Chapter 8

**as always! Thanks to ArystaNyx for being editor!**

Harry, Hermione and Draco finished up their last class, Charms, before heading to lunch. While they ate, Harry pulled out the journal from his parents. Hermione had her nose in a book, as usual, and Draco was catching up with his friend, Blaise.

**James**

Lily just told me I'm going to be a dad! I'm excited, nervous, so many feelings all at once. I decided to start this journal so Lily and I could write as much as we can to tell our child all about life and the important people in it. Let me tell you about your uncles, Sirius, Remus and Peter. They are my best friends. We've been together since Hogwarts. The four of us reeked havoc in school. Your uncle Remus is a werewolf, like an actual full moon rising, howling at it werewolf. He was always ashamed of it. He was turned when he was a child and never had anyone that accepted him. When Sirius, Peter and I found out, we decided to become Animagus, which is where you transform into an animal. I become a Stag, Sirius a black dog and Peter a rat.

"Harry!"

He looked up to see Hermione looking at him. "Yeah?"

"Come on. It's time for our next class."

Harry nodded and put the journal in his bag. The three walked out into the open courtyard and stood around the rows of brooms, waiting for their Professor.

"Hello, Neville." Harry greeted as the boy walked up.

"Hello, Harry. Hermione. Draco." Neville said to each of them.

"Oh look. It's the famous Harry Potter."

Harry turned to see none other than his old best friend, Ron.

"Let me guess, a Weasley?" Draco asked.

"Let me guess, a Malfoy. Can't deny that white hair of yours." Ron said. He turned to Harry. "I'm Ron Weasley."

"Well, you already know my name." Harry smirked. "This is Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy and Neville Longbottom." He pointed to each one respectively.

"I heard all about you growing up. Our parents knew each other. Mum and dad said we should become friends. I agree."

"I don't know anything about my parents friends. I'm still getting used to the wizard part." Harry lied a little.

"Well, I can tell you loads about them. Let's be friends, and I'll tell you anything you need to know." Ron said, smugly.

Draco gave Harry a look, Harry returning it. Before anything was said, the professor showed up.

"Gather around students! My name is Madame Hooch, I will be your flying instructor." She turned to the students. "Now, each of you stand beside a broom. Once there, put your right hand over the broom and say 'Up!' with feeling."

A chorus of 'Up' was heard all around. Harry and Draco got theirs on the first try. Hermione finally got hers on the third. Neville's broom didn't want to cooperate.

"Neville. Sound confident." Harry whispered to him.

Finally his broom rose into his hand. Harry looked at Ron and laughed when his broom hit him in the nose.

"What's so funny, Potter?" The red head asked, rubbing his nose.

"Now, I want you to mount your brooms. Once you have a good mount, I want you to kick up from the ground, hover for a moment, and come back down."

Harry and Draco had no problem. Hermione seemed scared but Harry gave her a encouraging smile. Neville's, on the other hand, broom took off with him. Harry watched as it took him up, down and side to side. He knew he would get in trouble, but he had to help Neville before the broom crashed him into the side of the castle.

Harry kicked hard from the ground, laid himself down on the broom and took off towards Neville. He smiled to himself as the wind blew through his hair. He finally caught up to Neville's broom and reached out towards him.

"Neville! Grab my hand! I'll help you steer back down!" Harry reached out.

Neville nervously reached out towards Harry. Harry grasped his hand. "Hold on to my broom!"

Neville put his hand on the end of the broomstick. Harry turned his broom slightly and the other followed. He slowed down and made his way towards the ground. There waiting was Professor McGonagall and Madame Hooch.

"Mr. Potter! What is the meaning of this?"

"Minerva, calm down. The Longbottom boy had a bad broom and Potter here was just helping. I'd say he'd make a fine Seeker if you ask me." Madame Hooch smiled with pride.

Professor McGonagall looked at Harry over the rim of her glasses. "Very well. Stay on the ground from now on unless told. And get Mr. Longbottom a new broom. Can't have him killing himself from flying."

Madame Hooch nodded. "Alright class. Enough flying for today. Let's take our brooms and do some basic cleaning."

"Wow, Harry. That was amazing!" Hermione said as her and Draco walked over to him and Neville.

"Thank you, Harry. That was a bit scary. I though I was for sure a goner." Neville said.

"Did little Longbottom wet his trousers?"

Harry and the rest turned to see Ron standing there.

"What is wrong with you? Why do you have to be so mean?" Hermione asked.

