SABAISM | H. POTTER

TWELVE. | FIGURING IT OUT

Gemini found herself on Harry's back again, a familiar perch she had come to enjoy, as they strolled through the sunlit courtyard of Hogwarts. Just another day in their magical lives, right?

"I've always heard that exams at Hogwarts are absolutely terrifying," Hermione mused, her brow furrowed in concentration. "But honestly, I'm starting to find the thought of them a bit exciting. Weren't you surprised that they didn't ask anything about Elfric the Eager?"

Ron shook his head, clearly unimpressed. "Speak for yourself. You alright there, Harry?" He glanced at Harry, who was rubbing his forehead with increasing frustration.

"My scar... it keeps burning," Harry muttered, his voice a mixture of fatigue and worry. Gemini could sense his unease and leaned closer, whispering into his ear, "It's alright, Harry. It's happened before."

"Not like this," Harry insisted, irritation creeping into his tone as he pressed his fingers hard against his forehead. Ron's worry deepened. "Maybe you should go see Madam Pomfrey."

Ignoring Ron's suggestion, Harry's eyes widened with urgency. "I think it's a warning. It means danger is coming!" His frustration boiled over, and he rubbed at his scar again, which felt like a searing heat.

At that moment, Gemini's gaze fell upon Hagrid emerging from his hut. She pointed excitedly, and without a second thought, Harry sprinted toward Hagrid, with Gemini hanging on for dear life. Hermione dashed behind them, curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

"Don't you find it odd? Hagrid wants a dragon more than anything, and then a stranger just shows up with one? How many people carry dragon eggs around? Why didn't we see it sooner?" Harry's revelation resonated with Gemini, who couldn't help but admire his insight, even if it came in a moment of panic. Hermione fell silent, clearly contemplating the implications of Harry's words.

When they reached Hagrid, Harry wasted no time. "Hagrid! Who gave you that dragon egg? What did he look like?"

Hagrid paused, his flute playing halting as he looked down at them, the joy of his recent acquisition fading. "I dunno. Never saw his face; he kept his hood up."

"Didn't that strike you as unusual? You must have talked," Harry pressed, urgency lacing his voice.

"Well, yeah," Hagrid replied, a hint of defensiveness creeping in. "You meet all sorts of folks in the village. 'Course we talked—he wanted to know what kind of creatures I looked after. I think he was wanting to be sure I could handle Norbert. I said, 'After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem.'"

Harry nodded slowly, piecing everything together. "Did he seem interested in Fluffy?"

Hagrid bristled at the question. "Well, of course he was! How often do you come across a three-headed dog? I told him, 'You have to know how to calm him. Fluffy, for example, just needs a bit of music, and he'll fall right to sleep.' I reckon he was impressed with how much I knew."

The four of them stared in stunned silence, realizing just how much Hagrid may have unintentionally revealed.

"I shouldn't have told you that," Hagrid muttered, his expression suddenly grave.

Gemini smirked, trying to lighten the mood. "You tell us a lot you're not supposed to, Hagrid," she teased. They wasted no time in their departure. "Where are you going? Wait!" Hagrid's voice trailed behind them as they ran.

**"You know, when we ran away from Hagrid, I thought we were heading to the library,"** Gemini said, glancing around. "What are we doing in McGonagall's territory?"

At the sound of her voice, Professor McGonagall looked up from her desk, her eyebrows raised at the sight of the four of them. "Miss Lupin-Black, kindly detach yourself from Mr. Potter," she stated, a hint of amusement dancing in her eyes. With a theatrical sigh, Gemini hopped down from Harry's back, leaving him feeling momentarily bereft of warmth.

"Now, what can I help you with?" McGonagall inquired, her tone shifting to inquiry.

"We need to see Professor Dumbledore! It's urgent!" Harry blurted, the weight of their findings pressing heavily on him.

McGonagall's expression shifted to surprise. "I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left for London immediately."

"He's gone?! Now? This is critical! It's about... the Philosopher's Stone!" Harry exclaimed, a palpable tension filling the room. Gemini shot him an alarmed look, recognizing the slip as he let the secret slip out.

"How do you know about that?" McGonagall pressed, her eyes narrowing.

"Someone's going to try and steal it!" Harry replied, his voice urgent and unwavering.

"I don't know how you four discovered this, but I assure you it is well protected," McGonagall said firmly. "Now, I suggest you all return to your dormitory. Quietly."

"Bye, Minnie!" Gemini called over her shoulder before jumping back onto Harry's back, grinning mischievously as he stumbled slightly under her weight.

"Why do you insist on provoking her?" Hermione chided lightly.

"Oh, don't let her fool you," Gemini said with a wink, "Minnie loves me."

As they headed down the corridor, Harry's expression darkened. "That wasn't just a stranger Hagrid met. It was Snape. This means he knows how to get past Fluffy."

Gemini wanted to argue against Harry's pessimism, but she recognized the serious nature of their predicament. "And with Dumbledore gone..." Hermione trailed off, her voice tinged with concern.

Just then, Snape glided past them, his sharp eyes catching their stares. "Good afternoon. What would four young Gryffindors be doing indoors on such a fine day?"

Hermione shifted nervously, uncertain of how to respond. Before she could, Gemini leaned in, her voice dripping with sarcasm. "What's it to you?"

Snape's gaze narrowed at her, freshly aware of the implications of their innocent banter. "You should be careful," he said coolly. "People might think you're up to something." Fury flashed in Harry's eyes, mirroring Gemini's own. "Hypocrite!" she shouted after Snape as he stalked away. "What a greasy git!"

"What do we do now?" Hermione asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Harry took a deep breath, determination returning to his voice. "We go down the trapdoor tonight."