come straight back down by leaning forward slightly. On my whistle – three – two –"

But Neville, nervous and jumpy and frightened of being left on the ground, pushed off hard before the whistle had touched Madam Hooch's lips.

"Come back, boy!" she shouted, but Neville was rising straight up like a cork shot out of a bottle – twelve feet – twenty feet. Harry saw his scared white face look down at the ground falling away, saw him gasp, slip sideways off the broom and –

WHAM – a thud and a nasty crack and Neville lay face down on the grass in a heap. His broomstick was still rising higher and higher, and started to drift lazily toward the forbidden forest and out of sight.

Bloody Hell! Please tell me that Neville's alright…he's okay, right? Hikosu whispered, voice laced with horror. Her animal guide shook his head as he sat by her side.

I'm not sure, little one. Would you like me to accompany him to the Hospital Wing? I'll be able to tell you he's alright… he wouldn't admit it, but the strong and tough Cael was worried about the Gryffindor. Hikosu nodded her head and the white wolf trotted to Madam Hooch's side. She was bending over Neville, her face as white as his.

"Broken wrist," Harry heard her mutter. "Come on, boy – it's all right, up you get."

She turned to the rest of the class.

"None of you is to move while I take this boy to the hospital wing! You leave those brooms where they are or you'll be out of Hogwarts before you can say 'Quidditch.' Come on, dear."

Neville, his face tear-streaked, clutching his wrist, hobbled off with Madam Hooch, who had her arm around him.

No sooner were they out of earshot than Malfoy burst into laughter. Hikosu gave him a disappointed look and, for a split second, she thought she saw him flinch, but it must have been a trick of the light. He was still laughing.

"Did you see his face, the great lump?"

The other Slytherins joined in.

"Shut up, Malfoy," snapped Parvati Patil. The Animalia would have said something if she could, but Cael had gone with Madam Hooch. She was forced to resort to placing her hand on Draco's shoulder and shaking her head.

"Ooh, sticking up for Longbottom?" said Pansy Parkinson, a hard-faced Slytherin girl. "Never thought you'd like fat little cry-babies, Parvati."

"Look!" said Draco, darting forward and snatching something out of the grass. "It's that stupid thing Longbottom's gran sent him."

The Remembrall glittered in the sun as he held it up.

"Give that here, Malfoy," said Harry and Hikosu tightened her grip on Draco's shoulder. He sent her a look; it was like he was crossed between two different emotions, but the worse one took a hold of him.

Draco smiled nastily.

"I think I'll leave it somewhere for Longbottom to find – how about – up a tree?"

"Give it here!" Harry yelled, but Draco had leapt onto his broomstick and taken off. Everyone gasped; he had grabbed Hikosu around the waist and pulled her onto the broomstick in front of him. She gave out a silent scream as they flew away; Draco hadn't been lying, he could fly well. Hovering level with the topmost branches of an oak he called,

"Come and get it, Potter!"

Harry grabbed his broom, royally pissed off.

"No!" shouted Hermione Granger. "Madam Hooch told us not to move – you'll get us all into trouble."

"Oh, and you want him to torment Hikosu even more?" Harry replied, ignoring her. Blood was pounding in his ears. He mounted the broom and kicked hard against the ground and up, up he soared; air rushed through his hair, and his robes whipped out behind him – and in a rush of fierce joy he realized he'd found something he could do without being taught – this was easy, this was wonderful. He pulled his broomstick up a little to take it even higher, and heard screams and gasps of girls back on the ground and an admiring whoop from Ron.

He turned his broomstick sharply to face Draco in midair. He looked stunned, but Hikosu looked terrified.

None of the first years saw the glint of yellow eyes shining from within the forbidden forest. She had travelled far and wide in search for her Animalia and finally…his bond had pulled her towards Hogwarts. She had finally found her. She watched, hidden in the shadows as his anger grew – how dare that boy lay his hands upon his Mistress!

"Give it here," Harry called, "or I'll knock you off that broom!"

"Oh, yeah?" said Draco, trying to sneer, but looking worried.

