Hello to all once again

I was going to wait for a few days to put this up but since I got a few nice review's I decided what the hell,

Thank you to all that commented, much-loved. And to the recent one; Madam Sera: Thank you for your comment, yes I know i do tend to write on a bit...Can't help it I just don't know when to set a limit and as a result I have long-winded stories. But after this chapter there is one...Maybe two after this so the first year is over and done with before we move on. There I will try to make it shorter but's it more about the family aspect and the school life for them both that has a detailed outline to it as a few I have seen on here skip a hell of a lot and so I didn't want that for mine.

The story...is not all cannon and as it goes on i will probably make the meeting before the fourth book...Film...When does she get busted out of prison? If someone can tell me I'll be a happy camper.

so yeah that will take place earlier to fit the story, so if you feel like sticking around till then by all mean's and i hope the rest doesn't bore you.

And to everyone else...Big thanks for the comment's it nice to read that the story is a fave of you all. And yes, it was Nagini in the last chapter, Addie wouldn't be that mean...Grumpy yes, homicidal tendencies...No.

unless it was a mouse.

Without further ado, as that has to be my longest rant yet. the chapter,

And like before if you could help in making my target possible it would mean a lot

Thank you all and happy reading, :)

Disclaimer - I don't own HP or anything...All that is Miss Rowling's (Don't know if she's married or not) But yeah, not mine.

The next day and having just gotten out of Charm's the three of them had decided to go to the library for the free that they had. Well Hermione was going the others having nothing to do and knowing they had to come up with a plan. They followed albeit reluctantly, they left the east building and was making their way across the yard when Harry let out a little pained moan. Slowing both Ron and Hermione looked at him as he rubbed his head.

"What's wrong?" Ron asked eyeing him the other boy turned his head, squinting a little in a bid to elevate the pain.

"My scar, it keeps burning."

"It's happened before." Hermione asked looking at him with slight concern as he turned to face her

"Not like this." She nodded a little. He had never mentioned it before so had no reason to ask about the other times as Ron spoke back up.

"Perhaps you should see the nurse." Harry shook his head.

"I think it's a warning. It means dangers coming." Looking up and spying Hagrid across the field and at his hut something in his eye lights up and he lets out a small groan.

"Of course" Before making a run for it leaving the other two staring in wonder Ron hurries after him as Hermione sighs. Running was not something she wanted to be doing but not wanting to miss out on anything. Hitches her bag higher and legs it after them.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one?" He asks not slowing his speed, the other two think about it for a moment. It did seem just a tad convenient she had to admit. Almost as if someone who knew the giant man on a level to know what he wanted and went out of their way to get it for him of course with the agenda being to fit their own purpose.

But if she was personally honest, even if it was only part of a ploy to gain information, she could think of at least a dozen better places for a dragon. As they run up to the man who was sitting outside playing something on his flute. On seeing them getting closer he smiles warmly in greeting just as Harry stops and without returning the sentiment he asks.

"Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg" The other man stopped his tune giving the younger boy a look of slight confusion prompting him to speak further,

"What did he look like? The man, I mean" At this Hagrid lifts his head a little in thought before replying.

"I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."

Hermione gave a small snort and fought the urge to roll her eyes, because speaking with people who didn't show their faces was always a good thing to do.

"But surely you must have at least talked to him?" He implores looking urgent as Hagrid nodded,

"Well yeah. We talked, mostly about what creatures I looked after and that."

Hermione cocked her head to the side at this, how did this man not know that he was being used? Surely he must have at least had some guard about him? But as he went on it became clear to her that drink was involved so…No, even Ron who wasn't the most clued in person knew that this was bad, and that's when she knew they were in trouble.

"And did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Another nod confirmed their deepening fears.

"Well, of course he were interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three headed dog, even if you're in the trade?"

She had to give him that, after that debacle in which they almost became said dogs chow, she went and looked up all she could about them and found they were rare. Not so much in Britain as from what she could gather, Fluffy. She still thought the name oddly confusing and very misleading; he was the only one in the wizard England at that moment. But he was also rare in other parts of the world, which had her wondering just where he had gotten the dog.

