Updated as of 1/31/19
A/N: So in the book they go through 4 "trials" before getting to the stone (not including the troll really) so I included the fourth, Snape's challenge. I didn't do word for word from the book but just know that it's obviously not my idea. Just like last time, I swapped out Hermione with Fiona and changed up the lines some though.
Thank you to ForeverTeamEdward13, ehluvr3 and lizyeh2000 for your reviews (on chapter 28 technically) about being glad I'm back to working on this. Hope you enjoy the changes however subtle some may be.
"How many times do I have to say I'm sorry until you'll talk to me?" Draco hissed as quietly as he could as he faced Fiona in potions before class started. She ignored him and continued to make sure she had everything for their final. "Would you at least look at me?" he asked. "You can't blame me for being scared!" he hissed making sure to be quiet enough so only she heard him. "I-I didn't mean to leave you with that thing… Gaunt…." Draco let out a sigh, seeing she wasn't going to acknowledge him any time soon. He turned in his seat and leaned on his books, sulking. Snape, who had been sitting at his desk watching, frowned. Draco gave him a slightly forced smile before he went back to looking miserable.
…
The next afternoon, after their last final the four Gryffindors were walking in the outdoor courtyard.
"I've always heard Hogwarts' end of the year exams were frightful, but I found that rather enjoyable," Hermione said.
"Speak for yourself. All right there, Harry?" Ron asked.
"My scar. It keeps burning," Harry said.
"It's happened before," Hermione said.
"Not like this," Harry said.
"Perhaps you should see the nurse," Ron suggested.
"I think it's a warning. It means dangers coming. Uhh!" He rubbed the scar and then saw Hagrid across the field, at his hut. "Oh. Of course!" He started heading that way.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Wait up," Fiona said as the three followed him.
"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one?" They approach Hagrid, who was playing his flute. "I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn't I see it before? Hagrid, who gave you the dragon egg?" Hagrid stopped playing. "What did he look like?"
"I don't know. I never saw his face. He kept his hood up."
"The stranger, though, you and he must have talked."
"Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after. I told him. I said, 'After Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem.'"
"And did he seem interested in Fluffy?"
"Well, of course he was interested in Fluffy! How often do you come across a three headed dog, even if you're in the trade? But I told him. I said, 'The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep.'" The four gaped at each other. "I shouldn't have told you that," Hagrid said. The four took off running. "Where you going?! Wait!"
…
The four ran into McGonagall's classroom and up to her desk where she sat. She looked surprised as they reached her desk, out of breath.
"We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!" Harry exclaimed.
"I'm afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here. He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London," she informed them.
"He's gone?! Now? But this is important! It's about the Philosopher's Stone," Harry said. McGonagall looked shocked.
"How do you know about-?"
"Someone's going to try and steal it," Harry insisted.
"I don't know how you four found out about the stone, but I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly," she said. The four left and walked down a hallway.
"That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village. It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy," Harry said.
"And with Dumbledore gone," Hermione said. Snape suddenly appeared behind them.
"Good afternoon." The four turned to him. "Now, what would four young Gryffindors such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?"
"Uh...we were just," Hermione started.
"You want to be careful. People will think you're…" he noticed Harry glaring up at him, and looked surprised. "up to something," he finished before leaving.
"Now what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"We go down the trapdoor. Tonight," Harry said.
That night the four went down the stairs and headed across the common room. They stopped when they heard a croaking.
"Trevor," Harry said.
"Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!" Ron whispered harshly to the toad.
"Neither should you," Neville said as he appeared from behind a chair. "You're sneaking out again, aren't you?"
"Now, Neville, listen. We were-" Harry started.
"No! I won't let you!" Neville stood. "You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you." He held up his fists.
"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this," Hermione said as she took out her wand. "Petrificus Totalus." Neville was frozen and Fiona caught him as he fell backwards. She lowered him to the ground gently as Hermione put her wand back. Ron gulped.
"You're a little scary sometimes...you know that? Brilliant, but scary," Ron said.
"Let's go," Harry said. "Sorry," he said down to Neville as he passed.
"Sorry," Hermione said.
"It's for your own good, you know," Ron said before he walked passed. Fiona grabbed a pillow from the couch and put it under Neville's head.
"Sorry, Neville," she said before following after the others.
…
The four were huddled under the Invisibility cloak as they snuck along the corridor.
"Ow! You stood on my foot!" Hermione hissed.
"Sorry," Ron said. A flame lit nearby. Hermione drew out her wand and pointed it at the door.
"Alohomora." The door opened and they went in.
"Wait a minute...he's..." With a blow of air the cape fluttered off them. "sleeping," Ron finished.
"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp," Hermione noticed. They approached the sleeping dog.
