As Harry made his way through the moonlit corridors alongside Ron, Hermione, and Neville, he found he was a lot more relaxed than he expected to be. He felt...calm, and self assured. He knew the corridors rather well, what with everything Kevin had pointed out to him. He now knew how to read the castle's magic somewhat. While it didn't tell him where to go, it told him where he was, and that made it much easier to figure out where to go. It also told him if anyone else was near, which is why he wasn't worried about Filch or Mrs. Norris showing up when he least expected it. Still, he trailed behind Ron and the others as he glanced around uncertainly. He was on his way to duel Malfoy, and he'd feel a lot more comfortable if Kevin were with him...but he'd refused to join in on flying practice, saying he'd be safe enough and snakes did not belong on clouds, and that he'd meet up with him later. It was now nearly midnight, and he was beginning to worry-

"Finally!" a hiss echoed from under a doorway into a bathroom as Kevin slipped out, raced up Harry's leg, and dove into his sleeve before wrapping around to his usual position with tail around Harry's neck and head just inside his left sleeve. "You didn't come in after flying practice, so I decided I'd catch you in bed...but you and your friend were staying up and I couldn't join you while he was watching."

"Sorry about that," Harry hissed back, keeping his voice down. Practice had taught him when he was speaking so only Kevin could understand him and when he was speaking normally. Kevin called it The Tongue, though apparently wizards called it Parseltongue. Recognizing the difference had been rather useful, especially when he wanted to say something under his breath others didn't hear. Saying it in Parsel meant only Kevin understood and made it extra quiet...and sometimes making Kevin laugh at something he'd muttered cheered his mood. "Had a bit of an issue with Malfoy while Madame Hooch was taking Neville to the Hospital Wing, wound up the House Seeker."

Kevin snorted in amusement. "That explains why you didn't come in with the others. And why are you still up?"

"Malfoy challenged me to a wizard's duel," Harry explained logically. "At midnight, in the trophy room."

Kevin made a sound that didn't quite translate, but Harry had learned to recognize as being akin to rolling his eyes...mostly because it was usually followed by him expressing exaggeration. "Why the heck would you choose that?"

"I didn't, Malfoy did," Harry pointed out. "And...Ron kinda said yes for me, but I'm not backing down-"

"By Godric's kilt, I picked the worst day to not try and tackle heights!" Kevin interrupted in exasperation. "First off, it's the challenged in a Wizard's Duel that picks the time and place, not the challenger. Second, according to the dueling code, it is a class 7 felony to issue a duel to someone uninitiated without providing time for them to learn the code, punishable by a fine of 100 galleons to be paid to the injured party, minimum. Third, a second can't accept a duel for you, so this isn't even a viable duel! I assume Ron made himself your second?"

"...yeah..." Harry muttered, beginning to reconsider all this. Sure, he wanted to take Malfoy down a peg or two, but he honestly didn't really like being dragged into it. Sure, Ron was his friend, and he couldn't just back down...but shouldn't Ron have cleared this with him first?

"And the other two?" Kevin asked as they reached the Trophy Room. "What are they doing here?"

"Hermione tried to convince us not to," Harry admitted thoughtfully, reconsidering. "Neville we found outside the portrait when we came out. He'd forgotten the password, and the Fat Lady was already gone, so they both wound up tagging along."

"And it seems like she had the right idea," Kevin grumbled. "No scent of any Slytherin anywhere but me, and I can smell Filch's cat getting close, and him not far behind."

"What?" Harry gasped out before quickly switching languages. "We gotta go!" he hissed out, despite not actually hissing this time. "Filch and Mrs. Norris are on their way! This way!"

"And just where do you intend to lead them?" Kevin asked curiously as the others followed along. "Though I'm impressed you didn't pick the direction they were in."

"Almost no one goes this way," Harry muttered as he turned another corner, dodging around an unused classroom as the slight chill coming from the door told him there was a spectral presence within. That meant either a ghost or Peeves. The former would immediately report them, the latter would torment them and possibly report them anyway. Finding another door in a corridor that felt like it should be dusty, he grabbed the handle and tugged. "Locked?"

"I wonder why no one comes this way," Kevin mused dryly.

"Alohomora!" Hermione gasped out, putting her wand through the motions. The lock clicked and the door swung open.

"Impressive," Kevin murmured as everyone ducked inside, shutting the door behind them as they all paused, trying to quietly catch their breath. "That spells a few weeks ahead of where you are. Maybe you should see about spending time with her, it'd teach you good study habits if nothing else."

"I...told...you!" Hermione gasped out as she managed to get control of herself. "Malfoy never meant to duel you...he was setting you up!"

"And a firm grasp of things despite the situation!" Kevin praised. "Definitely someone to associate with. She'll be good for you in the long run."

"We'll just stay here until he stops looking-" Ron began, only to pause as Neville tugged his sleeve. "What-" He turned, and his voice fell silent.

Confused, Harry turned to look...and saw a massive three-headed dog glowering down at them from the darkness, fangs bared and eyes gleaming.

"Gee, I wonder why this door was locked?" Kevin snarked in amusement. "So how do you intend to get out of this?"

"Stay calm," Harry whispered to the others as he moved between them and the hound. "I...have an idea."

"Oh?" Kevin purred in amusement. "This I have to see-"

As the hound started to lunge, its mouths opening, Harry thrust out with his left arm, palm forward, sleeve dangling.

Harry could feel Kevin's judgmental intensity. "Really?" he asked flatly. "Your plan was to point me at him?"

"Well...it worked..." Harry muttered in Parsel as the hound stopped, but maintained his hostile pose.

"Only because we've met," Kevin grumbled. "Now I have to get you out of this mess, thanks ever so much. This is not what I had in mind when I decided to look after you..."

The hound's right head let out an odd, chuckling growl.

"Oh don't you start, Fluffy," Kevin groused. "Look, can you let this slide just this once? I'll make sure these kids don't come in unwarranted again if you just give them a few minutes to-" The hound growled something. "Seriously? You know why I don't want to be around Hagrid if I can help it! It's my fault he got expelled!" An irritated bark. "Okay, maybe not mine, per se, but if not for me it wouldn't have happened! You think I like carrying that around? And it gets worse every time I get near!" A whimpering cough. "And how exactly am I supposed to get him cleared without getting dissected by the authorities? Short of the last guy showing back up somehow, my tail's in a knot." An odd chuffing sound. "...fine! Fine, I'll stick with Harry when he goes to visit Hagrid in the future...but I'm staying hidden, and that's final!"

The large hound - Fluffy, apparently - seemed satisfied with that, and lay down while keeping his six eyes on the students.

"...I can not believe that worked..." Ron muttered under his breath.

"Well...it is a dog..." Hermione offered uncertainly. "Harry just...expressed dominant energy?" Kevin snorted in amusement, but did not comment.

"...do you think he'll let me pet him?" Neville asked curiously.

As Ron and Hermione turned to Neville in shock, Kevin chuckled. "And they wondered why he's a Lion..."