Chapter Eight: Neville Finds his Courage
"We're going to what?" both twins asked.
"You heard me," Harish replied coolly. "We are going to steal the stone."
"I thought you told Hermione," said George.
"That we weren't going to do anything about it," Fred finished for him.
"I never said that," Harish replied. "I only said that we weren't going to do anything about Quirrell trying to steal the stone."
"How are we even going to steal it?" George asked him.
Harish simply smirked in response. "All in good time, my lovely gentlemen. All in good time."
The next day, when Draco and Hermione returned, Harish told them of this adjustment in his plans for year. He set the two first years to trailing Quirrell as he didn't have time himself.
"But why do you want me to trail him?" Hermione asked. "I thought we weren't doing anything about the stone anyway."
"I want you two to trail him," Harish replied, using a tone that made him sound like he was talking to a kindergartener, "because we need to make sure that Quirrell doesn't go after the stone."
And that statement was true. They would need to know if the Professor did go after the stone to make sure that they got there first and then managed to frame him for the theft. That was the only way they would manage to get it stolen without being caught.
After the holidays, Flint also cracked down hard on the Quidditch team. They began to have practices every day as the next game grew closer. The trio found this very aggravating as very heavy rains had replaced the snow and they always ended all of their practices soaking wet. They slacked off on practices slightly after they found that Snape was refereeing. That meant that he would like award them penalty shots for no reason, though the Slytherins wouldn't complain.
The Slytherins, as the game approached, took to teasing the Gryffindors as they knew they were going to win the match. This resulted in a lot of Gryffindors having various curses and hexes put on them. One in particular was Neville.
"Neville!" Ron exclaimed as Neville hopped through the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. "What happened?"
He helped his friend up, as he had fallen on his face because his legs were stuck together. An older student stepped forward sympathetically and performed the countercurse for the first year boy.
"Zabini," Neville said shakily as Ron lead him to a couch. "I met him outside the library. He said he'd been looking for someone to practice that on."
"Go to Professor McGonagall!" Parvati urged him.
"I don't want more trouble," Neville mumbled.
"You've got to stand up to him, Neville!" Ron exclaimed. "He's used to walking all over people, but that's no reason to lie down and make it easier for him!"
"There's no need to tell me I'm not brave enough to be a Gryffindor. Zabini's already done that," Neville choked out.
Parvati shook her head sympathetically and handed Neville a chocolate frog.
"You're worth twelve of Zabini, Neville," Ron growled.
Neville smiled weakly and opened the chocolate frog. He took the card and glanced at it. The boy made his way to grab the frog, which was beginning to escape, but his eyes snapped back to the card. "Ron, look!"
"What is it?" Ron asked.
"Nicholas Flamel! I knew I'd seen him before! We all have! He's on Dumbledore's chocolate frog card!"
Neville handed the card to Ron, who read quietly to Neville and Seamus, "Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the Dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner, Nicholas Flamel."
Seamus started and then leaned in closer to whisper excitedly to his two friends. "Of course! How could I have forgotten? Flamel is famous for inventing the Philosopher's Stone, which is supposed to make someone live forever! I remember me mam talking about it ages ago."
"So that's what Snape's trying to steal?" Neville asked. "The Philosopher's Stone?"
DON'T-GUESS-TOO-SOON—YOU-MAY-EMBARAS-YOURSELVES
Finally it was game day and the trio couldn't be more excited. After the team left for the changing room and Flint's usual threatens to make sure they would win, Draco and Hermione once again found themselves good seats in the stadium. They sat there and waited. Hermione couldn't stop thinking of what happened last match, so she was rather nervous. Finally the teams came out and the balls were released.
"Look—they're off," Draco pointed to the field and they watched as Harish flew high into the sky. Suddenly Blaise Zabini gave a grunt as he was shoved forward as someone walked behind them. The blonde boy turned around to see Ron, Neville, and Seamus.
"Watch where you're going, Weasley," Blaise snapped.
"Watch who you're being rude to Zabini," Ron spat, his face turning an ominous red.
