The Golden Quartet: Year 1

Chapter 9

“If Filch had caught you out who knows what kind of punishment you would have received!” Hermione scolded. Hermione had just returned the day before the new term started and Harry, Astrid, and Ron had just finished explaining to her what they had been up to while she was away.

“How would he have caught us? Did you not hear the part where Harry said he’s got an Invisibility Cloak? And besides Dumbledore apparently caught us in the act and didn’t say a word.” Astrid said, annoyed at Hermione.

Hermione’s scolding look faded and was replaced with a look of disappointment, “It’s too bad you didn’t find anything about Nicolas Flamel, anyways.”

“Ug!” Astrid ran her fingers through her hair in frustration, “Don’t even get me started on that guy!” Suddenly a tingling sensation washed over her body and she saw a flash of Dumbledore’s Chocolate Frog card and though most of the words were blurred, the name Nicolas Flamel was glowing. “Oh Merlin’s beloved beard!”

“What? What was that?” Ron asked looking at Astrid oddly.

“Harry!” Harry jumped slightly, “Do you still have that Dumbledore card from the Chocolate Frog package?”

“I, er, yeah, I think so, maybe in my room-“

“Come on!” Astrid broke out into a run, shoving people out of her way and her friends began to follow her to the Gryffindor Tower. Once inside the Gryffindor Tower Astrid raced upstairs to Harry’s room.

“Are girls even allowed up there?” Ron asked as they followed.

“Where is it?! Where is it, Harry?!” Astrid was tearing apart Harry’s bed. She grabbed him by the shoulders and shook him and her eyes looked wild, “Where is it!"

“Here! Here’s mine!” Ron gave Astrid his Dumbledore card.

“Would you tell us what’s going on?” Hermione asked.

“AH-HA!” Astrid jumped up, waving the card around. “Here it is! Or should I say, here he is! Nicolas Flamel! This is where you’ve seen his name, Harry – here, look!” Astrid shoved the card into Harry’s hand.

Harry began to read the card, “’Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of the dark wizard Grindelwald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon’s blood, and his work on alchemy with his partner – Nicolas Flamel!”

“Oh! I’ll be right back!” Hermione dashed downstairs and just as Harry, Ron, and Astrid exchanged perplexed looks, Hermione came running back carrying an enormous book.

“I got this book out of the library for a bit of light reading!” She whispered with excitement.

“Light reading?” Ron asked with a raised eyebrow but quickly closed his mouth when Hermione shot him a glare and then began quickly flipping through the pages.

“Here! Nicolas Flamel,” Hermione began to read out loud, “is the only known maker of the Philosopher’s Stone!”

Astrid was the only one who gasped while Ron and Harry said in unison, “The what?”

“Oh, honestly, don’t you two read?” Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Yeah, how do you not know what the Philosopher’s stone is?” Astrid shook her head. “The Philosopher’s Stone is a stone that can turn any metal into gold. It’s simple alchemy – I personally think alchemy is useless, I mean come on, why would a witch or wizard need alchemy when they have a wand?” Astrid scoffed.

“Maybe because a wand can’t give you eternal life.” Hermione said.

“What?”

“The Philosopher’s Stone also produces the Elixir of Life, which will make the drinker immortal. Nicolas Flames just celebrated his six hundred and sixty-fifth birthday!” Hermione said in a huff.

“So that dog must be guarding that stone!” Ron said.

“Of course! Dumbledore would hide it for Flamel because they’re friends!” Astrid exclaimed.

“A stone that can make gold and keep you from dying! No wonder Snape is after it!” Harry said.

