Disclaimer / I don't own anything

Chapter 13

The four of us keep an eye on Quirrel and Snape over the next few weeks to try and see if we can find out anything more. But so far it doesn't look like Quirrell has said anything. Meanwhile, Hermione is making us study like crazy because exams are getting closer. I don't fight her because I want to do well, but I don't like putting all that effort in, so I decided I will study harder closer to the exams. However, the workload increases as all the teachers are thinking along the same lines, so we have to do more work whether we like it or not. Hermione quizzes us on everything she can in our free time. One day, Harry and I are engaged in a book when we suddenly look up as Ron says something about Hagrid. Sure enough, there he is, all seven or eight feet of him.

"Hagrid!" Ron says, surprised. "What are you doing in the library?"

I can see something behind Hagrid's back. He looks suspicious as he shifts a little.

"Jus' lookin'," the giant man says.

We all know something's up as his voice betrays his words. Then, suddenly, his demeanour changes.

"An' what're you lot up ter?" he demands. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," Ron proudly boasts. "And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St-"

"Shhhh!" Hagrid says quickly, looking around to make sure no one heard. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?" he warns.

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," Harry says.

"About what's guarding the Stone, apart from Fluffy," I add.

"SHHHH!" Hagrid says again. "Listen, come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh – "

"See you later then," Harry says.

Hagrid shuffles off.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" Hermione asks thoughtfully.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" I ask.

"I'm going to see what section he was in," Ron says.

He gets up to investigate, looking like he's had enough of working. He comes back a minute later with his arms ladled with books. I lean over to read them as he slams them down on the table.

"Dragons!" I whisper.

"Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons!" Ron says. "Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."

My heart sinks as I realise what this most likely means.

"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon," Harry confirms. "He told us so the first time we ever met him," he says, gesturing to me.

"But it's against our laws," Ron puts in. "Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's hard to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden – anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie's got off wild ones in Romania."

"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" I frown.

"Of course there are," says Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind has to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."

"So what on earth's Hagrid up to?" Hermione asks.

We take Hagrid's offer up and go to see him later tonight. We find out that Dumbledore borrowed Fluffy from Hagrid, and Professors Sprout, Flitwick, Quirrell, Snape and Dumbledore himself put enchantments in to protect the Stone. We question Hagrid about Snape, but he tells us off for suspecting him. Then we notice the dragon egg Hagrid's heating on the fire. He tells us it's a Norwegian Ridgeback.

"Hagrid, you live in a wooden house," Hermione warns him.

He pays no mind though, so we leave his hut sighing.

"Wonder what it's like to have a peaceful life," Ron sighs one evening as we struggle through all the extra homework we're getting.

The next day we get a note from Hagrid telling us the egg's hatching. Ron suggests skipping Herbology to go straight down to the hut. Hermione won't hear of it though.

"Hermione, how many times in our lives are we going to see a dragon hatching?" Ron argues.

"We've got lessons," Hermione huffs. "We'll get into trouble, and that's nothing to what Hagrid's going to be in when someone finds out what he's doing-"

"Shut up!" Harry whispers.

I look around and see Malfoy standing only a few feet away, stopped to listen. I glare at him. How much had he heard? On the way to Herbology Ron and Hermione argue. In the end, Hermione agrees to run down to Hagrid's with the other two during morning break. I say no, finally needing to do some study. When the bell sounds from the castle at the end of our lesson, the other three drop their trowels at once and hurry through the grounds to the edge of the forest. Sighing, I head to the library to get started on my work. When I meet up with the other three later, they frantically tell me Malfoy saw the dragon. I frown, knowing it's only a matter of time before he says something. Over the next week, we spend most of our free time in Hagrid's hut, trying to talk sense into him.

"Just let him go," Harry urges. "Set him free."

"I can't," says Hagrid. "He's too little. He'd die."

I look at the dragon. It's gotten impressively big for just a week old. Smoke curls out of its nostrils and I can't help but fall a little in love with it. I understand Hagrid's reluctance to set him free, but I know he can't. Hagrid's been rejecting his game-keeping duties because he's always looking after the beautiful creature.

