"I suppose you think you're harder to get past than a pack of enchantments!" Professor McGonagall's voice echoes around us as she approaches us briskly. I hadn't thought she'd come through here, but I suppose with what we just told her in the Entrance Hall she was likely to make a pass by the door. I look down submissively when she is upon us. "Enough of this nonsense! If I hear you've come anywhere near here again, I'll take another fifty points from Gryffindor! Yes, Weasley, from my own house!"

The boys and I scuttle away from McGonagall as soon as she's done reprimanding us, and I can feel my heart beating wildly in my chest. I've never thought terribly of her, nor will I likely ever, but for her to not treat this as seriously as it is, is astonishing! How can she not be heeding this more? Surely she understand the danger the wizarding world is in if Snape gets his greasy hands on the Stone.

"At least Hermione's on Snape's tail," Ron comments defeated as we're sit back in the Common Room. I'm about to agree before suddenly the Fat Lady's portrait is swinging open to reveal a dishevelled Mione bursting through and exclaiming loudly.

"I'm sorry, Harry! Snape came out and asked what I was doing, so I said I was waiting for Professor Flitwick, and Snape went to get him and I've only just gotten away. I don't know where Snape went."

"Well, that's it then, isn't it?" sighs Harry. The three of us watch him sadly, though he's looking as though he hasn't yet given up all hope. "I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get to the Stone first."

"I'm coming with you, then," I declare, and Ron looks horrified.

"You two are mad!" he exclaims.

"You can't!" adds Mione. "After what McGonagall and Snape have said? You'll both be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?" shouts Harry, his outburst frightening me briefly. "Don't you understand? If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back! Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over? There wont be any Hogwarts to get expelled from! He'll flatten it, or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts! Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see? D'you think he'll leave you and your families alone if Gryffindor win the house cup? If I get caught before I can get to the Stone, well, I'll have to go back to the Dursleys and wait for Voldemort to find me there. It's only dying a bit later than I would have done, because I'm never going over to the Dark Side! I'm going through that trapdoor tonight, and nothing you two say is going to stop me! Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

There's a heavy silence wafting through the empty-bar-us Common Room that's settling terribly with everyone. I think they've got the point now.

"I'll follow you through this, Harry. You won't be doing it alone," I tell him with a serious gaze. "I'll follow you."

Harry gives me a kind and appreciative smile to which I return, before Hermione is speaking up.

"You're right, Harry..."

"I'll use the invisibility cloak," Harry says next. "It's just lucky I got it back."

"But will it cover all four of us?" Ron asks.

"All – all four of us?" Harry reiterates confused.

"Don't worry, I'll use the Disillusionment Charm. I've gotten to be pretty good at it by now," I tell, and both nod, Harry still looks confused.

"Oh, come off it, you don't think we'd let you go along?" Ron says.

"Of course not," Hermione backs him up quickly. "How do you think you'd get to the Stone without us? I'd better go and look through some books, there might be something useful..."

"But if we get caught, you lot will get expelled, too," Harry reminds.

"Not if I can help it," says Mione. "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."

