VII. Scrutinising

Examine or inspect closely and thoroughly.

Filch takes Harry and Jayla down to Professor McGonagall's study on the first floor, where they sit, waiting without saying a word to each other. Harry's mind buzzes as she comes up with excuses, alibis and wild cover-up stories, each more feeble than the last, as Jayla hums to a song, trying to calm herself down. Harry can't see how they will get out of trouble this time. "We're cornered. How can they have been so stupid as to forget the Cloak?"

"There's no reason on earth that Professor McGonagall will accept for being out of bed and creeping around the school in the dead of night, let along being up the tallest Astronomy Tower, which is out of bounds." Jayla breathes, steadying her panicked breath. "Add Norbert and the Invisibility Cloak, and they might as well be packing our bags. My Mum is going to kill me."

"This can't get any worse." He grumbles, but Professor McGonagall proves him wrong as she walks in, leading Hermione.

"Harry! Jayla!" Hermione bursts out the moment she sees them. "I was trying to find you to warn you about Malfoy…." Jayla shakes her head, stopping her best friend from talking more, but McGonagall sees enough. She looks more likely to breathe fire than Norbert as she towers over the three Gryffindors.

"I would never have believed it of any of you. Mr Filch says you were up the Astronomy Tower. It's one o'clock in the morning. Explain yourselves." The Head of Gryffindor demands and Hermione feels dread at failing to answer a teacher's question, staring at her slippers. "I think I've got a good idea of what's been going on. It doesn't take a genius to work it out. You fed Draco Malfoy some cock-and-bull story about a Dragon, trying to get him out of bed and into trouble. I've already caught him. I suppose you think it's funny that Granger here heard the story and believed it, too?" Jayla catches Hermione's eyes, trying to tell her without words how sorry she is. "I'm disgusted. Four students out of bed in one night! I've never heard of such a thing before! You, Miss Granger, I thought you had more sense. Miss Darkmore, I am thoroughly disappointed in your behaviour. As for you, Mr Potter, I thought Gryffindor meant more to you than this. All three of you will receive detentions - yes, you too, Miss Granger, nothing gives you the right to walk around school at night, especially these days, it's very dangerous - and fifty points will be taken from Gryffindor."

"Fifty?" Harry gasps - they will lose the lead, the lead he'd won in the last Quidditch match.

"Fifty points each." She corrects him, breathing heavily through her nose.

"Professor - please -." Harry begs, trying to stop her.

"No, don't -." Hermione implores, close to tears at all her hard work going to waste with the year nearly over.

"You can't -." Jayla pleads, hating the idea, knowing what 150 points would do to their final score.

"Don't tell me what I can and can't do, Potter, Darkmore. Now get back to bed, all of you. I've never been more ashamed of Gryffindor students." McGonagall snaps, ashamed of her students having lost 150 points, putting Gryffindor in last place. In one night, they've ruined any chance Gryffindor had for the House Cup. Harry feels as though the bottom has dropped out of his stomach.

"I am so dead." She mutters, looking at her friends, who feel the same way, nodding with her.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The next day, Gryffindor thought there was a mistake with the records of the house points, but the story soon spread: Harry Potter, the famous Harry Potter, their hero of two Quidditch matches, had lost all those points, him and a couple of other stupid first years. From being one of the most popular and admired people at school, Harry is suddenly the most hated. Even Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff turned on him because everyone longs to see Slytherin lose the House Cup.

Everywhere Harry goes, people point and don't trouble themselves, lowering their voices as they insult him. On the other hand, Slytherins clap as he walks past them, whistling and cheering. "Thanks, Potter, we owe you one!" Jayla and Ron stand by him.

"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." Ron assures him.

"They've never lost a hundred and fifty points in one go, though, have they?" Harry replies miserably.

"Well - no." He admits.

"Idiot." Jayla mutters. "Harry, it's not your fault. Mistakes happen. We'll fix this somehow."

"Yeah. How?" Harry asks her.

"We'll come up with something. You've got me and Hermione still. The biggest know-it-alls there is at Hogwarts." She reminds him, earning a small smile.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

It is a bit late to repair the damage, but Harry swears to himself not to meddle in things that aren't his business from now on. He's done with sneaking around and spying. He feels ashamed that he goes to Wood in the morning and offers to resign from the Quidditch team. "Resign?" Oliver thunders. "What good'll that do? How are we going to get any points back if we can't win at Quidditch?"

