Rhea and Hermione had no problems dealing with the exams, but what indeed became a problem for them was getting Harry through them. The boy was beyon paranoid as he expected Voldemort to come busting through the doors at any moment.
The days crept by and the weather grew hotter by the second, especially in the large classroom where they did their written papers. Hermione was right, they had been given special, new quills for the exams, which had been bewitched with an Anti-cheating spell. The exams went smoothly; at least for Hermione and Rhea.
In charms, they were asked to make a pineapple tap-dance across the desk.
Rhea was improving in Transfiguration. So, when they were asked to turn a mouse into a snuffbox, she manage to do it on her first go. Rhea couldn't help but to jump happily in her place.
Potions was very awkard to say the least. Aside from Snape breathing down their necks in an attemp to make them nervous while they tried to remember the steps of the Forgetfulness potion, the thought of the Quartet's current suspicions of the Professor made it worse.
Rhea was well aware that Harry haven't been sleeping; not only the bags under his eyes rat him out, but Rhea herself had also trouble sleeping since their encounter with that wretched beast in the Forest. Though, Ron and Hermione thought that they were just nervous about the exams, the reality was different.
Rhea was able to take her mind off of the Stone, but Harry was not.
Their last exam was History of magic. It wasn't Rhea's favorite subject, but thanks to Hermione she was good at it. Finally, the one hour ended and the exams with it. Now they only had to wait for their results.
"That was far easier then I thought it would be," said Hermione as they joined the crowds flocking out onto the sunny grounds.
"Indeed, there wasn't need to learned about the 1637 werewolf Code of Conduct or the uprising of Elfic the Eager." Rhea groaned, gaining a jab from Hermione and a chuckle from the boys.
Hermione always liked to go through their exam paper afterwards, and even though Rhea usually didn't mind this at all, for the first time she agreed with Ron as he said this made him feel ill. So the four of them wandered down to the lake and flopped under a tree. Rhea resting her head on Hermione's lap while the girl played with the curly locks of Rhea. The Weasley twins and Lee Jordan were tickling the tentacles of the giant squid, wich was basking in the warm shallows. Rhea giggle at the sight, but then she caught Harry rubbing his forehead, more accurately, his scar.
"No more studying," Ron sighed happily, stretching out on the grass. "You could look more cheerful, Harry, we've got a week before we find out how badly we've done, there's no need to worry yet."
"It couldn't be that bad. I mean Hermione and I helped you study a lot."
"I wish I knew what this means." Harry bursted out angrily. "My scar keeps hurting - it's happened before, but never as often as this." Rhea gave him a worried look.
"Go to Madam Pomphrey" Hermione suggested.
"I don't think she cant help much with Harry's scar 'Mione." said Rhea, "besides I don't think there is somethig wrong with him. I think that it could be a warning"
"Exactly, it means danger's coming...." breath Harry.
But itseemed that Ron couldn't get worked up due to the hot weather.
"Harry, Rhee, 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- OUCH what was that for?" He glared at Rhea who had smacked his head.
"No need to be rude to Neville, Ronald."
Harry still looked troubled.
"That's just the exams. I woke up last night and was half through my Transfiguration notes before I remembered we'd done that one." said Hermione.
"I almost hexed her for waking me up." said Rhea nonchantly.
They were silent, until Harry suddenly jumped to his feet.
"What happened? Where're you going?" asked Rhea.
"I've just thought of something," said Harry, he was pale. "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 in front of them, 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?"
"Bloody hell! How can I be so stupid."
"What are you two talking about?" said Ron, but Rhea and Harry didn't answer as they were already sprinting across the grounds towards the forest.
Hagrid was sitting in an armchair outside his house; his trousers and sleeves were rolled up, and he was shelling peas onto 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."
"Hagrid!" Rhea had a stunned look on face and this made Hagrid raise his eyebrows.
"It's not that unusual, yeh get a lot o' funny folk in the Hog's Head-"
"Are you talking about one of the pubs down in Hogsmade?" Rhea asked, worry lacing her voice.
