Chapter Nine: The Third Floor
The next morning at breakfast Harry, Ron, and Hermione sat closer together and that's when suddenly Hedwig swooped into the room and landed in the center of the Gryffindor table with an envelope clamped underneath his beak.
"It's a bit early for mail isn't it?" Hermione questioned with a look of confusion on her face.
"Yeah, but I bet it's from my mum. I couldn't wait to write and tell her that I was on the Qudditch team." Harry said while taking the envelope from his owl and tearing it open. Sure enough his mother was congratulating him on his success and also had sent him pictures of her and his siblings. She had also sent him a picture of Nugget and his children that Stevie had sent her.
There was Jewel, Jade, Crystal, and Cobalt. As Harry was sharing this new information and pictures with his friends that's when suddenly his father started walking over to him. "Hey son, I just wanted to wish you good luck at your first Qudditch practice this afternoon." He told him.
"Thanks Dad." Harry responded as Severus smiled at him before turning his attention over to Ron.
"Oh and Mister Weasley I have something for you. Your owl gave this to me yesterday by mistake and I forgot to give it to you." He told him before handing him a newspaper and Ron just simply looked at him. "What?" He wondered while raising a questioning eyebrow at him.
"Since when are you nice to me?" Ron questioned as Severus rolled his eyes.
"Honestly Weasley you've been my son's best friend ever since you were both in diapers and besides that believe it or not I actually have the ability to act friendly when I want to. If you're complaining though I could always deduct ten points from Gryffindor." He told him but Ron quickly put out a hand to stop him.
"No that's alright, thank you I'll take it." He said as Severus chuckled.
"I figured you might." He told him before he sped away and Ron watched him go.
"Maybe he's not as bad as Fred and George say he is." He said.
"Of course he's not. He wouldn't have adopted me if he was since biologically speaking I'm the son of somebody that used to be his worst enemy when he went to school here." Harry pointed out. "What's with the paper though?"
"I don't know, Mum is always sending me a bunch of useless things." Ron replied when suddenly Hermione caught sight of the headline.
"Hang on, did you guys see this? Somebody broke into Gringotts." She told them as she held up the paper and pointed at the front page.
"Well according to this they haven't actually stolen anything." Ron told her.
"That doesn't mean that they weren't trying to though." Harry pointed out.
"Harry's right." Hermione began. "According to the article they broke into the vault 713 but nothing could have possibly been taken since it was emptied earlier that exact same day." She explained and that's when Harry's eyes widened. "What is it Harry?" She questioned him.
"I think that's the vault that my dad was talking about before I started term. He said that he was going to collect something to give to Dumbledore, and I'm thinking that might have been it." He explained.
"So are you saying that that's what the burglar could have been after?" Ron wondered as Harry nodded.
"Yeah, I do. The only questions that remain are what is it and what's it doing in Hogwarts?"
….
After classes that day Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Patches started making their way back to the Gryffindor common room. "So how much homework do you guys have?" Ron wondered.
"Loads!" Hermione exclaimed. "Your father might have a softer side to him Harry but that doesn't mean that he's willing to take it easy on your friends." She told him while they continued climbing the staircase together.
"Yeah, even though he loves me and the rest of his family he also takes his job very seriously." Harry said when all of a sudden the staircase started to move startling all three of them and making them shriek.
"Oh great! Now what are we supposed to do!? I forgot that the staircases change." Ron said before suddenly it came to a stop in front of the third-floor landing.
"Let's go this way." Harry said.
"Yeah, good idea before the staircase moves again." Ron said in agreement.
"Come on Patches." Harry said while patting his leg as they all walked out onto the floor and it was rather dark and spooky.
"Does anybody feel like we shouldn't be here?" Ron wondered.
"We're not supposed to be here,.." Hermione began. "this is the third floor, it's forbidden!" She cried and that's when suddenly Patches dropped his head and started growling low in his throat as a tabby cat appeared in front of them and meowed.
"It's Filch's cat." Hermione said while pointing over at him.
"Run!" Harry cried while Patches started barking and chasing after Mrs. Norris while Harry, Ron, and Hermione all ran in the separate direction until they came a crossed a door and Harry tried pulling it open. "It's locked!" He cried while Ron turned his head and looked over his shoulder expecting to be caught at any moment.
"That's it we're done for!" He cried before Hermione pushed him aside and withdrew her wand and pointed it at the lock and then moved it in a zig-zag motion.
"Alohomora." She said and all of a sudden there was a clicking noise and Hermione was able to open the door and led them inside.
"Alohomora?" Ron questioned.
"Standard Book of Spells Grade One Chapter Seven." Hermione responded as she shut the door behind them but that's when suddenly she knew that she had made a huge mistake. For at the exact same time they all realized why the door had been locked in the first place. For there, standing right in front of them,.. was a three-headed dog,.. and it looked hungry.
