Three months passed since the golden trio of Hogwarts and their Equestrian friends had their first encounter with Lord Voldemort deep within the Forbidden Forest. Since that night, Twilight and the rest of the Elements of Harmony worked hard trying to uncover whatever they could about the Dark Lord as well as the rest of the Dark Order’s plans. Thus far, they’ve come up completely empty-handed. Still, they were determined to keep up the search.
Naturally, the Student Six really wanted to help, but Twilight was very adamant about it. They had already gotten in enough trouble with the school, and they really didn’t want to risk anymore. So all she asked was for the kids to carry on with their schoolwork, while she and her friends do all the searching. At least this way, even if Twilight and the others got caught, they’d be the ones getting in trouble… not their students.
Currently, the Student Six found themselves walking beside Harry, Ron, and Hermione through the corridors on their way to the school grounds. The school year would be over in a few weeks and today had been quite stressful for them, what with final exams and all.
“I’ve always heard Hogwarts’ end of the year exams were frightful,” Hermione spoke, as they walked. “But I found that rather enjoyable.”
“Speak for yourself,” Ron countered. “I’ve never had to work so bloody hard in all my life. What about you guys?”
Beside him, Smolder and Gallus walked with bugged-out eyes, breathing as though they just run a marathon.
“That… was… the hardest… test… I’ve ever taken… in my life!” Smolder gasped, between breaths.
“Five major ingredients in a Girding Potion…” Gallus gasped dramatically. “OXYGEN!”
Silverstream, walking beside him, giggled over her boyfriend’s humorous antics.
“Oh stop being such a bird brain you big chicken,” She joked. “It really wasn’t all that bad. Honestly, after all the challenges we’ve faced in Equestria over the years, a little test should be nothing."
“Easy for hippogriff to say,” Yona groaned. “Try casting spells with nothing to hold wand but teeth… it literally impossible!”
“Hate to admit it, but Yona has a point,” Sandbar nodded. “All year long it’s been tough for us to perform magic with our wands since most of us don’t have claws or magic to carry them.”
As they walked, Harry suddenly felt a stinging sensation where his scar sat upon his forehead. He gasped while clutching one hand over his scar.
“You all right there, Harry?” Ocellus asked concerned.
“My scar,” He muttered. “It keeps burning.”
“It’s happened before.”
“Not like this.”
“Perhaps you should see the nurse,” Ron suggested.
“I’m sure Madame Pomfrey has something to ease the burning,” Silverstream added.
“I think it’s a warning,” Harry replied, rubbing his scar. “It means danger’s coming… uhh!”
“Relax Harry,” Smolder brushed off. “If it’s about that stone, it’s just as Hermione said.”
“The Stone is fine as long as Dumbledore’s here,” Gallus continued. “According to Hagrid, nobody’s able to get past Fluffy. He’s the only one who knows after all…”
“The only one who knows…” Harry repeated. “The only—Oh! Of course!”
It was then Harry noticed Hagrid, sitting at the foot of his hut and playing a flute. Much to everyone’s confusion, he started to run toward Hagrid while the others chase after him.
“Whoa, what’s the rush?” Ocellus asked.
“What is it?” Hermione questioned.
“We need to talk to Hagrid now!” Harry insisted.
“Why?” Yona raised an eyebrow.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything is a dragon, and a stranger shows up and just happens to have one? I mean, how many people wander around with dragon eggs in their pockets? Why didn’t I see it before?”
“What are you talking about?” Ron asked.
Ignoring Ron, Harry reached Hagrid, who was playing a rather familiar tune with his flute.
“Hagrid, I’ve got a to ask you a question,” Harry began. “Remember that night you won Norbert? Who gave you the dragon egg? What did the stranger look like?”
“That’s actually ‘three’ questions,” Gallus pointed out. “But yeah, is there anything you can tell us about this man?”
“I don’t know,” Hagrid answered, pausing. “I never saw his face. He kept his hood up.”
All three kids, especially the Young Six, looked stunned.
“It’s not that unusual, yeh get a lot of funny folk in the Hog’s Head… that’s the pub down in the village. Come to think of it, he WAS with another character, a little filly of some kind…”
“Was that filly, uh… pink, with a blue curly mane?” Ocellus asked nervously.
“Maybe… I don’t quite remember,” Hagrid spoke, thinking. “He coulda been babysitting while being a dragon dealer, I’m not quite sure.”
“But you and that stranger… you two must have talked,” Harry pressed. “Did he or the little filly bring up Hogwarts at all?”
“Well… it might have come up in conversation. Yeah… he asked what I did, an’ I told him I was gamekeeper here… he asked a bit about the sorta creatures I took after… so I told him… the filly seemed to be writing something down… ‘an I said what I always really wanted was a dragon… and then… I don’t remember too much, because the little filly and the other guy kept buying me drinks… let’s see… yeah, then he said he had the dragon egg en’ we could play cards fer it if I wanted… but he had ter be sure I could handle it, he didn’t want it ter go ter any old home… so I told him, and the little filly that after Fluffy, a dragon’s gonna be no problem…”
The Young Six’s eyes shrank with great concern, as they looked at each other. This confirmed that Cozy Glow was there with the stranger that day…
“And… did that stranger or the filly seem… ‘interested’ in Fluffy?” Harry asked.
“Well, of course they was interested in Fluffy!” Hagrid replied. “How often do you come across a three-headed dog, even if you’re in the trade? But I told them. I said, ‘The trick with any beast is to know how to calm him’. Take Fluffy, for example, just play him a bit of music and he falls straight to sleep.”
The three kids and the Young Six stared in shock as Hagrid realized what he just said.
“I shouldn’t have told you that.”
Immediately, the nine kids scampered off and rushed back to the castle.
“Where you going?!” Hagrid called out. “Wait!”
As the nine rushed back to the Hogwarts entrance, they looked at each other.
“We’ve got to find Headmare Twilight and everyone else,” Gallus informed. “Dumbledore most of all!”
