Chapter 20: Adventure Time

Exam day had finally arrived, and it was relentless. The heat felt like it was closing in on us, especially in the cavernous classroom where we worked on our written exams. The quills they provided were enchanted with anti-cheating spells, which didn't surprise me in the least but clearly disheartened a Hufflepuff boy named Zacharias Smith. He grumbled something about a magical quill he owned that supposedly wrote all the correct answers for him. Honestly, how ridiculous!

The practical exams were equally challenging, though fascinating in their own way. Professor Flitwick, tiny and spry, asked us to make a pineapple tap-dance across his desk, which was both nerve-wracking and hilarious. Professor McGonagall's Transfiguration task required us to turn a mouse into a snuff box. She was particularly impressed by the detail, but any snuffbox retaining whiskers or a tail lost points. As for Snape, he prowled the room during our Forgetfulness Potion, his black eyes glittering with barely concealed amusement every time someone's cauldron bubbled a little too violently. I held my breath the entire time, hoping mine turned out correctly—and I think it did!

The History of Magic exam was the most grueling of all, lasting three hours. By the time Professor Binns finally droned, "Pens down," I felt as though my hand had turned into a claw. Still, I had a deep sense of satisfaction—I had prepared so thoroughly.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," I said brightly as we stepped out of the classroom, joining the crowd of relieved students. "I needn't have studied the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Must we discuss it, Hermione?" Ron groaned dramatically, his freckles looking stark against his pale face. "I'd much rather forget the whole ordeal."

I sighed, slightly disappointed. Reviewing exam answers always helped me decompress, but clearly, they didn't feel the same way. Still, there was something wonderful about the feeling of freedom as we spilled out onto the grounds.

We passed Fred, George, and Lee Jordan by the lake, where they were tickling the tentacles of the giant squid, which playfully flicked water at them. It even appeared to be playing jump rope with one of its long tentacles. The sight made me laugh, a lighthearted moment after the intensity of exams.

Ron flopped onto the grass beneath a large tree, arms stretched wide like a starfish. 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, however, was distracted. He was rubbing his forehead again, where his scar had been troubling him. His eyes were distant, troubled. "I wish I knew what this means," he muttered. "My scar keeps hurting. It's happened before, but never as often as this."

I couldn't hide my concern. "Go to Madam Pomfrey," I urged gently.

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

A shiver ran down my spine at his words, but Ron quickly cut in, trying to diffuse the tension. "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 slowly, though the worry didn't fully leave his face. He flopped back onto the grass, resting his head on my side, while Ron sprawled on the other. We stared up at the sky, watching as clouds passed slowly by and an occasional owl darted through. For the first time in days, I felt like I could just… breathe.

But that moment of peace didn't last long. Harry suddenly bolted upright.

"Where're you going?" Ron mumbled, barely lifting his head.

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

"What?" I exclaimed, sitting up as Ron and I scrambled to follow him. "Why?"

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, as we hurried towards Hagrid's."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?" Ron asked as we quickened our pace.

Harry didn't answer, but his urgency was contagious. We burst onto the path leading to Hagrid's hut, hearts pounding.

We found Hagrid outside his hut, a massive bowl of peas balanced on his lap, his enormous fingers deftly shelling them despite their size. The evening sun cast long shadows over the hutt, and the faint sounds of birds chirping punctuated the warm breeze. It was almost a serene scene, and for a fleeting second, I wished we were there for a friendly chat instead of the urgent mission that had brought us.

"Hullo," Hagrid greeted us with a smile. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, plea—" Ron began eagerly, his eyes lighting up, but Harry interrupted him, his tone clipped.

"No, we're in a hurry," Harry said, stepping forward. "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?"

Hagrid frowned, his large hands pausing mid-shell. "Dunno," he said casually. "He wouldn' take his cloak off."

I felt a surge of frustration. "You took it from a stranger?"

Hagrid shrugged, as if it wasn't a big deal. "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?" Harry pressed, sitting down beside the oversized bowl of peas.

