June 25th, 1992 Hogwarts Castle
After Harry and his friends returned from the forest Harry and Hermione filled the other two in on what had happened. Neville had been shocked to learn Voldemort was the one after the stone, Daphne on the other hand looked to be pondering. She then stated what Harry and Hermione had already been pondering, that the teacher who tried to hurt Harry during his first quidditch game was working with Voldemort. When this realization dawn on Neville he immediately stated they needed to figure out who the traitor professor was and stop them from getting the stone.
Harry agreed, but before they could even think of doing that final exams rear their heads. Harry had been worried at the thought of Voldemort busting through any of his class room and trying to kill him. Hermione assured him that even though Dumbledore was highly untrustworthy he was still one of the only wizards alive besides Harry that Voldemort feared. So he and his accomplice would not be able to move easily within Hogwarts. This alleviate some of Harry's worry which allowed him to focus on his exams.
Exams finally ended while everyone else was relieved, Hermione was excited for the results of their exams. Harry was nervous he didn't think he did bad but he wasn't sure how well he did. With exams out of the way now the gang was relaxing on the grounds discussing their tests. Harry however was still worried about the stone. He had been thinking about everything that happened that year when suddenly he had an epiphany. "Hey guys…didn't you find it strange that Hagrid had suddenly got ahold of a dragon egg when their almost impossible to smuggle around…" he said out loud.
"What are you on about?" Neville asked.
Harry narrowed his eyes a bit, "Follow me." He gets up and begins heading to Hagrid's.
The gang followed Harry to the half giant's hut. They found the half giant sitting outside his hut shelling peas into a large bowl. When he saw Harry and his friends approach he smiled, "Hullo Harry! Finished yer exams? Got time for a drink."
Neville looked as if he were about to accept when Harry immediately cut him off, "Hagrid Who gave you the dragon egg?"
Hagrid then went about how the stranger never removed his hood, and how that wasn't uncommon for patrons in the Hog's Head, the pub Hagrid frequented down in the village. When Harry asked if they talked about Hogwarts, Hagrid began pondering. He said it may have come up and told them how he explained his job as gamekeeper to the stranger. He also told them then man asked about the sort of creatures Hagrid looked after, and being tipsy as he was he told him. When talk of giving him the dragon egg came about, Hagrid told them he spoke of Fluffy.
"And did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked immediately.
"Well yea…how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet even around Hogwarts? So I told him Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight ter sleep…" Hagrid suddenly looked horrified, "I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out, but before he could say anything else Harry turned and bolted back to the castle.
"Harry slow down!" Hermione called out behind him.
"No time 'Mione we have to get Uncle Sev now we have to tell him. Who ever is after the stone knows how to get past Fluffy." He turned immediately and headed for the dungeons.
They walked up to the potions classroom and they heard voices, "I can't believe him." Came the voice of Minerva McGonagall, "He actually left? He really plans to leave this matter in the hands of a few students?" she sounded livid.
"Minerva calm down." Came Severus Snape's voice, "You knew full well Dumbledore was going to bail he wants to test Harry…its ridiculous to force this on a child."
"What do we do?" Minerva asks him.
"Exactly what we planned. We will deal with Quirrell ourselves Harry and his friends will not be involved."
At this Harry pushed opened the door causing the two professors to jump. Harry stood there staring at them, "So I was right…Quirrell is the one after the stone, and Dumbledore wants me to stop him…but why?" he asks them.
Minerva and Severus looked shocked that Harry and his friends had heard their conversation, "Harry…" Minerva said, "Yes Albus intends to test you with this matter by pitting you against Voldemort and his lackey Quirrell."
"But why Professor?" Hermione asked, "Harry is just a first year what's the point?"
"That is not for us to tell you." Severus spoke, "Harry your parents will explain everything when you go home this summer, for now leave this matter to me and Minerva."
"No." Harry said flatly surprising everyone. "Dumbledore wants to play these silly mind games I say let him…and I'll beat him at his own game." Harry looked up at his aunt and uncle with a fierce expression.
The two adults sighed, "Just like your father." Minerva said, "Very well Harry but we will be accompanying you for your safety. I will not have you harmed while you're under my care."
"We will head down after dark." Severus said, "Harry you will meet us in the corridor under your cloak alone."
"No way!" Neville protested, "If Harry is going so are we?"
"Neville is right!" Daphne chimed in, "We're not letting our best friend confront his worst enemy without us."
"I agree," Hermione says looking at her teachers with a firm expression.
Severus face palmed himself, "Gryffindors…I'll never understand them."
That night Harry and his friends snuck out of their Quarters under the invisibility cloak. They made their way to the third floor corridor. Severus and Minerva waited for them just outside the door. The children pulled off the cloak and stood before them. "Are you ready?" Minerva said.
The four children nodded firmly as Minerva opened the door. The group spotted the three-headed dog, Fluffy, sleeping. At the creatures feet was a harp that was playing itself. "Tsk…already made his move I see." Severus said flicking his wand to the harp to make sure it continued playing.
Minerva gave her wand a flick and the beasts paw slid off the trap door. "Alright children stay close and don't do anything without our consent."
"Yes ma'am." They all replied. With that said Minerva began lowering the students down safely one by one before she and Severus lowered each other down. Beneath the trap door was a dark room that appeared to be covered in a large ivy.
