Lucy Jones 1: The beginning of a tale (HP fanfiction)

19 How Long?

Today is the match against Hufflepuff. Harry is really nervous. Ron tried to cheer him up, but Hermione came up with a better idea. They didn't tell Harry about it, but they practised the leg-locker curse. Hermione said she got the idea from what happened to Neville.

'Remember, the spell is locomotor mortis.' Hermione mumbles against Ron and Lucy.

'Yeah, I know.' Ron complains.

Lucy looks at Snape, pacing the field until the teams arrive. Both captains shake hands. She sees that Harry is nervous.

'I have never seen Snape look that vicious.' Ron whispers.

'Oh, it has begun!' Hermione cheers, completely ignoring him.

Harry is circling above the field to look for the snitch. Lucy ignores Malfoy in the background and looks at the chasers throwing the Quaffle around. It's a game of back and ford.

She gets knocked out of her chair: 'What....'

'Ron, Lucy, it's Harry', Hermione squeals.

Harry dives to the ground, and he catches the snitch.

'Oh, good, so Harry.' Hermione turns and hugs Lucy. 'Ron, where are you? Gryffindor won.'

'Harry caught the snitch,' Lucy adds. Then, she remembers the fight that knocked her out of her chair. She turns around and sees that Malfoy has a black eye.

He looks at Ron: 'Crabbe, Goyle, follow me!' He commends.

Neville is unconscious, so they bring him to the hospital wing.

'I still can't believe we won that fast.' Ron says.

'Believe it because it happened.' Lucy says and looks around. In the Gryffindor Tower, everyone is cheering. The twins stand at a table filled with food.

'It looks like my brothers brought the snacks.' Ron chirps while he takes something to eat. He doesn't get very far.

'Harry, where were you' Hermione asks when he walks in.

'We won, Harry. You were great,' Lucy cheers, and she notices he is not in a victory mood.

'George and Fred got a cake from the kitchens.' Ron says and tries again to go and get some.

'That doesn't matter now. Let's find an empty classroom. When you hear this...' Harry turns around and walks away from the party.

They're in an empty classroom. Lucy checked.

Ron sits on a chair. Harry, Hermione and Lucy stand around the table.' Snape was threatening Quirrell. I don't think Fluffy is the only thing protecting that stone. Snape is getting closer to figuring out every part of the security.' Harry tells them.

'You mean the stone is only safe....' Lucy says: '... if Quirrell doesn't give in to Snape?'

'Yes!' Harry nods and looks at them.

'Then the stone is gone by the morning.' Ron sighs.

Quirrell surprises them. Time passed, and Fluffy was still protecting the stone on the third floor. Quirrell got paler and skinnier, but they think the stone is safe.

Harry and Ron observed Quirrell whenever they saw him. They check if they still hear Fluffy's presence when they are near the forbidden corridor.

Time passes, and Hermione and Lucy start preparing for the upcoming tests. Hermione tries to encourage the boys to do the same.

'Hermione, it's so far away until the exams begin,' Ron explains.

'Ten weeks,' Hermione snaps: 'That's only a second for someone like Nicolas Flamel.'

'I'm not Nicolas Flamel, Hermione.'

'Let them, Hermione,' Lucy says while coordinating her notes from History of Magic: 'They will find out soon enough they have to study.'

And indeed, the teachers give them extra homework that week. The four of them spend almost all their free time in the library again.

'Hermione, do you know where I can find the use of dried nettles' Lucy asks her friend.

'Hagrid, what are you doing in the library?' Ron asks. He stands at a nearby bookcase looking at Hagrid on the other side.

'I'm just looking. What are you up to? You're not still looking for Nicolas Flamel, do you?' Hagrid asks them.

'We already know who he is and that Fluffy is guarding the Ph...' Ron says.

'Quiet, how do you know?' Hagrid interrupts him.

'We just want to ask you a few questions, like who else is protecting the...', Harry asks.

'Just come by my hut later. The students aren't supposed to know about Fluffy.'

'Later than.' Harry says.

Hagrid slowly walks away.

'What was he carrying behind his back?' Hermione asks.

'I don't know; let's see what he was looking at.' Ron says and walks to where Hagrid is standing. 'Dragons.' Ron says when he returns, taking the seat next to Harry.

'He always wanted one', Harry explains: 'he said that to me when I first met him.'

'That's crazy', Lucy says.

'And illegal.' Ron says: 'You can't hide a dragon, and dragons are dangerous. You should see the burns Charlie got in Romania.'

'Of course, there aren't dragons in England, are there?' Lucy asks.

'Yes, there are dragons here. The Ministry of Magic has a full job concealing them from the muggles.' Ron explains

'What's Hagrid doing with that book?' Hermione thinks out loud.

An hour later, she's still looking through her notes of Herbology.

'Are you coming, Lucy?' Harry asks: 'We're going to Hagrid.'

'Oh, you guys go. You can tell me later what he said. I want this essay done today.'

'You're almost worse than Hermione', She hears Ron mumble, resulting in a frown from both girls.

When she is finally done writing down what she knows about Devil snares. It's almost time for dinner. She takes her notes and walks back to the common room.