The next day- Harry and his friends walked together after class, outside the building, to meet with Hagrid, wanting to check in on him after his precious dragon was taken away. Harry thinking back of yesterday in the Forbidden Forest. Something had Snape spooked, which got them all into thinking there was someone mad in the forest, 'Probably a follower of You-Know-Who?' Harry thought.

"I heard the exams of the end of the year were quite frightful," Hermione says, "but I found it rather enjoyable."

"Speak for yourself," Ron says back, not at all happy with the exams. He noticed Harry rubbing his scar, "You all right there Harry?"

"My scar," he says, pain in his voice, "it keeps burning." He made a mental note to talk to Snape about it later.

"It has happened before," Hermione decided to say.

"Not like this," it was painful for him, to the point that he could not take it anymore. Ron suggested to see the nurse. "I think it is a warning. It means danger is coming." Snape was leaning against the stone wall, listening without getting caught by them. Going back into the castle to see what he can find on the Potter's scar.

They saw Hagrid sitting on his steps, playing his flute. Harry halted, "Oh…Of course!" his friends turned to him, wondering what he was thinking about. "Don't you think it's a bit odd? That what Hagrid wants more than anything is dragon, and a stranger shows up who just happens to have one? I mean how many people wonder around with dragon eggs in their pocket. It must have been a follower from You-Know-Who? Why didn't I realized this before!" The three of them ran over to Hagrid, "Hagrid who gave you that dragon egg! What did he look like?"

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

"This stranger though, you and must have talked?" Harry wondered.

Hagrid thought about for a second before answering, "Well he wanted to know what sort of creature I looked after. I told him, I said after Fluffy," he giggled at that, "A dragon's gonna be no problem."

Harry realized something about this strange conversation with that stranger, "Did he seem interested in Fluffy?" he wondered, hoping he got the answer he was looking for.

"Well of course he was interested in Fluffy!" Hagrid exclaims, "how often do come across a three headed dog. Even if you are in a trade?" then he thought of something else that was mentioned by him, "but I him, I said the trick with any beast is to know how to calm him." Harry gapped that. "Take Fluffy for example. If you play a bit of music, and he falls straight to sleep," he realized his error, "I shouldn't have told you that…" The three of them ran back to the castle, "Where you going? Wait!"

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Ron and Hermione thought it was a good idea to tell Professor McGonagall. Harry thought otherwise, "You two go back to the corridor, I will get you in a bit," his friends looked at each other, "I have someone I need to see about this," 'He needs to know.'

Harry ran down to the dungeon and quickly as possible. Knowing they do not have much time left before a disaster happens. Catching his breath, knocking on Snape's door. A few minutes and the door opens, "Snape you need to come with me!" Harry says, frankly.

"Potter how dare you order me around, you just like your father."

Harry gapped at that; this was not the time to ask about why he is mentioning his father. The school was in trouble, "Snape I need to talk you," Harry slips under Snape's arm, entering the office. Snape was curious on what the boy had on his mind, "Last night, I went over Hagrid's as you know?" he sits on the sofa. The Potion Master nodded, sitting down next to him, "he had a dragon egg."

"That explains the situation with him last night?" Snape remembered Filch saying something about a dragon.

"Awhile back, Hagrid told me that more than anything he wanted was a dragon," Harry tries to catch his breath at telling him all this, trying his hardest to make it fast, "Hagrid went to a pub where a stranger shows up who happens to have a dragon egg. How many folks would you say carry a dragon egg in their pocket?" he Snape was confused at this, wondering why Potter was telling him all this, "to the point the stranger was in a black hooded cloak. This someone was asking questions about Fluffy, including ways to calm the dog down," Harry looked down at the floor, "he also gave away on what spell to use against Fluffy—" Snape gapped at this, realizing what this means, standing up, "Guessing you figuring it out now?"

"You better get back to your house, I will take care of this," he moves to the door.

