Chapter 26

A common goal

Draco made his way up a set of stairs, all the while cursing under his breath with every step he took. It was dark, and he could barely see a thing, not to mention that he was almost caught by the bloody squib Mr. Filch. He didn't understand why he left Cygnus, he said that the person following them had probably been a professor, but now that he thought about it, what if it wasn't? He didn't know enough about this philosopher stone, and he certainly didn't know the whole story, but back there he didn't think to question Cygnus. His brother seldom lied about anything, which made him wonder if he was really a Slytherin. This was the reason why he often believed him without question, but could it be that he was lying?

Giving a huff, he reached the top of the stairs and proceeded to make his way to the door that would lead him to the Gryffindor common room.

Why was he even doing this in the first place? He hated the Gryffindors, he hated mudbloods and blood traitors. If it were up to him he would rid the world of the whole lot, and the Dark Lord's return would do just that, but he couldn't let that happen. He couldn't not because he cared for them, but because Cygnus thought it was important, not to mention that he was putting himself in danger for it. He cared for his brother, even though most of the time he got under his skin. Just the fact that he thought he could do no wrong, and that he was always right made his blood boil a lot of the times. still, he will still help him, what else could he do? When your brother tells you in the middle of the night he's going to go face the darkest, most powerful wizard alive, you find there are very few options. Also, a small part of him wanted to prove to Cygnus that he wasn't some defenceless idiot waving a stick around, he was a Malfoy thank you very much.

He hadn't been that far from the Gryffindor common room, so when he saw the portrait of the fat lady, he gave out a sigh of relief. Common room entrances were meant to be a secret, only known to the members of each house. However, seeing as how careless the Gryffindors were, not to mention that he had followed his brother a few times, he knew where the entrance was, and now that he had the password he could get in with ease.

Standing before the portrait of the fat lady, he coughed a couple of times to wake her. When she opened her beady eyes she looked down at him, almost confused. She had never seen him before, so she was no doubt wondering what he was doing here.

"Password?" she asked unsurely, as is she didn't not whether to ask for a password or to simply deny him access altogether.

"Wattlebird."

The Fat lady gave him a once-over with a distrustful look, for a moment he thought she wouldn't let him in.

Eventually, the Fat lady opened the door, and allowed him in, but only after giving him a scrutinizing stare.

'Fat, old bat.' he thought to himself, giving the portrait a nasty look when she looked away.

Making his way inside the Gryffindor common room, he couldn't help but wonder once more what he was doing. Here he was, the heir of the Malfoy family, a pureblood willingly entering the Gryffindor's common room. If anyone found out he would be in trouble, it was fine when Cygnus did it because everyone was too scared to say otherwise, not after the spectacle he made of Flint. He though, well he isn't Cyg, they wouldn't let him off as easy as they did him, not to mention his dislike of everything Gryffindor. He would bet anything that the Gryffindors will practically throw him out of their common room with just one glance. With all that, why was he still walking through the doorway? Well because of his stupid brother that's why.

He took one step, then another, when out of nowhere a large figure hit him like a bloody elephant.

Draco gave out a grunt as he tumbled down to the floor, with his assailant, who fell beside him face first on the floor, giving out a harsh groan.

"Ron, are you alright?" asked the familiar voice of the mudblood.

Wait, Ron?

Jerking his head up, he looked beside him at the redhead, who was stroking his forehead and grimacing in pain, an ugly bruise already forming there.

When the redhead opened his eyes, he looked straight at Draco's gray ones, and his expression quickly changed to one of anger, and shock, imitating Draco's.

"You!" both of them said at the same time.

Instantly, both of them jumped to their feet, as far away from each other as they could, both of them putting their hands in their pockets, ready to draw their wands.

"Ron, what are you-" Hermione stopped before she could complete her sentence, once she made her way to where they were standing, and her eyes landed on him.

"Draco?" she asked utterly confused as if he was the weirdest thing she had ever seen.

"Who else?" he asked as if it wasn't obvious it was him.

Hermione took a while longer to look at him in confusion, and shock, while the blood traitor kept glaring at him. This was exactly what he knew would happen.