“Agreed!” Harry nodded. “If what Hagrid says is true, that this young filly was with the stranger… they both know how to get past Fluffy!”
“And that young filly was definitely Cozy Glow,” Ocellus added. “That means the stranger in the cloak could either be Snape or Voldemort! Either way, they probably already relayed the information to Tirek and Chrysalis by now.”
“I guess it would have been easy to get the information once they got Hagrid drunk!” Silverstream replied. “I just hope the school will believe us.”
“Firenze may back us up if they give us permission to go to the Forbidden Forest,” Harry spoke. “But where would Dumbledore’s office be?”
Everyone paused and looked at each other.
“Perhaps Professor McGonagall knows?” Yona suggested. “Will McGonagall trust us?”
“Only one way to find out,” Harry answered. “Come on!”
Jut as they started running again, they almost collided head-in with the Mane Six and Spike.
“Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!” Twilight yelled. “Where are you all off to in such a hurry?”
“We need to see Professor McGonagall right away!” Harry said urgently.
“Are you sure you want to do that H.P.?” Rainbow asked. “I’m sure she’s still pretty peeved about the whole forest incident.”
“Someone call me?”
Everyone looked to the side and saw Peeves poke his head out of the wall, smiling widely.
“I said ‘peeved’ not ‘Peeves’!” Rainbow groaned.
“Suuuuuuure you did…” Peeves smiled, disappearing.
“Never mind him!” Rarity suggested. “If we must speak to McGonagall, we best do it post-haste!”
With that in mind, the Mane Six and Spike joined the Young Six and the three Gryffindors through the corridors. Until at last, they finally reach McGonagall’s classroom, running down the aisles between desks. Passing a ghost, they stop before McGonagall’s desk.
“We have to see Professor Dumbledore, immediately!” Harry requested.
“I’m afraid Professor Dumbledore is not here,” McGonagall informed. “He received an urgent owl from the Ministry of Magic and left immediately for London.”
“HE’S GONE?!” The Equestrians said in unison.
“NOW?!” Spike added.
“But this is important!” Harry spoke. “It’s about… the Philosopher’s Stone!”
Suddenly, McGonagall’s face broke out into shock the moment Harry brought it up.
“How do you know—”
“Because we ‘lied’ Minerva!” Twilight confessed. “The night we were at Hagrid’s, it wasn’t just about the Dragon egg… that was only ‘half’ the reason.”
“We know Hagrid’s errand at Gringotts was to collect that there stone!” Applejack added. “We even went to Hagrid’s to confirm the truth.”
“Someone’s going to try and steal it,” Harry added.
“It’s important that the stone is moved to a secure location,” Rarity advised. “Before it falls into the wrong hands… or hooves or… something!”
“I don’t know how you all found out about the stone,” McGonagall spoke. “But I can assure you it is perfectly well-protected. Now would you go back to your dormitories? Quietly…”
Seeing there was no point in arguing with McGonagall any further, the Equestrians and their three wizard friends had no choice but to leave the classroom. Yet as they left, McGonagall looked up towards the group as if contemplating if what they are saying is true. By then, the group had already left McGonagall’s class and stroll down the hallway.
“Let’s hope Dumbledore has no intent of going anywhere,” Smolder spoke mockingly, toward Spike. “Weren’t those your ‘exact’ words?”
“Uh, heh-heh… I guess I’ve really jinxed it this time,” Spike replied sheepishly.
“It’s more scary than we’ve ever imagined,” Fluttershy added.
“That was no stranger Hagrid met in the village,” Harry spoke. “It was Snape, which means he knows how to get past Fluffy.”
“In a way it almost makes sense as to how Snape is the prime suspect,” Pinkie thought. “As one of the wizards assigned to guard the stone, it would be so easy for him to gain access to wherever they have it hidden in the school. Not to mention he seems to hate Harry with a passion.”
“And with Dumbledore gone—” Hermione began.
“Good afternoon.”
All at once, the group quickly turned around to find Professor Snape suddenly appearing behind them.
“Now, what would nine young Gryffindors and seven ex-Hogwarts teachers such as yourselves be doing inside on a day like this?”
“Uh… we were just…” Hermione struggled for words.
“We were just escorting the kids back to their dormitories,” Twilight interjected. “They were so worn out over the finals, we thought we’d take them back so they can get some rest.”
The Equestrians formed toothy smiles toward the Professor, hoping that he would buy their story and leave it at that. Snape just stared at them, with that same emotionless face, almost as if he were studying their features to find something that give the truth away. The moment Snape looked at Harry, the boy glaring madly, a brief hint of shock seemed to appear on his face.
“You want to be careful,” Snape advised. “People will think you’re… up to something.”
And just like that, Snape made for a quick exit passing all the other students going the opposite direction. They all looked on silently toward the professor as he disappeared through the crowd.
“That guy really gives me the creeps,” Rainbow observed.
“Now what do we do?” Hermione asked.
“We do down the trapdoor,” Harry declared. “Tonight.”
“Right…” Twilight nodded, looking at the group. “All of us.”
<>
Later that evening, the golden trio, along with the Mane and Student Six make their way down the steps from the dormitories of the Gryffindor common room. Fortunately, no one else was awake, and the extra prefects have since retired to bed. As they neared the bottom, however, they could hear croaking and a very familiar toad sat along the arm of one of the chairs.
“Trevor…” Harry spoke.
“Trevor shh!” Ron hushed. “Go, you shouldn’t be here!”
“Neither should you…”
To their shock, another voice apart from their own spoke from behind the chair. And sure enough, Neville Longbottom peeked out before stepping up before the group. Although he seemed nervous standing before the group, he tried to give off a look of determination.
“You’re sneaking out again, aren’t you?” Neville inquired.
“Now, Neville, listen,” Harry insisted. “We were—”
“No! I won’t let you!” Neville objected. “You’ll get Gryffindor in trouble again! I-I’ll fight you.”
