Through the Trapdoor
End of term exam time comes, with both written and practical tests. Harry cannot figure out how he was able to take exams while worrying that Voldemort was about to burst through the door and kill him. With the exams' end, Ron and Hermione are relaxed, though Harry is not; his scar is hurting more than ever, indicating danger is approaching.
Harry suddenly realizes that he must check something with Hagrid - he needs more detail about where Hagrid got the Dragon's egg. Dragon eggs are not exactly something that one idly carries around, after all. Hagrid, when confronted, does not know what the man he won the egg from looked like, he kept his hooded cloak on. Hagrid also told this stranger that Fluffy, the three-headed dog, would calm right down if he was played a bit of music.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, realizing that someone knows how to get past the three-headed dog, run to tell Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall informs them that he has been called away to London. They try to trail Professor Snape, but fail. Harry resolves to go down the trap door as soon as the Gryffindor common room clears; Hermione and Ron immediately elect to go with him.
As they prepare to leave, Neville notices them and attempts to block their departure, refusing to allow Gryffindor to lose any more House points. Hermione regretfully puts him in a full body bind. Under the Invisibility Cloak, they leave the common room and make their way to the third-floor corridor where they find the door is already open. Using the flute that Hagrid gave him, Harry plays Fluffy to sleep, then they jump down the trap door, into a crop of Devil's Snare. Hermione, recognizing what it is, but needing to be prompted by Ron, neutralizes the plant. From there, they enter a chamber with what looks like flying birds but is actually keys. They can only escape by catching the right key using a broomstick. Naturally, Harry manages this with Ron's and Hermione's assistance. The next trap is a gigantic and violent Wizard chess set. Ron brilliantly navigates them across the board by winning the game, but he is injured. After checking his condition, Harry and Hermione then pass on through a chamber in which there is a Troll that is, luckily, already knocked out. They move on to the next challenge, a logic puzzle, which Hermione solves. However, only one can proceed further, and Harry sends Hermione back to help Ron and summon help. Harry enters the last chamber. Someone is there, but it is not Snape, nor is it Voldemort.
The Trio is starting to work together, and we see them deriving strength from their combined talents. Each plays a vital role in helping Harry reach the Philosopher's Stone, whereas, one alone, and even two, would have failed. Hermione's magical ability and her intellect were necessary to escape the Devil's Snare and to defeat the logic puzzle; Harry's flying skill was required to catch the key; and Ron's chess-playing talent was needed on the Wizard's Chess board. Notably, however, they were not simply taking turns. Ron had to prompt Hermione into conjuring a light to evade the Devil's Snare, and Harry needed Ron's and Hermione's help on the brooms to corner the key.
It was mentioned earlier that certain staff and teachers provided the protection for the Stone. In order, that would be: Hagrid (Fluffy), Professor Sprout (Devil's Snare), Professor Flitwick (charmed keys), Professor McGonagall (wizard chess set), Professor Quirrell (troll), and Professor Snape (potions for the logic puzzle). While we have been told that Professor Dumbledore has also provided protection, the form his magic will take is unseen yet.
Neville's opposing the Trio is the first occasion where we have seen him evince any bravery whatsoever. Until now, he has seemed ineffectual, very weak magically, and at the mercy of the passing scene. It certainly seemed questionable as to just why the Sorting Hat placed him in Gryffindor. But Gryffindor also represents nobility, as well as courage, and the Hat apparently detected both those traits within him that, here, we see for the first time when he stands up against opposition; futilely, to be sure, but he is fighting to protect his House from losing more points due to what he feels is the Trio's inappropriate actions. This chapter marks a milestone in Neville's maturation, and his bravery and noble nature are gradually becoming more overt. Whether or not his magical ability can also progress remains to be seen, however.
One small point deserves notice here. It is mentioned in passing that Harry has trouble sleeping because, "he kept being woken by his old nightmare," though we have not heard previously of any such nightmare. The one dream that is described in the story that could be considered a nightmare dates back to Harry's first night at Hogwarts, and it is mentioned there that he had forgotten the dream by the next morning. We cannot offer any explanation for this discrepancy.
