Chapter 48: Flying Keys
Hermione walked forward quickly, picked up the parchment, and read it carefully. Her brows knitted tighter and tighter, and her eyes were filled with confusion; she was clearly stumped by this potion riddle.
Harry also leaned in, looking at the handwriting on the parchment with a blank expression: "What does this mean? I can't understand it at all."
Edward also walked over and glanced at the content on the parchment. It was a riddle written in ancient magical text, describing the characteristics of the seven bottles - some were poison, some were antidotes, some were potions that allowed one to pass through flames, and others were potions that would make one retreat.
This was a challenge set by Snape; it was indeed related to Potions.
Edward's gaze fell on those bottles, and a flash of understanding crossed his eyes. He had read similar potion riddles in the Restricted Section of the library; this type of arrangement and combination actually had a traceable pattern.
"How is it?" Harry looked at Hermione and asked anxiously. "Which bottle should we choose?"
Hermione put down the parchment and shook her head with a grave expression: "This riddle is very complex. It says the poison is always to the left of the antidote, and there is only one potion that allows one to pass through the flames. I need some time to calculate."
Edward leaned against the wall, watching Hermione look distressed at the bottles, and said in a flat tone: "No need to calculate. The third one on the left is the antidote, and the second one on the right is the potion that allows passing through the flames. The rest are either poison or plain water that will make you retreat."
Hermione suddenly looked up, staring at him in surprise: "How do you know?"
"I've read similar potion riddles in the library." Edward said indifferently. "This kind of arrangement is common. The poison is dark in color, the antidote is pale blue, and the potion to pass through the flames has a faint flame pattern on the bottle."
Hermione clearly didn't believe him. She carefully checked the parchment again, then picked up the third bottle on the left; the liquid inside was indeed pale blue. She then picked up the second bottle on the right, and there was indeed a faint, flickering flame pattern on the bottle.
Her expression became very strange: "You... you are right."
Harry was also stunned; he hadn't expected this Slytherin to be able to see through such a complex potion riddle at a glance.
Hermione picked up the third bottle on the left and handed it to Harry: "This is the antidote, drink it." Then she picked up the second bottle on the right, "This is the potion that allows passing through the flames, you drink this too. Only this bottle can let you pass through the wall of flames behind."
She paused, looked at Harry, her eyes filled with worry: "On the other side of the wall of flames is where we need to go. You must be careful."
Harry took the bottles and drank them without hesitation. The antidote tasted slightly bitter with a hint of minty coolness; the potion to pass through the flames was spicy, like drinking a mouthful of scalding strong liquor, warming him from his throat all the way to his stomach.
He looked at Hermione, then at the direction outside the door, his tone firm: "You wait here for me. I'll be back soon."
Hermione nodded, her eyes slightly red: "Be careful, Harry."
Edward watched this scene, a mocking curve at the corner of his mouth: "Don't worry, I'm not interested in what's behind there. You wait here, and I can't be bothered to go."
Having said that, he found a corner far from the wall of flames, sat down, and closed his eyes to rest. He could feel that the wall of flames contained powerful magic that his current strength could not easily break through.
Harry took a deep look at him, then at Hermione, and turned to walk toward the wall of flames.
The purple flames roared in front of him, emitting a scorching heat. Harry took a deep breath and stepped inside.
Amazingly, those flames seemed to have a life of their own, automatically parting to the sides to reveal a narrow passage. The flames did not hurt him at all, but only brushed against his cheeks with a hint of warmth.
Harry's figure soon disappeared on the other side of the wall of flames.
Time passed minute by minute.
Edward leaned against the wall, listening to the sound of Hermione pacing back and forth, and the occasional sigh she let out, finding it a bit boring. He closed his eyes, and various techniques for transforming flame forms appeared in his mind; unconsciously, a faint wisp of fire condensed at his fingertips.
I don't know how much time had passed when he heard a noise from the direction of the wall of flames. Immediately after, a figure stumbled out of the flames and fell heavily to the ground. It was Harry.
He was clutching a red stone tightly in his hand; the stone emitted a faint glow, while he himself had passed out, his face as pale as paper.
"Harry!" Hermione exclaimed, rushing over. She propped Harry up and found his forehead burning hot, his breathing weak. "Harry! Wake up!"
Edward opened his eyes, looked at the unconscious Harry, and then at the empty corner nearby - Ron was still lying in the chess room. He couldn't help but sigh, stood up, and walked to Harry's side.
Hermione looked at him vigilantly: "What do you want to do?"
"Don't misunderstand." Edward's tone remained cold, and he raised his wand. "I just don't want to see the three of you die here."
"Wingardium Leviosa!"
The Levitation Charm took effect, and Harry's body slowly drifted up, suspended in mid-air.
Edward turned again and walked toward the chess room. Soon, he used the same spell to levitate the unconscious Ron over as well.
Hermione watched his actions, her eyes wide with surprise, unable to speak for a moment.
Edward controlled one levitating figure with each hand and walked toward the trapdoor. Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead; clearly, the Levitation Charm controlling two living people at the same time was a huge drain on his magic.
Hermione quickly followed, helping to support Harry and Ron's bodies to prevent them from hitting the walls.
All the way up, through the open space covered by Devils Snare, around the still-sleeping three-headed dog, out of that wooden door, and back to the corridor of the castle.
Edward felt all his magic power draining away rapidly; his limbs felt as if they had been drained of strength, and he almost didn't have the strength to lift his hand. After all, they were two first-year brats, and their weight was not light.
Just as his magic was about to be exhausted, his vision began to darken, and his body was about to give out, a familiar figure suddenly appeared at the end of the corridor.
It was Dumbledore. He was wearing a gorgeous purple robe, holding a half-moon shaped glasses, and his silver-white beard was shining in the moonlight. He was looking at them with a smile, his eyes carrying a hint of understanding.
"It seems you have had a very exciting night."
Dumbledore's voice was gentle and steady, like a dose of reassurance. He waved his wand, and Edward felt a gentle magical power wrap around himself, as well as Harry and Ron's bodies. The two floating figures slowly landed, and his tense nerves instantly relaxed.
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