Chapter 17

The New Marauders stepped into the next room, greeted by the sight of a massive chessboard, each square large enough to stand on. The pieces were imposing, towering over them as if waiting for the command to move.

Lana gasped in awe. "Wow, this is amazing! It's like a life-sized chess set!"

Harry nodded, his eyes scanning the board. "It's incredible, but it looks like we're going to have to play a game to proceed."

Neville glanced at the towering pieces, a hint of concern in his voice. "Um, does anyone here know how to play wizard's chess?"

Zatanna stepped forward, a determined expression on her face. "Well, I've read about it. How hard can it be?"

With cautious steps, they each positioned themselves on the board, ready to face the challenge that lay ahead.

Harry's eyes sparkled with inspiration as he remembered the legendary chess match between the grandmasters Frédéric Lazard and Amédée Gibaud in a cafe in Paris.

"I've got an idea," he exclaimed, excitement evident in his voice. "I think I know how to win this game in just four moves!"

The others turned to him, their curiosity piqued. "Four moves? How?" Zatanna asked, eager to hear Harry's plan.

With a confident smile, Harry began to explain, laying out the strategy that would allow them to navigate the chessboard with speed and precision, just as the grandmasters had done in that historic match.

As he spoke, the others listened intently, impressed by Harry's ingenuity and strategic thinking. With a clear plan in mind, they prepared to execute their moves and advance to the next stage of their adventure.

"Alright, here we go," Harry declared, taking charge. "Pawn to e4!"

With his command, one of the pawns advanced two squares ahead, setting the game in motion. The pieces on the board responded to his call, each move bringing them closer to victory. The New Marauders watched with bated breath, their eyes fixed on the unfolding game, ready to follow Harry's lead and outwit the enchanted chess pieces that stood in their way.

With precise coordination and strategic maneuvering, they executed the moves flawlessly, mirroring the historic game played by Lazard and Gibaud. In just four moves, they achieved victory, each piece moving with calculated precision until the final move sealed their success.

"Knight to f6!" Harry commanded, setting off a series of coordinated movements that caught their opponents off guard.

"Queen to h4!" Zatanna called out, her voice resolute as she directed her piece to a critical position on the board.

As the last piece fell, the chessboard erupted into a series of mechanical whirrs and clicks, indicating their triumph. With a collective sigh of relief and triumph, they stepped forward, the door to the next challenge now open before them.

—-

Hermione, peering from the shadows, observed Cedric leave his post by the door, the melody of the guitar fading as he disappeared down the corridor. Turning to the others, she voiced her concern. "I think we should inform a teacher. This is getting out of hand."

Susan glanced at Hermione, her expression troubled. "But what if we're overreacting? Maybe they have it under control."

Hannah nodded in agreement. "Yeah, we don't want to get them in trouble unnecessarily."

Daphne stepped forward, her expression serious as she addressed Hermione. "We can't just run to a teacher every time they do something reckless. We need to give them a chance to make it right. If we jump to the adults, we're not giving them that opportunity."

Hermione hesitated, her brow furrowed with concern, but ultimately nodded in agreement. "You're right. We need to trust that they'll do the right thing. But if things get out of hand..."

"We'll intervene," Daphne assured her, her tone resolute. "But for now, let's see how they handle it."

—

As the New Marauders entered the room, the dim light revealed the menacing figure of a towering Mountain Troll, its rough, green skin glistening under the low light, and its club raised high, ready to strike. The air was thick with tension as the group realized the gravity of the situation.

Without hesitation, Harry stepped forward, his Kryptonian powers surging within him. "Stay back, guys," he said, his voice steady, as he moved to confront the troll. His friends watched with a mixture of worry and awe, knowing full well the danger they were facing.

Harry faced the Mountain Troll head-on, his heart pounding with adrenaline as he prepared to confront the formidable creature. With his Kryptonian strength and courage, he stood tall, ready to protect his friends and overcome the challenge before them.

With a swift and calculated move, Harry leaped forward, dodging the Troll's massive swing. He moved with incredible speed and agility, his movements fluid and precise as he maneuvered around the beast. With a powerful punch, he struck the Troll, staggering it backward.

Neville, Lana, Zatanna, and Tonks stood ready, poised to assist Harry if needed, their hearts pounding in their chests as they watched their friend in action. With each blow, Harry displayed incredible strength and resilience, refusing to back down in the face of danger.

As the battle raged on, Harry's determination never wavered. With strategic precision, he targeted the Troll's weaknesses, exploiting them to gain the upper hand. With a final, decisive strike, he delivered a powerful blow that sent the Troll crashing to the ground.

