The Quartet walked down the hall somewhat happy, they were done with their exams and had a whole week before they got their results. On the down side, Harry and Abby's scars were hurting more than ever.
"Our scars". Harry whispered when Ron asked him what was wrong.
"They're burning". Abby finished. Then Abby saw Hagrid's hut and her eyes widened, "we've got to go and see Hagrid, now".
"Why"? Hermione asked as they turned and headed toward his hut.
"Don't you think it's weird that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon"? She asked.
"And a stranger turns up who just so happens to have one"? Harry said catching on.
"How many people walk around just carrying dragon eggs in their pockets"? Abby asked. When they reached Hagrid hut they found him sitting on the steps playing a flute.
"Hagrid, the stranger you won Norbert off of, what did he look like"? Harry asked.
"I dunno, I never saw his face, he keep his hood up". Hagrid answered.
"Did you mention Hogwarts to him"? Abby asked.
"Yeahh…he asked what I did and I told him O was a game keeper here…..He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I look after….he told me he had a dragon egg but he wasn't sure if I could handle it…..I told him after Fluffy, a dragon's gonna be no problem….I told him the trick with any beast is to know how to calm him, take Fluffy for instance, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight asleep—." Hagrid stopped when he realized what he had said. "I shouldn't have told you that".
But they were already taking off back across the ground,
"Where yeh going"? Hagrid asked.
Truth be told, the only one who knew where they were going was Harry. Hence the reason he was leading them, he led them straight to McGonagall's office. They all stopped in front of her desk, each one panting heavily.
"We have to see Dumbledore". Harry gasped out.
"I'm sorry but he left ten minutes ago". McGonagall replied starring at the group with suspicion.
"Gone"? Abby cried. "Where"?
"He received an urgent message from the Ministry of Magic". McGonagall explained.
"But this is important, it's about the Sorcerer's Stone, someone's going to try and steal it". Harry protested.
"I don't know how you found out about that but I assure you the Stone is perfectly safe". Then she ushered them out of her office.
"With Dumbledore gone the Stone's up for-." Harry stopped talking as Abby elbowed him in the ribs. Snape was standing behind them,
"Good Afternoon". He said smoothly.
They could only stare at him, none trusted their voice at the moment.
"Now, what would you three be doing inside on a day like this"? He asked with a twisted smile.
"Well, we were-." Hermione started but he gave her a look and she quieted.
"You ought to be more careful. People might start to think the four of you were up to something". Then he turned slowly and walked away.
"Tonight", Harry started.
"We down the trap door". Abby finished, Ron and Hermione nodded.
Finally when the last person had left the common room, Harry and Abby went and quietly got their Invisibility Cloaks. Harry returned first, but Abby didn't come for another five minutes.
"I am going to kill Fred and George". She mumbled answering their questioning looks automatically. Boys weren't allowed in the girls dorms but girls were allowed in the boys dorm, Fred and George have been trying to figure out to get in the girls dorm since they started going to Hogwarts. After Hermione insisting it, they pinned the cloaks together and headed for the portrait hole. But there was a toad sitting on the arm of one of the chairs that hadn't been there before.
"Trevor"! Ron snapped. "You shouldn't be here".
"Neither should you". Neville sat up in the chair, Abby swore under her breath. "You're going out again aren't you"?
"It's really important Neville". Harry said.
"No, you'll get Gryffindor into trouble again, I-I'll fight you". Neville stuttered out. Hermione drew her wand and stepped forward.
"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this". She raised her wand. "Petrificus Totalus"! She pointed her wand at him. Neville's arms snapped to him side and he fell stiffly over.
"You're a bit scary, did you know that"? Ron asked. "Brilliant, but scary".
"Sorry". Hermione said stepping over Neville.
"Sorry mate". Harry said following her.
"Sorry Neville, if you had just moved". Abby said stepping over him.
