Magic of the All Hallows Eve

The Charlatan Stone

Harry was so bloody ecstatic today. The news of the trial of Lucius Malfoy and his subsequent severe punishment was all the talk of the castle today. Of course, the article was half cooing about the heroics and thoughtfulness of the Man-who-Conquered as he arranged the raids and put down the villian Minister, his sidekick toad and the manipulator Malfoy. Honestly, the piece was more of a fiction novel than a newspaper article. But still, ninety-six million galleons! And a lifetime in Azkaban!

But he was more bemused when a letter ended up on his lap during breakfast which did not belong to anybody he knew. He opened it, to reveal a letter in a strange kindergarten writing from none other than the gamekeeper Rubeus Hagrid.

Hey Harry, 

I am Hagrid, keeper of the keys and the Gamekeeper of Hogwarts. I'd really like to share a spot of tea with you, being James and Lily's son, after all. Would you mind coming tomorrow at 4? I know you don't have any classes during that time. 

Yours lovingly, 

Hagrid

Harry looked at the man currently seated near the staff table who smiled at him warmly. He'd heard from his parents and Uncle Sirius that Hagrid was the first to come to their place to see if they were okay. And if he came there, then he must've known the secret. And if he knew the secret, then surely he must be pretty close to his parents. So, he scrambled down a 'Yes, I'd love to' on the back of it and the owl flew off.

He was on his way from today's classes when he saw Neville absent-mindedly walking away on a staircase which was currently aligned to the forbidden third-floor corridor. Which meant that Neville was in some sort of horrible trouble! He called out to him but somehow he wasn't listening. So, Harry went up the flight of stairs and pulled Neville down, but then too Neville was a bit dazed. 

"Neville. . . What happened?", Harry asked as he still nudged Neville down.

"Pr-Pro-Professor Snape", the normally confident and headstrong boy was behaving like hell today.

"What? What did he do — after class?", Harry asked as realisation dawned on him.

"He's not what we think he is, you know. I realised it today. He's — he's a broken man, mate", Neville said. Harry couldn't understand what Neville was trying to say.

"But Nev—Ah!", and Harry jumped across as the steps started moving the other way. Now they were stuck for at least 15 minutes on their sot and the start of the forbidden corridor. Hurray!

"He had something — some sort of cauldron or such — filled with mist. There was a bit of water on the floor and I slipped inside", Neville said.

"Cauldron filled with mist — you mean a pensieve?"

"Dunno. But the next thing I knew was watching your father and uncle bullying Professor Snape. They were hanging him upside down in the air and his underwear was visible. They were threatening to tear it through, too"

"WHAT?! No way! That memory is fake!", Harry retorted.

"Once 'gain, I dunno. But then, Aunt Lily came to his rescue a-and. . .", Neville uncertainly stopped.

"And what?"

"Your father started to — you know — yrfthrshmlsslyfltd with her", he managed in a single breath.

"What in the world did you say?", Harry asked.

"Your father started to", he stopped, "shamelessly flirt with her"

"What? What the heck does 'flirt' mean?"

"Let it be, kiddo as always", he quivered under Harry's glare, "Ok I take that back. No kiddo. Just know for now that he told her that he'll leave Snape if Aunt Lily would date him", and just then they heard a purr from below their feet. Mrs. Norris was looking at them with wide eyes.