With a victorious roar, Harry stood triumphant, his friends cheering in celebration of their hard-won victory. The Mountain Troll defeated, they emerged from the room, exhilarated and ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Zatanna couldn't help but crack a joke in the aftermath of the intense battle. With a mischievous twinkle in her eye, she turned to Harry and quipped, "Well, Harry, I always knew you had a bit of troll in you, but that was quite the performance!"

Her lighthearted jest broke the tension, eliciting a round of laughter from the group as they celebrated their victory over the Mountain Troll. Harry chuckled, shaking his head in amusement at Zatanna's playful remark, grateful for the camaraderie and humor that helped lighten the mood after the intense battle.

—

As they entered the next room, the New Marauders were greeted by a daunting sight. Seven potions were aligned in front of them, each emitting a faint glow. But their path ahead was blocked by menacing black flames, while behind them, purple flames sealed off any retreat.

Neville gulped nervously, eyeing the potions and the flames warily. "Looks like we're in a bit of a tight spot," he remarked, his voice tinged with apprehension.

Zatanna examined the roll of paper they found at the entrance, which contained the clue to solving the physical riddle. She read aloud:

"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."

After carefully considering each line of the riddle, they began to discuss their options.

"It seems like the key to moving forward lies in choosing the correct potion from among the seven," Harry mused, his brow furrowed in concentration.

Neville nodded, scanning the potions thoughtfully. "But which one is it? The riddle gives us clues, but we need to decipher them correctly."

Zatanna glanced at the potions, trying to match the clues in the riddle with the vials before them. "Let's start with the clues. The first clue mentions 'nettle wine's left side.' That means we're looking for poison, which is typically on the left side of the nettle wine."

Lana nodded in agreement. "So, the potion that's next to the nettle wine and on its left side is one of the options. But we need to be sure it's not one of the killers."

Harry pointed to the potion next to the nettle wine and to its left. "That one seems to fit the first clue. Let's keep that in mind and move on to the next clue."

"Right," Zatanna continued. "The second clue talks about the ones at either end. They're different, but neither will help us move forward."

Neville observed the potions at the two ends of the row. "So, we can rule out the ones at the ends. They won't help us progress."

"That leaves us with five potions to consider," Lana noted, her eyes scanning the remaining vials. "We need to focus on the third clue now, which mentions different sizes. None of them are giants or dwarfs, so that doesn't help us eliminate any."

Zatanna nodded, deep in thought. "The last clue talks about twins. The second left and the second right potions are twins, but different at first sight. That means they look different, but once tasted, they're the same."

Harry's eyes brightened with realization. "So, we're looking for the twins that look different but are the same once tasted. That narrows it down to two potions."

With their deductions made, the New Marauders turned their attention to the potions matching their criteria, carefully selecting the one they believed would allow them to move forward safely.

After a moment of tense anticipation, they took a collective breath as Harry, with a steady hand, picked up the chosen potion and took a cautious sip.

To their relief, the flames blocking their path began to wane, allowing them to move forward. They had successfully deciphered the riddle and chosen the correct potion, clearing the way for their next challenge in the mysterious chambers of Hogwarts.

—

As the New Marauders entered the next room, their eyes fell upon a small red stone resting upon a pedestal in the center of the chamber. The stone emanated a faint, otherworldly glow, casting a warm, inviting light throughout the room.

Harry, Neville, Lana, Zatanna, and Tonks approached the pedestal cautiously, their curiosity piqued by the mysterious object before them. They exchanged glances, silently communicating their wonder and excitement at the discovery of the stone.

"What do you think it is?" Lana whispered, her voice barely above a hush.

Neville shrugged, his gaze fixed on the stone. "I'm not sure, but it looks important. Maybe it's some kind of magical artifact."

Zatanna reached out tentatively, her fingers hovering just above the smooth surface of the stone. "It's beautiful," she murmured, her voice filled with awe.

Harry nodded in agreement, his eyes never leaving the stone. "Whatever it is, we should be cautious. It could be dangerous."

The others exchanged uncertain glances, their thoughts mirroring Harry's caution. They understood the importance of approaching the mysterious object with care, knowing that it could hold the key to their next challenge—or pose a threat they had yet to anticipate.

With bated breath, they gathered around the pedestal, their senses alert and their minds focused on the enigmatic red stone before them.

As Harry reached out to pick up the stone, a sense of anticipation filled the room. With careful precision, he lifted the small red stone from the pedestal, cradling it gently in his hand. Its surface was smooth and cool to the touch, its faint glow casting a warm light over Harry's face.

