The stories on this site are based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books, Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only and no money exchanged hands. Seriously. Any mention of any other copyrighted materials that belong to their respective legal entities is not intended to be a form of copyright infringement. This story may not be posted elsewhere without the consent of the author.

Sadly, both myself and my beta reader think this particular chapter isn't entirely eventful. However, I think it's still good enough to be a little entertaining.

A huge thank you to my beta reader, PhoenixFanatic999, for making this story bearable for mortal eyes. Despite my best efforts, the simplest of grammatical and spelling mistakes that he pointed out still managed to elude me.

To Harry's surprise, the greasy long haired man who he thought had been glaring at him during the welcoming feast turned out to be Severus Snape. During his stay with Mrs. Fig, he had already heard a brief introduction of all the staff members from McGonagall, Snape being the man who teaches Potions at Hogwarts. Sirius and Remus had been there when she told him, the news of the former Death Eater teaching instead of rotting in Azkaban didn't sound good for Sirius. What should have been more talks about Hogwarts had turned to be about Snape.

To Sirius, that was another reason why he couldn't trust Dumbledore.

It had been during breakfast when McGonagall gave them their timetables, during which Harry heard from Fred and George that the man was a bias teacher. A man who'd take any chance to take away points from the other three houses, hating students except his Slytherins. The first day of school and he had met Snape in his first Potions class. Snape picked on Harry from the very start he read off the attendance list. The man kept sneering and ridiculing him again and again in class, to the delight of Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins. By the end of the class, Harry never thought he'd hate any man more than he hated his uncle Vernon until he met Severus Snape.

When Snape took away another point from Gryffindor simply because it was Harry's supposed fault for not stopping Neville, Harry stared at him. Neville hissed and whimpered in pain, his robes drenched with his failed concoction that melted Ron's cauldron, it had caused boils to appear all over his skin. Harry was clenching his teeth hard, the same thing Sirius did to control his anger especially whenever the Dursleys were the cause of that anger.

"Do you have something to say, Potter?" taunted Snape, having just deducted another point from Gryffindor.

Harry took a slow long breath as he glanced at Neville, then back at Snape. "I do. I'm sorry. Since you said this was my fault, I think I'll be the one to take Neville to the hospital wing. Ron can take my place and continue with Dean,"

All the Gryffindors glanced at one another, so did the Slytherins, while Snape was rendered speechless by a student for the first time ever. It was a winning situation for Snape either way, he could continue ridiculing Harry or have him gone for the rest of the class.

"Come on, Neville, I think we should hurry," said Harry, the red boils all over the said boy's skin could make anyone wince just by looking.

The few boils on the said boy's nose that popped didn't help. It was better for Harry to get away from Snape before he'd do something else where that man would deduct more points. Harry opened and closed the door for Neville, since it would have been painful for Neville to touch anything. Everyone in the Potions class stared at the door momentarily, glancing at one another and at Snape. The former Death Eater didn't like it one bit.

"Unless someone has something interesting to say as to what exactly is on my face, get back to work!" Snape snapped, startling both Slytherins and Gryffindors altogether.

Outside, Harry sighed as he and Neville climbed up the stairs at a slow pace. Neville must be having a hard time. It made Harry remember about the bruises from the bullying he got from Dudley's gang and Vernon's whippings.

"I'm sorry…" stuttered Neville, wincing as more boil under his clothes burst.

"For what?" asked Harry in confusion, leading the Longbottom scion, "if this is about me missing the rest of the class, I think you just did me a favor."

"It's my fault, not yours. If I hadn't added the porcupine quills…" muttered Neville.

"He'd probably blame me for something else, it doesn't matter," Harry shrugged, trying to forget about Potions class. "He's been picking on me in class again and again. You shouldn't be apologizing to me, I should be thanking you. So, thanks, Neville."

Anything was better than Snape.

Leaving the dungeons had been easy since it was all about retracing his steps from the Great Hall, but going to the hospital wing was going to be a problem.

"Do you know where the hospital wing is?" asked Neville.

"No," Harry frowned as he looked around, all the stairs, corridors, and trick doors only made it seem like he was in a maze.

"So… how are we going to get there?" asked Neville.

"Ask someone who knows," Harry stopped, there was something heading straight towards him.

