The Other Side Of The Story
Chapter 18- Let's get this over with

"I don't know how , but I am grateful that I managed to pass those exams, I was this close to would just shooting myself and get it over with during the charms test" I said to Cedric as we were walking through the court yard we had finally finished our final exams and to tell the truth I was slightly relived at least it was one less thing to worry about , cause with the philosopher stone out there and how someone was after it ,I had loads to worry about , especially knowing how the trio will just get themselves in trouble again thinking they are protecting it

Don't get me wrong but knowing them it wasn't going to be pretty, anyway I have been keeping my distance with them ever since that night, I know it's wrong but every time they speak it sounds as if they are so sure it's Snape and they are seriously pushing it so hard beside I just want to relax for a while, anyway back to the mean time I was whining to Cedric about the exams and how awful I think I did

"Well it couldn't have been that bad" he said "I for one didn't find it that hard"

"Of course you didn't, you are just that smart" I said as I rolled my eyes

"You are speaking as if you have been through hell" he chuckled

"At some point I actually thought I was there" I told him as I laughed to

"We will see in a week, when the results are out, and beside I am sure you did just fine you are just a perfectionist" he tried to reassure me

"Hey, I am not a perfectionist" I protested and it was his turn to roll his eyes

"Seriously, don't even get me started" he mocked

*****************

Sometime in the night I was getting ready for bed when I noticed Hermione sneaking out of the dorm, what the bloody hell is she doing?! , so seeing as everybody else was already in bed it must have something to do with the stone

So I decided to follow her just to make sure they don't get themselves in anymore trouble

"Trevor" I heard Harry shout, so Hermione was meeting up with them, defiantly trouble

"Trevor shh! Go, you shouldn't be here!" that was Ron

"Neither should you. You're sneaking out again, aren't you?" wait a second was that Neville what the hell was he doing there, if they are going after the stone why would they bring Neville

"Now, Neville, listen. We were…" Harry started but was cut off by Neville "No! I won't let you!" he yells at them

"You'll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I'll fight you" and I had to bite my tongue to hold down the laugh

"Neville, I'm really, really sorryabout this..." Hermione whispers then she chants "Petrificus Totalus"

So right then I decided to make my presence clear and I took a step out of the shadow and clear my throat causing all three of three them to turn to me with wide eyes and Hermione had her wand pointed at me "well guys it's just me, oh and Hermione you can lower your wand

She looks to her hand surprised then quickly puts her wand back in her pocket as she mumbles a quick sorry

"Alex what are you doing here?" Harry asked

"I could ask you three the same thing, but I have hunch it has something to do with the stone" I told them and they looked as a deer caught in the headlights

"I knew it" I told them when they didn't reply

"Okay, okay, we were going to make sure Snape doesn't get the stone" Hermione finally blabbered out causing Harry and Ron to look at her with wide eyes and me to roll my eyes

"Okay then I want in" I told them and then turned to me in surprise "I know we might not agree on who is after the stone but whoever it is we need to stop them"

"But Alex it's dangerous and if we get caught we might get…" Harry started but I cut him off with a scoff "Dangerous, seriously, listen, I have pranked McGonagall,stood up to Snap, dyed Malfoy's hair pink, faced a troll ,went through a detention with Snape, fought a couple of Slytherin, played a game of Quidditch against them taking a Bludger in the head trough the process and helped getting a dragon out of the school ground , I think I know what dangerous is don't you think?" and they sighed and looked at each other

"Okay you can come, but let's Hurry we wasted enough time" Harry sighed in surrender and I couldn't help the smile that grew on my lips

"You really did all that?" I heard Ron ask from behind me which caused my smile to grow even bigger

"What can I say, life is just too Magical to waste" I told him with a smirk

"You are better than Fred and George" he exclaimed

"I try"

"Let's go" Harry said and passed Neville whispering a quick sorry

"Sorry" this time it was Hermione who spoke as she passed him

"It's for your own good, you know" Ron said as he passed him too

"What he said" I said not knowing what else to say and just followed behind them

*****************

"Ow! You stood on my foot!" Hermione whined as all four of us were walking covered by the Invisibility cloak

