Chapter Twenty-Six
Room of Requirement, Hogwarts, Scotland, 6 December, 1991
"So, what you're telling us," Hermione said slowly, "is that last night you were attacked by a three headed dog on the forbidden third floor? And you think it was standing on a trapdoor?"
They nodded sagely, exchanging dark looks and patting a twitchy Neville on the back soothingly.
She burst into hysterical laughter. Her friends stared open-mouthed at her.
"Oh-ho, that's good! A school with a manic three headed dog guarding some random trapdoor? I usually don't enjoy your practical jokes, but this one really had me going for a moment there! Hahahaha! And Neville's acting! I almost got him a calming draught, he was so believable! I mean, he's been twitching all day!" Hermione howled.
The others looked at each other nervously, none of them seeing the humor in this that Hermione seemed to.
"Ah, Hermione? I don't think they're joking," Blaise said quietly.
"Of course they are," she chortled. "That story is far too ridiculous to be real!"
"So, you don't believe us, then?" Adrian asked, a sly smile appearing on his face and a slightly crazed look in his eyes. Daphne and Draco caught onto his idea immediately and tried to cover their snickers. Henry's eyes widened with shock.
"There is no possible way I could believe that story, Adrian!"
"What if I could show you?"
Third Floor Corridor, Hogwarts, Scotland
"HOLY HELL!"
The seven others were trying desperately to catch their friend as she ran through the hall without any apparent destination other than away from the monster.
"Hermione, slow down!"
"ARE YOU OUT OF YOUR TINY BLOODY MINDS! THERE'S A HUGE DOG BACK THERE! A HUGE, MEAN, THREE HEADED DOG!" she screamed over her shoulder, still running.
"I tried to tell you, Hermione!" Adrian shouted at her, quickening his pace to keep up with Ron, Draco, and Blaise, all of whom had longer legs. Neville and Daphne had opted to stay up in the secret room. It was for the best really. No one wanted Neville to experience heart failure.
They finally caught Hermione on the fifth floor, and they were forced to stun her and drag her up the stairs to the room, she was so upset.
They enervated her, and she seemed to have calmed down some.
"Why do they have a monster like that in a school?" she asked eyes wide.
"I haven't a bloody clue," Ron offered cheerfully.
The others simply shook their heads.
"Adrian was right, though," Hermione said thoughtfully, staring up at the ceiling, "it is guarding something."
"What could possibly be that important?" Draco asked no one in particular.
"Maybe it's something really valuable?" Neville offered.
"Then why not keep it in Gringotts?" Blaise said.
"Maybe it wasn't safe there," Henry replied. "Didn't someone break in a few months ago?"
"That's right, I forgot about that," Hermione said. "It was weird because the vault was emptied the same day, so nothing was stolen."
"Yeah, that's the same day my parents and I went there. While we were in the lobby, Hagrid came to the teller next to us. He seemed pretty excited, said something about Dumbledore and a vault."
"So, whatever the dog is guarding, it came from Gringotts, and it's something for Dumbledore. And, logically, it's something really valuable."
"So what is it?"
"I don't know," Hermione said, "but I intend to find out."
"Does this mean we have to go see that bloody dog again?" Neville asked.
The others looked at him sympathetically.
"Sorry, Nev, that's what it means."
"Damn! I'm always in life-threatening situations around you all, aren't I?"
"It's okay, Neville. You'll always be safe so long as Adrian has his saving people thing."
"Oh, stuff it."