"But I told him. I said, the trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep." He answers proudly smiling at them as the three look at him with barely concealed horror. Didn't he know what he had done?

His face suddenly falls as it clicks on but it was too late; they look at each other knowing know there was no other choice. They knew what they had to do. And so turn before running as fast as they could back to the school ignoring the shouts behind them. Not stopping until the reach the courtyard. They slow to get their breath back before confiding in what they had just learnt. They didn't have to speak as their eyes catch each other's.

"He's gonna try to steal It." Harry gasps out as they both nod, they take the next few minutes to get their breath in silence as they each think over what this now meant.

"Of course there is one other option we can take before…"

Both boys look at the speaker as Hermione stands straight. She stares at them again in silence not having to speak as Harry bites his lip before nodding slowly.

"If there is anyone that he is scared of, it's him." He nodded once again knows she was right.

"Plus he could stop him before he even got to the room."

He thinks over what she has said knowing that if they went to the headmaster he would be able to stop Snape from reaching the stone well before they could. He might even be able to get rid of Voldemort once and for all biting his lip in thought he mulls it over before nodding.

"Ok"

They look at him as he speaks. He lifts his head to meet their gaze.

"Here's what we do. We go to Dumbledore. We tell him what we know, if he believes us then we leave it at that."

Two sets of eyes never strain from his as he leaves the solution open. His expression is enough to tell Hermione the rest of the unspoken choice as she nods.

"All right then. Let's go."

Something had been nagging her as they roam around the school looking for the older man who was the only one who could help. But as they searched it became clear that he was a better hider then they were seeker and so once again end up back in the courtyard.

"For an old man….He sure moves fast." Ron grumbles as they lean against the stone arch. Harry nods silently thinking as the niggle in her stomach starts to spread. She knew that now seeing as they couldn't find the man to tell him the only choice they had now, was to go and tell the only other authority.

"We have no other choice." He said looking at her knowing what was on her mind. She frowned knowing he was right but didn't like it as Ron glanced between the two.

"What"

The other boy looked at him and speaks as she remains mute.

"We have to tell McGonagall."

Seeing his face drop was exactly how she was feeling as he casts a slight sympathetic gaze to her.

"…Right"

They start to move slowly now heading in the direction of the transfiguration classroom but sped up knowing that dinner would soon be starting and if indeed Dumbledore couldn't be found then the older woman would soon be leaving to man the hall, rounding the corner Hermione comes to a sudden stop causing the other two to skid to a halt as they turn to her.

"What?"

She eyes them slowly before replying.

"I don't think I should go in."

Harry's eyes go wide before he shakes his head a little. "Why"

"Because, Harry. If we have to tell her and believe me I don't then the chances are she will try to stop us."

Not getting the expected response she sigh's and carries on.

"She's a little dramatic when it comes to our activities of late and to put it lightly. She's been insufferable about the trouble we cause."

Snort from Ron earns him a dirty look but she doesn't stop.

"And well, you don't see her at dinner Harry but I do. And trust me when I say, if I go in there now with you two shouting about how we have knowledge about a stone that no one is meant to know of as well as saying Snape, a trusted teacher, is trying to steal it for Voldemort….I'm certain she will give us detention just to stop us from trying to stop him ourselves if she has to,"

The raven haired boy frowns at this new information and looks down in thought as to try to work out a solution. Out of them all, Hermione was the only one with more than enough experience with the strict hard of house to second guess her actions when she came to learn what they knew. They had seen for themselves just how protective the older woman was about her house. Giving them harsh punishment's in order for them to learn from their mistakes or defending them against the only teacher with a grudge on them.

She was fierce in doing so for them and they weren't even her own for Hermione who was actually family, if the older woman got the slightest hint that she might be involved with whatever plan it was they had, she would have no quarrel in detaining her somehow to prevent her from helping.

And they needed her, out of them all she was by far the smartest. Half of their coursework was down purely to her and so if she was out of the equation. Whatever it was they might meet down there might succeed in stopping them if they didn't have her with them.

