Disclaimer: All that is not JKR's is mine-and that mainly consists in the human character of Nagini and the influence she exerts on the magical world.
Chapter 23: The Sorcerer's Stone
Once again Nagini found herself walking down to the Quidditch pitch with Theo and Blaise. The day was sunny and clear but very cold. Nagini pulled her scarf even tighter around her neck and shivered. "Remind me again why I''m here. It's cold, and Slytherin isn't even playing."
Theo looked at her and shook his head sadly. "Do you not understand, Nagini? It's Quidditch! It doesn't matter who's playing. We have to watch."
Nagini just looked at him, and he threw his hands up in the air, giving up the argument.
"And," continued Blaise for Theo, smirking all the while. "We need to keep track of the points. After all, we lost to Gryffindor by one hundred and ten points but then beat Ravenclaw by ninety. Hufflepuff lost to Ravenclaw by one hundred and fifty points. So if Hufflepuff beats Gryffindor by more than fifty—"
Nagini covered her ears. "I'm not listening anymore!" she called, and he laughed.
As soon as she thought it was safe, Nagini removed her hands from her ears, and Theo took that opportunity to say, "I'm right, though. If Hufflepuff wins by at least fifty points . . ."
Nagini groaned. "I know you're right," she said, "but you''ve said this a dozen times."
"Well, get used to it," said Blaise. "He's going to keep at it the entire match, and you're not the only one forced to listen to him. I get it even more than you do. After all, I share a dorm room with him."
"I pity you," Nagini told him solemnly but then laughed when Theo made a face at the two of them.
They neared the stands and veered right, towards the Slytherin section. Out of the corner of her eye, Nagini noticed a blond figure wearing silver and green turn in the opposite direction, towards the Gryffindor section. It was Draco Malfoy, and, as usual, he was accompanied by Crabbe and Goyle. What were they doing? wondered Nagini. Why didn''t they join the rest of the Slytherins? Knowing she probably wouldn't discover the answer, Nagini put the matter out of her head and followed Theo and Blaise up the steps to their place in the stands.
"This is great," said Theo excitedly scanning the field. "Professor Snape's referee, and he's not going to give the Gryffindors any breaks." He was right. Minutes later Snape awarded Hufflepuff a penalty because one of the Gryffindor Beaters hit a Bludger at him, and a few minutes later, he awarded them another penalty for no reason at all. Beside her, Theo was continuously muttering to himself about the score and the points system. Nagini did her best to ignore him, glancing up at the sky and squinting in the bright sunlight. Potter was soaring high above the field, searching for the Snitch. His broomstick wasn't trying to throw him off this match, and Nagini figured whoever had cursed his broom last time had given up on that approach.
"Yes!" Theo shouted as one of the Hufflepuff Chasers scored, and Nagini returned her attention to the play. "Now if only they can get the Snitch,"" he muttered, but then his face fell. "Oh, no," he muttered, and Nagini squinted at where he was looking. Potter had gone into a steep dive and was speeding toward the ground. The Hufflepuff Seeker saw him and dived as well, but Potter was halfway across the pitch. The Hufflepuff Seeker would never reach it in time. "Oh no," Theo repeated as Potter sped past Snape, who turned toward him, missing him by inches. A moment later, Potter pulled out of his dive, Snitch in hand. The match was over; Gryffindor had won.
Theo groaned, covering his face with his hands, and Nagini patted him on the back. "It's alright, Theo," she said, trying to keep a straight face. ""Gryffindor only won by one hundred and twenty points, so if we beat Hufflepuff by at least one hundred sixty, and Gryffindor loses to Ravenclaw by no less than one hundred thirty . . . ," she trailed off.
Theo looked up at her, a confused look on his face, and Nagini burst out laughing. Theo looked between the laughing Nagini and the smirking Blaise. "You just don't get it, do you?" he said sighing. Nagini stopped laughing and looked at him. "It's not just about our standing," he said shaking his head. ""It's about seeing Gryffindor lose. Everyone loves them, and they don't deserve to get everything handed to them on a platter. They can't have everything. We can't let them."
"You're right," said Nagini, trying to console him. "It''s unfortunate that Hufflepuff lost, but there's nothing we can do about that now. All we can do is look to the future and ensure that Gryffindor doesn't win either the House Cup or the Quidditch Cup.""
Theo nodded, thinking. "You're right, and if I have anything to say about it, they're not going to win either."
Nagini smiled at his conviction, and the three of them joined the crowd leaving the stands. When they reached the grounds, the crowd spread out, heading for the castle. Up ahead of them, the other Slytherin first years were walking in a group, listening to Draco complain about the match. "And on top of that," he was saying, "they're just plain crazy. I'm telling you, they're not right in the head! The three of us were just making conversation about the match, and all of a sudden, Weasley and Longbottom jumped us and started fighting. Not like it did them much good," he said, smirking. "The three of us were more than a match for them. Weasley has a bloody nose, and Longbottom is out cold."
"They were fighting?" asked Blaise quietly.
