On the day of the exams came nothing but nervous and anxiety problems from students, afraid that they hadn't studied more or none at all.

Well Y/N was more confident than most but, still, he was nervous as any other person. The exams passed by pretty quickly, by the time he had finished his last question it was over.

He could tell Harry was feeling uneasy about everything, how can you not? When he half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment.

The fact that they may have encountered Voldermort out there the night before was frightening enough without exams pressuring them. Well Harry wasn't the only one feeling unnerved, after Y/N's memory unlock in the Forbidden Forest; the fact that they stumbled upon the dark lord feasting heavily on a unicorn, it wasn't a surprise that he was keeping it a secret from everyone, the only one who may have any idea about it would be Harry.

Y/N was still coming to terms with it, Voldermort killed his mother... how was one supposed to process that? It made him sick to his stomach just thinking about it. The fact that he remembered such a ghastly memory when in the presence of Voldermort couldn't be a coincidence. He had to make a choice, he had to either tell them or forget this ever happened and suffer the coincidences.

Y/N wasn't much for shying away from such important and crucial information. But still he had doubts about it all, nevertheless though, he had made his mind up, he had to tell them.

Hs was currently finishing off his last exam, history of magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented selfstirring cauldrons and they'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until their exam results came back. When the ghost of Professor Binns told them to put down their quills and roll up their parchment, Y/N couldn't help cheering with the rest.

"That was far easier than I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds. "I needn't have learned about the 1637 Werewolf Code of Conduct--"

Y/N abruptly interrupted her. "Or the uprising of Elfric the Eager." He said as they walked down the corridor.

The four of them kept walking down and Y/N got more nervous as time went on so he decided to just get it over with.

"Guys, I need to talk to you about something real quick... somewhere more private" He emphasised. They gave him the usual nod and "okay"

They hurried along the halls of the castle until they came across the Gryffindor common room, luckily for them everyone was outside enjoying the fresh air and freedom from the exams, they were the only ones presence.

"So what is it Y/N?" Hermione asked with curiosity.

"Yeah what she said." Ron followed

Be tried to muster up every ounce of courage in his bones and mind in order to do this.

"Well... err you remember when we were out in the Forbidden Forest?" He asked them nervously.

"Yes...?" Hermione answered unsure as to where this was going.

"Well... something happened out there, when we stumbled across You-Know-Who, when Harry's scar started acting up." He paused to tell them take it in, then continued. "How do I say this.... I... had a vision or memory unlock or whatever you wanna call it." Y/N told them, feeling himself getting more unsure as time progressed.

"Of what?" Harry asked, his eyes showing full of curiosity.

Y/N felt his throat tightening and a lump forming in the back, he braced himself for what came next and answered.

"My mum." He croaked out.

Y/N started telling them all about the strange gust of pain he felt, how it felt like he was cooking up from the inside and how the memory popped right as Voldermort showed up. How the memory he saw was his mum being murdered by Voldermort or who looked like him, it was very likely, dark cloak, ghostly appearance and... no nose.

"Jesus." Ron muttered "I can't believe this."

"That, I have to agree with," Y/N said as he took a seat to calm himself.

"It doesn't make any sense, why would they lie to you like that, didn't you're dad say she died during child birth?" Hermione asked, feeling worried.

"Yes he did, but why would he lie about something so important and..." He stopped and quickly pulled out the photo of her, there was no mistaking it, it was definitely her in the memory.

"Do you... think it unlocked because of V-voldermort?" Harry asked, slightly panicked.

"It's possible." Hermione said.

"But why him? I don't even know him, I mean he's the root of all evil." Y/N pondered.

"Do you think it's connected." Ron asked while eyeing both Y/N and Harry.

"What?" He asked, puzzled as to what he meant.

"Well think about it, You both stumble across You-Know-Who and all of a sudden you get plunged into some sort of, I don't know, panic attack." Ron pointed out and he was right, it couldn't be a coincidence.

