The Philosopher's Stone (A Harry Potter Rewrite)

HAGRID'S MISTAKE

Hermione always liked to go through their exam papers afterwards, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so they wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree.

The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows. Ria smiled a little but did not go over to join them. They still hadn't quite forgive the four for loosing all those house points.

"No more revision," 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."

Harry was rubbing his forehead. Again.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

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

Ron couldn't get worked up, though.
"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around."

"I wouldn't be that sure", Ria said bitterly.

"What does that mean?", Harry asked narrowing his eyes.

Ria shrugged.

"He told Hagrid to take the stone out while Harry and I were around. He involved basically every available teacher in it's protection. Then he put it through a trapdoor in a corridor of all places. Then he declared about that corridor to the entire population of Hogwarts. Not to mention putting a murderous creature in the middle of a school full of still training witches and wizards...I mean, he doesn't seem to be the cleverest or the most rational person to me."

"What else can he do?", Hermione asked frowning. "If he left it at Gringotts, it would've been stolen already."

"I know. But are you really suggesting that the greates wizard alive isn't capable of protecting the stone by himself? I mean, it would have been so much more logical to just keep it quiet. Declaring about the third floor corridor to the entire population was tactless. It's almost like he wants someone to try and steal the stone."

"I don't care right now", Harry grumbled. "I just keep feeling like I'm forgetting something. Something important..."

"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.", Hermione consoled.

Harry started inspecting the sky but his frown remained in place. Ria started running her fingers through the grass. A pleasant tingle went up her arms and she was just starting to enjoy the peace when Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

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

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

"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?"

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

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