The Tale of a Hogwarts Student

Chapter Fourteen: Everything Falls Into Place

Meredith was surprised any of them managed to get through their exams. She even managed to almost forget about the stone completely- even though she still worried about Voldemort. Harry, understandably, seemed to be the only one unable to stop stressing about the stone.
The exams ran for three weeks straight with both theory and practical exams. For the practicals they were often called one by one into a classroom. Flitwick asked them to make a pineapple tap dance across the table. McGonagall asked them to turn a mouse into a snuff box- you got extra marks if the box was pretty and lost marks if it had whiskers. Most intense was potions, where Snape lurked over their shoulders as they tried to make a Forgetfulness potion.
After their last exam, Meredith practically skipped out of the castle. She was a bit in front of her friends, trying to avoid the usual after exam argument that Ron and Hermione tended to have, since Hermione liked to discuss the answers after each exam and Ron said that doing that made him feel physically ill.
Meredith led them over to a large tree and sat underneath it. She took her shoes and socks off to rest her feet on the cool grass, sighing happily. Fred, George and their friend Lee were nearby, tickling a tentacle of the giant squid.
"No more revision," Ron said happily, "you could be more cheerful, Harry. We have a week of freedom before we find out how badly we've done, so there's no need to worry yet."
"I just wish I knew what it means!" Harry burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting- it's happened before but never so often as this."
"Go to Madame Pomfrey," Hermione said.
"I don't think it's because I'm ill, Hermione- I think it's a warning; it means danger is coming."
Meredith rolled over lazily to stare up at Harry. "Dumbledore's still here, remember? The castle is the safest place for you and the stone."
"And besides," added Ron, "we never got any proof that Snape found a way around Fluffy. He almost lost a leg trying it before."
"I just feel like I've forgotten something- something important," said Harry.
"Oh that's just the exams- I woke up last night and started going through my transfiguration work when I realised we'd done that one already."
Harry suddenly jumped to his feet, startling Meredith and kicking grass on her. Meredith was getting mighty sick of being covered in dirt all the time.
"We need to go to Hagrid!" Harry said urgently, already walking briskly. "There's something I need to ask him!"
The others jumped up and raced after him, Meredith grabbed her socks and shoes in her hand and followed barefoot.
"Don't you think it's weird," Harry said breathlessly, "that all Hagrid's ever wanted was a dragon and suddenly a stranger turns up and gives him an egg? How many people wander around with an illegal dragon egg in their pocket? Lucky they found Hagrid, right? Why didn't I see it before?"
"What- are you- on about?" gasped Meredith, out of breath as she tried to keep up with Harry, who had started sprinting across the grounds.
He didn't answer and just led them straight to Hagrid's hut where they found him sitting outside, shelling peas into a large bowl.
"Hullo, yeh lot," he said cheerfully, "how were the exams? Got time for a drink?"
"Oh yes please," Ron said.
"No, thanks, we're in a hurry," Harry said, cutting Ron off. "Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know the night you won Norbet? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"
"I dunno," said Hagrid. "He wouldn't take his cloak off."
They stared at him wordlessly.
"It's not that uncommon," he chuckled, "lotsa people hide themselves away in the Hog's Head- that's the pub in the village, see. He was probably a dragon dealer- yeh could see why he'd want to hide."
Harry kneeled down by the bowl of peas.
"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you talk about Hogwarts at all?" Harry asked.
"More than likely," Hagrid said, trying to remember. "He asked me what I did an' I told him I was a game keeper. He wanted to know if I could handle taking care of a dragon so I told him about Fluffy- if I can handle a three headed dog then I can handle a dragon."
Meredith was stunned and looked around at her friends to see they had similar expressions to herself.
"Was he very interested in Fluffy?" Meredith asked.
"Of course! Who wouldn't be interested in hearin' about a three headed dog? I told him, Fluffy is a piece of cake if yeh know how to calm him down, just play a little music-"
Hagrid blanched in horror.
"I should not have told yeh that," he said, "forget I said that, yeh hear me! - where are yeh going?"
They had already started marching quickly back to the castle. Meredith started pulling on her shoes as they walked- looking ridiculous as she hopped up and down.
