Chapter 138: Chapter 138: "The Dragon Incident"
As the second half of the school year progressed, it seemed to fly by. With final exams on the horizon, the professors at Hogwarts were in a rush to finish the syllabus. They loaded Harry and his classmates with an increasing amount of homework and tests, burying them under a growing mountain of schoolwork. Adding to the burden, the new elective subjects they had chosen this year only made their days longer and their nights all the shorter, squeezing their free time even further.
One cold, brisk morning, Neville approached Harry, his face marked with a look of concern.
Neville exclaimed, "Harry, you need to talk some sense into Charles. He's diving into more and more dangerous antics."
Harry, puzzled, asked, "What has he been up to now?"
Harry was truly impressed by Neville's development over the year. By sticking close to Susan and her group, and investigating his younger brother's misadventures, Neville had blossomed from a shy, timid boy into someone who exuded confidence and bravery. He had truly come to embody the bold spirit of Gryffindor House, although his old nervous self still made appearances during Potions classes.
Neville responded, "They're really focused on the third-floor corridor, almost like they believe it's their job to guard its secrets. They think Nicholas Flamel's Philosopher's Stone is hidden there under the trapdoor guarded by that huge three-headed dog. And they're convinced Professor Snape wants to steal it. Isn't that absurd? Why would such a valuable and dangerous item be hidden in a school?"
Harry, with a touch of irony in his voice, replied, "Indeed, why would anyone think it's a good idea to store such a dangerous artifact in a school full of children? Thanks for letting me know about my brother. Seems like he's losing it a bit. I'll keep an eye on him. Is there anything else?"
"There's more," Neville said, "Last night, I couldn't just sit back, so I followed Charles and his group to Hagrid's hut. You won't believe what I saw there—Hagrid was hatching an actual dragon egg!"
Harry was momentarily startled by Neville's news. He paused, an urge to slap his own forehead for the oversight bubbling up.
He had completely forgotten that Hagrid, would this year, acquire a dragon egg from Quirrell in exchange for details on how to bypass Fluffy, the three-headed dog guarding the third-floor corridor trapdoor.
Remembering this incident made Harry a bit frustrated. If only he had remembered earlier, he could have taken the egg for himself. Dragon eggs were incredibly valuable and had many powerful uses that Harry could have utilized to enhance his own magical abilities.
However, now that the egg had hatched, it was far less useful to him. Dealing with a live dragon was far more trouble than it was worth. With his busy schedule and the lack of a proper place to safely keep a dragon, it just wasn't feasible.
Harry knew what was likely to unfold next if his memory served right. Ron's brother, Charlie Weasley, would likely be involved soon, sending friends to discreetly relocate the dragon. This attempt, Harry recalled, ended up causing significant trouble for the people involved. They would get caught in the end and suffer a severe loss of house points for Gryffindor, complicating their standing within their house. This twist promised to make things quite interesting.
Harry expressed his gratitude, "Thanks for letting me know, Neville. But I think you should steer clear of whatever Charles is involved in with that dragon. While the dragon might still be young and not immediately dangerous, raising a dragon at Hogwarts is illegal and could lead to serious trouble with the ministry."
Neville nodded, his voice tinged with worry, "Yes, I overheard them planning to send it away. They realize it's too risky to keep it here at Hogwarts with Hagrid."
Harry agreed, "That's probably wise. But hold on, Neville, you went to Hagrid's hut alone at night? When did you become so brave? The Neville I know would never go out alone at night."
Neville blushed slightly at the compliment.
Neville, slightly embarrassed by Harry's praise, flushed a little. "I was just concerned about my friends. I wanted to make sure they didn't get into too much trouble."
Harry smiled, recognizing the courage in his friend. "I must say, Neville, you're proving yourself to be quite the Gryffindor, though you've got the compassion of a Hufflepuff too." he then asked "Has anyone else found out about the dragon?"
Neville looked thoughtful for a moment before responding, "I did see someone else following Charles yesterday night. So someone else might know."
Harry advised Neville with a serious tone, "Listen carefully, Neville. I believe Charles plans to send the dragon away with some help, likely from Charlie Weasley, who works at a dragon reserve. The process of moving the dragon will create quite a commotion, so it might be best for you to steer clear of Charles and his group for a while. Avoid sneaking out at night to follow them."
