Ten thirty ticked on Megan's watch. Luckily, most of the Gryffindors had gone to bed early, tired by the exams and resulting celebrations. Careful not to wake Ginny or the other two first-years, she crept over to Hermione's bed and shook her to indicate she could get up. They tiptoed down the staircase barefooted, as their shoes would have made noise on the stone steps, and went to the common room. Harry and Ron were just coming down themselves.

"Got the cloak?" Harry asked Megan.

"Here," she said, raising her forearm. "Now, if you want to stay, that's fine." she added to the other two.

It had been agreed that one of them had to stay back to report to McGonagall or Dumbledore. And because the cloak was only big enough for three.

"Hermione, if you will?" Ron said, pointedly ignoring Megan.

"Harry, if we're not back by dawn, get McGonagall."

"Right."

Megan turned to Hermione and Ron.

"Now, are you both sure you-"

"Just put the cloak on. C'mon, or Snape will be there already." Ron said.

"What are you doing?"

They froze. Turning round, they saw Neville. He was standing at the foot of the stairs, in his blue pyjamas.

"Neville, go back to bed, we'll be right behind you," Harry said.

Neville didn't move.

"You're sneaking out again, aren't you?"

Megan bit her lip. They were wasting precious time...

"Neville, we have to. We wouldn't if we had any other way,-" she began.

"No! I won't let you, you'll get Gryffindor into trouble again!"

He raised his fists.

"Neville-"

"I'll fight you!"

"Neville, don't be silly!" Ron said hotly.

"You're the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Not to us!" He said in exasperation.

Hermione heaved a sigh and pulled out her wand.

"Neville, I'm really sorry..." She said and raised it. "Petrificus Totalus!"

Neville froze and swayed on the spot. Megan only just had time break his fall.

"Sorry, Neville..." she said.

She glanced at Hermione.

"He will be okay, right?"

"Yes... he's only paralysed." she said.

They exchanged an uncomfortable glance.

"Come on, let's move." Megan finally said, standing up

She took the Cloak from her arm and slid it over them.

"Crikey, this is weird," said Harry's voice as they vanished. "I know you're there, but I can't see you!"

"See you later, Harry." Megan said.

"You guys be careful. Good luck!"

They pushed the portrait door open, ignoring the Fat Lady's surprise, and to avoid making any noise, they walked slowly. It was dark and Megan thanked herself for suggesting they were shoes that didn't make any noise. They didn't see any teachers around. Not even Filch or Mrs Norris. Soon, they reached the third floor corridor. Megan unlocked the door again, and they crept inside. Just then the cloak flew off them. Megan darted for her wand, before a loud snore made her stop. Fluffly was fast asleep!

"I knew it. Look."

Hermione pointed to a harp beside them.

"Snape's been through here already. We'd better hurry."

They looked for the trapdoor. But it was under his paw.

"We'll have to move his paw," Megan said.

She stepped forwards and placed her hands under it. It was huge. The length of her entire arm. Hermione took the other side while Ron stood by her. Together they moved the huge paw, revealing the trapdoor. Megan knelt by it and looked at her friends.

"Okay. I'll go first. Now I want you to promise me something."

"What?"

"If I send out red sparks or if Fluffy gives any sign of movement, take my cloak and get out. Understood? I mean it. I won't have you die with me."

Megan watched them intently until they both nodded. The harp was still playing.

"Okay... see you in a minute."

She lifted her legs into the hole, took a deep breath, and pushed herself forwards.

The fall felt both very long and really short. She hit something tender but firm, so she was unhurt. She called out:

"It's okay! You can jump!"

Ron quickly came down himself, followed by Hermione. And not a moment too soon, because Fluffy started to growl.

"Ron? Hermione, you two okay?"

"Yeah," said Ron, sounding surprised. "Lucky for this plant thing."

"Lucky?!"

Just then, Megan's eyes, now accustomed to the gloom, realised what she was sitting in. It looked like huge thick green pipes... except they moved.

"Well, yeah..."

"Ron, get up! Hurry!"

Hermione and she were already struggling to pull free from tendrils and coils wrapping around their feet and legs. Megan tried to reach out and pull Ron free but it was too late.

"Stop moving. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax or it'll kill you faster."

"Oh, that'll help me relax, won't it?!" Ron shouted, struggling that much harder.

Hermione, sitting still, rolled her eyes. Then, she suddenly sunk and disappeared!

"Hermione!"

"I'm fine! Just calm down!" they heard from below.

But Ron wouldn't stop moving.

"Ron! Stop it, it'll-"

But Megan's neck was caught. She instinctively tried to fight it off, but if she even moved, it tightened slightly. So, she breathed in and stayed still. And sure enough, she slid through the tendrils and fell down onto a hard stone floor.

"Megan!"

Hermione helped her up. They could hear Ron above them.

"He's not relaxing!" Hermione wailed.

"What does Devil Snare hate?" Megan asked.

