Sapphire Witch - Under Editing to make it easier to read

Through the Trapdoor

Nighttime. In the Gryffindor Common Room. The three friends come down the stairs and begin to walk across the floor. They stop when they hear croaking. Harry: "Trevor." Ron: "Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!" Neville: [appears behind a chair] "Neither should you. You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Harry: "Now, Neville, listen. We were -" Neville: "No! I won't let you! [stands] You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you." Neville holds out his fists. Hermione: "Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this...[takes out wand] Petrificus Totalus." Neville is frozen and falls backwards onto the ground. Hermione puts her wand back. Ron: [Gulp] "You're a little scary sometimes...you know that? Brilliant, but scary." Harry: "Let's go. [Walks by Neville] Sorry." Hermione: "Sorry." Ron: "It's for your own good, you know." Y/n is still staring at her map. Y/n: "Sorry Neville." Ron. You're sleeping with an old man." Ron: "What?" Y/n: "Scabbers." Ron: "Grow up!" The four are under the Invisibility cloak, sneaking along the corridor. Hermione: "Ow! You stood on my foot!" Ron: "Sorry." A flame lights. Hermione draws out her wand and points it at the door. Hermione: "Alohomora." The door opens and they go in. Ron: "Wait a minute...he's...." A blow of air, and the cape flutters off them. Ron: "Sleeping." Harry: "Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp. He's probably taken my sisters with him." They approach the sleeping dog. Ron: "Uh. It's got horrible breath!" Harry: "We have to move its paw." Ron: "What?!" Harry: "Come on!" Y/n uses telekinisis to move the paw. Cedric: "What are you doing?!" Y/n: "Ahh!" Adrian: "Shhh! Do ou want to wake it up." Adrian uses his telekinisis to move Fluffy's paw with her. They open the door. Harry: "I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. [Fluffy's eyes open.] If something bad happens, get yourselves out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?" Hermione: "The harp. It stopped playing." Drool from one head comes down on Ron's shoulder. Ron: "Ew! Yuck! Ugh." All six kids look up and see Fluffy standing there. Fluffy barks and growls, thrashing. It breaks the harp and dives at the six. /n creates a forcefield around them Harry: "Jump! Go!" They all jump through the trapdoor. Ron: "Ahh!" He gasps as he lands on some mushy black ropelike vines. Ron: "Whoa. Lucky this plant-thing is here, really." Cedric: "Don't move a muscle." Harry: "Whoa!" The plant begins to move towards them. Adrian: "Oh. Ahh!" The plant ties them up. Hermione: "Stop moving, the lot of you. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster." Ron: "Kill us faster?! Oh, now I can relax!" Hermione, Y/n, and Cedric, manage a smile as they are sucked down below. Ron/Harry: "Hermione!! Y/n!!" Adrian: "Cedric!!" Ron: "Now what are we gonna do?!" Hermione: "Just relax!" Harry: "Hermione! Where are you?!" Hermione: [from below] "Do what I say. Trust me." Harry relaxes and is sucked through. Ron: "Ahh! Harry!" Adrian following soon after. Harry falls through and lands on the hard ground. Hermione goes over to him and he stands up. Ron: "Harry!" Hermione: "Are you okay?" Harry: "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." Ron: "Help!" Hermione: "He's not relaxing, is he?" Harry: "Apparently not." Ron: "Help! Help me!" Hermione: "We've got to do something!" Harry: "What?" Y/n: "We learned about this in Herbology it was on the exam." Hermione: "The exam you were reading through!" Y/n: "My body was taking the exam." Cedric: "I remember reading something in Herbology." Ron: "Help!" Cedric & Hermione: "Um Devil's Snare, Devil's Scare, [The snare shuts Ron's mouth] it's deadly fun...but will sulk in the sun!" Hermione: "That's it! Devil's Snare hates sunlight! [takes out wand and points upwards.] Lumus Solem!" A beam of light shoots out. The Snare shrieks and recoils. Ron falls below. Ron: "Ahhh!" Harry: "Ron, are you okay?" Ron: "Yeah." Harry: "Okay." Ron: [stands] "Whew. Lucky we didn't panic!" Harry: "Lucky Hermione and Cedric pay attention in Herbology." There is a sound. Hermione: "What is that?" Harry: "I don't know. Sounds like wings." They enter into a room filled with golden "birds." Hermione: "Curious. I've never seen birds like these." Y/n and Adrian walk to the center of the room and a broom appear. Harry: "They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door." They come upon a broomstick, suspended in the air. Hermione: "What's this all about?" Harry: "I don't know. Strange." Ron creeps over to the door and takes out his wand. Ron rattles the lock. Ron: "Alohomora! [Shrugs] Well, it was worth a try." Hermione: "Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be 1000 keys up there!" Adrian: "We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle." Harry: "There! I see it! [points] The one with the broken wing!" He looks at the broom. Hermione: "What's wrong, Harry?" Harry: "It's too simple." Y/n: "I don't think that perticular key is enchanted. I think all of the other ones are." Ron: "Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century! Besides! What about Sunflower and Songbird! They need us! Especially you!" Harry nods and grabs the broom. All the keys