puer autem ineffabilem (The Unspeakable boy)

Disclaimer: I own nothing to do with the Harry Potter series.

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Hadrian sat at the Slytherin table, eating lunch whilst dividing his attention between two things. Thing one was what Eve, Hermione and Ron Weasley were up to. As they had been sitting at the Gryffindor table, barely eating anything and discussing something that was obviously meant to be private. Their hunched postures, and the way they leant into each other as they talked, quietly trying to shield their conversation from wandering ears. it did not however, negate Hadrian's prying eyes. The other thing that warranted his attention though, at least for the sake of politeness, were his three friends and their conversation about charms homework.

Though when he caught sight of the Gryffindor trio, nodding affirmatively and getting up to leave, Hadrian made the decision to monitor their conversation. He excused himself briskly, and left the hall.

When free from any potential onlookers, Hadrian slipped into a nearby broom cupboard. He locked the door with a spell, before delving into his bag and drawing something out.

The object was a small rock, about big enough to be held comfortably in the palm of your hand. This dark grey stone was no ordinary pebble though. Proven such when Hadrian drew his wand, and tapped it against the rock, whispering "Liceamentis."

The listening object, or rock as the case may be, began to emit a low buzzing sound, not dissimilar to that of a bee. After a moment or two, certain sounds became distinguishable amongst the low magical interference. It was the sound of three familiar voices to be exact. Those of Eve Potter, Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley.

Through the gift Hadrian had given Eve for christmas, which had been enchanted to act as the microphone of the Lineaments spell, Hadrian could hear them through the equally enchanted stone. The conversation that was now becoming audible, was quite the conversation to be overheard.

"…el's philosophers stone! That's what's hidden on the third floor!" Was Grangers urgent whisper, evidently not wanting to be overheard wherever they were.

"We must go see Hagrid." Said Eve plaintively. "We'll go tonight, at nine, under the cloak."

This had already given Hadrian an excellent wealth of information. The mention of a philosophers stone and the third floor corridor however, particularly alarmed him. Was that what was hidden on the third floor? If so, how did these three know?

The Unspeakable did however, have a time and place whereby he could shadow them personally. Then maybe he could see why they were going to the Groundskeeper of all people with this.

-/-\- That night, just before nine... -/-\-

Hadrian was making use of his other surveillance spell, 'Speculatorem', which gave him an eye directly into the Gryffindor common room. It had been easy enough to plant a book/camera in the lions den. He had slipped in with some first years, while under a disillusionment charm, and left as soon as he came.

Hadrian currently sat In his four poster bed in the Slytherin, first year boys dormitory. He had the curtains drawn, and was viewing the Gryffindor common room through a small mirror, upon which he had cast the spell. After awhile, he saw Weasley appear at the entrance to what he assumed were the boys dormitories. Then, when he reached the middle landing, where the staircase split at a junction to what must be Girls dormitories. The fiery haired Gryffindor, just disappeared.

That wasn't strictly true but Hadrian had keen eyes, and those eyes saw what had occurred in that small time frame. As if out of nowhere, an opening had appeared in thin air, revealing two figures who seemed to be hiding under some unseeable canopy. As if they were cloaked in invisibility… 'damn…' Was all Hadrian could think. The most logical explanation for invisibility of that caliber, and of such a nature, was that Potter had an invisibility cloak… And here was the unspeakable boy, thinking that tailing them was going to be easy. Well, he'd just have to stay one step ahead, which was helped by the fact that he knew where the trio were going. Besides, there were more ways to become invisible than a cloak. Well, nearly invisible anyway…

Hadrian crept slowly and quietly out of the boys dormitory, and, standing in the short hall between the dorm and the common room, he cast a disillusionment charm on himself. Feeling the familiar submerging sensation of the chameleon like spell washing over him, Hadrian stepped into the almost empty common room. One or two of the older students were up and working, their attentions thankfully placed firmly on the parchments they wrote on. But even if they had been paying attention, they most likely wouldn't have noticed him. Although it's better to be safe rather than sorry, so Hadrian trod swiftly across the room, and exited as quickly as he could.

Casting a silencing charm or two on himself, Hadrian swept through the castle, unseen and unheard. He made quick time to the castle doors, and out into the cold night air he ventured.

The freezing chill permeated Hadrian, as he made his way towards the speck of light in the distance which marked out the location of Hagrid's hut. Easily spottable in the dark of the night.

Having no idea whether he'd reached the hut before the Gryffindor trio, Hadrian crept around the side wall, to stand beneath one of the small windows. He could see the flickering firelight, filtering out through the steamed up glass of the window. He could even feel the warmth that must be coming from a toasty hearth inside. But he could not hear anything, until, from around the corner of the hut, he heard three young voices ramble.

"Hagrid we know about the stone!" The trio had arrived, and they sounded not all too pleased with the groundskeeper.

"Oh dear…" Was the bashful reply they received from the half-giant. "Well, you best come in then." He added worriedly.