"Oh, I read something in Herbology...! Devil Snare... It's deadly fun..."

"But we sulk in the sun!" Megan completed. "Together!"

They raised their wands, and in one powerful chorus, shouted:

"Lumos Solem!"

Bright light shone from their wands and Ron toppled down.

"Ron, you okay?"

"Yeah..."

He was slightly shaken, but his fall hadn't hurt him.

"What's that noise?" Hermione asked.

"It sounds like wings..." Megan said, frowning in confusion.

What would birds be doing down in a place like this? Megan thought as they stepped forwards. They opened the door and entered a high, round room. There was a large column in the middle and a large flock of flying creatures high above them. Ahead, there was a door. They darted to it, and Hermione tried to pull it open.

"It's locked!"

Megan tried Alohomora again, but it didn't work.

"Of course... it would be too easy..." Hermione groaned.

"What now? There's no key anywhere!" Harry said.

Megan looked up. Then, her mouth oed.

"Yes, there are! Up there!"

"Yes, but they can't all fit the keyhole," Hermione said. "There must be about a thousand up there!"

"..."

Megan's eyes then fell on a tattered broom, hovering nearby. She went to it and reached out to it. She had barely held out her arm that it shot into her hand. She paused, waiting. Looking up, she tried to see which key they needed. It would be old and silver, like the handle...

"There! I see it, look! It's got a bad wing!"

Indeed, one of its wings was slightly bent. That could only mean Snape had been through there before.

"What is it?" Ron asked when Megan said nothing.

She looked up at them, frowning slightly.

"... It's too easy."

"Go on, Megan, you can do it! You're the youngest Seeker in a century!" Ron said. "If Snape could do it, you can!"

Megan nodded and took a deep breath. Then, she climbed onto the broom and kicked off, almost by instinct. It wasn't anything like her Nimbus, but the sensation of flight was still there. She rose upwards, looking for the key. But they all moved around so fast it was difficult to see what any of them looked like. She looked around her, trying to make it out. Just then, she spotted it, a few feet ahead. She soared towards it but it kept slipping out of reach. It probably didn't want to be wounded again. She tried to cut across it but no good. She soared down after it, then turned to follow it, and almost got it. She heard a small groan from below. She bit her lip. She had to hurry or they might be too late. She then got an idea. She stayed very still. The keys fluttered around her, until the one she wanted came closer. In one swift movement her hand zoomed out and caught it. She was careful not to touch its wings, though, not wishing to hurt it. She held it firmly and sped back down.

"Got it!" she said, landing and running to the door, unlocking it and pushing the others inside. Then, as the keys above were starting to get agitated, she pointed her wand at the key which was whimpering miserably, and said:

"Reparo"0

Its wing straightened and its silver glistened. It twitched excitedly and fluttered a few seconds around Megan, who smiled. It fluttered before her and then soared upwards out of sight. But the keys were angry and soared downwards towards Megan. She darted past the door and pushed it shut. The hundreds of keys hit the wall, and an equal number of thuds echoed around Hermione, Ron and Megan. Theylooked at each other, relieved, then turned to see what else awaited them.

"Okay... we've had Hagrid, Sprout, and Flitwick..." Megan said counting on her fingers. "So that leaves four. Where are we, anyway?"

They were looking at a dark room with several level figures ahead of them. It was silent and eerie, making Megan think of a graveyard. But Ron shook his head when she voiced this.

"It's not a graveyard..."

"Well, what d'you think it is, then?" Hermione asked.

He stepped forwards.

"Yep... it's a chessboard."

Looking down, Megan saw that the floor was indeed patterned with black and white squares and that what she thought to be stones were giant pawns, towers and the other pieces in a chess game. Except they were the same size as the three of them! Most of them bigger, even. She couldn't help but shudder.

"Okay... so what now?" she asked.

"There's the door, there." Hermione said.

She made to step towards it but the white pawns raised their swords threateningly and Megan only just had time to pull her back.

"But how else are we going to get through?" She asked in desperation.

"There's nothing else for it..." Ron's voice said. "We'll have to play our way through."

"But I've never even played chess!" Hermione said in a panicky voice.

"And I've always been rubbish at it..." Megan said. "But Ron can do it."

"What?"

"Yes. You beat both me and Harry every single time." Megan assured firmly.

Ron hesitated, as if surprised by her trust.

"Ron, if anyone of us can do this, you can."

He took a deep breath and said:

"Okay, then."

"What do you want us to do?"

"Hermione, you take the queen's castle, and Megan, you'll be that bishop."

"Right."

They stepped onto the tiles which were now empty. Then, Ron took the place of a knight.

"So what now?" Hermione asked.

"White goes first... then, it's up to us."

And as he said that, the first white pawn advanced. The game had begun.

The game felt like it lasted for hours. But Megan wasn't too worried. Ron was truly revealing himself as a player. He used tactics Megan had never seen him use on her or Harry. But he was so focused on what the enemy was doing, he sometimes only realised just in time she was in danger. However, he took most of the risks, because he was out more often than they were.

