Hogwarts was a new start for Lavender. She was being herself but toning it down, having learned her mistakes from her old school. She made a good impression this time and made new friends. She loved Hogwarts but none of this is worth it if Hermione was going mental. Worse, no one would notice but Lavender. She doubted Hermione's Uncle Lucius would do anything about it either. He'd be too worried about his own skin to think about Hermione's mental health.
Lavender was scared for her friend. Hermione believed a character she created was going to harm her. She stated that she was going to kill the character. Murder or attempted murder on a nonexistent person was an alarming sign. This was something one couldn't brush off lightly, especially with Hermione's family history.
Lavender spent the next few days spying on Hermione. Nothing was amiss. Hermione acted as if nothing happened. She went back to studying for the exams with Harry and Ron. Lavender prayed that night would be a onetime occurrence and let it go for now. If there was a hint of disturbance like the other night, Lavender was going to put a stop to their charade.
Hermione went back to playing her role to perfection. She dismissed the other night as a mere dream that she wouldn't waste her time thinking about. She had exams to pass, boys to keep in line, and a madman to follow. The exams were easier than she thought they would be. The boys and madman were another story.
Hermione met up with Ron and Harry after taking their exams. They went toward the Blake Lake and sat under a tree. Harry continually rubbed his scar and complained about it hurting. This worried Hermione. What if he was becoming ill from the heat? It was rather hot that particular day. She was wiping sweat from her hair line and Ron's face was colored pink. She suggested Harry see Madam Pomfrey. He stubbornly refused even though he stated the pain was a warning for danger.
"I don't feel well. There is something…I can't explain it." said Harry.
Hermione thought it was leftover anxiety from the exams.
"It's not that." Harry said, looking toward the sky.
Hermione could stop but stare at Harry. His lips were twitching and his expressive eyes told her he was concentrating hard. She was engrossed in watching him that she gasped when he suddenly stood up. Harry's face was white. Was it because of his scar? She should have been more assertive about him going to the hospital wing.
Ron called after Harry.
"I've just thought of something," said Harry. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."
Hermione recovered and got up with Ron to chase Harry.
"Why?" she asked him.
As Harry rushed toward Hagrid's hut, he shared his theory about the dragon egg and the stranger. He just realized it now? Hermione figured that one out a long time ago. When they reached Hagrid's Hut, Harry asked him about the stranger he won Norbert from. Hagrid admitted that he never saw the man's face. He was too naive for his own good. It didn't matter if being concealed under a cloak was a common practice in the Hog's Head. He should have been cautious when the man inquired him about Hogwarts.
"…So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."
"And did he - did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.
"Well - yeah - how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep-" Hagrid suddenly looked horrified. He should be.
Hagrid was digging a grave every time he opened his mouth. Hermione's gaze went to Harry. The grave might be his size.
"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey - where're yeh goin'?"
Silence surrounded the three friends as they returned to the castle.
It's time. Hermione thought.
"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak - it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"
None of them knew where it was. Things were getting bleak by the minute. Hermione didn't think Dumbledore was in Hogwarts. He was the one person the Dark Lord feared. If he was going to act now, he was going to have to distract the headmaster from his post. They came across Professor McGonagall and she confirmed Hermione's fears. Dumbledore received an owl – probably a fake - from the Ministry of Magic and left for London.
Harry was frantic. He confessed his knowledge of the Stone to Professor McGonagall and that someone as planning to steal it. She dismissed it and went on her way. Hermione kept her mouth closed. She wasn't going to risk telling the truth about the Dark Lord. If Professor McGonagall didn't believe Harry then she wasn't going to believe her.
Hermione palms were shaking with anxiety. This was it, isn't it? The day Quirrell hinted her about. Harry was going to die.
"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."
"But what can we-"
Hermione gasped when she saw Snape. Harry and Ron followed her vision.
"Good afternoon," Snape said smoothly.
They stared at him. Did he hear them?
"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.
Hermione shivered. Did he know about her or was that smile for Harry.
"We were - "
"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"
They turned to go outside, but Snape called them back.
