Supercilious [On Hold]

Stopping Snape

Lucille remembered the stories of the Wizarding War, it hadn't been pretty, she found herself imagining Voldemort rising again, putting her father under a curse again, she would shake her head, and think what was going to happen, but eventually all those worries, took a backseat, the exams taking the front.

The days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

It was very 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.

Harry would have very bad headaches, his scar hurting terribly, and he told them about the nightmares he had been having.

Their very last exam was History of Magic.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione 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." Hermione had a habit of going through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree.

The Weasley twins 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," Hermione suggested.

Lucille nodded along.

"I'm not ill," said Harry.

"I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming...."

"Harry, maybe you are being a bit paranoid," Lucille said softly.

"I am not!"

"Harry, relax, Hermione'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 Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Harry still insisted that he felt like they were missing something very important.

Hermione 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."

He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. But -- Harry suddenly jumped to his feet. "Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily. "I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

Lucille got up too, "What's wrong?" as she followed him, for once she didn't say no to going to Hagrid's.

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