Going Down
Chapter Sixteen
Wow, so school started. I only had a day and a half. I got out because of the flooding, which was really bad I might add. Other than that stuff has been good. I would like to tell you all that since my schedule is so crazy, the only time that I now have to update chapters is on Sunday. So if you are looking for next chapters, look on Sundays.
Side note, Remember 9/11
"You know, I thought that end of the year exams would be awful. However, I find them rather enjoyable. What about you guys?" Hermione asked as we hiked across the yard.
"I think that you would be the only person in this entire school to say that, Hermione," I responded. "I personally think that there is too much writing involved. My hand is still cramped from the last one."
"Oh, they're not that bad," Hermione said. "Much easier than the exams we have to take when we are fifth years and then as seventh years. Those are awful."
"Let me guess, you are going to start studying for them now," I questioned. "That way you will be able to get perfect scores. You alright there, Harry?"
"No, my scar is burning," he hissed rubbing the cut on his forehead. "Yours isn't?"
"No, I'm good," I answered. "It's happened before thought, hasn't it?"
"Yes, but not like this," he said freezing in place. "Of course, why didn't I see this before?"
"What are you talking about, Harry?" Ron asked.
"Don't you think that it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants, more in the world, is a dragon egg, and a random stranger just happens to have one? It can't be a coincidence."
"Morning you lot. Finish your exams for today?" Hagrid asked.
"Yes, listen Hagrid, I need to ask you something very important," Harry said. "The person who gave you the dragon egg, what did he look like?"
"I don't know," he answered casually. "He kept his hood up. Why do you want to know? I thought I told you to forget about any of this."
"Hagrid, did you talk to the stranger when you were at the pub?" I asked.
"We did as a matter of fact," he said.
"What did you talk about?"
"Well, he wanted to know what sort of creatures I looked after," Hagrid explained. "I told him, next to Fluffy, a dragon would be no problem."
"Did the guys seem interested in Fluffy?" I asked.
"Of course he did, how many times to you come across a three-headed dog?" Hagrid went on. "But I told him, the best way to deal with any creature is to know how to calm him. Like Fluffy, all you have to do is play a bit of music and he falls fast asleep. I shouldn't have told you that," he sighed while the four of us gasped. That was it that was the way to get passed Fluffy and get to the Philosopher's Stone.
"Guys, we have to tell Professor Dumbledore," I said. "And fast." We sprinted towards McGonagall's office as quickly as possible hopefully she would be able to get him for us.
"We have to see Professor Dumbledore immediately," we skidded to a halt in the front of her desk.
"I'm sorry, but Professor Dumbledore has received an urgent message from the Ministry and has headed straight for London," she informed us. "Now why don't you go outside with the rest of the students? It is a beautiful day out."
"But this is important," Harry exclaimed. "This is about the Philosopher's Stone!"
"How do you know about that?" McGonagall's eyes widened in surprise.
"Someone is going to try and steal it," I added.
"I don't know how exactly you found out about the stone, but I shall let you know that it is very well guarded and I highly doubt that anyone is going to attempt to steal it," she scolded us. "Now get outside this instant."
Moping, we left Professor McGonagall alone. What were we going to do know?
"That wasn't just anyone that Hagrid ran into at the pub," Harry went on to explain once we were out of McGonagall's ear shot. "It was Snape which means he knows how to get passed Fluffy. I have a feeling that he is going to get passed him tonight since Dumbledore is gone."
"I don't know, Harry," I spoke my mind. "I know he's creepy and all but do you honestly think that Snape is going to-"
"Good afternoon," a deep voice drawled from behind us. "Now what would four young Gryffindors like yourselves be doing inside on a day like today?"
"Well, w-we were just going," Hermione stuttered.
"You might want to be more careful," his cold, dark eyes looked over us. "People would think you were up to something." He swept off, his dark, cloak trailing behind.
"Now what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"We're going down the trapdoor," Harry said. "Tonight."
"Tonight, are you crazy?" Ron asked. "Who knows what sort of creepy things could be under there."
"Where's your Gryffindor courage, Ron?" I wondered. "This could be fun."
"Fun for you maybe," he said. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all."
We waited until we knew that everyone was asleep for the night before going down into the common room. This way we would have no interruptions when we would attempt to get the Philosopher's Stone.
"Are you sure about this?" Ron asked once again when we met in the common room.
