A quick note, I doubt that Remus would really have told Sirius about the stone but let's just say, for the sake of my story, he does.

Part Twenty Five

An Attempted Heist

Remus Lupin and Severus both paled as the footprints neared the moving staircase that would take the rat animagus to the third floor corridor while Sirius glanced at them with confusion in his eyes. "What's the matter with you two? You both look pale. Well, that's Snape's natural look but still."

Severus was too surprised to have taken any notice to the comment made by the former Marauder. "We have to go there," he said finally.

Remus nodded in agreement, his eyes narrowed. "But if he's going there then does this mean…?"

"Since Quirrell failed, it makes sense that Tom would try again," Severus replied.

Remus had been surprised when Severus first referred to Voldemort by the name Tom rather than by the Dark Lord as he knew that Severus had been a Death Eater. He decided that he had more important matters to worry about then Severus's sudden change in how he addressed or referred to Voldemort.

"Will someone please tell me what's going on?" Sirius protested.

Remus glanced at his friend. "A valuable object is hidden in the third floor corridor," he explained. "Professor Quirrell, the DADA professor before me, attempted to take it and it would appear Pettigrew is trying to do the same."

"Both of them are being ordered by their master, Black," Severus added

"Their master? You mean Voldemort?"

Severus flinched. "Yes," he said shortly.

"What is this object?"

This time, Remus hesitated while Severus remained silent and impassive as if letting Remus decide whether or not he trusted Sirius enough to tell him of what lay on the third floor. "You have to swear you will not reveal what you have learned here today, a Wizard's Oath may be necessary," Remus said finally.

"Moony, you know me better than that. If Voldemort," Severus flinched, "is after this object then I would do anything to keep that monster off of it if it really is that important. I won't tell anyone about it, I promise you that."

Remus was silent for a long moment thinking about this for a long moment.

"I also won't do anything that would jeopardize my godson's life," Sirius added.

That, Remus knew, was spoken sincerely and he decided that his old friend wouldn't reveal what he learned here today. "The headmaster most likely won't be too thrilled upon me telling you this but…" Remus sighed and said quietly, "the third floor is the hiding place of the Philosopher's Stone."

Sirius's eyes went wide with shock. "As in…the stone that could create the elixir that would make anyone who drinks it immortal?" he asked.

Severus sneered but he kept whatever sarcastic comment he had been about to say to himself.

"Yes," Remus replied.

"Well we should go now," Sirius exclaimed before he gripped his hands into fists and added, "And I would very much like to have a little…talk with that lying traitorous little rat as well."

Severus glanced at the map. "We'd best get going then," he said. "Pettigrew is getting closer. The protections we placed around the stone should stop him but I don't want to underestimate anyone who is following Tom. They have been known to be very unpredictable."

"In your case, that's an understatement," Sirius muttered.

"Shut it, you mangy mutt."

Remus sighed before placing his wand on the parchment. "Mischief managed," he said and the map disappeared and folded up. Sirius picked it up before tucking it into his robes and Severus glanced at him.

"I think it would be best if you informed Albus of this, Black," he said. "You don't have your wand and you may need it."

Sirius didn't like it, Remus could see that, but he didn't argue as he followed Severus and Remus out of Severus's office. After Remus pointed out the Headmaster's office to Sirius, and gave him the password, he and Severus ran off side by side toward the staircase leading to the third floor corridor.

Albus glanced up as the door to his office opened and Sirius Black walked into it looking as though he was out of breath. "What are you doing here, Sirius?" he asked confused as he stood up behind his desk and gazed at the recently proven innocent Order of the Phoenix member.

"Peter Pettigrew is within Hogwarts," Sirius replied.

"Are you sure?"

Sirius nodded. "He's heading for the third floor corridor and Snape and Remus are going after him but Snape sent me to tell you about this since I haven't had a chance to get a new wand," he said.

Albus nodded before he got to his feet. "Wait here," he ordered before he walked around his desk and left through a secret door next to his desk.

Traveling quickly to the third floor, Albus found Severus and Remus on the third floor, their wands held aloft and their eyes scanning the area. "Have you seen him?" Albus asked joining them.