"Ok…So what do you suggest" He asked looking at her as she mused on the predicament for a moment.

"You two go in and tell her you need the see the headmaster," She said looking up from the spot she had stared at on the floor, "You go in tell her, ask for Dumbledore. Ask where he is."

"And if he's not here."

"Then you have no choice but to tell her everything." She spoke with an air of finality that had him nodding.

"And what about you? If she asks about where you are."

"….Tell her I'm in the library." He went to ask and opened his mouth but she held up her hand,

"I'll be around the corner Harry. Don't worry." She smiled to reassure him he smiled happy in the knowledge she wasn't going to wander off and so nudged Ron who had been silent the whole time as she watched them run to her Mother's room preying as they turned the corner, that it wouldn't come down to the second choice.

Whoever it was that had answered her before in the forest clearly was off duty tonight as she found herself sitting in the hall sometime after waiting for them to come back from telling the other teacher. Seeing their dejected looks told her that they failed, on learning that the headmaster had been called to London she realized with a heavy heart that they were on their own.

They had no help from him the only one who could have put a stop to it right there and then.

They had no help from her Mother, the older woman nearly having a fit when she had heard what they knew. And thankful that her 'not being in the room with them when they told her' plan it had thrown some suspicion off her but she could feel without even looking. The older woman's critical gaze bearing down on them burning through their heads like fire. She did all she could not to turn and give herself away because she needed the other woman to think she had no clue as to what the two boys knew.

When dinner was finally over, they got up and fled the room as fast as they could without drawing attention to themselves or for the teacher to catch them a few of the others had caught up to them as Ron now engaged them in conversation. Hermione and Harry on the other hand stayed silent as they made their way to the common room each lost in thoughts of what might happen tonight now that they knew it was up to them and for all the different scenarios that they could conjure. Both came to only one ending conclusion.

Reaching the portrait neither heard the password being given as they ambled in and the group split up, with Dean and Seamus moving to the table at the other end leaving the three with the couch by the fire they had made their own they sat in silence still as Harry looked at the patch on the carpet that Fred had accidentally set alight finding it fascinating as Hermione stared deeply into the fire.

It was Ron who spoke up as he faced them.

"So…What do we do."

The answer came late on that night with Harry's invisibility cloak thy met each other at the bottom of the stairs. Hermione tucked her wand up her sleeve before stealthily making her way past the other sleeping girls before closing the door. She made it to the bottom to meet them but their smiles weren't happy, with what potentially might happen how could they be? Before Harry nodded to the door and they silently followed.

They were just a little across when they stop at the sound of croaking. All look around confused but as the croaking happened again they knew what the source was.

"Trevor." Harry muttered grimly as he spied the little toad on the floor, Ron bent and lowly hissed.

"Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!" Just as he did another voice cut in and had them all jumping a little.

"Neither should you. You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Neville's tone was with accusation as he looked at them from his chair before standing to face them blocking their path to the door.

"Now, Neville, listen. We were—" But Harry was cut off by the other boy who spoke again this time louder and more assertive.

"No! I won't let you! You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you." He assumes a fighting stance and waits for them silently as they face off from across the room. Hermione inwardly rolled her eyes but at the same time had to command his bravery, however late it might have bloomed. She would have even commented on it giving him praise, of course if they didn't have a more pressing matter to attend to and right now he was in their way.

So he had to go.

Sighing she stepped forward gaining their attention as she calmly looked at the boy who was determined yet obviously scared.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this." She gave him a small smile to which he hesitantly returns. None saw the next action as it happened so fast. She removed her wand from the inside of her sleeve and with and air of practiced ease. Pointed it at him.

"Petrificus Totalus."

The chubby boys face freezes as his whole body stiffens. Ron and Harry look on with wide eyes as the now frozen Neville topples over and hits the ground with a heavy thud, they wince at the noise as it rings out around the silent room before glancing wearily to the culprit as she places her wand back up her sleeve.

"You're a little scary sometimes...you know that? Brilliant, but scary." Ron muttered still looking at the motionless form of their house mate. She shrugs and moves to the door.

