Chapter 13
The group was now in the library, waiting for Hermione to retrieve the book she was looking for. Cassidy was absorbed in searching through books related to magical artifacts that Dumbledore had returned to pure-blood families over the last fifty years, but found nothing. She glanced up occasionally, feeling the weight of Ron's gaze on her.
It wasn't exactly uncomfortable. In fact, she'd gotten used to the way he seemed to always look at her, even when he thought no one was watching.
Finally, Hermione returned, two large books tucked under her arms.
"I had you looking in the wrong section. How could I be so stupid?" she muttered, setting the books down heavily on the table.
Cassidy watched as Hermione slid a smaller, weathered book toward her. It had no title, just a dull cover that looked like it hadn't been touched in years.
"I checked these out weeks ago for a bit of light reading," Hermione said, a proud smile forming as Cassidy flipped through the book.
"This is proper outdated, 'Mione. What were you reading this for?" Cassidy asked, eyebrows raised. She wasn't sure if this was the best lead, but she'd keep an open mind.
"Just keep looking," Hermione replied, already absorbed in the larger book with Ron and Harry.
Cassidy skimmed the pages of the small book, her eyes darting over descriptions of ancient artifacts and their various uses, but it was nothing special. Then, something caught her attention. She found a drawing that made her stop dead in her tracks.
"Look!" Cassidy held it up for the group to see. Ron and Harry blinked in surprise, while Hermione's gaze turned curious.
"Blimey, Cass, that looks just like—" Ron started, trailing off as his eyes widened.
"My necklace's charm!" Cassidy exclaimed. Hermione leaned in to look, but then her face fell.
"The page... it's ripped," Hermione said softly. Cassidy looked down at the torn page in disappointment. The only visible part of the image was her necklace's charm, and underneath it, the word "Dumbledore." The rest of the text had been torn away.
"Sorry about that, Cass," Harry said, noticing the look on her face.
"It's alright," Cassidy said, trying to sound more upbeat, but her heart sank a little. "At least I've got a clue now. It must've been the artifact Dumbledore returned to my family."
"But who could've stolen it?" Hermione wondered aloud.
"And why?" Ron added, frowning.
Cassidy didn't have an answer to that yet, but she was getting closer. "No matter now. Hermione, what exactly is the Sorcerer's Stone? At least we'll know that for sure."
Hermione shot her a small but sad smile. "Right. And honestly, don't you two read?" She looked to Harry and Ron in disappointment before continuing.
"The Sorcerer's Stone is a legendary substance with astonishing powers. It can transform any metal into pure gold, and it can produce the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal."
"Immortal?" Ron repeated, eyes wide. Cassidy felt the heat of her necklace flare up again.
"It means you'll never die," Hermione said, as if it Ron was the stupidest wizard in the world.
"I know what it means!" Ron snapped, his face flushing with embarrassment. Cassidy's necklace pulsed against her skin, as if to remind her that something was off. She ignored the feeling for now, focusing on the task at hand.
"Shut it, Ron," Cassidy said quietly but firmly. "Someone definitely wants to use it, and not for something good." She clutched her necklace, its warmth now making her uneasy. "My necklace is burning again."
The group looked at her with concern, but Hermione pressed on.
"The only stone currently in existence belongs to Nicolas Flamel, the famous alchemist, who last year celebrated his 665th birthday." Cassidy raised her eyebrows.
Harry and Ron exchanged an unsure glance.
"That's what Fluffy is guarding on the third floor. That's what's under the trapdoor," Hermione stated.
"The Sorcerer's Stone." Cassidy completed. Hermione nodded gravely.
"We need to go to Hagrid's." Harry said.
The four students ran across the damp, sprawling front lawn of Hogwarts, the nighttime stars twinkling above them. Cassidy swore she heard something growling from the Forbidden Forest but thought better of mentioning it. Ron looked thoroughly nervous.
"You sure he'll be awake at this time, Harry?" Cassidy asked shakily, struggling to keep up.
"I'm not sure," Harry replied, "but we've got to try."
They bounded up the steps of Hagrid's cottage, and Harry knocked on the door, banging harder when there was no answer.
"Careful, Potter, Mr. Filch will—" Cassidy trailed off as the familiar giant opened the door.
"Hagrid—" Harry started.
"Oh, hello," Hagrid said, cutting him off. "Sorry, don't want to be rude, but I'm in no fit state to entertain today." He moved to close the door.
"We know about the Sorcerer's Stone!" they cried in unison.
Hagrid froze, then reopened the door, looking defeated.
"Oh," he said gruffly.
"Can we come in now?" Cassidy asked, glancing behind them nervously. She didn't want to get caught. Her mum would kill her if she found out. Without waiting for an answer, the four slipped inside.
"We think Snape's trying to steal it," Harry said quickly as they shrugged off their robes, letting the warmth of the hut envelop them.
"Snape? You lot aren't still goin' on about him, are ya?" Hagrid replied, shaking his head as they settled into his oversized chairs.
"Hagrid, we know he's after the Stone. We just don't know why!" Harry said, clearly frustrated.
"You'd best believe him," Cassidy quipped, sinking lazily into her chair but keeping one eye on the massive dog curled up across the room.
"Cassie, what'd I tell ya about that sass?" Hagrid scolded, though his tone was fond. "Anyway, Snape is one of the teachers protectin' the Stone! He's not about to steal it!"
Cassidy sat up straighter, her curiosity piqued. Hermione's brow furrowed beside her.
"What?" Harry asked, confused.
"You heard me," Hagrid said firmly. "Now, I'm a bit preoccupied today, so—"
"Hold on, Hagrid," Cassidy interrupted, leaning forward with a smirk. "You just said one of the teachers."
Hermione's eyes lit up. "Of course! There are other things defending the Stone, aren't there? Spells, enchantments..."