"Yeah. Might bin a dragon dealer, mightn' he? I never saw his face, he kept his hood up."
Rhea started pulling her hair, exasperated by Hagrid's lack of common sense, but when Hagrid let slip how to control Fluffy she snapped her head towards him.
"Bloody hell Hagrid, after you were the one that made me swear not to tell anyone about Fluffy's sleep habits you go and ramble about it to some stranger!" yelled Rhea.
"You knew!" Hermione, Harry and Ron yelled.
"Yeah, I knew. Hagrid let it slip while we where having tea after Chritsmas Holidays, but I promised not to tell, I'm sorry."
"It doesn't matter now, lets go" said Harry.
Ignoring Hagrid's who was calling out to them, the made their way toward the entrance hall in silence.
"We have to go to Dumbledore," said Harry looking at them. "Hagrid told a 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?"
Harry's, Ron's and Hermione's eyes turned to Rhea.
"Don't look at me, I know where is Minnie's, Snape's, Flitwick's, Filch's but I haven't been in Dumbledore's.....yet. "
They started to wander around, as if hoping to see a sign pointing them in the right direction.
"What are you four doing inside?" a voice suddenly rang across the hall.
"Hi, Minnie." said Rhea casually, "we are looking for Professor Dumbledore's office."
"And why is that?" Professor McGonagall, not bothering to berate her for the name she used, knowing the girl wouldn't listen, just like her father.
"We want to see Professor Dumbledore," said Hermione.
"See Professor Dumbledore?" Professor McGonagall repeated, as though this way a very fishy thing to do. "Why?"
"Can't tell you, it's a surprise." Rhea said confidentely, but this seemed to anger McGonagall.
"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 Hrry fantically. "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?"
"Minnie, please, you have to listen to us."
"Look, Professor - it's about the Sorcerer's Stone -" said Harry.
'Well I think we are not going to be cautious anymore.' thought Rhea.
McGonagall was so shocked that the books she was carrying tumbled out of her arms, and she did not pick them up. "How do you know -?" she spluttered.
"That's not importan right now Minnie-"
"I think - I know - we Know - that Sn - someone's going to try and steal the Stone. we've got to talk to Professor Dumbledore." Harry cut Rhea off, but Professor McGonagall eyed them with a mixture of shock and suspicion.
"Professor Dumbledore will be back tomorrow," she finally said. "I don't know how you found out about the Stone, but rest assured, no one can possibly steal it, it's too well proctected."
"BUT MINNIE-"
"Black, 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."
Of course they didn't.
"It's tonight," said Harry and Rhea looked at him confused. " 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. Harry and Ron wheeled around and saw what the girls were looking at. Snape was standing there. Rhea had a scowl on her face.
"Good afternoon," he said smoothly.
"Afternoon," answered Rhea coldly. The other three just stared at him.
"You shouldn't be inside on a day like this," he said, with what Rhea could describe as a twisted smile.
"Too much sun. I don't want to get sun burn, but why don't you go outside Professor, you could use some colour." Rhea smiled sweetly while Snape glared at her.
"You want to be more careful," said Snape. "Hanging around like this, people will think you're up to something. And Gryffindor really can't afford to lose any more points, can it?"
Rhea glared at him and turned fumming on her heels to go outside, followed by three pair of feet, that is until Snape called them back.
"Be warned, Potter, - any more nighttime wanderings and I will personally make sure you are expelled. Black I hope you see this as a warning and stop getting involved with Potter, he is nothing but bad influence. Good to you. " he strode off in the direction of the staffroom.
Out on the stone steps, Harry turned to them.
"Right, here's what we've got to do," he whispered urgently, and all four of them leaned foward to hear better. "One of us has got to keep an eye on Snape - wait outside the staffroom 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...'"
"Oh, shut up. Rhee help me" pleaded Hermione.
" 'Mione, Ron does have a point."
At the end the girl agreed to go and watch out for Snape.
