"I'd always heard Hogwarts' end of year exams were frightful, but I found that rather enjoyable," chirped Hermione, as she, Harry, Ron and Y/N walked across the courtyard.
They had just finished their last exam, which was History of Magic. 

"Speak for yourself," said Ron, "Alright there, Harry?"
"My scar," replied Harry, clutching his forehead, "It keeps burning."
"It's happened before," said Hermione.
"Not like this."
"Perhaps you should see the nurse," suggested Y/N.
"I think it's a warning," said Harry, "It means danger's coming."

The four first years were on their way to visit Hagrid in his hut. He'd invited them over for tea and biscuits. As they approached the hut, Hagrid was sat outside, playing a large flute.

"Oh," whispered Harry, suddenly stopping, "Of course."
"What is it?" asked Y/N.
And they were moving again, quicker this time, as Harry said, "Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pocket? Why didn't I see it before?"

The children were now running towards Hagrid, all having caught on to what Harry was saying. Hagrid stopped playing his flute when he noticed the four of them.
"Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg?" asked Harry, panting, "What did he look like?"
"I don't know. I never saw his face," revealed Hagrid, "He kept his hood up."

"This stranger, though," continued Harry, "You and he must've talked."
"Well, he- he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after," said Hagrid, "I told him, I said, 'After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem'."

"Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Y/N piped in.
"Well, of course he was interested in Fluffy," said Hagrid, as if it should be obvious, "How often do you come across a three-headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told him, I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy for example. Just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep'."

The four children looked at each other with wide eyes, gasping at Hagrid's revelation.
"I shouldn't have told you that," said Hagrid.
But the four young gryffindors had already taken off, running towards the castle.
"Where are you going? Wait!" Hagrid called after them, but it was too late.

Harry, Ron, Y/N and Hermione ran all the way to the Transfiguration classroom, where Professor McGonagall was sat. 
"We have to see Professor Dumbledore. Immediately!" said Harry, while the others panted from their long run.

"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here," said Professor McGonagall, "He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London."
"He's gone? Now?" said Harry, "But this is important! This is about the Philosopher's Stone."

Professor McGonagall looked up slowly at Harry, saying, "How do you know-"
"Someone's going to try and steal it," said Harry.
"I don't know how you three found out about the Stone, but I assure you it is perfectly well protected. Now, would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly."

The children sighed and shook their heads in defeat. Nobody said a word till they had left the classroom, but they were all thinking the same thing: they had to do something about the Stone themselves. When they, reached the corridor outside the Transfiguration classroom, Y/N noticed Peter sitting on one of the banisters, talking to Fred and George. She decided to join the conversation, leaving Harry, Ron and Hermione to their own.

"-and not a word. Not even when I asked him how his exams went!" Y/N heard Peter saying, as she neared him, "He's been ignoring me for nearly a month now. He won't even tell me what I did!"
"What's wrong?" Y/N asked Peter.
"Oh, hey, Y/N," said Peter, smiling, "Actually, I should have asked you about this first. Do you have any idea why Edmund's been acting strange lately? He's been avoiding me. Has he said anything to you?"

That's when Y/N remembered the argument she and Edmund had had in the forest during detention. She understood why Edmund wouldn't want to talk to her. But why had he been icing out Peter? Sure, she'd compared the two brothers, but that was no reason for them to turn on each other. Y/N felt guilty and completely responsible. Peter was clearly hurt. But she was going to fix that. She was going to talk to Edmund.

"Well, we haven't spoken much lately either," admitted Y/N, "But I can talk to him for you."
"Thanks, Y/N."
Y/N gave the oldest Pevensie a soft smile, then turned to look at Harry, Ron and Hermione. They were talking to Snape. Her expression suddenly turned worried.
"Excuse me for a moment," said Y/N, and Fred, George and Peter nodded, before resuming their conversation.

By the time Y/N reached the other three, Snape had already turned around, striding across the corridor, his cloak floating gracefully behind him.
"Now what do we do?" asked Hermione.
"We go down the trapdoor," answered Harry, "Tonight."

**********

Harry, Ron, Y/N and Hermione quietly ran down the stairs to the common room from their respective dormitories.
"Trevor," said Harry suddenly, and the others noticed that Neville's toad was sitting on an armchair in front of them.
"Trevor, shh, go!" whisper-shouted Ron, "You shouldn't be here!"

"Neither should you," said a familiar voice.
It was Neville, sitting in the armchair. He stood up slowly.
"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" said the boy.

"Now, Neville, listen. We were-" began Y/N.
"No!" said Neville, "I won't let you. You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again. I- I'll fight you."
"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this," said Hermione, taking out her wand, "Petrificus Totalus."

With that, Neville's body suddenly froze, and he fell to the floor, as rigid as a wooden plank. Ron gulped as Hermione put her wand away.
"You're a little scary sometimes, you know that?" said Ron, "Brilliant, but scary."
"Let's go," said Harry.
As the four of them passed by Neville, they all muttered apologies.

**********

Harry, Ron, Y/N and Hermione made their way across the school to the third floor corridor, hidden under the invisibility cloak. It was a miracle they all fit under there. It was as if it was made to hold four people.
"Ow! You stood on my foot," whispered Hermione>
"Sorry," mumbled Ron.

"Alohomora," chanted Hermione, as they finally reached the door, on the other side of which Fluffy lay.
They entered the room, where Fluffy already lay asleep, a giant harp strumming itself in the corner. Quiet snores filled the chamber as the children closed the door.

"Wait a minute," said Ron, "He's-"
"-snoring," Harry finished.
"Snape's already been here," said Y/N, "He's put a spell on the harp."

"Eugh," said Ron, as they got closer to the dog, "He's got horrible breath."
"Well, I don't expect Hagrid comes in here every so often to clean his teeth," snarked Y/N.
"We have to move its paw," said Harry.
"What?"
"Come on!"
"Okay. Push."

With their efforts combined, they were able to lift Fluffy's paw off the trapdoor, the dog barely stirring. Harry liften the trapdoor.
"I'll go first," said Harry, "Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out."
"Hang on," said Y/N, "Does it seem a bit quiet to you?"

"The harp," said Hermione, "It's stopped playing."
"Eughhh," groaned Ron suddenly, looking at a large drop of goo that had fallen on his shoulder, "Yuck!"

Then, Harry, Ron, Y/N and Hermione slowly looked up. And all three of Fluffy's heads looked back down at them, growling with drool dripping from its mouths.
"Jump!" yelled Harry, before doing so, the others following.

Then they landed on something soft.