บท 22: The-Challenges-of-the-Trapdoor.
Well, here we are, Harry said in a whisper to the others. - Damn, Quirrell has already passed Fluffy. - He said seeing the trapdoor wide open with the sleeping Cerberus.
Harry turned to the others. Still maintaining the idea of preserving both of them, because he really didn't want to force them to do this, with Tonks being the only exception, since she had complained a lot about the monotony of this end of the year, and wanted to be able to leave with a flourish.
- If you want to go back, the ideal is now. You can take the cape, I won't need it now.
- Don't be stupid. - Neville replied, with his unique way that surprised everyone because they hadn't seen it in him before.
- We'll go with you. - Hermione said, convinced to stay by her best friend's side after everything he did and confronted to protect her this whole year.
Seeing a nod from Ron, and a smile on Tonks' face, Harry could only sigh in frustration at the madness they were about to get into.
When the first step had been taken towards the trapdoor, Harry had noticed that there was a harp at the back of the room, and to his confusion, the melody from a few seconds before was no longer playing.
Only growls reached his ears. The three dogs' noses sniffed furiously as they stood up. Taking a step back, Harry soon noticed the affectionate expression on the three dogs' heads.
Stepping forward: A growl.
Step back: A docile puppy expression.
Step forward: A growl and threat to advance.
Step back: A contented wag of the tail.
- So this is the limit, Harry, what should we do? - Tonks asked, already thinking about taking out her wand, but Potter's hand stopped her from doing so.
- What is this thing doing here? - Hermione whispered in the direction of the harp. Which had certainly not been there the last time she had come.
- It looks like a magic harp. - Ron replied while Harry took the opportunity to pet the dog in its safe confines. - Snape must have left it there.
- It was playing while we were talking a few minutes ago. It wakes up the moment it stops playing, maybe some spell to deactivate the harp when someone tries to enter. - Harry said , not even paying attention to Weasley who still believed this to be an evil plan from Slytherin. - Well, using our wands or any magic will be answered with an attack... let's go then: - Harry explained as he slowly put his hand in his pants pocket under the scrutiny of three huge heads ready for any sign of threat.
He pulled out a slightly elongated object that Hagrid had given him for Christmas, put it to his lips, and blew. It wasn't really a complex tune that the flute made, but rather a slow, calming sound that they had always heard Hagrid play.
The three-headed beast swung its tail lightly to the rhythm of the music as it slowly lay down, its eyes drooping slowly and calmly as Tonks took the opportunity to pet the three-headed dog, allowing it to doze lightly.
Slowly, the dog's growls ceased, with only a triple breathing sound.
- Keep playing. - Ron warned Harry as this time his entire body came out from under the cloak. Heading towards the trapdoor.
- I think we can get the door open. - Ron said, peering over the dog's back. - Want to go in first, Hermione?"
- No, not me!
- All right. - Ron gritted his teeth and stepped cautiously past the dog's legs. And bending down, he pulled the ring on the trapdoor, which swung open.
- What are you looking at? - Hermione asked anxiously.
- Nothing... just darkness... there's no way down, we'll have to jump.
Harry, who was still playing the flute, motioned to get Ron's attention and pointed at himself.
- Do you want to go first? Are you sure? - Ron said. - I don't know how deep this thing is. Give Hermione the flute to keep Fluffy asleep.
Harry passed the flute to her. In those few minutes of silence, the dog growled and moved, but the moment Hermione began to play slightly out of tune due to lack of practice, as she had told her she had given up after coming to Hogwarts, he fell back into a deep sleep. It might not have been as well-made a melody as the one Harry was playing, but it was still working.
Harry stepped over Fluffy and peered through the trapdoor. He couldn't see any sign of the bottom.
He lowered his body through the hole until he was hanging by his fingertips, then looked up at Ron and said,
- If anything happens to me and I stop talking, don't follow me. Tonks is more than capable of protecting everyone while I see what's down there. - Harry explained with the aforementioned girl smiling at him while continuing to pet the cerberus. - Use it if necessary... See you in a little while, I hope... - Harry said releasing the belt that held the sheath of his sword.
