Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling.

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I walked back over towards the tree, partially grateful for the blistering heat that helped dry my soaked clothes. Stupid Fred... I stood before Hermione, water dripping onto her shoes, causing her to open her eyes. She grinned. "Hi Hope, have fun?"

I blushed. "Yeah... so what have you guys been doing in my absence?"

"Talking about you and George." Daphne informed me, sitting up to stretch.

"What?" I sat down in-between the two. "Why?"

Daphne shrugged. "We had nothing else to do besides just sit here."

"Besides, you two are so cute together." Hermione squealed happily.

I rolled my eyes. "Uh-huh. Thanks Mione, but I know were you're going with this. The both of you. We're just friends."

"You may think that, but how much do you wanna bet he wants to be more than just friends?" Daphne smirked.

I pursed my lips. "I highly doubt that."

"Doubt what you want." Hermione and Daphne quipped.

Ron shifted suddenly, grabbing a hold of my ankle. "What the- oh, hey Hope. When did you get back?"

I snorted down at him, watching as he rubbed his eyes. "Just now. Have a nice nap?"

Ron grinned at me. "Why yes I did."

"Good." I laughed.

"Have fun with my brothers?" His eyebrows wiggled suggestively.

I slapped at his arm. "What is wrong with you all? Nothing is going on between us."

"Uh-huh...sure. I know my brothers, Hope." Ron titled his head up to look at us, repositioning his foot and accidently kicking Harry in the side.

"Oi!"

"Oops, sorry Harry."

"It's fine." Harry rolled over to look at us all, a hand on his side. "Whatcha talking about?"

I groaned, letting my head fall forwards and tap against my chest.

Hermione patted my shoulder in mock sympathy. "Hope's love life."

Harry's eyes shot to me, an eyebrow slowly lifting up. "You're love life?"

"I don't have a love life." I cried at them, pouting.

"Course not, not yet anyway." Daphne twirled a blonde strand.

"Besides, you're not allowed to date till you're... old." Hermione finished lamely.

"How old?"

"At least sixteen."

"No!" I protested immediately. "I would only have two years of Hogwarts left! That's cruel..."

Daphne snorted. "I'm lucky if I'll be able to date at sixteen!"

Harry and Ron traded amused looks.

"So, girls... what else are we doing today?" I asked, quickly changing the subject.

"Nothing I hope!" Theodore yelled, startling us, sitting up to watch us with large brown eyes.

"That's boring." I noted.

"Then what do you think we should do?" Theodore leaned forward at looked at me expectedly.

I shrugged. "We could visit Hagrid?"

Hermione's eyes tracked an owl that was flying across the court yard. "Is he even in?"

"Hey, there's Snape." Harry's face wrinkled in distaste.

All our eyes snapped towards the man, strolling across the court yard, his cloak flowing out behind him.

"He's still limping." I acclaimed.

"Way ta go Fluffy!" Theodore crooned, throwing his hands into the air and flopping down into the grass.

Ron snickered. "Wish the thing would of taken his leg off."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Right!? If only we could tell Dumbledore about him."

I grabbed the nearest object I could find and through it at him. I'm pretty sure it was Theodore's smelly old shoe.

"While on that note, Hagrid would never tell Snape how to get past Fluffy, he would never betray Dumbledore." Daphne reminded us.

"Not intentionally anyway." Ron blinked at us, focusing on me when I frowned deeply. "What?"

I jumped up suddenly, nearly tripping over Theodore.

"Where are you going?" Daphne yelled after me, jumping up and looking at me oddly.

Theodore quickly slipped on his shoes. "What the heck?!"

"I've just thought of something." I explained, walking backwards to look at them. "We've got to go and see Hagrid. Now."

"Why?" Hermione panted, attempting to catch up.

"Don't you think its a bit odd..." I trailed off, collecting my thoughts.

"What?" Harry asked impatiently.

"That- that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon and a stranger turns up and, look at this, has a dragon egg. How many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? It against wizard law, no? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Ugh, why didn't I see it before!?"

"What are you talking about, Hope?" Ron sprinted behind me.

Hagrid was sitting outside his hut door, sleeves and pant legs rolled up, shelling peas. "Hullo, finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes!" Theodore said eagerly, but I cut him off.

"Unfortunately not right now, Hagrid. Actually, I've got something to ask you. You know the day you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," Hagrid said casually. "he wouldn' take off his cloak."

Hagrid raised his eyebrows as he looked at him, stunned. "It's not that unusual, yeh got a lot 'o funny folk in the Hog's Head- that's ones o' the pubs down the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk about, Hagird? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Hermione inquired.

"Mighta come up... 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 wanted was a dragon a' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, he said that he had a dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn't want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" I struggled to keep my voice calm, slowly twisting a strand of hair around my finger.

"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-"

We all traded horrified looks, all of us had gone a pale white.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that! Forget I said it! Hey- where're yeh goin'?"

"Sorry, Hagrid!" Ron yelled behind us as we sprinted towards the castle.

We finally halted before the entrance hall, panting.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore, now! Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

"Whoa! Wait, Harry!" I yelled louder, causing him to stop in his search of Dumbledore's office, as if there would be some sign or something telling us where to go. "Are you sure this is the best course of action!?"

Everyone stopped to look at me. I huffed. "What?!"

"Hope, they are going to go after the Stone soon." Daphne explained as if talking to a small child.

My eyes narrowed dangerously. Perhaps she noticed my deadly expression or not, Hermione quickly interjected. "I think we should tell him, Hope."

I rolled me eyes and gave a single nod. "Oh, alright. But if he yells, punishes, expels or anything of the like, I will be looking for you five."

"Great." Was Ron's reply. He then turned to march down a corridor, but paused. "So... does anyone know where his office is?"

