Four Heads Are Better Than One

Year One: Premonitions

Hi, thanks again for everyone's reviews, favourites and alerts. We're going on holiday tomorrow so we won't be updating for a few days, but we will try and get another chapter up before we go. We hope you enjoy this instalment.

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

"Thank Merlin that's all over for another year."

Filius glanced over, his eyes twinkling. "Why Pomona, are you suggesting that you don't enjoy conducting the end of year exams?"

"Only as much as you enjoy letting the Weasley twins loose in a classroom with a box of Filibuster Fireworks."

Filius winced at the memory. "I think they'd been experimenting on them; I'm sure they don't usually explode with that much vigour."

Pomona shook her head. "If those two would only apply themselves, they'd get better grades than their brothers."

"You have to admit though, they are brilliant."

Pomona couldn't help but laugh at the Ravenclaw's antics. "Don't ever let them hear you say that."

Filius grinned at her, but before he could reply, Minerva arrived with a face like thunder.

"Potter, Weasley and Granger have found about the Philosopher's Stone."

Filius stared at her. "How…?"

"I don't know!" The Gryffindor was pacing up and down frantically. "They just ran up to me and told me that someone was going to try and steal it."

Pomona frowned. "Albus was called to the Ministry this morning, wasn't he?"

At that point, Severus entered, also in a furious temper.

"Those three dunderheads.."

"If you're talking about Potter, Weasley and Granger finding out about the Stone, then we already know."

Severus scowled. "Not just that. The think I'm the one who's going to steal it!"

Pomona gaped at him. "You're helping to protect it. Why would you want to steal it?"

"Well, Quirinius is also helping and yet we know he wants to steal it" Filius pointed out fairly.

Severus scowled as he slumped into a chair. "Idiotic children."

Filius frowned. "Minerva if you were convinced someone as going to steal something and couldn't talk to an authority figure, what would you do?"

Minerva's eyes flashed. "They'd better not have."

Severus snorted. "They're typical Gryffindors. I think we can safely say that they have."

Minerva drew herself up. "Excuse me a moment please." She swept from the room without waiting for a reply.

Severus shook his head. "They think I can get past a three-headed dog but not three first years?"

Pomona sighed. "At least they're trying to help." She glanced at them. "Does anyone think it's a coincidence that Albus is called away on the very day that those three decide to warn us?"

Filius frowned. "It certainly doesn't look like one."

Severus got to his feet and moved towards the door. "I'm going to send an owl to Albus. I think we need him more than the Ministry at the moment."

Pomona nodded in relief. "Excellent idea."

Severus opened the door and paused. "Miss Granger. This is…unexpected."

Pomona and Filius glanced at each other. A moment later, they heard Hermione's shrill voice.

"I…I was just waiting for Professor Flitwick."

Severus studied her coolly. "Wait here." He strode back over to them. "Filius."

The tiny wizard nodded. "I'll see what she wants." With that he left the room, shutting the door behind him.

As soon as he was gone, Severus started cursing loudly and fluently.

Pomona raised a warning eyebrow. "Severus…"

The Slytherin glared at her. "She wasn't waiting for Filius, she was waiting for me! What does she expect, that I'll let her watch while I steal the Stone?"

Pomona placed a hand on his arm. "Severus, calm down. I'm sure she didn't mean any harm."

Severus' scowl remained in place. "Why are they accusing me?"

Pomona sighed. She knew better than to comment.

The two of them sat in silence until Minerva returned a few minutes later. The Gryffindor's temper seemed to have worsened in her absence.

"Of all the reckless, idiotic, brainless things to do!"

Pomona sighed. "They were waiting for you then?

Minerva nodded. "I'd just like to know what they thought they were going to accomplish."

"I've been asking myself the same question," Severus muttered.

Minerva glanced round in confusion. "Where's Filius?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Miss Granger was waiting for 'him' outside."

Minerva groaned and put her head in her hands. "I'll never complain about the Weasley twins again."

Right on cue, Filius returned.

Minerva looked up hopefully at his approach. "Please tell me she had a legitimate reason for being here?"

Filius grimaced as he scrambled into a chair. "Apparently, she was worried about one of her answers."

Severus gave a snort of disbelief. "The girl knows the textbooks by heart! She knows she has the right answers."

Filius nodded ruefully. "She certainly does now. But it was definitely you she was waiting for, Severus."

The Slytherin just shook his head in disgust.

It was Pomona who asked the question that was on everyone's minds. "Do you think they'll go after the Stone themselves?"

Minerva nodded reluctantly. "They're Gryfindors. They'll feel like they have to."

Severus scowled. "Can we stop them?"

"Harry has an Invisibility Cloak," Filius reminded him gloomily.

Pomona frowned. "But even if they try, they won't be able to get past Fluffy, let alone our obstacles."

Minerva nodded in agreement. "I'm fairly confident the Stone's safe from them, but I'm still going to ask Albus to return as soon as he can. Fudge will just have to manage without him this time."

Filius sighed. "Let's just hope that those three can refrain from doing anything foolhardy until he gets back."

Severus snorted. "They're Gryffindors. So I seriously doubt it."

Minerva fixed him with a piercing glare. "Would you care to repeat that statement, Severus?"