Through the Trap door
The weeks went by fast with finals approaching. Hermione had made everyone even the twins study charts. They quickly tossed theirs in the fire smirking. Hermione ground her teeth at this but wisely did not say anything.
"Hermione the exams are ages away!" Aria complained.
"Ten weeks that is not ages! That is like a second to Nicholas Flammel." She said sharply.
"We aren't over six-hundred years old Hermione. Why are you so worried? You already know it all." I said.
"Why am I worried? Your joking! We have to pass these exams to get into our second year!" She said.
"You already know everything though Granger." Draco drawled.
"I don't! Honestly is should have started studying ages ago! I don't know what's gotten into me." She said.
Aria and I smirked grinning at each other. "You know Shadow. I think we are being a bad influence." I said.
"I think you may be right Phoenix." Aria said.
"How will I ever live?" Hermione snorted at our antics.
Draco grinned. "You two may be right next thing you know she will be acting like a Slytherin." Draco said.
We all burst into laughter at that thought. Hermione with her ridged rules. The thought of her ever being able to sneak or be super cunning was ludacris.
"I don't know. The way she wedeled Hagrid into telling us what was protecting the stone was pretty Slytherin." I teased.
"Yeah but when she covered for us in the bathroom that was pure Gryffindor." Aria said.
"I think this lioness makes a good Slytherin pet." Draco said.
"I am not the Slytherin pet." Hermione said indignantly.
"You hang out more with Slytherins than your own house." I pointed out.
"Yea and it's not like being the Slytherin pet lioness is a bad thing." Aria smirked.
Draco nodded. "Yes, we look out for our own so your well protected."
We all went back to studying. Hermione's face incredulous. Draco, Aria, and I were all wearing Slytherin smirks.
Aria, Draco and I spent most of the time revising with Hermione in the library. We kept a close eye on Quirell who was looking paler and more jumpy than usual. We also stopped by and made sure Fluffy was alive and well.
The day of exams arrived. In years to come I would still not understand how I made it through exams when expecting Voldemort to come bursting in at any moment. We had two exams for most subjects written and practical. The written exams weren't hard. We didn't have practical exams in history of magic. We were given new anti-cheating quills for our written exams.
Hermione drove us nuts going over the questions after each exam. "Mione... please don't you're going to make me sick! We all know you passed." Aria whined.
"Yeah Granger we just lived through exams. I don't want to relive them already. We still have practical exams to do to." Draco said.
The twins caught up to us. "Oi! Shadow, Phoenix come on." Fred said.
"It's time for the end of year prank!" George said.
Fred grabbed me, and George grabbed Aria. "See you later Mione! Draco!" I called. She just waved fighting a smile. She liked our pranks though she would never admit it. Draco looked put out. I think he wanted to be part of our group.
"Ok so what's the plan?" I asked as we entered an empty classroom.
"Well we were thinking that we should give the teachers a hair removing potion." Fred said grinning.
"That's brilliant!" I said grinning hugely.
Aria laughed. "Imagine Flitwick with no hair! He will look like a garden gnome!" We all burst into laughter at that moment.
We headed off to make the potion. The potion lab was open, and we all set to work. After making the potion we slipped down to the kitchens and slipped it into the drink for the high table. We were excited for dinner.
When dinner started we studiously kept our eyes off the high table. Draco watching us with interest. He kept looking around waiting for the prank to take effect. Suddenly he gasped and burst into laughter. Soon the whole hall was laughing.
All the teachers were completely hairless. They all looked like bald aliens or something. Professor Snape looked like he was going to force feed poison to whomever did this. Professor Dumbledore looked bemused. Professor McGonagall looked stern and very upset. Professor Flitwick did indeed look like a garden gnome. Hagrid was the only teacher laughing. His deep booming laugh echoing in the hall. "It's like they are back again!" He said.
