Updated as of 1/30/19
Please note I used a deleted scene for the beginning of the chapter.
It was spring time and classes had started up again. Final exams were coming up and of course Hermione was studying every chance she got, making sure to invite Fiona to join her whenever possible. The two girls were sitting at the Gryffindor table across from the boys. Harry was looking through a book, per Hermione's suggestion, but Ron was going through the cards he'd gotten from chocolate frogs. Hedwig landed on a stack of books nearby and squeaked at Harry.
"Hi, Hedwig," he greeted her while Fiona reached out to give the bird an affectionate stroke. Hermione looked at the owl before looking to Ron.
"Look at you, playing with your cards. Pathetic," she said to him. "We've got final exams coming up soon."
"How could we forget?" Fiona asked. "You remind us every day," she teased with a playful smile to the girl. Hermione gave her a only slightly playful look back.
"I'm ready," Ron insisted. "Ask me any question." Harry smiled as he looked between the two.
"Alright. What are the three most crucial ingrediants in a forgetfulness potion?" she asked. Ron looked at her before looking down.
"I forgot."
"Fiona," Hermione said as she turned to her.
"Lethe River Water, mistletoe berries, and Valerian sprigs," Fiona recited without looking up from her Transfiguration book.
"That's not exactly fair," Harry mumbled. "Fiona actually likes Potion's Class."
"And what, may I ask, do you plan to do if this comes up in the final exam?" Hermione asked Ron.
"Copy off you!"
"No you won't!" Hermione countered. "Besides, according to professor McGonagall, we're to be given special quills bewitched with an anti-cheating spell."
"That's insulting!" Ron exclaimed. "It's as if they don't trust us!" Harry pretended to be shocked which made Fiona laugh. "Dumbledore again!" Ron threw down the card in his hand. Suddenly the four heard laughter coming from the students by the door. They looked up to see Neville hopping down the aisle. "Leg-locker curse?" Ron guessed.
"Malfoy," Harry accused. Ron nodded. Neville made his way to the group.
"You have got to start standing up to people, Neville," Ron told him.
"How? I can barely stand a'tall." He almost lost his balance but caught himself. Seamus stood up from beside Ron.
"I know the counter curse!"
"No! That's all I need – You to set my bloody kneecaps on fire!" Neville protested. Seamus slammed his wand down on the table.
"I don't appreciate your insinuation, Longbottom," Seamus said with a frown. "Besides, if anyone cares to notice, my eyebrows have completely grown back!" He pointed at them before he turned to leave revealing a bald spot on the back of his head. Hermione and Fiona tried not to smile. Harry suddenly tapped Ron on the arm urgently.
"I found him!" Harry handed the card of Dumbledore to Ron who began to read it aloud.
"-and his work on alchemy with his partner Nicholas Flamel!" Ron finished. Hermione visibly gasped and started to gather her things.
"I knew the name sounded familiar," Harry said. "I read it on the train that day."
"Follow me!" Hermione whispered urgently before she got up and began to leave. The boys and Fiona gathered their things and began to follow.
"Hey, wait! Where are you going?" Neville called after them. Fiona stopped and ran back to Neville, steadying him as he almost fell over.
"Sorry Neville. Vita ad motum!" She waved her wand and his legs came apart.
"Thank you!" he called after her as she ran to catch up with the others.
Ron and Harry sat in the library at a table, while Fiona was across from them working on some homework, waiting for Hermione to come back from getting whatever book she wanted to show them. She came back with a huge book.
"I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I be so stupid?" she thumped the big book down in front of the two boys making the three jump. "I checked this out a few weeks ago for a bit of light reading."
"This is light?" Ron asked. Hermione glared at him as she opened the book before flipping through the pages. She ran her finger down a page until she found what she was looking for.
"Of course! Here it is! 'Nicholas Flamel is the only known maker of the Philosopher's Stone!'"
"The what?" The boys asked in unison
"Honestly, don't you two read?"
"Hermione, I doubt they'd pick up a book this big," Fiona said motioning to the book. Hermione nodded.
"Hey," Ron said with a frown.
"She has a point, Ron," Harry said quietly.
"The Philosopher's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It will turn any metal into pure gold and produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal." Hermione read from the book.
"Immortal?" Ron asked.
"It means you'll never die," she explained.
"I know what it means!" Ron exclaimed a bit too loudly.
"Shh!" Harry shushed him.
"'The only stone currently in existence belongs to Mr. Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday!'" Hermione read. "That's what Fluffy's guarding on the 3rd floor. That's what's under the trapdoor...the Philosopher's Stone!"
"Why would it be here though? At a school?" Fiona asked.
"Dumbledore wants it safe, right?" Harry asked. "Having it here means having it close to him so he can keep an eye on it."
"He's not doing a very good job then if Snape's trying to get it," Ron said.
