"So, whoever drank that, needs the elixir of life to get rid of the curse." Harry let out great sigh. "That's what I learned tonight."
Flurry inclined her head. "Wow. Elixir of life, huh? Where do you get one of those? Can you make one? Was that a recipe you learned before I got here? Would it be expensive?"
Harry stared at Flurry. "I didn't learn anything like that."
Flurry stopped pacing, furrowing her brows. "Did you want to?"
Harry's tail twitched in agitation. "No! As it turns out, I'm pretty alive, as are all the creatures I care for." He flopped onto his bed. "Maybe I should ask the others tomorrow. I bet they'd have some ideas."
Flurry laughed and dropped down to poke her muzzle at Harry's side. "There's a start. It's not impossible." She laid down beside him, gently kissing the side of his head. "It just might be difficult."
Tilly chimed in, "Make easier."
Harry snorted softly, closing his eyes. "Why are you getting cuddly, sis?"
"Because you had a really hard day." She remained still beside him. "And you saw a dead big unicorn. I'd be, you know, a little freaked out too."
Harry breathed out, feeling a little better. "Thank you."
Flurry shifted to a side-hug around his shoulders. "Always here for you. This is your home too, remember?"
Tilly watched all of this, then grinned wide. "Group hug!" She pounced Harry, landing atop him in a mess of giggles and tickled flanks.
Flurry laughed at the antics, joining in, for all three of them fell into an affectionate cuddle pile.
Despite his growing exhaustion, Harry felt incredibly lucky to have such friends. The thought of one of them getting hurt made him shudder. "We have to find that elixir, before that monster does."
Flurry wrapped around Harry's shoulder. "I'm sure we will. Just wait and see."
In time, they all settled into their beds and turned in for the night. As Harry closed his eyes, he felt his body relax. Sleep came for them all in a warm pile.
Ron was awake first, dressed and prepared for a day of class. "That you, Harry? They have rules about getting all like that. An' she's your sister for crying out loud!"
Harry jerked up and out of bed, stumbling back with a frown. "It's not what it looks like!"
"Really?" Ron didn't look convinced, crossing his arms as he watched Harry get untangled. "And Tilly too? Arnie's gonna be upset at you."
"Upset?" Arnavon sat up slowly, just awakening. "What happened?" He sniffed at Harry. "Did you two get close last night?"
Harry kicked his legs and hopped out of bed. "I am allowed to hug my sister, and my friends, when I want to!"
Arnavon nodded placidly. "Yes, that's okay." He held out his arms for Tilly to jump into, the two falling over in eager morning hugs to greet the day.
Ron stared at Harry. "What just happened?"
Harry sighed out and rolled his eyes. "He's going to do that for a while, what tsukis do. Anyway, Flurry, you awake?"
Flurry yawned mightily as she stretched her body long. "Yes. I'm awake. Morning. Sleep well?" She headed over to Ron and Harry, bending down to sniff them both. "Smells like tension."
Harry pushed away Flurry's face, laughing at her antics. "Ron here's poking fun like I did something last night."
Flurry a fuzzy brow at Ron. "Ew. Gross." She flicked her tail at him as she turned away. "He had a rough night. Oh! Harry, ask about the potion."
"Right." Harry smiled a bit more as he remembered that detail. "Ron, A really creepy thing needs the 'elixir of life'. Have you heard of that?"
Ron squinted a little. "Harry, you don't remember? It's what that Philosopher's Stone can make. But it's still guarded, and I think it has to be transfigured somehow into the elixir first. But I don't know how to do that, so if anyone asks me, I'm going to say 'it's complicated' and let them draw their own conclusions." He shrugged as he gestured towards the door. "Ready for class?"
"In a bit." Harry watched as Tilly and Arnavon finished greeting the morning with cute shenanigans. "Why did you assume something happened between Flurry and me last night?"
"I was playing." Ron waved it off. "Loved the look on your face though."
"Ron!" Harry swatted with his magic as he got quickly prepared for the day. "Really. Come on, we'd better get going."
The trio headed out for their first class of the day, finding the halls quiet. Most of the students were already in class or nearly there, leaving a mostly empty hall behind them. But not all. Harry saw Quirrell making his way towards the next class, and waved him down. "Hey!"
Quirrell flinched at the sight of Harry. "What do you want?"
Harry frowned at the edge in Quirrell's voice, but didn't let that stop him. "I'm just on the way to class, sir, as I imagine you are as well. It's nice to see you doing so much better than the last time we met."
Quirrell forced a smile onto his face, all too aware that Ron was staring him down. "Yes. We both should get where we need to be, hm?" He hurried past with a faint huff, adjusting his turban in a fit.
Harry blinked after him, a little taken aback. "Hm, did something happen to him?"
Ron laughed softly at that. "We're going to be late, and so's he, we should get moving."
Hermione trotted over from another hallway. "There you two are! No time now, but I want to talk to you two over lunch, so expect that." She led them both into class with a soft giggle. "If you're not going to be on time, try not to make it a habit, okay?"
