Hogwarts: The Adventure Begins - BOOK 1 (A Harry Potter Fanfic)

10: The Enchantments

We all hid under Harry's invisibility cloak and snuck into the room with the dog. Harry lulled him to sleep by playing music and we got through the trap door alright. The music stopped just as I leapt down, and I felt the dog's breath on my neck. Too close for comfort.

We landed in some kind of plant. It was a nice and soft landing, however, the problem was, it was trying to suffocate us. Hermione knew a charm to repel it and we quickly escaped to the next room. It was times like that we were all grateful to Hermione.

Next, it was some flying keys. Harry, being the Seeker, picked up one of the broomsticks and found one that fitted in the lock and we got to the next room. I was impressed with how quickly he managed, even as a Seeker. There were thousands of keys in that room but he managed to find the right one extremely quickly, quicker probably than the creator of the room had intended.

When we got through, there was a horrible stench. An unconscious troll was lying on the ground. Happy we didn't have to defeat it, we ran to the next room. Hermione ran past it especially quickly and I decided it wasn't the time to question her. Maybe she just hated the smell?

Our jaws dropped when we saw the next room. It was a gigantic chess set! We each took a place of one of the pieces and the game began. Ron sacrificed a Pawn and it got smashed, just like real Wizard Chess. This was going to be hard, especially since Ron was the only one who really knew how to play and we just had to trust him. No offence to Ron, but that was difficult. Sure, he was trustworthy, I just wasn't a fan of putting my life in his hands directly.

The game was going on and on before my mind started racing and I realised something. The only way we could avoid not losing in that moment, the only way we could avoid checkmate, was if I stepped forward and allowed the queen to take me.

I clocked eyes with Ron and nodded, but he hesitated.

'Molly, there has to...' he began but I shook my head.

'We both know there isn't,' I said and stepped forward.

Almost immediately, the queen raised her sword and collided it against my side, throwing me across the room. I hit the wall with a thump and groaned, my side was in agony.

'Molly!' I heard the others scream.

'I'm fine, keep going,' I said, my eyes watering from the pain.

The game came to a close. Ron sacrificed himself as well, flying off the stone horse and onto the floor, then Harry called checkmate. We did it!

Me and Nico stayed with Ron and Harry and Hermione went on.

We were worried about Ron, he had been hit extremely hard by the queen. I masked my pain and headed towards my friends, my teeth clenched tightly.

'Ron, get up!' Nico said, running to him.

'Urgh... Did we win?' he asked groggily.

'Yes, but Hermione and Harry went on ahead,' I said and he sat up slowly. Nico gave me a concerned glance but I offered him a smile, acting as though I was fine.

Hermione came back and said Harry had to go on alone as Snape's puzzle allowed only one to move back and one forward. They believed Voldemort was behind it, so it was Harry's fight at the end of the day. She said we should make our way back so we ran past all of the enchantments, happy we wouldn't have to do them again. It was definitely easier on the way back.

We got back and straight away Zeus appeared. Hermione scribbled a letter and handed it to him and he flew off immediately. I grinned after him, he always knew when he was needed.

'Warning Dumbledore!' she explained and we hurried Ron to the Hospital Wing. He was badly bruised but would survive. I was thankful to him, without his bravery we wouldn't have succeeded. He was a true Gryffindor.

I could feel the pain in my side growing, but Ron looked worse than me so I acted fine. I stood behind the others to avoid their glances as I struggled to keep my composure.

Madam Pomfrey was asking us lots of questions when McGonagall and Snape burst in. I stared at Snape in surprise. If he was here, who was Harry with? I felt slightly guilty for jumping to conclusions, maybe I had been too much like my father.

'WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING?' McGonagall yelled at us, her nostrils flaring, 'WHERE IS POTTER?'

We explained everything to her and she went pale.

'You... you went in there...' she said, her voice weak.

'Sneaking around the castle at night, going into the forbidden corridor...' sneered Snape and McGonagall shot him a look.

'We have to inform Albus!' she said to him, looking frantic.

'We have already sent him an owl!' said Hermione.

'You could have been killed,' Snape was staring at me in particular and I froze under his glare, 'Rules are there for a reason.'

'I'm sorry, professor,' I stammered, 'We... we thought something was...'

'I don't care about excuses, the fact is, you put your lives in danger and disobeyed rules,' he sneered, 'Exactly like your father. No respect.'

I was white as a sheet as he said that and Nico grabbed my hand in comfort. I couldn't believe I felt sympathy for that man. I hated him. What was the need to bring up my father? Why single me out? A childhood grudge didn't excuse bullying a pupil just because of who their parents were.

'Severus,' McGonagall warned.

It was at that moment I let out a small gasp of pain as I felt my side grow worse.

'Black, are you okay?' all eyes were on me.

'I'm fine...' my voice was strained.

'On the bed. Now,' Madam Pomfrey said in a warning voice and I obliged. She felt along my side and I gasped in pain at her touch, 'I sometimes wonder about these pupils! You're in a worse state than Mr Weasley, yet you just stood there silently. For goodness sake, broken ribs yet you don't say a word.'

'I thought Ron needed the help more than me...' I said quietly.

The teachers shared a glance before Madam Pomfrey started casting spells. Snape and McGonagall left soon after.

About an hour later Dumbledore, Snape and McGonagall all came bursting in. Dumbledore was holding Harry and he put him down on a bed.

'Out! Now!' said Madam Pomfrey, 'You as well, Black!'

They helped me up and went up to the common room in silence. Harry had looked dead and we prayed we were wrong, or we would be responsible. If we'd left it to the teachers, he'd have been alright. I was ever hopeful he was merely unconscious.

'No detours, Black,' Snape said to me, his eyes narrowing.

'Of course, professor,' I snarled, 'Wouldn't want to be compared to my father again.'

He took a sharp breath before turning on his heel and leaving us again. I was still angry but regretted what I had said, as Snape wasn't one to easily forgive. I would one hundred percent be in for it whenever I encountered him next, and the longer he was left to stew, the worse it would be.