Professor Snape hissed something to Professor Dumbledore who nodded serenely. Professor Quirell was scowling looking stony faced. Professor Snape returned a few minutes later. His shoulder length black hair and bushy black eyebrows back. His black eyes burning like coals. He gave each of the teachers a sip of a potion and their hair all came back. McGonagall's auburn hair was flowing straight down her back. I wondered why she didn't always leave it down. She looked beautiful and younger. I supposed that was the point. Her hair in a crisp bun made her look ordered and stern. Professor Snape was looking around the hall. It was almost if he could see inside everyone. Like if he looked hard enough he would see who the culprit was.
The hall was alight with giggles and excited chatter. This was definitely the best prank to date. I could see the summer being filled with scheming with the twins and Aria. Having prank wars. I hoped I would get to visit them this summer. I knew they couldn't come to private drive but maybe I would get invited to their houses.
For our Transfiguration practical we had to turn a mouse into a snuffbox. Points were given for how pretty the snuff box was and taken off if it still had whiskers. For charms we had to make a pineapple tap-dance across the table. In potions we had to make a Forgetfulness Potion. I couldn't help cheering with the rest when he told us to put our spoons down. Exams were officially over. Hermione, Draco, Aria and I all decided to go by the lake to relax. We watched the twins tickling the giant squid.
Aria sighed happily. "No more studying! No more homework!" She laid back with her hands behind her head.
Draco laid back to and I put my head on his stomach. He smiled and stoked my hair. I put my legs over Aria. Hermione was laying on the other side of Draco arms out palms up on the grass enjoying the sun.
Everyone was in high spirits that night. The twins let off filibuster fireworks in the common room. The common room was filled with red and blue stars that bounced from floor to ceiling for half an hour.
The next day I was walking by an empty classroom headed to the owlery to send a note to Remus that exams were done. I also wanted to tell him about the marauders latest prank. I stopped dead when I heard Quirell's trembling voice.
"Ok, Ok I will do it." He said. He hurried from the classroom straightening his turban.
The letter forgotten I rushed back to the common room to tell Aria and Draco. They looked grim faced when I told them. We headed up to Gryffindor tower to get Hermione. The fat lady eyed us suspiciously. "What are you doing here?" She asked. Just then the portrait hole opened, and Neville stepped out.
"Hey what are you guys doing here?" He asked. He eyed Draco warily.
"We need to see Hermione can you get her for us?" I asked.
"Sure." He said heading back in. A few minutes later he returned Hermione following him.
"What's going on?" She asked.
"We need to talk to you alone. Can you come with us please?" Aria asked.
"Sure." She said. We headed off to an empty class room.
We filled Hermione in on what I heard. "We have to go to Dumbledore." She said.
We all nodded. None of us knew where the headmaster's office was. We ran into McGonagall in the corridors. "What are you four doing?" She asked.
"We need to see Professor Dumbledore." Hermione said rather bravely.
"Why do you need to do that?" Professor McGonagall asked like this was a very fishy thing.
"It's about the Sorcerer's Stone." I said bluntly.
She dropped the handful of books she was carrying. "How do you know about that?" She asked.
"We know someone is trying to steal it." I said.
"Well I assure you the stone is well protected." She said.
"Can we speak to Professor Dumbledore?" Aria asked.
"Professor Dumbledore has been called away on urgent business at the ministry." She said.
"He needs to come back this is important!" I said.
"Something you have to say is more important than the ministry Miss Potter?" She said skeptically.
"Someone is after the stone. It needs to be moved or at least watched." I said.
"Believe me when I say no one can steal the stone. It is too well protected. Professor Dumbledore will return in the morning. I will inform him of your concern. Now off to your dorms." She said sternly.
We left to an empty class room. "It's tonight!" I said. "I bet you the ministry will get a real shock when Dumbledore shows up." I said.
"Your probably right he knows everything and now Dumbledore is out of the way." Aria said,
"But what do we do." Hermione said.
"I am going through that trap door tonight. I am going to try and get to the stone first." I said.
"We are coming too." Draco said.
"Yeah you're not going alone." Aria added.
"We are in this together." Hermione said.
My eyes prickled with tears. For the first time in my life I had people I could depend on. I loved them all immensely.