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Even Quidditch lost its fun. Over the next week, the rest of the team won't speak to Harry during practice, and if they did have to talk about him, they called him "The Seeker". Hermione and Jayla are suffering, too. The girls didn't have it as bad as Harry because they aren't as well known, but nobody speaks to them. Hermione stops paying attention to herself in class, keeping her head down and working silently. Jayla didn't seem to care, keeping a poker face constantly. Harry is almost glad the exams aren't far away. All the revision he has to do keeps his mind off his misery. The four tweens keep to themselves, working late into the night, trying to remember the ingredients in complicated points, learning charms and spells off by heart, memorising dates of Magical discoveries and Goblin rebellions… "I can't take this any more!" Ron cracks, looking at the large book in front of him.

"It's just the first page." Jayla groans, rolling her eyes, flicking through Witch Weekly.

"Why aren't you revising?" Harry asks her, looking up from his notes.

"I've done it already." She answers.

"I can't believe your brain." He mutters.

"It's a curse." The young Heiress replies, faking a smile, and thinks about the night in the Forbidden Forest. "How are your nightmares?"

"Okay. Why?" Harry asks.

"Just curious." Jayla says, but he sees something else in her eyes.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Then, about a week before the exams start, Harry's new resolution not to interfere in anything that didn't concern him is put to an unexpected test. Walking from the Library one afternoon, Harry hears somebody whimpering from a classroom ahead. As he draws closer, he hears Quirrell's voice. "No - no - not again, please -." It sounds as though someone is threatening him. Harry moves closer. "All right - all right -." He hears Quirrell sob. The next second, the DADA Professor comes hurrying out of the classroom, straightening his turban. He's pale and looks as though he is about to cry. He strides out of sight. Harry didn't even think Quirrell saw him. He waits until his footsteps have disappeared, then peers into the classroom, but it's empty apart from a door standing ajar at the other end. Harry is halfway toward it before remembering his promise about not meddling. He would gamble twelve Philosopher's Stones that Snape has just left the room, and from what Harry has heard, Snape will be walking with a new spring in his step - Quirrell seems to have given in at last.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Harry runs back to the Library with Hermione and Jayla, the bushy-haired girl who tests Ron on Astronomy. The spectacled boy tells them what he overheard. "Snape's done it, then!" Ron exclaims. "If Quirrell's told him how to break his Anti-Dark Force spell -."

"There's still Fluffy, though." Hermione reminds them.

"Maybe Snape's found out how to get past him without asking Hagrid." He suggests, looking up at the thousands of books surrounding them.

"I bet there's a book somewhere in here telling you how to get past a giant three-headed dog. So what do we do, Harry?" Jayla wonders, and Harry sees the light of adventure kindling in Ron and Jayla's eyes.

"Go to Dumbledore." Hermione answers before Harry can. "That's what we should have done ages ago. If we try anything ourselves, we'll be thrown out for sure."

"But we've got no proof!" Harry argues. "Quirrell's too scared to back us up. Snape's only got to say he doesn't know how the Troll got in at Halloween and that he was nowhere near the third floor - who do you think they' 'll believe, him or us? It's not exactly a secret we hate him. Dumbledore'll think we made it up to get him sacked. Filch wouldn't help us if his life depended on it, he's too friendly with Snape, and the more students get thrown out, the better, he'll think. And don't forget, we're not supposed to know about the Stone or Fluffy. That'll take a lot of explaining." Hermione and Jayla look convinced, but Ron isn't.

"If we just do a bit of poking around -." Ron suggests, backing out.

"No." He responds flatly. "We've done enough poking around." He pulls a map of Jupiter toward him starting to learn the names of its moons.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The following morning, notes are delivered to Harry, Jayla and Hermione at the breakfast table. They are all the same.

Your detention will take place at eleven o'clock tonight. Meet Mr Filch in the Entrance Hall.

Pro. M. McGonagall

Harry forgot they still have detentions over the lost points in the furore. He is half expecting Hermione to start complaining that it's a whole night of revision lost, but she doesn't say anything. Like Harry and Jayla, she feels they deserve what they've got. "It's going to be bad. I can just feel it." The young Heiress grumbles. "I hate Filch."

"Don't we all." Ron agrees. "Sorry, you have to go to detention."

"It's not your fault," Hermione tells him. "You were in the hospital wing."

"True." He hums. "I blame Norbert."

