Chapter 18. Insight

"Nightmares need a toy," whatever that means, but the gloominess of this phrase was fully confirmed as soon as we opened the door.

"Is that k—blood?" Sophie asked, startled.

"It looks like it," I replied, getting goosebumps from the view.

Beyond the door was a long straight corridor, the end of which was not visible due to the dim lighting of the two nearest lamps from above. There were numerous traces of blood on the floor here and there. Some were a bright shade of scarlet, others, rather, dark red. Beyond that, there was only solid black darkness, and the picture itself evoked ominous associations.

— Lumos! — I cast a spell of light, and some of the freshmen who were the very first to follow me repeated, — don't just light everything at once, otherwise we will be so blinded by the brightness.

After the lights came on on several sticks, we could see several more sections of the corridor - still empty and still with the same bloodstains on the floor.

Suddenly, from somewhere in the darkness in the distance, the sounds of laughter rang out: squeaky, nasty and a little crazy, which was somewhat like the laughter of our professor of charms.

— Right now I'm scared, — admitted Ron, peering into the distance of the corridor and waving a wand with lighted lumos, — we need to send someone to investigate, yes... So that someone would look at what was laughing so ominously and tell us. And after that we will figure out how we will proceed.

— And who do you think will be this volunteer? I asked him. — I don't think there will be anyone willing, — I looked back at the frightened faces of the students and the unconscious body of Seamus against the wall.

— Yes, let the same Granger go, — Ron answered me, which surprised me a lot, — she's a traitor. Here, let him prove that he repents.

"How am I going to prove it?" Hermione indignantly replied to his suggestion, "by his death?" While Ron Weasley is shaking with fear? She chuckled, "where's your vaunted courage, Ron. Once you send the girl ahead, while you stay here.

—I'm not shaking with fear," he gritted through his teeth, "but I have enough brains to understand that in that direction," he pointed his wand towards the darkness, "a nightmare awaits us, as it says on the door. And if he needs a toy, he'd rather play with you than with me or anyone else.

"I'm no worse than you, Ronald Weasley," the girl protested in response.

"You're a traitor,— he said once again.

— So, stop this farce, — I intervened in the growing argument, — Hermione, — I looked at the girl, — as I understand it, you are not going to go? — in response to this, the girl only shook her head in fright, — so let's all go together. And whatever we see there, first wait for my command, and then act.

I had a crazy idea to support Ron and send Hermione ahead, especially since the others would probably support me, but... I didn't dare. It is easy to talk about the willingness to sacrifice someone, but in fact it is not easy to bring words to life. Moreover, after all, I studied with this girl for almost a year together, even though we had a difficult relationship for most of it. Plus, it was unknown what awaited there, ahead, and it was quite possible that Hermione would simply disappear into this darkness alone, without giving us any help in clarifying the impending danger.

And none of us doubted that something dangerous was hiding in the impending darkness - the red spots on the floor spoke for themselves.

Our still rather large group moved forward timidly. I was the very first, and other boys were moving next to me, who shone lumos ahead. The others moved close behind us, cautiously peering over our shoulders and trying to see any threat ahead.

"Uh-uh Boom!"

We jumped up from the sudden noise, and my heart almost sank into my heels, because at that moment I was just peering into the darkness of the corridor.

— This is the door, — the guys from the last rows informed us, — it slammed shut.

—Here, the s-s-dog of hell," I swore, putting my hand over my heart and exhaling, "is it closed?" Go check it out, someone," I said to the freshmen behind me.

— Yes, it's locked, — said Parvati, who returned a minute later, — even the Alohomora does not work.

— So we are left without the possibility of escape, — I came to a disappointing conclusion, — we are moving on, now we only have to go forward.

Step by step we walked along this corridor, which was already beginning to seem endless to us. Those two dangling lanterns had long been left behind, so the back rows had to cast a spell of light.

And the sounds... Oh, those sounds ahead, echoing down the stone corridor. Because of this, it was not clear whether they were close or far away. If at first it was only a rare laugh, then creaks and clangs, shuffling and clucking, squelching, muttering and other sounds that defy description were added to it. And the deeper we moved forward, this chilling cacophony grew stronger there.

Suddenly, in the darkness, I saw something. A silhouette resembling a human shape.