Hearing Neville’s words and seeing the boy hold out his fists, Rainbow Dash burst out laughing and actually fell to the ground, clutching her own stomach. Everyone looked at her as she rolled across the cross, before finally catching her breath and got back up.
“No offense or nothing kid, but you get hurt just from tying your own shoes,” She chuckled. “How can you possibly stop all fifteen of us, huh?”
“I don’t care how many of you there are,” Neville said determined. “I won’t let Gryffindor suffer any more than it already has.”
“Okay Neville… how about you just head back up to bed before someone gets hurt. Okay?”
“I can’t do that Miss Dash. I’m sorry.”
“Nevillie, I’m really, really sorry about this…” Hermione said, taking her wand. “Petrificus Totalus.”
Hermione’s spell seemed to completely immobilize Neville to the point where he stood completely frozen. Unable to move, the boy fell backward onto the ground. Hermione put her wand back as Ron and the rest of the Student Six gulped nervously.
“You’re a little scary sometimes… you know that?” Ron pointed out. “Brilliant, but scary.”
Even Gallus couldn’t help but smile nervously toward Hermione.
“So Mione,” He chuckled nervously. “We’re still cool, right? I mean I know when the year started, we got off on the wrong foot and all… are we cool now?”
Hermione just grinned mischievously at the young griffin, who quickly looked away and silently prayed to himself.
“Let’s go,” Harry spoke, walking passed Neville. “Sorry…”
“Sorry,” Hermione apologized to Neville.
“It’s for your own good, you know,” Ron added.
One by one each member of the group walked over Neville, offering their apologies just to be polite. But just before the group left the common room, Twilight Sparkle stopped midway as if she suddenly remembered something very important.
“Wait!” She said urgently.
Everyone quickly stopped in their place, as they look at her in anticipation.
“What’s wrong Twilight?” Pinkie asked. “Did you forget anything?”
“Actually, I was just thinking…” Twilight replied, uncertainly. “Pinkie, maybe it’s better if you stay behind for this one.”
Pinkie stared blankly for a second or two… before breaking out in uncontrollable laughter. As she did so, she looked toward Twilight’s face and noticed there wasn’t an ounce of falseness in her words. Pinkie’s laughing slowed to a halt, as her face dropped into a rather sad expression.
“Why?” Pinkie whined sadly. “You said all of us!”
“I know, I know…” Twilight nodded regretfully. “But Pinkie, I must point out you’re already ten months pregnant. In only one more month you’re going to have your foal. I can’t bear it if there’s anything that could risk you or your child’s life.”
Pinkie thought for a moment, looking down and patted her rather large tummy. The more she thought, the more she realized Twilight was absolutely right. What kind of mother would she be if she were to go out tonight, so close to having her foal, and somehow she got hurt? Still, she couldn’t help but feel awful as tears formed in her eyes.
“I know you’re right Twilight,” Pinkie nodded sadly. “But… I don’t want to just sit here waiting, while my best friends go down there and possibly get killed. How could I explain it to every pony else back home? What do I say?”
“Twilight’s right though Pinkie,” Applejack replied. “Y’all gotta think ah yerself and the baby first.”
“We just don’t want anything happening to you two,” Rainbow concurred. “It’s not that we don’t want ya to come Pinkster.”
“But we’d never live with ourselves if anything happened to you and the foal,” Fluttershy nodded.
“So please, for our sakes, stay here for tonight darling,” Rarity pleaded. “We promise we’ll come back. We always do.”
“And just what am I supposed do while you guys are gone?”
“Maybe you should stay here with Neville,” Spike suggested. “It might be good for you to stick around, until he wakes up.”
Pinkie looked back toward the still-frozen boy, lying stiffly upon the ground. When she turned back toward her friends, huge tears free-flowed down her cheeks.
“You all better Pinkie Promise you’ll come back to me,” She sobbed. “Okay?”
Everyone nodded, as Pinkie turned back to the students.
“That includes you whippersnappers,” She joked.
Everyone chuckled, as they proceeded to go through the entire procedure including reciting the sacred oath.
“Cross my heart, hope to fly. Stick a cupcake in my eye.”
With the oath swore, they make their way out of the common room as Pinkie Pie waved a farewell to her friends silently. Brushing her tears away and sitting down with a heavy sigh, Pinkie Pie slowly turned her head toward the stiff young Gryffindor who remained lying on the ground. Not as if the boy hadn’t any other choice, not till the spell eventually wore off.
“So…” Pinkie began. “I feel like I know just about every pony and everybody here in Hogwarts in such a short time… but I barely know anything about you. What was your hometown like? Where you grew? Any precious family memories?”
The boy didn’t even respond, not that he was able to speak anyway. He just laid there looking up toward the ceiling. It took Pinkie Pie seconds before it dawned on her.
“Oh right… the spell…” Pinkie giggled sheepishly. “Well on the positive side, I get to tell you all about my life. Let’s see… where do I start? Oh I know!”
Pinkie Pie cleared her throat before she proceeds.
“My sisters and I were raised on a rock farm outside of Ponyville. We spent our days working the fields. There was no talking… there was no smiling… *Sighs* there were only rocks…”
Little did Pinkie Pie know or even noticed, as she explained her lengthy story, a single tear slowly dripped from one of Neville’s eye. As if to assume that even though he couldn’t move, he truly could still hear everything that was going on. And whether he liked this predicament or not, the boy had no choice. He was stuck with this talkative pony who could talk for hours about her own life. On the outside, he looked unresponsive... inside, he was 'screaming'. This was going to be a long night for Longbottom.
<>
https://m.A while later, the three Gryffindors snuck along the corridor, all three under Harry’s invisibility cloak. A group of footsteps followed them closely, as once more Twilight Sparkle cast her invisibility charm in an attempt to shroud herself, her friends, and the students within the shadows.
“Ow!” Hermione cried, turning to Ron. “You stood on my foot!”
