Title: Past, Present, Future

Summary: The past will come back, the present will change them, now what will the future hold?

Disclaimer: I do not own them, sad but true

A/N: Yes this is an AU fic. Reviews are welcome, flames are shared with friends for amusement.

Chapter 25

As they neared the door to go inside, they could hear a fluttering as if hundreds of owls were inside.

"Wonder what is inside here?" Ron said, holding his ear to the door.

"We are not going to find out by standing outside. Every minute we delay, the stone is in jeopardy. I am not going back till I have it in my hands."

Opening the door, they came to find out that it was not owls, or birds of any kind, but keys that were fluttering about over their heads. Not waiting to figure it out, they ran to the door across the room. The standard spells all failed, and it was Hermione that suggested that perhaps one of the keys flying overhead would work.

"I bet that big rust coloured one is it," Ron said, pointing to one with a broken wing.

"How am I supposed to get it down though?"

Ron resisted the urge to smack Harry. "I bet the broom hovering over there would be the correct way. Come on, Harry, you are the youngest seeker in a century, surely you can catch a key."

Not wanting to look foolish any longer, Harry grabbed the broom and flew straight up. It was then that he realized that this was not going to be as simple as grabbing the key and opening the door. The keys had turned violent and were now swarming towards Harry at an alarming rate. Many had cut him already, and he had yet to reach the key that he needed.

Hermione and Ron watched, anxiously waiting for Harry to get back down. Even though they had their wands out and ready, they did not like the feeling of foreboding that overtaking them. They saw the keys ripping and tearing at Harry's flesh and could see the bloody scratches when he passed by them. Both were greatly relieved when Harry flew past and yelled out for them to catch the key. Hermione did and was trying frantically to open the door as Ron yelled for her to hurry up. Finally, the huge door swung open and Hermione and Ron beckoned for Harry to hurry through.

Harry dodged the last of the keys, and when he had made is safely inside, they slammed the door shut. The door shuddered with the sound of the keys striking it in one last attempt at blood.

Hermione stopped and looked at her watch. It was now four a.m, and she hoped no one had found Neville yet. As she stepped forward a mere three feet, the room was flooded with an eerie light. As they moved further into the room, they could see iron figures. Ron gasped, causing the other two to look at him.

"It's a chess board," he said, his eyes gleaming. All of them walked quickly to get to the door on the opposite side of the room, but they stopped when one of the pieces on the chesboard drew its swords and stood guard. It had just cut off the only way to the other side.

"What now?" Hermione said.

"We play our way across, it seems. Harry, you take the queen side castle. Hermione, you take the bishop's square, and I…" Ron said, looking around. "I will be a knight."

Harry and Hermione did as Ron instructed. Ron looked at the board and then to the both of them.

"I do not mean anything by this, but neither of you are very good at chess, so mind if I give the orders?"

Neither of them did, but Hermione looked at her watch again. "Ron, hurry up. It is six and someone is sure to find Neville soon."

Ron called for a pawn to move out first, and all of them watched in horror as it was shattered into pieces. The question of it being like real wizard's chess died on Hermione's lips when she saw that it was. They played on and on, until there was but one move left, and all of them were glad, as the game had taken a toll on them. Shards of metal had flown about the room, hitting them at random times and causing small injuries. All of them were tired beyond belief, and Hermione knew that at this moment people would be coming down for breakfast and finding Neville.

Ron looked over the board and realized that the only way to win was to sacrifice himself. Looking over at Hermione and Harry, he told them the plan.

Hermione wailed in reply, "There has to be another way."

"Look, do you want to get the stone or not? It is not me or you who has to go on, it is Harry. This is the only way."

Tears welled in Hermione's eyes. She did not wish for Ron to be hurt, and she knew the ferocity of the chess pieces. As she stood still, Ron moved his knight into place, but it was Harry who screamed when the knight was taken down and Ron fell into an unconscious heap.

"Do not move!" he yelled to Hermione, who tried to rush to Ron's side. Only after he had checkmated and won did Harry and Hermione both run over to Ron's side.

"You are a great wizard, Harry."

"Me? Great? No, it is you, Hermione, who are the smart one," Harry said, checking Ron for a pulse and breathing a sigh of relief when he found it.

"Books and cleverness are one thing, but you have courage, Harry."

Harry blushed for a split second and then put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Take Ron and go back, get help."

"Be careful, Harry," Hermione said, as she levitated Ron up and walked back toward the room with the keys.

A/N: There are only three more chapters to this fic and then I will start posting my new fic. I hope to see you all there!