Eternal Despair (Harry Potter/OC)

𝟙𝟙: Sorcerer's Stone

"See you in a minute, I hope..." Harry said to Enzo, a flicker of uncertainty in his voice.

With a determined nod, Enzo let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he plummeted into darkness. He landed with a muffled thump on something soft. Disoriented, he sat up and felt around, his fingers brushing against something leafy and damp.

"It's okay!" he called up to the small square of light above, which was the open trapdoor. "It's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Harry followed immediately, landing in a sprawl next to Enzo. Ron came right after, hitting the ground with a grunt.

"What's this stuff?" were Ron's first words as he brushed himself off.

"Dunno, some sort of plant," Enzo replied, feeling the strange vegetation beneath him. "I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"

The distant music ceased, followed by a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped.

"We must be miles under the school," she said, brushing herself off and looking around.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," Ron remarked, trying to sound cheerful.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you three!"

She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. As soon as she landed, the plant had begun to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. Enzo, Harry, and Ron's legs were already bound tightly in long creepers without them even noticing.

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip. She watched in horror as the three boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they struggled, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered. "I know what this is—it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back and trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" Hermione snapped, her mind racing.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with the vine as it tightened around his chest.

The Devil's Snare had already curled around Enzo's mouth, leaving him speechless.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp..."

"So light a fire!" Harry choked out.

"Yes, of course—but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" Hermione exclaimed. She whipped out her wand and, with a few swift movements, sent a jet of bluebell flames at the plant. In seconds, the Devil's Snare began to recoil from the light and heat, loosening its grip and shrinking away. Wriggling free, the trio stood up, panting.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," Harry said as he and Ron joined her by the wall.

"Why was I the only one with my mouth shut," Enzo mumbled, rubbing his face where the plant had silenced him.

"It knows you so well," Ron said, patting Enzo on the shoulder.

"Over there," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway that was the only way forward. All they could hear, apart from their footsteps, was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

Enzo listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.