Chapter 3

Harry laid still in the darkness, the wind knocked out of him, luckily he had managed to land on something soft unfortunately it turned out to be Ron.

'Ughh… is everyone ok?' Came the groan of one of the twins to his left.

'I'm not sure, but should my leg be sticking out this weird angle?'

'Er… that's my leg George so can you please stop trying to twist it around.'

'Sorry Fred, Harry, Ron are you two alright?'

'I've felt worse before' Said Ron remembering a certain giant game of wizards chess that he had played recently.

'Me too' Harry got to his feet and then helped Ron up. 'Has anyone got a wand I dropped mine when we fell?'

'No problem, Lumos.'

The light momentarily blinded him, but as his eyes adjusted themselves he looked around for his wand and saw it lying near his feet. Picking it up he too lit the end of it and scanned his eyes around their new location.

They were in a large circular room with four exits evenly spaced out; above each of the doors was a symbol of an animal; a lion, a serpent, a badger and an eagle. In the centre of the room drawn on the floor was a very large version of the school badge painted in vibrant colours. Looking up Harry could see that whatever they had fallen through had closed over; the only way out was through one of the four doors.

'Where are we?' Ron asked dusting off his trousers.

'Not quite sure, we never really found out what it was called we assumed it was a way down into the dungeons but this doesn't really seem to have a dungeony feel, does it George.'

'Definitely not, although the way in could have been a lot nicer.'

'So if you don't know where we are, how did you know about the secret entrance behind the painting of the unicorn?' Harry asked.

'Ah Harry, such a story of discovery is filled with peril and danger…' George said grasping Harry's shoulder.
'… and not to mention the odd damsel in distress.'

'Quite Fred, I mean where on Earth would we start such a story.'

'Somewhere near the end.' Ron said still nursing the aches and pains he'd received from being sandwiched between Harry and the floor.

'Oh, well we had a map'

'That's great' Said Harry smiling 'so you know how to get out of here?'

'The way out is definitely on the map' Fred said cautiously, choosing his words carefully.

'Er… you did bring the map with you?' Harry asked sensing something was wrong.

'Of course we brought it with us.' Fred said clearly insulted 'It's just…'

'…we'd put it in one of our backpacks along with all the supplies we might need.' George finished.

'So where is the backpack now?' Asked Ron warily.

In response to this both the twins looked up at the ceiling, Harry and Ron instantly knew what they meant; the map that could show them the way out was stuck up in the room behind the painting.

'Which one of them shall we hit first?' Ron asked Harry.

'Do you even remember where the way out is?' Harry said changing his view from the ceiling down to the twins.

'Oh yes…' Fred chimed reassuringly.

'… it's at the most Northern point of these series of rooms…' George continued.

'… lets you out just next to the suit of armour under the clock tower.' Fred finished.

'Any idea how many rooms we'll have to get through?'

'Absolutely not, although I can imagine it's quite a few. Don't worry Harry…' Fred said standing tall.

'…you forget who you have at your side…' George joined in, matching his brother's heroic pose.

'… the magnificent Weasley brothers.' The sounded echoed around the room as the twins waited for Harry and Ron to be comforted by this fact.

'We're so dead' Ron concluded. 'I mean it's great that we know we need to go north but unless any of you has a compass to hand it's not going to do us much good, even with the help of "the magnificent Weasley brothers"'. Nodding towards his siblings.

'God Ron you are going to have to learn to trust us. Fred if you will.'

'My pleasure George.' Fred gave his brother an exaggerated bow before holding up his wand. He placed it in the dead centre of his hand and said 'Point me'

Immediately his wand span in his hand and quite clearly pointed to the door to his left.

'It's called the Four-Point spell; it makes your wand point directly north very useful when lost. Not that we are lost mind you.' Fred said recovering well.

'Of course we're not lost. We're still in the school, we just don't know whereabouts. Follow me.' George piped as he headed through the chosen door, followed by eagerly by Fred and a bit more reluctantly by Ron.

Harry looked up at the door before he went through and saw that the one they had chosen had the symbol of a serpent; the sign of Slytherin.

'Figures.' Sighed Harry following the other three through the door.

As they entered the next room and closed the door behind them torches on the wall flared into life as if they had been waiting for some company. The light showed them that they were standing in the middle of a long corridor with a door at each end to their left and right, in front of them on the wall was a small plaque on which was written:

If you want to leave here quick,
Then the left door you must pick,
Know that quick does not mean best,
With this route you'll face harsh tests,

If you want to leave with ease,
Then choose the right if you please,
Though this route has far less frights,
Be prepared to spend the night.

'Well I guess that's pretty straight forward, we either take it slow and steady or…' George said grinning.

'… we take the fun route.' Fred matched his brother's grin with a gleam in his eye.

'Er… I dunno' said Ron looking worried 'what about those "harsh tests" it mentions?'

'Put it this way Ron, do you want the teachers to find out that rather then being tucked up in bed we were wandering through the school at night?' Fred queried

'Cos if we take the right door its says that it'll take all night' George joined in.

'I think they are right Ron, however unnatural that sounds' said Harry.

'Thanks for the vote of confidence there Harry, George and I are ever so grateful'

'Fine but if at any point these "harsh tests" involve anything to do with spiders I am turning right around and going through the other door'

George led the way followed closely by Fred, Ron and Harry, as before when they closed the door to the next room the torches sparked into life illuminating the room for them. This room was everything that had been promised. It about the size of the Transfiguration classroom, quite wide and long, but unlike the classroom there were no desk, blackboard, charts or windows. Instead there were several very large and very sharp looking metal blades swinging quickly across the room.

'Er… ok Ron' George said backing up 'maybe your idea of slow and safe would probably be the best'

'Yeah I think I might add dangerous swinging blades to the list of things I am afraid of'

'Come on Harry lets go through, what's holding you up?' Fred asked.

'It's the door, it won't open.'