"Before we read, I think we should have a bit of lunch." said Dumbledore, hearing, not Ron's stomach, but Harry's.

"Really, Albus, you want people to eat, especially after what the chapter title is?" asked McGonagall in shock.

"I heard something that tells me it is time for lunch." said Dumbledore, nodding slightly in Harry's direction. McGonagall caught the subtle hint and nodded in agreement.

So the table was magicked back to the center of the room and people began to fill their golden plates with sandwiches and fruit. They wanted to eat quickly and get back to the readings, only the Rangers were refraining the repast. While everyone, (other than her comrades), were eating, Tempest was turning her gaze from Umbridge to Firenze.

It was Dr. Clark's turn to fetch their food this time, he chose only the choicest morsels of everything for Harry. He came back with three moderately full plates and one towering one for Harry. Harry stared at the mountain of food coming his way.

"If you don't finish it, you can snack on it as we go, and if you do finish it, you're gonna have one hell of a stomach ache." said Dr. Clark with a teasing smile.

"I think if I polish off a fourth of that, I'll have a stomach ache." said Harry staring at the plate.

When the twins finished their lunches, they tore open the book and jumped into the reading.

In years to come, Harry would never quite remember how he had managed to get through his exams when he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the doors at any moment.

"It wasn't very easy to concentrate when you're worried about getting killed before you finish question fourteen." said Harry with a small smile.

Sirius groaned and pulled Harry tight to him. "I could have gone my whole life without hearing you say that, and I would have been happy."

Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door.

"We kept checking on him to be safe." said Hermione.

"Good idea, whoever is after the stone, could have snuck down without you knowing." said Tempest approvingly.

It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. They had been given special, new quills for the exam, which had been bewitched with an Anit-Cheating spell.

"Your father, Lupin and Black tested them personally." said Dumbledore with a broad smile.

"What happened?" said Dennis eagerly.

"It sprayed their parchment with ink, Mr. Creevey. They had to start all over, with a whole new question layout." said McGonagall with a smirk.

"Well that just ruins all the fun." pouted George.

They had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called them one by one into his class to see if they could make a pineapple tapdance across a desk.

"His tests are always so much fun!" said Lavender happily. The rest of the students nodded in agreement and smiled at the blushing Charms professor.

Professor McGonagall watched them turn a mouse into a snuffbox-points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers.

"I still have mine!" said Hermione happily. Several other students nodded.

"Pitched mine." said Ron shrugging. Most of the students nodded in agreement, they also threw theirs away.

"I don't think I got mine back." said Harry thoughtfully. "Moment I did mine, she took it."

"I have it Mr. Potter, here." said McGonagall, reaching into her cloak. She walked over to Dumbledore and showed it to him.

"Oh my! Harry...you do have a fascination with lilies." whispered Dumbledore. Harry's cherry-wood snuffbox had a single lily decorating the top. But what the lily was composed of was what made it absolutelyexquisite.

The stem of the lily was made up of tiny emeralds each one the size of the head of a pin. The petals, that crowned the emerald stem, were made of minuscule rubies glittering with a hidden fire in each stone. The lowest ruby-encrusted petal had a single dewdrop, clinging to the petal a dewdrop in the form of an almond shaped opal. However, the dewdrop resembled more of a tear drop than anything else. The entire flower glinted and glimmered in the candlelight.

"I've never seen a seventh year, let alone a first year transfigure jewels on anything!" said McGonagall eagerly.

Snape stood up and looked over Dumbledore's shoulder. His breath was snatched clean out of his body, and his hand tightened on the locket in his cloak pocket.

Dumbledore passed it to the three in the bowl. Sirius, Remus and Dr. Clark stared at the box. They marveled at it and handed it between themselves.

Harry looked at it, "I didn't' even get to really see it when I made it. If you want, Professor McGonagall, you can keep it."

"I would love to, Mr. Potter. I've grown quite attached to it, and had forgotten to give it to you. That snuffbox should have told me that you were ready to take the W.A.N.D's tests." said Professor McGonagall shaking her head.

Hearing the word 'wands' a light clicked on in Hermione's head.

"Oh! I found out what W.A.N.D.S. stands for!" said Hermione quickly after examining the snuffbox eagerly. " It took me so long to find it, but I finally did! It stands for 'Warlocks Accomplishments Nearing Dusk's Set'. But I don't really know what that means." she said dejectedly.

"What that means, Miss Granger, is that the person taking the test, is almost completing his academic learning. 'Dawn' would be considered when you arrive here at school, 'Dusk' is when you have mastered what there is to master. Once he passes his W.A.N.D.S' test, he has the opportunity to take his M.A.G.I.C.S test. Once he takes the W.A.N.D.S. test, he is a full fledge scholar. In which grants him immense privileges, such as visiting other schools and having full access to their books and secrets" said Dumbledore with pride. "Despite not passing my W.A.N.D.S test yet, I've been given some privileges, due to my past experiences. By the way, have you discovered what M.A.G.I.C.S means yet, Miss Grangers." he asked with a smile.

"Not yet, sir. " said Hermione sadly.

"Fortunately, I have." said Dumbledore with a smile. "It stands for Magicians, Alchemists, Gnostics, Illusionists, Conjurors, and Sorcerers."

"It doesn't spell out what the test is like the other three." said Terry thoughtfully.

"Actually, it spells out what wizards who typically take that test becomes. Magicians are your most common type of wizard, they can do everything fairly well, compared to the Alchemists, Gnostics, Illusionists, and Conjurers who only focus on one or two practices. Alchemists deal mostly with potioneering and, obviously, alchemy. Gnostics deal mostly on spiritual matters, religion and such. Illusionists, well..they deal with illusions of course. Conjurers mostly forge things out of thin air with much more precision than most wizards can. Sorcerers are the most powerful of all, there is nothing they cannot do."

