Happy New Years! May this one be better than the best!
At first, Alice thought they were still in the Forbidden Forest. Whatever she'd landed on certainly had an earthy feel to it, but also thicker, like she'd landed on roots of a tree. She tried to get uneasily to her feet, overbalanced, and landed again on her rear in the completely dark cavern. At least this time they weren't all smashed together in a tiny cupboard, wherever they were was roomy enough she couldn't even reach out and find Frank. It wasn't until she didn't hear the others groan, now familiar from doing this each time they were moved about, that she froze.
For the first time in these moments, the place they had landed was not quiet. It wasn't particularly loud either, but a noise all the same. Not a whisper of wind through trees even, as had been present in the past, but like a rumbling, almost a purring, or a snore, but so much louder she must not be hearing it right.
"Frank?" she whispered as quietly as she could, not wanting to disturb, well anything. With no clue what was going on, and that dead unicorn still hovering behind her mind's eye, she erred on the side of caution as she tried to inch forward after hearing no response.
Then she realized, she couldn't move.
She'd been so numb and dizzy like all the other times, it wasn't a feeling you got used to, that the realization her legs were slowly losing feeling hadn't immediately registered. If anything she'd tried to ignore that numbness, now she was entrapped all the way up to her waist.
"Frank!" She shouted now for anyone to hear her. She still had her wand on her, had never put it away while out in the Forbidden Forest, but honestly wasn't even sure to trust herself what spell to use. With no clue what was holding her down and not knowing if Frank were nearby or whom she may accidentally hit, casting a spell at random could do more harm than good.
Refusing to let indecision cost her life, she raised her wand to the ceiling instead and shouted, "Lumos!"
What was even momentarily illuminated nearly made her scream all over again. The other seven were all struggling in vain against thick vines, already entrapping either their chests or mouths the moment they'd landed so none could shout a spell in even the hopes to escape. Limbs were already lost in the sea; pain, shock, or the plant itself forcing their only weapon away. Alice seemed to have mercifully landed the farthest away, the creepers having had to inch forward to grab at her but quickly drawing her back into the thicket.
Someone was less than an arm's length away, wrestling with all his strength and gnashing his teeth as if trying to bite right through them, but more only took place, surely covering his face very soon! Not Frank's though. For a moment she thought it was Sirius, then the youth of those deep black eyes, not grey, registered him as Regulus.
The light from her first spell was already dimming, soon the deadly plants would circle up to her own lungs. "Frank," she pleaded again, still desperately searching for him, knowing he could have listed off a hundred deadly plants and surely this one, but she couldn't think of a single one right now, nor spot him amid all the moving bodies writhing as much as the feelers. The only useful tool of knowledge was fire, most everything magical or otherwise would run from that, right? What if she was wrong, what if fire somehow just made these stronger?
With only breath enough for one more spell, she had no other choice but to redirect her now dim wand towards her feet and desperately shout, "Caeruleum Igne!"
The Bluebell Fire flew from her wand, though she felt no heat. Her entrapment fell away at once, with an almost screech like noise rustling back into the confines of its horde.
She turned the flame for the other at once, his gasp of relief like music to her ears. He sat up at once and inched his way to the wall, rubbing at his legs to try and get feeling back in them likely, and looking crestfallen towards the mass. Alice realized he no longer had his wand on him, but feared dropping the fire to summon it for him.
Aware of every step she took, she began forcing her way farther in, trying to engorge the fire as much as she was capable of and ignoring the ringing in her ears all along the way for holding onto the spell so long already. She managed to find Frank, Evans bright red hair, and three of the Marauders in quick succession, who all had to take a second just to breath, and she didn't blame them. The plant continued to shrink away from her, but this only managed to make its tether tighten along those she couldn't yet reach, forcing her to keep the flames longer and longer on each new person she located.
Just as her vision was starting to blur from holding onto the magic for so long, another jet of flame joined her, Regulus had found his wand and air back. Good thing as well, for the elder Black had landed the farthest away and was so entangled they almost couldn't make him out of the last thick pile of swirling snares. The two flames together forced it to slither off him, and they dragged him and ushered the others who were still gasping into the next room.