"Uh. It's got horrible breath!" Ron groaned.
"We have to move its paw," Harry said.
"What?!"
"Shh!" Fiona gave Ron a look.
"Come on!" Harry grabbed its paw, which was blocking the door. "Okay. Push!" They strained and move it. They opened the door and crouched by it. "I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign," Harry told them. None of them noticed the music had stop or that Fluffy's eyes had started to open. "If something bad happens, get yourselves out..." Harry stopped. "Does it seem a bit...quiet?" Harry asked.
"The harp. It stopped playing," Hermione said. Drool from one head came down on Ron's shoulder.
"Ew! Yuck! Ugh." All four kids looked up and saw Fluffy standing there. Fluffy barked and growled, thrashing.
"Jump! Go!" Harry shouted before they all jumped through the trapdoor, the dog trying to fit a head down into the trapdoor but failing.
"Ahh!" Ron screamed. He gasped as he landed on some mushy black ropelike vines. "Whoa. Lucky this plant-thing is here, really."
"Whoa!" Harry landed a few feet from him. The plant began to move towards them. "Oh. Ahh!" The plant tied them up, wrapping around them.
"Hermione, what is this?!" Fiona squeaked as she struggled.
"Stop moving, all of you," Hermione instructed. "This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster."
"Kill us faster?! Oh, now I can relax!" Ron shouted. Hermione managed a smile as she was sucked down below.
"Hermione!" The two boys shouted.
"That's not reassuring!" Fiona shouted but then relaxed the best she could, letting out a slow breath.
"Fiona!" The boys shouted as she too was sucked down below. Fiona landed on the ground below and Hermione helped her up. They could hear the two above them.
"Now what are we gonna do?!" Ron asked as he struggled.
"Just relax!" Hermione shouted up to them.
"Hermione! Where are you?!" Harry asked.
"Do what I say. Trust me," she insisted.
"You'll be okay!" Fiona shouted. Harry relaxed and was sucked through. Fiona helped him up after he hit the ground hard.
"Ahh! Harry!" Ron shouted. "Harry!"
"Are you okay?" Hermione asked Harry.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," he said.
"Help!" Ron screamed.
"He's not relaxing, is he?" Hermione asked.
"Apparently not," Harry said as he shook his head.
"Help! Help me!"
"Ron!" Fiona shouted but he didn't hear her over his own screaming.
"We've got to do something!"
"What?" Harry asked as he looked around.
"Uh! I remember reading something in Herbology," Hermione said. "Um Devil's Snare, Devil's Scare, deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun! That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight!" She took out her wand and pointed it upwards. "Lumus Solem!" A beam of light shot out. The Snare shrieked and recoiled. Ron fell below with a scream.
"Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked.
"Yeah," he said.
"Okay," Harry said as he helped him stand.
"Whew. Lucky we didn't panic!" Ron said. Fiona face palmed.
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Harry pointed out. There was a fluttering sound coming from the next room.
"What is that?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know. Sounds like wings," Harry said. They entered into a room filled with golden things flying around.
"Curious. I've never seen birds like these," Hermione whispered.
"They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door," Harry said.
"And there's a broom," Fiona pointed out as they came upon a broomstick, suspended in the air. "Looks like this one's up to you then," she said looking at Harry.
"What's this all about?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know. Strange," Harry mused. Ron crept over to the door and took out his wand. He rattled the lock.
"Alohomora!" he tried and when nothing happened he shrugged. "Well, it was worth a try."
"Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be 1000 keys up there!" Hermione exclaimed.
"We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle," Ron figured.
"You're our seeker, Harry," Fiona said. "If anyone can find it…" Harry scanned the keys.
"There! I see it!" He pointed to it. "The one with the broken wing!" He looked down at the broom.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked.
"It's too simple."
"Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century!" Ron exclaimed. Harry nodded and grabbed the broom. All the keys suddenly went one direction, right at Harry. He climbed on, swatting at them. "This complicates things a bit!" Harry pushed off into the air. He flew off, after the key. It didn't take long for him to grab the key.
"Catch the key!" Harry shouted. He zoomed by and threw the key to Hermione, who caught it and headed for the lock while Harry distracted the other keys by continuing to fly around. Hermione put it in the lock.
"Hurry up!" Ron shouted. The door opened, and Hermione, Fiona and Ron rushed through, followed by Harry on the broom. They shut the door just as the keys slammed up against it. They entered a dark room, with large broken pieces of what looked to be ceramic all around it.
"I don't like this. I don't like this at all," Hermione said.
"Where are we? A graveyard," Harry guessed.
"This is no graveyard," Ron said with a sigh. "It's a chessboard." He walked out onto the marble board and flames lit, illuminating the board and the giant pieces. The others came up with him.
