Tigers and schools don't go well together. While they could exercise their Animagus forms in secluded classrooms for a while, soon enough they were able to maintain their animal forms indefinitely, or at least – much longer than they liked staying locked in a small room. The tigers needed the outdoor expanses to stretch their muscles, to run and to exercise their hunting abilities.
The only place where such activities could be tackled was the forbidden forest. As children, they were not allowed to go there, since it was too dangerous, yet as large predators, it was their natural habitat.
"Let's meet in the common room an hour after curfew. We may then fade to the edge of the forest and transform," Harry suggested.
"We may still need the invisibility cloak, or somebody may notice us when we return," Hermione suggested.
"Not really. We can fade directly into our beds. Nobody will notice."
"Well, in that case, we should secure our privacy in bed."
"Don't I do it every time?" Harry responded.
They didn't dare use their animal form too close to the castle, yet they dared not go into the forest in their human form. They decided to fade to the edge of the forest, near Hagrid's hut, and then transform and go into the forest as tigers.
They only spent less than half an hour as tigers, that first night, but it soon turned much longer. Harry loved moving stealthily among the trees, just as he loved running freely where the trees were not as dense. He only mock hunted some small animals, frightening them, but not causing any harm. Had anybody seen them, he would have thought they were acting just like two overgrown kittens, only playing for fun.
While both enjoyed the improved sight, hearing, and smell, Hermione seemed to have sharper senses than Harry. She was the first to hear some talking between the trees, not too far from the edge of the forest. With a flick of her ears, she attracted Harry's attention as well and they both moved closer to the source of the noise, finding both Snape and Quirrell.
With their enhanced hearing, they heard the conversation perfectly clear, yet it didn't make much sense. Just from interrogating Hagrid, they already knew what was hidden under the forbidden corridor, and it wasn't clear who wanted to get in and who protected the place. It seemed like Snape was the one trying to get in, but they weren't too sure of it even after discussing what they heard, once they were back in the Gryffindor tower. "We only know for sure that somebody wants to get in. Maybe we should try to check on them?"
Harry gave it a thought. "We can use some of the charms we've learned, tagging both professors, but keeping track of them may become too time-consuming and we're not really interested in where they go, except for Fluffy's room."
"We can just set an alarm ward on the trapdoor, then. If anybody opens it, we will know immediately," Hermione suggested.
"But how can we go there?"
Hermione's mischief was evident. "As big as Fluffy is, two tigers are more than a match for him. Besides, he needs to protect the trapdoor. Tigers present no threat in that direction."
"So, what do you suggest?"
"I suggest that the tigers visit Fluffy. While one keeps him busy, the other can cast the charm. Since we don't need our wands for that, I think we can do it in our animal form just as well."
"Wouldn't it be safer if we try it first someplace else?"
Late that night, two tigers moved through the corridors, casting several charms on broom-closet doors and on a few hidden classrooms, before vanishing. The next day, a few unsuspecting couples found that their seemingly secure hideouts had become transparent as soon as they closed the door, or sprayed them with cold water, once they came out. Luckily, they were only seen by two first-year students and not by any prefect or teacher.
"It seems to work perfectly," Hermione noted.
"Well, we may visit Fluffy tonight," Harry agreed.
Fluffy seemed less than happy to suddenly find two tigers sharing his small room. He tried to snap at them with his three mouths, but he was no match for the tigers. After a few tries, Fluffy just watched them wearily, yet none came close enough for him to do anything, and both left after a short stay.
"Just like the broom-closets, the trapdoor will alert us if opened. We don't need to worry about where each teacher goes until then," Hermione said, sounding quite content.
\/\/\/
The rest of the school year passed leisurely. Between their studies, their friends, their Animagus and their nights together, they had no time to dwell on other things. Sirius continued visiting during weekends, trying to become closer with Harry. Seeing how close Harry was with Hermione, he also tried to treat her the same. Both children started to like the man who was still quite childish.
As the end of term exams approached, Hermione became completely absorbed in her studies, and Harry, although he doubted any of them needed to work so hard to gain good grades, studied with her. Neville used to join them regularly, while Susan and Daphne only joined them occasionally at the library. "Whenever studying with you, I feel like it gives me a boost to do better all over," Susan told them.
"Hermione might have that effect on people," Harry said.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked, a bit suspicious.
Harry smiled reassuringly at her. "I mean that seeing you studying so diligently can inspire others to do the same, at least those who really want to learn. I'm not sure it can affect Ron, though."
