Chapter 16: Journey To The 3rd Corridor

Exam day has arrived. And it was brutal.

For one, it was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where we had to do our written parts. They even gave us quills with anti-cheating spells. Much to the disappointment of some Hufflepuff prat named Zacharias Smith (weren't they supposed to be the more honest ones?), who claimed he had a quill that wrote down all correct answers.

Our practical exams were a bit more challenging. Professor Flitwick called us up one by one into his class to see if we could make a pineapple tapdance across a desk. Professor McGonagall had us turn a mouse into a snuffbox (points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers). Snape made us nervous as hell hovering us to watch us properly make a Forgetfulness potion.

Harry was having trouble sleeping. A few nights, I had to wake him up from nightmares that he said he was having of a hooded figure trying to kill him in the woods. I felt bad for him, but all I could do was wake him up and talk him down.

Our last exam was History of Magic. Harry caught some much needed rest when he was done, as for some reason, that exam lasted a bloody three hours. When Professor Binns told us to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, all of us cheered and bolted out the door.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be." said Hermione as we walked outside with the crowd of students. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Must we discuss it, Hermione?" I groaned. "I'd much rather forget the whole ordeal."

Hermione always liked to go through our exam papers afterward, and most of the time, I didn't mind. However, I was mentally exhausted, and didn't want to hear another useless fact until second year.

Fred, George, and Lee Jordan were down by the lake, tickling the tentacles of a giant squid. We sat under a tree and watched as the squid played jump rope with them.

"No more studying," I said with a happy sigh as I stretched my entire body 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 was rubbing his forehead. He had been complaining about how his scar was hurting him lately, although he couldn't understand why. It had started kind of dull pains, and now it seemed almost constant and stronger to him.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he said, angry and irritated that his head was hurting "My scar keeps hurting. It's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill." said Harry. "I think it's a warning. It means danger's coming..."

As worried as I was for him, the heat wouldn't allow me to show it.

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right. The Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around." I said, trying to reassure him. "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 nodded. "Yeah. But I can't help but feel like I'm forgetting something. Something important.

"That's just the exams." said Hermione. 'I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

"I seriously doubt that." said Harry, as he laid out on the grass and propped his head on Hermione's torso. I put my head on her other side. We stared up at the ski, watching the clouds and the occasional owl with a note fly by. I ended up falling asleep.

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet. His move

"Where're you going?" I asked, groggily, as his movement had awaken me

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" said Hermione as we both jumped up to follow him.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, as we sped walked towards Hagrid's."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?"

"What are you talking about?" I asked as we picked up speed. Harry said nothing so we continued on until we reached Hagrid's. He was sitting outside shelling peas. How he did such a delicate job with those huge fingers was beyond me.

"Hullo." he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please." I said, but Harry cut me off.

"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 cards with look like?"

"Dunno." said Hagrid casually, "He wouldn' take his cloak off."

"You took it from a stranger?" asked Hermione, as if she read our minds.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head - that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?" asked Harry, sitting down next to the huge bowl of peas.

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried 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 took 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 asked, looking like he was trying to keep his cool. I was too. Hagrid was a loveable soul, but sometimes he could be really thick. Especially when he was drunk.

"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 suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he shouted. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?"

We took off towards the castle, heading for Dumbledore's office.

Wherever that was. I didn't think anyone of us had ever seen it. But that didn't stop us from running.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore." said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak. It must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

Hermione and I shrugged our shoulders. None of us knew

"We'll just have to- " Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing inside?"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore." said Hermione, bravely with no hesitation.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret." Harry said, not thinking straight.

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

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

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time-"

"But this is important." he exclaimed.

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

"Look." said Harry. "Professor, it's about the Sorcerer's Stone!"

Hermione and I looked at Harry, stunned. We never would have thought he would flat out tell her. McGonagall must have been stunned too, because she dropped all the books in her hand.

"How do you know - ?" she whispered.

"Professor, I think, I know, that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed us all with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow." she said finally. "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-"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said ), bending over to gather up her books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But we didn't. We walked off and headed towards the tower.

