Harry Potter : Bloodraven-Chapter 108: Twilight of the Parasite (IV) (CH - 128)

The clock on the bedside table read 11:30 PM. The Gryffindor dormitory was silent, save for the occasional rustling of blankets and the distant hoot of an owl outside the window. Harry was lying on his bed, staring at the canopy while his heart kept thumping fast with anticipation for what he was about to do tonight.

"Harry—it's time. Get the cloak." He heard the wisper of his friend.

Ron's face was barely visible in the dim glow of the moonlight filtering through the window. Harry sat up at once, then reached under his bed and pulled out the silvery, fluid-like fabric of his Invisibility Cloak. He swung his legs over the side and slipped on his shoes as quietly as he could. The last thing they needed was waking Neville who would definitely ask too many questions.

Carefully, the two boys tiptoed across the dormitory, down the spiral staircase, and into the common room.

Hermione was already waiting for them near the fireplace. She was dressed in her robes and had her bag slung over one shoulder. But what caught Harry's eye was the small wooden box she held in her hands.

"What's that?" Ron asked in a hushed voice.

"A music box," Hermione whispered back, holding it up. "It plays a lullaby—should be enough to put Fluffy to sleep if we need to."

Ron's eyes lit up. "That's Brilliant!"

Harry also nodded at his friend's quick thinking. He had also considered bringing a musical instrument, like a flute, but a music box would be much more practical.

Harry then glanced around the common room. The fire had burned low in the grate, casting flickering shadows on the walls. Everyone... had gone to bed.

"Right then," he said, pulling the Invisibility Cloak around his shoulders. "Let's go."

The three of them huddled together as Harry spread the cloak over them. It was a tight fit, but they managed, moving as one toward the portrait hole. The Fat Lady was snoring softly in her frame as they carefully eased the portrait open and slipped out into the silent corridors of Hogwarts.

...

They moved silently and steadily toward their destination, the third-floor corridor where the trapdoor was located. With the Invisibility Cloak wrapped around them, they knew they were as hidden as they could be. However, when they reached there, they found something was wrong.

The door was already slightly ajar.

"This isn't good," Harry whispered. "Snape may have come before us."

Ron's face darkened. "Do you think he's already gone ahead?"

"I don't know... may be." Hermione murmured, scanning the area. "But we can't wait around here. Let's go in..."

They exchanged a brief look. There was no time for second-guessing. With a deep breath, they pushed the door open the rest of the way and slipped inside. fɾēewebnσveℓ.com

The low growl of Fluffy echoed through the room, and for a moment, they froze in place. No matter how many times they had seen it, it was still hard to get used to.

And soon they realized, the growling wasn't the sharp, alert warning of an awake Cerberus. Instead, it was the slow, rumbling snore of a sleeping dog. Fluffy's huge body was stretched out across the floor with his nose twitching in the quiet.

"He's asleep," Harry whispered in relief. "Someone must have put him to sleep."

"It's Snape," Hermione said sounding certain. "He must've used the harp to lull him to sleep."

The trio turned their attention to the harp in the corner, its strings still faintly vibrating.

Without a word, Hermione pulled out the small music box she'd brought and carefully placed it near the harp. She opened it, letting the soft lullaby play in tune with the harp's notes. There was something comforting in the melody, and for a moment, it seemed like the whole room had fallen into a peaceful trance.

"Alright," Hermione said after a moment, "let's move on. We don't have much time."

Together, they approached the trapdoor. Without hesitation, they each grabbed the pull ring and opened it. It gave way easily, and the trio quickly jumped down, landing on something that felt both soft and hard at the same time.

What they didn't realize was that they weren't alone that came in.

Maverick, hidden under True Concealment had been following them all along. He had watched their every move since they had entered his office earlier in the day. Not only that, but he had also been tracking Quirrell and Voldemort, making sure nothing went awry.

The trio now found themselves entangled in a mass of roots, which seemed to reach out and grasp at them. The roots were thick and strong, holding them in place.

"I can't move!" Ron shouted as he struggled against whatever was holding him.

"Stay calm," Hermione advised, trying to calm down her racing heart. "It's Devil's Snare. It feeds on fear."

"I'm not scared!" Ron said, though his shaking hands and wide eyes suggested the exact opposite.

"Ron, listen to Hermione," Harry added, following Hermione's lead. "We need to stay calm, or we'll only make it worse."

Hermione then pulled out her wand, spoke the incantation she needed, and then a burst of bright flame shot from the tip. The flames lit up the snare, and with a hiss, the roots loosened their grip while retreating from the heat.

The three of them tumbled out of the snare's grasp and landed on the stone floor.

They slowly got to their feet, catching their breath, and glanced down the corridor ahead.

"This way!" Harry said. He led the way down the only passable path, while Ron and Hermione followed closely behind. The sound of rustling and clinking echoed around them as they moved deeper into the dimly lit stone corridor.

Maverick trailed just behind while keeping an eye on them, and he was ready to act if any unexpected life-threatening danger arose.

The trio soon reached the end of the corridor, where a brightly lit room revealed itself. The light flickered and glowed, casting long shadows that danced across the floor. The faint sound of rustling and clinking came from above, giving the room an almost eerie atmosphere.