They didn't say a word to each other until they entered the entrance hall.
"We need to tell Dumbledore," Harry said, "do any if you know where his office is."
They shook their heads, no.
Professor McGonagall found them all standing there in silence which she thought was very suspicious of them.
"What are you four doing inside on a nice day like this?" she asked.
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione bravely.
"Whatever for?"
"It's a secret," Harry said lamely.
McGonagall didn't like that answer at all. "The Headmaster is a very important man and has no time for childish games. He's away on urgent business to see the Minister of Magic-"
"He's gone?" asked Harry in a panic. "Professor, please it's really important!"
"More important than the Prime Minister? I doubt that," McGonagall said with a sniff.
"It's about the Philosopher's stone! Sna- I mean- someone is going to try and steal it!"
Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it definitely wasn't that. She eyed them all suspiciously.
"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said calmly. "I don't know how you know about the stone but I assure you it is very well protected. I suggest you all go outside and enjoy the rest of the day."
But, of course, they didn't.
"It's tonight," Harry said, once McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through that trapdoor tonight. He has everything he needs and he's going to do it tonight. I bet he was the one that sent the letter from the ministry. The Minister is going to have a shock when Dumbledore turns up."
"But what can we-"
Hermione gasped, staring straight behind them. Snape was sneering down at them.
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.
"You want to be more careful sneaking around the castle," he said to them, "Gryffindor has lost enough points on your behalf."
Harry flushed. Meredith shuffled her feet uncomfortably. They started heading back outside when Snape called them back.
"I'm warning you- anymore late night wanderings and I will personally see each of you expelled. Are we clear, Potter?"
Snape strode off before they could respond.
Outside again, Harry turned on them.
"Right, here's the plan," Harry said, "Hermione you go to the staff room and try and keep an eye on Snape- if he asks why you're there say you have questions about the exam for Flitwick or something. Ron and I will stand guard on the third floor."
"What about me?" Meredith asked, annoyed she'd been forgotten.
"Ah, you can stay with me," Harry said absently.
Meredith tried not to be hurt at being forgotten. Perhaps their adventure with Norbet had still meant she was left behind.
Meredith kept close to Harry as they made their way to the third floor. But it wasn't long before McGonagall came past and saw them standing guard.
"Oh really," she snapped, "do you honestly think that you three would be better at protecting the stone than a handful of powerful enchantments?"
She walked the three of them back to the common room. At least Hermione was still tailing Snape, Meredith thought. But not two minutes after this, Hermione was climbing through the portrait hole.
"I really tried, Harry," she said, "but Snape came out to see what I wanted and when I told him about Flitwick, he went and got him. I've only just got away."
"Well, that's it then," Harry said.
The others stared at him. He was pale and his eyes glittered strangely.
"Tonight when everyone has gone to bed, I'm going to use the invisibility cloak and I'm going to try and get to the stone first."
"Harry that's crazy," Meredith said, "that's basically suicide!"
"You really can't Harry," Hermione cried, "after what Snape and McGonagall have said, you'll be expelled!"
"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gives that stone to Voldemort, it won't matter if I'm expelled or not. You've heard how it was like when he was in power! We can't let that happen again! He killed my parents and he won't stop at killing more families if he comes back. And if I do get expelled it will mean I'm just waiting at the Dursley's for Voldemort to find me and I will just land up dying a little later because I will never go to the Dark Side. I'm going through that trap door and nothing you say will stop me."
He glared at them.
"Are you done?" Meredith snapped at him. "You're right, of course but there's no need to yell."
"I'll use the invisibility cloak." Harry said, a little less aggressively this time.
"Will it fit all of us?" Ron asked.
"What?"
"Well you didn't think we would let you do this alone, did you?" Ron said.
"But it's dangerous."
"That's exactly why you need us," Hermione added, "I bet I can find something to help us in some of my books. Come on Meredith, help me look."
"If you guys get caught you'll be expelled too," Harry said.
"Ha! Not likely," said Hermione, "Flitwick just told me I scored a hundred and ten percent on my charms exam. They're not throwing me out after that."
Meredith laughed. "So it's just you and me then, Ron," she said jokingly.