—Wait,— I whispered to the others, stopping, "I see something.".. There's a shadow in the middle, do you notice it too?

—Yeah," said Harry breathlessly, "is that a man?"

"I don't think so," I replied, "but it looks creepy."

— Shall we get closer? Malfoy suggested, peering into the gloom of the corridor with the others.

- no... I think we need to illuminate it more strongly first in order to understand what we see in front of us. Hermione, cast that spell for us," I said to the girl.

Hermione nodded and wordlessly walked to the front row, waving her wand:

—Lumos Solem," she said the formula of the spell, after which a bright ray rushed into the very center of the corridor, flooding the corridor space with sunlight.

I wish she hadn't done that.

Following the passing beam, we saw dozens of humanoid shadows ahead that stood in exactly the same positions throughout the entire length of the corridor. When the ray of light ran out, the space was plunged into darkness again, and the nearest shadow that I noticed turned in our direction.

—M-mommies,— one of the girls squeaked.

The sounds from the darkness intensified many times. Other shadows became more active and began to slowly emerge from the darkness after the very first one, crossing the invisible threshold between darkness and light from our lumos, subsequently approaching us with clearly unfriendly intentions.

"It wasn't the best idea," Harry said, startled, "Kyle, what now?"

Anticipatory smiles could be seen on the silhouettes of the shadows. They teased us with their frightening joy, beckoned with their hands woven from something black, and slowly walked towards us with the look of predators who managed to drive helpless prey into a corner with which they could play before a meal.

— We're moving away, but we're not running! — I commanded the others, — let's go back. The first row continues to illuminate the space in front, the second: simultaneously with the departure, we try to neutralize them, since they are slow. Hit with everything that comes to mind! Ventus! Depulso!

Following my actions, spells from freshmen flew towards the shadows, and the multicolored rays of magic, due to their mass character, again illuminated a considerable part of the dark space of the corridor, which was naturally filled with dark creatures.

However, the beams flew past the targets without causing any harm to them. The shadows did not even accelerate their approach, and with the same ominous slowness inexorably pursued our group retreating to the very beginning.

— Does anyone even remember anything like that from the dark arts!? Malfoy, Corner, Hopkins - that's your department! I shouted to the guys when it became obvious the futility of our attempts to ward off shadows with spells.

"I haven't even come close to anything like this," replied an angry Malfoy, who had been sending new spells and evil eyes towards the darkness over and over again.

"I'm just as sure that I haven't seen any mention of three—dimensional shadows," Wayne Hopkins' voice supported the Slytherin.

"Hermione, do you remember anything about these creatures?"

— No, — the girl shook her head when I turned to her, — I would remember if I read about such creatures.

— Damn it! That's it, stop throwing spells. Our approach does not help at all. Hey, you! I turned to the shadows themselves. If the plant has listened to me, then maybe they will too? — Stop it! We didn't want to bother you! We just need to get ahead! Please?

In response to my suggestions and requests, the shadows only scoffed, not slowing down the pace of their progress for a second. But it was worth trying, since it worked with the plant.

We retreated further and further back, illuminating the approaching monsters with lumos. But what should we do when we have to run into a closed door?

— Maybe they won't come out into the light to those two lamps on the ceiling? Korner voiced his assumption, "it's not just that they were only at the very beginning.

"I'm afraid we'll have to find out soon.".. I replied to the boy.

Hundreds of thoughts raced through my head, but none of them answered the question: what should I do? How do I avoid meeting those who don't care about our charms? With those who smile leeringly at the sight of us and continuously follow our retreat... There is so little information...

So, what do I know from the tips? "Nightmares need a toy.".. Shadows can be mistaken for nightmares, with their behavior and sounds for sure. They need a toy... What kind of toy is this? Our fear? Do they need to play with our fear? I can't imagine how to use it... Or do they need one of the students to "play around" with him? It's not clear.

We need to think deeper, starting with Dumbledore's letter and his hints...

"In any situation, there may be two ways out - you just need to see them." The first way out is to go straight to the shadows, trying to pass them offhandedly. But there are dozens of them! And if they have at least a fraction of the aggression that they try to show us with their appearance, then this is an actual ticket to the next world... Yes, this is not even a way out! Only if they attack one student and leave the rest alone...

