Disclaimers: See Chapter 1 for more info.
Acknowledgements: To TooLazyToLogin for giving me the original idea for this series. To DoctorWhovian18, for being my beta-writer/reader for this series, for her ideas on pranking, ideas on other things about the story, her advice and helpfulness, and the list go on. To LOTCR, for her ideas for this story. I'd also like to thank ValueMyHeart for reviewing, following, and favoriting this story. To all my readers who are favoriting, following, and reviewing this story. And I'd also like to thank Frodo and the hobbits for their help with this story as well. Yes, that sounds crazy to the normal readers, but I'm still thanking Frodo and his friends anyway.
The very next morning, shortly after Frodo finished breakfast, Frodo followed Hermione into an empty classroom. There, they found Harry and Ron waiting for them. It was time Frodo learned what Harry wanted to tell him the other night.
Harry got straight to the point, "Snape's after the Stone, as we know, but then so is Voldemort."
"Whose Voldemort?" asked Frodo.
"Stop saying his name!" said Ron.
Harry ignored him, informing Frodo, "He's an evil wizard. He tried to kill me as a baby, and I'm sure Voldemort was there last night in the forest, living off the unicorn's blood. If he had his way last night, Voldemort would have killed me then."
"So you think Voldemort's after the Sorcerer's Stone?" asked Frodo, as if to confirm the information in a question.
"Stop saying his name!" Ron repeated, clearly peeved.
Ignoring Ron, Harry nodded in agreement to Frodo.
Frodo didn't understand, "But if Voldemort's after the Stone, who knows who else is after it. And if dark wizards go after the Stone, what's to stop any other foul thing from wanting the Stone for themselves."
"That's what we've been saying," said Harry.
"You catch on fast," said Ron, sarcastic.
Hermione ignored him. She told Frodo, "Well, Dumbledore's protecting Harry from Voldemort. So, if Dumbledore's here, Harry is safe, but then so is the Stone."
"Then let's hope Voldemort doesn't get it, or Snape, or anything evil from Middle-earth," said Frodo.
"Why would Middle-earth be affected?" Ron realized, "Middle-earth is your home."
Frodo nodded in silence. "It is. The Shire is well-guarded and safe, but who knows what else is out in the world. I still don't know what's in Middle-earth, but I've heard of strange creatures and foul beasts from Bilbo's stories. Middle-earth might not be as safe as we thought."
"You should be happy the Shire's safe, and the hobbits here. But then so are you, Frodo," said Hermione.
"Thanks Hermione," said Frodo, feeling reassured. Still, he had this bad feeling in the pit of his stomach. "Let's hope the Stone is still safe by next week."
"Or any week," said Ron.
Frodo nodded again. However, his bad feeling did not settle, even after his meeting with Harry, Ron and Hermione ended so they could get to class.
o-o-o
Frodo never felt such relief until the next morning. He didn't have detention anymore! Now he could do what he pleased. He knew the very first thing he would do: prank Filch.
After he finished eating breakfast in the Great Hall, Frodo walked with Aria to the second-floor corridor. Even though he and Aria had class on the third-floor, as Aria wanted to get to her class on time, Frodo knew they still had plenty of time. Time enough for him to prank Filch, that is. And right on cue, there was Filch, mopping up the second-floor corridor on the other end.
Frodo whispered to Aria, "Wait by the stairs to the third-floor corridor."
"What will you do?" asked Aria, whispering back.
"You'll understand, hopefully," said Frodo. He pointed to the way back, "Now go, before Filch spots you."
Aria nodded, knowing when she was defeated. "All right. Do be careful." She darted down the corridor, doing her best to keep her footfalls from being too loud.
Frodo murmured to himself, jokingly, "Oh I will." Returning his gaze to Filch, and muting the sound in front of Filch temporarily with his hand magic, Frodo also used his hand magic to cast an enormous box of balloons on top of the caretaker. With Filch distracted by his new task, Frodo darted back down the way he came. He found Aria waiting for him, but he didn't have much time to talk to her. Filch might be heading his way.
Frodo whispered loudly to her, "No time. Let's go." He dragged her with him up the stairs.
Aria tripped once, but she was grateful Frodo still held her wrist. "I can walk, Frodo."
"Come on," said Frodo. He was eager to get away from the second-floor corridor.
Aria was in the right and did her best to speed after Frodo. At last, the two made it to the Charms Corridor. There, Aria stopped and spoke the password to the portrait she was looking for. With that done, Aria turned her gaze again to Frodo: "I have to go. Thank you for escorting me here."
"I should go, too. See you later, Aria," said Frodo, walking away.
Aria called to him, "And to you."