"That's right," Hagrid admitted reluctantly, glancing at his enormous dog, who had decided to lick Ron's face. "But it's all a bloody waste o' time, if you ask me."
Cassidy giggled at the sight of Ron flailing to escape the slobber.
"Ain't no one gonna get past Fluffy—ain't a soul knows how. 'Cept me and Dumbledore."
He froze, realizing his slip.
"Are you sure about that, Hagrid? You seem awfully bad at keeping secrets," Cassidy teased.
Hagrid's face reddened. "Cassie, I'll feed ya to Fluffy if ya don't quit it."
Cassidy clamped her mouth shut.
Suddenly, the group heard a rattling sound coming from the metal bucket hanging over Hagrid's fire.
"What's that?" Cassidy asked, tilting her head.
"None o' yer business," Hagrid grunted, lifting a golden egg out of the bucket with a grimace. Even with thick mitts, it was clearly scorching hot.
"It's probably illegal, isn't it?" Cassidy asked, standing with the others to get a closer look.
"I said, it's none o' yer business!" Hagrid snapped, setting the egg down on the table. It rattled ominously, and they could hear faint tapping from inside.
"Er, Hagrid, what exactly is that?" Harry asked hesitantly.
"That is a..."
"Oh, so you'll answer him?" Cassidy interrupted, crossing her arms.
Hagrid ignored her. "That's, uh...."
Cassidy's jaw dropped as the egg started to hatch, a bit of goo flying around. Green wings sprouted from it.
"Is that....a dragon?" Hermione said, horrified.
"That's not just any dragon," Ron said, his eyes wide with excitement. "That's a Norwegian Ridgeback!"
"Ugly little bugger, that is," Cassidy muttered, earning a sharp glare from Hagrid.
"My brother Charlie works with these in Romania," Ron said, clearly trying to defuse the tension.
"Isn't he cute?" Hagrid said, gazing at the baby dragon fondly.
"No," Cassidy said flatly as the dragon made sounds probably meant to be roars.
"Oh," Hagrid breathed, his face alight with wonder.
"Bless him, look—he knows his mummy," he cooed as the dragon turned its beady eyes toward him.
Cassidy raised an eyebrow. "Mummy? Hagrid, you've really lost it this time."
Hagrid ignored her, reaching out to pet the baby dragon. It responded with a small burp of fire, igniting Hagrid's beard.
"Oy!" Hagrid yelped, frantically patting out the flames.
Cassidy doubled over with laughter, clutching her stomach. "Okay, maybe he is useful—if you're planning to start a wizarding grill!"
Hermione glared at her. "Cassidy, stop encouraging him!"
"What? I'm just saying, if he's going to break the law, at least let it be practical."
Hagrid finished putting out the fire, muttering under his breath, but froze when his eyes darted to the window.
"Who's that?" he asked.
The four spun around to see a silvery-blonde boy watching them.
"It's Malfoy," Harry said darkly as the boy bolted.
"Oh, dear," Hagrid sighed.
"Hagrid's lost it, I'm telling you!" Cassidy protested as the four walked through the dark Hogwarts corridors, clearly distressed.
"He's always wanted a dragon," Harry replied, leaping to his defense. "Told me since the first time I ever met him."
"I've always wanted a sword, Harry, but we don't all get what we want, especially if it's illegal and dangerous." She shot back.
"It's crazy," Ron added. "And worse, Malfoy knows."
"I don't understand," Hermione said, lost. "Is that bad?" She asked.
"Oh, it's bad." Ron said, stopping and looking at the other end of the hallway in horror.
"What're you..." Cassidy started to ask Ron, before turning and seeing the stern face of Professor McGonagall. Her lips were in a tight line, which meant she was upset.
"Good evening." She said curtly, as Draco Malfoy appeared beside her, smirking like he'd won the lottery.
"Oh, fiddlesticks." Cassidy muttered.
"Nothing, I repeat, nothing, gives a student the right to walk about the school at night." Professor McGonagall stood before the four students, her expression as stern as Cassidy had ever seen it. Her voice was clipped, the sharpness of her tone cutting through the silence of the corridor.
"But Professor, Draco—" Cassidy began, her voice indignant.
"Silence, Cassandra." Professor McGonagall's hawk-like eyes zeroed in on her, and Cassidy immediately closed her mouth, her cheeks burning as she hung her head. Across from her, Malfoy's smirk deepened, his elation practically radiating off him.
"Therefore, as punishment for your actions, fifty points will be taken," McGonagall continued, her voice steady but firm.
"Fifty?!" Harry burst out, his face a mix of shock and outrage.
"Each," McGonagall clarified sharply.
Cassidy gasped audibly, Hermione and Ron gaping beside her. Across the hall, Malfoy's smug grin grew even wider, practically splitting his pale face in two.
"And," McGonagall added, her gaze sweeping over all of them, "to ensure this does not happen again, all five of you will receive detention."
Malfoy's smirk vanished instantly. His jaw dropped, and he took an instinctive step forward, his expression twisting into disbelief.
"Excuse me, Professor, perhaps I misheard," he said, his voice syrupy sweet. "I thought you said five of us."
"You heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy," McGonagall replied coolly, folding her arms. "As honorable as your intentions may have been, you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention."
Cassidy snorted, quickly covering her mouth to stifle a laugh. The others weren't as subtle—Harry, Ron, and Hermione openly giggled at Malfoy's expense.
The blonde spun around to glare at them, his face flushed with indignation.
"Snitch," Cassidy muttered just loud enough for him to hear, her hazel eyes gleaming with amusement.
Harry and Ron burst into louder laughter, and even Hermione had to bite her lip to keep from joining in. Malfoy's face reddened even further, his fists clenching as he seethed in silence.