"Yes," Harry answered for the fifth time. A loud croak bounced across the walls of the room. "Trevor, what are you doing? You shouldn't be down here."
"And neither should the four of you," Neville popped up from behind one of the many chairs in the room. Gave me a fright, he did. "You're snaking out again aren't you?"
"This doesn't concern you, Neville," I told him. "So, why don't you and your bear friends head back upstairs where you belong." But he stopped right before we went out the door.
"No, I can't let you do that," Wow, when did Longbottom grow a pair? "You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again. I'll fight you if I have to!"
"I'm really sorry about this, Neville," Hermione pulled out the wand from her pocket. "But it's the only way. Petrificus Totalus!"
Neville's arms and legs sprang to the sides of his body. His body froze, and before we knew it, his eyes rolled into the back of his head, and Neville fell onto the floor.
"That should do it," she said. "Sorry," we stepped over his body.
"It's for your own good you know," Ron muttered before leaving the room.
As soon as the coast was clear, we rushed to the third floor where, what Harry believed; Snape would be sliding down the trapdoor and receiving the stone. I, on the other hand, was still on the ropes about this idea. Sure, Snape looked evil and menacing, but would he really pull off a stunt like this? Moments later, Hermione, Ron, Harry, and I stood in front of the door. It was already open. Maybe Snape would do something along these lines after all.
"Snape's already been here," Harry noted pushing the door open a few more inches. "He's even charmed the harp, so Fluffy stays asleep."
"Somehow we need to move its paw," I announced. "Think we can do it?"
"Pfffft," Ron snorted. "If Snape can do it, so can we."
"Alrighty then," we each rested our hands on the paw. "Push!"
Slowly but surely, the foot got moved and bared the trapdoor underneath. Man, that paw was heavy. Crouching down beside it, Harry opened the door. It was pitch black down there.
"I'll go down first," Harry said. "Don't come down until I tell you it's safe to follow. If anything goes wrong get out!"
"Um guys," My eyes grew as wide as saucers.
"Not now, Haylee," Harry muttered. "Now, this is going to be very dangerous,"
"HARRY!" I shouted.
"WHAT?"
"Someone's awake," I started up at those enormous, yellow eyes. "See ya!" I jumped down the hole first, and by the sounds of the screams above me, the rest of them soon followed.
SPLAT! I landed on something mushy. What in the world was it? Some sort of plant like thing? The others soon joined me.
"Lucky this plant thing was here to catch us," Ron breathed a sigh of relief as the plant began to come alive. Wrapping itself around our bodies.
"Whoa!" Harry exclaimed.
"What's going on?" I wondered. "What is this thing?"
"It's Devil's Snare. Don't you remember from Herbology?" Hermione asked. "You need to stop moving. If you don't, it will only kill you faster."
"Kill us faster?" I cried.
"Now I can relax," Ron added while we continued to thrash around. Those vines were strong.
"Hermione!" Ron shouted when she was pulled under. "Great, we're done for! It was fun getting you know you all. Goodbye cruel world!"
"Ron, just relax!" Hermione's voice came from below us.
"Hermione!" Ron yelled. "Where are you?"
"Just trust me!" She called.
"I don't remember a time when Hermione had been wrong, so I did what she said and relaxed. I could feel the vines begin to ease up on me. She was so smart. With a loud thud, I landed right beside her. Harry after me. Ron, on the other hand, was not relaxing at all. It looked, or sounded rather, like he was screaming and freaking out a lot more.
"He's not relaxing is he?" Hermione said. "What are we going to do?"
"Isn't there a spell or something?" Harry wondered.
"Wait a minute," she paused. "I remember reading something in Herbology about Devil's Snare. What was it? Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare, is deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun. That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight! Lumos Honem!" A large burst of light came from her wand. Ron instantly fell to the floor.
Dusting himself off, he said. "Good thing we didn't panic." I scoffed.
"Good thing Hermione pays attention in Herbology," I turned to my brother. "Where do we go now?"
"I haven't the faintest idea," he stopped. "Do you hear that?"
"What, Ron's stomach?" I asked.
"Sorry, I didn't have that much for dinner," Ron mumbled.
"No, not that," Harry started walking towards the door. "It sounds like wings."
"They don't have birds down here do they?" I asked.
"We're about to find out," we followed the noise.
"That's interesting," Hermione spoke. "I've never seen birds like these before."
"I don't think they are birds," I squinted. "I've never seen birds shine and sparkle before."
"They aren't birds," Harry said. "They're keys."