"I don't have a scar, Ron." Y/N told him. "I don't think it's the same thing as Harry but connected it must be." He said.

"Go to Dumbledore! maybe he can help." Hermione suggested.

"I can't, at least not yet, we still have to stop Snape from taking the Philosopher's Stone."
Y/N told her.

After their conversation, they decided to head out, since there was nothing else they could really do plus with everything else going on,
Y/N wished he had some sort of idea about what happened and why now. Surely it was all a bad dream.

The four of them wandered down to the lake,
Y/N flopped under a nearby tree, Hermione was sneaking concerned and worried looks towards him but he reassured her that he was fine. It only happned once and he prayed to god that it's the last time, because that pain was like nothing he had ever experienced before.

Not much was happening apart from the Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"No more studying," Y/N sighed happily, stretching out on the grass.

"You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet." Ron added in.

Harry was rubbing his forehead.

"I wish I knew what this means!" he burst out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting -- it's happened before, but never as often as this."

"Go to Madam Pomfrey," Hermione suggested.

"I'm not ill," said Harry. "I think it's a warning... it means danger's coming..."

"Harry, relax, Hermione's right, the Stone's safe as long as Dumbledore's around. Anyway, we've never had any proof Snape found out how to get past Fluffy. He nearly had his leg ripped off once, he's not going to try it again in a hurry. And Neville will play Quidditch for England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down." Y/N explained to him as he laid out on the grass, as the sun shinned down on him.

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" Y/N asked sleepily, as he got up and ran after Harry.

"I've just thought of something," said Harry. He had turned white. "We've got to go and see Hagrid, now."

"Why?" Panted Hermione, hurrying to keep up.

"Don't you think it's a bit odd," said Harry, scrambling up the grassy slope, "that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket? How many people wander around with dragon eggs if it's against wizard law? Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think? Why didn't I see it before?"

"Actually now that you mention it, it does sound odd." Y/N said out loud as they raced to Hagrid's hut.

"What are you talking about?" Ron said but Harry didn't answer back.

Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas into a large bowl.

"Hullo," he said, smiling. "Finished yer exams? Got time fer a drink?"

"Yes, please," said Ron, but Harry cut him off.

"No, we're in a hurry. Hagrid, I've got to ask you something. You know that night you won Norbert? What did the stranger you were playing cards with look like?"

"Dunno," said Hagrid casually, "he wouldn' take his cloak off."

All four of them looked at Hagrid, shock visible on their faces.

"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head -- that's the pub down in the village. Mighta bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."

"What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all" Y/N asked the bearded giant.

"Mighta come up," said Hagrid, frowning as he tried to remember. "Yeah... he asked what I did, an' I told him I was gamekeeper here... He asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after... so I told him... an' I said what I'd always really wanted was a dragon... an' then... I can' remember too well, 'cause he kept buyin' me drinks... Let's see... yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg an' we could play cards fer it if I wanted... but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn' want it ter go ter any old home... So I told him, after Fluffy, a dragon would be easy..."

"And did he -- did he seem interested in Fluffy?" Harry asked, trying to keep his voice calm.

"Well -- yeah -- how many three-headed dogs d'yeh meet, even around Hogwarts? So I told him, Fluffy's a piece o' cake if yeh know how to calm him down, jus' play him a bit o' music an' he'll go straight off ter sleep--"

Hagrid suddenly looked horrified.

"I shouldn'ta told yeh that!" he blurted out. "Forget I said it! Hey -- where're yeh goin'?"

The four of them had now rushed off to the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," Y/N said to them."Hagrid told that stranger how to get past Fluffy, and it was either Snape or Voldemort under that cloak -- it must've been easy, once he'd got Hagrid drunk. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

They looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction. They had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did they know anyone who had been sent to see him.

"We'll just have to -- " Hermione began, but a voice suddenly rang across the hall.

"What are you four doing inside?"

It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, Y/N thought.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, eyeing us with suspicion.

"Why?" As she looked at Hermione.

Y/N took a deep breath and gulped.

