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In years to come, I would never quite remember how I had managed to get through my exams when I half expected Voldemort to come bursting through the door at any moment with my parents as his wingmen. Yet the days crept by, and there could be no doubt that Fluffy was still alive and well behind the locked door. It was sweltering hot, especially in the large classroom where we did our written papers. We had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-Cheating spell.

We had practical exams as well. Professor Flitwick called us one by one into his class to see if we could make a pineapple tap dance across a desk. I couldn't make it tap dance, but it did an amazing Irish Jig. Professor McGonagall watched us turn a mouse into a snuffbox -- points were given for how pretty the snuffbox was, but taken away if it had whiskers. Mine had a picture of a mouse on it and it was really pretty, but what Professor McGonagall thought of it, I was positive. Snape made us all nervous, breathing down our necks while we tried to remember how to make a Forgetfulness potion.

Ron and Hermione didn't seem as worried about the Stone as Harry and I, us having a connection to him. The idea of Voldemort certainly scared them. I realized that when Voldemort must have seen me when I was very little. My mother served him when Draco and I were born, after all.

We were so busy with our studying we didn't have much time to fret about what Snape or anyone else might be up to. Our very last exam was History of Magic. One hour of answering questions about batty old wizards who'd invented self-stirring cauldrons and we'd be free, free for a whole wonderful week until our exam results came out. When the ghost of Professor Binns told us to put down our quills and roll up our parchment, I couldn't help cheering with the rest.

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

Hermione always liked to go through our exam papers afterward, but Ron said this made him feel ill, so we wandered down to the lake and flopped under the tree where I had met Azalea. I spotted her across the grounds with Alex and smiled to myself. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a giant squid, which was basking in the warm shallows.

"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we findout how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."

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.... "

Ron couldn't get worked up, it was too hot. "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."

Harry nodded. I thought about the day and realized something.

"I can't believe I'd forget that!" I burst out without thinking.

"Forget what? Something on the exam?" Hermione asked.

"No -- it's my birthday tomorrow." I said.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could've gotten you something!" Hermione said shrilly.

"I forgot." I said innocently.

"Your own birthday?" Ron said.

"I guess with all that has been going on, it completely slipped my mind." I said, shrugging. "It doesn't matter anyway. It's just an other day."

"I feel like I've forgotten to do something important," said Harry angrily, taking the conversation off of my getting older.

"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was halfway through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." Hermione told Harry.

"Unfortunately, she woke me up as well." I said.

I watched an owl flutter toward the school across the bright blue sky, a note clamped in its mouth. Hagrid was the only one who ever sent me letters anymore. Hagrid would never betray Dumbledore. Hagrid would never tell anyonehow to get past Fluffy... Never.

Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.

"Where're you going?" Said Ron sleepily.

"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?"

"What are you talking about?" Said Ron, but Harry, sprinting across the grounds toward the forest, didn't answer. 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."

He saw the three of them -- and me -- look stunned and raised his eyebrows. "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."

Harry sank down next to the bowl of peas. "What did you talk to him about, Hagrid? Did you mention Hogwarts at all?"

"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'?"

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I didn't speak to each other at all until we came to a halt in the entrance hall, which seemed very cold and gloomy after the grounds.

"We've got to go to Dumbledore," said Harry. "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. I just hope Dumbledore believes us. Firenze might back us up if Bane doesn't stop him. Where's Dumbledore's office?"

We looked around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing us in the right direction. We had never been told where Dumbledore lived, nor did we know anyone who had been sent to see him -- except the Weasley twins, I assume.

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

"What are you three doing inside?" It was Professor McGonagall, carrying a large pile of books.

"Hey, I'm here too!" I said, outraged.

"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione, rather bravely, I thought.

"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this was a very fishy thing to want to do.

"Why?"

I swallowed -- now what?

"It's sort of secret." I said, but I wished at once I hadn't, because Professor McGonagall's nostrils flared.

"Professor Dumbledore left ten minutes ago," she said coldly. "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."

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

"Look," said Harry, obviously throwing caution to the winds, "Professor -- it's about the Sorcerer's stone -- "

Whatever Professor McGonagall had expected, it wasn't that. The books she was carrying tumbled out ofher 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 him 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 -- "

"Potter, 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 we didn't. We're such rebels.

