Out of the Shadow

I slipped into the third-floor door right behind the other three. Once the door closed behind us the took off the invisibility cloak and we all stared at the three headed dogs, that was fast asleep. On far side of the room sat a harp that was playing a beautiful song. "Snape's already here." Harry said quietly. The three of us pushed the one of the dog's large paws away from the trap door and we all jumped down.

The landing was softer than we had anticipated but the relief didn't last long as the vines of whatever we landed on started wrapping around us and squeezing. We instantly began to fight against it. "Stop moving!" Hermione shouted. "This is Devil's Snare!"

"So glad we have a name for it!" Ron shouted back as he tried to avoid a vine going for his neck. "Shut up I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" She yelled back at him. I didn't dare waste my energy on talking. One of the vines had gotten to my neck and I was already struggling to breath. Thankfully Hermione remembered that the plant hated sunlight and blasted a spell at the plant. It released us almost instantly and we dropped to the cold, damp floor.

"Lucky we didn't panic." Ron said dusting off his pants.

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology." Harry added.

We creeped over to the next door. We could hear wings coming from the next room. We gave each other a quick glance before walking in. The room was filled with different keys that were flying around the room. I stood in aw looking at the keys around me, while Ron and Hermione rushed to the other door. Ron attempted the unlocking spell, but it didn't work. "We are going to have to catch one of these keys." Harry said nodding to the broom in the middle of the room.

Gazing up I pointed towards the key. "Look, it's got to be that one there. Its old fashioned and has a dodgy wing." The others looked up too. Looking back at Harry I added "Go on Seeker. Go get it." With a single nod Harry grabbed the broom, and instantly the keys dive bombed him. "Well that makes it a little more complicated." I said more to myself then anyone else. Thankfully though Harry caught the key.

He tossed it to us, and Hermione unlocked the door. We stepped though, and Harry flew in still on the broom and we slammed the door on the keys, listening to them bang into it. Harry jumped off the broom and we quickly made it to the next room. "This is one seriously guarded rock." I said absent mindedly as we stepped onto a giant wizard chess set.

Ron surveyed the chessboard while Hermione and Harry attempted to just cross it to the other side. I heard a slicing sound and looked up to see the pawns blocking the path forward. I turned to Ron who noticed too. "We are going to have to play our way across the board." He said simply. We all stared at him. "Is this going to be like the real wizard's chess?" Hermione asked. Ron shrugged.

We each took our places that Ron pointed us too, and white started the game. A few moves in the White queen took out one of our pieces, smashing it just like in real wizards' chess. Ron looked at Hermione. "Yes, Hermione. This is going to be exactly like wizard's chess." Hermione's eyes grew wide, but Ron pressed on. It came down to the final two moves.

"Ron, no." Harry said has he scanned the chessboard himself. "What?" Hermione and I both asked. "He's going to sacrifice himself." Harry said. We whipped our attention to Ron. "Ron, No!" Hermione called out. "I have to do it! Harry will be free to check mate, and you'll get through. We don't have a choice. Do you want Snape to get the stone or what?"

With that we waited and sure enough once Ron was in position the White Queen struck, knocking him out and sending him flying across the room. "RON!" Hermione yelled, but remained on her square. Harry took the last move. "Check mate." And the sword of the king clattered in front of him. We rushed over and checked on Ron. "He's still breathing." I noted and the both relaxed. "Come on." Harry said as we picked ourselves up and continued.

We were covered in dust, bleeding cuts and bruises. I could only imagine what the school was going to think if we emerged from this alive. The smell from the mountain troll nearly made us gag, but thankfully it was still knocked out, so we scurried past it and entered the final room. "Potions. Snape's room." Hermione said. We looked over her shoulder as she read a paper in front of the bottles.

Danger lies before you, while safety lines 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 have you will always find some on the nettle wines 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 in 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.

"Brilliant!" Hermione chimed. "This isn't magic, it's logic! A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck here forever!"

"So, will we, won't we?" Harry asked.

