Till The End | h.p

trials & tribulations

"What is that?" Hermione asks.

Harry looks back to them, "I don't know. It sounds like wings."

They open the door and look up towards the ceiling where hundreds of keys with wings fly about.

"They're keys," Ron notes.

Harry looks from the keys to the opposite door, "And I'll bet one of them fits that door."

They notice a floating broom in the middle of the room.

"What's this all about?" Hermione asks.

"I don't know," Harry responds.

Ron pulls out his wand and walks to the door, he tries the unlocking spell, but the door won't budge.

"What are we going to do, there must be a thousand keys up there!" Hermione says in frustration.

"Harry," Sam looks from him to the broom, "You're a seeker! The key is probably really old and rusty, by the looks of the door. You have to fly!"

Harry looks up and points, "There! I see it! The one with the broken wing."

Before he can mount the broom, all the keys turn to attack him. He hops on and flies to catch the right key. He zooms through and catches it. He throws it to Sam who unlocks the door. Harry flies through the door and they slam it shut. They walk into another room with a life-sized chess board.

"I don't like this. I don't like this at all," Hermione points out.

"There's the door!" Harry shouts.

They make their way over, but before they can cross the board the pawns in the front stop them from passing.

"Now what do we do?" Hermione asks.

Ron moves around the board, "It's obvious, isn't it? We've got to play our way across the room. Alright, Hermione, since you don't know how to play, stand off the board. Harry, you take the empty bishop's square. Sam, you'll be the queen-side castle. And as for me, I'll be a knight."

I nod to Ron and we take our places.

"What happens, now?" Hermione questions.

"Well, white moves first," Ron explains, "and then, we play."

White moves first and Ron strategizes his next plays.

"Ron," Sam asks, "you don't suppose this is going to be like real Wizard's Chess, do you?"

Ron looks worried and says, "You there, D-5."

The pawn moves forward and one space diagonal to the other pawn. White's pawn pulls out it's swords and breaks our pawn.

"That answers that, then." Harry says fearfully.

Sam looks to Ron with a nervous expression. She trusts Ron to make the best plays. In all the years she's known him, he's never lost a game. The game continues, and many pieces on both sides are lost. Ron shouts out commands. Harry is currently in the middle of the board as the opposing Queen takes out a castle next to him.

"Wait a minute," Harry starts.

"You understand right, Harry." Ron points out, "Once I make my move, the queen will take me. Then you're free to check the king."

"No. Ron, no!" Sam cries.

"What is it?" Hermione questions.

"He's going to sacrifice himself!" Harry shouts.

"No, Ron you can't! There must be another way!" Hermione cries out.

Ron turns on the horse back to Hermione, "Do you wanna stop Snape from getting that Stone or not? Knight to H-3."

As the horse moves into place, Ron announces, "Check."

The queen moves towards Ron, Sam feels panic rising in her chest. The queen stabs her sword through the horse and Ron yells and falls off.

Sam and Harry both scream, "Ron!"

Sam tries to run to save him, but Harry stops her, "No, don't move! Don't forget, we're still playing."

Sam nods in understanding. Harry moves across the board and announces, "Checkmate."

The queen's sword falls and clatters against the floor. Once the game is won, they run over to Ron. Harry looks to Hermione and Sam.

"Stay here with Ron, when you can, get to the owlery and send a message to Dumbledore."

Sam looks to Hermione and as if reading her mind, Hermione nods and turns back to Harry, "You'll be okay Harry. You're a great wizard. You really are."

He looks at her, "Not as good as you."

She laughs, "Books and cleverness? There are more important things..."

Sam puts her hand on Harry's, "Friendship and bravery. I'm sorry Harry, but I'm not leaving you."

He stands, "No. Ron needs you."

She shakes her and looks from Harry to Hermione, "Ron will be fine, he has the smartest witch in our year with him. And you have me."

Harry waits a moment, and then nods slowly. Truthfully, he didn't want to do this alone. He has courage beyond anyone Sam has ever met, but she knows that his courage will be strengthened by hers. She stands and takes one last look at Ron before walking Harry through the door. They walk down a corridor lit with columns of fire. At the end of the corridor, Sam grabs his hand as they walk down the steps. They see the Mirror of Erised and the one standing in front of it, isn't Snape.