"I think we should use an owl to send this to my Mum," Harry suggested, turning to the others. "She'll be able to figure out what it is and what Dumbledore is up to by hiding it here."

Tonks nodded in agreement, her expression serious. "That sounds like a good plan. Your Mum knows a lot about magical artifacts. She'll know what to do."

As they made their way out of the room, the red stone safely in Harry's possession, they knew that their journey was far from over.

—

As they approached the room with Fluffy, Tonks voiced a concern that echoed their thoughts. "Cedric would have left by now, so how are we going to get past Fluffy?"

Neville looked at Harry, curiosity evident in his expression. "Harry, why didn't you just fight Fluffy the way you fought the troll?"

Harry's cheeks flushed with embarrassment as he admitted, "I couldn't hurt Fluffy."

The realization dawned on the others, and they exchanged surprised glances. "Harry loves dogs," Lana exclaimed, a smile tugging at her lips.

Zatanna nodded in understanding. "That's right. He wouldn't want to hurt Fluffy."

Harry's eyes lit up with a sudden realization. "Wait, I might have a solution. Cedric was playing the beginning of a song on his guitar. I recorded it on my communicator bracelet. We can use the recording to buy us some time to get past a sleeping Fluffy."

Excitement bubbled within the group as they considered Harry's idea. With a plan in place, they approached the door to the room where Fluffy awaited, ready to face the next challenge head-on.

—

As they reached the trapdoor, Harry played the recording. Once they heard Fluffy snoring, Harry flew them all up through the trapdoor.

Tonks couldn't resist making a suggestive comment. "Smooth ride, Harry," she said with a grin.

Lana and Neville couldn't help but act immaturely, exchanging playful nudges and snickers, while Harry blushed furiously. Zatanna couldn't contain her laughter, finding the situation both amusing and endearing.

—

As they quickly exited the room, they ran into the girls—Hermione, Susan, Hannah, Daphne, Tracey, Pamela, and Harley—who emerged from their hiding place and confronted them.

Hermione stepped forward, her expression a mixture of concern and determination. "What do you think you're doing? You could have gotten yourselves killed!"

The others nodded in agreement, their eyes reflecting a range of emotions from worry to frustration. They had been on edge, watching from the shadows, fearing the worst as Harry and the others embarked on their dangerous adventure.

Harry held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "We were just trying to figure out what's going on. We found this stone—"

Tonks cut in, trying to lighten the mood. "And we even got past Fluffy! Smooth ride, right, Harry?" she said with a wink, earning a chuckle from the others.

Hermione's expression softened slightly as she listened to their explanation. "That's all well and good, but you shouldn't have gone off on your own like that. We were worried sick!"

Susan stepped forward, her voice firm but laced with concern. "We need to stick together and figure this out as a team. No more running off on your own, alright?"

Harley interjected, her eyes wide with curiosity. "Who's Fluffy? Can I cuddle him?"

Harry hesitated for a moment, trying to find the right words. "Fluffy is... well, he's not exactly the cuddly type. I don't think you'd want to get too close to him," he replied, a hint of concern in his voice.

Turning to the rest of the girls, he continued, "There are some things we can't talk to you about yet, but you'll know everything soon. Your parents already know, having been told by my Mum, and they'll be telling us during the Christmas break."

The girls exchanged puzzled glances, trying to make sense of Harry's cryptic message. Hermione's brow furrowed as she processed his words, a mixture of curiosity and concern flickering in her eyes.

Susan stepped forward, her expression serious. "What do you mean there are things you can't talk to us about? What's going on?"

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Yes, Harry, you can trust us. We're all in this together. Whatever it is, we can handle it." 

Harley, on the other hand, seemed more curious than worried. "Sounds like a big secret. I love secrets!" she exclaimed, her eyes shining with excitement. 

Pamela crossed her arms, looking a bit skeptical. "I don't like being left in the dark," she admitted, her tone a mix of frustration and curiosity. 

Hannah, always the peacemaker, tried to lighten the mood. "Let's trust Harry. He said we'll know everything soon. Until then, let's focus on getting through this together."

Daphne, ever observant, studied Harry's face for any clues, silently contemplating the weight of his words. 

Tracey leaned in, her curiosity piqued. "Well, I can't wait for Christmas then. I hope it's not socks again."

Harry nodded in agreement. "Yes, we need to get to the Owlery. I need to send a package to my Mum," he said, his tone resolute.

Hermione glanced at the others, nodding in understanding. "Alright, let's go. But after that, we need to have a serious talk about what's going on," she added, her voice firm but reassuring.

