Disclaimer's in the prologue.
The teachers started giving them piles of schoolwork after the Quiditch match of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff. Gryffindor won and as such they would be playing against Slytherin for the Quiditch Cup after the exams.
Harry spent his nearly all of his free time doing all that needs to be done, along with Theo, though most of the time his friend was just sitting there and reading a different book that has no connection whatsoever to their classes. Theo mentioned once being unnerved that Harry can do his schoolwork, nothing else within the day, except some reading, mostly school related as well.
Sometimes they were also joined by the Golden Trio in the library for some group study.
"Hagrid!" Weasley exclaimed one afternoon while they were at the library. They all turned to see the gamekeeper is in the library.
"What're you doing here?" Weasley asked. The gamekeeper looked a little shifty.
"Jus' lookin" Hagrid answered before looking at Theo whom the half-giant hadn't met before. Harry never went down to the gamekeeper's hut before even when Lars invited him to come along with them. He has no intention of exchanging pleasantries with the gamekeeper over tea and rock hard cakes.
"Hi I'm Theodore Nott, you can call me Theo." Theo said politely, holding out a hand which Hagrid shook with a look of slight hesitation.
Hagrid smiled nonetheless and it was a genuine one, probably seeing that if Theo hangs out with Gryffindor students, then he certainly isn't one of those prejudiced Slytherins and besides he's his friend.
"We found out who Nicolas flamel is," Weasley said, quite proudly, and the gatekeeper visibly paled. "He created the Phil -"
Hagrid shushed the red-head. Honestly, Harry did not know the length of Weasley's stupidity and tactlessness.
"Are there any other things guarding the -" Lars said and that gained another shush from Hagrid. Apparently they didn't lay off when he told them not to go on prying about the third floor corridor.
"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 —" Hagrid looked at him and Theo before saying "Ye two can come'f ye like."
Theo exclaimed "Sure!" the same time he said "No thanks."
The gamekeeper then left afterwards.
"What's he hiding behind his back?" Granger asked thoughtfully.
"I'm going to see which section he was in," Weasley said, standing up.
"Don't bother," Theo said and Weasley sat back down. "It's a book about Dragons. I wasn't able to read the whole book title, but the word Dragon was certainly in it." The trio were all amazed at how quick Theo's eyes were when he said that he saw the word when the gatekeeper momentarily shifted when Weasley asked what he was doing in the library.
"He always said that he wants a dragon," Lars mentioned. "If only it wasn't illegal."
"Dragon breeding was outlawed by the Warlock's convention of 1709, everybody knows that," Weasley said. "It's hard to stop muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in our back garden – anyway you can't tame Dragons."
"It might be possible if you can speak to them," he piped up, saying his longest phrase of the hour. The Golden Trio gave him dubious looks though. He supposed that anybody would if you say that you can speak to Dragons. "Dragons are closely related to reptiles like crocodiles and snakes in the evolutionary ladder so anyone who can speak to reptiles can, theoretically speaking of course, talk to Dragons."
"You can't speak to reptiles." Weasley said immediately. The Golden Trio were evidently not convinced. Harry can't blame them though for as far as the trio is probably aware, no one can speak to reptiles.
"Can I come with you?" Theo asked the Golden Trio before they parted ways in the library. "To Hagrid's hut I mean, tonight."
"Are you out of your mind!?" Harry asked as he turned sharply to his friend before the Golden Trio gave their reply. "If you are found outside of the dormitory Professor Snape we'll be after me."
"Why is that?" Lars asked. "You don't want to come along anyway and it was Theodore's decision."
"Because we're buddies, so to speak, apparently, every first year in Slytherin house has their roommate as their buddies." he explained, frowning as he does so. "And if this clodpoll gets caught, he's not the only one in trouble."
"Then come along with us too," Lars urged. "The cloak can cover all of us...I think, come on brother a little sneaking out to Hagrid's hut won't kill you... just this once come along with us, it wouldn't be that bad."
"No," he replied austerely. "I'm not sneaking out just for you to ask the gamekeeper questions about that corridor."
Harry was aware that Theo sneaked out of the common room that night even if he continually discouraged his friend from going. He dared not follow, have it their way if they want to get in trouble.
Harry entered the Great Hall for breakfast the following morning, leaving Theo alone in the bedroom. He noticed that there was something different about the hourglass. Slytherin house is missing a hundred points, while Gryffindor house is missing a hundred and fifty. The Golden Trio and Theo were the only ones that he was aware of who sneaked out last night. If the other fifty points was lost because he didn't stop his roommate then the said roommate should better be praying for his life. He had no intention of being an object of attention by the older years because of the loss points.
