Chapter 144: "Saving Gryffindor Troublemakers Part - 1"

As Harry made his way back to the Ravenclaw Tower, relieved after successfully completing his mission, he felt a weight lift off his shoulders. The tense days of keeping a close eye on Quirrel were finally over.

However, his sense of accomplishment was quickly overshadowed by an urgent problem. Barely inside the Ravenclaw tower corridor, Harry was met by Neville Longbottom, who was visibly anxious and agitated. Neville was pacing near the entrance, looking both excited and worried.

"Harry, there you are!" Neville exclaimed, rushing over. "I've been searching for someone to get you, but finding you here is perfect. We need to hurry—Charles and the others are in serious trouble!"

Harry's expression turned serious. "What happened? Where are they?" he asked, puzzled about any remaining dangers now that Quirrell was no longer a threat.

"They went to the third-floor corridor—to stop Professor Snape from taking the Philosopher's Stone," Neville blurted out, his words rushing out.

Harry paused, trying to make sense of the situation. Despite having neutralized the immediate threat to the Philosopher's Stone himself, Charles and the others had rushed headlong into those dangerous obstacles, operating under the belief that the stone was still at risk.

"Why didn't they talk to a professor first?" Harry questioned, his voice tinged with frustration thinking of the canon events somehow repeating themselves. "If they really believed Snape was after the stone, how did they think they could handle him by themselves?"

Neville looked visibly upset, his words tumbling out in a rush. "I tried to stop them," he confessed, his cheeks reddening at the memory. "Hermione surprised me and stunned me before I could do anything effective. If not for that, I might have been able to hold them back."

He continued, his voice shaky, "After I recovered, I looked for Professor McGonagall to inform her, but she wasn't in her office. I didn't know what to do next, so I came looking for you. Harry, I'm really worried; they could be in serious trouble."

Harry, realizing the seriousness of the situation, paused to consider the potential dangers facing the golden trio. He remembered the sequence of events that led the canon trio to believe the stone was under threat: Dumbledore's absence from the castle and the sight of a harp playing to a sleeping Fluffy, which they interpreted as evidence that someone was attempting to steal the stone.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, Harry suddenly remembered Quirrel's harp he had left playing in Fluffy's chamber. This, he realized, would certainly convince Charles and his sidekicks that someone had indeed passed that way, potentially leading them to think the stone was in some real danger of getting stolen. They could also get past Fluffy using the harp's music.

However, with Quirrell going through the traps before them, Harry believed their chances of getting to the final room were slim. One major obstacle remained—the troll. Harry knew that the three first years stood no chance against such a huge troll and reasoned that they would likely halt their advance upon encountering it. Yet, he felt compelled to ensure their safety. Despite his differences with Charles, he had no desire to see anyone die.

With a sense of urgency, Harry turned to Neville. "Alright, lead the way, Neville. We need to get there fast."

Neville nodded, his face marked by concern and determination. Together, they rushed out of the tower, their steps quickening as they headed toward the forbidden corridor, each moment critical in preventing a potential disaster.

At the entrance to the forbidden corridor, Harry confidently walked in, aware that he didn't need to be cautious about any alert wards this time; he was acting openly.

As they entered the dimly lit room, Harry and Neville barely had time to adjust their eyes when Fluffy, the formidable three-headed dog, leaped towards them, growling ferociously. Caught off guard and unable to dodge with Neville by his side, Harry opted for a direct approach. He raised his arm and firmly smacked down on the middle head of the dog.

This action momentarily silenced the growling from one head, but the other two heads continued their aggressive stance. Without hesitation, Harry delivered the same firm smack to the remaining heads. The impact was enough to subdue them; recognizing the threat of Harry's raised fist again, they backed down, not wanting to receive another blow.

Lesson learned, Fluffy retreated to a corner of the room, whimpering. Harry had been careful not to use too much force; he knew he could have seriously hurt the dog if he hadn't held back. Reflecting on how well-behaved Fluffy had been during his last visit, Harry decided against further action. 

Though he noticed the broken harp that when fixed could have soothed the dog, he preferred the direct approach. It was not only more enjoyable for him but also effectively got the job done.

