When we reached the fourth-floor corridor, the door was already slightly ajar.
"See? I knew it. Snape has already gotten past Fluffy."
"Fluffy?"
"The three-headed dog. Hagrid said it falls asleep right away if you play music."
As he said that, Harry took out a flute Hagrid had given him and began to play. Following Harry as he played, we slipped through the door, where the enormous three-headed dog lay asleep, letting out low growls.
"Hii…"
I hurriedly covered Neville's mouth as he was about to let out a pitiful scream. To be fair, it was my first time seeing a three-headed dog, Cerberus, as well, and I could not hide my shock at how much larger it was than I had imagined.
We passed quietly by the dog and reached a hidden door. When we opened it, a passage stretched downward like a pit, disappearing far below.
The question of who would go first was settled when Harry volunteered himself, and without hesitation, he dropped straight into the hole. Hermione played the flute in his place.
A moment later, we heard Harry shout, "I'm okay!" Wanting to get as far away from the three-headed dog as possible, I immediately jumped in after him.
＊＊
Cutting through the cold, damp air, I fell and landed with a strange, dull thud on something soft. When I touched it, it felt like a plant, but it was too dark to see clearly.
"Lumos! Light!"
When the area lit up, the floor was completely covered in a mysterious plant. Looking closer, I saw vines slithering toward my legs like snakes.
For a bunch of vines, how audacious. Let's burn them.
"Lacarnum Inflamari! Fire!"
I swiftly drew my wand and swung it, sending gentian-colored flames shooting toward the plants. The vines recoiled from the fire and slithered away as if terrified.
"Elaina!"
Reacting to Harry's shout, I saw that his legs were completely entangled by the vines. I immediately burned the plant away from its base, and the vines tightening around Harry twisted, weakened, and finally loosened their grip.
"I know this… It's Devil's Snare."
By the time Neville and the others climbed down, the Devil's Snare filling the room had been completely burned away by me, shrinking back into the corners.
"It's a plant that likes darkness and moisture, so it's weak to light and fire. Professor Sprout told us that. You knew that too, Elaina."
"Hmph. Of course."
I replied confidently to Neville, who sounded impressed.
"Elaina and Neville are amazing! I knew its name, but I couldn't think of its weakness right away…"
"Well, Neville aside, Elaina probably just thought, 'It's a plant, so burn it,' right?"
Ron, you always have to add one unnecessary comment.
＊＊
We continued down the passage, and this time a dazzling space opened up before us. The ceiling was high and arched, and countless tiny birds, glittering like gemstones, flew all around the room. As we went deeper inside, we found a thick wooden door.
"It's locked… Alohomora, open!"
Unfortunately, it did not budge. It seemed a counter-charm had been placed to block unlocking spells. As we were wondering what to do, Hermione suddenly pointed at the birds flying through the air, as if she had realized something.
"The birds! Those birds can't just be decorations!"
Then Harry murmured, as if he had caught on.
"They're not birds… Those are the keys. Winged keys."
So that means we're supposed to catch them.
I glanced around the room and spotted three broomsticks in the corner, arranged in a way that practically said, "Just in case, we prepared these." Somehow, I could sense the well-meaning nature of whoever designed this trap.
"Then, on brooms…"
"Wait, Harry. This is my turn."
"Elaina, I know you like to stand out, but when it comes to broom skills, Harry is way bet—"
Cutting off Ron's rude remark, I raised my wand toward the air and flicked my wrist.
"Immobulus! Stop!"
As I cast the spell, the winged keys that had been flitting about like insects suddenly froze in place, as if thrown into zero gravity. This spell is powerful enough to stop a swarm of flying pixies, so it is well worth learning.
"Now then, shall we search?"
"…Y-yeah."
Why does Harry look a little disappointed?
Just like that, we quietly went around collecting the immobilized winged keys. Chasing them on brooms would require Quidditch-level skill, but once they were frozen by the spell, it became nothing more than repetitive work.
We grabbed them one by one and shoved them into the keyhole.
"Oh, isn't it this bent-wing key?"
Holding a bundle of keys, Harry found a silver one with a blue feather. When he tried it in the lock, the door opened with a loud click.
＊＊
When we entered the next room, it was pitch black again, and we could see nothing. But after moving forward a little, light flooded the room, revealing an astonishing sight.
Waiting for us was a giant chessboard. The chess pieces were far taller than us, with pawns depicted as armored swordsmen and knights as mounted cavalry, all intricately crafted.
When we tried to go on, the white chess pieces positioned before the next door all drew their blades at once. Neville let out a small scream, and Hermione muttered anxiously.
"What do we do?"
"You can tell just by looking."
"So we knock over all the chess pieces?"
"No, that's not it…"
Saying that, Ron approached a black knight and reached out to touch its horse. The stone came to life, and the helmeted knight dismounted, allowing Ron to climb onto the horse in its place.
"To get across, we have to play chess. Each of us has to take the role of one black piece… probably."
"Then I'll take the king."
"Got it. Then Elaina and Neville will be the king and queen respectively. Harry, take that bishop, and Hermione, switch with the rook next to it."
