The Bravest Snake

CHAPTER 27

After dinner, Draco sat with Ron and Hermione in the Gryffindor common room. The points Draco and Hermione had lost the Gryffindors made them sort of outcasts, so nobody talked to them. Draco was glad for that, since he was just itching to tell someone their plan. He could keep a secret, but not for too long. 

Hermione was skimming through books and notes, looking for any enchantments they might need. ''Here,'' she said, noticing Draco's restless demeanor and dumping a pile or flashcards she had made in his lap. ''Help me look.''

''You think Harry will bring the Cloak?'' Ron asked, fidgeting with the hem of his robes. Draco didn't like seeing him so subdued. It made him feel more worried than he ought to be.

''Let's hope so,'' replied Draco, checking his silver watch. ''He should be nearly here.'' Right on cue, the portrait hole swung open and Harry came in holding his Invisibility Cloak. ''All right, we'd better put the Cloak on here and make sure it covers all four of us - if Filch spots our feet it's game over -''

''What are you doing?'' said a small voice from the corner of the common room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair. Draco sighed. This poor boy. Why does he always end up with us when we're breaking rules? I don't want him to get in trouble.

''Nothing Neville, nothing,'' Harry said hurriedly, hiding the Cloak behind his back. It was such a bad lie that Draco got second hand embarrassment.

Neville stared at their guilty faces. ''You're going out again.''

''No, no, no,'' said Hermione. ''No, we're not. Why don't you just go to bed, Neville?'' Draco glanced at the grandfather clock. They couldn't afford to lose any more time.

''You can't go out,'' argued Neville. ''you'll be caught again. Then Gryffindor will be in even more trouble.''

''You don't understand,'' said Ron. ''This is important.''

Neville narrowed his eyes. It looked like he wouldn't go down without a fight. ''I won't let you do it,'' he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. ''I'll - I'll fight you!''

''Neville,'' Harry growled. ''get away from that hole and don't be an idiot -''

''Don't you call me an idiot!'' Neville exploded. ''I don't think you should be breaking any more rules, and I'll fight you about it! Go on, try to hit me!''

''Do something,'' Draco muttered desperately to Hermione, who stepped forward.

''I'm really, really sorry about this,'' she said to Neville, raising her wand. ''Petrificus Totalus!''

Neville's arms snapped to his sides and his legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Draco ran to turn him over and hide him behind a sofa so no one else could see him.

''What've you done to him?'' Ron whispered. 

''It's the Full - Body - Bind,'' said Hermione miserably. ''Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry. I really am. I hope we can still be friends.''

''We had to Neville, we'll explain later,'' said Harry, shaking out the neatly folded Cloak. They hurriedly left, closing the portrait hole behind them with a guilty knot in Draco's stomach. 

''I feel bad for leaving Neville,'' Draco whispered in the dark. 

''He'll be fine,'' Harry assured him. ''We'll be quick. Get in, get the Stone, and get out.''  

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up on the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip. ''Who's there?'' he asked as they climbed toward him. ''Know you're there even if I can't see you. Should call Filch if something's creeping around unseen.'' Draco didn't pride himself on his violent thoughts, but just this once he wanted to strangle Peeves.

 Beside him, Draco felt Harry have a sudden idea. ''Peeves,'' he said in a hoarse whisper. ''The Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible.''

Shocked, Peeves did a double take. ''So sorry, your Bloodiness, Mr Baron sir,'' he said thickly. ''My mistake, my mistake - I didn't see you, of course.''

''I have business here, Peeves,'' croaked Harry. ''Stay away from this place tonight.''

''I will sir, I most certainly will,'' said Peeves, backing away. ''Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you.'' And he was gone.

''Brilliant, Harry!'' Draco cheered quietly. ''Now we know that works, we can do it whenever we need to sneak out! Just wait until you hit puberty, then it will be so much more convincing!''

A few seconds later, they were outside the third floor corridor, their destination - and the door was already ajar. Snape's already here. ''If you want to go back, I won't blame you,'' said Harry to the three of them, looking up at Fluffy. ''You can take the Cloak, I won't need it now.''

''Don't be stupid,'' said Ron.

''We're coming,'' said Hermione.

''Let's do this,'' said Draco. He pushed the door open, it creaking sinisterly. Low rumbling growls met his ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in his direction, even though it couldn't see him.

''What's that at its feet?'' asked Ron.

''Looks like a harp,'' said Hermione. ''Snape must've left it there.''

''It must wake up the moment you stop playing,'' said Harry, withdrawing a small wooden flute. ''Draco, can you play this? I'll open the trapdoor as a raven.''

Draco nodded and lifted the flute to his lips, hoping he didn't get splinters. As he blew, the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry turned into his Animagus form, his raven, and crept beneath the dog's paws. 

''Keep playing,'' Ron warned Draco as he and Hermione moved towards the trapdoor. As he played, Draco could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath on his face. It's going to ruin my hair. At least Fluffy's not growling anymore?

''I think we'll be able to pull the door open,'' said Ron, peering over Harry's small back. ''Want to go first, Hermione?''

''No, I don't!''

''I'm going first,'' said Harry, grabbing the ring of the trapdoor with his beak and pulling it open. 

''What can you see?'' asked Hermione anxiously. Draco, curious, took a few steps towards them while continuing to play.

''Nothing - just black - you guys will have to jump, there's no way of climbing down.'' Harry looked straight at Draco with his beady raven eyes and said, ''If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, alright?'' Draco nodded. ''See you in a minute, I hope...''

Beating his wings, Harry elegantly flew down, down, down the trapdoor. Ron and Hermione jumped right after him, leaving Draco alone, playing a strange and scary tune to a strange and scary beast. All by himself.