"I've decided to call him Norbert," Hagrid says, looking at the dragon with misty eyes. "He knows me now, watch. Norbert! Norbert! Where's Mommy?"

"He's lost his marbles," I overhear Ron mutter in Harry's ear.

"Hagrid," says Harry loudly. "Give it two weeks and Norbert's going to be as long as your house. Malfoy could go to Dumbledore at any moment."

Hagrid bites his lip.

"I - I know I can't keep him forever, but I can't jus' dump him, I can't."

Harry suddenly turns to Ron. "Charlie," he said.

"You're losing it, too," Ron says. "I'm Ron, remember?"

I roll my eyes slightly, looking at Harry.

"No - Charlie - your brother, Charlie," my brother says. "In Romania. Studying dragons. We could send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back in the wild!"

"Brilliant!" Ron exclaims. "How about it, Hagrid?"

In the end, Hagrid agrees that we can send an owl to Charlie to ask him. Harry, Hermione and I find ourselves sitting alone in front of the fire the following Wednesday after everyone else has gone to bed. The portrait hole suddenly burst open as the clock on the wall chimes midnight. Ron appears out of nowhere as he pulls off Harry's invisibility cloak. He had been down at Hagrid's hut, helping him feed Norbert, who was now eating dead rats by the crate.

"It bit me!" he cries, showing us his hand, which is wrapped in a bloody handkerchief. "I'm not going to be able to hold a quill for a week. I tell you, that dragon's the most horrible animal I've ever met, but the way Hagrid goes on about it, you'd think it was a fluffy little bunny rabbit. When it bit me he told me off for frightening it. And when I left, he was singing it a lullaby."

I frown slightly at Ron insulting the dragon, but I ignore it. Then suddenly, there's a tap on the window.

"It's Hedwig!" says Harry, hurrying to let her in. "She'll have Charlie's answer!"

As he collects it, Amber suddenly jumps up onto my lap. When we first got to Hogwarts, the cat had left almost immediately to explore the grounds, and I had barely seen her. But she had started appearing the past few nights. I stroke her soft fur, murmuring little nothings to her. Then Harry comes back and sits next to me and we read the note.

Dear Ron,

How are you? Thanks for the letter - I'd be glad to take the Norwegian Ridgeback, but it won't be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they mustn't be seen carrying an illegal dragon.

Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it's still dark.

Send me an answer as soon as possible.

Love,

Charlie

We look at each other.

"We've got the invisibility cloak," Harry says. "It shouldn't be too difficult - I think the cloaks big enough to cover us and Norbert."

It's a mark of how bad the last week had been that we agree with him. Anything to get rid of Norbert and Malfoy.

There's a hitch though. By the next morning, Ron's bitten hand has swollen to twice its usual size. He doesn't know whether he should visit Madam Pomfrey. Would she recognise a dragon bite? By the afternoon, though, he has no choice. The cut has turned a nasty shade of green. It looks as though Norbert's fangs are poisonous. We rush up to the hospital wing at the end of the day to find Ron in a terrible state in bed.

"It's not just my hand," he whispers, "although that feels like it's about to fall off. Malfoy told Madam Pomfrey he wanted to borrow one of my books so he could come and have a good laugh at me. He kept threatening to tell her what bit me - I've told her it was a dog, but I don't think she believes me - I shouldn't have hit him at the Quidditch match, that's why he's doing this."

We try to calm him down.

"It'll all be over at midnight on Saturday," says Hermione, but this doesn't soothe Ron at all. On the contrary, he sits bolt upright and breaks into a sweat.

"Midnight on Saturday!" he says in a hoarse voice. "Oh no, oh no - I've just remembered - Charlie's letter was in that book Malfoy took, he's going to know we're getting rid of Norbert."

We don't get a chance to answer. Madame Pomfrey comes over and makes us leave, saying Ron needs sleep.

