{I plan on finishing the story in the next chapter. I hope to start the second book soon, before my trip. Hope you like it!}
"I'll read." Regulus said. As he summoned the book to himself.
Chapter 16. Split Up
People frowned. They began to hate the ominous or vague titles.
Harry was shocked at everything that happened weeks ago. Voldemort is probably still out there, Leo sees his dead parents, his godfather is a dog and Aries is a walking mood ring.
Everyone laughed hard.
"So Da mentioned the Sorcerer's stone." Aries said slowly as they walked up to the castle. Leo nodded.
"I remember reading about it somewhere." Lily said to herself.
"Follow me." Aries said taking off in a sprint. They followed him to the library.
James and Sirius grimaced.
Harry was tired from all the extra quidditch practices Wood started. The twins said he was becoming fanatic about it. Harry had to agree when he saw how enthusiastic Wood got when talking about winning the Quidditch cup.
James had the nerve to blush at the looks he got.
He could only hope he would take it easy this Easter break, despite all the homework they got from the Professors.
Every student grimaced at the work load reminder.
They walked in to see Aries nodded to Madam Pince and they followed him towards the librarian. "Excuse me." Aries said "but can you tell me where to find a book on magical inventions?" He asked. She nodded and wrote the placement number on a slip for him. "Thank you very much." He said.
"My son is a genius." Regulus said.
They followed Aries and he was skimming the spines for a specific book. "Aha." He said stopping on a particularly large volume. Leo was elected to pull the book out and Aries began to look through it.
Sirius flexed his muscles much to the amusement and annoyance of others.
Then Velvela, Neville and Ron came in to join them. "Hey guys." Velvela whispered. "What're you looking at?" Neville asked quietly.
"A book." Regulus deadpanned.
"Remember that package we told you about?" Harry asked. They all nodded. "We think we know what it is." Harry said. "Really?" Ron asked curiously.
"Of course!" Moody growled.
"Here!" Aries whispered. "The Sorcerer's stone, also known as the Philosopher's stone was created by Nicholas Flammel. The stone can turn basic metals into gold and create the elixir of everlasting life." Aries said quickly.
"Holy crap!" James said in shock. "Who wouldn't want that?" He asked .
"Really?" Leo asked before moving next to Aries. "It says that Flammel and his wife are over five hundred years old!" Leo hissed.
"YEESH!"
"We gotta get it before Voldemort does." Harry said.
"WHAT!?" Many people asked.
They paled. "What?" Ron croaked.
"Someone talk him out of it." Liliana said nervously.
"There's some dark wizard out there drinking unicorn blood." Leo said grimly. "Whoever they are, they're trying to stay alive and it just so happens that the Elixir of Life is right here." Aries said.
"I hate logic sometimes." Sirius grumbled.
"We should get the stone and send it back to Flammel." Leo said with glinting eyes.
"Or get a PROFESSOR to get the stone and send it back to Flammel." Dorea said anxiously.
The three looked nervous but agreed.
"Damn!"
"It beats an immortal dark wizard." Ron reasoned. "So in a month's time on Saturday?" Aries asked closing the book. They nodded they did need to keep up with school work.
Everyone groaned at the situation. "Can this get any worse?" James asked.
"Hagrid?" Leo asked suddenly. Sure enough Hagrid was there in the library. "Hiya kids." He greeted. "Hi Hagrid. Do you need help with something?" Aries asked. "Nah, got everythin' under c'ntrol." He said before walking out.
"Since when does Hagrid go into the library?" Sirius asked.
"I'm gonna check what he was reading." Ron said before going towards the aisle Hagrid was in.
Moody nodded at Ron's deduction skills.
Ron came back with an arm load of books. "Dragons!" Ron hissed. Sure enough there were books on dragon species and breeding.
Everyone paled. "You HAD to jinx us!" Frank groaned into his hands. James turned red.
"Didn't Hagrid say he always wanted a dragon?" Leo asked. "But it's illegal. Dragon breeding has been banned since the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that." Ron said.
"Uh, no they don't." Barty said. "I guess he's been listening to Charlie." Septimus chuckled.
"I didn't." Velvela said and Neville nodded. Ron went bright red. "I guess I heard it from Charlie." Ron said.
Septimus grinned.