I nodded. "Alright if you're all sure. Hermione meet us outside the portrait hole at midnight. Both common rooms should be empty by then. Aria, Draco, and I will come under my dad's old cloak." I said. We all agreed then Hermione went back to the tower and we went back to the Dungeons.
At a quarter till I made my way to my trunk and took out the cloak and the flute Hagrid made me. Aria and I went down to the common room where Draco was waiting. I threw the cloak over us and we set out. Hermione was waiting for us just outside the Portrait of Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady was gone. We all bunched together and I threw the cloak over us it was a tight fit. We had to walk slow and carefully.
Peeves came zooming out of a classroom when we were on the second floor. He looked around suspiciously. "Who's there? Know your there even if I can't see you." He said. "Should tell Filch I should if something is creeping about the castle."
Draco suddenly spoke making his voice raspy. "It is I the Bloody Baron. I have business here tonight. Leave this place." He said.
Peeves dropped a few inches in the air looking panicked. "So sorry your bloodiness. I didn't see you there. Of course, I didn't forgive old Peeves little joke sir. Hope your business goes well Baron." He said flying off.
"That was brilliant." I whispered. Draco's cheeks tinged pink. We finally approached the third floor. The forbidden corridor looking more menacing than ever. As we approached the door we heard music.
"He is already in there. Look I don't know what is going to happen you can all turn back now. I won't blame you." I said.
They all shook their heads. "We are in this together." Aria said.
I nodded, and we pushed the door open. A harp was playing a soft tune. Fluffy was sound asleep. We took off the cloak we wouldn't need it now. Draco and I pulled open the trap door.
"I will go first. If something happens don't follow go to the Owlery and send for Dumbledore." I said.
They all nodded, and I put my legs over the edge of the hole. I took a deep breath and jumped. I landed on something soft and squishy. I struggled towards a ledge and lit my wand.
"It's ok it's a soft landing. There is a plant to break your fall." I called. More thuds and everyone was next me on the ledge.
"It's Devils Snare. We will have to be careful. It could strangle us. If it gets you shoot fire at it. It hates heat and light." Hermione said. Everyone lit their wands and we followed the ledge with our wands towards our feet until we reached a door.
"That must have been Sprouts." I said. I opened the door and it was a narrow chamber. There were hundreds of birds flying above.
"Do you think they will attack if we try to cross?" Aria asked.
"Only one way to find out." I said.
I ran full out with my arms over my head. I made it to the door and nothing happened. The rest came over and Hermione tried the unlocking spell on the door. It didn't work. We looked back up at the birds. They were glittering. Birds don't glitter. I looked closer.
"Their keys! Winged keys!" I exclaimed.
They all looked dumfounding realizing I was right. I was looking at the lock when
Aria said. "We have to catch it!" She was pointing out a broom.
"Wait here I will be right back." I said.
"It's going to be old fashioned like the lock and bronze." Draco said.
After kicking off and searching for several minutes I found it. It had a crumpled wing from being caught already. I rocketed upward and hit my head on the ceiling. With all the keys it was hard to get a hold of it. Finally, I managed to pin it to the wall with a sickening crunch. I landed and jammed the key into the lock and turned it. The door opened and as soon as it did the battered key took off again. This next chamber was huge and had a giant chess board in the middle.
"That was Flitwick's, and this must be McGonagall's." Hermione said.
"I think we have to join them." Draco said. He walked up to the black knight and asked. "Do we have to join you?" The knight nodded. Draco went thoughtful and after a minute said. "Ok, well don't be offended but none of you are that good at chess."
Hermione said. "We are not offended just tell us what to do."
"Well, Hermione you take the place of that bishop. Aria you take the place of that castle. Jamie you take the place of that pawn. I will take the place of this knight." He said.
The pieces moved off the board as he spoke. We took our places and the white side moved first. I had a new appreciation for Draco's chess skills. Each time a black piece was taken the white pieces showed no mercy smashing them before dragging them off the board. Draco managed to take almost as many white pieces as we lost black. Several times he noticed just in time that one of us was in danger and saved us.
