Chapter 16
The Gryffindor Tower was quiet in the evening, the only sounds being crickets and distant owls' hooting.
Oh, and the footsteps of four very troublesome students running down the stairs of the dormitories.
The four of them—Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Cassidy—were just about to slip out of the common room when the sound of croaking stopped them.
"Trevor," Cassidy breathed out fondly, spotting the frog perched on the arm of a chair. "Did Neville forget to tuck you into bed?" She cooed, crouching slightly.
Ron, however, was thoroughly annoyed. "Trevor! Shh! Go! You shouldn't be here!" he hissed, the Invisibility Cloak draped over his arm.
"Stop it, Ron, you're scaring him!" Cassidy retorted, just as the chair Trevor was perched on swiveled around to reveal...
"Neville?" Cassidy said in confusion.
"You shouldn't be here either, Ron. Or any of you, for that matter." Neville said.
"Oh no," Harry muttered.
"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Neville accused, standing up and blocking their way. He looked both determined and terrified.
"No, Neville, listen—" Harry started.
"No! I won't let you! You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again! I—I'll... fight you!" Neville declared, putting up his chubby fists.
"Neville," Ron groaned, "not now. We don't have time for this!"
Cassidy sighed, exchanging a look with the others. "Neville," she began gently, stepping forward. "We're not trying to cause trouble, I promise. We're doing this for the school—for everyone. Can't you trust us on that?"
Neville hesitated, his resolve faltering but not breaking.
Hermione nudged Cassidy subtly. "Distract him!" she whispered.
Cassidy rolled her eyes and muttered, "Alright, alright."
Before Neville could react, Cassidy leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss to his cheek.
Neville froze, his face instantly going red as his arms dropped to his sides.
"Thanks, Nev," Cassidy said sweetly, giving him a wink.
Hermione took her chance, pulling out her wand. "Petrificus Totalus!"
Neville stiffened and fell to the floor, immobilized but unharmed.
"You're scary, the both of you." Ron said. "Brilliant, but scary."
Cassidy crouched briefly next to Neville, brushing his hair back affectionately. "Sorry, Neville. You're too brave for your own good." His face grew even redder.
Ron grabbed Cassidy's arm, muttering, "Come on!" The four of them hurried through the portrait hole, the Invisibility Cloak fluttering in Ron's grip.
Down the corridor, Ron finally snapped. "What was that all about?"
Cassidy gave him a bemused look. "What? It worked, didn't it?"
"You kissed him!" Ron said, his face redder than his hair.
"On the cheek," Cassidy shot back, crossing her arms.
"Still!" Ron huffed. "You didn't have to—"
"Oh, relax, Weasley," Cassidy said with a smirk. "You're acting like you're jealous or something."
Ron sputtered incoherently, his ears turning scarlet. "Jealous? Of Neville? Don't be ridiculous!"
Harry sighed, exasperated. "Can we save this for later? We've got bigger problems than who Cassidy's kissing, yeah?"
Cassidy snorted but didn't reply, and the group put on the Invisibility Cloak, though Ron kept shooting her upset looks.
"Harry Potter, if you step on my foot one more time, I'm going to kick you," Cassidy hissed.
"Sorry," he mumbled.
The group stood in front of the door that guarded Fluffy, the three-headed dog watching over the Sorcerer's Stone. Cassidy's necklace dangled from her neck, now glowing faintly as they stepped closer.
"Alohomora!" Hermione waved her wand, unlocking the door once again.
"Are you sure you guys want to do this?" Cassidy asked, her voice tense. Harry noticed her necklace was glowing brighter now.
"Look at Cass's necklace! We're definitely close," Harry said, ignoring her question.
Cassidy sighed in resignation. "We're done for," she muttered, shaking her head.
They entered, still concealed under Harry's Invisibility Cloak.
"Wait a minute, he's..." Harry trailed off, startled.
The sound of three heads snoring in unison filled the air, their breaths causing the cloak to flutter off.
"Snoring," Cassidy finished, her gaze drifting to the harp that played a melody on its own.
"Snape's already been here. He must've put a spell on the harp," Harry observed.
"Eugh! That thing smells!" Ron exclaimed. Cassidy giggled.
"We have to move its paw," Harry said, already approaching the massive beast.