"It's too late to change the plan now," Harry tells us. "We haven't got time to send Charlie another owl, and this could be our only chance to get rid of Norbert. We'll have to risk it. And we have got the invisibility cloak, Malfoy doesn't know about that."

We find Fang, the boarhound, sitting outside with a bandaged tail when we go to tell Hagrid, who opens a window to talk to us.

"I won't let you in," he puffs. "Norbert's at a tricky stage - nothin' I can't handle."

When we tell him about Charlie's letter, his eyes fill with tears, although that might have been because Norbert had just bitten him on the leg.

"Aargh! It's all right, he only got my boot - jus' playin' - he's only a baby, after all."

The baby bangs its tail on the wall, making the windows rattle. We walk back to the castle feeling Saturday couldn't come quickly enough, although I do feel sorry for Hagrid. Halfway through the week though, I receive a letter from Dumbledore, telling me I have a lesson on Saturday night at ten. Dumbledore has some business to attend to beforehand, which is why it's later.

"I don't think I should come," I tell the others sadly. "I don't think we can all fit under the cloak, and I don't want to be there when Norbert leaves," I lie.

Harry frowns but reluctantly agrees. When Saturday comes around, I make up an excuse to go to my lesson. I head to Dumbledore's office, waiting as the gargoyle moves aside to let me through. Dumbledore greets me, and I notice McGonagall's missing.

"Is Professor McGonagall not attending tonight?" I ask him.

He smiles a little.

"She's just a little late, another matter to attend to. She will be by later."

I nod as Dumbledore stands up to begin the lesson. The lesson goes by slowly as I get more and more tired. About ten minutes in, McGonagall joins us, taking her usual position next to the Headmaster. Overall, the session is effective but uneventful. It's nearly midnight by the time we finish. I exit Dumbledore's office as the professors dismiss me for the night. So that I don't come across Harry or Hermione, I walk slow. As I reach the corridor just before the entrance to Gryffindor Tower, I spot Malfoy. I falter in my steps. What is he doing here? When he spots me, he smirks and starts towards me. Just then, McGonagall rounds the corridor, catching sight of both of us. Her expression turns stern as she quickly makes her way towards us.

"Miss Potter, continue on your way thank you," she says, nodding at me.

Malfoy starts to protest as I head to the portrait hole. McGonagall holds up her hand though, effectively cutting him off.

"She had business with me, therefore she is excused. You, however, Mr Malfoy, have no excuse."

I reach the portrait of the Grey Lady and have no choice but to enter. So that Malfoy doesn't hear, I mutter the password and step inside just as McGonagall takes him by the ear and drags him off. I smirk, knowing he's in for it now. My amusement doesn't last long though as I remember the other two. I plonk myself down on one of the armchairs in front of the fire, impatiently waiting for Harry and Hermione to return. As time drags on, I get increasingly more worried. An hour passes. Surely it shouldn't have taken them this long? Finally, twenty minutes later, they return. I jump up from the armchair, rushing over to them. I stop short though when I notice Neville, and furthermore, the expressions on all of their faces.

"What happened?" I ask, now fearful.

Neville shakes his head and shoves past Hermione, going up to his dormitory. I look quizzically at her. She sighs before answering.

"Filch caught us coming down from the tower. Oh, we were so stupid, we forgot the invisibility cloak coming back down. He took us to Professor McGonagall's office. She had also caught Neville out because he was trying to warn us. He said Malfoy was going to catch us. She gave us all detentions and took 150 points off Gryffindor," Hermione finishes miserably.

I gasp.

"150 points?!" I whisper, unbelieving.

They nod resignedly. My heart sinks. We'd lose the lead we gained in the House gap, putting us surely in last place.

"Anyway," Harry says. "We should head to bed."