"Be warned, Potter - any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."
He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.
When they were one the steps, Harry shared his plans with them.
"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, you'd better do that."
Hermione frowned, "Why me?"
"It's obvious," said Ron. "You can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen b wrong... '"
I didn't sound like that! "Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.
Hermione walked through the corridors, urgently searched for Lavender to no avail. She needed someone to talk to but Lavender was probably still taking her exams. Hermione collapsed on her knees in tears. Harry was a stupid half-blood, asking for trouble. Why should she waste tears on him? He didn't care for her wellbeing. Neither of the two boys did. She and the boys were friends but they always kept her out of their little partnership. They used her for her academic skills, copying her notes and homework. They sent her to spy on Snape knowing of the danger. He could harm her. They choose her because she was expendable. If she didn't matter to them then they don't matter to her.
Hermione wiped her face with her sleeve and headed for Gryffindor Tower.
"You don't look so good." The Fat Lady commented when she saw Hermione.
"Exams." said Hermione and portrait accepted the reason for her dishevel condition.
Hermione told her the password and it opened. Once Hermione was through the portal she found Harry and Ron.
"I'm sorry, Harry!" she wailed, convincingly. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."
"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said with glittering eyes.
Hermione could guess what he was going to do before he told them. He was going to the third floor tonight to save the Stone.
Hermione and Ron pleaded with Harry but he refused to listen.
"Don't you understand?" Harry shouted. "If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"
He finished his speech and glared at them.
Hermione saw his determination to save this world. To avenge his parents. It was relatable. Well, with Hermione it was the other way around. Her parents were the murderers. Would she be confronted by her parent's victims and their families one day? Would she be able to handle it? She didn't know what she would do beside apologize until she lost her voice.
"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.
"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."
"But will it cover all three of us?" said Ron.
"All - all three of us?"
"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"
"Of course not. How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us?" said Hermione. Quirrell implied that she had to be there. "I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful..."
"But if we get caught, you two will be expelled, too."
"Not if I can help it," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."
After having dinner the three of them sat nervously apart in the common room. Harry and Ron were staring into space. Hermione went over all of her notes and wished Harry and Ron were doing the same. They were probably mentally preparing themselves for tonight. It could be their last. Not for Hermione. She planned on living.
As night fell, their housemates went upstairs to rest. Hermione heard Ron whisper something to Harry. It made Harry ran upstairs. He returned with his invisibility cloak.
"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own -"
"What are you doing?" said a voice from the corner of the room.
Although Hermione recognized Neville's voice, she prayed it wasn't him. Hope was lost when Neville appeared from behind an armchair, holding Trevor.
"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.
Neville stared at them. He knows they're up to something.
"You're going out again," he said.
"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"
She couldn't let Neville get involved with them. Her parents turned his parents in to braindead vegetables. She wasn't about to let him be one too.
"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."
"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."
"I won't let you do it," Neville said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"
"Neville," Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot -"
"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"
"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."
He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor, who leapt out of sight.
"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"
"Do something," Harry said desperately to Hermione.
There was a time a place for Neville's bravery. This was not one of them. Hermione stepped forward.
"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this." She truly was. She raised her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board. Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together. He couldn't speak but his eyes were moving, staring at them in horror.
"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.
"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."
"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.
"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron.
They stepped over Neville and pulled on the invisibility cloak. Hermione did what she had to do. She'd understand if he never forgave her.
With their bodies pressed together, they ventured to their destination. All of them were jumpy and stopped whenever they saw or heard something. They encountered Mrs. Norris, which Ron elected to kick but Harry denied him the pleasure. They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet. Harry tricked him into leaving them alone by pretending to be the Bloody Baron.
They got to the third-floor corridor and the door was already ajar.
"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy. If you want to go back, I won't blame you. You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."
"Don't be stupid," said Ron.
"We're coming," said Hermione. She couldn't leave him on his own. She had to help him get pass the enchantments.
Harry pushed the door open. Low growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.
A shiny object caught Hermione's eye. "What's that at its feet?" She whispered.