"It's for your own good, you know". Ron said following Abby. After making sure their feet couldn't be seen under the cloak, they slowly made their way to the third floor corridor. But when they got there the door was already ajar.
"Well there you have it". Harry said quietly. "Snape's already got past Fluffy".
Harry pushed the door open and the squeak caused a low rumbling growl from the dog. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.
"What's at its feet"? Hermione whispered.
"Looks like a harp". Ron said. "Snape must have left it here".
"It must wake up the minute you stop playing". Abby whispered.
"How are we gonna get past it"? Hermione asked. "None of us have anything to play to make it go to sleep". Suddenly Harry turned and looked at Abby,
"No". She said shaking her head. "No way".
"But Abs, we need a way to get past the dog". Harry whined, Abby shook her head.
"I don't have anything to sing though". She argued.
"Try Once Upon A December". Harry suggested, Abby looked so close to protesting but Fluffy gave a huge growl and she sighed.
Dancing bears,
Painting wings.
Things I almost remember,
And a song, someone sings,
Once upon a December.
Someone holds me save and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory.
From the first word Abby sang the dogs eyes began to droop. Slowly his growls ceased, it feel to its knees and then slumped to the ground, fast asleep.
"Keep singing". Ron said as Abby showed every sign of stopping.
Someone holds me safe and warm,
Horses prance through a silver storm.
Figures dancing gracefully,
Across my memory.
As the other three got closer to the dog they noticed his paw was lying directly over the trap door.
"On three". Harry said as they got ready to push it out of the way. "One….two…three". Carefully they slid the dog's paw over.
"I'll go first, if anything happens to me, don't let Abby come after me, go straight to the owlery and send Dumbledore a message".
"Right". Ron replied.
Far away, long ago,
Glowing dim as an ember.
Things my heart,
Use to know.
Things it Yearns to remember.
And a song,
Someone sings.
Once upon a December.
Abby finished her song and ran for the trap door, she pushed Ron in and jumped after him. Fluffy just barely missed her head. Abby landed in something very soft but it was she had no clue what it was. Suddenly vines began to wrap around them tightly, Abby, Harry, and Ron began to struggle. Only to have the vines tighten their grip.
"Stop moving you three". Hermione ordered. "This is Devil's Snare, if you don't stop moving it'll only kill you faster".
"Kill us faster! Oh, now I can relax"! Ron said still struggling.
"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it"! Hermione snapped.
"Well could you hurry up, cause I can't breath"! Abby gasped wrestling with a vine that had wrapped around her chest. But suddenly Hermione sunk down into the Devil's Snare.
"HERMIONE"! All three yelled.
"Just relax"! Hermione voice floated from somewhere beneath them.
"Hermione where are you"? Harry asked.
"Do what I say trust me". Hermione called, Abby stopped moving and almost instantly sunk into the Devil's Snare.
"ABBY"! Harry and Ron yelled. Abby found herself of the floor underneath the Devil's Snare.
"Harry RELAX"! She yelled. Harry stilled and squeezed his eyes shut, soon he too sunk into the Devil's Snare.
"Ahhh, HARRY"! Ron yelled.
"You okay"? Abby asked Harry.
"Yeah". Harry replied standing, they could hear Ron yelling for help above them.
"He's not relaxing is he"? Hermione asked.
"Apparently not". Harry replied.
"Argh, there must be something we can do". Hermione said pacing. "I remember reading something in Herbology once, Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, is deadly fun….but will soak in the sun! That's it! Devil Snare hates sunlight"! Hermione drew her wand and pointed toward the spot where Ron was.
"Lumos harlin"! She cried, a jet of light streamed from Hermione's wand and soon Ron fell to the ground.
"Whoo, lucky we didn't panic". He said standing.
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology". Harry said. But Abby was half way across the room, she was heading toward the only door there was.
"Wings". She said softly. They pushed open the door and gasped. There must have been a thousand winged keys flying everywhere and a single broom was floating in the middle of the room.
