'How Strange. It's all...leafy.'
How to Save a Life
Stupid Plant Thing
'It's a good thing this plant was here to break our fall.' Ron said, looking around. 'Sorta dark though.'
'Yes...Lumos.Hermione said, a small light coming from her want. She then gasped. Wrapped up tightly, none of them could move. 'This is Devil's Snare!' She exclaimed after a second.
'Oh yeah, knowing it's name's going to help. How do we get out of it!' Tonks half yelled, struggling with it.
'We have to relax. If you don't, it'll only kill us faster.'
'Kill us faster? Thanks Hermione, that's a real help.' Ron nearly screamed. She sneered at him, before closing her eyes, and taking a deep breath. The vines released their grip on her, and she jumped away from the plant.
'Just relax!' She said, waving her arms franticly. However, with the thought be being killed by a plant, Harry personally found it hard to relax.
'Uhhhmm...heat! It can't survive in heat! Oohhh, but there's no wood!' Ron's face pulled a priceless expression.
'HERMIONE ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT!' She jumped at his sudden outburst.
'Oh...yes...' Moving her wand in a sweeping motion, flames appeared all around the Devil's Snare, and it promptly released them. Tonks, Harry, and Ron gingerly got off the plant.
''There's no wood'?' Ron said, eyeing Hermione. 'Glad to see you can think in a tight situation.' Hermione blushed and motioned for Harry to take the lead. They walked forward, and went into a simple, everyday door, that was completely out of place in the gloomy tunnel. Slowly inching it open, Harry gagged as a smell hit him. The smell of rotten, eighty year old eggs was coming from behind it. Pulling his robe over his face, Harry entered the room, wand ready for anything. Or, so he thought.
In front of him, was the head of a troll. He screamed. It was staring at him. However, it was dead, with it's eyes still open. Moving to the other side of the room, avoiding the body off to the side, they pulled open the door, and gulped in the fresh air.
'Ok. That...never happened.' They other three nodded silently and looked up. Small birds were floating over their heads. Noticing the brooms, Harry realized, that they weren't birds. They were keys. Looking around, he spotted it. An old silver key with two bent wings was fluttering haphazardly though the air. 'We have to catch one of those keys. That silver one.' He said, pointing at it. Grabbing a broom and kicking off, he chased it up and down and around, all the while being attacked by the golden keys. Pinning it against the wall with a sickening crunch, he landed, glad the keys had stopped trying to maul him. Smashing it into the keyhole and turning it, they pulled open the door and walked through.
'What is it with these people and dark places? First the stupid plant thing was dark. Then that last place was a bit dim, now this stupid place is dark!' Ron exclaimed, throwing his hands into the air. Expecting the ceiling to fall in on them, Harry gingerly walked forward. Whipping out his wand in surprise due to the self-lighting torches, Harry realized that they were in the middle of a giant chessboard.
'Ron...you take this one.' He said. Ron nodded.
'Okay then. I'll take the knight. Harry, you take the queen side castle. Hermione, king side bishop. Tonks...you can be a pawn.' He finished laughing, but it turned to a yell after a swift kick to the shins. 'Just...kidding...owww...Tonks you're the other castle.' The pieces that were named moved off the field, and were replaced by the four children. Ron took charge, commanding each piece with perfect strategy. It was only when half the pawns from each side were gone, that Harry realized what he was doing. Ron's plan was to take out all the pawns, then take out everything bigger. Harry grinned as the last pawn went flying off the board. Ron frowned as the queen took out their knight.
'Ok Harry. After I move, you checkmate the king.' Ron said slowly. Harry frowned at him, the board, then jerked his head back at Ron.
'No. No way Ron, there has to be another way.'
'What's he going to do?' (Yes, for some reason, I added a dramatic scene. Must be from the lack of internet...see AN.)
'He's gonna sacrifice himself.'
'Ron no!'
'Isn't there another way?' Tonks asked, looking around, and frowned when she realized that there wasn't another way. Ron, however, ignored them and moved. With a gulp, he announced check. The queen ran up and planted her foot in the side of the horse, sending it soaring into a wall. The trio winced at the sight, before continuing the game. Harry walked over near the king.
'Checkmate.' Was all he said, before the pieced moved over, making a pathway to the door. All three of them walked through the path, and into the door, that was more of an archway now that Harry got a closer look. They made it through the archway, just as black flames shot out of nowhere, and met at the center creating an X shape, which covered the whole archway. A blue stream flames with white mixed in created the same motion on the archway on the other side of the room. In the middle of the room was a small rise from the floor, and on it were a series of vials, with a piece of parchment.