It was just as dimly lit, but as the floor wasn't covered in vegetation, she happily collapsed.
"What-the bloody hell- was that!" Potter tried to demand around a deep cough, clutching his chest with a hand that was already starting to darken with a bruise. They all looked just as bad, most of them were struggling just to sit up, as if their limbs were still locked in place involuntarily.
"De-Devil's Snare," Evans managed around a rasping throat, her eyes still watering and leaning against a wall for support even as she was forcing herself defiantly to her feet.
"Does it make you feel better? To know the name of the plant that nearly killed us?" Lupin snapped at her, though was apparently completely ignoring her.
The Marauders were pushing past this inconvenience of almost dying and forcing their way over to the elder Black, still unconscious...at least Alice hoped he was just unconscious. He had the most vivid bruises of all, as if the shadow of the vines were still trying to cling to his neck where a few leaves were still lingering in his hair.
Alice stayed close to Frank, watching him recover just as slowly, the only part of him freely moving was his hand still grasping as if for his wand. She looked pleading back at the door, as if begging it to simply divulge what she knew she'd have to go back for. If anything just for the stupid book to get them back out, but also for everyone elses wands.
Then she startled, not having seen Regulus coming back over towards them and raising her wand to strike again almost before that registered.
He raised his hands in surrender at once. One was holding the book, the other, two wands.
"Here," Regulus hovered uneasily in front of them, but then pocketed one and handed the other to Frank. "Figured no one would want to go back for those, grabbed them before I came over to help you and kick out the others."
"He means that literally," Pettigrew muttered, but there was pure gratitude in his voice as well as the smile on his face when she looked over at them again. The other Black was rousing, making frustrated little noises and rubbing at his throat, but those dark grey eyes were blinking at the surroundings and they could already see a snide comment forming on his lips.
Regulus pulled his wand back out the moment he'd been sure Smith wasn't going to curse him, he didn't need to add that threat to his list. Now he joined her in looking around more properly. They seemed in some sort of tunnel, sloping slightly downwards, and if you strained past the heavy panting breaths, you could still faintly hear the slithering of the Herbology plant, a thunderous growl of snuffling snores, and something even fainter, as if the soft rustle of wings a Seeker had trained his ears to search for.
Keeping one eye on their only way forward and the other on their backs encase that mad plant tried creeping through the door, he still had attention to spare as Sirius was helped to sit up by Lupin, still incapable of words but at least alert enough to take his wand back from Potter. He'd simply handed the four that weren't his own to him in hopes he'd sort them out, but had recognized Longbottoms purely for the strange wood of Apple that he shared and had recognized the leathery pattern inlaid in the wood when he'd spotted it in his hand of all their previous flashbacks.
"So what do we do now?" Smith whispered. Though she alone had seemed to escape from the vines unscathed, the amount of magic she'd taxed herself with holding onto the spell so long to free the seven of them had clearly drained her as much as their struggle for life. She kept swiping her short, thin black hair out of her round, sweat covered face. She also had an upturned nose set above pouting lips, but the most startling feature was one he'd never noticed. Such strange eyes, almost tawny in color, wide and alert now as she kept protectively close to her boyfriend. Regulus didn't know how long they'd been dating, but they seemed extremely close.
He only knew of her family through what his mother spoke of the Smith name. In his lessons, he'd learned several traits of the pureblood lines, such as the eye color he gazed upon now was one taken from her line, but that was all that had been shared. Then he'd been warned the family had not been supportive of the Dark Lord in these recent times and Regulus should be weary around them, especially as neither of these two had been chosen of the nobel Slytherin house.
Never before would his mother have been able to speak of such a gallant nature, of one who pushed herself to help the rest of them when she'd had every opportunity to make a break for the door she'd been closest to. Regulus was no coward, but he would have hesitated of doing the same as her for the knowledge he could not have saved them all.
"Thank Alice, for starters," Evans spoke up, looking to the girl with the first real kindly expression she'd been able to hold.
The others did so at once, Regulus getting out an awkward one as well. She simply muttered she'd expect them all to do the same and kept her place on the ground in Franks shoulder.
"Who's turn is it next then?"