Neville looked concerned as he asked, "Okay, Harry. But will it be dangerous for them?"
Harry explained, "It's not life-threatening, but if someone else spotted the dragon, as you mentioned, there's a risk they could be caught during the transfer. Charles has some protection because of his status, so they're unlikely to face severe consequences beyond losing house points."
Neville pondered for a moment before asking, "Should I warn them then? I don't want Gryffindor to lose points."
Harry responded thoughtfully, "You can try warning them, but I doubt they'll heed the advice. However, if they insist on going out during curfew to move the dragon, it's better you don't join them. Your presence could increase the likelihood of getting caught, which would mean even more points lost for our house."
After some further discussion and gentle persuasion, Neville agreed to avoid getting involved with Charles's risky endeavor. Harry felt relieved, hoping his advice would keep Neville safe and prevent any reckless actions.
Harry was concerned about Neville's well-being. Getting caught could mean Gryffindor losing points and Neville facing the ire of his housemates, potentially undoing the personal growth he had achieved over the year. Harry's priority was to ensure Neville's progress wasn't jeopardized by some unnecessary actions.
Over a week passed, and Harry kept a close eye on the dragon situation, using the Marauder's Map and listening to school rumors to stay informed. Interestingly, Ron was not as severely injured by the dragon as he had been in the canon. He was released from the hospital wing after just one day, a departure from the extended recovery period described in the books.
Things went according to the canon where Charles and his group successfully transferred the dragon out of Hogwarts but were caught by Filch when they made their way back to their dorms. This led to the trio being taken to Professor McGonagall by Filch. In the end, each member of the trio was punished with detentions and a point loss of 50 points, totaling a loss of one hundred and fifty points for Gryffindor House.
This substantial loss dashed any remaining hopes Gryffindor had of winning the House Cup, placing them firmly at the bottom of the standings. The news of the trio's nighttime escapade and the consequent point deduction spread quickly throughout Hogwarts.
The mood in Gryffindor House soured, with many feeling betrayed and frustrated. Earlier in the year, Charles had already cost them points due to conflicts involving Professor Snape, and just when it seemed they might recover, this new fiasco occurred.
Charles, who had been seeking to regain his lost popularity, found himself further ostracized. Now viewed as the most disliked student at school, his fall from grace was profound. Meanwhile, Slytherin House reveled in Gryffindor's misfortune, thanking Charles for effectively removing them as competitors for the House Cup.
The fallout from the incident wasn't limited to social consequences. Due to the points lost and the trouble caused, the Gryffindor Quidditch team made the decision to remove Charles from his position as a Chaser. Katie Bell was chosen to take his place, and a fifth-year student was appointed as the new seeker. This reshuffling of the team was a clear indication of the team's and house's dwindling patience and trust in Charles.
The golden trio found themselves increasingly isolated from the rest of their classmates, their only comfort found in each other's company.
Neville approached Harry later that day, relief evident in his voice.
Neville said, "Harry, I'm really glad I listened to you about staying out of the dragon mess. I can't imagine being in Charles's shoes right now."
Harry nodded in agreement, replying, "You made the right choice, Neville. Sometimes, staying out of trouble is the bravest thing you can do."
As the days passed, the school eventually settled into a new normal, but the scars of the incident lingered. Charles and his friends learned a hard lesson about actions and consequences, one that Harry hoped taught them to think before acting foolishly.
With Charles's close relationship with Dumbledore, the best course of action during the dragon incident would have been to involve Dumbledore. Dumbledore could have easily resolved the issue without any trouble.
Chapter 139: Chapter 139: "The Philosopher Stone"
While the Golden trio continued to face tough days at Hogwarts, things got a bit better when the Weasley twins decided to step in. They began pranking those who were too harsh on the trio, adding some justice to the school atmosphere. Harry was ready to step in himself if necessary. Despite his differences with Charles, he strongly disliked bullying and would not tolerate it at the school.
As the days quickly passed and final exams approached, Harry's thoughts wandered to the third-floor corridor. Hidden there was the Philosopher's Stone, placed behind obstacles as bait for Quirrelmort.