"And we'd better stay outside the third- floor corridor," said Harry.
"Harry I don't think that's a good idea, at least not right now." objected Rhea.
"Rhee, we need to make sure Snape doesn't get in." argued Ron.
"And I don't think that Snape is going to do something in plain daylight." Rhea snapped at them. "Whatever, do what you please, I'll be waiting for you on the common room when you come to tell me that your plan failed."
And so, as Rhea thought, it wasn't long when she heard the potrait swung open and saw Ron and Harry come in.
"And, who was it?" she asked amused.
"Professor McGonagall. " mutter Ron angrily, and Rhea smirk.
"At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," the portrait swung open again.
"I wouldn't be counting on that." said Rhea while pointing at Hermione who just 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, Idon't know where Snape went."
"If I was him, I wouldn't do anything right now. There're a lot of witness, and as you already noticed, Minnie has her alarms ringing as she knows we know about the Stone, and now that she encountered Ron and Harry outside of Fluffy's door, she'll be more alert. At least 'til bedtime." Rhea stated.
"You know sometimes you act like a Slytherin." said Ron.
"Is that suppose to be an insult? 'Cause I don't see it that way. You know the Slytherins are very cunning and not all of them are blond ferrets with goons."
"Well, that's then, isn't it?" Harry's voice grabbed the attention of Rhea and the others, who stared at him. He was pale and his esmerald eyes were glittering.
"Oh here we go again." muttered Rhea as she recognized that look.
"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."
"You're mad!" Ron said.
"You can't!" said Hermione.
"At least not alone." Rhea said calmly. The three of them stared at her in surprise.
"Rhee! After what McGonagall and Snape have said? Both of you could be expelled!" yelled Hermione.
"SO WHAT?" Harry finally shouted getting out of his surprise state at what Rhea had said. "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 House Cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone , well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort 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 two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"
Rhea felt her heart clench, she knew exactly what Harry was feeling. Her dad is in Azkaban because of him, her mom was dead because of him.
"WE, remeber, I'm going with you," said Rhea while grabbing Harry's hand. "I also have my fair of reasons to despise that thing."
"You're right, Harry," said Hermione in a small voice.
"I'll use the Invisibility cloak," said Harry looking at Rhea. "It's just lucky I got it back."
"But will it cover all four of us?" said Ron.
"All- all four of us?" Harry stuttered and Rhea giggled, finding him cute.
"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let both of you go with out us?" said Ron.
"Of course not," said Hermione briskly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? Sure, Rhee is smart but she is more of a troublemaker-"
"Hey!"
"Hush, I'd better go and look through my books, there might be something useful." continued Hermione.
"But if we get caught, you 'll be expelled, too."
Rhea giggled. "You're sweet Harry, thinking I'll make the rookie mistake twice again."
"Besides," said Hermione grimly. "Flitwick told me in secret that Rhea and I got the highest score on the exam. I got hundred and twelve per cent, and Rhee hundred and ten. They're not throwing us out after that."
"Damn it, now I owe her another box of chocolate." muttered Rhea.
"Don't worry Rhee, you still have Potions and Herbology for me to get you muggle-candies." smiled Hermione.
Rhea was having dinner at the common room, she had been doing this for a while due to the Quirrel situation getting even worse day by day. After some time, the rest of the Gryffindor students came through the portrait; Harry, Hermione and Ron were in the crowd. Rhea was seated near the window away from the rest, when her friends spotted her, they walked towards her.
"You skipped dinner...again." said Harry.
"No, I didn't, see?" she pointed to the plate in the table in front of her. "I had dinner here."
"Why weren't you with us, or told us something?" scowled Hermione.
"I didn't want to bother you, as far as everyone knows I'm still the one who got you in trouble and lost the points. So, it is not important." she lied. Yes, she still got glares, and people still badmouthed her, but the main reason of Rhea not joining them in the Great Hall was due to the awful feeling she got everytime Quirrell was near her.
"Rhee, don't listen to them. We are your friends, and we want to spend time with you." said Ron.
