Chapter 13:
Secrets and Dragons
Each time Harry saw Snape, he was sure he knew.
Ever since Hermione had found Nicolas Flamel in her library book, Harry knew that what was hidden beneath the trap door the three-headed dog was guarding had to be the Philosopher's Stone. Snape was after it and he knew Harry knew.
Perhaps it was just Harry imagining it, but Snape seemed to be everywhere he went. In the halls and on the stairs. In the library and on the lawn. Outside the classrooms or appearing through a door hidden behind a tapestry. Every time Harry looked over his shoulder, he saw him.
Snape's mood was just as foul as ever. He had grown meaner since refereeing the Quidditch match.
This might have been because he hadn't been able to kill him, Harry thought, but it was more likely due to Quirrell. Harry had overheard Snape threatening the timid stuttering professor after the Quidditch match against Hufflepuff. Was Snape trying to force Quirrell into helping him steal the Stone?
"That has to be it," Harry whispered to Ron and Hermione as he watched Snape during Potions.
"Yeah. Let's ask Hagrid about the Stone later," Ron replied, weighing out crushed beetle wings.
"Weasley!" Snape snapped. "Less talking, more working. Or Gryffindor will find itself ten points less."
"Yes, sir!"
Ron tried to work more speedily and ended up spilling his jar of beetle wings everywhere. Harry quickly helped him before Snape could come up with another reason to take away points.
Harry had another excuse for wanting to visit Hagrid. He needed a break from homework. End of term exams were still months away, but all the teachers had piled on so much extra work, Harry barely had time to think about anything else. Except Snape and the Stone, and Hagrid and his dragon.
When Hagrid had told them about the dragon, Harry, Hermione and Ron had all had the same reaction. If anyone found out, Hagrid would be fired. Keeping dragons was illegal for obvious reasons. It was dangerous.
Hagrid was too blissfully in love with baby Norbert to care.
"You've got to get him out of here!" Harry begged.
"He's going to get huge," Ron said.
"Please, Hagrid," Hermione added. "Someone will find out!"
Someone already knew about the dragon. Draco Malfoy had seen it. Harry could tell by the smirk on his face and by how Malfoy would lean in close any time he heard the trio talking about Hagrid.
Then Ron got bit by the dragon. Ron tried to hide it, but when the wound swelled and his hand turned green, he had to go to the hospital wing.
That was the last straw. Norbert had to go. Ron arranged with his brother Charlie for the dragon to be picked up from the top of the astronomy tower at midnight on Saturday. It would be risky. They could be caught, but even Hermione agreed it was the best solution.
Between Malfoy, Snape and the dragon, Harry wasn't sure which was the worst. If the dragon didn't get them expelled, then Snape would.
In the meantime, Draco Malfoy would try his best to get Ron and Harry in trouble. Ron almost strangled Draco once, but Hermione and Harry had pulled them apart just before Professor Snape came on the scene.
It took all of Harry to be civil to Snape when he was sure the man was spying on them. Harry was counting the days. Saturday couldn't come soon enough.
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Snape was still trying to fight himself without any success. He could no longer deny the anxiety he felt for the well being of a certain boy. He didn't have to be happy about it, however.
He snarled at everyone and took points off Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff and Gryffindor any chance he got. Making everyone else around him miserable didn't help him. He growled at Harry Potter during Potions, reminding him to pay attention. But even Potter's lack of concentration wasn't Snape's main problem.
The boy seemed to have no regard for his own personal safety, whether he was sneaking around Hogwarts at night or concerning himself in matters which he shouldn't. If the boy didn't manage to get expelled before the start of the summer holidays, it was more likely he would find himself dead. But not if Snape could prevent it.
Snape was awakened late Saturday night by a sharp knock. He opened his door to find Minerva McGonagall in a tartan dressing gown and hairnet, holding Draco Malfoy firmly by the shoulder. Minerva was visibly fuming.
"I found him near the astronomy tower," she said. "He could give me no real reason for being there."
"Really?" Snape said.
"But, Professor, I told you-" Malfoy blurted.
"Shush!" Minerva scolded. "Now, I am going to leave him with you, Severus. Perhaps you can get the truth out of him. Goodnight."
"Goodnight, Minerva."
Snape lit a lamp. He had Draco Malfoy sit on the other side of his desk.
"Well, Malfoy?" Snape asked smoothly. "What is your story for being out of bed at half past midnight?"
Malfoy looked a little less cocky than usual. Even his hair looked less together, as it wasn't slicked back, but fell messily over his forehead. This change might had been because Malfoy was alone, without those two bodyguard friends of his. Or maybe due to all those jars around Snape's office filled with questionable things floating in coloured liquid.
Malfoy swallowed. "It was Potter, sir. He and Weasley were taking a dragon to the astronomy tower tonight!"
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"Really! I heard them talking with Granger. Hagrid has a baby dragon and they're helping him get rid of it. I found this in a book of Weasley's."
Snape took the sheet of parchment from him. Snape didn't let his face show any change of emotion as he read the letter.
"McGonagall took twenty points off Slytherin," Malfoy grumbled. If he was hoping for sympathy from Snape, he was mistaken.
"Personally, I think she was perfectly right to do so," Snape replied coldly.
Malfoy's mouth dropped open.
"Obviously you thought you could fool her and get Potter into trouble."
"But, Professor-"
"It doesn't work on me either, Malfoy. Detention. Both for wandering the castle at night and attempting to hoodwink your teachers."
"But, Professor, Harry Potter said-"
"That is enough, Malfoy. If you try anything else, I will personally take off another twenty points."
"But, but, your own house-!"
"Even from my own house," Snape said. "Now go straight to bed."
"Yes, sir."
Draco Malfoy scurried out of Snape's office as fast as he could go. Snape made sure he heard him go into the Slytherin common room before he himself left his office.
The note Malfoy had found was genuine. Snape recognized Charlie Weasley's handwriting. And if there really was a dragon on the grounds…
Snape told Filch to be on the lookout for students, particularly Harry Potter. Filch was more than happy to help.
An hour later, Snape knew they had been caught. The gems in the giant hourglasses by the entrance hall had changed.
Gryffindor had lost a hundred and fifty points.
And Snape found an invisibility cloak forgotten on the top of the astronomy tower.
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