This story is dedicated to one of my close friends Bec.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters whose names can be found in any of the Harry Potter books.
The Potter household was buzzing with noise with only minutes before they had to leave for the Hogwarts express. Matt and James were stuffing as much food as they could in their mouth's, Lilly was fussing around getting the trunks ready and Harry, Harry was no where to be seen. This wasn't such an uncommon occurrence for him, and since he had been spending a lot of time in the library lately the Potters didn't worry.
Harry was not in the library though, he was in the forest surrounding the Potter mansion, just a few metres in, in a clearing going through a set of exercises. Keeping watch over him was Aidan.
"Five more minutes Harry" Aidan spoke up from one of the bottom branches of an oak tree.
Harry looked up from the ground where he had just collapsed after the second set of ten push-ups. "Why only five minutes?" Harry asked confused, getting into a sitting position.
"Oh you're not going back to Hogwarts then?" Aidan asked smugly.
"What! What's the time?" Harry yelped, jumping straight to his feet and looking hurriedly around the clearing in search of his wand.
"It's over there," Aidan said in exasperation, pointing with his wing to the bottom of a tree.
"Oh yeah," Harry said, jogging over and scooping it up from the ground and pocketing it, "thanks Aidan."
"How did you ever live without me?" Aidan asked.
Harry just grinned, then held out his arm. "Hurry up, we have like five minutes to get back."
"Fine" Aidan said and disappeared from the branch in a flash of fire and appeared as a tattoo on Harry's arm.
"Lets go," Harry said to no-one in particular and turning towards the edge of the forest broke into a run, his black Hogwarts robes whipping out behind him.
Stopping just outside the oak front doors to straighten is robes, Harry slipped through the doors, not making a sound so he didn't have to answer any questions about what he had been doing out on the grounds at this time of the morning. Just as he closed the front door I bang erupted from the stairs above.
"What was that?" James asked coming running out of the dinning room.
"Sorry!" Matt's yell echoed through the floor, "I dropped my trunk, Mum what did you put in this thing?"
Shaking his head, James returned to the dinning room, leaving Harry standing in the entrance hall.
"Well Aidan, everything is normal again, in a few minutes Matt will drop his trunk down those stairs, almost take me out and levitate it at the last moment. Mum will rush in calling to us to get ready to take the portkey to Kingscross and Dad will come running in with some kind of food in his mouth." Harry said in his mind to his familiar.
It happened just seconds after the last words had left his mouth, Matt dropped his trunk down the stairs and it flew through the air, Harry hit the deck with practised ease after years of doing just that and it stopped just above his head as Matt levitated it to the ground on his right. Lilly rushed into the room, stuffing her wand into her robe pocket and ushering the boys towards the door while calling over her shoulder to her husband. Who came rushing out of the dinning room some bacon hanging out of his mouth, just as Harry had predicted it would all happen.
Minutes later the family was standing on the grounds touching an old newspaper, Matt and Harry trying to hold their trunks waiting for 10:45 to come around and the portkey to activate.
"Ten seconds," James commented, "nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one!"
The familiar tugging behind his naval signalled to Harry to grip his trunk harder as he was wrenched from the Potter grounds with the rest of his family. As the fierce wind whipped through his hair, Harry gripped his trunk just a bit tighter, it was all over in just a few seconds and Harry landed hard on his rear.
"Mmm" Harry moaned, taking the hand offered to him and letting Matt pull him to his feet. "I will never get used to those things," Harry groaned, Matt snorted.
"You're meant to be supporting me," Harry whined.
Just then the train's whistle blew and Lilly hurried the boys onto the train, kissing them both good-bye and going back to stand next to James on the station, ready to wave them off.
Matt and Harry were walking along the train looking for an empty carriage. Half way down the train someone called out. "Harry! Harry, wait up!" Turning around Harry came face to face with Neville, out of breath from lugging his trunk along the train.