"It's sort of secret," Y/N said but he soon regretted it, Professor Mcgonagall face turned red and looked angry, but it turned to a soft expression as soon as she turned back to him.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said less coldly as she would usually.

"He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and flew off for London at once."

"He's gone ?" said Harry frantically. "Now?"

"Professor Dumbledore is a very great wizard, Potter, he has many demands on his time--"

"But this is important." Y/N butted in.

"Something you have to say is more important than the Ministry of Magic, L/N?"

"Look," He continued, throwing caution to the winds, "Professor -- it's about the Philosopher's Stone--"

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, but she didn't pick them up.

"How do you know -- ?" she spluttered.

"Professor, I think -- I know -- that Sn -- that someone's going to try and steal the Stone. I've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore."

She eyed Y/N with a mixture of shock and suspicion.

"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she said finally. I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well protected."

"But Professor--"

"L/N, I know what I'm talking about," she said shortly. She bent down and gathered up the fallen books."I suggest you all go back outside and enjoy the sunshine."

But of course they didn't...

"It's tonight," said Harry, once he was sure Professor McGonagall was out of earshot. "Snape's going through the trapdoor tonight. He's found out everything he needs, and now he's got Dumbledore out of the way. He sent that note, I bet the Ministry of Magic will get a real shock when Dumbledore turns up."

"But what can we--"

Hermione gasped. They all turned around,

Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.

They stared at him.

"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were -- " Harry began, without any idea what he was going to say.

"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"

Harry flushed. The four of them turned to go outside, but Snape called back.

"Be warned, Potter -- any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you."

"Crap" Y/N mumbled.

He strode off in the direction of the staffroom.

Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the three of his friends.

"Right, here's what we've got to do," He whispered urgently. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape -- wait outside the staff room and follow him if he leaves it. Hermione, Y/N you'd better do that"

"Why us?" Y/N asked defensively

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You two can pretend to be waiting for Professor Flitwick, you know." He put on a high voice, "'Oh Professor Flitwick, I'm so worried, I think I got question fourteen B wrong... '"

Y/N laughed loudly at Ron's comment but got a scolding off Hermione.

"Oh, shut up," Hermione said, they both agreed to go and watch Snape.

"And we'd better stay outside the third-floor corridor," Harry told Ron. "Come on."

Y/N and Hermione ventured to the staff room and fortunately Snape was there, he had briefly come out to see what they were doing and asked them why they were here, in his usually stern voice. Of course the two told him that they were waiting for Professor Filtwick and so he hurried off to find him, thinking that this wasn't going to work, they both decided to head back to common room.

"We're sorry Harry!" she wailed. "Snape came out and asked us what we were doing, so I said we were waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and we've only just got away, we don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said.

The three of them stared at him. He was pale and his eyes were glittering.

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"You what!" Y/N exclaimed.

"You're mad!" Ron said.

"You can't!" Hermione said. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT" Harry shouted. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor wins the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there, it's only dying a bit later than I would have, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight and nothing you three say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

"He killed my mum too, Harry, remember that." Y/N reminded him with a frown.

Harry had a glare but softened at what he had said, looking quite guilty.

"Sorry Y/N." he apologised in a whisper.

Y/N gave him a quick nod of understanding.

"You're right Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," said Harry. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Y/N asked, slightly adgiated from Harry's speech or rant rather.

"All -- all four of us?"

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?" Ron exclaimed.

"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and took through my books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you three will be expelled, too."

"Not if I can help it," Y/N said grimly."Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and ten percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that; Hermione got a hundred and twelve, So I think we're in the clear" He told him, feeling slightly proud of his exam success.

They all continued on with their day, Y/N and Hermione were searching through their list of books, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to try to break. Harry and Ron didn't talk much. Both of them were thinking about what they were about to do.

Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted off to bed.

"Better get the cloak," Ron muttered, as Lee Jordan finally left, stretching and yawning. Harry ran upstairs to their dark dormitory.

