"Report, my faithful servant." A high, cold voice said.
The room was in shadow and two faceless people spoke.
"I have found them, my lord. The fools have trusted me." A low voice responded in an eager tone.
"Very good, Black, very, very good." The high, cold voice laughed.
"No!" The location changed, a busy city street. "How could you do it!"
"It was you, Black! You betrayed the Potter's, don't deny it!"
"Peter, you imposter, you took my place! Posed as me! How dare you!"
"They won't remember that, will they, Black?" The voice changed to a higher and colder one. "You betrayed the Potters! How could you!" The street exploded, leaving a severed finger, twelve people, and Sirius Black, who shouted out in terrible grief. Behind him, the Harry half's parents stood and a high, cold laugh proceeded a bright flash of green light.
The Harry and Rose being shot straight up in bed, heart pounding. They breathed hard after the nightmare they'd just experienced and clutched hands, struggling to calm them self. It wasn't real, of course, but that didn't lessen the effect it had on them. Shaking slightly, the Harry and Rose being lay back down and struggled to return to sleep, though their sleep was somewhat restless.
"You see, Dumbledore was right." Ron said to the Harry and Rose being after they told him about the dreams they'd been having. "That mirror could drive you mad."
"Ron's right." Hermione added, having come back the day before term began. "And so was Professor Dumbledore. Try and put it behind you."
"Easier said than done." The Harry and Rose being responded.
In fact, it turned out to be easier than the Harry and Rose being had thought. Quidditch practice kept their mind off the mirror, the joy of flying taking away the fear of the nightmares. Wood trained them in the endless rain that seemed to have taken the place of the snow, which didn't seem to dampen the twins spirits any. The Weasley's were complaining that Wood was becoming a fanatic, but was glad for the distraction. They were also on his side. If they could beat Hufflepuff, the Quidditch cup would be theirs as long as they beat Slytherin, that was.
During a particularly wet and muddy practice session, the Weasley twins had been pretending to fall off their brooms. Wood wasn't too happy about that, and ended up delivering the bad news angrily.
"Will you stop messing around!" He shouted. "That's exactly the sort of thing that'll lose us the match! Snape's refereeing this time, and he'll be looking for any excuse to knock points off Gryffindor!"
George Weasley really did fall off his broom at that, and the Harry and Rose being's heart plummeted. Professor Snape had tried to kill them during the last match, nothing said he wouldn't try and do it again.
"What's the matter with you two?" Ron asked as the Harry and Rose being entered the common room, the Rose half having continued their homework until the Harry half arrived from his Quidditch practice.
"Professor Snape's going to be the referee in the next match." The Harry and Rose being said in a voice only loud enough for Ron and Hermione to hear.
"Don't play." Hermione said immediately.
"Say you're ill." Ron added.
"Pretend to break your leg." Hermione suggested.
"Really break your leg." Ron stated.
"There isn't a reserve seeker." The Harry and Rose being said. "If I back out..."
"There is, the Rose half." Hermione said in a whisper.
"Oh, right." The Harry and Rose being said. "Well, I don't have a good excuse anyway."
"Don't have a good excuse, what do you mean? Sure you do." Ron responded.
Before he could say anything else, Neville toppled into the common room, his legs locked together. Everyone fell over and started laughing accept Hermione, who immediately performed the counter curse.
"What happened?" She asked, leading him to sit with Ron and the Harry and Rose being.
"Malfoy." Neville responded in a shaky voice. "Met him outside the library."
"Go to Professor McGonagall." Hermione replied. "Report him."
Neville shook his head.
"I don't want more trouble." He mumbled quietly.
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville. He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down in front of him and make it easier." Ron said.
"There's no reason to tell me I'm not brave enough to be in Gryffindor." Neville choked out. "Malfoy's already done that."
"You're worth twelve of Malfoy." The Rose half said, pulling a chocolate frog from her robes and giving it to Neville, who looked like he was about to cry. She patted his hand and said, "Go on, it'll make you feel better."
"Thanks." Neville responded, looking a little more cheerful as he unwrapped it. "I think I'll go to bed... Want the card, you collect them don't you?"