Hagrid scratched his head, his face scrunched in concentration. "Mighta come up. Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked about the creatures I take care of, so I told him... an' I said what I've always really wanted was a dragon. Then... well, I can't remember too well—he kept buyin' me drinks... But yeah, he had the dragon egg and said we could play cards fer it if I wanted. He wanted ter make sure I could handle it, though, didn' want it goin' to any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon'd be easy."

My heart dropped like a stone. I shot Harry a wide-eyed look.

"And did he—did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, his voice tight.

"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 ter calm him down. Jus' play him a bit o' music, and he'll go right off ter sleep."

Hagrid's expression shifted from calm to horrified in an instant.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he bellowed, clapping his hands over his mouth. "Forget I said it! Hey—where're yeh goin'?"

But we were already sprinting toward the castle, the urgency pushing us to move faster than I thought possible. The warm glow of the setting sun seemed to mock us, as if it had no care for the danger we were in.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry panted as we reached the castle steps. "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?"

I shrugged, looking around helplessly. For all the time I'd spent reading Hogwarts, A History, I had never come across any mention of where the headmaster's office was located.

Harry paused, glancing from corridor to corridor as if the answer might appear out of thin air. "We'll just have to—"

"What are you three doing inside?"

Professor McGonagall's sharp voice cut through the air, making me jump. She was carrying a tall stack of books, her eyes narrowing as she approached us.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," I said quickly, my voice steadier than I felt.

Her brow furrowed. "See Professor Dumbledore? Why?"

"It's sort of a secret," Harry stammered, earning a glare from me. Merlin, he was dense sometimes.

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

Harry's face turned pale. "He's gone? Now?"

" Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter. He has many demands on his time," she said, her tone tinged with impatience.

"But this is important," Harry insisted, his voice rising.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?" McGonagall's tone was razor-sharp now, suspicion flickering in her eyes.

"Look, it's about the Sorcerer's Stone!" Harry blurted, and my stomach dropped. I didn't think he would just come right out and say it.

The books in McGonagall's arms crashed to the ground.

"How do you know—?" she began, her voice barely above a whisper.

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

McGonagall's face was unreadable as she studied us. Finally, she spoke. "Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. Rest assured, no one can possibly steal the Stone—it's too well protected."

"But Professor—"

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

We walked away, but none of us felt any better.

"It's tonight," Harry whispered as soon as we were out of earshot. "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."

"What can we—" I began, but the words caught in my throat.

Snape had appeared as if he were summoned by us.

"Good afternoon," Snape said smoothly, his black eyes gleaming.

We froze in place.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he continued, his tone mockingly pleasant.

"We were... " Harry began.

"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?"

Ron took Harry and I by the sleeves and proceeded to move us away from the man.

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

The chill in his words sent a shiver down my spine as he walked off.

As we reached the stone staircase leading to Gryffindor Tower, Harry turned to us, determination blazing in his eyes.

"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?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron smirked. "You can pretend to be waiting for Flitwick. 'Oh, Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong—'"

"Oh, shut up," I snapped, though I couldn't help rolling my eyes. "Fine. I'll do it."

The corridor outside the staff room where I went was eerily silent, save for the faint hum of voices behind the closed door. My heart thudded in my chest as I leaned against the cool stone wall, clutching my bag tightly. I had reluctantly agreed to keep watch on Snape, but that didn't mean I felt brave about it.

"Why me?" I muttered under my breath, mimicking Ron's earlier directive. "'It's obvious, isn't it?' Obvious my foot."

I shifted my weight from one foot to the other, keeping my eyes glued to the staff room door. The flickering torchlight made the shadows dance across the walls, and the faint scent of parchment and wax polish filled the air.

I glanced at my watch. Minutes were starting to feel like hours. Suddenly, the door creaked open, and my stomach twisted into knots. Out stepped Snape, his dark robes billowing behind him as if carried by some sinister wind. His sharp black eyes flicked to me immediately.

"And what are you doing here, Miss Granger?" he asked, his voice as cold as ice.

I froze for a moment, scrambling for an excuse. "I'm waiting for Professor Flitwick," I said, trying to sound as calm as possible. "I had a question about... uh, question fourteen b on the Charms exam."

