Ron snapped. Before Draco knew what was happening, Ron was on top of him, wrestling him to the ground. Neville hesitated, then clambered over the back of his seat to help but Crabbe helped Jade stop him from joining in.
"Come on, Harry!" Hermione screamed, leaping into her seat to watch as Harry sped straight at Snape.
She didn't notice Draco and Ron rolling around under her seat. Nor did she notice the scuffles and yelps coming from the whirl of fists that was Neville, Crabbe, and Jade. Up in the air, Snape turned on his broomstick just in time to see something scarlet shoot past him, missing him by mere inches. Next second, Harry pulled out of the dive, his arm raised in triumph, the Snitch firmly in his hand. The stands erupted; it had to be a record. No one remembered the Snitch being caught so quickly. Jade's mouth dropped in surprise as she watched in just enough time to see the snitch in his hands.
"Ron! Ron! Where are you? The game is over! Harry won! We won! Gryffindor is in the lead!" shrieked Hermione, dancing up and down in her seat and hugging Parvati Patil in the row in front.
Harry jumped off his broom, a foot from the ground. Draco, Jade, Crabbe, and Goyal all left the stands to grumble about Potter's win again. However Jade smirked before leaving when she noticed Ron's bloody nose and Draco barely had a scratch on him.
~Time skip~
Jade had been studying with Hermione for the final exams, when she heard, "Hermione, the exams are ages away." groaned Ron.
"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."
Jade looked up from her book with a confused stare at the two of them.
Ron rolled his eyes and muttered, "You're impossible."
Hermione studied, not paying him attention. Jade smiled and shook her head, returning to her textbooks.
"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you revising for? You already know it all."
"What am I revising for? Are you mad? You know we need to pass these exams to enter the second year? They're very imperative. I should have started studying a month ago. I don't know what's gotten into me..."
'I already was, at least... with Draco... Daphne, Crabbe, and Goyal don't seem to care about their grades at all.' Jade chuckled to herself.
"Who's Nicolas Flamel?" Jade asked.
She really had no idea, other than that he was the previous owner of her wand.
"I'll show you later when there are fewer teachers around," Hermione whispered.
Soon enough they were studying in complete silence again. Hermione eventually explained Nicolas Flamel to her and explained that they needed her help to protect the Philosopher's Stone.
"I'll help, but don't expect me to get the weasel out of a sticky situation if he gets caught in some way. I'm only helping 'cause I'm friends with you and the stone seems interesting enough." Jade told her with a serious look in her eyes.
"Understood," Hermione said with a smile.
A few weeks later Harry and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with her and Jade. They were trying to get through all of their extra work, which Jade and Hermione accomplished quickly. Making Ron and Harry think it would be so easy to do.
"I'll never remember this," Ron exclaimed one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window.
It was the first fine day in months. The sky was clear, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Harry, who was looking up 'Dittany' in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't glance up until Ron said, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"
Hagrid shuffled into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.
"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice that caught their attention at once.
Jade looked at him skeptically.
'He's obviously hiding something but what?' She smirked.
"An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"
"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago," replied Ron with pride.
Jade rolled her eyes at him.
"And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Philosopher's St–"
"Shhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening and that's when he saw Jade and blanched. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"
"There are a few things we want to ask you," said Harry. "About what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy-"
"SHHH!" hissed Hagrid. "Listen- come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind yeh, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'posed ter know. They'll think I've told you."
'From the look on your face, you may as well claim you did... you look like you've disclosed a secret that was against the law... and now you're here to cover up your mistake.' Jade thought with a skeptical look on her face.
"See you later, then," said Harry.
Hagrid shuffled off but not before giving Jade a weary look.
"What was he hiding behind his back?" asked Hermione thoughtfully.
Jade shrugged as she began to study again, still listening as they continued talking.
"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?" Jade asked as she flipped through a book.
"I'm checking what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working.
He came back a minute later with a pile of books in his arms and slammed them down on the table.
"Dragons!" he whispered. "Hagrid was looking up stuff about dragons! Look at these: Dragon Species of Great Britain and Ireland; From Egg to Inferno, A Dragon Keeper's Guide."
"Hagrid's always wanted a dragon. He told me so the first time I met him," said Harry.
"But it's against our laws," said Ron. "Dragon-breeding was outlawed by the Warlocks' Convention of 1709, everyone knows that. It's extremely difficult to stop Muggles from noticing us if we're keeping dragons in the back garden... anyway, you can't tame dragons, it's dangerous. You should see Charlie's burns from wild dragons in Romania."