"As for me," I add on, "it is only a matter of time at this stage. Snape's been trying to get me out since the year began," I laugh.

~~~{...Ӂ...}~~~

It's after dinner that we're all sat quietly in the Common Room. Harry and Mione are sat nervously, and I'm playing a slow game of Wizard Chess with Ron to pass the time. Time, however, seems to be drawing on and on, and everyone, seeing as exams are done, seems to have decided to stick around in here with us, while ignoring us at the same time, to chat with their friends about how they think they've done, and what they reckon they've messed up on. Mione is skimming through her notes, and Harry seems to be sat still in thought.

Eventually, after many hours of Ron and I playing different chess games, he and I drawing by the end with wins and losses, and Hermione and Harry sometimes chatting idly when they aren't either thinking or revising, the room finally falls empty as the last few people finally drain out and head off to bed leaving us all free to do as we wish.

"Better get the cloak," Ron mutters after Lee's finally left. Not a minutes after the suggestion, Harry's rushed to their dorm room and back, and now he's holding his cloak tightly in his hands in anxious preparation to what we're about to do.

"You'd better try the cloak on in here and make sure it covers all three of you," I tell them, and they each nod before slipping under the fabric. I wander around them making sure there isn't a foot or an arm visible, and thankfully, they're good to go.

"What are you doing?" a voice suddenly questions, and although I recognise the voice, my heart is still hammering with fear of the boy who's likely not going to us go through with this. It's Neville Longbottom, come to make sure we aren't about to break any more rules.

"Nothing, Neville, nothing," says Harry hurriedly.

"You're going out again," he accuses rightfully.

"No, no, no," Hermione defends. "No, we're not. Why don't you go to bed, Neville?"

"You can't go out," Neville practically pleads, his eyes landing on me. "You'll be caught again. Gryffindor will be in even more trouble."

"Neville, please listen to me for a moment," I try. "This is very important, and we need you to step aside." He looks saddened by having to tell us no again, but he does anyhow.

"I won't let you do it," he says shakily as he rushes to block off the portrait hole. "I'll – I'll fight you!"

"Neville," Ron yells very loudly, "get away from that hole and don't be an idiot!-"

"Don't you call me an idiot!" Neville defends himself. "I don't think you should be breaking any more rules! And you were the one who told me to stand up to people!"

"Yes, but not us," Ron sighs exasperatedly. "Neville, you don't know what you're doing."

Ron takes a tentative step towards Neville, and the latter of two boys drops Trevor, his toad, who's quick to leap away. Neville has his fists raised, but his entire form is shaking. It pains him to do this, I can tell, but we've gotta get through that trapdoor tonight. Lives could very well depend on it.

"Go on then, try and hit me!" Neville shouts with a quiver. "I'm ready!"

"Neville, I am really, really sorry about this," I hear Hermione say as she's stepping forward, and I'm tempted to hold her back for Neville's sake, but I know we need to get out of here as fast as we can or we'll be too late.

"We need to go, Neville. I'm sorry," I mutter to the boy as well.

"Petrificus Totalus!" Mione cries, her wand pointed at the poor boy, and instantly, his entire body freezes, and he's falling face-first to the floor. With a slight bang, he hits the ground, and I mutter another sorry before stepping over him and moving towards the portrait.

"What've you done to him?" Harry whispers in wonderment.

"She cast a full-body bind on him. He's not hurt... he'll be fine. Oh, forgive us, Neville, we truly are sorry," I answer.

"We are," Hermione says to his ridgid form as well. "Very much so."

"We had to, Neville, no time to explain," Harry informs the boy.

"You'll understand later, Neville," says Ron.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and I all slip to the portrait, and I take my wand out and cast the Disillusionment Charm over myself once again.

"Bloody hell!" Ron squeaks. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"A story for another time, I think, Ron. Come on, let's get going."

It's after long minutes of creeping through the darkened corridors, which seems to have become somewhat of a commodity between Harry and I this year, that we finally meet the door Fluffy's behind in the third-floor corridor. Sadly, when we're close enough to see it properly, we can notice that the door is already ajar.

"Well, there you are," Harry says in a low whisper. "Snape's already got past Fluffy." We creep closer still and I push the door open a little wider, though not quite enough to see through, but pull back when Harry's tugging at my arm. "If you three want to go back, I won't blame you. You can all take the cloak, I won't need it now."

"Don't be stupid," answers Ron.