"So, which one unlocks the door do you think"? Hermione asked.
"We're looking for a big old fashioned one, probably rushed at the handle". Ron said as he looked at all the keys.
"Right there, I see it"! Harry and Abby said together, pointing at a key that had a bent wing and seemed to be fluttering rather than flying. Harry and Abby looked at the broom,
"It's too easy". Abby whispered, Harry nodded.
"Oh go on you two you're the youngest Quidditch players in a century. If Snape can get pass on that old thing so can you". Ron said. Harry looked at Abby who raised an eyebrow,
"I sang for the dog, your turn now". She said. Finally Harry grabbed the broom and mounted the broom, but suddenly all the keys began to swarm around Harry.
"This complicates things a bit". Ron mumbled. Harry batted at the keys but could only hit a few at a time and stay on his broom. It took Harry less than 3 minutes to catch the stupid key, but when he did Abby, Ron, and Hermione ran toward the door.
"Abs, catch the key"! He yelled. Abby waited until he was close before jumping up into the air and grabbing the key Harry threw down at them. She ran to the door and quickly unlocked it, and then she held it open for her brother. As soon a he whizzed past her she slammed the door shut, making the keys smash into it.
"Okay so, what's next"? Abby asked as they faced the dark room. Suddenly it lit up and Abby smirked.
"What is it"? Hermione asked.
"It's chess board". Ron answered. They were standing on the edge of a large chess board, behind the black pieces which were taller than they were and seemed to be carved from black stone. Across from them were the white pieces,
"So what do we do now"? Harry asked.
"Isn't it obvious"? Ron asked. "We're gong to play our way across the room". Behind the white chessmen was another door.
"Harry you take the place of the bishop, Hermione you go next to him instead of that castle, and Abby, you take the place of the pawn in front of Harry". Ron said.
"What about you"?
"Me? I'll be a knight". Ron replied climbing onto the horses back.
When the game began no one had yet figured out if it was going to be like real wizard chess so Hermione asked. Her question was answered when one of their pieces was smashed to bits by one of the white pieces.
"Yes Hermione, I think this is gonna be exactly like real wizard's chess". Ron said in a shaky voice. They played for almost thirty minutes and were losing black pieces fast. Every time one of their men lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a pile of black pieces that lay limp against the wall.
"We're nearly there". He muttered. "Let me think-let me think…." Then his face softened and he sighed. Abby's eyebrows knitted together as she searched the board, then suddenly her eyebrows shot up and she starred at Ron in disbelief.
"That's right Abby, it's the only way though". He said quietly. Abby looked back at Harry who was just figuring it out.
"No". Harry said shaking his head.
"What is it"? Hermione asked.
"He's going to sacrifice himself". Harry and Abby said together.
"No you can't, there must be another way"! Hermione yelled.
"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that Stone or not"? Ron asked. "Listen, Harry, Abby it's you two that have to go on. I just know it". Ron turned and faced the white pieces, finally he sighed and said shakily,
"Knight to H3". His horse moved forward and finally stopped. The queen on the white team turned toward him and headed straight for him, when she finally reached him she stabbed her sword threw the horses. Ron fell of the horse and was knocked out, a few pieces of his horse narrowly missed his head a few times. Hermione went to run toward him but Harry stopped her,
"NO, don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing". Hermione nodded and stood still. Quietly Harry walked toward the King, once he was in front of him he took a deep breath and said,
"Checkmate". The king's sword fell from his hand and hit the ground right at Harry's feet. After a minute of silence they rushed toward Ron, he was still out cold.
"Stay here with Ron, we're going to keep going". Harry said.
"You'll both be okay, you're a great wizard and a great witch". Hermione said.
"We're not as good as you". Harry said, Abby nodded in agreement.
"Me, books and cleverness. There are more important things…friendship and bravery. And if Abby tried she could give me a run for my money". Abby raised an eyebrow but didn't say anything. "Go, before it's too late".