"Sorry" Ron replied and I just shook my head at them

"Guys look out, it's Mrs. Norris skulking near the top" I Told them as I spotted her

"Oh, let’s kick her, just this once" Ron whispered, but we all just shook our heads and climbed carefully around her, Mrs. Norris turned her lamp-like eyes on them, but didn’t do anything which was a good thing

So anyway we went on with our way, we didn't meet anyone else on the way

Well until we reached the staircase up to the third floor, where Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the carpet so that people would trip

"Who’s there?" he said suddenly as we climbed towards him, please don't see us was all I could wish for, 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.

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

"Peeves" I heard Harry call from beside me in a hoarse whisper and I almost fell in surprise but thanks god I didn't, "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

"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 Peeves his little joke, sir."

"I have business here, Peeves" croaked Harry and I had to bite my tongue to hold in the laugh. "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.

"Good one Harry" I told him finally letting a small laugh escape my lips

"Good, it was bloody brilliant" whispered Ron

A few seconds later, they were there, outside the third-floor corridor and Hermione chanted as she pointed her wand at the door "Alohomora" to unlock the door

But before we could enter Harry turned to 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"

We all turned to each other then back to Harry

"Don’t be stupid" Ron was the first to reply

"We’re coming" Was all Hermione said then all three of the turned to me and I stayed quiet for a second before I spoke thinking about how I was going to tell them this

"we came here together and we will leave together ,you can't get rid of me that easily" I told them with a smile and they all smiled too

Harry pushed the door open and as soon as we were inside we took off the cloak and were meeting by the low, rumbling growls. All three of the dog’s noses sniffed madly in our direction, even though it couldn’t see us

"Wait a minute...he's...." Ron started but was cut off when a blow of air and the cape flutters off us "snoring"

"Snape's already been here. He's put a spell on the harp" Harry whispered as we approached the sleeping dog, causing me to roll my eyes, again with Snape thing

"Uh. It's got horrible breath!" Ron mumbled so I lapped him on the back of the head as I replied "deal with it"

"We have to move its paw"

"What?" Ron asked with wide eyes

"Come on!" Harry said and we grabbed its paw which was blocking the trap door and started to lift it away "Okay. Push!" and we move it out of the way and opened the door and crouched beside it

"I'll go first. Don't follow until I give you a sign" Harry told us, but before he could finish I sawFluffy's eyes open

"Guys" I called but they didn't pay attention

"If something bad happens, get yourselves out...Does it seem a bit...quiet?" Harry continued

"Guys" I called again as my eyes followed Fluffy's head that was above us now but still they didn't listen

"The harp. It stopped playing" Hermione stated but I already knew that

"Guys" this time I yelled at them and Ron finally asked "what?"

"Fluffy's up" I said as I pointed my hand upwards causing them to look up at him just as a drool fell from one head on Ron's shoulder

"Ew! Yuck! Ugh" Ron screamed and Fluffy barked and growled at us then started thrashing and it broke the harp as it dived at us

"Jump! Go!" I yelled and we quickly did, only to fall on a soft surface

"Ahh!" Ron screamed until he fell on the soft surface too "Whoa. Lucky this plant-thing is here, really"

But right then the plant began to move towards us and tie around us

"Ahh!" I heard Harry scream as I was struggling against the plant but it seemed that the more I struggled against it, the tighter and faster the plant wrapped around me

"Stop moving, all of you. This is Devil's Snare. You have to relax. If you don't, it will only kill you faster" I hear Hermione yell and I turn to her only to see that she have relaxed

"Kill us faster?! Oh, now I can relax!" Ron mocks but then I see Hermione smile as she is sucked down below

"Hermione" we all yell at the same time, no she can't be dead can she, she was smiling she must had a plan

"Now what are we gonna do?!" Ron yelled as he started to trash around even more and so did Harry me on the other hand just tried to listen to Hermione she must have known what she was doing and she did cause as soon as I relaxed I felt the plant loosen and I was sucked through and fell right beside Hermione, who helped me up then looked up at Ron and Harry whom I heard yell "Alex!!"

