"...Are you kidding me?"
Looking at the black golem towering over him at about two and a half times his own height, Ron couldn't help but gulp, his eyelids twitching uncontrollably. He instinctively turned to look at the other two, taking a deep breath. "Do we have to snatch the ring from its hand?"
"...It looks like that's the case?"
Harry and Neville didn't look much better. To be honest, anyone guessing the possible development of the story would hardly be in a good mood.
"Honestly, don't even think about it, just run..."
Noticing Harry frowning as he seemed to start pondering a strategy, Ron sighed. Although he was a Gryffindor, reality told him that they probably should chicken out this time?
But there was no time to think, reality isn't a turn-based game. As the three of them exchanged looks, the black statue already pulled the great sword from the dirt. The heavy sword seemed weightless in the statue's hand, even being swung around with a teeth-gritting whoosh.
"No, I think... we can't run."
Harry shook his head, dismissing Ron's very reasonable-sounding suggestion.
"We can't run? You mean we have to fight this stone monster that's even taller than a troll? Especially since it's holding a great sword with a hilt longer than my leg?"
Ron's emotions were extremely high—understandably so, as the statue, after saying "Intruders, die" in a standard British accent, already charged with the stone sword. The agility of its massive form was entirely disproportionate. At that moment, a name that perfectly fit the creature popped into Ron's mind—
Great Sword Stone Troll Quick Agile Enhanced Edition. ProMax
It sounded abstract, but it seemed to really be the case.
"Bloody hell—"
Turning around, realizing that the sword was almost at their heads while the two were still stunned, Neville, already two meters away, couldn't help but widen his eyes. Yet the distance made it impossible for him to run back to pull them away. So, without hesitation, the boy pulled his hand from the second pocket on the left and threw it directly at the two not far away—
"Ow—"
The brown irregular object was faster than the great sword, directly landing on Ron's head. But before he even finished howling, a green shadow emerged from the brown ball, binding the two tightly together.
The sudden force caused Ron to stagger, and he dragged Harry along like rolling pumpkins to dodge the statue's attack.
...How did Hermione get them through the traps Dumbledore set back in the first year?
Seeing Harry and Ron immobilized on the ground by the Devil's Snare, Neville took a deep breath, then quickly moved his hands. One earth ball after another was thrown, hitting the statue intent on attacking Harry and Ron. Countless tender green vines erupted, fixing the statue in place instantly.
"Bloody hell... Well done, Neville!"
Ron's expression shifted several times before he took a deep breath and shouted a compliment.
"D-don't praise me, these things won't hold him for long, the Little Devil's Snare isn't tough enough!"
Neville, unused to the praise, inevitably blushed a bit but quickly took a deep breath and reacted promptly. Shaking his head, he simultaneously pointed his magic wand at the statue's feet—
"De-Deprimo!"
The slightly stuttering spell didn't seem to impede its final effect. Seeing the earth rise around the statue's feet brought a glint of joy to Neville's face. However, his foreboding proved true; the green vines binding the statue had started to break. The heavy stone sword had already cut through the outer green layer—
There was no time to feel sorry. Neville slid to the statue's feet, planting the prepared pot in the soil. The next moment, numerous dark brown "serpents" rose from the earth like giant pythons, completely binding the statue before them.
Anticipating the mature Devil's Snare's outbreak, Neville had already avoided its control range and now sat on the ground, watching the bound, struggling statue as he gasped for breath—a simple exertion that left him slightly dizzy. Taking a deep inhale…
It seems Senior William's suggestion for physical training should be a priority, if only finding a good place wouldn't be so hard...
Now the castle is surrounded by Dementors. He even saw one or two around the Quidditch pitch earlier. It seems nowhere outside the castle is safe... No, wait, the castle isn't entirely safe either. Neville, who couldn't remember the "trap" locations inside, had to carefully tread when going downstairs, lest one misstep trap his foot or cause a fall.
"Sigh..."
Sighing a bit mournfully, Neville patted the dirt off his knees as he stood.
"Stop sighing, Neville—"
Tied up with Harry, Ron couldn't help but remind him, struggling slightly only to find the Devil's Snare binding more tightly. This being forcibly bound together with Harry in this way felt uncomfortable, and they could only turn their heads away to avoid something "irreparable happening...no, any incident."