"Keys with wings," I pondered. "What else can be in this castle? What's with the face, Ron?"
"The door's locked," he answered simply. "Alohamora doesn't work."
"Fabulous, now we're stuck," I sighed. "What should we do now, Harry?"
"One of these keys opens that door," Harry paced the room. "I think we have to use this broom and catch it."
"You should get the key," I told him. "You are the youngest Seeker in a century are you not?"
"Yeah, so," he replied.
"This should be easy for you," I smiled. "If Snape can do it you can."
"But which one is he supposed to catch?" Ron asked. "There must be hundreds of keys up there."
"It would be old and rusty like the handle," Hermione said.
"That one!" Harry pointed to the one near the ceiling. "The one with the broken wing."
"Then what are you waiting for?" I asked.
"It's too simple," he said. "There has to be a catch."
"Just go already," I exclaimed. "The longer you wait, the more time we're giving him."
"Fine," he groaned. "Stand by the door. Then I'll throw you the key.
"Sounds good," I nodded.
The moment Harry's fingers touched the broom hovering in the air, all of the keys changed course and headed directly towards him in frenzy. That wasn't part of the plan. He mounted the broom and zoomed into the air.
"Get to the door," he hollered. "Catch the key!"
"Got it!" I jumped into the air grabbing the cool metal between my fingers. "Loop around and come through the door."
"OK!"
Whirling around the room, Harry flew into the next chamber. Ron, Hermione, and I pushed the door closed.
"That was a close one," I breathed. "Where are we now?"
"It looks like some kind of graveyard," Harry answered.
"Oh no," Ron stepped forward onto the marble floor. "It's not a graveyard. It's a chessboard." Fire light up the entire room to reveal what was indeed a ginormous chess board.
"This has to be the coolest thing I have ever seen," I stared in awe. "Who do you think made this?"
"No idea," Harry answered. "There's the door. Let's go."
"Or not," we stopped at the row of chessmen, who held their swords at us. "What are we supposed to do to get to the door?"
"It's obvious isn't it?" Ron glanced around. "We have to play our way across the room. Alright, Harry, you take the empty bishop square. Hermione, you take the queen's side castle. Haylee, you take the queen's spot, and I'll be a knight." We took our positions.
"What happens now?" Hermione asked.
"White moves first, and then we play," Ron answered.
"You don't think this will be like real Wizard Chess do you?" I asked once the game started.
"Yes, Haylee," I gulped as the white pawn completely demolished the other. "I think it is." Great.
This game was crazy, and I thought regular chess was batty. This version was downright bonkers. With each move, the more nervous I became. What if we were to lose the game? That was a scary thought.
"Wait a minute," Harry spoke when there were few moves left. \
"You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then you'll be free to take the king," Ron explained.
"No," Hermione shouted. "There has to be another way!"
"In the game of chess you have to make sacrifices," Ron stated. "Do you want to stop Snape from getting the stone or not?" We were silent. "Night to H3."
My heart was beating so fast as Ron's piece moved. What was going to happen to him? He wasn't going to die was he?
"RON!" Hermione screamed once the queen struck the knight. Ron's body flew to the ground like a sac of potatoes. There was no doubt in my mind that he was unconscious.
"Hermione don't move," I shouted. "Remember we're still playing. Finish this, Harry."
With a stiff nod, Harry moved up three spaces. "Check mate!" The sword fell from the King's grasp. We won.
"He's going to be fine, Hermione," I heard Harry say to her. I on the other hand bolted towards the door in case there was another trap. "Ron's right, we need to stop Snape."
"I'm sorry to interrupt this sob story, but we need to stop him," I said. "Come on."
"We'll be back before you know it," he told her.
"About time you got here," I scoffed resting my hands on the door. "Are you ready for this?"
"As ready as I'll ever be," he said.
"We can do this," I pushed the doors open.
My jaw dropped to the ground. Standing in the middle of the chamber wasn't Snape at all. It was Quirrell. That just doesn't figure out right.
bloody alanna- will do
Magimagus- I am rewritting it. I was going through it, and I realized how much little detail there was. Quite honestly, 12 chapters and only three thousand some words is just sad. In my opinion anyway. Arguing is funny. There's no way they could like each other in the beginning anyhow. That just doesn't work.
HermioneandMarcus- thanks :D
Charmedgrays- thank you! :)
xXMizz Alec VolturiXx- I will get there, don't worry. :P