"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."
"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, here goes..."
He put Hagrid's flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased - it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
"Keep playing," Ron warned Harry as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as they approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"
Hermione had to remind herself that this was more proof of her expendable role or else she wouldn't be able to continue.
"No, I don't!"
"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.
"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.
"Nothing - just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."
Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.
"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."
Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched. The moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep since her musical skills were more honed than Harry's. From the corner of her eye, she could see Harry climbing over the trapdoor.
"If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?" said Harry.
"Right," said Ron.
"See you in a minute, I hope..."
Please, be safe. Please, be safe. Please, be safe. Hermione chanted in her mind as she blew the flute.
"It's okay! It's a soft landing, you can jump!"
Ron nodded to Hermione before he went down the trapdoor.
"Come on, Hermione!"
Hermione stopped playing the flute and ran to the trapdoor. She shoved the flute into her pocket as she jumped, landing on Harry's side.
She looked up to the speck of light where the trapdoor was.
"We must be miles under the school," she said.
"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.
Hermione wiggled her itchy ankle. She turned to Ron and Harry. The plant was coiling around their bodies. Can't they feel it?!
"Lucky!" she shrieked. "Look at you both!"
Frightened, Hermione leapt up and ran to find an exit. She 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 from 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?"
"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In 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 unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.
"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.
"Yeah," said Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood,' honestly."
Hermione glared at Ron. She lost her head because she was scared for them.
How dare he insult her? He deserves to die.
But he's your friend!
No, he's not. None of them are! Now, shut up!
Hermione was having an internal battle with herself. One side wouldn't mind seeing them dead. The other wanted to spare them. She shook her head to clear it. As she followed them down the passage, she bit her tongue. The pain distracted her from her thoughts. She had to think rationally if she wanted to come out of this alive.
With or without them.
"This way," said Harry.
"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.
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. It was 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 no other choice... I'll run."
Hermione drew her wand as Harry hurried across the room. Seeing he was unharmed, Hermione and Ron followed. They tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.
"Now what?" said Ron.
Hermione looked at the flying creatures above them.
"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," she said.
"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean... 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."
When they went to pick their broomstick, Hermione recognized the one on the left and grabbed it before the others could. She turned the broomstick over to study it. This was Draco's broomstick! She thought Uncle Lucius made Draco send it back home ages ago. She would've heard about it if Draco didn't do as he was told. How did it get here? Was Draco here too? No, he couldn't be! Quirrell left this as a warning! He knew about her relationship with Draco and was using him to motivate her. Quirrell – no the Dark Lord - thought she might cower and turned back. The bastard!
Hermione hovered on Draco's broomstick, gripping the handle. She was apprehensive about this mission and had considered turning back but it seemed that decision was taken from her. If she turned back, Draco would be hurt. She had to protect Draco.
In the air, Hermione was pretending to reach for the flying keys. She was an able flyer but she wasn't the Seeker Harry was. Out of all of them he'd be the one to find and catch it. This was like watching him during his Quidditch matches but with a closer view. This might be the last time she got to see him on a broomstick.
"That one!" Harry called to the others. "That big one - there - no, there - with bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side."
Hermione followed the direction Harry pointed and saw it. Ron went speeding toward the key. He crashed into the ceiling and nearly fell off his broom.
"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, "Ron, you come at it from above - Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"
Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it. It sped toward the wall, Harry leaned 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.
They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.
"Ready?" Harry asked. They nodded. He pulled the door open.
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. Behind the white pieces they could see another door.
Hermione froze at the sight of the chessboard and the faceless chessmen. She glanced at Ron and then back at the chessboard, remembering Quirrell's words.
You and Weasley will be playing against each other in a much larger scale soon.
"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."
Hermione's eyes shot to Ron. Act ignorant!
"How?" she said 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 needs thinking about," he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of three of the black pieces..."
Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, letting Ron think. While Harry was busy watching Ron, Hermione wandered around the room. She was pretending to causally examine the chessboard. In actuality, she was searching for something. If she was going to play against Ron, she had to have a way to control the opposing chessmen. Quirrell should have left her something to do that.