"It's been mentioned once or twice." Leaving them to catch up.

They left with some annoyed muttering's from the fat lady who had been roused awake as they run down the stairs before stopping at the start of the corridor before looking up and down. Happy that no teachers were around, Harry threw the cloak over them as they vanished from sight leaving the hall empty.

Slowly they move careful as to not jostle the cloak and reveal themselves it takes a while but eventually they reach the third floor. The darkness is inviting once more as it was the last time making the boys shiver but Hermione more determined to go. Never taking their gaze of the path in front of them they move down the chilling corridor which seemed more harrowing now that they knew what was lying in wait.

At long last they reach the door that looked so simple with its plain wooden texture that could fool the most unsuspecting of people who might have passed by, only they knew different. They could have turned back, could have ran away as far as they could and let the others take care of it, but there was no one. No one at least who was willing to listen and so it was up to them.

With one last heavy sigh they knew that this was the last bit of freedom they would have until they reached the very end, either they would be successful in stopping Snape and manage to get the stone from him.

Or it would go horribly wrong and they failed in their task. Either way, they knew they wouldn't be coming back without one of those happening.

"Alohomora"

Hermione spoke once more as the lock clicked back allowing them access to the locked door. With one more deep breath they take the last step that signalled there was no turning back.

"He's... Sleeping." Ron muttered as they came upon the slumbering figure of Fluffy, they eyed the large and dangerous dog with caution before seeing that it was true before the cloak that once id them was swept off by a single exhale of air from one of his heads.

Moving closer they spit slightly looking at each head carefully before spotting the lyre in the corner that was playing by itself. The strings plucking automatically.

"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp." Harry announced solemnly. They turn to see the instrument magically playing. Harry's lip pursed as Ron looked it over, Hermione was despairing silently at just how far the other man had gotten a head start before turning back to the dog.

"We have to move its paw." He announced

"What?" Ron looked taken back by the task as Harry nodded.

" Come on! Okay. Push! I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?" He asked now gone from determined to nervous as they all realize what he is getting at

"The harp. It stopped playing." Hermione eyes the now silent instrument feeling a sense of dread wash over her just as Ron let out a disgusted yell.

"Ew! Yuck! Ugh." He pats his clothes down immediately before seeing his drool covered hand and wiped it on his jeans, she turn to see his horrified features before whispering.

"Well that's not good,"

Harry nods his agreement before a shadow hovers over them blocking out what little light there was. None speak as that sense of dread intensifies and slowly they all look up to see what they feared the most as Fluffy, now not being entranced by the music. Is bearing down on them.

Ron whimpers as teeth are shown. Harry swallows his throat dry, Hermione hasn't move from her spot to enraptured by the eyes of the angry dog, that soon changed as a loud growl cut the air and as soon as they see that it was about to attack. It spurred them into action.

"Jump! Go! Go!" Harry yells all but pushing Ron through as he trips and screams his way to the bottom. Just as a loud crash told them the lyre was now destroyed. Harry goes next and grab's Hermione's shirt pulling her with him just as one of Fluffy's heads block the door and try to get them snapping his teeth uselessly. They both land in some soft velvet like substance and see that Ron was lying back smiling.

"Lucky this plant-thing is here, really…Whatever this thing is." He trails off looking around. The other two take the time to see what it was they had fallen into only to jump slightly when they see that it was moving.

And what was more it was moving towards them.

"Ok…Not good," harry muttered as the vines, now rapidly twisting. Start to wrap themselves around their bodies and pulls squeezing them and biding them tighter, Ron panics and starts to yell again thrashing madly.

"RON! Will you shut up?" Hermione hisses at him as he eyes her still wild with panic as she looks to the vines keeping her very tightly bound. Eventually it comes to her and she looks up to the two others.

"Both of you do not move." She orders as they glance at her, Harry with slight panic but a look that told her he was ready to listen. Ron on the other hand was still moving trying to move.

"This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster." The red-head snort's dismissive to her instruction and snaps back.

"Oh real helpful now I can relax!"

