Because You Love Me

34. Fluffy's Secret

Hagrid scratched his head. "Oh alright. Get ter class before yer late then. Go on."

Harry, Ron, and Hermione ran off. Hagrid frowned as he watched them hurry away, not realizing what he had just done.

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Ron commented as they got up to the castle. They had just crossed the bridge. "So anyone who knows could get the stone."

"Exactly," Hermione confirmed. "And who knows who else Hagrid let that little detail slip to."

Harry frowned. "Someone is going to steal the stone. We don't know who it is, but we need to do something."

"We could tell someone," she suggested.

"Like who?" Ron asked. "Everyone will probably think we're mental. We're not supposed to even know about it."

"We could tell McGonagall," Hermione said. She seems to be reasonable most of the time.

Harry considered it for a moment. "Fine. Any idea where she is?"

Hermione smiled. "We could try her office."

He nodded. "Let's go. Maybe she'll know what to do."

Ron shook his head. "I think we should tell Dumbledore."

"McGonagall will tell Dumbledore," she reasoned. "We just need to tell her."

"Agreed," Harry said. He ran through the front door, Ron and Hermione right on his heels. They had to hurry or they would be late for class.

The three of them ran straight to Professor McGonagall's office. Luckily she hadn't left for class yet. They ran through the rows of chairs and up to the desk. She lifted her eyes from the papers in front of her at the sound of hurried footsteps.

"You have to help us, Professor," Harry said. "Immediately. You or Professor Dumbledore."

McGonagall stared at them sternly. "Well, it will have to be me, I'm afraid. Professor Dumbledore isn't here. He got an urgent owl from the Ministry and Magic and won't be back until late tomorrow."

"Oh no." His face went white. With Dumbledore gone, the Sorcerer's Stone was in danger for sure. He sighed. "Someone is going to try and steal the Sorcerer's Stone."

Ron and Hermione both nodded in agreement. McGonagall glowered.

"I'm not sure how you three found out about the stone, but I assure you it is perfectly safe. Now, you need to get to class. Don't be late."

Harry frowned. "Yes, ma'am." He turned and walked out, Ron and Hermione right behind him.

"What are we going to do now?" Ron asked when they got out into the corridor.

"We have to do something," Hermione said. "We can't just leave it to chance and McGonagall didn't seem to want to listen."

"There's only one thing we can do," Harry declared. "We go down the trap door. Tonight."

"What is the plan, Harry?" Ron asked eagerly.

"We get the stone before anyone else does."

"And what if we can't?" Hermione questioned.

Harry frowned. "Then I guess Voldemort will become strong again and I'll spend the rest of my life looking over my shoulder."

Ron gulped and Hermione stared blankly at him. She hadn't meant to cause him to think about it that way. She placed her hand on his shoulder. Harry smiled at her.

"I guess we better go to class," he said finally.

"Yes and after I'll start looking up and practicing some spells we might need on our journey," Hermione added.

''Great. We all better try and take a nap, too so we'll be refreshed."

Ron and Hermione both nodded. Not one of them knew just how adventurous their journey would be.

~ * ~

The day was uneventful for Alaina. She had her Muggle Studies classes out of the way in what seemed like no time at all. She went to her office for a few hours first. Then she decided that she wanted to see Severus. She was on her way down to see him when she ran into Quirrell. Literally. They collided so hard that she nearly toppled over. He seemed to have come from out of nowhere.

"Oh!" she exclaimed. "I'm sorry."

"No, it's m-my fault. Wasn't w-watching w-where I was g-going," he told her. Quirrell bent down and picked up something he must have dropped. It was a small golden harp.

"Wow," Alaina said as soon as she laid eyes on it. "That is gorgeous. I had no idea you could play."

"I can't," he told her. "G-Going to learn though."

She smiled. "Well I'm sure you'll be good at it. Forgive me for asking, Quirinus, but what are you doing on the fifth floor? I thought Defense Against the Dark Arts was on the first or second floor."

"It is. I was just going for a stroll."

"This late?"

He nodded.

"Well, I'll leave you to it. I'll see you later?"

"Of course."

Quirrell hurried away from her. Alaina watched closely to see where he was off to. It was awfully late for him to be walking about the castle. She made an impulsive decision to see what he was up to. As quietly as she could, she took off in the same direction she had seen him go. She had a hunch that he was up to no good. She finally caught up with him a few minutes later. He was riding the staircase to the third floor corridor. She knew that's where it lead because it was the one she and Severus had taken before.

"Quirrell!"

His head snapped in her direction and his normally pleasant face twisted into an evil grin. He took out his wand and threw a spell at her. Alaina wasn't ready for it and dove out of the way. Startled, she fished her wand from it's resting place. She fired a spell at him this time, but he dodged out of the way. He didn't look like the type to be a proficient duelist, but he had everyone fooled. He was pretty good.

"You should have minded your own business, Alaina," he called as he sent a spell flying her way. "Now I have to end you."

Alaina's eyes widened. She reacted quickly, shielding herself from his magical attacks. She could have taken him down in half a second if she'd wanted to, but she didn't want to open that door, afraid that she might not be able to close it without killing him. She didn't trust herself just yet. He was the one though. Voldemort was using him somehow. He had to know that he was disposable. Maybe she could convince him to stop the madness.

"Voldemort's just using you, Quirrell. You're nothing to him."

That statement seemed to anger him. "I'm everything to the Dark Lord." He rared back and sent a curse flying at her.

Alaina tried to react, but she didn't do it fast enough. It hit her square in the chest and she flew backwards into the wall behind her, unconscious. Quirrell turned and went up the stairs. He had business to take care of. He didn't have time to worry about anything else.