1.16 Through the Trapdoor

It was swelteringly hot,

snuff-box

Snape made them
all nervous, breathing down their necks
while they tried to remember how to make
a Forgetfulness Potion.

Neville thought
Harry had a bad case of exam nerves
because Harry couldn't sleep, but the truth
was that Harry kept being woken by his old
nightmare, except that it was now worse
than ever

they were so busy
with their revision they didn't have much
time to fret about what Snape or anyone
else might be up to.

batty old wizards

That was far easier than I thought it
would be,'

the crowds flocking out into the sunny
grounds.

Hermione always liked to go through
their exam papers afterwards, but Ron
said this made him feel ill, so they
wandered down to the lake and flopped
under a tree.

The Weasley twins and Lee
Jordan were tickling the tentacles of a
giant squid, which was basking in the
warm shallows.

And Neville will play Quidditch for
England before Hagrid lets Dumbledore down.'

Harry nodded, but he couldn't shake off a
lurking feeling that there was something he'd
forgotten to do, something important.

Harry was quite sure the unsettled feeling
didn't have anything to do with work, though

I've just thought of something,

Why didn't I see it
before?"

What are you on about?'

he was shelling peas into a large bowl

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

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

Look,' said Harry, throwing caution to the
winds, 'Professor - it's about the Philosopher's
Stone-

Wharever Professor
McGonagall had
expected, it wasn't that. The books she was
carrying tumbled out of her arms but she
didn't pick them up.

How do you know-? she spluttered

He's found out everything he needs and now
he's got Dumbledore out of the way.

'Hanging around like this, people will think
you're up to something. And Gryffindor really
can't afford to lose any more points, can they?'

she lost her temper.

'At least Hermione's
on Snape's tail,'

Haven't you heard
what it was like when he was trying to take
over?

nothing you two say is
going to stop me!

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

I'd better go and look through my books, there
might be something useful.

'But if we get caught, you two 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 per cent on his exam. They're not
throwing me out after that.'

Slowly, the room emptied as people drifted
off to bed.

We'd better put the Cloak on here, and make
sure it covers all three of us - if Filch spots one
of our feet wandering along on its own -

who looked as though he'd been making
another bid for freedom

They couldn't afford to waste any more
time,

But Neville was clearly steeling himself to do
something desperate
I won't let you do it,

And you were the one who told me to
stand up up to people!

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

But leaving Neville lying motionless on the
floor didn't feel like a very good omen. In their nervous
state, every statue's shadow looked
like Filch, every distant breath of wind
sounded like Peeves swooping down on them.

At the foot of the first set of stairs, they
spotted Mrs Norris skulking near the top

Peeves was bobbing halfway up, loosening the
carpet so that people would trip.

he scooted off.

Seeing the open door somehow seemed to
impress upon all three of them what
was
facing them.

As the door creaked

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

Ron gritted his teeth

He lowered himself through the hole until he
was hanging on by his fingertips.

Ron followed straight away. He landed
sprawled next to Harry.

What's this stuff?' were his first words.
'Dunno, sort of plant thing. I suppose it's here
to break the fall. Come on, Hermione!

She leapt up and struggled towards 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 and Ron, their legs had already been
bound tightly in long creepers without their
noticing

bluebell flames

In a matter of
seconds, the two boys felt it loosening its grip
as it cringed away from the light and warmth
Wriggling and flailing, it unravelled itself from
their bodies and they were able to pull free.

All they could hear apart from their
footsteps waS the gentle drip of
water
trickling down the walls.

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

the feathers are all crumpled on
one side.

Harry streaked after it

They landed quickly and Harry ran to the
door, the key struggling in his hand. He
rammed it into the lock and turned - it
worked.

light suddenly flooded the
room to reveal an astonishing sight

the stone sprang to life.

Now,
don't be offended or anything, but neither
of you are that good at chess -

Just tell us what to do.'

A white pawn had moved forward two
squares.

Every time one of their men was lost, the
white pieces showed no mercy. Soon there
was a huddle of limp black players slumped
along the wall.

There was nothing else for it.

I might be able
to hold Snape off for a while, but Im no
match for him really.'

'It's not poison?' said Harry anxiously
'No-but it's like ice.'
'Quick, go, before it wears off.'

'Here I come,' he said and he drained the
little bottle in one gulp.

It was indeed as though ice was flooding
his body. He put the bottle down and
walked forward; he braced himself, saw the
black flames licking his body but couldn't
feel them - for a moment he could see
then he was on the
nothing but dark fire
other side, in the last chamber