"Hermione, head to E6."

"No, Ron, the queen can reach her there!" Megan said.

"Oh, yes, right. Uh... head for D5 then. Yes, that's safe."

Then, a white piece took a pawn Ron had forgotten. Ron retaliated by knocking down the opposing bishop himself. Then a white pawn moved one square ahead.

"Megan, four to your right."

The game seemed to last for a long time. Megan then remembered the entire set had been intact when they had arrived. How did Snape get through without playing? Megan then returned her attention to the game. Hermione was four squares aside of her, looking worried.

"We're almost there..." Ron said. "Let me think..."

Megan looked around too, looking at any opening. But she could only see one.

"Wait a minute..."

Ron seemed to have come to the same conclusion, because he said:

"You've got it, Megan. If I make a move, the queen will move away from you and the king, so you can check mate him."

"No! Ron, no!"

"It's the only way, Megan." he said.

"There must be another way...!" Hermione said.

"Maybe, but we don't have time to try and find it!" Ron retorted. "Megan, you have to go on. And if I can help you by staying here, then I'm doing it."

"But Ron..." Megan began.

"I'll be fine." He promised. "Now, don't hang about here when you win."

He was looking pale and scared, but determined.

"Knight to H3," he said.

And his horse advanced. There was a long silence. Then, the towering white queen raised her sword and speared the horse, sending Ron crashing down.

"RON!" Megan yelled.

Hermione made to head towards him, but she said:

"No, wait. It's my move. The game's not over."

She stepped resolutely towards the king, and said:

"Check mate!"

The sword fell at her feet. Then, she and Hermione darted to an unconscious Ron. He was out cold, but otherwise unharmed.

"Hermione, we have to get to the stone. Ron will be okay. He's just unconscious."

She was trying to convince herself, poorly succeeding. They headed to the door, and entered a small corridor. And walked into a foul smell.

"Ugh! What the...!"

Then, Megan threw out an arm to hold Hermione back. It was a huge, ugly, revolting troll. It was even bigger than the one they'd fought in the toilet. It was out cold by the look of it. Megan could see its shoulders move as it breathed.

"Good thing that one was dealt with..."

Hermione gripped Megan's hand, and they pushed on. They then reached a small chamber, lit by dark blue flames blocking the door on the other side.

In the centre was a table with several different potion vials.

"That'll be Snape's." Megan said, stepping forwards, not letting go of Hermione. They stepped forwards and immediately felt the heat of another fire behind them, this time, purple in colour.

"Now, what?"

"There's a note on the table," Hermione said.

It read:

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

One of us will lead ahead,

The other brings you back instead.

Two of us are merely wine,

But three killers hide within our line

Poisons will hide on the wine's left side

However slyly they may hide

Different are the two on each end,

But to move on, neither is your friend

And the second left and second right

Are twins though different at first sight.

"What are we going to do? I can't make much sense out of it..." Megan said.

"Let me think..." Hermione said.

She strode up and down the table pointing and muttering to herself. Eventually, she turned to Megan.

"Okay. I've figured it out. The smallest will take us forwards to the stone." she said, holding it up.

Megan frowned.

"But it's too small for the two of us..."

Then she got an idea.

"I'll go ahead, then. Which one will take you back through the purple fire?"

"This one," she said, pointing.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely."

"Okay. You take that. Get Ron, and then take the broom from Flitwick's room. It'll get you out, then head to the owlery and get a letter to Dumbledore. I'll try and hold Snape off for a while but I don't know how long that'll be."

"But what if You-Know-Who's there too...?"

Megan let out a sharp breath.

"I got lucky once, didn't I?" Megan smiled, pointing to her scar.

Hermione put the bottle down and hugged her.

"You're a great witch..."

"Not as good as you," Megan said, as they let go of each other.

"Me? Books, and cleverness... you've understood what really matters. Friendship and bravery... Oh, Megan, just be careful."

They hugged once more and Megan said:

"You first. That way I can try and find a way to help if needed."

She picked up the bottle and took a long swig. Then, she shivered.

"Are you all right?"

"Yes... it's just the potion feels like ice."

"Go on, hurry."

She hurried through the flames, and was gone. Megan sighed with relief and picked up the smallest bottle. She took the one gulp it contained and felt like her whole body had just gone through freezing water. Shivering, she out the bottle down and stepped into the flames. They didn't touch her. She kept going until she was clean out of them. Then she opened the door and reached a long staircase heading downwards. And in the middle of the room ahead was what she immediately recognised as the mirror of Erised. But someone was standing in front of it. Someone that wasn't Snape...

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Not Snape? Then who could it be? I don't believe it! I don't think Megan can, either!

Are you glad she made it through the teachers' defenses? Let her know with a star and a comment!

Who is the stranger before the mirror if not Snape? Will Megan make it out of this alive? Let's find out now with the next chapter!