Harry knew Quirrelmort had already discovered how to get past Fluffy, the giant three-headed dog guarding the Stone, having bartered a dragon egg with Hagrid for the information. With the knowledge that Quirrelmort was biding his time, just waiting for Dumbledore to leave Hogwarts before acting, Harry felt a growing urgency. He couldn't afford to sit back and risk Quirrelmort seizing the Stone prematurely. The possibility of Quirrelmort obtaining the Stone and disappearing while leaving him empty-handed was unacceptable.
On a carefully chosen night, after thorough preparation, Harry ventured toward the third-floor corridor. The castle was unusually quiet, with only the distant echoes of the night's stillness filling the hallways.
Approaching the corridor was a bold move, given the dangers of entering an area so heavily guarded by Dumbledore's strong wards and surveillance. Yet, as Harry grew stronger, his confidence in his abilities increased, reducing his fears of being caught during such adventures.
No longer intimidated by the prospect of authority's reprimand, Harry felt almost immune to potential consequences. Harry had a simple plan in case he encountered Dumbledore or any other professor: he would claim his curiosity got the better of him. He wanted to see for himself what was so fiercely protected on the forbidden third floor. He would make the Professors believe that the intrusion was a harmless way to have some fun during the demanding school days.
With the Marauder's Map in hand, Harry stealthily navigated Hogwarts' corridors late at night. He kept a vigilant eye on the positions of Dumbledore, Snape, and Quirrell, ensuring none were near as he approached his target. When he reached the third-floor corridor, he skillfully bypassed the minor wards on the door, ensuring he left no evidence of his passage.
The massive form of Fluffy, the three-headed dog, loomed in the shadows inside the cramped room. Despite its intimidating size, Fluffy wasn't as fearsome as Harry had expected. It resembled more a large, albeit extraordinary, dog than the mythical Cerberus he had imagined.
Upon entering the room, Fluffy gazed at Harry with an almost expectant look, as if hoping for some affection or treats. Under different circumstances, Harry might have spent time playing with the creature, but tonight was not for leisure. He quickly conjured an enchanted harp that filled the room with soothing melodies. Soon enough, all three of Fluffy's heads nodded off into a deep slumber. Harry gently patted each head as he moved towards the trapdoor, opened it, and descended into the unknown.
Below, Harry faced a series of challenges set by the professors to protect the Philosopher's Stone. These obstacles were familiar to him, almost textbook, as they had not been made more difficult than described in the canon.
His first task was the Devil's Snare. Harry illuminated the area with a bright burst from his wand, casting 'Lumos Solem'. The light caused the plant to recoil and shrink away, allowing him to pass without harming it. Next was the room with the flying keys, where a simple 'Accio' summoned the special old key to him, which unlocked the door to the next obstacle.
Stealth was Harry's ally as he approached the giant chessboard and the lurking troll. With a series of stealth charms and his trusty invisibility cloak, he moved undetected, ensuring neither chess pieces nor the troll had a reason to stir.
The final challenge, Snape's riddle, required careful handling to avoid leaving any evidence of tampering. Harry opted not to solve the riddle directly; instead, he used his charms to bypass the potion challenge, maintaining his cover.
Throughout his journey, Harry remained meticulous, careful not to trigger any wards or leave signs of his intrusion. Each step was calculated, with Harry ensuring that no trace of his passage remained, maintaining the secrecy of his mission.
After navigating the not-so-challenging five-minute obstacle course, Harry arrived at the large room where the familiar Mirror of Erised stood in the center. Standing before it, Harry hoped to see if, like in the books, the Philosopher's Stone would magically appear in his pocket. Unfortunately, he wasn't that lucky. The reflection in the mirror was just as he had seen before and no stone appeared.
Harry speculated that perhaps because he was not like the canon Harry—who purely wanted the stone without the desire to use it—the mirror's enchantment did not reveal the stone to him. He realized he would need to find another way to bypass the mirror's tricky enchantment.
Upon closer examination of the enchantment, Harry discovered that the stone wasn't actually inside the mirror. Instead, it was hidden elsewhere in the room, revealed only under specific conditions. The mirror was designed to detect if someone wanted the stone but did not intend to use it for themselves. If the conditions were met, the stone would then magically appear in the seeker's pocket. This was just another of Dumbledore's dumb games.
