Authors Note: I DO NOT, I repeat DO NOT own any of the Harry Potter characters, names, places, things, etc. All of this belongs to the ever legendary J.K Rowling.

Hiya people of Earth! Unless you're an alien... Hiya person/thing of _... *sighs* Hi...

It was just brought to my attention the fact that there were seven bottles. You know, the magic number seven. I hadn't noticed that before, but of course when I first read this I didn't know the magical qualities of the mere number. I do hope this settles your needs on the whole 'when is this story going to stop being like the book'. You are welcome.

But seriously, chapter the VERY NEXT DAY?! BROWNIE POINTS!

Don't forget to review, follow and favorite!

Bye! :D

FLUMP!

I smacked into something rather soft. I pushed the tangled red mess that was my hair out of my face, feeling around. I swear it felt like some sort of plant.

"It's okay!" I looked up towards the small window of light, so high up that the light didn't even reach wherever I currently was. "It's a soft landing! You can jump!"

Ron jumped down and landed with a puff right beside me a mere second later. I didn't know if he saw it, but in that moment I could feel the complete trust he gave me, and it was with that in mind that I beamed in the general direction he would be sitting.

"What is this stuff?" He asked, groping around and latching onto my arm.

"I dunno, suppose it's here to break the fall." I poked the thick plant dully. "Some plant of some sort. You all coming?!"

Hermione followed next, closely followed by Harry and then Theodore and Daphne. They all landed with muffled thumps near Ron and I, squishing into the plant beneath us.

"We must be miles under the school." Hermione said in awe as she attempted to look around.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really." Theodore said after a moment, patting the plant happily.

"Lucky!" Daphne shrieked suddenly. "L-look at us!"

We all looked down and noticed that we were all indeed stuck in the plant. Like, literally. The plant's creepers had snuck themselves around us without our knowing, binding us together tightly. The more we fought against the plant, the faster and tighter the plant would wound itself around us.

"Stop moving!" I gasped. "I know what this is- its Devil's Snare!"

"Fitting name." Ron grunted, leaning away from the plant as it tried to wrap itself around his neck.

"I'm sooo glad you know what its called." Theodore snarled. "That's a great help!"

"Shut up!" I screeched at them all. "I'm trying to remember how to kill it."

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe! Harry stated, out of breath as he wrestled with the plant.

"Devil's Snare... Devil's Snare." Hermione sang by my feet. "Ugh! What did Professor Sprout say?"

"It likes the dark and the damp!" Daphne cried out.

"Great, so light a fire!"

"Yes, but, there's no wood." Daphne muttered frantically as a tendril of plant wrapped itself around her mouth.

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

If Daphne could have replied, she would have- something witty and sarcastic, but the plant efficiently gagged her.

Hermione wiggled around a bit, fighting to get her wand out of her pocket. "I've got it!"

Blue fire shot out of her wand, much like the one she had cast at Snape to set his robes on fire during the Quidditch match. Immediately the plant cringed away from the light and warmth, releasing its prey. The plant wiggled and flailed, unraveling our bodies and allowing us to pull ourselves free.

"Lucky you girls pay attention in Herbology." Harry panted, wiping off his face.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "lucky Hermione doesn't lose her head in a crisis- 'there's no wood', honestly."

Daphne growled at the boy, grey eyes ablaze.

Ron made a whimpering noise and jumped behind me. I snorted.

"This way." Harry spoke up, catching our attention and pointing down a stone passageway. Which was really the only way forward.

"Can you hear something?" Hermione asked as we began to walk down the dark corridor.

"The water tricking down the walls?" Daphne questioned, eyeing the damp stone walls with distaste.

"No..." Hermione trailed off.

A soft rusting could be heard up ahead, accompanied by the sound of clinking.

"Think its a ghost?" Ron pondered.

"I don't know." Hermione admitted.

"Sounds like wings to me." Harry narrowed his eyes as a light appeared ahead of us.

