ON MY WAY {HP X SHADOWHUNTERS} [DISCONTINUED]

THROUGH THE TRAPDOOR

In years to come, Hayley would never quite remember how she had managed to get through her exams when she half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door. 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 them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion. Hayley did the best she could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in her neck, which had been bothering her ever since her trip into the forest. Neville thought Hayley had a bad case of exam nerves because Hayley couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Hayley kept being woken by her old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it. 

Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Hayley had seen in the forest, but Raphael, Teddy, and and Draco didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Hayley. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. 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, Hayley couldn't help cheering with the rest. "That was far easier than I thought it would be," Teddy said, as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." Teddy always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Raphael and Draco said this made them feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. 

"Ah! that feeling is awesome" James sighed. 

"Exactly, no studies, no stress" Sirius said, dreamily.

"Just fun and games" Rose added. 

"Like you guys ever study" Remus snorted. making them look at him in mock offence.  

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. "No more studying," Raphael sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Lia, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet." Draco said. Hayley was rubbing her neck. "I wish I knew what this means! My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this." she burst out angrily. "Go to Madam Pomfrey," Teddy suggested. "I'm not ill, I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming...." Raphael couldn't get worked up, it was too hot. "Lia, relax, Teddy's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Ronald will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Hayley nodded, but she couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something she'd forgotten to do, something important. When she tried to explain this, Teddy said, "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." Hayley was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. She watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent her letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy... never... but -- Hayley suddenly jumped to her feet. "Where're you going?" Draco said, sleepily. "I've just thought of something," said Hayley. She had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now." he said, urgently. "Why?" Teddy panted, hurrying to keep up. "Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Hayley, 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?"