71: Chapter 71 The Shadow Following the Savior

The portrait hole of Gryffindor Tower opened a crack, and Harry poked his head out wearing the invisibility cloak, with Ron and Hermione squeezed behind him.

Ron tugged at the hem of the cloak and complained, "This thing should be bigger; my feet are exposed."

Hermione urged, "Bend down, don't step on me."

Harry looked towards the corridor, "Filch isn't here, let's go."

Ron dragged his feet, "Is it too late to back out now?"

Hermione turned back and glared at him, "Too late."

Harry pulled the invisibility cloak over both of them, "As long as there's music for Cerberus, it'll be fine."

Ron muttered, "Hagrid really shouldn't have told a stranger about this."

Hermione said, "He already has, and we just have to get ahead of Snape."

Harry paused for a half-step, "What if it isn't Snape?"

Ron looked at him, "You want to talk about Quirrell again?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't know, but someone will definitely go in tonight."

Hermione tightened her bookbag strap, "Then don't hesitate any longer."

At the other end of the corridor, the wall shadow gently folded open. Allen stood behind the Spatial Thin Layer, his blackthorn wand held in his palm.

Inside the Portable Space, the Void coiled beside the ebony box, its silver pupils fixed on the outside world.

Peter huddled in the corner of the cage, his mouth sealed by the space, and he could only raise his hand to gesture.

Allen watched the three of them walk away, "Five minutes."

The Void flicked its tongue.

Peter gestured again.

Allen glanced at the cage, "I don't need you to remind me."

The three turned the corner of the stairs, and an echo came from beside the suit of armor.

Ron stopped, "I heard footsteps."

Hermione said, "They're ours."

Ron looked down, "No, it's a fourth person."

Harry raised his wand, "Who's there?"

The stairwell was empty, and the old Wizard in the portrait turned over.

Hermione grabbed Harry, "Don't stop; the slower we go, the easier we are to be discovered."

Ron muttered, "The Castle is watching us everywhere tonight."

Five minutes later, Allen emerged from the wall, his shoe soles landing on the stone tiles without a sound.

The old Wizard in the portrait opened half an eye, "Another one out at night?"

Allen raised his wand, and a knut slid from his sleeve, landing under the frame.

The old Wizard looked at the money, "Bribing a portrait—kids these days really have ideas."

Allen said, "Go to sleep."

The old Wizard snorted and turned his back.

At the end of the corridor on the right side of the Third Floor, the sound of a harp came through the door crack.

Ron's voice came from inside the door, "Is it asleep?"

Hermione said, "As long as the music doesn't stop."

Harry said, "The trapdoor is by its feet, we have to be quick."

Allen passed through the door panel, sticking to the spatial interlayer.

The Cerberus was lying on the ground, its three heads bobbing with the harp music, drool dripping onto the wooden boards.

Ron covered his nose, "Merlin, how long has it been since it brushed its teeth?"

Hermione said, "Never mind the teeth, move the paw."

The three pushed away the giant paw, revealing the dark opening of the trapdoor.

Harry looked down, "I can't see the bottom."

Hermione looked at him, "You go first."

Harry froze, "Why me?"

Hermione said, "It was your idea."

Ron nodded, "Fair."

Harry took a breath, let go, and jumped down.

A dull thud came from below, "I'm not dead, it's soft."

Hermione said, "Devils Snare."

Ron's expression turned bitter, "That doesn't sound any better."

Hermione urged before jumping down, "Ron, don't dawdle."

Ron looked at the twitching nose of the Cerberus, "I hate you guys."

He also jumped down.

Allen stood at the edge of the trapdoor, listening to the movement below.

Harry shouted, "It's got me!"

Hermione said, "Don't move, the more you struggle, the tighter it gets."

Ron said anxiously, "Easy for you to say, it's crawling up my neck!"

Hermione said, "Devils Snare is afraid of light, Harry, raise your wand."

Harry said, "My hands are tied up."

Ron shouted, "Hermione!"

Hermione chanted, "Lumos!"

A bright light shone from below, and the vines retreated.

Ron fell to the ground, coughing a few times, "I'll never make fun of you for reading books again."

Hermione panted, "Remember that."

Harry helped him up, "Let's go, there's a door ahead."

Allen retreated into the spatial fold, his body sinking, bypassing the Devils Snare room.

The Void raised its head in the Portable Space.

Allen said, "First challenge, as usual."

Peter raised his hand, pointing outside.

Allen said, "They can pass."

The stone room ahead was full of flying keys, the sound of flapping wings filling the walls.

Ron looked up, "So many, which one opens the door?"

Hermione looked at the lock, "Old lock, the key should be worn."

