Hello!!
One more chapter!!!!!!!!!
Hope you like this. The sequel will be in a few weeks.
Enjoy:
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After dinner we sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered us. Hermione was looking through some books for spells that might help us. Even though Harry, Ron, and I weren't doing anything, we didn't talked much. When the Weasley twins got up to the dormitories we went up too. We still had to wait fifteen minutes. It wasn't so much but it felt like two hours. Harry had his Cloak and a flute. The rest of us had our wands. Silently, we tiptoed to the Common Room until Harry stopped.
"What…"- I started but was cut off by Harry.
"Trevor."- He muttered. Ahead of us, was Trevor, Neville's toad, on and armchair.
"Trevor, go! You shouldn't be here!"- Ron whispered hurriedly.
"Neither should you."- Neville said appearing in front of us. He was sitting on the armchair.-""You're sneaking out again, aren't you?"- He accused.
"No, Neville, listen we were…"- Harry began.
"No, I won't let you!"- Neville said loudly. I looked up expecting someone to come down.
"Look, Neville, we weren't sneaking out. We were just…."- I started but it seemed Neville could see through my guilty face.
"You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again. I-I'll fight you!"- Neville cut me off, his hands in fists. I laughed silently. Four against one, no big deal.
I sighed.-"Neville. I'm really sorry about this. Im..."-
"Petrificus Totalus!"- Hermione cried. Immediately, Neville's arms snapped to his sides and fell on the floor.
"Good, Hermione. I was going to use Impedimenta but it's better to have him petrified."- I clapped her shoulder. She smiled.
"Impedimenta?"- Harry asked.
"It makes the enemy, even though Neville isn't, slow for a few moments."- I answered.-"My brother practiced that for homework last summer, that's how I know it."-
Ron gulped.-"Both of you are a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant, but scary."-
"Let's go."- Harry muttered. We passed Neville. Harry, Hermione, and me said:-"Sorry, Neville."-
But Ron had other thing in mind.-"It's for your own good, you know."- I suppressed a laugh.
Our way to the Third Floor was a nervous one. When we heard a noise we thought Filch or Peeves was coming. –"Ouch! You stood on my foot!"- Hermione cried to Ron.
"Shh!"- I said.
"Sorry."- Ron replied.
As we stood in front of the door, Hermione muttered an,-"Alohomora."- and it opened. A snore took off the cloak from us. They were already sleeping.
"Wait a minute. He's snoring."- Harry said.
"We've seen."- I replied with sarcasm. He rolled his eyes.
"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp."- Harry continued and I noticed the harp for the first time.
"Ugh. It's got a horrible breath."- Ron observed wrinkling his nose.
"We have to move its paw."- Harry stated walking towards it.
"What?"- Ron nervously and shocked reply came.
"Come on!"- Harry exclaimed. We all took a place around the paw and began pushing it aside. It wasn't difficult but it made us anxious.
Fluffy snored and we all moved backwards. Slowly, Harry and Hermione opened the trapdoor and we leaned down.
"Want to go first, Hermione?"- Ron asked.
"No!"- She cried instantly.
"I'll go. I'm not afraid of the dark."- I teased them both.
"No. I'll go first. Don't follow until a give you a sign. If something bad happens get yourselves out."- Harry interrupted in a leadership voice. I had to admit it suit him and sort of was the leader.
"Yes, captain Harry."- I clasped my hand to my forehead as in a military salute.-"We're not about to leave you alone."- I said looking at his eyes.
Ron and Hermione nodded. Harry stopped mid-sigh.-"Does it seem a bit quiet to you?"-
"The harp."- Hermione answered.-"It's stopped playing."- Right then, boogers and saliva slipped through Ron's shoulder.
"And Fluffy wants to play."- I added my eyes widening.
"Ugh! Yuck!"- Ron exclaimed as they looked up. The three-head dog was looking at us with a hungry expression.
"Jump!"- Harry commanded unnecessarily. He went down first, next Hermione, then Ron, and at last me. I could hear the dog's growls but they got fainter as cold damp air rushed past us. Suddenly I landed on something soft.
"Wow!"-Ron said on my right side.
"We must be miles under the school."- I muttered looking around. My eyes were adjusting to the dark.
"Lucky this plant thing's here, really."- He continued.
He was right. It was a plant. I was sure I had heard about it. Dark, damp, and it was twisting my ankles.-"Hey!"- I cried trying to unbind myself. Harry and Ron were worse and they were still struggling.