Nobody bothered them; none of the Gryffindors payed attention to them. Hermione was skimming through all her notes, hoping to come across one of the enchantments they were about to break. Rhea was trying to think about passegeways and short cuts they could use, so the chances of getting caught were slim. Harry and Ron didn't talk much, they seemed lost in thought.
Student after student went to their dormitories, the room slowly emptied as they drifted off to bed.
Harry ran upstair just for running back down seconds after.
"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?"
"Neville?" the boy appeared from behind clutching Trevor the toad, who looked as though he'd been making another bid for freedom.
"Bloody toad." muttered Rhea.
"Nothing, Neville, nothing." said Harry, and Rhea facepalmed. She surely has to teach them how to not be suspicious.
Neville stared at her three friends who had guilt writen all over their faces, and then looked at Rhea who was pinching her nose and muttering curses.
"You're going out again," he said and before Rhea could say something Hermione beat her to it.
"No, no, no. No, we're not."
" 'Mione not helping. Neville why don't you go to bed?" pleaded Rhea, looking at the grandfather clock by the door. She knew they couldn't afford to waste any more time, as the first barrier - Fluffy - could have been already passed.
"You can't go out, especially you Rhee, people are still talking bad about you," said Neville. "you'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."
"You don't understand," said Harry, "this is important."
"Neville please, just go to bed. " said Rhea, but Neville was clearly steeling himself to do something desperate, and Rhea saw he was eyeing the portrait.
"I won't let you do it," he said, hurrying to stand in front of the hole. "I'll - I'll fight you!"
Rhea started to approached the boy slowly, a pillow behind her back and gave Hermione a knowing look.
"Neville" Ron exploded, Rhea used this as a perfect distraction. "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot - "
"Don't call me an idiot!" said Neville, Rhea felt proud but this wasn't the moment. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules, beside Rhee always takes the blame! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"
"Yes, but no to us," the boys kept fighting; Rhea was almost an arm's lenght of Neville. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."
Ron took a step foward and Neville dropped Trevor, who leapt out of sight.
"Go on then, try and hit me!" said Neville, raising his fists. "I'm ready!"
Rhea was in position and she nodded at Hermione
"Neville," said Hermione, " I'm really, really sorry about this." she raised her wand "Petrificus Totalus!"
Neville's arms snapped to his sides. His legs sprang together. His whole body rigid, he swayed where he stood and before he fell flat on his face, Rhea had caught him and gently place him on the floor face up, and his head resting on the pillow she had taken from the common room couch. His jaws were jammed together so he couldn't speak. Only his eyes were moving, looking at Rhea as he was going to cry.
"I'm so sorry Neville."
"What've you done to him?" Harry whispered to them.
"It's like the leg-locker hex." Rhea began.
"But on full body scale, a full Body-Bind spell." Finished Hermione. "Oh, Neville, I'm so sorry."
"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," said Harry.
"You'll understand later, Neville." said Ron as the three stepped over him.
Rhea went again towards the couch and pulled some of the blankets that were there and in a swift motion, she placed the one on top of Neville.
"I'm truly sorry Nev' " she then stepped over him and went to her friends. Harry pulled the Invisibility Cloack over them.
All of them were nervous, even Rhea. Every statue's shadow looked like Filch, every distant breath of wind sounded like Peeves swooping down on them. And on top of that, at the foot of the first set of stairs, they spotted Mrs Norris skulking near the top.
"Oh, let's kick her, just once," Ron whispered and Rhea smack his head.
"No, don't be mean to animals Ron." she scolwed.
As they climbed carefully around her, Mrs Norris turned her lamplike eyes on them, Rhea swore the cat was looking at her specifically, but for some odd reason the cat didn't do anything to get them caught. Thankfully, they didn't meet anyone else until they 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 them.
"Should I call Filch, I should, if something's a-creeping around unseen. "
Rhea got an idea, she had done this before with Dora, she only hopped she wouldn't mess it up. She clear her throat slightly.