Regulus was snapped from his thoughts, not having given himself permission but had actually lost focus on his own whereabouts. So Potter speaking up forcefully drew him back out.
He was clambering stiffly to his feet, prodding his other friends to do the same and stretching now as if working off a hard Quidditch practice. "I for one would like to know how an eleven year old got down into this mess for starters!"
"Right, yes," Regulus muttered agreement. Anything to get them out of this mess permanently. He took one more last look at Sirius, who was still rubbing at his throat and being supported by Lupin but otherwise glowering around with his usual expression of superiority, as if he got strangled by plants and walked away from it all the time.
The start consisting of Harry's exams was unmemorable, and they really didn't have much sympathy for the kid taking exams with the pressure of Voldemort breathing down his neck considering they lived through that daily. Potter was clearly trying to get some enjoyment out of it, attempting a lively conversation with his friends about what classes he hoped his kid specialized in. Even unable to speak, his older brother still managed to hold a conversation with the lot of them through facial expressions alone, which was just as grating as if he were over there talking. How was Sirius so close to those bunch of idiots they didn't even need words to talk? It was likely due to their simplistic conversation, he convinced himself.
Even as the three kids made it to the lake and had a chance to relax Regulus' agitation was growing. The Potter kid was the only one concerned for what was going on with the Dark Lord, the other two were trying to play it off like there was nothing.
Among the Marauders now admittedly fair mutters of why they couldn't have landed out there instead of in here, he realized he'd been far more distracted by them lately than he ever would have believed, as he didn't catch onto what the younger Potter was doing until he was shouting it out to Ron and Hermione.
Regulus had paid virtually no attention to the trouble that gamekeeper had gotten himself into with that dragon and had almost agreed with his brother, the entire thing had been a pointless addition as he'd been more focused on Snape, Quirrell, and who could really be after the Stone. Now he realized what a fool he was, that wouldn't have been added if it wasn't needed, but he'd lapsed in a very large way. The timing of it all. Hagrid gaining a dragon through illegal means, when he had something the Dark Lord wanted, information.
The exact way of how to put that mad dog to sleep, which he shared just as readily with Harry when caught off guard.
He just stopped there, and no one yelled at him to go on, surely they were feeling just as much like a fool! He'd been so distracted by his brother spazzing out in that stupid dragon kids room and even his friends showing some kindness for his house he'd utterly missed the detail, so obvious in hindsight!
James watched several of them react as if they'd just gotten a first year spell wrong. Evans looked outraged she hadn't worked that out, Frank was rubbing at his forehead and muttering what an idiot he was, even Peter crossed his arms and look scandalized that had passed his notice. James was still just impressed his son had cottoned on to something like that, his kid had certainly taken after Evans more than him, though he'd long since noticed that.
When Sirius' brother just seemed struck dumb, apparently he had an ego problem as well thinking himself so smart, he cleared his throat heavily and spoke up, "well congratulations, the first year beat us all out! How exactly does that lead him into Devil's Snare?"
"Oh use your brain Potter," Regulus riled up at once, still glaring more hatefully at the words than anything. "He's going to go after it now, considering he knows how to get past the first obstacle as well as the Dark Lord."
"Or Snape," Frank corrected, thinking that still the better option of whoever had been under that cloak.
"Or Quirrell," Lily snapped at him.
"Anyways," Alice drew out the word before any more bickering could continue over that before addressing Regulus. "That's jumping the spell a bit isn't it? So the kid knows how to get past Fluffy, why would he go after the Stone himself?"
"Well first of all, we're down here! How would we have wound up that way if we weren't following this kids path?"
Alice looked done enough and raised her hands in surrender, so Regulus kept the second reason to himself, it's what he'd imagine Potter doing. Sirius' friend, not the kid, but true enough of both. The noble idiots who always thought they had to do the right thing by what they thought was right, and no one else.
The instances through McGonagall were entirely unmemorable, of course she wouldn't believe those first years, neither would they if they hadn't been following along. It didn't stop Alice sighing deeply and stating she wished their teacher would give them a chance instead of dismissing them. Only Regulus clinging to gratitude for his life being saved by her stopped him snapping she was being much to optimistic for what a teacher actually did with their job, McGonagall was the worst one as far as he was concerned, never bothering to reign in any Potter before this one.