The students stared at their old Headmaster in shock. They thought their tests were hard, but if their headmaster, Albus Dumbledore, couldn't pass this test, what hope did Harry have to even think about passing!

"I think I will give the W.A.N.D.S another try this year, care to study with me Harry?" said Dumbledore with a bright smile.

"I would be very grateful sir, that test is starting to freak me out." said Harry honestly.

Fred and George had to slap themselves to get back to reading. They couldn't freak Harry out, but a test was going to?

Snape made them all nervous, breathing down their necks while they tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

"You always did love irony." said Remus looking over to Snape, who scowled.

Harry did the best he could, trying to ignore the stabbing pains in his forehead, which had been bothering him ever since his trip into the forest.

Harry absently rubbed his scar, it was hurting all the time again, but when he blocked his mind to the fullest extent, it didn't hurt much at all.

Neville thought Harry had a bad case of exam nerves because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth was that Harry kept being woken by his old nightmare, except that it was now worse than ever because there was a hooded figure dripping blood in it.

Sirius pulled Harry towards him a little further and Dr. Clark adjusted the blankets.

"If you want to take a nap, cub, you can." said Sirius quietly.

"I just might at some point." said Harry with a yawn.

Maybe it was because they hadn't seen what Harry had seen in the forests, or because they didn't have scars burning on their foreheads, but Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry.

"Children shouldn't be worried about anything except tests." said Tempest looking haughty. The adults nodded in agreement, while Harry rolled his eyes.

"I would love to only have to worry about tests, but with my life, that doesn't happen." said Harry bitterly.

"Careful lad, you don't want to pick a fight with her. She's a jailer." said Lionus warningly. "They're the most vicious."

The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them, but he didn't keep visiting them in dreams, and they were so busy with their studying they didn't' t have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to.

"Kinda gives you a clue that Harry doesn't find the tests all that difficult. He wasn't worried about the tests at all." said Ron.

Their very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and they'd be free,

The students, nor the staff and guests couldn't keep themselves from laughing. It was an apt description of the class, to be perfectly honest.

free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Harry couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"He never notices that we're cheering, just ignores us." said Fred shaking his head.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfric the Eager."

"I should hope not Miss Granger, those are learned in your third year." said McGonagall with her eyes wide.

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him fell ill,

"Not really." said Ron with a small smile.

so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. The Weasely twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"A what?" asked Dr. Clark.

"Yeah, Octavius is awesome! If someone falls in, he'll go right over and save you!" said Dennis excitedly.

"And Oct loves being tickled. Just a big lovable lug." said George.

"Take a guess who trained him." said Dumbledore with a broad smile.

"I'm guessing Hagrid." said Harry snuggling down in the covers.

"Very good, Harry...oh!" said Dumbledore, seeing Harry almost falling asleep. "Why don't you take a rest, we'll carry on."

"Sounds..." he yawned hugely "...good to me." he said, finally succumbing to sleep.

"You'd best give those three a strong calming draught, so they don't awaken him. "said Dumbledore to Snape, tilting his head to the three in the bowl.

Each of them were given the strongest calming draught Snape had. Dr. Clark wasn't too sure what to make of himself drinking a potion, it wasn't the most pleasant thing he's ever tasted, but it wasn't all that bad. He felt himself become more easygoing, and calmer.

Dumbledore gave the twins the go-ahead to continue on with the story.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

"You weren't worried about your exams at all were you?" said Hermione shrewdly.

"Nah, I knew I did alright. We both knew you knocked it out window, Harry was kind of aiming to get an 'E' in everything." said Ron.

"And so he did if I remember correctly. A dead-on 'Exceeds Expectations' in every class." said Dumbledore thinking back.

"Very impressive, aiming for a certain grade at the age of eleven." said Nightstrike. "Remind you of anyone, Captain?"

"Indeed, Nightstrike. He is much like myself." said Lionus with a cryptic smile.

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily.

"SILENCE!" shouted Tempest, backhanding Umbridge who had mumbled something.

"Now see here!..." shouted Fudge, he had had enough.

Nightstrike whipped out a long sword and placed it to Fudge's throat. "SIr, Tempest and I have authorization to kill anyone we see fit. We've been very meek so far. Don't push your luck."

Fudge gulped loudly and felt his throat move against the cold, sharp steel.

"I really like those two." mumbled Fred to Lee.

"My scar keeps hurting-it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"Not even she can help, I'm sorry to say." said Dumbledore with a downcast look.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning...it means danger's coming..."

"Very astute." said Dumbledore to the sleeping form.

"I still can't get over the fact he doesn't snore." said Sirius.

"Why is that?" asked Ron.

"His dad sounded like a bloody, roaring dragon when he slept." said Lupin, shaking his head.

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot.

"All Weasely men are like that." said Mrs. Weasely shaking her head, while Ginny rolled her eyes. "When it gets to be hot, they can't seem to work."

"Or much of anything else." said Ginny.

The Weasely men all pouted playfully, while the two Weasely women laughed loudly.

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry.

"That had happened months ago though, so he could have been ready for another go." said Ron quietly.

And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down."

Several people laughed.

Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a lurking feeling that there was something he'd forgotten to do, something important. When he tried to explain this, Hermione said, "That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one."

"He doesn't often forget things, especially important things, but when he does, he'll freak out until he remembers." said Ron.

Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling didn't have anything to do with work, though. He watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in it's mouth.

"Nothing escapes those brilliant green eyes." said Dumbledore beaming.

"Is that the letter...?" asked Hermione.

"It was indeed, Miss Granger." nodded Dumbledore.

Hagrid was the only one who ever sent him letters. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyone how to get past Fluffy...never...but-

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"And here is the...what did you call it sir...epiphany?" said Ron excitedly.