Hermione walked until she felt a hard object beneath her foot. She looked back at Harry and Ron. They were still distracted. She slowly moved her foot to reveal the smaller chess piece that matched the color of the floor. A pawn? She was a pawn to the Dark Lord's game. Quirrell knew she would understand the meaning. She pocketed the pawn and returned to Harry's side. Neither boy noticed what she did.
"Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess." said Ron.
Hermione almost snickered.
"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 next to him instead of that castle."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.
Hermione tighten her grip on the pawn. A knight?! He always sacrificed his knight! Was he suicidal?
A knight, a bishop, and a castle walked off the board, leaving three empty squares for Harry, Ron, and Hermione to take.
Hermione reached into her pocket and clutched the pawn. Let see if this works. She concentrated on a large white pawn across the board and willed it to move two squares. It worked.
"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, "Yes... look..."
Hermione and Ron began their match.
"Harry - move diagonally four squares to the right." said Ron.
Hermione moved another pawn when it was her turn. She started off with simple moves, waiting to see which strategy Ron was going to use. As seconds passed, guilt was building on her conscience. The awareness of the danger they were in was eating her inside. They were not sitting in the common room, safely directing their chess pieces. They are on the chessboard.
Hermione made her white queen smash Ron's knight to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown. Maybe if he saw what happened to the knight, it would scare him? It had to sink in that his playing as the knight was dangerous. He shouldn't sacrifice his knight. He should use another strategy. Or…or don't continue at all.
"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."
Hermione walked to her square. Back and forth they played. She took a few of his black pieces and he took her white ones.
Hermione didn't favor Ron and she didn't hate him either. He was tolerable at best. She imagined him, and almost everyone she knew, dying more than she could say. It was a habit she had since she was young. But there was a difference between dreaming about it and seeing it in reality. Could she really allow him to die? She was directing the white chess pieces. If they killed him, whether it was by accident or not, she was at fault. They were following her orders. She didn't want to be a murderer even if his family was a blood traitor. Harry was the one the Dark Lord wanted not her or Ron. She had to stop Ron from continuing with her and Harry. With that decision made, she changed her tactic.
"We're nearly there," Ron muttered suddenly. "Let me think, let me think..."
There was only a hand full of their pieces left. The others were piles of rubble on the floor on the side of the board. Hermione lined her pieces in the perfect place for Ron. He was going to win this match.
"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."
"NO!" Harry and Hermione shouted.
"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"
"But -"
"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"
"Ron -"
"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"
"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."
He stepped forward.
Hit him but not too hard! Hermione ordered her white queen.
The white queen struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor. Hermione screamed but stayed on her square.
I said not too hard, and he better be breathing! Hermione hollered in her head. Since the white pieces were taking her orders, she thought they could hear her.
The white queen dragged a limped Ron off the board and put him with the rest of the fallen pieces.
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. Hermione held her breath until she saw Ron's chest moving.
I'm sorry. Hermione whispered to Ron before going through the threshold and into another passageway. Tears threatened to fall as more guilt weighted heavy on her chest. She forced her tears to stop. She couldn't let it affect her but it already did. Ron was still breathing but for how long?
"What if he's -?"
"He'll be all right," said Harry, "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." Hermione listed.
They had reached another door.
She was beginning to rethink what she was doing. She couldn't go through with this. It was wrong! But she had to think of Draco. He might be held captive. If she spoke a word about Quirrell, Draco'll be a tortured.
"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.
Hermione knew that Quirrell took care of the troll for them. He wanted them to hurry up and finish.
"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," 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 onward. 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, which ever 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.
Hermione let out a great sigh and smiled. Solving it required the use of your brain. Harry and Ron would have been trapped here forever or die trying to find a way out.
"Brilliant," she said. "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 forever."
"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; 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."
Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.
"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire - toward the Stone."
"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."
Quirrell did it on purpose. This was where she'd be finally leaving him.
"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 that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying- key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy - go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."
"But Harry - what if You-Know-Who's with him?" Which he probably was.