The news of Dumbledore's departure however, was greeted with much more intensity.
"You have got to be pulling my wand!" Evans thundered, her face quickly growing to match her hair. "Dumbledore well knows that Stone is under threat, or he wouldn't have put it in that bloody school! He shouldn't have any effing reason to leave!"
James watched her with a surprising benign smile in place, as if he couldn't get enough of her shouting. Maybe it's because it wasn't at him for a change.
Lupin quickly rose up though, looking at her completely offended as if she'd just chucked dung at their Headmaster. "Be reasonable Evans, Dumbledore has to be one of the most important names in our society! Chief Warlock, Supreme Mugwump, Hagrid himself has said their current Minister asks him for advice all the time on top of obligations we probably don't even know about. He's clearly doing a favor for a friend hiding this Stone, but that doesn't mean he should shirk every other responsibility he has."
Evans scoffed heavily, clearly refusing to back down on how ludicrous she found that flimsy defense. "He was apparently doing this to protect the Stone from You-Know-Who himself, otherwise I can't imagine why he'd do something as dangerous as keep it in a school full of children. That should take precedence over some paperwork that needed to be signed!"
Potter interrupted whatever it was his friend tried to say next to point out with a devilish smirk, "sounds to me like you actually care if Harry goes after it Evans."
Her expression stiffened, and she at once denied any such thing as vehemently as she just had Lupin.
Regulus rolled his eyes at her stubbornness, she was clearly the only one who believed this, and then easily cut off their argument only to start a new one at Snape's arrival on the scene.
"Surprised he's not down there with the Stone already," Pettigrew scoffed.
"Shut up, the lot of you!" She snarled at once, losing all patience with them and beginning to stamp down their incline away from them. "You've no proof he's the one doing this, and I am sick of you-"
"Evans, wait," Potter called after her at once, the rest of them rather reluctantly following. "You don't know what else is down here!"
"If a bunch of eleven year olds got through it, I'm positive I can," she said back coolly without glancing over her shoulder.
"How do we know they lived through it?" Regulus pointed out.
That stopped her in her tracks, hand now on a new door.
Potter only half turned to look back at him, and even that was an icy glare.
Regulus didn't back down, honestly dumbfounded, "have none of you thought of that? This kid should have died a handful of times already. Clearly the dangers we're passing through are real enough to us, whose to say he lived through it? If he's stupid enough to come down here voluntarily, than they likely got strangled by that plant no first year would know about, or even Quirrell, Snape, or whoever else came down here actually looking for the Stone did them in. I certainly wouldn't be surprised, honestly the little idiots deserve it for thinking to challenge-"
"Enough Reg." His voice didn't even sound like Sirius, being strangled had a tendency to mess with your vocal chords a bit, even a wizards. Most nerve wracking of all, it almost made him sound like their father, and Regulus' mouth snapped shut at once. He glowered at his brother anyways and quickly riled himself back, "well then it's clear you haven't. Sorry for informing you of it, I'll just go back to trying to get us out of here then."
Potter looked ashen like he was going to be sick from the thought, Pettigrew was patting him on the shoulder and looking unclear what he was supposed to say, and Lupin was holding Sirius' shoulder again as if he needed the support. He couldn't see Evans' expression as she still held her back to them.
Regulus thought them all fools.
Frank took an extra step away from the younger Black, wrapping a protective arm around Alice and fighting back the urge to snap at him for saying all that, and he wasn't even really apart of it. It wasn't even because he was a Black, since it was another that got him to stop. It did make him pause though as he glanced between the two, no matter how similar in looks, how drastically different they were. He'd always believed his mother's words saying that was a rotten line no matter how far back you traced it, but suddenly Frank had reason to consider otherwise watching these two in action. He'd always questioned the meaning of pureblood, and looking on now left him with even more questions than ever.
The strangest part of all was, though his clear disdain of everyone around him had never left, Regulus had just had a hand in saving their lives. He'd grabbed everyone else's wands, and handed them back! It would have made far more tactical sense not to, or even keep them for himself and hold all the power here. Only Alice would have had hers then, and she was so exhausted Regulus easily could have ripped it away from her. Why help save them, especially Evans, if he clearly held no feelings for anyone like he so often tried to show. The one only a year younger than them was nearly as befuddling as this whole mess they were in.
