AUTOPHOBIA - G. WEASLEY

First year: Wizards Chess

✯ CHAPTER FIFTEEN ✯

❝It's going to take me.❞

June 7th, 1992.

OVER THE NEXT several weeks, exams seemed to take over the first years' lives and they didn't really worry about anything but them. Estella knew Harry was still thinking about Voldemort though -- and she couldn't blame him. She just hoped it wasn't getting in the way of his studies.

Their very last exam was History of Magic, which fell on the seventh of June. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented selfstirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Estella couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"Exactly," said Estella. Seamus Finnigan wasn't far behind them and she wanted him to hear what she was saying. "The danger that werewolves cause isn't even important enough to be put in exam papers. We don't need to be learning about it."

"Estella, we'll be learning about it in more detail when we're a bit older--"

"Shut up, Hermione."

In silence, the group of four wandered down to the black lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. Estella chuckled as she watched this.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Maybe you should go to Madam Pomfrey?" Estella suggested, looking away from the twins and Lee now.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning. . . it means danger's coming. . ."

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Estella nodded in agreement with Ron, turning back to look at the giant squid. After a few minutes, Harry jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Estella, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"What are you talking about?" said Hermione, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.