“Sorry,” Ron apologized quietly.
As they strolled quietly, a flame lights their way in the dark. Until at last, Hermione draws her wand and points toward a rather familiar door.
“Alohomora.”
And just like that, the door opens before them. One by one, the whole group goes in knowing they are to face a terror just waiting inside for them. They could hear the three sets of heavy breathing the further they go in.
“It’s even more scarier than the first time we came here,” Sandbar whispered.
“I bet that monster is just waiting for us to get closer,” Spike added.
“Wait a minute, he’s…” Harry observed. “Snoring!”
A heavy snore blew the cloak off the trio, and its breath was so heavy in scent that Twilight and the group suddenly appeared. The Princess of Friendship clutched her muzzle tightly, as tears streamed down her eyes, the others doing the same knowing the foul breath of all three of Cerberus’s heads. Faint music is heard as Smolder slowly turned toward the side.
“Look a harp!” Smolder pointed out. “It’s… playing on its own?”
“Of course!” Harry nodded. “Snape must have come here already and put a spell on the harp to keep it playing.”
“Uhh!” Ron groaned. “He’s got horrible breath.”
“Could stand to give him a breath mint or three,” Rarity nodded, pinching her muzzle.
As they motioned forward, they saw that one of Fluffy’s paws was atop the trap door. Ever so gently, the whole team pushed it aside as lightly as they could so as not to disturb Fluffy’s slumber. Opening the trapdoor, they peek inside one by one. It was deep and dark, no stairs to climb down nor even a ladder. A rather frightening sight for the team, but none more frightful than a nervous griffin.
“I don’t know if I can go down there guys,” Gallus admitted. “I am not good with dark, small spaces.”
“It’s okay Gallus!” Silverstream assured. “We’ll be with you every step of the way, and so will I.”
“She’s right,” Harry agreed. “I’ll go first, don’t follow till I give you a sign. If something bad happens, get yourselves out…”
Just then, Harry paused mid-sentence. He listened very carefully only to discover that something was… ‘off’.
“Does it seem a bit ‘quiet’ to you?”
It did not take too long for the team to notice that the harp stopped.
“The harp!” Hermione looked back. “It stopped playing.”
“But if harp stopped…” Yona began. “Then that mean…”
Suddenly, Ron felt a wet sensation roll along his shoulder. He turned to his right and discovered large goop, cold and sticky.
“Uhh! Yuck! Eww!”
It was then that their suspicions were confirmed. The entire team looked above only to find three angry heads, growling toward them.
“JUMP!” Harry shouted.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione jumped through the trap door. But Fluffy’s middle head lunged through the door, blocking the only entrance. That left two more heads staring toward the Young and Mane Six.
“Stay back Fluffy!” Smolder warned. “Or you’ll be dealing with Dragon Fire!”
With a deep breath, Smolder puffed out a beath of fire toward the best. But that alone didn’t stop the dog nor barely fazed it. The two heads lunged toward them, leaving everyone trying their best to dodge the heads while they unsheathed their wands. Before any of the kids could cast a charm, the Harp began to play again and Fluffy almost immediately calmed down. Then they heard soft singing bellowing in the very room, as the group turned and noticed Fluttershy singing to Fluffy.
https://m.
“Flutters, what are you doing?” Rainbow asked.
“Hagrid said Fluffy goes to sleep if some pony or someone played music,” Fluttershy responded. “I remembered this lullaby my mother used to sing to me at night and I thought it might be useful.”
“Quick thinking, Professor Fluttershy!” Ocellus smiled. “Come everyone, we must get through while Fluffy goes to sleep.”
And so Fluffy began to, so much that the one head blocking the trapdoor slowly lifted away and swayed about as if in a daze. One by one, the Equestrians jumped down the trapdoor till only Fluttershy and Rarity remain.
“Come Fluttershy, the others are waiting,” Rarity said.
“You go ahead,” Fluttershy responded. “Somepony must stay and keep Fluffy asleep. I’ll keep him calm as long as possible.”
“But Fluttershy…”
“This is where the journey ends for me, Rarity. You need to move on without me; please don’t let this go in vain.”
With no other choice, Rarity nods her head knowing what she has to do.
“We will come back to you… I promise.”
“I know you will…”
Swallowing a large breath of air, Rarity turned her face toward the hole and fell in. This left the nervous yet determined young Pegasus to keep singing while strumming the Harp. She did not know how long she could keep this up, but she needed all the time she can while hoping her friends will get to the stone and keep it safe.
<>
Rarity’s scream bellowed in the dark, as she fell through the hole for some time. Until eventually, Rarity landed next to the others on something smooth. She looked around, gasping as she realized they all landed on some mushy black ropelike vines.
https://m.
“Lucky this plant-thing is here, really,” Ron commented.
“Beats all the rough landings we usually have,” Gallus nodded.
“Where’s Fluttershy?” Twilight asked Rarity.
“She decided to stay behind and keep Fluffy busy,” Rarity answered reluctantly. “I just hope the poor dear will be okay.”
“Knowin’ Fluttershy and how good she is with critters,” Applejack noted. “She’ll be just fine and dandy.”
“Good news for her,” Smolder replied. “Now how do we get past all these plants?”
"Maybe we can eat our way through?" Spike suggested.
“Whoa!” Harry shouted.
All of a sudden, the plant began to move, and its vines slithered towards them. Before they could react, the vines started to tie them up in various ways. They wrapped around their waist, forced some of the Equestrians’ wings shut, and even clutched their necks. Try as they might to pry the vines off, they would not let go and they only grew tighter the more they struggled. Not even Yona could force her way through the vines, which seemed to overpower the strong Yak.
“Oh, I’ve read too many books to know where this is going!” Rainbow shouted, trying to cross her hooves.
“They are just like them creepy plants from the Everfree!” Rarity cried out.
“Stop moving, all of you,” Hermione spoke. “This is Devil’s Snare. You have to relax.”