Frodo gazed sharply back, but the expression he had on his face was filled with mirth. He stopped and checking his clock, using hand magic once more, Frodo found he still had time to get to his first class of the morning. He waved to Aria, who slipped through the portrait hole, disappearing from his sight. After Aria had left the area, Frodo darted off. If there was one thing he would prove to his teachers, it was that he could be punctual… but then there was always room outside the classroom to be the prankster that he was.
o-o-o
Of course, Frodo didn't have much time to pull pranks. He spent the majority of it with Aria whenever they did their study sessions. Otherwise, Frodo could be found with Harry, Ron and Hermione, investigating further on the Sorcerer's Stone. While Frodo wasn't always able to meet with them, as exams drew ever closer, he was still informed by Hermione on Snape's behavior and Quirrell's bravery; only Quirrell was looking more pale as the days stretched.
By the next week, it was time for exams. Exams consisted of four days. There were written exams, but there were also practical exams, which involved the teachers calling students one-by-one and showing their instructors the correct spell. Frodo and Aria were often separated during these four days, but each knew the reason for this. And while the authors and authoresses of the hobbits attending Hogwarts were mainly in the Authors and Authoresses' Chamber during these four days of exams – as their exams were different from the school's main curriculum – the hobbits found themselves either grouped with their classmates during practical exams and in separate rooms during the written parts.
Frodo could admit he finally had the basics down of using hand magic. A proven example of this was when he entered Professor McGonagall's class. McGonagall was most strict towards him. Frodo knew why the reason was: he made her angry when he helped Harry and Hermione with Norbert that night, weeks ago.
McGonagall asked Frodo, "Turn a mouse into a snuffbox. Points will be taken if I see whiskers. There is your mouse."
Frodo approached McGonagall's desk. There, sitting on the table was a little white mouse. This is easy, thought Frodo. In one swift effort, Frodo used his hand magic on the mouse: the effect was the mouse transforming into a snuffbox. There wasn't a single whisker on it. Frodo gave a cheery expression. He knew he'd done well.
McGonagall nodded. She was most impressed, yet she told Frodo, "I'll let you know that while it may be adequate to use hand magic, note that most witches and wizards, or in this case hobbits, use their wands."
Frodo admitted, "I like using hand magic better. It's what Professor Cherryhill claimed is my best skill."
McGonagall said, "Indeed. Then I suggest you continue to use hand magic, but I warn you that Professor Snape prefers wand-making."
"I know. I don't always use hand magic," said Frodo, "especially in Professor Snape's class."
"Very well. It is your choosing which form of magic you take. I award ten points to Ravenclaw, and you pass this part of your exam because your design is robust yet elegant for a snuffbox," said Professor McGonagall, pointing out the Shire painting design on the snuffbox.
"Well, the Shire is my home. I wanted to represent it," said Frodo. "Thank you, professor."
"Good enough. You may go, Mr. Baggins," said Professor McGonagall, showing Frodo to the door.
Frodo proved his use of hand magic again, this time in Charms class:
"Mr. Baggins, make the pineapple tap-dance across the desk," said Professor Flitwick.
Frodo performed the spell, using hand magic, in around five to ten seconds. The result was superb, as the pineapple tap danced to a familiar Shire jig Frodo knew. Flitwick nodded, approaching Frodo as the hobbit used his hand magic to turn the music off.
"Well done, Mr. Baggins. You have improved indeed," said Flitwick.
"I think I've got the basics down," said Frodo.
"Yes you have. I think you are ready to try something more challenging, but we can wait until next year. For now, you may leave," said Flitwick.
Frodo did as he was told, as Flitwick called in his next student. Frodo was happy, if only within that moment. He still had other classes to attend to for his exams. Yet he felt he did all the studying he could.
Frodo had to stay on his toes for his Herbology exam. Professor Sprout called him into the greenhouse. When Frodo entered, he found himself in midst of two spiky bushes. The spiky bushes themselves were green, but they were covered in large yellow thorns. Frodo had a feeling he knew what spell to use.
Professor Sprout instructed him for his practical exam, "Use the fire-making spell on these spiky bushes. Make sure to step back to avoid their needles."
Keeping a safe distance away from the spiky bushes, Frodo decided to show his hand magic again. Aiming his hands in the air, right at the bushes, Frodo cast, "Incendio!"
The spell worked in perfect sync. As it happened, the spiky bushes deflated; in the process, their thorns shot in different directions. Frodo luckily was away enough that the spiky bushes' thorns didn't hit him, as he knew would happen.
Professor Sprout was impressed. She nodded, telling him, "Ten points to Ravenclaw. You've mastered the basics for the Incendio spell. Off you go, Mr. Baggins."
