The stone chamber was vast and empty, its floor precisely divided into sixty-four enormous alternating black-and-white squares, forming a Wizard Chess board magnified countless times over. At either end of the board stood two rows of towering pieces—not ordinary stone carvings, but lifelike giant Wizard Chess statues that gleamed with cold magic! The black pieces were carved from some deep, glossy black stone, while the white pieces were made of smooth ivory marble. Kings, queens, knights, bishops, castles, pawns... They held enormous stone weapons and silently guarded their positions like sleeping giants. At the far end of the board stood a tightly shut stone door, the only exit.
"Giant Wizard Chess..." Hermione gasped, her voice especially clear in the silent chamber. "Do we have to win this game to get through?"
"Looks like it." Lynn's gaze swiftly swept across the board as his mind began analyzing the situation like a precision machine. "Does black move first? Or white? What are the rules?"
As if answering their questions, an ancient, emotionless voice echoed through the chamber, like stone grinding against stone. "Challengers, choose a side. Replace the pieces and win the game. The losers will be crushed. Begin."
The moment the voice faded, a pawn statue holding a massive axe in the black camp suddenly rumbled. Its heavy stone foot lifted and moved two squares forward! The motion came with a teeth-grating scrape.
The rules were brutal and straightforward. They had to become pieces themselves and take part in the match. The losing side's pieces would be mercilessly "captured" by the opponent—shattered!
All four of them turned grave.
"I'll do it!" Ron suddenly stepped forward, his voice carrying the resolve of someone willing to risk everything. His eyes were fixed on the white king statue. "I'm good at this! I play Wizard Chess with Dad all the time at home! Let me be the king! I'll command us!"
"Ron!" Harry and Hermione called out at the same time, both worried.
"Stop arguing! We don't have much time!" Ron cut them off, his tone unusually firm. "This is the only way! Trust me!" He looked at Lynn for support.
Lynn's gaze rested on Ron's face for a moment before moving to the white king's position. The king was at the back and relatively safe, but that also meant the other pieces would have to charge into danger and bear the risks. He nodded. "All right. You command."
Ron took a deep breath and strode over to the white king's position. The instant he stopped there, the enormous king statue seemed to merge with him, releasing a faint magical pulse.
"Harry!" Ron's voice rang through the hollow stone chamber, calm with a commander's authority. "You replace the castle! Go stand over there! Hermione, be the bishop beside the queen! Lynn..." He hesitated before looking at Lynn. "Knight! You're mobile, so take the knight's position!"
The three of them immediately went to their assigned positions. Harry stood at the white castle position on the left, Hermione at the bishop position to the queen's right, and Lynn at the knight's position before the king. The instant they settled in place, the huge stone bases beneath them began to glow faintly, as though activated.
The game officially began!
Ron displayed a chess talent that made them see him in a new light. His gaze was sharp, his thoughts swift, and his commands came quickly.
"Pawn, move forward two squares!"
"Bishop, move diagonally three squares and capture that black pawn!"
"Lynn! Knight, H3 to F5! Intercept that black knight!"
"Harry! Castle, move straight forward and threaten the black queen!"
Under his commands, the stone pieces moved heavily and precisely, every step accompanied by thunderous rumbles and flying stone chips. Whenever they captured a black piece, the white piece smashed it apart without mercy, sending shards flying everywhere! The sight was nerve-racking.
Hermione watched tensely. She trusted Ron's judgment completely, but every time one of their pieces moved—especially when Lynn, as the knight, had to venture deep into enemy territory—her heart climbed into her throat. The Moon White Stone throbbed with waves of nervous unease. Lynn, however, remained calm, like the stone warhorse beneath him. His cool gaze swept over the entire board as he carried out Ron's commands with perfect precision, each move defusing a crisis or creating an opening at exactly the right moment.
The black pieces attacked with terrifying ferocity, every move brimming with murderous intent. Before long, white paid a price as well. The bishop position Hermione occupied was ambushed by a black knight, whose enormous stone hammer came crashing down with a howl! Though she dodged in time, the stone bishop base beneath her was smashed to pieces! Rubble flew everywhere. Hermione cried out and rolled awkwardly into a safe area, her arm cut open by a shard of stone.
"Hermione!" Harry shouted.
"I'm fine!" Hermione gritted her teeth and pushed herself up, gripping her wand tightly. Her face was pale, but her gaze remained resolute. Lynn's eyes flicked over the bloody cut on her arm, darkening slightly, but he did not lose focus. The black side's assault was only growing fiercer.
The battle on the board became increasingly brutal. White's pawns had nearly all been lost, and the castle position Harry occupied was under immense pressure as well. Sweat covered Ron's forehead, his lips pressed tightly together, yet his eyes became more focused and sharper than ever. He saw an opportunity! An incredibly risky opportunity, but one that might win the game in a single stroke!