With a gesture to Neville to follow, they moved forward. Neville, wide-eyed, trailed behind Harry, deeply impressed and a bit frightened by Harry's ability to handle such a fearsome creature with his bare hands. He silently vowed never to cross Harry; the consequences of angering him seemed too daunting to consider.

Reaching the trap door, Harry confidently lifted it, revealing a pitch-black space below.

"Jump right in," Harry said, with a hint of a smirk.

Neville hesitated, his nerves frayed, but bolstered by a surge of Gryffindor bravery and Harry's encouraging look, he leaped into the darkness. Harry watched with amusement before following closely behind.

After falling down the trapdoor into the pitch dark below, Harry landed gently, immediately noticing Neville caught in the grip of Devil's Snare. Seeing an opportunity for a teaching moment—since they weren't in immediate danger—Harry decided to guide Neville rather than simply rescue him.

"Stop flailing around, Neville," Harry instructed calmly. "Think about what kind of plant has ensnared you and what you need to do to escape."

Hearing Harry's composed voice helped Neville to calm down. He recalled his Herbology lessons. "It's Devil's Snare! It shrinks away from sunlight if I remember correctly."

"Exactly," Harry affirmed. "Now, show me how you'd handle it. The spell you need is 'Lumos Solem.' Focus your intent—it's crucial in spell casting. We need to hurry; your friends might be in trouble."

Despite his nerves, Neville was motivated by the thought of his friends in danger. He took a deep breath, raised his wand, and firmly cast, "Lumos Solem." A brilliant blue light burst from his wand, hitting the plants.

Harry watched with a small smile as the Devil's Snare recoiled and withered under the intense light, freeing them both. Neville's successful spell not only cleared their path but also boosted his confidence.

After they left the room with the Devil's Snare, Harry noticed blood drops leading into the next area, indicating that the trio hadn't escaped from Fluffy unscathed. Clearly, one of them had been injured.

"Someone's hurt, Neville. We need to move fast," Harry urged, quickening his pace.

They rushed into the next room, which had drastically changed from Harry's last visit. The flying keys and brooms that once filled the air were now absent, their remnants scattered and embedded in the door leading out.

Harry opened the door and stepped through, followed closely by Neville. In the chess room, they found Ron lying unconscious on the floor. Neville, alarmed, ran to his side, calling his name.

Harry approached and examined Ron. He found a wound on Ron's leg, roughly bandaged with torn cloth—this was clearly where Fluffy had injured him. Other than his leg, Ron seemed fine. He had likely fainted from the exhaustion, pain, and blood loss.

Harry carefully replaced the makeshift bandage with proper first aid to stabilize the wound. Knowing they couldn't delay, he urged Neville to keep moving. They didn't have the luxury of time to fully heal Ron with magic. The rest of the work was left for Madam Pomphrey.

Harry was particularly concerned about the next obstacle: a fully grown troll that was now even more of a threat since Charles and Hermione would have to face it without Ron's help. 

As Harry stepped into the troll room, the silence unsettled him. It was not a good sign. He quickened his pace, with Neville trailing behind, puzzled by the sudden change in Harry's demeanor.

Inside, they were greeted by the sight of a massive troll lying unconscious on the floor. Relieved, Harry deduced that it had been subdued by the duo, likely with the levitation charm like in the canon based on the troll's position and the club that lay discarded nearby. This clever feat by Charles and Hermione was impressive enough to earn Harry's silent commendation.

Neville, wide-eyed, turned to Harry. "Is that a troll? How did Charles and Hermione manage to get past it? It's enormous!"

Harry explained, "They probably used a simple first-year spell, the levitation spell, to knock it out. Want to try waking it up and testing that theory yourself?"

Neville quickly shook his head, "No, thanks. Maybe some other time. We should keep going, Charles and Hermione might still need our help."

Amused by Neville's response, Harry agreed, and they continued onward. Just as they were about to leave the room, a noise echoed from behind them, snapping them to attention. Both spun around, wands at the ready, prepared for whatever might come next.