- Okay. - Neville said receiving the belt with the blade as he tied it around his waist.
And Harry let go. A cold, damp wind rushed past him, and he fell, and fell, and fell, and after sixty seconds of rapid falling, he finally felt something solid.
With a funny, dull thud he hit something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes unaccustomed to the darkness. It seemed he was sitting on some kind of plant.
- All right! - He shouted to the postage-stamp-sized light up above, which was the open trapdoor. - The fall is magically soft, you can jump.
Ron followed him immediately. He fell sprawled beside Harry:
- What is this? - were his first words.
- I don't know, some kind of plant. I suppose it's here to cushion the fall, even if it doesn't make sense. - Harry explained. - Come on, Neville.
Jumping quickly, Harry could feel him settle down beside him, only for the music overhead to finally stop with a double feminine scream, one scared and the other euphoric.
Along with a loud triple bark, Hermione and Tonks finally fell with Harry seeing the two in front of him completely fine.
- We must be miles below the school. - Tonks commented.
- It's really lucky that this plant is here. - Ron said.
- Lucky!? - Hermione shouted. - Look at you two.
She jumped to her feet and struggled to reach the damp wall. She had to struggle because, just as she reached the bottom, the plant began to twine like the tendrils of a creeper around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been securely bound by long branches without them noticing.
Hermione had managed to pull away before the plant could really get a grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys struggled to free themselves from the plant, but the harder they struggled, the faster and tighter the plant wrapped itself around them.
Tonks seemed extremely calm in the situation, and Neville analyzed everything as if trying to remember something.
- Stop moving! - Neville ordered. - I know what that is. It's devil's snare! - He dictated, with Tonks laughing at the boy's logical thinking.
- Oh, I'm so glad you know what it's called, it's a big help. - Ron grumbled, trying to stop the plant from wrapping around his neck.
- Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to get out of it alive! - Neville said.
- Well, hurry up, friend, I'm going to die like this. - Harry gasped in pure irony with only his head free from the plant and a look of pure boredom.
- Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the damp and the dark...
- Then burn it all down! - Harry choked, now fearing the plant, since it was making not-so-innocent signs in relation to its mouth. - Holy shit, the plant is a pervert.
- Yeah... Of course..., but there's no wood... - Hermione lamented, further away from them.
- LET'S GO, I CAN'T TAKE IT ANYMORE. - Ron became exasperated when he saw Tonks being pulled down the plant because she was barely moving.
- Neville... - Harry said looking at his wand.
- Oh, right! - Said Neville, and, pulling out his wand, he shook it, muttered something, and sent out a jet of blue flame that Hermione recognized as the one he had used on Snape in the Quidditch match.
Within seconds, everyone felt the plant loosen and shrink away from the light and heat. Twisting, it unwound from the boys' bodies, and they were able to stand up.
- I'm lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Neville. - Harry said, massaging his neck lightly with a mental note not to leave Herbology as a second option.
- Yeah. - Ron commented. - And how lucky that there was no panic.
- But tell me Tonks, why were you pulled down? - Harry asked.
- Devil's Snare is not an extremely wild plant, you avoid moving and showing threat, and it loosens its grip. - Ton ks said with a smug laugh. - But forget it, let's go that way. - She said , pointing to a stone corridor that was the only path there was.
- Savage, the plant is a pervert, that's what. - Harry said, snorting and walking behind her, which had the metamorphmagus hugging himself next to him, seeking comfort from the plant that a few seconds ago was starting to want to deflower his mouth.
[ ... ]
All they could hear above their footsteps was the muffled dripping of water running down the wall. The long corridor began to descend, and Harry remembered Gringotts. With a start, he remembered the dragon that was said to guard the vaults at the bank. If they came across a dragon, a full-grown dragon... then things would get crazy.
Harry was already becoming a fanatic for beasts, mythological animals and rare specimens, imagine finding another dragon right here, then, yes, he would go crazy and start stealing everything.
