Invisible: the Philosopher's Stone

THIRTEEN

HARRY POTTER AND THE PHILOSOPHER'S STONE
chapter fourteen

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D E A D   R A T S   B Y
T H E   C R A T E

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"You're losing it, too."

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Quirrell, however, is braver than they thought. In the weeks that follow he does seem to be getting paler and thinner, but it doesn't look as though he's cracked yet.

Every time they pass the third-floor corridor, Harry, Ron, Lily, and Hermione press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy is still growling inside. Lily gets a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, having unpleasant memories of what had happened when they were in the room.

Professor Snape is sweeping about in his usual bad temper, which surely means that the Stone is still safe. Whenever Harry passes Professor Quirrell these days he gives him an encouraging sort of smile, and Ron has started telling people off for laughing at Professor Quirrell's stutter.

Lily, on the other hand, has been trying to follow him everywhere he goes. She wants to know if he truly is the bad guy instead of Professor Snape. She's been watching him more closely during his lessons, trying to catch him slipping. Maybe his stutter isn't even real? People have told her that he used to be really brave, but a recent event completely changed him. That's quite understandable, given his profession, but it can certainly be suspicious.

Hermione, however, has more on her mind than the Philosopher's Stone. She's started drawing up revision timetables and colour-coding all her notes. Harry and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she keeps nagging them to do the same. Lily is glad she's not friends with Harry's friends.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away."

"Ten weeks," Hermione snaps.

"That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel."

"But we're not six hundred years old," Ron reminds her.

"Anyway, what are you revising for, you already know it all."

"What am I revising for? Are you mad? You realise 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's gotten into me..."

Unfortunately, the teachers seem to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. They pile so much homework on them that the Easter holidays are even worse than the Christmas ones. It's hard to relax in the Great Hall with Hermione reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practising wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry and Ron spend most of their free time in the library with her, trying to get through all their extra work.

Many times, Harry's wondered if he's done something wrong again to push his sister away, but whenever she shows up she's happier than ever - very deep in thought - but happy. The reason why she's been missing their study sessions is that she spends almost all of her free time sneaking around, following either Professor Quirrell or Professor Snape. Her latest thought is that maybe if she follows Professor Snape, he'll lead her to Professor Quirrell and maybe she'll catch one of their talks again.

"I'll never remember this," Ron bursts out one afternoon, throwing down his quill and looking longingly out of the library window.