«P.S. Did you remember everything at the very beginning, Mr. Potter?" What kind of beginning was he talking about and is it related to the trials themselves? After all, the appeal goes to Harry himself, even in the context of the task he received... Does he mean infancy? Defeating the Dark Lord? Coming to Hogwarts!? What the hell is he talking about?

Theories and assumptions emerged and were eliminated as untenable one by one. I couldn't think of a solution to this problem, if it existed at all.

"Kyle, we're approaching the door!" — Parvati said from behind, — do you have a plan? From anyone? What should we do?!

"I... don't know. Let's assume that Michael is right, and the light from the lamps will protect us. Go ahead, to the very beginning of the corridor! I announced to the others, and we moved at an accelerated pace back to where we started our journey into the darkness.

I needed to brainstorm with the others, because I couldn't figure out the answer alone.

I tried to prevent the incipient panic and set the guys' heads in a working mood. I told them about my theories, about Dumbledore's phrases and the inscription on the door, listened to their arguments and interpretations in search of a solution. And it did not appear.

— Look! They're here! Ron shouted, pointing into the darkness, from which silhouettes of approaching shadows began to be seen.

And they started walking under the light of the second lamp without any problems.

— Ahhh! The guys shouted, pressing tightly against the wall with the doorway. Some began to try to open the door with charms, others simply knocked and broke into it.

— Step back! Don't come any closer! Harry burst forward, waving his wand in the manner of some kind of sword. The nearest shadow tried to bite him with its black hand, but by some miracle he managed to jump back into the crowd of pressed freshmen.

I looked at all this with hopeless despair. Is this really the end? Surely these evil shadows can't tear us all to pieces right now!?

And they were getting closer. At some point, the first rows of students could no longer retreat further, as there was simply no free space left. The first shadow stretched out its clawed hands forward, choosing whom to grab with them.

— Ahhh! Let me go, no! let go! Draco began to struggle, since he was the one that this shadow had chosen to target. She pulled him out of the crowd, but he braced himself with his feet and hands, trying to escape from the embrace of his own death. The boy suddenly grabbed onto the cloak of another student behind him, and with a sharp movement literally tore him out of the general pile of freshmen, pushing him directly to the floor between himself and the shadow.

The dark creature looked curiously at the boy lying in front of him and loosened its grip on Malfoy. The Slytherin was not going to test his fate twice, and literally jumped into the crowd of first-year students behind, avoiding the front row with all his might due to his own panic.

— No, no, no, no, n-n-don't! Oliver Rivers, who had fallen, began to scream and squirm, and the shadow grabbed him with its own hands and dragged him into the darkness. She made a guttural sound, which caused the other shadows in the distance to squeal, showing their joy and impatient anticipation.

— A-a-a-a-a! — the Hufflepuff twitched and struggled, but this time there was no way to get out of the clutches of the shadow, — help! Help me! A-a-a—a... - the boy was moving further and further away from the crowd of his classmates.

No one dared to help him. No freshman, not even Ron, had the amount of courage mixed with stupidity to throw his fists at the receding shadow that was dragging Oliver along. They were not affected by enchantments, and certainly not by physical force, which we did not really possess.

— Are they retreating? — I said in amazement, - Nightmares need a toy... — I was right, and the toy meant the student. One student who took the shadows away, leaving the rest alone.

—I... didn't mean to... — said Malfoy with rapid shortness of breath from adrenaline in his blood, — It grabbed me, I panicked, it wasn't my fault... It's not my fault!

— Look! — drew Harry's attention to the gloom ahead.

With the boy's screams receding, the darkness dissipated more and more. If earlier the light from the last lantern was cut off by an invisible barrier, behind which there was only an impenetrable black haze, now it dimmed gradually, illuminating more and more of the corridor. And there were no shadows to be seen, and the sounds from them were getting quieter.

—Let's go ahead," I said absently, "they left after getting what they wanted."

I lit my lumos and headed down the corridor, repeating our original path. Not immediately, but other students followed me anyway.

Still wary of the shadows, we moved on and on. This time our charms shone much brighter and illuminated a wider area. Finally, a door appeared in the distance. The end of the test.