"You best not let your mummy see that temper of yours," Draco drawled, standing up and turning to face Ron. "As I recall, you're certainly not her favourite." He smirked as Ron's ears went from red to purple.
Neville started forward. "Oh, what are you going to do, Longbottom?" Blaise asked. "Stutter at me? Or fall flat on your face again?"
"I'm worth twelve of you, Zabini," Neville stammered. Blaise laughed uproariously.
Neville grew angrier until he gave a shout and launched himself at Blaise. Ron started forward to help Neville, but Malfoy tripped him.
"I don't think so, Weasley."
"Come on Harish!" Hermione screamed suddenly. Harish was pulling into a dive.
"Langlock!" Ron shouted at Draco, but he easily dodged the curse.
Hermione jumped on her seat to watch Harish and Neville and Blaise rolled under her chair as Blaise tried to get the Gryffindor off of him.
"Wingardium Leviosa!" Draco retaliated and Ron raised a couple inches from the ground before slamming back into it repeatedly.
"Draco!" Hermione shouted, her eyes still on the field. "Draco, where are you? We've won! Slytherin won."
"What?" Draco asked, turning around and climbing back into his seat. He looked at the field to see the rest of the Slytherin team gathering around Harish, who was holding his fist up in the air, clutching the Snitch.
"Wha—" Blaise said, lifting his head slightly, but Neville socked him in the nose and he passed out, unconscious.
"C'mon," Ron said, pulling Neville to his feet again and they and Seamus left the stands grumpily.
Hermione and Draco, however ran to meet up with Harish and the twins.
"You were brilliant!" both first years chimed at Harish.
"Of course I was," he smirked.
"Oi!" Fred exclaimed.
"What about us?" George asked heatedly.
Harish smiled before faking a thoughtful look. Then he patted them on their arms.
"I guess you were all right. I mean you could have knocked out the entire team opposed to four of them…" he trailed off, smiling.
"Oh, I'm so sorry your lordship!" George exclaimed bowing down and pretending to look scared.
"It won't happen again!" Fred said.
Then both of them said in unison, "We will strive to do better!"
Ron, who had just passed them, gave them an odd look and sped up, whispering to Neville excitedly. The twins snorted before the entire group started laughing at him.
"He's probably—"
"Gone off to tell his buddies that you're—"
"Being dark and forcing my minions to do something for me?" Harish asked, amused.
"Yeah," the twins replied together.
And they all started laughing again.
"Hold on," Harish said as they approached the broom shed. "Is it just me or does it look like Snape's up to something?"
They looked over to see Snape striding across the lawn to the Forbidden Forest, his robes were billowing impressively behind him.
Without waiting for a reply, Harish said, "Come on," and he dragged the twins onto his broom and they took off.
Harish took them low over the trees and silently he slipped onto a rather thick bough of a tree. The twins followed his lead and did the same and then Fred handed the broom to Harish.
"I wish we had something that would make it easier to hear far away," George whispered and the other two nodded before leaning over to listen.
"…d-d-don't know w-w-why you w-w-wanted to meet h-here of all p-p-places…"
"Oh, I thought we would keep this little meeting private," Snape drawled, his voice was icy. "Students aren't supposed to know about the Philosopher's Stone, after all."
Harish leaned forward. So they were right about the stone! Quirrell was mumbling something, but Snape interrupted him.
"Have you figured out how to get past that beast of Hagrid's yet?"
"B-b-but Severus, I—"
"You don't want me as your enemy, Quirrell," Snape said menacingly as he stepped forward.
"I-I don't know w-w-what you mean."
"You know perfectly well what I mean," Snape replied.
An owl hooted loudly and Harish missed what was said next. Angrily, he shooed it away and by the time he had started listening again, Snape said, "—your little bit of hocus pocus. I'm waiting."
"B-b-but I-I d-d-don't—"
"Very well," Snape replied. "We will have another little chat soon, and then we will find out where your loyalties lie."
He strode off and Harish noted that Quirrell's face was void of any fear of twitch once again. They waited until he left as well, and then they hopped down and made their way to meet back up with Draco and Hermione and to put up his broom.