PRINCESS ➳ harry potter , draco malfoy (OLD VERSION)

30 || Tunnel

Katie shot out the end of the pipe and landed hard on the damp floor of a dark, stone tunnel. Mere seconds later, the sound of Ron's high-pitched screaming filled the tunnel. He too shot out of the pipe, only he landed on Katie's back. The girl grunted in pain.

"I'm so sorry!" Ron screeched, his voice cracking.

"It's fine." Katie grumbled. Harry helped Ron to his feet before offering his hand to Katie and helping her stand up. Katie grimaced in disgust as she looked down at the thick slime that bathed her Slytherin robes.

"We must be miles under the school." Harry said. His voice echoed through the tunnel.

"Probably under the lake." Ron cut in, squinting around at the slimy walls.

"I have to say," Katie began as she pulled slime from her hair. "When I was told that Salazar Slytherin made a secret chamber, I was expecting something like great marble walls and water features, not a dirty old plumbing cavern."

Harry snorted. "The chamber is at the end of this tunnel, I expect." He pulled out his wand, muttered a spell, and a tiny ball of light appeared on the end of his wand, illuminating the filthy tunnel. The three children and Professor Lockhart began cautiously walking forward.

"Remember, any sign of movement, close your eyes straight away." Harry warned. But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, and the first unexpected sound they heard was a loud crunch as Ron stepped on what turned out to be a rat's skull. As Harry lowered his wand and his light shone by the group's feet, Katie could see that the ground was covered in animals. She shivered in discomfort.

Suddenly, Ron grabbed Harry's shoulder. "Harry, there's something up there..." he said hoarsely.

Squinting through the darkness that was barely illuminated by Harry's light, Katie cold just about see the outline of something long and curved. All four of them knew exactly what they were looking at. Lockhart cowered behind his students and covered his eyes.

"Maybe it's sleeping..." Katie suggested. Very slowly, Harry began stepping towards the thing. Katie's heart was beating so hard that it hurt.

"Harry!" she hissed, but to no avail. Harry continued to cautiously move forward.

Harry's light slid over a gigantic snake skin, of a vivid, poisonous green, lying curled and empty across the tunnel floor. The snake that shed it must have been at least twenty feet long.

"Blimey." Ron said weakly.

A sudden movement behind them made the second years jump in fright. Lockhart's knees had given in and he had fallen to the floor. Ron scoffed and gave Lockhart an effortless kick in the side.

"Get up." he grumbled. Lockhart stood up sharply, but as he did, he snatched Ron's wand from his hand. Ron jumped back in helpless shock.

"The adventure ends here, children!" Lockhart began. "I shall take a bit of this skin back up to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and how you three tragically lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body. Say goodbye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's sellotaped wand. Katie, Harry and Ron glanced around at each other, their eyes wide with terror. They were all frozen stiff in fear

"Obliviate!" Lockhart cried.

There was a loud bang and a flash of light. Lockhart let out a belting yell as he was flung backwards against the stone wall. A distant sound of rumbling, like thunder, filled the tunnel. Katie gulped nervously and slowly averted her gaze to the roof of the tunnel.

Cracks appeared in the ceiling before rock began to fall down. Katie found herself glued to the spot, unable to move. Luckily, Ron grabbed a hold of her arm and pulled her out of the way of the avalanche of rock. The pair fell backwards at the force of Ron's tug and landed harshly on the cold stone floor.