"Where did they go?" Harry asked, "where are Oliver and those shadows?" Have they disappeared?

— No, there, see? The passage, on the right. Dean drew attention to a branch near the door.

I cautiously approached the turn and looked there with one eye. There was the same utter darkness that had been present in the main corridor before.

After shining my wand and not seeing the silhouettes of shadows next to me, I turned to the others:

— They are most likely there, but apparently they do not plan to attack. Let's go," I walked around the turn and headed for the door with a new inscription:

The guards will demand payment.

A new warning. How many more challenges are ahead? There were five in the canon, but compared to these horrors it looks like a harmless children's walk.

The guys came to the door, we waited for the others - those who followed the others among the last.

—Come on, hurry up," Ron shushed them, "all I want right now is to leave the damn Corridor of Horror, and soon," he muttered under his breath, barely audible.

"What about Oliver?" — said Susan, who stood next to the turn. There was fear mixed with determination on her face—she needed to figure out what had happened to him! The girl turned into the passage, lighting her way with enchanted spells of light.

— Bones, wait! Damn," I swore, "stay here and wait for us. Be ready to leave the corridor at the first word! — I went after the crazy hufflepuff.

— Kyle, I'm with you! Harry said decisively. Ron sighed, but supported his friend's words.

- no. Everyone stays here. I'm not going to find out Oliver's fate-it's too dangerous. All I have to do is convince Susan to give up this suicide mission, and I'll be back...

Her silhouette could be seen a little further away, surrounded by the dim light from the wand.

— Susan! I hissed her name, "you're setting us all up with your actions!" Come back here!

— But Oliver... The girl suddenly stopped talking and stopped.

— Oliver was unlucky, — I caught up with the girl and put my hand on her shoulder, — he's gone... Return...

A terrifying picture opened up to my gaze, which is why the girl stopped in mid-sentence. At the end of the branch, the space was simply teeming with shadows that clung to poor Oliver. Of the boy's entire body, only a part of his face was visible with his right eye, which he looked at us with indescribable despair.

— Fo..fomogite," he tried to call for help.

— Oh..Oliver," Susan took a step forward, staring in horror at her badger classmate.

Suddenly, one of the shadows turned in our direction and hissed loudly, and the others repeated it, making a noise comparable to the interference of a TV that was turned on at full power. The shadows rushed towards us, acting much faster and more nimbly than in our previous meeting. This time there were no such tricks-all the shadows craved was to grab the intruders.

— Let's run! — I grabbed the girl's hand and ran away from these damned creatures with all my might, — OPEN THE DOOR, RUN! I shouted to the students at the end of the corridor.

Together with Susan, we reached the open door, through which other freshmen were hurriedly running in.

— Hurry up! — I pushed through all the remaining students and myself fell into the aisle with Susan, as I felt the shadows approaching with every fiber of my soul.

I turned around and saw how the angry shadows, in their desire to get to us, had already gotten very close, but suddenly, right in front of their noses, the door slammed shut, cutting us off from the shadowy silhouettes of these monsters.

We got out. Huh.

— More. So. Don't do it! — in a rage, I slapped Susan lying next to me with a swing, and a loud bang resounded through the hall, — We could have died because of you!

The second test was passed. However, this did not make it any easier, since now we have lost another student. And this time, I'm afraid, for good.

***

While Susan was holding her cheek, which was red from my blow, I got up, dusted myself off and looked around the new room.

Unlike the previous narrow corridors, this was a fairly spacious square-shaped hall.

— Car! Kar! — croaked a crow that was up on one of the ledges.

What is she doing here? Maybe it's some kind of teacher observer?

The guards immediately caught my eye. Large knight's armor in the amount of four pieces stood motionless in different places near the side walls.

— Okay, get off the floor and stick together. We are already on a new test, be on your guard," I began to give commands, "Oliver is left behind, and we cannot be distracted now. Find the strength to let go of what happened earlier.

There was another door at the end of the hall, which was obviously an exit. Although I didn't have much hope, I carefully approached it, tried to open it with my hands, and then used the charms of Alohomora. It didn't work out.

"It needs to be opened somehow,— I said aloud to the other guys, examining the door from all sides. It didn't even have an inscription at the top, as it did with other passages—see? A recess in the center. I think you need to insert something here, something like a key," I ran my hands over the circular recess, "but where do I get it?

