Menacie

Chapter - 61 : Decision Day

Snape was standing there.
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

They stared at him. But Ava's eyes were apologetic. Her gut told her that he was innocent. But how could she express this to her friends? They had once or twice already shut this idea. She couldn't prove how Snape was innocent - he just was!

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were -" Harry began with no idea whatsoever about what he was going to say.

"We were hungry, Professor. So we thought we'd go up to our dormitories and get some snacks," Ava covered up, hoping that everyone might start thinking about that so that he wouldn't notice.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. My house can afford to loose points," he looked at Ava, "yours does not, does it?" He glared at Harry.

Harry flushed. They turned to move towards the Great Hall, but Snape called them back.

"Be warned, Potter - any more night-time wanderings and I will personally make sure that you are expelled. Good day to you."

He strode off in the direction of the staff room.

They mutually decided to head back into the grounds.

Ava turned to them, "Look, here's what I'm going to do," she whispered, "I'm going to the library to look for certain things. Please make yourselves useful!"

"Alright! Ron, the two of us should guard the third-floor and Hermione you should keep an eye on Snape," said Harry.

"Why me?"

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know. Having some doubt in some random question."

"Whatever," she replied.

~

Ava went to the library, as she said. She launched herself towards defensive spells and enchantments. The librarian, Madam Pince, found it a little suspicious that a first year was reading about defensive enchantments rather than enjoying her freedom from exams.

But then again, Ava was a lot like Hermione and loved reading about new pieces of magic.

Madam Pince didn't bother her after that. So Ava skimmed everything she could about protecting and defending spells then proceeded to read about magical plants, animals and certain complex potions.

However, Harry, Hermione and Ron's plan had failed miserably. McGonagall scolded Harry and Ron for being near the third floor and Hermione's plan backfired on her. They called Ava to meet them at dinner to discuss the plan.

Ava left as the library was closing and went straight for the Gryffindor table rather than Slytherin.

"Well, did you find anything helpful?" Ron asked, trying to make conversation.

"Loads, but I'm not sure how much of it would we need," Ava said.

"Okay, I'm going to get the Stone tonight," said Harry.

He got three answers in return -
"You're mad!" said Ron.
"You can't!" said Hermione.
"I'm coming with you!" said Ava softly.

Harry looked taken aback at her response.

"No Ava! You'll get expelled!" Hermione said.

"So what, Hermione?" Ava bellowed. "Don't you understand? If the Stone reaches Voldemort, he's going to come back! Haven't you read what it was like when he was first in power? There won't be a Hogwarts to be expelled from! It'll turn into a school of Dark Magic!"

"D'you think he's going to let you and your families go if Gryffindor wins the House Cup?" Harry interjected. "If I get caught, I'll go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to come find me there. At least I'll be able to delay him, because I'm not going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trap door tonight and nothing any of you say is going to stop me! He killed my parents!"

Harry glared at them.

"You're right Harry," Hermione said in a small voice.

"D'you think your Invisibility Cloak can cover all four of us, Harry?" asked Ron.

"What do you mean?" Harry looked startled.

"Oh, come off it! You don't think we'd let you go alone, do you?"

"How do you expect to get to the Stone without us? I'll go and look through my notes too, might have something useful..." said Hermione.

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me, secretly, that Ava and I got a hundred and twelve per cent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

-----
Hey everyone! So I came back home today! It's such a bittersweet feeling! Like, I want to be with my grandparents but I miss home. And also because my online school starts again tomorrow.

It's not even begun and I feel so exhausted that I'll cry! It's so frustrating!

But, as usual, I really hope you're enjoying the book so far! We're almost to the end of book 1 and book 2 will start just after it!

Thanks for reading!

Lots of love!

Always,
Ana