"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. I snorted randomly. Harry and Ron wheeled round. Snape was standing there.

"Good afternoon," he said smoothly. We stared at him. "You shouldn't be inside on a day like this, " he said, with an odd, twisted smile.

"We were -- " Harry began.

"I'm allergic to grass." I blurted out.

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

I flushed. We turned to go outside, but Snape called us back.

"Be warned, Potter -- any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Good day to you." He strode off in the direction of the staffroom. Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to the us.

"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, you'd better do that."

"Why me?"

"It's obvious," said Ron. "You 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.... "

I snickered.

"Oh, shut up," said Hermione, but she agreed to go and watch out for Snape.

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

But that part of the plan didn't work. No sooner had we reached the door separating Fluffy from the rest of the school than Professor McGonagall turned up again and this time, she lost her temper.

"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" She stormed. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you 've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

Harry, Ron, and I went back to the common room, Harry had just said, "At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," when the portrait of the Fat Lady swung open and Hermione came in.

"I'm sorry, Harry!" She wailed. "Snape came out and asked me what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Flitwick, and Snape went to get him, and I've only just got away, I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" Harry said. The other two stared at him, but I got it. 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're mad!" Said Ron.

"You can't!" Said Hermione. "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 housecup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait forVoldemort 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 glared at us. PMS much.

"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?" said Ron.

"All -- all four of us?"

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

"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," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that I got a hundred and twelve percent on his exam. They're not throwing me out after that."

After dinner the four of us sat nervously apart in the common room. Nobody bothered us; none of the Gryffindors had anything to say to Harry any more, after all. This was the first night he hadn't been upset by it. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments we were about to try to break. Harry, Ron, and I didn't talk much. All of us were thinking about what we 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. Soon he raced back downstairs, a flute sticking out of his pocket. It reminded me of all the Christmas presents I had laying unopened in my trunk. "We'd better put the cloak on here, and make sure it covers all four of us -- if Filch spots one of our feet wandering along on its own -- "

"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. He had PJ's with Warlock the Wizard on them. Warlock the Wizard was a very pop

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," said Harry, hurriedly putting the cloak behind his back. Neville stared at our guilty faces.

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

"No, no, no," said Hermione. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

I looked at the grandfather clock by the door. We 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." I said. Ron 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!"

Harry turned to Hermione.

"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 us in horror.

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

"It's the full Body-Bind," said Hermione miserably. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."

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

"You'll understand later, Neville," said Ron.

"Sorry. If it helps, your my number one llama." I said as we stepped over him and pulled on the invisibility cloak. But leaving Neville lying motionless on the floor didn't feel like a very good omen.

In our 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, we 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 we climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp-like eyes on them, but didn't do anything.

We didn't meet anyone else until we 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 us. I held my breath.

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

"Peeves," Harry 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. I bit my tongue to refrain from laughing.

"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," croaked Harry. "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, Harry!" Whispered Ron, echoing my thoughts. A few seconds later, we 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 us what was facing us. Underneath the cloak, Harry turned to the us.

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

"Don't be stupid," said Ron.

"We're coming," continued Hermione.

"Whether you like it or not." I finished.

Harry pushed the door open. As the door creaked, low, rumbling growls met our ears. All three of the dog's noses sniffed madly in our 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, here goes... "

He put the flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note the beast's eyes began to droop. Harry hardly drew breath. 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 Harry as we slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. We could feel the dog's hot, smelly breath as we 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!"

"All right. Jinx?"

"Sure." I said. I stepped over the dog's legs and pulled the ring of the trapdoor which swung and opened.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

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

Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at me to get my attention and pointed at himself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" I said. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Hermione so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment Hermione began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep. Harry climbed over it and looked down through the trapdoor. He lowered himself through the hole until he was hanging on by his fingertips. Then he looked up at me and said, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

"Right," I said, "see you in a minute, I hope..." And Harry let go. I took a breath. Was he alright? Was he dead? Did I kill the boy-who-lived?