A scrawny cat with tufted ears and tail approached Harry, observing him with its seemingly large yellow slit pupil eyes. It was Mrs. Norris, the infamous pet cat of Argus Filch the caretaker of Hogwarts, out on her usual patrol. Her eyes very much like the lamp that Filch carry around during his night patrols. Harry had noticed her at the welcoming feast last night, by her familiar's side.

"Mrs. Norris was it?" asked Harry, briefly remembering the name Flich called her, "Do you think you can tell me where the hospital wing is?"

Having spent a whole month with Mrs. Figg's pets, Harry didn't see anything wrong with talking to a cat, let alone asking it for directions. Mrs. Norris couldn't remember the last time any student had spoken softly at her. She could easily smell the horrendous smell of whatever potion that drenched Neville's robes, since that was what attracted her in the first place. All Neville heard was several of the cat's long meows, but Harry must have understood whatever those meows meant judging by his expression.

"Thanks," replied Harry, noting the cat had been quite frank unlike Mrs. Figg's playful pets, always bargaining for a scratch.

He bent down and momentarily scratched Mrs. Norris, much to the cat's surprise, behind her eyes.

Harry slowly made his way to the Grand staircase, Neville in tow, remembering the given directions the whole time he walked.

"Harry?" Neville called out nervously.

"What?" Harry stopped and turned around.

"Where are we going?" asked Neville.

"To the hospital wing," Harry thought it was quite obvious, before continuing his way up the stairs. "Fourth floor of the hospital tower, shortest way there is through here."

"Oh…"

Neville remained silent as they continued on, he heard about Parselmouths were those could talk to snakes. Just at Mrs. Norris had told him, Harry had reached the hospital wing through the fourth floor corridor. The school's matron by the name Poppy Pomfrey, another stern woman though nothing like McGonagall, knew what to do the moment she saw Neville's poor state. After an astonished reaction to seeing Harry, she told him that he should go to his next class. Harry asked her for directions to the Transfiguration classroom, 'Classroom 1B' under Transfiguration didn't mean any first year would know exactly where it was. He quickly went on his way, not wanting to be late though he did stop momentarily at the third floor before continuing on.

As Harry went down, he wondered why Snape hated him. He wasn't sure if he needed to include that in the letter he was going write to Sirius and Lupin. He was already used to being hated without knowing the reason why, after all he lived with the Dursleys for almost a decade. After a careful thought, he decided he'd wait and probably decide by the weekend.

Being alone was definitely not a good thing, students along the way and those out at the Middle Courtyard kept whispering at one another while staring at him. Harry tried to ignore them, Lupin and McGonagall had already told him all about his celebrity status and how he should handle it. He most definitely wasn't going to bask in it. His first class, and yet he couldn't be more relieved to be out of it. If Snape's class was going to continue throughout the semester just like the first class, Harry thought he was better off learning the subject without him. That man didn't even show the class how it was done, merely instructing them to just follow the instructions on the board, the same instructions from their textbook.

Aunt Petunia was better than Snape was when it came to teaching, as she did more than just criticize. At first she criticized and berated Harry as to everything he did in the kitchen, however she did at least taught him everything by actually correcting his mistakes and demonstrating him the proper way to do something. How to chop vegetables, peel the skin of fruits and potatoes, knead dough, to preparing a roast turkey. In the end, the only thing she could do was constantly reminding him not to mess up and burn their meals.

'Can't believe I'm actually thinking about her,' though Harry as he leaned against the wall.

Harry didn't have to wait long before the first year Gryffindors, except Neville, and Hufflepuffs turned up, he noticed all his fellow Gryffindors looked miserable.

"How was the rest of Potions?" asked Harry, taking his bag from Dean.

"Bad. Real bad," frowned Dean.

"I got lucky," said Seamus, "I think I would have blown up my potion if Hermione hadn't stopped me from adding the snake fangs too early,"

"You're just exaggerating," commented Dean.

"Oh just you wait, there's going to be explosions," shuddered Seamus.

"Professor Snape was totally unfair," remarked Hermione.

"That's a mild way of saying it," replied Harry.

"After you and Neville left, Crabbe and Goyle's cauldron began bubbling and started giving out a funny smell. Snape said nothing when he made their potion vanish, he just continued on like nothing happen," explained Dean.

"He definitely hates me for some reason," said Harry.

"Who knows what that greasy codger would do if you hadn't left," Seamus nodded to Harry's statement.

"Seamus!" chastised Hermione.

"What?" Seamus didn't see why she was defending the appalling man.

"Don't call him that!" Hermione disapproved.

