The following days buzzed with the lingering excitement of Gryffindor's triumph in the Quidditch cup. The students radiated joy, despite the weight of their impending coursework.
Toni walked through the halls alone, her day cut short after feigning illness that morning. Professor McGonagall had accompanied her to the infirmary, where Madam Pomfrey had examined her. Though no physical ailment was found, Madam Pomfrey had prescribed some medicine and allowed Toni to leave. Deep down, Toni knew she wasn't truly sick, but the emotional burden she carried had taken its toll on her. Since her conversation with Draco after the Quidditch game, she had been crying incessantly, unable to understand the true source of her distress.
Initially, Toni believed her tears were a result of feeling torn between Draco and her newfound friends at Hogwarts. It pained her to witness Draco's actions and words towards those she cared about deeply. While she couldn't bring herself to turn against Draco if forced to choose, she feared that she might eventually have no other option. Suppressing those thoughts had only intensified the mental strain on her, manifesting as sleeplessness, loss of appetite, and the subsequent headaches and stomach issues she experienced the following days.
There was no solace or escape in her own thoughts and reflections as she turned the corner, leaving the infirmary behind. To her surprise, she spotted Harry, Ron, and Hermione ascending the stairs. In Harry's hand, he held a bouquet of vibrant pansy flowers and a box of chocolate frogs. Toni paused at the top of the stairs, observing them approaching, and caught their quick glimpse of her. Hermione's face lit up with a smile, and she hurried up the steps to envelop Toni in a warm embrace.
"Careful, Hermione! What if she's hurt?" Harry teased, his concern evident as Hermione released Toni from her embrace.
"Or worse, what if she's contagious?" Ron chimed in, a touch of disgust crossing his face. Hermione rolled her eyes.
"If Toni was ill or injured, Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have let her leave," Hermione reasoned. She turned to face Toni, her smile sparkling, showcasing her two prominent front teeth. "I'm glad to see you're well! We knew something was wrong when you headed to the infirmary after the match and we had hardly seen you since. I assume you were feeling worse this morning when Professor McGonagall took you in."
Toni felt a pang of guilt, fully aware of the true reason she had visited the infirmary. None of them knew that she had gone to see Draco after his altercation with Ron during the Quidditch game. She had missed the celebration in the common room as well as any days following, and her guilt intensified as she gazed at Harry, carrying treats and flowers meant for her. It was his special day, and she had chosen to spend it checking on Draco. Looking back, she struggled to find a valid reason for favoring Draco over Harry after the Quidditch match.
Toni mustered a weary smile. "Y-Yes, I felt a bit off after the game. Perhaps it was the sudden rush of adrenaline. I didn't realize I had hardly eaten or drunk anything."
"You need to be more careful with that. Professor--" Hermione began, but Harry interjected, cutting her off.
"We're just glad you're feeling better," he said, offering Toni a warm smile.
Toni returned the smile gratefully. Their eyes met for a moment, and there was a lingering connection before Harry took a few steps up the stairs and handed her the flowers and chocolates. Toni accepted them graciously, yet guilt continued to gnaw at her. Looking at the flowers only intensified her feeling of undeserving. If anyone deserved recognition and praise, it was Harry for his victory. She met his gaze once more, her smile genuine and heartfelt.
"I'm genuinely thrilled for you, Harry. You won the Quidditch cup for Gryffindor. It was incredible to finally see you play and I am sorry I've been too ill to celebrate with you," Toni said. A blush tinged Harry's cheeks, and he smiled.
"I was glad to see all of you there," he replied. Ron nudged Harry, interrupting his blush-induced daze. Harry snapped out of it and wore an expression of remembrance. Hermione huffed in response.
"Now that you're feeling better, would you like to join us at Hagrid's?" Hermione asked. Toni regarded her with a puzzled expression.