Hermione and I turned to him with wide eyes. "I literally use logic every time I step into the Ravenclaw tower, so no." I said flatly. Hermione and I read the paper again. "This one is the one that Harry has to drink." I said holding up the smallest bottle. "And this one gets you through the purple flames." Hermione added holding up a round bottle. "There isn't enough." Harry said quietly looking at both bottles. Hermione was going to go back and get Ron to safety, and I was going to go on with Harry, but that potion wasn't enough for both of us.

"Let's get Hermione out of here first, we'll worry about the rest."

We gave Hermione instructions to get Ron out of there and get an owl to Dumbledore as quickly as possible. "But what if Snape has Voldemort with him?" Hermione asked fear masked her face. "Well, I've beat him once before, haven't it?" Hermione hugged him. "Be careful, both of you." We nodded and she took the potion. "Go, before it wares off." Harry urged her. Once she was through the flames we turned back to the small bottle in my hands.

"Harry you can't go in there without me. We have to protect each other."

Tears pricked my eyes as I looked at my brother. "I don't think we have a choice, Holly. You are going to be stuck here, but you'll be safe." I handed him the bottle before throwing my arms around him. He hugged me back. "Love you, big brother." I said muffled in his shirt. "Love you too, Holly Tree." I gave him a weak smile, with tears running down my face. He drank the contents in the bottle and threw me one last glance over his shoulder before stepping though.

I paced there in front of the black flames waiting. I couldn't think of anything other then Harry. Memories of us with our parents flashed though my mind, causing the tears to fall faster. I was scared for my family, and right now I was useless. I heard another noise that sounded like another fire being set. "HARRY!" I screamed and attempted to step towards the flame, but a cautious flame flashed out towards me and I stepped backwards.

I couldn't hear anything anymore. Panic started to rise in my chest, until I heard a man screaming in pain. "HARRY!" I screamed again. I needed to get in there, I needed to get to Harry. I tired going through the fire again and burned myself a couple of times, but it was no use. The black flames kept pushing me back. Frustrated I started throwing the vials of potions and wines at the black flames. Nothing worked. I stood there staring at the last vial, the one that let you through the purple flames. There was a little more then a drop, but did I dare take it and abandon Harry?

Just then I heard a noise and looked over to see the ghost of a mans face flying towards me. I screamed as it collided with my body, and the last thing I remember was the sound of glass smashing before I slipped into complete darkness.

When I woke up again, I was convinced I was dead. I hadn't opened my eyes, but I knew I would see warm lights when I did, and I wasn't completely ready to see what the after life had to offer. Then I remembered Harry and I instantly opened my eyes. "Harry!" I sat up and instantly regretted it. My head was pounding. I realized I was in the hospital wing, and to my relief Harry was in the bed across from me. Just then the hospital wing doors opened, and Professor Dumbledore stepped in.

"Oh good, Miss. Potter you are awake." He said giving me a small smile. He looked over at Harry who started to stir. Dumbledore went over to him and as Harry opened his eyes Harry started talking rapidly about Professor Quirrell and the stone. As Dumbledore put his hand up to quiet him, Harry was startled again. "Holly?" He asked him. Ignoring my weak legs and pounding head I threw myself out of bed.

"Oh God, Harry. You are okay!" I hugged him awkwardly and Harry hugged me back. "What happened?" We both asked each other. I climbed up and sat on the edge of Harrys bed as he talked to Dumbledore. "How long have we been out?" He asked. "Three days." Dumbledore explained. Eyes wide, Harry and I looked at each other. Dumbledore attempted to distract us again, but when he saw we weren't giving up he sighed.

"What happened with the stone between you and Professor Quirrell is a secret, so naturally the whole school knows." He stared as we gazed and all the things on the table next to his bed. I had a few things too, but not as much. "Miss. Potter. You were also sent a toilet seat, but Madame Pomfrey took it, too much of a hygiene issue." I smiled knowing that the Twins had sent it, because who else would?

Dumbledore explained to Harry that Professor Quirrell did not have the stone and that Dumbledore had it destroyed. After a while Harry finally asked one of the questions burning in the back of my mind. "Voldemort's going to try to find other ways of coming back, isn't he? I mean, he hasn't gone, has he?"