- Are you hearing anything? - Ron whispered.
Harry strained his ears. A rustling sound and a metallic clang seemed to be coming from further ahead, but even further away he could hear a roar like the one the Troll had made that had threatened Hermione in the past, and a subsequent sound that sounded like a struggle.
- Do you think it's a ghost? - The redhead continued.
- They look like... wings to me. - Tonks commented curiously.
- There's light ahead, I see something moving. - Harry said as he was the main member in front of everyone.
They reached the end of the corridor and found themselves in a brightly lit chamber with a vaulted ceiling overhead. It was filled with tiny birds, bright as jewels, flitting and colliding 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 chamber? - Neville asked.
- Probably. - Said Harry. - They don't look very angry, but I suppose if they all dove in at the same time... Well, I'll go first.
He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and ran across the chamber. He expected to feel sharp beaks and claws attacking him at any minute, but nothing happened. He reached the door unharmed. He reached the handle, but the door was locked.
- "Son of a bitch, I wonder if I could be so fucking lucky that this door is unlocked." - Harry cursed to himself.
The other four followed him. They struggled to open the door, but it didn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora spell or Harry tried to kick it down, an act repeated by Neville who tried to stab the door and almost fell under the weight of the sword.
- What now? - Ron asked.
- Those birds... can't just be here for decoration. - Hermione said.
They watched the birds flying overhead, shining. And as Harry saw, something different appeared there, they weren't birds, they had wings, but they were something else.
"They're not birds!" - Harry exclaimed suddenly. - "They're keys! Look carefully. Then that must mean…" - He looked around the chamber as the other four squinted at the flock of keys overhead.
- Look! There are some brooms! So... one of the keys has to be the right one.
- But there are hundreds. - Tonks said as she examined something different.
Hermione examined the lock and then dictated:
- We're looking for a very large, old key, probably gold, like the doorknob.
Harry, starting to theorize something in his mind, could soon notice a connection in the previous tests, but he still didn't know anything, so he just aimed to get on a broom and push off into the air, aiming for the middle of the cloud of keys.
He had tried to grab them, but the enchanted keys fled and dove so fast that it was almost impossible to catch one.
But it was no wonder that Harry was the youngest Seeker of the century. He had a knack for finding things that others did not. After a minute of weaving through the swirl of wings, he began to look for something unique, like in a Quidditch game, but here there were hundreds of keys and he had to find his Golden Snitch.
He noticed a large silver key with a bent handle, as if it had already been picked up and inserted carelessly into the lock. He realized that this was the case and immediately hurried to chase it while all the keys immediately aimed at him like blades ready to stab him.
- That one over there! - He shouted to the others. - That big one... over there... no... over there... with the bright blue wings. The feathers are all crumpled on one side.
Harry dove, shooting upwards, the key dodged with every maneuver and Harry kept going after it, the key hurtling towards the wall, Harry leaned forward and, with a nasty thud, pinned it to the stone with his hand. Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the chamber.
However, Neville and Tonks kept their guard up, Harry continued to have his pursuers on his tail.
He had lowered his flight quickly towards the ground, but without going straight towards his friends, he had thrown the key to Tonks who had grabbed it and gone towards the door, unlocking it.
Everything that had happened had happened in just a few seconds, with Harry performing a final loop in which he jumped from his broom towards the open door, which could only be closed with the continuous sound of hundreds of keys being brutally collided with the door.
- Uuf... that was intense. - Harry said, standing up immediately with Tonks jumping on him euphorically.
- Not as intense as what will happen when we leave here. - The metamorphmagus whispered maliciously in his ear, under his malicious laughter.
- Do you want to continue traumatizing the children? - Harry whispered to her, who could only laugh at the blushing state of the other three presences.
Now, looking around, they could see that the next chamber was so dark that they could see absolutely nothing. But, as they entered it, light unexpectedly flooded the room, revealing a surprising scene.
