Weeks had passed, since the mid-terms, school was almost over. I couldn't be any sadder about it. At least with the terms going on I had time, time to study. To pick up more skills, all I've managed to pick up is a healing spell for moderate injuries, as well as a minor spell to heal ailments. I've made sure to test them both. Luckily, I've been alone, so no one could catch the site of me lighting myself on fire, trying to heal a burn, as well as poison myself and to run into a wall to break my nose. I've learned the ailment spell, couldn't heal third degree burns, or fully get rid of bad second degree burns. I didn't dare test what poisons it could cure, I didn't want to die. At least not yet. I hadn't picked up any dueling spells, I had no one to duel with, so what I've read and managed to pick up without actually using the spells was up in the air. At least I knew I could use the torture curse. What I would give to know if I had full understanding of the killing curse. No idea if I could cast, or resist the imperius curse.
Currently, I was sitting outside, debating on a plan, how the fight would go, if I could predict his movements, what he would do next. Then maybe I'd have some edge. Or if I could be unpredictable, so he had no idea what I would do next. He currently had no idea what I was willing to do, I wasn't even aware of what I'd do. At the moment I was content with dying, but who knew what I would think in the moment. Would I let myself die in the moment? When would he, or they make a move? I looked seeing Harry, Hermione and Ron running towards Hagrids hut, not seeing me against the wall as they ran past me. Then I'm reminded, feeling stupid for forgetting in the first place, the philosophers stone, I knew what Voldemort wanted. I knew where it was. That meant I knew where Quirrell and Voldemort would both end up. I needed to get to it first.
I recalled how to get past Fluffy, being told by Tom. It's greatest weakness is it's weakness for soft music. I got up from where I sat, Capone on my shoulder. First, I made my way to my room. I needed to drop my stuff and Capone off. I needed the diary, I needed Tom, he'd be able to help me through whatever else is protecting it. As well as an instrument, I knew exactly, where to get one. Lilly, she had a small music box, that just needed a light shake to start playing a lullaby, she had showed me it. It sat on the dresser next to her bed, she'd use it to help her fall asleep.
Pulling the diary out, from under my mattress, putting in the pocket of my cloak. Quietly, I walked out of my room sneaking down the hall, till I got to the door at the end of the hallway. First leaning my head on the door, I laid my ear on the door. I didn't hear anything, but I was ready, just in case I needed to deal with someone. Thinking of the memory charm. Walking inside, thankfully there was no one to use the spell on, I saw the small silver music box, picking it up, I stuffed it into a pocket. Walking out of the room, closing the door. Entering the commons room, just in time to see Lilly had walked up the stairs, with her roommate.
I sucked in some air, holding it. Walking past quietly, hoping she, and no one else noticed me. I managed to get out of the Slytherin door, only to walk into Pansy. I rolled my eyes, seeing with her were the rest of our roommates. Excluding Greengrass. I went to walk past them, only to get shoved, harshly, enough to loose my footing.
"I don't have time for this" I warned, getting up, only to get kicked back down, I glared up seeing them all standing above me, "Bloody hell, shove off you hags" I hissed, getting up. I managed to grab the leg that belonged to Millicent Bulstrode, the chubby girl. I pushed her foot back, causing her to fall down this time, allowing me to stand up. "Anything else, you twats?" I demanded, with bitterness in my tone. Before they could answer, I had shoved the two standing down, causing them to fall down, standing in front of them, "I could kill you all right now, and probably get away with it. Now fuck off." I hissed.
I walked away a bit only to hear one snickering, "She can't do anything" I recognized the voice, Tracy Davis. I rolled my eyes, I didn't have time for them.
Making my way up to the third floor quietly. Once I was up there, walking down the hall towards Fluffy's door, I heard a familiar meow, turning around I saw the bloody eyed cat.
"Go away cat, now" I whispered, turning to walk away, hearing the cat take a step, I looked over my shoulder whispering a soft spell, "Obliviate" facing forward, after I saw the green light, I soon made it to the door. Pulling out the music box. Already unlocking the door, I could hear the growling inside, I lightly shook the music box, setting it on the ground, not fully opening the door, just enough to fit my hand and the music box in. It felt like it had been a half an hour, but only a few minutes, till I heard loud snoring. Opening the door a little more to peak my head in I saw the dog, or dogs were asleep. Walking into the room, I shut the door, locking it once again. Carrying the music box, as I walked closer towards the dog. Wand in one hand, the music box in the other. Walking close to the middle head. I stopped breathing, as i got into the breathing space of it, warm and wet the air around it was.