"Sure. Thanks." The Harry and Rose being said, the Rose half taking it from him before she hugged him and patted his back.
"Sleep well, Neville, and don't you listen to Malfoy. He's not worth it." She said.
As Neville went up to his dormitory, the Harry and Rose being gazed down at the picture of Dumbledore, flipped the card over, then gazed at the back.
"Here, Hermione." The Harry and Rose being said with a smile. "This is where I'd found him before."
Hermione took the card, read it, then smiled.
"Glad we managed to find that before Christmas." She remarked.
As the Quidditch match drew nearer, the Harry and Rose being grew more nervous. What would Professor Snape try to do to kill the Harry half this time? There was also the matter of Professor Snape himself. He was obviously quite biased. Chances of winning the Quidditch cup didn't seem too close with someone like him refereeing.
Perhaps it was their imagination, perhaps not. Whatever the reason, it seemed Professor Snape was running into the Harry and Rose being more often. He even seemed to be treating them more horribly than ever and they wondered if he knew that they'd found out about the stone. At times, it almost seemed he could read minds.
The Harry half hardly heard any of Wood's speech before the Quidditch match and the Rose half found a place to sit with Neville, Hermione and Ron having joined them. Neville didn't know why they looked grim or why they'd brought their wands to the match.
Wood pulled the Harry half aside and said, "If there's ever a time to catch the Snitch quickly it's now, before Snape can favor Hufflepuff too much."
"The whole school's out there!" The Harry half heard Fred say. "Even Dumbledore's come to watch!"
"Hermione, Ron, Dumbledore's here, look!" The Rose half said as the Harry and Rose being's heart leapt. With him around, Professor Snape wouldn't dare try anything. They looked and grinned.
No doubt, that was why Professor Snape was looking so angry as the teams marched on to the field. As they took off, Ron said beside the Rose half, "I've never seen him look so mean, ouch!"
The Rose half turned, spotting Malfoy, who had poked Ron in the back of the head.
"Oh, it's you!" The Rose half said in a falsely cheerful voice with a grin on her face, reveling in the joy of flight as the Harry half gazed around for the snitch.
"Oh, sorry Weasley. Didn't see you there." He drawled.
Crabbe and Goyle grinned.
"I wonder how long Potter's going to stay on his broom this time. Want to bet, Weasley?" Malfoy asked.
"I'll bet he'll stay on his broom the entire match. You see, he can actually grip his correctly unlike you, who's been doing it wrong for years." The Rose half responded with a chuckle.
"That's not what happened last time, now is it?" Malfoy asked.
"Because it wasn't under his control for a time, that's all." The Rose half replied.
"Everyone knows you're simply trying to defend your little boyfriend." Malfoy scoffed. "Give it up, Potter."
"I'm just defending myself, Malfoy." The Rose half said as the Harry half circled, looking out for the Snitch.
"You know how I think they choose people for the Gryffindor team?" Malfoy said loudly a few minutes later as Snape awarded Hufflepuff another penalty for no apparent reason. "It's people they feel sorry for. See, there's Potter, who's got no parents, then there's the Weasley's, who've got no money, you should be on the team, Longbottom, you've got no brains."
Neville turned bright red but turned in his seat to face Malfoy.
"I'm worth twelve of you, Malfoy," He stammered.
"You tell him, Neville." The Rose half said with a wide grin.
"Longbottom, if brains were gold you'd be poorer than Weasley, and that's saying something." Malfoy added contemptuously.
"I'm warning you Malfoy, one wore word." Ron stated coldly.
"Ron, Harry!" Hermione and the Rose half said at the same moment.
"Look there!" The Rose half directed, the Harry half having gone into a dive.
"You're in luck, Weasley, Potter's obviously spotted some money on the ground!" Malfoy called.
Ron was on top of him before he knew it, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated before clambering over the back of his seat to help. The Rose half kept her eyes on the Harry half as the Harry and Rose being felt joy for Neville, standing up for himself, and for the soon end to the Quidditch match.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione shouted as she leapt on to her seat to watch the Harry half, who was speeding directly for Professor Snape who turned at the last moment to see something shoot past him. The Harry half rose his fist into the air in triumph moments later, snitch in hand.