"Where're you going?" said Ron sleepily.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"The smallest thing will set him off like that, some little fact or phrase. Bit annoying really, cause we can't see the connection till he explains it fully." said Ron.

"Why?" panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"Wow...he put that all together by watching an owl fly overhead?" said Ernie stunned.

"What are you talking about?" said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds towards the forest didn't answer.

"He was so fast, even faster than what the scroll showed him!" said Hermione thinking back to that day.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time for a drink?"

"It was pumpkin juice, mom." said Ron exasperated, before his mom could accuse Hagrid of anything.

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Good question, and good job keeping your visit straight and to the point." said Moody approvingly.

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn't take his cloak off."

He saw the three of them look stunned and raised his eyebrows.

"Who plays cards with someone they can't identify?" asked Hermione rolling her eyes. The adult males in the room, except for Dr. Clark, raised their hands, shockingly even Tempest raised hers. She stared at each of them.

"You're all mental." she scolded.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head-that's one o' the pubs down in the village.

"If you want a quiet drink, you go there, anything else, you better go to the Three Broomsticks." said Sirius with a wink over to Hermione, who shuffled her feet.

Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"You never know, it could have been, but I kinda doubt it, if Harry's this concerned." said Charlie.

Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas.

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah...he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here...He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after...so I told him...an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon...an' then...I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks...

"That should have been your first clue to bail on that guy, Hagrid." said Tonks carefully.

Let's see...yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted...

"He just happened to have a dragon egg on him, and he would play cards for it?" said Charlie weakly. "Man, Hagrid, you must have been tanked to agree to that."

"So that's the second clue to bail, third if you count not seeing his face." said Tonks keeping track.

but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home...

"Most dragon dealers don't give a damn about the dragons, Hagrid." said Charlie faintly, shaking his head.

"Clue four." said Tonks.

So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he-did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well-yeah-how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-"

"Oh, crap." moaned Fred.

"You did tell someone how to get past Fluffy." groaned George slapping his forehead.

"And now these three know." whined Fred.

"And now they need to save the world." sighed George.

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey-where're yeh goin'?"

"Off to save humanity and small animals from a fate worse than death." said George dramatically.

Firenze looked at them questioningly and whispered to Dumbledore.

"They are very...odd." said Firenze quietly.

"So they are, so they are." said Dumbledore with a broad smile.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione didn't speak to each other at all until they came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak-it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk.

"Don't be offended, Hagrid. You can just about anything out of anybody when they're drunk enough." said Lupin reassuringly. "Right, Sirius?"

"Shut up." said Sirius quickly.

"What did he tell you?" asked Dr. Clark with a smirk.

"He'll kill me if I tell you." said Remus quietly.

I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him.

"He would have stopped me. And I suppose I would have...'backed you up'." said Firenze calmly.

"Good, I knew I liked you." said Tempest with a broad smile.

Firenze jumped slightly and beamed towards Tempest.

"Ever notice that when she speaks, he switches from calm and bored, to happy and excitable?" said George to Fred quietly.

"Yeah, flipping hilarious, that is." said Fred trying not to laugh out loud.

Where's Dumbledore's office?"

"Gee, we don't even know. We always draw the line just before we get into really big trouble." said Fred looking over at George.

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction.

"You never can tell with Hogwarts." said Lupin with a smile.

They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.

"We really should show the first year students where my office resides. That way if they have an issue, and they wish to talk to me directly, they can come and see me." said Dumbledore to McGonagall.

"I think that is a very good idea, Albus. It would put some of the students' mind at ease, knowing they can come to you if they have a serious problem." said McGonagall.

"We'll just have to-" Harry began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you three doing inside?"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Harry and Ron thought.

"Normally you say 'please'." said Ron to Hermione.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do. "Why?"

"'Fishy?' To want to come and speak to me?" said Dumbledore with a confused smile.

"Well...I..." said McGonagall trying her best to explain, but sadly, she was failing.

Harry swallowed-now what?

"It's sort of secret," he said, but he wished at once he hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"She hates it when students keep things from her." said Sirius with a smile.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"The owl Harry saw must have been the one with the letter!" said Dean quickly.

"Harry told us that too, after we talked to McGonagall." said Ron.

"He's gone?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time-"

"But none as important as the students of my school." said Dumbledore sternly. Professor McGonagall looked down.

"But this is important."

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, Potter?"

"Anything he has to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic." said Sirius importantly.

Fudge wanted to speak, but was silenced by the look in Madam Bones' eyes.

"Look," said Harry, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor-it's about the Sorcerer's Stone-"

"That'll get her attention." said Fred with a smirk.

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that.

"It most certainly wasn't! No one, let alone three first years were supposed to know about it!" said McGonagall.

The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

Fred and George stared at Harry.

"We've said about a thousand things, trying to get a response out of her..." said George.

"And you say what," said Fred, looking at the book and counting the words. "seven words and you get her so stunned that drops her books?" finished Fred looking insulted.

"How do you know-?" she spluttered.

"We hate you." said George simply to Harry, who didn't hear him, on account he was still sleeping.

"Professor, I think-I know-that Sn-that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed him with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"That look didn't make us feel any better." said Hermione.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"That's what you think." chanted Ron and Hermione.

"But Professor-"

"Potter, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books. "I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

"How can we, if we're worried about the Stone being stolen." said Ron rolling his eyes.

But they didn't.

"Duh!" said the people who knew the trio personally, the number of people who knew them so well, was growing with each passing chapter.

"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"It was." said Dumbledore and Fudge together.

"But what can we-"

Hermione gasped. Harry and Ron wheeled round.

Snape was standing there.

"Oooh! Not good." said the twins wincing.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

"Pfft, when does he say that and mean it?" said Dean to Neville.

They stared at him.

"He never said that to us before, didn't really know what to say." said Ron.