No one had any hope Harry's first plan would work out, and were unsurprised when the two boys were again told off by McGonagall and Hermione couldn't tail a teacher.
Regulus didn't bother to hide a superior smirk at being right the young Potter was going down there himself with some grand idea of saving it, his speech only made that kid more idiotic than anything in his eyes. Luck, that's how he planned to get out of that, just like it was the only reason the little idiot was still alive considering all he'd been up to.
James tensed as the little snake brat kept going, honestly considering cursing the book out of Regulus' hands soon and then continue if he didn't drop that superior attitude. He was sure Sirius wouldn't stop him, or anyone at this point. The only thing stopping him was the lingering gratitude he had just saved their lives, even Sirius', but if he was going to lord it over them and think that granted him the ability to say whatever he liked, James would happily stuff him back in with that plant. He'd survive by the time they got out of here, probably.
Alice ignored the clear tension bubbling up around her, and instead smiled softly at Harry's surprise his friends wanted to come with him. This hadn't been a question to any of them, even Regulus it seemed given his earlier, insulting statement. She did notice all of Harry's Christmas presents sure were convenient now, especially Hagrid's little flute. It's like he was trying to tell Harry even before he came out and said it.
Her smile blossomed into pride at Neville standing up to the famous Harry Potter. Through this whole book she'd felt more solemn than anything hearing of her own future child, no matter what she told Evans she still couldn't help but think of him as hers. It was distressing to hear the child had no confidence in himself through all of this, but to know Ron had done something to make it better! She cheered outright for her lone boy trying to fight all three of them for what he thought was right.
Then her and Frank winced for their kid then getting such a spell placed on him because of it.
"I apologize on behalf of Hermione," Potter told them with sincerity, though not quite being able to knock a smile off his face for his own pride at his kid.
"You?" Evans demanded, even turning on the spot and looking like someone had just torn off her socks.
"Yes, me, apologizing for someone else, doing a spell that's undeserved, for the correct reasons of doing it." Potter said slowly and with still more cheer than this dank underground corridor deserved. "I feel as Hermione's one of Harry's friends, one of us should."
Frank wasn't sure if his leg was being pulled either, but he and his girlfriend exchanged bemused looks and thanked him for the consideration anyways. They were honestly just grateful Neville wasn't coming along.
Peeves was of no consequence to anyone, though for some reason the Marauders very clearly admired Harry's trick to pretend to be the Bloody Baron. Most Slytherins figured this out by their first year though, so Regulus had just assumed everyone else had as well.
When they finally did get into the room and got another full view of Fluffy, they were all just grateful they hadn't landed in there first! Some fate of fortune truly had saved all of their lives, there was no way they would have learned about the music tip in time to sedate the dog themselves and survive it with all limbs.
Then the kids landed in that deadly plant, and Regulus had to fight back the urge to rub at his chest that still felt swollen from his entrapment in them. He couldn't even keep going with smugness he'd been right, those kids seemed likely to die by the plant, until-"How on earth does that little first year know about Devil's Snare!" Pettigrew demanded. Evan's only beaten him to tell his friends about it by a hair's breadth, just like always, and he'd only known what it was because he'd been doing some advanced studying for his Herbology OWL. Admittedly lacking his studying in other areas like Transfiguration and DA for it, confident his previous animagus doings would help him through the exams next week.
The information still hadn't helped him when he'd landed face first and immediately had his arms and legs snared like everyone else. He'd even tried to transform to escape, which had actually worked for a few moments, before the vines only tightened along his smaller form. He could have edged himself right out still, but just as he was sure Prongs and Padfoot had discovered, nothing could escape a new tentacle lashing one into place, and once that fire had lit the room, feared discovery and dropped their animals which were doing no more good than struggling human limbs.
"I, can't imagine it," Evans clearly agreed with him, though no one was surprised she'd known the plant. You had to be just as good in Herbology as Potions, to know the plants you were using for ingredients, and she was the most advanced in that class than anyone in the school.