We all looked around, maybe for a familiar face of someone who would know where his office was. To no such luck, everyone else was basking in the sunlight outside. Everyone turned to me. I gave them all a blank look. "Even if I've gotten in detention a few times doesn't mean I've been to his office. Yet."

Now, remember how I said everyone was outside? Well... I lied. Not everyone.

"What are you all doing inside?"

We all spun around, coming face-to-face with Professor McGonagall, who was carrying a large stack of books.

"We want to see Headmaster Dumbledore." Theodore spoke up.

"See Headmaster Dumbledore? Why?" Her eyes narrowed, I guess people normally didn't want to see the Headmaster. I'm guessing. I mean, was this really to much to ask?

"It's sort of secret." Harry told her lamely. Well, it was the truth.

McGonagall's nostrils flared. "Headmaster Dumbledore left ten minutes ago. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone? Now?" Ron asked frantically.

"Headmaster Dumbledore is a great wizard, Wealsey, he has many demands on his time-"

"But this is important!"

"Something you have to say is more important that the Ministry of Magic, Nott?"

"Ye-" He began but was promptly shut up when Daphne slapped her hand over his mouth.

"Look," Harry began and I mentally facepalmed. So much for secrecy. "Professor, its about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

Whatever she had been expecting us to say, that had to have been at the very bottom of the list. The stack of books tumbled out of her arm and she made no attempt to pick them back up.

"How do you know-?"

"Professor- I think- we know- that Sn-" I smacked Harry in the arm. "that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. We've got to talk to the Headmaster."

She eyed us all with an air of suspicion. "Headmaster Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor-"

"Nott, I know what I'm talking about. I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine." She bent down to pick up her books.

"It's tonight." I said as soon as she was out of earshot.

Harry nodded frantically. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. I bet he sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore shows up."

"But what can we-" Ron stopped and looked at me oddly after I gave out a small squeak. "What?"

"Good afternoon."

Snape. Snape was standing right before us.

You could literally hear all of us gulp.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this." He gave us a weird, twisted smile.

"We were-" Daphne faltered.

"You want to be more careful. Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Hermione, Ron and I all flushed. We all turned to walk back outside when Snape called back to us. "Be warned, any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are all expelled. Good day to you."

We all gulped again and scampered out the door and into the courtyard. Once on the stone steps did Harry stop. "Right, here's what we got to do-"

"Who made you in charge?" I questioned jokingly.

Harry glared at me. "Would you like to tell us what to do, Hope?"

I scoffed and waved my hand. "No, continue."

"Anyway, one of us has got to keep an eye on Snape, wait outside the staffroom and follow him if he leaves. Hermione, Daphne, which one of you want to do it?"

"Why us?" Daphne asked with a tone of irritation.

"'Cause, you can be pretending to be waiting for... Professor Flitwick?" Ron suggested.

"Yeah!" I grinned and pitched my voice slightly. "Oh Professor, I'm so worried. I think I got question fourteen b wrong..."

Theodore snorted when both girls turned to glare at me.

"Oh shut up." Hermione told me, volunteering to go watch for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-door corridor." Harry told Theodore and Ron.

"And us?" I questioned.

"You could think of something." He told me with an evil grin, running of with the two towards the third-floor corridor.

Daphne turned to look at me and I shrugged. "I dunno..."

We both shrugged, glanced around before we both sat down upon the cold steps. We both crossed our legs and propped our head up on our hands.

Only a few minutes or so later did we hear running and Theodore, Harry and Ron were soon sitting down beside us, panting.

I raised an eyebrow. "Hi."

"What happened?" Daphne asked, eyeing their flushed skin.

"Did Fluffy try and eat you?" I asked.

"No," Ron panted. "but we ran into McGonagall."

Theodore nodded. "She was pissed."

"Threatened to take fifty house points each is she heard of us going near that door again." Harry finished.

I plucked up a piece of grass and twirled it around my fingers, glancing up when more footsteps approach. Hermione gasped. "I'm sorry! Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting of Flitwick, and Snape went to go get him. I've only gotten away, I don't know where he went."

"Welp, that's it then isn't it?" I questioned, rubbing Hermione's back as she attempted to catch her breath.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first." Harry announced.

I pouted at him while everyone else looked at him as if he had grown another head. "Awe, Harry, I was gonna say that."

Harry couldn't stop the grin from appearing on his face and the two-headed-bizarre look was then transmitted onto me. "Wha?"

"You two can't be serious?"

"You're mad!"

"You can't!"

"After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry screamed, cutting everyone off. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets ahold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Slytherin or Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, I'll have to go back to my house and wait for him to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I could have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trap door and nothing you say or do can stop me! Voldemort destroyed my family, remember?"

I whistled loudly. "You're right..."

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak, it's just lucky I got it back." Harry told us pointedly.

"But how will all six of us fit under that?" Ron asked, frowning.

Harry paused, startled. "All- all six of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" Daphne flicked Harry's temple.

I stretched out my legs, kicking Ron's thigh with my toe. He slapped at my foot lightly. "Don't be so stupid."

"Of course not." Hermione said briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?"

Daphne nodded thoughtfully. "I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, we'll be expelled for sure." Theodore reminded us all.

"Not if I can help it. Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that." Hermione shrugged once we all looked at her.

I grinned and clapped her on the back. "Right on Mione!"

"B-but, a hundred and twelve! HOW?" Ron protested with his mouth hanging open.

I closed his mouth with a snap. "Close your mouth Ronnie, you'll catch flies."

Harry just sat there, looking at all of us with wide eyes, slowly shaking his head in disbelief.

Daphne and Theodore looked at him and then at each other, grinning.