Harry Potter and Claire Smith's Adventures: Book One

Dragon Problems

Chapter 10: Dragon Problems

Claire's hope about Quirrell keeping the stone safe from Snape the following Tuesday proved to be accomplished. In fact, weeks passed and the stone was untouched. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Claire were thrilled that the stone was safe at the moment. As a precaution, every time they were on the third-floor corridor they would press their ears to the door to check that Fluffy was still growling inside. Now that they knew the stone was out of Snape's grasp, Hermione began drawing up study schedules and color-coding all her notes. Harry, Claire, and Ron wouldn't have minded, but she kept nagging them to do the same.

"Hermione, the exams are ages away." Ron said.

"Ten weeks. That's not ages, that's like a second to Nicolas Flamel." Hermione snapped.

"But we're not six hundred years old, Hermione." Claire said.

"Anyway, what are you studying for, you already know it all." Ron said.

"What am I studying for? Are you crazy? You realize we need to pass these exams to get into the second year? They're very important, I should have started studying a month ago, I don't know what's gotten into me..." Hermione said.

Claire rolled her eyes at Hermione. She thought Hermione was taking this studying thing a little far. Unfortunately, the teachers seemed to be thinking along the same lines as Hermione. The students were piled with so much homework that the Easter holidays weren't nearly as much fun as the Christmas ones. It was hard to relax when Hermione was next to you reciting the twelve uses of dragon's blood or practicing wand movements. Moaning and yawning, Harry, Claire, and Ron spent most of their free time in the library with Hermione, trying to get through all their extra work.

"I'll never remember this." Ron moaned, looking out the window longingly. Today was a particularly nice day. The sky was a clear blue, one they'd yet to see in months, and there was a feeling of summer in the air.

Harry, who was looking up "Dittany" in One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, didn't look up until he heard Ron say, "Hagrid! What are you doing in the library?"

Claire, who was absentmindedly looking over her History of Magic notes, looked up as well. Hagrid shuffled into their view. Claire noticed that he seemed to be hiding something behind his back. He looked very out of place in his moleskin overcoat.

"Jus' lookin'." he said, in a shifty voice that got their interest at once. "An' what're you lot up ter?" He looked suddenly suspicious. "Yer not still lookin' fer Nicolas Flamel, are yeh?"

"Oh, we found out who he is ages ago. And we know what that dog's guarding, it's a Sorcerer's St-Ow!" Claire had smacked Ron upside the head before he finished his sentence.

"Shhh! Don' go shoutin' about it, what's the matter with yeh?" Hagrid said, looking around quickly to see if anyone was listening.

"There are a few things we wanted to ask you, as a matter of fact, about what's guarding the Stone apart from Fluffy-" Claire smacked Harry upside the head.

Why are boys so stupid? Claire thought to herself.

"SHHH! Listen-come an' see me later, I'm not promisin' I'll tell yeh anythin', mind, but don' go rabbitin' about it in here, students aren' s'pposed ter know. They'll think I've told yeh." Hagrid said.

"See you later, then." Harry said.

Hagrid shuffled off.

"Did you see what he was hiding behind his back?" Claire asked.

Harry, Hermione, and Ron shook their heads.

"Do you think it had anything to do with the stone?" Harry said.