Harry Potter: The Forgotten Chronicles-Book 1

Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

For the next two weeks, Hogwarts seemed to transform into a pressure cooker of academic stress. Teachers piled on the homework, and with exams looming just around the corner, Hermione was practically vibrating with anxiety. She darted between classrooms and the library, her arms always loaded with stacks of books.

Evelyn, who had joined Hermione in her frantic study sessions, was equally determined. "I mean, she's right," Evelyn would say. "They are very important." The four friends—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Evelyn—spent countless late nights poring over textbooks, cramming charms, and memorizing potion ingredients. The looming threat of the Sorcerer's Stone and Snape's intentions seemed to drift away as they buried themselves in their studies.

As the exams came and went, the tension slowly began to dissipate. Hermione's anxiety faded, her usual high-strung demeanor returning to normal. One bright and sunny day, after emerging from the icy dungeons, the four friends found themselves basking in the pleasant weather.

"I didn't think it was all that difficult," Evelyn said with a relaxed smile as they walked outside. "To be honest, I really didn't need to study for that one."

"Of course you didn't need to study for Potions!" Ron retorted with a grin. "You're a bloody natural. I bet you even beat Hermione in that one." Ron said in a sarcastic tone, remembering all the extra hours he stayed up, just to memorize a couple potions.

Hermione shot Ron a playful scowl but couldn't help but smile. "Well, I did find a couple questions on the written component a bit tricky, but overall, I'm sure I scored satisfactory."

"I'll be satisfied if I pass in general," Ron muttered, a hint of worry still in his voice. Harry nodded in agreement, as they all flopped down under a large tree, grateful for its shade.

The warmth of the sun felt like a welcome contrast to the stress of their exams. They lounged in the grass, letting the gentle breeze cool their faces and momentarily pushing aside the academic pressures they had been facing. For now, they were content to simply enjoy the peace and camaraderie, their spirits lifted by the beautiful day.

"Alright there, Harry?" Ron asked, glancing over.

Harry rubbed his forehead, a pained expression on his face. "My scar. It keeps... burning."

"It's happened before..." Hermione said, trying to sound reassuring.

"Not like this," Harry muttered, his gaze distant. Evelyn studied him closely. She knew the burning sensation had started since that night with Hagrid, when they had come face-to-face with Voldemort. She looked at him worried.

"You're still not going on about the Stone, are you?" Ron asked, sensing Harry's preoccupation. Harry's silence was answer enough.

"Look, we've been over this. The only people who know how to get past Fluffy are Dumbledore and Hagrid... and Hagrid would never tell," Evelyn said, trying to comfort Harry. He nodded, accepting the information, but his face was lit with sudden realization.

"Of course! How did I not see it before?" Harry exclaimed, suddenly leaping to his feet.

Evelyn, Hermione, and Ron exchanged curious glances before scrambling to follow Harry, who was already striding purposefully towards Hagrid's Hut.

"Don't you think it's odd?" Harry said as they approached, his mind racing. "The one thing Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and then someone just happens to have one. I mean, how many people do you know who carry around dragon eggs in their pockets?"

As they neared the hut, Hagrid looked up from where he was tending his garden, a pleasant smile on his face. "'Ello... finished with exams then?"

Harry ignored the question entirely, his eyes fixed on Hagrid. "Hagrid, the man you won Norbert from... what did he look like?"

Hagrid scratched his head thoughtfully. "Well, I don't know. He kept his hood up. You meet a lot of strange folks down at the Hog's Head, see."

"Well... you must have talked..." Evelyn pressed, trying to extract more details.

"Sure, you can't just give away a dragon without asking a few questions. Wanted to make sure he was going to a good home, and I said that, well, after Fluffy, a dragon shouldn't be too much of a challenge," Hagrid explained.

"Did... did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Hermione asked, her voice tinged with concern.

Hagrid's face grew uneasy. "Well, of course! You don't come across a three-headed dog every day, do ya? I said that the trick with great beasts like that is to know how to calm 'em. Take Fluffy, for example. Just play him some music, and he'll go right to sleep."

As soon as the words left his mouth, Hagrid's expression shifted to one of regret. "I shouldn't have said that," he muttered under his breath. "Hey! Where are you lot going?" Hagrid called out as he saw the four of them racing up the lawn towards the castle.

But the students were already out of earshot, racing through the corridors and up to the third floor, their minds racing with new revelations and a plan forming with every step they took.

They dashed up the stairs, their footsteps echoing through the castle's stone corridors. Arriving at McGonagall's classroom, they skidded to a halt, breathless and anxious. The professor looked up from her desk, her glasses perched on the edge of her nose as she finished correcting a stack of papers.

"Professor, we need to see Dumbledore right away!" Harry said, his voice urgent and strained from their frantic sprint.

McGonagall's sharp gaze swept over the disheveled students, taking in their frantic faces and heavy breathing. Her expression remained impassive as she replied coolly, "I'm sorry, but Professor Dumbledore has left the castle. He received an urgent message from the Ministry of Magic and departed for London immediately."

"He's gone?!?" Evelyn's voice cracked with alarm, her eyes wide with disbelief. McGonagall's cold stare intensified, her face growing even paler.

"Yes, Miss Riddle, he has left," McGonagall said firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument.

"But this is crucial! We're talking about the Sorcerer's Stone! Someone's planning to steal it!" Harry said, his frustration rising. McGonagall's reaction was immediate. Her head whipped up so quickly that Evelyn was taken aback. The professor's face went ashen, her lips tightening into a thin, rigid line.

"I don't know how you four came by this information, but I assure you that the stone is perfectly secure," she said with a controlled, yet strained composure. "I suggest you return to your dormitories immediately." Her gaze hardened as she added, "Quietly."

The four students exchanged worried, determined looks but chose not to argue further. They turned and walked away, their minds racing with the implications of McGonagall's words.

"Now what?" Ron asked, his voice a mix of frustration and anxiety as they made their way back through the dimly lit corridors.

"I bet that letter was a fake," Harry said, his voice filled with urgency and determination. "Dumbledore's going to return, and the Ministry will be in for a shock."

"It's happening tonight," Evelyn said, her voice tinged with dread and frustration. "Dumbledore's gone, and none of the other teachers know. It's the perfect opportunity for whoever is trying to steal the stone."

Hermione looked at Harry, her anxiety clear in her expression. "What are we going to do?"

Harry's face hardened with resolve as he looked at his friends. "We have no choice. We have to go through the trapdoor... tonight."