"So can I just ask, how do we plan on getting past fluffy?" Y/N asked, oblivious to it.

"Well someone just has to play it some music, I suppose" Hermione replied to Y/N as she slowly turned to face him.

"Yeah and who's doing that" He asked, still blind.

The three of them all turned and looked at
Y/N, expecting him to try and do something, and it hit him straight away.

"Oh no, no way; no how" Y/N exclaimed, not liking the plan one bit.

"Come on Y/N you're the best musician in the school, you're the only one capable of doing it" Hermione pleaded.

"But it's got three heads and I don't fancy getting--" Y/N stopped mid-sentence and the relisation hit him once again.

"Wait... say that again Hermione" He teased.

"You're the only one capable-"

"No not that, the first one" He said with a grin.

Hermione let out a heavy sigh and rolled her eyes "Y- you're the best musician in the school!" She stuttered out, obviously embarrassed that it slipped out. "There happy?" She asked, annoyance laced in her words but a small blush of red appeared on her cheeks.

"Yes, lets go" Y/N said happily as he went to grab his guitar.

Well this should be quite the adventure...

—

They were now prepared for what would be undoubtedly be one of the most if not, worst ideas they have ever had. The four of them, still in the common room, looked around to make sure everyone was asleep. Finally after skimming through, they made their way to exit.

"We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own--" Y/N told the other three but was cut off by a sudden voice.

"What are you doing?" Said a voice from the corner of the room. Neville appeared from behind an armchair, clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back.

Neville stared at their guilty faces.

"You're going out again," he said.

"No, no, no," Hermione rushed out. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?" Y/N suggested to him as the others just loathed around, unsure as to what to do.

Harry looked at the grandfather clock by the door. They couldn't afford to waste any more time, Snape might even now be playing Fluffy to sleep.

"You can't go out," said Neville, "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate.

"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the portrait hole. "I'll -- I'll fight you!"

"Neville, "Ron exploded, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot--"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" said Neville. I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not to us," said Ron in exasperation. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

He took a step forward and Neville dropped Trevor the toad, who leapt out of sight.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"

"We're not going to hit you Neville" Harry spoke to him softly.

"I don't know, I might" Y/N replied, clearly agitated over the fact that they were still here while Snape was probably a hundred miles away from here with the goddamn Philosopher's Stone. He didn't have anything against Neville, he rather liked him but he could be hard to handle... as proved now.

"Y/N!" Hermione hissed. "Not helping" she warned as Harry turned to her.

"Do something," he said desperately.

Hermione stepped forward.

"Neville," she said, "I'm really, really sorry about this."

She raised her wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!" she cried, pointing it at Neville.

Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and then fell flat on his face, stiff as a board.

Hermione ran to turn him over. Neville's jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at them in horror.

"Hypocrite" Y/N muttered but she wasn't paying attention to him.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered.

"It's the full Body-Bind," Y/N said so matter-of-factually.

"Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

"He'll be fine, Hermione" Y/N reassured her.

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron as they stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak.

"You're brilliant you know that? Scary, but brilliant" Y/N told Hermione as they the room. She responded with a nod and a shy smile; they continued.

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous state, every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on us. At the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs. Norris skulking near the top.

"Oh, let's kick her, just this once," Ron whispered in Harry's ear, but Harry shook his head. As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

They didn't meet anyone else until they reached the staircase up to the third floor. Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip.

"Who's there?" He said suddenly as they climbed toward him. He narrowed his wicked black eyes. "Know you're there, even if I can't see you. Are you ghoulie or ghostie or wee student beastie?"

He rose up in the air and floated there, squinting at them.

"Should call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen."

Y/N suddenly had an idea

"Peeves," He said, in a hoarse whisper, "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible."

Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.

"So sorry, your bloodiness, Mr. Baron, Sir," he said greasily. "My mistake, my mistake -- I didn't see you -- of course I didn't, you're invisible -- forgive old Peevsie his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves," Y/N croaked. "Stay away from this place tonight."

"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your business goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you."