"Hagrid's?" she inquired
"There's something we need to discuss with him," Harry added. Toni exchanged perplexed glances with the trio. Harry sighed and spoke in a low whisper, "I saw Snape and Quirrell in the Forbidden Forest after the Quidditch match. Snape mentioned the Philosopher's Stone. I think he's trying to get Quirrell to help him get past Fluffy, the three-headed dog."
"Snape wouldn't--" Toni began, but Harry interrupted, urging her to consider their theory.
"Think about it. You saw Quirrell that night of Halloween, and then right after, you bumped into Professor Snape. Maybe it's connected, and Snape has been working with Quirrell to get past Fluffy. Perhaps Snape's odd behavior that night was because he was trying to convince Quirrell to join him."
Toni felt a hint of doubt, but Harry's explanation made some sense. It was plausible that Snape hadn't coincidentally stumbled upon her but had indeed been with Quirrell. Using the troll as a diversion and utilizing Toni's abilities to retrieve something Quirrell had left behind. It was mere speculation, but there was no reason to dismiss it outright.
"Well, I suppose..." Toni murmured.
"Let's go to Hagrid's. Now that we know who Nicholas Flamel is and about the Philosopher's Stone, maybe Hagrid can share something else that will help us," Harry suggested. Toni sighed, lost in thought, before finally agreeing to join them.
***
When the four of them finally arrived at the gamekeeper's hut, which Hagrid called home, they immediately noticed that all the blinds were shut, blocking out most of the sunlight. It was unusual for Hagrid to keep his dwelling so dimly lit.
"Who is it?" Hagrid's voice sounded muffled through the door.
"It's us!" Harry replied.
Hagrid let them in, ushering them inside and urging them to take a seat before closing the door behind them. He hurriedly moved about the room, his heavy footsteps resonating on the wooden floor. Despite the warmth of the day, the hut felt unusually hot, with the fireplace ablaze. Toni sat next to Ron, while Hermione found solace in a separate chair, and Harry joined Hagrid at the dinner table. Toni was delighted when Fang ambled over and settled beside her, his pleading eyes silently asking for a gentle pat.
"Fang doesn't warm up to many people. He must like you," Hagrid remarked, eliciting an appreciative smile from Toni. He cleared his throat. "So, you lot wanted to talk to me?"
"We did," Harry replied. "We want to know what other protections are guarding the Philosopher's Stone besides Fluffy."
Hagrid frowned at him. "Yeh know I can't tell yeh that. I don't even know meself what's down there. Besides, I wouldn't tell yeh anything even if I did. And I reckon you four already know too much. It was almost stolen from Gringotts, as you seem to have figured out."
"Come on, Hagrid. You're the one who knows everything that goes on here, and we believe you want to help us," Hermione interjected. "We just want to find out who else Dumbledore trusted to guard the stone apart from you."
Hagrid let out a heavy sigh at Hermione's words, his expression softening. Toni, Ron, and Harry exchanged triumphant glances, realizing the significance of Hermione's tactful approach. They were counting on Hagrid to mention Snape and/or Quirrell, which would provide them with valuable insights into their potential involvement in the attempted theft of the stone.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to share that with you," Hagrid conceded, warming up to the idea of answering their questions. Hermione's face lit up with victory as Hagrid contemplated. "Let's see... He borrowed Fluffy from me, and then some of the teachers added their own enchantments. Professor Sprout, Professor Flitwick, Professor McGonagall," Hagrid scratched his beard as he recalled the names. "And Professor Quirrell as well. Dumbledore added his own, of course. Oh, and Professor Snape."
"Snape?" Harry repeated, surprise
"Yeah, you lot still on about that? He helped protect it. He wouldn't try to steal it," Hagrid defended Snape. His gaze shifted towards Toni, who displayed a faint hint of doubt.