"She must have come across it in some book that only referenced it, and done independent studies from there," Remus decided. He'd come across plenty of advanced stuff in that way, though he preferred looking up creatures to plants or spell's like his friends. Hermione was clearly the type to do all four and then some!
James was growing impatient, glaring at his friends and Regulus alternatively now. "I don't care how she knows, hopefully she read the part of how to get them out of there!" He was clearly being extra touchy now that the idea had been put in his head his prodigy may not live through it.
Thankfully she did, and they each blessed whatever had made Professor Sprout mention it or whatever had compelled Hermione to ask about it six years too early.
Prongs made as if he was all for going ahead now that his sprout had survived the challenge, but Remus reached out and stopped him. "Why don't we actually let the book go ahead of us? That way we'll know what we're stepping into next."
"What Gryffindor cowardice is this?" Regulus scoffed at once, though he barely looked up form the words. "Wanting to hear of the first year getting through the next challenge before you brave it."
"I don't see you offering to go in there first," Lupin snarled.
"You're right, Evans was, now shut up the lot of you," Alice snapped.
Regulus rolled his eyes first, his point still standing she had stopped when he pointed out the flaw in her plan, but wasn't disagreeing they had the advantage of being forewarned of whatever they were facing next. It wouldn't stop him dueling out to the Marauders some payback in commentary for all the slights he was sure they'd made about his house.
Then he started snickering uncontrollably at the next task, keys! They had to actually catch one specific key in a room full of them! He read through the little Potter's work in this room with actual glee, honestly the most fun he'd had since Harry's first Quidditch game which should have offered the same but had held almost no actual mention of Seeking and all shouting between Potter and Evans.
Now Regulus was finally getting some actual proof the kids ability was no fluke on the field, Ron's helpful advice all he needed to pick out the very one. The moment he realized this fact he pushed past all in his way and let himself into that room to take in this sight, and was not disappointed.
"Want to see who can catch it first?" Potter offered him one of the three brooms that were indeed in there, but held no other hint of camaraderie. There was a challenging glint in his eye, he looked ready to do more than best him for the slights he'd been making of late.
Regulus took the challenge at once. He didn't care how often Potter nicked the Snitch to play with it, that was entirely different than looking for it in a real game, and he proved as much. While no push over with his tactics, Potter seemed more intent on blocking his path and tailing him than using his sight alone, Regulus still went into a spectacular dive and nearly collided with two others when he spotted the correct key, indeed with a bent wing. He snatched it, but overcompensated by toppling off his broom and landing on something softer than ground, though not by much.
"Get off of him," Potter grumbled, landing beside them and ruffling his hair in pure agitation more for his loss than the kid landing on Peter.
Peter groaned beneath him as Regulus breathlessly got to his feet, then proceeded to dust himself off one handed and keep the key firmly clasped in his other hand. Pitying his move, he bent down and actually offered his hand to the one who'd made a show of involving him earlier, and Pettigrew's light blue eyes shined with thanks more than pain when he told, "nice catch."
Regulus smiled in thanks and made to turn and put the key away while Potter kept muttering and looking over at Evans, Regulus had no doubts he'd never be forgiven showing him up while she was in the same room with him. He couldn't help but glance at his brother as he passed, but Sirius hardly noticed, clearly still being restrained by Lupin. It must have taken all his efforts not to let Sirius up in the sky with them, likely stopping both from seeing the whole show, and Regulus scoffed heavily as he passed. It was just like his brother to be more involved in his own world than actually notice what his own brother could do, again.
He was only half right, Sirius had seen the whole thing, and he was bloody impressed. When had his kid brother learned to fly so well? Sirius had only ever experienced it his first summer at the Potter's, and been lucky to make the house team two years later. Remus had in fact only been holding him back and stopping him running over there at the end when he'd seen such a bad landing, and Remus had only done that with the hissed reminder in his ear he'd already been strangled once today, Regulus might continue it if Sirius started babying him. He was clearly fine, and they had bigger problems, like James now clearly plotting murder of said brother.
"You really shouldn't have challenged him like that," Remus pointed out quietly as they went through to the next passage, Regulus pausing in the middle of it to find out the next task. "What exactly did you hope to accomplish?"
