A Snake's Son

The Stone

As the door opened they were hit by the smell. It was overwhelming, like something was rotting. Opening the door fully Harry looked in and saw a big room with a troll standing in the centre, this must be Quirrle's work, stepping inside the others quickly rushed in and got themselves ready for the fight.

It blinked at them stupidly, then it moved its massive body towards them at a slow lumbering pace. Harry prepared himself, he wanted to use crucio but that spell could be detected so he raised his wand and shot out a stuplify, if he was going to pull this off without Dumbledore realising who he was really loyal to he would need to avoid dark spells. It wouldn't matter by next year he supposed but Tom did have plans for him that he didn't know that he would need to be mindful of.

The one spell wasn't enough, it blinked and paused but it soon began to make its way towards them again, this time it was roaring.

"I think I upset it." Harry muttered causing the others to grin. "We should try it together. On three. 1, 2, 3!" Harry yelled, and it was followed by a chorus of "stuplify".

This time the troll stuttered to a halt before slowly falling forward in front of them, it's face was twisted to the side, eyes wide and jaw hanging open.

They were about to walk forward when one of its fingers twitched, Draco being the only one who had seen it was quick to pull Harry and Hermione back behind him. He grabbed Ron as he shot a "protego" and not a moment to soon. The troll shot out a hand but hit the barrier just where Ron's head would have been a minute ago. Harry Ron and Hermione were in shock staring at the troll who had survived all of their spells. Draco removed the barrier and yelled "wingardium leviosa" at the troll it was picked up and lifted into the air where it was thrown against the walls, floor and ceiling. Once the ground had stopped shaking after Draco had dropped the troll they all slowly walked over and checked to see if it was breathing. It was covered in quickly forming bruises and lumps, but this time it was most definitely knocked out.

Breathing in quick shallow pants Draco tried to calm his anger and slowly walked over the troll's motionless body beckoning for the others to follow. Once on the other side Harry took yet another deep breath and turned the handle. They all walked through only for purple flames to rise up behind them and cut off their retreat. Black flames shot up out of the ground in front of them and on a table were placed seven different bottles. "Snape's," said Harry "He said he left a riddle."

Earlier when they had been talking to Snape he had informed them of his trap but said that he couldn't give them the answers, it was charmed so he couldn't.

Hermione walked over to the spindly legged table and looked over its surface, it had a purple table cloth and there was a scroll lying on the table, Hermione grabbed it and Harry looked over her shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line,

Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand at either end, but if you would move onwards neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size, Neither dwarf nor giant holds death in their insides;