"Sure thing," Harry agreed as they settled into their seats. The class began in earnest, and he took his notes dutifully. However odd other things were, his duties while in class were straight forward. It was a shame he couldn't make everything that simple.
But after class was over, Ron and Hermione joined Harry for a quick meal in the cafeteria. "Alright, we need to talk about that creepy guy." Harry dipped his oatmeal in honey and stirred it in with a spoon. "Something's up with him."
Ron and Hermione looked over curiously, both shoveling food into their mouths. Hermione waved a spoon. "Creepy guy? Can you tell us what you mean by that?"
So Harry went over what happened the day after, with the strange skulking man that had crept up on the unicorn in their unnatural way and lapped at its dying blood. Harry shuddered at the memory. "I was told unicorn blood will keep you alive, but comes with a curse. The only way to break that curse is the elixir of life."
"That is terrible!" Hermione finished off her bowl and pushed it away from herself. "I can't imagine anything good coming from drinking the blood of a creature like that." She hugged herself as she shivered. "But the elixir of life? That comes from the Philosopher's Stone. I bet Snape is involved in this, somehow. He has to be! We have to keep an extra eye or two."
She paused her thought and looked to Harry. "You have an extra few eyes. Get Flurry, Arnavon, and Flurry in on this!"
Harry blinked at the rush of words and suggestions. "I will."
Ron finished off his meal with a satisfied sigh. "Well, we know what Snape's after now, which means we can stop him, right?"
"We should watch for it as best we can." Hermione rested her hands on the table, tapping idly. "It wouldn't hurt to ask around either. I know plenty of people would love to have their hands on that elixir of life." She frowned with thought. "On the other hand, asking loudly will get people looking at us like we're the baddies. No, we should probably keep this between us. Except Harry's extra eyes."
Harry sighed softly at that. "There has to be a better name for them than that."
Ron stood up from the table. "Let's worry about that after we find the stone and make sure it's safe."
The three of them shared a nod as they split up to return to classwork. School did not pause for their concerns, however well-meaning it was. There were tests to pass, grades to earn, and as much as he cared, he could not let his classes suffer.
So Harry returned to class and resumed learning all that he could. After classes, Harry filled Flurry in on the conversation.
Flurry considered that for a moment. "Okay, so we're looking for a professor. I've seen him before. I don't like him." She crossed her arms. "I'll watch him, even when you're busy. I have magic they don't know about." He horn glowed softly. "Just you wait."
Harry patted Flurry on the shoulder. "Good luck." He turned away to find Ron, who was hard at work reading a book.
"Hey, Harry." Ron gestured vaguely towards his book. "Did you know? There are different kinds of vampires! It says here that vampires come from humans with an odd magical blood disease." He made a face. "Sounds nasty, doesn't it?"
Harry shook his head a little, keeping his horn hidden. "Ron, you're getting distracted. Arnie, Tilly, can you help Flurry with keeping an eye Snape?" Both nodded quickly. "I knew I could count on you two, thanks."
Arnavon rolled onto his back and waved to get Harry's attention. "Harry, what kind of thing am I supposed to be watching for? And where is it?"
Harry sighed at that. "Watch out for Severus Snape. We're pretty sure he's up to something. He'll go after that stone, and when he does, we can stop him. But we have to know when that is."
Arnavon just grinned, despite being unable to see anything. "I'm the best owl ever! Watch me."
Harry walked over and gave Arnavon a pat. "I'm not asking you to deliver much, except a notice when he makes his move. I'll take that."
Tilly reached up and scratched Harry behind the ear. "Make note. I'll tell. Promise." She stepped back to stand between Arnavon and Flurry. "Best owls on case."
With all three of his fuzzy friends on the case, Harry relaxed with a smile. "Thanks, all of you. I hate to leave you all thinking about this, but I do have some schoolwork to be doing."
Flurry waved that away. "You get your good work." She spread her wings wide. "I have a Snape to shadow." She jumped up and took flight, disappearing in a flash.
Harry went to do his homework with more confidence than he'd had in some time. He glanced up to see both tsuki were gone as well. Off to find out where Snape was, he imagined. "We have good friends."
"Hm?" Ron looked up from his own book. "Oh, they're all gone." He laughed a bit at how he'd missed that. "They're all nice sorts. My roomie's a unicorn, I remind you. I'm getting used to having interesting company."
"Speaking of that," Harry swished his tail and paced a bit. "Have you considered what we might be able to do with my extra eyes?"
Ron considered that for a moment, rubbing at his chin as he did so. "Well, first, you're calling them that too now?"
Harry sighed and stopped pacing. "I'm just saying it like Hermione did." He shifted on his hooves. "Never mind that. What are your thoughts?"
Ron closed his book. "Well, they're not 'yours', not, like, owning them. I wouldn't do much without talking with them way ahead of time, right? They're all on board with taking Snape down at least. I think we're on the same page there."
"Of course they're on board with it," Harry huffed a little. "We're doing it to keep people safe. But you have a point. I shouldn't think of them as tools." He sank to his haunches. "That's a bad habit. Let's just nip that right in the bud.