Harry's scar continuously hurt throughout the exams—not a huge pain like the one he had felt when he saw the thing (Voldemort?) that had been drinking unicorn's blood in the forest, but more like a persistent, stabbing pain, similar to a headache.

Plenty of students were complaining of headaches, most likely because they were under a lot of stress, low on sleep due to studying and worrying, and taking exams in an overheated castle with no air conditioning of which to speak. Just as Harry had longed for Muggle heating last winter, so he now longed for Muggle air conditioning. Harry only hoped they could have heating and air conditioning in the new Hogsmeade house—or would there be too much magic in the air for technology, just like it was at Hogwarts?

The exams were finally over with Care of Magical Creatures on Thursday. It was an easy exam, because all they had to do was pick a magical creature, write one scroll of parchment about it, then play with the Cruppies for the practical exam. They would pass the practical exam if they were able to keep the Cruppies happy and have fun with them. (Harry got the feeling Sirius didn't want anyone to fail the first class he had ever taught.) There was no exam for Sirius's Defense Against the Dark Arts class. Sirius said it was because the students had enough exams, but he confided in Harry later that he didn't really feel like testing people again, and at any rate, it was an optional class, so giving them exams should be optional, too.

"Listen, Harry," said Sirius as he made to leave the pumpkin patch. "I'm going to be leaving for London in about an hour. We wanted to spend Friday together—since I have Friday off—and Barbara has another ultrasound on Saturday. I'll be back in time for dinner on Saturday night."

"All right," said Harry. "Just as long as you bring me photos."

"You know it," said Sirius. "It'll be great, since she's starting her third trimester in less than a month. Ah, how the time flies…"

"It does, doesn't it?" Harry smiled then, thinking of how worried Sirius and Barbara had been, and how happy they were now. How happy he was now. Maybe that was why it took babies nine months to form, Harry thought. So the baby's family had time to get ready. With his baby sister in mind, Harry returned to where Ron and Hermione were waiting.

"Care of Magical Creatures was a pretty good exam," said Ron. "But History of Magic was a drag."

"It was actually easier than I thought it would be," Hermione said. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Did you really just say 'needn't'?" said Ron, and Hermione rolled her eyes, but Harry had another question.

"The Werewolf Code of Conduct hasn't been updated since 1637?" he said incredulously.

"Well…no, it hasn't," said Hermione, and Harry knew that she too was thinking about Harry's Uncle Moony.

"They need to get with the program, then," said Harry. "It's really outdated. My dad had to support Remus, because he didn't have any money of his own. He pays the mortgage for Crescent Cottage with his Gringotts bank account, but that account is my dad's money. It's a twenty-year mortgage, so it's not paid off yet."

"Is that how you're going to buy your Hogsmeade house?" asked Ron.

"No," said Harry. "Sirius is going to use his inheritance to pay up front, since he still has a lot left. It will be a nice house, but not really that pricey. For someone with rich parents, you wouldn't believe what a cheapskate Sirius is."

"Some people just like the simple life," said Hermione. She smiled, then, and pointed to their favorite tree by the lake.

Ron and Hermione seemed peaceful and happy that the exams were over. Harry felt Hermione's warm hand slip into his, and she leaned her head on his shoulder, the heat supposedly putting her (and Ron) to sleep. As soon as Harry felt Hermione's hand, he felt a firework inside him, and a familiar tingling sensation in his toes. But his scar burned at the same time, and that kind of ruined it.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he yelled. "My scar keeps hurting—it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madame Pomfrey," said Hermione without opening her eyes, squeezing his hand.

"I'm not ill. I think it's a warning…it means danger's coming…"

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right," Ron said. "The Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around—"

"Are you sure about that?" said Harry.

"Whatever, Snape doesn't know how to get past Fluffy, the dog," Ron continued. "He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

"Sure, Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore on purpose," Harry agreed. "But remember when he mentioned the Sorcerer's Stone in front of Sirius? Only the Heads of Houses, Dumbledore and Hagrid were supposed to know. I could easily see him mentioning Fluffy by accident, too…and maybe to the wrong person."

"And…what are you proposing we do, exactly?" asked Hermione, opening her eyes again.

"We've got to ask him, of course," said Harry, standing up so suddenly blood rushed to his head, but he ignored it. Ron and Hermione followed him to Hagrid's hut. The gamekeeper was sitting outside, shelling peas.

"Hello, Hagrid," said Harry, panting slightly. "We have a question for you."

"Yeah?"

"Did you mention Fluffy to anyone that you remember?"

Hagrid stopped shelling his peas in shock. "How do you know about Fluffy?"

"We heard you mentioning him to Snape," said Harry. "But it doesn't matter. We know he's guarding the S—he's guarding something, and I hope you didn't mention him to anyone."

"It mighta come up," Hagrid said apathetically. "But it was jus' a stranger in a bar, I was playin' cards with him for—for gold."

Hagrid looked a bit shifty when he said "gold", but Harry wasn't really concerned with that.

"What did he look like?" asked Harry.