Snape arched a skeptical eyebrow, his lips curling into the faintest of sneers. "Fourteen b? How riveting. And you couldn't possibly wait until morning?"

"It's been bothering me all evening," I replied, clutching my bag tighter. My palms were damp with sweat.

Snape's gaze bore into me, and I resisted the urge to squirm. Finally, he sighed, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Very well. Wait here, and I shall fetch Professor Flitwick for you. I wouldn't want your academic agony to fester unnecessarily."

Before I could protest, he disappeared down the corridor. My heart sank. This wasn't part of the plan. I couldn't very well follow Snape now—he'd left specifically to find Flitwick

As soon as Snape rounded the corner, I broke into a sprint. My heart was racing, and my thoughts were all over the place. I had no idea where Snape went after leaving me to find Flitwick, and I had no way to warn Harry and Ron.

By the time I reached the common room, I was gasping for breath. Harry and Ron were waiting near the fireplace, looking impatient and worried.

"Where have you been?" Harry whispered, his voice low and tense, as I hurried into the common room.

"Snape came out and asked me what I was doing," I said quickly, catching my breath. My voice came out in a castle whisper, barely above the sound of the crackling fire. "So I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him. I've only just got away—I don't know where Snape went!"

My words tumbled out faster than I intended, and I could feel the heat rising in my cheeks. The weight of everything we had uncovered was pressing down on me, making my heart race. Harry and Ron exchanged a look, and I could see the determination in Harry's eyes harden into resolve.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said firmly.

I blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"

Harry stood a little straighter, his hands curling into fists at his sides. "I'm going out of here tonight, and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You're mad!" Ron practically yelled, his voice echoing slightly off the stone walls. I flinched, glancing toward the stairs, worried someone might overhear. Harry had lost it—completely lost it.

"You can't!" I said, my own voice rising in protest. My arms crossed over my chest defensively, as though that could shield me from the sheer insanity of what he was suggesting. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted, his voice raw and desperate. His sudden outburst made me take a step back.

I stared at him, wide-eyed, as he continued, the intensity in his voice cutting through the tension in the room.

"Don't you understand?" Harry continued on, "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?"

Ron and I watched him closely, his words weighing on my chest.

"D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup?" His voice cracked slightly as he went on, pacing now. "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?"

The room fell silent, the weight of his words crashing down on us like a wave. I felt my stomach churn. The truth of what he was saying was impossible to ignore. His glare swept between Ron and me, daring us to argue. I opened my mouth to protest again, but the look on his face stopped me.

"You're right, Harry," I whispered, my voice barely audible.

The tension in his shoulders eased slightly. "I'll use the invisibility cloak," Harry said, quieter now. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all three of us?" Ron asked, his brow furrowing.

Harry hesitated. "All... all three of us?" He looked genuinely puzzled.

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" Ron said, rolling his eyes.

"Of course not," I added firmly, stepping forward. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books—there might be something useful in—"

"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too," Harry said, his voice laced with guilt.

I gave a small, defiant smile. "Not if I can help it. 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 cracked a small smile at that. "You didn't ask about our scores?"

"No."

The rest of the evening dragged on like molasses. After dinner, we each settled into different corners of the common room, pretending to study or relax but doing anything but. I curled up in the big, poofy armchair with a book in my lap, though I didn't absorb a single word. My thoughts kept spiraling—what if this didn't work? What if Fluffy saw through the invisibility cloak? What if we ran into Snape?

Harry sat by the window, staring out into the dark grounds below, his jaw clenched. Ron sprawled out in front of the fire, absently tossing a crumpled piece of parchment into the flames, watching it curl and blacken. The flickering firelight danced across the walls, casting long, jittery shadows. I felt the tension in the room like a living thing, coiled and waiting to pounce.

As the hours ticked by and the common room emptied, I forced myself to focus. If Harry was determined to go through with this, then I would do everything in my power to help him. The thought of Voldemort returning made my blood run cold. I wouldn't let that happen. Not to Hogwarts. Not to my family. Not to Harry.