They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard behind the black pieces, who were all taller than them and carved from a material that looked like stone. Facing them, on the other side of the chamber, were the white pieces. Everyone felt a slight chill at the sight of the blades that the starting pawns held, and according to Ron's theorizing, this could turn into a massacre based on what would influence this early game.
- Now what are we going to do? - Harry whispered.
- It's obvious, isn't it? - Ron said. - We have to play to get to the other side of the chamber.
Behind the white pieces they could see another door.
- What? - Hermione asked nervously.
- I guess we'll have to turn pieces. - He walked over to a black knight and reached out to touch its rider. Instantly, the stone came to life. The knight pawed the board, and its rider turned his helmeted head to look at Ron.
- Do we have to join you to get to the other side? - The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.
- This requires some thought. I suppose one more of you will have to mount the other knight, while the rest of you replace some of the pieces. - Harry and Hermione were silent, watching Ron consider. Finally he said, - Now don't be offended, but neither of you are that good at chess...
- We're not offended. - Harry interrupted quickly. - Tell us what we're going to do.
- Well, Neville, you take that Bishop's place and, Hermione, you stay next to him replacing the closest Rook, Tonks, get on the other Knight.
- And Harry, you will have to be the King. - Ron finally dictated while already formulating some strategy for the game he would lead.
The pieces seemed to be listening, because upon hearing this a Bishop, a Rook, and the King himself turned their backs on the white pieces and left the board, leaving three empty squares, which Harry, Ron, and Hermione occupied with Tonks jumping over the remaining Knight piece.
- In chess, White always goes first - Ron explained, looking at the board. - And then... we play.
A white pawn had advanced two squares.
Ron began to command the black pieces. They moved silently, going where they were told. Hermione's knees were shaking. What if they lost?
Of all those who moved and went to each function, Harry was the only one without any movement. But he would not complain, because Ron was the expert there, his way of commanding and reasoning in the game was truly unique and if he used it in his daily life, he would notice that he was a much better person than the little boy with jealousy attacks and inferiority towards his brothers.
- Neville, move four spaces diagonally to the right.
- Ron, you don't think this game will really be like a real Wizard's Chess, do you? - Hermione asked, fearful of what would happen.
The first real shock they got was when the other Rook was eaten. The white Queen crushed it into the ground and dragged it off the board, emphasizing the real massacre of a Wizard's Chess.
- Yes, Hermione... I think it's just like Wizard's Chess. - Ron said, looking shaken. - Come on, you're free to eat that Bishop, Hermione, come on.
Every time they lost a piece, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a collection of inert black pieces leaning against the wall. Twice, Ron noticed, as they were moving, that Tonks and Hermione were in danger. He himself dashed across the board, taking almost as many white pieces as the black ones they had lost.
- We're almost there - He suddenly murmured after another piece was destroyed on his side. - Let me think... let me think... - The brutality of the white pieces was something that would mess with anyone's reasoning.
The White Queen turned her empty face towards him.
- Wait a minute... what's this? - Harry muttered, worried about the direction the queen was looking.
- You understand, don't you, Harry? - He continued quietly. - When I make my move, I will be attacked.
- WHAT! - Hermione, Tonks and Neville shouted in unison.
- This is chess! - Ron retorted. - One has to make some sacrifices! I move forward and she hits me, which leaves Hermione free to checkmate the King.
- But... - Harry tried to say.
- Do you want to stop Quirrell from taking the stone or not? - The redhead finally said for the first time, convinced that it was not Snape looking for the stone. His prejudice against Slytherin did not move his intensity in the game.
- Ron... - Hermione murmured, frightened by everything.
- Harry, you're the one who has to keep going, we don't know how many more tests there will be, when that happens you'll need Hermione, Neville and Tonks with you! - Ron said, his face pale, but determined.
- Uuf... Horse on H-3 - Ron said sighing as his piece moved forward.
Mere seconds seemed like centuries in everyone's eyes, arriving at his post, his position still remained as a target for the enemy Queen, and soon he dictated:
- Check!