"Neville!" Harry cried, dropping his trunk and slapping Neville on the back, causing him to double over.
"Not so hard," Neville winced.
"Sorry," Harry said, grinning.
"Ok," Neville said standing up again, "what have you been doing these holidays, you have to tell me all about it?"
"Lets find a compartment first, then I'll tell you everything," Harry said picking up his trunk again, Matt had left them to find Ron and Hermione. Motioning for Neville to follow, Harry started to walk down to the train. After searching through the next couple of compartments and stopping for a few minutes to greet Ron and Hermione who were sitting with Matt, Neville and Harry found an empty compartment.
"So what did you do?" Neville asked, flopping down onto a seat and letting his trunk fall on the floor.
"Normal stuff, you know practising spells, presents, big feast on Christmas." Harry remarked as he levitated Neville's and his trunks into the racks above the seats, then flopping down on the seat opposite Neville.
"You didn't do anything about Nicolas Flamel then?" Neville asked leaning in closer.
"I looked through all these books," Harry said, leaning in as well. "But nothing, Hermione's right it's like he doesn't exist."
"He's got to," Neville said. "I been wondering where they heard about him though, I mean it's not the sort of thing you pick up at breakfast and the teachers didn't say anything and what has this got to do with a three headed dog?"
"I have no idea, hey wait did he say it was in the castle?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Neville said suspiciously.
"Well then it has to be on the map," Harry said getting excited. "I've got it in my trunk." Getting up on his seat and pulling his trunk down onto the seat and pulling it open Harry rummaged through his things until he pulled out the map.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good," the map came to life, words wrote themselves across the page, until a detailed map of Hogwarts was displayed. Both Harry and Neville poured over the parchment, "what are we looking for?" Neville asked.
"I don't know" Harry said "something that looks like it shouldn't be there, some odd corridor or something."
It took about ten minutes before Neville spotted something. "Hey, what about that?" He said pointing to a dot on the third floor marked Fluffy.
"Fluffy?" Harry asked, "what a name. That's weird it's like the corridor just ends with no wall and if we're assuming Fluffy is a three headed dog and no dog will just stay in a corridor like that."
"I know," Neville agreed, "but Dumbledore wouldn't just stick it there for nothing."
"That's it!" Harry exclaimed, "that's where what ever Nicolas Flamel's thing is, the dog is in-front of it. The corridor, it must be charmed not to appear on anything, that's why the map can't see it."
"The dog's guarding it then?" Neville asked.
"Yeah that must be it," Harry exclaimed. "Nicolas Flamel must have asked Dumbledore to take care of it for him."
"It must be really valuable if Dumbledore took care of it" Neville remarked.
"Or really dangerous," Harry agreed.
"But what I want to know is why he didn't just put it in Gringotts?" Neville asked.
"I bet he did," Harry said, excitedly. "Remember the break in, he must have got it out the same day and brought it to Dumbledore and asked him to take of it because he thought it was in danger."
"Someone must really want it then it then if they risked breaking into Gringotts." Neville agreed.
"That has to be it and Dumbledore must have gotten the dog to guard it and charmed all the corridor leading up to it to keep it safe." Harry said.
"So it's safe then?" Neville asked.
"No!" Harry exclaimed. "Like you said, if someone would risk that much to get it from Gringotts that it's in Hogwarts isn't going to stop them, they'll try again."
"So what do we do?" Neville asked.
"We wait," Harry said, "keep our ears open and head downs and keep trying to find out what that dog is guarding. It could give us a clue to who wants it."
"You think we should talk to Matt, Ron and Hermione?" Neville asked.
"What do you think Neville?" Harry asked.
"No," Neville replied, "I don't think they would listen. I mean, Hermione maybe but Matt and Ron not a chance. I think we should just keep this to ourselves for now."
"I agree," Harry said, "it's our secret for now."
The compartment door opened at that moment, "anything off the trolley dears."
