THE CHOSEN TWINS

CHAPTER 10: WORMTAIL TELLS THE TRUTH.

AUTHOR'S NOTE: THIS IS THE TENTH CHAPTER AND PROBABLY SECOND LAST. PLEASE LEAVE YOUR COMMENTS. I WOULD LOVE IT IF I KNEW THAT YOU GUYS WERE ENJOYING IT AS MUCH AS I AM.

"The what?"

"Invisibility cloak...,It is very rare, Put it on, Hazel." Ron was surprised to see one.

Hazel turned the cloak on her back, she disappeared except for her head. A note was attached to it,

"Your father left it in my possession, it is time it was returned back to the Potter Family. Use it well."

"Whose it from?" Hermione asked.

"It doesn't say."

"Harry," Hazel stood as his came in," look at you! What were you doing?"

Harry came in the common room covered with dirt and smelled awful.

"Snape made me scrub the boys toilet."

Hermione waved her wand. The smell went away. Harry was looking as hi just showered, even water dripped from his hair.

"Thank you, Hermione,"

Ron looked at her in admiration.

"We have to see this Peter guy tonight." Hazel announced.

"No, Hazel, you don't know what he is up to, It could be dangerous." Hermione looked worried.

"But Hermione, He knows something about our past." Harry wanted to go too.

"You will get caught," Hermione was still convinced.

"No, we won't we have the cloak." Ron told her.

"The cloak?, Harry didn't know.

"We were an invisibility cloak by someone," Hazel showed him the card.

"Use it well..." He murmured.

"Harry, Hazel are you sure, he could be dangerous?" Hermione looked at both of them.

"Hermione, no matter who we ask, no tells us about our parents, and What happened?" Hazel said.

"Yeah, they just say Voldemort..."

Ron gasped.

"Oh please, Ron, It's just a name."

"We'll sneak out at night under the cloak at night and come back before the Professors suspect anything." Hazel pointed to herself and Harry.

"We?" Ron looked at her. " I am going with you."

"But, Ron, it could be dangerous." Hazel protested.

"We stick together,remember."

"If you guys are going, then I am also going." Hermione told Hazel.

"But but..." The Potters didn't want any fall to get hurt.

"No buts...I promised you Hazel, I am going with you." Ron Weasley remembered his words.

"Me too."

The sun went down, the night came on to Hogwarts. The Potter Twins, Ron and Hermione nervously walked to the third corridor. The invisibility cloak covered almost all of them, showing their feet.

"This is it." Harry stood in front of the trapdoor.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. three of a dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

'What's that at its feet?' Hermione whispered.

'Looks like a harp,' said Ron." We have to play music to put him to sleep.'

"We can't reach the harp." Hazel whispered." Let's whistle"

"One at a time." Hermione whispered back." Maybe we have to do it for a longer time."

Harry started, followed by Ron, then Hazel and then Hermione. The dog was asleep. Harry looked in the trapdoor. here was no sign of the bottom. He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips.

Then he looked up at Ron and said, 'If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?'

'Right,' said Ron.

'See you in a minute, I hope ...' And Harry let go.

Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and – FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.

'It's OK!' he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp which was the open trapdoor. 'It's a soft landing, you can jump!'

Ron followed straight away. He landed sprawled next to Harry.

'What's this stuff?' were his first words.

'Dunno, sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall.

Come on, Hazel!' The distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hazel and Hermione had already jumped. They landed on Harry's other side.

'We must be miles under the school,' Hermione said.

'Lucky this plant thing's here, really,' said Ron.

'Lucky!' shrieked Hermione. 'Look at you both!'

She leapt up and struggled towards a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing. Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

'Stop moving!' Hermione ordered them. 'I know what this is – it's She leapt up and struggled towards a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing. Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

'Stop moving!' Hermione ordered them. 'I know what this is – it's Devil's Snare!'

'Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help,' snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant curling around his neck.

'Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!' said Hermione.

Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!' Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

'Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare ... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp –'

'So light a fire!' Harry choked.

'Yes – of course – but there's no wood!' Hermione cried, wringing her hands. 'HAVE YOU GONE MAD?' Ron bellowed. 'ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?'

Before Hermione could do anything, Hazel waved her wand, it produced a beautiful white flame, almost a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from their bodies and they were able to pull free.

