The Professor's Pursuit

"Hermione, she was in that toilet." Harry then remembered in panic again. "Somebody needs to look for her. I managed to distract the troll before it could get in there and led it here to the stairs as I thought Hedwig would bring the teachers here."

"Don't worry, Mr Potter. Professor Vector has gone to get her. She will escort her to the hospital wing. And you will also accompany me there. You have a shock and it will be best if you get to lie down and take a calming draught." Madam Pomfrey said soothingly.

"Can't I just go to my room in Ravenclaw tower and sleep there?" He asked pleadingly.

"No, I'm sorry; I want to observe you over the night. Especially as we don't know if what your familiar did to prevent you from breaking all the bones in your legs has after-effects." Madam Pomfrey insisted.

'It was perfectly safe.' He heard the voice from before that he now knew belonged to Hedwig.

"Thank you, Hedwig." He said, caressing the plumage of his owl.

'You're welcome, but you can answer me in your mind, then others can't hear what you say to me.' She replied.

'Like this?' Harry asked trying it.

'Yes, that's it. I'm happy that we now can really talk with each other.' She said.

'I like this too. What did you do? I felt like a feather when you took my collar.' Harry asked.

'That's more or less what I did. I have the ability to influence the weight of things. I can either turn things feather-light or make them weigh as much as a boulder.' She explained. 'I'm still learning all about my powers. With every full moon I learn more.'

"Mr Potter?" Madam Pomfrey asked.

"Sorry, I was talking to Hedwig." He answered.

"But you didn't say a thing." She commented.

"We can mind talk." Harry explained. "She said she turned me feather-light and that it wasn't harmful but perfectly safe. And right now I'm feeling like I normally feel, well my weight that is."

"Very interesting. But now, I'll take you to the hospital wing. No complaints anymore." She ordered.

"Yes, Madam Pomfrey." Harry said resignedly.

....

Quirinius Quirrell was silently cursing. His plan to get more information and perhaps even make an attempt at the Philosopher's Stone had failed. While everything had gone to plan when he stormed into the Great Hall, announcing that a troll was in the dungeons and pretending to faint, things then went to hell. That moon owl of the Potter boy had swooped into the hall, flown directly at Dumbledore and gave him a note. Dumbledore called all the teachers except Babbling, Sinistra, Tonks and Burbage to follow him upstairs as Harry Potter was currently confronted with the troll, it had to have gone upstairs from the dungeons.

After that, he had just managed to leave the Great Hall unnoticed from the teachers keeping watch over the students. He sped towards the third floor. Hopefully he would have enough time to look what was behind the door. But there he only was confronted with a monstrous Cerberus. The dog attacked him and injured him in the leg. He jumped behind the door, which led to the Cerberus running along the floor towards the noise in the direction of the stairs. He looked out from behind the door and saw an empty corridor. Damn that dog, now he couldn't go farther with his leg like it was. And they would soon send somebody here to ensure the safety of the stone. He saw that there was a trapdoor in the room, which would lead down to the next obstacle probably. He didn't know whose was next and what it was.

The uproar in the direction of the stairs suddenly ended. Then footsteps came closer. It were two persons. Quirrell didn't wait until they were close enough to see him or even hear him, he retreated deeper back, as fast as his leg could carry him. This was a failure. A complete and utter failure. His master wouldn't be pleased.

.....

Dumbledore, followed by Snape, who kept the harp playing, levitated Fluffy back into the room.

"Somebody tried to get inside, headmaster." Snape said.

"Indeed. But Fluffy must have been a nasty surprise for him. Look, here is blood on the floor." He pointed out.

"Yes, we should follow the trail as soon as the beast is back in his place. By the way, don't you think it would be a bit unsafe to just keep the door locked? I mean now that many more people know about the beast's weakness." Snape reminded Dumbledore.

"Yes, I was really surprised to see and hear Harry singing like that. A truly beautiful song, even if a bit sad. I guess Hagrid must have mentioned Fluffy to Harry before I told him to keep anything regarding the Cerberus a secret to use him as a protection for the stone." Dumbledore mused.

"In this case his habit to talk rather much was an advantage. With Potter reacting that quickly we didn't need to injure the Cerberus and it can retake his guarding position for now."

Dumbledore locked the door again and he and Snape went following the trail of blood until it stopped abruptly.

"He noticed the trail he left and either vanished the blood from here on or managed to stop the bleeding." Snape observed.

"Well, we won't find him now. Let's return and see how Harry and Miss Granger are." Dumbledore said.

"I will leave that to you. I will return to the Great Hall and look after my house." Snape said and left.

....

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