Frodo, delighted with his efforts, left the greenhouse for the Herbology corridor. He was happy no one was injured by the spiky bushes.
Potions class was daunting. As Frodo wasn't allowed to use hand magic, and Snape gladly would have penalized Frodo for using this form of spell casting by any means necessary, he had to rely on his wand-magic instead. The potion each first year, hobbits included, were required to brew by memory was the Forgetfulness Potion.
While he already guessed he would have to do this potion, due to the dream he had weeks ago, before his detention, Frodo dived right into the process of making the potion. Snape was no help to him, often breathing down his neck, especially when Frodo was concentration on getting the potion right.
"Careful Baggins, you don't want to lose house points," said Snape, just as Frodo reached halfway through the potion-making.
Frodo didn't say anything to Snape, if at all. When it was time to continue the potion, Frodo remembered to put mistletoe berries and the Standard Ingredient into the mortar. Hoping he was precise, Frodo sprinkled in the pinches from the mortar, after he crushed the two ingredients. The moment he waved his wand to complete the potion, Snape came over and examined Frodo's potion.
"A decent potion, not considerably your best, Baggins," said Snape. He ended their conversation before it began, in his calm voice, "Now leave the class, before I deduct house points."
Frodo did just that, not looking back at Snape. At least he would have relief from his potions' teacher… that is until he found out what his exam results were for potions class.
The last three classes Frodo had to take involved more written exams than practical. Although Xylomancy class, Frodo had to read twigs, something which he didn't understand nor could get why this was part of Divination, on a beginner's level. In Magical Theory, Frodo's exam consisted of theories on spells and their uses. While Frodo felt confident he did well on this exam, he was more interested in experience over theories.
As for History of Magic, and Frodo did his best to pay attention to Professor Binns, the exam covered wizards who'd invented Self-Stirring Cauldrons. When Frodo was done with his test, and finished double-checking the papers, Professor Binns spoke to the class:
"Set your quills down, class. After you've rolled up your parchments, you are free to go."
Frodo felt relieved, but then so were Harry, Ron, Hermione, Merry and Pippin. Frodo had History of Magic with his five friends because Gryffindors and Ravenclaws shared this class together for their first year. Glad to have History of Magic as his last class, and even more relieved that he was done, Frodo met with his friends after class got out.
As Harry, Ron and Hermione agreed to go out on the grounds, Pippin asked Frodo, "So, what should we do Frodo?"
But Frodo had a feeling he should be with Harry, Ron and Hermione that afternoon. He told Merry and Pippin, "Listen, you two find Aria and tell her to meet me in the Ravenclaw Common Room before dinner or sooner. I'm going to go with Harry, Ron and Hermione. We'll talk later, I promise."
Pippin nodded in agreement. However, Merry was convinced something was up. Merry said to Frodo, "Maybe we should go with you."
Frodo shook his head. "No, you two go on ahead."
Merry shrugged. "Okay. We'll see you later." He led Pippin down the fourth-floor corridor.
Frodo, not taking any chances, caught up to Harry, Ron and Hermione, asking them, "Can I join you?"
Ron said, pleased to hear this question, "Sure."
"It's not like we're doing anything else," said Harry, leading the way.
"Oh I know," said Frodo, making it sound so obvious.
Hermione rolled her eyes. Sometimes Frodo could be full of it, but at least it was for good reasons. Frodo chuckled at Hermione's expression. It was going to be a good, relaxing week. He just knew it. Even though Gryffindor and Ravenclaw were going to be competing against each other that Saturday, Frodo and Harry had already called it evens. At this point, the only part they were concerned with was making up those lost points for their houses.
x-x-x
Outside, Frodo joined his three friends under a tree. Although Frodo wanted desperately to climb the tree, he found he couldn't because Harry kept feeling his scar. Ron and Hermione made various suggestions, but it didn't help the situation. It was then an idea struck Frodo:
"Look Harry, if Voldemort's after the Stone, and it's down in the trapdoor, do you think…"
"The trapdoor…" Harry gave it some thought, and then he remembered Fluffy and Hagrid. "Hagrid!"
"Hagrid what?" asked Ron, confused.
"Come on!" said Harry, charging across the grounds. With Ron, Hermione and Frodo on his tail, Harry explained to the three, "Isn't it odd that Hagrid really wants a dragon and a stranger turns up who has one? Not a lot of people go around with dragon eggs in their pocket, do they?" He added as a last note, "Thank you, Frodo. You're a big help."
Frodo said, shyly, "It was only a thought."
"No, it's helpful," said Harry. "Now we can ask Hagrid where–" but he cut himself off as they neared Hagrid's hut. The least he could do was to ask his giant friend where he got that dragon egg.