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 four:
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, second to the left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, through different at first sight.
Hermione read over the riddle, muttering the word 'Brilliant' over and over again.
'I'm sorry Hermione, but what's so bloody brilliant? This isn't brilliant, this is hard. Oh great, we're gonna die. Thanks Hermione. Now I know that it's brilliant that we're gonna die.' Tonks said throwing her hands in the air and throwing a pebble at the black flames. With a loud crack, all that was left of the pebble was ash.
'No, we're not 'gonna die', as you put it. I can get us out of this.' Tonks looked at the bottles.
'Which one is wine?' She said, surveying them. Hermione walked back and forth infront of them, before finally pointing to one.
'That one...why do you need to...no!' She said, grabbing Tonks' wrist, which was headed for the wine.
'I want something that will put me in a peaceful oblivion, where there's no Dark Load, or stupid stone!' She said, struggling to get the bottle.
'Tonks, if we live through this, I swear, we'll share it.' Harry said, pull sighing. 'So how do we get out of this, Hermione?' He said, frowning. Hermione picked up two small vials.
'This one,' She said, holding up one with a liquid that had a clear color in it. 'Will take you two through that fire.' She said, pointing at the black flames. 'Closer to the stone. This one, will take me to Ron, and we'll go get help.' Hermione nodded, as through trying to convince herself that this would work.
'There's only enough for one gulp!' Tonks said frowning, and stuffing the bottle of wine in her robe pocket. Hermione pulled out her wand and waved it at the vial, which flickered for a second, before springing to the side as another took it's place.
'There. One for each of you. Now, hurry, that'll only last a few more seconds. It's a temporary doubling charm. I read about it in-'
'That's great Hermione, now go save Ron, or I'll have to die.' Tonks said, grabbing the vial and running at the flames. Harry grabbed his and followed her.
'Use the brooms in the key room and owl Dumbledore.' Harry said. She nodded solemnly.
'Good luck you two!' She said, gulping the contents of her small vial and running through the flames. Tonks did the same and ran through. Harry sighed and gulped his down, shivering as a sudden freezing feeling came over him. Walking through the black flames, his stomach in a knot, Harry found Tonks standing on the other side.
'Hermione needs to learn to stop talking. The thing was wearing off in the middle of the flames! It singed my robes!' She said, looking at the tail of her robes. Harry ignored her and pulled out his wand, walking forward into the darkness ahead. Tonks kept close behind him, her wand also out. As he came close to a shadow, he realized it was a door. Pushing the door open, Harry found the last thing he expected.
xXxXxXxXx
Hermione shivered as she ran up to Ron, casting Enervate in an attempt to wake him. Finally, after a few tries, her started to come around. As he sat up, Hermione swung her arms around him in a tight hug.
'Thank god you're okay. I was afraid that you were...anyway, come on, we have to hurry! Harry and Tonks're fighting something, and we have to get help.' She put his arm behind her neck and helps hoist him up. As they limped over to the entrance, Ron got a bit of strength and balance back. Pulling away from Hermione, Ron started to job towards the key room, Hermione right on his tail. Ron hopped on the broom and motioned for her to get on behind him. She held onto him by the waist, as he kicked off, going towards where the trap door above the now dead plant was. Shooting through the door, they jumped off and ran towards the door that lead to the third floor corridor.
xXxXxXxXx
Snape and Quirrell were shoot spells at each other at a rapid rate, but stopped when Quirrell saw Tonks and Harry.
'So, the two first years decide to finally join us.' Quirrell said, his stutter gone. Tonks aimed her wand at Quirrell, Harry's was at Snape's head.
'Explain.' Harry said, not knowing where his sudden commanding attitude came from.
'Quirrell here is acting under the influence of the Dark Lord, and of his own accord. So kindly get your wand out of my face and in.to.his.' Snape ground out the last few words. Harry glanced over at Tonks, who nodded. Together they let a Stunner escape from their wands. Harry's caught Snape by surprise, who found himself on his back, unable to move. Quirrell, however, seemed to be expecting it and put up a shield. Snapping his fingers, ropes conjured into the air, wrapping themselves around the young children.
'Now, stay quiet as I try to figure this contraption out.' Harry looked at it and realized it was the Mirror of Erised.
Flashback (I know you hate me for delaying you like this.)
