Spellbound Sacrifice: The Hidden Truth (Book 1)

Chapter 6 - Wrong Turn

Chapter 6 - Wrong Turn

The secret suspicious glares from Hagrid penetrated Hermione's cool exterior as she was glad they finally reached the end of the tunnel,

"There's just moss here! How do we get out?" Ron panicked as Hagrid ushered him aside and tapped his stick on the floor three times,

"Get ready" Hagrid warned as he presented the pair with a smirk before the ground started to rumble and crack,

"What the heck is going on?" Ron yelled as he jumped over to Hermione and held her tight in time to avoid falling into a large crack.

Hagrid rolled his eyes at Ron's overly animated behaviour and watched on from the side lines as the crumbling ground made way for a candle lit swirling stairwell.

As the last piece of stone made way for the final step, Hagrid waved farewell to the hidden elves and guided the nervous pair into the Hogwarts sewer,

"Be at your wits ends down here as there's more than just rats to look out for" Hagrid warned as they stepped into the shallow murky water and followed their giant friend through the slime dripping tunnels.

The smell was nauseating as rotten items floated passed them with an eager rodent or slithering lizard waiting to delight in its palette with these delectable meals,

"How far to Hogwarts?" Hermione wretched as she held her scarf to her nose and mouth, scared to inhale anymore of the horrendous fumes.

Hagrid hurried through the saturated walls of the sewer tunnels as the married couple ran to keep up,

"Nearly there" Hagrid shouted back as he reached the edge of the tunnel and looked down.

A waterfall of sewage confronted them as all three looked down to see a twenty metre drop with a sea of putrid, frothing sludge below them,

"Ok we're here" Hagrid announced as he held onto Harry's limp body and looked back at the confused couple,

"Errrm Hagrid this isn't the Hogwarts I remember" Ron questioned with disgust.

Hagrid chuckled at his untrusting friends face and stepped forward towards and stood on the edge,

"Well what do you expect when you come the back way? If any intruder makes it this far, they won't be getting any further, however if you're a friend of Hogwarts, and mean no harm, you will make it through" Hagrid responded as he regarded Hermione with a cautious glance on the last part of his statement.

The edge of the tunnel was slippery with all the rotten waste and animal carcasses as Hermione slowly ventured towards the edge,

"What does that mean?" Ron gasped as a slither of the repulsive fumes from below entered his nose and mouth.

Gagging at the nauseating invasion, Ron held onto Hermione for support as Hagrid held one leg out and shouted,