"Well if you had listened at the time then you could afford to couldn't you!" She retorts before giving him a look of haughtiness and letting the plant pull her under much to the boy's dismay and starts shouting her name.

"Now what are we gonna do?" Ron asked completely terrified as Harry looks at him with the same amount of fear. From underneath Hermione rolled her eyes promising herself to punch them once she saved them.

"OH sweet Merlin. Do I have to do everything." Closing her eyes she thought back to that particular lesson where they were learning about the plant.

A strangled yell from Ron had her opening her eyes to find Harry falling to the floor next to her, looking down she sees his glassy eyes wide.

"Glad you listened to me now huh?"

Hearing her voice he startles and jumps to his feet looking at her with a slight sheepish expression and nodding.

"….Yeah."

Giving him a mocking smile in return she trains her attention back to the boy still stuck and slowly working his way into hysteria.

"Why won't he do as we tell him" She muttered annoyed. As she looks up, harry glances at her before shouting to the other boy to no avail as small gleeful 'Ha' has him turning to her again.

She takes out her wand again happy that she knew so many spells otherwise they would have had a serious problem before pointing it upwards to the plant and with a muttered 'Lumus Solem' light erupts from the end and blasts through the masses of vines at the top, the result loud screams piercing the cavern as the ropes of thick, weed covering Ron let him go and scuttle back to the dark to recuperate as he falls through and lands with a thud at their feet.

After a few seconds he slowly looks up to see Harry giving him the once over with concern and then to Hermione who had crossed her arms face like thunder as he pushes from the cold ground and chuckles weakly.

"Lucky we didn't panic" He says looking up to his almost killer before back to them as Harry tilts his head to the side,

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology"

The girl in question sneers before turning to the hallway leading down before moving. As the others make to follow her the red-head lifts his head, swearing she called him an idiot but couldn't tell as he hurries off and to the next task.

Halfway down they slow as a sound coming from the other end becomes clear, trying to work out what it could be they stop for a moment.

"What is that?"

Harry shrugs. "It sounds like…..Wing's" Frowning at his own weird answer he shrugs again.

They decide to carry on as they come out at the other end to a large room before looking up to the rafters above.

"It's birds" Ron speaks his tone laced with confusion as they watch the flighty creatures soar

"Curious. I've never seen birds like these." She eyes the fluttering birds with avid fascination. She had never seen such things and wondered what they were called. But who knew what they had down here…Maybe this was part of the weirdness.

"They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door." Harry cut in pointing to the large and very locked door on the other end of the room as one of the winged objects swoops down she manages to catch a glimpse and to Harry's accurate observation they are indeed keys. She nods with raised brows.

Keys, of course they were. She was right all part of the weirdness.

"Of you go then Harry."

He spins around to look at her a protest immediately on his lips about why he has to do it, but the deadpanned look on her face told him the reason. Ron wasn't that good at chasing things and she hated the sport. Nodding in resigned defeat he moves over to the broom that was lying against the wall before throwing his leg over and kicking off from the ground.

Stepping closer to Ron they both watch as he moves slowly tailing the largest of the keys that seemed to have a slight kink in its wing. Clearly it had been used before so that was the key they needed, but something wasn't right. This was all too easy; he lingered for a little while eyeing the crooked key with caution. Something, he didn't know what but it was bad and he had a feeling that if he went after the key. It would set it off.

Two sets of eyes observed the flying boy as he hung back slightly.

"What's he doing" She muttered to herself as she looked on with confusion. Harry was weighing up his choices deciding on what to do until the biggest one of all hit him that made it all the more easier.

He really didn't have one. And so pushing the feeling of foreboding aside he went and tried to make for the key, only as he got closer that bad feeling he had, come to life in the form of the other tinier, flying keys.

They seemed to know what it was he was after and so targeted the dark-haired boy as they flew after him making him serve of course in a bid to avoid them down below Hermione and Ron stand to attention once they see the other boy being assaulted by the charmed keys.

"Ah"

"This complicates things a bit" He said out loud as she uncrossed her arms and steps from foot to foot watching fearfully as he ducks and dives. After a few tense minutes and one particularly low sweeping dive. Harry manages to wrest the key from the air as it struggle sin his grip, swerving he avoids the oncoming attack and flies low shouting as he does.

