Ariana Dumbledore || Harry Potter

04| the sorcerer's stone

After the eventful night in the library, we were all convinced Snape was behind everything. Hermione was skeptical, but with much convincing, she was on board.

We crept our way down the stairs and into the common room, only to be paused by a ribbiting noise. "Its Trevor." We all looked down onto the small toad. "Go, you shouldn't be here!" I said trying to shoo the toad away.

"Neither should you. You're sneaking out again, arent you?" Neville Longbottom appeared around the corner. "Now, Neville, listen. We were-"

"No! I won't let you! You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I'll fight you!" He outstretched his arms, shaking terribly and I couldn't help but laugh.

"Neville, I'm really, really sorry about this, petrificus totalus." Hermione casted the spell perfectly.

"You're a little scary sometimes, you know that? Brilliant, but scary." We looked down at the petrified boy, saying sorry as we left the common room.

Hiding four people under an invisibility cloak was not easy.

"Ow! You stepped on my foot Ronald!" Yelped Hermione.

"Guys keep it down! We're almost there." I said as we took a few more steps towards the door. I unlocked it quickly, all four of us shuffling inside. To our surprise fluffy was sound asleep.

"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp." Harry pointed out a large harp, playing a sleeping tune. "We have to move its paw." We saw the door that was trapped under the large paw.

I stepped forward, and moved the paw ever so slowly and carefully.

"I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out." Harry said to the three of us, as I noticed the air become lighter.

"Guys, does it seem a bit, quiet?"

"The harp. It stopped playing." Hermione said frantically.

Drool, right on Ronald's shoulder.

We all looked up to see Fluffy staring back at us. "Go!" We didn't think twice as we jumped right into the small space. Once we landed I felt vines wrapping around me and sucking me in, I let out a loud scream, the vines tugging on my body.

"Stop moving, both of you. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster!" I began to calm myself, focusing on Hermione's words. I continued to slow my breath, feeling myself slip from the vines onto the ground beneath me.

"Guys listen to her! I'm okay just listen!" I yelled back up to them. Hermione plopped down beside me along with Harry.

"You alright?" Harry asked me. "Yeah I'm fine." Rons screams echoed. "He's not though."

"Help!"

"He's not relaxing, is he?" Hermione said twisting her fingers in her hands.

"Help! Help me!" He screamed again. "I remember reading something in Herbology. Devil's Snare, Devil's Scare, it's deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun! That's it! Devil's Snare hates the sun! Lumus Solem!" Hermione blasted sun towards the herb, making it instantly recoil.

Ron quickly fell through and was now standing before us. "Lucky we didn't panic!" He said wiping his brow diligently. "Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology." I scoffed at him, pushing his shoulder playfully.

We continued down the long hallway to enter into a room with flying keys, and once Harry caught the correct one, we entered quietly. "I don't like this. I don't like this at all." I said as the feeling in my stomach grew. "Where are we? A graveyard?" Harry said has he walked around. "This is no graveyard. It's a chessboard."

"There's the door." I said as I began to walk towards it but the line of pawns quickly put up their swords. "Now what do we do?" Hermione huffed.

"It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. All right. Harry, you take the Bishop's square. Hermione, and Ariana you'll be the Queen's side castle." We all moved to our positions quickly. Once we started to play, things were going smoothly, expect the part that wizard chest pieces where flying everywhere.

"Wait a minute." Said Harry looking over at Ron. "You understand right, Harry. Once I make my move, the Queen will take me, then you'll be free to check the King." Ron said, knowing what was going to happen.

I understood what was going on, though I didn't want to believe it.

"No, Ron! No way!" I said frightfully. "What is it?" Said Hermione. "He's going to sacrifice himself!" I looked at Ron worryingly. 

"No, Ron, you can't! There must be another way!" Screamed Hermione. "Do you want to stop Snape or not? Harry, it's you that has to go on. I know it. Not me, not Hermione, not Ariana, you." There was a pause till Ron said, "Knight to H-3. Check."

The queen turns and advances. Ron breathes faster, clutching the steel reins. The queen then stops, smashing Ron in her path. He goes flying off the horse and lands on the floor harshly. Hermione tired to move over to Ron but was cut off by Harry. "No! Don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing."

"Checkmate." The kings sword falls onto the ground to victory. Harry breathes out and then the three of us run to Ron. We all bend beside Ron and then Hermione speaks up.

"Ariana you go with Harry, I will take Ron to the hospital wing and send a message to Dumbledore immediately." I stare at her, not wanting to leaver her side. "Now!"

We walked into a bright room, glistening in the light. I look at Harry who looks frightened but I reassure him it's going to be alright. We advance on to see The Mirror of Erised is in the middle of the room, a man is standing before it.

"Quirrel?" I say quietly, shock overtaking me.

Harry cried out and grabs his scar. "Harry?" I asked clutching his arm.

"You? No. It can't be. Snape. He was the one." Says Harry.

"Yes. He does seem the type, doesn't he? Next to me, who would suspect, p-poor s-stuttering Professor Quirrell?"

"But, that day, during the Quidditch Match, Snape tried to kill me." I looked between Quirrell and Harry. "No, dear boy. I tried to kill you! And trust me, if Snape's cloak hadn't caught fire and broken my eye contact, I would have succeeded. Even with Snape muttering his little counter-curse."

"Snape was trying to, save me?" Confusion was residing in my brain. 

"I knew you were a danger right from the start. Especially after Halloween." Said Quirrell. "You let the troll in." I said taking a step towards the man. "Very good Dumbledore." He paused for a moment and started talking to himself. "What do you want me to do with the girl master? Kill her?" His eyes glistened with hope.

"No! You know who she is! You know what I'm thinking, do it!" A scratchy voice responded and I started shaking. Quirrell turned towards me, a wicked smile plastered onto his face. "I'm sorry Miss Dumbledore, but we won't be needing you; not today."

"No!" Harry moved towards me but I was knocked out cold onto the hard floor.