"Stop moving, the three of you. This is Devil's Snare."- Hermione ordered.
"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called. That's great help."- Ron snarled and struggled at the same time.
"Well, with the name we can stop what it is doing!"- I snapped.-"I remember what the book said: 'You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster."- I said and stopped trying to get free.
"Kill us faster? Oh, now I can relax!"- Ron snarled again.
Hermione and I rolled our eyes. Hermione began slipping down. Of course! It would lead to somewhere else! –"Hermione!"- Ron and Harry shouted.
I began slipping down too. Soon, I joined Hermione. We were on the bottom now, I could see. A stone passageway was on my left side.
"Mallory!"- The boys cried.
"Now, what are we gonna do?"- Ron yelled.
"Just relax!"- Hermione shouted.
"Hermione, Mallory, where are you?"- Harry asked a bit calmer.
"Do what we say! Trust us!"- Hermione answered. It seemed Harry had stopped struggling. Soon, he fell and stood up.
"NO! Harry!"- Ron yelled.
"Are you okay?"- Hermione asked Harry.
"Yeah, I'm fine."- He said.
"I don't know about you, but I feel more worried about Ron."- I told them glancing up.
"HELP!"- Came Ron's shout.
"He's no t relaxing is he?"- Hermione asked us.
"Apparently not."- Harry answered.
"We've gotta do something!"- Hermione exclaimed.
"What?"- Harry asked looking around.
"HELP!"- Ron's yells were louder now.
"I remember reading something in Herbology. Devil's Snare, Devil Snare's, it's deadly fun…but will sulk in the sun! That's it! It hates sunlight!"- Hermione exclaimed.
"Or hot."- I reminded her.
"So light a fire."- Harry told us.
"Yes, of course. But, there's no wood!"- Hermione cried looking around.
I scoffed.-"Wood? Are you a witch or not?!"- I yelled and pointed up.-"Lumus Solem."- A jet of light passed through it. Hermione did the same a second later. The Devil Snare's began retracting and Ron fell down.
"Ron, you okay?"- Harry asked.
"Yeah."- He said as he looked up.-"Huh! Lucky we didn't panic."- Then he looked at us. I laughed.
"Lucky Hermione and Mallory pay attention in Herbology."- Harry said silently. Ron sighed.
"And both of you should, too."- I added. They rolled their eyes and nodded.
We stood hearing a noise that came from the passageway.-"Can you hear something?"- Ron asked.
It seemed a soft rustling and clinking. –"Is it a ghost?"- Ron continued.
"What is that?"- Hermione asked at the same time.
"I don't know."- Harry said looking around.-"It sounds like wings."-
We walked through the passageway until we found a door. We opened it and some things with wings were flying.-"Curious. I've never seen birds like this."- Hermione said.
"They're not birds. They're keys."- Harry stated and now I looked at them they indeed had shapes of keys. With wings?-"And I'll bet one of them fits that door."- Harry motioned the door across the room.
"Look at that."- I said walking towards a broomstick.
"What's all this about?"- Hermione asked nervously and demanding.
"I don't know."- Harry repeated.
Ron took out his wand and walked towards the door. –"Ron?"- I asked nervously. What was he going to do? I followed him with Hermione at my heels. He tried to open the door but it was closed.-"Alohomora."- the door still didn't opened and he turned to us with a defeated face.-"Well, it was worth a try."- He said.
Hermione groaned.-"Ugh! What are we going to do? There must be a thousands keys up there."-
"We want a big, old-fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle."- Ron said looking for it.
"I see it! The one with the broken wing!"- Harry exclaimed pointing up. He then gazed at the broom.
"Harry, you can do it."- I whispered.
"What's wrong?"- Hermione said not understanding.
"It's too simple."- Harry said.
"Go on! If Snape can do it, so you can! You're the youngster Seeker in a century!"- Ron cried.
Harry nodded. When he touched the broom, all the keys began chasing him. All the keys were protecting the rusty one.
"Well, this complicates things a little bit."- Ron added.
Harry flew until he catched it but it was obviously that the keys wouldn't leave him alone. He threw it to me and I run to the door.-"Hurry up."- Ron muttered.
"That's what I'm trying to do, Ronald."- I snapped. I was so nervous that I couldn't make the key enter the keyhole.
"Hurry up, Mal!"-I heard Harry shouting. Finally I could open it.