"Yes!" The Harry and Rose being shouted. "We won!"
Hermione and the Rose half hugged and danced up and down on their seats in victory. The Snitch had never been caught quite so quickly before.
Professor Snape's face was white and his lips were pressed tightly together, the Harry half noted as he jumped from his broom. Moments later, he felt a hand rest on his shoulder and gazed over at Professor Dumbledore, who was smiling.
"Well done." Professor Dumbledore spoke in a voice so quiet only the Harry half could hear him. "Nice to see you haven't been brooding about that mirror, been keeping busy, excellent..."
Some time after everyone had left, the Harry half left the locker room to take his broom back to the shed. The Rose half watched him from the stands, hurrying down to join him. They remembered the last hour as the Harry half walked toward the broom shed, Gryffindors raising him on to their shoulders, Ron and Hermione jumping up and down, Ron cheering through a heavy nosebleed, Neville with several bruises of his own. In what seemed like moments, the Harry and Rose being were at the broom shed, leaning against the doors and gazing up at Hogwarts. Its windows were glowing red in the sunset, and someone was walking down the front steps of the castle, someone that looked a lot like Professor Snape.
He was heading toward the forest. The Harry and Rose being made their decision. The Rose half jumped on the broom and flew over the grounds, gliding silently through the air as the Harry half waited next to the shed. The Rose half flew with the same skill and precision as the Harry half, though her eyes and ears were sharper than the Harry half's were. The trees were so thick she could barely see where Snape had gone, circling until she heard voices and spotted two professors standing in a shadowy clearing. The Harry and Rose being listened carefully, feeling a deep curiosity as to why Professor Snape and Professor Quirrell were in the forbidden forest.
"I d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus..." Professor Quirrell stammered.
"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," Professor Snape said in an icy voice. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all."
Professor Quirrell muttered something but Professor Snape interrupted him.
"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?" Professor Snape asked coolly.
"B-b-but Severus, I..." Professor Quirrell stammered.
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell." Professor Snape stated as he took a step toward him.
"I-I don't know what you..." Professor Quirrell was once again interrupted.
"You know perfectly well what I mean." Professor Snape stated.
An owl hooted loudly and the Rose half jumped, startled. She steadied the broom and heard Professor Snape end the last bit of a statement.
"your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."
"B-but I d-d-don't..." Professor Quirrell tried to continue.
"Very well." Professor Snape interrupted again. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie."
With that, he threw his cloak over his head and strode from the forest. Gazing down, the Rose half could see Professor Quirrell standing quite still as if petrified. Quickly, the Rose half spun around and silently flew off back to the shed, picking up speed but making sure she wasn't seen. Landing, she placed the broom in the shed and walked back to the castle with the Harry half, the Harry and Rose being pondering what it all meant. It only seemed to confirm their suspicion of Professor Snape trying to steal the stone, though. Perhaps the two of them were working together, though such a thought was based on only one piece of evidence, the conversation they'd just overheard.
Ron and Hermione were told what they'd heard, and as the weeks passed, Professor Quirrell seemed to be getting thin and pale. The Stone remained safe as far as they knew, since Professor Snape swept around with his usual bad temper. When they passed the third floor corridor, they always checked to make sure Fluffy was still inside. During Defense Against the Dark Art's classes and when they passed Professor Quirrell, the Harry and Rose being gave him an encouraging smile, though he didn't return it. They were hoping he would stay strong and not give up any information, and if he was working with Professor Snape, hoped he wouldn't obtain any information.
"This will help!" Hermione insisted one evening in the common room. "Trust me."
"Color coding notes, organizing study lists?" The Harry and Rose being asked. "Hermione, the exams are further away than a few weeks, we've got time."
"Ten weeks!" Hermione snapped. "That's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."
"We're not all six centuries old now, are we?" The Harry and Rose being shot back, it close to a full moon day.
"What are you studying for anyway, Hermione?" Ron asked. "You already know everything."
"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me." Hermione sounded panicked.
"Oh, please." The Harry and Rose being sighed. "Calm down, Hermione."