'The Gryffindors are so nice!' he remembered Cygnus saying. Yea right! If they had their way he didn't doubt they would exact their revenge on him.

"What are you doing here?" asked Hermione still shocked, and confused.

"What'd you think? Cyg sent me, told me to go ahead after we heard a Professor following us." he huffed, unsure as to why he was answering any of the mudblood's questions.

Hermione made a calculating face however, instead of Hermione speaking again it was Ron.

"Why would you be with Cyg in the first place?" he asked, both confused and annoyed at the very presence of the blond.

If this had been any other moment, he would have scoffed, refused to answer the redhead's question, and instead tease him instead. However, this was no normal moment, but still.

"Why do you think you bloody oaf, I found out about your mission to retrieve the stone. Did you really think I'd let Cyg go with the likes of you?" he asked angrily, glaring at Ron who's ears reddened.

It felt odd not being able to bully the Gryffindor, almost as if he was wearing shoes two sizes too large. As if a pressing need in him was trying to break free.

"So if Cyg sent you, where is he?" Asked Hermione hastily, before they started arguing.

Draco looked at the ceiling in exasperation. Was this really one of the best students in their year? Clearly, the Professors were playing favourite, because she possibly couldn't be so smart yet so dumb. He just told her not two minutes ago that they got separated, were they not listening?

"I already told you mudblood, Cyg and I got separated. He stayed back to see who the Professor was" he hissed in frustration.

"Hey don't call her that!" Ron spat angrily, taking a step towards Draco, who looked at the redhead with a raised brow, Hermione on the other hand simply waved the insult away.

"Then he's probably already there, we don't have much time, we should get going," she said, the grip on Cygnus invisibility cloak tightening.

"Who gave you the right to decide?" asked Draco angry that a mudblood no less, was barking orders at him, him!

"Who invited you?" asked Ron childishly in return, as Draco jerked his head towards him.

Both the blond and redhead glared at each other, both of them ready to draw their wands. He may have to work with these vermin, but he very well didn't have to lay back and let them tell him what to do.

"Cyg told us to meet him on the third floor," said Hermione obnoxiously, her voice with the same commanding tone she always used, and which always got under his skin.

It took everything in his power not to bark something at the mudblood, as he turned his head to look at her.

"Well change of plans, because he just told me to wait here for him, he shouldn't be too long, we were close to here when we separated," he told her, annoyed.

"Yea, and how do we know you aren't lying?" asked Ron not believing a word he said.

For the second time since he came to the common room, Draco rolled his eyes in exasperation and looked at the redhead. How could Cygnus stand these idiots? What did he even saw in them? They were so obnoxious, dumb, and annoying, not to mention their status.

"You can believe whatever you want, but that's the truth, in fact, I should have just let you go to waste your time." he hissed.

For a little while, the three of them looked at each other, Ron looking at him with an angry red face, while the mudblood seemed to consider his words. He didn't really care if they believed him or not, he was doing this to help Cygnus, what the others did is their problem.

"We'll wait until Cyg gets here," Hermione told Ron, who visibly deflated on the spot and looked at her confused, and almost betrayed. Despite himself, Draco looked at the redhead triumphantly, Ron, on the other hand, turned to glare at him.

The three of them didn't say anything further, as they waited for Cygnus to arrive.

Seconds became minutes, and even after ten straight minutes, there was no sign of Cygnus anywhere and Draco really began to worry. Had something happened to him? Did he get caught by the professor? Or worse, did someone dangerous get to him?

Draco shook the thought out of his head immediately. No, nothing like that would ever happen to his brother, he was too stubborn to let something like that happen.

"Are you sure it was a professor who was following you?" asked Hermione, breaking the silence.

Draco looked up from his foot and looked at her in the face.

"Yea why?" he asked, already knowing where this was heading.

"Did you see the Professor?" she asked, her voice deadly serious, causing Draco to narrow his eyes in thought.

"I didn't, but-"

"That idiot!" Hermione hissed all of a sudden, almost causing him to jump on the spot, while the redhead did indeed jump on the spot startled.