Although Toni had her own lingering doubts, she shared a questioning thought with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Perhaps Snape knew about all the other enchantments guarding the stone, but it was Quirrell's enchantment that remained unknown to him. A twist in Toni's stomach made her uneasy. If Snape had been after Quirrell's spell to bypass Fluffy, she might have unknowingly played a part in aiding him. The possibility seemed plausible, yet another part of her insisted on Snape's innocence.
"Hagrid, have you told anyone else how to get past Fluffy?" Harry inquired. Hagrid vigorously shook his head.
"Not a soul, except me and Dumbledore," Hagrid affirmed. Harry felt a wave of relief wash over him. Suddenly, Toni rose from her seat.
"I'm sorry, I think I need to lie down for a bit. I'm still feeling slightly off today, and it's getting incredibly hot in here," Toni announced. Everyone watched her curiously as she headed towards the door. Before leaving, she paused and looked back at the crackling fire. "Oh, Hagrid?"
"Yes?" Hagrid responded.
"I would be cautious with that Norwegian Ridgeback. They can be quite temperamental, not to mention it's illegal to own one. Make sure you're prepared for him," Toni advised before shutting the door and hastening her way back to the school, hoping to elude any pursuit from the others.
***
A few days had elapsed since Toni, Harry, Ron, and Hermione had gathered at Harry's to learn about the professors involved in guarding the Philosopher's Stone. Toni had been on bed rest, missing out on important classes leading up to the final exams.
Luckily for Toni, Hermione was eager to assist her. Hermione took immense pleasure in providing extra notes and studying together while Toni recuperated in bed. To most people, Hermione's diligence might have been overwhelming, especially for Ron and Harry, who tended to avoid Hermione when it came to schoolwork. However, Toni didn't mind at all. She welcomed Hermione's academic enthusiasm.
The relative peace of studying came to an abrupt halt when Hermione, Ron, and Harry interrupted Toni's study session in the library. Harry had received a note from Hagrid, informing them that the dragon egg was hatching. Naturally, the four of them hurried to witness the event. The conflicting emotions surrounding the situation were evident, but any young wizard or witch would have been just as intrigued.
The group gathered around Hagrid's dining table, their excitement palpable as they eagerly awaited the hatching of the dragon egg. Hagrid's face displayed a mixture of anxiety and anticipation as he carefully placed the egg before them, his hands protected by oversized oven mitts. Toni's eyes sparkled with delight. She and Ron had previously discussed dragons, sharing stories from Ron's brother, who studied them extensively as well as stories her own uncle had shared with her. The prospect of seeing a dragon firsthand was enthralling.
"It's almost out," Hagrid exclaimed with excitement.
A peculiar clicking noise emanated from the egg, accompanied by visible cracks spiderwebbing across its surface. As they anticipated, the group watched with anticipation, their eyes fixed on the egg. Suddenly, it cracked open, and a baby dragon clumsily plopped onto the table. To those who lacked an appreciation for dragons, it might not have been the most aesthetically pleasing sight. Its eyes were orange, its wings expansive, and its body black and slender. It sneezed a few times, emitting sparks as it did so.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Hagrid declared, his eyes welling up with tears as the dragon approached him. In an unexpected display, the dragon coughed and spewed fire, narrowly missing, singeing the edges of Hagrid's beard.
"How quickly do they grow?" Hermione inquired.
Before Hagrid could respond, his face turned pale, and he abruptly bolted from his seat towards the window. The others could see a faint hint of panic in his eyes as he muttered to himself. He swiftly turned back to face them.
"Someone was watching us," Hagrid revealed.
Harry jumped from his chair and forcefully swung open the door, scanning the area outside. He knew exactly who it was.
"Malfoy," Harry stated, a touch of annoyance in his voice.
"Draco? But why?" Toni questioned, perplexed.
"I knew he overheard us talking about it," Ron sneered, his disdain for Draco evident. Toni glanced at each of them, her gaze eventually settling on the baby dragon. She couldn't help but feel that Draco was about to do something impulsive for the sake of meddling in their affairs, instead of simply letting it go.