"What did I tell you, Harry? Said I'd follow you. I meant that, you know?" I say.

"We're coming," concludes Hermione.

I move forward again after he's given his nod and push the door open to peer in properly. Stood in the room is Fluffy, as usual, letting off low, rumbling growls as he sniffs about. He can't see us through the cloak and charm.

"What's that at it's feet?" whispers Hermione.

"Looks like a harp," Ron answers. "Snape must have left it there."

"It must wake up the moment you stop playing," suggests Harry. "Does anyone know how to play that thing?"

Both of the boys look to me as they remember me playing the violin during Christmas, but I shake my head sorrowfully. They look downcast for a moment until I've thought of something else, and I inch forward and begin to voice an old Spanish lullaby my mother used to sing to me when I was very young.

"I might have an idea... if I can remember the words properly –

"Viento a viento va, el sueño del mar, gira sin parar,

Viento a viento va, durmiendo el sol, un guiño de luz se perdió,"

The dog calms at the sound of the lullaby, and I sigh a little within the lyrics as my heart stops racing so incredibly hard and fast. I look to the three now not so hidden beneath the cloak and smile at their smiles. I then gesture towards the trapdoor as the dog's eyes finally droop closed again, but I don't stop the song as I fear he'll wake right back up again.

"Tu cuerpo se hace vientre, estatuá transparente, en la arena oscura esperarás."

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," I hear Ron saying as he's peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Hermione?"

"No, I don't!"

"Viento a viento va, bailando el mar, ésta sola vos quebró,

Pájaros de sal, ciegos de llorar, vuelven a volar."

"All right," Ron bickers back before climbing over dog and swinging open the trapdoor.

"What can you see?" asks Hermione anxiously.

"Nothing – just black – there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop," Ron whisper-shouts back to her.

"I'll go first," Harry volunteers, and both Ron and Mione look unsure.

"Viento a viento va, éste pequeño, temblor que jamás gritó,

A la luz, al árbol, a la lluvia,

A la voz, al aire, al final."

Harry climbs around the dog next, and keeping to the lullaby, I follow with Hermione until all four of us are stood around the trapdoor looking into the inky blackness cascading like a waterfall below us. There's no light nor any other sort of indication that says it'll be a safe landing, but what other choice do we have? I'd go first if I wasn't the one keeping the dog asleep.

Harry bends down and lowers himself into the hole until he's barely holding on, and then he looks up to us and says, "If anything happens to me, don't follow. Go straight to the owlery and send Hedwig to Dumbledore, right?"

I'd give him a piece of my mind if I weren't still keeping us from becoming Fluffy's next meal.

"Right," says Ron.

"See you in a minute I hope." And then he's gone, gone from sight into the depths of darkness, and instantly my anxiety piques and my heart rate picks up. Hermione gasps and looks at me.

"Y/N, your eyes!" I can't say anything in response, but I realise they must be glowing again just as Harry and Malfoy said they once had before.

"It's okay!" I suddenly hear from down the trapdoor, and my heart rate lowers dramatically, and Hermione and Ron are both looking at me strangely.

"It's going away, now," Ron breathes. "What was that?'

I don't answer, I keep singing and gesture towards the hole. The song will be coming to an end soon enough and we've all gotta get down there.

"Y/N's right, we've gotta go. You next, Ron."

Ron's next to go, as Hermione suggested, and she's soon to follow.

"Y así este viento va girando, y así este viento va, se fue,

Y así este niño va, llorando,

Llorando~"

Just as the final lyric is sung and the room's silent, each of my friends having gone down the hole, the dog begins to stir, and just as the echo comes to a complete stop, I jump as well into the unknown depths of darkness awaiting.

As I make contact with the ground, which is strangely soft, I notice both boys are entangled in an amalgam of tendrils and vines, each a deep, dark shade of green and dreadful. My eyes widen as I look around for Hermione, and I let myself relax again when I finally see her on the outskirts of the gigantic plant up against the wall.

Ron and Harry are both bound still within the plant's tendril clutches, and Ron's looking more and more panicked by the second. His eyes are wide, and his face is pale. He even looks as though he might throw up. Harry looks just as worried as me, but regardless of the fact that he, too, is held in place by the plant, he doesn't look as terrified as Ron.

I try to move from my place, but the vines of the plant are quicker and stronger than I. There's no room to move, and one of the tendrils are squeezing at my wrist particularly roughly. As it tightens evermore, I begin to panic and try tearing my hurting arm from it's grasp, yet this does nothing more than cause the plant to tighten it's grip further. It's with a sharp cry when I hear a muffled and slight crack, as well as as an immense pain shooting the length of my forearm, that I realise it might have just sprained my wrist.