"We have to go, now," said Hermione forcefully.

Both Ron and Draco looked at her shocked and confused, not getting what she was saying.

"What?" they both asked, neither could believe that Hermione suggested in leaving Cygnus behind.

"We don't have much time, knowing Cyg he either went alone, or he was captured. Either way, he's in terrible danger," she said, her voice laced with genuine concern.

Draco scoffed, and shook his head, trying to act like he hadn't just been thinking the same thing. He knew his brother better than either of them and for that, he knew he had to be ok, but then again... His brother seldom lied, that's what he thought not a few minutes ago, but he isn't above it either.

"I seriously doubt that. Cyg is more resilient than what you give him credit for. He was duelling wizards and witches three times his age when he was barely eight, I don-"

"Cyg what?" interrupted Ron, looking at Draco incredulously, and he couldn't help but cringe.

'Whoops' he thought to himself, he really shouldn't have said that. Their father forbade him from ever telling anyone about Cygnus skills in magic, claiming it was too dangerous. He didn't really see the danger in saying anything, in fact quite the opposite. The more people knew the less likely are they to get any ideas and the more respected he'd be. Above anything, people respect power. However, his father said not to say anything, so he kept his mouth shut. The only ones who knew were Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle, and only because they had all been childhood friends and keeping something like that a secret for so long was hard. Because of this their friends always respected Cygnus and gave him a wide berth, but now it seems that the redhead knows, and by the looks of the mudblood's lack of reaction she knew as well.

Hermione shook her head.

"Regardless, Cyg could still be in danger. I doubt even he could win against such a skilled wizard."

Draco huffed, but he didn't say anything because he knew the mudblood was right, even though it made him sick admitting it. Cygnus may be able to stand his ground against the common witch or wizard, but there were opponents even he could not beat. Snape, Regulus, their father were three opponents he could barely beat, with Snape still being undefeated and able to beat Cygnus in a matter of five minutes. So no, his brother isn't invincible, even though he always saw him that way. The thought that someone could really hurt Cygnus scared him, and that was a strange feeling. His brother was always so strong, it was strange to think of him that way, just the very thought made him freeze in terror.

"The longer we stay here, the more likely is You-Know-Who to get the stone, and the more danger Cyg is going to be, we have to go!" Hermione declared, determined not at all thinking of the fact that they'll be going into danger.

"I agree, bu-" before Ron could finish his sentence, his eyes suddenly looked ahead of Hermione, and everyone turned to look behind the mudblood.

Standing behind them, looking from one to the other was the other blood traitor Neville. He was looking at them shocked, confused as if he couldn't believe what they were saying.

"Oh great," said Ron, not sounding too happy of seeing the other Gryffindor there, and he wasn't the only one.

To him out of all the Gryffindor's -apart from the Weasley, and Granger- Neville had to be one of the houses most detested. All Gryffindor's were brave -or what he would call stupid- and for that, all of them liked to act the hero and defend the weak, and Neville was the worse out of all of them. Every time he, Crabbe, and Goyle cornered one of the weak students or anyone who dared walk alone in the corridors, regardless of where it was, Neville was always there! Always there to spoil their fun. At first, they didn't even pay any attention to the Gryffindor, but after he started telling on them, and overall being a total annoying prat, they stopped bothering most of the students. He told Cygnus of how annoying Neville was, but Cygnus just shrugged it off. His brother didn't care that he was annoying their peers, so long as it wasn't any of his friends it was fine, but he also wasn't going to help him out with Neville. For these reasons, he hated Neville, and seeing him standing there caused a vein in his forehead to pop out. Neville, the first years' hero.

"How long have you been standing there Neville?" asked Hermione.

"Long enough," Neville said simply, looking shocked, and confused, as well as giving Draco nasty side glances.

"Nevi-"

"Cygnus's in danger?" was all he asked, looking at Hermione concerned, those two words the only ones that seemed to matter to the first year's hero, but he'd be lying if he wasn't concerned too. He hated to admit it, but for once they both shared similar goals.

Hermione looked at Ron, who looked at her in return both of them looking at each other as if they were asking each other something neither Neville, or he could understand.