"Thank god, Hermione pays attention in Herbology." Harry breathed.

"Thank God Hazel has a present brain," Ron said. Hermione shot him an angry look.

'This way,' said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway which was the only way on.

All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downwards and Harry was reminded of Gringotts.

'Can you hear something?' Ron whispered.

Harry listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

'Do you think it's a ghost?'

'I don't know ... sounds like wings to me.'

'There's light ahead – I can see something moving.'

They reached the end of the passageway and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them, full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy, wooden door.

'Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?' said Ron.

'Probably,' said Harry. 'They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once ... Well, there's nothing for it ... I'll run.'

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms and sprinted across the room. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws tearing at him any second, but nothing happened. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked. The other two followed him. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora Charm.

'Now what?' said Ron

. 'These birds ... they can't be here just for decoration,' said Hermione.

They watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering – glittering?

'They're not birds!' Harry said suddenly, 'they're keys! Winged keys – look carefully. So that must mean ...' he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys.

'... Yes – look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!'

'But there are hundreds of them!' Ron examined the lock on the door.

'We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one – probably silver, like the handle.' Hazel said thoughtfully.

Harry and Hazel seized a broomstick each and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

'That one!' Ron called to the twins. 'That big one – there – no, there – with bright blue wings – the feathers are all crumpled on one side.

The key dodged them both and Harry streaked after it; it sped towards the wall, Harry leant forward and with a nasty crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Harry,Hazel Ron and Hermione shivered slightly – the towering white chessmen had no faces.

'Now what do we do?' Harry whispered.

'It's obvious, isn't it?' said Ron. 'We've got to play our way across the room.'

Behind the white pieces they could see another door. 'How?' said Hermione nervously.

'I think,' said Ron, 'we're going to have to be chessmen.'

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

Do we – er – have to join you to get across?'

The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.

'This wants thinking about ...' he said. 'I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces ...' The twins and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, 'Now, don't be offended or anything, but none of you are that good at chess –'

'We're not offended,' said Harry quickly. 'Just tell us what to do.'

'Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle.'

'What about me?' Hazel asked.

"Well, You wait."

"Wait?" Hazel was indignant.

"If something were to happen to us, you can always go ahead, Hazel." Ron told her.

'What about you?'

'I'm going to be a knight,' said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop and a castle turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board leaving three empty squares which Harry, Ron and Hermione took.

'White always plays first in chess,' said Ron, peering across the board.

'Yes ... look ...' A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling. What if they lost?

'Harry – move diagonally four squares to the right.'

Their first real shock came when their other knight was taken.

Hazel stood there in the corner, scared if something happened to her friends or her brother, she would never forgive herself for making them come here.

The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, face down.

'Had to let that happen,' said Ron, looking shaken. 'Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on.'

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

'We're nearly there,' he muttered suddenly. 'Let me think – let me think ...' The white queen turned her blank face towards him.

'Yes ...' said Ron softly, 'it's the only way ... I've got to be taken.' 'NO!' Harry and Hazel shouted. Hermione turned white.

'That's chess!' snapped Ron. 'You've got to make some sacrifices! I'll make my move and she'll take me – that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!'

'But –'

'Do you want to confront Quirell and Pettigrew or not?'

'Ron –'

'Ready?' Ron called, his face pale but determined. 'Here I go – now, don't hang around once you've won.'

He stepped forward and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard around the head with her stone arm and he crashed to the floor – Hermione screamed but stayed on her square – the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out. Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. They had won. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry and Hermione charged through the door and up the next passageway.

'What if he's –?'

'He'll be all right,' said Harry, trying to convince himself. 'What do you reckon's next?'

'We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare – Flitwick must've put charms on the keys – McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive – that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's ...' Hazel said deep in thought, her eyes focused on Ron.

They had reached another door.

'All right?' Harry whispered.

'Go on.'

Harry pushed it open.

A disgusting smell filled their nostrils, making both of them pull their robes up over their noses. Eyes watering, they saw, flat on the floor in front of them, a troll even larger than the one they had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

Harry whispered, as they stepped carefully over one of its massive legs.

'Come on, I can't breathe.'

