The Girl Who Hid | ✓

|6| Tests

Harry pulled out the flute Hagrid had gotten him for Christmas and played it softly; instantaneously, the beast fell asleep.

"I think we'll be able to pull the door open," said Ron, peering over the dog's back. "Want to go first, Maisey?"

"No, I don't!"

"All right." Ron gritted his teeth and stepped carefully over the dog's legs. He bent and pulled the ring of the trapdoor, which swung up and open.

"What can you see?" Hermione said anxiously.

"Nothing— just black— there's no way of climbing down, we'll just have to drop."

Harry, who was still playing the flute, waved at Ron to get his attention and pointed at himself.

"You want to go first? Are you sure?" said Ron. "I don't know how deep this thing goes. Give the flute to Maisey so she can keep him asleep."

Harry handed the flute over. In the few seconds' silence, the dog growled and twitched, but the moment I began to play, it fell back into its deep sleep.

I watched as Harry jumped in first, then Ron, and then Hermione while I blew into the tiny pipes of the flute.

"Come on, Maisey!" I heard Ron shout.

I quickly stopped playing and jumped into the trapdoor just as a loud bark roared over us. I landed in between Hermione and Harry.

"We must be miles under the school," Hermione said.

"Lucky this plant thing's here, really," said Ron.

"Lucky!" shrieked Hermione. "Look at you both!"

Hermione and I struggled to get away from the plant, making our way to the damp wall. The moment we had landed, the plant had started to twist snake-like tendrils around our ankles. As for Harry and Ron, their legs had already been bound tightly in long creepers without their noticing.

I managed to untangle myself from the plant and pulled Hermione out as well being she wasn't as stuck as Harry and Ron. Now we watched in horror as the two boys fought to pull the plant off them, but the more they strained against it, the tighter and faster the plant wound around them.

"Stop moving!" Hermione ordered them. "I know what this is — it's Devil's Snare!"

"Oh, I'm so glad we know what it's called, that's a great help," snarled Ron, leaning back, trying to stop the plant from curling around his neck.

"Shut up, I'm trying to remember how to kill it!" said Hermione.

"Well, hurry up, I can't breathe!" Harry gasped, wrestling with it as it curled around his chest.

"Devil's Snare, Devil's Snare... what did Professor Sprout—?"

"It likes the dark and the damp," I gasped.

"So light a fire!" Harry choked.

"Yes— of course — but there's no wood!" Hermione cried, wringing her hands.

"HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" Ron bellowed. "ARE YOU A WITCH OR NOT?"

"Hermione!" I shouted and whipped out my wand and sent a jet of bluebell flames to the Devil's Snare. Hermione followed suit and the plant cringed away from the light and warmth. Wriggling and flailing, it unraveled itself from their bodies, and they were able to pull free.

"Lucky you pay attention in Herbology, Maisey," said Harry as he joined her by the wall, wiping sweat off his face.

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