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

"We were-"Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

"What are you going to do?" asked Sirius leaning forward, being careful not to wake Harry up. "Take points off for not being outside during free time?"

Snape only snarled back at him.

Harry flushed.

"You can't hide that if you're Harry. He's so damned pale that it shows up easily." said Sirius caressing Harry's cheek with a finger. Still asleep, he moved his hand to swat Sirius' finger away. The ones who saw it, laughed and cooed quietly.

They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.

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

He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.

"Be warned Snape," mimicked Sirius threateningly, the strength of his calming draught lessening quickly, "you harass my cub for any reason I'll throw you to Fluffy and lock the door!"

Snape stared at Sirius, turning a pale white.

Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the others.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape-wait outside the staffroom and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."

"Why me?"

"You wouldn't look out of place, asking questions about the tests." said Moody looking over to her.

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen bwrong..."

"I didn't say it like that! It was more like this..." and Ron repeated his falsetto voice and the rest of the school could hardly contain their laughter.

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. "Come on."

But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had they reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again

"Harry didn't plan on her coming to check on Fluffy." said Ron loudly.

and this time, she lost her temper.

"Oh, heaven help you guys." moaned Sirius, Lupin, Fred and George.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" she stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own House!"

McGonagall wringed her hands nervously. She feared, that by not believing him and not taking him seriously, she had ruined whatever trust she was building with the young boy.

"Harry knew you meant well, Minerva." said Dumbledore, knowing her fears. "And he does trust you."

Harry and Ron went back to the common room. Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.

"She's not on his tail anymore." said Tonks.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Wondered where you went to." said Flitwick with a chuckle.

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

The other two stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.

"That's his, 'My life be damned' look. He's planning several different things in his head, all having to do with saving someone, or something." said Ron with a grin.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

The Calming Draught was really kicking into high gear now, the three in the bowl were frightened, but they merely accepted the fact that, Harry was lying on top of them, and he was perfectly fine.

"You're mad!" said Ron.

"You can't!" said Hermione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"Shoot!" said Fred reading on.

"I want to leap into this book and join him." said George, reading ahead as well.

"He has a wonderful way of drawing you in." said Fred.

"Don't interrupt us, until we give you the go ahead." said George to the rest of the hall.

"SO WHAT?" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through the trapdoortonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

"There you go. What do you think of that?" asked Fred.

Dumbledore stared at the sleeping form. "You are right, you do want to leap into the book and join in the battle."

Sirius bent low and kissed the top of his messy head. "At least you got out of this mess in one piece."

McGonagall stared at the three in the bowl. Her heart was going about a mile a minute, and yet...they sit there, as calm as could be. "I take it, the Draught you gave them was amazingly strong." she said looking over to Snape.

"Delayed reaction one, makes it last longer, and yes, it was one of the strongest ones I had." said Snape with a smirk.

He glared at them.

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

"He's more than right." said Moody approvingly.

"He'd make a wonderful Minister." said Madam Bones with a bright smile.

"Here now!" said Fudge irritably.

"I'll use the Invisibility Cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"Or planned." said Lupin, his now calm eyes were flashing from serenity to anger and fear.

"Severus, I do believe that they are inadvertently casting off the Calming Draughts." said Dumbledore, noticing the same occurrences in the two other men's eyes.

"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.

"All-all three of us?"

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

"He always thinks he going to go on alone. Never thinks we intend to stick by him." said Ron and Hermione.

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful..."

"Thankfully I went through those books, that's where I read about the second obstacle." said Hermione quietly to Ron.

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

"Why does he have to be so selfless?" moaned Hermione.

"I fear that living with the Dursleys have given him the feeling that his life is worthless, as opposed to how we feel it to be most valuable." said Dumbledore sadly. "We must do what we can to rectify that, but not in a way that makes us appear to merely just pity him."

"Yeah, that's one of things he hates the most, pity." said Ron quietly.

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

"If you take part in something bad enough, you could be expelled, Miss Granger." said Dumbledore kindly. "But no, chances are, that Professor Flitwick would defend you to the very end."

"I would, too." squeaked Professor Flitwick with a smile.

After dinner

"None of you ate very much, you two picked at your food, but Harry was eating a lot of bread though." said Neville thinking out loud.

"The carbs in the bread would have given him energy to burn for whatever he planned on doing." said Dr. Clark to Neville.

the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it.

"I was crying almost every night, so was Hermione, Harry didn't have a single tear coming down though, I heard some of the sixth years call him 'heartless.'" said Neville.

"Give me their names, if you can, and I'll set them straight myself." said Dumbledore with the twinkle gone from his eyes, now they held a sort of fiery power behind them.

"Well, after this all ended, they went up and apologized to him, he ignored them though." said Neville with a smile.

"Hmmm..." said Dumbledore thoughtfully, then smiled. "Giving them a taste of their own medicine."

Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.

"Harry was giving me some small notes, with plans on them. Like what to do if something specific were to happen. Like if there was a troll or something like that. He had about forty plans or so. At least those were the ones he told me about." said Ron with a smile.

Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning.

"Lee, Fred and George were the only ones who even remotely nice to us." said Hermione bitterly.

Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory. He pulled out the cloak and then his eyes fell on the flute Hagrid had given him for Christmas. He pocketed it to use on Fluffy-he didn't' feel much like singing.

"That's too bad." said Luna sadly, yet serenely.

He ran back down to the common room.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us-if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along its own-"

"That would be a very bad thing." said Fred with a smile.

"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though, he'd been making another bid for freedom.

Neville laughed along with most of the other students.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"Very good! Nev, you win a Kewpie doll!" said Fred he took a cup and transfigured it into a small, winged, baby-like doll.

Neville took it graciously.

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

"It actually is, it's really important." said Fred.

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll-I'll fight you!"

"Say what? You were going to fight them?" asked Tonks incredulously.