“Hermione’s right!” Applejack nodded. “If we don’t, these crazy plants will kill us faster!”
“Kill us faster?!” Ron groaned, tugging the vines. “Oh, now I can relax!”
Hermione manages a smile, as the group witnessed their friend sucked into the abyss below the plants.
“Hermione!!!” The group shouted.
“Now what are we gonna do?!” Ron moaned, struggling.
“Evil plants gonna eat us one by one!” Yona panicked. “Yona too young to die!”
“Just relax!”
The group’s eyes widen as they heard a familiar voice. Though they could barely turn their heads, their eyes dart side by side.
“Hermione is that you?!” Rarity asked.
“Where are you?!” Harry called out.
“Do what I say!” Hermione called, from below. “Trust me.”
“She’s right!” Twilight said. “We’ve got to try!”
Setting an example, Harry relaxes the tenseness of his muscles. And sure enough, the plants seem to suck him into the abyss.
“Ahh! Harry!” Ron screamed.
While Ron looked on fearfully, Twilight tried to do the same technique that Princess Cadence taught her. Breathing deeply and letting the air out, Twilight allows the plants to swallow her. One by one, the Equestrians began to calm down and allow the plants to take them down as Ron kept struggling. At one point, Gallus hyperventilated as he watched his friends disappear. But then his talon feels a soft touch prying his eyes to look. Silverstream, tied beside him, smiled toward Gallus with tears in her eyes. Her gaze softens Gallus’s face, as he smiles back toward her… as they sink deep within the roots.
Among the last remaining trapped within the vines, aside from Ron Weasley, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were among the few left.
“Be brave, Ron!” Applejack called out. “What I’m sayin’ to you is the honest truth! If we just relax, just as Hermione says, we’ll be safe!”
“Safe?! Easy for you to say,” Rainbow muttered, beside Applejack. “I’m not used to being held down by any pony or anything! These sick plants are squeezing the very life out of me, touching me in places they shouldn’t be! And if I don’t get out of these plants, I’m about to—”
Rainbow Dash could’ve gone on as she rapidly flapped her wings trying to get out, but Applejack was just able to reach toward Rainbow Dash… being conveniently entangled so close to her friend. And before Rainbow can react, Applejack leaned in… and pressed her lips directly on Rainbow’s, pressing deeply as Rainbow’s eyes widen in shock. But then, Rainbow gave in and started kissing back, her eyes slowly closing shut. And as Ron looked on wide eyed, he watched as the two ponies sink.
“Bloody hell… I’m going to die here!”
Below the plants, Harry Potter and the rest of the Equestrians had fallen free from the plants above. Recovering after a hard landing on the ground, they notice Hermione beside them, the girl helping Harry up.
“Are you guys okay?” Hermione asked.
“Yeah, yeah I’m fine,” Harry nodded.
As Silverstream helped Gallus up, he turned to the side and a toothy smirk formed on his face.
“Well look what we have here.”
Confused, they faced Gallus’s direction and their eyes immediately went wide. There lying on the ground, Applejack and Rainbow Dash were in the middle of some… activities. Applejack’s hat laid along the side, as Rainbow stroke a hoof along Applejack’s mane and their moans could be heard as their lips remained pressed.
“Um girls?” Twilight spoke up. “You’re free now.”
Hearing Twilight’s voice, her two friends look toward Twilight and then back toward each other. Snapped back to reality, the Earth pony and Pegasus quickly separated. Applejack grabs for her hat, while Rainbow Dash brushes herself off with her wings.
“Of course we are!” Rainbow replied, acting macho. “That wasn’t so tough.”
“Help! Help! Help me!”
The whole team looked up and realized their friend was still trapped amongst the vines.
“RON!” Yona called out.
“He’s not relaxing, is he?” Hermione questioned.
“Apparently not,” Harry observed.
“We’ve got to do something!” Rainbow spoke.
“But what can we do?” Ocellus asked.
“Hermione, do you and Applejack recall anything about how to deal with Devil’s Snare?” Twilight questioned.
“Uh! I remember reading something in Herbology!” Hermione said.
“Me too!” Applejack recalled. “We had a class about this once…”
Hermione and Applejack try to think back, as Ron’s screams echoed above. By this point, the snare seemingly had enough of Ron’s shouting and sealed his mouth shut.
“Um… Devil’s Snare, Devil’s Scare…” Applejack began.
“It’s deadly fun…” Hermione continued, realizing. “But will sulk in the sun! That’s it!”
“Devil’s Snare hates sunlight!” They said in unison.
Hermione takes out her wand and pointed upwards.
“Lumus Solem!”
A beam of light shoots out toward the plants. The rest of the Student Six join in, all shouting the spell and casting additional beams of light. In the meantime, Rarity and Twilight Sparkle fired their own beams from their horns building enough light to cause the snares to shriek and recoil. Their grip loosens around Ron, causing the boy to fall to the floor screaming.
“Ahh!” Ron groaned, after a hard landing.
“Ron, are you okay?” Harry asked, helping him up.
“Yeah…”
“Oh good!” Silverstream sighed. “You gave us quite a scare!”
As Ron got back onto his feet, he looked up at the plants above.
“Whew! Lucky we didn’t panic!”
“Yer lucky Hermione paid attention in Herbology,” Applejack replied, smiling toward Hermione. “And if I were still permitted to teach, I’d give your house points for savin’ our lives.”
Before anyone can reply, the group are drawn by a strange sound.
“Uh guys…” Ocellus spoke up. “What is that noise?”
“I don’t know,” Harry answered. “It sounds like wings.”
“Oh no…” Rainbow moaned. “Please tell me it’s not parasprites!”
“Only one way to find out, Rainbow,” Twilight replied. “Come on, this way!”
https://m.
Slowly, the group marched forward before entering another room. As they observed, the whole area was littered by what appeared to be ‘golden birds’.
“Curious,” Hermione spoke. “I’ve never seen birds like these.”