While we were examining the door and sharing versions, we heard a metallic clang against one of the walls.

— Is the sound coming from the armor? Harry suggested, and the next moment his words were confirmed.

One of the knights came to life, turned his head, pulled out a sword behind him, took it with his metal gloves, and walked towards us with a slow, ragged gait. After each step, he slowed down a little, and then moved the next leg.

— That's right... — even though the armor was moving at a snail's pace, there was little we could do against it.

— Depulso! — I tried the repulsion spell, which proved useless in the previous two trials.

Correction, now in three trials.

— Petrificus Totalus! Finite Incantatem! Ventus! — it seems that all our efforts to learn complex spells have been useless in this campaign. Because none of our spells worked on the knight. That's what I thought.

— The Wingardium of Levios! — Ron cast a levitation spell, and he did it! They may not have worked on the knight himself, but they worked on the sword in his hands, like the case with the troll's club in the canon!

— Come on, Ron! Pull the sword up! — I supported my friend. It was not recommended to layer these charms on top of each other, since in this case they were mutually stacked. Because of this, we could only watch as Ron frantically tries to raise his wand higher, and the knight tries to snatch the sword from under the spell of the Gryffindor, stopping his advance towards us.

— Damn it! Ron exclaimed angrily when he lost his concentration from the strain. The knight regained control of his weapon, and continued to move towards us with obviously unfriendly intentions.

"The guards need payment.".. Apparently, the payment is implied in blood.

— Scattered! Use the levitation spell alternately! If I lose it, Harry, be ready next! I shouted to the others, "Wingardium Leviosa!" — now I was trying to pull the sword out of the knight's tight grip. The power of the spell was clearly not enough to lift him into the air with the sword, but at least that way he was distracted.

While we were playing tug of war with armor, the guys had already tried all the other known charms that were powerless against enchanted animated armor. The threat may be quite real, but we were very successful in repeating the levitation spell on the sword, not allowing the knight to reach us. And even if this happens, he acts too slowly, and from any swing of his, in theory, it will be possible to dodge and run away to a safe distance.

And so it was, until the second armor behind us came to life.

— Half of the students are doing one thing, half the other! — I gave a new order, — keep your eyes open and keep your distance from them!

It has become much more difficult. Now the knights quickly guessed with a sharp movement to throw off the levitation spell from the sword, which caused cat and mouse between us all over the hall. The knights strode towards the nearest students, and as soon as they got close enough, they made a swing with both hands, and forcefully lowered the blade of the sword on the freshman. Only their slowness in action allowed us to avoid fatal blows.

— Wayne, be careful! Michael shouted to his friend as he jumped back from the blow just in the place where the second knight was heading. A little more, and the second blow of the Hufflepuff would have naturally split, but fortunately, the boy managed to bounce off, landing his body on the stone floor.

"I'm telling you, look after both suits of armor at once! Pay attention, Hopkins! Did you want to go to the next world!? I barked at the boy.

"You can't wait, Golden,— he said through clenched teeth, running away from the two suits of armor.

— And how long do we have to run and jump around the hall like that?! Ron asked, "how do you end this?"

— Who would have known... I whispered, and then answered louder, "I need a key!" A round flat object! We need to find him, he's here somewhere.

— But where can I find him!? Is the hall empty, with a stone floor, walls, ceiling and living armor? — he was indignant, but directed his anger not at me, but rather at the inventor of such a test.

— That means... Perhaps the key is somewhere in the floor, you need to examine it carefully! So, the plans are changing. Now, some of the students are distracted by the armor, while others, on the opposite side of the hall, are probing and examining the stonework of the floor. Is everything clear to everyone? Let's get to work! If we don't find him...

— Then what is it? Harry asked me seriously, after he shook himself off from another leap to the side, escaping from the sword.

— Then... There will be a chance that the key is in one of the armor, and we need to figure out how to get it out of there. Just which ones... Wait a minute! That's it, it's urgent! Take the swords from the dead armor! Now!

And as soon as I voiced my idea, the other two armors came to life and joined in the general "fun".

—Damn, why didn't I figure it out sooner!? I shouted at the ceiling.