"Lynn!" Ron's voice carried a do-or-die resolve. "Knight, move to E7! Check the black king!" It was an extremely dangerous sacrificial position! Once Lynn advanced, he would be completely exposed to the black queen and black castle!
Lynn did not hesitate for even a moment. The stone horse beneath him raised its forelegs in a soundless neigh, carrying him without hesitation toward the designated E7 square! Its heavy hooves struck the stone floor with a thunderous sound that pounded against their hearts.
He landed precisely in position! His enormous stone sword pointed straight at the black king!
"Check!" Ron roared.
The black king's massive body trembled. Its only escape route was F8. But that was exactly what Ron had been waiting for!
"Harry!" Ron's voice cracked with excitement. "Castle! Move to F8! It's over! Checkmate!"
The castle statue Harry occupied erupted with dazzling white light and moved heavily yet swiftly along a straight line to F8! Its massive gate-like weapon completely blocked the black king's final escape!
The black king stood frozen in place, as if unable to accept defeat. A few seconds later, it let out a dull cracking sound like a collapsing mountain! The entire statue crumbled from within, turning into a heap of enormous broken stones that crashed to the floor! Dust filled the air!
They had won!
The other white pieces also stopped moving, returning to silence like stone carvings that had fulfilled their purpose.
Ron slid down from the king's position as though all strength had left him, sitting on the floor and gulping for air. Yet his face was filled with overwhelming excitement and pride. "Merlin's... beard... We... won!"
Harry slumped beside the castle base as well, a relieved smile on his face. Hermione clutched her injured arm, looking over the battered chessboard and the pile of black king rubble at its center that marked their victory, then let out a long breath.
Lynn jumped down from the knight's position, and the stone horse returned to stillness after he left. He walked straight toward Hermione and stopped before her, his gaze falling on the bleeding scratch on her arm.
"How is the injury?" His voice was low, carrying a trace of concern that was difficult to detect.
"It's just a scratch. It's nothing." Hermione hurriedly shook her head and tried to hide her hand behind her back, but Lynn gently caught her wrist.
He naturally took out a small bottle of Murtlap Essence, dipped a clean piece of gauze into it, and carefully applied it to Hermione's wound. The potion felt cool and stung slightly at first, but that was soon replaced by a warm comfort. Lynn's movements were gentle, and the touch of his fingers held a focused tenderness that made Hermione's heart beat faster again despite herself. Her cheeks warmed slightly. The Moon White Stone sent out wave after wave of warmth, clearer even than the sensation of the wound healing.
"Done." Lynn finished treating the wound and released her hand, his movements clean and efficient. Hermione looked at the cut on her arm, which had quickly stopped bleeding and begun to scab over. "Thank you," she said softly.
"Mm." Lynn answered, already turning his gaze toward the stone door that had just opened.
Beyond the stone door, the next chamber was even stranger. The air was thick with a nauseating odor of sulfur mixed with blood. The floor was slick, littered with shattered bottles and jars and scorch marks. Clearly, a fierce battle had taken place here not long ago.
At the end of the chamber stood only one thing—a towering mirror. It nearly reached the arched stone ceiling, and its magnificent golden frame was carved with intricate ancient patterns. Yet the mirror itself was exceptionally blurry, as though covered by a mist that would never disperse.
"The Mirror of Erised?" Hermione exclaimed in surprise, recognizing the legendary object from an illustration she had seen in the Restricted Section of the library. "It reflects the deepest, strongest desires in a person's heart... But why is it here? Is it another trial protecting the Philosopher's Stone?"
Just then, a cold voice filled with pained wheezing sounded from the shadows of the chamber.
"Give... give me... the Philosopher's Stone..."
The four of them stiffened in alarm! Looking toward the sound, they saw Professor Quirrell staggering out from behind a massive stone pillar! His face was as white as paper, his lips bloodless, and his entire body shook violently. His distinctive purple turban hung crookedly around his neck, exposing an unnatural stiffness beneath it. One hand was pressed tightly against his temple while the other trembled as it raised a wand toward them. His eyes were unfocused and crazed, filled with extreme agony and a kind of... hysterical desperation born of coercion.
"Professor Quirrell?" Harry stared at him in shock. "How did you..."
"Shut up! Give me the Philosopher's Stone!" Quirrell's voice suddenly rose into a piercing shriek, dangerous sparks bursting from the tip of his wand. "Master... Master needs it! Give it to me now! Or... or..."
"Master?" Hermione caught the word and remembered what they had discovered during their earlier investigation of the office. "Voldemort! Voldemort is on the back of your head! He's controlling you!" she demanded sharply.
Quirrell's body jolted violently. Extreme terror appeared on his face, as though the name itself could burn him. "N-No... Don't say... Master's name!" he shrieked, abruptly pointing his wand at Hermione. "Crucio!"
