Daughter of a Criminal

Trails and Tribulations

That night in the Gryffindor common room, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann crept down stairs and walked across the floor, when suddenly they were stopped dead in their tracks with the sound of croaking.
"Trevor," Harry said. Neville's toad, Trevor was croaking on one of the armchairs staring at them.
"Trevor, shoo!," Ron said, trying to make the toad go away so they could go through the portrait hole.
"Go! You shouldn't be here!," Ann said
"Neither should you," said a voice from one of the armchairs. It was Neville Longbottom.
"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?," Neville said
"Now, Neville, we were…," Harry tried
"No!! I won't let you!," Neville said, determined to stop them.
"Neville, please, we'll explain later, but for now we need you to get out of the way and keep your voice down," Ann said
"You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you!," Neville said ignoring Ann
"Seriously?! You'll fight us?," Ann asked
"I'll do it! I swear!," Neville said.
"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this…," Hermione said as she pulled out her wand and said,
"Petrificus Totalus!," Suddenly Neville became frozen and fell backward onto the floor. Hermione put her wand back in her pocket. Ron gulped
"You're a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant, but scary," Ron said
"Petrificus Totalus," Ann said,
"It's the full body-bind," Hermione said.
"I'll have to remember that one the next time I see Malfoy," Ann joked.
"Let's go," Harry said. Everyone went around Neville and apologized as they went by.
"It's for your own good, you know," Ron said
"Ron!," Ann scolded
"What I'm just saying, plus you brought up the fighting bit," Ron argued. After leaving the common room, Harry slipped on the cloak over all four of them. He was surprised that the cloak could fit all of four of them at once. As they snuck along the corridor in their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like one of the ghosts swooping around the corridor to make sure no one was sneaking around after hours. They finally made it to the third floor corridor without a hitch.
"Ow! You stood on my foot!," Ann said.
"Sorry," Ron said. Right in front of them was the door they were all dreading to go in again. Hermione pulled out her wand
"Alohomora," she said. The door unlocked and opened. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann crept inside the room quietly preparing to hear a growl or bark from the three headed dog, but they didn't hear it. They only heard... snoring.
"Wait a minute..., he's... sleeping," Ron said. As he said this, a rush of air came from the dog's large nose and the invisibility cloak blew off them.
"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp," Harry said. They approached the dog quietly and carefully.
"Uh, It's got horrible breath!," Ron said as the dog's breath came rushing over them, nearly knocking them over as they walked. Then Harry looked down to see that dog's paw was covering up the trapdoor.
"We have to move its paw," Harry said.
"What?!," Ron said.
"Are you insane?," Ann said,
"What if he wakes up and starts devouring us?," Ron said
"He won't! Now come on!," Harry said. Everyone crouched down looking terrified to even touch the dog's paw.
"Okay, push!," Harry said. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann pushed with all their might trying not to wake the sleeping beast. Every now and then the dog would make a grunting sound it would startle them. Harry bent down to pull open the trapdoor.
"Help me," Harry said as he tried to pull. Ann bent down to help and the door swung up and open. They looked down the pinch black hole. It didn't appear to have a bottom and there was no way of getting down without jumping in.
"I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out…," As Harry was talking, everyone didn't seem to notice that the three-headed dog was waking up from his slumber and suddenly noticed that the room became super quiet.
"Does it seem a bit... quiet?" Harry said.
"Yeah," Ann said, becoming extremely worried.
"Too quiet," Ron added
"The harp! It stopped playing," Hermoine realized. Then a massive string of drool came slowly down and landed on Ron's shoulder.
"Ew! Yuck! Ugh!," Ron said. All of a sudden, the once sleeping three-headed dog was standing right over the four growling and barking and thrashing around until it broke the harp and ripped off the trapdoor by its hinges.
"Jump!!! GO!!!," Harry yelled. Everyone dove in quickly one at a time before the dog could dive after them. They were falling... falling... There was blackness all around them. And then... FLUMP!! They landed on something soft and plant-like.
"Woah!," Ron said.
"What is this?," Ann asked as she poked it to see if it would do anything. "Dunno. Some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall," Harry said
"Lucky it's here, really," Ron said. But at that moment, the plant started moving toward them.
"Woah!," Harry said.
"Guys!," Ann said who had started to panic,
"What's happening??," Ron asked. The plant wrapped around everyone below the neck; their ankles, legs, arms, and torso were tied up by endless vines. It was like giant pythons straggling their prey. They struggled to free themselves, but it was no use. The more they struggled the worse it got. The plant gripped and wrapped them tighter and tighter faster to where they couldn't move or even breathe.
"Stop moving!! All of you! This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster," Hermoine yelled
"Oh that's reassuring!!!," Ann screamed.
"Kill us faster?!," Ron said.
"Oh, yeah now I can relax!," Ann added. Hermione gave a smirk and suddenly... she was sucked in down below. Ron, Harry, and Ann were shocked. "Hermione!!," they screamed.
"Hermione! Are you okay?," Ann yelled down.