"Y/N!" Ron cries out. "It's killed her!"

"I'm fine! For now – help me! Ouch!" I cry out again as it grips tighter around my hurt wrist.

Both boys squirm a little harder, as do I, when Mione's voice snaps us from our struggling.

"Stop moving!" she shrieks. "I know what this is – it's Devil's Snare!" I pause completely now letting the blind panic dissipate and try to relax my body so the plant won't fight so harshly against me. It works a little, as it's released my throbbing wrist, but it still doesn't let go.

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," growls Ron as the plant curls around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" Hermione barks. I am too, but Herbology, though interesting, could be one of my worse subjects. There are so many plants to remember I'll sometimes get them a little muddled at times. I wish Neville were here, as he's excellent at Herbology, and he'd have us out of here in no time!

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" yells Harry as best he can.

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

"So light a fire!" Harry chokes.

"It's deadly fun, but will sulk in the sun! You've got it, Hermione! Now do something!" I shout.

"Yes – of course – but there's no wood!" Mione panics.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD? ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?" Ron bellows at her.

"Oh, right!" she replies before taking her wand and casting a huge stream of blue flames that singe the plant and cause it to shy away from the heat and light, releasing the three us us onto the damp, cement floor.

The boys and I make our way to Mione, me holding my wrist a little funny at my side, but I try not to let it draw attention to me. I'll be fine, but we need to keep going if we want to catch Snape in time, and if they're worrying about me, we'll miss our chance.

"Lucky Hermione pays attention in Herbology," Harry says once we're all together again, and I take Hermione's shaking hand in my good one to comfort her as she's trembling terribly.

"Yeah," agrees Ron, "and lucky Harry doesn't lose his head in a crisis - 'there's no wood', honestly."

"This way," steers Harry, taking us deeper into the lair of the Philosopher's Stone's hiding place.

The walls are damp and dark, reminiscent to the floor of the Devil's Snare room, and glistening with some sort of slimy dew. I shudder when I accidentally brush my hand against it, both because of the wetness and because it's my bad hand. The floors are made up of loose and rough cobble and cement, and the place is dimply lit with candles of all varying sizes.

"Can you hear something?" Ron suddenly asks, and so I strain to hear what he's heard. Sure enough I can just make out a very consistent fluttering noise, as if someone is ruffling the pages to a large book, or perhaps a hundred birds are fluttering past. "Do you think it's a ghost?"

"I don't know... sounds like wings to me," says Harry.

"There's light ahead – I can see something moving," says Mione.

As we come to the end of the corridor, we find ourselves in a chamber dimly lit by candle light with a brilliant, arched, stone ceiling extending high above us, and fluttering around just below said ceiling is, indeed, many, many small bird-looking creatures. On the opposing wall to the side we've just entered through, there's a large oak door closed shut, and to the room's west wall, there are broom sticks planted against the stone.

"Do you think they'll attack us if we cross the room?" asks Ron.

"Probably," answers Harry. "They don't look very vicious, but I suppose if they all swooped down at once... Well, there's nothing for it... I'll run."

The birds don't swoop at Harry as he sprints across the room, however; they don't pay him any mind at all, and it confuses us all. They must be one of the barriers we're to cross to find the Stone, so what is it they do? Maybe ...

Ron and Hermione join Harry at the door where they're trying to open it, but I let myself remain in the centre of the room looking up at the birds and watching them glitter in the light. This is my first indicator that whatever they are, birds aren't it, as birds don't glitter, my second is the way their shaped. They don't look like any bird, magical or no, that I've ever seen before... and that's because they aren't.

"Now what?" asks Ron after they've given up forcing the door open.

"These birds... they can't just be for decoration," says Hermione.

"That's because they aren't!" I call, and they each look at me. "Look closely. Look at the way they're shaped – and there! You see that? They aren't birds – birds don't glitter like that. they're keys! This must be Professor Flitwick's doing. He's charmed the keys to sprout wings, and I bet anything that one of them is for that door," I finish.

"But there's hundreds of them!" groans Ron.