Chapter Eleven: Whilst there remain

"All that is gold does not glitter,

Not all who wander are lost."

- JRR Tolkien

There wasn't time to waste, as far as Harry was concerned. One of their own had already been petrified. He needed more information, and soon. He walked quickly down the hall. If anyone was likely to know something about what had happened last time the chamber was opened, and likely to tell him what they knew, it would be Hogwarts' keeper of the keys and grounds- Rubeus Hagrid. He'd decided to go alone. Tracey wasn't exactly the best diplomat, Nott wasn't usually exactly warm with people, and it would be difficult to fetch one of the gryffindors without attracting attention, not to mention that he doubted troublemakers like the twins would be particularly helpful. So he was currently walking through the halls of Hogwarts on his own, on the way to Hagrid's hut.

But before he got there- he tried his best to listen carefully without pausing- he would have to deal with whoever was following him. He kept walking. Whoever was following him was doing a rather clumsy job of it, but still, he preferred to let them think he was unaware of their presence so that they might further let down their guard. It was a single human, of that he was sure, and as they had no basilisk accompaniment he felt no need to rush.

As he neared the front door he wheeled around and leaped forward, hand outstretched, grabbing the person behind him, and yanking off the invisibility cloak that had concealed his follower.

"Ah, Ronald," he commented lazily to the startled boy, "what are you doing with my cloak?"

"I asked Fred and George if I could borrow it, they didn't ask questions- where do you think you're going, Potter?"

"What business is it of yours?"

"Sneaking around at this time of night? And after an attack? I don't know what your up to, Potter, but-"

"And to think last time I saw you I was 'Harry'. My name does seem to change a lot around you, doesn't it?"

"You-"

"I'm on my way to see the grounds keeper, Hagrid," said Harry quietly, "From what little information I've gathered, the chamber has been opened before, fifty years ago. Of all the people who've be here that long, Hagrid's probably the most likely to tell what he knows."

"So you mean to say you don't really know much more about what's going on than everyone else?" asked Ron skeptically.

"No, well, except…." It was important that this boy not get in his way, and the easiest way to avoid that would be to gain his trust. He withdrew the torn book page from his pocket. "When they took us up to see Hermione in the hospital wing after she was petrified, I found this crumpled in her hand," he whispered, holding out the paper so that Ron could see it, "and I think she's probably right."

"Merlin's beard.…" Ron muttered, wide-eyed, and then looked back up at Harry. "If you're just going to visit Hagrid, I'm sure you won't mind me coming along." He was watching Harry closely now. He's testing me.

"Of course not, as long as you're polite to him."

Ron nodded stiffly, and together they made their way out of the castle, and across the grounds towards Hagrid's cabin.

Harry knocked three times on the large wooden door of Hagrid's hut and then he and Ron stood there patiently, waiting. He could he barking, and footsteps. A moment later the door swung open.

"Harry? How are yeh doin'? And who's this with yeh? Isn't it a bit late ter' be wanderin' around, what with the attacks an' all? Come on inside." Harry and Ron followed him into the hut, and sat down at a table inside.

"I've been alright, Hagrid, and this is Ron Weasley-"

"Weasley? Hope you're not up ter trouble. 'Spent 'alf me life chasing yer twin brothers away from the forest." Good thing I didn't bring them, then.

"Of course he isn't, he just wanted to come along with me for a visit," Harry assured the man, "and as for the attacks… I've heard the chamber has been opened before, and I was wondering, since you've been here a long time, if you know anything about it, or how we could stop whoever-" Harry paused abruptly, "someone's coming."

"You two, hide, quick! If'n yer caught out here at this hour-"

Harry pulled Ron into the corner, and threw the cloak over them just moments before the door swung open.

In walked Dumbledore, and a wizard in pinstriped robes that Harry had seen once before in the Leaky Cauldron- the minister of magic, Cornelius Fudge.

"Cornelius, I really must protest, I'd trust Hagrid with my life-"

"Be that as it may, Dumbledore, something must be done. Just as a precaution, I'm sure you understand, we cannot allow someone with his history to remain at Hogwarts until we are sure- Ah Hagrid, I'm afraid we'll be needing to take you into custody temporarily-"

"Surely you don't mean- Azkaban?" Hagrid had paled drastically.

"It's only temporary, nothing to worry about if you're really innocent, just a precaution, you understand…."

But they were interrupted as the door burst open once more, revealing a tall blond aristocratic looking man who strutted inside without so much as wiping the mud off his boots.

"Ah, hello Lucius, what are you doing here?"

"Greetings, Minister. I was looking for the Headmaster," he turned to Dumbledore, "although I admit I didn't expect to find you in this," he paused, looking around the hut scornfully, then drawled, "do you call this a house?"

Hagrid was glaring at the man.

"Please get to the point, Mr. Malfoy," instructed Dumbledore firmly. Lucius, Mr. Malfoy, Lucius Malfoy… Draco's father, then?

"I have a scroll here from the board of governors. It is our opinion that, as you have failed to put a stop to these… incidents that you ought to be removed. You will find I have all thirteen signatures here."

"Remove Dumbledore! If Dumbledore leaves, they'll be nothing to stop them! They'll be dyin' next!"

"Calm down, Hagrid, it'll be alright," said Dumbledore quietly, then looked over to the two ministry officials. "I'll come with you, but I must warn you that I will never truly be gone from Hogwarts, not while there remain some here who are loyal to me."

"Whatever you say old man," sneered Lucius, looking satisfied, but minorly unsettled.

Hagrid took several deep breaths. "Alrigh', I'll come. Only, someone'll have ter look after Fang… and if anyone wanted ter find out anything, all they'd have to do was follow the spiders."

As they made they're way back up towards the castle, Harry could hear Ron muttering. "Spiders, urgh…" and then Ron turned to Harry and spoke, unsteady but decided:

"When you go to find out… whatever it is Hagrid meant for us to find out-" he took a deep breath, then continued, "I'm coming."

Harry nodded.

A/N: I'm back. Again. I do seem to be updating a lot lately, don't I?

Many thanks to:

namiko-sempai, chaosthief1, The Sleeping Creature, I-Y-T-Y, GoddessMoonLady,

Shadow Lighthawk, n0b0dysang31, Nights Silhouette, thsunami, Thestrals, frodobeutlin, azntgr01, Nameless Heretic, firmin, Manatheron, illachi, Mee Yah, ShadowObscurity, Aqua Mage, MarauderinglyMagical,