Hermione grimaced. It was well known that Ron was as uninterested in studies as can be. He felt like it was some kind of unpleasant duty that he was forced by his Mum to do. This certainly showed in his grades.
Hermione's insistence paid nicely when they reached the exams. All seemed easy, almost trivial, and Harry had no problem finishing them in less than half the time, using the remainder to polish some answers and correct spelling. Hermione was unable to relax, though, always worried about some minor insignificant errors that might have been left in her exams.
\/\/\/
It was the day after their last exam. The weather was nice, sending the students to the grounds, while the teachers were busy checking the exams. Hermione was still fretting about some sentence that she could have phrased differently, when they felt the alarm trigger. Harry was the first to talk. "Let's go!"
"Where?" Hermione was still in her "exams" mode.
"To see Fluffy and the door he guards."
Hermione was quick to understand now. "I think we should better tell the headmaster or one of the teachers. It's not our business to go there."
"But what if Vol..."
"I'm quite sure that what's in there is NOT the real Philosopher's Stone," she insisted.
"Why do you think so?"
Hermione rolled her eyes. "Who's the owner of that stone?"
"Why, Nicholas Flamel, as we found out."
"And how long has he lived?"
"Six hundred years, I think..."
"Do you believe that one who managed to live six centuries, and maybe more, would trust his most precious treasure to Dumbledore?"
When presented that way, the answer seemed to be quite clear. "Not likely. But then – what's in there?"
"It's a trap, intended to lure Voldemort, or anybody else. Even if he's not killed while searching, he's going to be uncovered, which is almost as good."
"But why tell a teacher? None is going to believe us, I'm sure."
Hermione sighed. "Let's give it a try. We can always fade there and see for ourselves, if nothing else works."
As soon as they entered the castle, they ran into McGonagall. "What are you doing here? You should be outside, enjoying the nice weather," she admonished them.
"Professor, we need to talk to the headmaster. It's urgent," Harry said
"The headmaster left a few minutes ago. He'd been asked to participate in an unexpected meeting at the ministry," she informed him.
"But... The Philosopher's Stone... Somebody is trying to steal it!"
She frowned. "What are you talking about, Mr. Potter?"
Hermione answered this time. "We've cast an alarm ward on the trapdoor under Fluffy. It triggered a few minutes ago, probably as soon as the headmaster left the castle."
"You know about Fluffy and the Philosopher's Stone?" She seemed to consider it for another moment. "There are many more protections. The Philosopher's Stone is safe, I'm sure."
"Why don't you check along with us? If it was a false alarm, then we'll apologize for wasting your time, but if it's not..."
McGonagall considered Hermione's words. She was sure that the girl would not lie to her, certainly not about this. Both children were looking pleadingly at her. She relented. "Fine, I'll go with you and see for myself."
They walked briskly to the forbidden corridor. The door seemed ajar, even before they came near it, and some harp music was heard. McGonagall frowned. "Stay back!" she told the children, grabbing her wand. She moved quickly in front of the door. A wave of her wand made the door open completely. She gasped and moved closer to check the room on the other side of the door. "Oh, My!" she said again. A moment later, she came back out, floating a charmed harp. She let it down, closed the door and then vanished the harp. Another moment later, they could hear the growls from inside. Fluffy was awake and not happy at all, finding the trap door open.
She turned to the children. "Alright. I can see your point. Now, go back outside and enjoy your day. I'll handle this."
Harry wanted to protest, but Hermione pressed his hand, making him keep his silence. "Thank you, professor," she said, and turned around, dragging Harry along.
They stopped after they turned a corner. "I don't think she has any idea what to do," Harry said.
"She'll probably call all the teachers and try to make some plan," Hermione said.
"Exactly! By the time they decide what to do, it will all be over! We must do something!"
"We don't need to do anything, but if you insist, we can check it ourselves. Remember that invisibility trick you found last summer? It can come handy now, and fading – of course."
"What do you suggest, then?"
Hermione gave it a thought. "There must be something under the trapdoor, to soften the fall, yet whoever went there first may have removed it, or it may just be a convenient target for spells. We should fade there, but as far from the cushion as possible. At least ten feet, I think. But first, we must turn invisible. Hold my hand!"
He was already holding her hand, actually. Hermione cast the invisibility on herself and on Harry. Both became invisible, yet they were still aware of each other due to the hand-holding.
"Now we fade to 10 feet north of the trapdoor on the lower level," Hermione's voice sounded.
Harry concentrated, grabbing Hermione's hand even tighter. A moment later they were standing in a very dark room, only seeing an indistinct large shape under the lighted square of the trapdoor.
