𝐋𝐀𝐁𝐘𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐇 ── harry potter

ix | a dragon's tale

ACT I — CHAPTER IX
A Dʀᴀɢᴏɴ's Tᴀʟᴇ

⊱ ────── 𖥔 ✶ 𖥔 ────── ⊰

Professor Quirrell deserved more credit than the friends had given him.

As days became weeks, he did begin to look very sick, getting paler and thinner, but Snape had not cracked him yet.

Every time they passed the third-floor corridor, Quinn, Harry, Ron, and Hermione would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Snape was still miserable and angry, which surely meant that the Stone was still safe. All of them began to feel sympathetic for Quirrell, with Ron even going as far as telling people off for laughing at his stutter.

Hermione, however, had more on her mind than just the Philosopher's Stone. She had started drawing up study schedules and color-coding all her notes in order to prepare for exams. This really wasn't a big deal, except when she nagged the other three to do the same.

"Can't I just use your schedule? Then we can just study together," Quinn suggested.

"It's important that you figure out a schedule that works best for you so that you have a larger chance of success," Hermione said.

"I don't understand why we need to start now. Hermione, the exams are ages away," Ron argued.

"Ten weeks," Hermione snapped, "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 second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me ..."

Once Hermione started going, there really wasn't any way to stop her. Ron knew that, but still liked to push her buttons, leaving Quinn and Harry to be unfortunate bystanders.

Even more unfortunate was that the teachers had the same idea as Hermione. They were given so much homework that Quinn was glad that she had decided to stay at the school for Easter break. She probably wouldn't have been able to focus and finish it all at home. She did most of her studying over break with Justin. Sometimes Hermione would join them, but she would get so stressed out that it would just stress the two of them out even more.

One afternoon, Quinn and Justin decided they would take the risk and study in the library with Hermione, Harry, and Ron. It was the worst day to be stuck inside. For the first time in months, the sky was a clear blue, and the students could feel summer creeping just around the corner.

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

"You'll figure it out, Ron. I'm sure of it," Justin said. Although Justin really wasn't that close with anyone there other than Quinn, he, like his friend, was good with people and could talk to pretty much anyone.

Ron, appreciating his words, nodded and smiled towards him. He picked up his quill, only to take one look at the book in front of him and throw it down again.

Meanwhile, Quinn and Harry were silently quizzing each other for Herbology. She was just telling him what Dittany was when she heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Hagrid came into view, suspiciously holding his arm behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'," he said, in a shifty voice, "An' what're you lot up ter?"