When the room was finally empty, Ron stretched and yawned. "Better get the cloak," he said, looking at Harry.

Harry nodded and disappeared upstairs. A moment later, he returned, the shimmering silver fabric of the invisibility cloak draped over his arm. "We'd better put it on here," he said, his voice low. "Make sure it covers all three of us. If Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own—"

"What are you doing?" a voice piped up from the corner of the room.

I nearly jumped out of my skin as Neville emerged from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor in his hands. My heart sank. This wasn't good.

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

Neville narrowed his eyes, looking unconvinced. "You're going out again," he accused.

"No, no, no," I said, attempting (and failing) to sound convincing. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," Neville said firmly, moving to block the portrait hole. His voice trembled, but his resolve didn't waver. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

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

Neville swallowed hard, his hands trembling slightly as he clutched Trevor tighter. "I won't let you do it," he said, stepping in front of the portrait hole. "I'll—I'll fight you!"

"Neville!" Ron hissed, his voice exasperated. "Get away from that hole and don't be an idiot!"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville shot back, his voice rising slightly. "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!" Ron snapped.

I stepped forward, my wand gripped tightly in my hand. I didn't want to do this, but Neville was leaving us no choice. "Neville," I said softly, trying to keep my voice steady. "I'm really, really sorry about this."

I pointed my wand at Neville, and with a flick of my wrist, I cast the spell. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Neville's arms snapped to his sides, his legs locked together, and he fell flat on his face with a thud. I winced as I bent down to turn him over. His eyes were wide with shock.

"Oh, Neville," I whispered miserably. "I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville," Harry whispered as he carefully stepped over him. "No time to explain."

"You'll understand later, mate," Ron muttered as he followed, though I could hear the guilt in his voice.

I lingered for a moment, looking down at Neville. His eyes moved desperately, silently pleading with me, but there was no way to explain everything to him right now. "I'm sorry," I whispered again, gently tucking Trevor closer to his chest so the little toad wouldn't hop away.

Ron threw the cloak over all of us as we huddled together. He was the tallest, so it made sense for him to manage it.

We made our way to the third-floor corridor as quickly and quietly as we could. The castle was eerily silent, the usual creaks and groans of its old stones seeming amplified in the stillness. The only sounds were our muffled footsteps and the occasional rustling of fabric as the cloak shifted.

Suddenly, out of nowhere, Mrs. Norris appeared. Her yellow eyes gleamed in the dim light as she stared directly at us. My heart stopped for a moment, but then I remembered—we were invisible. She couldn't see us.

I felt Ron lean closer to Harry and whisper something. Harry shook his head, but I caught the faintest flicker of a grin. We edged around the cat as carefully as we could, every step feeling like it took an eternity. Mrs. Norris sniffed the air, her tail twitching, but eventually, she padded away.

I exhaled slowly, my breath catching as my nerves began to settle.

We had almost reached the third-floor staircase when Peeves appeared out of nowhere, twirling midair and humming a nonsensical tune. He froze suddenly, his head cocking to the side.

"Who's there?" he called loudly, his voice echoing down the corridor. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He floated closer, squinting into the empty space where we stood under the cloak.

"Should call Filch, I should," Peeves mused, his grin widening. "If something's a-creeping around unseen..."

"Peeves," Harry croaked in a low, gravelly whisper. "The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

The effect was immediate. Peeves shot upright, looking as though he'd just been scolded by a teacher.

"My mistake, my mistake," he said quickly, bowing to no one in particular. "So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir. Forgive old Peevsie his little joke."

I buried my face in my sleeve to keep from laughing, my shoulders shaking silently. Ron's face was buried in my hair on the top of my head, his body trembling with barely contained laughter.

"I have business here, Peeves," Harry said, managing to keep his voice steady despite the obvious amusement bubbling just beneath the surface. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"Of course, sir, of course," Peeves said, floating higher into the air. "Hope your business goes well, Baron. I'll not bother you."

He disappeared through a wall, leaving us in stunned silence.

"Brilliant, Harry!" Ron whispered, letting out a quiet chuckle as we hurried up the staircase and through the archway, finally making it to the third corridor.