The white queen, which had been standing still until then, soon changed trajectory and headed across the board towards Ron. His pale and frightened face was noticeable, but his eyes showed his courage not to jump out of his role there.
It was a matter of a single blow, a slash of the sharp blade into the horse's chest that aimed to shatter it, with Ron falling from the four meters of height he was at.
The pieces of the pieces fell on him, practically burying him, making everyone notice in pure despair that he was not moving.
Trembling, Hermione tried to go to Weasley's aid...
- No! - Harry shouted, scaring the girl. - Don't move to the sides, we're still playing.
- Come on Hermione, you just have to finish the game and then we'll rescue him. - Harry explained with the trembling girl nodding as he started to walk forward to the enemy King's position.
Neville was more on the left side, and Tonks more on the right, making the girl quickly dictate:
- Checkmate. - She said with conviction as she saw the King's great sword leave his hands in a pure fall.
That was it. They had won the game. The pieces moved to the sides and curved, leaving a clear path to the door ahead. With one last desperate look at Ron, they quickly left the board while clearing the debris from it.
- What if he...? - Neville said already thinking the worst.
- He'll be fine. - Tonks said, using a healing spell on the little boy. - We're lucky it's just a concussion. Let's leave him here in the corner with a protection spell, who knows what comes next could be much worse and really put him at more risk.
- What do you think is going to happen now? - Hermione asked shakily with Harry calming her by holding her hand.
- Knowing the Herbology teacher well, I believe we had the protection of Sprout , the Devil's Snare. - Neville informed what he thought.
- Flitwick must have enchanted the Winged Keys. He is one of the best charms teachers and a professional duelist. - Tonks explained.
- Probably Mcgonagall planned the Wizard's Chess. That's why she explained that the Stone was so safe. - Harry dictated, remembering a while ago.
Quirrell 's challenge and Snape 's are missing. That is if we follow the logic that these teachers are the ones taking care of the Philosopher's Stone's defenses. - Hermione said trying to imagine what was coming, all this while they walked towards the other door.
- Everything okay? - Harry whispered to his friends, while he gave one last look at Ron who had a blue dome of defense around him.
- Let's go. - They replied, with Harry pushing the door open.
A horrible stench entered their nostrils, making them both pull their robes up to cover their noses. With watery eyes, they saw, right ahead, walking aimlessly and snorting heavily, a troll even larger than the one Harry had faced when he had had his first Obscurial appearance.
It was possible to notice a wound on his arm, and he seemed very irritated. And when he felt the breeze coming from the open door, he was able to inhale the scent of each person's perfume, and he turned with a grotesque face in the direction of Tonks and Hermione.
- Disgusting... - Tonks said with a frown at the monster's malicious and sick face. - Let's get this over with, I can't breathe properly. - She continued as she took out her wand and prepared herself for a confrontation.
- Wait... - Harry dictated to one of his colorful friends. - Take Neville along, I want him to be part of this. - Harry explained under the boy's worried look.
- Harry, I don't know if I can do it. - Neville said trying to imagine what crazy thing his best friend was trying to do. - I'm not even used to offensive spells.
- I believe you have something very offensive about you. - Harry said in reference to the blade that Neville was carrying until now. - Use it... it will be a path to justice against the attack on your parents.
- Just as I'm going to confront Voldemort for justice for what he did to my parents, I want to see you confront your fears and not hide your true self, for fear of what people will think. - Harry explained with a smile. - Come on, I already defeated one, it's easy.
- You forgot to say that you became a dark, destructive mass that flew, didn't you, Harry? - Hermione said ironically, under Potter's fixed gaze.
- You're absolutely right. - He replied ironically. - But the result was that I saved you.
- Go on Neville, finish off the troll, I don't want to die here. - Harry said feigning fear as he sat on the floor. Under Tonks' laughter, who was currently keeping the Troll still in place with a sudden wave of her wand.
- Wow... - Neville said, shocked by the way his friend acted.