"Now what are we gonna do??," Ron said. Then they heard Hermione's voice coming from somewhere, but didn't know where.
"Just relax!," Hermione said.
"Hermione! Where are you??," Harry said. Then they heard Hermione's voice again. This time they heard it coming down below them.
"Do what I say! Trust me!!," Hermoine yelled
"Uh..Guys? I can't move!!," Ann shouted. This was not the way she wanted to die. Not like this. Harry ignored everything around him and relaxed. Then he was sucked right through.
"HARRY!!!!!," Ann and Ron screamed. Harry then fell right through and landed on the hard ground below.
"Are you okay?," Hermione said.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine," Harry said.
"Harry!!," Ann and Ron screamed,
"I'm fine!! But you need to relax!," Harry yelled back
"Help!!! I can't breathe!!!!" "Help!!!," Ron yelled. Harry looked frantically at Hermione.
"We've got to do something!," Hermione said.
"Like what?," Harry said
"Uh!," Hermione said, trying to think quickly. "I remember reading something in Herbology,". As Hermione was trying to come up with something to help them, Ron kept yelling for help, but Anns sound was muffled because the vines were covering her mouth. Everything went blurry around her and on the verge of passing out any minute from hyperventilation. She tried to breathe through her nose, but every breath she took got harder and harder cause the vines were constricting her chest and crushing her ribs.
"Um Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare. It's deadly fun…," Hermoine said
"Hurry Hermione!!," Harry saidwho noticed in the crack of the vines that Ann was about to go unconscious.
"But will sulk in the sun! That's it!! Devil's Snare hates sunlight!," Hermione said as she pulled out her wand and pointed straight upwards and said
"Lumus Solem!!!," A bright beam of light shot out and the Devil's Snare shrieked and recoiled. Ann and Ron fell right through to the ground below gasping and coughing for air. Harry went over to Ann to check to make sure she was okay.
"Are you alright?," Harry asked.
"Yeah," Ann said as she coughed and gasped.
"Easy. Try and breathe," Harry said as Ann looked over at Ron.
"Ron, are you okay?," Ann asked
"Yeah,Whew! Lucky we didn't panic!," Ron said
"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Ann said.
"Right we need to get going," Harry said. Then, they heard a sound. it was a soft rustling and clinking sound.
"Do you guys hear that?," Ann said.
"What is it?," Hermione asked.
"I don't know. Sounds like wings," Harry said. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann continued toward toward the sound that was coming from behind a door down a stone corridor. They entered a room that had a ceiling arched high above them and was filled with something that looked like small golden birds fluttering around the room. On the opposite side of the room was a heavy wooden door and in the center of the room was a broomstick suspended a few feet off the ground.
"Curious, I've never seen birds like these.," Hermoine said
"They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door," Harry said
"What's this all about?," Hermione said after noticing the broomstick.
"I don't know," Ann said. Ron walked over to the door and took out his wand. "Strange," Harry said as he hovered his hand over the broom. Ron rattled the lock and the unlocking spell,
"Alohomora!," Ron said. But it failed.
"Well, it was worth a try," Ron said, rejoining the others.
"What're we going to do? There must be a thousand keys up there!." Hermoine said
"Yeah. How do we know which key we're looking for?," Ann said looking up at the thousands of keys fluttering around above them.
"We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle," Ron said. Everyone looked up to find the key Ron had described and Harry spotted it right away.
"There!," Harry said as he pointed to a key that was fluttering around slower than the rest of the keys and looked like it had a broken wing,
"I see it! The one with the broken wing!,"
"Well, there's only one broomstick. Who's going?," Ann asked
"I'll go," Harry said. But Harry stared at the broom, being very hesitant.
"What's wrong?," Ann asked. Harry paused for a moment, and looked over at Ann,
"It's too simple," Harry said.
"If you don't wanna do it...," Ann began.
"No, I can do it," Harry said
"Oh come on," Ann said
"Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You are the youngest seekers in the century!," Ron said. Harry nodded and the second his fingers gripped the broomstick all the keys came darting toward him. "Look out!!," yelled Ann who saw the swarm of keys. Harry quickly climbed on the broomstick as the keys flew around him. He swatted at them to keep them out of his face so he could grab the rusty key. The higher Harry flew the more keys got in his face and gripped into his clothes and every time a key latched on he would have to rip it off. Ann could hear Ron in the distance,
"This complicates things a bit!," he shouted as Harry flew off after the rusty key while the rest of the golden keys flew behind him. Harry finally snatched the key and it was over.
"I got the key!," Harry cheered. He zoomed by and threw the key to Ann who caught it. She ran to the lock while Harry distracted the other keys. With hands shaking, Ann put the key into the lock and the door opened. Hermione, Ron, and Ann rush inside followed by Harry who flew in on the broomstick. They shut the door behind them just as the keys slammed up against the door and bounced off the stone around it. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann entered another dark room. In this room were broken pieces scattered around the perimeter of the room that neither of them could make out what they were.
