The bones crumbled under Harry’s meager weight. His clammy hands pressed on the floor as he pushed himself up. His body ached after the landing and a stinging pain rushed through his wand arm. This was when the voice began to cry even louder than before.
“She’s dying. PLEASE HELP,” The fearful voice caused Harry to push away his pain in a split decision.

He quietly moved over to a tunnel that appeared to be a long cave with an opening that appeared rather large. Fear gripped him, dark and small spaces sent him into a panic. Again Harry pushed aside his pain and fear and slowly entered the dark tunnel. His hand ran along the closest wall, slime covered his fingers. His speed picked up as the dark began to get to him. He lost concentration and his body slammed into something hard and smooth. He then fell over landing on his bottom. It shocked him, and he panicked once again.

For a moment Harry forgot that he was a wizard and just sat there, in a slight daze. He shook his head as if trying to clear away the fog in his brain. After a minute Harry was able to think again. He pulled his wand out of his robe and cast a simple spell.
“Lumos,” he whispered and a light began to shine from the wand. In front of him was a gigantic snake skin. The skin was stunning. It was fifty feet long and 3 feet wide. Again Fear pressed at Harry’s insides like molten fire. This could kill him if it was a trick.

Harry did not give up and continued to push on. He followed the skin and made it to a rounded door in the wall. It looked like it was the entrance to a secret vault. Five little snakes made of stone had their tails hooked around metal handles and teeth sunken mid-lock. A small hiss escaped Harry’s lips
“Open,” he said.

Click, click, click, click, and click. The snakes released their hold of the door and slide into an unseen hole along the entrance. The last snake disappeared into the tiny hole. Thump! The door swung open, revealing a smooth stone path. Each one laid with precision, the slime that was on the walls was not on the stone.

The path was in the middle of two sets of slimy water. Every 10 feet was a statue of a different snake, each however had large fangs and a forked tongue. Their eyes were missing and their bodies were wrapped around dead prey. Ancient writing covered the bases.

As Harry moved forward, the snakes seemed to move and slither in place.
“Who is there? Are you here to help me?” The voice seemed calmer now and much gentler.

Something slid behind Harry. A smooth surface touched his spine and continued to move.
“Hi, I’m Harry,” he hissed in a small whisper. Then he turned to find a large snake, almost 60 feet long. Its eyes closed and its tongue hissed softly.