“And no wonder why we couldn’t find him in Study of Recent Developments in Wizardry – he’s not exactly recent if he’s over six-hundred years old is he?” Ron said.

~~~

A few days later Ron, Hermione, Astrid sat next to Neville in the Quidditch stands, awaiting for the game between Gryffindor and Hufflepuff to start.

“Look – they’re off. Ouch!” Ron rubbed his head and turned around to see Malfoy and his goons.

“Oh, sorry, Weasley, didn’t see you there.” Malfoy sneered and Ron glared at him. “You know how I think they choose their players for the Gryffindor team?” Malfoy said loudly a few minutes later. “They choose people they feel sorry for. You’ve got Potter, who has no parents, then there’s the Weasley’s who have no money – you should be on the team, Longbottom, you’ve got no brains.”

Astrid shot up and turned around with clenched fists, “And in about five seconds you’re going to have no teeth!” With a yell like a warrior, Astrid jumped onto of Mafloy and began wailing on him, Ron quickly joined, and after a moment of hesitation Neville jumped over his seat to help as Crabbe and Goyle joined as well.

“Ron! Astrid! The game’s over! Harry’s won! Gryffindor is in the lead!” squealed Hermione who hugged Pavarti Patil in the row in front.

Astrid had her hands entangled in Malfoy’s hair and was squashing his face into the ground, “Die, Malfoy! Die!”

~~~

“Harry, where have you been?” Hermione asked once Harry came out of the Quidditch lockers.

“Oh, Harry you missed it! Malfoy sat behind us, right,” Ron began.

“Then he was talking rubbish about you, the Weasley’s, and Neville,” Astrid continued.

“So Astrid told him off and then attacked him!”

“Then Ron and Neville jumped in to handle Crabbe and Goyle!”

“Astrid gave Malfoy a black eye and a good chunk of his hair is missing!”

“Ron gave Goyle a bloody nose!”

“Where’s Neville?” Harry asked.

“Oh, well, he’s still out cold but Madam Pomfrey said he’ll be alright.” Astrid said.

“Come on, everyone’s waiting in the common room, we’re having a party, Fred and George stole some treats from the kitchens.”

“Never mind that now, I’ve got to tell you something.” Harry said in a hushed voice and the checked to see no one was around. “The reason I took so long was because I saw Snape heading towards the Forbidden Forest, so I followed him on my broom. Then I saw him and Quirrell-“

“Quirrell?” Ron said, confused. “What’s he got to do with this?”

“Just listen – Snape seemed really mad and Quirrell and was telling him that students weren’t supposed to know about the Stone,” they exchanged looks, “and then Snape asked Quirrell if he figured out a way to get past Fluffy! Then when Quirrell wasn’t cooperating, Snape told him he better make sure where his loyalties lie.”

“Poor Professor Quirrell, getting bullied by Snape. I’m glad he didn’t say anything.” Astrid said.

“Yeah, Snape’s trying to get Quirrell to help him. Snape also said something about Quirrell’s ‘hocus-pocus’.”

“Of course,” Hermione spoke, “there must be other things guarding, like enchantments that Quirrell put up, and some anti-Dark Arts spells.”

“So, basically, the Stone is only safe as long as Quirrell stands up to Snape?” Astrid said.

“In that case, it’ll be gone by the end of the week.” Ron said.

“Come on, we should go talk to Hagrid about this.” Harry said and then the four of them raced down to Hagrid’s hut.

All four of them knocked hard on Hagrid’s wooden door. After a second the door opened, “Oh, hello, sorry, don’t mean ter be rude but I’m in no fit state to entertain today.” Hagrid shut the door.

“We know about the Philosopher’s Stone!” All four of them said in unison.

Hagrid swung the door open again, “Oh,” Hagrid walked into his hut, which was particularly warm, and the four of them followed, shutting the door behind them.

“We think Snape’s trying to steal it.” Harry stated as they all sat down.

“Snape? Blimey, you’re not still on about him, are yer? Snape is one of the teachers protecting the Stone.” Hagrid said and the four of them shared perplexed looks.

“What?” Astrid said, not quite believing what Hagrid had just told them.

“You heard. Right, now, come on,” he began waving his hands, trying to get them out, “I’m a bit preoccupied today.” Hagrid glanced at the roaring fire and their gazing followed.

“Hagrid, what is that?” Harry asked.

“That’s a dragon egg!” Astrid exclaimed.

“Where did you get it, Hagrid? It must’ve cost you a fortune!” Ron said, standing up from his seat to get a better look at the egg that was beginning to shake and Hagrid put on some mittens and pulled it out of the fire and placed it on the table.

“I won it. I was down in the village an’ got into a game o’ cards with a stranger. He seemed to be quite glad ter get rid of it, ter be honest.” Hagrid said.