"Peeves," she said, her voice was diferrent, it was like the voice of the Bloody Baron maybe just not so low. "the Bloody Baron has his own reasons for being invisible." Hemione, Ron and Harry where speechless.
Peeves almost fell out of the air in shock. He caught himself in time and hovered about a foot off the stairs.
"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," Rhea started to get her throat sore. "Stay away from this place tonight."
"I will, sir, I most certainly will," said Peeves, rising up in the air again. "Hope your busniss goes well, Baron, I'll not bother you." and he scooted off. Once she was sure he was gone she relax and let out a faint cough.
"That was Brilliant, Rhee!" whispered Ron.
A few seconds later, they 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."
Rhea was eerily quiet, she was worried. Underneath the cloak Harry turned to them.
"If you want to go back -" Harry started.
"Hush Potter," Rhea cut him off, smiling.
"Yeah, don't be stupid." said Ron.
"We're coming," said Hermione.
Harry pushed the door open, and Rhea could already feel Fluffy in there. Looking around the room Rhea was met with a harp on the floor.
"Looks like a harp," said Ron. "Snape must have left it there."
"You need to play music, but when it stops, he wakes up. So be careful." said Rhea, recalling what Hagrid had told her.
Harry put a kind of wooden flute to his lips and blew. It wasn't really a tune, but from the first note, Fluffy's eyes began to drop, it continued like that, Harry hardly drew breath, but at the end it worked and the dog fell fast asleep on the ground.
"Keep playing. " Ron warned Harry as the four of them slipped out of the cloak and crept toward the trapdoor. "I think we'll be able to pull the door open, want to go first, Hermione? Rhee?"
"No, I don't!" Rhea just rolled her eyes.
"Oh for Merlin's sake move, Ron come," both of them stepped carefully over the dog's legs and bent to pull the ring of the trapdoor. It was dark, but Rhea's instincs were telling her that even if she jumpes, she'll be safe.
"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.
"Nothing- just black - there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop." answered Ron.
" I think we just had to find out." said Rhea, and without any other word she jumped. She could hear the gasps of Hermione and Ron and the hard blow on the flute. A cold, damp air rushed past her as she fell down. On her face, a big smile was plastered; now that she was near, she could identify the sensation she had and then FLUMP, 'Devil snare'
"Oh so it was you." The vines of the plant caressed her cheeks in a welcoming manner. "It's okey! You can jump!"
Harry was the next to arrive. So far, the 'Devil snare' was behaving with him. 'let's hope it doesn't act differently with the other two.' thought Rhea.
Soon enough Ron jumped.
"Did you just let Hermione up there alone?" scwolded Rhea. "Such a getlenman Ronald."
"What's this stuff?" asked Ron and Rhea hesitated on telling him what it was.
"I don't know, some sort of a plant. I suppose to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!" said Harry.
The music stopped and then a loud bark was heard, but Hermione had already landed next to Rhea.
"We must be miles under the school," said Hermione.
"Lucky this plant thing's here, really." said Ron.
"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at us!"
"Hermione don't freak out, please stop moving." Rhea told them calmly "This one is called Devil's Snare" but they didn't calm down.
"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, his fear and sudden movements made the plant start curling more on him.
"Shut up I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione and this made Rhea panic.
"No!" Rhea placed a hand on the plant. "Please let us go we don't want to harm you. " she wispered, and in an instant the plant movement stop. Slowly the vines started to back away from their bodies and letting them free. Once out of the plant and near a wall everybody looked at Rhea confused.
"What happened out there?" question Harry.
"I - er- plants love me?" said Rhea awkardly, but Hermione's eyes were on her frame, she was the only one close to the curly-haired girl and she was able to hear what the girl said to the plant. But this wasn't the time for interrogations.
"Well, I'll never yell at it again." said Ron.
"This way," said Harry, pointing down a stone passageway, which was the only way forward. All they could hear apart from their footsteps was the gentle drip of water trickling down the walls. The passegeway sloped downward.
