Harry Potter and the Portkey of Time

CHAPTER 13

Over the next few hours, Harry's mind was constantly going back to potions, and the interaction he had had with Malfoy. It was almost impossible to believe that it had actually happened.

"Harry!" Harry turned his head to see Ron standing right in front of him, with an expectant look on his face.

"Uh yeah?" He responded, trying to seem interested in the conversation. Ron rolled his eyes and muttered something to Hermione.

"Well, are we going to Hagrid's or not? You seemed very demanding about it before." Harry's eyes widened as the realisation dawned upon him.

"Right! We gotta go! Now!" Hermione and Ron looked taken aback by his sudden outburst but followed him as he strode out the door, now with a purpose.

They rushed to Hagrid's hut, Harry leading the way, desperate to find out if he was right. When they reached the door, Harry didn't wait for an answer, he just barged in. To his luck, Hagrid wasn't in the great hall.

"Hagrid, this is urgent. Who gave you Fluffy?" He demanded.

"Uh- I don' remember. I didn't see 'is face very well, had 'is hood up the 'hole time."

"Ok, ok." Harry started pacing back and forth, while Hagrid, Hermione and Ron all watched worried and confused. "Did you talk about Hogwarts at all?"

"It uh- might'a come up, 'e kept buying meh drinks. He asked if I wan'ed a dragon egg, 'course I did, an' said that I could play cards fer it... though he had ter make sure I could look after it, he didn't want it to go ter any ol' home. I told him it'd be easy after Fluffy."

"And- and, did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry pushed, now stopping his pacing and focusing all his attention on Hagrid's every word.

"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs do yer meet 'round Hogwarts? I told him 'ow Fluffy's a piece o' cake if you know how ter calm 'im down, just play a bit of music an' he'll be right of ter sleep- I shouldn't a told yous that!" Hagrid looked furious with himself. Harry was worried. Quirrell was the one who gave Hagrid the egg, and that meant he could try and steal the stone any day now.

"Forget it! Hey - where ye going!?" Hagrid yelled after the trio as they ran back to the school. Realisation had dawned upon Ron and Hermione. They now understood why Harry had been so urgent to speak to Hagrid.

They ran inside in a silence which was only broken when Harry burst into a worried speech about Voldemort and the stone, telling Ron and Hermione they needed to go to Dumbledore immediately. Professor McGonagall rounded the corner, cutting Harry off.

"What are you three doing?" She asked suspiciously.

"We need to speak to Dumbledore," Hermione responded.

"Why?"

"It's very urgent, Professor," Harry added.

"Why?" McGonagall asked again.

"It's uh- about the Philosopher's stone."

McGonagall's face went white.

"How do you know about that?" She demanded.

"That's um- listen. I know someone is going to try and steal it tonight, please, we need to tell Dumbledore."

"Dumbledore left 10 minutes ago for the Ministry of Magic, however, rest assured, the stone is very protected."

"But- Professor," Harry tried, desperate to reason with her.

"I know what I am talking about, Mr Potter." She said shortly, "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine." After that, Professor McGonagall walked away briskly.

It was safe to say that the trio did not go out and enjoy the sunshine. Instead, they went back to the Gryffindor common room and planned out what they were going to do tonight.

Their first plan failed. Ron wanted someone to tail Snape as he was still convinced that Snape was most likely evil and wanted the Stone. Then, inspiration struck Harry. Very familiar inspiration at that.

Once all three were back in the common room once more, Harry declared he was going to try and steal the stone first.

"You can't, you'll be expelled!" Said Hermione.

"SO WHAT!" yelled Harry, "It's either do nothing and Voldemort comes back, or save the stone and get rid of Voldemort once again! I don't know about you, but the second option sounds much more appealing. I can't lose everyone again so soon!" The last bit came out by accident. Ron and Hermione seemed taken aback by his sudden outburst.

"What do you mean, 'lose everyone again so soon'?" Ron asked quietly, trying not to aggravate Harry again.

"It doesn't matter. You wouldn't understand." Emotions flooded into Harry. Being stuck in the past was hard enough, he couldn't see Ginny or Rose, and he came face to face with all those lost in the war. He knew things no one did, not even Dumbledore. It was terribly stressful knowing danger was constantly looming over his shoulders once more, and the reality of being stuck in the past was hitting him all over again. He didn't want to relive his school life. It was traumatising enough the first time around. Yet here he was, unable to escape and go home, and with no way to search for a way back without arousing suspicion. Harry had also heard of the butterfly effect. It meant that doing anything differently this time around could greatly affect his future, and it was impossible to do everything the same. Heck, being civil with Malfoy might have upset his whole future so much he might fall in love with the bloody git instead of Ginny! That thought made him shudder.

Trying to push all his negative thoughts aside and remain in the present, Harry refocused his attention on the conversation with Ron and Hermione.

"Harry, we'll go with you," Said Ron.

"Thank you," Harry smiled. He may not have the old Ron and Hermione, but he did still have them. Young or old. And he knew they would still be there for him no matter what. "We can use the invisibility cloak."

With that, they formed their plan.