The moment Harry, Ron, Hermione and Frodo approached Hagrid, Harry and Hagrid engaged in a conversation involving when Hagrid got the dragon egg from the stranger. Harry asked him questions, but what Hagrid could admit was the stranger didn't take his cloak off, but while they were playing cards, Hagrid told Harry what he told the stranger about Fluffy, especially the part where you calm the three-headed dog:
"…jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep–"
Frodo hardly spoke, but then neither did Harry, Ron and Hermione. They just kept running until they reached the entrance hall. However, as soon as the four friends stepped foot inside the castle, it felt cold and gloomy. And yet, Harry's mission seemed important at the time. Frodo was in the right to be with Harry then. Even he suspected there was more going on than a stranger walking up to Hagrid with a dragon egg in his pocket.
However, as the four friends scanned the area for Dumbledore's office, not knowing themselves where the Headmaster's office was exactly, they were interrupted by Professor McGonagall. McGonagall carried with her a stack of books. She was most curious as to what Frodo, Harry, Ron and Hermione were doing inside the castle at that hour.
As soon as he learned from McGonagall that Dumbledore was not at Hogwarts but at the Ministry of Magic, Harry insisted, "Professor – it's about the Sorcerer's Stone –"
McGonagall was firm on them, telling them, "The stone is too well protected." Before they could protest, she said last, "I suggest you four go outside and enjoy the sunshine." She walked away without saying another word to them.
Moments later, Snape approached them, wondering what they were doing inside. Before he walked away, Snape had a few things to say to Harry. After he was done threatening Harry, Snape pressed further with Frodo: "And that goes for you, too, Baggins. No more nighttime wanderings." He walked away, heading to wherever he was going.
Finding Snape too suspicious, Harry laid out the plan for them: Hermione would wait outside the staff room and distract Snape, by searching for Professor Flitwick. Harry and Ron decided they would head to the third-floor corridor. However, Frodo intervened:
"Can I come with you?" asked Frodo, stopping the trio from moving.
Harry informed him, calmly, "Look, you've helped us this far. You don't have to come."
"I'm not leaving you three to do this alone. I'm coming," said Frodo.
Harry knew he couldn't deter Frodo from backing down from their plan. He said last, "Come on, Frodo. Follow me and Ron."
At that, the four friends went their separate ways: Hermione to the staff room; Harry, Ron and Frodo to the third-floor corridor. But when the three friends reached the third-floor corridor, they were stopped by Professor McGonagall. McGonagall, this time, was furious. She warned Harry and Ron that she would take another fifty points from Gryffindor, but she didn't stop there:
"Mr. Baggins, I would think by now that you would have a lot more respect for this school. Should you come snooping here again, I'll not only take fifty more points from Ravenclaw, but also inform your parents of your bad behavior. Is that understood?"
Frodo was alarmed by this statement. His parents would find out again what he'd done; only this time… no, he needed to snap out of his reverie. There was only one thing he could do… as soon as he reached the seventh-floor corridor with Harry and Ron, Frodo insisted in a rampage to his two friends: "Listen, whatever the plan is, I'm with you."
Harry nodded. This was the right thing now. "You're right. I'll let you know as soon as Hermione comes back, okay?"
Frodo nodded as well. It was better than nothing…
After a few minutes, before that a frantic Hermione rushing into the Corridor of the Fat Lady, Frodo moved from his spot. There, Harry, Ron and Hermione approached him with news. Frodo knew this news was important.
Harry told Frodo, mumbling loudly, "Ron, Hermione and I've agreed to go to the third-floor corridor tonight, after everyone's gone to bed. Do you think you can meet us there?"
Frodo nodded. "I'll be there, as soon as everyone's gone to bed in the Ravenclaw Common Room."
"I just hope this plan works," said Hermione. "But I don't have to worry about being expelled. My grades are really good."
With Herbology class and Magical Theory not mentioned for the exams in the first Harry Potter book, that were brought up here, I had to guess what would be the final exams for these classes for first years. And I really did some good hard thinking on it. As for Xylomancy, that class is kind of self-explanatory, as it's also in the Harry Potter Wiki, except for the exam but I think that's self-explanatory. And as what happened in Chapter 16, "Through the Trapdoor" in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone/Philosopher's Stone, Hermione gets the last line of dialogue before she, Ron and Harry enter the Forbidden Corridor later that evening.
And lastly, next chapter we'll be caught up to where we were before I did major back-tracking. I am so happy to have finally reached this far again. Of course, next chapter will obviously be a little different but also interesting, and yet will still involve the Underground Chambers to the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone. Okay, bye. :)