Harry walked around, exploring with his new invisibility cloak. After exploring the halls a little, he found himself in an empty room, except for a strange mirror. As he walked up to it, all he could see in his reflection was himself...with a whole crowd of people behind him. Jumping around to see, there was still nothing but an empty room. Looking again, Harry found that these people must be his relatives seeing as they looked just like the pictures he had of them. Finally, after about half an hour of just looking at his parents, not knowing what else to do, he left. The next night found him sitting in the same spot. Harry jumped as Dumbledore made his appearance.
'I see that you, like many before you, have found the Mirror of Erised.' Harry nodded. 'It does not do well to dwell on dreams Harry. This mirror shows no one neither truths nor lies. All it shows it the heart's utmost deepest desires. Tomorrow, the mirror will be moved to a new home, and I must ask that you not go looking for it again.' Harry only nodded in sadness, realizing that this would be his last time at seeing his parents.
End Flashback
'Well congratulations to me. I found the bloody mirror.' Harry thought to himself. During Harry's little flashback, Quirrell had been examining the mirror. Finally, an ominous voice filled the room.
'Use the boy.' With a crack, the ropes disappeared.
'COME HERE POTTER!'
'No need to yell.' Harry thought, getting up and walking over to the mirror.
'Now, tell me what you see.' The reflection of himself winked at him, before pulling a red crystal shaped stone from his pocket, and then dropping it back in. Harry felt his pocket sag suddenly, with what Harry suspected was the stone.
'I see myself...shaking hands with the minister of magic...I'm taking Dumbledore's place as headmaster.' He said, making things up as they came to mind.
'The boy...he lies.' (hahaha! Favorite line in the whole stinkin' thing.)
'Fine then. It seems that we'll have to use force to loosen that tongue of yours.' He said, smirking evilly. Quirrell turned on his heel, and walked over to Tonks.
'No! Don't kill her! I'll...' He froze when Quirrell started laughing.
'No no, I won't kill her...I'll just do something to loosen up that mouth of yours. Crucio!' He said in a voice filled with triumph. Tonks screamed and writhed in pain. Without a second thought, he took two strides to get over to Quirrell and a third to ram himself into the man. Tonks stopped screaming, but Quirrell started two, before pushing Harry off of him.
'Let me talk to him.' The voice said again.
'No master, you are not strong enough yet!'
'I have strength enough for this.' Quirrell started to unravel the turban on his head, and had the situation not been so serious, Harry would've laughed. Sticking out of the back of Quirrell's head was Voldemort.
'Yes. Nice to see you again Harry. Look at what you've reduced me to? I'm stuck to living with other creatures now, and surviving on unicorn blood.' Harry vaguely remembered Hagrid complaining about unicorn killings.
'But think of what we could do if you were to give me the stone in your pocket? We could do unimaginable things! Even bring back your parents?' That was when the little freak when over the line.
'You want the stone?' He said, pulling it out of his pocket. Voldemort's eye's glowed at the sight of it. 'TAKE IT!' Harry threw the stone as hard as he could at Voldemort, hitting him right in the forehead. It bounced off with enough force for Harry to take a few steps forward and catch it again.
'KILL HIM!' Quirrell jumped for his throat, but Harry took a leaf out of Tonks' book and nailed him. Quirrell fell over, wheezing in a high pitched voice, while Harry grabbed his neck to tell him he could burn in hell. However, Quirrell started squealing as the flesh on his neck started to burn. A sudden idea struck Harry as he pressed his hands onto Quirrell's face. Quirrell let out a high pitched shriek of pain and then his body turned to ash. Harry sighed, and sat for a second, trying to process all that had happened.
Suddenly remembering Tonks, Harry jumped up and ran over to her. Grabbing her shoulders, and giving her a slight shake he started to whisper her name. After a bit of goading from Harry, she finally came around.
'Harry...when we get out of here, we're definitely drinking that wine I got.' He chucked and swung her over his shoulder after she went back out of it. Turning to walk out he was met face to face with Dumbledore.
'It seems I arrived just in time.' He said, grinning, he eyes twinkling like mad. 'Let's get out of here and go to the hospital wing.' He said, conjuring a stretcher for Tonks.
AN: I'M SO SORRY ABOUT THE DELAY! I had such bad writer's block that I couldn't even finish sentences. I mean it was seriously bad writer's block. But after much reading, (look for a story by sib-ff, called the awakening, I think. It's a good fic. I've read it three times already.) Anyway, I really am sorry! Thank you those who have stuck with me so far. The next chapter will finish SS and start CoS. Also a special thanks to Mandy. Remembering the pain you caused me gave me the idea for what happened to Quirrell.