"Not, that," he said stoutly.
"Cheer up Prongs, maybe Evans found it humbling you lost at something," Peter offered with a funny little smirk saying he didn't think much of his own words.
She didn't either, her back to all four of them and muttering something to Smith and Longbottom with a different kind of frown in place for these circumstances.
They all almost missed the next revelation, but caught up in pure confusion that of all things, a chess board?
"Wow," Frank drew the word out, raising his brows from the door back to Evans with much less skepticism than moments before. "I no longer think you're crazy Evans, these are pretty convenient."
Regulus found himself agreeing with her, again, already grasping what she meant. It was quiet the fate of fortune a kid who'd plainly made himself so good at the game found a version of it down here where the supposed protection of the Philosopher's Stone was going on, not exactly the best time for a game.
Still, they all waited patiently for this challenge to be done, and received their first real shock at the blow to Ron. He'd done it! He'd won the game for them! And then he suffered the price for it? How was that fair? Frank and Alice in particular made a noise of distress, for all that redhead Weasley had done to help boost their kids confidence, they'd have run to him right now and made sure he was okay! All eight of them hoped at once that kid made it out of there alive, and it was a sobered group who stepped in to this same room.
"Anyone here hiding a secret good chessman ability?" Pettigrew asked of no one in particular as he looked up, and up, and up, at the kings piece on their black side.
"Who says we have to go through," Longbottom pointed out, walking around the edge, but stopping at once as a pawn leaped out and stopped him getting past.
He bristled and stepped back away, but Smith still agreed, "well, why do we have to play at all? Let's just let Regulus finish the chapter, and we'll be zapped out of here anyways."
"Now where's the fun in that?" Regulus couldn't help but ask, while he went back to doing just that anyways. She was right, why risk their lives for something like this when they had no stakes in getting farther. The book hadn't given details of Ron's victory, and even if it had Regulus wasn't confident this game would go exactly like the one Ron had attempted.
Now with more than double the people who they wouldn't risk losing, it would be impossible to come out without another injury, or worse, everyone else agreed.
The fact that there was another troll down there, also unconscious, intrigued Regulus far more than any of the others it seemed. One getting in on Halloween wasn't a coincidence, and unless Snape was doing something massively odd regarding Potions, Regulus now felt more convinced than ever who exactly it was helping out the Dark Lord this year.
Evans eyes gleamed with envious want at Hermione tackling the riddle. She now eyed the pieces with more longing than ever, clearly willing to risk playing the game just to shoot through to that room as well and take a shot at her friends challenge. Regulus could honestly imagine the two playing games like this all the time with each other, it seemed their sort. To be honest Regulus was impressed with Hermione himself, something he never thought he could be at a muggleborn. Book-smart she'd clearly shown herself, this was entirely different. A shrewd logic he'd have thought well outside such a panicky child who'd forgotten her magical abilities moments ago when searching for wood. Never before had he seen evidence of what his older brother meant when he spoke of all magic being equal to those who could use it, having always dismissed Evans and any other muggleborn before as a fluke of nature, or Severus helping one along far more than she'd ever let on.
Potter made a loud noise of frustration at his boy separating from his last friend, while Regulus almost regretted having to finish where he was. The Dark Lord wasn't in there? How much had he been wrong about?
I really am sorry the tasks got cut a bit short. I was tempted to have them start with Fluffy and continue, but I couldn't possibly give them the sudden brain power to sing him to sleep, and they'd probably all be eaten by the time Harry got to that part of the chapter, so I skipped a step. Then the problems of them playing through the chess game arose, and I tried a few versions where they all had to work together, but it started taking up so long and there were just so many pieces that couldn't feasibly be lost in a game without getting them killed I had to settle with stopping them there to my own disappointment. Don't worry, there shall be more than ample other opportunities they're all going to have to work together and trust each other. The troll still would have been unconscious and Lily still would have figured out Snape's riddle, so all in all, this was the best bet. Sorry, hope you enjoyed the rest though!
Speaking of, did anyone else ever appreciate JK seemed to know about the Greek Myth of Orpheus, who sang his way in and out of the Underworld once. If not then this is a massive coincidence.