"No. He has not." Dumbledore started. "He is still out there somewhere, perhaps looking for another body to share, not being truly alive he can't be killed." I sat back on the bed thinking about Dumbledore's words has him and Harry continued to talk. "Now Harry, I will answer your questions however, I have one more pressing matter for you both."

Harry and I watched Dumbledore walk to the doors. Harry and I exchanged a glance but remained seated on his bed. We watched as Professor Dumbledore cracked the door open and in walked our parents. "Oh! My babies!" Mum cried out as she reached us. She threw her arms around the both of us and I felt her warm tears on her cheeks. "Mum! Dad!" Harry and I both cried out to our parents, absolutely floored that they were here.

Mum wouldn't let us go, even as Dad wrapped us both up in his own hug. We sat like that for a minute, our small family huddled up close together. "We've missed you two so much." Mum said after a moment. She sat across from me on Harry's bed and our dad pulled up a chair. We told them about our school year. "Oh Dad! It was great!" I said after explaining how I got past Filch to the third floor. He smiled at me. "I knew one of you would be up to no good." He ruffled the hair on the top of my head, and I reached over and sat in his lap.

As we told them about the rest of the year, I sat with my arms around my dad's waist holding on to him for dear life. "I heard you did nonverbal magic." Mum said to me and I smiled widely. "By mistake! But McGonagall said she would be willing to work with me." Harry finished telling Dad about quidditch until he realized he missed the last match of the season.

"Does this mean you guys are safe to come out of hiding now? We can go home right?" I asked eagerly. The look that my parents exchanged doused any hope I had. "Sadly, sweetheart, no." Dad said. I felt the tears pooling in my eyes. "We told Dumbledore we would help him with a special task, and it won't be safe for you to come with us or know anything about it. It's all to keep you two safe, I promise."

"What – what about Padfoot?" I asked. "And Remus?"

My dad gave my shoulders a little squeeze. "They are both fine. I'll let you in on a little secret. Part of our tasks is trying to free, and clear, Paddy." I giggled knowing how much Sirius hated it when my dad called him Paddy. Just then Dumbledore appeared in the room again reminding us all that our time with them was coming to an end.

"One more question, before you leave. What do we do when school is over?"

Mum gave us a weak smile. "I've written to my sister; she is going to take you two for the summer. We will sort everything else after that." Harry and I looked at each other with the same disgusted faces. Our Aunt Petunia hated us, all of us, because she was jealous that my mother was a witch and she wasn't. Since she didn't get to become a witch, she hated the lot of us. We had never met them, so this was going to be another adventure.

Harry and I were cleared to leave the hospital for the final feast. We have received our exam results and I was not in the least bit surprised I passed everything and learned that I got the highest score on my Transfiguration exam, even higher than Hermione. Though she was nice about it, I had a feeling it annoyed her slightly. Harry and I walked out of the hospital to find all of our friends there.

Ron, Hermione, Fred and George stood to one side with Rhea and Ashley standing on the other. I rushed up to them and hugged them. "Oh, Holly. We were so worried!" Rhea said. I smiled at her. "I'm sorry but I needed to be there for Harry." Both girls smiled at me. "We know." After patting Harry on the back the Twins came up to me. "Thanks for the toilet seat." I said smiling. They both shrugged as if to say it was nothing.

"Oh! Tell them the best part!" Ashley said excitedly. I looked between her and the twins. "Your friend Helen, we overheard her banging on about you, and how much of an idiot you two were and all this other crap." Fred said waving it away. "So, we left her a cup of tea."

"Made with love."

"But apparently the teacup didn't like her either."

"Because it bit the tip of her nose clean off."

I gasped. "It didn't?"

The twins laughed. "No, but she had a nasty bit and had to go to the hospital wing to get it sorted out." I threw my arms around the twins. "Oh man, I love you guys!" One last prank on Helen thanks to the Weasley twins. "Guess what else!" Rhea said excitedly again once I pulled away from the twins. I noted that George let his arm linger around my waist for a beat longer then Fred, but I shrugged it off not thinking it meant anything.

"Professor McGonagall was so impressed with your transfiguration exam she gave Ravenclaw an addition fifty points! Not that it matters, Slytherin won the house cup, but we were so close!" Once Harry, Hermione and Ron approached us we all filed down to the great hall. "How are you two feeling?" I asked Hermione and Ron. "Better than you two look." Ron said. "RON!" Hermione exclaimed. Thankfully I just laughed.

