Understanding potter's struggles

12 | Memories - First Year - The Trapdoor

The scene before them shifted once more and depicted the young trio rushing towards Hagrid's hut.

The young Harry seemed to have had some sort of revelation and turned white, something which unnerved his mother who kept glancing between the two versions of her son.

The nerves bubbling inside poor Lily Potter increased tenfold when the younger Harry exclaimed, "Don't you think it's a bit odd?"

McGonagall mumbled something along the lines of, 'there's always something odd with these three around.' Before then commenting 'like father, like son, oh the cliché,' which simply made Sirius chuckle and Remus raise an eyebrow.

The group watched the trio finally arrive at Hagrid's having listened to what Harry had thought was odd. They then observed closely as they began to discuss Norbert the Dragon with Hagrid.

Whilst Hagrid had turned a rather violent shade of red, McGonagall was looking at Hagrid with a look that screamed, 'I knew they learnt it from you,' to which Ron mumbled about giving the poor bloke a break.

And then memory Hagrid revealed how to get past Fluffy and they all went silent as memory Hagrid seemed to have realised his mistake and began to exclaim, "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!"

"It's not your fault Hagrid, we'd have found out eventually, and it turned out alright in the end, didn't it?" Harry muttered to the half-giant who had become almost like a father figure to him over the years. Ron nodded his agreement, something which brought a soft smile to Mrs Weasley's face, something which quickly turned to an aghast look when memory Harry exclaimed, "It's tonight," and the three began to march off in search of Dumbledore.

There was almost a collective sigh of relief when the trio made the sensible decision to go to Dumbledore, something which earnt them a shake of the head from Sirius and a relieved sigh from James which sounded awfully like, 'thank God you take after your mother.'

Unfortunately for the onlookers the relief was remarkably short-lived, as memory McGonagall told them Dumbledore was away at the Ministry.

They got even more anxious when Harry suggested they sneak out and get to the stone before Snape did.

"Why would snivellus want the stone for? He's never bothered with anything shiny his whole life. Well, except his shiny greasy hair," Sirius muttered, to which there were a few snickers, including from Malfoy.

Lily however, gave Sirius a scolding look before turning her attention back to the scene before them which now showed the trio standing by the trapdoor, Harry playing the flute Hagrid had given him.

Something which had caused a few of the onlookers to cover their ears. "Glad you never became a musician mate," remarked George as he winced at the awful tune.

"Dunno how the dog fell asleep to that, it makes your ears bleed," muttered Fred.

"I've only got one ear, and it even hurts me," said George, as Mrs Weasley wacked him over the back of the head to leave poor Harry alone, especially as said boy had a gentle blush splattered across his cheeks now. Ron however, was highly amused, well until his mother through him a scowl, one that grew when she watched the younger version of him jump down the trapdoor.

Harry who had jumped first found that the 'soft landing', had been in fact a giant plant which was now beginning to wrap itself around him, Ron and Hermione.

"Oh Merlin," muttered McGonagall, "give me strength."

"Devils snare of all things," Lily whispered as she continued to watch her son struggle against the vines, "you really should stay still."