"Not yet," Severus said. "And it does not look as though the trapdoor has been disturbed so I don't think Pettigrew has attempted to steal the stone yet."

"But he's probably nearby just waiting for a chance to sneak past us and into the room," Remus added. "Although I really don't see how he plans to get past Fluffy let alone all the other protections we placed around the stones."

Severus sneered. "Who in their right mind names a three headed Cerberus Fluffy?" he muttered under his breath.

The sound of scurrying came nearby and Remus pointed his wand before murmuring "Lumos" and his wand lit up to reveal a rather big gray rat attempting to hide from the light in a nearby crack in the wall.

Albus cast the Animagus Revealing spell and it slammed into the rat, instantly transforming him into the man that was Peter Pettigrew. Pettigrew scrambled to his feet with his wand in his hand.

"This didn't turn out as you had planned, did it, Pettigrew?" Severus sneered.

Pettigrew curled his lips into a sneer. "What's it to you, traitor?" he spat back.

Albus could see some surprise glittering in Remus's eyes but the DADA professor didn't say anything as he pointed his wand at Pettigrew. "You're lucky Sirius isn't here, Pettigrew, or else it's likely there will be nothing left of you to ship off to Azkaban," he said quietly.

Albus knew this was true; Sirius Black wanted nothing more than to tear Pettigrew into tiny pieces for framing him for the betrayal of Lily and James Potter and the murder of twelve muggles following the Potters' deaths.

"Stupefy!" Pettigrew shouted and Remus easily cast a shield charm that stopped the stunning charm from slamming into them. He then cast his own stunning charm to Pettigrew who dodged it but Severus had quickly followed Remus's led and cast his own stunning charm, which slammed into Pettigrew's chest sending him flying backwards.

"That's the second time someone has tried to steal the stone, headmaster," Severus growled while Remus kept his wand pointed at Pettigrew. "The stone is not safe here and the students won't stay safe so long as the stone remains here."

"Perhaps we should talk about this later," Albus suggested although he knew that the Potions Master's words were correct. The only reason he kept the stone within Hogwarts walls is because he felt that the wards surrounding Hogwarts would prevent anyone from obtaining the stone. That feeling was wrong considering this was the second attempt on Tom's part to get the stone.

Pettigrew, as the stunning charm faded away, leapt to his feet before casting a quick spell that Remus quickly counteracted but before the DADA professor could send his own spell back at the rat animagus, Pettigrew shimmered into his animagus form and scurried rapidly away.

A growl sounded from behind and Albus, Severus and Remus had to quickly get out of the way as a large black dog suddenly charged past them and headed off down the corridor after the rat.

Harry, Ron, Draco and Hermione were walking side by side with each other down the corridors as they made their way outside as soon as classes were over. Harry wanted to visit Hagrid and Ron and Hermione had decided to go with him while Draco reluctantly agreed. The four companions walked side by side across the snow covered courtyard and Harry glanced up suddenly as his father, Professor Lupin and Professor Dumbledore walked over to join them.

"Hi Professors," Harry greeted them.

"Mr. Potter, have you seen a black dog around here anywhere?" Lupin asked.

"No."

Ron glanced at Lupin hopefully. "Did you find Scabbers?" he asked.

"I'm afraid that your familiar is not what you think he is," Dumbledore said. "He's not a rat at all; he's an animagus who posed as your familiar in order to sneak into Hogwarts."

Ron's eyes went wide with shock. "But how?" he protested. "Scabbers couldn't have been an animagus."

"It's true, Mr. Weasley," Lupin said quietly and gently while Snape tossed Dumbledore a look that Harry couldn't decode. "We just found out about it just before the last class of the day ended. And that's precisely who the black dog is looking for."

"Why?" Harry couldn't help but ask.

"Because that black dog is your godfather, Harry," Snape replied.

Harry's eyes went wide and understanding suddenly glittered in them. "Peter Pettigrew?" he asked.

Ron's eyes went wide when the three professors nodded once in reply. "Bloody hell! My familiar has been the one that betrayed Harry's mum and stepdad this entire time," Ron exclaimed.

