"Shit!" Harry rolled over to the left, just as a large bronze claw slammed onto the floor where he had been, only moments ago.

"Harry! Move!" Minerva cried. He dodged as the same claw took a swipe at him. He swiftly moved over to the right side of its head, and sent out sparks, which sparked against the Eagle's metallic skin.

Harry looked over at Minerva. Admittedly, she was holding up better than he was, and she was tackling the monster's feet. She was alternating between sending sparks at them, and trying to throw herself at them to knock it off. She apparently figured that once the legs had been put out of action, it was only a matter of time before the rest of it was dead too.

Harry's eyes snapped back to the eagle's head as it made to gouge his innards out. He swiftly sidestepped it, and used his wand to send sparks, which hit its eyes. The Eagle reared up and shrieked with shock and pain, consequently startling Minerva, but she caught on quickly. She moved over to where Harry was, and muttered "Keep its attention - I think things are going to get ugly now."

Harry nodded. And as soon as he did so, she moved herself away, and dodged out of sight behind its wings.

Harry turned his attention back to the eagle once more. It had reared its head and was preparing to strike. Harry sent a stream of hot sparks towards him, and it shocked him to see the eagle reach its great head out, open that vast mouth, and swallow them up.

It blinked for a couple seconds, and its eyes seemed shocked. Then the moment passed and it eyes filled with anger and hatred, and it tossed its head back and opened its mouth again, and….

Fire spewed out.

"Oh great, it can spit fire now?" Harry moaned.

"Great going, Einstein." Came Minerva's sarcastic voice from somewhere behind the eagle, exactly where, he was not sure.

"How do you know about Einstein? He was a Muggle!" Harry yelled back, He dodged another jet of fire.

"He was a Muggle-born, Potter! Not all of us Purebloods believe all that blood nonsense. He was a very famous Muggle-born, apparently in both worlds." She called back. "Now shut up, and distract it!"

Harry did just that.

Eventually, Harry felt himself tiring, not unlike Hermione and Ron down in the snake chamber. He knew, like Hermione, that he wouldn't last forever, it was just too wearing. He pondered over calling to Minerva, but in the end, decided against it. He would have to keep working.

Just then, the eagle stopped. It just stopped completely. No fire, no claws, no slamming. The chamber was just quiet. Then he heard it:

"HI-YAH!"

The noise was a triumphant one; it was one Harry had not heard before, and he certainly could not even begin to imagine it's source. He turned to look back at the eagle, and he must have gotten one of the biggest shocks of his short life.

Minerva was sitting atop the eagle's back, riding it like a daring cow-girl might to a wild horse. She was holding reins in her hands, the long part muzzled on the Eagle's beak, constricted so it could not buck her off, but free enough so it could still move.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Get on!" She commanded him.

Harry did as he was told, perhaps a little dazedly though; She was really a sight: Raven-black hair falling freely to her waist, torn robes, deep gash on one cheek, blood staining her skin red and pink, and also the mere fact of the strict Transfiguration professor, Minerva McGonagall, riding a 14 foot metal eagle would shell-shock anyone.

McGonagall raised her arms, and whipped the reins again, "HI-YAH!" and the eagle seemed to get the message, as it spread its enormous wings out, and gave them an experimental flap. Deeming them safe, it flapped them once more and rose slowly, but surely into the air.

Harry couldn't stop himself. "Wooo-hoooo!" He whooped with exhilaration. The Eagle crashed through another wall, but it didn't seem bothered. It soared higher and higher, and Harry was sure it would run out of space in the dark twisting tunnels, but it never seemed to.

Presently, it flew into a series of more tunnels, each narrower and more confusing than the last. As the tunnels before, they seemed to be changing themselves to confuse the person navigating them, but the Eagle seemed to know what it was doing. Harry was, for the first time, grateful that they had run into it, otherwise he was sure they would be lost in the East wing forever more.

The tunnels were so cramped; the Eagle flew right into a wall. Harry wasn't concerned at first, he was certain the eagle would burst right through it, or it would just nudge the wall, either one. But Harry never expected the floor and walls to collapse on them.

And it did.

Harry, Minerva and the eagle fell around what felt to Harry, ten thousand miles down into the bowels of the school.

When they finally landed, Harry was only amazed they had no broken bones, or seriously injured bodies. The worst that happened to them was a few bumps and bruises here and there, along with Minerva's slashed cheek.

"Cushioning charm," Minerva said bluntly, answering Harry's question. "And also I don't think we got the worst of it." She gestured sadly at the Eagle. It was battered and broken, and the intelligent and lively glow in its eyes was slowly dimming, until they were just orbs of cracked glass. It's wings and limbs were bent and twisted, it's head had dislocated from its neck, and were only hanging on by a few strands of glistening silvery-blue substance.

Harry leaned down and prodded it with his wand, and looked questioningly at Minerva.

"Memory," She answered "Very well made, must've lasted centuries. In my opinion, this was one of Rowena Ravenclaw's best works." Minerva smiled wryly at Harry. She drew her own wand, and touched the swirling substance, neither liquid nor gas. She pulled the wand up, at the same time pulling a vial from her robe pocket and dispensing the memory in it.

Harry looked questioningly at Minerva, but she only shushed him and gestured that he should watch.

McGonagall reached to touch the Eagle's glassy eyes. She caressed them with her long, elegant fingers, and finally, she pushed one in, so it sunk down into its socket.

The Eagle's mouth popped opened and a shining blue orb was revealed. It was held into place by some thin copper strips entwined so it held it into place.

"Is this…?" Harry began. It was unnecessary, they both knew what it was.

"Yes, this is it. Ravenclaw's stone." She answered curtly. Minerva quickly cast a releasing charm and stowed it away in her pocket.

She motioned for him to stand up. "We finish the rest of our journey on foot, I'm afraid."

Harry nodded and stood, and they continued to walk.

The atmosphere here was quite different from the one in the Chamber they had just left. For a start, this one was darker and dirtier, and there seemed to be some sort of greenish slime on the walls. It had the air of depression and fear around it.

"Do you hear that?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Hear what?" Minerva asked. She cocked her head slightly.

"Crying…." Harry muttered. "I hear someone crying…"

"Oh…. I hear it too, now," Minerva muttered. She inhaled deeply, then exhaled. "Do you smell blood?"

"What?" Harry was alarmed now. What if something had happened to Ron or Hermione? He would never be able to forgive himself if they were hurt in any way at all.

"It from here…" Minerva said. She traced the wall, ignoring the slime coming off and onto her finger. "Stand back." She commanded.

"What?" Harry asked.

"Just do it." She snapped.

Harry did so.

"Reducto!" Minerva cried.

The wall blasted apart like in the Mirror room high above them. Fortunately, the explosion was controlled, and Minerva and Harry were perfectly unscathed.

Harry and Minerva stepped into the chamber beyond. And what they saw there was so horrible, none of them would forget to their dying day.

Hermione was clutching Ron's body, which had blood running freely down his side from two deep puncture marks on his neck. Hermione was crying, and Ron was not moving.

Harry's world crashed around him as he came to the horrible truth.

It simply could not be possible.

Ron could not be dead.

Leanne's note: One thing you're really good at, Elaine, is you are amazing at endings. And yes, people, her name is Elaine.

Elaine's note: I hate you, not really…. But you're still awesome!

Another thing: I am trying to advertise a RPG site, called Rebellion. Rebellion is a Harry Potter RPG site, (RPG mean Role Playing Game) and I would really appreciate it if you guys would come join us there. The link is on my Author Page! :D