2 Kids Who Are Not Harry Potter And The Sorcerer's Stone

Norbert

Now that they had solved the mystery of Nicholas Flamel, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had decided their next priority was to work out what, aside from Fluffy, was guarding the Stone. They therefore headed down to Hagrid's hut one clear spring afternoon; if there was one person who would know, and could be persuaded or tricked into telling them, it was the gamekeeper.

When they knocked on the door, they were surprised to see that all the curtains were closed despite the radiant sun outside. Hagrid called "who is it?" before he let them in, and shut the door quickly behind him. It was stifling hot inside; it was a warm day already, and Hagrid had a fire roaring in his fireplace. He made them tea and offered them stoat sandwiches, which they refused.

"We wanted to ask you something," said Harry, the moment they'd gotten settled. "We're wondering if you can tell us what's guarding the Sorcerer's Stone apart from Fluffy."

Evidently, Harry wasn't interested in beating around the bush, and Hermione was grateful. The temperature inside the hut was nearly unbearable already, and they'd scarcely been there two minutes. Hagrid, however, frowned deeply at him.

"'Course I can't. Fer one thing, I don' know meself. And two, yeh know too much already, so I wouldn' tell yeh if I could. That Stone's there fer a good reason. It was almost stolen outta Gringotts--I s'ppose yeh've worked that out an' all? Beats me how yeh even known abou' Fluffy."

Harry glanced at Ron and Hermione, evidently at a loss. Struck by a sudden inspiration, Hermione sat up in her chair.

"Oh, come on, Hagrid, you might not want to tell us, but you do know. You know everything that goes on around here," she said warmly. "And we only wondered who had done the guarding, really. We wondered who Dumbledore trusted as much as he trusts you." Hagrid beamed; internally, so did Hermione. She'd done it.

"Well, I don' s'ppose it could hurt ter tell yeh that...let's see, he borrowed Fluffy from me...and then some o' the teachers did enchantments...Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall--Professor Quirrell, an' Dumbledore himself did somethin', o' course. Hang on, I'm forgettin' someone...Oh yeah, Professor Snape." Harry's jaw dropped.

"Snape?"

"Yeah--yeh're not still on abou' that, are yeh? Snape helped protect the Stone, he's not about' teh steal it." Harry, Ron, and Hermione looked at one another anxiously. If Snape was in on protecting the Stone, that put him in an ideal position to learn about what else was protecting it. He already knew everything, it seemed, except Quirrell's spell and how to get past Fluffy.

"And you're the only one who knows how to get past Fluffy, aren't you, Hagrid?" asked Harry. "And you wouldn't tell anyone, would you? Not even one of the teachers?"

"Not a soul knows except me an' Dumbledore," said Hagrid proudly.

"Well, that's something," Harry muttered to Ron and Hermione. "Hagrid, can we have a window open? I'm boiling." Hermione's heart leapt with gratitude, then sank at once as Hagrid shook his head.

"Can't, Harry, sorry," said Hagrid. He glanced at the fire. So did Ron, and he gasped at once.

"Is that what I think it is?" he asked, wide-eyed. "Where did you get it, Hagrid? It must've cost you a fortune!"

"Won it," said Hagrid. "Las' night. I was down in the village havin' a few drinks an' got into a game o' cards with a stranger. Think he was quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest."

"I'm sorry," Hermione interjected, peering into the fire. "But what is it?"

"Dragon egg, o' course," Hagrid told her.