Hermione, Ron, and I entered.-"Harry! Come on!"- I cried. He flew toward us and entered flying as we closed the door.
"Well…that wasn't as a Quidditch match, I suppose."- I said as we began walking again.
"No."- Harry muttered. I gave him a brief smile. He returned it.
Many statues were around us. Some big and tall, some small and short.-"What is this place?"- I asked. Once again, no one had an answer.
"I don't like this."- Hermione said.-"I don't like this at all."-
"Where are we?"- I asked again.
"A graveyard?"- Harry tried guessing.
"I thought graveyards had graves, not statues."- I replied.
"No. This is no graveyard."- Ron said watching around. He stepped forward and began walking.-"It's a chessboard."- Suddenly the lights came on. It was indeed a chessboard.
I walked forward.-"What the hell?"- I said.
"Mallory!"- Hermione scolded.
"Oh, come on. Fluffy, the Devil's Snare, keys with wings, and now a chess set?"-I said incredulously.
"Chessboard."- Ron corrected.
"Yes, yes. But what do we have to do?"- I said looking around. Surely we didn't have to play.
"There's the door."- Harry pointed beside me.
We walked towards it. When we were about to pass, the chess pieces took out their swords or whatever they were and crossed them like an x. We took a step back. their things came back to where they were.
"Now, what do we do?"- Hermione asked uncertainly.
"It's obvious isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room."- Ron said looking at us.-"Now, don't be offended but none of you are that good at chess…"-
"We know, Ron. But, what do we do?"- I asked.
"Harry, you take the empty bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the queen-side castle. Mallory, take the empty square."- Ron said.
"Why the empty?"- I asked.
"Well, if we lose, and I hope we don't they are going to try to kill you. I hope that with your reflexes you'll escape in time."- He explained.
"Oh, thank you. I'll relax now."- I said sarcastically. He rolled his eyes.-"What about you?"-
"I'm going to be a knight."-
We stood in our respective places.-"Now what?"-
"Well, white moves first and then…we play."- Ron said and right then a white piece moved. Ron commanded Harry and Hermione. I couldn't move since then the queen would kill me. If had had the chance I would had fallen asleep. Doing nothing was boring. Fortunately, the situation we were in and the noise and pieces that came flying each time didn't helped. Still, I paid attention even if I didn't understood chess. One thing I had to admire was Ron's knowledge at it.
"No! Ron no!"- Harry cried.
"Huh?"- I asked. I had been acknowledging something. Snape had come before us and the chessboard had been as good as new, it meant it had been a lot of time ago he had come.
"What is it?"- Hermione asked. She too didn't understand.
"He's going to sacrifice himself."- Harry explained.
"Ron, no!"- I shouted even if he was just a few feet away.
"No, there must be another way."- Hermione said.
Ron looked at us.-"Do you want to stop Snape from getting the Stone or not?"- We didn't answered.-"Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me. Not Hermione. Not Mallory. You."-
Harry nodded. I looked at Hermione. –"I think he is right, but if I had learned something tonight is that boys are idiots."-
She rolled her yes. Ron sighed and grabbed very tightly the strings of the horse.-"Knight to H-3."-
He moved and the queen looked at him.-"Jump, Ron! Jump!"- I cried. He could still make it.
"Check."- I heard Ron mutter. The queen moved towards it. I covered my face. I looked again. The sword was directed to Ron's face.
"NO!"- I shouted. Before I realized what I was doing a grabbed a sword that was laying near me and began kicking the queen.
"NO! Mallory! Don't!"- Harry cried.
"Mallory!"- Hermione yelled.
I caught the queen's attention. She had broken Ron's horse making him fall. He was unconscious.-"Mallory, run!"- Harry said. I turned and ran.
The queen seemed to move faster than me.-"Return to your square! Return to your square!"- Harry shouted.
I did. The queen was about to strike me. Harry walked towards it.-"Checkmate."-
The queen's sword fell.-"Ron!"- I cried.
He was unconscious.-"Take care of Ron. Then go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right. I have to go on."- Harry said.
"But…"- I started.
"No. He's right. He has to go on."- Hermione told me.-"Anyway, we can't go. We have to take care of Ron. And you are all bruised. You ca barely walk right."-
Harry nodded and looked to the door. Worry crossed his face.-"You'll be ok, Harry. You're a great wizard. You really are."- Hermione told him.
"Not as good as you."- Harry said.