As we reached the end of the passageway we were met with a brilliantly lit chamber, the arching ceiling towering above us. Something was fluttering around the room, glittering as they tumbled about. Across the chamber was a large wooden door.

"You think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" Theodore inquired.

"Probably," I paused. "They don't look very vicious, whatever they are. I suppose if they all swoop down at once though..."

"I'll run." Harry offered, running across the chamber before any of us could object.

Harry paused at the other side of the chamber, panting, leaning against the door as he looked up at the birds in confusion. The birds hadn't attached him and had went on with their own little business. Harry tugged at the door, but of course it was locked.

"That was anticlimactic." I deadpanned as we all crossed the room at a much slower pace.

"Alohomora." Hermione whisked her wand out, but nothing happened, she didn't look too depressed though. "I hadn't expected that to work."

"Now what?" Ron frowned.

"Those birds..." Daphne glanced up at the birds. "They can't just be here for decorations."

"They aren't birds!" Harry announced suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys, look. So that must mean... yes, broomsticks! We've got to catch the key to the door!"

"But there are hundreds of them!"

"We're looking for a big, old-fashioned one- probably silver, like the handle." Ron advised as he inspected the lock with a trained eye.

I watched the gangly teen, impressed.

We all seized a broomstick- well, they boys and I did- and kicked off into the cloud of keys. The keys dipped and darted, the whole process nearly impossible. They were to fast. Boy was this irritatingly exhausting.

"That one!" Harry cried out not ten minutes later. Being a seeker and the youngest one in a century to boot, Harry easily spotted the correct key.

The silver key's wing was bent, as if it had already been caught and stuffed into the keyhole.

"That big one with the bright blue wings! The one with the crippled wing!"

The key easily dodged all of our, slightly lame, attempts to catch it, irritating and annoying the heck out of each of us rather quickly.

I panted, tracking the damaged key. "We've got to close in on it!"

"Alright, I'll go on above, Theodore, stay below, Hope, stop it from going down and Harry try and catch it." Ron ordered.

We all darted into our presumed positions, watching as the key skyrocketed away from us all. Harry just about managed to catch it, narrowly missing running into the wall in the process. Our celebratory cheers rang throughout the chamber.

Harry jammed the key into the lock moments after landing, the lock clicking open and the very battered key escaping yet again as soon as the ebony haired male let go of it.

"Ready?" Harry pulled the door open once we all nodded our consent.

The next chamber was dark, so dark it was hard to see anything ahead. We all took a tentative step forward and we were suddenly bombarded with light. The sudden light helped reveal the contents of the room, oddly enough, it was a huge checkered chessboard. Large black chessmen stood nearest us, towering above us and carved from a dark marble. Across the chessboard stood the white chessmen. None of the chessmen bore faces. Creepy.

"So..."

"What now." I whispered.

"Its obvious isn't it?" Daphne said. "We've got to play our way across the room."

"How?" Hermione asked the other girl nervously.

"I think, we're going to have to be chessmen." Ron took a few steps forward and observed the large stone men.

Ron gently placed a hand upon the nearest black knight's horse, which sprang to life upon impact. The horse pawed the ground and the knight turned its head to peer down at Ron. "Do we- er- have to join you to get across?"

The black knight nodded.

Ron gulped. "I suppose we've got to take the place of six of the black pieces..."

"Now, don't be offended, but Hermione, Hope, you both aren't very good at chess-"

"None of us will be offended." Harry spoke up. "We're all rubbish at it as well."

"Alright." Ron took a look around the room. "Harry, take that bishop, Hermione, you go there in place of the castle, Daphne, that queen there, Hope, uh- that rook there and Theodore, that other bishop."

The intended chess pieces all turned their backs on us and walked off the boards, leaving our squares empty.

"And you?" Theodore asked as he took the place of the black bishop.

"I'll be the knight."

Once everyone had taken their squares, Ron spoke up. "White always plays first..."

Almost as if that was it's cue, the white side began to play. A white pawn moved forward two squares.