Harry knew, somehow, what to do. He leaned forward and grasped the broom tightly in his hands, and it shot forward towards Draco like a javelin. Draco only just got out of the way in time; Harry made a sharp about-face and held the broom steady. A few people below were clapping.

"No Crabbe and Goyle up here to save your neck, Malfory," Harry called.

The same thought seemed to have struck Draco, but he glanced at the cowering form in front of him. Harry saw this, but didn't know what he was about to do.

"Catch it if you can, then!" he shouted, and he threw the glass ball high into the air and streaked back toward the ground.

Harry saw, and as though in slow motion, the ball rise up in the air and then start to fall. He leaned forward and pointed his broom handle down – next second he was gathering speed in a steep dive, racing the ball – wind whistled in his ears, mingled with the screams of people watching – he stretched out his hand – a foot from the ground he caught it, just in time to pull his broom straight, and he toppled gently onto the grass with the Remembrall clutched safely in his fist.

While the group was distracted, Hikosu had been jarred when Draco threw the Remembrall. Before the blond wizard could react she had slipped off the broom – it was easy enough since she was riding sidesaddle. Nobody heard her terrified scream, but Draco's shout was enough to bring the attention back towards the air. He looked on, horrified, but he quickly began a dive to catch her.

"Hikosu!" Harry shouted, stumbling forward. Nobody knew any advanced magic that was able to help her. Harry and Ron ran forward to try to catch her, but none of the three boys were going to make it.

Suddenly, a great roar was heard through the area. A black and white blur streaked forward, changing shape as it did, before a tall woman yanked the still falling Animalia out of the air. She landed on the ground in a crouch with the silver eyed girl cradled safely in her arms.

"Hush now, little one. You are safe with me." the woman purred. It wasn't only that that caught everyone's attention. The woman had long inky black hair with white streaks, golden eyes, very pale skin, and spotted markings on her face, neck, and wrists. She was wearing a simple tunic and pants with brown shoes.

The most noticeable oddity about her was that she had white ears – rounded ears like a big wild cat – with black spots. A large, long, somewhat bushy tail swished behind her. It was white with black spots as well.

She was an animal guide.

Who…are you? Hikosu asked, cocking her head to the side. She hoped that the woman – the animal guide – could understand her. The female animal guide simply stood and carried her over to a bench over to the side. Harry rushed towards them, but the woman glared at him, and at all of the other students.

She set Hikosu down on the bench and then phased into a white leopard – a snow leopard. She retained her golden eyes, but her body was beautiful, strong, and sleek.

I am called Fayen, My Lady. I am your servant, born to protect and serve you. I humbly request to become your animal guide. The snow leopard bowed her head, waiting for the silver eyed girl's response.

I…um…the girl responded, clearly shocked.

Please, My Lady. I have travelled far to serve you. Fayen pleaded, looking into the young girl's eyes. Hikosu sighed and smiled, placing her hand on the snow leopard's head.

I'm happy and humbled to call you my animal guide. Hikosu said. It was then that she realized that the rest of the class was watching them. Fayen snarled at them, but the silver eyed girl just placed a hand on her large head. Harry, wanting to get to his best friend's side, edged past the great cat. Fayen, noticing that Hikosu wasn't doing anything, let him.

"HARRY POTTER!"

Both Harry and Hikosu turned towards the voice. His heart sank faster than he'd just dived. Professor McGonagall was running toward them. he got to his feet, trembling.

"Never – in all my time at Hogwarts –"

Professor McGonagall was almost speechless with shock, and her glasses flashed furiously, "-how dare you – might have broken your neck –"

"It wasn't his fault, Professor – "

"Be quiet, Miss Patil –"

"But Malfoy –"

"That's enough, Mr. Weasley. Potter, follow me, now. Miss Snape…well, I'd better take you to your father after I take Potter to…" she trailed off, beckoning them forward. Fayen, who was larger than the normal snow leopard, crouched down so that her mistress could ride her.