"Apparently," replied Nagini, "but it doesn't look like it went too well for them, either. Draco has a lovely black eye, and Crabbe and Goyle have more than a few scratches. They look deep, too."
Pansy and her gang, however, were lapping it up. "I hope you weren't hurt," simpered Pansy while Daphne and Tracey looked concerned.
"Course not," replied Draco. Nagini rolled her eyes at his bravado. "These are nothing. You should see the other two."
"You're really brave," Pansy told him. "They jumped you for no reason at all, but you didn't give in."
"Honestly," muttered Nagini under her breath. "Listening to that makes me want to gag."
"Hear, hear," said Theo, and Nagini smiled.
She glanced away from the group ahead of them and toward the forest. Suddenly, she stopped and did a double-take. Quirrell stood waiting by the edge of the forest, scanning the grounds. Snape was striding toward him, and when Quirrell saw Snape approach, he ducked into the forest.
"What is it?" asked Blaise, noticing she was no longer walking beside them.
Nagini shook her head and ran to catch up to them. "Nothing," she told them, forcing a smile. "I just needed to get Pansy''s voice out of my head. That's all." They nodded, accepting her answer, and the three of them resumed their walk to the castle. On a whim, Nagini looked back at the forest. Snape had disappeared; instead, Nagini saw Potter flying low on his broom heading toward the spot where both Quirrell and Snape had disappeared. What was going on? Nagini wondered. Quirrell, Snape, and now Potter.
Making a decision, Nagini stopped and said, "You guys go on. I'll see you later."
"Aren't you going to come back for the post-game party in the common room?" asked Theo, confused.
Nagini shook her head. "I need some air," she said. "The common room's far too claustrophobic. I think I'll take a walk around the lake. I need some time to myself away from certain people," she added, hoping they'd get the hint.
Understanding dawned in their eyes, and they nodded. "You want us to stay with you?" asked Blaise.
Nagini shook her head. "That's alright. You two enjoy the party. I'll meet you in the common room later, alright?"
"Sounds good. See you later," called Theo, and the two boys turned away and walked into the castle.
Nagini watched them go. As soon as they had entered the castle, Nagini turned around and sprinted toward the forest. If she was quick, she could catch up with them. She paused at the edge of the forest, looking around to see if anyone was watching. She didn't see anyone, so she slipped inside. Catching her breath, Nagini closed her eyes and listened. In the distance, she heard the sound of twigs snapping, so she headed that way, praying she was going in the right direction and that she wasn't following some animal. From up ahead, Nagini heard low voices, and she paused. She pulled out her wand, and closing her eyes tightly, she whispered, "Invisibilis."" She opened her eyes and looked down to see nothing but the forest floor. She sighed in relief—she had finally done it. Grinning in triumph, Nagini snuck forward, careful to not make a sound. She approached a clearing but stopped at the edge, hidden amongst the trees even though she was invisible. Snape and Quirrell were standing in the middle of it, facing each other. She glanced up. Crouched in a tree, Potter stared down at the two of them, holding his broomstick and listening attentively. Nagini returned her attention to the clearing and tried to make out what the two men were saying.
". . . d-don't know why you wanted t-t-to meet here of all p-places, Severus. . . ," stuttered Quirrell, looking terrified.
Nagini clapped a hand to her forehead and winced. The tingling she had felt every day in Quirrell's class was back, and it was stronger. She screwed up her eyes to ignore the buzzing in her head, trying to concentrate on the conversation.
"Oh, I thought we'd keep this private," said Snape icily. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Sorcerer's Stone, after all." Nagini stuffed her fist in her mouth to muffle her snort. Oh, the irony, she thought.
"Have you found out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?" Snape demanded suddenly. Nagini leaned in closer to hear.
"B-b-but, Severus, I—"
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," said Snape, taking a step towards the other man, who cowered before him.
"I-I don't know what you—"
"You know perfectly well what I mean," interrupted Snape. "Tell me about your little bit of hocus-pocus. I'm waiting."
"B-but I d-d-don't—"
"Very well," Snape cut in. "We'll have another little chat soon, when you've had time to think things over and decided where your loyalties lie." He strode out of the clearing, leaving Quirrell standing still as if he was petrified.
Nagini pressed herself against a tree as Snape brushed by her, his cloak billowing in his wake, her mind whirring. Slowly, Quirrell pulled himself together and followed Snape out of the clearing. The tingling had faded, and Nagini watched as above her, Potter made to mount his broomstick but, instead, almost managed to fall out of the tree. She waited while he regained his footing before flying off towards the castle.
Nagini began her own trek back to the castle, turning over all she had heard in her mind, trying to make sense out of the confusion she felt. She was sure that "Hagrid's beast,"" whatever it was, was the creature she had heard behind the door leading to the third floor corridor. What she wasn't as sure of was the 'Sorcerer's Stone' they had been discussing. What was it, and why was it hidden in Hogwarts and guarded by the strange beast?
Hidden in Hogwarts. She suddenly recalled something McGonagall had said to her in Diagon Alley: "Gringotts is the safest place to keep something, except perhaps for Hogwarts." What did Snape and Quirrell want with this Stone?