Unsheathing the katana that was at his waist, Longbottom soon inhaled and exhaled deeply, as a way of controlling the tremor in his hands.
- Listen, Neville. - Tonks began with her wand pointed at the troll that had currently been freed from magical containment. - There are several ways to stop a large opponent like this.
- In particular, I would take care of the club he carries in his hands, you never know when he'll be funny and throw it at someone at full speed, however... since we're in a pair, we'll make quick work of it.
- You run behind him, stab him in the back of the knees and back away. He will probably lose his balance and fall forward, which is where I finish him off.
Seeing the little boy wave while showing great nervousness, Tonks could see that Harry was doing this so that in the future his friend would not show so much nervousness with this lack of confidence in his abilities.
- Alright... let's go! - She said as the little boy ran to the other side of the room.
Taking another deep breath, Neville sharpened his eyes with the sole thought that it would make him stronger, and perhaps one day his parents would see him as a powerful man.
Sneaking up to the troll's back, which aimed to walk dragging its club towards Tonks and her friends, Longbottom didn't waste any more time, and with a long horizontal stroke using all his strength to not fall with the sword, it was possible to notice how sharp this blade was, because even without any practice, the effect was enormous.
The troll had growled loudly and angrily as he knelt on the ground from the excruciating wound he had taken from his left leg to his right. It had not been a professional martial skill, but rather a simple strike, but one that had caused great damage with the correct blade.
- BOMBARDA MAXIMA! - That's what Tonks had conjured with a very happy face for using a great spell.
And the result, of course, was inevitable. Hearing a grotesque explosion, Neville immediately looked up where, to his shock, he thought the bombardment spell would only cause a mere explosion or colorful effect, he saw a head inevitably explode with a lot of blood gushing everywhere, and especially in the place where he was standing.
- Okay... that was unexpected. - Harry said as he imagined Tonks knocking the troll unconscious, and not murdering it by blowing its head off.
- Sorry, heheh... - Tonks said, scratching the back of her head, which only stopped her from taking her first step away from the troll, and she finally tripped and fell when her rare magic reduced one of her legs by a few inches.
- Ah... it was about time. I was even finding it strange that your clumsy side had disappeared for a few moments. - He answered her, who had childishly punched him in the arm with an embarrassed face.
- Guys! Neville. - Hermione said exasperated with everyone ignoring the catatonic boy standing there.
- Is everything okay, boy? - Harry asked, touching him on the arm, since he had his head down.
- I think so... Grandpa will be proud that I helped kill a wild troll. - He said quietly.
- What's up, man, you also saved me, you saved Hermione... and well, Tonks did what she does best. - Harry said, with her hugging him comically.
- Did I save you? - He said looking up, and now his eyes were shining, even though he was covered in blood.
His eyes shone with something that Harry knew very well what it was, something he had been searching for long before his metabolism changed, eyes that searched for any sign of hope and acceptance, a look that sought the truth in knowing if he had really been useful and not a hindrance.
Looking at Tonks who smiled at him, Harry quickly replied:
- Of course, and this is just the beginning. I'll need someone with the courage to face a troll to watch my back for the next few years... You never know when more threats might arise when I enter my inert state of self-study, and I trust you with that.
Seeing that the boy immediately smiled to himself at what he had heard, Harry saw that he had handed over his katana while removing the belt that held it.
- Very well... we still have more challenges to complete. - Harry explained. - Tonks, please fix him, I don't think he even noticed. - Potter finished in a whisper to the little boy, who still had his eyes shining in recognition, barely noticing the blood-soaked and broken state of the troll's head .
Walking beside Hermione to the next door, she finally said:
- It was really nice what you did to him. - Hermione said with Harry laughing internally.
- I don't know what you're talking about... I just asked him to slice off a troll's leg. - Harry avoided the subject laughing, with Hermione following him.
Feeling the girl grab his hands tightly like he did at the end of the board, he waited for her to say something while he returned the touch, intertwining his fingers with hers:
- Do you think there's something even more dangerous than a troll in there? - She asked fearfully.
