Harry Potter and the Seer who helped him escape his relatives

Norbert

In the weeks that followed, Draco and Kate avoided talking to Hermione much. They still all hanged out as a group but they didn't talk to one another.

Every time Harry or Ron passed the third-floor corridor, they would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Harry watched Quirrell for any change in his mood while Ron watched Snape sweep about in the halls. They all assumed that the stone was still safe in whatever place it was in.

Hermione, however, had more important things on her mind other that Sorcerer's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color-coded all her notes. She made flashcards by cutting pieces of parchment paper. Draco was also starting to study but not as much. Harry didn't mind but Hermione was nagging Ron and him to start studying.

"Hermione, exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," said Hermione. "That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminded her. "Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all."

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago. I don't know what has gotten into me..."

But it seemed like the teachers were thinking the same thing as Hermione. They pilled up so much homework on them that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. It was hard to relax with Hermione next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry spent most of his time between sitting with Ron and Hermione in the library and sitting with Draco and Kate in the Slytherin common room. Draco was also stressing over the exams, but he still tried to help Harry with his extra work. Kate also helped but she didn't do it often.

"I'll never remember this," Ron burst out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looked longingly out of the library window. It was the first really fine day they'd in months. The sky was a clear, forget-me-not blue, and there was a feeling in the air of summer coming. Harry couldn't wait until he went home with Moony.

Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in the One Thousand Magical Herb and Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid stepped into view, hiding something behind his back. He looked out of place in the library with his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious.

"Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he was ages ago," said Ron impressively. "And we know what the dog is guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St – "

"Shhhh!" Hagrid looked around quickly to see if anyone was listening. "Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?"

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact," said Harry, "about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy – "

"SHHHH!" said Hagrid again. "Listen – come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh."

"See you later, then," said Harry.

Hagrid walked off with his hand still behind his back.

"What was he hiding behind his back?" said Hermione with a raised eyebrow.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the Stone?"

"I'm going to see what section he was in," said Ron, who'd had enough of working. He came back a minute later with a small pile of books in his arms. He dumped them on the table without a care and Hermione shot him a look.