Violet Summer: The Philosopher's Stone

Chapter 7: The Three-Headed Mystery

 Late in the night, Toni was abruptly awakened from her sleep by a terrifying nightmare, something she was not accustomed to experiencing. It was the first time since her arrival at Hogwarts that she had been jolted awake in such a manner.

Toni descended the steps of the Gryffindor common room, leaving her bedroom behind and making her way to the common area. clutching her potions textbook tightly. She settled into a seat by the fireplace and carefully wiped her wand, causing the flames to flicker to life. She wrapped herself in a blanket on the couch and began flipping through the pages of her textbook.

She had chosen this particular textbook as a result of her previous potions class. She wanted to be better prepared for Professor Snape this time, hoping to improve upon her initial impression. Although she couldn't quite understand why it bothered her so much, she was determined to be a diligent student. The last thing she wanted was for a professor to dislike her so early in her Hogwarts journey. So, she read, absorbing every mixture and meticulous instruction she came across.

As she delved deeper into her reading, her mind began to wander back to her nightmare. It was different from her usual dreams, which often involved her grandfather. This one was unique and unsettling. She remembered seeing a strange mirror with an unfamiliar stone placed in front of it. She had never laid eyes on that mirror or stone before, yet their mere presence had caused her body to ache and her forehead to perspire. The intensity of her worry had been enough to awaken her in the middle of the night.

Another thought entered her mind—she hadn't seen Hermione in her bed. She had expected to run into her, but that hadn't happened. This further occupied her thoughts, making it difficult to focus on the book for long. She let the textbook fall to the side of the couch and gazed up at the ceiling, trying to recall if she had ever come across either the mirror or the stone before. However, her memory failed her. Her thoughts then shifted back to Hermione. Where could she be?

Lost in her musings and growing curiosity, the shifting of the Fat Lady's portrait caught Toni's attention, echoing through the tunnel entrance. She jolted up from the couch in a frantic wave, just as Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville emerged in a hurry from the portrait tunnel. The four seemed out of breath and faintly pale. Each of them shared a peculiar glance to one another before they had noticed Toni standing by the couch with a puzzled look on her face.

"Toni!" Ron called out, his voice filled with relief as he rushed past Harry and Hermione. His hands shot up and wrapped around Toni's neck in a tight embrace. Taken aback by the sudden physical gesture, Toni awkwardly responded, returning the hug. "Merlin's beard, I'm so grateful to see your familiar face, let me tell you."

Toni tilted her head towards Harry and Hermione, her eyes scanning the scene. Neville glanced awkwardly at all of them, his body trembling slightly, before he hurried past the four of them and rushed up the stairs towards the boys' dormitory. Toni followed his hurried pace for a moment before turning her attention back to the others.

"What happened?" Toni asked, her voice laced with concern.

The three friends exchanged glances, a shared understanding passing between them. "It's difficult to put into words," Harry muttered.

"Difficult?" Ron sneered, his gaze shifting towards Toni. "We encountered a three-headed beast hidden away in the forbidden corridor!"

"A three-headed beast? And why were you all in the forbidden corridor?" Toni inquired, her curiosity intensifying.

"These two were sneaking out to meet Malfoy for a duel. But Malfoy obviously set them up to be caught because he never showed up. Mr. Filch was patrolling the castle, and we almost got caught. We had to find cover and ended up in the forbidden corridor, where we stumbled upon a room with a massive three-headed dog," Hermione explained, leaving Toni utterly speechless.