The rest of the journey was pretty normal; Harry and Neville played exploding snap while eating the lollies they got off the trolley, talked about the new school term and before they reached Hogsmeed station Neville changed into his robes, Harry didn't need to as he came with them on because he took a port-key
At the station students streamed off the train and into the crisp summer air, pulling on robes, talking to friends and generally being noisy. Weaving through the crowd Harry and Neville were talking about class.
"I reckon the best class will be charms, I mean we've done levitation and studied all that stuff about the charms on broom and stuff and Professor Flitwik was talking about lighting fires." Harry said, pushing past the students.
"Maybe," Neville said, "but I think herbology will be the best, I love creating new things like that, growing stuff."
"You'd like potion then," Harry remarked. "If you like making stuff happen that is."
Neville made a face and Harry laughed.
"If we didn't have Professor Snape you might." Harry said.
"Yeah" Neville agreed, "hey are those carriages horseless?" Neville pointed to the carriages sitting on the path up to Hogwarts.
"It looks like it," Harry said, moving forward and looking slightly confused.
"Aidan, I know something is there I can almost feel it but I can't see anything," Harry said.
"You can't see them because only someone who has seen someone die can." Aidan replied. "You can feel their magic and they will call to you but you can't see or hear them."
"What are they called?" Harry asked, standing in-front one of the carriages now and looking at where the horses should be.
"Thestrals" Aidan said, "now I suggest you get in that carriage or people will wonder why you are standing there staring at something they can't see."
"Right," Harry said distractedly, climbing into the carriage with Neville and staring blankly out the window at the carriages moving towards the castle, lost in thought about the thestrals and if he had been in the room when Voldemort died why couldn't he see them.
"Hey Matt!" Harry called up the Gryffindor table when he and Neville sat down. Those carriages could you see anything pulling them?"
"No!" Matt called back, his mouth full of chicken, "why?"
"Nothing," Harry said, shaking his head. "It's nothing."
"Hey Harry, you ok?" Neville asked, "you seem out of it."
"I'm fine Neville," Harry said, "I'm just thinking."
"About what?" Neville asked, swallowing the lettuce in his mouth.
"The carriages," Harry said and Neville didn't push him but instead turned back to his dinner. The next morning came and Harry had let thoughts about the thestrals fade to the back of his mind to be pondered on at a later date. Everything at school went back to normal, lessons, homework, trying to find out who on Earth Nicolas Flamel was and it wasn't until a trip to Hagrid's that the routine was broken.
"What!" Harry shouted.
"Shhh," Hagrid hushed, "I don't need the whole castle knowing."
"Hagrid you have a dragon in your hut, your wooden hut," Neville pointed out.
"So?" Hagrid asked.
"Hagrid what happens when it gets bigger, you can't keep a dragon in your hut." Harry stated.
"'e's not doing 'ny harm," Hagrid said.
"Maybe not yet," Harry said.
"But I don't think it will be the same story in a few years." Neville agreed.
"A few years, a few weeks," Harry said. "That little dragon is going to double in size in the next week, triple in the month you won't be able to fit him in the hut, let alone having to stretch his wings, you just can't keep him."
"'e's only a baby," Hagrid said, "I ca't just leave 'im."
"I know," Harry said.
"Where did you get him anyway?" Neville asked stretching his hand out to pat the dragon and pulling it back quickly when he went to bite it."
"Stop it," Harry said to the dragon, not really thinking about it and the dragon clamped his jaw shut.
"How'd ya do that?" Hagrid asked.
"What?" Harry asked, confused.
"You told Norbert," Hagrid started.
"You named him?" Neville asked.
"Oh course I did," Hagrid said, "he needs a name just like you."
"Don't interrupt, how did you get Norbert to shut his mouth like that?" Hagrid asked.
"Oh," Harry said. "You know how I am with animals, they just listen to me."
"I believed you when you were seven and the flobberworms were eating your Dad's attempt at cooking but dragons aren't flobberworms and Norbert listened to you." Hagrid insisted.