Just as Ron directed, the pieces moved silently, and captured pieces were spectacularly smashed to fragments by blades. Before long, injured black pieces were piled up along the wall. There were about four times when Ron noticed we were about to be taken just in the nick of time.
"Still, Ron is incredibly good at chess…"
A straightforward word of praise slipped from my lips.
In this match, Ron could not afford to lose either himself or us, which put him under severe constraints. Losing the king or the queen would mean immediate defeat, but if Harry's bishop or Hermione's rook were taken as well, his options became extremely limited.
If only the original three, Harry and the others, had come as planned, perhaps they would not have struggled this much.
"Hmm… I thought so."
After a while, Ron spoke quietly.
"There's only one way… I have to be taken."
"No!"
We all shouted at the same time, but Ron shook his head and stated firmly.
"This is chess! I'll move forward one space. Then the queen will capture me. Harry, that will let you move, so checkmate the king!"
"But…"
"You want to protect the Philosopher's Stone, don't you? Isn't that right?"
Ron stepped forward, and the white queen drew her sword with a swing, shattering the knight's horse Ron had been riding in a single blow. Ron was thrown to the ground, apparently unconscious from hitting his head.
"Checkmate."
After moving three spaces, Harry announced this, and the white king removed its crown and threw it to the floor. The remaining chess pieces split to either side, clearing a path to the door and bowing.
We looked back at Ron one last time and hurried through the next corridor.
＊＊
Opening the next door, we were met with a terrible stench. Hastily covering our noses with our robes, we stepped inside and saw a troll even larger than the one from Halloween, lying in a pool of blood.
"I'm glad we didn't have to fight a troll like this now," Harry muttered as he stepped over the troll's mountain-like legs, and we nodded in agreement, heading for the next door.
I wondered what would come next.
――Bottles.
I had expected something far more dangerous, but in front of us were just seven bottles of different shapes arranged on a table.
As we crossed the threshold, flames erupted at the entrance we had just come through, and at the same time, fire burst up at the doorway ahead.
"We're trapped…"
"Look!"
Hermione picked up a parchment next to the bottles, and writing could be seen on it:
Front is dangerousBack is safeIf you find themBoth will save you
Only one forward stepAnother is the path backTwo bottles contain aconiteThe remaining three are deadly
No matter how slyly you hideThe bottle to the left of the aconite is poisonedThe two bottles at the ends are of different typesIf you wish to advanceNeither of the two is your friend
The seven bottles are of different sizesNeither dwarf nor giant is deadlyEven if the twin potions look differentThe second from each end tastes the same
"This is amazing!"
Hermione's voice was full of excitement.
"This isn't magic—it's logic! Even the greatest wizard would get stuck here if they're weak at reasoning. But not us."
She looked at me with a challenging expression.
"Let's see who can solve it first!"
"Alright. Shall we bet?"
"One Galleon!"
I nodded to Hermione, and the contest began.
"Hermione and Elaina seem to be having fun," Ron commented."I'll never understand girls…"
"Quiet!!"
We silenced Neville and Harry, then stared silently at the parchment, working through the puzzle in our heads.
After a tense moment, snap! Hermione was the first to make her move. About a minute later, I turned to her and nodded in agreement.
"Alright, let's check the answers. Which potion moves forward?"
As Hermione finished speaking, we both pointed to the smallest bottle.
"Next, the potion to return back."
Again, simultaneously, we pointed to the round bottle on the far right.
Both correct… which meant Hermione, who solved it first, was the winner.
"I concede. No wonder you're top of your year—here, take it."
I took a gold coin from my pocket and flicked it to Hermione, who caught it with a delighted smile. I suspect she was happier about winning against me than the coin itself.
"Anyway, we've solved the puzzle… but now we have a problem."
The person who set this trap probably didn't expect four people to make it this far.
Only one dose of each potion was in the bottles. With four of us, that meant one could move forward, one could return, and the remaining two would be trapped by the flames.
"I'll take the forward potion," Harry said firmly.
"And the potion to return…"
"Please, Hermione, take it," I continued for Harry, who faltered. Hermione opened her mouth as if to protest, but I gently grasped her shoulder and whispered, persuading her.
"Hermione, go straight to the Owlery and send a letter to Headmaster Dumbledore. Then contact Professor McGonagall. After Harry, you are the one who understands the situation best. Honestly, Neville and I can't explain it properly."
Neville had only been caught up in the situation, and I was merely a beautiful passerby swept along by events.
"Neville, sorry for dragging you into this.""No, don't apologize, Elaina. I chose to come this far myself."
Neville's words made Hermione's lips quiver as she ran over to us and hugged us tightly.
"Please, all three of you, be careful!"
With that, Hermione drank the round bottle at the edge of the line, turned on her heels, and walked straight through the purple flames. Left behind, Neville and I faced Harry, who gripped his bottle tightly.
"Good luck, Harry.""Be careful, Harry!""Elaina and Neville too!"
Harry drank the smallest bottle without hesitation and stepped forward through the raging black flames.
(End of chapter)
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