"Well - I was lucky once, wasn't I?" said Harry, pointing at his scar. "I might get lucky again."
Hermione's lip trembled. She dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.
Forgive me, Harry. Draco means the world to me.
"Hermione!"
"Harry - you're a great wizard, you know." And she meant it.
He was fearless. Ron was courageous. She was weak.
"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, embarrassed, as she let go of him.
"Me!" said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things - friendship and bravery and - oh Harry - be careful!"
"You drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"
"Positive," said Hermione. She 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. Ron was exactly where they left them –thank goodness - still alive! She gently shook him. He woke with a groan. She managed to bring him to his feet, putting his arm over her shoulder, and help walk back to the broomsticks. They mounted their broomsticks and got them out of there. The journey back was slow because she had to mindful of Ron.
Once they were safely out of the trapdoor, they raced to the owlery to contact Dumbledore. It appeared they didn't have to. They met their headmaster in the entrance hall.
Before they could say anything he said, "Harry's gone after him, hasn't he?"
Hermione nodded with her eyes' lowered to prevent him from seeing into her mind.
Dumbledore gracefully turned and sprint away.
"He's gone to save Harry. We should take you to the hospital wing."
Ron appeared as if he was going to protest but gave in. Hermione took Ron to Madam Pomfrey and ran in search of news about Draco. She spotted the Bloody Baron and asked him about Draco. He was the resident ghost of Slytherin, he should know about the students in his house.
"Asleep in his dorm." He said in a deep baritone.
If Harry survived, she'd tell him his impression of the ghost was way off. It was good enough to trick Peeves because the Bloody Baron rarely spoke.
"And, is he safe?"
The ghost nodded.
"Thank you."
Hermione ran back to Ron and begged to see Professor McGonagall. She told her professor a filtered version of what happened, keeping her true identity and role in the story a secret.
"Calm yourself, Professor Dumbledore is down there as we speak." said Professor McGonagall.
Hermione was cried tears of joy. Harry was saved.
Hermione was waiting by Ron's bedside when Dumbledore appeared through the doors with an unconscious Harry. Madam Pomfrey rushed passed Hermione and into action. She directed the headmaster to put Harry on an empty bed. Hermione wished to stay. She wanted to see Harry and Ron when they woke but she was too ashamed.
Hermione went to the nearest girls' bathroom. A lot had happened and she must gather her wits. Months ago, they had risked their lives and saved her form a troll. How did she repay them? She led them to their deaths. It was a miracle they lived through this.
Am I selfish to choose Draco over them?
Hermione fell to the floor and hugged her knees. She rocked herself back and forth, pressing her eyes closed.
Death is too easy for you.
Hermione's eyes snapped opened at the sound of her mother's voice. She was not in the girls' bathroom. She was home, sitting on the floor eating a bowl of berries Uncle Rabastan gave her.
"Hawmaan?" she said with a mouth full of berries.
"They are playing Hangman, Lyra." Uncle Rabastan corrected her.
"I-I-I no-t s-sc-are of yo-ou!"
Hermione turned to the direction of the sound. The owner of the voice was a man hanging upside down in midair. His face was bruised and swollen. His clothes were shredded rages clinging over his twist and disjointed body. Daddy was standing to the side. Mummy danced circles around Hangman. She flicked her wand and another gash appeared across his chest. Blood seeped from the open wound.
"Try saying that again without stuttering." mummy said with wicked menace. "Maybe then, I'll believe you."
Hermione's attention was back to her bowl. She scooped another hand full and stuffed them into her mouth. Not giving Hangman another thought.
"Ly, Ly…please wake up."
Hermione opened her eyes and was met with the puffy red face of Lavender. Lavender inhaled sharply and pulled her into a hug.
"You were discovered unconscious in the girls' bathroom. I was so scared."
Hermione could feel Lavender's tears forming a wet spot on her shirt. One glance told her she was lying in the hospital wing.
"I'm fine." She said.
But she didn't feel as if she was.
ANotes:
I finally finished Sorcerer's Stone! Boy, did that took a long time.