"Are there dragons here?" Aries asked curiously. "Sure Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The ones in Romania are way more vicious though. You should see the burns Charlie got from them." Ron said.
And then the Weasly patriarch frowned.
"I think we need to go talk to Hagrid." Harry said. Soon they all wandered down to Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid opened the door it was like letting the heat out of an oven. When they went inside it was broiling.
"Please just be his cooking." James begged with his hands in prayer.
They drank the cold tea and didn't eat the stoat sandwiches. "Holy crap." Leo said. Sure enough in the hearth was a large black egg.
"Fuck." Sirius cursed.
"Hagrid is that-?" Aries asked in shock. "Yep." Hagrid said happily.
"It's a Norwegian Ridgeback, rare they are." Hagrid said.
"That's the egg Percy talked about!" Liliana said in realization. "So whoever they were got to Hagrid." Moody growled. Everyone paled. The wizard was close to Hogwarts…
Leo coughed his tea up. "Sorry down the wrong pipe." He said while wiping his mouth with his sleeve.
"Riiiggght." Sirius drawled sarcastically.
"Where did you get that?" Velvela asked. "Won it in a card game. Bugger was glad to be rid of it." Hagrid said.
"Maybe because it's ILLEGAL." Bellatrix said.
"Hagrid your house is made of wood." Aries deadpanned.
Several people face palmed.
Hagrid ignored him and stoked the fire. "What's it like to have a normal life?" Leo asked.
"Pleasant, but a touch boring."Xenophilius answered.
Harry shrugged. "Dragons, trolls, a three headed dog, what's next?" Ron moaned. "How'd yeh know 'bout Fluffy?" Hagrid asked.
"THAT THING'S NAME IS FLUFFY!?" Regulus shouted. "Only Hagrid…" The Gryffindors groaned.
"FLUFFY!?" Leo asked loudly. "Yeah he's mine. Got him from a Greek chapie to guard th-" "The?" Leo prompted. "Nope, yer not getting' it from me." Hagrid said. At least they knew where the stone was.
"Hagrid." McGonagall groaned pinching the bridge of her nose.
They began to visit every evening, and they were trying to think of a way to make sure Hagrid doesn't get busted with an illegal dragon egg.
"As if they lacked trouble." Charlus muttered.
Then one morning Hedwig brought a note to Harry. It's hatching.
"While that might be cool, I'd prefer it to be oh, I don't know, observed by professionals!" Liliana shouted. James patted her shoulder calmly.
Ron wanted to skip Herbology and go straight down to Hagrid's. Aries, Leo and Velvela were all for it since they had Snape that morning.
"DO IT!" James and Sirius cheered. Lily glared at them.
In the end they all agreed to go during morning break.
And the two booed.
Harry, Ron and Neville raced down to Hagrid's hut and waited inside the broiling hut. Soon the two Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaw showed up when there were deep cracks in the egg.
Many people grew curious at this.
Soon a small black snout poked through. Then the egg split and a baby dragon flopped onto the table. "Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid asked. Harry personally thought it looked like a crumpled umbrella but he kept his mouth shut.
Septimus was wondering what Charlie would say.
Hagrid reached to stroke the dragon's head but it snapped its fangs at him. "Bless him, he knows his Mummy!" Hagrid cooed.
"MUMMY!?" Everyone spluttered.
Leo and Aries were face palming.
"I. Am. Speechless." Sirius said in defeat.
When Hagrid looked up, he paled. "There was a student at the window." He said.
"Of course there has to be more problems!" Dorea wailed. Charlus rubbed her back soothingly.
Harry hopped up and there was no mistaking it. Hermione saw the dragon.
"Her!?" Many asked in shock.
Hermione was looking expectantly at them, for the next week and they spent their free time trying to reason with Hagrid.
"I guess she wants them to tell someone about the dragon." Lily reasoned. The rest of the Gryffindors grimaced. "And cart him to Azkaban!?" James asked horrified. Lily looked ashamed at her comment.
"Let him go." Harry pleaded.
"Please!" Alice begged.
"I can't he's t' little. He'd die." Hagrid said sadly. They all looked at the Ridgeback. In the week it was already three times its initial size.
"C'mon!" Many wailed at the stubborn half-giant.
Leo threw his hands up in defeat.