"Watch your language, Mr. Weasley," Snape said firmly.

At that moment, a growling black dog bounded across the snowy courtyard before shimmering into the form of Sirius Black. "Bloody hell," he hissed. "I couldn't catch up with him. For being so fat, that rat sure is fast. He managed to make it past the apparation wards and, just before I caught up with him, he transformed and apparated away."

"I'm going to call a staff meeting right away and speak with the Ministry," Dumbledore said seeming to have forgotten that Harry and his companions were still there. "I think it's high time I try to convince the Ministry to and fix the wards so that they won't allow animagi to enter them in their animagus forms."

Harry noticed he added the last part when Sirius opened his mouth to protest.

Snape glanced at them. "Where are you four off too?" he asked.

"We're going to go see Hagrid," Harry replied.

"Well then go ahead," Snape said before he glanced at Dumbledore and added, "Why don't we continue this conversation inside?"

Dumbledore nodded in agreement.

"And you, Black, should probably be heading home."

Sirius scowled. "Don't tell me what to do, Snape," he snapped glaring at Severus who easily returned the glare from impassive obsidian eyes.

"Oi mate, you weren't kidding when you said those glaring matches seem to come naturally to them," Ron commented.

"I don't understand why they don't like each other," Hermione admitted.

"I'll tell you about it while we walk to Hagrid's," Harry said before the four of them hurried away while the professors, and a scowling Sirius Black, made their way back into the building.

"So why don't they like each other?" Hermione asked.

"Sirius wasn't very nice to my dad during his years at Hogwarts," Harry admitted. "Dad told me that he was always the one they pulled their pranks on and it caused him to grow to dislike Sirius and his friends very much. And I think Sirius only dislikes my dad because he had once been a Death Eater."

Hermione's eyes went wide. "Your dad was once a supporter of You-Know-Who?" she echoed.

"Yeah but he isn't now," Harry said.

"My father always said that once you're a supporter of You-Know-Who then you're always a supporter," Ron said.

"That's not true in all cases, Weasley," Draco sneered.

Ron snorted. "Well I suppose so. I mean I doubt any supporter of You-Know-Who would actually claim the boy who defeated You-Know-Who as his son," he admitted.

"What is Snape like as a father?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Strict," Harry admitted. "After the troll incident, I got grounded for two weeks, had to give my dad my invisibility cloak and had to write an essay for my dad."

"That's what your dad gave as my punishment, aside from the invisibility cloak thing," Draco admitted and Harry knew that the howler Draco had received from his father had said that Draco's punishment for the troll incident would be decided by Snape.

"Wait a minute, you have an invisibility cloak? Those things are rare," Ron exclaimed.

"Yeah, my stepdad left it to me when I was named his heir," said Harry.

"That's amazing, mate. Do you think I can see it someday?"

"Maybe tomorrow. Let's go see Hagrid though."

His three friends nodded before following Harry as he jogged up the stone pathway toward Hagrid's hut in the distance. A bark sounded and Harry watched as Hagrid's boarhound, Fang, bounded over to them, saliva dripping from his jaws as he nearly cannoned into the four friends.

Harry laughed as he gazed at Fang and gently pet him. "Hi there Fang," he greeted him.

Hermione glanced at the dog. "He's so cute," she said stretching out a hand before letting the dog sniff her and then she ran her fingers through the dog's fur.

"Girls," Draco and Ron muttered at the same time before they glanced at each other in surprise while Harry and Hermione chuckled.

"'ello there, 'Arry," Hagrid, the half giant friend that Harry had first met over a year ago, made his way out of his hut. "An' ya brought your friends with ya."

"Yeah, we just wanted to come down and say hi," Harry replied.

Draco scowled as Fang turned his attention to him and barked before launching himself at the blonde wizard. "Will you get this dog off of me?" he complained struggling to protect himself from the dog's slobbering tongue.

"Fang, get off of 'im," Hagrid ordered and Fang, barking excitedly, did as he was told before bounding over to join the half-giant. "I 'ave to say that I wasn't expecting ya. I was actually goin' into the Forbidden Forest for a bit."