And he scooted off.

"Brilliant, Y/N!" Ron whispered, while Hermione sent him a bright smile his way and Harry merely nodded.

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor -- and the door was already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry said quietly, "Snape's already got past Fluffy."

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to impress upon all four of them what was facing them. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the other three.

"If you want to go back, I won't blame you," he said. "You can take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"You think we'd abandon you after all this? No chance" Y/N scoffed, truthfully he was quite looking forward to doing something that actually mattered.

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," said Hermione.

Harry pushed the door open.

As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met their ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in their direction, even though it couldn't see them.

"What's that at its feet?" Hermione whispered.

"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," said Harry. "Well, give it a try Y/N"

Y/N pulled his guitar around his waist by the strap which was currently holstering it around his body, holding it in his hands as he started playing a bunch of tunes to sooth the beast. Slowly, the dog's growls ceased -- it tottered on its paws and fell to its knees, then it slumped to the ground, fast asleep.

"Keep playing," Ron warned Y/N as they slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. They could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as the four of them approached the giant heads. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"Harry?" Ron asked, almost pleadingly.

"Nope" Harry replied coolly.

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione asked anxiously.

"Nothing -- just black -- there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

"Great." Y/N called back them, as he continued playing the guitar, Fluffy still slept peacefully.

Ron lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at Harry and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. leave me"

"Sure thing" Y/N told him as he got closer, still playing the musical instrument.

"No don't actually-- Argh it doesn't matter" Ron said annoyed.

"See you in a minute, I hope..."

And Ron let go. Cold, damp air rushed past him as he fell down, down, down and --

FLUMP. With a funny, muffled sort of thump he landed on something soft. He sat up and felt around, his eyes not used to the gloom. It felt as though he was sitting on some sort of plant.

"It's okay!" he called up to the light the size of a postage stamp, which was the open trapdoor, "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

Harry followed right away. He landed, sprawled next to Ron.

"What's this stuff?" were his first words.

"Dunno, some sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!"

Hermione looked down the trap door, a look of hesitation in her eyes, Y/N turned to her and spoke confidently. "You can do this Hermione" He reassured her, she gave a weak smile and nodded.

"What about you?" she asked.

"I'll be down in just a sec hermosa" He soothed her, as he turned back to the sleeping three headed dog.

She dropped down and landed saftly besides Harry. Now it was Y/N's turn, he immediately stopped playing the guitar and walked slowly to the trap door, feeling the dog's hot breath on the back of his neck and a growl, only further proved that dog had awakened.

He jumped down and fell onto something soft as the others looked at him.

"We must be miles under the school," she said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"You can say that a-- oh" Y/N stopped mid sentence as he looked at both Harry and Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"

She leapt up and struggled toward a damp wall. She had to struggle because the moment she had landed, the plant had started to twist snakelike tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

Y/N however knew how to get out of the plant grasps, it was in fact devil snare's, the key thing was to relax, yeah relax, don't ask how does one relax when a plant is trying to kill them? An answer for another day, Y/N relaxed himself and felt the vines around his body loosen and finally unraveled itself, he got up and ran towards Hermione who was trying to figure out a way for Harry and Ron to escape.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered the two of them. "I know what this is -- it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck. "Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"You just need to relax Harry" Y/N told him and sure enough, Harry relaxed and the vines around him loosened, causing him to tumble down to them. "See I told you" Y/N said.

"Now you're turn Ron" Harry told his friend but he looked like he was having difficulties.

"He's not relaxing is he?" Y/N asked, his face morphed into one of both annoyance and confusion.

Ron was fighting against the plant and not doing what they Harry requested him, causing Y/N to his facepalm.

"No he's not" Hermione replied to him.

The two of them began thinking of a way to stop the plant as Ron was struggling in the background, trying to free himself.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout say? -- it likes the dark and the damp." Y/N and Hermione both said in unison.

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes -- of course -- but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"WOOD!!?" Ron shouted.