Harry caught sight of Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle's triumphant faces as they left, following in Professor McGonagall's wake as she strode toward the castle. He was going to be expelled, he just knew it. At least Hikosu would be able to stay – Draco's the one at fault with her. Harry wanted to say something to defend himself and his best friend, but there seemed to be something wrong with his voice. Professor McGonagall was sweeping along without even looking at him; he had to jog to keep up. Now he'd done it. The snow leopard was pretty imposing, but at least Hikosu would be alright. Harry hadn't even lasted two weeks. He'd be packing his bags in ten minutes. What would the Dursleys say when he turned up on the doorstep? Better yet, would Snape still want him to live with him after Hikosu's second year?

Up the front steps, up the marble staircase inside, and still Professor McGonagall didn't say a word to them. She wrenched open doors and marched along corridors with Harry trotting miserably behind her, Hikosu and the snow leopard beside him. Maybe she was taking him to Dumbledore. He thought of Hagrid, expelled but allowed to stay on as gamekeeper. Perhaps he could be Hagrid's assistant. His stomach twisted as he imagined it, watching Ron and the others becoming wizards while he stumped around the grounds carrying Hagrid's bag.

Professor McGonagall stopped outside a classroom. She opened the door and poked her head inside.

"Excuse me, Professor Flitwick, could I borrow Wood for a moment?"

Wood? Thought Harry, bewildered; was Wood a cane she was going to use on him?

But Wood turned out to be a person, a burly fifth-year boy who came out of Flitwick's class looking confused.

"Follow me, everyone." Said Professor McGonagall, and they marched on up the corridor, Wood looking curiously at Harry and Hikosu.

"In here."

Professor McGonagall pointed them into a classroom that was empty except for Peeves, who was busy writing rude words on the blackboard.

"Out, Peeves!" she barked, startling the silver eyed girl from her thoughts. Peeves threw the chalk into a bin, which clanged loudly, and he swooped out cursing. The snow leopard growled at the receding form, huffing when he finally disappeared. Professor McGonagall slammed the door behind him and turned to face the two boys.

"Potter, this is Oliver Wood. Wood – I've found you a Seeker." Wood's expression changed from puzzlement to delight.

"Are you serious, Professor?"

"Absolutely," said Professor McGonagall crisply. "The boy's a natural. I've never seen anything like it. Was that your first time on a broomstick, Potter?"

Harry nodded silently. He didn't have a clue what was going on, but he didn't seem to be being expelled, and some of the feeling started coming back to his legs.

What's a Seeker, Harry? The emerald eyed boy jumped when the feminine thought entered his mind. He turned to Hikosu, who had a look of curiosity on her pretty face, and shrugged. He didn't really know, either.

"He caught that thing in his hand after a fifty-foot dive," Professor McGonagall told Wood. "Didn't even scratch himself. Charlie Weasley couldn't have done it."

Wood was now looking as though all his dreams had come true at once.

"Ever seen a game of Quidditch, Potter?" he asked excitedly.

"Wood's captain of the Gryffindor team," Professor McGonagall explained.

"He's just the build for a Seeker, too," said Wood, now walking around Harry and staring at him. "Light – speedy – we'll have to get him a decent broom, Professor – a Nimbus Two Thousand or a Cleansweep Seven, I'd say."

"I shall speak to Professor Dumbledore and see if we can't bend the first-year rule. Heaven knows, we need a better team than last year. Flattened in that last match by Slytherin, I couldn't look Severus Snape in the face for weeks…"

Professor McGonagall peered sternly over her glasses at Harry.

"I want to hear you're training hard, Potter, or I may change my mind about punishing you."

Then she suddenly smiled.

"Your father would have been proud," she said. "He was an excellent Quidditch player himself."

Harry was silent as Professor McGonagall left him with Wood, leaving to lead Hikosu to Severus. The snow leopard was still uneasy, but if her mistress trusted these people then she would trust them as well.

They are good people, Fayen. Professor McGonagall is one of my teachers. The silver eyed girl explained to the snow leopard animal guide, petting her head as they walked. Students stopped and stared at the two in awe, impressed at the fact that she now had two animal guides.

As you say, My Lady. I shall trust her if you say it is right. Fayen replied, a purr to her voice. The silver eyed girl merely smiled, excitement coursing through her veins as they made their way to Hikosu's quarters.

"You're joking"

It was dinnertime. Harry had just finished telling Ron what had happened when he'd left the grounds with Professor McGonagall. Ron had a piece of steak and kidney pie halfway to his mouth, but he'd forgotten all about it.