"Why?" Ron asked looking nervous at the mention of the forest that was forbidden from all students.

"Somethin' is happenin' there and I wan' to figure out what that is."

Harry looked worried as he remembered his dreams from the previous term. "Does it have anything to do with unicorns?" he asked worriedly.

"No' since last term no."

"Why did you ask that, Harry?" Hermione asked curiously.

"Well, I had nightmares last term about unicorns getting killed and something drinking their blood," said Harry.

"Oh I'm so sorry, Harry. Those must have been horrible nightmares," Hermione gasped.

"Yeah they were and I can't believe that they were right."

"But why would anyone kill unicorns? I read that killing a unicorn is a high crime and drinking their blood only allows them to live a half life even if they will be immortal so long as they continue drinking it."

"So what do you think is out there?" asked Draco glancing nervously and a tad fearfully at the tall trees of the forest.

"I don' know," replied Hagrid. "But I wan' to check it out."

"Can we come with?" Harry asked curiously.

"Blimey, Harry, are you crazy? The forest is forbidden to all students for a reason," Ron exclaimed.

"But something's in there and we'll have Hagrid with us," Harry reminded them.

"Yeah but it's still dangerous," Hermione said quietly. "I think we should just head back to the castle." She glanced up at the sky above before adding, "It's almost dinner time anyway."

"Listen to your friend, 'Arry," Hagrid said. "You should head back to the castle now."

"But…?"

"No 'buts' 'Arry," the half-giant said firmly.

Harry sighed. "All right," he said quietly.

"Come on, mate, let's get back inside," Ron said. "Maybe you can show me your invisibility cloak."

Harry chuckled. "I'll go to my room and get it," he said.

"I'll come with you," Draco said as the four of them began making their way back toward the castle while Hagrid and Fang disappeared into the Forbidden Forest.

Draco waited for his friend outside of the common room and he found himself wondering why it was taking his friend so long. It was almost time for dinner and Draco watched as his housemates walked out of the common room. Gregory Goyle came out of the common room before sneering at Draco. "Malfoy," he said curtly.

"Goyle," Draco replied stiffly. He really didn't like Goyle and he knew that Goyle disliked him just as much although he disliked Harry more because Harry had been the one that got his best friend suspended from Hogwarts for the rest of the year. Goyle pushed past him before making his way toward the Great Hall and Draco scowled at him as the common room opened again and Harry stepped out of it a shimmering silvery piece of cloth folded in his hands.

"That's it?" Draco asked. He knew about the invisibility cloak since Harry told him about it but he never saw it until now.

Harry nodded. "I'll have to be careful with it, though. I don't want it to get stolen," he said holding it tightly in his hands. "Come on, let's go find Ron and Hermione before dinner begins."

Draco nodded in agreement before he and Harry walked toward the Great Hall. They met up with Ron and Hermione when they were about halfway toward the hall and Ron examined the simmering silver cloth in his hands. "That's it?" he asked.

Harry nodded holding up the simmering piece of cloth so that Ron and Hermione could see it. "Yup," he replied.

"Blimey, Harry, that's amazing."

"When did you get it?" Hermione asked as Harry folded it up again and tightened his grip on it as more students from all four houses walked past them toward the Great Hall until there was no one in the hall.

"My first Christmas with my dad," Harry replied.

Hermione nodded. "We should probably get going," she said. "I think we're going to be late."

Draco gazed around in time to notice that the hall they had met up with Harry's other friends was empty before he nodded in agreement and the four walked toward the Great Hall. However, as they neared the Great Hall, Draco spotted Goyle walking over to join them with a sneer on his face.

"What are you doing here, Goyle?" Draco asked sneering.

"Waiting for you," Goyle replied.

"Get out of the way, Goyle, or we'll just lose more points from our houses if we're late to dinner," Ron said.

"Shut up, blood traitor," Goyle spat.

"Why does he call you a blood traitor?" Hermione asked.

"My family supports muggles and muggleborn witches and wizards," Ron replied.

"I don't find that as a bad thing."