"Theodore," he began threateningly when his friend arrived for breakfast, "if the other..." Theo cut him off.
"Don't worry it wasn't you," Theo said in a tone that sounds annoyed and even bordering on angry. "It was that bloody ferret face Malfoy. He followed us to Hagrid's hut." Malfoy again. That aristocrat never seemed to get tired of getting Lars into trouble.
"I sincerely hope that you sneaking out of the castle last night will be worth the lecture I'm going to receive later on."
"Erm...if it isn't?"
"You're dead." he replied blandly.
"Nott." They turned to see their Head of House making their way towards them. The Potions Master was glowering at Theo who kept on shrinking on his seat. The Professor gave Theo a note with which Theo frowned after reading it.
"Evandrus," the Professor turned to him. "I wish to speak with you in my office after your first lesson."
"Yes Sir." he answered politely while directing a glare at his friend. The Professor turned his heel then strode off.
"Detention is tomorrow evening," Theo informed him. "WITH FILCH!" Harry smacked his friend's head for shouting.
"You deserve it, you, and the Golden Trio." he said in a reprimanding tone. "Now what did you talk about last night?"
"Had you come along with us, mate, you wouldn't have to ask." Theo pointed out.
"Why keep a dog and bark yourself?" Harry retorted. "Now tell, before I slip some truth serum in your drink."
Theo's eyes rolled at him. "Ok...ya know just a comment, I reckon Granger would've made a good Slytherin, she got Hagrid talking last night..."
"What did you talk about?" he repeated his question, not exactly interested in what Theo's opinion of Granger.
"Oh right...uhm...see there are other protections guarding the stone, all our teachers contributed, Sprout, Snape, Flitwick, McGonagall, of course Dumbledore...not to mention squirrel..."
"Go on..."
"Well...it would be obvious that their protection would be based on what they teach, except the Headmaster that is..."
"That's all?" Theo nodded affirmatively to his question. "And Malfoy? Why is he blabbing about some dragon earlier?"
"Oh yeah, Hagrid won a dragon in a pub, it hatched last night...and well, ferret face saw it, kept on saying that his father would hear about it...but that's a load of dung...he had always wanted to see a dragon, but Mr. Malfoy doesn't want him to be near one."
"I see..."
After their charms class, Harry went to Professor Snape's office, whilst Theo went back to the common room, or at least that what his friend said, but Harry's guess is Theo's going to surround himself with Gryffindors, around the Golden Trio, because he and Malfoy are the object of the older year student's stinging hex because of the one hundred point demerit that they brought upon Slytherin house.
"Enter," And so he did.
"Look," he began as soon as he entered the office of his head of house, "before you lecture me Sir, I'm telling you that I tried to stop him from going."
"Yes," Professor Snape drawled. "I know you did Mr. Evandrus, what is the rule about that?"
"The rule said 'use any means to prevent your roommate from doing things that will disgrace the house'."
"Use any means." Professor Snape repeated.
Harry looked incredulously at his professor. "You can't be serious in thinking that I should've just stuck him to his bed."
"Lacing his drink with a sleeping draught would suffice." Professor Snape said wryly.
Harry crossed his arms. "I'm his roommate not his keeper, Sir." he protested.
"I never said you were," Professor Snape said. "Now, I did not call you here to talk about you not being able to convince your friend not to sneak out last night. Merlin knows that that rule was never really followed."
"Never really followed?" he repeated with incredulity before blurting out "Are you kidding me?"
"I assure you I am not, as you put it, kidding you." Professor Snape had an eerily amused look in his eyes. "However, the reason that I called you here is to inform you that their detention tomorrow evening will be to accompany the gamekeeper into the Forbidden Forest."
Harry blinked. "The Forbidden forest?"
"I believe that's what I said, or have you gone deaf?" Professor Snape said snidely. "The Deputy Headmistress found it fit to let them venture inside the forest with Hagrid."
"Good for them," he said, though inside he was worried for his twin brother. It was well known that the forest is filled with Merlin knows what type of creatures.
"You approve then?"
"Of course not," he rebutted. "There's a reason why it is named Forbidden Forest. But, then again, maybe they'll learn about a thing or two about not breaking the rules, rules are there for a reason, and being out bed at midnight is against the rules."