Nodding, Hermione and Ron turned to look at Neville once more.

"Yes," she said.

Neville nodded and looked at them confidently, but Draco could tell there was a spark of fear, and uncertainty in them, something he had never seen before.

"From what I heard there's something hidden in the castle, something You-Know-Who wants, and Cygnus has gone missing?" he asked.

Weasley and Granger nodded.

That seemed to have been the only confirmation Neville needed, as he nodded and made his way to the door passing by a shocked Ron, Hermione, and even Draco who looked at him like he had grown another head.

When none of them moved, as they stared at Neville's back who turned around and looked at them all confused.

"Well?" he asked.

Snapping out of their thought, Hermione and Ron walked towards Neville, Hermione unfolding the cloak and redying to put it around them all as she walked. At that thought, Draco felt sick. Just the thought that he had to be close to any of them made him want to vomit!

"Are you sure, we don't know what's down there," she asked giving Neville a chance to back down, but the Gryffindor nodded without a thought.

"He's our friend." was all he said.

With that Hermione brought the cloak up, and everyone stepped under it, even Draco who was glaring at all of them.

The four of them barely fit inside the cloak, and Draco was sure some of his feet were showing, but he didn't say anything as they walked, as quickly and silently as possible.

In no time at all, they reached the third floor where they weren't supposed to be. Draco had never been on the third floor, it was forbidden so he stayed away, and besides he wasn't curious to know why, and yet here he was walking right into it, sweat sliding down his forehead. The corridors here were even darker and ominous, putting Draco's hairs on end, he didn't know where they were going but when they reached an open door, he knew they had arrived. He didn't know why, but just looking at the door made him shiver.

"Someone's already got past Fluffy," Ron whispered, and both Neville and Draco looked at him confused.

"Fluffy?" they both asked in unison.

"Hagrid's three-headed dog." Ron and Hermione responded simply, and Draco wondered if they were simply teasing him.

In there, there was a three-headed dog? Who even keeps that sort of thing inside a castle? When all of this is said and done, he was going to tell his father about this!

For a little while, the four of them looked at the door, all of them realizing what they were getting themselves into.

"If you want to go back, now's the time," said Hermione acting brave even though Draco could hear fear in her voice. He hated people who pretended to be brave, and though he himself was scared he couldn't very well just chicken out, not in front of three Gryffindors.

None of them said anything as they stared at the door, and Hermione took that as an answer.

Stretching out her hand, she pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed, but the great beast did not wake. For a brief second, Draco froze on the spot as he looked at the giant dog in fear. Just with one head, that thing could rip all four of them to shreds, and that almost made him run out of the door, but then he thought of Cygnus and he stayed his ground. His brother wouldn't run.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron confused, and Draco too was equally confused. Who would leave a harp with a vicious animal?

The harp itself was playing a soft relaxing melody, and the dog seemed to like it as it grumbled happily along with it, and Draco started to put two and two together.

"Will you keep going? I don't want to be here when the music stops." he barked angrily, nearly kicking Ron in the back to get a move on. The redhead looked back at him and glared, but he didn't say anything.

"Ron, Neville," Hermione said as she slipped out of the cloak, followed by the two other Gryffindors, who crept toward a trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath

as they approached the giant heads.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?" Ron asked with a grin, and Draco wanted to curse him. Out of all the times to be funny, he had to choose now.

"No, I don't!" she hissed angrily.

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and opened. Draco craned his neck, as he slipped out of the cloak.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Nothing -just black- there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop," responded Neville who knelt by Ron.

"You want to go first?" Asked Ron, looking at Neville, instead of offering to go in first. Here he thought Gryffindors were brave.

"I don't know how deep this thing goes," Ron said, looking at the trapdoor.

Neville didn't say anything, but he did look down at the hole nervously. Putting one foot over the other, he prepared to jump, when suddenly the harp stopped playing and that's when hell broke loose.

From where he laid, the dog's three eyes snapped open, looking straight at him with a furious growl, and Draco froze.

