The Next Best Thing

4| Hagrid and Fluffy

"Come on Hagrid, we already know about Fluffy...oh! And Nicholas Flamel!"

Juliet's POV

The troll kind of shook us up, but since then, we have been trying to figure out what happened to Snape's leg.

"Could it have anything to do with the three-headed dog that we saw in the closet on the third floor? Fluffy is what Hagrid calls it." Ron chimed in, eating another chocolate frog.

I nodded. "Maybe Fluffy is guarding something. Didn't you say Hagrid picked something up for Dumbledore? A small package?" I threw the question to Harry.

"Well, yes, but do you think it is the sorcerers stone like we read about?" Harry asked quietly.

I shrugged. "It seems pretty obvious. But we should ask Hagrid about it."

They all agreed and we set out to Hagrid's cabin.

~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~

"Hagrid, we were wondering if you could tell us what is guarding the Sorcerer's Stone besides Fluffy." I whispered as I led the way into the hut.

"O' course I can't. One, I don't know meself, and two, you four already know too much." Hagrid grumbled as he poked at the fire.

"Hagrid, please! We are trying to protect the school from Snape!" Harry pleaded.

"Come on Hagrid, we already know about Fluffy...oh! And Nicholas Flamel!" I grinned.

"Now look here, kids. I've already told yeh. Snape helped protect the stone, and he's not about to try and steal it! Yeh hear me? Quit going off about that." Hagrid sighed. "You four had better go back to the castle now. Before we all get into trouble." He smiled at us and shooed us out the door.

"Thank you Hagrid!" We all called in unison.

He waved happily and shut the door, while the four of us raced back to the castle.

~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~ ~•~

"Are we going to do it?" I whispered, sitting on the couch next to Ron who was red in the face.

Harry glanced at Hermione. They shared a look before he nodded. "Of course. Not yet but soon. I have to check something again before we go."

I frowned. "What?"

He shook his head quickly. "Nothing. I'm gonna go to bed though. I'm tired."

I sighed, frustrated with how distant Harry has become. "Okay, goodnight." The boys walked up to the boys dorm and Hermione and I walked up to ours. "Goodnight Herms."

"Sleep tight, Jules." She spoke through a yawn.

As soon as I heard Hermione's soft snores, I jumped out of bed and ran down to the edge of the stairs. I watched the common room for any sign of movement. I heard soft footsteps from the stairway leading to the boys dormitories, but when I looked, no one was there.

I frowned, stepping out. "Harry? I know you are here. Please show yourself." I whispered.

I heard a tap on the painting before someone sighed. I walked over to see who was at the painting, and when I turned the corner, Harry was appearing from thin air.

"Harry! Why are you using your father's cloak? Where are you going?" I demanded.

Harry sighed, "Come on then, Jules. Let's go." He held open the cloak and I happily ran under it. He let go of the side so that it completely covered us and opened the painting.

The poor fat lady was distraught. "Who is there? Show yourselves! You had better hope I don't tell your Prefect!"

We ran down the hallways, our footsteps quiet. We continued to run until we heard three words that made us freeze and chilled us to the bone.

"Not so fast."

~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~•~

Sorry this chapter is a bit short. I made this one a filler. The next chapter should be longer but it might still be a little short. We are closing in on the end of the year. Are you excited to see what happens with the group of friends as well as what happens with Draliet? Which one are you most excited to find out about?

~Eliza

NEXT UPDATE: 5/28/17