"You're right. Codger still sounds too nice, he's not that old anyways," Seamus frowned in thought, "How about slimy git? Or greasy git?"

Harry and Dean laughed, however Hermione was hardly amused.

"Oh come on, Hermione," said Seamus, "You were there when he was all nasty to us, to Harry. He kept ignoring your raised hand when Harry couldn't answer his first question. We all saw how he got worse when Harry got it right with the second question that had something to do with a goat. That third question about that Vil… Vel… Velicasilen thing, it isn't even in our text book since you didn't raise your hand when he asked Harry."

Hermione hated to admit Seamus was right, "It's Veritaserum, not Velicasilen. Anyways, it doesn't mean you should call him names. He's a teacher."

"A bad teacher," added Dean.

"But still!"

"Look, let's just forget about him," said Harry, "I hope Transfiguration will be much better than Potions."

The sound of footsteps and shuffling could be heard from the door before it opened, third year Slytherins and Hufflepuffs exited the class. Some were muttering about being given homework on their first class, they noticed Harry was there and couldn't help but look at him.

"Don't these people know it's rude to stare?" Dean glowered at the third years, he didn't care they were bigger than him.

"It's nothing, come on," Harry preferred not to be too bothered with the attention.

Much to their relief, all the other classes were better than Snape's Potions class, even History of Magic taught by a ghost, Professor Bins was preferable. Everyone except Hermione had a hard time staying awake, every now and then Harry's writing ended up trailed off as he tried to stay awake. In Transfiguration, Harry initially had a problem transfiguring his match stick into a needle. His match turned into a small stick insect for a brief moment, it then reverted back just as it was about to manage to move. Everyone else was too busy with their own match sticks to notice, and McGonagall was preoccupied telling Seamus that he might as well be given a whole match box if he was going to keep burning every match stick given. By the end of the class, Harry and Hermione had earned Gryffindor a point each having managed to transfigure their match sticks into needles.

Potions class was just a bumpy start of the week, the rest of the subjects were much better. His Aunt Minnie might be strict, but it was most definitely his favorite. Charms classes had been theoretical for the whole week, but Professor Flitwick told them they'd be practicing soon enough.

Potions was just a good reason why the Gryffindor first years hate Mondays.

Something peculiar had happened to Harry after they left their first class of Defence Against the Dark Arts. His skin began to redden after they left Professor Quirrel's class, in which Hermione thought Harry was coming down with a fever or something.

"Harry! Are you alright? You're all flushed," said Hermione.

"I am?" Harry looked confused, he didn't feel any different.

"You're like red all over," replied Seamus.

"They're right," agreed Dean, "Are you coming down with a fever or something?"

It wasn't just Harry's face, Hermione would have commented he was blushing if it was just his face. He was red all over just like Seamus said. Hermione knew that it wasn't a good sign. She knew if the skin got red like that, then it was because the blood vessels were dilating in attempt to increase the dissipation of heat. The lack of sweat made her worry more, as it also helps in regulating body temperature.

Hermione came closer, placed her palm on his forehead feeling Harry's lightning bolt shaped scar and her other palm on her forehead for comparison. "No, you don't feel hot."

"I don't feel any different actually," replied Harry.

"May be it's all that smell from Professor Quirrel's class," thought Hermione.

"I told you we shouldn't have sat up front. With the garlic smell from his turban and all those sticks he burns near the blackboard," said Dean.

Everyone though they were better off without the burning incense, Professor Quirrel said those were gifts from Tibetan monks.

"You could be allergic to garlic," said Hermione.

"No, I'm definitely sure I'm not allergic to garlic," replied Harry, if he did then he would have known right from the moment Aunt Petunia made him chop one.

"Then it must be those stick things that he burns, or both altogether," suggested Seamus.

"May be," said Harry.

"You should go to the hospital wing. Perhaps you could ask Professor Quirrel to stop burning incense in class. I'm sure he wouldn't mind, Harry, just for one class at least." Hermione recommended.

"Or I could just sit further back. I'm sure this is nothing, Hermione. I fine, really," replied Harry.

He didn't want to trouble anyone, not because of something like this. He had adults like Sirius and Figg worrying about his welfare, now he had friends. It was nice, people who cared about him, something that wasn't completely foreign to him. He had always been jealous of his cousin, Dudley, but it wasn't like he never felt it. Despite the harsh upbringing of the Dursleys, he wasn't a total mess of a child, an emotional wreck of some sort. Mrs. Figg saved him from that, so did Sirius, and later on Remus and McGonagall.