Hikosu had introduced her new animal guide to the others, but Cael wasn't present. She could tell that Fayen was excited about meeting him.

"Seeker?" he said. "But first years never – you must be the youngest house player in about…"

"A century," said Harry, shoveling pie into his mouth. He felt particularly hungry after the excitement of the afternoon. "Wood told me."

Ron was so amazed, so impressed, he just sat and gaped at Harry.

I'm so proud of you, Harry. Hikosu whispered into his mind as she patted his leg. Fayen was sitting behind her in her animal form, glaring at the Slytherins as they gaped at her sleek form.

"I start training next week," said Harry. "Only don't tell anyone, Wood wants to keep it a secret." He said, snaking his arm around his best friend's shoulders.

Fred and George Weasley now came into the hall, spotted Harry, and hurried over.

"Well done," said George in a low voice. "Wood told us. We're on the team too – Beaters."

"I tell you, we're going to win that Quidditch cup for sure this year," said Fred. "We haven't won since Charlie left, but this year's team is going to be brilliant. You must be good, Harry, Wood was almost skipping when he told us."

"Anyway, we've got to go, Lee Jordan reckons he's found a new secret passageway out of the school."

"Bet it's that one behind the statue of Gregory the Smarmy that we found in our first week. See you."

Fred and George had hardly disappeared when someone far less welcome turned up: Draco, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. The strange thing was…he actually had some sort of strange emotion flash through his eyes. Was it a hint of…regret hiding in his eyes as he looked at Hikosu? Nobody but the silver eyed girl caught it, anyhow.

"Having a last meal, Potter? When are you getting the train back to the Muggles?"

"You're a lot braver now that you're back on the ground and you've got your little friends with you," said Harry coolly. There was of course nothing at all little about Crabbe and Goyle, but as the High Table was full of teachers, neither of them could do more than crack their knuckles and scowl.

"I'd take you on anytime on my own," said Malfoy. "Tonight, if you want. Wizard's duel. Wands only – no contact. What's the matter? Never heard of a wizard's duel before, I suppose?" after he said this, Hikosu grabbed Harry's hand and squeezed tightly. A bit of worry seeped through their mental bond and Harry couldn't help but squeeze back.

"Of course he has," said Ron, wheeling around. "I'm his second, who's yours?"

Draco looked at Crabbe and Goyle, sizing them up.

"Crabbe," he said. "Midnight all right? We'll meet you in the trophy room; that's always unlocked."

When Draco had gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

Harry…this sounds dangerous…and I'm not even attempting to sneak past Papa. So please, please, be careful! The silver eyed girl sent through their link. Harry smiled softly at her, their eyes briefly meeting before he turned back to Ron.

I'll be careful, Hikosu. I promise. He sent back.

I'll follow the boy, My Lady. I'll make sure he's safe. Fayen said to Hikosu, making sure that Harry didn't hear her.

"What is a wizard's duel?" said Harry. "And what do you mean, you're my second?"

"Well, a second's there to take over if you die," said Ron casually, getting started at last on his cold pie. Catching the look on Harry's face, he added quickly, "But people only die in proper duels, you know, with real wizards. The most you and Malfoy'll be able to do is send sparks at each other. Neither of you knows enough magic to do any real damage. I bet he expected you to refuse, anyway."

"And what if I wave my wand and nothing happens?"

"Throw it away and punch him on the nose," Ron suggested.

"Excuse me."

They both looked up. It was Hermione Granger.

"Can't a person eat in peace in this place?" said Ron.

Hermione ignored him and spoke to Harry.

"I couldn't help overhearing what you and Malfoy were saying…"

"Bet you could," Ron muttered.

"and you mustn't go wandering around the school at night, think of the points you'll lose Gryffindor if you're caught, and you're bound to be. It's really very selfish of you."

"And it's really none of your business," said Harry.

"Good-bye," said Ron.

Severus sensed Hikosu's uneasiness as she settled down into bed that night. He looked her over to make sure he hadn't missed anything earlier – he would never forgive himself if she had been hurting and he hadn't caught it.

