Hermione Granger and the Sorcerers Stone.

The best game of wizarding chess in the world

Harry told us about the invisibility cloak he had gotten for Christmas. He pulled out the purple blanket from under is bed and threw it over his head. It draped over all three of us with no showing ankles or stockings.
Harry held the cloak in his hands as we exited the Gryffindor common room. We would put it on when we were outside.
Just then a green figure jumped out from behind the chair. It wasn't just any toad, it was Neville's.
"Trevor! You shouldn't be here!" Ron snapped.
"And neither should you!" A small voice said from behind a chair. Neville was watching guard like he knew what we were gonna do. "Your sneaking out again!" He accused. I tried to explain. "No!" He yelled before I could. "You'll get Gryffindor into more trouble again!" He held up his fists. "I'll fight you!"
I stared at the hopeless situation. There was only one thing to do. "Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this." I took out my wand. "Petrificus Totalerus!" I cried.
To Neville's horror, his fists shot to his sides. His legs stiffened, and his eyes filled with fear as he fell backwards. His jaw was stuck at a scream, and he was still in consciousness.
"You know," Ron gulped. "You're scary sometimes. Brilliant, but scary."
It took a total of five minutes to navigate our way around corridors, and avoid Filch and Miss Norris. We finally arrived at the door that started it all.
I stared at the danger ahead. "You can go back if you want." Harry said, as if he could read my mind. "You can take the invisibility cloak, I won't need it anymore."
That was an option. I realized, once I past through that door, it wasn't my choice anymore. It was fate's. I could leave now. But the voice kept coming back, they need you Hermione! I was going to do this. I was going to save the stone or die trying. Harry couldn't stop me.
"We're in this together." I said, so we unlocked and opened the door.

"Snape's been here." Said Harry, staring at the hexed harp that put Fluffy in a trance.
"We need to hurry." I said. We went to the trapdoor. It took all three of our strengths to lift floor door to what seemed like a black hole.
Harry spoke. "I'll go down first. If something happens to me, get away as quick as you can."
Suddenly, the beautiful strumming of the harp stopped, there were unpleasant growls, and we stared up to see six gleaming eyes, hungrily looking down on us.
"JUMP!" Harry yelled as he dived into the hole. Ron went after him, and finally, me.
Here it goes I thought no turning back. I plunged into the blackness before the dog got the best of me.
I landed on something long and snake-like. It was licorice black, and it was alive.
Ron screeched with panic as the plant shrivels around our bodies and tightened. I examined the vines. I'd seen this in a picture in a book before. This was Devil's Snare!
"Calm down! Listen!" I called to the screaming boys. "I read about this, you have to relax. If you panic it will only kill you faster!"
"Kill is faster!" Yelled Ron. "Oh, now I can relax." He said sarcastically. His face went bright red and he looked like he was gonna melt. I closed my eyes and tried to breath. I felt a falling sensation and hit the ground. The boys were still above me.
"HERMIONE!" Yelled Ron as his bawls for help grew louder.
"Relax!" I called. "Trust me!" Harry fell from the vines.
"HARRY!" Screamed Ron at the top of his lungs as he started to sob.
"He's not relaxing!" Said Harry. I had to do something. Ron was closed to getting strangled. I remembered something from Herbology. The Devil's Snare hates the sun! This had to work, or Ron was dead. I took out my wand once more and a bright yellow light floated from it and hit the black vines. Ron toppled to the ground.
"Good thing we didn't panic." Ron said once he caught his breath.
"Good thing Hermione pays attention in Herbology." Harry corrected. Ron smiled at me, but I rolled my eyes. If we were going to do this, Ron had to pay more attention.
     We turned the corner to the sound of flapping wings. "Birds?" I said as we looked at the flock.
    "No." Harry observed. "They're keys!" He exclaimed as a noticed the gold rings with a stick attached to the end that would unlock the door on the other end. I tried it, it was for sure locked.
   "That one!" Harry said, looking at the key with the crumpled wings. He dashed to the broomstick hovering off the ground at the side of the room. But he hesitated. "It's too simple." He said.
   "Oh come on!" Said Ron, who wasn't paying attention again. "If Snape can get that key, so can you!" Harry nodded, and hopped on the broom.
    All at once, the thousands of keys started racing towards him. Harry zoomed out of the way as he headed for the key struggling to fly. The keys tore at his skin, leaving blood on his cheeks and hands. It was an awful sight, and I got front row seat. Harry finally grabbed the key like he would the golden snitch and tossed it towards me with all his might. I jammed it in the keyhole, it clicked.
    "It worked!" Yelled Ron as Harry toppled to the ground. But it was only just the beginning. It would get worse.
    As we exited that room we entered another. We walked on the cold marble floor, it was very wide, very noisy, and when looking down, I could tell it was black and white.
   "Look!" Ron Exclaimed. "We're standing on a giant chess board!"
    I observed my surroundings. We were standing on a chess board. On every black square, there was either a giant pawn or knight or bishop. 
    "We have to play to get by." Ron stated.
    "Ron," I said in a worried expression. "This isn't real wizard's chess. Is it?" I remember before I left for the Holidays, I saw wizards chess in action.
    Ron gulped and nodded. Before he gave out directions. "Harry, you be king on the left side. Hermione, you take the queen on the right." I obeyed. If anyone could win us chess, it was Ron. "As for me," he glanced around the board. "I'm going to be a knight."
    The game was horrifying. I watched in terror as our pawns fell shattered to the ground. Our bishops soon gone, and most of our knights. We were losing big time. And I could be next.
    Ron sat there on his stone horse coming up with a strategy. "Yes. Yes!" He whispered, but not excitedly. He turned to Harry and spoke, I couldn't hear though. Harry looked petrified at the news Ron was telling. I had to butt in.
   "What's going on over there?" I yelled.
   "He's going to sacrifice himself!" Called Harry in a shaky tone.
    I exploded. "No! Don't do it! We'll find another way!" I screamed at the top of my lungs. Ron couldn't do this! I shook so hard I fell to my knees as he tried to explain.
   He turned back to Harry and spoke a lot louder. "I'm doing this for you, Harry! Not me! Not Hermione! But you! You have to let me." He turned to the knight on the other side and spoke his move out loud. I buried my face in my hands as tears poured down. My heart beat a mile a minute, as my blurred hearing caught the word. "Check!" Ron said wearily, and he toppled off his horse onto the hard ground.
    I started to run, but Harry stopped me.
   "No! Remember, we're still playing." He warned. He stepped up to the other king and yelled check. We had won. We could go through.
   "Ron! Ron! Can you hear me!" I said desperately. He was barley conscious, but alive. I just then realized how much I cared for the nerdy boy I had met on the train, and how much he meant to me, and how much I meant to him.
    Harry sighed. "You take Ron back up, I have to go on." He breathed uneven breaths.
   "But, Harry," I squeaked. "What if You-Know-Who is with Snape?"
    He shrugged his shoulders. From up until then I had been a brave girl that my parents would want me to be, but I couldn't anymore. I burst into tears as I squeezed Harry around the neck. He and Ron meant the world to me. I would do anything for them. "Your a great wizard you know." I sobbed.
    "Not as good as you." He replied.
    "Me?" I said breaking from the hug and wiping my tears away. "Books. And cleverness. There are more important things." I chocked up. "Friendship, and bravery. And Harry," I looked into the bright green eyes of the boy who could die in a few minutes. "Just be careful." He nodded before he got up and walked to the other end of the corridor. I stood and lifted Ron up, as he groaned and leaned against my shoulder. I took one last look at my friend, the boy walking to his death, and wondered, will I ever see him again.