Can't Catch Me Now / Severus Snape

17. Fires of Hell

Truth is / Ned Stark Out now!!

"Harry!" Lilith declared. She rose her wand up seeing a creature before her son. 

"Hello Lilith Evans... my how you have changed since I last saw you."  Firenze remarked. "Your son isnt safe out here." Lilith pulled Harry and Draco behind her.  "The threat still lingers, I hope you know you have friends in the forest. But we can't cover every inch of it." 

"Thats why I'm getting them back to the castle." Lilith agreed. "Thank you, Firenze." He nodded his head to her. "I'm going to kill Filch." LIlith hissed bringing them back to the castle. "Severus!" she called out as they walked, he appeared from the forest edge, a relieved look on his face seeing Harry in one piece. Severus moved to him, hugging him. 

"I'm okay dad." harry assured. 

"You had your mother in a right fit." Severus corrected. 

"As if you werent just as worried." Lilith corrected. Severus ruffled Harry's hair. 

"HARRY GOT TO SEE A UNICORN!" Aria screamed stomping a foot down on the ground with a little thud of outrage. "NO FAIR!" 

"Bed time." Severus corrected. 

"It wasnt... alive." Harry countered. 

"You killed a unicorn!" Aria demanded, she was even more furious now. 

"Bed time!" Severus picked her up leading her to her room. 

"I can't ever sleep now! There are people killing unicorns for sport, like they are boar!" Aria demanded. 

"Harry are you sure you are alright?" Lilith questioned. 

"Yeah... Firenze... is that his name?" 

"Yes. He is a protector." Lilith agreed. "I'm glad he was there." 

"Me too." Harry agreed. Harry hesitated. "Can you tell me whats after the stone?" 

"You already know." Lilith countered as Severus came back out of Aria's room.  Severus frowned moving to Lilith's side wrapping an arm around her waist. 

"Voldemort's out there, right now, in the forest..." Harry whispered. 

"But he's weak apparently." Severus agreed. "If he's living off the unicorns."

"So whoever is after the stone... doesn't want the Stone for himself; he wants the Stone for Voldemort. With the Elixir of Life, Voldemort will be strong again. He'll... he'll come back." Harry realized. 

"We won't let that happen." Lilith corrected. 

"But, if he comes back, you don't think he'll try to... kill you, do you?" Ron pondered when Harry told them what his parents told him. 

"I think if he'd had the chance, he might've tried to kill me tonight." Harry whispered. Ron gulped.

"And to think I've been worrying about my Potions final." Ron murmured.

"Hang on a minute." Hermoine countered, "We're forgetting one thing. Who's the one wizard Voldemort always feared?" Hermoine questioned they stared back at her. "Dumbledore. As long as Dumbledore's around, Harry, you're safe. As long as Dumbledore's around, you can't be touched." she gave him a reassuring smile.

"I am going to put more faith in my parents than old man Albus- sorry, thats what my mum calls him when she is upset." Harry murmured. He leaned back in his chair.

 "I'd always heard Hogwart's end-of-year exams were frightful, but I've found they're rather enjoyable." Hermione remarked. Ron gave her a pointed look. Harry was ready for bed but he couldnt find the strength to move. 

"Speak for yourself. All right there, Harry?" Ron questioned, as he rubbed his forehead right where the scar burned brightly.

"My scar. It keeps burning." Harry admitted.

"It's happened before..."

"Not like this." Harry countered. He should have asked his mother and father but he didnt want them to worry. 

"Perhaps you should see the nurse." Ron suggested staring at the bolt scar.

"I think it's a warning. It means danger's coming." Harry said before a look of realization filled his face, "Ah... Oh! Of course!" Harry no longer tired jumped up and Hermoine and Ron ran to catch up.

" What is it?" Hermione demanded.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?" Harry declared. "Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?" Harry demanded.

"I dunno. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up." Hagrid countered.

"This stranger though, you and he must have talked." Harry corrected.

"Well, he- he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him, I said, after Fluffy a dragon's gonna be no problem." Hagrid offered.

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?"

"Well, o' course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three-headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told 'im, I said, I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm 'im. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit o' music, and he falls straight to sleep.' I shouldn't have told you that." Hagrid realized as they ran off. "Where are you going? Where are you-?"

"yes well, Lucius will surely already have gotten an owl from Draco and I wouldnt be surprised if he made some threats, you know Lucius." Lilith remarked. 

"I do unfortunately." Minerva agreed. 

"Where is albus? Does ht know what you and Filch-"

"I didnt know what he was doing." Minerva countered. 

"You know full well the dangers around us and you put my son in the line of fire.' Lilith hissed, Minerva saw a darkness in lilith's eyes. "If anything happened to him, I would bring the fires of hell to Hogwarts. Make no mistake, Minerva. You dont want me as an enemy." 

" We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" they declared running to professor McGonagall's classroom. Lilith turned on her best smile and it took Minerva back. How easily she could turn on a dime. 

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London." She answered.

"He's gone! Now! But, this is important! This is about the Philosophers Stone!" Harry demanded and McGonagall looked shocked they he knew what that was.

"How do you know-?" she began.

"Someone's going to try to steal it!" Harry shouted. "Mum, you believe me right? Someone is going to steal it, did you tell her?" 

"I was busy threatening her." Lilith countered honestly with her sweetest of smiles. 

"I don't know how you three found out about the Stone, but I assure you it is perfectly well protected. Now, would you go back to your dormitories, quietly." McGonagall begged. 

"I will walk them." Lilith agreed. 

"Mum." Harry begged. 

"I will check on it." Lilith assured. "But you need to stay away from it, please. This is for your safety. Promise me, Harry."