"Yeah or maybe a matchstick to go with it" Y/N joked, a way of calming his nerves but it didn't help one bit.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Oh, right!" said Hermione, and she whipped out her wand, waved it, muttered something, and sent a jet of the same bluebell flames she had used on Snape at the plant. In a matter of seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," Harry said as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

"I think we'd be all lost without you Hermione" Y/N said honestly.

"Yeah," said Ron, "And lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis -- 'there's no wood,' honestly."

"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward.

They could hear apart from footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.

They listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?"

"I doubt it" Y/N told the three.

"I don't know... sounds like wings to me."

"There's light ahead -- I can see something moving."

The four of them reached the end of the passageway and saw a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, fluttering and tumbling all around the room. On the opposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.

"Probably," said Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... well, there's no other choice... I'll run."

Harry was about to run across but Y/N went first with no warning, somehow feeling as it was his duty to risk his life rather sacrificing "The Boy Who Lived"

"Y/N" They exclaimed as he ran across, he expected to be hit with scrieking and periecing birds with talons but was greeted with utter silence.

The other three followed after.

"That was very reckless Y/N." Hermione scolded him like he was a five year old who just ran across a busy and dangerous street.

"Well I am a Gryffindor." Y/N quipped as they all tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried her Alohomora charm.

"Now what?" said Ron.

"These birds... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.

They all watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering -- glittering?

"They're not birds!" Harry said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys -- look carefully. So that must mean... " he looked around the chamber while the other two squinted up at the flock of keys. "... yes -- look! Broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!"

Ron examined the lock on the door.

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one -- probably silver, like the handle."

The four of them each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. They grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one.

After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, Y/N noticed a large silver key that had a bent wing, as if it had already been caught and stuffed roughly into the keyhole.

"That one!" He called to them. "That big one -- there -- no, there -- with bright blue wings -- the feathers are all crumpled on one side."

Ron went speeding in the direction that Y/N was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.

"Nice one" Y/N joked, as he flew across on his broom.

"Think you can do any better?" Ron challenged.

"Well i certainly can't do any worse" Y/N shot back, causing Ron to huff.

"We've got to close in on it!" Harry called, not taking his eyes off the key with the damaged wing. "Ron, you come at it from above -- Hermione, stay below and stop it from going down, Y/N try and get get it from the other side, and we'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, and
Y/N flew across the open air trying to grab at the key but missed, barely, the key dodged them both, and Harry streaked after it; it sped toward the wall, Harry leaned forward and with a nasty, crunching noise, pinned it against the stone with one hand. Y/N, Ron and Hermione's cheers echoed around the high chamber.

They landed quickly, and Harry ran to the door, the key struggling in his hand. He rammed it into the lock and turned - it worked. The moment the lock had clicked open, the key took flight again, looking very battered now that it had been caught twice.

Only time will tell what awaited on the other side, lets hope they're not too late.

—

The next chamber was so dark that they couldn't see anything at all. But as the four of then stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.

They were in fact were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than they were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing them, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Y/N, Harry, Ron and Hermione shivered slightly - the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"It's-- wow" Y/N said as his eyes widened at the many chess pieces ahead of the room, many black and white pieces laid out across the room and all on top of a chessboard.

"Yeah." Ron replied astonished. "It's wizard chest."

"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.

"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron. "We've got to play our way across the room."

Behind the white pieces they could see another door.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," Y/N said, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

Ron walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang to life. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned his helmeted head to look down at Ron.

"Do we -- er -- have to join you to get across?" The black knight nodded. Ron turned to the other two.

"This needs thinking about... " he said. "I suppose we've got to take the place of four of the black pieces..."

Y/N, Harry and Hermione stayed quiet, watching Ron think. Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but neither of you are that good at chess--"

"We're not offended," said Harry quickly. "Just tell us what to do."

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, and Hermione, you take the queem to the left of Harry, Y/N you take the king to my right" Ron instructed them.

"What about you?" Y/N asked.

"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.