"It's tonight," said Harry, when we turned the corner and was certain we wouldn't be overheard. "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 gasped. Harry and I turned to see what had surprised her.

Speak of the fucking devil...

"Good afternoon." said Snape , smoothly.

We didn't say anything. Only glared.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this." he said, a smile that didn't fit his face.

"We were... " Harry began, and then, nothing.

"You want to be more careful." said Snape. "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?"

I took both Hermione and Harry but the sleeves, turned them around, and was about to walk off when Snape continued.

"Be warned, Potter." said Snape. "Any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

He walked off.

We walked until we reached the stone steps that led to the different parts of the school.

"Right. Here's what we've got to do," Harry whispered. "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?" asked Hermione.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" I said. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know."

I then put on a high pitched Hermionelike voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong... '"

"Oh, shut up. " said Hermione. "I'll do it.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor." Harry told me. "Come on."

But that part of the plan didn't work. As soon as we had reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school, Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.

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

I looked at her flabbergasted.

"Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"she finished.

Harry and I went back to the common room. Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail." when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in, crying.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "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?" Harry said.

"What do you mean?" I asked.

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

"You're mad!" I yelled. Harry had gone mental!

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT" Harry shouted. "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 anymore, 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, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

He glared at us. Hermione and I sighed, defeated.

"You're right Harry," said Hermione, almost a whisper.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all three of us?" I asked.

"All...all three of us?" said Harry, looking confused.

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" I said.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful in-"

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

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

Harry smiled.

"You didn't ask about our scores?" he asked.

"No?"

After dinner, we say in different parts on the common room. Hermione sat in the big poofy armchair, looking through books, Harry sat by the window, staring out, and I sat in front of the fire, watching the embers dance.

I was trying to formulate a plan, but it was pretty hard when the only obstacle we knew about was Fluffy. At least we knew that music is what put it to sleep, so hopefully it wouldn't be too much after that.

Bill's words flashed into my brain about me not getting into anymore trouble. And while I knew I should listen to him, I also knew that I needed to stand by my friends. I couldn't let them go into a potentially dangerous situation alone.

Soon, the room emptied, as the others had gone to bed.

"Better get the cloak." I said to Harry. Harry ran back to our dorm and was there for a few seconds before coming back down to the common room.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us. If Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own-"

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor in his hands.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville wasn't buying it.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no." said Hermione, doing a bad job of lying. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out." said Neville. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand." said Harry. "This is important."

Neville was choosing the worst time to stand up for himself.

"I won't let you do it." he said, nervously moving in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"

I was starting to get irritated.

"Neville!" I yelled as quietly as I could. "Get away from that hole and don't be an idiot!"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "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." I said, becoming impatient. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

I stepped in front of Neville. I didn't want anything to happen, but I was prepared if a home thing had to.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

"I don't want to Neville, but if you none the fuck out-"

"Neville," Hermione said, moving beside me. "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body went stiff as a bloody board, and he ended up falling flat on his face, unable to move.

Hermione winced as she bent down to turn him over. He couldn't speak. The only thing he could move was his eyes.

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

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione, miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain." said Harry, stepping over him.

"You'll understand later, mate." I said as I stepped over him, taking the cloak from Harry and throwing it over us, as I was the tallest.

We made our way to the third floor corridor as quickly and as quietly as we could. Suddenly out of nowhere, Mrs. Norris appeared, staring right at us, but not being able to see us.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," I whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head, giving me a quick grin. We inched our way around the oblivious cat.

We had almost make it to the third floor steps, when Peeves showed up, playing a prank. He then stopped, suddenly looking around, alert.

"Who's there?" he said loudly. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at us, trying to see.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

"Peeves." Harry said, in a hoarse whisper. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves looked as if he had fallen out of an invisible chair. He straightened up his posture and bowed.

I had to hold my laughter in. Hermione stuck her face in her sleeve.

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

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry, seeing like he was gonna laugh himself."Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he flew off into a wall and disappeared.

"Brilliant, Harry!" I whispered, having a quick laugh.

We went up the steps and through the archway, we had made it to the third corridor.