"Is everything alright, little one?" he asked, eying the snow leopard that had suddenly gotten up and left. He gave the young girl a small smile as she nodded her head, reaching out her arms to give her father a hug before bed.

I'm fine, Papa. I'm just still a bit uneasy from the incident earlier today. She said, leaving Severus scowling. Draco Malfoy was going to have detention for a really long time after that stunt.

"Alright, my little one. If you're sure. I will see you in the morning, Hikosu. Sleep well." He said, giving her a kiss on the forehead before heading to his own room. The silver eyed girl couldn't help but sigh worriedly before drifting off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Harry wasn't faring the same. It wasn't what you'd call the perfect end to the day. Harry was awake, listening to Dean and Seamus falling asleep (Neville wasn't back from the hospital wing). Ron had spent all evening giving him advice such as "If he tries to curse you, you'd better dodge it, because I can't remember how to block them. There was a very good chance they were going to get caught by Filch or Mrs. Norris, and Harry felt he was pushing his luck, breaking another school rule today. On the other hand, Draco's sneering face kept looming up out of the darkness…and his actions towards Hikosu were frustrating him. This was his chance to beat Draco face-to-face. He couldn't miss this.

"Half-past eleven," Ron muttered at last, "we'd better go."

They pulled on their bathrobes, picked up their wands, and crept across the tower room, down the spiral staircase, and into the Gryffindor common room. A few embers were still glowing in the fireplace, turning all the armchairs into hunched black shadows. They had almost reached the portrait hole when a voice spoke from the chair nearest them, "I can't believe you're going to do this, Harry.

A lamp flickered on. It was Hermione Granger, wearing a pink bathrobe and a frown.

"You!" said Ron furiously. "Go back to bed!"

"I almost told your brother," Hermione snapped, "Percy – he's a prefect, he'd put a stop to this."

Harry couldn't believe anyone could be so interfering.

"Come on," he said to Ron. He pushed open the portrait of the Fat Lady and climbed through the hole.

Hermione wasn't going to give up that easily. She followed Ron through the portrait hole, hissing at them like an angry goose.

"Don't you care about Gryffindor, do you only care about yourselves, I don't want Slytherin to win the house cup, and you'll lose all the points I got from Professor McGonagall for knowing about Switching Spells."

"Go away."

"All right, but I warned you, you just remember what I said when you're on the train home tomorrow, you're so…"

But what they were, they didn't find out. Hermione had turned to the portrait of the Fat Lady to get back inside and found herself facing an empty painting. The Fat Lady had gone on a nighttime visit and Hermione was locked out of the Gryffindor tower.

"Now what am I going to do?" she asked shrilly.

"That's your problem," said Ron. "We've got to go, we're going to be late."

They hadn't even reached the end of the corridor when Hermione caught up with them.

"I'm coming with you," she said.

"You are not."

"D'you think I'm going to stand out here and wait for Filch to catch me? if he finds all three of us I'll tell him the truth, that I was trying to stop you, and you can back me up."

"You've got some nerve…" said Ron loudly.

"Shut up, both of you!" said Harry sharply. "I heard something."

It was a sort of snuffling."

"Mrs. Norris?" breathed Ron, squinting through the dark.

It wasn't Mrs. Noris. It was Neville. He was curled up on the floor, fast asleep, but jerked suddenly awake as they crept nearer.

"Thank goodness you found me! I've been out her for hours, alone, since I told Cael to go back to Hikosu. I couldn't remember the new password to get in to bed."

"Keep our voice down, Neville. The password's 'Pig snout' but it won't help you now, the Fat Lady's gone off somewhere."

"How's your arm?" said Harry.

"Fine," said Neville, showing them. "Madam Pomfrey mended it in about a minute."

"Good…well, look, Neville, we've got to be somewhere, we'll see you later…"

"Don't leave me!" said Neville, scrambling to his feet, "I don't want to stay here alone, the Bloody Baron's been past twice already."

Ron looked at his watch and then glared furiously at Hermione and Neville.

"If either of you get us caught, I'll never rest until I've learned that Curse of the Bogies Quirrell told us about, and used it on you."