Hadrian heard the door close, and the voices muted to the point where he could barely hear them. To remedy this, Hadrian skirted round to the back door, and pressed his ear to the keyhole. He now had an ear to their conversation, but he needed an eye for good measure. Luckily he had just the thing. Fumbling around in his robes pockets, Hadrian pulled out a most useful device. The Magnispying glass he'd received for christmas. He could now hear their conversation a bit clearer, and also see what they were doing inside. The Unspeakable could've used the 'Liceamentis' enchantment, but the reason for him not doing so, was the same as the reason why he hadn't just stayed in the dorm and done so. He needed privacy to be able to listen in, but now Hadrian could also observe what they were doing. He was glad of it too, because in the huts hearth above a burgeoning fire, was a large, reddish, egg. Identifiable to Hadrian, as a dragon's egg.

Alternating between listening and watching, Hadrian remained still as he eavesdropped. "Snape? Bloody 'ell Eve, you ain't still thinkin' tha' are ya? Dumbledore trusts Snape, tha's why he's one of the teachers guarin' the stone... Oh dear..."

"Of course!" Granger exclaimed. "There's more guarding the stone than just Fluffy, isn't there Hagrid?"

'Fluffy...' Hadrian thought dryly. She couldn't possibly mean the cerberus...? Could she?

"Well of course there is." Hagrid exasperated. "Not that they need it. No one knows how to get past Fluffy, no one 'cept for me 'n Dumbledore... Oh dear, I shouldn't a told you that..." Hagrid, it seemed all too obvious to Hadrian, was not very good at keeping secrets.

"Hagrid! Why d'you have a dragon egg?" Weasley erupted in shock and awe.

"Wait, what?" Eve and Hermione chorused. Apparently they hadn't payed any mind to the egg, or just hadn't noticed it.

"Ahh" Hagrid began, clearly gearing up for a boastful explanation by the look of pride he exuded. "I won it, off a bloke I met down the pub."

"Who did you win it off? Who just carries around a dragon egg?" Eve queried.

To which Hermione added. "And then just gives it away?"

"Now now, he didn't give it away, I won it in a game of cards. I'll 'ave you know I play a mean hand of Dragon's bluff, funnily enough." Hagrid grinned. "And i'll tell you now, he was a bloke after me own heart. Was real interested in animals, and all magical creatures. I told 'im, I said, after Fluffy, a dragon'll be no problem."

"Wait, you told him about Fluffy?" Eve asked, a tad alarmed.

"Sure, seemed rude not to share about the kind of animals I look after. I told 'im, I said. Trick with magical creatures is they're just misunderstood. You got's to know how to calm 'em. Take Fluffy fer example, just play the big lug a bit of calmin' music, and he goes right on off to sleep..." A silence stretched on, and Hadrian could practically see the gears turning in the groundskeepers head. Until he added. "... Oh dear. I shouldn't of told you that..."

Now Hagrid seemed like a nice fellow, but Hadrian could not help but think him, an oaf. He was interrupted in his thoughts however, when Weasley, who had been looking at the window across from where he sat, blurted out frantically. "Malfoy!"

Hadrians thoughts coincided with Eve and Hermione's question of. "What?"

Just then Hadrian heard a scuffling from around the side of the hut. Leaning out to look around the corner, he saw a student running off, back up to the castle. The student was distinctly blonde, and kept stumbling over themselves in the dark, leading Hadrian to conclude that Ron's observation had been right. But what had Malfoy been doing out here?

Hadrian watched his friend disappear into the distance, and soon after, he heard the sound of the door to Hagrid's hut opening and closing. Accompanying this was the sound of barely hushed conversation between the three Gryffindor's. They weren't wearing the cloak now either, and weren't being too careful about whether they could be overheard. Foolish of them, but it wasn't as if they were expecting to be overheard or spied on now.

Following at a safe distance, Hadrian tailed the trio back up to the castle, where they entered into the warm torch-lit glow of the school halls. Ron was ranting about Malfoy being a slimy git, or something Gryffindorish and jingoistic. While Eve and Hermione were discussing what they had learnt from the master of secrets, Hagrid.

No sooner had the lion cubs rounded a corner though, that Hadrian noticed their discussion abruptly stopped. Peeping his disillusioned head round the corner, Hadrian saw what had quite rightfully halted them in their tracks. The imposing figure of Professor McGonagall stood, glaring daggers at her three lions. While the grievously less imposing figure of Draco Malfoy lurked behind her, with a trademark smug smile in place.

Hadrian swiftly withdrew his head from around the corner however, when he spied the Professors eyes shift towards where he had been peeking from. If she saw him though, she didn't say so, as the next words out of her mouth were.

"You four will follow me, right, now."

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A/N: Boy oh boy, well, I won't bother explaining what took me so long, 'cos frankly, who cares! Here's the new chapter, it's a little shorter, a tad slapdash, but it's all I could manage currently. :)

Thanks for all the reviews and favourites and follows as well everyone, they're much appreciated.