First year: A stoned heart professor

Chapter 18

As Enadira and Hermione waited for Harry and Ron, they finally appeared coming down the stairs in the Gryffindor common room. "Well, look who's taken their time?" Hermione asked them. "We don't have all night, you know?" Enadira said. "We're here now," Ron said as he crossed his arms. "Sorry, but Ron's right; we're here now, so let's go," Harry said. As they were about to leave, they heard a croaking sound.

"What's that croaking sound?" Enadira asked as she looked around, trying to find the source. "Look!" Harry pointed, and it was Trevor, Neville's toad, on the handle of a chair. Trevor," Ron said. "Trevor, shh go! You shouldn't be here!" Ron said to the toad "Um, would it even understand you?" Enadira asked. "Neither should you," Neville said as he stood up and appeared to be sitting in the chair, hidden from view.

"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" Neville said as he walked toward them and stood his ground. "Um, maybe?" Enadira shrugged. "Now, Neville, listen, we were-" Harry tried to explain, but Neville interrupted. "No! I won't let you," Neville said. "It seems our first obstacle is Neville; how very brave of him," Enadira thought. "You'll get Gryffindor into trouble again," Neville said, starting to put up his fists. "I'll fight you," he said.

Nobody really wanted to harm Neville; they couldn't really do it, but they had to do something. "Neville I'm really, really sorry about this," Hermione said as she pulled out her wand. "Petrifucus totalus," she said, casting it on Neville. He completely froze like a statue and fell down. Hermione put her wand away as they looked amazed.

"You're a little scary sometimes," Ron said, and they looked at him. "Brilliant, but scary," he added, to which Hermione only smirked at his compliment. As each one passes by Neville, each apologizes. "Sorry, Neville," Enadira said, and they left the common room. "So, how do we go without getting actually caught this time?" Enadira asked. "With this," Ron said as he patted his shoulders.

Enadira had to squint her eyes a bit when she realized what was on Ron's shoulder. "Oh, the invisibility cloak; it looked camouflaged on your clothes," she said. "Your sweater is bright cream; you could have worn something darker," Ron said. "We're going to be covered; who's going to notice?" Enadira asked. "Guys, come on, Ron, spread out the cloak," Harry said as they got a bit distracted.

As Ron opened the cloak and covered the four of them, Enadira was surprised it fit them all. "Well that's interesting," she said to herself aloud. Together, they walked as one until they finally made it to the third floor of the castle and in front of the locked door. "Enadira, you're closest to the door; remember, it's Alohamora," Hermione said. "Got it," Enadira said, taking out her wand.

"Alohomora," she said, flicking her wand at the locked door. It was unlocked, and they entered the room. When they did, they could already hear music being played. "Wait a minute, he's already—" Before Harry could finish his sentence, Fluffy snorted and took off her invisibility cloak. "Snoring," he said.

"Aww, Fluffy looks adorable while sleeping," Enadira said. "Snape must have put a spell on that harp," Harry pointed out, figuring out where the music was coming from. "That means he's already been here," Harry said. The four of them slowly started to approach Fluffy. "Ugh, it's got horrible dog breath," Ron said as he scrunched his nose. Harry sees the trap door, but one of its paws is blocking the entrance. "We have to move its paw," Harry pointed out.

"What?" Ron asked him, and he didn't want to touch Fluffy at all. "Come on," Harry said, and together they all lifted one of Fluffy's paws out of the way. As Harry opened the trap door, it was pitch black. They all took a knee to try to see the landing. "So, who wants to volunteer and land who knows what?" Enadira asked them. "I'll go first," Harry said to them. "Don't follow until I give you a sign; if something bad happens, get yourselves out," Harry said to them, and they nodded.