(1) Lux Brumalis (R. Weasley)

Chapter Fifty-Two

The sun is starting to set beyond Hogwarts, illuminating Hagrid who sits in an armchair outside of his house, a large bowl at his feet as he shells peas into it. He glances up and sees Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Pixie heading towards him at some speed, but he smiles, oblivious to their changing mood. And there is a changing mood to them. Harry, Ron, and Hermione can feel that Pixie is on to something. There is something in the air. A shift. Exams are forgotten.

"Hullo," Hagrid greets, smiling at the four of them. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," Ron goes to agree, but Pixie shakes her head.

"No, we're in a hurry." Pixie stops Ron with a look, he pouts a little. Pixie turns to Hagrid. "Hagrid, I need to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," Hagrid shrugs casually. "He wouldn' take his cloak off." That gets Ron, Hermione, and Harry's attention. They turn a look on Hagrid. "It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head.....that's one o' the pubs down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up." Pixie crouches down next to the bowl of peas to talk to Hagrid softly.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up....yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then...I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks...Let's see...yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted...but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home...So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Pixie continues.

"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 to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep...." Hagrid suddenly looks away from Pixie horrified. "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurts out. "Forget I said it! Hey—where're yeh goin'?" The four first years are already dashing back towards the castle.

....

In the entrance hall to the school, Pixie slows, letting out a breath. Harry was right. He's been telling them all week that he felt like something was wrong. That they had missed something. And Pixie was so caught up in her exams that her mind wasn't seeing the obvious. She should have considered this weeks ago. It's all so obvious.

"Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy" Pixie voices, but they all know that now, she paces a little as her mind works through the information. They have all caught up with her. "Whoever it was, it must've been easy, once he'd gotten Hagrid drunk..." She doesn't believe that someone like Hagrid would have done it on purpose. Someone had to have tricked him into saying something like that. Just as they had. He means well, but he's not the most cautious.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Harry offers and then seems to second guess himself. "I just hope he believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?" Pixie shrugs a little as Ron and Hermione both shake their heads. None of them knows where his office is. None of them has had any reason to go up there before now. "We'll just have to..."

"What are you four doing inside?" McGonagall stands in the hall making her way towards them, her arms filled with a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," Hermione admits, rather boldly for her talking to a teacher.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" McGonagall repeats slowly, as if trying to work out just what they are up to. "Why?"

"It's sort of secret," Harry answers. McGonagall's nostrils flare, a warning that she is trying to be patient.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," She answers them. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone?" Harry asks, suddenly frantic. Pixie's got them all caught up in her theory storm. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time...."

"But this is important." Harry continues to argue.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Look, Professor—it's about the Sorcerer's Stone—"

"Oh, boy" Pixie comments, turning a look on Hermione who shrugs, she has no idea what he's doing. And from the way that McGonagall drops all of her books, she really wasn't expecting him to say that either.

"How do you know.....?"

"Professor, I think...I know....that Sn—that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore." McGonagall eyes Harry with shock and suspicion before she glances at the others, giving them each a warning look before she settles back on Harry.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected"

"But Professor—"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," McGonagall stops Harry from continuing. She leans down and picks up her fallen books before she pins them all with a look. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine." She turns and walks away from them. Harry watches her go, waits, they all do, with almost bated breath. Once she is out of earshot, Harry turns to his friends, looking rather determined. u

"It's tonight," Harry realises. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight." Pixie makes a noise. Harry looks at her.

"If it's him" She argues. He sighs.

"Whoever it is" He corrects himself. Pixie nods. It is a lot better than him blaming Snape. "They've found out everything they need, and now they've got Dumbledore out of the way. They sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we..." Ron starts to ask, but Hermione suddenly gasps, causing Harry, Ron, and Pixie to turn around. Snape is standing there, watching them.

"Good afternoon" Snape greets smoothly. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this,"

"We were...." Harry starts, but from the look on his face, he has absolutely no idea what he is about to say.

"You want to be more careful," Snape continues. "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?" Harry looks down, a soft annoyed flush growing on his cheeks. They all shift and turn to leave, heading back outside. But before they can, Snape calls them back. "Be warned, Potter.....any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you." Snape then strides off in the direction of the staffroom. Pixie narrows her eyes slightly. That's a weird thing to say to a student, but she shakes her head, not wanting to believe that he's capable of the things that have been happening. He's family. She doesn't want to think of a member of her family being that way.