"Calm down, calm down?" Hermione asked shrilly.
"Okay, fine, forget I said anything!" The Harry and Rose being sighed, frowning angrily.
Their friends were used to their more emotional behavior by now, so they didn't comment or remark about it. The teachers piled more homework than ever on them, and the Harry and Rose being were glad to have the ability to work on and comprehend two different assignments at once. If they didn't, they weren't sure how they'd get anything done without time for fun. As it was, they were able to finish the assignments easier than their friends, spending a lot of time simply being with them as they studied. One day in the library, Ron threw down his quill in frustration.
"I'll never remember this." He burst out in frustration.
The Harry and Rose being gazed out the window with him at the beautiful day. The sky was clear and blue, something it hadn't been for quite some time. It also felt like summer was on its way. The Harry and Rose being could imagine the scent of the grass and the look of the trees, sighing in contentment and looking forward to enjoying the weather.
"Hagrid, what are you doing in the library?" Ron asked.
The Harry and Rose being looked over at their large friend, who shuffled into view with something behind his back. He looked rather out of place wearing his moleskin overcoat.
"Jus' lookin'." He said in a shifty voice. "An' what are you lot up ter? Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"
"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago." Ron responded impressively. "And we know what that dog's..."
Acting quickly, the Rose half reached over and clamped her hand over Ron's mouth to silence him, saying fiercely, "Shh!"
"Hagrid, there are a few things we wanted to ask you about that thing." The Harry and Rose being said. "Apart from Fluffy, you know."
"Shh!" Hagrid now said. "Listen, come an' see me later. Not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin' mind, but keep it down. Students aren' s'pposed ter know."
"Sure, sure." The Harry and Rose being replied. "We know that, don't we, Ron?"
Ron nodded, looking rather sheepish.
"Good." The Harry and Rose being smiled. "See you later, then, Hagrid."
Hagrid shuffled off and Hermione asked in a thoughtful voice, "What was he hiding behind his back?"
"I'm going to see what section he was in." Ron said as he got up, glad for the break.
Ron returned about a minute later with several books, putting them on the table.
"Dragons." Ron said. "Hagrid was looking stuff up about Dragons, look at these. Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland. From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."
"I wonder if he wants one, and if so, if he has one." The Harry and Rose being responded. "It wouldn't surprise me, though."
"It's against our laws to own one." Ron stated. "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 from wild ones in Romania."
"Are there really wild Dragons in Britain?" The Harry and Rose being asked curiously.
"Of course there are." Ron replied. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a job hushing them up, I can tell you. Our kind have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."
"Let's study a bit longer, then we'll find out what Hagrid's up to." The Harry and Rose being said. The others agreed, and as their friends studied their exam assignments, the Harry and Rose being studied some of the second year material with curiosity.
All the curtains were closed at Hagrid's house, they noted an hour later. Nothing could be seen through the windows. The Harry and Rose being knocked and Hagrid called, "Who is it?"
"It's us, Hagrid." The Harry and Rose being said.
He opened the door and let them in, closing it behind them. They hadn't expected a fire to be burning, but that's what seemed to be happening. The heat in the house was quite a bit, though it bothered the Rose half less than the Harry half.
"Wan' some tea, sandwiches?" Hagrid offered.
"Sure on tea, no for the sandwiches." The Harry and Rose being said.
"So wha'd you wan' ter ask me?" Hagrid asked a few minutes later.
"Ah, yes." The Harry and Rose being said. "We wondered if you could tell us what's guarding the stone apart from Fluffy."
Hagrid looked shocked.
"How'd yeh find out abou' the stone?" He asked.
"Oh, I read it in a book I got out of the library." Hermione responded brightly.
"Well..." Hagrid frowned. "I can't tell yeh anythin'. Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts, I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."
"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that goes on round here." Hermione responded in a warm and flattering voice. Hagrid's beard twitched and the Harry and Rose being guessed he was smiling. Hermione continued. "We only wondered who had done the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore had trusted enough to help him, apart from you."
Hagrid's chest swelled at these words and the Harry and Rose being grinned at Hermione.
