𝙱𝚕𝚞𝚎𝚋𝚎𝚕𝚕𝚜 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚎𝚜𝚒𝚊𝚜

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟔: 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐧

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell. They had practical exams as well.

Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk.

Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was but taken away if it had whiskers.

Snape made some nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, everyone cheered.

The group walked outside with everyone to the sunny grounds.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be, I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." Hermione said as they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree.

The Weasley twins, Gracie, and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. 

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" He burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey." Jade as she was braiding or trying to braid Hermione's wild hair as she read Val's book over her shoulder.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming...."

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof that whoever's looking for it found out how to get past Fluffy." Valeria told him.

"Yeah. Snape nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." Ron assured him.

Harry nodded. "Yeah but I feel that there is something I forgot to do, something important."

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Hermione told Harry. Harry sighed.

"Ooooh Look at that owl. Looks a bit small though." Jade points to an owl fluttering toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. "Might be a Barn owl-"

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" Ron yawned, Jade finished tying up Hermione's hair and the girls followed Harry, Ron slugging behind.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "That what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"