“They’re not birds,” Harry said, looking closer. “They’re keys.”
Sure enough, Harry’s observation was true. They all resembled keys of different shapes and sizes, each of them having thin wings like dragonflies. As they looked around the room, they also acknowledged the large door just up ahead.
“Harry’s right,” Twilight nodded. “And I’ll bet one of them fits that door.”
And just inches away from the door, there also appeared to be a broomstick suspended in mid-air.
“What’s this all about?” Rarity asked.
“I don’t know,” Harry answered.
“Boy, this place gets stranger and stranger by the minute,” Smolder observed.
“Ah who needs that?” Rainbow brushed off. “You guys have wands; we can just use the magic to open the door.”
Ron creeps over to the door, takes out his wand, and rattles the lock.
“Alohomora!”
But whether Ron uttered the phrase right or not, whether he did the precise motions necessary, the lock wouldn’t click open. When that didn’t work, Twilight Sparkle and Rarity approached the door to have a try at the lock. Using their magic to pierce through the door lock, they tried to pry open the lock. But whatever kept the lock in place, it zapped a hint of electricity back at the two ponies sending them back with a light yelp.
“Ow…” Rarity moaned. “What a rude door!”
“I should’ve known it wouldn’t be that easy,” Twilight panted, massaging her horn. “Whomever cast the spell upon this door wanted to make sure no other wizard or magical beings could open the door with magic.”
“Well, it was worth a try,” Ron moaned.
“Ugh! What’re we going to do?” Hermione groaned.
“Looks like we don’t have much choice,” Spike sighed, looking up. “We need to find the one key that can open this door.”
“But there must be thousands of keys up there!” Gallus guessed. “We could be searching for hours and we’ll never get to the stone on the time.”
“We’re looking for a big old fashioned one,” Ron observed. “Probably rusty like the handle.”
As the group studied all the keys, trying to determine which one would more than likely fit the keyhole, Harry Potter points out toward the one key that caught his attention.
“There! I see it! The one with the broken wing!”
Sure enough, there was the one key as Harry described. A key slightly bigger than the thinner keys in the air, with one wing slightly bent making flying much slower. But then a thought crosses Harry’s mind, as his eyes turned back toward the hovering broomstick in the room. It was as if Harry was slowly putting all the pieces together. As Hermione and the others turned back toward Harry, they can tell from his expression that something is troubling him.
“What’s wrong, Harry?” Hermione asked.
“It’s too simple,” Harry answered.
“Oh, go on, Harry!” Ron urged. “If Snape can catch it on that old broomstick, you can! You’re the youngest seeker in a century!”
“Ron’s right,” Twilight nodded. “I may be all for anticipating what ‘could’ go wrong but now is not that time. Snape may be on his way to the stone as we speak and if he can get passed this room, you can too.”
Harry nods, as he slowly turns back toward the floating broom. He reaches with caution toward the broomstick, his fingers brushing along the surface until… he grasps the broom with one hand. Just then, a commotion sent Harry and the others looking upward. All the keys suddenly go in one direction, right toward Harry. He barely managed to climb on and make the broom fly, swiping away at the keys that tried to slash at him.
“This complicates things a bit!” Ron observed.
“Not if we can help it!” Rainbow called out. “Everyone who can fly, come with me! Harry needs our help!”
Rainbow Dash quickly takes off to aid their friend. Joining alongside Rainbow are Twilight Sparkle, Spike, Gallus, Silverstream, Smolder, and Ocellus. Harry pushed himself through the air, flying after the one key for the door, which barely fluttered away from the pursuing wizard. The others followed as best as they could, using any of their abilities to ward off the attacking keys.
Twilight Sparkle used her magic beams to carefully swipe away the keys behind Harry, careful not to strike the wizard. Smolder and Spike combined their flame attacks to scatter a few keys, while hundreds of others took their place. Some of the keys turned their attention toward the group, the majority scattering to provide a slight distraction for Harry. Though even with Rainbow’s super-speed, she barely escaped contact from the keys, which scratched parts of her body.
Eventually, when the boy was just within reach, Harry successfully grabbed the large key while the remaining keys (Not distracted by his friends) went after him.
“Catch the key!” Harry called out.
He hurled the key as hard as possible, which zoomed in the air slightly… before a rainbow blur swooped by and caught it with her mouth.
“Rainbow, over here!” Spike called out.
Nodding Rainbow passed the key over the Spike, as the other keys went after him. A game of catch took place as the heroes found themselves passing the key to one another. Spike hurled it into the air, as Twilight catches the key with her magic. She then hurls it to Gallus, who takes off with it as a back-and-forth pass takes place between himself and Silverstream, each tossing the key to one another as the keys zipped side-to-side with their target locked on the one key.
Eventually Silverstream spotted Ocellus at the corner of her eye and quickly passes it to the Changeling. Ocellus barely catches the key when she nervously sees the keys coming toward her.
“Ocellus, over here!” Smolder called out. “I’m open!”
Spotting her friend waving her claws, Ocellus threw the key as hard as she could sending it hurdling in the air before Smolder managed to catch it. With no time to celebrate, Smolder zooms off with all the other keys on her tail. She barely remains ahead of the pursuing keys, until she spots Ron, Hermione, and the others waiting by the door. With careful aim and precision, Smolder throws the key like a quaffle ball, sending it spiring toward the ground, and Hermione catches it.
The girl heads for the lock, while Harry and the others keep the other keys distracted. Ron and the others looked on worriedly as Hermione puts it into the lock and tries to get the door open.
“Hurry up!” Ron shouted.
Eventually, the door opened, allowing the group by the door safe passage.
“Come on, y’all!” Applejack called out. “It’s open!”
Seeing their means of escape, Harry Potter and his other winged companions zoomed toward the open doorway. And together, the whole group shut the door just as the other keys slammed against it, many of them embedding themselves through the door. The group barely got away as the keys pierced through the door, breathing heavily, and gasping for air. They turned back to the others, who just touched back onto the ground. If these challenges were anything they assumed they be, they were certainly giving them quite a workout just to get the stone.