"Well, I don s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... Let's see... He borrowed Fluffy from me... Then some o' the teachers did enchantments..." Hagrid started counting them off on his fingers. "Professor Sprout... Professor Flitwick... Professor McGonagall... Professor Quirrell... An' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."
"Snape?" Ron asked in surprise.
"Yeah, yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it." Hagrid said.
"Hmm." The Harry and Rose being said, unconvinced. "It's really hot in here, Hagrid, can we have a window open?"
"Can't, sorry Harry, Rose." Hagrid responded.
They glanced at the fire, which burned merrily. Hagrid did the same.
"Hagrid, what's that?" Ron asked.
The Harry and Rose being gazed at a huge, black egg underneath the kettle in the middle of the fire.
"Ah... Well, that's... Er..." Hagrid fiddled with his beard nervously.
"Where did you get it, Hagrid?" Ron asked as he crouched over the fire to get a closer look. The Harry and Rose being moved closer along with Hermione.
"Won it las' night." Hagrid responded. "I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."
"Really?" The Harry and Rose being asked with interest. "What did the stranger look like?"
"Dunno." Hagrid replied. "He wouldn' take his cloak off."
The four of them looked stunned.
"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head, that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up." Hagrid responded.
"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid?" The Harry and Rose being asked casually. "Did you mention Hogwarts?"
They were a little curious about the dragon egg, but it seemed odd to them that he happened to win something that, according to Ron, was illegal.
"Mighta come up." Hagrid said as he tried to remember. "Yeah... He asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after... So I told him an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... An' then I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... Yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... But he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home. So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."
"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" The Harry and Rose being asked in a casual tone. Perhaps if they stayed calm and didn't seem eager, Hagrid would reveal something, they thought. It was looking like Hagrid, for all his kindness, wasn't good at keeping secrets, though.
"Well, yeah, how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep..." Hagrid looked horrified.
"You didn't!" Hermione sounded aghast. The Harry and Rose being felt a horrified sort of terror.
"I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it!" Hagrid exclaimed quickly.
"Hagrid, that could have been anyone!" The Harry and Rose being said in a shocked voice. Quickly, the four of them raced from the house, completely forgetting about the dragon. They didn't speak until they'd entered an abandoned classroom, hearts pounding.
"So that's it then." Ron said. "He knows. What do we do?"
"We go to Dumbledore." The Harry and Rose being said instantly. "And we shouldn't wait, we don't know how far along Professor Snape's gone. He probably knows everything but Fluffy, and Quirrell's protection will probably be something simple."
They nodded and exited the room, but had little success in finding Professor Dumbledore. That evening, they decided to go to the third floor corridor again and get the stone before Professor Snape could steal it.
The Harry half had been the one to go and get the stone with Ron and Hermione, the Rose half laying in their room with her eyes closed. The protections had been much simpler than they'd thought, so easy, in fact, that three first years got past them. Hermione had helped them get past a plant known as Devil's Snare. The Harry half along with Ron and Hermione had used their flying skills to catch an enchanted, flying key to a locked door. Ron had jumped from the knight he'd replaced on a large magical chess set before he'd been taken, though had twisted his ankle when he'd fallen at the side of the board, having come up with a brilliant strategy to win the game so the Harry half could continue with Hermione, who had then knocked out the mountain troll and worked out the clue for a puzzle with two magical fires. The Harry half had gone to the last chamber alone. It was empty accept for the familiar mirror of Erised. Heart pounding, the Harry half stared at the mirror, desperately wanting to find the stone before Professor Snape did. That was the most important thing they could possibly do now, even more important than their family. After all, if Professor Snape got the stone, who knew what he'd do then. Perhaps he'd crash the economy in both the Wizarding and Muggle worlds, which would bring on far more disasters than they could think of. Or, more importantly, he'd take the immortality from Nicolas and Perenelle Flamel, which would cause their deaths. Whatever the reason, they knew the stone was an extremely valuable object, and no matter the cost, Professor Snape couldn't be allowed to steal it.