"Harry, do you want to die at the age of eleven?" Cassidy asked, eyeing the slumbering dog.
"Come on!" he urged, and Cassidy sighed, joining the others in pushing the paw. Miraculously, the dog didn't stir.
"Thank Merlin," Cassidy whispered, glancing up in silent gratitude.
"Cass, stop moping," Ron said as they opened the trapdoor, revealing nothing but darkness beneath. The group crouched down to peer into the void.
"I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign," Harry said. They all nodded, but Cassidy looked uneasy.
"It's way too quiet, don't you think?" she asked, nervously laughing. The others turned to look at the harp.
"The harp—it stopped playing," Hermione observed. Cassidy's necklace flared up, and she noticed the dogs' saliva dripping onto her shoulder.
"EVERYONE, JUMP!" she screamed. Without hesitation, they all leapt into the trapdoor as the dogs snapped behind them.
They landed in a pile of vines that seemed to move of their own accord.
"Oh, fiddlesticks," Cassidy muttered, surrendering to the vines as they wrapped around her and the others. "Merlin, we're ready, you can take us." She closed her eyes in defeat.
"Don't be ridiculous, Cassidy. Relax! It's Devil's Snare. It'll kill you faster if you struggle," Hermione said as the vines tightened around her.
"All the better," Cassidy replied, eyes still shut. "Take us, Merlin, take us."
"Kill us faster?!" Ron repeated, his voice panicked. "Oh, now I can relax!"
"Ron embrace the end of your short and insignificant life," Cassidy said, eyes still closed.
"Shut up, Cassidy," Ron grumbled, his voice muffled. Hermione rolled her eyes, and dropped out of view.
"Hermione!" Rona and Harry shouted in unison.
"Ah, I see you've taken Hermione first," Cassidy mused. "Me next, Merlin, I'm ready."
"Cass, stop being a loony!" Ron shouted. "What are we gonna do now?"
"Just relax!" Hermione called from somewhere unknown.
"It's like she's still here with us," Cassidy remarked dreamily before dropping down, landing at Hermione's feet.
"Cassidy!" Ron and Harry shouted in unison, again.
"It looks like I'm in Hell. Oh well," Cassidy muttered, face down. Hermione rolled her eyes and helped her up.
"You're not dead, silly," Hermione said with a smile, before yelling up at the boys. "Just do what I say!"
Harry relaxed, dropping down next.
"Ah! Harry!" Ron shouted as Harry fell on top of Cassidy.
"Ow!" Cassidy yelped.
"Are you two okay?" Hermione asked, concerned.
"Peachy," Cassidy replied, as Harry scrambled off of her.
"Help!" Ron shouted from above, and the three looked up.
"He's not relaxing, is he?" Hermione said, shaking her head.
"Apparently not," Harry replied.
"Don't think he ever will," Cassidy added.
"Ugh, I've gotta do something," Hermione said, exasperated.
"Help!" Ron continued to yell.
"Well, what is it?" Cassidy asked her, still looking up at the vines.
"I remember reading something in Herbology. Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare. It's deadly fun... but with salt in the sun, that's it!" Hermione said excitedly.
"What's it?" Cassidy asked, frustration creeping into her voice.
"Don't you see? Devil's Snare hates sunlight!"
"Say no more," Cassidy said, pulling out her wand and pointing it above.
"Lumos Solem!" she shouted.
A burst of bright light shot from Cassidy's wand, striking the vines above and causing Ron to fall in a heap on the floor. Cassidy, Harry, and Hermione rushed to help him up.
"You okay, Ron?" Cassidy asked, inspecting his face for any bruises. Ron's ears turned pink.
"Y-yeah, I'm fine," he said quickly, turning away. "Whoo! Lucky we didn't panic!" he added, glancing at the vines.
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Harry corrected, and the three of them turned to look at Ron, who hung his head in shame.
Suddenly, the sound of flapping wings echoed through the air.
"What is that?" Hermione asked.
"I don't know," Harry replied, squinting into the distance. "Sounds like wings."
The group stepped through the next door into a long hallway, tall pillars lining the sides with archways, and flying birds—no, not birds.
"Are those..." Cassidy said slowly, "Keys?"
"I've never seen birds like these," Hermione observed, eyes wide.