"GET THE KEY!"

Before throwing it as hard as he could to Hermione who has to jump a bit to get it but takes hold of it tightly and runs to the door as the flying seeker rounds back to keep them distracted.

With a little encouragement she manages to get the door open much to his relief as he swoops back down and flies for the door narrowly avoiding getting locked out but makes it before coming off the broom as the sound of thuds coming from the other side could be heard raining down. Panting with exertion Ron goes to help him from the floor as she joins them before they look around to find themselves in total darkness.

"Any idea where we are now?" Ron asks as the others shake their head. Moving closer into the pitch black they look around for any sign of light or something that could help them find it only to jump as the torches around them catch fire lighting the entire room as they stop and take in what looks to be a very gloomy sign.

"…Not really liking this." She says eying the now broken pieces of something with distrust as if something was about to jump out at them only to look when a sigh comes from Ron who stares ahead.

"It's no graveyard." He says responding to Harry's earlier question as he moves to the middle. Looking around with a frown more light washes over them to reveal a very large.

"Chessboard"

Moving closer the other two eyes the large and very human sized pieces that from the looks of their broken parts have been played beforehand. Harry points to across the board.

"Well there's the door," They see the large brown door and move to the end only to jump back in fright when they are stopped by the front row of pawns. Taking slow steps back they keep their gaze firmly on the pieces holding very life-like swords before turning to the best chess player among them

"So what now"

"It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room." He looks to see two identical sets of confusion and sighs for once in his life being able to have something over them.

"We have to play our way over,"

"…."

"Seriously" He added.

"Ok Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me, I'll be a knight." Nodding unhappily they both move to take the squares needed as Ron sets himself up on the horse. Hermione stands not liking the scenario even further. She had never played a game in her life. Always preferring to read and learn new stuff, she was going to as her Mother was always wanting to teach her but they had never gotten round to it.

Now on looking at the opposite playing board and seeing their faces she cringed…Maybe once they get out of this, she would take up the older woman's offer. As Ron shouts out and the game begins

"Is this going to be like...real wizard's chess?" She asks him from across the room as he directs a piece to move they watch as it takes its new place only to be cut down into two by the other moving piece, she watches with no attempt to hide her horror as Ron calls back to her,

"Yes Hermione. Exactly like Wizard's chess."

She takes a few seconds to calm her beating heart as a new thought comes to her mind.

'Won't have to take up that offer after all,' she muses as she watches one of their pieces cut down another.

'….Because we'll be dead.'

The game continues. Pieces smash each other, as one by one each side whittled down the others players until finally only they and two more are left. They hear Ron take a deep breath.

"Wait a minute." Harry isn't the best player when it comes to this game. More often than not getting his arse kicked by the red-haired boy, but as he watches the field and the left over players he can see something very wrong with the scene.

"You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King."

The dark-haired boy looks to his friend with outrage. Hermione not having a clue look's on with a frown as Harry protests.

"Ok…What's going on?" She never liked being left out of anything as Harry turns to her

"He's going to sacrifice himself!"

She looks to the other boy who is getting ready to martyr himself as she shouts.

"No Ron you can't!" he turns to her with something akin to curiosity. Even after all this time of being friends he still had the impression that she didn't care for him as much as the other boy, they never really spoke all that much and she had always criticized his work in class. But seeing her looking at him with slight despair, maybe he had got that wrong. But it couldn't be helped. If they wanted to cross into the next room he would have to do it.

Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, you."

Once he got the nod he wanted he settled back on his horse satisfied before looking to the front and calling out.

"Knight...to H-3."

Ron's horse moves forward, as he gets himself ready for the impact. Every square closer his trepidation grew until finally his piece slides and stops. Looking on at his doom he gulps but bravely says.

"Check."

The other can only watch on with horror as the other piece, the piece that is going to take Ron's get closer. The air is heavy, and both can hear their hearts in their chest as it comes to a stop before taking out its sword and running it through the horse he is sitting on causing him to fall back and land heavily to the ground.