Ahead, a heavy wooden door stood firmly closed.

Harry moved forward cautiously with his wand drawn, but as he reached for the door, he found it locked. They tried pushing, pulling, and even using their wands to unlock it, but nothing worked. It didn't budge.

"Well, this is great," Ron muttered looking helplessly.

Hermione's gaze flicked to the ceiling where dozens of keys fluttered above them. She pointed. "There. Those must be there for a reason."

"Those look like keys... But how are we supposed to get them?" Ron asked staring up. They were obviously far too high up for them to reach.

They stood for a moment, thinking, when Harry's eyes fell on something at the far side of the room—a broomstick, conveniently there.

"I know," Harry said quickly, and rushed toward it, grabbed the broom, and mounted it in one beat.

"There are so many!" Ron exclaimed.

"I think..." Hermione said, taking one more glance at the door's keyhole and then back at Harry, and the swarm of keys. "It should be the oldest looking one... the one with the most rusted edges."

Harry nodded, and then without a second thought, zoomed into the air. The keys swarmed around him like a horde of angry bees, buzzing dangerously close to his face as he darted past them. But Harry was no ordinary flyer, and with quick reflexes, he maneuvered through the swarm, locking his sights on the one that best matched Hermione's description.

And in just under a minute, he managed to catch a battered, rusted key in his hand. He then turned the broom back toward the door and threw the key at Hermione for her to unlock it.

With the door now open, the trio stepped through into the next room. But when they saw what awaited them, they froze.

Before them lay a massive chessboard, pieces scattered across it, some knocked over. They blinked, taking in the sight.

"What now?" Hermione asked with her voice filled with uncertainty.

Harry looked around as he too wasn't sure what to do. There was a door at the other end of the room, but as they approached, the chess pieces shifted, seemingly alive and ready to move in their way.

"I think... we have to play," Ron suggested.

And with that, the trio began their strange game, moving the pieces under Ron's command.

One by one, the white pieces were captured, and the black pieces fell as well. It wasn't long before the game took a dangerous turn.

"I'll have to sacrifice my piece," Ron said, his eyes fixed on the queen. The little Gryffindor, brave as his house's motto, wore only determination on his face.

"No! You can't! There must be another way!" Hermione cried. "If the queen attacks the knight, it'll take you with it."

"There's no other choice," Ron said firmly, his eyes locking with theirs. "If we give up here, Snape will get the stone before us."

Harry and Hermione struggled to make the choice. And just then, the little witch's eyes lit up as she thought of something. She reached behind her neck with both hands and took off the necklace around her neck.

It was something she had bought from Caesar's Magitech during last Christmas. "Here," she said, tossing it to Ron. "It has a shield charm infused in it... one that will trigger when the wearer is in critical danger."

Ron hesitated for only a moment, staring at the pink heart-shaped stone, before slipping the necklace over his head. However, the next moment, he felt a sense of relief. At least now, his chances of surviving were much greater.

Maverick, hidden in the shadows, couldn't help but admit to himself that these three children were truly brave. He had watched this scene in the movie and read about it in the book, but seeing it in real life was entirely different. They were not only brave but incredibly courageous as well.

But this time, he had to give them a little extra help. The defensive alchemical gadget would indeed trigger a shield charm, but that alone wouldn't be enough to stop the power of the sword swing. So, he decided to add a bit of extra protection when it activated.

With Ron's next command, the pieces moved, and finally, the White Queen lunged at his knight.

"Be careful!" Harry and Hermione shouted as the queen raised her sword.

But at the critical moment, the necklace on Ron's neck glowed bright, and suddenly, a gleaming metal shield appeared in front of him, deflecting the queen's blow. There was a sharp clang, and Ron was thrown from the board by the force of the impact. The shield vanished as quickly as it had appeared.

"Ron, are you okay?" Harry and Hermione exclaimed from their spot.

Ron staggered to his feet, looking slightly dazed. "I think I'll live," he muttered, though he was clearly shaken.

Soon, the game was finished, and the chess pieces retreated, leaving the way clear.

But the trio was now uncertain whether to continue forward or return to the safety of the castle.

"Ron's hurt," Hermione said, looking worriedly at him. "We can't keep going."

"We can't stop..." The little Weasley protested, but the next moment, he staggered and crouched down, grimacing from the pain in his leg.

Harry sighed and made up his mind. The safety of his friend was more important than anything to him.

"You're not in any condition to continue, Ron," He said. "We tried, but—"

"No. You have to go," Ron cut in. "Even if I can't go, you have to."

"But—"

"I'll stay with him, Harry," Hermione interrupted, agreeing with Ron. "It's not Ron, it's not me—it's you who has to save it."

With his two friends' minds made up and seemingly unwavering, Harry finally nodded, making up his mind. "Alright. I'll go. But Hermione, you must take Ron and get him to the infirmary as soon as possible... and..." He paused, thinking, then added, "Quickly find Professor Caesar. Tell him everything that has happened."

And with that, Harry turned and walked toward the final door, ready to face whatever lay beyond.

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