"Dunno, he wouldn't take his cloak off." When Hagrid saw them looking suspicious, he continued, "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head—that's one of the pubs down in the village. I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"And you didn't mention Fluffy at all?"

"Please, tell us you didn't," Hermione added. Now she was looking quite concerned, too.

"Well, he thought it was interestin'," Hagrid told them honestly. "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 of music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep—"

"Hagrid!" said Hermione in shock.

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

Harry, Ron and Hermione ran into the castle.

"We've got to tell Sirius," said Hermione frantically. "He'll know what to do!"

"We can't, though," Harry said in horror. "He's undoubtedly left for London by now! Barbara has an ultrasound on Saturday—"

"Then why did he leave on Thursday?" Ron demanded.

Harry thought he knew why, but he just shook his head in frustration.

"I'm going to send a letter to Sirius telling him what's up," he said. "Like you said, Hermione, he'll know what to do."

"That was before I knew he was in London, though," said Hermione. "It takes him an hour to fly there, right? So it probably takes Hedwig longer, because even though she's flying too, she's smaller. I'm guessing an hour and a half. Then it will take Sirius another hour to fly back. It's already five in the afternoon, so Hedwig won't get to London until six-thirty, and then Sirius won't get here until seven-thirty or maybe eight, and by then it will be too late. We should go to Dumbledore."

"Like he'll believe us," said Harry. "I'm going up to the Owlery to send Sirius a letter and—"

"What are you three doing inside?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione spun around. It was Professor McGonagall. She was carrying a load of books in her arms.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione told her.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall looked suspicious. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret," was all Harry could think of to say.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she informed them. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

Harry knew Ron and Hermione were thinking the same thing he was—Dumbledore was in London, too? This had to be some sort of world record for bad timing!

"He's gone? Now?" said Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "He has many demands on his time—"

"But this is important," Harry insisted.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

There was only one thing for Harry to say now. He told Professor McGonagall he thought someone was going to steal the Sorcerer's Stone (he didn't say it was Snape, of course), and understandably, she seemed shocked, so shocked she dropped the books she was carrying. But she pulled herself together again quickly.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she told them. "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—"

"I know what I'm talking about," said Professor McGonagall. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

With that, she walked away.

"It's tonight," Harry told his two best friends. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we—"

Hermione's sentence was cut off by a gasp. Harry and Ron turned around to see what she was looking at.

"Good afternoon," said Snape, grinning wickedly, almost leering at them. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this."

"We freaking go to school here," said Harry.

Snape scowled.

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

Harry, Ron and Hermione had no more to say to him. They started to go outside again.

"Be warned, Potter," Snape called as he made his way to the staffroom. "Any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

"He doesn't want me wandering around at night," said Harry, "because that's when he's going to get the Stone. He doesn't want me interfering with his little plan to resurrect Voldemort."

"What are we going to do?" asked Hermione. "Sirius is gone, Dumbledore is gone, Snape and McGonagall are hanging around…Voldemort will be back by tomorrow!"

"We've got to keep an eye on Snape, for one thing," said Harry. "Hermione, you wait outside the staffroom door. Pretend to be looking for a teacher—like you have a question about the exam or something. Ron and I will guard the Forbidden Corridor."

Ron and Hermione agreed to this plan, but as soon as Harry and Ron reached the Forbidden Corridor, they ran into Professor McGonagall again.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she scolded. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own House!"

They had no choice but to return to the common room. Hermione came in moments later, telling them that her part of the plan had failed, too. She had told Snape she was looking for Professor Flitwick to discuss the exams, and Snape went to get him. Hermione had run away.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" said Harry. "I'm going to go out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

It took some convincing, but finally Ron and Hermione agreed that there was nothing else to do. Harry was surprised when they said they would go with him.

"How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?" Hermione asked. "I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…"

"But if we get caught," Harry reminded her, "you two will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," Hermione replied, her expression dead-set. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

…

After dinner, Harry, Ron and Hermione went up to Harry's dorm. They hadn't eaten very much, as they weren't very hungry. They just sat on Harry's bed, waiting to rescue the Sorcerer's Stone. Harry and Ron were practicing spells they'd learned in school, and Hermione was poring through her notes. When the clock struck nine, Hermione left, pretending she was going to bed. Harry and Ron faked being exhausted from exams, and "fell asleep" without even undressing. Neville hadn't come up yet, but Seamus and Dean had. They blew out the candles.

Once Harry and Ron were sure everyone in the dorm was sleeping except them, they got up to go downstairs and meet Hermione. Harry grabbed the Invisibility Cloak out of his trunk. He also retrieved a record player Sirius had passed on to him, which had also been his father's, and a Rolling Stones record, "Fool to Cry" (his father's favorite Muggle band and song). These would keep Fluffy at bay.

"Hang on," Ron whispered. "You've forgotten something."

Harry's eyes had adjusted to the dark by now, so he saw what Ron was holding up. It was his father's dueling gloves and helmet.

"Yes, I'll be needing these." Harry fastened the gloves onto his hands and set the helmet on his head, a determined look on his face. Ron looked admiring. "Let's go."