Both shout to him as Hermione makes to go to him only to be stopped by Harry. The game is still in play, and needs to end, so he makes his way across the board as she watches him go every now and then looking at the knocked out boy, she hears him checkmate the king as a harsh clattering tells her that they have won the game and the right to move on as they both run to Ron lying still on the ground.

Falling to the ground the turn him over to make sure that he isn't bleeding which they find he is but only a little.

"Do you think he'll be ok?" She asks as he checks him over once more. Nodding at the very end.

"I think so…He has to be." Turning to her he speaks.

"Who have we had so far?"

She calculates in her head, before speaking. "Hagrid at the start. Followed by the plant which was Professor Sprout. Then the keys which were clearly Flitwick." She looks back to the devastation caused by the game.

"Real life chess players, Transfigured….So Mother," She works it all out in her head.

"So that leaves either Snape or Quirrell" She said looking to him as he nods he didn't have a clue which one and so they had to get going in order to find out they pull his body over to the side before making sure he is safely out of sight before standing.

"Come on we need to go." He says pulling her arm as she nods and allows herself to be led across the board. He pushes on the heavy steel door and peeks in before leading the way in as they take a look around what seems to be large empty room before an overpowering stench has them reeling. They quickly cover their mouths and nose in a bid not to take in the toxic air before coming across another troll.

This one was bigger than the one at Halloween and they had to thank Snape for getting rid of the problem so they didn't have to handle it as they made the way over to the door.

"Thank Merlin. Couldn't handle another troll…Not after the bathroom" She shuddered as he allowed himself a small smile but moved on to the other door as this time really hoping nothing was behind it that made life more difficult for them only to relax at seeing nothing but a table in the middle. They made their way over never once taking their eyes of the area around them Snape was a vindictive evil man at the best of times who live to make others miserable. Chances are if he knew that anyone was trying to take the stone then he would have thought something Snape like just for kicks.

"So what is this?" Harry asked looking around but then to the table. Hermione didn't know she was still waiting for the punch line to happen.

They move over to the table as the door behind them shuts and before they know it fire had sprung up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway that took them forward. They were trapped.

Looking around at the now toasty room she closes her eyes, of course he would set a fire trap. The little bat.

"And there it is," She says to on one in particular as Harry looks at her before they move over to the table. Upon getting closer they see a line of bottles. Eyeing them with suspicion she spies a scroll in front and picks it up.

She glances down the parchment as Harry keeps a watch on the magical fire just as she gets to the end and smirks.

"Wow"

"What" He takes his eye of the fire to look at her and find her with smug grin.

"What"

She turns to him and scoff's a little before indicating to the bottles and then to the paper,

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind, two of us will help you, whichever you would find. One among us seven will let you move ahead. Another will transport the drinker back instead, two among our number hold only nettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting bidden 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 wine's left side; second, different are those who stand at either end, But if you would move onward, neither is your friend; third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides; fourth, the second left and the second on the right are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."

Harry, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing. He hadn't a clue about what all that was, and if it was just him here he would have been stuck until someone came. And seeing as Dumbledore wasn't around he had a fear then it would have been Snape on his way back.

Hearing giggling he looked to his side again to find her shaking her head.

"Ok at some point you're going to have to tell me what is so funny. As you can see, we are stuck in a room surrounded by fire…What is amusing about that?" She turned to look at him a picture of ease to his tension before rolling her eyes and indicating the scroll.

"…The task, it's not so much a task of strength but wit," Seeing his blank face she carried on.

"Ok its logic. The man set a logic test as the last line of defence." She laughed again and bent her head.

"Seriously it's like he just wants us to come find him." She muttered as Harry, still having no idea what she was on about left her to it choosing to keep an eye on the fire as she went about solving his puzzle.

"Always knew he was an arrogant jerk but this really was his downfall." She said after a while. He turned her as she placed the paper on the side and picked up two bottles from the desk and turned to him.

"Have you done it? He asked looking down to her hands, in one she held a small one and the other, a rounded. Looking back to her he shrugged urging her to carry on.