"Are you sure?" asked Hermione.

"I'm sure," smiled Harry, "I'll go see Madam Pomfrey the moment I feel sick."

Hermione calmed down after hearing what he said, though not completely. She didn't understand why the opposite gender always had to act all tough and everything.

"If you want, we could drag him to the hospital wing," suggested Dean, looking at Hermione.

"I have no problem with that," said Seamus.

Safe to say, Harry's skin stopped flushing after a short while. Blood vessels would move closer to the skin to radiate heat when the body starts to get hot for too long, further away to conserve heat when it gets too cold. Unknowingly to the four of them, Harry had been sitting too close for too long to Quirrel to the point his protection within his blood actually reacted to Voldemort's presence. Taking his own advice, Harry sat a few rows back, not up front nor too far at the back. He never did flush all red after class, since he never sat too close for too long. His first class was the only time he ever did.

o.o.o.O.O.O.o.o.o

Madam Irma Pince ushered the few remaining students within her library. Just a few minutes ago, she watched a quartet of first year Gryffindors on a Friday night. Even though it was still early into the school term, it was usually the most studious of Ravenclaws, especially those of the fifth year and seventh year that would stay in the library till its closing hour. She remembered the first time the bushy haired girl entered her library, despite only seeing her for a few times. Hermione had asked her a lot of questions, everything about the various sections of books, about the books she could borrow, and more. Who could forget Harry Potter? He wasn't ecstatic like Hermione had been, but he was still in awe of the grand library when they entered the library for the first time. She noticed the two boys, Seamus and Dean, were seemed slightly discontent when they Harry and Hermione into the library. However, they seemed quite relieved and much happier that they were now about to leave the library.

"You sure like Transfiguration, Harry," commented Dean, peeking over Harry's shoulder to see Madam Pince stamping the two books Harry's borrowing.

Madam Pince silenced him with a glare and a finger to her lips.

"Oops, sorry," Dean apologized.

The librarian's eyes widened to intensifying her glare.

"Why don't you and Seamus wait outside while Harry and I check out our books?" whispered Hermione.

"Doesn't matter, it's just a few books anyway," whispered back Seamus.

"I still can't believe you two talked me into doing homework in the library till closing time," said Dean, right outside the library.

"It got you to finish your essays, didn't it?" replied Hermione.

"Sure, but still…" Dean was still skeptical, "Transfiguration, Potions, AND History of Magic."

"But now we've don't have to bother with them," added Dean.

"Hermione and I helped like we said we would, didn't we?" smirked Harry.

When Hermione had suggested they try to finish all their homework at the library, Seamus and Dean had almost shot the idea down, preferring to do it much later. The essay on Emeric the Evil wasn't even due till Tuesday, and yet they had actually finished it. They couldn't turn down Harry and Hermione's offer to help should they do it together. Thanks to Hermione, Seamus even managed to stop burning his matches in Transfiguration and was less prone to cause anything to explode throughout the week. While Harry seemed to have a certain flair for Transfiguration, Hermione did excellently at everything. Only a fool would decline their offer of help, Hermione even had all their homework, even Harry's, checked.

They were on their way down straight to the Great Hall for dinner, perhaps one of the reasons why the library always closes at eight o'clock. To make sure students eat their dinner if any studied too long.

"A whole weekend with no homework," said Seamus happily.

"You're not going to spend the whole weekend reading all those books you checked out, are you?" asked Dean, looking at Hermione then at Harry.

"Not the whole time," answered Harry, thinking he'd probably read his Transfiguration books he borrowed before going to sleep.

"So what are you planning to do?" asked Seamus.

"I'm going to explore Hogwarts, inside and out," said Harry with a hint of excitement in his voice, "I heard there are still a lot of things to see. Like the Quidditch pitch, the clock tower courtyard, Hagrid's hut, the lake, there's even a boat house."

"I thought about seeing what's outside too," replied Dean, "We've only been to the green houses for Herbology."

"You could bring a book," suggested Harry, looking at Hermione, "We could read under the shade of a tree or something. I've always liked reading outside."

Harry missed reading his books right by Sirius' den, and he always did prefer the outdoors ever since he started visiting his godfather.

"Sounds nice," Hermione smiled. "It would be refreshing to be outside."

"Hedwig's been wondering when I'd come and visit her at the Owlery," noted Harry.