For a while, we managed to run from the four armors and dodge their blows. We had already forgotten about holding swords with enchantments - they almost immediately threw them off with a sharp jerk of the weapon to the side. And with each passing minute, the strength of the freshmen was being depleted more rapidly. We were exhausted from the constant running, and it was only a matter of time before some student would not be able to dodge the blow in time.

Payment... Saturation... A toy... Here it is - the first way out, the most obvious, which is hinted at by the inscriptions before the tests. One sacrifice necessary for further advancement... The monster plant would have eaten one student, and let the others through, the shadows took Oliver away, and the rest were allowed to pass...

It will most likely be the same here. As soon as they cut down one of us, the rest of us can move on to the next challenge...

The way out is to sacrifice one student! That's what Dumbledore was talking about ... "The more students there are, the higher the probability of universal success of this venture." It was necessary to have as many participants as possible so that there would be someone to sacrifice... What a mess.

But what is the second way out, which the director hinted at? He must exist, and be connected with his last hint in the letter!

Stop. But I saved Seamus! He was not eaten, which means that I, without knowing it, went the second way, without sacrifice! Yes!

So, but what exactly did I do at the moment of my breakdown from the sight of absorbing a friend? Did you scream? Begged? Did you talk to the monster? It's all wrong... Yes, I did it, but none of it worked with the same shadows, and talking to animated armor... Let's just say it's not the best idea, because they don't really have a mind, just installations through enchantment...

And why did I even enter into a dialogue with a vegetable monster!? Because Madame Sprout insisted that they were intelligent and could sense human feelings! If we associate this with the postscript of the director, then... Wait a minute...

It was like I had an epiphany. An epiphany flooded my mind like a torrent. If only... If I had gotten to this point sooner, I could have saved Oliver's life... But we need to act, and quickly.

— Finite Incantatem! I said the spell, pointing my wand up, straight at the sitting crow. She finally croaked, after which she turned into a flat stone that fell loudly to the floor of the hall.

The knights froze. I went over and picked up the necessary key, shining with a blue light. The armor bowed in my direction and went to their places, after which they froze with the same statues.

— Kyle... — happy Harry, who was already pretty tired of running, looked at me with joy, — you did it! You found the key!

— But how? — Hermione came up to me, — how did you guess that the crow is the key?

I sat down exhausted right next to the door to the next test, twirling a pebble in my hand. The rest of the students came up to me, until eventually a semicircle formed near my person.

— I guessed more than that. I figured out Dumbledore's secret, even if it was too late for Oliver... — I smiled bitterly, — Two ways out - do you remember? The first is until one of us is killed. And the second one... Do you remember our thoughts on the last line in the letter, Harry? We all couldn't figure out which beginning Dumbledore was talking about," Harry nodded in agreement, "so I understood what he meant. The very first week of our training. Do you remember Professor Sprout's first lesson? Three students, including you, Harry, repeated the same rule - "Plants feel our emotions," — I quoted the professor's words, — And the first test we had was with a plant monster, who just had to be asked not to touch us by performing the usual water creation charms for this... Next, do you remember Lupin's lesson? What did he say about darkness? "If you plunge into darkness and become one with it, then clarity is gained and there is a way out." Do you remember? He also told Harry to remember this in particular, and at that time it still seemed to me that this reservation was too strange. It was a clue. To plunge into darkness - we had to remove our lumos, and walk through that corridor in complete darkness. Then the shadows would not have touched us... And here... Clearly McGonagall's work. Remember how, after the punishment of the Ravenclaw, she began to explain about transfiguration... The professor was talking about turning things into animals that can exist like this for a long time, after which she suddenly turned to Ron and Harry, as if they were chatting during her story. Do you remember? I was still surprised at the time, because you guys were sitting as quiet as mice and listening attentively to everything, but she still focused on Harry.

I ran my hands through my hair, recovering from the complexity of such a riddle and experiencing terrible fatigue and withdrawal from the events I had experienced.

— The answer lay in our first lessons. In those places where the teachers addressed Harry or mentioned him. That's what Dumbledore hinted to us. That's what you should have remembered, Harry. They gave us the answers at the very beginning of the year. Answers on how to pass the trials without death.