“Oh Celestia’s sakes, darling!” Rarity approached. “Are you quite all right?”
“A bit winded…” Twilight replied. “But at least we got through.”
“A few scratches, but no problem for me!” Rainbow smirked. “Not even a flesh wound.”
“That… was… so… AMAZING!!!” Smolder shouted. “That was like the coolest game of Quiddith, only ten-times better! I wonder why they don’t include those obstacles in the game.”
“Gee… I wonder why…” Spike replied, spitting out a key.
“We’ve got no time to waste,” Harry spoke, stepping off the broom. “Let’s keep going while we still have the time.”
Nodding their heads, the remainder of the group followed Harry closely. Some a bit more slowly since the keys did scratch them a bit, though the two dragons were fortunate to have near impervious scales. Still they couldn’t imagine how tough the next challenge would be moving forward.
<>
Eventually, their journey took them into a scarcely dark room. Nervously, the team looked around and noticed all the broken pieces of stone scattered around the room.
“I don’t like this,” Hermione spoke. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Where are we?” Harry asked.
“It looks like a graveyard,” Sandbar observed.
“It feels just like a graveyard too,” Ocellus agreed, gulping nervously.
“This is no graveyard,” Ron sighed. “It’s a chessboard.”
https://m.
Sure enough, the moment they stepped foot upon the marble board, flames spouted to life. All the lights illuminated the entire room, revealing that they indeed stood upon a giant chessboard… complete with GIANT pieces. There before them all the white pieces stood in front of them: Eight pawns, two rooks, two knights, two bishops, one queen, and one knight. As they noticed with the black side, a few of the spaces were missing pieces.
“Wow! This is the biggest chessboard I’ve ever seen!” Twilight observed.
“Boy, Hogwarts really takes their game of chess seriously,” Gallus nodded.
“There’s the door!” Harry pointed out.
Sure enough, the door that could lead them to the stone was just before them. Slowly the group walk across the board to reach the door. Suddenly, just as they reached the line of pawns, they all sprung to life and unsheathed their swords toward them. Their sudden motion sent our heroes back, as the pieces sheathed their swords in place.
“Holy guacamole!” Spike shouted.
“Now what do we do?” Hermione muttered.
“It’s obvious, isn’t it?” Ron stepped forward. “We’ve got to play our way across the room.”
“Well, you’re the expert at Wizard Chess,” Gallus replied. “What will you have us do?”
Ron looked around, addressing a few of the spots in need of pieces to play.
“Harry, you take the Bishop’s square. Hermione, you’ll be the Queen’s side castle. As for me, I’ll be a knight.”
“Hold on, that leaves a few spaces missing for the pawns,” Sandbar observed. “Who’s going to take those spots?”
“I may not be too keen on chess, but if it means smashing some pieces—” Rainbow began, stepping forward. “AHHH!!!”
All of a sudden, Rainbow leaned down as if she were in pain. She tried to get back up, but her body felt as if she were on fire. Twilight and Smolder quickly circled Rainbow Dash and held her back noticing that the keys made more damage than they realized seeing how deep the scratches were. Suffice to say, those involved with the last room were in no better shape. Even the Dragons, while not as viciously hurt, were rather tuckered out.
“You’re in no shape to fight,” Twilight told Rainbow. “And I’m afraid most of us don’t have the strength either.”
“Yeah that last room took a lot out of me,” Silverstream replied.
“Looks like the rest of you guys will have to go on,” Gallus recommended.
“Least there’s only four spaces left,” Spike observed. “Actually… that’s rather convenient.”
The four remaining members of the group, including Applejack, Rarity, Yona, and Sandbar looked back at the board and saw that indeed four spaces remained for them. As dangerous as this situation was, they knew the rest of their friends were right.
“I don’t know much about chess,” Applejack admitted, tipping her hat. “But we just gotta get through that door somehow. I’ll go up.”
“Yak take on giant chess pieces!” Yona snorted, stepping up. “Yaks smash!”
“Hold on!” Sandbar stepped up. “If you’re going up there Yona, I’m coming too.”
“I don’t know…” Rarity shook. “I’m all for being meticulous and being attentive to patterns and such. But what if any of those pieces try to attack me?”
“Don’t worry Professor Rarity,” Ron assured. “The object of the game is not so much taking down all the pieces. All we have to do is get the king in a position he can’t escape, and the other pieces won’t stop us. If I can get all of us into position, we won’t have to worry about confronting most of the white side.”
“Well, if you are sure you can handle this,” Rarity sighed. “All right. It… is… on!”
<>
It does not take long for the remainder of the group to assume their places on the board, while the others stayed on the sidelines to watch. Ron climbed aboard one of the Knight horses, clutching the steel reins to hold on. Spike chewed his nails nervously as Rarity took her spot on the pawn position, trying to look brave toward the white pieces.
“What happens now?” Hermione asked.
“Well, white moves first,” Ron explained. “And then… we play.”
Sure enough, the first white pawn from the opposite side moves forward slowly taking it’s spot after passing two squares. Ron gazed upon the board, studying the game while creating a strategy in his mind.
“Uh Ron, this ain’t gonna be like… real wizard’s chess, right?” Applejack asked nervously.
Then Ron turned to one of the remaining black pawns and decided to test out the theory.
“You there! D-5!”
The black pawn moves forward, diagonal to the white pawn. The white pawn raised its swords and smashed the black one, breaking it down into a billion pieces. The group jumped over the viciousness of the attack.
“SWEET CELESTIA!” Silverstream cried out, hugging Gallus tightly.
“Ow! Ow! Ow! Still in pain… still in pain…” Gallus winced.
“Yes, Professor Applejack, I think this is going to be ‘exactly’ like wizard’s chess!” Ron confirmed.