…
That night, Hermione, Fiona, Ron and Harry ran across the wet grounds to Hagrid's hut. They knocked on the door and a moment later Hagrid opened it.
"Hagrid!" Harry exclaimed.
"Oh, hello," Hagrid said. He was wearing oven mitts and an apron. "Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today," he apologized before going to close the door.
"We know about the Philosopher's Stone!" The four shouted in unison. Hagrid opened the door again.
"Oh." He opened the door and motioned them inside. The four followed him in, taking off their cloaks and sitting around the hut. Hermione and Fiona sat in a giant chair while Ron and Harry sat beside Hagrid's black boarhound Fang.
"We think Snape's trying to steal it," Harry said.
"Snape? Blimey, Harry, you're not still on about him, are you?" Hagrid asked.
"Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why."
"Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!" Hagrid protested.
"What?"
"You heard. Right. Come on, now, I'm a bit preoccupied today," Hagrid said.
"Wait a minute," Harry said. "One of the teachers?" he asked.
"Of course! There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments," Hermione guessed.
"That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me," Hagrid said. Hermione looked at Ron, who was being sniffed in the face by Fang. Ron shuffled away. "Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Hehe, not a soul knows how. Except for me and Dumbledore. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that." A cauldron over a fire began to rattle. "Oh!" Hagrid hurried over and grabbed something. "Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Ooh!" He put the thing, an egg, on the table. The group crowded around it.
"Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Harry asked.
"That? It's a ... it's um…"
"I know what that is! But Hagrid, how did you get one?" Ron asked.
"I won it. Off a stranger I met down at a pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact." Hagrid said.
"You won this?" Fiona asked. Hagrid nodded. The egg rattled and cracked. Pieces flew off as a baby dragon emerged. It squeaked and slipped on an egg piece. "Awe! It's so cute!" Fiona said. Ron and Harry looked at her with wide eyes.
"Is that...a dragon?" Hermione asked.
"That's not just a dragon. That's a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother Charlie works with these in Romania."
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked. "Oh. Bless him, look. He knows his mummy. Hehe. Hallo, Norbert." The dragon squeaked as it looked at Hagrid.
"Norbert?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, well, he's got to have a name, doesn't he?" Hagrid asked. Ron chuckled. "Don't you, Norbert?"
"I like it," Fiona said with a nod. Hagrid raised his fingers back and forth across Norbert's chin.
"Dededede." Norbert backed away, hiccupped and blew a fireball of fire into Hagrid's beard. Hagrid quickly patted the fire out. "Ohh! Oooh, ooh, ooh, well...he'll have to be trained up a bit, of course." Norbert hiccupped again. Hagrid saw someone looking in the window. "Who's that?" The four turned to see Draco, who scampered away when he saw he'd been seen.
"Malfoy," Harry said.
"Oh, dear," Hagrid said.
…
The four were walking back through a corridor.
"Hagrid always wanted a dragon," Harry said. "He told me so the first time I met him."
"It's crazy. And worse, Malfoy knows," Ron said.
"I don't understand. Is that bad?" Harry asked.
"It's bad," Ron said. They stopped as McGonagall, in her nightgown and robe, appeared.
"Good evening," she said. Malfoy appeared smugly beside her.
She brought the group into her classroom. The four accused stood in front of McGonagall's desk, while Malfoy was feet away, smirking.
"Nothing, I repeat, nothing gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore, as punishment for your actions, 50 points will be taken."
"50?!" Harry exclaimed.
"Each. And to ensure it doesn't happen again, all five of you will receive detention." Malfoy nodded, then his smile vanished as he realized what she'd said. He stepped closer.
"Excuse me, Professor. Perhaps I heard you wrong. I thought you said...'the five of us,'"Draco said.
"No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy. You see, as honorable as your intentions were, you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention." The four Gryffindors grinned as Draco sagged.
…
The next night for detention the five students were led to Hagrid's hut by Filch.
"A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming," Filch said. Draco gulped. "You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do inside the dark forest." Hagrid appeared out of his hut with a crossbow. He sniffled. "A sorry lot this, Hagrid. Oh, good God, man, you're not still on about that bloody dragon, are you?" Hagrid sniffed and sighed.
"Norbert's gone. Dumbledore sent him off to Romania to live in a colony."
"Well, that's good, isn't it? He'll be with his own kind," Hermione said.
"Yeah, but what if he don't like Romania?" Hagrid asked. Filch rolled his eyes. "What if the other dragons are mean to him? He's only a baby, after all."
"Oh, for God's sake, pull yourself together, man. You're going into the forest, after all. Got to have your wits about you," Filch said.
"The forest?" Draco asked. "I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are..." There was a howl. "...werewolves!"
"There's more than werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that." Draco looked frightened. "Nighty-night," he said before leaving.
"Do you see a full moon?" Fiona asked turning to Draco who quickly masked his fear.
"Full enough," he muttered.
"You got us into this," Fiona hissed.
