The Boy: Brandon Dursely

Chapter 16: A Turn Of Events

The next few weeks were filled with lessons, potions, quidditch, brooms, snitches, a few detentions and Hermione and him talking about what happened during that rainy afternoon. All they ever said to their friends were about the rooms and the small treasures they kept.

They had the Common Room to themselves that weekend, since their friends had things to do. Melinda was pouting as she was dragged by Theodore to accompany him to the Library. They sat on their usual spot on the floor near a bookcase, Sebastian contentedly sleeping with half his body on Bran's lap and half on Hermione's. He had grown much bigger and the Slytherins' became used to the direwolf lazing around and nuzzling himself to his Master.

A few people went and passed by them, but never really paying attention, thinking that the two were studying. Halloween was approaching and it was one of the few moments where they had time for themselves. Hermione was pleased to see Ariore gone, and Brandon was relieved to see her.

"I saw something behind the dog, Bran." She quipped out of the blue. He nodded, "So did I. It was red and glinting dully. Remember the papers at the start of the term? I think that's it."

Hermione looked up from Basic Intermidiate Charms to study Bran's face. His eyes had a far away look on them, "What do you mean, Bran?"

"A vault was- a heavily guarded vault was raided. It was guarded for a reason, Hermione. I don't know what is it, but i think I ought to find out."

"Why should you? I mean..."

"It's too late to keep away, 'Mione. Surely, you realize that?"

She nodded and leaned back to the wall and smiled, "Sometimes, you speak big words, Bran. Or even the way you speak. It's like it came directly from a book."

Bran laughed, "Perhaps it's from the books I read."

"No," she slowly shook her head, completely forgetting about their little topic, "I think it's just you." She smiled at him and he smiled back.

---

The next few days, Bran was always silent, and reserved to either be with himself and his books or with Hermione, talking in hushed whispers. The others decided that maybe Brandon was just tired, since he had a lot on his plate. Halloween was fast approaching, and it occupied their mind more than minding Brandon's business.

As for Brandon, he had little hours of sleep, ranging only from three to four. He doesn't know why he was so drawn to the third floor corridor mystery, but his mind was boggled by it.

It was only a week before Halloween when he rather found something important. Rebeus Hagrid, a half-man, half-giant and the gamekeeper of Hogwarts, let something slip when he and Hermione was looking for an ether blue, a green weed with blue tip used for an eyesight helper potion. The man was talking with Weasely, who was saying something about a Philosopher's Stone. Something ticked in his mind upon hearing the words, and remembered it being a part of a folklore written by someone with a name of Beetle, Rattle or Eager the Blonde, or something along those lines.

Right at the moment, he was watching the Slytherin vs. Ravenclaw match, the second game of the Quidditch season. He cheered along as Iara caught the Snitch after a good fifteen minute head to head pursue with the Ravenclaw Seeker. The match went only for forty five minutes or so, and the game endimg with the score of 190-50.

They were ushered by their Prefects to head back to their Common rooms when Snape approached him amd told him to go to the Headmaster's office, immediately.

Hermiome gave him a worried look, but he gave her a reassuring smile. He sprinted towards his Head of House (who was, surprisingly, heading towards the office, too) and struggled to keep up.