Suddenly he paused thinking. "Yes, it's got to happen." He said softly.
"What's got to happen?" I asked frightened.
"I have got to be taken." He said eyeing the queen who was looking at him.
"NO!" Aria, Hermione and I screamed at the same time.
"There has got to be another way." I said desperately.
"There is not. That's chess sometimes you've got to make sacrifices." He snapped.
"No." I protested. He shot me a glare.
"Do you want Voldemort to come back? I sure don't. We are wasting time. When she takes me, it will leave you free to checkmate the King. Do not linger. Just go." He said.
I nodded feeling my blood drain from my face. He looked me in the eyes as the queen wacked him in the head. He crumpled to the floor.
"Draco!" I screamed, and tears ran down my face. I pulled myself together as she pulled him off the board. He will be fine. He has to be. I moved in front of the King and he threw his crown at my feet. He moved aside to let us through. I gave one last glance at Draco's unconscious form.
I opened the door and gagged. There was a putrid smell coming from the chamber. I pulled my robe over my face. Hermione and Aria did the same. As we stepped into the chamber there was a huge twenty-foot troll with a bloody lump on its head. I was relieved we didn't have to face this one. A twelve-foot troll was bad enough. We made it across the chamber to another door.
As soon as we entered this chamber flames sprung up behind in the doorway behind us and the archway in front of us. The flames behind us were a violent purple and the ones in front of us were a deep black. There was nothing in the chamber but a table with seven bottles of varying shapes and sizes, and a scroll of parchment. I opened the parchment and read.
Danger lies before you while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,
One among us seven will help you move ahead,
Another will transport the drinker back instead.
Two among our number hold only nettle wine,
Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.
Choose unless you wish to stay here forevermore,
To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:
First, however slyly the poison tries to hide
You will always find some on nettle wines left side;
Second, different are those who stand at either end,
But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;
Third, as you clearly see, all are different size,
Neither dwarf nor giant hold death on their insides;
Fourth, the second on the left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them. Though different at first sight.
I handed the parchment to Hermione who read it then handed it to Aria. I was amazed to see Hermione smiling. It was the very last thing I felt like doing.
"Brilliant," Hermione said. "This isn't magic it's logic a puzzle. A lot of the greatest witches and wizards haven't got an ounce of logic; they'd be stuck in here forever. Let me see that parchment a minute."
Aria handed the parchment back to Hermione. We watched quietly as she muttered the poem to herself pointing to the bottles as she walked down the table.
After a few minutes she clapped her hands together. "I got it!" She said. "This small one will get us through the black flames towards the stone." She said pointing to a small bottle. I picked it up opening it.
I frowned. "There is barely enough for two swallows." I said thinking for a second. "Which one will get you back to through the purple fire?" I asked.
She pointed to a rounded bottle on the right end. "Ok, you take that and go get Draco. Get to the Owlery and send for Dumbledore. Aria and I will try to hold off Snape or whoever it is." I said.
Aria gave me a strange look. "Are you sure you want me to go with you instead of Hermione?" She asked.
I nodded. "Unless you would rather go back." I said.
She shook her head. "No, I will go." She said.
Hermione threw herself at us. "You will be careful both of you?" She asked.
"Yes." We both said.
"You're both great witches you know that right." She said.
"Not as good as you Mione." I said.
She gave a shaky laugh. "Me books and cleverness. There are more important things, like friendship, and loyalty." She said.
"You go first. You're sure of which is which?" Aria asked.
Hermione nodded and picked up the rounded bottle. She took a swig and shuddered.
"It's not poison?" I asked panicking.
"No, but it feels like ice." She said.
"Hurry before it wears off." Aria said. Hermione turned and with a final wave disappeared into the purple flames.
I had the bottle in my hand. "Sure, you want to do this?" I asked, and Aria nodded.
"Let's go save the world." Aria said with a weak smile.
I nodded and took a swig before handing it to Aria. I shuddered Hermione was right it was like ice. Aria drank the rest and we looked at each other then headed into the fire together.