"Yeah, I feel like I've been run down by a train."

We walked into the great hall to find it decorated in greens and silvers. I waved goodbye to the others as Rhea, Ashley and I headed towards the Ravenclaw table just in time for Dumbledore's final speech. "Another year gone! And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully your heads are all a little fuller than they were. You have the whole summer ahead to get them nice and empty before next year starts."

"Now as I understand it, the house cup needs awarding and the points stand thus: in fourth place, Gryffindor with 312 points, in third Hufflepuff with 352 , Ravenclaw with 426 and Slytherin with 472."

With that the Slytherin table burst into cheers and applause. I watched as almost the entire school had disgusted looks on their faces when they watched the Slytherins celebrating. "Yes, well done Slytherin. However due to recent events I have a few more house points to award. Let me see here."

"Yes, first to a Mr. Ronald Weasley for the best played game of chess Hogwarts has ever seen these many years, I award fifty points."

The room burst into applause and I could see, but not hear, Percy talking excitedly. Once the room was quiet again Dumbledore went on. "Second to Miss. Hermione Granger for her cool use of logic in the face of fire, fifty points." Again, the room burst into applause. "Third to a Mr. Harry Potter. For pure nerve and outstanding courage, sixty points."

Everyone was making noise now, as they added points up in their heads and realizing Slytherin and Gryffindor were tied. I sat in my seat bouncing my leg and feeling anxious, there had to be something else. They couldn't leave it tied, could they? Dumbledore put his hand up and the room fell silent again.

"There are all kinds of courage. It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends. Therefore, I award ten points to Neville Longbottom." The entire school burst into applause at the downfall of Slytherin. No one heard the next thing Dumbledore said but soon the decorations changed from Slytherin to Gryffindor.

Before we knew it our trunks were packed and being taken down to the train. We filed into the great hall and received our notes stating magic wasn't allowed to be used over the summer. "Man, I always hope they forget to give us these." Fred said sadly before split apart for the boats. Once back on the train I sat in a compartment with Rhea and Ashley. It was nice to have my own friends. They promised to write, and we talked about what could possibly happen next year.

Just then there was a tap on the door to the compartment. We looked up to see Fred, George and Lee Jordan. Fred slid the door open. "Hello ladies." He said before sliding into the seat next to me. Lee Jordan sat beside Ashley and I thought her face was going to burst into flames. George leaned against the door frame. "You've got time for one more?" He asked me. I felt a smile spread across my face as I nodded.

"I'll come say goodbye before we get to the station." I said to the girls and I followed them out into the hall. Together we spend the rest of the time pulling little harmless pranks on our friends, mostly Percy and his girlfriend, Harry, Ron and Hermione. My face was starting to hurt from laughing so much. It was short lived, as we pulled into the station and I realized our aunt and uncle who we never met before were waiting for us on the other side.

I walked over to get my things and said my goodbyes to Rhea and Ashley before following Harry, Hermione and the rest of the Weasley's out into the Muggle world again. We met up with Mrs. Weasley and Ginny first. "Hi. Thank you for the sweater Mrs. Weasley." Harry said. She smiled at him and I stepped up. "Thank you too! That was so thoughtful of you, I loved it."

"Oh, it was nothing my dears, but I heard about what happened to yours dear. I am so sorry."

I shrugged. "It's okay, I kept it anyway, you put too much work into it for me not to save it, the best I could." Mrs. Weasley gave me such a warm smile, I almost melted. Harry and I turned to each other. "Guess we have to find them now?" He asked and I shrugged. "I wonder why that lady is staring so awkwardly at Holly." I heard George say and I turned around.

The look on the woman's face made it look like she was looking at a ghost. We said our goodbyes and slowly approached the couple. "Are you Petunia and Vernon?" I asked not even the least bit worried about offending them. They just gave us a stiff nod. "Great. That's Harry and I'm Holly." Again, they didn't say anything. After a minute Vernon said. "Right, well let's go. Lots of traffic." Two steps later Harry and I were thrown into the Muggle life.