Hermione gave a weak laugh.-"Me? Books and cleverness. There are more important things."-
"Friendship and bravery."- We said together. We smiled.
Harry nodded and stood up.-"Harry…be careful."- Hermione said.
"You'll be all right. Just…don't so anything impulsive."- I told him. He nodded. We watched him go. He opened the doors and left.
"Come on. We have to help Ron."- Hermione told me.
"To where?"- I asked.
"The Hospital Wing. And you have to go too. What were you thinking, running of like that. Even I know that was bloody idiot."- She said as we put Ron's arms on our necks.
"Wow. Hermione Granger cursed. I have to tell Harry and Ron about this."- I teased.
"Shut up."- She said.
Going back wasn't an easy thing. Especially where the keys with wings were. We opened the door and they came flying we closed it again.
"What do we do?"- Hermione said.
"Let me…"-I said and opened the door.
"Mallory, what are you going to…"- Hermione said worried.
"Impedimenta"- I cried. The keys stopped moving.
"Well, that was good."- Hermione said.
We continued going. We entered the room where we had fallen from the Devil's Snare.-"Now what do we do?"- Hermione asked again.
"Wait here."- I said and went back.
"Mallory!"- Hermione cried.
The keys were still not moving I grabbed the broom that it seemed reappeared when someone else used one broom.
"Come on."- I said mounting the broom.
"What?"- Hermione asked.
I sighed. I knew flying wasn't Hermione's strong point.-"Put Ron behind me."- She did it.-"Mount behind Ron."- Carefully she did it. –"Grab Ron's waist with one hand and grab mine with your other hand."-
We flew up. The Devil's Snare tried to grab us but I turned right or left every time it tried. Hermione's scream made me confused but I flew until we reached the door were Fluffy was. They began barking.
"Alohomora!"- I cried and the door opened.-"Closed it Hermione!"-
I heard the door closing. I began slowing down but she said-"No! Continue until we reach the owlerly."- She then added.-"Ron's waking up."
We flew through the stairs. I saw some people pointing at us. Please! Don't let them be Professors!
We passed next to them and saw they were students. Was it morning already? We passed the Great Hall's doors and flew to the entrance doors.-"Stop!"- Hermione cried.
Professor Dumbledore was there. –"Professor…we…um…the Third Corridor…Snape…"- Hermione muttered.
"Harry! He…."- I began.
"Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?"- Professor Dumbledore asked but didn't wait for an answer. He ran to the Third Corridor. I saw someone, Professor McGonagall reaching him but soon she nodded and came to us.
"Look at you! What have you done? What happened? Mr. Weasley is almost unconscious, Miss Granger you have many cuts on your face. Miss Grace you're limping. And flying a broom! What happned? Where's Potter? Where…"- She ranted.
"Mallory!"- I recognized that as Edward's voice.-"What happened? Why are you with a broom? And those bruises? What…"-
"Mr. Grace, what are you doing out of bed? Mr. Diggory! What a surprise of you. Off to bed!"- McGonagall cried.
"No! My sister…"- Edward began.
"We'll take care of them. They need to explain what happened. Now you two, off to bed!"-
"But…"- Edward interrupted again.
"NOW!"- McGonagall shouted. They nodded and left with a last glance at me. It surely wasn't a nice glance. I was limping all bruised, blood running from my lower lip and knee. Cuts in all my face, Ron and Hermione no better beside me.
"Come, to the Hospital Wing!"- McGonagall cried. We followed her.
All I remember is arriving and falling on a bed.
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I woke up with a headache. What had happened?
"Mallory!"- I heard a cry.
I looked around. I was in the Hospital Wing. On my right side was Hermione sleeping. Beside her was Ron snoring.
It was Edward with his friend.-"Uh! What happened?"- My voice was hoarse.
"What were you thinking running to the Third Corridor like that? You could have gotten killed! But of course with friends like Potter, how wouldn't you…"- Edward started shouting. Cedric just watched him trying to calm him.
"Harry! Where's Harry? Is he..."- I began but when I looked at my left side Harry was sleeping peacefully. Thank God!
Cedric was watching me amused. Edward started ranting again.-"How could you? Didn't you think of me? Or our Aunt Lithia? What…"-
"Mr. Grace! Out! Out! This children need rest! Now get out!"- Madam Pomfrey shouted.
"But…"- Edward said.
"OUT!"-
He and his friend scurried off.
I laughed.
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Well, next chapter is the last and then we start Second Year!!
Review!!!!