Daphne chimed in, a sly grin crossing her face. "Why don't we use my owl, Morgana? Hogwarts owls can be tracked, but Morgana is a bit of a rebel. She won't be traced easily."

The others exchanged glances, considering Daphne's suggestion. With a nod of agreement, they set off toward the Owlery, ready to send the package to Harry's mum with Morgana's help.

However, unbeknownst to them, Harley stayed behind, her eyes fixed on the door to Fluffy's room. A goofy smile played on her lips, and a crazed look gleamed in her eyes as she contemplated the idea of cuddling with the giant three-headed dog.

—

The group quickly reached the Owlery, the wooden door creaking softly as they pushed it open. Inside, the air was filled with the hoots and rustling of owls perched in their various nests.

"Come on, let's find Morgana," Hermione said, scanning the room.

After a few moments of searching, they spotted Daphne's owl perched on a high branch, her sleek black feathers catching the light streaming in from the small windows.

"There she is," Susan said, pointing toward the owl.

With cautious steps, they approached Morgana's perch, careful not to startle the majestic bird.

As they drew closer, Morgana turned her head, fixing her piercing eyes on the group. Recognizing Daphne, she hooted softly, a sign of acknowledgment.

"Hey, girl," Daphne greeted, reaching out to stroke the owl's feathers gently.

"We need your help, Morgana," Harry said, stepping forward. "We have a package we need to send to my mum. Can you do that for us?"

Morgana blinked in response, seemingly understanding Harry's request. She spread her wings slightly, as if preparing to take flight.

"Alright, Morgana, here's the package," Harry said, handing over the small parcel.

With practiced precision, Morgana grasped the package in her talons, her movements graceful and deliberate.

"Take this to Lily Potter," Harry instructed, his voice filled with urgency. "It's important."

Morgana hooted softly, as if to assure them that she understood. With a powerful beat of her wings, she launched herself from the perch and soared out of the Owlery, disappearing into the darkening sky beyond.

"Let's hope she gets it to Mum safely," Harry said, watching the owl's departure with a mixture of hope and concern.

Daphne glanced around the Owlery, her brows furrowing in concern. "Where's Harley?" she asked, her voice tinged with worry.

The others followed her gaze, scanning the room for any sign of their missing friend. But there was no trace of Harley among the rows of perches and fluttering wings.

"I thought she was right behind us," Hermione said, her voice betraying a hint of unease.

"We need to find her," Susan said, her expression reflecting the urgency of the situation. "She can't be wandering around on her own, especially after what we just went through."

Tonks raised an eyebrow. "You don't think she'd actually try to cuddle with Fluffy, do you?"

Daphne sighed, a worried expression crossing her face. "Knowing Harley, she's exactly crazy enough to try," she replied, her voice tinged with concern. "We need to find her before she does something reckless."

—

The group rushed back to the third-floor corridor, their hearts pounding with worry as they approached the door. The sight that met their eyes was beyond anything they could have expected. There, in front of them, was Harley, wearing a goofy smile and a crazed look, while cuddling what appeared to be a massive, three-headed dog. Fluffy, as the creature was known, seemed strangely calm and content, nuzzling against Harley affectionately.

"Puddin', you're such a good boy, aren't you?" Harley cooed, her voice filled with a mix of affection and excitement.

The others stood frozen, unable to comprehend what they were witnessing. Tonks was the first to break the silence. "Is she... actually cuddling with Fluffy?" she asked incredulously, her eyes wide with disbelief.

Daphne, feeling a mixture of exasperation and amusement, pinched the bridge of her nose, overwhelmed by her cousin's actions.

Neville couldn't help but chuckle nervously. "She's really giving Bellatrix Lestrange a run for her money in the crazy department," he remarked, his tone a mix of disbelief and amusement.

Susan stepped forward cautiously, her eyes fixed on the massive creature in front of them. "Harley, you need to come away from there. It's not safe!" she called out, her voice tinged with concern.

But Harley seemed oblivious to their warnings, lost in her own world as she continued to cuddle with the seemingly docile Fluffy.

---

Author's Note:

Dear Readers,

You might have noticed the absence of the Mirror of Erised in the final room during this chapter. This was a deliberate choice, as in our timeline, the Mirror will only be placed there after Christmas. Don't worry, the Mirror of Erised will play a significant role in the story later on.

In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts on what Harry might see when he looks into the mirror. What would be his deepest desire? Feel free to share your suggestions!

Thank you for your continued support and enthusiasm.

Happy reading,

---

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