Hermione opened her mouth, perhaps to tell Ron exactly how to use the Curse of the Bogies, but Harry hissed at her to be quiet and beckoned them all forward.

They flitted along corridors striped with bars of moonlight from the high windows. At every turn Harry expected to run into Filch or Mrs. Norris, but they were lucky. They sped up a staircase to the third floor and tiptoed toward the trophy room.

Malfoy and Crabbe weren't there yet. The crystal trophy cases glimmered where the moonlight caught them. Cups, shields, plates, and statues winked silver and gold in the darkness. They edged along the walls, keeping their eyes on the doors at either end of the room. Harry took out his wand in case Malfoy leapt in and started at once. The minuets crept by.

"He's late, maybe he's chickened out," Ron whispered.

Then a noise in the next room made them jump. Harry had only just raised his wand when they heard someone speak…and it wasn't Draco.

"Sniff around, my sweet, they might be lurking in a corner."

It was Filch speaking to Mrs. Norris. Horror-struck, Harry waved madly at the other three to follow him as quickly as possible; they scurried silently toward the door, away from Filch's voice. Neville's robes had barely whipped around the corner when they heard Filch enter the trophy room.

"They're in here somewhere," they heard him mutter, "probably hiding." Harry was about to lead the others away when he heard another pair of footsteps, so much softer than Filch's, appear next to him.

"Harry, follow me." a womanly voice purred in his ear. The four students turned to see Fayen in her humanoid form. Her face was half hidden by shadows, making her seem so much more dangerous.

"This way!" Harry mouthed to the others and, petrified, they began to creep down a long gallery full of suits of armor. They could hear Filch getting nearer. Neville suddenly let out a frightened squeak and broke into a run – he tripped, grabbing Ron around the waist, and the pair of them toppled right into a suit of armor.

The clanging and crashing were enough to wake the whole castle.

"Run!" hissed Fayen, eyes narrowing at Neville. For a split second she was torn between whether she should stay and confront Filch or not, but then she decided to go with the children. She could always come up with an excuse for them.

The five of them sprinted down the gallery, not looking back to see whether Filch was following – they swung around the doorpost and galloped down one corridor then another, Harry in the lead (which wasn't the best idea Fayen had come up with, but she didn't exactly know the layout of the castle), without any idea where they were or where they were going – they ripped through a tapestry and found themselves in a hidden passageway, hurtled along it and came out near their Charms classroom, which they knew was miles from the trophy room.

"I think we've lost him," Harry panted, leaning against the cold wall and wiping his forehead. Neville was bent double, wheezing and spluttering. Fayen was keeping watch with wide eyes and open ears, determined to keep the children safe.

"I – told- you," Hermione gasped, clutching at the stitch in her chest, "I – told – you."

"We've got to get back t Gryffindor tower," said Ron, "quickly as possible."

"Malfoy tricked you," Hermione said to Harry. "You realize that, don't you? He was never going to meet you – Filch knew someone was going to be in the trophy room, Malfoy must have tipped him off."

Harry thought she was probably right, but he wasn't going to tell her that.

"Let's go." Fayen said.

It wasn't going to be that simple. They hadn't gone more than a dozen paces when a doorknob rattled and something came shooting out of a classroom in front of them.

It was Peeves. He caught sight of them and gave a squeal of delight.

"Shut up, Peeves – please – you'll get us thrown out."

Peeves cackled, much to the displeasure of Fayen, who pinned her ears flat.

"Wandering around at midnight, Ickle Firsties? Tut, tut, tut. Naughty, naughty, you'll get caught."

"Not if you don't give us away, Peeves, please."

"Should tell Filch, I should," said Peeves in a saintly voice, but his eyes glittered wickedly. "It's for your own good, you know."

"Not if I take care of you, first. Animal guides have the power to dispel spirits, Peeves, if need be." Fayen said. None of them knew if she was fibbing, but soon enough Ron became agitated.

"Get out of the way," snapped Ron, taking a swipe at Peeves – this was a big mistake.

"STUDENTS OUT OF BED!" Peeves bellowed, "STUDENTS OUT OF BED DOWN THE CHARMS CORRIDOR!"