"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot-"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"I don't think they meant that you fight them!" moaned Bill.

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

"No offense, Neville, but I'd love to see you or anyone try and stop one of Harry's kicks." said Ron with a smirk.

"Kicks?" asked Kingsley curiously.

"Kicks like a hippogriff, he does." said Ron rubbing his chin. "Says he's been strengthening up his legs for running and other things."

"If he had the spare time, he could win some major awards in kickboxing." said Lionus with a smirk.

"Have you been stalking him or something?" asked Tonks scrutinizing the Ranger Captain.

"You'll find out later." said Lionus with cryptic smile.

"I'm getting tired of that statement and that smile." whispered Tonks to Remus.

Harry turned to Hermione.

"Do something," he said desperately.

"Why did he want her to do something?" asked Lavender indignantly.

"Harry didn't want to hurt Neville, and we really didn't learn any charms or hexes in our classes to knock him out with, he didn't want to let on that he knew a lot more than what Hermione thought he did." said Ron quickly.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

"Pertrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

"So you were the one who did it? I would have thought Harry..." said Percy thoughtfully.

Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

"I didn't expect you to stand up to me!" said Neville with a small smile. "I wanted you guys to just listen to me and go back to bed."

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain." said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the Invisibility Cloak.

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them.

"That's what you get for attacking people." said Fred with mock dignity. "Paranoia."

At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

"Oh, give her a good kick." moaned George eagerly.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head.

"He really is a gentleman." said Alicia sighing.

As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

The students released a long sigh of relief.

Suddenly crackles and pops could be heard from the bowl. Finally a loud bang was heard and the bowl overturned itself. The bowl was covering the three men and the sleeping teen, like a retreated turtle.

The bowl, suddenly flipped itself right and Harry stood, his wand pointing straight ahead of him looking quickly from side to side.

"What happened?" asked Harry quickly.

"It seems your 'uncles' fought off their calming draughts unintentionally." said Dumbledore with a smile. He magicked the bowl back to where it was, while the men scrambled to stand. "It was an odd time to do it though. I would have thought that it would have happened during a more hazardous part."

"Him almost getting caught might have been the twig that broke the hippogriff's back." said Luna dreamily.

"Sorry about that." said Sirius scratching the back of his head, looking embarrassed.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Nice." said Dr. Clark smiling and shaking his head and rubbing his now bruised side.

"You still like him don't you?" said Sirius, looking at him in wonder. He conjured up an icepack and placed it lightly against the bump on his head.

"Who's there?" he said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

"He always had a fascination for rhymes." said Remus shaking his head and massaging his shoulder.

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Harry had a sudden idea.

"Peeves," he said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

The entire school went quiet.

"That...is...AWESOME!" yelled Fred.

"Why didn't we think of that?" said Sirius angrily.

"If your father were here, he'd be doing backflips. His son, is a true prankster." said Remus a tear in his eye.

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, you bloodiness, Mr. Baron, sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake-I didn't see you-of course I didn't, you're invisible-forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," croaked Harry. "Stay away from this placetonight."

"Geez, I really wish we had thought of it." pouted Sirius.

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he scooted off.

"Brilliant, Harry!" whispered Ron.

"More than just brilliant." said Sirius proudly.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor-and the door was already ajar.

"Oh yeah, Stone's safe alright." said Dean rolling his eyes.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all three of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other two.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't you dare leave him alone." said Remus growling. "Better yet, don't go in there."

"Should I break the news to him?" said Harry to Ron and Hermione in a serious tone.

"What?" said Remus hurriedly.

"We go in there." said Harry teasingly.

"I don't need to be teased right now." said Remus angrily.

"Just thought I'd raise your spirits, can't happen now I guess." said Harry rolling his eyes.

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.

Harry pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"Well, at least you don't get killed right on the spot." Seamus laughed weakly.

"What's that at it's feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."

"Definitely wasn't Snape then, he's not a harp kinda guy." muttered Sirius with a small smile.

"Definitely not." drawled Snape.

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."

He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune,

"Actually that was the first time I played the flute, I've played it almost once a week ever since." said Harry with a large smile.

but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased-it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Well that was kinda easy." said Dennis eagerly.

"Yeah...easy..." groaned the three fifth years rolling their eyes.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry

"Didn't need to tell me twice." said Harry with a smile.

as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads.

"Be careful now." moaned Mr. Weasely, who was consoling his wife, who was crying loudly once again.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"I think 'Ladies first' doesn't' apply to this, Mr. Weasely." said Dumbledore with a small smile.

"No, I don't!"

"Don't blame you." said Ginny.

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Nothing-just black-there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

"Oh, no!" moaned Mrs. Weasley.

Harry who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.

"Don't tell me you volunteered to be the first one to drop!" groaned Dr. Clark.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

"You were doing pretty good about being in charge, Ron." said Harry with smile.

Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.

Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. There was no sign of the bottom.

"I wouldn't fall down that." said Fred with a shudder.

He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Ron and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," said Ron.

"See you in a minute, I hope..."

"You that's some upper body strength, Harry." whistled Lee.

"It's just he's so light." growled Madam Pomfrey.

And Harry let go.

Several people gasped loudly. Mrs. Weasely took a tighter hold of her husband and moaned.

Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and-

FLUMP.

"Flump?" asked Sirius, who was covering his eyes, peeked through his fingers.

"Hey," said George.

"We didn't write it." said Fred defensively.

"Oh dear." whispered Professor Sprout in horror, she knew what it was that Harry landed on.

With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.

"Oh dear, oh dear." moaned Professor Sprout.

"It's okay!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp,

No it's not! thought Professor Sprout frantically.

which was the open trapdoor. "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Ron followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Harry.

"What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Good idea to ask, once you've already landed in it." said Charlie with a small laugh.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"

The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.

"How did you get the flute back?" asked Luna.