"It's okay!" Harry called up. I let my breath out in relief. "it's a soft landing, you can jump!"

I followed right away. I landed, sprawled next to Harry.

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

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

Ron landed on top of me ("OW! Curse you, Ronald!") and the distant music stopped. There was a loud bark from the dog, but Hermione had already jumped. She landed on Harry's other side.

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

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

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

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 snake-like tendrils around her ankles. As for Harry, Ron,and I, our legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without our noticing.

We're smart.

Hermione had managed to free herself before the plant got a firm grip on her. Now she watched in horror as the two boys and I fought to pull the plant off us, but the more we strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around us.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered us. "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. It had already reached my chin. I whimpered.

"Well, if you know the name, and you know how to kill it, it's just putting two and two together." I say. "Now, I'm short, and I'm almost engulfed so if you know what it is, that you be quite handy right now."

"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.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... What did Professor Sprout say? -- it likes the dark and the damp."

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

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

"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, I felt it loosening its grip as it cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from our bodies, and we were able to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Hermione," said Harry as we joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off our faces.

"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. All we could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passageway sloped downward.

"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered. I listened. A soft rustling and clinking seemed to be coming from up ahead.

"Do you think it's a ghost?" Harry asked.

"I don't know... Sounds like wings to me." Ron said.

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

We reached the end of the passageway and saw before us a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above us. 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."

He took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. He reached the door untouched. He pulled the handle, but it was locked. The we followed him. We 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. We watched the birds soaring overhead, glittering -- glittering?

"They're not birds!" I said suddenly. "They're keys! Winged keys -- look carefully. So that must mean..." I looked around the chamber while the other three 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."

We each seized a broomstick and kicked off into the air, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys. We grabbed and snatched, but the bewitched keys darted and dived so quickly it was almost impossible to catch one. Not for nothing, though, was Harry the youngest Seeker in a century. He had a knack for spotting things other people didn't. After a minute's weaving about through the whirl of rainbow feathers, he 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 the us. "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 Harry was pointing, crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom.

"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 -- Jinx, you go at it from the right and I'll try and catch it. Right, NOW!"

Ron dived, Hermione rocketed upward, and I sent it right toward Harry, but at last second, I weaved towards the left to to avoid crashing into Harry and the boomeranged back around. 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.

Our cheers echoed around the high chamber. We 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.

"Ready?" Harry asked the other us, his hand on the door handle. We nodded. He pulled the doo ropen.

The next chamber was so dark we couldn't see anything at all. But as we stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight. We 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. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I shivered slightly -- the towering white chessmen had no faces.

"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 I could see another door.

"How?" said Hermione nervously.

"I think," said Ron, "we're going to have to be chessmen."

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to touch the knight's horse. At once, the stones prang 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 us.

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

Harry, Hermione, and I stayed quiet, watching Ron think.

Finally he said, "Now, don't be offended or anything, but none 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 go next to him instead of that castle, and Jinx, you take the place of a pawn."

"What about you?"

"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 castle, and a pawn turned their backs on the white pieces and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I 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. My knees were trembling. What if we lost? I moved when he told me to. I didn't understand chess, so I just did what I was told.

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

Our first real shock came when our other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.

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

Every time one of our 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 Harry, Hermione, and I were in danger. He himself darted around the board, taking almost as many white pieces as we 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!" Harry, Hermione, and I 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!"

"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. I gulped.

"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 and I screamed but stayed on our squares -- 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. The white king took off his crown and threw it at Harry's feet. We had won.

The chessmen parted and bowed, leaving the door ahead clear. With one last desperate look back at Ron, Harry, Hermione, and I charged through the door and up the next passageway.

"What if he's --?"

"He'll be all right, " said Harry. "What do you reckon's next?"

"We've had Sprout's, that was the Devil's Snare; Flitwick must've put charms on the keys; McGonagall transfigured the chessmen to make them alive; that leaves Quirrell's spell, and Snape's." I said. We had reached another door.

"All right?" Harry whispered.

"Go on."

Harry pushed it open. A disgusting smell filled our nostrils, making us pull our robes up over our noses. Eyes watering, we saw, flat on the floor in front of us, a troll even larger than the one we had tackled, out cold with a bloody lump on its head.