Harry decided not to play Dumbledore's game, so he began searching for the stone's hiding place within the room. After a few minutes of careful examination, he discovered a cleverly hidden compartment in one of the walls, secured by powerful protective wards. Harry meticulously studied these wards, made notes, and started to dismantle them carefully to avoid triggering any alarms. Once he disabled the wards, the compartment opened, revealing a red-colored stone inside.
Harry put on dragon-hide gloves to safely handle the stone. It looked genuine and emitted a strong aura, suggesting it was a powerful artifact.
However, when Harry tested it right there, he found that it wasn't the real Philosopher's Stone. It wasn't a complete fake either; it seemed to be a failed replication of the legendary stone. It was a smart move by the Flamels to give Dumbledore a fake, or maybe it was one of Dumbledore's own failed experiments to make a stone to live longer. Who knew?
Even though it wasn't real and probably couldn't help make the Elixir of Life, Harry thought it could still be useful to figure out how the real stone was made. So, he wasn't too disappointed. He hadn't expected much anyway, since he didn't think the Flamels were scared of Voldemort and would give this important artifact of their life to Dumbledore to guard.
After creating a duplicate of the stone using a Gemino spell, Harry carefully placed the replica back in the hidden compartment within the wall. He then set about restoring the complex wards to their original state, ensuring everything was as he had found it.
With the warding done and the imitation stone in place, Harry started his journey back through the obstacle course. He kept checking the Marauder's Map to make sure that no one had noticed what he was doing. He wanted to be certain that his secret mission had been a success.
As he made his way back, Harry carefully checked the stone for any tracking spells or wards but found none. Despite this, Harry decided not to take any risks regarding Dumbledore or the Flamels possibly having some unknown method of tracking the stone. So, he planned to store the stone in the Room of Hidden Things at Hogwarts for the time being.
Harry made sure to erase any signs of his presence and put everything back to its original state as he left the third floor. His path led him to the Room of Hidden Things, where he intended to securely hide the stone. The in-depth study of the stone would have to wait until he had sufficient knowledge in alchemy to handle the potentially volatile artifact without causing damage.
That night, as Harry lay in his bed, a grin spread across his face. He thought about how Dumbledore would react when he discovered the switch at the end of the year. Imagining the bafflement and surprise that would follow brought him a rare moment of amusement amid the tension of his secret activities.
As the days went by without any sign that Dumbledore or Quirrelmort had noticed the swap, Harry felt a quiet pride in his success. He had managed to exchange the stone, and no one was the wiser.
Now, his thoughts turned towards preparing for an inevitable encounter with Quirrelmort. Harry knew of an upcoming opportunity when he would almost certainly cross paths with him in the Forbidden Forest. This was scheduled during the detention that Charles and his friends would serve with Filch in the forest.
The date of the detention was drawing near, and Harry felt a surge of anticipation for what was to come.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS
TalesByJaz
TalesByJaz
Hi everyone,
It's been a while. I'm sorry I haven't been responding to your comments or reviews. I needed to take a step back to stay focused on my writing, especially after the discouraging trolling about the whole "losing memories" plot twist. Didn't really understand the huge hate on that.
To keep writing without getting discouraged, I stopped reading the comments and feedback for some time. This really helped me to keep going and stay positive.
I've been checking the comments on my Patreon though, where things are more supportive. A big thank you to all my Patreon members who have encouraged me to keep writing! Your support means a lot.
I also want to clear up something I've seen asked a lot: No, I don't use ChatGPT to write the plot. That wouldn't work. Trust me, I've tried! I do however use AI as an editor to help with spelling and grammar after I write the plot. So, if you find the chapters too detailed or long, that's on me—I tend to over-explain things.
Because I was still learning how to use AI as an editor, the early chapters might be a bit rough to read, but I've gotten better at it, and I hope you like the improvements.
I promise to start reading your comments again soon. It's time I learned to handle the trolling. Thanks so much for all your support and for sticking with my book. I know it's a long read, but that's just how I like it.
Thanks again,
The Author
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