To their surprise, the Harry and Rose being didn't see their family in the mirror. Instead, they saw them self, who looked desperate but scared. This lasted only a moment, though, before they seemed to relax and smile, the Harry half in the mirror pulling something from his pocket. It was a blood red stone. The reflection of the Harry and Rose being grinned and the reflected Harry half pointed to the Rose half, winked, then handed the stone to her, who put it in her pocket. The Rose half had it. Somehow, it was in her actual pocket now, a real, tangible item, not just a reflected one from the mirror. Sighing with an odd, giddy relief, the Harry half turned around and headed back through the room and to the chamber with the fire, which was gone. The Harry half found Ron and Hermione in the room with the chess set after passing the knocked out troll.
"You okay?" The Harry half asked.
"Yeah, just twinges a bit." Ron said, then asked eagerly, "What happened?"
"I have it." The Harry half said as they proceeded to the room with the flying keys and brooms.
"What, you have the stone?" Hermione asked eagerly.
"Yeah, and the Rose half's going to take it to Professor Dumbledore right now." The Rose half climbed from the bed and put on the invisibility cloak, quietly creeping from the room.
"Do you think you can find him?" Ron asked. "We couldn't earlier."
"I'm going to try." The Harry half said as the Rose half quietly moved through the corridors, eyes wide and heart pounding.
The Harry half along with Hermione and Ron mounted the brooms and moved up through the trap door. Immediately, the Harry half started to quietly play the flute he'd received from Hagrid. Just as he had before, Fluffy calmed and fell asleep. Quietly, the three crept toward the door and pushed it slowly open, eyes wide as they looked for anyone who might catch them. After they exited the corridor, the door closed behind them and they jumped. The corridor was lit with a wand and they stared in horror, though the Harry half smiled slightly.
"Follow me." Professor Dumbledore stated in a grave and disappointed tone.
As the three of them followed him, the Rose half quietly but quickly hurried toward the Harry half, who was led to an office that turned out to be Professor McGonagall's. She gazed at the three Gryffindors, looking disappointed and angry.
"They were found at the third floor corridor." Professor Dumbledore stated, then turned toward them. "As it is she who is your head of house, it is she who will determine your punishment. I would, however, like an explanation."
"Professor Snape is trying to steal the stone. We went and I took it first." The Harry half responded, then the Rose half hurried through the door, panting from the run.
"Here, sir." She said, holding it out to Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall looked quite shocked.
Professor Dumbledore took the stone from the Rose half's hand and examined it, turning it over in his hands. When he looked up, delight flashed on his face, though the Harry and Rose being weren't even sure they'd seen it, as it had happened so quickly.
"I must ask that none of you speak of this to anyone." Professor Dumbledore responded in a calm, grave tone.
"If we could get through it, just first years, Professor Snape could. He's trying to steal it." The Harry and Rose being said.
"Professor Snape is not attempting to steal the stone. Of that, I can assure you." Professor Dumbledore replied.
"But he tried to kill the Harry half during the first Quidditch match!" The Harry and Rose being responded indignantly. "Hermione saw him cursing the broom!"
"In fact, he was attempting to save you." Professor Dumbledore gazed at the Harry half. "Such a mistake is understandable. After all, the counter jinks to that placed on the broom by the unknown assailant will appear, at a glance, to be a curse of dark magic. I must applaud your resourcefulness, Ms. Granger, and I do believe for your actions tonight, two-hundred points to Gryffindor is warranted."
The four of them stared in pure shock, mouths dropping open. After a long moment, the Harry and Rose being collected them self.
"Sir, what about the stone, what are you going to do with it?" The Harry and Rose being asked.
"It will be moved from Hogwarts. Clearly, the protections we placed were inadequate. I shall contact Nicolas Flamel and discuss with him what is to be done." Professor Dumbledore said. "As I believe your curiosity is now satisfied, I would like you to go on to bed. Minerva, please see to their safe arrival at Gryffindor tower."
Professor McGonagall nodded, and in silence, the four Gryffindors followed her from the room. Once the four of them were in the common room, they sank down in some chairs by the fire, relieved.
"I thought for sure we'd had it." Ron said.
"So did I." The Harry and Rose being replied. "Instead, we get points? What a Headmaster."
"I wonder why the protections were so easy." Hermione stated.