"Do you know why they decided to sneak out to Hagrid's hut?" Professor Snape asked him in a serious tone.
"I do," he replied, an answer readily formed in his mind.
"And what is the reason?"
"They wanted to see if Hagrid has a dragon." he lied easily, of course the real reason was because of the stone, but his Professor does not need to know that they are cognizant of what is in the third floor corridor.
"Pray tell where, in Merlin's name, did those dunderheads that I have for students got the idea that that gamekeeper owns a dragon?"
"Earlier that day, in the library, Hagrid borrowed books about Dragon keeping."
"Really?" Professor Snape said with his raised right eyebrow, clearly suspicious of him. "How did they know about that?"
Harry shrugged. "Theo said that the book that Hagrid was hiding behind his back is about Dragon Keeping."
"Did he now?"
"Yes Sir, he did," he replied nonchalantly before changing the subject. "Why tell me, Sir? As far as I know I won't be joining them for detention."
"Correct you won't be, but nevertheless I deemed that you would be interested in their punishment."
"Yes," Harry drawled. "I am interested. Am I dismissed now?"
Professor Snape just looked at him before nodding his head. "Yes, you are dismissed."
Time to make a plan, Harry thought. He will follow them to the forest tomorrow night, with a disillusionment charm of course. He is not confident that the gatekeeper will be able to keep his brother, and classmates, safe if, hopefully not, something bad happens inside the forest.
"Just so you know, you're going in the forest." Harry said to Theo.
"Sure..." Theo replied disbelievingly. Harry took some phials from his trunk and gave it to Theo.
"Uh..."
"You're going to fill it with any rare or valuable ingredients you can find." he instructed.
"Say we're really going in the forest...what's in it for me?" Theo questioned.
"One homework per phial," he bargained, "but the ingredients should vary."
"Deal," they shook hands and then Theo left.
Harry grabbed his own cloak before he cast a disillusionment charm on himself and then left through the mirror. He saw Theo, Malfoy, and the Golden Trio standing by a hallway waiting for Filch. When Filch arrived, the five followed him out of the castle. The caretaker kept on saying things about the old punishments. And the conclusion; the caretaker is one sadistic arse.
Harry heard Theo say to Lars "Mate, your brother's right, we are going in the forest." To which Lars replied "I wish he wasn't." Malfoy kept on whining, terrified at the prospect of going inside the forest near midnight. He just kept on following them, until the six stopped near a puddle of silver liquid that Harry recognized as Unicorn blood.
"Kill them? That's utter sacrilege." He heard his friend say. "Killing Unicorns is against the law, not only by the ministry but by the law of nature." Ever the naturalist, Harry thought.
"Your deal with Harry?" Lars reminded Theo. Oh great, Harry thought, the idiot nearly forgot about it. He saw Theo bring out a two phials then scooped some sample of Unicorn blood.
Harry has nothing against the gamekeeper, but actually going separate ways with the students is really, really, really, stupid. Naturally, Harry followed his twin brother who was with Theo and Malfoy. The two kept on taunting Malfoy about cowardice. That sure is a way to conceal their fear. The three, and also Harry, stopped dead on their tracks when they saw a black cloaked creature drinking Unicorn blood, vampire way. He felt a prickling sensation on his head that was bordering on painful really. But it's nothing he can't handle.
The three started screaming and turned to run, the two successfully did, but Lars did not. His brother tripped on a bloody log, of all things, upon turning. Despite the slight pain that he was feeling at the moment, he drew his wand then pointed it at the black cloaked, vampire like, creature.
"Waddiwasi!" he cast the spell in parseltongue, Lars would know that he was there had he cast the curse in English. Small objects launched itself towards the black cloaked, vampire like, creature. It did, of course, gave his brother some time to run. The creature waved its hand, and the objects stopped launching, before it followed his brother.
Harry continued to block the way of the creature with multiple objects that he either conjured, or levitated. Lars continued to run, and the creature still tried to followed until a centaur appeared, scared the creature, and aided Lars.
Frenze, the name of the centaur, or at least that's what Harry heard, let Lars ride on its back, much to the displeasure of another centaur, whose name rhymes with 'dane'. Harry kept some distance from the centaurs when it seemed like they can sense his presence in the forest because they kept on glancing in his direction.
When Hagrid, his brother, and schoolmates exited the Forbidden forest, he made his way back inside the castle and then to the Slytherin common room.
The following morning the Golden trio, and Theo, relayed the story to him. He did his best to act that he was completely unaware of what happened, telling them first that they deserved the detention they got.