As quick as lightning the dog jumped to his feet, teeth ready to tear them all in half. Hermione, Ron, Neville and Draco all yelled in fear, all of them going to the only possible exit, the trapdoor.

Neville jumped in first, followed by Hermione, followed by Draco who pushed Ron aside, but unfortunately managed to jump in soo after.

Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down,

down and, thump. With a funny, muffled sort of thump, he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the dark. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant. He looked around and saw as they all looked down confused, and disoriented, except for Ron who was glaring at him furiouslly.

"I nearly died, you bloody-"

"Too bad you didn't" Draco interrupted, and Ron turned red.

"When I-"

"Both of you stop it!" Hermione barked angrily.

Both Ron and Draco glared at each other, before deciding to leave it for now. He didn't want to do what the mudblood said, but she was right, they didn't have time to argue, but after this, he was sure to make Weasley's life hell, even if Cygnus will get mad at him for it.

At the thought of Cygnus Draco tensed. Where is he? Had he gone through this as well? If he did he hoped he was ok, but at the same time, he wanted to find him so he could smack him! Leaving him by behind to face who knows what! Leaving him with this lot!

"What's this stuff?" asked Draco looking down at the plant.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing, I thought you were smart enough to realize that Malfoy." Ron shot back, and Draco glared but didn't say anything. Thinking that Cygnus was in danger deterred him from arguing with the redhead.

"We must be miles under the school," Granger said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

Neville looked at them all as if they'd gone insane.

"Lucky? This isn't lucky, this plant is-"

Before he could finish the plant started to twist snakelike tendrils around his ankles. As for Draco and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly, without them noticing, which probably happened when they were arguing.

Without trouble, Neville managed to free himself before the plant got a firm grip on him, Hermione likewise did the same. Both of them standing over them, they watched horrified as they fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

For once in his life, Draco felt genuine fear, as he panicked when the plant began to move up to his neck.

"Stop moving!" Neville ordered them. "This is Devil's Snare!"

"Am I suppose to know what that means!" snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Do you idiots know how to kill it?!" yelled Draco terrified, and unrefined.

"Only thing that can kill it is fire-"

"THEN LIGHT A BLOODY FIRE!" Roan roared.

As fast as she could Hermione whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of bluebell flames at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

Draco ran to the nearest wall, his body shaking from fear, as he got himself as far away from the plant. Ron likewise did the same, but he wasn't shaking as much as Draco.

"Thanks," Ron said, and both Neville and Hermione nodded.

The four of them took a minute to calm down, but then eventually Neville raised his wand and waved them forward, leading them.

"This way," Neville said, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

Tired, scared out of his mind, and not sure what else they were going to face, Draco no longer had any energy to even argue, or think. He simply followed.

As they walked, all they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water, that was falling from the ceiling, and on them. Draco cringed when it hit the back of his neck, but he kept going. The passageway sloped downward, into pitch black darkness that he didn't want to go through, but now had little choice. He couldn't go back, the only way out was forward.

Hermione and Neville used their wands to light up the way, while he and Ron simply followed.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Draco listened, and he could faintly make out something. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"What is it?" asked Neville unsure.

"I don't know…" whispered Hermione in return, uncomfortable, as if it unnerved her to not know something.

"I see a light, up ahead... something moving," said Ron pointing ahead of them.

When they reached the end of the passageway they saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you reckon they'll attack if we cross?" asked Ron unsure, and Draco thought the same.

The plant couldn't have been the only obstacle, there had to be another challenge, and he reckoned this was it, but what sort of challenge, he didn't know. Once more, he wondered how Cygnus got across it.

"I think so," said Neville.

Suddenly, Neville took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. Draco and the other watched in shock, half expecting Neville to be ripped to shreds, but when nothing happened, the looked at him confused.

"It's locked!" Neville grumbled, pulling the handle.

"Let me," Hermione said, walking to the door and pointing her wand at the door.

"Alohomora" A jet of light flew to the door but nothing happened, the door remained locked.

"Did you actually think that would work?" scoffed Draco, while Hermione simply glared at him but didn't say anything, she really was trying not to argue with him it seemed.

