Secrets Only Trouble Knows - George Weasley

46 - Goodbye, Year Four

{ A/N: Chamber of Secrets is done... wow! Thank you to everyone who has still decided to stick with this story.

I loved writing this school year (for obvious reasons) but I must say I'm really excited for Prisoner of Azkaban... I don't think you guys are ready for what I have in mind. It's probably going to be a rollercoaster for you but, remember, I've always got a plan! ;) }

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"Alright, I'm coming too, then." I said, taking a deep breath.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me," Lockhart piped up, "I'll just leave then—"

He put his hand on the doorknob, but Ron, Harry, and I drew our wands, pointing them at him.

"Actually," Ron snarled, gesturing to the exposed pipe, "you can go first."

"Now, now—" Lockhart tried.

"Go." I seethed. "Wouldn't want me to have to blast you off your feet again until you agree, now would you?"

"You three," he replied, voice shaky as he walked white-faced and wandless over to the opening, "W-what good will this do?"

Harry jabbed him in the back with his wand, forcing him to slide his legs into the pipe.

"I really don't think—" Lockhart began, but we didn't wait to hear what else he had to say. Ron gave him a push and he went sliding out of sight.

"I'll go next," I said, lowering myself into the pipe.

Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and let go, dropping into the darkness. The wind whipped around me as I rushed down the slimy, cold slide and, when I finally got used to the wild feeling I was experiencing, I opened my eyes again. All around me was a vast and intricate plumbing system with a multitude of pipes branching off into all sorts of directions. None were quite as large as this one, though.

In the distance behind me, I could hear Harry and Ron following after me as the three of us twisted and turned down a pipe that seemed endless. I felt like I'd been sliding forever and because of that, I knew I was falling deeper below the Hogwarts Castle than even the Slytherin dungeons.

Soon the pipe started to level out. Just when I began to worry about what would happen when I reached the end of it, I was suddenly shot of it and landing harshly on the damp floor of a dark, stone tunnel.

When I got my bearings, groaning a little bit from the impact I'd taken, I noticed Lockhart was standing up a little ways ahead of me. He was covered in slime and had the most disgusted and uncomfortable look on his face.

"M-my robes!" he shrieked, eyeing his ruined attire. "These— these were quite pricey, you know!"

"Oh, shut up." I grumbled, rolling my eyes.

I shrugged off some of the slime coating my body as well, not enjoying the feeling of it on me either, and stood to my feet. I quickly moved away from the opening of the pipe just as Harry and Ron came whizzing out of it, falling in a heap on the ground. With a few groans they got up, brushing themselves off.

Harry squinted around to gaze at the dark and grimy-looking tunnel we were standing in, his mouth slightly agape in astonishment. "We must be miles under the school..." he breathed.

"More like under the lake, probably." Ron replied, reaching a hand up and touching one of the damp walls.

As I looked down the rest of the tunnel in front of us, things felt a lot like the Forbidden forest.
We could only see just a little distance ahead of us— after a few feet, everything faded into pitch black. Knowing there was no other choice but to begin our trek through this tunnel, no ability to turn back now, I sighed and lit up the end of my wand for some light. Harry quickly followed suit.