A blinding red beam shot toward Hermione in an instant!
"Protego!" Lynn reacted like lightning! He stepped forward, completely shielding Hermione behind him as he swung his wand. A translucent silver barrier instantly unfolded before them!
Bang!
The red light of the Cruciatus Curse slammed into the Protego barrier, exploding into blinding sparks and a teeth-grating cracking sound! The shield rippled violently. Though it blocked most of the force, the powerful impact still knocked Lynn back a step, his back striking Hermione heavily!
"Lynn!" Hermione cried, hurriedly catching him.
At that moment, an even colder, slicker voice rang through the chamber, like a venomous snake hissing beside their ears. It carried a malice so vile it seemed to freeze their souls. The sound came, unmistakably, from the direction of the back of Quirrell's head!
"Idiot... useless fool! Give... me your body!"
Quirrell let out a shriek so agonized it barely sounded human! The last trace of his own consciousness was instantly swallowed by absolute pain and terror! He tore off the purple turban around his head, revealing a horrifying sight—
A twisted, flattened face clung to the back of his head like a wax figure that had melted! It had no nose, only two narrow slits for nostrils. Its long, narrow snake-like eyes glowed scarlet as they stared at them with venomous greed! Voldemort!
"Harry Potter..." the face hissed, filled with bone-deep hatred and a sickly yearning. "And... the interesting Son of Stars... Give me... the Philosopher's Stone!"
The horrifying sight made Harry and Ron feel as though they had fallen into an icy abyss, freezing them where they stood. Hermione sucked in a sharp breath, her face deathly pale as she instinctively clutched Lynn's arm.
Lynn's eyes instantly became as cold and sharp as a frozen pool. He shielded Hermione behind him and held his wand steadily toward that terrifying face. His voice was low, without the slightest trace of fear. "Never."
"You're courting death!" Voldemort's voice was filled with cruel delight. "Quirrell! Kill them! Especially that troublesome Son of Stars!"
Completely controlled, Quirrell let out a beast-like roar and swung his wand wildly. "Avada Kedavra!"
A blinding ghastly green light—the color of death—tore through the air like a striking venomous snake, carrying a terrifying aura of utter destruction as it shot straight toward Lynn, who stood at the front!
Death was inches away! The green light illuminated Lynn's calm profile and Hermione's eyes as they widened in utter terror!
"No—!" Hermione let out a heart-rending scream. Her body burst forth with unprecedented strength as she tried to shove Lynn away!
But Lynn moved faster! Rather than dodging, he suddenly turned sideways and used his shoulder and arm to pull Hermione, who had tried to shield him, tightly into his embrace! At the same time, the Star Stone pendant on his chest erupted with an unprecedented brilliance, like a supernova exploding, at the instant the Killing Curse was about to strike him! A thin yet incomparably solid Silver Halo instantly enveloped his entire body!
Boom—!!!
The deafening explosion shook the chamber! The ghastly green Killing Curse slammed fiercely into the seemingly fragile Silver Halo! It did not penetrate! Instead, it struck as though it had hit an iron wall, unleashing a violent surge of energy! The entire chamber shook! Pebbles rained down from above!
Lynn's body was struck as though by an invisible hammer, and he was violently hurled backward! Holding Hermione tightly, he crashed with her into the golden frame of the enormous Mirror of Erised behind them! The immense impact made the mirror hum loudly!
"Urgh!" Lynn let out a muffled groan. His face instantly turned deathly pale, and a vivid line of blood spilled from the corner of his mouth. The arm he had used to protect Hermione fell limply to his side. His body slid down the mirror frame until he dropped to one knee, his chest heaving violently. The Star Stone's glow dimmed, becoming as weak as a candle in the wind. Forcibly drawing upon the Star Stone's fundamental power to withstand the Killing Curse had come at an enormous cost!
"Lynn!" Hermione broke free from his embrace. The moment she saw the blood at his lips and his suddenly weakened state, her heart felt as if an icy hand had clenched it tight, squeezing until she could barely breathe! Terror and heartache instantly overwhelmed her. She threw herself to his side without a second thought, her hands trembling as she supported his swaying body. Her voice shook with tears. "How are you? Don't scare me!"
Lynn coughed violently several times, each cough wrenching at the agony in his chest. He raised his eyes and saw the tears gathering in Hermione's eyes, as well as her undisguised terror and anguish. Yet the bloodstained corner of his mouth lifted ever so slightly. His voice was hoarse, but carried a strange reassurance. "...I'm fine." He laboriously raised his uninjured hand, as if intending to brush away the tears from her face, but it ultimately fell weakly onto her arm.
At that moment, the Mirror of Erised, still humming from the impact, suddenly began to ripple violently beneath the layer of mist that never dispersed from its surface! It was as if the collision had activated it!
Before you continue