"So, the centaur said it was Voldemort?" he asked his brother. That part of information he did not know, as he did not hear the previous night what Lars and the centaur were talking about since he maintained some distance.
"Not directly..." Lars said. "I mean he asked who I knew who would want a cursed life."
"Yeah...cursed life the moment it touches your lips..." Theo added before turning to Harry. "So what are you gonna do with the blood samples I gave you?"
He replied "Experiment on it what else?" while giving Theo a look that clearly says 'Do you really have to ask?'
"Ok, but you do me my Transfigurations essay first, it's due on Monday." Harry dug for something in his satchel.
"All done." he said to his friend.
"How d-" Harry immediately cut off Theo from there.
"It was plain obvious that you'll ask me to do your assignment on transfiguration, that's the only assignment that you kept on whining about."
"Harry that's cheating!" Granger shrieked. "If a teacher gets a wind of this you'll be in trouble."
"Exactly Granger, 'if'" he said coolly. "So you just shut up about it. And it's not cheating, not entirely, it was mutualisation. I get what I want, she gets what she needs."
"Hmpf."
"So...can you also do ours?" Lars asked hopefully, causing Granger to glare at them.
"And why would I do that?"
"Uhm..." Lars looked up, wondering, "So we won't tell McGonagall that you were the one who made Theodore's essay?"
"Pitiful attempt at blackmail," he critiqued. "How about something like; I'll pass an anonymous note around the school informing the others that Weasley was calling for Parvati Patil's name while he was sleeping if you don't stop prying about the stone." Weasley blushed furiously with face becoming as red as his hair.
"Seriously?" Lars exclaimed.
Harry nodded. "I was your roommate last Christmas remember?" he reminded them. "I had to endure Weasley's muttering of Patil's name while you were out of the room."
"You're bluffing," Lars stated.
"Would you also say I'm bluffing if I say that your first crush..." Lars clasped a hand on his mouth.
"Hear, hear you win...Gryffindors are not good at blackmailing."
"No," Harry disagreed with a shake of his head before began fixing his belongings. "You're just not good in responding to it."
"Library's closing in half an hour." he informed the trio before leaving with Theo.
"Was that true or where you really bluffing?" Theo whispered.
"Bluffing." he admitted to his friend.
"So 'You-Know-Who' wants the stone." Theo said once they entered their room.
"Well, that would be obvious Theo," he replied while loosening his tie.
"Well this is scary," his friend said with a shudder. "Looks like evil overlord didn't die ten years ago."
"The people should never have believed that 'you-know-who' died that night," he retorted. "There was no evidence found that he died, no witnesses, no body to be examined.
"So it's possible that he was just weakened when the killing curse backfired then?" Theo enquired. "If that's the case he's trying to get back to power using the stone, and he's being helped by someone in the castle."
"Theodore, you're just as bad as my brother when it comes to your suspect." he commented. While Lars was adamant that it is Professor Snape who's trying to steal the stone, Theo, on the other hand, is hell bent that it is Quirrell.
"Oh come on!" says Theo exasperatedly. "Did you see those odd looks that he gives Lawrence...and how sometimes he suddenly speaks without a stutter...like uh...like during Halloween when he yelled bloody murder inside the Great Hall that there was a troll on the loose."
"I never said you are wrong in your assumptions." he said defensively. "I only said that you and Lars are both adamant on whom you think the suspect is."
Theo shook his head and jumped on the bed. "It just doesn't make any sense if Professor Snape is the one trying to steal it...given his previous history on being a deatheater. If Dumbledore suspects him, he'll be out of the castle with just one letter to the Wizengamot."
"You're correct, it doesn't make any sense, but like we have discussed before, there are no evidence against Quirrell, absolutely nothing that can connect him to..."
"Evil overlord except my assumption that they met, or probably switched bodies, in Albania." Theo interrupted.
Harry nodded his head. "Precisely, we don't even know for sure if the thief is trying to steal the stone for his own gain or to resurrect the..."
"Evil overlord." Theo interjected again. It was getting quite irksome. "You should call him that."
"Fine, evil overlord's his new nickname." Harry said, rolling his eyes. "Anyway, I sure hope that Lars would rethink in prying about the stone...but...then again, he's a Grryffindor."
"Indeed..." Theo agreed. "If ever, I think they'll be more hell bent on attempting to protect it, now that they've got an even more heavy reason to suspect Snape on trying to steal it."