- Quite possible, but whatever is there, I want you to see if you can solve it... remember that I'm here, Neville too, and even an aspiring Auror. - Harry explained, pulling her through the door.
Hermione barely dared to look at what was next, but when Harry asked her to trust him and open her eyes, she could see that there was nothing too scary there, just a table and on it seven bottles of different shapes.
- It's Snape's. - Said Harry. - So the previous one was Quirrell's... Damn, so he was the one who released the troll in the dungeons ages ago. - Harry explained in pure reason.
- What do we have to do? - Neville asked curiously, having his body clean of all the blood, but not his clothes.
As they crossed the threshold of the door, flames immediately erupted behind them. And they were not ordinary flames either, they were blue. At the same time, black flames appeared at the door ahead.
They were cornered and Harry understood that only a fire creature could get through this, without the problems of potions or defenses. Feeling this creature calmly moving in his pocket, he soon laughed at at least an escape plan for his familiar being safe.
- It's Cursed Fire... Harry, this is evil. - Tonks said, frightened by the flames of such different colors from the usual cursed fire, which were already dangerous. - Geez, the flames are made by Dumbledore. - She said with a minimum of feeling in the flames that shone the magic present in the school headmaster.
- Hm... Dumbledore is it? - Harry muttered, doubting if he knew about Quirrell.
- Look! - Hermione picked up a roll of paper that was next to the bottles. Harry looked over her shoulder to read the paper:
" Danger lies ahead, safety lies behind,
Two of us will help you find what you want,
One of the seven will let him proceed,
The other will take back whoever drinks it,
Two of us will contain nettle wine,
Three of us are waiting in the cold to kill him,
Choose, or, you will stay here forever,
And to help you, we give you four clues:
First: no matter how hidden the poison is,
You will always find one to the left of the nettle wine.
Second: the bottles on each side are different,
Besides, if you want to move forward, none of them are your friends.
Third: it is visible that we have different sizes,
Neither the dwarf nor the giant carries death in their wake.
Fourth: second on the left and second on the right
They are twins to the taste, although different to the sight. "
Hermione let out a big sigh and Harry, perplexed, saw that she was smiling, the last thing he thought she would do right then.
- Brilliant! - She said euphorically. - This isn't magic, it's logic, a riddle, most great wizards don't have an ounce of logic, they would be stuck here forever.
- And us too, right? - Tonks said with a laugh shared by Harry, who really was the worst person to solve a riddle.
- Of course not. Everything we need is right here on this paper. Seven bottles: three contain poison, two contain wine, one will help us pass safely through the black flames, and one will take us back through the blue flames.
- But how are we going to know which one to drink? - Neville asked, still confused, because potions really weren't his strong point since Snape only harassed him in class.
- Give me a minute. - Hermione read the paper several times. Then she looked up and down the row of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at the bottles. Finally, she clapped her hands. - I know. The smallest bottle will get us through the black flames, to the stone."
Harry aimed at the little bottle.
- There's only enough for one of us. There's not even a sip.
They looked at each other and then looked at Harry, with an understanding look that he was the guinea pig this time.
- Which one will make it back through the blue flames? - He asked Hermione, pointing to a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.
And he could see that this one in question was a potion with a larger quantity, specifically, enough for three people. Something that made Harry sharpen his gaze in suspicion as to why there was that amount, everything seemed to be very well manipulated for his taste.
- You guys drink this - Harry said, to the protest of all three. - Now, listen, my scar is throbbing just as a sign that something really dangerous is in there."
- I want you to go back and get Ron, get the spare brooms from the winged key chamber, they'll take you out of the trapdoor and over Fluffy. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig's to Dumbledore, we need him for whatever the outcome of this is.
- Maybe I can hold Quirrell for a while, or really screw everything up. But I don't want whoever comes out of there to see you three and an unconscious Ron, you've been with me more than enough.
- But Harry, what if You-Know-Who is with him? - Tonks asked, knowing how worried her mother had been about Harry's headaches and how he had left a security letter with information and clues about everything that led him to go hunting for Quirrell, with strong suspicions that he was the former Dark Lord.