"I had to go back several days later and get it." said Harry simply.

"What did you use to put the dog to sleep?" asked Luna.

"I sang that time." said Harry with an embarrassed smile.

"What song?" asked Cho eagerly.

"I don't want to say, you lot might ask me to sing it." said Harry quickly.

"We must be miles under the school," she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"

"Dear lord, now what?" cried Tonks.

She leapt up and struggled toward the damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

"What the hell is that thing?" yelled Bill.

"It's Devil's Snare!" cried Professor Sprout.

"What the...dear god..." moaned Charlie.

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

"Well, Harry wasn't too nervous about being in that predicament." said Luna calmly.

"How do you know?" asked Hannah anxiously.

"He was still examining his surroundings." said Luna dreamily.

Hermione opened and closed her mouth several times. Then she looked over to Harry slowly.

"Could you have saved us?" she said faintly.

"Only if you couldn't." said Harry quietly. "And only in the beginning."

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is-it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Bill! I'm fine!" shouted Ron as his oldest brother enveloped him in a tight hug.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"FIRE! LIGHT A GOD-DAMNED FIRE!" shouted Remus.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"HURRY UP! HARRY'S GOING TO DIE!" shouted Dr. Clark.

"SO IS RON!" yelled Bill.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare...what did Professor Sprout say?-it likes the dark and damp-"

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"It was the only hint I could cough up." said Harry simply. "And I'm not too sure I would have been able to help at that point." he said humbly.

"Yes-of course-but there's no wood!" Hermione cried wringing her hands.

"Have you gone mad? Are you a witch or not?" shouted Malfoy loudly.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

Ron and Malfoy groaned loudly. The school, despite the danger happening in the book, couldn't help but give a small laugh.

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of second, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

"At least that obstacle is conquered. Please tell me that is the hardest one." pleaded Sirius.

"Um...one of the five hardest ones." said Harry carefully.

"Five?" said Sirius, then he ticked off the challenges that he remembered Hagrid mentioning earlier in the book. "Out of seven challenges? Well, the odds aren't with you at all then." he finished, his face was ghostly pale.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"Lucky you don't lose your head when you're in danger, boy." said Lionus with a smile.

"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis-

Lionus laughed out loud while Ron blushed.

"Seems like the some children aren't completely hopeless." said Lionus with a laugh.

'there no wood,' honestly."

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

"Not much choice in direction." said Harry with a smile.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward, and Harry was reminded of Gringotts. With an unpleasant jolt of the heart, he remembered the dragons said to be guarding vaults in the wizards' bank. If they met a dragon, a fully-grown dragon-Norbert had been bad enough...

"Wondered why you told us to walk quieter, and why you kept putting you hand down on the ground...why did you put your hand on the ground by the way?" asked Ron questioningly.

"I was feeling for vibrations, if something large was stomping around down the way, I wanted to know about it. BEFORE we stumbled on it." said Harry calmly.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Harry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"I don't know...sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead-I can see something moving."

"Who said what?" asked Ginny inquisitively.

Harry, Ron and Hermione looked between each other.

"Ron said the ghost one I think." said Harry thoughtfully.

Hermione paused. "Harry said the one about the wings."

"And Hermione," said Ron. "noticed the light."

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"What the heck are you supposed to do with the birds?" asked Blaise curiously.

"They aren't birds." said Harry with a pensive look.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once...well, there's no other choice...I'll run."

"Why do you keep insisting on going first?" said Remus with a large sigh.

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched.

"Thankfully." sighed Sirius.

He pulled the handle, but it was locked.

"Go figure." said Angelina.

"Alohomora Charm should open it up!" said Colin excitedly.

The other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm.

"Oh, never mind then." said Colin sadly.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds...they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering-glittering?

They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're key! Winged keys-look carefully. So that must mean..." he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys.

"We still didn't see it." said Hermione and Ron.

"...yes-look Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!"

"That challenge is designed to keep them there forever, until they give up completely." said Flitwick.

"That is the one thing about humans that I cannot possibly understand. Flying, I like to keep all four hooves on the ground." said Firenze.

"I find flying invigorating, actually." said Tempest with a smirk.

"How can, um...you fly?" asked Ernie, hoping not to sound insulting.

She gazed at him, then snapped her fingers. A large pair of white, feathered wings emerged from the sides of her Irish cob body. She smiled smugly at the shocked looks on students, and other guests.

"Where did you get the wings?" asked Firenze weakly.

"Rangers, who take the rank of lieutenant or higher, have the option of undergoing surgery. Some have their bodies altered, things taken, or added. My wings are invisible for the most part." said Tempest caressing her wings. "Took seven months of painful training to get my wings strong enough to lift me off the ground. I don't stop training them either, they can now take me on flights that last more than twelve hours at a time."

"Wow..." said a few students.

Ron examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one-probably silver, like the handle."

"Hmmm...maybe I should have changed the color of the key." said Flitwick thoughtfully.

They each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

"That complicates things a bit." said Dr. Clark with a worried look.

Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhold.

"That seems to be the one." said Charlie.

"Seems my challenge didn't slow down the villain at all." said Flitwick sadly.

"That one!" he called to the others. "That big one-there-no, there-with bright blue wings-the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

Ron went speeding in the direction that Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.

"Well that didn't work very well." said Remus with a small smile.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not talking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above-Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down-and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

"You looked like a flipping comet chasing after that thing." said Ron, cheering along with the rest of the school.

They landed quickly and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned-it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

Harry stood up and walked over to Dumbledore and whispered in his ear: "How did you get past all the challenges so quickly, sir?" Harry asked.

"I didn't need to complete any of them, I merely radiated my aura and made all the enchantments, flora and fauna shrink back." whispered Dumbledore back, smiling brightly.

"Cheater." said Harry with a fake pout.