"Well, obviously, 'Mione, because they're keys," Cassidy repeated,
still staring at them with confusion. "With wings." Hermione shot her an exasperated look.
"And I bet one of them fits that door," Harry said, his face streaked with dirt. The group then spotted a broomstick floating, seemingly waiting to be used.
"What's this all about?" Hermione asked, intrigued.
"I don't know," Harry said simply, shaking his head. Hermione, Ron, and Cassidy exchanged a look before heading straight for the door.
"Alohomora!" Ron called, but the door remained stubbornly shut. Cassidy turned back to Harry.
"You sure there isn't some inscription on the broom or something, Harry?!" she yelled from across the room.
"No!" Harry called back, his attention fixed on the broomstick.
"Oh, fiddlesticks," Cassidy muttered under her breath. Ron had given up, looking back at the two girls.
"Well, it was worth a try," he said, shoulders sagging.
"Ugh, what are we going to do?!" Hermione exclaimed, frustration bubbling over. "There must be a thousand keys up there."
"Don't worry, Hermione, we'll find it," Cassidy reassured her.
"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one," Ron said, eyeing the keyhole. "Probably rusted at the handle."
Suddenly, Harry pointed upward.
"There! I see it!" he declared. "The one with the broken wing!" He looked down at the broomstick, a frown crossing his face.
"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked, cocking her head slightly.
"It's too simple," he replied, furrowing his brow.
"That's ridiculous, Potter. You can do it," Cassidy said, oblivious.
"Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch that on a broomstick, you can," Ron encouraged, and Cassidy nodded.
"You're the youngest Seeker in a century, for Merlin's sake," she added with an encouraging smile.
Harry nodded, taking hold of the broomstick. As he did, the keys above stopped flying, then suddenly swooped down on him in a swarm.
"Maybe we egged him on a bit too much," Cassidy muttered, wincing.
Harry swatted at the keys, trying to clear a path.
"This complicates things a bit," Ron said, sharing a worried look with the girls.
Harry soared into the air, the keys following him. Spotting the one he needed, he grabbed it and dove downward.
" Catch the key!" he yelled as he neared the ground. Hermione caught it, running with the others to unlock the door.
"Hurry up!" Ron shouted as Hermione struggled to open it.
"Shut it, Ron! But Hermione, please hurry!" Cassidy pleaded.
Finally, Hermione unlocked the door, and they rushed through.
"Potter! Over here!" Cassidy shouted.
Harry swooped in just in time as Hermione slammed the door shut, blocking the keys from following them.
***
The next room was dark, and large statues towered in front of the group, like they were watching them as they walked in.
It was eerily silent.
"I don't like this," Hermione muttered, and Cassidy held her hand silently. "I don't like this at all." She repeated, squeezing Cassidy's hand.
"Where are we?" Harry asked no one in particular.
"A graveyard?" Harry said, trembling.
"This is no graveyard." Ron replied, walking ahead of the group.
"Ron? What're you-" Cassidy asked.
"It's a chessboard." Ron said, a smile spreading over his face.
The room lit up, and Cassidy realized it wasn't statues they were looking at, they were chess pieces. On a chessboard.
And if there was one thing Ron Weasley was good at, it was wizard's chess.
The group walked to the middle of the board, their footsteps echoing against the marble.
"Wicked." Cassidy whispered in awe.
"There's the door!" Harry pointed out, and the group ran towards it. All of a sudden, the knights on one side had come alive, unsheathing their swords threateningly and preventing the children from passing through. They stepped back, and the chesspieces put their weapons away.
"Now what do we do?" Hermione said, exasperated.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" Ron replied. "We're gonna play our way across the room!"
Cassidy raised her eyebrows, but listened as Ron instructed them.
"Alright. Harry, you take empty bishop square. Hermione, you'll be the queen of the castle. Cass, you'll be the rook. And as for me, I'll be a knight." Ron looked at them all, determined.
Hermione stood beside a knight, and Harry was beside Ron's knight. Cassidy stood on the right edge of the chessboard, near where Ron and Harry were. There was no space next to Hermione.
Hermione, unsure, looked at Ron quizzically.
"What happens now?" she asked.
"Well, white moves first, and then... we'll play." Ron explained.