I pointed my wand at the trapdoor, assuming it was clocked. Crouching, down I pulled the door, open, looking down it before I jumped. Seeing black tentacles, my stomach felt like it was ready to puke, seeing the wet moving appendages. I rolled my wand in my hand, refusing to speak, as the end of my wand glowed a white light. Showing the Devils Snare below, that moved sharply, wiggling in the light. Stay calm, don't move and keep the light on. I can't set it on fire, it needs to be able to stop, or slow down Quirrell. Stuffing the music box into my pocket, then I dropped inside, pulling the trapdoor behind me, closing it.
Dropping into the Devils Snare, I did my best to keep myself calm. I couldn't do much about my goosebumps, I was creeped and grossed out, feeling the moist, nearly slimy vines wrap around me. Hold my lit wand tightly, holding in my scream, as the plant pulled me down, softly squeezing me. As I went down, not seeing anything, only the wetness that shined from the white light of my wand. I felt my feet, my legs were free, then I was dropped, falling onto a concrete floor, dropping my wand as I hit the ground.
"Ouch" I whimpered. Laying there, gathering myself, mentally. Gross, gross. I then got up, grabbing my wand, I lit it once again, seeing that I was in a long hall way. Walking forward, I then found myself in a room, with a flock of bats flying around? Ignoring them I walked through the door, finding a door in the way. Trying a few time to unlock it, unsuccessful. I then looked around the room, noticing that the flapping sounds were of winged keys, not bats. "They must be charmed, one of them must open the door" I whispered, stating the obvious to myself. I then looked back at the door, observing the lock, in hopes to deduce that the key would open the lock would be unique. The lock was silver, and looked old, with rust on it, so the key needed would have to look old also, with the same amount of rust. Theoretically of course.
I need them all grouped together, maybe I can stun them all, at once. I began watching them hoping to find a pattern. Oddly enough there was one, They'd all fly towards the farthest corner to the right, every few seconds. I walked to the corner, hoping to get under them, to do a spell. Only to for them to stopped going to it, going to the opposite corner. They want to stay away from me. Like birds. I then stood in the corner pulling my wand out pointing it at the opposite side. Waiting, like a cat would, wait for a bird to end up exactly where it wanted. Waiting to pounce. At the right moment.
"Stupefy!" I yelled, the red light leaving my wand, jumping to the corner, getting most of the keys, the rest flew at me, I pointed my wand at them, as they came to attack, "Stupefy!" I yelled once again, yelling it once more, till they were all down. Then I began searching for old keys, stopping when I came across an old-fashioned silver key, that had light blue wings, where the other keys were golden with white wings, all looking similar to the each other. Grabbing the key carefully, not wanting to hurt it. Running to the door, I placed the key into it. It fit, in the key hole. Turning it open I walked past the door. Pulling the key closed, setting it down as I walked through the door. Once I closed it I heard a loud click, come from it.
Alright, so I've got stupefy down, also. The dog was Hagrids, the Snare had to have been Professor Sprouts doing, the keys are Flitwicks. How many more tests are there? There must be one for transfiguration and potions. Quirrell must've had something down here too. Who else has a test down here protecting the stone? Did Dumbledore? Walking through another doorway I saw large parts, that looked like bodies of paces of wizards chest, large bodies. The room then lit up, with fire going along the walls, I then saw a large black and white tiled floor. With black and white large pieces. Must be McGonagalls test, she had to have transfigured these, no way there are actual bored, or pieces as big as these. I need to play. The side I was on was missing as if wanting me to pick a position. I climbed up onto the bored, I took my place next to the king piece. Standing on the spot where the most powerful piece of the game stood. The queens spot. Once I did the other empty spots were then filled with their correct pieces. Alright, I need to control the center, I need to make this fast. Thinking quickly of a strategy, I need them to move first.
"You move first" I called, not sure whom I was talking to, but the other side moved first, their pawn F2, forward two spaces. "Pawn E2, move to E3" I ordered, the pawn in front of me then moved, opening up for me to get through.