"Professors there appears to be Devil Snare all over this room." Neville said as their teachers joined them. The four children had flames circling their feet. Which was keeping the plant at bay.
"Ah I see this must be Pomona's trap to prevent entry." She said calling Professor Sprout by her first name, "Who is responsible for those flames?"
"Well after I told Harry it was weak to fire he made these for us." Neville said.
"Excellent work Potter Twenty-Five point to Gryffindor." McGonagall said smiling at her nephew before conjuring her own flames around her and Severus.
The group proceeded through the door once Severus dispelled the plant that surrounded it. The group entered the room to find numerous things flying around the room. "Are those keys…with wings?" Harry asked looking at them.
"Hmm Filius…well he has always been a Quidditch fan." Severus said, "However we don't have time for this."
He drew his wand but Hermione beat him to it. " Immobulus!" She called. A shock wave basted forth from her wand and the flying keys all froze in place.
"Excellent work Miss Granger," He said as he flicked his wand as whip appeared and grabbed a old fashioned key, "Another Twenty-Five points for Gryffindor." Severus says as he gasps the key.
"Thank you sir." She smiled.
Severus moved past her and opened the next door. In the next room they found a massive chess board. "Whoa! Which of the teachers made this?" Daphne asked with a sparkle in her eyes.
"That would be me." Minerva said she looked around seeing all the pieces that had been destroyed previously, "He's already been through here." She grimaced, "And I can't undo the spell…we have no choice but to play our way across the room."
"Professor…" Daphne spoke up, "Would you mind I took the lead here?" she looked up at McGonagall with stars in her eyes the idea on conquering this massive chess board was too tempting.
"Hmm very well please decide each piece we'll all represent." Minerva smiled at the girls eagerness to take on the challenge.
With that decided Daphne chose roles for each person: Minerva was chosen to play the Queen, While Severus took the Kings position, Harry was made a Rook, Hermione and Daphne were Bishops, and finally Neville was chosen as a Knight. Each stood in their perspective positions and waited until the white side made the first move.
The game began with the white side moving a pawn. Daphne grinned and began commanding the pieces across the board. To Minerva's astonishment Daphne Greengrass was a expert at this game. It took no longer than thirty minutes and Daphne had the White king in checkmate. Minerva began to applaud her, "Excellent work Miss Greengrass fifty points to Slytherin." She said as she and the others joined her on the other side. "I must say my dear I'm impressed you finished that game extraordinarily fast."
Daphne smiled, "I've been playing against my father since I was five after I beat him in our second game he hired a professional player to tutor me it's a passion of mine."
"Well when this whole ordeal is over I must request you play a game with me." Minerva smiled to her. "Now on to the next room."
Inside the next room the group immediate covered their noses with robes. The smell was horrendous. Harry and the others recognized the smell…a troll. They found the creature lying face first on the floor a bloody lump on its head, "This must have been Quirrell's test. He showed the beast no mercy." Minerva said with a frown, " Severus I believe your ordeal is next."
"Indeed however Neville I'd like you to solve it." Severus said looking down at the boy as the walked around the defeated troll.
"Ummm okay sir…" Neville responded. The group walked into the next room and as soon as they did a purple flame appeared behind them blocking the path back. On the other side of the room a black flame sprung up blocking the path forward. In the middle of the room was a table with seven bottles across it.
"On the table there is a parchment. Neville read it aloud for us." He tells the boy.
Neville nods and moves forward taking the parchment and begins reading:
"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 onlynettle wine, Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line. Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore, To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four: First, however slyly thepoisontries 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 onwards neither is your friend; Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neitherdwarfnorgiantholdsdeathin their insides; Fourth, the second left and the second on the right Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."
"It's a riddle…" Hermione said, "Oh this is brilliant Professor its not magic at all it logic and most wizards don't use much logic. They'd be trapped here forever."
Severus smiled, "Indeed however Miss Granger this is Neville's task to concur so let the boy figure it out." Hermione pouted a bit but conceded, "Go on Neville."
"Yes sir." Neville began looking over parchment thoroughly. He reread the parchment several times. Walking up and down the table, "Okay sir I think I figured it out." He said after about ten minutes.
"Oh?" Severus stepped forward, "Then tell me which one gets you through the fire toward the stone?"
"This one." Neville said pointing to the smallest bottle.
"Well done now the one that will take us back through the flames?" Severus asks.
Neville walked to right side of the table and pointed to a small round one, "That one sir."
"Excellent Neville. Great work Fifty point to Gryffindor." Severus smiled.
"But sir there is a problem there isn't enough here for all of us?" Hermione piped up.
"Indeed fortunately I came prepared." Severus pulled five small bottles from his robes. "Now everyone take a drink and we will proceed. Harry loan me your cloak please."
"Yes sir." Harry pulled his cloak from his back pocket passing it to his uncle.
Severus drank his phial of potion before slipping under the cloak, "Now everyone drink and you kids stay behind Professor McGonagall."
After everyone drank their potions Minerva went first followed by Harry, then Hermione, Daphne and Neville went through together and Severus followed behind them.
Up Next: James and Lily have a clandestine meeting. Harry comes face to face with Voldemort once again.