Pandora Black: DemiWitch

Harry Decides We're Retrieving the Stone

It's been a couple weeks since our little detention in the Forbidden Forest and we haven't had a lot of time to focus on Voldy coming back, seeing as the end-of-the-year exams were so close. We barely learned anything new and instead reviewed everything we learned over the year. I had a constant headache from having to read so much. Thankfully, all that studying (and the study schedule that Hermione had made me and the boys take part in) seemed to have paid off as the exams were easier than I had expected. At the end of the day, we all decided to head outside after spending the past few days inside for exams and cramming in extra studying. 

"I'd always heard Hogwarts' end-of-year exams were frightful, but I've found they're rather enjoyable." Hermione said. 

"I'll admit, considering these were the first exams I had ever taken, it was easier than I was expecting but I would like to not have to look at another book for a couple days." I said. 

"Speak for yourselves." Ron grumbled. "You alright Harry?" I looked over and I saw Harry kneading his knuckles into the scar on his forehead. 

"My scar, it keeps burning." I frowned. 

Hermione furrowed her eyebrows. "It's happened before." 

"Not like this." 

"Maybe you should see the nurse." Ron suggested. 

"I think it's a warning. It means danger is coming." We walked out to the outside of the castle walls and I heard what sounded like a recorder. We looked over and saw Hagrid sitting in front of his hut, playing what looked like a wood recorder. Harry gasped. "Of course." 

"What?" I asked as Harry started speed-walking towards Hagrid. Ron, Hermione and I immediately follow. 

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?" Yeah, even Tyche would say that was too good to be true. We got to Hagrid and he stopped playing the music when he noticed us. "Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg? What did he look like?" Harry asked urgently. 

"I dunno. I never saw his face, he kept his hood up." 

"This stranger though, you and he must have talked." 

"Well, he- he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him, I said, after Fluffy a dragon's gonna be no problem." 

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked. I gave him a dumbfounded look. 

"Fluffy has three heads, Harry. There's no way someone wouldn't be intrigued by that." I said like he was stupid. 

"Exactly." Hagrid nodded towards me. "How often do you come across a three-headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told 'im, I said, I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm 'im. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit o' music, and he falls straight to sleep.'" After that last bit, we all looked at each other, panicked. If that had been whoever was after the stone who Hagrid blabbed to, they knew how to get past Fluffy. Hagrid's eyes narrowed. "I shouldn't have told you that." Honestly, I think people should stop giving Hagrid secrets. He can't keep quiet. 

We went running, Harry in the lead, and none of us acknowledging Hagrid calling after us. Harry led us to McGonagall's classroom, where she sat at her desk. She looked startled when Harry screeched to a stop at the edge of her desk. "We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" He said to her. 

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

Harry started looking panicked. "He's gone?! Now?! But this is important! This is about the Philosopher's Stone!" 

McGonagall gave us a shocked look. "How do you know-?" 

"You have to have it moved somewhere else! Someone's going to try and steal it!" I said, cutting her off. 

"I don't know how you three found out about the Stone, but I assure you it is perfectly well protected. And I can assure you, Miss Black, that there is no place safer than Hogwarts for the Stone. Now, would you go back to your dormitories, quietly?" She looked back down at whatever she was writing, signalling that the conversation was over. I clenched my jaw and we went back outside. 

"That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape. Which means, he knows how to get past Fluffy." Harry said to us once we were in the hallway. 

"Okay, Harry, I've been pretty quiet about this, but I don't think it's Snape. I think you're letting your hate for him cloud your judgement." I finally said, having held this in since we started learning about the stone. Harry whipped his head to the side to stare at me in shock. 

"Pandora, it has to be him! He tried to kill me at the first Quidditch game. He has to be working for Voldemort!" 

"I honestly can't see why he would want to kill you. He hates me as much as he does you but he hasn't tried to kill me. Plus, he'd have to be a complete idiot to try and get you killed at a Quidditch game, where Dumbledore and literally the entire school would know that it was no accident. He has to know that he would probably be the first one everyone blames. Meaning, someone might be counting on people thinking that he is the one to blame if you got hurt." I said.

"And who would it be if not Snape?" Ron asked. I sighed heavily. 

"Look, one of the things that helps a demigod survive is their instincts. And my instinct says that it isn't Snape." Harry looked like he wanted to argue some more, but thankfully, Hermione interrupted. 

"Whoever's behind it, with Dumbledore gone..." Hermione started to say when we felt like someone was behind us. And just our luck, Snape was there. 

"Good afternoon. Now, what would four young Gryffindors, such as yourselves, be doing inside on a day like this?" Damn it Snape, even though you're a jerk, I'm still defending your greasy ass but then you do this? You are so not helping your case. 

"Sorry Professor, I didn't realize we were required to go outside on a nice day. I'll be sure to keep that in mind." I said. 

He glowered at me and Hermione started stammering out an explanation that he interrupted. "You ought to be careful. People will think you're... up to something." He stared at Harry at that last part before storming off, that opera cape of his billowing behind him. Ron opened his mouth to say something before I gave him a pointed look. 

"Look, I'm still going to help but I stand by what I said." 

"Now what do we do?" Hermione whispered. 

Harry had a look of determination on it. "We go down the trap door, tonight." He said with finality. Looks like Harry's leading this little quest. 

(AN: I'm so sorry it look so long to get this out. I work security and I got reassigned to a different post that gives me way more to do, so I can't write at work anymore. I was determined to finish this chapter before I went to bed, but I can't guarentee that it's that good, since I'm running on 2 Starbucks Frapps, a cookie, and 30 minutes of sleep from last night. 

Anyways, we are only 2 or 3 chapters left until the end of the Philosopher's Stone and the beginning of the Lightning Thief! Since I'm going to be writing at home, I have access to the actually Percy Jackson books. Also, to everyone who has been reading and voting for this story, I wish I could do something to show my appreciation. For now, though, I send virtual hearts and cookies! Thank you all so much! 

Oh, and on another note, I have decided that I will not have Pandora end up with Nico and Will. I know some of you will  be upset by this but I just don't feel right making them, especially Nico, bisexual, now that I've given it some thought. It's one thing to make a canonically straight character like Annabeth bi but I don't feel right changing Nico's sexuality when it's something he actually struggles with in the books. I hope you all can understand my reasoning.

I hope all of my American readers have a good Thanksgiving week and to all of my international readers, I hope you all have a really good week! Until next time!)