"Merlin, please take us," Cassidy whispered solemnly.
A pawn from the other side of the board moved forward two squares, slowly.
"Ron... you don't suppose this is going to be like real wizard's chess, do you?" Hermione asked, mortified.
"Hermione, I think it is," Cassidy replied hopelessly.
Ron didn't answer. He just pointed to a black pawn.
"You there! E5!" he ordered.
The pawn moved forward, its wooden body creaking.
The white pawn unsheathed its sword and sliced the black pawn in half mercilessly. All four of them flinched.
"Er... there's your answer, Hermione," Ron said slowly.
Hermione glared at him like she wanted to snap his wand in half, and Harry looked at him as if he'd just claimed the Dursleys were the sweetest family on earth. Cassidy glanced heavenward.
"Well, this is the end. In my will, I leave my sweets to Neville Longbottom, and my pajamas to—"
"Cassidy! Focus!" Ron yelled, grabbing her attention.
"Right. Sorry. Focus. Focus," she muttered, clearly struggling to keep it together.
The game ahead was messy, pieces being shattered left and right as Ron Weasley directed the game. Dust coated Cassidy's face when one piece was smashed particularly close to her.
"'Mione was right. This is totally barbaric," Cassidy muttered as another chess piece was destroyed.
All of a sudden, a chess piece turned towards Ron, slowly.
"Wait a minute," Harry muttered. Ron looked determined.
"You'll understand why, Harry. Once I make my move, the queen will take me." He said, looking towards the white side's queen. "Then you're free to take the key."
"Ron, don't be silly, you can't-" Cassidy started, but Ron held up a finger to shush her.
"Ron, NO!" Harry yelled.
"What is it?" Hermione asked, confused and scared.
"He's going to sacrifice himself!" Harry yelled in reply.
"Ron, stop being a git!" Cassidy yelled.
"No, Ron, stop! There must be another way!" Hermione yelled.
"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that Stone or not?" Ron shot back. He then turned to Harry.
"Harry. It's you that has to go on, I know it. Not me, Not Cass, Not Hermione, you." Harry looked back at him in understanding, and nodded. Ron turned back to the game, determined.
"Knight to H3." He said simply. The chess piece he sat on moved forward slowly, and then closer to the white queen.
"Check."
The queen moved toward him, and stabbed the chess piece.
"No!" Cassidy screamed, watching as Ron fell from the horse, yelling. He hit the floor, a dirty, red-haired heap.
"Ron!" Harry screamed. Hermione started toward Ron, but Harry stopped her.
"No! Don't move yet!" He yelled at her. "We're still playing." Cassidy gulped as Hermione stepped back. Harry walked toward a knight, Cassidy and Hermione watching in fear.
"Checkmate." He said. A sword fell from the knight's hand, landing in front of Harry.
Knowing the game was over, the group rushed toward Ron's unconscious body.
"Cassidy, take care of Ron. Hermione, go to the owlery and send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right. I have to go on," Harry said, his voice firm. Cassidy quickly unclasped her necklace and handed it to Harry.
"Here, Harry. You'll need it. To sense danger," she said, her smile encouraging as she placed it in his hand.
Harry nodded and put it around his neck, looking between the two girls.
"You'll be okay, Harry. You're a brave wizard," Hermione said.
"She's right. You're brilliant, Potter," Cassidy added with a grin.
"I'm not as good as you two," he replied humbly. Cassidy scoffed, then smiled and shook her head as Hermione beamed at Harry.
"Me? Books, cleverness?" Hermione said incredulously. "And all I can do is make silly jokes," Cassidy added with a sad smile.
"There are more important things," Hermione continued. "Friendship, bravery." Cassidy nodded in agreement. Harry was about to leave, when Cassidy held him by the arm.
"And Harry, just be careful. 'Cause if you die, Malfoy won't stop talking about it. You're the Boy Who Lived. Stay true to that name, alright?" Cassidy placed a hand on his shoulder, her tone both serious and supportive. Harry gave each of them a small smile before getting to his feet and walking toward the final battle.
"I do hope he'll be okay," Hermione murmured.
"He'll be alright. He's Harry Potter, after all," Cassidy replied, her gaze fixed on Harry as his figure grew smaller and smaller.