And the game began.

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

Slowly, Ron began to expertly guide the black chessmen around the room. Of course none of them could avoid getting taken, but none of us expected this. The knight was to be taken, the white queen walked forward- the stone grinding against the chessboard and smashed the black knight to the floor, dragging it off of the board. We all gasped. The knight sat off to the side, face down, silent.

"Had to let that happen." Muttered a shaky Ron. "Leaves you free to take their bishop, Hermione."

Ron was really good at chess. He noticed just in time when someone was in danger and quickly made use of the eight pawns the black chessmen had to offer. Ron's brow was furrowed, seemingly permanent wrinkles written into his forehead as he guided us all in the dangerous game of chess.

Ron paled suddenly. "We're nearly there...but-"

"But what?" I questioned with a frown, eyeing the queen that was now eyeing Ron. Weird.

"Its the only way, I've got to be taken."

"NO!" We all immediately snapped.

"That's chess! You've got to make some sacrifices! I'll make my move and she'll take me- that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"

"But-"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?"

"Ron-"

"Can't there be-"

"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone." Ron pointed out in strange calmness.

How could we fight that solid logic?

Ron's pale face was laced with determination. "Ready? Here I go- now don't be hanging around once you've won."

He took a step forward and the white queen pounced. She struck Ron hard across the head with her arm. Ron's limp body crashing down onto the floor. We screamed.

We all turned to face a shaking Harry, who of which took three spaces to the left. The white king threw his crown down at Harry's feet, admitting defeat. The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the path towards the door clear.

Despite Ron telling us to let him be, we all darted towards the redhead, kneeling around him.

"Is he alright?" Hermione whispered.

"I think... just knocked out." Daphne muttered as she wiped Ron's hair out of his face.

"He'll be all right." Harry said, trying to convince Hermione and I as much as himself and the others.

"I hope so."

"So, what do you reckons next?" Theodore asked after a moment.

"Well," I began. "the Devil's Snare was Sprout. Flitwick must've charmed the keys. Finally, McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to life."

Hermione nodded her head, still staring down at Ron. "That leaves Quirrell's and Snape's."

When we all turned to look at Theodore he simply shrugged. "Honestly, I won't be much help during potions. Even if I am a Slytherin, I'm rubbish at it."

"Why don't you three go on ahead? Hermione, Harry and Hope." Daphne suggested. "Theodore and I can stay behind with Ron."

Hermione and I traded unsure looks.

"Are you sure?" Harry asked with a small frown gracing his lips.

"Positive."

"Go on ahead, before it's to late."

"Alright..."

Hermione, Harry and I made our way towards the opposite door, casting one final look back to the others. I pushed the door open and immediately cringed, a disgusting smell filling our nostrils. Our eyes watered as they fell upon a troll, large in size and knocked out with a bloody lump upon its head.

Hermione gagged, pressing the sleeve of her jumper against her nose. "That's revolting."

"Let's go, I can't breathe!" Harry coughed out.

"You can't breathe a lot lately." I told him in a teasing tone.

Harry shot me a glare.

Snape's task was up next, behind the next threatening doorframe. We braced ourselves and pushed the door open.

"Huh."

There wasn't anything scary or frightening, nothing trying to kill us at all. Simply a table that held up several different shaped bottles that stood out in a line.

"What do we have to do?" I inquired.

We walked past the threshold of the door, a strange purple fire springing up from behind. At the same second, a black fire sprang up before the doorway ahead.

"Oh, lookie, a note!" I cried out, seizing a rolled up parchment that sat beside the bottles.

Harry and Hermione peeked over my shoulder as I began to read aloud:

'Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever you would find,

One among us seven will let you move ahead,

Another will transport the drinker back instead,

Two among our number hold only nettle wine,

Three of us are killers, waiting hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here forevermore,

To help you in your choice, we give you these clues four:

First, however slyly the poison tries to hide

You will always find some on nettle wine's left side;

Second, different are those who stand on either end,

But if you would move onward, neither is your friend;

Third, as you see clearly, all are different size,

Neither dwarf nor giant hold death in their insides;

Fourth, the second left and the second on the right

Are twins once you taste them, though different at first sight.