He also needed Hedwig to send a letter to Sirius, there were so many things he wanted to tell him. He could sense Hedwig being slightly upset every time she swooped down at the Great Hall every breakfast. Harry saw the way his pet owl looked at all the other owls, be it students' pets or the school's, entering and leaving Hogwarts with something to be delivered. Hedwig would be delighted when he'd tell her she had a letter to deliver. He'd kill two birds with one stone, figuratively of course.

When they passed the third floor while walking up the staircase, Harry stopped.

"Harry?" called out Hermione.

He didn't answer her, it seemed as if he was trying to listen to something.

"Something wrong?" asked Dean.

Harry raised his hand to tell them to be quiet, and slowly walked down the stairs back to the third floor.

"Harry! Where are you going?" asked Dean, as he, Seamus, and Hermione followed him. "You didn't forget something in the library did you? I mean it's already closed."

Harry stopped and raised his hand, his friends stopped and remained quiet, as if a squad leader had signaled his team in a raid. He looked left and right, and moved again. He wasn't going to the library, having passed it without much of a glance to its doors.

"Where are we going?" Seamus looked at Dean and Hermione.

"Harry," Hermione called him.

"Trevor's around here," replied Harry, picking up his pace, he was worried he'd might lose the weird sense he was feeling.

"Wait," Dean furrowed his eyebrows.

They remembered seeing Neville's lost pet poster on the bulletin board in Gryffindor's common room; apparently his pet toad was missing again.

"Yeah," said Harry simply, turning left and walked past Classroom 3C, Defence Against the Dark Arts class.

"How do you know where he is?" asked Hermione.

"I..." Harry didn't know how exactly to answer that, "I just know,"

"What do you mean you just know?" asked Seamus. "Can't we do this later?"

"This is a big castle, who knows where Trevor could be next if we just leave it," replied Harry.

As they walked on further on the third floor, Hermione became more agitated the further they kept on going. They passed the familiar Charms corridor, then Gunhilda of Gorsemoor Corridor, unknowingly the trophy room. While it was usual to see suits of armor in Hogwarts' corridors, at times moving from one corridor to another, they noticed there were a lot of them aligned as they kept on going. They finally walked into another corridor, all dark unlike the previous ones, since none of the torches along its walls were lit. Harry could make out a door at the far end of the corridor, though it looked no different than any of the doors down at the dungeons.

"Harry, I don't think we're supposed to be here," said Seamus.

"We're definitely not supposed to be here," affirmed Hermione, "This must be the third floor's forbidden corridor."

Before either Seamus and Dean could say anything, the torches on their left and right on their left and right suddenly burned and startled Dean, Seamus, and Hermione to a halt. It was as if the torches had detected their presence and proceeded to light the corridor. Hermione quickly noticed a black line on the floor right in front of Harry's feet as he continued on walking. Just like the torches, a line suddenly glowed in wisps of blue on the floor.

"I don't think we're supposed to cross that line," said Seamus, stating the obvious.

"You heard Hermione. This is the forbidden corridor," replied Dean.

Harry however didn't seem deterred, he was about to step over the line when Hermione and Dean grabbed his robe.

"Harry! What were you doing?" asked Hermione incredulously.

"I told you already, to get Trevor," Harry then pointed, Neville's pet toad was right where he was pointing, beyond the magical line.

His friends blinked speechless, Seamus had his mouth agape.

"It's not like I'm going to go over, open that door, and die a horrible death," Harry frowned, remembering Dumbledore's warning.

"But Harry-" Hermione didn't finish, as Harry already had stepped over the line, and then scooped up Trevor from the floor.

In the darkness of the faintly lit corridor, they saw the soles of Harry's shoes momentarily glowed blue. Harry then looked at the door on the far end; there was something he could sense behind that door just like he did with Trevor. Whatever it was, it was far bigger than him. Familiar, different yet somehow still familiar.

"Okay, mate, you got the toad. Let's go!" shouted Dean, his feet right behind the line.

"What?" Harry turned to his friends.

"Let's go before Filch comes checking," Seamus looked around, really wishing nobody would come.

"Or worse, Snape," Dean dreaded.

Was it some sort of alarm alerting the teachers that someone had come too close to the forbidden corridor?

Their hearts skipped a beat when they saw quick movements of a shadow from a corner, from the shapes of it, it wasn't human. Hermione, Seamus, and Dean backed away a few steps, where they unconsciously moved over the magical line at the same moment a feline came running towards them.