"Leave the poor defenceless Dragon alone, Ron." Jayla slightly scolds him.

"Defenceless! That thing bit me!" The redhead snaps, gaining some attention from the people around them.

"She can't defend herself against your accusations is what I meant." Jayla replies calmly. "Can you pass me the bacon please?"

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

At eleven o'clock that night, Hermione, Jayla and Harry say goodbye to Ron in the Common Room, dressed in regular clothes and go down to the Entrance Hall. Filch is already there - and so is Malfoy. The three Gryffindors forgot that Malfoy received detention, too. "Follow me." Filch orders, lighting a lamp and leading them outside. "I bet you'll think twice about breaking a school rule again, won't you, eh?" He leers at them. "A pity they let the old punishments die. There was a time detention would find you hanging by your thumbs in the dungeons. God, I miss the screaming." His words scare the four first years, making Hermione grab Jayla's hand.

"Merlin, he's a massive creep." Jayla huff as he leads the students out of the school doors.

"Right, off we go, and don't think of running off, now. It'll be worse for you if you do." He warns them, and they march across the dark ground, and Harry wonders what their punishment will be. It must be something horrible, or Filch wouldn't sound so delighted.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The moon is bright, but clouds scudding across it keeps throwing them into darkness. Ahead, they can see the lighted windows of Hagrid's hut. "Is that you, Filch?" They hear a distant shout. "Hurry up, I want ter get started." Harry's heart rises. If they are going to be working with Hagrid, it isn't going to be so bad. His relief must have been on his face because Filch crushes it.

"You'll be serving detention with Hagrid tonight. He's got a little job to do in the Dark Forest." Filch announces, crushing their dreams.

"The Forest? I thought that was a joke! We can't go in there. Students aren't allowed. And there are…" Draco exclaims in protest when a howl comes from within the Forbidden Forest. "...Werewolves!"

"I have to agree. I don't want to go inside either, but if you can't do the time, don't do the crime." Jayla grumbles, glancing around at her friends. "It's not a full moon. Werewolves only change on a full moon." She assures her cousin.

"There's more than Werewolves in those trees, lad. You can be sure of that." Filch warns them, earning a frightened Draco, who clutches onto Jayla's other hand. She looks at him and holds onto his hand, missing this side of her dear cousin. "Nighty night." He leaves them in the hands of Hagrid, who comes striding out from the darkness with Fang at his heel. He's carrying his crossbow and quiver over his shoulder.

"Right. Let's go." Hagrid orders them, and the group head off toward the Forbidden Forest.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The students and Hagrid stroll through the dark trees along the small dirt path with two lanterns for light. When the half-giant comes to a stop, he bends down and dips his fingers into a silver puddle that almost looks like paint in the dirt. He pulls his fingers out and rubs them together. "Hagrid, what's that?" Harry questions, looking at the substance curiously.

"What we're here for. See that?" Hagrid shows them the silver liquid. "That's Unicorn blood, that is. I found one dead a few weeks ago. Now, this one's been injured badly by something. So, it's our job to find the poor beast. Hermione and Malfoy, you'll come with me."

"Okay." Draco whispers weakly in fear.

"And Harry, you'll go with Jayla." He decides, and the pair nod.

"Can we take Fang?" Jayla requests, seeing the cowering dog.

"O' course. Just so you know, he's a bloody coward." Hagrid warns her, and Fang looks at them.

"I want to go back. This place gives me the creeps." Fang whimpers in fright, looking around the gloomy woods.

"It's okay, Fang. I don't like it here either. Come on." Jayla soothes the canine, stroking his head, and they split up, going down the right side of the dirt path, searching for the injured Unicorn.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Jayla walks alongside Harry, holding the lantern as they walk behind Fang. "Do you think a Werewolf could kill the Unicorns?" He wonders.

"Not fast enough." Jayla replies. "I've read that it's not easy to catch a Unicorn. They're powerful Magical Creatures. I've never heard of one being hurt before."

"Not scary then." Harry jokes, trying to lighten the mood.

"No. Not scary." She assures him but lies, not knowing what is happening within the trees.

"How are you and Malfoy cousin's?" He asks her.

"My mother. She's Draco's father's younger sister. And I question how we're related half the time." The young Heiress answers.

"I agree. He's such a scardey-cat." The ravenette replies, making her laugh.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Harry and Jayla approach a flat ground with gnarled roots all around when Fang stops, letting out a growl in warning. "Evil. It's here. Evil is here." Fang snarls, sensing something.