Cracks began to form on the dark, shiny egg and there was a scraping noise; they all gathered around the hatching egg. The cracks deepened and all at once the egg split open. The black baby dragon flopped out onto the table. It had a long snout, stubby horns, huge leathery wings, and wide orange eyes.

It sneezed and a couple of sparks flew out of its snout.

“It’s so cute!” Astrid exclaimed.

“That’s a Norwegian Ridgeback! My brother, Charlie works with them in Romania. They’re really rare.” Ron stated.

“Isn’t he beautiful?” The dragon turned to Hagrid. “Oh, bless him, look, he knows his mummy!” Hagrid began to pet the Dragon, “’Ello, Norbert.”

“Norbert?” Harry asked.

“Well, he’s gotta have a name, don’t he?” Hagrid was beaming. Hagrid’s eyes narrowed, “Who’s that?”

They all turned to the window just in time to see Malfoy’s face before he disappeared and Astrid growled, “Malfoy.”

~~~

The four of them were heading up to the common room after they said their goodbye’s to Hagrid. “Hagrid has always wanted a dragon. Told me so the very first time I bet him.” Harry said.

“Well, he can’t keep him. It’ll grow and where will he put it? He can’t exactly keep it in his hut forever.” Astrid said.

“Charlie!” Harry said suddenly, looking at Ron.

“No, I’m Ron, remember?” Ron said.

“No – Charlie – your brother! He’s studying dragons in Romania! We can send Norbert to him. Charlie can take care of him and then put him back into the wild!” Harry said, excited.

“Brilliant!” Ron exclaimed.

“Sshh! I hear something-“

But it was too late, McGonagall rounded the corner, Malfoy at her side with a smirk on his lips.
“Good evening.” McGonagall said. “Come with me.” They all followed her in silence up to her office in her classroom. She sat down behind her desk as they stood in front, waiting for her to speak. “Nothing,” she finally said, “I repeat, nothing, gives a student the right to walk about the school at night. Therefore as punishment for your actions fifty points will be taken.” The three Gyffindor’s mouths hung open in horror.

“Fifty?!”Astrid said in outrage.

“Each.” McGonagall emphasized making their eyes widen. “And to ensure it doesn’t happen again, all five of you will receive detention.”

“Excuse me, professor,” Malfoy said, stepping up, “perhaps I heard you wrong, I thought I just heard you say the five of us?”

“No, you heard me correctly, Mr. Malfoy.” McGonagall stated. “See, as honorable as your intentions were you too were out of bed after hours. You will join your classmates in detention.”

Harry, Astrid, Ron, and Hermione smirked at the dumbstruck look on Malfoy’s face.

~~~

They would be serving their detention the next Sunday and during the week they had spoken to Hagrid about the plan to give Norbert to Charlie and Ron had also written to his brother explaining the plane as well.

It was Wednesday night and Astrid, Harry, and Hermione were in the common room alone, waiting for Ron to come back from helping Hagrid feed Norbert.

There was a tapping on the window, “Xander!” Astrid bolted to the window and let in the hawk. They had sent him rather than Harry’s owl because he was much faster. “Oh, he’s back already?” Ron said causing the three of them to jump. Ron took off Harry’s Invisibility Cloak and was grinning.
“Yeah,” Astrid opened the envelope and read:

“’Dear Ron,

How are you? Thanks for the letter – I’d be glad to take the dragon off your hands! But it won’t be easy getting him here. I think the best thing will be to send him over with some friends of mine who are coming to visit me next week. Trouble is, they can’t be seen carrying an illegal dragon. Could you get the Ridgeback up the tallest tower at midnight on Saturday? They can meet you there and take him away while it’s still dark. Send me back an answer with the hawk – it’s wicked fast!

Love,
Charlie’”

They looked at each other.

“We’ve got the cloak, so it shouldn’t be too difficult. I think it’s big enough for two of us and Norbert.” Harry said.