"Can you hear something?" Ron whispered.
"Yeah, a soft rustling and clinking soud from that direction." Rhea pointed ahead of them.
"Do you think it's a ghost?" ask Ron.
"I don't know... sounds like wings to me." said Harry.
"There's light ahead - I can see something moving."
They reached the end of the passege way and saw before them a brilliantly lit chamber, its ceiling arching high above them. It was full of small, jewel-bright birds, flutterring and tumbling all around the room. On the oposite side of the chamber was a heavy wooden door.
"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" said Ron.
"Want to try that theory Ronald?" Rhea tease, but something about the 'Birds' felt weird, if they were actual creatures, wouldn't she feel them like with Fluffy and the others? Then again it could be a charm.
"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."
Rhea looked as Harry took a deep breath, covered his face with his arms, and sprinted across the room. Without hesitation, she follow behind, and to their surprise and relief nothing happened.
"Wow, I thought they were going to attack us." said Rhea making Harry jump in surprise; he didn't know she had followed him.
"Rhee! That was very dangerous!" said Harry.
"The same goes for you, Harry. Stop trying to get yourself injured, would you?" Rhea reached the door handle but it was locked. When Ron and Hermione reached them, they all tugged and heaved at the door, but it wouldn't budge, not even when Hermione tried the Alohomora Charm.
"Now what?" said Ron.
"Should we kick it, you now like all together and see if we can break it." suggested Rhea.
"These birds.... they can't be here just for decoration," said Hermione.
"I guess not," Rhea took a closer look and then she realized something. "Oh, those are not birds, they are keys."
"Rhee's right! They're keys! Winged keys - look carefully. So that must mean..." Harry and Rhea started to looked around the chamber until their eyes landed on some broomsticks. "....yes - look! Broomstick! We've got to catch the key to the door!"
"Lucky we got the best seeker with us." Rhea wink at Harry.
"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."
"Good call Ronald."
They each seized a broomstick and kicked off the air, the ones with more experience stood up, soaring into the midst of the cloud of keys.
"And this is why I'm a chaser and not a seeker, I don't even need glasses but I can't seem to spot the bloody key." Rhea had already grabbed and snatched different keys, some times grabbing the same one twice since the bloody keys darted and dived quickly.
But luckly, as Rhea had pointed out, Harry was the best and youngest Seeker in a century. And so he notice it.
"That one!" she heard him call. "That big one - there- no, ther- with bright blue wings - the feathers are all crumpled on one side." with now an image in her mind she seize her broom and started chasing it. Ron caught up with her but he crashed into the ceiling, and nearly fell off his broom. Luckly, Rhea reflexes were nearly as good as Harry's, so she was able to avoid the crash and keep the chase.
"Harry! I can keep up the chase but we need a plan!" she yelled, trying her best to not lose the key.
"We've got to close in on it" Harry yelled, not taking his eyes of the key that was being skillfully chased by Rhea. "Ron, you come from above - Hermione, stay below - Rhee bring it toward us and I'll try to catch it. Right, NOW!"
Rhea tailed the key as it dodge Ron and Hermione. Next was Harry, he streaked after it; it sped towards the wall, and noticing his plan, Rhea leaned back just a few feet away from the wall, and Harry arry pinned the key against it. They cheered him and quickly they landed, running after Harry who had already unlocked the door.
"Ready?" Harry asked them, his hand on the door handle. They nodded, ande pulled the door open.
The next chamber was so dark they couldn't see anything at all. But as they stepped into it, a light suddenly flooded the room to reveal an astonishing sight.
They were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were taller then they were and carved from what Rhea supposed was black stone. Facing them, across the chamber, were the white pieces. Rhea, Hermione, Harry and Ron shivered slightly - the towering white chessmen had no faces.
"Now what do we do?" Harry whispered.
"It's obvious, isn't it?" said Ron.
"Please, don't say we got to play. Please, don't say we got to play." whispered Rhea.
"We've got to play our way across the room." finidhed Ron.