It was a cat, but not just any cat.

A tabby cat.

Unlike Harry, his three friends could actually hear sizzling sound coming from their feet as their shoes glowed bright. With a loud bang, Hermione, Seamus, and Dean were suddenly sent hurtling, only to realize they were staring with their nose just inches away from the floor which they should have landed roughly onto it.

"Uh… what's going on?" Seamus blinked, he felt as if he was being floating.

A flick of someone's wand, he fell flat onto the floor, along with Dean and Hermione. All three of them groaned in pain while they rubbed their noses.

"Consider yourselves lucky! Mr. Finnigan, Mr. Thomas, Miss Granger. You three would have landed more painfully if I hadn't intervened."

All three of them felt their heart skip a beat upon hearing the voice.

"Pro… Professor McGonagall…" acknowledged Seamus, slowly getting up.

As for the rest of the quartet, Hermione squeaked in surprise, Dean gulped, while Harry simply kept on watching. He had see the familiar tabby cat turn into his Transfiguration teacher in which she then proceeded to stop his friends from roughly falling with a swish of her wand. Later on, Hermione figured McGonagall did them a bigger favor, they could have fractured or completely break the ink bottles in their bags and ruin everything inside. McGonagall had much of her attention of her three Gryffindors that it was then later she realized another was still standing behind the Age Line. For a few seconds, her mouth opened and closed like a fish in water.

"Mr. Potter! Come here this instant!" ordered McGonagall.

Harry meekly yet still quickly jogged over, joining his friends' side.

"Explain yourselves! What are the four of you doing in the forbidden corridor?" McGonagall demanded.

Harry never felt so guilty, to have McGonagall angry at his friends because of his fault.

"It's my fault, they followed me to look for Neville's lost toad," Harry quickly explained, McGonagall took notice of the toad in his hands.

"They kept telling me about it, but I didn't listen. I already saw Trevor was over that line, and… I thought I'd just cross over to get it."

The toad croaked, oblivious to the trouble it had caused.

"Just crossed over to get it?" parroted McGonagall. "In the forbidden corridor?"

"That's all, honest!" replied Harry.

"And nothing happened when you did?" asked McGonagall further.

"Uh, my shoes did glow blue for a bit," answered Harry.

The fact that her three Gryffindors were ejected showed McGonagall the Age Line was working as it should. Dumbledore had cast this himself in which those under the age of twenty wouldn't be able to pass through the Age Line. It was the perfect way to keep students from entering the forbidden corridor, since even the oldest students of the seventh year are no older than nineteen. Flitwick and McGonagall had suggested its use to keep students from wondering after curfew, but Dumbledore had told them the complexity of the spell made it impractical. It takes time to cast and dispel the Age Line, there's also the limit of minimal duration the Age Line has been to be cast. Eight hours was just too short for such a complex spell such as the Age Line to work.

"Show me, Mr. Potter," said McGonagall.

Who was she kidding? She herself just saw Harry stand beyond the line, and it did nothing to him.

"Step behind that line," clarified McGonagall.

Harry didn't question her, and just did what he was told. Hermione, Dean, and Seamus looked at one another and then at Harry. When he did, the soles of his shoes glowed blue just like it did the first time, Hermione realized what was going on. She figured the same thing should happen like it did with her, Seamus, and Dean. But it the glow faded pretty much like before. No sizzling sound, no one sent flying, for some reason the Age Line didn't work on Harry.

McGonagall scrunched her eyebrows together, frowning, there was denying it, "That's enough, Mr. Potter,"

Harry retreated back, he now understood what was troubling McGonagall, and so did Dean and Seamus. The Deputy Headmistress wondered if this was just another mystery about Harry, who had somehow miraculously survived a Killing Curse and destroyed Voldemort too. Was it also the reason why the Age Line was ineffective to him? It was then McGonagall crossed the line, testing the Age Line, lifting her robes slightly in order to see her shoes. It didn't glow at all.

The wildest possibility of Harry being an imposter was out, if it someone with a Polyjuice Potion then his shoes wouldn't have reacted to the Age Line just like her. McGonagall then pointed her wand at the corridor and waved it around, murmuring the spell's incantation that the quartet Gryffindors couldn't hear.

"Now, try again," said McGonagall.

So Harry did, two steps later, he was surprised when he had walked straight into an invisible wall.