Hermione smiled suddenly. "Brilliant. This isn't magic- it's logic- a puzzle. A lot of the greatest wizards haven't got an ounce of logic, they'd be stuck in here forever."

I stared down at the parchment in wonder.

"But so will we, wont we?" Harry wondered aloud.

We both turned towards Hermione.

"Of course not." Hermione rolled her eyes. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles; three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safety across the black fire; and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which one to drink?" Harry asked.

"Give me a minute."

Hermione began to reread the note, reading it several times before she walked up to the table and began to mutter to herself. As last, she clasped her hands together and picked up the smallest bottle. "This one will get us through the black fire- towards the Stone."

I smiled at her approvingly. "Great job, Mon."

"Thanks, Hope." She smiled back at me.

"And this one, will get us through the purple flames." Hermione grabbed the rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"You two drink that." Harry said immediately. When we both began to protest he held up a hand. "No, listen. Go back and get the others. You can use the brooms to get past Fluffy and out the trapdoor. Go to the owlery and send my owl to Dumbledore, we need him. Hope, stop your mumbling. I might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but I'm no match for him, really."

"What if You-Know-Who's with him?"

"Well, I was lucky once, wasn't I? I may get lucky again." Harry pointed pointedly at his scar.

"How do you expect us to haul a comatose Ron onto a broom and up the trapdoor for one? Secondly, use Hedwig. Thirdly, I don't mumble and don't trust that old fool, mkay?" I told the boy, ticking them off with my fingers. "Also, we were lucky, not just you, we. Just cause you defeated Voldywart doesn't mean that he couldn't have killed me off before hand, alright? I'm coming with you and before you attempt to persuade me otherwise, I'm going. End of story, hun."

Harry blinked at me. "Hope-"

"No- nu- nu'uh." I interrupted him with an annoyed look of irritation. "I'm going and Mon can go back to the others. Like you said, you aren't a match for him alone. That's why I'm coming."

Hermione watched us with interest. "You two really are related... both as stubborn as they come."

I smiled at her. "Awe, you aren't going to try and persuade me not to go?"

"I know better." Hermione considered me before she swept me up into a hug. "Be careful you two."

I hugged her back with vigor. "We will."

"You watch over her." Hermione pointed at Harry with narrowed eyes.

"I will." He told her.

"You both are great wizards, you know what?" She told us as she shifted the round bottle around in her hands.

"I'm not as good as you." I mumbled, cheeks tinging pink.

"Me! Books! And cleverness! There are far more important things- friendship and bravery. You two be careful!"

"You drink first." Harry motioned at her bottle.

I watched in mild amusement as she shuddered at the contents of the drink. "Oh- it's like ice."

"At least it's not poison."

"Be careful! Good luck-"

"Go." I told her gently, slowly pushing her off in the direction of the purple fire.

As she pasted through it Harry took a small sip of the small bottle, saving enough which he then handed off to me. My nose scrunched up as I stared at the now empty bottle. "Huh, does taste like ice. That wasn't half as bad as I expected, though. Oh, that's right. Hand me the Cloak."

"Why?" He asked me, handing me the Cloak without hesitation.

"I have a feeling we'll need it." I shrugged, slipping it over my shoulders so that only my head was visible.

We both turned towards the black fire, its thick flames lapping upwards. Harry took as step forward, but I stopped him. "I feel we should say something really cool before we walk in there."

Harry's eyebrow quirked up in mirth. "Like what?"

I shrugged.

"How about- here we come?"

"Perfect."

"Here we come." We both said simultaneously, stepping through the fire, feeling it wash over us and blur our vision momentarily.

The Cloak was slipped over the rest of my body as we entered the final chamber.

But someone was already there and it wasn't Snape. Nor was it Voldemort.