"Ready?" Harry asked the other two, his hand on the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly-the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"They normally have faces." said Ron quietly.

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

"Oh dear! If it's Wizard Chess..." moaned Mrs. Weasely.

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"I hate to tell you this ma'am, but that definitely means it's Wizard Chess." said Lionus to Mrs. Weasely carefully.

"Do we-er-have to join you to get across?"

The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.

"This needs thinking about..."he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."

Professor Snape had to hand Mr. Weasely a calming draught for his wife.

Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess-"

"Trust me, we weren't offended. Neither one of us could ever hope to beat you in chess, we were happy to let you take over." said Harry and Hermione with broad smiles.

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go next to him instead of that castle."

If I knew more about chess, I could figure out if Harry was in a good position or not. thought Dr. Clark fretfully.

"What about you?"

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

"You always loved that piece, you always have him win the whole game." said Bill with a smile.

"Not always." said Ron carefully.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening because at these words a knight, a bishop, and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving three empty squares that Harry, Ron, and Hermione took.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes...look..."

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?

"Sorry, Ron. I should have had more faith in you." said Harry apologetically.

"Don't worry mate, it's one thing to play Wizard Chess while you are just directing them where to go. It's another thing competely to be one of the pieces." said Ron wisely.

"Harry-move diagonally four squares to the right."

Their first really shock came when their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

Mrs. Weasely whimpered. The Calming Draught was working hard to keep her quiet.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall.

"Oh, no..." moaned Mrs. Weasely into her husband's shirt.

Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger.

"At least you were keeping track of them. You must have had several things attracting your attention." said Dumbledore approvingly.

"Just barely got to them in time." mumbled Ron humbly.

He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

"GO RON!" cheered the twins, Ron's ears went a bright red.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly, "Let me think-let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes..." said Ron softly, "it's the only way...I've got to be taken."

"WHAT? NO, RON!" shouted the twins when they reread the last thing Ron had said.

"Ronald Bilius Weasely, Don't you dare!" shouted Mrs. Weasely crying loudly. Her Calming Draught breaking down at last.

Professor Snape looked at his phials of remaining Calming Draught. "I'm going to have to rebrew more. These aren't as strong as I thought they were."

"How can you even think about letting yourself be taken!" shrieked Ginny. "You're going to get hurt!" she clamped her hands together in a pleading way.

"It's chess! You've got to let pieces get taken, that's the only way you win!" said Ron loudly.

"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me-that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"Oh, Ron." moaned Remus. "I'm going to say the same thing to you, I have the unsettling feeling that I'm going to say to Harry about a hundred times. Please don't do anything dangerous ever again."

"Um...from now on? Or from this point in the book, on?" asked Ron innocently.

Remus groaned. I don't need to hear that." he said shaking his head. Mrs. Weasely wimpered again.

"But-"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron-"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Harry would have come up with a plan!" said Colin eagerly.

"Not really, I suck at chess. If Ron couldn't figure out a way to save all three of us. What hope did I have?" said Harry plainly.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go-now, don't hang around once you've won."

"Oh, Ron! You're so noble!" cooed Lavender.

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor-

Mr. and Mrs. Weasely stood up quickly and took their youngest son into a great hug. Bill was rocking back and forth his arms clamped together, knuckles whitened. Charlie was staring at Ron, making sure that Ron didn't suddenly disappear, or fade away. Fred and George gulped loudly and kept looking at their brother, with new respect in their eyes. Ginny started shaking so horribly that Harry had to get up out of the bowl and wrapped an arm around her.

"Get back here." said Sirius, who was pale.

"What about Ginny?" asked Harry, a little short-tempered.

"Bring her over." said Sirius simply.

Harry helped Ginny to her feet and while the men in the bowl shifted themselves. Sirius moved over so Harry could sit beside him, and Ginny sat beside Harry.

"You two dating yet?" asked Dr. Clark, with a mischievous smile, but like the other three, he was still pale.

"When have I had time to ask her out?" said Harry with raised eyebrows.

"What's stopping you from asking her now?" said Sirius with a small smile.

Harry stared at him, and then picked up Ginny's hand. It was trembling. "I'll wait till after this book is done."

Harry magicked the phoenix blanket over to him and he draped it over her and himself. Ginny didn't even notice Harry pulling her close. When she did take notice, she gave Harry a weak smile and they both held hands under the covers.

"You mess with her..." warned Fred, noticing where his sister was sitting.

"I wouldn't dare, I actually like living." said Harry with a smile. "But let's get back to Ron."

Hermione screamed but stayed on her square-the white queen dragged Ron to one side.

The good mood was immediately squashed. Mrs. Weasely moaned in her son's red hair.

He looked as if he'd been knocked out.

"That was all that was wrong with him." said Madam Pomfrey. "A slight concussion, and a bruise or two. He was all right after an hour of sleep in the hospital wing, Molly." She succeeded in trying to calm the woman's fears.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

"I remember Harry having to shout at me, I wanted to go and see to Ron, but he reminded me that we were still playing." said Hermione quietly.

The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.

"You didn't even check to see if he was alright?" screeched Mrs. Weasely. Hermione and Harry shuffled their feet guiltily. Ron quickly came to their defense:

"Mom! I was fine! I told them to leave me and go! If they hadn't I would of been pissed at them. We needed to save the Stone." said Ron angrily

"What if he's-?"

"He'll be all right," said Harry, trying to convince himself,

"At least they just didn' t take off, mom and not give him a second thought." said Fred, trying to calm his angry mother.

"What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the key; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's..."

They had reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered.

"Go on."

Harry pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

Sirius sighed with relief, "Well, that was easy, whoever is..." , he suddenly stopped. "The person after the stone is still ahead." he finished quietly.

Fred and George just about dropped the book. They hadn't thought of that.

Ginny looked up at Harry quickly. "Do you get out of it alright."