"Ow," Harry rubbed his nose, fixing his glasses that were askew upon impact.

"Good," said McGonagall, she definitely seemed to think Harry's minor pain was well warranted. "A bump in the nose is nothing compared to what lies behind that door, Mr. Potter. The headmaster was very clear that students are not allowed here."

"Actually all he…" Seamus never finished, having received an elbow to the rib courtesy of Dean.

"Ten points from Gryffindor," McGonagall unsympathetically declared, "While your intentions were noble, it was no excuse to be in the forbidden corridor, especially having heard your friends' warnings. You should have called for a teacher." The four of them stared down at their shoes, "and two points for Gryffindor," Harry looked up, surprised, "for helping a fellow student."

At least she was willing to hear their justification, if there was any, unlike a certain Potions teacher.

"I don't want to see or even hear about any of you being here even again, no matter what. Understood?"

They murmured, "Yes, Professor."

"I sure hope so, now go, the four of you obviously haven't eaten dinner yet," said McGonagall.

She was good, not once did she refer to him as Harry, even in distress. Harry wasn't sure if he could do the same, one of these days he knows he might accidentally her 'Aunt Minnie'. The deputy headmistress watched them leave, a moment of nostalgia crashed like waves of the sea, remembering the days when James would walk around with Sirius, Remus, and Peter altogether. How he and Sirius would laugh, Remus smiling by either side, with Peter trying to keep up. It couldn't be helped, Harry did look very much like his father, and he didn't have to ruffle his hair like his father always would, it was always messy. Only first week in Hogwarts, the older staff members of Hogwarts are reminded of the Potters.

Already got himself into trouble in his first week, just like his father, yet his kind heart, much like his mother's, was the reason for his trouble. McGonagall was going to have to talk with Dumbledore on the additional protective enchantment she had added. A schedule or probably an escort for Hagrid when the half giant would come and feed his pet Cerberus, Fluffy, while the barrier's down. It wouldn't really impede an adult wizard or witch, Hagrid wouldn't be able to pass through, but it would work just as well as the Age Line against any student.

Despite all her protest, along with other staff members, Dumbledore still proceeded to place and guard the Philosopher Stone within Hogwarts. McGonagall was becoming more and more doubtful of her old friend, Dumbledore, unsatisfied with the measures they had taken to ensure the stone's protection. The suit of armor stationed all along the corridors would only react upon an intruder's attempt to leave the forbidden corridor, not from the very start as if to capture them in the act.

While the quartet headed down to the Great Hall, Harry sighed.

"I'm sorry… for getting us into trouble like that. I should have listened." Harry apologized.

"It's not your fault, not all of it anyways," replied Dean.

"Eight points…," muttered Harry.

"Is nothing, at least you earned a few points this past week. If it was me or Seamus, we'd be bummed since neither of us has even earned any points yet. But you did," Dean tried to cheer Harry up, "So don't be hung up about it, those were your points. I'm sure you'll earn more."

Seamus nodded, "That line back there, that was some piece of magic,"

"I was worried Professor McGonagall was going to expel us," said Hermione.

"Like that would ever happen," Seamus' confidence faltered, "Would it?"

"Makes you wonder, doesn't it?" Dean couldn't hide his curiosity, "What exactly they're hiding behind that door."

"Of course not!" answered Hermione, though given the way the boys were looking at her, all smug knowing she was lying, "Oh alright, I am a bit curious too."

Their look didn't change.

"Okay, a lot. You three can stop looking at me like that." Hermione huffed, smiling a bit. "I don't know why we should be talking about this. Professor McGonagall deducted points, we got into trouble."

"I know," Harry was glum upon hearing the reminder.

"Sorry," Hermione apologized.

"There's nothing wrong talking about it, Hermione," said Dean.

"Did you see how troubled she was when she found out you could pass that line?" Seamus looked at Harry, "They're really making sure no student ever goes there."

"Die a terrible death, remember?" Harry felt Trevor's struggle in his hands.

"But why keep something very dangerous at school?" Hermione was unconsciously being drawn into the conversation.

"All those suits of armor at the corridor, they sure reminded me of the guards I saw outside Buckingham Palace," pointed out Dean.

Hermione compared the suits of armor to those of the Queen's guards.

"That's it! Guards!" Hermione figured out. "That line we were thrown off, it keeps student out, but staff members like Professor McGonagall in. I'm sure there are more magical spells to guard whatever is behind that door. They're guarding something, not just keeping it."