"Well," Harry stuttered, "I just have, I can't really explain it they just listen to me."
At that moment Norbert burped up a fire ball, catching Neville's robes on fire, successfully distracting all questions about Harry as they tried to put out the fire.
It was within the next week that what Harry predicted came true, Norbert had doubled in size and Harry and Neville were no closer to finding anyone that would take a Norwegian Ridgeback but it turns out that it wasn't them that came up with the solution of where Norbert could go, it was Matt. Matt and Ron had arranged for Ron's brother Charlie, who worked with dragon's, to take Norbert and that Saturday they were picking him up at the Astronomy tower. Needless to say all didn't go as planned, Ron got bitten by Norbert and he was sent to the hospital wing and when Saturday night came around Matt and Hermione left to take Norbert and Neville and Harry were sitting in the tower playing chess, it was about half an hour past midnight when the portrait hole opened to reveal a very depressed looking Matt and Hermione.
"What happened?" Neville asked, springing to his feet.
"Malfoy," Matt said, slumping down in his chair. "He knew we had Norbert, probably heard us talking or something, he didn't prove anything but we left the invisibility cloak at the top of the tower, stupid."
"You got caught?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," Matt moaned.
"We've got detention," Hermione whined.
"It's not that bad," Harry said.
"Not that bad," Hermione shouted, "we lost one hundred points."
There was silence in the common room.
"You lost one hundred points?" Neville asked.
"Yeah McGonagall caught us, she was so mad." Matt muttered. "I can't believe we were so stupid as to leave the cloak at the top of the tower."
"Well as fun as sitting here feeling sorry for ourselves is, I need so sleep, exams are next week remember." Harry tactfully changed the subject.
"Exams!" Hermione cried. "I almost forgot."
"Yeah right," Matt murmured, "I'm going to bed." With that he stood up and disappeared up the boys staircase.
"Me too," Neville and Harry chorused, following him up.
The following weeks were spent studying for the exams, Harry and Neville spent all their breaks in the library and it was on that Saturday that Matt and Hermione detention took place.
It was about ten to eleven that night that when Matt and Hermione left for detention, leaving Harry and Neville sitting in the common room studying, Ron was sitting in one of the armchairs snoring.
"What's the incantation for the levitation charm and perform it?" Harry quizzed Neville.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Neville said, levitating a book next to Harry.
"The charm to start a small fire?"
"Flammano" Neville said, setting his notes on fire and quickly trying to extinguish them.
"Make this book sing?" Harry pulled out his potions book.
"Carmenboa," Neville said, making the book utter high soprano notes before Percy Weasley hissed at them to be quiet.
"Finitie," Harry whispered and the book fell silent.
"That's it," Harry said, "you know it all."
Neville grinned, "great, only history of magic left to study and we're done."
"Yeah then one week to worry about how badly we did." Harry said.
"Great thanks Harry, I was going to spend that week relaxing but now you've got me all worried." Neville said.
"No problem," Harry replied happily.
Neville just rolled his eyes. "I can't believe Matt and Hermione have to go into the forest again. Wonder what they'll be doing in there."
"Don't know; now quiz me on history of magic." Harry demanded.
It was two in the morning before Matt and Hermione returned, both Harry and Neville were still studying and Ron was still asleep in one of the chairs by the fire and after waking him up Matt retold what had happened to them in the forest.
"The unicorns are still being attacked," Matt started.
"What?" Harry interrupted.
"Let me finish first," Matt said, "anyway the unicorns are still being attacked and Hagrid took us in to find another one. Draco and I were put in a group with Fang and Hermione was with Hagrid, well it started off ok and we split up and followed the path right, then we got to the clearing, the same one that me and Harry were in."
"Harry and I," Hermione corrected.