Sometime has passed. I learned that this was real, life threatening rewarding chest. There was just myself and four pieces on my side. The king and three pawns. They were in the back corner the king was covered, protected by the pawns. The other side had five pieces. Two pawns, two rooks and the king, sitting between the rooks. It couldn't move, it was blocked by it's own rooks, preventing it from moving was my turn now. It was my move. I had just took down the their queen, that was trying to block me off into the corner with my king piece. Only to get caught by me. Blowing up in front of me. Now all I needed to do was move on space, get on space away from their king. I moved diagonally, to E6. Passing the pawns. Now I stood in front of the king.
"Checkmate" I whispered. Them the king imploded. I then heard a door open. Now to the next test. Hopefully something less life threatening, then a hell hound, murdorus plant, wizards chess, or touchy keys. I held my wand close, ready for whatever was next. Walking inside, the room was lie low, and had a familiar repulsive stench. walking further into the room, I saw in the middle of the room, a familiar moutain troll. I hid behind a pillar, not wanting to be seen, looking around the corner, I saw it was just sitting there, club sitting on the ground, while the daft thing had a finger in it's belly button. Gross, gross. I then looked past the troll, seeing another door way, it was smaller than the troll was. Then I looked to the troll, then the club, and saw rocks laying around the ground, even around me. Perhaps a distraction will work. I looked to the troll, and down at the rocks, focusing on just the rocks, thinking of the Avifors spell, soon the rocks, and stones started to glow an electric blue, then they all turned into birds. Flying around the room. The troll looked around, standing up it began swinging its club. Then quickly, without looking back I ran towards the door on the other side, pointing a finger at it, "Alohomora!" I yelled, the door then unlocked. I could hear the trolls foot steps behind me, I then used my shoulder forcing the door to open the way I pushed. Falling and sliding to the ground, I sat up, hearing the troll had ran into the wall, it was reaching a hand through the door. I pushed myself backwards, staying out of its reach. Why didn't I just curse it?
Thankfully, the room I was in had nothing alive, but it had a large table, with various bottles. On the other side of the table were black flames once I got closer there were purple flames behind me. Must be Snapes test. Thank god, nothing alive, or life like. I walked closer to the table, there was a scroll sitting on the table in front of the bottles. Picking it up I read it aloud.
"Danger lies before, while safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you, which ever you would find,
One among us will help you, whichever you 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 the insides;
Fourth, the second left and the second on the right
Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight. "
I looked over the riddle some more, alright so there are three poisons, one will send me backwards, two are wines, and one takes me forward. The first potion is poison, don't want that. the second potions on the left and right are wines. The potion on the far right will send me backwards. That leaves me with two poisons and one to take me forward. Snape wouldn't make the one in the middle be the one to go forward, it'd be to easy otherwise. So, the fourth bottle is poison. Leaves me with two bottles. I was either going to drink the small, squared bottle with blue liquid, or the pyramid shaped bottle with green liquid. Die drinking the pretty blue or die drinking the something that's green? Grabbing the blue one, pulling the cork off the bottle.
"Here's to guessing." I cheered, then took a sip of the bottle. It had a tangy taste. After a few moments, of not falling down dying, I mentally prayed that I'd keep living. As I walked around the table, Staring at the black flames. Not getting burned, or affected by the flames. Walking through the next door. Walking into another room, that was wide, all that was in it was the mirror of erised. What's that doing here?
Walking closer, I looked at the mirror, is it in this thing?I looked around it, hoping to find something, a way to perhaps prop the glass off, or find a hidden compartment somewhere. I stopped looking, taking a step back in surprise. the reflection was different from before, this time, my reflection. I wasn't alone, with my reflection was, a tall guy, that was cut in half. One half pale skin with jet black hair, and dark eyes, this half was handsome, I didn't know who he was. The other half of this person was different, more pale than the other half, almost as white as snow in color, looking waxy and almost reptilian, his eyes looked perpetually blood-shot. When it comes to the nose the two halves shared it was creepier. The handsome half was normal, while the other half was a slit like a reptile. Together they both had the same elegant robes. this halved man was holding a familiar book, the diary that was sitting in my pocket. There were people dead in the background, as well as people kneeling.
I backed up once again, once I finally realized, that the other person was the two sides of Voldemort, "Must be him before, when we came here" I whispered. Turning around when I heard a cough, I then saw Quirrell. Shit.