Neville Longbottom and the Sorcerer's Stone

Chapter 15: Through the Trap Door

As he heard Ron and Hermione leave the Common Room, his mind was spinning through dozens of scenarios which all ended in them being killed by Voldemort.  Being unable to move, he could only stare straight up at the ceiling.

Trevor hopped onto his chest, then made a small hop onto his face.  Neville needed to laugh, but the Jinx prevented any movement.  He thought about how funny it must look, and then Trevor hopped off. 

As he laid there, he was no longer thinking about them getting killed, but about how someone needed to save them.  Dumbledore was gone, and McGonagall didn't know because he hadn't told her.  He was the only one who could do anything.  He was the only one – only him.

And then he realized that he could look around.  He tried moving his arm, and it worked.  He was shocked to realize that he could move again. 

Neville immediately stood up and ran through the exit.  The entire way to McGonagall's living-quarters he was thinking how mad she would be, but he didn't care because this was important.

He knocked three times before McGonagall answered in her dressing gown.

"What is the meaning of this, Mr. Longbottom?"  He noted how angry she sounded.  "This had better be life or death, or I'll have you in detention over the Summer!"

Still panting, Neville told her about how Harry, Ron and Hermione went to stop Voldemort from getting the Sorcerer's Stone.  As he was explaining all this, McGonagall flourished her Wand, and her dressing gown turned into regular robes.  This made him pause a moment and have to collect his thoughts.  He finished by telling her how he tried to stop them but was unable to.

"Listen carefully," McGonagall leaned down and put her hands on his shoulders, "I want you to go wake up Professor Sprout and have her meet me in the Third Floor corridor.  Now hurry!"

As Neville rounded the first corner, he caught a glimpse of McGonagall talking to a smokey, silver cat that was connected to her Wand.  It didn't take long for him to get to Professor Sprout's living-quarters.  Neville didn't explain everything for the sake of time, just that McGonagall wanted to meet with her in the Third Floor corridor.

Neville instinctively followed, not knowing what else to do.  After all, he didn't think he would be able to handle the stress of waiting and not knowing.  As they arrived at the Third Floor corridor, Neville saw that McGonagal was already there and waiting in front of the same doorway Quirrell had tried to get through last Halloween.  Snape and Flitwick were waiting with her, and Hagrid was approaching from the other direction.

"Where's Quirinus?" asked Professor Sprout.

"Not in his quarters, Pomona," said McGonagall.  "I suspect that he may ultimately be the cause of this . . . excursion."

McGonagall turned to the door, waved her Wand and said, "Aberto," and the door opened.

Hagrid was standing right there and played his flute as he walked into the room.  No one had given Neville a second look except Snape, so he just waited his turn to file into the room.  It was a perfectly ordinary and bare looking room, except for the giant three-headed dog that was snoring as it took up a third of the space.  The music Hagrid was playing was apparently keeping the beast asleep.  McGonagall moved to a trap door in the middle of the room and pulled it open.

She looked over to Professor Sprout and said, "I believe it's ladies first, Pomona."

Neville was the last one through the hatch, and Professor Flitwick used "Mobilicorpus" to levitate him down. The floor below was covered in withered brown vines that crumbled underfoot. There was an opening on one wall, and McGonagall started to lead them all through and down a long sloped tunnel.