Chapter Seventeen

Harry tossed and turned that night; the pain in his head reoccurring through his dreams. He woke a few hours later as Crabbe and Goyle trudged out to the bathroom in the morning.

Despite his lack of sleep his head was crystal clear and he needed to speak to his friends. He smacked Draco awake, washed and dressed quickly and headed down stairs. Although the 'losers only' sign had been removed they still sat at the end of the table.

It was easier than facing the still angry Slytherins that were very much loosing the house cup. It also meant that Neville could sit with them, much to Percy's annoyance. Hermione also was still sitting with them for some unknown reason. Harry was coming to believe that she was generally just very lonely and felt a bit sorry for her.

Harry was almost bouncing in his seat waiting for everyone to sit. "Ok listen." He said moving closer to Neville, Pansy, Daphne and Draco, "I think I know who was in the woods."

Pansy shook her head, "Go on."

"I think it was Vo..You-Know-Who but not just him. I had this dream last night and it all makes sense. OK I know it sounds nuts but I think McGonagall is the one after the stone but not for her for You-Know-Who, it will make him completely alive again."

Neville shook his head, "Are you sure? Harry she is a teacher and Dumbledore trusts her. Surely that counts for something?"

Draco shook his head, "It does actually make a lot of sense. She was trying to curse you that Quidditch match. There's a lot of things protecting the stone though including that big…. Oh shit."

"You just got that to as well hu?" Daphne said, "It's some coincidence isn't it? That the one thing that Hagrid wants more than anything in the world is a dragon and someone just so happens to have a dragon egg in their pocket?"

"And McGonagall would know that having worked with him for so many years." Pansy added.

Harry sat back, "We have to go down there now."

They stood up and waved hello and goodbye to Hermione who was just about to join them,

"Sorry we have to go. We'll see you for lunch." Draco called after him.

They rushed down to Hagrid's house and banged loudly on the door. Hagrid pulled the door open and looked at them confused.

"Wha' are you guys doin' down here?" He asked.

"Hagrid we need to talk please." Pansy said.

Hagrid gestured them into the house and sat down, "Wha' you lot need in such a rush? You're goin' to be late for class. Oh before I forget 'ere's your cloak 'Arry."

"Thank you Hagrid." He said stuffing the cloak into his school bag, "Hagrid we need to know it's important. How many people are helping to guard the philosopher's stone?" Harry asked

"I can't tell you that." Hagrid said shaking his head.

"It's really important." Pansy pleaded.

"Look I wont tell you exactly but most o' the teachers are 'elpin'." Hagrid said, "Why the big loa' o' questions?"

"We were wondering about about the night you got the dragon egg. You said that you got given it?" Draco said carefully.

"Yep by someone I was playin' cards with." Hagrid said.

"What did they look like?" Neville asked.

"Don't know. They kept their hood up, never saw their face and they spoke kinda rough, like they was puttin' a voice on. Get some shady characters down there. I go to a local inn down in the village."

"Where was it that the person just gave you the egg?" Harry asked.

"Not given exactly. I won it at the Hog's Head down the village." Hagrid said, "Why you askin'?"

"It just seemed strange that someone would just give you such a dangerous...ly perceived pet without asking about what you do as a job and any other animals you've helped raise." Daphne said taking the giant cup of tea that Hagrid gave her, "Dragons are very dangerous if the… umm… owner… parent doesn't have enough experience."

"Well to be 'onest I can't really remember much. They kept buyin' me drinks so it's all a bit fuzzy. Let me think. They did ask 'bout the school and I told 'em about Fluffy. Said after him a dragon is goin' to be a bit o' cake. It's the same wi' all animals you just need to know how to calm 'em. Take Fluffy all you need to do is play 'im some music and 'e goes right to sleep I explained….I shouldn't 'ave told you that." Hagrid looked awkwardly at his fingers.

"Don't worry we wont tell anyone. We should get going; don't want to be late for class." Draco said jumping up. The others followed suit and waved goodbye.

They headed back up to the castle.

"I don't know what to do." Harry said, "I'm guessing that McGonagall knows how to get through everything now. Hagrid is great but Dumbledore should have known he likes a drink and he's just way to friendly."

"Harry I wouldn't worry. As long as Dumbledore is here no one, not even You-Know-Who is going to attack. I'm not even convinced that You-Know-Who is even alive." Daphne said.

Harry let out a breath he didn't even know he was holding, "Ok good point. Dumbledore is here and that's the important bit."

"Exactly." Draco agreed, "We'll go to class, which we're already slightly late for, loose a few more points for our failing house and then we can tell Dumbledore after the school day."

Harry barely thought about the four more points they lost for Slytherin for being late to Charms class or the three more he lost all by himself for not paying attention in History of Magic. How he'd managed to get through his exams was a miracle.

He dreaded to think what his results were going to be.

"Why do we even have to keep going to class for this last week after exams? It's not fair and we need to be information gathering." Harry said, flopping his head on the table.