“Harry and I will go. I’ll write up our reply to Charlie right now.” Ron said.

~~~

That Saturday night Ron and Harry raced down to Hagrid’s hut, picked up Norbert and then headed up to the school’s tallest tower while Astrid and Hermione waited for them in the common room.

“What are you two still doing up?” Astrid and Hermione jumped at Athena’s voice. She yawned and stepped down from the steps.

“What are you doing up?” Astrid retorted.

Athena rolled her eyes, “I just sent mum a letter and I heard your pleasant voice. So what are you two up for?” She asked with crossed arms.

“We’re staying up for nunya.” Astrid said.

Athena raised an eyebrow, “Nunya?”

“Nunya business!” Astrid laughed.

“You’re an idiot.” Athena stated and then smirked, “Oh, and I had the pleasure of telling mum you got detention for sneaking out. I can’t wait for her to write her response. Maybe, if I’m lucky, she’ll send you a Howler.”

Astrid smirked, “It just so happens that I already wrote and told her about the detention and why I got it. She wasn’t mad at all.” Astrid stuck her tongue out.

“Uergh! That’s not fair! You’re so spoiled!” Athena yelled angrily.

“Well, it’s one of the many perks of being the favorite.” Astrid said coolly.

Athena rolled her eyes and stormed back up to her room.

“I’m glad I don’t have a sister.” Hermione said.

“I know, they suck.” Astrid said.

“I was speaking from Athena’s perspective.” Hermione said with a small teasing smile causing Astrid to glare at her.

The portrait door swung open and Ron and Harry stumbled in and took off the cloak. “How was it?” Astrid asked.

“Norbert almost bit me.” Ron grumbled.

“But other than that it was fine. Charlie’s friends were really cool and cheery. They brought a special harness for Norbert so they could carrying him between them and they flew off.” Harry said with a smile.

“This week would be a really good one if it wasn’t for our detention tomorrow.” Astrid grumbled sourly. “I hate cleaning.”

~~~

Luckily for Astrid (sort of) they were not going to be cleaning that Sunday night. At eleven o’clock Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Astrid went down to meet Filch at the entrance hall. Filch was already there and so was Malfoy.

“Follow me,” Filch said holding up a lamp and leading them outside. “A pity they let the old punishments die.” Filch growled. “There was a time when you’d be hangin’ by your thumbs in the dungeons… god, I miss the screamin’.”

They all followed Filch across the dark grounds and Astrid was wondering what they would be cleaning out in the wilderness.

Astrid noticed they were walking towards Hagrid’s hut which had a light on. “Is that you, Filch?” they head Hagrid’s voice say. “Hurry up, I want ter get started.”

Astrid glanced at Harry whose face picked up when he realized they’d be serving detention with Hagrid and Astrid smiled lightly.

“I suppose you think you’ll be enjoying yourself?” Filch said, seeing their expressions. “It’s into the Forbidden Forest you’re going.” Filch sneered but it occurred to Astrid that that might be Filch smiling.

“Into the Forbidden Forest?” Malfoy repeated, wavering slightly. “But first years aren’t allowed in the Forbidden Forest – it’s – it’s forbidden! And there’s all sorts of things in there! Like werewolves!”

“Oh, there’s a lot more than werewolves in them parts…” Filch almost seemed giddy.

“Scared Malfoy?” Astrid asked with a smirk.

Malfoy straightened up, “Me? Scared? Never.”

Hagrid came striding over to them carrying a crossbow and Fang was by his side. “All right there, you four?” Hagrid asked looking at Harry, Astrid, Ron, and Hermione.

“I’ll be back at dawn, for what’s left of them.” Filch said nastily and then turned and headed back up to the castle.

“Alright you five, follow me over here.” They followed Hagrid to the edge of the forest. “See that shinin’ silvery liquid?” they all looked at the ground to see what exactly he was talking about. “That there is unicorn’s blood. There’s a unicorn in there that’s bin hurt badly. We’re gonna try an’ find the poor thing. So, right now we’re gonna split inter two groups. Blood is everywhere so one group’ll be following one trail and the other will be follow the other trail. So, Hermione an’ Ron will come with me and Malfoy, Harry, and Astrid will be the other group.”

“Fine,” Malfoy grumbled but then quickly added, “but I want Fang!”

