The Witch and Her Vampire

Fifteen

I stared up at the large Cerebrus with wide eyes, and felt Hermione suddenly latch onto my hand as we all screamed when the dog snarled at us.

"Go, go," I yelled frantically, shoving Harry and Ron into the door. "Get us out of here, you idiots!! Move!"

Harry seemed to snap out of his daze and hastily opened the door; we all threw ourselves out in the corridor and the door slammed shut just as one of the three heads came snapping at my heel.

"You did see it, right?" spoke up Hermione finally, relinquishing her hold on my hand.

"See what?" exclaimed Ron, clutching his chest. "That bloody giant dog? Yeah, I saw it alright!"

"How could you not?" added Harry, casting the door a wide eyed glance. "It was trying to kill us!"

"Not the dog," said Hermione exasperatedly, lowering her voice. "The door!"

"The door?" Both Harry and Ron stared at her.

"Yes, the door." She sounded as though she were wondering how stupid they really were as we made our way back to the common room and entered through the portrait hole. "A trap door, to be exact. It was standing on it. And if there's a trap door—"

"—it's guarding something," I finished in wonder. "But what is it?" I frowned, and suddenly remembered Hagrid taking something secret out of a vault in Gringotts when he took Harry and I to get our things...."Wait. He took something out of that vault the day he took us to get our things, Harry—he said it was secret."

"That must be what the dog is guarding!" cried Harry, before a glint of determination appeared on his face. "We need to talk to Hagrid."

"We can do that tomorrow," interrupted Hermione. "Now, I'm going to bed, before any of you think of another clever way to get us killed, or worse—expelled."

She entered our dorm, and I shrugged at the boys, who looked very confused, before I went back to the dorm as well and shut the door. Lavender and Parvati were fast asleep, thankfully, so I plopped onto Hermione's bed beside her.

"Being expelled is worse than being killed?" I questioned curiously, tilting my head.

"Yes." Hermione watched me carefully. "It was all your faults, anyway. I didn't want to go sneaking out, but you insisted!"

"I wanted to see what was out there, Hermione!" I spoke in a hushed tone. "But, believe me, if Filch would've come our way I would've just grabbed you, ran, and let the boy's get caught."

She let out a small, soft laugh. "You're odd, Carina."

I grinned at her. "Maybe. But, you like it."

She gave me a stern look. "No, I don't. It's foolish."

"Says the girl who lied to a teacher and helped me cheat during a bet."

"That was different."

"Oh, really?"

"Yes. I was merely...looking out for our best interests."

"It was in out best interests I beat Ron in an eating contest?"

"Yes." Hermione nodded matter of factly. "We didn't need him getting a big head."

I raised my eyebrows. "So I should be the one with a big head?"

"I don't think you can get a big head." She paused, looking thoughtful. "Underneath all the jokes you and Harry make, you're both actually very humble."

"Oh, yeah, super humble." I nodded mock seriously, before stopping. "Hermione, do you think my accent is funny?"

Hermione frowned. "No, of course mot. I find it quite pleasant, actually. Why?"

I nodded toward Lavender. "She mocked me. Once or twice, anyway. So has Malfoy."

"That's wrong." Hermione looked a little angry. "Just because you don't sound like the rest of us..."

I merely shrugged and threw myself onto my bed. "We'd better get to sleep. And, thanks."

She smiled. "Goodnight, Carina."

"Goodnight, Hermione."

I closed my eyes and succumbed to the darkness.
__________________________
The next morning, we all stood outside Hagrid's hut, sharing grins as he looked as though he wanted to hit himself with something.

"I shouldn't o' said that," muttered Hagrid. "I really shouldn't o' said that."

We thanked our half giant friend cheerily and went on our way, rushing up to the castle.

"Nicholas Flamel," said a Hermione thoughtfully as we walked. "That name sounds familiar..."

"I've seen it somewhere," agreed Harry, brows furrowed. "But where?"

"I don't know, mate," added Ron. "But we'd better start looking if we want to find out what Fluffy's guarding."

Fluffy—of course Hagrid would name a giant, three headed dog Fluffy.

I couldn't help but think the name Nicholas Flamel sounded familiar, too, much like the others. Maybe I'd seem it somewhere? I was nearly sure I had...

I shook my head after a moment. If I couldn't remember now there wasn't any reason to keep trying—it would come to me eventually, and when it did, we would have our answer.