That night brought about complications however. Draco followed him everywhere, from the washroom to the library back to the common room, it was as if he was taunting him. It was so persistent in fact that Harry didn't even have a moment to walk off and put on the cloak. So he did what he had to do.
"You want to go out past the hour," asked Draco half incredulously, half mockingly after Harry had informed him. "Well that seems stupid to me, you could get caught, lose us points. Why?"
"I need to get something from the restricted section… new spells…"
"Let me come with you then."
Harry sighed exasperatedly and noted the time. "Draco, I've gone past the hour multiple times now, you must know that already, so why start complaining now?"
"I need to go with you this time to make sure you don't get caught." Draco now sneered. "With whatever you're planning with that oaf."
It took Harry a while to connect that he was talking about Hagrid.
"Seriously, Draco don't interfere. This is between Hagrid and I, do you hear," he said in a low voice. "What's in it for you? Why do you care about it anyways?"
"As I said I need to make sure you don't get caught."
"I think you ought to be more concerned with making friends Draco, rather than unnecessary enemies."
In the end it came to whether Harry was willing to reveal the cloak and he most certainly was not. Well at least not entirely.
"I have an invisibility cloak that only fits one," he lied easily. "Sorry Draco, but if you came you would only increase the chances of Slytherin losing points."
When he had finally got rid of him, he was ten minutes late and rushed down to Hagrid's, the cloak billowing in the night, but he couldn't care less. When Hagrid had said his final tearful goodbyes to Norbert, Harry had left. As soon as he was out of sight, he stunned Norbert to stop him trying to set his robes on fire.
The night was forbidding, the walk to the tower seemed long and arduous compared during the day. Harry was delayed by another five minutes waiting for Peeves to pass. As he scrambled up the steps, his heart beating intensely…
Filch was waiting at him at the top of the tower.
Harry's jaw dropped and for a moment he almost forgot he was invisible. He had been tipped off. He had to be. Filch who usually patrolled the corridors was clearly waiting for someone. His eyes were suspicious and nasty. And he showed no sign of hurry. Harry was glad that at least Ms. Norris didn't seem around because he sometimes did feel that she could sense his presence even when invisible.
There was nothing for it. Harry waited. And waited.
Finally there was a swishing sound from the window, and outside Charlie Weasley had dismounted from his broom on the battlements. Filch immediately headed for him, not even surprised, and began haranguing him.
"What is the meaning of this? Who authorized your entry to this school? I recognize you, you're the Quidditch captain for Gryffindor House from last year. But you graduated! What are you doing back here of all places in the middle of the night?"
"Dumbledore authorized it," Charlie said in a bored tone barely even willing to glance at Filch as he rolled his eyes annoyed. "How else do you think I could get past the castle's defences? I'm expecting someone to deliver a certain Norwegian Ridgeback tonight, as arranged…"
"A dragon? Aha I knew there was something illegal going on…"
"It's not your jurisdiction Filch," Charlie said harshly and impatiently. "The dragon in question does not belong to a student but a member of staff and you have no power there."
Filch spluttered but finally fell silent. Harry was at this time trying to surreptitiously slip Norbert out, but Filch that paranoid git kept glancing back at where he was every two seconds. Charlie then went inside the tower and Harry watched as he and Filch stood still for a moment, surveying the scene. Then Charlie whipped out his wand.
"Tempus. Blimey, they're late whoever's supposed to be delivering…"
Another ten minutes passed. Underneath the cloak, Harry was wrestling with himself. When Charlie turned back to the battlements to look to see if anyone was flying outside, it intensified ten fold.
Half of him wanted to kill Draco Malfoy, but he pushed that down for now. Somehow, he had gotten wind of the plan to use the Astronomy Tower. He had to have been spying on Hagrid full-time, that no good little piece of…
Of course he was really tempted now that Charlie had turned away to whip out his wand underneath the cloak and stun Filch. No one would be the wiser. Or he could simply blind him for a minute, slip Norbert and the cage out from his cloak for Charlie to see and beat it. Besides he despised Filch.
But he also knew Filch was most likely a squib and unable to use magic. He just didn't like the idea of hexing a defenceless person like that, no matter how unpleasant.
Harry cursed his Gryffindorish instincts and made his choice. Knowing that he would most certainly regret it later, he whipped the cloak off him and said loudly. "Alright I surrender. I surrender."
Filch whipped around and saw him. "Aha," he cried smiling nastily, "what have we here, student out of bed, how did you manage to hide from me just now?" He looked around suspiciously but Harry had already stuffed his cloak back into his pocket.
"Disillusionment charm," Harry said shortly. When Charlie returned, Harry quickly handed Norbert off to him who then nodded to Harry sympathetically and flew away. Filch wasn't concerned about the dragon any longer. He had caught a student out of bed and was now able to see punishment done. It was one of life's pleasures and he always felt grumpy if he went more than three nights without catching a single student.
Harry was led by Filch to see Snape and muttered about corporal punishment, whippings, and chains in his office the whole time and felt his temper rose. He still felt his fingers itch around his wand and he longed to do something, but that was obviously out of the question now that he was no longer invisible. He forced himself to remain calm, and said nothing. He would plead his case before his Head of House (much the worse for him), who would then decide his punishment. Harry knew Snape never took points for Slytherin transgressions but that he was quite harsh with the detentions.
"Potter!" Snape snarled almost leaping from his chair. "I knew you were up to something no-good again! Out of bed in the middle of the night for no good reason. Disgrace to your house. Thank you Argus," he said nodding to Filch who withdrew much disappointed.
"Why aren't you in bed either, Professor?"
"Cheek, Potter. I suggest you hold your tongue before your Head of House who is about to decide on your punishment. After those spate of attacks which I know you were responsible, I will include those misdeeds into the score. Detentions, everyday after dinner until the end of term; you will be scrubbing the dungeons and cupboards for three hours every night. Now get out of my sight!"
Harry nodded furiously, bowed mockingly and was about to turn. "By the way, professor. The only reason I was out past curfew was to help a friend."
"I DON'T CARE WHY YOU WERE OUT OF BED! AND IF IT'S TO HELP A FRIEND THAT MAKES YOU EVEN MORE FOOLISH THAN I COULD HAVE IMAGINED," Snape spat at him. "Now get out."
He returned to the common room feeling extremely irritated and yet more surprise was awaiting him. Upon entering, he found Daphne, Nott, Malfoy, and Zabini waiting for him and he barely managed to suppress the anger from his face when he saw the smirking face of Draco.