"What is it, Fang?" Harry asks the canine.

"He says evil is here." Jayla answers and looks up to see a cloaked figure ahead, crouching over a wounded Unicorn, drinking its blood. The dark figure raises its head with silver blood dripping from its mouth. Harry gasps, Jayla turns around as he grabs his scar in pain, and Fang runs away, looking for his owner.

"HELP!" Fang shouts, leaving the tweens alone with the dark figures. The figure slides over the dying Unicorn, rising and advancing towards Harry, and Jayla takes his hand in hers, pulling him away, moving backwards, when Harry trips, pulling them both down. The pair crawl away from the advancing figure when the sound of hooves grows closer. A figure leaps over the tweens leaning over them toward the dark creature. Jayla looks to see a silver Centaur rearing up, warding off the cloaked stranger, who retreats.

"Harry Potter and Jayla Darkmore, you must leave. You are known to many creatures here. The Forest is not safe at this time. Especially for you." Their saviour warns them, looking at Harry in a warning, and Jayla stands, helping Harry to his feet.

"But what was that thing you saved us from?" Jayla asks the Centaur.

"A monstrous creature. It is a terrible crime to slay a Unicorn. Drinking the blood of a Unicorn will keep you alive even if you are an inch from death. But at a terrible price. You have slain something so pure that the moment the blood touches your lips, you will have a half-life. A cursed life." Firenze warns them.

"But who would choose such a life?" Harry asks him.

"Can you think of no one?" He questions the students; the only name that comes to mind is a Dark Wizard.

"Do you mean to say… that that thing that killed the Unicorn… that was drinking its blood… that was Voldemort?" The ravenette questions

"Do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?" The Centaur replies, hinting.

"The Philosopher's Stone." Jayla mutters when a dog suddenly barks, alerting them as the others run toward them.

"Harry! Jayla!" Hermione shouts in relief, seeing her friends safe.

"Hello there, Firenze. I see you've met our young Mr Potter and Miss Darkmore. You all right there, Harry, Jayla?" Hagrid asks, lowering his crossbow, and they nod.

"Harry Potter and Jayla Darkmore, this is where I leave you. You're safe now. Good luck." Firenze bids them goodbye and leaves them in the Forbidden Forest. Jayla runs to the Unicorn, surprising the others as they watch her kneel at the beast's side.

"It's okay." Jayla assures it, stroking its mane as it slowly closes its eyes.

"B-B-Be-Beware." The Unicorn groans, fighting sleep.

"It's okay. I know. Sleep. We'll keep the others safe." She calms it and hums a lullaby, sending the majestic creature into eternal slumber.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Harry, Hermione and Jayla safely return to the Gryffindor Tower and find Ron in the Common Room waiting for them. Harry explains what they've discovered as he stands before the others, and they sit on the couches. "You mean, You-Know-Who's out there, right now, in the Forest?" Hermione questions in fear.

"But he's weak. He's living off the Unicorns. Don't you see? We had it wrong. Snape doesn't want the Stone for himself. He wants the Stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll come back." Harry explains his theory, but Jayla knows it may make sense, but it doesn't mean it's right.

"But if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to kill you, do you?" Ron asks the ultimate question.

"I think if he'd had the chance, he might have tried to kill me tonight." He replies, and Jayla nods, thinking about what happened earlier and replaying the events in her mind.

"And to think, I've been worrying about my Potions final!" The redhead complains, cradling his hand, and Jayla glares at him, slapping him on the back of the head, earning a yelp.

"Priorities." Jayla hisses at him.

"Hang on a minute. We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one Wizard Voldemort always feared?" Hermione reminds them, and Jayla knows the answer, but the boys shrug their shoulders.

"Dumbledore! As long as Dumbledore's around, you're safe." Jayla assures them, looking at Harry. "As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." He smiles at her slightly, glad to know his friends will be safe. "Now, after the terrifying events tonight, I would like to go to sleep. Good night boys." She gets up from her seat and walks off with Hermione, leaving the boys to run after them toward their dorms.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

When Harry pulls back his sheets, he finds his Invisibility Cloak folded neatly underneath them with a note pinned.

Just in case.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Jayla lies in her bed, thinking of the events, knowing she can't get the images out of her mind because of her Photographic Memory. "Can't sleep?" She hears Hermione looking over to her best friend and nods. The bushy-haired girl jumps out of bed and lies beside Jayla, hugging each other.