"Just relax" she called to them

"Hermione! Where are you?! Is Alex there with you?! Are you guys alright" Harry yells

"Yeah we're fine, just listen to Hermione" I yelled back to them and a minute later Harry was beside me so I helped him up

"Harry!" Ron yelled

"Are you okay?" Hermione asked him

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine" Harry replied so she nodded and turned back towards Ron who was yelling "Help!"

"He's not relaxing, is he?" she asked

"Apparently not" Harry answered, way for stating the obvious I rolled my eyes

"Help! Help me!" he yelled again

"We have to do something, Hermione think" I told her

"Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Snare ... What did Professor Sprout say? It likes the dark and the damp" she said

"so light a fire" Harry told her

And she took out her wand and pointed it upwards "Lumus Solem!" she chanted and a beam of light shoot out of her wand causing The Snare shrieking and recoiled, Ron fell below screaming, so we hurry to his side

"Ron, are you okay?" Harry asked

"Yeah" he said as he stood up" Whew. Lucky we didn't panic!" so I slapped him on the back of the head "ow!!"

"You should have listened to Hermione" I told him as he rubbed the spot where I slapped him

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology" Harry whispered and I nodded

"This way" said Harry causing me to turn to him to see he was pointing down a stone passageway which was the only way on, so we walked through it but as we walked I heard this weird noise that seemed like a soft rustling and clinking

"Guy's what's that sound?" I asked

"I don't know. Sounds like wings" Harry answered and right then we enter a room filled with Birds what the bloody hell?!

"Curious. I've never seen birds like these" Hermione said as we looked around

"They're not birds, they're keys. And I'll bet one of them fits that door" Harry stated and we all nodded and kept walking until we came upon a broomstick, suspended in the air

"What's this all about?" Hermione asked but I just kept looking around the room

"I don't know. Strange"

I saw Ron creeps over to the door and takes out his wand "Alohomora!" he chanted but nothing happened so he turned back to us "it was worth a try"

"Ugh! What're we going to do? There must be 1000 keys up there!" Hermione asked frustrated and I couldn't blame her

"We're looking for a big old fashioned one. Probably rusty like the handle" Ron explained as he pointed at the door

"There! I see it!" Harry calls as he points at a key in the sky "The one with the broken wing!" oh I saw it, it had to be, but I noticed harry stare at the broom

"What's wrong, Harry?" Hermione asked as if reading my mind

Harry looked up and our eyes met and immediately I know what he was thinking "It's too simple" we said at the same time

"Oh, go on, Harry! If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You're the youngest seeker in a century!" Ron encouraged him and Harry nodded and grabbed the broom, suddenly all the keys went on one direction, right at Harry, so He climbed on, swiping at them

"This complicates things a bit!" Ron commented, but I just ignored him as I was too worried about Harry to reply

Harry pushed off into the air and He flew off, after the key. The others following him, but he grabbed the key.

He zoomed by, throwing the key to me and I caught it easily and headed for the lock while Harry distracted the other keys. And quickly I put it in the lock.

"Hurry up!" Ron yelled

And right then the door opened, and Hermione, Ron and I rushed through, followed by Harry and we shut the door just as the keys slammed up against it

The next chamber was so dark we couldn’t see anything at all but as we stepped into it, light suddenly flooded the room toreveal an astonishing sight

We were standing on the edge of a huge chessboard, behind the black chessmen, which were all taller than we were and carved from what looked like black stone. Facing us, way across the chamber, were the white pieces. Me, Harry, Ron and Hermione 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"

Ron was right because behind the white pieces we could see another door

"How?" said Hermione nervously

"I think" said Ron "we're going to have to be chessmen" I didn't like how that sounded at all

He walked up to a black knight and put his hand out to 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 – err – have to join you to get across"

The black knight nodded and Ron turned to us "This wants 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 neither of you are that good at chess"

"We are not offended"said Harry quickly "Just tell us what to do"

"Well, Harry, you take the place of that bishop, Alex take the left knight and Hermione, you go there instead of that castle" he said gesturing to every piece and we just nodded and did what he said

"Let's get this over with" I told him as I mounted the knight horse

"What about you?"