"Well of course you don't, mudblood," Goyle sneered.

"Don't call Hermione that, Goyle," Harry snapped.

"What are you going to do about it, Snape?"

Harry scowled angrily at Goyle.

"Come on, Harry, don't let him get to you," Hermione said. "He's just trying to get you into trouble."

"Why don't you stay out of this, mudblood whore?"

Harry's eyes flared with anger and Draco winced, Harry definitely inherited his father's temper and it looked as though it was about to flare. Goyle apparently must have known this for he was going out of his way to anger Harry. Draco suddenly realized that his fellow Slytherin was attempting to get Harry in trouble by having a teacher catch the two of them dueling.

"He's egging you on, Harry," Draco said. "Come on, let's get to dinner before your father notices you're gone."

Harry took a deep breath before he slowly relaxed and nodded in agreement.

"Typical," Goyle sneered. "You're just as much a coward as your father!"

Harry's eyes flashed and even Draco rounded on the Slytherin in shock and anger at the insult to his godfather.

"As was your mudblood whore of a mother," added Goyle sneeringly.

Harry's eyes filled with anger at the direct insult to his mother and Draco could see him on the verge of pulling out his wand.

Hermione and Ron seemed to have noticed for they grabbed each of his arms and guided him away from Goyle. "Don't listen to him," Hermione said gently.

"Coward, just like both your parents," Goyle shouted as the four companions made their way toward the Great Hall. "You are such a coward that I doubt you would have the courage to stand up to me without your friends nearby."

"Don't listen to him," Draco murmured.

"The great Boy-Who-Lived having to hide behind his friends because he is such a weak, wimpy coward," Goyle sneered.

Harry's eyes were flaring with anger as he whirled around and glared at Goyle. "I am not a coward like you, Goyle, nor am I a wimp."

"Then prove it, tonight after curfew, in the abandoned corridor on the second floor," Goyle spat.

"That's against the rules," Hermione protested before she glanced at Harry. "You aren't seriously thinking of doing this? You'll get in so much trouble!"

"He insulted my family," Harry growled.

"You're not supposed to let those words hurt you so much when you know they aren't true, Harry. If you get caught then you'll be expelled," Hermione protested.

"You're an idiot, Goyle," Draco said curtly. "You do realize that if Professor Snape catches us, we'll be in much trouble. Come on, Harry, don't listen to him and let's go eat, I can hear Weasley's stomach growling all the way over here."

Ron blushed a bright red. "Yeah, mate, listen to Malfoy," he said placing a hand on Harry's shoulder.

Harry swallowed and Draco could see him reigning in his temper as he nodded in response. "Yeah, you're right," he murmured before he walked beside his friend toward the Great Hall and Draco glanced back briefly at Goyle who was sneering at his back before he turned his gaze to the doors of the Great Hall.

A/n what do you think?

Blaze: uh oh, will Harry take up Goyle on his proposal?

Darth: I hope not

Blaze: this is basically a version of The Midnight Duel chapter in SS/PS but much later in the year and with a different opponent

Severus: so does that mean…?

Blaze: yup although I want the entire quartet there but I haven't figured out how to do that with three different houses

Severus: you'll figure it out…eventually

Blaze: (sarcastically) thanks for your encouragement

Voldy: where are you Severus?

Severus: (ducks into closet and shuts door)

Blaze: (sighs) what this time?

Severus: bathroom is worse than a nuclear wasteland again

Blaze: (chuckles)

Pettigrew: (rushes into computer room) can I hide in here?

Lucius: (rushes into computer room) can I hide in here?

Blaze: why? Who's after you?

Pettigrew: Sirius

Lucius: Voldemort

Blaze: well in that case…NO!

Severus: so get out of here and find your own hiding place (kicks Lucius and Pettigrew out)

Voldy: oh there you are Lucius (drags Lucius toward messed up bathroom)

Sirius: (cracks knuckles and grins) time to have some fun (begins hexing and cursing Pettigrew)

Blaze: (laughs) please review and I will post part twenty six as soon as I possibly can but I doubt it'll be anytime soon and once again, this story is VERY AU