The Bravest Snake

CHAPTER 28

Harry flew down into the trapdoor, landing on something soft and springy. He changed back into his human form right as Ron followed, landing sprawled next to Harry ''What's this stuff?'' he asked.

''Dunno, a plant to break the fall?'' Harry guessed as Hermione came jumping next to him. ''Come on, Draco!''

The distant music had stopped, Fluffy's deep barks penetrating the air. For just a millisecond, Harry's heart gripped with fear, but then Draco had jumped, landing on Harry's other side. ''We must be miles under the school.''

''Lucky this plant thing's here, really,'' said Ron.

''Lucky?!''shrieked Hermione. ''Look at you three!'' She leapt up, her fingers gripping onto a damp wall. She struggled as the plant they had landed on started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for the boys, their whole legs were bound tightly in vines the whole time.

Hermione had managed to free herself from the tendrils, but now she watched in horror as the boys fought savagely to pull the plant off them. The more Harry strained against the vines, the tighter and faster they wound around him.

''Stop moving!'' Hermione ordered them. ''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 Harry, leaning back and trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

''Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!'' said Hermione.

''Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!'' Ron gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest. Hermione looked positively mortified. 

''It's okay Mione, it's only Ron,'' Draco muttered, locked in his own wrestling match with the Devil's Snare, earning him a ''HEY!'' from Ron.

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

''So light a fire!'' Harry choked. He felt the tendrils crushing his windpipe bit by bit.

''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, shut up Ron!'' said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In seconds, the three boys felt it loosening its viselike grip as it flinched away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, allowing them to pull free.

''Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione,'' said Draco, wiping the sweat of his face and joining her by the wall.

''Yeah,'' said Ron, ''and lucky Harry or Draco doesn't lose their heads in a crisis - 'there's no wood,' honestly.''

''Like you could do much better!'' scoffed Hermione. ''I panicked - sorry!''

''This way,'' Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. As they walked, all they could hear from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. Harry thought about what they might find next. What if it's a dragon? I mean, Norbert had been bad enough, but a fully grown dragon...

''Can you hear something?'' Draco whispered. Harry listened. A soft rustling - or was that clinking? - seemed to be coming from up ahead.

''Do you think it's a ghost?'' Ron whimpered.

''I don't know... sounds like wings to me,'' Harry responded. ''There's light ahead - I can see something moving.''

They reached the end of the passageway and and saw before them a candle lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. The chamber was full of small, fluttering birds that glistened like jewels. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

''Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?'' Hermione asked. 

''Probably,'' said Harry. ''They don't look very vicious... but you never know.'' He took a hesitant step forward, and another, and another, until he had crossed the whole room without being attacked. Draco followed him, pulling the handle of the door. It was firmly locked. Hermione and Ron reached the door, but the lock wouldn't budge, not even with Hermione's Alohomora.

''Now what?'' Ron asked. ''I guess all those birds can't just be here for decoration.'' Harry watched them soaring and tumbling overhead, glittering - glittering?

''They're not birds!''Harry said suddenly. ''They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean...'' He looked around and saw three broomsticks resting neatly against the wall. ''We've got to catch the key to the door!''

''What about you?'' Ron asked Harry. ''There are three broomsticks and four of us.''

Harry examined the lock on the door. ''I'm set with my Animagus, the person who designed this whole puzzle must've known I can turn into a bird... never mind. We're looking for a big, old fashioned key, probably silver, like the handle.''

Hermione, Draco, and Ron each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, Harry returning to his raven form once again. He flew directly into the midst of the cloud of the keys with the others, using his feet to try to snatch a key, but they darted and dived too quickly.

C'mon Harry. You're the youngest Seeker in a century! And you're a RAVEN! You have a knack for spotting things other people don't, he thought. After a minute spent weaving through the majority of keys, Harry's keen eyes honed in on one. It was a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had been already caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole. That's the one!

Harry streaked towards the key, but it sped away. Sensing where the key might be going, Harry rocketed upward, watching the key dodge him and head to the wall. Harry was going top speed, he nearly had it, it was in his beak, then he crashed straight into the wall.

''Harry!'' Draco shouted, jumping off his broom and running toward him. Harry lost his momentum, and he came falling to the floor. Draco dove, both arms outstretched, and caught his just in time.

Draco gently took the struggling key in Harry's beak, giving it to Hermione to hold. ''Harry, are you alright?'' he asked, trembling just a little. Harry nodded, looking himself over. He had a few ruffled feathers, but that was it. Draco smoothed them as much as he could before setting Harry back on his feet so he could turn back to a human.

Hermione walked to the door, the key fluttering in her hand, gently eased it into the lock, and turned. The moment the lock had let out a very satisfying click, the key took flight again on its battered bright blue wings.

''Ready?'' Harry asked the other three, his hand grasping the door handle. They nodded. He pulled the door open.