Sirius mimicked his son.
"I decided to call 'im Norbert." Hagrid said happily. "Norbert! Norbert! Where's mummy?" Hagrid asked.
"I have given up hope." Frank said with a face palm.
"Hagrid's lost his mind." Ron whispered in Harry's ear.
"Understatement." Septimus sighed with a shake of his head.
"Hagrid, at the rate he's growing, in two weeks he'll be bigger than your whole house." Aries said trying to get him to see reason.
"Good luck." Sirius said as James saluted the book.
Hagrid frowned. "I know, but I can't just dump him somewhere." Hagrid said.
"That could be worse." Moody growled.
Harry looked at Ron and got an idea. "Charlie!" He said. "No I'm Ron." Ron said as if Harry was crazy too.
Septimus shook his head fondly.
"No your brother! At the dragon reserve in Romania!" Soon they all smiled.
"Brilliant!" Ted said.
They thankfully convinced Hagrid to let Charlie take Norbert and Ron had Mordred send his letter to Charlie.
"Finally this can be resolved soon." Augusta said.
By next week Wednesday Ron barged in and threw Harry's invisibilty cloak off of him. "I got the letter!" He said happily. Neville and Harry crowded around him.
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
They all froze. "Isn't Saturday the day were supposed to get the stone back to Flammel?" Neville asked worriedly.
"For the love of magic, REALLY!?" James wailed.
They all paled. "We split up then." Ron said.
"Excuse me?" Septimus asked in shock.
"What?" Neville asked. "Some of us take the invisibility cloak and move Norbert, while the rest go through the trap door." Ron said.
People crossed their fingers hoping this wouldn't work.
"Alright, we gotta let the rest know." Harry said uneasily. The next morning they were all pretty upset with the idea of splitting up.
Many of the occupants wilted.
"Who goes where?" Aries asked. "I can go take Norbert." Leo volunteered. Aries had a conflicted expression on his face. "Fine." He begrudgingly said.
"How about neither?" Sirius asked. "You better ground them for this." Shizuka said.
"I'm going with Leo." Velvela said. "He'll probably get lost along the way." She said making Leo stick his tongue out at her.
"That's probably true." Narcissa said.
"You two should be able to hide under the cloak no problem." Harry said. "The rest of us are going down the trap door." Harry said. Aries and Ron paled. Neville shook but he had a determined look in his eye.
"They are so dead when I see them." Dorea said.
On Saturday they were all anxious. They all wore their muggle clothes and waited anxiously together. They walked down a corridor when they happened across Snape.
Many people groaned at their bad luck. Lily frowned.
"What're you lot doing inside?" He asked in a sneer. "Walking." Aries said dryly.
Regulus smirked and Sirius barked out a laugh.
Snape glared at him. "Go out before you lot cause trouble." Snape sneered before limping away. Leo glared at him and made faces at his back. They all laughed as they walked down the corridor.
"I hope he's okay." Lily said.
When dinner was over, Harry sprinted back and got his father's invisibility cloak. They all walked towards Hagrid's hut later than they wanted to since they had to wait for Peeves to leave the entrance hall.
"Still better than Snape or Filch." Alice said staying positive.
They would've felt sorry for Hagrid if they weren't so nervous about what they planned to do. Hagrid thankfully had Norbert ready to go in a large wooden crate.
Everyone sighed in relief. A note fell in the shape of a dragon. Ridgebacks are venomous. Everyone paled.
"He's got lots o' rats and brandy fer th' journey. And I packed him a teddy bear in case he gets lonely." Hagrid said sadly.
Everyone groaned at Hagrid's actions.
Harry was sure the snarling and ripping he heard was from the teddy getting its head ripped off. Leo jumped into Ron's arms when a loud snarl came from the crate. Ron just dropped him.
People managed to snicker.
Soon Velvela and Leo were hefting the crate and they began to walk up to the castle. "Bye bye Norbert!" Hagrid sobbed. "Mummy will never ferget you!"
"I think this will haunt my nightmares for the next week." Barty said.
"I am surrounded by nut jobs." Harry heard Aries grumble.
"Welcome to Hogwarts." The two foreign witches said.
Soon Velvela and Leo were invisible and they took off towards the third floor. Ron checked his watch. "We got an hour before Charlie's friends show up." He informed them.