"Whatever," Matt said, "anyway the unicorn was there but it was dead and the creature was drinking from it again and then the creature came at us and Draco screamed like a girl and ran off so did Fang and I running backwards, trying to get out and I used the flame charm but it just went out and I thought I was done for and then a centaur jumped out of the trees. Right over me and hit it and knocked it over and he told me to hop on, imagine a centaur, they hate riders. Well I got on and he took me to the edge of the forest and while we were riding I asked him why that creature was in the forest and he told me that it was killing the unicorns to stay alive."
"What?" Neville asked.
"Why does it need to stay alive?" Harry asked. "Killing a unicorn for life means your cursed you can never fully live. No-body can want life that much."
Matt eyes suddenly went wide. "Well I'm really tired I'm gonna hit the hay, night." Matt stuttered, running up the stairs.
"Me two," Ron agreed, "me three," said Hermione, all of them leaving the common room to their respectable beds.
"Well that wasn't suspicious at all," Harry commented sarcastically.
"Yeah but I guess we know why that thing is in the forest now," Neville remarked.
"I'm not sure we got the full story though," Harry said.
"I can agree there," Neville said, "but why would they keep something back."
"I don't know but there hiding something and I think I know what it is." Harry remarked.
"Well can you fill me in?" Neville said.
"There are hundreds of forests where unicorns live in the world," Harry said, "and Hogwarts is really well guarded that includes the forest. Why then would someone want to specifically hunt unicorns in this forest that is really hard to get into, they have to have another reason for wanting to be at Hogwarts. Something they need at Hogwarts."
Just then it clicked for Neville, "you think they are after whatever the dog is guarding?"
"I don't think," Harry said, "I know I just don't know who it is but I have a feeling that they must be one of the teachers, I mean they have free-rein of the school and are trusted. They can wonder round without looking suspicious they get fed and have a place to stay, it's the perfect cover."
"Brilliant," Neville said. "No-one would suspect."
"That's it," Harry said.
"What?" Neville asked.
"You're brilliant Neville!" Harry exclaimed.
"Um thanks, now what did I do?" Neville inquired.
"Someone no-one would suspect, my first thought was Snape," Harry said.
"That sounds like something he would do," Neville agreed.
"Yeah but that's not right, the reason they are a teacher is so no-one would suspect and the first thing my mind jumped to is the mean, grouchy old teacher the one who is most hated and everyone would suspect of something like this. Who is the last teacher you would suspect?" Harry asked.
"McGonagall," Neville said.
"Ok I can agree with that she is the last but she is too loyal to the school she would give her life for this school, no I think it's Quirrell."
"Quirrell?" Neville asked.
"Yeah, he stutters all the time, he's the one you think has no backbone, he seems weak, he is the last, um second last person you would consider to steal whatever that thing is."
"It really is brilliant," Neville said. "I think you're right and I'm with you all the way but what if we didn't get it right."
"Then we will have just done what Gryffindors have been doing for years, charging in head first." Harry said.
Neville grinned and Harry grinned back before he saw his watch. "It's three in the morning if we don't go to bed soon I'm going to fall asleep in this chair." With that statement both boys got up and left the common room for bed.
Exam week began on Monday and Harry and Neville had very little time to talk about anything. Both boys thought they did pretty well on their exams and the only really bad one was potions because Ron put in the ingredients in wrong and melted all his cauldron and five other people so they had to re-take it, the second time was better. It was after all the exams were done; Harry and Neville were sitting on the grass outside going over there exams when Matt, Ron and Hermione came charging up to them, out of breath.
"Harry," Matt puffed. "Can I have the map?"
"Sure," Harry replied. "It's in my trunk."
"Thanks," Matt said and he, Ron and Hermione charged up towards the castle.
"Wonder what that was about?" Neville asked.
"I don't know Neville," Harry said. "But something is telling me we have to find out."
"How?" Neville asked. "They have the map."
"Yeah but they have to leave the common room to put it to any use so we just wait up for them." Harry said.
"Sounds like a plan." Neville said and he and Harry went back to discussing their exams.