Harry, Hermione, Ron, Sydney and I were heading up to the Gryffindor common room after classes. We just had to walk up the seemingly hundreds of flights of stair cases. When
we were on our third staircase we got quite the surprise. Harry stepped onto the staircase, followed by Sydney, Hermione, Ron, and then me. As soon as I'd stepped on, it jerked. The staircase was starting to move.

"What's going on?" Ron whimpered.

"The staircase is changing, haven't you noticed?" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes.

The staircase stopped at a doorway, leading to another hall. The door was like any other door of the castle, but was the only way off the staircase at the moment. I glanced back to the corridor we should have ended up at.

"Let's get off, before the staircase changes again," suggested Hermione.

We all stepped off the staircase. As soon as my foot left the staircase the stairs moved again and went back to their original position. I huffed as I watched students head, without trouble, toward the Gryffindor common room.

"Come on," Harry muttered pushing the door open.

We entered a dark hallway. As soon as we stepped in, a torch lit itself. There were a bunch of creepy statues covered in cobwebs. I was looking around the stone room when I heard a meow from behind me. I jumped about my eyes and hair turned bright orange like Weasley hair.

"Lily! Harry's not your twin! Ron is!" Sydney laughed.

I glared and shifted back to my normal appearance. I'd been losing control of my Metamorphmagus powers, more and more my hair and eyes changed colour to reflect strong emotions. Hermione had insisted it was only because I was getting more in touch with my magic side, after having left the Dursley's. I even had to get a colour wheel to see emotion I was feeling based on the colour. I knew what I was feeling now; Surprise.

"Does anybody else feel like we shouldn't be here?" I asked, after forcing my hair back to red. I glanced around the room and shuddered.

"We shouldn't be! Dumbledore said that at the opening ceremony!" said Hermione.

"He did? When?" I said, attempting to think back to my first dinner at Hogwarts.

"During his speech," said Hermione, frustrated.

"I don't remember any of that!" I exclaimed.

"You were zoned out Lil. I was watching you and you looked off in space," Harry explained. "And then after that you started talking to Sydney."

My best friend and I shared a huge grin at the memory of out first day at Hogwarts.

"What did he say?" I asked.

"He said stay away from the third floor corridor unless you want to die a most painful death!" Hermione whisper yelled as if there were some great beast sleeping in the corridor.

Before I could answer, movement in the corner of my eye caught my attention. A red eyed cat had slunk into the room. I knew the feline all too well, and I quickly turned back to the other four.

"Guys it's Mrs. Norris!" I whispered.

All four of my friends turned to see the red-eyed cat staring back at them. It meowed again. I had no clue as to how it got there, the staircase was gone. I was already set for three detentions, and I really didn't want a fourth.

"We have to get moving, wherever that cat is Filch is!"Harry exclaimed.

"Yeah, if we don't get out of here, we might just experience a most painful death anyway," I muttered.

We ran down the creepy corridor, torches lit themselves on either side of the hall. We ran until we hit a door at the end. Ron went to open it but it was locked.

"Move over!" Complained Hermione. "Alohomora!"

The sound of a lock clicked and the door opened slightly.

We all piled into the room and shut the door, watching through they keyhole into the corridor. Moments later Filch shuffled into the corridor, it was dark, the torches had gone out. Peering out a crack in the door, we watched as Filch looked around and, seeing nothing, walked out.

"Phew," huffed Ron. "He probably thought this door was locked."

"That's because it was locked Ronald," stated Hermione.

"For a good reason," said a frightened Harry.

We all turned to see what Harry was looking at. There was giant grey dog lying on the ground. It yawned and blinked once, before looking up at us... with all three of its heads. It let out a low growl then started barking and biting at us. The five of us screamed and ran from the room.

We ran out of the corridor onto the stairs which were thankfully back. We ran down the staircase, and took a different route to the Gryffindor common room. We burst in, panting.

Sydney, Harry, Ron and Hermione went to talk about the three headed dog in front of the fire. I stayed behind and went to talk to Fred, who was pouring over some homework with other third years.

"Hey Freddy!" I called to Fred who was standing two feet in front of me.

"Someone's in a loud mood," Fred chuckled.

"I'm Hyper!" I yelled. "Let's go play Quidditch!"