“All right, jus’ so you know, he’s a bloody coward.” Hagrid stated. “Be careful – let’s go.” Hagrid, Ron, and Hermione went down one path and after a short moment Harry and Astrid walked down another while Fang and Malfoy followed them.

“Wait til my father hears about this,” Malfoy said bitterly a few minutes later as they walked through the dark and misty forest, “this is servants work!”

“Are you sure you’re not scared, Malfoy?” Astrid asked with a smirk and raised eyebrow.

“I’m not scared, Moody.” A howl pierced the eerie silence of the forest and Malfoy jumped. “Did you hear that?”

Astrid pulled out her wand.

After walking through the forest for about an hour they came to a small dip, “Harry,” Astrid said breathlessly gazing at something afar.

“What is it?” Harry asked.

“Look,” Astrid raised her hand and pointed a finger ahead.

There laid the dead unicorn. It seemed to be glowing, it was slender, and its long vibrant mane was spread out on the dark leaves.

Harry made to take a step forward but there was a slithering sound and Astrid quickly grabbed his arm just as a dark hooded figure slithered out from the bushes. The cloaked figure reached the wounded unicorn, lowered its head and began to drink its blood.

“AAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!” Malfoy let out a scream filled with terror and bolted with Fang right by his side.

The hooded figure raised its head, showing the shimmering blood dribbling down and moved swiftly towards them.

“Aaahh!” Harry’s hand flew to his scar and he fell to his knees.

“HARRY!” Astrid jumped in front of him, guarding him for the hooded creature and raised her wand, “Lumos maximus!” A blinding light shined from Astrid’s wand and seemed to almost lighten the entire forest. The creature let out a screeching cry and just as quickly as the light came it faded and Astrid stumbled back. The hooded creature seemed stunned and blinded and Astrid scrambled to grab onto Harry.

“Harry – get up – run!” Astrid grabbed his arm and began to haul him up.

Harry was stumbling and fell to the ground, then his green eyes widened, “ASTRID!” Astrid turned to barely see the black mass sweeping down to attack her, but before she even raised her wand something jumped from above, right over Harry and Astrid and charged at the dark figure who then disappeared into the dark forest.

“Are you two all right?” the centaur asked and Astrid helped Harry stand, noting that his pain seemed to have subsided. The centaur was young and hand white-blonde hair and a pale golden body of a horse and had a white tail.

“Yeah, I’m fine – Harry, are you okay?” Astrid asked worried.

Harry nodded, “Yeah, I’m okay. Thank you, both of you.”

Astrid looked in the direction of where the hooded figure left, “What was that?”

“You are the Potter boy,” the centaur said, his sapphire blue eyes on Harry’s scar. “You both had better get back to Hagrid. The forest is not safe at this time,”

“There’s a time when it is safe?” Astrid interjected.

“Please, the forest is no place for children, especially you Harry Potter. Both of you, get on, it’ll be quicker this way.” He lowered himself so Harry and Astrid could clamber onto his back. “My name is Firenze.” he added.

“I’m Astrid, and this is, well – you know – Harry Potter.” Astrid said a bit awkwardly as she wrapped her arms around Harry’s torso and Firenze galloped off.

“Please, Firenze, if you know what the creature was you must tell us!” Astrid yelled over the loud galloping and wind that was being created by his speed.

“Do you know what unicorn blood is used for?” he responded.

“No, of course not! We only use their hairs and horn.” Astrid said.

“That’s because it is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn. Drinking the blood of a unicorn would save you, even if you are an inch from death… but at a terrible price. When you have slain something so pure that from the moment the blood touches your lips you will have a half life – a cursed life.”

“But who’d choose such a life?” Harry asked. “If it’s a cursed life, wouldn’t death be better?”

“Can you think of no one?” Firenze asked simply.

“Voldemort!” Astrid and Harry declared in unison and Firenze suddenly stopped.

“Harry! Astrid! Are you alright?” Hermione was running down a path towards them with Ron and Hagrid by her side.

“This is where I leave you. You are safe now.” He lowered himself and Astrid and Harry slid off him. “Good luck Harry Potter and friend of Harry Potter.”

“Its,” Firenze galloped off, “Astrid.” she grumbled.