"I-…" Draco frowned and let out a sigh.
"Right. Let's go," Hagrid said before leading the group into the forest.
…
Only a few minutes into their walk Hagrid stopped, bent down and dipped his fingers in a silver puddle. He pulled his fingers out and rubbed them together. A silver trail smeared with his fingers.
"Hagrid, what's that?" Harry asked.
"What we're here for. See that? That's unicorn's blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured bad by something." Harry looked around before looking at Hagrid. "So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Ron, Hermione, you'll come with me."
"Okay," Ron said weakly.
"And Harry and Fiona, you'll go with Malfoy." Draco grimaced, and Harry and Fiona nodded.
"Okay. Then I get Fang!" Draco demanded.
"Fine. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward," Hagrid said. Fang whined making the three look at him.
…
The three walked through the forest, Fang beside them and Draco holding up the lamp. Harry and Fiona held hands.
"You wait till my father hears about this. This is servant's stuff," Draco said.
"If I didn't know better, Draco, I'd say you were scared," Harry accused.
"Scared, Potter?!" Draco scoffed. There was a sudden howl. "Did you hear that? Come on, Fang… Scared." He shook his head before looking at Fiona. "Are you scared?"
"Hardly," she said but Harry could feel her hand shaking in his. He gave it a slight squeeze and she smiled at him.
"I'll protect you," Draco said with a smirk making both Harry and Fiona roll their eyes.
"I'll believe that when I see it," she mumbled making Harry snicker.
The group approached a flat ground with gnarled roots all over. Fang stopped then started to growl.
"What is it, Fang?" Harry asked. Up ahead, a cloaked figure was crouched over a dead unicorn, drinking its blood. The figure raised its head, silver blood dripping from its mouth. Harry gasped and grabbed his scar, which was hurting.
"Harry?" Fiona asked. Draco suddenly screamed and ran, Fang following. "Malfoy you git!" she screamed after his retreating figure.
"HELP!" he was screaming. Harry and Fiona turned back to the figure as it slid over the unicorn and rose until it was standing. It advanced towards the two, who backed up. Fiona moved in front of Harry. The two tripped backwards and crawled backwards, Harry pulling Fiona with him and putting his arms around her. She ducked her head let out a scream. Suddenly, there was the sound of hoof beats. A figure leaped over the two and landed near the cloaked figure. It was a silver centaur, Frienze. He reared, and the cloaked figure retreated, gliding away. Harry and Fiona stood, each looking each other over for injuries before facing their savior, standing close to each other and still holding onto each other's arms.
"Harry Potter, you two must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you," The centaur warned.
"But what was that thing you saved us from?" Harry asked.
"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life."
"But who would choose such a life?"
"Can you think of no one?"
"Do you mean to say...that that thing that killed the unicorn...that was drinking its blood...that was Voldemort?"
"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" Firenze asked as he leaned down to speak quieter to them. Harry's eyes widened.
"The Philosopher's Stone," Harry whispered. Suddenly, Fang barked. Harry and Fiona looked up and saw Hagrid, Hermione, Ron and Draco appear a few yards away.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Fiona!" Ron exclaimed at the same time.
"Hello there, Firenze," Hagrid said. "I see you've met our young Mr. Potter and Miss Gaunt. You all right there, you two?" The two nodded.
"Harry Potter, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck," Firenze said before leaving. The two joined the others.
"What was that you said about protecting me?" Fiona asked as she glared at Draco who immediately grimaced and gave her a sheepish look.
"Come on, let's get you five back to the castle," Hagrid said. "It's not right being out here," he said before leading them back.
"Gaunt," Draco whispered but Fiona ignored him. "Fiona, I... I-I panicked." She continued to ignore him and saw Harry roll his eyes beside her. "You understand… you saw that thing-" Harry put an arm around Fiona's shoulders before she did the same to him.
…
Once the group had returned to the castle the Gyrffindors went to their common room while Draco was left to return to his on his own. The Gyrffindor group sat around the fire. Hermione sat in a chair near where Harry was standing while Ron and Fiona sat on the couch.
"You mean, You-Know-Who's out there, right now, in the forest?" Hermione asked.
"But he's weak. He's living off the unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the stone for himself, he wants the stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll… He'll come back," Harry said before sitting down in the other chair.
"But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to kill you, do you?" Ron asked.
"I think if he'd had the chance, he might have tried to kill me tonight," Harry said. Ron gulped.
"And to think, I've been worrying about my Potions final!"
"Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?" Hermione asked. "Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." Harry smiled slightly.
A/N: So there is no known incantation to the reversal/ counterspell of Locomotor Mortis (Leg-Locking Spell/Curse) so since Locomotor ("of or relating to locomotion") Mortis ("death") roughly means "death to locomotion" I figured the counterspell would be something similar so I've made it "vita ad motum" or "Life to [the] Motion"