- Something of Voldemort is definitely there, but I will only find out about my past if I go and confront him.
- Guys, I'm not a professional wizard, I'm a pumped-up first year with a photographic memory. - Harry explained ironically with a laugh.
- I need you to at least complete this, and bring a competent wizard while I try to hold off whoever is trying to steal the Philosopher's Stone. Besides, I'm always pretty lucky, aren't I? - Harry said, pointing to the scar. - Maybe I'll get lucky again in a life-or-death situation.
Hermione's mouth twitched and she suddenly ran to Harry, hugging him tightly as he hugged her back.
- Hermione. - Harry tried to say.
- Harry, you're a great wizard, you know?
- I'm not as good as you. - Harry said with her in his arms.
- Promise me you'll come back to me... you're my best friend. - She said with tears in her eyes as she remembered how many tried to treat her badly in that first year at Hogwarts, but Harry always protected her even against Ron.
- Of course... I've survived death, whether in the magical world or the non-magical world. - Harry explained. - Come on, I want to go kick Voldemort's ass right away. - Harry said sarcastically, his forehead hurting even more.
Having let go of Hermione, Harry soon received another hug, but now with the addition of a very intense kiss from Nynphadora.
- Hm... that was good. - Harry said dazedly, with her laughing.
- Just focus on the fact that you'll have a lot more of me and my mother when you get out of here alive, and throw it in the face of the entire Hogwarts that you stole the Philosopher's Stone to stop a thief from stealing it. - The metamorphmagus responded by giving him another kiss, then moving away, with Harry continuing to find their logic of stealing something to stop a thief from stealing it funny.
- Good luck, Harry. - Neville said, clenching his fist and extending it to Harry. - Don't die.
- Thanks buddy, see you later. - He said returning the fist bump.
- Come on! You guys drink first. - Harry told them.
It was very quick, each one there had taken a quantity of the potion, with nothing left in the vial, everyone's shudder was noticeable, where Harry soon asked:
- It's not poison? Right? - He asked anxiously and worriedly.
- No..., but it feels like ice. - Hermione explained. - My body is freezing.
- Well... go now before the effect wears off.
- Good luck / Take care / Destroy the little dark lord. - Hermione, Neville and Nynphadora said in order.
- See you later... - Harry told them. - Goodbye guys. - He finally muttered quietly to himself, with a feeling that things might not really allow him to get out of there alive. And that at the very least he wanted to keep them all safe.
Hermione turned and walked straight through the blue flames, with Neville and Tonks at her side.
At the same time, Harry took a breath and picked up the smallest bottle of all.
He turned to face the black flames as he let out a wry laugh.
- You better not kill me, Albus. - Harry said, referring to the Cursed Fire. - Not until I punch that bastard in the face.
He had emptied the bottle down his throat in one gulp.
It was, in fact, as if ice was invading his body. He left the bottle on the table and advanced, filling himself with courage, he saw the black flames licking his body, but he did not feel them, for an instant he saw nothing but the black flames, then he saw that he was on the other side, in the last chamber.
There was someone there, but it wasn't Snape as Ron believed. Nor was it Voldemort in the flesh as Harry could even theorize from the pictures in the books and the creature from the forest, now standing there, facing him down the stairs, while smiling smugly.
Whatever would happen that night, one thing was certain, he would avenge what they did to his mother and father, even if it meant going against them.
And with that, I bring another chapter of Changed Prophecy to an end.
I hope you're enjoying the way I approached the tests. I aimed to give importance to each one there, no matter how small or grand.
In the next chapter, we'll have some extra quotes from Occlumency that everyone helped me with ideas in past chapters, and I really hope the work is pleasing.
We're nearing the end of the first book, and soon we'll have a second one, on the path to one day surpassing the ten-book count.
I'll be waiting for everyone in the comments section. XD
Melody that Harry Played to Calm Cerberus:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0Ce7GqNWdU
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