"It must be really precious," said Harry. "Like the headmaster said, die a terrible death."

"May be he was just trying to scare us," replied Dean.

"But you saw Professor McGonagall," reminded Hermione.

Harry knew what she meant, "She wasn't just angry, she was worried. Very worried,"

"To think, we wouldn't have found out if wasn't for this toad," said Dean.

"How did you know it was there in the first place? You weren't even looking around. You just knew it was there somehow and went for it, all the way from the library," inquired Hermione.

Harry Potter was no ordinary wizard, his friends knew that very well, and there was little he could do to disprove that fact. He himself hated to admit it, his status of having survived a Killing Curse was one thing, but his wand of chimera hair solidified that fact for him.

"Did you smell it?" suggested Seamus, seeing as Harry himself looked like he wasn't sure.

'Did I?' Harry wondered, "No, I don't think so. I didn't smell it or hear it." He frowned in thought, "I just knew it was there."

Dean seemed eager, "May be it's something like Spider-Man's sixth sense, you sensed Trevor like Spider-Man sensed danger. It's a tingling feeling he feels at the base of skull,"

Harry vaguely remembered the cartoon character, having heard it at school, some American super hero famous enough to have boys talking about and showing off any merchandise. There was a boy in his class who would usually bring his weekly Marvel UK comic book, boys including Dudley would huddle to read it. Of course, Dudley being the mean spoiled brat that he was, had demanded Vernon to buy for him, and tease Harry by showing it off. Though like everything else Dudley usually got, he simply lost interest of it.

Seamus and Hermione were dubious.

"Spider sense?" Hermione raised an eyebrow, looking at Dean.

"It's possible, isn't it? Who knows? May be some comic book artists are wizards, Muggle born wizards," explained Dean.

"Trevor? Dangerous?" Seamus looked at the toad. "Well… if he could be if he jumps into someone mouth while they're sleeping or …"

He stopped given the peculiar looks Harry and Hermione were giving him.

"Trevor!"

Neville came running from the opened doors of the Great Hall towards the quartet, ending their talk.

"You found him!" Neville seemed very grateful, Harry was more than happy to be relieved of the toad.

"I think you should keep him in his glass tank, Neville," advised Hermione. "You'll lose it again if you don't."

"Just because Ron brings Scabbers everywhere in his pocket doesn't mean you should," added Harry.

"Can you imagine if Ron lost his rat?" wondered Seamus.

Hermione shuddered at the thought, hamsters and guinea pigs were cute, but she can't say the same for rats, especially Ron's.

"Mrs. Norris wouldn't show mercy, she'd eat it without second thoughts," commented Harry.

"Come one, I'm really hungry," said Dean, simply settling at the end of the Gryffindor table.

"You do know you have to wash your hands, Harry," said Hermione.

"Yeah, besides Trevor being a toad and all, who knows where else it had been," Seamus chuckled.

When Harry washed his hands, he pondered what exactly he had sensed behind that door. He knew it was an animal, given how Dean thought he could sense animals. He realized he had been sensing Hedwig whenever his pet owl would come during the morning delivery, or Mrs. Norris comes around a corridor with or without Mr. Filch. This time, he faintly detected the toad and went looking for it. Were the staff members protecting an animal?

'No, it's not being guarded, it's guarding,' Harry realized, he was sure of it.

An animal that guards. A guard dog? If it was, it must be a very big guard dog, naturally a magical one.

'A dragon may be?' Harry remembered hearing about dragons being used to guard Gringott's vault when he went shopping for his school materials.

Meanwhile, up on the third floor at the forbidden corridor, Fluffy remained in constant vigilance. It was the ideal creature, a perfect guard dog according to Hagrid. Due to the fact a Cerberus possesses three heads, it's possible for its heads to take turns when it comes to sleeping. Keep watch twenty four hours days, seven days a week. Any intruder, the two heads would simply wake up the third head if it was asleep.

Unknown to Harry, Fluffy had all three of its heads awake and on the alert when it had picked up Harry's faint smell.

Well, that's that for now. Like I said, even I think this chapter isn't eventful. If you think it was better than expected, then I'm grateful. I hope I can make it up with the future chapters, especially about the troll during Halloween. I'd say this chapter is more like setting up the platform for the firecracker to blow. Acknowledgment to ARedHair for the inspiration to this story.

Rate and review, if there's anything vague that needs clarifying, do point out. I might have been vague with or without knowing.