"I can still see it. That poor thing." Jayla cries softly, trying not to wake Pavarti.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

During the exams, the students were given unique, new quills for the exams, which were bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell. They have practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick calls them individually into his class to see if they can make a pineapple tap dance across the desk.

Professor McGonagall watches them turn a mouse into a snuff box - points are given for how pretty it is but taken away if it has whiskers.

Snape makes them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they try to remember how to make Forgetfulness Potion. Harry does his best, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which have been bothering him since the Forest trip.

Their last exam is History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old Wizards who invented self-stirring cauldrons, and they'll be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their results come out. When the ghost of Professor Binns tells them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, the class cheer.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The Golden Quartet walk outside the school into the Training Grounds with the others, finishing their Final Exams. Ron complains again, but Hermione has other thoughts on the Exams. "That was far easier than I thought it would be." Hermione comments. "I needn't have learnt about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Speak for yourself." Ron groans.

"Come on. Let's head to the lake." Jayla suggests, seeing something in Harry's eyes.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The four tweens wander down to the Black Lake and sit under a tree, spotting the Weasley twins and Lee tickling the tentacles of the giant squid basking in the warm shallows. "No more revision." Ron sighs happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry. We've got a week before we find out how badly we've done. There's no need to worry yet." Harry rubs his forehead, the pain of his scar growing.

"I wish I knew what this means!" Harry bursts out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey." Hermione suggests calmly.

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

"Harry, relax." Ron tells him, not wanting to get worked up as it's too hot. "They girls are right. The Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. 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." Harry nods, but he can't shake off a lurking feeling that there is something he's forgotten to do, something important.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Hermione assures him when he tries to explain his thoughts. Harry is quite sure the unsettling feeling isn't about work, though.

"Just try to relax. Let your mind wander." Jayla tells him, and he nods, looking up and watching an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid is the only one who ever sends him letters. Hagrid will never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid will never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy… never… but - Harry jumps to his feet suddenly.

"Where're you going?" Ron asks sleepily.

"I've just thought of something." Harry tells them, and Jayla frowns, seeing him going white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" Hermione pants, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd." He replies, scrambling up the grassy slope. "That what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a Dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with Dragon eggs if it's against Wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"You think someone gave it to him on purpose?" Jayla questions, and they sprint across the grounds toward the Forest.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The Golden Quartet find Hagrid sitting in an armchair outside his house in trousers and sleeves rolled up, and he's shelling peas into a large bowl. "Hullo." Hagrid smiles at the four tweens. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please." Ron answers, but Harry cuts across him.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won, Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing card with look like?"

"Dunno." Hagrid answers casually. "He wouldn' take his Cloak off." He sees the four of them look stunned and raises his eyebrows. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny old folk in the Hog's Head - that's one of the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a Dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face. He kept his hood up." Harry sinks down next to the bowl of peas.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" Jayla asks him, thinking the same as Harry. "That means the person under the hood is someone Hagrid already knows. They didn't want to be recognised. They couldn't afford it."

"Mighta come up." The Groundskeeper frowns, trying to remember. "Yeah… he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here… He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after… so I told him… an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a Dragon… an' then… I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks… Let's see… yeah, then he said he had the Dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home… So I told him after Fluffy, a Dragon would be easy…."

"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asks, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well - yeah - 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 o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep -." Hagrid answers and suddenly looks horrified. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" He blurts out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?" After that, the four Gryffindors know the strange could possibly work for Voldemort and knows how to get past the Cerberus and race off back to the castle, needing to find Professor Dumbledore and tell him everything they've learned.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The four tweens rush into the castle to the Transfiguration Department, running into Professor McGonagall's classroom and find her at her desk, marking the exam papers. "We have to see Professor Dumbledore immediately!" Harry demands urgently.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London." McGonagall informs them calmly, looking at their stunned faces.

"He's gone?! Now?" He blurts out. "But this is important! It's about… the Philosopher's Stone." The colour drains from her face at the name.

"How do you know -?" She tries to ask, but he cuts her off.

"Someone's going to try and steal it." The ravenette warns her.

"I don't know how you four found out about the Stone, but I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly." The Deputy Headmistress orders them, and the tweens leave her classroom quickly and quietly, needing to devise a plan.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Outside the classroom, the Golden Quartet walk down the corridor, heading back to the Gryffindor Tower. "That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy." Harry announces, stepping in front of his friends.