Ducking under Peeves, they ran for their lives, right to the end of the corridor where they slammed into a door – and it was locked. Fayen pounded on it with her dangerously sharp fingernails, but it had no effect.

"This is it!" Ron moaned, as they pushed helplessly at the door, "We're done for! This is the end!"

They could hear footsteps, Filch running as fast as he could toward Peeves' shouts.

"Oh, move over," Hermione snarled. She grabbed Harry's wand, tapped the lock, and whispered, "Alohomora!

The lock clicked and the door swung open – they piled through it, shut it quickly, and pressed their ears against it, listening. They gave Fayen the most space because she had the best hearing out of all of them.

"Which way did they go, Peeves?" Filch was saying. "Quick, tell me."

"Say 'please.'"

"Don't mess with me, Peeves, now where did they go?"

"Shan't say nothing if you don't say please," said Peeves in his annoying singsong voice.

"All right – please."

"NOTHING! Ha haaa! Told you I wouldn't say nothing if you didn't say please! Ha ha! Haaaaaa!" and they heard the sound of Peeves whooshing away and Filch cursing in rage.

"He thinks this door is locked," Harry whispered. "I think we'll be okay – get off, Neville!" For Neville had been tugging on the sleeve of Harry's bathrobe for the last minute. "What?" He only noticed now that Fayen had shifted into her snow leopard form and was hissing at the form behind them.

Harry turned around – and saw, quite clearly, what. For a moment, he was sure he'd walked into a nightmare – this was too much, on top of everything that had happened so far.

They weren't in a room, as he had supposed. They were in a corridor. The forbidden corridor on the third floor. And now they knew why it was forbidden.

They were looking straight into the eyes of a monstrous dog, a dog that filled the whole space between ceiling and floor. It had three heads. Three pairs of rolling, mad eyes; three noses, twitching and quivering in their direction; three drooling mouths, saliva hanging in slippery ropes from yellowish fangs.

Fayen stepped in front of the four students, intent on protecting them from the large beast. It was standing quite still, all six of its eyes staring at them, and Harry knew that the only reason they weren't already dead was that their sudden appearance had taken it by surprise and that it could sense the power that Fayen was emitting. It was going to quickly get over its surprise; there was no mistaking the thunderous growls that it was emitting.

Harry groped for the doorknob – between Filch and death, he'd take filch. They fell back ward – Harry slammed the door shut after he made sure the snow leopard had followed, and they ran, they almost flew back down the corridor. Filch must have hurried off to look for them somewhere else, because they didn't see him anywhere, but they hardly cared – all they wanted to do was put as much space as possible between them and that monster. They didn't stop running until they reached the portrait of the Fat Lady on the seventh floor.

"Where on earth have you all been?" she asked, looking at their bathrobes hanging off their shoulder and their flushed and sweaty faces. She looked equally surprised to see an animal guide standing before her.

"Never mind that – pig snout, pig snout," panted Harry and the portrait swung forward. They scrambled into the common room and collapsed, trembling, into armchairs.

It was a while before any of them said anything. Neville, indeed, looked as if he'd never speak again.

"What do you think they're doing, keeping a thing like that locked up in a school?" said Ron finally. "If any dog needs exercise, that one does."

Hermione had got both her breath and her bad temper back again.

"You don't use your eyes, any of you, do you?" she snapped, angering the snow leopard. She shifted back to her humanoid form, glaring at the human girl.

"Didn't you see what it was standing on?" Hermione continued, ignoring Fayen.

"The floor?" Harry suggested. "I wasn't looking at its feet, I was too busy with its heads."

"No, not the floor. It was standing on a trapdoor. It's obviously guarding something."

She stood up, glaring at them.

"I hope you're pleased with yourselves. We could all have been killed – or worse, expelled. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed."

Ron stared after her, his mouth open.

"No, we don't mind," he said. "You'd think we dragged her along, wouldn't you?"

But Hermione had given Harry something else to think about as he climbed back into bed. Fayen had curled herself up on an extra blanket beside the bed, facing the door. The dog was guarding something…What had Hagrid said? Gringotts was the safest place in the world for something you wanted to hide – except perhaps Hogwarts.

It looked as though Harry had found out where the grubby little package from vault seven hundred and thirteen was…