"But there aren't wild dragons in Britain?" said Harry.
"Of course there are," said Ron. "Common Welsh Green and Hebridean Blacks. The Ministry of Magic has a tough job keeping them under wraps. They have to keep putting spells on Muggles who've spotted them, to make them forget."
"So what is Hagrid up to?" asked Hermione.
As Ron, Harry, and Hermione packed up to leave to meet Hagrid, Hermione, and Harry asked, "Are you coming with us, Jade?"
Jade looked up, and was about to say no but when she saw Ron's face her mind changed. She knew he wanted her to stay but thought it'd be funnier if she annoyed him with her presence.
She smiled and said, "Sure, why not?"
They all smiled (except Ron who groaned) and walked down the path toward Hagrid's house. When they knocked on the door of the gamekeeper's hut an hour later, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed.
Hagrid called, "Who is it?" before letting them in and shutting the door quickly behind them.
It was stiflingly hot inside. Even though it was a warm day, there was a blazing fire in the grate. Hagrid made them tea and offered sandwiches, which they refused.
"So... yeh wanted to ask me somethin'?"
"Yes," said Harry.
There was no point beating about the bush.
"We were wondering if you could tell us what's guarding the Philosopher's Stone apart from Fluffy."
Hagrid frowned at him. "O' course I can't," he said.
"Number one, I don' know meself. Number two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's here fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts... I s'pose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even know abou' Fluffy."
"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know, you know everything that happens around here," said Hermione in a warm, flattering voice.
Jade's eyes widened. 'Is she really not a Slytherin?' She thought as she watched Hermione attempt to charm Hagrid into answering her.
Hagrid's beard twitched and they could tell he was smiling.
"We only wondered who did the guarding, really." Hermione continued. "We wondered who Dumbledore trusted to help him, apart from you."
Hagrid's chest swelled at these last words. Harry and Ron beamed at Hermione, while Jade just looked impressed that she would stoop to Slytherin tactics.
"Well, I don' s'pose it could hurt ter tell yeh that... let's see... he borrowed Fluffy from me... then some o' the teachers did enchantments... Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall-" he ticked them off on his fingers, "Professor Quirrell an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I've forgotten someone. Oh yeah, Professor Snape."
"Snape?" asked Harry and Ron in doubtful voices.
Hermione and Jade looked at one another knowing what the boys were thinking and that they were horribly wrong.
"Yeah... yer not still on abou' that, are yeh? Look, Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about ter steal it."
"You're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" asked Harry anxiously. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even the teachers?"
"No one knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.
'They're fools if they thought Snape couldn't get past a stupid three-headed mutt.' Jade rolled her eyes at them.
"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to the others. "Hagrid, can we open the window? I'm boiling."
"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid.
Harry and Jade watched him glance at the fire every few minutes. Harry looked at it, too. "Hagrid... what's that?"
Jade already knew what it was. In the heart of the fire, underneath the kettle, was a huge, black egg.
"I'm sorry to interrupt, but if we're done talking about anything to do with Flamel or his stone then I'll be leaving. I need to study more." Jade lied. She really wanted to make further plans for her performance at the end-of-year celebration.
"Oh, alright then see ya, Jade." Hermione and Harry said while Ron looked relieved.
About five minutes after she left and was on her way back to school, she noticed someone hiding behind a tree near Hagrid's hut. Jade didn't know who it was until she saw his blonde hair.
"What are you doing here Draco?" She asked as she walked closer to the tree.
"Shh!" He hissed.
"I'm trying to find a way to get Potter in trouble. What were you doing with them?" He asked in a whisper.
"They had the information I wanted, so I came to get answers... But now I think they're talking about dragon eggs." She told him with a shrug as if it wasn't that interesting. "Well, I'll leave you to this..." She gestured at the hut. "But I'm leaving because I have some planning to do." She glared half-heartedly at him.
He snickered knowing what she meant. "It might be a good idea to go back with you... I don't want to get in any more trouble... father was pretty pissed about me losing points the other day when I and the weasel got into a fight." He said following her.
Jade chuckled.
"I'm still surprised he was mad at all," Jade began. "The weasel was a bloody mess by the end of it." She smiled remembering his face.
"Yeah well I don't think he was mad about the fight, he was just unhappy about the points..." Draco said rubbing the back of his head.
"Oh... I guess that makes sense..." She said thoughtfully. "Do you know if the parents come to the end-of-year celebration?"
He shrugged. "Not sure," he answered.
"Can you ask your father for me?" she asked.
She just wanted to know so she knew how many people she'd sing in front of.