"This one will get us through" She said holding the smallest one up as he eyed it before looking at the other,

"And that will….Get you back." She nodded. He sighed before looking at the one that will allow them to carry on.

"Can see the problem?" She asked as he nodded glumly, the bottle was tiny, minuscule to the others and only enough for one.

"Seems that if there was more than one regardless of whoever gets its right Snape was determined to have at least one victim." She mused on the creepy teacher only to look up as Harry snatched the small bottle out of her hand and drank it down.

"Harry! Wha—"

Pressing the round bottle to her chest he spoke cutting her off.

"Take that, go back and get Ron. He needs help; go to the infirmary and then owl Dumbledore. We need him here" She looked at him and saw the fire in his eyes; he was determined to see this through on his own and nodded.

"Thank you, for getting me this far, Hermione. Truly." He said smiling grateful she smiled and scoffed.

"Yeah…Whatever, just wanting to annoy the bat…Getting past his task seemed like a good way to do it." She mumbled as he laughed and rushed her in a hug. She froze at the contact before reciprocating; they stood there for a few moments before he pulled away.

"Whatever happens don't wait" He said and glared when she went to protest. She nodded in concession as he smiled and looked to the fire that would lead to what was hopefully the last room…And Voldmort.

Moving over he was about to walk through but stopped as she called him.

"Harry." Turning he saw her smile.

"Kick his arse for me."

He smiled and nodded before walking through and on to the other room she watched the empty flames for a moment before sighing and looking at the bottle that would take her back.

"Here goes nothing." And swallowed it down feeling the icy effects in her stomach before she made her way to the fire.

"Good luck, Harry." Before stepping through the fire and on to the last room holding the troll. She stopped when she saw that it was moving. It was waking up; she eyed the stirring creature before shrugging. It didn't scare her and so moved to go past it only to have it open its eyes and saw her.

It growled angrily thinking it was her who hit it before and made to swing for her only to miss and bellow again she moved out of reach before watching with disgust before pulling out her wand and waving it over a large trunk in the corner it used to chew on she raised it above its head just as it stood and was about to make another attempt. She let it drop and smiled with satisfaction as it hit the troll hard on its head and with a single yell it fell once more to the floor.

"Primitive creatures" She muttered before giving it one last look of loathing and left the room she rushed through and back to the room that held Ron who was still in the corner out cold, it seemed his fall hit harder the thought and so she made her way over to him bending down and ready to get him out of the room and to the nurse, she could help him better while she went and got the headmaster.

She moved his arm over her shoulder and got ready to drag him across the room and not liking the effort that she would have to use. Did he have to eat so much? She was about to start pulling when a piercing pain cut into her shoulder and she by accident, dropped the boy to the floor as she reacted to the pain.

Recoiling she fell to her knees before turning to see what attacked her only to find one of the pawns that had lay still at the side hadn't been as destroyed as she thought and still had the use of one of its arms and therefore it sword. She lifted her hand to feel her shoulder and felt the wet running over her fingers as she looked only to find them coated with red.

Blood, the thing had made her bleed.

The pain was blinding and it was ready to attack again as she turned more to face it she was mad, the stupid inanimate object had dared attack her? Dared to draw her blood. Glaring at the offending object she could feel her magic rise up against her skin. Accidental magic wasn't common in children her age as her Mother had told her so, but on rare occasions it did happen and so she took great pleasure in letting hers swell as it burst and washed over the stone feature consuming it and pulling under like a riptide.

She got even better pleasure in watching it explode. The shards of stone scattered across the room like bits of concrete snow. Of course it didn't hit her as her magic was still protecting her as she smirked; nothing dared to hurt her and got away with it.

She stood about to help Ron again when she stumbled to the floor, it seemed the gash from the sword was harder than she thought as excruciating pain washed over her making her dizzy, she move closer to Ron still intent on helping him but staggered once more. And on seeing her blood drip to the floor like a leaky tap, she couldn't hold off the darkness anymore and collapsed next to the red-headed boy as both lay still in the middle room alone and in danger.