"Will you calm down?" Fred questioned, setting aside his homework.

I nodded vigorously.

"Then fine. Wait here." Fred went up to his dormitory.

"Oi! Harry!" I shouted. "Can we borrow your broom? It'll be more fun if the brooms are fair."

Harry just nodded and turned back to my three other friends. They were probably talking about the three headed dog. I was extremely curious but I needed to get it off my mind for the night or I'd be up 'til dawn.

"Sydney want to come play?" I asked,

"I'm tired Lily. Thanks," She replied.

I shrugged and dashed up the boys dormitory stairs. I ran into Harry's dorm and didn't realize there'd be people in there. Seamus Finnigan stood there with no shirt on. My hair, my eyes and my face turned pink.

"Uh... sorry. I need Harry's broom," I muttered looking down, forcing everything back to it's natural colour.

"No problem," said the Irish boy with a laugh.

I looked up and Seamus had a shirt on. I sighed thankfully. I walked past Seamus, waving a quick hello to Dean, over to Harry's bed and took his broom out from underneath.

"You play?" I asked Seamus holding up the broom.

"A bit," Seamus admitted.

"Come on out and play sometime," I suggested, exiting. Seamus shrugged.

I walked out and told Harry to tell Fred to meet me in the Entrance Hall,that I had a broom for him and I was just going to change. I ran to the Slytherin common room and put my green and silver Quidditch robes on I was just about to leave when I bumped into Marcus.

"Hey Seeker. Going off to train?" he asked.

"Yep," I said quickly trying to get through.

"Mind if I come?"

"You're not going to want him."

"Why not?"

"My friend from the Gryffindor Quidditch team is coming."

"Is it your brother?" he asked turning red.

"I would have said it was my brother if it were my brother."

"Lily, I don't care about you caring about your brother, but this is the Gryffindor Team. I don't want you out training with them."

"I'll do whatever I want!"

"No! I'm the Captain and I say you can't associate with that team!"

"Do you want to keep your seeker?"

"Yes."

"Then let me through!" I yelled pushing past him and storming off to the Entrance Hall.

My eyes were a glowing red as I stormed angrily through the halls making my way up to meet Fred. I heard the click of heels behind me so I quickly shifted into a panther and put my broom behind me.

McGonagall was quickly striding past when she looked over kept walking, then did a double take. She looked at me again and frowned.

"Miss Potter!" she said sternly.

I quickly shifted back into human form, and straightened out my Quidditch robes. I bent down and picked up my broom.

"What are you doing?" she scolded.

"Hiding."

"From whom?"

"You."

"I can't technically give you detention yet. Your curfew is 8 and it's only 7:58. Hurry Miss Potter, be out of my sight in two minutes, and please, stay... well, human, in the castle."

"You don't!" My eyes widened when I realized what I'd said to the Professor.

I could swear a saw the slightest trace of a grin on McGonagall's face when I said that, and it only grew more recognizable when she spoke.

"I'm a little tabby cat! Also, I am the Professor. Hurry up! You've got one minute before I give you detention," she shooed.

My eyes widened even more, but I nodded and ran off. I quickly made it to the Entrance Hall where I met Fred, and we went off to the pitch.

*

The next day Harry, Hermione, Ronald, Sydney and I were huddled in the corner of the library trying to figure out what the giant three headed dog was. I was buried in a stack of books, half of which had been thrown onto me by Hermione and Sadie.

"I can't find anything anywhere!" Hermione exclaimed in frustration.

"Why don't we just go ask Hargid?" Harry questioned, mentioning our friend who probably knew the name of every beast to ever live. I aspired to be able to do that.

"Harry, you're brilliant!"

Like that, we were being dragged through the school, out the doors and off to Hagrid's hut. We ran through the schoolyard and arrived quickly. Hermione knocked frantically on the door and Hargid stuck out his bushy head.

"Well 'ello, Hermione, Harry, Lily, Ron, and not to forget Sydney!" Hagrid exclaimed seeing the five of us, he opened the door wider.

The five of us walked into Hagrid's hut and took a seat in the small living room, our feet barley reaching the end of the couch. Fang stood up as we sat, and I silently prayed to Merlin he'd chose a different lap to rest his slobbery head on. My prayers were answered as he went to Harry.