We nod mutely. We silently climb the stairs to our separate dormitories. Hermione doesn't speak as she gets ready for bed, so I don't push her to answer anything. It takes me a bit to get to sleep, but eventually, my eyes shut for the last time that night. The next morning, as we enter the breakfast hall, everyone is talking about the change in the House hour-glasses. They all think there's been a mistake, because how could Gryffindor lose so many points overnight? Then everyone starts treating Harry horribly as the story spreads. Everyone except the Slytherins that is. They're beyond happy and thank Harry every time he passes them. The four of us have to stick together because nobody else wants to talk to us, not that I mind too much. Harry feels terrible about what happened and wants to quit the Quidditch team although luckily I convince him not to. No one speaks to him unless they have to. Hermione stops drawing attention to herself in class and Neville loses the small number of people that didn't mind him. I talk to him during classes because I feel sorry for him. Anyone that even looks at him wrong gets sent my newly famous 'Potter Glare.' According to Ron, it's terrifying and rivals even his mother's. He says it almost tops McGonagall's.

"I'd hate to be on the other side of that look," he joked one day.

Luckily though, the upcoming exams provide a good distraction from all the hostility. We work long and hard hours to cram everything into our brains, desperately trying to remember it all. Due to this, my private lessons had been cut down to once a week. The first one I had after the incident, McGonagall questioned me on my knowledge of the event. I denied it, saying I had no part in it. She didn't press it, and thankfully, she dropped the subject. One day Harry and I hear someone whimpering in a classroom up ahead as we're leaving the library. I recognise it as Quirrell's voice when we get closer. Harry looks at me. I shrug. We move closer, trying to hear better.

"No – no – not again, please –" he cries.

I frown at his words. Is someone threatening him?

"All right – all right –" Quirrell sobs.

Suddenly, the professor rushes out of the classroom, straightening his turban as he does so. I stifle a yelp as he rushes right past us looking pale and on the verge of tears. Luckily, he doesn't notice us in his hurry. I go to leave, but Harry pulls me back. He waits until Quirrell is out of sight before sticking his head into the classroom.

"Harry!" I warn.

"It's alright, it's empty," he says.

"Lucky for us," I mutter.

He steps into the room and sighing, I follow him. On the other side of the room, a door stands ajar. Harry starts walking for it before stopping.

"I promised myself I would stop meddling," he tells me.

I smile at him, proud at his change in behaviour. We exit the classroom, but Harry can't resist telling the other two. We head back to the library where Hermione's testing Ron on Astronomy. Interrupting them, Harry tells us what we witnessed. He tells us he bets Snape exited the other door seconds before we came in.

"Snape's done it then!" Ron says. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell – "

"There's still fluffy, though," Hermione points out.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid," says Ron.

He looks around at all the books surrounding us.

"I bet there's a book somewhere in here, telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?" Ron asks.

I frown, feeling like something's wrong. All the evidence we have points to Snape, but something tells me it isn't him. But who else could it be? I ponder everything we've heard. Hermione said she had seen Snape muttering and staring at Harry's when his broom went out of control. And before that, at Halloween, Harry and Ron had gone to the third floor during the troll attack. Then not long after Harry saw Snape's leg injured by Fluffy. We had also seen Snape threatening Quirrell in the forest. So why am I convinced it's not him? Just then, Hermione nudged me.

"What?" I jump.

"I asked what you think we should do?" Hermione asks me.

I don't know what she's talking about because I had missed the last part of their conversation.

"Um – " I start.

Hermione rolls her eyes.

"Should we try to find more evidence to bring it to Dumbledore?" she asks.

I roll it over in my head. If we did more poking around, we could get in even more trouble, but it could also confirm if Snape's guilty or not. But I'm not sure, so I voice that.

"I'm not sure," I tell them. "What if it's not Snape?"

Ron starts at this.

"How could it not be? He jinxed Harry's broom and tried to get past Fluffy. You agreed with us when we spoke out this not two days ago," he protests.

I sigh.

"I know, I know. I feel like we're missing something though. I've got a strong feeling we've got it wrong, and Snape is innocent."

All three of them stare blankly at me. Then Harry clears his throat.

"Regardless, we're not poking around anymore."

With that, he grabs one of the books on the table and starts studying it. Hermione and I exchange a wary glance before doing the same. That night, I'm kept awake trying to figure out who else could be trying to steal the Stone.