"Well, given that you panicked, Hermione, perhaps the answer's fairly obvious. Honestly, there's no wood to start a fire? You could have burned your wand, I suppose." The Harry and Rose being grinned and Hermione gave the Rose half a light slap.
"Burn my wand? Then what would I have done?" Hermione asked.
"Oh, I dunno, but maybe I should buy you some matches for next time. Just in case." The Harry and Rose being chuckled, then stood, yawning. "Well, it's been a long night, I'm going off to bed."
"Night, then." Ron said, shooting Hermione a grin. As the Harry and Rose being clambered through the portrait hole, they heard Ron continue, asking, "So what kinda wood you want for Christmas next year, Hermione?"
In all the excitement with the stone, along with their incorrect assumptions about Professor Snape, they'd forgotten about the illegal dragon egg Hagrid was keeping in his house. A reminder came to them one morning with one of the school owls. The note was short and simple.
It's hatching.
The only thing Hagrid seemed to be concerned with was the student that had seen them, Draco Malfoy. He wasn't worried about the Norwegian Ridgeback that was growing at an alarming rate. He didn't worry about the fact that he had a wooden house. He shrugged off the concerns of Hermione, Ron, and the Harry and Rose being. Eventually, he knew it was time to let go of the dragon which he'd affectionately called Norbert.
Since the Rose half was strongest, she along with Hermione carried the dragon up to the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday after Ron had received a reply from Charlie about the dragon, having written him a letter. Currently, Ron was in the hospital wing after being bitten, and was likely to remain there for a while longer. Once Norbert was gone, the Rose half and Hermione joyfully headed down the stares, though the Harry and Rose being thought there was something they were forgetting. When Filch spotted them, they realized it had been the cloak. It was still at the top of the tower.
One action ended up costing them the points they'd gained from giving the Stone to Professor Dumbledore, and more. Winning the Gryffindor house cup seemed quite far away now, and wherever they went, the Rose half was looked on with anger by the Gryffindors and cheerful victory by the Slytherins. It was miserable. Even Quidditch had lost its fun.
The day of the detention was one of the Harry and Rose being's emotional ones. They didn't say much and tried to keep their mouths shut. At eleven o'clock that evening, the Rose half along with the others were led from Hogwarts by Filch who was muttering about how pain and hard work were the best teachers. A shame, really, that he lamented about punishments that would cause one pain. The Rose half said nothing and the Harry half simply lay still, eyes closed.
"Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I wan' ter get started." Hagrid called and the Harry and Rose being felt a little relief. The Rose half saw Hermione relax, too.
"I suppose you think you'll be enjoying yourself." Filch said with a malicious grin. "Well think again. It's into the forest you're going and I'm much mistaken if you'll come out of it in one piece."
Neville gasped, his face white. Malfoy stopped cold, not looking quite as collected and confident as he had before.
"The forest? We can't go in there at night, there's all sorts of things in there, werewolves, I heard." Malfoy said.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" Filch said with glee. "Should have thought of them werewolves before you got in trouble, shouldn't you?"
"This is your fault, Potter." Malfoy grumbled under his breath, giving the Rose half a scathing glare.
Hagrid strode toward them with Fang at his heals, crossbow in his arms, and a quiver of arrows over a shoulder.
"Abou' time, I've been waitin' fer half an hour already." Hagrid said. "All right, Rose, Hermione?"
"Yeah." The Rose half responded.
"Tha's why yer late, is it?" Hagrid asked as he frowned at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot yer place ter do tha'. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
The Harry and Rose being were delighted to hear panic in Malfoy's voice. Mostly, they felt angry and wanted to get the detention over with so they could get some sleep. Their anger gave them more bravery than they may have had otherwise.
The forest was a dark place that was quite silent. The Rose half went with Hermione and Hagrid, at least, initially. They met up with a couple centaur's as they hunted for the injured Unicorn, following the trail of silver blood. When red sparks were sent up, Hagrid warned the Rose half and Hermione to remain where they were, which they did in silence, the Rose half straining to listen for or hear anything. Hagrid soon returned and the Rose half was going with Malfoy. Don't react, the Harry and Rose being thought with determination. Don't react to a thing he says.