"I'm glad we didn't have to fight that one," Harry whispered as we stepped carefully over one of its massive legs.

"Come on, I can't breathe." I choked.

Harry pulled open the next door, all of us hardly daring to look at what came next -- but there was nothing very frightening in here, just a table with seven differently shaped bottles standing on it in a line.

"Snape's," said Harry. "What do we have to do?"

We stepped over the threshold, and immediately a fire sprang up behind them in the doorway. It wasn't ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading onward.

We were trapped.

"Look!" Hermione seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles. Harry and I looked over her shoulder to read it:

Danger lies before you,

while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you,

which ever 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 bidden 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 at 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 holds 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 let out a great sigh and I, amazed, saw that she was smiling, the very last thing I felt like doing.

"Brilliant," said Hermione. "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."

"But so will we, won't we?" Harry asked. Has he no faith in Hermione's brilliancy?

"Of course not," said Hermione. "Everything we need is here on this paper. Seven bottles: three are poison; two are wine; one will get us safely through the black fire, and one will get us back through the purple."

"But how do we know which to drink?"

"Give me a minute." Hermione read the paper several times. Then she walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them. At last, she clapped her hands.

"Got it," she said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire -- toward the Stone."

"There's only enough there for one of us," he said. "That's hardly one swallow."

We looked at each other.

"Which one will get you back through the purple flames?" Hermione pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line.

"There's only enough for one again." I said. "Which means one of us stays here."

"Hermione, you drink that," said Harry. "No, listen, get back and get Ron. Grab brooms from the flying-key room, they'll get you out of the trapdoor and past Fluffy -- go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, we need him. I'll stay here. Jinx, you go ahead. You might be able to hold Snape off for a while, but you're no match for him, really. No offence."

"But Harry -- what if You-Know-Who's with him?" I asked.

"Well -- I was lucky once, wasn't I? Maybe it's your turn to be lucky." said Harry, pointing at his scar.

"No Harry, I'll stay here. You go ahead. It's you destiny." I said.

"But Jinx -- "

"I'll wait here for Hermione to come back with Dumbledore. Perhaps the bottles will refill themselves eventually. I'll be okay." I said. Hermione and Harry looked convinced

Hermione's lip trembled, and she suddenly dashed at Harry and threw her arms around him.

"Hermione!"

"Harry -- you're a great wizard, you know."

"I'm not as good as you," said Harry, very embarrassed, as she let go of him.

"Me!" Said Hermione. "Books! And cleverness! There are more important things -- friendship and bravery and -- oh Harry -- be careful!"

"I'll drink first," said Harry. "You are sure which is which, aren't you?"

"Positive," said Hermione. He took a long drink from the bottle, and shuddered.

"It's not poison?" I said anxiously.

"No -- but it's like ice."

"Quick, go, before it wears off."

"Good luck -- take care."

"GO!" I shouted. Harry turned and walked towards Snape and the Stone.

"Jinx, are you sure you want to stay here?" Hermione asked me.

"Positive. Go take care of Ron. I'll see you soon." I said, hugging her. She took a swig from the small round bottle. She shuddered.

"See you soon, Jinx." She said. She turned to leave.

"Hermione, wait!" I called. She turned back. "Which ones are the wine?"

Hermiome smiled and pointed them out.

"If I come back and find you drunk, I'll kill you." She said. And with that, she was gone.

Whoop-ti-doo.

All alone.

I sat around for a while, until Dumbledore appeared.

"Jinx," he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Chilling." I said. "Oh god, Harry's in trouble, isn't he?"

Dumbledore nodded gravely.

"We better apparate through the flames." He said. I nodded and grabbed his arm. I took a breath and suddenly I was in the next room. I saw Harry passed out on the floor and Quirrell stumbling around.

He started to head towards me. I looked around, forgetting about my wand. I noticed a shovel on the floor.

How odd.

I picked it up, and swung at the back of Quirrell's head, which just happened to have a face. He fell flat on his face, and a spirit-y thing floated out of body. I screamed. It tried to come towards me. I swung at it, sending it through the ceiling.

HOME-RUN!