"There's the door," Harry said. They started to walk across the board, towards the door. Suddenly, as they reached a line of pawns, the pawns brought up their swords to block them. The four jumped and backed up.
"Now what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room," Ron said.
"Play?" Fiona asked. "I'm lousy at chess," she said shaking her head.
"Ron will get us through this one," Harry said giving Ron a nod. Ron nodded back.
"All right. There are only two empty spots… Harry, you take the empty Bishop's square. Hermione, Fiona, together you'll be the Queen's side castle. As for me, I'll be a knight." The two girls took hands and everyone moved to their places. Ron climbed up onto a knight.
"What happens now?" Hermione asked.
"Well, white moves first, and then...we play." A pawn on the other side moved forward. Ron studied the game.
"Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like...real wizard's chess, do you?" Hermione asked. Fiona looked at her.
"What's real wizard's chest?" she asked as her eyes widened slightly.
"You there! D-5!" Ron called. A black pawn moved forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn raised its swords and smashed the black one. The four jumped. "Yes, Hermione. I think this is gonna be exactly like wizard's chess."
Ron directed the game. Each side lost pieces until there weren't many left. Both Harry and Ron studied the board.
"Wait a minute," Harry said.
"You understand right, Harry? Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King," Ron said.
"No, Ron! No!"
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"He's going to sacrifice himself!"
"Are you mad?!" Fiona exclaimed.
"No, Ron, you can't!" Hermione shouted. Ron closed his eyes. "There must be another way!"
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?" Ron asked as he looked at her. "Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Fiona, not Hermione, you." Harry nodded. Ron took a breath. "Knight...to H-3." Ron's horse moved forward, slid to the side and stopped. He gulped. "Check." The Queen turned and advanced. Ron breathed faster, clutching the steel reins. The Queen stopped before smashing the knight. Ron went flying off the horse with a scream and landed on the floor, unconscious.
"RON!" Harry shouted. Hermione started walking to him but Fiona pulled her back as Harry shouted. "NO! Don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing." Hermione reluctantly nodded. Harry walked the diagonal in front of the King. "Checkmate!" The King's sword fell onto the ground. Harry breathed out and then the three ran to Ron. They bent beside him. "Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on."
"You'll be okay, Harry. You're a great wizard, you really are," Hermione said.
"Not as good as you," Harry said. She smiled, chuckling slightly.
"Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery. And Harry, just be careful." He nodded and stood. Fiona stood as well.
"I'm going with you," she said.
"No, Fiona-" Harry shook his head.
"We've gone through three things already, there's going to be a fourth, one for each house; you might need me."
"Fiona's right, Harry," Hermione said. "We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chess pieces; that leaves Snape's," she said. "We all know out of the four of us Fiona's best at potions." Harry frowned but nodded.
"Alright," he said. The two headed to the door and pulled it open to see just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line. "Snape's," Harry said. "What do we have to do?" They closed the door behind them and as soon as they were far enough away from it a purple fire sprang up behind them. At the same time, black flames shot up in the other doorway on the other side of the room. Fiona approached the table and picked up a paper. "What is it?"
"It's… a riddle."
"Didn't think Snape would be one for riddles," Harry muttered. Fiona read from the paper, aloud.
"'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 bidden 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, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.'" She finished. "Of course it's not magic, it's logic."
"Logic?"
"Yeah. Snape doesn't like magic in his class, why would he have it be part of this?" she said. "A lot of the greatest witches and wizards haven't got an ounce of logic in them, they'd be stuck in here forever."
"But not us, right?" Harry asked. "Can you figure it out?"
"Maybe not as fast as Hermione could but everything we need to know to figure it out is on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."
"But how do we know which to drink?"
"Give me a minute," Fiona said. She looked at each of the bottles before looking at the paper. Harry watched her look between the two a few more times. "Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - toward the Stone." Harry looked at the tiny bottle.
"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."
"Well, I don't need to take that one."
"Which one will get you back through the purple flames then?" Harry asked Fiona pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.
"You drink that," Harry said. "Go back, find Hermione and Ron. Make sure you're all safe." Fiona nodded. Suddenly she hugged him. "I got lucky once, didn't I?" He put his arms around her. "I should be fine," he said. Fiona pulled back.
"You better be," she said making him smile.
"You drink first," Harry said. "You're sure which is which, right?"
"Positive," she said. She took a long drink from the round bottle at the end and shuddered.
"It's not poison?" Harry asked anxiously. Fiona shook her head.
"No, but it's like ice."
"Quick, go, before it wears off," he said.
"Good luck, Harry," Fiona said walking backwards towards the purple fire. He nodded and watched as she turned and went safely through the flames.
A/N: Just a reminder that Snape's riddle is from the book, it's not mine