The chessmen seemed to have been listening, because at these words a knight, a bishop, a queen and a king turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Harry, Ron, Hermione and Y/N took.

"White always plays first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board. "Yes... look..."

A white pawn had moved forward two squares.

Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Harry's knees were trembling.

Y/N couldn't help but think what if they lost? It would all be for nothing. He wouldn't allow Snape to get the stone.

"Harry -- move diagonally four squares to the right."

"We can't die in this.... right" Y/N asked.

But it seems the magical chest was inclined to tell him, the first real shock came when the other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

"That answer your question?" Hermione spoke in a small voice, to which Y/N nodded nervously, trembling slightly.

"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."

Every time one of their men was lost, the white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there was a huddle of limp black players slumped along the wall. Twice, Ron only just noticed in time that Y/N, Harry and Hermione were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as they had lost black ones.

"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think -- let me think..."

The white queen turned her blank face toward him.

"Yes... " said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."

"NO!" the three of them shouted.

"That's chess!" snapped Ron. "You've got to make some sacrifices! I take one step forward and she'll take me -- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"Are you bloody mental!" Y/N hissed, not liking the idea of one of his closest friends possibly getting hurt.

"But--"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron--"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"

There was no alternative.

"Ready?" Ron called, his face pale but determined. "Here I go -- now, don't hang around once you've won."

He stepped forward, and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her stone arm, and he crashed to the floor -- Hermione screamed but stayed on her square -- the white queen dragged Ron to one side. He looked as if he'd been knocked out.

Shaking, Harry moved three spaces to the left.

They had won the game and all the chess pieces stopped moving and the next door opened. Y/N jumped off the king chess piece and ran to Ron, dropping to his knees and checking his pulse.

"He's breathing thank god" Y/N breathed out as Hermione and Harry scrambled off their chess pieces and ran to his side.

"Okay we need to get Ron to the medical wing and somebody needs to inform professor Dumbledore" Y/N explained to the two of his best friends.

"I can take him and i'll send the professor a letter via owl" Hermione told him, her breath hitching, frightened by the current situation but still she was hanging in there.

"Okay" Harry nodded to her and she gave each of them a hug,  Y/N's lasting just seconds longer. Why? He didn't know.

"Be careful" She warned Y/N, staring straight into his eyes.

"Of course 'Mione" He smiled.

Hermione picked up Ron and dragged him along as Y/N and Harry proceeded to the next chamber.

—

Hermione held Ron's arm around her shoulder, dragging him through the hallways and stairs until they finally reached the trap door. She used the broomsticks to fly them both up through the door and pass Fluffy which they barely got passed as the beast tried to bite them.

As she was taking Ron to the medical wing, Hermione couldn't help but worry for her best friends, who she had gotten to know all throughout the year, Y/N especially. He was special in her books, she had no idea why but maybe it had to do with them having so much in common, 'cliche I know.'

They spent a lot of time together in the library and common room, chatting pretty much all the time. He was unique to say the least. Perhaps that's why she enjoyed his company so much?

He wasn't like Harry or Ron, he was more straightforward, compassionate for sure and always said what's on his mind and doesn't shy away from doing things such as punching Malfoy a couple of months ago which she wasn't happy about at first, she smiled at how brave he was, he wasn't afraid to say what needed to be said.

When he found out his mother was killed by Voldermort, they were the ones he told first, he trusted her, Ron and Harry the most and she couldn't help but smile brightly, something knotted in her stomach at the mere mention of such memories.

Y/N brought out a different side to Hermione, when they were all together she was her usual self, mostly. But when they were alone she was completely different, more open and confident, not being afraid to express how she truly felt and thought to him. He understood her and Hermione couldn't help but wonder if there was more to it than all that.

But what was concerning was how he got around to finding out such tragedy, it happened when he came across Voldermort. It couldn't be a coincidence.

But why couldn't he remember such a tragic memory? maybe he was supresing it, trying not to remember it or maybe something or someone took it from him.

But the real question wasn't who, but rather why?