"Who asked you to speak up? Nobody."

"Shut it, Ron. Go on about your business and leave us be." Harry said.

He walked away with his friends, hanging back with Draco.

"That's not the Ron I remember." Harry whispered.

"That's because the Ron you remember was the first person you met. And between us, I think he became your friend because you are a famous wizard. You know his families financial history and he was using you for that. Now, since you aren't his friend, he's going to torment you, like I used to but for different reasons." Draco responded.

Harry stopped and thought about it and Draco was right. Looking back, Ron always rode his coattails everywhere and doing everything. He just thought Ron was being a good friend, but now he knows he was just using him and Hermione. It made Harry angry, but there was nothing he could currently do about it.

The three students left to head to DADA. They found seats in the middle and waited for class to start. As soon as Professor Quirrell walked into the room, Harry's scar begins to hurt. He nudged Draco in the side.

"Voldemort is hiding under Quirrell's turban. His essence, I mean. It's causing my scar to hurt. Later tonight we need to talk about what he does and what I can do to fix this year."

Draco eyes widened. He looked from Harry to the professor and back. He nodded his head in understanding before turning back to the front.

The class went on as usual, so did their last classes. Finally at dinner, Harry, Hermione and Draco sat eating, doing doing own thing. Harry pulled out the journal and continued to read.

Sirius, Peter and I tried to be there for Remus as much as we could of full moon nights. We would sneak out of the castle using passageways we found that would lead all over the school and to Hogsmeade. We would sit for hours, waiting on him to return, knowing we couldn't be near him. That's when we decided to become Animagus. It helped us blend in to places if we were ever to come across a teacher.

As time went on, the four of us devised a way to use the knowledge of all the secret passageways and made a map. We called ourselves the Marauders. Even using our animagus forms as nicknames. I being Prongs, Sirius, Padfoot, Remus, Moony and Peter Wormtail.

It is one of my most prized possessions and I want to pass it along to you when the time is right. I know whether you're a girl or boy, you will be like me and cause mayhem when you start school.

Harry smiled at his dad's journal entry. He noticed other students leaving and put it back in his bag, finished his meal and left with his two friends. Once in the common room, the boys split ways with Hermione as they all went to change out of their school robes. They gathered back in the common room to work on assignments.

After a couple of hours, Hermione told the boys goodnight after finishing her work. That gave Harry the opportunity to tell Draco about Quirrel. He looked around to make sure no one would listen in.

"In the past, Quirrell was a vessel of sorts for Voldemort. He was trying to get to the Sorcerer's Stone, a red jewel of sorts that gave immortality to the person who possessed it. It's hidden in the lowest floors of the school, surrounded by all different types of puzzles or enchantments." Harry paused to make sure Draco was following. Draco nodded for him to continue. "Rememeber the Halloween he came running in screaming about a troll in the dungeons?"

Draco's eyes widened. "That was his doings?"

Harry nodded. "He tried to get into the entrance, but was stopped by a three headed dog put there by Hagrid. Snape found him and was injured. If we can warn Snape before hand, maybe he can stop him."

Draco sat and thought. "How would we do that exactly? I mean, we can't let them know that we know what's going to happen."

"I don't know. Maybe we can tell Snape that Quirrell is acting strange. He can keep an eye on him." Harry had a thought suddenly hit him. "In the past, when I touched Quirrell, he sort of, evaporated, like into ash. Dumbledore told me then that it was the love my mum showed when she died that kept me safe. Maybe it'll work again."

Draco processed what Harry had told him. "That seems farfetched, but what else do we have? We just have to figure out a way to get Quirell alone to see if it'll work."

Harry nodded. After talking for awhile longer, the boys went to bed. The next few weeks would be tricky for them, but Harry knew what had to be done.

Halloween was drawing nearer. The last couple weeks, Harry and Draco kept an eye on Quirrell. They managed to get to Snape and tell him they noticed the other professor was acting strange and kept going to the third corridor. Snape was always there when Quirrell disappeared.

The night of Halloween went differently than before. Harry, Draco and Hermione were sitting at the Slytherin table chatting amongst themselves. Suddenly, Quirrell runs in the Great Hall.

"Troll! In the dungeon! Troll! Thought you ought to know!" Then suddenly fell to the ground.

That was Harry and Draco's cue. They would head to the third floor corridor and head Quirrell off while he tried to get past Fluffy. They snuck away and ran. They made it to the floor and hid. Not long after, Quirrell come in, headed to the end of the hall and unlocked the door. He almost made it through when he heard a noise.

