Kassandra Bauer and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1)

Chapter 10: Meet Norbert. He's a Dragon.

Okay, strike that. There were a few things to take care of first. We passed the 3rd Floor Corridor everyday. And everyday we could hear Fluffy growling. And I also spoke about what I had about the Stone with Beatrice. 

I spoke about it with her and Cedric at lunch one day in The Great Hall. 

"So that's what they're guarding? The Philosopher's Stone?" Beatrice asked. 

"Yes. I think Snape might be using it to achieve eternal life." I answered. 

But Beatrice was confuddled by all of what I said. "Did I-I say something wrong?" I asked nervously. 

"I'd hate to burst your bubble, Kassie. But there's something that just doesn't add up." Beatrice told me. 

"Like what?" I asked. 

"Well... I don't think that Snape is the one to try to gain eternal life. Otherwise he would've attempted to get his hands on the Philosopher's Stone already. He doesn't gain anything by it. At least..." 

"What do you mean?" I asked. 

Beatrice started to walk around. "Maybe it's not for him, specifically. She started. "It's for another reason. The Gringotts break in right after the vault was empty..."

"Where are you going with this?" I asked. 

But Beatrice was on a role. "And how this is happening right after the failed attack on Hogwarts by Trotsky." She continued. 

"Huh?" I asked. 

"What if Snape isn't going to be the one to gain eternal life? But someone else. What if he's doing it to bring back... You Know Who?" It was all coming together now. 

I swallowed hard. "Beatrice? Are you saying Snape wants to bring back, You Know Who?" I asked a little nervously. I didn't want to be around when he came back. Suddenly everything I'd been doing didn't seem a potenent.

"It's possible." Beatrice admitted. "I need to think about this some more. I know that Snape used to be a Death Eater... but I don't know. It just doesn't add up." 

"Maybe we should look at Snape a little more closely." Cedric suggested. 

"I've got a bad feeling about this." I commented. 

"So do I." Beatrice admitted. "Thanks for telling us, Kassie." 

I nodded my head. "Well, I should go now. Before Hermione gets me on her Final Exam schedule." 

"Final Exam schedule?" Cedric asked.

"You know Hermione, she's in a whole uproar about it." I answered. "Just yesterday, she's started this whole study schedule and color coding for her notes. I-I wouldn't mind as much if it wasn't becoming nagging. And the fact that the exams are ages away." 

"Don't worry about so much, Kassie." Beatrice told me. "She's got that 1st year don't screw up syndrome. Where everything has to be perfect." 

"Just don't panic and take some time to review. But don't review too much. Overstudying can be just as bad as not studying at all." Cedric added. 

"Okay." I said. I know that their Hufflepuffs and older years than I am. But I trusted them. 

It was just a pity that the Hogwarts Professors didn't feel the same way. We got so much homework that the Easter Holidays aren't as fun as Christmas. And it's even harder to relax when Hermione was right next to me and making sure that I knew the 12 uses of Dragons blood. And Practicing Wand movements. It just made me feel so overwhelmed. I mean Hermione kept going on and on about how we needed to do so well that we needed to pass these exams to get into next year. Wow. That's no pressure. And that last line was sarcasm.