"Well classes are over, only four more days." Pansy said.

They finished their dinner and rushed up to Severus as he was leaving for the day.

"Dad! Dad!" Harry said just before Snape left, "We need to talk to Dumbledore."

"Why? Is everything OK?" Snape asked looking at the concerned faces staring up at him.

"It's about the Philosopher's stone." Pansy said

"You shouldn't know about that." Snape said shaking his head, "Think I will need to have a word with Hagrid."

"Listen Dad, we have to speak to Dumbledore it's really important." Harry pleaded.

"I'm sorry Harry." Snape said, "Dumbledore left a little while ago, he received an urgent owl from the ministry and left straight way. I will let him know that you feel there is a worry as soon as he gets back. Don't worry; the stone is well protected and Dumbledore feels it is safe."

Harry nodded and gave Snape a quick hug, "Thanks Dad."

Snape smiled and walked quickly to his classroom to finish marking some more exams. Harry leaned back against the wall and sighed, "You know what this means?"

They shook their heads.

"Harry?" Pansy asked

"It was McGonagall who sent that letter to Dumbledore. She's tricked him and she's going to go after the stone tonight!" Harry said as loudly as he dared.

Neville looked around the empty corridor, "Are you sure?"

"As sure as I can be." Harry said throwing his hands in the air, "Look this all makes sense and with Dumbledore gone there's nothing stopping her from getting the stone and giving it to Voldemort! Nicholas Flamel is over six hundred years old! Can you imagine what the world would be like if he lived for that long."

"Harry, don't say his name so loudly." Daphne whispered crossing her arms over her chest.

"We have to get the stone first." Pansy said, "Then we can give it to Dumbledore when he gets back"

"Are you sure?" Neville asked, "Maybe it's safer where it is?"

"It might be." Harry agreed, "But it might not be and I can't sit by and just watch."

They all nodded in agreement.

"Right we need to meet up after lights out tonight and go down the trap door." Harry said pulling them all in closer.

"What about me? I'll somehow need to get from the Gryffindor common room to the Slytherin one without being seen with an army of Weasleys waiting to jump on me and string me up for treason." Neville pointed out.

"I'll give you the invisibility cloak so you can sneak through then we'll all squish under it and get to the third-floor corridor." Harry suggested.

"Harry there is no way all five of us are going to fit under that one cloak!" Daphne pointed out, "We'll have to do two trips."

Harry sighed and rubbed his still aching scar, "Good point."

"I have an idea." Draco said, "The two girls go first and they can hide in the cupboard that's just outside the corridor then one of us comes back with the cloak for the other two. Neville takes the cloak now so he can come pick us up at lets say, eleven and then we should all be together."

"That works." Harry nodded.

"I have my flute. I'll bring it to put Fluffy to sleep." Pansy smiled.

"I wish we knew what other sort of things we were going to have to go through." Daphne said, "Me and Pansy can work on that tonight before we go. Better to be at least a little prepared."

They went their separate ways and began to prepare. Harry flopped on his bed after slipping Neville the cloak and tried to clear his head.

"I can't believe that my head hurts so much. It means danger is coming I'm sure of it." Harry said to Draco, glad that the dorm was empty.

"Have you talked to your mum?" Draco asked,

"No I don't want to worry her." Harry shrugged, "I did let her know that I was worried but she trusts Dumbledore. Well she trusts the school. Maybe we should just let it be."

Draco shook his head, "No we're doing the right thing. We already know that McGonagall knows how to get past Fluffy and she'll know how to get past her puzzle or whatever."

"That's a really good point." Harry said sitting up, "Why would someone Dumbledore trusts be working for Voldemort when supposedly Dumbledore is this amazingly good wizard."

"I think that if it is anything to do with You-know-who then I'm sure no teacher at Hogwarts would do it willingly but he was very powerful, maybe he has some sort of mind control or something." Draco pointed out, he played with his fingers, "He always had a way of getting people on side."

Harry smacked himself on the forehead, "Gods I'm sorry; I didn't mean it like that. Your folks were different, they were just trying to stay safe."

"I know; it's kinda the point though. We have no idea why someone might want to 'follow' him. His true followers were few and far between according to my parents. Most people were just trying to stay safe or protect their way of life."

Harry nodded, "Yep. Which means we can't really trust anyone." Harry laid down to try and get some rest.

It wasn't long before Harry and Draco made their way down stairs to the brightly lit common room and started to read up on spells.

They were joined in a quiet corner by Pansy and Daphne.

"I think I have thought about at least some of the spells and puzzles that we're going to have to face." Pansy said pulling out a list, "I think Snape, Flitwick, Quirrell, and McGonagall will have things for sure. The issue is that there maybe far more and we have very little way of narrowing down what each thing might be. Snape potions but what would he do? Would we have to make a potion? Use one?"

"I think we're just going to have to take what comes." Daphne said, "At least there is five of us. That way we're not going to be alone."