"BLOODY HELL!" Rhea was so fed up whith wizard chess already. But Ron was right, behind the white pieces, she could see another door.
"How?" said Hermione nervously clentching Rhea's forearm.
"I think," said Ron, "we're gong to have to be chess men."
He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out yo touch the knight's horse. At once, the stone sprang 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. An Ron turned to them.
"Just great." said Rhea sarcastically.
"This needs thinking about..." said Ron again. "I suppose we've got to take place of four of the black pieces..."
"And this just keeps getting better!"
"Now, don't be offended or anything, but none of you are good at chess--"
"We're not, we know we suck."
"Just tell us what to do." Said Harry quickly.
"Well, Harry, you take place of the bishop, and Hermione, you go instead of that castle, Rhee, you'll be the queen."
"What about you?"
"I'm going to be a knight," said Ron.
It seemed like the chessmen have been listening, 'cause at these words a knight, a bishop, a castle and the queen turned their backs on the white pices and walked off the board, leaving four empty squares that Rhea, Harry, Hermione and Ron took.
"White always play first in chess," said Ron, peering across the board and then beckoned the other three to look in a direction. "Yes... look.."
A White pawn had moved foward two squares.
Ron started to direct the black pieces. They moved silently wherever he sent them. Rhea was indeed nervous, the thought of making the wrong move and lose plagued her.
"Harry-" the voice of Ron brought her back to reality, "move diagonally four squares to the right."
Everything moved smoothly, but that changed suddendly as their other knight was taken. The white queen smashed him to the floor and dragged him off the board, where he lay quite still, facedown.
Cold sweat broke on Rhea's forehead. "So...it's really like wizarding chess."
"Had to let that happen," said Ron, looking shaken. "Leaves you free to take that bishop, Hermione, go on."
'Merlin, he is really smart, why doesn't he use that brain for school?' Rhea wondered.
"We're nearly there," he muttered suddenly. "Let me think- let me think..."
The white queen turned her blank face towards him.
"Yes..." said Ron softly, "It's the only way... I've got to be taken."
"WHAT?! ARE YOU MAD?!" shouted Rhea.
"NO!" Harry and Hermione also yelled.
"That's chess!" snapped Ron. " You've got to make some sacrifices! I make my move and she'll take me - that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry!"
"RON, NO!" refuted Rhea.
"Yes!" said Ron.
"But-" this time Harry wanted to argue.
"Do you wan to stop Snape or not?"
"Ron - "
"Look, if you don't hurry up, he'll already have the Stone!"
Ron was right and Rhea hated that, there was no other choice.
"Ready?" Ron called, he was pale but determined. "Here I go - now, don't hang around once you've won."
Rhea looked with horror as her friend stepped foward just for the white queen to pounce. She struck Ron hard across the head with her bloody stone arm, and his body crashed to the floor - Rhea could hear Hermione screamed, she was clenching her fists and gritting her teeth. They couldn't move from their squares and all of them knew that- the white queen dragged Ron to one side, Rhea's eyes glued to his unconscious figure.
A clank was heard, and Rhea followed the sound with her gaze, Harry was in front of the King, the crown at his feet. They had won.
"Hurry up," said Rhea.
"Wha-"
"I'll stay with him, hurry, go!" Rhea cut Harry off, and she moved quickly to Ron's side while the other two went through the door.
Rhea was now beside Ron; his head had a bit of blood, so she took off her sweater and wipe the blood off his face, forgetting that she has Magic.
Barely 10 minutes had passed when Hermione ran back toward them.
" 'Mione what happened, where is Harry?" said Rhea in worry.
"He had gone through the last door, I couldn't go with him. Let's go, we need to get Ron to the Hospital Wing and then send Hermes to Dumbledore."
"Got it we can take the brooms, Ron will fly with me."
And like that, the girls carried Ron to the Key's room, took a broom each, after securing Ron with Rhea and they flew out there, and to the Hospital wing. Then, directly to the owelry.