As it turned out, Malfoy didn't say anything. Perhaps he was too frightened, perhaps he just wanted to get the detention over with and knew provoking the Harry and Rose being was unwise. Whatever the reason, they followed the path, which Hagrid had warned them to remain on, for about half an hour before they came to a clearing, the Rose half stopping Malfoy in his tracks. Carefully, they inched closer and saw the beautiful, dead Unicorn. As the Rose half made to step forward, she froze, hearing the same odd slithering sound she'd heard before, as if a cloak was being dragged over the ground. The Harry and Rose being's heart pounded as the Rose half stared at a hooded figure crawling toward the Unicorn, which reached it and bent its head over the wound, drinking its blood.
Malfoy and Fang let out appropriate sounds of terror and ran. The Rose half stood rooted to the spot, the figure slowly raising its head to stare at her before it got to its feet and started swiftly moving toward her. Pain tore through the Harry half's forehead and the Harry and Rose being cried out in response, the Rose half staggering back and staring. The sound of hooves were behind her and something jumped over the Rose half, charging toward the figure. As it left, the Harry and Rose being blinked tears from their eyes and the Harry half clutched his forehead, the pain starting to fade.
It was another centaur that had come to rescue her, neither of the two they'd seen before. The Rose half blinked and looked into his eyes, which were much different than her own, almost brighter blue like sapphires.
"Are you all right?" He asked.
"I think so." The Rose half responded, voice trembling. "What was that?"
The centaur looked carefully at the Rose half, then stated, "You are said to be the female part of the Potter boy." His eyes centered on her forehead where the Harry half's scar would have been. "You had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time, especially for you. Can you ride? It will be quicker this way." He lowered himself so the Rose half could climb on to his back and introduced himself as Firenze.
"I'm the Rose half as you guessed." She said, clutching his shoulders as he straightened.
More galloping announced the arrival of the two centaur's the Harry and Rose being had seen before, Ronan and Bane. The Rose half had to sit through what she called centaur politics, but once that was done, Firenze whirled around and left, moving through the trees.
The Rose half remained silent, thoughts of the mystery in her mind. Bane had seemed angry, probably because of some cultural thing, and the thing in the forest drinking the blood of the Unicorn... The Harry and Rose being shuttered in fear. That was fading to be replaced by their familiar, uncontrolled and undirected anger. Quite suddenly, Firenze stopped in a rather dense patch of trees.
"Rose Potter, do you know what Unicorn blood is used for?" He asked.
"No." The Rose half responded, voice calm but terse.
"It is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn." Firenze said, sounding grave. "Only one who has nothing to lose, and everything to gain, would commit such a crime. 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 pure and defenseless to save yourself, and you will have but a half-life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."
"Who would do something so stupid?" The Harry and Rose being said out loud, almost snapping. "Unbelievable. So desperate they're afraid of death, is that it?"
"Perhaps. Firenze responded. "Consider this, Rose Potter. If all you needed was to wait long enough, to stay alive until you could drink something else, something that will bring you back to full strength and power, something that will mean you can never die. Mrs. Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"
The Harry and Rose being felt a cold pit of fear in their stomach. The Sorcerer's Stone, of course. Professor McGonagall's words came back to them.
"Some believe He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named isn't actually dead, biding his time before he will rise again."
"That was Vold..." The Rose half began, the Harry and Rose being feeling a cold pit of fear.
She was interrupted by Hermione, who was hurrying down the path with Hagrid following behind. The rest of the night passed in a daze and the Harry and Rose being guessed a couple of things, though with a fair degree of certainty. Lord Voldemort was the one trying to steal the stone, and he was also trying to kill them.
Since the stone was, hopefully, safer than it had been before they'd taken it, the Harry and Rose being didn't have him stealing it to worry about. Voldemort had already tried killing them once when they were young, though, and the thought of him doing so again was chilling. It also seemed reasonable, though. If Voldemort wasn't dead, which was quite certain now, it was also likely that he would try and kill them again. They would need to learn defensive spells, the Harry and Rose being decided as they lay in their bed, frightened of the possibility of Voldemort killing them when they least expected it.