He pulled open the next door, both of them hardly daring to look at what came next – but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

'Snape's,' said Harry. 'What do we have to do?'

They stepped over the threshold and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onwards. They were trapped.

'Look!'

Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read it.

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 for evermore,

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 onwards, 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.

Hazel read it over Hermione's shoulder.

'Brilliant,' said Hermione.

'This isn't magic – it's logic – a puzzle.

A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here for ever.'

'But so will we, won't we?'

'Of course not,' said Hermione. 'Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; two will get us safely through the black fire and one will get us back through the purple.'

Got it,' Hazel said. 'The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire – towards the Stone.'

Harry looked at the tiny bottle. 'There's only enough there for one of us,' he said.

'That's hardly one swallow.'

"It means Hazel and you can go, and I will go back."

They looked at each other.

'Which one will get you back through the purple flames?' Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

'You drink first,' said Harry.

'You are sure which is which, aren't you?'

'Positive,' said Hazel.

Hermione took a long drink from the round bottle at the end and shuddered.

'It's not poison?' said Harry anxiously.

'No – but it's like ice.'

'Quick, go, before it wears off.'

'Good luck – take care –'

'GO!'

Hermione turned and walked straight through the purple fire. Harry took a deep breath and picked up the smallest bottle. He turned to face the black flames. He took a small sip, and gave the bottle to Hazel.

"This is it."

"Here we come."

It was indeed as though ice was flooding their bodies. Hazel put the bottle down and walked forward; she braced hemself, saw the black flames licking their bodies but couldn't feel them – for a moment they could see nothing but dark fire – then they was on the other side, in the last chamber.

It was Peter Pettigrew and Professor Quirell standing in the last chamber, infront of a mirror.

"What are you doing here?" The Potter twins exclaimed.

"We could ask you the same question." Pettigrew snarled though scared.

"We have come to raise my master, the Dark Lord." It was Quirell, he was no longer stuttering.

You!' gasped Harry.

Quirrell smiled. His face wasn't twitching at all.

'Me,' he said calmly,"I tried to kill you. Your friend Miss Granger accidentally knocked me over as she rushed to set fire to Snape at that Quidditch match. She broke my eye contact with you. Another few seconds and I'd have got you off that broom. And your sister went with you too, The Dark Lord brought Pettigrew to help."

'Now, wait quietly, Potter. I need to examine this interesting mirror.'

"You, you knew the Maruaders, didn't you?" Hazel turned to Pettigrew.

"Knew them, I was one of them,"

"S you knew our Parents." Harry asked him

"Oh, I knew them alright, I was your Father's secret keeper, What a mistake he made when he chose me, instead of Padfoot or Moony."

"Who are these people?"

"Padfoot and Moony are your Godfathers."

"Our Godfathers?" The Potter twins yelled.

"Enough," Quirell shouted." the Dark lord wants to appear."

Quirrell cursed under his breath. 'I don't understand ... is the Stone inside the Mirror? Should I break it?' 'I see the Stone ... I'm presenting it to my master ... but where is it?'

'Use the boy ... Use the boy ...' They all heard a voice.

Quirrell rounded on Harry.

'Yes – Potter – come here.'

"Voldemort was coming, so you sold out my parents, you betrayed your friends..." Hazel was yelling. She was worried, what was going to happen to Harry. This man had betrayed the Potters before, it wouldn't be difficult for him to do it again.

"I had gotten a chance with the most superior, I was supposed to let it go, For your father was a skilled wizard, Moony was a werewolf, and the black family connects kept Sirius alive, your mother was just a filthy mudblood, so I had to do what i had to do."

"The stone will give Voldemort power?" Hazel's mind was now racing, she had bigger problems to solve than listen to this traitor.

"It will grant him a new body, a seperate one." Quirell said.

" Seperate one?" It was Harry.

"Enough talk, Come here,' Quirrell repeated. 'Look in the Mirror and tell me what you see.'

Harry walked towards him. 'Is it a magic mirror?,' he thought. 'I must look and lie about what I see, that's all.'

'Well?' said Quirrell impatiently.

'What do you see?' Harry screwed up his courage.

'I see myself shaking hands with Dumbledore,' he invented. 'I – I've won the House Cup for Gryffindor.'

Quirrell cursed again. 'Get out of the way,' he said.