"Hagrid we need to know what a certain... creature is. Can we describe it to you?" Hermione asked politely.

"Yeah, sure, go on," Hagrid seemed very interested.

"Well, it has thick grey fur, which looks very matted-"

"Hermione you don't need to go into every detail!" Ron stopped Hermione. "It's a bloody giant three headed dog that lives in the castle! Can't be many of those!"

For once I had to agree with the redhead. I snorted. Hermione blushed and we all looked up to Hagrid who looked shocked.

"How d'yeh know 'bout Fluffy?" he asked.

"Fluffy? That beast has a name?" Ron asked incredulously.

"Well yeah, he's mine," Hagrid said.

"What's it doing in the castle?" asked Harry.

"That's between, me, Dumbledore and Nicholas Flamel."

The five of us looked between each other in victory. We'd figured something out! But just who could Nicholas Flamel be? I had a feeling Hermione would have us all in the library again very soon. We looked back at Hagrid hoping he might slip up again. He looked disappointed though and started muttering.

"I shouldn't'a told you that."

"Thanks Hagrid!" We all said, and ran back up to the castle. We went straight to the Gryffindor common room and sat in front of the fireplace.

"Christmas Break starts soon," Hermione stated. "I'll be going home but if you guys aren't, do some research on Flamel. There's got to be something in the library."

"I'm going home," said Sydney looking into the fire.

"I'm definitely going to stay here," said Harry.

"Pshh, I'm going home to visit Vernon, Petunia and Dudley! Oh, how I miss them!" I said sarcastically looking at Harry.

Harry gave me a death glare. I smiled sweetly and used my index finger and drew a circle above my head as if there was a halo. Harry shook his head, rolling his eyes. I seemed to elicit that reaction from many people. Harry turned to Ron.

"You?" he asked.

"I'm going home for Christmas."

Harry's face dropped a bit but looked back to me and he brightened. We'd get to spent Christmas alone. The Weasleys were going. Hermione and Sydney were going. Sadie was leaving. Neil was going home. Theo and Draco were going back to the manor.

"So it's just me and Harry," I stated, shrugging it off. "We'll do some research."

"If you find out who Nicholas Flamel is, owl me," Hermione said.

"Okay."

Harry, Ronald and Hermione got into a deep conversation about the three headed dog again. They weren't paying much attention to me, so while they were talking, I quietly sneaked out. I exited the portrait hole and quietly shut it. They must have been used to my abrupt exits by now.

I moved quietly through the halls (earning myself a suspicious look from Flitwick). I walked down the endless staircases down to the third floor staircase, and waited until it moved over to the forbidden corridor. I walked into the corridor and walked over to the door.

"Alohamora," I whispered, repeating what Hermione had done.

I entered the room quietly, as not to wake the dog. I looked at it closely, trying to figure out just what it was doing in here. Just as its eyes blinked open and a low growl sounded throughout the room, I did just that. The dog was standing up its teeth bared. I backed up slowly. I quickly exited the room, but not before seeing the trapdoor the dog was standing on.

I ran through the corridor, out into the halls, up the staircases and to the portrait hole to the Gryffindor common room. I nearly yelled the password Harry had given me for all to hear, before I ran into the common room. Harry, Hermione, Ron and Sydney were still talking about why they thought the three headed dog was there.

"Guys!" I yelled from the portrait hole. "It's standing on a trap door!"

"I didn't see it! I only saw its three heads!" Ron exclaimed. The other three nodded in agreement.

"So did I at first, but-"

"At first?!" Harry cut me off. "You went in again?!"

"Yes, just now. But that's beside the point-"

"Besides the point! Lily, you could've gotten yourself killed!" Harry looked worried.

I groaned. This really Harry to be playing over protective big brother. It was ridiculous, and I was perfectly capable of taking care of myself. I glared at Harry, my cheeks tinging as his babying me hit my ego right where it hurt.

"Yes, but I didn't. The dog is standing on a trap door!" I repeated slowly so they couldn't miss it.

"There's got to be something very valuable there for it to guarded by the school," pondered Hermione, glancing timidly at the glare that had set in Harry's eyes.

"Let's just focus on Flamel for now," suggested Sydney. "Then we can find out what's through that trap door."