Kyle took out his wand and reached under the trapdoor.
With a burst of white light, Kyle could just make out a mass of green vines coiled directly below the trapdoor.
"It really is Devil's Snare," he muttered, putting his wand away. Then he called to Fluffy. "Alright, you stay here. If Dumbledore comes with someone, you bark—loudly."
"Woof..." Fluffy, having just finished his jerky, nodded obediently.
Kyle gave the dog's massive head a final pat, then jumped down through the trapdoor.
The soft Devil's Snare caught him like a hammock, tendrils snaking around him. Kyle didn't struggle; instead, he lay still. Sure enough, after three seconds, the tendrils released him, and he dropped softly to the ground. Standing up, he eyed the Devil's Snare with an odd look.
Honestly, what was Professor Sprout thinking? Kyle mused. Of all things, Devil's Snare? You could close your eyes, pick any plant from Greenhouse 3, and it would make a better barrier.
Devil's Snare sounded intimidating, but its weaknesses were obvious: it feared light and fire, and a simple Lighting Charm rendered it completely harmless.
It's meant to stop intruders, but here it's doing nothing but acting as a soft landing, he thought, shaking his head. What a waste.
Kyle looked up, scanning the silent surroundings, and took a deep breath. Then he shouted:
"Whose Devil's Snare is this?"
Silence filled the room, broken only by the faint echoes.
Whose Devil's Snare... Devil's Snare... Snare...
Hearing Kyle's voice, Fluffy curiously poked his head through the trapdoor and looked down.
"Not your business—back up!" Kyle called out.
With a soft whimper, Fluffy reluctantly retracted his head.
Kyle cleared his throat and shouted again, "Ahem... whose Devil's Snare is it? If no one's claiming it, I'm taking it!"
Satisfied, Kyle pulled a small box from his leather bag, unfolding it on the ground. Ten seconds later, he had carefully packed the entire Devil's Snare plant, pot and all, into the box.
Dusting off his hands, he tucked the box under his arm and walked toward the next level. He followed a narrow stone corridor that led to a brightly lit room. Strangely, the room was empty. Continuing forward, he came upon a heavy wooden door.
He grabbed the handle and pulled. The door creaked open, revealing... nothing. Just a dark, empty room.
Was Professor Proudfoot being lazy? Kyle thought.
He stared at the dark room ahead, debating whether to continue. Judging by the lack of obstacles, it was clear that, apart from Fluffy and the Devil's Snare, the other checkpoints hadn't been set up yet.
If I turn back now, this whole trip will have been a waste, he thought, frowning at the empty room.
"Forget it, I've already come this far; I might as well take a look," Kyle murmured, shaking his head as he stepped forward.
As soon as he entered, the previously dark room instantly brightened. Glancing down, he saw an enormous chessboard beneath his feet, with towering chess pieces all around him. Kyle's spirits lifted at once.
Professor McGonagall's handiwork, he thought. She always puts in more effort than Professor Flitwick. No wonder she's the Deputy Headmistress.
To proceed, he'd need to win the game of Wizard Chess. To be honest, he admitted to himself, this could be tricky.
He hadn't played much Wizard Chess, only dabbling occasionally with Fred or George. It was enough for a bit of fun, but he'd never gone up against a real opponent. Still, Kyle wasn't one to back down easily. He casually walked over to a black rook and reached out to touch its stone surface, ready to take its place.
"Might as well give it a go. Worst case, I head back the way I came."
He waited five minutes, but the piece remained still. Confused, he walked to the knight—no response. The bishop, the pawn, even the king—none of them moved. Kyle strolled all the way to the exit, but the pieces were completely unresponsive.
It dawned on him that these were simply mock pieces. Professor McGonagall hadn't yet finished setting up her challenge.
The next few rooms were similarly empty, void of any obstacles. Disappointed, Kyle turned back the way he came. Seems I came too early, he thought, a bit deflated. Perhaps Dumbledore and the professors felt that one Fluffy was enough to deter any intruders for the time being.
After leaving the fourth floor, Kyle made a quick detour to the underground classrooms before returning to the Hufflepuff common room.
"Thank goodness, you're finally back!" Cedric had been waiting in the common room, his curiosity piqued the moment he saw Kyle enter. "Where were you?"
"On the fourth floor," Kyle replied. "Didn't we just come from there together?"
"I mean after we ran back from the fourth floor."
"I didn't run..." Kyle said, after thinking for a moment. "Actually, I first met Fluffy last year when Hagrid introduced us. Oh, and Fluffy is the name of the Three-Headed Dog we saw tonight."
Kyle settled into a chair and placed a jug of pumpkin juice and a plate of biscuits on the table in front of him, snacks he'd brought from the kitchen. Although it was late, the kitchen had been bustling with house-elves, as active as they were during the day. They had even offered to prepare a full meal, but Kyle had declined, only wanting a quick snack.
Cedric blinked, processing this new information. "Wait... did you just say you know the Three-Headed Dog?"
"Yep, I've known him for about a year now," Kyle said casually. "He's still a puppy, not even two years old."
"But... why didn't you say anything earlier?"
"I did," Kyle shrugged. "But you all ran off so fast, and the next thing I knew, you were gone."
Cedric's face flushed a little. Seeing the Three-Headed Dog had been a shock, and his first instinct was to flee, leaving little room for listening to what anyone else was saying.
Kyle nudged the plate of cookies toward him. "Want a cookie? They're cheese-flavored—not bad."
"Yeah... thanks." Cedric, feeling a bit hungry, took one and popped it into his mouth. "So, you were on the fourth floor the whole time?"
"Yes," Kyle confirmed with a nod.
Cedric picked up another cookie, still curious. "Did you happen to notice the trapdoor under the Three-Headed Dog?"
"I did, but unfortunately..." Kyle sighed. "I guess we came too early. The professors haven't set everything up yet. For now, it's just a few empty rooms."