As Harry moved aside he felt the Philosopher's Stone against his leg.

Dare he make a break for it? But he hadn't walked five paces before a high voice spoke, though Quirrell wasn't moving his lips.

'He lies ... He lies ...'

'Potter, come back here!'Quirrell shouted. 'Tell me the truth! What did you just see?'

The high voice spoke again. 'Let me speak to him ... face to face ...'

'Master, you are not strong enough!'

'I have strength enough ... for this ...' The vioce was scaring the Potter twins.

Hazel and Harry Both stood together, side by side, Petrified, they watched as Quirrell reached up and began to unwrap his turban.

Where there should have been a back to Quirrell's head, there was a face, the most terrible face Harry had ever seen. It was chalk white with glaring red eyes and slits for nostrils, like a snake.

'Harry Potter ... Hazel Potter' it whispered. Harry tried to take a step backwards but his legs wouldn't move. 'See what I have become?' the face said. 'Mere shadow and vapour ... I have form only when I can share another's body ... but there have always been those willing to let me into their hearts and minds ... and once I have the Elixir of Life, I will be able to create a body of my own ... Now ... why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?"

Hazel looked at Harry, He had the stone.

So he knew The feeling suddenly surged back into Harry's legs. He stumbled backwards. 'Don't be a fool,' snarled the face. 'Better save your own life and join me ... or you'll meet the same end as your parents ... They died begging me for mercy ...'

'LIAR!' Harry and Hazel shouted together.

Quirrell was walking backwards at him, so that Voldemort could still see him. The evil face was now smiling.

'How touching ...' it hissed. 'I always value bravery ... Yes, boy, your parents were brave ... I killed your father first and he put up a courageous fight ... but your mother needn't have died ... she was trying to protect you ... Now give me the Stone, unless you want her to have died in vain.'

'Don't give it to him,Harry!'

Hazel now stood in front of the mirror, how she wished that the stone would to her, and Harry could be saved from all of this.

Harry sprang towards the flame door, but Voldemort screamed,

'SEIZE HIM!'

and, next second, Harry felt Quirrell's hand close on his wrist.

At once, a needle-sharp pain seared across Harry's scar; his head felt as though it was about to split in two; he yelled,so did Hazel, even though Voldemort was not touching her, her scar burnt and a pain grasped her. Harry struggling with all his might, and to his surprise, Quirrell let go of him. The pain in his head lessened – he looked around wildly to see where Quirrell had gone and saw him hunched in pain, looking at his fingers – they were blistering before his eyes.

'Seize him! SEIZE HIM!' shrieked Voldemort again and Quirrell lunged, knocking Harry clean off his feet, landing on top of him, both hands around Harry's neck – Harry's scar was almost blinding him with pain, yet he could see Quirrell howling in agony.

"Harry, He cannot touch us, He will burn," Hazel shouted.

She came forward and pulled the stone from Harry's pocket, and stuffed into hers.

'Seize her! SEIZE HER!' shrieked Voldemort again.

'Master, I cannot... – my hands – my hands!' And Quirrell, though pinning Harry to the ground with his knees, let go of his neck and stared, bewildered, at his own palms –

Harry could see they looked burnt, raw, red and shiny. 'Then kill her, fool, and be done!' screeched Voldemort. Quirrell raised his hand to perform a deadly curse pionting his wand at Hazel. She rememebered what Dumbledore had said. He couldn't kill us in one go.

but Harry, by instinct, reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face –

'AAAARGH!' Quirrell rolled off him, his face blistering too,

and then Harry knew: Quirrell couldn't touch his bare skin, not without suffering terrible pain – his only chance was to keep hold of Quirrell, keep him in enough pain to stop him doing a curse. Hazel joined him. Quirell shrieked and howled, they both together were inflicting double the pain to others.

Peter Pettigrew looked at this horrifically, he was scared. He couldn't move. The Potter Twins were scaring him. "By Melin, so much power." His feet froze to the ground.

Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of 'KILL THEM! KILL HIM, KILL HER!' .Harry felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness, down ... down ... down ... The Potter Twins fell on the floor.

Peter Pettigrew thinking that all of them were dead for good, he decided to escape, Voldemort was gone, The twins were gone, He could go back to his life.