"I'll take the other knight" he answered

"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, I couldn't help but worry not for myself but for my friends this could cost any of our lives, I wouldn't take it if any of them got hard, those who are my friend better yet family, I came here with them and I swore not to leave without them but will we really ever leave … my thoughts were cut off by Ron

"We’re nearly there" he muttered suddenly "Let me think – let me Think"

The white queen turned her blank face towards him which didn't seem good at all

"Yes" said Ron softly but I didn't get what he wanted "it’s the only way ... I’ve got to be taken"

"NO!" we all shouted

"That’s chess!" snapped Ron "You’ve got to make some sacrifices I’ll make my move and she’ll take me – that leaves you free to checkmate the king, Harry"

Harry started but was cut off by Ron"But"

"Do you want to stop Snape or not?" and if I wasn't worried about him I would have snapped at him

"Ron" I whispered

" Look, if you don’t hurry up, he’ll already have the Stone"

There was nothing else for it

"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 around the head with her stone arm and he crashed to the floor – Hermione screamed but stayed on her square, I was frozen I didn't know what to do

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

Harry breathes out and then the three of us run to Ron, we bend beside him.

"Take care of Ron. Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore. Ron's right...I have to go on"

"You aren't going anywhere without me" I tell him and my determined look was enough for him not to argue and just nod

"You'll be okay, Harry, you too Alex. You're a great wizards, you really are"

"Not as good as you" Harry replied but she just smiled

"Me? Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship and bravery. And Harry, just be careful"

We nodded and stood, walking away only to be stopped by Hermione "and Alex" I turn to her

"Don't you dare get yourself killed" that caused both of us to laugh and I just nodded and then we turned back to the door and kept walking

A disgusting smell filled our noses, making both of us to 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"

He pulled open the next door, both 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 we have to do?"

But I just looked around in confusion

We stepped over the threshold and immediately a fire sprang up behind us in the doorway. It wasn’t ordinary fire either; it was purple. At the same instant, black flames shot up in the doorway leading on wards. Great we were trapped

"Wait, look" I told him as I seized a roll of paper lying next to the bottles and I started to read it

"Danger lies before you, while safety lies behind,

Two of us will help you, whichever 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 hidden in line.

Choose, unless you wish to stay here for evermore,

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 onwards, 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?"

I let out a great sigh and smiled

"Brilliant" I said "This isn’t magic – it’s logic – a puzzle" Sᴇaʀ*ᴄh the Find ɴøᴠel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

"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" I told him

"But how do we know which to drink?" he asked and I turned back to the bottles in front of me

"Give me a minute"

I read the paper several times. Then walked up and down the line of bottles, muttering to herself and pointing at them until I got it

"Got it" I said. "The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire – towards the Stone"

Harry looked at the tiny bottle

"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?" he asked and I pointed at a rounded bottle at the right end of the line

"You drink that" said Harry "Now, listen – get back and get Ron and Hermione I might be able to hold who ever in that room for a while, but I’m no match for him really

"But Harry – what if Voldemort with him?" I asked him getting concerned

"Well – I was lucky once, wasn’t I?" said Harry, pointing at hisScar "I might get lucky again

"No, I'll wait here for you and we will leave together like I told you" I said as I pulled him into a tight hug

"Now go" I told him once we pulled apart

"You are sure which is which?"

"Positive "

"GO!" I told him and he drank the potion and passed through the fire peacefully

**************

I have been waiting for him for a while and I kept pacing around the room I have heard some screaming and smelled smoke and that was it , but suddenly something came out of the room I stopped in front of the table to see if it was Harry , but was surprised when it was just a...

Grey cloud which flew directly at me causing me to fall backwards and crash on some bottles of the potions behind me and that was the last thing I saw before I gave in to the darkness …

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