Nagini emerged from the forest and hurriedly removed the invisibility spell. What did Potter make of the conversation, she wondered. Did he follow the two professors on a whim like her, or did he think they were up to something? The two of them were up to something, Nagini knew. The only question was what?
Nagini stopped in front of the wall that led to the Slytherin common room and rested her head against the cool stone. Taking a deep breath, she said the password and stepped through the archway that appeared. The common room was packed; everyone was enjoying the food that a few of the older students had nicked from the kitchens and were talking and laughing together. Spying Theo and Blaise sitting at a table in the back playing a game of wizard chess, Nagini maneuvered her way through the crowd toward them.
"Hah! Take that!" cried Theo as his knight clobbered Blaise's bishop.
Nagini looked at the board distastefully. "It's quite violent, isn't it?"
"And that," replied Theo looking up at her, "is half the fun."
In spite of herself, Nagini smiled as she pulled up a chair beside them and watched their game. Both boys were excellent players, Nagini realized. They appeared to be able to predict what the other would do and could see several moves ahead of the play. In another corner of the room, Pansy was talking loudly, trying to catch everyone's attention, but Nagini ignored her, pushing all thoughts of the girl out of her mind. She didn't want to think about Pansy, not then and not ever if she could help it. After a few moments, Tracey slid into the chair next to Nagini holding two glasses of pumpkin juice. She handed one to Nagini, who smiled her thanks. Both girls were silent, watching the chess game and simply enjoying each other's presence while behind them the other Slytherins grew ever louder as time passed.
Rising from the ground, Nagini found herself among the familiar trees that surrounded the clearing in which she met with her father in her dreams. Smiling grimly, Nagini strode to the gap in the trees where the light shone brightly. She had many questions, and deep in her heart, Nagini felt that her father knew the answers to at least a few of them.
Upon entering the clearing, Nagini paused. Her father stood in the center of the clearing, waiting for her as he always did. Sensing her approach, he looked up and smiled at her. "Nagini," he called, "there you are. Did you have difficulty falling asleep?" She had actually; she had spent hours tossing and turning, replaying the conversation in her head, searching for something she had overlooked.
Nagini shrugged noncommittally. Looking sideways at her father, Nagini bit her lip, thinking. "What's going on?" she demanded suddenly. ""Do you know?"
Voldemort raised his eyebrows. "Do I know what exactly?"
"The Sorcerer's Stone."
Voldemort went still, and Nagini stepped closer to him. "You do, don't you?" she whispered. "What is it? Why is it at Hogwarts?"
She waited, and Voldemort debated telling her. If he didn't placate her, he realized, she might do something on her own, something that put his plan at risk. "The Sorcerer's Stone," he said at length, "is a gem. It is the source of never-ending riches and the Elixir of Life. And yes, it is at Hogwarts, has been since last summer. Before that it was at Gringotts. Why, you ask. Well, as you might imagine, any number of people would covet the Stone; I assume it's at Hogwarts for safekeeping."
Nagini's eyes had widened at the mention of the Elixir of Life and even more so at the mention of Gringotts. "The break-in," she whispered, ""that's what they were after."
Voldemort nodded. "Yes."
"And Snape and Quirrell both want it," she continued. "Who wouldn't want wealth and immortality? The troll at Halloween—it was a distraction so they could try to get past whatever is guarding it on the third-floor."
"Snape and Quirrell?" demanded Voldemort suddenly. "What do you know, Nagini? Tell me.""
Nagini looked up at her father with wide eyes. "I overheard them talking about the Stone earlier today," she began. "I think they were plotting to steal it, but they were arguing. Snape said something about Quirrell having to think about where his loyalties lay."
Voldemort drew his eyebrows together, thinking rapidly. He wouldn't tell Nagini what the true plan was. He didn't want to compromise either her or Quirrell, not when he was so close to achieving his goal, and this way his return would be a surprise—he would retrieve her from the orphanage that very summer; she'd never have to return. He glanced down at her. She was still staring up at him with her green eyes, waiting for him to say something. He looked away quickly.
Snape, he thought to himself. It was fortunate he had his daughter to tell him what the two men had said because the conversation had been muffled. He had been right not to trust the man that had once been his loyal follower, for he didn't believe as Nagini did that Snape was working with Quirrell to steal the Stone, but rather that he was trying to prevent Quirrell from obtaining it. Snape seemed to have switched sides over the years, and Voldemort was sure that if he had exposed himself to him, Snape would have turned him over to Dumbledore immediately.
Nagini watched her father, waiting for him to speak. Finally, he turned to her. "Don't worry about Quirrell and Snape," he told her. ""If someone was aware of how much you know, you would be in great danger, and besides, Dumbledore has the Stone too well-protected for them to succeed."
Nagini nodded briefly, satisfied with her father's response, but that didn't mean that if she had the opportunity to learn more, she would pass it up. Far from it, in fact. Knowledge was power, and Nagini intended to gain the knowledge.
~Kasyntra