"Plenty of time." James said automatically.
Harry led them up but they had to duck and hide from Peeves. He cackled as he floated past them. When they knew it was clear they sprinted to the corridor. "Alohamora." Harry said and they all slipped inside.
McGonagall was still upset a simple spell could open a FORBIDDEN corridor.
Fluffy snarled menacingly at them when Aries broke into song as Harry lifted the door open.
Frère Jacques, frère Jacques,
Dormez-vous ? Dormez-vous ?
Sonnez les matines! Sonnez les matines!
Ding, daing, dong. Ding, daing, dong.
Unfortunately Regulus was way off key.
Aries mimed for them to go ahead as he repeated the lullaby and Fluffy began to doze off. Harry peered down to the endless black void. He jumped down and landed with a flump! Soon the rest were in there as well and the trap door closed.
"Flump?" Nymphadora asked.
"AAH!" Neville screamed. Harry looked down and saw the plant they landed on began to wrap and coil around them. Aries was tied up to his chest and Ron was at his shoulders. "It's Devil's Snare!" Neville shouted.
"Merda." Liliana cursed.
"Glad to know what it's called!" Ron shouted. "We need light!" Neville shouted as the vines crept higher up onto him. Harry wrestled his wand loose. "LUMOS MAXIMA!" Soon the Devil's Snare cringed and fled from the light.
James was cheering Harry on.
"Way to go Nev." Ron said clapping him on the back. "So glad you do well in Herbology." Aries said.
The future Mr. and Mrs. Longbottom looked proud.
Soon they wandered and heard the sound of wings. They wandered into a room full of winged keys.
"Sounds like something Flitwick would do." Barty noted.
Harry tried to open the door but it was locked. "We need a large silver key, like the handle!" Ron said.
"Smart boy." Moody praised.
Harry saw three broomsticks. "Ron, Aries, we need to fly." Harry said. "Youngest seeker of the century." Aries said with a smirk.
"This'll be easy." James said relaxing.
"Neville can you guard the door?" Harry asked. "Sure thing, Harry." Neville said before watching the entrance.
Some people snorted.
Harry spotted a large silver key. "There!" He said. Ron tried to get it, but he missed. Aries tried but he missed too. "All together! We gotta corner it!" Harry said. They nodded. "One. Two. Three. GO!" Harry shouted.
People were on the edge of their seats.
Soon they closed in on the key from three directions and Harry grabbed it. They all landed and cheered.
"WOOT!" James yelled as he fist pumped.
Harry unlocked the door and saw that he broke one of the wings. "Repairo." And soon the key flew on two working wings.
"That was nice." Xenophilius said airily.
"I envy your talent." Aries joked. Harry nodded. Soon they wandered down towards another room. This room had a giant chessboard and across from that was the door. "This is perfect!" Aries said excitedly. "We have Ron!"
Septimus was beaming with pride.
Ron's ears tinted red at the praise. "Do we have to play as the pieces to get across?" Ron asked a chess piece. It nodded.
"Ron's a champ." Sirius praised.
Ron started to think. "Okay, Aries want to help?" Ron asked. "I suck at strategy." Aries deadpanned.
Regulus snorted.
Ron nodded. "Okay." Ron said after some thinking. "Harry you take the bishop's place, Aries you take that rook and Neville you take that rook." Ron said. "What're you going to be?" Harry asked. Ron jerked a thumb towards himself. "I'm going to be a knight." He said.
"Nice choices." McGonagall said with a nod.
Soon they were all in their places and they began to play. Twice Ron was able to save them in time. Harry felt terrified when pieces were smashed around him. Soon they were at a stalemate.
People paled. Wizard's chess was violent.
"Dang it!" Ron muttered. "We need to move that knight." He said uneasily. Neville shook and sweated as he was a block away from the other knight's range.
Augusta grew tearful and Neville's parents were anxious.
"Ron!" Neville shouted. "What!?" Ron asked. "Use me!" Neville said bravely.
"NO!" Alice shouted. Frank was deathly pale and Augusta was pensive.
"No!" Aries shouted. "I'll be okay, I get hurt all the time." Neville said before stepping forward as the opposing knight knocked him down and dragged him off the board.