suddenly go one direction, right at Harry. He climbs on, swiping at them. Ron: "This complicates things a bit!" Harry pushes off into the air. He flies off, after the key. The others follow him. Harry grabs the key. Harry: "Catch the key!" He zooms by and throws the key to Hermione, who catches it and heads for the lock while Harry distracts the other keys. Hermione puts it in the lock. Ron: "Hurry up!" The door opens, and Y/n, Adrian, Cedric, Hermione, and Ron rush through, followed by Harry. They shut the door just as the keys slam up against it. They enter a dark room, with broken pieces all around it. Hermione: "I don't like this. I don't like this at all." Harry: "Where are we? A graveyard?" Ron: "This is no graveyard. [sighs] It's a chessboard." Walks out onto the marble board and flames light, illuminating the board and giant players. Harry and Hermione come up with him. Harry: "There's the door." They walk across the board, towards the door. Suddenly, as they reach a line of pawns, the pawns bring up their swords. The three jump and back up. Y/n & Adrian: "That's not going to work." Hermione: "Now what do we do?" Ron: "It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. All right. Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, you'll be the Queen's side castle. Y/n you be Queen. Cedric will be king. Adrian, you'll be the rook. As for me, I'll be a knight." They all take their places. Hermione: "What happens now?" Ron: [aboard a horse.] "Well, white moves first, and then...we play." A pawn on the other side moves forward. Ron studies the game. Hermione: "Ron, you don't suppose this is going to be like...real wizard's chess, do you?" Ron: "You there! D-5!" A black pawn moves forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn raises its sword and smashes the black one. The three jump. Ron: "Yes, Hermione, I think this is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!" The game continues. Pieces smash each other, and boom! Boom! Ron: "Castle to E-4!" [Smash!] Ron: "Pawn to C-3!" Smash! Boom! The Queen turns, and smashes a piece! Harry, Ron, and Hermione wince. The Queen turns again. Both Ron and Harry study the game. Harry: "Wait a minute." Ron: "You understand right, Harry? Once I make my move, the Queen will take me...then you'll be free to check the King." Harry: "No, Ron! No!" Hermione: "What is it?" Y/n: "There has to be another way!" Cedric: "Maybe a pawn-" Adrian: "Ron!" Harry: "He's going to sacrifice himself!" Hermione: "No, Ron, you can't!" Ron closes his eyes. Hermione: "There must be another way!" Ron: [turns to face Hermione.] "Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you and Y/n that have to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione, not Cedric or Adrian, you two." Harry nods. Ron: "Knight...to H-3." Ron's horse moves forward, slides and stops. Ron: "Check." The Queen turns and advances. Ron breathes faster, clutching the steel reins. The Queen stops. SMASH! Ron goes flying off the horse and lands on the floor, unconscious. Ron: "Ahhhh!" Harry: "RON!" Hermione starts walking to him. Y/n, Cedric & Adrian: "Wait!" Harry: "NO! Don't move! Don't forget we're still playing." Hermione moves back. Harry walks diagonally in front of the King. Harry: "Checkmate." The King's sword falls onto the ground in defeat. Harry breathes out and then the two run to Ron. They bend beside him. Harry: "Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on." Hermione: "You'll be okay, Harry. You're a great wizard, you really are." Harry: "Not as good as you." Hermione: [smile] "Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery. And Harry, just be careful." Harry nods and stands, walking away. Y/n, Cedric, and Adrian are leaning over a logic puzzle. Harry: "What's next?" Y/n: "Oh you walked by the troll as well?" Harry: "Yeah." Y/n:

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would 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 hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,

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 onwards neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight."

Harry: "What"? Adrian: "I get it!" Cedric: "How'd you get it so fast?" Adrian: "Y/n and I were doing logic puzzles and riddles after our potion exams. Snape gave us one just like this. Different potions but the wording is incredibly similar. From the fourth clue, it was known the contents of the red and black bottles were the same. Since the potions that allowed the drinker to go forward or backward were unique, and from the third clue the biggest one could not be poison, red and black bottles must contain nettle wine. From the first clue, white and green bottles, to the left of nettle wine, must contain poison. From the second clue, white and purple bottles had different contents but neither allowed the drinker to move forward, and since the white bottle contained poison, and the two bottles containing nettle wine were known, the purple bottle must contain the potion to go back. From the third clue, the blue bottle, the smallest, could not be the poison, so it must contain the potion to go ahead while the yellow bottle was the third bottle with poison." Y/n: "There's enough for three." Adrian: "I'll go back Cedric is better with defensive spells then me." Cedric: "Okay. Help Hermione with Ron."