Melody Riddle and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 17: More Midnight Wanderings

 It being about a month and a half before the exams were coming, I was always preoccupied with work. Becky and I studied together half the time. Sometimes we studied with Draco, Vincent, and Greg when they weren't off annoying people. A quarter of the time I was in the library with Hermione, who was actually too busy creating a study schedule for herself to rub the whole Professor Snape business in my face.

At some point in Defense Against the Dark Arts class, Professor Quirrell nodded to me while we all worked on an essay he gave us. He had this brightness in his eyes, causing me to think something good had just happened... or something bad, for my personal view.

After class, I slowly packed up, waiting for everyone else to leave before I walked up to Professor Quirrell and raised an eyebrow at him. It wasn't safe for dad to talk, anyone could overhear.

Professor Quirrell whispered excitedly, his stutters long forgotten, "We figured out how to get past the blasted dog."

"How?" I asked, my heart sinking down so far it felt like I fell into a pit. He could get in at any time, and most likely ask me to come with.

"I had a dragon egg I got from a fellow during spring break and your father had a brilliant plan. We went to a pub dressed in a hooded black robe and made a trade with the gameskeeper, knowing he really wanted a dragon, silly oaf... I showed an interest in his three-headed dog, he got so drunk he said everything, and even said how to get past it. I gave the egg to him, so he's happy as a bee for now until he realizes what he's done."

"Good to know... but again, I asked how we're supposed to get past the dog." I said, my spirits lowering considerably. Hagrid now had a dragon, so that wasn't good, either...

"Oh, r-r-right," he said, looking extremely put out, but then brushing it off. "He said to just play music for it, and the beast will fall asleep instantly. And here we'd thought it was supposed to be something complicated."

"Yeah..." I said slowly, "That's all we have to do then. When will we do it? Or, am I even coming along?"

Dad replied, "Of course you are... I will need you there. Besides, it will give you a good learning experience alongside it."

I could feel his smile.

"As for when we'll do it," Professor Quirrell continued, looking like he was about to cry, "I d-don't know."

"Are you scared?" I asked him.

Dad said, "He is. He won't stop dreading it. I'll have to talk some sense into him."

"Better do it sometime quick, there's not much left in the school year." I said. "A good deadline would be after the exams. Does that sound good?"

"Perfect."

Now Professor Quirrell stuttered, "B-but master!"

"It's perfect. You may run along now, Melody."

I put a hand on Professor Quirrell's shoulder. "It'll be great, don't worry too much about it or you'll get worse cold feet at a bad time."

He nodded slowly, utter despair in his eyes.

I started to walk away, but then I stopped in the doorway. "Just a second," I said, closing the door and turning to look at Professor Quirrell. "I keep forgetting to ask... the day before the school year began, my mom said she paid you a visit. What did she talk to you about?"

The despair disappeared as his eyes lit up. "She came to see how I was, and we discussed what we've been doing since we last saw each other."

"So... you two were friends?" I asked curiously.