"Now what?" asked Ron, looking around for clues.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

The four of them watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering, and that is when he noticed it.

"They're not birds," Draco said suddenly. "They're keys"

Draco looked around the chamber while the other three squinted up at the flock of keys.

"Broomsticks," said Draco, grimacing at how old and worn they were.

"How are we going to get the key, there're hundreds of them!" Ron exclaimed, but then he seemed to get an idea.

Turning on the spot he examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned key by the looks of it."

Without telling the others, or thinking about it Draco reached for the only broomstick in the room. By their classes together, he knew he was the best flyer out of them, so it was up to him to catch the bloody key.

Kicking off the ground, he flew into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. He attempted to grab them, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one. At that moment he really wished Cygnus was here, he was able to catch anything!

'You're not so far behind though.' he told himself, and his grip on his broom tightened.

With renowned vigour, he pushed the dusty, old broom as fast as it could go. Eventually, he noticed a large silver key, that had a bent wing, and Draco just knew that was it.

"Found it!" he called to the others, over the sound of the wings.

He sped after the key, but no matter how fast he willed the broom to go he couldn't catch it! He spent almost a minute trying, his hand barely touching the wings but not enough to grab it.

Draco growled in frustration, his memories going back to those times he used to play quidditch with Cygnus back at the manor, something that may not happen again if he didn't hurry.

Taking a deep breath, Draco focused, reached for the key and just when it was barely in his reach, he lunged out of his broomstick, grabbing the key mid-air. For a second Draco looked at the key in triumph, but that was short lived. His body came crashing down on the stone floor, he rolled several times before landing on his back, his arm giving out a sick crack along the way, throbbing and already swelling up.

"Draco!" yelled Hermione with worry as she ran to where he laid and looked at his arm horrified.

His arm was bent awkwardly, and Draco couldn't stop yelling in pain, tears falling down his cheeks, not caring that they were watching him cry. The three others said something but he couldn't hear, too focused on the pain, until Hermione knelt in front of him with her wand raised and Draco's eyes widened.

"I can't heal it, but I can sooth the pain," she told him.

For a long while, Draco looked at Granger, not trusting her, but when his arm throbbed even more painfully, a tear fell down his cheek and he nodded. In his life, he had never felt so much pain, the worse he ever got were a few small bruises from playing quidditch with Cyg.

Hermione pointed her wand at his arm and chanted the spell.

"Vulnere."

Almost instantly a soothing, cold feeling overcame his arm, stopping some of the throbbing but not completely.

Draco looked up from his arm, and at Hermione, wiping his tears, and blushing from the thought that they had seen him cry, and he hated that, hated it more than the pain itself.

He didn't thank her, and she didn't expect to be thanked as she stood up and walked to the door, where Neville and Ron where standing.

Giving out one last sniff, he stood up, took off his tie with his good hand and used it as a sling, and made his way to the door, the key fluttering and trying to get out. Unable to use his good hand, he handed the key over to Neville who put it perfectly inside the lock.

Neville turned the key, but before he opened the door he looked back at him.

"You know that was very Gryffindor of you, hurting yourself to get-"

"Shut up before I curse you" Draco snapped annoyed, he may be in this situation, but that didn't mean they were suddenly friends.

Neville rolled his eyes but didn't continue as he pushed the door open.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, the light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Draco, Ron, Hermione, and Neville shivered slightly. The towering white chessmen had no faces.

"Now what?" Neville whispered.

As if it was the most natural thing to do, Ron grinned.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Draco looked ahead, seeing the door behind the white pieces. He hated to admit it, but the blood traitor was right.

"How?" asked Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen," he said brilliantly.

Ron walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we -er- have to play too?" asked Hermione.

Answering her question the black knight nodded, and Ron turned to them.

"We gotta think this through…" Ron said to himself.

Everyone stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Until finally he spoke.

"This is what we'll do. Neville, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, next to him instead of that castle, and Draco you be the pawn."

Draco's nose flared in anger, but he didn't say anything as he took his spot, glaring at the smiling Ron as he did.

"What about you?" asked Hermione taking her spot

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron proudly, with a smile.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board.