Those on the board, nervous beyond words, kept still until Ron determined them ready to make their move. As the game continued, the pieces from both sides. Black pieces… white pieces… scattering across the floor with a loud BOOM! During Ron’s turn, he had his strongest friends, Applejack and Yona, smash any of the pieces in their path bucking and charging them back. Rarity, while not the strongest at magic, used a beam to explode a piece beside her and blocked herself to keep the pieces from hitting her face. At Sandbar’s turn, he lifted one hoof like a karate chop and whacked a white piece… making his eyes widen.
“YEOW!!!!!”
As he clutched his stinging arm with the other hoof, the white piece slowly cracked before falling apart before him. All the while, Ron kept making calls when it was his turn.
“Castle to E-4!”
*SMASH!*
“Pawn to C-3!”
Pieces moved in various directions. The pawns moving forward in either one or two spaces, the bishops diagonally, the rooks going up or down, left, or right, the knights going in the direction to form an L, and the Queens going any place they’d like. All the while the board explodes as the pieces from both sides began to dwindle one by one.
When Harry and his friends still remained, they could only watch as the White Queen turned and smashed a piece beside her, swiping it away with a heavy swing of its weapon. They winced at the sight as the Queen turned waiting for Ron’s next maneuver. Both Ron and Harry studied the game carefully, until eventually it dawned on Harry.
“Wait a minute…”
“You understand right, Harry,” Ron nodded. “Once I make my move, the Queen will take me… then you’ll be free to check the King.”
“No, Ron! No!”
“What is it?” Hermione asked.
Twilight Sparkle’s eyes widen, as she too saw what Ron was planning. She can tell what he was up to even as Ron had his eyes closed.
“Ron’s going to sacrifice himself so Harry can get to the King!” Twilight called out.
“Ron can’t do that!” Yona called out.
“There must be another way!” Sandbar added.
“Do you want to stop Snape or not?” Ron faced the group, especially Harry. “Harry, it’s you that has to go on. Not me, not Hermione, not the Equestrians… you.”
Harry nodded, knowing what must be done to get through. Ron slowly turned his head forward, taking a deep breath, while clutching the reins firmly.
“Knight… to H-3.”
Ron’s horse moved slowly forward, sliding across the board. When the knight piece takes its position, it stopped in place. Ron looked toward the King piece, confirming his position.
“Check.”
On cue, the Queen turned toward Ron just as he predicted would happen. As the White Queen advanced slowly toward Ron, as the others watched nervously. Ron’s breathing increased rapidly, his hands grasping the steel reins tightly, waiting in anticipation for the inevitable blow. The Queen slides… and slides… and slides… until it stops. And then…
*SMASH!*
The White Queen struck the horse, sending Ron flying off screaming. He crashed against the floor, unconscious.
“RON!!!” The group shouted.
Hermione starts to approach him when Harry stopped her.
“NO! Don’t move!” Harry called out. “Don’t forget, we’re still playing!”
“Harry’s right!” Rarity called out. “Go on then. Finish the game for all of us!”
As Hermione moved back to her exact spot, Harry turned toward the King. He slowly walked the diagonal direction, past his fallen friend. The group watched nervously as Harry eventually reached his spot, where he knew the King was trapped.
“Checkmate!”
And just like that, the King’s sword fell and clattered along the ground signaling their victory. Breathing out and free to walk across the board, the two Gryffindors and the remaining Equestrians rushed toward Ron. They bend beside him, as Twilight places a hoof along Ron’s neck to check his pulse.
“He’s unconscious!” Twilight declared. “But his pulse is very faint. He needs a Doctor right away.”
“Take care of Ron!” Harry instructed. “Then, go to the owlery. Send a message to Dumbledore and Princess Celestia.”
“And what are you going to do?” Rainbow questioned.
“… Ron’s right… I have to go on.”
“Then… I’m coming along too!” Smolder said determinedly.
“It’s going to be dangerous!” Harry warned.
“You kids could get killed!” Rarity replied.
“We can’t let Harry go on alone,” Smolder argued. “If we don’t help him make sure the stone is safe, both our worlds will lose its inhabitants too. You and the other professors should go back, get the rest of our friends back and tell Princess Celestia what’s going on.”
“Smolder’s right,” Sandbar nodded, walking with Yona. “And wherever Harry and our friends go, we’ll go too.”
“Yona ready!” Yona nodded.
“Count us in!” Silverstream added, with Gallus beside her.
Silently Ocellus looked ahead as her friends stepped up to join Harry Potter at his side. Releasing a deep sigh, Ocellus nodded her head with a light smile and joined along the group passing Applejack and Rarity. Spike almost considered joining when a white hoof touched his shoulder, as he gazed towards Rarity’s gaze. Understanding, Spike joined with the remainder of the Mane Six, Hermione, and the fallen Ron Weasley as the Student Six joined Harry.
“You sure you really want to do this?” Harry asked.
“Hey, we started this together, we might as well finish it this way,” Gallus replied. “Besides, us misfits have got to stick together.”
“You’ll be okay, Harry,” Hermione assured. “You’re all great wizards, you really are.”
“Not as good as you,” Harry admitted.
“Me?” Hermione smiled. “Books and cleverness? There are more important things. Friendship, and bravery.”
“Well said, Hermione,” Applejack smiled.
“Just be careful kids,” Twilight spoke. “If anything happens to either of you in there—”
“We know Headmare Twilight,” Ocellus interrupted. “But if we can save the world once, we can do it again… and we’ll do it together.”
“Good luck you guys!” Spike spoke.
Nodding their heads, Harry and the Student Six stood before their friends gazing upon them as if this could be the last time they see each other again. Eventually, they turn toward the final door and walk away ready to enter the unknown and confront the very being seeking to use the stone for their own gang. All Twilight and the others could do is watch on, knowing that their students would venture into such a dangerous encounter regardless of what they say. But after seeing what these kids are capable of, they had no reason to fear for the moment.
“There goes the most awesome group of kids I ever got to teach,” Rainbow declared.