"I get out just fine. I'm right here, aren't I?" he said with a smile.

Two pairs of eyes stared angrily at the two of them in the bowl. Not so much towards the young man, but the young girl with him. Cho and a fourth year Gryffindor were far from happy.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."

He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next-but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven different shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple.

"That's a Teleportal fire. Step in that, without the proper potion and you'll just be dropped right back into that same room. Only you'll be dropped from a height of ten feet." said Bill quietly.

At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward.

"Don't touch that one! Touching that fire will kill you! Unless you have the proper potion, but you guys didn't know that was down there! How can you possibly get through?" cried Bill loudly.

They were trapped.

"You really are!" moaned Charlie, his brother Bill was shaking violently.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever one you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end,

But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

"Wow! I don't I can figure it out without looking at the bottles!" whistled Terry.

"Who figured this one out?" asked Neville.

"It'll tell you." said Harry with a smile.

Hermione let out a great sigh and Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing.

"Brilliant," said Hermione. "This isn't magic-it's logic-a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

"But so will we, won't we?"

"I may be slightly book smart, I have no logic skills. I'm good when it comes to practical obstacles, I'm good. Words on paper however...leave me out of it. I tried my hand at it before she answered. I would have killed us both I think." said Harry with a weak laugh.

"Which ones did you pick out to be the ones that would send us on?" asked Hermione.

"Middle one and the first one, I think it was." said Harry thinking back.

"We would only have had a bottle of nettle wine each to drink with you choosing." said Hermione with a smile.

"PARTY!" yelled the twins. They began to dance in place, however, their mother glared at them so fiercely that they ceased immediately.

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire-toward the Stone."

"Took me a whole month to come up with that riddle and an eleven year old girl solves it, in under a minute!" snarled Professor Snape.

"Don't be too upset, Severus. If you remember, you handed that puzzle and a photograph of the potion bottles to myself, Minerva and Filius. None of us could get the correct answer in less than two days." said Dumbledore with a smile. "Miss Granger just has a very logical mind, and she was twelve, not eleven."

Hermione blushed heavily.

"Makes no difference." spat Snape.

Harry looked down at the tiny bottle.

They looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?"

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy-go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore,

"My escape plan for her and Ron kept changing with each passing room." said Harry with a slight smile.

"What about your escape plan?" asked Sirius quickly.

"I thought I could hold him off from using the Stone. At least until Dumbledore would arrive." said Harry honestly. "And I would leave with Dumbledore."

"Did he leave with you?" asked Remus.

"He did." said Dumbledore choosing his words carefully.

we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

Snape stared at him, Snape knew it wasn't him that was after the Stone, of course. But Potter...despite knowing that he couldn't contend against a Dark Wizard (as Potter thought he was) he still went on alone. Not, taking Miss Granger so that he may show off in front of her, but sending her out of harm's way. He had seriously misjudged Harry Potter.

"But Harry-what if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well-I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."

Dumbledore looked down sadly. He knew Harry didn't mean that.

Hermione's lip trembled and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

"What the...?" said George looking between the two of them.

"Read on." said Harry.

"Hermione!"

"Harry-you're a great wizard, you know."

"Aww tender moment, before more horrible things happen." said Fred.

"Sounds like a plot to a play doesn't it?" smiled George condescendingly.

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

"She can never be as good a wizard as you." said Ginny brightly.

"Why do you say that?" said Harry confused.

"She's not a boy." said Ginny with a smile. Hermione laughed loudly, as did the rest of the girls in the Great Hall. Even Tempest laughed gaily, she laughed harder when she saw Harry blushing heavily.

"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness!

"I didn't catch on to what you realized, Ginny!" said Hermione still laughing.

There are more important things-friendship and bravery

"She has a point, Harry. You knew more about friendship and bravery than any other eleven year old I had ever seen. And more importantly, you were never taught those things." said Dumbledore happily.

"I was shown what both of those things." said Harry quietly. "Officer McFinn showed me."

"It's one thing to be taught, another thing entirely to put it into practice." said Firenze wisely.

and-oh Harry-be careful!"

"Worry wart. Harry's always careful!" said George.

"Except for when he's in danger." added Fred.

"Which is all the time." said George.

"So...nope your right, better warn him to be careful." said both the twins with large grins on their faces.

"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

It's not poison?" said Harry anxiously.

"No-but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"So Potter, you knew the potion required to get past the purple flames has a twenty second time limit." said Snape with widened eyes.

"I had read about transporting flames." said Harry with a smile. "And not the Floo Powder kind."

"Good luck-take care-"

"GO!"

Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.

Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames.

"Here I come," he said, and he drained the little bottle in one gulp.

"Yeah, yeah, we already established the fact that I was Drama King." said Harry with a smile.

It was indeed as though ice was flooding through his body. He put the bottle down and walked forward; he braced himself, saw the black flames licking his body, but he couldn't feel them-for a moment he could see nothing but fire-then he was on the other side, in the last chamber.

There was already someone there-but it wasn't Snape. It wasn't even Voldemort.

"Who was it?" asked several fourth years and under gasped. The adults leaned forward in their chairs and eagerly waited for the twins to say who it was.

"It doesn't say. It's in the next chapter, I guess." said George.

"So who wants to read it now?" asked Fred eagerly.

No one wanted to read, they didn't want to be the one reading what might happen.

"I think I will read." said the Ranger Doctor.

He walked over and took the book from the twins.

He walked back to his chair and read the chapter title aloud.

"The Man With Two Faces."

"Two, what?" asked Sirius. He stared at 'Doc' and then looked to Harry and Ginny. "I'm sorry, but I may be pulling him over here without warning."

"I may be holding onto him too." said Ginny.

"Great, I've always wanted to be used for tug-of-war." said Harry rolling his eyes.