Harry Potter and Hermione Granger: The Philosopher's Stone

The Norwegian Ridgeback

Dateline: April 24th, 1992

After a few trips to the Mirror of Erised, Dumbledore had convinced Harry and Hermione not to go looking for the Mirror of Erised again, and for the rest of the Christmas holidays, the Invisibility Cloak stayed folded at the bottom of Harry's trunk. Everyone got back from the holidays as January went by fast, and the weather turned to rain while still being wet and cold. The term shifted to February, and if Gryffindor won their match against Hufflepuff, they would overtake Slytherin in the House Championship for the first time in seven years. They are faced with a challenge, however. During one wet and muddy practice session, Wood gave the team a bit of bad news as Professor Snape would be refereeing the match that Saturday.

Snape would take any excuse to knock points off of Gryffindor, including when Harry and Hermione didn't do anything that any other student would do. During the match, Seamus, Neville, and Dean saw themselves getting poked by someone. It was Malfoy. He started to wrestle Neville to the ground before Dean and Seamus joined in the fight, landing fists in Crabbe and Goyle's mouths, knocking them out cold. As all of this was happening, Hermione had gone into a spectacular dive, which drew gasps and cheers from the crowd. Harry watched, praying that Hermione would catch the Snitch in her very first game in a Quidditch uniform. The next second, Hermione pulled out of the dive, her arm raised triumphantly, the Snitch clasped in her hand. The nightmare was over; it barely lasted five minutes. After the Quidditch match, Harry and Hermione began to prepare for their final exams, which start in 15 weeks. March came and much to the discovery of Nicholas Flamel, Harry and Hermione went to Hagrid's hut for his thoughts on leaving out Nicholas Flamel's name and Dumbledore's Hogwarts' business. Harry knocked on the door, and Hagrid opened it.

"Oh, hello. Sorry, don't wish to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain," said Hagrid, closing the door.

"We know about the Philosopher's Stone!" said Harry and Hermione as Hagrid opened the door again.

"Oh," he said, letting Harry and Hermione get comfortable in his hut.

"We think Snape's trying to steal it," said Harry.

"Snape? Blimey, Harry and Hermione, you're not still on about him, are you?"

"Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why."

"Snape's one of the teachers protecting the Stone! He's not about to steal it!"

"What? One of the teachers?"

"Of course!" Hermione said suddenly. "There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments."

"That's right. Waste of bloody time, if you ask me. Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy. Not a soul knows how, except for Dumbledore and me. I shouldn't have told you that. I shouldn't have told you that." said Hagrid, walking over to the stove and perched on top of the stove was a big round object that looked like a giant egg.

"Uh, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" asked Harry.

"That? It's a...it's um..." stuttered Hagrid.

"I know what that is!" shrieked Hermione. "But Hagrid, how did you get one?"

"I won it. Off a stranger, I met down at the pub. Seemed quite glad to be rid of it, as a matter of fact."

The egg suddenly cracked, leaving bits of eggshells all over the Hutt. Harry and Hermione peered around Hagrid to see a creature with wings and a round face.

"Is that...a dragon?" asked Hermione.

"That's no dragon, Hermione. It's a Norwegian Ridgeback!" said Harry. "Hagrid, you've got to turn him in! It's illegal to breed dragons in England!"

"Codswallop! There's no way I'm turning poor old Norbert in. He'll might get beaten up with the other dragons if he goes away." Hagrid argued.

"Hagrid, you don't want to be expelled from this school, don't you?" asked Hermione.

After much coaxing, Hagrid agreed, and they shipped Norbert off to the tallest tower, letting him fly for the first time. The dragon soared into the night, and there was no stopping Harry and Hermione from journeying down the stairs with the invisibility cloak still on them. Filch was still patrolling the castle until he reached the stairs to the tallest tower.

"Oh, no!" Harry said silently. "It's Filch! What are we going to do? He might be looking for us if we're not careful enough!"

"Follow my lead, Harry, and we'll not get detention for being up so late," Hermione said as Harry nodded.

Hermione guided Harry to a table, and they kneeled down on the ground, hoping for Filch not to see them with the invisibility cloak still on them. Filch walked towards the windows and then the chairs. Harry and Hermione were relieved that Filch didn't check their spot first, but as soon as Filch finished his look around, he walked towards the table and looked under. All he saw was nothing but the floor with Harry and Hermione still covered up with their mouths shut. Filch could sense that someone was here, but a rare occurrence happened; Filch left his job to go back down the steps of the tallest tower. Harry and Hermione stayed up at the tallest tower for about an hour or so until they walked down the stairs with the cloak covering their bodies. They walked ever so silently, hoping to avoid the caretaker and other teachers roaming around the halls at night. Finally, they reached the Fat Lady's portrait, and they saw a teacher heading their way; they stopped behind a pillar where they saw the teacher in an emerald-green cloak. Professor McGonagall was outside, guarding the seventh floor. Until Professor McGonagall was away from the hall, Harry and Hermione walked towards the Fat Lady's portrait and said the password in a hurried manner, "Pig Snout! Pig Snout! Pig Snout!" they both shouted as the Fat Lady turned her hinges, letting them inside. Things went from bad to great for Harry and Hermione; not only did they escape from Filch, but they also helped Hagrid by not being expelled from his job. Hermione came up to Harry, and she threw her arms around him.

"Oh, Harry! I was so worried that we were going to be caught!"

"I know. I just hope that Norbert is safe and sound with his new dragon family."

"I hope so too! Um...Harry? Shouldn't we get to bed soon?"

"Yeah, I think we should," said Harry, going upstairs with Hermione following him.

"Crazy day, isn't it?"

"Yes, it was. I just hope for what could happen tomorrow."

"Agreed. Goodnight, Harry."

"Hold on," said Harry, pulling Hermione closer to him and pecking her on the lips. "Just for luck. I can't bear the thought of getting detention when we should be studying all day, prepping for exams, and who knows what else?"

"Harry, listen, We'll handle this together. Besides, it would be best if you didn't dwell on it too much," said Hermione, giving Harry a kiss before heading off to her dorm. "Goodnight, Harry."

"Goodnight, Hermione."