Harry pointed high up, "That silver one, its wing is bent."

Ron looked at the broom by the wall, "Can you catch it?"

Harry had already mounted the broom, "I'll try."

Hermione warned, "Don't get knocked down."

Harry chased the silver key, circling close to the ceiling, his forehead nearly hitting the stone wall.

Ron grabbed another broom, "I'll block it."

Hermione stopped him, "You'll break your neck."

Ron said, "Then don't look."

Ron charged up unsteadily, forcing the silver key towards the door.

Harry swooped down from above, grabbing the key, his knees almost buckling as he landed.

Hermione took the key and opened the door, "Quick, it's struggling hard."

The lock clicked open.

Ron threw the broom back, "I did pretty well just now, right?"

Hermione said, "If you don't count the part where you almost hit the wall."

Harry smiled, "Let's go."

Allen stood in the spatial interlayer below the ceiling, watching the keys scatter again, his wand intercepting a stream of magical energy.

The Void's tail tip tapped the ground.

Allen said, "Second challenge, automatic reset."

Peter opened his mouth silently.

Allen looked at the cage, "You'd better pray that what follows is just as orderly."

Behind the door was a giant chessboard, with black and white stone statues lined up on the squares, their weapons gleaming coldly.

Ron stopped at the edge, his face tightening, "Wizard's Chess."

Harry asked, "Isn't that good? You're the best at this."

Ron stared at the pieces, "These aren't the little pieces in the dorm that like to curse."

Hermione asked, "Are the rules the same?"

Ron took a step closer, and the black pieces raised their heads.

The stone knight spoke, "Choose your positions."

Ron swallowed, "Okay, listen, we have to play as the pieces."

Harry said, "You direct us."

Hermione asked, "Can't we avoid fighting?"

Ron shook his head, "We have to take pieces to get through this game."

He pointed to the board, "Hermione, you be the Castle, Harry, you stand in the Knight position next to the Bishop."

Harry asked, "What about you?"

Ron looked at the empty spot, "I'll be a Knight."

Hermione said, "Ron, don't do anything reckless."

Ron looked up at the board, "I'm not being reckless."

The chess game began, the sound of stone colliding echoing in the room.

Ron issued orders continuously, Harry followed them, and Hermione was blocked to one side.

The White Queen turned towards the square where Ron was, raising her stone sword high.

Hermione shouted, "Ron, get off!"

Ron looked at Harry, "After I fall, you move three steps, Checkmate."

Harry shook his head, "No."

Ron roared, "Harry, listen to me for once!"

The White Queen dropped her sword, the stone knight and horse were knocked away together, and Ron fell to the edge of the chessboard.

Hermione cried out, "Ron!"

Harry almost rushed out.

Ron raised his hand with effort, "Make your move, Harry."

Hermione wanted to go over.

Ron cursed, "Don't come over, you'll lose!"

Harry turned back and followed Ron's strategy to the last square.

The Black King raised his sword, and the White King removed his crown.

The door opened.

Hermione ran to Ron's side, "Wake up."

Ron opened his eyes, "Did we win?"

Harry crouched down, "We won."

Ron grabbed the hem of Harry's robe, "Don't give the stone to him."

Harry nodded, "I won't."

Hermione stood up, "I'll accompany you to the next challenge."

Allen watched all of this from above, his wand resting in his palm, without interfering.

At the edge of the chessboard, the shattered stone pieces slowly returned to their places, and the defensive Charms flowed back to the center along the grid lines. The sacrifice just now was swallowed by the rules, leaving only the result of passage.

Allen said, "Sacrifice triggers passage, the chess game acknowledges the result."

The Void raised its head.

Allen continued, "The rules have a loophole; they only recognize falling, not death."

Peter retreated into the corner of the cage.

Allen watched Ron lying on the edge, while Harry and Hermione had already entered the next door.

Ron cursed in a low voice, "If I'd known, I should have let Harry be the Knight, it hurts like hell."

Allen tapped his wand lightly, and a knut slid out of his sleeve, sticking to the Spatial Thin Layer and falling into the stone crevice of the chessboard.

The edge of the knut melted into the shadows, leaving an anchor point so fine it was hard to distinguish.

The Void's tail tip touched the ebony box.

Allen said, "The retreat point is set."

Peter looked up at him.

Allen withdrew his wand, "Don't be impatient; the most troublesome part of tonight hasn't arrived yet."

Ron lay at the edge of the chessboard, shouting into the distance, "Harry! Hermione! Don't die!"

There was no response from inside the door.

Allen retreated into the spatial interlayer, following in the direction Harry and Hermione had left.