"Lumos!" Harry could see the tip of his wand illuminating the room. "It's devil's snare," he heard Hermione's voice, and then, "Incendio!"
The tentacled plant, that was already moving some tentacles in their direction, burst aflame. Hermione cast the same charm a few more times on other parts of that plant, to assure its complete destruction. "There's a door in that direction," her voice said, and Harry felt her turn him around. "Let's go!"
The next room was quite well illuminated and they could clearly see a door on the other side of it. Still invisible, they walked to the door and tried to open it. It was locked. Hermione tried "Alohomora!" to no avail. "Well, nothing to it. We shall just fade to the other side. Let's go... now!"
As they entered the next room, that seemed quite dark, it was suddenly illuminated. They saw a large Chess set in front of them. As they tried to move forward, the chess pieces, that were as large as adult people, blocked their way. "I think we're supposed to win a game of chess," Harry noted.
"Not necessarily. We can just fade to the other side of that door. Keep your wand at ready, as we don't know what's there. On the count of three... One... Two... Three!"
A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses.
Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled on Halloween, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.
"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs. "Come on, I can't breathe."
He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next – but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.
They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a purple fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped, or would have been, had they not mastered fading.
"There's a roll of parchment lying next to the bottles," Hermione noted. "It must be some kind of puzzle, but we can just fade to the next room. One, two, Three!"
There was already someone there. It was Quirrell. He was standing in front of what seemed like a series of cages, one inside the other. On the floor of the smallest cage, there was a small reddish object – the Philosopher's Stone.
Harry thought of confronting the teacher, but Hermione held his hand tightly, as if telling him not to do anything yet. They just stood and watched as Quirrell walked around the outer cage, trying to find a lock, a door or some other way in.
"I can find no way in, Master," he said.
Another voice, coming from within the turban, answered, "Let me look, then, you fool!" It was a horrible voice.
"Yes, Master," Quirrell answered. He started unwinding the turban, yet instead of revealing the back of his head, he revealed another face, a face from nightmares. It had barely any lips and only two slits for nostrils, no nose, and serpent-like eyes. Both children put their hands on their mouths to hold a gasp.
"Turn around, so I can see it!" the snake-face said in that horrible voice.
Harry could suddenly sense Hermione in his mind. 'When he turns, with none of his faces looking in this direction, a wandless silent stunner to the head!'
He wasn't sure how he heard her, but that was of no importance at the moment. Quirrell turned slowly. When none of the faces was looking in their direction, two powerful stunners hit their target. Quirrell fell with a surprised expression. The other face only seemed to become furious before freezing.
"Petrificus Totalus!" Hermione cast on the body lying on the floor. She then prodded it with her leg and then let the invisibility end.
"That was magnificent!" Harry told her.
Hermione shrugged. "I only used what we've both mastered long ago. Now, care to check the stone?"
"How do we reach it?" he asked.
"Simple." She raised her wand and blasted several bars of the outer cage, and then proceeded until she reached the innermost. The opening was barely as large as the lump inside it. Hermione lifted her hand, and the lump squeezed between the broken bars and came into her hand. Harry was immediately convinced that this was not the Philosopher's Stone. It was not any stone, really. It was just a plastic "stone" of the kind toddlers play with. Hermione turned it around, showing "Made in China" stamped there.
"What shall we do now?" Harry asked.
"I suggest we leave them here, with the 'stone'. The Professors will find them, eventually. Let's fade back to that shady tree near the lake."
After settling comfortably at the lakeside, Harry asked, "Can you explain why I heard you in my mind when we were down there?"
Hermione had her reply ready. "Well, we are soul mates, and when we become soul bound, we shall have the ability to communicate by thinking at each other. I thought we were already close enough to try it. The way we understand each other and coordinate our movements many times means that we're actually doing that already, just not thinking of it. This time, I tried doing it deliberately. I wasn't absolutely sure it would work, but it did."
It made Harry think quite a lot of the way their bond was developing. He wondered if they weren't rushing things, although they weren't really doing anything special. Well, except for sharing a bed at night.
An hour later, they joined the other students who returned to the castle for dinner. Only Filch was sitting at the head table, but nobody cared.
"Where have you been all afternoon?" Ron asked them.
"We spent some time near the lake. Do you have any problem with that?" Harry responded.
Ron grimaced and moved away. Neville came to sit near Harry. "Don't waste your breath on him. I don't believe he will ever learn," he told Harry.