"Sure." He smiled.
A couple of weeks later Jade laughed as Daphne told her how Gryffindor lost a hundred and fifty points for four of them being caught out past curfew.
"The only downfall is Draco lost us fifty points," Jade said trying to calm down from her laughter. "But at least now Gryffindor is last." She said with a smirk.
"Yeah, but aren't you friends with some of them?" Daphne inquired.
"No, I'm only friends with Hermione. Who seems to have more Slytherin qualities than Gryffindor." Jade smiled.
"How so?" asked Daphne looking confused.
"Ah, now that... I'm not telling... if you want to find out, ask her for information. I'm sure you'll figure it out if you talk to her." Jade said as she walked out of the dungeon with a smirk.
She knew Daphne wouldn't talk to Hermione but she could try, right? As she passed Harry and Ron in the hall to one of her classes she said, "Thanks, Potter, we owe you one!" She smirked.
"They'll all forget this in a few weeks. Fred and George have lost loads of points in all the time they've been here, and people still like them." She heard Ron say to Potter before she was out of earshot of them.
She rolled her eyes. 'It won't be that easy to forget he had a dragon in school.' She laughed.
~With Draco~ At detention
"Follow me," said Filch, lighting a lamp and leading Draco and the three Gryffindors outside. (Neville, Harry, Hermione)
"I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" He continued, leering at them. "Oh yes... hard work and pain are the most effective teachers if you ask me... It's just a pity they let the old punishments die out... hang you by your wrists from the ceiling for a few days... I've got the chains still in my office, keep 'em well oiled in case they're needed... Right, off we go, and don't run away now. It'll be worse for you if you do."
Draco glared at the squib. They marched off across the dark grounds. Neville kept sniffing. Draco wondered what would happen to them. It must be something really horrible, or Filch wouldn't sound so delighted. The moon was bright, but clouds scudding across it tossed them into darkness. Draco's stomach churned. He could feel his heart pounding in his chest. He knew they were in trouble. Hagrid's lighted windows were ahead.
Then they heard a distant shout. "Is that you, Filch? Hurry up, I'd like ter get started."
Draco glanced over at Harry who looked hopeful when he saw Hagrid, obviously thinking it wouldn't be so horrible if it involved the half-giant. He wanted to tell him how stupid he was but decided against it. The last thing he wanted to do was spend time stuck around people he couldn't stand more than necessary. Draco silently followed Hagrid, keeping his distance as much as possible. He didn't trust these people and he certainly wasn't going to get too close to them. He just wanted to accomplish the task and get out of there as soon as possible.
Filch said, looking at Harry, "I suppose you think you'll enjoy yourself with that oaf? Well, think again, boy. It's into the forest you're entering, and you're mistaken if you expect you'll all come out in one piece."
At this, Neville let out a small whimper and Draco stopped dead in his tracks.
"The forest?" Draco asked, sounding worried. "We can't go in there at night! There are all sorts of things there! Werewolves, I heard."
Neville clutched Harry's robe sleeve and choked.
"That's your problem, isn't it?" said Filch, his voice cracking with glee. "Should've thought of them before you got into trouble, shouldn't you?"
Hagrid strides towards them out of the dark, Fang at his heel. He carried his large crossbow, and a quiver of arrows hung over his shoulder.
"Abou' time," Hagrid said. "I bin waitin' fer half an hour already. All right, Harry, Hermione?"
"You shouldn't be too friendly to them, Hagrid," said Filch coldly, "they're here to be punished, after all."
"That's why yer late, is it?" inquired Hagrid, frowning at Filch. "Bin lecturin' them, eh? 'Snot your place ter do that. Yeh've done yer bit, I'll take over from here."
"I'll be back at dawn," said Filch, "for what's left of them that is," he added nastily, and he turned and started back towards the castle, his lamp bobbing away in the darkness.
Draco now turned to Hagrid. "I'm not walking in that forest," he said as he remembered his father and mother telling him stories of what was in the forest.
Harry looked pleased to hear his fear.
"Yeh are if yeh want ter stay at Hogwarts," said Hagrid fiercely. "Yeh've done wrong an' now yeh've got ter pay fer it."
"But this is servant stuff, it's not for students to do. I thought we'd write lines or something. If my father knew I was doing this, he'd-"
"-tell yer that's how it is at Hogwarts," Hagrid growled angrily. "Writin' lines! What good's that ter anyone? Yeh'll do sumthin' more useful or yeh'll get kicked out. If yeh think yer father'd rather you were expelled, then get back off ter the castle an' pack. Go on!"
Draco didn't move.