Harry suddenly realizes that he must check something with Hagrid - he needs more detail about where Hagrid got the Dragon's egg. Dragon eggs are not exactly something that one idly carries around, after all. Hagrid, when confronted, does not know what the man he won the egg from looked like, he kept his hooded cloak on. Hagrid also told this stranger that Fluffy, the three-headed dog, would calm right down if he was played a bit of music.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione, realizing that someone knows how to get past the three-headed dog, run to tell Professor Dumbledore. Professor McGonagall informs them that he has been called away to London. They try to trail Professor Snape, but fail. Harry resolves to go down the trap door as soon as the Gryffindor common room clears; Hermione and Ron immediately elect to go with him.
As they prepare to leave, Neville notices them and attempts to block their departure, refusing to allow Gryffindor to lose any more House points. Hermione regretfully puts him in a full body bind. Under the Invisibility Cloak, they leave the common room and make their way to the third-floor corridor where they find the door is already open. Using the flute that Hagrid gave him, Harry plays Fluffy to sleep, then they jump down the trap door, into a crop of Devil's Snare. Hermione, recognizing what it is, but needing to be prompted by Ron, neutralizes the plant. From there, they enter a chamber with what looks like flying birds but is actually keys. They can only escape by catching the right key using a broomstick. Naturally, Harry manages this with Ron's and Hermione's assistance. The next trap is a gigantic and violent Wizard chess set. Ron brilliantly navigates them across the board by winning the game, but he is injured. After checking his condition, Harry and Hermione then pass on through a chamber in which there is a Troll that is, luckily, already knocked out. They move on to the next challenge, a logic puzzle, which Hermione solves. However, only one can proceed further, and Harry sends Hermione back to help Ron and summon help. Harry enters the last chamber. Someone is there, but it is not Snape, nor is it Voldemort.
The Trio is starting to work together, and we see them deriving strength from their combined talents. Each plays a vital role in helping Harry reach the Philosopher's Stone, whereas, one alone, and even two, would have failed. Hermione's magical ability and her intellect were necessary to escape the Devil's Snare and to defeat the logic puzzle; Harry's flying skill was required to catch the key; and Ron's chess-playing talent was needed on the Wizard's Chess board. Notably, however, they were not simply taking turns. Ron had to prompt Hermione into conjuring a light to evade the Devil's Snare, and Harry needed Ron's and Hermione's help on the brooms to corner the key.
It was mentioned earlier that certain staff and teachers provided the protection for the Stone. In order, that would be: Hagrid (Fluffy), Professor Sprout (Devil's Snare), Professor Flitwick (charmed keys), Professor McGonagall (wizard chess set), Professor Quirrell (troll), and Professor Snape (potions for the logic puzzle). While we have been told that Professor Dumbledore has also provided protection, the form his magic will take is unseen yet.
Neville's opposing the Trio is the first occasion where we have seen him evince any bravery whatsoever. Until now, he has seemed ineffectual, very weak magically, and at the mercy of the passing scene. It certainly seemed questionable as to just why the Sorting Hat placed him in Gryffindor. But Gryffindor also represents nobility, as well as courage, and the Hat apparently detected both those traits within him that, here, we see for the first time when he stands up against opposition; futilely, to be sure, but he is fighting to protect his House from losing more points due to what he feels is the Trio's inappropriate actions. This chapter marks a milestone in Neville's maturation, and his bravery and noble nature are gradually becoming more overt. Whether or not his magical ability can also progress remains to be seen, however.
One small point deserves notice here. It is mentioned in passing that Harry has trouble sleeping because, "he kept being woken by his old nightmare," though we have not heard previously of any such nightmare. The one dream that is described in the story that could be considered a nightmare dates back to Harry's first night at Hogwarts, and it is mentioned there that he had forgotten the dream by the next morning. We cannot offer any explanation for this discrepancy.
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