"I don't like this, I don't like this at all," Hermoine said
"Where are we?," Ann asked.
"I don't know, it looks like a graveyard," Harry said
"A graveyard?," Hermoine said nervously and gulped.
"Well, that's nice to have under a castle," Ann added
"This is no graveyard," Ron said. He then walked up to the middle of the room and said,
"It's a chessboard." Suddenly the room was fully illuminated and revealed a marble board with flames spaced apart around the board. There was also giant black and white chess pieces all of which were towering over them. Harry, Hermione, and Ann joined up with Ron looking fascinated.
"Woah! It's wizard's chess!," Ann said
"There's the door," Harry said, pointing to the door. They walked across the board toward the door, but as they reached the line of pawns in front of them, they were suddenly met with pawns that came alive drawing their swords in the shape of an X to block them from passing. The four of them backed up slowly as the pawns drew their swords back into their original stance. Everyone looked at each other in shock.
"Great! Now what? We can't get past these pawns," Ann said
"So, now what do we do?," Hermione asked.
"It's obvious, isn't it?," Ron said.
"We've got to play our way across the room," Ann realized as Ron walked up in front of them and told them the plan.
"Exact;y, Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione and Ann you'll be on either side of the Queen's side castles," Ron said
"But what about you, Ron? Where are you gonna be?," Ann asked. Ron paused for a moment,
"I'll be a knight," he said. Everyone took their positions while Ron mounted on one of the knight chess pieces that was in the shape of a horse.
"Are you sure about this?," Ann asked.
"Of course I'm sure. Why? Do you wanna be in charge since you beat me the last time?," Ron asked
"Ok first of all I've beaten you several times and I was just checking, "
"That's actually not a bad idea. You two can work together and get through the game faster," Harry said
"Works for me,"
"Alright then," Ron said. It was quiet for a moment
"What happens now?," Hermoine asked
"Well. White moves first, and then... we play," Ron said. Then, one of the white pawn pieces on the opposite side moved forward. Ron studied the game for a moment to come up with a proper strategy.
"You don't suppose this is going to be like... real wizard's chess, do you?," Hermoine said
"You there!," Ron said, directing one of the black pawns, "D-5!" The pawn moved foward to D-5, but then diagonally from it came a white pawn. The white pawn came to life, raised its swords and smashed the black pawn in half. Everyone jumped in terror at what they just witnessed.
"I think that answers your question, Hermione," Ann said.
"She's right! This is going to be exactly like wizard's chess!," Ron said. As the game continued, each of the black chess pieces smashed one by one with loud BOOM and CRASH. Over the chaos, Ron and Ann could be heard making the commands for each black chess piece to take a square. "Castle to E-4!" yelled Ron. SMASH!!! "Pawn to C-3!" yelled Ann. SMASH!!! BOOM!!! The Queen turned and smashed a piece. Every chess piece were being smashed into smithereens and every time each piece got smashed Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ann winced and a piece would be swept aside by the other white chess piece. It was getting toward the end of the game and a couple chess pieces remained standing. The Queen turned again and smashed another chess piece. Ron, Harry, and Ann examined the game.
"Wait a minute," Harry said.
"You understand, right? Once I make my move…," Ron said
"Wait! If you're doing what I think you're doing…," Ann tried
"Yes, we have no choice! Once I make my move, the Queen will take me... then you'll be free to check the King," Ron said
"No, Ron! No!!," Harry yelled.
"Are you insane? I won't let you," Ann protested.
"What do you think you're doing?," Harry argued
"What is it?," Hermione said confused.
"He's going to sacrifice himself!," Harry said.
"No, Ron, you can't! There must be another way!," Hermoine said
"Yeah! There has to be another way. What if we…," Ann yelled
"Do you want to stop Snape from getting that stone or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione, not Ann, you. I know you can stop Snape," Ron said Harry nodded in agreement.
"I sure hope you know what you're doing," Ann said.
"Trust me, I know what I'm doing," Ron said. There was a long pause and Ron gripped the reins of the horse nervously and said, "Knight... to H-3!" Ron's horse moved in position to H-3.
"Check," Ron said. Everyone was looking nervous and feeling the tension as the Queen turned and advanced toward Ron. Ron was breathing quickly and clutching the steel reigns. The Queen stopped close to Ron and then... SMASH!! "Aaahhh!!" Ron yelled as he went flying off the horse. He landed on the floor hard and completely unconscious.
"RON!!!!" Everyone screamed. Hermione started walking toward Ron's motionless body when Harry stopped her.
"No!," Harry yelled,
"Don't move! Don't forget. We're still playing," Ann said. Hermione stepped back in her square and Harry walked diagonally in front of the King and said, "Checkmate!," Then, the King's sword fell onto the floor with a loud clang. It was over. Harry, Hermione, and Ann ran and bent beside Ron to check on him. "He's gonna be okay, right?," Ann said, concerned.
"Yeah. He'll be alright," Harry said
"I'll take him to the infirmary, you two go on," Ann said, making Ron float like Hermoine had. The two nodded and headed through the next door.