Harry stops by grabbing his arm, "I want to come with you sir? I want to help you this time."

"I cannot let a student do something that dangerous."

Harry noticed his legs shaking a bit, 'He fears the dogs,' "Sir, I know how to get past Fluffy without being seen by them." Snape looked over at him, remembering the cloak Harry has. He decided to give in and let Potter help him out.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

They first headed up to the Gryffindor floor, to receive the cloak. Harry told Snape to wait outside the corridor before entering.

After heading back down, Harry and the gang ran into Trevor sitting on the sofa, "Trevor?"

"Trevor go you shouldn't be here!" Ron shouts.

Neville head popped out, from an armchair he was sitting in, "Neither should you," he stands up, "you are sneaking out again, aren't you?"

"Now Neville listen?" Harry tried to calm him.

"No, I won't let you! You will get Gryffindor into trouble again" he puts his hands up, "I…I'll fight you!"

"Neville I am really, really sorry about this, but…" Hermione gets out her wand, pointing at her classmate, "PETRIFIOUS TOTALUS." Stunting Neville.

Ron gulped at her, "You can be scary sometimes, you know that brilliant, but scary."

"Let's go," Harry says. As they walked by him, they each said sorry that they did this.

"It is for your own good, you know?" Ron says, before they left the corridor.

Xxxxxxxxxx

Coming back with his cloak along with Ron and Hermione. They were surprised to see Snape there. Harry explained to his friends that Potion Master has been notified by him and they were to help him out this time. They understood with that. Snape was not happy with all four of them stopping Quirrell but was needing the cloak and agreed to let his friends help them out, to use the cloak.

They made it to the third floor, Snape tensed. Harry calms him by putting a hand his back. They neared the door, as they went underneath the cloak. Hermione says the unlocking spell, opening the door. The four slipped in. Fluffy was fast asleep with a harp playing next to him. "Wait a minute…he's asleep," Fluffy's snoring made the cloak fly off them. Snape gapped at this. Harry looked over at them, "this means Professor Quirrell is already down there," going to the dog, "help me remove his paw."

They all helped Harry, remove it them from the door. Snape looked a bit worried at the dog, hoping the harp would not stop anytime soon. The trap door was visible to see now after the paw was pushed out of the way. Harry grabs his invisibility cloak as Snape got the door open.

They got ready to jump down, Snape stops them, "I will head down first, do not follow me till I tell you," The music stopped playing and eyes opened, looking over at them, letting out a small growl. Snape realized something was off, looking over the harp. Noticing no music coming from it, gearing over at the dog, "get down now!" he shouts at them, Harry looked over him and noticed the dog was awake. Ron and Hermione did as they were told, jumping down. "What are waiting for Potter?" Snape looked frightened, "head down now!"

"Not without!" Harry grabs Snape's arm, getting both to fall, as the dog started barking, trying to get to them, but they were able to jump in time before anything happened. Snape had to catch his breath, trying to calm his beating heart. The plants underneath were quite cushy.

Snape realized what these are, 'Snares,' he instructed to do exactly what he says, to stay calm, if they did not want the snares to strangle them. They followed what Snape was doing, keeping calm and collected. Snape slips down at the bottom, followed by Harry. This was the time to check in of his professor, "You, ok?"

"I will be," he wipes the sweat of his forehead. Hermione slipped down after them. Ron was having a harder time, making the snares start to form around his body. Snape sighs inwardly, before getting out his wand, pointing at the plant, "Lumos Solem," sunlight out shines out of his wand, making the snares scream with fright as they coiled. Freeing Ron as he falls out of the plants' lair, falling below.

"Ron, you, ok?" Harry wondered, as the other two checked in on him as well.

Ron gets up, "Yeah…" he looks up above, "Whew…luckily we didn't panic!" he looks over at them.

They glared over at him. "Luckily, we have a teacher with us," Harry says. Ron agreed with that, nodding quietly to himself.