"And with Dumbledore gone -." Jayla mutters when Professor Snape appears behind the group, making them stop in their tracks.

"Good afternoon. Now, what would four young Gryffindors such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?" Snape inquires, looking at them, trying to pry the answers for them.

"Uh… we were just…" Hermione tries to answer but comes up with nothing.

"You want to be careful. People will think you -." Snape says and looks at Harry, seeing the glare coming from the ravenette that reminds him of his father. "- up to something." He sweeps away, leaving them alone again.

"Now, what do we do?" Jayla questions, looking at her friends.

"We go down the trapdoor. Tonight." Harry answers, and they return to the Gryffindor Tower, needing to prepare for tonight.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Once the four tweens get to Common Room, they sit on the sofas by the fireplace as they devise a plan. "Right, here's what we've got to do." Harry whispers urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?" Hermione asks.

"It's obvious," Ron remarks. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He puts on a high voice. "Oh, Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried. I think I got question fourteen b wrong…."

"Leave her alone." Jayla snaps at him. "And question fourteen b was easy."

"Oh, shut up." Hermione snaps but agrees to go and watch out for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor." Harry suggests, looking at Ron and Jayla. "Come on."

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The plan doesn't go well because no sooner have they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school did Professor McGonagall turns up again, and this time, she loses her temper. "I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" She storms at the three Gryffindors. "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!" Harry, Jayla and Ron go back to the Common Room.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

"At least Hermione's on Snape's tail." Harry remarks, but he speaks too soon as the portrait of the Fat Lady swings open and Hermione comes inside.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" Hermione wails. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away. I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that;s it then, isn't it?" He groans, and the other three stare at him.

"Harry, think clearly." Jayla warns him, seeing him grow pale and his eyes glittering.

"I'm going out of here tonight, and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" Ron exclaims.

"You can't!" Hermione warns him.

"After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!" Jayla warns him.

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouts, startling them. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter any more, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight, and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?" He glares at them, and Jayla takes his hand, seeing his ragged breathing.

"You're right, Harry." Jayla whispers.

"Yeah." Ron and Hermione agree.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak." Harry says. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron questions.

"All - all four of us?" Harry questions, looking at his friends in surprise.

"Oh, come off it. You don't think we'd let you go alone?" He argues.

"Of course not." Hermione answers briskly, wanting to help her friends.

"How would you get to the Stone without us?" Jayla teases him.

"I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful…" She suggests.

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too." Harry argues, worried for his friends.

"Not if we can help it." Jayla answers.

"Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve per cent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that." Hermione says and walks upstairs.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

After dinner, the four tweens sit nervously apart in the Common Room. Nobody bothers them. None of the Gryffindors has anything to say to Harry anymore. This is the first night he hasn't been upset by it. Hermione skims through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they are about to try and break. Harry and Ron don't talk much, watching Jayla move chess pieces around, seeming to come up with an idea. Slowly the room empties as people drift off to bed. "Better get the Cloak," Ron mutters as Lee finally leaves, stretching and yawning. Harry runs upstairs to their dark dormitory. He pulls out the Cloak, and then his eyes fall on the flute Hagrid gave him for Christmas. Harry pockets it to use on Fluffy - the ravenette doesn't feel much like singing. He runs back to the others in the Common Room.

"We'd better put the Cloak on here and make sure it covers all four of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own -." Harry tells them.

"What are you doing?" A voice in the corner says, alerting the tweens. Neville appears from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor, his toad, who looks like he's been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing." Harry assures him, hurriedly putting the Cloak behind his back. Neville stares at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again." He realises.

"No, no, no." Hermione lies. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?" Harry glances at the grandfather clock bt the door. They can't afford to waste any more time. Snape might now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," Longbottom warns them. "You'll get caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand." Harry tells him. "This is important." But Neville is clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I won't let you do it." Neville says, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"

"Neville." Ron explodes. "Get away from that hole, and don't be an idiot -."

"Don't you call me an idiot!" He shouts back. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us." The redhead argues in exasperation.

"Neville, you don't know what you're doing." Jayla warns him, and he takes a step forward, and Neville drops Trevor the toad, who leaps out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me." Neville snaps, raising his fists. "I'm ready!" Harry turns to Hermione.

"Do something," Harry whispers desperately, and Hermione steps forward.