"I'm sure he'll be fine." Bellatrix said. "Your son took on two brutes all on his own. He has to be tougher than he seems." Alice smiled at the oldest Black sister.
Soon they kept losing more and more pieces. "That's it." Ron swallowed. "I've got to be taken." He said.
"NO!" Septimus bellowed.
"RON!" Harry shouted. "That's chess! Sacrifices have to be made. Harry you checkmate the King and the two of you move on ahead!" Ron shouted. Ron moved and the Queen smashed his horse before dragging him next to Neville.
Septimus was pale.
Harry stepped three spaces to the left. "Checkmate." He said. The King threw down his crown at Harry's feet. The chessmen parted and bowed as they let Aries and Harry through.
No one was happy about the chess match.
Aries shook badly. Harry was hit with the familiar scent of troll, and looked up to see another troll.
"WHAT!?" Everyone asked in total shock.
"Take cover!" Harry shouted. They ducked out of range of the club that shattered and cracked the floor. "Harry! Bombarda!" Aries shouted as he ducked.
James hoped his son could get the spell right.
"Bombarda!" Harry shouted. The troll flew back before coming back up to its feet. "Bombarda Maxima!" Aries shouted. The troll zoomed into the wall and fell down with a THUD. Aries grabbed Harry and they ran for the door.
Everyone sighed in relief.
When they hurried inside, they saw a row of vials, and the entrance and exit doors were aflame.
"Of course." Arcturus drawled.
Aries picked up a piece of paper.
Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will let you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead,
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting bidden in line.
Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.
"A logic puzzle." Aries said enthusiastically.
Regulus smirked. His son was a Ravenclaw….
He began to hum and looked over the bottles. "This one takes you ahead, and this one takes you back." Aries said taking the vials in each of his hands.
"Brilliant!"
"But there's hardly one swallow." Harry said pointing to the two.
"Bollocks."
Aries grimaced. "Aries, I'll go ahead, you go back and get Ron and Neville." Harry said taking the vial to go ahead. Aries looked worriedly at him.
"Harry." James said worriedly.
"Harry." He said sadly. Harry hugged him. "I'll be fine. You're the most brilliant wizard I know." Harry said. Aries hugged him back. "I just read. You have a real talent for magic." Aries said.
James and Regulus looked at each other and shared a brief smile.
"Who helps me learn the spells?" Harry asked him. Aries chuckled briefly. Harry downed the potion and shuddered. "You okay?" Aries asked nervously. "It's like ice." Harry said. Aries swigged his vial and he walked towards the purple flames that blocked the way back.
People began to loosen up a bit.
"Don't die on me." Aries said. "No promises." Harry said showing his scar.
James chuckled weakly.
Aries smiled at him before leaving. Harry took a breath and walked through the black flames.
Liliana crossed her fingers.
He walked in front of a mirror. "I show not your face but your heart's desire." Harry translated the inscription.
"The Mirror of Erised!" Shizuka said in shock.
He looked at the mirror and saw his own reflection. His reflection pulled a red gem out of its pocket and winked. When it put the stone away, Harry felt it inside his own pocket.
"What the hell?" James asked. "His desire was to get the stone." Moody said gruffly.
He pulled it out and saw it was actually there. He slipped the stone back into his pocket and walked back outside the door.
"YES!" The marauders cheered.
He was thankful the flames were gone. He met up with Ron, Neville, and Aries back in the chess room. They sprinted out of the past two rooms and Aries sang row row your boat as they left the trapdoor.
People snickered a bit.
When they were safely out of Fluffy's room, they sprinted to the owlry. When they we're inside, Leo and Velvela removed the invisibility cloak.
"They're safe!" Shizuka cheered.
Leo gave them all tight hugs. Velvela wrote out the note to Nicholas Flammel and Harry wrapped the stone up with a spare sheet and Leo's shoe lace.
"Just when Leo's ribbon would've been useful." Sirius tsked.
They handed the package to Mirra and she took off into the night. They all shared wide smiles. They did it.
"That's the end of the chapter." Regulus said. "How many more chapters are left?" Abarax asked curiously. Regulus thumbed through the book. "One actually." He said.
"I believe our lunch has long been overdue." McGonagall said. Shortly after, piles of food materialized. "Food!" Sirius cheered as he began to pile food on his plate.