Some fluttering was happening in the distance, "Those are keys," Professor Snape says, leading them over to a door. Going inside they were met by hundreds of flying keys. Walking further they were also met by a broom. Snape looked over at Harry, giving a hint while Ron and Hermione walked over to the door, trying the unlocking spell, "That won't work you two." Their professor geared back over to Harry, "I will let you think on what to do?"

Harry looked over at Snape, then over at the broom, "It's too simple," Harry says, getting a nod from Snape, "it is just like quidditch," looking over the keys, seeing which key is the right one, "there I see it!" it was the one with broken wing. Harry knew what to do now. Ron told him he is the youngest seeker in a century and that he should be able to catch up to it fine. Snape agreed to that, sneering over at Potter.

Mounding the broom, made the keys act out, flying around him, making it hard for him to fly. Snape stunts them. Harry was grateful for that as he flew to the right key. Snape decided not to stunt that one, letting the Golden Boy have a bit of fun catching it. Harry was able to grab it a few minutes after taking off. This impressed Snape as the key was thrown to him. He grabs it, the stunting only work for a few minutes as they became alive again. Snape goes over to the door, opening it, letting Hermione and Ron through and last Harry as closes it again before the remaining keys can hit them.

Snape explains that there is a chest board in this dark room, giant statues met them, "I don't like this," Hermione whispers to Ron and Harry, "I don't like this at all."

Ron on the other hand was excited about this, wanting to play. As flames all around the board came on. There was only one way to get through this room Snape told them, "We have to play, don't we?" Ron says, having a feeling. Snape nodded.

Ron gives out the orders for them, "OK, Harry you take the empty bishop's square. Snape you be the queen's side castle," Snape decided to let Ron take control of this situation, doing as he said. Harry moved to his spot too, "as for me, I will be a knight." Hermione wondered what she supposed to do, "you sit this one out," Hermione was ok with that, "we will handle this."

The game has begun, Hermione was worried that this will like a real wizard's chest. "You are correct Ms. Granger."

Hermione looked over at Snape, "And you just going to let them play?"

Snape raised his eyebrows, "You three wanted to come with me."

Ron started ordering the pieces to move. Telling one of pawns to move to D-5, they all watch as the pawn from the other team, smashes it. They all looked in horror. Harry looks over at Snape, wiped eyed at this dangerous game. The game went on. Snape looked in as he watched his students' play. Worried for their safety but kept put. That is the game after. If he moves it could be costly.

Xxxxxxxxxxx

They were almost done with the game, with them winning most of the time. After the game was close to being done, few pieces remained on the opposing team. Among them was the queen still play. Snape and Harry remained where they were. Wanting this blasted game to be over already. Harry realized something, looking around, "Wait a minute—"

"You understand right, Harry?" Ron says, "once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then your free to check the king!"

"No! Ron no!" Harry shouts, Snape and Hermione wondered what he is up to, "He is going to sacrifice himself," he says simply.

Snape gapped at this, "Outrageous, do you think I am going to let a student-"

"Do you want to stop Quirrell or not Snape?" Ron questioned, Snape stopped talking after that, 'I am fairly sure I will get in trouble for this?' hoping Dumbledore will have his back on this, if anyone questions him. Ron turns to Harry, "It is you that has to go on Harry, not me, not Hermione or Snape. It is you, Harry." Ron gives out a sigh, getting in ready position, "Knight to H-3!" the knight moved to H-3, across from the queen. Snape just watches, helpless at this moment. "Check."

The queen, goes into attack position, crossing over, stopping, getting her sword out. Strike! The knight was done. Ron screams as he falls to the ground, a small chip scratched his cheek.

"RON!" Harry cries. Snape was just ok to head over to go check on his student. When Harry stops him, "Do not forget Professor we are still playing!" realizing this, his teacher stopped, staying put.

It was Harry's turn to go, moving towards the king, stopped before him, "Checkmate!" the king's sword falls to the ground as he surrendered to Harry.

The game was over.