"Neville." Hermione says calmly. "I'm really, really sorry about this." She raises her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!" She cries, pointing at Nevile, and his arms snap to his side. His legs spring together. His whole body is rigid. He sways where he stands and then falls flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione runs to turn him over. Neville's jaws are jammed together, so he can't speak. Only his eyes are moving, looking at them in horror.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispers.

"It's the full Body-Bind." Jayla explains.

"Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry." Hermione mutters.

"You're a little scary sometimes… you know that? Brilliant, but scary." Ron gulps, looking between the girls, thinking back to Halloween.

"We had to, Neville. No time to explain." Harry tells him. "Let's go." He walks by Neville's body. "Sorry."

"Sorry." Hermione whispers, passing by Neville.

"You'll understand later, Neville." Ron mutters, making Jayla hit his arm as he walks past, and the young Heiress looks down at their friend and takes a pillow from the sofa, placing it under his head and a blanket to keep him warm.

"Don't worry, Neville, we'll be careful, and I'm really sorry you got in the crossfire," Jayla whispers and runs out of the Tower to catch up with the others.

"What took you so long?" Ron asks her, but she ignores him, and they pull on the Invisibility Cloak.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

Leaving Neville motionless on the floor doesn't feel like a good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looks like Filch and every distant breath of wind sounds like Peeves swooping down on them. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spot Mrs Norris skulking near the top. "Oh, let's kick her, just this once." Ron whispers in Harry's ear, but Harry shakes his head.

"Come on, Ron." Jayla mutters, and they climb carefully around her. Mrs Norris turns her lamp-like eyes on them but doesn't do anything. They don't meet anyone else until they reach the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves is bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so people will trip.

"Who's there?" Peeves demands suddenly as the Golden Quartet climb toward him. He narrows his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?" He rises up in the air and floats there, squinting at them. "Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen." Harry suddenly comes up with an idea.

"Peeves." Harrys says in a hoarse whisper. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." Peeves almost falls out of the air in shock. He catches himself in time and hovers about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr Baron, sir." He says greasily. "My mistake, my mistake - I don't see you - of course I didn't, you're invisible - forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves." The ravenette croaks. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will." The Poltergeist replies, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron. I'll not bother you." And he scoots off.

"Brilliant, Harry!" Ron whispers.

"Genius." Jayla mutters, smiling.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The Golden Quartet carefully sneak around the corridor under the Invisibility Cloak when Ron steps on Hermione's foot again. "Ow! You stood on my foot!" Hermione hisses at him for the second time.

"Sorry." Ron apologises again, and they come to the third-floor corridor. The torches light up at their presence as they creep toward the door.

"Alohomora." Jayla whispers, pointing her wand at the door, allowing it to open, and the Golden Quartet step inside the first part toward their goal, keeping the Philosopher's Stone safe and stopping Professor Snape.

⒴⒠⒜⒭ ⑴

The Golden Quartet move through the door, finding something they weren't expecting. "Wait a minute… he's…" Ron says when a gust of air blows the Cloak off them because of Fluffy's snoring as he lies on the floor asleep. "Sleeping."

"Snape's already been here." Harry announces, looking at the harp in the corner, playing a mellow tune. "He's put a spell on the harp." The tweens walk toward the sleeping Cerberus.

"Uh. It's got horrible breath!" He complains, holding his nose.

"Remind you off anyone?" Jayla teases, looking at the redhead, glaring back at her.

"We have to move its paw." Harry tells them, breaking them apart.

"What?!" Ron exclaims in horror/

"Come on!" He snaps, and they grab parts of the paw lying on the trapdoor. "Okay. Push!" They try pushing, straining themselves, but they move it off the door and open the trapdoor. "I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out…" The room goes quiet as the harp stops playing. "... does it seem a bit… quiet?" The group looks to the corner to see the musical instrument has gone silent.

"The harp, it's stopped playing," Jayla mutters and something gooey falls on Ron's shoulder from above them. It smells funky and gunky. It's dog drool.

"Ew! Yuck! Ugh." Ron groans in disgust, and the four Gryffindors look up to see Fluffy, wide awake, standing there. The tweens stare in shock at the beast when it barks and growls, thrashing around, breaking the harp and diving at the screaming students.

"Kill! Must not let them pass! Get away!" Fluffy barks.

"Jump! Go!" Harry shouts, jumping through the trapdoor with the others escaping the angry Cerberus and into the unknown.