"Look," Neville said, pointing.

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them, and on the game went.

Draco barely paid attention as Ron commanded the pieces, moving everyone except for him, and when he did he only moved him two squares. He was a little shocked when the white queen smashed their knight to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown. Aas he looked at the smashed piece he felt dread, he dearly hoped the blood traitor wouldn't get any ideas.

And so on and on the game went his arm throbbing painfully, preventing him from focusing. He was covered in grime and sweat, and he wanted nothing more than to take a shower and fall down anywhere to sleep. As he thought of sleep his eyes began to flutter closed. Whatever that spell had been, it seemed it not only made some of the pain go away, but it made him incredibly sleepy. In fact, the only thing keeping him standing on his own two feet was the thought that Cygnus could be in danger.

"We're nearly there," Ron muttered suddenly, snapping Draco out of his thoughts as he looked at him.

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"It's the only way... I've got to be taken." Ron said, with fear clear in his face, but also determination.

"NO!" Both Neville and Hermione shouted while Draco couldn't care less.

"There's no other way! I have to make the sacrifice. I'll take one step forward and she'll take me -that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Neville!"

"Ron-"

"Do you want to get the stone and save Cygnus or not?" Ron asked angrily, and Neville shut his mouth.

"We don't have time to argue," Ron said, turning to face the queen.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined.

Both Hermione and Neville nodded, and Ron took a deep breath.

Taking a step forwards the white queen pounced. She raised her arm and struck Ron hard across the head, and he crashed to the floor. Hermione screamed but stayed on her square, and Draco would be lying he said he wasn't shocked.

The three of them watched horrified as the white queen dragged an unconscious, or maybe even dead Ron to the side, to rest with the smashed pieces.

Draco turned to look at Neville, who gritted his teeth and took three spaces to the left.

Knowing it had lost, the white king took off his crown and threw it at Neville's feet. They had won, and Draco couldn't believe he did it, that the idiotic Gryffindor had it in him.

As Neville walked forward the chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear.

Draco watched as Hermione glanced back at Ron, worried.

"Ron-"

"He'll be all right," Neville assured her, not sounding too convinced and neither was Draco.

With no time to think, the three of them made their way to the door and opened it.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making the three of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

The four of them sighed in relief, as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs, all the while he wondered whether it had been Cygnus who defeated the troll, or the person after the stone? Cygnus definitely would have been able to, but was it really him? He couldn't know for sure.

"I can't breath," Draco complained, bile rising up his throat.

Neville reached for the door handled and pulled open the next door, the three of them hardly daring to look at what came next. When they dared to look, they were relieved to find that there wasn't anything frightening in this room, there was just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing in a line.

"Potions." Neville moaned.

They stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway, causing Draco to flinch. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same time, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward. They were trapped, and that told him they were close, and he was filled with determination.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles.

Draco and Neville looked over her shoulder to read it.

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 hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore. To help you in your choice, we give you these clues.

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.

Hermione let out a great sigh and Draco, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing he felt like doing. He was alright at potions, but he wasn't good enough to understand anything that scroll had written on it. Cygnus, of course, would have figured it out in an instant, and once more he realized how dependent of his brother he was.

"Brilliant," said Hermione.

"It's a puzzle." she practically shrilled,

"Do you know how to figure it out?" asked Neville and Hermione nodded.

"Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"How do we know which one to drink?" asked Draco, looking at the potions skeptically.

Hermione hummed and tapped her lips.

"Give me a minute."

Hermione read the paper several times, she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them, until finally, she figured it out.

"Got it," she cried.

"The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire toward the Stone," she said pointing at the black fire, and Draco could finally taste freedom.

Neville and Draco looked at the tiny bottle, not too sure.

"There's only enough for one of us," he said, and Draco felt his hopes sink down slowly.

Neville, Draco, and Hermione looked at each other, trying to figure out their predicament.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?" asked Neville.

Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"Draco you should drink that, you're hurt and need medical help," she said, and he was shocked that she would offer it to him.