"B-boys! W-what are you d-doing here? You should b-be with the others!" Quirrell said, nervously.

"I know what you're doing, Professor. You won't succeed." Harry said, confidently.

Draco walked behind the man and shut the door. Quirrell looked between the two. He tried to back up as Harry come towards him.

"I know who you are. You can't hide. I won't let you down there." Harry reached his hand out toward Quirrell. He tried to run but Draco managed to hold him.

As Harry's hand touched the man's face, he began to scream. Quirrell's body began to turn to ash and disappear. Draco stared at the floor where Quirrell stood then back to Harry.

"Bloody hell! That actually worked! What now?" Draco asked.

Harry sighed. "Now, I can enjoy the year. Who knows. Maybe with this it made a change in the future, but I can never know until we get to 4th year. That's when Voldemort comes back fully."

Suddenly, the door to the corridor swung open. Harry and Draco ran behind a statue and hid. They watched at Snape and Dumbledore walked in. The two examined Quirrell's ashes.

"What do you suppose happened here?" Snape asked.

"It seems as if someone found out Quirrell's true intentions and put it to a stop." Dumbledore said exasperated.

"Well, I'd say that's a positive. At least the stone is safe. We can remove the enchantments and return it." Snape replied.

"Indeed. We shall do that first thing tomorrow. For now, let's remove the troll." Dumbledore walked back out of the corridor, Snape following behind.

Harry and Draco come from their hiding spot. Draco was the first to speak.

"Was it just me, or did Dumbledore seem to know who he was?" He asked, pointing to the floor.

"I'm beginning to think Dumbledore knows more than he ever told me and I intend to find out what he's really hiding from me."

The boys left and headed for the dungeons to their common room. As soon as they walked through the portrait hole, Hermione bombarded them both in a hug.

"Where on earth have the two of you been?! I've been worried sick with the troll getting in!" She said in one giant breath.

"Calm down, 'Mione. We're fine. Just something we had to do." Draco said.

"Well, now that I know you're both fine, I'm going to bed. See you tomorrow." She hugged them both.

They said their goodnights to her and sat in front of the fire.

"Has she always been that way? Always worried and motherly like?" Draco asked.

Harry chuckled. "Always. She saved my life more times than I can count. I really do owe her my life."

"I remember that night she saved you from my deranged aunt. Harry, I have to make sure that night never happens. That night, her screams, still gives me nightmares." Draco's voice caught in his throat as he tried to hold back.

"Don't worry. We'll fix it. We're going to make sure none of that happens." He clapped Draco's shoulder. "Come on, it's been a long night." With that, they both went went bed.

Harry, Draco and Hermione completed their first year with passing marks. Harry enjoyed spending his year with his friends instead of always trying to fight some kind of evil. As they boarded the train home, Harry smiled as he looked at the school. Him and his two friends found a compartment and relaxed.

At King's Cross Station, Harry, Draco and Hermione found their belongings and left the train. Hermione spotted her parents standing with Narcissa and waved.

"Ah, here they are! How was school, my dears?" Narcissa asked, hugging all three.

"It went well. Better than expected." Draco said.

"Lovely!" Narcissa beamed.

Hermione hugged her parents before turning to the boys. "You boys have a lovely summer. Remember to write. I don't want to go without hearing how you're doing." She said as she hugged them.

"We will. Have a good summer, 'Mione." Harry said as he hugged her back.

She kept with her parents as Narcissa stood with the boys. She turned to look at Harry.

"Do you have anyone picking you up, dear?"

"No. My aunt and uncle don't care much for me. It'll be up to me to get home." He said, sadly.

"Well, we shall fix that. Collect your things. You will be staying with us this summer." She exclaimed.

"Really?" Harry asked hopeful.

"Of course! Now, come. Let's go home." She winked.

Harry looked to Draco who just shrugged. He smiled and grabbed his trunk and Hedwig's cage. He knew now that his future was already looking better.

A/N: Hellloooooo my lovelies! I do apologize for keeping you from this gem yall seem to be enjoying! Life has once again caught up with me. But never fear! I have decided that every chance I get when I'm not at work or I'm up late at night I will be writing! So, hopefully I can have you a chapter a week! I will have a chapter ready each week to post! So, look forward to another chapter around this time next week! Chapter 10 will be in the works later tonight! And I do hope they have gotten to be longer for you all!