For one brief moment, he nearly grabbed the bottle, and down the whole potion, but then logic took over. He was hurt he knew that, but that bloody idiot was either dead or dying and though he hated the lot of them, he couldn't live with the idea that he let someone else die. Not to mention that he couldn't get out with his broken arm, so either way, he wasn't going anywhere.

Draco huffed and shook his head.

"I can't drag that bloody idiot out of this hell hole, one of you will have to do it. But mark my words if you don't come back I'll find a way out, and make you pay for it." he hissed, turning up his nose, and looking down at her.

Their reaction was instantaneous as they both looked at him shocked, not once thinking he would say that, and Draco scoffed and turned away from them.

"So who's going get through to the stone," he asked, seating down on the floor, and leaning his back against the wall, his back crying from pain.

"I'll go," Neville said without thinking it twice, and Hermione looked at him worried, while Draco simply rolled his eyes. He knew Neville, the boy hero would volunteer to go, and he was a little glad. He couldn't go, but Neville could.

"That leaves you, Hermione. Go back, get Ron, grab the broom from the key room, and get Ron to the hospital wing. After that, go to the owlery and send an owl to Dumbledore, we need him." Neville told her, his voice sounding more afraid than he appeared confident.

Shaking her head, Hermione looked at him in disbelief.

"But what if You-Know-Who's there?" she asked, her voice filled with fear.

Draco looked from Granger to Longbottom, and nearly choked when he saw the idiot smile confidently.

"I'll be fine, Cyg's probably there so I got help," he said, trying to sound confident but he sounded more afraid than anything.

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Neville and threw her arms around him.

"Upmh" Neville nearly fell from the force.

"Be careful," she said, and with that, she separated herself from him.

"Will do." Neville laughed.

Hermione smiled and turned to look at Draco who looked like he'd swallowed a lemon.

"Stay away from me." he hissed, sliding as far away from her as possible.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but she didn't say anything nor did she go to him.

Turning on the spot both Neville and Hermione walked to the table and took their bottles.

"You drink first," said Neville.

Hermione didn't have to be told twice as she took a long drink from the round bottle at the end, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" asked Neville anxiously.

Hermione made a sour face and put the bottle down.

"No, it just tastes horrible." she grimaced, and Neville chuckled and nudged her to the flames.

"go, before it wears off," he said.

Giving Neville and Draco one last look, she nodded and made her way to the flames, turning on the spot before she went through it.

"Be careful," she said, and Draco rolled his eyes.

"Just go already!" he barked, and Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire.

Once she was out of view Neville's smile fell, and he picked up his bottle.

"Before you go," Draco said, straightening up and looking at the Gryffindor straight int he eyes.

"If my brother is there, make sure to bring him back in one piece, and do smack him for me," he grumbled, his cheek reddening slightly, embarrassed that he was showing so much emotion to Neville Longbottom no less.

Neville blinked a couple of times as if he hadn't understood what he just said, but then he nodded sharply, and gulped down the potion, and without looking back he went through the flames leaving Draco.

Finally, alone, Draco felt his eyelids drift close on their own, and even though he was filled with fear he couldn't stop them from closing, as he fell asleep. Hoping that when he woke up, Cygnus would be alright.

Yes, a new record, four chapters in one week!

Anyways, this was a long chapter and quite a bit of action. And though the outcomes were more or less the same as the book/movies there were, of course, some difference. However, one wonders how Neville will be able to defeat Quirrell? Hmmm… guess you'll have to wait and see, he was one of the possible chosen ones after all.

In regards to the characters themselves. As you can see this Neville isn't the film Neville, I've been hinting this from the very first chapters, but now I can really drive it home, he's been taking a back seat for too long and it's time he took a more important role in the story. As for Draco, he's sometimes like the Draco we love to hate or love, but he's also, different. Remember this Draco was raised with a brother, so that makes him different from the canon Draco. Now, I know some may not like Draco's pov because he's a spoiled kid, but this has allowed me to show other characters in a different light.

Anyways, next chapter you'll get to see what happened to Neville if Cygnus was able to get Dumbledore.

So hope you liked this chapter, please review, and see you next chapter.